God's Pattern For Deliverance Part 3 - The Pre-Deliverance Pattern

God’s Pattern For Deliverance

 

Part 3 – The Pre-Deliverance Pattern

 

               If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Joh 8:36

 

If the Son shall make you free? Why “if”? After all, when we’re redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb and make the choice to serve Christ Jesus, freedom is automatically ours because of His work on the cross, right? We are entitled to everything that Jesus paid for with His death, resurrection and ascension, aren’t we? So why does it say “if”?

 

We serve a God of order. Like most of us, He does things a certain way. Unlike most of us, He never changes and His ways never change. Because of this, when we look through the Word, we can easily discover the patterns He uses repeatedly. Being set free is just one such pattern that God has laid out for us in great detail. Once we understand His pattern for deliverance, we can follow it and achieve the desired results. And it works every time. Without fail.

 

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Mat 16:19

 

               What a powerful promise!  But wait, what are the keys of the kingdom of heaven? Where do we find them? How do we use them? What exactly do they open?

 

               One example of a key to the kingdom of heaven is the understanding of God’s patterns. If we understand His patterns, we understand how He works in any given situation. Thus, there is never any question about God’s will for a particular situation; we just follow the pattern He created and therefore we achieve the results He desired when He gave us the pattern. Simple, right?

 

               And notice the phrase following: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Notice that the authority to bind and loose only comes after we have been given the keys to the kingdom. It is only by a thorough understanding of God’s patterns that we gain the authority to bind and loose here on the earth. Remember, the authority to bind and loose only comes after we’ve been given the keys to the kingdom.

 

               God’s pattern for deliverance has three main steps with numerous smaller steps in between. The three main steps are pre-deliverance, power encounter, and post-deliverance. Each of these three main steps has numerous smaller sub-steps contained within them. Each of these steps needs to be followed in order to not only achieve deliverance, but to keep it. If we follow the steps that God has laid out the way He has laid them out, we are sure to be delivered and to remain free. That is the hard part.

 

               The greatest in-depth example we have of God’s pattern for deliverance occurs in the book of Exodus. The entire book of Exodus. Deliverance is a subject that is so near and dear to God’s heart, that He gave us a complete step-by-step instruction guide on how to get there. All we have to do is to discover it and study to understand it. Sounds easy, right?

 

               And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; Exo 3:7

 

               Here we have the very first step in the pre-deliverance pattern that God has given us. As with all of God’s patterns, the first step is the step where God reaches down with mercy to get involved in our situation.

 

               And notice the way that God lays this out for us. First, He sees our affliction. That is not surprising. God sees everything and knows everything. Whenever we are bound up with something that is not of Him, you can be sure He sees.

 

               The next thing that happens in this first step is that God hears our cries for help. Even though God sees that we are afflicted, nothing will really start to happen until He hears us cry out for His assistance. We must remember that God has given us free choice. We have the option of remaining bound up by something for as long as we choose to endure it. Only when we are sick and tired of being oppressed and begin to cry out for help will the Lord respond.

 

               And how does He respond? He comes to know; comes to have an intimate knowledge of our sorrows.  How does God come to know our sorrows? We must be in an intimate relationship with Him.

 

God has given man rule over this earth (Gen. 1:26), and that must start with dominion authority over our own hearts and minds. Because God gave us that authority, He will never violate our space unless we want Him to do so. Therefore, if God is to obtain an intimate knowledge of the struggle we are having, we must submit to His Spirit as He searches our hearts. If the intimate relationship is lacking, God cannot come to intimately understand the struggle we are having. Period.

 

And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Exo 3:8

 

               Once God has seen our affliction, heard our cries for His intervention, and come to know our sorrow, what happens next? He comes down to deliver us. Every time. No exceptions.

 

               And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. Exo 3:14-15

 

               Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. Exo 6:1-3

 

               The next step in the pre-deliverance process, is that we must come to know the nature of the God we serve. We must come to know that God is a mighty God, and that He is able to deliver us from whatever we are struggling with. This one small step takes some people many years to climb. Until we understand the nature of Christ Jesus as Savior, Healer and Deliverer, we really can’t go much farther.

 

               Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. Exo 3:16-18

 

               This is another area that gets many of us into no-man’s land with God. After we have come to an understanding of who He is, we must listen to His voice, and begin to walk in obedience. Failure to do so means we are going to be here a while.

 

               Sin and oppression of all forms came into the world through disobedience to God’s Word. Living a lifestyle of disobedience to the Word of God opens doorways for the flesh, the world, and the enemy to kick us around as much as they please. It is only by repenting of our disobedience and beginning to walk in obedience to the will and the Word of God that we will find it possible to receive and keep our deliverance.

 

               And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. Exo 4:22-23

 

               Once we have repented for our disobedience and begun the obedient walk that God desires of us, we are entitled to receive a huge benefit. God recognizes us as sons. As a son of God, we are entitled to all the benefits of son-ship. No longer are we merely half-hearted, half-obedient servants. Now we are adopted into the kingdom and we can begin to claim the rights due a prince of the kingdom of Heaven. One of those rights is absolute freedom from the flesh, the world, and the enemy.

 

               Once we are adopted as sons, God sends a “shot over the bow” to our flesh, the world around us, and the enemy. God warns them that if they refuse to obey the voice of a true son of the kingdom, that there will be consequences. He does not tolerate any sort of oppression that tries to operate against His children.

 

                

               And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. Exo 6:3-7

 

               As a son of the kingdom, we are in covenant with God. A covenant written in the blood of Jesus Christ. As such, we have certain guarantees under the covenant. The first guarantee is that of salvation to eternal life. But there are many other benefits. One such benefit is that we have been redeemed from all forms of oppression. As such, God begins to put His master plan into action.

 

               The very first step in God’s master plan for His covenant sons, is that they will be recreated in the image of His Son, Christ Jesus. As such, we are recreated to be head and shoulders above every form of oppression, regardless of its’ source. It doesn’t matter if it is a flesh problem, a problem with our world, or a problem with the demonic. Doesn’t matter, we are new creations and are above the mess.

 

               And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land. Exo 7:1-2

 

               And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Mat 28:18

 

               But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Joh 1:12

 

               Once we are recreated in the image of Jesus Christ, we become as He is, a Son of God.

 

               Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 1Jn 4:17

 

               As such, we acquire the right to use His authority over this earth and everything in it. In short, we become like a god in this world. Just as He is.

 

               Caught you off guard with that, didn’t I? We have no reason to fear this world, habits of our flesh, or even attacks of the enemy. We have been created to rule as a god over them.

 

               So many of us lose the battle because we are filled with fear or allow the enemy to intimidate us into quitting. We do not have to do that. We are as a god to everything that comes against us as long as we remain a son of the kingdom. As long as we are walking in the very image of Jesus Christ, nothing can touch us unless we allow it to do so.

 

               This means that everything we struggle against should, by rights, fear us, not the other way around. Everything that is assigned against us should be quaking in its boots at the sound of our name. It is when we come to this understanding that deliverance becomes very easily affected. There is only one more requirement we must fulfill to move to the power encounter phase of deliverance.

 

               But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them. Exo 7:4-5

 

               The final step is that we must understand that, as sons of the kingdom, it is the hand of God that brings an end to all forms of oppression. And He does so for His own glory. His glory, not ours. His authority, not ours. His power, not ours. His will, not ours.

 

               Once we have come to this revelation, we are ready to move to the power encounter phase of the deliverance process. This is the step where the power of God directly confronts and overwhelms the power of the enemy in our lives. This is the step where chains are broken and sweet freedom is finally experienced for the first time.

 

               For those of you actively seeking deliverance from something that has gained a place in your life, I would encourage you to go through these steps as the Lord leads and guides. And please be on the lookout for the next article in this series: God’s Pattern for Deliverance Part 4 – The Power Encounter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God's Pattern For DeliverancePart 2 - Freedom Through Obedience

God’s Pattern For Deliverance

Part 2 – Freedom Through Obedience

 

               If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Joh 8:36

               Absolute freedom in Christ is available, and it is always God’s will for His children. It doesn’t matter what you are struggling against, God wants you to be free of it. Too many of us; nearly all of us in fact, are struggling against things that God wants to set us free from.

               We struggle against these things for much too long. They get stuck in our minds and become habitual patterns. We pray for relief, we speak to them and go into warfare against them, but they are still there. We steel ourselves against them every morning, and then have to admit they have gotten the better of us every night. Sound like anyone you know? Me, too!

               What we need to understand about our situation is this: God knows what we are going through and He wants us to be free from it. Free! Completely free!

               And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. Exo 3:7-10

 

               God knows what we’re going through when we are in bondage of any sort. He sees our affliction. He hears our cries to be released from this thing, whatever it may be. He comes to know our sorrows; the daily struggle; the endless line of defeats. And He has arranged a way for us to be free. All we have to do is to follow the plan that He has laid out.

 

               Yes, God has a plan to set us free! And He reveals it to those that are searching and listening for Him.

 

               And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians. Exo 3:20-22

 

And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.

Exo 11:4-8

 

               Once God has seen our afflictions, heard our cries for His help, and come to know our sorrows, He puts His deliverance plan into effect. But what is the plan? How do we find out? What do we need to do to be a part of this plan?

 

               The first thing we need to understand about God’s plan is that He always honors His promises (Num. 23:19). The second thing we need to understand is that He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).

 

               If God saw the afflictions of the children of Israel, heard their cries and came to know their sorrows, then He is still doing the same thing for you and I. And once God comes to know the sorrows of the afflicted, He comes down to deliver them from their affliction.

 

               And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Exo 3:8

 

               We must understand that this is the pattern that God has laid out, and that He always honors it.

 

               And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men. Exo 12:30-33

 

               Just as God honored His Word to Moses and the children of Israel, He continues to honor His Word today. And because He is no respecter of persons, what worked for them will work for us. It has to. It’s God’s pattern.

 

               Many of us are not familiar with the patterns of God. Many of us are even unaware that God has laid out patterns for us. What we need to understand is that we serve a God of order. Every time we follow the steps He has laid out, He will do His part. Every time.

 

               So where do we find the pattern for deliverance? Where did God hide this pattern? It’s in His Word. We just need to understand how to find it.

 

               The first thing we need to understand about the patterns of God, is that they always require an act of faith on our part.

               And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. Exo 12:1-11

 

               Before the Pharaoh rose up in the middle of the night to realize that God had slain all the first-born of Egypt, the children of Israel had to follow His instructions. Even though they may not have fully grasped the importance of having lamb for dinner instead of roast beef and potatoes, they had to act in faith. They had to obey first. That is always the first step in every pattern of God: obedience. He will always reveal to us what we are supposed to do, but the ball never gets rolling until we do it.

 

               And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. Exo 12:28

               And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men. Exo 12:30-33

 

               Had the children of Israel decided that they weren’t really in the mood for lamb and ordered out for a pizza instead, the greatest deliverance in the Old Testament would have never taken place. The importance of obeying God in the smallest of things cannot be stressed enough. Who could have guessed that eating lamb for dinner one night would have such an effect?

 

               When we want or need God to move in our situation, we must respond to Him in faith. To respond in faith means that we must do something.

 

               Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Jas 2:18        

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Jas 2:20

 

Even if all we must do is to walk down to the front of the sanctuary during the altar call, we must do something that God is asking us to do. This is faith, and it is faith that causes God to act on our behalf.

 

And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. Mat 9:28-29

 

It is faith, acting in accordance with the will of God, that activates our deliverance and leads to our freedom in Christ. When we become obedient to the will of God and act out our faith, He comes to our rescue. This is a biblical pattern, and God honors it every time. No exceptions.

 

Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies. Exo 12:50-51

 

What we must understand is that our freedom can come only through obedience. Our oppression came from an act of disobedience, so to be free of the oppression we must come into obedience. Freedom can only come through obedience

 

This may make no sense whatsoever to the mind of a human being, but our freedom can only come through being a servant to Christ Jesus.

 

For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. 1Co 7:22

 

A good servant is always first and foremost an obedient servant. It is our voluntary servitude to Christ Jesus that buys our freedom.

 

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Rom 6:16-18

 

Servitude to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, IS freedom from sin and death.

 

I want to encourage all of my readers to search your hearts. Is there something you are struggling against? Do you feel as though it is getting the better of you? We’ve all been there.

 

If this is your situation, ask the Lord to reveal the act of disobedience which allowed this thing to operate in your life. Then repent. Seek deliverance counseling from a qualified deliverance minister. But most importantly, bring your life back into obedience with the will and the word of God. This one simple act will make huge changes in your life.

 

I also encourage those of you serious about deliverance to continue reading this series of articles. The next article in the series, entitled “The Pre-Deliverance Pattern” will be published soon!

 

 

 

 

              

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God's Pattern For Deliverance Part 1 - Introduction

God’s Pattern for Deliverance

Part 1 – Introduction

 

               Okay, we’ve all heard the term “deliverance” used in our churches or on Christian Television. But what exactly is deliverance. Who needs deliverance? If I need deliverance, how do I go about getting it? Once I am delivered, how do I stay delivered?

               These are all very good questions.  From my experience, they aren’t likely to be answered in any depth by watching Reverend So-and-so on Christian Television, or by attending the local sanctuary. The problem with deliverance is that there are many faulty interpretations of what it is and how it is to be accomplished. Many churches won’t even think of praying for deliverance! So how do we fix this and come to an understanding of what it is and how it is accomplished? We go back to the Word.

               The Encarta Dictionary defines “deliverance” as: rescue from captivity, hardship, or domination by evil. I’d say that is a pretty good definition. Now that we know what it is, who needs it, and how do we get it?

               Let’s take just a moment to consider the first question before us: who needs deliverance? Well, we have all been born into sin, right?

               Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Rom 5:12

 

               And then to make it worse, we have all committed our own sins, right?

 

               For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Rom 3:23 

 

If being delivered means to be rescued from domination from evil, doesn’t that mean that deliverance is about being rescued from domination by sin? Yes!

 

In short, any of us that have ever been born and have ever sinned requires deliverance in some form or fashion. And that, my friend, is each and every one of us. Everyone. I guess that answers that question.

 

So now that we have discovered the need for deliverance, how do we go about obtaining it? That is exactly what this series of articles is about, my friend! As you continue reading, we will discuss how to obtain deliverance and, most importantly, how to keep it. Please see Part 2 of this series: Freedom through Obedience!

 

              

 

 

 

 

Touch Not My Anointed

He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 1Ch 16:21-22

               We are in a strange age in the Christian Church. While the Spirit of the Lord begins His great release over the whole earth to prepare us for the end of days, the people of God turn on one another, stabbing their brethren from behind keyboards, screaming “false prophet”, “false teacher”, or “heretic”. We consume one another from behind the relative safety of a computer screen, quick to judge and outright condemn anything we do not understand. Every new move of God has someone screaming that this isn’t their brand of Christianity, and the leaders of any new movement are quickly bloodied. Their faults and sins are broadcast to a world-wide audience hanging on the edge of their mouse for another tidbit of dirt on Pastor So-and–so.

               While the apostate, conservative church consumes its brethren in gnashing of teeth and spewing of venom, the Spirit of the Lord marches on, regardless. He ignores the complaints of the conservative and apostate branches of the Church, pouring out regardless. Even as someone sits in their home office condemning this man or that, a great crusade is held and thousands of people get healed. Even while the internet gossip circle laughs about the moral fault of this minister or that preacher, hundreds of people are saved through their ministry. Shouldn’t this be telling us something?

               When Jesus came to the earth as a man, He experienced much the same treatment. He was reviled, spit on, called a false prophet and blasphemer, and nearly stoned on several occasions. All of these things took place because He had the colossal gall to minister in the power of the Spirit, bringing a new revelation of truth to the people of God.

               In His time on this earth as a man, Jesus had the misfortune to be sent into an atmosphere of an apostate church. The religious authorities of the day were very well educated in the doctrines of man, and laughed at the simple truths He revealed.

               The situation is very much the same in the modern atmosphere of the Church. If you have the nerve to post a prophetic release anywhere on the internet so that the people of God can have access to what the Lord is saying, you are sure to be called all kinds of things by “good Christian brethren”, none of which are complimentary. You will be labeled as everything from a “crackpot” to a “heretic”, laughed at, shunned, “unfriended”, and sternly lectured about “good Christian doctrine”.

               When Christ arrived on the scene over two thousand years ago, He was seen as a blasphemous fool, because the things He said and did flew in the face of everything that Jewish doctrine taught was correct and respectable. Imagine, He had the nerve to prophesy, minister in the Spirit of love, and even associate with sinners and publicans.

               As a Rabbi, a very respected person of the Jewish faith, He had the right to carry Himself proudly, looking down on all those that were not as religious or as educated in the Law as He was. His simple bearing and humility must have shamed the religious elite.

His closest friends were beneath the respect of the Jewish elders. They were mostly uneducated, ignorant of “correct” Jewish doctrine, and they smelled like fish. What an experience that must have been in the Upper Room. Nevertheless, He continued to preach His version of the Word of God until people began to listen.

So what is it that made the people of Israel listen to Jesus, even though His teachings were so contrary to popular belief? What drew people to listen to Him? That answer is easy enough: it was the miracles.

As He traveled from place to place spreading this new, unpopular Gospel, signs and wonders followed His ministry. Pretty soon, the average person didn’t care what the great experts of the Law were saying. Jesus was healing the sick. The scribes and Pharisees weren’t doing anything more than making a lot of wind and walking around with injured pride.

Even though all of the religious “experts” of the day were gathered against Him, He continued to minister in the power of the Spirit. As He traveled from place to place, people were saved, healed and delivered by the power of Almighty God. And yet still, the religious authorities opposed Him. Vehemently opposed Him.

All the learned men of the Law that were experts in everything God had said through all the ages of man couldn’t see the fulfillment of everything they had waited for, even though He was standing right in front of them. It’s not any different, today.

As the Spirit of the Lord pours Himself out, this group objects to a prophecy being spoken. As people are baptized in the Spirit and begin to pray in tongues, another group screams “that is not for today!” As people are delivered from the oppression of the enemy, another group yells that “demons cannot possess Christians!” As someone is healed and gets out of their wheelchair, another group is jumping up and down, yelling “fake!” And yet, God marches steadily onward, pouring Himself out.

The one thing I have figured out about the nature of God, is that He doesn’t need my permission to be Who He is or to do what He is going to do. If He chooses to pour Himself out in a way which I’ve never before witnessed, He doesn’t take the time to stop and check with me, first. He never asks, “Paul, are you okay with this?” God simply does what God does, and I have the choice whether to get on board with it or to be left behind.

The entire western Church is facing the same dilemma. God is not going to stop moving in order to check with this denomination to see if it is acceptable that His people speak in tongues. He is not going to halt what He is doing long enough to ask this group if prophecy is acceptable. He doesn’t seem to care if that group screams out in religious fury as He heals, saves and delivers those that are waiting upon Him to do so. He doesn’t even take the time to stop and ask the apostate church if it is acceptable for an apostle to release something brand new in their own back yard. No, He simply marches on, doing what He does.

God doesn’t seem to mind if the good Reverend Whoever complains that this latest spiritual outpouring disagrees with the hundreds of years of man’s doctrine that he has become so learned in. God doesn’t hesitate because Mr. Outspoken gets on the internet, pointing out that his church pastor disagrees with speaking in tongues in the church. He never misses a step because Miss Judgmental is pointing her finger at a new spiritual outpouring, calling it heresy. He doesn’t even slow down to listen to those in the Dead Religion Church as they scream in protest when He ordains prophets and apostles for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry. No, He just keeps doing what He does. We can either get on board or get left behind. Simple.

The simplicity of God is also part of the majesty of God. God is who He is, and He does what He does, regardless of man’s opinions. It has always been that way. And since He never changes, it will always be that way.

The only thing that really seems to give God pause is when His people are attacked for doing what He has called and ordained them to do. That doesn’t stop Him, nor does it slow Him down, but He does take notice.

In Acts chapter 13, God took notice of Elymas, the sorcerer when he did the very same things that the western apostate church is doing today. As a result, Elymas had to go buy himself a seeing-eye dog for a season.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a seeing-eye dog available for many that are still operating in witchcraft, condemning the things and the ministers of God. Even as the Spirit of the Lord pours out like the latter rains, they remain blind to His presence, screaming their objections.

“My sheep know My voice,” said Jesus in John 10:27. Never has the simple truth of this statement been more apparent than it is today. As the sheep of God struggle against the wolves of this world, and even more so against the wolves in sheep’s clothing, the truth of this statement becomes resoundingly clear.

When God begins to do something that takes the religious world by storm, you can hear the wolves begin to howl in rage. The sheep remain focused, completing their mission.

As God moves in a way that challenges the doctrines of men and the doctrines of devils that are rampant in the Church, the wolves gather for the kill, while the sheep of God tow the mark and remain focused on Christ and Him crucified.

And when one of God’s children stumble, the sheep gather to restore, while the wolves scream “false Prophet” and celebrate his downfall.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Joh 13:34-35

               The one thing that we seem to forget in this modern age of free speech, is that God expects respect. Even when we do not agree with what He is doing, He expects us to have enough respect for Him and for one another, that we show respect. That means that we refrain from celebrating when our brethren fall. That means we lift up those that have stumbled, restoring them. That means that we don’t verbally attack a minister that is moving in something we do not comprehend. That means we keep our mouths shut and love one another, regardless of our differences.

               All through the early life of David, he was hunted, persecuted, and nearly murdered on several occasions by a man that was God’s anointed. By all rights, David had every right to use the first opportunity he had to take whatever measures necessary to put an end to Saul’s persecution of him. Did he?

               We all know the story of David. We know that he refused to touch God’s anointed. This man, who was the only man that God ever said had a heart after God’s own heart, knew the right approach. He didn’t agree with King Saul on numerous occasions, we can be sure. I’m sure he didn’t stop ducking Saul’s spears to encourage him to throw another. Yet, he still respected Saul for the anointing that was placed on his life.

               Even though Saul used deceit and suffered from murderous envy, actually becoming demon possessed because of his walk of disobedience, the one man with a heart after God’s own heart gave him the respect he deserved.

               David did not blow up Facebook slandering Saul. He didn’t scream “false prophet” when Saul’s sins came home to roost. He never gathered with the leaders of the tribes of Israel to dethrone Saul or remove him from power because he was unfit for the ministry he had been called to. David respected Saul and refused to put his hand to him to harm him in any way. That included his mouth.

               When God tells His people “touch not My anointed,” He means it. In the entire history of the Bible, only the prophets and the apostles were ever sent to bring correction to the Church. And they won’t touch an anointed man or woman of God without the express leading of the Holy Spirit. When they do, they end up with a Miriam experience – uncleanness and separation from the Body.

               Most of the people registering their opinions on the ministries of other men and women of God, don’t even believe that prophets and apostles are still operating. No, they seem to believe that God stopped using prophets and apostles, and began using the system of popular opinion, instead.

               As a result, those that sit in condemnation of other ministers and other ministries, find themselves contending with the Spirit of the Lord. Their finances begin to dry up. They lose most or all of their close personal relationships. The blessings of God, which used to be so abundant in their lives, begin to leave. Spiritual drought and famine sets in. Even their “good Christian friends” want nothing more to do with them. Touch not My anointed. Do My prophets no harm.

               Until we come to a state of repentance for the way that we devour one another and stab each other in the back, it is only going to get worse for the western Church. Until we begin to get on board with what God is doing, we are going to continue being left behind. Until we start to keep our eyes and ears open and our mouths shut, God is not going to hear our pleas for restoration. Sorry, but biblical precedent is abundant on this.

               Touch not My anointed. Do My prophets no harm. Every time we use our mouths to attack the reputation of a minister or a ministry, we are inviting spiritual problems. As long as we continue on the same path, we will never see healing or restoration. We cannot be healed and restored while we are injuring others and causing them to fall.

               Every time we condemn someone, we invite condemnation. Every time we judge someone, we invite judgment. Every time we celebrate when someone else falls, we invite the celebration at our own downfall. Touch not My anointed. Do My prophets no harm.

               And while we sit, basking in a pool of our own filth, believing it to be the will of God, He is ever marching forward. He is still sending forth those that minister in the power of the Spirit. Signs and wonders are still following their ministries. And many continue to ignore the religious “elite”, choosing to believe the works of Almighty God instead.

               What hurts my heart more than anything, is that this line of separation between the sheep and the goats is going to grow ever wider as time goes by. Those that move in the power of the Spirit will continue to move forward, shaking the dust of the religious world from their feet as they march head-long into their calling. And the wolves will continue to howl in rage as God moves victoriously. But the sheep will be so far separated by that point, that they won’t be able to hear it.

               I want to take this opportunity to encourage all of my readers to stop for just a moment and take stock of their own soul. Are you one that judges and condemns the things they don’t understand? We must come to the point of realization when we acknowledge that Jesus is the head of the Church, and He doesn’t need our help in running or disciplining His organization.

               It is time for the Body of Christ to pull themselves back from the brink of disaster. It is time that we acknowledge our need for repentance, and do so quickly. It is time for us to realize that when we touch God’s anointed, and do harm to His prophets, we are the ones that pay for it. They just keep marching into victory while we howl in rage. It is time for the Body to truly become a Body once again, and to stop feeding on itself. It is time for Christians to be Christians once more.