Though prophetic expressions are becoming more and more common every day, expressions of prophetic hope are not as frequent. The fact is; prophetic hopelessness is one of the largest selling markets in the church today. Not only does hopelessness sell in the church, it sells in the world markets as well. There is probably some real truth behind the phrase, “misery loves company.” Of course there is no single explanation for millions of people promoting such an extreme pessimistic view of life. Millions of people in the church world believe that the “end times” are more about the worst of times than the best of times. They believe as the time clock of humanity clicks away the dark hand of satan is going to reach further, deeper, and broader into every kingdom of the world, chocking out millions of people.
Many people believe that right before the last and final strangulation, otherwise known as “The Battle of Armageddon”, the glory of God is going to burst out of heaven and rescue the last remaining faithful warriors of God from certain death. At which time, Jesus will sit in a newly constructed temple in the earth. I have always said that the prophetic view of the future is always subject to your eschatology. Your prophetic expressions will always be cloaked with your perception of the end times.
When Jesus was in the earth, His view of the end was not the cross; it was the glory beyond the cross. Jesus was able to endure the cross, despise the shame, and sit down at His Father’s right hand because of the Joy that was set before Him. (Heb 12:1-2) The life and message of Jesus was one of hope, not hopelessness. If we can’t offer the hope of the Lord, then who can? The reason Jesus appeared in the earth was to destroy the works of the enemy. (1Jn 3:8) He came into the earth to belittle the powers of darkness. Through resurrection power, He disarmed principalities and powers, and made a spectacle of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Col 2:15)
In these passages of scripture, it says that He disarmed or spoiled principalities and powers. The words disarm or spoil is the Greek word “apekduomai” it means to strip off your clothes or arms. Ok, everyone strip off your clothes right now as a sign of freedom. Ha! Just kidding!
Clothes represent the old nature, the old man; arms represent the previous rank or weapons of warfare. In Jesus’ case, He made a spectacle of principalities and powers by stripping away the garments of death that were upon Him. He literally peeled away His mortality and armed Himself with His previous rank or position in heavenly places. His actions stripped the enemy’s power of death and the grave. Prior to His resurrection, Jesus had been stripped of His previous place in Glory.
In John 17:5 Jesus prayed, “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
A Ridiculous Hour
Jesus not only disarmed principalities and powers, but He made a spectacle of them openly. A Spectacle is a blunder that makes you look ridiculous. Jesus made satan and all those under him look totally ridiculous. They thought Jesus had dropped the ball, but the resurrection of Jesus Christ revealed otherwise. The resurrection of Jesus simply displayed that it was indeed satan who was the blunder.
Unfortunately, there are times in our lives when we can look like a spectacle before the world. It can appear as though we have dropped the ball, even so, But like Jesus, we know that the power of eternity will prove otherwise. Paul knew what it was like to appear as a spectacle before the entire world as well.
He writes:
“For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.” (1Cor 4:8-9)
Paul and other disciples in New Testament times knew what it was like to have the world look at them as if they had totally missed it. Paul writes that even the angels looked at them as spectacles before the world. Imagine Gabriel and the arch angel Michael looking at some of the actions of the disciples and saying, “Can you believe it? That is some of the craziest stuff I have ever seen God’s people do." "Yep, it sure is. I thought the prophets of old were a peculiar bunch, but these people are a whole new breed of peculiar. Ha!"
The enemy is trying to make the people of God look very ridiculous in the eyes of the world. In light of all the activity that is going on within this nation and the world, he is trying to make the body of Christ look weak. He is trying to make you feel stupid and hopeless. This is the same ammo he has always used throughout history. He uses the spirit of fear; the deception of failure and defeat to lure the people into a dark haze of hopelessness.
A Mocking Spirit
A mocking spirit is trying to penetrate the hearts and minds of faithful men and women of God. Fathers and mothers are being mocked at their efforts to provide for their children and raise them according to the ways of the Lord. Many of the youth today are being mocked by fears of failure of not fulfilling their purpose in life. Countless men and women of God across the world, who are standing for righteousness, are being mocked. The enemy is whispering into their ears saying, “Look at the condition of your nation now. What good are your prayers and prophecies of hope accomplishing? They have done nothing. You look ridiculous before the entire world.”
These ancient practices of the enemy are just more of the same. They are desperate attempts to lure you into a world of hopelessness. They are deceptions to silence you. Yet, more than ever before, we must be prophetic voices of hope. We must speak to the world about a future in God that can only be seen with eyes of the Spirit. As we do, it will come into fruition.
Lift the Banner High!
This is not the time to lower the banner of hope; this is the time to raise it higher than ever before. The last thing the world needs is men and women of God speaking about the future as if the best thing you can hope for is a safe city or town in which to hide. Scripture was not given to create hopelessness, but hope. Jesus said, “The thief’s intentions are to steal, kill and destroy, but I’m here to give you abundant life.” (John 10:10)
A standard of righteousness is not just an alternative to gross darkness; it is a glorious residence of the kingdom of God in the earth that is destined to be illuminated far above all the works of the devil. We don’t need prophets or prophetess who paint a dark picture of hopelessness and then politely tag it with a brief assurance of hope. We need large canvases of hope that are so extraordinary that any effort of the enemy will look totally ridiculous in the light of them.
Its time to teach our children new songs that break the barrier of “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.” They need to know the light of God in them is no small thing. They need to know that the light of God in them is powerful enough to bring down any giant in their path. They need to know the love of God in them is strong enough to withstand in the fiery furnace.
We have got to stop giving ourselves over to the latest news report of the day as if it is the carrier of truth. If anyone has the power to stop an evil spirit called “swine flu” we do! Our children need to see that the fathers and mothers of their generation are willing to boldly declare that, “No spirit of death is going to come near my house, no matter what form it takes .”
Crossing Over
If the nation of Israel had a strong enough covenant with God for the spirit of death to "Passover" over their house, then, how much more do we have today. In fact, unlike the days of Moses, the Spirit of God in you and me is so great that we can go into the darkest regions of the earth and protect those who have yet to enter into the kingdom of God. By this we can demonstrate to them the power of God’s love for them. We know that the people who are not in relationship with the Lord are at greater risk of being exposed to the works of the enemy. Yet this does not mean that we just let it happen, as though we are trying to prove how vulnerable they are and how protected we are. It does not mean we stand on the opposite side of the fence and say, “If you don’t come over here you are going to die.” Our actions and words should have the power to cross over to their side.
While some may disagree, I am so thankful to be a part of a nation who has been willing to cross over into the darker regions of the world and offer people hope, whether it is in Pakistan, Iraq or Afghanistan. Right now there are thousands of men and women in the armed forces who have been more than willing to cross over into the shadows of death knowing very well that it might cost them their lives. You would have to be totally blind to not know that their sacrifices for this nation and other nations of the world are filled with a tremendous hope for generations to come. On the other side of the coin, I realize better choices could have been made by the previous administration of this nation. There are undoubtedly regrets about various decisions on how to disarm an evil regime in the Middle East. I certainly do not like the choices that are currently being made by the current administration. It is very evident that the efforts of this current presidency are laced with malice and evil works.
All the more I am so thankful that we have righteous believers who are intricately involved in the governmental issues of this nation. Without a doubt these heavenly influences are playing a key role in keeping the people informed of important matters that are being discussed in our courts, congress and senate. Roe v. Wade is one of many examples of how ignorance can open a door to the enemy that enables him to take the lives of countless unborn children.
Where Do We Draw the Line?
So now, where do we draw the line? Where is the line drawn between positive interaction in governmental issues and negative hate toward our fellow man? Should we not be just as grieved by the debris of hate that is hurled across the airways of this nation as we are by the fear of an unwanted law being passed?
What kind of message is the world receiving from the Christian community when they watch the people of God giving themselves over to fear, hopelessness, hate, and even rage. What can we expect our next realm of influence to be in the earth when our greatest weapon of spiritual warfare is still being hurled behind the guise of republican and democratic beliefs?
Have you taken the time to talk to some republicans lately? Reality check; I’m not one of them. What about the views or opinions of a conservative mind? I’m not so sure I’m one of those either. I’m certainly not a liberal as defined by the world, nor am I of a democratic nature. The kingdom of God is definitely not a democracy as termed by modern day definition. It is said that a man or woman is defined, not by what they say, but by what they do. As a citizen of heaven we know that we are defined by both. It is both our words and our actions that reveal of what spirit we are . Out of the heart the mouth speaks. Faith without works is dead.
A New Constitution
I don’t want to go back to the constitutional laws that founded this nation. I don’t want to be restored to something old. Yet, if you talk to most conservative republicans, they do. They want the government the way it used to be when our forefathers founded it. It sounds nice and reasonable compared to what we are seeing now. But we are a new wine skin that must be filled with a new wine, a new order of government. Just like the Law of Moses was a tutor to faith, so is the democracy of this nation a tutor to a kingdom government the earth has never seen. Our current constitution was never meant to be the all in all forever. Just like the law, it was designed to preserve the people for a better government of the heavenly kind. Having a president or king was not a part of God’s original plan of government. You can not take a new order of the Spirit and put it in an old constitution. It is simply not strong enough to hold the heavenly order of heaven that is rapidly appearing in the earth.
The generation that is rising up is not looking to go back to the good ole' days, no matter how great some may think they were. They don’t want another president that is just appointed for the people, by the people. They want a government that is appointed by God, for God. They don’t want another president that will be in debt to those who vote him in or influenced others to do so. They want leaders that can not be bought or sold to the highest bidder. They want governmental leaders that love God and fear Him above all else. The only way my words can sound maddening to you is if you think the order of government today is a sane one.
President Obama
The government that is currently at the helm of this nation is crumbling. It must. President Obama is presently being faced with one of the greatest decisions he will ever face in his life time, ‘Do I serve the agendas of the people who helped me become president, or do I serve the people with the heart and mind of God?’ This will determine his future. Think me mad, but I’m rooting for him.
I’m saying, “Come on Mr. President, you can do it! You can do what no other President has ever been able to do before you. You can serve the people and this nation the way God had intended for you to. Mr. President, we need a man of peace and righteousness. I know it’s in you to be one of the greatest leaders this nation has ever known. So please Mr. President, yield your heart and mind to the very One who created you and gave you life.”
I don’t know about you, but I feel the presence of hope. I feel the beginning of a new era. I can see a government that is totally giving itself over to the heart and mind of God. I see the walls of the white house crumbling to the ground. As a result, I see fear coming upon this nation, not because of darkness and chaos, but because of an unusual measure of glory from heaven. You might say, “Michael, you are seeing way beyond this time. This government can never be like that!”
My reply is this: It does not matter how distant something in the future may be when you see it, just as long as you see it. Only when you see it can you speak of its existence. Only then will it ever come into being. This is the prophetic hope and power that God has given to each of us; the ability to call upon the things that are not yet visible in the natural, knowing they already exist in the Spirit. Until the time of fruition comes, prophetic faith is the only substance you have for the things you are hoping. It is the only evidence you have that they exist in another dimension of the Spirit. But soon, very soon, they will suddenly appear.
Blessings
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