Waging Spiritual War For Our Children

At the end of my last post, I promised to share my perspective on the spiritual battle we are in for our children. This includes the issues of abortion, gender identification, child trafficking, and the opioid crisis that is killing our children at an alarming rate. Understanding that not everyone in the world is a Believer, it may seem like an over-simplification, but it is imperative that mankind comprehends and accepts that not only does God exist, but that Satan is real; and that he employs a multitude of devices and forces, in his position as "god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4).  It is important that 1) we recognize it is our duty [as Christians] to fight against this Enemy; 2) the four important areas of his influence; and 3) we have a power stronger than his in which we can wage spiritual war.

But what is spiritual war all about and how do we wage it? At a very surface level, spiritual warfare requires that we understand who we are and why we are here. And that is going to take a level of mature faith that not every Christian possesses. How many Christians do you know that even acknowledge we are in a war against God's Enemy? If your faith is lukewarm and "surface only", then I doubt you will understand the deeper implications of what it is going to take to wage war in the spiritual realms. Have you digested the "meat" of Scriptural understanding of spiritual warfare, or are you still on "milk"? Only the mature Christian should expect to be equipped to engage in battle with the Enemy of God.

And being mature means you understand the cost of becoming part of God's Army on earth. When Jesus came the first time, He announced that the Kingdom of God had arrived, and in effect, declared war on Satan's kingdom on earth. As the disciples of Jesus spread the word that eternal salvation was available through faith in Jesus Christ and His defeat of Death on the Cross, the territory in people's lives that Satan claimed as part of his domain [through sin and evil] began to be reclaimed as conquered territory for the Kingdom of God. But Satan is not about to relinquish territory without a fight. He must prevent mankind from knowing who they are created to be, and to keep us from knowing the authority Jesus left His followers to engage in battle for our own lives and the lives of our children. And it will come with a price. It will cost us to serve His Kingdom, but the inheritance we have waiting in Heaven will be worth the time we devote to take back territory for God.

When we become a Believer, we are adopted as children of God. Satan's goal is not only to keep that from happening, but to employ all his forces to hinder our maturity and to cause doubt, unbelief, and confusion; to convince us to join him in killing our own children and supporting his lies about their God-given identities. But we can't even fight for our children if haven't overcome our own battlefields of the mind, flesh, and soul. That's the first line of defense for saving our children -- to understand who we are; who we are fighting; and recognizing the schemes of the Enemy so that we might receive the strategies of our Lord.

So, who are Satan's forces that are coming for our children? The Satanic kingdom is highly organized, and Satan is at the head of this kingdom; and there is a rank of ruling spirits under him that are subject to him and assigned over areas such as nations and cities. They are the entities Paul recognizes in Ephesians 6. The first in the rank of these ruling spirits are Principalities. We must grasp the reality that Satan, as the Enemy of God, can have a powerful effect on the leaders of nations, states and cities.  It is necessary that we realize that our spiritual warfare not only includes our individual lives, but communities, our nation, and the world!  This is not just some Biblical folklore, folks!  Principalities rule over Kings, and Presidents, State legislatures, and heads of world health organizations. They can all be leading at the behest of Satanic Principalities. And they derive their power from their spiritual leader, Satan. 

And Power is another rank of ruling spirits. Power implies "authority", and tells us that the demons Satan has placed over these various positions and territories have been given the power and authority to carry out whatever orders they've been assigned... Satan's orders that result in deception, control, and destruction.  "It's not a baby, it's just a clump of cells".... "My body, my choice".... "Some people are simply born in the wrong body.... "You do  not have to accept the gender you were assigned at birth"....  "One pill won't kill you".... "It won't happen to me". These are just some of the lies that Satan's Powers use in their spiritual warfare. And we must enlist God's warrior angels to fight alongside us as we renounce these lies and declare God's Truth: our children are divinely conceived by the Spirit of the Lord; our bodies are not our own, but are the Temple where God resides; God doesn't make mistakes when He creates us; and pharmaceuticals used to harm our bodies and souls are what the Bible calls sorcery. They will kill us when Satan uses them for his purposes.

Another of Satan's forces we face in our spiritual warfare are the Rulers of the Darkness of this World. But we need to embrace and believe the truth that when Jesus conquered Death [the Enemy's most powerful weapon against mankind], Satan became a defeated foe of our Lord.  The Devil is really just a trespasser in this world, and he has no legal rights over us Christians. Our debt has been paid by the Blood of Christ, and we belong to Him. So, if he's doomed to defeat, why does Satan still seek to rule this world, and why has he gained such success through his "rulers"? It is simple: neither the Church nor Believers have recognized or risen up in the power and authority given them. It's time that we use our spiritual weapons and strength, and take the offensive to the Enemy! But the Church and Believers have to recognize that this battle cannot be won politically or socially. God is bigger than politics and social convention! And if we don't start seeing Satan's agenda and strategies in these areas, then we will continue to find ourselves battling and losing ground. Just look at how fast the indoctrination of our youth into ungodly ideologies have happened in our lifetime! As their parents, we can present our case against our Adversary, the Devil, in the Courts of Heaven and ask God for His righteous judgment. If that is something that interests you, email me and I will send you my Courts of Heaven prayer that you can do in the Spirit.

I also want to mention the force known as Spiritual Wickedness in High Places. Obviously, the key here, is "wickedness".  In the Greek, that word means "depravity; malice; plots".  That can encompass all kinds of spiritual battles against not only abortion and gender identity in the lives of our children, but child pornography, the occult, "Black masses", or even a babysitter, teacher, or parent who has allowed a spirit of sexual perversion to rule their impulses. The point is that we have very real spiritual enemies coming after our children. They are the enemies of both God and man.  And while we Christians have the promise of victory in heaven, we still can be afflicted and tormented here on earth. The key to our victory in this realm is to use our authority as it has been given us. 

We must not bury our heads in the sand and think that the Enemy is not coming after our kids! Obviously we pray in the spirit with all power and authority given to us by Christ, and we commit the care of our own children and this generation to the protection of God. The power of our prayers can storm Heaven's gates as we team up with the Heavenly host to go forth in battle. Prayer is powerful, indeed, but we can do more! We can no longer tolerate ungodly Story Hours or inappropriate books on our public library shelves. We must stand and fight in both the physical and spiritual realms. We must boldly proclaim God's Truth of Revelation 20, that our Enemy has already been defeated and he will be thrown into the lake of fire and tormented forever and ever. We use that Truth to claim victory for our children and dispel the lies and half-truths of Satan and those in league with him. We ask for Divine guidance and to be shown the strategies of the Enemy, so that we might go in the spirit to erect spiritual barriers around our children to protect them from demonic influences, as well as seek holy counsel to tear down strongholds in the spiritual realms that control evil institutions and individuals that seek to do the devil's bidding in capturing our children. 

Finally, I want to leave you with this truth. Satan is absolutely terrified of who our children will become if they should know and follow God's call on their lives. That's why he has worked so hard to keep them from even being born. And if they are blessed to be welcomed into this world, his goal is to keep them separated from God. So, he attacks their self-worth and their unique gender identity. He infiltrates their social media influences, steals their innocence, prevents them from knowing their purpose in life by tempting them to sin [or be sinned against], and constructs false ideologies on the possession of money and worldly goods -- all designed to keep them from forming an intimate relationship with God. So, as parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles -- as a society -- we must affirm and lift up our children. We must become spiritual warriors and defenders of our children. We must battle in the spiritual realm [with our full spiritual armor on], and we must stand guard over their bodies, hearts, minds, and souls. But most of all, we must not underestimate the power we have been given to battle against a defeated foe. Do not believe his lies that it is too late -- do not become discouraged, disheartened, or disillusioned. This is the most important battle of our generation, and we have been equipped in both the physical and the spiritual realms for victory. Let us fight for our children so that they will no longer be victims of Satan's wicked agenda, but become warriors for God. And never forget that our Lord battles with us! 

#spiritualwarfare #warringforourchildren #thebattleforourchildren #warinthespiritualrealms

2 Corinthians 10:3-4    "For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.  For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds"   

Trust The Lord To Lead You In The Way You Should Go

I want to begin today by stating clearly that I know we Believers are destined for victory in our Lord. I believe that we are Overcomers with a glorious inheritance awaiting us in eternity. I believe that the hope we have through our faith will fortify our spirits and we will triumph over this world and dwell in the House of the Lord forever. But forgive me if I don't jump on the various prophecy trains that have predicted a world-wide revival, or "shifts in the spiritual atmosphere" that will restore our nation's prosperity and heal the corruption, perversion, and greed that pervades our land. It's not that I doubt that God can do all that, or that He still reveals warnings and messages of hope to His people on earth. I am just more likely to believe these "prophetic words" when they line up with Scripture. For me, that is the ultimate vetting process for the reliability of prophecy. As much as I want to believe these self-proclaimed prophecies are God's truth, and we will see them fulfilled, the track record of such prophetic voices is not very convincing to me. And Jesus's own account of the time before He returns doesn't promise such a rosy picture.

That is not to say, that I discount my God when He declares, "And in the last days it shall be that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams". And I certainly support pointing everyone to the saving grace of Christ and His triumph over evil! I praise those who share that message with the world! That message is the foundation of what I believe! But there are other messages that I find myself called to share, and it is those that I wish to address today.

I know that God has not anointed me as a prophet, [and I would never claim to be] yet I have had dreams that my spirit discerns are messages of His warnings, or I have received words of counsel and guidance from the Holy Spirit about something the Father wants me to comprehend. In my conversations with Him, answers are revealed that are beyond my carnal knowledge or understanding, and it is only through drawing closer to Him and seeking the mind of Christ that I can even hope to know His will in a matter. 

It is difficult to share all those insights with the Body of Christ because first of all, we live in an age of celebrity and "name recognition" -- even in the Church. I don't wish to seek that for myself. Any time I have stepped up to the podium to speak or teach on a subject that is relevant to Believers, my spirit cries out to hear from the Lord that it is truly His will. And I will admit that there have been some thorny issues that I was hesitant to introduce because I knew it would not align with the current messages of triumph, victory, and revival that people want to hear. And I know of others who encounter the same reticence in their spirit when contending whether to reveal the haunting dreams and visions they experience. 

So, I want to encourage those who are walking this private path; those who are not seeking the spotlight or the recognition ... I know what a lonely road it can seem. If I can speak on your behalf and from my own experience, I would say this: It's as if we are swimming against the current, yet we must be true to our spirit and we will not be persuaded to abandon our convictions. Our relationship with the Lord is so intimate; we know His voice and trust what He is telling us. We are unable to speak what itching ears want to hear, no matter what it costs us. It's not easy to speak God's Truth that He has entrusted to us because we know it's going to be unpopular and probably be criticized. But in these days, comfortable, soothing words will not prepare the lost [nor the Body of Christ] for what the Enemy has planned in his spiritual war to kill, steal, and destroy the world's hope.

So, if this describes you, I want to exhort you to stand strong and firm in your unique assignment for the Kingdom of God. Our names will not be remembered in the annals of history; books won't be written about us. Even our attempts at utilizing social media and technology for the Lord will fade away when what the Lord has shown us begins to take place. I don't think I'm all that special in the Lord's plans for revelation; and I'm sure I'm not the only one receiving these same warnings. I just know that I must discern the sometimes complex and puzzling clues He gives me, and when given the opportunity and the command to share them, I will be obedient. And I think God wants to do that with all His children. He wants us to be tuned in to His voice; to be confident in proclaiming His Truth, and to be steadfast in times of confusion and bewilderment. You are not alone if this post spoke to you today. And if you are among my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ, and find it unpleasant to hear my words of caution, please know that I have not abandoned my hope or victory in Christ -- it is because of my love for the Body of Christ that I cannot be silent. It is my prayer that we remain committed to the whole counsel of God and walk together in unity, harmony, and peace.

Isaiah 58:11   The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.

 

Christians: It's Time To Get Battle-Hardened!

 

Mario Murillo, a pastor who boldly proclaims the power of Christ to transform lives and heal every area of affliction, recently posted a blog article titled, You Are Now A Wartime Pastor. Aimed at ministers and church leadership, Mario exhorts his fellow pastors to get on the front lines of this spiritual battle that the Enemy has brought to us. He calls for Christian leaders to no longer shy away from the evil that has permeated our governing authorities, our schools, our health care system, technology, and nearly every sphere of influence over our lives.

Yes, it is about time that pastors lead their flocks in the manner God ordained the Israelites as they crossed into the Promised Land. It is time for pastors to command the people to prepare for the spiritual war that is upon us and to take back all that has been lost through compromise, complicity, and collusion. But I want to take it a step further. If your pastor is not leading and calling out evil where it plainly exists, what is holding you back? We may not all carry titles that organized religion recognizes and honors, but we all have the potential to be the shepherd boy, David, or a Joshua, or a Jael. And the truth is, that whether you want to admit it or not, we should all be on a war footing against Evil; and in a state of readiness for this spiritual war that portends the End Times. While most have been waiting for a God-sent hero to take the lead, or to follow someone clearly in charge of commanding a spiritual army, the Enemy has steadily moved the line of encroachment until our backs are against the wall. The time of waiting is over. We must each take our battle positions on that wall and declare that the battle is the Lord's and the God of Israel will triumph!

The Lord is [even now] speaking to many in dreams, visions, and words of knowledge, saying, "The time has come to stand and engage the Enemy! The time is near for the cataclysm -- the violent upheaval in the world that the Bible prophecies -- and everyone must be prepared to recognize what is coming on the earth! Will you simply stand and watch? Or will you serve Me, the Lord of the Universe,  and obey My voice?" 

To stick our heads in the sand, or to run away from the evidence that is before our eyes, is to deny what the Spirit is showing us. The nations are lining up for war. Famine and plagues are threatening to decimate vast populations. Even the elements of nature are warning that upheaval could be imminent; the La Palma volcano off the northwest coast of Africa is acting up, and should it erupt, 500 billion tons of rock will slide into the Atlantic Ocean, sending a 3000-foot wall of water careening across the ocean towards the United States and Europe, killing untold millions. And last but not least, Good has become evil and Evil is now called good. But the Lord will not abandon those in covenant with Him!

That's why it is important that we, who call ourselves followers of Jesus, realize that we must battle this spiritual war on two fronts. First, we battle from a position of spiritual protection, just as Psalm 91 instructs us. In the shadow of, and under the wings of the Most High and Almighty God, we battle from a place of protection and safekeeping; fighting in the confidence of one who trusts the Name of the Lord of Hosts to defend him. This is how the shepherd boy, David went into battle against the giant, Goliath.

But, we also battle from a position of God's power and authority in the physical. If we trust that the battle is His, we can be bold, even in the midst of our fears of what is coming. We can release ourselves to Him to be used for the advancement of His Kingdom here on earth, no matter what it looks like or what is required of us... because we know that it will be accomplished in HIS strength and power. He just needs men and women to work with [and through], and our agreement to be in covenant with Him to see His will done. We need not be afraid of the power of men on the earth; knowing that if God tells us to take that mountain, He will go before us and we will see our victory. We can defeat anything -- corrupt governments, empires, evil domains, demonic entities -- if we will just have faith and do not doubt. We can trust, as did King David, that God has trained our hands for war and our fingers for battle. He will stretch out His hand and fortify us because we know His Name.

But, as a watchman on the wall, I will tell you that now is the time to get settled in your spirit that this war is coming. Indeed, the opening salvos have been fired. Failing to respond is to hasten Satan's agenda, as written in the Bible. The Enemy's forces are on the battlefield and advancing rapidly. We know who wins in the End. But far too many Christians want to skip to the victory and are refusing to look at [or prepare for] the battle that precedes that glorious outcome. You can hope for an escape through the Rapture. But read the Good Book. I don't believe it says that! We will need to be Jesus's witnesses on the earth; proclaiming His Truth and renouncing the works and lies of Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet; always pointing the peoples and nations towards Jesus, the Messiah and Savior of the World. We will battle on the earth, alongside Jesus, and His Heavenly Host, taking part in the final battle before the Millennial Kingdom is ushered in. We have lots of work to do as the end of this Age unfolds, and we need to get battle-hardened.

Our nation just declared the end of a 20-year war in Afghanistan. The nation is weary of war. But the truth is, wars never end... they just mutate into a different name, plan and objective. That's the way Satan has been operating for the last two millennia. Our soldiers may be weary and disillusioned [with good reason], but they are battle-hardened; experienced in combat and effective at fighting. As spiritual soldiers, we cannot afford to get weary, and we sure better get focused on sharpening our skills at fighting in both the spiritual and physical theaters of this war with Satan. Let us not be blind to the battle we're in, and let us be ready and equipped to fight on all fronts. The Glory of the Lord will prevail!

Psalm 18:39-41   For You have encircled me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me [in defeat], And I silenced and destroyed those who hated me. They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—Even to the Lord [they cried], but He did not answer them.