John 1:17 (Amplified) says, "For though the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing, and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
God poured His long awaited favor and Blessings out on His family, by His Spirit, through Jesus. We've limited the Blessings God desires to lavish upon us, to the senses or the natural realm. The Same Spirit Who created all the natural realm around us, is the Same Spirit Who want to invade this natural realm and Bless us. God's will for His family has always been to Bless and provide. Most of all (if not all) that God wants for us, is still in the Spirit realm and because we don't understand this or are perhaps afraid to accept it, we struggle in the flesh to make His Blessing work.
We see all the natural things in Jesus' ministry, that were provided by God's Spirit. When the multitude needed food, Jesus went into the Spirit realm for provision. When the storm was about to sink their ship, Jesus went to the Spirit realm and stopped the storm. When people needed sight, cleansing, healing, deliverance or comfort, Jesus always drew from the Spirit realm. At Lazarus' tomb, Jesus called for "Life," in the Spirit, saying, "Father, I thank You that You always hear Me."
We've created multitudes of excuses for why He doesn't hear us. We've seemingly drifted back into a semi-conscious mode of Christianity and have fallen asleep. We've gone into a place of entertainment, instead of intimacy with the Father, forgetting that our God is Super-natural.
Hollywood and media are training the minds and senses of America, to the place that the Super-natural is a joke. We have "Ghost Whisperers," "Ghost Brothers," "Supernatural," and "Lucifer" crowding our media programming. The reality of God outside the four walls of our church buildings has been relegated to a debate. We debate about whether or not "God still does these things."
Many preachers are replacing the Gospel, with this new age, believing the Gospel is old fashioned. After all, "This is the 21st century and we are more enlightened than previous generations," they say. Do you honestly believe that the 21st century is ahead of God and that our technology is more advanced than He is? The tares and wheat seem to be growing together, more than ever before. There are things the Church has endorsed, that are completely against God's Word, but we consider them to be "Okay, because of Grace."
God's Grace never intended the way some try using it today. Grace was, and still is, the mercy and favor of Love, that Blesses us even when we don't deserve it. Grace was never to "cover" deliberate, willful sinning or complete disregard for His Word. Many see the Super-natural as being all demonic or just foolishness. The only way of actually seeing what we were created to be, is by learning and accepting the Super-natural work of the Spirit of God in our daily lives.
Paul taught the Church of Ephesus about the warfare, the enemy and the Armor of God. We look at the natural things that come against us, as being "just the way things are," but satan's warfare and strategies are always calculated and deliberate and meant to oppress, deceive and distress the world and the Church. Satan is an outlaw spirit, who is determined to steal, kill and to destroy.
Acts 10:38 (Amplified) says, "How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by the power of the devil, for God was with Him." The things that harass, oppress and need cured, aren't "just the way life is," but are the strategies of satan. It's not God "testing us," but is the deliberated work of an outlaw spirit, used to destroy your faith and belief in God. We've failed to see the enemy for who he is, deciding "there's nothing we can do about it." In 2Corinthians 12:7-10 (Amplified) Paul teaches about God's choosing him to bring the Revelation of His family and the new creation and about his being tormented by a "messenger of satan to buffet or harass him." In Verses 9 God says to Paul, "My Grace is more than enough to deliver you." Paul received the message in the next Verse, that he was defenseless as a mere man, but when he could nothing in himself, Grace stepped in and delivered him time and time again.
Many read these scriptures to be about God testing and deliberately trying Paul, but Paul received a fuller Revelation of Grace from the Holy Spirit. Paul stated that he looked for opportunities of his own weakness, in order to see the Power of God move on his behalf. Many today, only see the weakness of our own mortal selves and accept those weaknesses, instead of reaching into the Higher place of Grace for our success.
Paul went further in 2Corinthians 10:3-5 (Amplified) saying, "For though we walk (live in the flesh, are still living in this body), we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using 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 destruction of strongholds In as much as we refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself against the True Knowledge of god, and we lead every though and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."
We hear the "lofty arguments, theories and reasonings" all the time about the natural things that beset us. How many times have we heard the arguments about "This is just how life is" or "This isn't the work of the enemy, but it's God testing you?" These are proud and lofty things that have set themselves up against the True Knowledge of God. Some might say, "You act like everything is some sort of spiritual attack against you, Jim." Well, according to Paul, they are!
Not all demonic attacks are "spooky," but seem "natural," because we're unaware of the strategies of satan and don't see them as such. There are only two kind of Spiritual sources at work on this planet. One is God, the other is satan. One is for your destruction, while the other for your good. We need to get our hearts right on which is God and start putting faith in Him and His Grace, for our deliverance. Don't be afraid of spiritual things, but be aware of which source the derive from. The world has a "boogeyman complex," which causes us to deny nearly all the Spiritual Blessings that come through the Holy Spirit.
I've witnessed the anointing and Presence of the Holy Spirit, frighten people in the Church, because it's so strong. I've seen the things of satan enter into God's people and they don't recognize it as being from him. I've heard false prophecies go forth and the Church doesn't even recognize they're false. I've seen sin operate openly and unnoticed in the Church, resulting in the people hearing sermons about sin, without feeling uncomfortable. This is the work of an unseen enemy, who we've nearly forgotten.
One of satan's greatest moves against mankind, is his being unseen. God's people still read horoscopes, visit fortune tellers, and have their palms read, without seeing anything wrong with doing these things. Satan is subtle and cunning with his lies, which results in our being taken into captivity without even knowing it.
I'm not proposing that we cast out a demon over everything that happens. But, we are to discern what is evil and what is Good. Paul speaks about those who had gone from milk to meat in Hebrews 5:14 (Amplified) saying, "But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to Divine or human law."
Today, men are passing laws that are both morally wrong, evil, and contrary to God's Laws. We're not supposed to simply accept these laws into our culture and way of thinking and believe they're from God. We must train our senses and mental faculties to discern the difference. I'm certainly not condoning the burning of abortion clinics and you don't have to demonstrate in the streets. You don't have to knock over idols, but don't accept them as being alright. This is one of satan's strategies, but it doesn't matter that society accepts these things, they're not always God's way.
We must each take a stand in our individual lives for ourselves and our family, to stay in the Truth. Doing this might not be popular with the people, but it is with the Father. You don't have to cram it down someone's throat, but you must walk your walk with Him. We must allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, in our walk with Him.
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