Monthly Archives: July 2012

Sins are never committed in a veiled vacuum, out of eyesight. God sees everything, but even more than that, the sins are committed openly in the spiritual atmosphere which envelopes the earth. This is the realm where  the prince of the power of the atmosphere reigns and influences.

Our sins do more than cause a separation between God and us. They empower the prince of the power of the atmosphere (or Satan) to gain a greater foothold on earth. I believe this empowerment works according to the same spiritual principle stated in Matthew 18:19-20, because our sins agree with the father of lies. Then, if the sins are committed with the consent of a second person or more, the sins invite more of the presence of the kingdom of darkness into a city, a region, a state, or a nation (territory).

So, when people say, “Our sins don’t affect anyone but us,” they are not quite accurate. At the least, the sins lessen the amount of righteousness in that territory on earth, which then affects everyone who lives there.

Spiritual warfare may be defined as the constant, never-ending war between the forces of God and the forces of Satan to displace wickedness with righteousness, or vice versa, here on earth, territory by territory.

If righteousness displaces a measure of wickedness in a territory on earth, that area will then have a higher level of godliness. But if wickedness displaces a portion of righteousness in an area, then that territory will have a higher level of depravity.

Unlike physical warfare, spiritual battles are not fought with swords or guns, but rather with our acts (of love or sin) and our words.

The acts should be self-explanatory, but if you have any doubts, check Galatians 5:16 – 26 to study the acts of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.

And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell… But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. (James 3: 6, 8-9)

Our spoken words have the power of life and death in them.

If our words are spoken in love, backed by faith, and filled with the truth of God’s words, then we will impart life and advance righteousness in a territory. These God-filled words may be spoken in prayers or through other communications.

Sadly, the opposite is also true.

If our spoken words agree with the iniquities committed in a territory and do not agree with God’s words, then our words bestow death and advance wickedness in that territory.

Now, even though God has set up the world to be in subjection to angels, He is still the CEO of the universe. If the cry of wickedness in a territory becomes too great and the iniquity too severe, God will act. He may even remove that city, region, state, or nation (territory) from His sight. That is exactly what He did with Sodom and Gomorrah in 2067 BC and Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Remember: God has not changed so we need to pay attention to His voice before it’s too late.

So, why California? Why San Francisco? Why now?

The answer I believe can be summed up in one word: children.

As many realize, God is patient with mankind because He wants everyone to repent and none to perish in an eternal Hell.  This is the Father’s heart filled with love for His creation.

Yet, when the ruling principality over San Francisco, the spirit of depravity, gained enough power to compel politicians  in the state capitol in Sacramento, California, to vote in laws requiring innocent children (K-12) to be exposed and lied to about iniquity, God must act.

The three branches of government, which are supposed to protect innocent children, have been totally deceived by the spirit of depravity. Since these three branches refuse to act for the children’s sake, the Lord God of Hosts will rise up and act.

Because of the many saints who have labored in fasts and prayers over the years for San Francisco and California, God will first act in mercy. The calamities, which will soon hit California, will look anything but merciful because of the damage and death toll involved. But yet, like Elijah’s prophetic warning about a forty-two month drought, it is the mercy of God, calling people to repentance.  (See prophetic words on earthquakes here.)

Yet, if California ignores the earthquake calamities and continues to follow and bow before the spirit of depravity, God will bring such heavy calamities on California that the whole world will mourn and weep over its demise. (See prophetic words about terrorists’ attacks here.

California, choose for yourself this day whom you will serve.

(Conclusion)

In 863 BC, a stranger showed up at the gates of Samaria. He mentioned that he was from Tisbeh, a city forty miles east of Israel’s capital and on the opposite side of the Jordan River.

Somehow, the stranger wangled an audience with King Ahab. The stranger’s dress, coarse camel’s haircloth with a rough leather belt, showed him to be a nomad of the desert, not a man suitable for the king’s court. But still, he approached the king.

King Ahab most likely wondered what the country bumpkin wanted when he saw him. He probably gave an impatient sigh and uttered, “So, Elijah, what do you have for me?”

Elijah spoke one of the shortest and most powerful messages in the Bible, just twenty-four words:

“As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” (1 Kings 17:1)

The Bible does not give us an inkling of Ahab’s immediate reaction to Elijah’s short message.  But, most likely, it caused a big enough ruckus so that Elijah was able to slip away without being stopped or followed.

Okay, was the drought which Elijah warned King Ahab and Israel about an example of God’s love toward the Jews?

You have to remember the drought lasted forty-two months. No rain meant no crops, which in turn meant starvation for animals and people. Babies and the elderly would have been the hardest hit, but also prophets of God were slain.

As a guess, let’s say 1/2% of the population died. That would translate into 20-25,000 deaths resulting from the drought.

Now, what’s your thoughts on whether or not the drought was an example of God’s love?

Eventually, Elijah showed up and challenged four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal to a fire contest on Mount Carmel. Why fire? Because Baal was the god of fire. Why Mt. Carmel? That was where the pagan prophets sacrificed to Baal.

“Eureka!” The prophets of Baal probably thought to themselves. “Elijah has stepped in it this time. He’ll be toast!”

But in the end, the Lord God of Israel sent fire and consumed the sacrifice on the altar made by Elijah. Then, Elijah slaughtered the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal in front of Israel and prayed for rain to fall on the nation.

Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!” (1 Kings 18:39)

Once again, what’s your thoughts on whether or not the drought was an example of God’s love? Tough question, right? Although the people repented, thousands of people died or were slaughtered.

For myself, I have no doubt it is God love:

First,  God is love. His character  never changes and there are no variations in His perfect love at any time. And even when He judges a nation in His godly anger, He is 100% love. It is who He is. Period.

while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the LORD had struck down among them. The LORD had also executed judgments on their gods. (Numbers 33:4)

Secondly, God knows how to set people free who are imprisoned by their second nature sins, also known as iniquities. He is willing to take on the gods of the people’s iniquities, or ruling principalities, in a face to face battle, not on neutral ground, but in the ruling principalities’ strongholds.

You see, God is not afraid of a fight. He is not a bit fearful of how entrenched or how fortified the enemy is in its own stronghold. He just needs a man who is willing to be His vessel, like Moses was in Egypt, Elijah at Mt. Carmel, or Jesus on earth. The man just has to believe:

No man [champion, servant, or whosoever] will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. (Joshua 1:5)

Yes, there may be collateral damage in setting the people free and deaths may occur. But the deaths are due to our rebellion and sin and not to a lack of love on His part. We must trust that God knows what He is doing.

So, why California? Why San Francisco? Why now?

(Continued in Part 10)