May 2000

By Carole Forde

[5 of 6]

he disgraceful lack of holiness in today’s churches is in need of the Rod of Correction! Every unholy spirit that masterminds wicked thoughts must be put to death. Carnal minds must be utterly divested of their evil cache of words and be forced to surrender each hostage thought to the obedience and regeneration of Christ to be born again of God’s Spirit of Holiness! The only One able to restore man’s renegade words (Christ’s rightful inheritance) to their former estate with God before the fall of Adam, is our Lord Jesus! He comes as a spiritual "Thief in the Night" to do what the natural man cannot do for himself. And how does He administer the necessary chastisement to our carnal natures? The Anointing stirs up our innermost thoughts, then ‘heats up’ the situation till we are driven to expose- by word or deed- our latent vile tendencies. Then our humiliation begins! But fear not this "humiliation", for it is the perfect antidote for wicked "pride". Besides, I know all believers want to go to the Promised Land someday; which is typified by the land of Canaan in the Book of Joshua. But what many do not realize is that the name, Canaan, (Heb 3667) means: "Humility and humiliation"! Furthermore, the river that was crossed by the second generation Israelites in order to enter into their Promised Land was called "Jordan" which means (Heb 3383) "To bend the knee"! So the only way out of our "wilderness experience" of trials and tribulations is to "Humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, at which time, He will lift us up!!" (Jas 4:10) But understand that God’s Mercy tenderly attends this entire operation.
                 When the time is ripe to supplant our lying thoughts with Christ’s Thoughts of Truth, He simply deprives the fire of our unholy human desire its much-needed fuel (such as self-justification, self-righteousness; and self-pity) till by lack of fellowship, these carnal thoughts perish altogether by being converted to God’s own anointed thoughts. Where once we burned with unholy desire, we now enjoy the "peaceful fruit of Righteousness".
                 This righteous work is not only done individually, but corporately as well. God sometimes will starve entire nations of their human resources (through wars, sanctions, disasters and plagues), till it succumbs to His Will for their utmost good. The greatest famine ever imposed on the earth as now exists on the earth, is for His Anointed WORD! This is described in the book of Amos which is then followed by a graphic account of God’s "cedar-chastisement" and "silver-redemption" of His people. (Amos 8:11-14; 9)
                 We look around and see "death" exalted everywhere as a ‘god’ whose ‘head’ is an ugly thing to behold. He stirs up all manner of fear, frustration, and rage that further exacerbate the problem. But all who are blessed with Eyes of Holiness, can also see that the SABBATH AGE has begun and it shall last for another millennium. It might take all of the next thousand years to accomplish a full and lasting ‘PEACE’ on earth, but it has to have its start somewhere; and beloveds,

‘IT HAS BEGUN’!

When you see and hear of the terrible things taking place today, stop and meditate on these:

THE BERLIN WALL---gone!

AFRICAN APARTHEID---gone!

CHINA CLOSURE TO USA---gone!

THE SOVIET UNION (USSR)---gone!

                The "Prince of the power of the air" is now being "bound in a bottomless pit" (where he can no more gain a foothold in our lives) as God’s "chain" of Sons scattered around the world are "linked together" in united prayer to bind their common foe! Every time one saint does warfare against any "Sin that does so easily besets" him or her, he is also binding in heaven that evil force that another member of the Body of Christ may be wrestling with! We are becoming a new people and a new priesthood upon whose shoulders a new government is beginning to rest!!

[TO BE CONTINUED]