I’m sure we all have certain passages marked in our Bibles that the Holy Spirit has highlighted for us.  Sometimes I mark them, then forget them, but when I’m reading back through the Bible, I run across them again and remember why I  put brackets around the text. One of those is in Proverbs.

“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

John said a similar thing in his first letter.  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9).

One of the most frequent points of access Satan has in a believer’s life is unconfessed, unrepented sin.  One of the most persistent themes in scripture is God calling Israel to repent and come back to him so that he might bless them again.  A sample is found in Joel 2 after another extended period of rebellion by God’s chosen people.  These seasons of rebellion lasted for years.  They were filled with national idolatry, blatant sexual immorality, injustice for the poor, disrespect for the God of Israel, children offered in the fires of Molech, and indifference for the temple of God.

In the Book of Joel, we see a final warning of coming devastation if Israel does not acknowledge their sin and repent. He warns them of a natural disaster that is already on the way…swarms of locust that will dwarf the plague that fell on Egypt.  When this “army” comes, it will devastate every living plant in the nation.  Nothing will remain.  Trees will be stripped down to their bark.  All grains, grass, olive trees, vineyards, and vegetables will be devoured by these swarms.  There will be no grass or grain to feed the animals, no grain for bread, no grapes for wine, no olives for olive oil, no fruit from the trees.  There will be famine and all the suffering that accompanies that curse.  Yet in the midst of God’s warning and admonition to his people, He says…

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God” (Joel 2:12-14)

In another place, Ezekiel records the words of God when he says, “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? (Ezek. 18:23).

Although God is clearly revealed as a forgiving and compassionate God, there still remains a strong propensity in the nature of man, even in believers, to conceal our sin and not confess. 

Sometimes, we are ignorant of our sin…we didn’t know it was wrong.  Many believers have not been discipled well or taught the whole counsel of God.  When they discover that they are sinning, they are genuinely surprised.  For instance, an amazing number of young single Christians in America come to church and share, without hesitation, the fact they are living together.  They are living out a cultural norm and are often shocked to find that God does not approve.  

The rest of us may not want to give up something in our lives…maybe alcohol we can’t control, power, control, manipulation, sexual sin we are keeping secret, anger that makes us feel powerful, etc.  We rationalize the sin or minimize it as something that is not “that bad.”  Sometimes we keep it secret because we fear the fallout, if others knew.  Adultery is often hidden for years or always.  Pornography is often a secret sin that can go on for decades. 

Satan convinces us that we can’t help it, therefore, God should not hold us accountable.  He convinces us that “everyone does it,” so we should get a pass on the issue.  He also convinces us that we participated, but someone else is actually to blame so God will overlook our failures. So…the sin goes unacknowledged, unconfessed and unrepented.   But God says, that person will not prosper in the things that truly matter…body, soul, spirit, and relationships.  Those will all suffer when sin is hidden, excused, minimized or denied.

David and Saul may be the greatest examples of this dynamic.  Saul was disobedient on several significant occasions, but, when confronted, always found a way to blame others, declare he had obeyed God when his obedience was only partial, or claim he couldn’t help it.   Eventually, he lost his kingdom, his life and the lives of his sons, and is remembered as a failed king. 

Then there was David.  He did things even Saul didn’t do…adultery, murder, and abusing his power to cover up the sin.  Yet in Psalm 51, we find David openly confessing his sin.  He doesn’t deny it, blame others for it, minimize it, or claim he couldn’t help himself.  He never tried to bargain with God or talk about all the good things he had done that should get him a “get-out-of- jail-free card for this one “incident.”

True, David hid the sin for a number of months out of shame and out of fear regarding the fallout if people knew the truth.  But the Spirit of God through,, the prophet Nathan, brought him to a place of confession and repentance. Trusting in the character of God, he began the Psalm, “Have mercy on me O God according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion.”  The moment David showed godly sorrow and confessed his sin, it was forgiven.  There would be consequences in the natural realm for David’s sin, but his relationship with God was immediately restored and God promised to walk with him through the fires of the fallout.  Despite, his moral failure, David is still remembered as the greatest king of Israel and “a man after God’s own heart.”   Part of his greatness was in owning his failures, declaring that God’s standards were righteous, and trusting in the heart of a good, good Father.

When we fail to acknowledge our sin, confess, and repent, we reveal some things about our heart.  Either we don’t love God, because if we love him we obey him, or we believe he is unfair and unreasonable in his standards.  Perhaps, we hide or excuse our sin because we believe he is a harsh and angry God just waiting to punish and abuse us. Perhaps, we believe we are saved by our own righteousness rather than by grace and, therefore, have to deny our sin while we eagerly point to the sins of others, to maintain our standing.  But all of those reasons and that view of God are misplaced.  Satan will establish strongholds through our unbelief or our denial of our sin.  If we think we are hiding our sin from God because we have not acknowledged it, we are also deceived because God knows everything,

Yet God’s heart is always ready to forgive and receive when we return with godly sorrow taking full responsibility for our choices.  The story of the Prodigal Son is the embodiment of our Father’s heart (Luke 15). So…you may want to take an inventory of your life.  Is there a sin you have denied, excused, minimized or hidden that you have not owned or confessed?  If so, Satan has every right to afflict you and those you love. 

The key to prospering in the things that matter, is to lay our sins, our weaknesses and our failings at the foot of the cross, believing that God is a good, good Father just waiting for us to return and be restored.  Besides, your sin will not stay hidden forever.  Either God will reveal it to cleanse you or Satan will reveal it to destroy you. It is best to take it to the Father right away.

If you haven’t noticed, a political spirit is a spirit that sows division, anger and even hatred among men.  It can be clearly seen on every network and at every political gathering in America at present.  Of course, Satan wants to divide the nation, foment violence, and create caricatures of each party that paint each of them as the spawn of Satan.  The division right now is pushing America toward more violence and even thoughts of civil war.

Worse than a divided nation, the church is being divided by the same spirit.  Christians now accept or reject other believers on the basis of their political affiliations rather than whether they have the Spirit of Christ.  We need to guard the church against such divisions and guard our own hearts as well.

I was reading through Romans this morning and Romans 14 really spoke to me about this issue.  Concerning fellow believers with whom we don’t agree, Paul says, “Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently” (Rom. 14:1, the Message). 

This whole section of Romans 14 is worth reading with our current political backdrop.  Paul clearly says there are going to be “disputable matters” of doctrine in the church. That is because even sincere Christians who study the word diligently can come to different conclusions about God’s will.  Paul addresses those who eat meat and those who do not.  He mentions some people that keep one day as sacred and holy while others consider every day to be the same.  Some people drink wine while others think believers should abstain. Remarkably, he says each group is acceptable to God if they are operating out of a sincere heart and believe it is God’s will. He goes on to say that we must not try to force our view of the scriptures on them and they are not to force their view on us.  We are not to judge one another as more or less acceptable to God. We are not to judge one another, but allow God be the judge.

Paul is not saying that anything goes as long as we are sincere.  In other places, Paul calls on the church to withdraw fellowship from some who are creating issues without repentance.  In 1 Corinthians, he instructs the church to have nothing to do with the man who was living an openly immoral life (1 Cor. 5:2). John tells us to not even eat with those who would bring false teachings about Jesus…his divinity, his incarnation, his resurrection and so forth (2 Jn. 7-10). Paul clearly leaves no place in the church for men who would teach that salvation is based on works (Gal. 1:8-9).  He even says to mark anyone who constantly creates division and have nothing to do with them (Titus 3:10).

However, we are all prisoners to some degree of our culture, upbringing, parental worldviews, and even God-given temperaments.  Because of that, we will unknowingly place those filters on our Bible study and will not be able to totally escape our biases, regardless of how objective we try to be. 

A Jew may intellectually accept that Sabbath keeping is no longer required under the New Covenant,  but Sabbath keeping has been part of his life from birth and  his conscience may still trouble him if he does not keep the Sabbath.  Paul says to him, keep the Sabbath but don’t make it a salvation issue and don’t require others to do the same.  Likewise, we who have no attachment to Sabbath keeping should not forbid others from doing so.  There is freedom in Christ about many things and how we understand some of those things may differ from other believers. What Paul does emphasize is that more mature believers who understand their freedom should not exercise it or insist on it when less mature believers would be condemned by their conscience if they participated. A young believer who grew up Hindu is not going to feel fully free to eat meet for years as a Christian.  If we have him over for dinner, keep the meat in the fridge. When he leaves, pull out the brisket.

But now we are thinking…yes, but the Democrat or Republican platform is offensive to God and I cannot tolerate or fellowship those sinners who support that platform. I agree that some platforms seem to violate biblical values and standards.  However, I am still commanded to love my brother.   If I feel a brother’s political stance violates scripture, I am still commanded to love him, speak well of him, bless him, and keep pointing point him to Jesus.  If he is biblically off base, but is still seeking Jesus above politics, the Holy Spirit will lead him into all truth.  It may well be that I too am “off base” about some things in scripture.  I welcome a brother who holds a different view and points me to some scriptures for my prayer and consideration.  If he deems me, however, to be a bad person because I don’t agree with him, we will move toward division rather than unity in the church.

We must insist that salvation is not based on our political affiliation but on our relationship with Christ, who says we must love one another as he loved us.  John says if we don’t love our brothers whom we can see, we can’t love God whom we cannot see.  We are also commanded to speak well of those who speak evil of us, love those who would harm us, pray for them, and do good to them.  Our political system is pushing us to do just the opposite.  It is clear, then, who is behind the political spirit in our country.  As believers, we cannot give into that spirit.  The next few years will test our discipleship in that area.  Our divide cannot be greater than the divide between Jew and Gentile in the first century, yet they came together as brothers and sisters in Christ, making that the reason for fellowship not cultural or even political agreement.

How would it change things if we simply said, “I have a different view on that but I still love you and value you.  You are my brother (or sister) in Christ, Let me encourage you to seek God and his word on your position on and I am open to hear your reasons from scripture why you believe that is God’s will for America.  In the meantime, lets both do good together and point people to Jesus.  Now, let me ask the Lord to bless you and your family.” 

Let me encourage you to examine your own heart in this area. As I examined my heart, I realizes this political spirit had made some inroads that I needed to renounce and repent of.  Satan loves to see America divided, but rejoices when the church divides. Let’s not give him a win in the church or the nation.  Perhaps, unity it the church can lead to unity in the nation.

When we talk about the spiritual realm, many believers still have a vague notion about heaven and the spiritual realm in general.  Many still think of it as ethereal, airy, or even ghostly.  They think of it as a place without real substance and, perhaps, still think of winged saints floating on clouds and playing harps. Nothing can be further from the truth.

The spiritual realm is very real and very substantive…both the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light.  In the same way people imagine heaven as some place without substance, they think of hell in the same way and tend to fictionalize Satan because we have a deficit in our overall view of the spiritual realm.

Let’s begin with the unseen realm, in general.  Paul declares, “For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18).  If something is eternal, it has more substance, more power, and is a greater reality than those things that are temporary.  The bodies we will  receive at the resurrection will be eternal, immune to disease, and untouched by death.  They will not age, feel exhaustion, or break down.  They will be spiritual bodies with substance while living on a restored earth.  Like the glorified body of Jesus after the resurrection, there will be substance.  He ate.  He talked.  He let his disciples touch him, put their hands in his, and touch the place where the spear was thrust.  Yet, it was superior.  He could pass through walls, change appearance, and ascend into heaven or Paradise with that body. So the spiritual realm is far superior to the natural realm.

In the current heaven, the one Randy Alcorn calls an intermediate heaven in his book Heaven, he notes that there is already a heavenly Jerusalem revealed to John and described in the Book of Revelation.  The heavenly Jerusalem currently has streets of gold, the throne room of God, myriads of angels and saints who have already gone to be with Jesus.  There are gates made of pearl. There is a heavenly tabernacle after which the earthly tabernacle was fashioned (Heb. 8:1-2).   Alcorn calls it an intermediate heaven because, the Book of Revelation reveals that at the end, the Heavenly Jerusalem will come down and rest on a restored earth where we will be God’s people and live with him forever. The promise of Eden will be reclaimed.

So, the spiritual realm is not a ghostly, ethereal place with little to no substance.  It is real. It is solid. It is eternal.  It has buildings, a throne room, a sanctuary, court rooms, bowls of burning incense, powerful angels who do the bidding of God and saints who are waiting for all this to culminate in the return of Christ to the earth.

Likewise, the demonic or satanic realm is real and solid.  Paul tells us, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground” (Eph. 6:12-13). Power, organization, and demonic forces exist in the spiritual realm that oppose the will of God and strategize against God’s people.  Paul also states, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13). Dominion requires a domain, a territory, an area of authority.  There is a kingdom of darkness over which Satan is the prince.  He has territory, armies, and rulers under him that do his bidding.

Jesus called him the prince of this world and Paul states, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Eph. 2:1-20).  “Kingdom” implies territory, power, subjects, armies, etc.  Satan is no match for Jesus, but in his sovereignty, God still allows him to exercise power and the authority people and nations give him on this earth.

In these last days, the kingdom of darkness is pulling out all the stops.  Those humans who serve Satan – witches, warlocks, satanists, etc. actively and willingly serve him and oppose the people of God.  Many others are unwittingly used by the enemy to oppose righteousness in the earth so that entire cultures now call evil good and good evil. 

All this is to remind us that the spiritual realm is very real and more powerful and consequential than the natural realm.  Those who deny the reality of these things or who do not take them seriously will be easy targets for the enemy.  They will live unaware of Satan’s schemes and so will easily step into his traps. They will be ineffective soldiers who do not know how to wage war with divine weapons.  They will search out solutions for all their problems within the natural realm. When the source of their problem is demonic attacks and satanic strategies, they will not be able to touch the spiritual roots of their crisis and will never gain victory.  They will not be able to pray effectively and will not wield the authority and power of Christ against spiritual enemies. Churches, nations, and families will be ravaged by the enemy because they will not know how to recognize or stand against the attacks that scripture says are inevitable.

Let me encourage you to pay more attention to the spiritual realm.  Jesus has given us all we need to overcome the enemy, but we have to be aware of the enemy’s schemes, know what is in the arsenal of heaven, and know how to use the divine weapons he has provided.  Be blessed in the days ahead.

This past week, my wife Susan and I had the privilege of taking care of our 2 ½ year old granddaughter while her parents were out of the country.  I was reminded how often we respond to God as if we are 2 ½ years old.  What I saw play out over and over every day and night was the Eden Syndrome.  You remember the first temptation ever recorded in scripture was the account of the cunning serpent (Satan) and Eve.  His strategy was simple.  Get Eve to doubt the goodness of God and the goodness of his intentions for her.

The moment the serpent said, “Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden,” he began to plant a seed of doubt.  I’m sure his emphasis was on “really,” as if to say, “I know God and it doesn’t surprise me one bit that he would keep all these good things from you.” One of Satan’s primary strategies from the beginning has been to convince us that God keeps many good things from us, the best things, things that would make us happy.  We see the commands of God as restrictions that keep us from being all we could be or that keep is from the happiness we need or deserve.  The truth is that God’s commands are not restrictions, but protections.  They are guardrails are meant to keep us on the road and out of the ditch.  I don’t know about where you live, but in Midland, Texas the most constant road sign we see is “guardrail damage ahead.”  Lots of people apparently need guardrails to keep them from running off the road because they are always under repair.  We all need guardrails sooner or later.

Our granddaughter apparently believes we are withholding the best things life has to offer a two-year-old.  The great battle, of course, was sleep.  Every night we began to give her advance notice that bedtime was coming soon. She would begin to let us know that sleep was her great enemy…as if it were going to be eight hours of excruciating torture.  She would immediately declare “No!” to the whole idea.  When jammies were pulled out, she would begin to plead her case and offer all the reasons she could not go to bed. “I’m hungry!  I’m thirsty! I’m scared! I miss mommy and daddy! There might be a dog in my room! There are elephants in my room! etc.   All these objections were vocalized in a wailing tone that made them hard to decipher.

This battle occurred nightly.  She never won the battle, but still rolled it out night after night.  We knew she desperately needed sleep. We desperately needed her to sleep. She had to get up the next morning for daycare.  She is growing and her body needs rest.  The next day will be a long day. If she doesn’t sleep, she will be miserable for that entire day.  Sleeplessness will compromise her immune system, and so forth.  As we explained all the documented reasons she needed sleep, none of those had any effect on her.

Then there was breakfast. Cranky after a short night’s rest, she had to be coaxed to eat a good breakfast.  So, we offered sausage and eggs to be followed by a blueberry muffin.  She wanted the muffin first.  We insisted she eat the nutritious part first. She wanted to negotiate.  Muffin first!  We knew the muffin would dull her appetite, so we declined.  That battle would ensue.  Eventually, she ate her eggs and got her muffin.  But health was not her concern. Sugar was her morning key to happiness.

So why the nightly tantrums?  Did she think we were holding out on her and that we got out the really cool toys or rolled out the pie and ice cream while she slept, and she didn’t want to miss out?  Has she not lived long enough to project what her future would hold if she didn’t sleep?  Whatever she was thinking, she was clearly not thinking she could trust us to help her maximize her life as a two-year-old. She was not thinking that since we had decades more experience about what makes life good, she could trust our judgment for her. She believed she could simply live in the moment, pursuing what her flesh was demanding, and never experience a negative consequence for doing so. 

Sadly, we often respond to God in the same way.  We see the guardrails he has posted around us as his way of keeping our true source of happiness from us. Satan convinces us that God does not always act out of infinite love and point us to what is always absolutely in our best interest.  All we know is what we are wanting at the moment.  But James warns us about that mindset. He says, “But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desires and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (Ja.  1:14-15).

Our flesh is a two-year-old demanding its way.  It believes that happiness is found in immediate gratification and Satan whispers all the reasons we should ignore God and go for what we want.  We may know what God says, but something in us believes he is holding out on us…the thing right in front of us holds more blessing than the thing God wants us to wait on.  Satan convinces us that we can grab what we want now without consequence, even when God has told us there is calamity at the end of the road, especially, if you choose to crash through the guardrails.

Here is what I know.  Sometimes I act like a two-year-old as If I can go my own way without consequence. I need to convince myself that I often don’t really know what is in my best interest.  God does know.  He has all w\isdom and perspective. His commands are protections not restrictions.  The abundant life does not come by resisting rest or eating my muffin first.  It comes by trusting God and saying ‘No!” to the lies and temptations of the evil one, who only comes to kill, steal, and destroy.  From time to time, I need to take a lesson from my granddaughter who only knows what she wants in the moment and believes it is the absolute key to her happiness…but she is wrong.

Prophetic Words are in abundance today. Social media is saturated with men and women who have podcasts dedicated to earth shaking prophetic words from the Lord they receive daily.  Social media is also full of accusations about false prophets or fallen prophets. The atmosphere around many churches is one of suspicion and disbelief when it comes to the supernatural gifts of the Spirit.  Of course, Satan spearheads these failures and accusations in an attempt to discredit churches and leaders who operate in the gifts of the Spirit because these are part of our God-given arsenal of divine weapons with which we oppose the enemy.

The abuse and misuse of spiritual gifts is not new.  Paul, especially, had a great deal to say about the misuse of spiritual gifts in his letters.  In fact, he wrote enough corrections on the topic of tongues and prophecy to make up three chapters of his first letter to the church at Corinth. What we need to notice is that he did not order the churches to no longer operate in the gifts because of their abuse, but he instructed them on how to operate in those gifts in godly and productive ways.

Paul wrote about prophecy in a number of texts.  A few are (I have added emphasis):

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (I Cor. 12:7-11)

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy:” (1 Cor. 14:1).

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. (1 Cor. 14:39-40)

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test them all; hold on to what is good. (1 Thess. 5:19-21).

In summary, Paul says that prophecy is a gift of the Spirit to be desired and practiced in the church.  But, because it is a spiritual gift and spiritual gifts have to be developed, there may be some prophetic words from honest, loving Christians that somewhat miss the mark … “We know in part and we prophecy in part.” There may also be false prophets who are not speaking out of a desire to encourage God’s people but who are trying to draw followers after themselves.  Because of both reasons, Paul tells us not to quench the Spirit but to test the prophecies, and having done so, hold on to the good.

So how can we know if what someone tells us is actually a prophetic word from God? Sometimes we are too quick to reject or accept a prophetic word when we haven’t yet done the hard work of testing it. Here are some guidelines to test prophetic words.

Does it line up with the word of God?

What does the Bible have to say about the word you just received? Is it consistent with scripture or does in contradict the Word of God?  If it clearly opposes the Word, you can reject it immediately. If it is not something the Bible talks about directly, you may need to assess it with these other guidelines.

Does it reflect the Spirit of Christ?

Test the prophetic message against the character and attributes of Jesus. Does it reflect the Spirit of Christ?  Does it encourage, comfort and strengthen you (1 Cor. 14:3)?  Does it draw you to Jesus or push you away (Jn. 15:26)?  Does it clarify or confuse (1 Cor. 14:33)?  Does it call you to righteousness or sin?

Does it resonate with the inner witness of the Holy Spirit?

When the word hits your spirit is there resonance? Is there peace? Does something inside you agree with what was spoken, even if you may not understand it intellectually yet? The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit so be sensitive to His leading about the word

Share it with trusted counsel.

Another way to test prophetic information is by getting spiritually wise counsel. Seek “spiritually” wise counsel because you are dealing with spiritual information. You may submit the information to close friends, mentors, or leaders whom you know have spiritual depth in their walk with God. Their opinions should not make your final determination, but sometimes in the process of interpreting spiritual information we need a few people with enough distance from the situation to be able to speak objectively and spiritually.  They can confirm that is sounds like or does not sound like a word from God.

Seek confirmation.

Does the prophetic word confirm at some level what God has already been showing you? Often a word simply clarifies something you have already been sensing in your spirit. As we grow and mature in our walk with God, His voice and His word should be our primary source of direction. The prophetic word may then come as confirmation to what God has already been trying to show you. However, he may also use the word to open you up to something new he is beginning to do.

A danger in the realm of prophetic gifts, is that we can start running after prophetic words instead of cultivating our own ability to hear from God. In other words, the prophetic should usually supplement what we are already speaking about with God.  If the word is calling you to drastic action, you may ask the Lord for a supernatural kind of confirmation before you act.

Does it reflect a spirit of love?

All spiritual gifts are to operate out of love.  If a word is not given in a loving way, it may not be from God.  Prophecy is primarily a gift used to encourage, comfort, and strengthen a person (1 Cor. 14:3).   Occasionally, a word may bring a warning or rebuke, but those should be given in private…still with a spirit of love and concern.

Do you know the prophet?

God usually entrusts his word to those he trusts…men and women who have a close walk with him and who speak with integrity.  We can expect men and women who have spiritual wisdom and discernment to bring a more accurate word from the Lord than those who don’t. It’s not that a stranger can’t bring a word to you, but we can have more confidence in those we know or who are known and trusted by someone we know and trust.  Speaking of prophets, Jesus said we will know them by their fruit (Mt. 7:16). “Their fruit” includes a history of accurate prophecies, good character including humility, and a good reputation among those who know them best.  If you don’t know the person who brings the prophetic word, you cannot know their fruit.  So, take more time to test the word from those you don’t know.

In summary, do not quench the Spirit out of fear or constant distrust. Encourage and desire the gift of prophecy.  But test the word you hear.  That is your responsibility.  A prophetic word is a powerful gift that encourages you in touch times, strengthens your faith and comforts you when you have been wondering where God is in your life.  Test it and if it passes the test, hold on to it.  If it does not resonate immediately, don’t reject it out of hand but set it aside and pray about it.  When you test the word and believe it is from the Lord, pray into it and take action to step into it.  That is our part of the word.

We often get questions about children and spiritual warfare.  Can a child need deliverance? How should we do that?  What do we teach them?  Will it scare them, etc.?  I want to give some guidelines for this question because it is an important one.

First of all, sometimes children do need deliverance. In the Gospel of Mark, we are told, ^“A man in the crowd answered, ‘Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.’ ‘You unbelieving generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.’ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, ‘How long has he been like this?’ ‘From childhood,’ he answered. ‘It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him’” (Mark 9:17-22).

Jesus, of course, went on to drive out the spirit, but this boy had been seriously demonized since childhood.  When I say “demonized”, I mean that the child has a demon assigned to him to afflict him.  I rarely use the term “possessed” because that seems to denote demonization to such a degree that the person is under strong demonic influence at all times. Demonization is much more prevalent and refers to when a person (child or adult) has a demon that manifests and takes control or partial control from time to time.

How does a child become demonized?  Typically, this will occur through the “sins of the fathers.”  God declares, “You shall not bow down to them or worship them (false gods); for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me” (Ex.20:5). The guilt of generational sin is not passed down but the consequences of the sin can be.  If a father, grandfather, or great grandfather has sinned against the Lord repeatedly without repentance, the enemy may gain a legal right to afflict that person and his descendants by assigning a demon to that person and his bloodline.  This also includes, mothers, grandmothers, etc.

If ancestors have been involved in worshipping false gods, witchcraft, violence, sexual sin, etc. without repentance, demons may be passed through the bloodline even to small children. Demons also can be assigned on the basis of curses spoken over a child by those who have some spiritual authority over them…parents, grandparents, etc.  It is not uncommon for curses to be spoken over a child even before birth. if the pregnancy was unplanned and unwanted, parents or grandparents might declare something like, “We would be better off if this child was never born!” Someone might declare, “This child is going to bring nothing but trouble into our lives!”  In fear or anger, someone might say, “I just want this baby to go away!” These kinds of declarations can function as curses taken by demons to be enforced in the life of the child. These spirits may manifest in health issues, rebellion, a fearful child or a child especially subject to rejection of all kinds.

Demonic spirits also seem to gain access to a person through trauma.  If the child was exposed to some trauma early in life (abuse or health trauma) or if the mother was exposed to trauma before the child was born, a spirit might gain access through that event. In addition, demonic spirits can gain access when children are frightened by horror shows, movies about witchcraft, demonic spirits, violent shows, etc.  We need to monitor what our children watch and what baby sitters watch when our children are with them.

So, a child might become demonized through generational sin, curses spoken over the child, or through trauma.  In extreme cases, a child might be dedicated to Satan or some occult organization by parents or grandparents which would obviously give access to demons.  Children involved in Satanic ritual abuse often have numerous demons assigned to them.

In any case, if parents or ancestors have been demonized, it is likely the child may be as well.  Adults, can break the power of Satan through the blood of Christ by renouncing and repenting of their own sins or on behalf of their bloodlines, by renouncing and nullifying any curses by the blood of Jesus, and by severing spiritual ties with any ungodly people in their past or present.  Having done those things, they take away the legal right of the enemy to afflict them but still need to command any demonic spirits to leave.

When children are involved, those with spiritual authority over them can renounce and repent of sins in the bloodline on behalf of their children.  Having done that, any spirits attached to the child can then be commanded to leave.  For small children, parents can command spirits to leave and never return while the child sleeps. When we do so, we do not have to be loud and scary.  We have authority and because of that, we can speak sternly but quietly to any spirit and get the job done.

As children get older, we need to let them know there is a spiritual realm and there are spirits that are not our friends.  However, our major emphasis should be on Jesus, his love for them, his power, his authority, and his angels that keep us safe. Let them know that if they ever see anything scary in their rooms or around the house to tell you, but also to tell that spirit to leave in the name of Jesus.  I believe small children often see into the spiritual realm and not every scary thing is their imagination.  Rather than teaching them to ignore what they are seeing, we would be better served to teach them the power of Jesus over darkness. 

We should model praying for God’s covering and protection as part of our “daily bread” and, perhaps, let them participate in our house cleansings where we go through the house commanding any spirits that are not from God to leave and anointing the doors and windows with oil…again demonstrating that Jesus is more powerful than any unclean spirit.

As believers and as children of believers we should be wise in dealing with the demonic but never afraid.  He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world (1 Jn. 4:4). Wisdom tells us to live in a way that never gives the enemy a legal right to afflict us.  Demons are real and they want to afflict God’s people.  Righteous living and faith in Jesus keeps the enemy at bay but any intrusion by the enemy can be dealt with by the blood of Jesus and the authority he has given us.  That is what we want our children to know. 

This week’s blog may seem a little “out there,” if you have not been involved in spiritual warfare or have not been actively engaged in the fight for very long.  For those of us who have been involved in deliverance and house cleansings and have studied the spiritual realm for years, this seems matter-of-fact.

The spiritual realm is very real. The Word of God confirms that reality.  The Apostle Paul declared, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph.6:11-12).

Notice several things from this passage.  We (all believers) struggle against the powers of this dark world (witches, warlocks, satanists, etc.) and spiritual forces of evil. The word translated “struggle” means close, hand to hand combat. We will have, close personal encounters with demonic forces who intend to kill, steal, and destroy.  We encounter these forces as a result of Satan’s schemes against us.  The word translated “scheme” denotes a well-studied and implemented plan of attack.  Satan develops and releases a logical and studied strategy to destroy us. 

The most successful demonic strategies against us are subtle.  There is no horned entity breathing fire with saber-like teeth and dragon wings trying to break down the door. These strategies come in the form of temptations that wear us down day after day and draw us away from God’s will a little at a time…a little drink with friends that over time becomes several drinks and eventually dependence on alcohol.  A gradual flirtation in the work place that eventually erodes boundaries.  You begin to imagine an intimate moment with the other party but dismiss it, knowing that would be not only wrong but catastrophic. But the month both of you are having trouble at home, you take the next step and Satan pulls the trigger. Satan is patient.  If the process takes a year or two, he doesn’t mind.

The strategy designed to take you out is so gradual you would never think of it as a demonic plot against you.  These attacks also come in the form of slight depression, a little anxiety, a little resentment, a steady whisper that you are always being victimized, an occasional glance at porn, not feeling your best, but over time…it becomes more than a little depression, fear, resentment, anger and pornography. You assume these issues are part of life, having a bad day, living in a fallen world, etc.  And that is true, but many times there is also a demonic component to your struggles.

You may seek prayer, counseling, accountability partners, support groups and medications, but, if the root is spiritual attack, these will not solve the problem.  You may be able to “manage” your issue most of the time, but the enemy will work tirelessly to undermine your “managing.”

I want to talk about a specific strategy the enemy uses against many believers. It’s invisible.  It’s silent.  It happens at night. I have heard this strategy revealed by several former witches and Satanists who used to carry out assignments against believers.  I have had personal conversations with those who were once steeped in occultism but became followers of Jesus. Nearly all of them came to Jesus because they found their occult powers could not match the powers of Jesus or they had a “love encounter” with the Christ that filled the emptiness they were trying to remedy through witchcraft.  After their encounter with Jesus, they were quite willing to talk about the strategies Satan uses against God’s people.

Witches and Satanists partner with demons to do the bidding of Satan.  Active witches’ covens and satanic groups are extremely prevalent in our nation right now.  One of their tools is astral projection by which their spirit leaves their body and travels about. Frequently, they enter the homes of believers to carry out assignments against them.  The prime time for these visits is between midnight and three in the morning…the time when the barrier between the natural realm and spiritual realm seems to be the thinnest. Clearly, not every believer is going to be visited, but leaders in churches would be the most likely targets or other believers at vulnerable times in their lives.  This strategy may be detected when believers are experiencing emotional, relational, or health issues that don’t seem to make sense and cannot be adequately explained.

Sometimes they simply observe, moving through the house seeing what is there and what might give Satan a legal right to afflict these people.  They sometimes function as monitoring spirits simply doing reconnaissance to help develop schemes against you. Sometimes, they stand over your bed and whisper things into your mind or dreams that create fear, doubt, sadness, depression, resentments, distrust, etc.  You wake up feeling off, down, anxious, etc. without knowing why.  They may reinforce temptations to drawn you away from Jesus.  They may instigate nightmares or distrust between spouses because you are asleep and, like hypnotic suggestions, your critical thinking defenses are not operating. They may instigate health issues that are not easily diagnosed or treated. They may assign demons to continue the strategies they helped develop including spirits of infirmity (sickness) and fatigue.

One former witch said she carried out these night time visitations for over a decade.  Now, as a believer she pleads with Christians to be aware of these schemes and to take steps to prevent these witches, warlocks, and demonic spirits from entering their homes. As we live in these end times, demonic activity against Gods’ people is ramping up. I want to give you a plan to resist these schemes. The former witch said when she came to believers’ homes that did not do these things, she was able to move through the house freely.  When she was assigned to homes where these strategies were practiced, she could gain no entrance.  Sometimes the house seemed to be ringed by fire and, at other times, angels were standing guard.

1. Never go to bed before asking the Lord to protect you and your family from the evil one. Ask him to set sentries (angels) around your home and establish a hedge of protection.

• Each night, verbally dedicate and submit your home and your family to the Lordship of Jesus. 

• Declare protective scriptures over your house nightly…Psalm 91, Isaiah 54:17, etc.

• Perform regular house cleansings, commanding spirits to leave your house and property in the name of Jesus and anointing each door and window with oil (olive oil).

• Remove any objects in your house that do not line up with the holiness of God… occult objects, occult keepsakes, music that does not honor God, videos that do not honor God, etc.  This may include freemasonry tokens, dream catchers, astrology charts, even cultural artifacts that were used in the worship of false gods or that were dedicated to those gods.

• Avoid television, video games, and streaming that is violent, pornographic, or occult.

• Play praise music or the audio Bible softly at night somewhere in the house.

• Keep your relationship with God fresh, your forgiveness up to date, and your confession and repentance current.  These things take away the enemy’s legal right to afflict you.

I want to encourage you to be more thoughtful and intentional about the enemy’s schemes against you.

Don’t be fearful but wise.  Be proactive in your spiritual warfare and know it is a very real thing. 

In the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the writers recorded the account of Jesus being transformed or transfigured in the presence of his inner circle – Peter, James and John.   The uncertain location is typically referred to as the Mount of Transfiguration.  Anything reported in three of the four gospels is significant, so we should pay special attention.

Mark says, “After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, they were so frightened. Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him” (Mark 9:2-7)!

This was a supernatural moment for the disciples. Apparently, they had no warning of what they were about to witness.  Probably, a little joke orchestrated by Jesus.  Suddenly, his clothes began to almost glow they were so white and then Moses and Elijah appeared with him.  The other gospels tell us that the face of Jesus was also bright as the sun and that Moses and Elijah appeared in glorious splendor. There were times when God spoke to Jesus but those around him just heard thunder.  But this time, these three disciples could clearly see the two epic figures from Israel’s past.  Either Jesus introduced them or they were wearing name tags (church event) or they simply knew in their spirit who these men were.  These two were probably the most revered men in the Jewish pantheon of heroes.  Moses embodied the Law.  Elijah embodied the prophets. 

Peter, of course, was the first to blurt out something.  We are told that he didn’t know what to say because he and the other disciples were so frightened.  He didn’t know what to say, but he said something anyway.  Can you relate? “Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  Undoubtedly, the disciples were starstruck, but Peter’s notion reveals he was giving each of them equal billing.

Then a cloud appeared, reminiscent of Mt. Sinai as Moses received the Law, and God spoke once again. Yahweh declared, “This is my Son, whom I love.  Listen to Him.”  As soon as God had spoken, Moses and Elijah were nowhere to be seen.  Then, Jesus instructed his three followers to tell no one what they had seen until after his resurrection.

The lesson for the Jewish followers was that, as great as Moses and Elijah were, and as much the Law and the Prophets were foundational to their faith, Jesus was greater and has the last word. We are to listen to Him.  That doesn’t mean that we should not study the Law and the prophets, but the Words of Jesus supersede all other men and all other things. Bill Johnson likes to say that Jesus is perfect theology.  Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”  So, all other scripture must be interpreted through Jesus…either his words or his actions.  However we understand the Father or the Bible, it must line up with what Jesus said and did, his words and his character.

That is a good word for today.  No matter who is espousing their theology, their politics, their cultural values, their “scientific” theories…these must all be weighed against Jesus and it is Him we must listen too. If they don’t line up with Jesus, we must discard them, even if those views resonate with our flesh.

When we begin to put our faith in men, no matter who they are, we need to remember the Transfiguration.  As great as Moses and Elijah were, they were men subject to error, frailty, and failures.   We can still honor men, but Jesus must always be our North Star and the decoder of scripture.  Remember, the Pharisees and teachers of the Law immersed themselves in scripture. They memorized it, taught it, debated over it, and held it in the highest regard.  But they missed it. They missed nearly everything God had wanted them to get.  They missed Jesus, mercy and justice, In much of his teaching, Jesus had to correct their understanding – You have heard that it was said…but I say unto you.

We live in a world saturated with talk shows, news anchors, podcasts, preachers, prophets, and pundits.  It is easy to latch on to one or two of them and grant them the authority of truth in our lives. We may quote them more than Jesus and be led by their influence more than the Word.  They may have good things to say, but Jesus is God’s beloved and we must hear him first.  Be careful that you don’t start giving more influence to men than Messiah.  The last days will be marked with demonic deception where men, fueled by the enemy, will offer signs and wonders.  The truth of Jesus Christ will have to be our plumb line to test what these men and women teach and what the fruit of their ministry is.  Always remember, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”  

When Christmas cards arrive, many have the Magi (the three wise men) joining Joseph and Mary and a handful of adoring shepherds at the manger in Bethlehem. However, Matthew tells us they came after the birth of Jesus.  When they came to Herod asking where the child might be who was destined to be King of the Jews, Herod was disturbed. He determined through the Jewish chief priests and teachers of the law that Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, but did not know when. Herod asked the Magi for the exact time they had seen his star and asked them to return to him after they had found the child so that he might go to Jesus and worship him. His intent, of course, was to murder the child to remove any threat to his throne. After the Magi visited Jesus and his family in Bethlehem, they were warned by God in a dream not to go back to Herod but to return home a different way. 

Once Herod discerned the Magi were not coming back, he was furious and ordered every male child under the age of two to be killed in the vicinity of Bethlehem.  Because of that order, we know that Jesus must have been between one and two years old when the Magi arrived.  Joseph was warned in a dream to leave Bethlehem and go to Egypt before Herod gave his order.

Many assume that three Magi came because Matthew records their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There may, of course, have been a different number, but Matthew was careful to record the gifts because they each had prophetic significance. According to Rick Renner, the Greek word for gold in this text, reveals that it was the purest, most refined gold, meant only for the greatest of kings.  The Magi understood that this child was no ordinary king, like Herod, subject to greater powers, but was indeed to be King of Kings.  Most commentators believe that these men came from the region of Babylon and had carefully studied the prophecies of Daniel who had spent his life in exile there.

Frankincense was an expensive and rare commodity imported and used primarily in the temple.  It was burned there to create a pleasing aroma to God.  It was associated mostly with the priesthood and the High Priest who only could enter the presence of God on the Day of Atonement to offer sacrifices for Israel in the Holy of Holies. Jesus was destined to be not only the High Priest of God’s people but also the perfect and eternal sacrifice for our sins.  The third gift highlighted that part of his destiny.

Myrrh was also a precious commodity used for many things, but especially to anoint the dead and prepare them for burial.  Matthew wrote, “Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs” (Mt. 19:38-40).  Myrrh pointed to this element of God’s redemption for all who would believe.

The Magi brought gifts that pointed to the destiny of this child born in a manger.  King of Kings, High Priest, and Lamb of God who would be offered up for our sins.  Of course, the gifts funded the escape to Egypt where the family would live for several years before returning to Israel, but the greater meanings of the gifts should not escape us on this Christmas morning,

God is not accidental but intentional in all that he does.  He reveals truth to those who seek it, even if they are not yet in a covenant with him. He brings things to pass that he ordained even from before the foundations of this world were formed.  And, certainly, this season is a season for gifts. The gifts of the Magi were given, not only to remind us of who Jesus would be, but because he was God’s greatest gift to us.  Let’s celebrate that truth today as we enjoy food and family and the love of God who has been given to us.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.               (Isa. 9:6-8).

If you haven’t noticed, the world is becoming a very dangerous place once again.  Terrorism, assassinations, antisemitism, violence, rage, and hate speech are rampant and highlighted on the news 24/7.  In a season that is supposed to promote peace on earth,  that is not what most of us are feeling.  And yet, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).

If we want to live with a sense of peace while the world explodes around us, there are some decisions we need to make.  This peace does not come automatically, but comes through obedience to the wisdom of Jesus. 

First of all, Jesus directed us to eliminate fear and worry by focusing on the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of men.  “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mt. 7:31-34).

An old story tells of a man leaving an ancient city and as he walks out, he encounters

Death.  He asked Death what he was up to and Death replied, “I’m going to this city to collect lives and take them to the afterlife. The man said, “What a terrible thing!” Death shrugged and replied, “It’s what I do.”  Days later, the man was returning and encountered Death again as Death was leaving the city. The man had already heard reports of hundreds and hundreds of people who had died since he left.  He scolded Death for all the destruction he had visited on the city and the grief and loss he had produced.  Death replied, “Oh, I only came for a few, Fear and Worry got the rest.”

Fear and worry are our enemies.  They rob us of peace, health, sleep, joy and fruitfulness.  They damage our relationships. Every doctor or research scientist will tell you that stress is our number one enemy. It impacts our physical health, our spiritual health, and our emotional health. Stress comes from worry and fear.  And yet the most repeated command is scripture is, “Do not be afraid!”  That Is a mindset we discipline ourselves to maintain.

Here are a few verses that can help us lay aside our worry and fear. 

Matthew 7:31-34 (quoted above).  Choose to focus daily on the kingdom, the power, the faithfulness of God, and his promises for provision and protection. Do not look at what you don’t have but what you do have.  Don’t fixate on the prayer yet to be answered,  but on all the prayers to which God has already said yes.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phil. 4:8).  Make a choice to think about good things, pure things, praiseworthy things, etc. rather than thinking about the unholy, criminal, violent, perverse things of the world. 

This means choosing what you watch on television, listen to on talk radio, and review on social media. This means monitoring your conversations with friends and family. There is a spirit of fear attached to so much of what we hear about on television twenty-four hours a day.  That spirit will attach itself to you if you come into agreement with it. It will get into your heart and head and rob you of the blessings that could be yours in Christ. Most of what we see and hear about does not touch us and we cannot affect it except by prayer. I’m not saying we should be totally oblivious to what is going on in the world, but we should not dwell on it.  Watch the news briefly, ask the Lord how he wants you to pray about what is going on, pray about it, and release it for the day.  Turn your focus to positive things, heavenly things and over time your stress will abate, your health will improve, and you will find joy in life again.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (1 Cor. 10:5-6). Monitoring your thought life and making sure your thoughts are aligned with the teachings and commands of Jesus is the essence of spiritual warfare. When you find yourself entertaining thoughts that are contrary to the Word of God, renounce those thoughts, repent of having come into agreement with them, and command any unclean spirit producing those thoughts to leave you immediately…especially worry and fear.

“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things” (Col.3:2-3).  We spend way too much time thinking about the world and events in the world.  Our home is in heaven and we need to discipline ourselves to think often about home: the glory, the joy, the abundant life, the promise of eternal life without disease or loss, our reunion with loved ones, the presence of a perfect Father and a perfect Savior.  Paul focused often on heaven and finally said, “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christand be found in him” (Phil. 3:7-9).

During this season of Peace on Earth, let me assure you that the peace Jesus spoke of is peace in your heart, not in the world around you.  The same peace that Jesus had while sleeping on a sinking boat on Galilee is available to us.  It comes from fixing our thoughts on things that produce faith and peace and limiting our time with the things that steal our peace.  If married, agree with your spouse to break the old habits of bad news and more bad news.  If you are single, agree with a friend. Turn the channel or turn it off. Focus on the good news of Jesus Christ and not the bad news on Fox. Find value in silent nights where we can hear the Lord rather than nights filled with the discouraging noise of the world around us. In just a week, you will feel the difference.  Blessings in Him.