HOW A SIMPLE "REBUKE" COULD RESOLVE YOUR SITUATION

During my reading of Scripture this morning in Luke chapter 4, I noted the word “rebuke” being used by Luke to describe Jesus’ response to different situations. Two instances are related to demons, which he “rebuked” and commanded to depart. The third instance was the fever of Peter’s mother-in-law, which Jesus also “rebuked.” Luke says, So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her.

I was reminded of the time when I was in Bible school and seemed to be under an intense attack from the enemy. As I walked across the campus this particular day my head felt as if it was being squeezed in a vice that was being tightened with ever increasing pressure.

As I walked along I “rebuked” the demons that were attacking me and commanded them to leave. Amazingly, the tension and pressure immediately dissipated, and my mind came into a state of clarity, freedom and peace. I did not need a counselor or psychiatrist in that situation. I needed to exercise my authority in Christ and “rebuke” the attack of the enemy.

The word “rebuke” in the New Testament is a translation of the Greek word timaow. According to Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, it means to “reprove” or “censure severely” in order “to curb one’s ferocity or violence.” There is, of course, an implied authority of the one who administers the rebuke.

I recall another incident shortly after Sue and I married. We were staying in her parent’s home until we could get settled in our own place. Her father, who was a retired detective, had a very incessant cough that seemed never-ending.

One morning I was alone in our room and kneeling in prayer. I could hear my father-in-law in another room coughing incessantly. Suddenly, I heard the Holy Spirit speak in my heart, “That is a demon.”

Upon hearing those words I quietly “rebuked” the spirit that was causing George to cough and commanded it to leave. I was amazed at what happened. The coughing immediately stopped. As I knelt by the bed I kept listening and listening for another cough, but that was the end of it. Amazing!

I am not suggesting that every unpleasant thing that happens in your life is a demon, for that is not the case. But, on the other hand, we must realize that there is a spirit world with which we must contend, and everything we encounter in life cannot be explained as the mere product of natural and psychological forces. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, Paul said in Ephesians 6:12, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Is there something happening in your life today that calls for a rebuke? You have the right as a son or daughter of God to rebuke the enemy and put him to flight. Remember the words of Jesus in Luke 10:19, Behold, I give you authority to trample on serpents and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt is an author, historian and Bible teacher. He is the founder/director of Revive America, which is dedicated to laying the Biblical and historical foundations for anther great Spiritual awakening in America and around the world. You can learn more about his ministry be going to his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.

THE BIBLICAL PATH TO SPIRITUAL POWER

In II Corinthians 10:11 Paul tells us that the things that happened to the Old Testament saints were examples for us and that their stories were written for our admonition, instruction and warning. It has been said that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” and Paul would have us learn from those who preceded us and not repeat their mistakes.

I was reminded of this during a recent time of prayer. As I prayed, my heart was heavy about the seeming powerless state of the church in the face of the deteriorating condition of the nation and the world.

As I inquired of the Lord as to why the church is so weak and anemic, my attention was drawn to Samson in the Old Testament. I immediately knew there was a God-given lesson from his life for the church today.

Samson, the Secret of His Strength

Samson was consecrated as a Nazirite while in his mother’s womb. "Nazirite" comes from the Hebrew word nazir meaning "consecrated" or "separated.” In regards to Samson, this was a vow that he would live a “separated” life unto God totally dedicated to His purpose.

It is obvious that this consecration was the secret of his power, for when he compromised his consecration by consorting with Delilah and allowing his hair—the outward sign of his consecration--to be cut off, he lost his power.

Is it possible that the loss of consecration is also the reason the North American church is so powerless? Could this be the reason the American church, according to George Barna, is losing adherents and influence faster than any other American institution?

While he lived as a Nazirite in total consecration to God, Samson was invincible. On one occasion when the Philistines thought they had him locked up inside a city, he ripped the city gates from their posts and carried them to the top of a hill and left them. On another occasion when a large army came to apprehend him, he picked up a donkey’s jawbone and killed one-thousand enemy soldiers.

Then one day he let down his guard with a woman named Delilah, with whom he had fallen in love, not realizing she was actually an agent of the enemy to find the secret of his strength. After much cajoling and pleading, he finally told her of his Nazirite vow and how his long hair, that had never been cut, was the outward sign of this vow of consecration.

With her soothing words Delilah lulled Samson to sleep on her lap and then called for the Philistines waiting nearby who came and cut off his locks of hair. Delilah then said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson.” He awakened and said, “I will go out as before and shake myself free.” Judges 16:21 says, But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.

Samson now stood powerless before his enemies who gouged out his eyes, bound him with shackles and put him to work grinding in the prison. What a pitiable turn of events for one that had been so mightily used of God.

What a powerful lesson for the modern church that needs to learn that there is a connection between the Lord’s call to absolute surrender and His power and blessing in our lives.

The Call of Jesus to an Absolute Consecration to Him

Anyone who reads the gospels with an open mind will readily see that Jesus calls the multitudes to a Nazirite sort of consecration to Himself. It is a call to absolute surrender to His Lordship. Every other relationship and commitment must be subservient to the relationship with Him. This is the point of Luke 14:26 where He says, If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

There is a sense of urgency in his call. When one person, for example, responded to His call saying, Lord, let me first go and bury my father, Jesus made it clear that commitment to follow Him far outweighs all other earthly commitments. He replied, Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.

Jesus made clear His call to total consecration again in Luke 9:23-26 when he said, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lost it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

Let’s face it! Only an egotistical madman or God Himself would call people to this sort of absolute commitment to himself. If, however, Jesus is God incarnate (and we believe He is), then His call to absolute consecration to Himself makes perfect sense. Since He is the greatest and ultimate value in the universe, it is only reasonable that His call would demand an absolute commitment to Himself and His will.

When we consecrate our lives to Christ we thereby align ourselves with the ultimate power and good in the universe. Anything less would be irrational and unreasonable. By committing ourselves completely to Him, we thereby honor God for who He is and position ourselves to experience the eternal life and power He has planned for us. This is why Paul said that giving our bodies to God as a living sacrifice is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1). 

There is Hope for Today’s Church

The early church lived in this kind of consecration to Jesus Christ, and this was the secret of its power. Those 120 who were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost were Nazirite type, consecrated followers of Jesus. Paul probably spoke for Christians in general when he said, For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21). So powerful was their impact, they were accused (Acts 17:6) of turning the world upside down (they were actually turning it right side up).

The church today, however, is very much like Samson, shorn of her power because she has compromised her consecration to God. As Samson became an object of jest and ridicule, so the church today has become an object of scorn and derision by the contemporary culture.

Even as Samson was lulled to sleep in the lap of Delilah, the modern charismatic church has been lulled to sleep in the lap of “self-help” sermons and “feel-good” theologies that cater to the flesh and encourage selfish lifestyles, rather than calling the people of God to give up everything for Christ and His call.

But there is hope. The account in Judges 16 tells us how Samson’s hair began to grow as he toiled day after day in the prison. This was an outward sign that there was a renewal of his Nazirite consecration to God.

Then one day during a great celebration in a massive theater, the Philistines brought out Samson to entertain the gathered throng as an object of mirth and ridicule. He was forced to “perform” for the crowd so they could revel in the humiliation and devastation of the one who had caused them so much pain in the past.

But what they did not realize was that Samson’s hair had grown back—at least to a degree. His consecration had been renewed and there would now be one final display of God’s power through him.

After being put on display and mocked and ridiculed, a young man led the blind and broken Samson to a place between the two giant pillars that supported the stadium. Samson placed a hand on each pillar, and cried out to God, O Lord God, remember me I pray, just this once!

As Samson prayed, let me die with the Philistines, he pushed with all his might and the two pillars gave way. The temple/stadium came crashing down killing thousands of Philistines, and Samson.

Just as Samson renewed his Nazirite consecration and saw one final display of God’s power, I am convinced that the church today can see another display of divine power and awakening if we will consecrate ourselves to God once again.

There is a great example of the power of consecration from my own family history.

My Father Discovers the Power of Consecration

When my older brother, Pete, was 7 years old, he was run over by a farm tractor and fatally injured. With blood bubbling from his eyes, mouth, nose and ears, my Dad rushed him to the nearest hospital. Three doctors examined him and agreed, “He won’t live more than 10 minutes.”

They went on to explain that, even apart from x-rays, they knew from the bleeding from all his passages that a broken rib had punctured a lung. They then wheeled Pete away for x-rays and my Dad was left alone with his thoughts and questions.

As he stood in silence, the thing foremost on his mind was that for 5 years he had ignored the call of God to give himself completely to Him in full-time ministry. He had told no one of this call, for with only a fourth grade education and a family to care for, it seemed an absolute impossibility that he could become a pastor or minister.

But facing the death of His young son he knew he had to respond. He, therefore, stepped into a nearby restroom and prayed a prayer of consecration. It was only 3 words, but those words came from the depth of his being. He raised his right hand and said, “Lord, I’m ready!” It was total surrender!

Immediately the power of God fell and the gift of faith dropped into his heart. I heard him tell this numerous times growing up, and in his words, “I suddenly knew Pete was going to be okay. I didn’t know how I knew, but I knew.”

He came out of the restroom and had to wait; but his heart was at peace and full of faith. After about one hour, one of the doctors emerged, called my Dad, and said, “Mr. Hyatt, there has been a higher power here tonight.” He then said, “I know your son had a broken rib that had punctured his lung. But we have finished the x-rays, the bleeding has stopped and there is not a broken bone in his body.”

My Dad’s act of consecration and the ensuing miracle launched him into the ministry. His experience affirms the saying that God is not looking for ability but availability; for in spite of his lack of education and training, he went on to be a successful pastor for many years before his death in 1994. Just a few days ago a man who for many years attended the last church he pastored, posted this about him on Facebook.

The impact he had on my life changed me forever, and my children and I can always say that our Christian life was helped framed by one of America’s greatest pastors. If any man ever lived by God’s highest standards, it was the legendary C. H. Hyatt. I miss one of the best friends I have ever had.

Concluding Thoughts

A stuttering, uneducated, young shoe salesman, sitting in a church service, heard the preacher say, “It is yet to be seen what God will do through the man [or woman]who will give himself completely to Him.” Dwight L. Moody on hearing those words said in in his heart, “I will be that man,” and surrendered himself completely to God. He went on to become one of the most powerful evangelists and successful soul winners the church has ever known, and he was never ordained.

I am convinced that the key for the church in North America is a renewed consecration to God—placing Jesus and His interests first and foremost in our lives. This doesn’t mean we do something presumptive, but it does mean a change of attitude in which we place ourselves and all that we have at His disposal. In this new commitment, we realize that our life is no longer our own but we now live for His honor and for the advancement of His cause.

As we place all that we are and have at His disposal, I am convinced that we will see new demonstrations of His power, and the Divine awakening that is so desperately needed in our land will break forth like the light of a new dawn. Consecration is the Biblical path to Spiritual power!

Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt is an author, historian and ordained minister. He is the founder of The Revive America Project, whose purpose is to lay the Biblical and historical foundations for another Great Awakening in America and around the world. You can learn more about his call by visiting his website at www.eddiehyatt.com

RESURRECTION LIFE & POWER IS YOURS TODAY

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10)

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to you today. This is made clear in the New Testament and particularly by Paul in Ephesians 1:15-19 where he prays that the eyes of our understanding will be enlightened that we may know what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe.

The word “toward” in this passage is translated from the Greek preposition eis, which literally means “into.” Paul then says that this mighty power that is directed "into" us (the believer) is, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:10-20).

I learned this truth in the early days of our ministry. It was one of darkest moments of my life. A God-given vision had died. Everything was gone. But on this particular evening as I sat on a park bench praying with Sue and three other friends, something incredible happened.

Suddenly, prayer in tongues began to well up from deep down inside of me. It was those rivers of living water that Jesus spoke about in John 7:38 when He said, Out of your heart will flow rivers of living water.

As I prayed in the Spirit, these words reverberated over and over in my heart and mind, “Don’t’ be afraid of death for I Am the Resurrection.”

I recognized these as the words Jesus spoke to Martha at the time of the death of her brother, Lazarus. When Jesus said, Your brother will rise again, Martha had replied, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus then declared, I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:23-25).

As I pondered this, I suddenly realized that the resurrection is not just a doctrine about a future event, but an ultimate force of life that has been personified in the person of Jesus Christ. I also realized that His resurrection life and power was available to me, then and there, to restore and renew the vision that had died.

Through this experience of death and resurrection, I had to learn the difficult lesson of not trusting the arm of flesh, but relying completely on Him. You see, He had given me the vision, but in my youthful zeal I had set out to bring it to pass in my own wisdom and human strength.

I had made the same mistake as Abraham and Sarah when they attempted by their own human ingenuity to bring about God’s promise of a son. But instead of bringing about God’s promise, they produced an Ishmael and created problems for themselves and for us today.

It was when they set aside all self-reliance and put their trust completely in God that they experienced resurrection life in their impotent bodies and Isaac was born when he was 100 and she was 90.

This was the same lesson God was giving Israel when he warned them not to trust in human strength and resources, saying,

Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!

As I turned from self-reliance to an absolute and unequivocal trust in the Lord, He did resurrect the vision, and He did it in ways I could never have imagined or schemed. It came forth, not by human ingenuity and strength, but by His resurrection life and power.

Is there an area of your life that has died? Do you feel that all hope is gone? I encourage you now to renounce all trust in human wisdom and strength and put your trust completely in Him. This Easter, resurrection can be more than just a sermon you hear or a service you attend, but a real life-changing experience with Jesus Christ.

Dr. Eddie Hyatt is the founder/director of The Revive America Project whose purpose is to lay the Biblical and historical foundations for another Great Awakening in our land. To learn more about his ministry, check out his website at www.eddiehyatt.com. 

THE NEW AMERICAN TYRANNY AND WHY WE MUST HAVE ANOTHER GREAT SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

The outrage of the Political Left over passage of the Indiana religious freedom law demonstrates that with them it is no longer about tolerance, but tyranny, i.e., running roughshod over the consciences and religious convictions of others. This attitude is completely out of sync with the principals of liberty and values of tolerance on which this nation was founded.

The Indiana law, which does not authorize discrimination against anyone, was designed to offer protection for people of faith, such as Baronelle Stutzman, the Washington grandmother and long-time florist who has been ordered by a judge to provide a centerpiece floral arrangement for a same-sex wedding even though it violates her conscience and is at odds with her religious convictions.

That is tyranny! When a government thinks it has the right to compel its citizenry to think and act in ways that violate their consciences and ignores their religious convictions it has become tyrannical.

Religious liberty and freedom of conscience have been hallmarks of American liberty since its inception. Many of America’s Founders knew by experience the awful tyranny of an overreaching government that seeks to control the thinking and actions of its citizenry.

William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia, spent time in prison, not for any crime, but because his religious beliefs conflicted with those established by the state and the state church. For one thing he refused to pay tithes to the state church, which he could not do with a clear conscience since he believed it was a corrupt religious system.

In 17^th century England, individual freedom of conscience and religious liberty were in short supply and many good people suffered for their faith. When Penn, therefore, opened Pennsylvania he invited all those persecuted sects to come and guaranteed the freedom for each to worship and live according to the dictates of their conscience so long as their actions did not harm others.

Many others came to America to escape tyrannical governments that sought to control how they lived out their Christian faith. These included the Pilgrims of Massachusetts, Baptists, Presbyterians, Quakers, Dutch Reformed and others.

From the very beginning individual freedom of conscience in matters of faith has been paramount in America. This was the context of the First Amendment guaranteeing that "Congress will make no law concerning the establishment of religion, nor hindering the free exercise thereof."

Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in which he mentions a wall of separation between church and state, was written to reassure these Baptists that they would have the freedom to live out their faith in the newly formed nation. Baptists had been one of the most persecuted groups in the Old World and Jefferson, an Anglican, wrote to assure them that the First Amendment provided a wall of separation to keep the new American government from meddling with how they lived out their faith in God.

Jefferson’s wall of separation was unidirectional, put in place to keep the government out of the lives of people of faith. This is why he also warned, “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”

I am thankful that some politicians are seeing the need to reign in an increasingly voracious government that would run roughshod over the consciences and religious convictions of its citizenry. However, it will take more than new laws to preserve the freedoms that so many have fought and died for. Only another great Spiritual awakening, directing this nation’s attention back to God, will preserve these rights and liberties for the another generation.

This is what John Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence and our second president, had in mind when he said;

We have no government, armed with power, capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge and licentiousness would break the strongest cords of our Constitution, as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

If you believe this, join me in praying for another Great Awakening in our land!

Dr. Eddie Hyat is an author, historian and ordained minister. He is the founder of The Revive America Project that is committed to reclaiming the vision and restoring the hope for another Great Awakening in our land. To learn more about his ministry and to check out the books he has written, visit his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.