Has God got you covered?

Several months ago, as our team gathered for land cleansing prayer work at a very significant site, the Spirit of the Lord began to speak to us and what He said brought our plans to a screeching halt.

Early in the morning on the day of the scheduled prayer initiative God spoke and clearly said; "you're not going to win this battle." Then, He began to download the scriptures and the understanding as to why we could not win the spiritual battle we were about to engage in.

First, the Lord reviewed the importance of spiritual covering and specifically identified certain individuals on our team that were under tainted or defiled spiritual covering. The fact of the matter was that the individuals in question had chosen to remain under the defiled covering even though they were aware it was contaminated by occult mixture.

Concept of Spiritual Covering

Jesus modeled for us the spiritual concept of covering when He walked out His ministry here in the earth. Jesus continually stated that He only did what He saw His heavenly Father doing, or spoke what His Father was saying (Jn. 5:10,30, 8:26). We see how, in the temptation in the wilderness, Satan continually tried to draw Jesus out from under His Father's covering. He even used scripture in his attempts to seduce Jesus into coming out from under His Fathers protective covering (Matt. 4:4-11).

The principle of guaranteed protection also applies to each believer as long as we honor and remain under the spiritual covering God has appointed for our safety. For instance, the husband was designated by God to be the protective covering for his wife, and the parents to be protective covering for their children (1 Cor. 11:3).

In the same way, the Pastor, and his leadership team are responsible to be a protective covering for the safety of the sheep in God's house. One of a leader’s primary responsibilities is to ensure that those under his spiritual authority are kept safe, and protected from spiritual forces that seek to do them great harm.

Each believer’s job is to discerningly determine if the covering they've chosen to come under is appropriately balanced and spiritually adequate to provide the covering they need. The most spiritually healthy coverings are uncompromising in their alignment with the whole council of God and are unwavering in their commitment to kingdom culture and principles.

They also seek the leading of the Holy Spirit, allowing His gifts and appropriate manifestations, and will never allow anything that would hinder the manifestation of God’s presence in their

midst. God has declared that He will cover and defend us (Ps. 5:11). He says He will hide us under the shadow of His wing (Ps. 91:4). Healthy legitimate spiritual covering will do all that is required to remain under God’s divinely promised protection.

Example of Corrupt Covering

Numbers 16 provides an example of a tainted covering in the story of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram’s rebellion against God’s ordained leaders. In standing against Moses and Aaron, the rebels refused to submit to God's appointed leadership. They failed to realize that Moses and Aaron were an extension of Gods authority in the earth. So, Korah and his associates were really rebelling against God and His choice for leadership.

Now, it is written, "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft" (1Sam. 15:23). This tells us that Korah was actually operating under a spirit of witchcraft in opposing God's chosen leadership. Because his actions were a virtual rejection of God's order and leadership, his was a grave sin worthy of death. In the narrative God was going to destroy the whole camp of those who had aligned with Korah.

However, Moses interceded for the people and asked God if He would destroy the whole group because of the sin of the three rebels. In response to Mose’s plea, God told him to tell the people to; "Get out from under the tents of these wicked men, least you be consumed by their sins" (Num. 16:27). After the people departed from the tents of the rebels, the earth opened up and swallowed whole, the rebels, their families, and all they owned (Num. 16:31-33).

At this point it’s important that we see the people had come under the tents of the rebels. As we all know a tent serves as a covering and a shelter to protect those who want to escape the elements. In this case God told the people to “get out!” God’s concern for His people was based on knowing that the covering they were under would not protect them but instead would cause them great harm.

To me this is a grave warning for those who would dare to linger and stay under the covering of those who have rebelled against the Lord. In essence, God is telling His people to get out from under the tainted spiritual coverings of those who disregard or oppose His word, His ways, His instructions, the leading of His Holy Spirit, or His validly confirmed leadership councils.

In the case of our particular incident the leadership covering in question was Masonic. One of Satan’s key strategies is to infiltrate Christian ministry organizations, or churches to contaminate them. If he cannot draw us out from under our legitimate covering then he will seek to infiltrate our leadership covering with concepts, practices, or doctrines that are outlawed by the word of God.

Called to Come Out

The next piece of instruction given by the Lord is anchored in the book of 2 Corinthians where God says:

“Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters” (2 Cor. 6:17-18).

In regard to tainted or unclean coverings, the Lord said that anyone who refuses to come out from under such coverings, and be separate, although he or she claims to be a believer, the authority that is appropriated as a son or daughter of God is suspended and nonfunctional. Basically, their spiritual authority becomes invalid and of no threat to God’s enemies.

Note the Scripture implies that when an individual obeys God's instruction to depart and separate themselves from that, which is unclean, it is then that He will receive them as sons and daughters. He plainly says, "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters (2 Cor. 6:18).

We should also note what Samuel told Saul - "because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you" (1Sam.15:23). God also spoke through the prophet Hosea confirming His response to those who reject His knowledge or instruction. Hosea declared, "because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you" (Hosea 4:6). Refusing to obey God’s instruction or knowledge, He views as a rejection of Himself and responds accordingly.

When you add to this John’s statement concerning prayer the stakes rise even higher.

Remember, John said, "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (Jn. 3:22). Refusing to relinquish, separate from, and come out from under unclean coverings nullifies the effectiveness of our prayers.

Consequences for Refusing to Depart from Unclean Coverings

The consequence of remaining under tainted, defiled or unclean coverings is at least fivefold:

First, we are rejected by God for refusing to accept and act upon His revelation knowledge.

Second, the spiritual authority ordained for God's sons and daughters is suspended and nonoperational.

Third, the unholy alliance established by association with the unclean greatly diminishes the discernment of the believer (See Feb. 2013 article on Breaking Unholy Alliances).

Fourth, our prayers become ineffectual because we refuse to obey His instructions and continue to do things that are not pleasing in His sight.

Fifth, we put our teammates in jeopardy by providing an open door for the enemy to assault our fellow team members. (See Joshua 7:1-13 - to see how one person's sin affected the lives of 35 members of his team)

Last of all, we will absolutely lose the spiritual prayer battles that we engage in, even though we claim to do them in the name of the Lord.

Conclusions – What to Do!

So what must we do? Take time to do the research, to discover what your ministry organization or church believes, who they are aligned with, and what their stance is on current social issues. Are they aligned with any occult organizations, practices, secret societies, or New World Order affiliates?

Anything or anyone associated with Lucifer and New World Order agenda is to be considered unclean. Make it a point to better understand and discern the difference between the clean and the unclean.

If you discover an unholy alignment, then you need to decide if you want God to be with you as you go out to fight the spiritual battles set before you. One thing you do not want to hear is - "You're not going to win this battle."

And remember, one of Satan's primary strategies is to infiltrate – contaminate – and invalidate.