January 28
Ex 5:22-7 | PS 23 | Prov 5:22-23 | Matt 18:21-19:12
A while ago a patient came to see me for an emergency visit for extreme anxiety. Though a Gynecologist, not a Psychiatrist, we have had conversations previously about the things of God. She explained that she had felt ill at work, and someone there who claimed to be a “spiritual healer” stated she could make her well. She said after saying some things, she did not feel better, but began feeling worse, like some sort of evil was now surrounding her. A bit later, this same person without asking touched her forehead, again saying some things, and after that she felt like she could not escape this evil and was terrified it was now after her and her family. I told her 1 John 4:4, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." I explained that she needs to become a true child of God, and that this was not due to some religious affiliation or upbringing. I explained that the way to rid herself of the demonic attack she was confronting was by welcoming in Jesus. She then asked me how to invite Jesus into her life. I explained the Gospel message to her first. Then asked her if she was willing to repent and accept Him, which she was. I then led her through the Sinner's prayer. I sent her the Roman Road to Salvation, from the site, Got Questions, taught her how to go through Scripture to get deeper into this new relationship. I also explained that, like the example on the airplane, once she put on the oxygen mask, she could then offer it to her family, etc. She felt peace at the conclusion of her visit.
We must trust in God, not because of a miracle, or some display, but we must invite Him in because of who He is. We see the initial interaction between Moses and the Israelites in Exodus 4:29-31, "Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped." The people witnessed miraculous signs and worshipped. But their journey was not concluding, but just beginning. It didn't take long after the initial confrontation with Pharaoh, when Pharaoh made their lives more difficult that the people complained rather than worshipped. We see God through Moses display His power, but we also read of the demonic force present in the magicians in Egypt in 7:11-12, "But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods." We see that these same magicians were able to duplicate the first two plagues (turning water to blood, and the frogs) in Exodus 8, but it was the third plague, the lice, that the magicians were unable to duplicate, to which even they had to admit in 8:18-19, "Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”
We must never minimize the spiritual battle that we are in. We read in Ephesians 6:12, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." The hosts of wickedness, the evil entities are indeed powerful, but God is much more powerful. Our power comes not from anything other than fully trusting in God, becoming His child, so that our Father can protect us. Once you enter into this relationship, He will send His Holy Spirit into you and though attacks will continue to occur, He who is then in you is more powerful than those that are in the world. He offers what no one or nothing else can truly offer you, peace. If any have yet to make this decision, please do so today. If you don't fully comprehend what this means, please go to that same website that I gave my patient on Got Questions, and look up the Roman Road to Salvation and begin your journey right now.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: