The new year has crept in with all the threats from 2021 still hanging over us like a dark cloud.  Covid variants, runaway inflation, natural disasters, Russian empire building, Chinese economic threats along with their claims on Taiwan, a fiercely divided America, and so forth, still stand unresolved as we try to find hope in 2022.  

I believe this coming year is going to require that we truly keep our eyes on the Lord and stand firmly on the tenants of our faith on many issues.  I’m not sure that life in our time is more threatening or more complicated than in other epochs, but we are certainly more aware of every crisis in every corner of the world, , which certainly makes life more stressful and seemingly uncertain. Every issue we can imagine is in our face 24/7 because of the news on television, social media, and talk radio.  Every event, large or small, is dissected, analyzed, and “disasterized.”  Fear is a major component of media that seems to keep us glued to each station, hoping that the most recent crisis won’t get any worse and that solutions will arise.

On top of global crises, many of us have faced personal crises this past year as well.  The loss of loved ones, challenges to our own health, stressed marriages, increased crime, open boarders, economic loss because of covid restrictions, and so forth.  We wonder if this coming year will bring more of the same.

So…now that I have cheered you up, how do we face a world that seems so bent on self-destruction?  The only way to face such a world with any measure of joy and confidence is through faith in the one who created it, and his promises that the day will come when there will be no death, no war, no sickness, no hatred, no division, no natural disasters, and no lack for any need.

This may be the year to discipline ourselves to watch less news, be less politically charged, and less invested in this world.  I’m not suggesting that we bury our heads in the sand or ignore what may be coming our way, but I am suggesting that we need to believe that if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, God will meet every one of our essential needs.

Jesus lived in a world of poverty, famine, earthquakes, political unrest, religious upheaval and military oppression.  His solution was not to worry or be obsessed with the things we cannot affect except through prayer.  His solution was to seek God and believe in his care and protection in the midst of crisis.  Jesus never said we would not have trouble.  In fact, he said that in this world we would have trouble, so we need to keep our expectations biblical.  But in the face of that reality, he also promised that he would always be with us.  Just as the disciples, when crossing Galilee, encountered a storm that threatened their very lives, the presence of Jesus brought peace and safety.  

If you are like me, I often pray for a life that is trouble free, and yet, a trouble-free life requires no faith.  The truth is that faith is the currency of heaven and without faith it is impossible to please God.  Faith is that conviction, that in the midst of trouble, God will see me through…in spite of what appears to be a hopeless situation. I’m not saying to pray for trouble, but I am saying that when it comes, God is with us and the trouble itself, is not evidence that God has abandoned us.  

What if, in this year, we spent the lion’s share of our free time in the Word, in prayer, and in worship instead of on social media and listening to all the bad news the media can discover or even invent?  What if my great concern was in faithfully serving God rather than championing a political party?  Again, I believe we should vote and believe that Christians should be involved in bringing godliness to the political process, but we must always remember that our hope is in Jesus and no political leader, party, or movement. Any organization or movement led buy man will ultimately fail us.  Only God is faithful forever.  

If I am to navigate 2022 successfully, my primary focus will have to stay on heaven and not on earth. I need to know who Jesus is to me before the trouble comes so that my faith does not fail.  Maybe, that priority needs to be clearly stated in our New Year’s resolutions…more this year than ever before!

[I apologize for the length of this blog, but perhaps, you will have time during Christmas to read it.]

Christmas has arrived once again. As a pastor, I see many responses to the season. For some it raises treasured memories of traditional church plays filled with squirming children, bright trees surrounded by carefully selected presents, the warm aroma of favorite foods, and a familiar house filled with love. For others, it registers disappointment and memories of “not-so-good Christmases” stained by alcohol or emotionally toxic family members. For others, grief surfaces once again in a memory of making funeral plans for a loved one that pushed out the joy of Christmas that year and for several years to come. Others face sheer loneliness as they anticipate sitting in an empty house with no one present to share the day that should be about giving and receiving, loving and comforting, laughing and belonging.

As multilayered as Christmas can be, there is always the heart of the story that should encourage us and realign our perspectives, no matter what our situation might be.  Each year as I think about Christmas, the Lord simply reminds me of how costly the coming of Messiah was for him and those who were nearest to the incident. 

We tend to compartmentalize Christ’s sacrifice and suffering and attach it only to Easter – his arrest, his abuse, his crucifixion. We also tend to forget the pain of those who loved him most as they watched their son, their Rabbi, and their Messiah breathe what they thought was his last breath on a Roman cross. Passover and Easter certainly highlight the incredible cost of our salvation, but our salvation story not only ended that way, but actually began that way as well.

Christmas cards sanitize the story so that it might be almost unrecognizable to Mary and Joseph. Susan and I have already received a few with Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus serenely surrounded by peaceful, adoring animals in a pristine manger along with appropriately awed shepherds and joyous angels. Typically, the scene may also present three royally adorned visitors from the east bearing precious gifts (although they did not actually arrive until months later). 

There is some truth in that scene, but it misses one point. The Christmas story begins with Gabriel appearing to Mary in the backwater town of Nazareth. Luke tells us that at his appearance, Mary was greatly troubled. The original Greek would amplify this word to mean confused, disoriented, and deeply disturbed or distressed. The angel greeted her first, but then added quickly, “Do not be afraid.” You don’t need to say that unless someone is visibly shaken and beginning to panic.

Gabriel then goes on to tell her that the Holy Spirit is about to fall on her, impregnate her, and she will have a son whom she is to name Jesus. He will be called the Son of the Most High and he will reign on David’s throne forever. That’s a lot to take in for a 13-year-old Jewish girl brought up simply, humbly, and traditionally. 

The true implications of what the angel had just said were probably not comprehensible…except the part where she would be pregnant without having gone through a wedding ceremony and without her marriage being consummated with Joseph, her fiancé. Surely her first thoughts were about the impossibility of telling Joseph and her family and the almost certain unlikelihood that anyone would believe her.

The liability of being seen as an adulteress must also have loomed somewhere in the back of her mind. Adultery, in those days was, taken very seriously and was still punishable by stoning. In Jewish culture, her engagement was considered marriage, although the sexual union could not occur until after the ceremony. To break the engagement required a divorce. Apparently, her worst fears were realized because, when Joseph discovered she was pregnant, he decided to divorce her quietly to minimize everyone’s shame and for her safety.

 Undoubtedly his heart was shattered by her perceived unfaithfulness and he carried as much shame in the tiny village of Nazareth as she did. Her story was unbelievable even to him…until an angel confirmed what she had been telling everyone.  Still, he had to wonder if he had actually heard from an angel or simply his own imagination trying to excuse what had happened.

The story does not describe the family’s reaction to Mary’s pregnancy and her unbelievable story, but Mary and Joseph’s trip to Bethlehem may give us some insight. According to Luke, Caesar issued a decree for taxation that required the head of each household to register in certain cities. Joseph was a descendent of David whose lineage came from Bethlehem, so off they went on a ninety-mile trek with Mary late in her pregnancy. She was not required to go to Bethlehem. Joseph could have gone alone, but she went along anyway on a trip that may have put her at risk and the child as well. 

To me, the only explanation is that she did not feel welcome in Nazareth, even by her own family, and the birth of her son would not be the joyous occasion she had always envisioned. She had also lost her dreams for a wedding feast with her proud family and friends and a wedding night in which she and Joseph would consummate their holy union. Joseph had given up any dreams he had been harboring as well. So…this teenage mother went with her husband to a place in which they were apparently unknown, only to discover, on top of everything else, that no lodging was available.

Only a small barn or cave was available where she would have to make do with some fresh hay while being surrounded by the smell of animal urine, feces, and barn rats. No family members travelled with them to help with the birth. Apparently, no midwife was available in Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary must have felt somewhat abandoned by God and their families and must have felt very alone. They must have been wondering where the blessings were for their obedience because, day by day, things had not gotten better but worse.

Outside of Bethlehem, another disturbing scene was unfolding. In the middle of the night, shepherds, who were minding their own business, were suddenly confronted by extraterrestrial visitors…angels filling the sky. Luke simply says they were terrified. Of course, the angel said, “Do not be afraid” and eventually calmed their nerves with news that Messiah was being born to them and could be found in a stable in Bethlehem. Eventually that night, they found the stable and shared what they had seen and heard with Mary, who must have been exhausted.

Another hint about the atmosphere of shame, gossip, and suspicion back in Nazareth was that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus did not return to Nazareth after the birth. As far as we know, two sets of Jewish grandparents had yet to see their grandson. Matthew tells us of the Magi, wise men or astrologers from the east, who had followed the Star of Bethlehem to find this newborn King of the Jews. This was apparently 18-24 months after the birth of Jesus and they were still in Bethlehem. It looks as though Mary and Joseph had simply settled in there. 

These unexpected visitors from the east showed up unannounced and brought gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense to Jesus. Mary and Joseph must have been relieved to receive such a nest egg for the family and began to believe that, perhaps, peace and blessings were finally coming their way. Maybe he could expand his business or they could build a little house. But they immediately discovered that these were to be traveling expenses.

Herod, hearing from the Magi that a king was being born just seven miles from Bethlehem, determined to exterminate this threat to his own throne. Joseph and Mary were warned in a dream to flee the region and so suddenly became political refugees trying to find safety in Egypt. Herod, in order to secure his throne, simply had every male child under two years old in the vicinity killed that night – a night that became known in Jewish history as the Slaughter of the Innocents. That’s not something we see on Christmas cards. So, the Christmas story is not just a story of angelic visitations and good news, but also a story of fear, shame, rejection, loneliness, lost dreams, and a poor refugee family fleeing their homeland for several years to live once again among strangers where Hebrews had once been slaves.

If you read Isaiah 6, you will also perceive another cost that was incurred, even before the birth of the child.  In that text, Isaiah sees the Lord, high and lifted up, surrounded by his glory and angels that declared his holiness day after day.  John tells us that Isaiah was actually given a vision of Jesus (Jn.12:41) in his glory before surrendering the privileges of deity. At some point he stepped down from his throne, shed is glory and power, and shrunk down to the size of an ovum, only to grow helplessly in the womb of an impoverished teenager.  From there he would be born into a scandal and later deemed illegitimate by many – part of the reason those in Nazareth could never accept him as Messiah.  What cost did Jesus pay even before the cross and what cost did those pay who were near him…even in the beginning of God’s odyssey on earth?  

The ultimate price for our salvation was, of course, the cross. But there were significant payments all along the way that we should not forget.  This thought should not produce guilt in us, but wonder and rejoicing at the value God has placed on each of us.  

Salvation is a gift because we are saved by grace and by no works of our own.  But there is also the gift of knowing how much we are loved, how much we are valued by the Creator of heaven and earth, and how much we can value ourselves as well as all the others Jesus died for.  Be blessed this Christmas knowing that your greatest gift cannot be placed under a tree and that you were purchased at such a price.  Merry Christmas.

Children and Deliverance – Part 3

Scary Things

When I was a kid, my grandmother owned a two-story house.  When we spent the night at her house, the kids had to sleep upstairs.  The upstairs was one large room with a fairly large closet and in the closet was a door to the attic space around the room.  My grandmother used to tell us that if we didn’t behave, the boogey-man would come out of that door at night and “get us.”  That knowledge did not help our sleep patterns when we stayed at grandma’s.  Kid’s have great imaginations and sometimes imagine the “monster under the bed.”

However, I’m also convinced that many children see into the spiritual realm and often report seeing “scary” things to their parents that are written off as simple imagination.  I’m somewhat convinced that all children see into the spiritual realm until we teach them to ignore what they are seeing by calling it “imaginary.”  So…when our children come to us reporting such things, how should we respond? 

Seth Dahl is a good resource for such questions.  I probably don’t agree with everything Seth says, but I don’t even agree with everything I say six months after I say it.  However, I do agree with much of what he says.  regarding this question. He says, “When we see things that are scary or demonic, we must keep in mind that the enemy’s first goal is to make us afraid.  Why? Because fear is agreement with the enemy and is permission for the demonic to keep on visiting. Once fear enters our hearts, we have opened a door for the enemy’s second goal to be fulfilled: control…Fear is like an open door in the spirit world through which the demonic can enter.  If we do not fear, their access is stopped…Imagine that your child calls you to his or her room in the middle of the night and tells you there are three weird creatures near the wall…giving into fear is the first thing to avoid.  The second thing we do not want to do is to act as if the spiritual battle is not going on. Too many parents tell their kids that what they are seeing is not real or that it is just their imagination. There are, of course, times when kids make things up, but we need to approach each situation as if this is not happening. When we discount what our children experience, they begin to discount their own ability to trust themselves and what they are seeing.  Simply because we do not see it, does not mean what they are seeing is not real.”  

Dahl goes on in his book, Raising Spirit Led Kids, to suggest that we ask our children questions about what they are seeing.  We might ask if they also see Jesus or an angel in their room.  If so, then we can ask what Jesus or the angel is doing or what Jesus or the angel is asking them to do. The key is that we direct our children from a focus on the threat to a focus on the solution or the protection that Jesus provides.  We direct them from fear to faith. In those moments, we can also show them the power of the name of Jesus to command spirits to leave.  Even if the moment turns out to be a moment of imagination, we can direct our children to imagine Jesus defeating the creature or sending it away.  Those moments can be practice sets for the real thing.

Spirits are a reality.  Many of us cannot see into the spiritual realm because we were taught to ignore what we were seeing and to give credibility only to the natural realm.  The ability to see into the spiritual realm is a gift of discernment that should be developed rather than quenched. 

Secondly, when we as parents model faith rather than fear, our children will take on the same perspective.  Our reaction should not be one of fear ourselves or dismissal of what our child is seeing, but rather a confident reaction that “Jesus has got this!”  Even our attempts to deny the reality of something our children are seeing or think they are seeing is an expression of fear.  We tend deny what we think we cannot cope with.  We must always choose faith.

The enemy is very active in the world right now and as we move closer to the return of Christ, we can anticipate that he will be even more active.  If we try to convince our children that what they are seeing or even feeling in their room is not real, we risk teaching them by implication that the unseen or spiritual realm is not real.  These are opportunities to equip our children for the fight that lies before them because our struggle is not against flesh and blood (Eph. 6).  The key is for us and our children to know who we are to Christ and to know who he is to us: King of Kings and Lord of Lords who has all authority in heaven and on earth.  The earlier our children learn those truths, the more able they will be to fulfill their destiny in Christ.

This is the last blog of three on Children and Deliverance, I’m sure I have not answered every question, but hopefully have pointed you in a good direction regarding this topic.  Blessings in Him

Last week we discussed the reality that children can be demonized as well as adults.  They can be afflicted through generational curses and spirits that attach themselves to bloodlines.  They can be afflicted when those who have authority over them speak curses over their children…intentionally or unintentionally.  They can also be demonized through trauma.  

One question that usually arises when parents discover the realities of spiritual warfare and generational curses is whether or not the enemy’s right to afflict their children is extinguished when the parents break the curses and are themselves delivered from any demonic affliction.  

The answer is that the enemy’s right to afflict the children has been taken away, but demons rarely leave simply because a legal transaction has occurred.  

Typically, like bad renters, unclean spirits need not only to have papers served but often, with bad renters, the sheriff and a few deputies have to show up and escort them off the property.  The first step is to break the generational curse through the blood of Christ.  That action revokes a spirit’s legal right to afflict the child, but then the demons afflicting the child must be commanded to leave in the name of Jesus.  That is best done by parents who have spiritual authority over their children or by those representing the parents – perhaps, someone with more experience in deliverance than the parents.  

So, if deliverance needs to be administered to a child, what does that look like?  We certainly don’t want to traumatize the child by telling them that terrible things from the devil are living in them and then begin to scream and shout to cast them out.  First of all, if you have authority you don’t need to scream and shout.  We need to be stern, but we can do so in a calm, quiet manner.  For small children, believing parents or some experienced person trusted by the parents can firmly but quietly command spirits to leave while the child sleeps. 

I would actually recommend deliverance when children are very small…and, especially, children who have been adopted or biological children when there has been notable sin, witchcraft, violence, etc.  in their bloodline. If the adoptive parents know any background on the biological parents and know there has been violence, abuse, drug addictions, excessive anger, etc., then spirits that may be present because of those things should be named and commanded to leave.  The same should be done over biological children where bloodlines need to be submitted to the Lord and spirits banished. In our experience, nearly every adopted child may carry spirits of rejection or orphan spirits.  These should also be dealt with. Sometimes we can’t be sure of the presence of such spirits, but it doesn’t hurt to “cover that base.”  If nothing is there, then no harm has been done.  If something was there, you have gained a real advantage over the enemy.  

If you need to minister to deliverance when the child is awake or a little older, do so quietly and calmly with the mindset that such things are normal and ordinary. You can convey that you believe that spirits are harassing the child and you simply want to send them away.

In general, as children mature we need to teach them some of the realities of the spiritual realm and, of course, this should be done appropriately based on their maturity.  I believe the primary thing we need to teach them is who Jesus is and who they are to Jesus.  We quickly make children aware of the dangers in this world (don’t play in the street, don’t play with electrical outlets, etc.) and that there are dangerous people in this world (i.e. don’t talk to strangers, etc.) We need to teach them that there are also spiritual beings who would try to lead them away from Jesus and into disobedience.  When tempted, they need to know how to say “No”  and even how to call on Jesus or command those unwelcome spirits to leave in His name.  They need to be aware that Jesus is watching over them and that angels are watching over them because we have asked the Lord to assign those angels.  

In the same way that we teach children to be cautious (not afraid) as they play in the yard or go to school, we can teach them to be cautious (not afraid) of spirits that would tempt them or lead them away from God. The focus should not be on Satan, but on Jesus and his great love for them. Teaching them the power of prayer and the declared word of God are great ways to help them develop in the area of spiritual warfare without being weird or scary.  In summary, we teach our kids enough to be wise about demons but our real focus is on Jesus, his love, his power, and his authority for them.

In my next blog, we will talk about children seeing scary things in their rooms, around the house and other places.  Are those things simply the imaginary “monster under the bed” or is it possible they are seeing into the spiritual realm?  How we navigate those moments is important.