Tag: spiritual warfare

The Unraveling of America

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…” ~ Isaiah 5:20

We’re there.

We are seeing America unraveling at the seams. We are seeing unprecedented evil – as the Bible defines it – being accepted and even welcomed in our culture. We are witnessing events and attitudes that I would never have imagined would be “acceptable” in my lifetime.

So who is pulling the strings?

The history we are seeing unfold before our eyes is startling, shocking, and disturbing. But current events beg the questions…

Do you know that two men changed all of culture as we see it right now?
Is the homosexual revolution all the result of a brilliantly devised marketing plan?
Did you know that Dearborn, Michigan is already “Islamicized”?
Is political correctness destroying America?
Why is there respect for Shari’a law in our government, but no respect for the Bible?
Did our forefathers really set up boundaries between the church and the state?

Beginning on July 3, 2016, I will answer these questions and more.
Get ready!

Pastor Ron

Tags Abba's House, abortion, America, Constitution, faith, Holy Spirit, ISIS, Islam, Israel, Jesus, LGBT, love, Ron Phillips, Shari'a, spiritual warfare, truth

America Fresh Oil New Wine Healing Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

Justice or Judgment?

Silence in the face of extreme danger is cowardice and treason.

About two weeks ago, Iran successfully test-fired a ballistic missile that can reach all of our bases in the Middle East and Europe, as well as the nation of Israel. It is bad enough for Iran to do this since the Obama Administration-hailed nuclear agreement was enacted in January. However…

This is the third time.

Three times since January, Iran has thumbed its nose at the feckless world community, and openly continued testing its weapons of war. To add insult to injury, one of the missiles that was fired in March had the phrase “Israel must be wiped out” written on the side of it in Hebrew. The missile testing ban (in place since 2010) was lifted by the U.N Security Council as a part of the nuclear deal, being replaced by a resolution “calling on” Iran not to participate in missile testing. It would seem that the idea is, if we ask nicely, they’ll stop testing.

So how’s that working out for everyone?

D-Day Our active military forces have been diminished to their lowest point since prior to the end of World War 2. While our enemies mock us, terrorists attack us and our allies, and our economy continues to languish, President Obama and national leaders are busy wringing their hands over transgender bathrooms. It is no wonder that the American people — both Republican and Democrat — are choosing outsiders to overthrow establishment and career politicians. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan doesn’t know if he can support the Republican party’s nominee, political outsider and businessman Donald Trump. Speaker Ryan might want to take a page from history: In 2014, Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor ignored the will of the people and lost re-election to Tea Party candidate Dave Brat, in spite of a 30-point lead in the polls, and outspending Brat 40 times over.

The good will of the American people has reached a tipping point. People are fed up and disgusted with a Congress that has done little-to-nothing in the face of the disarming of America, ISIS terror, the lowest middle class income in 18 years, the worst conditions for minorities in 3 decades, $19 trillion in debt, the attack on the 2^nd Amendment (gun rights), the erosion of religious liberty, and Islamic aggression.

Where is the hope and change we were promised?

In 2008, then-candidate Barack Obama ran on a platform of hope and change. So where is it? Why have we diminished ourselves in the name of progress? Why are we no longer respected by our friends, and feared by our enemies? Our nation is in grave danger and we need a turnover and turn-around in Washington DC.

We need reform now.

When Bible-believing American churches are rendered mute by political correctness and cowardice, and Biblical standards are waived for cultural compromise, we need a change.
When a political candidate is applauded for declaring that “deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs, and structural biases have to be changed” to accommodate abortion-on-demand, we need a change.
When the rights to privacy and safety of women and young girls is forced to take a back-seat to the “rights” of a man dressed up like a woman, we need a change.
When Christians are being slaughtered in other countries while America stands silently by and does little, we need change.

No amount of new community centers will help when daddies are not home, and the family unit is continually undermined. No amount of legislation can satisfy the corruption and degradation of the human heart. Political correctness and “common core” are not substitutes for the values of Judeo-Christian ethics and common sense. Liberalism, like any disease, will progress until it kills the body… there is no such thing as enough. Liberalism is slow-motion suicide for any nation.

Yet…

In spite of the dark clouds, I sense an uprising of Americans who are fed up and will pray, act, and bring our nation back from the brink. I see a movement that understands the beliefs that truly did make America great. I hear the voices that echo the call to freedom — physical and spiritual — that can put us back on the rails of goodness, truth, justice, and sanity. Judgment is at the door. Our God is a God of love, compassion, and patience. However, He is also a God of truth, righteousness, and justice. In Romans 2, Paul warned the Christians in Rome…

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. ~ Romans 2:4-11

America cannot continue to follow the unrighteous path she is on without severe consequences. We say we are one nation under God, but our actions don’t show it. In the face of so much disdain for His Word, God has given us time and again to repent and return to Him. This could be Americas last hope. Amos 5:15 says…

Hate evil, love good;
Establish justice in the gate.
It may be that the Lord God of hosts
Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

We His people must not be silent. We must declare His goodness and mercy to this generation. We must refuse to back down in the face of compromise. We must decide if we will establish justice at the gate, or face judgment at the gate.

It’s up to us.

Tags Abba's House, abortion, America, Amos, Christian, Dave Brat, Donald Trump, Eric Cantor, faith, favor, genocide, God, Hillary Clinton, Holy Spirit, hope, Iran, ISIS, Islam, Israel, Jesus, love, Paul Ryan, prayer, Romans, Ron Phillips, salvation, spiritual warfare, transgender, truth, worship

Fresh Oil New Wine Friendship Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Life of Faith The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass Uncategorized

The One

woman in depression

A while back, I saw the story of a man who was discussing his childhood. He revealed the fact that he had been brought up in a family that attended church fairly regularly. As this boy grew older, he became inquisitive about things of faith, the Bible, and the concept of God. His inquiries took a darker tone of skepticism, and he challenged the belief system being taught at his church. I would love to say that the leadership of that church reached out to him, and tried to guide him in a path to faith. According to his account, that was not what happened…

The adult leaders in the church sent him home, and asked his parents not to bring him back. This man is now a very outspoken atheist who mocks the existence of God, the accounts of the Bible, and the idea of faith.

Such a sad story. As a pastor for nearly five decades, I wish I could say that this story was an isolated incident. I wish I could say that such things happen so seldom that it can merely be defined as an anomaly. It’s just not the case.

The fact is that this story is repeated all too often, and often with much more tragic results. We all have a desire to belong, but for the formative years of adolescence, this time is critical in developing peer groups, self-worth, and core belief systems. Children gravitate to acceptance. The desire to be loved and accepted can never be discounted or marginalized. For everyone, that desire looks a little different. In schools, the outlet to fit in takes the form of clubs, special interest groups and elective classes such as music, art, etc. In schools and rec leagues, young people participate in sports because of mutual interests, camaraderie, and the desire to be a part of a team. We all want to belong.

The church has something for everyone, and all are accepted. Unfortunately, oftentimes our actions don’t bear out this fact. Sometimes, we don’t reach out to everyone the way we should. Sometimes, people fall through the cracks. Sometimes, someone leaves the church and their absence goes — for weeks — unnoticed. Sometimes we categorize people based on social standing, stereotype, or limited perception, and never take the time to find out who the person inside really is.

I have a friend who spent many of his school years in Christian schools. He once told me that some of the kids who acted out the most, and were the ones most often in trouble, were the preachers’ kids. Sometimes, the ones who we think should be the examples of obedience and Godliness are the ones struggling the most with acceptance and trying to deal with the unrealistic expectations of others. I know the struggles my own children faced being “preacher’s kids”. There is no “yellow brick road” of ease promised to any of us, regardless of our lot in life. Our struggles may look different, but they are struggles nonetheless. Anyone from any strata of society can be “The One”.

So how do we deal with it? In the end, does God put those we helped in one column, and those we lost in another, and if the gains outnumber the losses, we’re ok in His eyes? Is our success ratio the golden standard? Do we write off “acceptable losses”, and pat ourselves on the back for the majority we kept in the fold?

Good Shepherd Not according to the Bible. In Luke 15, Jesus tells us a story…

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

To the Good Shepherd, all of his sheep were of equal importance. To him, there was not an acceptable win/loss ratio. To him, getting back the one was just as important as staying put with the ninety-nine, and making sure they were ok. For many of us, we would focus and feel good about the ninety-nine we saved. To the Good Shepherd, however, his focus was on the one… any loss was unacceptable.

In the movie Schindler’s List, Oskar Schindler is saying goodbye to the Jews he saved. The Jews had made him a gold ring. On it was an inscription from the Talmud that read, “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.” As Schindler begins to speak, he breaks down in tears…

Oskar Schindler:   I could have got more out. I could have got more. I don’t know. If I’d just… I could have got more.

Itzhak Stern:   Oskar, there are eleven hundred people who are alive because of you. Look at them.

Schindler:   If I’d made more money… I threw away so much money. You have no idea. If I’d just…

Stern:   There will be generations because of what you did.

Schindler:   I didn’t do enough!

Stern:   You did so much.

Schindler:   This car. Goeth would have bought this car. Why did I keep the car? Ten people right there. Ten people. Ten more people.

Schindler: This pin (referring to Nazi party pin). Two people. This is gold. Two more people. He would have given me two for it, at least one. He would have given me one. One more… One more person. A person, Stern. For this… I could have gotten one more person… and I didn’t! And I… I didn’t! (breaks down sobbing)

NE Church Friend, when was the last time you mourned for the lost? When was the last time your heart broke for those emotionally wounded and bleeding souls who came across your path — possibly through the doors of your church — and left untouched and unchanged? For the Good Shepherd, his reaction was immediate. He didn’t wait until it was convenient. He didn’t wait until he had gotten the ninety-nine to the safety of a barn or pen; the Bible says that he left the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and went after the one. I think the Good Shepherd understood that time was of the essence, and saving the one depended upon his deliberate and swift action.

So who is the one for you? Who is the one that God has put in your path that needs a friend, an advocate, or a Saviour? We may say, “The mistake people make is judging Jesus by His followers.” That is true. However, as His followers, it doesn’t let us off the hook of trying to be like Him, and love people the way He does.

Look around you today.

Identify The One.

Go after them. Laugh with them. Cry with them. Listen to them. Talk to them. Make a difference in their life.

Blessings,
Pastor Ron

Tags Abba's House, atheist, evangelism, faith, God, Good Shepherd, Holy Spirit, hope, Jesus, Luke 15, Ron Phillips, salvation, Schindler's List, spiritual warfare, truth

America Fresh Oil New Wine Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

Good enough to fail?

Throughout history, success or failure is often determined by someone or something being where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there. From sports to warfare to our personal lives, being where you are supposed to be can make a “destiny difference”.

D-Day On June 6, 1944, the success of Operation Overlord (what we commonly refer to as D-Day) can be largely attributed to the fact that personnel and equipment were where they were supposed to be, when they were supposed to be there.

Conversely, the failure of Operation Market Garden (famously depicted in the movie A Bridge Too Far) just three months later can be blamed, in large part, on the inability to get men and supplies where they needed to be in order to support troop movements and actions. Although Operation Market Garden was actually a larger operation, it failed to meet it’s objective and expedite the end World War II.

In sports, the difference between a team winning and losing a game has often come down to a player not being in his proper place when he was needed. Super Bowls have been won and lost for this very reason.

Even in the Bible, a seemingly insignificant decision made a difference we can follow across generations.

Look at King David.

2 Samuel 11:1 says…

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war,
David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army.
They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.
But David remained in Jerusalem.

“At a time when kings go off to war”.

King David This would imply that David, as king and leader of the army, should have been with his army, Instead, he decided to hang back, and relax in the confines of his palace in Jerusalem. While there was not necessarily anything inherently wrong with being where he was (in his palace), by not being in his proper place, it allowed him to fall into temptation, and subsequently sin with Bathsheba. Not being where he was supposed to be opened the door for sin, and changed the destinies of Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba, David himself, and an entire nation.

Awakened by the Spirit Maybe there is nothing inherently wrong with where you are… it’s just not where you are supposed to be. For me, as a burned-out Southern Baptist preacher in 1989, a perfectly acceptable place for me to be would have been at home with my family. However, where I was supposed to be was in Glorietta, New Mexico. Being there, and my subsequent encounter with the Holy Spirit as a result, changed my future, my ministry, and my life.

So where are you supposed to be?

Are you doing a good thing, just not the right thing?

Do you always feel like there is something more — that you are missing the mark even though you are succeeding where you are?

Are you doing good enough to fail?

I’ve heard it said that “good enough is the enemy of great”. Are you in an environment that thrives on good enough, but never seems to get beyond that ceiling to the open skies of unlimited possibility?

We are called to an abundant life in Christ, not a life of mediocrity. We are called to be overcomers, not settlers. We are called to a place of destiny and purpose, not a life on the fringes. Jesus said in John 10…

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Stop giving in to the dream-thieves. Stop listening to the voices that tell you this is all there is. Stop being content to settle for good enough. Get to that place of destiny and purpose you are meant for — that you are called to— and the future God has in store for you could be something more amazing than you could have ever imagined.

America Fresh Oil New Wine 2015 Friendship Healing Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere Perry Stone Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

Living In A World Of Extremes

Post author By pastorron2013
Post date March 3, 2016
No Comments on Living In A World Of Extremes

It is pretty apparent that we live in a world of extremes…

Over the past few years, we have witnessed some pretty extreme weather.

We have seen the rise of extreme violence and terror — unlike I have witnessed in my lifetime — because of groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda.

On a daily (hourly) basis this year, we are exposed to the extreme rhetoric of political candidates, vying for the highest office in the land.

We see it all… extreme poverty, extreme hatred, extreme division…

Wouldn’t it be nice to get some extremely good news? Wouldn’t it be great to learn how, in spite of all of the bad news society throws at us, to walk in EXTREME FAVOR?

This year at our Fresh Oil New Wine Conference, we are going to learn how to walk in EXTREME FAVOR! I invite you to register now, and join me as I welcome my friends Perry Stone, Rabbi Curt Landry, Tommy Bates, Randy Caldwell, Ronnie Phillips, Jr., Dwain Miller and a few more. There will be a Women’s Luncheon on March 9 with Susanne Cox. So much to look forward to! I hope you will join us, and find the EXTREME FAVOR you need to live a Kingdom Life!

Pastor Ron

America Fresh Oil New Wine 2015 Healing Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere Perry Stone Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Hiram Code The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

Just A Week Away

An event you do NOT want to miss this life changing event!

Tags Abba's House, Dwain Miller, faith, God, Holy Spirit, Israel, Jesus, Perry Stone, Rabbi Curt Landry, Randy Caldwell, Ron Phillips, Ronnie Phillips Jr, salvation, spiritual warfare, The Big Event, Tommy Bates, truth

America Fresh Oil New Wine 2015 Healing Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

The Sound of Socialism

austriaanschluss Recently at our church, our young people performed the great musical The Sound of Music. It is the classic story of the von Trapp family’s escape from Nazism in Austria after Germany usurped Austria into the German empire in 1938 — an event known as the Anschluss.

One of the by-products of doing this timeless musical was the opportunity to teach our children a little bit of history about World War II and the Nazi regime…

A history many in our nation have obviously forgotten.

Nuremberg 1 The National Socialist German Worker’s Party (ie: the Nazi Party) rose to power following Germany’s defeat in World War I. The Nazis played upon the discontent of the people in attacking big business and capitalism, and used class-warfare as a tool to further its popularity by establishing a culture of entitlement and ideological superiority. Racism was also a key element in the spread of this toxic ideology, and resulted in the Holocaust… the death of six million Jews.

Socialist… Sound familiar?

For the first time in our nation’s history, we not only have candidates who are promoting socialist beliefs, but have an openly socialist candidate running for the highest office in the land.

Have we become so short-sighted that we won’t heed the hard-fought lessons we have learned in the last 80 years? Has our education system become such a cesspool of ideologues and history revisionists that our children are being brainwashed into believing that socialism is the answer to all of the problems that ail us as a nation? Oh sure… socialism has its appeal — after all, who doesn’t like FREE STUFF???

The problem is that nothing — N O T H I N G — is free. Even “free” stuff is costing someone, somewhere.

Take education for example. One of the mantras we are hearing is for “free education/free college”. Well, if college becomes free, one would have to assume that all of those things it takes to keep the doors open — lights, heat, electricity, etc. — are all going to be free as well.

And how about those salaries? If we are going to offer free college, would it not be reasonable to assume that all of the college faculties will be doing their jobs gratis? That means janitors, security, administration, and yes… professors. So, all of these (mostly highly) trained and educated people are going to put in their 40+ hours per week with no paycheck to show for it? Sure, there are those states where some college is being offered for “free” (TN being one that offers 2 years of community college for “free”). However, “free” is still not free… it ultimately comes at the expense of the taxpayer.

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples’ money.
~ Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

The Bible has a lot to say about work and a good work ethic. From Genesis to the writings of the apostles, hard work is considered admirable and Godly. Looks at what Solomon had to say in Proverbs…

All hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
~ Proverbs 14:23-24

Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.
He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.
~ Proverbs 10:4-5

The Apostle Paul was pretty direct in his instructions to the Thessalonians…

While we were with you, we gave you the order: “Whoever doesn’t want to work shouldn’t be allowed to eat.” We hear that some people in your group refuse to work. They are doing nothing except being busy in the lives of others. Our instruction to them is to stop bothering others, to start working and earn their own food. It is by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ that we are urging them to do this.
~ 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

Yet in spite of these warnings, I hear candidates running on a platform that constantly blames the ills of the poor on the rich, and stirs up not just class warfare, but ties it to racial division as well. The idea that penalizing someone who has worked hard in order to subsidize the lazy completely takes away from the incentive to work hard and do well. Why would I want to work hard to be a success if someone is just going to take away my hard-earned income and give it to someone who has not worked for it? It is absurd to believe that when you rob from the rich it is going to somehow benefit the poor in the long term.

Hitler and Amin Al-Husseini — Berlin, 1941: Adolph Hitler meeting with Mohammed Amin Al-Husseini, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem

The further we run as a society from the teachings and statutes of the Bible, the further and faster we run toward our own destruction. Although seeming to tolerate Christianity initially, the Nazis moved rapidly to quell the voice of the Christian church, while at the same time forming an unholy alliance with Islam. Martin Bormann, Hitler’s personal secretary, once admitted, “National Socialism and Christianity are irreconcilable“. We are seeing the dark specters of this type of ideology taking hold in our nation, with Christians being put on trial for their beliefs and convictions, while Islam is given a pass and a warm embrace by those in the corridors of power.

In the end, however, it’s quite simple: One cannot forsake the teachings and statutes of the One who established human civilization without severe consequences.

“God has been very good to us. One of the reasons God has been
good to us is that we have done him honor. ~ Justice Antonin Scalia

Although we are a nation founded upon Christian principles, secularists in our society have been trying desperately to take America to the point that we are decidedly “post-Christian”. With the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia last weekend, the political stakes for the soul of our nation have been raised to a perilous level. The wrong person being appointed to the Court would send us into an abyss of unconstitutional decisions and legislation from which we might never recover. For as Justice Scalia observed…

“That’s the argument of flexibility and it goes something like this: ‘The Constitution is over 200 years old and societies change. It has to change with society, like a living organism, or it will become brittle and break.’
But you would have to be an idiot to believe that.
The Constitution is not a living organism, it is a legal document. It says something and doesn’t say other things… As long as judges tinker with the Constitution to ‘do what the people want,’ instead of what the document actually commands, politicians who pick and confirm new federal judges will naturally want only those who agree with them politically.”

We need a transformation in our country. What is happening societally and politically right now should be driving us to our knees in prayer. The consequences of going further down the rabbit-hole of unGodliness, secularization, and socialism should drive every person who loves this country, and what it stands for, to the ballot box. We have come so far from the horrors of the socialism and subsequent fascism of Nazi Germany, as well as the fear of “The Evil Empire” of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) and the Cold War. I lived through it. I remember the rhetoric and threats. I remember climbing under our school desks during air-raid drills. I remember the nuclear saber-rattling. I remember the images that the words “nuclear holocaust” invoked.

I want more for my children and grandchildren.

You should too.

America Fresh Oil New Wine 2015 Healing Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

Symptoms, Solutions, & Overcoming Your Fear

Post author By pastorron2013
Post date December 3, 2015
No Comments on Symptoms, Solutions, & Overcoming Your Fear

Yesterday, the city of San Bernardino, CA was rocked by another mass shooting that claimed the lives of multiple people, and wounded many others. Another community shaken to its foundation. More families grieving the loss of loved ones. More empty rhetoric from politicians and pundits intent on attacking the “symptom” of gun control without wanting to address the root of the disease. As actor Samuel L. Jackson said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 2012…

I don’t think it’s about more gun control. I grew up in the South with guns everywhere and we never shot anyone. This [shooting] is about people who aren’t taught the value of life.

As many have said (and Mr. Jackson alluded to), the problem is not a gun problem, it’s a heart problem. It’s about evil in the world that does not play by anyone’s rules or regulations — whether it is ISIS, Al-Quaeda, or “lone wolves” like Charles Manson, Timothy McVeigh, Ted Bundy, or Jeffrey Dahmer. But while these groups and individuals prey upon innocent victims or an unsuspecting society, they introduce into our lives chaos, anger, sorrow, and…

FEAR.

Fear is a magnet to demons. Fear will draw in the enemy, and will bring to pass the thing you have spoken out of your mouth. You need to understand that fear is not only an emotion, it is a spirit. In 2 Timothy 1:7 we read, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.”

Friend, it’s time to recognize your fears.

What fears flood and bring failure to your life? It is time to take a close look at your mind and see what fears may exist there.

Fearing Life

Every day I meet people who are afraid to live life to its fullest. This fear is one of the first to ever show its face in this world. Right after Adam and Eve fell into sin, God showed up to speak to them. In Genesis 3:10 Adam admitted to God, “I heard Your voice in the garden, but I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself.” He couldn’t even go through his normal routines there in the garden!

Perhaps you’re afraid that people will find out who you really are and then shun you. You are afraid that some of the things that you’ve done that are between you and God may come out. You live in fear of the truth. However, if there is any place in the world that you ought to be able to live a transparent life, it ought to be in the church. You ought to be able to surface your difficulties and your failures and have them dealt with in safety there.

The impact of fear reaches beyond spiritual issues; it can also affect your job. Perhaps you are afraid to take the next step for advancement. Maybe you fear going into management because you’re afraid the responsibility will be bigger than anything you’ve ever known. The comfort zone is preferred over progress. Someone reading here may have birthed a wonderful idea but you won’t take a risk because you so deeply fear failure.

History tells us that Abraham Lincoln lost every election he ran in except for when he ran for president. What if he had quit? We would not have had one of our greatest presidents. There are those who are paralyzed by the fear of getting up in the morning and just going about the chores of life. I want to challenge you to break this spirit and believe that you can be everything God has created you to be and more.

Fearing Death

Hebrews 2:14-15 says that “Jesus was manifested that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject unto bondage.” Many people sustain a powerful fear of dying. I believe that’s why about 65% of our hospital dollars are going to give people tests for diseases they don’t have. Many people wake up nightly short of breath, and they actually are suffering from night terrors, a demonic attack on basic health.

If you are saved, why should you be afraid of dying? Philippians 1:21 should be the Christian’s boast, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Heaven is not a thing to be feared. I’ve heard people say, “You know, I want to go to heaven, but I’m not ready if there is a trip going out tonight.” Well, I’m ready to go today. I would miss my family, and they would miss me terribly. But after Jesus died on the cross and then arose from the tomb, He lit up the corridors of death forever. I don’t have to be afraid. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me,” said David in Psalm 23. Even in death, we are not alone.

Fearing the Enemy

Psalm 31:13-15 should be the proper response when you are facing the enemy, “I hear the slander of many. Fear is on every side, while they take counsel together against me and scheme to take away my life, but as for me, I trust in you, O Lord. I say you are my God. My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.”

I don’t have to be afraid of the devil or his emissaries that wear skin here on the earth. Jesus spoiled principalities and powers. He ripped the astro-deities from their thrones and exposed the enemy. I don’t have to be afraid of a tarot card, or a horoscope. I don’t need to call a psychic to find out what is going to happen tomorrow. I boast with the psalmist David in Psalm 31, “My times are in His hands.”

Fearing Man

This fear is a powerful one for many. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.” Is there somebody in your life that when you see them fear rises up in your spirit? Is there something in you that has you agreeing with people when you know they are wrong, simply because you are afraid of what they will think of you? Have you ever gone along with people and done things you know you shouldn’t do just because of fear that they might think badly of you? With all of the chaos going on in the world, are you afraid to just walk out your front door?

This fear of man is something that really grips our young people today. Peer pressure, a fear of what friends think, can take over their lives. The fear of being different, the fear of what other people think—these can be so strong. I’m not telling you that you ought to be obnoxious, but the honest truth is that it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks but God. Young people and adults alike need to quit allowing the fear of man to hinder what God wants to do in their lives.

Fearing Insignificance

People are afraid that their lives won’t count for anything. I think of Genesis 15 and the story of Abraham. Here’s old Abram, he has left fame and fortune in Ur of the Chaldees, left his beautiful home and is living in a tent. Out here, nobody knows who he is. In Genesis 15:1 it says, “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision saying, ‘Do not be afraid. I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward.’”

You said, “Well, I didn’t win ‘Employee of the Month’ even though I deserved it.” But God saw it, and He took account of your stewardship. You say, “Nobody has ever given me a plaque. Nobody appreciates what I do.” I want to tell you, your great reward is God.

I remind you of the story of the woman who broke the alabaster box and wept over Jesus’ feet. Nobody really knows what her name is; some scholars believe it was Mary. What we do know for sure: Jesus appreciated what she did. We also don’t know the widow’s name that stepped up to the temple offering box and threw in the “widow’s mite”, all of her living, but Jesus knows her name, and she is significant and important to Him.

One day you are going to get to heaven and you are going to find out everything you sowed into this life is still over there. You sowed it into His work. Embrace the understanding that Jesus Christ is the one who can make your life last forever.

Fearing the Future

“I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace
and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

You don’t have to be afraid of what is going to happen tomorrow. Once you know the Lord Jesus Christ, the fear of the future can leave.

When my son, Ronnie, Jr. was a little boy, he loved to go with me on errands. Even when he was four or five years old, he would eagerly jump into the passenger seat even if it were a quick trip. Looking back, I think it is significant that not once did he say, “Daddy, do you have enough gas in the car?” “Daddy, do you have any money with you?” “Daddy, do you really know the directions to where are we going?”

You see, he didn’t have to ask those questions. He put his little hand in my hand, and that was all he needed. He was ready to go, because he trusted me. He knew that if he was with me, his needs would be met in abundance. Whether it was a soda from the gas station or a quick trip through fast food drive-through, he knew he wouldn’t go hungry on our trip. If he needed a restroom, Daddy would find one. And he could trust that Daddy would know the way back home when it was time.

I can’t predict to you what will happen in your future. But, I can tell you this, as a believer, what is waiting for you in eternity is wonderful and you don’t have to worry.

Tags Abba's House, faith, fear, gun control, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Ron Phillips, Samuel L Jackson, San Bernardino, shooting, spiritual warfare

America Fresh Oil New Wine 2015 Friendship Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

Are There Sharks Here?

In 1975, the Steven Spielberg – directed mega-hit movie Jaws terrorized theaters all over the world, and life at the beach would never be the same. For years to follow, people thought twice before setting foot in the water. Over the next decade, several sequels followed, with each Jaws being bigger, scarier, and more deadly than the one before. Since then, other filmmakers have followed suit with shark-related thrillers such as Deep Blue Sea, Open Water, and many more. In recent years, one of the biggest weeks annually for The Discovery Channel is the much-hyped Shark Week — a week of programming that focuses primarily on sharks and the study of these deadly beasts.

Recently, Paulette and I were spending a few days in Destin, FL, following a visit with her mother.

We were enjoying a day at the beach… umbrella, lounge chairs, perfect weather, and a good book. At one point, I decided to go in the unusually calm and beautifully clear waters for a swim. As I waded in the shallows, I soon noticed a little girl around 7-years-old standing not far away. She had on a sun hat and looked at me somewhat concerned. She called out…

“Are there sharks out here today?!?!”

I was a little taken aback by her question, but soon observed she was quite serious.

I called back, “No, I don’t think so.”

She said to me, “You know they bite children.”

“Yes,” I said, “but I do not see any here”.

She then gave me — the obvious pushover granddaddy type — an order.

“You watch for them while I play,” she said.

“Yes ma’am,” I dutifully replied..

As I splashed around, she never got more than about ten feet away. True to my word, I spent around 45 minutes watching for sharks. As I made my way out of the water, she followed, not wanting to be in the sea without her “shark watcher”.

“Bye!” she called out. “I’ll be back tomorrow!”

Later, as I contemplated the time spent with my new friend, this parallel came to my mind.

Who will watch our kids and grandkids? Who will keep them safe
from the “sharks” in this world we are leaving them?

Think about it… a corrupt culture in moral decline, predators, Islamic terror, drugs, gender confusion, demonic attacks, and unstable family situations. The very places children should feel safe, they often don’t. The very people they should trust to keep them safe, they sometimes can’t.

Who will be there for all their tomorrows? Who will watch while they grow, play, and learn?

The family should be the first line of protection and nurturing for young minds and hearts. Schools and safe communities should be places where children should be able to go without fear of physical or mental abuse and injury, or immoral and Godless indoctrination.

Yet, may I say that we in the church must be there so that the next generation can discover the beauty of God’s ocean and world while some of us watch for the sharks. We need to help young parents “train up their children in the way they should go” — God’s way — “so that when they are old, they don’t depart from it.”

We need to be the Lifeguards at the pool of society.

We need to be the Shark Watchers on the shark-infested sea of life.

We need to be the Watchmen (and women) on the Wall of a culture filled with predators and pitfalls.

So…

I said to my little friend (whose parents were telling her to leave that poor man alone)…

“Yes dear… if I see you tomorrow, I will watch for the sharks.”

Tags Abba's House, danger, Destin Florida, protection, Ron Phillips, sharks, spiritual warfare

America Fresh Oil New Wine 2015 Healing Living It Out In Real Time Perry Stone Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Voice of Evangelism

The Big Event… A Final Word

Post author By pastorron2013
Post date August 24, 2015
1 Comment on The Big Event… A Final Word

Words cannot begin to express what God did at this year’s Big Event. With our theme being spiritual warfare, everyone from our speakers to our attendees came with great anticipation for what we believed God was going to do. With every session, the truth went forward, lives were touched, prisoners were set free, and people walked away with a new-found sense of who they are in Christ, and what freedom in Christ is all about.

I cannot say enough about our speakers! Throughout the conference, there was unparalleled unity in the messages delivered as each man poured out his heart in a very honest, very real way. My sincere thanks go to Perry Stone, Rick White, Bobby Atkins, Sammy Wilson, Tod Zeiger, and my son Ronnie Phillips, Jr. for delivering the Word with uncompromising boldness and faithfulness to the call.

If you attended the Big Event… thank you. It was a pleasure to have you in our House, and to worship and minister with you and to you. Please come back and see us again, and keep Ron Phillips Ministries in your prayers as we fulfill the mandate to which we have been called, to share the love of Jesus throughout the world.

To our special guests, Lester & Holly, and the Remnant Dance Team… thank you for your ministry this week, and for leading us to the throne as you did.

To all of our musicians, worship leaders, choir, ushers, hospitality team, product table and bookstore workers, children’s ministry team, nursery workers, housekeepers, technical workers, and everyone else at Abba’s House who made this possible… we cannot do what we do without YOU! You bless me with your heart for service, and willingness to go above and beyond for the cause of Christ. I love each and every one of you.

To my staff at Ron Phillips Ministries… your tireless work and commitment to excellence is obvious in all you do! Thank you for your partnership in this adventure for the kingdom of God, and your unwavering faithfulness to the task to which we are called.

All my love to my wife, Paulette, and my family… your love and encouragement enables me to do what I do, and I am so thankful and blessed to make this journey of life with you by my side. I love you all more than I can say.

If you missed the Big Event, I encourage you to get the CD, DVD, or Blu-Ray set of all of the speakers. Spiritual warfare is a very real battle. Get the tools and weapons you need to fight the good fight. For more information about how to order, click here.