Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

The following is a message from a dear friend of my wife and I, Patricia Holmes. She lived in a community near us and was part of our weekly prayer meeting. Many years ago, Patricia moved to serve the Lord Jesus Christ among the Indian people in the mountains of Panama, South America.

Financially it has been very challenging for her and she has many health problems, but Patricia is a fighter and will not quit, no matter what.

This lady hears from God and over the years has shared words she has received. I believe this message is powerful and right on the mark as to what God is saying. I believe with all my heart that 2019 is to be a year of intense spiritual warfare.

We must pray for our president with renewed zeal for there are many hyenas attacking him from all quarter. There is a big battle raging spiritually for the heart and soul of America. If we all pray, we could see the greatest breakthrough ever.

~ Colin Campbell

“I have long been a critter-lover. But there is one critter that I find to be disgusting, both in appearance and habits. I find no socially redeeming qualities in this creepy critter!

Recently, I saw a picture of an old lion sitting and surrounded by a pack of 20 hyenas . . . despicable hyenas! The lion was in real trouble, and he knew it. The hyenas had not yet attacked the lion, but they were closing in for the kill. To be sure, the lion would be able to take down a few of the hyenas, but what was left of the pack would take down the lion.

In his extremity the lion called out. Thankfully, another lion came to his aid. The hyenas knew that to attack two lions . . . they could do it but would lose many of their pack (an “unacceptable loss” to the pack). Instead, they withdrew and let the lions go.

I immediately thought of our president, Donald Trump . . . and the hyena pack surrounding him in Washington. No matter which way he turns, no matter what he does, the “pack” attacks him. Why? Because Mr. Trump is a Nationalist, and the “pack” are Globalists.

As I looked at the picture and learned of the arrival of the second lion (that rescued the first), I began to pray for Mr. Trump. I prayed that God will give him great wisdom and that God will send another lion to “cover his back.”

As I thought on this, I “saw” a mental picture (of sorts) of a group of lions surrounding the first two . . . and the hyenas backed further away. Then, in the picture I saw the circle of lions became flames . . . a wall of fire (the prayers of the saints?) around the old lion and his rescuer. The hyenas were (by
then) nowhere to be seen.

Dear ones, America is hanging in the balance. If the "Deep State" is able to take down Mr. Trump, it is likely that they will take down America too. After all, they're Globalists: their purpose is to bring about a New World Order (a one-world system), replacing the old system of nation-states. (As Angela Merkel recently said: "Nations must be prepared to give up their national sovereignty." Angela Merkel is a Globalist.)

Not long ago, this thought came to me (and I believe it was from Holy Spirit): "What they are now doing to Trump, they will do to you who are Christians." That is, relentless and unending enemy attacks from all sides!

Folks, we'd better get ready! We need to pray such that our prayers build a “wall of fire” (Zechariah 2:5) around the President, and around each other! We better live in a state of continual repentance and drawing close to God. Daily, daily, daily. And we'd better pray as if our nation depended upon it.

It does!

~ Patricia Holmes * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In other words, if the woodsman’s axe blade is blunt, he must use a lot more strength to cut through the wood. If the arrows are blunt, the bow will need to be much stronger.

Blunt weapons are a problem to God because they cannot inflict maximum damage to the enemy’s kingdom. Hebrews 4:12 says: “For the word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

There is no problem with the sharpness of God’s Word. However, the one who speaks it must be skilled and sharp to speak it forth. 1 Timothy 3:2 says that a bishop or elder must be capable or able to teach the Word.

In 1 Samuel 17 we read how King Saul and all his army fled before the taunting giant, Goliath. Both morning and evening, for 40 days, the giant presented himself. There was no one in all of Saul’s army who was physically or spiritually strong and sharp enough to take on this giant and defeat him.

However, God has in His quiver a spiritually sharp young man. The spiritual man of strength will always supersede the natural man of strength.

Goliath was the best the devil could offer, but David was the best that God could offer. The devil sharpened Goliath, but God sharpened David. And we know the end of the story!

People who are spiritually sharp will always win. The Christ that is in us is by far shaper than any devil in the world.

2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

God will always choose a spiritually sharp arrow over a blunt one, even if the blunt one looks bigger or better.

Fathers, we must make sure that our whole family (each one of our children) are trained in spiritual warfare. Each one of us face many giants as individuals and families. I do too.

Let’s all be wise and sharpen the blades of our arrows.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

1. Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.

2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account.

3. You may only spend It.

4. Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for that day.

5. The bank can end the game without warning; at any time, it can say, "Game Over" and close the account! You will not receive a new one...

What would you personally do?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right?

You would try to spend every penny and use it all, because you knew it would be replenished in the morning, right?

Actually, this game is REAL. Shocked? Each of us is already a winner of this *PRIZE*, we just can't seem to see it!

The PRIZE is *TIME*

1. Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.

2. When we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is not credited to us.

3. What we haven't used up that day is forever lost.

4. Yesterday is forever gone.

5. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time WITHOUT WARNING!

So, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds? Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.

It is one thing to penetrate the mind with arrows of knowledge, but it is another thing to penetrate the heart of our enemies. We want arrows that convict hearts, so they will repent.

Peter preached the first evangelistic message to the crowd of Jews and people from many nations who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. What was the response after Peter’s message?

Acts 2:37 says: “Now when they heard this they were PRICKED IN THEIR HEART, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit was a sharp heart-pricking arrow. Before Pentecost, he was a blunt arrow who denied the Lord three times in a row.

We are surrounded with many people, that no matter what you say to persuade them, it makes no difference. They are impenetrable and hedonistic. Many in the leftist media have built up such barriers around their minds that it is almost impossible to reach their hearts. We must pray these barriers down so their hearts will be pricked by God’s sharp two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). However, the word must be spoken under the anointing and divine assistance of the Holy Spirit.

The opposite of sharpness is bluntness. One may be sharp intellectually but blunt spiritually. We must never put the academic above the spiritual. All of the Christian’s weapons of war are spiritual (2 Corinthians 10:4, 5). It’s only Spirit-controlled, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led Christians who can use them effectively.

After Stephen preached, Acts 7:54 says: “When they heard these things, they were CUT TO THE HEART, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.”

Stephen had been chosen as one of the early church’s first deacons because he met the qualifications of “men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). His words cut to the heart. He was a Spirit-filled sharp arrow that caused a riot. Sharp arrows will cause a riot or a revival.

Parents, we must be spiritual and Spirit-filled, otherwise our children’s hearts will not be affected and cut open by the spiritual words we give them. We must also attend a Spirit-filled church where the leadership are Spirit-filled, where people’s lives are being changed, and where hearts are cut and pricked by the convicting preaching of God’s Word. And most of all, we must pray over our children that they will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Are any of God’s enemies being scattered because of my life?
Am I a threat to any of God’s enemies?
What am I doing right now that causes God’s enemies to be intimidated by me?
Do God’s enemies want to flee from me?
Does the devil have a problem with my life?
Is the devil’s kingdom being shaken up because of my life?

If not, why not?

One thing for sure, cruising, complacent, casual Christians are no real threat to the powers of darkness. Just as there are RINOs (Republicans in name only) in the Republican party, so there are many CHRINOs (Christians in name only) in the Christian camp.

As I listen to some of the conservative talk show hosts, who may not be truly born again, I can’t help but feel that they are more of a threat to the powers of evil than many born again Christians. Many of these hosts are engaging the enemies of righteousness head on. They are not afraid to get into the battle.

Are we going to resist or resign?

James 4;7: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” This Scripture teaches us that if we resist, the devil will flee. The word “flee” is very simple. It’s much the same as “scatter.”

Every Christian should be an active and daily resister of the devil.

Do the words “Resist the devil” have any place in our modern church mindset? The church is meant to be militant. Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil” and He wants to do this through His people.

To resign means to give up a job or position or give back a commission. However, God’s arrows scatter God’s enemies wherever they find them. We do not resign our commission to resist the devil whenever we discover his evil doings.

If we resign, the devil will run us over and defeat us.

We resist the devil by praying and proclaiming. The Bible instructs us that after we have put on the armor of God to “Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

Effective arrows resist the devil so that he will flee and scatter.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

1 Samuel 22:15: ‘He sent out his arrows and scattered them.”

Psalm 18:14 (CEB): “God shot his arrows, scattering the enemy; he sent the lightning and threw them into confusion.”

Psalm 68:1: “Let God arise, his enemies be scattered.”

God knows how to scatter his enemies. It is a sad thing when His own people become His enemies. Leviticus 26:33 says: “And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.” Many Scriptures tell us of God scattering His own people.

When God is angry, look out! Everything standing in opposition to Him will be scattered. The Scripture teaches that God is “slow to anger.” Psalm 103:8, 9 says: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide; neither will he keep his anger forever.”

However, the “year of the Lord” teaches us not to push the envelope too far. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

I believe God wants us as fathers and mothers to raise our children to be arrows that will scatter evil.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was an arrow to scatter evil. We read in Matthew 21:12: “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold land bought in the temple, and overthrew the tales of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves . . .”

We continue the story in John 2:15-17: “And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hat eaten me up.”

God looks for zealous arrows who will go into God’s temple, which is now within God’s people, and scatter all the things that are not of God and cleanse the house of God again.

Our president says, “Drain the swamp.” God looks for arrows who will scatter the evils of abortion, family planning, contraception, sterilization, and abortion. He looks for arrows who will rise to scatter all types of immorality, moral corruption, and propaganda that is taught in our colleges and learning institutions.

Jesus said His Father’s temple was to be a “house of prayer.” Both our individual temples (our bodies) as well as the corporate body should be used for prayer. It is from prayer times (individual prayer, daily family prayer times, and corporate prayer meetings) that arrows are sent forth to scatter the evil in this world.

Paul and Barnabas were sent forth from a prayer meeting (Acts 13:1-3). If we had more prayer meetings, maybe we would send forth more arrows!

Do you pray with your children each day? Do you have a prayer meeting in your home? Are your children part of prayer meetings? We shouldn’t send children to bed when there is a prayer meeting in action. Let them be part of it, even if they eventually go to sleep. We have a weekly prayer meeting in our home which is filled with more young people and children than adults! And they all pray. Even the six-year-olds.

The best way to shoot out arrows to scatter evil is to shoot them from prayer meetings. Are you shooting forth your children from prayer meetings?

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Verse 4 reveals that this psalm is not only about David but is also a Messianic psalm: “He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days forever and ever. “

Just as it was in David’s day, so in these days we are surrounded with enemies that despise, hate, resist, and reject the name and person of Jesus Christ. However, our King Jesus is making ready His arrows upon His strings. Once again, He will cause them to turn their backs and flee.

As parents, we are co-laborers with Jesus Christ to ensure that our arrows (our children) are ready to be placed on the strings of the Lord’s bows.

Psalm 11:12: “For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.”

We are aware that that Satan has plenty of ready arrows with the media and left-wing ideologies. They are sharp and shooting at the upright in heart.

We must not fear or throw up our arms in despair. Rather, we must make sure that our quivers are filled with READY, HOLY SPIRIT ANOINTED ARROWS. Then we will never be ashamed before our enemies within our gates (Psalm 127:4, 5).

Luke 1:17: The Elijah anointing will “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; TO MAKE READY A PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THE LORD.”

Matthew 25:10: “And they that WERE READY went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut.”

Luke 12:40: “Be ye therefore READY also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

1 Timothy 6:18: “That they do good, that they be rich in good works, READY to distribute, willing to communicate.”

1 Timothy 4:6: Paul confessed: “For I am now READY TO BE OFFERED.”

Titus 3:1: “BE READY to every good work.”

1 Peter 3:15: “BE READY ALWAYS to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”

1 Peter 5:2: Concerning the oversight of the church, elders should pastor “not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre (for payment of money), but of a READY MIND (a willing mind.)”

Revelation 19:7: “Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife HATH MADE HERSELF READY.”

There is no question that God wants a READY AND EQUIPPED PEOPLE to accomplish His warfare. May God save us from being unprepared, slipshod, out of order, not up-to-par, rusty, and antiquated.

Blunt, unpolished arrows who do not have parents to sharpen them up and make them ready are plainly not good enough for the bow of the King of kings.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Psalm 120:4 “Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.”

In ancient warfare they attached burning, live coals of the juniper tree to the heads of the arrows. They shot these arrows over the walls of the city on to the roof tops to set the city on fire. They were very destructive arrows.

YOUNG PEOPLE ON FIRE

It is wonderful when young people get on fire for God. Their enthusiasm is magnetic to behold. I remember when we lived on the Gold Coast of Australia and our children were in their teen years. We had a very “on fire” youth group in the church I founded on the Gold Coast. They would go out to the main gathering place in the center of the city called Cavill Mall. It was an outside mall because of the tropical weather.

The young people would begin street preaching where hundreds of people milled around shopping, going in and out of nightclubs, cafeterias, and coffee bars. These young people were so “on fire” that they would soon gather a crowd of by-standers. The people were astounded that these young people were so “on fire” for Jesus Christ. There is something very pure and innocent about it.

As a young teen, our son, Rocklyn, would preach like two Billy Grahams put together. Both the boys and the girls needed to lift their voices and gesticulate with their arms as there were no microphones. Quite often the police would shove them on because their crowd began blocking the footpath.

THE FIRE OF GOD AND ZEAL GO TOGETHER

If we are on fire for God, we will have zeal.

The prophetic Scripture of Jesus in Psalm 69:9 says: “The zeal of thine house that eaten me up.”

The psalmist in Psalm 119:130 confessed: “My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.”

OLDER PEOPLE ON FIRE FOR GOD

It is great for young people to be full of zeal and on fire for God. However, it is just as important for older people to have the fire of God, their spirits burning hot within them in all matters concerning God’s house.

Just because you are middle-aged or even in your senior years, does not give you permission to let the fire die out. God commanded in Leviticus 6:12 and 13 that the fire upon the altar was never to go out. NEVER, EVER!

I want to be more on fire for God in my senior years than at any other time in my life.

If you have the fire of the zeal of God burning within you people will want to listen to you. It is possible to preach God’s Word without fire and zeal, but it will not move people. It is possible to speak the truth with great eloquence, but it will not change the listeners. It must come from a spirit that is ignited by the burning fire of God.

FIRE CREATES MORE FIRE

The great thing about fire is that it creates more fire. When the fire of God is upon us, we’ll release a riot or a revival!

Psalm 39:2, 3: “I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was HOT WITHIN ME, while I was musing THE FIRE BURNED; THEN SPAKE I WITH MY TONGUE.”

The New Living Translation says: “But as I stood there in silence—not even speaking of good things—the turmoil within me grew worse. The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words.”

The Passion Translation says: “My heart burned with a fire within me, and my thoughts eventually boiled over until they finally came rolling out of my mouth.”

The word “musing” means “complaining or murmuring, meditation or musing.” David is putting more fuel on the fire. Musing also stirred his sorrow about the wicked all around him. He did not want to say the wrong thing, therefore he shut his mouth. But as he mused upon the state of the wicked the fire became hotter and the sorrow increased. He could bottle it up no longer and therefore spoke, and I am sure with great fervor and conviction.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Numbers 24:8: “God shall pierce them through with his arrows.” God spoke this prophecy concerning Israel through Balaam, the prophet, who was hired by Balak the king of the Moabites. Balaam prophesied that Israel would be arrows to pierce through their enemies. The king of Balak did not want to hear this prophecy. In fact, it made him very angry.

Would to God that such a prophecy could be applied to God’s people today. Sadly, the enemy’s arrows have pierced us.

However, this prophecy has application to all God’s people throughout all generations if we will only wake up. God calls us to be involved in true spiritual warfare.

If we train our children to put on the whole armor of God, take a positive, militant stand in prayer, and teach them the true art of spiritual warfare that involves binding and losing, we will very soon pierce through the defenses of our enemies. Abortion and homosexuality would soon be overcome. All unholy practices would soon be shattered and pierced through.

We most certainly will not be militant against one another. Nor will we be militant against those whom God wants to save, for we do not fight against flesh and blood. Our real enemies are sinister, spiritual ones that are the driving force behind the physical.

Israel of old was always victorious in piercing rhough their enemy’s defenses if God was with them and on their side. If God was not on their side because of sin in the camp Israel suffered enormous loses.

2 Corinthians 10:4: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”

Nuclear weapons (perhaps the mightiest weapons on planet earth) cannot defeat the principalities and powers that drive the evils of this world. It takes Spirit-powered arrows that are sent forth from our “on fire” prayer meetings and from the Family Devotions we hold around our breakfast and evening meal tables.

These are the simple, but powerful weapons, like the simple sling that young David, who became one of Israel’s greatest warriors, used to bring the mighty Goliath down to the ground. Goliath epitomized the proud and arrogant strongholds of the devil’s camp, but could not stand against God’s weapons.

The mighty weapons of God include the heart-piercing arrows from home schooling families, morning and evening devotions, coupled with simple, earnest prayer, praise, and worship which accomplish more than any atomic weapon could ever accomplish.

Our weapons are so basic that most Christians don’t even entertain them in in our day of sophisticated modern warfare. All the while we hold this attitude the enemy’s fortresses remain unpenetrated and unmoved. The arsenal of the true Christian family and church include the humble, yet highly effective blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony (which is the Word of God in our mouths when we pray and testify), plus loving not our lives unto death (applying the cross to every area of our lives).

We must not despise these humble weapons if we wish to pierce through the strongholds of the powers of darkness.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Picture: Daniel and Allison Hartman announcing a new arrow to arrive in their family.