Topic: Deep Bible Study

[Ro]

Let's look at the word "STUDY".  According to www.Dictionary.com the definition of the noun is:

"1. application of the mind to the acquisition of knowledge, as by reading, investigation, or reflection: long hours of study. 
2. the cultivation of a particular branch of learning, science, or art: the study of law. 
3. Often, studies. a personal effort to gain knowledge: to pursue one's studies. 
4. something studied or to be studied: Balzac's study was human nature. 
5. research or a detailed examination and analysis of a subject, phenomenon, etc.: She made a study of the transistor market for her firm. 
6. a written account of such research, examination, or analysis: He published a study of Milton's poetry. 
7. a well-defined, organized branch of learning or knowledge.
8. zealous endeavor or assiduous effort.
9. the object of such endeavor or effort.
10. deep thought, reverie, or a state of abstraction: He was lost in study and did not hear us come in. 
11. a room, in a house or other building, set apart for private study, reading, writing, or the like.
12. Also called étude. Music. a composition that combines exercise in technique with a greater or lesser amount of artistic value.
13. Literature. a. a literary composition executed for exercise or as an experiment in a particular method of treatment.
b. such a composition dealing in detail with a particular subject, as a single main character.
 
14. Art. something produced as an educational exercise, as a memorandum or record of observations or effects, or as a guide for a finished production: She made a quick pencil sketch of his hands as a study for the full portrait in oils. 
15. a person, as an actor, considered in terms of his or her quickness or slowness in memorizing lines: a quick study."

As a verb, meaning to take action the definition from that web site is:

"–verb (used without object) 16. to apply oneself to the acquisition of knowledge, as by reading, investigation, or practice.
17. to apply oneself; endeavor.
18. to think deeply, reflect, or consider.
19. to take a course of study, as at a college.

–verb (used with object) 20. to apply oneself to acquiring a knowledge of (a subject).
21. to examine or investigate carefully and in detail: to study the political situation. 
22. to observe attentively; scrutinize: to study a person's face. 
23. to read carefully or intently: to study a book. 
24. to endeavor to learn or memorize, as a part in a play.
25. to consider, as something to be achieved or devised.
26. to think out, as the result of careful consideration or devising."

To study God's word is an important task.  Many times we do not study it.  Many times we read it as a novel and perhaps too many people do not believe it enough also. 

Could it be that the lack of studying the word of God has cause a devaluation of it? 

Let's study to show ourselves approved to our Father in Heaven and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Thank you JESUS!

[Rev Dr Roberta]

I enjoy deep theological bible study.  So deep, in fact, that I often tend to either scare or bore people.

What kind of bible studies do you like?

Right now I am doing a refresher study on demonology. I know that scares some Christians but it shouldn't because they should be dealt with like an exterminator ridding your house of rats. 
Can you imagine an exorsist being afraid of demons? They would laugh at the exorsist and  ignore such a one.
Jesus told us to cast out demons but the Church has negleted to do so, probably out of fear.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give."
Matthew 10.6

Mark 16:
17  “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Luke 10:19
"Look! I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to destroy all the enemy's power, and nothing will ever hurt you."

[Tim Russ]

I quite agree.

Another reason why most people may be shying away from demonology is that the Church went through a phase several decades ago where everything was a demon.  People were seing demons under every rock and behind every bush.

In adjusting back toward balance I believe the church has overshot its mark and allowed the pendulum to swing to the other extreme.  The extreme of ignoring demons.

[Rev Dr Roberta]

You are 'right on'.
I did find one well balance article  today, as far as it went:
The Flesh and Demons: They work together!


Home > The Flesh and Demons: They work together!
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Many who criticize the deliverance ministry will claim that we tend to blame everything on demons to avoid personal responsibility. That is simply not true in most cases in this type of ministry. I do not intend on ignoring the flesh or overemphasizing the demonic, but I would like to clearly explain how the two work together to carry out Satan's plan in our lives.

The flesh is the gateway to the demonic. Many times (unless it is generational, etc.), it is through the flesh that demons gain entrance into a person's life. We are first tempted by demons (the enemy works through his army of fallen angels) because they are seeking to gain entrance into our lives or carry out a plan to kill, steal or destroy us (see John 10:10), then once we give in, they become welcomed into our lives, and once they enter, they will serve as bad friends who will constantly seek to negatively influence us. Having a spirit of lust will be like working in an adult bookstore... it will work to wear you down and get you to give in. Without having that spirit, it is much easier to resist the temptation. But wait a minute, what about plain old temptation that is thrown our way on regular bases? We are not immune from that, are we? No, unfortunately we will probably be tempted to a certain degree until we leave this earth. But let me illustrate the difference between normal temptation and having a demon which is pressuring you to sin: When you drive down the road and see an adult bookstore alongside the road, you can easily resist thinking about what is inside that store... that is temptation. Now let's say that you had to work in such a store, and have sex videos playing on the TV screens all day long... that is what it's like to have a spirit of lust. There is a VERY big difference! If you simply feel a little temptation once in a while and find it very easy to resist, then you are likely experiencing simple temptation from the enemy and your goal is to resist it and move on. However, if you feel driven to lust or pornography (or other sinful behavior such as anger, hate, rage, etc.), then you likely have a spirit that must be driven out.

As I said earlier, the flesh is the gateway to the demonic. Demons cannot simply walk up to us and enter... they must be welcomed, and our flesh is their tool to get the job done. If they can tempt us to sin, and our flesh opens the door, then they will have 'permission' to access our souls and/or bodies. This is why you cannot effectively minister to a person who is not ready to let go of their bondage. If somebody is not willing to give up lust, then even if you do get them delivered (by casting out all spirits of lust, addiction, etc.), that person will likely (without even knowing it) re-open that door all over again and the demons can come right back.

Sin is a work of the flesh
Is it possible for a demon to take complete control over a person, and cause them to murder, rape, etc.? Yes! But in most situations, that is not the case.

Unless the demon takes complete control over the person, it is the flesh that commits the sin. Take for example a person who has a spirit of lust and then commits adultery... it is their flesh that has sinned, but it was coaxed along (or pressured) by the spirit of lust (or similar spirits). Having a spirit of lust can pressure us to sin, but it cannot force us to sin. This is why the Bible still refers to various sinful acts as 'works of the flesh':

Galatians 5:19-21, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Demons are like bad friends
So what if you have a spirit of rage, and you are driven to violence? Wouldn't at least some of it be the demon's fault if you fell into that type of sin? Having a demon is like having a bad friend who has access to your mind and can sit there and inject thoughts or feelings in your system day after day. If you hang around bad friends all the time, what happens? You begin to become like them... they will wear off on you! That is what happens when a person has a demon; the demon's ways will wear on that person's flesh and break it down... making it hard to resist temptation and sin!

Can a demon take control over a person and use their body to commit gruesome acts of murder, etc.? While it can happen, it is rarely the case. Demons are great at working the flesh up to the point of sin and putting pressure on them that can be very hard to resist. This is usually how they do their dirty work in our lives.

Conclusion
The flesh is the open door to the enemy, and the demons are here to ruin our lives. The two work together to carry out Satan's plan to destroy us!

The flesh must be crucified (or consider ourselves dead to sin - see Romans 6:11), and demons must be cast out. If we try to crucify the demon or cast out the flesh... we are wasting our time! It is vital that we accomplish two things when seeking deliverance:

A) Make sure that our flesh is not joining hands with the demon or giving it any permission

B) Get rid of any unclean spirits that may be working against us

It is pointless to constantly discipline the flesh yet allow the demons to remain, and it is also useless to cast out the demons, but allow the flesh to re-open the doors to them again.

http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/flesh_demons.php

http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/index.php