From the desk of Steve Shultz:
Remember that the enemy is an accuser and a liar. I know that many of you are feeling the heat from the enemy right now. This word by Sandie Freed will encourage you to "Call Unto God" as He is much bigger and stronger and is our Advocate.
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Sandie Freed:
A Season to Call Unto God
Dear Believer, I have been in much prayer concerning the many different adversities we are facing at this time. These are difficult times in which we live; however, they are also times when the Lord will prove Himself strong! I was recently in Canada where the Lord ministered very powerfully to His children. It seems that every place I go, whether it be locally in the United States or in other nations, God is speaking the same thing: He desires to release renewed vision and hope for the future.
One of the passages He is speaking to me over and over again is Jeremiah 33:3. I have written this verse using the Amplified Bible for more clarity. Read this and find your new direction and answers in this incredible passage:
"Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand)."
Many of you are, like me, calling out and crying out to know answers. I have realized that when we call out to God only because we need an answer, it limits our worship. This is because we are captivated by our need rather than His presence. The Lord has quickened my heart to begin to call out to Him because I need to experience His glory. If I first seek His face and call unto Him, He will in turn release answers and show me great things that have been "fenced in" and "hidden."
Satan is the Accuser and a Liar
In my new book, Silencing the Accuser: Eight Lies Satan Uses Against Christians, I write concerning the accuser of the brethren who stands "right beside" the priesthood to falsely accuse us. I also pen God's determination to rebuke the accuser, as well as His desire to clothe us with victory over our adversary. My focus for writing this book includes the passage of Zechariah 3:1-2 (NIV, with emphasis):
"Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The LORD said to satan, 'The LORD rebuke you, satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?'"
Dear ones, my heart's desire is that each of you walk in complete freedom against the accuser. The accuser is ever ready to speak false testimony against you, and especially falsely accuse God to you. I'm certain you have been as I – experiencing the fires of adversity. When I am weakened through trials, the enemy uses that weak season to whisper lies to me. The accuser seeks an opportunity to wear us out so that he might stand to our "right side" to falsely accuse us. Zechariah 3 describes the priesthood with the accuser standing beside him. This shows us how the enemy comes to clothe us with the shame of our past and then continue to falsely accuse us concerning our future.
However, according to Zechariah, God desires to snatch us from the fires of adversity and use us for His glory. It is my belief that many of the fires we are experiencing are fires of purification. These fires are similar to testings that will purify our lives so that God can use each of us mightily in our new season.
If you read further the passage of Zechariah 3, you will realize that God desires to re-clothe us and to also renew our minds by placing a new turban on our heads. In Silencing the Accuser, I go to great lengths to prove that God desires to renew our minds concerning our past, present and future. Satan has "fenced in" the truths of God. In other words, he has built a strong fortress in our minds concerning God's mercy, grace and love for each of us. God truly desires to cycle us out of past pain and use it for a testimony of His glory. However, we have an accuser who is attempting to remain as a "squatter" in our territory – personally and geographically.
The Lord promises to rebuke satan (the accuser) on our behalf; however, many of us have not taken authority ourselves over the squatter, the accuser, who continues to falsely accuse us. A "squatter" is someone who has been in territory so long that it gains legal right to remain there. Dear ones, the enemy believes he has legal ground to continue to falsely accuse you! Therefore, you are in a constant battle of the mind with the enemy's false accusations.
Whispering Into Our Ears
The accuser is a talker and is constantly whispering lies to us. Satan desires to discredit God by saying things like:
• God doesn't love you. If He did, why are you experiencing loss?
• God will never heal you.
• Healings and miracles passed away when the apostles died.
• God doesn't even know your name.
I am writing to testify that God does know your name. I remember the first time a prophet called out my name and asked if there was a "Sandie" in the crowd. In the midst of over 400 people, I was the only one named "Sandie." I became excited because I knew that God knew my name as I was ministered to in a powerful way. You may not have had your name called out by a prophet, but I want to assure you today that God does know your name! Luke 12:7 says that God even knows the number of hairs on your head! During hard times, we must remember that when we know His name and understand His name, He will therefore "answer us" and "deliver us." I love the fact that God knows my name, don't you? However, God loves it when we know His name. Scrutinize the following passage:
Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness – trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. Psalm 91:14-15 AMP (with emphasis)
Believers, I truly believe we are being summoned once again to the Secret Place where God reveals the meanings of His name once more. His desire is that we know and understand that His name encompasses His mercy, His love and His kindness toward us. Take a moment and re-read the previous passage slowly. Did you notice that His name also reveals that we can trust Him and rely on Him – being assured that He will never forsake us – never! Reading still, He promises that when we call upon Him, He will answer us and deliver us. As we seek Him, He will reveal the things which have been "fenced in" and "hidden" from us (Jeremiah 33:3). In other words, He is going to give us more keys for breakthrough.
When we know Him as Jehovah Jireh, we can understand that it is His covenant promise to be our Divine Provider. When we know Him as Jehovah Rophe we then understand that He promises to be our Healer. Dear ones, when we truly know all of the different names in which He describes His divine character, we are assured that we can stand firmly against the accuser who attempts to falsely accuse God to us! To have victory in this season, please take time to study the different names of God so that you can understand what His perfect will is for your life.
Fenced-in Answers
The enemy has attempted to fence in your destiny. In other words, he has built a fortress in many of our minds. With the uncertainty that we face today, the enemy will use circumstances to build an ungodly belief system concerning God. He will also attempt to build a fortress by using our past failures. The accuser will build walls inside of our minds that must be torn down. If not, these walls will be like prison walls of unbelief and doubt; therefore, we can be imprisoned and in bondage because we are believing lies. Much of what God desires to do in our belief system is blocked by the lies that satan has erected in our minds. Again, these lies become walls and, eventually, a fortress. When God answers our prayers, many times it is difficult to lock fully into a promise because of satan's fortresses.
On the other hand, satan has fenced in answers and attempted to keep truths hidden with much occult activity. Allow me to remind you concerning the occult. The occult opposes God's revelation as it attempts to keep things "hidden." Revelation "reveals" what is hidden and the occult "hides" what needs to be revealed. Precious Believer, the accuser whispers lies to us to cause us to agree with him. When we agree with his darkness, it will hide the light which God is revealing. God's Truth is the Light, and satan does all he can to block Truth with the attempt to ensnare us. When the accuser is active, the enemy is speaking many lies, therefore releasing occultic opposition against us. Dear ones, we must rise up and defeat the accuser so that we can become fully mantled with God's authority.
Defeating Your Accuser
Here are a few of the steps I write that will empower you to defeat the accuser:
1. Take authority over the occultic spirit that blocks revelation (and keeps answers fenced in) by using your authority in Christ. By using the principle of Matthew 16:19 (AMP), use your keys of the Kingdom to bind your enemy:
I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in Heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in Heaven. [Isaiah 22:22.]
2. Study the different names of God to build your faith in His divine ability. As you gain revelation of Who He declares that He is, then begin to proclaim it!
3. Ask the Lord to renew your mind. God desires to provide a garment change for you. Just as He re-clothed the priesthood in Zechariah 3, He desires to do the same just for you.
4. Receive your new mantle of authority. God has plans to increase your influence and release the mantle needed for your season.
5. Step into your destiny. Don't allow the accuser to falsely accuse you. It is your time to break forth. Declare it!
Allow me to pray for you:
Father, in the precious name of Jesus, I pray for each reader today. I believe that he/she has been divinely led by Your Spirit to read this article so that faith will rise up and courage becomes demonstrated for breakthrough. I join my faith with each reader today and ask that You reveal Your name to him/her and that the revelation gained will cause a new level of trust to manifest. Thank You for reclothing each of Your children and for renewing our minds. I bind the accuser and negate his lies that falsely accuse God and also falsely accuse the brethren. I loose the enemy's hold and declare that divine revelation for breakthrough is being released from Heaven. Amen.
Sandie Freed
Zion Ministries
Email: zionministries1@sbcglobal.net
