Christian Life 

Raging Conflicts; a call to battle and prayer

At the Feast of Tabernacles Conference in London in October 2014, Malcolm Hedding's message outlined what he sees as the four major spiritual battles in our world today.
 


Ed preface
The following notes were taken during the conference  (13 - 19 Oct. 2014) by intercessor Jill Widdowson and give a summary outline of Malcolm Hedding's address to those gathered. The message was a 'sounding of the trumpet' as both a 'battle call' and a rallying call to yet more fervent prayer and holy living.
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A raging conflict in four areas:

angel with a swordRaging conflict over Truth which has been trampled on in the church and a falling away because the Word of God is neither taught nor known, the western church has “a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim 3).
We must increasingly and exclusively fellowship only around the doctrine of Truth, and not just ‘Jesus’; for right doctrine reveals Truth, the true God. {NB These days we have another Jesus and another gospel being preached in most churches, with changed meanings of biblical words such as love, peace, unity, gospel and Jesus].  Timothy was told to give attention to doctrine.
We now have in the western church a selfish man-centred fuzzy Christianity which is powerless and therefore useless to God.  The Body of Christ is called to holy living to the glory of God.

Raging conflict with our carnal nature, of which we all have a remnant.  Galatians 5:16, Romans 7 (spirit and flesh).  We must learn how to wash ourselves in His Word. A severe warning of refusing to live holy lives a rebuke from Jesus Himself, ‘I know you not’ (Matthew 7), because we have never allowed Him to conquer our hearts.
Question:  “Do I reflect His character in all I do and say, and in how I live?”
There is a need for much much more corporate prayer in the Body, especially for the UK and Israel: may the Lord give us a spirit of prayer and tears for UK.  We must deny the flesh

Raging conflict over Israel: There are difficult and dangerous days for Israel in the days ahead (Zech 12).  We must pray as never before, for this is all to do with the return of Jesus.
God has you here to hear this calling to come to Israel’s side and get involved as never before to defend His people, we have been given voices to speak out against lies.  This conflict is not just in the world but rapidly increasing in the church, a rapid rising of anti-Semitism, and replacement theology.  Stephen Sizer very prominent in this. 
The church wants only to hear of the poor Palestinians, God of course also wants to save them from this cruel religion: to argue against this we must go back to the Old Testament and the covenants of God.
Jesus weeps for His church.  We are called to be instruments to rectify anti-Semitism, to go out as ambassadors.

Raging conflict with Political Islam: The world is at war with Islam which is seeking to establish a Caliphate, but it doesn’t know it because of fear and blindness.  Media organisations such as BBC, CNN etc do not report the mass executions and torture of Christians in Islamic countries, children being sawn in half, babies beheaded etc.  What will we do?  Do I hear His voice?
This is the time for God’s people to come to prominence with an anointing to carry heaven to those who do not know about Israel and His coming judgements.  There must be Truth and right living, and dealing with anything which hinders.  The God of Israel watches over Israel and us.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for those who have light.  The Lord is looking for visionaries. Habbakuk is a book for today, ‘stand and be amazed’.. (Hab 1:5). For too long Christians have cowered in defeat, we are to be a prominent people fixed on Jesus.  God is shaking the nations (Psalm 31).  God is looking for those who carry a vision, to bring to life the seed which He has planted in hearts, and to share the heart of God for His people [Israel] with other believers.As we obey Him, God will release a discerning Spirit to His people that we may know what is of God and what isn’t. [The matter of discerning Truth from error has never been more vital and seldom been so difficult - Ed.]
 

 
Malcolm HeddingMalcolm Hedding began his journey with Jesus, the Son of the living God, in 1966 when he was fourteen years of age. At that time, over the Easter period, he experienced a visitation of Jesus in the garden of his home situated within a gold-mining community near Johannesburg, South Africa. Being a stutterer from a very early age Jesus spoke to Malcolm audibly and using Isaiah 32:4 told Malcolm that in a few years He would revisit him, heal him of his speech impediment and send him out to preach all over the world.

In 1971 this unique journey began to unfold in that Malcolm came to faith by trusting in the finished work of Jesus on the cross for his salvation. He was instantly healed of his stammering problem and went on to prepare himself for active, full-time Christian ministry.

After completing a theological Degree he was ordained as an Assemblies of God Minister in 1974. Malcolm planted many churches in South Africa while also beginning his international preaching ministry to the Church in the wider world. After this time he held the position of Executive Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem for eleven years. Malcolm and his wife Cheryl currently reside in the USA where he now serves on the staff of World Outreach Church situated in Murfreesboro Tennessee.
 Malcolm's journey with Jesus has been shared with by his wife Cheryl and their three three children; Charmaine, Daryl and Liesl. Malcolm and Cheryl are now also blessed with a wonderful son and daughter in law Katja and Bram, as well as four special grandchildren.

 

Malcolm Hedding / Jill Widdowson, 12/11/2014

Feedback:
Vivian Chapman (Guest) 12/11/2014 12:22
Habakkuk and the Islamic State?

I am so struck by the appropriateness of this passage from Habakkuk in relation to the Islamic State, that I thought I would ask you all what you thought? Note I am not saying that this passage definitely refers to the current situation in Iraq, but I’m just wondering?

ISIS could be described as Chaldeans, they are certainly impetuous and cruel (making use of other translations too); nobody can believe their successes; they scoff at rulers; they deride every stronghold; their judgement and their dignity do proceed from themselves (as they themselves have said) and they have sinned by imputing their power and success to Allah. Despite this latter however, God says “For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans” so despite the fact that our world leaders have been caught completely off guard and don’t know what to do about ISIS, the Bible is saying God planned it (if the passage does refer to the current situation that is).

They have also made themselves wealthy (to the tune of over $2bn!) through extortion. Their "horsemen" do come from afar (about 500 fighters have gone out from the UK!)They appear to have been raised up as an instrument of judgement upon the Gentiles.

Habakkuk is clearly distressed and asks God if He is really going to let this carry on, and of course God shows him that the instruments of His judgement shall indeed be judge themselves.
So what we can learn from this I suppose is that:

God is in control of evil events as well as the good ones, using people with evil intentions to accomplish His purposes even though that wasn’t what they wanted.

Something like this is a judgement on the nations because of sin – perhaps an advance warning and encouragement to repent before the real judgements fall.
The People of God should look to themselves and not assume we don’t need correcting (Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart)

It’s OK to plead with God to have mercy on the world – as Habukkuk did.

Here is the passage from Chapter 1 of Habakkuk, with an excerpt from the following chapter too:

"The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.
Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

The next chapter goes on:

Woe to him who piles up stolen goods
and makes himself wealthy by extortion!
How long must this go on?’
Will not your creditors suddenly arise?
Will they not wake up and make you tremble?
Then you will become their prey.
Because you have plundered many nations,
the peoples who are left will plunder you.
For you have shed human blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

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Ed footnote: Vivian had submitted her thoughts prior to reading the above article.

In ancient times the Lord used the Assyrians as His means of judging the northern tribes. He described them as a "rod of My anger, in whose hand is the club of My wrath" (Is 10:5).

David E Donaldson USA (Guest) 13/11/2014 16:58
What has been written here is ABSOLUTE TRUTH, such as I have never seen in this way before. Today TRUTH is needed more than ever before within the church as a whole, as it has been kicked aside by preachers who are only centered upon their own agenda rather than being centered upon the work which Jesus demanded of during His brief three year ministry here on the earth.

How easily that America has drifted away from her roots in true Christian doctrine and have turned her eyes upon the pursuit of "the good life" with the riches that this land has had to offer to those who pursue it. I fully agree that much prayer is needed for Israel as well as the UK, but it is is also needed in our land as well.

I am seventy-one years of age, and the America that I grew up in is no more, for the land has been given over to the outright slaughter of the innocent blood of the unborn and has now even this week is looking at proposed laws which will allow the murder of children up to five years of age, as the way that I heard it put,"at five years of age they have no self awareness of themselves". I heard this breaking bit of horror the other day on a Christian talk show. How this could ever even thought of is beyond my wildest imagination. Cold blooded murder of babies.

I have two new grandchildren who fall into this age bracket and the very thought of them being "euthanized" is more than I could bear, but I realize that there are those who would not hesitate to see such as this carried through. Satan has always demanded blood sacrifices, but he has ALWAYS demanded the pride of God's creation; man, and in this case it is the innocent and the helpless.
It is true that there may be no altar of sacrifice to be found in the cities across America, but a modern operating table with a doctor officiating as a pagan priest slaughtering an unborn child is no different than mothers offering their babies to Moloch as an appeasement for their own sin.

This is a very interesting parallel as the modern woman does the same thing as the ancients did, and again it is sanctioned by the state as within the government of the Ammonites. May God have mercy upon us, but how can He have mercy upon an unrepentant nation such as America whose government and her judges condemn the precious innocent blood which should be the legacy of their parents.

It is PAST time for the Church in America to BECOME the church which it was designed to be, and stop being a laughed at, criticized, and scorned social club which it has become. 2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
(Guest) 15/11/2014 21:07
David,
Would you be so kind as to provide evidence, or at least a link regarding your quote "..looking at proposed laws which will allow the murder of children up to five years of age..."
I should be very interested.
As regards what Vivian wrote; certainly Babylon WILL be literally rebuilt, it should be NO surprise to those who believe what their Bibles say.
David Donaldson (Guest) 18/11/2014 00:06
Here is a link to an article which is stating a law passed in Belgium in February this year to euthanize children of all ages.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-belgium-parliament-passes-law-allowing-children-to-be-euthanized

Here is another link for this same proposed horror here in the US. Please read the whole thing as it gets worse and worse the more one reads.

David

http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/not-for-adults-only/
David Donaldson (Guest) 18/11/2014 00:12
In reference to Babylon being rebuilt I whole heartedly agree, for during the Iraqi war of which my son was an infantry soldier there, I received photos of many of the buildings have already been rebuilt, for it was Saddam Hussein's dream to rebuild it, and he did rebuild quite a bit.
(Guest) 19/11/2014 01:40
David,
Thank you very much for that link.
What can I say, but, shocking and Satanic.
David Donaldson (Guest) 23/11/2014 15:20
And shocking and Satanic it is. Even though God has blessed me with threescore and ten plus one years on planet earth, and just when I say that nothing else surprises or shocks me anymore, I seem to come face to face another evil which the devil has planted within the minds of sone of his followers which eclipses the former evils before hand. And if one will notice it is always involving the shedding of blood or the enticement of the lust for worldly goods and riches or sins of the flesh which all lead the person/persons to eternal damnation. But Satan has always craved the blood of mankind as sacrifice which is nothing but the counterfeit of what Jesus did on Calvary.

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