I'd be lying if I attempted to say that it hasn't been a rough week for me. I'm not exempt from the spiritual warfare that the world is facing. In fact, I think that most folks that are hand picked by the Lord and destined for greatness in this world face more of a battle than many people could comprehend, let alone attempt to face themselves.
Ephesians 6:11-12 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Never before in our history has this scripture been more relevant than right now. Yet so many are blind to it. We had a zoom meeting regarding the trip to New York that is coming up for the freedom weekend that will focus on inner healing and deliverance. During the meeting I believe it was Pastor Derek (I could be wrong my memory isn't the greatest this early in the am) had mentioned something along the lines of this feeling like training the special ops. That got me thinking about what that truly means. To be part of the Lord's special operations team. To be deployed into battle and to march right into spiritual warfare without batting an eye. To have the faith that no matter what demonic manifestations take place, that we are equipped to handle that battle and to claim victory in the name of Jesus Christ over the strongholds that have affected so many of these people for such a long time. We are freedom fighters.
Deuteronomy 33:27 - The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
Then the Lord opened my heart to the fact that so many of today's Christians are lacking faith. They lack the faith needed to become part of this special operations team. I'm not here to say that the way you view Christianity is wrong or your that relationship with the Lord has to change, you need to pray on that yourself. What I am here to say is that the only difference between myself and you all, is faith.
Luke 1:37 - For with God nothing shall be impossible.
But Ash, How can you be so arrogant to say that you have a greater faith than many of us? Well Nay Sayer, I say to you, show me your faith. How many churches have shut down claiming to be for the greater good? How many pastors are advocating for wearing masks and social distancing over the faith in the Lord that your family will remain protected? How can we have an altar call for healing in our churches and fear a virus at the same time? Ya'll remember leprosy? Did that scare off Jesus? No. So why can we believe that the Lord had healed a leper, but won't heal us from a virus that is similar to the flu? Yet your great grandmother is sitting alone in a nursing home, after loving generation after generation of her family, sitting alone, not being hugged, not seeing the people that at one time used to make her day, her week or her month. Yet we claim that this is for the greater good, while rioting in the streets is permitted and encouraged.
Psalm 103:2-4
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals ALL your diseases, (Not some, not all but Corona, ALL!)
4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy
We are lacking the faith to stand up for what is morally and biblicaly just.
Now consider this. How many churches believe in the inner healing aspect while ignoring the demonic aspect of strongholds? That's like trying to put out half of the fire. It doesn't matter how well you soak the left side of the duplex if the right side of that same structure is still engulfed in flames. It may hold back the flames for a while, but eventually, if the entire fire is not put out, the flames will spread and destroy the entire building.
James 2:19 - Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
I remember last fall, I was driving to take Leah to her grams, as I was on the road leading to the ball field, I passed a house. I looked at the front porch of that house and had to do a double take. What I saw were two demons sitting at a table on this person's front porch. They were sitting back with their one leg crossed over the other, in a nonchalant way that threw me off. They were very comfortable sitting on that porch. It was almost as if they had coffee or tea there every morning. It gave me the feeling of an old married couple that sits on the porch of their retirement home enjoying the sunrise every morning. I couldn't understand why they were so comfortable there. I thought demons had warfare to attend to. I thought they had folks to torture all day. So how and why were they so complacent and comfortable sitting there? Then I saw the chains. It looked like over a hundred chains were hanging down from the porch ceiling. They were dangling all around these demons, surrounding them. The ends of the chains appeared to have wooden handles on them. The demons would take a sip of whatever they were drinking, look at each other with this deviant laughter, reach up, and pull a handle. Just one tug here, one tug there. As the Lord brought me deeper into this vision I began to see writing on the handles. They said things like anger, hatred, frustration, confusion, depression, anxiety, fear, offense, hurt, pride, trauma, suicide. Each one with it's own distinct word. Then the Lord hit me with this revelation. Those demons had lived with the person in this house for years upon years. This person no matter how far away from the house they are, would be affected mentally and emotionally by the pulling of these chains. It didn't matter if that person was shopping, visiting family or even going into church every Sunday morning. There would never be an eviction notice given to these demons, because no one in that person's life, not even their pastor or their congregation, believed that they were even there. That is why they were so comfortable, because no matter how many chains they pulled, no matter how much they destroyed this person's day, week or year with their puppet master nonsense, no one would even acknowledge that demons were the cause. They will never be evicted.
That vision opened my eyes to the importance of tearing down demonic strongholds. They are constantly puling our chains, laughing at our fleshly reactions. Causing arguments, causing offense that was never really there to begin with. Causing fear and anger, anxiety, worry, depression, all of it. We wrestle not against flesh and blood.
Luke 10:17 - And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
We need to come back to having the faith in the Lord. Yes, there will be darker times ahead. Yes it will seem like the Lord is no where to be found, but that is when we have to dig deep and press into our faith. Holding on to the fact that no matter what happens, the Lord will work it all out for good.
1 Corinthians 2:5 - That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
There is another vision regarding faith that the Lord brought back to my memory today. Picture a hot, dusty, dry cliff, similar to the grand canyon. Now lets say that you are standing on the edge of that cliff. You look across this deep valley to the other side and you can see everything you've ever wanted. You see lush forests, you see the most refreshing waterfall, you can feel the peace and serenity that will wash over you the second your foot touches that soft and beautiful grass. Yet you have no way to get there. You look down and all you can see is this infinite pitch black darkness. Then you see these two wooden platforms rising out of the valley. Each one is barely bigger than your own foot. Suddenly you hear the words "Have Faith". Believing in Christ you begin to step onto these small platforms. First with your right foot, and following with your left. Now you are in the darkness and you can feel these wooden platforms shaking underneath your feet. You try to steady yourself, but you realize that you have only gotten a few feet away from where you were, you see the darkness underneath you, you see how far you have left to go, then you feel this sudden jolt of fear that you won't make it to the other side. The next thing you know, you're shaking from head to toe and you leap the two feet backwards to get yourself back on solid ground. Solid, dusty, dirty, hot, uncomfortable ground. Why? Because fear kept you from moving forward. Then the Lord revealed to me that these platforms were on top of very long sturdy poles. Poles that Jesus himself had held in each of His hands. If you'd have known that Jesus was holding up those platforms, would it have been easier to lift your foot so the platform could move forward? Would you have had the faith to walk in a forward motion if you knew the Lord was guiding your steps? That is faith. Having the ability to lift your one foot, to balance and shake on the other in the process, but to keep stepping out and moving forward with the Lord. Trusting that he will put the platform under your feet, moving you forward as you go to take your next step.
Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
We do not need anymore churches with happy smiley fake Christians who pretend they are fine while hiding the truth that they are dealing with fear and other strongholds. We don't need to tell people to read the word more and to pray more and that they will be healed in the Lords time. Most demonized Christians have a horrible time trying to read the bible and they think it's just too hard to understand. They think the language doesn't make sense. No, not having the Holy Spirit is what doesn't make sense. This is not religion, this is warfare. We need Holy Spirit filled special ops Christians who are not afraid of addressing the issues that affect the people in the different congregations all over this world.
James 1:5-8
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Have FAITH we no longer have time to be double minded. Put on the armour of the Lord, display the fruits of the spirit and fight the war you are called to.
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
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