| Isaiah 59:19 declares: "...when the enemy | | | | overcoming action they used. Yes, we hate |
| comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the lord | | | | those tests but we do love the testimonies, |
| lifts up a standard against him."I'm not all | | | | don't we?We also find in Isaiah 59:21 "As for |
| that sure that the original language in which | | | | Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with |
| this was written contained a comma after the | | | | them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words |
| word "flood." I prefer to believe that the | | | | which I have put in your mouth, shall not |
| actual pause belongs after the word "IN." Try | | | | depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of |
| it again: "When the enemy comes in, LIKE A | | | | your descendants, nor from the mouth of your |
| FLOOD, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a | | | | descendants' descendants," says the LORD, |
| standard against him."There. That's more like | | | | "from this time and forevermore."God has |
| it.When we think of "spiritual journeys," we | | | | placed His Word in our mouths. Not only in |
| usually envision experiences that will lead | | | | our minds (Psalm 119:11 says: "Your word I |
| us to peace and harmony, serenity and | | | | have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin |
| contentment. As we attempt to deal with the | | | | against you!") Certainly, His Word is in our |
| stuff of life, whether it's emotional, | | | | Bibles, but He wants the Word in our mouths. |
| physical, relational or financial, as | | | | In our hearts. We overcome the "flood" of the |
| spiritual beings, we tend to tap into | | | | enemy by God's Words coming out of our |
| spiritual things for comfort and guidance.As | | | | mouths. Our testimony. Jesus used this when |
| you take your spiritual journey, beware! God | | | | He was tested; our example. Jesus only |
| may be taking you somewhere special and | | | | responded to Satan in His wilderness |
| unexpected. Don't fall for the illusion that | | | | discipleship course with the Word.God has |
| spirituality is always a source of solace. | | | | provided the perfect weapon to use. His Word |
| There's an old Yiddish proverb that goes, | | | | is powerful and Satan cannot stand against |
| "God is an earthquake, not an uncle."Along | | | | it. It is so much more than a levee that |
| those lines, do you recall the Prophet | | | | diverts the flood he sends our way; it |
| Elijah's encounter with God on Mount Horeb? | | | | swallows it up.We now have everything we need |
| Here we have the mighty Prophet Elijah, fresh | | | | for covenant living. We can have triumphant |
| after his defeat of the 450 prophets of Baal | | | | lives, pleasing to God, serving Jesus and |
| and the 400 prophets of the Asherah on Mount | | | | following the small voice of the Holy |
| Carmel, being hunted by Queen Jezebel. While | | | | Spirit.IS GOD YOUR HIDING PLACE?I've faced |
| this mighty man of God was hiding from this | | | | some tragic crises, both personal and |
| woman, he encountered some other, very | | | | professional. My own dad once asked me why it |
| frightening things - natural elements that | | | | was I wasn't seeing a psychologist after all |
| included an earthquake, wind, lightning, and | | | | I'd been through. It's because Jesus is REAL |
| fire. But by virtue of the depth of his | | | | to me; real as you are. In the darkest hours |
| relationship with God, he knew these could | | | | of my soul, the only place where I've found |
| not have been sent by Him, the God who had | | | | the genuine "peace that passes all |
| cared for him for so many years. It was only | | | | understanding" and the "unspeakable joy" |
| when Elijah heard "a still small voice," that | | | | referred to by Paul the Apostle came as a |
| he felt he was finally hearing from God of | | | | result of a relationship with God in trusting |
| Heaven.ARE YOU LISTENING?It's that same | | | | that He truly is my refuge.Regarding Katrina, |
| "still small voice" that each of us can | | | | there will be much to do to recover from this |
| listen for and be guided by - even when we | | | | mess. God's presence and power will be |
| are in situations less life-threatening than | | | | available to guide and direct recovery |
| the path of a hurricane. Right now, we can | | | | efforts as well as the return to civilization |
| let that voice direct our prayers for the | | | | for all who will call upon Him. Throughout |
| refugees and the rescuers. We can listen and | | | | the restoration effort, His love, mercy and |
| understand those who are impacted by disaster | | | | grace will continue to be available as the |
| when we recognize that Hurricane Katrina was | | | | refuge that comforts, strengthens, and |
| NOT God's way of punishing the Big Easy, | | | | restores the spirit of those in need. My |
| though it's a fact that we will ALWAYS reap | | | | warning to those being tested through this |
| the consequences for the seeds we sow - good | | | | recent, overwhelming disaster: Do NOT be too |
| seeds and bad. If we're listening, that still | | | | quick to detest your current discomfort. We |
| small voice will guide us through our own | | | | in the West would do well to learn to embrace |
| life's disasters and strengthen us, even when | | | | the thorns as well as stopping to smell every |
| the tide is rising.How strong is your faith? | | | | delightful rose.This life is not "it" for |
| It WILL be tested.How strong is your family? | | | | you.There's more.It gets better.We can never |
| The tests will come.How strong is your | | | | expect to be satisfied here anyway.Need hope |
| church? Your organization? Your relationship? | | | | for the "floods" that seem to be overtaking |
| Your community? Your nation? Just as Jesus | | | | YOUR life right now? Read this from Jeremiah |
| Himself was led by the Spirit to be tested by | | | | 29:11-14: "For I know the plans I have for |
| the devil (Gee, thanks, Spirit!), so , too, | | | | you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness |
| will WE be tested. How else will we know what | | | | and not for evil, to give you a future and a |
| we're made of? Jesus said several times that | | | | hope. Then you will call upon me and come and |
| He came "as an example." If He went through | | | | pray to me, and I will hear you. You will |
| trials, we, TOO, shall face trials. And if we | | | | seek me and find me. When you seek me with |
| FAIL the tests, we get to take them again and | | | | all your heart, I will be found by you, |
| again till we pass to the next level.WARNING: | | | | declares the Lord, and I will restore your |
| New level, new devil, but we must soldier-on | | | | fortunes and gather you from all the nations |
| if our lives are ever going to exhibit the | | | | and all the places where I have driven you, |
| fruit of our relationship with God. Don't | | | | declares the Lord, and I will bring you back |
| worry...once you've passed through the | | | | to the place from which I sent you into |
| Refiner's fire, you won't smell a hint of | | | | exile."DO YOU WANT TO HELP?The largest |
| smoke.We have God's promise.HERE'S WHAT JESUS | | | | displacement of Americans since the Civil War |
| HAS TO SAY:"And every one that heareth these | | | | reverberated across the country from New |
| sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be | | | | Orleans yesterday, as more than half a |
| likened unto a foolish man, which built his | | | | million people uprooted by Hurricane Katrina |
| house upon the sand: And the rain descended, | | | | seek shelter, sustenance and are facing the |
| and the floods came, and the winds blew, and | | | | uncertainties of starting some sort of new |
| beat upon that house; and it fell: and great | | | | lives.Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling |
| was the fall of it," (Matt 7:24-27). | | | | and his wife Shonda paid to fly a New Orleans |
| | | | family of nine to Boston and pledged to |
| Jesus warned us about the coming flood of | | | | provide them with housing for a year. The |
| the last days, a storm that would be | | | | Fields family, with seven children between |
| unleashed against the people of God. He | | | | the ages of 5 and 12, fled New Orleans just |
| described this flood to be accompanied by | | | | before Hurricane Katrina struck. |
| hurricane winds of testing, torrents of | | | | |
| trouble, and rising tide of demonic fury.In | | | | "When we realized how many people had |
| such days of persecution, wrath and trouble | | | | nowhere to go, we didn't just want to make a |
| will pour out of the devil's foul mouth | | | | donation," Shonda Schilling told The Boston |
| against the Body of Christ: "Woe to the | | | | Globe. "We decided we wanted to bring an |
| inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For | | | | entire family here and put them up."The |
| the devil is come down unto you, having great | | | | families connected through a Web site, |
| wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a | | | | OpenYourHome.com, which matches displaced |
| short time... he persecuted the woman which | | | | families with people willing to house them. |
| brought forth the man child... and the | | | | The Schillings registered Friday and on |
| serpent cast out of his mouth water as a | | | | Saturday anonymously arranged for the family |
| flood after the woman [the church], that he | | | | to fly to Boston.Additionally, the American |
| might cause her to he carried away of the | | | | Red Cross has set up a site where individuals |
| flood," (Rev 12:12-15).Will Satan literally | | | | may volunteer their homes or request a place |
| spew floodwaters out of his mouth? No. The | | | | to stay. That site is located at |
| enemy WILL come against us with words, lies, | | | | KatrinaHousing.org. Check it out. To |
| half- truths, and every wicked thing that can | | | | Christians everywhere, we must ask ourselves |
| be verbalized or even written. He will use | | | | the question, if we do not take these |
| our own minds and even other people to keep | | | | displaced families in, taking advantage of |
| the "flood" coming at us relentlessly to get | | | | the opportunity to make disciples, who |
| us where we have no solid foundation on which | | | | will?Over the years, I have taken in homeless |
| to stand.By now, we've all seen the TV | | | | people myself. A gay witch. A long-bearded |
| footage of Katrina's floodwaters carrying | | | | alcoholic brick-layer. A former Army Ranger |
| with it everything from cars to trains to | | | | who had just become a Christian after years |
| houses, destroying everything in its path. | | | | in the occult. A black crack addict. Several |
| This is why God says our enemy comes in like | | | | others on a very short-term basis. I have |
| a "flood", using words of destruction to | | | | also been that person seeking shelter, |
| bring us down and to destroy us. Satan wants | | | | trusting that God was going to provide in one |
| to do to us what a flood does to everything | | | | way or another. He always did.My advice to |
| in its path.LIFT UP A STANDARDAs was | | | | anyone is simply: (1) make sure you're being |
| mentioned at the start in Isaiah 59:19, a | | | | led by the Spirit. A "good" idea is not |
| "standard is lifted up by the Spirit of the | | | | always a GOD idea.(2) if you take someone in, |
| Lord on our behalf. What is the "standard"? | | | | set the house rules IN WRITING so that your |
| How do we make use of this resource? We find | | | | guests know what's expected by both parties, |
| the answer in Revelation 12:11 "And they | | | | what will not be tolerated and what the |
| overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by | | | | consequences will be if rules are broken. (3) |
| the word of their testimony, and they did not | | | | involve church leadership; keep everyone |
| love their lives to the death."There it is, | | | | accountable. There are more. implementing |
| the "word of their testimony" was the | | | | these would be a good start. |