Never Be Afraid To Trust An Unknown Future To A Known God

 

You will understand the image for this post as you read further into it, but first, I want to explain the title.  It is a quote from Corrie Ten Boom, the celebrated Dutch Holocaust survivor whose story is one of courage and steadfast faith in the midst of hell on earth, which was the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. She, along with Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the martyred German pastor during Hitler's reign of terror, are my heroes of faith, and both proved the strength of their unfaltering faith less than ten years before I was born. I think we tend to relegate such abhorrent evil to the distant past, but if we looked with spiritual eyes, we would see that evil never really retreats. It simply hides for awhile and reinvents itself in a new way.

After the instability in our nation over the last few years, I understand the trepidation and tension that the populace is feeling. And I especially sense the anxiousness among Christians. Would it astound you to know that the advocacy group, Open Doors, reported this past week that "there was a 60% increase over the previous year in the number of Christians killed [worldwide] for their faith." Most of this persecution is happening in Africa and North Korea, but who is naive enough to think that Jesus's prophecy that we will be hated by all on account of His Name does not pertain to us in the US as well?

I am blessed to be in the company of strong women of faith, and it has been interesting to discover that, at this present time, some of us are experiencing God's silence. Don't get me wrong, I know He's present with me, but I find myself in a "waiting mode"; waiting for revelation about what the future holds. There is no fear, mind you, and actually I have experienced a sense of peace, but also this unfamiliar silence had me on the edge of my spiritual seat [and praying], impatient for a word or thought to give me direction. And then I had this incredible dream that I believe answered my prayer....

I am leisurely walking along a path, with a guide, and enjoying walking in the woods. We come to a juncture where there is a road on my right that descends at a gradual slope, and the woods on my left that continue upwards at a moderate climb. Obviously, the road on the right is the easiest method of travel, and I remark to my guide that we could arrive at our destination by taking either route, so why not go to the right? But he persuades me that the option on our left is the preferred course of action. As we begin the gentle climb, I have a sense of apprehension [but not fear] and question him if taking this route won't result in possibly meeting bears. He answers that it is definitely a possibility, but there's no need to be afraid.

At that moment, I look farther up this sloping hill and see a huge bear that then catches our scent. He starts ambling towards us, and though not acting aggressive, I have a healthy respect for his power and size and do not want to engage with him. My guide, in a calm voice, instructs me to get on the back side of a huge oak tree and as the bear circles the tree, I just keep moving around the tree, staying out of its grasp. Eventually, he gets bored and moves on. As I come out from behind the tree, I again look at the top of the hill, and see a gigantic lion, who upon seeing me, roars and charges. I don't have time to be afraid, and soon find myself knocked to the ground.

The lion is clearly intent on killing me, and I am kicking as hard as I can as he tries to bite my feet and render me helpless. All of a sudden I remember that I have a pistol for protection on my right hip. I pull it and fire four shots into his brain and the attack is stopped. This entire time, I am aware that the guide is still there with me, but seems to be watching and assessing how I am handling this attack, ready to jump in if I need him. And then I woke up.

It was one of those dreams when you know it is more than the result of eating a bowl of ice cream before you went to bed. I knew it was spiritual and I knew it was for my benefit. God wasn't silent anymore, and I needed to figure out what He was telling me. I knew right away that the "guide" in my dream was the Holy Spirit, sent to "guide my steps and guide me into all Truth". I knew the bear was a threat, and a natural enemy, but I was able to stay hidden and outmaneuver him. The lion, on the other hand, was aggressive and quite intent on killing me, or at least rendering my walk with God more difficult. I knew the dream was revealing something about the here and now, and my place in the present as a representative of God and His Kingdom. But how to unravel the mystery of it?

What did the bear represent? How about the lion? He was obviously not the Lion of the tribe of Judah because he was trying to kill me! Then I discerned 1Peter 5:8, which says our adversary, the devil, is "like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour". That certainly fit the scenario in my dream. And then I wondered if there was a connection to Babylon's King Belshazzar and his vision of the four beasts, with the bear and lion being two of them. Did that have any significance? Both represented empires, with the bear often interpreted as Russia. So, in my dream, the bear is a threat, but at this point, not aggressive. The lion in Belshazzar's dream was the empire of Babylon; ruthless and strong. The ancient Babylon certainly fits that description, but so does the daughter of Babylon in the End Times, as depicted in Revelation 18. It's hard not to read that chapter and recognize our own empire, and especially the city of New York. But there was more for me to see as I meditated on this powerful dream...

The next thing that struck me was that I was conscious of the guide being the Holy Spirit, but I was surprised that I didn't call out for Jesus to help me. After careful thought and waiting to hear from the Lord, I discerned that I was able to act out of my own power and authority, given to me by Christ in Luke 10:19 ... I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.  Of course, I was not on my own; the Holy Spirit was my guide in defeating the schemes of the bear and lion. 

But there was even more to be revealed from a friend, who the morning after I had a conversation with her about this dream, opened her Bible to study and just happened to be in 1 Samuel 17, and here is what verses 34-37 say: But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,  I went out after it and attacked it and rescued the lamb from its mouth; and when it rose up against me, I seized it by its whiskers and struck and killed it.  Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted and defied the armies of the living God.”  David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”  This was no accident, but what did the future King David's exploits have to do with me and my dream?

Both my friend and I were amazed at how the Lord shows us things we are not expecting! She said she knew it wasn't a coincidence that she was reading that particular passage after just hearing about my dream. She asked the Lord what He was showing her. This is what she said the Lord explained to her ... That my assignment is to protect God's flock by speaking, teaching, and writing the Truth, with the help of the Holy Spirit, who leads me into all truth. Furthermore, the dream reveals that I am fighting against the pagan gods and power structures in this age, with the sins of our nation representing the resurgence of the spiritual Babylon. And the last sentence in the Daniel passage held special meaning; "Go, and may the Lord be with you". I am not to sit idle, waiting for Jesus to come rescue me, but as I go, I know He is with me. I have no need to cry out in fear for His help, because His power and authority already reside in me and I have to learn to trust my abilities in fulfilling my assignments here on earth.

And that is what I pray for each of you reading this post today. We live in a time that requires supernatural spiritual discernment. We cannot look to the world for our survival or our identity. We must gird ourselves with the spirit and truth of Almighty God. My friend blessed me and my husband by praying that we receive an increased anointing upon us for the assignments that God has given us, and an increased ability to see beyond the veil of earth into the heavenly sanctuary where we meet face-to-face with God. I invite you to receive this blessing, too. She prayed for us to experience an increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. We are all going to need that to navigate whatever changes are coming upon the world. And I will tell you that He can be trusted; He is reliable and a great comfort in times such as this. He joins with Jesus in interceding for us before the Father, and He is our advocate in all things. 

I do not have all the answers, but my Holy Guide does as He leads me in the ways of my Savior and King, Yeshua HaMashiach. I will not be afraid as I traverse this unknown and uncertain future, because my King and my God are known to me! It is my prayer [and my assignment] that I will boldly speak of Him and share that He is the Light in this dark world. Let all the earth know of His power and His Kingdom and His glory that is soon to come. Let our Hope in Him never wane, for He is he Prince of Peace and our Stronghold! Praise Him, for He is worthy to be praised, and we will be saved from our enemies!

Isaiah 30:21    And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

 

 

Warfare In The Spiritual Realms - Part 2

In the previous post I presented my theological position on spiritual warfare in "the heavenly places", and today I wish to take a more in-depth look at what our responsibilities are as followers of Christ and members of the Ekklesia. 

So, I will begin by stating that I operate in this life by a Biblical worldview; in other words, the truth of who the Bible says I am, and whom I serve, is the foundation of how I live and what I say and do. That includes my understanding of the topic today. In the light of spiritual warfare, I also want to re-establish that the Bible speaks of the First Heaven as the realm where we exist; the earth, sky, atmosphere, etc. The Third Heaven is the place where God and Jesus dwell and where they sit on their thrones. It is their domain/Kingdom and the seat of their government. Since there is a First and Third Heaven, we must assume that there is a Second Heaven. Although not specifically mentioned in Scripture, there are many indirect references to it as the place where Satan and his demons exist and exert their influence over cities, nations, the Church, and anything or anyone who restricts the kingdom of darkness. One such reference is Ephesians 2:1-2, which says, And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince (Satan) of the power of the air (the realm of Second Heaven), the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Since Scripture makes it clear that Satan has been expelled from Heaven for his disobedience and mutiny against God, it is apparent that Paul is talking about his influence in the Second Heaven when the apostle says in 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. Paul is making it clear that we aren't battling with flesh and blood human beings on the earth, but rather with "spiritual forces of wickedness" in "heavenly" places. Those "places" include both the First Heaven and Second Heaven. Since we find no Scripture that says Satan lives on the earth, how are we to understand how Satan can afflict us in both of these "heavenly places? We must move beyond our Western mindset [which is based on Greek (rational) thinking], and begin to comprehend the mindset of the Bible. 

We begin by grasping that there are hierarchies of demons that follow Satan. It will help if you can understand that demons are "disembodied spirits of the deceased Nephilim", who were the offspring of Fallen Angels mating with human women [noted in Genesis 6:1-4]. Since these ungodly offspring are derived from immortal heavenly beings, they cannot be destroyed completely. Neither can they return to Heaven, as is the case with our spirits. Therefore, these spirits are cursed with remaining on earth to wreak havoc in the lives of humans, causing torment and oppression. These are the "ground level" demons on earth that operate in anger, bitterness, guilt, shame, hatred, rejection, etc. -- and keep the sons and daughters of God from living in freedom.

But as Ephesians 6:12 shows us, there are higher levels of demons; namely, rulers, powers, world forces, and spiritual forces. Included in these designations are fallen angelic powers such as the "Prince of Persia" and the "Prince of Greece". They fought against the angel who was responding to the prayers of the prophet Daniel in Daniel 10:20. The archangel Michael, who is the "Prince of Israel", fought alongside this angel [sent to Daniel] so that this heavenly being could let Daniel know that his prayers had been heard, and that he came bearing a vision of what the future held for God's chosen people. This passage describes the battles that rage in the Second Heaven between the angelic forces of Heaven and those who owe their allegiance to Satan. Just like with Daniel, many times the earthbound demons receive instruction from higher-level, "cosmic" demons and work with them to attack and obstruct our assignments to take back the dominion of the earth that God originally gave us in Genesis 1:26-31.

That is a very short and abbreviated explanation that attempts to explain the spiritual layout of the Heavens, who occupies them, and the opposing forces loyal to God and Satan. So how are we to operate in this dynamic? What are our duties and responsibilities, and how far do they extend? What exactly has our Lord commissioned us to do, and what power and authority have we been given to wage spiritual war?

Sadly, "the Church" in 21st Century America has very knowledge, and let's face it ... tolerance ... for this discussion. Once the Lord revealed [to me] these higher truths of the spiritual dimensions and the activities that go on there to obstruct the Body of Christ from knowing their true identity, I have only met opposition from within the religious structure of the Church. And that only serves to allow Satan and his followers to continue their war against the Kingdom of God on earth. It is important that we take off our "religious glasses" and see the Kingdom and our position in God's army come into focus. That first requires that we know the power and authority that Jesus has given us.

If you are familiar with Luke 10:19, then you know that Jesus says, Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. It is important -- no, I believe vitally important -- that we understand that Jesus is referring to power and authority we have in the world; in the realm of the First Heaven. The reason I believe this is because He repeatedly instructs His Disciples and us [as subsequent followers], to "cast out demons" as part of exercising our power and authority in the commission He has given us. Note this exhortation from our Lord in Matthew 10:1, And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. When Jesus walked the earth as a human, He cast demons out of afflicted human beings on the earth, and healed human disease and sickness, and instructed His followers to do the same. These are the demons that are earthbound and "ground level", NOT the higher level rank and file demons that exist in the Second Heaven.

Furthermore, what is known as "The Great Commission" in Matthew and Mark, supports this argument. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus says, All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you;. This assignment is obviously to be carried out on the earth, NOT in the Second Heaven. They are to make disciples of nations, baptizing people, and teaching people on earth to do what He commanded them, which was to cast out demons and heal the sick and raise the dead; all earthly activities. 

Mark 16:17-18 also supports this thesis: And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Again, these are all evidence of the power and authority the followers of Jesus have been given to minister on the earth. NOTE: Do your own research on what Jesus meant when He talked about picking up serpents and drinking poison. His listeners would have understood these idioms that He used.

This understanding of our power and authority in the First Heaven [to defeat the schemes of Satan] must necessarily lead us to ask the question, "Do we have power and authority to wage war in the Second Heaven"? Remember, this is where the demons of high administrative rank and great authority reside; and they are in full obedience to Satan who resides in this realm. This is my understanding, and as always, I advise you to do your own research and seek the counsel of the Lord and Holy Spirit. But I have discerned through study and experience that the way we battle in this realm is through mighty and fervent prayer. Satan has assigned high level demons (principalities, powers, rulers, etc.) to conduct warfare against cities, governments, nations, organizations, and yes, even individuals who stand in his way of dominating the earth. James 5:16 clearly emphasizes this principle: Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. Jesus also proclaims this truth in Mark 9:29 : And He said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” I believe Jesus distinguishes the higher ranking of that demon by calling the attention of His Disciples to the fact that "this kind" requires more than just casting out because it is a higher level demon.

Unless we are specifically commanded by the Lord, we do not engage in Second Heaven warfare. That is the domain where God's mighty angelic army battles the high-ranking demonic army of Satan. We were given dominion (authority and power) "over the earth" in our Genesis 1:26 mandate, not the Second Heaven. And that is all the more reason that we endeavor to comply with "everything Jesus commands us to do" in Matthew 28 -- cast out demons, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers (the spiritually and physically unclean); raise the dead, and spread the Good News of the Kingdom... that God's heavenly government has once again been re-established on the earth where there are to be no demonic torment, no sickness nor disease, and no death -- if we step into our identity and power and authority!  As the followers of Christ, we are called to "do the things that He has done, and even greater" (John 14:12). That involves keen discernment and proper training and instruction. The Disciples spent three years at the foot of the Master to learn their assignments. Don't you think we should spend considerable time learning from those who are successful in this sphere and whose obedience is pleasing to God? 

We, the Body of Christ, must rise up in our commission; battle in the First Heaven; doing what Jesus did; and fervently praying into the Second Heaven war so that God can put our cries into action on His behalf. He has invested SO much into us, His creation, and He desires that we work with Him to bring about the final defeat of Satan and his hordes. Do not be afraid! Increase your knowledge and training! Be wise and courageous! Stay in your lane! Fulfill what is written in your pages in the Book of Life! And most importantly, remember that the victory has already been won, and WE WILL PREVAIL!

Romans 8:31     What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?   

    

  

A Word From The Lord: Be Strong and Confident and Courageous!

 

Those words were actually spoken to Joshua by the Lord before he was commanded to cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land given to the Israelites .... Be strong and confident and courageous! Joshua receives the promise that God will not fail or abandon him. And remember, Joshua had spied out the land, so he knew what was waiting for him. And I believe there is a lesson for all of us who know the magnitude of what is facing us as a nation and as individuals. As Americans in the 21st Century, we see the potential for chaos, lawlessness, and anarchy that lies before us; and we have never been here before. As Christians, we discern the spiritual battles and judgment that are looming over us; and again, we have never been here before. Our physical and spiritual lives have been pretty undemanding and painless until now ... and the rapid changes have left us stunned.

And I want to primarily speak to my fellow Believers today, although what I have to say applies to secular friends, too. I know that many of you struggle with the idea of "prepping" or "training" for a future event that would require us to store up supplies or to defend ourselves. We modern Christians have adopted a belief system that tells us that we are to rely on the Lord for all our needs. While this precept is true in many aspects, it does not represent the fullness of our relationship with God. Yes, God does promise us protection and deliverance, but it may not always look like how we want it to. 

Joshua was a wise military leader for the nation of Israel; wise enough to know that the battle was the Lord's and it was his job to trust the battle plan he was given, using the provisions he had been given, the training he had received, and the men who would follow his orders. He didn't always know how the Lord planned on defeating His enemies; only that he would be obedient in using all the resources at his disposal. We must act in the same faith and wisdom! 

If you are awake at all as a Christian, then you intuitively know that a significant battle with the kingdom of darkness is at our doorstep. And I am discerning that many Christians are struggling with their own concepts of how they want that battle to play out. They desperately want to rely on the old paradigms and traditions of the Church that tell us that 1) we will either be raptured out of here before the battle begins, or 2) as long as we live a righteous life, Christians won't suffer anything consequential -- God will protect us and provide all we need. But God and Jesus have never promised that! In fact, in Isaiah 43:1-3, God tells us that even when the battle is His, He will sometimes lead us through fire or the waters. There is no promise that those closest to Him will escape trials or testing! 

For those who want to dismiss the Old Testament and cling to the New Testament covenant and promise of the Cross, I would remind you that the purpose of Jesus's death and resurrection was to offer us Eternal Life through faith in Him. It delivered us from Eternal Death, but did not promise us we would not suffer from the ensuing battles between the Kingdom of God and Satan's evil kingdom. REMEMBER: Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:45 that God "makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him]." There are no promises that we will escape Satan's wickedness or God's judgment upon the nations, even if we are a righteous individual. As an individual citizen of a nation that has sinned mightily against God, I understand that I may be subjected to the righteous judgment upon this nation. I rest in the knowledge and the promise that when that judgment comes, I know He will separate the good from the evil, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

So, I want to make the point that the battle is in both the physical and the spiritual. Yes, we are to pray continually and fervently as the Ekklesia; acting as the representatives of God's heavenly form of government, bringing it to the earth. We must put on our spiritual armor and go to war in the second heaven against spiritual forces of wickedness. There we will battle [in our spirits] against the army of Satan who seeks to infiltrate this physical realm with his demons and powers of darkness to keep us from regaining our Genesis 1:26 dominion over the earth. And besides these supernatural, spiritual agents of the devil, we also must battle with physical opponents. We are seeing that in our halls of Congress and on the streets of our cities!

Again, God does not say that we will not suffer in this physical battle. Just as He tells Joshua to inform his commanders to "prepare your provisions", we need to discern that it is our responsibility to increase any needed food and medical supplies for a potential crisis. And just as Joshua receives instructions from the Lord that his men "shall go across [the river] before their brothers (the other tribes) armed for battle, all your brave warriors, and they shall help them [conquer and take possession of the land]", so must we be prepared to battle in the physical. 

But we must not become obsessed or unbalanced in either the physical or the spiritual. We must pray for wisdom and be willing to evaluate and re-evaluate every situation in which we find ourselves.  We must  use our spiritual gifts and talents, and our physical provisions and training to determine the circumstances and forces we are facing. Then praying in the spirit, we must seek God's battle plan; we must be prepared to act according to His will, whether He intervenes or sends us to the front lines. 

We must come to the understanding that God loves to work through His people; He wants us intimately involved in both the physical and spiritual aspects of this world. That's what Moses and Joshua walked in. It is what the Disciples and the Early Church walked in. That, too, is how we are to walk out our faith. So, I have some serious questions for you in this hour of our history, both as Americans and Christians: Are you waiting for God to orchestrate a miracle that will insulate or shield you from any scary scenario in the future? Or are you willing to be an ordinary instrument of the Lord to do extraordinary things for His Kingdom? Are you focused [in distress] on the problems we face, or are you focused on the Lord of the battle?

I remind you that as Joshua prepared to do battle for the Lord, the Bible says that the inhabitants of the land were terror stricken (Joshua 2); their hearts melted in despair and fear. We must fight against this mindset because it only leads to doubt and unbelief. We must believe that God's will is for us to be protected and succeed in our battles, and that His Grace [which is His power in us to do what we cannot do on our own] always accompanies us to help us carry out our calling and purpose, no matter the circumstances.  

So whether our future holds defeat or victory over the physical and spiritual forces aligning against us, we must be prepared and trained for war; with our provisions in place and our armor on. We must rest in the knowledge of how precious we are to the Lord; the tremendous price He paid for us is our inheritance. When the waters and the fires of testing come, we will not be overwhelmed. We will endure and persevere. The Lord will not fail us or abandon us. And above all else, we must be encouraged by the knowledge that as we pass through these trials, we come ever closer to seeing God's plan fulfilled. And I can think of nothing more valuable in this life than knowing I played my part and accomplished my assignment. Let us overcome old paradigms of how this is going to play out, and let us walk in strength and confidence and courage!

Psalm 66:10-12    But you, God, have tested us—you’ve refined us like silver, trapped us in a net, laid burdens on our backs, let other people run right over our heads—we’ve been through fire and water. But you brought us out to freedom!

Are You Ready to Be Promoted?

     I decided it would be interesting [and I hoped beneficial] to take a look back at the very first blog post I wrote on December 5, 2011. I wanted to see if there was an inkling that I would grow and mature in my faith, and if I recognized that God had a plan in place when He prompted me to begin the blog.
      I wrote then, as I do now, to encourage people to walk in power and not fear; to strengthen their faith in times of dread and panic. At that time, I was focused on the confusion and calamity I saw occurring in my beloved home country, the United States. Now, nearly 9 years later, many of those issues have not only escalated, but the whole world seems to be on a fast track to destruction.
     At the time, I wrote, "[My husband and I] felt heavenly promptings to re-evaluate everything in our lives....to prepare for economic hard times and radical changes in our society. And it scared me! But instead of giving in to the suffocating fear, I made a choice to face it. I would not give up that easily in all I believed in!" I went on to share the new knowledge I was gathering: learning what derivatives were; knowing all about the Federal Reserve and Central European Banks; learning how to bake bread from wheat I ground myself; starting to dehydrate food, and knowing how to properly handle a firearm." As you can see, I was pretty much focused on what I could see happening in the world, and was proud of my identification as an American.
     But, there it was -- one little sentence that would make the difference in the path I would take... "I now read my Bible every day, not just on Sundays." That might seem an innocuous statement, but without taking that step, my life and my purpose would be very different today. You see, even though my line of sight was expanding to see the world from a Biblical perspective, I had no real knowledge of what God's ultimate purpose in all this chaos could be. I was rock solid in knowing that Jesus Christ was my Savior, but where was I to go from there? I certainly knew my church's doctrine, but as I began to read the Bible for myself, that line of sight went from being a straight line to what I was hearing from the pulpit to an ever-expanding vision of what God wanted me to know. And it often conflicted with what I had been taught.
     I began seeing national and world events from a Biblical worldview, and I began to come into the fullness of my being: body, soul and spirit. Through my study, the Lord activated my spirit to receive greater revelation of who He was and why He came to earth. And with that, came the knowledge of who I was created to be! And it wasn't in some safe, respectable, and sizable position in the world.

     
     It was in 2014 that I wrote a blog based on a conversation that my husband, Mark, and I had about how hard it is for most people to face their fears. We agreed that the times in which we were living were causing everyone to be confronted by their fears, whether they wanted to or not.  [If anything, those fears are even more pronounced today]. And then he gave me this picture that is even more relevant today: "Everyone is being moved on a chess board to where God wants them. He is moving us out of our comfortable, safe systems to where we're an outlier, and we don't have any support system BUT God."
     In 2014, I wrote, "In case you aren't familiar with the term outlier, it means "a person (or thing) situated away, or detached from, the main body or system."  And it is a term that we Americans do not easily embrace.  We are comfortable being a part of the system, where we can hide our insecurities and worries in the midst of the group dynamics.  That is especially true of American Christians."
     My how things have changed since then! We have been isolated from that system of group dynamics, and now are forced to face our fears alone. And it's not just fears surrounding American economics, but we now have a pandemic controlling our lives, along with hints at coming famine and war. The veil is being pulled back to reveal all the machinations of the Enemy to destroy mankind -- from the duplicity in our own government to man-made viruses unleashed to infect the world population.
     But, I'm not writing this post to bring discouragement or more fear. Instead, I want to further enlighten you regarding Mark's chess analogy. I was astounded when I researched the rules and objectives of the game of Chess. There are two parts of the Chess-playing process: 1) setting and achieving long-term positioning advantages during the game, and 2) tactics, which concentrate on immediate maneuvers.  Another way to look at it is Chess strategy is concerned with evaluation of Chess positions and with setting up goals and long-term plans for the future play. That is exactly what God is doing in His "Plan for the Ages."
      His goal in sending Christ, who is represented by the King piece, was to re-establish Heaven's dominion over the earth; first through Jesus as the Son of God, and then to see that authority transferred to us, His children (represented as the Pawns on the chess board). God ultimately evaluates and moves the other pieces on the board in accordance with achieving that goal. His goal has never changed since He made man in His image ... we were to safeguard earth as a colony of the Kingdom of Heaven; to reflect the nature and culture of our true Homeland.
     And, yes, we are the Pawns in this analogous game of chess, the weakest and least mobile of all the pieces on the board.  Throughout the game, it is the Pawns that are most easily captured and removed from the game.  But I found it extremely insightful to find, written within the "Strategy and Tactics" portion of the official Chess instructions, this tidbit of wisdom:  At the end of the game, when most of the pieces are gone, Kings typically take a more active part in the struggle, and Pawn promotion is often decisive in determining the outcome.
     What is "Pawn Promotion"?  In short, it is the advancement or elevation of a Pawn to a prominent position that has an effect on the endgame.  And it usually happens at the point in the Chess match when there are very few pieces left on the board. Now, I don't know how many pieces God has left on the board of this Cosmic Chess Match with the devil, but I guarantee you that He wants to promote you to play a part in the final victory -- that you don't have to be captured by the Enemy's subterfuge or removed from the game. In fact, I believe we are seeing King Jesus taking a more active part in our struggles, and I also believe that you were created to play a decisive role in this endgame between Good and Evil.
     Which brings me to where we find ourselves today. God is moving us where He wants us, as true ambassadors of His Kingdom on earth. And I absolutely believe that He is moving us into positions of spiritual power to effect the results in this spiritual battle for the world. And as we find ourselves removed from our comfortable systems, we may feel as though we are the lone "Pawn" on the board.  Jesus promised us that following Him would be risky and costly; often a lonely journey. But remember that God has placed you there and He is taking a more active part in your life. He is "promoting" you to become a part of His system. 
      Is it scary to find yourself being moved into a new position? You bet it is!  But you have two choices. You can either retreat into the cocoon of your safe system (whether it be your national identity, your church, your family, or the recesses of your mind) and fail to take advantage of the opportunity; OR you can accept your "promotion" and take it one step at a time and let God lead you towards new heights that will glorify Him.
     That's where my journey has taken me .... from someone who [in 2011] was intent on maintaining my security in the world system while I began a pursuit of more of God; to someone [in 2020] who has found so much more in God's Kingdom system, which is restful, secure and trustworthy. I have been moved out of the world system, and I was promoted from a Pawn to a Daughter of the King!
     So, my goal in writing this blog has not changed since its inception -- I am still all about emboldening you to overcome your fears in the world, whatever they may be. But, I can now offer you more than hope and encouragement -- I can assure you that you have a purpose for advancing God's endgame of defeating Satan's kingdom of darkness and re-establishing His Kingdom on earth. And what an honor it is to be examined and found worthy of advancing the game!

Psalm 143:10     I just want to obey all you ask of me. So teach me, Lord, for You are my God. Your gracious Spirit is all I need, so lead me on good paths that are pleasing to You, my one and only God!

Through A Kingdom Lens: Rediscovering What The Church Lost

     I am proud to announce that my new book, Through A Kingdom Lens: Rediscovering What The Church Lost has finally been published, and is now available on Amazon. I want you to know that it is uncomfortable for me to promote this book for my own benefit. It has always been my purpose to write it to encourage those people (both Believers and non-Believers, alike) who have struggled with knowing their purpose in life.
     So, why does someone like me, just an ordinary follower of Christ, decide to write a book about the Kingdom of God? I will tell you that I am no Bible scholar. I have no religious titles attached to my name and hold no theological degrees. The simple explanation is that I was made to write for the Lord. It delights Him when I use the gift He has given me. In 2008 I received a prompting from the Holy Spirit to write this blog for Him. And now He has given me a new assignment. And with this commandment, comes my intense desire for the Body of Christ to understand the Kingdom of God from His perspective. In fact, it is essential and necessary that we see it, understand it, preach it, enter it, expand it, and establish it!
     I will admit that it has been a long personal journey for me to grasp the significance of the Kingdom in my life. I have spent many hours in deep study of God’s Word. I have engaged in exhaustive dialogues with other Kingdom-seekers, as we try to come to terms with the revelation that “the Church” has failed to equip the saints in this matter. But most of all, I have listened to the Holy Spirit’s counsel and guidance as He continues to teach me the truth of what Scripture says about the Kingdom of God.
     This book represents all that I have learned to date. I do not think the information I bring you is infallible; nor do I think it is complete. I am still on the path of revelation and knowledge about the Kingdom of God. But the impetus for this book does come from a place of deep yearning to share what I have learned because I believe it is of critical importance to the Body of Christ.
    I wrote it with the intention of encouraging all those who have wondered about the "deeper" things of their existence and their relationship with Jesus, just as I have throughout my life. It has not been a question of my faith, but rather a desire to feed that hunger inside of me for "more" than what I received from my Church's doctrine. From the moment I realized I had unanswered questions, I wasn't going to be satisfied until I received the answer from God.
     My questions began with this very important one ... What is the difference between the Gospel of Salvation and the Gospel of the Kingdom? What is the Kingdom of God, and what does it have to do with me? What do being "Born Again" and "Renewing my mind" really mean? How am I supposed to interpret Salvation, Grace, Repentance, Inheritance, and Justice in relation to the Kingdom? How do Religion and Spiritual Warfare intersect with the Kingdom? And, here is the real struggle I had ... why aren't these questions being addressed by the Shepherds of the Church, who are supposed to
"equip and train us to come together in unity of the faith and the knowledge of Jesus Christ", so that we might mature into the fullness of Christ. The problem was, I was discerning that there was knowledge of Jesus that I was missing... and I was hungry for it; I could not hope to come to the full measure of being like Christ until I received and understand all of Him!
     And, please know, that this is not an attempt to bash "The Church". It is simply a realization that, as I began to dive into Scripture for answers, that our Church and denominational doctrines didn't always accurately represent what the Word said -- or at the least, that our doctrines were based on a single verse, rather than on the context of an entire chapter or Book!
     Mind you, I have had faithful and Godly men and women in the Church who have instructed me to the best of their abilities. But I was surprised to discover that some of these teachings didn't match up with the Spirit of the Word. I don't blame them, and came to the understanding that these teachings were the result of distorted interpretations that have come down to the Church through the centuries. But now God was uncovering His Truth as He lit up the Scriptures like I'd never seen them before!
     Next, He sent people to give me a prophetic word about how He wanted me to share what He was revealing. In the middle of a small prayer group, a Pastor stopped and looked at me, and said, "You are going to write a book for God". It was that simple, yet profound. Nearly a year later, I was commenting to a very dear friend and mentor that every time I wrote about Kingdom on this blog, or walked it out, the devil make it clear he wasn't pleased. Her response? "Then I guess you better write a book!" So, I could no longer ignore God's promptings, and now you see the fruit of my labor.
     So, I hope you will read this little book with the goal of beginning your own journey into studying the Kingdom of God. Do not accept my opinions as the final word on the subject. You will find that I am forthcoming about the authors and teachers who helped me to unravel and clarify my theology. But I always took their teachings back to Scripture and let the Holy Spirit fine-tune my thinking. If nothing else, I hope that your consideration of my analysis will prompt you to do the same and begin your own study and research.
     I promise you, it will be worth your while. Because I now know, in my heart and my spirit, why we pray, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. And I want to share what I have learned from the Father with you. I pray that you will be as blessed by this book as much as I was in the process of writing it. Enjoy!

Here is the link to the book on Amazon: www.amzn.com/1734916133

Proverbs 2:3-5     Yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

"Who Knows If You Have Not Come To The Kingdom For Such A Time As This"

    

     The title of today's post are the immortal words of Mordecai, the Jew, to his adopted daughter, Esther, the queen. According to the Bible, Esther's husband was King Ahasuerus, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces. According to the history books, he was the Achaemenian king Darius I, ruler over what is now Iran. 
     Mordecai has gotten wind that there is a plot to kill all the Jews in the kingdom, and while Esther, herself, is a Jew, it's been kept secret from her husband, the king. Mordecai implores Esther to go before the king and plead his favor, asking him to spare her people. But Esther reminds Mordecai that it is the law of the land that if anyone goes before the king unbidden, death is the penalty. Mordecai then tells his daughter that, as a Jew, she cannot expect to escape the destruction coming against all Jews, and that if she chooses to not help, that God will send His relief and deliverance from another source, and her father's house will perish. Then he speaks the words that I believe apply to us in this generation ... "Who knows if you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther's response ... to gather all the Jews together and ask them to fast on her behalf as she approaches the king, even though it is against the law. "If I perish, I perish" are her words that echo across the centuries.
     As the fears that accompany the spread of COVID-19 cross our land, we must contemplate if we are facing destruction of Biblical proportions. I will admit to you that it is hard to know what to believe. Can we believe the media reports that this is a true pandemic? Is the whole situation politically motivated to bring down the President's economy? Are all the shutdowns of businesses that result in loss of paychecks and jobs really necessary? Is the vaccine safe? I'm not sure we will ever know the unvarnished truth about these concerns, but no one can deny the effects this virus has had on our nation and the world. Frankly, I'm not sure we have seen such fear and panic over the future since the Great Depression and WWII. 
     But if you are a Kingdom-believing Christian, where does all this leave you? Can we truly live in a "Kingdom mindset", not letting the affairs of the world shake our faith and trust in our Father and King? I can't explain it, but I actually find myself calmer than I have been in other "near collapses" in our recent past. It's as if my spirit has been waiting for "the big one", and it's actually a relief. 
     You see, I can understand that God has been preparing me for such a time as this -- a time in which nothing of this world is secure. Money to pay bills, buy food, or take care of loved ones is not  guaranteed. Our health is at stake. For most of us, our homes and possessions may well be threatened as our economy teeters on the brink of crashing. We have never faced a more uncertain future in our lifetimes. And that uncertainty can breed doubt and fear. Where is God in all this? Is He hearing our prayers?
     I can assure you that our Father in Heaven hears our voices. And He is not absent in this situation. But as we face increased isolation in our society, we Christians have to decide what our response is going to be. I cannot answer for others, but I can tell you that I have always felt that there would one day be a tremendous trial come upon the world, and I would have the opportunity to not only experience it, but stand for the Lord. Notice, I did not say that I would be tested. That infers that God has given His approval for the trials the world is experiencing. 
     Instead, I recognize that much of the panic and hysteria that people are encountering comes from their lack of relationship with God, and their misplaced worship of the conveniences that the world offers them. Many Christians are guilty of this! We have fallen into step with society and the culture and worship our status, our wealth, our power, and our comfort. Many of us spend more time with our Facebook friends than we do with our Father in Heaven. We have not sought His will in how we should live our lives, but instead have chased after our own desires and yearnings. We have not fed on the Word of God, but have indulged in our appetites of unrighteousness and greed. 
     And now that may all come to a halt. There is talk of mandatory shutdown of the nation for an undetermined amount of time in the hopes that the spread of COVID-19 can be curbed. Everything in our world will change. There will be people who cannot afford food if they aren't receiving a paycheck. Our medical system, transportation system, banking system, food distribution system, utilities system, political system, and yes, even our religious system will be challenged -- especially our religious system.
     Will people blame God? Will they curse Him in the midst of their despair? Will they try to bargain with Him? Or will they fast for strength and wisdom, and then humble themselves, and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways? Will the Church rise up and see this for the opportunity it is? For this is a time when not only can the world reset, and begin to look more like it was created to be, but Believers can begin to walk in their true Kingdom identities and take back Kingdom authority over those worldly systems that have gone so far astray.
     This is the time to reclaim the earth for the Kingdom of God! It is a time, in the words of the late Dr. Myles Munroe, to "establish the governing influence of our King over the territory called Earth, impacting it with His will, His purpose, and His intent, producing a citizenship of people who reflect the King's culture, nature, values, and morals". Doesn't the world need that? Doesn't our nation? And don't you want to be a part of that? 
     I am watching people expressing their fears over what the future holds while I am calm and filled with anticipation and expectation. I believe the Lord is about to do a great work in the lives of millions of people. And as always, everyone has a free will choice how they will receive His invitation. Satan has had his way for far too long and is, even now, trying to wield his power as ruler of this dark world to destroy peoples and nations with this virus and ruined economies. The battle over mankind is intensifying. But what the devil means for evil, God will use for His good. We can see ourselves as being born for this time and join with God to glorify Him in the midst of the coming trials. This is an amazing time to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom and to see God sow into the hearts of people. 
     It is an exciting time to be on the earth. It is a favorable time to be a worker in the Kingdom. It is also a dangerous time. The rulers in the spiritual realms, along with the authorities, the cosmic powers over this present darkness, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places are all going to fight back against the Kingdom of God. We can expect to be embattled and we must prepare for casualties; yes, even martyrdom. I know that's not an idea that brings comfort, but just like Queen Esther, we must stand firm, declaring, "If I perish, I perish". Nothing is secure in this new world we find ourselves -- not even our lives. But there is one thing we can count on for sure... Jesus has paid for our victory! And just as Mordecai exhorted Esther, we can choose to be a part of that victory or not, but we can be assured that if it is not you or me, "God will send His relief and deliverance from another source". I want to be part of that source! I was born for such a time as this, and you are, too! Our Father in Heaven, use me to help bring Your Kingdom to earth and heal our land!

Isaiah 43:18-19    "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

 

Faith In The Midst Of The Corona Virus

    

     My heart and my spirit are burdened today with a task from the Lord. I'm not burdened in the sense of anything negative or too heavy to carry; but rather with a serious responsibility to deliver a specific message to a specific group. And I don't want to fail my assignment.
      But I first need you to understand that I don't write this blog to gain notoriety or applause. In fact, I have come to realize that this website is inconsequential in a world where internet popularity is the goal. A couple of years ago, the numbers of people checking in to read the various posts plummeted drastically. I guess Google isn't interested in promoting the Gospel of the Kingdom. And at one point I asked God if it was time to quit; if my usefulness to Him had reached its conclusion. But I clearly heard, "If one person seeks Me through the words you are inspired to write, then there is still work to be done". Okay, God, I'll keep writing if You will keep telling me what You want Your people to hear.
     And that brings me to my task for today. I usually don't bother checking numbers of readers or the their countries of origin. But every once in awhile, I like to see if my message has gotten beyond the internet censors and what topics might be speaking the loudest. The last week or so I have been stunned to see the numbers rise steeply, with the predominate number coming from Hong Kong, which has outdistanced American readers by far! The only factor I could discern that would cause this effect would be the Corona virus.
     The purpose of this blog post is not to discuss the various theories or conspiracies regarding the virus. I personally believe that it is a far more serious threat to the population of the world than we are being told. Mind you, I pay little attention to the mainstream media or the information they provide. And I am aware of all the speculation and questions regarding the virus being weaponized, or manipulated to make millions off of a vaccine, or unleashed on the United States to take down our economy. [NOTE: if you are interested in considering the technicalities/theory of how this virus attacks our bodies, listen to this video from QuantumCommand.net].
     Could any [or all] of these premises be true? I think so, and I also believe the ultimate purpose of this Corona virus could be to become a potential demonic device of Biblical proportions. BUT, I also know that what the devil means for evil, our God means for His good (Genesis 50:20). 
     That is not simply a trite hyperbole intended to gloss over this serious situation. These are the words spoken by Joseph, the son of Jacob, to his brothers who had sold him into slavery in Egypt. They fear retribution from their brother, who has found favor in the midst of his captivity, but what does Joseph say instead? "Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you?  You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people [my emphasis]". And regardless of the origin and/or intent of this deadly virus, that is the message I want to convey.
     You see, the word "Corona" is derived from the Ancient Greek word koroné, meaning "garland or wreath", and it means "crown" in Latin. Can you perceive that whatever the circumstances of the Corona virus's origin, that Satan seeks to corrupt God's purpose in all things? That he seeks to usurp Jesus's crown of Sonship and King, and use anything at his disposal to steal, kill, or destroy the spread of Faith in Jesus Christ across the globe? 
     And that brings me back to readers in Hong Kong. I am fully aware of what the prophets in the Church of America are saying ... that the Corona virus is Satan's answer to the global revival that is about to come upon the earth; and that no matter how Satan tries to engineer this virus for destruction, that God will have an antidote of His own, so to speak, that will drastically reduce the strength or effectiveness of the virus. And I do not discount either of these prophecies. Their accuracy remains to be seen.
     But what I do see, right now, within the community of Christians in China, is incredible faith in the midst of a rising death toll, and it is these followers of Jesus that I wish to encourage. It is well-known that the Christian faith is under extreme persecution in Communist China. In effect, the Church has been forced to go "underground", and the Home Church movement has exploded as Christianity has become the fastest growing religion in China. The Los Angeles Times reports that "Fenggang Yang, founding director of the Center on Religion and Chinese Society at Purdue University, predicts that by 2030 China will have more Christians than any other country." Is it any wonder that Satan might target this nation of nearly 1.4 billion people?
      However, as the Corona virus continues to spread across mainland China, it is the Christians who are continuing to do the work of Jesus. As donations from across the world have poured into China, it is the Christian ministries -- not the government -- who have brought hope to the epidemic-ravaged city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the disease, and at great risk to themselves. Although street preaching and public evangelism have ceased, the leaders in the Christian community are coordinating online sermons to combat the fear, frustration, stress, and trauma of the disease. They have also implemented a system of communication for those needing assistance and supplies.
     So, I want to encourage everyone reading this post to stop and take a moment to pray in the Spirit; to go before the throne of God and ask Him for compassion and mercy upon the people of China. Pray for Divine Hope to overcome despair; for the healing power of Jehovah Rapha to sweep over every city, village, and home. Let us come together in voices a million strong to demand that this virus be conquered in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ! Above all else, let us fast and pray that the deadly purpose of this virus be consumed by the increase of Faith, Love, and Hope exhibited by Christians around the world -- that not only will the Good News of Salvation in Jesus Christ come to millions, but the message will be expanded to declare the Gospel of the Kingdom.
     Jesus says in Matthew 24:14 that "this gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come". This is an opportunity for the Church in China to become the spearhead for the Kingdom message. Just as Joseph was brought to his position of Vizier, the second most powerful man in Egypt next to Pharaoh, so can the Christians of China be placed by God to take the lead in expanding His Kingdom gospel across the globe. 
     To that end, I bless the underground Churches in China, the Home Churches, and the individual Believers across Asia with Hope. And I remind you that theologian C.S. Lewis called Hope one of the virtues of a faithful Christian. And Dan Duval of Bride Ministries notes that the characteristics of "virtue" include strength and power that come from the Lord. So, I praise the Faith of all Chinese Christians as they bear witness of their Trust in the Lord to see them through this time of suffering, and I charge you with the desire to grow your message of Salvation to include the coming Kingdom of God upon the earth. 
     I am not a prophet. I cannot see what Satan plans to do with this virus. But I know my God. And He will not waver from His plan to see His Kingdom dominate and defeat the kingdom of darkness. God will see His plan for mankind fulfilled. He will see His Kingdom established upon the earth. And the ultimate goal of His plan is to see Himself glorified. So by His Mighty Presence in the hearts of Believers, may Hope reign in China and the Glory of the Lord shine bright for all to see!

Deuteronomy 31:6    So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. 
    

      

Understanding Our Dominion In The Spiritual Realms

   

     If you've never heard the subject matter of today's blog post before, it doesn't surprise me. You really have to go outside the Church building to begin to lay the foundation of what I'd like to share. If, in your study of the Bible, you tended to just breeze through Genesis, Chapter One, because you've heard In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, a million times, and you know that ultimately, after six days of creation, God rested on the seventh. Pretty straightforward, right?
     But, if you've matured in your faith, and know that there is so much depth to God and many overlays of meaning in the Bible, then you've likely wondered about how God could create Light on the first day, separating the light from the darkness, and then again on the fourth day. What's going on?
     I want to present a breakdown on some of these verses, establishing a picture of what God was doing, and then expand on that knowledge to show our place in this plan. Are you ready for a ride? Here we go!
     I first want to say, that I was engaged in my own word study, trying to come to a comprehension of what the Bible was telling me, when I took an online course with Dan Duval, pastor of the online Fireplace Church, and President of Bride Ministries. He greatly illuminated what the Bible is telling us in Genesis One. And I would highly recommend that you read his book, Higher Dimensions, Parallel Dimensions, and the Spirit Realm. What I am going to present here is simply a condensed version of his in-depth teaching.   
     So, we have Day and Night on Day one, and Day and Night on Day four. How could that be? Well, consider that God created a spiritual template of our universe on Day one, and then overlaid it with a physical construct on Day four. That's not that difficult a conclusion when you understand that He first created us as spirit and then put our spirit in a physical body. Re-read Genesis 1:1-19 again. Nothing before Day four is physical; all the descriptions are spiritual. It is a spiritual Light in verse one, and then a physical sun in Day four. The transition from a spiritual earth to a physical earth begins on the third Day.
     I want to give you a few word translations so you can further understand this hypothesis, and then we will go on to the dominion part of this equation. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... God created all the dimensions of existence and a spiritual earth. Here the Hebrew word for "earth" is erets. In verse two, Scripture says the earth was "formless" (the Hebrew word tohu) and "void" (the Hebrew word bohu). Tohu means "without form, formless, unreality, emptiness. The earth was in a state of unreality; a spiritual template. Bohu means "emptiness, void, or waste; again a spiritual connotation. When God says in verse three, "Let there be light" and the light was separated from the darkness, the Hebrew word for "darkness" is chosek, meaning darkness in an obscurely secret place (spiritual darkness). This interpretation of the word is repeated in other Scriptures, namely 2 Samuel 22:29, Job 17:13, and Psalm 107:14, establishing the consistent spiritual aspect of the word. This darkness is recorded as being over the surface of "the deep". The Hebrew word for deep is Tehouan, meaning "deep or abyss" and is referred to as "a person with a voice and hands". Then we read that the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
     Let's see if we can put all this together: There was a spiritual dimension having power in the physical realm. It is first spiritual in its origin, and then exhibits power in the physical realm. So, here's what we can know for sure from the first two verses in Genesis ... God created the dimensions of the higher heavens. God created a spiritual earth first. And the Spirit of the Lord hovered over the spiritual earth as God was preparing to form it in the physical. When God says let there be light in the third day, it is a spiritual light, and it is God manifesting Himself into the creation template. The Hebrew word for "light" here is owr.
     In Genesis 1:9-13, we read about the dry land appearing, and God is beginning to place the physical overlay over the spiritual template. In verses 14-19, we see God creating more lights, but this time the Hebrew word is ma'owr, and it indicates luminaries (stars), and "the two great lights", the sun and moon -- all physical creations. Hopefully, this will make you never read the first chapter of the Bible the same ever again! And here's something else to blow your mind --- the earth was created after we were! Remember, Ephesians 1:4 says Jesus chose us in Him before the foundations of the world.
     And lest we forget, God created the heavens (plural). So we know the Second Heaven is where the planets and cosmos exist and where the "rulers, authorities, cosmic powers over this present darkness, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" exist (Ephesians 6:12). And we know the Third Heaven is where the throne of God sits, and where, according to Ephesians 2:6, our spirits are seated with Christ. In addition, Philippians 3:20 tells us that we are citizens of Heaven. And this is where our dominion in the spiritual realms (plural) needs to be realized. 
     Our spirits can interact [and act out of] ALL the spiritual realms. Do you realize that God has a ministry for each of us, and wants to act through us, and our ministries are not limited to earth? Daniel 10:7-13 is a precise example of how our spirits can have an impact in the Second Heaven. Daniel has been praying for 21 days, and the angel Gabriel appears to tell him that from the first day he began praying, his words were heard in the Throne Room in the Third Heaven, and God sent him [Gabriel] in response to those prayers. But Gabriel was held up in the Second Heaven by the spiritual "prince" [demonic power] of Persia, until the prince [Godly power] of Israel, the archangel Michael, came to help him. This is an example of Second Heaven warfare generated by the power of our prayers in the spirit. 
     We must not forget that our dominion rests in our authority, rulership, power, jurisdiction and government on behalf of the Kingdom of Heaven. Perseverance is important on our part. Just like in Daniel, as soon as we pray, warfare breaks out in the Second Heaven and we must continue to pray. Would Gabriel have been able to endure in his battle with the prince of Persia if Daniel had stopped praying after two days? Ten days? Fifteen days? 
     It is important to understand that we will and must engage in ALL the realms -- not only here on earth, but in the Second and Third Heavens as well. We should be praying from our seat of dominion and power in the Third Heaven to battle against the demonic powers in the Second Heaven. We must examine ourselves to see if we are only battling through our prayers from this First Heaven, earth. If so, I'm here to tell you this is an inferior position. We are leaving the dominion we possess [in the Second and Third Heavens] on the table, so to speak! We have access to the Throne Room and the Courts of Heaven, and can battle [in spirit] in the Second Heaven alongside Michael and the host of Heaven. 
     As I look at the state of this world, it is apparent that we are not walking in our full dominion in the Heavenly realms. We do not recognize or understand the power, authority, and rulership we have been created to exhibit on behalf of the Kingdom of God. And the powers of darkness are taking advantage of our lack of understanding. My people perish for lack of knowledge is not a meaningless statement. Let us begin to come into our own!

2 Corinthians 10:3-4    For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  

Truly, Truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Truly, Truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Kingdom Changes Our Circumstances

 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

     This passage is part of what the Bible calls "The Great Commission". Although the Church has long acknowledged that we have been given a commission, I'm not sure the 21st Century Christian could explain what his commission is.  I'd like to share the journey I've taken in dissecting these important verses.

     So, this is where it is really important to understand the meaning of words and what they tell us about who we were created to be. To begin with, it is important to comprehend that we are on a co-mission with Christ. This can be perceived in two, yet equally valid, ways -- 1) Jesus was given a mission by our Father in Heaven, and we are to be a partner in that mission (think co-worker); and 2) We have been given a legitimate commission by Jesus to accomplish something in particular; we have been officially charged with a particular task or command. 

     Then it is important to know that the mission of the Body of Christ (as outlined in the other Scripture about the Great Commission, Mark 16:15) is to Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel [of the Kingdom] to the whole creation. That means proclaim it to people, plants, mountains, the wind, the sea; everything on the earth. And before you think that sounds like some New Age craziness, remember that Jesus is our model! He cursed the fig tree and it died. He spoke to the storm, and it calmed. He took command over the water, and walked on it. Furthermore, Jesus challenged the Pharisees who warned Him to tell His disciples to keep quiet about the works of Heaven (miracles) that they had seen, praising God in His glory, and Jesus responded, I tell you, if these [disciples] were silent, the very stones would cry out (Luke 19:40). And let's not forget Romans 8:22-23 when Jesus says the whole creation has been groaning along with us for the redemption of our bodies. I believe He is showing us that there is a huge difference between having faith IN God, and having the faith OF God, which can move mountains and calm the seas. 

     It is that faith OF God that enables us to carry out our mission for the Kingdom of Heaven. It was the vision of God, from the beginning, that He would create Earth, where He would rule [as He rules His kingdom in Heaven] through His children. But that plan was derailed in the Garden of Eden. So now His vision is the same, but we have been given another chance to accomplish our mission [to preach the Good News that the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived on earth] by doing everything His Son has commanded us to do. As I've said so many times before, that is clarified in His instructions spoken in Matthew 10:7-8,  And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. It couldn't be any clearer!

     Put simply, our goal as Christians should not be to get to Heaven, but to make Earth look like Heaven. But RELIGION tells us we shouldn't be satisfied on earth until we go to Heaven. But that's a wrong picture of God's vision! There is no sickness in Heaven, and by using the power and authority Jesus gave us, we can come against sickness here on earth as Kingdom citizens and ambassadors. Sickness can't defeat the Kingdom, and in all reality, Kingdom solves the problem of sickness and conquers it!

     We see this principle displayed in Luke 13:10-17, Now he [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. ¹¹ And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” ¹³ And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. ¹⁴ But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” ¹⁵ Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? ¹⁶ And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” ¹⁷ As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.
     Notice, Jesus is in the synagogue preaching; He is in the church and notices a woman who had "a disabling spirit" and was obviously so tormented that she could not stand up straight. She had suffered for 18 years and I believe it is reasonable to suspect that she had been coming to that synagogue hoping for relief and healing. So what does Jesus do? He changes her circumstances by laying hands on her and releasing the healing power of God that is present in Him through the Holy Spirit. But the religious ruler of that synagogue is indignant because Jesus dared to heal her on the Sabbath! That priest's words and actions show that it was more important to keep his religious traditions than to set her free from her circumstances of disability. 
     But what is Jesus's answer to this condemnation? I'm paraphrasing here, but His answer was something like this ... Isn't this woman not more valuable than an ox, which you would choose to water on the Sabbath? She comes from Abraham's lineage and got healed under Abraham's contract with God that by his seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. That should satisfy you religious people. But there is a bigger contract than the one with Abraham! I have brought the governing principles of the Kingdom of God with Me, and we don't allow sickness in Heaven. So, I have changed the circumstances under which she's lived the last 18 years by the Kingdom principle of healing. You religious leaders here in the synagogue could have tried to heal her, but instead, you kept her comfortable in her circumstances; you kept her helpless against the torment of the Enemy."
     Can you see that our churches too often do the same thing? How many people have been sitting in the pews of their church for 18 years [or longer] suffering from debilitating physical ailments such as diabetes or arthritis; or tormented by lust and pornography; or burdened with the shame and guilt of promiscuity or abortion? Oh, they are wonderfully saved and believe that Jesus died on the Cross for their sins, but they are still suffering physical pain or the pain in their souls and spirits from the lies of the Enemy about their past. Jesus brought the Kingdom of Heaven to earth so that we don't have to continue in our circumstances! When we become Saved, we have the ability to see and enter the Kingdom of God, and that Kingdom citizenship gives us a right to be healed! But our church doctrines and traditions don't make that healing available. Instead, they serve to keep us comfortable in our harassed and tormented states, teaching us that we just have to wait until we get to Heaven and we will be healed of everything that caused us pain. That's not what Jesus taught!
     In Luke, Chapter 9, the Bible says that Jesus called his disciples together and gave them "power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick". That is our commission, too! It's really that simple ... "Spread the Good News of the Kingdom of God to all the nations, and then the end of this age will come" [Matthew 24:14]. That means the end of sickness, the end of death, the end of poverty, the end of pornography, the end of the sex trade, the end of corrupt government -- the end of everything the devil has used to support his dark kingdom on this earth. 
     Isn't it finally time that we begin changing the circumstances in the lives of people who love Jesus? Isn't that the underlying message in my opening Scripture? Jesus said to make disciples and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you .... tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and then heal the sick [in all the manifestations of that word]. KINGDOM CHANGES OUR CIRCUMSTANCES!

Psalm 95:2-3

Let us come before His presence with a song of thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with songs.
For the LORD is a great God
And a great King above all gods

 

     I am definitely experiencing this Thanksgiving season with unrivaled joy and praise for my Lord! Mark and I just returned from a four-day retreat in which we worked with others to minister to 37 military veterans and I got to see 24 of them have an encounter with the Risen Christ! Nothing can surpass that spiritual high of seeing so much pain from the devil being washed away by the Living Presence of Jesus! And I am praying that this experience only multiplies in the Thanksgivings to come.

     Although not everyone has the opportunity [or the desire] to do this Kingdom work, we should all be wary of shortchanging our God with our gratitude. We all need to remember that the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  It is easy to give thanks for those things that come easily -- our family, friends, our health, our job, God's provision.  But notice that Paul said everything!  

     So, what exactly does that mean? Are we supposed to give thanks for the minor stuff like our aches and pains, the difficult people in our lives, the mounting bills on our desk?  And, Paul couldn't possibly mean that we're supposed to give thanks for the sinful world we see all around us -- the immoral culture, the apostate Church, and the escalating evil that abounds in the world, can he?

     Instead of focusing on all the pain and sadness and anxiety that all those things -- both great and small -- bring to our mind and hearts, wouldn't it be nice this Thanksgiving to actually put into practice the words of Psalm 95?  To come before His presence with shouts of joy and songs, in full spiritual recognition that no matter what is going on in our lives or in the world, He is a great God and a great King above all gods?

     You see, I think we Christians tend to give thanks for all the things that we can see or have taken notice of.  But when we thank Him for EVERYTHING, we begin to see Him for Who He is and all that He has done.  So what does that really look like?  

     Have you ever thought about thanking Him for all the times He said, "No", and for unanswered prayer because it not only made you depend on Him more, but humbled you to admit that He knew what was best for you?  What about thanking Him for the things He withheld from you, and for protecting you from things you may never realize ... and the closed doors that may have frustrated you, when, in fact He mercifully kept you from going places He did not want you to go.  

     As we celebrate our traditional holidays this year, will we see it as more than just family, friends, and food?  Will we take advantage of these days that are designed to give thanks and which are dedicated to our great God -- to the LORD who has given us an inheritance in the heavenly places, which is something greater than all the possessions of this world?  Will we thank God for the greatest gift He could ever give us: forgiveness through His perfect Son's death on the cross on our behalf? 

     And then will we take the next step and give Him thanks that He has provided a way for us to release all the lonely times, the tears, the uncertainties, the failures and personal losses ... all our pain? In fact, will we recognize that He not only died on that Cross to forgive our sins and give us eternal life, but that He went to the Cross to set us free and He wants what He died for! He wants you to surrender all your pain and He wants you to live the rest of your life Wonderfully and Completely free!

     This holiday season, it needs to be all about HIM and HIS KINGDOM! I've spent too many Thanksgivings and Christmases focused on what He's done for me, and that is certainly valid and His due. But now, I want to demonstrate my thankfulness by concentrating on what I can do for Him. My salvation is accomplished; my eternal life is secure; but now I want to dedicate however many days are left to me on this earth to fulfilling His purpose for my life in glorifying Him and His Kingdom. 

     I want everyone to know what a GREAT GOD and a GREAT KING He is! I want everyone to understand their true identity as His Kingdom representatives on earth, and to know their Kingdom assignments in this life. We are not meant to just glide through this life until the day we are called Home. We are seated in Heaven with our Lord and Master and we have the same access to His counsel as He did when He walked this earth and heard from our Father in Heaven. 

     My prayer for each of you this Thanksgiving is that you will truly understand and experience that you can come into His presence; that you can experience such spiritual joy that you want to shout of His greatness and goodness in your life, and how the world can serve His Majesty, the King of Heaven ... in all circumstances and in all ways.

     Finally, I want to leave you with a couple of additional Scriptures that I think will inspire you.  The first comes from the Old Testament, but joins with the verses from Psalm 95 to give us special inspiration for the times in which we live.  It is Isaiah 12:4 ... In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted."  The second comes from our Lord Himself, in Matthew 24:14 ... Yet through it all, this joyful assurance of the realm of heaven’s kingdom will be proclaimed all over the world, providing every nation with a demonstration of the reality of God. And after this the end of this age will arrive.  

     Let us fulfill our purpose this holiday season -- and every day for the rest of our lives -- to make the Kingdom of Heaven on earth known throughout the world; to participate with Jesus in giving everyone a demonstration of His very real presence in their lives; and to plant Kingdom seeds that the Holy Spirit can water and grow. 

     So, I pray that you and your families had a most Blessed Thanksgiving; a day filled with gratitude for all that our Great God and King have done, are doing, and will do in our lives. And I urge you to move from gratitude to being a spiritual force in the world for the Kingdom. If you truly want to thank Jesus, serve the Kingdom and your King!