The ministry of deliverance

 BY Argie Simonis 

In the previous messages of the "Mind of Christ" series, I explained some fundamental truths that we as Christians need to know so that we can stand in the battle and resist the enemy. That is why it is necessary to see the previous messages before viewing this one. 

Today I will explain how the deliverance ministry works. I have already talked about the philosophy that each person has, that is, his personal way of thinking that eventualy shapes his decisions and actions. There are two basic philosophies on which churches operate today:

- The philosophy of preplanning or predestination, 

according to which the church operates according to a specific program, with the certainty that it will achieve its goals. Within this mold, the practices used are specific and no modifications or changes are anticipated.

- The philosophy of war, 

where the church recognizes that it is at war, it is flexible and ready to adapt to the needs that exist and recognizes that our battle is not against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:10-18).

The ministry of deliverance is based on the second philosophy, the philosophy of war. The first philosophy I mentioned (of preplanning or predestination) explains why many Christians do not believe in the supernatural and of course do not experience it. They believe for example that healings and miracles were only part of the ministry of the first apostles, but they have passed away because now we have the written word of God and that is enough for us. Is this something that you recognize today?

Let's take them one by one. The first case is the philosophy of pre-planning/predestination.

One of the church fathers, Saint Augustine introduced this philosophy, where he presented a version of God stretched so far to the extreme that God is ultimately responsible, He creates or approves every evil that happens in the world, in order to fulfill some mysterious plan that He has and to be glorified in a mysterious way that He does not reveal to us.

There are places in God's word that could partially support such a view, but any time you take any truth of God and stretch it to the extreme, you will end up in error. In fact, this is the reason why so many false teachings and heresies have sprung up.

The same is true with deliverance. If you stretch the deliverance ministry to the extreme, you will find yourself at the point where you ignore basic things like biblical discipleship, discipline, repentance, and holiness. You will begin to see demons behind every corner and ignore the fact that some people may be sick from physical factors and need medical help because of physical and mental disorders they have.

In summary, what I believe began with St. Augustine and later spread within the church, is that all evil that exists is in God's will, or inother words He allows it in order to accomplish His mysterious will so that He may be glorified.

How can you love and trust such a God and how can you resist and fight evil if you believe God is the One who authorized it in the first place? This kind of theology is very dangerous, it confuses believers and creates passive Christians.

I understand that we all want to see God glorified through our lives and the lives of other people, but I want you to ask you how can the rape of a child work for the mysterious glory of God, or the view that God predestined some people to perish in hell that He may be glorified?

When we examine the Scriptures with the mind of Christ, we see a completely different reality than this kind of philosophy. I will use some very familiar words that Jesus said when He prayed to the Father:

"Your kingdom come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Μatt. 6:10

This means that what happens on earth is not necessarily in God's will. We see Jesus speaking to the waves, calming storms, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. If the storms, the sickness, death and demons were in the will of God, then either God is sadistic and likes to torture us, or Jesus was in disobedience to the Father.

But we know that God is a God of love and not only does He not approve or allows evil, but is also at war against it:

"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that Ηe might destroy the works of the devil." 1John 3:8

All evil is the work of the devil and not of God. Every death, every disaster, every disease, every famine and every injustice that happens in the world is the finger of the devil and not of God.

It is about time that we Christians can recognize the fingerprints of the real perpetrator for every evil that happens.

The reason I bring this up is that as I said, such a mindset creates completely passive Christians. You cannot accept the ministry of deliverance if you have this confusion in you heart and you are not sure whether to fight evil or thank God for allowing it.

All this that I am telling you is not just theories or information. They are personal revelations and experiences that my wife Peggy and I have had over the years we have been in ministry and the same way they have changed our lives, I hope they will change yours too.

Let's see a little more practically at what I'm trying to say. You go to church on Sunday and pray to God to give you strength to endure the cancer that for some mysterious reason He has allowed you to have, and you ask Him through this sickness to complete His plan so that His name may be glorified.

Ok, I accept that the Lord can use every evil that happens to us for His glory and turn every curse into a blessing. But when you start to blame God for the evil that happens to you and ask for His help to deal with it, you automatically go against Christ himself, who

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." Acts 10:38

Now watch how the story continues, which is the point that causes the most confusion:

On Sunday in church you pray

"Lord give me strength to bear the cancer You have allowed me to have"

 and on Monday you go to the doctor and ask 

"Doctor help me kill the cancer". 

One day you are thanking God for making you sick so that His mysterious will can be fulfilled in your life, and the next day you are trying to find the best doctor to relieve you of that sickness. Can you see the confusion this theology causes? Are doctors enemies of God after all? And if they are, then why do we go to them?

Let us now consider the second case, where you realize that you are now at war and that you are not fighting against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12). Here you stop being a passive spectator waiting for the day when the Lord will come and receive you into Heaven. You become a soldier and enter the battle fiercely. You come out of the "If it's your will Lord" style of prayer, because now you know what God's will is and you begin to pray with the authority of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. You understand that the whole world is at war, not against flesh and blood, but against evil forces in the heavenly places, and you are not on a vacation trip, but a warrior on the front line.

If your philosophy is that life is a vacation, then you will constantly wonder why all this bad things happens to good people.

But if you understand that you are at war, you do not complain about the problems you face, but you are always grateful to God for every good thing that happens to you. When you go to war and fight the enemy, you are grateful for every time you come back alive, and you stop complaining about your soup getting cold, your order being late, or the mattress on your bed not being soft enough.

Paul in Eph. 6:11 tells us that in war we should put on our armor and not our pajamas.

It is true that the Lord has already defeated the devil, but the war still goes on.

Understanding this reality will remove all complaints from within you and give you answers to big questions like

"why is there all this evil on earth"

and

"why do bad things happen to good people?"

God becomes our precious ally and as we cooperate with Him we fight against the forces of darkness. We stop blaming Him and holding Him responsible for the evil that exists and with His help we fight against this evil.

In the Scriptures there are 37 recorded miracles that Jesus performed. Many of them were healings, and 7 of them were deliverances from demons. The heart of deliverance ministry is God's response to the cry of His people. The Lord said to Moses:

"And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;" Exodus 3:7

and continues in verse 10:

"Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt." Exodus 3:10

Deliverance is not a show to raise social media ratings, nor a means to elevate shelfisness and pride that we have power over other entities. Look what happened to the 70 disciples that Jesus sent out:

"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us through your name." Luke 10:17

and Jesus answered them:

"Rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20

The ministry of deliverance is a ministry of mercy and compassion. It helps the captives to be free, to come closer to God, and to be able to walk on the path that the Lord has planned for their lives.

Moses did not lead the people of Israel out of Egypt with the intention of writing a book that would become a bestseller, nor to make a movie about his life.

God's mercy and compassion for His people was what made the Lord choose Moses, who himself was one of them, he had also lived in the place to which God had sent him and gave him the strength he needed to face the forces that held his people captive so that he could set them free.

This is precisely the character of the deliverance ministry. Moses did not ask the people to work harder, as if hard work would free them from Pharaoh. If you do not understand the function of the ministry of deliverance, you will always ask those who are bound to work harder, to try harder. 

Their problem, you know, is not work based. Their problem is Pharaoh, and Pharaoh doesn't understand hard work.

Hard work not only does not weaken him, but the more you work, the stronger he becomes.

So Moses' mission was not to whip the people to work harder, but to destroy the forces that made them miserable and free them from the bonds that held them captive.

Let me clarify something here. Hard work is important, as is discipline and discipleship. All of these things have their place in your life, but when a demon is responsible for your problems, discipline, discipleship, counseling, medication, Bible reading and fasting are not going to set you free. Demons must be dealt with. They must be cast out. Moses did not ask the people to pray to God. He went straight to confront the Pharaoh, face to face, and in the end he set them free.

So, in summary, the ministry of deliverance is:

- ministry of mercy and compassion towards people

 

and

 

- ministry of dealing with the enemy.

The apostle Paul writes to us:

"But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1Cor. 2:14

Ignorance of the spiritual realm usually causes two reactions. Either it will bring fear, or it will cause irony and mockery. This is because people tend to either fear or mock what they do not understand.

Ιn the next message I will talk about some basic principles that we need to know. They are simple principles that give a better understanding of the ministry of deliverance, because last year there were some events in Thessaloniki that caused many controversies,  police arrests and negative comments even in the media that covered the event on television, when a Christian group ministered publicly in the center of the city.

To be continued...

Τhe spiritual and the carnal man

  BY Argie Simonis 

Today I will talk about the spiritual and the carnal man. In the previous message "The mystery of godliness" I have already given the definition of the body, the soul and the spirit in the previous message. According to God's word, our flesh is our soul and our body:

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:" 2Cor. 10:3

In his letter for the Romans, Paul writes:

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you." Rom. 8:11

Paul's description here is very beautiful and informative. In other words, Paul is telling us that the carnal man is the one who walks according to his feelings and natural urges, while the spiritual man is the one who walks according to God's guidance. So carnality is not limited only to the people of the world. It also applies to Christians. If this seems strange to you, take a look around and explain to me why many Christians do not experience the promises of God in their lives, and why their testimony is worse than that of the people of the world.

Now that the foundation of carnality and spirituality has been laid, let us examine with the mind of Christ some passages in which there seem to be contradictions, but as I have said before, the word of God never contradicts itself:

"Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 1John 3:9

"We know that whoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not." 1John 5:18

Now compare John's own words in the same letter:

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." 1John 1:8-10

So, we cannot sin and at the same time we are condemned to sin? Of course not! What is John trying to tell us here?

Let's take a closer look at what he says:

"We know that whoever is born of God sins not..."

Which part of us have been born-again by the Spirit of God and has become a brand new creation (2Cor. 5:17)? Our spirit of course. It is the dwelling place of the Spirit of God (1Cor. 3:16) and His Spirit has become one with ours as I said in the previous message (1Cor. 6:17).

So what John realy means here is that it is our spirit that cannot sin because it has become one with the Spirit of God. It is our flesh that sins, that is why John says that:

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

Do you see this? The devil has only access to our flesh, which is our body and our soul. Are you wondering what's going on with your spirit? Here is the answer:

"... in whom (Christ) also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," Εph. 1:13

The word seal in Scripture has two meanings:

- The seal as property:

An owner seals his property with his seal to mark it as his own. If he later comes to claim it and his rights to this property are disputed, his seal is sufficient as proof and puts an end to such a dispute. Us been sealed with the Spirit of God is the sign that we belong to God. We are His property that He acquired very dearly.

Let's see a story from the book of Acts:

"Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took on them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.

And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?

And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded." Acts 19:13-16

What do you think? Were these sons of Sceva sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise? Of course not. Evil spirits knew Jesus who had conquered hell:

"I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for ever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Rev. 1:18

and 

"He spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." Col. 2:15

Evil spirits also knew Paul, who very likely had cast out some of them. But they did not know these seven men. In the spirit world we are nothing until we are known and feared in hell. And this only happens when we come to Christ and He seals us with His Spirit.

- Sealing also has the meaning of safety and protection.

An example is when we seal fruit in jars airtight to protect and preserve them.

So when the Spirit of God seals us, an impenetrable barrier is formed that keeps sin out and preserves the purity of our born-again spirit. When a Christian sins, it happens is his flesh. Our born-again spirit is an impenetrable fortress and cannot sin:

"Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 1John 3:9

The same word "seal" is mentioned in other verses:

"Who (God) has also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." 2Cor. 1:22

"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption." Εph. 4:30

Let's now go to a more practical part, which is very important to understand. At what level does the devil have access over a person? In what areas can he gain control and cause problems?

As I showed you before, when the Spirit of God comes and dwells in us, our spirit is completely protected and cannot be touched by sin or temptation. But our flesh, that is, our soul and our body, are vulnerable to the attacks of the wicked one. Paul writes to us:

"Neither give place to the devil." Εph. 4:27

Paul does not give this command to the people of the world, but to Christians.

If it were solely up to the devil to control and to destroy us, you can be sure that there would not be a single human being left alive on the face of the earth! The devil's field of action is the one we give him, either knowingly or unknowingly. And this, because just as God has established the natural laws, so He has also established the spiritual ones.

If you ignore the law of gravity and jump off the roof of your house, you will either be seriously injured or killed, and it will not be God's fault.

The same is true of spiritual laws. You reap what you sow. For example, if you live in sin and ignore God's warnings, you will also suffer the consequences:

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23

The consequences of sin are both physical and spiritual. You will harm your health from abuses (alcohol, drugs, etc.), your finances (gambling, waste, debauchery), your marriage (fornication, adultery, pornography), your relationships with your family and friends (gossip, criticism, betrayal) and you will be so hurt emotionaly that you will become a living dead.

Many people in the world live like this today, and unfortunately that includes Christians. I can understand it for people who live without Christ. But what makes even God's children so vulnerable that they yield to temptation and fall into sin?

Paul writes to us:

"For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

If then I do that which I would not, I consent to the law that it is good.

Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me." Rom. 7:15-17

"I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Rom. 7:21-25

Paul here is not trying to tell us that he is schizophrenic or a split personality. What he tells us is that he wanted to serve the law of God, but his flesh was unable to do so. How then can we overcome this? Paul himself gives us the answer in Romans 8, which I mentioned at the beginning. Throughout the 8th chapter he explains how to overcome the flesh and walk according to the Spirit.

Let's look at something else that I partially commented on in my previous message:

"Why, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. 2:12-13

In the previous message I explained that we received our salvation in our spirit and we are called to work on it in our flesh, that is, in our soul and body. 

At 2/3 we are in the process of perfection. When we defy God's spiritual laws, then we give place to the devil and he and his demons, come and thresh in our lives. Their strategy is the same and they use three main entrance doors. There are also other doors (genealogy, inheritance, curses and others, which I will deal with in future messages:

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1John 2:16

Many things can fit into these three categories. In Genesis chapter 3 for example, Adam and Eve were very clearly tempted with the desire of the flesh (hunger), the desire of the eyes (the tree was pleasing to the eyes) and the pride of life (a tree that was desired to make someone wise).

Temptation is not sin, but it leads to sin. Jesus experienced all three of these temptations, but did not yield to them (Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13).

In Hebrews we read:

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15

Jesus may not have been tempted by drugs, but he was tempted in these three areas which are the root of all temptations.

There are also cases where the child of God experiences sin and its effects (sickness, poverty, divorce, depression, unhappiness, failure and many others) because of direct demonic influence upon him. I do not mean to give any value to the devil, but it is very important to know our enemy and how he works so that we can resist and protect ourselves:

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1Pet. 5:8

It may be that the devil is a defeated foe who, like a toothless lion, cannot chew but only swallow. But he remains dangerous and devours those who cannot resist him. But God's word gives us the solution:

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7

In the coming messages, I will expose the methods and tactics of satan, explain how he gains access to our lives and how we can deal with him.

Τhe mystery of godliness.

 BY Argie Simonis 

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." 1Tim. 3:16

The mystery of godliness, or in other words the mystery of the Godhead, is great not because it is an enigma that cannot be known, but because it is hidden from the natural man and made known only to faithful hearts to whom God reveals Himself:

See what Paul tells us:

"​Even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

​To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" Col. 1:27

Christ is a mystery. He is not discovered, but revealed to us by the Spirit of God. Many attempts have been made to explain this mystery, and it often becomes a matter of controversy among Christians. There have been many theories that only cause division and strife within the body of Christ.

Is God one or many?

Is He two in one?

Is He three in one?

Non-religious people mock us Christians and call us polytheists.

Of course we know that God is one, and in His word He reveals Himself to us as the Father, as the Son and as the Parakletos, the Holy Spirit.

I thought to take a different approach than usual to explain some things, and I believe it will help you settle this matter in your heart. Furthermore, there will be a better understanding of Scripture, even in difficult to understand or apparent contradictions that some claim to be in the Bible.

With our limited minds it is impossible to explain an infinite and eternal God. So before we enter the abodes of God, why not start with something more tangible? Let's start with the man first:

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." Gen. 1:27

This message is the introduction to a series of messages to follow where I will analyze the nature of man. Through the word of God we will see the characteristics of our being as humans, and what happens when a human works with, or without God.

In 1Thessalonians we read:

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1Thes. 5:23

Here we clearly see that as humans we are an entity consisting of spirit, soul and body. They are parts of ourselves, separate in one sense, but at the same time in perfect unity with each other. My spirit is not the same as my soul, my soul is not the same as my body, nor is my spirit the same as my body. But spirit, soul and body coexist in perfect harmony and unity.

Our physical body is easy to perceive. It is the part of ourselves that we can see in the mirror. This is how we perceive our natural environment. We see, hear, smell, feel and taste. With it we move, work, sleep and wake up. Our physical body is what gives us access to this world.

Our soul consists of our mind (thoughts, desires, dreams), our will and our emotions. I can use physical violence on you and hurt you with a blow, but I can equally hurt you without even touching you if I use harsh words against you for example. In the first case I hurt you physically, in the second case mentally.

Some say that the soul and the spirit are the same, but God's Word refutes this:

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb. 4:12

There is a difference between spirit and soul, but they are inseparably connected to each other like the marrow with the joints.

We have given the definitions of body and soul and clarified the differentiation of soul and spirit. It remains for us to define what our spirit is. Our spirit is the core of our being, the part of us that has life and is linked to both soul and body:

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Gen. 2:7

What we have just read, is our soul that was given spirit by the breath of God and the man formed of the dust of the ground became a living soul.

Our spirit gives life to the soul as we just saw, but also to our physical body:

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 2:26

These are very essential things that the word of God teaches us and we must know them. Let's now go to a little more practical matters.

In John chapter 3, we see Nicodemus, a Pharisee teacher, visiting Jesus at night. And this because he was afraid that no one would notice him and he would be excommunicated from their synagogue,

"... for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue." John 9:22

Jesus explains to Nicodemus the spiritual birth of a person:

"Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3:5-6

Here Jesus explains that only those who have been born with a physical body (the fetus is in water in its mother's womb) and those who have been born from above, that is, from the Spirit, can enter the kingdom of God. Both conditions are manadatory.

What did Jesus mean when he said:

"Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

This new birth takes place by accepting Jesus into our lives. Christ becomes Lord in our lives when we repent of our sins and accept Him with a sincere heart. He is waiting for us to invite Him into our hearts:

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Rev. 3:20

This is how we also receive salvation. Paul explains this in his letter to the Romans:

"But what said it? The word is near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.

For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." Rom. 10:8-10

This is how the Lord comes and dwells in us and we become His temple:

"Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" 1Cor. 3:16

Now, because "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24),

where do you think He dwells? In our spirit of course:

"But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit." 1Cor. 6:17

Can we now understand Paul's words?

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2Cor. 5:17

I will use a method of mathematical proof used by Aristotle and Euclid.

I will show you the truth of something based on the fact that its opposite is false or wrong.

- During the new birth, or as Jesus said "if you are born from above", our body remains the same. If we were men before, we continue to be men after. Our physical characteristics remain the same. Our age, the color of our hair and our eyes remain the same. If we had some extra pounds before, we will continue to have them, unless of course we start a diet :). So the new creature does not refer to our body.

- Our soul (mind, thoughts, desires, dreams, will, emotions) also remain the same, until they are changed and renewed by the word of God:

"And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom. 12:2

- So what is left? Our spirit. It is exactly there that this new birth takes place. Our spirit cannot be seen, but this is what becomes a new creature as we read in 2 Cor. 5:17. We are a new creation because the Spirit of God becomes one with our spirit (1 Cor. 6:17) and all the wisdom and knowledge of God, this mind of Christ in 1 Cor. 2:16), is deposited in our spirit.

Let's look at something else here:

"Why, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Phil. 2:12

Those of us who have accepted Christ the Lord into our lives have received salvation. What does Paul mean here?

First of all, you can't work out something that you don't have. This salvation that we have received in our spirit, we are called to work it out in our soul and in our body through the renewal of our mind:

"And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom. 12:2

This requires time and effort on our part. By studying the Bible, this inorruptible seed of God's word takes root in our heart and begins to bear fruit. It becomes the channel through which all that mind of Christ that is stored up in our spirit begins to flow into our soul, mind, and thoughts. So we begin to transform in our minds and the first thing we experience is healing in our emotions. We become happier, we love easier, we forget faster the harm they have done to us, we forgive more easier, we get angry less, we uproot the roots of bitterness from within. There is also one more effect. We also experience healing in our bodies. The Bible is full of examples of the healing power that the way we think has for our health:

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, said he to you; but his heart is not with you." Prov. 23:7

"A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken." Prov. 15:13

"A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones." Prov. 17:22

And of course the way we think will affect the way we speak:

"O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things?  for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." Μatt. 12:34-35

"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Prov. 16:24

I hope this introduction helped you to understand and see some things with different eyes. In future messages I will deal more with the mind of Christ, where and how the devil has access to our lives and how we can resist and fight to experience a victorious life.

Understand your environment

 BY Argie Simonis 

"Brothers, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:13-14

Our race as Christians is not a sprint, but a marathon that we must run with the dedication and perseverance that Paul describes to us here. But something that we should take seriously is some other advice he gives us:

"For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant to all, that I might gain the more.

And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you." 1Cor. 9:19-23

In other words, Paul's advice from what we have read is that in order to see better results in our calling we must first be focused on the Lord, but at the same time we must have an understanding of the environment in which we minister, meaning that we should minister according to the needs that exist. Over time society, technology and cultures change, and we need to be sensitive to that.

With the Lord's wisdom and discernment, we must find ways for people to lower their defenses and become more receptive to God's word. And of course this does not mean that we compromise our principles and our moral values in order to be liked. Paul makes it clear in his words:

"To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law..."

Look at the harsh language that Paul uses on the stubborn Galatians who while they started with the Spirit and got born-again, slowly began to act like the Jews:

"O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

This only would I learn of you, Received you the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Are you so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?" Gal. 3:1-3

But look at the wisdom of the Lord that he uses, when he speaks in a completely different way to the pagan Athenians, who believed in the 12 gods:

"Then Paul stood in the middle of Mars' hill, and said, You men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious.

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore you ignorantly worship, him declare I to you." Acts 17:22-23

He may have been mocked at the end when he spoke about the resurrection of the dead, but the important thing is that he was given a platform to speak publicly in the Mars hill (Arios Pagos in Greek), and to sow the seed in some hearts that were ready to receive.

I believe that in the same way we must discern the environment we are in and the needs that exist. The first need that people have is of course to know Christ, but as the Lord also said in His parable,

"For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." Mark 4:28

Look at the last words of Paul from the verses I mentioned above:

"To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you."

Stoning people with scriptures to show them their sinfulness in times of sorrow and pain they are going through, even when it is due to bad choices they have made in their lives, does little good. On a heart level they already know this, because God has already taken care of it:

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has showed it to them." Rom. 1:18-19

Can you, with the spirit of discernment and wisdom from the Lord, with mercy and compassion, help these people to know the love and goodness of Christ that leads to repentance (Rom. 2:4) and win them to the kingdom of Heaven? This is what Paul is trying to tells us in 1Cor. 9 that we have just read and this is what we must also strive for.

Christ is neither imposed nor discovered by chance. Christ is revealed, and revelation like faith has stages. The seed must first find fertile ground and take root in the heart before the grass can come forth. Later it will become a blade and then whole wheat within the blade, and for this to happen man must lower his defenses and accept the seed.

This is the recipe that Paul advises us to follow. It is tested and successful, because we must not forget that we who were once counted among the Gentiles, are the fruit of the ministry of the apostle Paul and have come to Christ.

I hope this piece of advice will help you so that by following it you too will see rich fruit in your life and win precious souls for the Lord.

Amen!

Philosophy or the mind of Christ?

  BY Argie Simonis 

In today's message I want to focus on the words of Paul in his letter to the Colossians:

"​Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Col. 2:8

Greece has been a world cradle of civilization for a very long time. Everyone knows the ancient Greek spirit of arts and letters. Greece is also the home of philosophy, and I would like to examine the term philosophy under the lens of God's word.

"Philosophy (from the Greek: love of wisdom) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those concerning existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Philosophical methods include questioning, critical discussion, rational argument, and systematic presentation.

~Source: Wikipedia.

Philosophy as a science is a tool given to human hands by God, and as is the case with every science, its reliability depends on whether its findings harmonize with the revelation that the Lord gives us through His word. In other words, science must stand as an accomplice of God and not fighting against Him.

I have written an article on this subject entitled "God and science". You will find the link to the article (which also includes the video) below in the description:

Back to our topic now:

We are at war and we must be on guard:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph. 6:12

The devil will come in every way and trick to confuse us, to offend us, to distract us from God and turn us into trivial and meaningless things.

Philosophy and human traditions are weapons that the devil uses against us and there are many who do not recognize them in order to resist and fight.

Jesus warned us about this:

"Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do you." Μark 7:13

Paul writes to Titus:

"But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." Τitus 3:9

and to Timothy:

"Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do." 1Τim. 1:4

As we saw, by definition, philosophy is a way of thinking.

Each person has his own philosophy, that is, his own way of thinking. Some characteristic examples:

There are people who are optimists, pessimists and realists.

- The first group includes people who tend to look on the bright side of life. They are gullible and dreamers, constantly thinking positive thoughts, even when these thoughts have no valid basis.

- Pessimists, on the other hand, tend to have a negative approach to everything. They hardly trust and often complain, claiming that they cannot change anything in their lives. They are usually wounded people who see the world through the lens of their traumatic experiences.

- Realists don't take risks easily. They are cautious and always grounded in reality, but a reality as they themselves perceive it with their "square" logic.

Another example is rich people, who, without having a real need, they economize excessively and live constantly in deprivation with the mentality of poverty, even though they know that God's word says:

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:19

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich." 2Cor. 8:9

In other words, there are people whose knowledge of the Scriptures is not enough to change their philosophy. The way they think, right or wrong, solely determines how they act or react to their environment.

If, for example, you have been hurt by people and you have not surrendered it to the Lord to heal you so that you can forgive them and have peace in your heart, then every rejection and every negative behavior you experience, even if it is something small, it will always look like a mountain to you. But what does God's word tell us?

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love." 1John 4:18

When we understand how much God loves us, fear has no place in our hearts. Fear basically works like faith. When we fear, we believe in something negative. People who live constantly in fear are the ones who always believe the worst that can happen, and let them know that

"The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them." Psalm 34:7

Being a Christian does not necessarily mean that you have the right way of thinking. Your spirit has been born again and renewed, but your mind needs transformation and renewal, and this is something you must do:

"And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom. 12:2

During our spiritual rebirth, what we call being born-again, our spirit is completely changed:

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2Cor. 5:17

"But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit." 1Cor. 6:17

"For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him?  But we have the mind of Christ." 1Cor. 2:16

The mind of Christ that we have in our born-again spirit is the one that must also be formed in our natural mind according to Rom. 12:2 that we read. Those of us who are in the Lord today each have their own resume. Some were born and raised in a Christian environment, but some come from completely different backgrounds:

"For you were sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" Εph. 5:8

Everyone wants a better life, but as soon as you talk to them about change, they back off. You read the scriptures but you don't let them change your philosophy and the way you were taught to do certain things. So what kind of change do you expect to see acting like this?

Another typical example:

You know that by the stripes of Jesus you have been healed (1 Pet. 2:24) and that the Lord

"Surely he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence." Psalm 91:3

But because you've been taught that every spring and fall is the season for viruses, you prepare and expect to get sick a couple of times a year.

But God's word tells us:

As you think in your heart, so are you... (Prov. 23:7)

Everyone's philosophy is shaped by the way he was raised, the experiences he had and the theological influences he received. But no matter what has happened to you, Paul writes:

"... let God be true, but every man a liar..." Rom. 3:4

This means that we must put what the Lord says above what our family, our background or our doctrinal position says.

We must put what the Lord says above what our personal experiences or the culture and traditions of the place we live tell us. It is commonly accepted that our society is going from bad to worse, and God's word warns us:

"Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20

But even if we live in such an environment, the word of God tells us:

"Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me." John 14:1

"Rejoice ever more.

Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1Thes. 5:16-18

Paul even repeats it twice in his letter to the Philippians, in case we didn't get it the first time:

"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." Phil. 4:4

There have been large and expensive scientific studies that have concluded that a person who smiles more becomes happier, while a sullen person is more unhappy.

"... let God be true, but every man a liar..." Rom. 3:4

But the word of God tells us exactly the opposite. Joy is not just a feeling. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit living in us (Galatians 5:22). Joy is a decision we make, that no matter what happens around us we will rejoice in the Lord and thank Him. If we do this we create a channel and the joy stored in our spirit will manifest in the natural. So the smile does not make you happier, but our joy in the Lord and our thanksgiving to Him puts a smile on our face, makes us happy and increases our faith:

"​Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving." Col. 2:7

Just as happiness works, so does unhappiness or depression. The ungrateful man who is far from God will be constantly depressed and unhappy.

Do you agree with me? Write down your opinion in the comments and please be to the point.

In future messages I will speak more extensively about human nature and how the mind of Christ given to us according to 1 Cor. 1:16 can work in our lives. I consider this a very important topic, which will help to better understand the Bible and increase our faith.

Amen!

The wickedness of prophet Jonah.

 BY Argie Simonis 

Jonah is the author of the book of the same name and describes the events that took place in his life with humility and honesty. Today we will go through his story and see what happened. Why did Jonah try to avoid the command the Lord gave him to prophesy against Nineveh and what are the lessons learned from this story to apply in our own lives?

"Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD." Jonas 1:1-3

The prevailing view is that the reason Jonah tried to avoid obeying to the Lord's command is that he became cowardly, perhaps because he did not consider himself capable of doing such a thing, and in his fear tried to flee from the face of the Lord with a ship. Of course, this was impossible:

"Where shall I go from your spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, you are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall your hand lead me, and your right hand shall hold me." Psalm 139:7-10

But was it cowardice that drove him to flee? Through the words of the prophet himself, I will show you that something else happened. Let's take it from the start.

The Lord commands Jonah to preach repentance in Nineveh. Jonah, instead of obeying, flees in the other direction. Next we see the Lord causing a great storm, Jonah reveals to the sailors that he and his disobedience are the cause of this storm and asks them to throw him into the sea so that the storm will stop and they will be saved. Once Jonah is thrown into the sea, the Lord orders a big fish to swallow him for 3 days and 3 nights, and after Jonah repents, the Lord orders the big fish to wash him ashore.

"But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

And he prayed to the LORD, and said, I pray you, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before to Tarshish: for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repent you of the evil." Jonas 4:1-2

Here lies the answer. And I will explain it. With a quick internet search we can find a lot of useful information. Nineveh was one of the largest cities of that time:

"So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey." Jonas 3:3

"... Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more then six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand..." Jonas 4:11

It was the capital of Assyria, a great nation that was becoming a world power. They were threatening to invade the nation of Israel where Jonah lived. The prophet therefore considered it a gain for his people if Nineveh and the Assyrian empire were destroyed. So his reluctance to go and preach repentance to the people of Nineveh had to do with just that. He wanted Nineveh destroyed so that his nation could survive.

Assyria did invade Israel in 721 BC. and captured it. This was about forty years after Jonah's ministry in Nineveh.

When Jonah preached repentance in Nineveh, in a city dominated by idolatry, sin and injustice, where they

"cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand" (Jonas. 4:11), what happened;

The fear of God fell upon them and

"So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

For word came to the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:

But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God: yes, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands." Jonas 3:5-8

So the Lord repented and did not destroy the city, something that was not done with the unrepentant Sodom and Gomorrah. (Because even there the Lord gave them a chance to repent). Nineveh was finally destroyed much later not by the Lord, but after its fall from the invading Babylonians who overran and burned it.

How does this story relate to us, what lessons do we learn and how can we apply them today?

We may wish destruction on our enemies, but God loves all people and does not want anyone to perish:

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2Pet. 3:9

We should faithfully represent His message of salvation to all people, whether friends or foes.

Are you wondering where in the Bible the Lord instructs us to bless our enemies and those who wrong us? Actually, He says it in several places and I will mention a few:

"You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you, and persecute you;

That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same?

And if you salute your brothers only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so?" Μatt. 5:43-47

Can we apply this to our neighbors who are plotting against our country?

Let's see what Paul writes to Timothy:

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1Τim. 2:1-4

Peter in his letter confirms the words of Paul:

"Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the fraudulent." 1Peter 2:17-18

Can we do this for the politicians and any form of authority that we consider corrupt, liars, thieves and unjust?

Is the Lord able, through us, to bring the fear of God into the hearts of these people that will lead them to repentance, as He did with the pagan Assyrians?

"Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not so to be.

Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?"  James 3:9-11

With the power of life and death given to us in our word can we rebuke the dark forces that hold all these people captive and lead them to lies, theft and injustice, so that the fear of God will come into their hearts that will lead them to repentance?

Can we work together with the Lord to overcome evil with good and be patient until we see our prayers comong to pass?

"Or despise you the riches of His goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" Rom. 2:4

And all this not with our own power, but with the power of God, through His Spirit who dwells in us (Zechariah 4:6)

Amen!