The week before last we had revival services at our church.  Many prayers went up in preparation, and the Holy Spirit moved among His people.  Monday night I got a message on my phone that struck me square in one of the biggest sore spots that I have.  Satan is adept at knowing our vulnerabilities.  He studies us that way.  I knew, late as it was, and my being in the process of going to bed, it was not a good time to deal with it then, so I let it rest for morning.  When I got up, I wasn’t even thinking about it, but went to have my devotions and spend a little time talking with my husband as it happened he got up as well and the kids were still in bed, so the house was quiet.  It’s important to proactively touch base once in a while, because it’s so easy to go from day to day to day doing what life demands, and go into auto-drive and disengage from one another.  I call it our “state of the family” meetings.  They aren’t scheduled.  I guess it is an extension of the personal thing I do where I “come aside” from time to time, once a year, or after a few years and a major milestone event, or just when I come to the realization, “hey, something’s not right, lets take a look under the hood, may be time for a tune-up”.  It is about accountability and personal responsibility.

Well, anyway, after coffee time and marriage and family maintenance, in which we talked about church attendance, devotions, how we’ve  let down our diligence a little in the weariness of the lingering “punch drunk” that has seemed like major life-quake after major life-quake, I had said that I know sometimes God does allow for us to just crawl off by ourselves someplace and “lose it” briefly once in a while, give up the fight momentarily, and just rest.  Think of the great and bold prophet Elijah under that old Juniper, not days hence from a long record of standing firm in the Lord and then he suddenly ran slam up against the wall of his own limits, at the threats of Jezabel. (I Kings 19).  In our discussion, I also had expressed to my husband the concern that we can’t afford to get lax, because the next crisis always does come, and we can’t afford to let the spiritual guard down.

There is nothing worse than being blind-sided!

It might seem odd  about Elijah.  More threatening and powerful people had it out for that old prophet many a time before, what was it about Jezabel that had the power to nearly do him in?

Nothing, probably!

He was just tired.  He’d been faithful for so long, up against so many, feeling like a lone voice.  Being a lone voice.

God knew he was tired.  So did Satan.

When I finally went to return the call I had gotten the previous night, the conversation went about as badly as I had dreaded.  Not good.  Anger on my end, tears on the other.

I had prayed, was in the very midst, really, of being pro-active about seeing to the things that are necessary to be diligent over to prevent giving Satan quarter.  The serpent is crafty, I’ll admit.

But God stepped in.  The other party was actually first to make the overture to clear the air.  In an e-mail that was articulate and concise, a brief description of the feelings felt, then recollection of Ephesians 6:12, and admonition to herself and me, that we can never let down our guard with Satan on the prowl, seeking to destroy, and an apology.

Usually I am the first one, when a landmine like that goes off, to seek the person out and seek resolution.  But so often these days, I have found that is sooooo much harder than it ought to be, even between two Christians who understand the mandate and how much of a non-negotiable it is with God.  Satan isn’t laying plain land-mines these days, he is laying intricately devised serial explosives that cause way more damage than hurt feelings.  He’s “all in” right now.  Going for the jugular.

People, it’s serious.  Do you hear what I am saying?  Remember me saying a while back, as I pulled back some from the blog, that I wasn’t sure if it was a turn of focus to other things, or just a rest before the next big wave?

It’s been a little of both, but the next wave is definitely building up.  In fact, think tsunami.  The tide goes out, and just keeps going out.  In fact, people tend to get drawn toward what is happening because it’s such an unexpected sight.  Others who have lived through one, though, realize, when the ocean runs far away from the shore, you had better start running the other way yourself!

There is a battle coming.  It does not preclude revival, or the continuing call to sound the alarm and give the gospel every chance we get to every person we can. As Christians we are not called to run away, we are called to stand (having done all).  Now now more than ever, it is imperative for Christians to wear the armor, cast down vain imaginations, and every thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, always being aware

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darknes of this world, against spirituall wickednes in high places.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.

God brought Ephesians 6:12 to the mind of the other party in yesterday’s conflict, and 2 Corinthians 10:4 to mine.

As two people who love one another, who are both Christians, and both were praying as this problem erupted, God, in the midst of Satan’s ploy to sow division and strife, in turn brought to each of our minds, the particular “blade” of the Sword (the Word), which was needed to pull down the stronghold Satan had set up against us.

Likewise, in the coming days, Christians who keep God in their thoughts continually, who have the Word hidden in their hearts, and continue in it, who remain diligent in prayer, can know that no matter what we face, God will provide in that moment, what is needed for that trial.

But when they deliver you up, take no thought, how or what ye shall speak, for it shall bee given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

BEWARE of any bitterness or anger you are holding onto against anyone.  ANY! Here is why:

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.   But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.   For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.   But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.  Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.   And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. (I Cor. 11:27-32)

If we have “aught against our brother” we are supposed to go to that one and be reconciled before we bring our gifts to the altar, because they will be rendered null by the unrepentant sin in our hearts.  (Mtt. 5:23)

Matthew 18 tells you what your responsibility is if your brother or sister offends you.

Does that sound like God places a high priority on addressing sin, forgiving others and being reconciled?

I have a real hard time with forgiveness.  Its true.  I’m harder on my own self, than anyone else.  I have not, historically, given myself much grace.  To not forgive myself, though, places me above GOD, who has said I am forgiven.  So it is an inverted form of pride, really, not to forgive ourselves when we have sincerely repented and turned from previous sin.

Sometimes there is history in your family of origin.  It is such a part of your makeup, and you know it effected you profoundly, but did you know that you don’t have to confront the offender in order to forgive?  Forgiveness is an act between you and God, really, particularly when it comes down to someone who has absolutely no remorse over something they did to you.  If forgiveness were conditional based upon repentance of others, we would forever be bound in a prison cell to which the offender holds the key.  Though remorse and a change of ways is necessary to be reconciled with that person, it is not required for you to forgive.

(Which, by the way, is why we must repent to be saved.  Because salvation is not just about not being punished, it is about not being forever separated from God.  And besides, since we are all guilty of sin, we are in no place to hold others “guilty”, not really.  As David said “it is against Thee, and Thee only, that I have sinned).

We go to church, we put our “offerings” into the plate, we take communion.  If we are doing these things while holding onto bitterness, or refusing to repent for harm* or hurt** we have caused and to make whatever restitution we can, then we are not in good standing with God and we do damage to our own spirit, that aspect of ourselves by which we interact with, fellowship with, communicate with, and hear from God.

Eternal separation from God is death.  But every degree of separation is destructive, dangerous and holds the potential to render us into a spiritual coma and ineffectual for the purpose for which we were created, which is to glorify God.

There are different kinds of sickness.  There is sickness unto death, sickness which brings Glory to the Son of God (think Joni Erikson Tada and others who are joyful and praise God from the midst of pain) and there is sickness that comes from a root of bitterness within us.

 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:14-16)

 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled (Heb. 12:15)

Being born again is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit and is accompanied by visible evidences in the person’s life.

When I confessed to God that I was a sinner and called upon the Lord Jesus Christ to be my personal Savior at age 10, I did not “feel” any different. However, the next morning I began to experience some of the following Biblical evidences of being born again and having a new nature (see Ephesians 2:1-5):

1. A new awareness of sin. When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit. He enables our consciences to discern words, thoughts, and actions that displease the Lord. “Hereby know we that we dwell in him [Jesus], and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit” (I John 4:13).

2. A new desire to stop doing evil things. Many have said that after being born again they stopped drinking, taking drugs, cursing, being immoral, and committing a host of other sins. This desire to stop sinning comes because “whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin [habitually or characteristically]” (see I John 3:9) and is made possible because “whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4). We also have the assurance that “if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (I John 2:1).

3. A new love for God’s Word. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (I Peter 2:2). This evidence was of particular significance to me because I was a very poor reader. However, after being born again, I had a great desire to read the Bible and to apply its truths to my life. “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (I John 2:3).

4. A new love for fellow believers. At salvation, there is an immediate bond of fellowship with other Christians, because we are now members together of the body of Christ. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. …” (I John 3:14).

5. A strong desire to witness to others. One of my first recollections after being born again was riding my bicycle around town looking for other young people whom I could invite to the Child Evangelism Fellowship^(R) class where I had heard the Gospel. I had a new love for people and concern for their relationship with God. “… Love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (I John 4:7).

Are these “vital signs” present in your life? What about in the lives of your children? If these evidences are lacking in the life of someone who claims to be a believer, let’s make sure he truly understands what it means to be born again.

(from ~Bill Gothard, the Institute for Basic Life Principles)

Gothard calls this a “vital signs check-up”.  If you your blood pressure is low or high, it doesn’t mean you are dead, but it does mean you are sick.  If you score poorly on this checklist, you may want to read my previous post, taking note of what it says about spiritual death and sickness, and do some self-inventory, but much more importantly, present yourself before God and ask Him to show you any hidden sin within you that you may not be aware of.  Sometimes in vulnerable areas of woundedness we may be transgressing the law, without realizing we cause literal damage and harm to others.

*Hurt:  It is possible to hurt someone without causing harm and destruction.   It hurts a patient when the nurse gives them a shot, but it is for the ultimate purpose to relieve the greater pain.  However, hurt which leads to harm, such as a Christian who is further along in their walk, offending someone new to the faith and not just disappointing them, but by disappointing them, also causing them to grow disillusioned with the faith, that is a sin.

*Harm: I can unintentionally harm someone by running over their toe, but the fact that it is unintentional does not in any way negate the fact they have been injured.  If we cause harm, we are required to ask forgiveness AND make restitution to the fullest of our ability to do so.

A parent who is firm and withholds permission for a child to participate in an activity that the parent judges dangerous to their spiritual, physical, psychological well being, might inflict “hurt feelings”, but that is not a sin, however, disregarding their “better judgment” and giving in to the child’s pleading, might lead to actual harm, for which they will answer to God.

A parent who withholds their love, in an attempt to manipulate the child, causes actual harm and damage to the child’s psyche.

Therein lies the difference between hurt and harm.