They Gather For Battle In The Valley of Decision

Back in 2016, I wrote a post sharing how God was showing me the Biblical prophecies of what was to come during "The End Times". I was seeing how the world economy, the Middle East, and the growing presence of Russia and China in the area were driving the foreign policies of the nations in the world. At the time, economists were pointing to oil as the driving factor that would cause petroleum-hungry nations to invade Israel in order to control their newly discovered oil fields. This blessing from God would make their production roughly equivalent to that of Saudi Arabia. In fact, the "great minds" of the time were asking if oil might not be "the hook in the jaw" that would pull nations out of the north to the Valley of Jezreel (Ezekiel 38:4).

Fast forward to October 7, 2023, as the world watched [and continues to watch] the horrific evil that has invaded Israel. Our gut reaction is to see this as a battle between Evil and God's Holy nation of Israel. But we must step back and see the 30,000 foot view of all that permeates this tragedy. Biblically, and prophetically, we probably all instantly think of the Gog and Magog war [prophesied in Ezekiel 38] that signals the End Time battle between YHWH and the Anti-Christ [and the nations who support him] who will gather together against Jerusalem. This battle/war will trigger the Lord's fierce anger in the defense of His people in Zion. We also think of Joel 3:14 ... Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.  

Now let's apply these prophesies to the unspeakable images that flashed across our screens in Israel this weekend. I will admit that I endured a sleepless night, crying out to God for Israel. I couldn't erase the images -- the innocent lives subjected to terror; those who were killed and for all those who will yet perish -- and the numbers keep rising. But the entire world needs to understand: this portends the wrath of God and it is real. God formed humanity to bring Him glory. He has set a holy and pure standard for mankind. But when the perfect Judge of the Universe looks upon those who rebel in wickedness and evil, He does not act in a reckless rage; or out of uncontrollable anger, a senseless fury, or an unjust vengeance. It is a precise and controlled response against those who belittle His Holiness and have sinned against Him without repentance. 

Prophetically, God endorses this statement in Ezekiel 38 when He confronts Gog, from the land of Magog. [Note: Gog could be a person, and Magog is the geographical land or territory where he lives. He could also be a "demonic prince" and Magog is the land he has been assigned by Satan]. God confronts this ruler of Magog, and says to its king, Gog: Are you he of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who in those days prophesied for years that I would bring you against them? ... You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 

There is an excellent series of articles on the website, christinprophecyblog.org that I recommend you read. Dr. Nathan E. Jones, Director of Internet Outreach at Lamb and Lion Ministries, is the author. Dr. Jones gives us a 30,000 foot view of this Gog and Magog war; a war that has had religious leaders and writers speculating as to the participants for hundreds of years. I will emphatically state that I am not qualified to give an expert opinion on the subject, but Dr. Jones's argument is worth reading and praying about. He contends that Ezekiel wrote 2,700 years ago, prophesying a time when the Lord would pull different nations down to Israel so He could destroy them and show the world that He protects Israel. The ancient nations that are prophesied in Ezekiel 38, are now known by their modern names ... Russia, Iran, and Turkey, among them.  

That is definitely interesting and what I imagine most Western Christians will agree with. But there's a bigger picture that we need to see. While I believe that the whole world will see that God intends to protect His land, Israel, I also believe that God brings this Gog and Magog war against Israel to bring the nation to a saving knowledge of Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah. You see, we need to understand that Israel, as it stands today, represents God's Chosen People. But, they do not yet walk in their true identity. 

Politically, culturally, and spiritually, the people of Israel are divided, just as we are in this nation. Allegations of corruption in the government; rampant moral decline in their society; and ridicule and persecution exists against the Messianic Jewish believers by their orthodox brothers in the Jewish faith. In many ways, the modern nation of Israel is following the rebellious ways of the Old Testament nation of Israel. Whether the recent [and on-going] events in Israel reflect the beginning of the Gog and Magog war, Dr. Jones wants us to comprehend that there will be a seven-year time period known as the Tribulation that will come upon the earth  following this War. We can be sure that God will make it so that people will know that there is a God. They will have to choose Him, or not. They will have the choice to choose God, or Satan through the Antichrist.    

This impending war will happen in the valleys of Israel. For myself, I'm not so caught up in which valley(s) -- whether the Valley of Jezreel or Jehoshophat -- as I am in discerning that people will need to make a decision... multitudes and multitudes will need to decide! Not only will the Gentile and Muslim nations need to make a decision regarding Jesus, but the inhabitants of Israel, too. Many people romanticize the Israeli people, thinking that because they are God's chosen, they worship Him and are followers of Yeshua. But for the last 2,000 years the Jewish people have been mostly at odds with their God. Like many in America, they are mostly Secular Humanists. But as God has always done, He is raising up a true remnant in Israel that will lead the world to the knowledge of the One True God. 

If this war in Israel turns out to be the Biblical End Times War prophesied By Ezekiel, we are seeing the wicked armies of Satan carrying out his orders against the Israeli citizens. And the world will soon see that Yeshua, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah will not abandon His people and He will orchestrate a miraculous victory for tiny Israel. We will see that God will use the evil perpetrated in Israel to bring His remnant to salvation! They will call on the Name of the Lord and be saved to witness to the rest of the lost world! The heart of God's people will turn back to their God. 

The events prophesied in the Bible are definitely coming together! We can see the coalition of nations coming against Israel, and their armies joining forces to destroy the Israeli people. We see the hatred and wickedness that fuels their evil hearts, and we cry for the suffering of the people in God's holy land. But does the world understand that God will not let evil go unanswered? He will soon step into world affairs and destroy the invaders. The Bible tells us that an earthquake will shake all of Israel, and the armies of Satan will suffer pestilence and bloodshed; torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur. The whole world will know that God will defend Israel! 

So, when I say that "they gather for battle in the Valley of Decision", I mean that in reality and prophetically. Every nation and people will look upon the coming battles with trembling, and will answer for their contribution to the slaughter we are witnessing in the Holy Land. And everyone will have to make a decision ... do you say "Yes" to the Ancient of Days, the God of Israel? Or do you side with the rebellious ones whose fate lies in His hands? Will you pray for the innocent lives lost in Israel; for their families; and that they will be restored to righteousness through knowing Jesus Christ as their Savior? Will you join with me to pray for those whose hate has been stored up and incited by the Prince of Darkness whose jealousy of Israel has led to this conflagration? Will you pray that these haters will meet the Holy and Righteous One who loved them enough to die for them -- yes, even them -- IF they will repent and turn from their evil ways? Will you join with me in praying, "Lord, the world needs You! Come, Lord Jesus"!

Ezekiel 38:23     So [then] I will show My greatness and My holiness and make Myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.    

How The Existence Of God's Kingdom on Earth Impacts The Harvest

Several years ago, I joined a group of women for a Bible Study taught by Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, California. I believe that Pastor Johnson walks in an anointing from God to preach to the Body of Christ that God's Kingdom in Heaven has invaded this earth, and how that should decisively affect our Christian walk. The Bible Study was called "God Is Good: He's Better Than You Think".  That study accentuated some deep questions that I was already asking myself regarding my ambassadorship for the Kingdom of God. For instance: How does the announcement [and existence] of God's Kingdom have a direct impact on the size of the harvest of people who respond to it?

Note that this question is actually multi-faceted. We must not only consider what the direct impact is upon the harvest of souls, but how it effects the size of the harvest.  First of all, it is important to recognize that there is a direct correlation between the announcement of God's Kingdom and the Gospel of the Kingdom. It should go without saying that both are announcing the "Good News" that God's Kingdom (the actual realm where He resides) has now made itself known here on earth. This announcement would soon make the Kingdom a reality; becoming apparent by the evidence shown in Jesus's life.  And Jesus would inaugurate the Kingdom message when He began His ministry, preaching "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand".

The good news of this Gospel Message about God's Kingdom coming to earth is that mankind now had a way to be acceptable before God. Prior to Jesus's appearance, man had lived in a state of hopelessness due to how God viewed sin. The Bible makes His holy opinion easy to understand: The soul who sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20). But with the arrival of Jesus, mankind now had a Savior who would provide a way out of experiencing eternal death, which was the consequence for our sins against a Holy God.

All the prophets had foretold of this Savior that would take away the sins of the world and restore man's relationship with God as it had been in the Garden of Eden. Remember: God's Kingdom is where God resides; the realm in which He rules. Between the time man fell into sin in the Garden and the time of this announcement, that kingdom realm had existed only in Heaven. Now, here comes John the Baptist foretelling that this Kingdom is near, rapidly followed by Jesus's appearance and the beginning of His ministry to announce that God's Kingdom was now here! So it's not too difficult to see the immense impact that this announcement would have on God's harvest of souls.

No longer would man be subject to Laws that were incapable of delivering us from Death. But man would now be able to stand before God in righteousness through believing in the sacrifice He would make of Himself [as His Son, Jesus Christ] on our behalf. By following Jesus's example of living according to the Father's will, the impact on the harvest would become nothing short of miraculous and astounding. Those who would accept and respond to His announcement and ministry would begin to change the world. The realm of Satan here on the earth would come into direct conflict with the people who walked in their authority as members of God's Kingdom on earth. The number of citizens of Satan's kingdom would diminish, as the number of citizens of God's Kingdom rose. 

That was the plan! But if we are going to resemble Christ's image [and His work] here on earth, then we have to announce more than the deliverance from eternal Death; although, that in itself is worthy of our acclamation and enthusiastic approval. You see, that deliverance isn't realized until the end of our life. So, while that good news of our salvation from Death is responsible for a magnificent number coming into the harvest, I believe we gain staggering numbers when we reveal ALL of the good news that the announcement of the Kingdom generates.

Think about it: a person recognizes their need of a Savior and accepts Jesus into their heart, repenting for their sins and asking forgiveness. Is that news worthy of sharing? Absolutely! But if the newly saved Christian takes that message to the person who sees the penalty of sin [and their resulting death] as a far-off event, the message may have no immediate relevance. But let's say that we add to that message of salvation. Let's say we share that the reality of the Kingdom of God being present today ALSO gives you access to the power of the Holy Spirit to heal persistent physical/health problems, or to set one free from the bondage of shame, guilt, anger, and unforgiveness, to name just a few of the attacks from the devil. Can you see that we now offer an immediate benefit from our announcement of the Kingdom at hand? Can you perceive that this full Gospel message of the Kingdom might result in a greater number in the harvest -- in other words, the impact on the size of the harvest might be more considerable if we share the complete picture of the Kingdom of God, on earth as it is in heaven. It is more than salvation [as magnificent as that is]; it is freedom; it is power; it is authority to battle in the spiritual realms as God leads us.

Who doesn't have a health issue they are dealing with in these perishable bodies? It doesn't matter if it is a simple headache or stage 4 cancer. We want it to go away! And I defy us to find anyone within the Body of Christ who has not suffered at least one attack or violation from the Enemy on their character, their identity, their relationships with others, or the privacy of their body. We may know Jesus as our Savior and rely on our ultimate deliverance from Death, but who wouldn't want to be liberated from the oppressive thoughts and emotions that we carry around with us because of these assaults on our spirits and flesh?  What would happen if Christians could praise Jesus for how He healed them from sexual molestation; loss of self-respect and self-esteem; bullying; abusive parents; or promiscuity and drug/alcohol abuse? Do you think more people would identify with those victories --  or a victory over their future death?

 I'm not saying that the good news of our salvation from eternal death is not an important message to share... it's the ultimate reward! But there is more to Jesus's victory and what that victory looks like in the here-and-now. I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit has revealed to my heart the need of my Savior. I look forward to my glorious resurrection and dwelling forever with the Lord when the new Heaven and new Earth appear. But I am equally grateful that He has set me free NOW to praise Him for delivering me from the bad choices I have made in my life; from the attempts of the devil to kill, steal, and destroy this Kingdom life in the present; and for giving me the opportunity to share this restored life, made in His image. 

It is my responsibility [and my joy] as the recipient of Jesus's authority and the power of the Holy Spirit to invite others to partake of God's goodness to those who believe in Him. When we share all that we have received from Heaven's invasion of earth, then we can expect to see an impact of righteousness and growing numbers of ambassadors. And, Lord knows, we need more Heaven on earth today! The growing trend towards lawlessness, in all its aspects, needs a response from Heaven's citizens on earth. And it must happen in more than words; let your faith become action! Walk in your power and authority to heal, defeat demons, and set the captives free. Let us increase the harvest a hundred-fold!  Let the "Good News of the Kingdom" be realized across the face of this planet, and let all the people shout "Hallelujah!" as our voices join in worship, praise and rejoicing as the we participate in bringing in God's harvest.  

Matthew 9:38     "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest".

 

"At the Right Time", Jesus Came & Died to Bring the Kingdom of God to Earth!

Our Home Church is studying Romans, one of my favorite Books of the Bible. It is full of Paul's theological terms [regarding God's character as it relates to our faith]. We have read these terms for years, but how many of us have really understood the weight of these religious expressions? Could you explain what Justification means to a non-believer? Or how about Righteousness, Sanctification, Propitiation, or Repentance? I will admit that when I was a new Christian, I just skimmed over these heady words and tried to grasp "the meat" of what Paul was trying to teach.

But now, as our group is progressing through our study in Romans, we are able to show them the significance of age-old doctrine in a new light. The sacrosanct words that have been preached from the pulpit for hundreds of years, are taking on real meaning, as we come to understand how God's Righteousness and Wrath are both designed to draw us to Him. Until Jesus came, we were God's enemy because we were born into sin. Neither the religious Law nor our works could bring His favor -- God is pure good, and His Divine standard cannot tolerate impurity and sin. So it is only by our faith [complete trust and confidence] in Jesus Christ and what He did on the Cross, that God is able to look upon us as meeting His standard of righteousness and acceptance.

But this post is not an exegesis on theological terms in the Bible. Rather, I wanted to share one of the hidden treasures that we unearthed; a jewel that was there in plain sight, but so easy to overlook. It is Romans 5:6, which reads, For while we were still weak [without faith, and deserving of God's wrath as a sinner], at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. So, why am I highlighting these seemingly inconspicuous four words?

To begin with, Romans is one of the most powerful and important Books in the Bible. So many concepts of God's character are loaded into these 16 short chapters. If you want to get a glimpse of how God's heart and mind works, and His plans for reconciling the world back to Him, read Romans -- and read it with purpose! I have read this chapter numerous times, but a few years ago, as God was revealing His concept of His Heavenly Kingdom coming to earth, those words jumped out at me. And so, my husband and I embarked on a journey and began digging to find out what "at the right time" meant, and did it have any significance for us today. I mean, we knew when in history Jesus came, but why was that time the "right" time? 

As we asked God for the answer, He led us to a teaching by the late Dr. Myles Munroe, a Bahamian minister and avid professor of the Kingdom of God. It is his teaching about "the right time" that I am paraphrasing [and expounding upon] today. As he explains it, there was 4000 years from the time of Adam's sin until Jesus came. That's thousands of years during which the world was in dire straits; when sin defiled the earth and mankind was in desperate need of a Savior. Why didn't God send Jesus in Chapter 3 of Genesis, when sin first appeared? Why not in Genesis 6, with the incursion of the Fallen Angels? Why not in Noah's or Abraham's time? Moses's or David's? Why didn't He send Jesus when the Assyrians, and then Nebuchadnezzar, took His chosen people into captivity? What was wrong with those times?

Dr. Munroe's theory is as profound as it is simple... God waited until a kingdom on earth (Rome) was the closest to resembling the government of His Kingdom in Heaven. The timing had to be right so that people would understand what Jesus meant when He talked about His Father's Kingdom. In all of previous history, the kings who conquered lands took the people they invaded back to their country. But Rome was the first kingdom in history to leave those they conquered in their own land. They didn't uproot them. The Roman kingdom would take its government to the lands it invaded. The king of Rome [Caesar, which also meant Lord] would handpick someone from his courts and appoint them as Governor of the conquered territory. That Governor [Tetrarch or ruler] would live in that conquered land, and his assignment was to convert that territory [and its inhabitants] into Rome. As Dr. Munroe said, "In other words, the Romans didn't bring the people back to Rome to make them Romans, they took Rome to the people to make the people Rome".

Do you see the resemblance to His plan in sending Jesus to earth? The timing was right! Rome was using God's system of government, so everything Jesus said should have made sense to the inhabitants of the kingdom of Rome. Wherever the Romans invaded became "little Rome". They made you speak their language, eat their food, follow Rome's laws and culture, pay Roman taxes -- they became inhabitants of Rome, and everything in that land became Rome. Wherever you were, was Rome! 

Is the picture becoming clearer? When Jesus declared, "Repent [renew your mind]! The Kingdom of God is near", He was announcing that He was invading earth and bringing the Kingdom of God [and its government] to all the people. For three years, His ministry was for the purpose of teaching the people to become like citizens of Heaven. The parables were to teach them about the culture of Heaven ... each parable begins with "The kingdom of Heaven is like...". 

He also began teaching about the commandments and rules of Heaven ... about fasting and laying up treasure in Heaven; about judging others, the Golden Rule and what defiles a person. He taught about Heaven's position on anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation and loving your enemies, teaching them, "You have heard it said... but I say to you...", distinguishing the difference between their old standards of behavior and Heaven's new paradigm.    

That's why Jesus Christ was a problem to the Roman Empire -- because He declared that HE was Lord and He was bringing a new government! It was a political issue not a religious one. Read your Bible! Jesus never claimed He was a Priest; He claimed He was a KING! 

And the religious Jews [Pharisees and Sadducees], who were also the ruling faction of the Jewish people, saw their delicate balance of power and rulership with the Roman government threatened by Jesus's position. Jesus declared Himself King and brought a new government to earth and it was a political conflict -- two kingdoms clashing! The Pharisees wanted to use Religion to control Jesus [and protect their liaison with Roman political leaders] but His message was about Lordship [rulership and kingship]. [NOTE: the conflict between Religion and the Kingdom of God on earth continues to this day].  

God's purpose for Jesus coming was not to establish a Religion, but to establish His form of government on the earth; a government that mirrored the government in Heaven. Jesus taught 12 men the principles of changing the territory of earth into looking like Heaven -- the very system the Romans used, and it should have been identifiable to the people He came to. But because it wasn't, the very people who were looking for the kingly line of David to restore them, didn't recognize His kingdom message and what He was doing. They let the religious leaders offer Jesus up as a sacrifice to ease the hostility and strained relations with Roman authorities. They couldn't see that He was offering them a position in the Heavenly Kingdom that surpassed all the kingdoms in human history! 

Jesus declared He was born to be a King and to testify of the Truth. But His kingdom was not from this world -- in it, but not from it. When Pilate threatened Jesus by telling Him he had the power to save or take Jesus's life, Jesus responded by telling Pilate he would have no authority at all, except that it was given to him by God through His government system in Heaven. You see, the truth is that when Jesus came to earth, He invaded it, bringing the government of Heaven with Him to transform this territory and the people into Heaven. That's who we're supposed to be -- acting like citizens of Heaven, where there is no lawlessness, no crime, no corruption, no famine, no war, no persecution, and no religion... 

So, Jesus came at just the right time ... At a time when the world could understand what His Father's government system would look like. And the benefits were great -- Salvation and a Reconciled Relationship with our Creator and Heavenly Father. We haven't done a very good job of implementing that system. But it's never too late! As long as there is a remnant that understands and clings to it, I believe that our Father will honor our hearts. And it begins with each one of us, as we take territory in our lives and declare that it is Heaven, governed by Heaven's laws and love! Everywhere we go should look like Heaven, as we walk out Heaven's culture and system of spiritual government. Let it be your "right time" and see how much territory you can convert and transfer into the Kingdom of Heaven! The world needs a transformation and a spiritual rebirth -- one life and one piece of ground at a time. 

Matthew 6:10   Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

  

God's Righteousness and His Wrath: The Fullness of His Character

This may not be a popular post, but it has been on my heart to write about these two very important aspects of God for quite awhile: His righteousness and His wrath. Because I see so much unrighteousness at nearly every level in the world -- from the personal nature of mankind to the global manifestations -- I am left wondering how much longer will God tolerate the wicked passions of His creation? What do we really understand about His righteousness? About His wrath?

The Church is very good at teaching us about that first part of God's character: His righteousness, which is very often portrayed as His Mercy. That is the picture that most Christians have of Jesus and the Father. In the words of Bible teacher Derek Prince, "God's mercy offers His righteousness, which He imparts to those who receive by faith the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf."  True, because of His mercy towards us, He offers His righteousness, but it must be received and accepted by having faith in Jesus. And God has been showing me there is so much more to this concept, and His character.

In an effort to win new converts, we often say to unbelievers, "Jesus died for my sins. Through my faith in Him, I am forgiven of all my transgressions -- past, present, and future -- and God has poured out His love on me.  That's what He wants to do for you, too."  We are pretty good at expressing that beautiful Truth. But we need to take a good, hard look at ourselves and ask the question, "Are we suppressing the whole truth of God's character?" 

It is good [and right] to express to new believers that in the Gospel of Christ, "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith [springing from faith and leading to more faith], for it is written 'The just shall live by faith' ". We often cherry pick this beautiful verse to uplift our spirits when we're feeling down, but do you know the verses that precede and follow Romans 1:17? In verse 16, the Apostle Paul tells us, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek". I've included the Amplified version of this verse because it actually tells us what God is saving us from! He isn't just giving us some free gift because He loves us. He wants us to know why we need to be saved and what it cost Him!

So, in verse 18, we get our answer: " For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth". If we are not revealing the significance of the verses that surround the gospel and the power of God for salvation, then we are doing a great disservice to those we are trying to reach, and we are not honoring the full character of God. 

I want to return to Derek Prince's quote and give you the continuation of his thoughts on God's righteousness:  "Christians who question the reality of God's judgment on sin should ponder afresh the significance of the crucifixion. Even Jesus could not make sin acceptable to God, but had to endure the full outpouring of His wrath." So, yes, Christ's substitutionary death at Calvary is the ultimate sign of God's mercy on a sinful world. But often, the Church fails to point out that it is, at the same time, the ultimate revelation of God's wrath, poured out on Jesus when He became identified with man's sin. How many times have you heard Christians refer to the attributes of God's lovingkindness, mercy and grace; and how many pictures of Jesus are hanging in Church sanctuaries and classrooms of the gentle Christ with the lamb around his neck? Do you ever see pictures of an angry God, or of Jesus at the head of His heavenly army, coming to slay the wicked of the earth?  

Instead, we are used to seeing Christ nailed on the Cross, head bowed, but with no marks upon his body. Many Christians will point to the Cross as the true manifestation of God's character, and only see Love. But have you ever seen the depictions of what historians and medical experts say Jesus's body really looked like after He was whipped and scourged before going to the Cross? They speak of horrendous damage to His human body; blood oozing from the capillaries and veins; the skin of His back hanging in ribbons, and the entire area as an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue. 

Yes, the fact that Jesus went to the Cross for us is an expression of God's Love; a love so extraordinary that we cannot even imagine it. But we should also be reminded that what is shown to us at the Cross is more than God's love and mercy for us. The Bible, itself, tells us that God does not overlook sin, and the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The Cross is the revelation of God's wrath ... not even His precious Son escaped it. The Cross is a picture of Jesus enduring the outpouring of God's wrath that is due every man for his sins against the Lord; all the wrath that has been storing up since Adam, and will continue to be stored up until Christ returns.  Yes, His love has given us a way to be saved from that wrath through faith in His Son, but that wrath is still in play and will be poured out upon the wicked (those who reject Christ) when Yeshua returns in triumph at the end of this Age.  

The Apostle Paul is careful to make sure that we understand the dual aspect of God's character which includes both Righteousness and Wrath.  He says in Romans 11:22, "Therefore consider the goodness [or kindness] and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off."  Now, I'm here to tell you that Christians don't want to hear that!  This is getting into really uncomfortable territory and forces us to consider that God's wrath has not been taken off the table, so to speak. Once we've seen and felt and experienced the goodness of God through our salvation, we don't want to hear that there's any more possibility of punishment -- or discipline, or wrath, or whatever you want to call it.  You will hear some say, "Well, they were never saved in the first place." But -- and I don't mean to offend you -- but that seems like a pretty convenient caveat, doesn't it?

In the Greek translation of the New Testament, Paul actually cautions new Gentile converts who think that their profession of faith and salvation renders them immune from God's wrath forever:  "Stop having such a superiority complex; but be fearing...".  He then goes on to remind them of both God's kindness and severity, in the cutting off of the natural branches, the Jews... "for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either". But we know the way to eternal life, and should not fear God's wrath if we continue in His goodness. That's why I'm always cautioning the faithful to not compromise with the world and its sins. Remain faithful to God, and He will remain faithful to deliver you!    

The Church has been living in a self-declared "Age of Grace". But it is time the Church and all Christians who fear Him to present the full character of God. It is quite evident that the world is spiraling out of control and the depths of sin have become abominable.   We must declare that there can be no doubt of the wrath of God against all the wickedness of men—against sin. It was seen at the Flood; in the destruction of Sodom; and on the Holy One who was made sin for us. It is also revealed that He is coming in judgment, taking vengeance. The wicked will be cast into the lake of fire. The love of God alone, will not rescue us on His Day of Wrath. It will be God's own righteousness that He sees in us [through our faith in Jesus] that will save us and deliver us from the wrath that the world has brought upon itself. "The just[ified] will live by faith"!  

I know this is not a subject that is easy to hear or receive. We would rather live in the message of God's Grace, Mercy, and Love. But we must live our faith in Truth. God has shown us both His Righteousness and His Wrath. We should be able to accept that a Righteous God cannot tolerate sin, because that would demean His moral, good, and guiltless nature. And therefore, He is entitled to His wrath against those who would walk in sin against His creation. To look upon one part of His nature, while denying the other, is to both misinform and deceive. Instead, praise Him for the fullness of His character and His heart to draw all men -- both the justified and the wicked -- to Him. He never gives up on us!

Romans 11:33    Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and decisions and how unfathomable and untraceable are His ways!

 

Change Is Coming To The Kingdom of God!

I want to begin this blog post by visiting the story of Mordecai, the Jew, and his adopted daughter, Esther. According to the Bible, Esther's husband was King Ahasuerus, King of Persia, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces. Furthermore, the history books also say 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.

I think it is imperative [in this time and place] that we ask ourselves if we have the courage and faith of Esther. We have to be blind, and far beyond a "normalcy bias" mindset to not see the shifting sands we have been resting upon for the last few decades. If the panic and fear of the pandemic in 2020 wasn't enough for us to begin examining where we are in our Biblical worldview, or to discern the changing winds of world history, then surely we can see the current precipice on which we stand. The growing involvement of AI in our daily lives; the geoengineering of plant and animal life; the promotion of gender dysphoria; the drums of war throughout the world; and the trading of human flesh for the perverted pleasures of men are all birth pains of the intolerable evil which Jesus has forecast.

It cannot be appeased by politics or a new president. And sadly, the modern Western Church is unequipped to face the strategies of the kingdom of darkness. They are unaware of [or choose to ignore] the depth of depravity that is an undercurrent in our society and culture. And believe me, I understand the fear, anxiety, and disquiet in our souls when we dare to look at it. But we can no longer afford to turn away. Our newscasts are full of innocent people being assaulted and killed by random acts of violence as they stand on a street corner, or wait for a bus. The physical and moral evil of the child sex trade is storing up wrath in the Kingdom of Heaven, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. And just this weekend, I met a woman whose husband is using ChatGPT to engage with AI to create monsters that he hopes to interact with! The really sad thing is this man was an innocent child who was exploited and molested as a child, and his life began to spiral out of control until he now finds himself skirting the edges of being lost forever. I ask you ... Is the Church equipped to minister to him?  Would they even try? Or is he just another casualty of a society and religious system that doesn't have any answers to the growing evil in the world?

If you are a Kingdom-believing Christian, where does all this leave you? Once you are willing to "face the monster", so to speak, is it possible to 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 assure you that our Father in Heaven hears our cries. And He is not absent in this situation, just as He was not absent in Esther's plight.

And if you happen to believe that the state of the Christian Church in these modern times is inoculated against the consequences of our mindset [sorry for the pun] -- let me ask you to reconsider. Hear the words of Mordecai to Esther and take them to heart ... "Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]"? 

Just like Esther, 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 God is necessarily testing us. That infers that God has given His approval for the trials and evil the world is experiencing. 

Instead, I recognize that much of the panic and hysteria that people will encounter will come 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 we 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, OR how we should defeat the evil in the world. 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 [once again!] talk of a mandatory shutdown of the nation's government for an undetermined amount of time as our politicians haggle over the national debt, the corruption in high places, and the emboldening of our enemies. Everything in our world could change overnight. There will be people who will suffer if our medical system, transportation system, banking system, food distribution system, utilities system, political system, and yes, even our religious system is 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 [like Esther and her people] for strength and wisdom, and then humble themselves, and pray and seek His face and be prepared for come what may? Are you honestly prepared to trust God and like Esther, say, "If I perish, I perish", knowing that you have stood righteously against Satan's plans for the world? And 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 desires 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. Whether it is millions who answer Jesus's call, or just a remnant, Satan has had his way for far too long! 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 ... or we can sit back and wait for Jesus to do all the work. But that's not why we're here! This is an amazing time to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom and to be an instrument of God to sow into the hearts and lives 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", and our house and/or nation could perish. I want to be part of that victory source! I was born for such a time as this, and you are, too! Our Father in Heaven, use us to help bring Your Kingdom to earth and heal our land and this world!

John 14:1   Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.

God's Table: Where the Power of the Kingdom Meets God's Mercy & Grace

As many of you know, my husband, Mark, and I offer a ministry of Inner Healing and Deliverance to the Body of Christ. Mark received a visitation from the Lord which sanctified us for this assignment, and we have never turned back. In the process of our "training up", we became personally familiar with the reality of spiritual warfare. No one steps into their purpose without Satan launching a counter offensive to stop the advancement of the Kingdom of God. 

And when we invite people to come to God's Table for ministry, where He "has prepared a table for them in the midst of their enemies" (Psalm 23), we know we are about to engage in a spiritual battle for the freedom of the Beloved, who, usually out of desperation, is turning to us because everything else they've tried [including their church] has failed. They just want to be free of the torment, and we offer them God's Table of Mercy and Grace -- but also tell them they will have to fight to keep their freedom, and it is worth the battle! And in this post, I hope to share the different aspects of spiritual warfare. Our God is so good to offer us His rest as well as His power!

Mark and I accepted our mission in total faith and trust, but soon discovered that there are Christians who doubt that the faithful are destined for spiritual warfare. They will acknowledge that Satan can attack us, but believe we are simply to pray to Jesus to do the battling. But, in fact, the Apostle Paul makes it very clear in Ephesians 6 that spiritual warfare is not only an important reality of the Christian life, but in the Aramaic translation, he tells us in verse 10 that he has saved the most important truths for last. We are to "be supernaturally infused with strength through our life and union with the Lord Jesus. We are to stand victorious with the force [or weapons] of His explosive power flowing in and through us" [my emphasis].  He tells us that we will be fighting hand-to-hand combat, but not against human foes; rather against "the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. [Furthermore] they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage". 

That is probably the most difficult concept for those coming to us for ministry to understand. Many times, the Beloved is so beaten down by the Enemy's oppression that they never even considered that they could fight back. Too often, they have relied on their prayers to move the heart of Jesus to come defend them. Or they believe the religious doctrine that we are to "rejoice in our sufferings"  because it helps us to identify with Christ's sufferings. That in itself is not wrong, but there's additional depth to the interpretation. We need to be able to see that our sufferings come from different sources -- our sin, someone's sin against us, and God's appointment to suffering.

Let me comment further on that last statement. Suffering is the result of an action -- either we suffer the consequences of choosing sin over righteousness; we suffer the ramifications of someone else choosing to sin against us; or God chooses to give permission for us to suffer because He knows the result will be His glory. [Think of Job]! Yes, we can rejoice in our suffering, knowing that it produces endurance, character, and hope. But I am also reminded of a position stated by F.B. Meyer, a 19th Century evangelist, who said, "Everyone cannot be trusted with suffering. All could not stand the fiery ordeal. They would speak rashly and complainingly. So the Master has to select with careful scrutiny the branches which can stand the knife"... and therefore bring the honor and glory that Christ deserves.

So, when we minister at God's Table, which is made available to the Beloved for his or her freedom from demonic torment, we make it very plain that they will not only encounter God's love, mercy and grace, but also experience the authority of God to not only set them free, but elevate them to their position in the Kingdom, and exhibiting His power to defeat the Enemy in their lives. And it is important to understand that spiritual warfare is both offensive and defensive! There will be times when we suit up for battle [always under the supervision of the Lord]; and there will be times when we wage war from a place of dominion. And that place is at God's Table, where both power and grace can be found. 

I believe you will agree with me that Psalms 23 is one of the most comforting passages in the Bible. It is the ultimate testimony from a young sheep herder who would become King, that we are not alone in this world and do not have to face the dangers of living behind enemy lines without Someone who provides for us and protects us. The Psalm declares that the Lord is our Best Friend and our Shepherd. His love offers us a resting place and an oasis of peace. This oasis provides a place where our lives can be restored and revived; where He opens pathways to the joy of the Lord, which becomes our strength and our pathway to increasing righteousness. [NOTE: It is a common trait for sheep on the hillsides of Israel to circle their way up higher. They eventually form a path that keeps leading them higher. This is what David is referring to here. Each step we take following our Shepherd will lead us higher, even though it may seem we are going in circles]. 

Then there is that valley of the shadow of death verse that speaks of fear and deep darkness of soul and spirit. But then David reminds us that we don't have to fear death or darkness because our Shepherd is right there with us with His rod and staff to give us comfort and security. It's all about recognizing that the Shepherd uses His rod not only to prod us forward [to look at the future of what the Kingdom government will do on the earth], but to exercise his power, authority, discipline and defense of His sheep. His staff is used when the sheep lag behind [a picture of us looking back instead of focusing on our purpose in the Kingdom going forward]. The devil wants us to focus on the valley of the shadow of death because it is his ultimate weapon to get us to engage with him at his level (darkness and chaos). 

But what is God's counter move? He prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies! That's right! We don't suit up in our armor and ride forward into battle with an army of warring angels -- we sit down at the Lord's table and feast on the testimony of what His Kingdom has established... and right under the nose of the god of this world! 

When you feel surrounded with the demonic armies of the devil, and chaos is reigning in your life, instead of gearing up for a strenuous battle, try this instead: ask the Lord to prepare His table for you right in front [and in the midst] of your enemies. Then have a seat at the table and have a celebratory feast of the goodness of God in your life. And the devil can't do a thing about it! Because when you are seated at God's Table, you are under His Banner of Love. The Enemy knows that you are seated under a covering of the Government of God and if he touches you, that Government is going to reach out and touch him! 

One of the most profound elements of this kind of warfare strategy is that God's Table is not simply a PLACE of war, but an ACT of war! It's about the influence and position I have as a Daughter of the King in the midst of Satan's evil chaos and darkness. As I engage in feasting at the Table [and in the midst of the Enemy's sphere], he can no longer stand there. I am building a platform to become the footstool for God to step down and manifest His Presence there. I am bringing my testimony of God's goodness in my life and His Government to the Table. As I feast and celebrate, it cultivates an atmosphere that brings in a different realm; God's Light begins to permeate the dark. It's as if a magnetic environment is created, drawing God's footstool to the Table, so He can step down into my situation. 

Can you see the difference in this kind of strategy of warfare? My focus is not on the Enemy but on the Table of God. I don't always need to bind demonic spirits in the Name of Jesus, but can also ask my Heavenly Father to bring His Banquet Table and place it in the midst of that territory where I am being attacked. I need to be cognizant that this is not my table, and it doesn't need me to protect it. It is God's Banner that comes over His Table [which is me]. My role is to visit the Table and celebrate at it! If I must do battle, I can engage the Enemy from the Table --- after I've feasted on God's goodness!

The ultimate message of this type of warfare is that we need to return to that Table time and time and time again. We need to engage with the joy and peace of God at His Table. That encounter at the Table changes the atmosphere by changing the frequency of Light in our body, and this along with the harmony we share with God will destroy the darkness of the Enemy. 

Feasting at God's Table brings you into alignment with the desires of His heart. Sometimes it's all out war, but in other instances, we can battle from a spirit of gratitude. Ultimately, God desires that we live in victory over everything in our lives. And when we feast on His Goodness and thank Him for all He's done in our life and throughout history, we are filled to overflowing with His joy and His peace and His Holy Spirit. And one day, when our days are finished here on this earth, we will return to dine with Him in His House forever. And I can only imagine the banquet hall in Heaven where I will celebrate my victory and feast upon His glorious Presence for all of eternity! 

Thank you to Ian Clayton for expanding my understanding that rest and feasting are spiritual weapons. 

Song of Solomon 2:4.    He has brought me to His banqueting place, and His banner over me is love [waving overhead to protect and comfort me].  

  

Seeing [And Defeating] Satan's Playbook For The Kingdom of Darkness

I know I've said it before, but I feel like it's déja vu all over again. Satan just uses the same old playbook over and over, because it works! Let me explain ... Since I began writing this blog in 2011, I have discerned the schemes and tactics of Satan and his kingdom of darkness, and while the players might look and sound different, the goals have always been the same ... to create a world of tighter top-down government control and more authoritarian leadership [under his evil guidance], with limited innovation amidst growing citizen pushback.

To be sure, there have been ebbs and flows -- in both the control and the pushback -- but Satan's overall plan has always been the same: his kingdom of darkness [which has ruled much of the world since Adam and Eve got kicked out of the Garden] seeks to defeat the restored dominion of earth [which Jesus handed back to man]. Since Genesis 1:26-28, we were given a mandate by our Creator to rule earth like Heaven is ruled. In other words, our Lord came to defeat the kingdom of darkness and re-establish the Kingdom of God. Jesus's plan has always been for His followers to continue His work in His power and authority, which He transferred to us. 

From 2011 to now, if you have spiritual eyes to see, and spiritual ears to hear, you should have seen the writing on the wall. Without a doubt, we are seeing food shortages, and the drums of war are getting louder. We have experienced a global plague [with warnings that it will erupt again]. Famine is a very real threat [and not just to third-world countries] -- meat is being rationed in our country [and we're now offered a variety called "impossible"]. And who can explain all the processing plants that have been destroyed, and dairy cows, along with millions of pigs and chickens being slaughtered? And the wars and rumors of war are no longer simply whispered among "those in the know", but openly forecast. Where have I  heard that before? Oh, yeah, they are the beginnings of birth pangs that Jesus talks about in Matthew 24. These world events pretty much resemble the four horsemen of the apocalypse in Revelation 6, too -- the red horse symbolizing war and bloodshed; the black horse is famine; and the pale horse is pestilence and death. 

But, I'm not writing to say that we should get ready for the Tribulation, or that the End of the World is here. To be honest, I'm not interested in predicting when that time will come -- no one knows except our Father, not even Jesus, Himself. So, I'm more focused on being alert to what the Enemy's agenda and playbook are, so that I can endure to the end [whenever it is] and be an Overcomer. And that means I want to help others be able to see what is happening in the world from a non-political standpoint. We must be able to see in the spirit, and see what is going on behind the dirty veil that the devil is so good at presenting to the general population.

At the beginning of this post, I mentioned that it feels like déja vu. I say that because beginning in 2014, I was writing about the undermining of our nation's Constitution, our republic, and our basic civil rights; that we were seriously eroding the truth that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." 

I remember having to memorize this paragraph from the Declaration of Independence in my elementary school Social Studies classes, but now I see that "new Government" as being the Kingdom of God, with the faithful acting as the Ekklesia [governing body of Believers acting as representatives of the Heavenly government of the Father]. But there is a spiritual force that doesn't want to see that happen. 

Back in 2014, I made mention of a political activist and theorist named Saul Alinsky. He wrote a book in 1971 titled Rules for Radicals in which he subscribed to 12 rules about how to successfully run a movement for change. That little book has greatly influenced our social and political climate for the last 50 years. And I find it most notable that Alinsky penned this for the dedication of his book: "Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical ... the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom -- Lucifer".

There you have it .... the reference to the kingdom of darkness versus the Kingdom of God. And the rules which Alinsky promoted certainly mimic Satan's agenda and methodology. To begin with, there is rule #3, which states "Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of your Enemy. Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety, and uncertainty". The way in which the so-called "experts" have disseminated [dis]information in our recent history has resulted in the loss of freedoms that we have taken for granted. This falls right in line with Satan as the Father of Lies whose modus operandi is Deception and false accusations. 

Another rule of the social and political radicals, as well as the first radical, Lucifer, is "The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself". If you are spiritually discerning, you will see how that has played out in our recent history. Millions survived without following the "prescribed protocol". And tragically, it's also true that millions died. So please understand that I am not making light of that number. Any death is significant, but you can see how this strategy parallels Satan's strategy of getting us to worry about things that haven't even happened yet, or that are far less devastating than he has given us to imagine. Satan's goal is to demoralize Christians into a state of passivity, resulting in his kingdom continuing to dominate the earth.

Rule #12 of Rules for Radicals is "Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it". That's pretty much what Satan did to Job, isn't it? He cut off Job's support network, and isolated him from sympathy. He attempted to get Job to turn against the very One who believed in him and had blessed him, and would be there to restore him. And that rule has been effectively used in polarizing our citizens and neighbors against each other. "White privilege", "Equity", "Diversity" and "Institutional Racism" have become terms used to pick Satan's targets in his radical playbook. See how easy it is to freeze attention on a target, and use language to personalize it, and polarize it? 

These are just a few of Alinsky's rules for instituting social change, and it's not hard to see them at work in our current situation, and see them as similar to Satan's tactics. But let's not forget another diabolical tactic known as the Hegelian Dialect. In short, here's how it works .... Step number one looks like this: Our Enemy knows that, instinctively, people won't go for restricted freedoms, so they cause a problem [that didn't naturally occur] which is step number two, which causes panic and conflict. Then they come up with step number three: a solution to solve the manufactured problem, which turns out to be their original goal [i.e., restricted freedoms]. The people will embrace it because they just want the panic and conflict to go away. 

So, as Kingdom-minded citizens, who are Heaven's representatives on earth, it is absolutely necessary that we see how Satan is working in the world ... a man-made virus being unleashed on the world, causing death, panic, destroyed economies, and loss of jobs. In the Spirit, we can see that Satan desires men to doubt God in the midst of this chaos; sending spirits of fear and abandonment to invade our peace and confidence, which causes us to seek solutions in our own power instead of pressing into the power of God in us to help us endure. Satan wants us to trust ourselves, or human leaders, more than we trust our Father and Savior. It's all about perpetuating Satan's kingdom of darkness and stopping the advance of God's Kingdom on the earth.

But, we must cling to the truth that we exist in Christ, who is a safe realm that we can step into and be protected during this storm. And we need to walk in our identity in the Kingdom. Our authentic citizenship is in Heaven, seated next to Christ, the King of all Creation -- we are temporary [and secondarily] citizens of this world. We must not get distracted from anything that Satan aligns with in order to divert us from our purpose in this life. We have a destiny that surpasses whatever we may experience during our short lifetime in this realm called earth. 

We must understand that we were made for eternity, but we have a job to do while we're here in our temporary home. So, Satan and his minions can develop all the rules and radical ideas they can imagine. But they will never defeat God's sovereign plan for His people or this planet. He will rule and reign as King, and Satan's radicals will pay the price for their rebellion, unless they choose to be redeemed. So, don't get discouraged! It may seem like more dark days are ahead of us, and we wonder when this nightmare will end. But this is our opportunity to persevere for the Kingdom of God; spreading the Good News that the Light of Heaven has brought a promise of our deliverance into the realm of the Kingdom of God. Let us be about our Father's business until our Lord returns! Let's execute God's playbook and frustrate the Enemy's strategies and tactics!

2 Corinthians 2:11  .... that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

 

God's Power Is In You to Destroy Satan's Kingdom!

I have spent several posts now declaring the truth of the Kingdom of God. It is here now, and it is in you. If you have received Jesus as your Savior and profess that He is the Son of God, was crucified for your sins, and that He rose by the power of the Holy Spirit as a promise to all who follow His commandments, then you need to hear my message today. And I will warn you, it is a serious message, and one that it is time we all face.

Close to ten years ago, I had a prophetic dream that shook me to my core. It was one of the most frightening, yet powerful, visions I have ever received. I will try to give you the substance of the dream/vision without all the superfluous components. I was on a ferris wheel, ascending and descending ... during the ascension, I was feeling joyful, hopeful, and free. As I descended, the bucket I was seated in plunged into a body of water where I felt fear, oppression, and darkness. I went through several cycles of "riding" the ups and downs of the ferris wheel before I found myself standing on what seemed like the West Coast of America. I stood there for a few minutes looking off to my right, far out on the ocean, and became fixated on a small wave that I could see forming, hundreds of miles off shore. I felt no threat and marveled at how it seemed to be coming closer, growing in size, yet it still felt far off. All of a sudden, I became aware that this wave was approaching faster and faster, and before I knew it, it was the largest wave I could have ever imagined; a tsunami, about to engulf me. I knew I could not continue to stand on the shore, and I also knew I was a weak swimmer, but having no other choice, I began trying to out-swim the massive and monstrous wave. But it quickly caught up to me, and I remember feeling the power of it as it crashed down on me, angrily tossing me around in its churning swell. I knew I was going to drown and was filled with so much fear. I remember crying out to Jesus, and then, in that moment, I saw a hand reach down into that mass of water, with a tremendous light that surrounded it, and the most comforting voice I've ever heard, saying, "Don't worry! I've got you!", and He lifted me out of that chaos, and I knew Jesus had rescued me.  

I believed then, and still do, that Jesus was showing me what was to come in our future -- the ups and downs of our economy; the powers of darkness formulating their plans and strategies to covertly sneak into our culture, our politics, and our country; all as we remained in place, content in accepting the world. I have periodically spoken about this prophecy, alerting the Body of Christ to get prepared for the kingdom of darkness and its plans to launch the Anti-Christ to perform Satan's final plans for the earth. Throughout the years, many Christian friends have discounted my warnings, instead choosing to believe in the Grace and Mercy of the Lord to prevent anything that the Bible forecasts from happening. I will say again, just as I have for years, Yes, Jesus is Love; He give us His Grace; and He is full of Compassion and Mercy. And, Yes, we win in the end! I acknowledge all that as Truth! But if you truly read the Bible, then you cannot skip over the warning Jesus gives us in Matthew 24 that there will be a time of intolerable anguish, unprecedented adversity/trouble, distress, oppression, persecution, and suffering "such has not occurred since the beginning of the world, nor ever will again".

Did you get that? Do you comprehend the magnitude of what Jesus is saying? Can you even fathom the evil that is about to come upon the world? For too long, the Church has been soft-selling the Word, and not preparing the Body of Christ to be who Jesus has enabled us to be! Jesus knew what was coming and He warned us -- pestilence, plague, famine, wars. And yes, they have happened in the past, but if you are not spiritually discerning that everything in this world is aligning against the human race, then I fear you will be overrun by the powers of darkness aligning against unequipped Believers.

Which brings me to a dream/vision that my husband had last night. He is not one to have detailed messages from God in his dreams, so when one does occur, we pay attention. Unlike my dream, he doesn't have as many details, but knows for sure that he was in a struggle regarding the coming of AI and the ramifications for the human race. He felt he was in a battle to uncover the blueprint for how Satan would implement AI in his battle plan, for AI was definitely designed by the kingdom of darkness for this day and time. I heard him struggling in his sleep and knew it was a spiritual battle, and waited to see if he mentioned it this morning. He was thoughtful and pensive, and finally spoke of the dream. He wanted to remember more of the details, but understood that it was a prophetic warning from God. The last thing he remembered of the dream was hearing this promise: The finite is always subject to the infinite.

If you have a discerning spirit, then I trust you understand that whatever Satan brings against us has limits and boundaries, set in place by God, who is infinite. His power is immeasurable, never-ending, cosmic, interminable, while our Enemy is subject to God's limitations and restrictions. He will be defeated! But we are not to sit idly by and wait for God to do all the warfare! It is time that we know, understand, and operate in the supernatural power that is ours from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We have no idea of the power we have! We have been given the supernatural infused power of God! But we have not been taught in our Churches and religious institutions to use it. As the late Russ Dizdar lamented, "Instead of an 11-12 second intercessory prayer in the average Church service, why haven't we unleashed 30-40 minutes of massively powerful, Spirit-of-God-guided prayer that brings answers and strategies right into the sanctuary to use our Authority to pray against the drug lords; to pray against the human traffickers; to pray against the abortionists; to pray against the corruption in our government"? Instead, we pray weak prayers, or ask others to pray for us, in order to ask Jesus to do it for us. He transferred the power and authority given to Him by Heaven to us!

It's time we became the powerful believers Jesus has called us to be! It's time to surrender our fear and doubt and unbelief, and stop grieving the Holy Spirit; stop quenching the Spirit. We are not helpless! Satan should be running scared of us, but guess what? Satan is busy bringing all his emissaries and counterfeit power into play, while we sit wringing our hands, reading snatches of the Psalms to calm our fears while we wait for Jesus to come back! If you call yourself truly redeemed, then the signs and wonders and healings that God manifested in the Believers in Acts are available to you! God does not change! The Miracles come through Believers -- that's how God operates!    

I believe if we will just rise up in faith and walk in our powerful identities, we will see the greatest interventions of God in human history. So, get this clear in your mind -- all the destruction that history has witnessed -- from the Flood, to the plagues in Egypt, to all the atrocities in the Old Testament, to the Black Plague in the Dark Ages, to the millions that died in modern wars [Civil War, WWI and WWII, the Holocaust, etc] -- are nothing compared to what the world will soon see. Remember, Jesus said the anguish is unprecedented in human history. But instead of cowering in a corner and asking God to prohibit it, we can look forward to seeing God doing astounding things! We will see Angelic visitations; God reaching out His hand and performing miracles; and we will give our Spirit-filled testimonies of the Blood of the Lamb overcoming the Dragon! We will not fear for our lives, and will not shrink from Death. 

So, you are either still reading this post and hopefully inspired to become saturated in the Word to discover our purpose and role in this End Times War, or I have driven you further into the counterfeit lie that we are not destined to be on the battlefield. If you hear nothing else I say today, I pray that you will hear this: You are here right now -- in this time and place -- to stand in Victory [whether you live or die in this world] and declare that Satan's time is coming to an end; that God, since the beginning of time, has been Sovereign over the history of this world. We have not been promised an easy existence, or a way out of the tribulation. In fact, once redeemed, you have a target on your back. Satan is roaming the earth like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. But you have the Lion of the tribe of Judah living in you, so turn and face your adversary and roar right back ... unafraid, bold, persistent in the knowledge that the power of Heaven is at your disposal, and you have a Mighty God who is able to do all you ask, far beyond anything you can dare to ask or think! And share that Truth with everyone you come in contact with! Let's get ready to show the kingdom of darkness just what the Kingdom of God looks like in us!

Revelation 15:4.   “Great and amazing are Your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations!  Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”   

     

What Exactly Does It Mean To "Expand The Kingdom of God"?

By now, it should be apparent that I am attempting to expand our understanding of the Kingdom of God. And since "Kingdom" has become somewhat of a buzzword among the Christian community in the last few years, it should not be a new concept for the Body of Christ. But I will qualify that statement by saying that although you might be aware that Jesus commanded us to "seek the Kingdom first", you might not be quite sure what that looks like. 

I can remember when I began to concentrate on studying the Book of Matthew, which I found full of the revelation that Jesus is King of a heavenly kingdom realm that was being established on earth with His birth. With that divine disclosure to the human world, it makes "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" a much more powerful statement.

I cannot go forward with this discussion without addressing the difference of opinion as to whether the Kingdom of God on earth is a future event [at the return of Christ] or whether it is present today. I can only share what my spirit is telling me, and each of you have to study the Word and come to your own theological understanding. In fact, we should each establish a Biblical worldview for ourselves, always being open to new revelations from the Holy Spirit.

Several years ago, I established the cornerstone of my Biblical worldview, and as of today, nothing has changed my opinion. And if I had to give you a concise statement as to my belief system, it would be this .... Both John the Baptist and Jesus warned those who would hear them to "Repent!" .... John, saying "for the Kingdom of God is near", and Jesus telling them, "for the Kingdom of God is at hand". It is my belief that both John and Jesus were announcing that God's representative from Heaven (Jesus) had come to plant Heaven's flag, so to speak, in the earth, staking territory for the Kingdom of God; in effect, inaugurating [or beginning] the heavenly Kingdom system of government on the earth. So, in that sense, the Kingdom is present now, or "in your midst" (Luke 17:21), but is not yet complete. The Kingdom is here in a partial sense as we Christians continue to take territory from the devil and take back dominion of the earth until the Day of the Lord, when Jesus will return, bringing His Justice and destroying the evil and corruption in the world, while establishing the good and perfect Kingdom realm on earth that God had planned from the beginning.

And one of the reasons that the Book of Matthew is at the center of my belief system is that it focuses on Jesus's teachings about how people are to behave as citizens of that Kingdom realm on earth, with Jesus as their loving King. Which takes me to the born again experience that Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about in John, Chapter 3. Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."  To me, this says that we come into the Kingdom as a citizen through being born again -- [reborn from above by the Holy Spirit—spiritually transformed, renewed, and sanctified].

When we are born again into the Kingdom, with Jesus as our King, we use a key to enter into that Kingdom. Jesus is the door and that key. Romans 10:9-10 tells us, "For if you publicly declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will experience salvation." To sum it up, when you are born again and confess your faith in Jesus, you are saved and become a citizen of the Kingdom. And with that citizenship come keys. [I have spoken about these keys in a previous post, titled "Have You Accepted Jesus's Gift of the Keys to the Kingdom?".

We see this confession/citizenship/keys relationship in Matthew 16:13-20. Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ (Anointed One from God), is given keys of the kingdom of heaven, and now has the authority "to forbid [bind, stop] on earth that which is forbidden in heaven, and to release [loose, permit] on earth that which is released in heaven." Those rights are only conveyed to one who is a citizen of the Kingdom of God/Heaven! And that is the purpose of the keys of the Kingdom -- to transform this earth, to look like it is in heaven! 

I also want to point out that it is my belief that there is a false narrative that this passage is establishing Peter as the head of the Church; which is a corruption of Scripture promulgated by Constantine. I believe, truth be told, that the keys to the Kingdom are principles given to all who are born again into the Kingdom as citizens; principles to rule and reign until the return of our King. These keys represent our authority and provide access to the Kingdom of Heaven. And that access is initiated through Scripture. It's not enough to just know Scripture ... we must DO Scripture! You see, God is moved by His Word, not our tears. Hebrews 6:17 says, "in His desire to show to the heirs of the Promise the unchangeable nature of His purpose, [God] intervened and guaranteed it with an oath" -- in other words, He says He is bound by His Word. So when we DO His Word, He will move in our lives and in this world; we will see results. 

And we must realize that there is no Master Key of the Kingdom-- no one-key-fits-all system -- and it is inherent upon us to know what the keys are; to understand and employ them to their fullest effect. If not, "my people perish for lack of knowledge", comes to mind. We also need to remember what our Lord tells us in Luke 12:32: "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom". We are to remember that we are citizens of the Kingdom; "sons of Light", and we are to be operating in the Kingdom system, not the system of the world. Sadly, I think that too many people (including Christians) are not "seeking the Kingdom first". They have gotten too attached to the world system and have compromised for the sake of succeeding in this world.

So, here's a truth we need to be aware of ... If we are born again and Saved, we are citizens of the Kingdom. But which system are we operating in? We can be considered citizens of the Kingdom, but still be operating in the world system. I believe we are all guilty of that at one time or another in our lives. For instance, if we get offended by someone [which is one of Satan's favorite schemes], do we withdraw and sulk, or do we work in the Kingdom government system and handle it with a Kingdom principle; for instance praying for those who curse you? We must recognize that the system of this world is not our system! Our system is Kingdom government!

The bottom line is this: we must know that if we call ourselves Christians, our primary citizenship is in the Kingdom of God! Yes, we wait for the fulfillment [completion] of the Kingdom on earth. But we serve our Lord, who is King of that Kingdom, and He has entrusted us to continue His work in establishing the Kingdom He came to inaugurate. Just because He has not yet returned, it doesn't mean we are to remain idle until that glorious Day. When He returns, we will give an account of the fruit we have borne for the Kingdom. I can imagine Him embracing us as Saved Christians; welcoming us as citizens of the Kingdom of God. And then I can hear Him ask, "What did you do with the keys of the Kingdom that I gave you? Did you read my Word? If so, did you seek to understand and experience it? Did you DO My Word?" 

It goes without saying that we are in a critical time in the history of our country, and the world. If we truly believe we are citizens of Heaven, here on earth to take back the dominion God gave man when He created the world, then it is crucial that we step into our identity and our assignment. As citizens of Heaven, we need to operate in God's government system and call on the power of Heaven, which is by legal rights, ours, as sons and daughters of the King. As citizens of Heaven, we do not settle for this world's corruption, ungodliness, and unrighteousness. We stand for everything that is Good and Pure and Just. It is my prayer that each of us know that the Kingdom in us is greater than the kingdom of this world. Let us use the keys He has given us in His Word to lock and secure our hearts in His Kingdom system. Let us be transferred from this world system into the spiritual realm of the Kingdom of God, where the reality of His Kingdom is apparent, and we bring it into the present through the abundant and prosperous fruit we bear, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen!

Luke 17:21      "The Kingdom is not discovered in one place or another, for God’s Kingdom realm is already expanding within some of you."