Gen 3:6-7: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

It is interesting to think that Adam, placed in the Garden of Eden and given the favor of God, with everything he could desire, turned his back on God. Why? One word…SELF. Adam saw his life as meaningless without Eve and chose to follow her into death. He committed suicide because he could not see his destiny.

We can argue that Eve was deceived by the serpent based on the conversation recorded in the scripture- she was tempted through her senses of hearing, sight, and touch. She actually thought she was going to be “equal with God”. Gen 3:4-5: “And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die: For God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

But Adam chose to sin. Suicide can be defined as “the act or an instance of taking one’s own life voluntarily and intentionally” (Merriam-Webster). In other words, Adam chose to cut off his life with God intentionally and voluntarily. And with that one act, he placed all his seed in the hands of an overlord whose desire is to simply destroy all mankind.

Suicide is not only the culmination of depression as many have concluded, but it is also a spirit that has only one agenda- the destruction of destiny. It will oppress and torment until by your own hand you decide to end it all. 

But Christ came to give us a way of escape. He will lift the burdens. He will set you free. Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and depression. Deep within understand you are created in the image and likeness of God and there is a purpose in your life.

Jesus has come that you would have life and unlike Adam who chose death, you can choose to live. Reject the spirit of suicide and it will flee from you. Don’t entertain it. Don’t invite it. Don’t talk to it. Instead, begin to THANK GOD for something. There must be something you are grateful for. Find that silver lining and thread the needle of life. It is not only about you. It is for your seed and those after you. Guard your heart against the devourer, who like a worm, only needs one place to enter. YOU ARE IMPORTANT IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS AND YOU ARE LOVED!

Isa 61-1-3 says this about Jesus: “The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To provide for them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

Let us lift up our eyes to the Maker of heaven and start with thanking Him for our redemption. The enemy’s lies are to make you believe that there is no way out except death… but it is a lie. There is a way of escape. It is only through JESUS CHRIST.. The door through which we have eternal life in the hereafter and abundant life in the now.

Choose life instead of death. Reject the Adamic spirit of suicide and accept the LIFE given by CHRIST.

AMEN

As born-again believers, we are supposed to be the salt of the earth- not sugar coat the things of God to give a sense of ease to those around us.

As Christians, we are called to warfare- not to be entertaining the masses and not to entertainment and appeasement. Appeasement is when you are waving a white flag in surrender.

As evangelists, we are not to curry favor to win a soul. We MUST present the word, the law of GOD that condemns mankind and the redemption of sin made possible ONLY by the sacrifice of GOD’s only SON- Jesus Christ.

As ambassadors of Christ, we represent another Kingdom. We have a mission to dismantle the old kingdom- NOT assimilate into it.

As the CHURCH- THE EKKLESIA- we are NOT called to assemble ourselves so that we may be entertained on a Sunday morning or a Saturday by hearing a good word and listening to great worship. We should assemble ourselves to be EQUIPPED for battle.

The perversion of the WORD manifests itself daily. As warriors, we don’t strategize with methods of the enemy whose mission and strategy is simple- make you ineffective. He will cover you in so much mud that others will be unwilling to listen to you. BUT YOU ARE CALLED TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD- SHINE!!

YOU ARE CALLED TO BE SALT… SALT THE WOUNDS- BIND IT UP AND RELEASE THOSE WHO ARE IN PRISONS.

Let us look again to the mandate given to us and renew our minds. Let us obtain clarity from the word and forsake the vain philosophy of the world. Unsheath the sword of the SPIRIT beloved and march on to execute the word of GOD on the powers of darkness- whose power rest and reside in deception and manipulation. Clothe your mind with CHRIST and HIM resurrected.

Arise and WAR for the souls of men!!

A while back I posted a blog on “God’s Frequency” which draws the analogy between a radio signal and the antenna- the radio signal being God’s voice and the antenna being our soul. And just like a radio which can be used to change the channel- so too we can either choose to hear God’s voice or to hear the voice of the enemy.

God is always speaking. Jesus is the WORD (John 1:1). As the Word, He came to provide us with an opportunity to clean up our heart and ear receptors so that we may be able to walk as children of God.

But remember- with the entrance of sin, Satan polluted our receptors with darkness so that we lean toward receiving signals from him rather than from God. In other words, he staged an overthrow both in heaven and on earth and has installed himself as if he is some divine ruler over the realms of earth. What was rightfully given to man as an inheritance, Satan has wrestled it away by trickery and deception. He captured mankind and placed him in a prison of darkness- never again to see or hear from God. BUT….

The Champion of God- the Word Himself- entered the Ring of Fire. He came so that we may be able to escape the enemy’s prison. God has provided a way of escape. It is up to us to walk off the plantation of the enemy’s captivity and open our hearts and mind to receive the signals and frequency of God.

But the satellites of Satan are many. And he has laced within us, like an intricate network of wires, receptors from birth that we tend to receive and listen more to him than to God. We are scarred from the very womb and from the moment of our entry into the world until our exit. We are hated and set up to fail by the plan and deception of the enemy.

If we can only see the glory and the beauty of our God, we will forsake the wine of deception and darkness with which the enemy has plied us with. Many are drunk on this wine. It is time to remove the enemy’s dark receptors within us and seek after the frequency of God so that we will please our heavenly father and not walk according to the will or a dark and sinister dictator.

Col 3:1-10 says “Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him. So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. You also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them. But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.”

1 Peter 2:1-2 says “So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation”

Hebrews 12 1-3 says “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Amen

Choosing the hill you die on is a very apt description of choosing your battles wisely. There are conflicts that come our way daily and we must ask ourselves if we should engage in each one and wither away and die engaged in too many battles that distract from our real battle. “Sufficient today is the evil that you have to deal with. Don’t worry about tomorrow”.

We must be sober and vigilant to engage in those battles that determine our destiny. That is why Daniel chose to battle in prayer rather than be distracted by the noise of the trumpets that sounded to say he should not pray to anyone else but the king. Daniel knew his destiny and he chose his battle. He chose prayer to the one true God. He chose destiny.

Don’t be distracted by those who seek to distract us from the greater purpose. I have come to learn that if you focus on God… He will fight your battles for you. Focus. Let us be clear on our mission and choose carefully which hill we are willing to die on.

Why does your life matter?  

We are born and face destiny from the womb to the time of our dying breath. And the time spent between the two spots in our existence matters. It matters because we all have a purpose, we are all to be counted on to do our share to make this world better.

But the lies of the enemy (Satan) is to make us believe that we do not matter. We live under shadows that cover us with sadness and delusions of rejection and self-hate.

Someone might fail to recognize you but God does not. He knows you and he counts you as His. But we deny Him because we deny ourselves the recognition of our identity. We fail to understand that we are counted and that God counts us in His fold. When we choose to walk out our lives based on lies and invitations to demons, we negate our place in His arms. We suffocate in a darkness that will not willingly let go.

It is time for us to know this…

I MATTER. I COUNT. I AM HIS. AND NOTHING IN HEAVEN NOR EARTH SHOULD SEPARATE ME FROM THE ONE WHO LOVES ME THAT HE GAVE HIS LIFE SO THAT I CAN BE COUNTED AS HIS.

AMEN

Lot was taken captive by foreign forces and Abram, as the loyal kinsman pursues the captors and redeems Lot. There are two kings that approach Abram thereafter.

Gen 14:17-24 (KJV)- And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the King’s Valley. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him tithes of all. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to yourself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoe thong, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, I have made Abram rich: Except only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

We face two paths daily in our walk with Christ. One of which promises the blessings of God in our life, the other promises reward. We have to be careful that we take nothing that will forfeit the blessings of God in our life.

Melchizedek ( the king of Salem and priest of God)  blessed Abram. Then the scripture reads “And he gave him tithes of all.”  Melchizedek brought bread and wine- symbolic of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. And the tithes of the spoils (according to Hebrews 7) was given to Melchizedek. However, the rest of the spoils- Abram did not take – Except only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

The King of Salem offered a reward or a bribe for the deliverance which Abram refused rightly declaring that if he were to get anything, it had to come from God and not from a man’s hand – lest you should say, I have made Abram rich. 

So too, we should pursue the blessings of God rather than the gratification of man’s rewards. Seek first His Kingdom and His Blessings will follow you. It is His Promise. The blessings are not tangible. It is the opening of a spiritual door that may manifest as temporary riches but the core of which, if the focus is unshifted, remains in GOD Himself.

As Abram did- let us seek after God rather than accept rewards and bribes that will deviate from His blessings. There are no shortcuts. We are in this for the long run. Invest time, effort and substance in Him and His Kingdom. And in due time, we shall reap His manifested blessings in our life.

Gal 6:9-10: And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (NKJV)

Weary from the Greek word “enkakōmen” meaning don’t lose heart in time needed. We have to be so careful and watch constantly that we do not fall prey to our own pre-judgments and prejudices. Our intentions are generally good but we are bombarded by wave after wave of ingratitude and unappreciation.

Let us be mindful daily and do not lose sight that what we do on the earth in terms of good, trying to help -WE DO ALL OF THIS AS UNTO GOD.

So while a word of thanks or an appreciative gesture would be nice, it goes without saying that we must persevere in spite of or the lack therof. If the Lord was and is exposed to the ungratefulness and thoughtless words of selfish people, who are we? The servant is never greater than the Master.

So let us persevere is doing good. IN SPITE of and NOT BECAUSE of. We are agents of the most HIGH GOD- and as such let us NOT LOSE HEART. As “opportunity” arises (from the Greek root “Kairon: meaning in the proper time or season) let us take hold of the opportunity and do good.

If we knew what tomorrow would bring and knew that the acts that we do today impact tomorrow, we will RUN to accomplish the things that will bring blessings for tomorrow. God has given us the blueprint for sowing for tomorrow. He holds tomorrow in HIS hands and tells us not to be weary in doing good.

LET US WATCH AND PRAY THAT GOD WILL OPEN OUR EYES TO DO GOOD IS THIS HOUR, THAT WE WILL SEE THE OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY ARISE AND WE TAKE HOLD OF THEM, THAT HE MAY RECEIVE GLORY…….. AND THAT WE MAY REAP AND HARVEST HIS BLESSING IN OUR LIVES AND IN OUR CHILDREN’S LIVES.

AMEN

Job 2:9- “Then his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!”

It is important to understand that in our rebellion against God, that the enemy deceives us into believing that there is no way of escape. If we are condemned- he lies to us to say we might as well accept our fate and just die. 

In Job’s case, he was afflicted with the loss of his position, his wealth, his children and his health. In the midst of all these calamities, it is easy to say “it is over” and “I give up”. When we take the easy way of accepting the lies of the enemy, we literally open a door to further mental warfare. He will crush your hopes, he will spit in your face and denigrate you. He will bombard you minute after minute with accusations and reasons why you should hate yourself. Under this attack, it is easy to ease into depression and harbor a spirit of suicide. Death seems like the only way out. BUT THESE ARE LIES!!!

John 10:10 says “The thief comes not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

In other words, Satan – the destroyer- will stop at nothing until he has crushed your hopes, your destiny and your purpose for God. But the Deliverer- Jesus Christ- has come to give you life, hope and destiny. He has come to repurpose you, to recast you into God’s path. AND the one strategy we have to employ in this battle is FAITH. Believe GOD instead of the Liar- Satan. BELIEVE that God,  who never lies, has redeemed you, has made a way for you and will lead you. 

We have a choice daily- 

1. Shake off the accuser and hold on to the WORD of GOD
2. Believe HIM- the One who is eternal and NEVER lies. 
3. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27
4. “Honor your father and your mother: that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God gives you.”Exodus 20:12
5. But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matt 6:33)

6. Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.” Ps 1:1-3

Retain your integrity. We were created in the image of GOD. Never lose sight that His eyes are always toward us with grace. He has kept His end of the covenant and has paid the price for our redemption. 

Acts 16:30-31 declares “ Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house.”

Romans 10:10-11-“For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.”

Believe GOD! Your life is worth more than you could ever know. There is no need to wish for Death. SAY NO!  Wish and seek after life and the LIFEGIVER- JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

We can either choose to be a tool of the enemy where he uses us to inflict wounds, pain and hurt to others or we can choose to be a servant of the most high GOD and help usher in His love, his presence, and healing. When we choose the former, we feel and think we have power but that power is a delusion. Hitler had power but his evil was defeated. The enemy will use you and toss you after he is through with you. But the lowliest servant of the Lord God Almighty experiences His love as no other and is wrapped in loving arms always. 

Let us lend ourselves to be true servants of God. Don’t listen to the enemy’s half-truths and innuendos meant to wreak havoc in your lives. The devil truly comes to steal, to kill and to destroy but Jesus Christ came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot steal and be a tool of the devil to kill and destroy and also have life and have it abundantly. You MUST choose. It is EITHER OR.

Fear the Lord and do good. Walk uprightly before Him. Seek Him first and all things shall be added. Don’t lose your position because of the taunts and witchcraft of Goliath. Stand your ground and BE A SERVANT OF GOD. God is not deaf that He cannot hear. He is not blind that He cannot see. Let us turn to Him and SERVE HIM with all our hearts, souls and beings. A true servant and soldier does His master’s bidding and does not entangle himself with fights and wars that are meaningless.  God has already won. Put on His armor and not Saul’s armor (of pride, of self and of deceit) and stand your ground. By using the godly weapons of prayer, fasting and the word of God- advance and do battle for souls. Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. God is on the Throne and He is coming soon. Amen

Gen 4:11- “If you do well, shall you not be accepted? and if you do not well, sin lies at the door. And you shall be its desire, and you must rule over it.

The enemy always begins on the outside because he cannot enter unless you invite him in. Like the wolf in the fairy tale, he cries ‘little pig, little pig- LET ME COME IN”. Unlike the smart pig who says “Not by the hair of my chiny, chin, chin”- people actually say- please come in, have a seat- let me hear your side of the story.

When we entertain the voice of deception and the lies, the beast begins to transform us into being more like him. It doesn’t take a full moon for the werewolves in us to come out. All it takes is an open heart and receptive mind to the whispering of the enemy to transform our beings into agents of darkness.

We can label ourselves with any label, if the content of our hearts is toxic, we will manifest that poison. Hence, God warns us in James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

First submit, then resist. The enemy, like electricity, will take the path of least resistance. In other words, he is not patient. His impatience and his anger will be strong enough to try to take the easiest path to success. And if we entertain him, we give him that access.

One thing I have learned this week is that when the enemy tries to come in to whisper words of the past, I remind myself that while he may have controlled my past, GOD is my future and my destiny.

When he tries to bring words of hate and torment based on what others have done, said or neglected to do, I remind myself that the WORD of God is true. That as a follower of Christ, I am surrounded by the blood of Yeshua and encompassed by His Love. He alone is my righteousness and hence I should be “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” 2 Cor. 10:5.

True warfare is not only about taking territory on the outside. It is also about taking back the territory in us so that we may live a victorious life and be able to resist the devil daily. It begins when we realize that we must die daily.….not just words but dying to will, self, old beliefs and the witchcraft of our customs in this age and society. It begins simply with us saying YES to God and No to the beast crouching at our door.