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Vision:

You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the LORD your God. You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD. If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land. You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you. For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you. You shall eat the old harvest, and clear out the old because of the new. I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright. (Leviticus 26:1-13 NKJV)

This is the promise to the children of God. This is our promise. This is what He is saying to you and to me. This is the promise to those who walk in the way of the Lord. This is the promise to those who

• Do not make idols for themselves
• Do not raise up a carved image
• Do not raise up a sacred pillar
• Who keep the Sabbaths of the Lord
• Who reverence the sanctuary of the Lord
• Who walk in the statutes of the Lord
• Who keeps the commandments of the Lord
• Who performs the commandments of the Lord

There are 8 things the children of God are to observe. 8 is the number of new beginnings and new birth. Those who keep the things listed will know the new birth and they will have a new beginning in their life regardless of what time they begin to keep these rules.

They boil down to the 3 things Christ spoke of. 1 to 3 tells us to put God first with nothing in between us to ruin the relationship. 4-5 talks about resting in the sanctuary or resting in that relationship and honoring it. 6-8 talks about our dealings with others.

Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV)

This is the way of God – love. The way of Lucifer is to unlove. The way of man is to unlove, be separated, be alone, feel rejected, reject… not from choice, but from experience.

Why do we call God a liar because we feel unloved? It is the walk of Satan, not God.

But the vision I received for this month was the war in heaven. I saw the angels who rebelled. They were big…really, really big. They were powerful, high ranking, and extremely strong. They were the ones who rested on their size and their personal power or strength. They were good looking…striking, in fact. And their prowess was phenomenal.

It took two angels loyal to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to cast out of heaven one disloyal angel. Michael had his hands full in that war. It raged with a vehemence we have never witnessed. Our worst wars have not come close to the ferocity of the war that raged in heaven when Michael and his loyal angels waged war against Lucifer and his rebellious following.

It took two angels to throw out one rebellious angel. Two-thirds stayed; one-third were ousted.

In fact, even after they had fallen, the disloyal angels were strong enough for one angel, who had been left alone with the kings of Persia , to keep busy for 21 days until Michael came to help. Then, after delivering his message to Daniel he returned to help Michael, one of the chief princes, fight the fallen angel known as the Prince of the kingdom of Persia . And when he was gone, the prince of Greece would come to Babylon . (Daniel 10:12-21)

These fallen angels are nothing to laugh at, as is the habit of some. For even Michael will not speak ill of a fallen angel. While disputing over the body of Moses, Michael, who dared not bring against him a reviling accusation said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (Jude 1:9)

Yet our words are careless and without reserve or respect. Even though they are fallen, these angels were created by God and were at one time loved by God. And it is in HIS HANDS ALONE that their judgment lies, not ours. So how do we defeat someone who even angels struggle with?

It took one plain looking, not overly buff man to die to defeat the entire fallen angelic host. Jesus with all His power at His disposal could have just simply blotted Lucifer out of existence as if he never was. He could have done the same thing with the angels who fell. He could have wiped the memories of the remaining angels who did not fall, or He could have simply gotten rid of all of them and started over. But He did none of that…He overthrew the enemy the simplest way ever devised – He gave His life for them. There is no defense for that kind of selfless sacrifice. Add to that that it was Jesus, the Creator that gave His life for His creation....

But frankly, what are the mechanics of how that one simple act of sacrifice defeats Lucifer, sin, death and disobedience?

I wondered and pondered this question.

I didn't start out asking this question. I started out seeing the angels defeat Lucifer and his group and casting them out of heaven, cleaning their realm from his offense. I saw the fallen angels dig in their heels as they were pushed to the edge of their heaven and were run through with swords and toppled off into the abyss of the second heaven. I saw the war; smelled the war; felt the war. The sound of the battle still rings in my ears; its taste is bitter on my tongue.

It took the entire heavenly host that was left to defeat the 1/3 of the heavenly host that had fallen. And yet, that is our job. We have to clean the earth of the 1/3 of the heavenly host that fell…the ones Adam and Eve let enter our realm.

But how did Jesus defeat the enemy by that one solitary act of self-sacrifice for His creation? It staggers the mind to think about it.

What was it that Jesus had to fulfill? If blood were the only requirement, many a man, woman and child had given their life for their belief…but their blood was not good enough to pay the price of the problem of even their personal sin. In other words, I could live as holy a life as I can possibly manage and give up my life for the cause of paying for the sin in my own lifetime. Your blood and my blood are not good enough to pay the price of our own sin. How sobering a thought is that?

And why is blood the requirement for our disobedience, our unbelief?

If your blood or my blood is not good enough to pay for our own unbelief, then why do we think that we can do one thing to make God accept us? There is nothing we can do if our death won't even accomplish this task. If my death won't help, what possibly could I do that would?

We get so caught up in legalism. It is what the Devil enforces and what he thrives on. It is also what the Lord rules by. (If this weren't true, then we would not need the sacrifice of Jesus to save our souls.) The law must be fulfilled and yet we can't seem to keep the law.

Why was the blood of Jesus worth more than yours or mine? It was the blood of God given for His own creation.

How does this simple sacrifice, which had two others on a cross right beside Him, make it more worthy than others? Because it was the Son of God that allowed Himself to be sacrificed not for Himself but for the very ones who were standing at the foot of His cross cheering on His death and gambling over His meager possessions. They spit in His face as He died for their sin. He died EVEN FOR their murder of Him – and the old excuse that they were simply following orders didn't cut it. They were still guilty.

Legalism. Unfortunately everything in creation is based on the law. Lucifer used the law to make sure he broke it. Jesus enforced the law with the blood of His own life and made sure He obeyed it. Both God and Lucifer know the law to the minutest degree…but we do not seem to. We look at the Ten Commandments and think that it is the sum of the law. It is the basics for how one falls into sin – how one falls into disbelief.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6 NKJV)

Through one angel sin entered the heavens; through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, thus death spread to all men have inherited sin.

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned--(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. (Romans 5:12-15 NKJV)

Let's look at that carefully. Through one angel sin entered the heavens because law entered the heavens and death spread to – not all angels – but to those who sinned. Why not all of them? Simply because their sin was not inherited like ours was. Angels do not have children like we do. Angels could not spread their sin and death to their children because there were no angelic children, although I can't imagine them ever committing genocide of their progeny in the act of abortion.

We have all sinned because we have inherited it.

Jesus was not the first man without sin. Enoch repented of his sin and walked in the way of God so that he was taken into immortality, incorruptibility and into the heavenly realm of God. Elijah, though he was afraid of Jezebel, learned his lessons and repented of his follies (and there were so many) and he was taken alive into heaven by chariot.

Jesus lived without sin. He was tempted like all men, but he overcame. Did He repent of being tempted? No, temptation is not a sin. Giving into the temptation is. Did He ever give in to a sin? No. He was without sin. So He lived a sinless life and could have walked into heaven anytime He wanted. Instead, He walked to the cross, laid down upon it and gave up His life to His creation so they could murder Him and use His blood to pay for their …our…crimes.

With one man, life entered the world with a fresh breath of healing and man no longer could use the excuse: “The devil made me do it.”

It was always a weak excuse at the best of times…along with, “I was only following orders.” What would have actually happened in the Holocaust if everyone stood up and said, “No, I am not going to participate.” The Holocaust would never have happened. The pharaoh and Herod would never have killed those children if the midwives and soldiers stood up and refused to participate.

These leaders only have the power we give them and that power is our fear to disagree.

But how did that one act defeat the hordes of hell, sin and death? Why did they have to listen and become defeated? What did that act accomplish to make them defeated?

Yes, Jesus was resurrected. He was not the first one to be resurrected. Saints who had died for the cause rose and walked the streets of Jerusalem . Here and there we are told stories of people who have been risen from the dead. But Jesus was the first one who actually believed He would be raised from the dead because He alone chose to believe God. And in His due time, He rose because of His belief, a belief that was residue in every cell and came to life at the appointed time.

In fact, Jesus was the only one who threw away everything and in every situation and circumstance chose to believe God first and God alone. No matter what became of Him or what He had to face, He still chose to believe God first and God alone. The entire life of Jesus was built on belief.

Believing He lived. Believing He went about His Father's work. Believing He looked into the heavens and saw the throne. Believing He heard what He was to do, regarding the work of His hands and ministry. Believing He spoke to the people of God. Believing He raised the dead, healed the sick and taught the freedom of God. Believing He gave up His life into His Father's hands. Believing, He rose again from the dead. Believing He ascended into heaven to appear before the Father.

His whole life was in stark contrast to Lucifer.

Unbelieving Lucifer began to die. Unbelieving he went about and did his own work. Unbelieving he looked upon the earth and coveted it as his own. Unbelieving he rebelled against chastisement of his works. Unbelieving he destroyed the people of God, the angels of heaven. Unbelieving he brought death into heaven and death into the earth. Unbelieving he caused God's people to die, be sick and be in bondage. Unbelieving he demands the life of everyone who follows him. Unbelieving he will go into the Lake of Fire and be permanently destroyed. Unbelieving he will descend into judgment.

So what was that ultimate achievement at the cross that finally defeated all the fallen host of heaven? There was no sword raised, no battle cry given, no surrendering of forces…there was only the death of one man, the Son of God who gave up all His glory to die for His creation.

What are the mechanics of Christ's sacrifice that defeated the Satanic hordes.

But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 12:21 NKJV)

Such a small offense committed by Adam and Eve, yet death came to all mankind dooming us to sin and hell. But through one Man willing to give up His life for those who hated Him, all mankind can receive forgiveness and life.

Obedience defeated disobedience. It always will. Obedience is better than sacrifice…our sacrifice.

Obedience is belief. Sin is disbelieving.

Remembering that 2 angels were required to oust 1 fallen angel, let's look at our promise again.

• I will give you rain in its season – Blessings of the Holy Spirit
• life the land shall yield its produce – The seed of Christ will spring forth
• the trees of the field shall yield their fruit – The fruit shall be seen in God's people
• your threshing shall last till the time of vintage – Everything will be cleaned out of the saints of God until the wine is come forth
• the vintage shall last till the time of sowing – The wine shall last until the time of sowing seed in the world
• you shall eat your bread to the full – We shall reap our harvest to the fullest
• you shall dwell in your land safely – Our land will be cleaned out and we will finally be safe for now and always
• I will give peace in the land – We will know peace and it shall reign within us
• you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid – We shall know peace even in the darkest hour
• I will rid the land of evil beasts – The Lord will rid our land of the enemy of our soul
• the sword will not go through your land – The sword of death will not go through us
• you will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you – We shall chase our enemies and they will fall – all of them
• five of you shall chase a hundred – Grace shall chase a hundred
• a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight – The children of promise shall put to flight ten thousand
• your enemies shall fall by the sword before you – All our enemies shall fall by the sword before us
• I will look on you favorably – We shall have the favor of God
• I will make you fruitful – We shall be fruitful in all that we do
• I will multiply you – We shall be multiplied by natural and/or spiritual children
• I will confirm My covenant with you – Like Abraham, the covenant between the Lord and us will be renewed
• you shall eat the old harvest – We shall eat of the promises others have dropped – our ancestors' inheritance
• you shall clear out the old because of the new – But the new will be greater than the old and once we glean the inheritance, we shall have our own inheritance – the new gifts
• I will set My tabernacle among you – The fullness of the Godhead shall dwell within us
• My soul shall not abhor you – We shall be loved fully, completely and without prejudice
• I will walk among you – The old relationship of the Ancient Paths shall be renewed and He shall walk and talk with us in the Garden of God
• I will be your God – He alone will be our God, we shall have no other interference
• you shall be My people – We will know finally who we are in God
• I have broken the bands of your yoke – We shall be totally free
• I have made you walk upright – We shall walk in holiness and righteousness

There are 28 promises and 28 is the number of eternal life.

The 13 th (the number of apostasy, depravity and rebellion) promise is that 5 (the number of grace) shall chase 100 (the number of the children of promise).

The 14 th (the number of delivery and salvation) promise is that 100 (the number of the children of promise) shall put to flight 10,000 (the number of 10 (testimony, law, responsibility) x 1000 (Divine completeness, the Father's glory) or 100 (the children of promise) x 100 (the children of promise)).

The 15 th (Rest) promise is that our enemies shall fall by the sword before us.

What does this mean? Grace shall chase apostasy, depravity and rebellion and make them the children of promise. Delivery and salvation shall follow the children of promise and the testimony of their law (obedience) and the Divine completeness of the Father's glory shall succeed. Then they shall have rest.

Through our obedience we shall cause to flee ten thousand and we will have greater success in freeing ourselves than the angels who needed 2 to put 1 to flight. We can cleanse the land with our small army. Gideon is our example. He put to flight the entire army of the enemy with only 300 soldiers. Because he was in complete obedience to the instruction of the Lord, the enemy slew themselves.

Obedience is greater than sacrifice.

Obedience will overthrow the enemy every time.

But how was Jesus obedient? He was obedient in everything. He was obedient regarding where He went, who He spoke to, what He did.

The excuse, although ineffective to save angel or mankind, was that it was impossible to be perfect. This theory was proven wrong by Jesus, who, as just a man, was perfect…without sin…without disobedience. Is it a hard road to walk? I think so. Yet, there must not be anything easier. Why it is difficult is quite simple – I don't want to be perfect or obedient.

Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient because, of all man born of woman, He alone was the only one who did not need to give His blood for His own sin. But He shed His blood for us, not for himself, and that alone made His sacrifice sufficient. But how does it defeat the enemy?

Lucifer says to the only God who can destroy body, soul and spirit, “He did this. She did that.”

But God looks at the blood of His Son who is applied to every part of our lives and says, “Innocent.”

Lucifer cannot defeat obedience. He cannot, using legalities, overcome that which fulfills the law. The very traps he sets for us is nul and void. Because the law does not hold us anymore, neither the curse, the penalty or even the judgment. We are innocent as long as every part of our life is under the blood of Christ – every part. There can be no hidden sin, no hidden disobedience, none. Sin is simply refusing to believe.

Is there any part of your life harbouring unbelief? There is unbelief in my life. If I believed as I should, I would be incorruptible instead of living with 1/3 of my stomach protruding through my esophagus. But it is hard to believe for that which is out of our grasp of understanding or out of sight.

Father God, I am ashamed to admit, I do not believe you in every aspect of my life. Father, I harbor unbelief and it is so hard to give that up. I would have to admit everything I know is not true, that this world I have created for myself is not the world you created for me. Lord, forgive me. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!

I stand before you convicted of my own lack and your unending mercy. How you have provided for me despite my rejection of you astounds me. Why you put up with me for so long, I cannot fathom but I am eternally grateful. Thank you Lord for loving me when I was unlovely. Thank you Lord for loving me when I was dark because I did not tend to my own vineyard. Lord forgive me for not being who you created me to be. Lord, I am a child of God, help me to learn who I am in you.

Father, raise me up. Fill me up. Hold me up. Lift me up to where you are. I apply the blood of Jesus to the lintels of my soul. Help me to apply the blood to every area of my life, especially where I am weakest in my faith.

Lord, I want to walk in your way. I want to live in your way. Help me to live as you would have me live. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen.

God bless you all
Jessica