P 04/11/18
Over the past several weeks the Lord has been speaking about spiritual warfare through the book of Nehemiah and through an encounter during a time of prayer and fasting. The spiritual realm is a very real and tangible part of our walk with God. We have an enemy who wants free access to our lives. And we have Angelic Hosts to guide, guard, and protect us here on the earth (Psalm 91:11, Psalm 34:7). As we become more aware of both, while living in this day and time, living a lifestyle of Victory becomes our daily norm
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Psalm 34:7
The enemy has many tactics to prevent us from stepping into our destiny. One of those tactics is the spirit of distraction. Distraction is a hindering spirit sent to draw us away from our God-given assignment and a decoy sent to interrupt the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Distraction can be described as mental distress, a diversion sent to lead us off course, or something dividing our loyalties away from the Will of God. Distraction is a ploy by the enemy to delay the fulfillment of our prophetic promises. A spirit of distraction has one main intent, to hinder! An oppressive spirit is always sent to kill, steal, and destroy."
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10"
Nehemiah's Distraction
In Nehemiah Chapter 6 Nehemiah had all but finished the wall of Jeresulam except for installing the doors to the gates of the city. When the enemies of Judah realized that Nehemiah had completed the restoration process, they plotted against Nehemiah to stop his progress. Judah's enemies - Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem - devised evil schemes to hinder Nehemiah through distraction, conspiracy, and physical threats. A great and effective door had opened to Nehemiah to re-establish the city of Jeresulam; however, it wasn't without opposition. Sometimes, when a door of breakthrough is before us, the enemy threatens to comes in behind us, to draw us off course. The Word of God instructs us to be wise as serpents yet harmless as doves; because the threat of wolves lives among us (Matthew 10:16)."
"A great and effective door has been opened to me and there are many adversaries. 1 Cor. 16:9
"Spiritual warfare is a part of our New Testament Christian walk. However, we've been given powerful tools to overcome and defeat the forces of darkness (Eph 6:10-18, Luke 10:19). When Nehemiah faced opposition from his adversaries, he discerned the strategy of the enemy and avoided being drawn into the snare of verbal discourse and distraction. Nehemiah chose his battles by recognizing distraction as the main attraction sent by the enemy to halt and hinder his progress! Nehemiah didn't engage in a verbal dispute with his enemies because he believed that if God was for him who then could stand against him (Romans 8:31). Nehemiah used wisdom and undistracted focus to defeat the foe before him. Even when Tobiah and Geshem, (which represents carnal thinking and the ways of the world) rose up as adversarial cohorts, Nehemiah didn't fall prey to the stress and pressure to perform to their demands."
"As we read through the story of Nehemiah, one breach that led to the open door of distraction. In the second half of verse one scripture says that the doors to the gates of the city had not yet been installed (vs. 1). There was an entrance left open for the enemies of Judah to pass through and enter the city. The walls were erected as a fortress to protect them from outside opposition, yet there was still an opening through the doors to the city that left them vulnerable to an attack.
"When we leave an open door for our adversary to enter in wherever he pleases, he is more than willing to oblige us by occupying our unguarded territory with his presence. One of the keys to closing off unwanted spiritual warfare is to check the gates of our city! When access to the enemy is denied, there's no room for him to wreak havoc. Be sure to protect your ear gate, eye gate, heart gate, and mouth gate....
"And do not give the devil an opportunity. Eph 4:27"
One of the Words the Lord gave was that this would be a year of possessing the gates of our enemies (Genesis 22:17). When Abraham believed by faith that God would provide a sacrifice to lay on the altar in place of his son Issac, God blessed Abraham through his act of obedience by promising Abraham's descendants would possess the gates of their enemies (Genesis 22). We are descendants of Abraham
“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
The gates of a city represent power. In the Word of God business was established at the gates. Prophets stood at the gates of the city to make declarations from God (Jer. 7:2, Jer. 17:19). Kings sat at the city gates to dispense justice (2 Sam. 19:8). To possess the gates of our enemies means to conquer and defeat our adversaries by the power of the Holy Spirit. The word possess is the Hebrew word yaras which means to drive out previous tenants, cast out, succeed, to expel, and to utterly dispossess. God has given us all power and authority over the enemy and the gates of hell shall not prevail against us (Matthew 16:18-19)."
Justice is coming to the House of the Lord and all who have suffered injury and harm are being restored double for their trouble (Isaiah 61:7)! God is turning weeping into rejoicing. He is bringing honor to those who have suffered shame and dishonor. The Lord is tipping the scales of justice in our favor. Where the enemy came in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord is raising up a standard against him. The accuser of the brethren has lost his foothold over the Saints of God! We occupy a place of authority over our enemies to oppose them! Our enemies are being captured at the gate! We are making declarations of breakthrough, casting out the works of darkness wrecking havoc upon the earth, and disarming the enemy at the gate! God is bringing turning points into the Body of Christ. The Spirit of the Lord is saying, No more delay. This is the year to claim your inheritance and possess the gates of your enemies. Blessing and multiplication is your portion. Double for your trouble is your lot this year! What the enemy meant for evil, God is turning around for His good.
blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Psalm 34:7
The enemy has many tactics to prevent us from stepping into our destiny. One of those tactics is the spirit of distraction. Distraction is a hindering spirit sent to draw us away from our God-given assignment and a decoy sent to interrupt the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Distraction can be described as mental distress, a diversion sent to lead us off course, or something dividing our loyalties away from the Will of God. Distraction is a ploy by the enemy to delay the fulfillment of our prophetic promises. A spirit of distraction has one main intent, to hinder! An oppressive spirit is always sent to kill, steal, and destroy."
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10"
Nehemiah's Distraction
In Nehemiah Chapter 6 Nehemiah had all but finished the wall of Jeresulam except for installing the doors to the gates of the city. When the enemies of Judah realized that Nehemiah had completed the restoration process, they plotted against Nehemiah to stop his progress. Judah's enemies - Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem - devised evil schemes to hinder Nehemiah through distraction, conspiracy, and physical threats. A great and effective door had opened to Nehemiah to re-establish the city of Jeresulam; however, it wasn't without opposition. Sometimes, when a door of breakthrough is before us, the enemy threatens to comes in behind us, to draw us off course. The Word of God instructs us to be wise as serpents yet harmless as doves; because the threat of wolves lives among us (Matthew 10:16)."
"A great and effective door has been opened to me and there are many adversaries. 1 Cor. 16:9
"Spiritual warfare is a part of our New Testament Christian walk. However, we've been given powerful tools to overcome and defeat the forces of darkness (Eph 6:10-18, Luke 10:19). When Nehemiah faced opposition from his adversaries, he discerned the strategy of the enemy and avoided being drawn into the snare of verbal discourse and distraction. Nehemiah chose his battles by recognizing distraction as the main attraction sent by the enemy to halt and hinder his progress! Nehemiah didn't engage in a verbal dispute with his enemies because he believed that if God was for him who then could stand against him (Romans 8:31). Nehemiah used wisdom and undistracted focus to defeat the foe before him. Even when Tobiah and Geshem, (which represents carnal thinking and the ways of the world) rose up as adversarial cohorts, Nehemiah didn't fall prey to the stress and pressure to perform to their demands."
"As we read through the story of Nehemiah, one breach that led to the open door of distraction. In the second half of verse one scripture says that the doors to the gates of the city had not yet been installed (vs. 1). There was an entrance left open for the enemies of Judah to pass through and enter the city. The walls were erected as a fortress to protect them from outside opposition, yet there was still an opening through the doors to the city that left them vulnerable to an attack.
"When we leave an open door for our adversary to enter in wherever he pleases, he is more than willing to oblige us by occupying our unguarded territory with his presence. One of the keys to closing off unwanted spiritual warfare is to check the gates of our city! When access to the enemy is denied, there's no room for him to wreak havoc. Be sure to protect your ear gate, eye gate, heart gate, and mouth gate....
"And do not give the devil an opportunity. Eph 4:27"
One of the Words the Lord gave was that this would be a year of possessing the gates of our enemies (Genesis 22:17). When Abraham believed by faith that God would provide a sacrifice to lay on the altar in place of his son Issac, God blessed Abraham through his act of obedience by promising Abraham's descendants would possess the gates of their enemies (Genesis 22). We are descendants of Abraham
“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
The gates of a city represent power. In the Word of God business was established at the gates. Prophets stood at the gates of the city to make declarations from God (Jer. 7:2, Jer. 17:19). Kings sat at the city gates to dispense justice (2 Sam. 19:8). To possess the gates of our enemies means to conquer and defeat our adversaries by the power of the Holy Spirit. The word possess is the Hebrew word yaras which means to drive out previous tenants, cast out, succeed, to expel, and to utterly dispossess. God has given us all power and authority over the enemy and the gates of hell shall not prevail against us (Matthew 16:18-19)."
Justice is coming to the House of the Lord and all who have suffered injury and harm are being restored double for their trouble (Isaiah 61:7)! God is turning weeping into rejoicing. He is bringing honor to those who have suffered shame and dishonor. The Lord is tipping the scales of justice in our favor. Where the enemy came in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord is raising up a standard against him. The accuser of the brethren has lost his foothold over the Saints of God! We occupy a place of authority over our enemies to oppose them! Our enemies are being captured at the gate! We are making declarations of breakthrough, casting out the works of darkness wrecking havoc upon the earth, and disarming the enemy at the gate! God is bringing turning points into the Body of Christ. The Spirit of the Lord is saying, No more delay. This is the year to claim your inheritance and possess the gates of your enemies. Blessing and multiplication is your portion. Double for your trouble is your lot this year! What the enemy meant for evil, God is turning around for His good.
blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
