Gifts from Babylon
Scripture: Isaiah Chapter 39 (also 2 Kings 20:12-21)
Paraphrased Scripture Summary: Merodachbaladan, son of the King of Babylon (Babylon in the Old Testament represents SIN/the Enemy), via his ambassadors sent letters and gifts to King Hezekiah.
Babylon’s gifts did not come from a true place of friendship and reverence however. You see, Babylon and Assyria were enemies. Babylon (seeing that the Assyrians had been extremely weakened by the power of King Hezekiah’s God) thought it advantageous to be allies (not enemies) with Hezekiah. Babylon was two-faced (the Enemy is a liar and a deceiver).
Paraphrased: Babylon said, “Hey, King Hezekiah, you guys rock (playing the pride card)! Please accept these letters and gifts as a token of our honor and friendship (lie/deceit).” The truth would have been this: “What God has done to Assyria we certainly don’t want done to us; we must “throw you off guard” so you will trust us . . . convince you that we are your friends (not your enemy like we truly are); because we plan to plunder and steal everything God has given you.”
Being deceived and filled with pride, King Hezekiah showed the Babylonian ambassadors ALL of his treasure. Bad move on King Hezekiah’s part.
After learning of King Hezekiah’s sin, the prophet Isaiah gave Hezekiah a message from the Lord: ALL of Hezekiah’s possessions and all of his ancestor’s possessions would be taken to Babylon; and all of his sons would be taken captive to Babylon where they would be eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon.
James 4:4-6 KJV “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Babylon deceived King Hezekiah, as the Enemy comes ONLY to “kill, steal and destroy” the Children of God. When King Hezekiah was prideful and deceived into trusting and befriending Babylon, God imposed consequences on him AND all of his sons. So you see, there are times OUR SIN can affect our family!
There is a great lesson to be learned: “Don’t accept gifts from Babylon!!!” Warriors, being prideful and friendship with the world is serious business. Be careful not to feed deceitful thoughts of superiority/invincibility—thinking that friendship with the world (“playing with sin”) won’t/can’t affect you. THAT IS A LIE OF THE ENEMY! Hezekiah’s pride and perceived friendship with Babylon (SIN) gave the Enemy “ACCESS TO ALL OF HIS TREASURE AND ALL OF HIS SONS” just as WILLFUL, CONTINUAL SIN gives the Enemy and his demons access to interfere with God’s will and His blessings in our life!
It is time to wake up Warriors of Christ! It is time to take back from the Enemy what he has stolen through deceit and has affected: our physical health, our relationships, our emotional health, our finances, our blessings from God, our relationship with God, etc.
There is NO CONDEMNATION in Christ. This epidemic of SIN among God’s children has given the Enemy a STRONGHOLD in the church as a whole. If you have been playing with SIN [willfully and repeatedly been committing the same sin(s) time and time again], you need deliverance! There is no shame in deliverance. To believe there is shame or condemnation in deliverance is the same as believing there is shame in repentance. God forbid. Don’t let the Enemy keep you in servitude to sin and living a defeated Christian life. That is NOT what God wants for any of His children!
Often times, self-deliverance works. You must first meet ALL the requirement for deliverance (see under DELIVERANCE tab above). For restoration follow these steps
1) Recognize (admit) the sin;
2) Take responsibility and Repent for the action (to God and others);
3) Renounce the sin as dead works;
4) Remove the stronghold/evil spirit by commanding it leave in Jesus’ Name,
shut the spiritual door that was opened, sealing with the Blood of Jesus; and
5) Resist (DON'T DO IT AGAIN) so the door is not opened again!
Rejoice in your freedom and, from what you have learned, restore others to wholeness. Amen!!
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However, in some cases (where the longer you have been involved in willful/
continual sin, the more difficult it is to make the evil spirits leave), in which case counseling with a deliverance minister is needed. And remember: DELIVERANCE IS ALWAYS "FREE."
Resisting pride and friendship with the world,
Delann Conrad
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