A man must admit that he may be deceived before preparing against its attempts and advances. Clearly we reside in the era of revelation and those same three letters rearranged give context and clarity to the importance of our “EAR” in that preparation. Knowing the Holy Spirit is the EARnest of our Salvation lends listening as essential to defense against the wiley darts of God’s enemy assaults. Faith comes by hEARing and hEARing by the Word of the Lord. Faith being our shield against those enemy darts solidifies the importance of our listening to the Holy Spirit’s guidance as primary defense expectation.

First, we must heed Biblical command against “Quenching” The Holy Spirit’s voice in our Ear. Basic and simple definition of the quench gives its own guidance. To quench one’s thirst through the Everlasting Water of Life, the Gospel or to quench the flames of a fire. This asserts that quenching is refreshing of our Faith in slaking thirst while sealing us with the baptismal protection of the Fire Rebirth. Therefore quenching the Holy Spirit is any practice that “extinguishes” the voice of God’s Holy Word and Spirit in our guidance to and through truth. Therefore to defend and stop the enemy we must remain open to and attentive to God. Seeking first to understand and then be understood.

God is neither complacent nor asleep. Jesus Lives. His Spirit, guides, protects, leads, councils, educates, convicts and comforts believers. An indication that ACTS are the essential component of a Christians prosperity. To act a person must receive good direction and then ACT upon that direction to an expended end. Thus, Christianity is a process never fully completed while remaining one’s backside. This understanding demands that we receive by listening direction to complete those benchmarks of God’s Will for our purpose. It rings essential to me that the first four books of the New Testament are that direction, thus it is rational to expect the next book to be that of “ACTS” which it is.

Maturity in any system or organization occurs following practice of those essential elements of successful deployment of tactics based on strategic planning. Thus the New Testament Letters of Paul mature us as a body of believers to put into practice and submit to rational analysis, accountability, correct, agreement, fellowship and prayerful combined worship to become and maintain a “Healthy Body” of Christians. However, maturity is not the end, for we are called to apply this collective maturity in seeding, watering, encouraging, mending, sharpening and preparing the individuals to become impervious to the wiles of false doctrine or deceptive assaults upon the Temple of God’s Holy Spirit, the Christian Body. We then are turned to the word of specific teachers and Apostles to prepare us for the time of God’s Wrath, Israel’s covenant and grace all eager for the Joy of Jesus’ Glorious Appearing.

In an appreciation of History’s importance in seeing the weak spots and moments for strength within the body we begin to see how these thousands of years have been effective deployed for our ambition to be Ready as Jesus taught. To that end we must also look to the pages of these data to demonstrate the unfortunately, daunting deceptive tactics of an enemy determined to devour us whole by dividing and conquering each of us individually. As we face the continuing Roman Empire in these last days as vehicle of Satan’s agents against the Church. It is imperative and essential that we fully comprehend the cleverness of our enemies in asking God’s Rebuke upon them. Just as our primary recognition in the potential danger of deception we must now in maturity reflect upon when those strategies and tactics were used in development in our current era of danger.

Today, I will go through some of those periods that were especially effective in setting the Body of Christ up for future assault. I am not asserting opinion but rather reviewing dates, data and revealing moves of obvious planning and strategy that we as body may take it to prayer, meditation and humble request before God’s Throne for further transformation and quickening of our defenses. We are blessed and armored in these moments of our testing and frustration. The opportunity is the catalyst to our victory in overcoming this world as Jesus did before our arrival. Remember, this enemy has time but also knows that time is limited by God’s Plan for return, rule and reign for eternity. Knowing that mortal limitation we may perhaps delight that though we must hold out for as long as it takes that the Almighty God we; Love, Worship and serve knows exactly how long we are capable of enduring.