I have been reminded of late, and in many ways, that activity occurring in the spiritual realm sooner or later manifests in the visible earthly realm. In fact, everything we see down here on planet earth is a manifestation of something in the spiritual (unseen) realm over thousands of years. Good … and bad. The apostle Paul made this very point in his letter to the Romans. This is good …
Romans 1:20 (NIV)
“For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen [manifested], being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Another helpful insight from the writer to the Hebrews has also helped me understand this reality – which is way more than an idea. This one is good, too. He writes …
Hebrews 9:11 (NIV)
“But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation.”
The writer refers here to the supreme high priestly ministry of Jesus who, in His redemptive work appears in a “third heaven” scene not explicitly described to us. In this scene is a tabernacle and a holy of holies place within it where Jesus our High Priest entered to present His very own blood in eternal atonement for our sins. This is a wonderful and exciting revelation for me. The original tabernacle in heaven was not built by human hands. Yet, on the ground, on earth centuries ago, Moses built an exact copy of that tabernacle for God’s atoning purposes. What a mystery this is. This is the reason for God’s exacting instructions to Moses with the build.
There are other manifestations from the “second heaven” we see on the earth, too. These are bad. They’re inspired by demonic powers and principalities unseen by us, but powerful and active all the time. The apostle Paul refers to these in Ephesians 6 …
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
These evil spiritual beings incite human beings to carry out their wishes and plans which become manifest in the earth. Some of these schemes manifest even in architecture. For example, I am of the view that the Crown Casino precinct is a monument on earth erected in honour of the demon Mammon. Other demonic agendas and schemes in the spiritual realm manifest in many other ways. For example, in false religions, community values, behaviours and even in legislation of laws made by governments. The demon, Molech, is the major influence that has driven the increasingly evil abortion laws in our country – he is insatiable. The spirit of anti-Christ is now at work in our land seeking to have laws enacted that will soon remove the rights of Christians to have freedom of religious expression.
But one of the greatest manifestations of what is happening in the second heaven realm is the sudden increase in subjective thinking as the test for what is right or wrong. Subjectivism is the doctrine that our own mental activity is the only unquestionable fact of our experience, instead of shared or communal perspective, and that there is no external or objective truth that can oppose this. This is the demonic influence behind the changes to the state government’s agenda to beef up Victoria’s Anti-Vilification laws – and it is so subtle. Here’s one example of this subjectivism that is designed to counter any external objective, reasonable truth – the proposed reform to change the legal test from ‘conduct that incites’ to ‘conduct that is likely to incite’. According to the governments Consultation Paper #3, “people only need to show that a person’s speech or behaviour is likely to incite hatred or other specified emotions in a third party, not that it actually incited those emotions” (Page 8). Right there is the trickery of subjectivism. The word ‘likely’ lowers the vilification threshold making is incredibly easy for any activist to claim – without any proof – that they have been vilified. How on earth do we interpret “likely”. It matters not whether such “vilification” was unintended, or not. The test will be, “how I was made to feel, or how I could possibly feel” – and there is no defence for that.
Lowering the vilification threshold will see freedom of speech and religious expression being censored and our democracy further throttled.
There is a raft of such manifestations of subjectivism which forces at work in the spiritual realm are determined to have set in concrete with the one aim of crippling the church and its gospel mission.
What do we do about this? Well, first, we don’t panic. Second, we don’t succumb to other demonically induced thinking processes that try to convince us that resistance is futile. Third, we educate ourselves and ensure we are across the issues of our day and exactly what demonic thinking process have produced outcomes, or are trying to engineer more of them. Fourth, we write intelligent letters and make prayerfully thought-out submissions to those in charge of “consultation” processes. Fifth we remind ourselves of the authority we have in Christ and apply that in the way the apostle instructs us …
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
And then he says, out in the full armour of God and take your stand …
Ephesians 6:18 (MRO) “And pray in spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.”
I am concerned about the sheer tide of demonic strategies from the spirit realm manifesting on the ground right now, and threatening to ramp up their efforts to stop the people of God from being salt and light in the world. But I am not daunted. We can overcome. But we cannot sit still. Of all the things we can do, to intercede as Paul urges and come against the tide of demonic voices, specifically binding them, opposing them, cutting off their influence where they dwell, is what we must do. And we cannot wait! One powerful intercession by a righteous person to bind evil principalities in the second heaven realm is worth more than a thousand letters to flesh and blood instruments who are unwittingly serving them.
Keep praying. Keep binding. Keep cutting the cords of influence between second heaven and earth. The tide will turn. Join us in our prayer meetings, let’s go to war in the Name of the Lord.
The best, most glorious manifestation from the third heaven realm? Jesus!
1 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
“Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He [God] appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.”
Think on these things.
Ps Milton