A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. Luke 23:22-24
Has there ever been a time when a person can be so isolated and yet be so overwhelmed by the voices of others? Our obsession and addiction with technology has consumed our lives. No? How long can you go without your phone? “But, but..”, you immediately say. I understand that so much of our lives revolve around that little black box, from business and banking, but mainly it is a ‘dopamine’ hit from social media that you are spending most of your time on. It is that immediate ability to ‘contact’ someone — and the expectation that they will respond immediately – that drives our dissatisfaction and rudeness towards others. So much of that little black box teaches us the opposite of the ways of the fruit of the Spirit. It is also the constant myriad of voices from the sources that supposedly bring you ‘the news’ that easily confuse you and hinder your ability to ‘hear His whispering Voice’ within your mind. Those media voices are designed to manipulate you and especially to cause fear within you. And most of the time — we are interacting less and less with real people face to face. Families are glued to their phones more that interacting with one another. Is He asking you to ‘fast’ your phone usage?
Can you see the ‘mob’ mentality within the ‘voices’ in the media? The media is definitely now about dividing the ‘sides’, and promoting only ‘binary’ arguments, and fueling the anger and fear in people. Social media is not about the real Truth but about emotional reaction and attention. And the multitude of voices coming from the ‘religious’ sides has increased to the point that it is a ‘rabbit hole’ of time wasted — because one can get lost just trying to ‘listen’ to all your ‘subscribed’ podcasts and videos. Already the same phenomenon is happening with the same type of voices yelling “Crucify Him!!” No matter the truth of the situation – the multitude of ‘voices’ already have condemned whomever. And the judicial branch no longer is impartial – but has been corrupted throughout the land. How can a judge actually know the ‘truth’ without knowing the “Truth”? The majority of judges no longer fear The Judge.
She listens to no voice;
she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the Lord;
she does not draw near to her God.
Her officials within her
are roaring lions;
her judges are evening wolves
that leave nothing till the morning.
Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men;
her priests profane what is holy;
they do violence to the law. Zephaniah 3:2-4
This has become the prevailing attitude and action within the global governance today. And we are quickly sliding into a time where God and His real remnant (ekklesia) will be viewed as the extreme enemy of the state and will be condemned to death. But … God has His plan and will protect His faithful as they carry out their assignments from Him till they complete them … and then they will be ushered into their reward.
What is God asking you to do… today? What is the value of prayer in the spiritual realm? Can the smallest prayers led by the Spirit of God really have any impact? What do you believe? What do you know? What has He actually taught you .. by walking you through His assignments with you? What is He asking you to learn? Are you focused on what His heart is focused on?
Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Matthew 10:16-23
You will be delivered to the political leaders AND the religious leaders for persecution. Don’t be surprised if your first betrayers are those in religious positions, and Jesus even says they will even be from within your own families. That is a hard ‘pill’ to swallow. But Jesus delivers the Truth of things …not the palatable, comfortable ‘good’ news – we usually hear that religious leaders are supposed to give.
Now is the time for you to press into the Holy Spirit and KNOW His Voice within you. Learn how to speak what He is telling you to speak, for you will need that skill — when you confront the evil of this world, face to face.