GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION
There have been many attempts through the years to explain the relationship the earth and its inhabitants have with the powers of evil.
Some have concluded that the biblical times were so primitive that such language referring to demons, evil personalities, and a personal devil reflect an uninformed worldview. They would more easily describe references to principalities and powers as institutions and social systems that oppress certain classes of people.
Others have suggested that the whole theme of history and thus the Bible is about a war that God has been fighting with the Satan, and that we are soldiers in his army in that eternal conflict.
The more classic protestant view has been that the battle is primary about the process of progressive sanctification. The benefits of the atonement of Christ's death and resurrection are emphasized with spiritual warfare being relegated to lesser attention. The fight with evil is part of the struggle that produces the character of Christ in us.
In recent decades, there has been a renewed emphasis in the territorial jurisdiction of higher-level evil powers. The question has been about the level of authority we as believers have regarding such.
As always, the danger is in over-emphasizing the role of the devil and diminishing the glory of Jesus, or in under-emphasizing the role and power of evil and becoming captives unaware. We try to interpret the whole of scripture in its context to rightly discern what we believe and therefore how we act. A bad hermeneutic will produce a bad theology.
Because we believe that the Bible is a narrative that culminates in the exaltation of Jesus as the fulfillment of all legitimate hope and promise, we view the Old Testament as authoritative yet pointing to a fuller understanding that is revealed in the New Testament. The images, symbols, predictions, and promises that are found in the in the Old are revealed fully in the person and work of Jesus. The New Testament writers are explaining that, and giving instructions about living in such new understanding.
Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>
With that in mind, many would agree that Paul's letter to the Ephesians is a high-water mark in such revelation. He begins by declaring what God has done in Jesus and what a radical difference that makes in our own identity. One phrase in the middle of the first chapter is so enlightening: "to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved" (1:6). It describes the purpose behind everything God has done, as well as what he is doing now. In short, he is magnifying the unique nature of his grace.
When all the fog and clouds have faded away, we shall see a glorious grace in the face of a glorious Father. Spiritual warfare must be seen with this purpose in mind.
To feature his grace, God has chosen to work through those who need grace. Jesus announced at the beginning of his ministry,"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18).
His target audience was not the well and the good, but the hurting and the bad. He is not embarrassed by the messy lives of those ravaged by sin, and oppressed by evil. His grace shines brightly there. Those blinded by self-righteousness never get to be redeemed by the wealthy Savior who is ready to spend it all to get us out of bondage. They never get to know the comfort of a Father who has daily longed for the return of the prodigal, and bears all shame to celebrate his return. They never get to rejoice in seeing a glory their eyes had never seen before.
A contemporary form of the church that aims to entertain the healthy, inform the curious, and congratulate the strong is missing the mark of his mission. When the poor, bruised, broken-hearted captives are made to feel unwelcomed, we have adopted a pharisaical religion that stinks to God.
The Church diminishes the darkness by displacing the deception of shame and condemnation with the good news that a new kingdom has come -- superior to all others.
The church that Jesus commissioned is a continuation of his own ministry on earth. It diminishes the darkness by displacing the deception of shame and condemnation with the good news that a new kingdom has come -- superior to all others. It overcomes hatred and apathy with a kind of love foreign to earth, but common in heaven. It lives in the power of the name that is greater than all names and authorities. It does not live in fear of being overcome by evil, even by the princes of this world. It is not primarily searching for demons to cast out, but if encountered, demons are dispatched in the name of Jesus our king.
The purchase price has been paid for full redemption, and God's people are moving through the earth, one garden at a time, telling the truth and loving their enemies. Where light shines, darkness flees. Minds are freed to think creatively and productively as God designed humans to live. Societies are blessed with freedoms that result when individuals are themselves freed.
We do not live with a bunker-mentality. The roof is not caving in because of the enormous weight of evil. The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. On the cross, representatives of all powers and principalities met the God-installed King. Their authority was reduced to whatever He decides (Psalm 2).
As his subjects, family, and community, we live in light of that victory. We pray, preach, and live with the confidence that he who is in us is greater than he who rules the world of darkness. We do not mock the powers. We recognize their role and their presence, but we do not fear them or try to negotiate with them. We speak and live in Jesus' name. Their defeat in the lives of people who have been previously captured by evil magnifies the glory of his grace.
The outcome is not in doubt. God is summing all things up in Christ Jesus. His victory at the cross and resurrection is bigger than we have yet envisioned. He is reconciling the world to himself. We are his ambassadors, beseeching everyone to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:19-21).
God's purpose did not fail in Jesus as a man. Though evil forces participated in his death, God's purpose was accomplished. He will not fail in his present body on earth.
Jesus is head of the church and it will prevail against all the authorities in the gates. Though at any one time, with a limited view of what is happening in the whole world, we might conclude that things are helplessly deteriorating, God's purpose is linked to his chosen people, the church. It will not fail.
There is reason to hope. There are resources to proceed. There will be a restoration of both the heavens and the earth. The resurrected life of Christ in his people, both individually and corporately, guarantee it.
Dudley Hall is a Senior Contributor to The Stream. He is the founder and President of Kerygma Ventures, a sought-after speaker, an engaging preacher, an effective consultant, and a trusted spiritual father. Dudley has authored several books including Grace Works, Incense & Thunder, Glad to be Left Behind, Men In Their Own Skin, Orphans No More, When Hard Times Come, Follow Me and his latest a children's book laced with gospel truth: Shorty the Substitute Ram.
There have been many attempts through the years to explain the relationship the earth and its inhabitants have with the powers of evil.
Some have concluded that the biblical times were so primitive that such language referring to demons, evil personalities, and a personal devil reflect an uninformed worldview. They would more easily describe references to principalities and powers as institutions and social systems that oppress certain classes of people.
Others have suggested that the whole theme of history and thus the Bible is about a war that God has been fighting with the Satan, and that we are soldiers in his army in that eternal conflict.
The more classic protestant view has been that the battle is primary about the process of progressive sanctification. The benefits of the atonement of Christ's death and resurrection are emphasized with spiritual warfare being relegated to lesser attention. The fight with evil is part of the struggle that produces the character of Christ in us.
In recent decades, there has been a renewed emphasis in the territorial jurisdiction of higher-level evil powers. The question has been about the level of authority we as believers have regarding such.
As always, the danger is in over-emphasizing the role of the devil and diminishing the glory of Jesus, or in under-emphasizing the role and power of evil and becoming captives unaware. We try to interpret the whole of scripture in its context to rightly discern what we believe and therefore how we act. A bad hermeneutic will produce a bad theology.
Because we believe that the Bible is a narrative that culminates in the exaltation of Jesus as the fulfillment of all legitimate hope and promise, we view the Old Testament as authoritative yet pointing to a fuller understanding that is revealed in the New Testament. The images, symbols, predictions, and promises that are found in the in the Old are revealed fully in the person and work of Jesus. The New Testament writers are explaining that, and giving instructions about living in such new understanding.
Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>
With that in mind, many would agree that Paul's letter to the Ephesians is a high-water mark in such revelation. He begins by declaring what God has done in Jesus and what a radical difference that makes in our own identity. One phrase in the middle of the first chapter is so enlightening: "to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved" (1:6). It describes the purpose behind everything God has done, as well as what he is doing now. In short, he is magnifying the unique nature of his grace.
When all the fog and clouds have faded away, we shall see a glorious grace in the face of a glorious Father. Spiritual warfare must be seen with this purpose in mind.
To feature his grace, God has chosen to work through those who need grace. Jesus announced at the beginning of his ministry,"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18).
His target audience was not the well and the good, but the hurting and the bad. He is not embarrassed by the messy lives of those ravaged by sin, and oppressed by evil. His grace shines brightly there. Those blinded by self-righteousness never get to be redeemed by the wealthy Savior who is ready to spend it all to get us out of bondage. They never get to know the comfort of a Father who has daily longed for the return of the prodigal, and bears all shame to celebrate his return. They never get to rejoice in seeing a glory their eyes had never seen before.
A contemporary form of the church that aims to entertain the healthy, inform the curious, and congratulate the strong is missing the mark of his mission. When the poor, bruised, broken-hearted captives are made to feel unwelcomed, we have adopted a pharisaical religion that stinks to God.
The Church diminishes the darkness by displacing the deception of shame and condemnation with the good news that a new kingdom has come -- superior to all others.
The church that Jesus commissioned is a continuation of his own ministry on earth. It diminishes the darkness by displacing the deception of shame and condemnation with the good news that a new kingdom has come -- superior to all others. It overcomes hatred and apathy with a kind of love foreign to earth, but common in heaven. It lives in the power of the name that is greater than all names and authorities. It does not live in fear of being overcome by evil, even by the princes of this world. It is not primarily searching for demons to cast out, but if encountered, demons are dispatched in the name of Jesus our king.
The purchase price has been paid for full redemption, and God's people are moving through the earth, one garden at a time, telling the truth and loving their enemies. Where light shines, darkness flees. Minds are freed to think creatively and productively as God designed humans to live. Societies are blessed with freedoms that result when individuals are themselves freed.
We do not live with a bunker-mentality. The roof is not caving in because of the enormous weight of evil. The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. On the cross, representatives of all powers and principalities met the God-installed King. Their authority was reduced to whatever He decides (Psalm 2).
As his subjects, family, and community, we live in light of that victory. We pray, preach, and live with the confidence that he who is in us is greater than he who rules the world of darkness. We do not mock the powers. We recognize their role and their presence, but we do not fear them or try to negotiate with them. We speak and live in Jesus' name. Their defeat in the lives of people who have been previously captured by evil magnifies the glory of his grace.
The outcome is not in doubt. God is summing all things up in Christ Jesus. His victory at the cross and resurrection is bigger than we have yet envisioned. He is reconciling the world to himself. We are his ambassadors, beseeching everyone to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:19-21).
God's purpose did not fail in Jesus as a man. Though evil forces participated in his death, God's purpose was accomplished. He will not fail in his present body on earth.
Jesus is head of the church and it will prevail against all the authorities in the gates. Though at any one time, with a limited view of what is happening in the whole world, we might conclude that things are helplessly deteriorating, God's purpose is linked to his chosen people, the church. It will not fail.
There is reason to hope. There are resources to proceed. There will be a restoration of both the heavens and the earth. The resurrected life of Christ in his people, both individually and corporately, guarantee it.
Dudley Hall is a Senior Contributor to The Stream. He is the founder and President of Kerygma Ventures, a sought-after speaker, an engaging preacher, an effective consultant, and a trusted spiritual father. Dudley has authored several books including Grace Works, Incense & Thunder, Glad to be Left Behind, Men In Their Own Skin, Orphans No More, When Hard Times Come, Follow Me and his latest a children's book laced with gospel truth: Shorty the Substitute Ram.
The post The Gospel and Spiritual Powers appeared first on The Stream.
There is a secret to living this Christian life, and it’s a secret most Christians don’t know. If you knew this secret, it would set you free from dead works and insecurity. Here it is:
This is a faithful saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him. (2 Tim. 2:11, NKJV)
If you don’t know that you have died with Christ, then you won’t really live. Instead, you will spend your life trying to die; dying to self, dying daily, and crucifying the flesh.
“But isn’t following Jesus a matter of dying daily to ourselves and our desires?”
Nope. The phrase “die to self” isn’t even in the Bible.
When Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt.16:24), he was showing us the way to salvation—it’s through the cross. If you would follow Jesus, then follow Jesus. Jesus died once and he will never die again. It’s the same with us. We were crucified with Christ once; we need never be crucified again. You do not need to die daily. Once will do the trick.
“But didn’t Paul say he died daily (1 Cor. 15:31–32)?”
Paul was referring to the dangers and hardships he faced in preaching the gospel. “I fought wild beasts in Ephesus!” He was not preaching a works-based theology of dying to self. We died to the law (Rom. 7:4, Gal. 2:19)—including the law that says you must die to self.
The problem with any message on self—even a noble-sounding message on self-denial—is that it promotes self. It fuels self-centeredness which lies at the root of all our problems.
In the church self-denial is usually packaged as a spiritual discipline. Don’t touch, don’t taste, don’t handle. But in truth it is nothing more than the age-old practice of asceticism, the belief that we can attain spiritual goals by abstaining from physical pleasures.
The truth is that you can do nothing to save yourself or make yourself pleasing to God. Jesus does it all. True gospel preachers understand this which is why they will never distract you by preaching messages that glorify self or self-effort. Like Paul they will say, “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord” (2 Cor. 4:5).
Double-minded Christianity
Christians who do not know they have died with Christ end up living two lives. On the one hand they are trying to walk in the new life they have received in Christ, but on the other they are trying to reform the old life they inherited from Adam. This is a recipe for misery. No one wants to be one person on Sunday and another on Monday. Live like this and it’ll tear you apart.
The cure for double-minded Christianity is not to “try harder” or “lift your game” or “follow these ten steps to a new you.” It is a revelation that your old self was crucified with Christ. What is your old self? It is the person you used to be before you met Jesus. It is who you were in Adam before you were put into Christ. Paul wrote that “we know that our old self was crucified with him” (Romans 6:6). Look at his choice of words; was crucified. Past tense. Done and dusted. Dead and buried.
Do you see how liberating this is?
The old man was unfixable. He was broken, corrupt, and completely screwy. He was a slave to sin and no amount of reform could fix him. But the good news is he’s dead. That incorrigible old so-and-so was nailed to the cross with Jesus and he no longer lives.
The end of the old man
Watchman Nee called this the gospel for Christians. “The self you loathe is there on the cross in Christ.” If the average believer could grasp hold of this truth—I died—half of our church programs would cease immediately. We would stop trying to reform the old man because the old man is dead.
Want to live, really live with Jesus? Then let this truth take root in your heart:
I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me. (Gal 2:20)
Extracted and adapted from The Gospel in Ten Words
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The gospel of grace is not a philosophy to debate or a lifestyle to adopt. It is the power of God that saves those who receive it.
Grace is God blessing us for no other reason than he loves us. The good news reveals that the grace that sets us free is entirely free – there’s nothing to pay because Jesus paid it all. But buy into this message of grace and you will surely pay in other ways. You may experience rejection, hostility, and possibly persecution.
It’s normal to experience trouble as a result of talking about grace. This world can’t handle it. But what you may not appreciate is how much of that trouble comes from those who claim to know God. Look at how much trouble Jesus experienced at the hands of religious people.
Remember this: Servants don’t get better treatment than their masters. If they beat on me, they will certainly beat on you. (John 15:20, MSG)
An example: on any given day I receive messages warning me to stop telling people about grace. This is normal. Tell people about the goodness of God, and you will get pushback, especially from religious bullies.
Dealing with nasty comments is a tiny cost for telling people the good news of God’s grace. Here are eight more serious ways that you may pay a price:
1. Preach grace and you will encounter intimidation
You will be told that you are confused and in error. You’re unbalanced. You don’t know the scriptures and the whole counsel of God. You’re too young. You’re a woman who should shut up. You haven’t been to Bible School. You don’t know how to parse Greek verbs. And how could you possibly know more than the man of God?
2. Preach grace and you will be condemned by those who don’t see it
You will be warned, scorned and rebuked. You will be hit with Jude 1:4 and told you are leading people to hell. Thinking they are doing the Lord’s work, leaders will name and shame you from their pulpits. Some of them will even write books and articles about you. You’ll be called a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a snake, a Jezebel, an instrument of Satan, an antichrist.
3. Preach grace and you will be rejected
Bet your life on grace and you will be shunned by those who are trusting in works. Since you represent a threat to their merit-based system, you will be labeled divisive – which is the religious equivalent of wearing a scarlet letter. You’ll be marginalized, ostracized and asked to leave. Although you will be enjoying the Lord’s acceptance, you’ll be rejected by people you care about.
4. Preach grace and it will cost you opportunities to minister
You’ll be kicked off the worship team, the preaching team, and the hospitality team. Having fallen into “heresy”, you’ll be asked to take time off to assess your position. People will promise to pray for you, as though you were lost and in need of saving. Fail to fall back the line and you’ll become radioactive. You’ll be discussed in private meetings and emails. Doors will close. Calls will not get returned.
5. Preach grace and it will cost your reputation
Jesus was slandered, Paul was slandered, and you’ll be slandered. (You’re in good company!) You’ll be labelled licentious, anti-law and a closet sinner. You’ll be dismissed as hyper-grace, as though that were a bad thing. Your words will be taken out of context and used against you. You’ll be stalked on social media. You’ll be hounded out of conversations and denominations. Your character will be assassinated by everyone from two-bit bloggers to theologians with more degrees than a thermometer.
6. Preach grace and it will cost you money
If you used to preach tithing as an obligation and now you don’t, your church’s income will likely go down. It shouldn’t, but it will. Stop telling people they have to buy protection or provision from God, and they might use their money for other things, like rent and groceries. You may have to rethink your finances. You might have to get a second job.
—
Interlude: There are no tiny violins playing here, and I didn’t write this to solicit sympathy. I wrote it so that you may enter the halls of God’s grace with eyes wide open. Jesus said those who followed him would experience trouble and for the 21st century believer, this is what trouble looks like. It could be worse. You could be living some place where they kill or imprison Christians.
I have heard hundreds, if not thousands of testimonies illuminating the different ways people pay for grace. The penalties I have listed come up again and again. In addition, here are two less common ways you may suffer for trusting in the radical grace of God.
—
7. Trust grace and you may have trouble trusting Christians
You may find it hard going to church because you are no longer able to tolerate toxic churchianity. You can no longer sing the faithless songs of longing or listen to messages that put price tags on the blessings Jesus paid for. Although you crave the family life that church should be known for, you’re turned off by the constant calls for more. Even with the purest of hearts, you’ll become wary and guarded.
For the sake of unity, you may decide to shine a light and lead by example. In other words, you’ll keep your mouth shut and not rock the boat. Even so, you may find yourself disconnected from the fellowship you once enjoyed. Conversations become superficial, and friendships task-based. You may feel like you’re on a different page because you are on a different page.
8. Trust grace and it may cost you your family
Grace has made many marriages and families stronger, but there are no guarantees. Sadly, a small proportion of marriages and families have been strained by this message. Truth is divisive. When some people receive it while others don’t, the result can be painful.
God’s grace is amazing – it is the best news in the world. His grace is 100% free, yet you may pay a price for it. This cost is never charged by the Lord; it is levied by those who don’t fully appreciate all that Jesus did for us.
I’ve listed eight ways you may pay for free grace. What did I miss? What price have you paid? I would especially love to hear from pastors and church leaders. Has the good news of grace cost you? If so, feel free to share the brief version (2-5 sentences) of your story below.
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Any mention of the end times arouses curiosity among those familiar with biblical prophecy. It seems our thoughts run quickly to the end of the world and the speculation that surrounds it.
We imagine that any praying going on during such final tumultuous times would be cries for help, or pleadings for mercy. It might be helpful to define the end times as the Scripture does and see how prayer relates.
The apostle Paul describes the journey of Israel from Egyptian slavery to the occupation of the land of promise as a pattern for the Christian journey.
"These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come." -- 1 Corinthians 10:11 (NRSV)
Since the coming of Jesus to the earth in his incarnation, the last stage of history has begun. God spoke in many ways prior to this event, but Jesus completed the story and fulfilled the promise. We are now "restored partners." Just like Adam and Eve partnered with God to manage the earth, and Israel was God's chosen nation to carry out his plan to bless the world, we have been chosen to represent him on earth.
Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>
The natural phenomena contained shadows of ultimate reality pointing toward a substance that is made real after the resurrection. The rock from which life-saving water flowed was Jesus. The bread that nourished starving people was Jesus. The cloud spoke of the presence of God among his people -- fulfilled in Jesus.
The people of God now consist of those who are "in Christ." We are his "end times" partners, privileged to co-labor with him in magnifying his name in all the earth.
Jesus made it clear that something was different after his coming to earth. It was on the very night that he was betrayed and tried, that he told his disciples that he was going to the Father to make a place for them to have the same access to him as he, the Son, has. He told them that after his ascension, the Holy Spirit would come and make their new status real.
"On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete." -- John 16:23-24 (NRSV)
We are God's partners on earth making requests from a willing Father that will be answered by heavenly power invading earthly circumstances.
It was clear that Jesus expected them to go straight to the Father, using his name, to receive what they needed to magnify his name in every circumstance. They had been captured by his love and freed by his death and resurrection. They had one primary purpose for living. They lived to make his name great on the earth. Only this would make their own joy complete.
They had been created and redeemed to glorify God. Their living, thus their praying, related to this purpose. The disciples had been confident that the Father would hear and grant the request that Jesus made. But he was telling them that on this day, they would get the same results. It was mind-boggling.
We still live in that day. We are God's partners on earth making requests from a willing Father that will be answered by heavenly power invading earthly circumstances. We are not being forced to pray as an obligation. We are privileged to pray, knowing that our Father is eager to hear and respond.
As end times people, we run to the prayer meeting. We need no shame-based motivation. It is our opportunity to participate in the kingdom of God coming to earth. We ask. He answers. His name is magnified. We worship.
Any mention of the end times arouses curiosity among those familiar with biblical prophecy. It seems our thoughts run quickly to the end of the world and the speculation that surrounds it.
We imagine that any praying going on during such final tumultuous times would be cries for help, or pleadings for mercy. It might be helpful to define the end times as the Scripture does and see how prayer relates.
The apostle Paul describes the journey of Israel from Egyptian slavery to the occupation of the land of promise as a pattern for the Christian journey.
"These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come." -- 1 Corinthians 10:11 (NRSV)
Since the coming of Jesus to the earth in his incarnation, the last stage of history has begun. God spoke in many ways prior to this event, but Jesus completed the story and fulfilled the promise. We are now "restored partners." Just like Adam and Eve partnered with God to manage the earth, and Israel was God's chosen nation to carry out his plan to bless the world, we have been chosen to represent him on earth.
Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>
The natural phenomena contained shadows of ultimate reality pointing toward a substance that is made real after the resurrection. The rock from which life-saving water flowed was Jesus. The bread that nourished starving people was Jesus. The cloud spoke of the presence of God among his people -- fulfilled in Jesus.
The people of God now consist of those who are "in Christ." We are his "end times" partners, privileged to co-labor with him in magnifying his name in all the earth.
Jesus made it clear that something was different after his coming to earth. It was on the very night that he was betrayed and tried, that he told his disciples that he was going to the Father to make a place for them to have the same access to him as he, the Son, has. He told them that after his ascension, the Holy Spirit would come and make their new status real.
"On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete." -- John 16:23-24 (NRSV)
We are God's partners on earth making requests from a willing Father that will be answered by heavenly power invading earthly circumstances.
It was clear that Jesus expected them to go straight to the Father, using his name, to receive what they needed to magnify his name in every circumstance. They had been captured by his love and freed by his death and resurrection. They had one primary purpose for living. They lived to make his name great on the earth. Only this would make their own joy complete.
They had been created and redeemed to glorify God. Their living, thus their praying, related to this purpose. The disciples had been confident that the Father would hear and grant the request that Jesus made. But he was telling them that on this day, they would get the same results. It was mind-boggling.
We still live in that day. We are God's partners on earth making requests from a willing Father that will be answered by heavenly power invading earthly circumstances. We are not being forced to pray as an obligation. We are privileged to pray, knowing that our Father is eager to hear and respond.
As end times people, we run to the prayer meeting. We need no shame-based motivation. It is our opportunity to participate in the kingdom of God coming to earth. We ask. He answers. His name is magnified. We worship.
The post Praying in the End Times appeared first on The Stream.
Though the book of The Revelation is a challenge to interpret, I love reading it. It is the picture-book of the bible.
I suppose that I'm a visual learner. I love the visualization of spiritual realities presented through visions and symbols. While other New Testament authors carefully explain the conflict between evil and good, and give adequate instruction to live amid invisible spiritual dynamics, I love the pictures Revelation offers.
Beginning in chapter 5, there's a scene where John sees the one on the throne holding a scroll that has seven seals. It seems no one can open this scroll that, evidently, explains the mystery of the ages. Weeping ensues.
Then John is told that there is someone who can open it. It is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. When he appears, it is as a lamb that has been slaughtered. We know who that is. One by one the seals are broken and the mystery unfolds.
In chapter 8 there is a picture of what the prayers of the saints look like. An angel with a censor takes the incense arising (prayers of the saints) and mixes it with fire from the altar (symbolizing all that Jesus has done in his sacrificial death) and flings it back to earth with peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
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What a picture of our privilege in partnership with heaven. Jesus forgave our sin, defeated our enemy, reconciled us to God, empowered us as his agents on earth. We engage the conflicts on earth and pray. The results are as dynamic as thunder, lightning and earthquakes.
It is a characteristic of prophetic literature to depict spiritual dynamics in cosmic images. Just like thunder reminds us that we are not in control, and lightning displays more power than humans can ever generate, and an earthquake illustrates how little we can control our security, answers to prayer are powerful. Things change when heaven intervenes in earthly matters.
This picture confirms what we know about the kingdom rule of God on earth at present. Those who fear God have more to say about the events going on than we have recognized. We are not to be dismayed when confronted with difficult or even impossible circumstances. We can pray.
When the first believers were being discriminated against by the civil and religious authorities, they prayed. The place was shaken (earthquake?) and they spoke freely of the resurrected Lord (Acts 4).
We are not hapless victims of evil while we sojourn here. We rule with Christ, speaking boldly about the finished work of Jesus and boldly petitioning our Lord.
When Paul was severely persecuting the early believers, the church prayed. On a trip to Damascus, Paul was struck down by a light (lightning?) and was converted to a great Christian missionary.
Every time God spoke to his people it drowned out and displaced the sounds they were being tempted to trust. (Thunder?)
We are not hapless victims of evil while we sojourn here. We rule with Christ. We exercise our authority by speaking boldly about the finished work of Jesus, and by boldly petitioning our Lord for heaven's intervention.
Of course, we often face insurmountable obstacles. They are necessary for us to display the enormous power of God as he acts in behalf of his people who seek to glorify him.
The Christian life is, by nature, supernatural. We expect to live confidently in both the visible and invisible realms of reality. As one saint said after reading the account of Revelation 8:1-5, "Let's smoke up heaven."
Though the book of The Revelation is a challenge to interpret, I love reading it. It is the picture-book of the bible.
I suppose that I'm a visual learner. I love the visualization of spiritual realities presented through visions and symbols. While other New Testament authors carefully explain the conflict between evil and good, and give adequate instruction to live amid invisible spiritual dynamics, I love the pictures Revelation offers.
Beginning in chapter 5, there's a scene where John sees the one on the throne holding a scroll that has seven seals. It seems no one can open this scroll that, evidently, explains the mystery of the ages. Weeping ensues.
Then John is told that there is someone who can open it. It is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. When he appears, it is as a lamb that has been slaughtered. We know who that is. One by one the seals are broken and the mystery unfolds.
In chapter 8 there is a picture of what the prayers of the saints look like. An angel with a censor takes the incense arising (prayers of the saints) and mixes it with fire from the altar (symbolizing all that Jesus has done in his sacrificial death) and flings it back to earth with peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
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What a picture of our privilege in partnership with heaven. Jesus forgave our sin, defeated our enemy, reconciled us to God, empowered us as his agents on earth. We engage the conflicts on earth and pray. The results are as dynamic as thunder, lightning and earthquakes.
It is a characteristic of prophetic literature to depict spiritual dynamics in cosmic images. Just like thunder reminds us that we are not in control, and lightning displays more power than humans can ever generate, and an earthquake illustrates how little we can control our security, answers to prayer are powerful. Things change when heaven intervenes in earthly matters.
This picture confirms what we know about the kingdom rule of God on earth at present. Those who fear God have more to say about the events going on than we have recognized. We are not to be dismayed when confronted with difficult or even impossible circumstances. We can pray.
When the first believers were being discriminated against by the civil and religious authorities, they prayed. The place was shaken (earthquake?) and they spoke freely of the resurrected Lord (Acts 4).
We are not hapless victims of evil while we sojourn here. We rule with Christ, speaking boldly about the finished work of Jesus and boldly petitioning our Lord.
When Paul was severely persecuting the early believers, the church prayed. On a trip to Damascus, Paul was struck down by a light (lightning?) and was converted to a great Christian missionary.
Every time God spoke to his people it drowned out and displaced the sounds they were being tempted to trust. (Thunder?)
We are not hapless victims of evil while we sojourn here. We rule with Christ. We exercise our authority by speaking boldly about the finished work of Jesus, and by boldly petitioning our Lord for heaven's intervention.
Of course, we often face insurmountable obstacles. They are necessary for us to display the enormous power of God as he acts in behalf of his people who seek to glorify him.
The Christian life is, by nature, supernatural. We expect to live confidently in both the visible and invisible realms of reality. As one saint said after reading the account of Revelation 8:1-5, "Let's smoke up heaven."
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