Have you ever looked around and wondered why our world, countries and communities seem to be running completely amuck? 

While the sentiment has been presented by different people, the exact quote attributed to them while powerful was never quoted exactly as we all have heard. The misquoted statement is, “All it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.”

With that in mind consider this: Research has found that of the millions of Americans who claim to be Christian, only about 25% attend a church, read the Bible and or pray on a weekly basis. But even that doesn’t truly represent the true remnant of Believers that faithful walk with and serve the Lord. 

So how does this present itself in what we see in the world that we live in today. Many are more concerned about taking care of themselves or worrying about who they are going to offend rather than taking a stand and actually taking action to address the “evil” at work in the world. This is true when it comes to social issues, but it is even more important when associated with spiritual ones.

Speaking of spiritual issues, as a part of the devotional reading plan that I am reading, I read a portion of scripture that I am very familiar with, but as I have meditated on it since, a number of other ideas have come to mind. The passage,  Ephesians 6:10-18, is about spiritual warfare and the Armor of God. 

The verse that specifically stood out to me, especially was verse 12.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

The truth is that while much of the chaos that we observe in the world is the result of the evil and selfish decisions and actions of carnal men and women doing whatever they believe to be in their best interest there are also other forces at work in the spiritual realm that often influence those same decisions and behaviors. Unabated and unchecked, these forces set entire systems and hierarchies from menial drones that whisper in the ears of everyday people to rulers and princes that influence powerful political and business leaders. 

So, I am sure by this point many of you are asking what does this have to do with the title or the quote that mentioned earlier is this message. The truth is absolutely EVERYTHING.

Let me try to explain. As noted, many who call themselves Christians are such in name only and their lives are like the dry bones in the valley as described in Ezekiel 37. There is no life or fruit in them. Reminds me of my three least favorite words to describe way too many “Christians” – apathetic, complacent and compromised. It is literally like looking at a modern day church from Laodocia (Revelations 3).  So while “the church” does nothing the powers of evil keep building and strengthening their strongholds over communities, regions and even countries. 

Friends, brothers and sisters, when I look at what we call “The Church” of today, it sincerely breaks my heart. Again, as we look at what we see today and we consider His mighty Word, very sadly I believe that the church looks much like the nation of Israel during the years of the days of the prophets. We are a people who once loved and served God with “all of our heart, soul, mind and strength,” but now we have strayed and now offer that attention and affections to so many other things – Position, Possessions, Power, Pleasure, People, etc. We have become just as idolatrous and adulterous as the Children of Israel were in their day. NOW is the time for us to begin taking the steps to take back what the Lord has promised and given to us. Just as God promised and commanded the Children of Israel to “Go and possess the Land” I believe that He has done the same for us in telling us to “go into all the world and make disciples.” What I lay out below is what I believe is a simple straight forward approach to do exactly that, take “Go and possess the land.”  The basic structure is based on an often repeated and often misquoted passage, especially as it relates to revival. 

‘Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. ‘    2 Chronicles 7:12-15

In fact, until I was studying this passage for this message, I have always done the same thing that everyone else always has and believed verse 14 to read “If My people who are called by My name….” However, in context that is not exactly what the passage is saying. 

CONFESS and REPENT

The first and most important step is getting our hearts and lives back in line with His. This is absolutely impossible if we individually and corporately continue in the direction that we are going and keep doing the things that we are doing. We must acknowledge and confess our sins of idolatry, apathy, complacency and compromise. Once we confess He forgives everything and cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) However, once forgiven and cleansed, that is not a license to return to our previous behavior. We must repent, turn away from the direction we were going and set our attention and affection on Him and His ways. Which leads us to the next step.

HUMBLY SEEK HIS FACE

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:17

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.  Psalm 105:4

When truly and genuinely recognize and acknowledge our sin there is only one way to approach our gracious and loving, but righteous and just Father and creator – with a humble and contrite heart. We accept our weakness and thus our need and total dependence on Him. Thus we seek the Lord and His strength, relying on and trusting in His character rather than our own. Rather than focusing our attention and energy on what we need and want, what was Jesus’ statement in Matthew 6:33 – “Seek first the Kingdom of God….”

INTERCEDE 

I mentioned the Valley of Dry Bones earlier in this message. Do you remember what God said to Ezekiel? 

‘Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘You dry bones, hear the word of the Lord .’ This is what the Lord God says to these bones: ‘Behold, I am going to make breath enter you so that you may come to life. And I will attach tendons to you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin, and put breath in you so that you may come to life; and you will know that I am the Lord .’ ” ‘ Ezekiel 37:4-6

I believe this passage as well as verses like the following give us very clear direction on our next step.

However this as is actually true for each of these steps, is NOT a “one and done.” In fact, prayer and intercession should be done constantly. 

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.   James 5:16

First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people,  1 Timothy 2:1

Those of us who are active and alive in our faith need to be praying and just like Ezekiel need to be prophesying to the “dry bones” that are out there wasting away in their own world, not even realizing how dry and brittle they actually are. 

GEAR UP

One of, if not the most important things that we must remember is that this is not a battle that we can or are called to fight on our own or in our own strength. Verses like Zechariah 4:6 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 remind us that it is not by our might and power, but by the Spirit of God that we are able to overcome. In addition, as we are fighting unseen spiritual forces our weapons are also not of this realm and they are “powered by God.” Our position and authority is found only in the name of Jesus. In such put on the “Armor of God” as found in Ephesians 6, yet again acknowledging our trust, faith and dependence on the Lord and what Jesus has already accomplished. 

TAKE A STAND

Speaking of Ephesians 6, let’s take a quick look at a couple of verses there. 

‘Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore….  Ephesians 6:13-14

‘Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. ‘  1 Peter 5:8-9

These  are just a couple of the verses where we are told to resist the enemy and to take a stand. Again, back to where we began, if we do not take a stand then by our inaction we are giving evil our permission to do whatever wherever they want to do so. However as another passage puts it – 

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”   James 4:7

When we take our place and take action, then we are not acting in our own power and authority, we are simply applying power, and authority of the name of Jesus. As I heard in a sermon recently, we are not fighting for victory, we are fighting FROM victory. Here is the proof – 

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”    Colossians 2:15

POSSES THE LAND (AND THE HEAVENS OVER THEM)

Finally, NOW is the time we the true and faithful followers to come together and stand in unity as HIS body, in HIS name and the authority that He has given us and take back the land and the heavenly realms over them. Consider this –

‘ “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”’    Matthew 18:18-20

We saw just a moment ago that Jesus has already disarmed the very powers, authorities and rulers in high places that we are at war with. Now we see where He has given us authority to bind them up ans send them away! So what are we waiting for?  

My friends, brothers and sisters, I am firmly convinced that as we begin to take our stand we WILL impact the atmosphere in the heavenlies and as a result we will also begin to see shifts on the ground. If we will do our part, I believe that the the sleeping, dry and cracked bones, will begin to rattle and come back together. I know these may seem like baby steps at this moment, but as I recently heard, “Small hinges swing big doors.” OUr small actions now are going to make great waves in the heavenlies. The small stones we think we are tossing in the ocean are going to result in a tidal wave of revival and culture change. It only took 12 men and an amazing story to change the world as they knew it 2000 years ago. We are the fruit of their obedience. Will you imagine with me what a difference we can make in our world if we will only follow their lead and be obedient now?

SO, will you stand with me, will you “Go and Possess the Land?

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