TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter One

Shoot The Arrow Strike The Ground

Chapter Two

Get A Bow

Chapter Three

Get Some Arrows

Chapter Four

Refine Your Arrows

Chapter Five

Locate Your Enemy and Shoot

Chapter Six

Make It Quick, Please!

Chapter Seven

A Relationship of Dependency

Chapter Eight

A Relationship of Accountability

Chapter Nine

A Relationship of Intimacy

Chapter Ten

A Relationship of Vulnerability

Chapter Eleven

A Relationship of Availability

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

As a traveling pastor, I have the great opportunity to meet many different and beautiful people. I am asked to preach in churches all over the world. It has been the blessing of a lifetime. One thing I have observed has really troubled my heart and that is the pain, hurt, and conflict which seems to prevail everywhere.

The problems seem almost insurmountable—teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, divorce, illness, domestic violence, child and parental violence, and a subtle racism in certain parts of the country. I can understand the world's submission to all this heartache, but those of us in the body of Christ should have victory. Why do so many lack a true understanding on how to get that victory back into our lives? Why aren't our families solid and healthy? Why do we seem to be struggling over the same issues as the unsaved? Where is the defeat of our enemies? Where is the victory?

Questions. Questions. Questions. I began to pray and seek God. I was part of leadership, and seeing all this, I had to ask God if the message I was preaching was right for this hour. As I prayed, God was so faithful. I believe He has given me a specific word for people especially in these times. The scripture says, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 2:17)

I believe God designed it so this book is in your hands with a powerful word from the Holy Spirit. I believe it addresses the problems so prevalent in our society with a clear message on how to defeat and destroy them in our lives—to truly free ourselves permanently. The knowledge you will gain from reading and applying its message can change your life and that of others.

It is my prayer you would pray, get your heart ready to receive, read, and let God give you the weapons, and instruction in the use of them, to totally and completely defeat your enemies. God wants you to use His Arrows of Victory!

SHOOT THE ARROW STRIKE THE GROUND

CHAPTER ONE

SHOOT THE ARROW STRIKE THE GROUND

11 Kings 13:14-20

Now Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. "My father! My father!” he cried. "The chariots and horsemen of Israel!"

Elisha said, "Get a bow and some arrows," and he did so. "Take the bow in your hands," he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.

"Open the east window," he said, and he opened it. "Shoot!" Elisha said, and he shot. "The Lord's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!" Elisha declared. "You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek."

Then he said, "Take the arrows," and the king took them. Elisha told him, "Strike the ground." He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”

Elisha died and was buried.

Have you ever faced an enemy in your life that you can't seem to overcome once and for all? In this passage in II Kings, Elisha tries to teach Jehoash the critical factor about battling this type of plaguing enemy: a complete victory involves both the defeat and the destruction of your enemy. It requires a work that goes beyond one or two battles. It's a two-part process. What is not completely destroyed will attempt to come back and defeat and destroy you.

History bears this point out. For example, America found itself at war (technically in a United Nations conflict) with Saddam Hussein in Desert Storm. America had superior weapons and, in an amazing forty day time frame, she defeated the military regime of Iraq. It was a resounding victory for which America accepted accolades and high praise from other nations of the world.

During the final days of the conflict, America's goal was to capture Saddam Hussein and eliminate any further threat he might pose. Unfortunately, she never accomplished this goal. We did accomplish the more limited goal of driving the invading Iraqi military out of Kuwait. With the freedom of Kuwait assured, America quit the attack, brought the troops home and celebrated with victory parades across the nation.

It took Saddam Hussein just over three years to become a major threat to the world again, specifically to Middle East peace. America had defeated but not destroyed that enemy, and now she must live with the consequences which may involve fighting again. Just as Elisha warned King Jehoash, the consequences of "not striking the ground" to completely destroy the enemy after an initial defeat can prove to be deadly.

Even so, in your own life, there may be an area or stronghold which is really an enemy to your freedom and growth. God desires to reveal this to you (or may already have) and bring you into total victory over it. This stronghold in your life might be just what you call a "bad habit" (that sounds so acceptable and normal to us because everyone has a few "bad habits"), such as obsessive television watching, but God knows it has deep roots in your life that steal from and destroy the good works He has planned for you. It may have deeper emotional roots, such as unforgiveness and/or bitterness. Or it may also even have a physical hold on you, such as alcohol, smoking or drugs.

Whatever the situation is, you may have experienced some initial victories in this area, but it keeps coming back to plague you. You have not received total deliverance.

The Lord wants to develop in all of us the arrows of victory that we need to aim and shoot at these areas or enemies in our lives. Just as important is the process we must go through to strike or secure the ground of our deliverance after we've experienced some initial victories. Two very key words found in this passage in II Kings are defeat and destroy. The word "defeat" means to strike down, to overcome, frustrate or to bring to nothing. The word "destroy" means to demolish, break up, spoil, put an end to or do away with completely. It's one thing to strike down your enemy. It's another to finish him off totally! Both are essential! Some try to destroy their enemies before they defeat them, and some think because they defeat them, they don't need to be destroyed. Again, both are essential to live in the place of complete peace and victory that the Lord desires for us.

Many times we gain a small victory and begin celebrating before the ground is secured. We go on feeling free and blessed for a while and then, in time, that same enemy or stronghold reappears. I have a friend who has fought the battle and quit smoking— eight times now! That's a dangerous situation to be in because we get used to settling for partial victories. What can take us that extra mile to the total destruction of our enemies—to full deliverance in that area that we know God wants to free us? How do we really strike the ground for total victory?

I am going to share with you arrows of victory for gaining the initial defeat of an enemy that plagues you. Just as importantly I want to teach you about the process that God has shown me to be so important in the complete destruction of that enemy. As you apply these teachings in your life, I am believing God will be faithful to you and give you total victory over the thing that is trying to steal from, kill and destroy you. I have carried you in prayer during the writing of this book. I believe as you carefully read and consider this information, you will find the tools you need to overcome any challenges you face.

GET A BOW

CHAPTER TWO

GET A BOW

In the II Kings passage of scripture, Jehoash comes to Elisha and cries out, "My father! My father!" He realized Elisha was sick and probably going to die. Jehoash was not really a spiritual or godly king so it is interesting to see him come to the prophet Elisha and weep for him. Jehoash understood his nation was about to suffer a great loss. To us, this king represents a life lived apart from God which eventually comes to the place of desperate need for God. God is so faithful. He is just waiting for us to come to Him. God did not disappoint the king but gave him very specific instructions. Jehoash was obviously a smart king because he sought the prophet's dying counsel and blessing. He recognized the true strength of the nation was not found in the strength of its military but in its ability to submit to the word of the Lord. Jehoash, as the leader of Israel, was crying out, "The word of the Lord is dying. Please don't leave me without a word. I know I can't make it on my own." As the king, he needed the assurance the power he had seen in Elisha many times would remain to guide and direct him. His real fear was that when Elisha died, the Holy Spirit might desert him and leave him powerless before his enemies. Have you ever felt that way—that you've ignored the Lord's word to you so long that He is ready to give up on you? It can be a desperate feeling.

Jehoash was not a king who had followed the ways of God—or obeyed His voice much through any of Elisha's previous counsel. He was the twelfth of 19 evil kings to rule in Israel, the northern kingdom (after the nation split into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah). Though he'd ignored it, he had taken for granted God's voice and presence much like someone might take for granted his mother's. Now he was desperate to glean from the prophet a last little bit of that anointing and prophetic counsel to rule his nation well and was fearful of being left on his own by God.

Elisha showed remarkable patience with this king. He didn't show the frustration that you or I might as a parent whose previous instructions have been ignored or wrongly interpreted. He didn't say to Jehoash, "You deserve what you get, buddy. Don't come crying to me now!" No, on the contrary, Elisha demonstrated the merciful patience of God towards those who will humble themselves before Him. Elisha gave the king great assurances of military success and encouraged the king to pursue his enemies because he would be given victory. When the prophet told the king to strike the ground, Jehoash struck it three times. Elisha became angry at this point because the king had shown by his actions that he truly did not understand the prophetic word given to him. Again, Elisha took the time to tell Jehoash what he had done wrong, and then Elisha died.

How often, when we desperately need a word, we come to the altar with a pleading and softened heart. Jehoash wept before Elisha. Sometimes we also are truly desperate and weep before the Lord. We must have an answer. We cannot go on unless we hear from God. Yet, how often do we get the instruction of the Lord, only to walk away in our own logic and self-will and miss the great blessing that was ours? It's as if all we wanted was a quick fix—a little patch job to make us feel better. And then we wonder why things never really change deep within—why we have the same habits, patterns and strongholds. How different things would be if only we would let the instruction sink deep within the soul of our being for the total and complete victory in our lives. God will always be the agent, but He expects us to be the instrument or tool He uses to accomplish His plans.

God gave Jehoash very detailed and specific operating instructions. Elisha said to Jehoash, "Get a bow." I would imagine the first thing the king thought was, "Why do I need a bow? I have those who defend me. I have those who are trained archers, who know what they are doing." In the same way, sometimes we come before the Lord with a pleading heart, speaking words of repentance, obedience and humility only to respond, "Say what!?!" when He gives us instruction. We have to really be ready to hear what He has to say if we want true change and fresh direction in our lives.

The bow Elisha spoke of represents the power of the Holy Spirit that must be at work in all our lives. We may have many arrows to shoot at our enemies, but they are useless without the bow of the Holy Spirit. We don't need the arm of the flesh. People have built great churches, cities and careers with the arm of the flesh only to see them crumble when the attack comes because the Holy Spirit was not the power behind the building. We need the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to know if we rely on our own strength, the weapons can only go so far. The arrow will fall short of the enemy. With the power of the Holy Spirit as the bow, the enemy is never out of reach. We have a supernatural weapon that will not only reach the mark but also seek out the enemy in his hiding place and completely destroy him. The instructions to the king were for a specific purpose. That bow in Jehoash's hands represents the power of God to launch us to the place of victory.

Now let me caution you. Going to meetings does not get the power of the Holy Spirit into your life. Going to meetings gets the power of the Holy Spirit on your life. There may be great anointing at a meeting on a speaker which brings you into an area of deliverance. The Word of God says that the anointing breaks the yoke of bondage. You may experience real deliverance and power in the Holy Spirit. God is sovereign and He can deliver you in an instant. However, if you desire the presence of the Holy Spirit to develop within you and His power to flow through you, then you must develop your own relationship with Him.

The Holy Spirit is a Person who longs to fellowship with us. He is that part of the godhead who actually indwells us. It's such a privilege that He lives in us. Before Christ, He dwelt among the people, but since Pentecost, He has become the indwelling Spirit. As you grow in your awareness of who He really is within you, you will understand more the depth of desire He has for a relationship with you.

He is the Comforter, the Helper, the Anointer and the Prayer Warrior who intercedes for us for our deepest needs. He is in us wherever we go—whether to church, a video store or a bar. Romans 8:27 tells us He has a mind. He also has a will (I Corinthians 12:11) and feeling (Ephesians 4:30). He is never self-serving, but He can be grieved or offended, even lied to. He teaches and reminds us of all that Christ has done and said.

Oh, my deep longing is that we would all get to know the Holy Spirit better. Only then can we also experience the strength and power of Him as the bow that God uses to defeat our enemies. In the military when you are given a weapon, you have to be trained to use it. Soldiers not only target practice but also clean and reclean their weapons. They practice taking them apart and reassembling them over and over— always trying to increase the speed and ease with which they handle their weapons. They want to become so familiar with them that when the time comes to use them, they can do so by instinct.

In the same way, we need to get to know the Holy Spirit through prayer. As you develop a strong and consistent prayer life, you experience so much of the Holy Spirit that you satisfy the hunger deep down in the soul. As your relationship with Him deepens, His attributes within you are enlarged and you can walk in the "peace that passes understanding" like never before. You're also preparing yourself for battle. You're learning how to release the power of the Holy Spirit within you. Now you can say, "Look out, devil. I've got a bow! I've got the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through me!" Oh, how we need this bow of the Holy Spirit. He is truly the source of power in overcoming our enemies. Whether we struggle under attacks from within or without, the Holy Spirit can lead us through to complete victory. We must know Him and His power if we are to be successful. There is just no other way.

So many people think that if so-and-so comes to town he has the power for them. I'm not talking about so-and-so bringing a bow to you. I'm telling you to get a bow! I'm not talking about buying a cassette series on the power of the Holy Spirit and being moved for a time by someone else's testimony. I'm talking about you spending time with the Person within you who will become your bow when you pray. You must get acquainted with the Holy Spirit and what He is longing to do in this hour. What does He want to accomplish in your life?

Elisha told the king, "Take the bow in your hands." When the king followed the instructions of the prophet, he soon found the prophet's hands on his. In other words, Elisha knew the power and wanted to impart it to the king. In essence Elisha was saying, "Let me introduce you to the power!" There may be a time when some man or woman of God lays hands on you and says, "Receive the power of the Holy Spirit." Or the Holy Spirit may impart power to you in a special time and place in His own way. Regardless, we have to yield to His presence and power in our lives every day if we want to be effective.

There are two elements to power. It is a combination of accuracy and strength. These two elements are essential in the demonstration of power. An arrow shot without accuracy is dangerous and usually ineffective. When Elisha said, "Take the bow in your hands," he was saying, "Get in position and aim with accuracy." Accuracy as we use the bow of the Holy Spirit will only come when we can know and hear His voice— when we understand His instructions to us. He directs the arrows at the enemy. He knows the exact ground on which the enemy stands.

When you pull back the bow you add a dimension of strength and the power is released. Once I tried archery as a sport. I was surprised at the strength required to pull the string. I felt as if I had a lock on my arm. With a little help from a professional, I learned to hold the bow up with a stiff arm and "draw the line." Only the Holy Spirit can empower you with the strength you need. He knows how hard you must "draw the line." He knows just what impact is necessary to defeat the enemy.

Let me encourage you to get to know the Holy Spirit within you. He wants to reveal to you the Father's all encompassing love. He wants to lead you to victory over every problem, every challenge, every stronghold in your life. Keep in mind there is usually a price for victory. Determine to be willing to pay the price for truly getting to know that Person who dwells within you. Commit yourself to developing a strong and consistent prayer life. God has put a bow in your hand. The accuracy and strength needed to release the power of God will depend on you.

GET SOME ARROWS

CHAPTER THREE

GET SOME ARROWS

Elisha told the king to get a bow and some arrows. The bow had a lot of power but little meaning without the arrows. You could draw the string and let it go and say, "Isn't that powerful?" Well, possibly, but it's not doing anything. It has to have arrows to accomplish its purpose. In the same way, you have to get some arrows in your life. Arrows cannot be bought. Arrows cannot be borrowed. The arrows of the Holy Spirit have to develop within you. The Bible says, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (II Corinthians 10:4) These arrows cannot be found at the hands of man. These divine arrows have to be formulated in you through submission to the Holy Spirit. He wants you to be able to draw a divine arrow out of your personal quiver and draw it back in your bow.

Seven Arrows

The first arrow is prayer! It is in prayer and through prayer that the defeat of the enemy takes place. It is both our first line of defense and our first line of attack. Some time ago I felt a Christian friend was misrepresenting me and my words to certain people whom I respected a great deal. I believed his bad reports were damaging my ministry and my reputation by lowering respect for me in peoples' eyes. I felt very distressed by the situation but determined to handle it in a godly manner.

I began to pray that the Lord would come against these reports, reminding Him He had promised to defeat my enemies. Quite honestly, I wanted the Lord to come against this Christian friend also. As I continued to pray, the Holy Spirit began to reveal to me that in this particular situation the real enemy was within me— that my distress was caused because I laid too much importance on "peoples' eyes" rather than being concerned about Jesus' eyes. He reminded me that my ministry was not contingent on people or position but on the person of the Holy Spirit who gave me the ministry in the beginning. As soon as I repented of pride and the attitude I had developed, the Lord moved to deliver me from the situation and to eliminate any further bad reports.

The arrow of prayer, guided by the Holy Spirit, had found its true mark and defeated the real enemy—one I hadn't even been aiming at when I began to pray over the matter. The bow of the Holy Spirit had released the arrow with accuracy and strength. In the same way, as we pray about whatever situation or enemy we are facing, the power of God is released to bring us into victory. Again, I encourage you to develop a consistent and deep prayer life. It is the most powerful arrow in your quiver.

The second arrow is the name of Jesus! As you come under attack—whether from without or within, whether an old habit or a new temptation, whether a rooted stronghold or an invading virus, you know that you have a weapon that can force any enemy to his knee. The word of God says "that every knee shall bow" (Philippians 2:10) before the name of Jesus, and, as you speak it over your situation, you are releasing the power of a weapon with unmeasurable strength.

In the first miracle performed by the disciples after Jesus' death, Peter heals a lame man (Acts 3). He speaks those famous words, "Silver and gold have I none, but that which I have I give unto you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." Peter commands the lame man to walk, using all the authority and power that God has vested in the name of Jesus Christ. He goes on to explain to the crowd, "And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong." And later to the Jewish leaders he says again, "Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ . . . this man stands here before you whole."

I want to let you know that using the name of Jesus is not reciting a little religious incantation. I am talking about speaking the name of a Person you know, the name you've called on in other situations, the name that represents a Person you have experienced in your life; out of all the trust and authority of that relationship, you say, "in the name of Jesus!" I know Him. I have experienced Him. I know who He is and what He does. His name is an arrow in my quiver that will make my enemies flee.

The third arrow is the blood of Jesus! As a pastor I know you have heard about the blood of Jesus, but I'm not talking about a happening so many years ago. I want you to know the arrow that washes away your sins. I want you to know the arrow that cleanses you daily and heals you regularly. I want you to know the arrow that gives you eternal life.

The blood of Jesus also gives us boldness. Hebrews 10:19 tells us that we have "confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus." That's confidence that we've been redeemed and cleansed by the blood and can enter into the presence of God with a clear conscience.

Not only does the blood free us from any condemnation, but it gives us the authority to defeat the enemy. In Revelation 12, the final defeat of Satan is accomplished as a heavenly voice shouts, "They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony." As I stand against an attack of the devil in my life, or in the lives of my wife and children, I cover the situation in prayer with the blood of Jesus and remind the devil he's been overcome by the blood. You in the same way can apply the blood by faith to situations in your own life. Oh, I want you to understand that there is power, wonder working power, in the arrow of the blood of Jesus!

The fourth arrow is the word of God! I know so many people who know the word but do not know how to use the word as an arrow. A Christian can often quote tons of scripture, but it is only when the arrow of the word is rhema to his heart, soul and spirit that the power of it can be released to its fullest.

I want you to know the arrow of the "living word." The Bible says that the "word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword." When you are facing a situation or a person or even a bad attitude within yourself that would steal, kill or destroy you, you must apply the word of God. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, He responded with scripture specific to each temptation. Three times He told the devil, "It is written." Ask the Lord to quicken you with specific parts of His word that will defeat that enemy. The spoken word is powerful and the written word is powerful, but when it becomes alive within your heart, it becomes an arrow of fire. Do you know the word? Is it an arrow in your quiver?

The fifth arrow is praise! It is so important that Christians make sure their quivers are full of arrows of praise. Praise is a demonstration of our faith. It says, "I praise you, Lord, for all that you are." It also says, "I trust you, Lord, and I thank you, regardless of the circumstances. I am not under the circumstances but under You, and You are on top of everything in my life. Praise has that wonderful quality of bringing the presence of God into the situation and releasing Him to intervene on our behalf. It also releases us supernaturally from emotions and thoughts which would try to keep us in bondage over negative situations we may have experienced.

It is sad, but I must admit that praise is sometimes part of a service to manipulate people into a certain frame of mind. To have an arrow of praise we must understand God sees and knows the motives behind our voices. When we understand God is the Lord Almighty, then we have an arrow of praise. When we truly understand and see that God is the Creator, that He made us and everything seen and unseen in this world, then we have an arrow of praise. When we understand, and understanding then believe, that God is the God of infinite mercy and goodness, then we have an arrow of praise.

Praise takes faith—sometimes a great deal of faith— when we've allowed ourselves to feel like a problem or situation has power over us instead of vice versa. When we apply faith to the realization that God cares about us and has power over everything that concerns us, then we are in position to offer up a "sacrifice of praise"—praise to the Lord despite what our feelings or circumstances might dictate to us. Praise is a straight arrow and rarely misses the mark when shot by the bow of the Holy Spirit.

The sixth arrow is worship! The arrow of worship comes from a deep well in the midst of your being. It is holy. It is intense. It is all glorifying to God. It is surrendering to the will of God and unquestioning of the direction He would take you. It is sacred.

It is an arrow few ever find in their quivers. Please understand that the arrow of worship doesn't come easily into one's life. It takes praise to a deeper level of commitment—a level of intimate communion with the Lord. I often say that we praise God for what He does, and we worship Him for who He is. It's that place of communion where you say, "You, and nothing else, Lord, because only You are worthy. I surrender all. I cast everything at your feet. You are my all in all." Often true worship comes through heartache and pain, but oh, the glory of worship! This is an arrow that builds such a wall around you no weapon formed against you can prosper!

The seventh arrow is your testimony! It is important to share the good news of all that God is doing in your life. Too often we hear so much testiphony! When a real work of God begins to take place in you, and I'm talking about a real work of change, then testify! Share what God is doing to build you, to free you, and to bless you. As we read through the Old Testament, we find that the Israelites constantly reviewed all that God had done for them. As they faced new enemies, they rehearsed their previous victories. This equipped them with boldness to win new battles. Keep a diary of God's blessings and miracles in your life. Review them and share them. It builds you up in battle array, and it weakens your enemies before you. You can look at the present challenge you face and say, "God has delivered me from greater than this." Your testimony is a powerful arrow that will defeat the devil every time.

I have been trying to show you the arrows of the Holy Spirit. You cannot buy them. These arrows are formulated within you as you seek the Lord and come to know the Person of the Holy Spirit who dwells in you. God has given you a bow and has power-packed it with arrows. Will you take hold of the bow and draw your arrows of deliverance? The choice is up to you.

REFINE YOUR ARROWS

CHAPTER FOUR

REFINE YOUR ARROWS

Understanding the makeup of an arrow will also help you understand how God is going to work in your life. Let's briefly look at the three parts of an arrow and see what applications we can make to your life.

First, let's look at the shaft. This is the part of the arrow that has to be straight. If the arrow is just a little crooked, even though you aim it in the right direction, it will miss its mark. It will have a tendency to veer off the closer it comes to the target. God wants to straighten the weapons of your warfare. How? First, He wants to sort out the crooked places in your life. He wants to test you and see if you will follow the right path. Many times we stay bent to our own ways and that leads us to tremendous heartache through the years. We get comfortable with our crookedness and it is hard to allow the straightening process in our lives. God wants to do a new work in us, however. He wants to pour out fresh oil, and we need to stay open, even eager, for His hand working in us and on us. Often we resist change and growth in the Holy Spirit because we have come to accept our weaknesses and strongholds as just part of our personalities. You know the saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." That should never be true of a Spirit-filled Christian. We always need to stay open to a fresh work of God in our lives and the continual renewal of the Holy Spirit.

Secondly, the arrow is made up of feathers on the back end of the shaft. The problem with most people is their feathers are so easily ruffled. Don't get ruffled over petty things—a remark someone makes, a church service that doesn't agree with you, a new outfit no one notices—and allow your peace and communion with the Lord to be interrupted. Ruffled feathers won't fly! The Lord needs to check our feathers. He's going to settle our spirits, our minds, our tongues, and, above all, our hearts. The only way for the church to mature and begin to defeat the enemy is to have some balanced feathers on a straight shaft.

The third part of the arrow is the tip. It is usually made of sharpened metal so that it can pierce its target. Some people shoot arrows with little rubber ends on them which fly with great speed and bounce off! What a shame to go through all that effort and have it bounce off. You need an arrow that is going to penetrate to the heart of the issue. Focus on Jesus. That focus will sharpen your arrows and give them the power and authority to pierce any enemy.

The power of the Holy Spirit is about to be released in your life in the name of Jesus. Allow God to sharpen your arrows and develop a quiver full of lethal weapons—lethal to the enemy, that is. These are the true arrows of victory that can bring you and your family into total deliverance.

LOCATE YOUR ENEMY AND SHOOT

CHAPTER FIVE

LOCATE YOUR ENEMY AND SHOOT

During World War II, the American and Japanese navies engaged in several large scale battles. The most critical of these and the one which became known as the turning point of the war was the Battle of Midway. In this encounter in the summer of 1942, the main fleets of the two navies moved cautiously toward each other about 100 miles off the coast of Midway Island in the Middle of the Pacific Ocean. Both fleets possessed the ultimate in weapons and firepower available at the time.

Neither fleet knew the location of the other one. The commanding officers of the two fleets knew that the critical factor for victory was being first to locate the enemy. Without the exact location of the enemy, the military might of each fleet was useless. American scout planes spotted the Japanese first and radioed back the exact location to the main body. The Americans were able to launch massive air strikes off the aircraft carriers and attack and defeat the Japanese. This victory permanently handicapped the Japanese navy and was a critical factor in the ultimate defeat of the nation of Japan.

In the same way we need to locate the enemy that attacks us. Whether you are battling emotional, physical or spiritual attacks or strongholds, you need to discern specifically who and where your enemy is. You can get your arrow out, pull the line back and let it go, but if you haven't located your target, the arrow will fly aimlessly through the air. When you locate your enemy and are able to say, "I know where he is, I know what he is doing, and I have located him," then you have the possibility and potential for real deliverance.

In the passage in II Kings 13, the prophet Elisha explained to Jehoash how to have victory in the midst of battle. He tells the king, "Open the east window." Elisha knew in the spirit and in the physical realm that Aram was this king's enemy. He was telling Jehoash exactly where the enemy was. Elisha was very specific —he told the king he would destroy Aram and that the victory would take place at Aphek.

Elisha represents the voice of the Holy Spirit. He is saying to us to open up the window of our spirits in order to perceive and understand exactly where our enemies are located. By listening for and then responding to the voice of the Holy Spirit, we can accomplish the two aspects of locating our enemy that will allow us to receive full deliverance: identifying specifically what the enemy is and when or how that enemy got a hold on us in the first place.

The Bible is very clear and tells us, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12) Satan would love it if you kept the window of your spirit closed and the shades drawn. Then he could more easily hide from you the true identity of your enemy. For example, sometimes you think your surface enemy is the root enemy. This surface enemy is really just a front man. You don't see his source. A powerful person rarely does things for himself. He usually sends a front man or a representative. This person represents him, and if you're not careful you think he is your problem. You don't see the source. There is a root cause, a person behind the person, a situation behind the situation, and there is an event behind the event.

You need to open up the window of your spirit and locate your enemy. That means in more practical terms that you beseech the Lord—you come before Him in confidence, faith and urgency—that by the power of the Holy Spirit He will reveal to you all you need to know about your enemy. Are you bitter? What is the source of that bitterness? Is anger a stronghold in your life? When did it begin? What is the source of that anger? Do you struggle with lust? How did it get into your soul? Is it depression? What is the cause? Identify, locate and uncover your enemy. Open up the window of your spirit and cry out to God for directions to the exact place at which to aim your arrows. Jehoash was told his victory would come at Aphek. I can tell you with complete assurance that if you will open up and take aim as the Holy Spirit directs you, you will have complete victory at Calvary!

Lastly, Elisha told the king, "Shoot!" Wouldn't it be a terrible waste of time, talent, and money to have trained a professional army and to have it, at the moment when called upon, refuse to use its weapons! A lot of us get to the point where we get our bows out, shine them up, stretch the lines over the ends, get out nice and shiny new arrows and draw back, but we are unwilling to shoot. In other words, we may recognize the need for deliverance in an area. We may feel the stirrings of the Holy Spirit and know that He desires to do a fresh work in this area. We are in agreement with the Lord that it's time for change and deliverance, and we begin to pray and seek Him for help. We may even develop spiritual plans for battle—like new times of prayer and in-depth Bible study—but somehow we just don't carry through to victory.

Why won't people shoot? Why won't they use the weapons that God has given them to win battles that will bring true and deep change into their lives? I see three areas of holding back in the body of Christ.

First, some people lack the confidence to shoot. They do not understand or believe the word that tells them they can do all things through Christ. Somehow they hear it over and over but it never gets down on the inside. It never becomes a word of life to them. Mistakenly they rely on their mortal flesh to fight, and in the day of battle they retreat because the flesh is weak! Many times in the heat of battle we remember our past failures and lose our confidence. At other times we hear negative voices with no vision who tell us we just can't accomplish whatever we've set out to do. Whatever the reason, the result is always the same: you run and the enemy pursues you and your loved ones.

Secondly, we don't shoot because we feel we lack strength. We are tired of the battle and grow weary. Again, the sin here is not understanding and believing that it is His strength that gets us through, not our mortal efforts. His strength caused David to slay a bear, a lion, and Goliath. His strength is renewed in us day by day. His strength is supernatural! It has to be because our weapons are not carnal! If I could pass on any knowledge that would sustain you in any situation you might find yourself in it is this: look to Jesus for His strength, believe you have it and stand on it!

Thirdly, a real lack of understanding authority keeps us cowering like cowards instead of standing like soldiers. It is a lack of understanding who the commanding officer is. The authority is Jesus. We need to believe who He is and understand He knows the outcome of every battle. He knows you inside and out, and He will never require more of you than He knows you can handle. Either you believe this or you play soldier and find yourself in a lot of parades with an unloaded weapon. Oh, you look like a soldier, march like a soldier, and sound like a soldier but you have never been victorious in battle or known the thrill of His victory!

To really understand these points you must stop looking at yourself, stop depending on yourself, and trust God. I would like to share II Samuel 22 with you. I recommend you read this chapter over and over until you see clearly who God is and what He will do for you. This passage of scripture shows you just what God does when we pray and move out in obedience to Him.

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—from violent men you save me. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies."

David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hands of all his enemies. In other words, David had enemies all around him just as we might. Saul was attacking and throwing spears every time David came near him. David decided to trust God and not depend on his own strength. The power of God manifested itself through him to bring about victory in a tough situation. That same power and authority is available to us for the defeat of any enemies we might face.

"The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears." (II Samuel 22:5-7)

In great distress David cried out to the authority, the one who had the strength when his was spent, the one in whom he had learned to place his confidence. The Bible says God heard him! God is in heaven on His throne, and He hears the praise and the worship of the angels while He sits upon the throne. In the midst of all the praise and worship He says, "I hear the cry of one of my little ones. I hear somebody who is in distress."

Without hesitation, God began to move mightily on David's behalf. He will do the same for you because God is not a respecter of persons. These next verses are some of the most powerful to show us just what happens when we base our fight on the power of God's authority.

The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens shook; they trembled because he was angry. Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his canopy around him—the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth. The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded." (II Samuel 22:8-14)

Saints, are you getting the picture of who is fighting the battle?

"He shot arrows and scattered the enemies, bolts of lightning and routed them. The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of breath from his nostrils. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me." (II Samuel 22:15-20)

Do you realize that God delights in you? God has promised to make Himself known in your situation and in your life. As you confront the area that He is speaking to you about, as you begin the battle, realize from these verses that the confidence, strength, and authority you require are there in the Lord. Depend on Him. Rest in the promise of His word. He will come and rescue you! If you doubt this, then go to the altar of forgiveness right now! This is your hour of deliverance. The power of God will be present to help you and meet you right where you are. The power of God to slay your enemies is promised to you. We have absolutely no excuse left for not believing for complete deliverance and victory!

MAKE IT QUICK, PLEASE!

CHAPTER SIX

MAKE IT QUICK, PLEASE!

We live in a society that likes everything to happen quickly. We've become conditioned to expect it. When McDonalds introduced the concept of "fast-food" restaurants in the late 1950's, Americans recognized immediately it was a style of eating that suited their lifestyles. The explosive growth of the chain led to the establishment of several other fast food restaurant chains, and we now have literally hundreds of thousands of fast food restaurants across this country. Other industries, such as banking and dry cleaning, have adapted to this type of service because they realize customers will flock to that business which provides good service in the fastest and most convenient manner.

Deliverance from an enemy that has a stronghold in your life will probably not be as quick as you would like it. I wish I could tell you that if you made a quick trip to the altar or received the laying on of hands by a godly minister that you would be completely free and would never have to deal with the problem again. Though God in His sovereignty can deliver you in any time frame He desires, the process of complete deliverance is usually a gradual one we must go through.

Sometimes we have experiences where our hearts are right and the anointing is right, and we defeat the enemy. However, we must realize that we have probably not destroyed the enemy this quickly, and there is still the possibility of that enemy coming back.

The easiest example to illustrate this point is when Jesus was in the wilderness. Satan came to Him three times and tried to destroy Him. Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness! Jesus put him under His feet three times. He used His weapons of prayer and the Word. Jesus had a stunning victory and the devil gave up and ran away. Praise the Lord, the enemy was defeated!

The part of the story we need to explore is the conclusion according to the word. "When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." (Luke 4:13) In other words, it was not over yet! We have to recognize when we have a victory that God has been truly faithful. We felt His presence. We saw His power in action. We say, "That's it! It felt so good. We've won!" When the devil comes again, we can't get confused. Did God do it? YES! IT WAS REAL! The anointing and power of God are real, but the devil is still out there ready to attack at what he considers the right moment.

We must allow the power and leading of the Holy Spirit to continue in our lives after the initial experience of victory and secure our stand on solid ground. Remember how Elisha said to Jehoash that he would completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek? That was what Elisha saw in the Spirit. King Jehoash then took the arrows and nonchalantly struck the ground three times. He thought that should be enough. It was not enough to destroy them. Elisha died and Jehoash never did understand the process of securing the ground after you experience an initial victory.

There is a process of walking through your deliverance; it does not mean you did not get delivered. It means you did not destroy your enemy completely. It means that God wants you to begin to walk the deliverance out. This is a process most of us do not want to go through. We want God to do all the work with a snap of His fingers. It is a process that most of us do not want to even acknowledge. It is the other side of excitement. It is responsibility.

Many of us have battled the bondage of credit card debt. We enjoyed the freedom of spending as we wished, but then seemed to run up a debt greater than we could handle—one that stole our joy and peace and gave us stress, pressure and friction in the home in exchange. As a result, we got a consolidation loan to pay off the debt and determined to avoid charging in the future. Some of us even very dramatically cut up our cards. However, after some time passed the desire to possess a certain item seemed more real and persuasive than the memory of the debt bondage, and we began buying on credit again. We had experienced an initial victory in this area, but we never had destroyed the real enemy in ourselves, such as lust or jealousy, which was the impetus to buy and possess more in the first place. Destruction of this source would have required real spiritual work that went beyond simply paying off the debt and cutting up the cards.

God is going to put in you the confidence and boldness to reach out to Him and believe for complete deliverance in the most difficult areas. If you will be honest, there are some areas you do not want to really deal with. There are some things you don't really want to hear, but something deep inside you is longing to have God deal with those areas of your life. Let's come to the place where we lay aside every weight and sin that would keep us from the total, complete defeat and destruction of our enemies. It may take more time and spiritual warfare than you would prefer. Remember, however, that Jesus is both the author and finisher of your faith. You need to begin in faith, ". . . being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

As a pastor I can tell you without doubt your bruised and scarred emotions, troubled minds, overwhelming conditions, and impossible situations are nothing when turned over to a living God. God is still on His throne and He is still answering when you call! He is still God and He can repair what you think are irreparable relationships. He is still God over the doctor's reports. He is still God over the situations of your past. He is still the Lord God Almighty! Sometimes it feels as though there is no light at the end of your tunnel, but I can assure you there is! Let the Lord fill you with His manifested glory. Open up your heart in the name of Jesus and secure the ground for your deliverance. Wait patiently on the Lord in faith. It is going to take time, effort and energy, but it will be the blessing of your life if you will heed this word and follow through after your hour of victory!

A RELATIONSHIP OF DEPENDENCY

CHAPTER SEVEN

A RELATIONSHIP OF DEPENDENCY

The process for securing your ground is as important as the initial victory you have gained over the stronghold the enemy has had in your life. You remember in the story of Elisha and Jehoash that Elisha asked the king to strike the ground after he had already successfully shot a victorious arrow at his enemy. When Jehoash simply struck the ground three times, Elisha became angry and said to him, "You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times." Elisha implied here the power of Aram had not been totally destroyed and would come back to attack Jehoash at some time in the future. In other words, we have to be aware there is still spiritual work to be done after an initial victory has been gained.

In my years in the ministry, I have seen literally hundreds of brothers and sisters in the Lord who experience great moments of breakthrough and deliverance at the altar, only to be haunted and brought down at a later time by the same enemy or stronghold. It is absolutely essential that you walk out your victory and secure the ground of your deliverance.

What does it mean to really secure the ground of your deliverance? You have probably heard of Alcoholics Anonymous. The success of this organization in helping people break the alcoholic patterns which have wreaked havoc in their lives has been its understanding of the need to walk out the victory once it has been obtained. In other words, it is usually not enough for an alcoholic to simply stop drinking. He has taken a great step and won a tremendous battle, but he still faces critical times when he has to reinforce that nonalcoholic lifestyle. It is important that he goes through a process which helps seal that victory and establishes patterns for successful living.

In a similar way, a Christian must walk out his victory. The Holy Spirit has directed you in the battle. He has given you the confidence, authority and strength necessary for victory. Now He will lead you through the process of securing your ground of deliverance. Remember, after excitement comes responsibility.

I would like to share with you a process I believe is critical to sealing your victory and deliverance in the Holy Spirit. The process involves several steps that move you into a very honest and open relationship with God and man. It surprises me how many people I meet who believe they already are honest and sincere in their relationships with God but then, like Jacob, seem to wrestle with Him daily as He tries to press out their old natures. I've also seen brothers and sisters in the Lord who struggle through deep crisis points in their lives while hoping no one in their families or the body of Christ will discover what they are going through. How important it is to recognize that through both the head and the body of Christ we have the strength to do all things!

The first part of this process involves developing dependency in your life—utter and total dependency on God. I have heard many sermons that teach you independence, saying, "when you come to Christ you become independent." WRONG! When you come to Christ you become dependent.

Jesus describes His own relationship with the Father in John 5:19: "Most assuredly I say to you the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does the Son also does in like manner." A little further on in John, Jesus states, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I can do nothing of Myself, but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things." (John 8:28) The Lord exemplifies the life of total dependence on God, the Father, and that dependency gives Him strength and power daily to accomplish all that God has called Him to do.

I feel utterly and totally dependent upon God. I know anything within myself will be of no effect. When I prepare for a service I know that within my own personality I don't have anything to offer anybody. Without complete reliance on God and a request for mercy and wisdom by the Spirit, I can do nothing. I could preach a sermon, but it would not change a life. Without the Holy Spirit convicting me daily and causing me to totally depend on His leading and strength, I am nothing.

After you have experienced the joy of victory over whatever enemy you are battling, put yourself before the Lord daily and depend on Him. Recognize that your victory was His victory. Praise Him for it and tell Him how much you depend on Him for the total destruction of that enemy—that to its very root it is destroyed in Jesus' name!

If you do not already spend time with the Lord daily, make sure you begin to establish this pattern. Dependency on God involves time with Him. This is a critical element in securing your ground of deliverance. It is so easy in our society to allow this part of our lives to be squeezed out, especially when we feel good about ourselves as we often do after a dramatic victory in our lives. However, we need to remember that Satan is always waiting for that "opportune time" to come and attack us again in our vulnerable areas. One of the most opportune times is when we haven't been with the Lord in a while and have begun to depend on ourselves.

After we learn to become dependent on God, we must learn to become dependent on one another. Remember the prayer of Jesus in the book of John where He says,

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (John 17:20-23)

Basically, Jesus is saying the Father and He had a deep and dependent relationship. We must develop that kind of dependency. He wanted His followers to experience this same kind of relationship with each other. We need this kind of interaction in relationships with each other. This is the very sign that tells the world Jesus is sent from God. It tells the world love is real. We need each other. We belong to each other. I don't want to get into a position where I'm hiding my weaknesses; I want to be in the position where I can pray and fellowship with someone who will bring strength against my weakness. Dependency is important for the furtherance of the gospel.

We can see a type of this relationship in the Old Testament between Jonathan and David. David was totally dependent on the Lord in escaping the various plots of Saul to kill him. However, the Lord also used Jonathan to help him. David and Jonathan had a covenant relationship based on love for the Lord and each other. The Bible says Jonathan "loved him as his own soul." (I Samuel 18:3) They developed a dependency and intimacy with each other. As Saul's son, Jonathan could see traps that David could not see for himself and was able to give guidance to David in overcoming the enemy.

In the New Testament I think of the unique and special relationship that Paul had with Priscilla and Aquila. These people were tent makers like Paul. When Paul spoke he so influenced them they opened up their home, gave their time and money into his ministry, traveled with him, and supported the call of God on his life. They were tremendous confidants, friends, laborers and supporters. They made a great contribution to the missionary zeal of Paul. These three truly functioned as Jesus had prayed.

The greatest hindrance to dependency is selfsufficiency. Self-sufficiency says, "I don't need anyone. I can do all things by myself. I can handle it." Though we might hesitate to say that outright to the Lord, nevertheless our actions and lack of communication with Him may indicate that we believe we can function just fine without His daily counsel.

This is a dangerous trap of the enemy. We learn to drive on cruise. We have enough knowledge to be dangerous. We have enough knowledge to fake it, but sooner or later the Lord is going to allow trials to come into our lives to get our attention back to the place of all sufficiency in Christ which must prevail.

In the same way, we might feel that it's unnecessary, even demeaning, for us to have a dependent relationship with other members of the body of Christ. Many men still hold on to a philosophy of manhood similar to the title of a book in recent years, Real Men Don't Eat Quiche. That philosophy includes the notion that "real men" don't hug, pray together, reveal a weakness, or depend on anyone else either. This type of lone-ranger attitude, whether in a man or woman, can steal from any victories we may gain.

I want to teach you to grow dependent on the Lord Jesus and those in the body He puts around you. Remember that Paul uses the example of differing body parts to describe how in the body of Christ we are all interdependent on each other. God assigns special people in my life and He will in yours too, such as friends and loved ones with whom we can exchange strengths. He also assigns people to my life, such as one lady who has interceded in prayer for me for over ten years. These relationships combine strengths and confront weaknesses in a mutual growth process. God wants us to be aware of the need for dependence. We need each other. I have strengths I can bring to the body of Christ, and I also have weaknesses. If I don't let go and trust God through other individuals, I will find it more difficult to secure complete deliverance. Even more I will not move this lost world to accept the saving love of Jesus Christ. Jesus made it perfectly clear in His prayer that unity and oneness—the interdependence of His disciples—are the only signs the unbelieving world has of true love.

I greatly appreciate a devotional I came across, and it makes the point so much better than I ever could.

The Alpine shepherds have a beautiful custom of ending the day by singing to one another an evening farewell. The air is so crystalline that the song will carry long distance.

As the dusk begins to fall, they gather their flocks and begin to leaf them down the mountain paths, singing, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. And praise His name."

And at last with a sweet courtesy, they sing to one another the friendly farewell: "Goodnight! Goodnight!" The words are taken up by the echoes, and from side to side the song goes reverberating sweetly and softly until the music dies away in the distance.

So let us call out to one another through the darkness, till the gloom becomes vocal with many voices, encouraging the pilgrim host.

Let the echoes gather till a very storm of Hallelujahs break in thundering waves around the sapphire throne, and then as the morning breaks we shall rind ourselves at the margin of the sea of glass, crying with the redeemed host, "Blessing and honor and glory be unto him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever!" (Streams in the Desert)1

Dependency is a necessary step to securing your ground of deliverance and the ground for someone else.

A RELATIONSHIP OF ACCOUNTABILITY

CHAPTER EIGHT

A RELATIONSHIP OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Strike the ground another time and let it represent accountability in your life. It is vital to our walk and ministry that we develop accountability before the Lord and in the body of Christ. Accountability guards against human error and weakness. It helps us walk firmly on the ground God has given us in the direction we know He is leading us. It makes public, even if only to one or two people, the victory we have gained and the commitment we are making to follow through in that victory.

Several years ago my wife and I realized we had allowed our financial situation to get out of control. We seemed to be functioning in a budget vacuum. We had run up a credit card debt which was way beyond our ability to pay off even in a year's time. We drove two cars which each had hefty loan payments. We had allowed these and other financial decisions to put us in a situation of constant pressure which was beginning to put stress on our marriage.

As I sought the Lord for a way out from under the pile, He began to show me the need for deliverance from life long spending patterns and attitudes. My wife, Debbie, and I spent the next two years, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, setting our financial house in order.

As a result of those two years I wrote two books on finances and developed a tape series on gaining godly financial freedom. Part of my testimony included strong teaching about only charging as much as you can pay off at the end of the month. That testimony made me accountable to all those who have read my books or heard me teach. I can't tell you how many times the temptation to overcharge in the years since has been overcome by my awareness of that accountability. I have thought to myself, "I would really love to have that but I can't afford it now, and charging it would violate my public testimony." That accountability to others has probably saved me thousands of dollars, praise God!

Accountability puts in place controls which help us to walk out the commitment we have made to the Lord and to guard against slipping back into sin in areas where the Lord has already given us victory. It starts with our commitment to Him to follow through in obedience as He leads us. He has delivered us from our enemy, He has freed us from a stronghold, and He will help us establish the patterns necessary for victorious living.

Part of that godly pattern will involve establishing accountability. It may involve your pastor, a friend, a prayer partner, a small fellowship group, your family or even your church. It's important that you share with someone the work that God has done and is continuing to do in your life. This allows another brother or sister to witness your area of deliverance and your commitment to secure your ground. As temptations rise, and they will because Satan wants to gain that foothold back in your life, your "witness" is there to remind you that you are already delivered in this area —that you "can do all things through Christ" who strengthens you. (Philippians 4:13)

The greatest hindrance to accountability is pride. We may not want anyone to know the sin or enemy we have been delivered from. Even more, however, we may not want someone watching over our shoulder and interfering with any decisions we might make. We might be embarrassed to admit feeling weak again in an area we've already talked of victory. In short, we don't want to be held accountable. We think we're capable of handling the situation and fielding any temptations ourselves. Oh, I long for you to understand how dangerous this attitude is. Though the Lord in His sovereignty can direct His children in any manner He desires, it is a godly principle that "in a multitude of counselors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14) 1 have seen many pastors in the body of Christ lose their sense of balance as they have shied away from accountability to those around them. Everyday people tell them how great they are, how wonderful they were on television, how powerful their words were, and on and on. As they become more convinced of their individual importance, they become less willing to submit to or share their power with anyone else. They become too proud to admit mistakes or seek the counsel of others. Where there is no accountability, pride begins to build and becomes a monster of destruction.

Let me encourage you to enter into a relationship of accountability with someone. The word teaches that "pride goes before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) Don't allow yourself to get in a position where Satan can trip you again. Pray and ask the Lord to help you establish a relationship of accountability with someone(s) He has set in your life. Remember, there is wisdom and strength in numbers. Proverbs 15:22 says, "Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed."

A RELATIONSHIP OF INTIMACY

CHAPTER NINE

A RELATIONSHIP OF INTIMACY

Strike the ground again and secure the ground of deliverance through intimacy. We are in a society that values intimacy but really doesn't know much about it. We are preoccupied with viewing intimacy, in books, magazines and films, and discussing what intimate relationships are all about on any number of television talk shows. However, true intimacy is such a deep place of love, I honestly believe few people experience this intense emotion. Intimacy is essential to our lives! I am not talking about a sexual relationship. I am referring to a relationship of intense love and communication with God and others that helps sustain His life in us—a place in prayer and worship that goes beyond a natural experience into the completion of oneness that few ever find.

"Intimacy" is the involvement of your inmost being, sometimes very private and personal feelings, with those of another person. The result is an "intimate" relationship—one in which two people are bonded by familiarity and acceptance. Sustained intimacy requires a commitment of time, attention and feelings to the relationship.

Intimacy was the very essence of Jesus' relationship with God, the Father. Over and over we are told in Scripture how Jesus went off by Himself to pray. When He prayed in the garden just before His arrest, He shared His deepest personal feelings with the Father, revealing the anguish He felt over what He knew was about to happen. And yet, when He spoke to His disciples of it and how they would desert Him, He could say with a peace that passes understanding, "I am not alone, because the Father is with Me." (John 16:32)

Consider Jesus' prayer for His disciples in John 17:

"As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth."

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (John 17:18-23)

Jesus was not referring to physical oneness but rather to emotional and spiritual oneness. He knew that besides intimacy with the Father, intimacy with each other was vital. He had spent three years developing deep personal relationships with a dozen men, knowing that the strength of those personal relationships would carry them through the many spiritual battles they would face.

The greatest hindrance to intimacy is hardness of heart. Most Christians would say, "My heart is not hardened towards God," but sometimes you are callous to the hardness that is there. You may just think it's the way you are, but in reality it's a wall that's been built as a result of disappointments, hurts or failures. God may not have seemed to answer a prayer or change a situation for you in the way you were sure was the right way. Maybe you were overlooked by the pastor or someone said something about you that wasn't true. Perhaps you have just grown apathetic towards the things of God. You occupy yourself with things and begin to build a life apart from God. You begin to close yourself off from intimacy. Though most of us can sit in front of televisions for hours, few of us can go to a quiet place and commune with the living God for more than ten minutes!

The key to intimacy is humility. Where there is no humbleness there cannot be intimacy. Humility tears down the image wall we tend to hide our weaknesses and needs behind. As long as we attempt to keep these situations hidden from God and those closest to us, our victory and fellowship is limited. We become vulnerable again to the devil who waits and watches for that opportune time to pick us off like the lone sheep. Peter was well aware of this tactic of Satan and therefore encouraged intimacy between the men of the churches he wrote to:

You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist Him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. (I Peter 5:5-9)

Our first relationship of intimacy is with the Lord. We must walk in honest and unbroken fellowship with Him, confessing any sin and then casting our cares upon Him as Peter said. Sometimes our intimacy is interrupted because we don't want to confess a sin or situation in our lives that we know is not right. Or we might be embarrassed because we've confessed the same thing so many times before. Whatever our hesitation, we need to get past it and put the sin under the blood of the cross by faith. Remember that God will be faithful "to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9)

In the same way, there are very special people God has put into each of our lives. As we determine to take these relationships to an intimate level, by committing our time, talent and love, we can gain strength from each other. When we battle an enemy, we can be encouraged and strengthened by those who stand with us in full knowledge of just who or what our enemy is. As it says in Scripture, "You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. Five of you shall chase a hundred and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight." (Leviticus 26:7-8) And in Ecclesiastes we read, "Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:12) There is incredible strength in the intimate unity of believers.

A vital part of maintaining intimacy is remaining sensitive to those with whom we have developed intimacy. This includes, first of all, walking in forgiveness with both God and man. We must be repentant before the Lord for our own sin and always willing to ask forgiveness of those we may offend, hurt or disappoint. We also need to be ready to forgive those who offend us. The lack of repentance and reciprocal forgiveness can destroy relationships. We have a sin nature that fights admitting when we are wrong. No one wants to claim any fault and so intimacy is destroyed. We must learn to humble ourselves and say, "I'm sorry" as well as "I forgive you."

Similarly, it is so important to take seriously the needs and desires of those who share intimately with us. We need to listen closely to their heart-cries as well as the Holy Spirit as He would give us words that minister to their specific needs.

As we maintain our intimacy with God, He will give us direction and wisdom in our relationships. If this book accomplishes nothing else, I want to show you the way. His name is Jesus. He learned how to be sensitive in every situation and intimate with all those God gave Him. Get intimate with Jesus and the overflow will come naturally into your life!

A RELATIONSHIP OF VULNERABILITY

CHAPTER TEN

A RELATIONSHIP OF VULNERABILITY

Intimacy cannot be achieved with either God or man unless you are willing to be vulnerable. Vulnerability is true brokenness and it is one of the keys to securing your deliverance. It means that your fellowship with God and those He has set in your life is characterized by openness and honesty.

Many people do not like the concept of vulnerability. They guard against that kind of transparency because they fear being hurt. In fact, fear is the greatest hindrance to being vulnerable. People think, "Why should I put myself out there to be hurt" or to be "open to criticism or attack," as Webster's New World Dictionary defines vulnerability.

Let me more specific about what it means to be vulnerable in the context of developing relationships which are going to aid you in spiritual warfare. It does not involve sharing your inner soul with every person you meet. The first and foremost relationship is with Jesus. You must get to the place where your identification is with Him. Jesus was vulnerable even to the point of death. The Scriptures relate how on the night He was betrayed, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples to pray. Mark 14:35 tells us that Jesus prayed in anguish, prostrate before the Father, that "if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him." Here He was at the most critical point in history for which He came to earth, and He was expressing His fear and anguish to God, the Father. He expressed His true feelings to God. Didn't He fear God's response? After all, the coming crucifixion and resulting victory over Satan had been purposed for Him since the fall of man, perhaps since the fall of Satan, and maybe even an infinite amount of time before that. This was His destiny. This was His purpose. Now here He was asking God if there might be any way around it!

All four gospels tell of Jesus' time of prayer in the garden. Only Luke records God's response to His Son's anguished plea. Luke 22:43 tells us that while Jesus was still praying "an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him." Jesus had understood full well who God is and His absolute, unconditional love for His children. He knew He could trust God enough to share His heart.

If you think God is in heaven waiting for you to make a mistake so He can slap you down, you will never open up to Him. When you come to the revelation that God unconditionally loves you infinitely more than you could ever comprehend, then you are on your way to an honest, sincere, loving relationship with God— able to share your deepest thoughts and needs without fear of retribution.

David shows us what it means to keep everything bottled up inside and hidden:

"When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledge my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord' and you forgave the guilt of my sin." (Psalm 32:3-5)

God longs for your fellowship—to encourage you and to impart everything you need for a life of joy and godliness. He desires to strengthen you as you face the challenges of walking out your victories and destroying the enemy who wants to regain his foothold in your life. You must come to this place of vulnerability to be in position for God to secure your ground of deliverance for you.

In the same way, it is important to have select relationships in which you can be vulnerable—people you can fellowship and share with on an open basis without fear. Wearing a halo can give you a headache! Be willing to let those special people God has set in your life get to know you as you really are. This transparency gives the Holy Spirit freedom to strengthen you through counsel and encouragement of other members of the body of Christ. There is also love and peace as we minister to the needs of each other.

The Bible says that Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him to the garden to pray. "He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.'" (Mark 14:33-34) Jesus could have thought to Himself that it would be much better if He kept His feelings to Himself. He could have been concerned that in sharing His troubled heart that He would damage the disciples spiritually since they looked up to Him so much. He could have felt strongly that it was important to keep His image up and not let them know He was struggling. He could have feared His disciples would reprimand Him and say, "That's a negative confession, brother!"

Instead, He revealed to them He was a real person with real struggles and hurts. People, sometimes we all hurt and we don't always want to do the right thing. It is with the support and love of the brethren we get the mind of Christ and the heart to go on. We cannot walk in fear that our image will be tarnished or that someone will get to know us as we really are. We must walk in openness and honesty with one another and draw strength from the strengths of others.

That does not mean that we go around speaking every negative thought that enters our minds in the name of honesty. However, it does mean that we learn to recognize when and how the body of Christ should minister to our deepest needs. It has been knit together in love so that, as Paul says, we may:

"All come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ." (Ephesians 4:13-15)

Vulnerability keeps us humble. It keeps us seeking God and trusting His ways. When we remain humble, seek God, and trust, we are securing the ground of deliverance and establishing a firm foundation for our lives.

A RELATIONSHIP OF AVAILABILITY

CHAPTER ELEVEN

A RELATIONSHIP OF AVAILABILITY

The process of striking the ground for deliverance from your enemy involves one more crucial factor— availability. It is so important to your own growth and victory that you make yourself available to minister to the needs of others. I think the best way to start this discussion is with the greatest hindrance to availability and that is selfishness! The one who becomes selfish is not available to anybody or anything at any time. He lives in a world that is his own and feels that is complicated enough! His motto is "Leave me alone!" He insists on doing his own thing. The tragedy of this kind of individual is he will lose the joy of his victory, and the same enemy will eventually return and overtake him.

There is so much more to life than just keeping your little order. There is more to life than just establishing your little world. You have to make yourself available! Be available for God to use, for your family, your church family, strangers—whomever God puts into your life. There are times when we need to be inconvenienced! Recognize that God has given you a great victory for a purpose. Paul wrote that many times the lessons we have learned from God during our own trials and tribulations are of great benefit to others during battles in their own lives. (II Corinthians 1:4-6) Ministry to others is a public testimony of your victory. Not only does it bear powerful fruit in the lives of others who are encouraged and inspired by it, but it also reminds you of all that God has done for you. It helps seal the victory in your spirit and soul and puts that final nail in the coffin of your enemy. It says, "I'm going on and not going back!"

Sometimes people do not make themselves available because they feel they have nothing to give. They are unaware of how much they have to offer. Let's look at the story of the widow whose husband was a prophet in the school of the prophets when he died.

The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves."

Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?"

"Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil."

Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one.” But he replied, "There is not a jar left."

Then the oil stopped flowing.

She went and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left." (II Kings 4:1-7)

If we learn to give in our greatest hour of need, I believe we will find the blessing of the Lord. The Bible tells us that although she started out with the perspective that she had nothing, this widow poured and poured from her little jar. She had enough to pay the debt and what was left over kept her and her sons the rest of her life! If you will learn how to take what you have and who you are and make yourself available to God and His work, you would be surprised at what He can do through you. He will accomplish great things in your life and you will stand erect and secure in the ground of your deliverance.

We must learn how to secure the ground of deliverance in the name of the Lord. Availability is one way God will lead us, and it will bring a return blessing with it. Selfishness will give the enemy a superhighway on which to attack you. Availability sets up a roadblock that is indestructible! You have to make your life, talents and gifts available to God and His work.

Isn't it time we say enough is enough and strike the ground with all the force of a mighty warrior for God! He promises nothing shall be impossible to us if we do! It's time to open the window of your soul and spirit and really take aim at your enemy. No matter what it is that plagues you and steals from you, attempting to destroy you, you can experience real victory. God has given you the arrows of victory to defeat it and the process to destroy all its roots in your life. Step into the battle with confidence. Your time of deliverance is at hand!

CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

This book was written to teach people the importance of both defeating and destroying their enemies. Whether your enemy is an attack from without or a stronghold within, I want you to know how to overcome it once and for all. My vision is for every person reading this book to put the devil under his or her feet and crush him until he can no longer breathe, talk, get up, and walk in your personal situation. The bow of the Holy Spirit will direct you. The arrows of prayer, the name and blood of Jesus, the word of God, praise, worship and your testimony will enable you to defeat the enemy! As you walk in victory, you can secure the ground of your deliverance through your continuing relationship with the Lord and the body of Christ, walking in relationships of dependency, accountability, intimacy, vulnerability and availability. The battle is not easy but you are assured victory! Draw back the bow and shoot the Lord's arrows of victory!

[1] Note: Cowman, Mrs. Charles E., Streams in the Desert, (World Wide Publications, A ministry of Billy Graham Association, Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Shoot The Arrow Strike The Ground

Get A Bow

Get Some Arrows

Refine Your Arrows

Locate Your Enemy and Shoot

Make It Quick, Please!

A Relationship of Dependency

A Relationship of Accountability

A Relationship of Intimacy

A Relationship of Vulnerability

A Relationship of Availability

Conclusion

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