How Do I Enter Deeper Into Communion With Jesus And Others In His New Covenant Community ?
Chef’s Menu For Today
Ps Susan Hammer – Cry of an Eagle Revival Ministries (South Africa)
It’s at the Cross – that every battle was won !
Click Here for the Notes from the above communion session.
Proverbs 22:8
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
2 Corrinthians 5:17-20
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Psalms 2:1-4
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Our Worship Song for the Week:
Notice how God’s Love Overcomes Fear
Amazing Grace (My chains are gone)
By Michael W Smith
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind, but now I see
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love
Amazing grace
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love
Amazing grace
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love
Amazing grace
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, who called me here below
Will be forever mine, will be forever mine
You are forever mine
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Giglio Louie
Ps Jeff’s Special Today: “Witchcraft”
Sin strongholds are false beliefs picked up at some point in our minds which, until removed by the Holy Spirit and our free will decision to repent, still govern our responses to circumstances, still mute or cover up God’s Truth in His Word. All your thoughts can be traced back to beliefs based on either the truth of Scripture or on satan’s lies. If that thought is based on satan’s lies, it will lead to fear. Fear will then lead to some form of idolatry. One commentator in the New Spirit Filled Life Bible says: ” Idols are established wherever there exists a failure to trust in the provisions of God that are ours through Jesus Christ.”
An excellent brief statement to identify and demolish a stronghold is given by Mike and Sue Dowgiewicz, Demolishing Strongholds, God’s Way to Spiritual Freedom, p36:
“Recall that spiritual strongholds are (1) inherited from past generations; (2) established when you try to meet basic needs that God created in each of us [dignity, authority, blessing and provision, security, purpose and meaning, freedom and boundary, intimate love and companionship ] through ways that are contrary to His will; (3) maintained when you live in a state of unrepentance. The end result is demonic influence in areas of your mind, will, and emotions. Once a stronghold is established, you provide a “foothold” for the devil, a base of operations for the “strongman. (Matthew 12:29).“
This series, going through Passover, God willing, is intended for you and me to remove strongholds….
And the process to do this, is:
1) repent, return to God, convert (Acts 3:19) from the world and the flesh, die to that old rebellious spirit into which you and I were born (Ephesians 2:3), die to the old self, stop playing church, truly come into His Kingdom if you’re not in already (Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15; Acts 3:19);
2) receive the indwelling Holy Spirit; and
3) spend time with that Holy Spirit, the Helper (John 16:7-15), as often as possible, day after day, asking Him if you have even a residue of the sin issue presented that day. The process is private, between you and Him. Again, there’s no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1).
But old sin patterns blocking His Eternal Word have no place in a Holy Spirit-filled believer, now a “temple of the living God.” ( 2 Corinthians 6:16). Given all His promises, including that He will be a Father to each of us believers, and we are His sons and daughters, we are called to ” cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1; 1 Peter 1:15).
The Risen Christ already sees us as His Bride. He will sanctify and cleanse us by the washing of water by the word (Ephesians 5:26, the sword of the Spirit ). As each lying stronghold is demolished, replace forever the old lie with the word of God. Be washed in HIS Truth. In that repentance and cleansing process, the Lord is presenting us to Himself, “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:27). He is the soon-coming Bridegroom (Matthew 24:36-51; Matthew 25:1-13; Revelation 19:7-9).
The classic scripture to remove strongholds is in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. Here it is in the amplified version: “For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ...,”
Strongholds are pulled down, and old mental blocks are broken, as you and I use spiritual weapons the Lord has given us, particularly the sword of the spirit. (Ephesians 6:17).
And Today’s stronghold we are looking at is: Witchcraft !
1 Samuel 15:23 is on point: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.” Witchcraft is in direct opposition to the Lord and His Word and His commands. It’s false divination or soothsaying (Leviticus 19:26) such as astrology or tarot cards or medals of old saints or “dream catchers” or pagan witchcraft.
In Acts 16:16 a fortune-telling slave girl meets Paul “with a spirit of divination.” Paul then says to the spirit infecting her: ” ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And he came out that very hour.”
That is a call to you and me today, also. This lying witchcraft stronghold has to be removed in us, His holy vessels.
Being candid with yourself and the Holy Spirit, is witchcraft an old issue needing to be confessed? And then repented of ?Does your residence have to be cleansed of objects that reflect witchcraft in any way? Do you think His Word is only for the disciples 2,000 years ago? Do you have any residue of witchcraft as an issue for such a time as this? Is this witchcraft connected to your upbringing as a child? Was it a family pattern in any way?
God bless you as you seek His Holy Spirit Wisdom and Comfort on this issue. May you go forward on His path, “perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1).
