"Christian Thought Life & Spiritual Captivity!"

Herein lies the "peril" of our "thought life" as believers; when we calculate, figure out, surmise, reason, quantify, qualify, predict, manage, reconcile, tally and conclude a situation to death! Boy oh boy, do we know how to get in God's way or what?

The inherent danger is that our thought life influences our actions; it is the last vestige of "spiritual warfare." (2 Cor 10:3-5). Simply stated, this is where "fear" replaces "faith". Our calculations are equivalent to "strongholds" which provide spiritual barriers to the heart and mind of God.  The mind is therefore held captive by the enemy and can only be freed by the Spirit of God through obedience to His Word. In this case, the enemy is NOT the "devil", but any disobedient behavior contrary to the will or Word of God.

Many rebellious thoughts are housed in these spiritual "CITADELS" (a city on a hill surrounded by an impenetrable wall). The carnal mind (that is, the mind that does not consider God in any way) is innately weak, child-like and impressionable and with little or no effort can be derailed off of the path of righteousness. A believer must ask himself/herself, "Who is really running the show?" (2 Cor 4:4).

The mind that is set on the "flesh" is hostile to God (2 Cor 3:14; Ephes 2:3; Rom 8:7)! The genesis of the mind is the stronghold of the enemy from the beginning. This "infiltration" is innate and germinates out of control in the life of a sinner, eventually overtaking the will, emotion and mind thus completing the axis of evil. The following is the process of how the thought life becomes captive to the lusts of the flesh:

• Temptation is always presented to the heart of a man first; then the mind.
• The flesh is used to secure the "transaction" (The "flesh" NEVER forgets unless crucified daily!)
• The "consent of man" allows temptation and thought to have intercourse.
• Our intellect thereby obstructs our ability to be apprehended by God.
• Repentance creates a significant breech in the mind's stronghold.
• When you receive a new mind; you will receive a new heart.
• The "mind" is the weakest point of entry into the body of mankind.

The Believer must exercise his/her spiritual authority over the powers of darkness in order to live a victorious life in the Kingdom of God.

"DENOMINATIONS: The Great Divide in the Body of Christ!"

When I began to research this subject at the prodding of one of my friends, I was astonished at what I uncovered.  I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was THIS BAD!  Did you you know that there are more than 41,000 Christian denominations globally?  That's right, 41,000!  Every Christian I asked last week never came close to the correct answer. Even the closest answer I received to the truth was obscene;  a paltry 2,000!

So what does all this mean?  How did we get to this place?  It is the epitome of "selfishness"...pure and simple! I always say, "There is no limit to the depths of human selfishness!"

The Apostle Paul said it best, "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and same judgment." (1 Corinth 1:10)

After reading this scripture, I can see where one might be confused about what Paul was writing to the church at Corinth; of course, I am being facetious! The word "denomination" does not exist in the Bible, however, its root word means "division" or "to divide." Now, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out.  The more you divide anything, it's overall effectiveness becomes diluted!  I like the word "impotent" meaning "without any power!" The church has become impotent.

Our modern theology reeks of "institutionalism" and "exploitation." Millions of Christians are being sacrificed everyday on the altar of manipulation, greed and perversion. In short, it's all about money.  The almighty dollar, greenbacks, sawbucks, moolah, benjamins, duckets...whatever you want to call it, it doesn't matter. The affections of Christians have been turned away from the Lord God toward their beloved church buildings, bishops, pastors and denominations. 

I overheard some Christians correcting one another a few weeks ago when one called the other a "baptist."  The one seemed to take offense that this man would "accuse" him of being a baptist. Then the brother stuck out his chest and declared, "I am a card carrying member of the COGIC!" What? A card carrying member of the COGIC!  Are you serious? What the hell does that mean?  What about Jesus?  Where does He fit into this denomination equation? This is so sad. The sacrifice of Christ has been reduced to this.

Our priorities are all screwed up.  Every denomination has created its own version of the Bible that fits their respective comfort level with individual and collective sin.  Any behavior can be rationalized and/or justified. From Tertullian to Aristotle to John Calvin to Martin Luther to Richard Allen to John Smith to TD Jakes, John Blake, Jim Jones and even Reverend Ike; it all the same theme. After all, if I faithfully follow Jesus, I can't indulge in the sin I most enjoy.

All this mess started around 320 AD when a selfish ruler named Constantine made a decision that following Christ would not be financially beneficial to him or his kingdom. He asserted that in order to achieve maximum effect, the Word of God needed to be "modified" to satisfy his personal goal of immortality.  At the end of the day, he knew that if the people worshipped God, they would NEVER worship him! So he set himself up as a god, creating a statue of himself that would memorialize him forever. He mixed in his "pagan" rituals with the principles of God and thus diluted and perverted the perfect law of liberty.

As a look around today, all I see are 41,000 copies of the original "blueprint of deception" crafted by Constantine.  The sad truth is that I believe we have finally "perfected" it!

"FAITH is the currency of the Kingdom of God!"

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him.." (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)  That's generally where people stop with this incredible declaration. But I exhort you to keep on reading, 'cause the best is just ahead. The scripture continues, "..for he who comes to God must believe that He is (God), and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Wow, you have to be dead to miss that!  Can you see the importance of reading the "entire text" and not just taking an excerpt and running with it?  Look how much a Christian ministering to someone would miss by not sharing the entire text.  Think about the person they are ministering to and what they would have missed?  It's frightening isn't it?  You have to have faith to come to God (approach Him) and have faith to "believe" that He is who He says He is and have faith that He will do what He says He has already done, is doing or will do in the future! (Hint:  Whatever it is, is already done. Genesis 2:2)

The Holy Spirit is stating clearly that there are certain "contingencies" to faith. You don't just "roll up" on faith.  You gotta have some "skin in the game."  You have to have been roasted, stewed and barbecued!  Faith is the DNA of the Kingdom of God (KOG); it is the litmus test for those seeking entrance into the presence of the King! Without it, you have no place in the Kingdom.

Fear replaces faith.  Fear is of the enemy. The spirit of fear does NOT come from God. The enemy seeks to kill, steal and destroy your "faith"...not your BODY!  Your "body" is of no consequence to God;  God is NOT enamored with our physical bodies; hence the main requirement for entrance into the KOG: "suffering!"  Wait a minute Brother Nick, you mean to tell me I have to suffer before I enter the KOG?  Yes you do..in ten different languages!  Suffering is the thing "believers" have most in common with Christ, but they never hear that from the pulpit...it ain't popular preachin'!

Our sin nature can only be eradicated by faith in God through the impartation of the Holy Spirit!  We can "only believe" because of the Grace of God through the sacrifice of Christ on Golgotha!  Only by faith can you obtain a good report from the Lord God. Only by faith can we even understand the Word of God; since by faith everything that was made has been made by the "unseen thing" or the invisible word that proceeded from the heart, mind and mouth of God.

By faith, we move with reverence and love to the unctions of the Holy Spirit; we delve quickly and fearlessly into the moral abyss of mankind to destroy the prevailing spirit of darkness in the earth. By faith, we condemn the world (those operating in systems diametrically opposed to the KOG); by faith, we become heirs to God's kingdom in the earth, right NOW; by faith, we become heirs to righteousness and goodness and holiness; by faith, we hear the voice of God beckoning us to unfathomable greatness in serving our brothers and sisters in the marketplace; by faith, we remain steadfast in the wisdom and guidance of His Way, His Truth and His Life!

By faith, we receive strength to conceive the unimaginable and to produce "seed", which is NOT "money" but more "faith"...which is the currency of the KOG!

"Unnatural Headship in the Body of Christ!"

One of the most devastating "side effects" of slavery has been the implosion and systemic dismantling of "natural leadership" within the Institutional Church (IC). No matter what species, entity, ideology or movement you are confronted with, the most expedient way to diffuse it is to "cut off the head."

Modern day slaveholders (IC pastors) who are not "servants of Christ" have adopted this age old mentality of suppressing any viable threat to their reign of terror by any means necessary. You see a "natural head" is a leader whose primary goal is the survival of the "entire body"...in contrast, an "unnatural head" is one who is handpicked by the "slave master" and is used to derail any attempts of the natural leader to mobilize the slaves (congregation) against the defilement of the slave master. He will advance the cause of the slave master at any cost!

The "natural head" is isolated, ridiculed, ostracized and then eliminated from contention by the pastor.  This natural leader is one who has the audacity to question the authority of the pastor as it relates to his actions that are in direct conflict with the Word of God; including but not limited to to his/her moral and ethical conduct. In belligerent defiance to "protect their profession", the slave master will go to any lengths to defend their man-made "kingdom."  In the end, the slaves (congregation) lose every time.

So what have we created? We have created a master's head on a slave body. These individuals are called "snitches".  These snitches have demonstrated loyalty to the slave master (pastor) and having done so, elicit great autonomy and privilege within the IC. These strategic "plants" report any and all activity back to the pastor to feed his/her paranoia that has spiralled out of control.  These master-trained 'unnatural heads" are now ready to assume leadership roles in the IC that they are not qualified for, but are "rewards" for being great "spies."

Let's think about a body that has an arm where a leg should be; or an ear where an eye should be. It's kind of grotesque isn't it? Some might call it a monster. The thing that fuels the fire of fear is "survival." The slave master must survive!  Isn't that perverted? These are the things that an individual must do when they are out of position. Lie, cheat and steal. Manipulate and bastardize. These "grafted" leaders are esteemed by the slaves and reviled by the "natural heads." The "natural heads" are the remnant appointed by God to upset systems and paradigms that are diametrically opposed to the Kingdom of Righteousness! The natural leader is the last bastion of hope for the survival of the IC.

As a people, the IC must mobilize behind the spirits of "faith and truth." The so-called "celebrity preachers" are only celebrities inside the confines of their respective church walls.  The IC has lost credibility among mainstream citizens because they have witnessed the merchandising of the Lord God; the proliferation of the Prosperity Gospel and the mass production of False Prophets and Fake Healers! More importantly, the slave masters have failed God.

In conclusion, the sky has darkened. It's thunder and lightning.  The lab is alive with anticipation.  The body has been strapped to the gurney and is being raised toward the opening of the observatory roof. The enemy of "natural headship" has his hand on the lever ready to thrust it down to initiate the "transfer" of power to the "unnatural head"...but just like in the movie, we have once again created "Frankenstein!"

"The Ministry of PERSECUTION!"

It is amazing to me that the thing "believers" have most in common with Christ is "persecution"; yet it is the thing we seldom hear preached from the pulpit!  Sure, Christians love to carry the banner of Jesus when things are going well but, in many instances, when things get tight, we abandon ship like "rats scurrying from a burning building!"

Why is this the case?  Why are Christians so fragile, weak and wishy-washy? The spirit of fear does not come from God; the spirit of fear is of the adversary. Fear is a spirit. Fear is a disembodied entity looking for a body to "occupy."  It can ONLY occupy a body that "allows" it to enter in.  So if you resist the devil (and his spirit of fear), the Bible says, "He will flee!"(James 4:7).

I am here to tell you that as a believer, you must embrace the "ministry of persecution" wholeheartedly.  That's right, I called it a "ministry." Persecution is "personal execution" or dying to oneself.  In short, it is the acceptance of death.  It is the cutting away or "circumcision" of strongholds that keep you captive to the things of this world. Persecution exemplifies a "covenant" with Christ and, therefore, God.

When you are persecuted, it is not important to "defend yourself"; it is more important to defend the God in you by resisting the evil that comes upon you. The goal of the believer is "spiritual integrity" with regard to sacrificing self as Jesus did for us.  The destruction of His "flesh" allowed us access to His mortality (His ability AND willingness to die) void of His works which did not save Him. But what did save Him (and us) was His obedience to death (persecution); thus is the true source of His power...His obedience to persecution unto death!

Christ as the Messiah gives us a vivid picture of the ministry of persecution.  It is not how many times you suffer or how long you suffer.  The details are irrelevant.  The character of your enemy is not a factor.  Your life and present economic status is not an issue. All that matters is your "spiritual compass" (where you are in right relationship to God).

Persecution produces perseverance and is a badge of honor in the kingdom of God. The believer is therefore a joint-heir with Christ, fully participating in every level of manifestation in heaven and earth.

"The Spirit of Tolerance and Entitlement in the Institutional Church!"

Man oh man, we can sure put on a good show for anybody who wants to take the time to act like they are paying attention to us. Our game playing and charades are too numerous to mention in this diatribe, but in short, many Christians are suffering at the hands of an age old nemesis called "compromise."

Our church leaders will "bend over backwards" not to offend the "tithers" or "giving units."  We will conjure up all kinds of gimmicks, ploys and "magic tricks" to entertain the masses, while keeping them passive and so as to avoid any attempt of a "spiritual coup." But these same "hirelings" have no problem whatsoever offending GOD; yet we have the audacity to wonder why we are in the mess we are in.

The Body of Christ has strategically acquired the extremely destruction spirit of "tolerance" with regard to the things of the world and have systematically abandoned the things of God.  Oh sure, we haven't done it all at once; but bit by bit the moral fabric of the church has unraveled. Our moral compass reflects that of the misguided, wayfaring sea captain Christopher Columbus because, just like him, the church is going in the wrong direction and there is mutiny among the "remnant" in Christ Jesus.

This spirit of tolerance is very dangerous because it generally takes a while before the damage can be seen. Financial exploitation of the congregations, the manipulation of power and sex over vulnerable women and a rampant increase in pedophilia has crippled our ability to effectively minister in the marketplace.  In short, the credibility of the church is shot!  The church only has influence over those who have been duped into believing that their ministries are really making a difference in a community where no one even knows the name of the Pastor! He AND the congregation have insulated themselves within the comfort and confines of their "building" tending to their tidy little programs, nebulous sermons and Easter plays.

This sense of "entitlement" has corrupted both the leaders and the laity into believing that although we have the "right" to do something; it doesn't mean that it's "right" to do it. Just because we "can" do a thing doesn't necessarily mean that we "should" do it.  This bravado associated with entitlement reeks of arrogance and the stench of self righteousness.  It has contaminated the Body of Christ and opened the portals to perversion, witchcraft and wickedness in high places.

The end result of this pervasive spirit of tolerance and the self righteousness connected with a sense of entitlement has precipitated the widening of the gap between those who love God and serve him faithfully and those who just need a place to go for two hours on Sunday and Wednesday just to keep up appearances! You have been exposed by the Holy Spirit and you will be dealt with according to His Word.....