A Warning To The Nations

Psalm 2

“Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one” -Psalm 2:1-2

What a time to come across this scripture. This is so true for today. There are a few things I wanted to share about Scripture:

1. The warnings against the kings of the Earth. They prepare for battle, or already in battle. Wow, this verse talks about going against God, I do not think that war in general goes against God’s heart for the world.

2. There are other forces that play in the world. I’m sure we can all the Spiritual warfare going on around us. It is important to consider what is going on around us and the physical world and the spiritual world.

Psalm 2:10-11 is interesting:

Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the Earth. Serve the Lord with fear, the rejoice with trembling

Psalm 2:10-11

The warning continues for the kings to serve the Lord. I think this is for our elected leaders and the leaders of other countries today.

Warnings come before destruction. In Hebrews 2:1 says, that before God sends down a judgement against the people. He will give us the option to turn to Him and be saved. If we do not do that, judgement will follow.

We all need to pray that the kings and rulers of the world will turn from their wicked ways.

You Have Not Because You Ask Not

James 4:2 isa very popular scripture to quote – especially when you are praying and believing God for something in your,ifs. Jesus instructs us to ask in many places in Scripture, so it make sense that if you don’t have something, it could be because you didn’t ask for it.

Does this mean that God will give us whatever we ask for? It that what James really means here… or is there more to the story? Well, there is; and that’s what we are going to look into.

Look at James 4:1-3

What causes fights and quarrels among? Don’t they comes from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

James 4:1-3

Is James really talking to believers here? I know it’s hard to believe, because he mentions words like fights, quarrels, kill, and covet. Yet he is talking about believers. More importantly, he is giving us a great reminder of the proper attitude we need to have when it comes to praying for something. It’s like James is giving us a litmus test to bring with us when we pray.

What Are You Asking? A Look At Motives

Look closely at having not because of asking not reveals that the problem is not really in the asking. The problem is in the reason why you are asking.

James identifies some of these wrong motives, but the ultimate desire that drives all the others is the burning desire to get something you do not have. This is known as coveting. To covet is to be jealous of something that someone else has, or to possess a strong eagerness to get something that does not belong to you.

How do you know if your are experiencing this emotion? One way is to think about how you feel when you see others around you blessed and it seems like God is passing you by. Do you rejoice in the blessing of others or do you despise them? When someone shares about how God blessed them, do you feel the need to try and trump their blessing with one of your own?

When someone gets a new job, new car, or any myriad of material blessings… do you find yourself being excited for them, or envious of them instead? If you do, then be careful; because of the ‘covet monster’ could be stirring inside you. So the next time someone shares what God is doing in there lives, rejoice with them. The Bible says we should rejoice with those who rejoice {Romans 12:15}.

The Negative Power Of Coveting

This type of emotion is not only unhealthy, it is a catalyst that leads to fights, quarrels, and yes even murder. Yes James is talking about believers. The striking thing about this desire is that it comes from within you. This is a reminder of how deceitful the human heart is and the strong pull our sinful nature can have over you if we let it get out of control.

When James reminds us in James 4:3 that we have not because we ask not, realize it’s a good thing and that God is doing you a favor. In other words, thank God for this next verse:

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, they you may spend what you get on your pleasures

James 4:3

God in His great wisdom and live, chooses not to answer prayers that are pursued with wrong motives. Can you imagine how we would be if God answered our prayers that were coming from our selfish motives? We would all be a mess.

What God is reminding us through James is that while, yes, asking matters and faith matters even more.

The Problem Of Misplaced Desires

Another problem here is the object of your desires, or things that bring you pleasure. It would be one thing if we were desiring to be more like Christ or more filled with the Holy Spirit, those desires are not only more beneficial to you but also to others. The desire James refers to only beneficial o you. They are rooted in selfishness. You want what you want and you want it now. Is there any wonder God would not answer this type of prayer?

The other problem these misplaced desires create is fights and quarrels. It’s really is no shock that selfish desires result in fights and quarrels, because when you want only what you want…what else do you expect to happen? That’s why Paul warns us:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each one of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:3-4

Imagine if this was the motivation behind your prayers? These are the types of prayers God Ives to answer.

Before The Great Awakening, There’s A Rude Awakening

All of us halted between two opinions. Sometimes we cannot seem to make up our minds about a particular situation. We move back and forth trying to make a wise decision but sometimes we allow other things to influence us that end up causing us to make the wrong decisions. Many times those unwise decisions have serious negative consequences.

Right now we are seeing a great separation in our country. Up until 30-40 years ago, in spite of our differences politically, philosophically and to some extent doctrinally, we were able to at least temporarily lay aside our personal preferences for the good of our country or our fellow citizens. That is no longer true generally speaking.

I believe we are in serious times where hard decisions need to be made individually as well as looking at the direction that our country has been heading and supporting those we can made a difference with biblically based decisions and initiatives. God is trying to get our attention and in His great Mets has allowed some of our current circumstances to shake us. The Scriptures even say that God will shake everything that can be shaken, in order that what cannot be shaken will be manifest and will remain. The word also states very plainly that God will discipline His own sons and daughters and that His is looking for. a bride that is making herself ready for her heavenly. Bridegroom. That means that the areas in our lives where there is compromise and lukewarmness need to be repented of so that we can live and walk in a way that pleases Him.

The book of Joel could very easily be written for the times we are currently in. It certainty has many parallels for today. Joel 3:14 states that there are: ‘Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision. For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” Verse 16 says: “The Lord also will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; the heavens and the earth will shake; but the Lord will be a shelter for His people and the strength of the children of Israel.” In the midst of all shaking there is a place of shelter and strength for those who pit their trust in the Lord.

I read somewhere that “Before we can have a Great Awakening, there must be a rude awakening.” Make have likened the overall church of the last days to the church mentioned in Revelation 3 – the lukewarm church of Laodicea. I certainly agree more from my own-limited observations. In my small town with about 20 churches with outspoken men and women in every sphere of influence, why has not our own city beet transformed by the power of the gospel? What are we doing or not doing that would and should change the culture of our communities in such a profound way that the outside observers would know that there are cities who not only love and honor our neighbors in our communities? There are modern day examples right here in our country of that happening.

I get it. Sometimes we are intimidated by the talents and gifts that other people have and operate in. We use the excuse that we are not so talented or gifted, thereby reasoning that we can just be a part of the “home team.” I have a neighbor who is very talented and gifted. He provides meals for the needy, works a full-time job and is available when anyone needs him. I look at him and feel worthless (there is no way I could do what he does). However, faith without works is dead. I think that means that everyone one of us can demonstrate our love for God and our fellow man by being engaged on some level to make a difference in the lives of others who are less fortunate than we are.if we are truly going to see a Great Awakening, we must each repent in the areas where we have been selfish or wrong on our thinking and actions.

We need to become so intimate with God that we can hear His voice so we can go into any situation with confidence, knowing that no matter the outcome, we are doing His Will and pleasing Him. I for one want to Hear His voice and then obey His direction. After all. I want to hear Him say “Well done” when my appointed them does come.

How To Experience Victory In Spiritual Warfare

Before we can talk about achieving victory in spiritual warfare, we have to understand the nature and history of the conflict between God and Satan. The basic principle in everything we see in the visible, the natural realm is controlled in the supernatural invisible realm.

We can see throughout the Old Testament as God made the first move when He created the angels. Lucifer countered that move when he rebelled against God {Isaiah 14:12-15} and took one-third of the angels with him {Revelation 12:4}.

God countered that move with creating man in His own image, “a little lower than angels {Psalm 8:5}. Satan rebelled against that move by tempting Adam and Eve to sin and turn the earth over to his control. But God countered by providing a redemptive covering for Adam and Eve so they could return to fellowship with His. Of course, Satan tried to counter that move by getting Cain to kill Abel in order to cut off the godly line.

That’s when God countered the birth of Seth, so that “men began to call on the Name of the Lord” again {Genesis 4:26}. Satan tried to count that move through the birth of Nimrod, who built the civilization of Babylon and Syria and gathered the people at the Tower of Babel to build a civilization and a relic defiance of God {Genesis 11:1-9}. But God countered with a move to Ur of the Chaldeans, finding a man named Abram through whom He would establish a nation, Israel, that would obey Him.

However, Satan countered that move by getting people trapped in Egypt so that Pharaoh would not let them go. God countered again by calling Moses to go to Pharaoh with the message, “Let my people go” {Exodus 5:1}. We could go on and on, but you get the idea. The entire Old Testament is move, countermove, move, countermove as Satan battled the work of God. Now don’t get the wrong idea. Spiritual warfare is not a battle between two equal forces. Satan is the creature; God is the Creator. Satan is a defeated foe; his defeat as first announced in Genesis 3:15 when God Himself said One would come who would crush Satan.

God’s Final Move

The One is Jesus Christ. So God made the big move when He became man in the person of Jesus Christ. Satan tried to counter that move by tempting Jesus in the wilderness {Matthew 4:1-11}. Jesus overcame that through the use of God’s Word. Then Satan made his final move at the cross, thinking he had gotten rid of Jesus. But God made the final move by raising Jesus from the dead.

And that move is now your move. No matter what’s going on in your world, Jesus’s resurrection move was God’s move, and now it’s your move for victory in spiritual warfare. What do you need to make that victory real in your life is to take up the armor of God has provided. Paul describes the armor for spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 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 heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:10-12

The Real Enemy

There’s a key principle of spiritual warfare in verse 12 that a lot of believers don’t understand. Notice our enemies are “the spiritual forces of evil.” In other words, people are not your problem. You may think people are your problem because they’re what you see, feel, touch, and hear. But according to Gods Word, people are just the conduit for the battle going on in the spiritual realm. The battles we have in life are not fundamentally physical in nature, but spiritual- not primarily on earth, but in the “heavenly realms.”

This means if you don’t know how to navigate the spiritual realm, you can’t fix what’s going on in the physical realm. Spiritual warfare is the battle in the invisible, spiritual world that is responsible for the battles in the visible physical world.

Paul uses the term “heavenly realms” uniquely in the Book of Ephesians to describe the Christian’s activities. For example, your blessings are located in the heavenly realms {Ephesians 1:3}. Everything God is going to do for you is located in the unseen realm. Then in Ephesians 1:20, Paul says God raised Jesus and seated Him in the heavenly realms. Not only are your blessings located there; Jesus, the One who is in charge, is there also. So if you want to get to Jesus m you have to go where He is in the spiritual realm.

What happens when we do this? For one, we start seeing other people, or even ourselves, as the problem, and we start fighting them or ourselves. Or we come to believe that the answers to our needs are found in some self-help program or in finding a new job or even a new spouse. But these things do work, so we start believing that we are helpless against the devil and his schemes.

A Secret To Victory

But here’s a secret to victory in spiritual warfare that the devil doesn’t want you to know. The only power that Satan and his demons have over you and me is the power we give them. That’s because Satan is already a defeated enemy, he was crushed at the cross and the empty tomb of Jesus. The only reason Satan can take over the planet earth is because Adam and Eve permitted him to do it. The devil and his demons need your permission to unleash the forces of Hell in your life.

And once they are given permission, demons are like roaches. They are scurrying around on our lives because we have permitted them to be there. But let me say it again; The devil operates by consent and by cooperation. Some people say, “Christians care just too demon conscious.” No, the problem is, most of us are too demon unconscious.

I say that because of our battle against these spiritual forces. Now let me ask you a question. If the devil has already been defeated by Jesus in the heavenly realm, and if we are seated with Jesus in the heavenly realm, and if our real battle is in the heavenly realm, where should we look for the weapons and the power to be victorious? In the heavenly realm.

That’s exactly what Paul is saying in Ephesians 6. The armor of God is spiritual. That means we can’t fight Satan in our own strength, using our puny human ideas. We fight in His power. Therefore, your assignment is to put the armor of God on and then stand your ground. Paul calls go to stand, twice in verse 13 and again in verse 14.

“Stand your ground” means stay where you are. Hold your ground. It means you don’t have to run and hide from the devil or throw down your weapons and surrender to I’m. Standing your ground doesn’t change the fact that evil is all around you or that the battle is raging all around you. But standing your ground, clothed in the armor of God, keeps the battle from overtaking you because you are under the protective covering of God

It’s like standing in the pouring rain with a big umbrella over you. The rain in hitting all around you and even trying to get you wet. But you’re okay as long as long as you stay under the protection of the umbrella. But step out from under your umbrella, and you’re going to get pelted.

Your Immune System And Praising God

Yesterday A friend of mine shared something with me, very interesting. I would like to share it with you.

A brain specialist named Dr. Carl Peterson has been doing some research on the relationship between the brain and praying and worshiping. He found that as we pray in the spirit and worship. Our brain releases two chemicals secretions that are directly related giving a 35% to 40% boost in our immune system. This promotes healing within our bodies. Amazingly this secretion is triggered from a part of the brain that had no other apparent activity in humans that’s only activated by our spirit during prayer and worship.

Ways God Keeps You Safe In A Dangerous World

In a world, experiencing wars, rumors of war, and dangers of every kind, it’s comforting to know that God has promised to protect His people. We may not all be on the front mind of a natural war, but we all basically enemy who he intends to steal, kill and destroy. However, we must always remember our God is more powerful than the devil. And when we make God our refuge, we have security in Him. Kiss like a newborn baby, wrapped in a warm, secure, blanket, God wraps us in His love,power, and protection.

Psalm 91 has kept many a person safe during all kinds of danger and war. This is known as the “Soldiers Psalm” But let’s also remember it’s the kind of protection has provided for us also.

There is nothing anyone can come up with that it’s not covered by the promises of protection and God’s Word. He has provided a shelter that is ours for the taking – in fact, according to Psalm 61:3, {God} has been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

God Himself is our shelter and refuge. The dictionary defines refuge as “ that which shelters or protects from danger, distress, or calamity; A stronghold which protects by its strength or a stronghold which secures safety by its sacredness; any place inaccessible to an enemy.

Psalm 91:4 tells us, “Under His wings, shall you trust and find refuge.” When trouble comes our way, stay in the place of refuge in God. It’s a place of safety from the enemy.

5 Ways God Keeps You Safe In A Dangerous World

1. God’s protection means you are, and inaccessible to the enemy, no matter what the circumstances.

According to the Scriptures, God encircles, encompasses, covers and shields, those who make Him their refuge. His presence – the anointing- is a kind of force field of protection making you inaccessible to the enemy no matter what the circumstances,

That’s how men and women throughout the ages have been able to walk, unharmed, who all kinds of dangerous situations. That’s how Daniel survived the Lions den. Lions couldn’t get to him because Andrew walked. Forcefield of God‘s protection was around him {Daniel 6:16-22}. God was Daniel’s refuge in the lions den.

And God was a refuge for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace as well. They were faithful to God, and believe God, and a circle of His power – the tangible force of God’s anointing – encased them. They didn’t bow and they didn’t burn. They didn’t even smell of smoke {Daniel 3:12-27}. An angel like the Son of God was in the furnace with the . They were not alone.

They were encompassed by the power of God.

One thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. You will only look with you eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. For He will put His angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.

Psalm 91:7-11

There is a place in Christ Jesus where we abide in the secret place of God’s protection. The world knows nothing about this secret place, nor can they live there. It’s a place revealed by the Holy Spirit. It is for the obedient. Our lives are hidden with Christ in God {Colossians 3:3}.

You and I can live in the secret place. Wherever you go, that secret place goes with us, surrounding and encircling us.

2. God has covered you with a garment of Light.

God Himself is encircled by what Scripture calls a garment of light. Psalm 104:1-2 says, “O Lord my God… you are clothed with honor and majesty you are the One who covers Yourself with light as with a garment…” ( The Amplified Bible).

That is a description of the Glory of God.

Adam was created in God’s image and God “crowned him with glory and honor“ {Psalm 8:5}. A Jewish commentary on Psalm 93 tells us, “As I sang God’s praises. Adam truly looked Divine, because he was a reflection of God’s image.” Think about it -Adam looked just like God. He was clothed in the glory of God – he wore a garment of light.

It’s true when Adam sinned, the glory departed from him. He lost that crown of honor. But thank God, Jesus got back everything in the redemption that Adam lost in his fall.

As believers in Christ, we are temples of the living God. He goes everywhere we go when we are filled with Him. God lives in us and we should radiate His presence and love. He has covered us with a garment, or shield of light. We may not always be able to see it, but rest assured, beings in the spirit realm (including Satan and his demons) see and recognize the glory of God on us.

3. Keep a shield of the Word over you, so no fiery dart of the devil can penetrate your life.

Even though as a Christian the Holy Spirit lives within us, we still must make sure we have our shield of faith in place when the devil aims a fiery dart at us. And we do that by knowing what God promises about protection and believing and standing on it in faith. You will not have faith to believe for this protection if you don’t know what God says about it, because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God {Romans 10:17}. You must know the Word to have any bases of faith,

By keeping a shield of the Word over you, no fiery dart of the devil can penetrate your life. Evil tidings may come, but don’t listen to them. Circumstances may look grim, but keep your heart fixed on God’s Word look at His promises instead of the situation. Resist the devil. Take your seat in the refuge of the Most High and stay put. Hold your position even under pressure and your enemy will flee {James 4:7).

Remember,everything you need is in that secret place with God. So hold your place by faith and believe what the Bible says. {Psalm 5:12, The Amplified Bible}.

God desires to bless you, to surround you with goodwill, to always protect you.

4. Your security will be determined by how much time and attention you give to God and His Word in this life.

It really isn’t that difficult to stay in that secret place – that place of protection – with God. In fact, I can tell you how to do it in four words:

Attach Yourself To God.

Go after the things of God. Go after His Word. Make it a priority to spend time with Him every day. Let everything in your life revolve around your relationship with Him.

You’ll find God will always do His part when you turn to Bim. But He has given you free will and its jo up to you to do your part, which is to attach yourself to Him and depend on Him. You choose to make the Lord your refuge, but then you must also choose to walk it out. “Walking it out“ means believing in God, rebuking fear, standing on the Word, and speaking the promises of God when a fiery dart comes your way. Of you can choose to yield in fear and let go of your protection.

You must decide how you will respond in a moment of crisis.

The commentary on Psalm 121 says, “To the extent that man pays attention to the Word of God and safeguards the commands of God will safeguard him.”

Your security will be determined by how much attention you give to God and His Word in this life. That may sound to simple, but it’s the truth. The Scriptures talk about “ye of little faith, and only you decide if that applies to you. If you give God a little bit of your time, you will have little faith and get little results.

But when you give God your attention, spend time with Him and His Word, and refuse to believe any other word for the situations you face, God will give you Bis attention and see to it that you come out all right.

Time with God pays off. When you consistently walk with God and listen to Him (even in the small things) you’ll be prepared if a crisis occurs. You will have no problem hearing and obeying when He tells you to do. And when you are walking in wisdom, you will always be protected.

Sometimes just knowing which road to take can save your life. So learn to ask the Lord to direct your path each day, pray Psalm 25:4 and say, “Show me the path where I should go, “O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk.”

It’s important to recognize God as your source and your number one means of protection. See Him as your guardian or covering. I like the way Psalm 121 states, The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is your shield at your right hand. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from every evil. He will guard your soul. The Lord will guard your coming in and your going out, from this time and forever” {Psalm 121: 5-8}.

5. Let The Joy Of The Lord Be Your Strength.

We desire to abide in God’s presence where there is not only protection, but also “fullness of joy“ {Psalm 16:11}? It’s interesting to note that the Jews, believe the Spirit of the Lord would not manifest Himself where there is sadness or depression. That makes sense to me because if you are sad or depressed, that means you’re not believe in God. If you are afraid or feel defeated, you are out of faith. In fact, part of the curse in Deuteronomy 28 says, “In the morning you will say, ‘I wish it were evening,’ and in the evening you will say, ‘I wish it were morning’ for the fear, and for the sights which your eyes will see [Deuteronomy 28:66}.

Think about it – Negative emotions can’t be a foothold in our lives unless we turn loose of the promises of God that say we are delivered, that say, God is our source of protection, provision, and every other good thing.

It just boils down like this: We have to live by faith and trust in God. In Him we have already been delivered from the whole curse. We are protected from danger, sickness, lack of any other bad thing that is under the curse. God promised us in Psalm 91, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who are crushed in my name” {Psalm 91:14}.

Get your eyes on God – he is your help and deliverance {Psalm 121:1-2} Make your decision to abide in the secret place, and declare Him to be your refuge. Spend time with God and His Word meditate on scriptures about protection and tell you are confident that you have it.

If doubt creeps in, take spiritual action fast! Get your shield of faith back up keep your words straight, Listen to faith tapes, go to Faith-filled meetings, do whatever it takes to get your head anchored in truth. Don’t listen to Satan’s lies.

Remember, we have a refuge or a covering that is greater than anything in the world and more powerful than the enemy that can come against us.

Get a picture in your mind and heart of God encircling you, taking care of you protecting you. The more you walk with Him and trust Him,the stronger the armor of protection becomes, And that something to rejoice about.

The joy of the Lord is your strength {Nehemiah 8:10}. Psalm 5:21 says it this way, “ but let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them.” {Amplified Bible}.

No matter what is happening in the world, you can rejoice because…

God’s Got You Covered