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Peace! The fall of a global giant.

Lightning Flash Tree Silhouette (960 x 640)

The context of these remarks is the current pandemic and the associated economic crisis. While in prayer specifically for these events and those so terribly affected by them, our sequence of readings came to Luke 10 last night.

Luke 10

  • Luke 10:4 “Do not greet anyone on the way.” This sounds similar to our present social distancing rules – Jesus is not unfamiliar with, nor surprised by this development! We can work within this framework. This was the initial verse indicating some application to this current pandemic and economic crisis.
  • Luke 10:5,7 “Proclaim ‘Peace’…Do not move around from house to house!” The church is the voice that declares, with God’s creative power, into creation: “Peace!” And interestingly, we do not have to move around a lot to do that!
  • Luke 10:8-9 “Eat with people, …heal the sick who are there.” The kingdom is present. We are the carriers and the stewards of healing, deliverance, and the nearness and presence of the kingdom of God.
  • Luke 10:11 Whether those around us accept the peace from the kingdom of heaven or not, be sure of this: “The Kingdom of God is near”.
  • Luke 10:18-20 With the deliverances – Jesus proclaims that he saw the most massive deliverance of all time, because heaven is free of Satan. “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. …But rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

In the church’s authoritative and creative declaration, “Peace!” there is healing and deliverance, even in an environment constrained by various kinds of social distancing strategies.

Acts 19

Morover, that a massive deliverance has occurred on a completely different level was then emphasised by a mental image of a falling giant, which came with the words: “God has taken out a global giant!” In this current environment, with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the associated economic crisis, we are dealing with the fallout of God taking out a “global giant”.

The fear and the economic consequences mirror those described in Acts 19 when people turned away from their previous idolatry in response to Paul stating, in Ephesus, “man-made gods are no gods at all”. The whole city went into disarray. Community leaders, unfortunately, began to react in ways that escalated the situation. Turmoil and shouting became chaotic, but then united into a single cry. Even Paul’s friends begged him not to walk into the face of the enraged crowd. In the end it was a city clerk who brought quiet. He had sufficient authority to command them to go home, because the higher authorities would quickly clamp down on them. Incidentally, we must note that this clerk was not the highest authority!

The man-made gods of witchcraft and magic are not gods (though some attribute too much power to them). The man-made gods of finance are not God (as useful as finance is as a tool). The man made gods of government are not God (as useful as government is for maintaining civil order). What the Lord is saying is that the chaos we are seeing is the result of a high level power encounter in which God has taken out a global giant. This is a time to boldly and courageously declare the word of God – because the promise of the Lord from Acts 19:20 is this: “The word of the Lord continued powerfully to spread and prevail.”

Prayer

We declare

  • peace, healing and deliverance to those we are connected with,
  • the kingdom of heaven is present, for those close to us, and those far from us labouring so tirelessly in this crisis,
  • “Nothing will harm you!”, and
  • the word of the Lord will powerfully spread and prevail.

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Dwell in Glory; Proclaim Peace

Peace

Verses

Genesis 1:14-19 (CSB)

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. … They will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights ​— ​the greater light to rule over [”govern”] the day and the lesser light to rule over [”govern”] the night ​— ​as well as the stars. God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth, to rule [”govern”] the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. Evening came and then morning: the fourth day.

John 17:5,20-24 (CSB)

[Jesus prayed…] “Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.” … “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation.”

Deuteronomy 20:1-4, 10-11 (NKJV)

When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ … When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it. [”proclaim to it peace”] And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, [”witness/testify to (receiving) that peace”] and open to you, then…

Luke 10:1,6,9,17-20 (CSB)

After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others, and he sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself was about to go. … Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; … Heal the sick who are there, and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near you.’ … The seventy-two returned with joy… He said to them, “I … have given you the authority… over all the power of the enemy; nothing at all will harm you. However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Comments

We must recognise from earlier in Genesis 1 that darkness was created, and is a part of the created realm. It was not then, is not now, nor ever will be, in any sense comparable to the Creator. In fact, even created light governs over darkness and separates light from it. Furthermore, the eternal light of God’s glory manifest in the united trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is superior to even the created light, let alone the created darkness. So in prayer, then, let us always first position ourselves in the eternal light of the glory of the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

That positions us in a context of God’s purpose of witness to those around us. When we dwell in the eternal light of the glory of the united trinity, it does place us in a visible location and context, by God’s intention. If we wish the world to know the love of God, it will be made manifest through his people united in the glory given to Jesus Christ by the Father (and Creator) of light through the communion of the Holy Spirit.

Our witness to those around us will be contested: numerically, technologically, strategically, emotionally and spiritually. However, even in the Hebrew Scriptures, in the face of the temptation to be overwhelmed by this darkness, the command not to be afraid was accompanied by the promise of God’s presence and his capacity to battle. From that place of the sure experience of God’s presence and his peace, the command was as simple as it is unexpected: “Proclaim peace!”

We must find peace, as in many ways, that is the essence of the battle. To walk through the valley of the shadow (of death itself) and fear no evil, is victory and overcoming. That is a manifestation of the nearness and comforting presence of the Prince of Peace, and of his Kingdom. From that place, the proclamation of peace will be witnessed, experienced and testified to by some.

Prayer

In the face of the darkness, then, we address the Father of Light, the Creator of all things: “Lord, in mercy grant to us the eternal light of your governing glory.” And then, having found and experienced the light and peace of being united with the glory of the united Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we proclaim: “In peace, Lord, we declare peace to…[fill the blank]!”

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The Lord Our Rallying Banner

Hands Raised

At one level Moses raised hands during Joshua’s victory in battle is an important testimony to our posture in worship and intercession. As we lift our hands in praise, worship and prayer, we connect with the throne room in heaven from our present location. But what connects the banner to hands on the throne? At another level, this also points us to the posture of our hearts as well.
Continue reading “The Lord Our Rallying Banner”

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Christian marriage: Update #1

Marriage wedding rings (960 x 640)

Church Leaders Statements Updates

Professional (Academic, Medical and Legal) Views Updates

International Experiences Updates

Prayer

  • Australian Prayer Network is promoting widespread prayer during this season. Please consider registering. Current prayer points are:

    1. Praise Him that He has ‘all power and authority on heaven and on ‘earth’ (Matt 28:18) As people decide on how to vote in the plebiscite pray that the Lord would release wisdom and understanding to them which would enable them to see the issues clearly and vote according to the revelation of truth that they receive.

    2. Pray that we, the people of God, would humble ourselves and pray during this “valley of decision” period for our nation that we are entering, seek His face and confess our individual and corporate sin that has allowed us to be drawn into the position we are now facing.

    3. Pray that God would hear our cry for mercy, extend His forgiveness for our sin, and stop us as a nation from turning further from His word by voting to destroy His God given institution of marriage as being between a man and a woman.

  • For those of you from the Catholic tradition, this inspiring article illustrates to me that we can connect with the Lord Most High, who is ruler over the nations, and we can cooperate with heaven through united prayer. Consider joining with others to pray the prayers of your tradition.

  • May our prayers calling on His Name ascend to heaven with one voice right across this nation over the next couple of months.