January 20, 2003 

"A Vast Army"

This leads us to another tremendous fruit of this waiting time when empowerment comes.  Those who have pure hearts and can see God (Mt 5:8) have a phenomenal gift of discernment.  This is probably the gift most lacking in the Church today.  It's a gift of the heart.  We need to see God.  Once this happens, we'll know anything that's not of God, and we'll throw it out.  But if we're not at this level of discernment, how are we going to know which spirit is moving in our lives?  Satan, whose name is Lucifer, is a fallen angel, but he's an angel of light.  He presents things to Christians, especially people like us, that are very good and pleasing.  When Eve saw that fruit, she saw it was pleasing and good.  She knew that if she could have that, she would gain wisdom.  This is the deception of the enemy.  "Do this or do that and you will be wise."  But the Father has said, "No, you be the child.  You remain obedient to Me.  You keep your focus on Me, and I'll give you wisdom.  I'll give you knowledge.  I'll give you understanding.  I'll give you a tremendous holy fear of the Lord so that you won't walk ahead of Me in presumption like Eve did.  I'll give you humility.  I'll give you the heart of My Son Jesus and mold your hearts into one." 

 This is why becoming and remaining a child is so important.  It all happens in this constant waiting.  We don't wait just once for nine or ten days in the Upper Room like the apostles did to be clothed with power.  We wait daily.  We wait on the Lord daily, today, to be clothed in more power of knowledge, of love, and of obedience.  When we have this kind of love power, we also have authority power.  When Jesus sees that we can be obedient and remain obedient, He shares with us the authority that was given to Him.  Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Me" (see Mt 28:18).  He shares that with us, and in that authority, because we are little and under authority, we can command Satan at any level to go and leave God's people alone, just like Moses commanded Pharaoh, "Let God's people go." 

 We learn this in the silence and solitude, in that burning furnace of God's love.  Don't be ashamed to be like the blind beggar.  Present your needs to the Father, "I want to see.  I want to know You.  I want to receive.  I want to feel You love.  I want revelation.  I want to go to the mountaintop and see the future.  I want these things, but I want them all from you, Lord.  Please give me the grace and fidelity to remain true to our relationship."