June 26, 2010 Rated R for Spiritual Warfare

I wouldn't want to see today's passages from Kings on the big screen!  Rated R for violence!!  Even with just a mental picture, it's hard to forget the gruesome end of Jezebel.  If you think God hates evil any less than He did back then, you're wrong.  We're still in a war against wickedness-- it just looks different right now, unless you're seeing with spiritual eyes.  I'm reminded of one of Jesus' parables, and a line quoted from it: "But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them-- bring them here and kill them in front of me." Luke 19:27  By the time you get to the end of the Bible, your understanding of Jesus will have expanded.

Make no mistake: we still are to be grieved over evil!  "Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols." Acts 17:16  And remember how he felt about the girl with the spirit of divination who was following them around?  He was irritated.  Did he kill the girl?  Of course not!  He cast the evil spirit out instead.  He knew the demon's time was coming.  God's purposes at present are to deliver all (who are willing to be delivered) from the grips of evil.  We are in the Age of Grace, and we have a different approach: mercy.  

Paul taught in one of his letters: "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." 2 Timothy 4:2  He demonstrated this in his address to the Athenians.  He talked with them, even though they had darkened minds and called him a babbler!  "Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there." Acts 17:17 NKJV  People were won to Christ through his discussions, but also he was persecuted.  It really does take longsuffering (patience).

Sometimes we forget how merciful God's ways are with us.  We get tired of hearing correction.  I'm happy to take my Father's chastening over having His fire break out against me!  I am thankful beyond words to Christ for taking my punishment-- my deserved gruesome death-- and extending God's heart of grace and mercy.  That IS God's heart, you know!  Why else did Christ die?  God's still killing off evil in me though, and in all of His Church.  The more we "reckon ourselves dead to sin" through the cross, the easier it is on us.  (see Romans 6-- this is deep and important doctrine here, and if you need help with it, please go to your pastor.)

A lot of "hellfire and brimstone" preaching has turned us off, perhaps because it was done without love.  We are to speak the truth in LOVE.  Is it truly love not to warn people that evil will finally be destroyed?  How can we truly preach the cross of salvation if we don't let people know that God hates evil!  The "world" is trying to make tolerant wimps out of all of us, trying to make us afraid of telling the truth (politically correct "tolerance" is not the same thing as God's grace and mercy!).

We are becoming, as a culture, much too concerned with our safety!  This alarms me!  If we are not willing to share the true Gospel of the Kingdom-- of the coming Righteous King and of salvation from evil, sin and death through Jesus Christ alone--because we're afraid of the "consequences," (we should be much more afraid of what God thinks) then we have already come under the influence of a Jezebel spirit (which is an anti-christ spirit).  And the future of that demonic spirit is parallel to the doom of said queen.

Today, the spiritual war is just as gruesome and bloody as it was in the Old Testament days.  I've personally witnessed what happens when a human being, given over to a Jezebel spirit, gets into a Christian assembly (church) and tries to take over.  It's ugly.  You want to get the person free if you can, but you have to get rid of the demonic infiltration.  You have to protect the sheep.  The warfare is difficult, painful and dangerous.  But Jesus Christ has already won!  Victory is assured (if we'll actually fight)! 

"The Kingdom of Christ" is the greatest epic ever!  [speaking figuratively here] I dare you to watch the Special Features and see what's happening "behind the scenes"!  I guarantee you'll take "wearing your armor" a lot more seriously.  But you will begin to realize how great it is to serve the King-- and you will never be a wimpy Christian again.

I pray that the spiritual eyes of the whole Body of Christ will be opened, and that we will seek Him for His strength and courage to do His will.  The eternal destiny of this generation is at stake.  Are we willing to lay down our lives for them?