Let God Arise

"Let God Arise, let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee before Him." Psalm 68:1...."There is a great enemy rising against us. There is a greater God rising within us." Unknown

The above Scripture has been in my mind and upon my heart of late. We, His people, need to hear His call to be His intercessory prayer warriors in this day. To date, we haven't been. If we had, our culture would not be in the desperate straits it now finds itself. We have been beyond lax. We have centered on our own comfort, provision, and security. We've been willing to sacrifice up to a certain amount of discomfort, give up to a tithe, and serve up to a point. Most of us have invisible yet clear boundary lines as to just how far we will go in our journey of faith. That kind of faith will not stand in the days in which we live.

As you read this, you don't need me to remind you of all that has been happening over the last months, weeks, and days. Chaos is growing, fear is increasing, and too much of our message seems to be passive. Rest, trust, be at peace. All these must be part of what we proclaim, as well as hope, but there is something more. We must heed the call to go to war. Spiritual war. In intercessory prayer. In realization of who the enemy really is, and who it is we are actually fighting. Its not the political and cultural leaders who are really assaulting not only the foundation of this nation, but the foundation of the church as well. It is, as it has always been, the father of lies behind them. He never rests. He constantly assaults, and we've been far too unaware of him. Keith Green sang a song during the Jesus movement about how the devil rejoiced over the ease with which he had infiltrated the church. A lyric in it said it was because "No one believes in me anymore." Even if we do believe, we've accepted a false security built around the false belief that because we are His, we're always protected. We are, but our part is to be vigilant, aware of his tactics, and always on guard and coming against them. When we aren't, we set ourselves up to be overcome. Brethren, we're in danger of being overcome, but the battle is not lost, because we have a Father, Son, and Holy Spirit whose very character is Victory. Victory in Jesus.

The battle is the Lord's, but He fights through us. Many are praying that He would turn back all of the assaults of hell, but we are missing something in our prayers. Before He can rise up against the enemy before us, He must rise up against the enemy within us. All that is within our hearts that opposes His Lordship and control. Until that happens we are feeble warriors at best, defeated ones at worst. Neither should ever mark the follower of Christ. Do they mark you? Me?

His Word proclaims that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church. We can see those gates with every news report and most every social observation. William Booth said it was His desire to build his ministry before those very gates. He desired because he knew who the victory belonged to. Do we have that desire? Those gates are before us. Either they will prevail, or we His church will. God has already won the victory in Christ. The question is, will you and I be partakers of it, or swept away in the course of the battle. God will rise up. Will we rise up with Him?

Blessings,
Pastor O