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Good morning,
God has been preparing us for something greater than we can perceive. "Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over andabove all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]" (Ephes. 3:20) Now we all have to know that our enemy is aware of the love and favor that God has toward us, and that being an enemy that he is not going to stand by on the sidelines while we waltz into our promise-land. No, he will fight us all the way throwing as many obstacles, bombs, and attacks on our lives as he can. I have been talking to many Christians that have been under attack, it has been upon their person, as well as to their faith. Many have been saying that it has been like waves, one problem after the other. Sounds like warfare to me, how about you? That's the job of the enemy, to try to kill, steal, and destroy. The Word of God has always led us by warning, directing, correccting, and instructing us concerning the times. We are to be like the tribe of Issachar that was anointed to know the times and the seasons. We should know that this is what it is suppose to look like right before the return of our Lord and Savior. We should not be taken aback or caught off guard by what we are seeing or hearing. "Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange (unusual and alien to you and your position) were befalling you. But insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, so that when His glory [full of radiance and splendor] is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph [exultantly]". Test means trial, proving; the trial of man's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy; it also means adversity, affliction, and trouble allowed by God and serving to test or prove ones character, faith,and holiness. Quality means a peculiar and essential character or nature; a distinctive feature; a special or distinguishing attribute, stature, and caliber. Everything that we are going through is to see that our character measures up to God's, after all we are to imitate our Father. He is bringing us up all the time, to the place where we reign as kings in the Kingdom. We are to live our lives with a distinction and greater caliber than those who do not know God. The adverse circumstances are allowed to prove our carat and our caliber. So that we stand and not compromise our faith because of our feelings, or those of others, or because of afflictions, troubles, or adversities. Sufferings meansmisfortune, calamity, evil, affliction, enduring and ongoing; also the afflictions which Christians must undergo in behalf of the same cause which Christ patiently endured. Just like the devil tried to use the Word to attack Christ after His fasting for forty days, He does the same with us. He turns our faith, our belief, our Church, and uses them against us with a little Word mixed with a whole lot of lies and deception. It is after all the spirit of the antichrist that we are dealing with.
Remember the warning that we have and keep our eyes open and our spirit sensitive by washing ourselves with the Word. Hear Holy Spirit. "I know your record and what you are doing, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your recent works are more numerous and greater than your first ones. But I have this against you: that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess [claiming to be inspired], and who is teaching and leading astray my servants and beguiling them into practicing sexual vice and eating food sacrificed to idols." (Rev. 2:19-20) Jezebel references is in 2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 9:22, 30. This is a spirit that beguiles the people of God into complacency, confusion, and spiritual laziness. This spirit leads astray with teachings that lull Christians into serving idol gods, or gods of their own mind and making. We must stay alert, arise to the season that we are in and run with patient endurance. Listen: "Andwill not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf? I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [persistence in] faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:7-8) God will defend, protect, and avenge those who are persistent in their faith, we can not and must not be averted by the distraction, obstacles, sufferings, and testings. We are kings of the Kingdom and victory belongs to us! We must keep our eyes on the prize and our minds on heavenly things. It's going to be worth it all.
Love,
Pastor D.
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Daughters of Z 