Enemy -

The Lord will do great things

“Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice for the LORD will do great things.” Joel 2:21

Fear not, and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things. Do you believe that the Lord will do great things on your behalf? I hope your answer is, yes. The Lord will restore what has been taken away from you. He has restored Job and others in the word. What is in the word applies to those who walk by faith and not by sight. What the grasshopper has eaten in the field, will be restored. You shall eat plenty and be satisfied. Are you satisfied? You shall not be ashamed. Don’t worry, God is on your side and will do great things. When I had lack of food, God supplied. I never went hungry nor my family.

Beware of those who have a harmful influence over you. These are those who make merchandise out of you and use you for their own benefit. What they have taken from you will be restored. The Lord will fight for you and your family as you build yourself up in His Holy word. Stay the course in faith having your shield up. Whatever work you are doing, pray that God will bless it and sustain it. Even if you lose your job, it will be restored. Your adversaries may come against you, but you will stand strong in the Lord.

“For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” Isaiah 25:4

Against the wall of evil is the storm, but the Lord will be our hope and strength. Purify your heart before the Lord and trust in Him.

Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. Psalms 28:6-7

Whatever opposition you receive, the Lord will be your strength and shield. We can read about Nehemiah and see how those who oppose through ridicule, greed, and craftiness will be judged under the hand of God. Read chapter 5 of Nehemiah and see the cry of the people who have mortgaged their lands, vineyards, and houses that they may buy and eat during the famine. Some have borrowed money to pay their taxes. God is in the business of restoration to those who repent and believe that God is their strength.

(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 2 Peter 2:8-10

Those who are corrupt shall utterly perish in their own corruption. There is no escaping God’s judgement for those who are unjust. However, God will restore the years that the locust hath eaten, [see Joel 2:25]. Now, look at verse 24 of chapter 2 of Joel that states the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. The Lord answered their cry by giving them corn, wine, and oil. This was after they were sanctified, consecrated unto the Lord. God said, “You will be satisfied.” You will be contented at what the Lord has done for you. He will give you what you need or what has been taken from you, and you will be satisfied.

The Lord will even restore your health as is stated in Jeremiah chapter 30 verse 17.

“For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.”

Have you been called an outcast? Have you been rejected by someone? Today, we have mothers and fathers rejecting each other and their children. Jesus rejected no one and even allowed the children to come and be healed, [see Matthew 19:14]. If you have been injured in any way, God will heal you. Pray and receive it now in Jesus Name. The Lord will do great things in your life every day when you trust and believe in Him.

We Wrestle not Against Flesh and Blood

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Ephesians 6:12

“We wrestle not against flesh and blood,” said the apostle, Paul. Yet, at times tempers flare up to where believers are at war with one another, and it becomes physical. Fighting over parking places, over food, and even clothing. Politeness and respect have gone out the door. Darkness seems to grow around our surroundings. The news hour is full of those who hate others, killings, and theft. Some are even rejoicing over what is happening. These actions are of the children of disobedience [see Ephesians 2:2]. These are those who are fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.

The inner life of a believer is to walk worthy before the Lord and men. In Chapter six of Ephesians, Paul is addressing the warrior’s armor for the believer. Paul states the following.

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11

We need to heed the scripture and put on the armour of God and pray to stand against the wiles of the devil. Wiles meaning to entice, deceive, and manipulate into doing something that is not right before God. We are to walk honestly, not in strife and envying. We are to put on the whole armor of God as is stated in Ephesians chapter six in order to withstand the evil that is happening every day.

We are to carry with us the truth of the Gospel. The breastplate of righteousness, which we have in Christ. Our feet shod for the preparation of the gospel of peace. Christ is our peace.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

Jesus said let not your heart be troubled or afraid.

“Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.” Psalms 107:13

It is the shield of faith that will bring us through our distresses and God will deliver us from destructions [ see verse 20 of Psalms 107].

Faith in Christ Jesus is our shield. This is how we quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. We have the helmet of salvation, which is our protective covering from harm, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. We stand strong in the Lord when we read the word of God every day and mediate on its meaning. This is how we are sanctified. Jesus said, “the light of the body is the eye,” [Luke 11:35]. If your eye is single, it is full light and not darkness. We are to take heed what our own eye sees.

“Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.” Luke 11:35

Make sure that you yourself are not drawn to darkness. Stand firm in the foundation of the Lord. We wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Our resource is the word of God and prayer. We rebuke the evil spirits at work and cast down every imagination that exalted itself against the knowledge of God, [see 2 Corinthains 10:5].

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:18

We pray in the Spirit and watch with perseverance God’s intervention. We give thanks to the Lord always for His protective care.

Listen to Pilgrims Journey taken from Ephesians chapter six or visit Inge Schultz Music and read the post about it.

Tares Among the Wheat

While men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.”
Matthew 13:25

Parables in the bible are the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. I have often wondered why there are mysteries written in the word of God. The lord has given specific people the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, while others are blinded to the fact of the mysteries. This may ring the bell to only those whom the spirit of God falls upon for the revelations and understanding of what is being reveled such as those who prophesy in the Spirit. Those who will have an ear to hear and do the will of God. In the beginning of Matthew chapter 13 we read about the “Sower of the Seeds” and the different types of soil the seed is sown in. The first nine verses of Matthew chapter 13 explain the different soils and what happens to the seed grown in those types of soils. Only the seed that falls in good soil brings forth fruit. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” states Matthew in chapter 13, verse 9. The importance of the seed and how it is grown is vital for the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. The seed is the word of God that produces fruit in good soil while in other soils it will die. This parable portrays those who are following the will of God as children of the light and not of darkness. The analogy of the tares among the wheat is worth noting and is rarely mentioned in church due to the fact that it may cause some to flee the church if they knew that there are tares among the wheat in the body of Christ.

The parable in Matthew chapter 13, versus 24 to 30 is conveying what happens to those who are the tares in the field where the seed has been planted. In the body of Christ, it is the seed, which is the word of God that produces fruit within the individual’s life. The word “tares” in Hebrew is the darnel, which means weeds that is grown among the wheat. According to Jewish virtual library the darnel seeds that have been ground into flour is poisonous and gives a bitter taste to bread. It is said that the wheat and darnel do not constitute with each other. In otherwards they may look like each other, but who they are in character is not made of the same form. If they are not of the same form, that means that there is no cross breeding of the seed. The problem of the weeds is that they appear even when only the good seed was planted in the good soil.

What was the answer that Jesus gave to the question of where did the “Tares” come from? In verse 28 of Matthew chapter 13, Jesus said, “An enemy hath done this.” Who is the enemy? Satan is the enemy, and the tares are the children of the wicked one [see Matthew 13:38-39]. Satan is the one who deceives. It is Jesus who warns about those who are false prophets and show great signs and wonders in order to deceive the very elect, [see Matthew 24:24]. The apostle Paul warns Christians in Ephesians chapter four, verse fourteen, that they are not to be children tossed to and from and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the scheme, or plan of men that lie in wait to deceive many. It is important that no one causes you to leave the basic knowledge of the doctrine of Christ. Without Christ our faith is in vain since He is the author and finisher of our faith, [Hebrew 12:2].

Who sows the good seed? It is the Son of man, Jesus, the Son of David, the representative Man, the Son of God. [see Matthew 13:37]. Now look at the next verse, 38.

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one.”
Matthew 13:38

Are you the children of the kingdom, or are you the children of the wicked one? Have you ever asked this question of yourself? There are many who profess that they are the children of the kingdom, and in outward appearances it looks like they are, but only God really knows the truth about an individual’s heart condition. Appearances can be so deceiving that only the angels will separate those who belong to the children of the kingdom, and those who belong to the children of the wicked one, [see Matthew 13:37-43]. I find this astonishing. I have often wondered how pastors view their congregation and make assumptions about the flock they feed. For those who are sitting on the fence with one foot in the world and the other foot in pretending to be a good Christian, this is the division within the heart of man. James said, “a double minded man is unstable in all his ways, [James 1:8]. A double minded man is wavering and tossed upon the waves of the sea. These are those who are wavering in indecision. The field must be cultivated in order for the seed to grow. This means fertilizing and watering the seed. To fertilize is to grow into or develop into a new individual in Christ. The water is the washing of water by the word of God. What kind of seed will you be is a question we should all ask ourselves. Remember the promise made to Abraham? Who is the seed?

“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ.”
Galatians 3:16

Christ is the seed that is planted into each individual’s heart. Our first concern is to see that Christ is the foundational seed, and that seed is made into a new creation in Christ Jesus. This is why the apostle Paul stated, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new, [see 2 Corinthians 5:17]. Remember that only the seed that is planted in good soil will bring forth fruit. The heart of man has different soils. The body of Christ must come to the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. That is why God sends out by the Holy Spirit apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the work of ministry and edifying the body of Christ until we all come in the unity of the faith, [see Ephesians 4:11-13]. Let us consider our own heart and if it is seeded in Christ. Are we growing into the image of Christ. Has our soil weakened to where Christ is no longer the head in our life. Ask God to change your heart to the heart of Christ. Be willing to change into the image of Christ. Be willing to be fertilize and watered by the word of God. Remember it takes time and patience for the seed to grow in the garden, and this is true in your own life. Be patient with yourself and the situation you are in. You will see God move in your situation and in yourself.

Jesus allows the tares and the wheat to grow together until the time of harvest.

Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, gather together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Matthew 13:30

We are children of the light where Christ is the head of every man and women. We have become the children of the kingdom of God and not of Satan. When the harvest comes, it is the reapers, who are the angels that will gather the tares and the wheat. Have you ever wondered why the tares are allowed to grow with the wheat? I had not envisioned this in my own mind, but I have seen and witnessed the tares and the wheat within congregations, and I wanted to run away from it because of fear, because of association with evil. This could be a contradiction of scripture, but only to those who are immature in Christ. We must wait to receive the full revelations by the Spirit of God until we have gained understanding. That is why we must pray and ask God to give us understanding. God is kind to the unthankful and to the evil . . . Wow! Listen to what Jesus said in Luke.

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your father also is merciful.”
Luke 6:35-36

We are to love our enemies and do good and lend to them, without receiving anything back from them. We are to be merciful as our “Father God” is merciful. If you feel this is grinding against a stone within your heart, do not feel bad, but rejoice, for this is a revelation and God wants you to grow into the image of Christ. Remember the random acts of kindness day last month on February 17th, 2023. You may have missed it, but everyday can be a random act of kindness. Let us stand firm in Christ and allow His love to flow out of our hearts towards others. Pray to God to show you the way to random acts of kindness and to be merciful as your Father God is merciful. We may not know who the tares are, but we can know our own heart and how it needs changing into the image of Christ. Let us continue to grow in good soil and produce good fruit. the fruit of love, joy, peace, and kindness. Jesus said that your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest and not of the tares.