Monday, April 01, 2013

It's Not YOU That's Being Attacked

Concerning the whole story of David and Goliath, did you ever notice this:

1 Sam. 17:10 - Goliath says "I defy the armies of Israel..."

1 Sam. 17:25 - The men of Israel told David, that Goliath had come up "to defy Israel".

1 Sam. 17:26 - David questions who would be bold enough to "defy the armies of the living God".

It wasn't for Israel that David's righteous indignation was kindled, but rather for the God that David served. In David's eyes, Goliath wasn't defying Israel, but God.

David knew that Israel would have their hands full trying to defeat Goliath, along with the armies of the Philistines; he had no such reservation when it came to God's ability, however. It was this confidence in the God that he knew and served that caused a young shepherd boy to stand up and tell a gigantic warrior, "God will deliver you into my hand, and I'll smite you, and I'll take your head from you, and I'll feed your carcass to the buzzards." I can almost imagine Goliath's consternation at the gall of this young upstart speaking to him that way!

I wonder what would happen if the Church quit taking all this hate-filled rhetoric as a personal attack, and started seeing this as an affront to the power and ability of our God?  This whole assault from the liberal media, from the Hollywood elite, and even from what appears to be an anti-Christian government, etc. is not about us, as a church, or an organization; it is a personal affront to the God that we serve and represent, an obscenity screamed at our God by a godless world, and by the evil that controls them. It irks me to no end when I hear Christians—and especially Spirit-filled apostolics—whine about things that are happening in the world, yet our "righteous indignation" is only stirred up on our own behalf, not on behalf of the God we serve. Without even realizing it, we have somehow still managed to make this "all about us", instead of about Him. Victim mentality prevails: Woe is us! Poor down-trodden Christians!

Don't get me wrong: God doesn't need us to defend Him or His honor. But something should get stirred up within the church of God when His Name is assailed, His righteousness is twisted, His power is questioned, His glory is mocked.

By the help of God, I refuse to let a godless society have their way against the Church. It is time we return to prayer, to fasting, to laying aside some weights, to seeking a revival and restoration of the power of God. I don't see anywhere in the Scripture where God is going to just throw His hands up and say, "It's no use; I might as well let the heathens have their way..." 

Keep in mind, the same Bible that says, "In the last days, there will be a great falling away..." also says that "In the last days, saith God, I will pour out My Spirit..."

Somebody needs to pick up a sling and a handful of stones...