ConvergeUSA Blog

Spiritual Warfare: Blinding People by Gary Rohrmayer

This week is our final post in addressing the question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

14. Blinding People

“A leaders gentle reaction and sound instruction are their greatest weapons” – Gary Rohrmayer

Text: 2 Timothy 2:26 - Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Problem: “Satan blinds people to truth”. J. Robert Clinton

Antidote: “Gently persuade people winning them over by manner as well as truth”. J. Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• What are some of the natural responses to opposition?
• How can the enemy use our natural responses to add to the problem?
• How can the enemy use youthful passions to derail leaders?  (II Timothy 2:22)
• How can the enemy use quarrels to deceive people? (II Timothy 2:23-24)
• How can the enemy use quarrels and controversies to distract the church?
• Why is gentleness so powerful in these situations?
• How many of the qualifications of elders have to do with emotional maturity? (I Timothy 3:1-7)

Prayer:

Father in Heaven, Gentle Savior, sanctify our hearts through trusting You rather than our own inclinations. May we be empowered through the spirit of gentleness and our trust in the truth of God rather than the force of our personalities.  Father, save us from the temptation to trust our natural inclinations and overreact under pressure.  As we humbly trust You, set people free who are captive to the enemy's will, break the bonds of spiritual death and divisiveness.  In the strong Name of Jesus, Amen.

View the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare: False Teachers by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

13. False Teachers

“No man is exempted from the subtle deception of doctrinal drift – the man of God expects this temptation.” – Gary Rohrmayer

Text: 1Timothy 4:1-2 – “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”

Problem: “Satan uses demons to influence teachers to give false doctrines that appeal to people. They are actually described as seducing spirits, hypocritical liars with no conscience.”  J. Robert Clinton

Antidote: “A Bible centered leader like Timothy should teach the truth about these evil doctrines countering these heresies.” J. Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• Where could the enemy attack your personal theological convictions?
• Where could the enemy subtly influence your churches theological framework?
• What is Paul’s strategy in protecting the church from false teachers?  See I Timothy 4:4-16
• What is Paul’s strategy in combating personal doctrinal drift?  See I Timothy 4:4-16
• How does theology drift potentially affect missional drift?

Prayer:  Holy Father, Beautiful Savior, God of all truth, we seek your light and your love to protect our lives from the delusions of the enemy.  Help us to cherish and nourish the deep truths of the faith.  Fill our lives with good teaching that ignites passion for God and missional hunger.   May we be leaders who watch our lives and doctrine closely; who live what we teach and set examples in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.   Teach us how to preserve the truth for ourselves, for our hearers and for the Glory of God.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Next Post: Blinding People

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Spiritual Warfare: Immaturity and Pride by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

12. Immaturity and Pride 

“There is nothing worse for a young convert than to be thrust into leadership without mentoring and ongoing coaching because the devil relishes these vulnerable souls.” – Gary Rohrmayer 

 Text: 1 Timothy 3:6 - He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 

Problem: “Satan can take a young leader out of ministry due to pride.” J. Robert Clinton

 Antidote: “Potential young leaders should not be placed into leadership responsibility too soon.”  J. Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:  

• How would you and your church define spiritual maturity?
• How would you and your church define spiritual leadership?
• What are the avenues for spotting potential leaders in your local church?
• What are the pathways for mentoring new converts into leadership roles?
• Do you have a training process for equipping and mentoring deacons?
• Do you have a training process for equipping and mentoring elders?

Prayer Response: Father in Heaven, protect our church from thrusting recent converts into leadership roles carelessly.  Show us how to nurture, equip and mentor these recent converts in the areas of spiritual, emotional and relational maturity.  Raise up an army of leader makers, like Barnabas, who will invest countless hours into the lives of potential leaders.  Lord of the Harvest, grant us success in spotting, engaging, and mobilizing these workers into Your mission field.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Next Post: False Teachers

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Spiritual Warfare: A Severed Conscience by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

11. Severed Conscience

“Our enemy attacks the conscience little by little seeking to wear us down and then wears out a leader's resolve to fight the good fight.”  – Gary Rohrmayer

Text: 1 Timothy 1:18-20 - Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

Problem: “Satan can use a lack of responsiveness to one’s conscience to eventually destroy a leader and take them out of ministry and further cause them to blaspheme what they once believed. The antidote is keeping a clear conscience and holding on to the truths of the Christian faith.”  J. Robert Clinton

Antidote: “On the one hand, don’t go against your conscience. On the other hand, allow God to impact your inner life and correct wrongly held ideas that affect your conscience.”  J. Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• If the enemy were to attack one area of your life where would you be vulnerable?
• If the enemy were to attack one area of the church where would it be vulnerable?
• When was the last time you participated in a rigorous spiritual inventory of your own conscience?
• When was the last time the church corporately gathered for public confession and repentance over its actions?

Prayer Response: Father of Light, search me and know my heart, see if there is anything offensive in my life.  Holy Father, protect my conscience through daily confession, a hunger for the pure truth of Your Word and an awareness of Your Holy Presence in my life.  Righteous Father, may I receive correction from others with a humble spirit and a teachable attitude.  May I seek to keep short accounts within my life and learn to live at peace with all men.  May my heart always be tender and pliable before You and all those around me. In the Name of Jesus, amen.

Next Post:  Immaturity and Pride

View the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare: False Signs and Wonders by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

10. False Signs and Wonders

"Loving and clinging to the truth are the keys to overcoming counterfeit activity of the enemy." – Gary Rohrmayer

Text: 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 - The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Problem: “Satan can do signs and wonders through a leader so that the leader looks as if he/she is empowered of God (apostolic workers also do signs and wonders).” J. Robert Clinton

Antidote: “Get discernment on apparent good teaching, apparent dynamic leaders. This may involve having to depend on people with revelatory gifts (discerning of spirits; word of knowledge; word of prophecy; word of wisdom, etc).” J. Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• Why were the Bereans of more noble character than the Thessalonians? See Acts 17:10-12
• What are the implications of Acts 17:10-12 on Paul’s words to the Thessalonians in our text today?
• Why do church leaders feel uncomfortable in examining the teaching of teachers in the local church?
• What is one of the qualifications and duties of elders and deacons in a local church? See Titus 1:9; I Timothy 3:9
• How do the gifts of discernment, knowledge, prophecy and wisdom function in your local church? See I Corinthians 12:7-11

Prayer Response: Father of Light protect our church, the Bride of Christ, from the counterfeit actions of the enemy. May we be found as lovers of the truth, standing strong in the Lord with a discerning heart and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.  May the noble character of the Bereans be our example; they  received the gospel with eagerness and yet thoroughly examined the Scriptures to verify the message of the apostles. May you grant the church with the spiritual gift of discernment to verify the spiritual work in our midst. May we see ‘sound doctrine’ promoted and embraced throughout the church, may we learn to ‘think correctly’ and ‘practice the truth appropriately’ for Your glory and honor.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Next Week: Severed Conscience

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Spiritual Warfare: Closed Doors by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

9. Closed Doors

"Hearing God’s voice is indispensable to moving through or around closed doors." - Gary Rohrmayer

Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:18 - For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us.

Problem: “Satan can block a believer’s guidance. So closed doors are not always clear guidance.” J. Robert Clinton

Antidote: “Get certainty guidance. Let all of the major guidance elements give weight to your guidance: God’s Voice in the Word; God’s Voice in the Heart; God’s Voice in Circumstances; God’s Voice in the Church.” J Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• Is every closed door an attack from the evil one? See Acts 16:6-8
• How do you let the Word of God guide you in your decisions as leaders in the church?
• How do you slow down enough to hear God’s voice in leading the church? See Acts 13:1-2
• How do you interpret God’s leading in the circumstances you face whether good or bad?
• How do you as leaders hear God’s voice through the church?

Prayer:  Father in Heaven, give us ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church and through the church.  May our lives be so saturated with your Word that all our decisions will be based on your revealed purposes and promises.  Teach us how to seek you in our leadership meetings through worship and fasting.  Keep our hearts from being distracted from your mission because of our circumstances.  Grant us courageous faith to stand against the attack. (HT)

Next Week: False Signs and Wonders

View the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare: Lies, Half Truths & Unreliable Perspectives by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

8. Lies, Half Truths & Unreliable Perspectives

Text: Ephesians 6:10-20 - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Problem: "Satan uses lies or half-truths to trick believers and give unreliable perspectives on their lives and situations."  (J. Robert Clinton)

• Satan uses lack of righteousness (on-going unrighteous things in a believer’s life) as an inroad into their life.
• Satan uses lack of presentation of testimony in a believer’s life to weaken that believer’s stand.
• Satan causes a believer to doubt God (character, dealings, truth, etc).
• Satan robs believers from the impact of salvation in their lives.
• Satan keeps believers from using the Word of God in their lives and in combating his tactics.
• Satan keeps believers from praying in the Spirit as they confront him in his tactics.
• Satan keeps people from being alert to his tactics and from discerning his involvement.

Antidotes: See the imperatives in Ephesians 6:10-20. (J. Robert Clinton)

• Be strong in the Lord - vs 10
• Put on the full armor of God - vs 11, 13
• Stand firm - vs 14
• Take up the shield of faith - vs 17
• Be alert - vs 18
• Keep on praying - vs 18

Reflective Questions:

• If Satan were to attack your life what area would he go after?
• If Satan were to attack your church what segment of the church would try to penetrate?
• What half-truths has Satan used to attack your church?
• What lies has Satan uses to attack your church?
• What false or unreliable perspectives has Satan used to attack your church? 
• What unconfessed sin exists both individually and corporately in your church?
• How are you educating your church and church leadership on the tactics of our enemy?
• How is the gospel playing a transformative affect on the lives of new and old believers? (Titus 2:11-14)

Prayer: Father in heaven, help us to be lovers of the truth, to live in the strength of the Lord and to actively put on the armour of God.  Father, teach us how to stand firm by daily applying the truth of God into our lives, by embracing the righteousness of God in our hearts and by being ready to engage in spiritual conversations at a moments notice. Righteous Father, teach us how to take up the shield of faith so that we can be ready defend the attacks of the enemy. Holy Father, teach how to use Your Word as a sword to defeat personal assaults of the devil. Loving Father, just as you have stood with the saints of the past, we know that you are standing with us and for that we give thanks, in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Next Post: Closed Doors

To view the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare: Sickness and Disabilities by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

7. Sickness & Disabilities

Text: II Corinthians 12:7 - To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

Problem: “Satan can use a physical sickness or disability to prey upon a believer and instill doubts about God and His enabling grace. But God can also use these things to prevent abuse of power and pride in a leader’s life.” J. Robert Clinton

Antidote: “Don’t let sickness rob you of your trust in God. Seek His enabling grace (whether or not He chooses to heal you).” J. Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• Are you experiencing any physical limitations or prolonged pain in your life at this time?
• Is anyone in your church experiencing any physical limitations or prolonged pain at this time?
• If so, how would you describe the level of discouragement you are facing? 1 (minimal discouragement) to 10 (extreme discouragement)
• Have you experienced any intense doubts of God's love, power and grace in your life and ministry?
• Can you see any good from what you are experiencing at this time? (Romans 8:28)

Prayer: Father in Heaven, grant us the discernment to see behind the illnesses we endure; to face them as discouraging attacks from the enemy by standing strong in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10) or to see the loving discipline of God in them to promote holiness in Your church (Hebrews 12:7-11).   Father, save us from doubting Your love, power and presence in our lives and teach us to run towards You and embrace the grace of God in a humble dependence.  In the strong name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Next Week: Lies, Half Truths & Unreliable Perspectives

To view the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare: Unchecked Anger by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

6. Unchecked Anger

Text: Ephesians 4:25-27 - Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin"^: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Problem: “Satan can use anger in a life to gain inroads into a life and eventually control that life through the anger.” J. Robert Clinton

Antidote: “Get help if anger controls you. This may require inner healing. Also recognize the benefits of anger.”  J. Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

1. What are the triggers of anger that easily beset you?

• Hurts or Offends?
• Fear or Worry?
• Frustrations or Misunderstandings?

2. What does James say that man’s anger produces? (James 1:20)

3. What are the ways you naturally express anger?

• Do you silently stuff those feelings?
• Do you explosively express those feelings?

4. What can the church do to better protect itself from the grip of the enemy around this issue?

5. List the qualifications of elders and deacon that speak to the issue of emotional maturity in I Timothy 3:1-11; Titus 1:5-9

6. When is righteous anger warranted and how should it be expressed?

Prayer: Father in Heaven, grant us wisdom to understand the triggers of anger that so easily beset our souls; that distract Your mission and hinder Your church.  Teach us how to appropriately express our anger that leads to emotional health and relational intimacy.  Father, help us to be humble enough to seek help when we are under the grip of the enemy and stuck in our anger.  Teach us to keep short accounts and to speak the truth in love.  Keep our hearts soft in your grace and not hard with anger.  Father, grant us the grace to get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Father, give us the power to be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave us.  In the precious name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.

Next week: Sickness and Disabilities

To view the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Developing Discernment by Lee Stephenson

When I think about discernment, I think of maturity. If discernment is part of maturing then it isn’t something that comes natural. Because humanity is naturally rebellious we can say that humanity has a bias towards sin. In other words, we are drawn to sin. A person that wants to grow in the art of discernment must also be a a person of courageous humility. The reason being it is hard to discern the workings of God when you have an arrogant attitude or personal bent.

Here are two specific areas where humility is necessary:

1. Humility before God:

To humble ourselves at the foot of the cross and admit that we are indeed sinful and in need of grace, is to also acknowledge our own lack of discernment.  The very concept of needing a savior is to also realize that our own wisdom is incomplete and totally insufficient.  Furthermore, our wisdom is not only insufficient but we are ignorant in the application of it.  The ability to naturally discern what is pleasing to God was lost in the garden of Eden.  However, it is through the reconciliation found in Jesus and the special revelation of God’s Word that discernment can once again mature.  As a result, we must hunger and cry out to the Creator for wisdom. Secondly, we must humble ourselves to the study and application of God’s Word, knowing that it will teach us all that needs to be known.

2. Humility before Others:

Even though humility before God is absolutely critical, there is another area in which we must practice humility and that is before other believers.  A person who desires to grow in discernment must also acknowledge that God often times uses others to help one grow in wisdom, knowledge, and discernment.  The Christian life was never meant to be lived out as individuals in isolation.  It is to be lived out in community where there is diversity of personalities and gifting.  Living life in community helps us harness and mature in the skill of discernment.  For instance…A person desiring to be discerning must always take into account their own motives.  They must be motivated to protect, teach, and to encourage their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  To do this well is to be a person of discernment.  However, to do this well is to also place yourself under the same rule.  For you cannot teach, protect, and encourage unless you open yourself up to others in the same way.  There has to be a willingness to hear reproof and to be challenged by others.  And there is no doubt that this is a test of humility.  And yet, it is imperative to maturing in discernment.  (HT)

Lee Stephenson is the Lead Pastor of Harvest Community Church in Mesa, Az a new church with Converge Southeast and Vision Arizona