SECTION TWO OF BOOK

 

SECTION TWO OF BOOK

PIERCING THE DARKNESS – THE REVELATION OF TRUTH
Chapter Four 

We read God’s Word, but do we really see what it says? The enemy has blinded us to the truth for so long that it has become a way of life – the only way we know how to live. We have accepted a mixture of truth and error, because it has been passed down from generation to generation. God’s perfect will is in His Word, and the Early Church has been our example. But are we willing to receive the truth – the undefiled Word of God?

A greater amount of God’s power would be flowing through the body of Christ if we were willing to die to our ways and walk in Truth. The devil knows this, so he sends out many types of spiritual cancers to destroy the faith in our hearts. Fear and deception run rampant throughout the camps of God’s people. Not many are willing to stand on His Word alone, because they were taught that God supplies needs by other means. We must be careful that we are not turning to Egypt – the flesh (Acts 7:39, Phil 3:3, Jer 17:5). It is so important to know the Lord’s will for our lives and not give into the enticements of the world.

The testing of our faith through our trials is not just to see the Lord provide all our needs, but to do a deep work in our spirits. That work is to teach us of the Lord’s faithfulness and help share it with others. Through deception the enemy causes us to escape the purging power of the Holy Spirit, tempting us to leave the Lord’s will for our lives and to follow after the ways of the world. These are easy paths, but they are all in vanity. Believe me, God’s ways are not our ways for they are so much higher (Isa 55:9).

I know if we truly seek after Truth, the Lord will reveal it to us and cause it to transform us into His image. We should be willing to change so that God’s perfect will is fulfilled. I am not saying it won’t be painful; that’s why this walk is referred to as living the crucified life (Gal 2:20). We serve a Holy God and holiness is our calling.

The closer we come to the Father, the more His light shines through the darkness in us. Change should be considered normal, just like an ever-flowing river. We must press in for Truth because the Church is not where it needs to be. The enemy has dammed up the river of God’s Spirit. We need to press through by faith, and bring down every stronghold in our lives. So many distractions are taking precedence over the Lord’s perfect will. We need to be willing to pierce through the darkness to receive the revelation of God’s Truth.

OVERCOMING FAITH
Chapter Five 

We have a desire to stay in the center of God’s perfect will. In the midst of the battle His will is that we overcome the onslaughts of the enemy, boldly without wavering. Oh, Church, we need to be immovable, our head set like flint, so that no wiles of the enemy can shake us (Ezek 3:8-9). Yes, the Lord’s perfect will for our lives is that we overcome. Many of God’s promises are to the overcomers (Rev Ch. 2 and 3). The Lord is encouraging us to courageously take our stand against the armies of the enemy, pressing them back while taking the land. We’re to take what is already ours. But we cannot do this if we don’t take our post in the mighty army of the Lord.

Be bold; be strong, for the Lord thy God is with thee. Do not be afraid or dismayed but walk in faith and victory! (Josh 1:9). We sing so many praises from God’s Word that encourage us to overcome. The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves, and He knows what we are capable of. We cannot even imagine what we can do in Him.

I have always been a very fearful and timid in the natural, but the Lord is changing me, building my boldness by allowing me to go through trials. He’s been purging this fear and giving me greater confidence so that I can stand bold and courageous in the face of battle.

Everything the Lord allows us to go through is for our good (Rom 8:28). He is using each trial to cause us to grow stronger and stronger. We need to trust Him completely with our lives, because He is doing a mighty work in us. We are being prepared so that He can move mightily through us. Believe me, God makes no mistakes. Everything we go through is for a purpose. From the time He has set us on the path of holiness following His dear Son, Jesus, no time has been wasted.

Every step of the way He is allowing situations that cause us to choose to die to our ways of doing things and to put His will first. This is a painful walk to our flesh, but great glory results as we see ourselves conforming to the image of our Lord and Savior (Rom 8:29). The nearer we draw to His side, the more we see traits in us that are not like Him. This can be disheartening, but we must remember that we cannot conform in our own strength. Because of His grace He loves us right where we are – full of sinful attitudes and imperfections. We need to accept ourselves and know that God is extracting from us all that is unlike Him. He will not leave us in this state. He is purging it out by His love, grace, and fire.

Believe me, the Lord loves us right where we are. He wouldn’t bring us this far just to leave us stranded and defenseless without Him. The more we see that He loves and accepts us, the more we are willing to change. We are the ones who see our imperfections then judge and condemn ourselves. We need to love and accept ourselves and have peace in our hearts that God is doing a purifying work in our lives. We are to be content in this truth and never feel that our situations are hopeless, for there is nothing that is impossible for the Lord (Luke 1:37). He is our miracle-working God and Father who loves us.

Many of God’s people want to function in a specific place in the body of Christ. Yet they are afraid that they are inadequate for this calling, and therefore, remain on the outskirts of what is happening. Even so, the Lord pours out His anointing upon us, and when there is a true calling for us to fulfill, He gives us the boldness and confidence to stand up and accept it. Yet there are times we confuse His calling with a false sense of responsibility. We see a need and feel that we should meet it without first seeking the Lord’s will. When we step out of the Lord’s perfect will, the results can be devastating. There is no fulfillment or accomplishment. The work is done in vain.

To overcome works done in vain, we need to ignore the temptation to be constantly busy, and spend time drawing close to the Lord to find out what He wants us to do. Remember the passage referring to Martha and Mary? (Luke 10:38-42). Martha was busy with things that truly needed to be done, but Jesus desired that she attend to what really mattered at that time; being at His side. Too many of us have become involved in things that distract us from our highest calling; delighting in His presence. We need to be sensitive to knowing God’s perfect will for our lives because when we don’t, we then end up falling into the snare of busyness and complacency. We should stay in the center of God’s perfect will in His presence. During times of intimacy with the Lord, we receive strength enabling us to overcome the mighty onslaughts of the enemy, and we also receive what is on the Father’s heart. We need to draw close to Him so that He can show us the tactics and schemes the enemy will use to try to defeat us.

If the enemy can keep us caught up in the busyness of religious works, then when we finally find time to get before the Lord, we are too tired from the busyness to make the time with Him effective. The enemy will either try this tactic, or he will distract us with the pleasures of the world so that we don’t desire to come before the Lord. We need to be aware that both tactics would ensnare us with complacency.

Many of God’s people have submitted to a nonchalant attitude towards resisting the enemy’s attacks against our faith. Many have become complacent and unwilling to intercede for the needs of God’s people. If the enemy can keep us in a lazy frame of mind, he can run all over us. We need to take a stand against the schemes and maneuvers the enemy is using to attack and destroy our faith. We must position ourselves against complacency and this deadness in our hearts toward what needs to be done in the camp of God’s people. Don’t let this continue in our lives.

Rise up, O Church! Awake from your sleep. Take your stand and fight, for the enemy is going about as a roaring lion devouring all in its path (1 Pet 5:8). Be vigilant. Cover yourselves completely with God’s armor and Jesus’ blood (Eph 6:11-18). Stand firm and resist. Press the armies of the evil one back, and take your ground. Conquer all that is yours for all of God’s promises are yes and Amen (2 Cor 1:20). The nations are your inheritance. Claim the land and its people for the Lord Jesus. The Lord says that we are His faithful and committed people, and that He is going to use us mightily in the end times. Again, I encourage you to keep your armor on for we need this equipment for the battle. Put on the Lord Jesus. He is all that we need. He is your Captain. Just stand in rank and follow Him. When the Lord says “March!” then march! March into battle. We are to take the land tearing down strongholds and principalities over the land. March on…into the victory!

Prepare your hearts for the Lord is ready to manifest unto groaning creation His sons – the mature sons of God (Rom 8:22-23). We are His chosen people, and He will move mightily through us. Keep praising your Lord. Keep pressing in on the enemy for his armies are being scattered in your midst! (Psa 68:1). Halleluia!

 
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Section Three of Book