Intimidation

1 Sam. 24:6 π Psa. 30:5 π Psa. 105:13-14 π Psa. 105:15 π Mt. 7:21-23 π Mt. 18:21-35 π Lk. 9:54-56 π Lk. 23:33-34 π Acts 7:59-60 π Gal. 5:4 π 1 Tim. 5:20 π Heb. 12:3-4 π Heb. 12:7-8 π Heb. 12:11 π Heb. 12:11-17 π 2 Pet. 2:3 π 1 Jn. 2:20

In addition to deceiving us into relying on our own knowledge of good and evil, this ruler of fearing man is not above using intimidation to scare us into disobeying God. He does this most often in conjunction with the works of the other Satanic beings:

• He can attempt to make us afraid of a government’s rulers or police, thus adding to the work of a principality.
  
• He can attempt to make us fear losing a promotion in our particular field or of creating enmity in a certain arena of endeavor, thus building on the work of a power.
  
• He can attempt to make us fear what our neighbors, family or peers will think if we slip into “poverty” or into perceived need or hardship, thus capitalizing on the work of mammon. The ruler of fearing man is especially capable of inserting this fear when our perceived needs are not actual needs but rather our own list based on cultural standards. It should also be noted that the ruler of fearing man will also try to get us to fear that God will not provide for us as we step out in faith in Him - he will try to get us to provide for ourselves in obedience to that fear, thus building on the work of mammon in yet another way.
  
• The ruler of fearing man is especially supportive of the spirit of antichrist’s clergy, making us believe it to be a “mortal sin” if we actually stand up for the truth and challenge the Nicolaitan overlords and heretics.
  
• He also tries to get us to remain silent any time the Lord gives us something to say that would rattle the cage built by the ruler of false religion (“church”) or that would expose the lies of the last ruler of darkness that we will soon examine, the spirit of error.

Touch not God’s anointed! ( Psa. 105:15 ) is a favorite line jerked out of context to protect the Nicolaitan clergy and any other “man of God” who exalts himself over the people of Christ. Let us examine that in a little better light. First, God’s anointed in that verse refers to all of God’s people, the Israelites, in their dispersions. (see Psa. 105:13-14 ) This is consistent with the New Testament that says we all have an anointing from the Holy One. ( 1 Jn. 2:20 ) Those who use David’s refusal to harm King Saul, the LORD’s anointed ( 1 Sam. 24:6 ), fail to recognize that no “pastor” (or whatever titled person or position) is to be a lord or master over other believers as Saul was over David. There simply is no basis in the Old or New Testaments for supposing the clergy or anyone else to be “more anointed,” “more holy,” more anything from God than anybody else. The only more someone might be is more older or more mature - and that is a factor of time and personal application, not a special gifting from God. In fact, other than to be denounced, the notion of clergy over the people of Christ is simply not found in the New Testament. There just is no basis for being afraid of challenging the Nicolaitan overlords’ and heretics’ sins, lies, deceptions and errors. Even genuine elders are supposed to be publicly rebuked! ( 1 Tim. 5:20; top )

Second, if the clergy does not belong to God and they are speaking lies in the name of Christ, they are not entitled to protections from God but will rather receive punishment from Him. (see 2 Pet. 2:3 ) Touch carries with it some idea of harm or destroy. When it comes to these Nicolaitan overlords, indeed, as is true of every other false teacher and cultist, we ought not seek to harm or destroy them. (see Lk. 9:54-56; top ) Indeed, they might yet repent and be restored to us as true brothers in Christ. Speaking the truth about their destructive “ministries,” however, when done out of concern for their soul and the souls of those whom they deceive, is neither harmful nor destructive - except to their fleshly egos, false reputations and lucrative careers, the very things diverting them from the path to eternal life. Rebuking them in the Spirit of the Lord may be the most beneficial thing one could do for them!

To overcome this ruler’s intimidation factor, we must heed the instruction given by the writer of Hebrews:

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. ( Heb. 12:3-4; top )

It is good to note here that the sinners who directed their hostility against Christ Jesus were the religious leaders of the day. It is no different now when genuine followers of Christ are opposed, ridiculed, persecuted or even executed by religious “Christian” leaders of today. We must also recognize that, in our fight to liberate ourselves and others from the prison gates of the demonic, we have not yet suffered as He suffered. As we consider Him in this light, it will help us to abide in Him and we will be encouraged to endure whatever suffering God has placed before us.

A few verses later, the writer continues:

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. ( Heb. 12:7-8; top )

Not only should we not obey the intimidation the ruler of fearing man would attempt to put on us, we should receive whatever consequences might come from our obeying God, not as the destructive work of the devil, but as the corrective, constructive discipline of God our Father

A few verses later, the writer goes on:

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but grievous... ( Heb. 12:11; top )

Okay. Suffering hurts. As someone once wisely said, dying (to self) still feels like dying. It will not be a joy ride or pleasure cruise - but the joy and rejoicing do come later. (see Psa. 30:5; top )

...nevertheless, afterward [the chastening] yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. ( Heb. 12:11-17; top )

The writer here is saying that if we endure God’s chastening we will be more like Him - so be encouraged and strengthened to endure. Remain diligent, however, as there are some serious consequences to negligence in these matters:

1) We might fall short of the grace of God by falling back under law or some other deception that prevents us from finishing our race. (also see Gal. 5:4; top )

2) If we fail to forgive the human agents who cause or add to our sufferings, a root of bitterness could spring up in our souls and this would cause us to stumble and defile others because of our own unforgiveness. (see Lk. 23:33-34 ; Acts 7:59-60 ; Mt. 18:21-35; top ) And,

3) We might become like Esau who, though he believed himself entitled to an inheritance, in fact, to his sorrow, he was not. (also see Mt. 7:21-23; top )

Let he who has ears hear.

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