Loosed in Heaven Lost on Earth: Our Authority over Satan

By Sharon R. Fernandez

The church is an extension of God's divine government that stands against Satan's kingdom.

The twenty-first century church must embrace its call to holiness and assert itself as the standard bearer of righteousness, hope, and unfailing love.

This book is a rebuke and a call to the saints to put on the armor of God and operate in divine power and authority

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781491798799

Sharon R. Fernandez

Sharon Fernandez is a sought-after Bible teacher and conference speaker. She earned a Doctorate of Ministry in Christian leadership and ministry. A Master of Divinity degree in spiritual renewal and practical theology and a master’s degree in human service counseling duly reflect Sharon’s diligent preparation to fulfill her goal of training the next generation of Christian ministers to lead effectively in a volatile society and problem-based church. At times, she travels extensively to speak at ordination ceremonies and leadership conferences. Sharon and her husband reside in Lorton, Virginia. She is mother to three adult children, who all reside in Dallas, Texas.

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Copyright © 2016 SharonFernandez, Dr.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-9880-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-9881-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-9879-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016909240

iUniverse rev. date: 07/26/2016

Contents

Dedication

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1   Recognize the Deepening Darkness

Chapter 2   Defining Spiritual Warfare

Chapter 3   Discerning Spiritual Warfare

Chapter 4   The Primal War in Heaven

Chapter 5   The War between Satan and the Seed

Chapter 6   The Present Battle

Chapter 7   The Coming Battle

Chapter 8   The Call of the Church

Chapter 9   Wearing the Armor of God

Chapter 10   Addressing Misconceptions about Spiritual Warfare

Conclusion

Afterword

Glossary of Terms

Recommended Reading

Bibliography

About the Author

DEDICATION

To the true servants of God who labor tirelessly in prayer and intercession for the church.

To those who suffer endless persecutions and harassment for the name of Jesus.

To my parents, the late Arthur and Ruddell Brown Sr., who taught me that the most important accomplishment in my life is to discover the truth about Christ for myself.

To Beverly and Marjorie for praying me through to the finish line.

To my husband, Jeff, for believing in me and always reminding me to save my work.

To Chris, Ashleigh, and Joseph, my three favorite children.

To my aunt Charlene and family in Oklahoma, who show me so much love.

To my siblings, Arthur, Darren, Ron, and Tasha, who help shape me into the person I am. I love you dearly.

To the special praying ministers in my life, Prophetess June Cornish, Elder Darlene Cornish, Pastor Carl and First Lady Andrea Singleton, Dr. Linda Canadiate-Gilchrist, Pastor Michelle Thomas, and Alicia.

To Dr. Evelyn Biles, who, despite caring for innumerable souls literally all over the world, makes time to share her precious wisdom and guidance with me. You have a significant role in my life.

For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, Peace and safety! then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

1 Thessalonians 5:2–6 (NKJV)

PREFACE

Loosed in Heaven Lost on Earth is the result of my quest for a research topic during the dissertation phase of my doctoral study in Christian leadership a few years ago. One of my instructors described the Doctor of Ministry program as a process similar to that of weaving. In this case, he explained that God pulls threads from the mosaic of events that have occurred in our lives and weaves them together into a single fabric that provides us a keener portrait of our spiritual identity.

My instructor was right. As I took the mental journey backward and forward in time to gain perspective of my life, my spiritual sketch finally took shape. It was both encouraging and discouraging at the same time. Like many other believers, I have faced a gamut of painful trials (including death) and temptations in this life. But I cannot say that I faced any of these struggles with the same sense of deep joy, honor, and victory that the apostles and other writers describe in the New Testament. The recall of my trials and temptations reflects a huge disparity between the paradigm of personal divine power and authority and the application of these gifts to my own struggles. I did not fully grasp the connection between the struggles I faced and my goal to live as a Christian in this world. Therefore, I set out to research a solution to address the constant conflict that characterizes the lives of those who follow Christ.

In essence, I studied the concept of spiritual warfare¹ and found that it resonates throughout the entire Bible. Spiritual warfare is the biblical depiction of the ongoing violence between the kingdom of God and Satan’s kingdom. It is also the divine method by which believers overcome the inevitable demonic and moral struggles motivated by Satan, the fallen world, and the cycle of sin. My research revealed that the twenty-first-century church is largely insensitive to the dynamics of the spiritual war that has robbed it of its significance. As a result, the church provides little in the way of practical training for a person to defeat satanic opposition and prosper in the faith. Because the church has also forsaken the divine principles and guidance found in scripture, it has lost the power and authority to stand against Satan’s power and abuse. Hence, the title of this book, Loosed in Heaven Lost on Earth.

Rejoicing in our suffering and persecutions for the sake of righteousness is the essence of our faith in Jesus Christ. In Philippians 1:21, the apostle Paul not only encourages the believers to demonstrate godly conduct in their suffering themselves but also even describes death itself as a win-win situation. On one hand, life in this world for Paul meant modeling his faith in Christ to encourage and train other believers to overcome spiritual opposition. On the other hand, he viewed death as equally advantageous, because for him it meant being with the Lord, whom he served diligently and with a sacred love. Paul demonstrated that believers not only possess a new identity in Christ but also have the responsibility to conquer sin and evil in their lives, the sin and evil that hinder the joy and spiritual freedom that accompany faith in Jesus Christ.

The intent for Loosed in Heaven Lost on Earth is fourfold: (1) to promote a biblical awareness of spiritual warfare, (2) to illuminate the lethargic spirit of the church, (3) to motivate Christian leaders to vigorously return to preaching the true gospel, and (4) to motivate the type of faith in Jesus Christ that produces miracles. This book is divided into ten chapters. The first three chapters draw attention to the increasing presence of demonic influence in our society. The next three chapters explore the historical, present, and future battles between Satan and Jesus. These chapters reveal that God’s divine authority and power is both the motivation and remedy for Satan’s attacks. The final chapters address the church’s call to recognize Satan’s evil operations and the supremacy of its power to defeat them.

I have selected certain scriptures and provided them throughout the text to strengthen my arguments about spiritual warfare and our authority and power to defeat evil. The biblical examples used reflect that the saints described in these texts never doubted that suffering and persecution are an intricate aspect of faith in Jesus and the legacy of the righteous. I used the New Kings James Version (NKJV) of the Bible as the source for all scripture that is quoted in this work. However, this book may be best understood using the version of the Bible most preferable to the reader.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As with any great undertaking, a team of people united in their goals to produce a work of quality is required.

To all those whom God has allowed me to lead, thank you for standing by me and cheering me on. And more than that, you bring credit to the kingdom and bless me more than you know by applying the Lord’s instructions to your life.

To those who attended the first seminar that I conducted on spiritual warfare and provided the feedback that helped strengthen my resolve to write this book.

To Candace and Darryl. You did all you could to motivate me to finish this book when I had yet to form even a few sentences. Thank you.

To Laurie Stephenson for your instant friendship and the excellent editorial service you provided.

To Fudy Designs for an awesome book cover!

Most of all, I thank Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who is my strong deliverer providing wisdom in every battle. To Him belong all the power, glory, and dominion now and forever.

INTRODUCTION

What’s wrong with people?

The church appears to be unaware of the reality of the spiritual war that is taking place in the world. Jesus commanded the church to go to the nations and teach them about the kingdom