FASTING

Matthew 16:19, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven..."

KEYS OF AUTHORITY

When Jesus becomes our Lord, we are automatically transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:12-13 says, "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son." Now that we have a new king and live in a new kingdom, we must understand "kingdom principles" if we are to be victorious Christians. We cannot overcome until we have the keys that unlock the kingdom of heaven. The Lord never meant for us to wait until we die to experience heaven but purposed for us to bring heaven to the earth through the power of His Spirit. "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). We are unable to receive God's healing, provision and blessing if we do not know the keys the Lord has given us to accomplish kingdom living. Keys represent authority in the Kingdom of God, and authority is gained by using them. Fasting is only one of the keys to the kingdom; others are prayer, praise, worship, intercession and travail (a prayer burden from the Lord).

The key of fasting has nearly been lost to the modern church. It is also one that some say was only for early day Christians. Looking closely at the Word of God, we find that the Lord never did away with the principle of fasting, but it has been man who has attempted to make it obsolete. Fasting is still a valid key that can be used today to bring us into kingdom living. What is fasting? It is another means by which we can suffer for the Lord, through the voluntary abstinence from eating. Biblical fasting is done to bring spiritual results and is not simply for physical purposes. Doctors today are discovering the physical benefits of this practice and have found that abstaining from food (not water) for several days has a wonderful cleansing effect upon the body. Many impurities are burned up within the body as it is denied food, thus clearing the mind, and cleansing and healing the body. Even nature shows us that fasting is good medicine as we automatically lose our appetites when sickness strikes. Many people in the world are practicing fasting and finding it not only healthful, but even a wonderful way to lose weight quickly. However, even though we may enjoy these benefits while fasting, the Christian primarily fasts for spiritual purposes and not for health reasons. Obeying spiritual principles can produce positive physical results, but they are added blessings. Even people that are underweight who fast for spiritual purposes have been known to gain weight after completing their fasts.

The Lord tells us in Matthew 6:16-18 that when we fast, we are to do it unto the Lord. He doesn't say if we fast.

"Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." We can see that our motives in fasting must be pure. We are not to do it in order to broadcast it, but we are to do it as quietly and simply as possible so as not to attract attention to ourselves. We are to appear to others as though we are not fasting. There are exceptions, such as when we are fasting as a group for a specific thing. Then it must be announced so that others can take part. We find this in Joel 1:14, "Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord." The main thing the Lord desires is that it be done unto Him and not as a show unto men. Our heart attitude must be right to produce spiritual results.

Jesus, by fasting, set an example that we might follow in His steps. Matthew 4:1-4, "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

This Scripture shows us that the Lord drank water but did not eat food, for it says that after forty days he was hungry. The normal fast is without food, drinking water only.

There are also absolute fasts recorded in the Bible. Upon Saul's conversion in Acts 9:9, he immediately went on an absolute fast for three days, having neither food nor water. ("And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.") The body can go for a number of days without food, but cannot go for long periods without water. Therefore, the Bible does not record any absolute fasts that go beyond three days, except the account of Moses spending forty days and nights on top of Mount Sinai (Horeb) without food or water. This was a supernatural encounter with God and he was sustained during that time, because otherwise he would have died, as the human body cannot go without water that long.

Exodus 34:28-29, "And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shown while he talked with him."

We can see that because Moses was in the literal presence of the Lord, it was that presence that sustained him so he neither needed food nor water. This, of course, is an exceptional fast.

The Lord did not set up any specific duration that we are to fast, but from His teachings, we see that he did expect us to fast.

Luke 5:34-35, "And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days."

Fasting can be done for one meal, one day, one month or for however long God leads. It depends on how the Holy Spirit speaks to us. Shorter fasts are easier to endure until we have built up our "spiritual muscles". A helpful book we recommend is Arthur Wallis', God's Chosen Fast. It is a spiritual and practical guide to fasting. A three day fast is most beneficial as a spiritual cleansing. An example of this is Paul's being thrust into his fast upon conversion. After the three days of cleansing, he received the Holy Spirit and his eyesight when Ananias laid hands on him (Acts 9:17-18). We also can be spiritually cleansed by fasting so that we receive more of the Lord's Spirit and have our spiritual eyes opened to new dimensions. A three day fast is also especially helpful in breaking any addictive habits.

These then are two reasons for fasting: We receive spiritual cleansing and our spiritual eyes are opened, and we also obtain victory over the devil. When Jesus encountered Satan, He was able to overcome Him because His fasting had given Him spiritual strength. Isaiah 58:6 also gives us light on this purpose of fasting: "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?" Many people believe that fasting is to move the hand of God, when in actuality it is to make Satan turn loose of the things he is holding.

Fasting looses the bands of wickedness. When Jesus discussed the keys to the kingdom, He told us to bind and loose. When we fast, we loose the bands of wickedness, undo the heavy burdens, set the oppressed free, and break every yoke of the enemy. Fasting is an important key to getting the victory over hard situations that do not seem to respond to normal prayer.

Fasting builds our faith. In fact, this is what Jesus meant when he spoke to the disciples in Matthew 17:21 in answer to why they were not able to cast a demon out of a child. He said, "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." He was telling them if they wanted their faith to be at such a level as to be able to cast out demons, then they must fast and pray for their faith to increase.

Fasting also makes it easier for us to hear the voice of the Lord. We find an account of this in Acts 13:2-3:

"As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."

While fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to them and gave them direction. We too can be directed by the Lord if we seek Him through prayer and fasting.

Fasting and mourning are closely associated in the Bible. Two examples of this are found in Ezra and Nehemiah.

Ezra 10:6, "Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away." Nehemiah 1:4, "And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven."

From these Scriptures, we see that fasting and travail (a prayer burden from the Lord that brings crying and tears) were combined. Both of these men were fasting for the repentance of God's people. How we need this same kind of intercession today. Here were men so burdened for the sins of their people that they fasted, travailed and prayed.

Today, God is looking for people who are willing to take the same kind of burdens in the Spirit. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, so many are eager to do something for the Lord; however, due to a lack of proper teaching, they end up doing works in the flesh instead of works in the Spirit. Works that we do in our own strength profit nothing, but works that are inspired by the Spirit are profitable and bring results. Prayer is work in the Spirit. That is why it is not easy to pray. Travail and fasting are works in the Spirit. Witnessing under God's leadership is a spiritual work. God is looking for laborers who are ready to go to work for Him. (Matthew 9:37-38, "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.") The Lord is looking for workers, people who will labor to produce eternal results. Laboring in the Spirit brings many into the kingdom of God and causes much growth in the church.

Fasting is also one of these labors. It is a form of afflicting our soul. (Isaiah 58:3, "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?...") By afflicting our soul, we say to our flesh, "Flesh, you are demanding to eat, but Christ is stronger than the desires of my soul. My spirit shall rule my soul, and my soul shall not have dominion over me." Numerous individuals today are in bondage to their appetites because they have never denied themselves anything. The Lord wants us to be ruled by the Spirit, not by the flesh. Fasting brings the flesh unto subjection of the Spirit. (Matthew 4:4, "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.")

Fasting is also a way we can minister unto the Lord. We read in Acts 13:2 that they ministered unto the Lord and fasted. It is a way we can offer the time we generally spend in eating as unto the Lord in prayer. As we spend this time with Him, it causes things to happen in the Spirit. We do not understand this principle any more than other mysteries in the Bible, but we find that by applying it we get results. There are many things I don't understand with my natural mind, but I receive them by faith because the Word of God says they are true. If God's Word says it, that settles it. I don't even understand why Jesus had to die on a cross to save us from our sins. However, because I believed that He did and received His forgiveness in my heart, I was "born again." Likewise, I do not understand all the principles of fasting, but I do know they work.

We have discussed the absolute and the normal fasts, but we need to also mention the partial fast. This is a fast where we restrict our intake of food, but do not totally abstain. We have a record of this in Daniel 10:2-3, "In those days I, Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled". Daniel went on a three-week partial fast, restricting his diet of all pleasant food, meat and wine. It was during this time that he had a visitation from an angel. Fasting always suppresses the flesh and heightens our spiritual sensitivity. Generally speaking, we hear the Lord's voice more easily while fasting.

We all can benefit by giving up our pleasant bread for a season. The Lord blesses us for whatever sacrifices we make for Him. Our country is suffering under a spirit of gluttony and it would be a great blessing for the United States to have a time of national fasting unto God. We sit down and eat many times when we are not even hungry, simply because it is a habit. We should not eat out of habit or tradition, but rather that we might glorify Christ in our bodies. (I Corinthians 10:31, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.")

Fasting sometimes comes spontaneously. Often if people are grieving they lose their appetites and unconsciously fast. That is why mourning and fasting are mentioned together in the Bible. Another type of spontaneous fasting occurs when we are so busy seeking God about a situation or a spiritual goal that we simply forget to eat. (We are moving too fast to take time to eat because we are concentrating on the things of the Spirit. We are moving in the spirit in a "fast" way. The fasting acts as spiritual dynamite to speed things up in the Spirit that would normally take a longer time to come to pass.) Some Christians are forced to fast due to a lack of food in their part of the world. They can dedicate this time to God and He will bless it as He would a voluntary fast.

Does fasting move the hand of God? No. If we believe that God withholds from us and we have to fight to get Him to bless us, then we have a wrong conception of the Lord. Isaiah 58:6 indicates that fasting is not to move the hand of the Lord, but it is to make Satan turn loose of what he is holding back that rightfully belongs to us. Jesus died so we could have the blessings. They belong to us as His children. However, we must press in and demand the enemy to release some things. This is our right as sons of God. Sometimes Satan still controls much territory in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. He has many in bondage. Fasting is a key that breaks loose the bands of wickedness. As we fast and pray, Satan must let our children who are bound by spirits of rebellion and drugs go free. He must take his hands off our loved ones, our friends and family. Some people are so bound that only fasting can loose them from the wicked chains of darkness.

We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as to when fasting is needed. Sometimes it is not necessary because the problem has already been "prayed through." We need simply to rest in the Lord until His time for our answer to arrive. If we fast at those times, we will just be going hungry. We need also to seek the Lord as to whether He would have us go on a partial fast, normal fast or total fast. If we will ask, He will let us know. He will confirm His will to us. If we cannot hear His voice too clearly, He will send somebody to speak His counsel to us. We must trust Him.

We need also to check our motives when we fast. If they are selfish, our fast will not be accepted by the Lord. We see this in Jeremiah 14:10 and 12, "Thus saith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence." We cannot fast and have evil, unrepented sin or selfishness in our lives and expect God to answer our prayers. Many times we don't even recognize selfish prayers. When we pray for our loved ones to be saved or delivered, and our motive is to only bring relief to ourselves instead of being concerned that they receive the peace and joy of Jesus, we are wrong. Let us examine our hearts when we seek God for anything.

Isaiah 58 is the great fasting chapter. Here we read how this key can break the bonds of wickedness, undo the heavy burdens and bring healing. It frees the oppressed and the depressed. It breaks every yoke. Some people are yoked to bad habits in this world, and fasting can break those yokes so they can be free to enter into the kingdom of God. A three-day fast will break most addictions.

Isaiah 58:7 also says, "Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?" Fasting makes it possible for us not only to give "spiritual bread" to those that are hungry, but also releases our finances so that we can give "natural bread" to the poor and needy. The Lord wants us to have an abundance so we can be a blessing to others. He will bring the poor to our houses to be fed. He wants us to be able to minister to others. He will give us a ministry and cause people to be drawn to our doorstep by the Holy Spirit for counsel and prayer.

Verse 7 continues, "when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him." We are to cover others' sin through fasting and prayers of mercy. We are to ask God to forgive them and give them another chance. If we were stripped naked right now and our lives were bared before the world, every one of us would be ashamed and embarrassed about our past sins. None of us could stand. All of us would fall down naked, exposed and humiliated. However, we do not have to suffer this because Jesus paid the price for our sins and washed those things away. Praise God! They are not there anymore; God does not remember them, and neither should we. (Hebrews 10:17, "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.") We need to pray for others to be released from the burden of sin that is upon their lives.

Verse 7 also says, "...and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?" One trick of the enemy is to get us so busy ministering to others that we fail to minister to our own flesh. We must also ask the Lord to do a work of cleansing in our lives, and also make sure that we take time to let the Lord minister to us through His word, and in time spent alone with Him. Also, we are not to neglect our own flesh and blood. We must not get so busy with others' needs that we do not minister to our own families. We are to fast for them, pray for them and spend time with them.

In verse 8 we see the fruits of fasting, "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward." Healing will come forth quickly through fasting. If we have a besetting sin that we cannot get the victory over, fasting will strengthen us spiritually and deliver us from that bondage so that our righteousness can go before us. What a beautiful promise that the glory of the Lord shall be our reward! We receive a reward during the time of fasting, but it does not stop there. We also will be rewarded by seeing things come forth in the future as answers to our prayers.

Verse 9 says, "Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity." By this we see there are conditions to our fast. We cannot point our fingers at others in condemnation if we expect our prayers to be answered. We must come humbly before the Lord if we desire to see our prayers answered.

The remainder of Isaiah 58 explains that the Lord will cause us to be lights to others, and that we shall not walk in darkness but have the Lord continually guiding us. He says we shall be taken care of in drought. No matter what is happening in the land, we shall have plenty. Waste places shall be rebuilt, and the Lord will restore and repair the damage that has been done to our lives. We shall ride upon the high places of the earth and shall inherit God's blessings. Fasting brings restoration not only in our individual lives but in the life of the church also.

To sum up the different kinds of fasts:

(1.) Normal Fast - No food, water only.

(2.) Absolute Fast - Absolutely no food or water (Caution: Should not be undertaken over 3 days and only then if you have a clear directive from the Lord and are in good health).

(3.) Partial Fast - Abstinence from certain kinds of foods (i.e.: No meat or sweets, soup only, fruit and vegetables only, etc. In Daniel 10:3, Daniel ate no pleasant bread).

(4.) Juice Fast - Fruit and vegetable juices only.

(5.) Corporate Fast - A church or group of people who feel God has called them to fast together for a certain period of time.

(6.) Chain Fast - A church or group of people who commit to fasting for a long period of time and each individual commits to fast for a day or longer and signs up for so many days so that the entire period is covered for the designated fasting period. (Our church did this for an entire year at one time.)

(7.) Jewish Fasting Period - The Jewish fast began at 6:00 P.M. in the evening and ended the next day at 6:00 P.M. (Some people follow this time period to begin and end fasts.)

(8.) Fasting Plus Prayer -- Remember, fasting should be combined with prayer. God called us to fast and pray, not fast and preach, nor fast and work. God did not call us to fast and do hard physical work. Although some work and certain responsibilities cannot be avoided while fasting, accounts in the Bible reveal that they arranged times to fast and pray when they did not have to work so they could make seeking God the focal point during the fast, especially when the fasts exceeded 3 days. Giving up our free weekends and vacations to fast, is one way we can sacrifice to the Lord.

(9.) Fasting and Abstinence -- Although the word "fast" is used as abstaining from food in the Bible and does not refer to giving up other things, during a fast one can practice abstinence from other pleasures as well, such as entertainment, T.V, hobbies and sex, as spoken about in 1 Corinthians 7:1-5.

If you are considering an extended fast, you should seek competent medical supervision of someone familiar with fasting. This is especially needed if you are taking any medications. (This article is informational and spiritually directive and is not intended to take the place of medical advice). We would also recommend you reading these books for detailed information on fasting: God's Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis or The Coming Revival by Dr. Bill Bright.

RESTORATION OF THE CHURCH

We are living in the time of restoration of the church now. God has begun a work of restoration in us. The power of the Holy Spirit is being restored to the church. God is healing His people and giving back to them the things Satan has robbed. The Lord is restoring truth to the church again, so she can rise from obscurity and be seen in love and power, even as she was in New Testament days.

The world is looking for a church that has the power to heal and bless, a church that walks in victory. The world wants to see a church that is not hypocritical, a church that is holy and full of love. We are the individual members of that church if we are born again. The work must begin in us personally before it can manifest itself corporately. The Lord is returning for a bride without spot or blemish. God is preparing her. We must have the keys to the kingdom so that we can come to that place in God where the world can tell the difference between "us" and "them."

Fasting is a wonderful tool given to help bring us to that place. God's ultimate desire is that we live "fasted" lives, thus reducing the need for periodic fasting. However, until we come to the place where the kingdom of God means more to us than food, we need to set our wills to fast in order to bring our bodies under subjection to the Spirit of the Lord.

Paul was an overcomer and says in I Corinthians 9:27, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." For us to overcome we must do likewise. To grow in God we must follow the methods He mapped out in His Word. The Lord is encouraging us to walk in His footsteps so that we might attain the same victory that Paul did. It is not impossible; we just have not understood God's ultimate purpose for our lives; we have lived far below the level God intended. Even though we will walk through some hard places in this life, we will be able to say it was worth it all when we come into the same perfection that Paul did.

II Corinthians 11:27, "In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." Philippians 3:8, "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ."

The keys of prayer, praise, worship, intercession, travail and fasting will bring us to the same place that Paul attained through Jesus. We can have a similar anointing in our lives, and be used as Paul was to achieve God's victories in the name of Jesus. We can enter into the Lord's authority so that the demons and devils obey us. We can expose Satan's devices and learn the ways by which we overcome him. These important keys will unlock many from the chains of darkness. Let us use all the keys to the kingdom so that the kingdom of God might be formed in us.

"Father, You know each one that is reading this today, and I ask You to reach out and meet their needs. Lord, minister to their need now through the power of the Holy Spirit. If there are those who have not been filled with Your Spirit, I pray that You would fill them now to overflowing. Lord, to those who need You as Savior, touch them and come into their hearts; may they be born again and placed into Your kingdom. For those who need healing in their bodies, touch them with Your creative power. Father, deliver and set free those who are suffering from depression and are bound by the things of this world. Bless Your people, Lord, as they seek Your will and way for their lives. Give them Your strength to use the keys of the kingdom to overcome the enemy. In Jesus' name, Amen."

THE FATHER OF LIES

Have you been lied to lately? Was it another Christian that lied to you? A minister perhaps? Each of us have had our trust in people undermined, or in some cases even destroyed because of lies. We would all agree that lying is an ugly evil. The Bible tells us that lying began with the devil and that he is the father of lies.

John 8:43-47 says, "Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."

The Bible is filled with admonitions against being dishonest and lying. One of the Ten Commandments states:

"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." Exodus 20:16

Before we point our finger at another for being a liar that we feel God needs to deal with, let us examine our own lives to see if we are infected with the same disease. What kind of witness are we to those around us? Are we deceived and have we become liars ourselves? Let us first give a definition as to what a lie is according to Webster’s dictionary:

1.) To make a statement that one knows is false, especially with the intent to deceive.
2.) To give a false impression or action or false statement, especially with the intent to deceive.
3.)To make a false statement in order to evade the truth.
4.)The invention of a false story or excuse in order to deceive.

Perhaps for a Christian, a Biblical definition of lying could be summed up in this statement:

Any time our word does not agree with God’s Word.

In Numbers 23:19 the Bible says, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"

When we do not keep our word we are guilty of lying. Over the last year I have lost track of the number of times Christians have failed to keep their word to me. I am not angry or resentful or bitter over this, as the Lord has worked those attitudes out of my life. I have learned to take every offense to Him in prayer and He then removes any personal ill I might have and He gives me a forgiving and gracious attitude toward others. However, since I began to notice how many of God’s people were not keeping their word, I received a prayer burden of intercession for this evil to be removed from God’s people.

I first began praying about my own life and asked God to expose any areas where I might be guilty of this sin. I have tried to obey Romans 12:17-21 which says, "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

Most of the time I would just forgive these lying offences and would just pray for them and try to "live peaceably with all men." However, in prayer, the Lord spoke to my heart that I must go one step further and "speak the truth in love" to my brothers and sisters if I truly loved them.

Ephesians 4:15-16 says, "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.""


If we, as the body of Christ, are to mature and grow up we must conform to the truth which is Jesus. The devil is behind every lie and as Christians we are admonished not to lie to one another.

Colossians 3:9-10 says, "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."

Lying

Proverbs 6:16-19 says, "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."

There is a plague that is grieving the heart of God because it is preventable and can be stopped. It has spread among all churches and is particularly rampant in society. Even God’s ministers are not immune and many of them are infected with it.

What is this evil plague? You may be surprised as it appears rather harmless at first glance. It is now so commonplace that people are deceived into just accepting it as normal, instead of recognizing and resisting it. This epidemic is the practice of lying and dishonesty.

What does the Bible say about lying? A lying tongue is not only something God hates, it is also something that is an abomination to Him.

As the moral climate of our society has been deteriorating, lying has become a major problem. The business world is particularly plagued by this problem--men’s dishonesty with each other, meetings "forgotten", company theft, promises not kept, contracts broken, etc. Lawyers have increased in numbers over the last decade, mainly because of irresponsibility and broken contracts among men due to lying. A news organization recently did a survey here in America and asked people several questions to determine the percentage of people who lied or were dishonest about things. Some of the questions were:

Do you cheat on your Income Tax Return?
Do you compliment people when you really don’t mean it?
Do you tell your spouse to tell callers you are not at home when you are there?
Do you tell "little white lies" if it will keep you out of trouble?
Do you tell creditors that "the check is in the mail" when you have not yet mailed it?
Do you exaggerate in repeating things you have heard?

The results of this survey determined that 90% of Americans are not truthful under certain circumstances. This is understandable when we look at the morals of our society but what about Christians? Have they fallen into the habit of lying also? Also, what constitutes a lie according to the Bible? Anything that is not the truth is a lie and God’s Word the Bible tells us what is truth. The Bible is the standard or measuring rod we must use in determining truth. Sadly, Christians are also succumbing to this epidemic of lying. Lying to each other has now become so commonplace, Christians too, have become liars.

THE GREATEST GIFT

God is a giver, not a taker. Throughout Scripture, we find evidence of His great generosity towards His creation. From the beginning of time as we know it, when He called forth Creation--when He gave existence to things that had never before existed--we can see the true heart of God. He literally gave of Himself to make each one of us. "The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being" (Genesis 2:7). The very nature of God is to give, to create, and to bless His creation. Unfortunately, many of us are so self-absorbed and greedy for gain that we do not even have the eyes to see the countless gifts that God has already worked into our lives. Yet, God wants us to be givers too. He created us to be like Him--to pour of ourselves into other people, and to reciprocate His love for us. God created us with the power to be able to give back to Him! When I really stop and think about this, it truly amazes me--that God--the sum of ALL good things, who holds ALL power and authority, would humble Himself in this way. He didn't make himself entirely independent of His creation, or set Himself up as a mere casual observer of humankind, though He certainly had the power to do so. Instead, He allowed Himself to love us to the point where our returned love would be a blessing to Him. Each one of us, little and insignificant as we are, has been given the profound gift of the ability to bring joy to the heart of God. It is extremely humbling to me, when I stop and consider that God has thus set the laws of His creation into motion. That the One who is Love personified, would actually be blessed by the love that I could offer Him. This is the greatest gift of all, and it is given to every human being who has ever lived or will live--the ability to give of ourselves to God and to each other. Without this gift, life would be very empty indeed.

In the mad rush of the holiday season, the true meaning of giving is often forgotten. What is meant to be a time of blessing and joy becomes instead, a time of stress and depression. Recently, as I was praying for the church and the nations of the world, a great sorrow began to rise up inside of me. God has placed so many gifts within His church. Each member of the Body of Christ has been given strategic giftings and a unique place that none other can fulfill in quite the same way. Yet, so many are not moving into their rightful place. They are afraid to use their gifts, or they think their gifts are insignificant. Many are secretly hurt and angry at God because they feel they haven't been given anything remarkable. They mistake God's anointing and talent in certain individuals as a sign of God's approval of those people, and they assume their "lack" is a sign that God doesn't love them as much as He loves others...that God is somehow "prouder" of other people than He is of them. Because of this fear and resentment, they are crippled in taking their proper place in God's kingdom, falling short of the gift they were created to be.

Others are busily using their gifts, and by their own efforts are successful in the eyes of the world. Maybe they have a thriving ministry. Maybe they are making good money. Maybe they have the respect and admiration of those around them. This doesn't necessarily mean, however, that their actions are a blessing to the heart of God, or that they are even obeying what God has told them to do. Ecclesiastes 4:4 says "And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Many are so busy creating their own kingdoms, that the kingdom of God suffers a great lack. Their pride and busy occupations have blocked the measure of their true worth in God's kingdom.

Who will fill these missing places in the body of Christ? Even now as we go about our daily lives, all creation groans in frustration, waiting for the sons of God to be revealed (Romans 8:19-22). There is so much work to be done, and so few who are willing to do it. John 4:35-36 says ".... I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together." God intends both the sower and the reaper to share the same joy of the harvest. There should be no competition among God's faithful servants, no jostling each other for the "prime" positions, no envy or personal ambition. If we truly love the Lord, our only goal should be to bless Him, to serve Him, and to advance His kingdom.

As I was praying, I saw a vision of the Lord, manifested in the person of someone I love very much. In the vision, I saw this person laying in bed, exhausted after a hard day's work. The Lord said to me "What do you think she would like right now? How could you bless her?" I could instantly see that a cup of hot tea and a home-cooked meal would be just as much, if not more of a blessing to her than whatever big, distant work I could conjure up to show her my love. Immediately, I could see what God was trying to show me. We are created like Him. If we appreciate a "small" gift given in love more than the fanfare of a "big" gift given in insincerity, how much more does God?

As the vision continued, I could see Jesus sitting alone by a road with people running up and down it. They were all very busy. Some were stopping and chatting with Him for a moment here and there, but as I overheard their conversations, they were mostly to inform Jesus of what they wanted from Him, or what they were going to do for Him. One man in particular ran up to him. "Oh, Jesus, I'm so excited," he cried. "I'm off to tell the world all about you!" Quickly he ran off before Jesus could say anything at all. My heart broke, as I saw Him there, sitting by Himself. Yes, He wanted to bless those people with things beyond their wildest imagination. Yes, He wanted them to find fulfillment in serving Him. But what He really wanted most of all was for those people to come and sit with Him and talk awhile...to hold His hand and look deep into His eyes...to share their dreams and sorrows, and to hear His joys and sorrows...to let Him simply give His love to them. In all their mad rush to give and get, they missed the greatest treasure of all, sitting right in front of them.

So much of what we do for God is with mixed motives for our own personal fulfillment. We all want to have a purpose and reason for living. We all hope that if we were to die tomorrow, we would leave a legacy of some kind behind us. Yet for most of us, this becomes the end to which we live. Sadly, when we make anything other than God our reason for living, that thing will become an idol in our lives. Even if it is a good thing, like a ministry or a mate, it can still never fulfill us because it wasn't designed to. It simply can't! It doesn't even have the ability to fulfill. In fact, those idols will begin to work against us, and cause us suffer spiritual barrenness. They will put us on a treadmill until we become broken-hearted and exhausted trying to keep it all alive. On the other hand, if we receive them simply as the gifts they are and continue to love God first in our lives, we will be given the ability to enjoy them, for this too is a gift. Ecclesiastes. 3:13 says "That everyone may...find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God." The key is simply to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these other things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33).

When all is said and done, only those things which were done "as unto the Lord" will count for anything. In God's eyes, there are no "big" or "small" things done for His Kingdom. All He asks of us is to obey Him in what He tells us to do. Let us follow through and obey Him, whether His commands seem great or small. After all, it is Jesus we are talking about here! The One who left His home in glory to bleed and die a humiliating, painful for each one of us. The One who made himself vulnerable to us, by giving us the ability to bless him or hurt him. As we obey Him, we bring such joy to His heart! Then His joy, which is a strength to the spirit of man, becomes our joy as well. God is not impressed, nor is He blessed by the best of our works done in self. He is only impressed by the attitude of our hearts.

As we look around the world this holiday season, let us stop and consider Who's birthday we are celebrating. Let us not forget to offer sincere thanks to our precious, precious Lord for His many blessings in our lives. And let us show our thankfulness by our actions! Let us offer the same mercy that God has given us to those around us. Let us press deeper into the heart of God, that we may have something to offer this world besides the same old cycle of greed, pride and rebellion. Let us not be ashamed to become the servant of all, showing our love for God by laying down our rights, our plans, our time and money for the sake of others. Let us demonstrate our love to God by giving Him the very things we are afraid to lay down, trusting that He has the best plan for our lives and would never use or abuse us. Let us truly fulfill the greatest commandment, which is to "Love the Lord our God with all our mind, soul, and strength; and to love our neighbor as ourself" (Luke 10:27). Each of us is destined to make a profound difference in the world. Let us not fall short of our destinies! Let us give the greatest Christmas gift that we have been afforded to give; one that we can give year-round--to bless the heart of God!

If you do not know God the way you want to, you can receive the gift of knowing Him right now. Simply pray to Him from your heart and ask him to forgive you for your sins and turning your back on Him. Romans 10:9, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the you shall be saved." Ask Him to come into your life and make you a new person, born of His spirit. You can give to Him a gift He considers more dear than anything else in the world--yourself. In return, you will receive eternal life with Him, which begins the moment you are born again. May God bless each of you richly as you seek to give unto Him your all.

If you just prayed to ask God into your heart, or you would like to know more about becoming a Christian

CONQUERING FEAR

We live in an hour in the earth that the Bible speaks of as the "last days." Because we are in the end times we know that according to prophecy it will be a time of great tribulation and trouble. 2 Timothy 3:1 says, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." More scripture describing the end times is spoken of by Jesus himself in these verses:

Matthew 24: 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

This is certainly a description of our present world. However, notice in verse 6 the Lord told us this "...see that you are not troubled." There is only one way we can be without fear in a world of turmoil, hatred, war, and uncertainty. The way to do this is to trust the One who told us not to be troubled or fearful. Only through Christ's power can we walk in peace and safety. We must give our lives completely to the Lord and yield to His will as to what He wants us to do, where He wants us to live, what He wants us to sell or give away and what we are to do with our time. This is a total commitment to give God first place of our time, money, careers, family and future.

The Word of God tells us, "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord'' (Psalm 112:7). Fear is the opposite of trust. The devil continually tries to get us to be fearful. The Bible says in Luke 21:26, "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.'' Many people shall not overcome fear, but be overcome by it. As Christians, we are not to be fearful but are to trust in the Lord. Should Satan come against us with his lies and fear, we are to turn to God and ask that the fear be removed. People's fears are many. Some fear death, others are afraid of getting cancer, afraid of losing their loved ones, afraid of the house burning down, afraid of having car wrecks or afraid of flying in airplanes, afraid of the future. Others are tormented with the fear of the dark, fear of being molested or fear of staying alone. Fear is a horrible monster no matter what form it takes. After we seek God for the removal of our fear, we then should quote the Word of God concerning that subject to the devil. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind'' (2Timothy 1:7).

As we listen to the Holy Spirit, He usually speaks something positive for us to do. It could be we are to sing to the Lord, pray in the spirit or read the Bible. If we obey, the Holy Spirit will then drive the "spirit of fear'' from us. If we cannot get free and find we are in bondage to an evil spirit of fear, we may need to have this evil spirit "cast out.'' If we are simply overcoming a weakness of fear in our flesh, submitting to God and resisting the devil will accomplish the victory. We should not be discouraged if we do not get the victory the first time. It sometimes takes several bouts with the devil to win the round. If we lose one battle, it does not mean we are losing the war. The Lord will bring the victory if we are determined and have chosen to trust God and not to fear.

This same approach applied to any weakness will bring us success. The place to begin is with a decision of the will. A decision allowed us to come into the kingdom of God. We decided to accept the Lord's forgiveness and reconciliation. At the time of this decision we were "born anew'' and received the gift of life in Christ. This was all accomplished by faith in God's Word. The same method will work in overcoming any weakness in our lives. We must first decide we want to be an overcomer. Then the power of God will perform this in us as we trust Him by faith to do so. We must not be double-minded once we set our course, since a double- minded man receives nothing. "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.'' (James 1:6-8). True faith rests in the victory of Jesus.

When we come to the Lord, we are "re-born'' and our life with God begins with a clean slate. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new'' (2 Corinthians 5:17). Sometimes past sins and mistakes cause us to fear the future or fear exposure of our former deeds. The Lord wants the pain of our past erased so we can function without the hurt of those wounds. We should not dig up the past unless the Holy Spirit specifically sees the need to touch an area with His healing, and only then if that healing requires facing the past. With His love He will remove the hurt and fear of those days.

However, if we have hurt people it would be in order to ask their forgiveness. We should also try to right the wrong if by doing so it would not bring the involved party more hurt. As Christians we should restore to those we have defrauded and publicly apologize if we have failed a group or brought reproach upon them. We should confess the truth if we have lied or gossiped. When the Lord shows us how we have hurt others we should always seek to make amends. If we have stolen something, we should restore it. Sweeping things under the rug will never bring recovery and restoration. It will only lead to more fear and deception. The only way we can walk in truth is to replace the lie with the truth of God's Word.

Emotional stress and fear can also cause physical sickness. Inner emotional healing is sometimes the key to receiving a physical healing. We can be suffering with ulcers because we have not forgiven someone, or arthritis can possibly be the result of a bitter and prideful spirit. Heart problems can occur because of fear and stress. The Lord begins our healing from the inside out. Once we have been cleansed in our hearts and souls, then the body will also respond and experience healing. When we prosper in our souls, then we will also prosper in our bodies. The Bible says, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth'' (3 John 2).

If we are overwhelmed by depression or hopelessness or fear and we are unable to pray or read God's Word, we can ask the Holy Spirit to speak to someone to pray for us. The Lord knows that many times we are too weak to pray and that we need the body of Christ, the church. They can stand and pray with us until we get the victory. We need not feel embarrassed to ask others to pray. We need each other. It is also helpful to have someone pray the prayer of agreement with you when trying to overcome a weakness or fear. This will bring strength to your decision to overcome in the areas needed. "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven'' (Matthew 18:19). This is a wonderful agreement that should be utilized by husbands and wives. The wife can agree that her husband's weakness will be overcome in Christ, while the husband can make the same agreement for his wife. Satan tries to divide all relationships with critical thoughts and words about each other's weaknesses.

One of the greatest fears people are fighting at this time is fear of financial loss and fear of the future since many of the prophets of God are declaring times of trouble and tribulation in the U.S.A. and the world. The Lord knew the hour we would be living in and we can rest assured He has a plan of protection and provision for all of His committed people. What we must all do is seek the Lord with our whole heart and get His plan for our individual lives since these are perilous times. The only safe place for any of us is in the will of God! If we are in His will we will find His provision and direction. He wants to speak to us. However, we must be close to Him to hear. In the physical world the farther away you are in distance from someone the harder time you have in being able to hear them. The same principle applies to the spirit world. Hearing God is a matter of proximity.

Psalm 91:15-16: "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation."

Reviewing how to overcome fear or any negative emotion, we must:

(1) Ask the Lord to remove it.
(2) Quote the Word of God.
(3) Listen to the Holy Spirit.
(4) Obey His guidance.
(5) Praise Him for the answer.

This is only a simple outline but many find it helpful when needing a guideline to overcome faults and failures and fears.

HOMOSEXUALITY

We realize that this subject can be a very difficult one to address. Furthermore, as hate crimes specifically committed against homosexuals occur, many feel that this issue shouldn't be addressed at all for fear of only adding to the hostile environment that many homosexuals face. Despite the cultural climate in which we live, this issue must be addressed according to the Word of God. God's laws are always for our good, although man may see them as restricting. In the end, only obedience to the Word of God can bring true freedom. We address this issue out of God's love for the homosexual to bless and help him.

Much of our society has embraced many perverted sexual practices that are considered in the Bible as abominations to God. Homosexuality is among the list of deviate or abnormal sexual practices however, there are many other practices that can be included as well. Pornography, pedophilia, prostitution, bestiality, oral sex, phone sex and computer virtual reality sex, just to name a few of them.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NIV): "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters, nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

Although the Bible doesn't detail each and every one of these sinful acts, it does clearly speak out about many of them. Any deviation from God's original plan for sex between a married man and woman is still a sin in God's eyes. The main reason we call these things perverted is because they are unnatural and scripture clearly tells us those who do such things are committing abominations. Leviticus 18:22 (KJV): "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind it is abomination."

Homosexuality is also referred to as the sin of sodomy. This reference comes from an account in the Bible of two exceedingly wicked cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, which the Lord destroyed. Sodom was known for its rampant homosexuality and unrestrained sexual lust, as well as other sins such as arrogance, haughtiness, and disregard for the poor. When the Lord sent angels to warn Lot who lived in the city that it was about to be destroyed, the men of the city actually wanted to rape the angels! Genesis 13:13: "But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly."

In the Old Testament the penalty for this sin was severe. Leviticus 20:13: "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." Today the penalty of death comes in the form of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. It also brings death to the soul and spirit of man because the life of God is pushed out by indulging in something that is an abomination to God. God wants to deliver all who are trapped in this unholy practice and He will if anyone calls out to Him with a sincere heart.

We certainly acknowledge that AIDS has broken out of the homosexual community, and now, many innocent people are suffering with this disease through no fault of their own. However, the intent of the above statement is not directed to those who have innocently contracted this disease, but rather to the sinners who are spreading it. A comparison could be made to those who smoke. Smokers are opening themselves up for lung cancer; however, the people who are subjected to breathing the smoke second-hand are also subject to this disease. The person who willfully smokes is guilty of destroying their own bodies, but should those who are forced to live in the environment of the smoke, get lung cancer, they are not guilty of this sin. When we teach that smoking causes lung cancer, we are not judging or condemning those who innocently get lung cancer from breathing second-hand smoke. It is simply a true fact that smoking can cause lung cancer.

The same is true of AIDS. A homosexual life style increases the risk of that person contracting AIDS. There is no condemnation or judgment against those who innocently contract this disease through no fault of their own (for instance, through blood transfusions.) However, since AIDS is most prevalent in the homosexual community, we need to warn people of the dangers of homosexuality, so that AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases are not spread to the rest of society, as now, many heterosexuals have contracted these diseases too, through unfaithful partners.

JESUS, OUR SHAME BEARER

WHAT IS SHAME?

Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary ¹ gives this definition: SHAME -- A negative emotion caused by an awareness of wrongdoing, hurt ego, or guilt. In the Bible, the feeling of shame is normally caused by public exposure of one's guilt (Genesis 2:25; 3:10). Shame may also be caused by a hurt reputation or embarrassment, whether or not this feeling is due to sin (Psalm 25:2-3; Proverbs 19:26; Romans 1:16).

Joseph, not wishing to shame Mary, desired to divorce her secretly (Matthew 1:19). Ultimately, God will expose the guilt of the ungodly, putting them to shame (Daniel 12:2). God also puts to shame the wise of the world by exposing their guilt before Him and by choosing to save the foolish of this world by a "foolish" message (1 Corinthians 1:18-31). Finally, our Lord Jesus suffered the shame of the Cross because He was put on public display as the recipient of God's wrath (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 12:2).

According to this Bible dictionary, shame is caused by one of two ways: either the awareness or exposure of guilt, or a hurt reputation or embarrassment, whether or not this feeling is due to sin. I would only add that shame is also caused by being wronged, abused, or mistreated when one's personal rights are violated. This could occur a number of ways, but the most vivid example I know of is when a child is verbally, physically or sexually abused by an adult. The shame received by such abuse can be lifelong and far reaching.

HOW DOES SHAME AFFECT US?

Think back over your life to a time when you were shamed. Perhaps a parent disciplined you publicly and other children teased you about it. Maybe you were falsely accused of cheating in school and unjustly punished. Perhaps your reputation was marred in some way and you had to live it down. Maybe you did something wrong but were improperly corrected and have carried the embarrassment of your actions ever since. Here are some important facts about shame which have been verified through many fields of study:

1. Shame always results in a loss of dignity.

Each individual is born with a sense of personhood which, if properly nurtured, will instinctively help him or her make the right life choices. There are many unbelievers who are basically moral people due to the fact they have chosen to keep their dignity and were fortunate enough to avoid abuse during their formative years. Some, however, were needlessly shamed in early life and grew up with a sense of loss about their personhood. There are too many ways this can happen to list here, but a few are:

If a father really wanted a son but got a girl he can unknowingly damage her sense of personhood by treating her like a boy and shaming her when she acts like a little girl. There are many masculine women in our society whose personhood was not properly nurtured during childhood. "Daddy's tomboy" for a girl is not any more healthy than "Mommy's little girl" for a boy!

Another way children are shamed is when they are told they are stupid, dumb, etc. When adolescents go through a clumsy stage it is easy during those tender, vulnerable years, to degrade their sense of personal value through family members calling them names, even in times of humor. The gangly teen may laugh along with the rest of the family, but is often crying inside.

Teenagers who engage in sexual sin enter adulthood with guilt and shame dogging their steps.

Adopted children are sometimes stigmatized by our society. They grow up with a spirit of rejection, feeling unwanted or illegitimate. Even as adults they often feel loss because they do not know their biological parents and go to great lengths to find them.

When children are punished in anger or punished in the wrong way (slapping in the face, etc.) their personal dignity is demolished by the authority figure in their lives which can cause them to incorrectly surmise that God thinks they have little value, too. A damaged person is often tempted to doubt God's ability to restore from guilt and shame. God encourages all who were shamed in their childhood, however, that "Thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth" (Isaiah 54:4).

Adults can be shamed, too, through divorce, failure, rape, bankruptcy or other traumas.

There are a host of ways a person can be shamed. Ask our Father to show you how you have been degraded by your life experiences. However your dignity may have suffered, or your personhood destroyed, you need to realize that part of the work of God in your life is to restore you to wholeness in your concepts about yourself.

2. Shame produces emotional pain.

When a person is shamed his or her emotions are damaged. This causes a sense of loss, hurt, and devaluation.

The macho mentality refuses to acknowledge the reality of emotional pain boasting, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." God's Word, however, teaches that words can injure the innermost part of a person (Proverbs 18:8). Unlike broken skin, though, a broken spirit does not automatically heal.

Emotional pain can be so real it can actually cause physical pain--heaviness in the chest, upset of the digestive process, headaches, sleep disturbances, etc. Sometimes there is a physical pain which is based solely in the emotions.

3. Shamed people medicate their pain.

We humans lick our emotional wounds by medicating our pain through a multitude of means: sports, food, money, sex, television, personal achievements, immoral relationships, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, rage and various other things. Some of them, in themselves, are not wrong (take food for instance) but we abuse them by over indulgence in an attempt to medicate our pain. In the thorough book, Love Hunger, the doctors of the Minirth-Meier clinic spell out reasons why we overeat and show how, in most cases, a person is actually attempting to fill a hole inside.

Many hurting people turn to the church in an effort to alleviate the pain they feel. After being involved for awhile they often drop out, still hurting. Some people use religion to evade their pain and deny their true feelings. Church is an escape to them like theater is to someone else.

Pain calls for alleviation. If the alleviation itself is sinful then the individual feels guilt which produces more shame-pain which, in turn, calls for more of the addictive substance or practice and so the cycle goes. This is how a person, or a society, becomes compulsive and addicted.

JESUS CHRIST, OUR SUBSTITUTE

I believe Jesus Christ is alive today and able to meet our deepest needs and that these next years will witness a revolutionary healing in the deep cores of hurting people. They will no longer need to medicate pain because their gut feelings will be healed and their compulsions will be forgotten in the light of His grace! Jesus is not only our Guilt Offering, but our Shame Bearer as we shall see this month and next.

HOW DID JESUS BEAR OUR SHAME?

All His sufferings on our behalf, in a general sense, were for our shame when the Messiah was publicly beaten, mocked, whipped, and nailed to the Cross. In a specific sense, however, Jesus bore our shame in two distinct ways: when He was spit upon., and when He was exposed.

SHAME BY SPITTING

In the Old Testament spitting in the face was a gesture of contempt, a deliberate insult. Job, during his trial, was such an object of disgrace that people spat upon him in disgust (Job 30:10). He not only lost his children, his wealth, and his health--he lost his honor, too, and the people expressed it by spitting on the poor fellow as they walked by.

Miriam, after criticizing Moses for his choice of a wife, was smitten with leprosy. Moses prayed for God to miraculously heal her rather than having her wait throughout a seclusion period demanded for curing leprosy in the Levitical laws (Leviticus 13, 14). The Lord answered him, "If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again" (Numbers 12:14).

In this scripture we see reference to the accepted custom of a father spitting on his daughter if she had behaved foolishly. The daughter would be publicly disgraced, though not disowned, by her father's public spittle. After a period of humiliation and isolation she would be welcomed back to her family. If this seems harsh, and it was, just remember that a son who behaved foolishly could be brought to the city's gate and stoned! (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).

The key thought is that many ancient peoples, not only Hebrews, expressed shame by spitting.

THEY SHALL SPIT UPON HIM

Jesus Christ was spat upon during the course of His vicarious sufferings (Matthew 27:30; Mark 15:19). He foretold this would happen two different times: when He was on earth (Mark 10:34; Luke 18:32) and centuries before He became flesh. The Word spoke through Isaiah, "I gave My back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from SHAME AND SPITTING" (Isaiah 50:6).

Notice how the phrase "shame and spitting" go together in Isaiah's prophecy. Jesus actually bore our shame when He was spit upon so we could be emotionally healed of shame and disgrace! Christ was mocked and devalued, jeered and mistreated on our behalf.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN DESPISED?

Think back over the course of your life. Can you remember times when your sense of value was cheapened by the behavior of others? If they were your authority figures did you accept the unkind remarks they made about you as true of yourself? Have you ever said about yourself the same type of things others said long ago? If you answer yes to any of these questions then you may be living in a very real sense of shame.

Jesus Christ made those He contacted feel better about themselves. Even an adulteress walked away with her sense of worth restored (John 8). Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would be "...despised and rejected of men" as Spurgeon commented "so the reader need not bear it" (Isaiah 53:3). Christ bore the emotional ills of His people so we would not have to medicate our pain. Instead we can believe that He "...carried our sorrows" for us (Isaiah 53:4).

Go to Him now and ask Him to minister this vital provision in your life.

BATTLING AGAINST DEMONS

The Lord is revealing the devices of Satan so that Christians can learn to battle the real enemy as he attacks their lives, instead of battling one another. The main thing we need to do is to take authority over Satan, casting him out of our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Satan is a robber and a thief, and he delights in destroying God's children. God wants us to grow up, stop acting like children by fighting with one another, and fight the real enemy, Satan. We need to lay down our lives for our mates and loved ones and be aggressive in prayer against the wiles of the enemy. He will flee when commanded to do so in the name of Jesus.

If the attack is from without, carried on by Satan's suggestions, temptations and influences, we still fight him the same way we would if he has gained access and entered the body with dominating control. We call on God with a humble heart and submit our entire lives to Him, and then aggressively resist the devil, commanding him to leave in the name of Jesus. We should speak this command out loud. We need to realize also there are certain conditions one must meet in order to gain permanent deliverance from demon bondage. We first must be a child of God to receive help. If you are not "born again," simply invite Jesus to come into your heart and save your soul. Accept God's Word that says He loves you and wants to give you abundant life. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). To receive this abundant life you must repent and turn from your sins and accept God's provision of the shed blood of Jesus Christ as the only way to cleanse you. Sin has separated you from God, and receiving Christ restores you to fellowship with Him and you become a part of the family of God. "But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God..." (John 1:12

CAN A CHRISTIAN HAVE A DEMON?

One of Satan's clever devices is to cause division among Christians over just such a subject, for then he is allowed to work freely on both sides. One side refuses to believe that a Christian can have a demon, while the other side sees demons in everything. Both sides are extreme, but if we look to God's Word we can find balance. To answer the question, "Can a Christian have a demon?," we need to understand the two main causes of a Christian's problems.

The first problem is what Paul calls the "flesh" in Romans 8:5-8, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

The "flesh" is defined here as the "carnal mind" and it is spoken of as enmity with God. The carnal mind is in the soul of man. After a Christian experiences the "new birth," he is a new creature; however, he finds he still has the problem of walking in the flesh instead of the Spirit. His mind has not been renewed yet by the Word of God, so unless he reckons the "old man" dead when tempted, he fails God and gives in to his "flesh." To maintain a walk in the Spirit one must totally dedicate his life to God and continually choose the path of God. The "flesh" of man is under Satan's dominion as it is part of the old Adamic nature. The "flesh" and the "world" are under Satan's influence, so when we sin we have yielded to an attack by Satan in an indirect way. Romans 6:16, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves, servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." The way to get rid of the devil in these instances is to submit to the Lord and resist Satan so that he will flee (James 4:7). We are to crucify the flesh and choose God's way in the situation. "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24).

FILTHINESS IN FLESH & SPIRIT

The second cause of a Christian's inner problems is evil spirits or demons which Satan uses to fasten upon some aspect of the "flesh" that has not yet been overcome. These demons do not relinquish their hold unless compelled to do so. Some argue that a Christian cannot have a demon in him. They say he now has Christ in his spirit, and the Spirit of Christ and evil spirits cannot co-exist. Because of this erroneous teaching, many are bound by dark powers when they could be free. This is contrary to Scripture as also James is speaking to Christians when he admonishes them in James 4:5, "Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, the spirit that dwelleth in as lusteth to envy?" II Corinthians 7:1 states, "Having therefore these promises, dearly be-loved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

The Holy Spirit certainly needs no cleansing, but man's soul or flesh has filth in it and many times filthy (unclean) spirits need to be cast out. Jesus talked about our bodies being houses. He made it plain that if, after cleaning, we were not continually filled with the Holy Spirit, a demon could return:

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation" (Matthew 12:43-45).

By this Scripture it may be seen that a portion of the kingdom of Satan is a host of bodiless spirits. They seek to enter the bodies of mortals or beasts, and their work is greatly enhanced when hidden in the bodies of men. "And all the devils besought him, saying Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them" (Mark 5:12). Demons perform their evil deeds and their victims are blamed for them. Certainly people are responsible for the sin which allowed this demonic activity within, but they are driven past what they intended, as the evil personality takes over their actions

WILLFUL SIN BRINGS DEMONIC ATTACKS

The majority of Christians today are totally ignorant of the nature of evil spirits (demons), and many would prefer that they were not even mentioned. They choose to ignore this portion of God's ministry because they are fearful of things beyond their understanding. The result of this ignorance is that multitudes live in needless torment. One of the deadliest misrepresentations of the truth of God is that a Christian should not be concerned with thoughts that a demon could be their problem. This is taught within many churches and gives the devil a "field day" to bring fear, mental torment, jealousy, hatred, lust, pride, self-pity, addiction, gluttony and many other forms of bondage, oppression, and defilement.

When we practice willful sin, Satan eventually sends one of his demons that is compatible with that particular sin to dwell within us. Then each time we give way to that sin that spirit takes over. Since their personalities mesh with those of their victims, it takes spiritual discernment to detect them. We must remember that demon spirits are "invisible beings" with wicked intelligence that seek bodies in which they can express themselves. These spirits are emissaries sent from Satan having personalities and characteristics that make up an intelligent being. They walk, hear, speak, see, obey, seek, think, know and dwell in the body to accomplish their evil purposes (Matthew 12:43-45, Mark 1:23-24,3:11). They are made subject to Christ and believers by the atonement, the name of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Each principal demon or "strongman" has a particular mission which we are able to recognize by its fruit or manifestation. We need to seek God and study His Word to find the truth about this controversial subject.

HEAVENLY BODIES

What are some of the things that those who have been redeemed can expect to find in our next life?

Philippians 3:20-21 says Jesus will change our "vile"bodies. What will our glorified bodies look like when we get to heaven? We have some clues by noting the characteristics that Jesus' body had when He rose from the grave. Our glorified bodies will appear different. We will therefore recognize each other by the spirit. What we really look like on the inside will be apparent to all. Jesus' body could go through walls (John 20:26).It felt like ours; Thomas touched it (Luke 24:39-40). On the road to Emmaus, the disciples didn't recognize His new body and He vanished in front of them (Luke 24:13-32). Jesus even ate with His disciples. In our glorified bodies, we don't have to eat for sustenance, but we will be able to eat for pleasure (Luke 24:39-43; Matthew 26:29). It will have no pain, no sickness, no aging, no restrictions (with the power of translation), and be able to appear in different forms.

All of this is just the tip of the iceberg, of what God has prepared for those He loves. Surely there is nothing in this life that can hold a candle to the surpassing greatness of living in Christ--living in the very One who is the source of all life! How foolish we are to let the cares of this life, the god of unbelief, and the temporary pleasures of sin keep us from knowing Him.

VICTORY IN THE CROSS

When we celebrate Resurrection Day (Easter), we acknowledge that we are sinners, saved by grace. The greatest truth of the cross is that when we accept Christ as our savior, a wonderful exchange takes place. Jesus died so we could live. We can now live in victory in this earth. As we identify with His death, we also identify with His life. Jesus became poor so we could become rich in His blessings. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says,"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." He took our sickness and infirmities so we could receive health. He took our curses so we might receive His blessings. He gave us peace for anxiety; love for hate; joy for sorrow; faith for fear; goodness for evil; temperance for lust and the list could go on. He took our hell and gave us heaven. We didn't deserve it but He did it for us because of His love for each of us!!

The Easter holiday is the most triumphant celebration of grace and life that we will ever experience on this earth! It is a celebration of God's goodness, love, and His awesome power. It holds the promise of not only eternal life to all who are willing to humbly receive it from Him; but also for a victorious life in this earth through the power of His Holy Spirit. We can spend eternity in our heavenly home with Jesus and all the saints of all the ages if we receive this wonderful gift of love!

Romans 10:9-13 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Proverbs 12:28: "In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death."