Submit to God

Try the Spirits

Ken

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1John 4:1 KJV). Of what need to try the spirits? Like determining if the water is safe to drink, when visiting a foreign country. Consider that it was John the Beloved Apostle, who made this command or imperative to his “little children” (2:1, 12, 13, 18, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21), so he was being careful for the young ones without being an alarmist. Why did John mention “false prophets,” when speaking of “spirits”? Just as God’s Spirit influences the godly, evil spirits influence the ungodly. God’s Word taught by His Spirit enables us to discern the spirits. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

Our mistake is to assume the Kingdom of God is not in active warfare with the devil. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1Peter 5:8). Only action based upon faith can put the enemy to flight. “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (5:9). Start with not being afraid. “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do” (Luke 12:4). But, you say, ‘The agony of the pain the enemy may inflict may be too much for me.’ True, we do not have a No Suffering Clause in our contract with the LORD. 

[Scan ahead. This is a bit longer of a blog entry, but not too long.]

What’s the importance of suffering? Jesus promised us suffering or “tribulation” (John 16:33), but added He had “overcome the world” (16:33) — and, so will we, if we trust Him. Suffering is God’s appointed means to teach us obedience, for “though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). But it is important to note, we do have an Escape Clause to limit our suffering to no more than we can bear. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer [allow] you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1Corinthians 10:13). 

All enemies visible or invisible are to be dealt with through faith. “Whom resist stedfast in the faith” (1Peter 5:8). How does that work? Scripture is essentially a book of promises that God means what He says and says what He means, that is, take God at His Word. “So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). Our chief difficulty is the prevention of becoming Dead Letter Literalists, where we neglect the spiritual reality of our existence. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16). If we can only remember this life is not just preparation for eternity, but we are duplicating or attempting to replicate life as it is in Heaven. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). The Almighty is so much more ready to assist us, when He sees we are comprehending His plan. And, we are all the more delighted to labor for the understanding, since it puts us among His royalty to gain that understanding. “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter” (Proverbs 25:2).

Now, when we speak of Spiritual Warfare, we should not become frightened of the ghost and the darkness. What is true during the day is true during the night. “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness” (1Thessalonians 5:5). When God opens our eyes to the teeming hordes of the darkness around us — “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:11-12) — for there are more with us than with them. “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (2Kings 6:16-17).

May God give us discernment by His Spirit from His Word to know the spirits, whether they are of God or nay. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:12-13).

Father, educate us about the reality of the war in which we are engaged. Cause us to measure the spirits with the light of Your Word. Cause us to see not just the foul fiend of the enemy, but to have a greater appreciation of You as the LORD of the Host. Hallelujah! Cause us to have courage and overcoming, and by Your grace, we shall! Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Jesus’ name, we ask it. Amen.

Spy Out the Land

Ken

OT Jewish espionage meant to “search the land of Canaan, which I [Jehovah] give unto the children of Israel” (Numbers 13:2 KJV). It was a spying out, reconnaissance, or probing of the Promised Land of Canaan to determine how best to take possession of it. Moses sent twelve to “spy out [Hebrew, tûr, explore] the land of Canaan” (13:17). They returned after 40 days to verify, “The land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this [grapes, pomegranates, and figs, they brought back] is the fruit of it” (13:27). 

Before we condemn the Majority Report of the spies — and, it should be condemned — take note, they accurately described the enemy. Only their cowardice to face God’s enemies was to be condemned. “31 But the men who had gone up with him said, We are not able to go up against these people, because they are stronger than we are! 32 Then they presented the Israelites with a discouraging report of the land they had investigated, saying, The land that we passed through to investigate is a land that devours its inhabitants. All the people we saw there are of great stature. 33 We even saw the Nephilim [Hebrew, nephîyl, giants] there (the descendants of Anak came from the Nephilim), and we seemed like grasshoppers both to ourselves and to them”  (Numbers 13:31-33 NET). 

Nephilim? Exactly who are the Nephilim? 

You will find God defining His terms coherently by such as the Law of First Mention in Scripture. “There were giants [Hebrew, nephîyl, Nephilim] in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God [Hebrew, ben ělôhîym, only used to describe angels in OT, e.g., Job 2:1; 38:7] came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them [Jesus described the lack of necessity and forbiddeness of angels procreating with human females, i.e, Matthew 22:30, not the impossibility of angels doing so, rebelling against God’s command, who ‘kept not their first estate,’ Jude 1:6], the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4).  “Also after that” (Genesis 6:4) means there will be Nephilim in the earth at future times, i.e., Goliath of Gath, the giant whom David killed (1Samuel 17). And, yet again, “there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant” (2Samuel 21:20). 

On face value of the text, it appears the disobedient Fallen Angels were simply attracted to the physical beauty of the human females, i.e., “That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose” (6:2). But, Yahweh’s Declaration of War upon Lucifer, following the sin of Adam and Eve, indicated a Seed War, where the physical fruit of Eve’s body would produce Christ (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6). But, the Adversary would also respond with Fallen Angels cohabiting with human females to eventually produce the physical seed of the Antichrist — a Nephilim. The Protoevangeleum:  “[Jehovah addressing the Serpent] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed [to produce the Antichrist] and her seed [to produce the Lord Jesus Christ]; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). 

Where were we?

The Promised Land of Canaan was just in reach of the Children of Israel, but ten out of twelve of the spies discouraged their brethren from obeying God to enter in and conquer the Promised Land. We may not be physically conquering a land; but, we must face our own Nephilim to bring the Gospel to the world (Matthew 28:19-20). If Scripture teaches us, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2 ), then we may have unwittingly encountered God’s angels. But, we may also have unknowingly come across the Adversary’s Nephilim. Just as we know to turn away from evil, we need to turn away from evil companions, whether or not they are unknown-to-us-Nephilim. “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character” (1Corinthians 15:33 NIV). And, even if we were suspicious of our bad companions, we should treat the Nephilim like we would the Wicked One. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Father, give us grace to help in our time of need that we might have the certain victory over our Adversary the Devil — and, even the Nephilim. May You receive the credit for the victory. Lord, preserve Your people. In Jesus’ conquering name, we pray. Amen.