Articles

Deliverance From Unbelief

Taking on the mind of Christ requires us to go thru many tribulations to purge out the innate habit and patterns of being carnal in a marred vessel of clay. This is the process of how, in the appointed times of the Lord, each man ever born will be remade into the new man.

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Those that walk in faith, stand on the Scriptures which are the word of God, knowing that they alone are life and are the comfort for God’s Elect.

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

The Scriptures are all words of Spirit that are spiritual life to those who can hear them with (God given) ears to hear and eyes to see.  To the carnal mind, the words of Scripture are always applied outwardly and taken as a history lesson to learn from versus the living words that we must in our appointed times live out.

Luk 4:4  And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Psa 139:16 but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed. Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do. (CEV)

True bread from heaven is the word of God but that bread in its entirety is every word of God.  We shall live by all of them in due time.  That includes living out those words and the righteous judgments of God against us.  It is His Word that shall judge us in “the last day” ordained for each us, the day our carnal mind will begin to be destroyed and we will be given the mind of Christ.  We all first reject Christ before we are given to receive His word and when we do then our judgment will begin.

Joh 12:48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

If we are so blessed and given mercy, we will have that experience right here and right now in this age.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: (THE ELECT) and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  (They will be judged in the lake of fire in the ages to come)

The people of God are the only ones given to partake of communion with Christ.  This takes place by our fellowship with Christ and by sharing the one event that comes alike to all men (ECC 9:2) in due time which is living by every word.  This is the true ONE bread from heaven.

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

1Co 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

 Battling Lies, False Doctrines and Carnal Thoughts

As we grow in the faith, we still have much to learn, much to overcome and that includes being delivered of all the lies and false doctrines we first learn in Egypt (the world) and then Babylon (the harlot churches of men).  Like Mary Magdalene, we all must be delivered of seven (the perfect number) of demons that ensnare us in bondage.  That actual number is unfathomable to us, we have no idea how deceived we are and what strong delusion means when we are the blind one spiritually.  But here is a number we are given on just how prevalent are the lies and false doctrines of the carnal mind.  This is how many horseman we battle in our spiritual warfare.

Rev 9:16  And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

But make no mistake the process of learning the truth and growing in the true faith requires us to be in the house of God (the Body of Christ) but also for us to live thru many prophecies of getting evil spirits cast out of our spiritual houses.   So I hope this post inspires some of you and helps you understand the battle in our heavens and that we war not with flesh and blood.

Eph 6:12 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 (i.e. LIES) in high places (heaven).

So this is the battleground and where war in heaven takes place.  Our carnal mind is purposefully set at enmity with the things of God and must be destroyed for Christ to grow in us and our old man to decrease.  We need deliverance and that only comes from Zion (the Body) who speak the words of fire that destroy the old man Esau within all of us.  This prophecy is both today and is yet future as the word of God, IS, WAS and WILL BE.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

…. and remember where the kingdom of God is and where all this takes place.

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:  (you don’t see it with your physical senses)

Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Spirits Are Doctrines

Spirits are doctrines, they are lies, untruths that make their way into our inner heaven and earth and greatly influence our walk with the Lord.  These are what must be cast out of us for true deliverance to come.

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits (test the doctrines) whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Lies and false doctrines are the plagues of the Egypt (the world) and will keep us in spiritual darkness and separated from the light of this life which is Christ, the Lord and His Body.  If we ever needed a reminder on why obedience is so important (not to avoid eternal punishment) here are some good verses that we should never forget.

Exo 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases (false doctrines, lying spirits) upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit (LIES), and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. (false doctrines that fly in our heavens and deceive us)
Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (Babylon’s false doctrines)

And we all first are sick and need a physician but even then we will think are not in need or repentance and turning away from the world and the harlot churches of men.  At this point in our walk, Christ has not yet appeared to us as He only comes to those who know they need repentance, not the 99 who don’t need it.  Christ comes and appears only to those He has shown are in dire need of a spiritual physician.

Luk 5:31  And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

Luk 5:32  I came not to call the (self) righteous (i.e the 99), but sinners to repentance.

We all will drink of these lies (wine) and commit fornication, mixing the things of God with the things of the world.  So God’s people don’t go accusing those the Lord Himself has ensnared in Babylon to spend their appointed time waiting for their yet future judgment.

Jer 29:4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;

In due time, the Lord will bring us out but it has nothing to do with our free will.

Jer 29:10  For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Babylonian Deliverance Ministries

I got involved in the deceptive ministry of casting out evil spirits in the outward spoken name of Jesus for several years in my past strong delusion.  I for sure thought I was doing right and serving God. I would have sworn there were actual deliverance’s, outward miracles happening before my very eyes. But that is exactly what they were because these too are words we must all live by every one in due time.

Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

Those that dwell on the earth certainly applies outwardly in the physical and includes all men, but it also means those that are yet carnal.  Unless and until we are seated in the heavens with Christ we are dwelling on the earth and cannot receive the things of the Spirit.

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heaven in Christ Jesus (in the Body of Christ)

Rev 11:12  And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; (of witnesses, i.e. The Body) and their enemies beheld them.

But as it turned out, it had simply not been given to me yet to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.  Until that times comes, none of us will have a clue despite what we or others may think or say about ourselves.  The ability to hear and understand the WORD is indeed a gift that comes with our measure of faith.

Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

And as has been said many times, the Lord is not now calling the entire world and revealing Himself to them. He is revealing Himself only to the chosen few, which is fewer than we can possibly imagine at first.

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

In the Name of Jesus

When I was involved in this outward carnal deception,  it was very important to follow a bunch of rules and memorize certain techniques to be succesful and cast the demons out.  One very important method was to always start by saying “in the name of Jesus”….  In the name of Jesus which is how we are to pray does not mean simply speaking outwardly in the physical.   When we are in Babylon, we believe that merely saying “in the name of Jesus” is the requirement and magical words like abracadabra that has our “other jesus in a genie bottle” to answer our prayers or requests.  Like all Scripture, all the words are Spirit and they are spiritual life.  Doing things like praying and casting out demons are to be done in the name of Jesus, but that means with the true doctrines and us living thru the righteous judgment of God against our carnal mind.  This is the fire that sanctifies us which is the will of God.  This is how the house of the Lord is cleansed in the appointed times.  And this is a wonderful promise when are given to know the truth and given the faith and the grace to obey the Lord.

Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

of course the very next verse adds an important aspect of doing things “in my name”.

Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Doing things in the name of Jesus is being a doer of the word!  Lest we missed it, this message has many witnesses and here is another one that thru the sum of thy word tell us what praying and fasting is speaking about.

1Jn 3:22  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Doing this, obeying Him, is asking in His name and becoming a doer of the word.  It is living and abiding in the truth and working out our salvation with fear and trembling, know the Lord really is the Lord of heaven and the earth.

To be a doer of the word we must be given the faith and ability to take captive the lies, carnal thoughts and false beliefs that oppose themselves against the truth.  This really is UNBELIEF that must be overcome.  We must be given faith to believe the Scriptures, ALL OF THEM, and taught to apply the SUM OF GODs word as the truth, not some of it.

2Co 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

2Co 10:4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

At first and for a very long time, we will mix the word of God up with the philosophies and traditions of the world, and consider ourselves spiritual and calling such beliefs godly wisdom.  But there can be no mixture as just a little leaven, leavens the whole loaf of bread and perverts the truth into lies.   But this is really a sign of our immaturity and a lack of faith that we must be given to grow beyond.  Until we are given to do this by the Lord, we will not progress and will be a victim as Paul writes here.

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (His word, the pure doctrines, His Body)

There is absolutely NO LIE in the truth.  So even a little worldly logic mixed with the ways of the Lord is a lie and that takes time for us to grow and to really appreciate that if we are one of God’s Elect.

1Jn 2:21  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Learning not to even think above what is written, is what is required of us to dispel the bad habits of applying worldly logic to our life and situations.

1Co 4:6  And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

It takes faith to walk by the Scriptures and not to lean on our carnal reasonings.  This can only be given to us by the Lord and then it is thru the subsequent trials that our faith is tried and grows and little by little the false beliefs and trusting in the world’s ways is purged from the kingdom of God within our heavens and earth.

Idols of Our Hearts

The way the Lord keeps us in bondage and blind to the truth is thru the lying signs and wonders mentioned above.  This is accomplished in us thru the use of idols of our heart that we all have and are used (given) us by God to accomplish His work in us as the Master Potter.  When I was involved in the lies of speaking to demon spirits and casting them out of people in the name of Jesus said outwardly, I was simply turned over to the idols of my own heart.  The Lord does this to all of us and for some it might be deliverance ministries, for others, tongue speaking, still others are turned into holy rollers and fault finders that go around accusing everyone of sin.  All of this is the Lord’s work in us and it is simply fulfilling these verses and keeping us in outer darkness awaiting our time of judgment.

Eze 14:1  Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.

Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

Eze 14:5  That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

Notice it is “all” who are estranged.  There is indeed none that does good, no one not even one…. despite what those that want to argue flesh and blood was made perfect from the start and believe the lie of the fall of mankind and will continue to argue that man in the marred vessel of clay is not a  virtual sinning machine in their self-righteous delusion.

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (SIN)

1Co 15:42  So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption (not perfection); it is raised in incorruption:

1Co 15:43  It is sown in dishonour (not good) ; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

No man is exempt for being estranged from God thru their idols.  And yes in the end it will be that ALL ISRAEL that shall be saved and all men (mankind) will indeed live by every word God has spoken.  This only awaits the timing ordained of the Lord who has declared the end from the very beginning.  Here is some good news in the end.  It won’t seem that way to those still bound to Babylon doctrines, but the Lord will eventually destroy that false prophet that all of us must first be.

Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

You see this is the first part of our witness for Christ.  We are all first a false prophet being carnal, speaking lies and ultimately the beast within us all will rise up and destroy that witness.

Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

But is does not end there.  If we are Christ, members of His Body, of the chosen few, there will be a resurrection in this age. And this is when our faith, the real kind given to us by God, will begin to be tested with fiery trials.

Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

I like all men will suffer periods of unbelief and will revert back to relying on my carnal minds, leaning on my own understanding and this is a recipe for disaster and falling off the narrow path that God’s Elect will learn in due time to walk.

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (i.e our carnal mind and thoughts and the wisdom of this world we all first learn)

Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Anyone believing even a little bit that man has any free will and is “a free moral agent” is leaning on their OWN UNDERSTANDING and acting in UNBELIEF, totally outside of the faith OF (not in) Jesus Christ.  Here is a link to a  a few of my articles which are chock full of Scriptures (not human reasoning) and that show those with eyes to see the truth.

who-is-responsible-for-evil

gods-sovereignty-vs-mans-free-will

A Lord that is hoping and depending upon any man to do something by making a free moral agency decision, is indeed a false God and another jesus we are warned about.

2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

And here is the truth of the Lord of heaven and the earth.  Amazing how dismissive the carnal minds can be to clear Scripture such as this.  Our very being is in Christ, the good the bad and the ugly.  The first man of sin and the second man born from above.  He is indeed the POTTER and we the clay but few really believe or even know what that truly means.

Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; (HE IS THE POTTER)  as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

THIS WAR OF DOCTRINES/ THOUGHTS BRINGS SALVATION

When we are given eyes to see and ears to hear, then this war in our heaven begins.  This is when the angels of the Lord, His Elect, all speaking the words of fire make war in our mind.  This is how the lies are cast out of us and the dragon who is our father the devil of the carnal mind.  And as we are shown, now is come salvation when this accuser, the one who accuses everyone under the delusion of free will is cast out of our thought life.  This is how and when we enter into the true Sabbath rest that is Christ.

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels (lying spirits/demons) were cast out with him.

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

And this is how we move on to maturity and finish the race and overcome the dragon and the pulls of the flesh and the carnal mind.  It is an ongoing process that takes abiding in the fire that is His word which is found in the Body of Christ, in communion and fellowship with “Christ” who is the Elect.  It is this dying daily and suffering that has been appointed for God’s Elect that is how we overcome.

Rev 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Let me end this post with a rendering of a well known story from Mark 9 about a demon that is cast out by Christ.  These are most definitely words of Scripture every man will live by.  I hope it ties together this post and will help your unbelief which we all need help many times in order to overcome and endure to the end, doing battle in the heavens.

Mar 9:14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.

Mar 9:15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.

Mar 9:16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?

Mar 9:17  And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

Being dumb and deaf means we are spiritually incapable of speaking or hearing God’s truths.  Being blind and all those stories refer to our physical blindness and believing the lies of Babylon and having all of them blot out the true light and true doctrines that is Christ.  Only Christ coming to us and speaking His word will remove any of those spiritual illnesses.

When we are a babe in Christ (my son) we are still carnal and have dumb, deaf and blind spirits that need to be cast out of us and this requires the process that brings salvation and abiding in the fire of His word.

Mar 9:18  And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

All the disciples were still not converted, and they themselves were blind, deaf and dumb to the mysteries of the kingdom of God.  They did not understand at that time which is clearly shown us in the Scriptures.

Luk 18:34  And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

So they could not cast out this dumb spirit from this young man (aka babe in Christ).  Spiritually speaking, neither can we until we ourselves are converted and matured in the faith.

Mar 9:19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

We don’t have real faith at this point in our walk pre conversion.  We still hold to the lies like free will and we need the intervention of Christ to help us believe and grow in the true faith.

Mar 9:20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

We know this spirit was one of a lunatic or what would be considered a mental illness.  But spiritually speaking this is referring to the spiritual illnesses we all have when we first come out of the harlot churches of men. These lies that we believe in our heavens, tear us spiritually, they keep us on the earth wallowing around in the ways of the world and unable to speak the truth and feed the sheep and lambs of God.

Mar 9:21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

Mar 9:22 And oft times it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

The lies and false doctrines all to some extent use the word of God deceitfully (fire and water) to destroy the new man in us and keep us from moving on and growing in the faith.  These are the lying signs and wonders that deceive us and keep our old man and beast nature solidly sitting on God’s throne in the temple of God in our heart which is where the kingdom of God is.  But when we come into the presence of the real Christ and hear the real word, the true doctrines, the demon is fixing to get cast out of the temple of God which temple we are.  If only we could believe the Scriptures and have the faith that is given to us.

Mar 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Mar 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

All of us must have our unbelief helped.  It takes many tribulations and trials for us to come to trust the Scriptures and not follow the physical senses and the logic of a dark and deceived world.  We have to fall down and get back up many times to learn or should I say unlearn these lies before they will leave us never to return.

Mar 9:25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

Mar 9:26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

The old man must die.  The beast within must be destroyed.  And this is accomplished in us and in the kingdom of God within, when we hear the words and true doctrines of Christ.  This is the “last” days of our carnal age and begins the process of judgment that will deliver us of all such lies.

Mar 9:27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

And once healed, Christ (His Body) must pick us up and this is how we are resurrected in down payment form today from the spiritual dead and separated from the world and those not in the true faith.

Mar 9:28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

The disciples later in the house of God asked the Lord why they could not cast out this demon.   The answer is very telling and requires its own study to explain in full.

Mar 9:29And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Some evil spirits will come out easily and some will take time, a process.  That is what Jesus was telling us in this parable story.  The lie of eternal torment for example can easily come out if one is prepared with ears to hear and shown by an angel of the Lord the hundreds of Scriptures that show this.  Yet some aspect of UNBELIEF take longer to get cleansed from our heavens.  The deep rooted lies of Babylon and carnal logic is ingrained into the deepest part of our heart and minds.  It takes time for the light that is the word of God to shine into all the areas of darkness  It is a process of God remaking us all, He is the creator of the darkness and the light and in that order.

Luk 12:2  For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

That is why we must pray fervently and fast.  Praying means much more than outward prayer, it really comes down to being a doer of the word, and like our Father always be working.  Christ taught us to pray, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, ON EARTH (our body, our walk)  as it is already in HEAVEN (our minds).  It is one thing to know the truth, it is quite another to actually DO IT.

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come (within us). Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

True fasting has nothing to do with denying physical food to our bodies.  That is just another form of outward self-righteousness that the Lord uses and makes into idols of the hearts of some people.  True fasting has to do with resisting evil and abstaining from the pulls and engagement in the affairs of this world and its lusts and being sure to eat unleavened spiritual bread, abstaining from the lies of the great whore.

It is thru TRUE prayer and fasting; that  our unbelief is helped and the demons come out of us and the temple of God within is filled with the light of Christ.  This is the war that rages in heaven that begins when the new man is given birth within us which comes in the appointed times known only to God.   This is the process of how we are sanctified and how are faith will grown thereby with time and we will mature thru many trials and many stumbling’s.

Do Not Compare

We must remember not to compare ourselves or look down upon others who have more or less faith than we do.  We all are exactly where we are supposed to be, being mere clay in the Potter’s hands.  Faith is a gift from God that no man can boast.

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.    (It’s all a gift)

When we criticize others, that is UNBELIEF, we are denying the sovereignty of God in all things and we best get beyond that and learn to take those lying thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.  There is nothing any man has received that was not given to them by God.

2Co 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
2Co 10:13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

Doing such things is very unwise and is not of faith and is us being yet carnal, warring after the flesh.  Of course we all will do it, we have to do it wrong and disobey the Lord in order to learn righteousness the hard way, by going thru judgment.  I have battled this carnal habit of comparing myself and measuring myself with others and it has been a raging war within.  But thankfully thru the fiery trials the Lord has sent my way, I am getting the victory.  Christ is increasing and the old man Pete is decreasing and in that I rejoice.  If we stumble, and we will at times and for seasons, we need to get right back up.  This is the battle, this is the process of how we move on to maturity and it is worth repeating it here again.

2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

Getting rid of the evil spirits is a process of deliverance that is necessary to clear our temples of the lies and false doctrines that keep us in bondage to our lusts and from growing in the faith.  The lies cannot abide when the light that is Christ and His doctrines shines upon it.  The demons always leave and this is how we progress and move on to maturity.

If you have questions or sincere comments, please make them here or email me privately at peterjwilson56@gmail.com.

 

Articles

Observing Days, Times and Years

The keeping of days and years is a gigantic custom and tradition of the world.  It is only by looking behind ourselves once we have come out of day keeping that we can truly appreciate just how wide and deep is that bondage that has captured the whole world.  We start out in bondage but are delivered as we mature in the faith.

Gal 4:3 Even so, we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 

The Lord made all things, even the lights and celestial objects in the physical heavens for the purposes cited early on in Genesis.

Gen 1:14  And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 

Yet the keeping of days, times and seasons is for the world.  The world’s [spiritual Gentiles] attraction of day and timekeeping was given to them to worship awaiting the appearance of Christ to them.

Deu 4:19  NLT And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the forces of heaven—don’t be seduced into worshiping them. The LORD your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth. 

The little flock that is the Israel of God is commanded to not partake of these days and worship any of the world’s gods which include days, months, times and seasons.

Deu 7:5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

Exo 23:32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.

Exo 23:33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

The Lord changes not and His commandments include our separation from all the things the world loves as the Lord is separating a people unto Himself.

Jas 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you

It is seemingly little matters like keeping of days that truly separate the people of God from those still in the world.  Paul rebukes the Galatians sharply for their acceptance of false gospels and their broadening of the narrow way commanded.

Gal 4:8  Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 

Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 

Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 

Gal 4:11  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. 

As ambassadors for Christ, we are strangers in a foreign land.  Yet ambassadors cannot do their job if they become entangled in the affairs of the land they have been sent to minister.   We are not winning people to Christ by partaking of the world’s traditions and customs.

2Ti 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Anyone keeping days, months, times and years is either 1) not in the faith and of the world or 2) they are weak in the faith and need time and admonitions to grow and mature.  The absolute sovereignty of God is solid established doctrine so we know everyone is exactly where the Lord has placed them so we are not to condemn anyone for their disobedience in this regard or any work of the Lord.  We all have kept days, months, times and seasons and it is only by the mercy we received that we are able to now correct others in mercy, patience, and long-suffering.

Days, Months, Times and Seasons are Everywhere

Partaking of worldly times keeps us focused on the world and our hearts and minds, not on the treasures in heaven and the cross that we are now carrying daily to our death with Christ.

Luk 9:22  Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Consider just how vast the designation of special days has become in the world today.

Religious holy days:  Nothing holy about any of them be they Christian, Jewish, Muslim or otherwise.  They all represent flesh and not those called of the true living God.

Patriotic Days:  Each country has its own growing set of days.  Shunning them will make people hate you instantly and speak all manner of evil about you.

Special Days: Men and clever marketers have invented numerous days to honor and bring recognition to certain people, groups of people, roles and sexes. This list is endless …Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s day, Arbor Day, Flag day,  Earth Day, Ground Hog Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Civil Rights Day, Emancipation Day, National Day of Prayer,  Grandparents Day, Boss’s Day, ….. with no end ….

Birthdays: This is a big one and one of the harder ones to give up as it is so ingrained into every society. Yet the scriptures are clear and the only examples of birthdays we have resulted in death.

Anniversaries: Marking anniversaries has waxed far beyond just wedding days to include all kinds of markings of annual remembrances.

Standing in the Truth Brings Persecution

The world hates Christ.  You can be sure when one makes a stand on days and times, persecution will come from those we interact with in the world including our families.

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

People will naturally begin to separate from you when you make a stand for Christ on days.  This is a good thing as the church truly is the “Ekklesia” or the called out ones.

Luk 6:22  Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

Luk 6:23  Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

People will naturally want to know why you do not keep their days and despise their traditions.  You can be sure that when that stand is made against the keeping of days and times,  most will reject and hate (seek to kill you spiritually) for having the audacity to not keep their worldly traditions and to call yourself the son of God. We will then be in very good company in following our Lord.

Joh 5:18  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath [did not keep their precious days], but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 

When I made a firm stand on all days, months, times and seasons, it marked the beginning of my abiding in true fiery trials.  I lost nearly all my relationships with physical family over their vehement opposition to any cessation of keeping days and times.  Yet it’s a small price to pay to be Lord willing be found worthy of His Name.  We must count the costs of following Him and know it will cost us our old way of life.

Luk 9:25  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

Luk 9:26  For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.

Being rejected of men and your own household is truly a trial of our faith, but one we must be made able to endure if we are to move on to maturity and be prepared for even greater fiery trials in the Lake of Fire.  Not conforming with the world starts with our rejection of the world’s customs on keeping of days, months, times and years.

Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Judging Others and Bearing the Weak

While day keeping is wrong for the people of God, how we deal with others is also part of the narrow way and what the Lord is teaching us in raising us up as Kings and Priests.  Being separated from the world also means we do not judge the world and those in it.  That is for a time and age to come in the future when the world will begin to hear the word of the Lord and are given faith (Joh 12:47).   Those in the faith are not to judge those in the world, our focus is to be on those within the fellowship of faith.

1Co 5:12  For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 

1Co 5:13  But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. 

Those within include all in the faith and yet there are different measures of faith and varying degrees of maturity.  All first struggle in understanding God’s requirements of not keeping days and in discovering practical ways of being obedient while not coming across as a clanging gong (1Co 13:1) or ramming our spiritual meat down those not yet prepared to receive it.

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

It is the mature in the faith who learn mercy and longsuffering by tolerating the weak in the faith who still keep days and times.

Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations

Rom 14:2  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 

Rom 14:3  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

The weak are not allowed to bring in disputes about established doctrines but we need to trust the Lord and let Him work His work in our brothers and sisters that He has already ordained.

Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Rom 14:5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

We should always be ready to answer and teach the truth of the mature and more excellent way of the Lord.  Yet we are learning patience in waiting for others to be brought along by the Lord.

When we understand that the love of God is our obedience and that is what AGAPE or LOVE truly means, then we begin to understand that our obedience on days, times, months and years is actually loving our families that reject Christ at this stage.  Our stand for the truth will be a witness to them in due time.  Our disobedience only serves to keep them in darkness to the Lord’s truth and make it harder for them to see the separation the Lord requires of His people from the world’s ways.  Bottom line we are in this world but not to be of it.

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

When we go along with the world, we lead people astray from the truth of God’s word.  We are teaching them by example that it is okay to serve our God in the same way the world serves its gods.  That is not “love” the way God defines it and neither is it loving our neighbor.

Joh 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. [We love by obeying God]

Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Practical Lessons

The fact we are in this world means we will be continually exposed to these customs and traditions.  This will be especially true for gatherings with our physical families and also in our places of work.  One simply cannot totally escape this exposure, it’s pervasive in our world and society.  We learn the narrow way by making mistakes and then adjusting our approach to stand firm for Christ.

Telling your family you beliefs:  It will take time for your family and relatives that you have contact with to stop communicating with you over days the way the world does.  The happy birthday’s wishes, the cards, the gifts for Christmas and salutations and phone calls for all the other holidays will continue until they learn you are standing firm.  The sooner you make that stand and stick to it, the sooner you will bear the reproach of Christ and also begin to teach them you no longer live by the world’s customs.  You can then start counting it all joy to suffer for His sake.  Your family will not understand at first and will think evil of you for not acknowledging the birthdays, the holidays, the anniversaries that are so precious to the carnally minded.  It is particularly difficult where one spouse believes and the other does not and even more when children are in the house.

Family gatherings over the holidays or around a significant birthday:  These can be tricky yet in some cases, our appearance may be mandated and could give the appearance we are partaking in a holiday or a birthday party.  For example, some visit families around the big holidays because that is the only chance they have to see family.  A narrow way might be for example coming over on Thanksgiving break but not partaking of the big meal which is the biggest part of the worldly custom.  In another example, one may need to go to a gathering of a family where a birthday celebration could be part of the broader overall plan.  If the visit could not be avoided, then one should bear no gifts and leave the gathering temporarily when the festivities of the cake/gifts and the song occur.  We are not under the law and our careful treading is not for our sakes but for the sake of our unbelieving family to not create a stumbling block for them to come to Christ in the future.  The longer we stand on truth the less likely it becomes we will find ourselves in a tricky spot again.

Office birthday parties:  I was not in truth when I worked in office buildings with lots of people.  But nearly half the days there was always a card for someone being circulated or a meeting to have cake and sing the song.  What do you do?  We would have to tell our workers that we do not partake of birthdays and to please do not ask us to sign the cards or come to these ceremonies.  It’s called making a stand and it could cost us our friendships in the world.  Lord willing anyone’s job would not be imperiled yet we can hold nothing back in seeking to obey God.

Any that still struggle with these issues should seek counsel from a more mature brother and sister in navigating the narrow way.  All in Christ have been there and has had to learn to deal with day keeping and our avoidance of it.  We are all here to be helpers of your joy in obeying the Lord.