Satan's strategy is to ensnare us in our thoughts.  In our spiritual war he has set demonic IED's (improvised explosive devices)  all throughout the seven spheres of society. He wants to trick, deceive, entrap, wound and destroy as many people as he can. ​

Thankfully, God's word provide us seven keys for the wise in heart that empower us to recognize the demonic logic behind his soul traps. But first, let's lay a foundation. 

Strategic Traps
The Greek word translated "snare" (Strongs g3803) means a trap, a trick or stratagem; a snare.  Or you could say, the devil sets strategic traps.  

Apostolic Warfare Wisdom
Paul, the apostle, wrote the books to Timothy and the Corinthians.  In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 he says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."

In my book "Structures & Strategies" on page 45 I share the real meanings of the English words translated war and warfare.  It refers to a strategic function and an apostolic gift. God made the apostle for strategy.  2 Corinthians 10:3-5 reveals that the battle ground is the mind so what you think is really important.  Why?  Proverbs 23:7 reveals that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.  

What we think impacts what we believe, say and do.  Hebrews 4:12, 11:3 and Proverbs 18:21 reveal how powerful our words are.  Life, death and creation are in the power of the tongue.  Used well, it can frame our world (Hebrews 11:3) or the unruly tongue can set the world on fire by hell (James 3:1-6). 

Don't Be Ignorant of the Enemies Devices
I've highlighted the word thought in 2 Corinthians 10:5 above because it's the same word translated devices in 2 Corinthians 2:11 which says, "lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."  His devices are like the IED's (improvised explosive devices) used by Islamic terrorists today.  

Strongs Concordance says g3540 means a perception, i.e. purpose, or (by implication) the intellect, disposition, itself: — device, mind, thought.

Satan's End-time Strategy is to Deceive through Doctrines of Demons 
A doctrine present a system of thoughts and ideas.  A belief system can be built such that it can become a stronghold. A stronghold of thought can be changed from good to evil or from evil to good.  Hence, Satan's propensity to use lies and  deception to entrap the unwise. Paul the apostle warns in 1 Timothy 4:1-2, "​ Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron..."

The 1Church1Day strategy encourages more people to pray and to pray longer.  Part of that prayer time is to be devoted to watching.  Watching includes listening and reporting what they saw or heard (Habakkuk 2:2).  There are also people God has gifted with a prophetic gift and Amos 3:7 says God does not do anything without telling the prophets.  

Therefore, part of our strategy is to discover who these people are in our churches, networks or communities. They are easy to spot if you know what to look for. Why I've even found them in denominations that don't even acknowledge the gift nor the office.  Over the years I've found some legitimate prophets. Some are known and many are unknown.

So how are we supposed to interact with this gift?  1 Corinthians 14:29 is the scripture that inspired this article. It says, "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge." 

So the question is, how are we to judge these words, dreams, visions or impressions?  

What are we supposed to "decide" about or judge? 

• The character of the prophet as compared to God’s word?  Are they humble and correctable or proud? (Matt 7:15-20)
• The word itself ! How does it compare to the Bible; God’s written word. (2 Pet 1:19)
• The history of the gift in the man/woman. Do the words come to pass?  Are they accurate? Samuel is a great example. The scripture says not one word fell to the ground. His words fulfilled (1 Sam 3:19)
• You decide, is this the Word of the Lord or not. 

If it is the Word of the Lord then: 

• What are you to pray?
• What are you to do?
• How does time factor into the word?  

That's what we do with prophetic words. That's one of the reasons we encourage forming councils or ministers because there is wisdom in a multitude of counsel (Proverbs 24:3-6).  2 Chronicles 20:20 says:

Did you realize that the Bible says:
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1. God's word created the world? - Hebrews 11:3
2. Death and life are in the power of your tongue? - Proverbs 18:21
3. Mankind is made in God's image? - Genesis 1:26-28

Therefore, our words are used to create our world.  You and I have authority over our words.  We can decide what to speak and when.  Our words can be used for us or against us.  It's truly our choice.  In fact, our words can employ angels or give demons license to operate.

For example:

I've been in untold prayer meetings over the years. I'd say 90% of the time the emphasis is on the "needs of the people." 

That's not bad.  In fact, Jesus taught us to pray and present to God our personal needs in Matthew 6:9-12.  He taught us to pray, "give us this day our daily bread." That's the perfect place in our daily prayer to submit to God our personal issues and requests. But I submit we err by not prioritizing God first.

Jesus taught us to worship God and then to pray regarding His will.  "Your kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." One way to think of what God's will is to ask God do you need done today?  What are Your needs

What is God's will?  What does He need? 
There are two ways to find out.  First, check His word.  He already told us what His will is. Secondly, when we pray we can get specific and ask Him what is His will in my life, my family, my city, my business.... you get the idea.

Scripture Reveals God Needs...

On Monday August 21, 2017 a solar eclipse is scheduled to go across America from coast to coast. What's unique about August 21st?  It is also the first day of Elul in the Hebraic calendar. On this day in history:

• Jesus was led into the wilderness to fast and pray for 40 days - Matthew 4


• Jonah began to call Nineveh to repent for 40 days which they did with fasting - Jonah 3


• Moses went up the mountain, spent time with God, got the covenant and he fasted 40 days - Exodus 34

Pastor Mark Blitz also says there is another thing God is highlighting with this event. It comes from Haggai 1 where it admonishes the people for ignoring God's house. There is a call to build God's house and Isaiah 56:7 and Matthew 21:13 calls God's house a house of prayer.

It's pretty clear God is calling us to repent, fast and pray. What do you think? I think Joel 2 says it best.

There is a principle in God's word encapsulated within 1 Timothy 1:18 which says, "This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,"

Prophetic words from God often foretell what is to come and or share God's heart and thoughts on a matter.  This portion of scripture also reveals that prophetic words are also part of the New Testament experience and the word translated "warfare" is very revealing if you look at the Greek word actually translated warfare. It's the Greek word strateia. It's the origin of the word we use for strategy today. Strongs Concordance says that it means "apostolic career, military service or warfare."

It's the same word used in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

This portion of scripture reveals that our warfare is a spiritual war against strongholds of thought. Every proud that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Bottom line it is a war for truth against lies.

Looking back at Paul's admonition to Timothy we can understand that God can use prophecy to forewarn us and even give us insight or strategy for the spiritual war that is to come for individuals or in the book of Isaiah's case, for nations.

The Dream Fore-warned Us How the Devil Would Use White Supremacists 
The Lord gave Rick Joyner a dream in 1993. It is recorded in "The Coming Catastrophe."  The reason I highlight this man's prophetic dream is because he's shared it in other books and articles and at one point around 2011 I remember going to the website of a "Right-Wing Watch" group.  They were mocking him and his prophetic word about a coming spiritual civil war and race riots. 

When Ferguson occurred a couple of years ago I went back to check and found that group had removed the mocking article.  I'd like to share portions of Rick's dream and some other people's prophetic words and share some of the strategy God gave His Church to pray.

Daniel had a vision of the last days. As I read Daniel 8 I could not help but wonder if the principalities and powers  we face in these last times could be so obvious as are written in this portion of scripture.

Ephesians 1:21 says "which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come."  The Greek word translated principality literally means chief or beginning in rank.  It's like the role of a king.

​There are three kings mentioned in Daniel 8:20-21.

• Media
• Persia
• Greece

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Major Media
Could it be so obvious that one of the principalities the Church has to deal with is the media?  The Hebrew term translated media means "middle land."  Media is in between nations and helps connects these nations. Think about the role of major news media and how an isolated incident in Charlottesville Virginia can become international news reported by CNN, ABC, Reuters, NBC, AP News.... and a host of other nation's national news outlets.

The challenge is, who rules this voice? Who controls the narrative?  
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Due to North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and growing hostility and threats the world is drawing closer to the brink of war. But, the truth is history is in the hands of the intercessors and leaders who pray.

In 2 Chronicles 20 King Jehoshaphat and Judah was threatened by Moab and the people of Ammon.  So the king and the people of Judah gathered together to seek the Lord. Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel and he prophesied:

Believe God's Prophets and So Shall You Prosper
It goes on to say in 2 Chronicles 20:20-22, "So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.”  Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated."

King David established this model in Mount Zion in the Tabernacle of David.  What model do I refer to?  It's the king who writes decrees (ie. Psalms) which the priests and people use in song and in prayer.  You'll find this in 1 Chronicles 16:7 when David delivered his first Psalm to Asaph.  

Psalm 68:11, a Psalm of David, says, the Lord gave the word and great was the company of those who proclaim it. 

That's the pattern Jehoshaphat used and it is the same today.  It's one of the key principles found in the 1Church1Day system.  Click here to get your app and join in with the decrees that follow. 

What Do the Prophets Say Regarding North Korea?
I'll share that in a moment.  But let me be clear.  Almost all prophetic words are conditional. It requires God's people to pray and act in faith based upon God's word. God's word says, the Lord gave the word!  That's one of the roles of a prophet is to share what's on God's heart. The question is, will a great company rise up to proclaim it?  

So what did the prophets say about North Korea?

I want to use this video from Prager University as an object lesson. The video shares one woman's journey from a progressive left leaning feminist who asked real questions. The truth led her to discover she actually believed something very different such that her friends began to call her a racist, mysogonist and sexist.

This video highlights a war of ideas that is currently being fought in the political arena. I'll use this example  to address two issues.

First, why is there so much hatred and anger?  

Second, I'll show you that this war is really an ancient battle that spilled from heaven to earth. It's not really a battle between Democrats and Republicans but rather, the issues are really war for truth.  

​1. Why is there so much hatred and anger?