The Seven Spirits You Must Conquer Before You Can Go Higher
- Donald & Sandra Smith
- 7 hours ago
- 6 min read
The Problem
Have you been struggling a lot lately? It seems that you have been attacked from all directions: family, health, job, finances, with more bills than money coming in?
Let's look into Deuteronomy 7:1-2
"“When the Lord your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them."
At first glance, we see the people of the land that will be comining against them, and the Lord wants the Israelites to conquer them completely. Why? They serve other gods, and people are flesh, and the flesh is weak and is given to temptation, and sometimes easily.
In Exodus 20:3, God says, "Have no other gods before me." That means NONE, not even temporarily, just 1 time. It means none, never. Why? Because it leads you astray, causes havoc in your life, and then you come running back to God for help. Have you read the book of Judges? That is what it is about. They did not conquer all as God instructed. They started intermarrying and serving the gods of the land while trying to keep the Holy Days, Feasts, and sacrifices of God. That does not work!
Would it work with you? Do you want your spouse coming home to you every night, but having free time during the day with a lover? NO! That is what the Israelites were, in essence, doing. It does not fly with God either.
"But if you will not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly And run down with tears, Because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive." (Jeremiah 13:17)
Dive Deeper Into the Scripture
Let's take the peoples of the land one by one and discover their meaning and what it means to us.
Hittites—in Hebrew, it means "terror or dismay." For us, it represents constant opposition, resistance to divine truth, or the presence of carnal fears and false ideas that must be overcome. Satan attacks you with things to get you to give way to fear instead of trusting God.
Girgashites-- In Hebrew, it means "dwelling in a clay soil." Symbolically, for us, it means giving in to carnality, earthliness, worldliness, and unbelief.
Amorites-- In Hebrew, it means "mountain dwellers" or "highlanders". For us, this represents deep-seated pride, human self-reliance, and entrenched sin that must be conquered or purged from one's spiritual life. You begin to slip away from reading your Word and praying. Satan attacks the busyness of your everyday life to wear you out: "I just do not have time," I am too tired." He does not come at you with a big sign, but it is gradual. Then as issues arise and surround you, you begin to work out things yourself. Sin happens to complicate things, pride slips in, "I am not doing anything wrong," "I deserved to stand up for myself," "They do not deserve forgiveness." I'm sure you have been there. Haven't we all?
Canaanites-- In Hebrew, it means "to be humbled," "subdued," or "brought down low." It represents the internal strongholds, worldly attachments, and fleshly mindsets
Perizzites-- In Hebrew, it means "villager," "rustics," or an "inhabitant of the open country". It relates to living in small, rural communities, representing a scarcity mindset, limited vision, and spiritual stagnation.
Hivites-- In Hebrew, it means "villagers" or "dwellers of the village." It represents the worldly, physical, and carnal nature within human consciousness that must be transformed or overcome.
Jebusites-- In Hebrew, it means "threshing floor," or "trampled place." It represents entrenched strongholds, stubborn resistance to God's will, pride, and the old nature or sin that must be conquered.
Putting It All Together
Satan attacks with the issues of life that draw you away from your time with God; you get weary. Then there are the attacks that come against your finances, and you become overwhelmed and stressed out.
You start focusing on the everyday life things, the material possessions that break, or suddenly become "must-haves." Your carnal side starts showing more and more.
As you draw away from your time with God, you stop growing spiritually, and you seem to be on a merry-go-round of stress, anxiety, worry, doubt, and fear. You think God has abandoned you, but you never entertain the idea that maybe, just maybe, you got off the path He has for you.
As you get stuck in a merry-go-round, spiritual growth is stunted; you are tired and worn out, not reading your Bible for spiritual strength, reminders of God's promises to pray and speak out over yourself; you begin to take on the mind of a victim and of scarcity, vision is limited.
The attacks you may be experiencing may be the same, similar, or different entirely, but the outcome is the same. Do you recognize the spiritual side of it in yourself?
If you are stuck, not growing spiritually, and it seems as if you have gone backwards instead of moving forward, the answer is the same: humble yourself, get rid of the fear, and cry out to God!
The Solution
Stop Being Afraid; Stop Being Prideful (everyone sins, everyone falls, everyone is human- flesh-weak). Stop doubting and go to God. Ask for Help, Wisdom, and for Him to open your Eyes to see, Ears to hear, and your Heart and Mind to know and understand what to do and how to apply what He tells you. THEN OBEY!
Stop complaining! God died for you, through His Son Jesus Christ! That is the greatest showing of love there is, to sacrifice yourself for someone else.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
"Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”
When we get discouraged and overwhelmed, we all tend to complain and think God is against us; He is not. Our perception has been colored due to all the attacks.
God will fight for you!
“Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place." (Deuteronomy 1:29-31)
God will take care of you. He is more than enough; His love is unconditional and everlasting. You can trust Him!
"The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." (Jeremiah 31:3)
"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing." (Psalm 145:13-16)
Let me pray for you.
"Father, for all those reading this who are stuck, being bombarded by attacks of the devil, open their eyes to see, their ears to hear, and their hearts and minds to know and understand what you are telling them and how to apply it. Give them the right perception, help them to start growing spiritually again, provide what they need, and protect them. Above all, let them know just how much you love them and have not forgotten them. In Jesus' name, amen!
For help in growing spiritually, get my book: I'm Saved! Now Where Do I Go From Here?
And listen to our podcast!
God bless you!
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