AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE PART TWO

Greetings Warriors...O Ye Wrestlers for the Lord...Karatekas of the Spirit... Contenders for the Faith.

NOTE: Our first picture...we see our friends..."On a mission from God." They are in a place called WAR West Virginia. Note...that this is a staged photo op... where Mr. Hart...has the gawgeous Mrs. Hart in a head lock. In real life...I have a feeling that it might be a reversed situation.

Well...in our last Rambling...we discovered that we are Amphibious beings... between the Glory and the flame...walking out our faith in the Land of Nitty Gritty. We are IN the world...but not OF it. Whether we acknowledge it or not... we are in WAR.

"For we are not WRESTLING with flesh and blood--contending only with physical opponents--but against the despotism's, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness IN THE HEAVENLY (supernatural sphere). (Ephesians 6:12 The Amplified Bible)


NOTE: In this next picture...we see that age is NOT an issue in the fight. Here we have Ms Betty Coleman who is a third degree black belt and just happens to be 80+ years old. On the receiving end of her fist...is my jaw.


One of the keys to Spiritual Warfare...is the need for PREPARATION. If you just go out swinging without preparation...you may get in some lucky punches...but the end most likely will be... a lost battle.



In The Book of Joshua...we see God speaking to Joshua and Joshua passing on the command to his men..."Pass through the camp, and command the people..PREPARE YOUR PROVISIONS... for within THREE DAYS yo shall pass over this Jordan...to GO IN TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE LAND...which the LORD YOU GOD IS GIVING YOU TO POSSESS." (Joshua 1:11).



They were NOT suppose to just cross over and possess the land...there was a PREPARATION. Without the PREPARATION...there would be NO POSSESSION. Note also that the Lord was giving the land to be possessed...but the STILL HAD TO POSSESS IT...from inhabitants of the land...the enemy...the resistance forces.


Since 1970...I had instilled within me...that The Word of God...is imperative in my life.

NOTE: This picture is the first Bible that I bought for myself. When I thumb through it...I see place along the early part of my journey underlined...with notes written out to the side...worn pages from multiple readings. Some say the B.I.B.L.E. means Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

One of the best PREPARATIONS for this WAR is to RENEW your mind with the Word of God. We see that "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for (1) teaching [facts presented] (2) reproof [pointing out where we got the teaching wrong]
(3) correction [by practice] (4) for training in righteousness [although we are righteous by nothing we can do...we work out our salvation by training].
(II Timothy 3:16) QUESTION: Why is the Word of God so important? ANSWER: "That the ma of God may be adequate...equipped for every good work." (II Timothy 3:17)

A companion PREPARATION FACTOR for the WAR is...THE BAPTISM IN/OF/WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. "But you shall receive POWER/DUNAMIS/DYNAMIC ABILITY--ability, efficiency and might--when THE HOLY SPIRIT has come upon you...and you shall BE my witnesses (not necessarily witness...but will actually BE a witness by what you say and do) in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends--the very bounds/boundaries--of the earth." Acts 1:8)

COMMERCIAL BREAK: Starting on Wednesday night, March 2nd 2011, at Springhouse Worship and Arts Center...we will start a class called THE BAPTISM IN/OF/WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT (Have You Received Since You Believed?) For more information you can contact me at 415-7577. Check our our website at www.ruminators.net


We see that we are in WAR...and there must be PREPARATION for WAR. We need (1) renewed minds with the Word of God (2) The Holy Spirit as our POWER SOURCE (3) we need to IDENTIFY THE ENEMY. (4) Fight the enemy in proper order. Let's check out Ephesians 6:10-20 for the WAR PLANS.

NOTE: This last picture is a picture of me in my Black Belt exam. It represents YEARS OF PREPARATION and blood (mine) sweat (mine) and tears (also mine). If I would only prepare myself in my spirit...in training and being prepared for the spiritual attacks...Oh how the kingdom would flourish.

1. Be strong IN THE LORD.

NOTE: Where we draw our strength from will determine how we fight.


2. Be strong IN THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT.

NOTE: Do not rely on your might, you talent, your ability for strength.

3. PUT ON the the FULL (not partial) armour of the Lord.

NOTE: In our preparation...don't go out partially prepared.

4. THAT

NOTE: The reason for putting on the FULL ARMOUR

5. You may be ABLE TO STAND firm against the SCHEMES of the devil (little d)

NOTE: There are well orchestrated schemes by the stealer, killer, destroyer, liar, accuser...aka devil, d-evil, satan, the dragon, the serpent, prince of the power of the air

6. For our STRUGGLE is NOT against FLESH and BLOOD, but the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

NOTE: We tend to focus on what we SEE and expend all of our energy in the battle against manifestations of the problem BEFORE we cut at the ROOT of the enemy. When we become weary..the enemy can then waltz in and take us out...and I don't mean for dinner.

NOTE TO THE NOTE: The battlefield is identified...the heavenlies. The battlefield is also identified in Philippians 4:6-8 as the heart and the mind...where peace stands as guard.

7. THEREFORE

NOTE: Therefore...refers to the previous verses...and we need to see what they are THERE FOR...because that effects and is the reason what the next verses talk about.

8. Take up...put on...the FULL ARMOR OF GOD.

NOTE: The first notice to put on the full armor of God is that you may be able to STAND FIRM against the schemes of the devil (not turn tail and run). The second notice to put on the full armour of God is what is underscored next.

9. That you may RESIST IN THE EVIL DAY.

NOTE: Again...we are NOT running away from the battle...but fully armoured up and prepared to STAND and RESIST. We are the RESISTANCE FORCE for the KINGDOM OF GOD...for righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

10. And having done EVERYTHING

NOTE: We give it all we got...and do everything that can possibly be done.

11. TO STAND FIRM

NOTE: Once you have done everything...this is NOT the time to LET DOWN YOUR GUARD. Keep on STANDING FIRM.

NOTE TO THE NOTE: We have talked before of the place between the point of prayer and the point of provision...as the LAND OF NITTY GRITTY. This is where you need to take your STAND OF FAITH. "Faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] DO NOT SEE and the conviction of their REALITY--faith PERCEIVING as REAL FACT...what is NOT REVEALED TO THE SENSES." (Hebrews 11:1 The Amplified Bible)

We see in Ephesians 6:14-17 a listing of the armour and weaponry and it's meaning. We have at our access: (1) girded loins/truth (2) breastplate/righteousness (3) the footwear/Gospel of peace (4) shield/faith (5) /helmet/salvation (6) sword of the Spirit/the Word of God.

Being fully armoured...fighting the true enemy (and then we may engage on earth)...we are called to:

"PRAY at ALL TIMES--on every occasion, in every season--IN THE SPiRIT, with ALL[MANNER OF] PRAYER and ENTREATY. To that end...KEEP ALERT and WATCH...with STRONG PURPOSE and PERSEVERANCE...INTERCEDING in behalf of ALL SAINTS (God's consecrated people. (Ephesians 6:18)

When we pray, entreat, intercede...as part of our warfare...we open the door for freedom...for the saints to open their mouths, to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news...the gospel. They will be able to do it boldly and courageously...as they OUGHT TO DO. (Ephesians 6:19-20)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Amphibious Warfare is where you are able to fight on two levels. Start in the heavenlies... and then when He speaks to you...strategically strike on planet earth..as we bring His will...His kingdom on EARTH as it is in HEAVEN.

Love and Armoured Kisses
Rodney "Rumbling Rod" Boyd

AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE (Part One)

Greetings and Salutations O Ye Amphibious Beings...how's it hopping? "Froggy went a courtin'."

AMPHIBIOUS: (1) living or able to live both on land and in water; belonging to both land and water.
(2) capable of operating on both land and water; amphibious vehicles
(3) of or pertaining to military operations by both land and naval forces against the same object, especially to a military attack by troops landed by naval ships.
(4) combining two qualities, kinds, traits, etc. of or having a mixed or twofold nature.

The first picture/collage is a collection of fighters, warriors, defenders of the weak...with the battles taking place with some on planet earth...while others practice KNEEOLOGY and fight first in the heavens...and then on planet earth. NOTE: The smiling, baldhead man...is my pastor's dad...Mr. Harvey Meek...a true warrior of the Kingdom...now in the presence of the Father.

This picture is a group of fighting Missionaires (including my wife Brenda in the far right hand corner of the ring) in a little place called WAR West Virginia.

Years ago...Brenda and Me (or is that Brenda and I...I/Me can never remember)...were at a retreat called CFO (along with Gary and Rena next to Brenda in the picture). CFO stood for CAMP FARTHEST OUT...and it was. At this place called CFO there was an old man by the name of Glenn Ellis who was a naturist...and would take us on walks in the woods and walk and talk about the Creative God and how we could see Him everywhere we looked.

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal POWER and GODHEAD/DIVINE NATURE, so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)

At one point Glenn made a comment of how we were really amphibious beings...living here on planet earth, and seated with Christ in heavenly places. The saying is...derived from Scriptures is that we are IN this world...but NOT OF IT. Randy Stonehill had an album a few years ago called BETWEEN THE GLORY AND THE FLAME..speaking of our walk on this 3rd Rock from the sun...as we walk out our faith. Petra had an album called NOT OF THIS WORLD (II Peter 2:11; John 15:18-19; John 16:33; Matthew 16:18; John 14:3) In the Ruminator Sunday School Class we call this THE LAND OF NITTY GRITTY...where we walk by FAITH and not by SIGHT or THINGS REVEALED TO THE SENSES. This is the place where real stuff happens to both Christians and non-Christians alike. This is the battlefield where things are manifested like sickness, death, dying, pain, suffering, economic roller coasters, wars and rumours of wars, political upheaval, selfishness, hedonism, overt and covert sins, transgressions, and iniquities....and the devil (ruler of earth and prince of the power of the air).

As AMPHIBIOUS BEINGS...we are CALLED as emissaries of the KINGDOM OF GOD...where we continue with the commission of Jesus and pray down the Kingdom of God on earth as it is heaven. We are ministers of reconciliation, envoys, ambassadors...representing God and his will, wishes and desires. For this to take place...we are fighting in two locations...we are trained or organized to fight on both land and sea...on earth and in the heavens...but before the first blow is struck on earth...we must fight in the heavens. If we don't...we will be wearing ourselves out...by fighting the wrong enemy...flesh and blood.

At Bushido School of Karate...run by Sensei Bill Taylor...we are trained to fight, defend, and deal with the enemy. In Wado Ryu (our style of karate) there are no wasted movements, but subtle shiftings, twists, turns. On thing Mr. Taylor tells us...that "FIGHTING IS A GAME OF ADJUSTMENTS." If you don't adjust...and try to fight with a mind set on one way...then you will lose. A fight that starts out on your feet can easily end up on the ground...and if you are fighting with a standing mindset...you lose. You must ADJUST to the attack of the enemy... to be able to defend appropriately.

We are at WAR...that takes place in the heavenlies...and is manifested on earth. Two places of battle...but NEVER FEAR...we are AMPHIBIOUS (A.B.). We are on a mission (Go-Mission) from God...Spiritual Operations (S.O.) have been...and continually are being trained and organized to fight.

In Wado Ryu karate...everything begins and ends with respect...or as I like to call it...REI-spect. Rei simply means to bow. We can either bow standing or down on our knees... in preparation for our workout. In the kingdom of God...I like to call this KNEEOLOGY.

NOTE: In my 10+ years...I have never been taught, encouraged, forced to bow down and worship or pledge my allegiance to any man or deity. I bend my knee to NO human, false God, demon. The bow is a sign of REI-spect.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Next time we will be looking at the (1) battlefield (2) enemy (3) armour (4) weapons
(5) schemes (6) how to counter the schemes

Love and Amphibious Kisses
Rodney "Let's Get Ready To Ruuuuuuummmmmmmmmbbbbllle" Boyd

RUN devil RUN

Greetings Believers in the D.B.R. For those new to the Ramblings...the D.B.R. stands for DEATH...BURIAL...RESURRECTION...NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS. The GOSPEL...aka...the Good News...is the power of God... for salvation...to EVERYONE who believes...to the Jew first...and also to the Greeks. (Romans 1:16) That word POWER/DUNAMIS...means dynamic ABILITY.

This thing called salvation is NOT just our train ticket to glory. We don't just "get saved" and then wait at the railroad station of the glory train to come on down and pick us up. Between the point of salvation and the point of homecoming...there is a little thing called life...that we are still living. The difference is...we now live with a different perspective.

QUESTION: What does Paul McCartney and C.S. Lewis have in common?
ANSWER: (1) England (although C.S. was born in Ireland) (2) Words (songs, poems, literature) (3) The devil/demons.

In 1999...Sir Paul...fresh off of the Beatles Anthology series...had recorded Flaming Pie...and now releases an album by the name of RUN DEVIL RUN. It was a collection of obscure oldies that compliments another of his projects of oldies called CHOBA B CCCP.


Paul saw a herbal medicine shop in Atlanta Georgia that was selling various products including RUN DEVIL RUN products. These included various powders, potions, poultices designed to deal with (1) trouble makers
(2) meddling relatives (3) evil neighbors (3) the devil.

Paul was inspired to write a song based on that phrase...RUN DEVIL RUN. He wrote it...keeping with the theme of obscure oldies...in the style of Chuck Berry where he told a story. The story line is about a Holy Roller lady in the swamp of Alabama (with a mission on her mind)..who has got to spread to Word to "anybody she can find". She fights the devil for her brother and sister who are drinkin', fightin', and getting thrown into jail. The chorus that she fights with is:

Run devil Run...angels havin' fun
Makin' winners out of sinners...better leave before it's done
When he gets through...he'll be comin' after you
Listen what I'm saying...Ruuuuuun....RUN devil RUN.

Once we enter into this thing called salvation....we become an active participant in the WAR. There is an enemy...who is the devil (little d...never give him the respect of capitalization). The enemy...the devil was defeated at the CROSS. He thought that he had won...but if he only realized what was about to be unleashed on the gates of hell....he would never had incited the death of Jesus.

C.S. Lewis...a former atheist...who returned to his roots and proclaimed Jesus Christ...wrote many books including: The Chronicles of Narnia, Mere Christianity, Surprised By Joy, The Space Trilogy (to many books to name here)...and THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS.

The Screwtape letters was released in 1942...as a series of letters from a senior demon (screwtape) to his nephew...a junior tempter (wormwood). He was giving wormwood advice on methods for damnation of an earthly man (the Patient). There were a series of 31 letters...and ended with the phrase...
"Your affectionate uncle, screwtape". Screwtape also refers to his superior as "the father below"...and refers to God as..."the enemy".

For our purposes in this Rambling...realize (1) that there is an enemy (2) the enemy has schemes against you (3) the enemy is an accuser, a liar, a thief, a manipulator, a destroyer, a prideful fallen angel who desires the worship that God receives (4) is like/as if a roaring lion seeking who he can destroy (5) tries to steal the seed of the Word of God out of your heart/soil whenever it is sown in you (see Mark 4).

QUESTION: How can we deal with the devil
ANSWER: He has already been DEALT from the cross to the empty tomb.
WHAT NOW: We begin to take authority.

CAUTION: The devil and his well orchestrated demons are not to be underestimated or taken lightly. We just can't resist the devil.

"You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with HUMILITY toward one another, for God is OPPOSED to the PROUD...but gives GRACE to the HUMBLE. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all of your anxiety/cares upon Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your ADVERSARY the devil...prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour/destroy. BUT RESIST HIM...firm in your faith...knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. And after you have suffered for a little, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." (I Peter 5:5-10)

RESISTANCE FORCE PREPARATION

1. Learn authority chain of command. (be subject to your elders). There is wisdom with experience.
2. Let humility be directed towards each other. (internal fighting can pull a house down). We are not each others enemy...the devil is.
3. Don't oppose God (by your attitude toward one another). When you oppose God...you will be on the losing end of the deal.
4. Don't wait for God to force you down. (we have a choice). Placing yourself under the hand/authority of God will give you authority on
the battlefield
5. Get ready for the proper time (not your timetable). God's proper time is the perfect time.
6. Take control of anxiety instead of anxiety controlling you. (take what is pulling you in twenty different directions and cast it to Him...
the one who can actually cares about you...and can do something about it)
7. Sober up in your spirit (be clear in your communication system with the Spirit of God...so you can understand His directives)
8. Keep your eyes wide open all the time (ala Johnny Cash).
9. Realize that you have an adversary...and the adversary is not flesh and blood...but is the devil (Ephesians 6)
10 When you hear the roar of fear...realize it is your adversary...the devil...trying to strike fear in your heart and negate your faith.
11. Know that your enemy...adversary...the devil...is seeking someone to devour. (He ain't playing a game).
12. BUT RESIST HIM. Do not allow the devil to devour you. You have authority because of the D.B.R. over this lying devil.

WARNING: Do not try to RESIST the devil...if you are not walking in steps 1-11. If you are rebellious over the authorities that God has placed over you...if you are arrogant against each other...if God is opposing you because of your pride...if you are still standing in your pride and not humbling yourself under the hand of God...if you are walking in anxiety and holding onto every fearful thing instead of letting God handle things....THEN...you have NO AUTHORITY...other than yourself...and the devil will TEAR YOU UP!!!!

13. Be firm in the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not revealed to the senses. (that would be faith in the D.B.R.)
14. Realize that you are not the only one under attack by the devil. You have brothers and sisters all over the world that are going
through the same things you are dealing with in the warfare.

NOTE: That this SUFFERING...is not God making you SUFFER...but is the result of an attack by the devourer...aka the devil.

15. Instead of focusing on the current suffering...focus on the outcome of being IN CHRIST (with that yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Ghost)....which will be done by God Himself as He (1) perfects (2) confirms (3) strengthens
(4) and establishes you.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!!!

Now...with this mindset in place....

RUN devil RUN...angels havin' fun
Makin' winners out of sinners...better leave before he's done
When he gets through...he'll be comin' after you
Listen what I'm saying to you...ruuuuuuuun.....RUN devil RUN (in the name/authority of JESUS...and not in the name of Rodney)

Love and Devil Bustin' Kisses
Rodney "Under The Mighty Hand of God" Boyd