Batten Down the Hatches
By Chris G Bennett August 29, 2022
The prophets, even me, are warning of a very bumpy ride ahead. As the evil men of this world, with ever more desperate measures, try to force their will upon the world, so God, in His majesty, might, and power, will respond by throwing down their house of cards. Modern day Jeremiah’s, who are prepared to uproot, tear down, and destroy - before they build up again - must be prepared to stand up, wage holy war, and be counted! Some are warning about Armageddon type scenarios, but it's much too early for that. There's still too many end time events still to happen. The evil men of this world are trying to force Gods timetable ahead of itself - but that's not going to happen.
Yet it may well cost everything to stand against this - reputation, ministry, family, friends, possessions, even life itself - but stand with and for the Lord we must if we want those who follow us to live in freedom. We must stand on the shoulders of the Giants of faith who have gone before us. We must, as the Bible puts it, “Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13
The phrase “withstand in the evil day” is key! There are evil days coming, when the true evil in the world is fully revealed, and the evil men retaliate with whatever schemes they have up their sleeves. When power outages occur, when all communications are blacked out, when all that's left is the media lies and propaganda - that's when we'll need to stand on the Word of God and His promises. When all we have left are Gods promises and prophesies - that's when we will need to stand - in the strength of God alone. And that is when Gods strong right arm will sustain us because that is his promise!
Read again Paul's exhortation and stand upon it! “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints!” Ephesians 6:10-18
In these days of international sabre rattling, biblically referred to as ‘wars and rumours of wars’, the spiritual sky looks ever darker and darker. It's never been a more important time to daily plead the Blood of Jesus over our lives. Then, as on Passover, the Lord will have His angels pass over our house and bless us rather than anything else. Pleading Christ's Blood over ourselves and our families is the equivalent of painting the blood on the lintel and door posts as in the original Passover.
There are dark days ahead but the promises of God are unfailingly reliable rather than anything man can threaten or offer. It’s time to batten down the hatches, listen to the Lord, and press home the victory He won for us at Calvary.
CGB 29 August 2022
What's he talk'in 'bout Willis? ... Willis: "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee."
Thinking on Scripture When God Said “Do Not Pray”
Dr. Steven R. Cook Dr. Steven R. Cook 5 years ago There are two instances in Scripture—that I’m aware of—when God told someone not to pray, for He would not hear their prayer. Moses is the first example, for though he’d been faithful to God most of his life, he was told by the Lord he’d not enter the land promised to Israel because of his disobedience as a leader when he struck the rock (Num. 20:8-12). Moses pleaded with the Lord, saying, “Let me, I pray, cross over and see the fair land that is beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon. But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me; and the LORD said to me, ‘Enough! Speak to Me no more of this matter’” (Deut. 3:25-26). God’s decision concerning Moses was final. Moses would not enter the Promised Land, for the Lord said, “Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes to the west and north and south and east, and see it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan” (Deut. 3:25-27; cf. Deut. 1:37; 31:1-2). God explained to Moses why He would not hear his prayer, saying, “because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel” (Deut. 32:51). No amount of prayer would change God’s mind, so He told Moses to stop praying about it.
Do not pray-2The second example is the prophet Jeremiah. God told him not to pray for his fellow Israelites. Three times God told Jeremiah, “do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you” (Jer. 7:16; cf. 11:14; 14:11). The reason behind God’s command was that He had decided to judge and punish His people (Jer. 7:20) because they’d repeatedly broken their covenant with Him by disobeying His commands and pursuing other gods, which He had forbidden (Ex. 20:2-4; cf. Ezek. 20:4-24).[1] Israel’s idolatry was terrible in Jeremiah’s day and included human sacrifice, as many caused their children to be burned alive (Jer. 19:4-5; cf. Ezek. 16:20-21; 20:25-26, 31). Over and over again, Israel disobeyed God’s commands and would not change their behavior (Jer. 7:21-26; 11:1-13).[2] Though Jeremiah had repeatedly spoken God’s Word to them for over two decades (Jer. 25:3), the people openly defied His message, telling him, “As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you!” (Jer. 44:16). Their hearts were hardened to God’s Word. If Israel had listened to God and turned back to Him from their idolatry, God would have reversed His discipline and provided blessing instead (Jer. 7:3-7). Until they changed their ways, no amount of prayer was going to change their situation. God would not be moved by their pleas, or the petitions of His prophets.
Steven R. Cook, D.Min.