Table of Contents

Preface

Foreword

1.   What Is a Religious Spirit?

2.       It hinders the Life of Christ

3.     Ministry of Condemnation Instead

of Reconciliation

4.     Religion Steadies God’s Presence

5.     Religious Spirits Take Offense

6.     Religious Dignity Brings Barrenness

7.     What Are Religious Prayers?

8.         Religious Preference vs. Conviction

9.         Former Glory vs. Latter Glory

•          Overcoming Religious Spirits

Copyright © 2007

Andries van Schalkwyk

All rights reserved. This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced, copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the New International Version of the Bible.

Published by:        Prophetic Insight Ministries, Inc

Box 339

Maryville, IL. 62062

ISBN:

Printed in the U.S.A by Morris Publishing 3212 East Highway 30, Kearney, NE 68847

1-800-650-7888

For seminars, conferences and speaking

engagements contact: Dr. Andries at:

http://www.kingdomsuccesstv.com

or call USA 618-288-6878

DEDICATION TO THE

LORD OF GLORY!

I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO THE LORD OF GLORY FOR SHOWING ME HIS HEART IN THIS MATTER. GOD HAS PLACED A STIRRING WITHIN ME TO BRING GREATER FREEDOM TO HIS PEOPLE AS THEY LEARN TO WALK IN HIS LATTER GLORY.

GOD HAS BEEN VERY GRACIOUS TO REVEAL HIS HEART IN HOW HE LOOKS AT PEOPLE. GOD DOES NOT VIEW US THROUGH THE LAW OF CONDEMNATION, BUT THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. THIS MINISTRY HE HAS GIVEN TO EACH PERSON.

WHEN THE LAW AND ALL ITS ACCUSERS OF LEGALISM WANTED TO STONE THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF ADULTERY, JESUS AS THE FATHER, JESUS AS THE FATHER’S HEART STOOD THERE WITH THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. JESUS REFLECTED THE FATHER’S HEART OF FLESH AND NOT ONE OF STONE. THE FATHER’S HEART IS FULL OF LOVE AND FORGIVENESS.

WHEN THE FORMER GLORY OF LEGALISM AND FAULTFINDING WANTED TO STONE THIS WOMAN, THE FATHER REVEALED HIS MERCY THROUGH CHRIST JESUS. HIS MERCY TRIUMPHED OVER JUDGMENT.

THIS IS WHY I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO THE LORD OF THE LATTER GLORY. THE LORD OF RECONCILIATION AND NOT THE LORD OF CONDEMNATION.

I PRAY THAT WE ALL WILL ASK THE FATHER TO REVEAL HIS HEART WHEN WE LOOK AT  PEOPLE. WHEN JESUS LOOKED AT PEOPLE HE COULD ONLY SEE THE FATHER’S FORGIVENESS AND CANCELLATION OF SIN.

My Deepest Appreciation

Thank you my wife for standing with me and believing in the call of God upon our lives. Without your support and prayers I could not do this. You have spent many hours by yourself while I was busy with this book. You are a remarkable woman who never complaints! Your inner beauty always shines forth as the glory of God through your constant submission and support.

I love and pledge my loyalty and commitment to you in serving and caring for you as long as the Lord permits me to live. Without your support I could never have done this.

Acknowledgements

To Liz van Schalkwyk, Cathy Voegele, Susan McQuiggan and Amanda Voegele for proof reading this book.

To Dr. Daniel Daves and Dr. Lonnie Laughlin for being there as spiritual advisers whenever the occasion presented itself.

To the Holy Spirit for such incredible insight in glorifying our Lord Jesus Christ. To all the members at our local church for standing with me as your Pastor and friend.

Thank you Christophe van Schalkwyk who designed this cover. The cover design represents a hidden religious spirit of indoctrination, instead of freedom in Christ Jesus. Love you son! Forward

Preface

I have felt the Father’s pain of compassion towards us as His sons and daughters. I could not understand why I became so concerned – almost to the point of feeling burdened. Why did these thoughts of the Father’s heart keep coming to my mind? I then saw with clarity a picture of someone who has been set free, but who continued to act as if they were still a prisoner.

Immediately I realized what was stirring in the Father’s heart. I began to see the miraculous things God wants to do through His latter glory. In Hag 2:9 it says: “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former, says the Lord Almighty. And in this place I will grant peace, declares the Lord Almighty.”

I started to understand something! God wants to break out with His latter glory, which is far greater than the former glory. The former glory under the law was one that brought condemnation and death to people. This latter glory is a presence of the Almighty that brings life and freedom.

The key for this freedom is to be found in Christ. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). “Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom 8:2).

God began to reveal the importance of being founded in Christ. This freedom is in Christ, not outside of Him. This freedom cannot be founded in religious rules or in the traditions of men that were handed down through the ages. True freedom is only found in Christ Jesus. God wants every person to be free of condemnation and free of low self esteem. God wants every individual to experience His fullness in Christ. This can only be accomplished when you know who you are in Christ, our resurrected Lord!

I began to see further into the spirit realm regarding Hag 2:9. God says that He will grant peace in this place. What place is He referring to? The place that Jesus has prepared for you in Christ! Jesus told His disciples He was going to go and prepare a place for them (John 14:3). This place is in Christ where you can have fullness of joy and fullness of liberty. It is a place that will grant you the wisdom of insight to see yourself the way God wants you to see yourself. When you look at yourself through Christ Jesus, you will understand that God does not hold your sins against you (2 Cor 5:19).

What a position of honor to be in! When God looks at you He sees no sin. The only thing He sees is your righteousness through Christ Jesus. Now He says, “In this place I will grant peace.” Are you in that place of peace? Have you overcome the condemnation of feeling unworthy? That place has got nothing to do with how we feel. All the feelings of condemnation were nailed to the cross at Calvary. Jesus became condemned on our behalf so that we now can walk in that new freedom.

God wants to pour out His latter glory. He wants us to move from glory to glory. He wants you to move from one degree of breakthrough to another degree of breakthrough. He wants you to move from little to much in Him. He wants you to move from faith to faithfulness. He wants you to move from preference to conviction. All this pertains to moving from glory to glory. It is God’s will for us not to stand still at His good will, but to move into His perfect will (Rom 12:2). He wants us to move from faith to faith. He wants us to move from renewal to transformation!

How will this happen? That is what this book is about. Please do not let the enemy distract you from getting into this book. Its contents are Holy Spirit breathed! Inhale the contents prayerfully – Why? God wants you to be totally free in spirit, soul and body. When you become so conscious of God, your flesh will no longer do what it wants to do. When you seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, all the other things will be added unto you as well (Mat 6:33).

When you seek the kingdom of God first, it means bringing God’s divine order into your life. He becomes first in everything. Before you make a decision, ask yourself whether it will take away your time with God. Should that decision take away your commitment and time with God, then it is not a kingdom decision. A kingdom of God decision is a choice in making Jesus Lord of all. He is either Lord of all or not Lord at all!

Christ can only be glorified when Jesus is Lord of your life. For Him to be Lord of your life He wants to be the owner of your schedule, the owner of your decisions, the owner of your finances, the owner of your marriage relationship with your spouse, the owner of your children etc. In today’s world you rent a house from a landlord. That makes the landlord the owner of that house. Likewise Jesus is the Lord of your present house, your present tent you are living in, your present temple, which is your body (1Cor 3:16, 19).

You are crowned with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. You are seated in Christ Jesus in the heavenly realm. You live and move in Christ Jesus; why not give Him his rightful place in your life? The only way Christ can have His rightful place in your life is when you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you.

The Holy Spirit came to glorify the resurrected Christ who is now seated at the right hand of your Father in heaven. The Holy Spirit will take from what belongs to Him and make it known to you. It is only when you live by the Spirit of God that you can put to death the misdeeds of the flesh (Rom 8:13). The Holy Spirit will quicken your mortal bodies as you permit him to live the life of Christ Jesus through you. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit himself, how much more should we be led by the Spirit (Luke 4:1).

As you continue to read this book you will discover how subtle the enemy is. The devil was defeated at Calvary and stripped of all authority. Now the devil uses Truth and distorts it into religious trappings. The devil knows his time is up and that you have been given all authority on earth. The way for the devil to rob you from enforcing your authority, is to keep you bound to the former glory. The former glory was one of outward rules and regulations that could never cleanse the consciences of God’s people. Now you can be free in Christ Jesus. The devil does not want you to know this – Why? The moment you discover the insights of this book, you will be empowered to reign and rule effectively in your daily life.

The devil wants to “steady” God’s presence through a set of rules and legalism. The moment he can get you to fall prey to the traditions of men, he has you! This way you cannot move under the cloud of the latter glory of peace, which is greater than the former glory. You are in for a spiritual make-over as you allow the truths mentioned in this book to liberate you.

Father, I pray that you will protect every person reading this book through the blood of Jesus Christ. As they read it, cause them to persevere in prayer, allowing the Spirit of conviction to come upon them.  I pray that they will be refreshed and that new joy will be manifested in their personal life. Grant them the fullness of peace through Christ Jesus the Prince of peace!

Andries van Schalkwyk. (Ph.D.)

Foreword

Andries van Schalkwyk has once again captured a deep foundational truth in writing this book.  He has exposed and articulated one of the subtlest, yet most pervasive techniques of the enemy to steal life from the Body of Christ as he addresses the subject of religious spirits.  Clearly, this is one of the greatest threats to the Church at large.  He dissects the specific objectives of a religious spirit at work in the believer’s life as well as identifies New Testament examples wherein the religious spirits manifested themselves.  This is a must read for anyone involved in leadership within the Church today.

Lonnie D. Laughlin, MD

Senior Pastor Living Stones Church

This book is a must for every Christian! It helps to bring a person out of a normalized, modern day distant relationship with God. It also brings an individual into a personal and intimate, minute by minute working relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  My hat is off to Dr. van Schalkwyk for this masterpiece which will certainly bring anyone who reads it into a closer walk with our Lord and Saviour.

Dr. Daniel Daves.

Children's Feeding Network

Before you Read Further

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is FREEDOM

and no Religious Rules of Legalism.

This book will set you at liberty afresh and anew!

Then enemy will try and distract you from reading through

this book! Don’t let him to that.

Your next level of FREEDOM is awaiting as your continue

to read through this book!

Remember true freedom comes when you walk under

conviction and not preference!

Chapter 1

What is a Religious Spirit?

----------------------------------

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9).

A religious spirit is satan taking truth and developing it into works or a set of rules. Jesus said that the works My Father requires in having a relationship with God is through Christ Jesus. We are not saved by works, but by Grace. It was for freedom that Christ has set us free (Gal 5:1).

Satan wanted to be worshiped when he tried to exalt himself above God. God wants to be worshipped in Spirit and Truth.  In John 4:23-24 Jesus said, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  God is spirit and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Satan’s strategy is to take your relationship with God and distort it into works. You begin to feel you must pray so many times per day. You feel you need to read so many chapters in the Bible every day, because if you don’t you will feel condemned and not worthy of God. Jesus Christ came to liberate us from the law of works. The law of works is the very tactic of satan. That is why the works of religion nailed Jesus to the cross at Calvary.

The people spoke with Jesus in John 6:28-29 - “Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is to believe in the one He has sent.” Jesus expressed the heart and desire of His Father in heaven. The Father wants a relationship with you through His Son Jesus Christ. This relationship is not built upon religious activities. This is the very thing that satan uses to put people back into bondage. In the Old Testament the conscience of the people could not be cleansed, because they tried to serve God through works instead of a relationship (Heb 9:14).

The main objective of a religious spirit is to rob you of your freedom in Christ Jesus. A religious spirit does not want you to experience the freedom of knowing that there is nothing you can do that will add to your salvation. Your salvation is complete in Christ Jesus. God has removed your sin as far as the east is from the west and He does not remember your sins. In fact God does not count men’s sins against them (2 Cor 5:19). Why do you want to do that? You have to see yourself through Christ Jesus and not through your feelings. By feeling good on any specific day does not mean that now God is close to you. No matter how you feel, God will never leave nor forsake you according to His Word.

A religious spirit wants you to beat yourself up over something you have done wrong. That spirit of religion would want you to feel so badly, thus tempting you to beat yourself up over and over to earn your forgiveness. That is not how God works. Jesus Christ died for you once and for all. Your short comings have been dealt with. In Him you are complete. That is the way you must see yourself. A religious spirit wants you to believe that God has a great big stick and is just waiting to beat you up whenever you make a mistake. In other words, a religious spirit wants you to feel bad about yourself. This is how condemnation settles in when you cannot forgive yourself. Just think, God has already forgiven you through Christ Jesus while you were still a sinner. Through Christ’s death you were reconciled to God. How much more now will you live, because He is alive and well in heaven interceding for your success (Rom 5:6, 8-10). While you and I were sinners, Christ’s death reconciled us back to God. Just think about this for a moment – Selah.

The moment you do something wrong you can ask God for forgiveness and immediately the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). The blood of Jesus Christ is by far stronger than a religious spirit that wants you to walk with condemnation. Condemnation means you are feeling badly about yourself and you do not value yourself any longer through the finished work of what happened at Calvary. A religious spirit always wants to add to God’s finished work at Calvary. A religious spirit wants you to keep asking for forgiveness until you feel so frustrated that eventually you seem to accept forgiveness. God is not condemning and He loves you too much, because His Son Jesus Christ died for you and now represents you in heaven as your advocate.

You did not get saved through feelings. You got saved by grace through faith and not of anything you have done. It is all Christ and Him alone and in Him only that you can truly walk in total freedom and without condemnation. This is your day! Don’t spoil it. You are in the day of the Lord and not in the day of satan. Satan is under judgment, but the judgment of your past has been removed in Christ Jesus. You are a brand new creature in Christ Jesus. We are about to find out what brand new creatures act and look like.

A religious spirit wants to take the life of Christ Jesus out of you. That spirit does not want you to realize you have life and life more abundantly. It wants to remind you constantly of how weak and bad you are. That spirit of religion wants you to constantly think of what you can do next to please God. You must discern the devil’s tactics. The Bible says we must be alert, self-controlled and not be outwitted by the schemes of the enemy. You are walking with a fleshly body and the Bible tells us that there is no good thing that dwells in the flesh. We do not put any confidence in the flesh (Php 3:3). So, if we do not put any confidence in the flesh, why do we pay attention to those fleshly feelings? Start transforming your thoughts by renewing your mind through Scriptures (Rom 12:2). The moment you begin to say what God’s Word says about you, that condemnation and low self-esteem of not feeling worthy will go right out the window.

Remember your fight is not against flesh and blood, but against every principality and power of darkness. These spiritual forces are ruthless and they only understand one language and that is the Written Word of God! You have to confess God’s Word over your life. Jesus never meditated a demon out of people. Jesus spoke to that situation and commanded that demonic spirit to come out of that person. Likewise, you have to speak out loud the Word of God over your own life and situation. Confess Rom 8:1 – “For now there is no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus.” God’s Word says there is no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus. He did not say to them that are in some traditional mind-set or trapped in some religious hierarchy of tradition that was handed down to them. He said to them that are in Christ!

A religious spirit does not want you to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. A religious spirit will only acknowledge the Holy Spirit, but will not permit Him to manifest the life of Christ Jesus. This spirit has a form of holiness, but denies the power of God. The Bible says have nothing to do with the spirit of religion.

Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them (2 Tim 3:5).

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power (1Cor 2:4-5).

We can clearly see that the Holy Spirit is totally involved in God’s work. Jesus said in John 3:3, 5 – “Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Again He said: “Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Once you are truly born of the Spirit of Christ Jesus, you will no longer be satisfied to just go through religious motions and the traditions of men. You will have the desire to grow and flow with God’s power. The difference between religion and Jesus is the following:

1.       Religion cannot demonstrate the power of God.

2.       Jesus came demonstrating the power of God in performing miracles, driving out devils, healing the sick, raising the dead, rebuking the storms of life and much more!

The religious systems, namely the Pharisees, Sadducees and Jewish traditions, could not handle Jesus, because He came to deliver people from the bondage of sin and from being in bondage to man-made traditions. Jesus was an active demonstration of how the kingdom of God operates on earth. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit in Luke 4:1. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and news about Him spread through the whole countryside (Luke 4:14). Jesus said in Luke 4:18 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me…” Jesus fully embraced the life and working of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ whole life was influenced by the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit.

A religious spirit will only acknowledge the Holy Spirit, but not give Him his rightful place in ministry. We are going to cover all the different aspects and characteristics of this type of spirit. It is time to come out from such traditions and realize that God the Father is the source of all things, Jesus Christ is the administrator of such things and the Holy Spirit the manifestation of all such things (1 Cor 12:5-7). Jesus made full use of all nine spiritual power gifts in advancing the kingdom of God here on earth. A religious spirit will tell you that these gifts are not for today, because now they come only through the preaching or teaching of the Word. That is a gross error! With the woman at the well Jesus used the word of knowledge to let her know that she’d had five husbands and the one she was living with currently was not her husband. This woman said, “Sir I perceive you are a prophet.” Glory to God! First He used the word of wisdom in saying to her, “Go and call your husband.” Jesus knew the man she was living with was not her husband and afterwards she acknowledged that was true. That is when Jesus through the word of knowledge, said that she’d had five husbands.

A religious spirit does not want to flow with the power of God. The moment a religious spirit encounters the power of the Holy Spirit, it will no longer have the privilege of people being in bondage to its traditions. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. God wants you to be free from any man ruling or dominating you through some religious trappings. Jesus said to the religious Pharisees in Mark 7:13 – “Thus you nullify the word of God by your traditions that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

Chapter 2

It Hinders the Life of Christ

-------------------------------------

You diligently study the Scriptures, because, you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life (John 5:39-40).

Jesus was saying to the religious orders of the day that by diligently studying the Bible only, they do not have life. These religious spirits of the day (Jewish indoctrination) thought that knowing Scriptures would be enough. Not so! Jesus made it clear that the Scriptures only testify about Him. Knowing Jesus personally and intimately is far greater than just knowing Scriptures out of the Bible.

These religious spirits wanted to hold onto their way of thinking and the way they practiced Scripture (Mat 23:5). Jesus was trying to bring an understanding to them that unless they knew the Author of the Book, they didn’t really have life. Scriptures by itself can just be another way of being indoctrinated without having the life of Christ. That is why Jesus in John 14:6 said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

To the Jews that was almost like blasphemy. In the Old Testament it was known according to the Jewish culture that Jehovah God was the Outer Court, Holy Place and Most Holy Place of Moses’ tabernacle. Jesus now was saying that He is that outer court through which you have to come in order to get to the Father. The spirit of religion prevalent among the Jews at that time, did not want to accept that. They were steeped in their traditions. Jesus said previously that the traditions of men will nullify the Word of God. Jesus now was that Holy Place and Most Holy Place in Moses’ tabernacle. He is the one that is holy and most holy and most worthy! He is the One that died and laid down His life for us so that we can now have life and more abundantly through Him! There is no other way to the Father except through Him.

The Pharisees would walk around with all their Phylacteries (Scripture boxes) on their foreheads. They believed that by doing this and other such practices, they were qualified to be priests.

"Everything they do is done for men to see. They   make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long (Mat 23:5).

Again I want to emphasize what Jesus said to these religious spirits – “You have refused to come to Me to have life.” God told Moses to make the Tabernacle according to the “Pattern” that He gave Moses (Ex 25:40) (Heb 8:5-8). This word pattern means to “pattern after the Son.” Moses’ tabernacle was pointing to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. You come to God through the outer court of praise and thanksgiving. You bring your sacrifices of praise through the outer court. The outer court also symbolizes how a lamb/animal/goat was to be slain and presented as a sacrifice at the Brazen Altar. This act spoke of Jesus’ death as a lamb to come that was to be slain for the sins of this world. There is much more to be said, but I am not going to teach on the Tabernacle of Moses now. I want to stay with the topic of the impact of a religious spirit.

Religious spirits will take a beautiful pattern that was meant to point towards the coming of Jesus Christ and distort it. A religious spirit will take such a pattern and turn it into a set of rules in removing the life of Christ out of it. Satan is a master of deception. Satan knows how to take what is meant for good and distort it with all his ideology. Satan does not want people to experience the real life of Christ Jesus. The real life of Christ Jesus is a constant reminder to satan that he is a defeated foe. Satan was stripped at Calvary and Jesus triumphed over him through the power of the cross (Col 2:15).

You must realize that satan’s master strategy now is to take truth and distort it into a set of religious rules. That is what takes the life of God out of His divine pattern. The Tabernacle of Moses was a type of the first coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus came as God’s tabernacle in the flesh to dwell among us (John 1:14). God wants to tabernacle with His people (fellowship).

Jesus Christ came to restore God’s authority back to man to rule and reign on this earth. Satan is the god of this world, but not the god of our worlds! We now have that authority back to reign and rule. Satan is devastated and does not want you to exercise or find out your true authority in Christ Jesus. The best way satan can keep you from realizing that you have the same authority as Christ Jesus is to distort truth to a set of religious rules. Walking in His authority releases the life of Christ Jesus on the face of this earth! We have been called to rule and reign on this earth, but we cannot if we are bound to spirits of religion. It was the authority of Jesus that got to the religious Pharisees, Sadducees and Jewish leaders of the day. They were so steeped in their religious traditions that they were amazed at the authority of Christ Jesus. Jesus cast devils out of people and satan trembled at this. Satan knows if he can distort truth into a set of rules and feelings that you will not be able to flow with your true authority in Christ Jesus. Demons knew who Jesus was according to Luke 4:41.

Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.

This is satan’s master strategy to bind a church through religious rules. It was never God’s intent for man to be ruled by rules. God in Gen 1:26 made man to rule and not to be ruled over. A religious spirit functions best under a spirit of control known as a Jezebel spirit. This spirit wants to manipulate people through fear and intimidation, into believing that they have to be part of religious traditions. I urge you to break away from such, as that was never God’s plan for your life. God’s intent for your life is to rule and reign through His gifts and abilities. God never wanted you to be in bondage to another person or any religious system. A spirit of religion wants to control you through fear and self-made indoctrination. They put man in bondage in calling it covenant as long as it suits their needs and serve them and their ministry.

Jesus said in Mat 16:18 that He will build His church. Jesus did not say, “I will build churches.” There is only one church and one body of Christ. Each body of Christ has a different expression or fragrance. The key to remember is that we all belong to each other. Some religious spirits think they are the only body of Christ and if you leave them you will not make it. Well, I have good news for you! Before those certain religious bodies in the name of church were, Jesus was! Jesus is the beginning and the end of all things. Such religious spirits want to build their own kingdoms instead of God’s kingdom. They try to make you feel so bad about yourself when you want to leave their organization! This does not mean you now become rebellious or a law unto self. There is balance in everything and you need to be accountable in your Christian walk to those around you and where God has placed you. It is God’s divine purpose for each person to walk in total freedom, but in submission to His Word and accountable to those leaders He has placed over you. It is high time to discern what the Holy Spirit requires of you according to Scriptures.

Chapter 3

Ministry of Condemnation Instead of Reconciliation

-----------------------------------

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger (John 8:3-6).

The teachers of the law and Pharisees suffered from a religious spirit of legalism. Legalism does not know how to reconcile people accurately in line with the lifestyle of Jesus Christ. A religious spirit of legalism is set on faultfinding. A spirit of legalism is motivated by exalting itself above the need of reconciliation. Such a spirit has no mercy. This kind of spirit operates out of condemnation, instead of reconciliation.

These religious spirits came to Jesus hoping to trap Him in his words. Already you can see that this spirit only has one goal, and that is to show others how good they are by catching other people doing wrong. Jesus graciously warned us not to be judgmental and if you practice such, you will reap what you practice. Please read the following Scripture and meditate prayerfully on it (Mat 7:1-5).

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (v1-2)

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your eye? (v3)

How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” (v4)

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”(v5)

The following steps of instruction came forth from the Master’s mouth when it comes to judging others:

1.       Do not judge or you too will be judged.

2.       The way you judge others you will reap.

3.       By being a faultfinder you become blinded to your own mistakes.

4.       Hypocrites are judgmental.

We can clearly see that a religious spirit operates through a ministry of condemnation instead of reconciliation. They judge others by the default or deficiency of their own character. They do not carry the nail prints of Christ Jesus; therefore they do not qualify to judge you through an attitude of condemnation. A religious spirit does not know how to show mercy. If they show mercy they would feel condemned in themselves.  They only serve God out of works instead of a relationship. They measure themselves by their own works instead of through the grace of the Almighty that strengthens us all in our weaknesses.

These religious spirits brought in a woman whom they caught in the act of adultery. I wonder if they were peeping toms. Perhaps they were bound to pornography themselves. Remember what Jesus said! When you judge someone else in trying to take a splinter out of their eye, you yourself are sitting with a plank in your eye. Your religious faultfinding attitude causes you not to discern accurately, because you are blinded yourself at that moment. That is the power of a religious spirit. A religious spirit does not want you to see yourself the way Christ Jesus wants you to see yourself in Him. Real Christ-like humility never finds fault with others, because you know from which height you have been saved.

A judgmental attitude comes through a religious spirit of hypocrisy. Yes, it is time to recognize that spirit and be set free in Jesus’ name! Judgmentality in the church keeps God’s people from experiencing the fullness of His glory. It slows down His ability to move freely.

These religious spirits came to Jesus and brought the (church) woman to be stoned to death. They had found her guilty according to religious laws of legalism. They made her (Women represents type of church in Bible) stand before everyone publicly. What a shame on such a spirit of religion. Our God does not embarrass us publicly. That is why Jesus Christ died for us openly to remove the shame from our lives publicly so we can be restored in private.

When David committed adultery God sent another five fold minister to speak to him in private. A religious spirit would have David out in front of the whole congregation to exploit him. Praise God for His mercies! We need to look at God’s instruction in how to handle Biblical discipline according to Mat 18:15-17).

These religious people made the woman they caught in the act of adultery stand before a whole group publicly. Now these religious spirits tried to trap Jesus by saying that according to Moses’ law this woman should be stoned (death sentence). They used Moses’ law to try and catch Jesus. First of all Jesus was before Moses’ law. He is the “I Am.” He is before all things. These religious spirits were already in error, because they were supposed to have also brought the person with which she committed adultery. Perhaps this person was one of their own friends. These religious spirits wanted to trap Jesus. In their attempt to do that, they became one with the “accuser of the brethren, satan.” Satan was using their bodies to administer his goods of condemnation, death, faultfinding and judgmental attitudes through. Satan being a spirit, always looks for a personality through which to administer his principality.

Jesus was the giver of life standing right there in front of them all. They wanted to take the life of Christ Jesus away from this woman. What they did not realize is that Jesus came to give His life for others. He did not come to condemn the world, but to save the world (John 3:16-17).

Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground. This reminds me of “It is written, if God be for you who can be against you!” Glory to God! Jesus said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” They all went away one by one until only Jesus and the (church) woman were standing there. Jesus asked her, “Has no one condemned you?” Jesus then proceeded to tell her, “neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Can you imagine when the church of our Lord Jesus Christ begins to operate fully like Jesus did here? We will experience the fullness of God’s glory and the power of miracles like never before. For as long as satan can hide in the bodies of saints accusing each other, God’s hand becomes tied in releasing the fullness of His glory. We must stand up and get that religious spirit out of the church. God is waiting for an army that will arise and say, “Enough is enough. We are not going to tolerate the accuser of the brethren any longer. We are going to become His standard armor bearers. We are not going to let anyone judge any other person outside of God’s Word.”

God is looking for a people that will put the ministry of reconciliation first at all times. Every saint of God according to His Word has received the ministry of reconciliation and not the ministry of condemnation. It is a choice you have to make. Should you have something on your heart against your brother, then the Bible tells us to go to your brother and settle matters quickly. Should your brother not want to listen or be reconciled, then you take another with you so the matter can be established by two or more. Should the person still not want to listen, then you need to bring it to the leadership of that local church. Should that person still not want to listen, then we have to treat that person as a pagan or tax collector, Jesus said in Mat 18.

Let us rise up in this season and deal with that religious faultfinding spirit of condemnation and legalism! Let’s purify the church of Jesus Christ from this unclean spirit.

God does not want His church to be ruled through a religious spirit of faultfinding, condemnation, legalism and a judgmental attitude. We can make a difference by becoming God’s standard bearers by not entertaining these religious tactics of satan.

Are you available to be used by God to purify His church from religious spirits? Then we will see the fullness of God’s glory rushing in suddenly like a mighty wind. Many will be so amazed and perplexed like on the day of Pentecost. Be an instrument for God to use during this season.

Let the kingdom of God invade your life fully and shake whatever can be shaken and remove whatever needs to be removed. God wants us all to be purified from these religious influences. They are satan’s disguise as a wolf in sheep skin clothing. Satan masquerades like an angel of light. The Bible tells us not to be ignorant of his schemes. By just writing this I can see a mighty army of God coming forth and saying, “Enough is enough. We will be your standard bearers, God!”

Chapter 4

Religion Steadies God’s Presence

-----------------------------

When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.  The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God (2 Sam 6:6-7).

David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord. With songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines and cymbals they were praising God (v5). This sounds like great praise and worship. David was bringing the ark (presence) of God to Jerusalem.

When you are busy praising and worshipping God you will get to a place called the “threshing floor.” At this point during your worship your heart will be laid bare before your God. Your heart will be revealed to you with such tenderness from God. At this point you can either choose to become more broken before Him or follow the ways of a religious spirit.

The oxen stumbled and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark (presence) of God to steady His Presence. This was an irreverent act before God. It was typical of a religious spirit that wanted to be in control. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, because of his irreverent act. He died there beside the ark of God.

I believe that many religious spirits have tried to steady the ark of God when it appeared that the oxen were stumbling. A praise and worship leader could be tapping into some revelation during worship and it appears he is stumbling. Someone from the congregation comes forth, and attempts to steady the presence of God. This praise and worship leader was busy tapping into a greater freedom and it appeared he was stumbling. It was not the norm of the regular service. It was not the traditional flow of the service.

At that precise moment when this praise leader urges the congregation to press through, someone comes up and steadies the presence of God. It might appear that praise and worship leader is at a loss for words perhaps. It might appear that leader wants to praise spontaneously during this time. It might appear that there is a sudden silence, because God wants to pour out something unique or He wants you to hear what He has to say. A religious spirit steps right into that flow and tries to stop the move of God. They want to follow their traditional way of singing a few songs, then a few slow ones and then everyone needs to sit down for the announcements.

Uzzah tried to steady the presence of God and it was seen as an “irreverent” act before God. Uzzah died right there next to the ark of God. There are many that are like being dead during this hour, because they have no expression from their hearts before the Lord Almighty. They follow a set of rules. They follow some tradition that was handed down through a mother system. They just go through the motions without having much passion towards God. Many such systems are operating under an “Ichabod” spirit known as “the glory has departed (1Sam 4:21).”

God is using the Apostolic anointing during this time to uproot that spirit of premature death during praise and worship. God wants to be worshipped in spirit and truth. He did not say in religion and doctrine. God wants the truth of your heart to be involved. How much need do you have for God in your heart? How much relationship is there in your heart between you and God?

Is it possible that God cannot pour out the fullness of His latter glory which is greater than the former glory? God’s latter glory is to bring life and more abundantly through Christ Jesus. Is it possible that His latter glory is being held back, because it might kill some prematurely, due to their irreverence during praise and worship? Sometimes during times of praise and worship people just walk out of His presence or just sit out for no reason. The strange part is they have no problem to stand and wait in a line to draw money from a cash card machine. Even if they have to wait 30 minutes they keep standing and waiting. Yet, when it comes to worshipping God, some people seem to lose interest. Are they then saying their need for God is not so desirous? Standing in a line waiting to draw money does not bother them. Why? They have a need for that money! Yet, when it comes to praising and worshiping their God, they don’t seem to sense the need for that intimacy during that particular time. The Bible says where two or more agree it shall be done. Is it possible that some could be missing out on a huge blessing, because they are not in agreement to worship God corporately and in unity? During worship time it is not a moment to withdraw and become irreverent. It is like Uzzah trying to steady the presence of God. When people just walk out and become totally distracted by minor things can actually interfere with the flow of God during that time.

Picture yourself having a close intimate conversation with someone you really love. Now suddenly at the height of perhaps asking that person to marry you, you have other people walking in and out. That would be a huge distraction to you – right? Likewise how must God feel? I am not referring to those with a desperate need of having to leave the service during that time due to unforeseen circumstances. Let us become more sensitive to God’s need in wanting to be worshipped in spirit and truth. When you do that you will find a supernatural flow of God’s divine nature rising up within you. You will suddenly sense a change of the atmosphere in your mind. That which troubled you before, now seems so minor. Your soul becomes light and there is now more peace than before. This is what worship can do for you.

In the New Testament we see that same religious spirit, which is a demonic activity of satan. Remember what we have said how satan uses truth and bewitches it into a set of rules. Satan is a master at deception and knows that if he can keep people bound to a spirit of religion or irreverence, he has deceived you. Satan knows God cannot bless deception, so he keeps you ignorant and bound to such. It is time to recognize satan’s tactics and not say in your heart that this is the way our church has operated for years. We must find the right way God wants us to worship Him. Jesus said, “I am the only way and the only truth and the only life.”

Let’s look at how Jesus demonstrated His words when faced with a similar situation during praise.

The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise (Matt 21:14-16)?”

When Jesus appeared at the temple many were healed who came to him. In 1 Cor 3:16 the Bible says that we ourselves are God’s temple in whom He dwells by His Spirit. That is right beloved! You are God’s temple!

When Jesus came to the temple and people were healed they started to praise Him with loud voices. They were shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” They were behaving in an “undignified” manner, and the   religious orders of the day became totally offended! Religious spirits will take an offense very easily. The chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things Jesus did and the children shouting and praising God.

These religious spirits could see the miraculous healings and why the people were shouting and praising Jesus. These religious spirits approached Jesus and asked him: “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes, replied Jesus, have you never read, “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise?”

These men, steeped in their traditions, did not want any noise in the temple of God. These religious spirits treasured the atmosphere of an earthly building known as their temple more than the presence of Jesus. Jesus is the Lord of the temple. The temple is not the Lord of Jesus.

In Luke 19:39 some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” The people were joyfully praising God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. The religious spirits in the crowd wanted Jesus to silence all the noise of praise and worship. Jesus simply said: “I tell you, he replied, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”  These were religious Pharisees who could not handle the sound of heaven coming down on earth in praise and worship to God!

I don’t know about you, but I am not going to let a stone do my job of praising my God in heaven. God ordained praise from our lips and He does not get nervous when you make a noise. There is only going to be a half an hour of silence in heaven one day! How will a religious spirit handle that? Very interesting!

Prophetic Insight – Isaiah 66:6

Hear that uproar from the city; hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord repaying his enemies all they deserve.

It is pay back time! There is an uproar in the spirit of man. This uproar is the sound of the Lord repaying his enemies all they deserve. We must be careful not to quiet down that uproar of the lion of the tribe of Judah. Keep on praising the Amazing, for your breakthrough is at hand! It is payback time!

Chapter 5

Religious Spirits Take Offense

---------------------------

Then the disciples came to Him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” (Matt 15:12).

Some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus and asked, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?” They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

Immediately Jesus asked them, “Why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?” Jesus discerned their hearts and the motive in which they questioned him. Jesus was not going to allow a religious spirit to just say what they want. Jesus was not going to get into any argument, but at the same time he wanted them to know what they were about in questioning Him.

These Pharisees and teachers of the law were hiding behind their own traditions while questioning the freedom of Jesus’ disciples. These religious spirits were more concerned about an outward appearance of looking good, instead of an inward appearance before God. God is more interested in our attitudes on the inside of us, than washing our hands on the outside. Your hands cannot get you saved, but your attitude towards Christ Jesus will determine your real salvation.

Religious spirits are more concerned in how they dress themselves on the outside instead of what they look like on the inside. When the disciples of Jesus did not wash their hands, these religious spirits were upset. Religious spirits look more to the outward washing of hands, instead of the hand of God! They value more the writing of Scriptures instead of the author of life within those Scriptures.

Jesus said to them that they themselves were nullifying the word of God for the sake of their own traditions. Jesus referred to them as hypocrites. They were saying one thing and doing another. They had an outward expression of holiness, but inside they were completely filled with dead men’s bones. Every time these religious spirits spoke, it was like death trying to masquerade as freedom. A religious spirit cannot handle the freedom we have through Christ Jesus.

The reason they cannot handle the freedom we have is because they are bound up through rules and regulations. They are so miserable that they cannot see passed them. They have a certain set of rules as their safety and as long as they apply those rules, they feel they earn their relationship with God. You cannot earn a relationship with God based on works. We were saved by Grace through faith and not of works. This way no man can boast in himself or his own beliefs. It has to be God’s way which comes through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Jesus Christ was God’s salvation dwelling here on earth for a season. God demonstrated what true salvation is about through His own Son when he dwelt for a season among men.

Now Jesus quotes Isaiah the prophet to them: “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They honor Me in vain, their teachings are but rules taught by men.”

Now Jesus’ disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

Watch now how Jesus responded: “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots” (v13). This is very important to grasp what Jesus was saying here. He says that there are things in a religious spirit that his Father in heaven did not plant. Jesus then continues in saying that whatever the heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.

It is high time to pull up those religious things that are keeping people back from being totally free in Christ Jesus. It is time that we will not allow those things just to administer to us without ministering back to them the truth. Jesus was radical when he had to deal with a religious spirit. He did not hold back from letting them know what the real truth in the matter was about. Jesus came to set every captive free and never was intimidated by any religious spirit.  Jesus understood that his mission was to deliver those captives. At the same time Jesus also emphasized bringing a balance in dealing with a religious spirit. If that spirit is totally stubborn and wants to challenge the sovereignty of Christ, then we need to leave them alone. Jesus referred to them as “blind guides.” Jesus said: “Leave them, they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

We must not become blinded by facing a religious spirit. We have the insight and we need to maintain our foresight of understanding where we are heading in life. If we loose our perception in dealing with such a spirit, we will become blind just like them. This means we will also then fall into a pit. It is high time to liberate the captives from the trappings of a spirit of religion. Satan, being a religious spirit, masquerades  as an angel of light seeking whom he can devour through a set of rules and legalism (2 Cor 11:14-15 / 2:11). This is the only way now that satan can try and get back at God for liberating man through Christ Jesus.

Jesus pointed out that a religious spirit only has a form of godliness, but no power. These religious spirits were honoring God with their lips, but their hearts (attitude) were far from Him. We must not become caught up with the words of such spirits. It is high time to look for the fruit that needs to accompany their words. Jesus did say a tree is recognized by its fruit. Satan is a master of deception. He knows how to deceive people through lies, because he is the father of lies. When a religious spirit speaks against the freedom in Christ Jesus, you must discern that spirit. Just because the individual sounds like a Christian does not qualify them to be a truthful Christian. Somebody says, “But God told me so.” Well, let’s see the fruit of what God told you. A tree is recognized by its fruit and not merely by its name (Christian). We are in times of great deception, so let us be alert, not to become outwitted through a spirit of religion.

A religious spirit has all the form, but not the demonstration of the power of God. Jesus said in Mat 23:3: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”

What this means is that someone from the religious system would take the seat of Moses and read from the Bible. What they read was true, but their lifestyle did not match their performance. Jesus was saying – “Do what they read, but do not do what they do.” They had the right form of reading the Bible, but no demonstration of the life of Christ through Scriptures. That is why we have to be cautious and very discerning these days. When someone says God says or the Spirit told me this or that, we always need to check out the fruit of character. Each tree is recognized by its fruit!

Jesus went on to say: “Everything they do is done for men to see. They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels of their prayer shawls long, they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them Rabbi” (Mat 23:5-7). Again I want to emphasize that a religious spirit puts their confidence in outward appearances and sets of rules to impress people. The more they can look holier than thou through legalistic performances by appearing to be holy - the more they maintain their position of being recognized as honorable men in performing religious duties – thus, the more that spirit will deceive people in believing a lie.

Jesus was not appointed by men on earth to perform a priestly function. All these earthly priests in the name of religion have to first ask for forgiveness of their own sins. Our heavenly Priest Christ Jesus came to this earth and was tempted in every area of life and is without sin! That is why He can forgive us as our High Priest in Heaven! He has sacrificed once and for all and now represents us in heaven at the right hand of the Father (Heb 4:14-16 / 5:1-3 / 7:26-28 / 8:1-6 / 8:13 / 9:8-15). Religious spirits do not want you to have a personal relationship with Christ Jesus. Religious spirits want you to think that the only way to be forgiven is by doing certain works of the flesh.

Let us look at an example in maintaining the Sabbath according to some religious organizations. They might say they believe in Jesus, but that you have to maintain the “Sabbath” to complete your salvation. It is not true! What they say is that Calvary was not enough when Jesus Christ died for your sins. They want to add something else to the finished work of Calvary! That is a religious spirit at its most advanced stage of deception – to say that without maintaining the Sabbath you cannot maintain your salvation. The New Testament says in Heb 4:3 that those who believe the Gospel of Christ Jesus now enter into that Sabbath rest with God. Jesus Christ is that very rest that we enter into. Rest from our past, rest from the sinful nature that now has been crucified through Christ Jesus, rest from dead works, rest from the fear of death, rest from the sting of death, which is sin, and much more.

Glory to God! There is a new rest in Christ Jesus. He has done everything for us at Calvary in taking our judgment upon Himself. At Calvary we received reconciliation with our Father in heaven, because of Christ Jesus. He became our very sacrifice and judgment. In Him we have a new rest, because He took all our sins upon Himself. The one who had no sin became sin for us so that we could be set free and become a “New Creation” unto our God and loving Father. Praise you Jesus!

Chapter 6

Religious Dignity Brings Barrenness!

----------------------------------

As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart (2 Sam 6:16).

Michal, who was David’s, wife watched the king dancing, leaping and praising His God publicly. Michal (woman) represents a type of church and the previous order, being Saul’s daughter. David now has taken over from Saul and represents a new order in Christ Jesus. The Bible tells us in Luke 1:32-33 that Christ Jesus will reign and rule from David’s throne.

She accused David that he behaved foolishly in front of all the slave girls (v20). This was the very purpose of the “New Order” in Christ Jesus. The very purpose of God was to bring a new freedom in worship through His Son Christ Jesus. God used David to demonstrate this new order in front of the slave girls. In other words in the midst of a religious system named “slave girls.” Remember, women in the Bible represent a type of church. These slave girls were not used to seeing such a freedom in the Spirit before Almighty God. The old order (Michal) accused David of “disrobing himself publicly.” Glory to God!

A religious spirit does not want to disrobe themselves in public. Michal despised her husband and wanted to hold onto religious dignity instead of God’s deity. She valued self composure instead of intimacy with God.

David on the other hand embraced the deity of his God and let go of self-dignity. David in fact told his wife he was going to become more undignified than what she had seen. He said he would become more humiliated in his own eyes, but by these slave girls she spoke of, he would be held in honor.

This is very encouraging to know that the slave systems of religion will be broken and they will embrace the new move of our God. The sad thing that happened to Michal was that she became barren. She could not bear forth children to the very day of her death.

Likewise, religious spirits cannot bring forth true spiritual sons and daughters. God is not going to birth children of bondage in this new move. In this new move of His glory He is breaking up every religious system and will cause His people to long for the new wine! We are going to see new wineskins filled with new wine, because the old order of doing things will come to their senses. They will see that this new move of God is liberating people. They will begin to ponder and then at that very moment the glory of God will hit them.

God has reserved the best for last. The old order is running out of wine! There is a new wine being released with increased measures of freedom. This new wine is going to cause a far greater harvest to come forth than ever seen in previous moves.

People will begin to realize that there is a new liberty that they have never experienced. At first they will be nervous in letting go, but inside of them the desire to be totally free will keep on growing. That desire is known as the yeast of God’s kingdom. It will grow whether they sleep or get up. This yeast of His kingdom is unstoppable. Nobody can control it! It is not going to ask permission to liberate people. This new yeast of the kingdom of God will just come upon people’s lives, because of their dissatisfaction in the old order. They will be granted a new wave of inner strength to rise up and move out of traditional systems. It is already happening in small pockets, but the best is yet to come!

Chapter 7

What Are Religious Prayers?

-------------------------------------

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him (Matt 6:7- 8).

Coming into the presence of God is not a matter of how many words you can utter. It is not a matter of using exquisite phrases of the intellect to try and impress God. When coming to pray one has to understand that God already knows what we are about to say.

Jesus spoke very clearly with regards to prayer. He said we are not to babble all the time like the pagans. The pagans babble on about all their needs, about what they think God should do – and how He should do it. They think they are “informing God” through their empty prayers.

God is “all knowing.” Before we pray God already knows what we are about to say. God wants our words to be filled with our hearts. In other words He does not want to be honored by our lips, but our hearts being far from Him.

Religious prayers serve only to entertain the Almighty God who is eternal and who knows everything. Some of the following are related to religious prayers:

1.       Telling God what to do and what not to do.

2.       Telling God how great the need is for Evangelism, but not willing to become part of the solution.

3.       Letting God know who you have visited today and how you counseled them.

4.       Letting the all knowing God know that He has not yet fulfilled your calling.

5.       Praying a self-centered prayer in the name of Jesus. Everything revolves around your ideas and how you feel.

6.       Letting God know how much you are doing for Him, and that He has not yet promoted you.

7.       Letting God know how bad the people are around you and how you wish they will change, because you cannot handle it.

8.       Pointing out to God the mistakes of others (Luke 18:9-14).

9.       Saying things you don’t mean, because you are not willing to lay down your life so God can use you as a solution.

10.   Exalting yourself above others during your prayer in letting God know that you don’t do what others are doing.

11.   Trying to impress God with your theology in using scriptures to attack Him, because you are dissatisfied.

12.   Praying out of legalism instead of the love and compassion of the Father’s heart.

There are other prayers that just entertain God with what is happening round about you. God wants us to pray His greater purposes into being. One can pray His righteousness as His right standing to come into situations. Where there are people issues one can bind the spirit of disunity and release the power of God’s love into that situation.

Jesus prayed to the Father that they may be one as we are one. Jesus did not complain to the Father in pointing out all the disunity and disagreements of the people. He simply concentrated on something that the Father was in agreement with. Once we can pray the things that are already done in heaven, we can have it down here on earth as it is in heaven. This takes faith to pray like that.

There are outer court prayers, which are all about what I can do through Him. Then there are Holy Place prayers which now concentrate on who you are in Him. In Him I live and move and have the fullness of my being. Now we come to that Most Holy Place, which goes beyond the veil that was rent through Christ Jesus. In this Most Holy Place realm you begin to pray that the Fathers’ heart will come into various situations. In this realm you don’t live, it is now He who lives and moves through your words.

The outer court realm (30 fold) is little faith. The Holy Place (60 fold) realm is great faith like that with the centurion. He was under authority, therefore he had great authority that could move faith on his behalf and his servant got healed. The Most Holy Place (100 fold) realm is a place of most holy faith according to Jude v20. God wants our prayers to come from most holy faith. This most holy faith comes by praying in the Spirit and then God will enable you to have the interpretation or expressions that will accurately align with His greater purposes.

In the outer court realm we live and move and have the fullness of our beings. In the inner court it is how great He is in you, but then in the innermost court you no longer live, but it is Christ living through you.

In other words in the outer court our prayers are about what we can do for God. When you get to the inner court your prayers takes on a different shape. It is now who God is in you, but in that most inner place (court) God now lives through you down here on earth as it is in heaven. Your prayer is so caught up in what God wants to do, because you no longer live, but Christ now lives through your prayers!

Chapter 8

Religious Preference vs. Conviction

------------------------------------

I speak the truth in Christ – I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit (Rom 9:1).

Jesus said: “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).

A religious spirit does not know how to walk in the fullness of conviction. This spirit does not want to change from the inside out. It prefers outward false appearances (Read Mat 23:25).

When walking in preference instead of conviction, one prefers feelings. The things of God become debatable and that person prefers and values their comfort level. Such a person will use any excuse for why they cannot obey God right now. They will use any and all excuses to justify why they did not have time for obeying God’s voice.

Preference is a fleshly manifestation that runs rampant in the lives of many. The enemy will cause them to hear the voice of the flesh instead of the voice of the Spirit of God. The voice of the flesh will say, “I know it is true, but I don’t have time to obey right now.” This way their consciences become seared as if with a hot iron (1Tim 4:2). When a conscience is seared that person becomes insensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Beloved, let us put aside the things of the fleshly realm that wants to entangle our real freedom in Christ Jesus. Jesus said that you either gather with Him or you scatter. God is looking for a man or woman that will instantly obey His voice. Our success comes from living out of God’s voice instead of fleshly comfort.

Jesus Christ came to cancel the written code of sin and its works of the flesh against man. Now in Christ Jesus we can be free from all that condemnation and oppressive thoughts of the enemy. It was for freedom that Christ came to set us free (Gal 5:1). The Holy Spirit puts to death the misdeeds of the flesh (Rom 8:13). Let me say this again. Jesus Christ came to cancel sin, but the Holy Spirit puts to death sin in the flesh. The only way the Holy Spirit can do this is through you responding to His conviction. This is real freedom!

The enemy’s hold over many people is condemnation. Condemnation is one of the ingredients of preference. You don’t feel good about yourself. You don’t feel you are at peace with God. You don’t feel like doing things. It is all to do with feelings. The Bible says we do not walk by sight, but by faith. The flesh wants to see things working out. Faith is the opposite. You have to believe before you will see.

The devil knows if he can hold you down in a firm grip of condemnation, he can have you for breakfast daily. Conviction is the opposite of condemnation. Condemnation makes you feel unworthy. Condemnation says you must earn forgiveness through good works. Condemnation says you must beat yourself up with many vain repetitious prayers in asking for forgiveness over and over. God is not death! When you ask God to forgive you, He immediately cleanses you and purifies you from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). There is no need for you to beat yourself up and talk down to yourself through un-renewed thoughts.

When you allow conviction to have its rightful place in your life, you will experience a new freedom. God wants you to be sensitive to His voice, not sensitized to His voice. The Holy Spirit speaking to your conscience might prompt you to go to church. Preference will say, I know, but I don’t feel like it. Conviction will say I will get ready to go! Preference might say, don’t forgive that person; they don’t deserve your forgiveness. Conviction will say, forgive immediately – Why? Conviction ushers in Christ-like forgiveness as a free gift. This is not something that can be earned. Jesus forgave us by taking our sins upon Him. He who had no sin became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God through Him. Forgiveness is a free gift in Christ. You cannot earn it nor work for it.

So basically preference prefers individual ways and schedules above God’s. God wants to be first in everything. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you as well” (Mat 6:33). God wants to be first in everything. That is the job of “conviction.” Conviction through the Holy Spirit ushers in the first principles of the kingdom of God. If you want to know more about the kingdom of God I would recommend you buy my book, “The Kingdom of God Unleashed.”

Conviction is to bring about the character of Christ Jesus into individual lives. The Holy Spirit is here to glorify Jesus. That is why he convicts us of righteousness. Righteousness means you have right standing with God through Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit convicts you to maintain that right standing in doing what God wants for your life. Somebody once said to me: “Why should I go to church?” The Bible says we must not forsake the assembling of the saints. Again it says we must be planted in the house of God (Ps 92:12-13). It says the righteous will flourish – When? When planted in the house of God you will flourish in His courts. Are you flourishing in His courts?

Beloved how can we be connected with the Head, which is Christ, if we don’t want to gather with His body? The head is not separated from His body. Let this be your encouragement to become planted in a local church and not just wandering from one place to another (Ps 92:13). The Bible is God’s voice!

Chapter 9

Former Glory vs. Latter Glory!

--------------------------------

If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness (2 Cor 3:9).

He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant – not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor 3:6).

The former Old Testament ministry under the law was one of condemnation. The conscience of the people could not be cleansed from sinful acts. The high priest would go into the Holy of Holies to offer up a sacrifice on behalf of all the people for their sins. This was done once per year. It was a continuous reminder of their short comings and sins.

All this still had glory according to the Bible in 2 Cor 3:7. This was a ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone. Yet all this came with glory! The Israelites could not look at the face of Moses when the glory of God came upon him. Moses had to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could look at him. The glory then faded away. The Israelites were full of murmuring, complaints, sinful habits etc. This kind of people could not look at God’s glory coming from Moses’ face – Why? They had the works of death and condemnation within their hearts. Legalism and works of the flesh cannot look into the glory of God!  These religious spirits were operating under a spirit of condemnation. They always wanted to be judgmental towards the things of God. They themselves were in bondage to the works of an un-renewed mind. Their minds were fleshly.

Now the mind of Christ is not fleshly! The mind of Christ does not contain any condemnation towards others nor that of self! This is the latter glory of God which now dwells in Christ Jesus. This latter glory is manifested through His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of glory (1 Pet 4:14).

Will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness (2Cor 3:8-9).

This latter glory is far more glorious than the former glory. God says that the glory of the present house will be far greater than the glory of the former house… (Hag 2:9). God also says that in this latter house of glory He will grant His peace! Well, give a shout of praise!

This latter house is built in Christ Jesus. When we put His words into practice, we are building a house that can stand against the storms of life (Mat 7:24-27). This latter glory can handle any storm of life. The devil does not want God’s people to tap into this latter glory. The devil holds many people captive through the traditions of men that were handed down through different generations.

Some adults associate themselves with certain Christian organizations, because their parents used to go there. You kind of feel condemned if you don’t, but that is a subtle scheme of the enemy – Why? The enemy does not want you to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. The enemy keeps many families in bondage to man-made rules and traditions that were handed down. If you are in a Christian organization that does not practice nor embrace the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, it is time to get out! Please do not get upset with my writing now. The devil would want you to take an offense perhaps, because of what I have just written.

Remember the Holy Spirit is the only person who can glorify Jesus. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1). Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18). Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14). Jesus cast out devils by the Holy Spirit (Mat 12:28). All the power gifts that Jesus used to heal, deliver, restore and bring deliverance to people were within the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:1-11). The kingdom of God is within the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). Jesus is the baptizer of the Holy Spirit (Mat 3:11). There is so much more I can share, however I will just point out three more things pertaining to the Holy Spirit.

1.       The indwelt Spirit – Seals our salvation (Eph 1:13-14)

2.       The infilling of the Holy Spirit – Ongoing sanctification within you (Purifying and setting you apart) for service (1 Pet 1:2)

3.       Baptism of the Holy Spirit – Power for service (Act 1:8)

Those that are bound to traditions of men, legalism, formalism and religious orders will not be able to experience the latter glory. Their minds will be made dull, because of the veil of religious traditions separating them from the finished work of Calvary. Only in Christ Jesus can that veil of the works of religious traditions be removed. Jesus came to offer up His body to be broken, so that the wall of religious hostility could be done away with.

When anyone turns to the Lord, the religious veil that blinds individuals is removed.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor 3:17). The only way you can put away condemnation of the flesh, is by walking in the Spirit. This means you have to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Not just acknowledging Him, but studying Scriptures to discover He is a living person. He speaks, He hears, He will tell you what is yet to come and much more (John 16:13-15).

Only in Christ Jesus the “Anointed One,” can the veil of blindness be removed. Then and then only will you have true insight into your salvation. We are saved through Jesus our Savior, but there is more to it than just being saved. God wants us to become “Born Again” of His Spirit. When you become born again in the Holy Spirit, you begin to see things from a different perspective. Now you will understand with your spirit and not try and understand through a natural mind.

The mind of Christ Jesus is in the Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit knows the thoughts of God (1 Cor 2:11). It is only in the Spirit that you will understand the things of God. The things of God is spiritual and the natural mind cannot understand it (1 Cor 2:13-14). In 1 Cor 2:16 the Bible says, “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is manifested in the Spirit.

In Acts 2:36 God has made this Jesus whom you (religious spirits) crucified, both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). God does not want you just to know Jesus as your Savior, but you need to know Him as your Lord and the living Christ. In Christ Jesus we live, move and have the fullness of our beings. The devil does not want you to learn how to move in Christ; otherwise you will become a mighty weapon of victory against satan. Should you want to know more about all this you can purchase my book on the “Kingdom of God Unleashed.” Satan knows who Christ is according to Luke 4:41).

Remember you are seated in Christ Jesus and crowned with every spiritual blessing in Him.

Overcoming Religious Spirits

Start walking in the Holy Spirit. Be led by the Holy Spirit. Respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life sets me free from the law of sin and death (religious works of flesh). All righteous requirements of the law are fully met in us to them who live according to the Spirit. Those who live according to religious rules and traditional patterns will always come under condemnation. The focus then is on self and man-made rules instead of Christ Jesus. Please read Romans chapter 8 and take some time prayerfully meditating on all those scriptures.

Romans chapter 7 was a battle to those who did not walk by the Holy Spirit’s guidance. They did things they did not want to do and what they wanted to do they could not do – Why? Sin was at work within them, because they did not live according to the Holy Spirit (Rom 7:18-24).

Finally the solution came to a wretched person who lived according to the dictates of the flesh!  He now started to live his live according to Romans chapter 8. Those who live by the Spirit of God will be enabled to put to death the misdeeds of the flesh. Those who are led by the Spirit of God are truly sons of God.

It is only by the Holy Spirit that we will understand God’s workings. The man without the Spirit cannot understand the ways of God. Those who are not led by the Holy Spirit become easily offended and hurt. When you are led by the Holy Spirit you begin to have an inward power that will enable you to be an effective over comer.

When you walk by the Holy Spirit you will have divine insight / understanding of God’s ways. You will begin to see things from a different perspective. Now you will see through your inward eyes, instead of the outward eyes of flesh and preference.

Start to underline in your Bible all the Scriptures about the Holy Spirit. Every time you see the word Spirit capitalized, underline or highlight it. Start to pray those scriptures into your life and soon you will sense a power busy working from deep within you.

Please inform others about this book, which teaches how to recognize a religious spirit at work. Let them know once they read it, they can begin to tap into God’s latter glory, which is far greater than the former glory. Let us keep on loving one another, helping each other to be effective over comers. Help people to understand God’s ways without condemning any person. Remember Jesus died for all of humanity to set them free! Go and do likewise and God will always be with you!

Other Books

BY

Dr. Andries van Schalkwyk

“Kingdom of God Unleashed”

This book will empower you on how to walk God’s kingdom out here on this earth. Jesus said, “For the kingdom of God is within you!” To the degree that the kingdom of God is activated on the inside of you, to that same degree it will determine your success on the outside. The kingdom of God has the power to either lead you to or bring your breakthrough to you or simply just produce it! Jesus as the King is coming back to set up his kingdom on earth. Do you know how His kingdom operates? Jesus said, “Seek first His kingdom and his righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you as well.” Do you know how to first seek His kingdom in your daily circumstances?

ISBN 0-9754901-0-9

“31 Day Kingdom of God Prayer

Companion”

This book will teach you how to pray all the kingdom principles into practice! This will empower you in receiving outstanding answers for your life. Success will be looking for you instead of you looking for it (2 Chron 26:5).

ISBN 0-9754901-1-7

For more information visit us at

http://www.kingdomsuccesstv.com

Other Kingdom Resources

BY

Dr. Andries van Schalkwyk

“Kingdom Living”

This is a complete study on the Kingdom of God! There are 12 lessons which comprises of all the necessary notes, self-tests, answers and fifteen MP3 audio files. The notes are in PDF format. This way you can save it onto your computer.  If you would like to receive 3 credits you can take the final test and submit your final paper to dr.andries@att.net

Prophetic School

You can order a complete set of 11 CD’s on prophets and prophecy part 1. This will equip you with a thorough understanding in what God expects of a prophetic minister. Learn how to respond to prophecy, how to judge prophecy, how to pray prophetically and much more.

http://www.yourkingdomresources.com

How to Hear God’s Voice

Learn how to hear God’s voice through a weekend seminar from Friday evening through Saturday. Success comes from living out of God’s voice. God wants you to be the head and not the tail. You were made to rule and not to be ruled over. Receive practical insights in how to hear God’s voice for daily living! This is “life changing!”

Contact Dr. Andries at 618-288-6878