With What Love Do We Love the Truth? By David Townsend

My heart breaks for my generation and culture right now. The way we respond to the truth especially concerns me. If the truth was a person (and It is), it seems like we might consider Truth to be a good friend from high school. Nostalgia is great, and we love catching up, but “hey man, the kids are calling. I’ve got to go,” we would say. In other words, it’s nice to know Truth, and we had some great times, but He’s got His life and, well, I’ve got mine. Truth is relegated to a “really good idea,” but not something that I center my life around. And let me be clear, I’m not talking about the lost here. They are doing exactly what they know to do right now. When I say “my generation and culture,” I mean Christians, specifically those under age 35 or so.

The mentality I’m referring to is the same one the disciples had before the cross. It’s the result of confidence in the strength of human love, as if it were the supernatural love of God because we’ve confused the two. Before the Cross, every one of the eleven disciples was absolutely convinced that they would die before they would abandon the Lord (Matt. 26:35). But before the night was over, all of them did, and only one came to the Cross. In the previous three and a half years, they had heard the Lord’s words; followed Him; watched Him heal, deliver and do miracles; they had even done signs and wonders in His name—yet the love that they had for Him did not keep them from abandoning Him. I would submit that many, many of us in the Church are right here. And we’re headed for trouble.

Spiritual Warfare: Two Views in the Church By Mike McClung

Luke 4:18-19: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Acts 10:38: “…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”

I John 3:8: “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

Eph. 6:12: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

The Lord created both the earth and man, good. Both have been seized by hostile, evil forces that are seeking to destroy both earth and man, and also God’s plan and design for time and eternity. The Cross of Christ has completely defeated Satan, all of his minions, and every work of the enemy. The church is now the means by which this defeat is to be enforced and all the powers of darkness subjugated to the will of God.

Bridal-Priestly Garments By Mike McClung

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” (Rev. 22:17a).

It is imperative that the church enter into the “bridal” identity designed for her by the Father on behalf of the Son.  It has been the Father’s intention, from all eternity, to have the Son’s desire for an eternal companion fulfilled. (John 17:22-26.)  The theme is continuous from Genesis through Revelation, and all throughout human history, that the purpose of humanity is to be the eternal companion of the Son of God.

The “bridal identity” of the church, by default, means entering into our identity as intimate, passionate lovers and partners of the Lord Jesus, in His Person and His work.  The bridal identity of the church is summed up in the reality of becoming a kingdom of priests. (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6.)  Priestly ministry primarily involves worship and intercession.  The principle ministry of the Lord Jesus, right now, is as the great Intercessor. (Heb. 7:25.)  It is imperative that the bride enter into the fullness of her priestly identity before her “kingly” authority can be fully released.  Jesus is the King-Priest after the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4; Heb. 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:15.)  Therefore it follows that we, the bride of Christ, are made of the same royal priesthood, called to exercise authority and dominion.  This is first and foremost expressed through agreement with who God is (worship) and what God wants to do (intercession).  From this place of unwavering agreement in worship and intercession, the authority, power, grace, mercy and justice of the Lord are released from heaven to earth.  This happens as the bride of Christ faithfully agrees with the Lord in worship and intercession.  This bridal agreement creates an opening between heaven and earth, and the kingdom of God invades earth bringing transformation and harvest.

The Warrior-King By Mike McClung

To be able to move into and operate in the new season of restoration set before us, we are going to have to change our mindsets about the Lord and His ways and purposes.

In 2007, the Lord gave me Joshua 3 and Joshua 5 as a sort of “template” to outline what would be coming in the next five to seven years. All of what the Lord has been doing in the body of Christ over the last five years has been to ready us to enter into this final season of restoration and harvest, in order to prepare for His bodily return to rule this earth. This has meant intense training for the sons and daughters of God so as to forge His image and likeness in us. This is so that He can release His authority and power through us, which, in turn, will bring the justice and restoration all the prophets have prophesied (Acts 3:19-21). He’s preparing a wilderness offspring-generation for battle to destroy the works of darkness, induce a harvest of the earth as His inheritance, and prepare the earth and the nations for His return and rule. Wilderness mindsets (which are a mixture between that of the kingdom of God and the ways and means of the world system) cannot get us into this new place, nor can they operate with any effectiveness in this new realm. Before His glory and His judgments are released that will “balance the books” and remove everything that hinders His love and plans, He must deal with unscriptural mindsets and methods that are hindrances, at best, and heresies, at worst.

The Beginning of a New Kingdom Season – Part 6 – February 2013

The following is part of a larger article that the Lord has been intimating to me for the coming season/years. This is the last in a series of six articles. The entire article can be viewed on our website by clicking here. May these articles, bless, challenge and encourage all. Mike McClung

A Season of Glory Rising

The rising and release of God’s glory is the answer the Lord has for the overwhelming outpouring of darkness and evil that seems to be overtaking everyone and everything. The Lord has allowed all this to happen because He always seems to let everything man deems of worth or powerful to fail in order to fully glorify the Son of God. Although things seem hopeless in many ways, we must understand that the Lord has the enemy right where He wants him!

Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of camels shall cover your land, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the LORD. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall ascend with acceptance on My altar, and I will glorify the house of My glory. (Isaiah 60:1-7)

The Beginning of a New Kingdom Season – Part 5 – January 2013

The following is part of a larger article that the Lord has been intimating to me for the coming season/years. The whole article will be posted on our website, lionheartministries.org, but we will be releasing each section as a smaller article each week for the next few weeks. May these articles, bless, challenge and encourage all. Mike McClung

A Season of War and Warriors

Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’” Assemble and come, all you nations, and gather together all around. Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O LORD. “Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow-- for their wickedness is great.” Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will diminish their brightness. The LORD also will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; the heavens and earth will shake; but the LORD will be a shelter for His people, and the strength of the children of Israel. “So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, dwelling in Zion My holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy, and no aliens shall ever pass through her again.” (Joel 3:9-17)

In the movie The Two Towers, there’s a scene where Saruman’s army of Uruk-Hai has been let loose to march against the people of Rohan to destroy every living thing, and word reaches Theoden and all those presently in Rohan’s capital, Edoras. Theoden, the king, is contemplating what decision to make and Aragorn tells him, “War is upon you whether you like it or not.” These words are now a living reality for the body of Christ. Whether we like it or not, war is here and there is no escaping it….

The Beginning of a New Kingdom Season – Part 4 – January 2013

A Season of Intercessory Shift

In this new season, the prayer movement must shift intercession to not only praying for the mercy of the Lord to be extended, but now for His JUSTICE to come forth and be established.

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)