Chapter 2: Starter notes...

Proverbs 15: 1

“A soft answer turner away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

“I want to thank Sean McDowel (www.seanmcdowell.org) and Steve Dabbs (stevedabbs.org) for the conversation on Deliverance Ministry.”  Moose settles in at the helm of the CS01, space-water in hand, top popped, bubbles bursting.  CS01’s engines hum, purring.  Dark sick taint, inky blackness, continues to seep from the ship’s circuits.  Art-bot rests in the corner.  Q-bot sits ready, powering up.  It has been a busy day of studying so far.

Moose pulls his hat brim low and settles in, hitting play on the McDowell transmission.  The star system is unknown for its origin, but Moose has heard his transmissions before.  He opens up a communications email for the crew and begins taking notes.

Crew,

1:30 What is the New Covenant benefit of deliverance?

What is demonization?  (Need to find passages this is used)

4:32 Generational curses brought up.  (Discuss Exodus 20).  Familial spiritual practices, good and bad, are passed on from generation to generation.  Just as habits and regular behaviors.  (Proverbs 22:6 train up a child.  Works both positive and negative).

2 Timothy 3: 16-17

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

5:04 12 curses of Deuteronomy mentioned.  Deuteronomy 27: 15-26 is the direct text.  I recommend at least the entire chapter.  Deuteronomical context important as well.  Word used for Curse is ‘arar’.  Means execrate, bitterly curse.  Execrate means to declare to be evil or detestable, to detest utterly.  So detested of the LORD is the one who…

Deuteronomy 27: 15

“Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the LORD, the war of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.”

So the LORD detests secret idols, secret things worshipped that are not Him.  The person who practices secret idolatry is cursed (detested) by the LORD.  This seems to imply that a Curse, in this context, is being in ill-favor with God.  The reason for the ill-favor is idolatry.

Deuteronomy 27: 16 (NKJ)

“Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.”

Deuteronomy 27: 16 (KJV)

“Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother.”

Deuteronomy 27: 16 (NASV)

“Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.”

Same word here for curse.  ‘Arar’.  The reason for the ill-favor is contempt for earthly parents.  Interesting to see the difference in translations.

I think it’s important to note here that these curses are curses from God.  Not demonic curses or demonic oppression.  Though it is entirely possible that demons could be used to manifest God’s disfavor.  If Job, is my thought.   I’m not certain at this point if they are relevant to Deliverance ministry, if we are defining Deliverance Ministry as the power over unclean spirits as explained in Matthew 10, in my opinion.  I also want to note for my readers this is a controversial theological topic with a lot of different competing ideas.

Ok.  So.  I’m about five minutes into the show and need to do some reading, but I will continue with my thoughts as I go through.

On this topic, let me start here.

Proverbs 1: 7

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

This is where I always begin when I am starting in on a difficult topic.  God is Sovereign.  God is Omnipotent.  God is Eternal.  There is nothing that escapes Him.  All that is, is, because He either directly created it or has allowed it.

Next I go here.

2 Timothy 3: 16-17

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Paul teaches us that Scripture will be enough for the man of God to be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  Not some good work.  Not a little good work.  Every good work.  It might be better put every good Work.  For the Work we are doing is for and with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  If we attempt to use Scripture for things that are not the Work of Christ, what is that?

Now I want to focus our attention on a passage you might not have expected as a backdrop, but when it comes to Deliverance Ministry information, these days, I suggest extra caution because…

1 Corinthians 3: 1-17

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal.  For where there are any, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?  For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos’, are you not carnal?  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed as the Lord gave to each one?  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it.  But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.  If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned, he will sugar loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

The foundation we are given is Jesus Christ and Scripture and how we build upon it, Paul teaches here, is particularly important for us to pay attention to.  Now, I say all this out of love for my brothers on the show we’re going through and also to be aware.  Everyone one of us has built our own personal theology how we have.  It must be measured with Scripture.

1 John 4: 1-5

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.  And this is the spirit of the Anti-Christ, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.  You are of God, little children, and have over come them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  They are of the world.  Therefor they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.  We are of God.  He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us.  By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

What I think is being talked about is power over unclean spirits as talked about in Matthew 10.  I’ll pick this back up in the morning.  Sleep tight, crew.

Moose hits send and settles in on the bridge, flipping his Bible’s open.