Keeping Your Deliverance

Have you ever driven through the United States about six or seven o’clock in the evening looking for a motel to spend the night? You’re looking for one word in red neon letters, what is it? Vacancy. That’s right. And when you see that, you know you can get in. Well, in the spiritual world, any area of your personality which is not totally given to the Lordship of Jesus has got that red neon letter sign, vacancy. And the enemy knows he’s welcome. And when he comes in he’s liable to bring with him seven others worse than himself.

All right. Number two. I’m going to just put briefly, garment of praise. The Scripture says God has given us a garment of praise in place of the spirit of heaviness, is that right? You see, when you are praising the Lord, you bother the devil more than he can bother you. Let me relate this briefly. Years back before I had gotten to this ministry of deliverance, I was just pastoring an ordinary sort of Pentecostal church in London, we had two Russian Jewesses who had marvelously escaped from Russia, been saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit. And my first wife and I were praying with them and they really believed in praising the Lord. I mean, they were not reticent. They said in Russia the Baptists praise the Lord much louder than the Pentecostals outside Russia. And so there we were having a good time with the Lord and there was a ring at the bell and when I went to answer it there was one of my lady church members there leading her husband by the hand. And she said, “This is my husband, he’s just come out of prison, he has a demon.” Well that was unwelcome news to me because I didn’t know what to do about demons. But I couldn’t refuse the man so I took the couple up where we were all praying. And I said, “We’ll pray.” You know, that’s a safe coverall, it’s always spiritual to pray.

So we went on praying and these Russian sisters, they didn’t care about anybody, they were praising the Lord. So this man sidled up to me and he said, “There’s too much noise, I’m going.” I didn’t premeditate my answer but I gave him the right answer. I said, “Listen, the one who doesn’t like the noise is the devil, because we’re praising Jesus. You’ve got two options. If you go now, the devil will go with you. If you stay, the devil will go without you.” He said, “I’ll stay!” And about ten minutes later without anything further happening that I was aware of he came up to me and said, “It’s just left. I felt it leave my throat.” Well that was such a demonstration to me how much the devil dislikes the praises of Jesus. If you put on the garment of praise, he’ll stay away from you because you embarrass him more than he can embarrass you.

Number three, put on the full armor of God. That’s not an option. Ephesians 6:14–17, and it starts with 12, that’s right. Okay. Now that’s all listed for you, I don’t have to tell you all about it.

Number four, live by God’s Word. Matthew 4:4 says what? “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.” You cannot live by your feelings. That’s the most dangerous thing you can do. You’ll be up and down and every time you get a bad mood, you’ve opened the door. There’s a little list of three F’s. Fact, Faith, Feelings. Okay. Now you have to keep them in that order. The facts are in the Word of God. Faith believes the facts and feelings fall into line. But if you reverse the order and start living by your feelings, you’ve lost your anchor. You’re like a ship adrift without an anchor.

Number five, submit to God and what else? Resist the devil, that’s right. Which is James 4:7. Notice which comes first, which do you have to do first? Submit to God. If you’re submitted to God and you then resist the devil, what does the Bible say will happen? He will what? Flee from you. Do you believe that? But a lot of Christians are actually doing the opposite. They’re submitting to the devil and resisting God, you see? Really, many.

All right. Number six, I’ll put right fellowship, I can’t put in more. It matters what kind of fellowship you have. 1 John 1:7, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light,” what happens? We have fellowship. If you’re out of fellowship, you’re out of the light, you understand? You’re not protected by the blood. The blood only cleanses in the light. And you’re going to have some kind of fellowship, which is it going to be? With the godly or the ungodly? Paul says, “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” The fellowship is an acid test of where you’re at in your spiritual life.

Number seven, come under discipline. You cannot be a real Christian without being under discipline. Self-discipline, family discipline, governmental discipline, school discipline, church discipline, there are many areas of discipline. But the one who refuses is a rebel. And you know what the Bible says about rebels? 1 Samuel 15:23, “rebellion is as witchcraft.” The moment you become rebellious you are exposed to the spirit of witchcraft. Okay? Discipline. Did you get that? For many people today it’s a dirty word. It starts with self-discipline, you understand? Most Christians indulge their moods and their whims and their fancies. You are not free to do that. It’s just as dangerous to do that as it is to indulge your sexual impulses. You are not free to do it.

Number eight, this is the last one. Make Jesus central. All right? You notice it begins and ends with Jesus. And I’m going to put a Scripture there, John 12:31 and 32. Which says, Jesus says:

“Now is the judgment of this world, and now is the prince of this world cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.” (KJV)

Notice the order. When Satan is cast out, what is the next thing to do? Lift up Jesus. That’s right. Fill the vacuum with Jesus. The driving out of Satan creates a vacuum. It’s very important you fill it with the right thing. Focus on Jesus. Do not focus on demons. Don’t give the devil too much publicity, he loves it. Demons are real like germs and viruses and other things. We have to acknowledge them, we have to deal with them. But a healthy person doesn’t go around thinking all the time about germs and viruses, you understand? Health in a certain sense excludes them. Don’t see a demon under every cup and saucer. And if you’re from some old line church or even a less old line church, don’t go back, go up to your pastor or rector, stick your finger between his eyes and say, “You have a demon.” It may be true, but it’s not the right way to handle the situation.