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Small Things

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2 Samuel 1:14-15 David said to him, Why were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed? 15 David called one of the young men and said, Go near and fall upon him. And he smote him so that he died.

Throughout Scripture from the fall of Adam and Eve to the crucifixion of Christ, from the writings of Paul to the end of the Book of Revelation – one fact remains: the wages of sin is death! The Amalekites had proven themselves enemies of God since the Exodus as described by Moses in the Book of Exodus: And the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in the book and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens.…And he said, Because [theirs] is a hand against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. (Exodus 17:14,16) On the surface David’s response against this messenger of doom seems to be a little extreme. But underneath this narrative lies a larger monster that hides beneath the shadows lurking along the edges like a ravenous wolf ready to pounce upon its prey. First of all, this Amalekite is lying. He did not slay King Saul. Saul had taken his own life. Secondly, the messenger had looted what belonged to King Saul and the people of Israel – Saul’s kingly crown, and the bracelet on his arm. Thirdly, this man exposed his greed and lust for more. It wasn’t enough that he had plundered the crown jewels. His plot was much more twisted and devious. He had reasoned that there must be an even greater reward for the one who would kill Saul. Rather than taking the crown and bracelet and cashing in on his prize. He chose to up the ante. Finally, this man failed to realize that David was God’s man – God’s anointed – and God’s enemies were his enemies. But there is an even greater story unfolding before our eyes and Exodus 17:14,16 gives us the clue: I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens.…And he said, Because [theirs] is a hand against the throne of the Lord…

Did you catch that last part? The Amalekites had not simply lifted their hand to destroy God’s people. They had actually lifted their hand against God Himself. Against His Throne, Kingdom, and Reign. Consciously or unconsciously, this Amalekite was participating in the sins of his fathers and mothers. Ultimately, he was reflecting the heart of his spiritual father – Satan himself. For you see, the Amalekites, and their descendants could be traced all the way to King Herod himself, an Idumean (a descendant of the Edomites from which Amalek had come). Amalek had come from Esau’s son who had married a descendant of the Horites – and they were descendants of the demonic hybrid of the Nephilim (half-demon, half human. Think Goliath)

King Herod sought to kill Jesus – God’s Anointed King of Israel. Why had God said that He would personally fight against Amalek? Because they represented an Anti-Christ spirit. An anti-Christ agenda.

But how does all of this apply? Romans 8:7 states the carnal mind is at enmity with God. The carnal mind being our soulish mind or our propensity to rely more on our thinking, will, emotions, and personality or temperament to have things our way. This way of doing things is an enemy to God and the things of God because it hearkens back to the Garden of Eden, and you shall be gods. In other words having it our way is not doing it God’s Way. God’s Way obviously being Jesus Himself – The Way. But rest easy: the Lord will have war with (it) from generation to generation.

In Mark 8 Jesus warns of the leaven or yeast of the Pharisees, Herod, and the Herodians. (Matthew 16 adds the Sadducees). Leaven is a small thing – but it’s the small things that lead either to the anti-Christ rising in our lives or Jesus, the Bread of Life. Question is, Are we utilizing the yeast of the Kingdom of God or the yeast of satan himself? Remember it’s the small things that make all the difference in the outcome of what’s reigning in your life. What we sow into will determine the “rain” that falls in our lives.

Rise Up!

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Revelation 12:9-11 And the huge dragon was cast down and out—that age-old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, he who is the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world over; he was forced out and down to the earth, and his angels were flung out along with him.10 Then I heard a strong (loud) voice in heaven, saying, Now it has come—the salvation and the power and the kingdom (the dominion, the reign) of our God, and the power (the sovereignty, the authority) of His Christ (the Messiah); for the accuser of our brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out! 11 And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing].

Satan, the dragon symbolizes many things: ultimately he is a large serpent who represents the power of chaos that opposes God. He symbolizes fascination, and irresistible temptation that draws people in. He is dominating, and extraordinarily large. The dragon symbolizes those things that oppose us, creating chaos, confusion, and disorder in our lives. He symbolizes those problems, temptations, and fears that dominate, intimidate, and appear overwhelmingly large. He is the hidden monster that clutches our hearts in terror with its claws. He is that overwhelming sense of dread of impending doom. He is despair that causes hope to ebb away into shadows of circumstances which loom larger and larger.

This dragon also symbolizes geo-political rulers, and powers that dominate a region influencing its citizens, and political leaders. He exerts his influence over political, economic, and religious beliefs of the region. He is the political upheaval we feel tightening its grip leaving people anxious, fearful, uncertain, hopeless, and angry.

But the real question, what Power forced this ominous, overpowering, and immense dragon out of Heaven? Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a male Child, One Who is destined to shepherd (rule) all the nations with an iron staff (scepter), and her Child was caught up to God and to His throne. The Answer to the question above? A Baby! But not just any baby. This Baby was the Lord Jesus Christ! The Lord Almighty! Our conquering King! In fact Scripture states a powerful result which came through our conquering Kings’ Resurrection and Ascension: Colossians 2:13-15 And you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), [God] brought to life together with [Christ], having [freely] forgiven us all our transgressions,14 Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross. 15 [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].

Jesus has defeated the dragon raising us to life, and forgiving us of all of our transgressions – past, present, and future. Jesus has nailed hostility to the cross. Jesus has disarmed the dragon! Our Conquering King and God holds the stars of the universe in His hands. What’s a little dragon going to do? Our Jesus has triumphed over this dragon through the weakness and foolishness of the cross. Not only has our Jesus triumphed but He has led us out of our graves into triumph – to fear no more. Jesus has led us out to stand up and rise up and advance the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the time of our getting up – no more snooze buttons, no more covers over our head. It’s time for a full on awakening to who we are, and to whom we belong. You and I are washed in the Blood of Jesus, clothed in His Righteousness, overcoming the shadows of the dragons’ fury. Why the confidence? Why the boldness? The answer? The Battle is the Lord’s!

Get Up! It’s time we start believing it, declaring, and proclaiming it.

Day 3, Declaration 3: Thank You Jesus, My conquering King, that in the midst of global chaos, hopelessness, upheaval, dread, despair, and uncertainty – that the Lamb of God has overcome. Thank Jesus, that You are our roaring Lion who places the dragon under our feet. Thank You, Soon and Coming King, that when circumstances come to oppose me, and chaos swirls disorder and confusion around me – that the Prince of Peace comes and walks me through the storms. Thank You my Almighty Warrior that this is Your battle. This is Your Fight and I have been made more than an overcomer. Thank You, Blazing and Brilliant Light of Glory – the Glorious One – that the Fire of Your gaze consumes my fears, dominates the intimidator, throttles the tempter, breaking the back of this dragon who dares to oppose the Living God. Thank you Jesus that in Your Glorious Light everything – and I mean everything becomes light – what can the shadows do to You in me? Thank You that the blazing Fire of Your Words burns away the dragons grip causing Living Hope to abound in me. What is my Confidence? What is my Hope? Jesus, Who has raised me from the dead, and forgiven all my transgressions. Jesus, Who has cancelled, blotted out, and wiped clean the decrees spoken against me. Jesus, Who has disarmed the principalities and powers arrayed against me. Jesus, Who has made a public display, and example, triumphing over them through His Cross. I get up, stand up, rise up – putting my trust in the One Who Rose Up – placing my feet solidly on the Rock! Greater is He Who is in me than he that is in the world! Hallelujah!