WAR? WHAT WAR?
NOTE: We must remember God always gives man a choice to obey or disobey. Example: (Gen. 12:1 thru 15:8) Abraham made many choices to obey or disobey before God made the covenant with him. (Matt. 24:36) God knows what we will do and by that knowledge He can make prophesies (the future foretold), promises (covenants) and a timeline (the times when prophesies will happen).
People, including me, including you, do not know what our future decisions will be and that is why we must be knowledgeable in the ways of God so we won’t be stupid and lose our forever with God.
God. (Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:12-17 & Rev. 4:11) God created everything and through Him all things consist. (Psa. 135:6; Matt. 19:26, Mark 14:36; Luke 18:27 & Rev. 19:6 keyword: omnipotent which means absolute sovereign over everything) God is the Ruler over everything and everybody (Psa. 22:27-28 keyword: governor & 103:19) even the nations of the world.
(Psa. 139:4-12; Prov. 15:3 & Acts 17:24-27) God knows and sees all things. (1Pet. 1:17-20 keywords: before the foundation of the world) God had the plan and timetable for planet earth and all its people from before the beginning of this world to (2Pet. 3:5-11 esp. V.11 keyword: burned) the ending of this world (Rev. 21:1- thru 22:21) and beyond.
(Rom 14:10-12 & Rev. 20:10-15) Every person will be judged by God. Nobody will fool God, nobody will tell God what to do, nobody will replace God, nobody will change the plan and timetable set by God, nobody will out think God and nobody will evade meeting Him face to face.
(read this—> Matt.10:24-39 keyword: disciple: defined: a learner, a pupil of either sex) Christian, God does not take handouts, second best, the backseat, or leftovers from His people and He is not some spiritual ‘spare tire’ Christians jerk out of the trunk and use only in times of crisis. Remember that! Remember your COVENANT, God gave you the very best He had (Matt. 13:23) and that’s what He expects back from you, your best.
Mankind: Please read the first SELF segment just after the Introduction to this commentary. It will astonish you and help you understand COVENANT. Your eternal destination will hinge on your understanding of yourself.
Satan: Here are seven locations on this website that contain information about Satan. #1) Satan: A Study Guide and Teaching Manual- a three article series; #2) The Holy Spirit can be Tempted; #3) Who is the Holy Spirit and #4) Christian War With the Devil; all four in this commentary. AND: #5) Growth as a Christian Part 1, #6) The Devil: The Deception Principal both in the Sin in Church commentary #7) and the Jesus commentary.
The Bible is about God and His relationship with man. BUT: Enough is given here and there in the Bible about Satan, the Devil, to show his influence and how he operates. His various names are his personality and they describe what he does to people. (Eph. 6:12) The devil is a spirit (Luke 22:3) who operates in man in the same method as God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 15:7-9) but his intent and purpose is exactly opposite and contrary to that of God’s Holy Spirit.
(Ezek. 28:13-17 esp. V.15 keyword: iniquity: defined: wickedness, evil and V.17 keywords: lifted up: defined: proud then 2Cor. 4:4 & 11:14-15) Satan is hatred (1John 4:8 & 16) and God is love! That is the basis for our, yours, mine and every Christian’s, covenant war against Satan and for God. Look up the internet definition of basis; you will be surprised!
Two Kingdoms:
The flood was over and mankind had started over:
Satan’s first kingdom: The first earthly kingdom in a God given time frame was called (Gen. 10:9 through 11:9 esp. 10:9-10 keyword: kingdom AND 11:2 keywords: as they journeyed from the east) Nimrod’s kingdom of Babel in the land of Shinar (Gen. 11:1-9) which was an idol worshipping, whole earth dominating, rebellious kingdom. Since the whole earth population was involved in that small area it was a whole earth dominating movement.
Satan, in his proud, sneering rebellion, thought he had taken mankind away from God because when a nation, a people, or an individual worships an idol they are, for effect, worshipping Satan. (Gen. 11:7-9) But God ruined Satan’s efforts and continued His own timetable and plan.
1st Covenant: God blindsided Satan when He made a personal, one-on-one physical BLOOD COVENANT, #1) based on spiritual grace, (Acts 17:25 Abram didn’t have anything God needed. God, through His grace, did all the giving.) with Abram/Abraham (Gen. 12:2 keyword: a great nation & 17:7-11 esp. V.7 keywords: an everlasting covenant) and his seed after him which made it #2) a covenant with a nation through a man.
AND: There was a secret part in the seed promise because God was confirming through the Abraham covenant what God had told Satan (Gen.3:14-15) in the garden of Eden, #3) that a seed was coming to destroy Satan’s works.
(Gen. 26:1-6) God reaffirmed Abraham’s covenant with his son Isaac and (Gen. 28:10-22 & 32:24-28) again with Isaac’s son Jacob whose name was changed to Israel. You know the story, if not, it is in the first few articles of the Jesus commentary.
(Job 1:1 thru 2:8 & John 8:44) Satan hates and tries to spiritually subvert and steal the person or nation from God (Acts 7:37-41 & Eph. 5:5) by causing them to worship Satan through worshipping something other than God, (Gen. 4:2-7, Matt. 24:25, 2Cor. 11:13-15 & 1John 2:18) OR by worshipping God the wrong way, OR (Ezek. 28:1-15 & 2Cor. 11:13-15) By using Satan inspired people Satan tries to physically destroy any person or nation who worships God the way God instructs man to worship Him.
(Rev. 12:1-4) Satan spiritually fought Israel all through the Old Testament record with his deception and temptation to seduce Israel toward visible idol gods that fed man’s personal, carnal nature and he physically fought Israel with the armies of his Satan controlled, idol worshipping nations. Satan thought he was winning but God’s timetable and plan were right on schedule.
2nd Covenant: (1Cor. 2:6-8) Then God blindsided Satan again when Israel, the nation, provided the human side of the bloodline which produced Jesus Christ, the seed, the Son of the living God who brought a new spiritual GRACE COVENANT based on His own physical blood sacrifice.
Before Christians got saved we didn’t have anything God had to have so Jesus—Gal. 3:14-17 the promised seed— through His grace paid for our salvation with His blood sacrifice. This dispensation of time is commonly called the Church Age, it is almost 2000 years old and obviously it is drawing to a close.
The grace covenant is based on the same attitude of spiritual grace in which God established Abraham’s PHYSICAL COVENANT based on Abraham’s animal blood sacrifice. Abraham didn’t really have anything God had to have because all through the OT God had provided for His People/Israel to have herds and riches unless they went into sin.
God, through His grace, did all the giving as was described in Part 1. In the Jesus commentary, the Jesus’ physical and Spiritual Lineage article shows exactly how God set all this up through a “family fight” that brought the world to what it is today.
The entire process of the three parts in Abraham’s covenant and the law of Moses brought about by that covenant which resulted in Christ’s Church is explained in Gal. 3:6-29 esp. V.8 keyword: heathen, V.14 keywords: gentiles, Jesus Christ, promise, V.16 keywords: promise, seed, Christ, V.17-19 keyword: law, & V.22,28,29 and Jesus Christ is that seed.
Jesus took back the keys to death and hell Adam had lost to Satan and the Church was established. Satan suddenly had a two-front enemy, a physical Israel he wants to physically destroy and a spiritual Church he wants to subvert and steal through idolatry or to physically destroy by persecution.
Read the three-part Introduction to the Sin in Church commentary and you will be shocked at the vast number of Christians who have been killed because they would not renounce their Christian beliefs and their lives were part of what held the church house door open for you and me.
Satan’s 2nd kingdom: After being defeated at Babel, Satan immediately started building another idol worshipping, whole earth dominating, rebellious, antichrist kingdom (Rev. 13:1 through 19:21) in Satan’s second God given time. And that second Satan kingdom is still being built right now, 3-27-13, during this time of the grace COVENANT Church and (Ezek. 37:21) a reborn Israel.
(Ezek. 36:16 thru 39:29 and carnal history) Satan thought he had finally, completely destroyed Israel with his idol worshipping Roman nation from 70 to 135 CE when idol worshipping Rome slaughtered Israel, tore down the temple at Jerusalem, salted and plowed the ground where it stood, carried the surviving Jews off into captivity, and the idol worshipping Roman Emperor Hadrian removed the name Israel from all maps (Isa. 14:29-31) and replaced it with the name Palestinia (Palestine). BUT:
(Ezek. 37:1-28 esp. V.11 keywords: whole house of Israel) He couldn’t remove the name Israel from God’s plan.
Look into the spiritual realm when Israel was destroyed about 35 years after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven: (Eph. 6:12) Satan, the prince of darkness, had returned to his kingdom of darkness from where he had been dancing in the slaughter of God’s chosen people in Israel. (Isa. 14:12-14, Ezek. 28:12-17 & Rev. 12:4) In haughty pride he strutted and bragged in front of his fallen 1/3 of the angels, now called demons and devils, who had followed him in his rebellion against God.
(Eph. 6:12) There, before his throne of horrid, ghastly darkness the prince of darkness laughed and laughed in corpse rotted, stinking, fiendish, bloody glee; “I’ve done it! I’ve done it! I’ve conquered God when I destroyed His chosen people! I’ll use my followers like Catholic Christian King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella’s inquisition in Spain, Communist Joseph Stalin’s pogroms in Russia, NAZI Adolph Hitler’s holocaust in Germany and a whole host of others; (Rev. 12:13-15) I’ll destroy every Jew in the world.
I’ll use a succession of Popes to destroy the Church by idolatry!” (that story is in the three article Introduction to the Sin in Church commentary). Surely Satan suffered chagrin, humiliation and the teeth grinding frustration of gloomy defeat when God brought Israel the nation back into existence on May 14, 1948. Israel and the Church had both survived Satan’s onslaught and both exist now, near the time of the ending of Satan’s second God given time.
God had held true to both of His COVENANTS. (Rev. 19:11-21) After Satan gets his antichrist kingdom consolidated he will attack Israel and its capital Jerusalem and Jesus will destroy that kingdom. God’s timetable and plan are still right on schedule.
Satan’s 3rd future kingdom: (Rev. 20:1-2) Satan will be bound a thousand years while Jesus rules a physical “Jesus Kingdom” right here on Earth. The nations of the world will rebuild, (Rev. 20:3-9) Satan will be released from his bondage after that thousand years and then will begin Satan’s third God given time for Satan to build a third idol worshipping, whole earth dominating, rebellious kingdom which will be destroyed by God when Satan leads his armies against Jesus and Jerusalem.
(Rev. 20:10-15) Satan (anti-God) will be cast into the lake of fire with the beast (anti-Christ) and the false prophet (anti-Holy Spirit). Then the general resurrection of all people will take place and the “Book of Life” judgment will happen. Three, God’s number of completion.
Read these for your eternal life! (2Cor. 4:4 keywords: god of this world and 2Cor. 11:13-15 esp. V.13 keywords: transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ and V.14 keywords: Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light and V.15 keywords: transformed into ministers of righteousness) All three of these kingdoms of darkness were, are, and will be spiritually guided by Satan; right on God’s timetable according to God’s plan.
Why? Why all this struggle? (Col. 1:16-17) #1 God is Creator of all things and He can do things the way He wants to. (Matt. 16:24-27 key thought: you can be murdered for the cause of Jesus OR you can lose your life one day at a time in service to Jesus) #2 (Rev.1:17 thru 3:22) After salvation; testing, struggle and trials and your response to them is the measure of your love for God/Jesus and that determines if you are worthy of forever in heaven with Him.
(Rev. 3:1-5 & 14-22) Were Sardis and the Laodiceans “in the bleachers” instead of (Eph. 6:10-18) dressed in their spiritual armor, drenched in the blood of Jesus, the sword of the Spirit held high, God’s word pouring from their lips, struggling magnificently in the bloody, sinful arena of the world for Christ’s kingdom? Are you?
This article is about the influence of Satan right now, 3-28-13, while he finishes building his antichrist kingdom of darkness. It is designed to wake up Christians to the fact the Church and each individual, authentic Christian in America are under delicate, velvet, feel fine, rock you to sleep, subtle, yet savage attack from the forces of evil that desire to spiritually subvert and steal you through ignorance, deception and idolatry or possibly physically destroy authentic Christians away from God.
I won’t go into other cultures or nations but you folks in them will be able to understand and thus be warned about how Satan operates in your society.
(John 14:30) Jesus called Satan the prince of this world and later on (2Cor 4:4) he is called the god of this world who blinds the minds (souls) of people who won’t believe the gospel of Christ. That (2Cor. 4:4) scripture narrows the world population down to two types of people; believers (to trust Jesus for one’s salvation and to entrust Jesus with the rest of one’s life) in Christ and those who don’t believe in Christ and there are no exceptions given! (Luke 11:23) Jesus said it too; “He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.”
(Ezek. 28:1-26 esp. V.13-16, 2, 17 & 3) (V.2) This prince of Tyrus is Satan who is influencing the earthly king of Tyrus because (V.13) no person other than Adam and Eve had been in the Garden of Eden. AND: (V.2) Satan wants God’s spiritual throne and the physical king of Tyrus wants to dominate the world and be regarded as a god just like Caesar, Stalin, Hitler and etc. Obviously Satan works within man’s emotions, especially pride; (17) Satan really understands pride because that’s what brought about his fall.
(V.13-15) Satan is identified as an especially anointed angel at least as powerful (Jude 9 & Dan. 10:13) as the archangel Michael and Satan doesn’t give man a choice (Luke 4:1-13 esp. V.8 keyword: Satan–>Jesus knew him) if he can help it. (2Cor. 4:4) He blinds unbelievers (1Cor. 12:10 &31) and will blind Christians if we don’t ask God for, and receive, the gift of spiritual discerning so we can recognize Satan just like Jesus did.
(V.3) Daniel’s name is brought into the above situation. (Dan. 8:1 then 20-21) Daniel was a prisoner of the Babylonian king Bel-shaz’zar when he saw a vision of the joint kingdom of Media and Persia and the kingdom of Grecia (Greece->Alexander the great) (V.23-25) one unnamed that we now understand is the antichrist kingdom. (Dan. 10:1-21) Daniel desired to know the meaning of his vision but got a lesson in the spiritual warfare between the two spiritual kingdoms first. Satan and his fallen angels work in the affairs of men and there is a spiritual warfare between angels.
(V.12-13) Daniel’s prayers were heard the very first day and a “lesser angel” was sent to deliver Daniel’s answer but the angel was detained by the powerful fallen angel identified as the prince of Persia. Daniel kept on with his fast and his prayers, God was satisfied with the depth of Daniel’s desire, dedication and sacrifice and He sent Michael the archangel to help the “lesser angel” break free and bring the message to Daniel.
In the two above paragraphs are listed four kingdoms and they all sought world dominion, all were idol worshipping and all were Satan influenced and led. (Isa. 14:4-15 esp. V.12) Satan also used the king of Babylon for his purposes. (V.12-14) Satan’s original angelic name, Lucifer, is given and his desire to take God’s throne away is also revealed.
These three witnesses, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, expose Lucifer/Satan/Devil for who and what he is and how he operates in nations; that’s all we need to know. BUT: (examples: Dan. 5:18-31, 8:20-25 & 9:1 thru 12:13 & Ezek. 28:4-10) God can override Satan and God uses, builds up and destroys earthly kingdoms at His will.
HERE’S YOUR BATTLEFIELD
(Matt. 12:24-28 keyword: kingdom) (V.26) the kingdom of Satan (V.28) and the kingdom of God. Now it is easy to see there are only two spiritual kingdoms in this world that work in individuals and in physical “political/religious” governments.
The new GRACE COVENANT is open to all mankind who wish to join with God through Jesus’ blood on an individual basis. (John 12:46) Jesus said; “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” For complete details concerning individual salvation please read the one-article commentary Breath of Life on this website.
(Eph. 6:12 “For we wrestle (a fight, a struggle: taken from Strong’s #3824, 2076, 1510, 2276, 4496, 906, 4140 if you desire complete details) not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”) (John 8:12) Jesus is the light of the world and that light is life. (2Cor. 5:20) Christians are supposed to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ and shine His light to the world.
(Luke 17:20-21) The kingdom of God is within Christians and is expressed in their spoken testimony, actions and lifestyle. (John 12:36) Christians are the children of light. (Matt. 5:14-16) Christians (the Church) are to let our light (spoken testimony, witnessing, actions and lifestyle) shine before people (V.16) and that will attract other people to God. SO: The kingdom of God is the kingdom of light. AND: (John 8:12 & Acts 5:30-31) Jesus is the Prince of Light and His kingdom is the Kingdom of Light and (Matt. 5:14) Jesus said; “Ye are the light of the world.” ARE YOU?.
NEVER FORGET: (Eph. 6:10-18 esp. V.12) “For we wrestle (a fight, a struggle) not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” SO: Satan rules an organized hierarchy (rulers) of demons under him and a host of lesser demons that all obey Satan. Biblically Satan’s principalities compares very well to a physical military organization which follows orders from the top of the command structure.
(1Pet. 5:8 keyword: devour) Do you, each Christian, feel Satan’s spiritual, hating eyes upon you, studying you, probing your thoughts and actions for a weakness to exploit so he can devour (swallow up, destroy) you? (2Cor. 3-15) Is your preacher preaching the truth?
(Eph. 6:13-16) The whole armor of God can only come from one source, God’s Holy Word as verified by the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 6:17-18) Is your helmet of salvation as secure as you think it is? Is your “sword of the Spirit which is the word of God” SHARP or is it dull and useless (2Tim. 2:15 keywords: approved unto God) because you will not study?
(1Cor. 12:31 keywords: But covet- defined: to lust after- earnestly- defined: to have warmth of feeling for- the best gifts then V.7 keywords: But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal) Do you even know the Holy Spirit’s activities or voice in your soul (2Cor. 11:14) or are you led around by the nose by the unholy spirit, the false angel of light, Satan, speaking in your soul?
(Eph. 6:18) “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” How often do you pray? How often do you read your Bible? (Matt. 7:7-8) Do you ever ask God to reveal His Word to you as you (Rom. 12:11, James 5:16 & 1Pet. 1:22-25) fervently study your Bible? (Luke 11:13) Do you ever ask for more of the Holy Spirit to help you? (Matt. 7:21-29 esp. V.24 keywords: whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them AND Phil. 2:12-15 esp. V.12 keywords: fear and trembling) Are you really sure you are exactly where God wants you (2Pet. 3:18) in your growth as a Christian?
(2Cor. 4:3-4) “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds (souls) of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel (good news) of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
Every Religion in the world has its own list of rituals and a list of behaviors. (1John 1:7) Only Christianity offers a Saviour who cleanses its adherents of their sin with His own blood. AND: (John 14:15-23, Eph. 1:12-14, then Rom. 8:9-17) Only Christianity offers a personal relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. Your choice, (John 3:16 & 1John 4:13-14) Jesus the Saviour (Gen. 3:4 & John 8:44) or Satan the liar and murderer?
(Acts 26:13-18) (V.18) Jesus said to Paul; “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins,”. SO: (Eph. 2:2 & 6:12) Satan is the prince of darkness and his kingdom is the kingdom of darkness.
(Rom. 3:9 and 54 places in Acts and Romans) God spiritually recognizes Jews and gentiles (non-Jews) BUT, as has been shown all through this website, that is not a racial recognition because any person of non-Jewish bloodline (a Gentile) can study under a Rabbi and be tested knowledge-wise and become a proselyte Jew. (Acts 8:26-38 esp. V.27 keywords: worship & V.35-38 esp. V38 keyword: baptized) The Ethiopian (defined: Strong’s #128: blackamoor= black) who was a proselyte Jew had come to Jerusalem to worship at Pentecost BUT accepted Jesus as Saviour and was baptized (John 4:21-24) it is a religious recognition.
(Acts 17:26) God does not recognize racial types and a Christian had better not either because God said; “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth.” THINK ABOUT IT! WE ARE ALL, EACH ONE OF US, BODY (physical body), SOUL (spiritual inward person, self, me) AND SPIRIT (life itself that has nothing to do with breathing). If you wish further clarification please read the articles WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT or SELF on this commentary.
(Acts 4:8-12 esp. V.10 keywords: Jesus Christ & V.12 keywords: none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved) According to this scripture the only way to get saved and go to heaven is through Jesus Christ. (Luke 11:23) Jesus agreed; “He that is not for me is against me.” God recognizes saved or lost as the only two spiritual types of people in the world.
SO:
SUMMARY: #1) Satan uses his kingdom of darkness to blind lost people and prevent them from accepting salvation through Jesus. #2) Satan is working in the nations of the world to line them up so he can use them to murder Jews and destroy physical Israel which is still God’s spiritually based on grace, physical BLOOD COVENANT nation.
#3) Satan constantly attempts to spiritually subvert Christians into committing physical sin and to spiritually lure them back into his kingdom of darkness through idolatry. He uses the kingdom of darkness people and governments to suppress Jesus’ teachings, the Church and Christianity. AND: Satan will, and does, use kingdom of darkness nations and people to murder Christians and destroy God’s physically based on blood, spiritual GRACE COVENANT Church. <<- See the commentary Hell: Covenant: Judaism, Christianity and Islam; Part 13, 3 paragraphs down to the subtitle #7 How is the invitation to Islam offered? and read the info below that concerning Jews and Christians!
HERE’S THE BEAUTIFUL, FREE CHOICE, LOVE FIXED LIMITS OF YOUR GRACE COVENANT WITH GOD
(1Cor. 1:10-13 & 3:1-6) Jesus did not bring a religion based on a denomination, not even yours, not even mine. (Heb. 10:1-10) Jesus did not bring a bunch of cold, dead, impossible to keep rules and laws so He could find an excuse to send us to hell. (John 14:1-27 esp. V. 6, 9, 18 & 23 and Heb. 10:19-23 keywords: living way) In His nail scarred hands Jesus brought the offer of an individual, personal love relationship with God, according to God’s Holy Word, through the Holy Spirit (1John 4:8 & 16) founded on love because God is love,
(Rom. 5:8-9 & Gal. 2:20) based on love because Jesus loves us enough to die so we can get saved and (Matt. 1:1 through Rev.3:22) built on love by keeping our Christian relationship of love with God flourishing, (John 1:1-4 & 1John 1:1-4) according to God’s Holy Word of love, (2Cor. 3:17) through the Holy Spirit of love and (Matt. 13:18-23) depending on the intensity of each individual Christian’s love for God/Jesus and each individual Christian’s desires, values, attitude, activities and abilities in his/her growth, or failure, as a Christian after accepting Jesus’ offer of salvation.
Love is a deep, intense emotional tenderness, attraction to and affection for another person personalized by an intense emotional attachment and benevolent devotion to, an intimate fondness for and a yearning to share with, give to and make the other person happy.
Love is also an ongoing examination and evaluation of the depth of passion (intensity) of the relationship with the person you love. Do they love me like I love them? What am I getting in return for the way I feel and act? Do they have a desire to please me the way I please them? Are they giving me their all like I am giving my all to them? Love is also an eventual response to what the other does, therefore love can be built up or torn down depending on the passion of each individual’s love contribution to the relationship.
What does being loved mean to you? Please look back in your past and remember what you felt like in your heart (soul): When someone you loved threw your love right back in your face by refusing to even try to love you and you didn’t have a chance to be happy. OR: When someone slowly quit loving you, you knew it was happening and there wasn’t a thing you could do about it as you watched your happiness just dribble away. OR: When someone fell out of love with you and they suddenly, harshly crushed your happiness.
OR: When you deeply loved someone but you knew they didn’t love you the same way, they took advantage of your relationship, you felt like you were always threatened and being used and you could never have free, secure happiness. OR: When the passion was gone, the communication barely existed and your happiness was a pile of cold ashes.
OR: When you and someone loved each other and you discovered they were cheating on you and giving their affection to someone else and your happiness was smashed. What was your reaction? Pain? Anger? Longsuffering? Loss? You are made in God’s image. (Eph. 4:30 & 2Pet. 3:9) Now you know how God lives every day and every night because of His Christians. How much do you love God?
HERE’S YOUR WAR
NOTE: All through the two commentaries, The Holy Spirit and You AND Sin in Church, is information about how we must grow spiritually and that we must accept our responsibility as a Christian. If you are not aware of your spiritual warfare you are probably (Rev. 3:15) in a lukewarm love relationship with God.
(Rev. 3:17-22) <—You can fall back in love with Jesus and renew your passion for your relationship with Jesus if you will take an accounting of your life, look at yourself through the lens of God’s Word and understand the cost of what you are worth to God.
(Matt. 24:12) Jesus said; “And because iniquity (the definition is given below) shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (2Thess. 2:3) There will come a falling away just before the end of the Church Age and all the polls show the belief in God and Jesus is in sharp decline in America.<<- Read the information under the subtitle THE CHURCH IN AMERICA: STATISTICS on the Home page. When you compare Christian belief, practices and attitude to the Holy Bible it is easy to see some individual Christians, individual congregations, parts of denominations and whole denominations are in rebellion against God and His Holy Word.
(Luke 18:1, Gal. 6:9 & Heb. 12:2-11 esp. V.3 & 5 keyword: faint in all three: faint is defined: Strongs w #1590: to relax, to weaken, to grow weary) It takes a lot of courage to be a productive Christian for God by obeying your Christian responsibilities according to God’s word, your Bible.
Strangely enough a great part of your war is with yourself. One might ask; “How is that possible?” Your war is with your reaction to and attitude toward what people do to you and offer you. Think about it. Don’t you dare to tell me, or yourself, when you first got saved all your pride, anger, selfishness and etc. were gone. See what I mean? Yet you loved God with all your heart but you were not yet a very effective Christian were you? Read internet information concerning the various denominational beliefs and practices. Read (1Cor. 3:1-5 esp. V.1 keywords: carnal, babes) and you will see how denominations (divisions) were started by carnal minded babies in Christ!!!
The Greek word peritemno is formed from two N. T. Greek base words peri and tomoteros which define circumcision as #1 completeness, all through; #2 repeated blows, like hacking, with a sharper instrument. #1 I experienced my first spiritual circumcision when my past sins were cut off from my soul during my salvation event.
#2 As I studied and learned to become a better and better Christian, the word of God, (Heb. 4:12) which is sharper than any twoedged sword, kept hacking away at my soul and the bad parts like pride, anger, ignorance, letting entertainment be more important to me than Bible study and prayer, gossiping, my lack of witnessing and etc. were, and are, being hacked (circumcised) away from my soul.
(John 14:26) That continual spiritual circumcising away of my bad character traits through the Holy Spirit by God’s word is commonly called spiritual growth as a Christian. I love God enough to learn, listen and change. Do you?
(Rev. 2:1 thru 3:13 esp. 2:7, 11, 17 & 29 AND 3:13 & 22 keywords: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.“) That’s us. (Rev. 3:1-6 keyword: Sardis) Love was going so cold in the church at Sardis Jesus threatens to take their names out of the book of life.
(Rev. 3:14-22 esp. V.14-16 keyword: Laodiceans) The Church of the Laodiceans had so fallen out of love with Jesus He was going to have projectile vomiting (spue) when He got rid of them. Obviously neither Church had joined the spiritual warfare because their own carnal tendencies and Satan’s devises had rendered them useless for God’s purpose. (Mark 12:30 keyword: all) When Jesus checked His love vineyards in those two churches all He found was rotted, stinking fruit. They were losing their war with self!
Some confused Christians believe and teach there is no such thing as backsliding. SURE (John 10:28-29) Jesus said no man could pluck one of His Christians out of His hand BUT Jesus never says a person could not depart of his own accord! (Rom. 1:21-31 esp. V28 keyword: retain: defined Strong’s #2192: to have, to hold possession of the mind) These people fell so out of love with God they didn’t even care what God thought. (V.31) they were covenantbreakers and God gave them over to a reprobate (rejected, castaway) mind (soul). That’s when the Holt Spirit left. (V.31) The only way these people could break covenant was if they were in covenant. Duuuhhhh! Love is gone and God is also gone!
THINK ABOUT IT! If God/Jesus twisted your arms; hurt you physically and forced you to say; “I love You.” you would hate Him in your soul for hurting you. If God wheeled out a fortune in precious jewels and gold and offered them to you if you would say; “I love you.” you would say it because you loved the wealth. The only true love is a free-will given love for Who and What someone is and that is what God wants and, in my opinion, what God deserves. If you wish to read about my struggle with this website, please read the article at the top left of the commentary titles; About the Writer.
(Eph. 6:18) “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” God likes a communicator. How can you love someone and not communicate? Its one of the most important things you can do. Christians need a red-hot love affair with God.
Think about this. Lots of times our prayers are also meant for us to listen to and to evaluate ourselves by our own words. That generic prayer; “Lord, forgive me of my sins and now I want blah, blah, blah the standard wish list.” is like putting a Band-Aid on a cancer. When I confess my sins by name, one by one, in the Spirit, right there in front of God, I am very aware of them (Eph. 4:30 keyword: grieve and 1Pet. 3:20, 2Pet. 3:9 & 15 keyword: longsuffering) and what they do to God (Psa. 86:15, Psa. 103:12-17, Rom. 2:4 & James 5:11) and to His opinion of me.
It helps me keep working on them to eliminate them through the power of the Holy Spirit and the magnifying lens of God’s Holy Scriptures. (Ex. 23:28-30) Spiritual growth is just like when God physically drove the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of the promised land for Israel “little and little until thou be increased and inherit the land”.
Many Christians never learn to pray properly. (Psa. 66:18) “If I regard (approve, consider, enjoy, take heed, respect) iniquity (#1) to exert oneself in vain, #2) to come to nothingness, #3) vanity, #4) idolatry, #5) unrighteous, #6) wickedness) in my heart (soul), the Lord will not hear (listen, regard) me.” In other words, if you don’t really get forgiveness for your sins God will not hear your prayers. God knows and understands we must work, exist in this world and maintain relationships with various people. BUT:
That 6 part definition of iniquity is frightening because it covers such a wide range of human activity in our lives and, of course, Christian’s are right in the middle of the activity of living our lives. Do you know any Christian, including yourself, who doesn’t #1) exert his/her self every day to entertain self AND, according to scripture, (Matt. 12:36), lots of things Christians do every day will come to #2) nothingness in helping to advance God’s kingdom.
Think about pride, we’ve all got it to one degree or another. Think not? Check your reasons for what you do, and be honest (Prov. 5:21 & 15:3 then Heb. 4:12-13) because God is looking (Prov. 6:16-19) and He hates a lying tongue and a proud look. (1John 1:7 thru 2:1 and the first 8 words of V.2; AND esp. 1:8 & 10) If I, or you, or any other Christian says he/she has not sinned we are deceiving our self, we are liars, we call God a liar and His word is not in us.
It makes one wonder how many prayers fall dead and rot around the bent knees of unrepentant and/or unforgiven Christians because of their unconfessed sins? SO: According to God’s word we must confess and ask forgiveness for these sins every time we pray if we expect our prayers to be heard. Do you think God will judge us that close?
(Matt. 12:36-37) Jesus said; in the judgment we shall give an account of every idle (useless) word we speak. By our words we shall be justified and by our words we shall be condemned. I’m not trying to judge you, cause you depression, or give you an anxiety attack. I’m attempting to show you that you do sin and those sins negate your prayers unless you confess them and ask for forgiveness every time you pray.
(Rom. 12:1-2 keywords: brethren & renewing) If we (brethren) were made a new person at salvation why should we need renewing? (2Cor. 4:16) “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man (body) perish, yet the inward man (soul) is renewed day by day.”
The moment you were born your body started the dying process and obviously something must be wrong with your soul if it constantly needs renewed. (1John 1:9) “If we confess our sins (plural=many), he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(Mark 3:17) John, whom Jesus named a son of thunder (thunder voice), (John 21:20-24) who had leaned on Jesus breast at the last supper, the mighty writer of 5 books of the Bible had humbly included himself with those who needed to confess their sins (plural=many). Now, by not admitting (confessing) your sins aren’t you telling God you don’t sin? Prayer is the only way to be cleansed of sin and keep your soul and your COVENANT renewed day by day.
This works for me: I like to get by myself where I can just tear loose and let it all go. I like to use Biblical phrases and words because they explain everything much better. My praying is in a series of steps that sometimes get mixed together. #1) Confessing my sins and asking God for forgiveness. #2) Explaining to God who I am to me. #3) Explaining to God who He is to me; praise. #4) Asking for and explaining what I need from God so I can exist as a Christian.
#5) Asking for and explaining what I want for other people and ending the prayer. Its well past my bedtime and this is the prayer I am praying. I’ll write it and I mean it just like I say it but I won’t write names, your reaction, laughing or learning, is between God and you; I could care less what you think because it’s what works for me and it gets me through to God.
“Oh great and beautiful God of glory I ask thee to forgive me of the awful sin of pride that removes me such an infinite distance from thy presence. Please forgive me the thoughts that I might be something when, in my soul, I know I am nothing without thee. I ask thee merciful God to forgive me my hesitation and timidity when I witness for thee, forgive me for my sloth and coldness in my prayers and study. Oh Lord, when I look at myself according to thy Holy Word I see a multitude of failures, ignorance and sins.
Oh great God of glory I find that I must stand with the publican, I ask thee, as I smite my breast with shame and sorrow, that thou, oh longsuffering God, would be merciful to me, a sinner. Look down on my useless life with tender pity, compassion, love and mercy. If I have left any of my multitude of sins and failures unnamed I beg thy pardon and forgiveness for them.
Please oh Lord of all lords, King of all kings, God of all gods wash me and cleanse me in the blood of thy Holy Son Jesus that I might be washed white as snow in the sight of thy Holy eyes, that this prayer would ascend up to thee bathed in the sweet incense of the sanctity of Jesus and it would be a pleasing odor unto thy Holy nostrils. That, oh merciful God, the content of my heart would be pleasing unto thee when my poor words are sounded in thy Holy ears. And, oh most Holy God, that thou would give grave consideration to my requests and petitions.
Oh mighty, beautiful and merciful God when I measure my minuscule ability to love it is like that of a grain of sand lost somewhere on a sandy beach and thy love, dear God, is like the sky, without limit, boundless, endless and beautiful. Teach me to love better dear Father, help me be more understanding, give me the gift of insight that I can perceive the needs of the people I meet.
Oh God, thou knowest the names that are in my heart that I cannot here name, please be merciful, draw them, open their eyes and save them. Give me the power of a Holy Spirit testimony that I can persuade people to come to thee and seek thy salvation.
Here oh great God, take my hands, my feet, my eyes, my tongue, my all Lord, bless me with thy Holy Spirit that I can conduct myself and speak thy words that people will know I am sent by thee. Every witnessing article I give out Lord please take it to a hungry heart in the power of thy Holy Spirit that they will understand and seek thee. Inspire me to write just as you would have me write and, oh great God, I thank thee that thou has let me, your poor, useless, undeserving servant, take care of thy website.
I ask thee that thou would bless me that I can paint pictures on men’s souls with the words thou givest me. And I ask thee to guide a multitude to find it on the internet and that thou would bless them and give them through thy website what they seek and that their hunger might be filled through thy Holy Spirit and thy Holy Word. Oh Lord place it upon viewer’s hearts to share the name of your website with their friends and acquaintances.
I thank thee heavenly Father that thou art my fortress and high tower; my sword and my buckler. Were it not for thy mighty power I would be lost and undone. Thank you, thank you, I thank thee with all my heart for saving me when I was lost and on my way to a burning hell. I thank thee that thou hast kept me, corrected me and loved me with tender pity and compassion as I made my feeble efforts to serve thee.
Lord thou knowest that in a few days I will be having another surgical procedure and I ask thee, if it be your will that I live, when I am coming out from under the anesthetic thou would take me over through thy Holy Spirit so that I not utter words or conduct myself in any way that would bring shame or a reproach upon thy Holy Name.
Truly there is none other god but thee oh Great God. I ask thee to set an angel to guard my Mother’s house that no evil persons would bother her, give her pleasant slumber and dreams, be merciful to her pain and when its time for her to die let it be so fast she has no time to hurt, suffer or fear. Let her go from pleasant sleep to your mighty and loving presence in the twinkling of an eye. Lord I know nothing is impossible with thee so, if it be not out of turn in some way I don’t understand, please tell my son Jimmie and my Daddy I love them.
I beg thee heavenly Father that thou wouldst open my youngest son’s eyes, let him see where he has gone when he disgraced himself and left your Church. It was nobody’s fault but his own and he is dragging his beautiful children and his wife down into the hog pen with him.
Please be not offended heavenly Father but I desire to call to your remembrance when his two brothers went to the altar and he ran, terror stricken, behind them. Oh merciful God, hear my plea and be merciful to him. Thou, oh Lord, said to not forbid little children to come unto thee and he fled to thy love and mercy when he thought his brothers were coming to heaven and he would be left behind.
Lord, Lord, only he and thee knows what he said but I’m sure it was enough in his childish words that thou, oh beautiful and merciful God, filled with compassion and tender pity, did not turn him away from thy mercy. Oh God, please be merciful to me if I ask amiss, but permit me to call to your remembrance the lovely, sunny, summer day you provided when my sons locked arms together there in the clear blue, lovely lake water.
Nobody had ever seen anything like that before, three brothers with locked arms standing in the water waiting and it seemed everybody in the Church wanted to touch them or to at least touch someone who was touching them as three brothers were baptized at one time in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and they went under the water together to honor thy salvation thou had bestowed upon them.
Let him live, let him live great God, please be patient, please bring him back from the hog pen that he has entered, oh God thou canst do anything, he’s a man grown now, but he’s still my baby and I’m begging thee to not let him die lost and go to hell.
And my middle son Lord, I thank thee with all my heart that he and his family are all saved and in church. My beautiful, heavenly Father help them to grow strong in thee and thy ways. Guide them into the paths of righteousness and hold them close to thy bosom dear Lord. Help him to be a good Daddy and husband, help him and his to be rooted and grounded in thy Holy Word and in the faith.
I thank thee great God, precious and dear, thou hast sent his wife into our family. Her dedication and loyalty to thee is truly an inspiration and she holds thy name high with her words and actions to all that know her, I ask thee to bless their lives and teach them to be productive Christians for thee. Guide their steps and protect them when they stumble and falter in their walk with thee beautiful, wonderful, all powerful heavenly Father.
Guide their thoughts, give them spiritual discernment that Satan not get them at disadvantage with his cunning devices. I and my wife need an abundance of that blessing too dear Lord. Send to each his angel to protect them from harm and from evil people Lord, strengthen their faith in thee and bless their precious lives.
Oh merciful God please bless my Church. Their prayers that are according to thy will add my name to them for I am in agreement with them. Bless them dear Father, thou knowest better than I what they need and I ask that thou would give it them with the greatest joy.
Hedge us about with thy mighty angels that Satan would find his way blocked that we can worship thee in spirit and truth and that thou would make us worthy of thy Holy Name. Bless our two preachers with mighty stirring messages that will build us up with thy truth and that precious souls would be saved.
Thank you, thank you heavenly Father that thou hast made a place there for me and I ask thee to bless me to help my preachers and my congregation in any way I can. I know heavenly Father that bleak, terrible times are coming but please bless Israel and its capital Jerusalem.
Let our foolish government never turn its back on Israel and show our leaders that America is in the same holy war as is Israel. Open the eyes of our leaders dear Lord and show them there are greater things to be done through thee than their lust for idolatrous wealth and the puny, devilish power of this world.
Oh God send leaders to thy church that will unite thy holy people and do away with the ignorance and sin of division by denomination. Help thy people to understand that we are to vote by the standard of thy word and not by the idolatrous ideology of a political party.
Before it’s too late heavenly Father unite us and that we will understand with a voting block of 60 million Christian voters we can change America back from plunging headlong into the abyss of sin. I know thou hast said in thy Holy Word the world will wax worse and worse but I truly hate to see it happening as my nation is encouraging Satan to rampage through my society with his wicked ways. Please stay thy judgment upon America and help us turn it around.
Great and wonderful, all powerful and beautiful, loving, kindly God of all Glory I thank thee for loving me and keeping me. I thank thee that thou hast heard me. Thou knowest heavenly father that I love thee with all of the little that I am. I thank thee for putting up with me and my feeble attempts to serve thee. Heavenly Father I ask these things in the name of Jesus and for His namesake. Amen.”