Many of you are already aware of the spiritual dangers of the American holiday, Halloween. Others of you are not just yet, and I pray that if you are a believer and obedient follower of Yahusha ha Machiach (Jesus Christ), you will want to know and act upon what you learn. We must be the opposite of those who are ever learning but never coming into the knowledge of the truth (Isaiah 6:9 and 2 Timothy 3:7). Traditions of man can be a snare for us, and this "holiday" ordained by the powers that be as one cloaked in fun and candy is most certainly a snare. Rather than writing out all I have learned over the years, which caused me to completely turn away from any participation in this day, I would rather post a few videos for you to view and hear for yourselves. Many dedicated brothers and sisters have done their homework on this, and as watchmen and women warning the people, they speak truth through history and facts. Again, if you are a believer and true follower of our Beloved Savior, please do not turn from this information. Yahusha Himself spoke over and over as He walked this earth that we would have to make a choice, make sacrifices, crucify our flesh and its desires, and literally carry burdens (our own cross) in order to follow Him. Look at it this way... anything -- any thing -- that goes against what Yahusha taught and did, or any thing that contributed to the sin that killed Him on the tree, should be the very thing from which we turn away, and quickly.
As you listen to these messages about this day and its related activities that are diametrically opposed to the teachings and ways of our Savior, please consider that once you are aware, you must make a choice. This choice really is simple compared to the choices that are coming very soon to those who say they love Yahusha. In the future, and likely the very near future, we will be faced with choices regarding our Beloved and our faith in Him that may result in our harm or even death. The last video below is straight and to the point and does not offer any compassion or patience towards participating in this day. It also includes a very powerful prayer against the forces that govern this day and will inspire you to join in, also helping you to understand the importance of your own prayers against these powers during this time of year. In closing, I will share a personal testimony about this topic. My son and daughter-in-law have come to understand the truth about Halloween and want nothing to do with it (and I praise the Father for this!). I received a call from my daughter-in-law a few days ago and she was "beside herself" over what she had just seen. As she decided to sit down and watch the movie "Hocus Pocus" (a 1993 movie that somewhat geared towards children and is certainly about children), she was amazed and appalled over the things in this movie that were some of the very things she had just heard in the third video posted above. She was able to see for herself that a Hollywood movie actually glorified the repulsive things associated with Halloween-related activities, primarily involving children. She is now actively sharing what she has learned with others. The works of darkness are all around us, and we must come out of it all and have nothing to do with it! And we certainly must protect our children and teach them the truth! As children of the Most High God, we do not love the world or anything in it; therefore, our words, thoughts, and actions must line up accordingly, with no compromise. I pray you are changed by the content of this post. Now is the time. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15 Please note that while the intent of this post is to get your attention (if you're not already aware), it is not in a spirit of judgment or condemnation. We all have to start our learning somewhere, and we will all have to make these choices at one point or another.
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And finally, continue to praise the Father for all His ways, regardless of what is happening to you or how you feel, believing and knowing it will always defeat the enemy, refresh and strengthen you, and bring about His favorable will for you. Pain may endure for the night, but joy always comes in the morning, for He is absolutely and unequivocally faithful!! To read all of Psalm 69 (out loud with faith and boldness), click here. I share this with all of you having recently gone through my own tribulation, and my only hope of enduring was through the Word, Mind, and Strength of Yahusha ha Maschiach -- through prayer and praise -- when honestly there were times I felt I had no strength to do so. I can with all assurance and faith proclaim that He is faithful to be our all in all when we have nothing and no one!! Being aware and prepared for battle has been coming up over and over in the last month or so for me, and maybe for you too? It is obviously a time when we need to be in full-time, intense training for enduring what is to come. We must heed what the Father brings to our attention, for He is preparing us ahead of time. The following content is a post is by a spirit-filled sister from South Africa that I read on a separate forum that I browse from time to time. Honestly, I go to this forum mainly to see what she has posted, although there are many posts from all over the world. Because this post further enhances and enlightens us in preparing for the battle, I wanted to share it here on this blog as somewhat of a continuation from my last post, Armor Up. I know you will be edified by what she shares below: MARCHING ORDERS
Father has in this last 2 – 3 weeks been working in my heart in a new way. The battle is indeed fiercer than ever before and I find myself facing the same giants that I have overcome in a season long ago. It is as if the enemy has come with a new vengeance and has risen from the dead. Only this time, he seems bigger. My Goliath has come again taunting me, blaspheming my God and causing so much heartache all over again. I have noticed this trend in the posts of late where other brothers and sisters find themselves overwhelmed. You are in good company. You are not alone. The battle has grown fiercer for many. However, where the first season of facing the all too familiar giants of your life was fought to reveal to you the things you need to deal with in your heart, pruning you and purifying you, this season, your weakness lies not in character, but in leaning on the arm of the flesh. Leaning on your own understanding of previous experiences. Thinking that you know your enemy, but being caught off guard by thinking you know him. This is bootcamp. This is divinely ordained so that the character He has forged in you may be tested. Your faith is to come out as pure gold, and gold has to be placed in the furnace over and over again. This season will not require the same weapons you used previously. At least not using them in the same way. New weapons of warfare will be given you and new strategy. You do not have to figure it out, you need to wait on your marching orders from your Captain. Much more time is to be spent seeking His face for this strategy. If you look to the natural, it will appear as if nothing is happening. But in the spirit, many warring angels have been assigned to surround you. Do not fear. Do not look at what you can see, but look at what you cannot see. Look with the eyes of faith! Your Red Sea will open when you place your staff of faith and authority in it. Your Jordan will open, once His ark goes before you. Position yourself to hear. Write down what He is saying to you and do it. Now is not the time to be wise in your own eyes. Now is the time to have the mind of a soldier. To obey instantly. To walk circumspectly. Know that your enemy is prowling around like a lion, seeking those whom he can devour. He is always waiting at the door, waiting for the door of sin to open up to him. Like Jesus, you too must have the mindset of “satan has nothing in Me.” everyday there will be puzzle pieces. Every day He will give you your marching orders. Listen! Watch! And be constant in prayer. Do not be disheartened. Yes, it is overwhelming, but you have to realize and know that your God is for you and not against you. Remember, you may be like a small David against your Goliath, coming with 5 small stones. Only one stone is needed and He will show you which one. Goliath is loud, cruel, probably ugly, merciless and tenacious, but you come in the NAME OF THE LORD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB. You do not come to this war as just you. You are coming under His authority, His power, and His strategy. The stone He gives you, cherish it. Study it. Look at it from all angles and then do it! Not by might, not by power but by the Spirit of God. Do not give in to self-pity. The moment you given in to self-pity, you give in to the flesh. Walk in the Spirit. Also make sure that when He calls you aside to rest, you do exactly that. There will be times, where you physically have to rest and just do nothing. Does this seem strange? You have to remind yourself that you still live in an earthly body. He promised wisdom to those who ask Him. Expect wisdom, expect that which you ask of Him. Some of you may experience physical pain. The Spirit is stronger than the physical. Be wise in your decisions, but do not neglect to fight this also in the Spirit. Once again, different weapons for a different season. Listen to what He says and do not be guided by your own understanding. Lastly, this is a season. It will pass. It will not be forever. Comfort yourself with this. Do not be like Peter that looked at the storm, but look to Him. Keep your eyes on the Author and Finisher of your faith. He will not forsake you. My marching orders that may be of help to you in this time, but you have to go hear from Him for you personally: The Lord gave me 3 keys. PRAISE, PROCLAMATION, PRAYER PRAISE AND WORSHIP: We enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts and His courts with praise. Know that this is not just so you can feel all warm and fuzzy, but that Praise and Worship open gates. It opens doors in the spirit and when you immerse yourself in it, you enter into the heavenlies. This is why our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers and wickedness in the air. We make war in the heavenlies. Through Praise and Worship, you ready your heart in faith, as you yourself start focusing on your God, who is the one that will fight your battles for you. You are in Christ with God and are seated in heavenly places with Him. Therefore, position yourself in the Spirit and in your spirit. This opens your spiritual eyes and ears to hear, as you are no longer operating from the earthly, but from out of your spirit. Deep calling unto deep. PROCLAMATION: Proclamation is taking up the Word of God and declaring what God says over your situation. Not you, or the enemy, but God. He has the only say in this. What He says goes. If you can imagine the many epic war movies of the middle ages, you will always see thousands of arrows flying through the air towards the oppositional group. So we are to stand on the wall and proclaim the Word of God. For this you first of all need to understand what you are dealing with, find your “arrows” and start shooting into the camp of the enemy. Be not fooled, your arrow will do nothing to your enemy if the tip of it is not dipped in the poison of God…which is faith. Dip your arrows in faith and shoot straight for the heart! Be relentless every morning in proclaiming the Word of God over your situation. Every time doubt and fear come knocking. Do not give up! PRAYER: Prayer is the actual warfare where you find yourself no longer on the wall, but in the camp of the enemy. You are taking back ground, you are pulling down strongholds, you are chopping of heads! This is the fighting stance where you progressively take the ground He has given you by the authority He has given you. Know your enemy. Know what you are fighting and do not beat in the air at nothing. Be specific and aim to kill. Be angry. You cannot pray Jesus loves me prayers in war…you have to have a war cry. Your enemy is ruthless with you. His one aim is destroy you. Make sure you have no habitual sin and anything that he can use against you. Put on your armor more than once a day. Many let their shield of faith fall during the day. Some take off their shoes of peace (forgiveness), others allow their thoughts to roam around like unruly children. You have to be vigilant and you have to be obedient. Be guided by the Spirit in your prayers. Do not swing your sword like a mad person. Be precise, be focused and allow the Spirit to guide you in your prayer. Do not dismiss what He shows you. Have the right mindset when you warfare. The enemy must know you mean business. He must know that you come in the Name of the Lord. I end this with a word I received 5:00 this morning. My child, this war you find yourself in…find it not strange. Have I not said that you are at war? You can either lean on the arm of the flesh or the arm of the Lord. You choose. For though it seems unbearable, My love and guidance will not leave you. Though I seem far, I am near. Closer than your hand. I am with you to guide you with My eye upon you. If you come to Me, I will give you strategy. I will reveal to you the enemy’s plans. I will expose his schemes for your life. Though it seems he is advancing, do not forget that I work all things for good for those who love Me and are called by My Name. The furnace hotter, but My presence closer. I am in your midst. Know that you will come out of this. For this is but a season. What seems like the enemy is only those whom I have allowed. Does this seem cruel now that you have dealt with these things before? Does it seem relentless now that you have to deal with this again? Know that your enemy is cruel and relentless. Therefore, I require you to stand having done all. Listen to My guidance in this season. Listen to My voice telling you which way to go. Do not lean on your own understanding. What used to help you, will not help you now. New war, new weapons, new strategy. I will never fail you. Do not fear. With every temptation I will make a way of escape. I will indeed make a way where there seems to be no way. Whose report will you believe? Though it seems impossible, nothing is impossible for Me! So therefore, gird up your loins! Gird up your strength in Me and know that I fight for you. Even though it seems as if I am far, know that this season is a season I ordained to teach you to war. New level, new strategy, new authority, new weapons. See, I am indeed doing a new thing. Can you hear them? The horses? They are coming. Are you ready? This is not a time to lie down. This is a time to focus. This is a time to set your face like a flint. This is a time of war. Acknowledge your weakness before Me, so that I may be your strength. Childlike trust but with the mind of a soldier. Do not lean on your own understanding. Spend much time in My presence. As My Son drew near to Me in His darkest hour, know that the hour is dark. Draw near. I will never fail you. It is time to gird up your loins and face the giants. It is time for war! Scripture References: Isaiah 42: Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. 5 Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: 6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. 8 I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. 9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. 10 Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. 11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. 12 Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands. 13 The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. 14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. 15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. 16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. 17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods. 18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. 19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant? 20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. 21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. 22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. 23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come? 24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. 25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart. In all my lifetime, I have never seen a time as now when our use of the armor of Yahuah is more critical, necessary, and important in our journey down the narrow path to the Kingdom. We are faced with principalities in high places blatantly attempting to take control in broad daylight - they are no longer hiding! They are frantically going about their evil, because they simply have very little time left! Thinking through this, I am reminded of something I read in the commentary section of my new KJV study bible... "The spiritual battle we are engaged in exists from now on until our beloved Savior returns. There is no quarter end, no cease fire, no temporary truce, and no cessation of hostilities. From now on until the end, there is all-out war." This is so true, but do we really get it? I know that there was a time when I had no idea of what was taking place in the spiritual realm, and now, that type of ignorance can result in some serious trouble. I feel an urgency in my spirit to fully grasp this and be equipped to handle it. Are you a fighter, or would you consider yourself a warrior in life? As for me, absolutely not. I have always been a peacemaker, avoiding the fight whenever possible. In the last few years, the Father has brought this to my attention and has been teaching me that this personality trait may be admirable in life (and we know He loves a peacemaker - Matthew 5:9); however, this is not an option in the spiritual realm. The battle there is ongoing and is of a magnitude that only the scripture can make known to us.. This battle has nothing to do with people (although it sure feels like it sometimes), but involves high-level principalities that are so bad that our gracious Father has holy angels protecting us before we even ask! These entities are so wicked and grotesque that seeing them would strike us down in fear, thus our loving Father has kept them completely invisible to us. The Word is clear to us about this, but sometimes we just forget... you know, out of sight out of mind. Read the scripture below slowly and ponder it for a few minutes before moving on: 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. Ephesians 6:12 I recently had to do some deep spiritual introspection as I continue to try to overcome a level of grief I've never experienced, and in the midst of this, the enemy came in with ultra force (you know, he loves to kick us with a pointed steel-toe boot when we're down). It is in these times that we can get so down that we will begin to listen to his voice and believe his lies. He barges into the open door of trauma and grief and attempts to corrupt our foundation to the point that his lies become believable, which of course then manifests further into our already-fragile emotions. This is the trouble I referred to earlier -- this is a very vulnerable place to be. This is that time when we must rise up and fight, even when we feel we have no strength, remembering that Yahusha is IN us, and we have His mind, His strength, and His Spirit! We literally will win through Him, by Him, and ultimately for His name's sake! He will never leave us nor forsake us, and He will always be victorious over the enemy as our strong tower. But we have to choose to rise up first through Him and equip ourselves in Hiim to fully win the battle! We equip ourselves with His armor that He shares with us, and He tells us to TAKE it! Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1 Peter 1:13 I mentioned how the enemy can try to corrupt our foundation when we are down, and this is a key point. When the enemy's voice becomes easier to hear and receive than the promises of the Father, then we know our foundation is compromised -- in other words, we must immediately feed ourselves more with the voice of the Holy Spirit through the truth of the Word, which is almighty and all powerful in Yahusha!. This will strengthen our foundation again and equip us to fight in faith! It's simply having the faith to rise up, put on our armor, and battle in His strength. On that note, I think it is important to bring out a few points about the armor that jumped out at me earlier this year when I did a Zoom study on this subject. It helped me to understand the magnitude of the gift of the armor! The armor belongs to the Father, thus the "armor of God", and He has given it to us as a tool to fight, thus it is a gift! But just as we take action to open a gift in life, we have to take action with this gift as well! In Ephesians 6:10-11, 13-18, we are told to act multiple times, mainly by TAKING and STANDING, and finally with PRAYING and WATCHING. In looking at these scriptures below, pay attention to the words in all caps:
In this end time in which we have been appointed to live, and as children of the Most High God, we have no choice but to become professional warriors, both proactive and reactive, knowing our enemy's tactics to the point that we zap him in the spirit before he has any chance to steal, kill, or destroy. As for me, this is only possible through the mind, strength, and armor of Yahuah through Yahusha in me! I will lose the battle if my faith is weakened to the point I don't act; that's the simple truth. This post is meant to be a reminder for us all as well as an encouragement. There are so many promises and tools and gifts given to us that will give us a victorious walk, but I would say that many of us tend to forget sometimes. And when we forget, we usually have to go through an experience to be reminded. I am hopeful that this will help in our remembrance specifically with regard to the incredible gift of the armor of our God and Father! In closing, I would like to share the powerpoint on the subject from the Zoom study I mentioned above. I think this will further encourage you in your journey towards the Kingdom with the Word and with visuals that highlight the power of this tool that we have been given by the Love of our Souls! He desperately wants us to win this battle, and He will always equip us with all we need... fully, completely, and faithfully every single time! Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10 Enjoy the powerpoint PDF by clicking on the image below:
Have you recently been in a wilderness, or are you like me at this time, sitting right in the middle of one? When you enter the wilderness where you are running dry, running empty, running cold, or just standing still at a huge roadblock, remember that the merciful and gracious Heavenly Father has you here by His love. Without the wilderness, we cannot learn to wait and to trust and to truly crucify the flesh. In His deep love for us, He will likely put us in this place facing obstacles or roadblocks that are related to areas of weakness or even areas where we have not fully surrendered. As much as the wilderness can be painful and seem that it drags on so long, we must will ourselves to embrace it and know that this is a signature move of the Father to further conform us into the image of His Son and to prepare us to be a pure Bride ready for a heavenly kingdom. This is worthy of our submission as well as our praise and thanksgiving! Let us remember our Israelite brothers and sisters from ancient times who were sent immediately into the wilderness upon becoming saved from the bondage of Egypt, all in the Father's will to "to humble them, and to prove them to know what was in their hearts, whether they would keep His commandments..." (Deut 8:2). Let's remember their mistakes... They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. Psalm 106:13-14 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: but murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord. Psalm 106:24-25 Let's remember their mistakes... which in turn show us what to do during these trying times, which will reciprocate our love back to the Father: 1. Remember all the mighty works of the Father in your life and speak forth these things... meditating on the way He has never, ever left you nor forsaken you and has always remained with you to strengthen you and see you through. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. Psalm 77:12 I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. Psalm 9:1 2. Wait for His direction and counsel... wait upon Him that you will know His perfect will and walk in it, receiving all that He has for you through your trusting in Him in patience. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. Psalm 130:5 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 3. Ensure that you are not "lusting" for anything as you wait... paying attention to what consumes your mind and what you are asking for. Redirect your mind to trust Him to provide what you need or want in His way and time. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 4. Speak forth thanksgiving, praise, and expectation of His goodness through prayer... refraining from doubting, murmuring, or complaining, fully trusting in contentment that He knows what He is doing in your situation. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:11-13 5. Obey His Word and His voice during the wait and when He finally gives direction.. fully bringing the fruit of the wilderness love lesson into maturity. Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land... Isaiah 1:19 Just like suffering, the wilderness is an integral part of the journey to being made ready... being made ready for ministry for others' sakes, increasing our own faith, standing in the midst of the tribulation of the last days, and to ultimately be in the fullness of our calling... the Bride of Yahusha. When you recognize that you have entered into your wilderness, fill yourself up with the Word, think upon only things of hope and love, surround yourself with encouraging brothers and sisters who will hold you accountable, and pray constantly for the amazing patience and endurance of Yahusha. If you slip up in weakness, confess it and try again. If we seek His strength and His resurrection power in faith, He will hear us, answer us, and supply all our needs to enable us to victoriously reach the other side! And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1 John 5:14-15 As I wrote this out a few days ago after reading Psalm 106 and seeing the mistakes of the ancient Israelites, I realized I have made some of these very same ones. In essence, the words from verse 24 rang true and brought about a contrite heart within me... they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word. It is my greatest desire within my heart to believe every single word He speaks and to so love His promised outcomes for those who obey Him, to the point that I am not a forgetful hearer and that I consistently put His words into action, especially when the going gets tough! This is really the end goal!
I pray that this post has triggered your own meditation as well as encouraged you to know you are not alone and that He will equip us to survive the wilderness and reach our place where milk and honey are flowing freely in our lives! Oh how He loves us, and therefore, He takes us to the wilderness alone with only Him that we may fully trust Him, live and have our being through Him, and to know the power of His love through experience!! And because of this, we praise Him and thank Him for the love within the wilderness! The title of this post comes from a question I've been asking myself a lot lately, which has prompted me to give it some focus. It is obviously something the Spirit has put on my heart, and as I study further, I can see why. I have always been a person who is hard on myself, and thus at times, I have allowed myself to feel guilty about things that maybe I shouldn't. I think many of us are like this to an extent - some more extreme than others. If you also battle this, especially in your spiritual life, it can be like torture. Just saying that confirms that guilt is not of our Father, because it involves fear and torment. He is all about perfect love, and His correction will bring conviction and remorse meet for repentance and never condemnation and guilt. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18 As I was reading the related scriptures and meditating on this, I realized that it is mentioned many times that we are to have a good conscience before the Father. This means we go to Him with no guilt - a redeemed conscience - solely because of what was accomplished by His Son on the tree. Take a look at some of the scriptures: Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and [toward] men. Acts 24:16 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck... 1 Timothy 1:19 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:14 (regarding the conduct of deacons in the assembly)... holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 1 TImothy 3:9 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ... 1 Peter 3:21 As I thought more about it, it made me think about how many times I go before the gracious Father with a guilty conscience, sometimes about things of my past or something I have recently done wrong. The guilt seems to grip me in the gut sometimes, and it makes it difficult to go to the Father in peace. This is bad fruit and is not the fruit of pure faith in the finished work of my Savior, Yahusha ha Maschiach (Jesus Christ). I'm just being completely transparent here. I know it must pain the Father greatly when I go to speak to Him and be in His presence, and He cannot commune with me, because I am not coming in faith in what His Son has completed... in other words, I have come to Him with a guilty conscience! Without faith, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6)... This is something I am realizing and want to change, and therefore, I know He will accomplish it in me. Based on our childhoods, our experiences, and especially our traumas and trials, we can develop deep-rooted thought processes that take hold and affect everything we believe. It's like a root that is so deeply embedded in us that it has the power to choke out the fullness of the truth of the Word, which we know to be the very breath and power of the Father. In essence, it makes the lies easier to believe lies of negativity and hopelessness than the truth of forgiveness and peace!! Only the Word -- studied, understood, believed, and written on our hearts -- can grab hold of that root and rip it out and burn it up! Bottom line is that there has to be more Word in us and less stuff of the flesh! I am finding that reading out what I call "Confession Scriptures" is helping with this! (I basically have identified the areas where I am weak or need more faith, and I created a list of scriptures for each of the areas. I have them bound together and then then try to read them, alternating daily.) As I spent time focusing on this subject, I reminded myself of the depth and everlasting compassion of the Father upon those who have been purchased by the blood of His Son. With all of the promises He has given to us in this regard, we should never doubt and never have guilt!! (And when I say "no guilt", I am not saying "no conviction". Conviction is necessary for a broken and contrite heart that leads to repentance, but once we have truly confessed our sin and repented, then there should be no remembrance or guilt!) The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. Psalm 145:8-9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14-15 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ... Philippians 1:6 Psalm 136 Just a few days ago, a live video by one of my favorite teachers popped up entitled, The Witness of the Spirit. It was phenomenal, and guess what about? It was all about carrying guilt as well as how we are to have a good conscience in faith! It was like a perfect little present full of everything I needed to hear in all the scriptures as well as very applicable quotes from godly men. I have included the video below for any of you who struggle with having a good conscience before the Father consistently. It is worth hearing this well-rounded teaching of truth more than once and studying it out. And finally, as I was focusing on something completely different a few nights ago, I came across another scripture that even further solidified this issue and got me thinking again... For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. Hebrews 10:1-2 As this is referring to the atonement of sin under the law, it is solidifying that if it had been sufficient to fully eradicate sin, they would have had no more conscience of sin! As I pondered this, a very profound thought came to my mind. I've actually had this little "revelation" before, but this time it was even more piercing! Once we believe Yahusha has purged, cleansed, and forgiven our sins through His perfect blood sacrifice shed on the tree and then placed upon the heavenly altar, then we should have NO MORE conscience of sins! To keep the sins in our conscience is to believe more in their power (which will only bring GUILT) than in the power of the fully finished work of Yahusha (which will always bring REDEMPTION and PEACE)! It really is that simple!! Oh the simplicity of the gospel of truth! I pray that as I share my struggles with you that it encourages you in some way. In these last days, we cannot afford to waste any time with doubt and guilt (unbelief really is a great sin!). I know I am not alone in battling this, and I also know that I will not be alone in having the victory! Every day that goes by I am getting closer and closer to mastering my faith weaknesses where I can truly rest in the fullness of the love of and mercy of Yahusha! And within this secret place of rest with the Father, I fully know in confidence that I am redeemed and that all of the work being done in me, as I truly hunger and thirst for His righteousness, will be completed! As I picture this place, it is like floating on a cloud... so light and free! Oh how I love Him and want to enter into His rest, and anything short of this is not His will for us! As mentioned above, below is the video teaching The Witness of the Spirit. I pray it will be a blessing to you as it has been for me! |
Special NoteThese writings are written in love and a spirit of servitude. They are not designed to judge but make us think. We are all sinners in need of saving, and we all need encouragement and absolute truth to endure on the narrow road to sanctification and ultimately eternal life. Categories
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