What Spiritual Warfare On Behalf of the Kingdom of God Looks Like

In case you haven't noticed, we are in the midst of a serious and profound spiritual war. At the very heart of this concept is our understanding that there has been an eternal war between God, the Creator of the Universe and all that is in it, and His Enemy, Satan, whose pride led him to rebel against God and seek ownership of all creation. In case you doubt the reality of spiritual warfare, the evidence of this supernatural conflict can be seen in the evil and lawlessness among mankind; the present war posturing in the physical world; and everything in our midst that is counter to God's will.

Whenever I've brought up the subject of "spiritual warfare", I get one of several reactions. There are some Christians who react out of fear. They have been influenced by movies like The Exorcist or the slew of demonic films that feed our sense of being vulnerable and powerless against monsters and demons from the pit of hell. Then there are those who are at the other extreme; they refuse to recognize that spiritual warfare is real, and also unavoidable. They chalk it up to radical Christians who see a demon behind every bad thing that happens to people. Of course, there are also people [both Christian and nonbelievers] who simply do not believe in the supernatural or existence of spirits in this earthly realm.

The Apostle Paul clearly states some very clear principles regarding spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:10-12. First, it is assumed that we recognize that we are actually in a spiritual war -- a war waged from the spiritual realms by spiritual beings! Then he points out these realities about our position in this war ... 1) We can find our strength [to fight and win!] in the Lord and His mighty power; 2) The Lord has given us battle armor to protect us as we fight defensively and offensively; 3) The enemy we fight does not look like us -- it is not of human flesh and blood, but of spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, we cannot fight and defend from our human abilities. We must learn to battle with supernatural authority from God.

I think part of our problem is that the world does not believe in or embrace either the Great Commission that our Lord and Savior gave us to thwart the schemes of the devil to claim lives for his dark kingdom, or in our supernatural authority to defeat him. It's easy to see those schemes that kill, steal, and destroy lives ... iniquity in the family bloodline (such as molestation and sexual abuse); addictions; disease; emotional and psychological attacks; anything that creates low self-esteem, among many others. 

Jesus gave us the example of what His blood would eventually buy for us -- the ability to overcome those schemes through our spiritual relationship with Him and the commission He made available to us. [NOTE: our commission from Christ means that we have authority to perform a task or certain duties that He instructs and commands us to do. See Matthew 28:16-20, and Mark 16:14-19, keeping in mind that this passage uses idioms that would have been known to the hearers in that time period]. Sometimes He dealt with a demon and cast it out of a person. Sometimes, He simply declared that they were healed and washed clean. Other times He spit in His hand and made mud out of the dirt and applied it to a man's eyes. All of these examples are part of the Great Commission to His followers and disciples, and are forms of spiritual warfare.  

But the important thing to note is that Jesus took control over Satan's strategy to enslave that person, and set Jesus them free through the power of Heaven. That's what it can look like for us, too, when we enter His Kingdom here on earth and receive His strategies so that we can overcome Satan's. But, too often, we react to Satan's game plan instead of taking control of the situation in the power of the Lord. And our most common reaction is FEAR.

But did you know that Satan actually fears US because he knows we were created to rule over him? Satan knows that Jesus brought the Father's Kingdom government to the earth at His First Coming. And He knows those who have entered that Kingdom domain as citizens, and the spiritual authority they have been given. Therefore, Satan is intimidated by our intimate relationship with the Creator, which is why he tries to get us to accept fear in the battle. But when we refuse to step into that spiritual place of fear, and recognize if for the trap that it is, the devil knows his defeat is imminent.

 He recognizes that we are confident in our authority as Kingdom representatives and in the Lord's power. Satan realizes we are poised for victory! As part of our battle plan, we must always cling to God's promises, surround ourselves with people of strong faith, and be encouragers by sharing our testimonies of how the Lord has led us to triumph over the enemy. Remembering our history of victories in the Lord encourages us, too, and is a great practice to get into!

And it is important to come to the realization that God is never going to put us in a situation or send us into a spiritual battle that is above our level of obedience. He will not subject us to something over our heads, causing us to turn from our commission. He wants to see us win! If we are committed to fighting a battle for the Kingdom of God, in the center of His will and out of righteous obedience, then He will equip us to win. It's when we step outside that safe place of His will, that we receive self-inflicted war wounds. 

So, I just want to reiterate how important it is for the Body of Christ to not only be aware of the spiritual war that is waging all around us, but to get into battle mode -- be obedient to the instructions and will of the Lord; and be ready to fight both offensively and defensively, as He leads you. Be so confident in your victory, and the ability of your armor to protect you, that the Enemy cowers in fear of you, knowing you will not only recognize his strategies, but have the power of the Lord behind you to defeat him ... the power of His blood that bought your salvation; the Lord's righteousness as your breastplate; God's Truth as your belt; the readiness to always spread the Gospel of Peace as your shoes; your faith [and God's faithfulness to you]  as your shield; and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

I want to leave you with the wise words of Pastor Bill Johnson on this subject of spiritual warfare: We were born in a war. There are no time-outs, no vacations, no leaves of absence. The safest place is in the center of God's will, which is in a place of deep intimacy. There He allows only the battles to come our way that we are equipped to win. Not only is this the safest place, it is the most joyful place for each believer. Outside of intimacy, we are likely to miss the greatest event on earth ... the finale and climax of His Kingdom on earth! 

Remember: we were born for a time such as this. All the mayhem and chaos we see in the world is not going to go away, "if we just try to get along". But we need not fear! We have the resources of Heaven that have been made available to us to ensure our victory, on earth and in the spiritual realms. Christ's blood covers us in the present spiritual war, and those to come! 

2 Thessalonians 3:3   But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you [setting you on a firm foundation] and will protect and guard you from the evil one.

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?   

    

  

Warfare in the Spiritual Realms - Part 1

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.

 

The Lion Heard Us and He Roared!

 

I cannot state it enough ... God loves working with His children! And this past weekend Mark and I had the opportunity to come together with a remnant of the followers of Jesus and watch the Lord convey us into His Ekklesia. And I have deliberately chosen that word convey because it means "to transport or carry to a place; to make an idea, impression, or feeling known to someone; to communicate a message or information; and finally, [in accordance with Law] to transfer the title [to property]". And let me tell you how all that happened.

At our gathering last month to teach on Freemasonry, the New World Order, and the Anti-Christ spirit, we left that assembly with one of the attendees asking, "So, where do we go from here?" In the ensuing days, the Lord instructed me that we needed to congregate again to answer any questions that might have occurred as a result of people meditating on what they had heard. So, I sent the word out, and as I expected, once the original information had been disseminated, there would not be as big of an interest in attending a follow-up. That is not said in condemnation; it is just the reality of human nature and I knew that people would have other obligations. Whatever it would be is what the Lord intended.

So, we were 15 in number and to be honest, my spirit did not feel encouraged to prepare in the same manner as for the first assemblage. In fact, days and weeks had gone into the primary presentation, and I felt that the Lord wanted me to trust Him with a plan He had for this subsequent gathering. So He gave me a few bullet points He wanted me to cover and then I felt I was just to turn the reins over to Him and watch what happened. I couldn't wait!

So, we began our follow-up meeting with Communion and the blowing of the shofar, which calls together a solemn assembly. We also blew the shofar in honor of The Feast of Trumpets, which commemorates a future [and hoped for] event when "we will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26). We also announced that we were prophetically walking in the "Ten Days of Awe", in which the Lord will open the Books in Heaven to review what we have accomplished for His Kingdom. We are to fast, pray, and repent as we wait for the Feast of Tabernacles, when the Lord will one day dwell among us upon His earthly throne for 1,000 years, inaugurating the Millennial Kingdom.

We then set the meeting in motion with the Lord's first bullet point: that it is imperative that the Body of Christ understand that our spiritual warfare battles take place in both the physical and spiritual realms. For instance, it is important that we clearly discern what we see in the physical -- that the legitimate and peaceful assembly of movements like Black Lives Matter have been hijacked by BLM, Inc; of which the founders boast that they are "trained Marxists". It is imperative that we understand the importance of that statement and what aligning oneself with the ideology and political philosophy of Karl Marx really means (see this post to begin your own research). In addition, when we are able to see the danger of combining Marxism with the anarchy of Antifa, we can get a clear picture of what we're up against in this physical realm. But, as Christians, I discern that the Lord encourages us with the same words He gave Israel in Deuteronomy 20:3-4, Right now you are advancing to wage war against your enemies. Don’t be discouraged! Don’t be afraid! Don’t panic! Don’t shake in fear on account of them, because the Lord your God is going with you to fight your enemies for you and to give you victory.

 Then I discerned it was important to make a distinction that we did not make in our initial presentation. We had diligently researched how Satan had managed to infiltrate the government of our nation from the very beginning. Using the Parable of the Wheat and Tares as our precedent, we showed how Freemasonry and it's connection to false Egyptian gods, and ungodly oaths, curses and rituals had seeped into the secret societies that are woven throughout our country's framework. Like the tares (weeds) in the field Jesus sowed, Freemasonry has remained hidden and worked its "majik", uniting with the Illuminati and New World Order to corrupt this nation and call it away from the foundation that was laid when it was first discovered. 

So, we made it clear that before the events of 1776 and the formation of the United States of America, there was a covenant made by God with men He chose to set the spiritual destiny of this nation. One of these men was John Winthrop, a Puritan and leading figure in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Here are his prophetic words: "Thus stands the cause between God and us. We are entered into covenant with Him for this work … The Lord will be our God and delight to dwell among us, as His own people, and will command a blessing upon us in all our ways, so that we shall see much more of His wisdom, power, goodness and truth … We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies.”

But there came a warning with this prophecy ... Winthrop also said this: “If we shall deal falsely with our God … if our hearts shall turn away … so that we will not obey … but shall be seduced and worship other Gods, and serve them, then our blessings will cease to exist”. And we can all discern those "gods" which are so evident in our society: profit, greed, power, material possessions, lust, etc. And it's not hard to see that our blessings are in grave danger of being eradicated.

Once the important concept of a covenant with God for our nation was affirmed, the Lord wanted us to establish the importance of understanding the spiritual realms and our position in the battles that occur there. After a brief review of the realms of First and Second Heavens and the demonic activity that is orchestrated there against us, we confirmed that the battles that ensue are the Lord's, and He directs our participation from His dwelling place, in Third Heaven (I will present a more comprehensive examination of this concept in the next post). 

 

At this point we were coming to the conclusion of our management of this gathering, and the Lord instructed us to make clear the understanding of what it means to be an Ekklesia. We all needed to be on the same page in order to move forward. So we explained that an Ekklesia is an assembly of Christians acting as the governing body of the Kingdom of God on earth; instituting the government of Heaven so that the earth resembles Heaven – no abortion, no racism, no pedophilia, no evil, no sorrow, no murder, no poverty etc. We all have a part to play, an assignment, a calling as the Body, (one is an arm, one a leg, etc), but we operate in unity, joining our forces to defeat Evil. We have been given keys, such as prayer, fasting, binding and loosing [as in Heaven]. Jesus gives us that mandate in Matthew 16:18-19.

 

That is when I heard in my spirit that Jesus wanted to take over from there and do something powerful with this group. So, He gave me new insight to reveal that as part of our weapon of prayer, we should ask God to reveal the kingdom of darkness's strategies and trust Him to give us a battle plan to outflank them with strategies He would supply. And from that moment on, the Holy Spirit filled that room with testimonies of direction and strategies that the Lord had given individuals to war in the spirit for their children's schools, for the nation, for their health. 

 

And then the most powerful and beautiful thing happened ... I clearly heard in my spirit, "Now it's time to BE the Ekklesia", so without any preamble, I announced, "Let's stand together and become a true Ekklesia. Let us pray as the Lord leads us." What emerged was a powerful movement of the Spirit as we asserted our power and authority as the Ekklesia to transfer our prayers into the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of God, that they might be delivered to the Throne Room so that the Lord and His heavenly host could act on them! We declared that we were putting on our spiritual armor to join the Lord in His battle against the evil forces that were threatening our country, our schools, our communities, our health, our families and everything under our dominion. We decreed that we were taking back territory from the kingdom of darkness and we would bring the Light of Heaven to destroy the strategies of evil men. We cried out that we were being restored to our Genesis 1:26 and Psalms 115:16 dominion over the earth and we will not tolerate the usurping of our authority! We prayed for vision and clarity and wisdom and power and battle plans and tactics. We declared that the victory is the Lord's, but we are prepared to enforce it!

 

We may have been small in number, but we were mighty in spirit and purpose! And maybe we didn't appear to make much of an impact by the world's standards, but Father God, His heavenly host, and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah heard us ... and He roared! A faithful friend and member of our Ekklesia, Tami, saw an explosion happen in the spirit, and later shared that as our group stormed Heaven with our prayers, she and her husband, Keith, felt the atmosphere shift and it was powerful. She said, "I have been a part of an intercession group, and it usually took hours to accomplish what was done in 10-15 minutes". And my husband, Mark, saw a ball of fire with rotating parts form in the room as we prayed. Praise Jesus! We were not a necessarily polished and accomplished group of prayer warriors, but our hearts were sincere and pure, and like I said, our Father loves to work with those who come boldly before His throne (even if we are not particularly experienced or gifted in expressing ourselves). He took our voices and manifested them in the Spirit, and I can't wait to see the structures and strategies of the Enemy begin to crumble and fail! 

 

This was the first time this particular group of individuals gathered together, but I know it was ordained by God and it is not the last time the Enemy will recognize our small Ekklesia. We are going to continue to meet for contending prayer, to listen to the Lord for new strategies and new targets to direct our prayers towards. I thank the Lord for gathering us together, for taking over and leading us into a powerful display of the effects of our purposeful prayer. We were all changed by this experience as the Lord molded us into His Ekklesia ... we know that the gates of Hades will not prevail against us and that we are prepared to take back territory for the Kingdom of God with righteous and violent prayer; with eager and vigilant and relentless zeal in order to obtain the promises of God's heavenly government on earth. Thank you, Jesus, for taking the reins of your government on earth and showing us who we are and how You want to work with us!

 

James 5:16     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].

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

And Now For "The GOOD NEWS"...

 

I know I have probably said this before, but I can often identify with Jeremiah, the man who would become the messenger of some of God's most disturbing warnings for the people of Judah. Please don't misunderstand -- I do not equate myself with the strength or compassion or importance of Jeremiah and his prophecies; rather, I know what it feels like to appear as one who only has bad news to deliver.

I could easily "soft-sell" what I am discerning, but I never want to discount the truth of what God's Word says we will face, nor misrepresent the reality of what I see in my spirit or what God reveals to those who are on the wall and awake. I earnestly try to be, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:17, one who is "not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as a woman of sincerity, as commissioned by God, and in the sight of God, [to] speak in Christ". And I am very mindful of Ezekiel's warning to the watchmen that if they see "the sword" coming and warn the people of impending danger and they do not heed his words, then their blood will be on their own hands. But if the watchmen see the danger and do not sound the trumpet, then the blood of the people is on his or her hands. And there has certainly been a lot of things to warn about in 2020.

We have witnessed human beings coming into agreement with the devil to accomplish his goals of division, chaos, and destruction on the earth. We have seen the Enemy build spiritual structures that entrap people in his false systems of ideas, philosophies, and movements in order to gain promised power, money, fame, and change. He does this by sending his spirits to infiltrate educational institutions, governments, social movements, churches, and the media. These structures become strongholds that the devil owns and through which he can manipulate the masses for the purposes of his kingdom of darkness. BUT HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS ... These power structures collapse when we live our lives connected to God; when we obey Him and walk in our power and authority!

Have you noticed how often we are hearing about "a global reset" in our national dialogue? It seems it's become the media's new mantra across the entire spectrum of political ideologies. And that's because the powerful banking and business leaders, government officials, and social activists around the planet are seeking to reset and transform all aspects of our societies and economies. They have become willing accomplices with Satan's dark forces to propagate massive deception. Promote the deception hard enough and long enough and a spiritual stronghold becomes a habitual pattern of thought in the lives of individuals, communities, and nations. Spiritual strongholds can even dominate churches! Among the culture of the United States and Western mindset, in general, Satan has been able to build a stronghold that convinces people (whether Believers or not) that the supernatural does not exist in this Age. (Unfortunately, Satan's followers believe in this truth all too well!) Therefore, there is a denial of the influence of demonic spirits in the lives of many Christian peoples and nations. When disbelieving Christians don't accept the reality of spiritual strongholds and demonic forces, Satan's kingdom of darkness is free to continue operating in the world.

BUT HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS ... Just as Joshua and the Israelites took back territory from the Canaanites in the land the Lord had given them, Jesus came to give us His power and authority to take back territory from Satan's kingdom on earth. We are here on this earth to get in the fight and invade and conquer Satan's territory to take it back in the individual's life, in the life of communities, and in the life of our nation -- and we are to occupy that territory until He returns! 

How do we do that? First, we can be obedient to the Great Commission the Lord gave us in Matthew 28 and Mark 16: to heal both physically and spiritually; to lead people to the knowledge of salvation through faith in Jesus; to deliver them from the torment and oppression of the Evil One; to disciple nations by teaching them to enter into and expand the Kingdom of God on earth -- to proclaim and observe [follow] all that He commanded His followers; yes, to do even greater things than He did (John 14:12). 

Secondly, I cannot emphasize enough the power of intercessory prayer in engaging with the Holy Spirit. Both the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit are spiritual weapons used by God to thwart the goals of Satan and his demonic forces who are seeking to gain control over individuals, societies, and nations. Prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit can bring down strongholds. And Lord knows we need to defeat the strongholds of Abortion, Sex Trafficking, Socialism/Communism, and yes, even stagnant Religion! By the fervent prayers of individuals and prayer warriors joining their voices in unity, we can transform the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light so that individuals and nations can receive the knowledge of all they were meant to be. As obedient followers of Christ, we can break the bondage of demonic strongholds over individuals, cities, and nations. 

Jesus says that the primary purpose of His ministry was to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. It should be the predominant purpose of our personal and corporate ministries, as well. But in pursuing these ministries, we should expect to encounter Satanic strongholds of habitual thought patterns, as well as demonic strategies to inhibit our progress. After all, as we advance the Gospel of the Kingdom, it is a direct threat to the survival of Satan's kingdom of darkness. Our goal is not to engage with the demons, but rather to share the Good News of Jesus, His Kingdom on earth, and our restored dominion over the earth as men and women created in the image of God. But when we do encounter an offensive strategy from the Enemy, by promoting the concept and understanding of the Kingdom of God, we will serve to save, heal, deliver, teach and transform lives -- engaging in a very real spiritual war that delivers people out of the power of demons and darkness. 

Earlier, I mentioned the "global reset". I believe God is doing His own "reset" by identifying those who have spiritual eyes to see the battle strategy of the Enemy; placing His obedient remnant in positions of spiritual power; and strengthening the prayer muscles of His intercessors. He is delegating His authority in this critical time in our history. Jesus showed us [as a man] that we can speak for God and we have His permission to take the spiritually legal steps to make Earth look like Heaven. He's just waiting for us to step into the battle.

SO, HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS I WANT YOU TO REST ON ... We are here at this moment in history because we have been sent by God and commissioned to represent Him! We are to be the carnal representation of the One who sent us! Jesus has commissioned us, authorized us to act on His behalf, and empowered us with His Holy Spirit to accomplish our assignment. Yes, Jesus has already won the battle, but He has commissioned us to enforce the victory! Until we realize that we have an active role to play in establishing the Kingdom of God here on earth, then we will continue to lose territory to Satan in our souls, our cities, our states and ultimately, our nation. The battle is raging now -- we see it on the nightly news. Are you ready to walk in Heavenly realms and transfer the power of Heaven to Earth? We have unlimited potential to tear down Satan's strongholds. Let us join together to take Jesus's victory to the Enemy!

2 Corinthians 2:14-15     God always makes His grace visible in Christ, who includes us as partners of His endless triumph. Through our yielded lives He spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere we go. We have become the unmistakable aroma of the victory of the Anointed One to God—a perfume of life to those being saved and the odor of death to those who are perishing.

 

Our Authority In The Spiritual Realm

     It has been my experience that the question of our Authority on earth to wage spiritual warfare has been one of the biggest hangups for Christians.  In fact, that is usually the first comment I get whenever I try to broach the topic.  I will hear something like this:  "Yes, the Apostles were able to cast out demons, and heal the sick, but all that ended with their deaths."  This is pretty much the basis for a theological position called Cessationism.  
     In strict theological terms, this refers, in Christianity, to a doctrine that says "spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy and healing ceased with the original twelve apostles".  Notice that, in this definition, casting out demons is not even mentioned!  Yet, the apostles did that work, too.  So, in the intervening centuries, the Church has simply glossed over these facts and no longer even knows how to address it.
     And, now that Believers are awakening to the Truth of John 14:12, we are having to determine just how we regard this important part of our commission as workers in the Kingdom.   (Please take the time to click on the link and see these important words from our Savior).
     With that counsel from our Lord, I have seen two distinct disciplines:  Healing and Deliverance. In my opinion, Healing is using the authority and power from Jesus and the Holy Spirit to bring the healing of physical ailments to suffering Christians.  The ministry of Deliverance finds us using our authority and Their power to help heal the spiritual wounds caused by the Enemy's attack on their flesh and soul.  Very often, both of these disciplines work together because there is interaction between the spiritual and physical realms, and they affect both the spiritual and physical parts of us.  In other words, Jesus asks us to work with Him and the Holy Spirit to help "set the captives free" from demonic oppression -- this is one of the "things He did", as mentioned in John 14:12, and to which He wishes us to do in even greater "outreach and extent".
     This concept that there is interaction between the spiritual and physical realms is also a difficult position for Christians to accept.  That's why I said in the previous post, that we modern Christians "don't see the unseen world from the same point of view as the ancient Biblical writers."  They were familiar with the invisible world of the spiritual realm.  They interacted with it!  Let me give you these few examples from various passages in the Bible:
     •  In Genesis 28, Jacob was given a clear vision of interaction between the physical and spiritual realms.  He dreamed that there was a ladder (stairway) placed on the earth, and the top of it reached [out of sight] toward heaven; and [he saw] the angels of God ascending and descending on it [going to and from heaven].  Jacob may not have fully understood what he was seeing in his dream, but he awoke with the realization that "Without any doubt the Lord is in this place, and I did not realize it." He knew that God had interacted with him, and that his physical world had been affected by the presence of God coming to him from the spiritual realm.
     •  Moses certainly experienced the interaction of the spiritual with the physical, when he witnessed the burning bush and the voice of God in its midst.
     •  The prophets in the Old Testament continually gave witness as intermediaries between the spiritual and physical worlds for people who could not see. False prophets spoke from their own minds and imaginations.  God opened the eyes of His prophets so they could see into the spiritual realm and explain what they saw to the people.  Ezekiel saw wheels moving in unison.  Isaiah saw "the Lord, high and exalted seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple."  He also saw the angels that surrounded that majestic throne.  Elisha was able to assist his servant to see into the spiritual realm during a frightening episode when their city was surrounded by an army of horses and chariots.  Elisha prayed, "Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2 Kings 6:17).
     •  But it wasn't only the Old Testament Prophets and Patriarchs who had knowledge and experience of this interaction.  Stephen described what he saw in the spiritual realm, just as he was about to be stoned to death:   "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:54-56).   Peter was released from prison by a spiritual intervention:  "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists" (Acts 12:7).
     Even Jesus, as fully man, encountered the spiritual realm while on earth.  His baptism saw an intrusion of the Holy Spirit (in the form of a dove) from the spiritual realms, and the voice of God confirmed it.  And I sometimes think we Christians forget that Jesus's ministry on earth always originated in the spiritual realm of Heaven.  Jesus continually tells us that He only did what His Father had shown Him.  How could that be, if He wasn't being shown things in the spiritual realm?   And how can we dismiss what happened at the Transfiguration? Jesus parted the curtain between the physical and spiritual realms, so Peter and John could see that Moses and Elijah were living with God!
     While all these examples show us that there were many good and glorifying experiences of interaction between the physical and spiritual realms, we must not ignore that the Enemy also has used this ability to interact with this world.  When he tempted Jesus in the desert, he was able to show Him, in the spiritual dimensions, all the things of power and fame he could give Him, if Jesus would  only bow down and worship him.
     And I find another interesting episode of interaction in the storm which arose when Jesus accompanied the apostles on their boat.  The Greek translation says that "a great storm arose in the sea, an earthquake of the sea, its waters stirred to their depths".  This suggests to me that the forces of darkness understood that Jesus was a risk to them.  He was casting out demons, and they were powerless.  He was healing the people they had inflicted with sickness. They knew that they had to deal with him, before He really got going. So they stirred up the sea and the wind in an effort to kill Him.  That's why He rebuked the wind in the same way as He rebuked the evil spirits He was casting out in people.
     Can you see how both God and the devil -- both Good and Evil -- are able to interact with us through the overlapping dimensions of our physical world with the spiritual realm?  There are many more examples in the Bible of such experiences, and if Christians throughout the centuries (after the inspired Word of God had ended) were to write down their testimonies of spiritual interactions, it would fill untold numbers of manuscripts!  And guess what?  It is still happening, whether we recognize it or not!
     So, it is imperative, if we are to serve our Lord as He purposed us to do, that we recognize and acknowledge that there is an invisible world just as real as this physical one, and it comprises the spiritual realm.  It was created just as certainly as this rock we live on.  These two realms overlap and the forces that aligned with Satan have access to our realm, but we are not powerless to withstand them!  We need to understand that we have access to Jesus and the power of God -- the same power that He used in His ministry on earth to deal with those collaborators with the Enemy.  And He has given us His permission to call upon those powers (it is His Name that activates them!) to resist the devil and his schemes to oppress us.  That is our Authority!
     We desperately need to understand and get this concept!  We need to know --- I mean really know, deep in our spirit -- that we are involved in a visible and invisible world that intersect, and there is a war going on, a cosmic conflict that has eternal implications.  The souls of every man, woman, and child on this earth depends on us knowing that!  And we need to know that the Enemy seeks to blind us, and convince us that this is not Scriptural.  And he has been winning on that front for quite awhile now.  The state of misery that so many Christians are living in is proof of that.
     So I can imagine that he is none too happy that more of us are waking up to the Biblical Truth that Spiritual Warfare is part of our commission as the Body of Christ.  Our eternal Victory has been won on the Cross for those of us who call Jesus our Savior.  But there are millions of lost souls who are in the cross hairs of the Enemy, and it is our calling to share our salvation story.  With that, we can expect skirmishes, battles, and sometimes all-out war with the Adversary.  And that means that we need to be more vigilant than ever to put on our full spiritual armor, as Paul advises in Ephesians 6.  We need not be afraid or timid, or go searching for the fight.  We just need to stand firm in the knowledge that there is power in the Name of Jesus, and we have access to it and the authority to use it.  With that recognition comes the victories that will allow us to fulfill our purpose on earth.  And that is what God and Jesus desire for us!

1 Corinthians 2:13     "We also speak of these things, not in words taught or supplied by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual thoughts with spiritual words [for those being guided by the Holy Spirit]."

Understanding the Spiritual Realm!

     I wrote a post about three years ago on the importance of recognizing and understanding the spiritual realm and how it affects us Christians. I want to revisit that thought because nothing has really changed and it is my hope that the Body of Christ will discern the Kingdom aspects of this view.
     To begin, I guess various reactions are to be expected when we Christians become bold enough to speak publicly about "Spiritual Warfare" and "Spiritual Realms" and doing battle with "Spiritual Beings".  There will be those who do not share my faith, and are either agnostic or atheistic, and see these subjects as contrary to their scientific mindset, and those who believe in rationalism, a theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on religious belief.
     But we should also expect that our fellow Christians may have differences of opinion with us; especially over terminology and just how far we are to go in waging our battle.  We must remember that, as 21st Century Christians, the theology of spiritual warfare is largely unrecognized and we are essentially, still trying to come to terms with what it all means. 
     I happen to believe that the Christian "Church", or Body of Christ if you prefer, is largely uncomfortable with the idea that we live in a supernatural world, and that the Bible is a supernatural Book.  Oh, you will hear Christians agreeing that the Bible is a supernatural book, but then they are so clearly skeptical when you try to point out the supernatural implications of Scripture.  I'm not sure what it is ... if certain charismatic denominations, and individuals, have given a bad name to the spiritual and supernatural side of our faith; or if we have just closed our minds to the possibilities of the supernatural in our faith, so that we keep it at arm's length, and only refer to it in whispers.
     Because of these two distortions, Christians suffer from a fundamental problem:  they don't see the unseen world from the same point of view as the ancient Biblical writers.  One group assigns the spiritual and supernatural to the periphery of theological discussions; while the other group is so obsessed with experiencing the supernatural, that they are indifferent to whether their theology is Scriptural or not.
     That's why I think it is important for us to examine and recover a Biblical context when discussing spiritual warfare, and we must not dismiss, ignore, or wrongly interpret what the Bible is telling us.  I find it interesting that most people, whether devout in their faith or not, will agree that God exists.  Yet how do they see Him?  If forced to define Him, I suppose most would agree that He is not flesh and blood like us, but is a Spirit.  So they can conceive of God, the Creator of the Universe, as a Spirit, but these same people can't agree that there are evil spirits, or that Satan is real.
      I think that it all comes down to a fundamental lack of knowledge about what occurred in the Garden of Eden.  Let's start at the beginning:  The Bible reveals to us that God and the Word (Jesus) have existed eternally.  That's what John 1:1-2 plainly says.  As Genesis tells us, They created everything .... the earth and all things on it; the first and second heavens (our sky, and the heavenly realm beyond our atmosphere); and all the plant and animal life.  God also created angels to help Him create, govern and manage His creation. Angels are ministers, agents and helpers in God’s creation. They are servants of God, playing a critical role in fulfilling His eternal purpose.
     Lucifer was created to hold a special office:  one of just two cherubs covering and protecting God's throne.  Ezekiel, Chapter 28 gives us a good vision of how God saw this angel He created, whom He refers to as the prince of Tyre.  He describes Lucifer as having "the full measure of perfection and the finishing touch [of completeness]; Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty."  God created and educated Lucifer for his assignment on Earth’s throne, which was placed in the Garden of Eden—before human beings were even created! Lucifer received this special training from the “holy mountain of God,” God’s throne!  Yes, God had great plans for Lucifer to manage His creation of Earth for Him.... that is until we get to Ezekiel 28, verse 15:  "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness and evil were found in you."
     We all know the rest of the story.  Lucifer, in his pride and arrogance, sought to usurp God's throne, and when God (and Jesus) created man to have dominion over the earth and manage their creation, Lucifer became known as Satan and plotted to steal back what he believes is rightfully his.  Through Satan's tempting scheme, mankind experienced The Fall, and we have been in battle ever since with Satan and the angels that chose to follow him.
     But here is what we need to know!  When God created the earth and "the heavens",  He created a spiritual world that exists in parallel to the physical world. God created a multi-dimensional universe.  We can only see the three dimensions of our existence ... height, width, and depth ... along with the dimension of time.  The website called, The Kingdom Watcher, really explains the bigger picture well.  "The physical realms consist of the earth, the sea and the sky. It includes people and the things they have made.  The Bible refers to the "heavenlies" as a label for the spiritual realms that exist alongside the physical world. The spiritual realms are just as real as the physical world that we can see. These two realms overlap and interact with each other.  We live in a multi-dimensional universe in which the spiritual dimensions exist in parallel to our three-dimensional physical world. The spiritual realms operate in continuity with the physical/natural world that we observe. Most humans cannot see into the spiritual dimensions, so we can only observe the physical side of existence. However, events in our physical world are shaped by activities in the spiritual realm. When we look at the physical world in isolation, we miss much of what is happening in the universe."
     Here's what we need to understand ... God operates in the spiritual dimensions of our reality, but He also created and sustains the physical world.  The sad fact is that the ancient Biblical writers understood this concept, and up until about 300 years ago, so did modern man.  But then a European intellectual movement of the late 17th and 18th centuries, called the Enlightenment, emphasized reason and individualism over accepted traditional thought. Combine that with modern education, and we all but wiped out our awareness of the spiritual world.
      But there's another important concept to understand when it comes to recognizing the overlapping of the spiritual and physical worlds.  It is the concept of AUTHORITY.  God had authority over all the angels in heaven.  At some point, when Lucifer rebelled, one-third of the angels decided to follow him and he was allowed to set up an alternative kingdom, under some semblance of his authority.  (Remember:  nothing happens without God allowing it, even though we may not understand His Sovereign choices).  God created the earth and placed humans in it. He gave authority over the earth to the people He created, but kept authority in heaven for Himself.  Satan wrestled authority from Adam and Eve by persuading them to believe a lie. This gave his spiritual forces of wickedness a place in heaven and authority over the earth, but it was stolen authority. The devil also devised a place in the spiritual realms by acting as accuser /prosecutor of God's people before the presence of God.  (We see that played out in the Book of Job).  And now, all this is being played out in our lives, and upon the earth and the heavenly realms.
     This is what it looks like:  Sin and The Fall destroyed the unity that had existed in the spiritual realms. God still dominates the spiritual realms, and two-thirds of the angels remain loyal to Him. However, Satan drew together the angels that had rebelled with him and squeezed them into an alternative power structure within the spiritual world.  This division in the spiritual realm results in struggles here on earth between the Kingdom of God and the forces of wickedness.  That is why Paul tells us "we do not struggle/wrestle with flesh and blood" -- there is an overlapping and interaction between our physical world and the spiritual realm.
     I realize that this leads to all kinds of questions ... questions that we will consider in the coming days and months.  A question that naturally occurs at this point is, God is Sovereign.  Why doesn't He just stop Satan (or people) from carrying out their wicked plots and schemes?  That is a tough question, and I do not claim to know the mind or counsel of God.  But perhaps He plays by His own rules and His immutability (His unchanging Character).  When He gave authority over the earth to man, it is not in His character to take it back, even when man so carelessly gave it away.  Or perhaps, once man handed over his authority to Satan, God planned a way for us to get it back, but it would involve making a choice on our part to believe in His Co-Creator, Jesus.  I'm not sure we are capable of answering that question, or that it even matters.
     I believe, however, that prior to The Fall, Adam and Eve could see into the spiritual world. They were able to walk with God in the cool of the evenings and speak directly to Him. They were even able to see the devil, when he came to tempt them. But after they disobeyed God, they were blinded and could no longer see into the spiritual realm.  I believe that this is the state in which most of us find ourselves today.  I also believe, that at His discretion, God is able to restore sight to those Christians who can forego their doubt and unbelief and accept His direction.
     But I also believe that Authority will come into play as we near the final struggle for dominion over this earth. God is revealing exactly what we're dealing with, so that we can prepare ourselves for the battle that Satan and his wicked partners plan to bring against us.  They know that Jesus is readying Himself and His army to stop the reign of the Lawless One and take back Authority over His creation.  Until then, He has given us a measure of His authority, and that's what I want to explore with you on my next post.  That is where it gets exciting for me, and I can't wait to share with you what that can look like!


Ephesians 3:10    "So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places."