2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) tells us, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come. But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
From the very beginning of the Church, God has established His Presence through His people. Like it was with Adam, satan has diligently worked to bring the Church under his power. The Church was begun by the Super-natural ability of God and used sings, wonders, deliverance, and miracles to establish God's Kingdom. Constantine named Christianity Rome's religion, stopping persecution of the Church. While that was good, religion began taking over the Church and most of the Super-natural things of God was replaced by the natural.
Today, the Church is being persecuted around the world, because the enemy wants complete control. Satan wants to destroy any venue that has a cross on it. He wants to stamp out every remind of Jesus Christ, using fear and hardship and persecution. The Church doesn't understand that we "don't wrestle with flesh and blood, but against principalities and power of the rulers of this age," according to Ephesians 6:11. We've tried holding onto our faith in Christ, by the natural laws of this planet. We've replaced the power of God, for the elections and politics of this world.
Like with Constantine of old, through His mercy God has raised up men and women who are sympathetic to the Church and established rights for the Christian Church. When these people died, they've been replaced by those who the world, has put into office. The enemy again, begins to try and choke out the liberty in the Church. Satan has used small increments to try and remove any trace of God, from the eyes of the people.
Prayer in public schools has been removed. Bibles have been removed from school curriculum and libraries and isn't tolerated in workplaces, or even in some churches. Most of us cannot discern between what's right and what isn't right. Our nation has passed laws that forbid churches to preach against sin.
This is God's WAKE-UP CALL TO THE CHURCH, in these last days, before Jesus' return. Many accept the separation between Church and State as being part of the Constitution, but it is not. We've been deceived or talked into accepting accepting other gods into Christianity, as though we all serve the same God by a different name. All these things have been designed by the enemy, and we've been oblivious to his plan.
We don't cast out demons anymore, we simply institutionalize and call the people "insane." We replace deliverance with reform classes like AA, even though trying to control the flesh by the flesh isn't working. Our cities have become places where "Only the strong survive." If the world and the Church have ever needed the Super-natural things of God, then it's now. Much of the natural church preaches that, "God no longer does these things" or that "those things for only for the early Church."
Many of today's Church, believes that Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, are heretical. Signs and wonders are rarely witnessed, especially in America's Church. Most new believers have never been encouraged to grow up into the things the Father intended for His Church. The carnal minded ministries of today, have rejected the very Presence of the Holy Spirit and have replaced Him with our own ideas. Our prayer life has diminished to a few feeble mutterings, that produce no results.
We've tried becoming more like the world, instead of having the world drawn to us, God's Church. The Holy Spirit and the Super-natural Presence of God are what will draw the world to the Church. Jesus didn't preach the things that were "popular in that day," but what was Truth. Jesus' ministry upset the religious orders of the time. He built a foundation of revelation knowledge and power, that has existed for two-thousand years. It seems like the only thing today's Church can rely on is, "We're going to Heaven when we die." This is Truth, but it is only A TRUTH. The other things Jesus taught are Truth, too. It's an absolute that you will be healed when you get to Heaven, but being healed here, will not only change those who are sick. It will reveal God to those who need healing in the world.
None of the things that Jesus and the Holy Spirit taught have "passed away," but they are still very much, the heart of the Father. It should be clear to the Church, that these things are the will of God, by one thing Jesus said in John 6:18,20 (Amplified) where He said, "For I have come down from Heaven not to do My Own will and purpose, but to do the will and purpose of Him Who sent Me." Jesus goes on in Verse 20, "For this is My Father's will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in and cleaves to and trust in and relies on Him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up (from the dead) at the last day."
If you are born-again, then you already have this eternal Life living in you. You truly are a new creation man or woman. We are to use this eternal Life, to benefit others and set the captives free, while we're still on this earth. This eternal Life is the Very Life of God, that is imparted to anyone who believes and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior of his life. We are supposed to "go forth" in this new Life and power of the One Who indwells us. This new Life isn't a "retirement plan," for when we leave this planet. It's a commission Jesus gave to do the works of God's Kingdom and save a dying world.
Many seem to look at the Super-natural things as being only from the demonic realm. If you believe in the Super-natural things that the world has come to accept and believe, then why would you struggle to believe in the Super-natural things of God? After all, isn't God the One Who created all things? If satan can "produce" the Super-natural, then why can't the Super-natural things of God be more real and acceptable to us? The only way to deal with the things that are pleasuring the people of this earth, is by the Super-natural Spirit of our God. We keep trying to deal with flesh and blood, forgetting that our enemy is a spirit. We cannot defeat satan with natural ability. That's a waste of time. We must do what Paul instructed in Ephesians 6 and begin waging warfare in the spirit realm, using the Super-natural weapons of our warfare.
This isn't a condemnation of the Church (the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ), but it's a challenge. We must wake up the spirit God created new in us and lives within us. Like Joshua and Caleb, we must take the Land that God has given us. God will fight the battle, if we will only GO!
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