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Hello Mike,

I read your paper on Strong delusion, and it was such a revelation to me. I actually know that I had run into truth. I guess my question is why can’t I refrain from certain sin in my life? Am I demon possessed? I am a born again Christian filled with the holy Spirit but go into such depression when I fall so short. I am in Church and sing in the choi, r but am still not at rest with my walk… I hate religion and have been crying out for the true YHWH for a long time. Sometimes I feel like I am the only one who can see that something is seriously wrong in our churches. I am labeled as a disobedient child and I always find myself bucking against status quo… or leadership for that matter; not outwardly bucking but inwardly if you can understand that. I just know I want to be totally delivered from this wretched person I am. Please pray for me. Please… am so hurt and often confused.

Hi C____,

It is my guess that you are not yet past forty. Your desire to overcome is very encouraging from my perspective. I Amo 58 years old but I remember like it was only yesterday, believing that I too, would never in this life become the master of my beast within. I was right and yet I was also wrong. Here is what I mean by that apparent contradiction.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Part of the Adversary’s ‘strong delusion’ is to convince us that we will never be an overcomer. That is a lie straight from Gehenna. If God has predestined you to be in that “blessed and holy first resurrection,” then you will be an overcomer. But it will never happen until you have your nose rubbed in the fact that you of yourself can do nothing. Only after you have been brought to despise your own corrupt and weak self, will you experience the totally unexpected realization that you now truly despise the very things that you once loved. This “dying daily” is a long drawn out process. It takes all of this thing we call life, which we are told is but a vapor that appears for a moment and then vanishes away. It takes most of that ‘vapor’ just to be brought through the humbling part of our experience. It is whatever time that is left after that that we realize that we can indeed say that “sin no longer rules over us.”

Don’t despair, that day will come and you will say with Paul and with me,

Rom 6:4 … We are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Rom 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

This strength is not of ourselves, but it is real. It is given to those who want it more than this “body of death” which we call life.

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

We must all be brought to feel the full strength of this 24th verse of Romans seven. But never allow the Adversary or any of his messengers to tell you that this chapter proves that you are not intended to overcome the seemingly unconquerable lusts and passions of your flesh. This entire chapter is based on the premise of verse five:

Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

But that is exactly what the Adversary would love for you to believe. That is his lie:

Rev 13:4 … Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Allow me to answer that question for you:

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

“They that are with Him” have learned this truth:

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

I am going to give you an assignment. I want you to repeat that little short verse of God’s Truth as many times a day as you can. Say it out loud as often as is appropriate. Believe this verse. It is the Truth. With Christ in you, you can and will overcome any sin you are now struggling with. The day will come when that struggle will not be as severe as it now is. You will be truly “free from the bonds of sin.” You will then be the ruler of sin. Your flesh will become your servant instead of the reverse.

I will be praying for you and hope to hear from you again.

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

Mike