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Chapter 8 Israel & Goliath/ The Church & The
Last Days The coming of the Lord is after the working
of Satan…Fear is coming first, then the perfect love of God that will cast out
all fear. Fear is coming to the thoughts as the rains that descended, as an
overwhelming flood, as the wind that blows, and as the waves that beat against
the house. And the gates of Hell shall bring down the house that is built on the
sand. Fear is coming, and it will no longer come as sport from Satan to just
trouble and haunt a man in his thoughts, but it is coming as wrath from Satan to
utterly kill and destroy mankind whom he hates. Many hearts will fail for fear
at looking at the things that coming on the earth. Fear is coming to deceive
many, and if it were possible, it would deceive the very elect of God. The enemy
of this hour is not any flesh and blood, but it is the deception of fear that
will deceive many and lead them to fall away. Out of fear is birthed the
unbelief and doubts that make men forget who their God is. And when fear makes
men forget their God, then do they willingly separate themselves from the love
of God. Even though this is Satan’s plan for this hour… be comforted to know
that the Lord is coming, and he has a plan that can utterly undo that which
Satan does. Revelation 12:9
“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and
Satan, who deceives the whole world…12 “Therefore rejoice, you
heavens (spiritually minded elect) and you that dwell in them. Woe to the
inhabiters of the earth and sea (the carnally minded)! For the Devil is come
down to you having great wrath because he knows that he has only a short time
left. Mark 13:22
“For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and they shall show signs
and wonders to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect (those who have
overcome sin (pride)
and death (fear) through the Spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus).” II Thessalonians 2:3 “Let
no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come except there come a
falling away first…8-12 “And then shall that Wicked (the Beast: Fear)
be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall
destroy with the brightness of his coming, even him whose coming is after the
working of Satan with all his power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all
the deceivableness of unrighteousness (which is the righteousness of fear) in
them that perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they
might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion (things
that are seen) so that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned
who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Nahum 1:11-13
There is one come out of you that imagines evil (the fear where all doubts and
unbelief are conceived) against the Lord, a wicked counselor. Thus says the
Lord, “Though they (the Legion of fears) be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus
shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more. For now will I break his yoke from off you, and I
will burst your bonds in sunder. I John 4:18
NASB “…but perfect love casts out fear…” Hebrews 3:12
“Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in
departing from the living God.” Romans 8:15
“You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear.” Colossians 3:15 “And
let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which you are also called in
one body; and be you thankful.” We all know what happened on September 11,
2001, but there was also something else that happened while the Twin Towers were
smoldering in flames that aroused a question within me. In the days following
9-11, several pictures began to show up on the internet that seemed to depict
some kind of Satanic or demonic image imbedded in the smoke
that was pouring out of each of the Twin Towers. There was one photograph
taken by one news service that showed one of these images in the smoke of one
tower, and there was another news service that had a photograph of a similar
image as it appeared in the smoke of the other tower. Now I figured that if the
smoke and the winds all lined up perfectly, so to speak, that some image might
actually come together that man’s imagination could stretch and say that it
was some kind of demonic imagine; but to have two separate images appearing at
the same time seemed like much more than the smoke and winds “lining up”
together. So I asked, “Lord, do these images somehow signify some manner of
the death and destruction coming on the earth?” The Lord answered and said,
“No, this signifies the beginning of the fear that is to come.” Fear? When
the Lord spoke this word to me back in 2001, it first puzzled me because
“fear” was not one of those prophetic signs that I was looking for to come
on the earth. When I began to consider and meditate on
this word that the Lord had spoken to me, I began to seek out how this word
lined up with what the scriptures have prophesied of in the end time.
Immediately, the Spirit of the Lord quickened to me that which is written in Luke
21:26 “and men’s hearts
failing them for fear at looking at those things that are coming on the earth”.
I was suddenly struck by the fact that I had always looked for wars, and rumors
or wars, false prophets, earthquakes, and diseases to be the signs that would
signify how close we were to the end of the world and the coming of the Lord,
but not once had I considered that “fear” was one of, if not the most
significant of all the signs that Jesus spoke of. I was still examining these
demonic images in these photos when I suddenly realized that I was actually
looking at the faces of those spirits of fear that had been haunting me my whole
life with thoughts of anxiety, or evil suspicions, or confusion, or fret,
or uncertainty, or worry, or dread, or impatience, or doubts, or panic,
or insecurity, or with worst case scenarios. As I stared at those faces, it gave
me a chill to think that these were the gruesome looking faces of the voices
that I had heard in some manner or another on a daily basis in times past. Now I
could put a face on my enemy; a face that I could now associate with every
thought of evil counsel that sought to enter into my thinking, to bring me in
bondage to fear through believing it’s words. I then remembered what the Lord
had said to Israel, “What you make to be your enemy, I will make to be my
enemy.” Lord, let your love come and cast out my enemy; cast out these wicked
spirits of fear that come with the intent to defile your temple, my heart and
mind, with their unclean, filthy, and disgusting counsels.” II Corinthians 10:3 ASV “For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh; for
the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the
casting down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Psalm 34:4 “I
sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” I now know the Lord has truly made my fears
to be his enemy because he has delivered me from all the fears that I have asked
him to deliver me from. Now my heart is filled with great boldness when I go
against these wicked counselors because I know that the Lord is with me, and
that his perfect love will cast out every one of these vile and unclean spirits
of fear as I offer them before him. Only the blind would put a man’s face to
be the face of his enemy, not believing the word that says we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities, rulers of
darkness, and wicked spirits in the heavenly places of our minds. Would the Lord
make another man to be his enemy that we made to be our enemy? Would the Lord
come and fight against that man on our behalf? The Lord is not a hypocrite who
says one thing and does another, seeing that the commandment has already come
forth that instructs us to love our enemies so that we may be the children of
God? The blind cannot see who their real enemy is. II Thessalonians 2:8 “Then
shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of
his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming.” Exodus 23:22 NASB “But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I
say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your
adversaries.” When the Lord began to show me how Satan is
coming with great fear in the days ahead, one of the first stories that he led
me to read was the story about Israel and Goliath. The Lord showed me that this
story would give to me some kind of indication of how many in his church are
going to respond to the events to come; and their response would be the same as
to how Israel responded to Goliath when he appeared. The Lord showed me that his
church today is much like, if not identical, to Israel in the days just prior to
Goliath’s appearance. Both Israel and the church believe that they are
righteous in the sight of God because they are righteous in their own eyes; and
no one can convince them that they are not. The Lord also reminded me of that
question that he had once asked me, “Mitt, have you ever seen anyone repent of
that which they believe to be right?” Also, both Israel and the church would
rather follow after a man that can be seen than after the unseen God. Benny Hinn
said this, and Billy Graham said that; Pat Robertson said this, and Rick Joyner
said that. My pastor said this, and my prophet said that. Now I am not saying
that what these men are saying is not of God, but what I am saying is how the
people have exalted these men to be their heads rather than Christ Jesus.
Another similarity that both Israel and the church shared is the belief that no
enemy is able to defeat them because God is with them, some even mocking at
Satan and sin as though they themselves have already defeated him. Can a man say
that he is walking in victory when he continues to bow his heart and walk after
the counsels of his fears, or his doubts, or his unbelief, or his reasonings,
seeing that this is what sin is rooted in? Yes, we are under the blood, but the
Lord also corrects those whom he loves of this wickedness.
The Lord taught me very early in my walk not to mock him who is so
cunning that he was able to deceive one third of the angels in heaven who were
in the very presence of God. Yes, it is true that there are none who are able to
defeat us, but that is only if our heart continues in the faith, believing that
God is and that he rewards those who diligently seek for him.
I Timothy 6:12 NIV “Fight
the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were
called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” II Timothy 4:7,8 NIV “I
have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now
there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to
all who have longed for his appearing. Israel believed all these things right up
until the moment that the armies of the Philistines and Goliath appeared before
their very eyes. Then when the Philistines set themselves in array so that
Israel could clearly see their strengths, their numbers, and their weapons,
their hearts began to grow weak as fear began to spread among them. If that was
not already enough, then Goliath stepped forth as the champion of the unclean.
Israel then saw standing before them a giant of a man who was almost ten feet
tall; which in those days, was almost twice as tall as the average man
(5’2”) in Israel. Goliath then set himself in array before the children of
Israel, proudly displaying his great height and his massive size and strength.
He then spoke with great arrogance to the children of Israel, defying their God
and mocking their army. Then fear began to spread throughout the children of
Israel as they became intimidated by his words and their hearts began to fail
them as they beheld this giant warrior standing before them. What had become of
God’s chosen people? Where did their confidence and their strength flee to?
Psalm 60:11 “Give us help from trouble; for vain is the help of
man.”
If Israel was not already afraid, the
Philistines then issued a challenge that pierced every man of Israel to the
depths of his heart; a challenge that utterly overcame each of them with fear
and terror. The challenge that came forth from the Philistines was that there
would not be a battle of army against army, but rather a battle of champion
against champion; one man against one man, for all the marbles as they say. If
the champion of the Philistines, which was obviously Goliath, defeated
Israel’s champion, then all of the children of Israel would become slaves to
the Philistines. So also, if the champion of Israel won, then all of the
Philistines would become salves to the Israelites. This challenge pierced every
man’s heart because it made each man examine himself to see if had what it
took to be the champion of Israel, to go out and fight to the death against
Goliath. Could there have been a challenge issued that could have caused any
more fear to come upon each man than this? I was in the army myself, and I know
that, as a solider, when you fight army against army, you find some manner of
confidence, and security, and strength from those who you are fighting at your
side with you. But this challenge stripped each man of all that kind of
confidence, and security, and strength, because whoever fought against him had
to fight alone. This challenge made each man in Israel
measure himself against Goliath; and as each one of them began to compare
his own size, his own physical strength, and his own natural abilities against
the size, the physical strength, and the natural abilities of Goliath, then fear
and dread spread among them like a rapidly spreading virus. For the next 40
days, Goliath presented himself every day before the children of Israel so that
they could daily get an eyeful of his great height and massive strength, to
continually keep them all cowered and paralyzed in fear. I Samuel 17:8-11 “And Goliath stood and cried to the armies of Israel
and said to them, “Why are you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not
a Philistine, and you the servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let
him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then we
will be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then you
shall be our servants, and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the
armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” When
Saul and all
Israel heard these
words of the Philistine, they were dismayed (terrified) and greatly afraid.” So great was the darkness that had overcome
each one of them that they completely forgot who the true champion of Israel
was/is, the great and mighty God. Fear is of the darkness; and the darkness is
never mindful of the light. Fear is a cesspool of evil and wickedness which
brings forth nothing but the sins of doubt, and reasonings, and unbelief that
are never mindful of God’s goodness, or love, or power. The children of Israel
so believed the counsels of their fears concerning Goliath that they all forgot
that the Lord their God is he who is sovereign over all of the heavens and the
earth, sovereign over all kings and rulers, sovereign over all powers and
principalities, sovereign over life and death, and sovereign over all spirits
and all flesh. Their fears had so deceived them that they all forgot that their
God is he who is able to make ways when no way seems possible. Their fears had
so deceived them that they all forgot their God was the same God that had told
their fathers that whoever made themselves to be an enemy to Israel, then God
would make them to be his enemy; and when God made them to be his enemy, then he
would come and fight for them if they asked him to. Their fears had so deceived
them that they all forgot that God had promised them that he would never leave
them or forsake them, that all that was needful in situations like this was for
them to call on the name of the Lord. Exodus 23:22 “But if you shall indeed obey his voice, and do all
that I speak; then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your
adversaries.” Psalm 78:9,10 “The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows,
turned back in the day of battle. They did not keep the covenant of God and
refused to walk in his law; and
they forgot his works and his wonders that he had showed them.
For 40 days, the children of Israel lay
bound up in their fears like a paralytic because not one man among them repented
of the sin of his fears, but chose to account their words to be right counsels
for them to believe and follow after rather than the Lord. They had so allow for
their fears to deceive them that they all forgot that they were the nation of
people that God had chosen for himself, to make them to always be the object of
his favor, his love, and his affection. Their fears had so blinded them that
they forgot to measure Goliath’s size, and strength, and abilities against the
size, the strength, and the abilities of their God in heaven, the faithful and
true champion of Israel. The children of Israel were so deceived that they
allowed these sins of fear to separate their hearts from him who loved them.
This is the work of darkness, that spirit of fear that seeks to deceive the
children of God with lies until all have forgotten who their God is. Isaiah 59:2 NIV “But your iniquities have separated you from your
God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” John 16:7-9 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your
advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to
you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will
convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin because
they do not believe in Me.” Romans 8:35-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter”. Nay, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. When the darkness comes, it always tries
that which a man has put his faith in; that which he has put his confidence in;
that which he trusts in; that which he relies on; that which he loves; as well
as all that which he believes in. Goliath did not come forth to prove that the
children of Israel were believing and faithful to their God, but rather he came
forth to prove that they were walking in sin, having departed from their faith
and belief in him. If the children of Israel had been believing and faithful to
their God, then God would have defeated Goliath on the first day that he
appeared. But because Israel chose to reject God so that they could have a man
to be their judge and king, they were left defenseless and powerless when
Goliath and the Philistines appeared. Because their was no faith, or trust, or
belief in the Lord their God among the children of Israel, then just the sight
of Goliath was able to bring forth a great storm of fearful imaginations upon
them that rocked the house of God to it’s foundation. It was not the
Philistines, nor was it Goliath that brought these fears upon them, but it was
their evil heart of unbelief that led Israel to choose to serve a man to be
their judge and king that brought this evil upon them. The appearance of Goliath
just manifested the evil that was already in their hearts. If they just repented
of their sins of unbelief and doubt….then. Isaiah 66:4 “I
also will choose their delusions,
and will bring
their fears upon them;
because when I called, none did answer; when I spoke, they did not hear: but
they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.” II Thessalonians 2:8-12 “And
then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit
of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him,
whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying
wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And
for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion,
that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not
the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” I Samuel 12:14 “If you will fear the LORD and serve Him, and listen
to His voice and not rebel against the command of the LORD, then both you and
also the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God. If you will not
listen to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the command of the LORD, then
the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers…..20
Samuel said to the
people, "Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet (AS)do not turn
aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. You must
not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which can not profit
or deliver, because they are futile. …24
“Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider
(what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, both you
and your king will be swept away.” No, Israel brought this evil upon their own
heads in the day they rejected God so that they could satisfy their desire to
serve a man as their king and judge. So, God gave them a king and a judge
according to the desire of their heart; and they forgot their God. Then when
Goliath challenged them, they only had themselves to measure against Goliath.
They not only found out that not one of them could measure up to him, but
neither could their king and judge measure up to him either. When Israel made
their request to have a man to be their king like the rest of the nations had,
it signified the moment that they wanted God out of their lives so that they
could give this man their confidence, their belief, their trust, and there
faith. It was in this moment that their hearts departed from God, and they
separated themselves from his protection and love. Even though God continued to
love them, their unfaithfulness and unbelief in him bound up God’s hands so
that he could not move on their behalf. I Samuel 8:4-8 NASB “Then
all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they
said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your
ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” But the
thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king
to judge us”. And Samuel prayed to the LORD. The LORD said to Samuel,
“Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for
they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.
Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up
from Egypt even to this day--in that they have forsaken Me and served other
gods--so they are doing to you also.” Matthew 9:29 NASB “…..It shall be done to you according to your
faith." Matthew 13:58 NIV “And he did not do many miracles there because of
their lack of faith.” I was still considering this story about
Goliath when the Lord said, “As it was with Israel then, so is it now with my
church; for many of my people have no desire for me to be their Judge or their
King, but have chosen to walk after that which they see others do and to seek
their counsels from men rather than from above. Many have given their hearts to
their prophets, or to their pastors, or to their teachers, or to their apostles,
or even to themselves, but they have no desire to let their hearts draw near to
The One who loves and cares for them. Many have also chosen to seek their
counsel from their physicians, or from their attorneys, or from their laws and
traditions, or from their doctrines rather than to draw near and ask of me.
These are they who continue to have others feed them with the milk of my words,
who have not eaten my flesh or drank my blood so that they might have my life in
them. Woe to these in the days ahead, for when adversity and trouble increase,
so shall their fears increase when they see that which they gave their hearts to
shall not be able to help them or save them. Just like Israel, their hearts
shall also faint and fall away when fear comes to make them forget who their God
is. In not one instance have I ever anointed any of my ministers to be the head
of my body, lest my people put their trust, their confidence, and their faith in
them. I only anoint my ministers to feed my people and to lead them to me. My
sheep know my voice, and my voice only will they follow after. They will not
follow any voice that leads them to follow after a man. Matthew 15:7-9 “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you,
saying, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me
with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Isaiah 30:1 NKJ “Woe to the rebellious children,” says the LORD,
“Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit,
That they may add sin to sin.” Isaiah 53:6 NIV “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has
turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Acts 20:29-31 NKJ “For I know this, that after my departure savage
wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves
men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after
themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease
to warn everyone night and day with tears. John 10:3-6 NIV “The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep
listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he
has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him
because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact,
they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.”
Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was
telling them.” I Peter 5:1-4 NKJ “ The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a
fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of
the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you,
serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain
but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples
to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of
glory that does not fade away.” John 5:19 NKJ Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most
assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the
Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner…30
“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous,
because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” Those who follow after me, they must deny
themselves and take up their cross and follow me. I am Spirit and those who
follow after me must walk in the Spirit. Those who walk in the Spirit are those
who have beheaded themselves of all belief, all confidence, all trust, all
reliance, and all faith in men. Those who walk in the Spirit abound in joy and
peace in believing on me, and they delight in me being their Judge and their
King. I am the head of the body. I am the head of those who walk in the Spirit
because I am that Spirit of belief and faith that they walk in. Did I not tell
you before that I am your belief and that I inhabit your faith? I am the Spirit
that believes on Father, that communicates with Father, that relies on Father,
that trusts Father, that has all confidence in Father, and that is faithful to
Father. I am all these things because I am love, and all these virtues are the
works of love. I am the Spirit of the Son that loves his Father, and those who
walk in my Spirit shall be called the sons of God. He who increases in me
increases in all these virtues. I am the Spirit that allows each of you to
fulfill the destiny that Father has called you to; to be his son. I am that
Spirit that only delights in Father being Judge and King. Those who walk in the
Spirit walk in me, and they are not under the law because they walk in faith, in
belief, in trust, and in love for their heavenly Father. Those who walk in the
Spirit delight in drawing near to Father through me, and Father delights in
drawing near to them to make them to be partakers of his love. Those who walk in
the Spirit of belief and faith, they shall abound in the fruits of the Spirit
because they believe on me, and are faithful to Father. The more a man beheads
himself of man, the more he will get of me; and more that he gets of me, the
more the fruits of the Spirit shall increase and abound in him. I am the Tree of
Life, and those who believe on me shall delight in eating the fruits of life. So
I now ask you, “Who will you give your heart to? Who do you desire to be your
head?” Matthew 16:23-25 NKJ “But
He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me,
for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Then
Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his
life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Jeremiah 17:5 NASB “Thus
says the LORD, “Cursed be the man that trusts in mankind, and makes flesh his
strength, and whose heart turns away from the LORD.” Philippians 3:3 “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in
the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Romans 11:19-23 NASB You
will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”
Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your
faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural
branches, He will not spare you, either. Behold then the kindness and severity
of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue
in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do
not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft
them in again. Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace….” Romans 15:13 NASB “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and
peace in
believing, so that
you will abound in hope by
the power of the Holy Spirit.”
It was not Goliath’s appearance that
caused the hearts of the children of Israel to fail, but it was their own fears
that caused their hearts to fail. It is only the spirit of fear that beats a man
up in his own imaginations, leaving him dazed, troubled, lost, and confused. A
man’s heart will fail him for fear after that which he has relied on, trusted
in, believed on, and been faithful to, fails to provide any solution, or
victory, or escape, or salvation from that which threatens or troubles him.
Goliath’s appearance and challenge left Israel greatly troubled because they
found themselves facing a challenge that required strength and abilities that
far exceeded the strength and abilities of that which they had been relying on,
trusting in, and believing on: themselves. Israel had forsaken their God, and
they then found themselves facing an adversary that none believed that they were
able to defeat or overcome. Their hearts fainted when the source of their
strength, their self-reliance, self-trust, self-belief, and self-confidence
proved only to be illusions that they desired to believe to be real and true.
“This situation is hopeless and impossible” became the word for the day.
When the impossible is the only way for a man to escape or to be saved, then
where will a man turn who has forgotten and forsaken his God?
Psalm 108:12 “Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is
useless.” Nahum 1:7 “The
Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knows them that trust
in him.” Mark 13:8 “For
nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall
be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles:
these are the beginnings of sorrows.” Again the Lord continued, “As it was with
Israel then, so shall it be now. For as Goliath came to try the faith, the
confidence, the belief, and the trust of every man in Israel, so now come the
events that shall try every man’s faith, and confidence, and belief, and
trust. Those who have not desired to have for me for their Lord and Judge, they
shall now have their opportunity to stand in their own faith, in their own
confidence, in their belief in themselves, and in that which they have given
their trust to. Yes, Satan is coming with great wrath, and so also am I coming
to shake the faith, the confidence, the trust, the reliance and the belief of
all things that are not of me. When I come to shake to the heavens and the
earth, there shall be no strength of flesh, nor any governments, nor any
doctrines of men, nor any constitution of nations, nor any religion, nor any
rights of man, nor any traditions, nor any laws, nor any defenses of men, nor
any armed forces, nor any kind of weapon formed against me, nor any other idol
that men have given their hearts to that shall be able to help them in the days
ahead. But it shall not be for those who have beheaded themselves of any belief
and trust in the flesh so that they might have me for their belief and trust”,
says the Lord. “That which you have beheaded yourself of shall be your escape
and salvation; for the crucifying of the flesh shall save you. And all shall
know that I am the Lord; that the heavens and earth, and all things that are
within are mind.” Luke 9:58 NIV “Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of
the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Revelation 20:4 NASB “Then
I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them And I saw
the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and
because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his
image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and
they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Just as Goliath daily set himself in array
to keep Israel tormented in their fears, so also is Satan going to daily set
himself in array saying, “Look at me! Look at me, for I am the doom and gloom
that comes, and is now here; bow down and fear me! Look at me, I am the fear and
dread that comes, and now is; bow down and fear me! Look at me, for I am the
confusion and chaos that comes, and now is; bow down and fear me! Look at me,
for I am the failing economy that comes, and now is; bow down and fear me! Look
at me; for I am the global warming and the natural disasters that comes, and now
is; bow down and fear me! Look at me; for I am the lost jobs, and the threat of
lost jobs that comes, and now is; bow down and fear me! Look at me; for I am the
famine that comes, and now is; bow down and fear me! Look at me; for I am the
unjust cost of living that comes, and now is; bow down and fear me! Look at me;
for I am the suffering and persecution that comes, and now is, bow down and fear
me! Look at me; for I am the wars, the rumors of wars, the terrorism, and civil
unrest that comes, and now is; bow down and fear me! Look at me; for I am the
corrupted governments, the worthless religions, and the failing financial
systems that comes, and now is; bow down and worship me! Look at me; for I am
the incurable diseases and sicknesses that come, and now is; bow down and fear
me! Look at me; for I am the insecurities of today and the uncertainties of
tomorrow that are to come, and now is; bow down and fear me! Look at me; for I
am all these things and much more; now down and worship me with your fears. I am
the vain idols of this world that have deceived men to make flesh and wealth to
be that which they believe in, trust in, rely on, feel secure in, as well as
that which they should put all their confidence and faith in. Look at me! Look
at me! Who can stand against me! Who is able to defeat me! Send out your
champion or bow down and fear me! Luke 21:25 “Men's
hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming
on the earth…” II Corinthians 5:7 NASB “For
we walk by faith, not by sight.” Matthew 24:21 “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not
since the beginning of the world until this time; no, nor ever shall be.” Joel 2:2 “Blow
the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all of the
inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord comes, and it is near
at hand. It is a day of darkness (fear) and of gloominess (doom and gloom), a
day of darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains…” Daniel 12:1 “And at that time shall Michael the archangel stand
up, the great prince that stands for the children of your people; and there
shall be a time of trouble such as has never been since there was a nation; and
at that time, your people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found
written in the book (Lamb’s Book of Life).” Revelation 2:10 “Fear
none of those
things which you shall suffer. Behold, the Devil shall cast some of you into
prison so that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days. You be
faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.” Revelation 7:14 And I said unto him, “Sir, you know.” And he said
to me, “These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed
their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 12:9-12 “And
the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan,
which deceives the whole world. He was cast out into the earth and his angels
were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now is
come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his
Christ (the truth of God‘s love): for the accuser of our brethren is cast
down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by
the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, and they did not love not
their lives (the spirit of bondage that lives unto fear) unto the death.
Therefore rejoice, you heavens, and you that dwell in them. Woe to the
inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the Devil is come down to you,
having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time.”
Psalm 78:21,22 (AMP) “Therefore,
when the Lord heard, He was [full of] wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob,
His anger mounted up against Israel, Because in God they believed not [they
relied not on Him, they adhered not to Him], and they trusted not in His
salvation (His power to save).” Luke 21:22 NKJ “For these are the days of vengeance, that all things
which are written may be fulfilled.” II Corinthians 10:3 “For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: for the weapons of
our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong
holds and casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when
your obedience is fulfilled. Do you look on things after the outward appearance
(our Goliaths, the situations of life, or maybe those things coming on the
earth)?” The Lord recently gave my daughter Ansley a
vision in which she saw some kind of virus spreading very rapidly across the
land. Not long after she told me this vision, the Lord gave me the understanding
that this virus is that darkness of fear that is coming, which has now begun;
and it comes to cause the hearts of men to fail. Just as faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the words of God, so also does fear come by hearing, and hearing
by the words of men. Fear is coming as a virus, and it is going to be spread by
the words spoken of those who have been infected by it. It is as it is written,
that the power of life and the power of death is in the tongue. And when fear
speaks through the words of men, all those who are deceived into believing their
words will then become carriers to infect others with these unclean spirits.
Whoever becomes infected will then seek to infect others with same virus of
fears that they believed to be right and true. Isaiah 8:11-13 “For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand and
instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people saying, “Do not
say, “A confederacy”, to all them to whom this people shall say, “A
confederacy”; neither fear you their fears, nor dread their dreads. Sanctify
the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your
dread.” Deuteronomy 20:8 “Then the officers shall speak further to the people
and say, “Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted?” Let him depart
and return to his house so that he might not make his brothers' hearts melt like
his heart.” II Timothy 3:1 “Know
this also, that in the last days perilous (dangerous) times shall come…13
evil men and
seducers shall grow worse and worse, deceiving (virus carriers) and being
deceived.” Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
Virus:
1) An
infectious entity that replicates itself in its living hosts
2) Something that poisons one soul and mind; poison
3) A harmful or corruptible agent or entity Unclean:
1) Morally
defiled and impure. Terrorism, the economy, global warming,
corrupted politicians and governments, loss of jobs, wars and rumors of wars,
failing banks and corporations, sicknesses and diseases, crimes, suspicions,
famines, violence, false and worthless religions, lawlessness, energy costs,
lost securities, and natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornados, floods,
earthquakes, droughts, and tsunamis are some of the events that the fearful use
to spread their virus. These events are not only now here, but they are also
beginning to grow in severity and intensity, beyond the control of man. The Lord
said to me, “Why should any marvel at seeing these things when my word has
clearly stated that I said that I was going to shake the heavens and the earth
again? Has not my word prophesied of these very events? Am I not faithful to do
that which my word says? I sent Goliath, and just like now, his appearance shook
the faith and the trust that my people had put in the idols of their own heart
and mind. I used Goliath, just as I am using the events that are now coming on
the earth, to reveal to my people the weakness, the unprofitableness, and the foolishness of giving
their hearts and minds to other gods. There are no idols that are able to
defend, or to protect, or to provide for my people from when the darkness comes
to cover the earth. Again I say to you, it is not the event itself that causes
the hearts of men to faint and fail, but it is the spirit of fear that causes
them to faint and fail”, says the
Lord. The virus of fear that is to come and has
now begun will only be able to attack those whose hearts and minds are already
weakened through sickness of the sins of unbelief and doubt. Now we all know the
early symptoms of this virus: confusion, worry, dread, anger, despair, stress,
evil suspicions, panic, impatience, fret, frustration, and anxiety. And when
this virus becomes full blown it can bring forth depression, paranoia,
hopelessness, sadness, or some kind of phobia. There is no soundness of mind for
those who are overtaken with fear because they have become weakened through the
loss of that which they have trusted and believed in. It is only fear that will
make them desperate, very susceptible to believe anything or anyone who may come
along that appears to offer some manner of hope, or deliverance, or help, or
escape, or salvation. But who sees and understands that this virus is only able
to effect those who have sinned, having rejected the Lord from being God in his
life? Who is able to see and understand that the only true remedy for a man in
this hour is to repent of his rejection of the Lord; and then turn from those
thoughts of unbelief, pride, reasonings, doubts, and fears that once led them to
turn from the Lord? Matthew 9:12,13 NKJ “When
Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a
physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: “I desire
mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but
sinners, to repentance.” James 5:16 NIV “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for
each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful
and effective. John 16:8,9 “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin,
and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on
me.” Romans 14:23 “….for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” I Timothy 2:14 NIV “And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman
who was deceived and became a sinner.” Right in the midst of writing the lasts
couple of paragraphs, my computer itself started running slow, and even cut off
a couple of times. The security program that I had on my computer at that time
was nearing the end of it’s subscription, and I had already decided to change
to a security program that my daughter had recommended. She said that this new
security program came highly recommended, and they updated their spyware and
virus protection almost on a daily basis. I had just downloaded this new program
and was waiting for my computer to reboot itself when the Lord spoke to me and
said, “The time that you spend every morning with me, in prayer and in seeking
to know me, it is the time that allows for me to download my virus protection
into you, to keep you safe from all of the wiles of the Devil, the plans that he
has to overcome your faith with his lies so that may separate you from my love
and my protection. It is your faith that believes that I am, and that diligently
seeks for me, that allows for me to guard your heart and keep you protected. My
protection is just like the protection on your computer in that you cannot see
it, you cannot taste it, you cannot hear it, you cannot smell it, and you cannot
feel it; but through your faith and belief you know that I am protecting you,
even when Satan is always trying to devise new ways to deceive you. Always
examine yourself to see if you are in the faith, lest you remove yourself from
my protection, and you no longer have my love and my power to guard you.”
Hebrews 11:6 NASB “And without faith it is impossible to please Him,
for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of
those who seek Him.” I Peter 1: NASB “who are protected by the power of God through
faith…..” Philippians 4:7 NASB “And
the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus.” II Corinthians 13:5 NASB “Test
yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not
recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you
fail the test?” The storms of tribulation and trouble are
coming, and are now here. Those whose house is built on the rock, they shall
endure these storms to the very end because they walk in the faith that stands
in the power of God. What will the end be for those who chose not to have the
Lord for their Judge and their King? The storms that are coming are not coming
as a single Goliath, but as many Goliaths, like the relentless waves of a stormy
sea. The house of the unfaithful and unwise shall not be able to stand when
their hearts faint for looking at all these troubles that are coming on the
earth. Just as Israel was confronted with Goliath on a daily basis, so also will
the unfaithful and unwise see those things which shall bring wave after wave of
fears, and dread, and confusion, and doubts, and terror, and chaos, and
uncertainty, and fret, and unbelief when they see the foundations of their own
strengths, their own self-trust, their security, and their own confidence eroded
away like a castle built out of sand when it is confronts the rising waves on
the beach. Then shall know that I alone am the Lord. Matthew 25:1-13 NASB “Then
the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and
went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and
five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and
took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at
midnight a cry was heard: “Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet
him!” Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish
said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.”
But the wise answered, saying, “No, lest there should not be enough for us and
you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.” And while they
went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to
the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also,
saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us!” But he answered and said, “Assuredly, I
say to you, I do not know you.” “Watch therefore, for you know neither the
day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 7:24-27 NKJ “Therefore
whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise
man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came,
and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was
founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does
not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the
sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on
that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 24:11-13 “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall
deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved…44-51
“Therefore be ye
also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then
is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his
household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his
lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall
make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his
heart, “My lord delayeth his coming”; and shall begin to smite his
fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken. The lord of that servant
shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not
aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the
hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” There was a storm that came up upon the
disciples when they were in that boat with Jesus. This was also a great storm
that beat hard and relentlessly against the boat until it became completely
swamped out with water. It was the fierceness of this storm combined with them
seeing how out of control they were over their fate, that then revealed the lack
of faith and unbelief in God’s very chosen. But it was not so with Jesus, he
who was filled with the Spirit of God, for he would have slept peaceably right
through this fierce and relentless storm, not troubled in the least bit, had not
the fears and faithlessness of his disciples woke him up. As fearful as they
were of this relentless and fierce storm, their hearts and minds filled again
with more fear when they witnessed the power and authority that came forth from
the love of God when Jesus took control over their fate. And they knew that he
was not only the Lord, but that he was “their” Lord. Mark 4:37-41 “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves
beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of
the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master,
carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said
unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is
this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Isaiah
26:3 NKJ “You
will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in
You.” Romans 8:6 ASV For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the
Spirit is life and peace: There is no doubt that the things that are
coming, if it were possible, would even deceive even the very elect because of
the intensity and the fierceness that the scriptures describe these to be. Even
so, no one will be able to be overcome with fear unless he first is willing to
let his heart be overcome with fear. The wise will ask for the Lord to guard
their hearts against these seducing and lying spirits that will come to try and
separate us from the love and power of God. But this is not the hour of the
churches last stand, but it is the hour that the darkness is making it’s last
stand. This is the hour that those who are overcome will lies will cower in fear
and terror, but it is also the hour that those who stand in faith will send out
their champion, and he will perform marvelous and wonderful works on their
behalf. This is the hour for that God is going to
bring forth his elect, those who will confront darkness in the same threatening
and intimidating manner that the darkness tried to confront them with, just as
David confronted Goliath. I now understand and see clearly why the Lord God was
so pleased with David, even when he committed adultery in the flesh, and that is
because David always had a heart that was surrendered to the Lord, instead of
unto his fears. He actually allowed for his heavenly Father to have the
“hero” role so that it was God, working through him, that could show himself
great and mighty. Even when David was weak in his flesh, just like Paul, and
just like the rest of us, he still trusted and believed on his God. Could the
Lord possibly have prepared a David, or maybe even several Davids, to come forth
in this hour of darkness? Could there be a David that has the faith and belief
in God that is able to change the course and the outcome the plans that Satan in
his wrath has determined upon man? Is this the hour that the Lord God Almighty
might show himself to be the “hero” for all his creation? Is it? For More Information: Mitt Jeffords South Carolina, USA If you are interested in financially helping Mitt, please contact: You can cut and paste this email address to send money via Paypal |
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