Drama in the Storm

Life's conditions, tests, trials and tribulations that we all go through in life. Through it all, God has promised to bring us through as long as we keep our trust in Him. It's not always easy we learned at a young age to worry. We fought many childish fears. Some of our childhood fears are more fanciful. As we grow perhaps our worries have a little more basis in reality. Still our worries tend to exaggerate reality. We worry about what might happen. We worry about worse case scenarios. Problems become gigantic.

We worry that we will not have enough. In this economic downturn we worry about losing our job. We worry about being laid off. We worry about whether we will have enough money in retirement. We worry if we will have enough money come in each month to pay the bills. Jesus addressed our worries. He said in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:31-33): “So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the world runs after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Perhaps today you are carrying some uncertainties and some worries. Perhaps today you are worrying about not having a job or enough to pay the mortgage. Now I am not saying that you will never have troubles, but I do believe that in every challenge we have the opportunity to choose between debilitating worry and life-giving trust. I invite you to seek the living God and let him walk with you through those tough situations.

When the Lord takes up residency in you, He works through your heart. He begins to recreate your entire existence. He guides you on every thing you do. He will make sure your walk is a walk characterized by faith. Your life begins to resemble a life built on His foundation and guided with His love. He speaks by sending you subtle little messages through the heart to capture your attention.

If those are not understood, the messages become more persistent and then can become intensely strong. He will not however, demand anything of you, you still have free will. No longer can you commit sins knowingly. No longer will your walk be in the ways of this world. You begin to hunger for His character. Hunger for His wisdom. Hunger for Him. You seek Him intensely throughout the day and into the night. You find yourself wanting Him to control each and every activity. Then you'll have an understanding what it all means, when His people cry out! "Wow, God is Good."

God's Word says: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. – Matthew 11:28-30

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

The Character of the Undertaker

Some might assume that there is no place for the paranormal in professional football. But several of the Men in Black have proven that the character of the supernatural is alive well. Professional football, at its basic level, is a game between two organizations who put on a story for the audience. Some have claimed it's outcomes have been choreographed over the years?

And while that would seemingly be enough or impossible, we find there's much more to pro football than that. Bizarre and controversial storylines have been seen, including ones of the supernatural variety. The players of old amongst the Raider Nation seem to have been resurrected to help familiarize players and fans with that warrior mentality of never say never! Those mysterious words spoken by the elders would seemingly draw strength from it and the Nation of new would attack with renewed vigor.

"The Autumn wind is a pirate, Blustering in from sea, With a rollicking song he sweeps along, Swaggering boisterously His face is weather beaten He wears a hood sash, With his silver hat about his head, And a bristly black moustache, He growls as he storms the country A Villain big and bold, And the trees all shake and quiver and quake, As he robs them of their gold, The Autumn wind is a Raider, Pillaging just for fun, He'll knock you 'round and upside down, And laugh when he's conquered and won."

Feeling the rush of the game, one can only sense the power of resurrection. The undertaking that has taken place amougst the Men in Black, roots of old are springing forth with new life. Our Raiders aren't going anywhere in the postseason but they were the ones looking like a playoff team Sunday against playoff-bound Kansas City. The win gives us a unique stat. We finished 6-0 in the AFC West and that makes us the first team to go unbeaten in the division and not make the playoffs.

The Raider Nations faithfulness has nevertheless tapped into the public’s eye, with love, horror and mystery with the character of undertaking God's Word to heart. It's rich culture and tradition continues... drawing strength from God's promises for 2011 as a new storyline will be written.

God's Word says: Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

The Silver Lining

Once again were taught God answers prayers in three ways: 1. Yes, 2. No, and 3. Wait. Many of us hoped, believed and possibly laid down a prayer or two. Obviously we are in a waiting period right now. We hoped that our faith would carry us to victory.

We've heard the messages about how when God tells us to wait, it's because He has an even bigger plan laid out? Does this also include the field of dreams, is His promise also for those gladiators in Silver and Black?

This can be encouraging! Or maybe not? Are we in the mist of waiting for God's perfect timing, His timing for those Raider players in Christ to make a run for the ultimate prize. He sees it ALL!! He knows every little detail and has a perfect plan. He loves the Raider Nation of followers that He has planned out for this time in history to bring Him glory, how can this be encouraging!

It can be for a follower of Christ or mindboggling to the non-believer? But it makes all the sense to those that know Him! Even in the quest for a Super Bowl appearance one must develop patience for those missing ingredients, they must be in place for the ultimate victory! Which is that of the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The Optimism is the silver lining of our hope, it's our faith that will lead us to achieve this mission. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. God's promises are the backbone of the believer. They are what shapes the whole character of a Nation. Anytime that a Nation wants to stand erect, it may. In the bleakest of all situations, the group of believers in that Nation can call out to God, and God will hear.

God will not say that His promise has expired or we've gone to far from His presence. This golden key of hope, faith and patience is to unlock the most stubborn door of opportunity we might run into and bring courage to the unbelieving hearts of a Nation, to trust God in all things.

One might consider this year to be a failure for the Raiders. But in truth the range of potential and possibilities was certainly demonstrated when the Raiders found themselves being explosive with new found talents one can only see and smell victory in the air. Yes, the Raider Nation would love to have its Miracle on Coliseum Way, Now! As we continue to wait and prepare. At least on the horizon we can see the Silver Lining that a Super Bowl is near.

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

In The Hunt?

Many times hope is a neglected part of the Christian life. Hope alone will never bring results from God’s Word. But when hope is developed in the Word of God, then used in connection with faith, you will begin to see the move of God in your life as you have desired. Too often in an effort to make faith work, people have overlooked the necessity of hope in God’s Word. But as you study the Bible, you will find that hope is an extremely important part of success with God.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” What can faith give substance to if there is no hope? You must have hope in God’s Word before your faith can produce anything.

Hope sets the goal for your faith. Once the goal is set, your faith can go into operation to bring that goal from God’s Word into the present physical world. Meditating in the Word of God brings these hopes and goals into clear view. The goals God has for you become more vivid each day. As your hope is expanded, your capacity for faith is also expanded. When you put faith into operation, you have a clear picture of what your faith is bringing to pass.

Now, does this mean hope brings faith in all things? God doesn't give us everything we deeply desire. The truth is, He hears the cries of our hearts, and He does answer. But as God, He holds the right to answer His way. The more significant truth is that He goes beyond our desires. He doesn't promise to give us what we want just because we follow Him. In fact, Scripture testifies to the opposite-if we follow Him, we are often called to suffer. The road this side of the new heaven and new earth isn't paved gold.

Has the Raider faithful suffered enough in their quest for a Super Bowl run? This Raiders team has been billed as a possible contender for sometime one that would return to the spotlight, but we've all seen an undisciplined team with a lot of talent. Up to this day. Yesterday's, penalties, draft picks, losses and victories are old news. The optimism going around the Raider Nation. Is that some how the boys can pull this off, the playoff scenario. The Raiders must win out, and the Chargers must lose one of the following 49ers @ SD, @ Bengals, @ Broncos. The Chiefs besides losing to us week 17 must also drop one of the following @ Rams , or Titans @ KC.

The next three games are for our playoff hopes so let's support the team and be united in that support, for we all know that hope brings faith. We also know that players themselves feel our passion towards them, the true message here? You've gotten a taste of the Christian walk.

Hope is what brings a prayer of faith it's the norm for a believer, it's the battle ground for the unseen promises. Let's be encouraging, I for one will be cheering for the Raiders because we're still in the hunt and remember this, as we go hunting, on any given day..... let your hope and faith become prayer in all areas of your life. Jesus is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present Keeper of divine promises. And His list of promises is more than impressive.

God's Word says: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Supernatural Speed?

As Believers, we are the birthing agents of the promises of God. Most everything God does in the earthly sphere, He will do through His people. There is a process that He takes us through in order to birth things from the... Heavenly realm into the natural, earthly realm.

It all starts with "a seed." God comes to us at different times in our lives and He "overshadows" us in some way. Sometimes it comes as a prophetic word. Sometimes it comes in a moment of intimate worship. However it comes, God's glory comes upon you and implants a seed of destiny and promise within you. Within that seed is the full potential of your entire future! Within the seed of an oak tree is the entire potential of that tree.

You could say that the full oak tree already exists within that seed. All that seed needs is to go through a process of time and be nurtured properly and then the time will come for that seed to break forth, or germinate, and begin to show signs of its future coming into visible reality.

Here is a key of the Kingdom for you today: God always plants seeds of incredible destiny into people who are nowhere near the person they need to be in order to actually fulfill that destiny at that moment when the seed is planted. God plants something in you that is so much bigger than who you currently are.

When you get a promise from God, don't give up! Don't lose your expectancy for its birth and release! In the Old Testament, Elijah had only seen a little token of God's promise but he believed with incredible faith that the heavens were about to bust open and release the fullness and Elijah decreed and acted accordingly. Just as the prophesied release was coming upon him.

Just as the heavens were opening and forming the clouds were about to outpour, Elijah did something so important. He began to co-labor with God and birth the seed. As the birth of the seed was taking place, Elijah had to change some things in order to advance into the next season. Supernatural power and acceleration were about to come on Elijah like never before. So much supernatural power was going to come upon Elijah that he was going to outrun Ahab and his chariot of horses, on foot? Were talking, just run baby, run...Wow!

On Sunday Oakland Raiders QB Jason Campbell was quoted “Watching Cam Newton, I had to go back to my Auburn days and make some plays with my feet,” Jason joked about his God given ability following the game against the Chargers. It's the element of surprise that's been missing. One thing is certain, If the Raiders run the football like they did Sunday, and get efficient scrambling attempts from Jason Campbell the results will take care of themselves.

Now, This doesn't mean that he is to abandon the Raiders playbook it just gives him that extra edge that has always been there, it's the seed of destiny and promise within. Is Jason's seed about to sprout? Has the Raider Nation seen the promise of his god given potential.

This simply means that for each season of your life, there are priorities that the Lord has for everyone of us, tune in to the voice of God because so many of us are continuing on with an old assignment because we did not sense the shifting of the "autumn wind." It's time to tune in and receive the priority assignment from Heaven for this very season of your life and then begin to gird up your loins and make the adjustments necessary in order to run with efficiency and focus into your next level in God!

The power of the LORD came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel. (1Kings 18:46).

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

The Raider Nation invades San Diego

"Do you believe every person on earth was born with a dream for his or her life? ... It's like the genetic code that describes your unique passions and abilities, your Big Dream has been woven into your being from birth. And you have it for a reason: to draw you toward the kind of life you were born to Live!

Sometimes the confining circumstances and expectations we have been born into. Keep our dreams dormant, so we cry out to God for healing, blessings, and for power and protection to believe. But it seems that prayer will never be answered. But because they loved their wonderful Savior and Lord. They knew they were like pilgrims and sojourners on this earth, and their treasure awaited them in heaven. But that kind of supernatural thriving seems to only fit the affirming message of a movie?

If Christ is our king, then the stakes are high? God was about to answer a young man's dream. The usual controlling mood of the opinionated fan base of both teams was present. The quest for change, the lifestyle for many was about to take a spiritual journey.
On this day many would embrace Christ as King.

Not knowing what to expect we immediately spruced up our area, with several familiar items, bright and cozy photographs of the Raider faithful in Christ proclaiming our devotion to the Raider Nation and faith in Christ. We prayed over our little area in the parking lot, invited Jesus to fill it and become a special sanctuary for all. Not knowing that the Lord was about to answer a young man's dream who now was of adulthood.

A Charger fan approaches our ministry tent. Then looks up. With eyes crackling and he waves his hands to his father who stands by him. Pushing his wheel chair. Head thrown back, he laughs and spins his son around, suddenly he stops and leaps sideways to tag another person. He says is that a real "Super Bowl" trophy! The trophy that was present on that day belonged to the late Dave Dalby three time Super Bowl Champion for the Silver and Black who passed several years ago in a tragic car accident. On that day his family brought his Super Bowl trophy.

This man who was born chronically ill, seriously ill, whose family hand much financial strain. They made the trip on that day his fathers sole purpose was to answer his son's dream of seeing his Chargers play against the Raiders in person. This man's dream? That one day he would take a picture of a "Chargers Super Bowl Trophy" as we all know that has yet to happen. God in His graceful hand had a better plan? A Charger fan holding a Raiders Super Bowl trophy? My heart sank inside my chest when his father asked if we would pray for his son.

Our experience was so overwhelming from start to finish. Before we even realized it the Lord had touched the hearts of all who were present. What I saw on that day was so supernatural as they left for the stadium Charger and Raider fans walked over to pay tribute to the Lord.

God's word says: You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:43-44).

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

The Raider Nation

The word culture has many different meanings. For some it refers to an appreciation of good literature, music, art, food and sports. Culture is a powerful human tool for survival, but it's also a fragile phenomenon. It is constantly changing and easily lost because it exists only in our minds. The make-up of a Nation, with it's written languages, governments, it's landscape, and other man made things are merely the products of culture.

In truth an archaeologists can not dig up culture directly in their excavations. The broken artifacts of ancient people that they uncover are only material remains that reflect cultural patterns they are things that were made and used through past generations in the beauty of their cultural knowledge and skills. The levels of culture in which people have come from throughout the different parts of the world, they often retain much of their original cultural traditions. As a result, they are likely to be part of an identifiable subculture in their new society. The shared cultural traits of subcultures set them apart from any other society, which include the appreciation of the many ethnic groups that make-up a Nation.

As the Raider Nation, searches for it's identity, many find themselves desiring change in their lives exploring God's promise, recognizing that there's more to life's purpose, on the other hand some desire to excavate the lost civilization that once ruled over the landscape of the National Football League, it's the passionate pattern of a culture that dominated in past years. In reality one sadly finds out it could only be found in our thoughts and hearts.

As the Raiders fight for their survival in the division the post season seems so close one can only see the phenomenon of the constant growth that comes from the subculture, a freshness that brings life to the Culture of the Raider Nations fan base around the world which is global with it's six different languages found through the teams official website, it's the sweet taste of the Raider Nation abroad in it's many different native tongues of Tagalog, Japanese, German, Chinese, Spanish, and English. The Raiders have long been recognized as a global organization, it's the ever changing face that has kept this Nation alive, it clearing is the silver lining that is sparkling. It's purpose makes sense to develop a strong fan base, but in reality the Raider Nation has seen the reflection of Christ in it's followers as they testify to their spiritual awareness.

Many Nations are being brought together for only one purpose, as we embrace today's technology we the Raider Nation are taking many roads to yesteryear's glory, from fan clubs to websites along with many pages on myspace and facebook expressing our passion, it's the heart of the Raider faithful. We are a Nation of many tribes and tongues the landscape of this beauty is what makes the subculture sparkle. The pouring out of our spirits towards the Silver and Black has intrigued the God of this universe. The Lord says to all mankind. Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:12).

It shall come to pass afterward that He will pour out His Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I the Lord will pour out My Spirit in those days. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. (Joel 2:28-32) It's God's fragile and stern phenomenon to bring all cultures and subcultures together for His glory.

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Taking Care of the Elderly

The Bible has much to say caring for elderly parents and other family members who are not able to care for themselves. The early Christian church acted as the social services agency for other believers. They cared for the poor, the sick, the widows and the orphans who had no one else to care for them. Christians who had family members in need were expected to meet those needs. Unfortunately, caring for our parents in their old age is no longer an obligation that many of us are willing to accept.

I know of Christians who live lavish lifestyles, and then expect the state or the church to care for their parents. Such individuals should be a ashamed, you can just hear some of these fools crying, "But it would be too crowded for them to stay at our house!" That might be true. Your parents' house was probably crowded when you were young too. Others claim it would be too expensive to care for their parents. That might be true. Your parents no doubt made sacrifices for you when you were in need many years ago. Others in frustration claim that they would not have any privacy if their parents came to stay. Well, you can ask your own parents about that one.

"Repaying your parents" might mean you living in a crowded house, making those same sacrifices they made. Christians in the first century "sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need" (Acts 2:45). If they could do this for those whom they barely knew, shouldn't children today be willing to do the same for their own parents? Children who neglect this obligation are worse than animals? Okay maybe that's a little harsh? "In truth in God's wild kingdom of animals, when old storks become unable to fly, they remain in their nests and are fed by their children, who go to endless exertions to provide their food because of their piety." Taking care of an aged parent is simply repaying the love they gave us in our time of need with love in their time.

In biblical times apparently some felt exempt from their obligation to "honor" their parents by declaring their money was "dedicated to the temple." They did not actually give the money to the temple, but they intended to do so. They then claimed they did not have the ability to financially care for their own parents. I have seen individuals pull the same scam in our day. Since the command to honor one's parents came form ancient days (Exodus 20:12) then repeated in the New Testament (Ephesians 6:1,2), Refusing to honor our moral and spiritual obligations to our parents. Wouldn't those who seek to be relieved of this duty be just as guilty of sin as those to whom Jesus spoke?

The elderly can be seen as burdens rather than blessings. Sometimes we are quick to forget the sacrifices are parents made for us when they are in need of care themselves. Instead of taking them into our homes—whenever that is safe and feasible—we put them in retirement communities or nursing homes, sometimes against their will. We may not value the wisdom they have acquired through living long lives, and we can discredit their advice as “outdated and old.” We live in a time when sacred duties are often ignored, shame on us...
.
Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Raiders for Christ
Peer Pressure the Silent Killer

Where do addictions start? The desire for acceptance for all involved. Most people eventually realize that intimidating others to feel important. Many that have fought to over come addictions have been followers throughout their lives then one day they realize it is more important to make their own decisions and be their own person than to be controlled by someone else's decisions. Getting over an addiction can be hard, some people have failed thousands of times in attempt, but if you REALLY want to get over the addiction, you can. Definitely.

We must not give in to peer pressure, whatever the situation. Throughout history, those who have been unafraid to stand on unpopular beliefs have been the ones to change the world and make things happen. There is so much in this world that we need to change, and so many people who need to be told about Christ the true healer. Letting other people decide what we do and how we behave is exactly what Satan hopes we will do; if we never stand up for what is right because of peer pressure, we are actually standing up for what is wrong. The bad habit of emotionally holding ourselves hostage is unfortunately quite common. Why do people trap themselves into feeling certain feelings and continue to do things they know are bad for them and make them feel low about themselves? It varies for everyone. In order to set yourself free, you first need to understand and learn why you are holding yourself hostage.

Begin by paying attention to the emotions you feel when you are living the moments of your self-dictation, along with acknowledging what subjects play the role in attracting you into preventing yourself from being free and moving forward. Do you like feeling sorry for yourself? Do you feel the need to put yourself in situations that will make you feel badly afterwards? What about doing anything, harmful things both physically and mentally, just to be accepted in society? If this rings a bell to you, then you are suffering from Victimization Addiction, which means exactly the way it sounds- you are addicted to victimizing yourself. This addiction is not really the true issue however. The real problem is what lead you to this addiction and the way it has made you feel about yourself.

The Holy Spirit is called The Counselor and Teacher because He lives inside you and will communicate with you on a daily basis and begin to unravel all the tangled broken wiring of your heart. If you are not baptized with the Holy Spirit, then ask God for this free gift, it can make all the difference in your recovery, and you will never have to fight alone again. He will walk with you daily and give you things to work on as you are ready to deal with them. All the lies about being unworthy and evil will be exposed with His truth, and you will finally see that we are all messed up and that God sees us all as a finished, fixed, product. God doesn't expect you to "be" anything, He expects you to give up and just surrender to His help. That is the key, surrendering to His help and finally accepting that it is truly impossible for us to fix ourselves. Surgery can be painful, but if you have cancer you will have to be willing to go through the pain of surgery to save your life in the long run. So either way you will have some pain, the choice is whether you want to die from it, or to be healed and to live.

It will be painful at times to face your pain, but Jesus is a gentle surgeon, and He knows that this pain is killing you and that it is the only way to heal the symptoms of addiction. This is your day to give God full permission to take you back to the roots of your addiction and to fix you so that you can be whole. It can be tedious painful work at times, but you will just get more and more fixed as you go along. You will see that it was only lies and fear that kept you crippled, and that His truth will set you free...it's a process that brings healing and a desire to never entertain the old ways. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groaning of our hearts. Romans 8:26;

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith

God Shakes Things Up!

We all go through times when it feels like our world is shaking; like the foundations of our lives are shifting under our feet. When this happens, we tend to ask the question: “Why?”
Why is this happening to me? What is going on? What have I done wrong? What am I going to do? What we don’t realize is that perhaps it is God who is shaking our world. He is allowing circumstances to shift. He is shifting the ground under our feet. Why? Why does God shake our world?

To get our attention. It is very easy to become focused (even obsessed) with the "stuff" in our lives: career, family, interests, even ministry! While all this stuff is good, when we become focused on them, we can miss it when God begins to do a new thing; we fail to hear him when he whispers to us; we don’t see the opportunity because our view is restricted by our daily worries and concerns of making ends meet. So God shakes our world to get our attention; so that he can breathe something new into our lives; he can show us new opportunities, the new thing he wants to do. God is a God of new things. “See, I am doing a new thing.” (Isaiah 43:19).

The Bible shows us from this scripture that God is in the business of shaking things up. He has shaken things before, and He is about to shake things again. He will shake everything. This isn’t just talking about the last days. God shakes men and women, and He will allow Christians to be shaken. The Bible says that we will be tried, and He will shake everyone and everything around us because He wants things to be solid. He wants us to be strong, unmovable, and faithful all the way to the end.

In the same manner the Oakland Raiders shook things up during the off-season. When all was said and done, the foundation of players lives were effected. When a team has no chemistry what so ever, changes must be made. New opportunities can breathe life into an organization on the same hand it takes time to "jell" I'm sure the Raider Nation hopes that last weeks performance was an indication of things to come.

God is in the business of purifying His people, because He loves us. If a child of God is not going through some kind of tribulation it could be that they are no threat to the devil anymore. God shakes down everything that the devil has tried to build in your life so you will not be deceived! God shakes people up so that the things that cannot be shaken will remain. The things that remain are the things that God blesses. They are the most important things about your life that exist. Are you prepared to let God shake your world? You are safe. God loves you. He will never shake you more than you can handle in the power of his Holy Spirit.

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Raiders For Christ
Whose Blessing Who?

When God created man, He gave him freedom of choice, the opportunity to choose how he would live. Although He tells us how we should live, He doesn't force that way on us: "I call heaven and earth as witnesses ...today ag...ain...st you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19, emphasis added throughout).

When God first began to communicate with man, Satan then began his work of deception, another factor comes into play, unseen and spiritual: Satan the devil. His influence on humanity is enormous. It is so great that he is described as a being "who deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9). "This war is on!

In war all barriers can be cast down. The evil one uses the foulest schemes. It is to degrade and destroy. He is cunning, often parading as an angel of light. Unless you have the light of grace, you will be blinded to the truth. How will you recognize them? You will be led to become confused between right and wrong, until darkness, blindness, carries you off as another victim.

When it comes to opportunities the bible calls them "blessings" Many times... someone will say...“Wasn’t That A Blessing!” Surely you have ‘heard’ that before. What about the people; that over extended ‘themselves’ and ‘purchased’ a house… they could 'not’' possibly afford. "Look at the house the Lord blessed us with" Then some time later, after defaulting on the mortgage… they are now in ‘Foreclosure?’ Did in fact… The Lord bless them, or was it that persons own will? to make that purchase, or were they persuaded by the evil one?

If you can look at the world’s system of finance you see a perfect picture of Satan’s whole pattern. It can be stated in just a few words, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). How do you kill people's hopes and dreams then to frustrate them towards God. Jesus warned us about being lovers of materialism and money. Satan is a deceiver. Absolutely nothing he does is a blessing. It's more of an opportunity to keep humanity from the truth (Proverbs 1:32) confirms this, “The prosperity of fools shall destroy them.”

It may look as if we are being blessed. He always presents a dead end, no way out. In fact, if you want to discern between the work of God and the work of Satan. The works of Jesus in His quest for the Salvation of this world. Jesus never doubted that Satan is the ruler of this world. In some miraculous way, Satan once showed Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world and their glory." Satan then promised Jesus: "All these things I will give you if you fall down and worship me." (Matthew 4:8, 9; Luke 4:5, 6)

Think about this. Would that offer have been a temptation to Jesus if Satan was not the ruler of these kingdoms? Jesus did not deny that all these worldly governments were Satan’s. Surely, Jesus would have done that if Satan was not the power behind them.

The truth of Whose Blessing Who? Has Almighty God blessed Satan as the ruler of this world? No, It's more of an opportunity to "play ball" Satan's rule of this world will end on that glories day. This battle has continued from ancient days. It all comes down to the gift of freedom of choice, the opportunity to choose.

Satan's Destiny will not be alone in the lake of fire the hard facts of all this, those who were foolishly blessed and blinded of the truth will join him. "Jesus will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed yourself, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’ ” (Matt. 25:41). It's death's final path, the good news life's path has eternal implications, addressing the issue of freedom today will bring peace in your life.

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Raiders for Christ
Dependence on God...

The Gospel illustrates for us the importance of being ready and prepared for the many ways God visits us in our lives. We are often focused with hardship and failure, pain and anguish, tragedy and disappointment; our dre...ams, hopes, and plans are frequently thwarted. How do we prepare for such unexpected circumstances? What are we to do in dark moments when God seems to be far away, and we grope for some evidence of God’s presence?

In the Old Testament Abraham’s example of faith tells us to continue hoping in God’s love even though we cannot feel it and to keep on waiting in patient trust. Life on earth is a journey in faith and a pilgrimage of hope. For this journey we are given enough light to take the next step. As Abraham believed because he “thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy” (Heb 11:11). Because of God’s fidelity, we trust that the will of God will never lead us where the grace of God cannot keep us.

One of the most intriguing aspects of dependence children themselves, according to Jesus, are "models of entering the reign of God. Entering the reign of God" as a child "seems to involve both a certain status actual dependence on God, and a corresponding quality trust, that are both childlike." Like a child's dependence on their parents. Jesus also heralds humility and particularly recommends this form of childlikeness character in dependence of God.

In contrast, look at Jesus - even as a 12 year-old, Jesus understood that he had to be about the Father's business. Later in life, as a miracle-worker, Jesus' dependence on the Father was total. "The son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees the Father doing." (John 5:19), Jesus modeled a life we as his followers are to imitate. If the Son of God had to learn dependence on the Father, then so must we. The Bible says God has stored up good works for us to do (Eph. 2:10). James 1:17 says every gift comes from the Father. Understanding this, if we are to do the good works the Father has stored up for us, we must learn to pay attention to what we see and hear the Father doing, and we must learn how to depend on Him.

How do we practice this dependence? We know that the Father is rescuing the lost, healing the sick, and setting the captives free. We might begin by asking the Father for His heart of compassion. Then we might ask Him where He's working and how we can join Him. Of course the real test comes as we step out in obedience based on what we see and hear Him doing. The more frequently we risk by trusting Him to show up, the more He'll prove Himself trustworthy.

One of the most interesting illustrations of football and the gospel message are the performances of the League's quarterbacks. As they go about their business on game day, some can be spectacularly good. Some have been spectacularly bad. NFL quarterbacks are eventually measured on their dependence on teammates performances. Likewise the Christian is evaluated according to their dependence on God...

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Raiders for Christ
Works of the Holy Spirit

God works in different ways with different people. He spoke in different ways to Adam, Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Samuel, Elijah, Mary and Paul. He can speak in different ways to us today. The messages given to Philip (Acts 8:29) and Peter are so specific (Acts 10:19) that distinct words may have been involved. But he spoke in a different way at the Jerusalem council (Acts 15). It is only after all the discussion had taken place that the apostles concluded that the Holy Spirit had made the decision for them (verse 28).

Just as the Holy Spirit decides to give different abilities to different people (1 Corinthians 12:11), he works with us in different ways. A person with the gift of miraculous words is likely to hear the Spirit in a different way than a person with the gift of compassion. The Spirit will lead a teacher in a different way than a server, because he has different jobs for each person.

The Spirit shapes us in different ways, and as a result, we value different goals. Someone with the gift of administration will value order and organization; someone with the gift of serving will ask whether people are being helped; someone with the gift of encouragement will focus on peoples attitudes; people with the gift of generosity will look for needs that they can fill. And the Spirit works with us in the way that he has caused us to be, according to our interests and values.

For some people, he speaks subtly, in general principles; for others, he must speak with unmistakable details. Each of us must listen in the way that God has made us, in the way that he chooses to deal with us. The important thing is that we listen—that we are ready and willing to hear what he says. We should be looking for his leadership rather than ignoring it.

Learning through experience what is right and wrong (Hebrews 5:12-14). And many of the decisions we face are not matters of sin and righteousness they are simply choices, and God can work with us no matter which we choose, so he leaves the choice up to us. So the Holy Spirit doesn’t speak on everything we want him to. Some people would like to have the Holy Spirit as a conversational companion to keep them company. They want to chat, but the Holy Spirit isn’t involved in idle words.

He does not call attention to himself (John 15:26), and is often silent because he has already given us enough information and advice. He wants us to use what he has already given; he has been training our conscience to respond rightly to what faces us. That does not mean that we rely on ourselves, but that we rely on what God has already done in our lives and what he has already taught us.

Today's NFL technology of communication sure resembles the Spirits works as with many other facets of life, computers stand to greatly change how football is played, at least from a play-calling perspective. Football gear is becoming increasingly high tech, with plans for more advanced post-game analysis, improved helmet technology, and even a sensor embedded in the ball that confirms when it crossed the goal line? Will technology get in the way of the game? Most likely not, in the same manner that the Holy Spirit works to bring a quiet voice to guide us, it's also seen in today's football technology.

In the years since the communications system was deployed, scoring has exploded and completion percentages have increased. Teams became particularly skilled at changing plays at the line of scrimmage and running no-huddle offenses. In part, those developments came about because a coach could serve as a quarterbacks assistant on the field. Just as the Holy Spirit assist the believer in life's decisions one can only sit back in amazement of the resembles...

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Raiders for Christ
Forgiving Yourself...

If you look in the mirror and look yourself in the eyes but you don't like the person you see, then you need to forgive yourself and learn how to love the person that God has made in you! This is what we call a stronghold, or an incorrect thinking pattern that needs to be torn down in your mind. If you have repented of your sins, and taken them before the Lord, then you are forgiven... and now you need to come to realize the power of that. You need to stop associating your failures with your "new creation" image, for God's Word says...

2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Can you honestly look in the mirror and tell yourself, "I love you" and mean it with your heart? I'm not talking about a prideful way, but a humble means of accepting who God has formed in you. We need to love and accept the person that Christ has made in us, and forgive ourselves as Christ has forgiven us!

The importance of forgiving yourself:
When you look inside, you hate yourself, you could kick yourself over and over for your past failures and choices. You've come to Jesus and repented, but you haven't really accepted the truth about what Jesus has done for you yet. You still feel ashamed and guilty over your past and you keep holding it against yourself. The way you see yourself is not an an accurate picture of what Christ has done for you. It is basically denying the work that Jesus accomplished for on the cross! If your sins are forgiven, then you need to see yourself as separated from your sins... but no, the enemy will try diligently to remind you of your past and continue to beat you up over sins that were supposed to be nailed to the cross. You are wrapped up in guilt and condemnation my friend... and you NEED to forgive yourself. You can go through deliverance, but if you don't forgive yourself for the mistakes you've made, you won't experience the breakthrough that you need to be totally set free.

When the recipient of a gift receives it gladly and with joy, the giver is glorified. But when the recipient receives the gift, but ignores it, the giver is mocked, belittled and feels unappreciated. When we fail to forgive ourselves, we are like a child who is given a trip to Disney World for Christmas, yet he keeps complaining that he can't go... even after his parents have already packed the car and are waiting on him to get in! How would would you feel if you were that child's parents? Wouldn't you feel sick inside, knowing that you spend all that money on this trip, the tickets, the hotel reservations, etc., and your son refuses to go because he doesn't believe that what you gave him was real? Think how your heavenly Father feels when He looks down and sees His children walking around beating themselves up over things that He shed His blood so that they could be forgiven and set free from?

It is clear that failing to forgive ourselves from our past mistakes is denying the work of the cross and the shed Blood of Christ in our life. When God's Word tells us that we've been washed clean with the Blood of Christ, and our sins are removed through the atoning work that Jesus did for us... yet we still "could kick ourselves" for our mistakes, then we are basically saying, "I don't care what the Blood of Jesus has done, I still hate myself for what I've done!" It's wrong to think such a thing, but that is what really happens when we refuse to forgive ourselves...

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Raiders for Christ
The danger of Spiritualizing God's Word

THE REALITY OF GOD'S WORD

The most important ingredient for obtaining strong faith is this: You must know the reality of God's Word. You must be convinced that the Bible is God speaking to you today. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed..." Not just some Scripture... all Scripture. One of Satan's favorite tactics in order to destroy the believer's faith in God's Word is to convince him that certain promises that God made are not for him. Religionists often say, "We know that God promised this, but that promise is not for us." I've heard many well-known preachers try to talk Christians out of believing that healing is in the atonement, even though Matthew 8:17 says, "[Jesus] took up our infirmities and carried our diseases." They deceptively teach, "The only infirmities that Jesus took away were for the people in Jesus' day, not for our day. Jesus did take up their infirmities, but not our infirmities." Yet the Bible says that He took up OUR infirmities and diseases. Not just THEIRS. "Ours" includes "us" as well. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! Whenever the devil tells you that a certain promise that God has made is not meant for you, remember this Bible verse: "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ..." (II Corinthians 1:20). Notice this. No matter how many promises God has made, they belong to you. You are not excluded from any of God's promises!

SPIRITUALIZING THE BIBLE

Satan has a backup plan, just in case he can't convince you that a promise is not meant for you. His other tactic is to spiritualize the promises of God. He will come to you and say, "Yes, God did promise that to you, but He really did not mean exactly what He said. You are misunderstanding God by taking Him literally. You need to learn to interpret God's promises spiritually, not literally." Let me show you how Satan does this. The Bible says in 2Corinthians 8:9, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." This scripture explains the reason why Jesus became poor. He became poor so that we might become rich. But the devil will come--sometimes through preachers!--and say, "Yes, Jesus became poor so that you might become rich SPIRITUALLY, not materially." You see how we often mistakenly spiritualize God's promises.

I find it interesting that people will use this verse to prove that Jesus was poor materially. Yet when they try to explain why He became poor, they say it was so that we can become spiritually rich. This doesn't make sense! Since the word "poor" means "materially and financially poor", the word "rich" should mean the same thing-- "materially and financially rich." This scripture promises the believers material and financial riches! Someone may argue and say, "You're taking the Bible out of context!" No, I'm not. The context of this verse is concerns money and giving. Gods word has always been balanced on every topic. When opportunity comes our way blessings can be spiritual and financial.

The Apostle Paul gives us a view of work and financial prosperity that I think many Americans don’t have. Here’s what he says: Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Whoa! Did you notice the “so that”? Let him work hard so that he may have something to share with those in need! We work hard to earn money so we can be a blessing to our families and others. If American Christianity understood that, we’d see the giving go up dramatically in the U.S. We aren’t called to hoard or to build up a huge retirement account or buy bigger houses or drive more expensive cars, we are called to share with those in need! How often do we pass by opportunities to be a blessing to others by sharing what we have? Or worse, how often do we even look for them! Paul challenges us to view our work through a Kingdom lens and stop idolizing our wealth! It is true that some verses of the Bible must be taken spiritually, rather than literally, such as the beast with ten heads in Revelation. But where the context is dealing with practical matters, we should interpret the scripture in a strict sense. This is true concerning 2Corinthians 8:9.

TRADITION VERSES GOD'S WORD

The other tactic the devil uses to destroy your faith in God's Word is to use tradition to contradict God's Word. Tradition is probably Satan's most powerful tool. Jesus said to the religious leaders of His time, "You nullify the word of God by your tradition..." (Mark 7:13). It is amazing that people would rather believe in their traditions rather than believe in God's Word. Yet they do! Tradition is Satan's most powerful tool because tradition does not need any facts. This makes it hard to fight against. It doesn't matter how many verses of scripture you show some people, they are not going to believe the Bible as long as tradition says something else. They don't care about facts. They will argue, "I don't care what the Bible says! This is what I have been taught!" They never consider that the teachings may have been wrong.

The truth is that most people break their bad habit through the use of a mentor, or expert in their field. Is there anyone out there who has tried breaking bad habits when it comes to understanding God's word? Maybe I should rephrase that. Is there anyone out there who has NOT tried breaking bad habits of tradition? No need to answer—we’ve all been there. We develop habits by practicing something over and over until it becomes a major part of our comfort zone. Many of these habits, like reparative prayer or just making a choice not to read God's word. The only way you can win over the traditional ideas you may have is to be teachable. You must be willing to reject tradition when you see that God's Word says something different. This takes humility! Accept God's Word as speaking to you today, and your faith will become stronger. What takes place soon after is that one reconigize a personal relationship developing with the living God. And we find ourselves content in every situation.

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Raiders for Christ
Weekly Message
Building a Relationship with Christ

As Christians grow in spiritual maturity, we hunger for an intimate relationship with Jesus, but at the same time we feel confused over how to go about it. How do you get closer to the invisible God? How do you hold a conversation with someone who doesn’t audibly talk back? Our confusion begins with the word “intimate,” which has become cheapened because of our culture’s obsession with sex. The essence of an intimate relationship, can be like a long-Distance Relationship between a man and women. In today's world when it comes to making a choice in following one's career is a serious commitment to choose to live hundreds -- or even thousands -- of miles away from the man or women you love. Career, school and family are just a few of the factors that keep lovers whispering sweet nothings into the phone instead of each others ears. But if you think a relationship is doomed because of distance, think again. The myth that most long-distance relationships fail is just that: a myth. The reality is that more couples are making it work than you might think. Thousands of couples are living in separate U.S. cities today, couples are actually staying close (and get even closer) when you're so far apart? It's not easy, but it's not impossible? As one should be committed by our ever changing world.

By writing out 'rules for one's relationship, couples are able to make it work by calling at least once a day, by emailing their spouse as the day unfolds, along with texting, seeing each other as much as possible as their schedule permits. The ground rules are remarkably the same in building one's relationship with the Lord, with Jesus, one requires sharing one's heart. Jesus has already shared with us the gospels which are remarkable books. Even though they are not exhaustive biographies of Jesus of Nazareth, they give us a compelling portrait of himself. If you read those four accounts carefully, you will come away knowing the secrets of his heart. The more you study Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the better you’ll understand Jesus. When you meditate on his parables, you’ll discover the love, compassion, and tenderness that flow from him. As you read about Jesus healing people thousands of years ago, you begin to grasp that our Living God can reach out from heaven and touch our lives today. Through reading God's Word, your relationship with Jesus begins to take on new and deeper significance. Jesus revealed his emotions. He got angry at injustice, showed concern about a hungry crowd of his followers, and cried when his friend Lazarus died. But the greatest thing is how you, personally, can make this knowledge of Jesus your own. He wants you to know him. What sets the Bible apart from other books is that through it, God speaks to individuals. The Holy Spirit unfolds Scripture so it becomes a love letter written specifically to you. The more you desire a relationship with Jesus, the more personal that letter becomes.

When you are intimate with someone else, you trust them enough to share your secrets. As God, Jesus already knows everything about you anyway, but when you choose to tell him what’s hidden deep within you, it proves you trust him. Trust is hard. You’ve probably been betrayed by other people, and when that happened, maybe you swore you’d never open up again. But Jesus loved you and trusted you first. He laid down his life for everyone of us. That sacrifice has earned him your trust. Many of my secrets sadly have been from a broken heart, and maybe yours are too. It can hurt to bring them up again? If you haven't given them up to Jesus, that is the path to intimacy. If you want the closest of relationships with Jesus, you have to risk opening your heart. There’s no other way. When you share yourself in relationship with Jesus, when you talk to him often and step out in faith, he will reward you by giving you more of himself. Stepping out takes courage, and it takes time. Held back by our fears, we can move beyond them only through the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.

At first you may notice no difference in your connection with Jesus, but over weeks and months, Bible verses will take on new meaning for you. The bond will grow stronger. In small doses, life will make more sense. Gradually you will sense that Jesus is there, listening to your prayers, answering through Scripture and promptings in your heart. A sureness will come upon you that something wonderful is happening. Jesus never turns away anyone who seeks him. He will give you every help you need to build an intense, intimate relationship with him. Beyond sharing to enjoying when two people are intimate, they don’t need words. Husbands and wives, as well as best friends, know the pleasure of simply being together. They can enjoy each other’s company, even in silence. Long distance intimacy with Jesus is what brings deliverance of our old ways of thinking... resulting in spiritual maturity.

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Raiders for Christ
"Hating the sin, but love the sinner"

In a major victory for gay rights advocates, a federal judge on Wednesday struck down a California ban on same-sex marriage. Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the voter-approved ban, known as Proposition 8, violates due process and equal-protection rights under the U.S. Constitution. The ruling met immediate criticism from Mormon and Catholic church leaders and cheers from gay-rights advocates. "Moral disapproval alone is an improper basis on which to deny rights to gay men and lesbians. The evidence shows conclusively that Proposition 8 enacts, without reason, a private moral view that same-sex couples are inferior to opposite-sex couples," Walker wrote.

The judge added in the conclusion of the 136-page opinion: "Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license." His ruling came in response to a lawsuit brought by two same-sex couples and the city of San Francisco seeking to invalidate the law as an unlawful infringement on the civil rights of gay men and lesbians. The landmark case is expected to be appealed and could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

Homosexuality, like all other types of fornication, has no place in the family of God. Regardless of what modern promoters of “gay liberation” might wish to believe, sexual perversions are not inherited genetically but rather are learned behaviors and willful sins. Like alcoholism and other such sins of the flesh, they may become very difficult to give up for those who have been enslaved by them, but God is able to give deliverance to any who sincerely desire true freedom and salvation. To “straight” Christians in the church, however, the familiar old admonition to "hate the sin, but love the sinner" surely applies in such cases. Homosexuals, long accustomed to being looked upon with disgust by most people, are understandably anxious for acceptance by society. Nevertheless, they must not be encouraged to continue in their wickedness, for it may well cost them their eternal souls. Instead, they need to be “loved into the kingdom,” being delivered first of all from their rebellion against God, then to Christ for salvation and healing.

The first thing that love demands is that we repent for the unkind, unchristian and unloving ways in which Christians have in the past responded to those who struggle with homosexual confusion. We have condemned them in our hearts. We have reacted with revulsion and fear. We have considered ourselves better than they. Many of us have simply turned away and offered no help at all. We have sinned as great a sin against them as they may have sinned against God (provided they have responded to their homosexual inclinations in ways that make them culpable before God). Scientific studies have shown that people are not naturally born homosexual. But what is also true is that most people with homosexual neurosis never consciously choose to have it. In fact, many (perhaps even most) spend endless years begging God to take it away. It is a condition of arrested emotional development primarily caused by circumstances outside of the control of the person and against which most children and adolescents have little defense.

Hollywood has propagated the myth that when it comes to marriage "all you need is love." This is simply not true. Marriage is not based on emotion any more than any other partnership in life is. Marriage, like many human activities, involves emotion but it is not constituted by the presence of any particular set of emotions. I do not deny that many homosexuals feel deeply for their partners; however I do assert that no matter how deep the feelings, what they have is not a marriage in God's sight. It is a beautiful deception. Just because an emotion is deep or powerful does not justify acting upon it. Like drugs, like adultery, like the abuse of alcohol or the love of money, or the power rush of human ego trips, there are emotions which are powerful and addictive and ultimately terribly destructive. Same sex marriages must satisfy criteria other than emotion. A marriage is more than a sexual pleasure center. A marriage is a social unit that is interwoven with dozens of other lives. Same sex marriages do not last. Less than 5% of gays have ever had a relationship that lasted 3 years or more. Sex is not enough. Passion cannot sustain an inherently unstable social unit.

Marriage is a fundamental social institution that does not exist just for the emotional satisfaction of two individuals but for the greater good of the community which stands under the blessing or curse of God. Societies that put emotional fulfillment before right actions and principles will soon give way to a multitude of addictions and deep corruptions and collapse. God will judge any society that institutes same sex marriages. His Word stands over society and when it is deliberately flaunted in the name of progress and enlightenment, then it is not light but deep darkness that results. We cannot bend the principles of God's Word to suit vocal minority groups. While some nations may enact laws permitting these evils, the true church of God must stand resolutely firm and never allow the sanctioning of same sex marriages by Christian clergy. No church that takes the Bible seriously can sanction a union between homosexuals or lesbians. For the Bible-believing Christian, there can be no doubt that homosexuality is a grievous sin in the sight of God. The awful catalogue in the first chapter of Romans of the sins practiced by the ancient pagan world began with this sin.

It is true that at some point, many become co-conspirators in the development of their condition - through "sins of response" judging, condemning, dishonoring, seeking identity, completion and fulfillment in the creature rather than the Creator, welcoming unholy fantasies or acting out immorally. However, the original orientation is mostly the fault of others who are beyond the control of the individual. Like the person with an inclination to alcohol abuse, they can either respond in rebellion against God through "sinful tantrums" and self-medication or they can embrace the trial of their condition as an opportunity to grow in the knowledge of their absolute dependence on God and eventually find healing and transformation in Him. It is the call of the Church to show them the way that the Father has provided through His Son Jesus Christ. We must do this with unconditional love and with wisdom and knowledge.

Until the Church reforms, how can we ever expect society to reform? Today, we elect pedophiles to Congress, we sell their books and frequent the stores that stock them; we make bishops, priests and pastors of men and women known to live sexually immoral lives; and we endow seminaries and colleges that teach their students not to believe the true Word of God. On the other hand, when fellow believers waver and fall, we shoot them and bury their memory rather than lead them to repentance through grace and love; we teach and we model salvation by works, performance righteousness, and the dishonest posturing of sinless perfection. I do not believe that the so-called "gay church" would exist today if it weren't for these and other sins that we, the Church, have committed. And so our first task is to repent, and just maybe the world will take us seriously.

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"

Raiders for Christ
The flesh and the devil
6th of Several Messages

Many who criticize the deliverance ministry will claim that we tend to blame everything on demons to avoid personal responsibility. That is simply not true in most cases in this type of ministry. I do not intend on ignoring the flesh or overemphasizing the demonic, but I would like to clearly explain how the two work together to carry out Satan's plan in our lives. The flesh is the gateway to the demonic. Many times (unless it is generational, etc.), it is through the flesh that the adversary gains entrance into a person's life. We are first tempted by demons (the enemy works through his army of fallen angels) because they are seeking to gain entrance into our lives or carry out a plan to kill, steal or destroy us (see John 10:10), then once we give in, they become welcomed into our lives, and once they enter, they will serve as bad friends who will constantly seek to negatively influence us.

Having a spirit of lust will be like working in an adult bookstore... it will work to wear you down and get you to give in. Without having that spirit, it is much easier to resist the temptation. But wait a minute, what about plain old temptation that is thrown our way on regular bases? We are not immune from that, are we? No, unfortunately we will probably be tempted to a certain degree until we leave this earth. But let me illustrate the difference between normal temptation and having a demon which is pressuring you to sin: When you drive down the road and see an adult bookstore alongside the road, you can easily resist thinking about what is inside that store... that is temptation. Now let's say that you had to work in such a store, and have sex videos playing on the TV screens all day long... that is what it's like to have a spirit of lust. There is a VERY big difference! If you simply feel a little temptation once in a while and find it very easy to resist, then you are likely experiencing simple temptation from the enemy and your goal is to resist it and move on.

However, if you feel driven to lust or pornography (or other sinful behavior such as anger, hate, rage, etc.), then you likely have a spirit that must be driven out. As I said earlier, the flesh is the gateway to the demonic. Demons cannot simply walk up to us and enter... they must be welcomed, and our flesh is their tool to get the job done. If they can tempt us to sin, and our flesh opens the door, then they will have 'permission' to access our souls and/or bodies. This is why you cannot effectively minister to a person who is not ready to let go of their bondage. If somebody is not willing to give up lust, then even if you do get them delivered (by casting out all spirits of lust, addiction, etc.), that person will likely (without even knowing it) re-open that door all over again and the demons can come right back.

Sin is a work of the flesh: Is it possible for a demon to take complete control over a person, and cause them to murder, rape, etc.? Yes! But in most situations, that is not the case. Unless the demon takes complete control over the person, it is the flesh that commits the sin. Take for example a person who has a spirit of lust and then commits adultery... it is their flesh that has sinned, but it was coaxed along (or pressured) by the spirit of lust (or similar spirits). Having a spirit of lust can pressure us to sin, but it cannot force us to sin. This is why the Bible still refers to various sinful acts as 'works of the flesh': Galatians 5:19-21, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Demons are like bad friends: So what if you have a spirit of rage, and you are driven to violence? Wouldn't at least some of it be the demon's fault if you fell into that type of sin? Having a demon is like having a bad friend who has access to your mind and can sit there and inject thoughts or feelings in your system day after day. If you hang around bad friends all the time, what happens? You begin to become like them... they will wear off on you! That is what happens when a person has a demon; the demon's ways will wear on that person's flesh and break it down... making it hard to resist temptation and sin! Can a demon take control over a person and use their body to commit gruesome acts of murder, etc.? While it can happen, it is rarely the case. Devil's are great at working the flesh up to the point of sin and putting pressure on them that can be very hard to resist. This is usually how they do their dirty work in our lives.

Conclusion: The flesh is the open door to the enemy, and the demons are here to ruin our lives. The two work together to carry out Satan's plan to destroy us! The flesh must be crucified (or consider ourselves dead to sin - see Romans 6:11), and demons must be cast out. If we try to crucify the demon or cast out the flesh... we are wasting our time! It is vital that we accomplish two things when seeking deliverance: Make sure that our flesh is not joining hands with the demon or giving it any permission. Get rid of any unclean spirits that may be working against us. It is pointless to constantly discipline the flesh yet allow the old mind-set to remain, and it is also useless to cast out the demons, but allow the flesh to re-open the doors to them again.

Pastor Mando
"keep the faith"