Tag Archives: authority

Who Is Yeshua?

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Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the sixteenth article in the series, Yeshua is haMashiach at Father’s Right Hand.

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God (Heb 10:12).

What does it mean for us that Yeshua sits at the right hand of Yehovah?  There are several aspects to consider in this verse.  First of all, the word “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos and it means anointed one. Mashiach is the Hebrew word for anointed one and Messiah is the English word for Mashiach.  In Biblical times and, even sometimes today, an individual who was about to take on a role such as king, prophet or priest, was anointed with oil as a sign of his new designation.  Yeshua is our King (John 18:36), Prophet (Deut 18:15) and High Priest (Heb 4:14-16); thus, it is fitting that He is referred to as haMashiach (the Anointed).  The oil used for consecration is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.  When Yehovah told a prophet such as Moses or Samuel to anoint someone with oil, it indicated that Yehovah was appointing and equipping that person with His Spirit for the new assignment (Ex 28:41; 1 Sam 16:13). 

Was Yeshua anointed?  Yes, more than once.  In Luke 4:18, Yeshua tells that He was anointed.  “The Spirit of Yehovah is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed…”  It is possible that He was anointed by the astrologers who brought him gifts because myrrh was used to anoint kings and was also used for burial.  Yeshua was anointed again before his death and burial. While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table…(Matthew 26:6–13).

Yehovah empowers us for our assignments from Him by pouring His Holy Spirit upon us. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him (1 John 2:27).

Yeshua now sits on His throne at the right hand of Yehovah. Sitting at the right hand of a king is a symbol of authority.  All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matt 28:16).  From His throne, Yeshua commissions us to “make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19).  From His position at the right hand of His Father, Yeshua intercedes for us (Rom 8:34), serves as our High Priest (Heb 8:1, 4:14-16), mediates between His Father and us (1 Tim 2:5); and is our advocate in Heaven (1 John 2:1).

Yeshua also anoints and equips us with the Holy Spirit to carry out our assignments in the Kingdom. Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today (Acts 2:33). As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him (1 John 2:27). As we carry out the tasks that Messiah Yeshua has assigned to each of us on earth, we are mandated to keep our focus on our Leader. So, if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God (Col 3:1 HCSB).

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.

The Mighty Power of YHVH

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horse and riderTo celebrate Chanukah, we decided to read a portion of the story of the Maccabees each night.   The second book of Maccabees, chapter three has enlightened our understanding of the events leading up to the celebration of Chanukah. It has also provided us with insight and direction in dealing with issues that are currently challenging us.

Here is a brief summary of the chapter. There was a high priest named Onias who strictly obeyed the laws of YHVH. While Onias was high priest, Jerusalem enjoyed peace and prosperity, and received respect and generous gifts from the kings of many nations.

A man named Simon lost an argument with Onias and sought revenge by lying to Apollonius, governor of Greater Syria, and offering to him the money from the Temple treasury. Apollonius passed this misinformation on to the king, who sent a man named Heliodorus to confiscate the money. A portion of this money had been designated for the widows and orphans and a portion of it belonged to a wealthy man. To take the money would be to break YHVH’s laws concerning money deposited in the Temple treasury and would betray the trust of those who depended on the integrity of the ones in charge of the treasury. Heliodorus decided to confiscate the money anyway.

The priests and the people joined together in begging YHVH to protect the treasury money, praying on their faces before His altar. YHVH responded in a dramatic way. Heliodorus returned to the king without the money, but with a strong testimony concerning the power and faithfulness of YHVH.

This story speaks volumes to us as we seek funds to build a refuge for some widows in India. Just as the people of Jerusalem were on their faces before YHVH, the widows in our sister congregations spend much of each day on their faces, praying for the salvation of others. And yet, these women are considered curses in their society and are much oppressed.

We are in the process of raising funds for the construction of the widows’ home. As we began this process, the Holy Spirit led us to create a faith covenant with YHVH. Each day we remind YHVH of His promises towards the widows, orphans and the oppressed by reading aloud pertinent Scripture verses. Several weeks after we began our faith covenant, YHVH gave us His response to our covenant, which is Proverbs 15:25: “YHVH will tear down the house of the proud, but will establish the boundary of the widow.”

As developments unfold, we comprehend at new levels the depth of YHVH’s promise in this verse. Persecution against non-Hindus is on the rise in India. It is becoming more difficult to get the funds safely delivered to the congregational leaders. Local authorities who have been bent on persecuting our sister congregations are gaining more power. Our sister congregations, especially the leaders, are watched very carefully. We would be tempted to think that this cause is hopeless, but the Holy Spirit reminds us that this home for the widows is YHVH’s response to the cries of the congregants after the widows were thrown out of a temporary shelter and had their lives threatened.

Therefore, we believe that 2 Maccabees, chapter 3 illustrates for us our next step.   We are asking that those who support us in this effort storm heaven and remind YHVH of His promise in Proverbs 15:25. We believe He will hear our cries and respond in a powerful way if we stand on faith in this matter.

We have provided a copy of chapter 3 below for you to read and prayerfully consider. Note how many times YHVH miraculously intervenes to answer the cries of those who seek diligently to keep His laws.

II Maccabbees 3

When Onias[a] was High Priest in Jerusalem, the holy city enjoyed peace and prosperity, and its laws were strictly obeyed, because he was devout and hated evil. 2 The kings of Syria and Egypt honored the Temple and presented it with expensive gifts, 3 and King Seleucus, ruler of all Asia, even paid the costs of the Temple sacrifices from the revenues he collected.

4 But a man by the name of Simon, of the tribe of Bilgah, the chief administrative official of the Temple, lost an argument he had with Onias over the regulations governing the city market. 5 At this time Apollonius son of Thraseus was the governor of Greater Syria. Simon went to him 6 and said that there was so much money in the Temple treasury that it could not be counted, and since the money was not needed for sacrifices, it might as well be placed under the king’s control.

7 When Apollonius met with the king, he told him about the money, and the king ordered Heliodorus, his chief minister, to get it for him. 8 Heliodorus set out at once on his mission, but he claimed that he was only making a tour of inspection of the cities of Greater Syria. 9 After he had arrived in Jerusalem and had been warmly received by the High Priest, he explained the real reason for his visit and asked if what he had been told was true. 10-11 The High Priest then stated that Simon, that devil of a man, had not been elling the truth. There was indeed some money in the Temple treasury, but part of it was set aside for widows and orphans and part of it belonged to Hyrcanus son of Tobias, a very important man. He also pointed out that the total amount was only 30,000 pounds of silver and 15,000 pounds of gold. 12 He added that it was absolutely impossible that anyone should be permitted to take the money of those people who had placed their trust in the sanctity and safety of this world-famous Temple.

13 But Heliodorus insisted that the money should be taken for the royal treasury, as the king had ordered. 14 So he set a day and went into the Temple to supervise the counting of the money. This caused an uproar throughout the entire city. 15 Priests, wearing their priestly robes, threw themselves face downward before the altar and begged God to keep the money safe, since he had given the laws designed to protect the money that people deposited in the Temple. 16 It was heartbreaking to see the High Priest. His face turned pale, revealing the agony of his soul, 17 and his body was trembling with fear, reflecting the pain in his heart. 18 People ran from their houses to join together in prayer that the Temple might not be defiled. 19 Women, wearing nothing but skirts of sackcloth, crowded the streets. Young girls whose parents had never allowed them to be seen in public ran to the gates or to the walls of the city, or just stared out of their windows. 20 But wherever they went, they lifted their hands to God in prayer. 21 What a pitiful sight it was to see the High Priest in such great agony and frustration and to see everyone in the city confused and lying face down on the ground.

22 While everyone was begging the Lord Almighty to protect the money that had been entrusted to his care, 23 Heliodorus went on with his plan. 24 But at the very moment that he and his bodyguards arrived at the treasury, the Lord of all supernatural powers caused such a vision to appear that everyone who had dared to enter with Heliodorus was panic-stricken and weak with fear at this display of the Lord’s power. 25 In the vision they saw a horse and a rider. The horse had a richly decorated bridle, and its rider, dressed in gold armor, was frightening. Suddenly the horse rushed at Heliodorus, then reared up and struck at him with its hoofs. 26 Heliodorus also saw two unusually strong and handsome young men, wearing very fine clothes. They stood on either side of him and beat him unmercifully. 27 He immediately fell to the ground unconscious, and his men put him on a stretcher 28 and carried him out. Only a moment earlier this man had entered the treasury with a large group of men, including all his bodyguards, but now he was being carried away helpless. So they all openly acknowledged the mighty power of God.

29Heliodorus lay there unable to speak and without hope of recovery from this demonstration of God’s power. 30But the Jews praised Almighty God because he had miraculously protected his Temple and had brought great happiness where only minutes before there had been fear and confusion. 31 Some of Heliodorus’ friends quickly asked Onias the High Priest to pray that the Most High would spare the life of this man who was at the point of death. 32 So the High Priest offered a sacrifice in the hope that God would save Heliodorus, for he did not want the king to think that the Jews had done this to the man he had sent. 33 While Onias was offering the sacrifice, the two young men, wearing the same clothes as before, again appeared to Heliodorus and said,

Be grateful to the High Priest; the Lord has spared your life because of him. 34 Remember that it was the Lord of heaven who punished you. Now go and tell everyone of his great power.  When they had said this, they disappeared.

35 So Heliodorus offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made many promises, because the Lord had spared his life. Then he said good-bye to Onias and returned with his army to the king. 36 There he told everyone what the Lord, the most powerful of all gods, had done.

37 When the king asked Heliodorus who would be the best man to send on the next mission to Jerusalem, Heliodorus replied, 38If you have an enemy or know of someone plotting against your government, send him. He will come back badly beaten, if he comes back at all, for some strange power from God is at work there. 39The God of heaven watches over the Temple; he strikes down and destroys anyone who comes to harm it.

40 That is the story of how the Temple treasury was protected from Heliodorus.

Reflections

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beholding as in a mirror

Evil is increasing and many are falling away from YHVH’s commands.  Corruption, violence and immorality are becoming more the norm than the exception.  The time for judgment is fast approaching for this world.   What is our attitude towards the evil and the sinful people around us? What should our response be as we await YHVH’s impending judgment?

In Genesis 19:16:33, YHVH reveals to Abraham His concerns about two particularly sinful cities.  Abraham’s response was not to become self-righteous because he did not live in either of those cities, nor did he point an accusing finger and judge the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah.  He does not ask YHVH to change His commandments.  Abraham instead pleads for mercy on behalf of those who are righteous in the midst of so much evil.  YHVH agrees that if ten men can be found who are righteous, then He will reconsider His course of action towards Sodom and Gomorrah.

What is our attitude toward those who engage in corruption, violence or immorality today?  Do we recall that from YHVH’s perspective all sin is an abomination?  Does that include us?  “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  We should never condone or excuse sin.  However, our first priority is to check ourselves for sin (Matt 7:5).  We may not be engaged in violent acts or dishonest dealings with others, but do we fail to forgive others?  Do we reach out to others to warn them in love to turn back to YHVH or do we shun those who might be saved?  Do we reach out to the poor and needy around us or do we shut ourselves away from their misery?

Yeshua came to the earth the first time to pay the debt for our sinfulness and restore us to relationship to YHVH.  He has given us His Holy Spirit and the means to be freed from bondage to Satan.  He is restoring us to the dignity that humans once had before Adam and Eve sinned.  Adam and Eve were given dominion over the earth and were to be subject only to YHVH. Humans were created in YHVH’s image and are intended to reflect His glory.   If we are now free from the bonds of Satan and are restored to our former position as managers over the earth, then are we not to some degree accountable for its present condition?  It is true that other people have just as much right as we do to make their own decisions.  Nevertheless, it is our duty to reach out to others in love just as Yeshua reached out to us in our sinfulness.  In Matthew 28:18-19, Yeshua states, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…”  These are the marching orders and first priority of those who have been accepted into YHVH’s kingdom.”  Where does this command fall in our personal list of priorities?

Some of us sin by making excuses about being a lowly sinner.  Many of us grew up or are currently in congregations that fostered this attitude of helplessness.  We are worms or larvae who never develop into butterflies, but are doomed to remain worms while we are on this earth.  We never seem to throw off our own sinfulness and allow ourselves to be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit just as a butterfly is formed in its chrysalis.  How can we expect to help others to throw off their mantles of sin and corruption if we won’t even help ourselves?

In Ezekiel 3:17-18, YHVH appoints Ezekiel as watchman over Israel.  If Ezekiel failed to warn others of their sins and the impending consequences, then he would be just as liable for their sins as they are.  Likewise, we are appointed to the same task today.

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.  Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh (Jude 1:20-23).

On Judgment Day, will we be rewarded or punished for our attitude and behavior towards others?  Are we living up to Yeshua’s standards and expectations?  Are we a true reflection of YHVH’s glory?

Heart to Heart

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that they may be one

There are many reasons why YHVH established Shabbat and the Feasts.  These are His set-apart times for teaching us, preparing us, celebrating with us, and bringing order to His Kingdom.  The end result is that YHVH desires is to be intimate with us individually and corporately.  One of my favorite verses in Scripture is from Deuteronomy 30:19 and the first part of verse 20, in the Complete Jewish Bible translation..

I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants, loving [YHVH] your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him – for that is the purpose of your life!

Shabbats are very important to YHVH and, whether or not we know it, they are important to us.  The 23rd chapter of Leviticus designates clearly all the days that are Shabbats, whether weekly or during the Feasts.  Later in Leviticus, YHVH points out the consequences for working during a Shabbat.

For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death (Lev. 31:15).

The consequences for disobedience are harsh and hardly seem an invitation for intimacy, but it is most likely a necessary starting place. In the Exodus account of the Israelites in Egypt, we see a people that are unruly and often wayward. They had been immersed in idolatry and enslaved to cruel taskmasters.   To win their trust, YHVH demonstrated through signs and wonders that He is to be both feared and respected and also that He is able to protect and provide for His people. YHVH was formidable to their enemies, while protecting and providing for the Israelites..

When they were in the wilderness, YHVH gave them new commands and imposed strict consequences for disobedience, so that He would be taken seriously. Despite all the signs and wonders people still complained that He wouldn’t provide for them and tried to return to their idols. There was at least one person who ignored YHVH’s commands concerning Shabbat. YHVH had to follow through with the consequences He had established and the man was put to death (Num 15:30-36).  Were such harsh consequences necessary?

As a former teacher, I quickly learned that at the beginning of a new school year, teachers must be stricter than normal. The more unruly the students the more critical it becomes to establish authority and order. Once the students are settled, a proper atmosphere is established where students can learn and a healthy relationship with the teacher can be fostered.  If teachers are extra strict at the start, the focus can more quickly shift from the rules to learning.

Once each of us comprehends that YHVH is sovereign and is to be obeyed, then we are in a position to learn what He has to teach us. As we progress with our learning and interact more with YHVH, we grow closer to our sovereign King. Over time, we set aside our old ways and take on His ways. We experience His concern for our hearts. Eventually, we are ready to hear what is on His heart.

We make the transition from obeying the “no work” command simply because it is a command to refraining from work because we are eager to spend time with our Teacher.  We value what is important to YHVH.  Sometimes it is necessary to do His work even on Shabbat.  Yeshua demonstrated this when He healed on Shabbat.  He was showing us that the purpose of Shabbat is to be in tune with our Father’s heart. It is not to become fascinated with rules and regulations.

Even as we grow closer to YHVH, we must be mindful that we are dealing with our Creator and our Sovereign. We are not to take His words lightly or take Him for granted. We must maintain a balance between healthy respect and intimacy with YHVH. Otherwise, we will find ourselves slipping from following His heart on Shabbat to following our own concerns. If that happens, our relationship with YHVH will quickly deteriorate as we move away from Him.

Yeshua spent time on Shabbat teaching, being taught, and healing. He was closely aligned with Abba’s heart and could easily transition to whatever His Father desired for Him to do at any given moment. Such intimacy is our Father’s desire for us and the reason He created us.

If we keep in mind the real purpose for our existence, we will remain focused on our Father’s heart and not fall into legalistic traps.  We will reap all the rewards that YHVH intends for us.

Kings or Servants?

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if we endure

As children of YHVH, are we servants or kings? Actually, we are both.

We are servants of YHVH (Acts 16:17; 1 Cor. 4:1). Before we were born again, we were servants to the enemy (2 Cor. 11:13-15). Sometimes we still are, when we stray from YHVH’s way (Rom 6:16). YHVH cares for us and serves us, even though He is our Father and King. Therefore, because we are His servants, we serve others, as He guides us (1 John 5:3).

As children of YHVH, we are also kings (Rev 3:21, 5:10). We have been given authority over our environment (Gen 1:26; Ps 8:6). Our homes, possessions and the atmosphere around us are subject to our authority. Our authority comes from Yeshua, Who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Sometimes, we forget that our authority does not originate with us. Do we use our authority solely for our own pleasure or do we use our authority to advance the kingdom of YHVH?

Yeshua provides the perfect example for us. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, yet He came to earth the first time as a servant. He did not forget His identity as King, but He also did not let that identity sidetrack Him from His mission, even when He was tempted by the enemy. While He was on earth, He followed only the will of His Father, not His own will (John 6;38). He served others, even when it wasn’t convenient (Matt. 14:13-14). He made it clear that He was a king and explained how His kingdom operates (Matt 5-7).

Why didn’t Yeshua assume the throne here on earth the first time? Right now, there is another king on the throne over this earth who has many followers and servants (John 18:36). Yeshua was not given all authority in heaven and on earth until He completed His first earthly mission (Matt 28:18). As His followers and subjects, we will not come fully into our glory until we have completed our earthly missions.

For now we are mostly servants, but there must be a balance, just as there was with Yeshua. He came to serve others, but He remained aware of His kingly identity. He understood and used His authority, yet remained always subject to His Father’s commands. It is the same for us.

Some believers are excellent servants, but have lost or confused their identity as children of YHVH. We seem unaware of our value and worth and we often assume false modesty. Sometimes we use our false modesty as an excuse to avoid taking on accountability or responsibility. We cannot do the great work that YHVH assigns us because we mistakenly believe we are too unworthy or inadequate. On our own, this may be true, but we are not on our own. We operate under and with the authority of Yeshua. With Yeshua’s authority, we are quite powerful and can be very effective in YHVH’s kingdom.

On the other hand, some of us live like kings, but with self-serving demands. We live for ourselves and our own pleasure, paying mere lip service at best to our Father’s directions and commands. We are not interested in participating in His harvest or kingdom work.

If we do lower ourselves to servant mode, it is to serve those whom we approve or accept. Yeshua served many disagreeable characters while He was on the earth. If Yeshua reached out to sinful, undesirable people, then we who are also sinful have no valid reason to turn up our noses. Our righteousness, dignity and worth come from Yeshua’s redemptive work on our behalf. We must forsake self interest. If we are well-balanced servants, willing to work effectively in building His kingdom, then we will be prepared to reign with King Yeshua when He returns in glory.

Ultimate Struggle in God’s Star Pictures

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Scorpio2

Many scriptures describe Yeshua’s conflict with and victory over the great adversary (HaSatan). These “good vs. evil” conflict scriptures lead us into the third major sign in the Zodiac: Scorpio, or Akrab in Hebrew which means “the Redeemer’s conflict”. The word pictures in this sign and its three related constellations clearly depict the Messiah as our Redeemer, who comes to save us from the power of the enemy.

The first and most familiar allusion to Messiah’s great battle with the enemy is in Genesis 3:14-15, where God curses the serpent (the devil) and says to him that He will “…put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He [Messiah] shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel”. This prophecy from YHVH set in motion the spiritual battle between HaSatan and the children of Eve that continues through the ages. Hebrews 2:14 describes how Yeshua, through His death, destroyed the one who has the power to bring death (the devil). Because of Yeshua’s victory over the enemy, we as YHVH’s children now have His authority to defeat the power of HaSatan in our lives (Luke 10:19, Romans 16:20, Psalm 91:13 and Revelation 12:11).

The Scorpio star-pictures graphically illustrate each of these scripture prophecies. In a couple of previous “Gospel in the Stars” postings, I discussed how Yeshua (Jesus) represents the strong man in Psalm 19:5. In this star sign, there are two images representing the Messiah as the Strong Man: El Gibbor (which means “Mighty God” as in Isaiah 9:6) and Ophiuchus, derived from a Hebrew word meaning “Mighty One”. In Scorpio, these Strong Men characters are actively engaged in warfare with the enemy, and are winning the battle! We see the serpent (Serpens) struggling vainly with Ophiuchus. Although the serpent [HaSatan] stole the crown from Adam in the Garden, he is not able to steal the crown from Messiah Yeshua in the ultimate battle between YHVH and the enemy. At the same time Ophiuchus is treading on the heart of the Scorpion, which is the bright star Antares, meaning “the wounding” (from Arabic) or “the heart of the scorpion” (from its Latin name).

In this star-picture, the Mighty God, El Gibbor (paganized to Hercules by the Greeks) has His foot positioned over the head of Draco the dragon (which also represents the devil in Revelation 20:2-3) ready to crush him with His foot. The finality of Messiah Yeshua’s victory over the evil one is shown in Revelation 20:1-3, 10 (“And He [Yeshua] seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, which is the devil and Satan,…and threw him into the pit…and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur…where [he] will be tormented day and night forever and ever”). In the end, HaSatan is thrown into the lake of fire and will never again return to deceive and torment YHVH’s children.

Many people in our modern society seek to know the future by studying the stars from a pagan perspective (astrology) or other means of worldly prophecy. However, we can know the truth of the future from the beautifully accurate stories YHVH painted into the stars from the beginning of His creation. The message in the Scorpio star-pictures has helped confirm for us the scriptures which prophesied Messiah’s victory over the enemy, as well as our authority to tread on the enemy (serpents and scorpions, from Luke 10:19) and to trample the serpent [HaSatan] under our feet (Psalm 91:13).

We pray Abba’s blessings over you to seek and know the truth of Abba’s word (both in writing and painted in the sky). We pray that this new revelation will help you grasp ahold of the authority that YHVH has blessed us with, that in the name of our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach we can defeat the fiery darts of the enemy that come against us in our daily lives.

Spiritual Maturity: Dying to Serve

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GrowingUp2

We speak and think of living in YHVH’s kingdom with blissful images of peace, light and joy. It is true that YHVH’s kingdom will be all these things (1 Cor 6:9-10, Rev. 22:5, Rom 14:17). We imagine what the kingdom will be like, but do we imagine what we will be like? How does YHVH’s kingdom run? What are the King’s subjects like? What is their mindset and attitude? What is expected of them?

Life in YHVH’s kingdom is very different from living in a democracy or republic. We seek YHVH’s desires and approval, not our own (Mark 9:35). We live to do His work, not to work for ourselves. We must die to our own desires and seek YHVH’s pleasure. The gospel story of the centurion gives us a clear example of living obediently.

 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When [Yeshua] heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith (Matt 8:9-10).

 We are not self-reliant, but are dependent on our King (Ezek 34:26-29). We do not elect a king or express our opinions of the king’s actions. Our King is the source of all wisdom, love, justice and mercy (Ps 19:9-12). His ways are above our ways and His wisdom far surpasses ours (Is 59:8-9).

We are to keep His commands, His laws (John 15:10, 1 John 2:4). YHVH’s laws are designed to justly and mercifully meet everyone’s needs. That cannot always be said of human governments. Yeshua often warned the Pharisees and Scribes about their man-made laws or interpretations of the Torah. Sometimes the man-made laws were in direct violation of the written Torah. That was not acceptable to YHVH 2,000 years ago and it is still not acceptable to YHVH today.

 We are to become like little children in order to live in YHVH’s kingdom (Matt 18:3). Little children depend totally on their parents and are expected to follow the rules of the household. When we are born, we are focused entirely on ourselves, but as we mature we should become less self-centered and more other centered. Are we spiritual adults as well as physical adults? Are we prepared for life in the kingdom?

Spiritual Warfare 301

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CombatDemonsAbout a month ago, I had the rare privilege of hearing a first-hand testimony describing the practical results of spiritual warfare in a public institution. The institution was a public high school, probably one of the last places a Spirit-filled believer would go to search for evidence of Holy Spirit power. I heard the school principal’s awesome testimony of the transformation of her school from the most warlike school in the county to the most peaceful. The school essentially came out of the kingdom of darkness and entered into the kingdom of light.

When this principal took over the school three years ago, the halls and grounds were characterized as places of open physical warfare, with acts of hostility, verbal abuse, and physical violence perpetrated by members of opposing gangs. A general spirit of fear prevailed on the campus, especially among the students and their parents. The very negative atmosphere within the school also manifested itself through depressed test scores and the inability to qualify students for AP (advanced placement) classes, which are prime indicators of a school’s academic success.

In each of these areas, the school has taken a 180° turn for the better over the last three years. The school is now one of the safest in the county in terms of controlling / avoiding conflict situations, and has the highest percentage of students who qualify for and enroll in AP classes. The students can now strive for academic excellence in a positive atmosphere where they and their parents can feel safe and secure.

So, how did this dramatic transformation happen? When this school’s principal first took over leadership, her first task was to claim the school (building and grounds) for God (YHVH), and to take back authority from the enemy. She and several spirit-filled volunteers walked every inch of the campus, denouncing Satan and his demons who had gained a stronghold there, claiming back the school for God (as in Matt 10:7-8).

On our tour, the principal gave us numerous examples of victory over the enemy, and how that had changed the atmosphere in the school. In one instance, someone had reported demonic graffiti on the back of the school, so she decided to make a show of force against the enemy (as in Col 2:15) by marking over it with black spray paint and then writing scripture verses next to it that showed the power of God that overcame the demons. As she was doing this she sensed someone else’s presence, so she turned around and looked into the eyes of about ten gang members standing right behind her ladder. She prayed for YHVH’s protection and the power of the Holy Spirit to speak through her words, and with the Lord’s help, she was able to diffuse a potentially dangerous confrontation.

In other situations where there were threats and explosive confrontations between students, the principal was able to get spiritually trained school counselors involved in mediation sessions to bring reconciliation between antagonistic students, even getting the local courts involved in some cases to bring peace between defiant students and people in the community.

Hearing these testimonies of reclaiming a public school for YHVH, how can we apply scriptural principles (Luke 10:19, Mark 16:17) to claim victory in our everyday lives? Knowing this truth, what can we do to take authority over the enemy in our home and workplace and claim victory in the name of Yeshua and the power of the Holy Spirit?