Doorways

It's probably been around 3 years or so ago that I embarked on a study about spiritual warfare from a woman who was an emergency room doctor who was a Christian, and lived out West. She has passed away fairly recently, but she has written four books, all of which I have read cover to cover. She had a deliverance ministry, which is when a Christian leads people in the occult to Jesus Christ. The term "deliverance" describes being delivered from the chains of darkness and bondage that the people were in before they came to trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Only Jesus Christ can break those chains! There is nothing in and of ourselves that can do that because it is only Jesus who has the authority over Satan and his kingdom. We are wise to tread carefully because Satan is described in the Bible as not only a liar, but the Father of lies. He is a deceiver, an accuser, a roaring lion who seeks to devour us, an angel of light who deceives entire nations, the destroyer, a murderer, etc. He is not our friend, but he has dangled shiny things before our eyes and lulled us to sleep so he can essentially harm us! He is more powerful than we are, but God is more powerful than he is. Satan cannot work outside God's permission, but if you understand the spirit world, you will understand that Satan has legal ground to do certain things because we give him that liberty in our lives when we sin.

After many months of study, I came to realize this one critical thought: there is a reason why God has commanded us to do and not do certain things. There are laws and rules in the spiritual world that must be abided by. There are reasons why He has so carefully laid out in Scripture warnings and instructions to keep us from sin. That is why Jesus came to this earth clothed in human form so He could sacrificially die in our places to free us from the bondage of our own sin to reconcile us to God our Heavenly Father. He paid our debt, and died so we can live. Because He resurrected, so can we! When we live in disobedience to God and sin against Him, we essentially give Satan legal ground to possess us if unsaved, or to oppress us if saved. Our safeguard against the devil is to resist him and he will flee from us (James 4:7: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you"). If we resist sin and keep our hearts and minds clean, then we protect ourselves from harm spiritually. 

There are doorways that allow Satan and his demons to entangle themselves in our lives legally. Some examples are the occult, including games that use witchcraft like Dungeons and Dragons, role playing fantasy games, etc.; rock music; drugs; alcohol; movies and entertainment that use witchcraft like Harry Potter; toys that use witchcraft like ouiga boards; biofeedback; yoga; sexual sins like adultery, sex outside of marriage, gay lifestyles, transgender lifestyles; abuse, including rape, sex trafficking, domestic abuse, crimes against humanity, etc. Once you become aware of these links to witchcraft, you can better pray and confess your sins, put them under the blood of Jesus, and flee from all appearance of evil.

Take heed to this truth that alcohol is not just another drink. There is a reason why we are to be abstain from it. It is a spiritual doorway that gives Satan legal ground to your life. You might like the taste, you might like how you feel, it might make you some friends, but there is a price to pay for it. The only way to live a holy life before God is to keep from sin. We cannot do it except by trusting in Jesus Christ as our Savior, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by Him (see John 14:6).