The Reality of Fly Fishing

 Fly Fishing

Have you noticed how many people look back with longing? Didn’t we learn anything from the Israelites’ wandering in the desert for 40 years?

 Looking backwards gives you a distorted view. Try it look over your shoulder—don’t turn anything but your head. How is that view of where you have been?

If God had wanted you there he would not have brought you to where you are now.  Think about it.

The enemy casts thoughts as accurately as a fly fisherman and like the 

fish you do NOT have to take the bait. Like any passionate fisherman he does continue to cast though—hear the sound of the reel as the fly heads towards the pool of your doubts (you know that area where you hide from everyone and meditate on 1/2 truths, fleshy longings, emotional bondages). Snap-he hooks you like a fish and continuously pulls the line to turn your head and focus from Christ back to some other time and he makes it look GOOD.

Turn and look over your shoulder—it is distorted. That is what the enemy does. He distorts your view. That distortion removes all the negatives and gives you a fuzzy view of what he wants you to see.

Remember the Israelites? They were in Egypt, slaves who had to build the pyramids. People go look at the pyramids or look at the pictures and marvel at how wonderful they are but is there any realization of the cost? The lives that were lost? The blood, sweat and tears that were required for every block put into place? We look back at the wonder and the beauty but it is a distorted view. The oppression was horrible and it increased every time they did something that irritated their “masters”. They ended up having to make their own bricks and build.

What is being distorted in your life? 

• An abusive marriage that is remembered “fondly” because it wasn't “that” bad—and at least you weren't lonely.
• A childhood that wasn’t what you wanted so “everything” was bad.
• High school where you were never accepted in the popular crowd so you were a failure.

What distortions are in your life? Pack them  up. Ship them off--useless baggage.

What distortions do you see in other's lives? Things they cannot seem to get free from? Does it break your heart for them or does it irritate you? If it irritates--repent. Then put on your armor and help them through intercession. God doesn't show us things for entertainment but for restoration and redemption. 

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. Is 58:11-12

Get your armor on--we have work to do....

Sticks and Stones

Stick and stones will break your bones

But names will never hurt you.

Well that was a HUGE lie—names hurt: 4 eyes, stupid, loser, fat-so—names hurt far more than some stick.

Luke 17:1-4

Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. ² It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. ³ So watch yourselves.

“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. ⁴ Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

An unforgiven offense stops everything God is doing. He sent us to heal the broken hearted so destroy anything in your life that will halt what He has called you to do.

Sticks—offense, gr: scandalon or trap stick literally the stick that holds the trap up—the one with the string attached.

An offense is a trap, something done to you, that violates you, it captivates you, an unforgiven offense shackles you and chains you. Woe to the one from whom it comes. Many words say more in sound/tone than their meaning. WOE.

Stone—a millstone weighted 60-100K. It represents a stone of judgment. IT will take you do to judgment. Better to get the stone.

Names are far worse than sticks and stones. They cause bondages.

Father: hate,, bitterness, tenseness, abandonment, rejections.

Sitting in McDonalds recently a family came and sat at the table beside me. There was a cute little 10 year old, her 13 year old sister and her dad plus the grandparents. They were just coming from the airport and a very long flight. He criticized her hair, her clothes, the way she sat, just over and over—never when anyone else was around—just when it was them at the table or walking around. Nothing critical was said to the older one. Which one were you? How does it affect your relationship with God?

Offenses bend you out of shape.

Building block to the temple the Lord is building within your life. Canto—bend bow or twist. You cannot put up straight walls, a level floor, plum walls with canto building blocks.

Jesus holds all the keys, he opens doors no man can close and sets the captives free.

How many times do you hear that someone forgives but cannot stand the person? They forgive but do not want to ever be around them again. Forgive but wipe them out of their life. You have to wipe the debt out of you heart.

Offenses should be as far as the east is from the west. Blot out the sins.

Jesus is our example. He forgives your sins and then tells you he never wants to see you again? No, he unlocks your prison cell. He tells us to forgive and be forgiven. Or does he tell us he will make us pay? No he said he would go to hell instead.

Matthew 18:21-35  (NIV)

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

²³ “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Jesus releases, forgives and forgets. When we do the same it sets captives free, beings healing, a restoration of vision and creates an acceptable day of the Lord.

Over and over again we see people in the Bible repent for others. God honors that. Do you see a situation where someone is stuck? Bent out of shape? In bondage? Shackled to their past? Get them before the throne so they can be set free. Forgive them so there is a freedom in the spiritual realm.

That is what is it all about—intercession is setting the captives free and protecting the ones who are free so they do not become entangled again in the yoke of bondage.

Who can you help today? Do you need to start with you?

The POW's are Waiting to be Set Free

Give yourself to God and He will give you back to yourself better than yourself. Socrates (this is not in quotes because no one really knows what he said—different than the Bible where there is the same exact quotes over the ages which turns out to be just another proof that the Bible is true.)

Does that describe intercession or what?

Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given back to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

The initial giving comes from you; (He calls, we chose) expectation comes from God who ends up giving you more than you ever dreamed. We do not understand the multiplication aspect in the spiritual realmbut it is available for our own life but in intercession it is a fantastic weapon.

I Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolish to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Perishing doesn’t hurt initially--in fact you probably hardly even notice but circumstances will continue to occur until we are dull of hearing—perishing because we cannot hear directions, cannot hear where and what to eat, cannot receive living water. The perishing is spiritual and has devastating effects. If you are perishing you are a prisoner of war in Satan’s concentration camp. In WWII the concentration camps were horrible. People were gassed, starved, experimented on—they suffered at the hands of evil, sadistic captors. The POW’s of Vietnam were treated even worse; torture was the sport of the day. Spiritual captivity makes that look like kindergarten.

Plato—defense of self is useless verbally—live your life to prove who you are. (again not in quotes on purpose)

It is not what not what you say you are but how you act. A lot of Christians are embarrassed to tell others that they are Christians because so many have stained the name of Christ. Live for Christ—don’t talk Christ into shame. Don’t over promise and under deliver. Don’t pay people less than you should because you are a Christian. Don’t compromise the truth. If you are a Christian live it. Esteem your brother better than yourself. 

We all know people who are perishing--dying or dead spiritually. If you had a relative or friend who was in a concentration camp you would do ANYTHING to get them out. You have family in spiritual concentration camps. You have friends and acquaintances in spiritual concentration camps. It is time to stop praying “save ‘em” prayers and get them set free. It will take concentrated military maneuvers. You ready?

Let’s get this war more effective and set the captives free.  

What time do you have?

I was emailing this to intercessors or people who have expressed an interest in learning more about intercession but the Lord told me to put it on the blog. It is time for the body to come together and armor up.

I get LOTS of prayer requests and I am sure each of you do also.  One of the things that the Lord has been talking to me about is unity in the body. Several times lately I have gotten a request that include 20+ people. Most of the time there is no direction.

An example is “My friend is in late stage cancer and only has a few weeks to live. She is in a lot of pain and on all kinds of medication. Please pray for her.”

So, what are we praying? For her to be comfortable? Against symptoms? Healing? Quick trip home to the father? (This is not sarcasm but has actually been a request)

What is the person wanting--not what you want for the person what do they want? 

We have not because we ask not but what are we asking for? We don't receive because we ask amiss.

If Patton told the troops head across Germany and win the war and each soldier, pilot, tank driver etc. made it their own battle the enemy could just stand back and watch the army destroy themselves. The body of Christ has been doing this too long. 

I am not negating seeking the Lord and hearing what He gives you for a battle plan but when you are in a concentrated battle make sure you are in agreement with those around you. 

I hear the Lord saying that it is time to stop the infighting. Time to lay down prejudices. Time to destroy pride. Time to unify. Time to win.