By whose authority do we pray? By whose authority do we wage war in spiritual realms? By whose name and under whose life do we live?
I guess it seems to me that we are far too timid in this area of prayer and spiritual warfare, and I have been pondering another aspect of it- which I feel necessary to present to you in hope that you take this seriously and understand that we are not meant to live in bondage but freedom, we are not meant to live in fear but confidence and with boldness.
It is understood that angels, and thus, demons, are spiritual, and in this existence, beyond destruction by anything other than their Creator, who has chosen not to do such a thing by His own reasoning and purposes. In this understanding, we also realize that angels and demons do not reproduce. They are static beings, having made their alliances previously in time and from then on not moving or reproducing. I guess I hadn’t realized it or thought about it before, but that means that the same angels and demons that were present both at Creation and the fall are still in existence and still interacting with this physical earth. Think about that. Theoretically, the same demons that plagued humanity during Babel’s rule and the same Angels that Elisha witnessed in the Old Testament are still present and active today!
What does this mean? Well, think about it. Demons do not change their ways… I suppose that the same demons and their respective afflictions that were present in history still move and act in those afflictions today. Let me put it this way: I suppose that the same demons that whispered in the ears of priests and women to sacrifice their unborn or newly born children to idols and dark spirits still do the same to women and doctors today, with a new method- abortion. Yes, that makes me believe that abortion is nothing more than child-sacrifice masked with “medical” assurance. Puts things in a new light, huh?
Here is the flip-side. The same demons that Jesus cast out or people and bound to abstain from affliction were defeated then by an omnipotent and omnipresent Savior, such Savior by the name Jesus who is also still active and present in the lives of humanity, they have been defeated at one time in history- why do we give them liberty to afflict at this time? I think it is because we don’t realize this fact- just because we were born without knowledge of this ever present and ever powerful Savior does not mean that demons are- in fact, they are imminently more aware of Who our God is than we are and thus incredibly more aware of His ability to remove their presence at this time just as He did throughout history. Do we think demons are born? As if somehow demons and afflicting spirits are without direct knowledge of God and His abilities? If so then we live giving them an advantage and paving the way for their work to be accomplished.
Let us take the Name of this God to them, for they not only know the name but the presence. The same one third who followed Lucifer are the same one third that exist today (just in that fact alone we ought realize that there are twice as many angels as there are demons), and they have all worked the same way throughout history and each has been defeated at one time or another by our Lord Jesus Christ. Which demon or affliction did He not exercise His authority and power over? Which demons has ever heard His name and forgotten to shudder in remembrance of their last encounter with Him? It is in this same name that we pray for healings and deliverance. It is in this same name that we wage war. It is in this same name that His kingdom forcefully advances. Let us be encouraged in greater faith to understand our foe is more familiar with the power of our God than we are, they have had six thousand years of observation, and they all shook the day He overcame death and rose in glory.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Ignorance is bliss?
I am not sure about you, but times are getting scary. Things keep rocking my world and calling me closer and closer to the identity of Jesus Christ, which makes living on earth so much more dangerous. Sometimes I don’t know what to do. Sometimes I see what He is teaching me and I know why ignorance is bliss- no responsibility. Jesus revealed truth and truth always calls to decision. I don’t know why there has to be so many decisions when I think in my flesh, but once I see the Spiritual side and realize that this is war- can the King accept anything other than commitment with the risk of death?
He keeps calling me closer and closer and in all honesty, things are scarier and scarier the further into His world I am immersed… the view from eternity blows my finite mind into pieces of fragmented understanding and truly dumb knowledge- yet I am closer to Him than ever before and see His work in new ways than ever before. Yes, this is scary. Yes, there is risk. Yes, I could die. Did He not have the same feelings? Was His mission any less scary than the one He has left to us? Was it any less risky? Was there any less price to pay than His life? No.
In light of this- what cost is there to count? Can I honestly get to eternity and believe that I can look at my King with the expression, “I know you gave your life for me, but I just couldn’t justify doing the same for you.” That is the horrid revelation that knowledge and truth brings- responsibility. I see clearly the Biblical command and constant call to make disciples that make disciples that multiply disciples that multiply “churches” that multiply movements wherever they are direct by God to exist- I cannot get over this command. I cannot justify any other life or call. If His will for our life is intimacy with Him as response to His unfailing and unbelievable love for me than there is no cost too great to pay nor is there any possible thing to fear other than His disapproval.
Would He disapprove me if I did not recognize His truth and calling and thus in ignorance not act on it- no. This is clear from John 15, but as soon as He has revealed His expectation and His price/way/standard;, I am without excuse. So what now? What on earth can I do but exactly what He has commanded I do? In that fact, what on earth can stop me from accomplishing what He has put before me and promised to bless because it is solely for His glory and the advancement of His Kingdom? This is the promise of Romans 8:28-39, that it is with His authority that we make disciples that will make disciple, that go to all nations to proclaim His glory, that teach all those disciples to obey everything He has commanded, and that in all this- He is ever present. Now I can connect Exodus 33:12-17. HIS PRESENCE is promised both to the Israelites as they followed His promises and it once again HIS PRESENCE that is promised to those following His commands. In light of this, there is no reason to be afraid. 1 Peter 3:14 extends His faithfulness and why we are to believe so strongly.
He is the Lord, and it is His glory that is being proclaimed and it is His Bride that is being formed- in that, should we think He isn’t behind this? It seems natural to me to believe that He is more concerned with His glory than we are and that He is more eager to see His bride than we are to see Him. I must not forget that this has nothing to do with me and everything to do with Him. I simply seek to take my place as His tool and somehow to share His life in eternity. How can I fear anything other than not following Him. Ignorance is bliss, but His presence and intimacy is JOY.
He keeps calling me closer and closer and in all honesty, things are scarier and scarier the further into His world I am immersed… the view from eternity blows my finite mind into pieces of fragmented understanding and truly dumb knowledge- yet I am closer to Him than ever before and see His work in new ways than ever before. Yes, this is scary. Yes, there is risk. Yes, I could die. Did He not have the same feelings? Was His mission any less scary than the one He has left to us? Was it any less risky? Was there any less price to pay than His life? No.
In light of this- what cost is there to count? Can I honestly get to eternity and believe that I can look at my King with the expression, “I know you gave your life for me, but I just couldn’t justify doing the same for you.” That is the horrid revelation that knowledge and truth brings- responsibility. I see clearly the Biblical command and constant call to make disciples that make disciples that multiply disciples that multiply “churches” that multiply movements wherever they are direct by God to exist- I cannot get over this command. I cannot justify any other life or call. If His will for our life is intimacy with Him as response to His unfailing and unbelievable love for me than there is no cost too great to pay nor is there any possible thing to fear other than His disapproval.
Would He disapprove me if I did not recognize His truth and calling and thus in ignorance not act on it- no. This is clear from John 15, but as soon as He has revealed His expectation and His price/way/standard;, I am without excuse. So what now? What on earth can I do but exactly what He has commanded I do? In that fact, what on earth can stop me from accomplishing what He has put before me and promised to bless because it is solely for His glory and the advancement of His Kingdom? This is the promise of Romans 8:28-39, that it is with His authority that we make disciples that will make disciple, that go to all nations to proclaim His glory, that teach all those disciples to obey everything He has commanded, and that in all this- He is ever present. Now I can connect Exodus 33:12-17. HIS PRESENCE is promised both to the Israelites as they followed His promises and it once again HIS PRESENCE that is promised to those following His commands. In light of this, there is no reason to be afraid. 1 Peter 3:14 extends His faithfulness and why we are to believe so strongly.
He is the Lord, and it is His glory that is being proclaimed and it is His Bride that is being formed- in that, should we think He isn’t behind this? It seems natural to me to believe that He is more concerned with His glory than we are and that He is more eager to see His bride than we are to see Him. I must not forget that this has nothing to do with me and everything to do with Him. I simply seek to take my place as His tool and somehow to share His life in eternity. How can I fear anything other than not following Him. Ignorance is bliss, but His presence and intimacy is JOY.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
DECLARING WAR
I consider myself fairly gentle, that is, as far as males go. I don’t like violence. I hate ultimate fighting. I don’t hunt- all for simply personal reasons. These are all physical things, mere dispositional characteristics reflecting my personal life choices and motivations. Physically, I believe it can be said that I am a gentle person, that is, “non violent.” But what of the spiritual? Am I complacent with my enemy? Less complacent… am I gentle? To put it bluntly- am I “non violent?”
What can be considered spiritual violence anyway? Well, we have all experienced the onslaught of a dark force’s deterrence… we have undergone the temptations of differing demons and stood against the enemy more than once… this is the enemy’s violence against us. But do we remain on defense all the time? Am I constantly hoping to simply stay my ground or hold my position as if that is all there is? Am I always on defense? Should I be? I don’t think so. I believe that we remain spiritually non-violent too often. We have weapons of incredible strength and power at our grasp- do we use them? Are we violent towards our enemy? To live by the spirit is to live as a weapon in God’s hands. Living according to His guidance ought to bring us into combat with the enemy. Moreover and yet less famous is the power of prayer. How violent am I in my prayers? So often I ask for protection or defense in this circumstance or that, when is God’s power and might and authority over all things proclaimed so as to claim victory over these circumstances? WE ARE AT WAR. Am I non violent?
When I look at Jesus earthly actions, I see constant offense against the enemy. Relentless attack on one stronghold or another in all people’s lives is prevalent. I see God moving on earth claiming territory as a King, displaying victory and power over His enemy in every way possible. In Revelation chapter One His appearance is even more mighty and majestic- His power unrestrained and His glory limitless, the King and Lion of Judah. Our King and Commander moves with power and authority over all heaven and earth, He places it behind His servants that what they ask for will be done. What am I asking for? Should I come against this enemy that is not flesh and blood with a defensive stance of gentleness or should I take my King at His word to become violent against this foe in His name? If so, His Spirit must be my only guide and direction and communication with Him cannot be considered anything less than crucial!
To discern the ways of the Spirit through disciplines and Scripture must be my primary active pursuit while addressing all areas of life in prayer can be nothing less than constant. This is spiritual violence, taking Christ at His word and realizing that we are not meant to be defensive towards an enemy that cannot compare to our King and living by Christ’s authority through His Spirit daily against the enemy. To live according to the Spirit is to become a weapon against this enemy- yes, weapons that are used most often are banged and chipped, scarred and mangled, remember- this is war, did Jesus undergo anything less? Also, prayer is naturally violent. I know it seems strange, get used to it- this is war.
-G.N.
What can be considered spiritual violence anyway? Well, we have all experienced the onslaught of a dark force’s deterrence… we have undergone the temptations of differing demons and stood against the enemy more than once… this is the enemy’s violence against us. But do we remain on defense all the time? Am I constantly hoping to simply stay my ground or hold my position as if that is all there is? Am I always on defense? Should I be? I don’t think so. I believe that we remain spiritually non-violent too often. We have weapons of incredible strength and power at our grasp- do we use them? Are we violent towards our enemy? To live by the spirit is to live as a weapon in God’s hands. Living according to His guidance ought to bring us into combat with the enemy. Moreover and yet less famous is the power of prayer. How violent am I in my prayers? So often I ask for protection or defense in this circumstance or that, when is God’s power and might and authority over all things proclaimed so as to claim victory over these circumstances? WE ARE AT WAR. Am I non violent?
When I look at Jesus earthly actions, I see constant offense against the enemy. Relentless attack on one stronghold or another in all people’s lives is prevalent. I see God moving on earth claiming territory as a King, displaying victory and power over His enemy in every way possible. In Revelation chapter One His appearance is even more mighty and majestic- His power unrestrained and His glory limitless, the King and Lion of Judah. Our King and Commander moves with power and authority over all heaven and earth, He places it behind His servants that what they ask for will be done. What am I asking for? Should I come against this enemy that is not flesh and blood with a defensive stance of gentleness or should I take my King at His word to become violent against this foe in His name? If so, His Spirit must be my only guide and direction and communication with Him cannot be considered anything less than crucial!
To discern the ways of the Spirit through disciplines and Scripture must be my primary active pursuit while addressing all areas of life in prayer can be nothing less than constant. This is spiritual violence, taking Christ at His word and realizing that we are not meant to be defensive towards an enemy that cannot compare to our King and living by Christ’s authority through His Spirit daily against the enemy. To live according to the Spirit is to become a weapon against this enemy- yes, weapons that are used most often are banged and chipped, scarred and mangled, remember- this is war, did Jesus undergo anything less? Also, prayer is naturally violent. I know it seems strange, get used to it- this is war.
-G.N.
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