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Dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus, part of the growing repentance remnant, cleansing as His Bride, getting ready for His soon return as our Bridegroom-----
I believe the woman above is filled with joy having just destroyed, with the Helper Holy Spirit, an old lie of the enemy, a stronghold. She may earlier have been told not to bother keeping the Ten Commandments on the issue of keeping the Sabbath, given all has now changed in modern times, and given that as a child she was needed to work all seven days of the week in her family business. This pattern was an old stronghold, an old lie of the enemy. Years later she connected with a believer in Christ who was honoring the Sabbath rest each week. Having later been corrected humbly of her gross error, having earlier been "taken captive by the devil" (2 Timothy 2:25,26) she then repented, joined Jesus' KINGDOM, received the indwelling Holy Spirit, and then replaced the old lie with the Truth of God's Word. She is now bold for Christ, honoring the Sabbath each week, the business is even more successful, and she is now growing that much more in Christ. The lie of the enemy had blocked for years the fullness of God's love towards her, His forgiveness to her, and thus her love towards Him and her love towards others, including witnessing to others, and making disciples to advance the Lord's Kingdom.
Today, the stronghold to "chew-- to dine on" [Revelation 3:20] with the Holy Spirit, our Teacher, is Failure to observe the Sabbath.
Sin strongholds are false beliefs picked up at some point in our minds which, until removed by the Holy Spirit and our free will decision to repent, still govern our responses to circumstances, still mute or cover up God's Truth in His Word. All your thoughts can be traced back to beliefs based on either the truth of Scripture or on satan's lies. If that thought is based on satan's lies, it will lead to fear. Fear will then lead to some form of idolatry. One commentator in the New Spirit Filled Life Bible says: " Idols are established wherever there exists a failure to trust in the provisions of God that are ours through Jesus Christ."
This series, going through Passover, God willing, is intended for you and me to remove strongholds as did this woman above. The process is: 1) repent [really change your thinking] , return to God, convert (Acts 3:19) from the world and the flesh, die to that old rebellious spirit into which you and I were born (Ephesians 2:3), die to the old self, stop playing church, truly come into His Kingdom if you're not in already (Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15; Acts 3:19); 2) receive the indwelling Holy Spirit; and 3) spend time with that Holy Spirit, the Helper (John 16:7-15), as often as possible, day after day, asking Him if you have even a residue of the sin issue presented that day. The process is private, between you and Him. Again, there's no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1).
But old sin patterns blocking His Eternal Word have no place in a Holy Spirit-filled believer, now a "temple of the living God." ( 2 Corinthians 6:16). Given all His promises, including that He will be a Father to each of us believers, and we are His sons and daughters, we are called to " cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1; 1 Peter 1:15).
The Risen Christ already sees us as His Bride. He will sanctify and cleanse us by the washing of water by the word (Ephesians 5:26, the sword of the Spirit ). As each lying stronghold is demolished, replace forever the old lie with the word of God. Be washed in HIS Truth. In that repentance and cleansing process, the Lord is presenting us to Himself, "a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:27). He is the soon-coming Bridegroom (Matthew 24:36-51; Matthew 25:1-13; Revelation 19:7-9).
The classic scripture to remove strongholds is in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. Here it is in the amplified version: "For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ...,"
Strongholds are pulled down, and old mental blocks are broken, as you and I use spiritual weapons the Lord has given us, particularly the sword of the spirit, the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:17).
here is a short teaching on strongholds on one of our Zoom calls:
https://youtu.be/ykQ90uy7ev.
Today's issue is ,failure to observe the Sabbath. Exodus 20:8-11 is still alive today: " Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. " Taking this one day each week not to work, to focus on Him, we worship Him, we show ourselves to be good stewards of time, we get refreshed in His presence.
Being candid with yourself and the Holy Spirit, is this old pattern of disregarding the Sabbath still blocking your serving your Almighty Creator today? Is there any remnant of this old pattern needing to be confessed to Him, your Teacher (Matthew 23:10)? Are there any old vows you made in this area that now need to be removed? Do you think this is only applicable to the disciples 2,000 or 3,000 years ago? Do you have any residue of a residue of this issue for such a time as this? Was it connected to your upbringing as a child? Was it a family pattern in any way?
God bless you as you seek His Holy Spirit Wisdom and Comfort on this issue. May you go forward on His narrow path, "perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2 Corinthians 7:1).
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Donations have dropped dramatically. The pleas I receive daily for food have sharply escalated. I can't continue putting my own funds into this ministry. We have no budget for Susan or myself. Please pray to the Lord to see if this ministry is one He wishes you to support with any amount of your time, talent, and His Provision.
Thank you for being "righteous, showing mercy and giving." As He gives you a "yes"---whatever the amount--- you'll receive His blessing: Matthew 25: 34-36.
God bless you,
Pastor Jeff Daly
National Day of Repentance
www.repentday.com
www.americankneels.com
www.globalrepent.com
pastorjeff@repentday.com
our "Cleansing the Bride" zoom call every Wednesday will now be focused each time on Israel. Please email Susan Hammer or me for zoom info, and join us 10:30 AM Pacific USA time! The LORD is bringing us all together ,Cleansing His Bride, in these end times as One Body, One Lord, One Faith.
Please join us! April 30, 2024: our annual National Day of Repentance (call for zoom information) and please participate on May 3 and 4, at historic Moravian Falls, North Carolina: Renewing the Wells of Revival: Pastor's & Leaders Summit at Moravian Falls (campaign-archive.com)
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The Lord makes it clear: Luke 13:1-5, repent or perish. Here's a NDR video on this key scripture: https://youtu.be/oT15XrDvv9c
and this video on ETERNITY: https://youtu.be/evrL-H29908
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