A number of years ago, I was preaching in a village in Vanuatu when a witch doctor came to announce curses upon those gathered. He came with words because beings in the spirit realm are released by words. Satan seems to need a person or people, to invoke the words of a curse upon people before evil spirits are able to work their evil. For this reason, the heathen king Balak invited Balaam the prophet to curse Israel. (Numbers 22. 15)  The principle holds true in Gods kingdom too, so when we agree with God words in prayer, Gods Spirit is able to move!  Words are an instrument of the spirit realm and both the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness are released through words. The words of the apostles or prophets reached into the unseen realm, binding evil or releasing the miracles of God.  Israel shouted the words of faith at Jericho and the Spirit was released to move.  The words we speak today can bring Gods “planned tomorrow” toward us. Words of unbelief can frustrate and even deny the good plans of God for our life.

Friend, How much of what God planned to bring into our lives, has been bound up in the heavens by the words we have said or not said.  Ezekiel had to speak to the bones before the Spirit could move.   So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.   (Eze 37:7) Somebody has to declare what God wants to do in your life. It probably needs to be you! Start prophesying now.

Has anyone noticed how many rainbows there are around these days? We have rainbow footpaths, office windows, pedestrian crossings, buses and toys. So many that I thought people must be either reading their Bible or totally forgetting the meaning of the rainbow. I decided to print my own tee-shirt to explain.

This morning I climbed the steps to enter our city council gym and was greeted by an archway of balloons arranged in rainbow-order. I thought “I wonder who is telling them to promote pride week and whose rates are paying for it? That got me thinking. Why pride?

Pride is something we feel when a child or adult has achieved something notable or has demonstrated character in the face of difficulty.

The other use of the word pride is in the context of lack of humility and rebellion and the first instance of this type of pride was a long time ago. Lucifer was the most decorated created being in heaven. He wore beautiful garments, which glistened with jewels of every colour of the rainbow.

“You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold... "You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you” (Eze 28:13-1)

Sadly, as Lucifer led the parade in worship to God, he began to think that the worship should belong to him. Iniquity and pride entered his heart, and he was cast from heaven to become Satan, the hater of mankind and God.

Pride in this context of arrogance and rebellion has never benefitted anyone. As Kevin Conner said "If pride can turn and archangel into a devil, what can it do to us"?

Has pride ever helped a couple resolve their issues? Has pride ever helped a broken relationship be restored? Has pride ever helped reconcile a son to his parents or enabled them to confess their faults? Never. God took pairs of males and females into the ark for the good of the planet. Homosexual pairs animal or human would be non-regenerating and an evolutionist might say, a threat to the survival of the species. Not much to celebrate there either.

Why would we be proud of pride? We don't celebrate “lust week” for adulterers, or “greed week” for thieves and gangsters, so why would we celebrate pride week for those caught in homosexuality? It makes no sense.

Why would the U.N. and government promote and celebrate a lifestyle that on their own admission and figures, has a far worse suicide and mental health outcomes than the general population? Canadian figures put suicide risk at fourteens time higher for LGBTQ people. That is not fair on our young people.

Of course, homosexual people look for acceptance and they should find acceptance from us all, for every human being is infected with the same disqualifying sin. Gay or straight, black and white. Whether we live in Remuera or Manurewa, are atheist or religious, sin affects us all differently but affect us all, it does.

Some of my friends have gay children. We love and accept them because they too are us. All of us must find our way back to God through the same narrow gate, Jesus Christ.

Israel Folau was given a hard time for saying that homosexuals will go to hell. But maybe he and everyone else missed the point. It is not just homosexuals that will be excluded from heaven (Hell) but every person that hasn't asked found forgiveness from God, though a personal faith in Jesus Christ. This includes rugby boards, politicians, presidents and preachers. In short, no one will live with God unless they are humble enough to acknowledge their imperfection and need for God's forgiveness. And humble enough to accept the only salvation that God has provided (at great cost to himself), the cleansing blood of his Son.

So, while doing my leg press, I thought “Why should we be celebrating pride week in a government run gym? Soon our primary schools will be full of rainbows. What to do? I know, I'll wear my rainbow bow tee-shirt to the gym next week.” Then I thought “This only happens because everyone is too afraid to speak up. I should say something today,” So I went to the gym instructor and asked “What is the meaning of these rainbow-coloured balloons? Who told you to display them?”

He said “I went overseas to bury my mother and got stuck over there with a lockdown. My staff put them up to celebrate my return to work”. :)

Oh well there is still way too many rainbows with the wrong meaning out there!

As the famine began to grip the land of  Israel,  Abraham took his 60-year-old wife and travelled south to Egypt.  Abram was not wrong for being concerned about feeding his family, but Abram was wrong in thinking God would not provide for his needs in the place where God called him to live. After all, God called Abram to Canaan, not to Egypt. We can be in the centre of the will of God and still have troubles and testing. The walk of faith is about learning to give the Word of God authority in our lives; more authority than what we see or feel.  James 1:2-4

In Egypt, Pharaoh noticed her and took her into his house. Jewish legend says that in comparison to Sarai, all other women looked like monkeys; she was even more beautiful than Eve.  As people get older they are attracted to people of a similar age, so perhaps Pharaoh was quite old.  Either way, Sarah was beautiful. Abraham asked Sarai to lie to protect his own life a number of times on this trip and his wife ended up in the harem of a foreign ruler.  By offering his “sister” he was able to receive favour and riches.

Abram showed little character at this stage in his life and like us found it hard not to let the world affect his faith in God’s word.  God moved to get both Abram’s wife back home and Abram’s life back on track.  God brought Abram back to the land he should never have left and continued the story, apparently before Abram ever repented.  He plagued the house of Pharaoh and brought Abram back to the house of God. There Abram did what he should have done at the start; called upon the name of the Lord.

Friend, have struggled a bit lately, have you wobbled in your faith or even crashed and burned? Abrahams big failings were not too great for God to work around. Thank God it’s not three strikes and you’re out. Our forgiving Father is helping us learn faith and He is not put off by our weakness or failure.  Move out; move back toward God and call upon His name. Your faith may fail, your character may fail your may feel that you have failed Him, but our Father will never fail you.

The old potter stood up from his wheel with a satisfied smile. He had made many vessels before but every one that he made, was something special. He lifted it onto the wooden shelf and closed the door of the drying cupboard. It would be hidden away for a while, but he knows the shelf will protect it from damage while it hardens. Shutting it up in the dark cupboard will also make sure that it doesn’t dry out to too quickly and crack later in the fire.
Sometimes after we have felt the great Potters hands around us, we seem to be put aside on the shelf and left to dry out. Just when we feel ready for promotion in the kingdom, it seems we’re overlooked by those who should be looking over us. But God is just drying us out, allowing us to harden up so we are able to take knocks without losing shape. And if we crack now, we will never pass the test of fire.
But there is a greater reason that God hides us away and we are feel hidden from sight. It enables us to realize where our life is really found. God’s word tells us that our life is hidden with Christ in God. ”For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:2). This refers to the life we gain, from the true source of Life.
So while we are hidden, we are meant to find something else that is hidden too - our life that is in Christ! Our life is not found in a position, or being popular or centre stage. It’s not in being a friend of the pastor, or even from connection with others in the Church, but in Jesus.

Friend, it’s good to be integrated and its good to busy in the “Church” but if we don’t work out where our life is, we will get discouraged or disillusioned while serving. When believers don’t find their life is in Christ, they burn out or drop out. If they go to another church, they still won’t find what they are looking for, because they are looking for Life in all the wrong places. Maybe Lockdown is a gift of time when we can find afresh, our Life, that is hidden in Him.

The people of Israel had prayed for years for God to deliver them from Egypt. At the perfect time, God came to set them free from bondage, but they never imagined how deliverance was going to come. They didn’t imagine that the best path to their future, would mean plagues, daily uncertainty, or that they would be hated by the Egyptians. They hadn’t figured that freedom meant leaving their homes and walking away. When they did finally walk out, they found themselves in a desert that had no food, no water and no quick arrival at their destination.

Peter wrote to believers under Roman tyranny. They faced trouble in their life, possible job loss, economic hardship, pressure from relatives and a suspicious society – life was not easy. “In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials” (1Peter 1:6).

If need be! He said they only endured the trials and troubles that were necessary, for them to become all that God intended them to be. Sometimes we don’t know what we need.

Deliverance and “inheritance gaining” always seems easier in our imagination than in reality. We can see the benefits but we just don’t imagine the pandemic, the process or the people, which God will need to use, to get us there. We all want to grow in spiritual authority, character and faith, but when the means to growth and change comes, we struggle to recognise it. Could it be, that what we are going through now, is our path to growth and global gospel breakthrough? Let faith declare that Father is freeing us from unseen fetters. And let our hope be anchored to Him who is beyond the veil but ever-present and ever attentive to our needs. Certainly, we are being prepared for greater effectiveness, but enlargement doesn’t come easy.

Friend, you too, have asked to grow and be delivered. We usually cannot become what God wants us to become, without some shaking. God is raising a people that are free, strong, mature and unshakable. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you” (1 Peter 5:10 ). The present sufferings cannot be compared to the glory yet to be revealed. Our future “freedom” will be infinitely better than the safety of sameness, and the rule of Egypt. In the times ahead, we will say those “dark days” were the door of our deliverance.

Terror states rage against the USA, governments fight over immigration, speciesism, socialists and LGBT fight gain legitimate power to normalise their philosophy,  others fight on behalf the unborn and the unheard. Nation rises against nation and kingdom against kingdom. It’s a battle of words on earth revealing a war in heaven. Words are spoken through human lips yet beyond the eyes of men, ancient powers are stirred. Peter spoke words in a jail, the church prayed words from the house down the street, and angels from another realm appeared in the jail. Words move unseen beings.

When David faced Goliath in the valley, it was a battle of words, not swords. The giant cursed David by his gods saying  “I’ll feed you to the birds,” but David didn’t allow himself to be cursed by the enemy. If David had of agreed with the words of the giant, David would never have fulfilled the unique purpose God had for his life.  He refused to entertain those paralysing words from a dark source because he knew that spiritual beings are empowered by faith. Therefore he roared back his declaration of faith in the power of God to save, and God came through.

Apostle Paul stood on the heaving deck of an endangered ship and declared the promises he had heard from God, to counter the beliefs, of fearful sailors, who thought they were about to drown. They were all saved just as God had said.  Gods promise is "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.  For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isa 55:9-11. Gods words spring from His thoughts and only His word is guaranteed to be fruitful. Agreement with His word, is only illuminated logic. But agreement with His thoughts, takes attentive discernment.

The thoughts we agree with and the words we speak matter.  We can’t listen to doubt and walk in faith. We can not talk fear and live boldly. A generation was kept from Gods promised land by their unbelieving words. Jesus gave the example of cursing those things outside of the will of God. He also told us to speak to mountains that should be moved and to absolutely believe the effectiveness of what we say.

  When Peter was in jail the disciples prayed for God to move.  As they agreed with Gods will in prayer, God sent the delivering angel to Peter. The doors of our current prison are opened by declarations of faith, never by agreeing with the jailer that there is no escape.  And let’s expect an answer.  When Peter was let out by the angel, he went straight to the prayer meeting but they couldn’t believe their prayers were answered and never opened the door.  Someone’s faith had opened the prison door but someone’s doubt kept the church door shut.

 Friend, who’s thoughts are we listening to? How much of what God has planned to bring into our lives, is still bound in the heavens by the words we have said or not said. What hasn’t changed because we haven’t spoken? And what has Father released to us that is still outside the door because our doubt has kept the door shut and kept the answer from walking in?

On Grand father duties last weekend I got to watch the Lion king 2.0. Pumbaa said some pretty funny things one of which was, “You got to put your behind in your past.” Well so long as you are moving forward, I guess that is always going to be true, but I think we know what he meant. Our past could have been awesome or average. The problem with the past is that it is exactly that; the past. Isaiah the prophet speaks to us for God, “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert” (Isa 43:18-19).

New things from God can only spring forth today or tomorrow and the only place He promises to make a road in the wilderness is in your future. Even God cant change the past he can only change the meaning of the past.  He can’t change what happened but He re-interprets it, changing the impact of what happened and uses it for our good. While we can’t undo the sad and painful events of our life, thank God, He can totally remove the guilt and shame of every mistake we have made. .

But even the great things that have happened to or through us, are already just a memory.  Some people and even some companies, bask in the success of the past and it limits them. It may be a great memory but it will fade fast.  To live focused on our history rather that our destiny will mean we will only ever be what we were. Does the past have any value at all?  Of course, because God uses difficult pasts and amazing pasts to make us long for Gods “new thing” and bring us to the place where we were ready for Him and the bright future He is planning for us.

The past is set but the future is flexible and flowing with Gods river. The future is your future. Your unfulfilled dreams can only come to pass in the future. The place you can make things different and the only place you can meet with God is in the future, starting right now. 

Friend, Its time to dream again. Don’t settle for what you have become or where you are, but look for the road He is making into the wilderness. You shall know it because, as you focus on Gods future, although it will be a road you have not been on before, you'll find that He is there, His rivers flow there and as you stay focussed on Him, you'll find yourself there too.

I visited a family recently who had a demonic spirit inhabiting their house and throwing things around in the night.  When they threw all their witch craft items out of the house and called on the name of Jesus, they were saved, set free and even their house got warmer!  The devil did his best but his best was not good enough to stop the power of Jesus.
Philip the evangelist went down to Samaria to preach the gospel but when he got there he found someone else was already there. He wasn’t there long before he was involved in a demonic power struggle with Simon the sorcerer. Acts 8  It seems there was a strong hold to be broken in every place the gospel went, in the book of Acts.  It seems that when the enemy knows that the gospel is coming to set his captives free, he seeks to build strongholds in peoples lives before the gospel arrives.
Perhaps when Satan realised that God was planning to do something great in your life he moved into your family and forefathers generations to bring a snare.   Perhaps he has brought a curse into your family: alcohol, insanity, adultery or divorce which seems to go from generation to generation. The enemy has tried to reach in before the gospel got there but there is nothing that the devil has tried to put on you, that Jesus can’t take off you.
Friend, know this, that if the enemy is at work in your life or family members, God’s word and Jesus blood will prevail. God is planning something great for you – Freedom.