Moving Mountains

What’s the difference between power and authority? Simply stated, power is the “ability” to do something; authority is the “right” to do it. Let’s say I want to move a mountain. I may have access to bulldozers and high explosives “power”, but I still need the appropriate state permits “authority” to proceed. And, even if I have both of these, I’m, nonetheless, subject to the “sovereign dominion” that rules over the land, in this case the federal government.

This is also how power, authority, and sovereignty function in the realm of the spirit. The angels in Heaven serve as the vessels of God’s power. They are, in a sense, the bulldozers and high explosives. The Kingdom on earth (aka the Church) serves as the vessel of God’s authority. It wields the jurisdiction over the use of angelic power. And the unchangeable Word of God serves as the vessel of God’s sovereign dominion through which He governs everything in His creation.

I will not violate My Word or alter what My lips have said. (Psa 89:34)

Angels have been granted the power to move mountains, but lack the authority to do so. Believers have been granted the authority to move mountains, but must submit to the dominion of the Word of God to release that authority. When my authority to speak, lines up perfectly with the sovereign Word of God, the power of Heaven to move mountains is at my disposal. Satan knows this all too well. His entire arsenal is geared towards getting me to compromise the Word of the Lord and my obedience to it. My prayer is that I won't make it easy for him.

For I assure you: If you have faith (in the Word of the Lord) the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Mat 17:20)


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The Tents of Shem

God will extend Japheth; he will dwell in the tents of Shem; Canaan will be his slave. (Gen 9:27)

This verse is a prophetic declaration made by Noah to his two eldest sons. It carries the deeper spiritual message that Japheth (Soul of man) is meant to dwell in the tents of Shem (Spirit of God) so that Canaan (Body of man) will serve them both.

However, scripture reveals that Japheth did not take this to heart. After the flood, he separated from his brother Shem, choosing instead to dwell in the north country. As a result, Japheth’s wife would give birth to seven sons in succession. The names given to each are very revealing.

The firstborn son of Japheth was GOMER. His name means “failure”. This says to me the first fruit of a soul not living in submission to the Holy Spirit is failure.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (Joh 15:5)


The second son of Japheth was MAGOG who’s name means to “overshadow” or “dominate”.

When the 1,000 years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. (Rev 20:7-8)

MADAI was the third son of Japheth. His name means to “judge” or “measure”. JAVAN which means “intoxication” was the fourth son of Japheth. He became the father of the Greek empire. TUBAL was the fifth son. His name means “confusion”. MESHECH was the sixth. His name means “forceful”. And TIRAS was the seventh son of Japheth. His name means “intimidation”.

As we can see, the names given to each of Japheth’s sons signify the state of the soul when it is not in submission to the Spirit of God (dwelling in the tents of Shem). This illustrates, as Christ implied in John 15, that apart from the Spirit, the soul can produce nothing but failure, ambition, bitterness, and discord.

In truth, each of these aptly named sons of Japheth would grow into nations that would oppress Israel (Shem) throughout his generations. And all because Japheth rejected his father’s blessing and instruction that he dwell in the tents of Shem.

Lord of the Flies

It’s a fact that flies are attracted to decay, waste, and fecal matter. They can sense the presence of it from a considerable distance. When they find it, they lay their eggs and when the eggs hatch they produce maggots which, when mature, become flies causing the whole cycle repeat itself. But what if there was no decay, waste, or fecal matter for them to lay their eggs in? What, then, would become of the flies?

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
(Jas 3:16)

The same holds true for the demonic. Like spiritual flies they are attracted to the spiritual decay, waste, and fecal matter produced from unforgiveness, envy, a critical spirit, rebelliousness, even stubbornness.

I may choose to think that such behavior is, essentially, harmless. After all, it’s not as though I were actually living in sin. Besides, that’s just my personality. I’ve always been like that. Everyone in my family is that way.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry… (1Sa 15:23)

Make no mistake, demons, like natural flies, deposit their eggs (influence, confusion, destruction) in the very filth and stench produced by such an attitude. And once satan gets his eggs in you, there’s no stopping the maggots that will follow.

But, when I, by confession and genuine repentance, cleanse myself of all such attitudes and behaviors, I deny the fly a place to breed and, by my example, threaten his very existence in the world.

…for the curse without a cause shall not come. (Pro 26:2)


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Which of the Following Best Describes You?

(A) I am practicing a certain sin I somehow find myself unable to repent of.

(B) I am constantly bombarded with physical problems that monopolize my prayer life.

(C) I am constantly burdened with emotional problems I can’t seem to escape no matter how much I pray.

(D) I am yoked with a benefactor or partner who doesn’t know Christ but has become a blessing to me and/or my ministry anyway.

(E) I am walking in an intimate relationship with God that is bearing fruit in my Spirit, though not, as yet, in my ministry.

(F) I am walking in an intimate relationship with God that is bearing fruit in everything I put my hands to.

Solution to (A): Stop rationalizing the sin. When I rationalize, the enemy’s voice is the only one I hear. Remember Eve in the garden. Satan is using this sin to separate me from God, and by this, separate me from my authority and destiny.

Solution to (B): All my physical needs have been provided for, past tense, by the Holy Spirit who lives within me. Instead of praying for God to act and fulfill my need, I should be declaring what Christ has already done to fulfill my need. My prayer life is to be set apart for intimate fellowship with my Father in Heaven. Satan wants me to squander my prayers on physical needs (turn my stones into bread) because he knows God cannot answer that prayer, because He has already done so.

Solution to (C): All my emotional needs have been fulfilled in the Holy Spirit. When I ask God to help me find love, joy, peace, patience, understanding etc. I am asking for something that is already mine in Christ. Depression is a lie. Disappointment is a lie. Hopelessness, insignificance, rejection are all lies from the father of lies. When satan speaks depression into my soul and I become depressed I, like Eve before me, reveal who’s servant I truly am.

Solution to (D): The Lord is a jealous God. He will not share His glory with another. No matter how well meaning an unbeliever may be, only a true believer has the capacity (Spirit) to lay down, at the feet of God, all glory for what the partnership accomplishes.

Solution to (E): In time, every good tree bears good fruit.

Solution to (F): Resign yourself to become a seed that when planted in the ground will produce many good trees bearing much fruit.

Whom May he Devour?

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: (1Pe 5:8)

Why does satan want to “devour” me? First, because I am made in the image of God and he wants to deny God His creation and desire. Second, because God granted dominion over His creation to me and if I am subject to satan, so then is everything in my life and destiny.

But the verse above reveals to me that satan cannot simply devour me because he wills to. The phrase “seeking whom he may devour” means he must be given permission. And the only one who can give it to him is me.

…the curse without cause shall not come. (Pro 26:2)

If I, by my choices and actions, become subject to satan, I can no longer be subject to God. Therefore, God cannot use me to accomplish His purpose in my life and, by extension, His creation. And this is about more than sin. Certainly any willful, unconfessed, unrepentant sin in my life will give place to the devil, but his capacity to “devour” me goes well beyond that.

If I place satan-caused physical needs, daily survival, dwindling finances, failing relationships, health concerns etc. before God’s Kingdom in my life, I have been devoured and GOD CANNOT USE ME.

If I place satan-caused emotional needs, love, fear, depression, pride etc. before God’s Kingdom in my life, I have been devoured and GOD CANNOT USE ME.

If I compromise with the enemy in any way to achieve, enlarge, or expedite God’s Kingdom purpose in my life, I have been devoured and GOD CANNOT USE ME.

These three attacks represent the same temptations employed against Christ in the wilderness and they remain satan’s primary strategy against His body (the church) today. The solution: I must stop making it easy for satan to devour me and my authority. I need to follow the Lord’s example and examine myself daily to see if I am truly putting His Kingdom first.

Maybe if more of God’s children understood this, the world would not be satan’s playground today.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is fully His. But in this you have acted foolishly: therefore you shall have conflict.
(2Ch 16:9)

The Soul of the World

The Holy Spirit desires to have dominion over my Body through the agency of my Soul. This is pictured in the following verse…

God will expand Japheth (SOUL); he will dwell in the tents of Shem (SPIRIT); and Canaan (BODY) will be his slave. (Gen 9:27)

This is a powerful truth and one that must be understood if I’m to be lead by the Spirit of God in all things.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Rom 8:14)

When I get out of God’s established flow and allow my SOUL (mind, will, emotions) or my BODY (five senses) to trump my SPIRIT in leading me, I open the door for satan to steer me into the carnality or self righteousness that always results in the destruction of everything it touches.

The same holds true in a corporate sense. The goal of the Kingdom (SPIRIT) is to have dominion over the World (BODY) through the agency of Believers (SOUL).

The “Kingdom” represents the power and authority of Heaven on earth as manifest through the HOLY SPIRIT. The “World” represents the external BODY of God’s creation, to include all of Adam’s race. “Believers” represent the SOUL (mind, will, and emotions) empowered to govern the body of creation.

This perspective makes it easy to see why the World is in the mess that it’s in. With the corporate, global Church (SOUL) out of submission to the Kingdom (SPIRIT), in fact, in many cases, even denying its existence, the World (BODY) is left to be governed by its five senses (carnality) or the law (self righteousness).

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Jdg 17:6)

The problem is obvious. But, so is the solution. Japheth (Church) must dwell in the tents of Shem (Kingdom) so Canaan (World) will become His servant. As long as Japheth continues to dwell in his own tents, Canaan will remain in the tents of satan.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Mat 24:14)

Binding the Strong Man (Pt. 3)

As discussed in previous posts, the first temptation of Christ in the wilderness was directed at His BODY, the weakest, most vulnerable part of man. When this failed, the second temptation was directed at His SOUL, this time by appealing to His human pride.

Again, the Devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And he said to Him, "I will give You all these things if You will fall down and worship me." (Mat 4:8-9)

Satan's third and final temptation of Christ was directed to His SPIRIT. By offering all the kingdoms of world history to Jesus, satan was essentially saying there's no need for Jesus to go through the long and arduous task of wooing mankind back to Him, because satan would gladly surrender his rights over the earth if Jesus would but honor him for it. Had Christ given in to this, He might well have achieved His mission ahead of His timetable, but, to do so, He would have had to deny His own SPIRIT.

Then Jesus told him, "Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him." (Mat 4:10)

In remaining true to His SPIRIT, Christ overcame Satan's greatest assault against Him. There were now no bullets left in satan's gun. He was, for all intents and purposes, bound from interfering with the Lord's mission in any way.

Then the Devil left Him, and immediately angels came and began to serve Him. (Mat 4:11)

Jesus could now enter His ministry in the full authority and power of Heaven. He had demonstrated under temptation that His will and the Father's will were one. There was now no power on earth that could prevent Christ from binding and loosing whomever or whatever He chose.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven." (Mat 16:19)

Christ has given us the keys to bind the strong man and loose his captives. He has demonstrated for us how to resist the devil. He has revealed to us satan's three strategies against our BODY, SOUL and SPIRIT. All that remains is for us to follow the Lord's example and spoil the strong man's house for the Father's glory.

Binding the Strong Man (Pt.2)

Satan's first temptation of Christ in the wilderness was an attempt to magnify the Lord's immediate NEED, His hunger, above His true purpose. This was an attack directed against Christ's BODY, the most vulnerable part of the BODY, SOUL, and SPIRIT trinity of man. The BODY is the most susceptible to attack because it functions exclusively on information provided through the five senses, taste, touch, smell, hearing, and seeing.

In this way, satan uses temptation to test me, to see if I'm willing to magnify my physical need above my commissioned purpose. The moment I turn from my purpose to my need he has won, because now he knows he can permanently keep my attention diverted from my purpose by simply surrounding me with an endless variety of physical needs. But when I, as Christ did, refuse to be diverted by physical need, satan must broaden his attack, from the BODY to the SOUL. This is represented by the second temptation of Christ.

Then the Devil took Him to the holy city, had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: He will give His angels orders concerning you and, they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." (Mat 4:5-6)

Notice what satan is attempting here. He's prodding Christ to magnify His ministry above His true purpose. In effect, he's saying that if Christ will but demonstrate His power and authority as the Messiah sent from God, the people will be amazed and follow after Him, paving the way for His ministry to advance. On the surface this would seem harmless, even rational. But in truth, Christ was not sent to the earth to represent a ministry, but the Father, Himself. This is why He was born in a manger instead of a palace.

Had Christ succumbed to this temptation to demonstrate His power, He would have been guilty of "testing God" by calling on the Holy Spirit to perform this sign and wonder merely to authenticate Himself and His ministry, instead of using that power for its true purpose -- to express the Father's love and compassion to His people.

This type of temptation is directed against the SOUL. Satan knows it's a natural thing for me to equate my ministry success with the Father's purpose. But the truth is, unless I put the Father's true purpose before my own soulish need for acceptance and significance, I become guilty of "testing God" everytime I pray for Him to provide something supernaturally for "my" ministry.

Once I fall to satan's temptation of the SOUL he has won the war. He can now keep me outside the Father's purpose by simply surrounding me with praise and affirmations for the "good" work that I'm doing for the Lord.

Jesus replied to satan, "It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God."
(Mat 4:7)

To be continued...