September 2015

And They Overcame...

"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." Revelation 12:11

What is it like to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and what can you expect to happen when you do?  As the overview of the book And They Overcame states, that path is as distinct and diverse as each one who traverses it.

Here is a great resource detailing testimonials of a few who have come to know Jesus Christ. These testimonials not olny speak to the continued veracity & relevance of the Scriptures, they affirm that Jesus Christ is still very much alive today!

I hope this book blesses you and strengthens your own testimony in the faith.

This book is comprised of 21 personal handwritten testimonies of how real people entered into salvation and how Jesus Christ became a reality in their lives. Each account is different and distinct because every person on earth is faced with a different set of circumstances and living situations. Even though all of these people are coming from different backgrounds, they all have one thing in common; Jesus Christ has brought salvation to their souls and is delivering them from the shackles of sin and death.

Drifting Away From My Core

Please take time to read this testimony from a Sister in the Lord.

I can attest to this struggle, having gone through it myself. In fact, I can say that I still encounter situations where I have to make this choice and the Lord uses those to show me other areas in my life where soul ties with these familiar spirits need to be broken.

Drifting Away From My Core

I will make an honest confession.  I care what people think about me.  Sometimes to my own detriment.  I encountered a  situation today that left me somewhat emotional.  While I attempted to fight back tears, I had to ask myself why I felt so hurt.  When I came to the realization of the origins of those feelings, I let the tears go and cried. I cried, not because of what the person said to me, but I cried due to the realization that I still greatly care about what people think of me and how they view me.  I was heartbroken that this person I have known and loved for years would utter comments towards me that were not in the affirmative because of a difference in opinion, and I was hurt.  My reaction caught me off guard. 

I'd done so well pretending not to care how I was perceived by certain groups or individuals and talked big talk like I was ready to let things run off my back like water.  I thought I had shaken the feelings of needing to be liked and accepted by others because of the personal stances I took on certain issues.  I thought I was as strong on the inside as my talk would lead one to believe, but the talk proved to be a smoke screen for something weak on the inside.


What I am talking about here is family.  I love my family.  I grew up with us being fairly close.  I felt the expectation was set early on that we all had to believe the same things and go about life in pretty much the same way, and never deviate too far from the close knit core.  Anyone that dared drift too far in a different direction was deemed an outcast and often gossiped about.  (I have actively participated in some of those gossip sessions).  I was an extension of that core and the core molded me into the woman I would become...

Click here to read the rest...


Additional Resources
Honor Your Father and Mother

Boldness

"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion." Proverbs 28:1

I have been praying lately for more boldness. This is something which also the disciples asked for prayer.

"And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word." Acts 4:29

"And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Ephesians 6:19-20

Variations of the world "bold" appear various times in the Scriptures, but do you know where it appears the most?  In the book of Acts.  At the birth of the church, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples of Jesus Christ and changed them dramatically.  Where they had once been afraid, they were now bold.  I can think of few other words which so appropriately describe their preaching.

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled..." Acts 4:13

"...they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness" Acts 4:31

"...he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus." Acts 9:27

"And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus..." Acts 9:29

"Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold..." Acts 13:46

"Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord" Acts 14:3

"And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue..." Acts 18:26

"And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months..." Acts 19:8

They needed boldness, not only because they were facing persecution, but because the pressure against Christians to be quiet is supernatural.  The satanic powers in the heavenlies attempt to pervert the atmosphere globally so as to prevent the Gospel from being preached. There are spiritual powers at work to stop the mouths of Christians and prevent the testimony of Jesus Christ from being proclaimed, because Satan knows that once this happens, the end will come (Matthew 24:14).

This is why, whenever we preach Jesus, we are engaging in a spiritual war.  It is not just about handing out a tract, but we are by virtue of our testimony engaging in a warfare.  It is not something to be taken lightly.  If we do not understand this, then we will clam up instead of standing for Christ.

"But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. 

For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts." I Thessalonians 2:2-4

bold: Greek word parrēsiazomai meaning to speak freely, with confidence and without concealment; to show assurance.

contention: Greek word agōn meaning the place of contest, the arena or stadium; any struggle, conflict, fight, or battle.

The disciples preached the Gospel with much contention. They were not being contentious with people, but they were wrestling in combat with the rulers of darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places. They were fighting against those supernatural forces aiming to shut them up. They were fighting against the demonic strongholds which held captive the minds of the people. They were fighting the good fight of faith.  They were fighting...and we must do the same.

One area where the Lord has dealt with me about this recently was in phrasing what "I believe".  A situation occurred where I had to address an unbelieving, elder family member regarding matters of faith.  I thought about what I should say and how I could be respectful.  "Well, you see, what we believe is..."  God stopped me cold in my tracks.

He was quick to bring to my mind that the Gospel is not merely about what "I believe".  Lots of people have beliefs; they are as numerous and often as [in]valuable as opinions. If I am entreating someone about the Gospel on the basis that it is what "I believe", then I might as well be talking to them about joining Islam, becoming a Buddhist, or being an atheist.  Either what I believe has the weight of truth or it does not; and if so, then that is the only basis upon which others should believe it as well. By presenting the Gospel as merely something I believe, I was downgrading and misrepresenting it, and would only wind up at most making converts to my way of thinking and not disciples of Christ (Matthew 23:15).

The Lord had me reflect upon where in Scripture I had ever heard someone speak in this manner, and I could think of not one instance.  While the disciples would compell others to believe, they never prefaced their preaching with "Well, my understanding is...the way I see it...what I believe..."  They spoke the truth, and they proclaimed it with authority and certainty.  They were bold.

The world would have you think that all beliefs are equal and have similar merit.  It would make you feel that you have to respect the beliefs of others by giving ear to false views or pretending that those views hold some scintilla of truth.  This is a lie of the devil.  People are free to believe what they like, but that doesn't make those beliefs true.  When we share the Gospel, we are not just sharing what "we believe".  We are sharing the only truth which can set them free!

The only way we can speak boldly, not as pleasing men (I Thessalonians 2:2-4), is to not be focused on ourselves and our lives in this world.  I don't want to mentally ascend to being bold.  I don't want to imagine how I will be the one who speaks up in the face of adversity.  If I have not crucified the flesh, then I am deluding myself.  I am praying for more boldness, and I pray it for my brothers and sisters as well.

Speak the truth...and speak the truth with boldness!

Man Up Mountain Meeting

All men are invited to attend the Man Up Mountain retreat for a time of fellowship and preparation for the days to come in the mountains of Helen, GA.  The Lord is looking for a few good men to lead the battle for souls in these last days.  Could you be one of them? Come young and old to get recharged and focused for the Lord.

When: October 2nd- 4th, 2015

Where: Tanglewood Cabins Lodge & Conference Center
3387 Highway 356, Sautee, Georgia 30571

More info can be found on the following Facebook page:  Man Up Meeting

The ManUp Mountain Meeting is a retreat away from all of the madness without distractions like cell phones and computers in order to zero in on the real problems plaguing the church.

The only power in the universe to impact and transform the mind is Holy Ghost power projected through men of God that are committed to prayer and fasting to break the chains that bind the masses.

Accommodations will be reserved based on the response, so it is imperative that when you commit to attending the meeting you immediately send your $100 deposit Omega Ministries, noting that it is for the ManUp Meeting.

We need more manpower to overcome the devil's power...it's time to MANUP!!

Come Fellowship at a Teaching Ministry

As our family returned from church this week, my father asked, "What do you all do there all this time?"  I offered for him to come with us and see for himself, but he declined.

I then said, we sing praise and worship for a while, we pray and there is teaching.  "What kind of teaching?", he asked.  I told him teaching out of God's word.

The purpose of church has been largely lost in terms of spending time studying and meditating on God's word versus being entertained.  Yet, there is a ministry whose focus is on building up disciples for the Body of Christ, and I invite you to come out and join us if you are able.

What:  Dunamis Tabernacle

Location: Atlanta Renaissance Hotel
1 Hartsfield Center Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30354

When:  Every Sunday, 10:00 am EST

Alternately, you can tune in via Livestream at the following link:  http://livestream.com/accounts/2720052

I hope to see you there!

The Normal Christian Birth

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:3-7

The following sermon is from Min. David Pawson as he explains what it means to be born again.

Many do not understand what it means to be born again and therefore are unprepared to live the Christian life.  They have not been born again, but have simply undertaken religious rituals without understanding what they mean or what they require in order to walk them out.

I believe that this series will be a tremendous blessing for many.  Please take some quiet time to listen and study regarding what has been said; it is worth it.  May God give us ears to hear His word.

What is the New Birth?

• The new birth is not instantaneous, but is a process.
• How you begin your spiritual life impacts how you live your spiritual life
• Many are leading others to Christ with religious euphemisms instead of biblical truths
• The Bible indicates four steps necessary to be born again:
• Repent
• Believe
• Be Baptized in Water
• Receive the Holy Spirit
• All four steps are acts of men (constituting conversion), but they are also acts of God (constituting regeneration).  At every stage, man is doing something and God is doing something; it is a beautiful cooperation.
• These four steps are also referenced in Hebrews 6:1-3 as principles of the doctrine of Christ.
• Being born again and being converted are not the same thing.  Conversion is a human act of turning ourselves around or making a u-turn, and it happens as we go through the four steps of being born again.  
• There is a movement in terms of responsibility for being born again, which is more man-focused for the first two steps and God-focused for the last two.  As you are born again, there is less & less of you and more & more of God.
• We should be far more concerned with getting Christians alive, and not just born again.  Being born again is just the beginning of life.
• The essence of the new birth is the ending of your old life and the beginning of your new life.

Repentance

• God shouldn't have to tell Christians to repent; the Church should be telling the world to repent instead.
• Repentance is not regret or remorse
• Regret - Being sorry for what you have done to yourself.
• Remorse - Being sorry for what you have done to others.
• Repentance - Being sorry for what you have done to God
• You cannot repent for sin in general.  You must repent for specific sins.  When true repentance occurs, it happens on 3 levels:
• Thought - Changing your mind about particular things and think God's way about them
• Words - Confess (enumerate specific sins) & renounce (say before God that you are finished with it and will not go back) your sins
• Deeds - There must be fruit worthy of repentance.
• We need to repent for the good and bad things we have done.
• Many Christians would rather have "inner healing" rather than forgiveness, because forgiveness demands repentance. We are not the result of what has been done to us. We are the result of what we have done about what has been done to us.  It is the choices of reaction we have made which makes us who we are.
• Repentance in the new birth is analogous to cutting off and tying the umbilical cord in the physical birth.  It is cutting off that which ties you to Satan's kingdom and tying it off so that you are free from its contamination.  It is no longer the source of your life.
• To help someone repent, you must help them do three things:
• Be Serious - The fear of the Lord must be present, by understanding that apart from the Lord, they will perish.
• Be Specific - Confess and name specific sins
• Be Sensible - Don't let feelings get out of order.  Psychological guilt is not moral guilt, and it is only moral guilt that Jesus cures.  

Believe

• There is a difference between believing "that" someone exists versus believing "in" someone.
• You cannot know that a person believes "in" you until they have done something that shows they trust you and taken a risk that they will let you down.
• Faith is historical, based upon facts and not feelings.  Jesus died, He was buried, and He was raised from the dead. Even Satan has this type of faith.
• Faith in "faith" is not enough.  It doesn't matter if you believe in some thing, but you must believe in the right thing.
• Faith is personal.  It is trusting in a person and obeying that person.
• Faith is verbal.  We must believe in our heart and confess with our mouth.  We can talk to and about Jesus.
• Faith is practical.  It is not just hat you think and say, it is what you do.  The only faith the New Testament recognizes is faith that acts.  It is not just accepting the truth of God's word.
• Faith is continual.  It is not those who start in faith who are saved, but those who finish in faith. It is not a moment of faith, but a lifetime of faith which saves.  The word for faith is the same as faithfulness.
• As you go on trusting the Lord, you will go on being saved.

Be Baptized in Water

• In the Old Testament, the priests were consecrated by being washed in water and anointed with oil.  In the New Testament, all saints are priests, so we are also to be washed in water and are anointed by the Holy Spirit (who is represented by oil).
• There is also the possibility that a gentile who wanted to become part of Israel was circumcised and baptized.
• John baptized people into repentance.  The people had to already be in repentance before they were baptized.
• The baptism in water was bring to a completion the repentance which was already being wrought in the individual.
• Jesus and a number of His disciples did not baptize because the focus is not to be on the baptizer, but the act.
• There was no such thing in the early Church as an unbaptized believer.
• To baptize means to dunk, plunge, immerse, or soak.  You cannot sprinkle water on a person to baptize.
• Baptism has a double meaning.  It is a bath, but it is also a burial; a bath for those who are dirty and a burial for those who are dead.
• Baptism is not a symbol, but an event.
• Baptism by water is how a person is born again out of water (John 3:5).
• Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins.
• Baptism saves you by appealing to God for a good conscience (I Peter 3:21).
• Once you have been buried with Christ in baptism, sin has no more dominion over you (Romans 6). You are effectively delivered from the territory of Satan.
• It is not enough to say Jesus was crucified for me, but we must be crucified with Him.  It is not enough to say that Jesus was buried for me, but we must be buried with Him.  It is not enough to say that Jesus was resurrected for me, but we must be resurrected with Him.
• Infant baptism is not consistent with biblical instruction.
• Baptism does not by itself save a person, which is a concept called baptismal regeneration.

Receive the Holy Spirit

• There is a difference between Greek and Hebrew thinking because the Greek could not relate the physical and the spiritual.  This is why many in the West cannot tie the physical act of baptism can have a spiritual effect.
• In all but two instances, the Holy Spirit is imparted by the laying on of hands.  
• Every Christian needs two baptisms.
• Water baptism deals with burying the past, leaving you clean and empty.  Jesus said that staying in this state is dangerous (Matthew 12:43-45).
• Receiving the Holy Spirit is not the same thing a believing.
• There is no instance in Scripture of someone receiving the Holy Spirit and not knowing it.
• Receiving the Holy Spirit is the evidence and seal of your acceptance by God.
• The reception of the Spirit is always accompanied with outward evidence.
• When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, there will be an overflow of spontaneous spiritual speech. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45).

Saved at Last

• People sought the gift of the Holy Spirit in order to receive Him.
• Sometimes people don't receive the Holy Spirit because they have not fully repented, they may not have acted in faith towards the Lord, they may not have been baptized.
• The teaching that the supernatural gifts are not for today is false.
• The Holy Spirit releases inhibited emotions.
• Many evangelicals know the Holy Scriptures better than they know the Holy Spirit.
• Many people are being told they have been born again, when they have not.
• There are different views in the Church on what it means to be saved:
• Safe from Hell - This is the most common understanding, but it does not come from the New Testament.  Such persons perceive salvation as fire insurance from Hell.  
• Salvaged from Sin - Jesus came to not only pay for penalty of sin, but to take away sin.  Jesus did not come to save us from Hell; He came to save us from our sins.
• Saved to Sanctity - We are saved to life a holy life.  
• Saved for Service - We are saved to live a life which can be used by God to reflect Him to and in the world.
• There is no one who is "saved"; we are all being saved.  Salvation is a process.
• The real Gospel is concerned with getting people across a line; from non-believer to believer; from not saved to saved, etc.  It is the difference merely seeking converts vs seeking disciples (as Jesus called us to do).

• The Safe Gospel Seeking Decisions for Christ	The Salvaged Gospel Seeking Disciples for Christ
  Content with Justification	Justification is the means to Sanctification
  Jesus is Savior	Jesus is Savior & Lord
  All you have to do is believe	You must be born again
  Only interested in the minimum needed to escape Hell	Wants everything God can give them too live right

  
  
• You must decide what type of Gospel you want.  The Gospel of man which proposes to save you from Hell or the Gospel of Jesus Christ which saves you from your sins?
• God only justifies us so that He can sanctify us, so that we may be holy.
• In every instance of the Lord keeping us in Scripture, there is a complementary verse for us to keep ourselves.

It's the Same Son

During my doctor's visit on Saturday, the Lord gave me the topic for this article and told me what the title should be.  When I got home, I started writing it.  However, there was one Scripture He wanted me to include, and I told Him that I wasn't sure how to tie that all together.

Since I had some questions, I stopped writing it until I received the answer.  Then in church the next day, a video was shown that answered every question (I have included that below).  It is so wonderful to me how the Father is a personal God.  He knows and hears every petition of our hearts.

Okay, so I have an easy science question for you. Let's say you set some ice cubes out before a hot sun. What is going to happen?  The cubes are going to melt.

Now let's place some clay pots before that same sun.  What will happen?  The clay will get harder. See, I told you this was easy. :-)

Is it the sun which causes the ice to melt?  Yes.

Is it the sun which causes the clay to harden?  Yes.

So how can the same sun cause such different reactions? The difference is due to the varying make-up of the objects in the sun.  It is the same with God.  Some people can be exposed to God and their hearts will melt; others can be exposed to God, and the hearts become harder.  It is the same God who causes the result, but the difference is based upon the condition of the object.

Examine this in Scripture in God's dealings with Pharaoh before the exodus of Israel.

"And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go." Exodus 4:21 

"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt." Exodus 7:3 

"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so." Exodus 14:4

Some, who don't believe in man's free will, may say,"See, it is GOD who hardened Pharaoh's heart." And this is true.  But the question is, "How did God do this?"  He did it by revealing Himself to Pharaoh.  There was a causative connection between the "signs & wonders" wrought by God through Moses and the hardening of Pharaoh's heart.

Every time God showed His power to Egypt as He prepared to deliver Israel, Pharaoh became more and more resolute.  He became increasingly more set in his ways against God.  Yes, it was God who hardened Pharaoh's heart, but it was because he was already set to pursue his own way and rebel against God. Therefore, Pharaoh's heart became harder each time he was exposed to God.

This is an important lesson for us to understand. It is not possible for us to be exposed to God and stay the same.  Each time you are exposed to God's presence, His power, His word, etc., something is happening to you.  You are either becoming better or worse.  You are either undone, becoming pliable in His hands, or becoming more stoic and stiff-necked against Him.

"And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." Matthew 21:44

It is the same Son who brings about both results in the illustration above.  The stone which breaks is the same stone which grinds to powder.  There is both goodness and severity in God based upon how we respond to Him (Romans 11:22).  If receiving the truth sets you free, then rejecting that truth merely fortifies your captivity (John 8:2; II Thessalonians 2:11-12).

People often say, "I will come to God later on.  I have some living I want to do, some things I want to accomplish, some oats I need to sow, then I will give my life to the Lord."  Yet there is a critical point that people often do not know about God. There may be a point in time when you decide to come to the Lord and you will be unable to because your heart has become so defiled through rebellion.  It is not a matter of you just deciding one day to get saved; with every exposure from the Lord that you do not heed, you are being changed spiritually for the worse.  It is possible to play with God so long that you eventually find "no place" for repentance.

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." Hebrews 12:14-17

Esau eventually wanted to claim the blessing he had forsaken, but he could not obtain it because he could not repent.

This is a terrifying thought. People like to think of God as always being present and available when they decide to come to Him. This is just not true.  We must seek the Lord while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6).  Do not just assume that the opportunity will be there when you are good and ready. Don't fall for the world's presentation of an unoffended Jesus who is holding up eternity waiting upon you.

"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" II Corinthians 6:2

Additional Resources:
Repent and Believe
Jesus is NOT a Friend to Sinners

The Purpose of the Church?

The purpose of the church is to reflect the life of Christ in the world. Unless you are transformed to bear the image of Truth - who is Jesus Christ - you will seek hopelessly to emulate this life. Being ignorant of this distinction, most church folks are walking in the flesh, but calling it walking in the Spirit.  It is critical to know the difference.

The Deception of Religion

But I Follow After

"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:8-14

As I read through the above text today, I saw a breakout to the text which I hadn't seen before.  I am sharing it below, not to redefine how you see the text, but to outline what I saw in case it benefits your own studies.

There seemed to be a relationship to the words that I hadn't previously noticed.  Paul expresses several goals in this text, as well as what is needed to reach each goal.  His goals are to:

Goal	Requirement
Win Christ	Suffer the loss of all things by counting them all as loss and considering them all as dung in exchange for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.
Be Found in Christ	Made right with God and being imparted His righteousness through faith in Christ, not pursuing my own righteousness (self-righteousness) by attempting to follow the law (or any other self-effort).
Know Christ	Experience the power of His resurrection, share in His sufferings, and be made conformable to Christ's death.
Attain the Resurrection of the Dead	All of the above: win Christ, be found in Christ, and know Christ.

Clearly Paul had lost some things in choosing to follow Christ, we all do (family, friends, worldly reputation, etc.).  Yet, look at his mindset here.  He considered all things as loss (even that which he still had) because its worth was less than nothing when it came to knowing Christ.  Paul had tunnel vision, or as Jesus said, his eye was singly-focused (Matthew 6:22; Luke 11:34).  He didn't have time to look back on what was behind him, nor did he care about what had happened in the past.

To be found in Christ is to be made one with Him and to abide in Him. To obtain this, Paul rested and trusted in Jesus Christ; not in anything he did or could do. He didn't trust in his academics, his intelligence, his talents, his religious positioning or performance, etc.  The only way to be made right with God is through complete, unending faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and Jesus' ability to present him to the Father in total reconciliation.

Knowing Christ is not the same thing as knowing about Christ.  Paul equates knowing God with knowing His resurrection power (Greek word dynamis), which means:

strength power, ability;

• inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth 
• power for performing miracles
• moral power and excellence of soul
• the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth
• power and resources arising from numbers
• power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts

There is a power associated with knowing Jesus Christ which comes through resurrection life, (Mark 16:17-18).  Yet this power of resurrection life is only made possible by sharing in Jesus' sufferings and death (Romans 6:4-6; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:11-14).

In reaching all of these goals, Paul knows that he will attain to the resurrection of the dead.  YET, he doesn't put forth that he has already attained this or even was already perfect, but he follows after the goal.  What goal? The goal of being perfected.

Then Paul makes an amazing statement. He wants to apprehend or lay hold of that for which Jesus Christ has apprehended him!  In other words, Jesus has laid hold of Paul specifically for the purpose of perfecting him...and this is also why Christ has laid hold of us.  How do we obtain that purpose? We follow Paul's example: "...but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

This is something we have to do.  We have to forget those things behind us.  We have to reach toward those things before us.  We have to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

There is nothing new under the sun.  If my life is anything like yours, you have likely experienced all kinds of misery, pain, disappointments, and hurts in life.  Perhaps as well you have some accomplishments, some triumphs, some joys, some things you have overcome.  Forget all that. Reach forward to what God has before you and press in toward the mark for the prize, who is Christ.  Win Christ at the expense of all.

So I just want to encourage you all to "follow after".  Don't look behind, don't dwell on the past. Don't get discouraged or puffed up by those things, but keep your eye on Christ, who is faithful to complete the work He has started in you by His Spirit.

Jezebel By Any Other Name

Someone referenced the news article, Bill Cosby’s wife says accusers ‘consented’ to drugs and sex, saying that her stance is an example of unconditional love.

This is not unconditional love. If you don't take anything else from this blog, I hope you get this absorbed into the deepest part of your being: the requirement for love to be present is selflessness.  If someone is pursuing their own interests, reputation, pleasure...that is NOT love.

Neither does this show that Camille Cosby is a "ride or die" chick, as she is being called by some now.  What this really presents is a glimpse of the behind the scenes reality when sodomites marry, presenting only an illusion/mockery of the institution of marriage (if you don't know what that means, see the link).

You have the weak, lust-filled man who is up front as the puppet, while the hard, "without natural affection" woman pulls the strings.

It is tragic. It is sickening.  It is damnable.

Like many in my generation, I grew up with a lot of respect for Bill Cosby, and I always thought his wife Camille was stunningly beautiful and very intelligent.  Yet, this is not about the flesh, but the spirits which use flesh to fulfill their own perverse desires.  I have no firsthand knowledge that these are actually Camille's words or feelings, but I am taking them at face value because they reflect the truth of what is going on in 99.9% of the homes in this nation...and it is UGLY.  In this portrayal of Bill & Camille Cosby is the same perpetuation of Ahab and Jezebel.

Review the Scriptures below and then read the news article linked above.  Do you discern the spirit at work?  Consider the article's comments (emphasis added by me):

Mrs. Cosby is “a proud, dignified but stubborn woman. You can say that she’s standing by her husband, but really, the more people stand against him, the more she perceives it as an affront to HER and all that SHE'S done to make him a star...”

Camille Cosby...demanded last week at a crisis meeting with advisers that their lawyers and p.r. specialists “get back out in front of this.” 

“I created him, I knew what I was getting and we’ll fix this.” she told the gathering... 

She “stopped being embarrassed long ago” by her husband’s affairs, the family source said, but cannot tolerate the “invasion of privacy.” She said every so often the couple goes through an “evaluation period” to determine whether the marriage should continue. “She even once talked to Oprah Winfrey about cleansing herself of baggage every now and again and how it always seems to lead her back to staying with Bill,” the family source said.

In the midst of this, who is calling the shots? Camille.  Is she doing so out of concern for her husband or even concern for the alleged victims?  No.  She is doing this to protect and defend herself; her reputation, and the empire she has built.

How cold. How calculating must one be to respond in such a manner?  If Bill is guilty of these vicious acts, then he indeed is a monster.  Whether he has nor not, Camille is not much better.

This is a marriage of convenience, a business deal, and that is the most that you can get when you marry outside of Christ. Two persons, motivated by and pursuing their own selfish ambition, and calling that marriage.  It can only produce a union of bitterness, distrust, and unfaithfulness.  Many people are living lives of Hell, looking for an answer.  Will you be one to bring the only answer needed: Jesus Christ?

Some will not like this post.  I DO NOT CARE.  It is time for this madness to end.  The entire kingdom of the enemy is built upon this upside down devolution of weak, effeminate men and hard, falsely-authoritative women.  Even in the churchworld, women and men are boldly trying to drag in this spirit by appointing female pastors and bishops in direct opposition to the word of God. Many instances, it is even more covert, with men as a figurehead while the women manipulate the men to do their bidding because the men are filled with lust. In the end, those who mock God in this perversion will be judged and will be damned. Both the beast and the woman who rides it will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.

It is time for the true Kingdom of God to be made manifest to the world, with real men and women born of God to stand for spiritual battle in these last days. Repent while there is time and ask the Lord to cleanse you from every remnant of these evil spirits.  God help us all.

"And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.

And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it." I King 21:1-16

Additional Resources
The Matriarchal Mafia
Man Up
The Color Purple and Other Feminist Lies

Go Tell That Fox!

"The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." Luke 13:31-32

It just tickles me to no end to read things about my Lord and Savior which shows that He was a real person.  The world likes to paint a caricature of a Jesus who is always smiling with open arms as people spit in His face. Yet Jesus told it like it was.

One of the first things that stands out in this text is the hypocrisy of religious people. The Pharisees come to Jesus under the guise of warning Him about Herod, so that He would not be killed. Yet, they wanted Jesus dead too and were conspiring to kill Him (Matthew 26:3-5; Matthew 21:45-46; Luke 19:47-48; Luke 22:2; John 11:47-53).  In fact, when Jesus later confronted them about this fact, they denied it, claiming He had a devil.  (John 7:19-45; John 8:37-59).

Isn't that just like religious folks?  They smile in your face, but all the time are plotting to stab you in the back. And when you call out their lying out, you're the one who is supposed to have a demon!

The Pharisees weren't concerned about protecting Jesus, they were just tired of having Him around. See, all of His preaching the truth was setting the bound Israelites free from the religious leaders' control, and of course they didn't like that. You will experience the same reaction from religious people if you preach the truth; they will do or say anything to get you from being around the people they bewitch.

Yet, their plotting against Jesus didn't work (and it never did). Jesus tells them what they can communicate back to that old "fox". Although Jesus directed the message to Herod, I have to believe He was also directing His response to the Pharisees as well, knowing their hearts.

The word for fox here is the Greek word alōpēx which references a sly or crafty man.  The prophet Ezekiel tells us a little more about the character of such persons:

"Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD. They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. 

Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD. And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD. 

Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter: Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it." Ezekiel 13:3-11

This is the condition of much of the Church today.  Everybody is trying to give their take on God, add their two cents about what they believe or have a "word from the Lord"...which would be wonderful if in fact they truly had a word from the Lord. Such is the way it should be. God doesn't just speak through those who are perceived as leaders. He uses and speaks through every vessel which belongs to Him.

Yet that is just the point, most of these vessels claiming to represent Him don't actually belong to Him. So all they can do is seduce you with lies and divination. As a result, the masses run after these hirelings, none the wiser, and loving to have it so because they do not want the truth (Jeremiah 5:31).

There is only one message for such foxes, "I am focused on doing the Father's business."

Notice that the Pharisees tried to move Jesus by getting Him to focus on His life in this world. This is how the devil will always try to destroy you. Yet Jesus' eyes were always on eternity.  People could threaten Him, insult Him, and seek to take His very life, but His eyes were on being perfected; on the resurrection. He would let nothing deter or distract Him from completing the work His Father had given Him.

We must learn from this example. The answer for every attack Satan launches against us is resurrected life. I am not merely talking the resurrection from the dead when these physical bodies pass.  I am speaking of walking in resurrected life now because the old man of sin has been crucified (Philippians 3:10).  Just as they did Jesus, the world will taunt you to come down from that cross, but we know to do so would be our death (Matthew 10:39).  Our victory over every tactic of the enemy is found through the cross.

Do you want to be perfected?  Then when Satan tries to threaten, attack, or distract you, you go remind that fox whose you are! Keep your eyes on things above and let the Father complete His work in and through you.

Nesting

When a woman is pregnant and close to giving birth, it is said that she might feel a burst of energy and the instinctive need to start ensuring her house is in order to prepare for the child's soon arrival. They call this "nesting".

Well, I am not sure if that is what is going on with me, but I feel the need to get things in order.  I feel as if I am preparing for a transition, and not in the religious/worldly way that term is often thrown around.  I have no idea what God is preparing me for, but I have really felt the urge to close out a lot of those "I'll get to it one day" items and to get my house in order.

God had already shown me some years ago that this blog would have its end.  That was almost 4 years ago, and I think, "Gosh Lord, it sure has been a long time since then."  Yet, then I remember that God informed David that he would be King some thirty-odd years before it actually happened, so...

No, I am not comparing myself to David or saying I will be a king.  LOL  I am merely noting that sometimes God gives us advance warning of a change because He was to take a while to forge us into what we need to be in order to take that next step with Him.

In terms of nesting, I am reminded of the following Scriptures:

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." II Peter 1:19

So as I move forward with this transitioin, I have started to transfer some of the content of the blog into book format.  These items will be posted on the Resources page at the top of the blog as they are completed and made available.  It is not much there for now, but I will be making updates over the next few weeks.

There are two Scriptures which have always held a special place in my heart.  One is Esther 4:14, and is the inspiration for this blog:

"For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

The other is Revelation 19:7, and says:

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready."

So this is me, making myself ready, because this is such a time where we need to be prepared for our Savior's return.

God Wants to Save You

God wants to save you, but you must make a choice: an eternity with Him or an eternity without Him.

The Lord doesn't force you to choose. He leaves it up to you.

He also doesn't hide anything from you; He openly tells you the result of each choice.

• An Eternity with the Lord - An abundance of life (Matthew 25:46; John 10:10; I John 2:25). No more death and no more tears (Isaiah 25:8).  There is a specific place prepared for you akin to a mansion (John 14:2).  You will be clothed in righteousness and covered by the presence of the Lord, to worship Him night and day (Revelation 7:13-15).  You will never be hungry or thirsty again and Jesus will comfort your every concern (Revelation 7:16-17).  There will be no mourning, crying, or pain anymore and you will receive all that is in the Kingdom of God as your inheritance (Matthew 25:34; I Peter 1:4; Revelation 21:4-7).  Priceless riches permeate the city, made of pure gold and precious stones (Revelation 21:18-21).  There is no concept of aging and you will enjoy the fruits of your own labor, for every work you perform will be productive (Isaiah 65:19-23).  There will be no more curses, no more night time at all, and no need for any light outside of the light that comes from Jesus; you will reign with God in the Kingdom (Isaiah 60:19-20; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 21:22-25; Revelation 22:3-6). You will have fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).
• An Eternity without the Lord - Everlasting fire, everlasting contempt, everlasting punishment, and everlasting destruction (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:41-46; I Thessalonians 1:9). Eternal fire where the worm never dies (Mark 9:44-49; Jude 1:7).  A resurrection unto damnation (John 5:29). Eternal torment in a lake of fire and brimstone causing weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:42-50; Luke 16:22-24; Revelation 14:10-11; Revelation 21:8).

Just consider these options at face value.  No one in their right mind would choose an eternity of torment in Hell fire over an eternity of joy, peace, and love. Yet people do every single hour of every day. Why? Because they have fallen for the okey-doke.

Satan knows that he is destined for eternal damnation and there is nothing he can do to change that. All he can do is try to delay this reality (which would never happen because God goes by His own timing) and take as many down with him as he can.

Have you ever seen a bunch of crabs in a pot? The ones at the bottom will claw at the ones on top to drag them down just to be sure that they do not escape the demise they face. That is the mentality of the devil.

Yet here is the kicker; Hell wasn't even made for you! God's plan for mankind was to enjoy the blessings of eternal life.  Hell was designed for Satan and his angels.

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41

So how does he do it?  How does Satan get multitudes of people to choose an eternity in Hell over an eternity with the Lord?  Here is the trick Satan has played.  He gets people to focus on the here and now so that they will never perceive nor enter into the reality of life after this world.

Satan knows that people aren't going to openly choose the destiny he faces, so He leads people into making this decision by default. They don't have to directly choose this fate; all they have to do is neglect the things of eternity.

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation..." Hebrews 2:3a

God openly manifests the truth and gives you a choice.  Satan has to blind you to the truth and use slight of hand to get you to choose this world...not only because that is his character, but because no one would make such a choice otherwise.

Satan works overtime to make 50, 60, 100 years in this life feel more real than eternity by erecting a type of Fantasy Island. He beckons you with smoke and mirrors, making things appear to be what they are not.

Remember, Satan is the god of this world (II Corinthians 4:4).  The systems he puts in place (judicial, economic, educational, media, political, etc.) all work to keep you captivated with, and enslaved to, life in this world.

captivate: to capture and hold prisoner the attention of another by being interesting, pretty, etc.; to dominate by some special charm, art, or trait and with an irresistible appeal; owned or controlled by another concern and operated for its needs,
while giving the appearance of independence.

"And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." II Timothy 2:26

Take for example the recent "Celebrate Pride" image released by Facebook, where members could place a rainbow overlay on their profile pictures in order to show support for sexual perversion. It has been rumored that this was simply another Facebook social experiment as they test whether they can influence and incite human behavior.

Whether or not such is true, it worked. Many people changed their profile with this image. Yet consider this, in response, many professing Christians also changed their profile pic to show a cross overlay supporting Christianity. In either case, Satan succeeded.

Look, Satan doesn't care how you react to him, he just wants you to respond. It is like a child, give me positive or negative reinforcement, but just give me a reaction.  Some might say, "But I did this for the Lord!"  Regardless of your motives, it was done in response to the devil.

We should never react to the devil, rather we should always be on the offensive against him as directed by the Lord. Satan doesn't care what religious activity you pursue, he just wants to be the one to inspire you instead of the Lord. Don't you know that Satan will inspire you to perform even seemingly good deeds?

inspire: to make someone want to do something supernaturally; to give them an idea about what to do or create; to affect, motivate, or spur on; to spread by indirect means or through the agency of another

What the devil accomplished in this instance was simply the equivalent of getting two people in a room shouting at each other. Nothing about it destroyed or damaged his kingdom, but it makes you feel like you are doing something.  The devil is getting you to fight a war with blanks; no ammo, no power. Such is the danger of religious works.

Satan's deception is a brilliant plan really, because it even works on those persons who would deem to try and seek Christ! Go to church. sing in the choir, give food to the hungry, read your Bible, just focus your attention on earthly things. As a result, you get "churches" whose focus is bringing about civil rights and equality for the disenfranchised.  You get churches preaching how you can be rich and have your best life now.  You get Christians who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof (II Timothy 3:5).  All under the guise of serving the Lord. If you are listening to a preacher who focuses on events in this world or your life in it, then know for sure that you are listening to a minister of Babylon.

So then, you see that the answer to escaping Satan's plan is to drop out of this world.  Don't focus on this present, evil world and don't even respond to it.  Set your mind on eternity.

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2

It is only as we bring the power of eternity to bear upon this temporal world that we are destroying the works of Satan. How do we do that? Like Jesus did.

"But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." Matthew 12:28

The Kingdom of God is not of this world, but it is eternal (John 18:36; II Peter 1:11).  When we walk in the powers of the world to come, we are bringing the eternal power of the living God into manifestation to those in the world (Hebrews 6:4-5). This is the one thing which frightens Satan, and this is the only thing which destroys his works: you filling up with the power of the Holy Spirit to be a living witness for Christ.

The Scriptures do not say in vain that signs will follow those who believe such as casting out devils, speaking in tongues, healing the sick, etc. (Mark 16:17-18).  So I ask you, where are your signs? Don't neglect eternity trying to focus on some temporal war in the earth, for no man who wars gets caught up in the things of this life, if you have any hope of pleasing the Lord who has called you to be a soldier in His Army (II Timothy 2:4).

"And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen." Mark 16:20

Additional Resources
The Matrix
Getting Out of the Matrix
The Magicians of the Matrix
Life Outside of the Matrix
The Religious Matrix

Proving Yourself to the World

I have seen some Christians seemingly list a number of disclaimers prior to attempting to speaking the Gospel.

I am not trying to judge...I love everyone... I hate the sin, but love the sinner...I am not trying to push my beliefs on anyone...I respect everyone's rights... 

Why take such pains to prove that you align with what the world considers a "Christian"?

Why go to such lengths to prove that you are "loving"?

Why the preface to prove that you are not "judging"?

Why feel the need to prove yourself to the world?

I don't recall any disciple of Christ ever taking this attitude, and I have to think it is because they just didn't care.

I am not saying that they didn't care about the people.  Clearly they cared about the people anytime they took the time to tell them the truth.  I am saying that they didn't care how people responded to the message.  Why?  Because they trusted the Holy Spirit.  The trusted the Holy Spirit to guide them in what to say (and how to say it) and they trusted the Holy Spirit to give understanding to those with ears to hear.  And they knew that many would not have ears to hear.

There is a difference between explaining things vs. feeling compelled to apologize for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The motive behind that is fear of rejection.  Yet, if you cut allegiances with the world now, then you won't care about their rejection.  In other words, you only feel rejected from those through whom you still seek acceptance.  Once you know you have been accepted in the Beloved, you will be whole and not require validation from others.

Some need to be reminded of the words of the Lord:

"Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee." Jeremiah 1:17-19

As the days grow more dark, we are sure to encounter fierce opposition.  In the days of Acts, people became so incensed at the Gospel that they would stone you to death.  Do we have any doubt regarding the level of hatred that people feel towards Christ today?  If you do not know, I assure you that it will become more apparent very shortly.

It is time to gird up your loins and proclaim the Good News with no regard for person.  The Gospel doesn't change, no matter to whom you are speaking; mother, brother, neighbor, stranger, president, king, pope, etc.  Pray to God to be able to speak His word will all boldness.

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus... 

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." Acts 4:13, 29-31

There is no way to show the world what a Christian is than to die to yourself and let the life of Christ manifest from within.  The lost (even in Church) don't need your impression of Christ or even the world's emulation of Christ; they need Christ.

Two Natures At War

All around the world, we are seeing evidence of two natures at war. Do you know why? Which one are you?

Will You Secede?

"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." John 14:30

The prince of this world is coming. Does he have anything in you?

If so, then it is time for a secession.

It is time to break ties with anything that looks, tastes, feels, or sounds like the world.  It is time to break off all alliances and end all compromises.  It is time for us to become crucified to the world and for the world to be crucified to us.

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Galatians 6:14

We have held on long enough to people, possessions, relationships, reputations, hurts, fears, etc. You cannot drag these things into the Kingdom of God.  Yet at the same time, these things will keep you back from the Kingdom.

There are people lying to you, telling you that the Kingdom of God is all about building up some earthly dominion in this world.  They call it "Kingdom Business" as they focus on making money, acquiring possessions, expanding professional networks, and becoming a person of renown.  There is nothing wrong with having possessions, just don't let them start to possess you.

Haven't you heard that the Kingdom of God is not of this world; it is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17)?

"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." John 18:36

There comes a time when you realize that you are in covenant with something which is holding you back.  The world is pulling you in one direction while the Lord is urging you in another. The only option at that point is for you to secede...or you will shift away from the Lord to keep covenant with the world.

secede: to withdraw formally from membership in a federal union, an alliance, or a political, religious, or other organization.

You are trying to enter eternity by investing in that which is temporal (Luke 12:16-21).  This will never work. You have to decide which is more important: the things of this life or the things of God. Don't you know that the two are at odds with one another?  We must either fish or cut bait because the time is coming where - if we do not decide - Jesus will decide for us.

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Revelation 3:15-19

We are fast approaching the time where mere religion is not going to make it; in fact, it is going to fail you miserably at the most inopportune time.  Why?  Because you won't have the strength or desire to keep pretending that you are what you aren't.

Consider this excerpt from The Organic Gospel:

The Church - God’s ekklesia - is a group of “called out” ones who have been set apart by God for His purposes. He desires to mold us into His image so that He can fill us with the eternal power of the Holy Ghost as living witnesses of Him. There is no other way to be reconciled to God except to be sanctified unto holiness (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) 

Brothers and sisters, we must come out from amongst them. We must separate from the Devil’s vexations which are sent to stop the formation of Jesus Christ within us. Only when the word of God is sown in our spirit and the nature of Christ is grown out into the soul do we become living witnesses as He manifests through our physical bodies. That transformation in itself testifies to the world that God is not dead, but alive!

Jesus IS alive, but the world will not know this until it is too late unless you become a vessel fit for the Master's use.  Yes the world is spiraling quickly into chaos, but the most tragic chaos is that within one's own soul as you decide which way you will choose.  Don't be found naked at this late hour (Mark 14:51-52).

Want to succeed?  You must secede.  You must die to the life which is tied to this world.  Let the light of God's word as directed by His Holy Spirit shine on all that is not pleasing to Him and then break ties with whatever that is.