Terror and Fearless Truth
On responding to terror incidents on the U.S. mainland | Be Fearless | Random Thoughts | Spiritual Warfare | Jesus Christ | Christianity
If you’re a not-yet follower of Jesus Christ, come on this journey with us.
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And, I invite you to read my series on the book “What Does God Want?”.
Terror
The French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana. New Year’s Eve 2024.
I have a “heart history” of love with Louisiana, specifically the French Quarter and the Cajun and Creole parishes in the Southwestern corner of the state. After watching the videos of the truck attack my heart ached and tears filled my eyes.
History
Not to diminish this recent tragedy, but over the millennia incidents of terror have played a horrible role in human history. Our evil enemies in the spiritual realm influence us humans to wage their war against God by using us to fight and kill each other.
The names of the humans enslaved and influenced by our enemy—Canaanites, Babylonians, Romans, Islamic State, etc.—are not as important as acknowledging this: Terror attacks and wars are all a continuation of the spiritual war that began with our enemy’s rebellion and the deception of God’s image bearers in the Garden of Eden.
Fight Back
We need to “armor up” and fight the evil ones by sharing God’s wonderful good news with not-yet believers. Every time a fellow image bearer repents and receives God’s grace and salvation through Jesus Christ, the victorious Son of God, our enemy suffers a crushing loss.
Good.
A Mall Walk with a Warning
Recently, one of my sisters in Jesus and I walked our local mall to get in a few steps. She’s a humble believer, yet what I see in her is her fierce devotion to our Lord, and her spiritual-warrior attitude “on the daily”. She’s one of those sisters who our enemy fears every morning when she wakes up. Her prayers terrify him and his minions for they know they’ll get their butts kicked by Jesus. Over her life, she has faced heart-crushing challenges with prayer. She nurtures an honest relationship with God, and she submits to His will. As a result, this humble sister has witnessed amazing answers to prayer and God gets the glory, which is her desire.
Near the end of our walk, I asked her what God is impressing on her for the new year 2025. I’m paraphrasing, but she said:
Christians better be firm in the Lord, and not live like a lukewarm believer, for the battles are going to get worse. Many will fall away, as the Lord has said.
The Lukewarm Life
Revelation 3:14-19 (BSB)
14 To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.
15 I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other! 16 So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!
17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
In the verses above, Jesus describes those in the ancient Laodicean church who allowed their financial prosperity to blind them spiritually. They were quite satisfied that they were doing just fine based on their wealth, which was the foundation of their lives, not Jesus. He saw their spiritual weakness, and those the Lord loves He rebukes and disciplines.
The ancient Laodicean church sounds like many lukewarm churches today. They’re that way because of the lukewarm people in the chairs (or pews). I enjoyed reading a short post from Katie Donohue Tona regarding her previous lukewarm heart towards God.
You can read Katie’s entire post by selecting this link. Her testimony and what she learned from the Lord might be a blessing to you.
Falling Away
As my mall-walking friend shared, many may fall away from the faith in 2025. Now she would be the first to say that she’s no prophetess. Her observation comes from reality. All you and I need to do is type into any online search engine these keywords:
christians fall* away from
and—sadly—we’ll find many articles on the topic, evidence of our enemies attacks, and the numbers of “the fallen” seem to be growing.
Let’s think about Jesus’ words:
Matthew 13:18-21 (BSB)
18 Consider, then, the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. [Emphasis mine]
At this point, you might be thinking, “Okay, Night Owl, now I’m feeling discouraged. I read your posts each week for encouragement, but today you seem like a ‘Debbie Downer’: Terror attacks, war, falling away from faith, lukewarm believers...”.
I’m not discouraged. Sad, yes. I feel sad about spiritual warfare and the consequences on my fellow human beings. But, I focus on Jesus, He who is victorious over sin and death, and His joy in me overcomes any sorrow.
Bottom line: I remind myself that God has already won.
Truth
Despite all the tragic battles in this spiritual war, God is still seated on His heavenly throne, and when we partner with Him through our prayers, He still changes things here on Earth.
Our enemy would like us to forget these truths, especially the victory won by our resurrected Savior and Lord. The evil ones do not want us to live in the fullness of Christ Jesus, and they try and deceive us, clouding our vision of God’s truth. Don’t listen to their influence because…
Satan’s biggest fear is for us to live out who God created us to be.
Galatians 2:20 (BSB)
20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Let’s increase the enemy’s biggest fear by living fearlessly for Jesus in the fullness of the new life He’s given to us. I want this for my 2025 journey, for my spiritual growth. Will you come along with me?
Be Fearless in 2025
Let’s not only live out Christ in us, who God created us to be, let’s be fearless for Jesus as soon as the sun rises every day. I love the refrigerator magnet I received last autumn from our Bible study group:
Psalm 118:6 (BSB)
The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
When we wake up every morning, let’s “own” who we are in Christ Jesus. The Lord is on our side.
Be the kind of believer who, when your feet touch the floor in the morning, the devil says, “Oh crap, she’s/he’s up!”
I love Jesus’ words:
Matthew 10:28 (BSB)
28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Do not fear the unseen spiritual beings who are our enemies. The only One who we should fear is Yahweh, the God of Israel, and He’s our loving Father because of Jesus.
Be fearless, dear readers.
Maranatha, come (again) Lord Jesus.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Your Turn
Terror or truth?
Choose God’s truth.
Whenever something tragic happens, the news media’s coverage and attempts to figure out why it occurred can overwhelm us. We can feel discouraged, depressed as we empathize with those who are suffering. We can feel confused when the media report various scenarios to try and explain the events. (Their initial “facts” are often wrong.)
Instead, take a time out for a couple of days, turn off the news about the event, and spend time in God’s word. Ask the Lord to help you become more the person (the new creation) He wants you—and created you—to be.
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TRUST IN THE LORD ABOVE ALL ELSE!
"You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever,
because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal." Isaiah 26:3-4 BSB
Such fearless and (encouraging) words spoken here today in this message. Thank you, dear sister Jenise. These words are what we all need to hear in this moment of world unrest. Now is the time to be serious about our faith. Are we just lukewarm Christians, or are our hearts still burning within us?
"They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" Luke 24:32 BSB
The question before us all today is where do we stand?
"But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!" Joshua 24:15 BSB
If we are lukewarm, let us ask the LORD to make His fire burn in our hearts again. It is NOT hard to do. Cry out to the LORD, and He will care for the rest.
"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 NLT
And for all those who have yet accepted the LORD's invitation to save your soul, to allow Him to give you a life that will last forever, a life better than you could have ever imagined in 1000 lifetimes. And a future filled with hope for amazing things to come. Call out to Him. He's been waiting to make your heart burn too. Today is the day to be saved before it's too late.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 BSB
How is the time for all of us to seek the LORD and stay close to Him?
"Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near." Isaiah 55:6 BSB
May we all stay near Him by reading His word, the Bible.
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16 BSB
Praying always and talking to the LORD daily throughout the day and night. While washing the dishes, driving to work, going on walks, at any moment because He's always listening.
"Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart." Luke 18:1 BSB
Also, by keeping in close contact and fellowship with other believers.
"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7 BSB
Most importantly, giving thanks to the LORD for all He has done, is doing, and will do for us forever.
"Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:12-14 BSB
GOD bless you all! Yes, all we need is Jesus
"For "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13 BSB
Give Me Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyRzfVYWTNQ
Yes! I love to hear fighting talk and see a fighting walk!! It is in fact the only walk for Christians to walk. Thank you for being fearless!