The Kingdom of God!

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Chapter 32

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We pray for revival and another "Great Awakening," yet some great awakenings require a great shaking. The angel that delivered Peter from prison first shook him to wake him up. When the anointing came upon Samson, he "shook" himself. No matter where you go in the world, there is agreement that something BIG is coming. They sense Shaking and Outpouring.

Hebrew prophets tell us with certainty that before the Lord returns there will be a great shaking of nations.

New Testament writers add something we need to know... Heb. 12:26,

" Now He has PROMISED, saying, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."

I want you to notice something we often miss in this passage and that is the word, "PROMISED." The prophecy about shaking is a warning to the world but also a promise to God's people. When God shook the walls of Jericho down it enabled Joshua to advance into the land God had promised. If shaking removes a hindrance to victory, then the shaking is good.

America is where the devil is focusing his wrath because we are a thorn in his side, but as we pray, he is being shaken out of position. Paul said in 2 Thess. 2,

 

" Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us,whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.

 

" Don't let anyone deceive you in any way that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

 

" Don't you remember that when I was with you, I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.

 

" For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

 

" The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

 

" For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness."

 

Over the years the Church, has taught that this man is the Anti-Christ and is a literal man and maybe so. However, I would like to have you consider that this man, spoken of here, is really a spirit. A spirit that is being manifest in our nation today! In our government this is not a Republican or a Democrat issue. It's a prevalent spirit that is being promoted by big business, Hollywood, and the media.

 

This spirit will operate in those who do not believe the truth and will oppose and exalt itself over everything that is called God or is worshiped. It will do absolutely anything to accomplish its purpose. Because of greed and the thirst for power, people fall victim to its prey. The devil tempted Jesus with the power of ruling the world. In Matt. 4:8-10 we read, (NKJV)

 

" Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the  Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve."

 

The only thing that is holding this spirit back today is the Holy Spirit operating through the body of Christ.

 

There is a remnant of the Church today that is fighting and doing spiritual warfare against this spirit while most of the Church is busy maintaining their understanding of the fundamentals of the gospel. This is why there is a shaking going on in the natural world as signs to those who have discernment. Not only the earth is being shaken, but the Church is also being shaken in order to wake us up to what is going on in our nation. We no longer can sit in our padded pews and air condition buildings and let the world go to hell. We must infiltrate every segment of our society and teach them how to operate in the principles of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is more than just spiritual! The Kingdom of God involves the Lord ruling in all phases of our society.

 

The Great Apostle Paul told us in Rom. 7:23,

 

" For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." 

 

Also, in 2 Cor. 10:3-5,

 

"Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 

 

How often do we practice using these weapons in our thought life? Paul was talking about Jesus when he said in Heb. 4:15,

 

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

 

Jesus had the same thoughts, that we have, enter His mind, but He took them into captivity and refused to dwell on them. It is not a sin to have these thoughts! Sin enters when we accept these thoughts and meditate on them. Most of us are very slothful at taking care of what thoughts we dwell upon. Satan will try to get you to think negatively about people, events and what you see and hear. When someone does something that we don't approve of, immediately, Satan will twist their words and try to get us to dwell negatively about them. Jesus said in Luke 8:18, (NIV)

 

" Therefore, consider carefully how you listen."

 

Lately, I have become aware of these thoughts that do not line up with the word of God and I do not dwell on them. Paul said that he found that there was a war going on in his mind for the control of what he would dwell on. Jesus had a lot to say about our thinking and he said in Matt. 6:31,

 

" "Therefore, take no thought, saying, "What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?"

 

When you meditate on these negative thoughts, your mind will be troubled and you will ultimately speak out what you are thinking. Jesus told us to not accept these thoughts and talk about them This is something we all should learn to be aware of. The devil roams about seeking whom he may devour and if you give way to these negative thoughts, you have given the devil an open door into your mind to bring more negative thoughts about what you are meditating on.

 

Paul said in Phill. 4:8-9,

 

" Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

 

This week I want you to be aware of all the negative thoughts that will flood your mind and seek your attention. If they don't align up with the word of God, cast them down. This is something we have to control every day.