SYMPTOMS OF POISONED SPIRIT

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? - Proverbs  18:14 

Capacity Increase in the pursuit of God is essential for fulfilling the reason for our existence. It takes a free spirit to have consistent walk with God. The Psalmist expressed his heart cry to God as he declared:

 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. - Psalms  51:12.

One of the essentials for fulfilling divine mandate is the joy of Salvation. Our joy is not complete until we have divine pillar of the free spirit. Every pilgrim must cry out with passion, "Lord, uphold me with your free spirit!"

A poisoned spirit is not free, it is a spirit in the cage. A man suffering from poisoned spirit will always have problems of relationship, such man will be restricted in progress in life. One of the serious symptoms of a poisoned spirit is:

1. Unforgiveness: The human's heart is customized to have feelings of affection towards another person. When the heart experienced demonic blow, it has tendency to respond in form of holding grudge against the person he is ordained to have affection for.

The act of unforgivingness is like a man eating poison and aspect another person to die. Offence is inevitable in the journey of life. One of the emphasis in Jesus' teaching is the issue of Forgiveness. Lack of it can block our heavens and make us worthless before the throne of grace. Here is divine injunction on handling offence:

Luke  17:1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!  17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.  17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

By Jesus' perspective on relationship, offensive relationship is possible, but who ever make himself a cause of rift is condemned by divine judgment. It is better for him to die than to cause men of little faith to fall off the grace. The issue of offence may be handled softly if only the victim recognised his error and desist from further act. But in most cases, the reverse is the case. In whatever situation, Jesus has answer for every dealings.

Handling offence is very essential for effective relationship. Jesus recommended to his disciples;

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. - Luke 17:3 

It is expedient for every individual to watch his relationship and takes care of himself. Jesus presented the issue of offence as a conditional experience that should not be common, but may likely happen.

If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him.. 

By Jesus' standard, you are not permitted to hold any grudge against your fellow brother. If he mistakenly or intentionally sins against you, your responsibility is to point out his error and possibly express your displeasure. But you must rebuke him in love, lest you to your rebuke to assault against your fellow brother whom Jesus died for. Hence,

and if he repent, forgive him. 

Forgiveness has root in repentance. A person who needed true Forgiveness must prepare to exercise genuine repentance. Are you a victim of errors, take the first step of returning the Lord with repentant heart. Then, go to the person your action wounded today and repent of your sin. When the Lord shows you mercy, you will found favour before the one holding you in bondage.

The hard side of forgiveness is in dealing with habitual offender. It is very easy to  render Forgiveness to a person who does not make himself a perpetual offender. Despite the recurring levels of the offense, Jesus says:

 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. - Luke 17:4-5

Here is Jesus' principles of seven times fold forgiveness. This is a kind of perfect forgiveness a mortal man could ever offer his companions. This may sound foolish, but it worth Embracing to have peace with God. You may not understand what it takes to forgive until you have Encounter with nasty person who is prone to making himself a channel of hurt to another man's life.

It takes increasing faith to bear with frequent offense. We must allow the Holy Spirit to help our heart and heal our wounds. The key to exercising seven times fold forgiveness is divine tolerance. We are called not just to have relationship with the humble, but even with the unbearable and unlovable ones.

In one of our online studies, one of the participants raised a big question:
"Sometimes, offence could be deliberate, hence the offender didn't ask for forgiveness. What shall the we do to forgive?"

Dealing with an adamant person who sees no need for forgiveness can be disheartened. We need to understand that, waiting for someone to ask for forgiveness may be a futile effort. If you want to make peace with God, you must forgive.

The Two Essentials to Perfect Forgiveness

Divine Input - God must sensitize you for a need to forgive. Since forgiveness is the nature of God, you cannot say you are a child of God without His Spirit stirring you to let go of wrongs.

Human Input - Your input to effective forgiveness is your response to God by your decision to forgive.

When God sensitizes you, there is no need to wait for your offender to come up for apology before you agree to forgive. Forgiveness is easy when you resolve to release the offender from your heart. Offering Forgiveness to the offender will give you deliverance from poison.

One of the crucial parts of Forgiveness is the issue of forgetting the matter. To forgive and forget about the pain of the wound caused by the offense is not human, but divine. When we  allow the presence of the Holy Spirit, we shall have less offensive encounters.

Hence to stand out as winner:

a) Beware of keeping the records of wrong - the devil will use it against your soul.

b) Beware of piling up offenses - You will burst out in a bad way unawares.

c) Beware of poison of unforgivingness - It is a deadly arrow in your inner man.

 Unforgiveness can stand as hindrance to prayer.

Mark  11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Luke  17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

2. Separation by drawing the line of demarcation - Average human being relates freely when relationship is to our favour. It takes a loving and circumcised heart to keep relationship even when it is hurting.

Acts  15:37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.  15:38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.  15:39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;  15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

The art of temporary separation of the camp by setting boundaries may look as the subtle way of making peace,  but the reverse is most often the case. It may appear as the best option, but the poisonous effect of it can be deadly.

Separating the camp doesn't bring lasting solution, it will rather represses the pain caused by the offense. The matter is most often possibly waiting or the time to revive it again. You may separate camp on issues that can cause damages to life, But you must aspire to come together again, lest the devil takes advantage of you.

Paul and Barnabas separated camp for a while because of Mark. But Paul later valued the relationship with Mark.

2 Timothy  4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

That person who seems unprofitable today may give you much profit tomorrow. You must resolve to settle the matter now before it is too late.

WEAPONS FOR OVERCOMERS 

a. Faith: Our shield - By faith you can guide your heart against poisonous dart of the Wicked. So:
Ephesians  6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

b. Faith: Our Arrow - By faith you can shoot against the Wicked forces and clear them off your way.

Mark  11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.  11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.  11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

c. Faith Our Victory - By faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ, you can overcome satanic agenda.

1 John  5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Keep fit for fruitful living in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.



Watch out for the next episode: "The Burden of the spirit"


Revd Dr Nathaniel Tade Obaniyi.
President, Dayspring Vision, Nigeria.

DART OF THE WICKED AGAINST MAN' SPIRIT.

Psalms  11:2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

Poison of the spirit is the flaming dart of the enemy. A poisoned spirit suffers from the arrow of the wicked. The target of the wicked is the man with right standing with God. The wicked shot the arrow against the heart of the Righteous so that he might misbehave and have problem in his relationship with God.


MANIFESTATIONS OF THE DART OF THE WICKED

Few of the kind of manifestations of the arrow of the Wicked are:

1. SORROW - The arrow of sorrow makes a man to be distablized in the pursuit of purpose. Such arrow can manifest through gang-up or evil plot against your spirit man.

In the days of Ahaz, the king of Judah; Rezin, the king of Syria set up an evil plot against the Kingdom of Judah. The Lord inspired prophet Isaiah to expose and truncate the plan as he prophesied in Isaiah  7:5-7 :
Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

Vexation of the spirit can be an avenue for the arrow of the enemy to succeed against the Kingdom people. A man with vexed spirit has tendency to lose his guard in the face of provocation. The enemies often vex our spiritman to distablize us; do not give room for the devil. Our confidence is in the Lord who gives victory in the midst of challenges.
Friend, when the Wicked shot hit dart against you, remember the promise of God in Isaiah 7:7
 Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.


2. GRIEF - A life who suffered loss of the beloved ones have tendencies to suffer the grief caused by the arrow of the Wicked. Grief caused by the dart of the Wicked produces deep sadness for the loss of someone or something loved. A spirit suffering grief can be bitter and develop hatred for his victims.

In a grieved situation, you need to allow the Lord to help you. Sometimes, the people you hope to get succor from may add to your challenges. It must be understood that, we may not be able to control people adding salt to our wounds, but we must control our actions and steps towards them so that our reactions will not engender strife. It takes maturity of the spirit to pass through the season of grief successfully.
When the Wicked forces shot the evil arrow against your home to cause the death of your loved ones, you must be quick to pray:
Psalms  22:19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.  22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.  22:21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.  22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.


3. ANGUISH - The state of anguish is the condition of getting angry without a cause. Such may be a reaction that finds its root in the arrow shot against the victim. A man with anguished spirit is a life suffering extreme pain, distress, or anxiety. The anguish of the spirit can make the victim to misbehave and fall off the grace.

Anguish of the spirit can lead the victim into shameful deeds. You must always remember that, any action carried out at the level of provocation always leads to foolish endeavour. We must exercise patience in the face of provocative issues.
Getting angry without a cause is a pathway to living under divine judgment.
Matthew  5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Anguish of the spirit can be a cause of transfer of aggression. When our heart is troubled and we decided to transfer aggression to a novice, we must remember that, the person we transfer aggression to is not the offender. It is better to settle the matter in your heart rather than misbehaving towards someone else.

Some people resolved to treat the time of anguish with silence. As good as it may be, silence is a way of repressing our anger. The weapon of silence had been understood many times to be the best answer to a fool. When you are too silent, people may count it that you are making them a fool.


4. HEARTBREAK - A broken heart is a dangerous experience, it is not palatable to experience. Heartbreaking may come as a result of provocation from rivals who take pleasure in frustrating your life. Hannah was provoked by her rival in the days of her barrenness. Her rival, Peninnah often provoked her sore.
And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. - 1 Samuel  1:6

 Rather than paying back her provocative rival, she resolved to take up the case in prayer. When you choose to hold your rival in your heart, you will have more pain. It takes a life who let go to get freedom from heartbreaking experience. It is worth understanding that:
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? - Proverbs  18:14 

Sometimes, someone may make himself a rival to you because of envy. The purpose of rivalry is to make your life miserable.

Hatred for your rival may be dangerous. It can make you to develop hatred for the concerned. Dealing with rival has to do with forgiveness from the heart. Until you forgive the person, you may not be able to focus on your purpose. The agenda of rival is to distract you from fulfilling your purpose, do not give him a chance.

Heartbreaking may come where you least expected. It may be from friend, loved ones, siblings, business associates, or the most trusted person in your life. We have seen situations where someone turned insane because of heartbreaking issues. It is good to trust men, but you must not hold anyone too serious to the point of breaking down because the person failed in the discharge of his responsibility. Only God is perfect, so when men failed, life must continue.

5. HARDENED HEART - Hardness of the heart can be as a result of diverse dealings. The hardened heart can make a man to shut-in the bowels of mercy against his neighbour.
Deuteronomy  15:7  If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: 

The hardened heart can be a selfish heart. This is a situation where the heart will live in self centered lifestyle.
Proverbs  28:14 say: Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

 6. UNYIELDING HEART - This is a situation where a man no longer desire to do God's will. Such a heart cannot do the will of God nor work with God. Experience of agony can make a heart to become unyielding. It may be as a result of unexpected failure despite the fact that we had trusted God's ability, yet to no avail.
It takes yielded heart to maintain fervency in the spirit. So, make it your lifestyle to keep fervency of the spirit, then you will overcome the dart of the Wicked.
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. - Romans  12:11 


[Watch out for the next episode: "Symptoms of Poisoned Spirit"]


Rev'd Dr Nathaniel Tade Obaniyi.
(President, Dayspring Vision, Nigeria.)

POISON OF THE SPIRIT

And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. - 1 Samuel  1:15 

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? - Proverbs  18:14 

Man' spirit can be poisoned by the evil spirit. When a man's spirit is poisoned, he will have problems with himself and the people around him. It sometimes makes you to be provoked easily in your dealings with people in your daily endeavours.

WHAT IS POISON? 
Poison is a substance that can cause people or animals to die or to become very ill if it gets into their bodies especially through swallowing. It is something such as idea, emotion, or situation that is very harmful or unpleasant.

CHALLENGE OF LIFE

Life is full of difficult people who will come round you to challenge your patience and you may not be able to stop them. In such case, you may be angry easily, hissing often and even saying to yourself: "It is not their fault. If I have better chance in life they cannot be talking with me that way."

Handling difficult people in life's relationship may not be palatable, but we must still bear with them. The perspective of individual in handling difficult people varies from one another. The season of provocation should be treated with caution lest we fall off the grace.

One of the contributing factors in handling issues leading to the poison of the spirit is our encounter with the Holy Spirit. Few of the ways people handle provocation leading to poison of the spirit are:

 SILENCE - Some people prefer to approach the distressing issues with silence. The strategy most often used is to stay away from any form of action until the provocation is over. The challenge of silence is that, it may lead to bottle-up anger until it finds expression in a negative way. Here is the Biblical injunction:
In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Psalm 4:4 [NIV]
Psalms  4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Silence is good when we have Godly motives. Your silence must not be an opportunity for bitterness within.

 EXTRA CAUTION IN WORDS AND ACTION - When suffering from provocative act, let us beware of our words. Our caution must be exercised with the fear of God, lest it turns to false humility. The words we speak have the power to make or mar destiny. Job in the season of his challenging issues responded to his friends' assault:
 How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? - Job  19:2

RETALIATION - This is an act of paying back evil for evil.

Walking away - Some people do not want to get deeply involved in the distressing issues, hence they prefer to walk away. Sometimes, some people walk away only to get to secluded place and start shedding tears. Such action may lead to secret plot to fight back. If you will walk away, let it not be done with bitterness in your heart. Sometimes we walk away only to wait for when we will vent our poison on the concerned.

Wisdom - It takes wisdom and grace to handle difficult people

Trusting the Holy Spirit - This must be our daily experience.

Difficult people were raised to poison our spirit man, do not allow the devil to successfully use them against you. In actual fact, the difficult people may be unavoidable, but God placed them around you to test your patience. Beware!

Hence, brethren, remember, Hannah's spirit was poisoned by Peninnah her rival. How then did Hannah responded to the humiliation experienced from her rival? - Rather than returning evil for evil, she resolved to pour her heart cry to God. The Scriptures is right:
"...A wounded spirit who can bear?" 

As a matter of fact, no man can bear wound on his spirit. You have no cause to commit suicide because your spirit man suffer wounds, it must be handled by divine help. Do not build castle in the air on the foundation of bitterness, you must cast down the activities of the power of hell against your spirit.

LET US PRAY! 
1. Heavenly Father, I appreciate your love towards my life.

O Lord, arise for my life:

2. Deliver my spiritman from demonic poison in the precious name of Jesus.
3. Let your power breaks the yoke of darkness in my spiritman.
4. Power of God, come and help me out in the midst of provocative issues in the precious name of Jesus.
5. Father, deliver my spiritman from ungodly men in Jesus name.
6. My spiritman, take your rest in the Lord. You are free from demonic assault in the precious name of Jesus.
7. My heaven is open for exploits in the precious name of Jesus Christ.
8. Thank you Jesus for taking the glory. In the precious name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Watch out for the next episode: "Dart of the Wicked Against Man's spirit."

Revd Dr Nathaniel Tade Obaniyi
President, Dayspring Vision, Nigeria.