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Thread: The LORD of Hosts

  1. #1
    So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John's Avatar
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    The LORD of Hosts

    The LORD of Hosts - The word hosts is a translation of the Hebrew word sabaoth, meaning “armies”—a reference to the angelic armies of heaven. Thus, another way of saying “LORD of hosts” is “God of the armies of heaven.”

    Now, a goodly portion of the church has taken that meaning carnally and picked up where the OT left off, believe that the warrior characteristic of God is a mandate to carry on earthly wars, defeat militarily the enemies of Israel, subdue evil by force, take dominion and prepare the earth for His coming.

    In light of scripture that accurately defines our weapons; they are not carnal but mighty for the pulling down of strongholds and with the strategic objective to defeat evil via the preaching of the gospel to all nations, which is the precursor to His coming. How is the church actually using it's weapons?

    Mark 13 5-13 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

    “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

    “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
    I've heard of those who claim to Gods generals but are they really utilizing the weaponry available to fight the powers and principalities or are they esteeming themselves?

    I have some background in military tactics, taught infantry tactics so I have some understanding of how an entire army works in unison to achieve a mission, the infantry man has artillery support to soften a position before going face to face, may call in air strikes on a target prior to engaging closely, etc. What I don't see in the church is any coordination of the resources (gifts). I see "intercessors to the nations", that sound all big deal and stuff but have they ever confronted the powers and principalities at the local wal-mart in coordination with evangelists who will come in and clean-up? Any ideas here on how a church could not only fully recognize and develop the gifts and callings in a particular body and then actually coordinate and rally those resources to do much, much damage to the enemies camp?

    Jesus Christ is the commander in chief of the armies of the Lord. We are His body but is the hand even attached to the arm when it comes to the mission, reaching a lost and dying world?

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    Senior Member Colonel's Avatar
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    The description in Joel of the Lord's army is more focused on the individual soldier and his position in relation to his immediate surroundings :

    Joel 2:7
    They charge like warriors;
    they scale walls like soldiers.
    They all march in line,
    not swerving from their course.
    8 They do not jostle each other;
    each marches straight ahead.
    They plunge through defenses
    without breaking ranks.
    9 They rush upon the city;
    they run along the wall.
    They climb into the houses;
    like thieves they enter through the windows.

    They behave somewhat like what they are compared to, a swarm of locusts. God is in command of the chaos but each locust may not understand much more than what is described. Or not necessarily.

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  5. #3
    So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Colonel View Post
    The description in Joel of the Lord's army is more focused on the individual soldier and his position in relation to his immediate surroundings :

    Joel 2:7
    They charge like warriors;
    they scale walls like soldiers.
    They all march in line,
    not swerving from their course.
    8 They do not jostle each other;
    each marches straight ahead.
    They plunge through defenses
    without breaking ranks.
    9 They rush upon the city;
    they run along the wall.
    They climb into the houses;
    like thieves they enter through the windows.

    They behave somewhat like what they are compared to, a swarm of locusts. God is in command of the chaos but each locust may not understand much more than what is described. Or not necessarily.
    I see that as the evangelistic wing, doing hand to hand, in your face combat. Where are the other wings, the artillery, the intelligence, the cooks, the sergeants, the medics? I am talking about a cohesive effort, not a renegade band, God is a God of order, you are seeing "chaos" but that isn't so, there is much more to it. In the context of what I am asking, you have shown the hand but is it connected to the arm?

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    Senior Member Colonel's Avatar
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    I suggest you post some relevant scriptures then. God's army may not work exactly like a conventional army. Each soldier has the Holy Spirit, a direct connection to the head of the entire army. Individual obedience to the Holy Spirit may be much more important than what goes on at the officer level, in comparison.

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  9. #5
    So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Colonel View Post
    I suggest you post some relevant scriptures then. God's army may not work exactly like a conventional army. Each soldier has the Holy Spirit, a direct connection to the head of the entire army. Individual obedience to the Holy Spirit may be much more important than what goes on at the officer level, in comparison.
    Well, we have been given ministry gifts, spiritual gifts, there is plenty of scripture that you should be aware of, it's fundamental stuff. My question is the coordination of those gifts to accomplish our mission. The hand aligning with the foot, not acting separately.

    Of course any warfare must have a mission, I am assuming we are all on page with the mission to reach a lost and dying world, I won't debate that.

    What I am asking is how do you see the spiritual weapons we possess working in harmony, the hand putting the shoe on the foot in order to accomplish the mission.

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    Senior Member Colonel's Avatar
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    I'm no expert on conventional warfare. If you want to compare that at the officer level to scripture, then go for it.

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    So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Colonel View Post
    I'm no expert on conventional warfare. If you want to compare that at the officer level to scripture, then go for it.
    No, what I'm getting at is something like "all in one accord", a common goal and all the giftings working the mission. I'm not looking for a formula but maybe a spirit led mind set that puts everything available to use.

    The intercessors/prophetic in the church doing heavenly warfare and receiving specific targets, handing those targets to the evangelists, the evangelists covered in pastoral protection sent out to snatch fruit and handing off to the teacher, pastor kind of thing.

    What I see now is more a tendency for a church to engage heavily in one area, be it prophetic, evangelistic, teaching but not a recognition that all these parts are a literal power house when combined in achieving an objective. My basis for this is the topic title "The LORD of Hosts ", Jesus as commander in chief of a spiritual army. Armies avail themselves of all assets and deploy them for maximum effect.

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    Senior Member FresnoJoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Colonel View Post
    I suggest you post some relevant scriptures then. God's army may not work exactly like a conventional army. Each soldier has the Holy Spirit, a direct connection to the head of the entire army. Individual obedience to the Holy Spirit may be much more important than what goes on at the officer level, in comparison.
    ~

    Amen~! Relevant?


    Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

    There are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things in all men.

    Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who apportions them to each one as He determines.

    The body is a unit, though it is comprised of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.

    For the body does not consist of one part, but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

    But in fact, God has arranged the members of the body, every one of them, according to His design. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

    The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you." Nor can the head say to the feet, "I do not need you." On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts we consider less honorable, we treat with greater honor. And our unpresentable parts are treated with special modesty, whereas our presentable parts have no such need.

    But God has composed the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have mutual concern for one another. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

    Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

    And now I will show you a way that is beyond comparison.
    1 Corinthians 12

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    Super Moderator Quest's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by John View Post
    Well, we have been given ministry gifts, spiritual gifts, there is plenty of scripture that you should be aware of, it's fundamental stuff. My question is the coordination of those gifts to accomplish our mission. The hand aligning with the foot, not acting separately.

    Of course any warfare must have a mission, I am assuming we are all on page with the mission to reach a lost and dying world, I won't debate that.

    What I am asking is how do you see the spiritual weapons we possess working in harmony, the hand putting the shoe on the foot in order to accomplish the mission.
    Are you asking specific experience and testimony on how this is working? The Holy Spirit does coordinate the entire military effort and for that effort to work each member must be led by HIM..When each one is led by Him then the whole will be functioning with each in His position doing His part.

    I am not sure we can SEE this 'whole' function or how it works or even that we should try..if we each see our part and follow we will BE where we need to be..

    It won't be chaos but IMHO to each of us personally it may appear that way...much like the foot soldier going where he is sent does not SEE the strategist in the war room..or the preparations that have been sent ahead and await him or even the overhead artillery support that preceded..

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    Super Moderator Quest's Avatar
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    One thing I have learned regarding the gifts is the importance of the hand and the foot not criticizing ne another..to leave that to Holy Spirit. The evangelist can easily begin to think there is not enough emphasis on evangelism and the intercessor can become critical that there are not enough praying...and the workers of helps ect can get upset that they don't feel there is enough hands to do the work..

    It is very important that we don't get focused on what is NOT our job and that is the coordinating of the army...

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