THE HEADLESS SNAKE...

Spiritual Warfare in the Body of Christ

Lately, I have been made aware that the Lord is teaching me spiritual warfare.  I cannot say it has been an easy lesson.  I 'feel' as though I have been in the fight of my life.  Let's just say, "I'm smelling of the smoke and ashes."  Thankful to be alive but feeling somewhat down as I said to self, "Self, you could have done better if you'd had recognized sooner what was going on here."  Hubby said to me as two or three others and I have even said to myself, "How can you learn it unless you go through it?"  It's not a question for an answer as much as a question to make you stop and think.  Stop and look at things.  To stop reacting in your feelings and emotions, and began to discern what is really going on in a situation.  This is not so easy to do.  Most of the time, events are flung at us and we react and then we react to the reactions and we see the rippling rip tide effect of our emotions and feelings in action.  Can we say the whole world right now is just one big chaotic frazzled mess....I know I brush my hair and 5 minutes later, I'm looking like I've been through an electrical static field or something and my hair is just sticking out everywhere.  Where is that calm, cool, collected person I used to be?  Self, we really gotta get back to our peace and joy.  Lord, help me keep my oil lamp full.  

So my latest battle has been my back going out.  I have, throughout my lifetime, experienced horrible episodes of my back going out.  I always thought this was related to an injury I sustained when I was 21 years old.  The first time it happened, I was in really bad shape.  They had to give me three or four pain shots and muscle relaxers to get it to release.  I went to a healing service with the Hunters, anybody remember the Hunters?  They prayed and I did get better.  So much so that the chiropractor I was going to gave me a verdict of "you are healed."  Thank you, Jesus, I will take it.  However, from time to time, I would have events where my back would spasm and cinch up.  But, instead of two weeks as before, it was for a day and then would be fine.  Hallelujah, I'll take it, Jesus!  When the events would happen, the words coming out of my mouth were/are:  "It's the worst pain I have ever had in my life."  I'm in my sixties now.  A long time away from that 21 year old young lady, and a lot of water under the bridge.  In the course of tryng to learn what was wrong with me and trying to fix myself, I finally had a lab analysis that showed Hereditary Coproporphyria.  Well, now, it really is in Jesus' hand because He's the only one who can fix a gene mutation.  What I did not realize was that the back spasms and pain that I thought were from an injury turns out to be part of this dysfunction of your body making heme.  It's a long and convoluted process that I'm not going to get in here, suffice to say - The Battle is on!  Fighting for my healing by watching my words and what I'm saying...Hey, that's gonna make a great song!  You get what you speak.  I'm speaking I'm healed.  1 Peter 2:24.  

So about a month ago now, my back went out. All I was doing was washing the dishes.  Did not pick up anything heavy, like a big 'ole pot, just standing there rinsing a dish off and putting in the dishdrainer.  Yep, slide, spasms, and the worst pain I have ever felt in my life triggering all the memories so many years ago.  Funny thing was my hubby and I had started a Bible study the day before determing more and more to devote time to the Lord together and do what should have been done many years ago consistently rather than the on and off, hit and miss events that we have been guilty of or the enemy has us engaged in...the battle and struggles are real.  In praying and studying, especially about obtaining your healing and seeking the Lord, and the whys, Lord, why?  I had confirmation of it being spiritual warfare.  I had a dream.  I had an answer in prayer.  I had a friend convey a message to my husband explaining - which anybody who has gone through this process of refining saying "ARMOR UP!  IT'S SPIRITUAL WARFARE!"   As hubby and I were praying, I saw a snake - the Lord spoke and told me, "It's a spirit of python."  I saw the snake loosen from around the base of my spine.  I was like, 'not good enough, I want it completely gone.'  I did not see the head.  All I saw was the body.  And I was like, okay, I'm going to go look and see about a python spirit in the Bible because anything you are shown, you really should back it up with Bible.  I had heard about a python spirit many times but really did not know the reference or what it was referring to per se.  I wanted to be sure it wasn't just a name someone had thrown at something.  You know, searching out the truth...so I went to my Bible resources and sure enough, there it was.  Remember the story where Paul is trying to preach the Gospel and the girl kept interrupting and finally Paul had enough and cast the spirit of divination out of her.  Well, that particular word in the Greek is python.  👀  Really, Lord?  Really!!!  So from e-sword.net  the Greek word for divination is listed below: 

Acts 16:16  G4436
Πύθων
Puthōn
poo'-thone
From Πυθώ Puthō (the name of the region where Delphi, the seat of the famous oracle, was located); a Python, that is, (by analogy with the supposed diviner there) inspiration (soothsaying): - divination. 

so their false god was a python snake.  The next day I'm watching a video and I have to say Dr. Michael Lake and his wife, Mary Lou, have really been encouraging to me lately.  She and I have similar events and things happening.  When you hear a like-minded believer going through and succeeding with crises in life, it helps to hear their overcoming victory.  Especially when you 'feel like' you are losing your mind and everything is being ripped away from you.  A healing that you thought you had, but I did have a healing.  I also found out information that helps me battle my enemy better.  Know your enemy and know how he operates, the words my Pastor would say ringing through my head as I'm seeking the Lord through this battle.  You can find the link to one of their videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ADgJFBfv4  at Biblical Life TV.

This time of healing has been slower and longer.  I'm asking the Lord, why? why?  I need to be up and productive and able to get done the things I need to get finished.  Again, more videos, this time from Now You See TV on youtube.  I watched this video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1wcWVAXR4w    and this video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJtn380yTHs  

Now I do not recommend these two videos unless you are really grounded in your Bible.  But I do believe a mature, well grounded Christian should have no fear of being able to answer questions and these kinds of questions are going to come.  After watching the second video, let's just say the dots connected for me.  Done...but again, spirit of python.  Confirmation, spiritual war, battle, fight the fight of faith, train.  Warriors train.  They train to win!  The great thing about being a believer in Christ is 'You don't have to fight!"  Well, you do, but it's not the way a typical fight goes.  I read God's Word, I believe what it says.  I do not speak against what the Bible says and having done all I know to do, I stand on that promise!  How easy can that be?  Well, almost too easy to  believe, but it's the truth!  So I watch another video and again someone calls out the snake.  I'm like...No way, God!  Really? "Really!" He replies.  Okay, Okay....I'm understanding....Spiritual warfare, preparation and readiness for what is coming.  What is coming the church is not ready for and the church needs to get ready.  Go back to your foundation and roots.  Strengthen that foundation.  Believe God.  Believe what He says and do what He tells you to do.  It's the only way.   The only way through is with Jesus Christ!  

The pain is getting better.  I'm moving a little easier and hopefully, I'll be back to baseline with no residual nerve damage from those nasty little porphyrins, but I'm also standing  on "No weapon formed against me shall prosper!"  God made this body, He can make this body work correctly. I just need to trust.  The real battle is in the spiritual realm.  You know, that ole devil, he's always imitating God trying to pervert what God established.  So satan has a triune - what was revealed to me was - the spirit of leviathan, the spirit of jezebel, and the python spirit.  Know your enemy, know how he operates.  My Bible says: satan is way beneath us.  That he is under our feet.  Christ chopped off his head.  Hence, the headless snake.  He's defeated and he is going about like the roaring lion looking for who he may devour.  You have to give him permission.  He can't do a thing to you.  If he is, you need to check yourself because you have given him permission somewhere and if you give him an inch, he will take a mile.  I'm examining and going through events in my life.  Making changes and corrections, but I'm not backing down or backing up.  I'm standing and resisting speaking scriptures.  Scriptures that state the outcome.  I'm victorious.  I'm an overcomer!  Come on, Believers!  ARMOR UP!   We know how this battle ends!  Hallelujah!  All glory, honor and power to our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!