DECIPHERING THE MEANINGS OF THE TETRAD ECLIPSES

Note: Research on the tetrad eclipses has become more widely known through the works of Mark Biltz; and I believe the information within this article can contribute to his.

Deciphering the meanings of eclipses requires the application of a secret known only to a few “Magi”—those who actually look at the heavens and do not rely mainly (or solely) on computer simulations and planet charts. The secret is to observe what is going on in the rest of the heavens while Earth’s shadow dims the Moon’s reflective light. During that time, which can last a couple of hours, the observer can read other parts of the heavens; and this is a significant key to interpreting a lunar eclipse. The actual location of the Moon is important, but the full message of the eclipse can only be understood by observing the movements and locations of other celestial bodies.

This is especially interesting now since there are a series of four lunar eclipses lined up on the recurring Feast Days of Passover and Tabernacles in 2014 and 2015 (not to mention two solar eclipses in 2015). These are total lunar eclipses providentially occurring on these Jewish holy days; and according to Colossians 2:16 and 17, the holy days are shadows of things to come. In other words, the feast days are already prophetic indicators and these eclipses are marking them and drawing our attention to them.

A major part of the message of the tetrad eclipses can be gleaned from retrogrades of Mars and Venus that will occur during the first and last eclipses. Both retrogrades will occur in highly significant locations: Mars’ retrograde will be in Virgo, the first constellation in the scroll of the heavens, during the first eclipse; and Venus’ retrograde will be in Leo, the last constellation in the scroll of the heavens, in the last eclipse. These point out the first and second comings of the Messiah—the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega—as well as the Bright and Morning Star represented through Venus.

Lunar eclipses only happen on full moons—when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun and its path takes it through the Earth’s shadow. Typically, the night of a full moon is the worst night of the month for reading the heavens since its reflective light outshines all the other celestial bodies. This is what makes a lunar eclipse so significant—when the moonlight diminishes, the other lights can be seen and their messages read. So, when each eclipse of the tetrad occurs, the deeper message pronounced in the rest of the heavens will be like a hidden mystery to decode. It will be like God putting His hand over the Moon and asking us, “Okay, what can you see now?”

Anyone can observe a lunar eclipse; but noting the movements and placements of the stars and planets during the eclipse, e.g., retrogrades, requires a deeper understanding that is not generally known by those who rely mainly upon computer simulations and charts. There are astronomers and even Christological astronomers who focus their study on man’s simulations and written records; but to be a Magi, one must read the actual celestial “manuscript” (night sky) and get in touch with its Author. This is how we will gain the necessary understanding to interpret the message that God is sending out through the tetrad eclipses. We must spend time in the celestial cathedral reading the astrologos as we observe the retrogrades of Mars and Venus during the first and last eclipses if we truly want to know what they are announcing.

These two major retrogrades wrap the tetrad eclipses together like the opening and closing chapters of a book. The overall message is not necessarily that the Messiah is coming at any specific time; but it is a huge celestial announcement for those who have eyes to see. Although we do not know what exactly will happen during these times, there is still much to learn from taking note of where these planets are retrograding and the objects they pass. I believe some earthshaking news may be revealed about the coming of Messiah.   

The First Eclipse of the Tetrad (April 15, 2014)

To decipher the message of a lunar eclipse, we must take note of its location. The first tetrad eclipse, which will occur on April 15, 2014 (Passover) around 2 am EDT, will be located in the constellation of Virgo. Mars will be immediately next to it; and as the Moon begins to eclipse, it will pass directly in front of the star Spica, occulting (hiding) it until the eclipse is done. All the while, Mars will be “drawing” a circle around Spica and the Moon in the process of its three-month retrograde.

This simultaneous occurrence of Earth’s shadow hiding the Moon while the Moon hides Spica is very, very rare. The timing of these two events coinciding with Mars’ retrograde is enough to send a chill up your spine—especially when you realize the significance of Spica. Of all the stars on the ecliptic path (the Sun’s path), it is perhaps the one that most clearly announces the coming of Messiah. Spica is the brightest star in the constellation of Virgo, the promise of the coming One. Spica is its more modern Latin name; but in Arabic, its name is Al Zemach, and its Hebrew name is Tsemach, both meaning “the righteous branch” or “the offspring of God.” Spica announces the coming of the King or the Offspring of God. This should be enough to make a Magi or even a Christological astronomer stand up and take notice. The Moon will be in total eclipse at exactly the same time it moves in front of the most messianic star of the heavens—all while Mars is encircling them both! We do not even have to be a Magi or a rocket scientist to realize that now is the time to “lift up your eyes because your redemption draws nigh” (Luke 21:28).

So when the moonlight dims during its eclipse, we will be able to clearly see the message in the rest of the heavens. Since Mars will be right next to the Moon during this first tetrad eclipse, it will be hardly visible at first because of the reflective light that is still escaping around the Moon’s edges. However, as the eclipse proceeds to its fullest point and the light decreases, it will become more visible. The Hebrew word for Mars is Madim, meaning “the red one.” As this red planet is observed closely, it will appear to move in a circle around the eclipse as the Moon hides Al Zemach (Spica), the righteous branch.

The ancient Magi read and interpreted retrogrades; and that can be seen in their understanding of the sky’s announcement of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The planet Jupiter was in retrograde in Leo during Jesus’ birth and this, in part, signified to the Magi the birth announcement of the King of the Judeans. The present Mars retrograde will encircle the messenger star hidden behind the lunar eclipse on Passover 2014—Spica, “the righteous branch” or “the offspring of God,” that says Messiah is coming. This eclipse, this occultation, and this retrograde are all happening at the same place and at the same time in the heavens on a major holy day that is a prophetic indicator.

The present retrograde of Mars began on March 6^th and will gradually backtrack westerly until mid-May when it will appear to turn around and head back around Spica. I have written two separate articles on the retrogrades of Mars and what they have meant to the nation of Israel, which can be read at http://www.lmci.org/PDFs/EpiskoposMar2012.pdf and http://www.lmci.org/PDFs/EpiskoposDec2013.pdf The Christological meaning of Mars is “Messiah the Warrior,” and it appears He and His angels are ready to fight for the kingdom that belongs to Him.  

If someone told you that Mars was drawing a circle in the sky, would you think that was important? Would you think that where it is drawing a circle is significant? The fact that it is drawing its circle around one of the most poignant stars announcing the coming of Messiah and in tandem with the encircling the eclipsing Moon while it (the Moon) occults that same star is huge! This emphatically shows that Messiah will fight for the kingdom of God and His people. Watch out for war; and the enemies of Israel had better beware because history shows that Messiah is on Israel’s side.

I have been on several radio interviews about the celestial Word of God where I discussed the significance of these eclipses, and all of those programs are interested in end-time events being prophesied. Si Robertson would probably say, “Hey Jack, pay attention!” Lunar eclipses and circles being drawn by planets on feast days should be enough to get our attention. The heavens are declaring that Messiah is coming.

The Last Eclipse of the Tetrad (September 27/28, 2015)

As already mentioned, there is another retrograde happening during the last eclipse of the 2014–2015 tetrad.  Do you think it is significant that Venus will be drawing a circle in the sky during the last tetrad eclipse? Venus will be drawing a circle in Leo, the last constellation in the scroll of the heavens. In the first of the eclipses, Mars will draw a circle in Virgo, the first constellation on the scroll of the heavens; and in the last of the eclipses, Venus will draw its retrograde circle in the last of the constellations on the scroll, Leo. These retrogrades in these specific constellations are like the bookends of the tetrad, and they provide additional insight to the message of the Messiah’s coming. They say that Messiah is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. He is the Bright and Morning Star, and His coming is being announced in the heavens.

This last tetrad eclipse will begin on the evening of September 27 at 11 pm EDT and end around 1 am on September 28. Its location will be in the constellation of Pisces, within the horizontal band of the fish. This band is prophetic of the Gentile nations while the vertical fish of the constellation prophetically represents Israel. This location of the Moon proclaims that Messiah is coming for the whole world and not just to rescue the Jews. The Great Mystery was fulfilled in the heavens on the night of Jesus’ birth, as seen by the planet of Uranus (not visible to the naked eye) abiding in the exact spot where the Moon will be eclipsed—marking the salvation of the Gentiles and the promise of Messiah to come for them too. This is saying to all who have eyes to see—the King of kings is coming for His inheritance.

Venus begins its retrograde in Leo prior to the last of the tetrad eclipses and will be completing its loop in the sky at the time of the last eclipse. The planet will appear to encircle Leo’s front legs, which is the general location of Regulus, the star involved in announcing Messiah’s first coming. Regulus is the brightest star in Leo and means “the King ruling over the enemy.” This retrograde will also be positioned directly over the head of Hydra, which represents Satan as the sea serpent.

As the light of the Moon begins to dim while passing through Earth’s shadow, Venus, the Bright and Morning Star, will finish out its retrograde in Leo. This is the echo of the first eclipse’s message, “you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why”—Messiah is coming to our planet very soon.

Summation

Discover the deepest prophetic meaning of a total lunar eclipse by reading the heavens while the moonlight is dimmest. During the upcoming tetrad of 2014–2015, the heavens will brilliantly announce the Messiah’s coming through the retrogrades of the first and last eclipses, wrapping the tetrad into a neat prophetic package that contains a message out of the only accurate calendar we have. The heavens are declaring the coming of the King.

The Bible emphatically states that the day of Lord is a dark day of dread and of wrath and tribulation and anguish (Joel 2). Some may say that the eclipses will herald foreboding announcements of judgment and retribution, and it’s true that these things are scripturally promised to precede Messiah’s coming. Yet, in their truest sense, these eclipses and retrogrades that announce His coming herald much more than impending calamity.

Joel 2:31 and Acts 2:20 tell us that the Sun turning to darkness (a solar eclipse) and the Moon to blood (a lunar eclipse) precedes the day of the Lord. It is not likely that the day of the Lord will occur during the tetrad of 2014–2015, but it will occur sometime in the not-too-distant future afterward. There are many other signs in the heavens that have been announcing, and will continue to announce, the same revelation to all who will look up and take the time to see what they are saying. Messiah is coming!

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.

© 2014 Liberating Ministries for Christ International, Inc

CONTENDING FOR THE ASTROLOGOS

Much attention is given to the written Word of God and also to the Incarnate Word, the Word in the flesh; yet who is contending for the Astrologos, the revelation of Messiah in the heavens? Psalm 19:1 claims that the heavens declare the glory of God; and since the glory of God is manifested in Messiah, we must come to grips that the devil has stolen and perverted the truth that Jesus Christ is revealed through the heavens in his effort to hide the Redeemer from mankind. Who thinks of Messiah when they look up at the stars, and how many know how to read the (true) astrologos? 

I began my research into biblical astronomy over 40 years ago, but its significance only recently hit me as I realized the consequences of Satan’s treachery that he stole God’s glory out of the heavens. It is almost like England seizing and holding the crown jewels of India. Satan is holding what rightfully belongs to Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah of God—the crux, or central theme, of the entire celestial cathedral. Satan, represented by the constellation of Draco (the dragon of retribution) centered in the highest spot in the north sky, has commandeered the understanding of the Messianic message and turned it into a mockery of astro-diviners, conjurers, and fortune tellers. All the while, the real truth being cloaked is the Astrologos—the promised Messiah of God, who is being beamed nightly to every spirit in the world. Sadly, it is not understood because Satan has blinded the hearts of those that believe. And while non-Christians don’t understand it, neither do the majority of Christians—nor do they even think about the Astrologos. Even if their thoughts should accidentally drift up to the stars to consider that there is a message in them, most Christians would view the “reading” of the constellations as an occult practice that belongs strictly to the devil and astrologers (astro-diviners).

In contending for the Astrologos, I am prepared to go the distance and into the parking lot too. This is personal to me because of my relationship with The Astrologos. In a deep prayer session in the celestial cathedral after returning from India, the Lord asked me if I was willing to negotiate with Satan over the astrologos. “Absolutely not,” I replied.  Then he said, “You have been already negotiating with him because he has the word astrology and you are afraid to take it back.” He finished with, “A religious spirit that has warped your thinking has had you duped.”

I know what this means: in order to get to the astrologos, I am going to have to go through the word “astrology” as well. The roots for both of these words are the same. Astro means “stars;” while logos is a Greek word meaning “word” and the root stem from which the suffix “ology” comes, meaning “the study of.” Contending for the astrologos (the word of the stars) necessitates redeeming from the devil’s clutches the term astrology (the study of the stars) as well.

So, is it wrong to study the stars? Of course not; and there is nothing evil about the word astrology, which is clearly defined as “the study of the stars.” The problem has come from Satan’s perversion of this word that has resulted in those who are actually mediums, spirit channelers, and conjurers being defined as “astrologers.” Why would he pervert the word this way? Because he is endeavoring to hide the prized jewel that the true study of the stars would reveal—the astrologos: the Word of the stars.

The main Hebrew word that is translated “astrologer” in the Bible is ‘ashshaph, and it is more properly translated as “conjurer.” Conjurers make up information about the future as they go, and endeavor to obtain it from spirit sources. They can’t get true information concerning the future from demons, because they do not have it. What the conjurers can do is send the demons out to do their bidding through black magic; and that gives them the illusion of knowing the future, when in reality they are witches conjuring demons to do assignments. These are not astrologers—these are astro-diviners. The payment that the demon gets from duping the person is a free ride in their body and the astro-diviner gets his pocket lined with the money coming from fleecing the victim. It is a win/win outcome for the demon and the astro-diviner, but a lose/lose outcome for the victim of the deception—and then to top it off they call themselves astrologers. They are not astro-ologers, they are astro-diviners.

(Incidentally, stealing words and claiming them for himself is not a new trick for Satan.  He also did it with the word “seer.” [See 1 Samuel 9:9.])

Thus, I use the word “astro-diviners” to accurately describe these occult activities instead of continuing to negotiate with the devil over the word astrologos and the word astrology. He can have his word “astro-diviners,” but I am taking back what belongs to my Master. As far as I am concerned, the proper terminology of those who have previously been called astrologers is now officially changed to astro-diviners; and, in addition, I now officially re-claim the word “astrology” in the name of Jesus Christ. Even if no one else recognizes this, I know what the Lord spoke to me when He asked, “Do you know how long it has been since anyone contended for my glory out of the heavens?” I may not know how long it has been, but I do know that I will contend for His glory out of the heavens; and I know that there are others who are eager to join in.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and I will not negotiate over the astrologos or its related word astrology. I am taking back what the devil has stolen from God’s family. Will you join me in contending for the Astrologos—Jesus the Messiah? He has been revealed as the Bright and Morning Star, the center of celestial revelation, the Promised One; and He is brilliantly displayed night after night over every village in the world. Satan has stolen the knowledge of God’s glory in the heavens—or, at the very least, hidden it from us to understand and share.

Jesus of Nazareth is Messiah, the Promised One, prophesied throughout all the Scriptures from beginning to end—not just in the Holy Bible but even within the ancient Vedas of India. He has come, and to this hour He is declared in the heavens day unto day and night unto night. The celestial lights tell of his first coming and the promise of Him returning as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Blessings on all who believe on Him through His first coming and who now await His return. He is the Astrologos!

Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.                                                                                                Luke 21:28b  

THE MOST ABUNDANT FISHERY FOR MEN IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD

And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”                                                                                                Matthew 4:19

While on my recent trip to India (February/March 2014), the Lord showed me perhaps the largest available catch of men (people) in the history of the world. He also taught me the best net to use, as well as how to cast it, so that I could conceivably pull in millions of Hindus into His kingdom. The following is a brief synopsis of what I saw while in India, including His amazing method of fishing.

My personal goal on this mission trip was to sow Christological Astronomy and the knowledge of God’s celestial word into the nation of India; and I believe it was well accomplished. In my preparation for teaching Christological Astronomy in India, I studied Hindu astrology to come up with a game plan going in; however, I was unprepared for what I found. The research was sufficient for “blowing holes” in Hindu astrology, as I had in both North and South America; but I discovered that astrology, or “astro-divining” is a much bigger deal in Hinduism and throughout all India than in either of the Americas. In fact, it is so huge there that it has given the Indian church an even worse attitude about the celestial message than either North or South American churches. 

When I discovered that Hindu kids are taught the heavens and already know the constellations at an early age, I was blown out of the water. Because they were already primed for this information, I was able to easily show them Messiah in the heavens. When I explained His birth to them, they got it and readily accepted it.

I saw this same readiness and acceptance in Indian adults when I witnessed God’s celestial message on the streets to both a Hindu and a Muslim in the same afternoon and hooked the two of them on Messiah! I also found prophecies in the ancient Vedas that told of Messiah’s coming and gave accounts of the wise men (magi) from India who went to find Him. However, it was disappointing to observe that the Indians who had been raised Christian had absolutely no knowledge of, or respect for, these celestial messages. Those who were raised as Hindus knew a great deal about them and respected their authority; thus, they were far more receptive to the truths of Messiah being written in the heavens than their Christian-raised counterparts.

Please understand that even as a new “magi,” the knowledge and secrets I am carrying far predate what any astro-diviner has ever considered. This is because they were hidden in the Bible for true followers of Messiah to find. One of the greatest weapons God has armed me with is the ability to debunk astrology; and I find myself holding the keys to potentially the most abundant harvest of men and women for the kingdom of God in the history of the world. Since I do like to fish and have experienced the giddiness of finding the “honey hole” loaded with trophies, I am currently prepping to haul in a net overflowing with an abundance of people for God’s kingdom. My boasting is in the Lord because He was the One who gave me the zeal and courage to defy the church and most everyone else to recapture His truth written in the heavens. He has now brought me stand upon the threshold of bringing in a huge catch for His kingdom, where I will catch Hindus by the thousands, if not millions! Think I am excited?

As exciting as this is, the obstacle of the uninformed/misinformed religious attitude of the church still stands in my way. This attitude is not only present in the American church; it is even more prevalent in the Indian church. Here is my dilemma: I have been given the ability to harvest multitudes of Indian Hindus; but to do so means offending the church. After thinking this through and seeking God for help, my anxiety melted away when I realized that the catch that awaits the kingdom of God is made up of those trapped in the deception of Hinduism. 

I am fishing in these waters. I have the right to do so according to the Scriptures and will not be forbidden, even in the face of a fierce battle with religious attitudes and spirits.

How to Gather the Harvest

I have envisioned pulling a huge trawl, or fishing net, in an enormous circle and seeing thousands of people teeming into the kingdom of God. I have already been working on the net and am swiftly approaching the launching time. About a year ago, the Lord said to me, “I am going to change you from a hook-and-line fisherman into a commercial fisherman.” I got excited about the increased numbers of fish I could catch with a net; and then it dawned on me that the word “commercial” also includes a profit. Both aspects excite me, because I desire to plunder Hell and populate Heaven. The Lord also told me that what I was building at that time was the net or trawl that would gather the people in.  I knew He was speaking of the computer programs a number of us have been working on for several years. Because of God’s providence and leading of the Holy Spirit, we have constructed computer programs that explain Christological Astronomy in order to lead people into understanding who Messiah is, as well as giving them the potential for accepting Him as Redeemer and King. We are marketing it as the MAZ, or my MyAccurateZodiac. MAZ arguably has the most accurate planetary locations available. It has already caused NASA to rethink certain aspects of their astronomy programs, which has the potential of global impact upon other astronomy programs. MAZ could bring some much-needed clout into India where technology is thriving and knowledge is king. I am praying for the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to help.

In my recent trip to India, my goal for teaching the live classes was 2 Timothy 2:2—to teach faithful men to teach others. I verbalized that I hoped to get at least 20 faithful English-speaking believers that I could train to teach others. That goal was far exceeded because I didn’t get 20—I got 200!  These are young Indian students who are zealous to recapture the glory of God out of the heavens that Satan has stolen. We have developed the Christological Astronomy Online Institute to train these 200 budding magi and teachers the celestial word of God, who will then be able to train others in their own languages. This is the Lord’s provision of laborers for the harvest.

A dilemma that will swiftly come upon us is the discipleship of those who will be added to the kingdom of God. The teachers who will be trained through the online institute will be a big part of this answer, as well as the Indian apostles throughout the nation that I am in contact with. They are all informed of what I am doing and have expressed a desire to help.    

This is truly great news for fishers of men. Imagine what it will be like to bring the knowledge of Messiah to so many who have been deceived by idols and abusive astro-diviners. With India’s population of almost a billion Hindus, this could be the greatest fishery for men and harvest for the kingdom of God in the history of the world. 

Please pray and intercede for the harvest, as well as for me and all the other laborers. I will keep posting updates as they come.   

Breaking Spiritual Cabals or Stopping a Demon Double-Team

Recently I was watching my favorite basketball team, NCSU (North Carolina State University), get beaten by a less talented team. NCSU’s key player was scoring almost at will until the other team began to aggressively use an effective defensive strategy against him. As soon as he touched the ball, the opposing team’s players left who they were guarding and surrounded him instead, perpetually flustering and angering him so much that he eventually fouled out of the game. Sad to say, NCSU became a victim of what is known as “double-teaming” and ended up losing that game.

Double-teaming is an effective defense tactic employed in most team competitions and/or military battles. Even kids who have played street ball learn early that in order to stop the other team’s momentum, they have to go after the star players. As Christ followers, most of us are unaware that this defensive ploy is also used by our enemy, Satan, and his cohorts against God’s star players. Satan does this by assigning a spiritual cabal against them to frustrate, discourage, and eventually destroy them.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines a cabal as: “a conspiratorial group of plotters and intriguers; or a secret scheme or plot.” In our context, a cabal is a group of spiritual conspirators gathered for the purpose and devoted to the cause of destroying its victim (us). A spiritual cabal is sent to counteract a movement in God’s kingdom. This counter strategy brings about an effective defense—whether in the kingdom of God or in your hometown basketball league.

 

Some scriptural examples of double-teaming will help us to recognize its significance—especially for those who are endeavoring to serve God and shine as lights in this world. In this article, we will take a look at several biblical examples of God’s people who were attacked by demonic cabals, namely Daniel, Job, David, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Paul, and, of course, Jesus. We will also look at some key New Testament truths that will show us how to break these off of ourselves and other stars in God’s kingdom.

Ephesians 6:12 reveals that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood; therefore, we understand that the conflicts we endure are caused by spiritual beings. Quite often these are cabals of demons conspiring against the Lord’s anointed, meaning they are targeting those who are effective and victorious. Isn’t it obvious that these demonic cabals would go after the big scorers in God’s kingdom? Just as the double-team tactic is used in sports to confuse the opponent’s offense and take away the strength of their team, so are the demonic double-teams used against God’s kingdom to confuse us and ultimately weaken the body of Christ.

Practically speaking, I learned about the strategy of double-teaming as a kid when I used to play basketball behind my house. However, I had no idea this was a spiritual tactic being used against God’s people until my great friend and senior prophet in the body of Christ, John Sandford of Elijah House shared it with me. Also, John’s spiritual son, Henry Malone of Vision Life Ministries, mentioned it to me as a type of advanced spiritual warfare tactic used against each of us at one time or another. He actually helped me see one such cabal that had been assigned to me. This was during a point in time when various strange things were happening in my life: I had poisonous snakes in my house, my physical body came under attack, and I felt as if my mind had reached its expansion limits. As I was prostrate on the floor of my office thinking about death, I cried out to Jesus. He heard my prayer and told me to call Henry.

Henry explained to me what was happening; then he ministered to me and broke the cabal off of me. Praise the Lord! Since then, I have learned the biblical model and want to pass it along to you. When the demonic double-team that was conspiring against me was stopped, it saved my life; so I know that what I am about to share can save yours.  

We will first look at some examples of demonic cabals that were assigned to people in the Old Testament and then move to the New Testament and see how to break the assignments of these conspiratorial spiritual assassins.

Old Testament Examples of Demonic Cabals/Double-Teaming

Each of the Old Testament super heroes who had spiritual cabals assigned against them had to handle them in their own way, especially since some had opened up back doors that allowed the attacks to come upon them. These attacks are sometimes so intense that death can be the consequence, as seen in the lives of both Moses and Elijah (the two witnesses who God considered worthy enough to show up on the Mount of Transfiguration in Mark 9:2–9). The one commonality in the following examples is that these were all frontline starters on the kingdom of God team. Their commitment and obedience to the Lord is what drew the attention of the evil spirit realm and resulted in demonic cabals being assigned to them, as evidenced through the huge struggles in their lives. (This is clearly spelled out in Job’s case.) Each one of these guys had their picture in the devil’s post office and was wanted dead and not alive!

Note: The examples used here are only a sampling of the heroes who were double-teamed in the Old Testament. When we consider the lives of Joseph, Samson, and Solomon, it is easy to see that these men were also targeted as were numerous others.

Daniel was a mighty man of God whose life and influence spanned two world empires. Even though he was a Jew, he was made chief counselor to the kings of both Babylon and Persia because of his knowledge and wisdom. Daniel’s prophecies of the coming King of Judah led the magi to the site of the young Messiah nearly 600 years after his death. His writings continue to be all but deified even in our present age because of his prophecies of the end times. I assure you that Daniel was worthy of being double-teamed.

Daniel was such a big hitter and superstar for the kingdom that he believed if he would pray and fast, God would show him the future of the nation of Israel. He did and God did. In the midst of this fast, when his information arrived, an angel told him why it had taken so long—a cabal had been stacked against him as seen in Daniel 10. Daniel 10:20 shows the two major spirits that worked in tandem to thwart the purpose and revelation from God.

He replied, “Do you know why I have come? Soon I must return to fight against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia, and then against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Greece.”                                                                                                                                                                                Daniel 10:20

                                                                                   New Living Translation (NLT)

 

Daniel was being double-teamed by the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia and the spirit prince of the kingdom of Greece! This wicked cabal was endeavoring to counter his prayers; and if they had succeeded, we would not have the breathtakingly accurate and intriguing end-time prophecies that we read today in the book of Daniel. Thank God for the victory and Daniel’s perseverance. At the end of his venture, he was physically exhausted; and of course, fasting for 21 days can do that. However, when the angel ministered strength to Daniel (Daniel 10:16–18), I believe it was not just physical but spiritual as well. Not only had he just completed a long fast that affected him physically, but he had also been spiritually engaged in prayers that were so intense that they impacted the battle that was raging in the heavens above him.

This particular double-team that came against Daniel, made up of the two spirits of Persia and Greece, is perhaps the most blatant example of a spiritual cabal in the Scriptures. The reason they were assigned to him is because he chose to actively do something for God’s kingdom rather than to sit passively in Babylon as a whining captive. Daniel made a habit of praying three times daily and got in trouble for it—he was a superstar for the kingdom and consequently drew a double-team.

Job is another biblical example of someone who was assigned a cabal. According to Job 1:1, Job was “blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” In verse 3 it goes on to say that he was “the greatest of all the people of the East.” This is just the kind of Godly individual that Satan loves to target and assign a double-team to. In the process of writing a paper on Job for my doctoral studies, I discovered that there was much controversy amongst the theologians over what really happened to him and why. Regardless of the reason for Job’s misfortune, Job 1:6–12 makes it clear that there was an evil plan perpetrated against him by Satan himself, which involved a strategic array of attacks that were executed in a deadly and timely manner (Job 1:13–20).

It was no coincidence that he was initially attacked simultaneously by at least four different spirits at the same time—a double double-team! First, the Sabeans stole all the oxen (taking away a big source of his food) and killed his servants; second, fire fell from heaven and burned up all his sheep (more food and perhaps clothing) and more servants; third, the Chaldeans stole his camels (commerce and travel) and killed even more servants; fourth, a wind destroyed the building where all ten of his children were partying, resulting in their deaths. As if these disasters were not enough, he was then smitten with boils, goaded by his wife to curse God and die, and ended up cursing himself—and then he had to put up with the religious spirits of condemnation who showed up at his door.

Job was assigned a serious cabal. What this group of spirits was able to pull off was much bigger than what one demon could have accomplished. This string of catastrophes was not coincidental, and the following verse reveals the culprit who masterminded it.  

So the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.                                                                                             Job 1:12

 We could sit and cry all day long about what happened to Job, but since our discussion is about spiritual cabals we will stay focused on the strategy that the enemy used against him. Satan formulated the plan, drafted demons out of his army, and implemented it all in one day—just to make Job curse God (Job 1:11). Thankfully, it did not work; and, in the end (Job 42:12–17), God “double-teamed” Job in a good way by doubling his blessings!

David was a worshipper and a warrior who was passionate to defend his God and His interests—a man after God’s heart as well as the slayer of Goliath. This combination definitely drew the attention of demons and a double-team/cabal. We see this initially with Saul’s jealousy and his consistent assassination attempts on David’s life, which forced him to live on the run for a number of years; then, once he became the official king of Israel, he was successfully tempted into adultery and even murder; then, against God’s will, he conducted a census of Israel to measure his strength; and eventually, his house was divided by his own son, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Israelites. David lamented over the effects of this spiritual cabal in Psalm 18:4 when he recorded, “the pangs of death encompassed me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.”

Moses also had a cabal set up against him when he was called to go back to Egypt after spending many years in the desert. This can be seen clearly in the apocryphal book of Jubilees 48:2b–4.

And thou thyself knowest what He spake unto thee on Mount Sinai, and what prince Mastema [Satan] desired to do with thee when thou wast returning into Egypt. Did he not with all his power seek to slay thee and deliver the Egyptians out of thy hand when he saw that thou wast sent to execute judgment and vengeance on the Egyptians? And I delivered thee out of his hand, and thou didst perform the signs and wonders which thou wast sent to perform in Egypt against Pharaoh.                                                                    Jubilees 48:2b–4

It is understandable that Satan would form a confederacy against Moses, who was God’s chosen man to free the Israelites from their slavery. In Exodus 4:24–26 there is an account of Moses’ failure to circumcise his son that may have left the back door open for a spiritual attack. This record shows that Moses’ life was on the line, but he was saved when his wife grabbed a sharp stone and performed the ritual on their son.

Elijah seems to have had a cabal fashioned against him after the incident at Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18) when Jezebel cursed him. He certainly appeared spiritually disoriented for awhile according to 1 Kings 19:4.

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”                                                                                                                    1 Kings 19:4

 John the Baptist was probably also double-teamed by a spiritual cabal as evidenced by his questioning if Jesus was actually the Messiah when he was put into prison (Matthew 11:2–3).

Paul of Tarsus, the apostle, confessed that the messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him (2 Corinthians 12:7). He likewise penned the truth in Ephesians 6:12 that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, and he probably knew this from experience as well as by revelation. Again, it is rather predictable that if spiritual cabals exist, certainly, Paul would get a double- or perhaps even triple-team against him.

Jesus the Messiah was obviously double-teamed probably more than once, but most notably in the hours leading up to His crucifixion. There are a couple of verses in Psalm 22 that prophesy of the cabal set against the Messiah during this time.

Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.                                                                                                Psalm 22:12

 

For dogs have surrounded Me; The assembly of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.                                                                Psalm 22:16–17

 

I have often wondered about the night Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed in such agony that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood (Luke 22:44). Kenneth Hagen, Sr. stated in a teaching that every demon from Satan’s kingdom tried to crush Him that night. We can get an idea of what this was like from the Mel Gibson movie, The Passion of the Christ, yet we know that it had to be much worse than what a movie could ever express. What Jesus accomplished through these hours, as well as by His crucifixion and resurrection, is what now allows us to break free of any cabals that are assigned to us.

A powerful truth that is often overlooked is that Jesus descended into hell in His spirit body and paid the spirits imprisoned there a visit; in fact, 1 Peter 3:19 says that He preached to them. I believe that the chilling message He preached to them was that He paid for the freedom of all those who call upon His name.

Christ also suffered when he died for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. So he went and preached to the spirits in prison—those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers are bowing before him.                                              1 Peter 3:18–20 and 22 NLT

During His visit to the prison of spirits, Jesus not only showed off His victory over them but He also established the rules of engagement. He made a way for us to break these cabals; but in order to do it successfully, we must follow His instructions.

How to Break a Spiritual Cabal

The key combined element in breaking a spiritual cabal is the authority we have in the name of Jesus Christ along with the blood He shed for us. Anytime His shed blood is mentioned in faith, evil spirits cut and run. The sacrifice of the perfect, sinless blood of the Lamb of God legally became the substitution for all those who call upon His name.

Many Christians correctly believe that demons have no rights over them because of the blood payment of the Righteous One; however, when has the devil ever kept the rules? He is known as the deceiver and the father of all lies; He is a liar from the beginning and no truth is in him. We must understand that we have authority to enforce our rights to that blood payment so that the deceiver does not overstep his boundaries.

Jesus’ blood was shed for our forgiveness, making it illegal for evil spirits to attach themselves to anyone who calls upon His name for salvation. By our continued application of that blood, we enforce that law. If we do not understand and act upon that authority then we will remain defenseless against any cabals he assigns to us. We have authority in the name of Yeshua the Messiah to dissolve and abolish these cabals. The following verses in Colossians contain truths that can help us. 

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed [“spoiled” in the King James Version] principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.                                                                                                      Colossians 2:13–15

 

When Colossians 2:15 says, “He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it,” the word “it” is referring to the cross in verse 14. Our victory and the authority to dissolve these cabals are in the cross—in the blood that was shed and in the sins that were forgiven. The imprisoned spirits of 1 Peter 3:19 were included in that public spectacle when Jesus showed up to preach to them before His ascension. He spoiled, or disarmed, all the principalities and powers of Satan’s kingdom. He stripped them of their weaponry and power and humbled them by His victory.

Simply stated, sin is what gives demons and spiritual powers a way into our back door. Jesus shut the door and painted it red with His blood, legally making us off-limits to demons and principalities and powers. However, the devil and his minions do not abide by the rules unless we enforce them. The body of Christ and those suffering under demonic double-teams need a fresh revelation on the blood of Jesus.

In the Old Testament, total repentance was required to break these cabals; and it is still required today. However, unlike the Old Testament where animal sacrifices were a necessary part of their repentance, Jesus’ blood was shed once and for all and must be “reapplied” to our lives within our repentance. His blood is the payment that is necessary to enforce the eviction of the trespassing demonic cabal.

After personally experiencing some cabals in my own life as well as seeing my brothers and sisters suffer under their attacks, I have learned a little about counterattacking these double-teams by enforcing the law to make them obey the rules. Remembering that Jesus Christ is our defense attorney or advocate is an absolute must.

My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.           

                                                                                    1 John 2:1

 Jesus Christ the righteous pleads our case in the heavenly courtroom. He vouches for us, as if to say, “There is no sin chargeable against my people because I paid for it.”

These cabals get assigned to those in God’s kingdom who are bright stars for Him—those who are following Christ and proclaiming His liberty through their words and actions—but yet have sinned in some way that has opened a back door. Remember the Old Testament “stars” mentioned earlier in this article, like Moses, Job, Elijah, and David. These were all wonderful servants in God’s kingdom and yet there was an open door somewhere in each of their lives that allowed these cabals to negatively affect them. Just as Job cried out for His redeemer to save him (Job 19:25–27), they probably each cried out in a similar way for that same Redeemer—that Advocate—who they knew would come. They knew from the prophecies that this Redeemer would pay the price for the forgiveness of their sin and expunge their guilt, making it illegal for demons and spiritual powers to come against them.

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth.                                                                                     Job 19:25

We can probably all agree that we have enough sin for demons to come against us; and Jesus even made an interesting statement in Matthew about agreeing with our adversary quickly.

Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you are thrown into prison.                                                Matthew 5:25

Therefore, we do not plead or even claim our innocence; however, we do claim righteousness and forgiveness by the blood of the Lamb as presented by our Attorney, Jesus Christ the Righteous. When His blood is presented in the courtroom, the case is over.

Applying the Blood of Jesus in Prayer

If you have discerned that there is a spiritual cabal assigned to you, the following prayer can help you to apply the blood of Jesus and enforce the law that will evict these trespassers off your property. (This prayer can also be used when ministering to a brother or sister who is being double-teamed.)

Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ and commit my ways to you. I confess my sins and weaknesses and stand in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, not my works. I have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but Jesus did not; and He is my payment and Redeemer. I agree quickly with my accusers that I have sin, but I claim my righteousness in Jesus Christ. Because I am righteous, no demon or evil spirit has any right over me. I dismiss this cabal in the name of Jesus Christ because all principalities and powers have been disarmed and defeated by the cross and the blood shed there for me. I abolish this assignment and demand that all spirits cease and desist at the threat of being put in the pit until the day of final judgment. I abolish this spiritual cabal in the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority given to me by Him.

In addition, partaking of Holy Communion afterward and consistently for a while will help you to remember that His blood paid for you. It reaffirms your righteousness and promised protection under the covenant blessings you received through the new birth when you first called upon the name of the Lord in faith.

In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”                                                                              1 Corinthians 11:25

 

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.                                                                      Revelation 12:11a

Summary

The Lord has given us what we need to overcome our enemy, regardless of any strategy he uses against us. It is time to look at our lives and consider if we have been double-teamed and, if so, to walk in the authority He has given us, claim our blood-bought rights, and be set free from any and all spiritual cabals!

 

 

BREAKING THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CURSE

This is not the kind of article that one would desire to publish since it contains information that could draw attention from hard-core Jesuits who may seek vicious reprisal for openly revealing the fallacies and deceit of the Roman Catholic institution. The subterfuge of the Jesuits has convinced the world that their institution is Christian; but in reality, the Roman Catholic institution is not built upon Christian truths. Rather, its foundation is Babylon mystery religion, as is clearly defined in Revelation 17:5. It is full of idolatry, occultism, Mary worship that cloaks the mystery of the queen of heaven (Jeremiah 44:17-25), and demonic personalities with the Christian names of saints.

I would love to tell you that breaking curses is not necessary, but it often is. The payment for all generational curses has been made by the blood of the Lamb; so when someone is born again, all curses are technically broken. However, when have we ever found the devil and demons obeying rules? For years, I have been involved with ministering deliverance to people who, by their own words and by their own will, have had to disavow occult beliefs and break curses off of themselves. Many of these curses were upon them because of transgressions committed by their forefathers and mothers and/or prayers of dedication made to false gods. Freemasonry and other secret societies that honor false gods are carriers of curses, and the same is true of Mystery Babylon a.k.a. Roman Catholicism.

If you come from a Roman Catholic background, it is highly recommended that you read and affirm the proclamations listed below. Roman Catholicism is abject idol worship and its effects upon the soul can incur some serious consequences, such as poverty, guilt, and fear. Citing the rosary to Mary, taking communion under the guise of transubstantiation, and bowing to papal authority can also engender detrimental consequences. We acknowledge that there are Christians who attend Roman Catholic services, but they must divorce themselves from false doctrines and practices or generational iniquity may be upon them and passed onto their children and their children's children (Exodus 34:6-7).

By your word and by your will, make the following decrees and renounce all connections to Roman Catholic curses.
" I disavow all allegiances to the (un)holy Roman Catholic Church.
" I renounce all Roman Catholic teaching, especially concerning the doctrine of Mary  being the Mother of God.
" Jesus Christ is my Savior, not Mary.
" I disavow all allegiances to the papal office and its jurisdiction over me.
" I renounce all idolatry, even in the forms of statues or medallions honoring "saints" of the  Roman Catholic Church, including statues of Mary.
" I ask forgiveness for taking part in the doctrine of transubstantiation in the Roman  Catholic Church form of "holy" communion. I repent of symbolically drinking the blood  of Jesus and crucifying him afresh (Hebrews 6:6).
" I repent for citing the rosary. I repeal prayers said over me to the (so called) Mother of  God.
" I break all ties to the Mother of God doctrine and ask that all generational curses be  broken over me and my family from henceforth.
" I freely demit any affiliation with the Jesuits.
" I disavow all loyalties to the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope, the "Mother of God," transubstantiation, and false prayers of the rosary.
" May the shed blood of Jesus Christ forgive me of my ignorance and cleanse me from  my sins, transgressions, and generational iniquity.
" I forgive my ancestors who unwittingly put me under the influence of these curses and  affirm that the Lord Jesus Christ is my Redeemer, Savior, and Justifier and that He paid  the price for me to be free. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free  indeed" (John 8:36).
" I proclaim and affirm that all generational curses on me have been broken, and I am  free.
" I ask God to have mercy on all those who are under the deception of Roman  Catholicism and to free them from false doctrines and beliefs associated with that  institution.

The Christological and Celestial Significance of the Winter Solstice of 2012

I recently discovered a truth in Psalm 19 that may very well be a clue to the much touted enigma of the winter solstice of 2012. Being a stellar enthusiast and a student of both celestial and written word of God, I have been searching for a godly response to the media's barrage of Mayan prophecies and secular predictions.

Read more at the following link.

http://www.lmci.org/Significance-of-Winter-Solstice-2012.pdf

It Takes Faith to be a Believer

In a recent conversation, I made a profound statement, at least to me who has a MO (Master of the Obvious)—here it is: it takes faith to be a believer. Although this seems simple enough on the surface, there are underlying truths that bear mentioning; specifically, that the cause of faith erosion is “reason,” and it doesn’t have to be that way.  It does take faith to be a believer but pure reason will lead to faith.

Human reason replaces faith in the religion of mysticism and metaphysics because it refuses to accept the evidence of faith and the results that come out of the spirit realm.  I want to point out, and will throughout this article, that having faith gives people greater power than just those who have reason.

Faith is a concept of bring intangible things into tangible reality.  Pure reason should result in faith because certain things cannot be explained—by any reason. The fact remains: those who have and operate faith are more powerful because undeniable results have come from their operation of this unseen force.   The fact remains that those who have and operate faith are more powerful because undeniable results have come from faith, which brings things out of an unseen dimension.  You do not have to be a Bible believer to accept this: although Hebrews 11does gives a list of these evidences.  William Wallace, Braveheart, demonstrates this too.  Braveheart was brave enough to have heart—he had faith in himself and in a cause.  We do not even need to bring his belief in God into this at this point, we are just showing that he had faith and that faith is greater than reason. 

Although this seems academic, the result at the end of the battle between reason and faith could stand as an explanation that will save our next generation.  Liberal  “reason pushers at our colleges and universities are being paid to push faith (and God) out of the acceptance of normal.  Faith is under seige by reason and what is being called realism.  Faith is a spiritual power that when possessed,  causes someone to be able to bring power from one realm to this existing one.  Reason-realmers ”  cringe when someone brings up the supernatural.  It is interesting that we accept that American youth are being dumbed down, and yet at the bottom of the dumb-down barrel is that reason has an explanation for everything. Baloney!

When true reason is faced with a manifestation of faith, belief in the supernatural must be attained because evidences come into concretion into a five-senses realm that cannot be explained.  So actually reason is not antithetical to faith, it is faith’s underpinning and foundation. If I may be so bold, the lack of supernatural power in our churches have set us for the assault that is coming upon our youth.  We have “reason-based” children because we have not taught them faith and the supernatural.  This might make you mad, but if you raised a child without a belief in faith, you raised a victim, faithless—powerless,  in response to a very, very, spiritually, mean world.

The reason that reason is inferior to faith is easily seen by the realm they are from.  Reason comes out  of the human soul and faith comes from the superior realm—the spirit.  The rationale of the human soul  was the dedication of Manely P. Hall in his acclaimed book on the Secret Teachings of All Ages.  He dedicated his work to the reason of the human soul.  His conclusions are based in metaphysical reason and not in spiritual faith.  He missed the greatest teaching of the ages—FAITH.   Reason comes from and out of the soul.  Yes, it is powerful and yet, it is weak  because reason demands a physical answer to every action.  Okay, this looks intellectual, but they forget the phenomenal—the spiritual that cannot be explained by reason.   Because faith can bring an intangible to tangible existence—that reason CANNOT explain, reason is inferior to faith.  Even though reason challenges the existence of substance coming out of what cannot be seen, the evidences still remain.  Hebrews 12: 2 summarizes this better than anything I have ever read.  Suffice it to say that faith is more powerful than reason, or for that fact intellect.

Faith does not come out of the soul;  it comes out of the spirit.  Again we see the need to teach our youth well.  There are three realms of life: spirit and soul and body. The Bible speaks of these and life evidences the same.  Hebrews 4:12 actually says that the spirit and the soul can be separated and are not the same.  Faith comes out of the spirit where there is power above the soul, which includes reason.  Faith, properly operated, makes a person extremely powerful.  When it comes to what you have faith IN will determine how much power you actually have.

Many good books have been written on the subject of evidences that cannot  be explained without a spirit realm.  Reasonalists say that knowledge is power.  May I amend that by saying, if you have knowledge of the spirit realm and how to operate faith, you become more powerful than just knowledge can make you.  Mystics deal in the metaphysical power of alchemy and transferring one substance into another.  They call it metaphysical but in reality it doesn’t work or they would all be named “Midas” and have a muffler shop.  What real power constitutes is to bring something new into existence from nothing that existed before.

Once I ministered healing to a lady and commanded two new kidneys to grow in her body.  It is quite a story especially this was my Mom’s best friend and the secretary at our local Methodist church. Cool huh?  I did this and spoke what the spirit told me to speak. I did it by faith—certainly not by reason.

 There are cerebral Christians that would not belief this.  I know, because this lady and my mother were. So was their whole denomination—of which I belonged.  God bless John Wesley’s legacy. (May he rest in peace).  This lady, Doris was her name,  grew two new kidneys.  The evidence that proved that faith generated the power was the undeniable testimony of this miracle.  The lady had two new kidneys. 

Interesting, Doris had just recently had one of her kidneys removed at Duke University.  When she did not need dialysis, they ex-rayed her “supposedly” only left bad kidney because and saw in the corner of the x-ray another new kidney.  You should have seen the look on the medical professionals faces when she presented an affidavit for them to sign saying the GOD grew her a new kidney or she was going to sue them for malpractice.  She pulled up her shirt and showed them the scar and the dialysis reports. (To finish the story, being that she was my mother’s best friend, secretary to the pastor of our local Methodist church and had the biggest mouth in town, and the church.  She blasted this news all over our town, our church, the church district, and even the state Methodist conference. It is a great story, but the point is this: this evidence of faith stupiefied both the medical and religious systems because faith had delivered them evidence that could not be substantiated  by reason or evidence.

Coincidentally, this happened at the the same time that Oral Roberts had rejoined the Methodist church with the idea to bring the supernatural  back to the Methodists. He has just preached on this the week before to the whole Methodist leadership in North Carolina of the power that is in faith.  This miracle also brought some reason-based linear thinkers into a greater dimension in the persons of the doctors and nurses that grew to believe in faith.  Yes, you have to have faith to be a believer and nothing helps anymore than seeing something take place that you cannot explain. It defies reason and estasblishes the spirit realm.

Cpncerning faith, it is one thing to “take” things by faith,  but an entirely another matter to “make” things happen by faith.  This is the power that reason cannot explain because it is from the spirit deminision.  This  becomes especially sensational when I make the next statement: When you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, you become dimensionally possible.  (Another subject for a different day.)

Yes, you have to have faith to be a believer, but faith is not antithetical to reason. Reason, among other things, tries to explain things in the realm of the soul.  Yet, faith, being of the spirit realm, is far powerful and defies physical explanation.  So, yes, faith will build more faith and pure reason will generate faith when evidences occur that reason cannot explain.

I believe that eventually everyone will have to accept that there is a spirit realm; it may take dying to finally prove it to some, but regardless, there exists instances and examples that stare-down mystics and even cerebral Christians that defy their “reasonable explanations.”  Reason actually becomes faith’s friend when the reason becomes that the result came out of the spirit realm.

Don’t be dimensionally diminished; have faith. It takes faith to be a believer.