Possessing The Promise.  CONCLUSION.

READ – – Numbers 13:1-3; 17-33 (I Ask that You Read those passages…)

Let’s jump in with both feet and pick up where we left off yesterday on this subject that I believe is essential to a Life of Victory and Overcoming in Christ in this present world.  We have a biblical pattern to follow in Numbers 13 or a beginning point.  God is an orderly God and has an order that He operates in and requires us to operate in.  This does not mean, necessarily, that one thing is more important than another, it simply means Order!

GOD’S STRATEGY FOR TAKING OUR CITY.

Why is it necessary to have a strategy to take your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, or the uttermost part of the Earth in your efforts for the Kingdom?  Why not just go out and do whatever comes to mind that you see or feel needs to be done?  Why be concerned about the Unseen Realm, after all, we do not live there, we live in the Natural Realm.  Why invest the time and energy?

First, let me ask you a simple natural question: “How do you get rid of thistle bushes or crabgrass?”  Do you clip them off at the surface level or go for the roots?  One way you get to repeat the job year after year, the other way you do the job once and it is a permanent fix.  Which is more effective?

Second, it is important to understand that the devil cannot operate unless he has Legal Ground or unless we are Ignorant of our provisions in the Lord and through His word!  So, we need a strategy that allows us to investigate and determine if there is legal ground or ignorance in play.  That will allow us to go for the roots not just clip off the problem at the surface and leave it festering and very much alive to come back again and again.  There are four things I suggest here:

• Discern the Gates – – – (History).  Discover the “fruit” and the “roots” that are in existence.  This will help you formulate a strategy through the wisdom of the Spirit of God.

• Discover the History of God’s People – – (Covenants).  What has God promised and what does He require from His people in order for those Covenants to be realities in our present generation?

• Identify the Prophetic People – – (The Intercessors & Spiritual Fathers).  Those that can do battle behind the scenes and those that can organize and lead the Army into battle.
• Know the Demographics – – (Where and Why the people are where they are).  This identifies needs and allows you to formulate a plan that addresses the need rather than using the “scatter gun” approach hoping to hit some!

Then as we are informed as to the identity of the enemy we are fighting we are able to plan for the battle and expect success!  As Paul stated, we are not to be those fighting blindly, beating the air, or shadow boxing unseen and unreal foes, but our blows are specifically directed at a specific target with the precision of a highly technical smart bomb.  (1 Corinthians 9:26).

LEARN HOW TO FIGHT…

There are several things that I suggest here that will help us become more efficient and proficient in our strategy and warfare against the forces of hell.

1. Realize that we were born for battle spiritually.
2. Learn how to recognize the Unseen Realm.
3. Realize that we are in and learn how to pray in the presence of the Heavenly Hosts.
4. Learn about Angels and their ministry.
5. Learn about Territorial spirits and their authority and power.

I realize that each of those needs much more attention but there is not the time or space to adequately deal with them here, maybe at another time.  But it gives you something to study on your own.

LEARN THE PROCESS OF VICTORY…

Again, there are some suggestions that I will make without much comment, and hope that these give you ample ammunition in your efforts and personal study, growth, and development.

• Learn the beginning place of Worship.  (Praise focuses on God’s acts.  Worship on God’s Person.)

• Learn to WAIT ON GOD.  Wait for His input and insight.  (I would call this the development of spiritual discernment)

• Identify the Sins of your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, or Uttermost part of the Earth or your Personal Life.  (Repentance individually and even corporately is important in removing the “legal ground” through which the enemy of our souls operates).

• Determine that you are going to overcome evil with good.  (Make the principles of Righteousness the core or foundational principles upon which you live every hour of every day 24/7/365.)

I am going to say something that may sound controversial, but it is biblical.  There are times when the Lord allows the devil to attack, and I believe there are three factors involved in this. 

• God wants to build or test our character as with Job. (Please do not understand me, I do not believe that God wants us to suffer and sends sickness and disease upon us to teach us lessons.  If you do, that is between you and God.  But I do believe that God will test our character for our sake, not His, He already knows what we will do.)

• God always wants to expose and defeat the enemy, at our hands to encourage us and give us confidence that “through Him” we can do all things!

• God wants us to occupy, not Wall Street but the Earth for the Kingdom of God and remove the strongholds of the devil, and set the captives free to walk in Victory!

A good question here would be: “How do we overcome evil with good?”  I believe that one of the most efficient ways is to address and defeat the Spirit of Greed.  If the Body of Christ learns to develop and manifest Radical Generosity, we will see a breakthrough in the realm of the Spirit like never seen in our lifetime! 

In traveling as an itinerant minister there have been times when God spoke to me to have the ushers leave the offering taken for me in the receptacles and pass them around again and this time take the offering for the pastor or some need that I was aware of in the Church.  God blessed me and every time we saw a breakthrough in the Church locally.

Baal Perazimis a name that might be important to mention here.  It means: “Master of Breakthroughs.”  We need for God to be allowed to be our Master of Breakthroughs!  We need to identify all hindering forces in our lives, churches, communities, states, nations, and world and target specific warfare against those forces.  However, if you do not know what the hindrance is you cannot wage warfare against it.  If you do not know you are lost, you cannot be found!  If you do not know you are in error, you cannot receive correction or instruction!

We need to stand against the Spirit of Apathy in our lives individually and corporately!  We need to take such passages as Psalm 145:5-9 and prophesy against the forces of hell and enter into a state of Praise & Worship to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

We need to identify and come against the Spirit of Religious Pride.  Too many church organizations are sectarian and exclusivist, holding other groups at arms-length over petty differences and building walls instead of bridges.  That allows the devil to gain a foothold in our lives, communities, and churches and hinder our progress!

We need to tear down the Spirit of Individualism.  I grow weary of hearing people say, “My church, My ministry, My, My, My….”  None of it is yours it all belongs to the Lord.  Jesus said, “Upon this Rock, I will build MY church.”

We need to allow the Spirit of God to place upon us a Spirit of Travail that moves us into deep intercession being determined to “travail until birth.”  If that becomes a foundational part of our spiritual walk, we will become victorious our churches will become victorious as will our communities, state, and nation!  It is up to us through the Power of the Spirit of God!

We can either become a Spiritual House or a Stone Pile made up of a bunch of isolated, individualistic stones.  We can be “fitted and framed” together into a building that becomes The Church that Jesus said He would build or be individuals seeking our own.  As for me and my house, we choose the Lord.  May God be with you as you make a determined effort to Possess the Promise and move into total victory in Jesus! 

Are you ready for the miraculous and God’s Fullness?  May the Blessings of God be yours today as you embark on your new journey in Jesus’ Victory!