I love a mystery, don't you? What I enjoy most about a mystery is finding out the solution. If there's only mystery, and no revelation, the thrill is lost and the only thing left is frustration! That's good news when it comes to the gospel! It's a mystery revealed: "the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints" "which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1: 26, 27b
I'm going to let the Holy Spirit speak to you about that, because it's such a packed statement it really takes the whole New Testament to unfold it! I felt, though, that I needed to be forthright in clearing up an apparent mystery as to why I have not kept up writing in Daily Manna. Be assured, I haven't back-slidden, and I'm still reading my One Year Bible, as I hope you are. I certainly hope my silence has not been a discouragement to you.
I have felt great pressure to "spew" while I've been reading the prophets-- everything I read is so vividly relevant to the present condition of our nation. But the Holy Spirit had not released me to speak what's been on my heart. Just because I have a daily blog does not mean I have permission to speak daily! This is a human expectation (mine included) that can cause pressure. Again I remind you, the designation "Daily Manna" refers to the daily reading of God's Word, not my daily words!!
The Lord has made it clear to me that I am under no compulsion to write daily; rather He has strongly gotten it across to me that I am NOT to do so, at least not now. I will, however, write when He tells me to. This will keep me from blowing off steam that is supposed to build and give me momentum to accomplish the things He has given me to do. It's a hard lesson to learn, for all of us, that just because we have something to say (referring here to something TRUE to say), doesn't mean we should always say it. The goal is to be like Christ, and He only did and said what He saw His Father doing and saying at any given time.
Scriptures are clear about what is wrong and what needs to be done about it. I hope you have been brave and have continued to sludge (if you felt that way) through the prophets' words of wrath and judgment, and that the Holy Spirit has revealed to you the things you needed to see and discuss with Him in prayer. I hope these passages have given you great impetus for intercession. I hope you were comforted and inspired by the many words of hope and pictures of Christ in Isaiah, as was I.
What I want to do today, dear brother or sister, is to encourage you and bless you. I do not curse my country as some people do, but neither do I wish to bless evil as some others do all the time. So what I will do is what I see my Father doing, and that is bless His people, His HOLY nation! Who is His holy nation, if not those who fear Him? Those whose hope of salvation is Christ the Lord. In His name I bless you! You ARE blessed because you belong to HIM! In Jesus Christ, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.
It is time to SEE the mountain of the Lord, His kingdom growing in the earth. It is time to run to the mountain! God is lifting up His banner of love-- even as the trumpet of battle is blowing-- lifting up His covering which is Christ's blood. Under this covering we are protected from God's wrath against evil. Yes, there is wrath. I feel it inside many times, and maybe you do too, against corruption, injustice and plain stupidity. There is a separation of light from darkness as the Spirit hovers, brooding over the earth. What He is forming in you is CHRIST! Not the world's lying definition of that, but Christ Himself, the Word of Truth. This is your hope of glory, the light shining out into the darkness. There will definitely be a separation-- not of church and state, as many are calling for, but a separation of the wicked from the righteous. The separation will be for judgment, because this world is judged. We are under the blood, if we are His. We are not appointed to wrath (this doesn't mean we don't get some discipline at times when we need it-- we are His children, the children of light.) Let's just make sure we are in Him. As the light rises in you, the darkness will flee from you as the dark of night flees from the rising of the dawn!
This is not a time for finger-pointing or blame, but time for serious consideration, and time for deep intercession. God can and does choose nations, when they submit to Him; He can revive our nation, making it again a "nation under God", but the people of the nation need to be revived! When I say revival, I mean taking hold of the kindgom of God. Nationwide repentance is needed: Repentance for desiring a king other than God. Repentance for trusting in government for provision and safety rather than trusting in the Lord. Repentance for running after and serving other gods. Repentance for the sacrifice of children to the evil spirits of old. Repentance for allowing the freedom that Christ bought for us, that we have fought so desperately to retain, to be traded in for slavery. There are many other things to be repented of, as the Word and Spirit will testify.
The Church must from the heart repent for its lack of discernment and from hiding from her duties: "These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” him the people will curse; nations will abhor him. But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them." Proverbs 24: 23-25
As citizens of an earthly nation, we must come before God to repent for the sins of our nation; as citizens of Heaven, we must call our earthly nation to come under the blood of Christ and be reconciled to God. Then, as citizens of both Earth and of Heaven, when it's time, we must get out and vote as the Holy Spirit, Scripture and conscience direct.
There is no more time for excuses or laziness. Let the Sun rise in you and enlighten the darkness!
"For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." Colossians 1: 19-20
Questions to ponder:
What parts of the Word have been a mystery to you? Have you asked God to reveal them to you? What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you lately?
What influences have you come under in your life that have stolen the freedom you have in Christ? Are you a slave to anything right now, other than Christ? Do you know how to get free?
How much do you value your freedom? Are you willing to fight for it?
What enemies do you see that want to destroy your freedom? What part of the battle is physical, and what part is spiritual?
Showing posts with label spiritual warfare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual warfare. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
July 15, 2010 When Kings Go Out To Battle
What jumped out at me today was a phrase I'd noticed before, but never thought to wonder about: in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle.(1 Chronicles 20:1). I wondered what the spiritual significance of this was, and I asked the Lord about it. I was expecting to read about David's affair with Bathsheba, since the same phrase was used in that story. I looked it up: it is 2 Samuel 11:1, but this was a different account of David. In both accounts, it says that Joab went out against Ammon and besieged Rabbah, but that David stayed in Jerusalem in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle. Whether both accounts are the same period of time, I do not know. It is not in the boundaries of this devotional that I do external research. I will leave this mystery for later, and you can go study it for yourself if you wish.
One thing is clear, there are seasons when we should be battling the enemy, and if we're not, then we'll surely end up devastated. Going from historical ignorance here, but not spiritual ignorance, I'd say it is quite possible that this was one particular time period in David's life. It seems, from the way he took and wore the defeated king's crown instead of dedicating the gold to the Lord-- as he had always done before-- that he was falling into pride. When we're prosperous and feel powerful and undefeatable, luxury and a feeling of complacency certainly have a way of leading us away from humility and hard work and into pride and laziness. "Let other people do it; this is my due."
In our reading, although there is great time-compression in this chronicle, it is revealing to see what happened over the census David decided to do. Pride again seems to be the open door here for the sinful choice he made. "Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel." 1 Chroncles 21:1 The consequences for this were devastating, and God's judgment brought David to a place of humility again. Pride and not fearing the Lord go hand in hand. Pride is iniquity of the spirit, and it was Satan's downfall, remember-- he is particularly attuned to it and empowered by it.
In our individual lives, pride opens the door for the devil to steal, kill and destroy. Resisting the devil requires submitting to God, and that requires humility. (James 4:7) Humility is one of the best of our weapons of warfare. In a nation's life, pride in the hearts of those in leadership (government) opens the door for satanic attack, and also God's judgment-- which falls on the people the government was supposed to bless and protect. Rather than lash out in anger, it is wise for the people in a nation to humble themselves and pray for their leadership. I've been convicted many times of not doing this seriously enough. What I read in the Word today gives me strong incentive.
I still want more revelation about the time kings go out to battle. It was in the spring. To me that says it's the time when things that have already been planted and established are beginning to bud (spiritual or natural, and it's a different time for everyone). That means that another harvest is on its way, and each harvest should be greater than the last (for a natural example-- a harvest from an apple orchard). Satan wants to keep us and our life efforts from bearing any fruit; if there's something established in our life that he hasn't been able to destoy, he's going to want to keep the harvest from happening: "nip it in the bud." Every spring, it's the same. The bully wants to create a famine for us if he can. If we're proud and lazy-- or simply don't have a clue -- we'll lose the fruit of our labors. This was to be our provision, our offering to the Lord, and a blessing to the poor.
You know spring is a reality, therefore you need to understand the season and go out to battle. The person who has the initiative can take the high ground, or choose the most strategic battlefront. Why wait for the devil to barge in and take what's yours (by the blessing of God and the work of your hands)? You know he's just going to keep doing the same thing until he realizes it's futile. So don't be proud, lazy or stupid! Pick up your Sword and go out against him.
One thing is clear, there are seasons when we should be battling the enemy, and if we're not, then we'll surely end up devastated. Going from historical ignorance here, but not spiritual ignorance, I'd say it is quite possible that this was one particular time period in David's life. It seems, from the way he took and wore the defeated king's crown instead of dedicating the gold to the Lord-- as he had always done before-- that he was falling into pride. When we're prosperous and feel powerful and undefeatable, luxury and a feeling of complacency certainly have a way of leading us away from humility and hard work and into pride and laziness. "Let other people do it; this is my due."
In our reading, although there is great time-compression in this chronicle, it is revealing to see what happened over the census David decided to do. Pride again seems to be the open door here for the sinful choice he made. "Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel." 1 Chroncles 21:1 The consequences for this were devastating, and God's judgment brought David to a place of humility again. Pride and not fearing the Lord go hand in hand. Pride is iniquity of the spirit, and it was Satan's downfall, remember-- he is particularly attuned to it and empowered by it.
In our individual lives, pride opens the door for the devil to steal, kill and destroy. Resisting the devil requires submitting to God, and that requires humility. (James 4:7) Humility is one of the best of our weapons of warfare. In a nation's life, pride in the hearts of those in leadership (government) opens the door for satanic attack, and also God's judgment-- which falls on the people the government was supposed to bless and protect. Rather than lash out in anger, it is wise for the people in a nation to humble themselves and pray for their leadership. I've been convicted many times of not doing this seriously enough. What I read in the Word today gives me strong incentive.
I still want more revelation about the time kings go out to battle. It was in the spring. To me that says it's the time when things that have already been planted and established are beginning to bud (spiritual or natural, and it's a different time for everyone). That means that another harvest is on its way, and each harvest should be greater than the last (for a natural example-- a harvest from an apple orchard). Satan wants to keep us and our life efforts from bearing any fruit; if there's something established in our life that he hasn't been able to destoy, he's going to want to keep the harvest from happening: "nip it in the bud." Every spring, it's the same. The bully wants to create a famine for us if he can. If we're proud and lazy-- or simply don't have a clue -- we'll lose the fruit of our labors. This was to be our provision, our offering to the Lord, and a blessing to the poor.
You know spring is a reality, therefore you need to understand the season and go out to battle. The person who has the initiative can take the high ground, or choose the most strategic battlefront. Why wait for the devil to barge in and take what's yours (by the blessing of God and the work of your hands)? You know he's just going to keep doing the same thing until he realizes it's futile. So don't be proud, lazy or stupid! Pick up your Sword and go out against him.
Monday, July 5, 2010
July 5, 2010 Strengthening The Spiritual Immune System
Psalm 3 showed up at a good time for me; it must have been on Paul's mind too when 40 men had vowed to kill him. I don't have people vowing to kill me, (that I know of), but all it takes is one to throw a spiritual javelin at you and take you out (if you don't have your shield of faith up). When an angry person shows up at my door with no good intentions, I have to be reminded that it's "not against flesh and blood" that we fight against, but against "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12, KJV and NKJV combined).
When we're threatened in any way, we tend to go into our natural "fight or flight" reaction, don't we? I haven't overcome that yet, and I'm not sure we're supposed to. The best thing to do, I think, is to train ourselves to "fly" to God, and then, if we're going to have to fight, we'll do it in His strength and wisdom, and inside His protective shield. I would like to be found in Him to the point where I'm invulnerable to enemy penetration, and always have the Spirit-led response to an attack-- but unfortunately I'm not always where I should be at every given moment.
God uses any attacks from the evil one (and yes, they often come through people who allow themselves to be used) to show us our weak places, or wrong states of being. He heals us right up when we go to Him, so it's not the end of the world when we take a hit. However, when we're not in the place of safety, we are at risk unnecessarily. We waste time when we're knocked out for a while. And the devil plays dirty and likes to kick us when we're down.
One of the worse things about getting wounded by a spiritual attack is that we tend to further injure ourselves with our unhealthy habitual responses to pain. I do better than I used to, but I have to admit I still tend to fall into fleshly "self-medicating" when I am deeply hurt. Our spiritual enemy studies how to hit us where he knows we're vulnerable: we advertise our vulnerabilities all the time, don't we? Most of us have trouble facing what "open books" we are to all who care to observe. Someone who hates you and wants to hurt you will go right for the jugular! All he has to do, then, is watch our behavior afterward to know the attack was effective. He doesn't have to do anything more, knowing we'll finish off the destruction all by ourselves.
I've learned that I will recover much more slowly from a spiritual attack, and even end up getting sick, sometimes depressed, when I take refuge in fleshly things. I thought the Proverb today was such an appropriate reminder: "The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit? The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge." Proverbs 18:14-15 If our response to spiritual attack isn't to immediately seek out the Lord-- His word, His comfort, His healing and His wisdom-- we will lower our physical and our spiritual immune systems, becoming even that more vulnerable to whatever would like to destroy us. Even our own weaknesses, then-- things we may have begun to have some victory in-- become greater enemies. The world's lies have more access into us if we take refuge in worldly media when we are down. Do you see why it is so important to go to the Lord first of all, no matter how we feel--even if we are angry with Him for some reason?
My immune systems are pretty strong right now, because I've been spending time in the Word, and I'm generally in a place of closeness with the Lord. But I can still clearly remember times when I was not. I don't want to get there again! I can see the enemy would like to break my spirit so that I will succumb to sickness and sin and not be able to recover. I am grateful to be shown that I am not where I need to be, and that I can improve my level of immunity. I hope my experience, and these Scriptures today, will encourage you to stay close to the Lord, and run to Him first whenever you are challenged. He is your shield, your defender, your sustenance, and the One who lifts your head.
Extra credit: If the devil shows contempt for Christ by trying to thwart His purposes of redemption, can we be witnesses of the Gospel and gain great personal victories over the devil by overcoming sin, sickness and emotional disorders? See Isaiah 53, Psalm 103, Luke 4:18, 2 Corinthians10:5
When we're threatened in any way, we tend to go into our natural "fight or flight" reaction, don't we? I haven't overcome that yet, and I'm not sure we're supposed to. The best thing to do, I think, is to train ourselves to "fly" to God, and then, if we're going to have to fight, we'll do it in His strength and wisdom, and inside His protective shield. I would like to be found in Him to the point where I'm invulnerable to enemy penetration, and always have the Spirit-led response to an attack-- but unfortunately I'm not always where I should be at every given moment.
God uses any attacks from the evil one (and yes, they often come through people who allow themselves to be used) to show us our weak places, or wrong states of being. He heals us right up when we go to Him, so it's not the end of the world when we take a hit. However, when we're not in the place of safety, we are at risk unnecessarily. We waste time when we're knocked out for a while. And the devil plays dirty and likes to kick us when we're down.
One of the worse things about getting wounded by a spiritual attack is that we tend to further injure ourselves with our unhealthy habitual responses to pain. I do better than I used to, but I have to admit I still tend to fall into fleshly "self-medicating" when I am deeply hurt. Our spiritual enemy studies how to hit us where he knows we're vulnerable: we advertise our vulnerabilities all the time, don't we? Most of us have trouble facing what "open books" we are to all who care to observe. Someone who hates you and wants to hurt you will go right for the jugular! All he has to do, then, is watch our behavior afterward to know the attack was effective. He doesn't have to do anything more, knowing we'll finish off the destruction all by ourselves.
I've learned that I will recover much more slowly from a spiritual attack, and even end up getting sick, sometimes depressed, when I take refuge in fleshly things. I thought the Proverb today was such an appropriate reminder: "The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit? The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge." Proverbs 18:14-15 If our response to spiritual attack isn't to immediately seek out the Lord-- His word, His comfort, His healing and His wisdom-- we will lower our physical and our spiritual immune systems, becoming even that more vulnerable to whatever would like to destroy us. Even our own weaknesses, then-- things we may have begun to have some victory in-- become greater enemies. The world's lies have more access into us if we take refuge in worldly media when we are down. Do you see why it is so important to go to the Lord first of all, no matter how we feel--even if we are angry with Him for some reason?
My immune systems are pretty strong right now, because I've been spending time in the Word, and I'm generally in a place of closeness with the Lord. But I can still clearly remember times when I was not. I don't want to get there again! I can see the enemy would like to break my spirit so that I will succumb to sickness and sin and not be able to recover. I am grateful to be shown that I am not where I need to be, and that I can improve my level of immunity. I hope my experience, and these Scriptures today, will encourage you to stay close to the Lord, and run to Him first whenever you are challenged. He is your shield, your defender, your sustenance, and the One who lifts your head.
Extra credit: If the devil shows contempt for Christ by trying to thwart His purposes of redemption, can we be witnesses of the Gospel and gain great personal victories over the devil by overcoming sin, sickness and emotional disorders? See Isaiah 53, Psalm 103, Luke 4:18, 2 Corinthians10:5
Saturday, June 26, 2010
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?
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?
Friday, June 18, 2010
June 18, 2010 Persecution and Ministering Angels
There are two parallels with the Old and New Testament readings today that stood out to me: 1) the activity of a major demonic spirit, and 2) the activity of ministering angels from God. We call this particular evil spirit "Jezebel", after the queen who allowed it to control her. I see the same evil spirit working in Herod as well, as the evil spirit can work through men as well as women. It seems here that it tries especially to control the person in charge. Keep your eyes open for the workings of this devious spirit, as it is very active at this time in history.
One of the marked traits of the Jezebelian spirit is persecuting and killing the prophets of God (and anything to do with prophetic ministry). It's always good to see the end of a road so as to decide whether we want to be on it or not. Personally, I wouldn't want to be following the same path as a Jezebel spirit, even in a small way. Since we're in the last days, and we've been told that God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh and that there would be a lot of prophesying going on (Joel 2: 28-32), I think we should be careful not to be party to an evil spirit who would wish to stop this. It's also good to beware of counterfeits: but if you know the Spirit of Truth, it's pretty easy to spot something that's not Him.
Even though I'm not excited about going through more persecution (although Jesus did say it was coming), I am very much looking forward to seeing more angelic activity (God's ministering angels). As we see in today's passages, when the persecution level goes up, so does the level of angelic ministry. I've personally experienced some angelic ministrations, although I have not "seen" the angels (with my natural eyes). I would certainly like to be aware of more.
If you're not used to (or don't like to be) thinking about supernatural things, you might want to ask the Lord to change your viewpoint. You might find this kind of help to be very much needful in the future. Probably none of us would be alive today if it weren't for the help and protection of God's angels. I'm grateful indeed for a God Who loves us so much that He created a multitude of powerful and holy beings who are willing to serve Him and us! And in God's mercy, He didn't allow Satan, and the other rebellious angels, to run around on Earth without making sure that God's loyal and powerful angels were right there to help us always have the victory.
P.S. I'm reminded of Rick Joyner's little book, When God Walked The Earth-- and I'm wondering how an angel might feel if they were not allowed to save someone, such as James, who was called to be martyred and was killed for the sake of the Gospel. They would then minister a different kind of grace.
One of the marked traits of the Jezebelian spirit is persecuting and killing the prophets of God (and anything to do with prophetic ministry). It's always good to see the end of a road so as to decide whether we want to be on it or not. Personally, I wouldn't want to be following the same path as a Jezebel spirit, even in a small way. Since we're in the last days, and we've been told that God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh and that there would be a lot of prophesying going on (Joel 2: 28-32), I think we should be careful not to be party to an evil spirit who would wish to stop this. It's also good to beware of counterfeits: but if you know the Spirit of Truth, it's pretty easy to spot something that's not Him.
Even though I'm not excited about going through more persecution (although Jesus did say it was coming), I am very much looking forward to seeing more angelic activity (God's ministering angels). As we see in today's passages, when the persecution level goes up, so does the level of angelic ministry. I've personally experienced some angelic ministrations, although I have not "seen" the angels (with my natural eyes). I would certainly like to be aware of more.
If you're not used to (or don't like to be) thinking about supernatural things, you might want to ask the Lord to change your viewpoint. You might find this kind of help to be very much needful in the future. Probably none of us would be alive today if it weren't for the help and protection of God's angels. I'm grateful indeed for a God Who loves us so much that He created a multitude of powerful and holy beings who are willing to serve Him and us! And in God's mercy, He didn't allow Satan, and the other rebellious angels, to run around on Earth without making sure that God's loyal and powerful angels were right there to help us always have the victory.
P.S. I'm reminded of Rick Joyner's little book, When God Walked The Earth-- and I'm wondering how an angel might feel if they were not allowed to save someone, such as James, who was called to be martyred and was killed for the sake of the Gospel. They would then minister a different kind of grace.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
April 27, 2010
What do you do if somebody mocks you? I don't mean just playing, I'm mean really. They're trash-talking you-- really belittling you, and maybe by implication, God. I haven't had a person do this to me in a long time, but the devil tries to do it in my thoughts sometimes. What do you do?
When Jesus was mocked, He didn't reply. He didn't get angry or mock back. He didn't fight them off when they put a crown of thorns on his head, mocking him. He certainly didn't do what Gideon did! Jesus, while dealing with the people, was silent, except to offer forgiveness, even as He died on the cross. He didn't try to prove himself, defend himself, or take revenge.
On the other hand, with d'devil, it was different. Jesus totally trounced Satan, breaking into his domain, and taking from him the keys of hell and death! We don't know what Jesus said to Satan then, but He would never engage in prideful mockery; perhaps He warned Satan of his future imprisonment, and his eventual destruction. For once, Satan was probably speechless! I still don't think he's gotten over Jesus rising from the dead.
Follow Jesus' example when dealing with mocking people. When dealing with the devil, do what Gideon did (in a spiritual sense). Be aggressive when the devil mocks you and tries to steal your confidence in God. (You have to watch out for the lies after you have a great victory. Beware!) Don't listen to anything the devil has to say-- just say no! Fight him with the Word-- what Jesus has said and done-- and that will be like torturing the devil with thorns; then tear down his stronghold.
When Jesus was mocked, He didn't reply. He didn't get angry or mock back. He didn't fight them off when they put a crown of thorns on his head, mocking him. He certainly didn't do what Gideon did! Jesus, while dealing with the people, was silent, except to offer forgiveness, even as He died on the cross. He didn't try to prove himself, defend himself, or take revenge.
On the other hand, with d'devil, it was different. Jesus totally trounced Satan, breaking into his domain, and taking from him the keys of hell and death! We don't know what Jesus said to Satan then, but He would never engage in prideful mockery; perhaps He warned Satan of his future imprisonment, and his eventual destruction. For once, Satan was probably speechless! I still don't think he's gotten over Jesus rising from the dead.
Follow Jesus' example when dealing with mocking people. When dealing with the devil, do what Gideon did (in a spiritual sense). Be aggressive when the devil mocks you and tries to steal your confidence in God. (You have to watch out for the lies after you have a great victory. Beware!) Don't listen to anything the devil has to say-- just say no! Fight him with the Word-- what Jesus has said and done-- and that will be like torturing the devil with thorns; then tear down his stronghold.
Monday, April 26, 2010
April 26, 2010
Empowerment: that is the word that comes to me through the readings today, and yesterday's too (I'm sure you've noticed, I'm not writing on Sundays). I see the theme of God rising up through His faithful people to come against evil and oppression. "For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth." Psalm 96:13 Yes, Jesus is coming again as the Righteous Judge and King! Come quickly, Lord! In the meantime, He does call people to rise up and lead people to fight against wickedness, as we see in Gideon, and yesterday, in Deborah.
I often wonder how often the Church is responsible for what goes on in the world. How many times is it our turning away from God that allows evil to work, and how often is it our prayerlessness and lack of vigilance that allows evil to continue? Righteouness and judgment are part of God's nature. How does that affect us? Whenever the Israelites started serving other gods, they got overrun and oppressed by enemies. When they called out to God in repentance, they were given judges to help them overcome. You never know-- you might end up to be a Deborah or a Gideon whom the Lord might call and empower to fight evil. And like Jael, you might be a stay-at-home mom who the Lord uses to fight evil, right there in her own home!
It is so significant that Gideon's revelation of God was Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is Peace. Did it ever occur to you that Jesus, always knowing what was in people's hearts and what would happen, told the disciples to bring swords so that He could teach them (even while He was being arrested) that God's battles are not fought with human strength, and that we must seek His strategies. Peter's lack of internal peace caused him to act impulsively out of fear and anger, cutting off a servant's ear. Without this on-the-field training, he could have become the next anti-Roman revolutionary. [A bonus spiritual insight: if we speak, even the Word of God, impulsively and without a love motivation and the leading of the Spirit, we can wound people and hinder them from being able to hear God's voice for themselves].
I've noticed two particular extremes of thought and behavior: 1) activists who want to take on every evil they see, and seem to do it passionately and with every means possible, righteous or not; and 2) "separatists" who want to think only of our future in heaven and who don't pay any attention to what is going on here. I really don't see the leading of the Spirit too much in either of these stances. The way I see it, if you're stuck in a "program", it's the program leading you, not the Lord. Our mindset needs to be: know the Lord and do what He says.
I'm not trying to get into a debate about war here, and I'm not answering questions about whether nations should go to war or not. What I'm talking about is individuals and their response to God. I'm talking about spiritual warfare, not natural. It should be clear, by now, that the Israel in the Old Testament was a living parable about spiritual things. God's not telling you to take a tent peg and hammer it through somebody's temple! He's not telling you to bomb an abortion clinic or to assassinate someone. But that doesn't mean we're supposed to sit around and do nothing. "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" Luke 18: 7-8
Jesus went to the cross because mankind needed to be delivered from the power of darkness. He now sits on the right hand of God, in power and authority. Satan is defeated, and yet, he seems to be running rampant in the world. What to do? What to do?
I don't claim to have answers for everything. I know that there are end-time things that are happening, absolutes that have been prophesied and cannot be changed. Satan will be allowed to do things, and we won't be given power to stop him, not until the Lord comes back and we fight Satan together. However, one thing I know: we, each and every Christian, have been given authority to put an end to all demonic activity and oppression in our own life. If every Christian alive on earth never allowed Satan to do anything in their own areas of dominion, starting first and foremost in their own mind, what would this do on Earth?
This is one goal of mine, after being led at all times by the Spirit of Truth, and that is not to give the devil a single opportunity. If every Christian walked free, as Christ means for us to do, the level of freedom in each of our nations would rise as well. If we desire to fight spiritual wickedness in high places-- principalities and powers that have a hold over many areas of influence, people and nations-- we must first win on the personal front.
Gideon was not expecting the visitation he received. Gideon had never been to war as far as I know-- he was a farm-boy. Yet the angel of the Lord greeted him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior." Gideon saw himself, in the natural, as a weak nobody. But he could apparently hear God, and maybe he was an intercessor. "Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel."
Do you think of yourself as weak, or a nobody? God sees you differently! If you have received Christ and are born-again, then you have the Spirit of God in you! You have the Word, the Sword of the Spirit! Jesus, the King, is mighty in you! Your next battlefield is whatever comes up in your life that fights against the Truth! God has called you to be an overcomer. And whatever you overcome in your own life will be what God can work through you in to deliver others. No need to use a fleece. You've got more than Gideon did: you've got a new nature, and the internal leading of the Spirit! Go in this might of yours and conquer!
I often wonder how often the Church is responsible for what goes on in the world. How many times is it our turning away from God that allows evil to work, and how often is it our prayerlessness and lack of vigilance that allows evil to continue? Righteouness and judgment are part of God's nature. How does that affect us? Whenever the Israelites started serving other gods, they got overrun and oppressed by enemies. When they called out to God in repentance, they were given judges to help them overcome. You never know-- you might end up to be a Deborah or a Gideon whom the Lord might call and empower to fight evil. And like Jael, you might be a stay-at-home mom who the Lord uses to fight evil, right there in her own home!
It is so significant that Gideon's revelation of God was Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is Peace. Did it ever occur to you that Jesus, always knowing what was in people's hearts and what would happen, told the disciples to bring swords so that He could teach them (even while He was being arrested) that God's battles are not fought with human strength, and that we must seek His strategies. Peter's lack of internal peace caused him to act impulsively out of fear and anger, cutting off a servant's ear. Without this on-the-field training, he could have become the next anti-Roman revolutionary. [A bonus spiritual insight: if we speak, even the Word of God, impulsively and without a love motivation and the leading of the Spirit, we can wound people and hinder them from being able to hear God's voice for themselves].
I've noticed two particular extremes of thought and behavior: 1) activists who want to take on every evil they see, and seem to do it passionately and with every means possible, righteous or not; and 2) "separatists" who want to think only of our future in heaven and who don't pay any attention to what is going on here. I really don't see the leading of the Spirit too much in either of these stances. The way I see it, if you're stuck in a "program", it's the program leading you, not the Lord. Our mindset needs to be: know the Lord and do what He says.
I'm not trying to get into a debate about war here, and I'm not answering questions about whether nations should go to war or not. What I'm talking about is individuals and their response to God. I'm talking about spiritual warfare, not natural. It should be clear, by now, that the Israel in the Old Testament was a living parable about spiritual things. God's not telling you to take a tent peg and hammer it through somebody's temple! He's not telling you to bomb an abortion clinic or to assassinate someone. But that doesn't mean we're supposed to sit around and do nothing. "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" Luke 18: 7-8
Jesus went to the cross because mankind needed to be delivered from the power of darkness. He now sits on the right hand of God, in power and authority. Satan is defeated, and yet, he seems to be running rampant in the world. What to do? What to do?
I don't claim to have answers for everything. I know that there are end-time things that are happening, absolutes that have been prophesied and cannot be changed. Satan will be allowed to do things, and we won't be given power to stop him, not until the Lord comes back and we fight Satan together. However, one thing I know: we, each and every Christian, have been given authority to put an end to all demonic activity and oppression in our own life. If every Christian alive on earth never allowed Satan to do anything in their own areas of dominion, starting first and foremost in their own mind, what would this do on Earth?
This is one goal of mine, after being led at all times by the Spirit of Truth, and that is not to give the devil a single opportunity. If every Christian walked free, as Christ means for us to do, the level of freedom in each of our nations would rise as well. If we desire to fight spiritual wickedness in high places-- principalities and powers that have a hold over many areas of influence, people and nations-- we must first win on the personal front.
Gideon was not expecting the visitation he received. Gideon had never been to war as far as I know-- he was a farm-boy. Yet the angel of the Lord greeted him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior." Gideon saw himself, in the natural, as a weak nobody. But he could apparently hear God, and maybe he was an intercessor. "Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel."
Do you think of yourself as weak, or a nobody? God sees you differently! If you have received Christ and are born-again, then you have the Spirit of God in you! You have the Word, the Sword of the Spirit! Jesus, the King, is mighty in you! Your next battlefield is whatever comes up in your life that fights against the Truth! God has called you to be an overcomer. And whatever you overcome in your own life will be what God can work through you in to deliver others. No need to use a fleece. You've got more than Gideon did: you've got a new nature, and the internal leading of the Spirit! Go in this might of yours and conquer!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
April 13, 2010
Strategy: that's the theme that came forward to me today. Joshua had God's strategy to defeat Ai. The strategy he used in that battle is also a strategy the devil uses to try and get us into a place he can attack us from behind. Good thing we have God's glory as our rear guard. He's covered me many a time when I was being stupid. And it's good to know our friends are covering our backs too!
I think Ai was being pretty stupid to leave the city undefended! We should never use past experience as a guide for creating a strategic plan! God changes His strategies often. In case you haven't noticed, Satan isn't that flexible. He keeps using the same tactics that worked before, until he suffers a major rout, and then he might change something. God may have given me an overall strategic plan for accomplishing something, but if I don't "inquire of the Lord" on a daily basis, I can miss His input that would have given me the advantage. The idea that a day ahead of us is just routine, and launching out on autopilot, is a good way to get tripped up on something, even a basically stupid something!
There are many different battlefields we deal with every day, such as "the world, the flesh and the devil." If we're not careful to uphold the victories we have already gained, we can fall down on something we've neglected while we're charging ahead after a "biggie". It's not always the battles we're focused on, but the ones we're not paying attention to, that creep up on us from behind, that take us out. Keep your guard up: that's different than building up walls of defensiveness.
As an example, I charged into this year with a strong desire to dig into the Word and proclaim the Lord in the areas of influence the Lord has given me. I knew that He wanted me to have an emphasis on relating more to others, and not just being studious or creative all by myself at home. That desire was from the Lord, and He's been with me. But I quickly found that all the interaction and outward focus was distracting me from prayer. I'm not going to continue being effective if my prayer life is extinct! In the past, the times I've been most caught up in alone time with the Lord, in prayer and worship, have been the times I neglected to reach out to others. So, God's strategy for me this year is to learn to keep a balance of intimate times with Him and connecting with others. I'm thankful that the Lord has brought some actively praying saints in my path to keep me reminded on that particular front!
Practicing the art of being led by the Spirit, moment to moment, has always been key for keeping me on the narrow way. That narrow way has always seemed like a balancing act to me, especially since I'm not naturally balanced. On each side of the way are ditches, to use Rick Joyner's phrase. For me, it's easy to tell if I'm off. One side is a ditch called anxiety, and the other side is a ditch called depression. I get anxious if I spend too much time focused outward, and depressed if I spend too much time alone. The narrow way is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, and that's Kingdom!
Not only are we walking, or not walking, on the narrow way, but each of us is in a spiritual war, like it or not. We might as well have our armor on, and have God's strategic plan and tactical directions so that we can daily experience the victory Christ has already won for us.
What other strategies did you see in the Scriptures today? I saw some in the Luke and in the Psalm, and didn't even get to those. Let us know what you find!
I think Ai was being pretty stupid to leave the city undefended! We should never use past experience as a guide for creating a strategic plan! God changes His strategies often. In case you haven't noticed, Satan isn't that flexible. He keeps using the same tactics that worked before, until he suffers a major rout, and then he might change something. God may have given me an overall strategic plan for accomplishing something, but if I don't "inquire of the Lord" on a daily basis, I can miss His input that would have given me the advantage. The idea that a day ahead of us is just routine, and launching out on autopilot, is a good way to get tripped up on something, even a basically stupid something!
There are many different battlefields we deal with every day, such as "the world, the flesh and the devil." If we're not careful to uphold the victories we have already gained, we can fall down on something we've neglected while we're charging ahead after a "biggie". It's not always the battles we're focused on, but the ones we're not paying attention to, that creep up on us from behind, that take us out. Keep your guard up: that's different than building up walls of defensiveness.
As an example, I charged into this year with a strong desire to dig into the Word and proclaim the Lord in the areas of influence the Lord has given me. I knew that He wanted me to have an emphasis on relating more to others, and not just being studious or creative all by myself at home. That desire was from the Lord, and He's been with me. But I quickly found that all the interaction and outward focus was distracting me from prayer. I'm not going to continue being effective if my prayer life is extinct! In the past, the times I've been most caught up in alone time with the Lord, in prayer and worship, have been the times I neglected to reach out to others. So, God's strategy for me this year is to learn to keep a balance of intimate times with Him and connecting with others. I'm thankful that the Lord has brought some actively praying saints in my path to keep me reminded on that particular front!
Practicing the art of being led by the Spirit, moment to moment, has always been key for keeping me on the narrow way. That narrow way has always seemed like a balancing act to me, especially since I'm not naturally balanced. On each side of the way are ditches, to use Rick Joyner's phrase. For me, it's easy to tell if I'm off. One side is a ditch called anxiety, and the other side is a ditch called depression. I get anxious if I spend too much time focused outward, and depressed if I spend too much time alone. The narrow way is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, and that's Kingdom!
Not only are we walking, or not walking, on the narrow way, but each of us is in a spiritual war, like it or not. We might as well have our armor on, and have God's strategic plan and tactical directions so that we can daily experience the victory Christ has already won for us.
What other strategies did you see in the Scriptures today? I saw some in the Luke and in the Psalm, and didn't even get to those. Let us know what you find!
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