Chart for Spiritual Warfare

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I love this song sung by Ray Boltz

Always A Child

I was there, when you drew the breath of life

And I could hear your voice

The first time that you cried

And though you couldn’t see Me

I was very near

And there’s something now

That I want you to hear

Chorus:

You will always be a child iin My eyes

And when you need some love

My arms are open wide

And even when you’re growing old

I hope you realize

You will always be a child in My eyes.

Verse 2:

*I was there the first time

That you prayed and I heard

All the promises you made

And when you fell before Me

Crying, Father, I have sinned

I picked you up

And held you close again.

You will always be a child iin My eyes

And when you need some love

My arms are open wide

And even when you’re growing old

I hope you realize

You will always be a child in My eyes.

"Cookie Cutter" Ministry

Cookie Cutter Pastors and Wives:  A Reflection for Pastor Appreciation

                             by Saundra Bachler Huff

          Knowing that October is Pastor Appreciation Month, I have been thinking about pastors, not only because I am a pastor's wife, but from the view point of someone remembering the pastors in her past. I have come to this conclusion: I'm so glad that we don't expect all of our pastors and wives to be exactly alike.  I'm glad God had the foresight to know that as churches grow and change that the needs from their pastors grow and change and God is big enough, with enough foresight to have prepared ministers to cover His Church's needs.

          Phil. 2:2 - Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other,

           loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

          I Cor. 12:4   - There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice, to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith  to another and to someone else the one Spirit gives the faith of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern when a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is one and only one Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.  

          Fred and I have recently spent several days with many pastors and their wives during a convention. In searching the audience, I looked at all the diversities of personalities and talents present in the audience and was so blessed at the number of different areas that God touched by the callings on their lives.

          Each one had not only talents that they developed for God's work, but also they had varied life experiences that gave them insight and God has been able to use them as the scripture in  II Cor. 2:4 says: He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.       

         

          My life experiences have enabled me to offer not just sympathy but empathy for those who have to deal with Alzheimers and divorce. Fred's ministry offer's some of the same areas, but his life in the secular business world has given him other areas of expertise.  It's amazing how God brings people across our paths, sometimes in the church, sometimes in the community,  that we can relate to and if we don't know how to help them, we have knowledge of where to get help for them.

          In years past I know there has been some grumbling about ministers and their wives when they did not seem to perform according to the unwritten definition of pastor or pastor's wife. At least in my lifetime, I think that most Christians have come to recognize that when we impose our personal preference of how a pastor or his wife is "supposed" to perform, we limit their ministry and fail to recognize God's calling on their lives. They may have areas of ministry that we have never thought of nor would attempt. Because we are focusing on what they don't do rather or what they do differently we miss out on the ministry they should be doing. Sometimes I think these pastors have been judged by the priority list compiled by church members instead of allowing and trusting God to make the priority list.

          I have looked at the diversity of ministry from former pastors in the church we are now pastoring. Wow. When you know the history of the church you realize that God has placed each pastor here at a specific time because their ministry was pertinent for this church at that time. Had God called a "cookie cutter" pastor, their may have been some ministry needs that would not have been met had the new pastor only mimicked the previous one.

          If God had only needed one kind of pastor, and one kind of pastor's wife, then he could have just cloned us and not bothered to make us each individual with individual ministries to use in the body of Christ.

          Isn't it also amazing that often, God doesn't use "cookie cutter" ministries because the church already has those areas of ministry covered by the members themselves and to install a "copy cat" ministry, just like the previous one, would only duplicate talents already being used. That duplication could only cause comparisons, jealousy, dissention and confusion.

          II Cor. 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves with some   that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise.     

          Fred and I have attended several other denominations because of not living in a town offering a trinity believing Apostolic Faith or FGEA church. We have experienced several pastoral changes in these churches. We have also attended churches where there should have been pastoral changes, but the pastor kept hanging onto the church because of his obsession with control and his ego. To me, the most successful churches were churches that had pastors strong enough to build a church that would continue whether he was there or not. Those churches are built on Christ rather than the pastor. It should be an embarrassment to a pastor who promotes himself so much that the people have "pastor-itis" instead of focusing on Christ he preaches. 

          For many years I have been concerned about the lack of pastoring to each other as ministers. Is it jealousy? Anger?  Un-forgiveness?  Ego that brings judgment? Un-acceptance?  What keeps a barrier between us?

           Also, that we as a small group have we have focused too many times on our differences rather that what binds us together. I have sat through ordination services where minister's and their wives were already judging a person's ministry before it began or had a chance to develop...saying they would or would not "make it"  or basically betting how long it would be before they gave up. None of these ministers offered to take these newly called into their home or spend any amount of time with them to share their experiences or to try to help them not fail. In fact, one minister of this faith expressed to a newly ordained minister to his face, that he did not have what it took to be a pastor. What keeps some from reaching to each other? From  sharing? Loving? Accepting? What keeps some churches from "pastoring" or showing care for it's pastor?

          Is it because we don't value each other as ministers much less Christians? Has the church quit valuing their pastors and instead do they choose to find petty faults and differences? Have we forgotten that we each have a separate and special place in the body of Christ and instead of fulfilling on our own purpose, we focus on someone instead?

           I Cor 12: 18-22  But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it only had one part. Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.

          Christ designed us to function without effort, just as muscles, bones, joints, nerves, blood and skin all work together. Each has it's own duty, but each is fearfully (differently) and wonderfully made.  To paraphrase part of one of my husband's sermons, the eyes should not say to the hand..."I don't like the way you've fixed our hair, so I'm not going to watch our path as we walk to the store...I'll do my own thing my own way and watch the birds in the sky...so there". That attitude effects every part of the body. The hand has nothing to do with walking, but the legs will be punished because of the eyes being mad at the hand.

          When children are playing you can often hear one of the say "you not my friend no more"...usually in response to one not following the wishes of the other. Then they find someone to "tattle to"! Why do Christians do this as well. Why can we not recognize that these attitudes are attitudes of the flesh and not of the Spirit that binds us together.

          Have you noticed how Christians don't want to go to the source of an irritation, but they will discuss it with everyone who will listen...and why do we listen? I used to tell my kids they had to say 3 things nice for saying one thing bad about the other one. Maybe this should have been part of the sermon on the mount...oh wait...is it found in Matt. 7:1 Do not judge other and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others.

          Gal. 5:14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "love your neighbor as yourself." But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out. Beware of destroying one another.

          I John 3:10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

         

          James 5:9  Don't grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look - the judge is standing at the door.

          Lord, help us not to do that to each other.

                   Lord, help me appreciate the talents,  value your calling and learn                                      from those who do things differently than myself. 

          Phil.  4: 8 - And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

          Recently, while studying a lesson on crowns I found this passage:

          The crown of glory is given to those who willingly shepherd God’s people, not because they are paid for it or because they are “lords” over a group of people, but because they are eager to serve and help people maximize their spiritual potential. Christians can be quite ungrateful and dissatisfied. Almost every leader has at one time or another been at his wit’s end as to how to keep people godly and blessed. More than one pastor, elder, or overseer has resigned, not because he or she did not love God, but because it just seemed too difficult to work with people in the Church. There are even Old Testament records of God Himself being disgusted with His people’s attitudes and behaviors. At points He was on the verge of abandoning them altogether. God recognizes that it is hard and often thankless work to shepherd people, so He offers a crown to those who will carry out the task in a godly manner.

          What does this have to do with pastor appreciation? The pastors, the good ones...will not allow this to dictate or change their ministry. They continue in their walk with God even if their heart is breaking. They preach the Word because they love the Word and their calling is to encourage their people to love and live the Word. They earnestly pray for those who have slandered their ministry. They continue to visit those who have no intention of allowing their pastor to be a part of their lives or will not attend church regularly. They don't do this not for what they may gain or because it's their job...they do it because of the Love of God in their hearts.

         

           I Peter 3: 8- 12 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with

           each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted and

          keep a humble attitude. ...If you want to enjoy life and see many happy

          days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies..

          .Search for peace and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over

           those who do right and his ears are open to their prayers...

          My husband was asked, "as a pastor, what would you like to hear from your church about Pastor Appreciation?" He responded that "he would like to hear how the members of his church were focused on Christ and His love, why? because, the love of Christ was a pastor's heart. "

          Pastor Huff, I appreciate you and your love for God and how you try to show God's love through your ministry.

                Love from your pastor's wife...Saundra

Thanksgiving and Praise

Psalms 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

and into His courts with praise.

Be thankful unto Him and bless His name.

"Thanksgiving is the lowest form of worship

because it is dependent on the answer to the question,

'What have You done for me lately?' Praise, though, is not dependent on what He has done but on who He is.

 He is worthy of praise whether

you believe He has done anything for you or not."

There is a difference between thanksgiving and praise.

We thank God because He has done something wonderful in our lives that we want to acknowledge and remember.

We praise Him because of who He is,

 because of His attributes, or because of His ways.

He is worthy of praise - period - whether we are having a good day or a bad day.

                by: Tom Tenny - "Finding Favor with the King

Why Spiritual Warfare?

Why Spiritual Warfare?

I have been burdened recently about the appearance that Christians have a lack of knowing how to recognize satan’s tactics. It is amazing to see what some Christians ignore and let satan get by with. In this, what I consider the last days, satan is trying in every way to make us feel that to compromise our of standard Christian living is better than making a stand for holiness. Satan wants us to think that we can be “Christians” with a partial sanctification rather than living according to Galatians 5 and Ephesians 4. Call me old fashioned or whatever names you want, it doesn’t change my thinking that the “full gospel” Apostolic way is the standard by which I want to live my life, and being indifferent to satan is not a doctrine taught in the Word of God.  

This is not about pointing fingers or accusations of wrong doing. This is about equipping the saints…all the saints who have been given a mandate by God (1) to pray for each other, (2) to build a hedge or wall and (3) to maintain the wall around our lives, our Christian friends, our churches and our “world” or sphere of influence. We have some work to do. That work is called spiritual warfare and it is our responsibility.

How can we possibly stand for ourselves or “stand in the gap” if we don’t recognize how we should pray for ourselves or each other? We should know what limited power satan has and know that God’s power is stronger than any power satan tries to claim. (Satan’s power is an imitation of God’s power. God gave satan power for specific times and specific assignments to carry out his will. God did not give satan power of his own, as a “going away gift”, when he left heaven.)

Prayer and spiritual warfare are two different things. Prayer is toward God. Spiritual warfare is toward our enemy. As we draw near to God, we also need to get to know the enemy of our life and learn his ways.

Christians seem to be more comfortable being ignorant of how the devil works and the many ways he tries to influence us each day. (Ignorant, according to the dictionary is a choice to ignore; neglecting to learn, choosing to be un-teachable…a bumpkin.) Attitudes of “no one is going to tell me what to do, especially the preacher”; the idea of “how much can I get away with”; “it’s ok if no one knows”; and just open rebellion to simple rules with the idea “that’s stupid: that isn’t so bad”, are ways satan works. Rebellion to authority, whether a parent, or a boss, is not a Godly spirit. White lies…half-truths, gossip, all the works of the flesh are included. It may not be anything “really bad”, but when we do things our own way instead of living by God’s Word, we are not surrendering to the Holy Spirit. I once wrote a children’s song that says “sin is knowing what God wants, doing what you want anyway”.  It is said that unless you admit you have a problem, you can never conquer that problem and not recognizing satan’s ways is a problem. We can conquer that problem through spiritual warfare.

This selfish attitude of independence is nothing new. It started in heaven with satan’s arrogance. Satan simply decided he could handle things by himself, without God’s help, after all, he was God’s right hand angel! His ego got in the way. He decided he had been pretty important to God and God pretty much needed him around to do everything He had been doing. He was an angel…he knew how God worked with Spirits and angels, how God treated them, what God expected of them, and how their system of organization worked: God would give them assignments and the power to carry out that assignment…nothing more. Satan had things pretty good, but he wasn’t equal with Jesus or the Holy Spirit nor did he have the benefits of a Son relationship. He wasn’t special…just second in command.

God’s intent was to make a new being to share in the family relationship with Jesus, satan’s ego and pride took over. He said “what do you need man for, you have me?” I believe satan simply could not deal with the competition of God desire to love someone who had been created on purpose, made in God’s own image. Man is not just another spirit or angel. I think satan wanted God to choose him, an angel who wanted to be more like God. Instead, God had a desire to have a family relationship with this new creation called man. God chose man. All God asked for in return was for man to desire more than anything else, a love relationship with God…this is called worship.  And God unconditionally loves the man who worships Him.

When Satan was given what he wanted…to be on his own…to do just what he wanted…he tried to use his “knowledge” of God’s spiritual world against God. He has tried to outsmart God. He has hung on to his rebellion, bitterness, jealousy and competition with God to this day.

Satan has one purpose…to get you and me to compromise our relationship with God. Satan doesn’t care by how much you compromise your beliefs, just as long as you do it. It might simply be by not reading the Bible, praying, talking to God about how things are going, a slip of the tongue or a bad attitude. Satan just wants to offer you alternatives to the things that would strengthen your Christian life and witness. He wants you to put your intentions for a closer walk with God temporarily aside, postpone them long enough to not be a priority for just one day…or a week that turns into a month or a year. That’s all he wants…if he gets what he wants, he wins!

It is God’s will that we walk with the Holy Spirit. We don’t have to do fight the devil by ourselves.

Salvation provides forgiveness of sins committed. Salvation does not give us power over the desire to sin.

Galatians 5 gives a list of “works of the flesh”. Works of the flesh are areas we have not surrendered to God’s priorities. Ways we have tried to make a compromise with God on how we should live our lives as sanctified Christians. When you become sanctified, you give up your right to live or experience life like non-Christians. You choose to desire to live a life different, set apart. You don’t make decisions based on the same criteria as non-Christians. You don’t find the same things as “fun” as the world does. You don’t desire to have the same experiences as the world. You willingly surrendered your old “world focused” life style.  Your new heart’s desire is for a life that is more satisfying than the temporary thrills the world gives. A sanctified heart doesn’t dwell on what they are missing but rather what they have received. A sanctified heart rejoices in the provision of power over sin.

Even a sanctified heart still has a free will to choose or not to choose to sin. Satan entices and offers us compromises to God’s way, but we can have victory through the strength of Jesus Christ. Sanctification offers us the Blood of Jesus. When applied to our lives it stands between us and sin. Yes, it’s a definite work of grace, but it’s not a vaccination. The Blood of Jesus also has to be reapplied to our lives every day; sometimes several times a day to put a barrier between us and the temptation to sin. We have the victory over sin by the Blood of Jesus.

I am still learning, but previous experiences have helped me learn to recognize the difference in satan’s influence and just “playing”. I also have learned that people give excuses for allowing a compromise in a sanctified life because they are living like they want... comfortable… no effort…been “saved” (and been “ kinda” living it) for years. They do not want to change who they are.  Some of these “seeds” of indifference and laxness have been growing for a long time, sometimes visible, sometimes unnoticed, like mold behind a wall. As Christians we need to treat the source or root of sin to get rid of it. We need to take back our insistence on living a sanctified standard.

 I have learned that if we compromise our sanctified living, do not recognize and admit we are wrong, do not ask for forgiveness again and re-dedicate, re-sanctify our lives, we have given satan a stronghold. He wants us to believe that sin can be excused and tolerated.

Christian living is based on holiness…not just the outward appearance, but holiness in the heart. Holiness comes from us asking the presence of the Lord to come to a designated place (our lives, our churches) and our maintaining an atmosphere that is conducive to His staying. A “place” remains holy when Christians refuse to allow flesh or worldly attitudes to influence how we live and act.

Life experiences have forced my husband and me to learn to recognize satan. We have survived with only the Blood of Jesus as our help. The Blood of Jesus always wins. For those of you who have not had to learn how satan works “undercover” in the lives of Christians, I hope this may help you know how to pray and alleviate some fears about spiritual warfare.

Spiritual warfare should be a natural response and not be a big deal. It means we:

1.   Learn to recognize there can be no compromise in doing things according to God’s direction and His standard found in the Bible. Basically we live our lives by His way of doing things without making excuses. We do not rebel against God and then try to explain why.

2.   Allow God’s Word to teach us to walk with the power of the Holy Spirit.  Satan will offer us alternatives through outside influences, life experiences, exposure to other life styles, and fantasies of doing things the popular way, the politically correct way, or in a way that is acceptable to the world. The Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome these temptations.

3.   Just as we recognize the destructive ways of our neighbor’s dogs and run them off (because we know the results of letting them do whatever they want), we can choose to be educated in the ways Satan uses the world to contaminate, harass, invade, violate, pollute, and defile our “temple”. We need to learn the weak areas in our lives where satan can influence us. Satan stays as long as we give him permission. Not choosing to  tell him to get out of our lives and run him off is giving him permission by default. He will not leave until he is forced to leave. Our job is to stand firmly and resist the devil so he cannot keep successfully bringing the same offenses back to defile our temple.

Satan enters through the senses (using curiosity)…then moves to the soul (using compromise) and then tries to build a wall of indifference and compromise between the body, mind, will, heart and the sanctified spirit. An unsanctified spirit does not have the power to stand against satan. If you are only saved and forgiven, you are living your spiritual life in your own power. Until you surrender yourself to God and give Him permission to have power in your life, you will not be successful. 

There is no advantage to the Christian ignoring the satanic realm. Choosing not to have knowledge of how he attacks and tries to trick us does not keep him from trying to change our lives. The armor of God was given to us to use against spiritual attacks. Why would God give us weapons if we were not to use them? The armor is given to protect not just our experiences with Jesus as Lord, but also to protect the fruit and gifts of the spirit from being bruised or destroyed before the fruit can ripen and the seeds from the ripened fruit can be replanted.

For example, the fruit of the spirit, love, is expected to be given and received. Satan’s workers, demons, use resentment, bitterness, hatred, rejection, un-forgiveness and anger to bruise or destroy love. These opposites to love are the “open doors”, or “cracks in the wall”, satan uses to “kill, steal and destroy”. John 10:10.

Quoting from the book “Pigs in the Parlor”: “Satan has a special interest in the church. We can well believe that he will do everything in his power to side-track, hinder, weaken and destroy the church’s ministry. Many churches have a history of certain types of problems. As long as Christians are fighting among themselves they are certainly not fighting the devil. This is what the devil is after. Deliverance is an essential part of the preparation of the bride of Christ---getting rid of “spots” and “wrinkles”. Since the church for which Christ is coming is to be “holy and without blemish” we must agree that unclean spirits must be purged. It is up to us to make ourselves ready for the coming of our Lord. “

“Demons are evil personalities. They are spirit beings. They are enemies of God and man. Their objectives in human beings are to tempt, deceive, accuse, condemn, pressure, defile, resist, oppose, control, steal, afflict, kill and destroy. Demons enter through “open doors”. They have to be given an opportunity.”

Not all problems are demons or influences of evil spirits. But, evil spirits seem to like to hang out in groups. They like to remain active in families and at locations where they are tolerated. They seem to work best where they have the least resistance.

Satan also uses many “normal” problems and life experiences as ways to gain access into our lives. Attached is a chart (The Fruit produced by the of the Works of the Flesh) that may reveal attitudes or areas of our life that need to covered by the Blood of Jesus. You might make a notation of problems you may have in your life and ask God to reveal to you if you are being oppressed by satanic influences. If you recognize problems or previous experiences, stop satan from being able to distract or side-track, hinder or weaken you in your walk of faith by asking God to close that door and stop satan from using that against you. Ask God to place the Blood of Jesus over your life, and place a barrier between you and the works of the flesh.  

The good news is that Jesus Christ is the deliverer. When we put the Blood of Jesus to work, God wins. If we do not apply the Blood covering over problems, satan has our permission to continue his attack.

To receive deliverance you must recognize or know that God has condemned our hearts for the way we have acted, or that an act of compromise to our faith has been committed.

·         Listen to our God-given conscience or feeling of guilt. As you read God’s word, pray that God would continue use our conscience to show where we are not living the way He wants. Admit to your guilt without making excuses to explain away your actions or by blaming someone else.

·         Repent (desire to turn away from your sin and ask for forgiveness).

·         Believe, and accept God’s forgiveness

·         Surrender your old way of living and surrender to God’s way of living. Ask God to give us a new nature that chooses to respond to God and His ways rather than wishing we could live like the world. Sanctification is not a vaccination to sin but the strength to live victoriously through Jesus.

·         Discern or pay attention to how satan works in your life. Tell satan you see him trying to get you to compromise. Satan doesn’t care how large the sin, just that you sin.

·         Stand. Put on the whole armor of God and stand for the way God wants you to live your life.

·         Read your Bible every day. Let your mind be trained to live by using scriptures like Philippians 4:8, “think on these things” as a guide. Choose not to think about worldly things or with worldly attitudes.

·         Find an accountability partner, even if it must be by long distance. You need someone to pray with, confide in, and confess to. Ask them to help you, by praying for you and allowing you to admit your failures.

I love the story of Nehemiah and how he was broken hearted over the walls of his home, the roots of his life, being destroyed. We need to learn from Nehemiah and face the destruction the enemy brings and rebuild according to God’s plan. God bless.

Scriptures: Matthew 12:28, James 4:4, Colossians 4:6, II Cor 2:14-16, John 16:13, I Thes 5:23, Eph 4:27, 2 Cor 7:1

NOTE: Chart would not copy so it will be added later.