The Lord spoke something very plain to me during the prayer meeting at church last night. "Offense, Ash". I saw a vision of a soccer field with the Lord as the goalie. I was standing on the field with a team standing in position, but being still. As if they were standing idle waiting for someone to kick them the ball. Across the field, I saw an opposing team handling the ball. I wanted to rush at them, but I felt the urge to stay back with my team. I was confused as to why we were standing still just waiting for the opposition to rush us before we act. I wanted to be in the action. I wanted to move! The funny thing was that they weren't even rushing us or trying to score. They were acting as if we didn't exist. Then I saw a third team that appeared on that far side of the field. All of a sudden there was game play, but we weren't included. The two teams at the end of the field were in an all out brawl, while still acting like we weren't even there. "It's time to be offensive, Ash"
As I was looking to the Lord for clarification on what I was seeing, in my heart I felt the Lord explain. My team was the church. It stands firm in it's position, yet waits to be attacked before confronting the enemy. There may be a few that feel called to move, to act, yet they stay in the comfort of their positions within the team. They don't want to go out of bounds, to play another position. They don't feel the ok from their coach to be on offense. They defend their souls from attack. They don't go looking for a brawl. The team with the ball was the enemy. The prince of the power of the air. Although Christians are the primary evil, the primary game, a battle between good and evil. The enemy has far more fun playing ball with those of the world. The brawl is with those who already belong to Satan himself. To keep them preoccupied, to keep them away from the Lord. To isolate them, to reek havoc on their bodies, minds and souls. He has no interest in coming against a Spirit filled Christian who can walk in their authority. He would never score against them. Yet, he has every interest in the lukewarm. The ones he can keep down. The ones that belong to and surrender to the world far more than they belong to and surrender to Christ.
It's time to play offense. It's time to get in the brawl. It's time to fight with the weapons of our warfare. It's time to walk in the authority that Christ died for us to have. The Lord was the goalie. He's the gatekeeper. He depends on us, not only to defend one another from the attacks of the enemy, but to go on the offensive. To attack the enemy as much if not more than he attacks those we know. Those not in the church, those who are in our family, who are our friends, co workers, atheists, all of creation. The Lord sits in His rightful place at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven expecting us to act on His behalf, to be on His team.
He expects us to go on offense. He designed us to attack the enemy, not to stand still. Sitting in church on Sunday isn't going to help someone who will never set foot in one. When the Lord sent out the 72, He didn't go with them. He didn't tell them to stand still and wait for the enemy to walk right up to them and attack. He said to go out. To cast out the enemy, to heal the sick, to go forward with the word of the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit and to proclaim the true gospel of Christ. Repentance, Baptism, Salvation.
Yes, playing offense will be offensive. People may say no when you ask to pray for them, ask anyway. People may not want to hear the demonic roots of their issues, tell them anyway. The lukewarm will not want to give up this world to walk in the spirit, spit the fire anyway. My words may be to harsh, but they are not worse than perishing in hell. They are not worse that demonic torment. I know, I've seen it.
Don't stand still any longer. Don't be afraid to be offensive playing offense.
I was in Hebrews 10 today and verse 14 hit me right in the heart. "14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." TO THOSE WHO ARE BEING SANCTIFIED.
Are you in the sanctification process? Are you surrendered to the Lord? Are you all in, or do you have one foot in the world. Do you have one toe in the world? Are you straddling that fence? That is a very dangerous place to be. Believe me, I spent 36 years there thinking I was going to heaven. I was wrong, and you probably are too.
The more I study the Bible, the more the word hits my heart, the more these little conditional words make a big, huge difference in what we are reading.
Play offense in this game, even if you're the only one on your team to do it. Say the hard things. Speak the truth even when it means speaking it alone.
Luke 10:1-3 10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
Luke 10:16-2016 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Matthew 10:1 - And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Matthew 28:19-20 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
John 14:26 - But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Galatians 1:12 - For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 27:17 17 As iron sharpens iron,so one person sharpens another.
John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 1:8 - But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Luke 3:16 - John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
Acts 2:33 - Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
1 John 2:15-17 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Colossians 2:6-10 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Ephesians 5:11 - And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Matthew 7:12-14 The Golden Rule 12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
John 15:18-21 The Hatred of the World 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
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