The Spirit of Jezebel

 What Is The Spirit of Jezebel?

Jezebel's sins:
2 Kings 9:22 (idolatry and witchcraft)
Revelation 2:20 (prideful and arrogant [called herself a prophetess though she wa not one]; false teachings which led God's people away from God)

Revelation 2:21 (sexually immoral; unrepentant)

Revelation 2:22 (those who follow her ways and hear her words will will suffer great tribulation unless they repent}

Revelation 2:23 (the fruits of her adulterous ways will be cut down and destroyed, meaning the people who have believed her lies and refused to turn back to God will be destroyed, killed)

2 Corinthians 11:14, 15 (wears righteousness as a costume: masquerades as a person of righteousness; Satan's servant)

1 Timothy 6:20, 21 (irreverent, empty chatter [BSB]-profane and vain babblings [KJV]

{Read 1 Timothy 1:9; 4:7; 6:20 for more details denoting an ungodly, unholy character}

**Irreverent, profane, words are not only immoral and ungodly, but "denotes whatever lies outside the sphere of what God calls “holy.” It marks conduct, speech, or persons that treat divine realities as common, trivial, or contemptible." (Topical Lexicon)

**Empty chatter "targets words that drain spiritual vitality because they are void of divine truth." {Topical Lexicon} Empty words feed vanity. If the words spoken do not persuade a person of the gospel message of salvation, then they are spoken in vain. If the words spoken do not edify, build up, another person or the church as a whole, then they are spoken in vain, too. If real, factual knowledge is not increased within the body of Christ, then those words, as well, have been spoken in vanity, in vain.

Matthew 7:15; Jude 1:4; 2 Timothy 3:5 - She is a wolf in sheep's clothing, allowed to be in the church for some ungodly reason, and spreads lies about God and God's Word. She lures people in the church away with doubts and questions, just like the serpent did in the garden. And then in Revelation 2:24 Jezebel's teachings are the deep things of Satan Revelation 2:23 In the warning to the church in Thyatira, the Angel of The Lord also tells them that ALL the churches will know that God knows the hearts of all and that He will repay each person for their own deeds.

    The spirit of Jezebel is evil through and through. It is evil-minded, evil-intentioned, evil-destructive. It destroys lives and churches wherever it is welcomed because of the lies which emanate from its mouth. Its beauty is deceptive, but like moths to a flame, many will flock to this evil spirit because they have "itching ears" and refuse to hear the Truth of God's Word because The Holy Spirit convicts their hearts and they do not want to be convinced of the Truth [2 Timothy 4:3, 4].

    This spirit is a thief and a liar and a murderer. It steals from God and lies about God's Word. It twists Truth to its own satisfaction. In 1 Kings 21 Queen Jezebel falsified important documents and paid false witnesses to testify against an innocent man, so that she could give her pouty, self-righteous, idol worshiping husband the land that he wanted but didn't need. This is the spirit of Jezebel, too.

    How do we prepare to fight this spirit? 2 Timothy 4:1, 2 By remembering verse 1 "
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom: (and doing verse 2) Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction (longsuffering and doctrine)."

    The spirit of Jezebel cannot, nor should it, be allowed in our churches. We must draw near to God with willing hearts, ready to hear and listen attentively to, what He is saying to us through His messenger: the pastor, the shepherd of His flock. We must repent of the wickedness of our hearts, whatever that may be. We must be prepared to reject and dismiss the people who exhibit this spirit from our churches and our homes before it gets a foothold in and refuses to budge. We cannot allow the spirit of Jezebel to insert itself into our conversations, distorting Truth and spreading lies.

    Jesus says, "I Am The Way, The Truth and The Life, no one comes to The Father except by Me."

    The spirit of Jezebel says there are many ways, many paths to life beyond the grave. It is the spirit of antichrist and it wants your soul. It says truth is not absolute, but variable.

    But The Holy Spirit of God repudiates any argument or vain debate which comes from the mouth of the spirit of Jezebel. Titus 1 describes righteous living in the church elders and warns against false teachers who try to infiltrate the church.

    We need to be alert, be aware: we need to watch and pray. Watch our own hearts and minds. Watch over our churches and the congregations within. Be alert to danger, but still testify of God's amazing grace through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.             Pray for the glory of God to fill our churches leaving no room for anything or anyone who is ungodly and refuses to repent; who rebels against the Authority of God and His Holy Word. Pray that His Holy Spirit would tender men's hearts and make them ready to receive His testimony of saving grace through our loving witness.

    Pray that our pastors and teachers would be filled and strengthened by The Holy Spirit every day and into the night. Pray that our adults, young adults and children would begin to grow in the things of God and be transformed, as Paul wrote, by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:1-2).

    Pray for each other. Encourage each other in The Word; with The Word. Start fighting this spiritual battle now, that our defenses would be built up and it cannot gain entrance.

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:18

 

Ephesians 6:18

Praying always with all prayer and

supplication in The Spirit,

and watching thereunto with all 

perseverance and supplications for all saints.

PRAYING ALWAYS

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

ALL PRAYER & SUPPLICATION

Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication (request, petition) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

IN THE SPIRIT

Romans 8:26

In the same way, The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.

WATCHING THEREUNTO

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

ALL PERSEVERANCE

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

SUPPLICATIONS FOR ALL SAINTS

2 Thessalonians 1:11

To this end, we always pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of His calling, and that He will powerfully fulfill your every good desire and work of faith.

Ephesians 1:16-21

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, That The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Father of glory, may give unto you The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is The Hope of His Calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. 

    This last passage in Ephesians 1:16-21 is an ideal prayer to pray over all of God's lost sheep. Praying the Scriptures over our families and churches and everyone else is easier than you think. When praying for one person at a time, just use their name. When praying for multiple, I just use the group names: family unto the millennial generations, friends, acquaintances, strangers and enemies. For example, beginning in verse 16 the prayer could read, "I have not stopped praying for ______, remembering him or her in my prayers. That The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Father of glory, may give _______ The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Him." 

    So what have I prayed for this person (or people) here? I'm praying for their salvation, that they would be rooted and grounded in The Word of God so steadfastly, that they would be immovable when push comes to shove in their relationship with Christ. 

    I am praying that this person (or people(, would understand what they are learning about God and Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit. That they would know The Hope of His Calling (salvation and faith in The Name Jesus Christ) and the riches of His glory, His inheritance: 2 Timothy 1:9 "He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began."

    I am praying that this person (or people) would know the great power of God in sending His Son to die on the cross bearing the weight of every sin across His shoulders, in effect becoming sin and then, taking the punishment for the sins upon Him. Though He Himself had never sinned, He chose to take our punishing torturous death that we might have forgiveness and newness of Life Eternal in Him. 

    ~If the one reading this study is not saved, born again through faith in Christ Jesus, these prayers are being prayed over you. ~

    This is my weapon, wielded in the Love of God, which I have raised against all ungodliness, unrighteousness, unholiness, unloving, unmerciful, ungrateful, evil spirits who attack God's people and the people God is calling back to Him. Prayer like this takes hold of the throne of mercy and intercedes on these people's behalf for their salvation, them to be Spirit-filled, and joining we who believe on The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, in the service of our God in His kingdom. 

    Let us pray together even now for every lost sheep to come home; for every saint to be resolved and resolute in taking a stand for Christ; for the love of God to be evident in our daily lives, that our witness of The Testimony might be believed by those whom we interact with. 

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:15

 Ephesians 6:15

And your feet shod with the preparation

 of the gospel of peace; 

    This item of armor is more than what covers our feet: it laces all the way up the calf, just like the ancient Roman soldiers wore. Everywhere he looked he could clearly see how a Roman soldier was dressed. So this is how The Spirit led him to define our Christian armor. 

    Paul was surrounded by Roman soldiers at all times, though he could move somewhat freely, as his feet were chained, but his hands were perhaps, left somewhat unfettered, leaving him able to write all these lovely letters to the churches in the cities in which he had preached the gospel of peace, the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

    (Had he not been in chains, Paul still would not have run away. He had appealed to Caesar for his release, and to Caesar he must go: voluntarily. Yet, because he had been arrested for speaking The Name of Jesus Christ, and refusing to stop speaking salvation through Christ's Name, his arrest was inevitable.)

    Now we have here the preparation of the gospel of peace. Before we can even step out into spiritual warfare in the upper realms, we must needs have our feet and legs wrapped in impenetrable footwear. For it is our feet and legs which stabilize our balance and make it possible for us to move from one place to another. An unbalanced spiritual warrior will fail and fall. 

    Therefore we must place the preparation on our feet and lace our sandals all the way up to our knees, even covering the knee caps. We've seen enough action movies to know that if the knee gets shot out, the one being shot goes down and scrambles to remain upright and in motion. How do we do that? 

    We must be ready at all times to move swiftly when the need arises. And we must also be ready to take a stand for the gospel and not back down. Proper footwear is to be ready to give an answer for what we believe. It is to have the knowledge of The Word of Wisdom which makes it possible for us not only stand our ground, but withstand the oncoming assaults in spiritual warfare. We cannot run away from the battle we have either instigated, or joined in with. 

BE READY TO GIVE AN ANSWER

    1 Peter 3:15

But sanctify The Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of The Hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

WALK WORTHY

    Colossians 1:10

That you might walk worthy of The Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the Knowledge of God.

STAND FIRM

    1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.

WITHSTAND 

    Psalm 31:24

Be strong and courageous, all you who Hope in The LORD. 

WALK IN THE SPIRIT

    Galatians 5:25

If we live in The Spirit, let us also walk in The Spirit.

RUN TO THE BATTLE

    2 Samuel 22:30

For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.

RUN FOR THE REWARD

    1 Corinthians 9:24, 25

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. 

    Preparation implies a need for readiness. The first step to readiness is our own salvation. Are you saved? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord? And if you do believe, are you listening to The Holy Spirit, Who is trying to teach you the holy way of righteous living which God has prepared for you to live? 

    And if you have these first two items in your quiver, are you also serving The Lord with Joy in your hearts? We should not be proud to be serving God, we should be rejoicing that God chose us to serve Him. We should be thankful and watchful at all times, ready to repel the darts of pridefulness, status, envy, jealousy which attempt to shoot through our armor. These things can knock us down in spiritual warfare. 

    Are you filled with the Knowledge of God's Holy Word on a daily basis? Even if you don't have the whole Bible at your fingertips, you can still hear from God every day, if you can only learn to distinguish His Voice from the devil's voice. The devil wants to destroy us. God wants to save us. The devil speaks lies. God speaks Truth. The devil hates us for many reasons, namely because he is jealous of how much God loves us. God loves because He love. 

    Get ready to stand. run forward, walk uprightly and speak The Word of Life! 

    

    

    

     

     

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:12

 

Ephesians 6:12

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.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to 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.

    The Lord's people do not fight against anyone with weapons that can harm or kill one's opponents. Remember when Peter attacked the high priest's servant Malchus? He thought he was defending Jesus against being arrested. But Jesus told Peter to put his sword away; then he healed Malchus. ~John 18:10-11 & Luke 22:51~ 

    We do not retaliate against the people who have wronged us. We are to love them just like Christ loves us. We are to pray for them; not to bring divine judgement, but to bring divine mercy. It is this message of love and forgiveness which the sermon on the mount reveals to us. ~Matthew 5:21-26;38-48. 

    When we pray heaven's blessings onto the heads of our enemies, we enter the realm of darkness. We should only enter here knowing ahead of time who it is we are really fighting against. Not only our spiritual eyes need to be open, but our perspective needs to be changed in how we view our enemies. 

    For the enemy of our soul is directing the hearts of those who knowingly and unknowingly follow his lead. People who don't know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior yet, are a people living in darkness. They are bound in their sins just as surely as you and I were. Until someone prayed us out of the darkness that surrounded us and led us to The Light, Who then filled us and surrounded us with Himself. 

    The arena of darkness is the heart and the award is the soul. Whoever wins the battle, wins the soul. We pray against every evil thought in the hearts of our families, our friends, our acquaintances; in the hearts of the strangers among us and the enemies of our faith. 

    We pray the Peace of Christ for every heart. We pray the salvation of God for every heart. We pray the Joy of The Holy Spirit be known in every heart. 

    We pray forgiveness to replace bitterness, revenge, malice, murderous thoughts and intents, judgements. We pray contentment to replace envy and jealousy. We pray that the knowledge of the holy be sought after; praying against the strongholds of darkness laid out in Galatians 5:19-21. We pray Ephesians 3 into our families, friends, strangers, acquaintances, enemies. 

    We pray for ourselves: to maintain our walk in The Spirit, to keep ourselves grounded in The Word of God. We pray Galatians 5:22, 23 be our hearts and our minds. We pray 1 Corinthians 13 over ourselves. We pray to be faithful witnesses, carrying The Light of Christ into the darkest corners of the world, until Jesus returns or calls us home by way of the grave. 

The Color of Worship - Orange

 

Ligure, or Jacinth, is the ninth stone used on the breastplate of the high priest. On this stone is engraved the tribe of Issachar. It is mainly of an orange to orange-red shade, a brilliant bold orange. This gemstone is the eleventh foundation in the wall of the new Jerusalem. 

    The color of this stone is associated with warfare, though Issachar's name means, "God has rewarded me" or God Rewards". His blessing from Jacob states that he would choose to farm the land given him, have a desire to settle down and work hard to achieve stability, and have a willingness to serve others. In Judges 5:15, Issachar follows on the heels of Barak, as they both run together into the fray, into the battle. His lack of selflessness (desire to serve others and not himself) and determination to overcome Israel's enemies were a result of his blessing from Jacob. 

    1 Chronicles 12:32 tells us that 200 men of the tribe of Issachar were politically savvy: "they understood the times". They were aware of their enemies and prepared in advance how to defend Israel and how to attack Israel's enemies. They paid attention to the moral, political and cultural changes and challenges around them. These men of Issachar are men of spiritual discernment and godly wisdom. They are men of strategic thinking, always alert and watchful. They are the example of how the Christian should be prepared for spiritual warfare. 

Ephesians 6:10-20 describes the armament of the Spiritual Warrior in the order in which it is applied to us.  

1.  Be Strong in The Lord {Nehemiah 8:10; Psalm 28:7; Isaiah 41:10} and in the power of His might {Ephesians 1:19, 20; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Isaiah 40:29-31}, the tunic under our armor [vs 10]

2. Put on The Full Armor of God, which enables us to stand against the wiles (the deceptions and calculated treachery) of the devil. [vs 11-13]

3. Girdle ( belt, sash) of Truth around our waist, preparing ourselves for action[vs 14]

4. Breastplate of Righteousness, akin to the breastplate of the high priest, which for the believer symbolizes the righteousness of Christ over our hearts, making it possible for enter into God's holy presence [vs 14]

5. Shoes of the preparation of the gospel of Peace on our feet, showing our preparedness {1 Peter 3:15, 16} in obeying Christ's command in Mark 16:15 to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every living creature." 

6. Shield of Faith which quenches fiery darts [vs 16] 

7. Helmet of Salvation [vs 17] {1 Thessalonians 5:8}

8. Sword of The Spirit, which is The Word of God [vs 17]

9. Praying always in The Spirit, Watching with perseverance [vs 18]

10. Speak the words which tell of the mystery (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) of the gospel in boldness, [vs 19]

~birth of Christ foretold-Isaiah 9:6, 

~Jesus is born - Matthew 2:1, 2. 

~Crucifixion foretold - Isaiah 52:14-Isaiah 53:9

~Jesus' trial and crucifixion - Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John Luke 18:28-19:30

~Resurrection foretold - Isaiah 27:19, Matthew 16:21;26:32, Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22, John 5:24-29

~Jesus walks out of the grave - Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-9, Luke 24:1-12, John 20

11. Preach freely and boldly,  fearlessly and without care for one's self, but with the goal to share Jesus with as many people as we can before our days end [vs 20] 

             

Jesus Is Lord

 1 Corinthians 12:3

Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the [power and influence of the] Spirit of God can say, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is [my] Lord,” except by [the power and influence of] The Holy Spirit. 

Exodus 17:15

And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi. (The LORD My Banner). 

1 John 4:2-3

By this you will know The Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time. 

Romans 10:9-10, 13

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him out from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved. ~ For whosoever shall call upon The Name of The Lord shall be saved. 

    Why is this designation as LORD become so important even in this day and age? To be someone's Lord is to have the rule and mastery over them, as well as the protection and guardianship. To have Lordship is to have the governorship, as Isaiah wrote in  Isaiah 9:6 "...and the government shall be upon His shoulders...". Within His government He is the fulfillment of The Law (Matthew 5:17) and His Law is Love (Romans 13:10). 

    Who declared Jesus Christ Lord to begin with? His Father, Almighty God, gave His only begotten Son Lordship for a time (Psalm 110:1; Mark 12:36; 1 Corinthians 15:24-25). It is His Lordship we desire when we come to Him in faith, believing Him to be God's only begotten Son.       We come in faith with repentant hearts when we need to confess our sins. We come in faith believing that He not only hears the cries of our hearts but longs for us to hear the cry of His heart. We come to Christ as friend to Friend, meeting at the altar which we have set up for Him. Altars can be built anywhere. If that is not possible for you where you are, remember: when we clasp our fingers together, that is our altar, for prayer is where we meet God.

    The altars of the Old Testament were at times set up after the meeting had taken place as a remembrance of that meeting between God and man. As Moses had set up the altar in Exodus 17:15, one of our key verses for today. Moses named his altar THE LORD MY BANNER. Abraham built an altar, too. Genesis 22:1-19. Abraham and his son Isaac walked up a mountain carrying the tools and equipment needed to build the altar and lay the sacrifice. Abraham named his altar THE LORD PROVIDES. 

    We have named our altars, too. We may travel hither and yon, but the memory of where we were when we spoke with God and God revealed Himself to us is our Remembrance. There was a time when my kids were little that we had just enough money coming in to pay the rent and the utilities. But we had no money for food. So we sat together in the kitchen, held hands and prayed for God to bring us something to eat. No sooner had we said Amen than there was a knock on the door. On the porch were some a couple of friends, each with their arms full of groceries. God already knew our need and had prepared in advance to answer our prayers of faith. THE LORD PROVIDES. 

    Therefore with full confidence I may say, as Moses said, THE LORD IS MY BANNER. I will wave His Name across the plains, the mountains, the oceans, the valleys and the lakes. I will carry His Name into battle each time I declare that He Is Lord, for Christ is not just Lord, He is MY LORD. I declare in my heart, in my home, in my family, in my church, in my neighborhood, in my city, in my state, in my country, and beyond, that wherever The LORD leads me, I will go, because He goes with me. 

    JESUS IS LORD. 

JESUS IS  LIFE

LORD OF ALL 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Pray Unceasingly

 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

*Strong's Exhaustive Conc. No. 4336

PRAY: to interact with the Lord by switching human ideas for His own as He imparts faith {divine persuasion} (to us) 

By this definition we see that prayer requires faith and submission to God's will. For in order for my ideas, my thoughts, of what I am praying for to be exchanged for God's desire, I must submit to His Authority, His will, in everything. And I must submit with faith, believing that God will act on my prayer, even if what I am praying for doesn't turn out exactly as I wanted, but exactly as He wants. 

Ephesians 6:18

Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

Luke 21:36

Watch therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

*Strong's Exh. Conc. No. 89

WITHOUT CEASING: incessantly; without any unnecessary interval (no gap); uninterruptedly

This is not impossible. A prayer warrior prays at all times of the day throughout his or her day. It is not that they drop what they are doing and kneel somewhere, but the prayer asked for is merely added to the prayers already being prayed internally. Yes, sometimes our lips move and people think we're either talking to ourselves or that we're crazy. 

There are some prayer warriors who not only pray in this way, but also have set times in which they just spend time in prayer with our Lord waiting for His response(s). 

Daniel 6:10

Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

And we continually thank God because, when you received the Word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the True Word of God—the Word which is now at work in you who believe.

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

We, the Spiritual Warrior, come to God in prayer, believing He will answer even before we call on His name. 

Isaiah 55:24

And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

Jeremiah 33:3

Call unto Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not.

We believe God answers the prayers of His people because He hears our prayers. 

1 John 5:15, 16

And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.

Psalm 145:19

He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.

Matthew 7:7

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

Ephesians 3:12

In Whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him.

So, let us who are of the day, pray unceasingly for God's will to be accomplished; not only in us, but in in the hearts and lives of they whom we are praying for. 

 

Color of Worship-Orange-Yellow

JACINTH

1 Chronicles 12:8, 14

And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains...These were the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.

Deuteronomy 33:20

And of Gad he (Moses) said,

Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: He dwelleth as a lion,

And teareth the arm with the crown of the head.

Depending on which author you read, the precious stone used to symbolize the tribe of Gad is either Sardonyx/Sardine or Jasper. But if the stones were set in the ephod in order of birth, that would make Gad's stone a Ligure. Ligure has been translated as being Amber, Opal, Jacinth and Onyx. 

AMBER

ONYX

Still, while type of stone may seem to be obscure, color variations stay the same. Ligure, Gad's stone, is a bold orange-yellow, which is what we were seeking. 

His name means "A troop overcomes", troop here means 'good fortune' (Genesis 30:11). But the way it is phrased "a troop overcomes" also means 'an overcoming army, a victorious army'. 

In 1 Chronicles 12:14 we read that the least one of the sons of Gad had the ability to overcome one hundred enemy soldiers, while the greatest, or strongest, had the ability to take down 1,000 enemy fighters. A troop overcomes, indeed.

1 Chronicles 12:8 says that these men of Gad separated themselves unto David. What does that mean? They defected, switched sides, to enjoin themselves to David, who was on the run from King Saul. These were "men of might and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler (lance or spear), whose faces were like the faces of lions (fierce), and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains." 

Matthew Henry's Commentary shows us that these men of Gad who joined themselves to David believed that God was with him and came to support him in battle, not like the others who had previously joined him: men who wanted or needed to hide out with David. These men of Gad were strong, efficient warriors and they left their lands to help David fight his battles. I would imagine that just their decision alone encouraged David and strengthened him emotionally, as well. 

And so we come full circle to this Color of Worship: Orange (-Yellow). A bold color that SHOUTS! to the enemy that their Conqueror has arrived. A troop overcomes, indeed. We raise our Banner high, our Banner being JEHOVAH-NISSI THE LORD MY BANNER. We are overcomers when our faith and trust is fully resting on what God can do and not on ourselves. For we know that our only part in any battle is to have faith, and not very much faith either. 

 

Mustard Seed

 

Matthew 17:20 "Faith as small as a mustard seed". The smallest seed in the garden is the one that produces an abundance. The littlest amount of faith in God can move mountains, put enemies to flight, uproot trees, tear down walls and overcome temptations. 

Ephesians 6:10-12 "Finally, my brethren (brothers and sisters in Christ), be strong in The LORD, and in the power of His might. 

Put on the whole armor 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."

A little bit of faith is being 'strong in The LORD and in the power of His might.

•  JEHOVAH-CHATSAHI THE LORD MY STRENGTH. (Psalm 27:1)
• JEHOVAH-GANAN THE LORD OUR DEFENSE and
• JEHOVAH-MAGEN THE LORD MY SHIELD (Psalm 89:18 for both)
• JEHOVAH-NAHEH THE LORD WHO SMITES (Ezekiel 7:9)
• JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH THE LORD IS PRESENT                   (Hebrews 13:5)
•  THE LORD IS MY HELPER  (Hebrews 13:6)
• JEHOVAH-'IZOA HAKABOTH THE LORD STRONG AND MIGHTY IN BATTLE (Psalm 24:8)

We are overcomers in every battle because The LORD fights our battles for us, when we let Him. The men of Gad knew that The LORD GOD was with David, so they left Saul's side of the battle and joined forces with David. We have got to stop fighting against God and join forces with Him! We must overcome the temptations that rise against us by THE WORD OF GOD spoken forth from our faith. Speaking Bible verses without backing them up with faith, is useless. Even the devil knows Scripture but it does him no good because he refuses to accept that GOD IS GOD. 

We overcome with THE WORD OF GOD and with The Power of The Holy Spirit of GOD. Both must be evident in our lives that we might truly be the people of God. Our might is pitiful; His might is powerful. Our strength is weak; His strength is magnified. 

Let us walk in victory every step of this journey we are walking with our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST! Let us walk by faith and not by sight. Let us walk in our integrity, in His light, in His WORD. 

Jerusalem Belongs to GOD

2 Chronicles 6:6 "But I have chosen Jerusalem that My Name might be there; and have chosen David to be over My people Israel."

Jerusalem belongs to GOD. Israel belongs to GOD. To declare war on either is to declare war on GOD.

The Word of GOD tells us to 'Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" in Psalm 122:6 and "Pray for the salvation of Israel" in Romans 10:1.

Let us pray earnestly and fervently.

Praise The Lord

2 Chronicles 20 - links to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Scriptures, where you can see meaning of all words, phrases.

Not until the people called upon The Lord God did they get to hear from God, and do God's will (follow God's directions), did they get the victory in the battle that was before them. The enemy against them was of greater force than their armies. Fear began to take hold, but instead of falling on each other, or trying to fight on their own, they sought God in His house. All of Judah, all of Jerusalem came together to seek God and know God's answer. And when they ceased from speaking, they waited. Until God's reply came through one of God's prophets, when The Spirit of The Lord came upon him. "Listen to me. Do not be afraid, nor dismayed: this is not your battle, but Mine," says God through Jahaziel, "Tomorrow go down....near the wilderness. Set yourself in place, take your stand, and see the salvation of The Lord."

At least three nations' worth of armed forces were about to invade Judah and Jerusalem without provocation. For when God had brought His people into the lands initially, He had kept them from invading Moab and Ammon. But here, Moab and Ammon, and descendants of Ammon, decide they will get rid of this people. And what do you think happened? What always happens when God's chosen are come against?

1. God's people come to God's house
2. Seeking God's direction in matters such as this
3. God's people wait for God's reply
4. Praise The Lord for His Word
5. Then do what God tells them to do
6. That Victory might be theirs, also

Regardless of the hour in which God's people are come against, the solution is to seek God's face in your hour of need, and do what God tells you to do. The words of Jehoshaphat ) to Judah and Jerusalem? Early in the morning all they who were come against obeyed The Word of The Lord. Into the wilderness, the battleground, they went. Including the women and children. Jehoshaphat gave this word, now and for ever: "Believe in The Lord your God, so shall you be established (grounded, set on firm foundation); believe His prophets, so shall you prosper (grow, go out)." He chose singers to praise The Lord. All the people worshipped God in that wilderness. Can you imagine the looks their enemies gave each other? Surprise and laughter, perhaps would be a first impression, right? What if you came against your enemy singing God's praises? As that person would take aim to plant one on you, imagine him hitting himself. Now who's laughing?

But that's what happened. As the people sang God's praises, and praised Him for His endless mercies, The Lord God pitted their enemies against each other instead of against God's people. And when Judah came to the watch tower, where one could see for miles if enemies were approaching, he saw no one standing. Nothing but dead bodies every where. Not a single enemy was left standing.

It took them three days to remove all the goodies from the dead. {God's people don't waste anything.)  On the fourth day, they blessed The Lord. With music and singing, they returned to Jerusalem to God's house to worship The Lord. And God gave Jehoshaphat peace in his time, that no one came against the nations Judah and Jerusalem until his death.

That's why we praise The Lord. We believe in The Name of The Lord God for our salvation and foundation. We believe His prophets and our souls prosper, we grow in The Word of The Lord. We can go into God's presence and out again without fear of dying, for we have God's favor upon us. We seek God's will, God's direction for our lives. We wait on His reply before we do anything. We have prayer meetings and gather together in God's house. We worship God together, praise God together, bless God together. We don't do anything alone. We do it together. We are not God's persons, we are God's people. Fear is not our focus, God is.


We have set ourselves in place, we have taken our stand. And we will not back down, nor shall we retreat. For God is in this place and the battle is His. 

Lost Soul Valley

Written a few years back, after I moved to Kenosha, WI from a neighboring county. It has a haunting melody. When I listen to just the music being played back for me, this one sounds like it's coming from the waterfall way up high, echoing the cry of God's heart, for His people to be saved.

 

Firedancer

When the Spirit of the Lord hits me,
I am filled, I am filled.


When the Spirit of the Lord lifts me,
I am healed, I am healed.

I am filled with awe and wonder
I am healed with joy and grace
I am dancing deep in spirit
For I walk in power in this place


When the Spirit of the Lord is on me
I can sing in power and peace
For the Lord my God, my Creator
Lives and breathes inside of me.


I am filled with awe and wonder
I am healed with joy and grace
I am dancing deep in spirit
For I walk in power in this place

I am filled, I am healed




For the flame of God within me
Is consuming all of me
That the light of my Salvation
Is the only life you see


I am filled, I am healed


I am filled with awe and wonder
I am healed with joy and grace
I am dancing deep in spirit
For I walk in power in this place


~No weapon formed against me
Shall ever overcome
For the Spirit of God within me
Has made himself at home
I have risen from the ashes
He has clothed me with Himself
A crown of life adorns my head
And a Sword is in my mouth~


I am filled, I am healed


For the glory of God sustains me
He is my Honey and my Wine
He is the Bread of my existence
He is the Life that ever shines

I am filled, I am healed

I am filled with awe and wonder

I am healed with joy and grace

I am dancing deep in spirit

For I walk in power in this place

I am filled

I am healed

Fully Clothed

     Well, I went to church last night. And the whole sermon was meant for me. Yesterday's blog, I was so exhausted, it was a cry for help on my part and also an encouragement because it reminded you that I am just a person, too. Everyone gets tired at some point; it's natural. But to be exhausted to the point where thought and motion are next to impossible, that's different. 
     Ephesians 6:10-20 describes the armor a Christian is to wear each time we go begin our day, every day. Because every day that we remain in God's will we are a double threat to Satan. Knowing this we need to exercise great wisdom and strength in overcoming his tactics against us; one of which is 'weariness'. What I have been feeling for the last few days is exactly that: weariness. Until now.
I got the message I needed to hear and I got the rest I so badly craved; 1 1/2 hours of the Word of God preached (and taking notes) and 10-12 hours of rest.

     This a small example of the armor a Roman soldier would wear. The armor Paul instructs us to put on is compared to this. Half of his ministry he was in prison, guarded by Roman soldiers. (Think how many of them came to know Christ through Paul's witness and faithful testimony!) Knowing what the Roman soldier needed to protect himself, Paul was able to line up each piece of our spiritual armor on that same scale. As each of them needed to dress himself daily, so do we also need to wear the full armor of God. 
     BREASTPLATE: Protection. Worn on the back and the front, it is held together on the sides and the shoulders; on the sides with straps; on the shoulders with metal shoulder pads. Protects the back (kidney, spleen, spine), the front (heart, lungs, ribs) and the sides (liver, pancreas, abdomen). This part of the armor is so heavy that they needed to help each other put it on. Underneath the breastplate, a soldier wears a protective garment, called a tunic, which reached to the middle of his thigh.
     GIRDLE: Protection. It would have been more than just a belt. The higher the rank, the more costly the item. Decorated leather strips hung down from the middle of the belt to protect the soldier's manhood. Other strips would hang down all the way around the belt, like a leather skirt, protecting the hips and thighs. The higher the rank, the prettier or more decorated the girdle. These belts jangled when the soldiers marched to warn their enemy that they were approaching, giving the enemy an opportunity to flee the vicinity.  
     HELMET: Protection. Centurions and other officers wore crests on top of their helmets so the other soldiers would know who to follow in battle. The helmet protects the head, the neck and the sides of the face. 
     SHOES: Protection and Weapon. Their shoes were made of leather. The topside of the sole had leather straps attached to it which were laced across the foot and up the leg, tying in the back of the calf. While some soldiers wore greaves which reached over the knee and up the thigh, most wore a shorter greave which covered the calf up to the knee. This would protect them from falling down and being killed if the enemy stabbed their legs. For marching purposes the underside of the sole had metal studs, to make them last longer. In times of battle, some could switch shoes to ones that had a metal spike attached. This gave them the ability to grip the ground and fight better. The spike could also be used as a weapon. Either by lifting that leg and striking out, or if the soldier had fallen he could still lash out at his enemy and do some damage. 
     SWORD: Protection and Weapon. A short sword (18"-24"), it was used in hand to hand combat in the crush of battle. Worn close to the hip it was always at hand. Kept sharpened it could wreak havoc on the enemy. 
     SHIELD: Protection and Weapon. The Roman soldier's shield was the nearly the full length of his body. It was rectangular and rounded, able to protect the soldier not only from a frontal attack, but from the side also. Some shields had decorations on the front, showing where each unit was from. Sometimes they would raise the shield above their heads, together, giving them protection from an aerial assault in the mountain areas of battle. 

     And just how does knowing all this about a Roman soldier's armor help us today? Each piece of armor is also needed in our daily walk, our daily battle with God's enemy, the devil. And all of us need to be wearing it.
     Ephesians 6:10-17 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

     Now we are ready. Ready to face the day. Ready to face the enemy. Ready to win.