You Came With Swords and Clubs to Take Me?
People can seem so friendly and respectful, but all the while they are betraying everything you represent in the Spirit of God through the Cross of Christ. It really is noticeable from those you are expected to show more respect to than your own devotion to God. They are setting the worldly rules you are expected to follow. Along with that, people are backstabbing, betraying, and maliciously slandering your character. They are those people who are your co-workers, peers, best friends, loved ones, club members, neighbors, etc. Those are the ones discussing your beliefs and way of life to those in authority over you. Along with oppression of the Message of the Cross comes oppression of the people who espouse the belief in God the Father, the Cross of Christ, and baptism in the Holy Ghost! It feels as if they are attacking the Spirit of God’s love, kindness, mercy, grace, joy, and peace with swords and clubs. They bring to you mental and emotional stress to get your behavior to respond out of character for one who loves God. All the while they smile, say thank you, and seem so socially acceptable in appearance. Their clubs and swords are meant to cause you conflict with their harsh and aggressive ways that are so cruel to your living by faith in the Cross. They make sure you know you are not part of their “already made” social network where acceptance of your devotion to God is scrutinized, and they will never include the Spirit of Christ into their fellowship. Those in authority begin to see you as a “problem” person. Because the Living God has no worth to them, you as a Child of God solicits no respect from them. They will use their swords and clubs to come at you to arrest your Faith, and they will smile at you and be very self-righteous the whole time. Those who betray the Message of the Cross is at hand!
One of Christ’s own 12 Disciples betrayed Jesus to those who felt they needed to have more authority than God Himself. Of course, Judas was very polite, showed proper respect by calling Him Master, and even gave Him a gentle Kiss on the cheek. It was Christ who was treated like a criminal as they brought multitudes of people against Him with swords and clubs. Why? Because when people begin to believe in the Living God then a worldly god no longer has authority over the people. God came to reconcile every person to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. A worldly god needs people to desire worldly things, to desire the ambitions of the flesh, and to lust for pleasure of the flesh. What Christ did for us at the Cross is to wash away the sin that separates us from God, which means to separate us from the things that a worldly god derives authority from. If they came at Christ in that fashion, then they will also come at those born of the Cross of Christ in that same fashion. Christ lives in us to nail worldly ways of the sin nature to the Cross. That enables the power of the resurrection to renew the Spirit of God in us, by which the Holy Ghosts empowers us to overcome the multitudes, swords, and clubs brought against us. As persecution of the Children of God intensifies, we know the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is nearby.
The battle is over who controls the House of God, we are the Temple of God. While the Holy Ghost lives in us, our spirit shines with love, gentleness, kindness, goodwill, peace, meekness, faithfulness, joy, goodness, perseverance, self-control, and patience. All of those Fruit of the Spirit are to bring the whosoever to the Cross of Christ. Satan attacks the indwelling of God’s Spirit because that is a sign of our faith in what Christ has done for us at the Cross. Satan and all his demons will come at the Children of God with swords and clubs to intimidate and bully those who dedicate the House of God to God. Meanwhile, the modern god will try to seize control of the House with respect, politeness, and a “kiss,” but it only serves to seize control over the Temple of God. Howbeit, what Christ did at the Cross defeats Satan, the flesh, and the world.
“Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him. And they laid their hands on him, and took him. And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.” Mark 14:42-49