This is the first of a two-part serious posting; a solemn follow-up to my previous post on the power of a praying Ekklesia. And I want to begin by sharing a short essay that Glynda Lomax wrote in February of 2017. It is truly astounding how quickly her words have become our reality. Entitled, "My Children, Prepare for the War Coming to America", it is the perfect lead-in to what I want to say on the subject of warfare in the spiritual realms. Hear the voice of the Lord...
My children, prepare for the war that is coming to America. This will not be a war fought in other countries, but a war fought in your own streets. You will see many you know die before your eyes.
There is dissension brewing in the heart of America, and it will soon boil over. America, though greeted by smiles, also has many enemies. The combination of the two shall be her downfall.
My people are not ready for war, for they hesitate even at using the weapons I have left them in My Word. They are a people faint of heart, unaccustomed to seeing bloodshed, and not courageous for battle.
My people, do you not know I am a God of War? Do you not know I am coming back for the final battle against all evil? Why then do you shy away from the battle before you? Why are My churches filled with smiling imposters, who cannot even face their own sins? How do you plan to survive what is on its way to you? Do you think courage shall suddenly overtake you and you will be filled with faith?
My servant David did not learn faith and courage from doing nothing, but from battling the enemies he met on the way to where he was going. First the lion, then the bear, then the armies who came against Israel.
If you have no courage now, you will have no courage then, and you will fall to the hands of the enemy. Do not be foolish in believing otherwise.
What Glynda Lomax wrote three-and-a-half years ago describes where we are today. Generally, the American public is not ready for the dissension or the combat we see on our streets. We are not accustomed to seeing the bloodshed and the violence that our own citizens are perpetuating against each other. This nation suffered a horrendous Civil War just a little over a century and a half ago and the wounds are still being healed. The majority of us don't want to suffer through another one.
But we have enemies within our own borders who are supported and encouraged to rip apart the very fabric of our freedoms in order to subvert and overthrow the foundation of our fundamental rights and principles. The Constitution of the United States is the oldest constitution still in existence in the world, and both our physical and spiritual enemies must dismantle and destroy it to achieve their goals. The destruction of our form of government will make way for the anti-God trifecta of Communism/Socialism/Marxism that will allow Satan to begin his final push to capture the peoples of the world.
God is the only answer for us now! But we Christians don't even know His full nature! We only want to see God as Love because that allows us to continue with our comfortable and convenient lives without having to suit up for battle. So, we ignore the Scriptures that tell us [at His Second Coming] Jesus will pass judgment and wage war; dressed in a robe that is dipped in blood -- perhaps representative of His victory on the Cross, or the certainty of the defeat of His enemies. The troops of Heaven follow Him, and from His mouth will come a sharp sword that will strike the nations. He will tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath and indignation of God Almighty! The followers of the leaders and rulers of the world will meet the fate of their generals and captains, as they go down to a fiery defeat.
But as the Lord asks in Glynda Lomax's prophecy, "Why are My churches filled with smiling imposters, who cannot even face their own sins? How do you plan to survive what is on its way to you? Do you think courage shall suddenly overtake you and you will be filled with faith?" It is necessary that we train like David, who grew his courage and experience in warfare by engaging the Enemy. BUT THE CHURCH REFUSES TO ENGAGE IN BATTLE WITH THE ENEMY! Therefore, they are ignorant of his field of operations, or how to defeat him.
The Church is largely uneducated about the levels of heaven, the dimensions of the heavens, and the heavenly places. To be honest, the Bible isn't exactly clear in describing these territories. But it is essential, if we are going to be the Ekklesia, that we understand them and how to operate in them. And I will admit that it requires diligent and dedicated study to uncover the extent and scope of them -- and this blog post is inadequate to reveal all that I have discovered [and am still discovering]. But I will give you the essentials to begin your own study, and then I would recommend that you read Higher Dimensions, Parallel Dimensions, and the Spirit Realm by Dan Duval, along with the Book of Enoch, which was considered as Scripture [and still exists in the Orthodox Ethiopian canon] until about the 4th Century. Early Church father Tertullian wrote [circa 200] that it was rejected by the Jews because it contained prophecies pertaining to Christ as the Messiah. I do not propose that it be regarded as Canon, but it is a historical account of Enoch's experiences in the heavenly realms.
Down through the centuries our knowledge of who occupies the heavens and how spiritual warfare operates has been slowly eradicated from the Christian experience. Genesis tells us "in the beginning God created the heavens [plural] and the earth". Then Genesis 1:6-8 identifies the first heaven: "And God said, “Let there be an expanse [canopy] in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven". This is a description of the dimension and realm in which we live -- earth, sky, clouds, our atmosphere.
In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, the Apostle Paul reports, "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter." Paul was visiting the realm where God resides and rules!
Now, if there is a first heaven and a third heaven, it only makes sense that there is a second heaven, correct? Yet, the Bible never references it by that name. However, I want to present an argument that this realm is where the forces of evil develop their strategies against us here in the first heaven. And I will tell you that this, by itself, is a controversial statement among many in "the Church". They will argue that there is no distinct "chapter and verse" statement of this theology -- no logos Word or black ink on white paper -- and coupled with no direct mention of "second heaven", we must be careful of being deceived, because the Bible's canon is closed and God "has spoken".
That terminology is past tense -- does that mean He no longer speaks to us? What about the rhema Word, the supernatural revelation of Christ when we seek more of Him? That is the significance of Proverbs 25:2 ... "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out"! I assert that the manifestation of Satan and his crew's evil strategies is apparent on our streets today and I believe the Bible has a lot to say about second heaven; the spiritual realm where Satan and his fallen angels rule. We just have to be willing to "search it out" and believe that He still gives us divine revelation. And when we understand how these realms interact and the mechanics by which the warfare is conducted, it will go a long way towards instructing us Christians how to defeat the spiritual enemies who are openly attacking us today.
In Part 2 of this discourse, I will present a succession of scripture from Old Testament and New Testament -- from Daniel to Revelation -- in which the Bible shows us the truth of warfare in the Second Heaven, and gives us clues as to how we are to battle "in heavenly places" alongside the Lord and His angels. The God of the Bible is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, therefore His Word is for all seasons and all times. I will show you the weapons of war He makes available to us through His Word. And like David, I will encourage you to join me in battling our enemies as we walk along this way to where we are going -- from glory to glory in the service and army of the Lord. It is time that we throw off the shackles of Religion and complacency and follow the courageous warriors of the Bible. Our future as a nation, and survival as a people depends on it!
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.