Angels and Demons Part 2

Greetings,

                Last week we left off in the midst of our discussion on how the angels were able to procreate with human women as described in Genesis 6:1-4. We also realized that although Lucifer had already rebelled, it is unlikely that he was involved in this since he was not locked up like the angels that were involved (2 Peter 2:4). On this note we will resume our discussion as we seek to understand the difference between fallen angels and demons.

I want to make you aware of an ancient text known as 1 Enoch. Although it is not canonized, it is quoted by the Bible and gives information that the Bible is relatively silent on. Note how it is quoted by the Bible:

“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” (Jude 14-15)

“And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones, To execute judgment upon all, and to destroy all the ungodly: And to convict all flesh Of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” (1 Enoch 1:9)

The following quote is from the book of 1 Enoch and if it is correct, it sheds additional light on the incident of Genesis 6:1-4 and helps us to understand that there were exactly 200 angels involved in the incident. Furthermore, the record in 1 Enoch confirms what I pointed out in the last email. Lucifer had little if anything to do with this rebellion. His name is not listed among the names of the captains.

“And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children…' Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And these are the names of their leaders: Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel, Ramlel, Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel, Zaqlel, Samsapeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. These are their chiefs of tens.” (1 Enoch 6:1-3a, 5b-8)

                Thus far everything that we have discussed has been in relation to angels. However, now that we have established what Genesis 6 actually explains we can move on. The word translated as “giants” in the book of Genesis is the Hebrew word nephilim. It was primarily due to nephilim activity that the flood was sent. This activity threatened a pure human seed which would be necessary to bring about the birth of the Messiah. God could not let that happen. Moreover, this activity also played a role in bringing about total lawlessness and evil (Genesis 6:5).

                After the flood the nephilim show up again, particularly in the Promised Land (Canaan). When they show up there are different races of them:

Ø  Rephaims: a tall ancient people in the land east of the Jordan. The dead ones (Genesis 14:5)

Ø  Emims: Fearful ones (Deuteronomy 2:11-12)

Ø  Anakims: long necked ones (Deuteronomy 2:11-12)

Ø  Zamzummims (Deuteronomy 2:20)

Ø  Horims: a race of nephilim conquered by the descendants of Esau (Deuteronomy 2:12)

Ø  Avims: Conquered by the Caphtorims (Deuteronomy 2:23)

Ø  Caphtorims: giants from the lineage of Mizraim (Egypt) (1 Chronicles 1:11-12)

Etymologically related to the Hebrew word Rephaim (one of the tribes of the giants) is the Hebrew word rapha. They both carry the connotation of being dead—rapha referring to the dead Rephaim. It is no coincidence that rapha actually means ghost or shade according to Strong’s Concordance. This leads us to a particularly interesting passage in the book of Isaiah.

“They are dead, they will not live; They are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And made all their memory to perish.” (Isaiah 26:14 NKJV)

This passage is speaking to the resurrection of the dead. How are there some “deceased” that will not rise? I bolded the word deceased because it is translated from the Hebrew word rapha. Remember that while this word means ghost and shade it is etymologically related to the word Rephaim. In essence, Isaiah is actually saying that as ghosts, the spirits of dead nephilim will not have a resurrection. Trying to interpret it as pertaining to humans is straightforwardly impossible; this is the only conclusion that makes sense.

The Bible is clear that all humans will have a resurrection. From the book of Revelation we learn that there are two resurrections. One resurrection is for those that have died in Christ (Revelation 20:5-6) and the other is for everyone else (Revelation 20:12-13). The important point is that every human will experience a resurrection for judgment at some point. It is impossible to be human and not receive a resurrection.

Isaiah’s comment in regards to the word rapha is actually for the purpose of setting up a comparison. Just a few verses later Isaiah continues to speak to the resurrection of the dead. He is intentionally making a distinction between human spirits and nephil spirits.

“Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.” (Isaiah 26:19 NKJV)

Although the Bible doesn’t specifically tell us what happens to the spirits of dead nephilim, the fact that the word rapha means ghosts or shades is enough to draw our conclusion. Demons are not angels, but the disembodied spirits of dead nephilim. Having proven this with the Bible, we can verify it by returning to the account of 1 Enoch.

“And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men and from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; they shall be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called. [As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.] And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them.” (1 Enoch 15:8-12)

To be continued…

The Necessity of Spiritual Warfare

1/7/12

Greetings,

I am excited for the arrival of the New Year! I hope that you enjoyed the holidays. I was personally blessed to spend quality time with both my side of the family as well as my wife’s. However, with all of the festivities finished we are at a crossroads. As with every New Year, it brings with it the potential for change. Many view the changing of the year as an opportunity to change direction, to pursue new dreams, or to simply right old wrongs. At BRIDE Ministries this year will bring several new things which I am already thanking God for.

This year, and actually within the next couple weeks, we will be able to begin receiving tax-deductable donations. That’s right! BRIDE Ministries is being incorporated as an official 501c3 non-profit ministry. The donations that we will be able to receive will allow us to pursue greater projects and bring into the realm of possibility many things that up until now have remained ideas written on paper. I want to challenge those of you that have found true value from these letters or the online teachings to prayerfully consider giving towards the vision. For those of you that are newer to this letter, my vision is to promote unity in the body of Christ worldwide and assist in the creation and development of sheep nations.

Last year the focus of these weekly emails was the power and purpose of unity in the body of Christ. All of those teachings have been titled and posted to my blog if any of you would like to review the concepts and lessons that were shared. This year we are going to transition into spiritual warfare.

               It is truly unfortunate that this still seems to be a relatively controversial subject in certain circles of Christianity. Spiritual warfare, plain and simple, is something that Jesus said Christians would do. Furthermore, when He said we would do this, He used a covenant word—“shall.” Covenant words like “shall” and “will” indicate absolute resolution that what has been said will be.

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.” (Mark 16:17)

Understand that the casting out of devils is not to be approached narrow-mindedly. Some assume that casting out devils is limited to driving demons out of individual people. If this were the extent of spiritual warfare it would certainly be nice, but the issue is much larger than this one aspect of “casting out devils.” Devils, otherwise known as evil spirits, not only occupy people, but can be attached to objects, ritual sites, homes, neighborhoods, cities, states, and nations. There are even spirits with international authority like spirits attached to religious systems. Beyond this there are spirits that rule over other dimensions like Abaddon who is the fallen angel that rules a realm known as “the pit” (Revelation 9:11). At the very top of the hierarchy is Lucifer, otherwise known as Satan, who is called by the Bible the “god of this world”.

“In whom the god of this world [Lucifer] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)

I am going to approach this subject very similarly to the way I approached the subject of unity. Each week will be a nugget of truth. At times, I may string one lesson across two or three weeks but for the most part each letter will address one aspect of spiritual warfare.

               I do not plan on censoring myself in this process. Jesus has walked me out into the realm of the spirit for a reason. I am not setting out to read a doctrinal thesis and regurgitate it to you. I am going to keep this very real, very relevant, and grounded in the Word of God. I will be sharing personal experiences and explaining things to you the way the Holy Spirit has explained them to me. Many of the things I will be sharing will stretch you, but my goal is to equip you to be a threat to the enemy.

The sad truth is that the enemy scoffs at many people that consider themselves Christian. The reason is because they do not know how to exercise the power of Christ against him. Furthermore, many do not want to and some even try to oppose those that do. The devil looks at them like idiots, and rightly so. Put yourself in his shoes for a minute.

Imagine that you are trying to build a factory that will manufacture nothing but poison. Poison will be packaged and sold for a profit and more poison will be released from the smoke stacks. Moreover, poison will even be illegally dispensed underground so that it can get into the water supply. Eventually, everyone in the city will die from the impact of the factory. You’re not worried about it though, because that is actually your purpose for building the factory. When you begin building you purposely go out to hire all of the crooks and bad guys in the city. When you waive the cash and opportunity in their faces they immediately get on board. However, there is a group of people that has just been sent to the same city to establish a beautiful and healthy environment.

As you await the inevitable opposition you watch as an illogical thing begins to occur. The group that was sent in to establish a beautiful and healthy environment begins to argue. Some begin to declare that you are not actually building a poison factory and that everyone that believes you are doing that is crazy. Others say that if they talk about the factory too much, it glorifies evil, so they should only sparingly talk about the factory and not commit to opposing it lest evil be more greatly glorified. You begin to chuckle when some of them come to you in secret to ask for jobs. It gets even more ridiculous when the group begins to punish and mock the members that suggest it is time to oppose the factory. By the time the factory is completely built and a large portion of the city is already dying from its impact you are rolling on your back laughing that the group is still failing to organize and oppose your efforts. The most ridiculous part is that they actually hold the title deed to the land you built the factory on and can evict you from it at anytime.

“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:18)

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18)

“For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.” (1 Corinthians 10:26)

Jesus is the ultimate authority. He has all power in heaven and in earth. He has legal rights to the earth and “the fullness thereof” right now. In the parable, the poison represents sin and things leading to it. The devil and his cohorts propagate sin through the various devices that they erect (2 Corinthians 2:11). This is represented by the factory in the parable. The devil receives rights to build his empire in this earth from people who choose to cooperate with him. This is because God appointed men to have dominion over the earth even though He owns it (Genesis 1:26). Through his deceptions the devil has usurped authority to the point that the Bible declares him the god of this world. However, when his rights are taken away by the people of God (because that’s our job) the devil and his cohorts must evict the territory. This territory can be an individual’s life, a home, a city, a state or a nation.

My goal is to help Christians give the devil a major headache and take his stuff away according to the power granted to us by Christ. In order to do this, I must give you understanding on new levels. If someone tells you that you can get coconuts from a tree you might get excited. When you get to the tree however, you will promptly realize that you cannot get any coconuts at the base of the tree. If you’re a real thinker, you will realize that the tree must be climbed in order to get to the coconuts. Most Christians, when it comes to spiritual warfare, do not look up and obtain a vision of their potential inheritance or try to climb the tree which requires training, time, and effort. Instead, they just stand there. Every once in a while, by the grace of God, gravity will pull a coconut to the ground and they will exclaim, “Aha! Our faithfulness has produced progress and it fits our belief system!” Please don’t be that guy.

I am going to show you what it means to climb the tree towards the inheritance we can have as experts in spiritual warfare. These letters will inform, train, and equip you throughout the year. In addition, I will attach an audio file (.mp3) to every email of me praying. These prayers will be based on the lessons and concepts contained in the emails every week. They will provide you with both impartation as well as a model for incorporating the information into your own prayers. These will replace the question section of last year’s emails.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4)

The Power of the Blood

12/17/11

Greetings,

                The old saying, “There’s power in the blood,” is as relevant today as it was on the day that the blood dripped from the body of Jesus. Why is the blood powerful? In order to understand the power of the blood of Jesus we must understand the system of dealing with sin that God instituted. All sin had to be paid for, and the payment for sin has always been blood. The first sin—when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—was paid for with blood. This blood was shed when God killed an animal and used the skins to clothe Adam and Eve.

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21)

                This set up a pattern. This pattern followed into the sacrifices of Cain and Abel. God respected Abel’s sacrifice because it was a blood sacrifice. God did not respect Cain’s sacrifice because it was not a blood sacrifice.

“And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” (Genesis 4:3-5)

 Why does it have to be blood? This is a very relevant question, particularly from our cultural standpoint. Most would cringe at the thought of attending a blood sacrifice ritual. The matter comes down to the issue of life and death. The Bible is clear that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). When Adam and Eve sinned, death entered by that sin (Romans 5:12). Since sin brings death, this must be counterbalanced by life. Life is the opposite of death. Where is life to be found? Life is found in the blood.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” (Leviticus 17:11)

Where ever there is sin, death is given entrance. When life is introduced, death is defeated. The blood sacrifice introduces life. The blood sacrifice releases the life that is necessary to make atonement for our souls. This is important because God’s goal is to redeem us from death. God calls death His enemy. In fact, God’s ultimate plan is to destroy death altogether.

“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:26)

In order to crush the problem of sin and overcome death God appointed a solution. A sacrifice was to be made whose blood contained enough life to destroy the power of sin forever. There was only one sacrifice that had the power to do this. God had to sacrifice His only begotten Son, because the blood that His Son carried contained the very life of God. By the shedding of this blood, Jesus would become the ultimate payment for the sins of mankind. The Greek word that refers to the life of God is the Word zoe, and this is the term that Jesus employs in the following verse.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life [zoe]: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:26)

                Not only did this life abide in Jesus, but when it was poured out it gave us access to the very life of God. This life was passed down to us through the breaking of His body and the shedding of His blood. This is one of the reasons why communion is so powerful—the wine represents the blood that forever broke the power of sin and gave us access to the very life of God.

                “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh [the communion bread], and drinketh my blood [the communion wine], hath eternal life [zoe]; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:53-54)

                The word propitiation means to atone for; it can also be defined as an expiatory work. In plain English propitiation is the means by which man is reconciled to God. Jesus, by shedding His blood, became the means by which we were reconciled to God. This is why He is the only door (John 10:9) and why salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8).

“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)

                As we begin to understand the power and purpose of the blood of Jesus, a lot of things begin to go deeper. This leads into the concept of the family of God. God is big on family. One thing that all families share is a common bloodline. When God set out to create a family, He decided that He was going to birth children into His own kingdom. This is why we are born again. We must be born into the kingdom of God, and this is a spiritual birth into the life of God. At this point we not only become members of God’s family, but also members of God’s blood line. The same blood that was in Jesus is the blood that works in us.

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named” (Ephesians 3:14-15)

                As Christians we are a family united by the bloodline of God. The same life force that redeemed us from sin literally runs in our spiritual veins fueling us with the life of God. This blood allows God to grant us eternal life! In light of this an important question must be asked. How is it that such a supernaturally strong force can be working in us, yet unity among the body of Christ remains a fleeting thought throughout much of Christendom? We truly are blood brothers and sisters in Christ, let’s tap into that.

Discussion

1.       What are the wages of sin?

2.       How does a blood sacrifice make atonement for sin?

3.       What is the meaning of the word “propitiation”?

4.       What kind of life abides in the blood of Jesus?

5.       What is the role of the blood of Jesus is the family of God?

Transdimensional Church

              12/10/11

Greetings,

                The nature of the human spirit, particularly when considering the spiritual nature of the Christian, is truly an amazing concept. This week we are going to explore some deep spiritual implications regarding the spiritual nature and tie it in with our function as the body of Christ. We are going to pick up with a comment made by Paul in the book of Ephesians.

                “And hath put all things under his [Jesus’] feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23)

                This passage is the tail end of a prayer written down by the apostle beginning in verse 16. To be honest, I recommend to everyone that this prayer be memorized and prayed on a regular basis because it is supremely powerful. Nonetheless, when we arrive at the end of the prayer we learn some important lessons.

He begins by saying that all things have been put under the feet of Jesus. This is interesting because when I look outside my window I don’t actually see the foot of Jesus stepping on anything. Do you? Of course not! So then if all things are under the feet of Jesus, where are his feet? This sounds like a silly question but I am very serious. When we read this we often immediately think: Oh that’s just an expression. Is it really? I propose that it’s much more than an expression.

If we do not regard this as an expression then we have to figure out why when we look outside of our windows we don’t see the feet of Jesus standing on everything. How does this work? The answer is that the feet of Jesus, being located in the third heaven (2 Corinthians 10:2-4), are fixed in a dimensionally superior position. Jesus has been seated in heavenly places in the third heaven at the right hand of the Father.

“which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:20 NKJV)

Every dimensional realm or “heavenly place” where the activity of Satan is permitted is therefore underneath the feet of Jesus.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV)

In order to comprehend what I’m about to tell you, it is going to require a conscious decision on your part to stretch the realms of your understanding. Going into the deeper truths of God requires a dismissal of unilateral thinking. We often try to bring the Word of God down into a framework that accommodates a practical approach. This is okay at times, but to truly walk out our inheritance involves allowing the Word of God to bring us up into a heavenly framework to accommodate a heavenly approach.

Notice that the phrase “heavenly places” is plural in both Ephesians 1:20 and Ephesians 6:12. One group of heavenly places houses wicked spirits. Another group houses Jesus and the realms of heaven. The group of heavenly places that houses Jesus is defined by the Bible as the third heaven. Therefore, beneath this realm are more heavenly places that can be understood as the second heaven. This is the spiritual realm from which Satan and his kingdom conducts their activity.

Within the respective heavens are multiple dimensions. This is why the phrase “heavenly places” is plural in both occasions.  Notice that Jesus is seated in heavenly places. A single person (Jesus Christ) is said to occupy multiple dimensions. The existence that Jesus enjoys in heaven is a trans-dimensional existence. Moreover, this trans-dimensional existence extends right through the second heaven and into our world because the Bible says that Christ is in us.

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

Not only does Jesus Christ enjoy a trans-dimensional existence, but so do Christians. All humans are born as trans-dimensional entities because of the fact that we have a spirit. Our spirit participates in the spiritual realm while running our physical body on this dimensional plane. It is therefore, trans-dimensional. While we have a conscious mind (soul) and a subconscious mind (heart) we also have an unconscious mind which comes from the spiritual experiences that we have neither conscious nor subconscious awareness of. What distinguishes Christians from other people is the fact that our trans-dimensional nature extends all the way into the dimension containing the throne of God (which is the beginning and end of eternity). Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father and we are seated in Him.

“and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6 NKJV)

This is why we can come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Only once we understand all of these things can we understand the passage that we began with. Here it is again:

“And hath put all things under his [Jesus’] feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23)

The church is the body of Christ and the fullness of Him that fills all in all. Just as Jesus in His trans-dimensional identity fills all in all so that He is omnipresent, so the church corporately partakes of the omnipresent nature of Christ in the heavenly places. Doing battle with a church that has a full revelation of the power we wield corporately is what the devil is scared to death of. It is my prayer that as you meditate on this letter, you will begin to comprehend these higher concepts. There is much more that can be said on these things, but we will save that for another time.

Discussion

1.       Is the church the body of Christ?

2.       What does it mean to have a trans-dimensional nature?

3.       Is Jesus trans-dimensional?

4.       Are you trans-dimensional?

5.       What does this mean for the church acting in unity?

2012

12/3/11

Greetings,

                We are officially in the last month of the year. For the past eleven months we have been focusing on the power, the purpose, and the necessity of unity in the body of Christ. The reason we need unity is because many of the works that God wants to do in the coming years will require increasing degrees of unity among His people. Unity is not an end in and of itself, but it is a means to an end. We must begin to grasp this, it is imperative.

                After this month is over the focus of BRIDE emails will most likely be transitioning. I’m not yet sure what direction God will take these emails, but this will undoubtedly be clarified by the beginning of 2012. The year 2012 is going to be a major part of our discussion this week. There is quite a lot of buzz regarding what it will bring, and this week we are going to bring out some important elements.

I have a great deal of confidence that the enemy has big plans for the following year. Will it be the end of the world as some have suggested? Don’t count on it. The real danger of the year has to do with the astrological significance of the planetary alignment that will be occurring. What many don’t understand is that witchcraft in all its various forms and identities is largely based around the cycles of celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and planets. Without going into too much detail, suffice it to say that we can expect unprecedented coordination of rituals throughout the entire kingdom of darkness in an attempt to take advantage of the fact that our solar system will be coming into alignment with what is known as the galactic center.

                This alignment with the galactic center is something that only happens once every 25,920 years. To put this into perspective, if one were to hold a strict young earth view (meaning that they believe the entire history of events on earth is confined to roughly a 6,000 year period) then they would have to accept that earth has never experienced this alignment before. On December 21 of next year, our sun is expected to rise in perfect alignment with the galactic center pictured below. The galactic center is also known as the mouth of the ouroboros (the snake which eats its own tail according to esoteric belief).

                With such an astrologically significant event occurring there will probably be preparations throughout the year by the kingdom of darkness to make sure that full advantage is taken of this astrological alignment. So why should we be concerned? I think the answer is obvious.

                Whether people involved in darkness realize it or not, the very underlying structures of their respective belief systems will be pulling them together in the following year. These underlying structures involve the common beliefs in astrological alignments and their importance. In other words, I expect for the following year to serve as a unifying force within the kingdom of darkness among other things. Will the body of Christ step it up to shut down what the enemy is trying to do? I certainly hope so.

                A major problem that I have become increasingly aware of in the body of Christ is that we really don’t know what to rally around. At the most basic level, Christianity is divided into those that consider themselves evangelical and those that do not. To be evangelical basically means to believe that we must be saved by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Obviously, groups that do not believe this have little business claiming to be Christian. Moreover, even if they try to unite with evangelicals, what are they going to effectively unite around?

                The answer is usually good works like feeding the hungry and getting medical attention for those that can’t afford it. These are good causes but the problem is that humanitarian causes do not require any form of spirituality whatsoever. Moreover, they can be done in the name of any god. The solution to the problem of unity in the body of Christ will not be found in figuring out ways to feed the hungry together. This must be done, but the calling of the church is higher.

                One of these major calls is spiritual warfare. There is only one group of people in the world that is capable of destroying the works of the enemy on a spiritual plane. This is the true church of Jesus Christ.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4)

The church must unite around the very purpose for which we have been placed into the earth. This purpose is actually to corporately come to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). We will never achieve this by continually putting all of our efforts towards feeding the hungry and providing humanitarian aid only. There is so much involved in this, and it will require heavy duty warfare with the powers of darkness. Unfortunately, most Christian leaders know little of how to train people in or personally carry out heavy duty spiritual warfare. This leaves the body of Christ largely defenseless against large scale efforts of the enemy. At this point I’m going to put it plainly: the year 2012 will result in large scale efforts by the enemy.

So what are we going to do? I believe that it’s time for all of us to personally seek out training in our spiritual weaponry from leaders that are equipped. We are going to need it to face the coming increase in darkness. We also need to deepen our relationships with Jesus, without which we will never become effective spiritual warriors. We need to unite with those that are of a similar mind to begin to shut down the works of the enemy and establish righteousness. We need to open ourselves up to receive the truth about what the enemy is already doing and stop plugging up our spiritual ears when we get “uncomfortable”.

Consider that the whole earth is built around an extremely hot core. In the same way, a united body of believers will effectively unite around an extremely hot core. I challenge you to be part of that hot core, because the moves of God that are coming are going to be built around forerunners that are hot, powerful, and well able.

“And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” (Numbers 13:30)

Discussion

1.       Is unity an end in and of itself?

2.       Should we be worried that 2012 is the end of the world?

3.       What is actually going to happen on December 21, 2012?

4.       Who is the only group of people capable of truly destroying the works of the devil in the spirit realm?

5.       Are you an effective spiritual warrior, why or why not?

Family

11/26/11

Greetings,

                As you are well aware, this past Thursday was Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time for get-togethers and reflection on all of the things we are thankful for. It is a celebration of the blessings that we enjoy in our lives. A common theme of thankfulness is the presence of family with whom we can share the ups and downs of life.

                Nonetheless, not all families are as functional as others. Some are downright dysfunctional. The most unfortunate part is that it often seems that the families that should be the most functional often have the most dysfunction. This is particularly true of a family I am going to share about today. This family is the family of God on earth.

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named” (Ephesians 3:14-15)

It is no good for any family to be in a state of feuding. When any family is broken into factions it weakens the family as a whole. It removes a foundation of identity and it opens up doors for the enemy to work his wickedness. The fact that the family of God is broken up into many factions and divided against each other is not good. Reconciliation must be established and for this cause we have all been given the ministry of reconciliation.

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18)

The fact that the body of Christ is a family is poorly understood by a majority of Christians. If we are honest with ourselves, we often view other Christians as people that share the same religion that we adhere to. We give them little consideration beyond this. We don’t look at fellow believers as family and in this way it becomes all too easy to dismiss them as less important to our lives than they really are.

If we compare our approach to fellow believers with the approach of the first church our approach to Christianity is honestly unacceptable.

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)

This year, I challenge you not only to be thankful for your relatives and the other blessings in your life, but also for every person that is your brother or sister in Christ. I am convinced that if we begin with an attitude of thankfulness towards one another it will make it easier to break the walls that separate us.

Discussion

1.       What are you thankful to God for?

2.       Do you consider other Christians your family?

3.       How often have you felt that other Christians viewed you like family?

4.       How does the church of Acts 2 compare with your experience?

5.       How do you think that God feels as the Father of such a dysfunctional family?

The Issue of Self

11/19/11

Greetings,

                When we think about the practicality of unifying people, it never fails that one thing must first be overcome: Self. Until we get “self” out of the way it is impossible for us to live for anything that is above ourselves. Our selfishness actually becomes our limiting factor. The problem is that many Christians are unaware that they are failing to overcome in this area. Whether they realize it or not they are obstacles. They are the enemies of unity.

                There are several approaches to Christianity. Some are better than others, most are counterfeits. The “self-exaltation” approach is one that many find themselves comfortable with. This approach embraces Christianity to a degree, but then exalts the agenda of the individual far above the agenda of God. For this person Christianity is little more than a “hobby.” Maybe they like the pastor of their church. Maybe they like the blessing that the tithe brings on their business. However, it may just be that they are looking for the social status involved with being a regular church attendee. In short, they are lukewarm. For those that fall into this category, the following verses are particularly applicable.

 “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:16)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away…” (John 15:1-2)

These people disrespect their Maker with the way that they approach Him. They spit in the face of God with their attitude and expect God to give them a pat on the back for their time. They look at the very God of the universe as if He owes them something. They exalt themselves above the knowledge of Christ, and apply their Christianity when it’s convenient.

There are other approaches to Christianity, however, that actually become self-destructive as opposed to self-exalting. This can include the “guilt-based” approach to Christianity. This approach becomes a form of bondage in an individual’s life. While they see themselves as being maximally religious they actually become self-serving in a destructive sense. This is the person caught in the cycle of “try to be Christian, fail at being Christian, beat myself up because I’m not a good Christian, and try to be a Christian again…”

The problem with this approach is that too much time is spent nursing a self-destructive cycle. In the end, these individuals are rendered ineffective in their ability to further to kingdom of God. They are actually no better at getting things done than those that are self-exalting. At the end of the day, both have failed to get “self” out of the way. The guilt-based Christian steals time away from God to invest it in self-blame and condemnation. The guilt-based Christian is usually in need of a new perspective of God and deliverance from un-forgiveness towards self. Discipleship is also an important part of resolving these issues.

Another type of self-destructive approach to Christianity is the “overly available” Christian. This unfortunately includes many present day leaders in the church. It often includes the “inner circle” of volunteers in many churches as well. These people spend so much time trying to do things for God that they spiritually dry up and become ineffective. Many times, they use it as an excuse for true spirituality and relationship with God. Even if they begin with the right intentions, they eventually fall out of relationship with God and substitute it for relationship with ministry. These people are also failing to get “self” out of the way. Ministry is work, just like anything else. Although ministry is intended to further the agenda of the kingdom we are to first build spiritually. Ministry should manifest as the natural outflow of relationships that leaders share with God. Unfortunately, some people want to build in the natural and convince others that they are doing a spiritual thing. Their ministry becomes an excuse for selfish pursuits and a way to earn the approval of others. When Martha complained that Mary wasn’t helping her do chores because she was sitting at Jesus’ feet, Jesus rebuked Martha—not Mary.

“But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:40-42)

                There are other counterfeit approaches to Christianity that could be discussed but I’m going to cut to the chase. The approach to Christianity that is called for by the Bible is a sacrificial pursuit of relationship with God. This is the kind of sacrifice that will cause a person to go without food and water because they are longing for their lover. This is the kind of sacrifice that will cause a person drop what they are doing to follow Jesus regardless of personal cost. This is the sacrifice of a wife that will do whatever it takes to embrace the fullness of her husband’s heart.

                “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7)

                Sacrificial lovers are the most effective Christians. They are entirely wrapped up in the lover of their souls, Jesus Christ, and don’t have room to be wrapped up in “self.” In fact, they have died to “self.” When it comes to the discussion of unity, it truly becomes a question of sacrifice. Unity requires sacrificing the agenda of “self” for the betterment of the whole. Today, many can’t embrace unity because they are too wrapped up in “self.” Who are you wrapped up in?

“I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” (1 Corinthians 15:31)

Discussion

1.       What areas of your life are still dedicated to selfish ambitions?

2.       In what practical ways can selfishness sabotage attempts at unity?

3.       What ways, other than those described in this letter, have you witnessed others exalt “self”?

4.       What does being a sacrificial lover mean to you?

5.       What does it mean to you to “die daily”?