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Breathless.
That's what I've been feeling. This virus that seeks to steal our breath. This uncertainty. This confusion. This chaos.
Do you feel it, too?
It's the recognizable fingerprint of our enemy at work.
Revelation 12:9 uses several Greek words to tell us about our enemy:
Rev 12:9 calls him "ophis" or "a serpent"
Rev 12:9 calls him "diabolos" or "slanderer, treacherous informer, traitor"
Rev 12:9 uses the word "planaō" or "to lead astray, cause to wander"
Rev 12:10 calls him "katēgōr" or "accuser"
Interestingly, katēgōr is where we get the words "category" and "categorize."
From the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:
"From Greek katēgoria predication, category, from katēgorein to accuse, affirm, predicate"
“Category.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/category. Accessed 30 Jun. 2020.
Revelation 12 teaches us how to recognize our enemy.
In a spiritual battle, we need to understand his methods.
Our enemy is slippery as a serpent.
Our enemy lies and slanders.
Our enemy leads us astray.
Our enemy accuses us. Day and Night.
He also divides us. (Think of "categorizing" (katēgōr) us into smaller, weaker groups.)
This is what he is doing now.
We need to recognize his plans and pray that Jesus intercedes.
Revelation 12:10-11 also tells us how to overcome our enemy:
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,
"Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death."
Revelation 12: 10-11 (NASB)
Serious words for serious times.
Know this: There is glorious power in the precious blood of Christ. I pray it over my family every day. There is also power in our testimonies. Our story of God in the midst of our lives. By these, we can overcome the enemy.
What I See Today
Jesus is reminding me, through the Spirit, to keep my eyes on Him and not the waves.
The waves come. Waves wash, waves level, and waves recede.
I am one of the many praying for God to restore our country. I've heard Christian leaders speak of gloom and doom. I've heard messages designed to stay relevant in a culture that is forever changing. Others do not address our issues at all.
What we really need is to learn what the Bible says about living in the midst of a spiritual war.
Because that's what we are in. A spiritual war.
The church is meant to be a powerful force. We have been given power in Jesus to overcome and be His Light. (2 Timothy 3:5)
Yet, fear seeks to silence us. The enemy does not want us to speak Truth.
That's precisely why the enemy always uses fear as a weapon.
It is by faith, the opposite of fear, that we overcome (see Hebrews 11) This is why the Bible tells us not to fear.
Over and
Over and
Over again
If you look closely, you can see the enemy's hand, attempting to crush our faith by causing fear. Once you see it, refuse it.
Say:
I will not fear.
I will not fear.
I will not fear.
I trust You, Jesus.
Jesus is faithful and holds all authority in heaven and earth, despite what our enemy wants us to believe. ("All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go..." Matthew 28:18-20)
God's Ways are Higher Than Ours
God IS answering our prayers, but not in the way we would expect. He never works in ways we expect, does He? His ways are higher than our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Take heart! He is working for our good. That's His promise. Believe it.
The truth is that our enemy has always sought to divide our nation. To tear us down and lead us away from God. He's doing it now. He despises what God loves. That's us!
But God?
Despite present circumstances that might cause doubt, God loves our nation.
He loves freedom, and He loves that we have stood by Israel, of which He promises that He will "bless those who bless you."
By His hand He has saved us. Many times! This Fourth of July, remember the ways that God has saved the United States of America.
Perhaps more than ever before, we need God right now. It is by His hand that He will save this nation. In His way, not ours.
Could it be that our best days are still ahead?
Could it be that our enemy is doing everything he can to keep us from our destiny? To be a Light—His Light—to the nations one more time? A latter rain of blessing to bring in a great harvest?
In Matthew 24, Jesus provides a list of signs of His return which I encourage you to read. Jesus ends that list of signs with this statement: "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (NASB)
Could we be entering a time when the gospel will be openly preached to the entire world, even to the places where it is currently restricted? Perhaps THIS is why the enemy is hitting us with such force.
It's time. Go to God and ask Him for restoration. Ask Him for healing. Ask Him for unity. Ask Him for direction. Thank God for the many blessings in this land. Intercede for our leaders and our nation. Speak God's promises over it and pray His will be done.
Not a restoration to the same condition as we were. Allow these sufferings to draw us closer to Him so that America will be all that God intended her to be.
The enemy has a plan for America,
... but so does God.
May God's will for this nation be
completed to His ultimate glory.
I have so much more I could say to you... about dreams and Holy Spirit whispers ... but God wants to speak to you personally. Seek Him first. He speaks to all who are believers in Christ and His resurrection.
Ask Him to speak to you. He will. He's waiting and I believe He is leaning down close enough to wipe the tears from our eyes.
God bless each of you. In Christ,
Kelly Langston
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