Spiritual Warfare

Shaking the Church

In nations across the world, this past US presidential election shook people’s faith in God and was a turning point for many Christians. For some, removing President Trump from office was an answer to prayer and confirmation that God still wants to bless America and in turn, bless the world by making way for a Biden Administration. For other Christians (even those in other nations), they were left lost and confused, wondering if they missed what God was saying to them personally and through His prophets.

When it was all said and done, after all of the man-made avenues were exhausted for President Trump, and Biden was sworn in, reality finally sank in that there was no last-minute rescue for those Christians who believed President Trump was God’s chosen leader for America and would serve another four years as president. Ironically, Biden’s cabinet to date and the first forty or so executive orders he has signed, even Christians who voted for him are now starting to have buyer’s remorse and they now are asking God to intervene.

So where are we now? Are we partaking in God’s blessing or are we being punished for disobedience? Is there another reason for the season we are in right now? For me, it is very clear that God has not turned His back on us, President Trump is still God’s chosen leader, and we did not miss Him.

As a matter of fact, not only is God not turning His back on us, I believe God wants to bless us in a way that will be the envy of even the greatest of men and women in the Bible. The shaking we are going through now is just the beginning and God is using this moment to sanctify His church in preparation for His greatest harvest.

During my daily morning prayer time, I am clearly hearing the call for His church to arise and seek God with all our heart, soul, and mind. He is calling us to not dwell in the natural and come to Him and see things with spiritual eyes. We are being called not just to see spiritually but to also participate in spiritual warfare through prayer, fasting, and worship. It is only through this deep pursuit of God in the midst of disappointment will we see a greater plan unfolding.

It is quite clear that this election was not about President Trump, Republican/Democrat, or even domestic/foreign policy. This election was two part. First, it was about America (which as a nation has a foundational covenant relationship with God which was established at its founding) choosing God and His decrees over the idea of replacing Him with government and its decrees. Secondly, it was the shaking and testing of faith for Christians around the world who clearly heard from God in the spirit but are unable to see what they saw in the spiritual come to past in the natural. This shaking of Christians occurred in all nations so through God’s plan, America and believers all over the world would turn return back to their first love and love Him like we did when we were first born again.

God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow and His mercy, grace, and deliverance are common themes throughout the Bible. Once again, God has a plan to hold back His justifiable judgement. Instead, God has shown me that He has a plan to pour out a blessing that will bring about deliverance and change the nations of the world forever.

1 John 5:4-5 says, “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” As a church, we are all called right now to examine ourselves and our faith and align it to His word so we won’t miss out on what He is about to do.

The victory is already complete. He accomplished it already. We must not lose heart but instead, walk into our victory.

The First Shaking

The first “shaking” of the church happened after the death of Jesus. Imagine walking alongside Jesus and seeing the great and amazing things the disciples saw Jesus do during His ministry? Then imagine it all being taken away in such a dramatic fashion? Imagine the utter disbelief the disciples must have encountered?

Now in no way am I comparing the two people, their lives, and what they accomplished. I am simply highlighting the similarities of disbelief that were experienced where something that seemed like a sure thing was taken away. In both cases, the loss shook them to their core creating so much confusion and heartache.

The other point I wanted to make is that in both instances, I believe God is using the shaking to serve a purpose. As in the resurrection story, imagine losing it all and then getting it all back again? Its not surprising that the disciples who were once afraid and scattered after Jesus’s death would eventually serve Him with greater purpose and power to the very end with the majority of them giving their life dying a martyr.

I believe once again; God is going to use an unbelievable outcome to bring about an even greater turnaround. This turnaround will be followed by the greatest outpouring of His Spirit because the time that shook so many, also strengthened the resolve of His faithful Remnant who sought Him out in the midst of disappointment and the impossible and put their full trust in Him.

Spiritual Warfare

Isaiah 54:17 says, “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.” Its not surprising that the rhetoric by the main stream media and by some on social media after the election are calling for the silencing of those who voted for Trump or who are opposed to the policies of the current administration. As Christians, we must remember that no weapon forged against us will prosper and that God is our defender.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” The Capitol Hill riots is a far cry from the call of the Christian church. Our war is spiritual and the enemy we are fighting is spiritual. The season we are in right now is one of spiritual warfare. Every Christian should be praying for the tearing down of spiritual strongholds in our nation. Pay no attention to the attempts of men to “wage war.” Remain focus on the spiritual warfare God is calling you to and do not waiver.

Matthew 18:18-20 says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” As Christians, we must gather together and agree in prayer that we will call down the Jezebel spirit in America. We will not run away from ridicule or persecution. Instead, in agreement, we will pray for our nation, its leaders, our pastors, prophets, and intercessors.

James 4:7-8 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” God wants to pour out His Spirit on a church that is sanctified. He is calling us to a higher place. To not just be satisfied with salvation. He wants us to live a life of Godly fear that leads us to live a life that not only detest sin we can all agree on but also secret sin (those sins that we do in private that prevent us from truly going before God free of guilt). A Godly fear of the Lord is necessary right now because the lack of fear we have had as a Nation has caused us to turn our back on Him and instead, embrace the world and all it has to offer.

Conclusion

1 Thessalonians 5:6 says, “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.” This is not the time to quit praying and seeking God’s face. This is truly a moment in history where Christians must arise, engage with our Heavenly Father, and defeat the enemy. The time of sorrow and complaining is over. We must pick up our cross and join the spiritual battle laid before us.

In Ephesians 6:11-12, it says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” We need to dust off our Bibles, reinvigorate our quiet time with the Lord, and we must have a deeper prayer life. The closer we draw to God, the easier it is for us to pray His will into the world and intercede for those people and things that need prayer.

So, take comfort in God’s timing! For those who have struggled with your faith because of what has happened during this election, I want to encourage you to not give up! Pray, fast, and commit yourself to God. Stay in the fight and remember that our issues are not political but spiritual. Only God can heal us and bring about a lasting change. I believe God is going to do great things in the coming months and He needs a Church that is set apart to receive His full blessing.