Love vs Fear

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:18

Why is our world hurtling towards chaos right now? Obviously the answer is very big and complex, but from a spiritual point of view a lot has to do with the number of leaders who actually ‘know’ God intimately and personally. It is very hard to control a people who don’t fear death, who have a hope beyond this earthly life. The Roman Caesars had the same problem and launched a massive campaign to stomp out those who followed the Jewish carpenter who ‘supposedly’ rose from the dead. In the past we use to have more leaders who actually had a relationship with Jesus, but now it is easily seen that most who “say” they know Jesus or have some form of religious faith their actions totally negate their words. Even within the Christian institution of the Church — there was a greater percentage of professional ministers who actually tried to follow the Holy Spirit but now the pressure is just too great — because the Holy Spirit leads to a real spiritual growth and not for ‘numbers’ in the ‘seats’ game / business. The institutional Christian Church is essentially a worldly business, and certainly they have adopted that model. If ‘pastors’ no longer could have salary or financial benefits from their ‘employed position’ — the institution would change drastically from that single change. When your entire financial life is dependent on the running of a ‘business’ a certain way — the Word from the Holy Spirit becomes to hard to deal with and the leader compromises to save their ‘security’. This is easily seen throughout every non-profit 501c3 organization.

Jesus did not come to build a earthly religion – but a spiritual family of living stones. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be His Presence and Guide among His true followers. The size of the ekklesia (what some translate as ‘church’) that Jesus talked about was “two or three”, not two or three hundred, or two or three thousand (Matthew 18:20). But the institution was corrupted WAY before our generation. The enemy worked hard to divide the ‘spiritual family’, and the first way was with the distinction between the clergy and the laity, which Jesus NEVER intended or talked about. In fact, He did the exact opposite, giving the Holy Spirit to anyone who asked, even the lowest of the low.

So what has happened in the current season in which we live? The number of the ‘remnant’ has dwindled and especially among the government ranks, which now fear greatly. Especially within the ‘news media’ which has become so obviously just a mouthpiece for the evil ‘power’ that strikes fear into their souls. And those who don’t have a direct connection to the heavenly Advisor live in a state of constant confusion and fear and comply quickly to the evil dictates from the authority who wants to first take all of their resources and wealth and then their very lives. Who is now in control? Paul lays it out in his letter to the Ephesians followers of Jesus …

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

As these entities grow in power because the spiritual maturity and fortitude of the ‘family’ (Body of Christ) has declined and diminished, and the chaos grows and grows to fill the vacuum. So many of the ‘professional’ career ministers are just … hirelings. And some of those are actually ‘wolves’ disguising themselves as ‘sheep’ all the while feeding on them. And those that file in, sit down, shut up and listen, file out, and go to lunch … have mostly just become drones who are spiritually asleep. Read the letters to the churches from Jesus in the book John wrote called Revelation.

But… in this late hour God has a plan. And behind the scenes God has been preparing His beloved with ‘gifts’ to encourage and equip those who actually hunger for Him. One of those ‘gifts’ to the remnant is a big increase in the real prophetic call of individuals. I’m not talking about the fake ‘prophetic’ institutional titled individuals who call themselves ‘prophets’. Certainly there has been an increase in those as well. But those with the real Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them are able to discern the Truth of things and individuals. The ‘false prophet’ role also has been around for thousands of years.

There is hope in the younger generations who are abandoning the current institutional religious structures and looking for the REAL ekklesia and koinonia (Body of Christ and fellowship). This movement is real – and it literally scares the ‘powers’ currently in control and the censoring and squashing of those who speak the Truth too loud can be seen in all media platforms. But if you aren’t afraid of those ‘powers’ you just move on to what the Lord says to do next. Eventually these individuals are severely targeted just like those early apostles and prophets in the first generation of followers of Christ (The Way).  These individuals also find out that the established so-called leaders / ministers are quick to denounce them as .. heretical. This is the way it has been for millennia for those ‘touched by God’ to bring His message of repentance and salvation / freedom to every person. Jesus is the answer and if He is lifted up — He draws all to Himself.

Who has God connected you with .. on a personal basis? Has He brought you into ‘fellowship’ with those who encourage and equip you? Those who He has ‘fitted’ you with? One body member connected rightly and jointly to another member with Jesus Christ as their Head.

Are you still in a religion? Are you still going through religious ‘motions’ / rituals / steps? Are you steeped in legalism? Or are you being led by the Holy Spirit moment by moment as He teaches / guides / and helps you discern the Truth of things?

The time is NOW to know the indwelling Presence of Jesus which is His Holy Spirit who will inhabit your body as His temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Do you know that ‘joy’ and freedom?

Lord Jesus …come baptize me NOW with your Presence! 

Lord Jesus … I want to know your love experientially and deeply in EVERY way!