Jesus A Man Of War

Nehemiah 4:20 “Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet,
 rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
 

This verse is taken from the story of when the Israelites were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem under the direction of Nehemiah the prophet.  While the undertaking of the task was initiated by God it wasn’t without opposition, and as anyone knows who has taken it upon themselves to do what God has put in their heart we too are met with opposition.  At times we can get discouraged as they did and at times our strength can wane causing us to wonder if we even heard from the Lord.  It is important that we don’t allow the presence of opposition turn us away from whatever God has told us to set our hand to. Even Jesus was opposed and he was the Son of God.

 

What catches my attention most are the words, “Our God will fight for us.” I am overwhelmed at the thought that we have a God who will fight for us, one who goes to battle against our enemies that want to take us down.  Imagine:  the noblest fighting for the ignoble, the Most High fighting for the lowest. Sometimes it is hard to grasp that our God is a warrior who wars on our behalf, who protects us, delivers us, keeps us safe. While at the same time He is a loving Father who provides for us, who takes us up to sit in His lap and talks to us to help us understand things just like a parent would take their child and help them to understand that their perception of what they see and hear isn’t always correct.  We are no different. Sometimes our perception is skewed because of our level of spiritual maturity or lack of experience. 

Happy Resurrection Day!!!

Colossians 1:13-18  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.  He is the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation.  For by Him all tings were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.  All things were created through Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  And he is the head of the body, the church,k who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 

Revelation 1:18 Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.  I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.  Amen.  And I have the keys of death and Hades.

     Oh my, how can anyone not be excited about celebrating ‘Easter’! While that is the term used to identify the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus it is a word actually derived from a false god of fertility named Ishtar, however, what we call today is not nearly as important as what it is we are celebrating. There are an infinite amount of things I could write about on a day like today but what I have really been pondering lately is the fact that Jesus suffered the judgment that should have been ours.

Isaiah 53:5-6 Surely He has born our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.  but He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.   

Have you ever really contemplated what Jesus experienced in laying down His life for us, going beyond the cross to the period of time between Him giving up His spirit and Him being raised from the dead? Jesus himself said he would be three days and nights in the heart of the earth which I personally believe from scripture was the location of hell at that time. It isn't clear from the scripture how long after giving up His spirit He actually experienced what an unbeliever would who dies without God. He had seen from before the foundation of the world what awaited him once he was physically dead, being delivered to him who had the power of death, that is the devil. We don’t realize that in hell their is no manifestation of God's goodness or His love to any degree, for an unbeliever that even while on earth they have the benefit of enjoying since the earth was created for man to live on. I realized this was the war Jesus had to win over His flesh in the garden of Gethsemane, not just fear of physical death on the cross, but the experience of being separated from and rejected by God the Father. He willingly chose to be the sacrifice and suffer the judgment of God on our behalf. God made him who knew not sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God through him.  He spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing over them by the cross. He is the firstborn among many brethren which is all of those who choose to receive Him as our Savior and Lord.  Now that ought to make you smile:)

Scripture Ref: Colossians 2:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:29; 

Spoils Of War

Now I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and He who sat on him was called Faithful and True and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  His eyes were like a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns.  He had a name written that no one knew except himself.  He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood and His name is called the word of God, and the armies of heaven clothed in fine linen white and clean followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword that with it He should strike the nations and He himself will rule them with a rod of iron.,  He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God and He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written—
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 19:11-16

I could feel His eyes of fire penetrating, piercing,  burning into my heart----His love for me and for others pouring in through the rays of light going into my heart understanding all that He gave He gave for His love was so fierce nothing would stand in His way of rescuing me, rescuing us, setting us free not only from sin that carried us into captivity but all of its guilt and all of its shame that kept us chained…..

He breaks every fetter, He breaks every chain 
By His blood He's given us His name

No more, No more,

No more sorrow, no more pain

No more guilt,  no more shame

For I have ransomed you from the power of the grave

I ransomed you from darkness and all of its shame

I  freed you from death, you’ll never be the same

You're no longer the one who is called unloved

For I have seated you with Me above

Above all power and principality

All rule and dominion

You will dwell with me

In the light of My countenance
clothed in My glory.

The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints....the souls of men, these are the spoils of His war. 

Songs: Faithful and Doves Eyes 

Sound The Alarm

Prepare for war! 

Wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near...... Joel 3:9

Oh My people, My people

Don’t you hear the trumpet, don’t you hear its sound

Warning you of battle so you will not fall

I’m giving you instructions to tell you how to stand

To show you how to fight and see the end time plan

And know the enemy’s defeat is grand.

Please don’t turn away your ear,

please allow yourself to hear what I have to say

Oh but you say I’m getting too near, too near to your sensitive spot

Oh Lord can’t you see, can’t you see O Lord that the fire is getting so hot.

Oh if there was only another way you say,

if only one more day to play, then I will get ready for battle.

But you will see it will be too late, because there is an appointed date

So please put away your toys.

Don’t be afraid of things you’d rather not hear and say it is only noise.

Because the end is drawing near

And all the while you keep yourself

From hearing things you would rather not hear

your missing My commands

As the end time comes to a close

If you will unstop your ears and allow yourself to hear what I have to say

You will be among those who know.

Those who know My glory,

Those who know My might

Those who know My strength

and walk in my infinite holy light.

Those who can discern between the wrong and right.

So please unstop your ears and allow yourself to hear

What I have to say

Please take the time for you to draw near

And I’ll take away your fear

of the heat of the fire

Because you see, Satan, he is just a liar

As you draw near to Me this truth you will more clearly see

Because I am an all consuming fire

And I will consume those things in you that draw you to the night

I will consume those things in you that dim my holy light

And you will shine like the light of my Son

For you see, He alone is the one.

He alone is the one you are to fear,

He alone is the one you must be able to hear

For He alone can save you.

There is no question the Lord is calling His church to wake up and rise up.  I believe what we are to be warring for is the souls of men, not just ourselves to survive what is coming.  Even further down in Joel 3 there is reference made to the harvest and the many that are in the valley of decision. It is no secret that many leaders in the body have been talking about the harvest that is coming. Jesus is looking for those to send into His fields.