THE DESOLATION OF JOEL

Joel prophesies of a terrible famine; The land is devastated by palmer worm, locust, cankerworm and caterpillar in succession. These are in reference to destructive powers. Later described as an invading nation,(Joel 1:6) the implication of this prophecy to our time is of a shift in the principalities of the powers of the age, a shift and an invasion resulting to a drastic change in the spiritual atmosphere.

The meet offering and drink offering is cut off (V. 9). Remember true worship is in the spirit. This is the same cut off refered to in Daniel 11:31, in place of which an abomination replaces. In fact the Prince of the covenant(the holy Angel of the age) is broken(V.22).

All these happenings usher in a new era, of great spiritual darkness, a famine in Christs household, and also, being a new season, another Prince, of another covenant that finds its fulfillment through our covenant(Daniel 12:1), is unleashed. With a great sword.

This is our Angel, and these are our times, now, as prophecied by Joel.

PRINCIPALITIES (GODS/ SPIRITS) OF OUR GENERATION AND THE WAR OF THE SAINTS.

The gods/principalities/spirits of our generation do not exist separate from men. A principality is the spirit at work over a population. The differences are, e.g in Daniel 2,7,8 and others, representative of different populations. These populations, in unmixed societies had common ancestry, as is with old nations organized in tribes. The four beast in Daniel 7 are four principalities, people of differing spirits, though united in the works of darkness. The end of their reign over the principalities of the age ends at the same time, when the reign of the saints begins. One of these spirit, the last principality described as terrible, rises against and subdues the whole earth, the genesis of our globalized society, Dan 7:23. It is also a subdued global society. But, in the reign of this principality, God unleashes His warring Angels-Dan 12:1, also the Angels of the saints for that war. This means that while our spiritual atmosphere is surely changed, Gods people are empowered - in their season - to war.

HE WILL DESTROY WONDERFULLY(Dan 11)

One of the important factors about the last days is that the last, deceptive spirit (principality) of the earth shall destroy wonderfully. His antics work. He succeeds against the prince of the covenant - hence the darkness of the time, the success of scattering the power of the saints. Faith without its works is the norm now. The other weapon this deceptive spirit uses is the law. His understanding of the laws has caused corruption, deception and rebellion against God to prosper in our age. They are first presented as distant possibilities in legislation, then interpreted as a valid choice, then as a right imposed upon the society through its institutions. Dire consecuenses are used to threaten the none conforming. Through deceptive notions of liberties, life is destroyed. Entire races, peoples have been disinherited and pillaged in the name of freedom of markets, and the same wealth of the entire earth is controlled by a few deceptive men. The same
deceptive spirit that repackaged sin, bondage as liberty.

WHEN FLESH RISES AGAINST THE SPIRIT

It is when flesh awakes from death that the grace empowering works of God in men seem gone. This awakening is a specialty of the wicked. First, a person is disrobed of all grace, by fear, worry, hurt, hate, strife, all spiritual violence. All these target the gifts of God, the many spiritual garments which shield us from the powers of darkness. Shield yourself by keeping the stories of your life to yourself. What you expose, you give people as a sword against you, and the devil will use it to drive you crazy. The systems of this world are the sword of its rulers, so any simple desire can be exploded into unreasonable anxiety. Avoid proud power, binding power that seem to clutch onto you, the flesh is attracted to these. Same with sensual power. They corrupt, mature into living flesh, real thorns that can drive anyone crazy.

HOW TO LIVE RIGHT, RIGHTEOUSNESS IN A DECEPTIVE WORLD

We live in a world where every aspect of our lives is bound by law. This is the age of institutinalizationthrough laws, made to hide the taskmasters, rulers of men. This has bred a cold, inhumane generation. Not all power wielden by men is bad. Mercy, love, patience, empathy, faith, selfcontrol, peace, hope, goodness, Godliness, gentleness and most important, righteousness are all powers given by God to men. Institutions do not have the same powers. They are incapable of mercy. It is therefore easy easy to forget these virtues of humanity when reasoning in the manner of our laws, governments and offices. The word of God remains firm. If the laws and institutions demand or sanction a thing that is merciless, iniquity, sin, it is a deception, a bait. Do not fall for it. The world is under the sway of the wicked one. He devours by mischief and he is an accuser, a law specialist. Even the greatest can fall, so when you think you stand, watch out, lest you
fall.

THE VANITY OF USING NON EXISTING INSTITUTIONS

The institutions of this world are paper tigers. Like idols carved out of dead wood or stone, they have no power, but men stand in their stead, impose and mete out their harsh sentences, and ascribe it to the establishment. These laws, while some for ease of governance include iniquity, and when other idols stand before God to receive their due according to their works, so will the system. We cannot slay, covet, commit adultery, idolatry, steal and blame it on the liberties of the constitution, government or corporation. All these are non existent apart from the imagination of men. Works of men vainly hiding behind obscurities. But where on earth, heaven and hell can God not reach. He is King over both men and gods, and His sceptor, God's expectation of every thing in existence, is righteousness. This will be attained in time, and so, why not build our empires on the basis of Gods principles, not the vanity of usury. Only such will survive beyond the
current fast passing age.

THE HIDDEN WICKEDNESS OF THE SYSTEMS OF OUR AGE

The social, economic and political systems of this world, while increasing population of humanity, has supported and necessitated abortion, killing of children, wars, famine, poverty and hides in obscurity, like UN peace pact. Many are born into broken homes and live with no direction as parents are busy keeping them alive. The vanity of all this is that the children grow up to replicate the same life. But each is precious before God, and required to honor Him. Greed and pillage has led to increased anxiety as the world has been divided and assigned to few olygarchs. It is great men that hide behind the corporate and institutional veils to avoid accountability from men. They will be hidden from men, but certainly not from God. Justice needs to be restored to economic, social and political institutions in these last days. Men are human before markets, votes, subjects and servants. God would rather have mercy than sacrifice. Men in authority are hiding
behind systems and Laws. Both will be held to account.

LEGALISED LAWLESSNESS; THE DECEPTION OF OUR GENERATION.

Our generation is deceived into lawlessness by the entrenched legal institutions of our countries. What we perceive as liberties hide secret doors into lawlessness. They mature into enmity with God. But our laws are the handiwork of mortal men, and so this should not be a surprise. The laws of righteousness should guide our interactions with our leaders, social, political or other relations. Christ said, there is no law against these. Has our generation found a way of negating these statutes of God?. The Angel of the almighty God is guided by the laws of righteousness and does strike against lawlessness.

The deceitful legalization of lawlessness by men in form of rights, freedoms, and even form of governance and duties created for citizen in support of the same is on many occasion, a bait for our own destruction. Remember the relation between David and Saul even after David knew that Saul had been rejected and that he had been appointed as his replacement. Now compare that with our current times, when we all seem to have a right to insult, degrade, remove and in extreme circumstances, even call for the assassination of our leaders. Consider the many lives that rebellion has taken away. This is the sword. Yet we are encouraged to keep pouring our lives out for, usually, not even our personal benefit. This is usury, and God will deal with it in His own time. 

Avoid this sword of lawlessness that hovers over us by submitting to all authority, live right, truth, goodly in godliness. From 'right' derives righteousness. 'Truth' is the wisdom of God, despite men's inventions of lawlessness and vanity. God is good and therefore 'goodliness' sums up the character of God - love, joy, peace, patience, righteousness, godliness, goodliness, also the fruits of His Spirit in men. Live according to these laws, to avoid the lies of men, and to avoid being withstood by His Angel. Live Right.

Galatians Chapter 5:

¹⁶ This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

¹⁷ For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

¹⁸ But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

²⁰ Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

²¹ Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

LEGALISED LAWLESSNESS; THE DECEPTION OF OUR GENERATION.

Our generation is deceived into lawlessness by the entrenched legal institutions of our countries. The laws of righteousness should guide our interactions with our leaders, social, political or other relations. The Angel of the almighty God is guided by the laws of righteousness and does strike against lawlessness. The deceitful legalisation of lawlessness by men in form of rights, freedoms, and even form of governance is therefore a bait for our own destruction. Avoid this sword of lawlessness that hovers over us by submitting to all authority, live right, truth, goodly in godliness. From 'right' derives righteousness. 'Truth' is the wisdom of God, despite mens inventions of lawlessness and vanity. God is good and therefore 'goodliness' sums up the character of God - love, joy, peace, patience, righteousness, godliness, goodliness, also the fruits of His Spirit in men. Live according to these laws, to avoid the lies of men, and to avoid being withstood
by His Angel. Live Right.

THE PREGNANT VIRGIN AS A SIGN OF THE COMING AGE

Mary's life was a prophesy (Isaiah 7:14) reenacted in flesh. She represents, even now, a 'virgin' age pregnant with a new dispensation. God does, severally, refer to nations, like Israel(Amos 5:2, Is 37:22) and Babylon(Isaiah 47:1) as virgin daughters. At other occasion though, He called them whores(Jer 3:2,9, Ez 16:17, 20:17,18,19). Whores who get restored, as was with Hosea's wife(Jer 31:4). Whoredom is usually a term used to refer to error or iniquity. Wickedness in itself , being seductive in nature, is a whore, seeking to deceive men into its knowledge or into oneness with it. Wickedness is a spirit, and the spirit has a name - the devil. Form that you can deduce the difference between the so called sons of darkness and the sons of light. The difference is the spirit. Our age is, like Hosea's wife, espoused a virgin to Christ. Blinded with the powers of the age, the chosen age / generation has whored after other gods(become wicked), but she remains the virgin daughter of Christ, espoused and pregnant with a new age, a dispensation(a people) that will know righteousness. There are many inferences in the scripture of an age when righteousness reigns after sin is bound and the saints take over the Kingdoms of these earth. Daniel 7;

²⁶ But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

²⁷ And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

FREEDOM! WE ARE NOW IN THE WILDERNESS.

God, with great power, liberated Israel, and us from bondage in the hands of Egypt. Then came the wilderness. This had Israel confused. At times, the bondage they had been freed from, as has been our age, seem attractive. They desired Egyptian meats, spice, and even gods, and sinned greatly with murmuring and rebellion. Our age is likewise free, and we need to endure the wilderness for just a little while. In the wilderness is where the law was established, the priesthood set aside, and the house of God established. That is exactly what the purpose of our generation is.

We are free, but we are still treading the wilderness, against nations, idolatry and even doubt. But make no mistake, Egypt is gone, and Canaan is so close, she is watching our every move in great fear. The wilderness, the unforgiving desert, is a place of purging, of separation of the believers, from the doubters. At the same time, God rains down manna, the grace that is just enough, to test us if we will be appreciate, or desire the meats of Egypt. Do not let the thirst for water in the wilderness or the bites from the serpent distract you as even then, Christ was lifted up and He healed them. Let us also not forget, that the temple has to be built, and there is enough gold, silver, bronze and precious clothe to build the temple just as the pattern is in heaven.

MANIFESTATIONS OF CHANGING PRINCIPALITIES ON EARTH

When a lion takes over a new pride, his efforts concentrate on securing his throne. He understands the concept of replacement of principalities. The new king ensures his security by destroying the next generation of rulers sired by the preceding, and takes over the fathering. The same changes happens in the spirit, and on the earth, manifesting change of authority, many through. This is so even in our modern society. Wars and most important, targeting of children for destruction is happening right before our eyes. But in a politically correct society, the wars are referred to as things like liberation, democratization and the killing of children is cited as choosing sex, abortion, hunger, pestilence and alarmingly, human trafficking.

The principalities of our generations have ALREADY changed. We are not talking of a possible future here.When the season changed in favor of Israel, a new king arose in Egypt, this has happened with respect to our generation. All male children born to Israel were condemned to execution. Same with Herod and the birth of Christ. The reigning principalities are usually enjoined with the seed of man, but this will not work perfectly for the last days(Daniel 2:43). Also expected is a need for worship by the new power, to be thus enjoined to the rest of the people. Expect also an increase in supernatural manifestations of the miraculous and witchcraft from this new generation of men (watch out for these especially in the realms of the south, where previously bound ancients of the Americas and Africa have been released). The new changes account for the increased darkness. Remember the residual hedge. That will help the chosen, while the wicked shall be exposed(Daniel 11:33-35).

DAWN OF AGE NEW WORLD ORDER?

Whatever happens on this earth, is always a replica of the spiritual realm, the spiritual principalities. Their times and seasons are laid out by God, who is the ultimate King, above all these powers of this age. The same principalities have been overturne, and the great powers of this world have been divided. Those who once were bound have been released and given authority alongside the powers of this age. This marks the dawn of a new age, a new world order albeit in the spirit. This has to manifest in the physical world. The new powers of the age are the once destroyed and bound nations, part of a generation that is appointed for destruction. Remember Christ said, this generation shall not pass before we see His second coming. The generation He left is on its way out with this shift of principalities, which means His coming is very, very close.

THE PROTECTIVE HEDGE AND SEASONS.

The book of Job gives an insight into the spiritual protective hedge covering all appointed to life. It was so effective that that the devil complained(Job 1:10,12.) Note that the eventual, gradual removal of the hedge was not his fault[he was perfect-Job 1:1], and it ushered in a season of war, physically and spritually(Job 7:11-15). This is typical of current spiritual seasons of war, which may last long but are not permanent. There is also always a residual protective hedge, which the devil in all his might cannot cross(Job 1:12,2:6). The same protective hedge remains the sustaining power of God for his elect even now, all that have been appointed to eternal life. The hedge is also an angelic fortress. Stay hidden in it, and await your time of glory, when vengeance, which belongs to God shall come against the devil. It always does.