These are “The Days of Elijah” – A
Call to War (2-25-2019)
There is a cosmic war being waged between good and evil,
between God and Satan. It involves all
of the created universe and all of mankind.
It is a war over power, authority and control of the universe. It is a war over a throne and a kingdom. It is a war over the souls of the people of
this world. This "warfare world view" is the context in which the whole
Bible was written. From the moment God
created the beings called the "sons of God" or "gods" or
angels (Gen. 6:2,4; Job 2:1, 418) and gave them free will, there was the
potential that some would choose against God and rebel against His authority.
Indeed, the Bible tells us that this did happen and the cosmic war of the ages began.
Now, as we approach the end of this age this battle has
reached a fever pitch. Our enemy the devil with all of his minions is attacking
in great wrath. The evidence is all around us from very personal, individual
attacks, to the evil being shown so blatantly in corrupt and evil world
leaders. What then are the righteous to do?
[Psalm 11:2 NASB] For, behold, the
wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string To shoot in
darkness at the upright in heart.
[Psalm 11:3 NASB] If the
foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?"
[Psalm 11:4 NASB] The LORD is in
His holy temple; the LORD'S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids
test the sons of men.
[Psalm 11:5 NASB] The LORD tests
the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.
[Psalm 11:6 NASB] Upon the wicked
He will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of
their cup.
[Psalm 11:7 NASB] For the LORD is
righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face.
[Rom 8:37 NKJV] Yet in all these
things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
What are the righteous to do? We are to be strong in the
Lord and become spiritual warriors. The Lord is righteous. He is just. He is in
control. He empowers and protects His own. He has already won the battle. Our
task is to enforce His victory.
[Eph 6:10 NASB] Finally, be strong
in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
[Eph 6:11 NASB] Put on the full
armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the
devil.
[Eph 6:12 NASB] For our struggle is
not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers,
against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of
wickedness in the heavenly [places.]
[Eph 6:13 NASB] Therefore, take up
the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and
having done everything, to stand firm.
I hear the Spirit of the Lord saying this for
our day:
[Psalm 105:15 NASB] "Do not touch My anointed ones, And do
My prophets no harm."
Who are the “anointed ones” in our day? They are God’s
children, the Lord’s Bride, those born again by, filled with, sealed with, and
anointed by the Holy Spirit. The Lord is telling the saints, and warning the
devil, that there are going to be severe consequences for the devil’s attacks
on God’s anointed ones. I also suspect that God has also anointed others, not
necessarily saved yet, for specific reasons and duties, Like Cyrus of the Old
Testament. The warning to not touch God’s anointed goes for them also.
[Act 10:38 NASB] "[You know
of] Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with
power, and [how] He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by
the devil, for God was with Him.
[John 20:21 NASB] So Jesus said to
them again, "Peace [be] with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send
you."
[John 20:22 NASB] And when He had
said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
[2Co 1:21 NASB] Now He who
establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,
[2Co 1:22 NKJV] who also has sealed us and
given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
[Eph 1:13 NKJV] In Him you also
[trusted], after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in
whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
[Eph 4:30 NKJV] And do not grieve
the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
[Rev 7:3 NKJV] saying, "Do not
harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our
God on their foreheads."
[Isa 45:1 NKJV] "Thus says the
LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held--To subdue nations
before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors,
So that the gates will not be shut:
For those fallen
angels and demons that do attack, and are attacking God’s anointed ones, they
will incur God’s wrath. They have already been judged, found guilty, and the
sentence already passed.
Judged:
“[John 16:11 NASB]
and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.” (and all of his minions with him)
[John 5:27 NKJV]
"and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the
Son of Man.
[2Pe 2:4 NKJV] For
if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast [them] down to hell and
delivered [them] into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
Sentenced:
[Rev 14:9 NASB] Then
another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If
anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or
on his hand,
[Rev 14:10 NASB] he
also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full
strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and
brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
[Rev 14:11 NASB]
"And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no
rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever
receives the mark of his name."
[Rev 14:19 NASB] So the angel swung his sickle
to the earth and gathered [the clusters from] the vine of the earth, and threw
them into the great wine press of the wrath of God.
[Rev 19:20 NASB] And
the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in
his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast
and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of
fire which burns with brimstone.
[Rev 20:10 NASB] And
the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where
the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and
night forever and ever.
[Rev 20:14 NASB]
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second
death, the lake of fire.
[Rev 20:15 NASB] And
if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into
the lake of fire.
The destiny of all of God’s enemies is ultimately the Lake of Fire, the
second death.
And the sentence has already been partially executed for some.
[Luke 8:31 NASB]
They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.
[2Pe 2:4 NASB] For
if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and
committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;
The warning I hear
the Holy Spirit giving to all those that “touch God’s anointed ones” in this
hour is that their sentence is to be executed prematurely. Their fate is
the abyss and eventually the Lake of Fire.
With such protection for the saints, and with such a warning
to all those that are being used by the devil to attack God’s saints, what then
are God’s anointed ones, His true Church, to do in such a day as this? We
should be bold and courageous and go to war against the devil and his minions
and rescue as many as possible from the fate of the devil and his hordes.
We have been given
the authority and power to attack the spiritual forces at work in the world
today.
We
have been given spiritual power and the right to exercise that power, which is
authority. This authority and power have
been released to the saints of God to use on earth is to be used for specific
things.
●
It is authority over evil spirits, demons and
the power of the enemy: It is also
authority over sickness and the authority to heal diseases.
●
Matthew 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to
him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal
every disease and sickness.
●
Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve
together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to
cure diseases,
●
Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to
trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy;
nothing will harm you.
●
Mark 6:7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them
out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.
●
Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those
who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new
tongues;
●
It is the authority
to bind and to loose things on earth.
●
Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
●
It is the authority
to encourage and build up the saints of God on earth.
●
2 Corinthians 10:8 For even if I boast somewhat
freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather
than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.
●
Titus 2:15 - These, then, are the things you
should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone
despise you.
●
It is the power
and authority to be His witnesses in all the earth.
●
Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the
Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and
in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Matt. 28:18-19)
●
And to those who are over comers and do His will
to the end, He will give power and
authority over the nations.
●
Revelation 2:26 To him who overcomes and does my
will to the end, I will give authority over the nations -- (NIV)
●
The Church, Jesus' bride, is to rule and reign
with Him as kings and priests.
Lk. 12:32, Rev. 3:21, 1 Cor. 6:2-3, Jn. 17:22, Rom. 8:17, 1 Pet. 2:9.
We have been given
spiritual gifts or tools (weapons) to use in our warfare.
[1Co 12:4 NASB] Now
there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
[1Co 12:5 NASB] And
there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.
[1Co 12:6 NASB]
There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all
[persons.]
[1Co 12:7 NASB] But
to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
[1Co 12:8 NASB] For
to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word
of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
[1Co 12:9 NASB] to
another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one
Spirit,
[1Co 12:10 NASB]
and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to
another the distinguishing of spirits, to another [various] kinds of tongues,
and to another the interpretation of tongues.
[1Co 12:11 NASB]
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one
individually just as He wills.
We have been given
anointed people to fulfil specific offices in the Church to equip the saints
for service.
[1Co 12:28 NASB]
And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations,
[various] kinds of tongues.
[Eph 4:11 NIV] So
Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors
and teachers,
[Eph 4:12 NIV] to
equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built
up
[Eph 4:13 NIV]
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God
and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
[Eph 4:14 NIV] Then
we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown
here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of
people in their deceitful scheming.
In addition to all of this, God promises His saints, His
anointed ones, protection in times of trouble, turmoil, and attack.
There is hope, peace, and even joy in the midst of the
battles for those that put their trust in Jesus, the Son of God. He is the
Righteous Judge, the Commander of the Armies of Heaven, the King of kings, and
Lord of Lords. In times of great trouble, turmoil, chaos, and especially in
times of judgment and the wrath of God, Jesus is the “hiding place”.
Promises
of deliverance and safely in times of great trouble:
[Exo 12:27 ESV] 27 you shall say, 'It is the
sacrifice of the LORD's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people
of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.'"
And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.
The Hebrews were saved from the
angel of death by the blood applied to their dwellings. God’s people today are
saved from death by the “blood of Jesus” (His blood, shed on the cross) for the
forgiveness of sin) applied to their hearts.
[Psalm 27:5 NKJV] 5 For in the time
of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His
tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
God will “hide” His people in the
time of trouble in a secret place (His tabernacle –heaven?).
[Psalm 31:20 ESV] 20 In the cover
of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your
shelter from the strife of tongues.
God keeps His people from the
plots, deceptions, and from words spoken against them so that they produce no
effect.
[Psalm 32:6-7 ESV] 6 Therefore let
everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. 7 You are a
hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts
of deliverance. Selah
God
delivers and preserves His people in times of great trouble.
[Psalm 57:1 ESV] 1 To the
choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from
Saul, in the cave. Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my
soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the
storms of destruction pass by.
God’s
mercy is His people’s place of refuge in the storms of destruction.
[Psalm 83:3 NKJV] 3 They have taken
crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your
sheltered ones.
There
is evil counsel against God’s hidden or sheltered ones.
[Psalm 91:1 ESV] 1 He who dwells in
the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
God
is His people’s shelter in times of great trouble.
[Psalm 119:114 NKJV] 114 You [are]
my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.
God is not only a hiding place; He
is also a shield against the fiery darts of evil. God’s people find hope in His
Word.
[Pro 18:10 ESV] 10 The name of the
LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
The
place of safety is The Name of the Lord (Jesus).
[Isa 26:20-21 ESV] 20 Come, my
people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves
for a little while until the fury has passed by. 21 For behold, the LORD is
coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their
iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more
cover its slain.
When the Lord comes to punish the
inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, His people are to hide themselves
(in the Lord) until the fury has passed by.
[Isa 32:2 NKJV] 2 A man will be as
a hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the tempest, As rivers of water
in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
Jesus
is the hiding place in a weary land.
[Jer 39:18 ESV] 18 For I will
surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your
life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the
LORD.'"
Put your trust in the Lord and He
will save you in times of war or great destruction.
[Jer 45:5 ESV] 5 And do you seek
great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster
upon all flesh, declares the LORD. But I will give you your life as a prize of
war in all places to which you may go."
Do not seek “things” when the Lord
brings disaster upon all flesh and He will give you your life as the prize of
war.
[Col 3:2-4 ESV] 2 Set your minds on
things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died,
and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life
appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Remember who you are as a
born-again child of God. Remember where your citizenship really resides. Think
about the promises of God to His children and the eternal life He has given to
those that believe and trust in Jesus.
Given all of this, what is the Church supposed to be doing
in times such as these? We are to:
[Eph 6:10 NASB] Finally, be strong
in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
[Eph 6:11 NASB] Put on the full
armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the
devil.
[Eph 6:12 NASB] For our struggle is
not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers,
against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of
wickedness in the heavenly [places.]
[Eph 6:13 NASB] Therefore, take up
the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and
having done everything, to stand firm.
[Eph 6:14 NASB] Stand firm
therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE
BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
[Eph 6:15 NASB] and having shod
YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;
[Eph 6:16 NASB] in addition to all,
taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil [one.]
[Eph 6:17 NASB] And take THE HELMET
OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
[Eph 6:18 NASB] With all prayer and
petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the
alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
We are to war against the enemy:
[2Co 10:3 NKJV] For though we walk
in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
[2Co 10:4 NKJV] For the weapons of
our warfare [are] not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
[2Co 10:5 NKJV] casting down
arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,
bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
We are to continue with the assignment and anointing that
the Father gave to our Lord Jesus:
[Isa 61:1 NIV] The Spirit of the Sovereign
LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the
poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the
captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
[Isa 61:2 NIV] to proclaim the year
of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who
mourn,
[John 20:21 NASB] So Jesus said to
them again, "Peace [be] with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send
you."
We are to be a spiritual army. Specifically, we are to be on
search and rescue missions to set those held captive by the devil free, heal
those that are wounded, and led those that are lost into God’s Kingdom to save
them from a terrible fate that is before them if they are not brought into The
Kingdom.
But how is the Church to do this if they are not prepared
and trained. Many are not really aware that there is a spiritual war going on.
Some are aware but prefer not, or are afraid, to get involved. Some are aware
and have “signed up” but have not even gone through basic training. It is time
for the Church to wake up to the spiritual warfare going on all around it. It
is time for the Church to teach on the authority, power, and gifts of the Holy
Spirit and teach the saints how to walk in this authority, power, and gifts.
[Mat 13:15 NKJV] For the hearts of
this people have grown dull. [Their] ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes
they have closed, Lest they should see with [their] eyes and hear with [their]
ears, Lest they should understand with [their] hearts and turn, So that I
should heal them.'
[2Ti 4:3 NKJV] For the time will
come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own
desires, [because] they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves
teachers;
There are also those in the church that are content to just
be entertained, or maybe even serve the church in some limited capacity, but living
on “milk” and never maturing.
[Heb 5:12 NKJV] For though by this
time you ought to be teachers, you need [someone] to teach you again the first
principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid
food.
[Heb 5:13 NKJV] For everyone who
partakes [only] of milk [is] unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is
a babe.
There are also those that receive academic teaching of the
scriptures, but do not live out or apply the teachings. These are those that do
not enter into the spiritual battles that are going on all around them, but
just hunker down in a defensive posture hoping that others will fight the
battles for them. It is time for the
Church to wake up.
There is a spiritual war going on and that like it or not,
the war is all around us. The saints of God need to understand just what is really going on, the nature of the combatants, what the battlefields are, what the strategies and weapons of the war are, and how the weapons are used. If we want to be an active participant in the
battle, then we need training in strategies and tactics and how to use the weapons as well as how to defend against the enemy. Will
the leaders in the Church rise to the occasion? Will the shepherds, teachers,
prophets, evangelists, elders, deacons, and other leaders in the Church rise to
this challenge?
Properly trained and equipped, we are more that conquerors
in Christ Jesus! We are the victors!
[Rom 8:35 NKJV] Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? [Shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword?
[Rom 8:36 NKJV] As it is written: "For Your sake we are
killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
[Rom 8:37 NKJV] Yet
in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
[Rom 8:38 NKJV] For I am persuaded that neither death nor
life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things
to come,
[Rom 8:39 NKJV] nor height nor depth, nor any other created
thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
IT IS TIME FOR THE CHURCH TO
WAKE UP!
[Rev 3:22 NKJV] "He who has an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
