The Battle Is Right Before Our Eyes

     For those who think spiritual warfare is simply a theological concept, with no real-world application, then I invite you to open your eyes and ears to what is going on around us; it's in the headlines nearly every day.  Have we become so blinded that we merely blow off or ignore the implications of what is being reported?

     Take today for instance.  It is June 6th ... or 6-6-16, if you will ... and the day that Satanists have claimed as a day of celebration to their god.  Simply put, it is a sacred day to them for worshipping satan.  And it is a salvo in their spiritual battle plan; an aggressive act in satan's campaign to win the spiritual war here on earth.
     But how many of our countrymen -- or fellow Christians, for that matter -- will even take notice?  Who will understand what this means and act appropriately to defend against this vigorous attempt to defame and defeat YHWH?  In case you don't know the details, here they are:  The religious sect which calls itself The Satanic Temple plans on placing the five points of a Pentagram star around the city of Lancaster, California, located in northern Los Angeles County.  Spokesmen for the group claim that "drawing this symbol around the city represents a solemn promise from the Satanic Temple of Los Angeles to stand with the good people of the City of Lancaster and struggle for their constitutional right to individual liberty, freedom of expression and the separation of church and state in the community".
     Here's what we all need to understand ... this display of rebellion against God is no different than the Enemy's plans that have been revealed and recorded in the Bible.  I just finished reading the Book of Jeremiah, and I could not help but identify with the ancient prophet's frustration over the blatant disobedience and defiance of God's commandments to those who professed to follow Him.  Just like in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the people of our nation have followed after, and are worshipping, false gods.  But do we understand that these gods are not just names of "things" we idolize like celebrities, houses, and cars, or carnal pursuits such as wealth, fame and power?  Do we realize that behind these idols are spiritual entities that are very real and their desire is to influence and control you to win the war?

Bel, aka Marduk

     In Jeremiah, the prophet records numerous warnings from YHWH about the destruction coming against nations and the gods they worship; the spiritual entities that satan has placed over them in governing positions.  Jeremiah 48:42 says, Moab will be destroyed as a people because he has exalted himself against the Lord.  Jeremiah 50:2 records these words from YHWH: Announce to the nations; proclaim and raise up a signal flag; proclaim and hide nothing.  Say: Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is devastated; her idols are put to shame; her false gods, devastated.  Again, Jeremiah 51:44 says, I will punish Bel in Babylon.  I will make him vomit what he has swallowed.  The nations will no longer stream to him; even Babylon's wail will fail. 
     It is important that we get this!  Bel and Marduk are not just some wooden statues that the nations bow down to.  And Babylon is more than a city and a nation. They are real spiritual entities -- gods, although false -- who involve themselves in the lives of real people and in the existence and actions of nations.   They were able to influence God's chosen people and induce them to rebel against God and turn aside from their covenant with Him.  It is no different today.
     As noted prophecy expert Paul McGuire tells us, "Currently in America there is intense competition among various belief systems, religions, philosophies, and ideologies. This competition is expressed openly as different groups and faiths seek to promote their belief systems and win converts to their religion or cause."  That is what happened as the Israelites entered the Land of Canaan and became exposed to the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites; and later when they were taken into captivity in Assyria and Babylon.  They were introduced to the gods of these other nations, who are every bit as real as YHWH.  But they are not the One True God and they are under the guidance and supervision of Lucifer, the fallen angel who proclaimed himself the god called Satan.
     So, now in 21st Century America we find ourselves inundated with all kinds of false gods vying for our attention and our worship -- Islam, Mormonism, Scientology, Hinduism, Buddhism, Satanism, Wicca, and Paganism to name just a few.   As Mr. McGuire points out, "Wicca, along with witchcraft and paganism, is currently the fastest growing religion in America. Islam is also a fast growing religion. Christianity, and specifically Evangelical Christianity, is declining faster than most people realize."  Do you get that?  Can you see that the battle lines have been drawn and these other gods have their troops engaged in battle plans like encompassing entire cities within a Pentagram and dedicating the people and land to the devil?
     What are God's people doing?  What is our battle plan?  Are we actively praying against the influence of these other gods?  Are we asking YHWH how He wants us to execute against His enemies?  Do we know how to defend against the enemy's attacks?  This generation of Christ-followers have been lulled into "Christianity Light" for too long, and are woefully unprepared, as the Body of Christ, to take on the Enemy forces who have centuries of plans and victories under their belts.  Our world is going to be shaken like we've never seen, and the self-centered gospel that has been the center of the Modern Church will offer little defense.
     It is time we fight back, putting on the full armor of God, and seek the help of His heavenly host as we stand our ground against the onslaught of evil coming our way.  Take a moment to pray against the Satanists around this nation who will be performing their evil rituals today.  Ask God to send an army of angels to surround any areas claimed for this false god.  Picture the battle in the spiritual realm, and know that it is real!  We must start seeing with spiritual eyes and get in the fight!  We need to recognize when the Enemy is advancing, call on the Lord, and engage in the battle with Him!  Are you willing to join me in this mission?

Isaiah 54:17   "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me,” says the Lord." 

1 John 4:18

 There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love].

 

     How many of us live in fear?  Or live in dread, knowing that our Christian walk is not what it should be?  If you are like me, I suffer from times where I feel my passion for Christ has grown luke-warm, and I long to regain that burning desire for Him, and to feel His presence so close that I know He is just beyond the veil that separates this world from the spiritual realm.  And I am fearful about feeling separated from Him.  

     What does our Scripture tell us is the antidote to this poisonous fear? If we are experiencing fear, how does the Word tell us to conquer that emotion?  It's the word most closely associated with our Savior ... LOVE!  But, I must admit that I can't always wrap my head around that solution.  God Is Love has become nearly a cliché in Church doctrine, and I'm not sure that we Christians know how to apply it or how it works; or even what it means.  Just as the last words of this verse say ... "the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love]" ... we don't truly understand God's love, or how to express our love towards Him.

     Jesus clearly tells us that love is at the heart of being a disciple for Him ... it is our mission, our ministry, and our purpose.  He makes it obvious by telling us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind; and to love others as we love ourselves.  Those are the commandments we are to obey, and they result in godly living! Combined with obedience to the Truth in Scripture, we should find unity with God, Jesus, and our fellow brethren in the Body of Christ.

     That is the oneness that Jesus desired for His Church -- to be able to share in the love and obedience to the Father that He had experienced.  But what I think we tend to dismiss is the "obedience" part of that statement.  The Church has been very good at disseminating the message that "we love because God first loved us", and that by loving others, we are imitating the pattern and example that Jesus exemplified by laying down His life for us.

     But what of the instances of His obedience that showed the power of God?  For instance in John 9:1-6, Jesus healed a man who had been blind since birth.  Did He do this out of strict compassion and love for this man?  Scripture tells us that Jesus revealed to His disciples that the blind man must be healed in obedience to the Father in order to show the power of God to do such work.  Yes, it is out of the love of God for us that He wants us to know He has the power to heal.  There are many other examples in the Bible of Christ's obedience through the miracles and signs He performed at the Father's request.  He did not do them of His own volition, but because it was His Father's will.

     And clearly, Christ's ultimate act of obedience was to go to the Cross so that the lost of the world could be saved from God's justified wrath.  Again, God's love for us is the reason that Christ was obedient.  I think we Christians have an elementary understanding of what that love is and how we are to show it to others.  But do we know that we are to show it to our Father in Heaven by obeying Him, which means to seek His will in all instances, just as Jesus did?  Our Savior trusted the commandments of His Father and never doubted; He unquestioningly obeyed.  

     I honestly think we fear because we do not trust that God will fulfill His end of the bargain.  "What if I decide to believe the Bible [that we have the authority and power of Jesus to heal as He did] and step out to lay hands on my sister to heal her migraine headache?  What if it doesn't work"?  Could it possibly be that you are not loving [confidently trusting] the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind?  Remember, our Scripture today tells us that perfect love -- that which is complete and full-grown --  is what drives out fear.  We cannot expect to jump to the head of the class and become like Jesus on our first step outside the box.

     But we can be obedient, and trust that God's love never finds Him enacting divine punishment when we step out in obedience.   In fact, could it be that our obedience is in response to the knowledge of God's love for us; that knowledge that comes from a heart and mind and soul that seeks Him?  We have all heard the familiar Scripture "perfect love casts out fear", and may have understood that the perfect love belonged to God or Jesus.  That is certainly one way to interpret this passage.  But what if that perfect love was the growth and maturation of our love for God, so that we come to a full and thorough understanding of Him and the realization that through continued obedience we have nothing to fear -- that like Jesus, obedience to the Authority and Power of God, the Father, drives out all fear... no fear of God's divine punishment; no fear that we can disappoint Him; no fear that the Enemy can defeat us or enslave us.  Through the interactive relationship between us and God and Jesus, there is no room for fear... but there is the freedom to grow and nurture a life founded on love and obedience.  And that's a life that fulfills our mission and purpose as a Christian.   

      

      

     

Eyes to See and Ears to Hear

     If you are still sticking with me on this new direction of my blog, then I'm assuming that you agree with me that we are engaged in spiritual warfare.  I also figure that you believe we are battling unseen, spiritual enemies that seek to rob us of our peace in this world and our eternal security in the next --- both of which are found in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
     I assure you that if you identify with me on these points, we are among the minority of those who share our Christian faith.  But knowing these principles doesn't make us exempt from attacks or necessarily free of bondage.  We know that ultimate victory will be ours when Jesus returns, but we still have to learn battle strategies to defeat the enemy in the conflicts and assaults we will find ourselves in on this side of Glory.  I'd like to take the time to talk about one of these strategies today.
     As I have shared with you in the past, my husband and I, through Divine inspiration, have been introduced to a ministry concept that involves us partnering with Jesus to help accomplish deliverance from spiritual wounds.  That word, "Deliverance", is not a widely understood or accepted idea in the Modern Church, and I find that rather peculiar, to be honest with you.  First of all, the prophets of the Old Testament declared that the Lord was their Deliverer (from slavery and bondage in Egypt) and foretold of a Deliverer who would come forth from Zion to set them free for all time.  All four Gospels of the Bible were written with different audiences in mind, and give slightly different details about geography and people.  But all four are vital to the New Testament's purpose of proving that Jesus is the Messiah, is the Savior, is the Redeemer God who came to save His people from their sins ... He is the Divine Deliverer for all who seek Him.

     But remember, Jesus is all about relationship, and He needs us to partner with Him; to learn how to interact with Him on a spiritual level (since He is no longer present on the earth).  He isn't interested in waving a magic wand and handling all our problems for us, while we sit like robots, waiting for the hurt to go away... not that He couldn't do that if He so desired.  But He's all about relationship!  If we are to defeat the attacks launched against us, we must work with Him and incorporate Him into our strategy.  So how do we learn to do that?  One of the techniques that I have learned to help myself (and others), in our spiritual battles, has its roots deep in Scripture.
     How many times throughout the Bible does Jesus refer to "eyes that see" and "ears that hear"?  In fact, He often extends an invitation ... "He who has ears to hear, let him hear"!  "He who has eyes to see, let him see"!  On one level, Jesus is definitely talking to those who had the opportunity to discern who He was because He stood before them in the flesh, declaring the words of the prophets who had described the Deliverer who was to come.  He was challenging them to put their knowledge and their faith to work and to recognize that their Deliverer was present.
    As often as not, Jesus also referred to unseeing eyes and unhearing ears to give warning of the spiritual blindness of those who could not -- or would not -- recognize Him.  They refused to see His miracles as evidence of the Father who had sent Him; or to see that He fit the description of the Messiah, the Deliverer that had been prophesied.  Additionally, they rejected His message from God; would not hear Him, and their hearts were hardened and they could not understand who He was.   These are valid and true interpretations of Scripture and Jesus warns that those who have "eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, dwell in the midst of a rebellious house" (Ezekiel 12:2).  Is it possible that, like the rebellious House of Israel, the modern Church has eyes, but refuses to see; and ears, but refuses to hear?
     This simple supposition -- that God made us with eyes to see Him, and ears to hear Him -- lies at the heart of what He wants to accomplish as our Deliverer ... to set us free from satan's bondage, and to heal us.  And, as the Holy Spirit has shown me, it is our ability to see Him and hear Him in that invisible, spiritual realm that can effectively deliver us out of the clutches of the enemy.   You see, His ability to deliver us is not confined to a single event at our conversion, or His return at the End of Days.  And it is most certainly not confined to this physical realm.  As Christians, we believe that He is with us at all times.  He said so ... "I will never leave you, nor forsake you".  That means He won't ever abandon us, or leave us stranded or alone to deal with the enemy's attacks.  That means He is available to us, in the here and now, to help us wage war in the invisible realm, and against the invisible spirits satan sends against us.
     You see, I have experienced and seen the power of Jesus to Deliver and Heal when Christians are able to surrender to Him, and see Him and hear Him.  I have witnessed Christians who recognize they are under spiritual attack, and who are able to suspend the doubt and unbelief fostered by the Church.  They are willing to invite Jesus and the Holy Spirit to be present, and to allow their own spirit to interact with the Divine.  They are able to "see" Jesus in the events of their lives that have generated fertile ground upon which the Enemy can wage war and enslave them.  I have witnessed a person being able to "see" that Jesus was present during physical abuse, or an abandonment, or any act that wounded their spirit.  And they have been able to "hear" Him say that He not only took the abuse with them, but washed them clean by the power of His blood, and hear Him say He loves them.  It all happens in the spiritual realm, where our spirit communes with Jesus and the Holy Spirit -- our spirit can actually "picture" or "see" Jesus and hear Him as He heals us.  It's no different than the experiences the writers in the Bible describe.  Jesus is the same today as He was then, and He can be seen and heard the same today as He was then --- all it takes is for us to believe!
     Now, I understand that many in the Church cannot accept that this concept is Scriptural.  But He clearly says in Matthew 13:15:  For the hearts of this people have grown dull.  Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.  Doesn't that describe a "rebellious house"; a Church and Body of Christ who have dulled their hearts and minds and spirits to the possibility of a supernatural and invisible spiritual realm in which Jesus can commune with our spirits and heal us?
     He asks us to "understand" and "turn" to Him so He can heal us.  We Christians talk about "turning" to Him, but I think we have limited ourselves to reaching for Him in our minds and our hearts, and how we live our lives in the physical world.  Why do we restrict ourselves from reaching for Him in the spiritual realm?  Isn't that where He resides?  Why are we limiting ourselves?
     All I can tell you is that I have seen lives changed ... when a person who has been in bondage since childhood is able to experience the presence of Jesus and hear Him set her free from all the lies and deception the devil has heaped upon her; when the Holy Spirit serves as Guide and Comforter and shows that person how Jesus sees her -- washed white and in His embrace.  There is a weight lifted off souls and spirits that can only come from interacting with our Deliverer; through seeing Him and hearing Him in our spirits.   I truly believe that this is another dimension of what the Word is telling us; another example of the immensity and magnitude of Jesus's ability to deliver us and heal us.  It is not to be dismissed lightly or carelessly, and He and His Power to deliver are not to be restricted by our limited understanding.

Ephesians 3:20-21    "Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen."


   

The Lure Of The Supernatural: Where The Church Has Failed Our Youth

     I'm going to make a little detour in today's post and write about something that my spirit is just screaming about.  I remarked in an earlier post that we, in the modern Body of Christ, who are called "The Church", have a difficult time admitting the existence of the unseen world.  What goes on in the spiritual realm is largely unknown to us, and frankly, is considered both borderline heresy and scary -- if we allow ourselves to consider it at all.
     But here's what that blindness has accomplished... it has given satan the opportunity to lure our kids (both Christian and secular) into that invisible realm without any sound Scriptural discernment to avoid the perils.  Through the fantastically rapid advancement of technology and the entertainment industry, our kids have been inundated with videos, movies, and computer games that invite them to interact with the spirit world.  They are enticed with the offers of secret powers, unabashed freedom, and out-of-this world (literally) adventure -- all without the rules and control that they are told are part of Christianity.
     Kids raised in the Church are kept innocent (and ignorant) of the truth about the supernatural and spiritual realm and how it is interwoven throughout the Bible.  The world shows them creative images of magic, spiritual powers, and the ability to interact with cosmic creatures, but the Church says nary a word of Paul and Isaiah being taken out of their bodies and visiting the spiritual realms as a spirit being.  They are also not taught that Jesus was tempted by satan, just as they are, and was shown "other worlds" where He was promised power, fame, and riches.  But with each temptation, Jesus knew how to fight back ... with the Word of God.  And seeing that he could not defeat Jesus, the devil left him.  We, and our kids, have that same ability to defeat the enemy by speaking the Word and calling on the Name of Jesus.  But, sadly, this generation of youth are unaware that they are opening themselves to satanic attacks by seeking these diversions, and they haven't a clue how to fight back.
     In effect, modern Christianity is largely seen as impotent and "boring" by our youth, while the spiritual realm is portrayed as daring, heroic and superhuman.  With this diminishment of the Authority and Power of Jesus and God, our kids begin to question and compare their perception of one-dimensional Bible characters with the larger-than-life, multi-dimensional, heroic figures they see every day on their computer and movie screens.  And they are opening themselves up to the dangers of the dark side and "spiritual forces of wickedness" that Paul tells us are very real.
     Case in point:  A dear friend's discerning son came home from the movie theater this past weekend and said, "Mom, you have to see the trailer for the new movie, Dr. Strange".  After watching it, she called my husband and me, and we were astonished at what this movie is showing our kids --- but not at all surprised.
     Here is a synopsis of the movie plot:  The movie is a spin-off of the Marvel Comics character, Dr. Strange.  It is the 14th movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, (MCU) and distributed by Walt Disney Studios (that should be your first clue that it is not an "innocent" family movie).  I also found it disconcerting that MCU was referred to as an American movie franchise and shared fictional universe that is centered on a series of superhero films.  So, keep in mind that not only is Dr. Strange going to be presented as a superhero (meaning, "good guy"), but the movie promotes the idea of a "fictional universe" with events, and often elements, that differ from the real world.  It can also be indistinguishable from the world in which we live, thereby suggesting that there is nothing to fear in this invisible universe, and it is interchangeable with our world, and accessible.
     But back to the plot:  Doctor Strange was an egotistical but very brilliant surgeon. After a car accident destroys his hands and hinders his ability to perform surgery, he searches the globe for a way to repair them and encounters the Ancient One. After becoming one of the old Sorcerer Supreme's students, he becomes a practitioner of both the mystical arts as well as martial arts. Along with knowing many powerful spells, he has a costume with two mystical objects - the Cloak of Levitation (gives its wearer the ability to levitate and fly) and Eye of Agamotto that gives him added powers (inspired by the All Seeing Eye of the false god Buddha). Strange is aided along the way by his friend and servant to the Sorcerer Supreme, Wong, and a large assortment of mystical objects. He takes up residence in a mansion called the Sanctum Sanctorum, located in New York City. Later, Strange takes the title of Sorcerer Supreme.
     I could write volumes about the personification of Dr. Strange by the creator of his comic book character, Steve Ditko, but I think you get the picture.  What was alarming to me was the rather casual way Ditko referred to the character as being involved in black magic, as having become the host to a dangerous demon in New Avengers, and as the leader of the Black Priests.  Ditko's Dr. Strange is also described as the right-hand man of Doctor Doom, who has become the ruler and god of this world.  And did you get it that Ditko even has the audacity to call the New York townhouse where Strange lives, Sanctum Santorum, which is the name for the Holy of Holies in the Jewish Temple.  Another part of the Dr. Strange legend involves a plot line where, as the Ancient One's disciple, Strange encounters the entity Nightmare, and other mystical foes before meeting Dormammu, a warlord from an alternate dimension called the "Dark Dimension". Are you getting the picture?  And do you see the mockery being made of the Bible?  This guy is bad news, yet he is portrayed as a super hero, and our kids are eating it up because they do not have the spiritual eyes to see the deception.

     This movie is only the tip of the iceberg in regards to the deception being spoon-fed to our kids.   Dr. Strange openly, and enthusiastically, encourages the "hidden world of magic," and includes alternate dimensions like the Astral Plane.  What is that, you might be asking?  The Astral Plane is the "realm of minds" that only telepaths and magic users are able to visit.  Since the Dr. Strange character was created in 1963, Strange has used astral projection to travel outside his body and engage enemies in this strange dimension.  And I can assure you that kids in your community are seeking to do the same thing!
     Do not think they are "unchurched" or "lost" kids, either.  Our kids who grew up in Sunday School  are just as fascinated with astral projection and black magic; and they are engaging in it.  But what horrifies me is that they haven't a clue what force is behind these exciting new adventures.  They don't know what is waiting for them out in "the parallel universe".  These entities are powerful and they are real -- and they are very, very dark.
     If all this scares you, it should.  We have a generation of youth that is actively seeking to engage with the dark side, but they do not see that it endangers their immortal souls.  It is not make-believe, nor mere fantasy.  It is waiting to seduce them and attract them with promises of excitement; the potential for expanding their minds and consciousness; and the suggestion of obtaining greater knowledge than that of the Christian God.  Is it too late to save them from this false message of enlightenment?  I pray not, but right now, the Enemy's box office hype is drawing them like sheep to the slaughter.  If only they were as excited to flock to supernatural Scripture like the following ....

2 Corinthians 12:3-4     "And I know that such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, [only] God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words which man is not permitted to speak [words too sacred to tell]."
   
   

Memorializing Spiritual Warriors

     

     Today is the day that our nation honors the warriors who have fought and sacrificed their lives for our freedom.  They answered the call and put their own lives aside in order to serve others and something greater than themselves.  It is an act and a life choice worth honoring, and I pay tribute to all those, in the history of our country, who have given me the opportunity to live in liberty, without being enslaved to a tyrant or oppressive ruler.  We have been fortunate in this country to have experienced such unparalleled freedom.
     But today I would also like to honor those spiritual warriors of the Bible, who long ago made those same sacrifices and answered a call that benefitted each and every one of us.  Just like our modern soldiers who are well trained and equipped in the art of waging war, these spiritual warriors were trained by God to identify the enemy and his tactics.
     If you really think about it, in the Bible, our faith is often compared to warfare. Indeed, it is a very real aspect of the way that those who follow Christ must live. Those who desire to live this way will face many battlefield and battles that MUST BE WON if we are to make it into the kingdom of God, and defeat the enemy. There is effort involved—energy must be expended in the day-to-day life of a true Christian -- fighting the attempts of Self, Society and Satan to disrupt our relationship and eternity with Christ.  Yes, Christ's sacrifice on the Cross and our belief in Him gives us an entry into the Kingdom via trusting Him and having confidence in what He has done on our behalf (faith).  Our decision binds our spirits with Him, but once that decision is made, we must face the fact that the rest of our lives will find us in battles for our souls (our minds, will, and emotions).
     Just as our forefathers had to recognize and identify our nation's enemies in order to keep us free, we must realize that our Spiritual war is a war between the forces of God (including angels) and saved humanity versus Satan and his fallen angels.   Just as on the battlefields of the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the continuing wars in the Middle East, the Spiritual war is being fought in heavenly realms on the battlefield of the minds of humanity.  This physical world is merely a byproduct of the events taking place spiritually.  When souls come to salvation, territory is taken away from Satan.  It is a battle of strategy and ultimate power.
      And fortunately, we have some great role models of men in this physical world who battled the enemy successfully and won vital territory for mankind.  Each one of the apostles answered the call to advance the campaign against the enemy and claimed new territory for God's Kingdom.  And each of them paid the price with his own life.  At least two were crucified (Peter and Andrew), and eight of them died martyr's deaths (James, son of Alpheus, was thrown down from the temple by the scribes and Pharisees; he was then stoned, and his brains dashed out with a club).

     Perhaps one of the most extraordinary examples was the Prophet Elijah.  I agree with one website, that says, "Elijah stands out in the Old Testament as [one of] the great Spiritual warriors.  He was the prophet to Israel during the Baal counterattack when only 7,000 believers were left in the Northern Kingdom.  He opposed the Evil King Ahab and Jezebel, his wife, the foremost example of the Prostitute of Babylon.  Elijah and Moses are believed, by some, to be the two witnesses who will be called back to serve in the Tribulation in Israel's darkest hour.  And Elijah's prophecy of no rain for 3.5 years will become the standard for the division of the seven years of the Tribulation (in half) to mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation."
     Elijah's service to God and Israel was costly and difficult, and he was tested in his battles and fought his own weariness and reluctance.  But God always provided shelter and sustenance, and fortified him in his moments of doubting.  And just like us in our spiritual warfare, Elijah had to learn some important lessons in surrendering to the power of Christ in order to fight the devil.  He had to learn that he had his eyes on himself and his problem, and not on the Divine solution; that (at times) his normal methods of fighting off the attacks of the enemy were not working.  That's when the Lord humbled him and demonstrated His power in three Judgments: a storm, an earthquake, and fire. (1 Kings, Chapter 19).  The three Judgments were followed by "the sound (whisper) of a gentle breeze", which symbolized a paradigm shift in Elijah's warfare tactics and he became aware that he could become more effective by partnering with Christ.  With this new strategic objective, Elijah moved into spiritual maturity, and he was instrumental in defeating Ahab and Jezebel, satan's instruments.
     It is not lost on me that the continual wars that the world faces are spiritual in nature.  I believe that satan has placed his partners in strategic geographical areas of the world in order to further his cause and promote conflicts, campaigns, and bombardments (all with spiritual implications).  Just as our modern soldiers form "bonds of brotherhood" in their theaters of war, we, too, must form partnerships with our fellow warriors.  And, together, we must work with Jesus and the Holy Spirit to carry out their commands, being equipped with the Authority and Power mandated to us.
     Like Elijah, we are not born spiritually mature, but by answering the call of our Lord, we can discern that we are each born for a purpose -- to confront the greatest evil in the history of mankind.  We can be effective spiritual warriors by recognizing that we have the Law of the Lord written on our hearts, and we live by His Grace through our faith and obedience.
     Today, we honor and memorialize those military warriors who have died for the perpetuation of our earthly freedom.  Let us not forget those Biblical warriors who perished for our spiritual freedom. Every warrior's death is important in the eyes of God.  He chooses the time, place, and manner of death.  War is a horrible part of our human existence, and we must never forget that it is not God's desire.  But, even in the midst of such battles, God can be glorified.  As we approach the enemy's endgame, we can rejoice that our Victory has already been won.  In the meantime, we must ask for more of His Spirit, His help and His protection—along with the strength, desire and determination needed to fight each and every battle, each and every day. So, I continually pray for all of our warriors, past and present, and God’s people and the ministry of effective spiritual warfare.

2 Timothy 2:3-4   "Take with me your share of hardship [passing through the difficulties which you are called to endure], like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No soldier in active service gets entangled in the [ordinary business] affairs of civilian life; [he avoids them] so that he may please the one who enlisted him to serve."
   

Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation—

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the refuge and fortress of my life—

Whom shall I dread?

     I love this image of a lighthouse being pounded by the waves!  It gives me a picture of the Lord as my Light and my refuge and my fortress as the circumstances of this world, and the forces in the spiritual realm, batter me in their attempt to separate me from the presence of my Lord.

     Notice the person standing in the doorway of the lighthouse, seeming impervious to the powerful force surrounding them.  That's how we can feel when we stand firm in our faith and the power and protection of God.  Whom shall we fear, and whom shall we dread?  No one and nothing!

     As we continue educating ourselves on what the Word says about trusting in the authority of Jesus and our access to His power, we will learn that He is our stronghold; a strong tower in which we can weather the storms, and from which we can stand our ground during attacks.  We can seek Him and find Him there, where He is battling for us and with us.  

     Remember, the Enemy seeks to handicap you and separate you from your presence with God by taking you into bondages of fear, dread, anger, unforgiveness, idolatry, lust, or whatever weakness he can find to exploit.  But if we make God our stronghold and our fortress, we can partner with Him so that we are carried to victory in any situation.  Remember, we never find freedom from bondage in our independence.  We must willingly enter His refuge and bind ourselves to Him.  He is our protection and the rock upon which we stand.  

     Whenever we venture out of His haven and partake of the world, we can expect to encounter opposition, temptations, and lies.  We must come to the realization that we are not strong enough to resist any of these on our own.  And the Enemy knows this!  So, if he can convince you not to immediately run back into that strong tower, you just might find that a barrier has been erected, one brick at a time; one that is a stronghold of sin (pride, fear, arrogance, doubt, etc.) that will keep you isolated and blocked from re-entering God's protective shelter.  

     That will be a painful lesson to learn.  We may find ourselves unable to fight off the spirits who feed that pride, or that fear.  We will find that our own strength is incapable of winning that battle, and the spiritual enemy has actually gained in strength to further imprison us.  It is imperative that we know that our victory is conditional.  We don't become victors by conquering the enemy on our own.  We become victors through surrender to Christ, and His victory becomes ours.  

     We must also remember that the longer we stay away from, or out of our towers of refuge, the more time the enemy has to add one more brick to that concrete barrier between you and the safety of God's fortress.  Pretty soon, you realize that you are in a fortress alright, but it's one that the devil has constructed around you.  It might be one that you think offers you comfort and familiarity; you've become used to it and it's not too threatening.  But the enemy will not be content to leave you in that state of serenity.  You will soon find that this fortress built on prolonged sin has become a prison.  Your human effort is useless in demolishing your strongholds.  Prayer can be effective in destroying such strongholds, but it will take the supernatural power of God to set you free.

     I think we can all agree that fear and dread can be powerful forces in our day-to-day living.  But notice that the Lord is the answer to both.  His Divine Power is a weapon we can call upon whenever we feel attacked.  We are not to go into battle alone or without His Authority.  When we remain under His protection, we are never to doubt that He will go to battle with us, and that it is Him leading the charge!  We can confidently and trustingly stand in the midst of the roaring waves, never fearing that we will be overpowered and swept away.  His strength will become our strength, and the enemy cannot defeat us.

Schemes and Plans

     There is so much that I want to say regarding our discussion on Spiritual Warfare, and so many trails we can go down as we walk this path.  Thank you for being patient as we set the foundation in our knowledge of this war.  I believe it is vital that we take a look at why Christians must come to a knowledge of the truth that our enemy is real, and he is waging war against us.
     That being said, we've been talking about the need to recognize that we are involved in an invisible spiritual war, with spiritual entities that interact with our physical world from an invisible spiritual realm.  It is hard enough for Christians to wrap their minds around that truth, even though the Bible is full of examples of this fact.  Once we are aware of the battle, then we need to recognize and identify our foe.
     Most of us would acknowledge that our opponent is satan, or the devil.  But would you be surprised to know that the Senior Pastor of the largest Protestant Church in the United States allegedly views the devil as largely symbolic?  That he "likes to make [the concept of] the Enemy broader."  He actually preaches, "Sometimes the Enemy can be our own thoughts. We’ve trained ourselves the wrong way. Or the Enemy can be our own lack of discipline."  Of course, I'm talking about Joel Osteen, and this philosophy, in my opinion, is alarmingly similar to that of Anton Levey, the founder of the Church of Satan.  Lavey preached that satan is not an entity but is only a symbol of certain human traits.

     But we make a grave (and potentially eternal) mistake to dismiss, not only satan's very real existence, but just how formidable a foe he can be.  The Bible tells us he has plans and schemes against us, and we better recognize what they are ... to terrorize your soul, to render you impotent as a believer, to make you worthless to the cause of Christ, and to make your life one of misery and spiritual defeat.  It's kind of sobering to think that there are spirits and forces from that invisible world whose sole goal is to do those things to us.  Yet I have seen too many Christians who live their lives in anger or unforgiveness, or who experience guilt-ridden rationalizations because of some action in their families.  They are unaware that their misery is an attack by satan.  They do not understand that they are living their lives in defeat, and they don't have to!
      How many of us are familiar with the following Scripture:  "Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."  And then how many of us take that warning seriously?
     Actually, Peter painted a pretty good picture for us.  What do lions do when they're prowling?  They are constantly looking for something that is vulnerable and will be easy to consume and demolish.  Is that the person who stumbles across pornography on the internet, and just can't pull themselves away?  Is that the man or woman who decides that they are unhappy or unfulfilled in their marriage, and deserve more?  Is that the pastor or church leader who decides to ignore the "hard" passages of Scripture because it doesn't win him accolades from his congregation, or fill up the collection plate?  Is that the person who has a hidden secret that torments them night and day, or the person who can't quite forgive God for a tragedy in their life?
     And these are maybe what we might term "the non-murderous" plans to steal and destroy, but let's not forget the devil's schemes and plans that end up with the vile and evil physical harm that actually kills another human being.   They are all examples of just how formidable and deadly our foe is.   But here is what is so sad to me:  pastors like Joel Osteen (and believe me, he is not the only one) lull Christians into a false sense of entitlement with passages like this from his book Your Best Life Is Now ... “If you develop an image of success, health, abundance, joy, peace, happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you”.  Where in the Bible is that "prosperity gospel" preached?
     And do you see what an effective tool that is for satan to use against us?  If we believe that all God wants is for us to be happy; that all you have to do to reach your goal to be happy is to love Jesus, read your Bible, pray, and go to Church --- then how are you going to handle it when satan launches his attack against you and you lose your job, your marriage, get cancer, or your child tragically dies?
     I do not dispute that God loves and wants to bless us.  But He doesn't want us to buy into this lie that life is a picnic in a beautiful park.  He want us to be aware that we are living our life in the middle of a battlefield.  Now, don't get me wrong ... He doesn't want us to be obsessed with the devil or look for him in every event of our life that doesn't go our way.  We are not to cower in a corner, afraid to venture out.  He needs us active in this world, and bold on His behalf.  But we need to be conscious that our enemy is always planning and looking for ways to launch a strike.  That's why our spiritual armor is so important.  Never neglect putting it on!  That's one of the things that gives me peace of mind.  I don't sit and worry, or look over my shoulder every minute of the day.  If I am suited up in God's Truth, His peace, my efforts to live life in the Righteous manner of Jesus, growing in my salvation process, strengthening my faith, and relying on the Word, I can approach each day with confidence and trust.  That may seem like a tall order, but believe me, when you make a conscious effort and you make it part of your day each morning, you know when you are fully dressed in your spiritual armor.
     If accepting the fact that satan and his force of demonic spirits are real is just something that you find hard to digest, let me suggest this to you ... didn't Jesus think they were real?  Didn't Jesus, Himself, have a personal encounter with the devil in the wilderness; and didn't He spend an awful lot of time dealing with demons and casting them out of people?  We need to realize and accept that when Scripture tells us about satan, he is not as a metaphor of speech, or a symbol of transgressing against our Creator.  He is a powerful fallen angel, who led a rebellion of a third of the angels of Heaven, and he now seeks to destroy all that is good, and all those who have been consecrated by God.

     The one thing I want to make perfectly clear is that we must respect our enemy, but we are not to fear him.  We need to become very aware of his methods and his plans and his schemes; but we are not to become obsessed or preoccupied with him.  Fear and obsession are issues that can give our foe a foothold in our lives.  We do not need to give him that power over us.  We need to study the Word for clues as to what those methods and schemes are, so we can recognize them... plans to slander us or other people in order to cause dissension; plans to tempt us and seduce us into worshipping false idols such as fame, money, or beauty; plans to introduce thoughts that will captivate our minds and corrupt our walk with the Lord.  And yes, there are those instances when he incites pure evil ... when he convinces a young mother that she is to drown her children; or persuades a person to strap a bomb to their body in the name of holiness; or convinces a generation of young adults that they can enter his spiritual world and experience the freedom that Christianity denies them.  And he makes all these things look shiny and attractive, and convinces us that it is the right path to take.
     Then, if, as a Christian, you fall for the seduction, he will condemn you and make you feel guilty, dirty, unredeemable.  And if he can lure individuals, think of the destruction he can cause when he attacks God's people by directing entire governments, deceiving men in leadership roles, destroying life through the sacrificial rite of abortion, persecuting the saints, and preventing our service to the Kingdom through intimidation and fear.  His power is real -- we can see it all around us -- but remember this:  it is limited!  He's not omniscient -- he doesn't know all things.  And he is not infinite, holy, or sovereign.  He is just a created being; although a powerful one.
     In order to be ready for battle, and to stay engaged in this invisible war, we need to develop our  wisdom (knowing who he is and how he acts) and our balance (be aware of him, but not obsessed with him).  We need to recognize that we fight a formidable foe, but never forget that we fight our battle from victory, not for victory.  The victory is already secured through Christ!  We need to know that we've already won the final victory, and we are invincible because we fight in Christ's power, not our own!  We have Christ's authority and power to resist the devil and withstand his attacks.
     So don't fall for the lies and false theology that tells you that Christians are not subject to the wiles and schemes of the devil, or that God just wants to make you healthy, wealthy and wise.  Those are the lies of false security that the devil offers you, and they will render you defenseless when he comes prowling.  Rather, recognize when you are being attacked and stand firm in your spiritual armor; and demand that satan and his demons leave the battlefield in the Name of Jesus.  Recall that the Bible tells us they quake at the mention of His Name!  The devil is a created being, and so are we -- but we are made in the image of God.  He is not!  We have nothing to fear and our victory is secure!

2 Corinthians 10:3    "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh."
   
   
   

It's A Matter of Recognition and Our Authority

     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 argument 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, in my newfound knowledge, two distinct disciplines:  Healing and Deliverance.  We will explore those in coming days, but for now I will tell you that, 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 yesterday's 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]."


   

We Need To Understand The Spiritual Realm!

      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."


   
   

   

2 Chronicles 15:7

But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, 

for your work shall be rewarded.

     I'm not sure why, but I kept getting drawn back to this Scripture this week.  Perhaps it is because I am so aware of the fears and the sense of powerlessness that so many people are feeling these days.  And, sadly, that includes Christians.  But, to be honest, it's understandable.  We are struggling, both as Americans, and as Christians, to figure out our place in this country and the world.

     We know that, as a nation, we have sinned grievously against the Lord.  We have been rebellious and disobedient.  Can we say, with all honesty, that our laws supporting abortion and re-defining marriage, or our idolatry towards celebrities, money, or whatever occupies our time, are any different than the sins of the ancient Israelites?

     At the time that this passage was written, Asa was the king of the southern kingdom, Judah.  It has been nearly 100 years since King David began his reign in Hebron, and 20 years since the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms.  It has been a time of worshipping at the altars of false gods in the high places, and of disobeying God's commandments.  The people were rightfully wondering if God's promises of prosperity to the patriarchs would be revoked because of the nation's sins.  Was there any hope of reviving the country and returning it to its pinnacle?  And with the continued falling away from their faith, could Judaism survive?  Their leaders and their religious leaders had failed them. They desperately needed a ray of hope!

     Could not the same thing be said of us and our nation today?  I will admit that I am less interested in reviving the prosperity and reputation of this nation, and more interested in reviving the faith of my fellow countrymen.  It goes without saying, that many of our political and religious leaders have let us down. That's why this particular verse speaks to me.  

     Just like King Asa, who received this word from Azariah, the prophet, we recognize that we need to reform our lives... not only the direction of our nation, but revise and renew our individual lives.  We must rededicate ourselves to the service of God, knowing that God is always faithful to those who remain true to Him. 

    Azariah is telling King Asa to approach this reformation of his nation with vigor and with diligence.  We should do the same in our individual lives!  We should carefully, and continuously apply ourselves to returning to God; to becoming the "new creations" we know we are supposed to be.  We are not to approach this work as drudgery, or lazily.  We are to apply ourselves with consistent effort, always keeping our eyes on the goal -- to glorify God and His kingdom.  

     Just think of all He has given you!  Aren't His works on our behalf worth our best efforts to serve Him?  So, let me encourage you, just as King Asa was encouraged... He was told to "take courage"!  In the Hebrew, this means "to strengthen, to repair, to fortify, to take hold of" -- all in terms of rebuilding the covenant relationship with the God who delivered you out of your sins.  And that takes work on our part!  

     It is important to know that our reward on this earth is in the work itself -- when we make the effort to obey Him during times of temptation; when we sense His presence as we cry out to Him in repentance; and when we set our minds, hearts, and hands to His work in this world, and our spirit acknowledges that the good God has done in the past is the pattern for all the good He will do in our future.  

     It is enough for me to know that God keeps His promises to those who love and obey Him.  But this verse reminds me of the moral and physical strength that my God can communicate to me in my times of disillusionment.  His Mercy endures forever!