Believer, these days, it's a challenge to reside in that place of joy and peace that God has for us. Our society and our lives are bombarded continuously with untruths and voices that are trying to sway our very core. Is there a way to not only deal with these threats to our peace but to actually overcome them? Let's explore what God has been speaking to me recently about His nature and unrelenting love.
Who Does God Say That He Is?
The Lord told me that the earth believes Him, listens to, and obeys His commands. The earth knows who God is (the loving Creator). What has been set in place by God remains. So, what changes anything in the interim? People and their free will!
I recently was led to study more about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis, we read about the intimacy that Adam and Eve shared with God. They communed with God without hindrance. They were given dominion over the earth, and nature was at their beck and call. In my study, I pictured Adam and Eve peacefully walking in the beautiful, tranquil Garden. It seemed that Eve would have been enjoying herself and would have been surprised by the appearance of the serpent.
As far as we know, neither Adam nor Eve had ever questioned God's one commandment to them – not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In Genesis 3:1, the serpent said to Eve, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" Then the serpent discredited God with his sly words: "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5).
Eve listened to the serpent, engaged in the conversation, and was seduced by his words of doubt and suspicion. Eve succumbed to the temptation to question God. She allowed His NATURE and CHARACTER to be smeared, even though she knew His nature! When Eve and then Adam forgot God's nature, they became deceived and acted upon it. They came into agreement with the enemy. Many people in this day are venturing into the enemy's camp and coming into agreement with him as well.
As I pressed the Lord for more, I clearly heard Him say that we are in a season where many of us are dealing with confusion, especially concerning our belief systems. The bottom line is this: will we believe Him? Will we trust Him? Eve swallowed the lies of the enemy concerning God's word and character. Will we also?
The Importance of Agreement
Our agreement with God means we are aligned with His Word – no other word matters! Our faith is trusting in Him, based on a real understanding of who He is. One of the most powerful things we can do as Believers is to be in agreement (harmony of opinion) with the Word of God! Once we cloak ourselves in agreement with His Word, then we have the safety and protection of knowing the direction we need to take in all matters, even if our emotions prompt us differently.
Contemplating the fall in the Garden, one can't help but wonder how it could happen. The serpent appealed to Eve's emotions by confusing her. Once she agreed with his logic, she acted upon it and ate the forbidden fruit. Don't you wish you could go back in 'pre-sin' time and change Eve's mind? I sure do! (Photo via Piqsels)
What Is God's Nature and Are We Receiving Him?
The Lord impressed on me that people have been seduced by the siren's call of deception and unbelief. They have forgotten His nature. In essence, the enemy has done an 'assassination' job on God's character. If we could ever truly and fully see Him for who He is, we would walk in the fullness of being more than overcomers, in every respect!
What happened in the wilderness for the Israelites is a type and shadow for today. Exodus 6:6 says, "...'I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.'"
"'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation'..." (Exodus 19:5-6)
This Word of God is as true now as it was then. Are we not facing lies and abuses meant to enslave us as the Egyptians did to the Israelites? Will we succumb to the voice of the enemy and forget God's nature and word to us? By leaning into the voice of the Holy Spirit, we can walk with God in the cool of the garden and silence the words from the enemy. God is more than able to faithfully fulfill His promises and deliver us.
Again, will we believe Him? We can know the truth according to John 16:13 (Amplified) which says, "But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come..." When we want to truly know the truth, we can ask and He will reveal it to us!
False Altars, Idolatry and Temptation
The wilderness trek of the Israelites shows us that we must guard against setting up false altars and idols in our hearts, especially during times of duress (Exodus 20:3-5).
A false altar is what is built in our individual hearts when we worship or bow down to a false image. When we bow down or submit in this way, it's a form of worship, and a covenant is made. If we bow down to words about God that suggest things like, "God is not going to provide for me," or "I can't trust God," we are building a false altar. That covenant, which was made later, becomes a stronghold in our lives. The truth is, when we exalt the words of the enemy (or any person) above God's Word, it is considered idolatry by God. He is God and He is the Word.
The enemy desires to block our ability to hear God's voice. One of the primary tools that the enemy uses to achieve this result is to induce fear and insecurity. Once this occurs, we set aside our complete faith in God and His protection, and thus pull away. For example, when Eve was beguiled by satan, she became insecure and was robbed of her trust in God. In Eve's confusion, the stranger appeared to care more for her welfare than God. The tempter was in her face, unrelenting, and pushing his agenda. Sound familiar? (Photo via Flickr)
This is the time for God's people to use discernment and strategy to overcome the enemy's plans! We should never give anyone or any false words the power to overtake our belief in God's protection and sustenance.
The Glory of God Is Revealed in His Name!
Believer, we are in a season where we are experiencing the manifestation of God's glory in new realms. There are many definitions for the word "glory," one of them is the word "weighty." Let's look at it this way: when He comes in His glory, we recognize a King who carries much weight or worth. It is God showing up in all of His splendor, value, and character. I could write much more on this, but for the sake of this article, I am focusing on THE NAMES OF GOD WHICH EXEMPLIFY HIS NATURE. This is because the glory of God manifests through each of His names for which He calls Himself.
The character of God is multi-faceted, multi-dimensional, and timeless. The nature of God can be expanded to us by the many names He is known by. When we stay close to God, the enemy can knock but can't enter that place in our hearts. A great sadness comes over our Lord when we choose to believe a lie about Him. If you have ever known how it feels to have someone betray you, this is also how God feels, but multiplied.
There are many names in Hebrew that magnify God and define His nature. The following are some you may wish to meditate on that are presently speaking to me:
El Kanna: Jealous (Exodus 34:14)
God is a jealous God, meaning He wants to be number one with us above all things. He wants only the best for us. The world, our government, and leaders have attempted to choke-out and overtake God's place in our lives. But God is the one to rule and reign on the throne of our hearts! Let no intruders into this sacred place.
Exodus 34:11-14 says, "Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I am driving out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a Jealous God)."
El Shaddai: God Almighty (Genesis 17:1)
God is the God that is mighty over ALL the earth and its inhabitants, and He has the final say. We can trust Him to bring all things into subjection to His authority in the end. We know how the Kingdom of God will play out in the end. Our covenant is with God.
Genesis 17:1 says, "...'I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.'"
Jehovah Gibbor Milchamah: Mighty in Battle (Psalm 24:8)
God has got this battle we are facing! He is able to subdue the battle, win the war, and bring all under His final plan. He is aware of all the strategies of the enemy. He is standing tall.
Psalm 24:8-9 says, "Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in."
Jehovah Hashopet: The Judge (Judges 11:27)
God is the final judge of all things. We can depend on Him to set things in order when He and we have been wronged. He will defend His honor.
Judges 11:27 says, "Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you wronged me by fighting against me. May the Lord, the Judge, render judgment this day between the children of Israel and the people of Ammon." (Photo via Flickr)
Jehovah Mephalti: My Deliverer (Psalm 18:2)
God delivered David from the hand of Saul just as He will deliver us from our enemies. Trust in Him!
Psalm 18:2-3 says, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."
Jehovah Machsi: My Refuge (Psalm 91:9)
God will deliver us from the snare of the fowler. He keeps us, and we can run to Him for safety. He will protect us from any pestilence or plague.
Psalm 91:9-11 says, "Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways."
His Nature Is Calling Us
The Lord says to 'remember Him,' or have a remembrance as a memorial to His work (Joshua 24:22-28). The Lord's Supper, or communion, is a ceremony of remembrance. My husband and I take communion regularly, especially during times of illness. When we battled the flu last year, we took communion every morning.
If we recall what He has done for us with thanksgiving and praise, a natural outcome of this is knowing that nothing can separate us from God's love (Romans 8:38). The God of the universe thinks of you and me literally 24/7! With God on our side, we are assured of victory.
Our Prayers
Our prayers must be "yes and amen"! God is waiting for the Church to rise up in this hour and call out for His redemption in every respect. The battles we are facing are in the supernatural realm and being played out in the natural world. We will overcome when we truly believe God is on our side and desires every good thing for us. He has not abandoned America or the world. Let's engage and do our part.
Please feel free to join me in this prayer:
Father, we love You and thank You for who You are. We declare that we will rise up as godly, courageous men and women who stand for You and Your righteousness in these ungodly times. We turn from the siren call of the enemy and, this day, will 'turn off' the voice of the enemy when it comes from the media, government, and propaganda.
We thank you that we can hear Your voice clearly, and we will continue to know Your beautiful nature and character in an even greater way. We will walk in freedom and victory all the days of our lives. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen!
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Virginia Kettler Blackburn
Sherlock Realtors, Owner/Broker
Email:Â virginia@sherlockrealtors.com
Website:Â www.virginiakettler.com
Virginia Kettler Blackburn is uniquely gifted in the prophetic ministry as well as being anointed in the Marketplace. She prophesies the Word of the Lord with accuracy, teaches the Word, and lives the Word. Her passion for the Lord filters into every area of her life. She is extremely passionate about helping others find their fulfillment and divine purpose in Christ. She is committed to winning souls and seeing those with wounded hearts set free. Virginia uses her platform as a real estate broker and owner to minister to clients and business associates alike. Virginia and her husband Phil are committed to bringing the truth of the Kingdom to those they encounter in business and around the world. Besides being extremely active in business, Virginia presently teaches in her Bible study group, "Women of Valour."
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From the very first time I met Virginia I was drawn to her passion for the Lord. She also had a uniqueness which I greatly admired. By "uniqueness" I mean she had the ability to capture my attention quickly with her genuine love and compassion for people. In fact, I've noticed that everywhere we go she makes immediate friends. Of course, it's the Lord that illuminates her and causes her personality to shine, but also her love is tangible and people are drawn.
