January 06, 2010
Date:
January 6, 2010
Published by Practical Spiritual Warfare web site, a division of Mission Miami Valley, 718 Stratford Dr., Sidney, Ohio 45365 and authored by Dr. D. Vincent (Bud) Ford, president. This e-zine is dedicated to providing valuable, practical information for dealing with the chaotic and confusing times in which we live.
Practical Spiritual Warfare Web Site Dr. D. Vincent (Bud) Ford End Times Preparation Web Site
Contents
1. Strategic Advice for the Remnant –Strategies to Win Spiritual Battles - “The War & How It Started”
2. Tips for Kingdom Living - Compassion
3. Scripture Guidance & Inspiration
4. Thoughts to meditate on – Finding God's Purpose
5. Articles Pointing to the End Times
6. Site Build It - Follow your passion! Check out the links below. http://buildit.sitesell.com/
7. Announcements -
1. The War & How It Started
We have looked at strategies for winning spiritual battles and at the two kingdoms that exist; today we look at how the war started.
Just as there are wars in the natural realm, there are wars I n the spiritual realm. We must understand the spiritual war with the spiritual mind. Many think the war is between God and Satan – it is not, as we will see later in this article. God has no enemies that pose a threat to Him! He is stronger that anyone or anything.
The war is between those who are rebelling against Him and those who want to serve Him.
We are not pawns in a giant cosmic chess game. God has given us the ability to choose, and it is in choosing that we have rebelled against Him.
We can choose to confess our sins and repent, or turn from them, with all our heart- that is, truly with our whole being and not just in our heads, then we will be saved from separation from God.
Our major battles are not against people. They are against demonic spirits: “for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the ruler’s of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). NO ONE is exempt from this battle. All of us are engaged in this struggle whether we like it or not and whether we acknowledge it or not! NO ONE can view it from a distance; there is no neutral ground.
God created Lucifer as the most beautiful and highly exalted created being in heaven. His name means “brightness” or that which “shines.” Lucifer was an angel and in charge of Worship of God and he covered the entire throne of God.
Pride got the best of Lucifer and he rebelled against God and got one third of all the angels in heaven to join him and God had His holy angels cast all of them out of heaven. You can read about it in Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28:12-19.
Since Lucifer was cast out of heaven his name has become Satan which means adversary, accuser, or slanderer because of his character change. Satan and his rebellious or sinful angels form, or set up, their own kingdom here on earth where they were cast out to.
In Luke 10:18 Jesus said He saw this event take place, but note that He did not say He was involved in it. NOW THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CONCEPT: The war is NOT BETWEEN God vs. Satan – God Himself is not at war – no one can war with God! He speaks and it is done!
The war is between those people who have submitted to God (angels and true believers, that is, those who have truly submitted to the Lord) and those who have rebelled against the God (fallen angels and unredeemed people).
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. (Eph. 2:1-2)
It is also important to note that Satan and his fallen angels ARE FALLEN, where as people DIE, we do not Fall. The Bible says we are DEAD and the word death in Scripture means SEPARATION; unredeemed people are SEPARATED from God.
So, the war is between Those Christians that have been redeemed, or saved from their sins, as well as those Holy Angels, that is the 2/3 of the angles that did not rebel with Satan and between Satan and the Unholy and Fallen angels.
Lucifer’s fall resulted from an act of WILL; it was his Will and CHOICE to rebel against God. He was driven by PRIDE, WHICH HAS BECOME A root to most, if not all, of our sins.
We, as saints, along with the holy Angles are at war with Satan and his demons, or fallen and unholy angles.
2. Tips for Kingdom Living – Compassion
What can we learn from God’s compassion that will help us become more compassionate?
Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Mark 1:41 – Moved with pity, Jesus touched him. “I want to,” He said, “Be healed!”
Luke 6:36 – You must be compassionate, just as your Fther is compassionate.
Psalm 145:8 – The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to get angry, full of unfailing love.
A mark of godliness is to share the compassionate heart of Jesus. If we want to be like Him, we must be compassionate.
Will God’s compassion come to us even when we don’t deserve it?
Psalm 103:8 – The Lord is merciful and gracious; He is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love. What a wonderful surprise when divine love pours forth on the undeserving.
Lamentations 3:21-22 – Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: the unfailing love of the Lord never ends!.. Like a wonderful spring, God’s compassion flows endlessly toward us.
3. Scripture Guidance & Inspiration
O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, who art enthroned above the cherubim, thou art the God, thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
Isaiah 37:16
The Revised Standard Version
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Nothing makes us so lonely as our secrets.
Paul Tournier
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D. Vincent (Bud) Ford
4. Thoughts for Meditation
FINDING GOD'S PURPOSE -- Judges 6, 7, 8
Did you ever ask yourself, "What is it, exactly, that God wants me to do?" Have you ever questioned the Lord about His plan and purpose for your life? Did you get an answer? If not, perhaps you're like most folks, expecting the Lord to jump out and confront you on your own personal "road to Damascus" – giving you a personal consultation… a blinding vision… an overwhelming experience… telling you directly and in succinct detail what He wants from your life. Now, that would be very exciting and definitely something to tell your grandkids about - but it's generally not the way the Lord works.
Take Gideon, for example. Was Gideon rushing around looking for God's purpose for his life? Was he sitting back on his haunches, waiting for God to appear to him and tell him what to do? No. Gideon was very busy, tackling the challenge of the moment – trying to grow and prepare food for his family while keeping it hidden from the Midianites. He was taking care of the business at hand, doing what he was supposed to do, totally immersed in his work – and then God showed this brave, resourceful young man what his purpose was.
Gideon isn't the only example of this. Look at Ruth. She was sticking by her commitment to her mother-in-law, making sure that Naomi had food to eat. Then God introduced Ruth to Boaz, and she became one of the ancestors of Jesus!
Now, consider the twelve apostles. Each of them was going about his daily business when Jesus called him. Paul was on the road to Damascus, heading out to persecute some more Christians, when Jesus stopped him. Peter was fishing. The list is quite long. But each of these people had one thing in common. Each of them was taking care of the challenge of the moment – not rushing wildly about looking for God's purpose and not sitting back idly waiting for God to make a personal appearance. Just when they were at their busiest, God gave them the direction they sought.
Sometimes we have a tendency to over-analyze what God's purpose for us might be. Or we get so busy looking for our purpose, we miss it altogether and louse up the job we're supposed to be doing in the process. Or we sit down and do nothing, almost daring God to tell us what to do. All the while, what God wants you to do is take care of the challenge of the moment. Deal with the situation at hand. Do what you're doing. Use the gifts and talents and abilities God gave you. And use them for His glory. When it's time, you will know what it is you are to do for Him. And you will see how – all along – God was preparing you for the challenge, molding you into the person He knew you could be.
Dogwood Ministries
5. Articles Pointing to the End Times Watch
[Note: The number following End Times Watch is the sequence number for the End Times article and is inserted to assist the reader in locating the article as well as assisting the search engines.]
End Times Watch 97 – Obama and Iran: the peril is rising by the day – www.themoderatevoice.com
End Times Watch. For West Asia, 2010 has not begun well. The mess in Iran is increasing by the day and holds peril unprecedented for the entire region. If the government, however reprehensible, falls into disarray the real possibility arises of a huge arc of violent political and civil instability stretching through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Palestine to Israel. The possibility of a new American war is small but that holds little comfort.
End Times Watch 98 - The most-asked questions - will Obama attack Israel, will Israel attack Iran? - Barry Rubin – www.jpost.com
End Times Watch. Of all the questions readers ask, there's no question about which are the most frequent. First, is Israel about to attack Iran, or when will this happen? Second, do US President Barack Obama and his entourage hate Israel, and will there be a major confrontation or some kind of sellout?
End Times Watch 99 - US plan calls for Mideast peace deal in two years: report – www.news.yahoo.com
End Times Watch. JERUSALEM (AFP) – Washington is pushing a plan to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that foresees reaching a final deal in two years and agreeing on borders in nine months, an Israeli daily said on Monday.
Under the plan, the Israelis and Palestinians would immediately start final status talks that were suspended during the Gaza Strip war a year ago, Israel's Maariv newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources.
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7. Announcements
Ø The theme of www.PracticalSpiritualWarfare.com centers around practical, everyday ways to deal with the battle of living in this current season and preparing for the end times the world is getting ready to enter.
Ø We all need to become the person God designed us to be. Those who have thought they “had it all together” are finding they have just scratched the surface. You need to discover God’s destiny for your life, the reason you were born. There is help for you on this journey – I will soon be a Nationally Certified Life Coach and you can web mail for more information.
Ø Thank you for all your comments about this e-zine, The REMNANT, they are an encouragement to me. If you have any questions or comments, I encourage you to send a web mail.