The Death of Fighting and the Birth of Faith

I give up! Those are sweet words to the angels in heaven, who rejoice when a sinner is saved. Many times, until we give up God can't really begin to work in our lives.

I was reminded of this in a powerful way at Bible study tonight, where we studied from John 5 about a man whom Jesus healed at the pool of Bethesda. This man had been paralyzed for thirty eight years, presumably waiting much of this time for an angel to come and cure his paralysis.

Our teacher Gene Smith pointed out that there was another significant time of thirty eight years mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy.

"Now the time that it took for us to come from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war perished from within the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them." (Deuteronomy 2:14 NASB)

Gene thought that the Jews would recognize his thirty eight years of paralysis as a reference to the time that God denied Israel entry into the promised land due to their lack of faith. At that time the Israelites were paralyzed by fear. God told Moses that Israel must wander in the wilderness until every man of fighting age is dead.

Something in my spirit echoed this thought - thirty eight years is enough time for everything in us that wants to fight, to find our own solution, to use human strength instead of Godly power, is exhausted and dies.

The lame man at the pool of Bethesda had given up too. Perhaps his parents or some friends who had brought him here year after year for healing had finally given up, or perhaps they were just too old and lame to carry him there themselves. This man told Jesus he had no one to bring him to the pool when the angel stirred up the healing waters. The only known solution at that time had failed him, so when Jesus asked him if wanted to be healed, he could only offer an excuse why he couldn't be healed.

Now the miracle could begin. Now this man's heart was tender and open to a different kind of healing, not by balmy waters but by living water flowing through the healing hands of Jesus. Now the wall of human effort was down and the Spirit of God came crashing into his life when Jesus spoke the words, "Get up, pick up your pallet and walk."

Faith was born in his heart that day. Faith to defy the temple priests who stood ready to exile him for picking up his bed on the Sabbath. Faith to accept Jesus at his word, even in place of the "medicine men" of his day. Faith that was willing to look foolish in front of a large crowd that knew him from years of struggling in this place. Faith that expected a miracle and caused him to rise in obedience and receive the healing touch from Jesus.

Pastor Gene told an amazing story of evangelism and healing when he was traveling on a mission to Brazil. The testimony of healing in one of his mission services led to an opportunity to testify before the president of one of the regional provinces, resulting in many conversions inside the capitol building.

In third world countries miracles are much more common and expected than in the modern world. I think this is because the wall of human effort is already down. The people are already "poor in spirit" so faith finds an open door in their hearts. There is no human solution to their problems so they have to rely on the power of God. I spend most of my time planning and implementing my own solutions to my own problems. I think if I want to experience the true power of God I will need to let these "men of war" in my own life die.

An Urgent Admonition for America

I'm deeply concerned about the suffering of people in the Middle East and Africa who are caught in the crossfire of radical Islamic organizations hell-bent on precipitating the apocalypse and the coming of their Mahdi to judge the world. While I pray that these evil forces are brought to a hasty and final demise, I would also give an urgent admonition to America to wholeheartedly return to God before engaging with hubris against this kingdom of fear. Here's why:

Joshua was regarded as a great spiritual and military leader of Israel. His initial conquest of the land of Canaan resulted in the defeat of the heavily fortified city of Jericho in the most miraculous conquest ever recorded. In the very next chapter of the book of Joshua we see what happens when the people become complacent and lax with respect to their covenant with God.

Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." So the men went up and spied out Ai. They returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few." So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai. The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water. (‭Joshua‬ ‭7‬:‭2-5‬ NASB)

Swollen with pride following their miraculous defeat of Jericho, Israel not only underestimated their enemy, but overestimated their own power and their relationship with God. You see, Israel was commanded to have no part in the customs and possessions of the Canaanites, but at least one Israelite had taken spoils from Jericho and hidden them. This sin had broken Israel's covenant relationship with God and made them spiritually weak. The "JV team" at Ai was ready for them and easily defeated the "B team" Israeli troops, instilling terror in all the camp of Israel.

In a desperate petition to God, God explained why Israel was not defended by the armies of God.

Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst. Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the LORD, the God of Israel, has said, "There are things under the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst." (‭Joshua‬ ‭7‬:‭11-13‬ NASB)

The American Covenant

Like the nation of Israel, America has entered a covenant with God and received his abundant blessings and mercy. But now we see a very different America and her western allies. America no longer boasts in God but in her military might, and in her libertine freedoms. Instead of righteousness and justice, America has chosen a foundation of tolerance and moral ambiguity.

Instead of defending Biblical families, we not only accept but promote alternative lifestyles and use the power of government to bless those lifestyles and force all to accept and condone it.

Instead of defending innocent unborn children we use government funds to pay doctors to murder them in the womb.

We use the power of technology to produce and distribute graphic entertainment to pollute the minds of young men and boys, and we use our God-given constitution to defend the rights of these sex trafficking predators who profit from their trade around the world.

We borrow from future generations to squander our wealth on debauchery and allow our black markets to finance the gangs and terrorist organizations that seek our destruction. Now we have even opened the door to produce our own drugs and become intoxicated with the delusion of our own sorcery.

We experience drought and severe weather but blame industry and global warming instead of repenting and asking for God's mercy. Think about the words to this patriotic poem and song.

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,

Whose stern, impassioned stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness!

America! America!

God mend thine every flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved

In liberating strife,

Who more than self their country loved

And mercy more than life!

America! America!

May God thy gold refine,

Till all success be nobleness,

And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

America, America, did not God shed His grace on thee? What ever happened to "thy good crowned with brotherhood?" Why have we turned our backs on Him now in this time of darkening clouds?

We must turn back to God if we wish to see our children and heirs inherit this land of blessing and liberty. We must neither ignore the threat, nor cower in fear, nor rush to war without first seeking purity and national unity under the God of our fathers. The time is short and the mountain is high; please pray with me that we will see revival in this land and around the world, starting with me, my family, and the body of Christ!

Seven Shofars and a Shout

In the last few days I learned something about shofars (trumpets made from ram's horns).  In the Bible they are used to lead people into battle.  Sometimes these are spiritual battles, as when the priests blew the shofars to gather the people for fasting and prayer.

In one particular battle, priests blew their shofars once a day for six days to warn the enemy of the coming judgment of God.  The city under siege was Jericho, and the commander of the invading army was Joshua.  On the seventh day, the army marched around Jericho seven times, then blew their shofars seven times, and then when the people shouted God brought down the walls of Jericho by the power of His word.

So it is in the end of time, that the blast of the angel's shofars will pronounce doom on the city of Babylon, which is the dominion of Satan.  Six times the shofars will sound the solemn warnings, and after the seventh blast, with the shout of a great multitude of believers and angels, the Lord will bring down the walls of Satan's kingdom by a great earthquake and by the power of His word.

Indeed, our entry into the eternal kingdom must be preceded by this great battle, in which the promised land is cleansed from all the powers of sin and darkness.  It was an inspiration to me to see this prototyped in the battle of Jericho, to demonstrate the power of God when His people enter the promised land.  Get ready to shout, people of God, and watch the gates of Hell come down!