Defeating the Enemy

Mark 16: 15

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

There is much political and economic attention on China. China is not our adversary. Satan is (1 Peter 5: 8). Therefore, I would like to suggest a different way of thinking about China. Let’s bring spiritual attention to China rather than meditating on the political and economic issues. Below is part of an article about the challenge facing Chinese Christians.

Elder Li, whose family is closely monitored by police, asks Christians in the United States to pray for his family and for Early Rain Church. “We pray that we depend on God when we lack, because apart from Him we have no good thing,” he said. “We pray God makes us put our trust in Him at this difficult time. We pray the Holy Spirit fills us to respond to our situation with gentleness and respect.”

I believe that is a prayer we can all get behind. It speaks to our own lives too and I pray that we always respond with gentleness and respect.

The key for us, as Christians, is to intellectually separate the Chinese people from Chinese Communism. We are tied to Christians of all nationalities. We have the same interests and the same father. It is important for us to remember that while the world spins in fractured antagonism, our Father is a God of reconciliation and love. We can be the voice of calm and reason because we speak from a heart of love and love must, and always will, carry the day.

So, my appeal to Christians is that we claim China for the Lord. Communism and political systems are not God, nor do they make good masters. They are institutions of men, but the Lord has established His government where Jesus is Lord. Faith and love are how we overcome adversity, that and the word of our testimony and the blood of Christ. That precious blood was shed for Chinese and North Koreans and Russians. It is up to us to win these countries, and their citizens, for Christ.

There is a war. We are warriors in this fight for the souls of the Chinese people and indeed the souls of all people. The good news is that Jesus has already won. Now it is up to us to pray in that victory for China. Through prayer Christians around the world can intercede in the affairs of man. To succeed, we must proceed without judgment. This must be an act of love. We can change the course of human history in China by getting into agreement with Jesus. You have the power of salvation in your hands. Do not waste it. Pray for China. Intercede with a heart of passion and compassion. Let us do the work to which we are called, preach the good news to all creation; spread the love of Christ to all people. We can do this. May it be done according to the grace which is within us through Christ, our Lord.

Rebellion, Ha!

Psalm 2: 1 – 3             (TPT)

How dare the nations plan a rebellion. Their foolish plots are futile! Look at how the power brokers of the world rise up to hold their summit as the rulers scheme and confer together against Yahweh and his Anointed King, saying: “Let’s come together and break away from the Creator.”

This psalm was written circa 1044 B.C. That is a long time ago, and yet, doesn’t it sound like it was written for now? I recommend you read the entire psalm in The Passion translation. It isn’t long. Despite these rulers’ intentional attempts to root Yahweh out of life and government, God has it well in hand. Verse four says He laughs at their vanity.

Let us not be fooled. There is intentional conduct aimed at tearing God’s influence out of our lives. For our part, the first thing we can do is pray every day for our countries and rulers. Don’t mislead yourself, or others into thinking, that every governmental official is an unbeliever. That’s just not true. What is perhaps true is that we probably do not support those believing governmental workers and officers sufficiently with prayer. I confess my guilt but today is a new day and we get a do over. We can start today praying for our government and countries. Secondly, pray for the leaders who are not saved. It’s not important that you decide who is who, just pray for them all. That makes it easy. Our efforts are best employed blessing people.

That is not to say, however, that we shouldn’t push back a little. How do we do that? It is never by speaking against someone. It is in becoming a blessing. If you walk around blessing people and flowing in the power of God then you will become an attractive force in your town. People want success. They want to be happy. If you can bring them that, then they will not wish to divorce themselves from God. This is the most important thing we can learn.

We have gone awry trying to flex political muscle by our numbers. We need to become a spiritual powerhouse rather than a political one, and this from a political science major and attorney. I have a new revelation of political power and it is minuscule and trumped by spiritual power. That is why Yahweh sits upon his throne and scoffs at the efforts of rulers and principalities. In the end their effort is in vain. However, in the meantime, people lives can be so much better if we will stand upon our covenant and proclaim the name and the favorable year of the Lord. If we will stand up and walk in the power, and the grace, of our dear Lord, then we will not have a political battle on our hands. We will only have the thousands of thousands seeking what we have. Let us come together and proclaim the good news of our Lord through demonstrations of his love and power.