TRASH TALKING

Yesterday, I was asked to lead prayer at PHOP and I hesitated, for a few seconds, before saying yes, because I had been hearing the accusations of the enemy, earlier in the morning, while getting ready to go out the door. 

You know the accusations the enemy brings. The Scripture says, they are common to man. This morning mine were about not measuring up, not being acceptable to God, not being significant, not being everything I was meant to be, blah blah blah... it went on for a while before I realized it was an attack. 

The specific accusation that got my attention this morning was that I could not hear the Holy Spirit like I had in times past.  Especially the way I experienced Him in everyday life right after I was first saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. For a season of time I experienced the supernatural presence all day on a daily basis. 

Of course once suggested, there was a procession of small bits of evidence paraded before my mind, in order to convince me that this was in deed, fact. Even a scripture passage was used against me.  II Timothy 3:1-5 

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  

• People will be lovers of themselves,
• lovers of money, 
• boastful, proud, abusive, 
• disobedient to their parents, 
• ungrateful, unholy, 
• without love,
• unforgiving, 
• slanderous, 
• without self-control, brutal, 
• not lovers of the good,  
•  treacherous, rash, 
• conceited,  
• lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—  
• having a form of godliness but denying its power.

Have nothing to do with such people.

I had to admit that at various times, I have been guilty of many of the things on this list. But the word that was highlighted in this passage today was ungrateful.

So the adversary spoke a half truth that I was ungrateful. You know what the problem is with a half truth? You haven't heard the other half. You render judgement without hearing both sides of the case. 

In Scripture it says this...

Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.  Matthew 5:25-26

All the bold words in this passage are legal terms, terms used in a court system, since Jesus is speaking here about spiritual things, we can assume he is talking about a heavenly court system, as well as an earthly one. 

So I agreed with my adversary on the way to PHOP in my car. I said out loud (because the devil/demons cannot read your mind) "you are right, I have been ungrateful to God."  I am guilty as charged."  I submit into evidence exhibit A the blood of Jesus which speaks a better word, that not only covers any ungratefulness but abolishes all my sin and casts it into the sea of forgetfulness.

Then I began thanking God (out loud) for everything He had done for me starting with the blood of Jesus that overrules the accusations against me, and makes me acceptable. Because the cure for ungratefulness is to start expressing gratitude, through thanksgiving and worship. 

 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 

Colossians 2:13-14

I thanked God out loud for: 

• sending His Son, 
• the finished work on the cross 
• His burial and resurrection. 
• the times past where the Holy Spirit had supernaturally guided me. 
• especially the times the adversary had submitted as evidence against me. 

I thanked God out loud that:

• I had a desire to serve Him 
• I did love his presence. 
• I have heard his voice in times past and
• I am hearing His voice right now in the present. 
• He has made me acceptable to Himself. 
• He has given me the Holy Spirit as a promise and 
• He never breaks His promise. 

I was asking the Holy Spirit to speak to me now, telling Him how much I love His presence in my life in any way He chooses to come and express Himself.   

Once I arrived at PHOP the atmosphere of worship was sweet and this morning I was reading along in Graham Cooke's Book "Developing your Prophetic Gift"

I was thinking about the verse quoted above, "In the last days perilous times will come..." And I opened to my book mark and began reading, this was in the second paragraph. 

Count your blessings, there are so many things we could give thanks for. Being grateful to God is very important. I think sometimes if we are ungrateful to God, the chances are we are going to be ungrateful to people and ungracious in how we live our life. It is things like gratitude, and thanksgiving, praise and worship that really do keep the presence of God fresh in our hearts. It enables us to be God conscious, which is what we want to be.  

Mission accomplished Holy Spirit! 
You know how to use the adversary to speak half truths to get us to the place of walking in the full truth that will set us free. 

The second half of my morning at PHOP is in my next post labeled Supermarket Sweep