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Ephesians 6:13-17 (KJV) "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. . . STAND therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:..."
“And HAVING DONE ALL TO STAND …..” What does THAT look like for me today?
Hebrews 10:9-13 “then hath he said, 'Lo, I am come to do thy will.' He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest indeed stands day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet.”
What I am hearing in this sentence, is that HE is expecting US to make His enemies HIS FOOTSTOOL! It is our commission! How is this possible?
Hebrews 10:38 & 39 “But my righteous one shall live by faith: And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.”!
Ephesians 6, verses 1-9 especially, goes into depths about what relationships look like, through the lens of God's love – be it child to Father or Father to child, Servant to Master, or Master to Servant. He insists that all our actions be motivated by HIS LOVE & TRUTH, and that ALL be treated equally, in regards to respect and kindness! And then, verse 10 begins this exhortation on how this kind of life is possible ...
Ephesians 6:10-18 “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.”
(We get our STRENGTH from Him, His Sacrifice, His Anointing, His Spirit....)
“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
(He has provided the wisdom, cunning and strength we need to “outfox the fox”, but we must include the entire armor, leaving nothing off.)
“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
(First rule of Warfare, Focus in on, and Aim your weapons at, the Correct Target! The “Church” system, of demonic divisive doctrines, has caused us to aim our weapons at each other. The enemy's favorite, and most effective strategy is Divide & Conquer. And we have fallen prey to that way too long....)
“Wherefore take up the WHOLE armor of God," (not just the pieces we understand, or feel confident with) "that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand."
(Having done ALL to STAND. What does that mean? “Taking up the WHOLE ARMOR...” maybe? Or showing up for training, renewing the mind, spending time in worship and communion....? He goes on to give a considerable list of preparatory action, which must be taken before engaging with our enemy.)
“Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. . .”
(So... Let me lay out the importance of each piece, as I am receiving a download from The Holy Spirit)
“Having GIRDED your loins with TRUTH” - Loin area - Guts, Reproductive organs, etc., are protected and reinforced by a Garment that offers support and corrects our posture – a “girdle” or,“girding” of TRUTH. He is saying that TRUTH is THE absolute necessity to protect us from the lies of the enemy, which are sent to hinder our Trust, and limit our productivity!
The Heart area ...“and having put on the Breastplate of Righteousness...” The chest area, heart, breath, etc., protected by a Breastplate – described as RIGHTEOUSNESS. To our Covenant Keeping God, MOTIVES MATTER. And our motives are what is driving our hearts. If HIS Ways of Doing and BEING Right – the definition of Righteousness – is our motivation. If we are driven ONLY by HIS Truth, His Love, His Peace … etc., the our hearts will be protected from the wiles of the enemy.
Foot wear is essential for a long march! Paul, (Sha'ul) goes on to instruct, “having shod your feet, with the preparation of the Gospel of Peaces, Shalom....”
What is the “PREPARATION” of His Gospel (Good News) of Peace, (Shalom, Nothing missing, broken, impaired or deficient)? The preparation is The Renewing of our MINDS Daily in HIS WORD, which brings peace to our Spirit, because it conveys HIS desires, instructions and equipping of the Saints for our “reasonable service”. We are to take a STAND in the PEACE of God.
That stand, when we choose to plant our “feet” firmly on His Truth, becomes our very foundation, being grounded in, protected by, refusing to step out of His Shalom – His Peace. Peace that is said to surpass human reason, understanding and fleshly “sense”.
When doubts assail us, in the form of thoughts that are contrary to His Promise, we must then CHOOSE to STAND firmly on HIS WORD, making it our own. His Word determines our position, and keeps us in that protected place of real Peace. Peace is not simply a lack of conflict mind you, but a settled knowledge of victory despite conflict, winds, storms, waves …. etc....!
Then we are commanded to “TAKE UP the shield of FAITH”.
That shield, is the piece of armor which protects us against “the fiery darts of the evil one”; you know, all those wild thoughts that are constantly bombarding our dreams, visions, progress, etc...thoughts that battle any positivity in our lives … they are quenched, and/or utterly redirected by that Shield! But, again, it must be TAKEN UP, and held over ourselves! We must actually USE it as instructed. Just having it laying around someplace, talking about it, but refusing to BELIEVE, is not going to get us past the onslaught of the enemy's negative storm content.
Then we are instructed to “TAKE the HELMET OF SALVATION...”.
Yeshua Himself, is the protective head gear! We are told that we have full access to operate in “The MIND of THE ANOINTED ONE”! When we are behind THAT perspective there is nothing the enemy can bring that will frighten or disturb us! But, again, WE must decide to operate within those blessed parameters, and not allow the enemy to divert our attention, or pull us out of the place of Wisdom, Information and position of Victory.
These are all Defensive weapons, which protect and defend us against the relentless onslaught of the enemy. The last weapon, and the only actual OFFENSIVE weapon, which we must use to go AFTER our enemy, and cause his retreat and defeat, is The SWORD of The Spirit, which, he says, is THE WORD OF GOD!
If GOD SAID IT, that should settle it for us. Every time Yeshua was challenged by the enemy concerning His position as Messiah, He would answer, “IT IS WRITTEN”. Note that the enemy also used The Word, twisting it to his own purposes. But each time Yeshua came back at him with Scriptural correction, and refused to be moved by the enemy's ploys and tactics.
It is pertinent to note that Yeshua STOOD (having done all to stand, therefore...), where Adam yielded. Because, we are only given two real choices in life – Life or Death, Spirit or Flesh, Wisdom or Foolishness, God's Ideas or ours (which are, by the way, heavily influenced by the enemy of God), Peace or Chaos, Love or Hate.
Please note that all the “choices” following the first listed ARE part of THAT choice. If we do NOT choose LIFE – by GOD's recommendation and instruction – then, by default, we choose death – which is eternal separation from our BREATH, our Creator, and His Ruach, our source of LIFE.
God created us as eternal beings. Therefore we never just “stop being”. When we leave this earthly vessel, we “die” only to this body. But our spirit beings go on “living” someplace. We either spend that eternity in The Divine Presence of our All-Loving, All-Merciful, Awesome Creator God, or we spend it in utter darkness separated from His Light!
I can not imagine, nor do I want to fully conceive, of the concept of a fire that is never extinguished, yet doesn't produce light. Only heat. Ugh. Suffocating, hot, blackness. No thank you! One has to have forsaken all sense and reason to let oneself end up in that torment, which was designed and meant for the enemies of God. The ones guilty of high treason to the High King!
Our mission then, if we choose to accept it, is to defeat that traitor, and teach others to, so that they can avoid that tragic “end”, which actually never ends. We are to bring HIS KINGDOM to this EARTH, and redeem it from its tragic separation from its Creator, by introducing everyone to HIS answer – The Messiah of Israel, also known as, The Christ, or put more plainly into our language, The ANOINTED ONE. Anointed for what? We might ask. He tells us in the records of Luke, the 4th chapter, as He reads the “Torah HafTarah portion from Isaiah 61:1-3 . . .
“The Spirit of the Lord, Yehovah is upon me; because Yehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the year of Yehovah’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.”
Then He commissioned His disciples, which at this point includes all of US who claim to believe that HE is the Messiah, The Anointed One of Israel …
Matthew 10:1 “And he called unto him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness.
Vs. 7-10 “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give. Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; no wallet for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.”
I have to point out a few things. First, HE gave THEM Authority. AND, if I understand correctly, He has also given US that Authority, which is the actual reason for the infilling of The Spirit!
So, not counting the few people who have begun having “Tent Revivals” or outdoor concerts in recent years, or the occasional "outbreak of That Spirit of Anointing", in places like Brownsville, or Asbury College, where is THAT Anointing in HIS many followers today?!!! Why do people run frantically, in a panic, to the systems of man for all their answers? Why do God's people often take the word of a doctor over THE Word of our Living GOD?!!! What is going on here?
I don't know about the rest of y'all, but I have seen sparse, scattered, and inconsistent growth in myself concerning this Anointing business! As far as actually WALKING in it, and getting His RESULTS!!! I have encountered demons on occasion, yet I have never successfully, so far, gotten their victims delivered!
By pointing this out I am not trying to condemn myself. I am simply saying that I have not arrived to the place I think HE wants us to operate spiritually, yet! Even though (and, I am also not trying to toot my own horn when I say this next bit, but it is the actual facts of my life) I have been a student of The WORD since I could READ, and I began reading very early, at age 4.
I accepted Jesus as LORD AND SAVIOR at the age of three, and was leading people TO HIM, by the ages of 4 & 5! I was Baptized in water at the age of eight, because I was convicted in my heart upon hearing a sermon, that this is one way of identifying with Him.
I was teaching Sunday School at the age of 12, testifying in study hall during my junior and senior years of high-school, and finally got filled with His Spirit at the age of 20, because of a divine appointment that God totally set me up for, when I chose where to attend community college!
Even with all of that sincere effort, and His Spirit leading and guiding me, I have still not stepped into the full armor of God, obviously, that is necessary to take out the enemy, and do my part to establish His Kingdom in the earth!
Since being saved, and then filled/empowered with His Spirit, it has been a roller-coaster ride of religious experience in all kinds of “faith” communities. I've been in and out of the many doctrinal persuasions, and denominational expressions of "the faith" (which typically express very little actual Faith, or exhibit little actual "Fruit of The Spirit") – including those who refer to themselves as “non-denominational”!
In general, I am referencing the many forms of religious expressions which tend to become cliques – who call themselves “fellowships”, but, so far, have not measured up to that standard, nor provided that commodity, very often!
In my decades of close, and deeply involved observation, most "churches" in America are ran more like multi-level marketing schemes, with a, “from the top down”, approach, than fellowships of believers, where all are respected, instructed, and where there is Spirit-led Authority and order, but not control.
What I mean by the multi-level marketing comparison, is that accountability rarely goes two ways in these places. The “Leadership” have “Apostles” (the "up-line"), to which they run, for instruction or correction. But as for the "congregations of the people who actually do all the work, "under" the "authority" (or control, as in most cases) of these system-appointed, or self-appointed, "leaders"...decrees are handed down, "from the top", along with rebukes for not keeping those decrees to the “leadership's” satisfaction, if the peons below do not hup to!
But God help any of the mere peons in the “congregation” who would dare to call out a Scriptural error on the part of these leaders! No matter how Scripturally or respectfully the correction was given! The J-label (Jezebel) is immediately stamped on the forehead of that one, the case is closed, and then, those trouble makers (who may have honestly, seriously, actually been only trying to correct an error, so the leaders didn't continue to mislead their flock, and thus incur judgment from God!) get shuffled “outside the camp”, or pushed to the back of the building, or given the left foot of fellowship!
And then, they are THEN labeled “church hoppers”, because they won't settle into ONE of the cliques, put their back into the "work" of keeping he place up, or supporting the leadership's "programs" (or fine cars and houses). Nor will they give up those annoying habits of total honesty, and refusing to check their brains at the door!
OY! As though, "not forsaking the fellowshipping with the saints...", means that it can only happen at the location of THEIR choosing", and with only ONE group of "saints"? Where does it say THAT in The WORD?!
Look y'all. I am an OAK of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and I have NOT been called to be bonsai'ed into some religious pot, for the upkeep and convenience of some self-appointed, hubris driven, discernment challenged, mini-deities – often known as “Pastors”, in The Name of Jesus!
THAT is NOT what Yeshua commissioned us to! And REAL men and women of GOD, who walk in ACTUAL AUTHORITY are not threatened by others who walk in authority! Only those walking in religious control have an issue with Godly Authority in others. Beware of them, and do not subject yourself to that sort of leadership!
Whether or not they have a "title" that has been bestowed upon them by the systems of man! That is NOT what we are called to serve! A degree does NOT guarantee an Anointing! Strongholds can not be educated out of people! This is NOT how this works!!! And the Five-fold ministry gifts were given as gifts of SERVICE to the BODY, for the whole body to operate in, they are NOT titles by which the few should exalt themselves over all others!
We need the ANOINTING of YESHUA. And we must become true Disciples of YESHUA, and a people who study The WORD, and soak in it, and bother to actually OBEY HIS INSTRUCTIONS, and the Commands of His Father in Heaven!
Our mission on earth is not to huddle in our little “church" buildings, awaiting “pie-in-the-sky-in-the-sweet-bye-&-bye”, while desperately clutching our “get out of hell free cards”! Our Mission is what our LORD taught us to PRAY to His Father, to OUR Father – that HIS "KINGDOM COME", and HIS "WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH as it is IN HEAVEN"!
We are the ones being called upon, WE are the ones who've been commissioned, to bring and establish God's will, here! But we can not do it in our fleshly, religious, limited systems. We must, at some point, YIELD to HIS Deity, Listen to HIS instruction, and enact them in our lives!
Not only is "Faith without works", Dead! But Works without faith is slowly killing all of us! It is time we became people of the WORD, got our Armor ON, and went up to war with the stinking enemy (who is dressed as “the world, the flesh and the devil”)!
It is time we become WHO we say we are, BE who we are called to BE, and DO what we were called to DO! It is time to Armor Up Saints! Can I get an Amen somebody!?
Selah …..
SCD
7/31/23-8/5/23
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