My Perspective On The New Apostolic Reformation Movement

     The direction of today's Church follows many paths.  I am literally astounded at the leniency of some church leaders who would be willing to see the "spiritualism" of an event like Burning Man on par with the experience of The Early Church at Pentecost.  But then again, I am equally amazed at those who refuse to consider what the Bible has to stay about the supernatural in our Christian experience.  That presents a wide spectrum in the observance of our faith.  But I also truly believe that, at this time, there is an increase in the desire for knowledge about God among the Body of Christ and The Church; within that reality, it is also a time to be cautious when seeking new understanding.
     In my own quest, Scripture has been my center of focus as I am trying to discern what it means to be a follower of Christ, according to the Bible.  I am trying to know The Most High God in a deeper and personal way, and seek His Truth about who He is and who I am, in Him.  That being said, it has become apparent to me that while other Christians are doing the same thing, there have grown new ideas of what that looks like, and new movements that have risen out of that pursuit for knowledge.  Differing interpretations of the Bible have given rise to new theologies and new movements, with the result being that we must be very careful in forming our own understanding of what God's Word is saying to those of us called by His Name.  And, we need to be careful to approach each other in love, when discussing our differences.
     To be honest, I have tried to listen exclusively to the Holy Spirit to guide me to the truth of the Word.  In that process, I have discovered that it has been necessary to discern which doctrines of the traditional Church still ring true to the commands of Jesus, and which are man-made rules that do not serve Him according to His Word.  In the same manner, I see that these new movements and theologies require the same examination.  And, once again being honest, I have been unaware of the "official" names of these groups and their guiding principles, because it has been my desire to quit following the ways of man, and follow the Biblical path towards Jesus.  So, I am reluctant to follow any stringent rules or guidelines in order to identify with particular "movements".   But I feel it is important to know what these groups believe in order to know where they stand, Biblically, and to be able to defend my own theology.

     So, today, I wish to introduce you to the New Apostolic Reformation Movement and explain it as I understand it.  I do not wish to disparage this movement's desire for Truth, but I think it is inherent that each of us pray for guidance and discernment so that we are not led astray.  I am fully aware that I do not have the secret counsel of God, nor have I cornered the market on wisdom -- none of us have all the answers, and while we may find agreement on various principles, we are probably not going to agree on every aspect of each other's belief systems.  I also believe the Bible when it says that we are one body, with many parts; and that God may reveal, through His Spirit, one aspect of Himself, while revealing an additional facet of His Character to another.  But it is very important to do your homework, and to know exactly what groups and movements and theological camps believe ... and then to compare it to Scripture.  The Bible tells us that the Church will become "apostate" in the latter days, and it is incumbent upon each of us to be wise and discerning, so that we do not fall away from God's Truth.
     So, let's get down to the basics ... the New Apostolic Reformation Movement (NAR) appears to be a loose collection of non-denominational and independent churches rallying around a particular set of biblical interpretations.  Primary to their belief system seems to be the idea that God is raising up a new order of apostles and prophets who have been commissioned by Him to affect our culture and society.  Furthermore, the NAR movement teaches that because God’s intended form of church governance is apostles and prophets, their leadership status is over evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Only now, as the church is properly guided by these appropriate spiritual leaders, can it fulfill its commission from Jesus. This commission is seen as more than spiritual, as it includes cultural and political control.
     If my research is correct, they believe as the church unifies behind the apostles, these leaders will develop greater and greater supernatural powers. Eventually, this will include the ability to perform mass healings and suspend the laws of physics. Prophets in the New Apostolic Reformation are almost as important as apostles. These people have been empowered to receive “new” revelations from God that will aid the church in establishing dominion. (According to the New Apostolic Reformation, only prophets, and occasionally apostles, can obtain new revelations. Evangelists, pastors, and teachers cannot). The prophets’ new revelations are crucial to overcoming the world, and the success of the church depends on the apostles following through on the information prophets provide.
     On the surface, this movement might not seem too dangerous.  For sure, prophecy played an important part in the Old Testament, and those prophecies have been accurately fulfilled.  And, I will agree that far too many pastors ignore the Bible prophecy that exists in the New Testament; specifically Matthew 24 and the Book of Revelation.  In fact we are told there are those pastors like Joel Osteen and Rick Warren who don't "feel called" to preach on the the End Times prophecies because "it frightens people and keeps them from living a victorious life right now" (Osteen); and "those who focus on Bible prophecy are not fit for the Kingdom of God" (Warren).
     Here is where I stand ... Prophecy is important, and God gave us the prophecy He wants us to have and understand in Scripture (in both the Old and New Testaments).  On more careful examination and discernment, I don't see Scripture telling me that God will give us new prophets in these days.  And the NAR seems [to me] to put too much emphasis on man's sovereignty in bringing about the return of Jesus.  It's as if they are saying our commission from Jesus is to control every sphere of influence on earth, so we can bring about a sort of Utopia that they define as the Kingdom of God on earth.

     But is that really what Jesus commanded us to do in what is called The Great Commission?  In my opinion that commandment was explicitly expressed in Acts 1:8, when Jesus tells His disciples, you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth, and when He reiterates His command in Matthew 28:19-20: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you.  
     According to New Apostolic thinking, mankind lost its dominion over earth as part of the fall of Adam. So Jesus’ First Coming and His sacrifice on the cross not only resolved our sin debt, but it empowered mankind—specifically, Christians—to retake control of the earth. The New Apostolic Reformation sees seven areas in which believers are supposedly empowered and expected to dominate: government, arts, finances, education, religion, family, and media. Of these, the New Apostolic Reformation sees government as the most important because of its ability to influence all of the other facets of life. As a result, the New Apostolic Reformation overtly encourages Christian control over politics, culture, and business.
     While I cannot dispute that if we modeled our lives on the way Jesus lived His, we would naturally influence these spheres, I do not see the Great Commission as a commandment to dominate these physical sectors of our society.  I interpret both passages in Acts and Matthew as Jesus giving us a spiritual mission to reach the hearts and minds of people; not an earthly mission to control our culture.  Notice that the power comes from the Holy Spirit, not from man ... it is a spiritual mission!  That is what the Bible says.
     The Bible tells us that the Kingdom of God is not based on talk, put on power (1 Corinthians 4:20); it is not brought about by man's efforts, but exists in spiritual power.  Jesus, Himself, said in Mark 7:6-7, "These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men".  And again, Paul tells us, "for the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking [what one likes], but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  It's spiritual!  We are not to involve ourselves with the affairs of the world, but to win souls (hearts, minds, emotions) for Christ!  Didn't the Early Church of Acts disengage from the affairs of their world and turn to spiritual power to win the hearts and minds of unbelievers?
     Who among us is not concerned about the economy and the upcoming election and the effects they will have on our physical lives and those of coming generations?  And I have been hearing more talk about Pastors who have decided to challenge the "separation of church and state" that has been followed for several decades, and engage their congregations with their "moral duty" to vote "their conscience".  But I have to ask you this:  Is that part of our commission from our Lord?  Does who is President really matter to your mission to win souls for Christ?  Does your power and authority come from whoever is President ... or from Jesus and the Holy Spirit?  If we are be to like Jesus, whose business must we be occupied with?  This world's, or God's?
     Did God give Jesus power and influence to affect the political scene in Judea and Jerusalem; did He attempt to change the educational system in the synagogues; did He engage with those responsible for the financial system among the Jews?  The Bible tells us to imitate Christ, whom "God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with great power; [so that] He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him." (1 Corinthians 11:1).  THAT IS OUR MISSION!
     I want to wrap up my discussion with the hope that I have not misrepresented this movement, because I know how a word here or there can totally distort what one believes; I have been misinterpreted and misunderstood numerous times.  And I sincerely believe that Christians who count themselves as adherents to the NAR movement believe they are interpreting Scripture correctly.  And do I think it will affect their salvation or eternity in Heaven with our Lord?  No.  But, in the end, I am concerned with putting too much emphasis on changing physical situations in the world.  After all, it is not the physical condition of the world that is a sign of the Kingdom of God.  It is the spiritual condition of those who will receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  And it is that spiritual condition of all mankind that we should be seeking to change.

John 18:36    Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

You Can Never Hear It Enough: We Are Called to Freedom

   

     Once again, someone who has been freed from their spiritual bondage has asked if they could share their testimony.  I will never turn down an opportunity for anyone to hear of the Power and Authority of Jesus over the darkness of slavery to our Adversary.  There is hope in this testament of personal struggle, and affirmation that you can be delivered from the deception, schemes, lies, and outright attacks designed to rob you of who you were made to be.  People who have experienced the freedom that Jesus offers can say it better than I ever can.  So, read these wise and authentic words and let your spirit respond to them.  It is for this kind of freedom, that Jesus came to die for us.

     I am at a place where I can look back on all the terrible events of my life and not feel pain. I gave my pain to Jesus and stopped looking back. I would like to share some of my story, because I couldn’t ever find anyone who could understand what was going on inside me. My goal in sharing is to help others see that it is possible to get free, and stay free. Please know you are not alone.
     A little background ... I was raised in a church. I attended youth groups and went through confirmation. I had perfect attendance at Sunday school most years. I even taught Sunday school when I was old enough. Sadly, I never had any kind of relationship with God. Looking back, I’m not sure many people there did. I think we were all just part of a church, and we did what was expected by our family and community. I never heard anything about demons, that’s for sure!
     From the outside looking in, my family looked just as normal as anyone else’s. We went to church every Sunday, participated in community events, and we were pretty well known because one of my parents worked at the school. Nobody knew what my life was like, and for a long time I had no idea there was anything wrong with it.
     My parents were alcoholics. I lived in fear of the next time that they would drink so much that they would become violent with each other, or worse, me. My father turned a blind eye to his friends sexually abusing me for years. My mom turned a blind eye to my brother physically abusing me as well. When I was still pretty young my father died, and my mother began bringing home any man she could find at the bar. When I told her one of them was being inappropriate she didn’t believe me. I saw rejection everywhere I turned.
     The feelings I had led to my own self-destructive behavior. I started cutting when I was about 12. I would sit in my room for hours carving away at my flesh. It was the only thing I knew to do to numb the pain I felt. Then I started drinking. My parents provided alcohol to me and any of my friends that wanted it. I was able to numb my pain that way for a while. The problem with cutting and drinking was the pain always came back, and usually worse.
     My next attempt to numb my pain was sex. A married teacher of mine offered to have sex with me and I took him up on it. I thought if I could find someone that cared about me I would feel better. Obviously, a married man 20+ years older than me did not care about me at all, but I couldn’t see it at the time. I did whatever he wanted seeking his approval, but of course I never got it. It just made me feel worse and worse about myself.
     The first time I was raped, it was by a guy that I had gone on a date with. After the date we went to the place he was staying to make out, and he didn’t stop. I blamed myself for letting it go too far before telling him no. He told me it was my fault. I fought him, and when he was strangling me I realized that if I continued to fight he would probably kill me. For a year I kept that to myself, festering like a sore, until I just couldn’t keep it contained anymore. I wanted to hear that it wasn’t my fault.
     Statistics show that after someone is raped it is highly likely they will be raped again. Well that held true for me. I was raped by a group of 3 men at work. As a result, I got pregnant. It was the most horrific thing I could imagine. I hated who I was. I hated the thoughts that I had. I wanted to die.
     Throughout all these things I began to dislike God more and more. I couldn’t understand why he was letting these terrible things happen to me over and over again. I didn’t know what I did to deserve the things that were happening to me. I couldn’t talk about any of it, so nobody understood. I tried to lock it all away, but it would all come back like a flood and there was nothing I could do to control any of it. I tried to read scripture but I literally couldn’t make myself open the Bible.
     A good friend introduced me to Belle and her husband, and I thought they were all crazy. I had never heard of these demons they talked about and I didn’t want to do the work they seemed to think was necessary for me to be free. I was afraid to scare them away if I told them how truly bad it was. I gave them little snippets, hoping to not run them off. In retrospect I think they understood what was going on better than I did. I told them that I had a switch inside me that I couldn’t control. When the switch flipped I wouldn’t want help anymore. That happened several times. I would just completely shut down and get very defensive with them. I knew they were only trying to help, but I just couldn’t prevent that switch from flipping. I also knew without a doubt that I wanted help, but I didn’t know how to make them understand that. One day as I was leaving, after basically wasting everyone’s time, I got to my car and realized I just couldn’t leave. I sat in the dirt and stared at the chickens for a very long time. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Leaving felt like giving up on myself, but staying wasn’t an option either.
     A few months later I had a near death experience, and realized that I couldn’t die like I was living. I didn’t want to spend eternity in hell. It was time to get free, no matter what it took.
     I called and talked to Belle’s husband, who seemingly has the patience of a saint. I cried and begged him for one more chance, and for some reason they gave it to me. Walking in the door that day I knew I was going to come out a different person. They walked me through some of the exercises. The biggest for me was replaying those terrible events from my past and seeing Jesus physically present at each one. In some scenes he would be sitting in the corner, sometimes standing right beside me, but always weeping. He couldn’t make those terrible things stop, but seeing Him cry for me changed everything. He loves me the way I always wanted to be loved. I never got that love from my parents, or the men that I slept with. I finally could stop seeking that, because now I knew what unconditional love was. I was finally at peace with the things that had happened to me. I was able to forgive those people that had hurt me, even the ones that never asked for it. I got free that day, and I will never go back to that old me!
     Today, my life is so much different. I sleep at night. I don’t stress over things I can’t control. I give my problems to God. I have the most amazing relationship with Him. Most importantly, I cannot wait to see Him in the throne room because I know I am saved.

     I know that this may have been hard for some of you to read... it is raw, sometimes brutal, and very emotional.  But it is not uncommon.  It makes me sad that so many Christians are suffering pain and spiritual wounds because they have not been taught that satan can use not only your sins, but the sins of others that have been committed against you, to keep you in spiritual bondage.  Could Jesus intervene and stop the abuse?  Absolutely!  But one of God's sovereign characteristics is that He does not interfere with the free will of those He has created -- even if it means we might be damaged in the process.  To do otherwise, would not glorify Him when we allow Him to show us that He was present during our pain.  And in the process, He helps us to forgive those who have sinned against us, just as we want to be forgiven our own sins.  And we come out the other side of Deliverance a changed person; a transformed person; a free person.  Praise God for His Sovereignty and His Abounding Love!


Ephesians 2:8         “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”

Burning Man 2016: Can A Christian Find God At A Pagan Celebration?

"DaVinci's Workshop"
Burning Man 2016 Theme

    Once again, the images coming out of the festival called Burning Man remind me of a New Age Woodstock; or as one attendee described it, "It's kind of like the Star Wars bar scene in a Mad Max movie". It is variably called, "a counter-culture phenomenon"; "the largest pagan celebration in the world"; and "an experience of spiritual connection".  But connection to what, or whom?
    Larry Harvey, the founder of the Burning Man Festival on the Summer Solstice in 1986 says, "I've never believed in a Supreme Being, but I do believe that Being is Supreme.  That's a subtle distinction; but a spiritual notion".  Really?!?!  Harvey, in case you haven't guessed, is a self-professed atheist, and his statement has about as much substance as "the nothingness" in which he believes.
     But an interesting fact about Burning Man appears to be that more and more Christians are attending, and I was curious to see how the event was represented, both from a cultural perspective and a spiritual viewpoint.  This year's theme was Da Vinci's Workshop, and the symbol of this year's festival was DaVinci's Vitruvian Man.
     The Burning Man website described the 2016 festival as "inspired by the Italian Renaissance, when an historic convergence of inspired artistry, technical innovation and enlightened patronage launched Europe out of medievalism and into modernity. Our story will focus on ... humanist ideals, a rediscovery of science, and funding from a newly moneyed class of entrepreneurs [which will fund] a revolutionary cultural movement that [will] redefine Western civilization. Five centuries later, we will attempt to recreate this potent social alchemy by combining Burning Man art, maker culture and creative philanthropy to make Black Rock City the epicenter of a new renaissance."  I think I can sum up that high-sounding characterization in a few words ... Man as Creator; creating a bridge between science and spirituality.
     DaVinci himself called his symbol "The Magical Proportions of Man", and explained it like this:  "The outstretched arms and legs of a man form a square and a circle: the square symbolizes the solid physical world and the circle the spiritual and eternal. Man bridges the gap between these two worlds."   So ... I wanted to know how it was possible to seek true spirituality while attending a festival that is described as "notoriously hedonistic. There are naked people, and a lot of sex, drugs, alcohol, and all-night raves. But for many, Burning Man is also a spiritual pursuit."

     I read over a half-dozen accounts (and watched a documented film version) of people claiming to be Christian, who have attended the Festival over the last few years, and I guess I wasn't surprised to find a wide difference of opinion.   Here is what George Otis Jr., president of The Sentinel Group (a Christian research agency), wrote of his experience in the year 2000:  "On Saturday night, the hell-themed [festival] reached its crescendo in the form of a drama....These people were literally celebrating the fact that one day they would enter hell. To simulate their journey, the camp’s center stage was transformed into the "Vestibule of Hell." The guest of honor was none other than "Papa Satan."....As the lecherous Papa Satan bowed in mock chains before a placard reading "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," a group called "Idiot Flesh," [supposedly Christians] dressed as hooded executioners, began to play a discordant dirge accompanied by flashing strobes. When the crowd started its torchlight procession toward the Gates of Hell and an eerie, sculpted castle called The City of Dis, I sensed an unmistakable chill in the air. Our march had been joined by unseen, malevolent guests....nudist and a moving sea of devil banners [also] moved around us....At the tri-tower City of Dis, our descent into the Inferno reached a demonic sanctuary....While massive loudspeakers pumped out a hellish bass tone accompanied by tormented screams....people dressed as demonic insects celebrated by copulating with other captured souls. It was a scene that looked as if it had been plucked from a horrific nightmare. Mesmerized by the evocative music, the performers began to chant, "Devil’s delight, fire tonight!" Wood piles inside the towers of Dis were ignited, causing orange flames to belch forth from the eyes and mouths of demonic gargoyles built onto the turrets. As the heat became more intense, the entourage danced around the towers. Satan had defeated the church."
     Then in 2015, the website Christianity Today, featured an article written by Dr. Rick Richardson, an Anglican priest, and Associate Professor of Evangelicalism at Wheaton College, a Christian Liberal Arts college.  Dr. Richardson attended the festival at the invitation of his son, who did not connect with the organized church.  At first he saw the gathering as one big party, which he concedes it was, but soon found himself praying for a young woman whom he sensed had a broken heart.  I will let him finish telling you about his encounter:  "I prayed for the presence and power of God to heal her heart and fill her and use her in the lives of others. At the end of the prayer time, she wept and expressed that she had come 1000 miles to hear that word from God. I told her about Jesus’ love for her and she responded over the next several days, becoming open to Jesus for the first time in her life."  

A worshipper praying to her pagan god, Osiris,
at Burning Man 2013

     Dr. Richardson continued, "Here is one thing I have already discovered. Many of the people driving the rise of these new spiritualities that mix Buddhist, Hindu, Native American, and New Age ideas, come from the church. That’s right. They are the formerly churched. And they are not hostile to their background. Not at all. It just never captured them ... but [they] are still hungry for spiritual connection and meaning. Nature abhors a vacuum, and these new spiritualities are filling the spiritual vacuum left by unsatisfactory church connections."
     But what spirits are they connecting to?  Just because you're having a spiritual encounter, you can't assume it is with YHWH! Or maybe that doesn't really matter to the attendees!
     Then there was an interview on the documentary video I watched with a woman pastor in a tent called "The Freedom Lounge".  The film admitted that this was the "charismatic" flavor of the presence of the Church at Burning Man.  She said, "We invite [the people] to have an encounter with the One who made them.  When they meet the Holy Spirit, which we call the Spirit of Truth, they are rocked!  Personally, I am a follower of Jesus, and that's where my power comes from.  But I am seeing that there is a lot of anger here about the structure we put around the Church.  When we show them they can have a personal encounter, and feel the presence of that Love, and get filled up with it, then they have a spiritual connection that is very real".
     Okay, so that leaves me with a couple of questions ... Is the move from pure self-indulgence in 2000, towards spirituality in the last couple of years, centered in ecumenicalism?  In reality, isn't humanism what's really being worshipped?
     In my research, I had no problem finding quotes from attendees who expressed that they listened for the voice of "the Spirit", and had a spiritual encounter.  Remember the Anglican priest from Wheaton College, the Christian college?  He also said that many of the values of Burning Man are "worthy of Scripture, including radical inclusion (what Christians call grace!), community effort, civic responsibility, and leaving no trace on the environment. Burners also practice a culture of gifting (everyone brings a gift to the community, reminiscent of the Body of Christ) ....  If we can learn from spiritually diverse Burners why they have embraced new and alternative spiritualities, and if we can learn from Christian groups who are reaching them, maybe we could see a new Jesus movement in this decade, not unlike what happened in the 60s".
     But the question, for me, becomes who is influencing whom?  Because there is no room for compromise when it comes to the One True God.  So, is this just another attempt by "the Church" to appear accommodating to alternative spiritual paths?  And then there are the stories and images of attendees seeking portals; worshipping idols and false gods; making sacrifices to honor the earth ... all things that God detests.  Yes, we are to engage with the world by taking the message of Christ to them.  But I think we flirt with danger when our priority changes from speaking God's unyielding Truths to trying to understand and appeal to alternative spiritualities.
     Unfortunately, this approach is very appealing to our youth, the unchurched, and those recently disillusioned with religion.  But here's what it looks like to me:  Combining mysticism, rationalism, and humanism with an alternative form of Christianity in order to create a new definition of "church", "faith", or "spirituality" still looks like paganism to me.  And, in the end, I just have to ask, Does this please The Most High God?

Ezekiel 20:7    Then said I unto them, Cast away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Daniel 3:4-6

Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “You are commanded, 

O peoples, nations, and speakers of every language, 

that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, 

pipe, lyre, trigon (four-stringed harp), dulcimer, bagpipe, 

and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not 

fall down and worship shall immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.”

     I love it when I am reading my Bible and I discern a new layer being revealed.  Such was the case while reading the prophetic book of Daniel, Chapter 3.  There is so much in this mighty book that is difficult to comprehend, and each time I read it, I pray for more understanding.  

     I'm sure you recognize this passage as the beginning of the saga of Daniel's friends, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace.  It is a well-known story if you've grown up in the church, and is usually presented as displaying the courage of these men, who stood firm in their faith and were saved by the supernatural appearance of Jesus Christ in the midst of the furnace, proving that He never leaves us nor forsakes us.  That is an accurate representation, but it's only part of the story, and I love it when I can share something a little deeper.

     As I studied this familiar story, for the first time I noticed something that was different; something that had escaped me in all the other times I had read this account ... At the beginning of the chapter, we find King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon erecting a giant statue, and summoning all the governing agents of his Empire to a celebration of this structure.  As I read this ancient story, something told me there was more to the celebration than I had previously understood.  

     Notice in Chapter 3, verse 5 that when the government officials are all assembled that they are commanded, "at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon (four-stringed harp), dulcimer, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up."  That phrase of listing all the musical instruments is specifically repeated three more times within the next 10 verses.  For the first time, it struck me ... What was so important about the music?  And why was it mentioned so many times?

     After a little bit of research, I discovered that some Bible scholars believe that Lucifer was the highest of all angels, and since the angels never cease worshiping God (Revelation 4:8), he may have been the leader of that worship.  Scripture is not definitive; nowhere does it clearly state that Lucifer was in charge of the musical worship in heaven.  But, in reference to Lucifer, Isaiah 14:11 says, ‘Your pomp and magnificence have been brought down to Sheol, Along with the music of your harps [viols]; The maggots [which prey on the dead] are spread out under you [as a bed] And worms are your covering [Babylonian rulers].  This verse is speaking of his fall from heaven, and how all of the glory he had, and the gifts he had fell with him. "The noise of your viols" seems to indicats the stringed instruments he had charge over.

     Then we have Ezekiel 38:13, which says, “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz, and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx, and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and your sockets,[translated as timbrels and pipes, or tambourines] was in you. They were prepared on the day that you were created.  Could this be suggesting that Lucifer was, basically, a walking, talking musical instrument?  Could it be possible that Lucifer contained something akin to musical instruments – the tambourine, the flute, and the harp all within the confines of his own body? Since Lucifer is a created being, I guess he could have been created with instruments to provide beautiful music for none other than the glorification of God. And being the most authoritative and superior angel that he was might also have been the angel of music.  All this is speculation, of course.  Scripture is unclear, but this idea has bearing upon the rest of what happens in Chapter 3.  

     I think we can all agree that the fallen angel Lucifer, who becomes satan, the prince of this world, seeks to have humanity follow and worship him rather than the One True God, the Most High God.  And with this understanding, we often see him influencing earthly rulers such as Antiochus Epiphanes, or Hitler, or Stalin.  If we see him as a powerful spiritual influence behind King Nebuchadnezzar, then can you see him moving through Nebuchadnezzar to honor himself?  Can you accept the possibility that this giant statue, which everyone is forced to bow down to and worship, accompanied by this lavish orchestration of music, is satan's attempt to glorify himself through the commands of a man he has control over?  Wouldn't this have been the way he would have liked to be worshiped if he had usurped God's throne in heaven?

      Then consider the rest of the story ... in verses 8-12, there is repetition of the command for a great display of musical worship, and those who do not bow down will be "cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace".  As I read this, I wondered if this wasn't satan mocking God -- or at least imitating Him in reverse.  Instead of those who reject and rebel against YHWH being thrown into "the fiery lake of burning sulfur" (Revelation 21:8), the devil is declaring that those who do not bow down and worship the idol that represents him will die in the midst of a fiery furnace.  It all points to a counterfeit worship and punishment  scenario.  

    But the attempt to use Nebuchadezzar to glorify satan fails.  The God of Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego protects them in the fiery furnace.  In fact, the three men declare that their God is able to deliver them from the burning fiery furnace, and out of the hand of their enemy.  And that is just what He does, as a fourth figure is seen in the furnace with them; a figure like the Son of God, walking in the midst of the fire, and no one is harmed.  And that is just what our Savior does ... meets us in the midst of our struggles and delivers us from the fires of hell! 

     And how does this Chapter end?  Nebuchadnezzar sees that the fire had no power upon the bodies of the men; nor was any hair on their heads singed, and no scent of smoke or fire lingered on them or their clothes.  And what does the mighty King of Babylon declare?  "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego, who has sent His Angel and delivered His servants that trusted in Him.  He saw that these faithful men did not yield their faith to any man, and would not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.  King Nebuchadnezzar then decreed that no one could speak a negative word against the God of these faithful Jewish men, because there is no other God that can deliver like this.  

     The end of the story is that Nebuchadnezzar no longer sounds like a man dominated by satan, but a man who has seen the evidence of the One True God.  And that is the power of the Living God... to make His presence and His power and His authority known in the midst of the darkness of this world.  No matter how hard he tries, satan will never topple His Kingdom -- on earth or in heaven!

"Stranger Things": Seeing This Secular Production Through Spiritual Eyes

     With a nod to nerds and the popularity of science fiction, the Netflix series Stranger Things has taken the entertainment industry by storm.  It has been interesting to hear the disparate reactions of those whose spirits discern a dark, spiritual undertone, and those who just see the slick and scary surface image that Hollywood is so good at projecting.
     I wanted to write this particular post because I want Christians to start seeing the world through spiritual eyes.  I want them to begin discerning the spiritual warnings that are hidden in plain sight, so they can be prepared; with their spiritual armor on and the Sword of the Spirit at the ready!
     Why do I think it is important enough to talk about this specific mini-series?  Because this is one more instance of the New World Order [as an agent of satan] revealing their agenda and de-sensitizing us to what they have planned.  I find it very interesting that the series was originally titled Montauk, which references The Montauk Project, an alleged series of secret United States government projects conducted at Camp Hero (or Montauk Air Force Station) on Montauk, Long Island for the purpose of developing psychological warfare techniques and exotic research including time travel.  Other alleged experiments by our government and military included teleportation, mind control, contact with alien life and staging faked Apollo Moon landings.  If nothing else, the allegations about The Montauk Project certainly served as the inspiration for the popular mini-series.
     While there are those who might consider all this just a bunch of conspiracy theories, I cannot discount them as such.  There is simply far too much research and interviews with people who claim they were involved with the project.  And it certainly explains some of the strange occurrences and violence we are seeing in the world today.  Add to this the speculation that The Montauk Project was an extension of the Philadelphia Project, an effort to study the possibility of rendering things and people invisible.

     Here's a little of that history:  In 1933, Nikola Tesla, famed inventor, physicist, electrical engineer, and futurist worked with a coalition of scientists at the California Institute of Technology which included Albert Einstein, Dr. John Erich Von Neumann, and later a team of scientists that were coming to the U.S. from Germany until WW II started in 1939.  All this led to the Philadelphia Project, which was an alleged military experiment that is said to have been carried out by the U.S. Navy at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania some time around October 28, 1943. The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Eldridge (DE-173) was claimed to have been rendered invisible (or "cloaked") to enemy devices. 
     The fact that Tesla was involved in both the Philadelphia Project and the Montauk Project -- he was Chief Director of Operations --  makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.  If you recall an earlier blog post I wrote, in which I connected the dots between Tesla and Fallen Angel Technology, you will understand why.  (I wrote that post nearly two years ago, and to this day, I get comments that decry my suggestion that Tesla's experiments with energy and light involved information he received from demonic entities).
     But the truth is that Tesla and others were hired by the government to work with energy reactors and light streams to rip a hole in the atmosphere (otherwise known as portals) -- all under the guise of experimenting with electricity, but with a clandestine plan to look into other realms.  Think about it, the best scientific minds in mathematics and physics all come together to work at the same facility, and you can honestly say they would be incapable of developing space-time quantum physics?  Yet, that's just what they did; bending physics in the atmosphere and opening up holes into other dimensional realms.  The results were other-worldly, to say the least, and you can read more in-depth details here.
      Naysayers will label these claims as hoaxes and say none of the allegations about the experiments have ever been proven.  Yet, here are few of the assertions about the experiments that took place, and they sound eerily familiar and would explain some of the bizarre events we are witnessing today:
•  Homeless people and orphans were abducted and subjected to huge amounts of electromagnetic radiation to test mind control technology and remote brain programming. Few survived.  Doesn't that make you wonder about this statistic from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: roughly 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the United States -- that's roughly 2,000 per day. Of those, there are 115 child "stranger abduction" cases each year, which means the child was taken by an unknown person.
•  Mind control experiments were conducted and runaway and kidnapped boys were abducted and brought out to the base where they underwent excruciating periods of both physical and mental torture in order to break their minds; then their minds were re-programmed. Many were supposedly killed during the process and buried on the site. Others were released with programming as mind-slaves with alternate personalities to be sleeper cells who could be activated to perform missions.  Doesn't that make you wonder about the unexplained incidents whereby normal people suddenly "snap" and commit horrendous crimes?  Wouldn't this be a valuable weapon in the hands of evil people who wanted to do great harm to this country?
•  Contact was made with alien extraterrestrials through the Time Tunnel and technology was exchanged with them which enhanced the project. This allowed broader access to "hyperspace".  This makes me think of the Tower of Babel and if it isn't possible that Nimrod, who "began to become a mighty one" received advanced technological information in order to know how to construct a tower that would reach to heaven.  And wouldn't that mean a hole in the atmosphere would have to be made?  Was that the first portal? And were Tesla and his cohorts just continuing that exchange of advanced ideas?

•  Mass psychological experiments, such as the use of enormous subliminal messages projects and the creation of a "Men in Black" corps to confuse and frighten the public, were invented there.  We see all of this in the spectacular mini-series Stranger Things.  The series points to mind control, subliminal messages, DNA experimentations to create hybrids, and time travel, which all speak of spiritual warfare to me.
     I know there will be many who ask why I am even bothering with this topic, or who fail to see the connection to parallel universes, overlapping dimensions, and real evil.  What does it have to  do with Scripture or what God wants us to know?  Well, have you considered that in Isaiah, Chapter 38, God adds 15 years to Hezekiah's life, and turns the sun backwards 10 degrees?  Both of these events would seem to indicate distortion of time.  And what about Jesus's warning of "As it was in the days of Noah"?  I certainly see the indication of demon spirits or evil angelic beings trying to pollute and corrupt the human race through forced DNA experimentation.
     And it does not escape my notice that all this, plus the theme of Stranger Things, furthers the theory of "ancient aliens" being promoted by the History Channel; a theory that in ancient history, extraterrestrials landed on Earth, where they were hailed as gods and helped shape human knowledge by giving primitive man the knowledge of the solar system, concepts of engineering and mathematics, and knowledge that became the basis for humanity's religions and cultures.
    Then take it one step further, and consider what the miniseries suggests; that mankind, in their attempt to gain more power by harnessing the knowledge of otherworldly entities have crossed the line, opening portals that have allowed these evil entities to enter our dimension.  That is essentially the fear that surrounds projects like the Large Hadron Collider at Cern.
     I know this all sounds completely crazy, but can you see it yet?  Technology has always been a tool that the Enemy has used to entice man to help the false god set up his kingdom on earth.  And one branch of that technology has created the entertainment industry, which not only shows us what the Adversary's mission and plan is for mankind on earth, but lulls us into an acceptance of it by subliminal messages and repetitive conditioning.  Stranger Things may look like just another harmless science fiction show with scary monsters, but I contend that it is mirroring the planned spiritual attacks that will be launched by another round of fallen angels that will visit the earth ... just like in the "days of Noah".
     So it is okay to enjoy this fantastically entertaining mini-series, and to look forward to a much-anticipated Season Two.  Just know what you're really being shown; look at it beyond the surface level and discern the message with spiritual eyes.  Yes, it's a message of a corrupt and nefarious government, but it's also a picture of a very real and physical spiritual war that is prophesied in the Bible.  There's a reason those of us with spiritual discernment are seeing beyond the obvious...

Revelation 12:9   "And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him."

   
   

A Personal Testimony: Jesus IS Our Deliverer!

     I decided today that I wanted to share with you a most encouraging email that I received.  Oftentimes, I receive requests asking for more information on spiritual deliverance and how healing the deep spiritual wounds in one's life is possible.  Most of the time people are open to letting me share the method that the Lord has shown me to set them on their path to being set free from satanic oppression.  Every once in awhile I will hear from someone who desperately needs to be freed, yet they cannot let go of their church doctrine and see the deeper truths in Scripture.  I get accused of seeing demons in every corner -- that's a favorite accusation of those who cling to what the Church has taught them [or in most cases, not taught them], and have trouble accepting any other viewpoint outside their experience.  But I don't let the naysayers discourage me; those with ears to hear, will hear.
     And then there are the people who have amazing testimonies; those who have been willing to let Jesus and the Holy Spirit heal those wounds.  They have come out of the darkness of their lives, into the Light that is Jesus.  Their lives are truly transformed.  And rather than hearing me give my opinion of the necessity of spiritual warfare [one more time], I thought you'd like to hear from someone who can affirm the power and authority we have in Christ.  Allow me to share some of her "before" and "after" testimony.  
     First, let me tell you that the very first email I received had one single word in the subject line ... "Help?"  And this is a little of what that first desperate cry for help sounded like ... 
   

     This letter has been long in coming.  It’s been in my mind for months now, but it’s taken this long to actually write it.  Part of the warfare, I’m sure.  I know that Satan does not want me to write it.  He does not want me to ask for help.  He does not want me to learn how to actively fight him.  I have been much too easy for him to manipulate and oppress...
     I have never written a letter like this to someone out in the internet, but this urge has not gone away in several months, so I am going to just go for it.  Thank you for listening.  Right now I literally have no one to listen to me, or to help. I am feeling more vulnerable and under attack than I have ever felt in my life.  It feels like it is incoming from every single direction possible.  A good description of me right at this moment would be a little girl, curled up in a ball, trying to withstand the blows and hoping they will end soon.  I honestly don’t know what has happened to me.  I am a fighter.  But the fight is taking its toll on me and I just feel like a sitting duck.  It is so bad that I don’t even know what to do or where to start.  I am tired, broken and feel like I’m hanging on by a thread.  The one thing I hang on to is my certain knowledge that my Redeemer lives.  But, I can’t get to Him. I pray and I ask and yet I still feel like I’m on the other side of soundproof glass and I can’t make contact.  I know He’s there.  I know He has the power to heal me.  I know He can demolish my foes with a single word.  And yet, I can’t get there, no matter what I do.
     I am usually an eternal optimist.  I always hang on to hope, and I believe that God uses all things for my good.  I know all that in my head, but it is not translating out into my life.  It’s getting harder and harder to hang on to the hope.  There is something blocking me from the healing power of God.  I have had so much ministry through the years.  Deliverance, healing, breaking strongholds, so much, but there is still something there that is not right.  I need help!  ...  I feel so confused….and helpless…Please, Belle….what can I do?  How do I get started?  How do I fight?  My usually happy, upbeat spirit feels crushed….I can’t stop crying….I can’t stop the pummeling…and now I am going to take a huge leap of faith, and push “send”.

     This is the email I received from her a couple of months after we did multiple sessions... and all either by phone or FaceTime!  I was concerned about how I could help her since we lived so far apart, and my wise husband said, "Don't you think God is big enough to work with her through the internet?  After all, the Enemy does!" ... Such a wise man!

     Well, what can I say???  It really does just keep getting better!  Words don't even come close!  I don't even feel like the same person....I am handling life, but more than just handling it....I am so full of joy!!  The depression is completely gone!  I haven't had a single sad moment since our very first session!  I am honestly a totally changed person!!  I am NOT exaggerating!!  I finally have that peace I have been looking for ALL of my life!!!  Things that would have normally knocked me down, are not.  The wall is down...I will never forget as long as I live the picture of Yeshua literally tearing that wall down, brick by brick, and releasing me.  I am so excited and happy!
     There are so many things I could share....so much happening...so much the Lord is showing me!  Every single day there is some new revelation about so many things.  I am getting so much understanding on so many things.  And I am learning how to do life in a completely different way.  It's almost like I'm outside of certain situations and have an understanding of what is actually happening that I've never had before.  For example, when there's a problem with a person, I'm not focused on what is happening physically, but instead, I'm aware of what is happening in the spiritual realm.  So, things that would have "pushed my buttons" before, I now can tell what the real issue is.  Does that make sense? I'm more aware of the spiritual component, which makes me handle things so much more differently.  I am just so much more loving and understanding.  Where before I would have been offended, or hurt, or reacted, I am finding that I go pretty much immediately to God, ask Him what is REALLY going on, and how I should handle it...what I should say, etc.  It's sure made for much more peaceful times.

     And this is the latest email I received, just a couple of days ago, and nearly 2 years from the first time she contacted me:     

     Just a quick note back to tell you thank you….and  STAY THE COURSE!!!  And BE ENCOURAGED!!!  You and your husband are doing such a great and needed work!!! I pray that there will be a hundred more of you!!!  I was led to you almost 2 ½ years ago and because of that one small, God-led click of a link, my whole world is changed!!!  Everything is different when seen through the eyes of healing, spiritual warfare and deliverance!!  Everything!!  Nothing is the same!!      After having Satan “mop the floor” with me, and my family, I am truly learning to stop taking it and fight back.
     What the Lord has really been impressing on me lately is how I am to be part of these Last Days battles and the need for training and practice….and the significance that it has in the heavenlies, since I have been redeemed from an  “organization” that we are fighting against!! Just being free from it all is a true blow to enemy forces!! What was meant for evil, God has used for good!!  Everywhere I turn I find “Masonic”, “Illuminati”, “Hiram Abiff”, etc.   Interesting, isn’t it, that six months ago I didn’t even KNOW how deep and satanic those Masonic ties were….and now, everywhere I look, there it is and it is a huge part of the enemy’s plans for this world!!!  I’m still so new and have so much to learn….but I see everything through a different set of eyes than I ever did before….and it all makes so much sense to me now!!  How privileged we are to be alive today!!  That doesn’t mean I’m looking forward to what’s coming…but, it does mean I’m excited to see what God is going to do!!!
     Anyway, just wanted you to know what a blessing you are to me…and so many others!!!  … If I could help even one person to step out into the great unknown and receive healing and deliverance, I would be thrilled!

     Can you see the difference between the first email and the subsequent ones?  I remember telling her when we began talking that if she would allow Jesus and the Holy Spirit into her memories, and let them heal the wounds that have been inflicted upon her throughout her life, that she would have a powerful testimony of what Jesus meant when He said, "I came to set the captives free".  And now she is glorifying Him to anyone who will listen!
     I just wanted to give you a break from hearing my voice and let you hear from someone who is speaking through experience and Truth.  Her testimony is more credible than mine ... she has lived it and is now shouting God's Truth:  Jesus Is our Rock, our Fortress, and our Deliverer!

Psalm 34:4    "I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears."

   

The World's Seduction to Evil and Wicked Disception; What Is Our Responsibility?

     One of my favorite authors, who also happens to be a Christian minister and host of his own weekly podcast, Daniel Duval, has written a fascinating book titled Higher Dimensions: Parallel Dimensions & The Spirit Realm.  In the book, he considers all the ramifications of the different dimensions in which God exists and how He interacts with us.  And in case you're wondering where that concept exists in the Bible, we see it portrayed in the creation of the earth and the heavens.  You have the physical planet and the three dimensions of heaven (the firmament or sky that surrounds the earth; the 2nd heaven, commonly known as the spiritual realm; and the 3rd heaven, where the throne room of God exists).
     Scripture also references the breadth, length, height, and depth of God's love (Ephesians 3:18), which are all different dimensions of the manifestation of God.  And that's just naming a few of the dimensions; there are higher ones that we have never known existed!  But I want to move beyond this academic understanding of the physical properties of these named dimensions, and show you how it is a very real and relevant concern for us in these Last Days.
     In 2 Thessalonians, Chapter Two, the Apostle Paul gives a very sobering forecast.  He warns of a day when a Man of Lawlessness will be revealed; and he calls him the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one destined to be destroyed].  The coming of this Lawless One will be "attended by great power and with all sorts of [pretended] miracles and signs and delusive marvels -- [all of them] lying wonders."  And, sadly, too many of the human race will be seduced by these wicked deceptions because they refuse to welcome and love God's Truth and be saved.
     We are all familiar with this Scripture and this warning.  But have you ever wondered exactly what that will look like?  Is there anything in the Bible that we can compare it to?  If so, will it look the same today?  First, let's consider what Scripture says about this time when the Man of Lawlessness is in power.  It seems to correspond to the terror that will reign on the earth when the Sixth Seal in the Book of Revelation is broken. (The other Seals are as follows:  First Seal (the conqueror); Second Seal (war); Third Seal (famine); Fourth Seal (death); and Fifth Seal (martyrs).
     Furthermore, when the Sixth Seal is broken, "the stars of the sky" will fall to the earth.  As discussed in my previous post, "stars" mean angelic beings in the Bible.  I don't know about you, but my spirit is discerning that the Lawless One and his cohorts are preparing to make their presence known.  First of all, we need to understand that the only thing holding them back now is the hand of the Restrainer.  There has been much discussion down through the centuries regarding the identity of who this mysterious restrainer is, and I will pursue this particular line of reasoning on Sunday's post.
      But for now, if you will allow me, we will move forward towards the specific point I want to make in this post.  Let's assume that the translation in the Greek New Testament is correct, and 2 Thessalonians 2:7 reads like this:  For the mystery of the aforementioned lawlessness is now operating.  Only He [the Holy Spirit] who is holding [the lawlessness] down, [will do so] until He goes out from the midst [of humanity].  So when the Holy Spirit is removed from humanity, it sounds as if we can expect many stars, or fallen angel entities to come back to earth.  I say, "come back to earth", because they've been here before.  We've seen their appearance before in Genesis 6:1-4, when fallen angels came to earth to mate with human women in an effort to pollute the genetic pool so that the only perfect human being in the history of the world, Jesus of Nazareth, could be born.  This is the very first mention of genetic engineering for evil purposes, and it is in the Bible!    

     The offspring of this unholy mating were evil hybrids known as the Nephilim.  But Genesis 6 is not the only place we find references to such profane hybrids.  They appear in the first book of the Bible, and again in the last book.  In Revelation, Chapter 9, it is very clear (especially in the Amplified version), that an angelic being falls from heaven and opens the bottomless pit to let out a horde of locusts.  These locusts are very distinctly described as hybrids ... with shapes like horses, faces like men, hair like women, teeth like lions, with wings, and with stingers like scorpions.  The entire description of these creatures is anatomical; they are part horse, part human, part lion, and part scorpion.
     And just like in Genesis, when these evil hybrid creatures die, their spirits are then enslaved to do the work of satan and further his agenda.  But here's what we need to understand, and the real issue I want to present ... although the particular hybrids of Genesis and Revelation were created for those specific times, satan's agenda for them has never been limited to just those two times in the history of mankind.  Hybrids clearly existed in the Old Testament, and as Dan Duval suggests, "With thousands of years to refine their technologies, what do you think satan and his minions are up to today"?
     He contends that they are tinkering with all kinds of possibilities in order to create their own army in advance of what comes out of the pit in Revelation 9.  Furthermore, he thinks that much of the work being done towards that end is happening in those other dimensions I referenced earlier; in the "heavenly places".  After all, hybrids will be released from the pit, which is another dimension, right?  And here's something we need to realize and understand:  humans are actually obliging these hybrids and contributing to their creation. Don't believe me?  Read this article, which reveals that 150 human-animal hybrid embryos were grown in laboratories in the United Kingdom.
     Also, I am becoming more and more skeptical of genome projects, and genetic engineering for "the cause of medicine and mankind".  And it becoming clearer that all these "possibilities" are going to be our concern as God's people on earth.  I'm afraid we are going to be confronted by all kinds of evil that we've imagined only happens in the movies and in science fiction.  And it is our duty as Christians to continue to advance the victory of Christ and the Kingdom of God in spite of all this evil.
     I know that's a scary prospect.  But I want to give you a word of encouragement.  The only reason any of this should scare you, is if your view of God is too small.  Read that statement again ... if you're still scared, then it's time to change your perspective and your view of God.  You need to know how powerful He really is, and that He has a plan to conquer this evil.  And here's the really cool part ... He has chosen us -- you and me -- to be a part of His army to defeat His enemies!
     And with this word of encouragement, I have a sobering warning.  Even if you don't think you're up to the task, it doesn't matter.  I truly believe in the deepest part of my soul and spirit, that you're not going to have a choice.  So it's time to embrace your true identity -- that you are in Christ, and He in you. We know that our God is sovereign; He is all-powerful and all-knowing; He is present everywhere.  And you know what?  That is His Divine nature, and 2 Peter 1:4 tells us we are partakers [share in; have the qualities and attributes] of that Divine nature.
     That means that I want to leave you with this final thought ... this scary and wicked agenda of our Enemy is going to be our problem, whether we like it or not.  And it is our solemn responsibility to not only defend God's Kingdom, but to advance it, by partnering with Him.  It is time to grasp that reality and become who we were made to be.  We are co-heirs with Christ; given His power and authority by our Father; with the expectation that we are to join the fight!  Yes, He is capable of handling it all by Himself, but for some reason, He delights in working with us.  And that part about being a co-heir, or joint heir, with Christ ... it means that we can expect to suffer as He did, but we will also share in His glory, as well as His inheritance.  The world may be seduced by empty promises and wicked deceptions, but, as for me, I pray that I will fulfill my responsibilities as a loyal child of God.

Daniel 11:32    "He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action."
     

1 Kings 22:19-22

Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host (army) of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left. The Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this, while another said that. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’ The Lord said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then the Lord said, ‘You are to entice him and also succeed. Go and do so.’

     During our home church's Bible study on the Book of Acts, we have enjoyed a discussion on the "host of heaven", and exactly what that means.  It's important that we come to an understanding of that term since it appears throughout the Bible.  Also, God is often referred to as "the God of hosts".  So just who or what is "the host"?  

     It is easy to get confused by this term... depending on the context with which it is used in Scripture it can point to either the sun, moon, and stars; or to angelic beings.  The important thing to understand is that they are all creations of God.  And there is a connection between the two groups ... through the influence of satan, and throughout the history of mankind, human beings have turned from worshipping the Most High God to worshipping gods (fallen angels) represented by the heavenly bodies and constellations.  These "small g" gods are very real, and we see them referenced throughout ancient history ... Ra was the ancient sun god of Egypt; ancient Arabia worshipped a moon god; Rompha was the star god, or god of Saturn, referred to by Stephen.  

     And we need to clearly understand that these were created angelic beings who were led astray by satan to believe, that as gods, their own power was equal to that of "The Most High".  Take a fresh look at Psalm 82, and you will see this dynamic.  God calls a meeting of His divine council.  The Bible very plainly states, "God has taken His place in the divine council, in the midst of the gods he holds judgment".  He is doing the same thing here in 1 Kings ... the gods (heavenly host) are before Him, and He is working with them to bring forth His judgment upon Ahab.

     First, a little backstory:  The kings of Israel (Ahab) and Judah (Jehoshaphat) decide to join forces in their battle against Syria at Ramoth-gilead.  But King Jehoshaphat wished to appeal to the prophets of YHWH to make sure it was the will of God.  So King Ahab called forth his 400 loyal prophets, who pronounced that their king would be favored with victory. (A little note on Ahab... Remember, the Bible says, “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him”.  He was the most evil king of all the kings of Israel).  So naturally, the prophets told him only what he wanted to hear.  

     King Jehoshaphat must have recognized the bias, and asked if there was not one more prophet they could hear from.  Ahab reluctantly mentions the prophet Micaiah, whom he hates, because the prophet spoke the Lord's truth, which was often against Ahab.  The verses I selected for today's post are the prophecy of Micaiah.  So, what is the significance of this prophecy in terms of the host of heaven?

     Micaiah clearly states the he has been given a vision -- or perhaps he actually was given a glimpse into the heavenly court -- and he has seen the Lord sitting on His throne, with the heavenly host arrayed before Him; some on the right, and some on the left.  It is important that we note that the right hand of God is the favored spot.  In the ancient world, the kings always put the favored ones at their right hand;  Jesus is seated at the right hand of the  Father, and we are all with Him.  The "right hand of God" was that which overcame Israel's enemies, as exemplified in Exodus 15:6, Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power; your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.

     Since Micaiah sees the heavenly host on both sides of the Lord, this may indicate that God spoke to the combined host of heaven, both faithful and fallen angelic beings.  God then asks this assembled group, Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? God wanted to bring judgment against Ahab, so He asked this group of the host of heaven for a volunteer to lead Ahab into battle.

     And God gets an answer to His question ...  I will entice him.  Apparently, one of the fallen angels volunteered to go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all 400 of Ahab's compromising prophets. Since Ahab wanted to be deceived, God would give him what He wanted, using a willing fallen angel who worked through willing unfaithful prophets.

     Can you see how satan works?  To entice; to attract or tempt with an offer of pleasure or advantage?  And can you also see that God knows exactly how our enemy works, and is willing to exploit that sin for His own glory?  "What is meant for evil, God uses for [His] good" is an apt description of what we see happening here.  In fact, God gives explicit instructions:  You are to entice him and also succeed. Go and do so.

     I realize that this idea that there are other gods besides YHWH (albeit, "small g" gods), may be a foreign concept to you.  But it is my opinion that the Western Church, down through the centuries, has been misguided about what "The One True God", or "The Most High God" means.  God never says there are no other gods; after all, He created them!  He only says they are "false" gods.  Take a look at Deuteronomy, Chapter 32.  In verses 7-9, God tells us that, as The Most High God, He divided mankind up into different territories with borders (most likely at the Tower of Babel), and these fixed number of people were according to the number of the sons of God.  

     The first mention of the sons of God is in Genesis 6:1-4, and it refers to the [fallen] angels who came to earth to mate with earthly women.  I do not subscribe to the concept that these are human beings -- either here, in Genesis, or in Deuteronomy.  So what God is telling us in Deuteronomy is that "He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God [or His created angelic beings]".  But He then says, "But the Lord's portion is His people; that Jacob [or Israel] is His allotted heritage".  In other words, He's saying, "you angelic beings [that I have created] have been given different nations as your inheritance, but I'm taking Israel; she's mine". 

     Now, look just a few verses later, at 32:16-17.  But what did God's favored nation do?  The Bible says, they stirred Him to jealousy with strange gods; they sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known; to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers never dreaded.  By now it should be clear that other "gods" exist!  But the Bible is all about the relationship of the The Most High God; the one with a capital G, and His relationship with the people He claimed as His own.  All the other gods were created by Him, and meant to be subject to Him.  But one, who fancied himself greatest among the "little g" gods coveted the title and power, and grew to think that he could be equal to the One who created him... and he convinced one-third of the other gods to follow him.  

     The idea of other gods and a heavenly host that consists of holy, as well as evil, angelic beings may be a new concept to you.  And  your head may be spinning about now.  But please do not dismiss it.  Read it within the context of the verses I have shown you, and I think you will find your view of God expanding; and you will start to see the evil in the world, and the bondage in our lives from a whole new perspective.   And in Psalm 82, you will see the God of all creation dressing down those He created for not tending to the peoples they were given jurisdiction over, as He hands down His judgment.  And what is the final statement in this amazing Psalm?  Arise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall inherit all the nations!  YHWH may have claimed Israel for Himself, but in the end, He, and He alone, will come into possession of all the peoples of the earth!  Amen to that!

     

     

     

     

      

The Exercise of God's Sovereignty & How It Works With Our Power and Authority

     The concept, as laid out in this post title, has been rattling around in my brain for awhile. And now I hope the Holy Spirit will help me elucidate the complexities of this topic.  To be sure, this is a very difficult idea to understand ... As followers of Christ, we believe that God is Sovereign and Supreme in all aspects of the Universe that He created.  But what exactly does that mean?
     Can we agree that His Sovereignty means He has the ability to exercise His will in unlimited power and ways?  But does that mean He always carries out His will?  It is my opinion that God’s Supremacy is unrestricted, but I also believe that the Sovereignty of God has its parameters.  In other words, ultimately God is in complete control of all things, though He may choose to let certain events happen according to limits He has established -- again, a matter of His Sovereignty.  So, I believe that God is totally independent and does as He pleases, without having to answer to us.  (As one of my favorite theologians and deliverance ministers, Dr. Charles Kraft, says, "God doesn't answer Why questions").  Then, it is apparent that the next question is, "What might some of those limits be?"

    First of all, God cannot do anything that goes against His own character.  He can't lie; He can't be tempted by evil; He keeps every promise He makes; He can't contradict Himself; and He won't revoke what He has given or promised us... and that includes our free will. That speaks to His character trait of Immutability -- He does not change.  So that inherently means that if He has given us free will, He will not take it back, nor infringe upon it.
    The Bible is full of Scripture and examples of man using his free will to go against the will of God... Adam and Eve chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; the nation of Israel (God's favored people) chose to rebel and follow after false gods.  Do you think either of these outcomes is what God desired, or what best served His purpose?  It is just as Joshua exhorted, "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve...".  We have been given the choice to obey God, or not.  Could God, in His Sovereignty, have made Eve reject the serpent's temptation?  Or closed the hearts and minds of the Israelites to the snare of the foreign gods?  Of course, He could have! But He, in His Sovereignty, He chose NOT to!
     So, how does this connect to our Dominion, or our Power and Authority; and does this change our opinion that God is in control of everything?  Let me reiterate one idea regarding God's Sovereignty ... He has the ability to control everything, if He wants.  But does He?  Let's look at the case of spiritual and demonic attacks upon Believers.  It is a well-entrenched idea within today's Body of Christ that prayer is a vital part of a Christian's life... and I totally agree!  But I fear that it is sometimes looked upon as the primary tool in our arsenal against the evil forces of this world.  As Christians, we want to be obedient to Christ, and prayer puts our hearts in the proper "frame of mind" to desire that obedience.  We cannot pursue a relationship with our Lord without communing with Him; that's the truth.  And we are exhorted to pray without ceasing; to keep those lines of communication open.
     But somehow the Enemy has convinced us that prayer is all we can do when we are confronted with his spiritual attacks.  And when those prayers aren't answered, then he whispers that it was God's will that we suffer and be brought to our knees in order to gain a closer relationship with Him.  I am not disputing that God allows discipline in our lives to correct our errant ways,and bring us back into obedience, but I cannot subscribe to the theory that it is always the case that we "just have to keep praying and hoping God will answer our prayers" ... that somehow we didn't pray hard enough, or our faith wasn't strong enough for God to answer our petitions.
     What if He is desiring that we call upon the Power and Authority that has been bestowed upon us by our Lord and Savior?  What if He is wanting us to demonstrate to the forces of wickedness that they no longer have dominion over the earth; that the Kingdom of God now exists on earth and we are the stewards of that Kingdom?  Or, that the dominion and power that was usurped from Adam and Eve has been re-bestowed, so to speak, upon us by the coming of Christ into the world, so that the Kingdom of Heaven is now present ... on earth as it is in heaven!  How sad, to me, that we don't recognize that and continue to languish in bondage, when we have been given the power and authority, in the name of Jesus, to be set free!
     Let me ask you this:  When you are continuously oppressed by demonic attacks, and you pray night and day, with no results, how do you explain that?  God just isn't hearing me; I must pray harder?  Or, maybe you tell yourself that for some reason God is wanting this to happen, because He controls everything; otherwise the attacks would stop.  But when we pray for release and rescue, asking God to take it away, aren't we are basically asking Him to do something that He told us to do?  Didn't He say, And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give"?  But what were we freely given?  The power and authority to do these things!  And with that authority comes the responsibility to use it -- not sit idly by, waiting for God to do the work He has told us to do!
     And let me suggest this thought ... Can you find any instance in the Bible when Jesus prayed out a demon?  No!  He always cast them out!  And did He ever ask His Father to do the casting out for Him?  No!  He used the Power and Authority given to Him by His Father [and now transferred to us as co-heirs] to cast the demons out Himself.
     Now, I know some of you are thinking about the verse where Jesus tells His disciples that the reason they couldn't cast out some demons is because those particular demons required prayer and fasting.  I believe that He wasn't saying they should've prayed and fasted instead of casting out the demons, but that their faith levels weren't high enough to cast it out, and that they needed to spend more time in prayer and fasting before they could drive this particularly strong demon out:  "Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief...".
     So, to bring this full circle -- in the short time my husband and I have been involved with healing spiritual wounds and conducting our Deliverance Ministry, nearly every person who comes to us has tried desperately to pray away the oppression they are under.  If God is in control of everything, and He honors the prayers of His children, why wasn't the oppression lifted?  Could it be that He wants us to follow Christ's example?  Just as Jesus called upon His Father's power to cast out demons and set the captives free, we who are Believers now have that same power available to us.  We just need to use it!  Jesus promised, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (Acts 1:8).  If you are saved, then you have the power of Heaven on your side!  I wish I knew when and why we lost that Truth; but it sure goes a long way towards explaining why so many Christians suffer demonic oppression in a helpless state ... My people perish for lack of knowledge never made more sense!

Mark 16:17      "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils..."