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The
Letters:
# 1. Faith,
Discipleship &
Spiritual
Warfare.
# 2. Prayer,
Judgmentalism
&
Forgiveness.
# 3.
The
Ekklesia
(Church)
-vs-
Religion.
# 4. God,
His
Love &
His
Discipline.
# 5. Spiritual
Gifts, Humility
& God's
Power.
# 6. The
Ruach ha Qodesh
and God's
Word.
# 7.
Reconciliation
& Sin - The
curse
and our
need.
# 8.
Reconciliation
& Sin - The
consequence
of the curse.
# 9.
Reconciliation
& Sin - Sin's
cure.
#10.
Reconciliation
& Sin - Our
Choice.
#11.
Discipleship.
#12.
Works
of Faith.
#13. The
Gifts
of
the
Ruach ha Qodesh
-
and a Test.
#14.
The Sign
Gifts.
#15. The
Support Gifts.
#16. The
Service Gifts.
#17. Living
as Disciples.
#18.
The Snatching
(Rapture) &
Tribulation.
#19.
Prophesy & a
Closing.
#20.
Beware
the
false
prophets
and teachers.
#21.
The
Signs
of Messiah's
Return.
#22.
Oneness
&
The Trinity,
and the Names
of God!
#23.
Understanding
Righteousness,
While
Acknowledging
The enemy.
#24.
The Matter of
the Sabbath.
Simple Poems.
About
the
Author.
Support.
|
|
Letter 23 -
Understanding Righteousness, while acknowledging the enemy.
Dearest Mathetes;
I wholeheartedly pray that this letter finds you well,
and that the Spirit of our loving Messiah
is guiding you in all wisdom, knowledge, understanding and
truth. I also pray
that His love, grace and mercy are abounding in your life. By His hand,
we are well... Thank you for your prayers.
Beloved, it appears as if our Master is moving me once again into a deeper level of
study, and as a result of those studies, He is also imparting an
increased desire to communicate and teach what is being imparted. Fittingly, especially in these latter days, my mind
has returned to the very topic that opened these letters to you so
long ago; the verity of Spiritual Warfare,
and it is these matters I wish to discuss with you today. At the
outset of this letter, however, I wish to confess that in the midst of
battle, I too have wavered. In late 2008 I pulled The Letters of
Faith off-line, removing them from the internet. The outpouring
of letters I received in response to this action though, has prompted
me to return the site to its rightful place (currently under the
disciplesofyah.com banner). I had to fight to regain ownership
of the lettersoffaith.com domain name, but with the help of our
Master, that was accomplished, and now both domain names point to The
Letters of Faith and Righteousness.
It is my fervent hope, however, to eventually separate the two
websites, maintaining The Letters under their rightful
lettersoffaith.com position, while adding new writings under the
disciplesofyah.com banner. Such is the burden we carry to
present the fullness of God's Word today. Please continue to
pray for our ministry. We need all the assistance we can get,
and we covet your prayerful support above all...

This aside, it should come as no surprise to any Disciple of Yahshuah,
that as the period of tribulation nears, Satan's efforts to distract us from fighting the good fight of
faith would radically increase. Just as likely, we should know that his attempt to turn
our attention away from the workings of the "spiritual forces of
wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12), would increase
as well. Surprisingly, and sadly,
many have surrendered the vigil of discernment that we have been
striving for, and have instead adopted a most
unusual spirit of patriotism and blind acceptance. I say, "Surprisingly", because the overall reaction from the peoples
of this world, and in particular the citizens of the United States, to the events of September 11, 2001, has
been a near overwhelming acceptance and support for the President of
the United States - which - whether one cares to admit it or not -
closely parallels the prophetic acceptance that will be given to the Antichrist
when he makes his entrance into this world.
It must not
escape our notice, however, how quickly and overwhelmingly President
Bush received this most stellar acceptance, and again how quickly his
acceptance was lost. Added to all of this is that his demise in
popularity has brought about a replacement by another (a usurper, to
be sure) who
has accomplished absolutely nothing in his political life, but who now
commands tremendous admiration from those too blind to see... I
cannot tell if President Bush's up and down was meant as an example, or
as a door for what has now come. If President Bush was meant
merely as an example, so that we might return to our senses, then we
have failed to recognize the situation properly, because what
are we to think of his replacement? Patriotism is acceptable, as
long as it remains within the boundaries of faithful living unto God,
but patriotism, as well as faith and righteousness have now been
tossed into the garbage can by a usurper. And precisely how we
are to respond remains unclear.
Prayerfully, this letter will
help open the eyes, ears and heart of the Body of Yahshuah, the
EKKLESIA, so that our
sense of discernment and yearning for the glory of our Messiah will
once again return to the forefront of our existence (a returning to
our first love), and so that we can get on with the work at hand. The
Great Harvest looms before us, and our faithfulness is required more
now than ever!
Throughout my years of studying Scripture, I have
repeatedly seen the
phrase, "Spirit of" or "spirit of" running
throughout the Word. I have no doubt that you have seen these
words as well. For some time though, I have been wondering about the fullness of what
God wishes for us to know through these references to His Ruach
and to spirits
in general. Recently He has moved me to investigate this phrase
more fully. I think you will find the following expose' to be
informative and enlightening. Prayerfully, it will aid in
awakening and quickening our spirits, and help us in setting our minds on
matters of faith - and not on the fears of this world.

In general, there are numerous references in the Bible
to the Spirit of YAHUAH, the
Spirit of
Master YAHUAH, the
Spirit of Yahshuah, and
the Spirit of God. And in all of these
references, Scripture is pointing directly to the distinct
Personalities of God found in the Father, the Son and Ruach ha Qodesh.
Occasionally, Scripture also points to particular individuals or
groups of individuals, as well as a simple reference to, "the
spirit of man", and in every one of these references, we are being
directed to consider the personal nature of the individual or group
being mentioned. Within these notable references, for instance, we can find brief discussions on, the
"Spirit of Elijah", the "Spirit of the kings of the
Medes" and the "Spirit of princes", and
from each noting we can gain insight into that behavior which
either finds favor or disfavor with our Master.

Also throughout Scripture, we are told about the
existence of persona's like a "spirit of deep sleep" that
are present in this world - and it is these "spirits" (and
the conflicting Ruach ha Qodesh sent from the throne of God to combat these evils) of
which I write today.
Initially, I intended to write that the evil we see in these
"spirits" is Satan's attempt to interfere with the workings
of God - as if this creation somehow still belonged to us, and - as if the evil
one merely had an occasional opportunity to influence certain people,
places or things within this creation. The truth of the matter though, is that when
we sinned in the Garden of Eden, we
willfully surrendered to Satan the kingdom over which God had given us
dominion. And that means ALL OF IT!
At the instant that we surrendered the kingdom, Satan
was free to unleash upon humanity whatever sinful spirits he desired -
which he has done en mass! Such is the knowledge of good and
evil that we sought!
Fortunately for us though, Scripture also reveals that through
Yahshuah's sacrifice on our behalf, we can regain a harmonious
relationship with God by accepting Yahshuah as our personal Messiah,
Master and King, and in that relationship we are told that He will
send "Ministering Spirit's, to render service
to us, "for the sake of those who will
inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14).
In light of this truth, therefore, this presentation is being made in the knowledge that Satan
is the prince of this kingdom (still - and temporarily), and that everything we have from the
throne of our Father today, is ours as a Ministering Ruach, sent through our
acceptance of the blood shed on our behalf by the Son of God - "Ministering
Ruach's (Spirit's) sent to render service to those who will inherit
salvation". (Paraphrase mine).
In the fullness of his rebellion, the evil one has unleashed thirteen
primary "spirits" of affliction and sin against us.
Graciously, mercifully and lovingly though, our Master has also sent thirteen
representations of His magnificent ministering Ruach to help us overcome
everything that the evil one could possibly place before us...
These spirits, and that which our Master has sent to Minister unto us
are,
the spirits of -
vs - the Ruach of:

The "spirit of burning"
- vs - the "Ruach of Grace".
Although I am presenting the spirits of the evil one
in alphabetical order, it does not surprise me that in the final
print, the "spirit of burning" would be presented
first. This is an appropriate placement because, after the fall
in the Garden of Eden, once Adam and Eve began raising children, it is
this "spirit of burning" that first raised its ugly head...
In Genesis 4 we see the "spirit of burning" at work in Cain,
and through his burning, "Cain rose up against Abel his brother
and killed him" (Genesis 4:8).
Today, we find a
"spirit of burning" [tc]
churning in the hearts of many souls, and this "burning
spirit", mentioned by name in Isaiah 4:4, speaks toward a heart
that is moved to consume everything that is perceived (rightly or
wrongly) to stand against it.
In Cain's eyes, Abel stood in his path as an obstacle of
receiving acknowledgement from the Master, in spite of the Master's
Personal admonishment and encouragement to Cain (Genesis 4:6-7).
BAAR, the Hebrew word we interpret as Burning, speaks
forcibly of the act of elimination and consumption. While the
passage in Isaiah speaks of how the Master is going to move in cleansing
His remnant, we must realize that Satan's distorted copy of this spirit is active in
our world today, and is plying his trade very effectively.
In opposition to the "spirit of burning", however, we find
the "Ruach of Grace" being sent from above to those who
will inherit salvation. In direct opposition to that which
desires to consume and eliminate - whatever might stand against it, the
"Ruach of Grace" does not seek its own, but seeks favor and blessing
toward others. Wow, what a contrast!
We find the "Ruach of Grace" [tc]
mentioned in the Old Testament Book of Zechariah (Zechariah 12:10) and
the Hebrew word interpreted as grace is, CHEN, which means, kindness,
favor or beauty. Surely, we have received these from our Father
- through Yahshuah our Messiah!!!
As children of "Grace", however, which is what we who believe upon
Yahshuah ha Mashiach are, we can
gain an even clearer vision for what grace is when we look at the New
Testament Greek word for grace - CHARIS - because CHARIS is best interpreted as, "The most
absolute, free, unearned and unmerited expression of the love,
kindness and mercy of God - displayed toward men."
Clearly, through CHEN and CHARIS, we can know that grace involves the unearned and unmerited display of kindness
in one form or another, and as His children, we are to reflect and
emulate Him. We are to be gracious.
I recently exchanged notes with a lady who was tremendously upset with
me, because instead of writing a lengthy expose on myself, in answer
to her questions, I instead referred her to the "About
the Author" page at this site. Every question
she asked was already answered on that page, but because I did not personalize my
response to her request, but instead attempted to move our communiqué's
to another level, she told me that I had a controlling spirit! She has not written since. When I read her reply to my letter
though, I was
reminded of the battle that ensues between the Ruach of Grace and the
spirit of burning, and uttered a brief prayer on her behalf and on behalf of every soul that this professing "Christian" was going to come into contact.
We must strive to gain in grace, beloved, and we must forcibly rebuke
the spirit of burning that desires to consume us, because as
Yahshuah's ambassador's, we are to present the fullness of His grace to
this world. We must pray that this
most beautiful aspect of the essence of our Messiah will become a staple
within our makeup, so that through His grace, we can glorify and
magnify Him with our lives.


The "spirit of deep sleep"
- vs - the "Ruach of Life".
"Elohim YAHUAH formed man of the dust from
the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man
became a living being" (Genesis 2:7).
The "Ruach
of life" [tc] (Genesis
7:22) originally breathed from God into man - making man a living
being - was an absolutely glorious spirit meant to live life to the
fullest, here on earth. The life originally breathed into man
was meant to live and walk with "Elohim YAHUAH" in the Garden, forever -
without sin, stain or conflict. The original intent of creation was upset, however, when we
disobeyed Elohim YAHUAH, willingly and knowingly, and violated
the only law that He set before us. Once we fell from the state of
grace, we subjected ourselves,
and the creation over which we were given dominion, to the rule, authority and interference of the one whom we voluntarily
subjected ourselves, Lucifer. Satan!
In contrast to that which was meant for us, the
evil one strives to diminish and destroy every spark of life that we might
display. In complete abhorrence for that which the Master has
given to us, Satan released his rebellious and evil "spirit of deep sleep" [tc]
(Isaiah 29:10) upon us, and this spirit - Hebrew word, TARDEMAH - translates
best as a spirit of lethargy!
By definition, lethargy speaks of drowsiness, dullness and
listlessness, and speaks directly toward being without any energy
whatever. To be lethargic is to be apathetic, inactive and
sluggish... Furthermore, when you apply this definition to
matters of our spiritual life, you must also recognize that lethargy
affects us by placing upon us a lack of desire for the Word of God!
A lethargic spirit will not study (or attempt to digest what has already
been studied) and therefore, will not grow in the
love, knowledge, understanding and wisdom of our Master.
What we must remember, Mathetes, is that right from the beginning,
knowing that we were going to fall, Elohim YAHUAH had a plan to
bring us back into a living relationship with Him. He had a
cure for us! We must also remember that the cure He has
involves tremendous suffering - the greatest
of which was His death on a cross for the forgiveness of our
sin.
In spite of His cure, we must also nevertheless acknowledge that until the completion of all things, this
creation remains under the control of the evil one. Therefore, so that
we may "overcome" this world and the spirits that Satan has
released upon us, the Master has provided His Ministering Spirits to
aid us in our walk of faith. In this particular instance, the "Ruach of Life"
is ours to fight against TARDEMAH.
The Life that Elohim YAHUAH breathed into man, and the
"Ruach of life" that He wishes for His children today, is
much more than an existence which merely sucks in and blows out air. The Hebrew
word for life, CHAYYIM, speaks of more than mere existence, it speaks
of a life that truly LIVES:
Vibrant! Excited! Vigorous! Active! Energetic!
Dynamic! Enthusiastic! Diligent! Zealous!
This is what Elohim YAHUAH intended for His children...
Read
Proverbs, beloved, and discover the fullness of an abundant life from the Master.
And, in the reading, realize why the evil one wishes to keep us from knowing this abundance!
As you contemplate the fullness of life in Yahshuah though, consider as
well the fullness of every possible comparison between lethargy and
life, because in
knowing and seeing these contradictions, we can stand firm against the
flaming missiles of the evil one, and rebuke him in the power of our Risen Messiah
whenever any of these lethargic minions park
on our shoulders.
It is time to begin living this life abundantly for the glory of Yahshuah, and in order to do this, we must order our lives
aright in the sight of God, reclaim the fullness of the
life He intends and desires for us, and rebuke any and every spirit that would
come against the Ruach of CHAYYIM that has already been
purchased for us by our Master - at the cross at Calvary.
Spiritual warfare is not easy, Mathetes, but overcoming in Yahshuah certainly
does have its rewards. Praise be unto our Master!


The "spirit of disobedience"
- vs - the "Ruach of Faith".
Faith is the most
basic and fundamental issue in our relationship with God. For this reason, I cannot recall writing one letter,
newsletter or e-mail communiqué with any of the brethren, in which
the matter of faith was not stressed in one manner or
another. We either believe, or we do not... We
either accept the fullness of our Messiah, or we do not...
Please click back to Letter 10, where we
originally discussed the fullness of faith, and refresh yourself with God's Word - it is important information. For today's discussion though, you will find the
Ruach of Faith [tc]
introduced in 2 Corinthians 4:13, where we are told, "But
having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I
BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also
speak".
It is significant for us to take note of the fact that our faith is under
attack today, and that the attack is being powerfully orchestrated,
and led, by the spirit of disobedience. It is equally significant for us to
note, however, that even though our faith might come under attack, we
have this promise from heaven, that, "You are from
God, little
children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you
than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). We praise
our Master and Messiah for this fact!
Let us investigate the matter of the spirit of disobedience [tc] though,
and let us set aside the false teachings and weak thoughts that are distracting
us from walking the walk of faith. And let us do this in an
attempt to rediscover and renew
our faith in the fullness of all that is holy and righteous and true,
and in the process, let us glorify our Messiah in heaven.
Two Greek words are used to describe disobedience in the New
Testament:
The first word for
disobedience is PARAKOE, and
PARAKOE speaks of, "Failing to hear
correctly", or, "To intentionally hear incorrectly with the
notion of active disobedience."
The opposite of PARAKOE,
by the way, is
HUPAKOE, and HUPAKOE speaks of a faith that
always obeys God's will regarding divine power and
revelation. In other words, HUPAKOE
and
PARAKOE teach that when
we are taught something, we either willingly and willfully obey - or we do
not!
It seems correct to say, therefore, through what we know to be true, that
PARAKOE and HUPAKOE are speaking to the
disobedience or obedience of the children of God; speaking to the
children of faith who either abide obediently - or not. We have
a choice!!!
This, however, is not speaking of the "spirit of
disobedience".
When Scripture speaks
of the "spirit of disobedience", the Greek word used here is
APEITHEIA
(APATHY) and it speaks of willful
unbelief.
APEITHEIA
willfully and intentionally does not believe God.
Ephesians 2:1 & 2, tells us, "And you were
dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of
disobedience". And it is this spirit of apathetic
disobedience that is working throughout Babylon and the world today!
I find the difference between PARAKOE
and APEITHEIA
to
be remarkable, because where PARAKOE
speaks of hearing and not
obeying, APEITHEIA
speaks of intentionally not believing; of intentionally not wanting to
hear or know!
The other remarkable difference between these two types of disobedient
behavior is the fact that PARAKOE always ends in discipline
and / or punishment - as in dealing with the Law or the Truth
(See Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 10:6 and Hebrews 2:2) - while APEITHEIA will normally be accompanied with the mercy and grace
of God - at least once - but eventually culminates with an
outpouring of His wrath if repentance is not forthcoming. (See Romans 11:30-32, Ephesians 2:1-6,
5:1-14; Colossians 3:1-11; Hebrews 4:1-11).
We are incapable of judging whether all of those trapped within Babylon (the false church)
are apathetic or
merely disobedient to what they know to be true, because that judgment
would require that we know the heart and mind of each soul. We do
not! Surely, in many cases, there is an appearance
of love for God - and an open disregard for His Word. Yet in many other
instances, love is not evident - and disbelief is prominent.
The task confronting the EKKLESIA
during the end time harvest, is to approach every
soul with His compassion, mercy and love, while presenting the
fullness of His Gospel of Salvation through Repentance. It is becoming
increasingly clear, however, that not only must we teach the fullness
of His Word to His children, so that we are not found to be in disobedience,
we must also preach the fullness of His Word to those who simply
do not believe, so that we can locate the lost sheep of the flock. May the grace and mercy of our loving
Messiah accompany each message and messenger, and may the spirit of disobedience and apathy
be removed from our midst.


The "spirit of distortion"
- vs - the "Ruach of Wisdom".
Isaiah 19:14 formally introduces us to the
"spirit of distortion" [tc], and the Hebrew word that Isaiah uses
here is AVEH, which speaks of perversity:
a willful determination NOT to do what is right or what is
expected. While perversity may be understood to speak of
corruption, wickedness and a mindful determination to disregard
everything that is proper and good, this "spirit of
distortion" is better known by us today as Rebellion, and I shall
call it that here.
The Book of Proverbs begins in an extremely straightforward
manner. Hear what God says, "To know wisdom and
instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding, to receive
instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity; to
give prudence to the naive, to the youth knowledge and discretion, a
wise man will hear and increase in learning, a man of understanding
will acquire wise counsel, to understand a proverb and a figure, the
words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of YAHUAH
is the
beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction"
(Proverbs 1:2-7). And to these Words of power and truth,
the spirit of distortion sneers, laughs and turns its back - in
rebellion.
"The fear of YAHUAH" draws up images of obedience
and
discipline, and speaks of a desire to please;
a desire of servant-hood
(Loving Slavery) unto our King. Rebellion, however, could not
care one iota for these matters, and
intentionally stands at the very crossroads of life, coaxing and
enticing every soul to abandon every notion of "the fear of YAHUAH". Rebellion
strides hand-in-hand with the spirit of disobedience, but
it is in falling to this particular spirit that we open the door to
every other form of evil. The vigil never ends in this
lifetime.
To combat rebellion, however, the "Ruach of Wisdom" [tc]
has been sent from the Throne of heaven for us, and it is in gaining
wisdom that we can truly identify rebellion and the other minions of
evil. Where rebellion scoffs at truth, challenges and rebukes obedience and
plays the harlot with every other deviant act or deed imaginable,
wisdom seeks for all truth, and anxiously strives to please the Master.
Originally introduced in the Old Testament in Exodus 28:3 and
Deuteronomy 34:9, the "Ruach of Wisdom", CHOKMAH,
speaks of skillful application and comprehension. In the New
Testament, the "Ruach of Wisdom", SOPHIA,
is mentioned in Acts 6:3 and Ephesians 1:7, and from our previous
study of this word in Letter 16, we know that wisdom
is, "Skill; tact, practice, wise and sound judgment, good sense, natural and
moral insight. SOPHIA deals with enlightened
application, insight and sense."
Skillful application and comprehension of all that is good and moral
and right has been wantonly abandoned by society today. Common
sense is all but dead! But it is this "Ruach of
Wisdom" that we must seek and apply every moment of every
day. And in the application of wisdom, we shall in fact become
overcomers of this world - to the joy, delight and glory of our loving
Messiah. And, in overcoming, we will witness the fulfillment of
every promise made in Revelation 1 - 3)...


In Acts 16:16, Ruach ha Qodesh moved Luke to tell us
about the "spirit of divination" [tc].
Clearly, in context, the Word is speaking about fortune telling,
tarot card reading, astrology, soothsaying, sorcery and every other
aspect of "false prophecy" that is running rampant in the
world today. In the original Greek, the word we interpret as
"divination" is PUTHON, and
this word speaks directly toward every false oracular and divinatory
spirit.
Sadly, however, even within "Christian" circles, comments
about astrological signs and horoscope forecasting is commonplace -
and increasing - and the outpouring of false prophetic visions is
increasing exponentially within Babylon as well. Shame!
Truly, rebellion is the sin of divination.
Throughout Scripture, we can find the fullness of God's
"Ruach of Revelation" [tc]
that has been sent to rebuke divination at ever turn. This Ruach
of Revelation is formally introduced in Ephesians 1:17 where
Paul was led to pray that, "The God of our Master Yahshuah Mashiach, the
Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation,
in the knowledge of Him".
The Greek word for revelation is APOKALUPSIS,
and in its fullest intent, the word is not merely speaking of
comprehending things shown and seen, but the disclosure,
interpretation and knowledge of those things which are not shown or
seen...
In Acts 8:9-24, we are given a very clear picture of the "spirit
of divination" at work in Simon - who "was practicing
magic", as well as the "Ruach of Revelation" that will
combat the minions of the evil one through the Yahshuah's disciples. Simon the "magician" was a sorcerer who
wanted to purchase the true power of God, but through the fullness of
Revelation, the disciples knew the heart of the sorcerer and rebuked
him with a curse. This battle is raging fiercely today, and my prayer,
like Paul's, is that the Master would truly give us a Ruach of
revelation, in the knowledge of Him, and in that knowledge extinguish the
battles that are raging about us.
This particular battle is insidious, beloved, because we all want to
know what is going to happen in the future. The child of faith,
however, is called to lean not upon our own understanding, but to
trust in our Master, Messiah, Provider and King, acknowledging that He
knows what is best for us as we trust Him to guide and direct us in
our comings and goings...
Simon the magician was delighted with the fact that he was able to
"astonish" the people of Samaria - and even more delighted
to be able to claim that he was "someone great"! The
true Prophet and Visionary of God, however, NEVER proclaims their
"greatness" in any way, shape or form, but always bows
humbly to the Throne of heaven, knowing in full revelation, exactly
Who the Great One is!


The "spirit of error"
- vs - the "Ruach of Truth".
The "spirit of error" [tc]
and the "Ruach of Truth" [tc]
are openly depicted and contrasted in 1 John 4:6, where the Apostle
was led to say, "We are from God; he who knows God listens to us;
he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know
the spirit of truth and the spirit of error".
The whole of John's First Epistle speaks of knowing the Truth; speaks
of knowing
God. In this particular chapter, however, John makes some very
significant points for us, not the least of which is the fact that
those who do not know God, simply will not listen to the truth.
And, in the absence of the truth found only in God, they abide in error.
Now the Greek word we interpret as error, PLANE,
literally means to be actively and continuously deceived. This
is not a passive ignorance, but speaks directly toward a voluntary
submission to the seductions of error. No matter how hard we might try
to convince a soul about the truth, without an outpouring of Grace
from heaven, these souls simply will never hear or comprehend our
message. Sadly,
they love it so!
In contrast to the working of the evil one's "spirit of
error" though, our Father has sent forth His "Ruach of
Truth", as a "Ministering Ruach sent to render service to those who will inherit
salvation". The Greek word for "truth" used
here by John is, ALETHEIA, and
back in Letter #4, we learned that,
"ALETHEIA, speaks of verity,
reality; truth as evidenced in relation to the facts. Sin is sin.
Righteousness is not unrighteous. Love and hate oppose each other.
The truth revealed in the Word of God is not meant to harm, but to
enlighten and save. God rejoices when truth is dispensed, and He
rejoices with the truth. In contradiction to this fact, the world now
holds sway to the notion that there is no absolute truth; that truth
somehow is manipulative and situational. Clearly, in this fact alone, we
see a difference between God and the teachings of this world."
Inasmuch as the world increasingly to holds sway to the notion that there
is no absolute truth, and that truth is somehow manipulative and
situational, we find proof positive that error is a continuous, active
and voluntary deception. The truth revealed throughout Scripture
is for the children of Yahshuah ha Mashiach. The rest simply cannot hear or
discern!
And yet, it is in this very fact that we are compelled to continue
calling forth the Truth and verity of Scripture...
Why? How else will His children hear, unless we speak
forth that which we know?
We know what we know, and we abide in what we know. As we abide
and teach, therefore, let us continue to walk in the love of our Master,
so that whether our brethren hear our words or see our deeds, they
will recognize the truth of Yahshuah abiding within us, and will return to
their Messiah and King - to the praise of His glory and their eternal
joy.


In Isaiah 61:1-3, the Prophet was inspired to say,
"The Ruach of YAHUAH God
is upon me, because
YAHUAH has
anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to
bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and
freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of YAHUAH, and
the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant
those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the
oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a
spirit of fainting [tc].
So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of YAHUAH, that He may be glorified".
In the original Hebrew, the word we interpret as "fainting"
is KEHEH, and KEHEH
speaks of being feeble, obscure and dim. In this passage though,
Isaiah tells us that his message is to "Bring good news...To
proclaim liberty" and, in so presenting, tells us that the
children of God are being granted, "The mantle of praise instead
of a spirit of fainting." This "Mantle of Praise"
that we are being granted is not merely the uttering of an occasional
"Praise" unto YAHUAH. The Hebrew word for Praise, TEHILLAH,
speaks of a heart alive with the fullness of praise and entreaty unto
the Master; a heart alive in the fullness of His presence!
In contemplating the matter of "Praise", I thought of how
David danced in the streets when the Ark was finally brought into the
city of David... Psalm 100 came to mind as well, because there we are
told to, "Shout joyfully to YAHUAH, all the earth. Serve
YAHUAH with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that YAHUAH Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not
we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter
His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him; bless His name. For YAHUAH is good; His
lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all
generations".
Beloved, in case you have not digested
the truth yet, as His children, whenever we pray - we are entering His
gates! We are already there... Are you entering His gates
with shouting, gladness and singing today? Are you coming before Him
with thanksgiving and praise? If not, why not?
As I write this, I am completely and utterly in awe of God. His Word is amazing and perfect. At first glance,
the pairing of the battle between the "spirit of fainting"
and the "Ruach of Supplication" does not appear to be a
natural fit. And yet, as the Word reveals so well, these two
stand in direct, immediate and intentional opposition to each other.
The Ruach of Supplication [tc]
is introduced in Zechariah 12:10, and in the Hebrew, the word is, TACHANUN
- which means, Earnest Prayer, Entreaty. To supplicate, even in
English, is to make humble and earnest entreaty; to pray!!!
The evil one has deceived many within the Body through his
"spirit of fainting", by making the truth of our presence in
the inner court of heaven - through Yahshuah - to appear dim and
obscure. Instead of living and praying in the power of our risen
Messiah, we approach our lives, our praise unto Him, and our prayer
time, feebly, weakly and ineptly... (Please read Letter
#3 again, beloved, because we must begin to unite in the fullness
of all that is ours as the children of Yahshuah, and this unity must
begin with prayer).
The Ruach of Supplication is ours - already - and in the fullness of
the power of Yahshuah, we must rebuke the spirit of fainting that
afflicts us, and claim everything that has already been given us to
overcome this world. My fervent prayer is for your success in
this endeavor - and therefore, through your success, Yahshuah's eternal glory!

The "spirit of harlotry"
- vs - the "Ruach of Glory".
At first glance, many of the pairings in this
"Ruach of" - vs - "spirit of" analysis may appear
to be unusual or out of synch to you. They did to me! But
as we proceed down the list, and as we analyze the fullness of each
word, you will see the absolute precision of Scripture, and
prayerfully, will begin to recognize the full nature of the spiritual
battle now raging about us. The contrast between the Ruach of
Glory and the spirit of harlotry is an outstanding example of an odd
pairing that makes perfect sense. The words are significant!
The Greek word we interpret as Glory, DOXA, is a very interesting
study. The Ruach of Glory [tc]
is first found in 1 Peter 4:14, and as we study this word, we discover
that the root word of DOXA is DOKEO, which means to think.
Primarily, DOKEO is meant to convey thought or opinion.
In
its base form, therefore, the DOXA of man is speaking of man's opinion
of man; speaking of man's reputation. Conversely, the DOXA
of God is speaking
of God's reputation; speaking of His fullness - in all
matters.
Where the DOXA of man is ruinous, false, misleading, corrupt and
temporal, the DOXA of God is eternally perfect, holy and
true. Both God and man possess a DOXA
(glory). After all, let us never forget that man is created in
the image of God! That fact must be meaningful to us, in how we deal
with everyone we meet, because all are created in His image.
Man's utter FALL in the Garden of Eden tainted
our reputation, but not God's. Nonetheless, in spite of the
fall, each has
a reputation. It is in the contrast between the reputation of
God and the reputation of man, however, that we begin to see how
the "Ruach of Glory" is fighting against the "spirit of
harlotry" [tc].
Scripture says, "My people consult their wooden
idol, and their diviner's wand informs them; for a spirit of harlotry
has led them astray, and they have played the harlot, departing from
their God" (Hosea 4:12). Further on in Hosea we read,
"Their deeds will not allow them to return to their God. For a
spirit of harlotry is within them, and they do not know
YAHUAH"
(Hosea 5:4). The Hebrew word interpreted as harlot and
harlotry in these two passages is,
ZANUWN, and it speaks directly to
adultery and whoredom.
Attitudes have certainly changed over the centuries, haven't they? In
times past, adultery was a sin punishable by death. Today, it
occurs with the same frequency within the halls of the religious
institutions as it does in the world of the supposed lost. While
our attitudes may have changed, God has not changed one iota, and the
railing that we read through Peter still stands today:
"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there
will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce
destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them,
bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow
their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be
maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words;
their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not
asleep. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but
cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved
for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah,
a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a
flood upon the world of the irreverent, and if He condemned the cities of
Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having
made them an example to those who would live irreverent lives thereafter;
and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of
unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man,
while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after
day by their lawless deeds), then YAHUAH knows how to rescue the reverent from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment
for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in
its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they
do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, whereas angels who
are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment
against them before the Master. But these, like unreasoning
animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed,
reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of
those creatures also be destroyed, suffering wrong as the wages of
doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They
are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they
carouse with you, having eyes full of adultery
that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart
trained in greed, accursed children; forsaking the right way, they
have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor,
who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he received a rebuke for
his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a
man, restrained the madness of the prophet. These are springs
without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness
has been reserved. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity
they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape
from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they
themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by
this he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the
defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Master and Messiah, Yahshuah
ha
Mashiach, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last
state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be
better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than
having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to
them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, 'A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,' and,
'A sow, after
washing, returns to wallowing in the mire'" (2 Peter 2:1-22).
Spiritual adultery is discussed at
length in Letter 8, and it is this harlotry - this reputation of
humanity - that stands in direct contrast to the Glory and
Faithfulness of God... I realize that quoting 2 Peter 2 in
its entirety makes for a lengthy read in this study, but the spirit of
harlotry needs to be exposed, and the children of the Most High must
begin to recognize that
NOTHING has changed from God's vantage
point. We must repent of our harlotry, and we must not be cause
for "The way of the truth" to be maligned. The bride
is to be spotless, but this spirit of harlotry is causing many to
appear as, "Stains and blemishes". Our reputation is
on the line, and as children of the "Master" who bought us, we
need to stand firm in our fight against the spirit of harlotry.


The "spirit of jealousy"
- vs - the "Ruach of Gentleness".
From the very outset
of The Letters I have stressed the fact that we must uphold the law
of validation whenever we study anything that purports to teach on
Scripture. Not only have I urged every reader to compare what I am teaching with the whole of Scripture, but to utilize
every tool possible in gaining an understanding for the fullness of
exactly what Ruach ha Qodesh has set before us in His inspired Word.
The concordance that accompanies The Letters
is meant to assist in this matter, and was designed specifically for
this purpose.
(NOTE: I recently learned of a FREE
Bible study software package that is available online, and am
recommending that anybody in need of Bible study tools, should
check-out the wonderful offering available at e-Sword.
The basic package is extremely well made, and the add-on downloads
that are available make this an absolutely stunning program).
Aside from the revelations made in Letter 22,
where the fullness of the Names of God are discussed, another
perfect example of why we must utilize every tool at our disposal in
our search for the Truth, is found in 2 Corinthians 10:1, because without
a concordance and Bible dictionary, we would never really know what
this passage is telling us! Here is why:
2 Corinthians 10:1 simply says, "Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness
of Mashiach - I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward
you when absent"... Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Watch
what happens though, when the full interpretation of these
words are presented. As you will see, the passage really says
something quite powerful.
In 1 Corinthians 4:21 and Galatians 6:1 we are introduced to the Ruach
of Gentleness [tc], but the gentleness
referenced in these two
passages is the same Greek word that is interpreted as
"meekness" in 2 Corinthians 10:1 that was just quoted. Furthermore, the Greek word
interpreted as "gentleness" in 2 Corinthians 10:1 is not
even remotely similar to the Ruach of gentleness that we are so
urgently instructed to seek. It is vital to our understanding of
God and His will for us, that
we set aside all complacency and get extremely serious about
discovering the fullness of Truth that is before us. In
order to do the things that are set before us, we must labor to
uncover the full Truth of His Word.
The word interpreted as "gentleness" in 2 Corinthians 10:1,
is the Greek EPIEIKEIA, and this word speaks very clearly of
gentleness, equity, suitableness, fitting or appropriate
behavior. When we speak of an individual being a gentleman or a
lady, this interpretation would be applicable. The Ruach of Gentleness (Meekness in 2 Corinthians
10:1) however, is much, much more than gentlemanly or ladylike
behavior, because PRAUTES, the Greek word used to describe the
Ruach of Gentleness or Meekness, speaks toward the inward qualities of
humility and strength. Where many people might interpret
meekness as a weakness, especially in today's world of machismo, the
full application of a Ruach of PRAUTES, is one of power, authority
and strength - humbly submitted unto God!
PRAUTES speaks of an inward grace of the soul - directed toward
God - but is displayed powerfully in the manner in which we interact with the world. We
have been explicitly directed to, "Make a defense to everyone who
asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with
gentleness and reverence" (1 Peter 3:15 - also see 2 Timothy
2:25). The full application of this directive comes in the
manner in which we present Yahshuah to the world today, because we
either present Him in the fullness of HIS power and strength -
utilizing the full array of the gifts of Ruach ha Qodesh
- or we present a false teaching that glorifies the evil
one!
2 Corinthians 10:1 is not speaking of a soft consoling spirit, as many
believe, but is speaking instead of a forceful, dynamic defender of
the faith, who humbly bows to the Throne of Glory, while standing
firmly in the power of God against every enemy of our King!!!
An even deeper understanding for PRAUTES, however, can be derived from
a full comprehension of that which the evil one sends in his attempt to displace or
diminish the Ruach of Gentleness, and that distracting spirit is the
spirit of jealousy [tc]. Originally, the spirit of jealousy is spoken
of in Numbers 5:14 and 5:30, and the Hebrew word for jealousy, QINAH,
speaks of anger and rage. In the Song of Solomon 8:6, we are told
that, "Jealousy is as severe as Sheol".
We gain a clearer understanding for the spirit of jealousy though,
when we see how the Sadducees reacted to the Messiah in Acts 5:17, or
how the legalistic Jews reacted to Paul in Acts 13:45. And we see
a distinct line drawn before us in the difference between a servant
who possesses a Ruach of Gentleness, and an individual who reacts
jealously when they are shown to be wrong, or when their false
teachings are exposed to the light of the Truth.
Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 3:3 and Galatians 5:20 all teach that the
spirit of jealousy exists among us, and James goes so far as to equate
jealousy with arrogance (James 3:14-16). From these passages we
must know that every "deed of the flesh" is to be
avoided. So much so, that not even the appearance of these
things is to be named among us.
As we faithfully present the Truth of the Word and the fullness of the
Gospel of Salvation through Yahshuah ha Mashiach to this world, we must do so boldly - and gently -
comprehending fully that the Ruach of Gentleness is one that uses the
appropriate amount of force needed at the appropriate time. We
are not jealous of the gifts employed by our brethren, but we lift up
the Body in the fullness of love. And this we do knowing fully
well that only through the utilization of every gift, by every member
of the Body, will our loving Messiah be glorified.


We have spent considerable space within The Letters
discussing the matter of judging and judgmentalism,
so this pairing should come as no surprise to any Disciple of Yahshuah. The
Ruach of Justice [tc]
(Isaiah 28:6) speaks toward the perfect administration of the
perfect law, established by the Perfect Lawgiver.
The spirit of
judgmentalism [tc] (Isaiah
4:4) however, speaks toward the unrighteous judging of one impure and
imperfect entity by another impure and imperfect entity - through the
use
of an impure, imperfect and arbitrary set of rules, regulations and restrictions.
By far, this is the most recognizable battleground confronting us
today, and yet it is by far one of the most commonplace and seemingly
difficult to avoid.
It is vital that we recognize the subtleties of judgmentalism,
Mathetes, because even the most innocent sounding or appearing
verdicts emanating from our mouths can be used against us on the day
of judgment. And, it is these very verdicts that keep the
children of Yahshuah from walking in His power, and abiding in His love
and mercy.
We must set aside every form of judgmentalism, beloved, so that we can
unite with Ruach ha Qodesh in the work at hand, and so that we can
magnify our Master of Glory!


The "spirit of slavery"
- vs - the "Ruach of Adoption".
As we have worked our way through the battle lines of the
spiritual warfare, it should be coming increasingly clearer that the
attacks from the evil one are primarily being fired against the children
of God. Sure, he keeps the world entangled in the workings of the
world, and he permits bad things to happen to seemingly "good
people" but, brethren beloved of God, the primary target of the
spiritual battle is You - the child and Disciple of Yahshuah ha Mashiach.
Nowhere is this primary fact made clearer then in the battle being
conducted between Satan's distorted "spirit of slavery" and the
loving "Ruach of Adoption" that is ours through the shed Blood
of the Lamb... Please read the whole of Roman's 8, beloved, because the fullness of the
Truth of God can be found therein regarding that which He has for His
children. As you read His Word though, you will find the following:
"So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to
live according to the flesh - for if you are living according to the
flesh, you must die; but if by the Ruach you are putting to death the
deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Ruach
of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a
spirit of slavery [tc] leading to
fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption [tc]
as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!' The Ruach Himself
bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if
children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Mashiach, if indeed
we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him"
(Romans 8:12-17).
It is extremely significant to note that a life that is led by the Ruach
is, "Putting to death the deeds of the body", because God is
clearly telling us that what He desires of us is a continuous effort to
improve; a continuous effort to become increasingly like our Messiah as
we walk in faith with Him. This speaks directly against the spirit
of slavery, because the spirit of slavery attempts to convict
and bind us if we should every falter, and steadfastly works to enslave us
to the cravings of this world; simultaneously convicting us if we should
do anything that is perceived to be unacceptable - whether that thing is
actually unacceptable or not...
The fullness of the Word of God comes to bear in support of this truth,
because we are clearly told that, "His divine power has granted to us
everything pertaining to life and reverence through the true knowledge of
Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He
has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by
them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason
also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and
in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control,
and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance,
reverence, and in your reverence, brotherly kindness, and in your
brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are
increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true
knowledge of our Master Yahshuah ha Mashiach" (2
Peter 1:3-8). Galatians 5 is a substantial witness to these
matters as well.
Throughout the EKKLESIA we find brothers and sisters who are bound
in addictive cravings to cigarettes, alcohol, drugs of various sorts, or
any other number of acts or deeds that either are entirely wrong, or
merely perceived to be wrong - and in the reality of our age - there
exists a seeming inability to overcome these addictions. This is the
spirit of slavery at work!
If we are living by the Ruach though, the Word says that we are capable
of, "Putting to death the deeds of the body". So, what must we do to be overcomers in this battle? In a very
recent letter to a sister - who is a smoker - this is exactly what I told her
to do:
"I want you to go outside and smoke a cigarette.
Seriously... Pull up your most favorite chair, look at your most
favorite view off your porch, and enjoy a cigarette. As you smoke
that thing, Thank your Messiah for the freedom He has given you to enjoy
every puff that you inhale! Today, and in the past skirmishes of
this battle, whenever you smoked, you were led to feel guilty, right?
Well, not any more! Whenever you smoke - Thank Yahshuah for the
freedom He has given you through His sacrifice on the cross. If the
evil one tries to make you feel guilty, rebuke him in the name of Yahshuah
ha
Mashiach and command him to depart. Tell his minion
of guilt to "Go Away" too! You have the authority to do
this. As you continue to smoke - every time - plead the Blood of the
Lamb upon your actions and thank Yahshuah for your salvation and freedom.
Your smoking is not a violation of God's Law. The evil one is trying
to enslave you through an act that is perceived as harmful to your
soul. It is not... It may be harmful to your body, but it
cannot touch your soul. Guilt can touch your soul though, and it is
this act of allowing the evil one to make you feel guilty that is at the
core of your "addiction". By the Word of God, "Be
thankful in all things". If you follow this prescription faithfully (doing all things in faith) I
assure you that eventually you will just stop smoking... You will
have won this particular battle over guilt and addiction by not permitting
the evil one to remain on the offensive. You will have put him in
his place - which is under the power and authority of Yahshuah ha Mashiach -
and in so doing you will be free to decide exactly how you choose to deal
with the matter of smoking."
The next message I sent to this sister
also contained the following: "After you digest what I wrote in
my last post, I want to tell you that as time passes - and this means even
now - and the desire to smoke hits you - in the same way that you thank
the Master when you actually do smoke, begin to thank Him for the freedom
you have to smoke at that moment, whether you actually light up or not.
Thank Him for the permission, but unless you can light up without a truly
thankful heart, don't do it! Rebuke the evil one each and every time
he suggests that you smoke, and then in thankfulness, submit the
urge to the Master! Watch how your thankful heart totally disarms the
evil one... It is an amazing thing to behold."
The "spirit of slavery" wishes to manipulate our minds into
buying into the addictions of this world - and into applying all guilt and
shame upon ourselves when or should we ever falter. The Ruach of
Adoption as sons of Messiah, however, sets us free to abide in this world
without constraint or compulsion to do anything worldly, and allows us to
grow in the knowledge and glory of our loving Master and Messiah.
Claim your rightful place as an adopted child, beloved, and abide
in the fullness of all that is yours as an heir of the Kingdom of God through the Blood of the Lamb. You are an heir through Yahshuah
ha Mashiach and your spiritual slavery is a thing
of the past.


The "spirit of stupor"
- vs - the "Ruach of Promise".
Another odd pairing? Wait until you see how this
battle unfolds!
The "spirit of stupor" [tc]
is outwardly mentioned in Romans 11:8, and in this passage, Paul used the
Greek word, KATANUXIS, to speak toward being
numb, stupefied and dull - of mind, body and soul. In quoting
Isaiah, regarding those who will have, "Eyes to see not and ears to
hear not" (Isaiah 29:10 and Romans 11:8) Paul is most certainly
speaking about the lost being numb, stupefied and dull...
In contrast to this "spirit of stupor" however, the children of
promise have received the "Ruach of Promise" [tc],
and this "Promise" EPAGGELIA,
speaks directly toward "An Announcement"; toward those who,
"In Him --- after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of
your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with Ruach ha Qodesh
of promise" (Ephesians 1:13). In receiving the
Announcement of His Gospel, we are given an Internal Announcement of His
presence in our lives; we are given Ruach ha Qodesh...
No more do we abide in dullness and numbness, no more are we stupefied by God
or His Word. Why? Because in hearing and believing
in the Announcement (Promise) that has been made by God in the Gospel of
Yahshuah ha Mashiach, our Father has sealed us with the Announcement
(Promise) of His Ruach ha Qodesh, so that through all of These, we may have
fullness of life in mind, body and soul.
The world may lie under the darkness of the "spirit of stupor",
but we are the children of Promise; let us so abide and instruct.


The "spirit of timidity"
- vs - the "Ruach of Power".
The pairing of these two conflicting spirits is extremely
and profoundly obvious and immediately recognizable. They are found in the
Word sitting in immediate opposition in 2 Timothy 1:7. In that
passage, Paul was
inspired to say, "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but
of power and love and discipline". Elsewhere, we read
our Master admonishing His disciples, "Why is it that you are so
timid? How is it that you have no faith?" (Mark 4:40)... And in all of these instances we learn that Faith = Power,
while faithlessness = timidity.
Throughout many of the writings of The Letters, we spend considerable time
discussing the Gifts of Ruach ha Qodesh. Letter #5,
for instance, is a broad introduction into the Gifts that are given to the children of
Yahshuah. Letter #13 is an expansion of
this broad teaching, and it places at your disposal a
questionnaire to assist in determining what gifts the Ruach has
already given to you. Letter #14 specifically teaches about the Sign
Gifts, Letter #15 specifically teaches about the Support
Gifts and finally, Letter #16 specifically teaches about the Service
Gifts. In each of these writings, and elsewhere, we attempt to instill within you a desire to know the fullness of that which our King has
already given to us - and authorized us to utilize for His glory and our
eternal joy.
The fact of the matter though, is that while many are being attacked by
this spirit of timidity, which is causing them to hide the light of God in
their lives under the peck-measure, other minions of the evil one are
deceitfully persuading the world that the gifts are dead, that the work is
to be done by others and that all the "church" need do is sit
back, relax and wait for the snatching (rapture) to send them
off into the eternal realm of glory. In unison, these minions of
evil are (very successfully) afflicting the false "church", and in
that affliction Babylon is clearly denying the Power and Glory of our
Messiah and King.
Today, however, I encourage you by the fullness of the Power of God,
through the indwelling of His Ruach ha Qodesh in our hearts, to rebuke - in
the name of Yahshuah - ever false notion of unworthiness (God has already
declared you worthy if you believe upon His Son), rebuke every thought of
powerlessness (God has already gifted and authorized you - in power - to
labor on behalf of the Body of Messiah) and rebuke every timid utterance
regarding your faith (God calls you to boldly testify in and through your life). It is time to,
Put on,
Take up, and Stand firm
once again, in the fullness of everything we know to be true - today - and
in so doing,
glorify our Messiah in His power!


As you can see, Mathetes, the spiritual battle
continues to rage for the hearts, minds and souls of every disciple of
Yahshuah ha Mashiach. In our continuing awareness of
this battle though, through the discernment that we have already
received by the indwelling Ruach ha Qodesh, we can overcome
every evil that confronts us, and we can abide obediently in the will
of our Father - to the praise of His glory and our eternal joy!
The intensity of the spiritual battle is about to increase radically,
beloved, because Satan is about to be kicked out of the heavenlies, and only those who are truly sanctified by the Blood of the
Lamb are going to be counted amongst the "overcomers".
My prayer, as always, is for the purity of the joy, peace, love,
knowledge, wisdom and power of our Risen Messiah in your life.
May He be glorified through His disciple, and may you know the
fullness of His Ruach ha Qodesh in your heart.
I remain faithfully your brother in Yahshuah our Messiah and Master,
larry vosen

Topical Concordance:
Adoption, Ruach of:
Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus & Leviticus.
New Testament: Romans 8:14-15, 23; 9:4; Galatians 3:26, 4:5; Ephesians
1:5; John 1:12.
Burning, spirit of:
Old Testament: Exodus 3:2-3; 2 Chronicles 4:20; Psalm 79:5,
89:46; Isaiah 1:31, 4:4, 40:16, 43:2; Jeremiah 21:12.
Deep Sleep, Ruach of:
Old Testament: Isaiah 29:10.
Disobedience, spirit
of:
New Testament: Romans 5:19, 11:30; 2 Corinthians 10:6; Ephesians 2:2,
5:6; Colossians 3:6; Hebrews 2:2, 4:6, 4:11.
Distortion, spirit of - also
known as "rebellion":
Old Testament: Isaiah 19:14.
Divination, spirit of:
New Testament: Acts 16:16.
Error, spirit of:
Old Testament: Septuagint; Proverbs 14:8; Jeremiah 23:17.
New Testament: Matthew 27:64; Ephesians 4:14; 1 Thessalonians
2:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; 2 Peter 3:17; 1 John 4:6.
Fainting, spirit of:
Old Testament: Isaiah 42:3, 61:3.
Faith, Ruach of - Including the
matter of Faith/Righteousness:
Old Testament: Genesis 13(all), 15:6, 22(all), 24(all); 1 Samuel 2:30,
14:6-15, 17:20-58, 26:23; Job 16:18-22, 19:25-27; Psalms 25:1-3, 73:1,
89:14, 107(all), 115(all), 119(all), 125(all); Proverbs 10&11,
21:21; Isaiah 3:10-11, 55(all); Jeremiah 22:15-16; Ezekiel 18:4-9; Daniel
3(all); Amos 5:21-24; Habakkuk 3:17-19.
New Testament: Matthew 17:14-21, 21:21-22; Mark 4:39-40, 5:25-43, 9:23,
10:52; 11:22-26; Luke 7:50, 17:6-10, 18:7-8; John 11:21-41; Acts 3:16, 18:27, 26:18;
Romans 1:5, 1:17, 3:22-28, 4:4-5, 4:21, 8:10,
8:15, 8:24-25, 9:30-32, 10:9-10, 10:17, 12:3-6; 1 Corinthians 2:5, 13:1-3,
13:13; 2 Corinthians 4:13, 8:12, 13:5; Galatians 2:16-21, 3:7-14, 5:6; Ephesians 2:8-10;
Philippians 3:9; Colossians 2:5-7, 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 2:13; 1
Timothy
1:5, 5:12; 2 Timothy 1:12, 3:15-16, 4:8; Philemon 1:6; Hebrews 2:16, 3:19-4:11, 6:12,
10:19-25, 10:39, 11(all), 12:2; James 1:2-8, 1:27, 2:14-26,
5:13-16; 1 Peter 1:5-9; 2 Peter 1:1; 1 John 5:4-5; Jude 1:20, Revelation (all)
see 2-3.
Gentleness, Ruach of:
New Testament: 1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Galatians 5:23, 6:1;
Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:25; James
3:13; 1 Peter 3:15.
Glory, Ruach of:
Old Testament: Exodus 16:7, 16:10, 24:15-18,
40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10-11.
New Testament: John 5:41-44, 7:18, 8:50-54, 11:4; Romans 3:7,
15:7; 2 Corinthians 6:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:6; 1 Peter 4:14.
Grace, Ruach of (See also, Grace):
Old Testament: Psalms 51(all), 86(all), Isaiah 4:4.
New Testament: Acts 4:31-33, 14:3, 20:32; Romans 3:28-30, 4:14-15,
5:1-2, 8:12, 14:14; 1 Corinthians 1:4, 6:12, 10:23; Galatians 3:16, 3:24-25,
5:4; Ephesians 2:8, 4:7; Colossians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; 1 Timothy 1:12-16;
2 Timothy 1:8-9, 2:1; Titus 1:15, 2:11-13, 3:7; Hebrews 2:9, 4:16, 13:9; James
2:24-26; 1 Peter 1:13; 2 Peter 1:2.
Harlotry, spirit of: See Adultery
also.
Old Testament: Hosea 4:12, 5:4.
New Testament: 2 Peter 2 (all).
Jealousy, spirit of:
Old Testament: Numbers 5:14, 30; Job 5:2; Song of Solomon
8:6.
New Testament: Acts 5:17, 13:45; Romans 11:14, 13:13; 1
Corinthians 3:3, 10:22; Galatians 5:20.
Judgmentalism, spirit of:
Old Testament: Genesis 13(all - to be compared with the results of
2 Peter 2:7-8), 50:17-21; Deuteronomy 1:17; 1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 9:15-16, 17:1-5;
Ecclesiastes 7:20; Isaiah 4:4; Ezra 7:27; Obadiah 1:15.
New Testament: Matthew 6:14-15, 7:1-6, 12:36-37, 18:21-34; Mark
4:24-25,
7:15; Luke 6:37-38, 12:3, 16:15-17; John 7:24; Acts 10:28; Romans 2:1-8,
9:18, 10:5-10, 14:1-23; 1 Corinthians 4:5, 5:12; Galatians 6:1-5; Colossians
2:16-17; James 2:2-13, 4:11-12, 5:9,19-20.
Justice, Ruach of: See all
references under, Judgment.
Old Testament: Isaiah 28:6.
Life, Ruach of:
Old Testament: Genesis 7:2; Psalms 16:11, 34:12.
New Testament: Luke 12:15; John 6:51; 2 Corinthians 2:16; 1
Peter 3:10.
Promise, Ruach of:
Old Testament: Septuagint; Ezekiel 7:26.
New Testament: Luke 24:49; Acts 2:33; Galatians 3:14;
Ephesians 1:13; Hebrews 9:15; 1 John 1:5
Revelation, Ruach of:
Old Testament: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel...
New Testament: Romans 2:5, 8:18, 19, 16:25; 1 Corinthians
14:6, 26; 2 Corinthians 12:1, 7; Galatians 1:12, 2:2; Ephesians 1:17, 3:3;
Revelation 1:1.
Slavery, spirit of:
Old Testament: Genesis / Exodus...
New Testament: Romans 8:15, 21; Galatians 4:25, 5:1; Hebrews 2:15.
Stupor, spirit of:
Old Testament: Leviticus 10:3; Psalms 4:4, 60:3; Isaiah
29:10; Daniel 10:9, 15.
New Testament: Romans 11:8
Supplication, Ruach of, also see Prayer, General:
Old Testament: Leviticus 10:3,9; Psalms 5:1-7, 18:6, 27:7-10, 28(all), 33:1-3,
37:3-7, 65(all), 88(all), 102(all), 116:1-2, 123(all), 141(all)
,142(all), 145(all); Proverbs 15:8,29; Ecclesiastes 5:1-3; Isaiah 37:1-35, 44:24-26;
Daniel (all); Zechariah 12:10; Malachi 1:10.
New Testament: Matthew 6:5-13; Luke 11:9; John 9:312, 10:1-18, 15:7-17,
16:23-28; Acts 10 (all), 12:5, 21:5; Romans 12:12; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16; Philippians
4:4-6; Colossians 4:2,12; 1 Timothy 2:1,8, 4:4-5, 5:5; Philemon 1:22; Hebrews
5:7; 1 Peter 4:7; Revelation 8:3.
Truth, Ruach of:
Old Testament: 1 Kings 8:56; Psalms 31:5, 86:11-13, 89:14, 111, 117, 119, 145:17-21;
Isaiah 45:19; Jeremiah 23:28.
New Testament: Luke 1:4, John 3:2, 3:21, 3:33, 4:22-24, 8:31-32, 8:44, 14:16-17,
15:26,
16:13-14, 17:17, 18:37-38; 2 Corinthians 13:8; Colossians 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:8-9; Hebrews
6:17-20; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John (all) 4:6 for "spirit of"; 2 John 1:4; 3 John 1:3-6; Revelation
3:7.
Wisdom, Ruach of:
Old Testament: Exodus 28:3; Deuteronomy 34:9; Job 28:12-19, 32:9; Proverbs (all), 2:1-20, 3:13-26, 7:4.
New Testament: Matthew 7:24-25; Acts 6:3; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10, 13:11; Ephesians
1:17, 5:15-17; Colossians 4:5-6; James 3:13-17.
.


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