Yes, they do know the Name

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.

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.

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.

Modern Baal?

Today something struck me with much more force than ever before. In viewing student reactions to a sociology presentation concerning the power of music in our society, it appeared that we have in all seriousness cast our worship to an ethereal and man made concept. We have deified a harmony… let ourselves be taken by waves vibrating on our ear drums. How can this be and how have I not seen it till now? We have special songs to listen to when we are feeling down… we have special songs to listen to when we are angry… when we are filled with joy… when we are expectant, hopeful, nervous, or any other form in the range of emotions we as human beings feel. We have thrown our worship to lyrics that evoke personal responses that fulfill the gap that our day ‘til then possessed, attributing our mood swing to the good beat or sweet melody.

We have turned from God, who wants to be our refuge, protector, laughter, smile, joy, and fulfillment of everything else to a sound emitted by our choice of instruments and sources. We have built houses of worship to this god, creating structures suitable and used only for its performance and ritualized displays by our favorite idol’s individualized priests. Our temples range from small rooms of isolated cultures across the Midwest to multi-level high, technology structures in major cities around the world. We come together to celebrate the unity of sound and emotion. What is more is that we have accepted and participated in this idolatry. If we proclaim God as our everything and source of life, how can we live for anything else or unashamedly say “I LOVE this song” as if it were essential to our being?

God is the Creator of all good things… music has been his creation forever… the harmonies of man are in no way comparable to his majestic choruses. That said, music is not evil, but when we depend on it for our life’s well being or even the mood’s progression and rescue we set it up as something completely corrupted and removing it’s nature- the glory of God. I confess there are many songs that can bring me up, what I must now choose to look at are if these songs bring me Christ, or simply make my flesh more comfortable with the refinement that God is doing… are they my own anesthetic… my own morphine pump, dulling the pain or discomfort of my Creator’s work? If they call me to emotion, I must say that there are more powerful and meaningful sources of truth and life transformation found in the Psalms… if they call me to repentance and bring me to my knees before an almighty and righteous God, I must praise His name for working through the creation of man to fulfill His purposes. We have to be careful… this idol is more prevalent than I believe we know… and its followers are greater than we can suspect.

God is our source of everything, He is our everything, the Spirit is the worker of comfort and the bringer of joy for all times and in every circumstance… why waste time with the shallow, temporal extraction of hollow emotion when the God of all promises his presence in all things and at all times? This is going to continue to tempt me… I must turn to God in faith and full trust rather than any work of man, whether physical or emotional… He is my everything.
-G.N.

Refinement

So it seems anymore that it isn’t the big things that are making me struggle, it is the little ones… these little places of required patience and love… those areas that are pretty much DAILY. I mean, the places of obvious fleshly desires are becoming less and less tempting… that is, I don’t constantly struggle with a temptation to drink or to swear or fury… you know, those areas that seem so huge for a time in this process of refinement. Rather, currently I find myself staring face to face with the “little things,”-the areas of constant denial and silence to the flesh.

The conversations that I know must be quieted before the Father’s name is shamed; indeed, this whole blameless thing is quite daily. When we proclaim, “Father, my life is yours, everything, I want to be like your Son” I think we believe ourselves to be making a deal of getting rid of the big things, like cancer. But the thing is, God is concerned with the entire body… the whole of it, that there be no impurity or uncleanliness found when we are brought before Him… and when those areas… especially the ones we protect, come under the scalpel in the master surgeon’s hand, we grimace, hoping He’ll put us under, yet He doesn’t. He wants us to undergo the process, to see that this purifying is not a removal of everything from our system as one would empty a vacuum cleaner bag, rather it is a process of submission and refinement like wood being sanded to smoothness… the rough, high grain paper used first, taking out the jagged edges and blemished areas, then gradually the grain is made finer, until the areas only a master woodworker would even notice as corrupt are smoothed and a fine, beautiful grain is revealed- the beauty that the eye of all revels at in its image while the Master celebrates in it’s detail and purity.

Indeed I believe this to be the process of most length… because we are so often willing to have the rough grain used, so everyone will see the difference, but less willing and even resistant to be refined and smoothed further as only the master will take pleasure in the result. This is a narrow way… the options most times are few if any… but in this desire for holiness… in this craving for His likeness so as to be found in His eye “clean,” we must be willing to have the little areas sanded and refined most enthusiastically. I say “willing to have” specifically, because let there be no mistake, it is our submission to His will that originates puts the tool in His hands, but He is the one working and refining. He is more concerned with the appearance and holiness of His bride than we are, and be sure that the scripture is true in saying that He is in fact the one completing the good work that He began in us. It is His action, His hand, and His desire. Let us praise Him for refinement, knowing that the beauty He is revealing cannot be brought by good intention or great hope. The little things matter to Him.
-G.N.

Worlds Apart

Picture in your mind with me this view…

The earth from space suspended with nothing else in view. Sand in one stream flows from an unknown origin and is poured out on the top of the world. The sand collects and begins to form a tall mound. Each grain of sand is disconnected from the rest in nature, but in its position in the mound feels surrounded and somehow connected. The sand continues and the mound only gets higher, the base spreads out little by little. Some grains of sand fall beyond the edge of the mound and are now separate from it, but remain sand. The sand never stops; it only causes the mound to climb.

The second half of this picture is another earth from space. Once more, nothing is in view. A stream of water falls from unknown origin and is poured out on the earth. It does not pile up. The water flows over the earth itself and covers it. The water does not climb high, nor does it ever seem to be anything but one unit. It spreads until the world itself is covered entirely.

What is the meaning? It is a contrasting picture of two philosophies of “church.” One seeks to bring believers together centrally and end there. Though some of the disciples of this church break from the mound and find their place outside the boundaries of the mound, they are disconnected and seen as such- outside the boundaries. Each grain feels belonging to the mound, yet is not fused to it in any way, in fact, what affects the top of the mound does not echo to the inner parts. It is such with the pile of sand. Meeting cannot be the focus of church. Becoming a pile of believers in one section of the world simply allows our desires for a tower to be facilitated. This is not the intention.

However, the second picture is not the same. Water does not pile, it is fluid. One unit yet mobile and flexible. It fills the regions to the cracks and the most hidden parts, nothing escapes. This is the church whose disciples make disciples and go. They do not emphasize the place or time of meeting, but know that the action of one area of the fluid will be felt across the entire body. It moves with the same desire- make disciples that make disciples by the power of the Holy Spirit and the transformational nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The world is covered with the reproduction of this body.

What then? Do we seek to be a pile in this area? Do we desire to be a mound of believers coming to one place? Our desire must be to spread. Sand is scattered by wind. If wind comes across water it simply causes the body itself to be stirred. What is our emphasis? If we desire the fluid nature of the life in the Holy Spirit, we must spread.
-G.N.

Foundation

The question was asked, “Where do we begin?” The simple answer is always, “At the beginning.” Right now it seems like we are searching for what that means.

The leading we received, I believe, is truth, and we must not let go of it. Our foundation is discipleship. We have accepted a call to make disciples that make disciples in obedience to our Lord and in living by His Spirit. We have proclaimed the necessity to live in the Spirit and be dependent upon His leading, for this we must recognize how essential spiritual disciplines are. I think we are having a problem grasping the vision for where God wants us to begin because it has not been the foundation we have experienced.

Our focus in prayer for each other seems to me around God’s leading us towards righteous men and women who are willing to pour their relationship with Christ into another. Until we are being discipled according to the Scripture and Spirit, I don’t think we’ll truly know how to disciple someone else the same way. You can't give what you don't have. Also, until we ourselves are living obediently to the Spirit and walking intentionally and constantly in His guidance, how can we expect to pass on the passion for God’s presence to others? Let us continue to pray for each other in that way because that is the foundation for what God has called us into.

The beginning of anything is the foundation. This is seen in everything… we don’t build houses from the top down- but from the ground up on a foundation… infants do not develop in the womb beginning with the skin- but with the skeletal structure and form… trees did not precede the ground in creation- but were dependent upon it before their existence was possible… neither can structure precede foundation for this movement, but foundation must set before building begins. The desire and passion and uncompromising focus on discipleship and life in the Spirit must be at the foundational, DNA level if we are to expect them to be reproduced as fruit. I have no doubt to our passion. I have no doubt to our courage and commitment to what God is doing and what He has laid on our hearts. I believe that God is beginning a movement that will bring His people back to Himself one by one, and that is because the movement itself is beginning one on one in discipleship and life in the Holy Spirit.

We must continue to encourage each other and pray for each other in this.
-G.N.

BABIES' BREATH

WE HAVE RECEIVED A TRUTH THAT CAN NOT BE WALKED AWAY FROM WITHOUT DECISION. WHAT DO WE DO NOW? WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? IF WE ACCEPT THE CALL TO MAKE DISCIPLES THAT MAKE DISCIPLES AND RECOGNIZE THE MISSION OF PURSUING SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION WE CAN EITHER DENY THEIR RELEVANCY TO US OR BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE OPTIONS. THE CHOICE IS AS EVIDENT AS THE CALL ITSELF, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH OF JESUS’ COMMISSION IS TO BEGIN LIVING BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR THE PURPOSE OF FULFILLING THIS MISSION.

MANY TEMPTATIONS WILL COME AND EVEN ARE ALREADY CLEAR, BUT WE CANNOT LOSE THE TRUTH OR COMPROMISE OUR GOAL. HIS SACRIFICE PROVES WE HAVE NO COST COMPARABLE OR OF GREATER VALUE IN ANY WAY. THE TEMPTATIONS I SEE LOOMING OR POSSIBLY AS THE MOST RATIONAL TO OUR NATURE ARE PROBABLY ALREADY COMING AT US. FIRST OF ALL, MANY PEOPLE OR EVEN BOOKS WILL TRY TO TELL US THAT THIS MISSION ISN’T RELEVANT TO THE COLLEGE STUDENT. MAKING DISCIPLES? HOW CAN A COLLEGE STUDENT HAVE TIME FOR SUCH INVESTMENT? WHEN? AND THESE QUESTIONS CAN BE VERY PERSUADING, HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT VALID. THE TRUTH IS, IF THIS MISSION DEPENDS IN ANY WAY ON US, IT WILL FAIL. WE CAN NOT LIVE AS IF THE WORK DONE IN OTHERS COMES FROM US, IT IS ALL ABOUT CHRIST. HE IS THE GOD WHO IS RAISING HIS CHURCH, WE ARE SIMPLY TO OBEY AND KNOW THAT HE IS FAITHFUL.

IF THIS TEMPTATION DOESN’T INTRIGUE US, ANOTHER TACTIC OF THE ENEMY MOST ASSUREDLY WILL SIMPLY BE TO CONTINUE LIVING AS IF IN IGNORANCE. BUT CAN WE DENY THE TRUTH THAT WE HAVE HEARD? I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT SOMEONE SOMEWHERE PROBABLY HAS, BUT THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE OF “CARDIOSCELOSIS,” WE CANNOT LET OUR HEARTS BE HARDENED. THE FUTURE FOR THOSE WHO REJECT THE TRUTH IS NEVER GOOD, BUT THE ENEMY’S DESIRE WILL BE FOR US TO BUY INTO AN IDEA OF LIVING THE SAME WAY. THE MESSAGE AND POWER OF THE GOSPEL IS TRANSFORMATIONAL AT ITS VERY LEAST. MOST FRESH IN MY MIND PERSONALLY IS THE PASSAGE OF JOHN 9. THE MAN SPOKE OF IN THIS PASSAGE ENCOUNTERS CHRIST AND HIS LIFE IS CHANGED. THERE IS NO GOING BACK AND LIVING IN ANY WAY THE SAME AS BEFORE, NEITHER CAN WE. THE DECISION MUST EITHER BE TO PURSUE THE TRUTH OR DENY IT. WE CAN NOT LET THE ENEMY CONVINCE US THAT WE CAN LIVE AS IF THE SAME- JESUS NEVER ALLOWED THAT. ALONG THE LINES OF TRANSFORMATION WE HAVE EVEN MORE TEMPTATION.

COULD IT BE THAT TRANSFORMATION COULD OCCUR LATER? AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHO ENCOUNTER CHRIST, WHEN DID JESUS BRING PEOPLE TO THE POINT OF DECISION ONLY TO TELL THEM “THINK ABOUT IT.?” I CAN’T FIND THAT PASSAGE ANYWHERE? THERE REALLY WILL BE POINTS OF DECISION COMING FOR US ALL. DO WE CONTINUE THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE, PRETENDING WE DIDN’T HEAR ANYTHING TOO DECISIVE? DO WE ACCEPT THE MISSION ITSELF, BUT POSTPONE OUR ACTION AND PURSUIT OF ITS FULFILLMENT? I DON’T THINK ANY OF THESE OPTIONS ARE VIABLE. IN FACT, I DON’T THINK WE REALLY HAVE AN OPTION. IT SEEMS THAT OUR CALL IS CLEAR. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS, AND THERE ISN’T REALLY A LOWER BAR TO AIM FOR. TO OUR BETTERMENT, THOUGH, WE EACH HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AS WELL AS EACH OTHER. WE MUST CONTINUE TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT, WE MUST CONTINUE TO APPROACH THE THRONE REPEATEDLY AND WITH CONFIDENCE, KNOWING THAT OUR LORD IS FAITHFUL TO COMPLETE THE GOOD WORK WHICH HE HAS BEGUN IN US. LET US ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND CONTINUOUSLY LIFT EACH OTHER UP IN PRAYER. GOD IS MOVING, BUT THE OPPOSITION WILL DO ANYTHING TO KILL IT. WHEN IS THE MOST OPPORTUNE TIME TO MAIM OR DISABLE ANYTHING? WHEN IT IS YOUNG.

WE ARE AT OUR INFANCY, GOD WILL BRING MORE TO HIMSELF SOON, BUT EVEN SO, THE ENEMIES’ GREATEST OPPORTUNITY IS NOW, AND WE MUST KEEP LIFTING EACH OTHER UP. LET US REMAIN FAITHFUL AND ENCOURAGING.
-G.N.

Greetings!

To whom it may concern,

My sincere desire is that through this simple page the things that I myself have been learning and coming to understand may be clearly given to you until we can meet in person. There are many things coming; we are not aware of them all as of yet, but one thing is certain, God is moving all around us. Our brothers and sisters in St. Louis were encouraged by our reception of the truth and continue to pray for us, again, be encouraged. I meet tomorrow with Bill, pray that the relationship God is creating would be firmly founded by His Spirit and that a clear understanding of what the Lord has called us to do would be understood. We are embarking on a path unknown, yet our God has not failed us and neither will He in this time. Our mission is clear- let us go and make disciples in His name, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything He commanded us, for He is with us even now- as His kingdom continues to advance and His authority shown in power over darkness.
I pray for you all, please also pray for me as it seems to me that God tends to bring us to the point where we really have a grip on what's going on and truly believe we can handle things, then asks us to let go. This is the call to obey, and many times it contradicts what our flesh would find convenient. Such has been the case over the last two days. My plans for spring are now in His completely capable hands alone and I have no doubt that what He is doing here will become clear in the next few months, however, uncertainty is present for the next few days and until I am made aware of what the consequences of such quick decisions will be. I have no doubt of His perfect will and plans, so please pray for God's glory to be revealed to all within the knowledge of this situation and that His name would be given more renown in the working of His perfect will. I cannot wait to meet with you all, until that time, remain in Him, even as He is in you and be encouraged in all things, He is a mighty God.
-G. N.