2Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous and moral conditions) have passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come."
We've never truly understood the above scripture and have allowed the world to influence our belief of it meaning only that we have been saved. We've built our own little church buildings and have established our own little denominations that dictate what we believe. We are in a super-natural warfare and are using carnal and worldly weapons to fight.
2Corinthians 10:3-4 (Amplified) says, "For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical (weapons of flesh and blood), but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destructions of strongholds." Ephesians 6:12 (Amplified) says, "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood (contending only with physical opponents) but against the despotisms, against the powers, against (the master spirits who are) the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere."
The Church (We) has been equipped with God's Own armor and ability, in order to overcome the enemy's deception. We've been entering into a spiritual battle, using only flesh and blood weapons. In the natural realm, we can never hope to overthrow a spiritual enemy.
If we had entered WWII with nothing more than flintlock rifles, then we'd surely been defeated and speaking German. We must learn to operate in the super-natural and use the weapons God has so graciously provided us. Several months ago, I compared the similarities between the Church and the military, in a blog. The entire idea of basic training or Boot Camp, is to teach the soldiers how to use their weapons and winningly conduct warfare.
The Church has never majored on this strategy, but instead focuses on "not sinning" and "doing right." Although these are important parts of our walk with God, they are not all that's needed. Many Americans never enter the military or go to war. These Americans depend on those who do keep their country free and to keep the enemy out of their country. This is also true in the Church. Many Christians are never trained in warfare and depend on those who keep the enemy from them and enter the mission fields. When the Army becomes slack and no one else is on the frontline, we get overrun and could not only lose the battle, but the Country.
We've witnessed many ungodly laws passed in America and have seen discrimination against Christ and His followers from lawmakers. This should never have been allowed to happened, but it mostly has happened because we conduct spiritual warfare using carnal weapons.
Make no mistake, the Church is under attack in America, like never before. It's not a matter of our voting for a donkey or elephant, but voting God. Prayer and the super-natural weapons God supplies, are the only things that will work. This isn't just a matter of what we should and shouldn't do, but what we MUST do. The enemy has nearly talked the Church into not fighting back and merely holding on until Jesus comes back. Jesus told us to "occupy" until He returns. "Occupy" is a military term that means to "remain in a certain area and stop the override of an enemy."
Korea is a nation that is still occupied today, even though the war ended long ago. We still have troops there to hold back the dark forces of North Korea. For the most part, the new creation people haven't seen themselves as warriors, but as simply a people who are different from others. We are different, but not because we've stopped drinking and cussing and now attend church. Through Jesus, the Church is the hope of the world. This is why the Father left us here, after we were born-again. Those in the world, have no weapons or authority over the spiritual enemy, who is determined on bringing everything and everyone into his domain.
The weapons or our warfare are not carnal, but super-natural through God. If we do not know how to use them, then we are without the ability to overcome the enemy. Our weapons are the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, the Name and authority in the Name of Jesus, and our prayer language (speaking in tongues) by which we receive instructions from our Commander-in-Chief, Jesus. We also have the power of the Blood of our Covenant Partner, God. Our faith in these weapons is the "shield" we use to stop all of the fiery darts of the enemy. In Ephesians 6:10-18, the Holy Spirit gives us instructions about our armor and ability and on how to use them in our lives. These things are the weapons and armor we apply in warfare.
We've mostly seen ourselves as the Bride of Christ and not as warriors for Him. This is a battle for the captives of the enemy, who have been held in darkness and death for centuries. When the liberating armies entered the Death Camps after WWII, they found people in all states of darkness, death, starvation, and fear. Setting these people free required determination, courage and sacrifice, but it was worth it. Many on the sidelines, protested what was being done, because they didn't understand the necessity of warfare. Warfare and death are the only things our enemy can understand.
God is raising up an army in these last days, who will go forth to deliver and protect those who have no idea of who the enemy is and no idea of how to understand him. Without Jesus, they are helpless to do anything to fight him (even if they wanted to). All these people have are carnal, worldly strength against a spiritual force of evil.
The Super-natural ability of God is the only force that can overcome a spiritual enemy. Without this operating in our lives, Christians are helpless to help anyone. We've been talked into setting down our weapons and were told they were "for another time and another people." We've been deceived into believing that "Tongues have ceased," "miracles have waned" and "God's Word isn't to be taken literally anymore." This is equivalent to our going to war with nothing except the Helmet of Salvation. We supply our armies with body armor and weapons of warfare needed to protect and overcome enemy forces. Wouldn't God at least, do this for His Army?
After spending forty days and night in the wilderness, Jesus stopped the devil using God's Word. Luke 4:14 (Amplified) tells us what happened next, saying, "Jesus went back full of and under the power of the Holy Spirit into Galilee, and the fame of Him spread through the whole region round about." Before this time, if was never recorded that Jesus performed a miracle or that anyone viewed Him as being different from any other man. The Holy Spirit was Who distinguished Him from everyone else on the planet. We have the same Holy Spirit living in us, to do the same thing. Acts 1:8 (Amplified) says, "Jesus said, But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth." Acts 2:4 (Amplified) says, "And they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues."
Acts 2:39 (Amplified) tells us, "For the promise (of the Holy Spirit) is to and for you and your children, and to all that are far away (even) to and for as many as the Lord our God invites and bids to come to Himself." Is He still bidding and inviting people to come to Himself? Then, the power and ability of this same Holy Spirit is still here for us today. Nothing has changed as far as God is concerned, it's only we who've changed by what we believe and accept. We are an "invading army of God," to set at liberty all that are bound, and to preach and deliver all that are held captive by the enemy.
No comments:
Post a Comment