I admit there was a lot to take in yesterday but it is important to understand that because of our disobedience God has allowed satan to take up residence in the church, leaving the church defenseless and powerless. This virus has really shut down the world but more importantly the church has come face to face with this reality. Yes I know with the internet you can still move forward and many are but I am talking about the church not looking at all like the New Testament church where power was just part of the day. As you hear about the onslaught brought on by the virus, the church is finding out it has no power to wage war. I shared an example yesterday of Kenneth Copeland shouting at the virus. That’s about all that happened to the virus but what he did do was bring the way of truth into disrepute and make Christians out to be fools. Leviticus warned us in Leviticus 26:14 “‘if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands 17 I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you. 36 “‘As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them. 37 They will stumble over one another as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies.”
The church cannot to stand against their enemies because we have followed our own ways. Following these other gospels is the same as following other gods. The church has brought destruction upon itself because the church raised up gods to follow but as this last month has shown us, these gods are useless. Jeremiah was told to bury a belt in the ground and then dig it up later. God then said Jeremiah 13:10 “These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless!”
There is no comparison between the man-made and the power of God. This passage offers great hope but bare in mind what your hands have made is no match for God. Isaiah 46:3 “Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. 4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. 5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared? 6 Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it. 7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer; it cannot save them from their troubles. 8 “Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. 9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ 11 From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. 12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness. 13 I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.”
