The enemy is real, and it’s closer than I would have thought, it might be inside me.

I believe that God gave us all the answers we needed, and for generations, the answers have been there. The reality is that I haven’t had the maturity to see it, to connect the dots. The light bulb went off, it clicked, and finally, now I feel that I just connected the dots that have been there all this time. 

The enemy has kept me “busy” and distracted from my real priorities. I have a nudge in my heart that tells me to share with you the “dots” and how I have connected them. Come on this journey with me, and let's begin.

Last week, I had a conversation with someone close to me, who told me “I am NOT a sinner, I’m good with God, I don’t need Church, I have everything in control with the creator”. These affirmations stuck in my mind and conflicted with the Word of God that I’ve been learning. My mind keeps telling me that it’s quite arrogant to think that a person is no sinner, or perfect. If there is only ONE Lesson that I keep repeating to my kiddos, is that we are always going to be “missing the mark”, and perfection, God wants us to be perfect in LOVE or at least try,  as defined per Apostle Paul:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-‭8‬, ‭10‬-‭13‬

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I started to wrestle with these thoughts  in my heart and my mind, questioning  “Have I done the same?…” Maybe I think that I’m better than others, or that I don’t need others when truly they are a gift from God. Am I arrogant? Do I or have I had those thoughts and attitudes? Why am I NOT experiencing the fruits of the Holy Spirit? 

When has there been a time that something is preventing me from being kind?… I know one time when I feel that my kids do NOT care about the things I have given them; why do I feel like that? As I think it’s a waste of money and I don’t want to buy the same thing again when they break it; Nathalie aren't these thoughts you being greedy? – another light bulb moment – I have let the evil spirit of avarice, or greed enter in my heart…. And here is the real scary news: there are 6 more evil spirits… and the only thing that can free, clean, and wash me is the Good News of Jesus Christ.

5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. 

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5: 5,22-23

First IDENTIFY the enemy

7 Evil Spirits explained as the 7 Capital Sins

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This framework was developed over 300 years after Christ's death. It started with 9 sins and evolved into different classifications, ending with 7 capital sins. To connect the dots, let’s stick to seven, as they are defined here in 2024.

1. The Evil Spirit of Greed or avarice is an insatiable desire for material gain (food, money, land, or animate/inanimate possessions), social value, status, or power. It is characterized by an insatiable desire for more, but also a dissatisfaction with what one currently has—reflected on a lack of generosity and selfishness.

‍Root Cause: Lack of Generosity

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2. The evil spirit of envy (invidia) arises when a person lacks another's quality, skill, achievement, or possession and desires that the other person be devoid of it, wishing instead to possess it themselves. This sentiment manifests as a resentful covetousness toward the traits or possessions of others. Sadness, described in the Philokalia as envy, represents the sorrow felt at another's good fortune, encompassing feelings of disadvantage, loss, despair, grief, helplessness, disappointment, and sorrow in comparison.

Root Cause: Lack of Gratefulness

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3. The Evil Spirit of Pride (Superbia), is sometimes rendered as self-overestimation, arrogance, or grandiosity (feeling of grandness). It has been defined today as "reasonable self-esteem" or "confidence and satisfaction in oneself". Pride is the opposite of humility. Arrogance is the evil spirit that tells you that you have “no-Sin” or “you are always right”. Boasting or bragging are included within this evil spirit as it speaks with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.

Root Cause: Lack of Humbleness

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4. The Evil Spirit of Wrath (ira) can be defined as uncontrolled feelings of anger, rage, and even hatred. Wrath often reveals itself in the wishes to seek vengeance.
5. The Evil Spirit of Lust (luxuria) is an intense desire for something over somebody else. It can be called the desires of the flesh. It’s the faculty that humans share with animals. It includes an obsession with sex, money, and power. 
6. The Evil Spirit of Gluttony (Gula) is the overindulgence and overconsumption of anything to the point of waste, an intense desire for yourself.

Root Cause: Lack of Self-Control

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7. The Evil Spirit of Sloth, comes from Latin: Tristitia, or acedia "without care". Indifferent to duties and obligations or omitting responsibilities. It will be reflected on apathy, or just not caring. Some very old books in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Philokalia, explain them as dejection or the commonly used word “depression” as a low mood and aversion to activity.

Root Cause: Lack of the HOLY SPIRIT POWER on a daily connection with the Word of God, the bible.

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GO to action: CAST IT OUT

You have been given the Authority 

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1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

⁷ As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10: 1,7-8

¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Mark 16: 14-18

¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

¹⁸ He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20

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I believe that God gave us all the answers we needed, and for generations, the answers have been there.  Pastor Mark Driscoll this week, November 3^rd, 2024, has popped up on my feeds on Facebook saying that he was live. I was reflecting on previous points when he was explaining how to pray an Offensive prayer in defense of the enemy’s attack; explaining how to cast out evil spirits and demons. He gave 4 steps to cast out your own spirits and/or demons:

1. REPENT: Lord, I repent of _________________, and ask for your forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
2. RENOUNCE: To the Evil Sprit of _____________, the Lord rebuke you in Jesus Name.
3. REMOVE: By the authority of Jesus Christ, you are commanded to leave, taking ALL of your servants and their works and effects with you, NEVER to RETURN, in Jesus’s Name!
4. REPLACE: Holy Spirit, I humbly welcome you to fill me with your presence, Peace, and Power. Please take BACK ground I have given to the enemy, and close the door I have opened, in Jesus's Name, AMEN.

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⁴³ “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. ⁴⁴ Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” Matthew 12: 43-45

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Prepare your Heart for the Battle

Put on The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist 

For the evil Spirit of Greed, God give me everything that I need,

with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

For the evil Spirit of Gluttony and Lust

¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 

For the evil Spirit of Wrath, leave the arms done to me on God’s hand

¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

For the evil Spirit of Pride, as Christ is my savior, and through him I can do all things 

¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

For the evil Spirit of Sloth, as I give to the Holy Spirit control of me

18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬: 10-18

I believe that God gave us all the answers we needed, and for generations, the answers have been there.  The enemy is real, and it’s closer than I would have thought, it's inside me. I must identify it, cast it out, and put it on God's Armor so it doesn’t become more powerful. 

Jesus Christ has given me EVERYTHING I need to live a godly life and experience the fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, Thank you, God!

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