I feel like I’ve missed something important.
I mean REAL important.
I’ve been a Christian, a born-again child of God, for 38 years. I’ve been a minister, preacher, pastor for 30 years. But I still feel like I’ve missed something important.
REAL important!
I’ve witnessed God minister in outstanding ways to men and women, boys and girls. Testimonies of broken marriages completely restored by God are common. Yet…
I feel like the Lord is showing me something I should have understood years ago; “the dreaded children of God.”
For example, when God had the children of Israel moving from Egypt to the Promised Land, He made a powerful promise to His children:
“But if you indeed obey His (My Angel’s) voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
“For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. “You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars. “So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. “No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. “I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.” (Exodus 23:22-27 NKJV)
Right before Joshua took the city of Jericho, Rahab testified that she and her people feared the “dreaded children of God.”
“I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. “For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. “And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:8 – 2:11 NKJV)
“The terror of you…the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you…neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you…”.
See what I think I’ve been missing?
Moses reminded the children of God just what was expected of them, and what they could expect from God.
“This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.” (Deuteronomy 2:25 NKJV)
“No man shall be able to stand against you; the LORD your God will put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, just as He has said to you.” (Deuteronomy 11:25 NKJV)
If I’m seeing this correctly, every time the children of God were to take new territory or possess the land He’d already promised, they never were to go out alone. The DREAD and FEAR of God would go before them; thus ensuring certain and complete victory.
Even in the days following the day of Pentecost, and the subsequent persecution of the church, the dreaded children of God were causing an uproar in Jerusalem and surrounding regions.
“So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things…Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.” (Acts 5:11,13 NKJV)
Okay. So what am I saying? Am I saying I think people should be scared of us because we’re children of God?
No, I’m not.
But I do believe the spiritual forces which are affecting the lives of people SHOULD recognize the dreaded children of God are in the area; and their presence means God’s in the neighborhood!
It was that way for Jesus!
I know! We’re not Jesus. But if we wear His armor, speak and obey His word, and demonstrate His love…how will the devil know the difference?
People are living in darkness…dreaded children of God, YOU are the light of the world.
People are full of confusion and fear…dreaded children of God, YOU have the wisdom and love of God to share with them.
The enemy has no defense for the dreaded children of God who have settled in their hearts ONE GREAT TRUTH: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, and has the first and final say in their life!
Note: “the dread” and “fear” of God didn’t fill the tabernacle or the temple. The Glory did, but not the “dread”. That happened when His people were following His MOVEMENT, and they were moving in accordance with the Cloud; the Spirit of God. As they were possessing their possessions, God was “melting” any resistance which was ahead. As the new believers preached Jesus to their world, God’s “dread” brought the people to their knees.
I sincerely and passionately believe it’s time for the DREADED CHILDREN OF GOD to rise up in one accord, and shake their world as the early church shook theirs!
Instead of the church being shaken by the world’s forces, let’s trust and obey God, and do some shaking of our own!
