Thoughts for Life: #52 Historical Books

C. Peter Wagner: "Israel was at war with
Syria (Aram) almost 900 years before
Christ.

Ben-Hadad, the Syrian king, was planning
military strategy.

His advisors told him that the gods of the Israelites were gods of the hills, while the gods of the Syrians were gods of the plains.

Therefore, he should arrange it so the battle would take place on the plains (see 1 Kings 20:23).

This shows that the Syrians perceived ruling spirits to have, if not territoriality, at least topographical jurisdiction. Nothing in the passage or elsewhere in the Old Testament contradicts their perception of territorial spirits ruling areas.

The assumption is that they were correct. Their big error was that they wrongly considered Jehovah God as just another territorial spirit.

This is why Jehovah raised up a prophet at that time to speak to Ahab, king of Israel. God said through the prophet,

"Because the Syrians have said, 'The Lord is God of the
hills but He is not God of the valleys,' therefore I will
deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you
shall know that I am the Lord" (1 Kings 20:28).

When the battle started, it turned out to be a one -day war! The outnumbered Israelites killed 100,000 Syrian troops in that single day, demonstrating dramatically that Jehovah was Lord of hills, of valleys and for that matter of the entire universe.

One of the most detailed treatments of the territorial nature of the pagan so-called gods is found in 2 Kings 17. Israel was in very bad shape spiritually.

"They built for themselves high places in all their cites" (2 Kings 17:9), they were setting up "sacred pillars and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree" (2 Kings 17:10), and they provoked the Lord to anger because "they served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, 'you shall not do this thing' " (2 Kings 17:12).

As if this weren't bad enough, they "worshiped all the host of heaven," served Baal, sacrificed their children to the fire god, and practiced witchcraft (see 2 Kings 17:16,17).

God reacted decisively "and removed them from His sight" (2 Kings 17:18), and then the Assyrians moved into their land with settlers from many nations.

The new immigrants also imported their spirits and they manufactured appropriate images and shrines to personify them...

There is little question that each people group perceived itself to be under the direct influence of a specific principality whose name and habits they well knew, and to whom they were subservient.

Warfare Prayer

#52 Historical Books
By C. Peter Wagner

(pgs. 91-93) Regal Books

Father, let Your thoughts effect me in
my daily living to where I make godly
choices

Increase my knowledge about what the
battle really is, and cause me to become
more battle-ready, by reading Your Book.

May I be quick to keep You the center-of-attention reason for my living!

I ask in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Jer. 5:51 "I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them."

Today's praise verse: 1 Chron. 29:13 "Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name."

Today’s quote: Dr. Charles F. Stanley - "Don't let yourself be discouraged by the magnitude of this call to submission. None of us can attain sinless perfection on earth, but each time we take a step of obedience, sin's hold on us will lessen. Press on—you'll soon begin to live in the freedom of enslavement to the most amazing Master you've ever known." (pg 50 in July 20114 In Touch magazine). Used by permission customercare@intouch.org

Some thoughts today: We need to listen closely to the training we receive in church, in our Sunday School classes, and in our community groups/cell groups, for they will help us grow in our faith and understanding of God's Word and way.

- Not only should we pay close attention to what we're taught, but we need to follow the teaching of God's Word, and allow it to cause a difference in our lives.

- Do we have a readiness of mind, proving the truth of what we've heard? Acts 17:11 shows us that the saints in Thessalonica searched the Scriptures, and tested what the Apostles taught.

28th- Saturday’s post: Spiritual Blindness
Lorraine Welch

29th- Sunday evening's post: Why Choose Jesus?
Jean Oathout

31st- Tuesday's post: #53 The Prophets
C. Peter Wagner

4/2nd- Thursday's post: #54 The New Testament
C. Peter Wagner