Spiritual Warrior

Night before last, I dreamed that I was enlisting in the military.  Rode a crazy elevator that only had two stops, one at the ground floor and one at the very top (floor 59 or something).  But it felt like it dropped when I got on and went to the top. Met some guys waiting in queue. One of the guys told me that he thinks the 17th (or the 27th?) was the same day that he had enlisted the year before. Another guy asked if I was scared because that day was already taken (he was superstitious).  I told him that I was a follower of Jesus, and sharing something in common could be considered an honor. Instead of thinking that there is only one day available and there is competition over it, my Heavenly Father is so good and loves to bless abundantly.

Last night, I dreamed that I was in a big old house, either for work or church.  I was aware that there were evil spirits in some of the rooms, so I began to go from room to room commanding them to leave. I was inviting the presence of the Holy Spirit and commanding them to leave in the name of Jesus.  There was one room where I wasn't confident that it/they were leaving, so I said, "Father, evict these spirits." I continued to speak with increasing confidence.

This morning I opened up a Bill Johnson sermon on YouTube (https://youtu.be/tIYHOOYPk80) that Austin sent me to finish listening to it; I resumed at minute 44.  Bill said that the Holy Spirit is upon us in power that we might impart Him; He anoints us because we have been sent to bring about a military invasion into a realm that has been occupied by the enemy.

Father, thank you for sending Jesus with the anointing of the Holy Spirit as an example for us to follow. Holy Spirit, thank you for your presence and your patience with me.  I want more of you.  Please increase my capacity to carry more of you, and decrease my resistance to your flow through me.  I want to be a superconductor.  I love you.

Being a man and fear of failure

Yesterday, Brandon met me for lunch at work.  I gave him a quick tour of my office and lab.  

During the lunch conversation, I asked Brandon about his five day personal sabbatical. He was hiking in isolation, borderline survival-style. Brandon has previously encouraged me to take a personal sabbatical, so he challenged me to think more about it.  He suggested camping.  I don't have a problem with being outdoors, but I don't think I have as much of an affinity for it as he does.  I asked Brandi about it last night, and she thinks I would more enjoy a solitary cabin.

Brandon also asked me about what it means to be a man and if I perceive myself to be a man.  I responded to the first with the four principles from The Quest for Authentic Manhood course that I took in Austin.  I responded to the second question with less confidence. Some days, yes, other days, no. He asked me if I consider my dad to be a man, and I have no doubt about that.  

He also asked me about what it would look like for us to have masculine fellowship in a church context.  How can we promote godly masculinity?  He brought up Matt 5:5, which is often translated as, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.". However, the Greek word tranlsated as "meek" is "πραεῖς", which means "strong AND self-controlled" or "demonstrating power without undue harshness."  It is like a perfectly trained war-horse or warrior.  Diplomacy first, no fear in the face of battle, all strength and skill readied and poised to be dispensed upon command.

This morning, I remembered one of the Day of the Lord podcast episodes about Jesus being a warrior.  In one sense, Jesus already brought the Day of the Lord.  Jesus battled sin and death, and He is the champion warrior.  That is, Jesus fought as a champion warrior on behalf of everyone that He represented, so that His victory is on behalf of His entire kingdom.  Therefore, we are all victors with Christ, by extension. And yet, we wait for the ultimate Day of the Lord when justice will be completely resolved on all accounts, and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire.  Thus, we are warriors in the now and the not yet.  We continue to advance the proclamation of the victory of the kingdom of Jesus.  And so now we are warriors proving His victory through the fruit of the Spirit and signs and wonders - tangible demonstrations of the delegated authority and power of Jesus through the Holy Spirit.  Our battle is not against flesh and blood.

Father, thank you for the privilege of being your son.  I want to walk in sonship.  Continue to teach me what it means to be a man.  Jesus, thank you for your example of what it looks like to be demonstrating power without undue harshness.  Holy Spirit, thank you for giving me Jesus's authority and power to destroy the works of the devil, to restore people to wholeness, and to advance the Kingdom of Christ.  Teach me today to be a better warrior.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.

Joy and prophecy

The Holy Spirit revealed to me the other day that if someone asks me about my faith, it is not a serious subject matter; it is a joyous subject to discuss.

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2 NIV

Joy is so valuable to Christ.  It was the reward for His suffering.  If I could just see how priceless joy is...

Reading from today:

Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

Acts 21:8‭-‬9 NIV

I want to grow in prophecy so that I can better mentor and encourage my four children to prophesy.

Father, thank you for giving me a quest for joy this year.  I want to continue growing in joy.  Holy Spirit, break loose whatever is holding you back from flowing more joy through me.  And show me the next steps in growing in prophecy.  I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus.

Valuing Scripture and Truth

Acts 17:11‭-‬12 NIV

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

When Paul preached in Berea that Jesus was the Christ, they checked the Scriptures because they valued truth.  If you value truth and you daily humble yourself by being open to more truth, then the Scriptures are essential to maturity.

Father, thank you for giving us the Scriptures through the Holy Spirit.  Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see more of Jesus in the Scriptures.  I love you.