Loosening the Villain’s Grip |
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Editor’s note: There's no doubt we have an enemy... but what do you know about him? In Pastor Jonathan "JP" Pokluda's new book Your Story Has a Villain, you'll learn how to recognize Satan's sneaky tactics get equipped to battle spiritually, and be reminded that Jesus has already secured the victory. PLUS, when you purchase either * |
A while back, I spoke at an event with the leading exorcist for the Roman Catholic church. It is literally his job to train priests on how to perform exorcisms. I didn’t even know that was a job! The day before we met, he had performed three exorcisms. Just a normal workday for him.
While he was talking, he said something that really stuck with me — and I have been thinking about it ever since. It is something we all know to be true in a “nod our heads” kind of way, but I am not convinced it has fully sunk into all of our hearts.
We all believe that the Bible teaches that when we sin, we are inviting Satan in. We are giving him a foothold. We are opening ourselves up to the Enemy. We can all agree that is a biblical concept. But, he noted, we can often find ourselves living in this paradoxical way where we will pray one moment and say, “God please protect my family, keep my children safe, and bless my marriage” and the next moment we go look at porn, go drink too much, or go make another impulse purchase.
Do you see how confusing that is? That must frustrate God as He is watching us in real time. You are inviting the Enemy to set up shop and build a home in your heart every time that happens. You know that your story has a villain. Why would you invite him in?
The longer I follow Jesus, the more I am convinced: to live the full, abundant life that Jesus offers us, we must be committed to the long, bumpy, and often difficult road of faithfulness. |
Friends, you will never achieve perfection. You will never reach a sinless existence. You will continue to stub your toes, fall on your faces, and return to sin that you do not want to do, only to repent and turn back and start walking the road of faithfulness once again. Christian maturity is not an overnight process, as much as we may want it to be. While the Enemy would love for that to discourage you, the Scriptures actually tell us to expect it. But we cannot lose heart; we must keep fighting. And we must keep sharing our stories with each other.
As you pursue the road of faithfulness, you get to be one of the ones cheering along everyone else running the race. How do you do that? You use the story God has given you. Deep inside of me is a conviction that every time you tell your story, the Enemy’s grip on your life loosens a little bit more.
- The more you tell your story over time, the less of a hold the Enemy has on your heart.
Time and time again in my own life, I have seen God do this exact thing. Even with my story. I am a chump from a small town in Texas who grew up in the church, then chased after everything the world had to offer. I was addicted to pornography, gripped by alcohol, and self-absorbed, living as if I was the center of the world. Then, as I was sitting in the back row of a church, hung over from the night before, God grabbed ahold of my heart in a whole new way.
Trust me, I have so many regrets from my life before Christ. I wish I could have so many do-overs. But at the same time, I feel total freedom. For as long as I can remember, God has made me extremely comfortable in telling my story, because if He can use me, He can use anybody. If I lived in shame and guilt and kept that story to myself, it wouldn’t help anybody else find freedom. The Enemy loves when we keep our stories to ourselves because it keeps others chained up. You have a story, and it has a villain. But you also have a Savior who wins every time. Share your story of victory and help set others free. |
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How might your story help set others free? In prayer today, ask God to help you tell your story and loosen the grip your enemy has over your life and the lives of others. The more we bring our stories into the light, the less we find ourselves feeling alone, isolated, and oblivious to the ways of the villain in our stories. Remember, God always has the victory. ~ Devotionals Daily |
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Your Story Has a Villain: Identify Spiritual Warfare and Learn How to Defeat the Enemy |
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+ Extra 20% off $50 with code BIBLE |
+ Extra 20% off $50 with code BIBLE |
Are you ready to change your narrative and live a different story today? If you're weary from the struggle and ready to experience life as God intended, this book will help you explore the tactics of Satan, equip you to overcome spiritual battles, and remind you of the victory already secured through Jesus. There is an Enemy among us. You may know who he is, but you may not know what he is about. Do you know how he wages war? Do you know how he targets you specifically? He's the Villain who wants to change your story in the hopes you live isolated, powerless, discouraged, and defeated.
Satan has waged a war with the Almighty, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and his sole desire is to keep you from God's goodness. He knows that he has been defeated by Jesus' death and resurrection, but until the final battle when he is cast into hell for eternity, he and his demons roam the earth like a roaring lion looking for anyone to devour. He is far more disruptive to our lives than we realize, and it's time to take action.
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FREE bonus gift: Get access to a free live virtual teaching event with Jonathan "JP" Pokluda with your purchase! |
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In Your Story Has a Villain, bestselling author Jonathan "JP" Pokluda will help you: - Stand against the thief of life, who wants to take you out.
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Understand the tactics the Enemy utilizes in your life.
- Align yourself with God through prayer as you battle each day.
- Rely on the truth and power of Scripture to counter the Enemy's lies and accusations.
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Know that Jesus has already defeated Satan, so you can live victoriously.
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In Your Story Has a Villain will teach you: - Who the villain is
- What he does
- How to fight back
Yes, your story has a villain, an unseen enemy disrupting your life more than you realize. But remember the hero, Jesus Christ, who came so that we may "have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). We know the grim, eternal outcome for Satan and his demons, but the battle still rages. Are you ready to fight back, find freedom from sin and toxic thinking, and walk in the abundant life available to you? |
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+ Save up to 38% on the study materials! |
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| Book + Study Guide Bundle
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Study Guide plus Streaming Video |
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*Sale price ends on 02/28/25 at 11:59 PM. Limited quantities available. Sale pricing excludes ebooks and audiobooks. Free Standard Shipping for U.S. orders over $35 excluding Alaska and Hawaii. *Offer valid until 02/06/25 at 11:59 p.m. ET or while supplies last. Offer valid online and by phone only. Take an additional 20% off your purchase of $50 or more with code BIBLE, after promotions and discounts and before shipping and handling costs are applied. Shipping, gift cards, or customization of products does not qualify towards minimum purchase requirements.
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