Hold Back the Wall

Prayer is the strong and mighty weapon we have at our disposal in the body of Christ. The church is able to press back the forces of darkness by bringing down His kingdom to earth. We are part of the army of God that is warring on behalf of people that will come into the kingdom. Many in the body are too ill-equipped to defend themselves and too ignorant to know they are deceived. It is the army of God that is to be the wall that holds back the tidal wave of attack and assault against the people. (Remember Jesus said the gates of hell would not be able to prevail against the body that rest under this mantel of who Jesus is: “You are the Messiah/Christ, Son of the living God” – the very proclamation made by Peter to Jesus) 

 

We are to gear up. We are to be alert. We are to be prepared for the battle at all times. We are to be dressed and ready not only for our sake, not only for the sake of our family and not only for the sake of our church; but for the sake of those that do not even know the Lord yet. But why must we? How will they get to know, how will they learn and who will live it out in front of them? We must demonstrate and grow up in our salvation. We must teach them by walking with them and discipling them. I see the church holding back the tidal wave of harsh judgment. I see the body of Christ holding back the tidal wave of curses that will come upon all the people. I also see the blessings that can come as the wall is holding back the curses but bringing forth the blessings on all behind that wall.

 

Those in and of the world hate the Christian. They persecute us and misunderstand us, but the world needs to comprehend and understand that believers are the very force that stands between the world and the judgment of God that is coming upon it. It is standing between the plans that Satan has for this world and his forces of evil. His plan is for utter destruction, and I am certain of that. Nonbelievers may despise the believer, but I tell you there will come a day when the church will no longer be able to hold back the inevitable judgment to come. When it comes like a powerful tsunami, many will long for the day the church was holding back this disaster of evil. And in those days, you will desire for the peace, joy, and salvation but it will not be found. 

 

The earth and the sins of many have brought forth curses. We are standing currently in the outpouring of the blessings of those that have gone before us. Those blessings came from the covenants made that were honored by those that laid the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ and walked in loving obedience. We need to comprehend the magnitude of that which the church is responsible. I cannot overstate this especially to the believers. We have to take our role seriously. We need to wake from our slumber, rest, ease and time of complacency. We no longer can sit in the sterile, sanitized, impotent useless state any longer. This was never true, fulfilling or worthy of our calling. We are free at this point in history not for our sake but for the privilege of carrying the message of hope, peace and love of our savior to the world. We truly need to take up our call! Get up out of your seat. Activate your faith. Pray like never before. Be strong and courageous. And today, choose the one you will serve. I choose to serve the Lord. Join me!

 

Pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Pray for believers to rise up. Pray for the army of God to be activated. Pray for the warring angels in the heavenly realm to be activated and charged. Pray for and cry out for deception to be exposed like never before. Pray for revelation and light to be brought forth and for all to see clearly. Pray that those who will receive the Lord will begin to seek Him and turn to Him. Pray church pray.  Be the army of Almighty God. War on behalf of those that do not yet know Him. And Pray for the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to fill you now. Pray for protection for the Body. Pray especially for believers to start walking in integrity, righteousness and loving obedience. Pray for the equipping of the saints. Be bold, strong and courageous; and do not fear.

Filled Up to Pour Out!!!!!!!! (reposted)

Why is it we become so convinced of our own sufficiency.  I believe we are in the most danger when we become convinced of our own supply.  We need to cling to the truth that we are NOTHING without the work of Christ on the cross and the filling of the Holy Spirit.  We need to be convinced of our deficit.  As we come to this conclusion, we fall hopelessly at the feet of Jesus and say fill me once again.  Then in an act of obedience to the leading of the Spirit, we pour out in service to those around us those the Spirit places on our heart.  So it is a continuous FLOW and reliance on HIM!!!! He fills us, we pour out, He fills us, we pour out...  You get the picture.

The truth is that we need Jesus for our salvation.  We cannot save ourselves.  But also, we cannot fill ourselves.  We must be an empty vessel in order to be useful to the kingdom of God.  If you look at II Kings 4:3-4

Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side."

Notice that the jar that is filled is "put aside".  But what happens as we are filled daily and then pour out in service to all around us by the leading of the Spirit of God.  If we walk in obedience to that leading daily, and He is filling us daily, WE remain useful.  It is not by our talents, gifting or abilities, but by our willingness to see our condition that we have nothing to offer except our EMPTY JAR.  To whatever degree we are willing to admit we are NOTHING without Him, that is the degree we are THEN useful to Him.  This TRUTH will set us free. (free from performance, free from needing to have the right answer, free from needing to know what to do)  Knowing the truth about yourself will set you free to truly be used by God as you surrender to both the fact of your emptiness and surrender to His filling.  But as you become satisfied, it is possible that you are not pouring out.  I believe we can get settled in the FATNESS of the Word and the Spirit and say I am fine Lord, I have no need to be filled.  That should scare us to death.  Because if you notice what Elisha says regarding the jars that are full;  SET THEM ASIDE!    YIKES!

I pray today to be made fully aware of my own insufficiency.  I pray that I am NOT like the church in Laodicea mentioned in Revelations 3:14 - 22

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Meditate today on your condition, ask the Lord to fill you and to use you today.  Ask Him to open your eyes to see what and where He would like to pour you out today.  And repeat again tomorrow, and the next and the next.  (REPEAT)  This will set you on fire with the FRESH oil of the Holy Spirit flowing through you.  This is where we can have true fellowship with the Lord.  Why else would you fill a jar except to pour it out.  THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE JAR.

We are jars of clay, created to be an empty vessel for the use of our Lord!!!! 

And by His use of us, we become instruments of righteousness.

The World Needs Love from Instruments of Righteousness - Not a Beating from Self Righteous Instruments

I saw a post on Facebook today and it went along with my heart's cry lately.  It was about a New Church Lady.  If you are interested in reading it, I highly recommend it. Click on this link to see further:  Pearls and Grace

My heart has been heavy from the issue of Christian behavior, actions, deeds.  (You know the "walking out your faith" thing before the world)  I have blogged around the topic, but I sense that I just can't get a full grasp of it.  I am hoping that even as I blog today, it will become more clear to me.

So today I feel weepy as I ponder this.  I am saddened by it.  (As you read this, you may say what is "it") It is the missing hope, it is the misrespresentation of Christ, it is condemnation of the body toward itself, it is being in the word and church to impress God or others instead of seeking Him, it is the missing compassion, love, kindness, gentleness and self control in believers, it is the missing passion for the Lord, His people and the lost world.  It is the missing glorification of God from the body, it is the missing gratitude of God, the missing exaltation of Him.  Are we drawing attention to our knowledge of the Word, our good works, our church, or are we drawing all attention toward God, who He is, what He is doing, and what He has done??

I am saying this not to beat anyone up.  I don't believe that it is done intentionally, but it is done out of desire to do the right thing.  It is done typically out of a lack of understanding.  I am in no way looking down my nose at anyone, but lump myself in the category as guilty too.  Any of our religious acts are of no real value apart from God.  (they are garbage and filthy rags)

Here is what I believe is at issue:  we are in need of revival as the universal body. We need to know how much we need God daily.  We need to become aware of our neediness.  We need to become aware of how hungry and thirsty we are for the Spirit of God in our lives.  It is when you eat all the wrong foods and drink all the wrong things, we may feel VERY full but we will still be starving for nourishment.  We may be drinking liquid but it is not a liquid that will quench our thirst.  

The actions of doing religious do's and don'ts is not going to produce the fruit and will not satisfy the soul. That is conformity and will not bring about the transformation that comes from walking closely, dependantly and completely surrendered to Christ.  He wants to use us and equip us for good works, and in doing so, we will be made holy and set apart for our godly purposes. (obey the leading of the Holy Spirit and the commands as He prompts)

In 2 Timothy 2:20-22, the Word describes the difference between a clean, special instrument and an unclean or dishonored instrument.  But as you read the scripture, I sense that it is all about the use of that instrument that makes it one or the other.  In Romans 6:13 we are to offer ourselves to God to be used as instruments of righteousness.  

Follow these links to look at the verses and even compare in various translations

Romans 6:16, Romans 6:19

Such a practical picture of God's love on a needy world

God's love was intended to pour out on the body of Christ as we walk intimately with Him.  But we were not to become reservoirs to collect His love and blessings, yet we were to be conduits where God's love flows through us to a world in need of that hope, love, peace, and joy.  Through this, His kingdom comes to earth as it is in heaven!  That is the hope that we have to offer to the world.  

So we need to stop trying to be an instrument of righteousness, which according to Isaiah 64:6 says are filthy rags. (see also Philippians 3:8 )   Instead we need to be surrendered vessels available to walk in fellowship with our Creator.  So that when we do this, we, by His use of us, are made Holy, sanctified (set apart for a special use) and a sweet savor to those we encounter.

Lets study the Word of God under the inspritation of the Holy Spirit.  Inviting the Spirit to inspire us, feed us with spiritual nourishment.  So we will know Him more.  Ask Him to reveal Himself to us through the study of the Word.  We do not need to manufacture a form of godliness by our own strength and conformity, but allow Him to carve out in us our godly character and transform us in the image of Christ.

Perhaps  as we the body begin to do our part, which is to surrender to His hands for His holy use so we become those instruments of righteousness as His slave, then the lost and dying world will see Christ in us and begin to recognize just how hungry and thirsty they are.  The world doesn't want what the Christians have because it is a conterfeit version, and the world recognizes it more than those of us who are in the body. 

I pray today that the body will begin to see its independence from God and turn back to Him in full surrender.  I pray that the body would see that it is all about being in communion with God by the Holy Spirit through Christ's sacrifice.  We need relationship not religion.  We need transformation not conformity.  We need TRUE change that can only be done by Him.  We need to be authentically changed not manufactured.  

It seems in many American churches today, because we live in a time where many of our true physical needs are being met (even many of our wants) so we are clueless of our spiritual poverty.  Hard times of any kind seem to help awaken us to our spiritual needs.  Nothing like a hardship to bring us back to the basics of our faith.  Not one of us would ask for hardship, but it is in those difficult trials of life where, because of our humaness, we become pliable and available.  This is when we tend to be more ready to turn our ears back toward the only One with the answers.  The only One that can transform us and make a difference.  The only One  that can make us truly righteous instruments.

So today as you read this, if you find that you have been "doing the church thing" apart from God, and you sensed that something is missing, just confess it and ask for the Lord's help.  Welcome Him back into your life's activity.  Tell Him today that you are available for His use.  (simple surrender) see: 1 John 2: 1 and 2

If we fall short, it is not for our condemnation.  We have Jesus as our advocate pleading on our behalf to God.  So in this, if we have offered our bodies to sin in order to be used as instruments of unrighteousness, confess, and Jesus is there as our advocate and faithful to forgive.  

Apart from Christ, we can do NO-THING.  But in Christ all things are possible.  Surrender to Him, seek His will, and walk daily in fellowship with Him.  That is it.  

Have a blessed blessed day.

I pray today that my fingers were used by God's Holy Spirit as instruments of righteousness for His glory to convey these words to us all.  If any of this was just of me, may they be discarded with the garbage!  AMEN!