When the Idolatry of Religion Meets the Kingdom of God

     Continuing with the subject of the Kingdom of God, it is the desire of my heart that Christians seek it first, as Jesus instructs us in Matthew 6:33. But, in the Bible, we are also told to seek Him with our whole heart [in Psalm 119:2 and Jeremiah 29:13]. So, I hope to show you that our heart is not only important in establishing our faith and relationship with God and Jesus, but it is important in the matter of receiving the Kingdom of God.
     In the Old Testament, the hearts of the Israelites were often in conflict; their hearts being divided between idolatry and their allegiance to YHWH. [For the sake of this article, I will define idolatry as anything that we build an altar to in our heart, or that sits on the throne of our heart.] And through careful study, it has become clear to me that God will speak to us according to what sits on that throne.
     Just take a look at what God says to the idolatrous elders of Israel [through the prophet Ezekiel]: "these men have set up [and honored] their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the [vile] stumbling block of their wickedness and guilt; should I [permit Myself to] be consulted by them at all? Therefore speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Any man of the house of Israel who takes his idols [of rebellion] into his heart, and puts the [vile] stumbling block of his wickedness and guilt [images of silver and gold] before his face, and yet comes to the prophet [to ask of him], I the Lord will answer him, [but I will answer him] in accordance with the number of his idols in order that I may take hold of the heart (mind) of the house of Israel who are all estranged from Me because of their idols" (Ezekiel 14:3-5). 

     It is clear to me that God may not always speak His Truth to us, if our hearts aren't right with Him, but will speak according to what we are idolizing in our heart. Therefore, we have a responsibility to safeguard our hearts from any form of idolatry. Furthermore, God warns against receiving a false prophetic word in verses 9-11: "But if the prophet [who speaks without My authority] is enticed to speak a word [of his own], it is I the Lord who have caused that prophet [to speak falsely to please the inquirer, thus allowing himself to be a party to the inquirer’s sin], and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.  They [both] will bear the punishment of their wickedness; the sin of the [counterfeit] prophet will be the same as the sin of the [hypocritical] inquirer,  so that the house of Israel may no longer drift away from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions, but they will be My people, and I will be their God,”’ says the Lord God.” [NOTE: I hope it is clear to you that it is always God's desire that people recognize their sin, and return to Him].
     Further evidence that God will speak according to what sits on the throne of our heart is found in 1 Kings 22. This is the account of King Ahab and the false prophets. Ahab's heart had turned from God to wickedness and he idolized all that his status as king had provided him. When he seeks an answer from his prophets as to whether he should go to battle against the Syrians, God gives permission to a lying spirit to speak to the prophets of Jezebel to deceive Ahab because God knows the king will receive their prophecy according to the idolatrous state of his heart. 
     Just as Ahab found out, because God has given free will to mankind, there are consequences to having an idolatrous heart! And those consequences don't apply just in the Old Testament. We New Testament Believers are just as susceptible to idolatry [in our hearts] and its consequences. If our hearts aren't right with God, the word we think we are receiving may not be right, either. It is imperative that our hearts be pure and that we submit to the righteous Word of God, and then we will hear and receive His truth! 
     In addition, it is vitally important that we guard our hearts against all idolatry, because Proverbs 4:23 tells us everything we do flows from it. And sometimes I think we Christians get careless about idolatry in our hearts. We tend to think it is the obvious things of the world, like wealth or power or material things that can become idols in our heart. We think as long as we are Saved, there is no one but Jesus that occupies the throne of our heart. 
     But Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, not just the Gospel of Salvation. He says that is why He was sent (Luke 4:43). And that Good News of the Kingdom of God didn't sit very well with the religious leaders of Israel, the very people He came to deliver. Why? Because Religion always responds according to the idolatry of the heart. Even today, in the 21st Century, try to speak to some Christians about the rule and reign of God's Kingdom government on earth, and what it looks like, and you will meet the same kind of opposition Jesus did. 
     Religion idolizes its own traditions, rituals, denominational teachings, movements, and self-righteousness. They can all influence our heart. Kingdom is what Jesus did... setting people free; impacting everything and everyone on earth with the power and authority and love of God until it becomes "as it is in heaven". Just because we know the grace of God in our salvation, it does not mean our hearts are pure and free of idolatry. It does not mean that we have received the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus stressed throughout His ministry, nor that He alone sits on the throne of our heart.
       The New Testament tells us in Ephesians 3:14-19, that through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, Christ can dwell in your heart. Furthermore, as the Word, Jesus is living and active, discerning the thoughts and intentions of our heart (Hebrews 4:12). Other translations say He "exposes and judges the very intentions and thoughts of our heart", or that He "interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts". In other words the hidden aspects of our hearts are known by Him and any idolatry is uncovered.
      We can see a picture of this concept in Jesus's exchange with Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, the council of religious rulers in Israel.  In John 2:23-3:5, Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night. He has seen the signs of the Kingdom of God that Jesus has performed, but his religious heart is still skeptical. But notice what Scripture says just before Nicodemus speaks. ... Many people identified with Jesus because they had seen the miracles, but Jesus didn't trust them because He knew how fickle human hearts can be, and because He knew what was in each man's heart -- exactly what Hebrews 4:12 says.
     But also notice this ... when Nicodemus says to Jesus, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him", Scripture says, "Jesus answered him, 'I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.'" Wait a minute! Nicodemus didn't ask a question, yet Jesus answered him according to what was in his heart and what he needed!
     You see, Nicodemus is seeking truth but he is still steeped in religion as a member of the Sanhedrin, so he doesn't even know what to ask. The same holds true today -- Religion doesn't know the question nor the answer! But Jesus answers Nicodemus according to what Nicodemus needs -- the Kingdom Gospel! And the Kingdom will always answer the questions of your heart according to your need and not your idolatry. 
     Think about it -- Jesus never offered a Sinner's prayer to anyone -- that's Religion! He offered all who came to Him what they needed ... physical healing, spiritual healing through casting out of demons, and the hope of transformation and rebirth into a heavenly system; not a man-made system of religion. And it's important that we recognize that Jesus did not pray, heal, or cast out demons for everyone -- He knew who wanted Kingdom because He could discern the state of their heart and the presence of idolatry, if it was there. 
     Jesus's ministry of the Kingdom on earth began as a small mustard seed in the backwaters of the Roman Empire, but it was planned and designed [from Heaven] to expand across the earth. And whether a person's heart is free of the idolatry of wealth, status, power -- and yes, even religion -- and is ready to receive the Kingdom is exemplified in the Parable of the Sower ... "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart". 
     I can tell you that I have often seen this in my ministry. I have to be careful to discern who really wants Kingdom and who wants Religion, because the Kingdom message does not mix with any other belief system, nor will it compromise.  Those who try to divide the throne of their heart between Kingdom and Religion will find themselves indecisive, unstable in their thoughts, and wavering between different opinions and actions. To truly experience the Kingdom of God that Jesus came to establish, the Kingdom must occupy the throne of one's heart, along with one possessing a desire to align one's life with the government of God on earth -- a Kingdom where there is no sickness and no poverty; where one is ready to consider God's perspective in all we say and do; to "Kingdom-ize" everything!!!
     So, I did not write this post to condemn anyone or to question anyone's faith. My only objective was to point out that the Word of God shows us the dangers of idolatry in our heart, and how it can distort our own discernment. And as the parable of the Sower indicates ... if, as followers of Christ, we are not preaching "the word of the Kingdom", we are not providing good seed to be sown in the hearts of men. It's one thing to not understand it; it's another to never have heard it. May we all purge our hearts of idolatry of every kind and share what Jesus preached -- the Gospel of the Kingdom!

Luke 9:2    "And He sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal."

More Understanding About the Kingdom of God

     For quite some time now, I have been awakened to the experiential knowledge of the Kingdom of God. By that I mean that I have more than a head knowledge of what the Word says throughout the Book of Matthew about the Kingdom. And I have more than a heart knowledge that came from the Holy Spirit counseling me and teaching me the spiritual ramifications of the existence of the Kingdom here on earth. So, besides head and heart knowledge, I have knowledge that comes from actually "walking out" or experiencing what living in [and by] Kingdom principles actually does in my life, and how it affects the lives of others. I'd like to share a bigger picture of what this "Kingdom living" looks like.
     To begin, when I first came to an understanding of the Kingdom of God, I "spiritualized" it. In other words, my spirit was overcome with the concept that when Jesus announced that "the Kingdom in near" or "the Kingdom is at hand", He was proclaiming that He came to bring the foundation of Heaven's belief and behavior system to earth; that "on earth, as it is in Heaven" was not just a part of a prayer, but a reality that He wanted to establish. The idea that we could participate [as followers of Jesus] in establishing Heaven on Earth was mind-blowing!
     But then I began to understand just how that related to any other kingdom that has existed on earth. That the kingdoms of the earth are a mirror of the Kingdom of Heaven -- they have just developed within a corrupt "world system", rather than a righteous "heavenly system". Let me show you that picture...

     • Just like any earthly kingdom, the Kingdom of God has a government that maintains order; has dominion or jurisdiction and control; has power and authority.
     • The Kingdom of God has a constitution, which is the covenant He has made with us. This covenant regenerates God's people by his Holy Spirit and renews their hearts so that they obey Him.
     • The Kingdom of God has law. The Word of Righteousness cannot be broken; not even by God. He established it; it is forever settled and never changes. It is the established foundation of the Kingdom. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether (Psalm 19:7-9). All this language pertains to the laws of the Kingdom of God.
     • The Kingdom of God has citizens, and to become a citizen, there has to be an entrance system. In our nation there is an eligibility requirement and a naturalization process to becoming a citizen. In the Kingdom of God, Jesus is the entrance; the door to citizenship. Here's the thing, there is only one door into the Kingdom of God [through Jesus], but many doors into Religion (Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, etc), but they don't lead you into the Kingdom. And before you think that just because you are a Christian, you are a citizen of the Kingdom, consider what Jesus said to the religious leaders whom He brought the Kingdom to .... But woe (judgment is coming) to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are [in the process of] entering to do so (Matthew 23:13). So, as Christians, it is imperative that we ask ourselves, "Have I entered the door into the Kingdom, or have I entered the door to Religion"?
     • The Kingdom has an economy. There is a shared loyalty among the citizens and a sharing of the wealth. In the world this is known as a "commonwealth". In both the world's kingdoms and the Kingdom of God, it is the King's responsibility to take care of its citizens. The economy of the Kingdom of God is the Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom, and it is our responsibility to share the wealth of that Good News.
     • The Kingdom of God has its own culture. When we are involved in "Kingdom living" it produces a unique environment by which we should live our lives, and it is not a religious or worldly culture. And it's our responsibility to learn how to live in that culture.
     • The Kingdom of God has keys, or principles of how to live. In Matthew 16:19, Jesus tells us, I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth will have [already] been loosed in heaven. Once again you see that the Kingdom has a foundation of laws that establish the principles of how we are to live.
     I will tell you that once I understood that the Kingdom of God was relatable to a system [although a corrupt one] that I saw in the world, I could relate it to the characteristics and nature of God and see that I could actually live as a citizen of the Kingdom of God while on earth. And I suddenly understood that Jesus described what that would look like as He presented the Gospel of the Kingdom! 
     It looked like this: And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people [demonstrating and revealing that He was indeed the promised Messiah] (Matthew 4:23). You see, I believe that this verse is telling us there is no disease (such as cancer or diabetes) in Heaven, nor sickness (spiritual issues like depression, unworthiness, etc). Therefore as a citizen of the Kingdom of God, we have been given the keys (power and authority) to heal them just as He did when He represented the Kingdom while He was on earth. That's the Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom!
     And what did Paul tell us? In Galatians 1:7-8, he says he is aware that there are those who "want to distort the gospel of Christ". And he warns that we should not be seeking another gospel; in fact saying, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." I hope you see that it is very important to know what Gospel Jesus preached.
     If you asked a handful of Christians about what Jesus preached, you would most likely hear "gospel of grace", or "gospel of salvation". While both would be technically correct, they are not strictly accurate. Look at what the inspired Word of God says in Mark 1:14-15: Later on, after John the Baptizer was arrested, Jesus went back into the region of Galilee and preached the wonderful gospel of God’s kingdom realm. His message was this: “At last the fulfillment of the age has come! It is time for the realm of God’s kingdom to be experienced in its fullness! Turn your lives back to God and put your trust in the hope-filled gospel!”  Jesus ALWAYS preached the Gospel of the Kingdom [of which grace and salvation are a part of the larger message). 
     It is important to us, [as the Body of Christ], who is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, that we understand that if we have not been taught [or are not teaching] within the context of the Kingdom of God, we are teaching another gospel. I know that sounds like an indictment of the Church, but here is what I see ... Everything has to fall under the umbrella of Kingdom Living and Kingdom Teaching because that's what Jesus did! 
     Lest there be any misunderstanding, I want to be perfectly clear .... If we are preaching/teaching grace and salvation, that is not wrong. It is just not an exact representation, nor the fullness, of what Jesus taught! Too many Christians are living saved lives, and offering grace and mercy to others, but are neglecting to teach all of what Jesus came to establish. And the result is that our culture, our nation, and the world, does not reflect Thy Kingdom come, on earth as it is in Heaven. The world certainly does not look like Heaven! 
     It's time that we understand the fullness of that verse, and start living it. It's not enough to know the Word, we must experience it; start living in it; and sharing it. It is apparent that too many are still living as citizens of this world, and not as citizens representing the Kingdom. I realize that my message might offend some of the religious Christians who read it. Jesus offended the religious people, too, as He tried to speak about the Kingdom. But it didn't stop Him. May I prove to be worthy to follow in His steps.

Luke 4:43     But He said, “I must preach [the good news of] the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because I was sent for this purpose.” 
     

He Came To Set The Captives Free

     I recently gave a talk on "Freedom In Christ", and as sometimes happens, all my careful planning went out the window when it came time to speak. The Holy Spirit did exactly as I had prayed ... let my words be His words, and my speech was an abbreviated version of the original manuscript. Here is what I planned on saying, in its entirety. I hope some or all of it will speak to you.

     

     So what IS “FREEDOM IN CHRIST” and HOW do we achieve it?  In John 8:31-32, Jesus says to His followers, If you continue in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. I will tell you that when I decided to get serious about studying the Word, the Lord began teaching my spirit and unfolding His truth at an exhilarating pace!     We’ve all been taught the Truth that “in Him is Life”, and that Life was the Light to Men, and the Way to the Father. And we know the Truth that Jesus came to die for our sins and deliver us from the penalty of eternal Death.  That’s the ultimate Freedom! But in between this moment (right now!) and when we die, we have a lot of living to do. So how do we walk out, [for the rest of our lives], the Freedom that He died to give us?

     Because God desires that we glorify Him with our lives, He gives us different freedoms:

     1.  We have the freedom to make our own choices in this life – and among the most important is whether to sin or not.  And I will tell you that before I knew Jesus, I made a lot of bad choices; choices I’m not proud of.  And I will tell you that it is by the grace of God that I escaped those years unscathed. And it is by His grace that we can learn from the choices we make, and allow God to train us up in righteousness. WE ARE NOT ROBOTS … we all have choices in our lives to do right or wrong … So we need to use that freedom of choice wisely.

     

     2.  We have the freedom to change as we grow in the understanding of our Identity and how to participate with God in bringing Him glory in our lives. We don’t have to stay the same person as we start out as – or that we were yesterday! The freedom to change is God’s Grace, and while Grace is certainly “unmerited favor” … it is also the power of the Holy Spirit [in you] to help you do something you can’t do on your own. I used to have such a spirit of Worry about finances. My husband is a professional artist and we are self-employed. When he decided to pursue an art career, we went from two paychecks to one. Five years later he told me if he was going to advance in his career, he needed me to handle the business side, so I gave up my paycheck to work with him. I’m going to be honest… it was a struggle to trust the Lord for His provision, but 25 years later, He continues to prove His faithfulness. But I want you know that you have the Freedom to change, too, because your Relationship with the Lord is a Journey! It’s a Process!  It’s a lifetime of being purified by the Holy Spirit as we are brought into full freedom in Christ.

     

     3. We have freedom from the consequences of sin. We know that the ultimate freedom in Christ comes from His sacrificial death on the Cross. We are no longer subject to an eternal Death, separated from our God, but are brought into a relationship that promises Eternal Life with our Father in Heaven. So we definitely have freedom in Christ through our Salvation. But there is so much more to this concept of Freedom in Christ! It is more than just knowing you are Saved and going to heaven! And finally ....

    

     4. We have freedom from the harassment and torment of Satan. When Jesus begins His earthly ministry, He stands up in the Temple and opens the scrolls of the ancient prophet Isaiah, and reads from them. He proclaims, in Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, and He has anointed Me to be hope for the poor, freedom for the brokenhearted, and new eyes for the blind, and to preach to prisoners, ‘You are set free!’ “  He literally says, I came to set the captives free!!!

      We don’t have to listen to the devil's lies and accusations about all kinds of things that we’ve done in the past or that were done to us. We are free to exercise our power and authority [in Christ] to resist the devil and crush him under our feet! I have seen this Freedom come to a group of men in my living room, who surrendered the pain of childhood molestation to their Savior, covered by His blood. And I have witnessed a drug addict of 35 years [the last 5 years on Meth] be instantly freed from the sins of his past that had kept him in bondage to the drugs. I wept with him as he wept, thanking Jesus for his freedom. That man is now witnessing to other drug users – and his own drug dealers – that Jesus set him free! 

      So the truth of the Bible is that Jesus came to set the captives free. But also note what Paul says in Galatians 5:1 ...“Let me be clear, Jesus, [the Anointed One] has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free!” It has been accomplished! It’s a Done Deal! Paul goes on to say, “We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past”.  He’s warning us to not stay stuck in the sins of our past! So, here is Paul talking about another Truth … the truth that Jesus has already set us wonderfully and completely free! What does that look like? Here are some Truths that will set our spirits free:

     

     1.  He forgives our sins and covers them. (Psalm 32:1, How happy and fulfilled are those
whose rebellion has been forgiven, those whose sins are covered by blood.) For me, there is Freedom and Joy in knowing that my rebellious past is covered by His blood.

     2.  He not only covers our sins, but He doesn’t count our sins against us and removes them from us. (Psalm 103:12, As far as the east is from the west, that’s how far You’ve removed our guilt from us).  Don’t you love that picture of Freedom in Christ? Again, it’s finished!

     3.  He washes away our guilt and cleanses us from our sin. (1 John 1:9, But if we freely admit our sins [when His light uncovers them], He will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just  to forgive our sins [because of Christ], and He will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness).

     4.  He remembers our sins no more. (Hebrews 8:12, For I will demonstrate my mercy to them
 and will forgive their evil deeds, and never remember again their sins). I praise Jesus for the Freedom He has given me in both of these last two Truths!

     

     So, I have a question for you …. If Jesus has done all that for us, and as Paul says, “He has set us free”, why do so many of us still not feel free? Let me give you a clue …. Jesus, Himself, tells us in John 10:10 that we are subjected to bondage by an Enemy called the devil who comes to steal, kill and destroy. But if we are free in Christ through accepting Him as our Savior and Deliverer from Death, and all our sins are covered by His blood and forgotten forever, then how can we still be in bondage to the devil? Do you see that part of Galatians 5:1 that says to stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past? 

     Our Enemy, the devil, comes to steal, kill, and destroy not only our peace and our joy, but our confidence in our Identity and who we are; the closeness of our relationship with God; and our freedom in Christ. He does that by getting us to focus on our sins of the past, or the sins that have been committed against us – by enticing us to look back at the bondage of our past – exactly what Paul warns us against! How does he do that? By causing us to entertain (for example) spirits of Anger, Fear, Unforgiveness, Worry or Anxiety, Doubt or Unbelief, Shame, Guilt, Rejection, Abandonment, Lust, Pride, and a whole host of other kinds of spiritual pain that the Bible tells us are sins  …. He also torments our minds with Lies and Deceptions that Jesus couldn’t really forgive us for that, whatever it might be.  The devil tries to convince us that we aren’t really cleansed by the blood of the Lamb and that we will never really be free, because deep down inside we think we are unlovable and unforgiveable and unworthy. 

     But I’m here to tell you that THAT is a Lie from the pit of hell! Jesus died for our Freedom AND He has nailed our sins to the Cross! Scripture tells us that our past sins are forgiven, never counted against us, forgotten by God, and that we are cleansed from them! HIS DEATH SET US FREE! 

      But remember what Jesus chose to say in His first public ministry? He came to HEAL the brokenhearted and SET THE CAPTIVES FREE! He has made HEALING available in our Freedom!!! Yes, we have been set free from the penalty of Death for our sins, but as a mentor and teacher of mine, Dr. Charles Kraft, taught me, “Our churches are filled with wonderfully saved Christians, many of whom are still in spiritual torment and bondage to the devil”. BUT THEY DON’T HAVE TO REMAIN THERE! They can be completely and wonderfully free as Galatians 5 tells us we should be! The first step in our journey with Jesus IS  Salvation – and this is the beginning of that process of life I talked about -- but the next part of our journey is to receive our Freedom in Him!

     

     You see, we must remember that there is a spiritual nature to our Christian faith. We are a three-part being: body, soul and spirit. We have an Invisible Enemy [in the spirit] that comes to steal, kill and destroy our joy and peace; our identity in Christ and our relationship with Him. And he can do it if we allow him to whisper his lies about our past sins, or the sins committed against us. For example…

     • If we hang on to anger we might have towards our parents or our spouse … then we are not  Wonderfully and Completely free.

     • If we keep focusing on some sin we did in our past – or a sin that was committed against us … then we are not Wonderfully and Completely free.

     • If we are unable to forgive ourselves, someone who has hurt us, or even God Himself for something in our past … then we are not Wonderfully and Completely free.

     • FINALLY, If we continue to believe the negative thoughts that tell us we’re a failure or unlovable or not as smart as others -- (whatever it is that steals your peace and joy, and your truth about your identity as a child of God and your intimate Relationship with our Father in Heaven) … then you are not Wonderfully and Completely free.

  

     But Jesus didn’t leave us defenseless against the attacks of the Enemy. THERE IS FREEDOM IN CHRIST!  If you’ve been carrying something around in your spiritual backpack that is weighing you down and keeping you from being wonderfully and completely free, you can release it to the Father and be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. We have an Invisible, Spiritual Helper that works with our spirit. He lives inside us and intercedes, along with Jesus on His Throne, to help us defeat those strategies of the devil. The Lord has provided a way for us to enter that Complete Freedom He died for! 

     I have been so blessed to be called [by the Lord] into a ministry with my husband that allows me to participate with the Holy Spirit and Jesus; to work with Them to heal the broken-hearted and to help the children of God to walk in freedom. So, right now – in this moment -- I want you to hear me …. the Healing that leads to Freedom is found, not in the absence of pain (through drugs or alcohol or sex or food or whatever your choice of pain-killer is, or even by simply trying to ignore it. But Freedom is found in the presence of Jesus, … Immanuel … (God With Us). And I can authoritatively tell you … Jesus is with you right now and right where you are! He wants you free! Freedom In Christ is real!

     We need to understand and embrace that God has called us ALL to freedom in Christ! For whatever reason you decided to read this blog today today, I want you to know that Jesus didn’t die so that you could hang on to Unforgiveness or Anger or Fear or Worry – none of the things that robs you of your Freedom in Him. He didn’t die so the Enemy could destroy your relationship with God, and your identity as His Child and as a Daughter or Son of the King!

     Yes, Freedom in Christ gives us the freedom of choice, the freedom to change, freedom from the consequences of sin, and freedom from Eternal Death. There is Freedom in knowing our sins are covered by His blood and forgotten forever.  But He wants us to walk in COMPLETE  Freedom! HE CAME TO SET THE CAPTIVES FREE and He finished His assignment! You are meant to live in the FREEDOM AND VICTORY He accomplished on the Cross!!! You see, the Cross not only represents our Salvation in Christ, but our FREEDOM in Christ!  Now it’s time to walk in our Freedom!

     Finally, here’s what Jesus wants you to know: If you know Him as your Savior, your Salvation is secure. But He wants you to experience Freedom until you leave this earth. By knowing your Identity [and your power and authority to defeat the devil], and then participating with Jesus and the Holy Spirit in a consistent and real spiritual Relationship with Them, you can stand firm against the schemes and tactics of the Enemy to keep you from your Freedom and your joy and your peace. Don’t we all want to live like that?  He wants to heal us all from our pain and loss and torment! He is with us now, and the Bible tells us in John 8:36,  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!

      So, I want to finish by saying, It’s really this simple …. If you are Saved, then you are called to Freedom. Walk in the Freedom that is your inheritance as a child of God. Get free and then work with Jesus to set someone else free. Take it from me … once you’ve experienced that freedom yourself, and witnessed others having an encounter with Jesus and being set free, you want to share it. And I will tell you this … THE HARVEST IS GREAT AND THE LABORERS ARE FEW! And there is much fruit to be had in sharing the Gospel of Freedom in Christ! So it is my prayer that each of you experience the complete fullness of Freedom in Christ in your lives.

John 10:10     The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

 

Our Authority In The Spiritual Realm

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

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

Understanding the Spiritual Realm!

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


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