A Timely Message To The Church In Nigeria.
A Timely Message To The Church In Nigeria.
In the wake of recent events in our nation and responses from different quarters; the church of Jesus Christ should not be driven by fear to pray, or driven by her own will/spiritual pride to pray dangerous prayers for the destruction of her enemies, but to discern the will of the Lord in prayer, and to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
I watched a video message by Dr. Paul Enenche of Dunamis Gospel Center, and heard him say that "a time is coming when a sword shall be more important than a garment".
My immediate response was: "this is not christianity; this cannot be what the Spirit is saying to the church concerning the future".
The Spirit of God cannot be forecasting a future for the church, when physical arms will be more important than clothing, and thus charging the church/members of Christ to arm themselves for a physical battle.
Never in the history of true christianity, had there been a time when, having a sword was more important than having the basic need of food and raiment, and there will never be such a time(1 Timothy 6:8).
Even in the times of the most vehement persecution against the church, taking up swords to wage war, was never the admonition of the Spirit of Christ to his church. A perfect example of this is seen, in his admonition to the church in Smyrna, which was facing fierce persecution. The Lord's admonition to them was not to take up swords and fight, but to be courageous and not fear the terror of persecution/the prospect of being killed. Revelation 2:8-10.
The crusades/series of religious wars, sanctioned by the papal heirarchy in medieval times, were fought by mere religious fanatics and not christians/men who understood the true meaning/spirit of Christianity.
The Sophistry Of Self Defence/Defending The Cause Of Christianity.
Self defence is a natural instinct in every living creature. There is a natural and spontaneous mechanism in every living creature, to defend itself in the face of a threat/danger to life. This is expressed either through fighting to ward off the attacker, or looking for a way of escape.
We need not preach self defence.
The delusion of supposed christian preachers, who take it upon themselves to preach self defence to their congregation, lies in not knowing when they cross the thin line/borders of advocacy for self defence, into the forbidden territory of taking up arms to defend the 'christian' cause or to fight for God. The crusades were not merely inspired by the natural instinct for self defence; but also driven by the unholy quest/ambition of religious leaders to expand the influence and territory of their religious empires; thus, they sanctioned, charged and armed their adherents to take up arms and fight, to secure the control of 'holy' sites in the middle east. The holy land/holy places of true christianity, are not earthly sites/buildings made with hands, but the sanctuary of heaven itself; into which Christ has entered for us, as our forerunner and Highpriest. Hebrews 9:24; 6:19-20.
Sadly, under the banner of self defence/defending the cause of christianity, the crusaders went forth, maiming and being maimed, killing and being killed.
A misrepresentation of the faith of Christ/christianity, and a history for which the way of truth, is evil spoken of by many historians till date.
The words of reprehension/rebuke by Jesus Christ, to a religiously zealous Peter, who sought to defend him by taking up sword to cut off the ear of Malchus, remains: "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" Matthew 26:52.
The Misunderstanding/Misinterpretation Of Luke 22:36.
Jesus Christ never sanctioned physical violence/wars in response to threats, or prospect of persecution.
It is only in view of the fulfillment of a specific messianic prophecy, that Jesus said: "he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
Luke 22:36.
It is from this verse that Dr. Paul Enenche drew his seeming prophecy.
He didn't read down to the next verse(v.37), to see how these words were specifically spoken, for the purpose of the fulfillment of the prophetic scripture which says "And he was reckoned amongst the transgressors".
He also didn't read down to verse 38, to see how the disciples said unto Jesus "Lord, behold here are two swords and he said unto them, it is enough".
*Just two swords were enough for the fulfillment of the prophecy; not enough for the self defence of Christ and his 11 disciples against a multitude that came to arrest him, led by Judas(Luke 22:47); not enough to stop them from arresting him; but enough for the prophecy to be fulfilled, enough evidence for the Jewish rulers, elders and highpriest to brand him the leader of an armed gang; enough for him to be reckoned amongst the transgressors.
Being accosted, he was not afraid of being arrested, neither did he seek the destruction of those who came to arrest him; he rather told them to allow his disciples to go, and surely they fled and forsook him for fear of being arrested and arraigned with him. Even a certain young man who followed behind, when apprehended, fled naked leaving his linen cloth.
The will of God as clearly expressed by Jesus, was to make a way of escape for the disciples(John 18:8-9); but for Jesus, the will of God was for him to be arrested and killed(John 18:10-14). Arrested as reckoned amongst the transgressors, and crucified as numbered with the transgressors(Please see Luke 22:37 & 52; Mark 15:28; Isaiah 53:12.)
Secondly, what Jesus said in Luke 22:36 was not in anyway an endorsement of taking up physical arms to fight in defence of christianity. The christian faith cannot be defended by physical war/battle of any form. As earlier stated in Matthew 26:52, he openly rebuked Peter when he used the sword to cut off the ear of Malchus, as much as he rebuked James and John, when they inquired of him, if they should command fire to come down from heaven and consume the Samaritans, for refusing to receive him. They sought to retaliate the ill treatment of Jesus by the Samaritans, they sought to fight for Jesus and even cited scripture, ie. Elijah's case, as an example to emulate, but Jesus rebuked them saying "Ye know not what manner of spirit you are of". Luke 9:51-56.
As earlier said, we are not to be driven by fear, or our own will/spiritual pride, in praying/making dangerous declarations for the destruction of our enemies; but to discern the will of God in every situation, and to allow his will to be our drive.
1 Peter 3:13-14, 17-18.
*The prophetic significance of what Jesus said in Luke 22:36 has been fulfilled. It's a spiritual disaster for us to take up that as a charge to the church today, as much as taking up for emulation, Hosea's prophetic action of marrying a prostitute or Abraham's union with Hagar to birth Ishmael, which prophetically represents the old covenant.
Finally, the fear that will engulf the land of Nigeria will not be the fear of men, of herdsmen or armed men but the fear of the Lord of hosts...the fear of the judgments he'll be meting out in the church & in the goverment, in rooting out men of corrupt minds misrepresenting his leadership in the church, and wicked men in government, misleading the nation. Then shall his people(the church) sit up and take notice of this; that the battle/fight much more important to the Lord for his people to wage against, is the spiritual, in which the souls of many unsuspecting and undiscerning ones are being led into eternal destruction/ruin, and not the physical threat of a holy war by herdsmen, which can only kill the physical body.
In the wake of recent events in our nation and responses from different quarters; the church of Jesus Christ should not be driven by fear to pray, or driven by her own will/spiritual pride to pray dangerous prayers for the destruction of her enemies, but to discern the will of the Lord in prayer, and to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
I watched a video message by Dr. Paul Enenche of Dunamis Gospel Center, and heard him say that "a time is coming when a sword shall be more important than a garment".
My immediate response was: "this is not christianity; this cannot be what the Spirit is saying to the church concerning the future".
The Spirit of God cannot be forecasting a future for the church, when physical arms will be more important than clothing, and thus charging the church/members of Christ to arm themselves for a physical battle.
Never in the history of true christianity, had there been a time when, having a sword was more important than having the basic need of food and raiment, and there will never be such a time(1 Timothy 6:8).
Even in the times of the most vehement persecution against the church, taking up swords to wage war, was never the admonition of the Spirit of Christ to his church. A perfect example of this is seen, in his admonition to the church in Smyrna, which was facing fierce persecution. The Lord's admonition to them was not to take up swords and fight, but to be courageous and not fear the terror of persecution/the prospect of being killed. Revelation 2:8-10.
The crusades/series of religious wars, sanctioned by the papal heirarchy in medieval times, were fought by mere religious fanatics and not christians/men who understood the true meaning/spirit of Christianity.
The Sophistry Of Self Defence/Defending The Cause Of Christianity.
Self defence is a natural instinct in every living creature. There is a natural and spontaneous mechanism in every living creature, to defend itself in the face of a threat/danger to life. This is expressed either through fighting to ward off the attacker, or looking for a way of escape.
We need not preach self defence.
The delusion of supposed christian preachers, who take it upon themselves to preach self defence to their congregation, lies in not knowing when they cross the thin line/borders of advocacy for self defence, into the forbidden territory of taking up arms to defend the 'christian' cause or to fight for God. The crusades were not merely inspired by the natural instinct for self defence; but also driven by the unholy quest/ambition of religious leaders to expand the influence and territory of their religious empires; thus, they sanctioned, charged and armed their adherents to take up arms and fight, to secure the control of 'holy' sites in the middle east. The holy land/holy places of true christianity, are not earthly sites/buildings made with hands, but the sanctuary of heaven itself; into which Christ has entered for us, as our forerunner and Highpriest. Hebrews 9:24; 6:19-20.
Sadly, under the banner of self defence/defending the cause of christianity, the crusaders went forth, maiming and being maimed, killing and being killed.
A misrepresentation of the faith of Christ/christianity, and a history for which the way of truth, is evil spoken of by many historians till date.
The words of reprehension/rebuke by Jesus Christ, to a religiously zealous Peter, who sought to defend him by taking up sword to cut off the ear of Malchus, remains: "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" Matthew 26:52.
The Misunderstanding/Misinterpretation Of Luke 22:36.
Jesus Christ never sanctioned physical violence/wars in response to threats, or prospect of persecution.
It is only in view of the fulfillment of a specific messianic prophecy, that Jesus said: "he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
Luke 22:36.
It is from this verse that Dr. Paul Enenche drew his seeming prophecy.
He didn't read down to the next verse(v.37), to see how these words were specifically spoken, for the purpose of the fulfillment of the prophetic scripture which says "And he was reckoned amongst the transgressors".
He also didn't read down to verse 38, to see how the disciples said unto Jesus "Lord, behold here are two swords and he said unto them, it is enough".
*Just two swords were enough for the fulfillment of the prophecy; not enough for the self defence of Christ and his 11 disciples against a multitude that came to arrest him, led by Judas(Luke 22:47); not enough to stop them from arresting him; but enough for the prophecy to be fulfilled, enough evidence for the Jewish rulers, elders and highpriest to brand him the leader of an armed gang; enough for him to be reckoned amongst the transgressors.
Being accosted, he was not afraid of being arrested, neither did he seek the destruction of those who came to arrest him; he rather told them to allow his disciples to go, and surely they fled and forsook him for fear of being arrested and arraigned with him. Even a certain young man who followed behind, when apprehended, fled naked leaving his linen cloth.
The will of God as clearly expressed by Jesus, was to make a way of escape for the disciples(John 18:8-9); but for Jesus, the will of God was for him to be arrested and killed(John 18:10-14). Arrested as reckoned amongst the transgressors, and crucified as numbered with the transgressors(Please see Luke 22:37 & 52; Mark 15:28; Isaiah 53:12.)
Secondly, what Jesus said in Luke 22:36 was not in anyway an endorsement of taking up physical arms to fight in defence of christianity. The christian faith cannot be defended by physical war/battle of any form. As earlier stated in Matthew 26:52, he openly rebuked Peter when he used the sword to cut off the ear of Malchus, as much as he rebuked James and John, when they inquired of him, if they should command fire to come down from heaven and consume the Samaritans, for refusing to receive him. They sought to retaliate the ill treatment of Jesus by the Samaritans, they sought to fight for Jesus and even cited scripture, ie. Elijah's case, as an example to emulate, but Jesus rebuked them saying "Ye know not what manner of spirit you are of". Luke 9:51-56.
As earlier said, we are not to be driven by fear, or our own will/spiritual pride, in praying/making dangerous declarations for the destruction of our enemies; but to discern the will of God in every situation, and to allow his will to be our drive.
1 Peter 3:13-14, 17-18.
*The prophetic significance of what Jesus said in Luke 22:36 has been fulfilled. It's a spiritual disaster for us to take up that as a charge to the church today, as much as taking up for emulation, Hosea's prophetic action of marrying a prostitute or Abraham's union with Hagar to birth Ishmael, which prophetically represents the old covenant.
Finally, the fear that will engulf the land of Nigeria will not be the fear of men, of herdsmen or armed men but the fear of the Lord of hosts...the fear of the judgments he'll be meting out in the church & in the goverment, in rooting out men of corrupt minds misrepresenting his leadership in the church, and wicked men in government, misleading the nation. Then shall his people(the church) sit up and take notice of this; that the battle/fight much more important to the Lord for his people to wage against, is the spiritual, in which the souls of many unsuspecting and undiscerning ones are being led into eternal destruction/ruin, and not the physical threat of a holy war by herdsmen, which can only kill the physical body.
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