|
|
|
By Maurice A. Simmons
On Sunday January 11, 2009, I was listening to a song by worship artist Jason Upton, entitled Stones. I believe the Lord began to impress upon my heart some words of exhortation related to this song. For those who are unfamiliar with this melody, Jason Upton is singing about the Stone, which is Christ, being the giant killer. He is the Stone that the builders rejected outlined in Matthew 21:42. Jason exhorts us to pick up the Stone and choose the way of the Lord. While listening, I heard these words come to me: "I set before you this day Life and death. Choose Life." As I heard these words, I pictured a road or path, which forked left and right. One path led to Life, while the other led to death. It was then that the Lord began to reveal what I believe to be a word for us in this season, regarding slaying giants.
This came to me in the midst of contemplating my own struggle with a giant in my life. The Lord began to remind me that if I chose the right path, which led to Life, I could access the Stone, which would slay my giant. I was then reminded of how everyone in the Body of Christ has giants that they are faced with. These giants have been keeping God's people from obtaining the full measure of what He has for us.
In order to understand how to slay our giants we must first understand the nature of our enemy. What is a giant? In simple terms, giants are extraordinarily large. In Biblical days, it is believed that they numbered from 9-13 feet in height. It is possible that there were three races of giants: Nephillim, Anakim, and Rephaim. It is not my intention to go into too much detail about this, but these three races of giants were notoriously violent, oppressive, and insolent. They were known for preying on men and subjecting them to their reign of terror. Goliath, who is said to have descended from the Rephaim, was defiant towards the Lord "(1 Samuel 17:10). According to 1 Samuel 17:11 “When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid,” Goliath paralyzed the armies of Israel with fear, keeping them from the Lord. Faith brings us to the Lord, while fear is the antithesis; it causes us to draw back like the children of Israel did at Mount Sinai in Exodus 20:20-21. Figuratively speaking, our giants could be some sickness or disease, financial problem, persecution, fleshly struggle, or a direct demonic assault by the enemy. No matter what the giant is, they all tend to dismay us and strike fear into our minds. For most of us, it is the fear of no deliverance or the fear of defeat. Our giants are situations or issues, which appear too monumental for us to solve. They intimidate us because we cannot seem to conquer them. We have explored so many different options, and implemented various strategies and tactics, only to keep facing the same Goliaths. The odds seem to be against us. I am specifically talking about issues and situations that originate from Satan's camp. Every problem is not demonically instigated (some are self-induced), but there are enough situations that are; and as Christians we need to be discerning enough to know where our problem or attack is coming from. The giants sent by Satan serve to ultimately distract and keep us from the Lord.
The Art of Spiritual War
After identifying the giant in our lives we must look at how to slay it. David sets a pattern for slaying giants, because he knew how to defeat Goliath. When we look at Deuteronomy 30:19, which is what the Lord spoke to me, God gives His people two options- Life and death. In verse 20, Jehovah tells them unequivocally, that He is their Life. Just as the road forked in two different directions, offering an individual two different options, David had two options to battle Goliath. The first was to use Saul's armor, which represents the flesh. We will never prevail against the giant (enemy) through our flesh. This is why the prophet declares in Zechariah 4:6“… not by (your) power or by (your) might but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.” The Apostle Paul states in 2Corinthians 10:4, “…the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing (giants) that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.” Saul's armor symbolizes man's endeavors and conventional methods of warfare. Had David taken Saul's armor into battle against Goliath, who was a “high thing” exalting himself against the knowledge of God, he would have undoubtedly lost. The shepherd boy would have gone down the wrong path, which would have resulted in death.
Are You Pro- Life?
David chose Life, which was the other option. He went with what he knew or more accurately, whom he knew. According to 1 Samuel 17:40, David went down to a brook, which in Hebrew is the same word used for torrent or river. The river typifies the Spirit of God according to John 7:38,39. It was through the river or the Holy Spirit that David accessed the stone, which typified Jesus Christ. He is the stone that was rejected by others, but chosen by David, the man after His heart. Centuries before Sun Tzu’s military masterpiece, (The Art of War)was written, David showed himself to be quite a military strategist by choosing the right path for battle. At the fork in the road, he discerned which road would lead to Life for him and the children of Israel. David selected the way or path of the Lord, and with that choice he was mighty through God, casting down the “high thing” in the form of Goliath. In Deuteronomy 30:19,20, we find our key: 19
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live, That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."
The Lord gave these directives to his people before they crossed over Jordan into the promised land, which was inhabited by giants delineated in Numbers 13:25-33. They were on the verge of transitioning into a place of the fulfilled promises of God. In the past several years, many have been prophesying about the Church preparing to transition over Jordan. If this is the case, we must realize that there are giants that must be confronted and conquered. We should not be ignorant of the fact that Satan will not stand by idly while we go in and possess the promises of God. He sends giants to intercept us from our glorious inheritance in the Lord. Deuteronomy 30:20 elaborates on what we are to do in order to dwell in the land. We must love the Lord, obey His voice, which commands us to choose Life (Him), and then we must cleave to Him. This is the principle of abiding in Him. Daniel 11:32 informs us that, “…the people who know their God shall be strong and do exploits.” David intimately knew the Lord. His soul cleaved to the Lord, and his pursuit of intimacy with God would not be denied (See Psalm 27). David had no doubt that he would conquer Goliath, because he was intimately acquainted with the Stone. This shepherd boy shows us the key to accessing the Stone, which slays our giant: choosing the path of intimacy with Jesus. We must cling to Him and reject the fleshly path, leading to death. Our choice must be Life, which is Christ alone. Saul's armor (our flesh) should be denied. Choosing the path of intimacy with the Lord is the level of spiritual warfare that God is calling the Church to in this season. This is a level that many of us have not attained to. In terms of fighting our enemies, this is the proverbial “High Road” that we are to take. It’s as if I can hear the Lord of Hosts, sounding the shofar as a battle trumpet, bidding us to come up higher into the throne room, where the battle plans are drawn.While cultivating our relationship with the One who promises to vanquish our foes, we must recognize who we are in Him. David was anointed as king in 1 Samuel 16, before he slew the giant in 1 Samuel 17. Like David, we have also been anointed with a kingly anointing. We are Sons and Daughters of the Kingdom, with tremendous power and authority over any Goliath confronting us. This power and authority has been entrusted to us by the Kings of Kings! Equipped with this knowledge, we can confront our giants in full assurance instead of doubt and fear.
America, the Church, and Goliath
Listening to the media, we hear words such as “monumental, growing, obstacle, crisis” to describe the challenges our President Obama will face in our economy: two wars in the Middle- East, Israeli- Palestinian conflict, increasing posturing of Iran, etc. We should pray that he looks to God, because his intellect, charisma, and oratorical skills will not be enough to defeat the Goliaths America is facing. Many Americans voted for Obama because they felt as though he could navigate us through the tumultuous seas ahead. As the Church, we must not look to Saul (man) in order to prevail. We must turn to the Lord and choose the path which leads to Life (Jesus). Let us not continue to reject the Stone (Christ) but realize that it is in the brook (Spirit), through the power of the Stone, that Goliath will topple. Whatever giants we are facing might be monumental, but our God is bigger. From the Lord’s vantage point, our giants are as grasshoppers in His sight. We are called to sit with Him in heavenly places, so we should have the same perspective as He does. David understood this principle and was victorious. History touts him as a giant killer. Church, we must rise to the occasion and realize that we have been anointed and called to the task of slaying giants as well. When we embrace and walk in this calling, we are sure to enjoy the sweet taste of victory, like David, and experience the manifestation of that which the Lord has promised us in the land
|
|
|
 |
|
|
By Maurice A. Simmons
Introduction
We are truly living in the season of which Jesus prophesied regarding “wars and rumors of wars:” wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; development of a nuclear program by Iranian President Ahmadinejad; world wide Jihad waged by radical Islamists; a strained and somewhat precarious relationship with Russia; and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip.
On September 11, 2001, America was introduced to something that is pretty commonplace to many nations of the earth- terrorism on her soil. Now we live in an age where the imminent threat of terrorist attacks constantly looms. America, having long been a super power is beginning to look more vulnerable as her military is over-extended and bogged down in Iraq. This coupled with the worst economic recession in decades is proving to be quite daunting for the nation who at one time seemed impervious, with her robust economy and military. Fear has been gripping the hearts of Americans as various conflicts and threats increase. In the scope of world opinion (under the George W. Bush Administration at least), it seemed as if there were more against us than with us. Succinctly put, the United States has been and is in a crisis. We are in a dilemma that even surpasses that of Vietnam. We have entered another cold war, not with the Russians, but with radical Islam, and this cold war is heating up. The government and a number of American citizens realize these things. Of course, there are those, suffering from what I call “the ostrich with their head in the sand syndrome,” oblivious to the mounting challenges facing us.
As the situations heat up and eventually reach a boiling point, whom do we turn to? What should we do? I believe the Lord is issuing a somber warning to this nation. I make this statement at the risk of appearing to be “gloom and doom.” However, my task and intention is not to promulgate fear, but to publish the “Word of the Lord,” which is always a message of hope for those who respond properly.
In the political arena, the left-wing (democrats) and the right-wing (republicans) disputed about how to defend our country. Now, they quarrel about how to repair the economy, which, to many, has replaced terrorism as the number one threat to our national security. It is within the context of these dilemmas that the Lord gave me a “word” based on 2 Chronicles 16, for our nation during the month of October 2006. As I meditated on this message, I heard the Lord say with crystal clarity, “Turn not to the right or the left. Concerning national defense, the right is wrong, and the left is way out in left field.” In a flash of what I would call revelation, I knew what He was talking about. I will share the implications of these things as they relate to us right now.
2 Chronicles 16: 9 KJV "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars."
Background
According to 2 Chronicles chapter 14, Asa, the King of Judah, had been reigning for ten years. During this decade of rule, he only had one military conflict. That was with the Ethiopians. In fact, Asa’s army totaled over 580,000 men, while the Ethiopians eclipsed them with an army numbering at 1,000,000 men, plus 300 chariots! Asa’s army was outnumbered almost 2:1, yet because he and the nation diligently sought the Lord, God was with them and they defeated the Ethiopians. I will underscore the point that because Asa trusted in the Lord, God defeated their enemies.
Now subsequent to this great victory, the Word of the Lord came to the prophet Azariah in 2 Chronicles 15:2-4. Azariah exhorts the people to remain with the Lord and seek Him. “…If you forsake Him He will forsake you,” the prophet cautioned. You will find that in 2 Chronicles 15: 8-12, upon hearing the prophetic word, Asa was motivated to cleanse all idols out of the land and he led his nation to enter into a covenant to seek the Lord with all of their heart and soul. This is an extremely critical point in the passage. The people of Judah made an oath and swore with all of their hearts, and sought the Lord with their whole desire. He was found of them and He gave them rest and peace in the land.
2 Chronicles 15:15 "And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about."
Now that the framework has been provided, let us fast-forward twenty five years later into the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign. It is during this time that the king catches a severe case of amnesia in 2 Chronicles 16. King Baasha of Israel comes against Judah and besieges her. Asa, stricken with panic, forgetting the same God who gave him victory over an Ethiopian army, breaks his covenant with God. He does so by turning to Syria for help, instead of turning to the Lord God. To make matters worse, not only does he break the covenant with the Lord, but he has the audacity to cut a covenant with Benhadad, King of Syria, who was really an enemy of Judah. Benhadad comes to Asa’s rescue by disrupting the siege and chasing Baasha’s army away. For the moment, Asa and his people are safe in their comfort zone... or so they think. God sends a prophet named Hanani, with a word of correction for the King. God will always send a Word to His people when they leave His Presence and establish a comfort zone of their own. His Word comes to agitate us and get us to leave the place of false security, that we might return back to Him, where we belong.
A Broken Covenant
The word delineated in 2Chronicles 16:9 which was given to Asa, is now echoed to America: “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.”
The Hebrew word for perfect is Shalom, which means, peace or complete. God will show Himself strong on the behalf of a nation whose hearts are in a covenant of peace with Him. A covenant of peace with the Lord means we are completely His and we are one. It means that we completely rely and trust in Him, as Asa did earlier during his reign as king of Judah. Since Asa turned to another (Benhadad) for covenantal protection, he was no longer in a covenant of peace with the Lord. In this, the Lord said he had done foolishly and from then on Asa and the nation would have wars.
This is the predicament currently facing our nation. Like Asa, we also have gone turncoat on the Lord and have trusted in the “chariots” of others, instead of our God. We have trusted in our military prowess, the United Nations, foreign policy, and our government to keep us safe from radical Islamists who wish to lay siege on this nation as Baasha did to Judah. For the past couple of years, the eyes of the nation were on presidential candidates to see who would be able to steer us through the troubled waters. Now we have chosen a president whom many act as though he is the Messiah. There are those who believe that he will be able to save and deliver us from all of our troubles. I have heard people say that they feel like Obama can help them change and become a better person. They say that he will make the world a better place.
President Obama’s colleagues on the democratic left wish to negotiate with those who would be our enemies: Iran, Syria, Russia, and some rogue regimes. Not understanding the gravity of certain threats, they believe we can come to the table and set aside our differences working together to bring peace in the Middle East and the world. They have even changed certain terminology from “ Global War on Terror” to “Overseas Contingency Operations.” This is all done in an attempt to make overtures to Muslim nations around the world and bridge the gap towards peace with them. The democratic left consider themselves intellectuals. However, they are foolish enough to “sell God out,” for a more pluralistic and secular America-ultimately this is their agenda. The spirit of Anti-Christ lurks in their assemblies. Yet during campaign season, they will show up in our churches and dust off their badges of faith to wear it in our sights, in the hopes of garnering our votes. Indeed, the left is “way out in left field.”
On the other end of the political spectrum, the republican-right have consistently preached that a strong national defense will keep us safe from terror threats. They take pride in our capabilities as a nation and they long to see America continue her reign as a world superpower. Patriotism for this nation is their religion. The likes of Rush Limbaugh is their prophet, while capitalism is their gospel. Like the Left, they have their own agenda, which does not coincide with God’s Kingdom agenda for our country. In their pride they claim to be in tune with the morals of mainstream America, but spiritually they are just as bankrupt as their foes on the left. To be sure, the right is wrong!
Don’t Turn to the Right or the Left!
Both political parties have erred greatly. The Lord is saying we shall do what He commands us. According to scriptures in Deuteronomy 17:20 and Joshua 1:7, we should not turn to the right or to the left. Neither of them have the answers. Neither can resolve our conflicts and ultimately keep us safe. Both of our political parties are full of pride and they are missing God. In fact, when we turn to the Right or the Left for resolution, we are turning our backs on the Lord. For this reason, He explains in Isaiah 30:21,“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”
The reason the voice of the Lord is speaking to us from behind is because by turning to the ungodly counsel of the right and left, we have turned our backs on God and broken fellowship with Him. The Lord is admonishing this nation from the Church to the White House, down to every household, against taking counsel that is not of Him.
This point is amplified in Isaiah KJV 30:1-2:
1“Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
2That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!”
Apostle Paul states in Ephesians 6:10, that we are to “…be strong in the Lord and in the power of His Might.” Notice the emphasis on strengthening ourselves in the Lord and not Pharaoh who typifies our rulers or leaders. It will not be by our diplomatic efforts or military might, but only by us returning to the Lord through the Spirit of God. This is our only and best hope!
Isaiah 31:1KJV declares: "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!”
To our State Department, and the nation of Israel: Watch whom you make allegiances with! Deception lurks in the assembly rooms of some of your apparent allies. In the Middle East, Russia, and China the Obama administration must know that: “a leopard can not change his spots.”
God’s Bailout Plan
When we look to Capitol Hill for answers and our government looks to the United Nations or ungodly alliances with other nations for help, we are in essence “going down to Egypt for help.” Spiritually speaking, Egypt is and always has been a place of bondage. On the contrary, Psalms 121:1-2 states, “ I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD…” To America, the message is clear. We must not look to Capitol Hill. Instead, we must look up to the Holy Hill of God where our help truly comes, not the left or right. Lasting change will not come from President Obama. The help that we really need will not come from our pastors, prophets, or your favorite television evangelists. None can save us because we are in the midst of a spiritual war- first and foremost.
In Isaiah 31:3, the Lord explains that, “Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.” Our leaders are flesh; they are not God. They cannot win a spiritual war. We are warned in the above scripture that we will all fail together if we are solely relying on man for a rescue plan. Beginning with the Church, our nation must repent of our pride and presumption in thinking that we can overcome our obstacles by our own intelligence, might and ingenuity. We must repent of breaking our covenant with the Lord, for we are not truly One Nation Under the God of the Bible. The Church must realize that our “state of union” with the Lord is in need of serious mending. I will not outline the numerous things for which we as the Church must repent, but I hear the Lord saying, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land and this is change you can truly believe in.”
So we see that there is hope on the horizon, if we return to the Lord and make sure that our hearts are perfect towards Him. God will manifest Himself mightily for us and we will come to truly know Him. He will put our enemies to flight, bringing peace to the land. The Lord will make our crooked places straight if we abandon our personal agendas. Then we can take on His Heart, that we might fulfill the Kingdom Agenda here on earth. I pray that we will not be duped into thinking change has come when we see things improve shortly. For a season, things will appear to get better on the surface, and our president will continue to be heralded as a messianic figure throughout the world. Don’t be misled. True lasting change and resolution to what ails our nation and the world will only come through repentance and a turning to the one true God of the Bible. Amen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
