A few days ago, France was rocked by multiple terrorist attacks from ISIS. At last count, over 125 individuals were killed. Other nations were targeted as well with devastating results. In all likelihood, the U.S. can expect the same in the near future. As we watch the news about ISIS, massive earthquakes and other natural disasters, it feels as if the earth is toppling, staggering and shaking. The writer of Hebrews speaks about a “shaking.”

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. (Heb.12:26-28)

In times of tumult, we must learn to hold on to what is unshakeable. In the Hebrew passage, the writer is referring to the moment when God descended on Sinai to meet with Israel and give them his law. His voice was so powerful that it shook the earth and terrified God’s people who thought they would die if they heard any more of it. God says that another time will come when he will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. I believe he is speaking of governments and nations when he speaks of the earth and of spiritual powers (demonic) when he shakes the heavens.

As believers we are to anticipate these “shake ups.” Since God is the cause of the shaking we can be confident that he is totally aware of his people and their needs in the midst of the turmoil. It’s not that we won’t feel the effects. In an earthquake, everyone experiences the vibrations. In this time of shaking, there will be natural disasters, governments falling, and turmoil in the spiritual realm. Is it the end of time? I can’t be certain, but I don’t think it is immediate.
Rather, I believe God is sifting and reconfiguring the earth and the spiritual realm for the benefit of the gospel. The key is to hold onto what is unshakeable and that is the kingdom of God. As we move further into this season, believers must drill down and anchor themselves in Jesus.

Again, the writer of Hebrews tells us, “We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (Heb.6:18-20).

Jesus has entered into the presence of the Father to intercede for us. He knows what the shaking is all about and where everyone of his “brethren” are located. If God is reconfiguring nations and shaking demonic strongholds, we need to pray into that process, asking God to open doors for the gospel, to exalt the name of Jesus in the earth, and to weaken the hold of the enemy over nations and individuals.

We need to be connected to other people of faith who will be praying with us. We need to spend more time in the written word and more time with the Word of God – Jesus. We need to find promises to stand on and to ask for unshakeable faith and courage to acknowledge Jesus in these days.

This issue with Islam will not be solved by politics, money, or even war. It is spiritual at its root. It is a spirit of Anti-Christ, death, and perversion – perhaps, even the prince of Persia spoken of in the book of Daniel (chapters 9-10).  Those spirits must be attacked by the divine weapons of prayer, love, truth, and the power that rests in the name of Jesus. F-14’s and smart bombs may push back the move of Islam but will not stamp it out. The kingdom of God is the only antidote and that kingdom must be established in the hearts of men.

As awful as terrorism is, each atrocity makes Islam less palatable to many. As they reject or, at least, doubt the tenants of their faith a spiritual; vacuum will form. We need to fill that vacuum with the gospel or something even worse than what we are seeing may take up residence in those people and nations. We need wisdom from above to navigate these waters and to know how to love our enemies even as we try to protect the world from them. This is not the time to bunker in and hide from the enemy, but is a time for the church to stand up and proclaim the saving and powerful name of Jesus. We can do that in prayer, over coffee, and publically whenever we have the opportunity. Again, light always shines brightest in the darkness.

Be blessed today and know that Jesus is unshakeable. When we hold tightly to him, we also will not be shaken.

Waiting is hard…especially, in a microwave world. Everything moves so fast. The entire world seems to change over night. Everything is microchipped and accelerated. We want faster foods, faster computers, and faster planes, faster weight loss…you name it. But in the spiritual realm, God does not measure progress by time but rather by growth. Waiting on God is hard, especially when his timetable does not match ours at all. Sometimes God is waiting on us while we are waiting on him.

I’m reminded of both Joseph and David. Both received amazing prophecies when they were young. Joseph got his in the form of prophetic dreams in which he saw his family bowing down to him. David received his when the prophet Samuel showed up, anointed him with oil, and declared that he would be king over Israel. My guess is that both young men anticipated the fulfillment of those prophecies within months of the moment they received them. Not only did they expect God to establish them in those prophetic roles, but also that their circumstances would soon begin to line up with their declared destinies.

Joseph, however, did not find his family as excited about his dreams as he was. Eventually, the arrogance of the young man stirred up resentment and even hatred among his older brothers. In response, they faked his death and sold him into slavery. He ended up not only far from home in Egypt, but in prison after false charges were lodged against him. Now, not only were months slipping by but years escaped him and the dreams that once excited him seemed impossible.

David’s prophecy seemed more likely in the beginning. He distinguished himself against Goliath and entered into King Saul’s service where, it seemed, he would learn the ropes of governing a nation. Everyone who knew the prophecy could see that he might be “interning” for his future role. But the better he served Saul, the more Saul felt threatened. David quickly lost his internship and became a wanted outlaw hiding in the deserts of Palestine. Many scholars estimate that David dodged Saul and his attempts to kill the young man for nearly eight years.   Not only were the years slipping by, but events looked as if the prophecy of Samuel had missed the mark by a mile. Even David thought, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is escape to the land of the Philistines” (1 Sam.27:1).

I am certain that both Joseph and David began to seriously doubt that the prophecies about them would ever come to pass. Years slipped by and events seemed to hold no promise for their fulfillment. In fact, both men surely quit thinking about the prophecies altogether and simply focused on surviving the day – Joseph in an Egyptian prison and David in caves in the desert.

So why the turn of events? Why the delay and the hardships? All I can say is that they were in training…not so much in skills but in their hearts. Both had destinies to lead nations. They each needed to be part of a maturing process in character, faith, and perspectives. Humility – dependence on God – had to be first and foremost coupled with the trust that only comes from experiencing God in hard times.

David continued to learn of God’s provision and protection in the midst of battles and finding provision in the wilderness. Joseph learned the same things in the dark nights of a foreign prison where life was always tenuous. Both learned not to judge what God was doing by sight, but rather to live by faith and to know that God’s promises stand regardless of present circumstances. Both, in a miraculous turn of events became leaders over nations.

Saul was the antithesis of these two men. Israel shouted for a king and Saul was crowned in weeks instead of years. He began well but when the pressure was on, his faith faded quickly. He was political, insecure, and treacherous. All of those qualities clearly point to a lack of faith in God to sustain his throne and to give him victories.

In 1 Samuel 13, we are told of a time when the Philistines were gathering troops to attack Israel. Samuel told Saul not to go into battle but to wait at Gilgal for seven days, until he (Samuel) came and offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord who would then lead them to victory. On the seventh day, Samuel had not arrived. Saul’s troops were “quaking with fear” and were beginning to scatter. Saul then took it on himself to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, although he was not a priest. As soon as the smoke cleared the altar, Samuel arrived and rebuked him for his disobedience and lack of faith. Saul’s men were afraid because their leader was afraid. They had no faith that God would give them the victory because their king had no faith. Samuel declared that day, that God had taken Saul’s kingdom from him.

Saul became king before his heart was tested and this character was established. He did not go through the process of waiting and maturing, so he stewarded the blessing he received as an insecure, impetuous child. The blessings were then lost. Waiting on our prayers and dreams is hard, but if we embrace the process, God will train our hearts so that when the blessings come and the promises and prophecies are fulfilled, we will be able to steward them well. Growth is the goal. We feel the pressure of time, but God marks our days by growth not by the calendar.

When dreams you have offered up in prayers go unanswered, the answer may not be “No,” but simply “Not yet.” If the desire is a godly desire and it remains in your heart, continue to pray but be willing to wait and while you wait, invite God to work in you and cooperate with the work. Be sure that the desire hasn’t become an idol in which you are placing your trust for happiness and significance, but that you constantly affirm that God is your source. God can only entrust us with dreams we hold loosely, otherwise our faith will be in the dream rather than in him.

Be blessed today and do not despise the process and the circumstances that seem to point away from answered prayer. You are in training. Those that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.

I know a highly successful man who is highly critical of others and himself. His rationale for pointing out even minute flaws in others and himself is that by making people aware of their shortcomings, they can improve. He sees his critical spirit as a public service. He said one time, “What my father did for me, I do for others.” By the way, he’s divorced now.

But there is a little of that mindset in most of us, in the sense that we often think we will do better if we demean ourselves, criticize ourselves, or even call ourselves names. We feel that humbling ourselves before God by emphasizing our weaknesses or failings pleases him. Sometimes we even feel guilty about enjoying our blessings because we feel that we don’t deserve them or because others don’t have what we have.   Sometimes, we often do a kind of penance by recalling past failures and moments of shame as a way of beating ourselves up. Our logic is that if we feel bad enough about what we did, we will never do it again. We often employ that strategy when we want others to “never do something again” as well. We try to shame ourselves into being a better person. This may have some semblance of logic to it, but it simply doesn’t work and it is just the opposite of God’s directives for “better living.” God does not call us to nail ourselves to the cross because Jesus did that for us. We don’t find our lives on the cross but because of the cross.

Think about it. Jesus told us that the world will know that we are his disciples by our love for one another. Paul defines love by actions and attitudes in 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient. Love is kind. It keeps no record of wrongs. It always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. Notice that loves is not critical, blaming, always bringing up the past, harsh, demeaning, or humiliating. The way that God directs us to treat others is, essentially, the way we should treat ourselves. A major part of God’s program for transformation is not condemnation and rejection but acceptance and a call to a new identity. If he reminds us of the past, it is simply to remind us of who we once were but are not now, and how much his love has forgiven and forgotten.

In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul said, “Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers…will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord” (1 Cor.6:9-11). Notice the past tense – that is what some of you were. Paul is calling them to their identity in Christ. You may have been that person before the Holy Spirit took up residence in you, but that is not who you are now! Don’t live like the person you used to be, live like the person God has made you to be. The Bible says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (KJV). In other words, we live up to or down to the image we have of ourselves. God wants to increase our image so that we may live up to the call he has placed on our lives.

I like what Bill Johnson says about this in his book, When Heaven Invades Earth. “The boldness we need is not self-confidence but the confidence that the Father has in the work of his Son in us. It is no longer a question of heaven or hell. It is only a question of how much of hell’s thinking will I allow into this heavenly mind of mine. Doesn’t it honor Him more when his children no longer see themselves only as sinners saved by grace, but now as heirs of God? Isn’t it a greater form of humility to believe Him when He says we are precious in His sight, when we don’t feel very precious? Doesn’t it honor Him more when we think of ourselves as free from sin because he said we are? At some point we must rise up to the high call of God and stop saying things about ourselves that are no longer true. If we are going to fully come into what God has for us…we’ll have to come to grips with the issue of being more than sinners saved by grace.     (P.168).

It is the nature of Satan to condemn and accuse. It is not the nature of God…especially toward his own children. In our internal conversations, we need to say what God says about us. We need to leave our past buried (we died to sin) and speak in the present and the future. We are redeemed, forgiven, accepted, children of God, royal priests on the earth, saints (all of us), God’s beloved, His called out, destined for greatness, ambassadors of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, sons and daughters of the King, holy, the righteousness of God, appointed and anointed, and more.

When we see ourselves as God sees us, we will live up to that image. It is true for those around us as well. If God says that is who we are, then that is who we are – since it is impossible for God to lie. Let me encourage you today, to increase your transformation by increasing your identity in Christ. In word and thought, say what God says about you and call any other identity a lie. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a revelation of your identity in Christ. Speak the same things over your children, your spouse and your friends in the Lord as well. The truth we call out in Christ becomes a reality, because God’s word, whether from His lips or ours, has creative power and always fulfills its purpose. Be blessed today because you are the redeemed of God, perfect and righteous in His sight.

What is the purpose of the church on earth? Why did God establish an organic body of believers with orders to meet together, encourage one another, forgive one another, pray for one another, equip one another, resource one another, and to submit to one another? We can say with certainty that the two clear, overarching commands for the church are to love one another as He loves us and to go and make disciples of all nations. We can also say that we, as God’s people, are to release heaven on earth as we teach people to obey the will of God – thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

One key to understanding our overall purpose is to go back to the beginning to see God’s initial purpose for his people on earth. “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground’” (Gen.1:28). To subdue the earth means to exercise authority over it – to rule over it. I believe, in the context of Genesis 1 and 2, that God is meeting with Adam and Eve in the garden not only to build a relationship but also to groom them to rule over the earth just as he would rule over it.

Speaking of man, David said, “You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet” (Ps.8:5-6). Again, crowned and ruler are the operative words here. God placed Adam and Eve on the earth to rule over this planet in his place – to establish the culture of heaven and the will of God on this planet. Of course, Adam sinned and relinquished his authority over the planet to Satan who then became the “prince of this world.” Jesus describes Satan with that phrase three times in the gospel of John (12:31, 14:30. 16:11). But Jesus also declared that Satan, as the prince of this world, stood condemned and judged by His perfect life, sacrifice, and resurrection. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus took back all authority in heaven and on earth and, just as his Father had done, he gave that authority to men to rule the earth once again as his representatives.

The general purpose of the church is to rule over the earth once more as representatives of the King and re-establish his kingdom on this planet. We are not to rule with brute force but by capturing the hearts of men. As Adam was directed to subdue the earth, we are directed to subdue nations by preaching the gospel. Our mission is to empty the kingdom of darkness of its residents and fill the kingdom of heaven with those same residents who have accepted the rule of Jesus in their hearts. We are to make disciples of all nations.

I like what Kris Vallotton has to say about this ruling church. After quoting Isaiah 2:2-4, he states, “Mountains are the prophet’s metaphors for authorities and the house of the Lord is the church. Isaiah is saying that in the last days the Church will be the chief authority on how to live life and make decisions. This will result in nations coming to us and learning God’s ways, much like the Queen of Sheba did in Solomon’s day. Weapons plants will be converted into grain silos, automobile manufacturing plants, and other beneficial resources, because the nations won’t be fighting each other any more. The fact that the Church has been restored to man’s original position of dominion on earth requires us to learn and carry out the responsibilities that come with our authority” (The Supernatural Ways of Royalty, p. 179-180).

I am convinced that the church cannot fill that role in its present condition. I assume our church is representative of most evangelical churches in America as far as our membership goes. This past weekend we had another addition of Freedom Weekend, which is an experiential day of emotional healing and deliverance. Ninety-one men and women of various faith backgrounds went through the weekend after an eight-week study about who they are in Christ and the transformative power of God. On Saturday we met for worship, healing and deliverance. On Sunday morning we all met again to hear what God had done for his people.

Person after person testified of significant healing (emotional and physical) and the incredible weight that had been lifted from their lives through deliverance in the name of Jesus. Frowns had given way to smiles, fear had given way to boldness, and dread had given way to faith-filled optimism. These men and women were ready to tell people what Jesus had done for them and to passionately push back on the kingdom of darkness. They were finally ready to rule and reign in the name of Jesus.

Until they had experienced the power of God in their lives, they were not ready at all. Until then they were weighed down with unworthiness, guilt, sorrow, fear, lust, condemnation and bitterness. No one can rule or represent Jesus effectively in that condition. If you were to survey the church at large, however, and get an honest report, you would find that the majority of believers are still bound up in brokenness and shame. As Bill Johnson says, “A gospel without power is no gospel at all.” If it saves me from the legal guilt of my sin, but does not actually set me free, I have not experienced the fullness of the gospel.

The good news is that the church is growing in the area of power. His people are looking for more and are willing to search for it in different places. Many are finding it. Power, by itself, is not the issue. Fully experiencing Jesus is the issue and until you experience his power you haven’t fully experienced him. Without power, Jesus would have been known as a great teacher, but would never have been known as the Son of God. If you are hungering for more, in your walk with Jesus, I hope you will pursue it until you find it as well. Our heavenly Father is always glad to feed the hungry and he wants you to be fully equipped to be his ambassador on this planet until he returns.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (Eph.1:18-19)

Blessings in Him today!

What we believe about God’s purposes in the earth today and tomorrow, affects what we do for the kingdom and how we do it. Think about it. What if a billionaire commissioned you to build a spectacular, eight thousand square foot home with vaulted ceilings, crown molding throughout, stunning lights and fixtures in every room, detailed tile work, indoor water features, and highly textured walls – wouldn’t you be excited to show off your best and most creative work? But what if you then discovered that on the day you hand the house over to him, the eccentric owner was simply going to burn the house to the ground so he could video it without ever living in it.

Do you think that realization would affect the excellence with which you labored on the house and the unseen details you were planning to make perfect in the structure?   If there is no real future for the house, why not skimp on insulation and why install top-end appliances? Would it even matter if all the wiring were done correctly or if the paint had a few runs? If the walls weren’t perfectly straight, who would know? After all, it was all going to be burned down without one family ever living in it or one guest enjoying the splendor of what you had built with your hands and talent.

What we believe about the destiny of our work, affects the way we do it. If I can build something that will shine and last, I will give it my best. If I am building something doomed to decay and to disappear in a short time, I will probably not give it the excellence I would give the other project. Most of the western church is still afflicted with the theology that we are in the end times, and in the end times, everything is destined to get worse and worse regardless of our prayers or efforts and the church is powerless to stop it. Why try to salvage America if it is destined for demise? Why try to redeem cultures if they will only grow more perverse no matter what we do?

There are certainly verses that suggest a tribulation time and love growing cold, but there are also many verses that suggest an almost golden age of the church before the final harvest and judgment of God. Notice the prophet’s words, “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Mic. 4”1-2). The setting of the prophecy is “in the last days.” Peter suggested that the last days were launched at Pentecost (Acts 2:16) and will continue until the return of the Lord. Numerous scriptures, as well as nature itself, suggest that a great harvest will occur before the Master brings down the curtain. For a great harvest to occur the church must be strong and vibrant not fatalistic, weak, and irrelevant.

Isaiah also speaks of a time when, in the midst of darkness, the Lord raises his church to new heights. “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,” says the Lord. “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn” (Isa.59:21- 60:3).

Daniel proclaimed a day when the kingdom of God would subdue all other kingdoms and cover the earth. “While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.          Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth…In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands” (Dan.2:34-35; 44-45).

The New Testament tells us that God desires that all men should be saved (1 Tim.2:4). It also tells us that all men will not be saved, but a God whose heart longs for every man to enter his kingdom will certainly not be satisfied with a paltry harvest. We are told that, “…the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab.2:14). Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations – not just a few people in each nation, but the nation.

All of this still lies ahead of us. There are many nations yet to be disciple, many people who have yet to hear the good news. The time when nations will stream to God’s people still rests in the future. The harvest will only be accomplished by a vibrant and powerful church. The good news is that the church is now rediscovering who she is in Christ. There is a resurgence of power, signs, and wonders among God’s people. Millions are being harvested in China, Africa and South America. The church is already being invited to come to nations and is being given full access to preach the gospel. Just in the past two years, Honduras and the Dominican Republic extended that invitation. It was not an invitation from church leaders in those nations but by heads of state. “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn” (Isa.60:3).

We do not need to be discouraged, fatalistic, pessimistic or afraid. I believe we are on the verge of a season when God will shake not only the earth but the heavenly realms as well. Demonic powers will fall. Nations will be discipled. The bride of Christ will shine and nations will come to the church for hope and solutions. If we believe things will only get worse and worse no matter what we do, we will not give God our best; we will not sacrifice to attain victory, and we will not dare to do the impossible. If however, we believe we are on the leading edge of the greatest harvest in history where entire nations will come to Jesus, how much more will be pray, give, evangelize, and go the mission field?

But it looks so dark! Yes, it does, but the greatest victories in scripture followed on the heals of what looked like certain defeat – Israel with her back to the Red Sea as the armies of Egypt closed in; Hezekiah surrounded by Assyrian troops until a single angel annihilated the Assyrian army in one night; the church facing the relentless persecutions of Roman emperors; and Jesus lying in a tomb. But in the darkness the light shines all the brighter and the victory is even more glorious. Be encouraged. The church will not limp defeated and bruised from the battlefield because we have the sure word of our Lord that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. Build the house. Do it with excellence. This house will not burn, but will stand forever.

None of us enjoy rejection. We don’t wake up in the morning excited about the possibilities of being rejected multiple times during the day. We may wake up with an expectation of rejection, but not a desire for it. Rejection wounds like nothing else because it suggests that we are unacceptable, unworthy, unlovable, or defective.

Contrary to most psychological theories today, I believe that we are born with a deep-seated sense of defectiveness that has been passed down to us since the Garden of Eden and the fall of man. Its hard to recognize but at some level it nags at us. Remember, before Adam and Eve took a bite from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they walked around naked, “in front of God and everybody,” and felt no fear and no shame. They were completely secure in their sense of who they were and in their relationship with God and one another. Then they ate and the universe radically shifted. Suddenly, they were afraid and ashamed. They were hiding from God, scrambling to cover themselves, and blaming everyone else for what had just happened.

As a result, children (and adults) have an innate need for affirmation. Some crying is simply to find out if someone will come and comfort them so that they have a sense of significance in their own little world. Why do most small children want to be held? Why do they constantly cry, “Look at me!” if not for some kind of affirmation? Why do they constantly bring their “art” work to parents for some kind of approval, seeking coveted space on the refrigerator door? I think it is because, they are uncertain of their worth and their significance. They want someone to tell them that they are okay because, deep inside, something hints that they may not be.

Why does it take ten positive statements to overcome one negative statement? I think it is because our default setting is a feeling of defectiveness that hurts deeply when something or someone suggests that we are, indeed, defective. Children who get healthy attention, nurture, and affirmation growing up seem to cope fairly well with the niggling question of whether or not they really matter. Those who are not nurtured, but are abandoned, abused, or neglected fight a terrible uphill battle with rejection most of their lives.

Satan maneuvered Adam and Eve into a scenario that had the flavor of rejection – expulsion from the immediate presence of God. They did not see removal from the Garden as discipline or even grace but feared that it meant total rejection and abandonment by their Father. I think Satan fueled that fear. How many of us have seen a child (or an adult child) goad someone into breaking the rules and then begin to crow, “Oh, you’re going to get it now!” I sense that echoes Satan’s follow up to, “you won’t surely die.” Rejection taps into that most ancient of fears and wounds us at the deepest levels.

Rejection comes in all forms…neglect, abuse, criticism, slander, accusation, abandonment, harsh and demeaning words, being ignored, unfaithfulness in a relationships, being passed over for promotion, etc. Rejection hurts because we tend to accept the evaluation of the one rejecting us. We receive their evaluation and conclude that we must indeed be unworthy of love or consideration. Our greatest fear – that we are defective and unworthy – seems to be validated by experiences of rejection, which simply deepen our sense of defectiveness.

Jesus understood our dilemma when he told us that when the world rejects us, it is not us that the world is rejecting, but him. At the core of the gospel is the message that God counts us as immensely significant, that he will never leave us nor forsake us, and that he loved us enough to die for us. Not only that, but he has taken away our shame and made us worthy in Jesus. We are new creations, sons and daughters of the King, with an inheritance of glory. But even with that revelation, we are fragile creatures in this arena of self-image and rejection – so much so that demonic spirits come to magnify the rejection.

In most cases of demonization, the first demon on the scene in a person’s life is a spirit of rejection, who constantly accuses and condemns us, so that our early experiences of rejection, which tapped into our ancient sense of defectiveness, never heal. It is as if the demon keeps tearing the scab off the wound so that it cannot mend. That spirit then projects a filter, so that even innocent statements sound like hateful criticism. Discipline feels like abuse. Correction feels like victimization and humiliation. Because of that filter, our over-the-top pain response to innocent or neutral statements by others, invites rejection because people do not want to be around people who overreact. That demonic filter even makes us immune to compliments and affirmation by suggesting that the affirmation is insincere or that it would not be said if that person really knew us. All of that magnifies our pain and fear of more rejection.

Because of this foundational hurt in the human soul that gives the devil such opportunity, Paul says, “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth but only that which is good for building up the other person according to knowledge” (Eph.4:29). The writer of Proverbs sums it up this way: “Reckless words pierce like a sword” (Pr.12:18).

We need to be a constant source of blessing and affirmation to the world around us. When we do need to point out areas that must be improved, we need to begin with sincere affirmations before we get to the problem. Notice how Paul addressed churches to whom he was writing. He was nearly always writing about some problem that needed to be corrected but, inevitably, hr started by affirming his love and telling them the things he appreciated about them before discussing the problem. He then ended with more affirmation of his love. Jesus took the same approach in his letters to the seven churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation.

The world, for the most part, struggles with a sense of rejection and the enemy fuels the flames. Encouraging, affirming words are like oxygen to a drowning man for most people. The tongue has the power of life and death (Pr.18:21) and we are to be a source of life to all those around us – as much as possible. If we are the one who is tormented by rejection, we need to seek healing from the Lord and get in the business of rebuking spirits of rejection, condemnation, and accusation.

In Christ, we are anything but rejected and we need to make a habit of saying so. We need to make a habit of saying, about ourselves, what God says about us while we ask the Holy Spirit for a revelation of that truth in our hearts. If we are in Christ, we are not rejected, not defective, not unworthy, not incompetent, and never alone. We are loved, glorified, and destined for greatness. That is the truth that sets us free. As believers, we should affirm those truths in ourselves as well as in others and we should do so at every opportunity.  Be blessed today by who you are in Jesus.

I was watching a teaching by Bill Johnson the other day. It was a teaching I had heard by him before, but my spirit was stirred again. When you hear a teaching that is anointed by the Spirit, it speaks additional things to you that the teacher has not said. The word enters and then births other things in you, in addition to what the teacher has declared. At that point, the teaching becomes your truth…a truth possessed by you that was taught by the Holy Spirit. So, I want to credit Bill with the genesis of this truth but I want to share what has formed in my heart about it, in addition to some key thoughts that Bill presented.

In Genesis 28, Jacob was traveling cross-country by himself. He stopped in a certain place to bed down for the night. As he slept he dreamed. What he saw was a stairway or ladder resting on the earth and stretching into heaven. Angels were ascending and descending on that ladder. Above the ladder stood God, who pronounced a blessing and a promise over Jacob concerning the land of Israel and the Messiah who would bless all nations. When Jacob awoke, he thought, “Surely God was in this place and I was not aware of it…How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven” (Gen.28:16-17). Jacob went on to name the location Bethel, which means house of God.

This must have been a vivid dream that not only made its way into his mind but into his very soul. It was the kind of dream that, when Jacob awoke, seemed as real as the sunrise. He recognized it as a revelation of God and it frightened him. What is interesting is that he declared the place to be the house of God and the gate of heaven. Gates not only mark boundaries and dividing lines, but also allow access back and forth across those lines. Jacob experienced an intersection of heaven and earth, the natural with the spiritual. He saw angels ascending to heaven as they completed assignments on earth and descending to earth as they received new assignments – most likely regarding God’s people since angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister serve those who will inherit salvation (Heb.1:14). So the house of God is a gate that opens up and connects the natural with the spiritual realm.

In John 1, we are told that Jesus is the Word who put on flesh and “tabernacled among us.” Jesus came as both Messiah and the tabernacle where the presence of God resided and the gate of heaven. In John 1, Jesus tells Nathaniel, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (Jn.1:51). Since Jesus has ascended to heaven, we are told that now, as believers, we are the temple or the house of God. We are now the house and the gateway to heaven.

The house of God suggests that we carry the presence of God. Jacob said that God was in that place. The presence of God rested in the tabernacle or the temple. Certainly, Jesus carried the presence of God and so do we as his Spirit lives in us. Remember that the presence of God was manifested from the Holy of Holies. The temple contained courtyards and altars. Then there was the Holy place where the showbread, the candlestick, and the altar of incense stood. But the presence was in the Most Holy Place and manifested from there. The more dedicated, set apart, holy, and committed we are to God, the greater will his manifestation be in our lives.

But the part that is capturing my attention today is the gate of heaven. We are that gate which bridges both realities – the natural and the spiritual. We are the household and the temple of God. We are also the gate through which men can enter heaven and through which heaven may enter the earth. God has chosen us, his church, to be the primary way in which those two realities are connected.

When we preach the gospel, we open the gate so that those who indwelled the natural realm suddenly have access to the spiritual realm as well. As the Holy Spirit takes up residence in them, they become carriers of his presence and citizens of heaven. Through us, his church, heaven also finds its way into the natural realm through our prayers, our declarations, and our message of Jesus Christ. When Jesus told us to pray, “on earth as it is in heaven,” he invited us to pull heaven down and release its power and values onto the earth. When men are healed, heaven is released on earth. When women are set free from the demonic, heaven is released on earth. When mercy and love are released into lives where none existed before, heaven is released on earth. When prophetic words are declared, those things that were spoken in heaven are released on the earth.

God’s design is for us, as individuals and as a corporate body, to be the gate or the doorway through which men gain access to heaven and through which heaven gains access to earth. For us, that is a tremendous privilege and a tremendous responsibility. God had given that opportunity to the Jews as well who were the descendants of Jacob. Theirs was the covenant, the temple, the presence of God, and the promises. They were to be a light to the gentiles and a keeper of the gate. But Jesus proclaimed, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to” (Mt.23:13).

Sometimes, we shut the gate, not necessarily through hypocrisy, but more often by inactivity – neither sharing the gospel, praying, declaring, healing, dispensing mercy, nor setting captives free. It is our activity that keeps angels on assignment. It is bold, audacious prayers that cause the gate to swing open wide rather than rusting on its hinges. I’m certain that God’s desire is for the gate of heaven to be a high traffic gate. We, not St. Peter, are primarily the gatekeepers. May we know our significance and keep the gate swinging in both directions as we fill heaven with the lost and earth with the things of heaven. Blessings in Him.

The Old Testament is full of types and shadows pointing to greater realities to come. The Passover Lamb of Exodus pointed ahead to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Moses, who mediated between God and Israel, pointed to Christ as the mediator between God and man. Egypt pictured sin and bondage. The Promise Land of Canaan was a type of salvation – the destination of God’s people and a land flowing with milk and honey which looked ahead to the abundant life that Jesus promises.

The Promise Land, as a foreshadowing of our salvation, is always instructive in the arena of spiritual warfare. Rodney Hogue, in a teaching on deliverance, pointed to the twenty-third chapter of Exodus for some of that instruction.

I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you.     Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land. (Exodus 23:28-30)

Nearly every preacher I have ever heard invites the unbeliever to come to Jesus for peace, the abundant life, and the “easy yoke” of the Savior. These are, indeed, promises made by Jesus to those that would follow him but it is only part of the story. Many come to Jesus with an expectation that as soon as they climb out of the baptistery, life gets easy, blessings flow without measure, and tragedy is always on a far horizon. When “all hell” breaks loose, they wonder what is wrong and where Jesus and all of his peace and blessings went.

We sometimes pitch the Christian life like a 1981 recruiting ad for the Navy that said, “It’s not just a job, it’s an adventure.” Of course, the add showed proud men in crisp, white uniforms standing in long lines, powerful ships launching gleaming fighter planes, and navy seals skirting across the open water in high-powered, high-tech assault vessels.   Everyone looked strong, happy, incredibly competent, and totally unafraid. There, of course, was truth in those images – but it was not all the truth. When those sailors were fighting 40 foot waves in frigid temperatures in mid-ocean and when those seals were cold, hungry, and hugging the ground as enemy fire lit up the night around them, the adventure was not so clean, crisp, or glamorous. The Christian life also launches us into war that is not always so clean, easy, or peaceful.

The account of Israel taking Canaan (the promised land) should alert us to that. First of all, like salvation, the land was given to them by God. It was theirs by grace. But one problem existed; the land was full of hostile tribes who were not ready to give up their parcel of ground. The land had been deeded to the Hebrews, but they had to go take it from enemy hands. God promised victory and promised that he would go ahead of Israel into each battle but they still had to face an enemy who knew how to use a sword and often who had much more battle experience than they did. According to the book of Joshua, it took years and dozens of battles to secure the land and enjoy all of its abundance.

That is a picture of sanctification – the process in which we become more and more like Jesus and walk in more and more of his promises. In one sense, salvation is experienced as an event – the moment a person truly surrenders his or her heart to Jesus. Sanctification, however, is a life long process that often includes some real battles.

The interesting thing about the passage from Exodus 23 is that it points to a “principle of occupation.” God only frees us in areas that we are ready and willing to occupy. Those of us, who are involved in spiritual warfare and deliverance, typically want to free a person from every stronghold and every demon in one sitting. But we also know that driving out a demon may not always be in the best interest of that person and that sometimes, even when we try, we just don’t get it done.

Jesus tells a parable of a man who was demonized and received deliverance (Mt.12:43-45, Luke 11:24-26). The demon stayed away for a bit, but then returned to inspect his former dwelling place. Jesus said that the demon found the “house” clean and in order and so returned and brought seven other demons with him that were even more wicked than the first. The point of the story seems to be that any unoccupied house or territory invites tenants, and the new tenants may be much worse that the former.

In Exodus 23, God promised that he would go before Israel and give them victories over their enemies but would not do all at once. He said that to clear the land that Israel could not occupy and develop would simply turn agricultural fields into wild thickets, where wild animals would take up residence and become too numerous for Israel to manage. As Israel became stronger and more adept at war, God would then give them more of the territory he had promised. In our terms, God may not set us free and give us spiritual territory within us that we are not willing or able to occupy – to fight for, to maintain, and to develop. Hogue pointed out that the grace of God might keep us where we are until we are truly ready to hold onto our freedom or healing.

It is counter-intuitive, but not everyone wants to be healed or set free from sin and demonic oppression. Sometimes, when praying for people, praying over people, or in commanding spirits, the will of the individual is a greater obstacle than the spirit, the sickness, or the situation. Many want to be freed from the painful consequences of sin, but not the sin itself. Others have had their lives defined by an illness or brokenness so long that they have organized their lives around those things. To be healed or set free may be more frightening than inviting to those individuals because it represents the unknown. Israel was enslaved in Egypt, but their lives had become predictable and in some degree manageable. They thought they wanted freedom, but as soon as they faced the unknowns of the wilderness they wanted to go back to what they knew. They were not yet ready to occupy the new territory of freedom.

As we pray for people and minister to them, we may want to take measure of how ready they are to occupy – fight for and maintain – any new territory the Lord gives them. Some simply do not know how to fight and must be taught how to fight and cultivate the new ground that has been given to them. Others may not be sure they want it. We may need to ask the Holy Spirit if that is the situation and what to do about it. We may want to help them explore their hearts and their will in the matter.

I am certain we need to teach people how to fight and maintain freedom before casting out demons, because that demon will eventually return or others will drop be to see if there is unoccupied territory in the heart of a person. That space must be occupied by the things of God and the individual must be willing to fight to guard those things when the day comes. God is willing fight with us and he assures the victory, but we must take up a sword and fight. Let’s be sure that we know how to do that and teach others to do so as well. As Paul said, we have to fight the good fight. After all, it’s not just a job, it’s an adventure!

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Phil.4:8)

In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul encourages us to evaluate and choose what we think about, what we ponder, and what we entertain on the big screen of our imagination.  In other words, be intentional about everything…even your thought life. Everything we think about, focus on, or entertain in our minds leaves an impression on our brain and in our soul. The theological term for intentional or prolonged thinking about an issue, a principle, or an experience is meditation. Scripture mentions that process frequently.

Speaking of Isaac, the son of Abraham, we are told, “He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching” (Gen.24:63). Isaac had intentionally set time aside in the evening to meditate, to think about things, to mentally process his day and his relationships. After the death of Moses, the Lord spoke to Joshua and commanded him, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Jos.1:8). David prayed, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Ps.19:44; See also Ps.1:2, 48:9, 63:6, 77:12, 119:5, 143:5).

Meditation is a way to intentionally understand experiences, expand our understanding of people and events, reinforce positive thoughts, grasp biblical truths, establish God-directed goals, and deepen relational values in our heart and mind. For the believer, it is a time set aside to hear the Holy Spirit lead him into truth and shape his life and character. It is also a great way to detox spiritually, at the end of a day, after you have encountered hurtful people and slogged through a sin-soaked culture. What you think about most often, what you reflect on frequently, what you consider and process in your mind will rule the day in your heart.

The psalmists mention several things about which they frequently meditated: God’s creation, God’s wonderful and miraculous acts, their personal history with God – his blessings and faithfulness, the Word of God, and God himself. The apostle Paul would add, “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8). He also tells us, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col.3:1-2). The writer of Hebrews layers on another dimension. “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess” (Heb.3:1).

There may be more, but that is plenty to reflect on. Again, meditation is simply the act of intentionally thinking about, chewing on, reflecting, studying, talking about, praying about, etc. certain things you want to understand and get in your heart.

For us it is a dialogue with the Spirit, asking him to give us understanding, insight, revelation, and reinforcement of his truths and values in our life. In scripture, meditation seems to occur most often in the evening or during the “watches of the night.”   I tend to believe that the last things we focus on before falling asleep get the attention of our subconscious which continues to process those things during the night. When we invite the Holy Spirit to be involved in our sleep, we may receive truth we had never recognized before. “For God does speak—now one way, now another— though man may not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds” (Job. 33:14-15).

Spending time in the evening reflecting on God, his truth, the goodness of Christ, his Word, etc. seems like a God-given way to detox spiritually from all the contaminates we have encountered during the day. Satan spends the day trying to pull us away from the truth of God, twisting it, and enticing us to agree with him rather than the Father. Meditation helps to realign our thoughts and feelings with the Lord and in doing so takes away places where the enemy might find a foothold. So much around us that we hear, see, and read – even unintentionally – defiles the temple of the Holy Spirit. An evening scrub with meditation will help to keep that temple a place where the Spirit can rest without offense.

As I examine the life of Jesus, everything seems so intentional. I suffer from being right-brained. Structure and concrete goals are not my style. Intentionality gives way to random responses to things I encounter during the day. I want to “get in the mood” before doing anything introspective and the mood is elusive. I’m working on consistent meditation. Writing this blog is a form of that but I want to lay in a godly habit of detoxing at the end of the day and inviting the Spirit to rule over my dreams and even the thoughts churned up by my subconscious. I believe meditation is one of God’s great divine weapons (2 Cor.10:4) and can make a huge difference as we follow Him. Perhaps, you’ll join me. Blessings in Him today.

The importance of the seventy-two disciples that Jesus sent out in the gospel of Luke cannot be overstated. It is their testimony that opens the door for all believers to do what Jesus did. They were the first, beyond the apostles, to minister in the power and authority of Jesus.

Many Christians are still being taught that the miracles of the New Testament were confined to Jesus and his twelve apostles as confirmation of Christ’s deity and of the apostle’s inspiration and authority for writing the New Testament. The argument goes that once Jesus and the apostles were confirmed by signs and wonders, there was no need for miracles and so the age of miracles faded away. This is not an old argument but one that still carries great weight in many evangelical churches and seminaries.

In Luke 9, Jesus sent out his twelve apostles on a mission. Luke tells us that Jesus gave the twelve power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases while they preached the kingdom of God. This fits the “confirmation theory” for these twelve men would be given leadership over the church that would be birthed at Pentecost and would write much of the New Testament. However, one (Judas) fell away and most of the New Testament was not written by one of the twelve apostles at all: the gospel of Luke, the book of Acts, the epistle of James (written by the Lord’s brother who was not a follower until after the resurrection), Hebrews, Jude, and all of the letters written by Paul. Paul was an apostle, but was not one of the original twelve.

In Luke 10, Jesus appointed seventy-two, no-name disciples and sent them out to preach in towns where Jesus was about to go. This “advance team” was not just putting up posters announcing upcoming healing services. In his directives to the team, Jesus said, “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you’” (Lk.10:8-9). When the advance team returned, the text says, “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!” Jesus replied, “ I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the enemy: nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that spirits submit to you but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Lk. 10:18-20).

Jesus had given the same power and authority to the seventy-two, non-apostles that he had given to the twelve so that each of them could preach the kingdom of God and then demonstrate it. At the end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus commissioned his church to go into all of the world and preach the gospel, making disciples of all nations. He began “the Great Commission” by emphasizing his authority. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto me” (Mt.28:18). He ends the commission by declaring that he will be with his disciples always – to the very end of the age. If Jesus is with is and he has all authority, then his authority is with us as well.

Paul sums up the issue when he declares, “For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power” (1 Cor.4:20). Any gospel that does not convey not only forgiveness but also power is not the gospel Jesus preached, nor the twelve, nor the seventy-two, nor Paul.

Power comes through the Holy Spirit whom Jesus has sent to every believer. He equips us for ministry as Jesus modeled it. In fact, the disciples of Jesus had received the Spirit before Pentecost. In John 20, Jesus appeared to the disciples (not just the apostles) and said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn.20:21-22). But a few days later, he told the same group to wait in Jerusalem until they were further equipped for the mission he had given them. “Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift my Father promised…in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:4-8).

Luke is clear that the power of the Spirit did not just fall on the twelve, but on all the believers who were gathered in Jerusalem – about 120 of them (Acts1:15). This entire group had begun to meet together in Jerusalem for prayer (Acts 1:14) and was still together on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit appeared like fire and rested on each of them (Acts 2:1-3). They all were filled with the Spirit and began to speak in tongues (Acts 2:4). From that point on, the church began to move in power through the authority of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, manifested in spiritual gifts.

When Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you,” he implied that we should do the things that he had done – preach the gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and cleanse lepers. He highlighted this future ministry of the church when he said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father” (Jn.14:12). “Anyone” takes it out of the hands of a few and grants that potential to every believer since the days of Jesus.

The present day evidence that Jesus rose from the grave and ascended to the Father is found in the power of the Holy Spirit expressed through spiritual gifts in the church. Jesus kept telling his followers that when he took his place by the Father’s side, he would send the Spirit who then would give us power for ministry (See Jn.14 and 16). Power confirms the presence of the Holy Spirit and the presence of the Holy Spirit confirms the presence of Jesus at the right hand of the Father. No power, no confirmation.

The need for power in the church is greater today than ever. The world is in bondage to sin and to Satan. The Jews have the Torah, the Muslims have the Koran, and we have the New Testament which testifies of Christ. Stories about what happened two thousand years ago are not convincing to those who study from another book. However, when the works of Jesus are done today in the name of Jesus, Jews and Muslims are convinced as well as pagans of all stripes.

No matter what your church background, let me encourage you not to settle for anything less than a gospel of both of grace and power. Jesus modeled it, Jesus commanded it, and Jesus purchased it with his blood. We cannot represent Jesus (re-present) on the earth without the power he himself displayed.

Additionally, most of the deliverance and the healings referenced in the gospels were expressions of God’s compassion for the plight of men rather than an attempt on the part of Jesus to prove who he was. How often did he tell someone he had just healed not to tell anyone? To fail in the exercise of power today is to crimp the compassion that Jesus still wants to express through his church. When we do not pursue all the gifts of the Spirit and the power of the kingdom of heaven, we not only fail ourselves but also Jesus and those who need his transforming touch. Not just words, but power. Blessings in Him today.