Joel 2:12-14 English Standard Version

Return to the Lord

12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13  and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
14  Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?

Here is a memory I believe many of us share. A parent tells us to do something and we do not move fast enough and the next thing we hear is “NOW!”

There is that fearful moment when we know what will happen if we don’t obey immediately. We don’t need an additional warning, we already know what will happen.

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

2 Timothy 3:2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

1 Corinthians 14:21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”

Has the Lord changed His mind?

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

What I hear the Father say to me is “Now!”

So I preach the gospel of truth, even if many will not listen.

This is for the few that do.

Colossians 2:15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Since we spoke of being prayer warriors yesterday, I thought it best to understand one of the basic issues of combat.

Disarmament is a condition where the enemy no longer has weapons that can be used against us. Jesus Christ disarmed the enemy by way of the Cross. Satan is a defeated foe, but he is not dead, he is an eternal being, a fallen angel.

When an enemy is disarmed and lives, we can expect to hear many cries coming from the enemy camp. He will lie about everything because his voice is the only thing left to him.

Whoever was in his camp is disarmed and the only weapon they have is his lies.

Those enemy combatants can be liberated but only if they choose to escape the darkness and come into the light.

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Our only weapon against lies is truth. We must cling to the truth and reject the lies we hear coming from the enemy camp. Our only hope in knowing the truth is the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit. He will protect us from those “fiery darts”. 

Ephesians 6:16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

Our faith is our shield against the lies.

Colossians 2:6-7 English Standard Version

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Faith walks in the light, not darkness.

That is why it is important not to believe the lies coming out of the enemy camp.