There many things that we must be delivered from, but they all come from the same place: our flesh, our greed, and our pride. 1 John 2:15-16 says it like this:

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”

1 John 2:15-16 NLT

To be healed, delivered, and set free is not JUST the fantastic world of deliverance from demonic possession (a very valid thing, so don’t come at me), but it also entails the destruction of spiritual wickedness—that is, the thoughts, mindsets, belief systems, fleshly desires, and worldly perspectives that keep us mired in an obsession of the world that we aren’t meant to love (world meaning this physical world and it’s customs, NOT people).

Many of us are fighting “demons” when we really JUST need to bring ourselves into submission under the power of God that raised Christ from the dead and that now works in us (Romans 8:11). We need to crucify the flesh and willingly submit our will to God (Galatians 5:24). We must choose to walk circumspectly, and pursue holiness (without which NO MAN shall see God) (Ephesians 5:15-20; Hebrews 12:14).

To submit means…

I want you to know that once you accept the redemptive work of the cross, it doesn’t stop at your receipt of salvation. Don’t get me wrong—the gift of God is free! You can’t earn it, buy it, sell it, or take it. It is given freely.

And yet, there is also a covenant attached to receiving that salvation. The covenant—the legal agreement formed through salvation—is that you submit yourself to the will of God through Jesus Christ. You “crucify your flesh”. This means that you take your choices, your wants, your desires, and give them up. You begin to seek the purpose and plan of God for your life. You admit that you don’t know, that God knows, and you humble yourself under what God has for you—the uncomfortable, the corrective, the life changing. For your good and God’s glory.

In order to submit, you must admit that your way ain’t the way. That pride got to get put down; those pleasures have to be pushed aside. More and more and more. Until you walk more like Jesus, talk more like Jesus, love more like Jesus. Face to face. Daily. The Holy Spirit helps you with this. He leads you and guides you into all truth, comforts you when it gets hard, and reminds you of God’s goodness even when things are trash. The Holy Spirit helps you endure the suck as well as walk in the Light.

Now this:

Don’t pretend to be saved when you know you need salvation.

And now, I’m not just talmbout that first wave of “Jesus, I repent!” Nah. I’m talmbout that sanctification curve. Don’t get out here acting like everything is together when you know you have fleshy things that God wants to deal with. Things that keep you frustrated and stumbling and bound up. Things that drag you into temptation and secret sin that so often exposes you at the worst moments of your life.

Don’t walk this earth living between heaven and hell. Don’t have a form of godliness and lack the power. Don’t be a tree hewn down because you have not born the fruit of the spirit. Don’t be caught without oil in your lamp because it was easier to look like instead of be. Don’t be that person who cries “Lord, Lord!” Only to hear the Master say, “WHO IS YOU? I’on know you! Get out my face!” (Luke 13:27, Kisha’s translation).

Don’t let it be said too late.

Hard words. But they must be said. His lovingkindness draws you; submission keeps you there.

Submission means…

To submit means love God more than you love what you want. To fall in love with who God and revere God above all else. To love God unto obedience.

Jesus showed you the cost of obedience when Jesus accepted the finished work of the cross. Jesus also showed you the benefit of obedience when Jesus experienced the resurrection. Jesus showed you the reward when Jesus was glorified by the Father to sit at ABBA’s right hand.

You will only submit fully when you love God more than the world. You will only love God more than the world. You will only love God more than the world when you understand and accept that God loves you more than anything—to the sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son.