SwimmingMonk

Spiritual Warfare Pamphlet: Developing An Overcomer’s Lifestyle

In Accordance with the Letter to the Ephesians

*This pamphlet is designed  to serve as a quick reference basic outline to guide the individual, a small group as followers of Jesus. There are several Spiritual Disciplines to conduct victorious spiritual warfare directly and indirectly. Of course, above all we are to “deny ourselves and daily pick up our cross” to follow Jesus as Lord (Luke 11:23).  Some of our battles, we bring upon ourselves and then blame it on the devil. Peter wisely said out of his experience, “Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul”(1 Peter 2:11).  Thus, the constant  immersion, the mandate to “pick up” is our daily purpose  without any thought for down time,  vacation time or a retirement plan is critical to war against our carnality, the war within our body.

The 3-D Matrix of Spiritual Warfare

We wage war or struggle or wrestle on three different levels as followers of Christ. This spiritual warfare is kind of like 3-D Chess. We war against the world, the flesh and the devil.  The better we are at wrestling with God and ourselves in submission and humility, the more triumphant we live when dealing with spiritual wickedness. John, the beloved, taught “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” It stands to reason, our first focus must be on knowing Christ in us!

 Know God, know yourself and know your enemy.

1. We wrestle with God… who seeks to subdue us for His purpose. Jacob wrestled with God all night at the River Jabbok and was transformed in name and character.  Daniel wrestled with God in Babylon concerning the captivity of His people and the restoration of all things.  Paul wrestled with God to remove a “thorn in his flesh”, God’s will prevailed not with healing but with grace and power through weakness.  Peter said, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, casting all your anxiety upon Him for He cares for you.”  The love of God is the most powerful weapon formed by God to subdue our pride and release His grace. 

2. We wrestle with our sinful nature: This the backdrop of Romans 7, which ends,  “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.  Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Rom.7:24-8:1).  Not unlike the necessity to get dressed everyday, we must daily “put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make now provision for the flesh in regards to its lusts” (Rom.13:14). 

3. We wrestle against the kingdom of darkness: We must not be empty-headed when it comes to our knowledge of the schemes of Satan. He takes advantage of ‘ignorance’. The devil is the ‘god of this world’ but He is not God Almighty, the Creator-Redeemer of all things.  We must respect evil powers, for even Michael, the great warring angel, said “The Lord rebuke” when dealing with the body of Moses (Jude 8-9). Our appeal against darkness is first and foremost always an appeal to the Father and His kingdom will and power. We are commanded by the Apostle Paul  to do everything we can (which is to first seek God and deny ourselves) to stand against evil in acts of obedience. This obedience to Christ and the gospel  will inevitably  bring some level of backlash, opposition, persecution and suffering. 

The Gospels, Jesus and Spiritual Warfare

Most importantly we must note, Jesus, upon Whom we must fix our eyes (Heb.12:1-3), experienced satanic opposition from the beginning to the end of His life and has yet to finally judge His enemies. He Himself overcame the world, the flesh and the devil typified in the three temptation narratives.  If Jesus experienced warfare without committing sin in heart, thought or deed; we must be very vigilant and sober to not give our adversary an open lane to take us down in the field of battle. 

(Highlighted in Purple are spiritual warfare principles gleaned from the life of Jesus in the gospels; we mustn’ t’ be ‘ignorant of the schemes of Satan’)

• At the moment of His conception: righteous Joseph chose not to secretly put away Mary by divorce or stoning because an angel appeared to him in a dream.  Satan attacks at the conception or the hidden beginning of pre-public stirring for godly purpose, godly relationships, godly desires and vision. He desires to get us to “secretly put away” or dismiss a divine idea, divine missional strategy, a divine relationship/friendship/marriage, stealing the ‘word’ of God before it even has a chance to germinate. 

• At His birth; the jealous, power-driven and prideful king Herod went on a bloody genocide in Bethlehem, killing all male toddlers and infants 2 years old and under. Joseph supernaturally led his young family to Egypt until God told him to come back to Nazareth, Israel. Satan attacks anything or anyone born of God. He attacked Moses at birth too; who was destined to confront the ‘principalities and powers’ over Egypt to let Israel be born as a nation to worship and serve the LORD. At the end of the age Satan, the dragon, will once again rally in great rage to devour Israel, all the people of God in Messiah (Rev.13).  The Scripture says “whatever” is born of God overcomes the world, the flesh and the devil by the blood of the Lamb, the testimony of Jesus and loving not their life even unto death.  

• His baptism and wilderness temptation; the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness and it was in that private personal warfare all hell broke out against Jesus.  Satan will attack you in your private life to discourage you from obedience in your public life. According to Luke’s gospel (Luke 4).  Jesus went into the wilderness “full of the Holy Spirit” and came out of the wilderness into public ministry “in the power of the Holy Spirit”.  Obedience in our unique warfare converts our fullness into fruitfulness or His presence into His powerful purpose for the help of others. 

• Hosts of wicked/evil spirits; Jesus was continually setting people free from evil spirits while he healed them and forgave them of their sins.  Satan has a host of wicked spirits that are assigned to humanity to mar the image of God at a very granular personal level.  We don’t ever ascribe omnipresence to the prince of darkness, but we must discern his presence in order to set people free in the mighty name of Jesus. We have the Holy Spirit to do battle against unholy/evil spirits. 

• Among His closest friends; Peter became a satanic mouthpiece of Satan to sow seeds of opposition to the necessity of suffering on the cross; Judas ultimately was filled with Satan as the one who betrayed Jesus.  Satan when given an opportunity can use those closest to you or use you to hinder God’s purpose in someone’s life. Keep your spirit clear of aggressive anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, ignorance, pride, jealousy, envy, greed, impurity etc.  These can all become a foothold or stronghold of the enemy to attack those around you.

• Conspiracy of All the ‘rulers and powers’: ignorantly conspired together to put the Lord of glory to death on a cross in accordance with the will of God and the witness of prophetic Scripture. Interestingly,  Herod and Pilate became friends during the special counsel meetings and public trial of Jesus.  Satan will gather a coalition against the people of God to thwart the advancement of the gospel. He wants to kill the people of God.  We must be careful to not equate material prosperity or the favor of man for the will of God. Persecution and hostility often give us a green light to continue in obedience no matter what the cost. John told the church, “children be on guard against idols.” Why? Behind every idol is a spiritual entity motivated by impurity, greed and immorality that seeks to defile, destroy and take captive. 

• Jesus descended to the underworld in death; to proclaim the fulfillment of God’s promises, snatch the keys of death and hades, empty the righteous bosom of Abraham and lead captives captive into resurrection.  Satan uses the “fear of death” , pain and the perceived necessity of punishment to thwart progress. The counter insurgency is the love, acceptance and forgiveness of God in Christ.  John said, “perfect love casts out fear.” Resurrection from the dead is the death nail to death itself. 

• Jesus wars now against evil through His obedient militant church, who war not with carnal or military weapons but the weapons of faith, hope, love and the word of God.  Satan, as a defeated foe, still wages war against the saints. He will attempt to wear us down in exhaustion, keep us ignorant of his schemes, distract us from simple and pure devotion to Christ and from making a bold witness of the gospel of God to all nations. 

• Final war at the end of the ages; Jesus will come again to judge, rule and reign for a millennium from Jerusalem on the earth, and finally will forever judge into a horrible ‘lake of fire’ Satan and all his followers.  Satan always thinks he can win…he is the so-called come back kid. Even after the millennium , Satan is loosed to deceive the nations again, but He is forever judged in the lake of fire in short order by the Lord Jesus Christ. The devil nearly always over plays himself and reveals his strategy because of pride. 

A good friend of mine, an expert in the area of helping Christians with addictive behavior, shared a great acronym with me…H.A.L.T.  When we have 2 or more of these symptoms we need to stop what we are doing and immediately reach out to a trusted friend or family member.  Practically, when we have healthy habits of eating, exercising, socializing and sleeping we can seriously hold back indulging destructive fleshly lusts.  Keep in mind, fasting with prayer is one of the most lethal spiritual weapons of warfare we can harness.  This self-awareness will help us not give in to impulsive destructive decisions or emotional outbursts. Paul said, “be angry, but do not sin, lest you give a foothold to the devil… Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord (Eph.4:26-27;Rom.12:19). When we exercise restraint we make room for God’s resources to invade the arena of our lives. The battle belongs to the Lord, therefore, our surrender to Him becomes His victory on our behalf. 

H= Hungry

A= Angry/Anxious

L= Lonely

T= Tired

Certainly, the devil is an ‘opportunist’, seizing moments and seasons in our lives when he particularly lays siege to our lives to discourage, distract and destroy our souls and purpose. He really thinks in himself he can change God’s mind about His purpose for us…in the end Satan is the fiery ignorant fool, the deceiver deceives himself in prideful unhinged rage. 

Ephesians: 3-Phases of Spiritual Warfare

Phase I: Sit in Christ & Kneel before the Father

Ephesians 1-3

In a place of adoration and prayer we learn our identity,salvation by grace and authority in Christ through His resurrection & intercession.

Phase II: We Learn to Walk with Christ

Ephesians 4-6:9

We learn to walk worthy, walk in love, walk in the light.

Phase III: We take a Stand against Evil

Ephesians 6:10f

We overcome evil with the Goodness & the Strength of the Lord.

The following simple outline is a practical tool chest to help us fulfill the mandate of “pick up your cross”.  Metaphorically, in Ephesians, we “pick up” 8-disciplines to wage effective spiritual warfare:

1. The Harp:  A Life of Praise
2. The Golden Bowl:  A Life of Prayer
3. The Artist Palette: A Life of Purpose
4. The Towel: A Life of Humility
5. The Trowel: A Life of Work
6. The Shield: A Life of Faith
7. The Helmet of Salvation:  A Life of Hope
8. The Sword of the Spirit: A Life of Obedience

  In my mind there is a sequence or a progression to these disciplines of fighting the good fight of faith.  We begin with Praise, then prayer, then purpose, then character, then service, and then “having done everything” (Eph.6:13) we stand against evil.  However, there is merit to mix and match these disciplines and apply  in your unique race and battle. We must train and practice using the spiritual  weapons of our warfare before the actual battle. 

You can privately  develop these disciplines one by one in secret with the Father. You can also publicly exercise these with your family, your church or a small group. You can spend 5 minutes on each focus or an hour on any given arena.  Naturally, some of these disciplines are fulfilled in acts of service in and outside the community of faith. Perhaps the secret sauce  is in being both “intentional” and “specific” about what we say and do.  Jesus, our Chief Example of an Overcomer, always spent time with the Father before He said or did anything (John 5:19). 

In general, I believe the vast majority of the biblical narrative teaches us that most of our spiritual battle is won by a focus on God not the enemy.  We simply draw near and He draws near to us. We ask, knock and seek Him and all things come under His divine will and kingdom. The greatest act of spiritual warfare is total surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ by the strength and love of the Holy Spirit. If we want the enemy to surrender we must surrender to God. If we want the enemy to lose, we must lose everything for the sake of Christ and the gospel. If we want to win, we must lose our life in exchange for knowing Jesus Christ. In those ‘face-to-face’ unique convocation with God in privacy of the cleft of the Rock, we see God’s glory and advance in victory without a single shot fired by us at the enemy in our gates. 

Phase 1: Sit & Kneel in the Presence of God

6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they *sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

10 You have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” (Rev.5:6-10)

1. The Harp: The Call to Discovery of Our Identity in Christ Through High Praise in All Things (Ephesians 1:6,12,14 & Ephesians 1-3)

• Recognize you are currently “seated in heavenly places in Christ” (which is a place of resurrection victory & authority)  as a member of the royal priesthood with direct access to the throne of grace to praise God and offer up to him the fruit of your lips with thanksgiving (Eph.2:6).  Spiritual Warfare begins at the throne of God.
• Practice Ephesians 5:18-20: “be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father;” 
• Sing out Loud with or without worship music.
• Declare verbally the Psalms or the reading Scripture that extols God and His mighty works.
• Sing with your spirit , sing with your understanding. 
• Spontaneously sing new songs to the Lord. Nobody is listening, just go for it in the secret place.
• Acknowledge God alone is “holy”, “worthy” and “glorious”.  I call this the eternal perpetual weather forecast of the 3rd heaven. Not only do these shouts of praise affirm who God is, but they also have a direct bearing on our calling to be holy, to walk worthy and be transformed from glory to glory.

2. The Golden Bowl of Incense: The Call to Deep Prayer in all Seasons of Life (Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:14-21; 6:18-20)

• Read Biblical prayers in a quiet place.
• Find and pray all Paul’s prayers of purpose in his letters.
• “9’s”: Pray Nehemiah 9, Ezra 9 & Daniel 9
• Pray freely through the Lord’s prayer, make it a free flow style based on each phrase. For example, repeat “deliver us from evil” and then begin to pray everything that comes to mind about how and when God has delivered His people.
• When we “kneel” in prayer before the Father, all heaven is released on and  in our inner spiritual man to fill us with strength and love (Eph.3:14-23). But also, all heaven is discharged against our enemy. Isaiah 30:15 proves many of our battles are won in prayer to God, in communion with the Almighty. The Assyrians routed themselves because Isaiah and king Hezekiah repented and turned their sacred cry and quietness toward the LORD of the armies of heaven. Kneeling before the Father is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons we have in our arsenal against evil. 

Phase II: Walk Worthy of Our Calling

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 So resist him, firm in your faith (1 Pt.5:8-9)

3. The Artist Palette: The Call to Manifest the Full-Spectrum of the Wisdom of God in Unity, Community and Eternal Purpose(Ephesians 3:1-13)

• Thank God you are a joint-heir, joint-parterer and joint-member of the body of Christ with a divine purpose and particular assignment to discharge and steward every day. 
• Seek God to further elucidate your particular divine assignment to discharge it fully by His grace and strength. This is His expectation for your stewardship. Paul knew he was called to be an apostle to the Gentiles, functioning as a preacher, teacher and a minister. This was his stewardship. Each of us has a specific grace-gift to release to serve (Eph.4; Rom. 12:1-4).

4. The Slaves Apron/The Towel: The Call to Serve One Another  in Humility (Ephesians 4:1-6)

• Walk worthy (Eph.4:1), walk in love (Eph.5:1-2), walk as children of light (Eph.5:8), walk in maturity (Eph.4:13).

• If you have not found a place of service in your local church, serve among your family and friends. 
• Discharge in humility a specific act of servanthood with no expectations for any recognition or reward…just raw love of God stuff.
• Greatness in the kingdom is measured in the lowly servanthood marked in with love and humility (Luke. 22:24-27)

The Trowel & The Hammer:  The Call to Edify the Church by Speaking the Truth in Love (Ephesians 4:9-16)

• Find someone or a situation where you can “speak the truth in love” to bring strength and encouragement. The more accurate translation of Ephesians 4:15 could be , “truthing in love”.  Our lives speak loudest.
• Thank Jesus for the many ministers who are dedicated to teach and preach the word of God. Pray for a fresh openness in your heart to “hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
• Jesus said “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”  Every time we take the time to encourage, strengthen, exhort, and strongly urge our brothers and sisters to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, we advance the kingdom and destroy the works of darkness.

Phase III: Stand in the Strength of the Lord 

No weapon that is formed against you will succeed;

And you will condemn every tongue that accuses you in judgment.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord. (Isa.55:17)

6. The Shield of Faith: The Call to Please God (Ephesians 6:17; Heb.11:6)

• Without “faith” it is impossible to please God. (Heb.11:6)
• With “faith” all things are possible because of the Father’s personal involvement in our lives and the lives of those around us. 
• By grace through “faith” are we saved spirit, soul and body.
• “Faith” works through love to release divine power to transform us, change our families to become households of salvation, outposts for the kingdom of God.
• The “just shall live by faith”.
• “Faith” is the most valuable possession we have with eternal reward.

7. The Helmet of Salvation: The Call to Full Assurance of Faith and the Hope of Salvation (Ephesians 6:18)   

• We have 3-gates on our head which we must govern and guard with all diligence.  All Three are gates that lead to our mind & heart, which we are to guard with all diligence according to Proverbs.

1. The Eye-gate: The eye, according to Jesus, is the window or lamp to the body or soul. We must keep our eyes clear, cleaned up and filled with oil, so our bodies will be full of light. Our spiritual “eyes” of our heart must be “fixed” on Jesus who is our Chief Shepherd ourselves to others as a point of superiority or inferiority. As C.S. Lewis said, “comparison is the thief of joy.” Guarding our eyes in this world from an invasion of sensuality, materialism, deception and distraction is a difficult but necessary task for all of us. I find it eye-opening that the devil’s final  temptation in the wilderness was based on “showing” Jesus all the glory, splendor and power in the kingdoms of the world. There is a danger of “too much” knowledge of this world that can blind us or misguide us from an eternal value system.  Jesus said to the Laodecian church, to purchase “eyesalve” from Him in order that we might see our true spiritual condition, see Him and see our mission (Rev.3). 

2. The Ear-gate:  Our warfare often begins in our ability to ‘hear’ spiritual truth and obey.  Jesus taught, the stability and foundation of our life is based on how we listen and whether or not we obey His words (end of Matt.7). The Scripture says, “let him who has ears to hear, hear!”  God made both the seeing eye and the hearing ear. With our ear we hear the Father say to us in Christ, ‘you are beloved son, whom I have chosen to go forth and bear much fruit”.  With our ears we hear the father of lies, ‘ you are damaged goods, a pain in the ass, a cautionary tale, a lost cause, small-minded, a big mouth, unloveable…” Who must stand in confident prayer and learn to hear the voice of the Father speak His blessing and purpose and love over us.

3. The Mouth-gate: With our mouth “we both bless and curse”, according James, the Lord’s brother. Our mouth can release words that bring someone to faith in Jesus Christ, what a marvelous privilege. Our words can strengthen the family of God and friends to not give up or give in to temptation.  Imagine living in that home with Jesus, talk about always being under conviction between Joseph, Mary and Jesus. I wonder what their conversations were like around the dinner table, at work, at play, at synagogue, at Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Booths. With many words “transgression is avoidable” (Proverbs). Three times Jesus spoke directly to the devil , “it is written….”

8. The Sword of the Spirit: The Call to Activate Scripture Through Obedient Love (Ephesians 6:18)…”It is written….”

• The Scripture is to be meditated upon day and night (Ps.1)
• The Scripture is to be diligently studied (2 Tim.2:15)
• The Holy Scripture makes us wise (2 Tim.3:15) unto faith in Christ.
• The Holy Scripture equips us  to fulfill every good work God designed for us to walk in (Eph.2:10; 2 Tim.3:16-17).
• The personal application of Scripture to our unique battle is essential for us to stand firm against evil. 
• Satan often tries to twist the truth and distort the character of God or question God’s motivation of love and goodness. This is why we must seek to come under the authority and truth of “ALL Scripture” inspired by God (2 Tim.3:16). 

In conclusion, the follower of Jesus who continually praises God…prays to the Father…gathers with the saints in the presence of God…serves in humility…speaks the truth in love…looks only to God for salvation…walks in faith…and obeys the Scripture will truly be an overcomer!

This teaching on love draws primarily from the Letter to the Hebrews. You will be reminded of 5-ways to cultivate the love of God in and through your life. Please read and share this message with others!

Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

Hebrews 13:1….

Let brotherly love remain. (LSV

Keep being concerned about each other as the Lord’s followers should. (CEV)

LOVE is the top priority for living in these difficult days. Jesus said “the love of many would grow cold” because “lawlessness” (law & order) would give way to moral relativism, anarchy and the perversion of justice.

CHAOS is a state of complete disorder and confusion. From Ancient Israel’s religious history, chaos is perhaps best described at the end of the Book of Judges 21:25, “ In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Into this religious moral chaos, God raised up Samuel to reluctantly usher in the Davidic Kingdom, which would become a foreshadow of the Messianic Kingdom. Unfortunately, the Israelites had rejected Elohim as their King. God has always dominated chaos with His creative power to bring order and beauty and goodness. His redemptive love charges into the chaos to create and restore us to himself. The love of God demonstrated on the cross for His sinful enemies is the ultimate statement of godly love (Romans 5:8).

Chaos Theory is simply defined (in mathematics, physics, economics, politics etc.) as “the qualities of the point at which stability moves to instability or order moves to disorder” (D. Straussfogel, C. von Schilling, in International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, 2009). The challenge of “chaos” is there is little to no predictability what catalyzes the instability or disarray. The smallest actions can create gigantic reactions. “The Butterfly Effect” notion streams from this theory.

However, I would propose the answer to the reality of “chaos theory” is “Cross Theory”. The proven truth of the love of God demonstrated on the cross is the POINT at which chaos is defeated by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When the God’s people carry their cross into their world instability and disorder of every kind must move aside for the stability and will of the kingdom of God. The smallest, seemingly inconsequential random acts of calculated love can make a huge differences in individuals, communities and nations. Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a tiny “mustard seed” which grows into a huge tree that becomes a nesting place for birds of the air. Hebrews 12:28-29, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

We can’t control chaos or the kingdom of God, this is humility. However, we can “pick up” our cross and release forgiveness. The patriarch Joseph, by the grace of God, was able to absorb all the wrong toward him and land on the unshakable ground of God’s goodness to speak forgiveness to his family and his enemies. The worst manifestations of evil are fought with Christ’s forgiveness. The goodness of God will triumph in forgiveness against fear and evil, “But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place?As for you, you meant evil against me, butGod meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (Genesis 50:19-21).

The greatest climate threat is not global warming but a creeping glacial “ice age” of moral indifference to the pursuit and practice of godly love. The deep darkness of fear is wrapping itself around the earth with the chilling sounds of war, famine and plagues. The counter insurgency of the kingdom of God is the courageous love of the Father in His people burning like a warm campfire in a deep dark forest. Our love for one another and even enemies, will demonstrate and draw people out of the terror shadows of this world into the light and salvation of Jesus.

“The end of all things is at hand”, Peter said, “…above all, love one another for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:7-8). The ‘top priority’ is to figure out how to release the forgiveness of God into our world to heal the brokenness of humanity. The key is accepting the forgiveness of God for our own sins. Paul said to the early church, “forgive one another, just as Christ has forgiven you.” The forgiveness of Christ is the most powerful moral transformative remedy available to treat the pandemic of hate in our world. On the cross, Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Everything around you and I, is trying to quench love, discourage  sacrificial obedience for the things of God and well being of others..  A spirit of division, hatred, anger and violence is trying to divide families, communities, states and nations.  As followers of Jesus,  we must pull together and keep the warm fire of God’s love burning in our hearts toward one another. 

A quick survey of “love” in Hebrews reveals a quick anatomy of the nature of love required in these days of upheaval, shaking and the polarization of wickedness and righteousness in the earth.

Wisely said, “Love is the accurate estimate and adequate supply of another’s need!” We fulfill the Great Commandment when we help each other bear the burden of our unique cross.

The Book of Hebrews reveals 5-ways to continue to feed the fiery love of God in your heart and for those around you:

• Obedient Love Attracts Joy: Hebrews 1:9– “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your companions.” Jesus is the Chief Apostle and High Priest of Love. The love of Jesus attracts the anointing of the Holy Spirit and joy. Doing what is “right” because of God’s love attracts the Holy Spirit to our relationships, to our work and to our words. Joy, an exuberant lifestyle, is the fruit of loving obedience. It is not enough to hate lawlessness, we must love righteousness. Good men must serve the will of God in the midst of this lawless generation.

            ACTION: Right now,  Ask the Heavenly Father to fill you with His Holy Spirit of love and power.  Do you focus more on what is wrong in this world or do you spend more time focusing on “good news” and  actually helping others? Personally, this battleground is always a hot  war zone for me.

• God Remembers and Rewards Loving Servants: Hebrews 6:10– “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints.” The Father watches us work. In fact, He will reward us for our work fueled by His love. Every time we are gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and merciful toward others magnifies the NAME of the Father and qualifies as acceptable worship! Psalm 145:8, “The Lord is gracious and compassionate; Slow to anger and great in mercy.”

ACTION: Demonstrate grace, compassion, patience and mercy to someone today.

• Love Anticipates Need and Increases the Labor Pool for God’s Work: Hebrews 12:24-25 — “and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, 25 not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near”. Love can be encouraged or discouraged. The word for “encourage” has the sense of “provoked or stimulated or stirred.” We can “stir” the coals of God’s love in one another to help each other!

ACTION: Find someone in the next week and get together to encourage one another to serve God.

• Love Embraces the Arena Discipline as the Main Path to Transformation: Hebrews 12:6 — “For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He punishes every son whom He accepts.” The Fathers gentle whisper, urgent shout or rod of correction confirms His love for us as sons and daughters. Bastards don’t listen or realize consequences are meant to change behavior for the better. Bastards avoid discipline. The true maturing children of God listen, embrace warnings and highly value necessary correction as a demonstration of the Father’s love.

ACTION: If your dad or mom or a mentor is in your life…Call them and talk about how they disciplined you or how they experienced discipline.

• The Equity of Love is the Presence of Jesus Christ: Hebrews 13:5– “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,” Money is not the root of all kinds of evil, however, the “love of money” courts all kinds of evil. Our detachment from the idolatry of materialism is a continual act of love and trust in the provision and character of our Heavenly Father! Materialistic idolatry is using people to get things. Good stewardship is using things to love people.

ACTION:  Ask yourself the question, “what do I really need, what can I sell, what can I give away to help someone?”

Finally, The Love of the Father sent His Son who gave His life as a ransom for us. May the Holy Spirit help us reciprocate that same love to those around us. 

John the beloved follower of Jesus said, “We love because He first loved us”.

In this devotion you will identify the 3-kings who are building sieges to lockdown your witness for Jesus Christ. Discover the counter-attack of God’s Spirit to strengthening others with truth, love and perseverance in difficult times.

And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 6 Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am [He]!’ and will mislead many.
Mark 13:5-6 (NASB)

…and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them.
Luke 21:8b

And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6 You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. (Matthew 24:4-8)

These words of Jesus from the slopes of the Mount of Olives were given two days before His arrest and eventual crucifixion. He told His disciples Jerusalem would be destroyed in their generation. In 70 CE the Romans destroyed Jerusalem after a 4 year war with a siege. Tragically, many Jews fled to Masada and eventually committed a mass suicide rather than submit to the Roman yoke.

Is your life making things worse or better for people? Are you stirring people up toward strife, fear and panic? We must all find a way to stand strong and reach people with the love of Jesus in word and deed! We focus on bringing strength to our brethren. When someone spends time with you do they walk away filled with hope, courage, purpose and fresh resolve and joy to keep trusting and serving the Lord? Are they refreshed and healing or discouraged and beat up?

C.S. Lewis said Christianity “is a fighting religion”. We don’t fight with clubs, brass knuckles, swords, AK-47’s, M1A Abram tanks, cruise missiles, nuclear ballistic missiles etc….we fight the “good fight” with faith, hope, truth, grace, forgiveness and love! God’s forgiveness from the heart, based on the forgiveness Jesus has extended on the cross, can disarm a family member, a friend and a foe. Lewis was speaking of the ‘spiritual battle’ we are all in whether we acknowledge it or like it.

We are in a fox hole and we can play dead or stand up and charge into the fray with the standard of the gospel of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, ascension and His soon return. When somebody persecutes us, mocks us or rejects us, Jesus instructs us to “turn the other cheek”, but not ‘close our eyes’! We fight with the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Father, the Son and the Spirit. My father-in-law used to say, “we have a lot of fruits and nuts in the church but not enough wine and oil!”

This hour, this particular season, demands the mature fruit of the character of Jesus and the fresh oil of the Holy Spirit to live with extraordinary loving power, joyful perspective and peaceful courage. We need justice rolling down from the cross of Jesus bringing peace, unity and reconciliation with God and access to His throne of grace.

Jesus teaches we are in an asymmetrical war with the world, the flesh and the devil. We are being shot at from every direction. Things are increasingly getting out of whack, out of balance and society is crumbling around us. He is clearly warning His disciples things are going to get really dangerous spiritually, morally and physically. There are three main apocalyptic storms that are releasing their fury on the nations and God’s people. Like three-kings they sit on their thrones and seek to rule with deception, fear and urgency.

The Tyranny of Deception: Just because something has the name of Jesus attached to it does not make it true. Christian cults (Jehovah Witness, Mormons etc.) have emerged in unprecedented numbers in the last 100 years.

Like Eve before the serpent in the Garden of Eden… The first step of deception is distraction from truth. The second step of deception is a sound connection through lingering communication with the source of deception. The third and final step of deception is ingestion of the deception…you eat the lie…disobedience follows. People want to believe and follow something or someone.

The work of deception slithers from the den of Satan, the father of lies. The Deceiver hypnotically seduces humanity at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which is rooted in the soil of world wide social media, the international entertainment industry, many education systems, some religious institutions, and political platforms (only to name a few). Pick your poison! Like a mighty world wide Anaconda Python the spirit of deception slowly is suffocating humankind every time they inhale and exhale in the shade of knowledge bereft of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

The only true antidote to the tyranny of deception is the full disclosure of God in the Incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ. We must study, behold, worship and obey The Way, the Truth, and the Life to avoid the counterfeit one world quasi-political-economic-religion beast emerging in these last days.

The credulity of unbelief, a tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true, must yield to the Spirit of Truth and the standard of accurately taught biblical truth in love. Both the Scripture and the Holy Spirit are indispensable in making us wise to the faith and the salvation found only in Jesus Christ (2 Tim.3:15-17).

Naivety and gullibility must be refined from the church and replaced with discernment of spirits, grace and the Revelation of Jesus. The nobility of the Berean Christians, who searched the Scriptures to evaluate whether or not Paul’s teaching was accurate, is sorely needed in our day of a plerotha of teachers, prophets, so-called apostles parading their version of the gospel.

The Tyranny of Fear: Local, regional and international wars and potential wars are to be expected, “these things must be”. The response of the faithful apocalyptic-disciple is not to PANIC.

The Greek word choice of Jesus for “frightened” in both the Luke and the Matthew narrative are synonyms (ptoeo {Lk}; throes (Mt.). He did not use the typical word for fear/phobos which is a neutral emotion in our soul that can be positive or negative. Luke’s word for “frightened” implies becoming so agitated by fear that someone can psychologically detach from reality. Like a startled herd of animals they break into full stampede mode at the perception or reality of a predator.

Matthew’s language for “fear” is the intense emotional uproar that manifests in irrational behavior, insanity and/or fits of terror accompanied by screaming. The fear of death is the strongest foe we can face in this life.

The asymmetrical persuasive presence of war, famine, pandemics, and natural catastrophes feeding off one another combined with amoral or immoral political, religious and economic leaders can crush a society with fear, throwing it into confusion and mass deception.

The primary general driving this “fear” is the news media. The Mass Media is king propagating both deception and fear. The ‘prince of the power of the air’ waves is tactically attempting to dominate the hearts and minds of all flesh/humanity with the constant stream of half-truths, fear-mongering, conspiracies, promotion of lawlessness, filth, wickedness, fashion, ungodly desires etc.

The Tyranny of the Urgent: Delay is not denial. What seems “slow in coming” to us is actually God working to transform us and to save the lost. His patience, He is slow to anger, provides an area of repentance and transformation.

The world-powers and the world of false religion are constantly trying to get you to buy, sell, read, watch, listen and join something to make your life more comfortable, more informed, more relevant and in “the know”. . Many will use the name of Jesus to promote urgency without discernment of the times and the seasons of the Lord. A crisis will typically create a sense of urgency. In the crisis you will be strongly urged to think, act or behave in a certain way.

How to War against the king’s of deception, fear and urgency?

Build on the Unshakeable King of Truth: Submit yourself to the Truth of Jesus Christ. Love the truth and speak the truth in love. The more we know and experience the ways, thoughts and character of Jesus as revealed in the Gospels, the Epistles and the Revelation…the more we will be able to see the counterfeit truth. We defeat deception by devotion to Jesus. Another way is to avoid lying like the plague. There is not ‘greater joy’ than when we walk in obedience the Spirit of Truth and Grace revealed in the glorious.

Shake-off Fear and Embrace The King of Love: Submit to the King of Love. God is love! Perfect love drives fear away. In the Gethsemane, Peter picked up a sword and swung it in fear…Jesus picked up a severed ear and healed the servant to the high priest. The love of God in our hearts can create a safe place in the midst of strife and death. The Resurrection of Jesus trumps all advances of fear upon the nations, our cities, our churches, our families and our individual lives. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ…nothing.

Shake out the Salt of Trust in the King of All Perseverance: Resist the tyranny of the urgent with humility and trust in the Lord. Love endures all things (1 Cor.13). Take your emotions off the market place and cultivate a quiet place of solitude, quietness and stillness in the presence of the Most High God. Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7) During the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrians, Isaiah said to king Hezehiah and the people of Jerusalem,

“ For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said,
“In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength.”
But you were not willing,” (Isaiah 30:15)

This world is under siege by the spirit of the anti-Christ, disingenuous leaders, deception, irrational fear and the urgent herding of the masses toward destruction. HOWEVER, the Spirit of the Lord is raising a standard of the Truth, the Love and the Perseverance of Jesus Christ. We must get to this high-ground and stand strong in the strength and grace of God. We must lead others to this high ground of the Most High God and bring as many people with us who are doubting, discouraged and lost…

Are you willing to fight the good fight with “rest, repentance, quietness and trust”?