Word for 2024
"The Three Battlefields"
War from a place of rest!
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Gal 3:20
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Gal 3:20
Looking ahead to 2024, what do we see? If we look through macroscopic lenses, wars, and rumors of war, economic upheavals, political maneuvering, anti-semitism, persecution, violence, lawlessness, gender confusion, and betrayals will pummel the headlines. The attacks on Israel October 7th slammed a new reality of the seriousness of the hour on the face of the world’s scene. Were we ready for it? With the Russia-Ukraine war and now Israel under attack, many sense we are in what is known as a “birth pang’’ in the end-time narrative. More is coming and will likely be more intense. How can we prepare? How, then, do we walk out a reality of living victoriously in a world convulsing and spewing forth such hateful violence and animosity? How do we maintain spiritual clarity when our natural selves want to revolt in anger and righteous indignation or fear under such violent pressure?
Vision and word:
Recently, I had a dream that was disturbing. So much so, I woke up in a sweat. In the dream, I was in a very dark place. But I was pulling people out of a dark lake. When they emerged some were crying with heads down, others had wide eyes filled with bewilderment. Upon awakening, I heard these words: “Tyranny of the urgent, crisis of identity, and authority in Christ.” They were very clear.
As I sought the Lord about these messages, I realized that they are spiritual battlefields that influence our walk. They are serious battle fronts we will all contend with and are critical for our spiritual trajectory and growth going forward. Certainly, they will impact the necessary spiritual clarity we will need for these chaotic times. In pondering these three focuses, I realized God is calling us to a higher level of war. Warring from the place of rest. We are now being prepared for what is ahead. How we deal with these battlefields in the present time can ultimately determine where we end up.
Vision and word:
Recently, I had a dream that was disturbing. So much so, I woke up in a sweat. In the dream, I was in a very dark place. But I was pulling people out of a dark lake. When they emerged some were crying with heads down, others had wide eyes filled with bewilderment. Upon awakening, I heard these words: “Tyranny of the urgent, crisis of identity, and authority in Christ.” They were very clear.
As I sought the Lord about these messages, I realized that they are spiritual battlefields that influence our walk. They are serious battle fronts we will all contend with and are critical for our spiritual trajectory and growth going forward. Certainly, they will impact the necessary spiritual clarity we will need for these chaotic times. In pondering these three focuses, I realized God is calling us to a higher level of war. Warring from the place of rest. We are now being prepared for what is ahead. How we deal with these battlefields in the present time can ultimately determine where we end up.
Tyranny of the urgent,
We are living in a day when many vital issues, events, and news will vie for our attention. Social & news media can quickly consume our interest. Distractions easily take our eyes off the very things we are called to do and be. We can get caught up in the whirlwind of self-sufficiency, opinions, or what we can do on our own strength, taking pride in what we know or have accomplished. Daniel speaks of this time, “Shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase,” (Daniel 12:4). Yielding into distractions or accomplishment moves us into self-satisfaction, or gratification that is seductive and fleeting.
It is not wrong to be going about the good things in our lives, or keeping up with news, but when it causes us to leave out the God thing, we can quickly become spiritually shallow and dry. Our path can become dangerously distorted into a trajectory that entices us into a road of self-sufficiency. This is when the danger alarm should start sounding for self-sufficiency feeds the Laodicean spirit, spiritual boredom, pride in what we do, shallow and empty revelation, and ultimately, sin as it separates us from our dependency on God. Paul speaks to the Corinthian church, toying with rebellion, in his 2nd letter, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,” (2 Cor 3:5). If our labor is filled with flesh and “busy-ness,” what is the fruit?
Jesus is our model. His ministry was three short years when through daily persistence in hearing from the Lord, He was able to walk out His purpose. Frequently, He was noted to draw away from the crowds and be alone with the Lord (Lu 4:42; 5:16; 6:12; 9:28). After a busy day healing many, and the “Whole city was gathered together at the door” (Mark 1:33), He slipped away to a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:35). Though He may have been exhausted at times, He was never in a hurry, prioritizing hearing from the Lord and gaining strength from the Father.
The story of raising Lazarus from the dead is another such story. Although He had heard Lazarus was sick, He delayed going to Bethany to the people He loved. By the time he reached Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days, grave clothes had been put on him, laid in a tomb, and people had gathered to mourn, (John 11). Though, in the natural, Jesus’ arrival seemed delayed, it was actually on time. People who had seen Jesus perform miraculous healings now saw Him raise someone from the dead, and many believed. That is what Jesus needed people to see.
Are you easily distracted, short-tempered, irritable with people, suffering from a critical spirit, needing to have things done right away, consumed with desiring certain things? These are all symptoms of the tyranny of the urgent. Time to step back, re-evaluate, and re-prioritize the “one thing” that makes life worth living (Ps 27:4). It requires time, intentionality, and discipline to shift out of the tyranny of the urgent into His way and His will for our lives. When we do, we move into renewed trust in the Lord. The result is new spiritual strength, revelation, wisdom, and understanding. Through a consistent priority of hearing from the Lord and obeying, we enter new dimensions of His love and fruitfulness. Jesus was very effective in His use of time and intentional in priorities. By setting His priorities in seeking the Lord and obeying, He was able to say, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do,” (John 17:4). May we too learn from and follow His example.
We are living in a day when many vital issues, events, and news will vie for our attention. Social & news media can quickly consume our interest. Distractions easily take our eyes off the very things we are called to do and be. We can get caught up in the whirlwind of self-sufficiency, opinions, or what we can do on our own strength, taking pride in what we know or have accomplished. Daniel speaks of this time, “Shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase,” (Daniel 12:4). Yielding into distractions or accomplishment moves us into self-satisfaction, or gratification that is seductive and fleeting.
It is not wrong to be going about the good things in our lives, or keeping up with news, but when it causes us to leave out the God thing, we can quickly become spiritually shallow and dry. Our path can become dangerously distorted into a trajectory that entices us into a road of self-sufficiency. This is when the danger alarm should start sounding for self-sufficiency feeds the Laodicean spirit, spiritual boredom, pride in what we do, shallow and empty revelation, and ultimately, sin as it separates us from our dependency on God. Paul speaks to the Corinthian church, toying with rebellion, in his 2nd letter, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,” (2 Cor 3:5). If our labor is filled with flesh and “busy-ness,” what is the fruit?
Jesus is our model. His ministry was three short years when through daily persistence in hearing from the Lord, He was able to walk out His purpose. Frequently, He was noted to draw away from the crowds and be alone with the Lord (Lu 4:42; 5:16; 6:12; 9:28). After a busy day healing many, and the “Whole city was gathered together at the door” (Mark 1:33), He slipped away to a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:35). Though He may have been exhausted at times, He was never in a hurry, prioritizing hearing from the Lord and gaining strength from the Father.
The story of raising Lazarus from the dead is another such story. Although He had heard Lazarus was sick, He delayed going to Bethany to the people He loved. By the time he reached Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days, grave clothes had been put on him, laid in a tomb, and people had gathered to mourn, (John 11). Though, in the natural, Jesus’ arrival seemed delayed, it was actually on time. People who had seen Jesus perform miraculous healings now saw Him raise someone from the dead, and many believed. That is what Jesus needed people to see.
Are you easily distracted, short-tempered, irritable with people, suffering from a critical spirit, needing to have things done right away, consumed with desiring certain things? These are all symptoms of the tyranny of the urgent. Time to step back, re-evaluate, and re-prioritize the “one thing” that makes life worth living (Ps 27:4). It requires time, intentionality, and discipline to shift out of the tyranny of the urgent into His way and His will for our lives. When we do, we move into renewed trust in the Lord. The result is new spiritual strength, revelation, wisdom, and understanding. Through a consistent priority of hearing from the Lord and obeying, we enter new dimensions of His love and fruitfulness. Jesus was very effective in His use of time and intentional in priorities. By setting His priorities in seeking the Lord and obeying, He was able to say, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do,” (John 17:4). May we too learn from and follow His example.
Crisis of Identity
If the tyranny of the urgent is at all working in our lives, we can easily catapult into a crisis of identity. This is not a crisis of our giftings, self-motivation, capabilities, or strengths, but rather a crisis of character in knowing God, His Word, and how Christ works through us. Our gifts are just that, gifts. They are irrevocable, (Rom 11:29). For gifts to operate to their full intent, they must be marinated in our relationship with Christ, learning His character through His word and applying it to our lives. What we do doesn’t necessarily reflect who we are. Without character, it doesn’t matter what gifting we have, or anointing, or position we hold, we are nothing and in a crisis of identity. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5).
When looking for the next king of Israel after Saul's failure, Samuel was sent to Jesse’s house to anoint the new king. Jesse had seven sons pass before Samuel. The Lord spoke to him saying, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Sam 16:7). Samuel listened to the Lord and did not lean on his own or Jesse’s understanding. Doing so, he found the forgotten shepherd boy, David, who would be a king whose destiny, life, and lineage would bring forth the Savior of the world. David’s life and character continue to feed generations to come with God’s Word.
Our identity is directly related to how much we lean into Him, particularly in tough times. The more we identify with Christ, the more we will know who God created us to be and be at peace no matter how difficult the situation is. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33). By identifying with Christ, holding onto His Word, trusting in Him, His nature and character will grow within us and we will be at peace. It was Jesus who promised, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you,” (John 15:14-15). That is our true identity in Christ.
Authority in Christ
The enemy wants to steal our time, identity, and ultimately our authority in Christ. If he can distract and discredit our authority in Christ, he can steal our security, and effectiveness for the Kingdom. The tyranny of the urgent and our identity in Christ focus largely on our external challenges and how we respond to them. But where does that leave us in our authority as Christians? The Greek word for authority is exousia. It means to have privilege, right, to use power. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth,” (Mt. 28:18). As believers, we have been given some of that authority. The theology behind authority can be very complex, but simply stated, Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” When we accept Christ into our lives, we change. We come into a spiritual authority we have not had before. John says it well, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world,” (1 John 4:4).
As believers, we carry a spiritual authority that the world of unbelievers do not have. The question is do we use it? When under stress, difficulties, threats, and persecution, how do we respond? In fear, defensiveness, anger...or trusting in the Lord? This is where the confusion of authority can come in; and the enemy will wreak havoc. Satan wants to steal our authority and keep us weak, defensive, and fearful (threatened). Jesus spoke to Paul who was contending for a “thorn in his flesh,” saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength (dynamis=power) is made perfect in weakness." The Greek word for weakness is astheneia, ἀσθένεια, and can actually mean, “want of strength to understand, restrain corrupt desires, bear trials and troubles” (Strong’s g0769). Our trials can turn to triumphs when we yield to the Lord and His authority working in us. In times of trial, the more emptied we are of ourselves, the more the Holy Spirit has room to move and influence our hearts, and we will emerge with greater spiritual authority, wisdom, and revelation of His Will.
Summary
We will always have these battlefields before us. This interpretation is not final, but articulates the battles in which we will face and be highly contested. If you haven’t struggled with one or more, you will. Being aware of them will help us pass through the tests and be lights emanating the life of Christ. Revelation will unfold as we pass through the storms ahead. The enemy is out to distress us at every level to weaken God’s army. Jesus warned His disciples twice in the Upper Room Discourse (John 14-17) of times such as now, “Let not your heart be troubled,” (John 14:1, 27). Further on, He warns, “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them,” (John 16:1-4).
We are in birth pangs of the end-time narrative. Before us are opportunities to stand out among the crowd emanating the light of Jesus within us. These words of Jesus were spoken to help all through history maintain their centeredness in Christ. We are in important preparation times. By grappling to gain victory and peace on these battlefields, we will come into a new stance with the Lord, much needed for what is ahead.
If Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6); His life carries keys to our walk today. We will be challenged by the three battlefields. You can count on it. But Jesus left us a model to follow that will be ammunition on the spiritual battles ahead. Here are simple training tools to prepare us:
Summary:
Given warning, we can fight the good fight, even in our weaknesses, to see the victory of the Lord. God is training us and giving us powerful ammunition to defeat the enemy and lead us to walk in clarity and victory in these days of darkness and adversity.
-
Starting 2024, 2-22 January 21 day focus "Walking in Victory in Days of Adversity"
We invite you to go deeper in these topics and more to prepare us for 2024 for this 21 day focus.
If the tyranny of the urgent is at all working in our lives, we can easily catapult into a crisis of identity. This is not a crisis of our giftings, self-motivation, capabilities, or strengths, but rather a crisis of character in knowing God, His Word, and how Christ works through us. Our gifts are just that, gifts. They are irrevocable, (Rom 11:29). For gifts to operate to their full intent, they must be marinated in our relationship with Christ, learning His character through His word and applying it to our lives. What we do doesn’t necessarily reflect who we are. Without character, it doesn’t matter what gifting we have, or anointing, or position we hold, we are nothing and in a crisis of identity. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5).
When looking for the next king of Israel after Saul's failure, Samuel was sent to Jesse’s house to anoint the new king. Jesse had seven sons pass before Samuel. The Lord spoke to him saying, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Sam 16:7). Samuel listened to the Lord and did not lean on his own or Jesse’s understanding. Doing so, he found the forgotten shepherd boy, David, who would be a king whose destiny, life, and lineage would bring forth the Savior of the world. David’s life and character continue to feed generations to come with God’s Word.
Our identity is directly related to how much we lean into Him, particularly in tough times. The more we identify with Christ, the more we will know who God created us to be and be at peace no matter how difficult the situation is. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33). By identifying with Christ, holding onto His Word, trusting in Him, His nature and character will grow within us and we will be at peace. It was Jesus who promised, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you,” (John 15:14-15). That is our true identity in Christ.
Authority in Christ
The enemy wants to steal our time, identity, and ultimately our authority in Christ. If he can distract and discredit our authority in Christ, he can steal our security, and effectiveness for the Kingdom. The tyranny of the urgent and our identity in Christ focus largely on our external challenges and how we respond to them. But where does that leave us in our authority as Christians? The Greek word for authority is exousia. It means to have privilege, right, to use power. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth,” (Mt. 28:18). As believers, we have been given some of that authority. The theology behind authority can be very complex, but simply stated, Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” When we accept Christ into our lives, we change. We come into a spiritual authority we have not had before. John says it well, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world,” (1 John 4:4).
As believers, we carry a spiritual authority that the world of unbelievers do not have. The question is do we use it? When under stress, difficulties, threats, and persecution, how do we respond? In fear, defensiveness, anger...or trusting in the Lord? This is where the confusion of authority can come in; and the enemy will wreak havoc. Satan wants to steal our authority and keep us weak, defensive, and fearful (threatened). Jesus spoke to Paul who was contending for a “thorn in his flesh,” saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength (dynamis=power) is made perfect in weakness." The Greek word for weakness is astheneia, ἀσθένεια, and can actually mean, “want of strength to understand, restrain corrupt desires, bear trials and troubles” (Strong’s g0769). Our trials can turn to triumphs when we yield to the Lord and His authority working in us. In times of trial, the more emptied we are of ourselves, the more the Holy Spirit has room to move and influence our hearts, and we will emerge with greater spiritual authority, wisdom, and revelation of His Will.
Summary
We will always have these battlefields before us. This interpretation is not final, but articulates the battles in which we will face and be highly contested. If you haven’t struggled with one or more, you will. Being aware of them will help us pass through the tests and be lights emanating the life of Christ. Revelation will unfold as we pass through the storms ahead. The enemy is out to distress us at every level to weaken God’s army. Jesus warned His disciples twice in the Upper Room Discourse (John 14-17) of times such as now, “Let not your heart be troubled,” (John 14:1, 27). Further on, He warns, “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them,” (John 16:1-4).
We are in birth pangs of the end-time narrative. Before us are opportunities to stand out among the crowd emanating the light of Jesus within us. These words of Jesus were spoken to help all through history maintain their centeredness in Christ. We are in important preparation times. By grappling to gain victory and peace on these battlefields, we will come into a new stance with the Lord, much needed for what is ahead.
If Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6); His life carries keys to our walk today. We will be challenged by the three battlefields. You can count on it. But Jesus left us a model to follow that will be ammunition on the spiritual battles ahead. Here are simple training tools to prepare us:
- Take time to know His Word
- Listen to hear His voice
- Obey His commands even at personal cost
Summary:
Given warning, we can fight the good fight, even in our weaknesses, to see the victory of the Lord. God is training us and giving us powerful ammunition to defeat the enemy and lead us to walk in clarity and victory in these days of darkness and adversity.
-
Starting 2024, 2-22 January 21 day focus "Walking in Victory in Days of Adversity"
We invite you to go deeper in these topics and more to prepare us for 2024 for this 21 day focus.
