February 21, 2008

February 21, 2008

All hell breaks loose when Heaven releases providence. You cannot gauge spiritual activity by a lack of turmoil; turmoil is the result of spiritual activity. Watch how nature responds in Psalms 77:14-18, “Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. When we falsely identify turmoil as a foe, we miss the indicators of great spiritual activity and shut out divine possibility. When God moves, nature responds!

Who told you that your life only glorified God when things were going smooth? We learn the most about Gods character when we are in the trenches of spiritual warfare. We are postured as an advancing force of righteousness. Matthew 16:18 makes our position clear, “…and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” As the Body of Christ we are stationed at the very entrance of eternal damnation to offer hope and deliverance. Jesus made it even plainer in Matthew 9:12, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” You are at your best for God when you are engaged in the hand to hand combat that true spiritual warfare involves.

Today has been a day of fighting in the spirit. My flesh is screaming for dominance but my spirit has been endued with power from on high! We must not reduce this battle to the whims of the flesh. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 declares, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” We walk in the flesh. We live an everyday existence. We have interaction in a world and society of opposing positions. But, we do not war after the flesh. People are not our enemies. We are fighting spirits! Ephesians 6:12 shows us the battlefield, “For we wrestle 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.”

Our flesh wants to control everything. Our flesh does not voluntarily submit. Our flesh, and they way it works is described in Galatians 5:19-21, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” When we engage these actions we are giving our submission to the flesh. Flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. We must deny our flesh to submit it to spiritual principles. Galatians 5:16, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Our flesh was created to glorify God, not lead us daily into a self indulgent lifestyle.

We must be filled with the Spirit of God. We must set our mind on God and His Kingdom. Our minds are the decision centers we rely when faced with options. Philippians 4:8 give us this formula for protecting and conditioning our minds, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. There is no substitute for the positive influence of the Holy Spirit through a mind set on God. Colossians 3:2 encourages us to, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Say these words with me. “I must break free from the tyranny of the urgent. Instead of Hell breaking loose on me, I am breaking loose on Hell. I am leaving the platform of the victimized and stepping into the circle of the victorious. I am more than a Conqueror through Christ! (Romans 8:37) My posture for this day of spiritual warfare is found in Matthew 11:12, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” I will rise up and seize the earthly domain and the prophetic release God has ordained to give me.”