By Linda Clifford-Hayes
We have been tasked to read and research the book ‘killing kryptonite’ by John Bevere.
Book reviews are right up my street, something I have done and have wanted to do with my current posting – not for secular learning, but for the Body, our common good and spiritual advancement.
I started the assignment late, but I am on the second section. There is much introspection and self reflection and we are all in jeopardy unless we take heed.
As always, my spiritual antennae has been on the look out for that rhema word ie for greater understanding and wisdom. Father will bed down the learning and protect all that concerns me.
I put the book down to take a shower and to have a cup of tea. I like to hear the 6:00 am news, so I switch on the TV. There is a news report on which jumps out at me and forms the title for this piece ‘Dogs kill sheep’.
A journalist was interviewing a farmer. The farmer recently had to shoot some dogs to protect the livestock. The owners of the dogs, had been irresponsible, leaving the dogs out free to roam on the land, whilst they had been doing other things. The dog had ‘jumped the fence ‘ which had had a devastating impact on the lifestock.
I thought about what Father has been revealing to me this year and the chapter I had just read in Killing Kryptonite. In explaining what ails the Body of Christ in this present hour, Bevere speaks about Phineas how in his generation (see Numbers 25) he stood up and took action when he saw unrighteousness; it wasn’t liked, but this stopped the plague, stopped the impending loss of life, carnage (if you like) of the attack coming against them – the attack a consequence of the ‘in-house‘ (my italics) behaviour.
I thought about what I have been seeing in the Body (not just one church) and the compromises we have all made and which Bevan highlights by the Holy Spirit. The things which causes plagues, death, inertia, sickness and weakness.
These maladies are caused by doors being opened (either things we are doing, things we hold dear which aren’t of God) ; things we idolise , promote, or keep as pets (the Rottweilers, the Yorkshire terriers even the handbag pooches..) – the things that affect our progress in Him. Further, (and if the spotlight is correct), dogs straying in places – jumping the fence, moving into the most holy places, (see Daniel 12:11) where they ought not to be. The farmers (the pastors, the leaders, the evangelists, the prophets) not speaking out, not properly minding and protecting the sheep.
Sometimes what we see and treat as pets are actually ravenous wolves. They may sound like, operate like , use the right words , tune and tone but they are not. The sheep (those who are of God) hears the threat and look for the Shepherd to respond. Many shepherds are absent in mind body and spirit . Some are complicit.
God will reveal the threat and impending doom to those who hears and knows his voice.
Hear his voice :
The bibles says ‘Beware dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:2)
What is maiming and killing us ? Let me answer : The uncircumcised philistine and ‘flesh works’ – We need circumcised, spirit filled believers and ministers, officiating, standing in the holy places, or there will be continue to be decay, death, disease, contamination and carnage.
We need to call things as they are , a dog a dog and a spade a spade. Time to stop the Tom foolery.
The farmer said it this morning in the news clip, it’s not the dogs fault – they do not know how to be different. If they are given an opportunity, they will take it. They do what they do because they are ‘brute beast ‘ (my emphasis). Their hearts are uncircumcised. They have not the Holy Spirit or the fruit of the spirit. They foul and make a mess because they are designed to do that in the way they do it. Damage is caused to, and in the Body , when dogs are left to foul, bruise, or run amok amongst the sheep.
Dog is a strong word Linda, I hear many say. Give them time to change. We don’t have the time! It is already late.
The scriptures are replete with what constitutes a dog both the devious and dumb dog lying down loving to slumber. (See Isiah 56: 10 & 11; Psalms 22:16-20; Revelation 22:25).
As Bevere says ‘many of us want to be encouraged and uplifted rather than challenged. We spend years molly coddling ‘baby christians’ people who will never grow up. We continue to pet and stroke.
We have to be very discerning in these last days. We have to see with the eyes of the spirit. There is a place for the circumcised and the uncircumcised. There is a place for dogs and a place for sheep. Some dogs need to be put down. Some dogs need to be put in their place. Some dogs need to be put outside. We need to remove the abominations that we have allowed to slip into church, into our worship.
Finally brethren and speaking as a Phineas in my generation, Beware of dogs – beware of the things we pet/stroke, beware of our idols (people and material) – those things we hold in high esteem which look like, but are not. Dogs cow, injure, scatter and kill sheep.
Let God’s word be true and every man a liar. This is an aspect of the Kryptonite in the churches.