Darkness cannot overcome light.
The darker a space is, the brighter the light is.
So in our darkest hour, it is then that the light of the world can shine the brightest.
It is then that He can come in and show us His glory.
Let Him shine His light on you.
The things you’ll hear, places you’ll go, and sights you’ll see will be so much greater than what you ever imagined for your life.
While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”
John 9:5
Today is my wife’s birthday. She had to go into the office and I had a few things to write, so she requested I write them all before she got home in order to maximize our time together tonight. So, here’s today’s blog post.
Her request reminded me of something very important: My marriage is my first ministry. Not that I had forgotten, but it still served as a great reminder of my identity and my calling.
Chiefly, I am a son of God. A member of His family through the power of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
Then after that, I am Emma’s husband. Called to love her as Christ loves the Church.
Soon, (even though I have already embraced the role) we will meet our child, and the responsibilities of fatherhood will begin.
Then, and only then, come any other ministries the Lord calls me to.
As men of God, we must understand and embrace this hierarchy if we hope to live the Christian life and live it well.
Above all else, we are children of God. Welcomed back into the family. Bought and paid for by Jesus Christ. Praise God for rescuing us. If we understand this, then the Lord will empower us to be good husbands.
To be a good husband we must die to ourselves daily, to embrace a sacrificial love, as Christ did (does) for the Church. Love is patient and kind. It isn’t jealous or full of pride. To love our wives well, we must first accept and cherish the love that Christ has for us.
Then, the Lord will help us to be good fathers just as He helps us to be good husbands. As we love our wives with Christ-centered love, our wives feel safe, protected, and cherished. This then encourages and enables them to be good mothers, and together we can love our children well, and raise them up right.
After you’ve made sure all these things are in their proper place, then you can be empowered to be a good steward of the other ministries the Lord has called you to.
If our alignment isn’t right from the top down, everything will be thrown off.
So, with that being said, it’s time for dinner and cake 😁.
Imagine this:
You’re washing dishes, playing games, reading books, scrolling through social media, working on your spreadsheets, writing blog posts, having conversations, etc. Basically, doing anything that you do on a typical day.
Throughout all of that, something in you just feels…off. Something is turned on that shouldn’t be on. Something in you is firing that should be relaxed. Something really isn’t right, but you’re not quite sure what that thing is.
You aren’t anxious or depressed about any one thing in particular, but you’re inclined to label it one of the two. So you seek out answers.
Bible verses on worry…
Deliverance from depression…
How to relieve anxiety…
You pour into the results and you appreciate what you find, but most of the explanations apply to people who are worried about their health, not sure about their finances, suffering from irrational fear, etc. This isn’t you, and you still don’t know what’s wrong.
It’s not anxiety, you don’t feel trapped by fear, but throughout each day, there’s a constant feeling of something being not quite right. I call this fuzz.
Nothing is actively wrong in your life, you’ve got plenty of things to look forward to, tons of opportunities to relax, and a bunch of things to occupy your time, but for some reason, you can’t just be still. Everything feels sort of fuzzy.
So – what is this? I have found that it’s usually spiritual warfare. Sometimes it might just be our own psychological hang-ups, but I often have to stand firm in truth in order to beat it.
To get through it, I rest on the word of God, and in particular this verse from the prophet Isaiah.
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
If I ever find myself wrestling with this fuzz, I meditate on this verse, and it brings me into a secure place with the Lord. It reminds me that He is sovereign over my life and that He is my protector.
I’d like to write more about this because I think it’s something that many can relate to, so I’ll be sure to circle back in the near future.
But for now, I’ll conclude with these words spoken by Jesus:
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Full transparency, I’m just wrestling with quite a bit presently, and I don’t have much mental bandwidth for writing. (I’ll make sure tomorrow’s post is interesting)
So instead of forcing it, here’s a Psalm that’s really encouraged me through some tough moments.
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” 12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. 13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You. 19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. 20 For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalm 139
Blessings,
John
Breathe.
Be in the moment, one moment at a time.
Life comes at you fast.
That can be scary, sometimes. Not knowing what’s coming next.
Where to go.
What to do.
Who to be.
Hear me out though, worrying isn’t going to help you figure out what’s coming next. If anything, you still won’t know what’s next, but now you’re worried about it!
As oversimplified as that is, it really is the secret to crushing your worries.
It’s simple, but it’s not easy.
It takes true discipline to live in the moment. To ignore the voices that shout at you about every little detail. To focus on the task at hand. To focus on being who you’re called to be in that moment.
But it’s so worth it.
Choosing peace over worry takes practice, but once you learn how valuable it is, it becomes easier to let go.
Don’t let yourself worry about the unknown.
Focus on being present, and bringing forth what’s asked of you in the moment, one moment at a time.
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:34)
(Disclaimer: I am not a biblical scholar. Nor am I a Greek or Hebrew scholar. I’m simply a son of God through the power of Christ’s death and resurrection on the cross. The claims I make are based on the scriptures and on the teachings of others whom I respect and have found to also be rooted in the scriptures. Ultimately, this is all just my opinion, as I don’t view myself as an appointed authority on the matter. These are simply my thoughts.)
I’d like to throw together a bit of what I know (which isn’t much) on the matter of deliverance and present it as an open letter for discussion.
Before that though, please heed this scripture as an encouragement before you read on:
Romans 15:13– “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Daimonizomai is a Greek word that means, “to be under the power of a demon.” This definition is widely held by Greek scholars and is believed to be the most accurate translation of the word.
This Greek word was often translated as “demon-possessed” or “demon-oppressed” but many scholars today, as well as ministers of the Gospel who cast out demons, don’t believe these translations are accurate.
There are no Greek words for possession or oppression when relating to demons, so these translations don’t really give an accurate picture of what the word really means in context.
Many respectable scholars and ministers, like Derek Prince, believe the best way to translate the word from Greek to English would actually be “demonized.” As in, “that person is demonized.”
So, if we can agree for at least the sake of this letter, that every time we read a verse that, in Greek, used the word “daimonizomai,” we will insert, in English, the word “demonized,” then we can continue. If not, please stop reading and go do your own study of the word, because I imagine the rest of this letter will greatly agitate you.
A lot of people seem to get hung up on a couple of things with the words “demon-possessed.”
We’ve already agreed that this translation misses the mark and the word is better translated as “demonized.”
So let’s get rid of this idea of ownership that is implied by possession.
The enemy himself doesn’t even own anything. He is the “god of this world” (2nd Corinthians 4:4) but still, he doesn’t own anything. He is not a creator. God alone is the creator.
So how could demons, which most would agree are subordinate to Satan, own or “possess” an image-bearer of God?
I’m suggesting that not only can Christians not be “demon-possessed” but even an unbeliever cannot be owned by a demon. They can only be demonized or under the power of a demon.
Now, I’m aware of some extreme cases in the occult and in satanic practices where people give themselves to Satan in various capacities, but in these cases, there is often a legal exchange made. The devil is a legalist. He knows the law very well.
So for the sake of this letter, I am excluding these somewhat extreme cases, so as not to distract from the main ideas.
Now this is the area that stirs up the most controversy.
In my opinion, the most effective way to show a person that a Christian can be demonized is to provide counter-arguments to the popular arguments.
Argument: A Christian can’t be demonized because they are filled with the Holy Spirit.
When does a person receive the Holy Spirit? I believe the word of God tells us that a person receives the Holy Spirit upon repenting and believing in the gospel. Here’s the support:
“Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 2:38
Peter is clear here. Repent, believe, and be baptized all in the name of Jesus, and you will receive forgiveness for your sins and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
I know some might want to discuss the requirement of baptism, so here it is, briefly. In short, a lack of baptism isn’t a roadblock to salvation. Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would join him in paradise because of his belief in Him. See Luke 23:39-43. However, if you can be baptized, you have no reason not to.
So, if we receive the Holy Spirit upon belief in Christ and repenting of our sins, then there are loads of scriptures to show how a Christian can be demonized.
Ananias and Sapphira were early members of the church and all scripture we have relating to them indicates that they were genuine believers. Or as we say today, Christians.
So, if a Christian can’t be demonized, how do we explain the following verse?
“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?’” Acts 5:3
Ananias and his wife decided to sell their property and donate the money to the early church. However, they decided to keep a portion of what they earned and lied about the true amount.
Peter makes quite the accusation here. He says that Satan has filled Ananias’ heart! That’s a pretty serious deal if we’re going to insist that Christians can’t be demonized.
This passage clearly indicates that a post-resurrection believer dealt with a real force of evil outside of his flesh. Now this case is particularly unique because of how the Lord dealt with him (read the rest of Acts 5 to find out) but nonetheless, it shows that being a believer doesn’t excuse us from keeping ourselves protected from spiritual attacks.
We are called to be vigilant and strengthened in the Lord. If we weren’t, we wouldn’t be called to “hold every thought captive” (2nd Corinthians 10:5), to “put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11), or to “be transformed by the renewal of our minds” (Romans 12:2).
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.” Mark 16:17-18
The Gospel is incredibly clear about casting out demons. So, there is virtually no argument against the casting out of demons. Jesus cast out thousands of demons (at least) in the days he walked this Earth.
Jesus was also very clear about how “those who have believed [in him]” will be recognized. Interestingly enough, the first sign he mentioned would accompany them was that “they will cast out demons.” So, not only did He say that the followers of Christ would cast out demons, but he said it first. It was that important.
I also believe that Jesus made it clear that deliverance is meant for His people, the children of the Lord.
In Matthew 15, a Greek woman, more specifically Syrophoenican, came to Jesus seeking deliverance from a demon for her daughter. This is what follows:
“24 But He answered and said, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ 25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’ 26 And He answered and said, ‘It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.’ 27 But she said, ‘Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’ 28 Then Jesus said to her, ‘O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed at once.” Matthew 15:24-28
The woman came seeking deliverance for her daughter. Jesus equates this with the bread intended for the children. So, Jesus said that deliverance is the children’s bread. In other words, deliverance is for God’s covenant people.
The Lord Jesus clearly came to deliver His people. He also came and paid the debt for all sin. Not only the Jews. In doing so, He gave all peoples the opportunity to come under His covering and into a new covenant with the Father. Why would we think that His heart for His people is any different in a new covenant?
“And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.’” Luke 9:23
Argument: Once you become a Christian, you’re immune to demonization.
We have hope and security in Jesus. The reception of the Holy Spirit truly is a miraculous and awe-inspiring gift. However, we must accept it, it’s not forced on us.
Our God is love, and because of His love for us, He gives us a choice when it comes to following Him. If He didn’t give us a choice, how could He truly be loving? If a parent kept a child in a padded room all its life and made every decision for the child, would any of us call that person loving? As a Christian, I would hope the answer to that question is always “no.”
With that being said, I’d encourage you to read the following verses and see if you notice how the language always indicates that there is a choice involved in following Christ:
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1
“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.” Ephesians 4:26-27
“3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4
Do not be subject.
Do not sin.
Do not give the devil an opportunity.
What’s consistent in these phrases? They are structured as commandments. Do not phrases. This implies that we are able to disobey these commandments.
Why would Paul tell us not to do something unless we were able to do it? More importantly, why would God command us not to do something if we weren’t capable of it?
Jesus didn’t say to cast out demons. I don’t mean to be disparaging, but that stance completely ignores the scriptures. There’s no way around that. He did it. He called the disciples to do it. He called us to do it.
That was for the days of the apostles, not today. In my studies, I have found that there isn’t any valid biblical evidence suggesting that this commission is not for all believers.
When you become a believer, all demons just leave. If demons leave simply when someone gets saved, why did Jesus call the disciples and the apostles to cast out demons? Why did he call us to cast out demons? If they simply leave when people get saved, there would be no need to take authority over demons. I do understand this point. However, when Jesus arrived at synagogues where there were demonized people, the demons didn’t simply flee. They manifested. They revealed themselves. They couldn’t hide from Him. They are under His authority. They left when he told them to. He is the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Great I am, Messiah, Lord of hosts, the Alpha and Omega. Demons bow to Him. He reigns above it all. (In reference to the demons in the synagogue, see Luke 4:33-36)
Now that we’ve agreed that the word daimonizomai should be translated as demonized, now that we’ve seen that the Lord only gives “do not” commandments in regards to things that we are actually capable of, and now that we’ve seen there aren’t any verses that explicitly tell us a Christian cannot be demonized, I want to say this:
If you claim to be filled with the Holy Spirit, then you must know how important it is to have compassion for others.
With that in mind, think about this for a moment:
A person who has been a Christian for years, and has clearly exhibited fruits of the Holy Spirit, and by all accounts is a Christian, comes to you and says, “Every time the pastor preaches, I keep hearing blasphemies come into my mind. I feel so tormented, and I don’t know what to do. I’m having so much doubt, so much fear, and so much pain.”
Are you going to tell them that you’re not sure if they’re a Christian? Are you going to act as the Pharisees did, just because they don’t fit into your little box full of law and limited understanding?
If that is what you would do, I pray for your eyes to be opened. If that is what you would do, please send them to someone who is willing to talk about deliverance. In fact, you can even send them to me, because the last thing a person dealing with a demon needs, is an arrogant and self-absorbed comment that questions their salvation and standing with God.
Walk in love. Walk in truth. Test the spirits, ask questions, and above all else, keep your eyes on Jesus, because He will never fail you.
I want to be abundantly clear. Jesus Christ is king. My mission is to serve Him, above all else. I want only for the Gospel of Christ’s perfect life, death, and resurrection to be preached. I want to be clear that even if we disagree, I love you. Even if you curse me, I will bless you. Even if you defame me, I will forgive you. This message is far too powerful to be concerned with worldly quarrels. The only motivation I have for sharing the message of deliverance is because Jesus taught it, and people need it. That’s it. My only motive is built on Christ and Christ alone.
I pray blessings over each and every one of you. May you all come into sweet fellowship with our Lord Jesus, the one who loves you more than you could ever imagine.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
John P. Ciannello
Technically, I missed day 14. However, it’s 12:07 AM now and I’m still awake so I’m considering it a continuation of the day.
I’ll keep this very short considering I’d really like to get to sleep.
God is so good.
For almost a year, I had been dealing with some nervous system issues that caused my hands to lock up, cramp, experience intense pain.
I could hardly play guitar.
But about 7 weeks ago, the Lord led me to a very gifted and knowledgeable specialized chiropractor who has made a remarkable difference in my life.
Tonight, for the first time in quite a while, I played guitar for an 8 song worship set, completely pain-free.
Thank you Jesus.
He heals in so many different and unexpected ways, but He heals nonetheless.
This is simply a brief expression of my gratitude and awe.
Cheers,
John
In Luke chapter 15, Jesus shares the parable of the prodigal son.
It’s the story of a young man who asks his father for his inheritance to be given to him early and goes out into the world to live a life full of debauchery and recklessness.
He eventually loses all that he has and after much strife & hardship, the son returns home in hopes of merely becoming one of his father’s workers. Upon his arrival, instead of scolding him or sending him into exile like he truly deserves, the father welcomes his son home with open arms.
I am the prodigal son.
Growing up, I knew the bible. I knew Jesus. I knew what was right, and I knew what was wrong.
Yet for most of my teenage years, I chose to chase after the pleasures that the world had to offer.
I abandoned the way, the truth, and the life for my way, my truth, and my life.
I fell for the trap. The allure of counterfeit comforts.
I sought after temporary thrills.
I made a mess of my life. I found myself enveloped in sin. Enslaved to thrill-chasing. Bound by hedonism.
I chose it. It was on me. I ran to the parties, the alcohol, the lust.
Yet, when I recognized the mess I had made, when I saw that all my sin took me further from God than I ever imagined I’d be, when I finally came to terms with the wretchedness of my ways, the Lord did not turn me away.
Though I deserved to be punished, He welcomed me into His embrace.
Jesus Christ paid the debt I owed. I don’t deserve that, yet He still did it. He did it so I could be reconciled into fellowship with Him. So that we could be reconciled into a relationship with Him.
I am the prodigal son. Undeserving of His grace. Undeserving of His mercy. Eternally grateful for his lovingkindness.
I couldn’t figure out what to write today.
I wrote a bit about entrepreneurship, but it sounded angry and that’s not what I was going for, so I’ll circle back when I have more time.
I considered sharing a bit about my Praxis journey. I thought about sharing some of the things going through my head as I prepare for the arrival of my baby. All good things, and probably all worth writing about, but they didn’t seem right for tonight.
I couldn’t make a decision. So, I asked myself: What’s the most important thing for someone to know about me?
Solid question. I gave it some thought, and came up with this:
Jesus loves me.
That’s it.
The most important thing about me is that the God who created all things came down from His throne, took on human flesh, lived a perfect life, paid the debt for my sin on the cross, rose from the dead, and offered me the free gift of eternal life and reconciliation into relationship with Him. All because He loves me.
Funny enough, the most important thing about me, isn’t really about me. It’s about Him.
What’s even greater? I’m not the only one He did that for. He did it for you, too.
If you know Him, then you already know that. If you know Him but you’re feeling distant, this is your reminder of what He did for you.
If you don’t know Him, you can. Call out to him. He’s waiting for you to accept the offer.
I’ll leave you with this:
I was dead in my sins. Deceived by the counterfeit comforts that this world offers. Ensnared in the traps of a very real enemy.
Then Jesus set me free.
The most important thing for someone to know about me? Jesus loves me.
And He loves you too.
John Ciannello 