Victory in the darkness

Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

·      Satan understands that he cannot be everywhere at one time; Or read your mind; or predict your destiny; So he does everything in his power to overwhelm you.

Oppression means to be heavily weighed down in mind or body. It could mean maltreatment, harshness, cruelty. Someone who is oppressed is overwhelmed or crushed. What does the Bible say about oppression? The Bible says Proverbs 3:31 “Envy not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.” Being oppressed of the devil, is not being demon possessed. 

-       There are people that are possessed.

** A Christian can be oppressed, but not possessed. Even men of God delt with Oppression

1 Samuel 16: 14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.

There are 3 ways the devil will try to oppress you:

1.    Guilt of the past

2.    Doubt in the present

3.    Anxiety about the future

You can be oppressed by 3 things:

1.    Spirits

2.    Sound – music, movies, songs, language, gossip.

3.    People – people can dominate you and deceive you or persuade you.

-       Jesus warned of false prophets, Paul said men will be carried away with every wind of doctrine. -       People would have itchy ears.  

How do we overcome it?

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 

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

Oppression can lead to possession.

Deuteronomy 28:29 And you shall grope at noonday, as a blind man gropes in darkness; you shall not prosper in your ways; you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you.   Example of oppression  

Matthew 12: 43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”