In this LIFELINE...

The Phantom Spirit

One of the most ferocious fights in which a Christian can engage, is with a shape-shifting demon of hell who can never be defeated by our abilities.

However, what if it need not even be encountered in the first place??

Today we will learn how to avoid engaging this phantom spirit who has already been defeated!

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New Life Church, Houston
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The Phantom Spirit

Demonstrating its Defeat!

The term "Phantom-Spirit" doesn't appear in the Bible when you read of the interactions that Jesus and the early Christians had with the devil. But they experienced it nevertheless. So do we. I'm referring to the times when the devil comes to us hidden, disguised, and attempts to engage us in a "conversation". The sole purpose of this is to bring fear, doubt, unbelief, torment, feelings of being overwhelmed, and ultimately to get us to sin against God in order to relieve the pressure of it all.

Job 4:12-17 describes this experience and gives us instructions in winning.

12 "This truth was given to me in secret, as though whispered in my ear. 13 It came to me in a disturbing vision at night, when people are in a deep sleep. 14 Fear gripped me, and my bones trembled. 15 A spirit swept past my face, and my hair stood on end. 16 The spirit stopped, but I couldn't see its shape. There was a form before my eyes. In the silence I heard a voice say, 17 'Can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone be pure before the Creator?'" NLT

1) The evil spirit came to Job in secret, when he wasn't expecting it. (:12) It didn't identify itself as a demon. For all Job knew, all of this was his own scary thoughts.

2) Fear seized him. His bones shook. His hair stood on end. Psychologists would call this a "panic attack", but Job was having a "visitation".

3) (:15,16) Important! The spirit had no shape!
He knew something was there, but "it wasn't anything "concrete" he could identify". THIS IS KEY to understand.

This spirit appears so fierce and terrifying, because it ISN'T ANYTHING in itself. It has no form or shape. It's real, but powerless. It requires Us to Magnify it! Jesus defeated Satan through His death and resurrection. So all that Satan has left is to engage our minds in a battle of "What if's...".

He needs us to listen to his accusations against us, to his fearful threats, to his predictions of doom and gloom. If we do, then he wins, because we will try to defeat him intellectually. We will go to Google and try to find peace. And the moment we gain even a little comfort, he will change his appearance into a bigger phantom of fear that we cannot conquer! You cannot win! Not like that.

THE ANSWER: Don't fight with an enemy who is already defeated.

Notice how the evil spirit really tormented Job in this experience. He questioned his relationship with God. Job 4:17...

17 'Can a mortal be innocent before God?
      Can anyone be pure before the Creator?'

If we doubt our innocence before God, we are defeated already. But Repentance and the Blood of Jesus takes care of that!

   * Yes! You can & are pure before the Creator
      through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ!

   * Don't have a conversation with the Devil.
     Talk to God.
     Read & Speak the Word of God to the Devil.

   * Your Peace and strength are in the Word of God.

   * Your Comforter is the Holy Spirit.

   * Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of
     His Might. (Eph.6:10)