LIFE’S HIDDEN AGENDA

It seems often; I find that when we get to a ‘gut honest’ check of our motives as times…we have a “hidden agenda.” Recently I was reading about Spiritual Warfare dealing specifically with ‘witchcraft’, now, most of the time, at least in the US, we don’t find ourselves dealing with what is known as “black magic”, we get ‘white witchcraft” using “any other spirit, than the Holy Spirit” to accomplish something…whether it is ‘control’, ‘deception’, or even ‘manipulation.’ Each spirit that comes to accomplish a task, Other than the ‘HOLY SPIRIT’ is a spirit of what we can see in the Bible as ‘witchcraft’.

It’s unfortunate, that most people, when you start talking about ‘witchcraft’ or even ‘sorcery’, draw back from it….thinking ‘you’ are the one that is crazy. Isn’t that exactly what the enemy wants? A Hidden Agenda… One of satans chief weapons is to attempt to convince people he doesn’t exist. And if he doesn’t exist….how can all this ‘witchcraft’ evil…exist? Right?

So, in saying it exists, it wouldn’t be fair to just leave this without mentioning the

Three Things Eldridge and the Book Waking the Dead point out, in dealing “Spiritual Warfare” found In Revelation 12:11, we are told

“And the saints overcame satan by…”

These Three Things Are Mentioned (My comments added):

1.  The blood of the lamb
2.  The Word of their Testimony
3.  They Loved Not Their Lives Until Death

The Blood of the Lamb

Its Jesus’s blood that helps us overcome, in Surrendering, there is Victory. A mixed up concept, but only to a Mixed up World.   Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross guarantees victory.  It was confused at the time as the Jews believed they were getting a land-conquering King when Messiah came; however HIS Kingdom was not of ‘this world’ and in dying and being raised from the Dead, provided a means to all who surrender their lives to HIS–victory by HIS Blood.  (The Lamb of GOD) John exclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

The Word of Their Testimony

It’s great to surrender, but you also have to speak the Word.
Ephesians tells us “Our weapons are not Carnal, but Mighty through God, to the tearing down of Strongholds.”(See Ephesians 6)    “Witchcraft” is best defined then as Illegitimate Spiritual Authority being used to control someone, by any spirit other than Holy Spirit.
What Combats that?    Holy Spirit does.…the Only Offensive Weapon we are given in Scripture is “the sword of the Spirit, Which is the Word of God,” It is the living Breathing Word of God.

 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Each time Jesus was tempted by satan, just as we will be, in our own ‘Desert’..what did HE do?   He quoted Scripture each time. (See Matthew 4)   Also, I think it’s important to see in Matthew 4, that it say “Jesus Prepared for this by….” Jesus was prepared for the devils attacks, he fasted 40 days and 40 nights.   While I don’t think God is calling all of us to fast that long, HE is Calling Us to ‘Be prepared, to stand against all the devils schemes”(see Ephesians 6:11)
Lastly, God through the Apostle Paul Says something marvelous….in the very next verse…

 This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Ephesians 6:12

If then, it’s a “life and death fight”, let’s stop living life a bunch of ‘to do’s and ‘to don’ts’ and Live as if We are In the Middle of a RAGING WAR for the Souls of Men and Women Everywhere.

They Loved Not Their Lives unto Death

Finally, the saints are said to have “not loved their lives, even unto death.” They were willing to give it their ALL for Jesus sake. How often I come up on the short end of that stick of measurement—can anyone else relate?    We like to use phrases like “A Cause to Live For, A Cause to Die For” and many of us , are willing to say…yes Jesus, I want to Live For You, but as we are reminded….He’s also interested in “Are You Willing to Die for ME?”
Giving Up All for the SAKE of HIS Kingdom, and HIS Righteousness. OH…that we Might have that Boldness, IN Jesus Mighty Name.

I really feel, John Eldridge’s Words, paraphrased here conclude my final thoughts on the Matter,
‘If you wake every day, and go about your life with a list of ‘to do’s’, you don’t need a Guide. But, if you wake each day, in the middle of a Raging War for Souls, and find you are the Intimate Ally of God, You Need a Guide.’

Oh that we would believe truly that ”Things are Not Always What They Seem” and understand that we from the very entry into this world are born into a “world at war.”  We are in the midst of a Battle, We who know Jesus are The Soldiers and The Treasure. AND…GOD, Well, GOD is Not only the Author of This amazingly complex and Great Story We ARE In, HE Also Came to Save Us, HE’s The HERO.

Prayer for Today:

Father, Help those who don’t see, to see,

Help those who are lost, to find the Way.

Help those of us who know you, to not keep you to ourselves, and point the world to Jesus.

Help Us all to Finish the Race…Keep us from the evil one.

IN Jesus Name,

Amen.