Where Is Your Mind Set — Zac Poonen

Wholehearted Discipleship in a Time of Deception

Just like Jesus Warned as we approach the end of time We are going into a time of tremendous spiritual deception while the world is concerned about an economic recession. That's not the most serious thing That would affect a wholehearted disciple of Jesus Christ.

Because I'm not talking about those who just want to go to heaven and have accepted Christ. I'm talking about the only type of person Jesus Wanted to be a part of his church wholehearted Disciples of Jesus Christ who love God With all their heart all their soul and all their mind and who seek to love one another as Christ loved them and who seek to love their neighbors as they love themselves, that's a wholehearted disciple and We may not have achieved there.

But if that is our goal, we're really longing for it then you're a wholehearted disciple or a wholehearted disciple. Economic recession is never a problem because Jesus said that if you seek the kingdom of God first All the other earthly things we need will always be added to us.

Every wholehearted disciple and his family will always have enough for food on the table for a shelter over his head and Clothes to wear to educate his children. Everyone need not fear in the midst of the darkest times.

We live in Psalm 91. We don't have any fear of that. And when people are concerned about What's happening to their money, etc. I Think of an Old Testament story where they took the ark the Philistines took the ark of the Lord you read about in 1 Samuel and They placed it in front of their idol Dagon.

And we read in the morning That Dagon had fallen down and broken today. It's Mammon That's fallen down. Why should that disturb the worshipers of the true and living God if it does disturb you? You are a worshiper of Mammon.

That's pretty clear. But what should we should be concerned about in this time is deception. Deception spiritual deception, which is a rampant. There's more than one verse in Scripture, which says that in the last days, there's going to be a tremendous amount of Deceiving spirits that are going around.

Spiritual Deception and the Need to Study Scripture

Jesus when he went the disciples asked Jesus about what's the sign of the last days? The first thing he said was don't let anybody deceive you. The very first thing and he repeated that two or three times in Matthew 24.

Paul writes to Timothy saying in the last days the Holy Spirit expressly says that means he's underlined it. Saying that there were many deceiving spirits. We can wonder why a Loving Heavenly Father allows deceiving spirits to move around among Christians.

It is to sift the chaff from the wheat. That's the reason. Don't you use a sieve? Particularly the wheat you buy in the shops in India you gotta use a sieve and The rice and everything in to sift out.

Even the stones etc. It's a very useful thing. Deception is a seed it's a. It's something with which we sift out the rubbish. God preserves That which is good. So we need not fear if you're wholehearted.

But it's good for us to see clearly What the scripture says like I've repeatedly said in the last few days weeks. If you do not study the Bible You deserve to be deceived. If you do not study the scriptures in these last days, you deserve to be deceived because God's given us his book.

I mean, you can't say like people said six seven hundred years ago. We don't have a Bible in our home. That was true. Their printed Bibles became available in the last 500 years, but you got not only one version.

You've got many versions in your home. The question is whether we read it we ask the Holy Spirit to Show us the truth of God so This Sunday and the next three Sundays God willing I want to speak on the subject of turning the world upside down.

Turning the World Right Side Up

And that's a phrase found in Acts of the Apostles chapter 17. It's in the King James Version. It says in verse 6 these were words actually quoted by a lot of unbelievers in Thessalonica. When Paul came there and They were mainly Jewish people who had were in the synagogue and who were concerned that What Paul was preaching was so different from what they had heard in the synagogue for so many years.

Now the reason why this is interesting to read these encounters of Paul with Jewish people in the synagogues and the Acts of the Apostles Is because this is exactly how any true servant of God will Will find this is what he'll find in these last days when preaching in most churches the same type of reaction because like The Jews drifted away from the truth of God from Moses time in 1500 years Christians have also drifted away.

In fact, they drifted away pretty quickly in a hundred years. They drifted away as we read in Revelation 2 and 3, but the drift has been that there have been a few ups and downs in the last 500 years ago and 200 years ago, but gradually as we approach the end of time now.

It's really Christians have drifted away from the truth of God from the genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit. The genuine part of the Holy Spirit missed out the central things of the Christian faith and. So that's why it's interesting Paul's encounter in the synagogue that says in verse 2 of Acts 17 He as it was his custom He went for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the synagogue explaining giving evidence that The Messiah had to suffer and rise again and that Jesus whom I proclaim is your Messiah the one you're looking for and then they Some of them were convinced along with some God-fearing Greeks, but the Jews becoming jealous.

And that's happening today. Also Christians are jealous Whenever they see a ministry that draws people away To godliness from their own churches. They're not worried whether somebody's becoming more godly.

They are jealous because somebody's leaving their dead lifeless church. And these were people are jealous that their dead lifeless synagogue people were leaving and joining up with Paul Who was preaching the truth of God?

It's the same thing happening today, and they took along some wicked men from the marketplace. It's amazing how when Christians backslide and become jealous. They'll gang up with criminal lawyers and all types of people take people to court and do all types of things.

Many terrible things happen when you backslide and that's exactly what happened here they took along wicked went for the marketplace criminals gangsters and formed a mob imagine using these weapons to and think still thinking that they are doing God's work and they attacked the house of Jason who was One of those whom Paul had converted they were seeking to bring him out of the people when they did not find them find Paul and His team they began race dragging Jason out and some brothers and shouted.

These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also. Now even though that's an expression used by those unbelievers. I think it's very true. I mean these were Religious people and they found their whole religious system.

These were not ungodly heathen idol worshipers who were doing this. These were religious people who had the Bible of that time, which is the Old Testament and They couldn't understand this revelation.

Because they hadn't studied the Bible Paul was using the same Old Testament and showing them that Jesus was the Messiah. But they couldn't see it. Now I find the same thing with many Christians today when we show them something from Scripture and show it plainly.

There it is. They don't see it they don't see it because they love that tradition more than Scripture they love the honor of men more than the honor of God and anyone who seeks to please relatives friends pastors priests bishops Popes etc will never know the truth and Anyone who loves their inherited culture and tradition more than the Word of God will never know the truth.

They deserve to be deceived. Because they have placed something above God's Word. That tradition the opinions of men Culture or whatever it is, and I tell you a lot of us Indian Christians are guilty of placing Indian tradition in many many areas Above the truth of God's Word.

There's a verse in Psalm 138. I think it's verse 3 which says God has exalted His Word above all His name. Can you imagine something exalted above the name of God the Word of God and When you dishonor God's Word and put your tradition above that or culture or your opinions I think you deserve to be deceived.

I don't want to do that. But if you put God's Word on top You will find that your way of life is the opposite Of the way of life of the world. That's what I mean by turning the world upside down. Actually, not upside down but right side up.

Jesus as the Pattern of the New Creation

Because Jesus came into a world that had become upside down the day Adam sinned God created man to walk uprightly the Bible says that in the Old Testament the books of Moses says God created man to walk upright.

He didn't create man to walk upside down and Adam was created to walk upright. But spiritually the moment he sinned first of all by listening to his wife instead of stopping his wife he became upside down right there and His wife became upside down and they were two upside down people who produced upside down children and grandchildren and forever after and we have a whole world of millions and billions of people who are Born upside down live upside down in the midst of them came Jesus living upright different from.

It was a hundred and eighty degrees different from the way everybody else was living and he gathered together Apostles they gathered others Who were gripped by this truth? It was not just that Jesus died for their sins and the millions of people who believe that.

But that Jesus came to change our whole way of life. That's the meaning of repentance could be a turning about 180 degrees or Turning right side up. So what these people said that's not like I said was absolutely true.

They were turning the world upside down. The only way difference was that they were actually turning the world right side up. Making man once again live the way God originally intended him to so if you're interested in that you can listen and Of course our example is Jesus himself.

He was the one man the first man Who walked on this earth who in every area? Walked right side up there were a few people in the Old Testament. Like Moses Elijah John the Baptist a few godly men who were Somewhat opposite to the world, but not totally.

Jesus was the first person totally completely opposite to everything that this world stood for. And that's why he's the mediator of a new covenant and the beginner of a new creation. You know the real church, I don't mean everybody who attends Sunday morning church services.

I mean those who committed their life to Christ who married to Christ just like a Bride totally committed to a bridegroom who are keeping themselves pure. I'm talking about them their whole value system is Completely different their way of thinking is completely different from the way of the world and So it's good for us to compare our way of thinking our values With the values of the world to see for ourselves.

Whether the Holy Spirit has succeeded in turning us right side up because he won't force anybody. If you want to sort of come horizontal just 90 degrees he'll leave you there. But if you want to come all the way upright like Jesus He'll take you there, but always with your permission the Holy Spirit never does anything without your permission.

Freedom, Spiritual Authority, and the Holy Spirit

That's one thing about God that's one difference between God and the devil. You've often heard me say that you read in the Bible about the Holy Spirit filling people and demons possessing people. You never read about the Holy Spirit possessing people and you never read about demons filling people.

The devil doesn't fill people. He possesses them. The Holy Spirit never possesses people. He fills them and the fundamental difference is this That when a demon or a devil possesses somebody he controls him completely.

The question doesn't have any control over himself or herself. We were in a Conference last week where there was this demon possessed Girl who was Sitting quietly through the two hours of the conference as soon as the conference is over and we were all going gone out and sitting There she suddenly started rolling on the ground and screaming and all.

It wasn't her it was a demon she couldn't control it Completely and but when the demon was cast out then she was okay. Demons possess people they control them and Whenever you find something controlling you like that, that's not the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit gives you freedom. Whenever a pastor or a preacher tries to control you forcing you to give your money. That's demonic 100 demonic. I have no hesitation to say that it's ignorant godless men who try to control others.

A Godly man will give advice. But he will never tell people what to do. That's God's prerogative. The Bible says God is jealous for our spirit. That means he doesn't want anybody else to come between him and us.

Jesus is the one mediator between God and man. He doesn't want Mary or pastor or you or me or anybody else to come between him and one whom he purchased with his own blood one who is his bride and a godly man recognizes that.

I've often said to people listen. The source of power is God. It's like an electric power point. I'm only an extension cord. You know what an extension cord is if you can't reach the plug point yourself.

You put an extension cord and that passes the power, but there's no power in the extension cord, you know that. That's a true servant of God. He's only an extension cord and If the person plugs in only to him and the man himself is not plugged into God.

They're not gonna get anything. And these people who are plugged into this extension cord Should not remain plugged into the extension cord forever. It's only an Initial stage like little children, you know, we have to take care of them do everything for them, but we don't do that forever.

They should grow up and start doing things themselves. So we are plugged into an extension cord a servant of God who leads us to Christ. You should gradually come to the place where you plug into the socket yourself.

And then you can become an extension cord for somebody else. That's God's will. But anyone who makes you feel that he's the source of power. He's like that magician Simon in Samaria you read in Acts chapter 8.

Made himself known to people as a great power and all that. He was demon possessed, but he got baptized not converted. Pretended to say the right words fooled even the evangelist Philip. Yeah, sometimes non born-again people can fool believers.

I mean they can fool me too. They can't fool God and he got baptized. But when some time later Peter came along and exposed him and that's one thing we have seen in this church through many years. That people who come along after a while they get exposed.

Because if God is in our midst he's in the business of bringing more and more light and making people feel uncomfortable if they continue to live in their sin and The either they get offended and leave or they get converted and repent you can get converted so.

Counting All Things Loss for Christ

The message that the Apostles proclaimed and that we proclaim is that Jesus came to make us right side up in Philippians in chapter 3 let me show you another verse which refers to the same thing Philippians chapter 3 this is a wonderful passage.

I would encourage you to read this chapter very slowly because it gives us an inner a Look into the inner life of the Apostle Paul that made him the man he was. And I want to say dear brothers and sisters if you have these values.

Then only will you be able to turn the world upside down then only will your way of life Be a rebuke to a world that's got another standard. If you have the same values that Paul had where did Paul get it from.

He got it from Christ. Let me just show you a few things in Philippians 3. I don't have time to show everything but I want to say this verse 7. Whatever things were gained to me those things I counted lost the sake of Christ.

Everything that I once considered valuable I've thrown away. It's all rubbish. I've thrown it into the trash can. Because I found Christ my dear brothers and sisters. If your conversion was not like that you've started wrong.

I'm not saying you're not born again, but you're like these babies born at six months premature. Some of their body parts are not fully developed inside. They've got to be put in incubators and sometimes all their life they have to live with some type of Medicines and treatment and all because some foolish evangelist Pulled him out of the womb.

Before he was ready to be born. You see there's a period of preparation before a child is born and There's a period of preparation before a person is can be really born again. He's got to repent. He's got to turn from his selfish self-centered life to the measure in which he knows.

He's not done that if your conversion was not like this all the things in this world that were valuable for me. I've thrown it in the trash can. Because I found Christ. It's like a girl who has dumped all her old boyfriends.

Because she found at last the man she wanted to marry. I count everything as loss. I've suffered the loss of all things and count them verse 8 but rubbish. That's what I meant throw it in the trash can everything else everything.

And now I want to be found only in Christ. Paul spoke about being hidden in Christ, you know in such a way that you can't see Paul. It's like something you put inside a box and you can't see it anymore.

It's inside, but you don't see it. Paul wanted to be like that in Christ so that Holy Christ would be seen. And there's another little secret that I've discovered. In the world, there's a tremendous lust in people's hearts to be visible.

They want to be seen. They want to be known. They want to be recognized. They want to be honored. They want to be respected. They want everybody to know their name. They want everybody to know them if they do something they want good.

They want everybody to know that they are the ones who did it. If they pray they want people to know what men of prayer they are. They fast they want people to know they give something to God. They want people to know that's the world.

To turn the world upside down. It means that you want to be invisible. Like Jesus you would heal people and say don't tell anybody about it. Don't tell anyone. I'm so happy that you're healed. That's why he said I don't want people to know that.

I'm a great healer. I'm happy that you're healed man. Don't tell anybody about it. Just go home and rejoice that God did something for you so different from today's healers. Who when a fellow is not even healed properly.

They pull him in front of a microphone and tell him to give a testimony which they force him to give what and what can? The poor person stay on a stage except say I'm healed. He'd look a fool if he said anything else and the whole purpose is for the man to say.

You recognize what a man I am. So different from Paul. He's I want to be found in him. I Don't want any of my own righteousness to be seen or known. I don't want any of that. I want that which comes from God.

My aim in life is not to be a great apostle verse 10. My great aim in life is to know Jesus more and more. This is where you see today's Christianity is so different. Today's Christianity with his projects and his ministries and so many things which look so good.

We are good. But that like that old English proverb says the good is the enemy of the best. And here's the best that I may know him. The power of his resurrection in my inner life and. The fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death.

Rejoicing in Others and Rejecting Evil

Why suffering. Because when a man walks upright. In the midst of a world that is upside down he's going to Invoke the anger and jealousy of a lot of other people. I'll tell you this if you live for God.

God blesses you in such a way. God blesses you. God blesses your family. God takes care of your need and you're healthy and strong and God does so many wonderful things for you. And people around you are just waiting for calamity to hit you and it doesn't hit you and they're jealous.

Even Christians. Yeah, even Christians would be Christians in your own church. Who are not properly converted. I? Want to say this little guy my dear brother sister, please listen to me if you desire.

Even the slightest bit of evil for another person you're in fellowship with the devil. If you're happy. When some little bit of evil happened to somebody maybe somebody you don't like you are hand in hand with Satan.

Recognize that I don't get which church you go to. I don't care if you've been in this church 25 years. You're in hand in hand with Satan because you desire or you delight in. Some evil that happened to somebody else some sickness some something for some sad thing that happened to his children or something that and you're happy.

Dear me. What are you a Christian or a demon? Ask yourself wake up. Before you end up with all the other all the other friends in hell. It's serious. These are little ways in which God is showing you.

You haven't really repented. How do I know because God showed me that. Many years ago, but I found myself in the same. I'm not throwing stones at you. I myself found myself in that type of situation at certain times I was a little happy with something evil happened to somebody I didn't like and God said that's evil.

And I acknowledged it. I said Lord. That's a little bit of hell in my heart. I don't want it. I want all of my heart to be filled with heaven. I don't need one one little corner of hell or of the devil in any corner of me, please.

Take it seriously, even if you don't do it for the glory of God do it at least for your own good. That's second best. The best is to do it for the glory of God. Lord this dishonors you. I don't want to do it but if you don't do it for that motive at least do it for your own good and The good of your family and your children.

Rejoice When it goes well with others when it goes well with other people's children their family and their work and their business and everything else. And Grieve when it goes badly with others even if they are your enemies.

That is Christianity when Jesus saw a Soldier who had come to capture him and get somebody his ear chopped off and fallen on the ground the poor fellow screaming with pain Jesus. He wasn't delighted that fellow deserves it for coming to catch me.

No, he forgot about everything else and picked up that year from the ground and Fixed it back. Follow that example that is Christianity anything less than that is demonic and Don't hold hands with the devil because if you keep going like that you'll end up with him forever.

No matter what formula you repeated saying Jesus come into my heart. No matter how many hundreds of times you took part in the breaking of bread I guarantee you'll go to hell if you desire evil for other people.

I have no doubt about it. I can give it to you in writing. Because that is not God's nature to be born again means a turnaround so keep that in mind to know him and the fire of his resurrection the fellowship of his sufferings to be Different from the world and therefore the world Troubles us in many ways, but he says my goal is not what this world is seeking for verse 11.

My goal is to attain to the resurrection from the dead in order that I may attain to the resurrection of the dead. I Want to encourage you to read the Bible slowly. Let the Bible go through you more than you go through the Bible.

Think of this just for a moment. Slowly in Order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. To resurrection everybody's gonna be resurrected. But there's a resurrection of the righteous and resurrection of the wicked.

Jesus said only two and he says I want to attain to the right Resurrection. It's not only here. I'll show you another place where he said it. But what I want to point out is you say hey I thought I don't have to do anything to attain to the resurrection of the day 25 years ago.

I said Lord Jesus come to my heart. That's it. I've already attained to the resurrection of the dead. Which Bible do you have by the way, which version is that here? Is it every version is this in order that?

So that. What did he do so that I counted everything as rubbish or say that I may gain Christ. His commitment was total. He was not like these married women who fool around with 20 other men. That's what I'm saying, even you wouldn't respect a married woman who fooled around with 20 other men.

But Jesus doesn't either. If his bride is interested in a lot of things in the world other than him and which are contrary to him. If his bride is interested in watching movies that Jesus would never watch.

Watch television programs that Jesus would never watch. Read books that Jesus would never watch. Go after things that Jesus would never go after. Speak in a way that Jesus see they would never say in Jesus presence.

What type of bride is this? It's not a bride. It's a harlot. The Bible calls it James is one of those strong preachers in the Bible. He says in James 4 verse 4 onwards. Beloved brethren you adulterous is.

Brethren adulterous. I remember about 30. Five years ago when we started our church I spoke on this is not a new message brethren can be adulterous is and. Somebody got a bit disturbed and went to him and asked him.

What is that talking about believers living in adultery? That's right. Spiritual adultery is worse than physical adultery worse because in physical adultery you betray your husband and Spiritual adultery you betray Christ.

Which do you think is more serious both are bad, but which do you think is more serious if you see that. You will see how serious it is. You men as much as you want your wife to be faithful to you. Ask yourself Whether you're faithful to Jesus Christ whether you're Allowing yourself to be attracted.

What would you think if your wife is attracted to your neighbor? Or to somebody else. Some distant relative would you be happy about that? You think Jesus is happy with you when he sees you. Maybe you're not fooling around with maybe your wife's not fooling around.

But she's just attracted likes to talk. Maybe you're not actually living in sin, but you're attracted to that you want to go there. I believe Christendom has drifted far far, you know. When the world watches certain types of movies because they're upside down and you watch those same movies.

You're upside down to. What they value you value. What excites them excites you all those violence and all that type of stuff excites that it excites you too. Can you imagine Jesus sitting and watching excitedly all that violence and sex on the screen?

You're married to another Jesus brother sister. You probably will never hear that in any other church, but you hear it here. You are married to another Jesus not The Jesus of the scriptures. Bible speaks about another Jesus and Paul was so concerned that the Corinthian believers Who were born again baptized the Spirit and speaking in tongues and that all the gifts of the Spirit.

He said I fear That you guys are going after another Jesus. I Fear that you are receiving another spirit. Who do you say that to? He didn't say that to nominal Christians. There were hardly any nominal Christians in those early days.

These are people who said the magic formula Lord Jesus come into my heart. But they hadn't counted everything as lost for the sake of Christ. And those are the people, you know, who are the people who?

Fall over the edge of a cliff. Those are the people who are always walking near the edge of the cliff all the time. There are ones who one day to fall over. I Want to stay as far away from the world as possible when I walk and not to find out.

How much closer can I go to the edge of the cliff without falling off? How much closer can I go sometimes in question answer sessions young people ask this can I do this without being worldly? Can I do this?

Can I do this? That's not my question. My question is how far do I want it? How far can I stay away from that cliff? I don't want to fall over. I don't want to take a risk. It's an attitude of mine. You know, it's like a woman Who really is in love with another man?

But who got this arranged marriage. To somebody else, you know numerous cases like that in India. The poor woman's actually in madly in love with somebody else, but couldn't marry him. The parents are in the marriage to Mr. X.

And he stays with mr. X what to do society says you got to stay with him, but her heart is after that fellow and secretly. She'll phone him up and this is exactly The condition of many who say they are born again their marriage to Christ is an arranged marriage.

It's not a love marriage. Paul's was a love marriage. He didn't love anybody else. My my marriage to Christ is love marriage. I love him more than I love my wife. I've always done that for 41 years. I want to ask you If your marriage to Christ a love marriage or an arranged one because you want to go to heaven.

Or you want to escape hell? Paul's was total and why did he do this? I won't count everything as rubbish. I want to know him. I want to know the power of his resurrection. I want to know the fellowship of suffering.

It's so that one day I can attain to the resurrection from the dead. I Want to attain to the resurrection from the dead. I don't believe it's just by saying some magic formula. Lord Jesus has come to my heart.

I believe it's by a passionate devotion to him that one day he will come for his bride and He will gather those who were devoted to him. That's the type of wife you want to marry. That's the type the way you want your wife to be passionately devoted to you.

Christ is no different. He wants someone who's passionately devoted to him. And it will not fool around with the world. And he says I'm pursuing this. I haven't attained it. I haven't become perfect. He hasn't yet totally become like Christ, but he says Let us who are perfect according to the level of our conscience verse 13 have this attitude and Listen to this verse 15.

Sorry verse 15 in the middle if Here's a good prayer to pray if in anything Lord I Have a different attitude. Will you please reveal it to me Lord if in anything I? Have a different attitude, which I have not yet seen.

Please reveal it to me. I Pray that so often I say Lord is there is there anything in my life that's displeasing to you making you sad. Is there any area where I'm seeking my own still where I'm not upright.

I want to be. I'm not perfect, but I want to be. If you want to be that's fine, then you will get there. But if you don't even want to be and you're not even asking God to show you where you're not perfectly upright God will never show you.

I'll tell you one thing. God will definitely show you the truth about yourself if you have a passionate desire For it, and if you won't get offended. When he tells you I Remember a brother in this church came to me once and Said brother Zach.

I want you to give me a spiritual checkup. I said you really want it. I Said okay, I'll give it to you. You sure you want it. I said yes. And I gave it to him. In a few weeks he left the church. Why was that?

Why do you think he left? He got offended with the x-ray report. He got offended with the scan report. It wasn't what he expected. It's like that joke I heard about a man. Who said? The doctor said After seeing this x-ray that I had to go through a very expensive surgery.

But I since I didn't have enough money. He just touched up the x-ray and gave it back to me and say you're okay. Then I didn't have to go through surgery. You want that? That's sad, but that's exactly what many Christians are looking for some preacher who will touch up the x-ray and say you're okay, brother.

You're a wonderful brother. You're a wonderful sister. You're one of the best brothers and sisters in the church. Yeah. Pray to God and said Lord if you if I have a different attitude, please show it to me before it's too late.

Many times I've said this fervently to God. I said Lord don't give me any surprises when I see you face to face. Don't tell me that day about something you don't tell me right now if I'm deaf shout in my ear break my bones or wake me up if I'm You know carnal and not even knowing it speak to me at night in my dreams.

If I'm too busy during the day to listen to you, I want to know. And that's how God has shown me thing after thing after thing about myself. Not about other people. I'll tell you one thing everything that I preach Is what I've discovered in myself first.

Because in my flesh There dwells no good thing. And as I've discovered those no good things I've sought to cleanse myself. By the power of the Holy Spirit like it says in 2nd Corinthians 7 verse 1 Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh.

Don't ask the Lord to cleanse you cleanse ourselves. It's like I heard of a brother who once told the Lord Lord the devil's harassing me. Will you resist him and drive him away and The Lord told him no, I'm not supposed to do that.

You're supposed to do that. But the Bible says you resist the devil and he'll flee from you. You can't ask God to do what you're supposed to do. Then he wants God to do the obedience which you're supposed to do.