Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
2/5/2021
Why has God abandoned me?
In the old testament prophets sometimes called deliverers were raised up when evil and oppression covered the land. But there were often long periods without prophets and without a word from the Lord. But this we know; The ministry of deliverance was always burst out of the womb of social darkness and trauma.
I look at our world today and wonder how dark social darkness can really be?
It says in Judges 6:7-8 that a prophetic word came about when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord on account of Midian. The Lord responded to the Jews with a prophetic word. That word proclaimed not just the intention of God but also confronted strongholds of sin in the people and prepare society for an outpouring of the Spirit. In verse 10 “ I am the Lord your God you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live”. The gods of the Amorites were demonic principalities and powers that ruled the countries in Canaan.
There is an interaction between the powers of darkness and the sins of a society!
When Israel was in obedience to God, the spirit of God ruled the heavenly places over Israel. But when they were in rebellion, the enemy gained control of the nation through the sins of the people. Evil ruled in the spiritual realms over Israel. The idols erected to these evil spirits were physical symbols of spiritual bondage. And the apostle Paul instructs us in first Corinthians 10: 20 that when people sacrifice to an idol, they sacrifice to demons.
Think about that and what it would look like in a movie.
I ponder the many obvious symbols and idols of America. The idolatry of self, porn, graphic movies. The American dream, rebellion. anger, politics, blatant and hateful language, and old unforgiveness.
These are the principalities and powers of darkness over our nation today. Spiritual bondage is so thick you can see it and cut it with a knife.
Have you thought of it that way? Can you see the spiritual battle we’re in and how God continually forewarns us?
Satan is ruling the airways through the sins and rebellion of the people of America today. The fact is Satan has the right to occupy the spiritual realms of sin and rebellion. However, we are commanded not to fear the gods of the Amorites or in our case the principalities and powers over our cities and over our nation. If you recall Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness because they feared the giants in the land of promise. Only Joshua and Caleb came back with a good report.
I do believe revival is coming to our nation but it will only come on the incessant heels of repentance and prayer.
God always seems to begin the deliverance of the many with the deliverance of one, so in this case he sought out Gideon. The Angel of the Lord found him hiding from the Midianites. God’s greeting was astounding; “The Lord is with you, oh valiant warrior” Judges 6:12 Gideon is stunned. This is often the response of the one who God intends to use. He is surprised, even shocked that the Lord has called him. He had no secret wish to be a hero, no hidden ambition for prominence. He is not even a natural born leader. But the fact is there is a valiant warrior in each of us and we too are sadly and often unaware.
His name is the Lord of host, and greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world.
He sought him out. He called him by a new name, with an anointed purpose and clear direction! Gideon was more brazen than I even in his cowardice. He asks God, in Judges 6:13 “If the Lord is with us, why then has all THIS happened to us…where are all his miracles.” What situation are you in that begs that question of God or have you stopped asking or praying or seeking God because you are discouraged? Next week we will talk more about that but know this. If there is a distance between you and God, it is not because of him. Restoration comes through repentance. God sought out Gideon when it was HIS time on the wings of prayer. He initiated the encounter and perhaps it’s the sound of this reading reverberating inside of you that you need to let something go, repent, and dive into deeper waters with God again. Breathe Paul McClure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUs59G_UDBc&list=RDkdxMgmN9NpA&index=15 Excerpts are taken from Francis Frangipane’s “The Power of Covenant Prayer”
