The Spirit of a Magician and Supernatural Power

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For many, the word “magician” may only evoke images of someone on a stage performing various tricks, mind manipulation, and optical illusions for an audience as a form of entertainment. However, in recent years, due to the regrettably foreseen explosion of the occult in our nation and world, some may now be expanding their definition to include a more Biblically-based understanding.

In Scripture, we see magicians listed among other occult occupations and practices we’re told to avoid such as sorcery, witchcraft, wizardry, divination, fortune-telling, horoscopes/astrologers, necromancy, mediums, soothsayers, enchanters, charmers, etc. (Lev. 19:26, 31; 20:6, 27, Deut. 18:9-14, II Kings 21:6/II Chron. 33:6, Isaiah 8:19-22, Micah 5:12, etc.).

Some have suggested these practices are “works of the flesh” (sin, Gal. 5:16-21), but don’t actually involve supernatural forces/power. Much of the church’s general lack of understanding about this, coupled with enjoyment of Lewis and Tolkien-type fantasy (due to their Christian authors and themes), has unfortunately led many to join with the world in throwing open the doors to the increased popularization of the occult through seemingly harmless books and movies.

However, in Scripture we see magicians (and other occultists) engaged not just in mere tricks and illusion, but in actual supernatural power – mimicking, counterfeiting, and rivaling in many cases that of the true power of God. In Exodus, magicians performed copy-cat wonders to oppose God’s purpose through His true servants (Moses and Aaron), further hardening Pharaoh’s heart toward God and His people. After the initial supernatural acts of God displayed by Moses and Aaron, we repeatedly see, “But the magicians did the same thing with their enchantments and secret arts.” (Ex. 7:11, 22; 8:7) Eventually the true power of God could not be replicated by their magic and they acknowledged His handiwork, yet did not repent. (Ex. 8:18-19)

This account alerts us to the indispensable lesson that not everything supernatural comes from God. Scripture warns that we must “test the spirits” and learn to discern the source behind the supernatural things we encounter and experience. (Isaiah 8:20, I John 4:1-3, Gal. 1:3-9, I Thess. 5:19-22, II Tim. 3:14-17, etc.)

Occult and pagan practices were much more prevalent prior to and during the time of the birth of the church. Thankfully, as Christianity spread, many cultures were eventually transformed to the kind of Judeo-Christian societies that most of us have tragically taken for granted. However, end-times’ prophecy warns not only of the moral degeneration of society, but also alludes to a resurgence of dark spiritual power – informing us that supernatural signs, wonders, and miracles done by the power of satan and his demons will captivate and deceive the world, its leaders, and even cause a great falling away (apostasy) of many Christians from true faith during the time of the lawless one and antichrist. (II Thess. 2:9-12, Mt. 24:24, Rev. 13; 16:13-14)

Perhaps you can see the stage rapidly being set for this to be fulfilled.

During an interview between a former Hollywood actress and a former psychic, both of whom are now born again and living for Jesus, the actress said when she was in Hollywood (10-15 yrs ago), maybe 5-10% of pop culture included some sort of witchcraft, occult, and new age influence. But today it’s completely flipped, so that around 90% of what’s being produced (even children’s programs) includes witchcraft, occult, and new age influence, while only about 10% does not. I don’t know if her stats were based on an actual study, but if you’re familiar with what’s coming out of the entertainment industry, this dramatic increase of occult programing and content has likely not escaped your attention. And its impact on the culture is undeniable. Most of us probably didn’t know anyone who identified as a witch/wiccan or other form of occultist when we were growing up. But today you most likely do, whether you’re aware of it or not.

A 2019 Boston Globe article entitled, “‘Looking for a little magic’: Millennials and Gen Z embrace witchy, New Age spiritualism”, says,

“For these generations, raised on a steady diet of “Harry Potter” and a stable Internet connection, witchcraft and New Age practices are a source of comfort and spiritual fulfillment in increasingly fraught times.”

The article states that often these young people have been disillusioned by organized religion and many are seeking power and control in a world that feels grim and hopeless. Two warlocks who “operate an empire of witch-related enterprises” said,

“Our Number 1 customers are regular, everyday people looking for a little magic in their lives. They don’t necessarily want to become witches, but they want magic’s power to help them change something in their lives.”

The conclusion quotes a woman claiming,

“It’s low stakes. There’s nothing negative in this type of approach to spirituality. It’s all just about like energy and the universe. …What’s the harm in it? It’s just fun.”

On the contrary, this is the highest-of-stakes error when we know from Scripture that it opens the door to demons, deception, and apart from repentance and receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, will end in eternal darkness and death. (Rev. 21:8; 22:15)

Just as God’s power is seen throughout Scripture from cover to cover, magicians and those operating in satan’s power are also seen throughout Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. Paul indicated that just like the Egyptian magicians, Jannes and Jambres, who opposed Moses, there were and would continue to be those like them, who captivate and deceive people and are hostile to and oppose the Truth. (Acts 13:6-12; II Tim. 3) I believe end-times’ prophecy may be showing us that the parallels between Exodus and Revelation (the final Exodus from this earth and age) extend beyond just the plagues. The parallels also seem to include the enemy using his counterfeit supernatural power through his servants to oppose God’s true servants/messengers and His genuine power, and the refusal of those in the enemy’s kingdom to repent in spite of acknowledging the work of God (in addition to previous citations about supernatural works by the power of satan/demons – Rev 11; 18:23-24, Rev 9:20-21; 16:8-11).

I believe we are truly witnessing the culmination of the ages and seeing the groundwork for the embrace of the antichrist and his kingdom quickly laid. May God help us be prepared to help as many as possible escape the deception overtaking the earth before the point of no return.

🙏

_________________

Boston Globe article: https://www.bostonglobe.com/…/ojetIu5fYahXu4…/story.html

referenced interview: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3304381969820981 OR https://www.brighteon.com/7ee9139f-8372-43c0-9876-d47d4f239ab5

Previous posts in this series

Exposing the Spirit of a Magician

Part of the Spirit of a Magician’s Grand Finale

(also on Facebook –Exposing the Spirit of a Magician , Part of the Spirit of a Magician’s Grand Finale )

Next post in this series

The Spirit of a Magician and Apostasy – Pt 1

Other related blogs

As It Was In the Days Of Noah

When Marvel Meets Real Life

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Part of the Spirit of a Magician’s Grand Finale

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(Previous post in this series: Exposing the Spirit of a Magician)

Another occasion where the Lord spoke dramatically to me in defense of His Word was many years ago when someone first shared with us that some now teach the gospels are not really supposed to be considered part of the New Testament, diminishing their relevance and significance for Christians today.

We were loaned a book that promoted this belief. The author – apparently unable to reconcile his version of grace and the gospel with the teachings of Jesus – wrote this book to argue that the gospels were actually only intended for the Jews, not for believers today. He claimed they were intended only for a brief inter-testamental period to help the Jews transition from the law to grace. Therefore, he proposed that Jesus’ teachings were never intended for Christians living under grace …

I took the book home, in spite of feeling “a check” (caution, misgiving) in my spirit about this premise. From its temporary perch on our guest bed, where I could see it each time I passed by the room, it provoked an ongoing deliberation about whether or not to invest time reading it.

Finally, I prayed, “Lord, I really don’t want to waste time reading that if it’s not true and not of You. So please just tell me what YOU have to say about it. Are Jesus’ teachings still for the church today?”

As I turned to walk out of the room, the Lord spoke so strongly to my spirit that it stopped me in my tracks. Similar to what I described in the first “magician” post, it “felt” audible, though I don’t believe it was, resonating so loudly it arrested me.

His response:

“..GO and make disciples of ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Immediately, I recognized this as Jesus’ great commission to his first disciples/apostles, after His resurrection and before His ascension (Matthew 28:19-20). This was not a passage I’d been recently studying or thinking about. It was not on my radar screen during the discussion with our friend or in the time afterward of debating about whether to read the book. But in that moment I asked the Lord for wisdom, He brought it to my remembrance in a powerful way.

I was in AWE! With ONE passage He refuted the entire premise of the book. Jesus made clear that His teachings to the disciples were not just for the Jews during an extremely brief inter-testamental period. According to Him, they were intended to be taught to ALL NATIONS. Nor did He affirm that they’re only given to us as helpful or good advice, but not authoritative for the lives of “post-resurrection” believers, as some say. The same Jesus who died to deliver us from the curse of the law also said we’re to follow and obey the things He taught and commanded (under His Lordship and grace).

I wish I could say that was the only time we ever encountered this teaching, and that it was duly discarded in the trash bin of baseless heresies without being seriously entertained by the church. But unfortunately, we ran into it again several years later being taught in a setting with international influence by someone new to authority there. This was during the same season the Lord revealed the spirit of a magician and how he operates to deceive even the elect. Apparently this spirit even tries to make entire books and sections of Scripture disappear. And, in this particular case, his magic was connected to his end-times finale (part of the great deception that will result in the falling away of many believers before Jesus’ return). I was so thankful the Lord had already settled this matter for us years earlier in such an unforgettable way.

I imagine even those who have never heard this teaching directly may have encountered its effects in some form – and the effects of similar ideas that imply we can have a version of the gospel, grace, salvation, and Jesus divorced from the teachings of the real Jesus revealed in Scripture. I pray all will understand that this is no minor matter, but one of paramount importance.

When warning us that in the end He will turn away MANY who were tragically deceived about their salvation, Jesus revealed that even though those He will turn away acknowledge Him as Lord, they did not truly live under His Lordship – they practiced lawlessness (sin). Thankfully, He immediately gave us the remedy to avoid this horrifying fate – to hear His words and act upon/obey them – to build our lives on the Rock of His Word/teachings. (Mt 7:21-29) This is not a contradiction to being saved by grace through faith. It is simply understanding the vital truth that Jesus does not offer Himself to us as Savior unless we also truly receive Him as our Lord (discussed in more depth in The Spirit of a Magician and Apostasy – pt 1). May we continue in His teachings and become His true disciples, that we may continually know the truth that sets us free in every area of our lives (John 8:30-59).

“Anyone who runs on ahead [of God] and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ [who is not content with what He taught] does not have God; but he who continues to live in the doctrine (teaching) of Christ [does have God], he has both the Father and the Son.” II John 1:9

“And this is how we may discern [daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments). Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth is not in him. But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him: Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.” I John 2:3-6

If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever— The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you. Just a little while now, and the world will not see Me any more, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. At that time [when that day comes] you will know [for yourselves] that I am in My Father, and you [are] in Me, and I [am] in you. The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.] Judas, not Iscariot, asked Him, Lord, how is it that You will reveal Yourself [make Yourself real] to us and not to the world? Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him. Anyone who does not [really] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me. I have told you these things while I am still with you. But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. John 14:15-26

see also Luke 9:25-26 , John 12:44-50, Romans 6:15-18, I John 5:1-5

Previous post in this series: Exposing the Spirit of a Magician

Next post in this series: The Spirit of a Magician and Supernatural Power

Exposing the Spirit of a Magician

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More than 11 years ago, Jesse and I watched in anguish as a guest minister captivated a room full of hungry and sincere seekers with his ear-tickling message. Though we felt the Word was being dangerously mishandled and misrepresented, it seemed we were alone in our concerns. The widespread reaction from those around us indicated that they were being wowed by his revelations from the Word as they clapped, shouted, and cheered in approval.

This was not the first time we’d experienced this in the preceding months, but it was by far the most dramatic instance. We left feeling such heaviness and grief over what we’d seen and heard.

Since we always want to humble ourselves in a situation of disagreement and ask the Lord if perhaps we’re the ones not seeing, hearing, perceiving, discerning, interpreting, or understanding correctly, we began to question – Is there something wrong with US? Why does it seem like we’re the only ones seeing and hearing this differently, believing his message was error, when everyone else seemed so enthralled?

I cried out from the depths of my heart silently about all this as we drove home, and then finally said out loud “Lord, What WAS That?!”

Immediately, I saw what may have been the clearest vision I’ve ever seen (like a movie on the screen of my mind). In the vision I saw a magician performing a magic act – and the Lord spoke so loudly to my spirit that it resonated as if it could have been audible, “You have just seen a magic show with My Word.”

The magician presented Scripture, then “sawed it in two” – not only separating it from the whole counsel of Scripture, but from the context of the New Testament, from its specific book, and even from its immediate context. Next, through sleight of hand and misdirection, he made parts of it seem to disappear – drawing our attention only to the parts he wanted us to see while distracting our attention away from the parts he didn’t want us to notice. Next he combined these partial verses with other verses he’d performed the same kind of magic on and when the process was complete, he presented his final revelation, “Tada!” The audience erupted with excitement and applause. The illusion – and deception – was a spectacular success.

In the following days, the Lord began to reveal more about the “spirit of a magician” and its prominent role in the great end-times deception that Scripture warns about in II Thessalonians 2 and other places. Without going into depth about that in this post (lest it become excruciatingly long), for now I just hope to point out Paul’s counsel for how to avoid this great deception that Jesus warned could deceive even the elect if possible (Mt 24:24).

“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” II Thessalonians 2:15

Paul points us back to the teachings and letters we now have recorded for us in the New Testament as the antidote to this deception.

But with the spirit of a magician at work, even those who claim to believe the Word can still be at risk of being deceived. So may we read and study the Word in context – the whole counsel of the Word, rather than just our favorite encouraging verses. May we read and study systematically, rather than only studying topically for proof texts to confirm what we already believe. May we ask God to guide us into all Truth as we study, and to protect and deliver us from all error. May we pray to always LOVE Truth, to always welcome, receive, believe it, and align our lives to it – and to be set free from any way we’ve continued to love or take pleasure in any sin or unrighteousness (v10-12), or have exchanged the Truth for a lie (Romans 1).

The greater implications of the post Friday, showing how many leaders have even departed from a Biblical world view, is that the stage is already set for this widespread deception (and some may suggest it’s already unfolding in a measure). Since this spirit can only captivate and capture a people that does not deeply know and love the Word, more than ever, it’s time to be like the Bereans who diligently examined the Word to see if the things they were being taught were true. (Acts 17:11)

“For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.” II Timothy 4:3-4

Next post in this series: Part of the Spirit of a Magician’s Grand Finale

Stability in Instability: Activating Core Strength

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In the midst of all the unrest, uncertainty, & instability going on in circumstances around us, the Lord has been emphasizing STABILITY.

(From Webster’s)
Stability:
1: the quality, state, or degree of being stable: [-firmly established: FIXED, STEADFAST; not changing or fluctuating: UNVARYING; PERMANENT, ENDURING; steady in purpose: firm in resolution; not subject to insecurity or emotional illness: SANE, RATIONAL]
a: the strength to stand or endure : FIRMNESS
b: the property of a body that causes it when disturbed from a condition of equilibrium or steady motion to develop forces or moments that restore the original condition
…
(additional insight from yourdictionary.com)
Stability … not prone to wild fluctuations in emotion. An example of stability is a calm, stable life where you don’t have wild ups and downs.
–composure; self-possession
-The tendency to recover from perturbations (anxieties or disturbances from what is normal, especially when the deviation is caused by an outside influence.)

I was reminded of a sermon I heard in the past year where the pastor lamented about how much he abhors exercise balls because they make him unstable, yet it’s in this instability that we are trained to become stable by learning to access and develop “CORE STRENGTH.”

While we know core strength alludes to something within, as believers, we realize this strength doesn’t originate with us, but from the One who lives within.

God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1

That passage goes on to say in verse 5 ~

God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

And we know many more verses echo these truths of God as our Strength & of Him living in us, if we have received Jesus as Lord & Savior. So in times of instability, God is our Core Strength we must access to stabilize us.

Since we’ve been trying to be more faithful and diligent about declaring Psalm 91 in faith over ourselves and the whole Body of Christ during this time, I was also immediately reminded that this passage (at least in the AMPC translation) reveals the key to stability:

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain STABLE and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. Psalm 91:1

So we access our Core Strength to become Stable in the midst of Instability
~ by remembering that God dwells in us (renewing our minds to the full implications of this phenomenal reality by letting His Word dwell richly in us, and learning to draw on the glorious riches of Christ in us by faith – John 14, Eph 1-3, Col 1:27; 3:16, Rom 8:11; 12:2, etc.)
~ AND by making sure we are also intentionally continuing to dwell and abide in Him/His Word (through intimate relationship and by taking our position by faith of being seated with & in Christ in Heavenly places – John 8:31-32, John 15, Eph 2:6, I John 2-3).

This stability comes from locating any way we’re out of balance and unstable due to placing too much “weight” (our confidence, trust, faith, & hope) on peripheral/external things that cannot support us, and instead shifting our weight (confidence, trust, faith, & hope) back to the core/center of our lives ~ to our unchanging God & His unfailing Word/promises.

From this position, we can best exercise our faith muscles to develop the “rock hard” spiritual abs that will help us have the strength, stability, balance, and (internal) posture we need and desire (II Pt 1:2-11 AMPC).
After all He is “the ROCK” (Gen 49:24, Deut 32:4, I Sam 2:2, II Sam 22, and too many more to list) ~ a description intended to evoke the ideas of stability, security, & reliability.

From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. 3 For You have been a shelter and a refuge for me, a strong tower against the adversary.4 I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever; let me find refuge and trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! 5 For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear, revere, and honor Your name.
Psalm 61:2-5

So we don’t have to get offended when evolutionists suggest we came from a rock! On this point we can just agree – though our understanding of what this means should certainly be different.
Yes, we came from a Rock; A Rock is our Father! (Deut 32:18, Psalm 89:26)
God is the Rock from which we were cut & our forefathers of faith are the quarry from which we were hewn. (Isaiah 51)
And Jesus & His Kingdom are the Rock cut from a Mountain that will crush all other kingdoms, bringing them to an end, & will fill the whole earth (Dan 2:31-45).

The stability we want & need comes from building our lives on Him & the Rock of His Word.

So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock. 25 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25

The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. 6 He will be the sure foundation (a constant SOURCE of STABILITY) for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. Isaiah 33:5-6

Based on the words the Lord has been giving, He wants us to develop this stability so that we have the ability to keep walking in the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith/faithfulness, & self control) no matter what is happening in our circumstances and regardless of how we may feel.
(As discussed in “Training for Reigning” ~ it is not only patience that requires crucifixion of the flesh to consistently walk in as we should, but ALL the fruit of the Spirit. Help us Jesus!)

(As also discussed in past posts) Though we all prefer the times when faith empowers us to escape from trouble, there are unfortunately other times when God wants our faith to empower us to endure through ~ inheriting the promised victory by faith AND patience (Jms 1:2-4, Heb 6:11-15, Rom 4:16-22– another STABLE reference in AMPC).

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, 13 That You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity, until the [inevitable] pit of corruption is dug for the wicked. 14 For the Lord will not cast off nor spurn His people, neither will He abandon His heritage. Psalm 94:12-14

He (the righteous) will not be moved (shaken) forever; the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God) shall be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firmly fixed {This Hebrew word also means STABLE}, trusting (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord. 8 His heart is established and steady, he will not be afraid while he waits to see his desire established upon his adversaries. Psalm 112:6-8

(see also Destroying the destroyer)
This truth is not intended to absolve us from doing all the other things the Word tells us to do regarding putting on the whole armor of God and fighting spiritual warfare (taking authority over the enemy, resisting him, and driving him out of our promised land). We certainly don’t want to mistake stability for passivity. But it’s intended to give us the sure footing from which to fight the good fight of faith.

To draw from another familiar metaphor in Scripture, He wants hope, which in Bible terms refers to a confident expectation and assurance of good, to be an ANCHOR for our soul (our mind, will, & emotions), keeping us stable & secure, even in tumultuous circumstances.

This stability in the midst of instability is intended to be a sign to the enemy of his impending defeat & our imminent victory.

And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God. Philippians 1:28

~ As well as a testimony to those who don’t yet know the Lord of where they can find stability when the world is shaking (Psalm 46, Psalm 91, Heb 12:18-29).

… but now He has given a promise: Yet once more I will shake and make tremble not only the earth but also the [starry] heavens. 27 Now this expression, Yet once more, indicates the final removal and transformation of all [that can be] shaken—that is, of that which has been created—in order that what cannot be shaken may remain and continue. 28 Let us therefore, receiving a kingdom that is firm and STABLE and cannot be shaken, offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship, with modesty and pious care and godly fear and awe; 29 For our God [is indeed] a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29

My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him. 6 He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be moved. 7 With God rests my salvation and my glory; He is my Rock of unyielding strength and impenetrable hardness, and my refuge is in God! 8 Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Psalm 62:5-8

I will leave you with a devotional that was in my Bible when I looked up the Philippians 1 passage mentioned above. I was so blessed to see this additional confirmation of the theme God was emphasizing, through this encouragement to develop a “rock-like temperament” in the face of threats and troubles. Praying for us all!

Destroying the destroyer

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At the end of January, before the “world stopped”, I was meditating on some Scriptures from a page of verses I had entitled, “The Lord is a Man of War”. I felt the Lord was highlighting the word “DESTROY” from John 10:10 and I John 3:8 – the former revealing that the THIEF (satan) comes to steal, kill, & DESTROY – but the latter revealing that Jesus came to DESTROY the works of the devil.
So I combined the two together in one confession:
“The thief comes only to steal, kill, & destroy, but Jesus came that we might have God’s abundant, full to overflowing life. (John 10:10) He came to DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL. (I John 3:8) Jesus Christ is the SAME yesterday, today, & forever. (Hebrews 13:8) So when the devil comes & works to destroy, Jesus comes & DESTROYS his works!”

Immediately after that, I began reading some of the words the Lord had given in answer to our seeking wisdom re anything we need to know & understand about the “Ready or Not, Here I Come” words He’d given last year (https://www.facebook.com/lauratyree/posts/10155860300345047). I opened to a passage He gave Jesse in Daniel 7, and was amazed not only by the text (in answer to that question), but also by the devotional on the side of the page confirming what I felt He was emphasizing just moments before.

I’m thankful He gave this encouragement on the precipice of the current chaos. May we all be encouraged by the truth revealed in this passage – that even though it may appear the enemy is prevailing for a season, even when he seeks to wear us out in our warfare against him, his time is short; his defeat is sealed. May we continue to #HoldfasttoGodspromises & #Outlastthedevil

Praying for us all & believing for God to take all the enemy has intended for harm in this situation & turn it around for our good & His glory in Ephesians 3:20 ways!

Overcoming Overwhelm: Annihilating ALL the “ANDs”

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Recently, my family was encouraged to reread the book of Joshua as we participate in some special times of prayer for my dad’s healing. While several read through it in the first week, knowing dad’s treatment was scheduled to be spread out over several months, I chose to just mix in a chapter every 3rd day so I could continue my regular Bible reading as well. I figured I could use the ongoing inspiration from Joshua as the months went on.

This week I read chapters 10 and 11, which list many battles Israel had to fight to possess what was promised, and their unbroken string of victories. In between these readings, our family received a message from my Mom, listing all the things we’re asking and believing for Dad to be healed from as we continue our special times of prayer for him. I was thankful to see that in spite of the number of things on the list, they were continuing to request prayers for complete healing. We let her know we were standing in agreement in faith. Still, I knew from my own battles that when the list is that long, it’s tempting to feel overwhelmed. I was reminded of a time in recent years when I cried out to the Lord, “It’s TOO MUCH!”, and how He ministered to me so personally and specifically, reminding me that we can safely sail through any storm, no matter how severe or how much troubled water surrounds us, as long as we keep the storm on the OUTSIDE. It’s only when we let the storm on the INSIDE that the troubled waters become “too much” and we’re in danger of sinking.

Yesterday, as I read Joshua 11, I felt the Lord was once again giving the precise encouragement we needed in response to Mom’s message.

The chapter starts out listing the myriad of kings and people that all came together to fight Israel – stating that they were like the sand on the seashore.

It was not difficult to identify and commiserate with how Joshua could feel when he no longer had only one enemy at a time to fight, but it was this AND that AND the other AND AND AND…. All the ANDs of Mom’s prayer request the day before immediately came to mind; our own ANDs were not far behind.

But in spite of all of those enemies who had simultaneously gathered together against them, God commanded them not to be afraid and promised again that He had given all their enemies into their hands. True to His promise, as they did their part to fight, ALL of those ANDs were “utterly destroyed;” “NONE were left!” They possessed the WHOLE promised land, “And the land had rest from war!”

Though there has, and perhaps always will be, teaching that encourages us to just make peace with having enemies in our land (those things that deny and defy God’s promises), encouraging us to choose to see them not as enemies, but as necessary blessings in disguise, Israel’s mandate to possess the promised land, utterly driving out and destroying all their enemies till none remained is our type and shadow, revealing God’s true will. So this is what we continue to believe for as we fight with our spiritual weapons that are mighty for the overthrow and destruction of all that exalts itself against the truth of God’s Word/promises. Though we’re not claiming we can reach a point where we’ll never face another war over our promised land (at least not until Heaven), God has revealed through Israel His desire is that we have “rest from war” ~ that our enemies be utterly destroyed till none remain and we truly possess the whole land.

So no matter how many enemies have simultaneously gathered against you today, we pray this encourages you to be strong and courageous and to keep fighting the good fight of faith toward this end.

(this inset below was between Joshua 10 & 11 in my Bible)

❤️
🙏

Not Impressed

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(FB post from November 13, 2017)

“Impressive” was the word the parade of doctors and medical professionals, who came to see the spectacle, kept using to describe Jesse‘s streaking in the hospital over the weekend.

No, this was not the kind of streaking that might occur if a heavily sedated patient revolted against his hospital gown and tried to escape the premises. This was the kind of red streaking up the hand and arm that signaled a serious infection was attacking his body – the kind of streaking that caused an urgent care visit to become an ER visit, and an ER visit to become an overnight hospital stay. 

It certainly wasn’t the way we planned to spend the weekend. But J’s self “surgery” Friday evening to remove what he believed to be a leftover piece of splinter from an infected knot on his finger, rapidly turned into a race to prevent sepsis by Saturday afternoon. According to the ER, he got help just in time. 

The overnight hospital stay, so they could give J multiple rounds of IV antibiotics and make sure the infection was responding, was less than comfortable. Between the numerous nurse checks in the night, the conversations I could hear through the walls, the recliner I tried for way too long to get comfortable in, and J’s snoring, I think I only managed 3 hours of sleep. But to me, that snoring was one of the most beautiful sounds I’d ever heard. It meant J was alive and that the antibiotics were doing their job, since he was symptom free enough to sleep.

We still aren’t sure what caused a splinter to become a near life-threatening event. J hadn’t been careless. Several of the medical staff who helped us confessed to having done the same kind of self-surgery J had done to remove a splinter a hundred times. As one friend said, “it sounds suspiciously like an attack.”

As I thought about the doctors using the word “Impressive” to describe the situation, I was reminded of a phrase one of our teachers often uses in response to the enemy’s attacks ~ 

“I’m not impressed.” 

She and her husband use this phrase to minimize focus on what the enemy is trying to do in a given situation and to shift their focus to how much GREATER God is in His ability to destroy the works of the enemy and enable us to overcome. 

So we are choosing not to be impressed by how the enemy was able to so quickly turn such a simple thing into something so serious, but instead to be impressed by all God did, and all the people He used, to enable J to get the help he needed to #overcome – #JustInTime.

Thank you to all of you dear ones who prayed and are continuing to pray us through.  
Here are a few pics – gotta LOVE those happy hospital socks!


#Notimpressedbytheenemy

#ImpressedbyJESUS
#StandingOnThePromises
#NoWeaponFormedWillProsper
#WeOvercomeByTheBloodOfTheLambAndTheWordOfOurTestimony
#GratefultoGod
#HappyHospitalSocks

An Invitation To A Treasure Hunt

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And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places,
that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, Who calls you by your name. Isaiah 45:3

“A treasure hunter is a person who, as either a vocation or avocation, searches for sunken, buried, lost, or hidden treasure and other artifacts.” (Wikipedia)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a treasure hunter? To experience the perilous adventures of Indiana Jones or the table-turning transformation of the Count of Monte Cristo?

What would you do if you were given a treasure map to riches beyond comprehension and a guarantee that if you would do whatever it took to seek it out, you would find it? If you really BELIEVED it was true, what would you be willing to sacrifice and invest to make that happen?

Sunday night, we watched the movie National Treasure for the first time in years. After the movie, Jesse put on some of the extras, including one about modern day treasure hunters. As I watched, at first I was struck with amazement by their passion and pursuit. I wondered how much money they were spending on each expedition. I wondered how much time. It seemed some were “spending” their very lives (even losing their lives, as in this story I found about a modern day treasure hunt here in Colorado). But when they began to show some of the treasures they had found, I was then struck with a sense of sadness. While I’m sure some of it had historic significance, or monetary value, most of it just looked like “stuff.” Someone else’s old “stuff” who was now long gone. No matter how great it’s worth at one time to the original owners, it was now no longer of any value to them. They couldn’t take it with them when they left this life, and it certainly can’t help them where they are today (whether in eternal life or eternal death). Yet, now other people are consuming their lives and resources tracking down and digging that “stuff” out of dirt, sand, and sea. I realize that for some people, it’s an occupation; for others, a hobby. But I couldn’t help but wonder how many were wasting their entire lives on a trivial pursuit for things they may never find and that, even if they did, would no more benefit them in the end than they benefited others who at one time possessed them. But, it was late – and I was tired. Maybe I was thinking too much, getting too deep, or being overly spiritual and just needed to lighten up….

Moments later, as we went to bed, I was amazed by the Lord’s response to these swirling thoughts, through the word He gave us from Letter’s from God:

“I have bought you a Kingdom and purchased for you a glorious life. I paid with My Son. He gave His life and blood to purchase for you a destiny. It cost Us everything.
The value cannot be measured; it is beyond estimation. There is NO GREATER TREASURE THAT YOU COULD EVER SEEK, FIND, or WANT. The world longs for what I have bought for you. They spend their lives looking in all the wrong places. Life after life is wasted, searching in the coffins of false saviors and dead saints. They spend their life’s savings traveling and digging for the elusive fountain of youth, the holy grail, and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. They die looking, when what they want and need is standing right next to them. I AM the Desire of all nations. I AM the Missing Piece to the human heart. I AM the only One who can fill the black hole of the soul. I AM the Purchaser of your soul, bought and paid for with sacred blood and perfect obedience. …SPEND YOUR LIFE DISCOVERING THE TREASURE and spending your inheritance. Give it away and it automatically multiplies. There is an UNENDING SUPPLY waiting for your FAITH to UNLOCK.“

Wow! I love how often the Lord speaks to us through the movies and about the movies we watch, always reminding us that He is WITH US at all times, attentive to and interested in everything we do. And I love that He took this opportunity when our thoughts were turned to treasure hunting to remind us of the limitless treasures available to us in Him, and that Faith is the Key that will unlock the vaults of the glorious riches of our inheritance. (Maybe it’s time to go back to re-read the incalculable wealth series .)

That night this verse was also in our Scripture confessions:

Thus says the Lord to His anointed, … whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him, and I will unarm and ungird the loins of kings to open doors before him, so that gates will not be shut. I will go before you and level the mountains [to make the crooked places straight]; I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut asunder the bars of iron. And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, Who calls you by your name. Isaiah 45:1-3

And the next night, this Scripture:

We accept God’s words and store up His commands within us, turning our ears to wisdom and applying our hearts to understanding, we call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, we look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, therefore we understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (personalized from Proverbs 2:1-6)

After this, I realized that “treasure” Scriptures had been in our confession list in the days leading up to Sunday as well, before I had noticed this developing theme:

In Him (Christ) all the treasures of [divine] wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and [all the riches of spiritual] knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden. Colossians 2:3

He (The LORD) will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. Isaiah 33:6

It seems that God is immensely interested in treasure hunting. The fact that He uses this imagery lets us know that He has riches and treasures hidden away for us that will not be found by the casual or careless. Though they are undoubtedly God’s will for us to receive, they will not automatically come to us without effort. Discovering them will be the result of a deliberate and diligent endeavor. He has revealed to us through nature that gold, diamonds, and other precious metals and gems must be mined for. It will involve seeking, pressing in, and digging out. It will require our time, attention, focus, energy, commitment, concentration, patient persistence, and desire. He wants our lives to be consumed by this pursuit, as long as the treasure we’re seeking with such passion is Him, His Kingdom, wisdom, will, and ways. He has given us the map to limitless treasure and has guaranteed that if we seek with all our hearts, we will find it (Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 7:7-8, Hebrews 11:6). How will we respond to this invitation and opportunity? What will we be willing to sacrifice and invest to make sure it happens? As in the example at the beginning, if we really BELIEVE it’s true, we should be willing to do whatever it takes. Unlike the treasures of this world that people are giving their lives to find, this is not a treasure we will have to leave behind in the end, nor a treasure that will be unable to benefit us in the life to come. The benefit is for this life and the next (Mark 10:28-30 , Matthew 6:33).

In the movie National Treasure, Ben’s father had ceased to seek out the vast treasure he’d heard about his whole life because he had ceased to believe. Yet, despite his father’s bitter cynicism and discouraging disbelief, Ben continued to persist in his belief, to risk all in his pursuit, and was ultimately rewarded with a discovery that transformed his life and the world.

 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a [very precious] treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field [securing the treasure for himself]. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, and upon finding a single pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46

 

Update 10-13-17

Yesterday, I shared with a friend that I’d fallen very far behind on reading Lana Vawser’s words (I had probably 6 wks or more of posts I hadn’t yet had a chance to read). This morning, I was awakened very early and though I certainly tried for some time, couldn’t get back to sleep. Since Lana’s posts were on my mind from the conversation yesterday, I eventually decided to get up and use the additional hours to try to catch up on some of those. Though there were posts both before and after her October 1 post that I needed to read, “for some reason,” I scrolled past other posts and stopped first on that one. Once again, I was utterly undone by God’s orchestration of confirmations when I saw that this word I began with said: 

The Lord has been strongly impressing upon my heart in the last few weeks, the importance of writing everything down that He is sharing, speaking and releasing. …
A GREAT UNLOCKING
There was a great unlocking that was taking place in the stewardship of writing down all that He says, and to meditate upon what He was saying, a whole new realm of hearing from Him and discovering His mysteries and secrets of His heart was being opened wide.
I was ministering in Launceston, Tasmania yesterday and in worship I kept seeing God’s people in scuba diving equipment and they were going to the depths of what looked like a HUGE ocean and they were discovering TREASURE they had never seen or experienced before. As they were going down to the depths I heard Proverbs 25:2:
“God conceals the revelation of His Word in the hiding place of His Glory but the honour of kings is revealed by how they thoroughly search out the deeper meaning of all God says.” (The Passion Translation)
Today, the Lord reminded me of that scuba diving vision and He said again “Write down all that I am saying and you will go deeper than you have ever been.”
There are new treasures, mysteries of God, revelation of His Word and secrets of His heart waiting for you. Chase after Him and His heart and steward what He is saying by continually writing it down, and rivers of refreshment will open up over you. …
Keep an account of all He is saying because out of that account I see a whole new depth of knowing Him and encountering Him, His heart and nature like never before and on the top of every page written in gold it says.. LIFE CHANGING!” (You can see the entire word here on FB) 

I pray this is as encouraging of a confirmation to you as it is to us!! #WeHearYouLord #ThankYouJesus Hold on to these words as you keep pressing in for all God has for you. Don’t give up. Even if you feel you’ve already sought certain answers wholeheartedly for a long, L-O-N-G time – that you’ve “fished all night” without receiving the clarity you expected and that it’s time to just wash your nets and go home – I pray you’ll hear the Lord challenging you, against all natural wisdom and understanding, to launch out into the deep and let down your nets again. Lord, help us all to respond to this invitation in faith. No matter how great the temptation may be to give up in certain areas, may we all still say, “Nevertheless, because You say so, I will.” (from Luke 5:5) 

Pass The Test

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(FB post from April 21, 2017)

“In your anger do not sin” Ephesians 4:26

I’m so thankful God doesn’t tell us not to get angry, b/c there are sho’nuff some things in this life to make you mad.

But I’ve seen once again (repeatedly) this week that He also won’t give us any excuse, no matter how valid we think our reasons are, for holding onto unforgiveness.

If you saw the footage of the family of the man in Cleveland offering forgiveness to their precious loved one’s killer, like me, you may have been reminded that we’re called to a level of forgiveness that can seem insane – incomprehensible – something beyond what’s possible for natural man.

Yes, I’m thankful God doesn’t tell us we can never feel hurt or angry. But He also comes to us right in the middle of searing, scorching hot pain and says, “Yeah, I know what they did was wrong. I know they have no excuse. I know it hurts like crazy. But don’t let their wrong actions cause you to become just as wrong in your response. Forgive. Walk in Love. Don’t return insult for insult or injury for injury. Entrust yourself and everything to Me. If there’s any vengeance to be doled out, that’s My job. Yes, at times you must confront the wrong – but in the right spirit.”

Can you feel the flesh being crucified? Sometimes I want to say, seriously God? How can You require this level of forgiveness? Don’t I have every right to at least think badly of them … even if You won’t let me act on those feelings?

But then He reminds us we’re only being called to forgive as we’ve been forgiven (Mt 18:21-35, Mt 6:14-15, Mk 11:25-26, Col 3;13). And while maybe we could have gotten away with harboring hidden internal sin under the OT external code of law, the royal law of Christ penetrates internally all the way to the heart. Jesus gave us a Higher Standard – one that only HE can help us live. So… God, please help us do this right, b/c we sure can’t do it without You.

“Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin” ~ Ephesians 4:26

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” I Peter 3:9

“When He was reviled and insulted, He did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]; but he trusted [Himself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly.” I Peter 2:23

“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13

#LordHelpUsPassTheTest

When We Get This, We’ll Never Need a Greater Revelation of God’s Love

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You may have heard it before – that the answer to your troubles is that you need a greater revelation of God’s love.

In some circles there’s been an endless pursuit of this greater revelation in recent years. Sometimes it seems that next elusive level of revelation is the key to receiving the manifestation of all God’s promises, being delivered from bondage to sin, and finally committing to live wholeheartedly for the Lord.

Don’t get me wrong ~ I get the concept. After all, faith works through love (Gal 5:6) ~ which many interpret to mean that our faith can only work to the degree that we believe and receive God’s love for us and others. So I would never want to invalidate the idea that we should pursue an increasing understanding and awareness of God’s love. I’m extraordinarily grateful that I can say from much experience that God reveals His personal love to us in myriads of beautiful, breathtaking, and intricate ways. When we’re walking in intimate relationship with Him as He desires, these will be a normal part of His interaction with us. He longs for us to be sensitive to the things He does, to take notice, celebrate, and be thankful for all the ways He reveals Himself and His love to us as we walk with Him day by day. And I think this is the heart behind what we’re being encouraged to discover in the quest for a “greater revelation” of God’s love.

But is it possible that we may sometimes look for this greater revelation in the wrong ways? Could it be that constantly seeking a greater revelation of God’s love that’s dependent on Him answering our prayers as we desire, meeting our needs according to our timetable and plan, letting us feel another touch of His tangible Presence, and any number of other ways we may look for Him to reveal His love in the present moment, produces a shallow, unstable foundation of faith? What if God wants us to come up higher still, so that our revelation of His love is no longer dependent on all these variables? What if He wants us to go deeper still to the stable, enduring foundation of the Truth of His Word so that we won’t be moved by shifting circumstantial evidence? Will we doubt God’s love and favor if He doesn’t provide us with the best parking space in the lot or other seemingly preferential care? (Yes, this has unfortunately really been “a thing” for some) If He takes us through a trial, rather than delivering us from it, and His promises aren’t fulfilled in the way or time we want, will we question His credibility or care? In a season where His love is best demonstrated through discipline instead of doting, will we be offended and turn away? If His Spirit leads us into a wilderness of testing where we can’t feel His tangible touch as before, will we fear that He’s left us? Will painful circumstances that persist in spite of applying all the right spiritual principles cause our faith to be uprooted, shaken, or shattered rather than to take deeper root still and endure? Or are we deeply rooted and grounded in a revelation of His love that supersedes circumstances and can hold us stable and secure through the storms of life, knowing nothing can separate us from His love?

It was fifteen years ago when we were first introduced to the trend of everyone talking about how believers need to get a greater revelation of God’s love. Though I’m sure it wasn’t intentional, this message created an aching void that made us feel as if something must be deficient in our relationship with God. Of course, this feeling isn’t inherently bad, since we all need to maintain hunger and humility in our pursuit of knowing God, realizing we always have room to know Him more. So, over a period of time, I began crying out, telling God how much I needed this greater revelation of His love that everyone was talking about.

Each time I sought Him about this, He answered me the exact same way.

What was His response to this revelation everyone was pursuing?

Time after time when I asked, He took me to the accounts in Scripture of Jesus’ crucifixion! After receiving this same response several times, I finally began to get it. It was as though He was saying, “Really, beloved? You came into relationship with me many years ago based on believing and receiving the greatest revelation of My love that exists! I suffered in horrific ways and died an agonizing death to make a way for you to be rescued and redeemed from an eternity in hell and brought into everlasting life with Me! Why are you crying out to me for a “greater” revelation of My love when there is NO GREATER REVELATION OF MY LOVE than the one you already believed when you first received Me as Lord and Savior?!”

I can only imagine how any one of us would feel if we had given the life of our only child so someone else could live, yet afterward this person continued to plead with us to reveal, demonstrate, or prove our love. After all He’s already done by sacrificing His Son, think how God must feel when we allow our revelation of His love to be based on whether He’s giving us the specific breakthroughs, blessings, or signs we’re believing for in any given moment.

Again, don’t misunderstand. I’m a huge advocate of people learning to recognize and delight in all the ways God expresses His extravagant individualized love for each one of us on a daily basis as we develop a close personal relationship with Him. But I also want to remind and encourage us, as the Lord reminded me 15 years ago, that we must never lose sight of the truth that God has already given every believer the greatest revelation of His love that can be found through what He did for us on the cross; there’s none greater! 

Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. John 13:1

 (Amplified version, “He loved them to the last and to the highest degree.”)

 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 NASB

So, if we feel our revelation of God’s love is growing dim, we don’t need to seek a new revelation that requires Him to do one more thing to prove His love for us. We just need to go back to the beginning and remember the revelation we received when we first realized the hopelessness of our condition and understood the terrible price Jesus paid to ransom us from the pit of hell and bring us into relationship with Him and the Father. It’s this revelation of His love that we received when we first came to Him that should provide us with the foundation of faith to believe that He loves us enough to fulfill all His other promises.

Isn’t that the point Paul was making in Romans 8:31-32?

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31-32 NIV

If God was willing to give that which was greatest and most sacrificial for us, how would He not also do all the other things that demonstrate His love for us in “lesser” ways? Clearly this doesn’t mean that once we really grasp this revelation, we’ll finally be able to receive everything we ask for in the way and time we want. As discussed in previous posts, we’ll never reach a level of faith – nor a revelation of God’s love to fuel our faith – that will exempt us from having to inherit certain promises through patient endurance in addition to faith. There is no revelation of God’s love that is the key to receiving instant manifestations every time we pray. But there is a revelation of God’s love that is key to being able to patiently endure in those times that we don’t receive an instant answer, until we see the manifestation of what God promised.  

We can and should grow in the length, depth, height, and breadth of the revelation of God’s love in ways that cause Him to become more real and personal to us. We can and should ask God for the power to grasp the full dimensions of His love (Ephesians 3:16-19). But we don’t have to wait for Him to do one more thing for us to begin that process. We can meditate on what He already did when He demonstrated the full extent of His love by laying down His life to save us. We can reignite our first revelation of His love until it becomes alive in our hearts again.

I pray that as we celebrate this Resurrection Sunday, we’ll receive afresh this greatest revelation of God’s love that should be the foundation for every subsequent revelation of His love we receive.

In this the love of God was made manifest (displayed) where we are concerned: in that God sent His Son, the only begotten or unique [Son], into the world so that we might live through Him. 10In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins. I John 4:9-10 AMP

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