Turn the Battle to the Gate

As a child of the living God you are supposed to win in life, but we cannot expect to win without a fight. The devil doesn’t want you to reach your destiny, there will be pressures you will face, stop trying to avoid the conflicts and get in the press.

Mark 5:25-28

25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

Philippians 3:13-14

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus

These two passages of scriptures show us that in order to get what you desire must put forth some effort. What you want, what you need, or what you desire are not just going to drop into your lap. You must demonstrate some old-fashioned grit and gumption.

Let me share with you something I have discovered through observation; miracles don't Just happen because God is in a good mood, they don’t occur just because they’re needed, miracles are not an accident. Miracles are not just an act of God that just occurs for certain people in certain places or at certain times. Miracles come when and where they're needed, that’s truth, but they are not random. Miracles only come when someone has enough desire to get into the press and reach for them. Sometimes you must chase your miracle.

Jairus chased a miracle for his dead daughter, he chased it when he got into the press and he threw his religious pride out and came to Jesus. Bartimaeus chased his miracle when he refused to be silenced by others and he stopped Jesus with his unrestrained cries for mercy. The Leper chased his miracle when he fell at Jesus’ feet seeking mercy and healing. The Syrophenician woman chased a miracle for her demon possessed daughter when she broke religious protocol. She came to Jesus chasing a miracle, she wouldn’t even let being labeled a dog hinder her pursuit of the miracle she needed. She got into the press!

Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.” – Matthew 11:12

Those that receive what they desire in life, those that are victorious, are the ones that are willing to fight for what they want.

When the giant Goliath defied the army of Israel David Spoke up.

1 Samuel 17:32

“And David said to Saul, let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

FIGHT: That word as it is used there means – fight to war, make war, overcome, prevail, do battle, to engage in battle, wage war, and my favorite definition; to eat, use as food.

It reminds me of the words of Joshua and Caleb speaking of the giants in their promised land, “They are bread for us.”

There are two classes of believers. You are either Pro-active or you are Re-active. Unfortunately, most Christians live very re-active lives. They are always on the defensive re-acting to the attacks of the enemy. Paul could never have been the great apostle he was by living a re-active life. If you learn anything from reading Paul’s writings it is that he was always the aggressor. His entire ministry was on the front lines pushing into enemy territory. He was always taking the light into the darkness. He was never content to just be comfortable and satisfied among other believers.

In Ephesians 6:10-12 Paul speaks of the warfare of the believer, requiring a full out effort on our part.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

We are not in a flesh and blood battle for the most part, but there is without question a war that is being waged. And God expects us to be the aggressor in that war. Five times Paul uses the word ‘against’ in relationship to our warfare against principalities, and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places, then he uses the word ‘stand.’ This is an aggressive word, when you take a stand you are an opposing force.

When you stand against abortion, homosexuality, drug abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, or drunk driving you are the aggressor! Your stand makes you an enemy of unrighteousness. Too many people who label themselves ‘Christian,’ don’t stand for or against anything! They live re-active lives. They’ve bought into the satanic lie of live and let live: “well as long as they don’t try and push their lifestyle on me, what they do is their business.” They are cowards! That’s why they’re always trying to recover from an attack instead of launching the attack.

We never, not a single time, see Jesus in a Re-active sense. Everywhere Jesus went he was the initiator, he was on the offense he was the aggressor. Jesus was constantly invading enemy territory, pushing back the darkness, overthrowing the devil, undoing the devils works.

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.” – Acts 10:38

When the Prophet Elijah met the false prophets of Baal and wicked King Ahab upon Mt Carmel, Elijah was the aggressor. Elijah was the one who issued the challenge and Elijah was the one who set the terms of the challenge.

When David Met Goliath, David was the aggressor. He ran to meet Goliath. David pushed the Issue.

The problem with so many of Gods people is that they live such lukewarm, prayerless, wordless, passionless, powerless lives, that they’re afraid to initiate anything because they’re afraid they can’t back it up. And as long they refuse to conform to the image of Jesus and live holy lives, they’re right!

One of the greatest secrets of Paul’s life was he lived righteously, so he could live aggressively. Paul described the result of his fight, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:7-8

One of the greatest secrets to victory, and peace and joy in your life will be to learn to live righteously, so you don’t have to fear facing the enemy aggressively. If you are going to experience the Power of God in your lives and see the glory of God manifested on your behalf, we must go on the offense against the works of darkness. And that must mean that the devil fears us – the devil only fears us when he recognizes the Jesus in us. The Holy Ghost, the anointing, sends the devil fleeing.

We must learn how to live aggressively. Even in the natural we learn in football, and other sports that in order to score you must go on the offensive. You must put pressure on the opposition. When you learn to live aggressively you can be waging war all the time. By living aggressively for God, you will be continually pushing back the works of darkness. When you begin to live in this bold aggressive spirit, you become a threat to hell.

The devil hates aggressive Christians, because aggressive Christians are a testimony to a lost world around them that the word of God is true. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.

We should pray aggressively, praise aggressively, give aggressively, land love aggressively! It’s time to put some of that Holy Ghost fire into your actions! I define aggressively as leaning into it, pressing!

Jesus said, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”

That means he was on fire about the things of God, he was always leaning into it, pressing it forward. Sometimes we come to church, like we got the short straw in some drawing and our punishment was to have to go to church. Paul said, “I ‘reach forth’ unto those things which are before me, and I ‘press’ toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

There is a mentality that has invaded the church that the Christian life is just a big marathon race and basically speaking you are guaranteed to win just by signing up. This was never the attitude of the scriptures. The bible tells us clearly that the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force. Scripture teaches that we must lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us and run this race before us. Jesus said that we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. Paul taught us, we are to put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man and that not all runners that run receive a prize.

“Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” – Matthew 7:14

You don’t win the war just by joining the army, there’s some training, some discipline, some fighting, and very often many casualties before a war is won. Don’t expect to see Heaven without facing hell! It’s going to cost you something!

There’s a devil who hates you and wants to destroy your destiny and destroy your life. You might as well recognize the fight is on. If you are really going to make a difference in this world you must get Mad. We must become angry at what the devil is doing if we are ever going to change it. We will never become aggressive for God until we are angered by the works of the devil.

Poverty should make you angry! Sickness and disease should make you angry! It should make you angry when you are labeled ‘intolerant’ because you believe that the biblical standard of marriage is between a man and a woman! It should make you angry when they talk about sucking the brains out of a baby so they can find a cure for some disease! When anger is properly focused, it becomes power for change.

The problem with a lot of ‘Christians’ is they haven’t got a big enough dose of Holy Ghost. When you get full of the Holy Ghost it does something to your makeup, it alters your attitude, you can’t just sit Idly by while the devil destroys lives. There’s something about a Holy Ghost anointing that puts steel in your backbone and fire in your veins and you can’t just sit still.

When you get full of Holy Ghost, sin will make you angry, and when you see people’s lives being destroyed by the devil it will stir you up. It will make you angry when millions of babies are aborted every year, most of them murdered in the name of research and convenience. It will make you angry when you see homosexuals standing behind Gods holy place spreading their lies in the church.

There’s something wrong, when sin no longer angers us. There’s something wrong when we can see the effects of sin and it no longer makes us mad. There’s something wrong when we can see someone hooked on drugs, bound by lust and pornography and it doesn’t even affect us. When you know that sin is damning souls to an eternal hell and it doesn’t make you stand up and tell them the truth, there is something wrong with your salvation.

Is there anyone left who believes your children are worth fighting for? That your health is worth fighting for? That your marriage is worth fighting for? That your ministry, your dreams, your vision are worth fighting for?

Friends, let me give you one more scripture:

Isaiah 28:5-6

In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, and for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteteth in judgement and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

God promises to be a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty and a spirit of judgement, and strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. Not to them that run and hide, not to them that just show up to watch, not to them that pretend there isn't any battle, but to those who put on the whole armor of God, take the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit and turn the battle to the gate.

What's Missing?

For the last several days, over and over in my spirit, I've been hearing these words – “something is missing". I just can’t shake the thought from my mind. So, I prayed, and this is the scripture God led me to, and He gave me a word to help some people today who have been missing something.

2 Kings 6:1-7 (KJV)

1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.

3 And one said, be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.

5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

6 And the man of God said, where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.

7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand and took it.

I told my wife just yesterday, food used to be my friend, now it has become my enemy. I used to enjoy eating, now I fear it. Every time I eat, I get sick. Instead of looking forward to eating, I look at it as a necessary evil that I must participate in to survive. Food doesn’t even seem to taste the same to me. Have you ever eaten something, something you really like, maybe your favorite meal? You love the taste of it. It's cooked a special way. Maybe something your grandmother used to make for you, then you taste it, but it doesn't taste the same. Something is missing and you immediately recognize that something is missing. You can still eat it, it won't kill you, it won't poison you, but it's just not what you anticipated. You were anticipating the joy it was about to bring to your body, but it leaves you disappointed. Your taste buds were ready for a party but instead they experience a funeral.

If you have never tasted the real thing, or if you have never tasted the best, you can be satisfied with a substitute or an imitation. But once you have tasted the ‘real thing,’ you can never be satisfied with anything else. You immediately recognize that something is missing. But if you stay with the imitation, the substitute long enough you can get adjusted and get used to it, like sugar for example. When I had to stop using sugar and started to use artificial sweetener. At first, I was like, ‘this stuff is nasty.’ But after years of using the imitation, now I hardly notice. But they have discovered now, that the imitation can lead to cancer – it can kill you.

I am sad to report, that is what the Lord showed me is happening to many of God's people today. They've had the imitation for so long now, that they’ve gotten used to it. But thank God when you're exposed to the authentic again you recognize what you've been missing.

I grew up in a denomination that used to emphasize the gifts of the Spirit as essential. Where messages in tongues and interpretation were normal occurrences. Where holiness was preached and adhered to. But today if you visit one of their churches, you would be hard pressed to find, in most of them, anyone following the old paths.

Instead of staring the service with prayer, they might as well start by saying, ‘lights, camera, action.’ Instead of preaching holiness and leading God’s people into His presence, they have become entertainers. And the standards of holiness: women who look and dress like men with their short hair and tight pants or wearing skirts that barely cover them. Men who refuse to lead, who refuse to stand and worship God or come to an altar of repentance even though they know they need to.

I can't speak for everyone today, so I'll just speak for myself and speaking for myself, in the last five years I've tasted the authentic again. And I can tell you that I have become thankfully and painfully aware that something had been missing. Something had been missing, and it had been missing for a long time. And I had accepted a substitute, I had bought into an imitation, and I had become an entertainer, an actor instead of a pastor. I had gotten used to the imitation. Spiritual cancer had set in and it almost killed me.

I had neglected the presence of the Holy Ghost. I didn’t seek the gifts because I didn’t think I needed them. I was educated, articulate and well groomed. I had all I needed to put on a good show. And for years that is exactly what I did. I put on a show. But without the real thing, eventually sin crept in, until I was exposed as an imposter. Don’t get me wrong, I was called, but I wasn’t equipped. My armor was paper mâché and it was easily pierced.  

Something has been missing many churches and many of your lives and I want to talk to you today about what is missing. I'm going to start by saying, many of you will exclaim, ‘nothing is missing in my spiritual life,’ and I say if you think nothing is missing then your spiritual taste buds are dead, and they need to be restored.

So, what’s missing? In the passage in 2 Kings 6 there was a young Prophet who had borrowed an axe, as he was working the axe the head flew off the handle and into a water hole and sunk to the bottom. The young Prophet immediately recognizes that something is missing. His work became ineffective. He could have just kept going through the motions, trying to cut wood with just the axe handle, but he refused to continue without the axe head.

You are probably saying to yourselves, of course he recognized the axe head was gone it would have been ridiculous to continue working and swinging an axe handle with no cutting power, but in the spiritual realm, it happens all the time. The axe head symbolizes the anointing that makes our work and our effort productive. It is the anointing that produces the signs that Jesus said would follow them that believe.

The prophet immediately quit trying to accomplish the work in his own strength and in his own ability. His words to the prophet Elisha are very interesting: “alas Master! For it was borrowed."

In other words, we do not own it, it is a gift, it's not ours, it belongs to another. It is the anointing of the Holy Ghost. God simply trusts us with His anointing so we can do the work that He has given us. The anointing is that touch of God upon a thing or upon a person that produces Supernatural results. The anointing of the Holy Ghost is the only power that can deliver, it is the only power that can heal, it is the only power that can produce miracles. One of the greatest tragedies of this so called ‘modern-day Christianity’ is they lost the ability to discern when the anointing is present and when it is absent.

The result is that many believers and churches are busy with all kinds of activities and performances that are birthed out of human effort and human wisdom. Not that it's all evil, wicked, or sinful, but it is missing the main ingredient, they are missing the anointing.

The question should not be how talented you are, how good you can sing or play the piano, or preach or teach. The only question that we should all be asking ourselves is: Do we have the anointing of the Holy Ghost? I don't care how good it is, how entertaining it is, how cutting edge it is, or how popular it is, all that matters is whether or not the anointing is present.

Our purpose is to get people to heaven, not to stroke their egos in an ‘I’m okay, you’re okay’ false religion. It is the anointing that breaks the bondage of addiction, it is the anointing that heals, it is the anointing that repairs broken marriages, and it is the Holy Ghost that brings the anointing. You can try and fake it all you want, but without the anointing, there’s something missing in your life and ministry. And that missing ingredient, will eventually cause the Lord to spit you out.

Revelation 3:14-19

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Jesus tells us with his own words the works that I am doing I am doing them by the power supplied by the anointing of the Holy Ghost. He said I cast out devils by the Spirit of God. “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.” – Matthew 12:28

Acts 10:38

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil for God was with him.”

The healings, the deliverances, the feeding of the multitudes, walking on the Water, calming the storm, every miracle that Jesus performed, wee the result of the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Although Jesus was fully God from birth, He never did a miracle or anything of a supernatural until after He was anointed with the Holy Ghost at the Jordan River.

After Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost, He immediately began to perform Miracles, cast out devils, heal the sick and do signs of a supernatural character. Friends, if Jesus needed the anointing, how much more do we desperately need the anointing.

Isaiah 10:27

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.”

The yoke, the chains of sin are destroyed by the anointing. Nothing less than the anointing can destroy the works of the devil. Nothing less than the anointing can convict us of sin. Nothing less than the anointing can heal the wounded soul and set the captives free.

The young Prophet immediately recognizes something is missing. There is no power, there is no fire, there is no unction, there is no Edge. I believe this should be the motto of every church: “The God that answers by fire let him be God.”

So many today are looking for the churches with the most people. They are judging everything by what is most popular, what is most attractive, what is most socially accepted, what is everybody doing, what is cutting edge, or worst of all, by what is marketable. But popularity has never been the mark or the distinguishing factor of that which is of God. It is the anointing that bears witness to that which is born of Heaven.

Whether it's in a cathedral in Europe, or an arena in Houston Texas filled with a hundred thousand people or whether it's under a brush Arbor or a barn with sawdust on the floor or a tent. The one distinguishing and identifying factor that God is in it, is now and always has been, the anointing. If the anointing is there, heaven will invade that place and miracles will happen, bondages will be broken, the sick will be healed, and lives will be changed forever. But if the anointing is missing, you’re just selling tickets to hell.

So many today are being pacified with look-a-likes and sound-a-likes, with imposters and impersonators. Many people and churches are mistaking charisma for the anointing and talent and passion and excitement are replacing the fire of God on the altar. But the Word says, "Where the spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty.”

Not just excitement, but liberty! Freedom, deliverance, breakthrough, healing, salvation, trans- formation, and miracles! The anointing is the liberating power of God! The anointing liberates those who have been in captivity to sickness and disease, to religion and tradition. The anointing is the Yoke destroying, burden removing power of God. Without the anointing, we may have entertainment, we may have excitement, and we may even have a crowd, but without the anointing, we don’t have real church, and we will never have liberty.  Without the anointing something will always be missing.

First the Blood, Then the Power!

Leviticus 14:14-18

“And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand: And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord : And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering: And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord.”

For Several days now the Holy Spirit has been impressing on my heart the importance and the power of the blood of Jesus. I sense that the Holy Spirit is serving notice on the church to get back to the blood, not just in our thinking, but in our speaking and in our living.

In Joshua chapter two Rahab the harlot saved herself and her entire family from destruction when she hung a scarlet thread from her window. That scarlet thread represented the blood. In Exodus Chapter twelve the children of Israel saved their household from the death angel when they applied the blood of the lamb to the top and the sides of their door posts.

The text in Leviticus deals with the cleansing of the leper (leprosy in the old testament was a type for sin). What this text reveals to us is that the leper was not considered clean until the blood was applied and after the leper was pronounced clean by the application of the blood, then the priest would apply the oil right on top of the blood. The oil was only applied where the blood was present.

What is the significance of this to you and me? The anointing of the Holy Ghost only comes after the blood has been applied to our lives. The Holy Ghost answers to the blood, witnesses to the blood, honors the blood, testifies to the blood, and waits for the blood. First comes the blood, and then the anointing.

Without the blood, there is no salvation, no justification, no deliverance, and no sanctification – no blood, no anointing! No blood, no peace, no power, no anointing, no authority, no joy, and no protection. That’s why the Holy Spirit is trying to bring the church back under the blood.

Hebrews 9:19-22

19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

There is no Pentecost without a Passover: Passover is when the death angel had to pass over the homes with the blood on the doorposts. There was a spirit of death that looked at every home, Egyptian and Israelite, and the only safe homes were the homes under the blood.

There is no fire without Blood. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost came to the upper room and baptized a 120 men and women in supernatural fire, but you must go to Calvary before you can get to the upper room. You must die to yourself to receive the live offered through the blood of Jesus. The pathway to God’s power is soaked in blood.

Colossians 2:11-12

11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

It is through baptism in the name of Jesus that the blood is applied to our lives and we are washed clean, it is through baptism in the name of Jesus that our sins are remitted. It is through baptism in the name of Jesus that we are prepared for the power of the baptism and anointing of the Holy Ghost. If you want to walk in power with the Lion of the tribe of Judah, you first must be covered in the blood of the lamb!

There’s something that happens in my spirit when I talk about the blood. Something stands up on the inside of me. I feel my spirit wake up! I feel an anointing stirring up! I feel the power of the Holy Ghost come alive in me. I thank God for the blood!

I know we’re all modern today and we’ve got access to the libraries of the world at our fingertips. We’ve got the bible on our tablets, our iPads, and iPhones. We can study the Hebrew and the Greek meaning of biblical words right from our phones. We are in a hear it all, see it all, and know it all Generation. But for all our technology and for all our intelligence and know how, I am concerned that we have lost something.

Our Elders didn’t have access to all the modern conveniences and technology we have today, but they had something many have lost in our modern high-tech church age; they understood the importance of living under the blood of Jesus! Those old timers would do something you rarely hear the younger generation do today. If they had a problem, sickness, financial, marital, sin issues, they would plead the blood of Jesus over it. They would plead the blood on everything: The house, the car, the cat, the dog, the chickens, the hogs, the garden, everything was covered with the blood.

They might not have understood it, but the word ‘plead’ is a legal term. It was an answer to a judgment. The judge would say, you have been charged with such and such a crime, how do you plead/ That means that the Judge was asking: What is your defense to this and the accused would answer I ‘plead’ guilty, or not guilty by reason of insanity, or I plead the fifth.

Well that legal proceeding carries over into the spiritual realm. When the devil comes around saying you have been accused sin, and the devil says you have come short of the glory of God, what is your defense? That is when you look the devil in the eye and you square your shoulders back and you say, ‘I plead the blood!’ The blood is my defense! The blood of Jesus speaks for me!

You may have a pretty church, you may have a pretty pulpit, you may have talent and skill, you may have knowledge, and you may have position, but without the Blood You have no Power! Without the blood you are dead! I don't care how big, how muscular, or how pretty the body may be, without the blood, the body is dead!

God woke me up this morning to tell His church a truth that many have forgotten. Jesus don't care how big or how beautiful your church may be, without the blood it's dead! You may have great choir, you may have great enthusiasm, and you may even have educated preachers, but if you don't have the blood, you're nothing but a pretty corpse. Just like a dead body dressed up by the undertaker to look good for a funeral, but drained of the blood, you’re still dead.

The church today on a large scale has become zombies. Zombies are the walking dead. That’s what any church, any Christian without the blood is, they are the walking dead. Any church any preacher, any pastor, any believer who does not exercise the blood is nothing but a Spiritual Zombie. There's no such thing as a Christian without the blood. Jesus said, ‘Except you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you.'

This gospel is bloody, Calvary was bloody, the cross was bloody, Jesus blood poured out of his body, Jesus carried his own blood into the holy place and offered it upon the mercy seat in heaven. God accepted Jesus blood as an offering for sin. And it is by and because of that same blood that we are saved today.

We are washed by that blood, sanctified by that blood, justified by that blood, redeemed by that blood, protected by that blood, and we are delivered by that blood. Our conscience is cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and we are healed by the blood of Jesus. No wonder the song writer was moved to pen the words:

“There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins and sinners plunged beneath the flood lose all their guilty stains.”

And another songwriter wrote these words:

“Come ye sinners lost and lonely Jesus blood can make you clean, for he saved the worst among you when he saved a wretch like me. And I know, yes, I know Jesus blood can make the vilest sinner clean, and I know yes I know Jesus blood can make the vilest sinner clean.”

I really am not trying to be mean or hurt people’s feelings today, but I believe this message could be the difference between heaven and hell for someone. You may finally be able to quit smoking or drinking or some other habit that has you bound, plead the blood of Jesus over it right now! You may finally be able to quit slipping and sliding peeking and hiding - you dress up and carry a bible and sing on perfect pitch, you look good, smell good, and feel good, but if you haven't been to Calvary you're lost. Stop playing games with God, receive the blood of Jesus! ‘Repent every one of you and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, and then you shall receive the gift of the Holy ghost (Acts 2:38).

If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your savior and you have not had your sins washed away by his blood, then you are lost and if you die that way you will go to hell. God is going to hold preachers responsible that don't tell the truth. The most important thing in your life is not a new car, a new house, a new wife, or a new self-esteem, the most important thing is your soul.

“Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the lamb? Are you daily trusting in his grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?”

Friends, I believe the Holy Spirit is saying to some of you today, “Lay aside those garments that are stained with sin and be washed in the blood of the lamb. There's a fountain flowing for the soul unclean O be washed in the blood of the lamb.

Friend get under the blood, Church family get under the blood, and when we get back under the blood we'll get back under the power. First, it's blood, then it's glory. First, it's Passover, then it's Pentecost. First, it's blood, then it's power. Blood on the right ear, blood on the right thumb, blood on the big toe of the right foot, THEN OIL.

After the blood was applied the priest dumped the rest of the oil on the cleansed lepers head. The head is representative of the whole body: When the Head is anointed the body is anointed. Somebody lift your voice right now and tell God: "Anoint my head with oil"

FIRST, IT'S CLEANSING, THEN IT'S POWER!

Walk Ye Therein

There is no new path to serving the Lord, the bible is not a book of pliable suggestions, it is a book of righteous commands from a Holy God. Seek it out for the old paths, ask God for direction to live a holy life, and you’ll find the power of God.

Jeremiah 6:13-16

13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. 16 Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein.

This exhortation is given to redirect Gods people, to awaken them to their personal responsibility to stand, to see, to ask for and to walk in the old paths. This is a warning to a nation that has lost its way, and these words come from the mouth of God. Many of Israel’s prophets and even the priests had lost their fear of God and their love for God, they had become greedy and materialistic. They were performing their services out of covetousness. They were prophesying falsely and deceitfully, they were preaching what the people wanted to hear and not what God had told them to say. Their actions had produced a spiritual cancer that was destroying God’s people, and they were covering their sins with religious activities (programs). Sound familiar? It should because pulpits all over America are doing the same thing every Sunday.

This word from God from a true prophet, Jeremiah, told the people that they were responsible to know the truth for themselves and not to be deceived by these false priests, and false prophets. It is very easy to get caught up in a gospel of convenience and comfort, a gospel without a cross, and a gospel that permits you to think, say, or do anything you want. A gospel that overemphasizes the grace, while ignoring the requirements of righteousness from a holy God. The gospel being preached in most flourishing churches today is a false gospel, a gospel that exalts ‘self’ to a status of godhood, so that anything ‘self’ chooses is considered right and acceptable.

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." – Proverbs 14:12, 16:25

Two times, two times, God warns us against a path of our own choosing, and any time the Word says something two times word for word this close together, the emphasis is deliberate and to ignore such a warning well, enter that path at your own peril.

The Apostle Paul said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." – Galatians 1:8

The times that we are living in are wicked, and we truly live amongst a ‘perverse and depraved generation.” Today, as never before, we must hear the words of the prophet and listen to this warning to stand in the ways and see the false message.

Consider what is being preached and compare it to the gospel given by the Apostles. Do you see the cross in their message? Do you hear the blood of Jesus as the source of life? Do you hear the Son of God dying for your sins? Do you hear Him raising from the dead? Do you see him coming to live in His children through the person of the Holy Ghost? Are they proclaiming the requirement to crucify the self, with its affections and lusts thereof? Do you see Jesus Christ as the only door and way to eternal life? Do you see clearly the dividing line between sin and righteousness?

We must look for the familiar landmarks of a genuine gospel. Is there an altar? Is there repentance for sin? Is there water baptism in the name of Jesus? Is there baptism in the Holy Ghost? Is there salvation, healing, and deliverance only in the name of Jesus? Are there signs and wonders and miracles? Is there spirit led, and spirit filled worship? What about the gifts of the spirit? These are all landmarks, signs, that mark the old paths.

Is there a concern and burden for the lost, is there weeping and travail, have we gotten off the path and not known it? We must never substitute movement for progress, or activity for power, or gold for glory. I believe in progress, but not all movement and not all change is not progress. We must ask ourselves, do the changes bring us closer to the divine pattern of God’s Word?

David was led astray by the philistine spirit. He followed their example of putting the ark of God’s presence on a new cart (1 Chronicles 13:7-12.) He took the Ark of the Covenant off the shoulders of the priests and put it on a new cart. God ordained that the ark of his presence would be carried upon the shoulders of the priests, moving one step at a time directed by God. It has always been so; God has entrusted His presence and His power to the shoulders of men and women of prayer.

Gods work in the earth is dependent upon the prayers and intercession of his people. The success of his work in the earth is dependent upon men and women waiting upon him for his guidance and direction. The fact is it still takes prayer and fasting, it still takes sacrifice and self-denial, it still takes travail, and it still takes waiting upon God in total dependence.

God interrupted David’s party with a funeral. When Uzzah took hold of the ark God slew him, Then David said, “None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever (1 Chronicles 15:2). For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order” (1 Chronicles 15:13).

Don’t be deceived by the spirit of this age. You can’t go anywhere you want, think anything you want, say anything you want, watch anything you want, listen to anything you want and still be holy. It doesn’t work that way. There is a price to pay, there are wages for our actions. The word of God says that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. So many say, your preaching condemnation man, and the bible says there is no condemnation. No! No! No, it most certainly does not! It says there is therefore no condemnation for those ‘which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit’ (Romans 12:2). If you’re living to satisfy your own desire, to feed your flesh, be prepared to be condemned by your own actions and choices. That’s truth, and that’s the Word of God.

Jeroboam became king in Israel, over all but one tribe which followed Rehoboam, But Jeroboam was afraid that the kingdom would turn to Rehoboam Solomon’s son, so he designed a plan, it was a new way for Israel. He was leading them off the old paths.

1 Kings 12:28-31

“Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. (Bethel= House of God, Dan= Judge These actions were a complete pollution and corruption of the House of God, and rejection and rebellion against God as their Judge) And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. And he made a house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.”

This became a new way that turned the people away from God: They accepted a religion of convenience, that required nothing from them but their attendance from time to time. Their worship was false and was a direct rebellion against the command of God to not make any graven image or worship any other God. The priesthood was polluted, by taking those who were unfit, unqualified, and chosen by man and not God to perform the services.

I hear the Holy Spirit saying to us again today, ‘Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.’ But I wonder in my spirit, will the church today say, ‘We will not walk therein.’

Many have departed from the old paths, they have despised the old paths, they have traded God’s presence for pleasure. Many have chosen gold over glory, and the praise of men over the praise of God. There is not a vast crowd in the old paths, but the ones who have walked there are the ones I want to be associated with. The old paths may not be the easy way, but it is the good way, and it is in these old paths that our souls will experience true joy and peace with God. I pray today my friends you choose to walk therein.

Bitter or Blessed

We can’t always determine what comes to us in life, but we can choose how we respond to the circumstances that are often out of our control. How we respond to difficult times, times of sickness, betrayal, financial hardship, marriage problems, or many other difficulties, is what determines whether we will be blessed or bitter.

As a couple exchanges their vows, they include the words, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for better for worse. You could easily change the last part to, ‘bitter or sweet.’ It is a natural fact that Life just has some bitterness built into it. At some point, every one of us will come to bitter waters. The death of a loved one, sickness, bankruptcy, betrayal, false accusations, rejection, loss of a job, or many others I could list.

There is a misconception among many in the Christian world that being a Christian somehow exempts you from bitter waters. Most of the time this misconception comes from a lack of knowledge of the Word of God. All the Apostles were familiar with bitter waters. Jesus never said that we would never have trouble, in fact he promised that we would.

Jesus understood that life is tough, or as many young people would say today, Jesus knew ‘the struggle is real.’ He knew we would experience heartbreak and pain. He knew that some of us would go through trials of sickness, and financial struggles. So, Jesus encouraged us: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you…These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:20-22, 33

All throughout scripture, from the beginning of God’s covenant with man, God has promised to be with us when we come to those bitter waters:

“And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” – Deuteronomy 31:8

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” – Deuteronomy 31:6

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” – Isaiah 41:10-13

“and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” – Matthew 28:20

“Let your conversation [be] without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” – Hebrews 13:5-6

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” – I Peter 5:7

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16

In the book of Exodus chapter fifteen and verse twenty-three, it says, “The waters were bitter, and they could not drink of it.”

This means there was no pleasure no joy, no strength, no refreshment, from or in that circumstance. They were in a desert, they were tire, thirsty and desperate – there was no hope in sight. We have all felt like that before, if I’m being real, I been feeling that way lately. I have discovered that there are two possible responses to the bitter water.

The first is to murmur and complain. You can begin to let bitterness and resentment take root in your heart and blame God. But I can tell you from the experience of my past life – that will only lead to death: the death of your relationship with God, your relationship with others, and eventually your spirit will die as all hope is lost.

The second possible response is to praise God any way, worship God anyway, not because of the situation, but in spite of it.

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” – Habakkuk 3:17-18

The story of Naomi is a good example of the first possible response. In the land of Moab, because of famine, her husband and two sons die there. She hears of bread in her homeland and returns, the whole town is moved by her presence. They come to greet Naomi, but she said, call me not Naomi, but Marah, for the almighty hath dealt bitterly with me.

Here is the danger we all face, blaming God for our bitter waters, when we begin to blame God for our bitter waters, then bitterness begins to set into our own lives, Naomi had identified herself with her bitter waters. When you blame God, then you separate yourself from his comfort and grace to sustain you through your bitter waters.

The story of Job is a great example of the second possible response to bitter waters. In one day, Job lost everything that he had. Sheep cattle, oxen camels, servants, and all his children. His wife became angry and bitter. She finally told job, “just curse God and die.”

But job chose to be blessed instead of bitter. Instead of blaming God and murmur against God, he fell on his face, shaved his head, and worshipped God. And in the end God blessed Job with more than he had lost.

At the bitter waters in the desert the children of Israel murmured, but Moses cried unto the Lord. That is one of the first lessons of bitter waters, they will either turn us away from God, or they turn our attention back to God. We reach a point where we are not in control and we need God’s help.

Moses Cried unto the Lord, and God showed him a tree. Another lesson is that if we will respond correctly, the darkest and most bitter times will lead us into a greater revelation of who Jesus is, and ultimately a more intimate relationship with him.

When Moses cast the tree into the waters, they were made sweet. On a hill called Calvary, Jesus cast a tree into our bitter waters so they could be made sweet. What is the sweetness that Jesus can bring to the bitter waters of your life? A greater revelation of Jesus, a deeper relationship with Jesus, greater dependence on Jesus, the knowledge that as I trust him he will work everything out for my good, the knowledge that what the enemy intended to make me bitter, has actually blessed me, and to use what the devil  has used against you, to bring healing and deliverance to others. To take Goliath’s own sword, as it were, and cut off his head!

Some of the sweetest words in the bible are – and it came to pass. Remember this my friends, weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning! I pray that you will choose blessing over bitterness and stand strong in the mighty name of Jesus!