By Many or By Few

1 Samuel 14:6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.

Will God save by many or by few?  In this case it was just Jonathan and his armor bearer.  There came a day when Jonathan was tired of the stand-off with the enemy.  So he took his armor bearer and started out to see what he could do to deal with the enemy.  He and his armor bearer began to move forward and sought a word from the Lord as to whether to continue moving forward.  Once the confirmation came they scaled the very steep incline up from the valley to the high country where the enemy was camped.  The enemy was confident that they could not be reached.  But Jonathan was confident in the Lord and the confirmation that he had been given.  He was confident in the Lord God Jehovah with whom he had a covenant relationship.  The enemy was uncircumcised, not in covenant with Jehovah. 

God gave Jonathan and his armor bearer victory. As they began to slaughter the enemy, God sent an earthquake. In the confusion it caused, the enemy forces began to fight against each other.  By the time Saul rallied the rest of the army, what they witnessed was the enemy in disarray.  Then the Israelites pursued the enemy chasing them from their land.

Because of the victory won by the forward movement of Jonathan and his armor bearer, the rest of the army was encouraged and rose to go after the enemy to finish off the battle.  Even those who had given up and gone home or even defected to the enemy side were encouraged and rejoined the army of Saul.

As we go forward in victory, it will bring encouragement to others that they too can have a victory over the enemy in their lives.  Once we have one victory under our belt it encourages us and others to move forward to take more territory from the enemy.

This was land that belonged to Israel, but the enemy had it in his possession at that time.  What land in our own lives does the enemy now have possession of that really belongs to us?  We need to take it back.  What land in the lives of those around us needs to be recovered?  Where has the enemy been camped that he needs to be removed from? 

God please show us your plan for taking back that which is ours.  Please let our victories be an encouragement to others to join the battle and win the victory over the enemy in their lives.  God will give victory whether it be by many or by few. 

Rooted and Grounded in Love

Ephesians 3:16-21 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; ¹⁷ That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; ¹⁹ And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

 Some time ago as I meditated on the phrase “rooted and grounded in love” a picture came to my mind of a plant sending its roots down into soil.  The soil was labeled “God’s love.”  As we send our roots down into the soil of God’s love we pull the nourishment of that love up into our being and the result is the manifestation of the fruit of that love in and through our lives.  The Greek word translated as “rooted” means to root or become stable.  The root system of a plant gives stability to the plant as it grows upwards.  We send roots downward and bear fruit upward.

The Greek word translated “grounded” means to lay the basis or foundation for something.  The foundation of a building is extremely important.  The taller the building the deeper the foundation must be.  God will dig deep into our lives and pull out the hinderances to love, in order to lay the foundation of love within our lives. 

Just like roots and foundations the work takes place in the unseen areas of our lives before fruit is seen in outward.   A foundation never goes away and roots are continually drawing sustenance into the plant.  So we continue to stand in love and draw on the love of God on a daily basis. Love is an essential part of the Christian life

1 John 4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

 Galatians 5:6  For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  (NKJV)

Do Not Follow

Deuteronomy 12:29-32 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; ³⁰ Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. ³¹ Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. ³² What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

God’s admonition to not follow after the practices of the nations or peoples around them still stands today.  Today within much of the church worldly practices have been incorporated.  Too much of the time, we as the body of Christ, both corporately and individually, have our eyes on the world rather than on Christ.  We need to be “Biblically correct” rather than “politically correct.”  Often the worldly mindsets and practices come in subtly because of the environment in which we live and because of the worldly stuff that has not been worked out of us yet.  I believe we need to diligently seek the Lord for His leading and His correction. 

The word translated church is ἐκκλησία ĕkklēsia, which means “a calling out.”  We are called out of the world into Christ.  Our new home is in Christ, a place of separation from this world and the things of this world.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, ¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We cannot walk in all that God has for us while seeking after the things of this world or walking in the ways of the world. 

Governmental Authority

In what we call the Lord’s Prayer it says, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”  (Matthew 6:10 ) The kingdom is where God’s will is done, where we submit to His government within the earth of our own lives. As Jesus rules within us, He will also rule through us. As a result we will exercise His governmental authority over all the powers of darkness that have ruled in our lives.  We will also have governmental authority over the powers of darkness around us in the earth realm where we live, in our churches, homes, communities, etc. as the Lord Jesus directs.  With the government of God comes the authority of God. 

As we submit to the government of God more and more in our lives, we can be entrusted to exercise more of His authority in the earth realm, both now and in the future.  This exercise of His authority is not that of lording over another.   It is the loving exercise of God’s authority, at God’s direction, for the God’s best in the situation. 

We are learning to rule now so we can rule effectively in the millennial kingdom.  This is our training ground.  But our rule is not really our rule, it is Christ ruling through us.  It is Jesus Christ governing through us.  That is why the fire of God is purging us of our own pride, envy, striving, etc., that can get in the way of the pure exercising of the authority of God.  God is looking for and preparing vessels that He can entrust with greater levels of His governmental authority. 

As we get closer to the end of this age, more of God’s people will have to be functioning in this governmental authority.  As the powers of darkness ramp things up in these last days, God is also bringing forth a prepared people to stand against the dark powers in governmental authority. 

Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Matthew 28:18-20 (AMP) Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19  Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20  Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

Ephesians 6:10-11 (AMP)  In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. 11  Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.

Governed From Within

Our King has given laws for living within this world that He created. These are laws for the proper governing of this creation.  It is kind of like an owner’s manual of how to best function within this creation.  The boundaries laid out within it are for our protection.  Just like a loving parent lays out boundaries for the children they love for the protection of the children.  In religion these laws are hard to keep because they are legislated from without.  But when we are in relationship with Christ, He now lives inside of us and the ability to keep the law is within us in the person of Christ, who is the governor or the law giver. 

The man Christ Jesus kept all the law when He walked the earth.  He also simplified it to two basic commandments, 1) love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength 2) love your neighbor as yourself.   In and of ourselves we are unable to do this.  The enabling comes through Jesus Christ who lives within us as we submit to His government.

 Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

The government of God is exercised from within by the Spirit rather than from without. Government from without is legalism and it has never worked.  Legalism can only ever lead to more sin and ultimately to death.   God wants us to function by the Spirit who resides within us as Christians.  Only a life lived through Christ’s life giving Spirit governing our lives from within produces life. 

When Jesus rules within us we then keep the law.  It is a keeping of the law from within, rather than try to put it on without.  The enablement to live the law comes from Christ within as we submit to His government. 

Will You Have This Man To Reign?

There is parable in Luke 19:12-27, that Jesus shared just before He went to the cross.  In this parable He told about a ruler that was going away to receive a kingdom. Obviously Jesus was speaking of Himself as the ruler.  Before leaving He entrusted differing amounts of money to His servants.  After He left, many of the people said, “We will not have this man to reign over us.”  At times I have thought how awful that these people would say such a thing. But then I thought, how often have I said essentially the same thing when I have chosen to have my own way in a situation instead of submitting to the government of God in that particular area of my life?

 When the ruler returned he rewarded each person according to what they had done with that which they were entrusted, just as Jesus will do at the judgment.  When we properly invest what has been entrusted to us, it benefits us not just Him. When we submit to his government we will be guided in how to invest that which He has placed within our care until He returns.    We have been entrusted with what He has left behind and it can only be properly be invested in alignment with His government. 

The person who thought the ruler was a hard task master and did nothing with that which he was entrusted, had no understanding of the true heart of the Ruler. Religion has generally taught that our King/Ruler is a hard task master. As a result, few have a proper understanding of the true heart of love that our King has for those over whom He reigns and they fail to invest what they are given and refuse to submit to His rulership. 

Will you have this man to reign in your life today? Will you submit to His loving rule in your life?

Luke 19:12-27 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. ¹³ And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. ¹⁴ But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. ¹⁵ And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. ¹⁶ Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. ¹⁷ And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. ¹⁸ And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. ¹⁹ And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. ²⁰ And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: ²¹ For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. ²² And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: ²³ Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? ²⁴ And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. ²⁵ (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) ²⁶ For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. ²⁷ But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

 

 

Of The Increase of His Government

Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

(The kingdom of God is where God rules.  The kingdom of God is where God’s government is functioning, so I will use kingdom of God and government of God interchangeably at times.)

The government is upon his shoulder and of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end.  When we are saved, Jesus comes to live inside of us.  With that comes the government of God which rests upon His shoulder.  As we submit to that government it will continually increase in and through our lives. The government on the shoulder of Jesus Christ is ever increasing as we allow more and more of the government to function in more and more areas of our lives.  Where Jesus rules in the earth today is within and through His people.  Every part of us that is submitted to the government of God is the kingdom of God.

To the degree that we are submitted to the government of God, to that degree the kingdom of God is functioning within us. God is looking to take over within us, to fully govern our lives.  He will not take it by force but is looking for a willing submission to His rule in each area of our lives. 

The government of God is totally unlike the governments of this world, which are controlling and oppressive. The foundation of the government of God is love.  His government leads to true freedom.