Thursday, October 31, 2013

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!



DANGEROUS … AND ALIVE!  Have you ever thought of yourself as dangerous?  Well, hopefully not in the normal context of the word, since the meaning usually is pointed towards a victim.  And that kind of behavior is not Christ-like in any way, shape, or form.  Perhaps we’ve never thought about a spiritual scenario, though, where it is totally permissible to be dangerous – and there is one victim that should be our target.  We DO have an enemy, you know.  Any military person will tell you that both skill and strategy must be present and activated when encountering the enemy in the quest to overcome, capture, and ultimately destroy them.  If this sounds a bit over-the-top, remember the enemy I am referring to needs no easing up on when it comes to battlefield tactics.  We must be aware, armed, alive … and yes, dangerous!  I am referring to the enemy of our souls, and like I’ve said before, he doesn’t go easy on us.  He plans and deceives, and prowls around watching for our moment of greatest weakness – and then he attacks and goes in for the kill.  While all of this is going on, what are WE doing, may I ask?  Are we running scared?  Are we in hiding?  Are we cowering and shivering and shaking, waiting for our end?  I hope not!  I pray that we are poised and ready for the good fight of faith.  I pray that we are prepared and positioned with shield and sword, actively pursuing our ultimate win against Satan.  If we are NOT ready for such battles that we find ourselves in … just how do we get prepared?  Who trains us?  And who teaches us the battle cry?  A few weeks ago, I sat glued to every word of the message that Lisa Bevere gave at Women of Faith.  She offered some answers from God’s Word … and some powerful challenges to each of us women who were present in that arena.  Wanna listen in to what she had to say?  Let me try to summarize.  I remind you of my opening statement (Lisa’s phrase!) in last week’s message:  “God’s dream for you is the enemy’s nightmare!”  And just what is God’s dream for us when it comes to fighting Kingdom battles for Him?  I invite you to read the scripture verse that God showed to Lisa – one that became a burning message within her as God opened her eyes to His dream for her.  “The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims.”  (Numbers 23:24)  Your first response might be, “that sounds awful, how graphic!”  Yet that is exactly how God described the people of Israel to Balak through the pagan prophet, Balaam, and their ensuing victories as they would arise and devour their foes.  For too long, as women – and men, we have cowered in the background.  As children of the living God, we have forgotten WHO we are.  We have lost our identity in Christ.  We perhaps we have not ever heard the call for us to “rise like a lioness, to rouse like a lion – not resting until we devour our prey.”  We have far too long been passive and non-committal.  The enemy has walked all over us, tried ripping us apart, throwing us asunder, leaving us for dead.  He really thinks he has won!  Where’s our fight, dear brothers and sisters in Christ?  If we are soldiers in the army of the Lord God of Israel, how come we are so wimpy?  Lisa said after God came to her in a night vision with this powerful image of a lioness arising from a stretched out, resting position, she plunged herself into a study of lionesses and lions.  What she gleaned from that was nothing short of amazing!  In the natural, in the animal kingdom, the lionesses are frequently the ones who do the hunting, pursuing the prey.  They are female, but fierce.  With their prowess they honor their mate on many occasions by bringing the kill to him, the male lion.  Together they are formidable.  Each one complements the other.  Later Balaam, in chapter 24 and verse 9a , utters these words about the tribes of Israel as the Spirit of God came upon him:  “Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness – who dares to rouse them?”  Balaam adds these powerful words, “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!”  When we finally “see” who we are and live out the empowered identity that God has placed in our DNA, women and men all over this world will begin to ARISE from their slumbering stupor on stony slabs and begin turning the tables on our enemy, the devil, whose trick is to “prowl around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  (I Peter 5:8)  That same verse tells us to “be self-controlled and alert.”  The next verse tells us to “resist him, standing firm in the faith …”.  Men and women, let’s join forces as allies honoring each other’s strengths as we combat the enemy in the Name of Jesus, arising as a mighty force of destruction against evil.  Silent and weak – no more!  Dangerous and fully alive – forevermore!  May THAT be US!


WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK . . .

SUN, NOV 3:
10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP
10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE
WED/THU "BIBLE DOING" / NOV 6 & 7 / 7:00 P.M.
WED - Hebrews at the church
THU - I Peter at 905 El Dorado St SE
SAT, NOV 9:
9:00 A.M. - LADIES PRAISE & PRAYER at the church
9:00 A.M. - BARNABAS TEAM MEETING at the church


ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!

Fellowship is encouraged in our church family!  So we want to invite ALL of you to our upcoming Thanksgiving Luncheon here at church following the morning worship on Sunday, November 24th.  We want you to come with your favorite autumn foods as we celebrate with gratitude the gift of God’s faithfulness, abundance, and provision to us as a church – and as individual families!  Take a moment to sign-up at the Welcome Center and let us know how many are attending – and what you will bring to share!  

REMEMBER . . . “If I could give you one thing in life, I would give you the ability to see yourself through God’s eyes.  Only then would you realize how special and valuable you are to Him!” ~ unknown


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .


Pastor Doug and Debbie 


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