It is time to awaken from slumber, put on the armor of light, and pierce the prevailing darkness with the light of liberating truth.

Good News for the New Year

Through the birth of Jesus, His life, and sacrificial death, all who receive Him can experience abundant and eternal life. He is alive to deliver us from the realm of darkness, deception, and defeat. He alone offers true freedom. It is what He came to give, but Satan and the forces of hell fiercely focus against God’s will. Lucifer the great “I WILL” opposes the great “I AM!” Satan is determined through deception, distractions, and unholy, unhealthy attraction to disrupt and destroy God’s kingdom purpose on this earth from being accomplished through truly born again believers.

The continual attacks on Christmas and Christians are far more serious than they appear. It is an attack on Christ himself and all those who seriously follow, love, and obey Him. It is an all-out assault on freedom itself. The Duck Dynasty travesty is an attempt to silence those who are serious enough in their faith to openly speak what God’s word says about sin and all immorality. The same thing happened many times in the New Testament. Believers were threatened, beaten, imprisoned, and commanded not to speak about Christ as the Messiah and The Way. They boldly and lovingly proclaimed, “We cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard.”  They were “eyewitnesses of His Majesty.” The apostles were tortured and killed. John was boiled alive and when he didn’t die he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos. From there he kept writing and proclaiming the truth. He shared what the Spirit was saying to the churches at that time and for all time. Believers must hear and heed every word from the Alpha and Omega.

It is time to awaken from slumber, put on the armor of light, and pierce the prevailing darkness with the light of liberating truth. This is freedom and real hope because Jesus came to set the captives free, including homosexuals and everyone who struggles with any desire of rebellious flesh and satanic enticement. It is the truth that sets us free and keeps us free if we abide in Him. Remember Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide us to all enlightening liberating truth. So it should be no surprise that Satan and those deceived by him would war against the truth. It is his vile, godless nature to destroy freedom and meaningful life.

In His last words from the cross, Jesus prayed for those who beat him deliberately, put a crown of thorns on his head, and crucified Him. “Father forgive them; they don’t know what they are doing.” How could that be so? It was because they were under the control of the principalities and powers of darkness. It is the same today and in love we must pray for those who are deceived, defeated, and who oppose and accuse us as Christians. They need the forgiveness, freedom, and salvation that can only be found in the Christ of Christmas and the Cross. He died that we might live now and forever.

The only thing that will change the way people think and live is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the new birth. If we have perfect laws, they will still be continually broken if hearts and depraved minds remain lawless and focused on fulfilling selfish appetites. Those demanding tolerance of their lifestyles will prove to be the most intolerant. The gay community will be especially critical of any person testifying that they have been set free from the homosexual lifestyle. It is Christ alone who can heal our national ills and free those who are defeated and held captive by the bonds of iniquity.

I believe there was undeniable supernatural influence on the founding of our great nation. In the Declaration of Independence the founders referred to “the laws of nature and of nature’s God.” If we defy nature’s laws, we defy God’s laws —  PERIOD! Sir William Blackstone said that any law which is contrary to God’s law has no validity at all.[i] Defying God’s law breaks us.

Consider the law of gravity as an example. Attempts to defy it by foolishly leaping from a skyscraper will meet firm resistance from those who seek to protect the one attempting to defy it. Love seeks to protect all life including those who are foolish. If in an attempt to protect the rights of a few, Congress, the president, or the Supreme Court decide we must allow anyone who desires to jump the right to do so, the consequences of their defiance of nature’s law will not diminish the damaging and deadly consequences of their foolish action. So it is with God’s laws. Elected officials, courts, or a popular majority can vote to deny or change God’s law, but the catastrophic consequences will prove undeniable. Any free nation committed to suicidal actions will surely die! Imagine trying to convince compassionate people to just stand back, leave them alone, and let them die. Those filled with love will always seek to prevent people from hurting themselves and others. The only power that can stop the suicidal insanity is the transforming power of the Gospel.

Paul told Timothy to, “Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him (satan) to do whatever he wants.” As followers of Christ, let us totally commit our lives to fulfilling God’s Kingdom purpose and boldly share Christ as His Spirit-filled witnesses. We must stand together in supernatural unity lifting Jesus so high everyone will behold Him as the Name above every name and the Way, the Truth and the Life.

 


[i] Sir William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: Robert Bell, 1771), p. 41, paraphrased.

 

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