Ministry of reconciliation in the Old Testament

There's a lot of symbolism in the Old Testament that points to Christ and also the role of today's Christian. As Christians we should have a strong desire to win Jews to Jesus. The Lord gives gentile believers salvation and we bring it to the Jew. This happens more and more as the full number of gentiles come into the kingdom. In the Old Testament book of Ruth, Ruth the gentile brings the barley (salvation) to Naomi the Jew after she has eaten enough of it.

So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough. - Ruth 2:17-18

Healing animals

I've experienced the Lord heal many animals. One time a friend asked me to come over to his home and pray for his cat because she hadn't eaten anything in over a week. The cat was lethargic and it seemed as if she might die. I went over there and prayed for the cat. Afterwards, we had a conversation and forgot about the cat. Ten minutes later, we looked down and the cat was eating.

Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. - Psalm 36:6

One way shame comes

Yesterday's blog was about shame and how to let go of it. Today, we look at a scripture that shows one way that shame comes. We should never do anything that harms another person, nor should we ever hope for someone to be ruined.

May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay. - Psalm 35:4

Letting go of shame

Over the years I've ministered to many people who are bound by shame. They can't seem to get past the guilt of sins they've committed in the past. Usually, these people are overly concerned about what others will think of them. They need to remember that everyone has committed shameful acts and they need to fix their eyes on Christ, who wipes out all their shame.

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. - Psalm 34:5

The Fire of the Lord

The fire of the Lord in the Old Testament consumed the disobedient. This is a foreshadowing of the wrath to come for all those who reject Jesus Christ.

In today's world with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, people will often feel heat when the power of God comes upon them. For those who humble themselves, this heat is a cleansing fire.

Old Testament fire:
When you appear for battle, you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath and his fire will consume them. - Psalm 21:9

New Testament fire:
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” - Matthew 3:12

Unclean spirits multitask

Not all pain and sickness is from a demon, but, often when someone is dealing with pain and sickness and it's not going away, there usually is some type of involvement from the kingdom of darkness. There may not be an unlimited amount of unclean spirits, but that doesn't matter because they multitask. We see from scripture that one spirit successfully lies to 400 disobedient people at one time. Getting people to believe a lie is the enemy's greatest attack strategy.

And the Lord said, "Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?" One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, "I will entice him." “By what means?" the Lord asked. "I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets" he said. "You will succeed in enticing him," said the Lord. "Go and do it." - 1Kings 22:20-22

He will tell you what is yet to come

I'm on the road doing Cardboard Box church ministry. Yesterday, while standing in the kitchen of the home of my hosts, I felt compelled to share a testimony about scoliosis healed. As I was sharing, the Spirit started to release His power and we all felt it while standing there in the kitchen. I knew what it meant. I asked my friends if someone was coming to the meeting tonight who needed healing of scoliosis. They very excitedly said, "Yes, a young girl with scoliosis will be here". I said, "The Lord is going to heal her and that's why we're feeling His power concerning this testimony. Testimonies are meant to be repeated. Sure enough, the young girl shows up and get blasted by the power of God and healed. She had pain in her back everyday for 5 years and all the pain left for the first time and she felt straight and strong in her back. A demon causes scoliosis. I cast the demon out.

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. - John 16:13

Praying for others helps us overcome

Praying for others, especially family, helps you overcome any issues in your own life. In Daniel 9, Daniel acknowledges and takes responsibility for the sins of his fellow countrymen, the Israelites, yet Daniel was not guilty of the sins he was taking responsibility for.

...we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. - Daniel 9:5

The point I'm making is that if you want to be mature in the Lord, you do the things mature believers do.

Old Testament truth always has it's counterpart in the New Testament. Paul speaks of how we should be concerned for the spiritual condition of those around us.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. - Romans 12:15

...And in Romans 9, we see the full extent of Paul's selfless devotion to his own people, even to the point of being cut off himself.

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. - Romans 9:1-4

Let go of this world

Many believers suffer adversity from the enemy, not because they're doing the right thing, but because they're still holding onto this world. Sometimes holding onto this world is related to us clinging to the traditions and thoughts of parents that didn't walk uprightly before the Lord. This is different from the absolute need to honor our father and mother. We can honor our parents, but also separate ourselves from any wrong thinking they lived their lives by.

Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go forth from your country and from your relatives and from your father’s house to the land which I will show you". - Genesis 12:1

When pain comes back

Over the years, I've discovered that there are a number of reasons why pain comes back after it has gone away supernaturally. I've recognized the reasons because I've ministered to many people whose pain did come back. When I minister to someone who just received healing, I will often inform them of what can happen after we part ways. If the person is not grounded in God's word, the devil immediately begins to work on their mind to bring doubt. Satan will do this in a variety of ways, including, engaging them in conversation with an unbeliever who doubts many things. Since we're all effected by the things we see and hear, it's important to shroud ourselves from unbelief and remain in the presence of the Lord.

But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. - James 1:6-7

Work out your salvation?

Many believers speculate what it means to, "work out your salvation" when it is clear that we are saved by grace and not works. But, James says, faith without works is dead.

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. - James 2:17

The "work out your salvation" passage is found in Philippians 2:12. Verse 13 gives us more insight as to what verse 12 means. God does the work in us and our job is to come into agreement with God. Agreeing with God means we take action. We become co-laborers with God. So, we are doing something, but it's God who is accomplishing it through our action.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. - Philippians 2:12-13 

The vanity of chasing after the wind

Those who go their own way in life, we'll be lured into putting attention on things that will only bring sorrow. Even if they believe they're doing good, they will still come up short and their names will not be mentioned in the presence of the Father.

Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips. - Psalm 16:4

Do you want more joy?

We all want more joy, but many people miss one of the ways in which we can get more joy. You don't just get joy because you believe its been given to you. Your thoughts and actions concerning life on earth play a role in how much joy you receive.

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” - Hebrews 1:9

What should I pray?

If you ever wonder what you should pray about for others, always keep in mind that people need the Spirit-filled, Spirit-led life. The Spirit of God is the one who brings us through this life successfully. That which the Holy Spirit does for us is centered around what we do for the kingdom of God. Paul prayed for people to understand who they are in Christ, so that they will bear fruit and be grateful to God for how good he is, as they finish the race strong.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. - Colossians 1:9-12

Religious Christians are powerless

Religious people always quote the same scripture over and over to try and discredit the power of the Spirit flowing through the believer. They quote Matthew 7:22-23 as if it applies to every believer who is operating in the power of God.

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ - Matthew 7:22-23

No doubt, this scripture will apply to many people who get results supernaturally, but it doesn't apply to everyone the way many religious people think. In fact, there are far more scripture verses that identify the one operating in power as a real believer. Since this is a quick to read blog, I'll just quote one portion of scripture, but if you do an in depth search, you'll see that I'm correct in saying there are many verses that define the true believer as one operating in power.

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. - 1Thessalonians 1:4-5

Discerning Christ In Others

When you've been with Jesus, you begin to discern him in others.  This morning at the gym, I noticed a man working out who had a lot of peace on his face. I told him I could see Christ in him. He immediately responded with a scripture verse.

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. - 2Corinthians 3:2-3

A simple life

I have often noticed that when I get busy with too many things that have to do with my life and what I want, I will feel the power of the Holy Spirit less. But, when I get my mind off myself and onto others, I feel the power of the Holy Spirit more. We all have to do things that are self directed, but if we keep adding "stuff" and activities to our lives, we'll notice soon enough that we've experienced a dryness in terms of feeling power of the Holy Spirit. Simplify your life. A cluttered life disturbs your rest.

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. - 1Thessalonians 4:11

In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. - Isaiah 30:15

I believe in a new world order

We can extrapolate from scripture that when Jesus returns to set up his kingdom in Jerusalem, there will be a new world order. Not the new world order of the disobedient globalists who are currently looking to enslave the masses, but a new world order that Jesus sets up. Jesus will rule the world, but there will also be nations. The only globalist worth following is Jesus Christ, who rules in righteousness.

Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain. If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.  This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. - Zechariah 14:16-19

The Cloud led them

Following the leading of the Holy Spirit is necessary for us to successfully carry out the Lord's will on the earth. Before I came to Christ, I had no clear purpose in life and so life revolved around me. The more I grow in Christ, the more I see how life is about Jesus. The Lord gives us the privilege of being directly involved with the setting up his kingdom on the earth. When the great I Am made himself known to the Israelites, he gave them the Law, but he also led them by his Spirit. We can learn a lot from how the Lord interacted with the ancient people of Israel, because we see the Spirit leading them and subduing their enemies.

The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp. Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Rise up, Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.” Whenever it came to rest, he said, “Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel.” - Numbers 10:34-36

Trials

Trials take time to overcome and gain the victory. You should be verbalizing healing scriptures and thanking the Lord for the victory. It's not a new thing to have to wait on the Lord. Jesus has already defeated Satan, but he wants us to overcome the enemy as well and so the Lord allows the test. You will be stronger and wiser afterwards.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. - Romans 16:20

The enemy brings confusion in order to block blessing

The enemy will do his best to bring confusion and misunderstanding. There's a need to understand what the Spirit is doing, so that opportunities to bring glory to God are not missed, amidst the ignorant.

Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!” - 2Kings 5:2-7