You Are Worth the Fight…
Especially the fight that is waged internally… the internal struggles and spiritual battles that each one of us has to fight for our destiny. 💜
Everything that I want to show you about the WORD of GOD is extremely difficult to teach in the times of trouble… because the stress and pain that comes against us during difficult times, makes it even harder than normal for us to hear the WORD of GOD.
The pain is too loud in our ears and the strong teachings in the Word of GOD may sound like a rebuke, or even worse, they can sound like baseless and empty platitudes to a person facing a crisis.
So I pray constantly, that I am reaching you in a time of peace, so that your hearing is not emotionally compromised.
So, if by chance, I shake you with the WORD, please know that everything in me is writing to you with love.
WE HAVE TO STUDY IN TIMES OF PEACE…
We study in times of peace to ensure that we have enough WORD in us to withstand [and fight] “in the evil day” (Eph 6:13).
We have to be able to withstand attack and stand against our impulse to run, (mostly from ourselves).
In the Book of Revelation 2:18-29, the Church of Thyratira is mentioned as one of the 7 Churches that Jesus specifically spoke to. The Churches represent “a type” of believer.
To obtain a deeper understanding of the scripture and the message we have to look a little deeper to understand that Jesus was not just talking about a place. When the audience of the 1st century heard mention of Thyratira they connected a few facts, just like we would today if I just called out a location today, for instance, “New York”.
Simply by saying ‘New York’, you would immediately have a sense of context. In the first century, saying “Thyratira” would provide context for the rest of the message.
SO LET’S PLACE THYRATIRA INTO IT’S PROPER Cultural CONTEXT
Thyratira was such a city. A city without walls. Thyratira was considered one of the unimportant cities. It was not connected to any major Greek trade routes. History tells us that it was a commercial center, filled with many trade guilds, but never rose to the level of a sprawling metropolis.
Christians were prohibited from participating in any of the trade guilds (comprised of coppersmiths and dyers), by the early church. The guilds at that time, were known to be comprised of people that belonged to various cults.
Thyratira is filled with commerce, cults corruption and christians. It is a unprotected city, already open to “every wind of doctrine”, with a fledgling church trying to take root at it’s center. (This sounds very similar to the situation some of us can find ourselves in today).
For all intents and purposes, Thyratira has no rule over it’s own spirit, as a city. No borders, no protection, it’s completely vulnerable. This is the atmosphere that the early church is trying to grow up in.
But scripture warned us about this type of spiritual condition and situation in advance.
“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” Prov. 25:28
In ancient days, a city without walls was one open to anyone and everyone, at anytime.
While that MIGHT sound great on the surface, it’s extremely dangerous as well.
Normally, cities were constructed with walls in order to defend against enemy attack, providing borders and boundaries as a means of protection.
Cities without walls were vulnerable to invasion by raiders from any and every province that desired what the city held to offer.
The Church in Thyratira was so easily invaded by Jezebel, because it was like a city without walls. Spiritually, they were open to everything, entertaining everything, surrounded by everything, trying to operate in the things of GOD, but tolerating evil in their midst.
Not just tolerating evil, but succumbing to it.
It is possible, that because of their surrounding culture, they felt they could have one foot in and one foot out. As if, a little double-mindedness was alright.
Thyratira had a lot going for it. They were doing a lot of things right (verse 19).
But, they took their eyes off of GOD and lost their focus. As a result, they were headed into a storm and not out of one.
THEY NEEDED TO REBUILD THE WALLS…
As a Church, in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation they had no control over building the physical walls of the city.
But they had total and absolute control over building up and maintaining the Spiritual walls we need to strengthen our spirit, so that we can resist Jezebel and her tactics to seduce us mentally, spiritually and physically.
2 Chronicles 14:6-7, not only confirms this point, but we should notice that King Solomon (author of the Book of Chronicles) points out that King Asa takes advantage of their time at rest, in order to rebuild the walls, during a time of peace.
“And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.”
The ultimate objective of torah, in my experience, is to get us to the point that we are able to filter all of our problems, complications and situations, through GOD’s WORD, so that we do not react impulsively, with anger or out of frustration.
In times of peace, like Elul, we take the time to build ourselves up spiritually through setting ourselves before GOD at an intensified level, together as a community of faith.
In this way, our strength is multiplied.
Instead of emotionally reacting we ask ourselves a few questions first, like…
” Where am I, right now, on the pages of Scripture?” or
“Where is this situation on the pages of Scripture?, WHO FOUGHT THIS KIND OF BATTLE” or
” Who, in scripture, got the victory over this ridiculous situation that I am in?”
…and “What do I need to do to fix it, and What do I need to speak to this mountain, in order to move it?”
We speak retroactively saying, “I’m under attack” or “I’m being attacked”, but the question that I am posing to you today is three fold.
- How are you responding during the attack?
- Do you have enough scripture in you to see where you are on the pages of scripture?
- Are you applying the biblical example/response that GOD provided on the pages of scripture to your situation?
- Are you disciplined enough in the spirit to control your own tongue?
- to control you own actions?
- to control your own thoughts?
- to be still and wait on the LORD to move on your behalf?
The Goal is to Control Ourselves, Not Others
If you take the time to ask yourself any of those questions during the “attack”, you will diffuse the situation ‘within yourself‘ enough, to see the situation for what it truly is…a way to pull you out of the spirit and into the flesh.
Don’t Be Pulled Out Of the Spirit…
If we are pulled out of the spirit, then our flesh responds to the situation, instead of our spirit, and we get a flesh bound result.
More importantly, the prophetic anointing is unable to flow freely, when we are in the flesh.
(Our Spirit has more wisdom than our flesh. The difficulty we face, is in over-ruling our flesh, and allowing our Spirit to have a seat and a voice at the table).
If we subdue our flesh, and allow our spirit to respond to the situation, instead of our flesh, then we operate within the anointing, and obtain an anointed result.
Here’s the issue: Do you know when you are in the flesh vs. when you are walking in the anointing? Can you tell the difference?
If not, then you have to practice knowing/learning the difference in the little things, before you can move forward with the bigger issues. Self discipline, is the only way I know that you can learn to distinquish between the two.
REMINDER: Being impulsive, stubborn, easily provoked, easily manipulated, rebellious, willful, arrogant, etc. etc. unteachable… will never allow your spirit to rule over your flesh.
Studying the WORD of GOD is the best way I know, to learn how to master your own spirit.
We need wisdom… GOD in His Word is our best assurance against being manipulated by another, for their own personal agenda. It is through study of the WORD that you build up a resistance to the “wiles of the enemy”.
While there are plenty of enemies to go around, there are times when we can be our own worst enemy. We need to know the difference.
Since the inception of this blog, all paths of study have been leading to encouraging you to obtain a consecrated, dedicated prayer life. Prayer is your strongest weapon. You may have heard that all of your natural born life… “cause it’s true.”
What Feeds Your Flesh?
Prayer doesn’t. Meditating on the Word of GOD doesn’t. Operating in Love doesn’t. Kindness doesn’t. Obedience to GOD doesn’t…
Prayer, and doing what doesn’t feed your flesh, puts you spiritually in control.
Be Spiritually in Control of the Situation…
While the world desires to be Physically in Control of every situation, the People of GOD are being trained up by the WORD of GOD, to be SPIRITUALLY in Control.
Application of the WORD of GOD will put us in a position to have SPIRITUAL Control, which is far more powerful than physical control.
Physical control has its earth bound limitations. The only limitations that stand to interfere with your Spiritual Control, is your own level of faith, and resisting the temptations that come against your own flesh.
THE PART WE DO NOT WANT TO HEAR…
Unlimited Faith equals Unlimited Spiritual Control.
Many of us believe that we are operating with unlimited faith. That’s a GOOD THING.
What we need now, is for our unlimited faith to elevate us into a state of unlimited spiritual control.
ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS…
But, what if I do have faith, and things are not working in my favor? That’s a GOOD Question.
“I have a consecrated, dedicated, full strength prayer life, and I am not seeing anything change for the better, are you saying I’m the problem?”
“It’s never GOD’s fault, it’s always me?
Here are the tough answers that are hard to hear…
Sometimes, no is no. But, I do not get a lot of “No’s”, and that is what I want to impart to you in these teachings, about the Word of GOD.
The past 42 posts have been primarily about prayer. They have also been about character correction and character formation, the staples of a consecrated lifestyle.
These entire posts for the Month of Elul, have been about encouraging you to conduct the search of your own heart, to judge yourself, that you not be judged… How did you do?
Did you clean out your closets? Are you still having arguments in your head with someone, about something, that you just can’t let go? Are there people that you just have not forgiven? Forgiveness is just too good for them?
I have had to negotiate a few peace treaties in my own mind. So many issues have built up over this year alone, that I am sure we each had to wrestle with, spirit, mind, soul and body.
Suffice it to say, there have been some hard places.
What I can share with you is that, unforgiveness will keep every one of those hard places bound to you, for another year, minimum.
It all depends on you, whether or not you will forgive and repent.
GOD instructed the Priesthood, not to touch any dead thing… so it would be wise not to carry the dead thing around with you for another year, right?
If you just read that statement…
…I wrote above and the thought crossed your mind, “I am not a part of the Priesthood”, then that is a serious part of the problem right there.
Everyone, who loves GOD, says that they want to follow GOD, or desires to follow GOD, becomes a part of the Priesthood.
GOD is not raising you up to be a lifelong disciple. He is raising you up so that you can be sent, out!
Your purpose is not to sit in the pew for 120 years.
You are being raised up to take your Holy positions as Prophet, Priest and King.
The Priestly anointing is the glue that binds the Prophetic and Kingship together. If we are going to covet something good, covet the power of a priestly anointing.
The priestly anointing doesn’t appear to be as highly pursued as the others. It requires a great deal of self discipline, dying to self, obedience, dedication, faithfulness, sacrifice, patience, listening, kindness, submittedness, yieldedness, etc. etc.
The priestly anointing is a lot of work and absolutely no glamour. But it is your priestly anointing that carries the potential to elevate you beyond measure.
It is the priestly anointing that will help you rise to the full measure and stature of Christ Jesus.
Esau refused the garments of priesthood. He lusted after Kingship, but not to do GOD’s Work, he just wanted to rule the world. He had no prophetic anointing of his own, he depended upon the power of his father’s prophetic prayers in order to thrive..
David accepted the garments of the priesthood, because he excelled in humility. He never lusted after kingship, becasue he was humble. He accepted kingship in order to do the will of GOD. David did not need to depend on the prophetic prayers of others in order to survive. He had his own relationship with GOD in prayer. Evidenced by his prayers rooted and grounded in humility.
David is anointed, Prophet, Priest and King.
Jesus is anointed Prophet, Priest and King.
We are His fruit. His perfect will, is for you to do, “greater works than these…”
Are You Willing to Do The Greater Works?
Do you really want the greater works? Do you want to speak into the earth in His Name, as a king? Do you want to flow in the gifts of the prophetic as He desired that you do?
Will You Accept the Priestly Anointing?
I would see you reign in the prophetic, wield authority in the heavenly’s as king, and possess power and authority in the priestly anointing.
People will disappoint you, that’s a given. Actually, it can’t even be helped, because we are all fragile and vulnerable.
But people, can also surprise and delight you! That’s a given, which also can’t be helped.
You never really know which will happen first or what sequence of events will occur.
But they are both to our benefit because they both have the ability to make us stronger.
I hope you spent Elul in prayer. I hope that the anointing over this season transforms your life, because you humbled yourself to pray, and seek GOD’s Face. I pray that you fought for your place and position in the anointing!
The fight this month has been about you and only you. GOD is fighting for you!
Your soul matters, it is something of value. Your soul is the most precious possession that you share with GOD.
Notice, that I specifically stated that, ” it is the most precious possession that you share with GOD”, not that you own it. Because it does not belong to you.
That particular soul, that you are carrying around, The Lover of Your Soul, GOD, wants it to return to Him, as his personal possession.
Your soul contains evidence of your existence, evidence of who you are, and who you became in Honor of GOD’s Name. Your soul is evidence of GOD, evidence of Love, evidence of Truth, evidence of the Spirit of GOD, evidence of the Messiah, evidence of who you are to HIM.
Everyone wants proof that GOD exist…
You Are The Evidence GOD Sent into the world. You bear witness to His Word, by the Word of your testimony.
You Are Something of Value.
This post was revised after publication to clearly address my reference to the Book of Revelation, and my reference to a city without walls, Thyratira.
If you read this post earlier today, please accept my apologies for reposting…I just had to make certain to the best of my ability to be as clear and accurate as possible for you.
GOD Bless You,
May you leave this Month of Elul, refreshed, energized and ready to embrace your calling as Prophet, Priest and King! this New Year, Rosh Hashanna 5780.
Amen.
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