A Marriage of Honor

Ok, ok so the “S” word has you thinking – what’s this article going to be about?  You guessed it – the subject of submission.  Now put away your torches and pitchforks because I want to explain it through, in a way that the Lord put on my heart.  I want to make it absolutely clear what submission is – and what submission is not.  I have been in unhealthy relationships that have tainted my perception of what submission was NOT supposed to be, but God has brought me to a place to understand what the definition is truly supposed to mean according to the word of God RIGHTLY divided.  (He really heals everything!)  You see – we have to come to the place where we stop taking scripture out of context.  Basic hermeneutics (rightly dividing scripture) will teach you how to interpret a text.  You can never just take a scripture and make a law out of it – how do you know if you’re interpreting it right?  It MUST have some history to go along with it, and supporting scriptures to back it up.  That’s precisely what this article is about;   Taking the sting out of submission.  Many abusive relationships have been born out of the submission issue.  God never intended submission to be used to hurt us ladies – it was meant to be a means to bless us with the desires of our hearts.  Seriously!  Read on...

 Honor Vs. Submission

The definition of Honor, according to Webster’s dictionary, is: Respect that is given to someone who is admired.  Submission is defined by Webster’s as a state of being obedient; accepting authority or control.  The Greek lexicon translates the word submit as Hupotasso and gives us a very similar definition of submitting as Webster’s.  When we merge honor with submission it will be easy to see how biblically, submission can be done without fear or angst, or wanting to live single the

rest of our lives.  When a man is fully submitted to God, he is able to lead a wife well – yes men – you are called to submission also!

We live in quite an advanced society where many women have had to step up and be in the role of both husband and wife, mother and father.  We as women have become strong and independent.  It was never God’s intention to have women play both roles.  Ephesians 5:25 says ”Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.  When you have a Godly husband who is willing to change and grow under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you have a husband that is easy to trust and admire (and husbands when you do obey the Lord your life will be more blessed!)  Submitting to his wants and desires becomes an act of love and not something done out of a religious spirit.  To give you an example, my husband and I recently bought our first home.  We’ve been busy putting it together and making it our own, and busy with volunteering for the different ministries we enjoy.  One weekend, there was a conference three hours away he wanted to attend but I just wanted to cuddle up on the couch with a blanket and enjoy the glow of the fireplace with a good book.  We could have gone two ways… 1. Me demanding my way or 2. Submitting to his desires out of love.  So what did I choose?  I chose to go.  What shocked me was how the Lord spoke to my heart that night for going, and the following day, I was blessed by someone asking for me to consider a leadership position.  And this is where I will dig in and get into scripture to show you how the Lord revealed to me that submission brings a great blessing.

For starters, God made eve out of the side of Adam, not his feet to be walked on.  Deuteronomy 28:13 says “And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God.  God is our peace, I pray in your marriage that you can have the unity that He calls us to in Ephesians 2:14 “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself a new man in place of the two, so making peace.  When you got married, you became one.  When we are in Christ, we are one in Him.  Consider with me that being one in Christ as a married couple makes the both of you brides?  Yes he is a male – and your earthly husband – but he also becomes a bride along with the body when he receives Christ.  This revelation for me – took the fear out of submission – because knowing that we are equal partners – we willingly submit to each others desires.  Submission is not supposed to be about being controlled by a selfish tyrant who thinks his main role is to be served by you.  Submission is honoring one another above yourselves, thinking of the other person more highly than you think of yourself.  Your  wants and desires will be met when you decide that “love your neighbor as yourself” should be used in your own home.  So many times people go out into the world for the sake of having their hands in a “ministry” when they can’t even handle what they’ve got going on at home. 
Christ came to abolish the rules – and he succeeded, but that doesn’t mean that there aren't alignments that need to happen within our hearts, minds and homes.  I have been corrected and adjusted more times than I can count – because I have learned that submitting myself to the correction and discipline of the Lord brings better and greater rewards than when I try to accomplish something on my own.  The word of God tells us not to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever, yet so many women today compromise and allow your lives to be incredibly difficult by not waiting for God’s best.  In my single life, God was very strict with me about my purity.  And when my husband and I started dating we heard God warn that if we were intimate before marriage it would destroy us.  So we waited – it was soooo hard but we waited – because in that dating period, God was revealing some of our future to us.  Our vision for our future unified, and because of our obedience, now married, we are starting to see that vision come to fruition.  There is NO excuse you can make that will ever be good enough to God on why you refuse to obey him as your Lord.  He has nothing but the best of plans for you – blessings beyond your wildest dreams.  But it all starts with submission.  I know we all hate that word, but it’s really about love – not about being controlled or second place.  When we are in submission to God, he honors us – and scripture says that he makes us to be the head and not the tail.  Ephesians 2:6 reads that we were raised up with him and he seated us with him In the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  Grace has covered where we have fallen short, but it’s important to know that when we humble ourselves from the pride of our independence and allow

Jesus to be our King, we get blessed like a well kept wife.  It is our duty as men and women to come into alignment when we’ve been shown the truth, deciding to continue to disobey falls under the spirit of disobedience and rebellion, which are open doors to the enemy that bring curses upon your life.

I’m going to take a moment and put an aside here, abuse is NEVER the intent of the Lord.  If your spouse is physically, emotionally or financially harming you, you need to seek help.  Submission does not mean that you allow abuse to happen.  Your marriage is supposed to be reflecting the love of Christ, not the spirit of destruction.  Trusting in a husband, or people for that matter can be hard when you’ve been abused.  When you tuck yourself in the arms of the almighty, he will show you how to trust. 

Being a Christian is about freedom in Christ.  He died to set us free from the bondages that religion has kept us under.  If you don’t understand what I mean – look at a woman in a Burka.  She is submitting to her husband and to her religion.  Muslim women are without the freedoms that we have, but in their culture, it's - submit or be beaten… or worse. 

We are to be our husbands help meets, to compliment each other in life.  (Genesis 2:18)

The freedom that Christ gives us is that through our submission, we are blessed.  The desires of our hearts get met when we decide to lay our desires down to build up our spouse (men – I’m talking to you too).  God has a great call on marriages – He created them to be a representation of who he is to His bride.  What kind of steps can you take today to more completely align yourself into obedience with the Lord?  What has he asked of you that you may not have done yet?  He’s not asking to be a tyrant, He’s asking because he has a plan for your life, to prosper you (Jeremiah 29:11).  The more you decide to obey God, the more the blessings will chase you down. 

But what if we don’t agree?

I don’t always agree with my husband, and he doesn’t always agree with me!  Ok, so you have two paths to take here too.    #1.  I can argue with him and demand to have my way, or #2.  I can run to God and ask for clarity.  I like to enjoy a peaceful home, so what my husband and I do when we can’t agree on something is put it before the Lord.  When I’m wrong about something, God will explain why.  When I’m right about something, he will tell my husband .  When you can mutually respect and honor your spouse, peace will be the corner stone of your home.  Sometimes we’re both right but need to tweak the details in a loving and mature manner – and we do.  Once again – being humble and putting your spouse above yourself is going to save your marriage from the turmoil that being selfish brings.

Having a spouse who listens to the Lord is such a blessing worth waiting for.  When there is an attitude or a behavior that doesn’t line up with who you know that they’re supposed to be, go to God about it – don’t go complaining to anyone who will listen.  Maintain the honor in your marriage by protecting their reputation.  The world doesn’t need to hear about your issues, it will only taint others views of your spouse.  How can we be godly representatives of marriage when we’re tainting our spouses reputation in the city gates to be that of a horrible mate?  One of my favorite teachers of the word is Brother Kenneth Copeland - he puts marital submission this way -
Submission has to do with order—not subordination. In the spirit world, there is no difference between men and women. In the natural realm, however, God has established a rank of authority in order to maintain order and avoid confusion.
Ephesians 5:22 says, “For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” This is not elevation of the man above the woman in importance, power, anointing or revelation. It simply means that in the home, the husband is the leader.
The husband and wife should operate together in faith as one unit. This is the reason Ephesians 6:1 says, “Children, obey your parents...” instead of “Children, obey your father....” The woman has just as much spiritual authority as the man.
In the beginning, God placed the man and woman side by side, as equals. When Eve allowed Satan to use her, she fell to a subordinate position. However, Jesus changed all that! He brought the woman back to a position equal to the man. He raised them up together and made them sit in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). 

God, I pray for everyone reading this to be completely delivered from darkness and brought into the light of your truth.  I thank you God for their marriage and pray that their spouse will love you, and love them just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for us.  We are blessed to be a blessing when we obey.  Help us to trust you more and to walk in your paths, knowing that you are good, that you never lie God.  Thank you for being a perfect example of a loving husband, help us to reflect you through our marriage.  In Jesus name, AMEN!

Wimp or Warrior - Rise UP - Part 2

I have come to discover that there is a cycle of stages that warriors go through in trial.
1. Abiding                          
2. Building strength
3. Maintaining our armor
4. Going out for the fight

I recently had the shock of my mom passing to her eternal home.  (The trial).  The shock caused me to retreat to the only place where I know comfort is - abiding in Him.  I opened my bible for devotionals in the few days that followed only to discover that I didn't want to read the old words on the pages, what I really needed was His love to comfort me and rebuild me.  His love led me to pick up a book i've been slowly reading.  Integrity, by Sean Feucht.  Pouring through the pages, I read the words of Heidi Baker as God had perfectly planned out for me to study in at this moment; she writes,
"Without oil from God, we can never be more than a dark and empty house. Focus on his face. Discipline your heart. When your mind wanders, focus on his face. He is beyond worthy of your time, your undivided attention."... "When I return to the place of abiding quietly in his presence, I no longer feel the burden, only the faith and joyful anticipation. That is what it means to live in His love! To faithfully listen to His voice, despite everything!"
 Abiding in Him - It's the only answer.  Whe we are hidden with Christ in God, then our vision becomes clearer, we begin to see who we really are.  Truly loved by God  "For you died to this world and your new real life is hidden with Christ in God."  Colossians 3:3
I think Heidi explains abiding perfectly when she explains that by abiding in Him, all of our burdens fall away.  No they don't go away, but those moments of being in His presence build and encourage us to keep on going.
The purpose of abiding is to maintain our identity when we've been wounded.  "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in Him" 1 John 4:16  Feeling low, I asked God to help me with my emotions, I am a firm believer on bringing heaven to earth as much as I possibly can.  There is no grieving in heaven, and therefore, no grieving on earth.  I know my mother is in Heaven, but how I was feeling needed to change.  The Lord spoke to my heart that, the hardest part about death is losing the love you have received from that person - and that's why spending time with God is so important - because in Him, we are complete.  It's ok to miss a loved one, but he never wants us to feel loss of the love He has for us.  Hearing this from Him made a world of difference to me.  It wasn't a grieving I was going through - it was a loss of part of my identity - the loss of love.  By my abiding in Him and his speaking that to my heart was like medicine for my soul.  My spirit became refreshed and life came back to me.  Literally the sun came back out and I truly enjoyed the rest of my day.
If I hadn't taken that time to abide in Him, I don't know how long it would have taken me to feel better.  Psalm 25:12-13 says "Who is the man who fears the Lord?  Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.  His soul shall abide in well being, and his offspring shall inherit the land."
Building strength - His love repairs and rebuilds.  He is a master builder and knows exactly how to engineer our souls and minds.  Had I hardened my heart to Him and gotten angry for "taking" my mother, I would have been viewing him with the wrong philosophy.  Satan is the thief and liar and the only one who steals - God does not!  Knowing the word, builds your strength to know the truth.  When my mom got sick, the Lord very clearly told me that I had to let her go - and not to war for her - so I put my trust in Him and obeyed. 
It is imperative to guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23) - especially when emotions are running high.  In shock and trauma, people get defensive and emotional - we can't control how they are reacting, but we can control how we react to them.  Abiding in Him and deciding to walk in love no matter what is a responsibility that we as Christians have.  Many see death as a loss and grieve, but when we are in Christ, only the flesh has died; the spirit just crossed the threshold from flesh to being present with the Lord.  With Christ as our savior - we will be united once again.
In this time of rebuilding strength, remind yourself of your righteousness.  You are righteous because you are in Christ.  You are a co-heir with Christ, you have the mind of Christ, you are a son/daughter, and you are His bride!  There is NOTHING that can seperate you from the Love of God - NOTHING!   (Romans 8:38-39)
Maintain your Armor - Why do I say to maintain your armor?  Like any warrior who goes out to battle, we need to do a constant check of our armor when battles are thick.  Swords get swung, darts are shot, and sometimes its easy to get tired and let down our guard.  But we have got to stand firm until the end.  Forgive quickly and straighten your armor, apologize, and straighten your armor.  Remind yourself as frequently as you need of who you are and whose you are.
Going back out for the fight - Living life in abundance is a choice.  You can choose to let the weights of the world bog you down, or you can choose to abide in him and keep going.
How do I know this is possible, I look to Stephen as my example.  In the midst of preaching to a hardened group - Stephen maintained his charachter to the point of death as we see in Acts 7:51-60 ⁵¹ “You stubborn people! You are heathen^[l] at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! ⁵² Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. ⁵³ You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.” ⁵⁴ The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.^{[m] 55} But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ⁵⁶ And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” ⁵⁷ Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him ⁵⁸ and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.^{[n] 59} As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
Now I certainly don't expect any of our drama to be quite so tragic - but some of the day to day stuff can certainly become overwhelming if we allow it to.  So how can we be victorious through trial?
Keep your tongue speaking the word of God... I found that whenever I was feeling stressed, and verbalized that I had stress or anxiety, it got worse.  But when I rebuked my words and declared - i'm not stressed, or I have no anxiety, my body would follow suit to how I spoke. 
Gods word is powerful and true.  It's ok to feel our emotions, God made us to have them.  But it's not ok to park our lives in the pits of depression or self pity, or any other negative place for that matter.

If you're going through a trial, or experiencing grief or depression.. first start by abiding in Him.  You are way too valuable to be taken out of the game.  That is why the bible says not to forsake the gathering of the saints (Hebrews 10:25).  I don't know what I would have done without my prayer warriors and the many that checked in with me to make sure my soul was doing ok.  Being independant of your brothers and sisters in the Lord is setting yourself up for failure.  It's ok to be transparent and let others know when you're not 100%.  We are all a part of the body of Christ - we can't afford to miss a limb (YOU).

Thank you God for my brother or sister reading this.  I declare over you peace and joy in the name of Jesus.  I call you into a greater purity and truth in Christ that roots and grounds you into a firmer foundation.  I praise God for you and declare complete soul wound healing and a spirit of forgiveness.  I ask you God to guide us into a complete walk of love for one another so that we can shine with the light you have put in us as brightly as possible.  Thank you for inviting us into your arms when we need rest.  Speak over us who we are in you.  In Jesus name Amen.



1 Corinthians 16:13 says "Be on Guard, Stand Firm in the faith, be strong, be courageous.

The Umbrella Theory

Laughing at your religion is all about taking doctrines that are causing oppression and bombing them with the truth of the word.  It’s called Hermaneutics…     Her-me-neu-tics; herme’n(y)oodiks/ noun; the branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation, especially of the bible or literary texts.  When you’re reading scripture, there are basic questions you really need to be asking.  2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  So if there is a right way to interpret scripture, there is definitely a wrong way.  There are some basic questions you should ask yourself when reading the bible to make sure you’re interpreting the scripture the right way.

1. Let scripture interpret scripture, read the chapter before and after help you determine the definition.
2. Who is speaking?
3. Who are they talking to and what are they talking about?
4. 2 or 3 witnesses are needed to define a meaning – you cannot make a doctrine out of one scripture.
5. What is the culture of the people being spoken to – Who is the scripture being written about?
6. Are you reading the passage considering the finished works of the cross?

(Guidelines courtesy of Creflo Dollar – “Questions to ask when reading scripture”  http://www.creflodollarministries.org/Watch-and-Listen?slug=Questions-to-Ask-When-Reading-Scripture&returnUrl=%2FWatch-and-Listen%3Fslug%3DQuestions-to-Ask-When-Reading-Scripture-Part-2%26returnUrl%3D%252FWatch-and-Listen%26type%3DVideo%26page%3D1&type=Video&page=1 )

1 Corinthians 11:3 is one that has been an oppressive verse to wives for far too long.  “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

Let’s establish this first principle, that God’s words never change.  Matthew 24:35 says “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”  Understanding this is key.  In the beginning, we go back to the very creation of woman, and the blessing that God spoke over Adam and Eve.  Genesis 1:27-28 says “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.  And God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

          Do you see that?  God said to both man and to woman – be fruitful and multiply and have dominion over the earth.  This was God’s original plan for man and woman to be equal.  But then the fall came.  When Adam and Eve fell, God cursed the both of them saying “Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you” Genesis 3:16  So if God cursed man, then we can easily compare Genesis 3:16 to 1 Corinthians 11:3.  Because in these two comparisons, we are dealing with living under the curse.  Now to apply the questions to the scriptures as I outlined above, we need to look at several things.

1.   Allowing scripture to interpret scripture, we know the following things, Paul, the author of Corinthians is speaking to the Church of God that is in Corinth.  In the previous chapter, Paul warns against idolatry.  What is idolatry?  Putting anything in higher ranking than God.

2.   Paul, is a Jew.  Jewish tradition has over 100 laws against women.  In Jewish law, a husband was the head of household.  Women were very oppressed in Jewish law.  While the men were allowed to have many wives, they were allowed to divorce a woman if she didn’t please him.  Women were never allowed to divorce a husband in Jewish law or to even be educated. In the context of the Corinthian culture, Corinth was known as a city full of prostitution.  Corinth was located in Greece.  At the time, Greek mythology was the “religion” of the region.  Polytheism was the norm, and Greek goddesses ruled the land.  The basis for temple prostitutes, was because the goddesses ruled and taught within the temples.  When a man became good enough and earned status with the goddesses, they earned rights to sleep with the goddesses.  Shaving heads was a sign of a prostitute – so to continue on in 1 Corinthians 3 where it talks about covering your head, it was a time when Christianity was spreading in the region.  Covering of women’s heads was a way to reduce the judgement of the prostitutes so that all could hear the preaching of the word without judgement.  (On a side note – this is also why women were told not to speak in the temple – not only did they not want the wrong doctrine taught)

3.   We have a second witness for 1 Corinthians 11:3 by looking to Genesis 3:16.  Going for a third here, I am looking at the blessing of Abraham found in Deuteronomy 28:13 “And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God.  Under the new covenant, the obedience is fulfilled by 1 John 3:23 “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.”

4.   Reading these passages through the finished works of the cross, we need to understand that Jesus took every single curse upon himself.  1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”  Our righteousness is found in Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 1:30 “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”

So to rightly divide the scripture that puts women underneath the authority of the husband is wrong, and sets women up for unhealthy and very unsatisfying relationships. We were made to rule and reign with our husbands – to be the head and not the tail.  To have dominion over the earth together and to equally submit ourselves to our husband Jesus.  We as the church are his bride.  We are one in Christ.  When we are married, we become one flesh.  “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become on flesh” Ephesians 5:31.  So if we are together one flesh – husband and wife, then the only husband we are under authority to, is Christ.

          This is the freedom that Christ came to bless us with – this is the freedom in Christ.  The oppression and pain women have lived under, trying to follow the twisted doctrine of being submitted to an authoritarian husband is not Gods original intent.  It’s time we all got a grasp of what the heart of God really is concerning marriage and allow our partners to be free.  Men don’t need the pressure of being the breadwinners – women – you are free to be educated and be an equal plowshare in your relationships.  There is no need for one to be above the other, when the two of you are happily submitted to the Lord.

 

Some other great resources out there for understanding womens rights throughout the bible are from Kris Vallotton

Fashioned to Reign, and The theory of empowering women.

 

Be blessed, thank you for reading, and please – leave some comments – we’d love to hear from you.

 

Overcoming Strongholds! Wimp or Warrior?!

1 Samuel 22:1-5New King James Version (NKJV)

David’s Four Hundred Men

22 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. ² And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

³ Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.” ⁴ So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.⁵ Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

                Stronghold:  A stronghold, fortress, is used metaphorically in 2 Corinthians 10:4, one of those things in which mere human confidence is imposed.  Another definition of a stronghold is a mindset that is contrary to God’s word.

                Did you notice here that DAVID of all men was caught up in a stronghold?  Even mighty warriors who have slain giants can find themselves wrapped up within strongholds.  But as the prophets spoke to David, I am speaking to you now – “Do not stay in the stronghold”.

If David was told not to stay in the stronghold, then that means that we have the power to overcome whatever stronghold is against us.  Before we go into how to get out of a stronghold, what we need to first understand is how we got into them in the first place.

                In Luke 11:22, it explains how we get stuck in strongholds; 

But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

                1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

                John 10:10-11New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

                Take a moment and think on these verses, The devil is the one to snare us into the pit of a stronghold.  He does it through lies and deceptions, his main goal in life is to steal, kill and destroy.  But Jesus who is our Good shepherd has already given his life for us – the sheep.  Because he has already conquered Satan, we have to be mindful not to allow the taunts of Satan, become more powerful than the works of the cross.

But Jesus has overcome the world – and because of Him, so have we!

John 16:33

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

2 Corinthians 10:4New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

Isaiah 40:29New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁹ He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.

It’s time to change fortresses!

Psalm 91New King James Version (NKJV)

Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler^[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.            (A contagious or infectious epidemic,  something  destructive)
⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler. (A shield covering the WHOLE body)
⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, (The lord has not given a spirit of fear, but power, love      and sound mind)
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,  (Things may be happening around you, but know – you’re
And ten thousand at your right hand;    (covered in his safety)
But it shall not come near you.
⁸ Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
¹⁰ No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
¹² In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
¹³ You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

¹⁴ “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
¹⁵ He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

                Knowing the word of God, the Truth, brings us into freedom.  The word of God is saturated with stories of freedom.

                So what is it you need to overcome?

                In Mark 5:42 – we see a 12 year old girl overcoming the stronghold of death

                In Matthew 9 and Mark 5 – we read about the woman with the issue of blood, she illegally went into public, touched a man illegally, and she took her healing – and Jesus commended her for it.

                In Luke 8:38 – A touch from Jesus healed a man from demons who had terrorized the town

                The book of Job is a story of overcoming – Job’s fear allowed the devil to come in and steal everything he had in his sphere – but putting his trust and his faith in the Lord brought him to victory.

                Believing lies and having wrong theologies can become strongholds for us.  Not knowing the word of truth leads us into bondage.  Perceiving God wrong  is a stronghold, living in fear is a stronghold, sickness is a stronghold, negative mindsets are strongholds.

Some can be dealt with internally, and then there are some, like Davids, that need to be overcome first in the mind, and then physically.

                During Davids stronghold in the caves, he was hiding from Saul.  In the caves he met many that found him to be a leader.  During this period, he trained and built up others that he had discovered.  It is a beautiful image of what the Savior does for us daily.  He meets us in our darkest moments and builds and encourages us.

                In order to become our highest self, (referring here back to Genesis 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”)   We need to be careful not to get stuck with worrying about fulfilling everything that we feel we have lost; relationships, money, jobs, etc.  Because God who is our redeemer will restore everything that has been lost in following him.  Matthew 19:29

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.

There is NOTHING that’s worth your destiny OR your salvation.

The Holy Spirit is our guide to getting out of strongholds.  Set your love on him and He will deliver you (Psalm 91:14)       

What part of the word do you need to believe for your victory?  Revelation 2:26 says “To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations.” 

Holy Spirit, speak to me, guide me into deliverance.  Reveal to me the root of my stronghold and rip it out.  Where there is forgiveness needed, I forgive, where there is healing needed, I am healed, where there is disobedience, help me to obey.  You God are my Lord, restore me to the fullness you have created me to be and show me how to overcome every challenge with a positive attitude and with the Joy of salvation.  Cleanse me with your healing oil God.  Thank you for your love that cast out all fear.  In Jesus name Amen.

FLIPPING THE TABLES FOR THE SAKE OF LOVE

 

What's your heart condition?

Matthew 21:12 [ Cleansing the Temple ] And Jesus entered the temple [grounds] and drove out [with force] all who were buying and selling [birds and animals for sacrifice] in the temple area, and He turned over the tables of the moneychangers [who made a profit exchanging foreign money for temple coinage] and the chairs of those who were selling doves [for sacrifice].

 

In Levitical Law, sacrificing an animal was the atonement for sin.  Amidst all the Old Testament laws, God – who is always the same even says Exodus 25:2

“Tell the children of Israel to take an offering for Me. From every man whose heart moves him [to give willingly] you shall take My offering.  Giving has always been about the condition of the heart.  Religion loves to taint what God made pure – so giving has been one of the most controversial issues in the church since the beginning.

 

We’ve all been tainted by the preachers that send out the message - if you want to be saved, send money.  If you want to be blessed, send money.  I liken the sale of the animals at the temple like a convenient ATM machine; if you forgot to bring your sacrificial gift, buy a dove now for $29.99 and be healed.  It's not about doing it in front of people to look righteous; it's about your heart with God. It brings it back to that giving out of obligation how, that's not how God wants you to give.  Jesus paid the highest price!  He paid with his life and all he's asking us to do is to take care of his flock.  To take care of his flock cost money so if we can appreciate that immense sacrifice, and honor the vision he has for the church and give out of a grateful heart with just our money how much more would it be to give with our entire lives?  Liken it to when someone has a birthday you didn’t plan for – how you don’t know what to buy them because you don’t know their tastes very well, you don’t have the time to shop, or you simply forgot so you flippantly write a check or get some lousy gift card just to be sure you have SOMETHING… doesn’t it feel better when you have taken the time to think about and plan out what to give, and when it’s received, it’s received well?  That is how giving is with God – unlike people – he sees our heart like an x-ray and knows in which condition we’re giving.  

In times of giving, I think people have trouble understanding what they're giving for.  Do we need to start flashing pictures of the children that we’re feeding, the lives that we’re changing, the things that are going on in the kingdom - for them to understand and see what exactly every single dollar is being used for?  Your giving is not used to buy a beautiful lake house, it's not being used for ridiculous expenses and riches; it's being used to change lives. You feel good when you give to the March of Dimes, you feel good when you give to St. Jude's because you know it's going for a specific cause; so when your heart is in the giving, a Joy and satisfaction comes.  Knowing that you're giving towards the souls of the kingdom and that your giving is going into all eternity; it's not temporal it's not temporary, it's permanent and it will last forever.  It's a gift that keeps expanding and growing and never ceases I pray that the whole entire church body will have a revelation of where their seed needs to go and that revelation will just break their heart and cause them to start giving more.  Think about it this way.  Convert the dollars you normally give into something visual -  such as a loaf of bread for the youth ministry to be feeding the children and then as you feel your giving was good then next week, give enough to buy two loaves and three loaves and four loaves etc.

 

I think by and large, the church body has seen giving is a big black hole and they don't REALLY understand it.  It's hard to give with a cheerful heart when all you think you're doing is paying the light bill.  I'll be the first to admit I've given out of religious obligation, I've given out of fear of being cursed, I've given out of need and I've given out of love, and I choose to believe that none of that seed has ever been wasted - regardless of the heart condition that I gave and knowing how much I've given; I still believe for my 100 fold, because God's grace is sufficient for me and Jesus is blood covers all.  And really, honestly, if you’re concerned about the father of the house having expensive and elaborate things, then you need to get yourself back in the word and discover for yourself that Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord brings [true] riches, And He adds no sorrow to it [for it comes as a blessing from God].

Church, it’s time to get back to giving like in the book of Acts.  There was NO NEED!  Acts 4:32-36  Sharing among Believers 32 Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one [of them] claimed that anything belonging to him was [exclusively] his own, but everything was common property and for the use of all. 33 And with great ability and power the apostles were continuously testifying to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace [God’s remarkable lovingkindness and favor and goodwill] rested richly upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them, and bringing the proceeds of the sales 35 and placing the money down at the apostles’ feet. Then it was distributed to each as anyone had need36 Now Joseph, a Levite and native of Cyprus, who was surnamed [g]Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field belonging to him and brought the money and set it at the apostles’ feet.

Can you even begin to imagine what kind of revival would come, what life would come to your brothers and sisters in the Lord if we did what this early church did?  If your neighbor were in need of a car and you had an extra – and GAVE it without obligation or payment?  Would you ever sell a home, or Land to help? What an act of love it would be if all of us could act like the early church.  IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE!  When the body of Christ finally rises up and can stop being so selfish – the WORLD will start seeing our light more brightly! 

What if we were all so financially healed that when we see a non-believer in need that we generously give, just to be an act of love?  The world is selfish – BUT OUR GOD IS A GENEROUS GOD.  It’s time for us church – to stand up and declare – I am going to live my life debt free; I am going to be a generous giver.  It’s time we started aligning ourselves with the vision God has for the world instead of self-seeking to get all we can get.  We were not given a poverty spirit.  In your giving declare – I am prosperous!  I was blessed – so now I can be a blessing.

Father God – I declare over all the people reading this a REPENTANT HEART, a REPENTANT MIND, a REPENTANT SPIRIT.  Father in the name of Jesus I COMMAND souls to LINE UP with the WORD OF GOD and KNOW their TRUE IDENTITY as BELIEVERS.  We walk NOT according to our flesh but in the spirit.  Forgive us for our selfishness.  Thank you for gracing us to change and be renewed in our mindsets.  Thank you for freeing us from the bondages of oppression so that we can be GENEROUS JUST LIKE OUR DADDY!  Lead us not into the temptation of stealing your seed God.  I declare today that we as a body REFUSE to participate any longer with the spirit of the world.  In Jesus name – Open up your storehouses and see the kingdom of heaven flow like it has never done before.  Because we believe in the name of Jesus WE ARE BLESSED!

John 14:15

“If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.

John 14:31

but so that the world may know [without any doubt] that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father has commanded Me [and act in full agreement with Him]. Get up, let us go from here.

John 15:17

This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.

Matthew 22:36-40Amplified Bible (AMP)36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 And Jesus replied to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ 40 The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

 

 

 

 

Breaking the cycle of the lie – falling in love.

Psalm 34New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Lord, a Provider and Deliverer.

A Psalm of David when he ^[a]feigned madness before ^[b]Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

34 I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

² My soul will make its boast in the Lord;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.
³ O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

⁴ I sought the Lord, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.
⁶ This ^[c]poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷ The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

⁸ O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
⁹ O fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
¹⁰ The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.
¹¹ Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
¹² Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?
¹³ Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
¹⁴ Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
¹⁶ The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁷ The righteous cry, and the Lord hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are ^[d]crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
²⁰ He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.
²¹ Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be ^[e]condemned.
²² The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be ^[f]condemned

1 Corinthians 13:7

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 John 4:18 [Full Chapter]

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

1 John 2:5

but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:

John 8:39-47 ³⁹ They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, ⁴⁰ but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. ⁴¹ You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” ⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. ⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. ⁴⁶ Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? ⁴⁷ Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Numbers 23:19
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
2 Corinthians 10:5English Standard Version (ESV) ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Why do we have such a hard time believing in God, believing his word and truth and in his promises?  In the world we live in, there are so many lies we take on when we don’t know the word of truth.  Anything that doesn’t line up with the word is a lie.  Unfortunately, for a lot of believers, following God is hard because of the lies we believe.  Satan is the great deceiver, and the lies of the world that have molded our thinking and the way we see have debased our minds.  Jesus is the king of kings and the lord of Lords.  There is nothing greater than him on earth.  Not our finances, not our children, not our time – nothing.  There is nothing that should be in the way of an ultimate relationship with the lover of our souls – Jesus.  He is perfect love; and in his love there should be no fear.  No fear of speaking his name in public, no fear of following him, no fear of giving, no fear in believing; No fear.  On this journey we call life, we are deceived.  We are deceived in our thinking, deceived in our minds, deceived in our believing.  Deceived mostly into thinking God is lying.  Did God offer you a promise that hasn’t come true yet?  Did you fall into the trap of thinking It was a lie – that you’re not worth the time it would take to finish that promise?  I want you to know right now that in Jesus there are no lies.  He has never lied, nor will he ever lie.  He has always told the truth.  He is perfect love and we have got to stop doubting that his promises are true.  God wrote this book called the bible so that we could read and stand on his truth.  When seasons come where we need to battle and battle hard, the victory will come a lot sooner when we press in and pray and believe the truth of God’s word.  He is a breakthrough God – His battles are always victorious and there is nothing that can outshine the power of God’s word.  So that doctor gave you a diagnosis of cancer – God’s word says – I will live and not die (Psalm 118:17), I was healed on the cross over 2,000 years ago (1 Peter 2:24).  What about the bill that came in the mail that you couldn’t afford?  The Lord is our provider.  What are you thinking of right now that you doubt God about?  He’s not like that person you know who promises to do something for you and then forgets, has not going to tell you one thing and then change his mind.  He is and always has been, faithful, trustworthy, keeping his promises to the thousandth generation.   It’s time to call doubt out of our lives and remove it from our relationship with God.  He is our redeemer and has many and glorious things planned out for our lives.  Jobs, families, relationships – these are the things that are a desire of his heart for you.  He's not just a missionary in a foreign country; he is with you and in you and working to clear out all the clutter of previous history.  He WILL bring you to completion in him – and he’s not opposed to using means that confound your mind to do so.  Let him be who he says he is and work all things together for your good.  You may not be satisfied with where you are today but it’s not where you’re going to finish.  As the psalm above says in verse 16 “The face of the Lord is against evildoers” Romans 8:7English Standard Version (ESV) ⁷ For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Perhaps there is a war going on in your own house that you weren’t aware of – your mind against the mind of Christ.  When we walk in love, we walk in belief - Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Isn’t the greatest commandment to Love God, and one another?  So if we say we love God but don't believe his truth, can we honestly say that we really believe in God?  Can we honestly say that we really love God?  NO!  We can fool man, but we can’t fool God.  He knows our thoughts, he knows our hearts (Psalm 139:2) He knows when we sit and when we stand, he knows when we lie down and when we rise up again, so doesn’t he also know when we think that something he said, won’t come to pass?  He is intimate with us – can we be intimate with him?  Lay ourselves bare on his throne and expose our hearts and minds?  Like Psalms 139:1 says – Search my heart – Search me and know me.  What is this asking?  It’s saying – God – you know me more intimately than I know myself – search me – ask him to show you your flaws, and when he points them out, ask for his help in healing them.  What do you have to lose?  Absolutely nothing; because God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.  Hebrews 11:6  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

I hope I have left you with something.  I believe in faith that I have deposited something in your spirit that has stirred you to get to know Him more.  My desire is to see everyone have a much more loving and intimate relationship with the amazing God I serve.  But it takes two.  He is forever and always calling after you; forever and always loving you.  There is nothing that has ever separated you from his love.  Return to your first love Jesus and open your heart, soul and mind to him.  He is your treasure to behold and your healer and deliverer.

Father God I just PRAISE you for your goodness and lovingkindness towards me.  Thank you God for delivering me from every lie and sin.  I thank you God for healing my mind, soul and body.  Put inside me a soul that makes its boast in you with all honesty, sincerity and intimacy.  Let me be who you desired me to be – I surrender it all to you right now in Jesus name.  Abolish my doubts, and uproot seeds of doubt that I have planted and renew my mind.  Help me to know how to stand on your word of truth.  I declare that I believe in you and everything you say.  Satan I bind you from lying to me.  God, Help me to know you more and show me how to walk in love and absolute belief in your truth.  Forgive me for my sin of unbelief.  In Jesus name Amen

See also - Deuteronomy 30:2