Seducing The Elect

1 Jn 2:27 But the anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in him.

The anointing is the power and PRESENCE of the Holy Spirit. The Lord promised in the Gospel of John He would ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to us and He would teach us, guide us, prepare us, inform us, and empower us. He will convict and convince us. When you have a group of believers who are all Spirit taught the Word of God, they all say the same thing. There's no division over what this Scripture means-they agree. Only the Holy Spirit is qualified to interpret the Word of God because He wrote it. We all have the privilege to take this Holy Bible and get alone with Him and ask and trust Him to teach it to us. We all have His abiding Presence offered to us, we all can lay hold of Him because He was promised. We must have Him. We may all obtain the promise of His Presence in us and with us. He was sent to stay with us. To live with us, and in us. We do not need man to teach us what the Word of God means and how it applies to our lives. HE is well able to do that if we will present ourselves to Him, with hungry hearts, and give Him time. The same ability, and gift of the Spirit's presence in our lives will instruct and learn us what we must know. And when we go to church if the man in the pulpit is truly hearing from and seeking God, he will preach truth we are learning at home. There will be no confusion. There are so many different religions, doctrines, denominations, belief systems and teachings out there we must be taught by the Spirit of Truth or we will be deceived.

Mat 7:13 Enter in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be who go in there:

Mat 7:14 Because narrow is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.

We can only go in through the only entrance there is. It's a straight and narrow entrance. The word for gate here means entrance, it figuratively means condition. There is a condition we must enter into. It's a condition only the Holy Spirit can make reality in our lives. What condition must we enter into? Being hid in Christ. We must be IN Christ for HE is the Door into this condition, this way which leads to life eternal. Jesus Christ alone is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. IN HIM all the Godhead dwells. In HIM is the only access we have to life and to God-and that means to heaven, too. Every human being is on a journey in this life, but there are only two paths, only two destinations. In Christ, and not in Christ. Heaven and hell. There is a wide path and anything goes on that journey. It's flat, broad, and the journey on that path is easy. That's not to say life on that wide path is easy, for all experience loss and suffering, pain and confusion at times. But that way is the path of least resistance. It's a way of thinking, feeling, acting, deciding, by the means of human wisdom, follow your own thoughts and pursue your own desires, and it leads to death-to absolute destruction.

HOW can you say that? Because all of humanity has been born infected with a sin nature. We are naturally inclined to want any and everything but God. Left to our own devices we will take up destructive habits, and live selfish lives. To go that way will cause that person to be ruined and end up in eternal misery in an eternal hell where there are many ways in but no way out. Just like the law of physics is if you jump up you will come back down, if human beings live for themselves, and serve the desires of their flesh they will perish. There isn't more than one way to abundant life, to heaven, JESUS CHRIST is the ONLY way. Only the Holy Spirit can put us in the Body of Jesus Christ. The way is very restricted to fullness, to resurrection life. It's a life devoted to God and few will be able to understand, or see it. Few will recognize its value and press in to obtain it. It's a struggle, and to enter demands we deny ourselves and embrace HIM.

Luk_13:24 Jesus says "strive to enter in, for many will try but few will be able to enter in". It's a fight to enter in here because it's the only true entrance. Satan does not resist those heading to death, only to life. This is where some people get offended. You hear the questions "there are so many faiths out there, how do you know Christianity is the right way?" Because CHRIST is Christianity and when HE lives in you, His Holy Spirit will teach you truth. The Creator can't live in you and you not know it. Most of what passes or professes itself to be Christianity today is not the real thing.

Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

A false prophet is a person who says things, prophesies things, such as future events, and pretends God has told them what they claim. We know sheep are the people of God, His true children. They are clothed with His righteousness, with meekness, gentleness, humility, kindness. So you have a wolf come in with this same appearance, same outward demeanor. They appear righteous on the outside, they speak and act kindly, in an attempt to worm their way in among the flock. So let's focus on wolves a bit. What do we really understand about wolves and their behavior? Jesus compared false prophets to them so let's learn why.

Read more here.

Excerpt: The River of the Spirit-Lee Shipp

Excerpt from a message preached by Pastor Lee Shipp, First New Testament Church, Baton Rouge LA, concerning the day in Nicaragua he had to travel through a parade full of cross dressing trans-genders who were painted up demoniacally)

The presence and power of darkness doesn't teach, it demonstrates. It's great authority and power is in its demonstration not just simply its instruction. The effort the powers of darkness go to to demonstrate their reality is so profound because this earth is filled with the glory of Satan right now. There's coming a day when Jesus comes back this earth will be filled with the glory of God. Right now there is the presence of Satan and wherever you go in this world though you will find pockets of Christians who are loving Jesus, worshiping Jesus. But mostly what you will see, even in your own culture, is the power of Lucifer. That is the stronghold of his kingdom and his darkness. You see pestilence, disease, you see poverty. You see the fruit of the demonic stranglehold that is upon people and cultures everywhere. The Holy Spirit asks what do you think it will take to deliver these people who are so bound in darkness, who know only this way of life, what do you think is even going to bring them into your churches to even listen to what you have to say? And who has the audacity and authority and the anointing to walk into their culture and into their darkness with such confidence in the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to bring liberty? Who is going to do that?

This isn't just in Nicaragua, it's in every city, every culture, it's everywhere. And this is the call of Christ upon our life. He has not called us to go into pretty places. He has not called us to go into pleasing situations. He has not called us to simply go where we are welcomed. He has called us to go everywhere and preach to everyone the gospel of Jesus Christ. If they reject you, then shake the dust off your feet, and leave. But if they receive you bless them. In a lot of places we will not be accepted or welcomed because the Bible tells us in John 3 that men love the darkness because their deeds are evil and they run to the darkness. But in every pocket of darkness there are those in it that are craving light. They want light, they want deliverance and freedom. I believe every man does. But it's the blindness Satan has put upon men so they don't see the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

All we have to do is open our eyes in our culture and society to see this. We see Christian programs everywhere. We see Christian Literature, Christian radio stations, Christian TV, Christian cable networks, we have Christian everything. We as a culture in the United States are inundated with the Christian message. But for all intents and purposes it has fallen powerlessly at the feet of this darkness that is sweeping our culture, and that is strangling our nation from the life it has had-that is the life of Christ, the truths of God. We have to understand that. It's not our preaching that is going to be the answer. It's not our ability to quote Scripture at the proper time and place or our Bible Studies. This won't bring about the defeat of this darkness. The only thing that is able to contend with the spirit of darkness is the Spirit of Christ. And that is the Holy Spirit. He's the only One. He is ready and willing to come upon us with power and might and courage and boldness to be able to do through our lives what He alone can do.

The problem is we are so confident in our churches, in our programs, we are so confident in our methods that we've practiced how to witness to people (I.E. The Way of the Master-my thought here) We practice what to say. That's fine, but we have to leave the plan at the door. We have to be led by the Holy Spirit because we don't know what needs to be dealt with. The power of darkness doesn't just teach, it demonstrates itself from every possible avenue of our culture from our education system to our scientific institutions to our entertainment and even our government institutions. This is where all the efforts of the kingdom of darkness are concentrated to demonstrate its reality. And for the last many decades the church has done nothing but get together behind the walls of its buildings and TALK.

To watch the video of this message click here.

2Ch 7:14 If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

He's not talking about the U.S. That isn't the land He will heal-it's the church that needs healing and restoring. It's the church that for the most part has lost His glory, and the reality of His Presence and what He alone can do.

To view study notes "Without Mixture" click here.

When It's Hard to Pray

We know we need to pray, we know as children of God, in whom His Holy Spirit lives that we must maintain communication with the Source of our Life. We must know Him as our Father, who is in Heaven, who is on the throne of all power. We understand that Joh_17:3 tells us that is eternal life-knowing Him, being and staying connected to Him through His Son, through the Holy Spirit. Eternal life is having an unbroken connection, a very personal relationship with our Father, understanding and being aware of Him, in close communication with Him. We must accept and believe that He loves us, gave His Son to die for us so we could have access to His Presence. It was HE who reached down with mighty hands and a hurting, longing heart, and rent the veil in the temple from the top to the bottom in half, opening the way for us to enter in, through and by the blood of His Son. When you consider that, what does that say about how badly God wants us to come to Him? Why is this the number one area in our Christian life in which we encounter the most opposition? It's vital that we understand this.

For the Christian who truly loves the Lord, who wants to serve Him, desires Him enough to try to read His Word, seeks understanding of it, and tries to live a holy life, according to what they read in His Word, sometimes, prayer can come hard. That human nature at times can cause us to err, to fail or miss God, even be tempted into doing something we know is wrong.

Eve was deceived into disobeying God, but Adam sinned with knowledge. He chose to join her in her disobedience, choosing the woman over God. He was faced with a choice here, it was either her or God, because she had broken the command, she would be separated. It was her or God. He did not want to give her up, so he joined her. Immediately their eyes were opened and they became aware of themselves, their condition, that they were naked and upon becoming self aware, their immediate reaction is shame and fear. I'm naked! I have no covering! I've disobeyed God and sinned! That knowledge of evil causes fear and shame in them and then instinct demands self preservation so they hide from God when they hear Him coming. They know He's good, and now they aren't, so they hide. No wonder God did not want them to eat of this tree of knowledge of good and evil. He knew the sorrow that would result from such knowledge. God comes, walking in the garden. Adam, His son, isn't waiting for Him, he's hiding from Him. He has withdrawn from fellowship with God. The Lord knows this, and He calls out to Adam. He's crying out for His son, and that cry was one of pain. Have you ever gone looking for your child, especially when you have found evidence they have done something wrong, and they hid from you? Doesn't it hurt your heart to think that your own child is too afraid to face you? How much worse did God feel? Adam! Where are you? He cries out. Separation causes pain on both sides. Adam and Eve saw their nakedness and were afraid. It was the first time they became self-aware and the result was fear, dread, shame and produced an instinct to hide from God. Self awareness isn't all its cracked up to be, folks. It's the beginning of sorrow in the human life. Because of their sin, they were cast out of the garden of Eden, which was symbolic of the presence of God. He didn't stop dealing with them, but they couldn't come to Him like they did before. There was a separation now. They weren't like Him anymore. They no longer had His nature, they lost His image or likeness. But praise God, He already had a plan for man to regain that lost access to Himself. He sent His Son to reveal to us the Father. He came to destroy the works of the devil and set us free from the dominion of sin and Satan. He came to pay a heavy price for humanity's sin. He came to open the way back into the presence of God.

When you love God but you fail God due to adversity, temptation, and you hide from Him, you avoid Him and become weighed down with guilt, shame, and pain, and you continue in that condition, it can lead to a hard coldness that will begin to creep into your own heart. That is the danger. So, what can you do? The devil wants you to buy the lie that God is mad at you, finished with you because you sinned against light and grace. He'll thunder at your mind accusations. All around you people are going to hell but you don't care, you won't even pray for them like you know you are supposed to. You don't have enough power with God to help anybody! Oh, how these accusations can hurt because they can carry some truth. But what does God's Word tell us? He knew the lies we would have to fight. He had truth written and preserved for centuries for us that we could flee for refuge to His promises as an anchor for our soul.

Psa 34:18 The LORD is near unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit.

You may have lost your courage, you may feel there is nothing left, that all hope is lost, it's all been destroyed, crushed to dust. But when you are there, and you cry to Him, He will draw near to you. I always thought that word 'contrite' meant to be sorry. But here, in Psa_34:18, it translates from the Hebrew as one who is crushed into the dust, destroyed, one who is broken or bruised in spirit. A contrite heart is one whose natural pride and self sufficiency has been destroyed, humbled by the conscious awareness of its guilt, and disanulled of any notion of its own goodness. Jer_17:9 warns us the human heart is desperately wicked, deceitful above all things and who can know it? It's polluted, crooked and incurably sick with sin. No human remedy can cure it.

When you realize this, you must understand it is the mercy of God to show you this truth about your own heart. When He does, it can cause despair. You might think all hope is lost of being saved, your enemy is whispering you have tried, and failed, you just can't make it, so quit, you remember that nothing is too hard for God. When you have no hope, HE is your only Hope. This is when He can do the most in and through you. It's hard to pray when you come to this point. What do you say to an almighty, Holy God, when you see your own wickedness? You wonder how can this be? I've been washed by the blood, I belong to God, I've been taught by God, I don't just rely on preachers to teach me, I go to the Book myself. I take it to my knees. I meditate on His Word, I pray and ask for understanding. HOW can there still be such wickedness in my heart after all that? Even though you love Him, you are born again, you love His Word, you must go through a purification process. It is painful to go through the fire. It's in the fire that all the impurities are brought to the surface so they can be removed. He must allow us to be pressed and squeezed so we can see what comes up out of our heart that is unlike Him and we can repent of that we didn't even know was there so He can cleanse it.

In Matthew 11, it starts with John the Baptist being in prison, and he's having second thoughts. He's in a very dark and hard place. He's had visitors, his disciples have come to Herod's prison to see him. They bring news of all the things Jesus is teaching and the miracles He is working. John knew that he, his ministry, must decrease so Jesus could increase. He was the forerunner to Christ. He had been in the wilderness, taught by the Holy Spirit, a voice for God. Now, he's suffering, in isolation, unable to do anything. He is in a very unpleasant place, enduring hardship, second guessing himself and what he thought he knew. He's now, in his suffering, unsure of the Truth he was so sure of before. When they come to Jesus with John's questions, He understands what John is going through. How well He knows human nature. He understands the temptation to become angry, resentful under such hard trials. He understands how human nature will often cause a person in their suffering adversity and anguish to begin to distrust and desert the One he ought to trust and obey. He sends John a message, confirming the truth he already knew, with one addition, 'blessed is he who shall not be offended in Me.' That right there shows Jesus well understood the great temptation John was battling. He tells us the same thing in our trials. Don't be offended in Me. Cast not away your confidence. Flee for the refuge of your soul to the promises of God.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

He invites and welcomes us to come close to Him. Follow Him. He asks those who are exhausted, burdened down with grief, worries, those who carry a heavy load, come. He says if you're heavy laden, He will give you rest. In the Greek that means those who are weighed down with trying to carry the load of burdensome religious precepts added to God's Word by the religious in leadership, He says Come, He will give you rest. He will lift that load off you. He wants those who are suffering from spiritual anxiety, overburdened with religious ceremony to come. You've worked hard, you've tried your best to please God and failed miserably. Men's traditions in religion have been taught as commandments and it's hard, impossible to live up to. He says come to Him. He acknowledges the fact you've worked hard, carried a heavy load. He says come, and He will refresh you, come to Him and He will give you rest. He will cause you to cease from your labor, to be still and know He is God. You have been weighed down with a load you weren't meant to carry. Pleasing God isn't found in the keeping of men's religious traditions. It's found in resting in faith in the completed work of His Son. Abiding in His Son, not being moved away from the hope that is found only in the message His Son brought, confident in the price His Son paid, the blood for our sins. There's nothing we can add to that or bring to that but our faith. We must believe it. God says those who come to Him must believe that He is, and that He's a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Mat 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Barclay's NT commentary says this of these words:

It is suggested that in that moment the weight of the world's sin fell upon the heart and the being of Jesus; that that was the moment when he who knew no sin was made sin for us (2Cor 5:21); and that the penalty which he bore for us was the inevitable separation from God which sin brings. No man may say that that is not true; but, if it is, it is a mystery which we can only state and at which we can only wonder. It seems to me that Jesus would not be Jesus unless he had plumbed the uttermost depths of human experience. In human experience, as life goes on and as bitter tragedy enters into it, there come times when we feel that God has forgotten us; when we are immersed in a situation beyond our understanding and feel bereft even of God. It seems to me that that is what happened to Jesus here. We have seen in the garden that Jesus knew only that he had to go on, because to go on was God's will, and he must accept what even he could not fully understand. Here we see Jesus plumbing the uttermost depths of the human situation, so that there might be no place that we might go where he has not been before.

It would have been a terrible thing if Jesus had died with a cry like that upon his lips--but he did not. The narrative goes on to tell us that, when he shouted with a great shout, he gave up his spirit. That great shout left its mark upon men's minds. It is in every one of the gospels (Matt 27:50; Mk 15:37; Lk 23:46). But there is one gospel which goes further. John tells us that Jesus died with a shout: "It is finished" (Jn 19:30). It is finished is in English three words; but in Greek it is one--Tetelestai ()--as it would also be in Aramaic. And tetelestai () is the victor's shout; it is the cry of the man who has completed his task; it is the cry of the man who has won through the struggle; it is the cry of the man who has come out of the dark into the glory of the light, and who has grasped the crown. So, then, Jesus died a victor with a shout of triumph on his lips.

Here is the precious thing. Jesus passed through the uttermost abyss, and then the light broke. If we too cling to God, even when there seems to be no God, desperately and invincibly clutching the remnants of our faith, quite certainly the dawn will break and we will win through. The victor is the man who refuses to believe that God has forgotten him, even when every fiber of his being feels that he is forsaken. The victor is the man who will never let go his faith, even when he feels that its last grounds are gone. The victor is the man who has been beaten to the depths and still holds on to God, for that is what Jesus did.

Jesus, for the first time, felt that feeling of being lost, separated from His Father, because the sin of the world fell on Him and sin does separate us from God. The pain of that separation brought a gut wrenching cry to His lips. He lost the awareness of the presence of His Father. He knew His Father for the first time had to turn His head and look away from Him for He couldn't look on sin. He felt what it was like to be estranged from His Father as we were in our sins, and it was a torment to Him. In life we suffer, and there are times during our darkest hours we feel abandoned by God. We hear the enemy whispering similar accusations to our minds. God's left you. God's through with you. He isn't going to help you. The devil is a liar. All he can do is lie, he totally slanders God's character, trying his best to overthrow our faith. When we are in a storm and nothing makes sense anymore, we feel lost and undone, with no sense of direction, unable to hear God's voice, unable to feel God's presence, we can't give up our faith in Him.

Complete Notes on this are Here.

It's Time to Seek the Lord

This is written with a broken heart. It is a hard word, but one directed first at myself. I was greatly humbled by this. I wept over this and continue to pray over this. We truly need to pray and seek the Lord.


Jer 3:13 Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God, and have scattered your favors to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice, says the LORD.
Jer 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, says the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one from a city, and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Jer 3:15 And I will give you shepherds according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

My goodness do you hear what He is saying? It is so heartbreaking when you see this. I pulled apart these verses, carefully examining them, prayerfully searching for understanding. And I've found myself guilty as well. We all are. God says, understand, recognize that you have done wrong, deliberately done wrong, and what you've done deserves severe punishment. Admit it. Confess you have perverted truth and justice in your selfishness. You have rebelled against Me, broken away from Me every way you could. Your behavior has been offensive. Instead of staying faithful to Me on your life's journey in this world, you have spent your life and time with strangers, with profane people, committing adultery against Me. When you need help, when you get in trouble, you call someone else, not Me. When you are not satisfied, you find your pleasure elsewhere, not in My Presence where there is fullness of joy. You get under these green trees, these trees you plant to hide My altars which have become an offense to you and play the harlot with your other lovers. You seek your pleasure and fulfillment with others where you can never find it, worshiping profane things.
Oh, church of the living God we are so guilty. We have set up ourselves to dictate and rule things in the House of God instead of His Holy Spirit being in control. Man decides when the service begins, how it will go, who will sing, who will preach, and if you do get convicted and come to the altar most of the time that pastor will be ready for you to return to your seat after a few minutes and if you are trying by some miracle to touch God in repentance, he'll get up and start talking into the PA system moving the service to it's logical conclusion so everybody can go home, flip on their TV's, get in the fridge and fix them a late evening snack, or do whatever it is people do to relax, and get comfortable, with the Word they heard conveniently forgotten. And we say we love Him? We think we do Him a favor by showing up on Sunday morning and sitting in church for two hours? We might find a few minutes a week to read our Bible but do we really eat it? Do we set aside time and depend on the Holy Spirit to show it to us? To open our understanding to who we are and what we've done? How far we've erred from the truth? We act like it kills us to consider going to a prayer meeting, and offer every excuse in the book for not praying-even at home, like we should.
And it is a warfare, that devil will fight you harder when you are trying to pray than at any other time, but our excuses, and our lack of prayer tells the world and more importantly the Lord, we don't really think spending time with God is worth the struggle. We truly are the Laodicean church, Beloved. Blind, poor, miserable, wretched and naked. Laodicea means 'justice of the people' or 'just the people.' No power or Presence of God. Just the people. It's what the people think is right, it's man's traditions and ways-and that is a far cry from the ways and thoughts of God. For His ways are NOT our ways, nor His thoughts as ours. That's why He said have the mind of Christ. In short, Laodicea is the church man runs as he sees fit, not God. Jesus Christ is seen in Revelation 3 on the outside of His own church, having been taken over by men, knocking on the door, asking to be let in. What meekness. He has every right to kick the door in and reclaim His own but He seeks our invitation. My God, people. No wonder there is so little power to effect real change in our churches. I'm not saying they are all like this, I know better. God will always have a remnant. But for the most part, this is how it is.

What did this church think? That they were rich, they had an abundance of material things, plenty of money in the bank, for Laodicea was a city that had a very wealthy and successful banking system. They thought they had it all, they needed nothing else. When Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake in 66 or 67 AD, they refused the offer of help from Rome with the rebuilding and spent their own money and labor instead, quickly rebuilding the city. What pride and arrogance. But Jesus said you don't realize you are miserable, afflicted with the disease of selfishness, a spiritual pauper, naked in My sight because you are clothed with the rags of your own righteousness instead of My righteousness. They were trusting in their works, their wealth and their own personal goodness.
Through Jeremiah, God is urging His people to come back, to come home. He calls them backsliding children. They were faithless, idolatrous-they worshiped any and everything but HIM who alone is worthy of worship. They had turned from light to darkness. They slid back from truth to a lie. But God says I AM your Master, I AM your Husband, I'm to have the rule over you, to provide what you need, to care for you. Instead you run to the beggardly elements of the world and the flesh and the devil to find your pleasure and fulfillment. You are Mine but you consort with My enemy-your enemy. Come back to Me, wherever you are I will unite you, bring you back to Zion. I'll give you pastors, shepherds, leaders who share My heart for you, My love for you and they will take care to teach you what I know and they will help you understand who I AM. He was offering them so much better than the world could ever give.

Oh, how He plead with His people. I believe this is still the desire of His heart now. That we would take a long hard look around us. We've got full to half empty churches on every corner. Powerless and ineffective. Though they are near to Him with their mouth, for the most part, their heart is far from Him. You will know them by their fruit, Jesus said. What kind of fruit is the church producing? They aren't producing any for the most part. The young people are out the door as soon as they can be. The hurting come in and leave confused and still hurting. The lost don't bother because to them the church is a money racket just like the politicians. Where is the anointing that destroys the yoke? Not in our churches, for those who sit in them mostly worship themselves first, and their own idea of who God is second if at all. There's no presence of God filling the place showing people their sins, making them hate sin, no anointed Word of God that will create a desire to be free and clean in them. This is why you see a rush to exodus the House of God on Sunday and the restaurants quickly fill up, mostly with church goers. How quickly they leave His house to go their own way, just like Israel and Judah did. Okay, God we gave you two hours on a Sunday morning, see ya next week. Now it's time to go feed my face and then go watch the ball game or go play golf or go to the lake, or whatever. Who is being served here? Self. And the result? Suicides are at an all time high. The youth shelters are full of kids whose parents are either strung out on drugs, or are in jail or sick and can't take care of them. The abortion clinics steadily continue their grisly work, day after day. The schools are indoctrinating our children, pushing God out, and teaching theories as facts as history is rewritten. The hospitals are full, the jails are full, and where is the church on Sunday, or any day? Watching TV, playing sports, eating and shopping, playing on the computer, reading the latest "Christian Fiction" novel, and doing so many other things. Then someone we love has a car wreck, gets sick, or commits suicide, or overdoses on drugs trying to cope with their own pain and we have the nerve to ask God where HE WAS?

Dan 9:5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from your precepts and from your judgments:


Read more here.

Desiring Mercy of God

Dan 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, by which his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him.

It's around 602 BC. This king is very powerful. He rules the most powerful nation in the world at this time. His ego was such, as with many other kings, that any male who stood in his court, who worked closely with him, was made a eunuch. He would brook no competition in any way in his realm. He's successful, determined to make Babylon the greatest nation in the world. Now, he's having bad dreams that confuse him, trouble him and he can't really remember them when he wakes up. Still, he remains troubled enough to call for the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans.
The magicians were considered sacred scribes who acted as interpreters of omens or revealed secrets. In the Hebrew the word for magicians means one who writes, engraves occult symbols, a horoscopist, and engraver, especially of occult material. The astrologers conjure, practice enchantments, including necromancy which is an attempt to communicate with the dead. They observe the stars and planets in the heavens, using these to foretell future events. They believe the stars and planets have influence on earthly events, for good or evil. This led to worship of the heavenly bodies, such as the sun, the moon, and stars which is highly offensive in the sight of God. It robs Him of His rightful glory for He alone created these things and they exist as He placed them-hanging in space on nothing but His Word. The sorcerers cast spells, use enchantments, practice magic and all kinds of witchcraft. They also used the spells and incantations written by the magicians and astrologers to call upon or seek out spirits of the dead-i.e. resorting to, inquiring of Satan and his demons who pretend to be the spirits of dead men.

Magic itself and all these areas were included as part of the government counsel of Babylon. These black arts are merely Satan's attempt to imitate God's true power. Magic and sorcery are satanic imitations of the power of the true God-which is why we must never touch these things. To do so is one of the greatest insults to the Almighty. By our choice we are affirming a love for darkness over light, of the lie instead of the truth, evil instead of righteousness. Consider for a moment the movies and books that are full of these things-the Twilight series, vampire movies, and books; Harry Potter, all of this witchcraft is glorifying Satan's attempt to imitate God with supernatural fakes. It will defile us and put us on dangerous ground. You open the door to him by dabbling in or entertaining these things and don't think it won't get a grip on you that will take a miracle of God to break. The Chaldeans, whose very name means demons, robbers who waste and destroy, were educated as priests of the magicians and astronomers. They descended from a warlike people who came from the mountains north of Assyria. Hab_1:6-11 gives a very good and graphic description of these people. By this time the Chaldeans had become synonymous with Babylonians.

These were king Nebuchadnezzar's counselors. He's given a dream by God and calls for demon possessed people to explain it-and they can't. He is very agitated, concerned. His peace has been disturbed. He wants to remember and understand this dream. These counselors came and appeared before the king and heard his request. He'd dreamed this dream, and he wanted them to tell him what the dream was and what it meant. He threatened them with a brutal death if they couldn't make known to him the answers he sought-an indication of how upset he was. He wouldn't give them time to consider this matter, because in Dan_2:9 he reveals he really doesn't trust these men to tell him the truth. He thought if they could tell him what he dreamed, then he could trust their interpretation. I believe that this reveals Daniel, with his position in the king's court, was already having great influence. A mental comparison was likely being made here. These were Nebuchadnezzar's chosen counselors but he puts them to a test they can't possibly pass. Was he too proud to call for a captive to enquire of him? I think so. Don't you just love how God orchestrates things? He was the One who sent this dream to Nebuchadnezzar. He knew how this king would react to the dream, and how it would ultimately cause three of His servants to go through a very fiery trial. But there is something here we need to learn. God wanted to show this king the thoughts of his own heart.

When the king's magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans couldn't answer him, he got so angry he ordered that the wise men through out his kingdom be killed. His soldiers went out, seeking Daniel and his friends to be killed as well. But in Dan_2:14 we can see that Arioch, whose name means 'the mighty lion who serves the moon god sin' finds Daniel but doesn't seem all that anxious to kill Daniel. He takes time to talk with Daniel and answer Daniel's questions. Daniel knows something has happened to upset this king he's served for about 2 years now. He asks Arioch "Why is his decree so severe? Why is he in such a hurry to have all the wise men killed now?" When Arioch explains the situation to Daniel, he disobeys the king's order, allows Daniel to go into the king. He asked the king for a little time and assured him that he would show the king the meaning of the dream. He buys time for the wise men of Babylon and for himself and his friends. Nebuchadnezzar wouldn't give his own counselors time to do this, but he granted Daniel's request-a sure sign he had more confidence and faith in Daniel's honesty.

Daniel knew that God had given him the ability to understand visions and dreams. But he goes to his house, and speaks with Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. These three Hebrews would be his companions in prayer and seeking God for the answers needed here. They sought the compassion of God concerning this thing, so they would not be killed with those wise men of Babylon. God had given Daniel and his friends favor even in the eyes of the captain of Nebuchadnezzar's guard. He didn't immediately strike out at Daniel. He talked with him and spared him. How God watches carefully over His own.

Dan 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
Dan 2:18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Dan 2:19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

Trouble was here. Daniel went to his friends, those he knew were consecrated to God-not the other children of the captivity, just these three who were consecrated to God as he was. God answers their prayer, revealing the dream and the meaning to Daniel. He sent the dream to Nebuchadnezzar knowing He would reveal it and the meaning of it to Daniel. The next morning he goes in and Arioch hurriedly brings him in before the king. The one ordered by the king to destroy the wise men goes in before the king with one of the Judean captives, and says he's found someone that can make known the dream and its meaning. Daniel uses this situation to glorify God-and Him alone before this powerful king.

Dan 2:21 And he changes the times and the seasons: he removes kings, and sets up kings: he gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
Dan 2:22 He reveals the deep and secret things: he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.
Dan 2:23 I thank you, and praise you, O God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might, and has made known unto me now what we desired of you: for you have now made known unto us the king's matter.
Dan 2:24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will show unto the king the interpretation.

A couple things here caught my attention. Daniel privately glorified God, affirmed God answered his prayer because of HIS OWN purposes. He took time to praise and thank God. He tarried in God's presence after the answer came. He was in no hurry to leave the presence and communion with God. He was grateful, understanding that what wisdom and might he had was God's, and he himself just a steward, a vessel that contained it. Another thing that caught my attention, and this we so desperately need to apply to our own lives, especially in these last days. In verse 24, Daniel is standing in the gap for wicked, demon possessed counselors of Babylon. They promoted everything that Daniel was against. They sought to powers of darkness while Daniel went to Truth and Light. But see him here saying, 'don't destroy them.' Religion is so misguided today. People are so foolish, because they do not know God, they bring reproach on Him, they cause Him to be spoken and thought evil of by the world He died to save.

I read in the newspaper yesterday a certain church has been picketing a nearby strip club for years. So the owner of the strip club got tired of this and decided on some payback. He gets his strippers dressed up in bikinis and they go picket the church. My heart was so grieved when I read this. Why isn't this church, if they are truly offended by the sin, why aren't they on their face seeking direction on how to deal with this? Why aren't they moved with the compassion of Jesus for the lost souls of these strippers and folks who go to this club? Instead, they are using flesh to war against this. They stand with signs and cameras in the parking lot, taking pictures of patrons license plates and then publish them on the internet. And we wonder why the world mocks the church? Oh, God, forgive us, rise up in mercy oh, Lord, and work, for we have made void Thy law...we've made it empty words because we've traded a form of godliness which flesh can achieve, but we have no power. All that is on display is powerless people spouting a dead letter and no one even stops to consider where are the signs HE said would follow the believers? A true believer would never disgrace the Almighty this way.

See Daniel as an example here-one who was so awed by GOD HIMSELF he would never dare glory in being used by Him. He didn't gloat over being able to do what the king's counselors could not. See the spirit, the attitude on display in this child of God and you will catch a glimpse of the heart of God Himself. You will see the kind of vessel the Lord is pleased to work through.

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Standing Before the Cross

I stand before the Cross and I profess a love for this Man, this One, Who has taken my place…

and I turn away…

and I go shopping and I buy a bikini…

I can justify it because it is so cute on me and anyway…

if a guy looks at me to lust, it is all his fault for not controlling himself…

and not my fault at all.

I go to church and I worship this holy God…

and I turn away…

and I go home and I turn on the television…

and I watch…

and as I do I fill my mind, my heart, my eyes with things that I would be ashamed to watch…

if Jesus were here…

but, He isn’t…

and I justify it, because it is a good show…

and, after all, God is a God of love and He just wants me to be happy.

I kneel before my God and I pray…

Thy will be done…

and I get up…

and I go about doing my will…

with everyone that I meet…

in everything that I do…

not for a moment thinking…

that I am sinning.

I open up my Bible and I read about the wonders of God…

and my heart rejoices…

I read of His love, His mercy, His tenderness…

sometimes, I come to passage that shows more than that…

and it makes me nervous, uncomfortable…

but, I turn the page…

and I read more about how very much God loves me,

and I read into it how much He longs for me to respond to Him,

and I think how cool it is that this God of the whole universe needs me…

me…

and I determine to try to find something really nice to do for Him…

sometimes.

I reach out to my God in my need…

and I can’t find Him…

and I ask Him, “Where are You?”

but, He doesn’t answer me…

and, I don’t understand His silence…

I run towards where He was but find only darkness …

I seek Him out and I ask, ”Why have You abandoned me?”

“Where are You, God?”, I plead…

and it’s then that I realize…

that I am alone…

and He doesn’t seem to hear me…

at all.

And, in the echoing silence, suddenly I hear

a still small voice,

saying, “If you love Me, you will obey Me.”

And I fall on my face…

and I weep.

by Anna Wood, posted with permission from her blog, "The Cross is All"

Holding Onto Faith In Suffering

The book of Job is a book about an intense and painful spiritual warfare. It is a story of the physical suffering of a godly and righteous man who had done nothing wrong. Job is in the midst of a spiritual warfare he understands very little if anything about. His faith in and love for God is being put to the test. Ours is and will continue to be, so we had best learn this now. Job has lost all his children even though he spent much time sacrificing, praying and interceding for all of them. They were slain, in spite of his prayers, not long after he'd sacrificed and prayed for them. He lost his servants, his herds, and now his health. He lost the respect and confidence of his wife and friends. He is in tremendous emotional, spiritual and physical pain. His wife is struggling with her own grief, confusion and anger, so she is no comfort at this time. She needs comfort herself, and Job can't comfort her either. So there is a division between the wife and the husband that in itself must have been painfully damaging. When she'd spoken foolishly, he overlooked it. But he saw the doubts, the questions in the eyes of this woman he knew so well. That had to hurt.

Job's grief overshadows in his mind, all the good he has ever known in his life. He said those who were dead were better off, because in the grave a man had rest and couldn't hear the voice of the oppressor. (V. 18) In the Hebrew (H5065) the word is nagas (possibly where we get the English word 'nag' from?) I think that is a powerful statement from a desperate man. This is a nagging voice that is maddening. It means to drive, as an animal, to heavily tax, harass, tyrannize, distress, to press or exert demanding pressure. In other words, those who are dead have rest from the constant warfare. Anyone who's been tormented by the devil in their minds can testify it's not fun. I believe this is why many commit suicide at times, to shut that tormenting voice in their head up, never understanding all they have to do is cry out to Jesus. They are blinded to the truth.

So you have a man who has lost nearly everything he had that was precious to him. When his children, his servants, his animals and herds were taken from him, when his health was taken from him, along with the respect and confidence of the community and his wife, he held his peace for a week after his friends showed up. Now, here sits three of his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. Let's look carefully at the three who came. I wonder did Job have no siblings? None came to offer support. No parents came to offer support. Out of all the people who knew Job, only these three came.

As I'm studying Job I have noticed in Eliphaz' conversations with Job, he eloquently ascribes honor, glory and majesty to God. He sounds like a very religious man who seeks to uphold the purity and holiness of God, but he has a lot of zeal without personal or intimate knowledge of God Himself-and this means he misrepresents God. You can't accurately represent someone you do not personally know and know well. (Rom_10:2) This kind of mentality is rampant in religious circles, especially those who are bound up in legalism, whose holiness is more in what they don't do and how they dress than Who lives in them and how much of His likeness they are being changed into. Eliphaz believes that God's retribution toward man's sin in this world is total and certain and suffering is only brought on by sin. His theology is very wrong. So in his terrible suffering, you have a 3 religious people, who think they know God. They are all accusing Job wrongly. One has a zeal for God with no knowledge or intimate acquaintance with God. One is a severe man, who is also influenced by a prosperity gospel, as well. Then you have the third man, one who sees God as some austere Being, with a hammer raised over your head, ready to slam you if you step out of line. These three men typify much of religion today. I have encountered most of these attitudes over the years-and always found pain and discouragement when I did. Job is on display for us, so let's take a look at this man, and how he responds in this awful crisis of his faith.

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From: Jesus Christ and Him Crucified

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, and something he said early in his first epistle caught my attention. "For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified." He decided not to see, not to consider or make any effort to be aware of anything among these Corinthians except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. That word for crucified is 'stauroo' in the Greek. It means to subdue or extinguish passion or selfishness. It's the method by which the power of the natural desires of human flesh are destroyed.

The people in this church had been influenced by Greek philosophy, Greek and Roman pagan culture of idolatry as well as sensuality. They had been influenced by the thirst for worldly wisdom and knowledge these cultures promoted, as well as eloquent speaking, highly educated speakers. Throw in the mix Judaizers who were man centered, preferring certain speakers, and forming their own little cliques in the church, listening only to the speaker that most gratified their carnal ideas of how a speaker should speak. Being used to the sophisticated speakers and philosophers of Greece and Rome, these simple and plain disciples, such as Peter did not appeal to some of the Corinthians' educated minds. Some preferred Apollos because he was an eloquent speaker, well educated in Alexandria, (Act_18:24)but they did not care for the simple message of the cross. Flesh always wants to do something to help God, amen? The cross says flesh can do nothing, it has no part in the spiritual kingdom of God. Apollos was very educated, and had extensive knowledge of the Old Testament, and was instructed as far as John the Baptist's ministry but at Ephesus was taught the deeper Christian life and the baptism of the Holy Spirit by Priscilla and Aquila. People come into the church and bring their likes and dislikes with them. Many loved to hear Apollos speak because he was very educated, and spoke very well. But in so doing, they were relying on human words and presentation of the Gospel message, and flinched from the message of the cross.

There were divisions in the church, rejecting authority, especially Paul's, because he was not a direct eye witness of Christ as were the other apostles. All the division in this church led to confusion, and questions. Who is right? Who should be listened to? Did Paul really know what he was talking about? He hadn't been with Jesus as had Cephas, or Peter as he was known.

Paul challenges their divisions, explaining to them Christ is not divided, and neither should they be. They should all speak and have the same mind. Paul said "I wasn't sent to baptize, but to preach the Gospel, not with wisdom of words, for then the cross of Christ would be made to appear of none of effect." The message of the cross would be neutralized in their minds. Human nature is to focus on other humans which are seen, and to elevate certain of them who seem to be more accomplished than others. It's one of our most basic flaws. But Paul was trying to tell them, it's the preaching of the cross that is important. The preaching of the cross is to those who are dying in their sins, foolish, but to us who are redeemed, it's the miraculous power of God. He calls them out. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where are those who think they are so sophisticated they would rather dispute? God has made foolish the wisdom of this world. Everybody is seeking a sign, they want to see miracles, signs and wonders. But we proclaim Christ, crucified, and to the Jews that is a snare, an offensive truth they stumble over. Unto the Greeks who consider themselves so intelligent and sophisticated, it's absurd.

God has chosen to select the foolish things of the world to shame and dishonor the wise. He has chosen that which is without strength, impotent, feeble, to shame those who are strong in the flesh. That which the world despises and least esteems God has selected. He picks the nothings and nobodys to do away with things that are something in the eyes of the world. No flesh, no human nature, no human wisdom or strength will have anything to boast about in His Presence. It's because of Him we are secure in Christ, who because of God's will is made unto us our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and redemption. We have nothing of our own. We can't say we did anything to accomplish this. HE did it all. If you want to boast in something, boast in HIM.
Paul reminds them when he came to the Corinthians before, he did not come with fancy words, or wisdom when he told them evidence given as the testimony of God. He decided not to be aware of anything among them but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There was so much wrong with this church, so much flesh and carnality in this church. Yes, they had the spiritual gifts, which they were abusing, not understanding their errors. But what does the message of the cross really mean? That which is carnal, natural must be put to death because flesh cannot inherit and neither can it build up the spiritual kingdom of God. That which is had by natural means, accomplished in human strength, without the leadership and governing of the Holy Spirit is useless to God. He will accept nothing spotted by the flesh.

Paul was living the example of Christ crucified among them. He came in weakness, his body sick and frail, which inspired disdain and contempt among many of the people, betraying a heart that admired human strength. Remember the disciples, upon seeing a display of the power of Jesus wanted to know when He was going to put down the Roman rule over the Jews? Human nature admires such displays. It leads to pride and arrogance. But Paul stands before them weak, sick, afraid. Afraid of what? He knew and understood the wickedness of the human heart in the sight of God. He distrusted his own ability to get the message across to these people, instead depending not on attractive words or speech patterns, not on men's wisdom, but in the manifestation of the Spirit of God and HIS miraculous power to work the works of God in and through the people. He so trusted the Word and the Spirit of God that he got up and spoke the Word and did not harangue the people with stories, did not accuse or condemn them for their failures, he merely pointed them in the right direction, preaching the truth, writing them the Epistle, trusting the Holy Spirit would deal with their hearts, knowing the issues of each heart much better than Paul.

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Spritiually Dressed UP

Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

1Ti 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Did you see that? Adam was not deceived. Adam had union with God. He was so close to God, He had the mind of God. He knew what to call each animal God had brought him, and whatever he called it was right, and that was what it was. He had no education, no growing up process, GOD was his wisdom. He walked with God who came down to him in the cool of the evening, everyday. When he saw she had transgressed the commandment of God, instantly Adam knew she would now be separated from God. There must have been an initial rush of horror in his mind when he saw what she had done. The serpent didn't try to tempt Adam himself, for a reason. He knew Adam would not listen to the lie. He went after that which was near and dear to Adam's heart and deceived her. He put Adam in a terrible place. There was a choice to be made here. Adam could refuse her and lose her, or he could join her in her disobedience and lose out with God. Sadly, we know, Adam chose flesh over the Spirit of God. THAT was the terribleness of the sin of Adam. He was not deceived, he knew what he was doing when he took that fruit from her hand and ate of it. Similarly, when we are born again, as we grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are faced with the same decision. Will we let His Holy Spirit rule in us or will we choose not to deny our flesh?

We must understand that Adam lost the divine, holy nature and likeness of God when he fell, and the light went out in his spirit, which died toward God. That left a vacuum, and Satan was quick to rush in and remake man in his own image. Satan reproduced what he was in man. Darkness, envy, pride, covetousness, anger. Those last four things were what cost him his place in heaven. Do we think we can have them in us and make it? To live this overcoming Christian life in this dark world successfully, we have to be dressed up SPIRITUALLY. Eph 6:10-18 tells us what we are to have on:

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

To be strong, or able, in the Lord, we must have be brought to the place we have no confidence in the flesh-in ourselves, our own human strength. (Php_3:3) We must have a relationship, with Him. We trust Him because we are familiar with Him. We spend time with Him, so we know Him. We cannot trust someone we do not know personally. We must trust His power is well able to do whatever is required, to meet whatever need confronts us, and not we ourselves. That word for power in the Greek is kratos, and it means dominion, force, great mighty power. We know He has dominion over all. Nothing is out of His control. He grants humanity free will, but ultimately, He is over all. He is and has all the ability needed. We must put on the complete armour of God. Why?

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Do you hear what verse 12 is saying? How many years have we spent struggling with ourselves, wanting to be holy, trying to be holy and always falling short? Paul said we wrestle not-so if we aren't to wrestle with flesh, the only other alternative is to present that flesh of ours to God for Him to deal with. Paul is talking to a people here that he presumes are dead and dying daily to self. The word wrestle means a contest in which one endeavors to overthrow the other. If we aren't to wrestle with flesh-that means we must trust it to God who is able to subdue all things to Himself. (Php_3:21) Oh, Father, I'm preaching to myself here. He also said in Psa_46:10 to be still, and know He is God. He will be exalted in the earth above all. That includes all that is in us if we will still ourselves before Him and tarry in His Presence. Are we not made of earth? Did He not just say He will be exalted in the earth? If we spend all our time struggling with self, the real battle never gets fought. We lose. The real battle is with those who from the beginning (Gen_1:1) have been agents of darkness, in this world. They have power, meaning influence, authority, on the grounds of flesh and blood, to wreak havoc and destruction. Flesh they can manipulate and operate in and through. This is why it cannot be used in the kingdom of God.

There is spiritual wickedness in heavenly or high places-a war being fought above our heads, in the very sky above us. These spiritual powers of darkness can use and manipulate men and women who are not born again, as well. This is why you have leaders in this world today set on destroying the nation of Israel. This is the dragon, Rev 12 refers to persecuting the woman who bore the seed (Son). This is to be the focus of the battle-spiritual wickedness-demonic powers, and beings and their manipulation of that which is carnal, and even religious. Only the Holy Spirit knows how to successfully fight these things-and is He not our Teacher, our Comforter, our Protector, Guide? There is danger in this fight.

Because of this, you need the full array of weapons, defensive measures, and protections God has provided for you. Quickly, these include your shield, your helmet, your breastplate, your sword, your belt. These are required for you to be able to stand against and resist whatever the enemy throws or puts in your way. When you have done all you know to do, and you are covered in the armour, you stand. Don't back down.

Stand with your loins secured with TRUTH. (Joh_14:6) This is the belt that holds everything else in place. The loins is a term used to refer to the place where the seed of the human resides. In other words, teach your children truth. Secure them with the knowledge of the truth. Loins also refers to your own mind. You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. That means an intimate knowing. Personal not second hand knowledge. Experiential.

1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

So we cover our children, and our own minds with truth. Have on the breastplate of righteousness. Know you do not stand in your own righteousness which is filthy rags in the sight of God, but you, we all stand in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness. The devil will come against us all and try to beat us down in defeat reminding us of our unworthiness. None of us are. But He made provision for us anyway. He loves us anyway. So that is not an issue. Settle it in your mind.

1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

We have our feet bound to walk in the truth revealed to us, fully prepared to share that truth of the availability of peace with God to all humanity. But above all these things, you must have that shield of faith. Faith in the knowledge of the truth you know will put out the inflammatory lies the wicked ones around you will launch at you-both physical and spiritual. Take the helmet of salvation-you must know you are born again. You must know you've not just repeated some little sinner's prayer and took your salvation as a given, for granted. No. You must KNOW that you know you have been born again from above, a work of the Holy Spirit, birthing the life of the Son of God in your spirit. This will change your desires, your purpose in life, your behavior, it will change everything. If you are not changed, if you have not changed, if you do not hunger to know God, you are not born again. You may be religious, but not born again.

Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The helmet of salvation, implies a defense, to protect the head, but also the hope of being saved from eternal darkness and damnation. Take also the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Heb_4:12) and never stop praying with earnest communication with God, and making your requests to God, not only for yourself, but for others in need. Watching, that means don't go to sleep, stay awake, spiritually. Persevere, don't give up, be steadfast. Immovable from your position and understanding that you are a child of God, accepted in the Beloved Son of God, with access, help, weapons, and truth on your side. Make petitions for all saints, not just a few. This must require Holy Spirit leadership in our prayers, for we know not how or for whom we ought to pray. Consider carefully each piece of defense God has provided in this armour. We must understand each piece is vitally important, and each piece protects and guards against a specific area of attack.

One last thing I would add, concerning the boundaries, and separations from the presence of God. When Jesus Christ died on that cross, having shed innocent, pure and holy blood, for our sins, God ripped the temple veil apart from the top to the bottom. He made the way for us to come in before His Presence, boldly.

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Two things will separate us from Him now-deliberate sin and unbelief. HE is well able to deal with both if we come honestly, humbly and come knowing there is nowhere else we can go.