Overcoming the Victim Spirit

By Steve Long 

This past October, we had a series of sermons on how our church is overcoming. We covered topics such as fear, anxiety, and deception. I didn’t get to speak on this topic as I was ministering at Catch The Fire Raleigh and then at Grace Centre in Nashville. So, this is my chance to talk about a related topic on overcoming – the victim spirit.

The way the victim spirit operates is to cause a person to shift their thinking from believing who they are in Christ (an overcomer, seated in heavenly places, etc.) to believe that they have lost their standing. The result of someone falling prey to the victim spirit is a demonstration of blaming others, without taking responsibility for their own actions.

Here are some ways to spot a victim spirit:

• Victim spirit is heard in how we speak. They will usually take every opportunity to share their troubles and negativity with others.

• Victim spirit is extremely self-centred. They will rarely if ever, ask you anything about yourself. You can sit with these people for a couple of hours talking, and it will never occur to them to ask you anything about your life.

• Victim spirit is self-absorbed. They will complain about everything that happens to them without owning their part. Nothing is ever their fault.

• Victim spirit will cause them to hold on to every injustice, every hurt, every pain, and they refuse to let go. 

Bible Examples of Victims

Saul the King

Saul had every opportunity to be a huge success as the first king of Israel. He was anointed by Israel’s most anointed prophet Samuel. He was mentored in decision-making by Samuel. He was taller than everyone else. He came from a prestigious family. He was a tremendous warrior and general as Israel never lost a battle under his leadership (until his last battle).

But the Bible records that all of his life Saul was negatively influenced by a spirit. You will remember that David, prior to killing Goliath, would play his harp to calm down the spirit that affected Saul. I believe this spirit was the victim spirit. It showed itself several times, including early on in Saul’s reign as seen in this story.

1 Samuel 13: 7 Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” 13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” (NIV)

Note how King Saul takes no responsibility for his actions. He blames others for his disobedience. Specifically, he blames Samuel the prophet. 

“You did not come at the set time” vs. 11
“So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” vs. 12

His excuses for bad behaviour are all about him. He is the victim. 

“When I saw that the men were scattering” vs. 11
I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal” vs. 12
“I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ vs. 12
So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” vs. 12

Bible Examples of Victim Overcomers

Joseph the Dreamer

I believe Joseph began as a victim. He was probably teased by his brothers for how his parents babied him and treated him as their favourite. When he began to have dreams, his whole family, parents, and siblings, ridiculed him.

He could have blamed his brothers for being sold as a slave to Potifar. He could have blamed Potifar’s wife for being accused of rape and sent to jail. He could have blamed the cupbearer for leaving him in jail when he had the opportunity to be remembered for a new trial.  

But, we don’t read of Joseph blaming others or feeling sorry about his circumstances during these years. In fact, just the opposite is true. 

Somewhere along the line, Joseph pushed into God. God blessed him with more dreams and on top of that, the ability to accurately interpret dreams. Somewhere in the thirteen years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, Joseph learned to forgive. It appears that he forgave Potifar, Potifar’s wife, and especially his brothers.

Joseph, when he sees his brothers before him as the prince of Egypt, quickly realizes the big picture of what God was doing. Joseph famously says these overcomer words… 

Genesis 45: 5 Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (NIV)

Overcomers, look inward to improve. They ask questions like, is there a character flaw that I’m not seeing? Is there an action or attitude in my life that I’m blind to? Overcomers look upward for revelation and inspiration regarding their circumstances. Joseph is quick to acknowledge God for all the favour he lives in, for all the breakthroughs that have come his way.

Paul the Apostle

If there is a person who could have blamed others for his circumstances it is Paul. Look at his negative resume of what happened in his life. 

2 Corinthians 11: 23 I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. (NIV)

Paul could have blamed others. He could have blamed the Lord, he could have blamed the weather. He could have blamed the circumstances. But no; he revels in it. He knows that blaming others would be foolish talk. To live like a victim was crazy thinking.

2 Corinthians 11: 21 Whatever anyone else dares to boast about - I am speaking as a fool - I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.)

Later in Paul’s life while in a Roman jail, he reflects on all the events of his life. Many of us would have taken Paul’s list of bad stuff as a justification to be a victim. But not Paul.

Philippians 1: 12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. (NIV)

Paul knew Biblical truths that we can learn from. We need to adopt these principles to get out of the victim mentality and into overcome mode.

Jesus modelled being an overcomer. 

John 16:33 In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (NIV)

John the apostle knew he was an overcomer and invited us to join him.

1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (NIV)

Paul knew his position and perspective. Seated in heavenly places – a ruler not under the feet of Satan or anyone else! 

Colossians 3:1 ​​Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (NIV)

Paul knew how to train his mind to think right so that he would make good and godly decisions.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (NIV)

Can I humbly suggest that living as a victim may have begun quite innocently? Your parents lived this way and you fell into a lifestyle copying your parents. You didn’t know the Lord and assumed that blaming and thinking of your own interests is how one lives. You didn’t know that Satan was programing you to be a victim.

But now you know. What are you going to do about it? Can I suggest a couple of things?

First, repent of living as a victim. Jesus, forgive me for blaming others, for being selfish and self-centred in my life, through my actions and words. 

Second, renounce this lifestyle. Jesus I do not want to live as a victim. I do not want to function as a slave of Satan, listening to his demonic spirits for how I live my life. I command this victim spirit to leave my life. I choose to let the Holy Spirit lead and guide me. I choose to be led by the Spirit of Christ in how I behave and speak.

Third, I forgive. I forgive my parents/siblings who modelled a victim spirit. I forgive my spouse/roommates/friends who enforced that I was a victim by their words and actions towards me. I forgive myself for being deceived and not understanding until now that I entered into an agreement with this victim spirit. Father God, forgive me for blaming you for my choices and circumstances.

Lastly, I make a choice. I choose to live my life as a child of the most high God. I am seated in heavenly places with Christ. I am not the tail but the head. I have the mind of Jesus. I align my will to the will of God. I am an overcomer! Amen.

Footnote:

https://folcc.org/the-biblical-way-to-overcome-victim-mentality-and-be-a-victor/

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Steve Long is the Senior Leader of Catch The Fire Church (Toronto). He is the author of several books including The Faith Zone and My Healing Belongs to Me. Steve and his wife Sandra serve on two apostolic teams; one for the City of Toronto as well as Catch The Fire World. They live in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Vaccination as a Choice

By Steve Long 

I’m very aware that those in our congregation who are not vaccinated are under extreme pressure. There is pressure to conform or to defend their position. Public opinion in our city and nation seems to be against this segment of our community. In response to forced vaccinations, some of you quietly ask the Lord if you are making the right decision. In contrast, others of you are more vocal in your convictions. As a spiritual leader, I’ve been pondering how I can help people hold on to their convictions and not become regretful about their choice.

In reading various social media posts and listening to my unvaccinated friends, their reasons not to be vaccinated vary. Some of them I find logical, and it's easy to understand their position. I’m struggling to understand others, as it sounds like some reasons may be rooted in pain rather than hearing from the Lord.

Let me give an overview and reminder of where Catch The Fire Church in Toronto stands on vaccinations. We decided in 2020, being vaccinated was a personal choice. As a church, we would not influence either direction but encourage everyone to take this decision to the Lord. We’ve taught people how to hear from God. We’ve encouraged everyone who is in doubt to also consult their family doctor. (If you haven’t read my earlier blog on this topic, click here)

As I understand the mandate, any person may appeal the forced vaccination for their employment by having a medical or a religious exemption under the Human Rights Code. Our church doesn’t have an official written position on this topic, and we cannot help craft exemption letters. That is your role, but we can support you. The Creed section of the Human Rights Code implies a written statement such as our church’s Statement of Faith. Most churches do not have a long-standing position on vaccinations in general, so helping their congregants to get exemptions from the Covid-19 vaccine has been very challenging. In my research, I have found only one denomination in Canada that has a historical stance on vaccinations. That is the Dutch Reformed Church. 

So let me try to encourage those of you who have chosen not to be vaccinated.

1 — From the political view, most politicians, including Premier Doug Ford and Mayor John Tory, say that the vaccination passport is temporary.

That is good news as long as Covid-19 doesn’t continue to mutate into new strains that may need new vaccine versions. So hold on. Premier Ford last week announced March 2022 as the date these restrictions will be lifted.

Whether this disease is purposely man-made, accidental or a fluke, it is not from God. Jesus would treat it as he would all sicknesses and diseases he came into contact with — it is an enemy. In John 10:10, Jesus said it is Satan who comes to kill, steal and destroy. Jesus said he came to bring life. Let’s put our faith in God, way ahead of faith in politicians!

2 — From the faith point of view: if you have heard the Lord asking you to trust Him for your health and not take the vaccination, you don’t have to give in!

I wrote a book a while back about how faith works (The Faith Zone). When you and I hear from the Lord, we have to hold on to it. That process is “believing.” As we are believing, we ask the Lord more questions such as how do we do this? 

For most of you, the how has been a simple decision not to take the vaccination. Now you are in what I call the faith zone. You have done your part, and you are now waiting for the Lord to do His part in caring for you, providing for you and healing you. Well done!

I know of people in our congregation who are currently suspended from their jobs because they have felt the Lord speaking to them not to be vaccinated. They have heard the Lord say He will open other doors of opportunity for them. I congratulate these people! According to Hebrews 11, you are living by the revelations (Rhema) of God.

My challenge to you is to hold on to what the Lord spoke while you wait to see how the Lord will act. Don’t give in to peer and public pressure. Do what the Lord has told you. Also, don’t despair while you wait. Don’t look back and doubt. There are always breakthroughs for those who act on revelation!

3 — For those whose reasons are about “my rights,” this one is harder for me to understand.

I hear many people, especially on social media, talk about their rights as Canadian citizens not to be forced to do anything, including taking a vaccine. Paul, the apostle, only once used his rights as a Roman citizen to help his situation. In Acts 16:37-38, Paul was beaten before an investigation. He used his rights as a Roman citizen to be exempt from further punishment.

On the other side, I see Jesus, who released all his rights, to live and die for us. He told us that when governments prevail on us, we serve joyfully, going above what is asked of us. Matthew 5:41 talks about Roman soldiers being able to conscript a Jew to carry their backpack for a mile. Jesus said, go two!

For those of you who have confidence in the laws of Canada to defend you, keep going. Be the activist you are called to be. Fight for yourself and for others. Know that you may need to hire lawyers to help you. Know, you may be misunderstood by many, and you may face criticism for fighting. My question to you is this: is this vaccine a fight and a cause you are willing to die for? Is this your calling, or is this a distraction designed to keep you from the actual assignment God has given you? Be careful that you don’t find yourself loving the law more than loving grace and mercy. 

4 — For those with medical challenges, I’ve had many conversations with people with health concerns relating to wearing masks and vaccinations.

Our church has followed the law in asking people to wear masks indoors. When people say they have a medical reason not to, we bless them not to wear a mask. 

One couple in our church community talked to me about their desire to have a child. They were unsure if the rumours about infertility were accurate regarding the vaccines. Another couple is pregnant right now and felt to wait until their baby is born. Without being in the medical profession, I think these are valid concerns. I would be doing the same as they are and waiting for more information. I would be consulting my family doctor and specialists to make sure I made the right decision.

To this group, I challenge you to make informed decisions by talking to your doctor. Your doctor will know more about you and your health in the best way possible.  

5 — For those who simply don’t want to be told by the government what to do:  I can’t agree with you on this point.  To be against this mandate without a conviction from the Lord is dangerous ground, in my opinion.

I was reading about several very vocal media personalities in the States who have been anti-Covid advocates. They have taken the stance that is characterized as conspiracy theories. Sadly three of these voices who denied Covid-19 have just died of Covid-19. To me, their stubbornness may have resulted in their premature deaths. If this is you, please open your heart and ask the Lord if your motives are pure. 

In 1 Peter 2:18-21 Peter writes an encouragement to people who are under authority to have hope if you suffer for being godly. But his warning for those who suffer because of bad behaviour, is “why?” Basically he says God isn’t on your side if you are fighting the wrong issues.

6 — For those of you concerned that the vaccine may contain aborted fetuses. From all the research that I have done, including asking input from those in our congregation who actively campaign for life; there is no definitive proof that the first vaccines used an aborted fetus. 

Almost all vaccines build on previous ones. The first of the modern vaccines began in the 1970’s and did use a fetus. But no one took note if the fetus was from a still-born child or an aborted one. So we have silence and neither side can prove their case.

To conclude, each person’s reasons regarding this vaccine will be unique. We live in a secular society where public belief is that medicine and vaccinations will keep us healthy. That is true on one level, but many have more faith for a vaccine than for God to be their saviour and healer.

Paul told his protege Timothy to drink wine for his stomach. I’m sure that was after he prayed for his healing. King Hezekiah was told by Isaiah the prophet, to eat a fig jam for his healing. The Lord can and does use natural and medical means to bring healing. God also does miracles!

The stats show that vaccinated people don’t die of Covid-19 at the same levels as those not vaccinated. I believe vaccines in general are a way in which the Lord prevents sickness and diseases (which come from Satan). If we wear glasses until we are healed of sight issues, I don’t have a problem taking a vaccine until the Lord gives us victory of this disease called Covid-19.

As I wrote in my blog about why I was vaccinated, I did so because of my calling. The Lord’s voice to me to be able to travel for my role, trumps any concerns that I may have had for what is or isn’t in the vaccine. Just as many of you have had the Lord speak to you not to have the vaccine yet, He is able to speak to others to say don’t worry about taking the vaccine.

Everyone was given a choice and we have all made a choice. We are overcomers! We made a decision based on our convictions, our callings and our right to choose. Let’s live as overcomers, not victims who blame others for the consequences of their decisions.

So, church family, whether you are vaccinated or not, know you are all equally loved and accepted. Let’s continue to have grace for each other. Let’s not judge those who have heard or think differently. Let’s do what the Bible says and “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3

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Steve Long is the Senior Leader of Catch The Fire Church (Toronto). He is the author of several books including The Faith Zone and My Healing Belongs to Me. Steve and his wife Sandra serve on two apostolic teams; one for the City of Toronto as well as Catch The Fire World. They live in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Show kindness. Express love. Give joy.

by James Semplonius

As 2021 draws to a close and with the Christmas season now upon us, we are very excited to announce the return of our annual Giving Tree program! We began this program back in 2019 to help new Canadians, single parents, and low-income or unemployed families by giving a Christmas gift to those who need it most. It became a real, tangible, and practical way to show God’s love and help those in our church family. 

For many of us, this past season has presented its unique challenges. We know that the impact of stay-at-home orders, physical distancing, and other restrictions have contributed to financial hardships as well as a rise in mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions within our communities. People in our church have had an especially difficult year, and we want to bring hope and joy to our friends this Christmas. 

In Galatians 6, we are urged to carry each other’s burdens and to not become weary in doing good things, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. As we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers. This is at the very heart of our program. We know that even when the night seems darkest, our hope in God does not disappoint. God’s loyal love does not run out and his mercies do not run dry. They are new every morning. How great is His faithfulness! 

In 2020, Catch The Fire Toronto provided over 150 gifts for 78 individuals. In addition to these gifts, we raised $12,062.60 to support Prison Fellowship Canada’s Angel Tree Program. That was enough to provide over 340 gifts to families of incarcerated individuals across Canada. Here are some of the incredible testimonies of what God did through The Giving Tree last year. 

“In 2019, my son and I were on the receiving end of ‘The Giving Tree’ and my goal was to be in the gifting end in 2020. Although I lost my full-time employment due to COVID-19 in 2020, God found a way to make my goal possible. Not only did we sponsor 1, but 2 brothers! It felt amazing for my son and I to shop for them and give them something they would enjoy and hopefully share with one another. I love ‘The Giving Tree’ concept and hope you will continue it.”

“I had the opportunity to pick a tag off the virtual Christmas tree this year for our giving tree. For me, Christmas is a special time not only because of the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ but also because I love buying presents. It gives me a sense of joy! During the pandemic season, it was obviously one of the worst times to be celebrating. However, giving and knowing that I helped make someone’s Christmas special rather than focusing on what is external was a blessing to me.”

“I got an unexpected call from Catch The Fire on Christmas Eve letting me know there was a gift at the church for me. I had accidentally brushed my alarm clock off the dressing table, and it broke. It had to be God because one of the gifts in the gift bag was an electric clock radio and a pair of made in Canada gloves, and a toque. I have started using the clock, gloves, and toque. God is good! Thank you Catch The Fire!”

We invite you to join us again this year to express God’s love and give hope and joy to others by participating in the giving tree program!  Here are the ways that you can participate. 

Purchase a Gift!

Starting December 5, go to The Giving Tree page to pick a digital tag from our giving tree. The tag will have the necessary information you need to purchase a gift. Wrap the gift and return it to the church by December 19.

Sow Financially!

We are receiving donations to support Prison Fellowship Canada’s Angel Tree Christmas again this year, so if you prefer to give financially this is an excellent option for you. PFC is an incredible organization here in Toronto that organizes Christmas gifts for families of incarcerated individuals across Canada. Give Now!

We pray that God will bless you and your loved ones with health, rest, and peace in the days ahead. May you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

10 Common Obstacles Christian Business Leaders Encounter and How to Overcome Them

Many of us tend to leave God at home when we go to work because we don’t feel comfortable sharing our faith in the secular marketplace.

You may have already overcome many external obstacles to get where you are today. When it comes to following Jesus at work, most obstacles are not external—they’re inside your heart and mind. 

In his new book, More Than Your Business Card, business leader Garth Jestley writes about finding your calling in the business world and the reality of God’s perspective about you and what you do. More Than Your Business Card confirms business leadership as a legitimate, meaningful, and profoundly fulfilling way to follow Jesus. When we lead businesses, we are in a position of influence to cultivate the love of Jesus and be the salt and the light of the world. 

Below is an excerpt from the book: 10 Common Obstacles Christian Business Leaders Encounter and How to Overcome Them

Garth Jestley has held many senior leadership positions in investment management, venture capital, corporate banking, and international project financing throughout his business career. He has held the position of Executive Director of LeaderImpact for several years. Its mission is to help marketplace leaders across Canada and around the world explore the relevance of faith in God in their professional and personal lives. This involvement was a catalyst for his recently completed book More Than Your Business Card: a wake-up call for leaders desiring to follow Jesus in the marketplace.  

Garth is currently Vice Chairman of Middlefield Group and Special Advisor to the senior management team. He also serves on the national board of directors of Teen Challenge Canada based in London, Ontario and the board of Catch The Fire Church in Toronto. To find out more, visit garthjestley.com

Am I Under the Influence Of A Demonic Spirit?

By Steve Long 

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

Our world is in a spiritual battle right now like never before. Most of us are clueless that this is the case. Instead, we are battling people who hold other opinions on Covid-19, lockdown measures, vaccinations, etc. We are treating people whom we disagree with as if they are the enemy. People are not the problem. They never are.

Paul, the apostle, says the real enemy is demonic spirits. When we feel that a person or group is the enemy, we step into Satan’s plan. We miss the opportunity to be a solution. We’ve been duped! I’ve been asking Christian leaders to help me with this blog. I’m hoping to identify what spirits we are up against and then how do we battle them? Some of the ideas I’m presenting aren’t original to me. Hopefully, my thoughts will be beneficial.

Let me back up a bit. I heard through a friend that a very anointed and intellectual leader was having breakthroughs in seeing people instantly healed of Covid-19. His name is Ken Fish (https://orbisministries.org). Ken has a history in signs and wonders, having been mentored by John Wimber. Ken is a deliverance specialist, among other things.

The story as I heard it was as Ken was reading Psalm 91, he was drawn to verse 6. 

Nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. (NIV)

Ken went to a Hebrew Lexicon and found that the Hebrew word “destroys” is qeteb. It is the name of a Canaanite god. The passage tells us the name of the spirit that organizes plagues and pestilence, and the name of that spirit is Qeteb. 

Note how the Passion translates this verse.

Don’t fear a thing! Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will not trouble you, nor will the powers of evil be launched against you.

As Ken and others pray this spirit off of people, Covid-19 is being healed and instantly eradicated. Wow! They weren’t praying specifically for Covid, instead got rid of a spirit, and the result was healing.

So that got me thinking about what other demonic spirits are at work in our society. What are we battling in the spirit world and how do we pray for freedom for ourselves and others?

When George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis, a spirit rode in. I felt the Lord saying to me that it was the spirit of anarchy. What we saw was the rise of anarchist organizations and thinking. We saw friends turn on each other. We saw followers of Jesus preaching and advocating defunding police, deconstructing the church, revoking laws, impeaching civic leaders, etc.

That spirit of anarchy has subsided a bit, but it is still very current. It is actively working, causing rebellion. I fear that some of the pastors of churches who are challenging laws may have come under this spirit. Their view is that they are right, and every other pastor/priest who isn’t opposing lockdown rules has given in to government control. Heaven knows.

Mark Hardy, (deeperthanwar.com) one of our former youth leaders in Toronto and now a tattoo artist in the UK, shared this with me. “I believe that the more profound crisis affecting us right now as a body is one of polarization and division, and maybe that’s the spirit that’s really behind all this.”  

I call this the political spirit.

The political spirit is what Jesus was up against with the Pharisees; a political party. You will remember what Jesus said of them; “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”  Mark 8:15

From Bethel Church, Redding, California, Kris Vallotton (krisvallotton.com) shares the following insights to watch for and self-diagnose to know if we are under the influence of a political spirit.

1. The political spirit always needs an enemy! This spirit is more concerned with winning than with solving a problem.

2. The political spirit demonizes anyone who disagrees with them. In other words, we don’t just see them as wrong on an issue; we view them as evil. 

3. The political spirit imprisons our minds and reduces us to partisan opinions. This spirit separates people into two categories; winners and losers. 

Along with her husband Dan, Caroline Smith, (facebook.com/carolina.smith.18) who leads LifeBridge Church in Ontario, shares the same opinion. “The political spirit is taking hold of this season more than ever with all the conflicts and corruption. Still, Covid has accentuated the political spirit’s need for control, as world leaders seize the opportunities that Covid presents to hold onto power, take freedoms away from people through fear and legalism. I am not an anti-vaxxer. I believe there is a virus, and I believe we need some protocols to follow to stop the spread. But fear, contention, control, disputes, and divisions are taking hold in the church because of listening to the political spirit.”

Jacob Murphy, (jacobandcarolyn.blogspot.com) the pastor of Catch The Fire Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, shares this: “I believe there is a victim spirit at work. Both sides of any argument these days show victimization tendencies and have a clear human enemy. I believe that is a spirit working hard to divide people and obscure the real source of the division. People are looking around at each other as the enemy, getting angrier and angrier at each other. I can’t recall anyone lately who called out across the chasm of difference of opinion and invited those on the other side to join in prayer and warfare in the Spirit. I think the victim spirit is at work.”

One other spirit is always seeking to take captives, and that is fear. Supposedly there are about 4000 different fears; all of them are bad for us. Having written a book about Faith (The Faith Zone), I think I have a good understanding of how fear works. If faith is acting on revelation from God’s Spirit to get a breakthrough, fear is its evil brother. Fear is the result of acting on a revelation from Satan. Its reward is bondage and blame.

The difference is we believe or don’t believe when God speaks to us. If we agree and act on the revelation, we move forward; we see miracles, healings, and breakthroughs. Fear is what we reap when we say no to what God speaks. Satan and his spirits jump in immediately, and we find ourselves on the wrong side of breakthroughs. Fear steals our joy, our hope, our love for one another, our compassion, etc. The fruit is all bad with the spirit of fear. So, how do we know if we are under the influence of one of these spirits?

First, if you feel angry with people who disagree with you, you may be under one? Remember the passage we began with from Ephesians 6? If you blame me or one of the other Christian leaders who shared their opinions, you have aligned yourself with blaming the wrong being. I’m not the problem, a spirit is, and it wants to distract you by blaming others.

Second, we need the Spirit of God to give us revelation. Paul the apostle, when he wrote to the Galatians, tells them, You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?  Galatians 3:1  

He calls out this church for coming under a demonic spirit that is taking them away from the truth. We need to humble ourselves to ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us on this topic. Have I come under a spell?

Third, we ask the Spirit of God to cleanse us from every and all spirits! If you’d like to pray a cleansing prayer, read this with me: 

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sins. Psalm 51:1-2

If I confess my sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive my sins and purify me from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

No weapon forged against me will prevail, and I will refute every tongue that accuses me. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,” declares the Lord.  Isaiah 54:17

Father, we lift off every demonic spirit that is affecting our lives. We tell the spirit of anarchy, qeteb, the political spirit, the victim spirit, and the spirit of fear to leave us now. We cleanse ourselves from these spirits and speak to our bodies to receive full healing now in Jesus name.

Fourth, if you’d like the promises of Psalm 91 to be over your life, you and I need to fulfill the qualifying prerequisites.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1 NIV

My responsibility to protect myself from plagues, pestilence, demons, evil spirits, etc., is to dwell in the shelter or the presence of God. We hide as close as we can to Father God. We position ourselves away from spirits that bring negative consequences, such as what this blog has covered.

Friends, let’s take this week to proactively not partner with Satan by yielding to these spirits and their destructive plans. Conversely, let’s welcome God’s very Holy Spirit that is pure and brings beautiful benefits to us.

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Steve Long is the Senior Leader of Catch The Fire Church (Toronto). He is the author of several books including The Faith Zone and My Healing Belongs to Me. Steve and his wife Sandra serve on two apostolic teams; one for the City of Toronto as well as Catch The Fire World. They live in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Are we there yet?

By Steve Long 

The number 666 has been assigned as the number of the beast. This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

Revelations 13:18

I’ve got good news and bad news.  What would you like first?

Well, the good news is also the bad news. The good news is that Jesus is coming back again to set up his kingdom, to take us to the Father, and to usher in the end of this world as we now know it.

The bad news is that the coming of Jesus brings tribulation, an antichrist, and the mark of the beast. The good and bad happen in synergy, both at the same time. Before Jesus returns, evil beings will appear, and bad things will happen. 

More good/bad news. We can’t slow down the process.

In fact, followers of Jesus are urged to pray for the soon coming of Jesus. The Bible concludes with this final prayer:

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.  Revelation 22:20-21

The Greek word for Come Lord Jesus is Maranatha. This word Maranatha became the greeting when followers of Jesus met together. This phrase was a reminder to the first-century church that Jesus is coming; let’s welcome it. Most generations have felt that the return of Jesus is imminent. So, with that hope came a looking for signs of His return. Bible futurists have always been with us speculating as to when is the hour, who is this anti-Christ, and what is the mark of the beast from Revelation 13?

Throughout history, speculators have felt they were sure what the mark was and its number, which is 666. 

Nero Caesar was the first target. He was the emperor of the Roman world (54-68AD) during the ministry of Paul the apostle and John, the writer of Revelations. Nero was a brutal dictator and the one who took the life of Paul. It just happens that the numerical equivalent of the name and title Nero Caesar was 666.

Through the centuries, the anti-Christ was perceived as the Catholic church and whoever the Pope was, Freemasons, Knights of the Templar, Muslims, Mohammed, etc. More recently, Republicans in the US thought it was former President Obama, and then Democrats were sure it was former President Trump.  

Seventh-Day Adventists saw the mark of the beast as the worship of God on a Sunday. Every generation has looked at their circumstances and wondered if the evil they saw and felt matched the writings of Revelation 13.

In the 1970s, a Christian futurist writer named Hal Lindsay sent waves through the North American church with books such as The Late Great Planet Earth, Final Battle, and many more. Most of his books expressed his thoughts on what he saw as the signs of an imminent return of Jesus. He shared many ideas as to who the anti-Christ was and what was the mark of the beast. He was convinced Jesus was returning in the 1980s. He was wrong, repeatedly!

Most of you are too young to remember the introduction of barcodes on products. In June 1974, the first U.P.C. scanner was installed at a Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio. The first product to have a barcode was Wrigley's Gum. It was the sign of the beast!

Then it was credit cards, microchips, the New World Order, animal cruelty, etc. Today’s most recent theory is that somehow taking a vaccine, especially the Covid-19 vaccine, is either receiving the mark or leading us towards obtaining the beast’s mark. I will talk about that later.

My point by sharing this history is this. Well-meaning people who sense the growing presence of evil have sought to tie their suspicions with the Bible narrative. The Bible’s prophetic word about an anti-Christ and a beast accompanied by his mark is a sure thing. Our challenge is to watch and to pray Come Lord Jesus. 

Speculating is not wrong. John the apostle who recorded this revelation says wisdom and insight will be needed to figure this out. So far, man’s theories have been incorrect. We don’t yet know for sure what the mark is or who the beast is.

Companies and people have avoided the number 666 for fear that people would make the association somehow. In 1989, Ronald Reagan, after being elected as President of the USA,  when moving to their home in the Bel-Air section of Los Angles, had its address - 666 St. Cloud Road - changed to 668, St. Cloud Road. Some women expressed concern about giving birth on  June 6th, 2006 (6/6/06) and did everything they could not have a child born on that date. From what I found on the internet, the last airline to have a flight called 666 was Finnair.  Flight 666 left Copenhagen on Friday, October 13th, 2017, and landed at HEL, the abbreviation for Helsinki. The flight number is now 954. The Finnair people, as you can imagine, made a big media splash of this purposeful change. 

Lots of horror movies have revolved around the number 666. The Omen, Pulp Fiction, and The Phantom of the Opera all carry these themes. Iron Maden, a heavy metal band, had a very successful album called, The Number of the Beast. Almost everyone knows about the number 666; Christian and non-Christian. So let’s dig a bit deeper and see what the Bible says about this topic.

The Anti-Christ

The dragon (Satan) stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast (anti-Christ) coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.  The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.  Revelation 13:1-2

You can read more about the anti-Christ from Revelation 13:1-10, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, Revelation 19:11-21. 

The Beast

The third being in this end-time group claims to be a prophet of God. It is called an “it,” meaning it could be a he or she.  It survives a death blow of some sort (similar to the resurrection of Jesus perhaps) and claims the worship of the world.  The word “man” in verse 18 is generic for people rather than male.

11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.  18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.   Revelation 13:11-18

Here are four things we know about this mark of the beast.

1. The mark is a deliberate identification, not a hidden one.

2. The mark is an intentional rejection of Jesus’ lordship.

3. The mark represents loyalty and worship of the beast.

4. The mark is related to economic control.

As of now, the anti-Christ and the beast have not been revealed. Could they be alive today? Yes. Are they alive today? I don’t know.

Because the anti-Christ and beast haven’t yet been revealed, that means no one has yet taken the mark of the beast. It is still a distant and future event that will happen. The warning to readers of Revelation is to know the signs that will identify the anti-Christ and the beast, so we can be ready to refute the mark.

Do I think that the COVID-19 vaccines are the mark of the beast? No, because the beast hasn’t yet been revealed. Do I think that the governments of this world are training us to be dependent on them, a New World Order? Sort of. I don’t think it is a deliberate and planned activity, but I do believe governments are always seeking to take more control than Father God has given them.  

COVID-19 has definitely made people subjective to mandatory rules, even ones that change frequently. The concern of many well-intentioned followers of Jesus is we are subtly becoming sheep about to be slaughtered.

Do I believe there will be an anti-Christ, a beast, and a mark? Yes, because the Bible says so.

Am I worried? No! Jesus will win. Revelation 19 tells us that Jesus defeats the beast(s) at a final battle, probably in Israel physically and in the spirit realm. Revelation 20 talks about the thousand-year reign of Jesus followed by the last judgment.  Jesus wins; Satan and all his beasts, angels, followers, etc., are defeated!!

So, let’s be aware. Let’s be watching and praying as Jesus asked his disciples. Let’s be praying Come Lord Jesus!

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Steve Long is the Senior Leader of Catch The Fire Church (Toronto). He is the author of several books including The Faith Zone and My Healing Belongs to Me. Steve and his wife Sandra serve on two apostolic teams; one for the City of Toronto as well as Catch The Fire World. They live in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Adapting and growing amidst the pandemic: reflecting on the year with Steve and Sandra Long

As Ontario gets closer to Step 4 in its reopening plan, it’s time to ask Steve and Sandra Long, our senior leaders, some questions about our church. We ask them to look back and reflect on what has happened in the past year and to share their thoughts on the future of our church.

Question: What’s the most significant impact Covid-19 has had on our church?

Steve: For me, not meeting publicly for our worship gatherings or connect groups was the challenge. So much of what we used to do is based on being able to gather together. There are 19 one another’s in the Bible, and most of them require the interaction of what the Bible called “fellowship.” I miss hugging people, shaking hands, and giving high fives with the kids.

Sandra: I see Catch The Fire Toronto as my family. It has been tough not to see everyone and hear their laughter, cries, and stories. My heart longs for the day when we are gathered together as a church family— worshipping the Lord together, having communion together, baptisms, baby dedications—all the family stuff that we do when we are together. 

Question: What are the most significant adaptations we’ve had to make as a church?

Sandra: I remember our staff meeting the Tuesday after the government announced the first lockdown. We felt that it might be a few weeks, perhaps a month at the most. We decided to focus on three things: connecting with people, doing our online meeting with excellence, and repairing our building. We can be ready when the church family returned.

Almost everyone on our staff of 50ish people had their jobs reassigned. Thirty of us began to call and email our congregation, connecting with over 3000 people over the phone and many more through email. Our technical team quickly adapted to having a limit of 10 people in the building. We created a set, and for a season, we have very interactive meetings on Friday nights and Sunday mornings. We also decided that if people weren’t in the building, this would be a great time to fix some cracks, paint some walls, and do significant repairs.

The uncertainty of how long the lockdown would last was a big challenge. Planning is one of Stephen’s skills, so I let him focus on that while I decided to connect with people. I spent hours every day on the phone listening, talking, and praying for our church family.

Steve: Becoming a digital church has been a fun exercise. We’ve been very blessed as a church to have invested in technology over the years, such as HD4 cameras, computer programs, etc. 

Our first significant adaptation was building a studio and producing an interactive gathering for our Friday night and Sunday morning meetings. We were still able to have a high-quality meeting due to the skill sets of our staff and our technology assets, despite being restricted to having ten people in the building. For example, we had up to 8 cameras per meeting with only one camera operator and one director. In the past, we would have had most of the cameras operated by a volunteer. But with lots of thought, our tech team positioned the cameras and placed our worship team and speakers, so it looked like we had a full roster of staff. We were able to offer our live and on-demand church family an exceptionally well-produced meeting that looked great but also captured what God was doing.

We also moved all of our training and equipping courses online. We recorded the entire School of Ministry curriculum with one camera, director, and producer in our studio — a 12-week curriculum with 12 classes per week, resulting in hundreds of hours of content! Our Encounter Weekend and our leadership courses have all been recorded and are available online. So now, instead of people having to be at a meeting at a set time, our church family can watch our training and equipping courses when best for them!

Question: Has our church grown? 

Steve: The question is, how do we measure our church? Do we have more Connect groups now than before Covid-19? Yes, we have almost doubled the groups. Do we have more people attending meetings? No, we have been capped at 30% capacity, so we can’t have everyone who’d like to be in the room, but we have many more people connecting online. The norm was 800-1200 people in person over a weekend and 2500 people watching online. We reached incredible numbers in the first lockdown season, closing in on 18,000 views on our Facebook and YouTube channels. Those numbers have come down, but we are still having a far higher viewership than ever before. We are still focusing on raising new leaders, recruiting people to volunteer and serving the community we live in.

Sandra: We’ve also matured as a church. Growth isn’t just about numbers; it’s about people’s development and spiritual maturity. We are so proud of those who stepped up to become Connect leaders. The new groups were able to connect with people in the GTA and those part of our online church. Lillian Brown was a star. She began to mobilize women and had many extraordinary meetings on Wednesday nights. Errol Findlay, who leads our men’s ministry, also did the same thing; he connected with men with online men’s gatherings. I’ve been leading intercession on Wednesday mornings. We had an excellent transition to doing prayer online with more people than normal being in the group. 

Question: How have the church finances been? Are we in trouble or a good place?

Sandra: We are absolutely in a good place. I’m grateful that our board of directors and finance team has been great stewards in the past few years. We had a prophetic word a while back about good years and bad years and that we were to save money as a church. Our goal has been to have three months of expenses saved up, plus a rainy-day account for emergency building challenges. The Canadian government’s creation of CERB was also a blessing as we were able to move about 20 of our staff onto this program before bringing most of them back on full-time staff. 

Steve: Oh my goodness, our church family has been amazing. Many will remember that in September of 2019, we stopped passing the offering buckets. We did that to encourage people to give either online or through our PushPay phone app. Well, it turned out that the Lord was in this. Over 85% of our church family give via those two options, so we didn’t miss a step when lockdown happened. In 2020 we met our budget with a little extra because of two reasons. First, our expenses were way down. Second, our church family were faithful givers! So far in 2021, we are slightly ahead of giving again with limited numbers back in the building. Thank you, church family!

Question: There is talk that public gatherings will require proof of vaccination. Are we going there?

Steve: I pray no. We’ve made it very clear to our church family that the choice to get the vaccines or not get them is a personal decision that needs the input of the Lord. I guess that our church would be on track with the city averages of vaccinations meaning that most have had either their first or second dose. We do not plan to ask the question or require immunization documentation for those attending our church gatherings. Premier Ford has repeatedly said that Ontario will not have a vaccine passport, nor will teachers and health workers be forced to be vaccinated. That is getting some pushback. The City of Toronto is the one who will decide for us as we are also under their jurisdiction. So far, Mayor Tory is not moving in that direction.

Sandra: I hope not. Vaccinations have been such as divisive issue in our nation. I don’t want vaccine debates to be something that we bring into our church conversations. We trust that each person will hear from the Lord as to what they should do. Stephen and I have both been vaccinated, and if you’d like to know our reasons, please read his blog here. I’m praying that our various levels of government don’t force this issue nor penalize people who feel they shouldn’t be vaccinated for whatever reason.

Question: Steve, you’ve been connecting with government leaders all along, any news on what is coming up?

Steve: Yes, I have. I’ve felt part of my leadership role at our church is to have strong relationships at every level of government. I believe that because of this, we’ve experienced lots of favour over lockdown. 

I text Kirsty Duncan, our MP in Ottawa, at least monthly. She happens to be a scientist by profession and has encouraged us to take the issue of transmission of Covid-19 seriously. Our MPP is Premier Doug Ford. It turns out that one of his office staff is a follower of Jesus, and she has been helping us navigate some of the blurry rules. She has put us in touch with the strategy group that advises the Premier, and I write to that group often.

Our city councillor is Michael Ford, nephew of Premier Ford. We’ve had a great relationship over the six years he has represented our riding. He has been to our building several times, our School of Ministry small group leaders prophesied over him, and his staff has been of enormous help to us as a church. I tease his team that they work for Catch The Fire. 

As it turns out, the first step of favour we received was at the beginning of the lockdown when places of worship were restricted to five people. I contacted the Ministry of Labour, which made that rule, through Lindsay Park MPP. Lindsay became a follower of Jesus at Catch The Fire as a young adult and now represents Durham. It also just happens that two of her staff are followers of Jesus, and one of them is a Connect leader with us! Lindsay gave me a number to call, and after explaining how large our venue is, we were allowed to have five on the stage and five off the stage. That allowed us to provide a better online meeting for our church family!

Our School of Ministry has received incredible favour. The health department from the City of Toronto has visited us several times, and we have passed each time. Gordon Harris, our school director, is a graduate of St Andrew’s College, a prestigious private school in our city. They have dorms for their students and shared all their protocols with us. So when the city asks us questions, we refer to St Andrew’s and get approval.

More recently, a member of Monte McNaughton’s staff (Minister of Labour) has reached out to me on behalf of the Minister. They both happen to be followers of Jesus. Monte’s staff member has been very accommodating. I was recently asked to present to Monte suggestions for how churches could look in Steps 3 and 4. I gathered recommendations from other pastors in our province and submitted them on behalf of our provincial churches. Two weeks ago, I was invited to have lunch with Minister McNaughton, which I did. We talked about the challenges that our church and others face. My two messages to him were the concern of not singing, even wearing a mask and the challenge of the lack of fellowship. He agreed and told me that both topics are on the agenda for Step 4 to be reinstated! Let’s pray for that breakthrough!

Last question: Where are we going?

Sandra: We have had so many prophetic words and pictures about the next wave of God’s Spirit. You will know that we’ve had several meetings where Holy Spirit has been present and real. My passion, as you know, is always to ask for more. To push into God for all that is on His heart. The mandate of Jesus is that we love God, love others, and love ourselves. We are seeking to fulfill this as a church family, and I know we can do more!

Steve: It is fascinating to me that God put it on the hearts of our wider leadership team to begin the process of self-examination before lockdown. We had started to look forward and try to hear from the Lord what our church should look like. Lockdown and covid-19 have forced the issue even more. We’ve spent 18 months asking the Lord what Catch The Fire Church (Toronto) is supposed to be and look like. 

I am very excited to say that we will be sharing that vision with our church family during September. We have 35 statements that define what we hope to look like in the next 5 to 10 years. We aren’t there now, but with the Lord’s help, we want to step into these vision statements. Sunday, September 26th, is Vision Sunday when we will share them with you. We will be giving sneak peeks starting on Sunday, September 5th.

Thanks, Sandra and Steve!

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Steve and his wife Sandra are the senior leaders of Catch The Fire Church (Toronto). Their lives were changed in early 1994 as they attended revival meetings hosted by John and Carol Arnott, the founding pastors. They joined the staff in June 1994 and became the senior leaders in 2006. They live in Oakville, ON.

What's Happened to Trust?

By Steve Long 

Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart, rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, Don’t think for a moment that you know it all, for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that’s wrong. Then you will find the healing refreshment your body and spirit long for.

Proverbs 3:5-8 The Passion

Wow, what’s happened to our society where we don’t trust anymore? 

We don’t trust our politicians whom we voted for, we don’t trust the health care specialists who are advising the nations on Covid and vaccines, we don’t trust the mainstream media, we don’t trust big businesses who are making billions, we don’t trust older adults including our parents; we don’t trust our spiritual leaders; WE DON’T TRUST anyone!

Leger, a Canadian polling firm, asked Canadians if the pandemic had permanently eroded their trust in provincial or federal governments? More than 60% said it had eroded their trust, either a little or a lot, in both the federal government (63%) or their provincial government (62%). (1)

For reliable information about COVID-19, only 63% of Canadians trust Canada's Chief Medical Officer of Health, 61% trust their Provincial health officer, and 59% trust the World Health Organization. The influence of CEOs in discussing the pandemic is limited, as only 24% trust this group on the topic of COVID-19. In the middle, 46% of Canadians say they trust journalists for COVID-19 information. (2)

For the first time ever, fewer than half of all Americans have trust in traditional media, according to data from Edelman's annual trust barometer. Trust in social media has hit an all-time low of 27%. (3)

• 56% of Americans agree with the statement that "Journalists and reporters are purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations."

• 58% think that "most news organizations are more concerned with supporting an ideology or political position than with informing the public."

• When Edelman re-polled Americans after the election, the figures had deteriorated even further, with 57% of Democrats trusting the media and only 18% of Republicans.
   

So, what has caused trust to decline?

Clearly, COVID-19 has been a huge factor in the growing lack of trust we as Canadians have in any establishment. The mixed messages from government and health leaders, the reliance on science rather than common sense for some decisions have greatly lowered our trust. You need to stay at a COVID hotel if you fly back into Canada, but not if you drive back? How does that wisdom build trust? 

Conspiracy theories are at an all-time high. Many Canadians hold some of these ideas as facts. Passion for rebelling against the traditional way of thinking is rampant, with church leaders in the forefront in many cases. Right thinking ideology is just as scary to me as left-leaning thought.

Right now, in Canada, we have a lawsuit pending in Ottawa between Parliament and our Prime Minister. The issue is why two scientists from Wuhan, China, were abruptly sent back to China by CSIS (Canadian version of the CIA) after working on viral diseases at a Winnipeg viral laboratory? The government is claiming national security, but some Canadians are wondering if Canada helped to develop the COVID virus in some way. Who do we trust?

I believe the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis was another huge factor. Millions saw the video footage of a white police officer, assisted by two other officers (black and Hispanic) taking the life of a black man. While all three officers were convicted, the focus clearly was on the white officer who showed no mercy to a man saying that he couldn’t breathe.

People from every nationality, every age group, and from every skin tone were agreed; this was murder! The instant reaction was shocking. The City of Minneapolis was targeted. I watched on my TV screen as people looted and burned much of this beautiful city. Protests, and in some cases, riots happened around the world including in Toronto.

Do you remember the reaction of people to this murder just over a year ago? The cries were for massive change. To defund the police. To question everything! Basically, we were told by everyone who had a mouthpiece to stop trusting.

 In the case of George Floyd, the left leading media blamed President Donald Trump. Of course, it was Trump’s fault, wasn’t it? That despite the Police Chief of Minneapolis being a Democrat, the Mayor of the city being a Democrat, the Governor, and two Senators being Democrats. Who do we trust? Was Trump to blame or was it the left-of-center political views of the population?

I heard and watched one of the leaders of Black Lives Matter in Toronto on CBC Morning News in a live interview say that Toronto needed to completely shut down our police department. Our police chief at the time was Mark Saunders, a black man and a follower of Jesus. When questioned on how safe the city would be for women, minorities, etc., the spokesperson said something to the effect of, “It’s not safe now with the police in charge so let anarchy rule until we find something better.”

Somehow that view was bought into by many Torontonians, despite Toronto always being on the list of the world’s safest cities year after year. Currently, of the top 60 cities in the world, Toronto is ranked # 4 behind Tokyo, Singapore, and Osaka. (4)

How did trust in our police so quickly disappear despite the data that positioned our city as a world leader as a safe place? Sadly, in my opinion, we lost a great leader in our city when Police Chief Saunders stepped down. I believe he resigned feeling he had lost the trust of our city.

What happens when we lose trust?

The wisdom of the Scriptures is simple. When we lose trust, we don’t make the right decisions and our emotions deteriorate. We quickly rely on our own thoughts which are often very wrong. When we defer away from The Truth, our journey in life becomes much more challenging. We are the ones who pay the price of not trusting. 

Let me explain. 

The passage at the beginning of this blog from Proverbs 3 should be one of our prime fallbacks when times are tough. Just like we remember John 3:16 that God loves us, and Matthew 6:33 to seek first God and His Kingdom, we need to have Proverbs 3 imprinted into our DNA.

With all your heart, rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make.

Proverbs 3:5 The Passion

My opinions are just that; mine. They are opinions, not necessarily factual nor correct. If they don’t align to God’s Word, they are not trustworthy. Romans 12:2 tells us that our thoughts need to be renewed. Wrong thoughts lead to our will (our decision-making ability) to go rogue. Social media is generally not my friend. Secular media is generally not my friend. Father God is! Trust in Him completely!!!

With all your heart, rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make.

Proverbs 3:5 The Passion

My heart carries my emotions. Most Canadians, including followers of Jesus, have been on an emotional roller coaster these past 18 months. We are angry, hurt, disappointed, frustrated, and untrusting. When our emotions are fragile, our thought process is compromised and then our decision-making becomes flawed. That is a formula for personal disaster and more pain. When we can’t trust ourselves and our own thoughts, we need to turn to God. Despite all of our emotions telling us otherwise; God’s guidance in life is always best.

Become intimate with him in whatever you do, Don’t think for a moment that you know it all, for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that’s wrong.

Proverbs 3:6-7 The Passion

Solomon, who wrote this passage, says that wisdom comes from having an intimate relationship with our Father. When we push in to know the heart of God, to experience His love; that’s when we make the best decisions. Trust issues disappear.

Then you will find the healing refreshment your body and spirit long for.

Proverbs 3:8 The Passion

My heart, my emotions, after 18 plus months of lockdown, need a refresh. Not only that but my body and spirit need a refresh too. God made us in three parts; our spirit (the God part of us), our soul (mind, will, and emotions), and our physical body. All three parts can be negatively affected by a lack of trust.

How do I regain trust?

I’m suggesting two action plans. 

First, continue to refocus your mind and your thoughts on the basics of the Bible. The Bible is God’s truth. His truth never changes. Let’s anchor our thinking on Kingdom principles and values. Let’s purposely choose to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). The Holy Spirit will do the work, but He needs our yes to go ahead with the renewing. We initiate renewal by humbling ourselves to say something like this. 

Father God, I am choosing to trust in you with all of my heart. Help my wayward thoughts to be aligned with you. Heal my past wounds so that my emotions don’t get in the way of always trusting you and always being led by your Spirit. Amen.

Second, let’s ask for cleansing for our body and spirit. 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Because of our deepest respect and worship of God, we must remove everything from our lives that contaminates body and spirit, and continue to complete the development of holiness within us.”

Father, because I love you, I choose to step away from not trusting you and others in my life. I ask that you will wash everywhere that hurt, trauma, and mistrust has contaminated my physical body and my spirit. I want my body to be able to trust. I want my spirit to be able to trust you and be led by your Spirit. Amen.

Footnotes:

1. https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/covid-pandemic-eroded-canadians-trust-in-politicians-science-and-even-their-neighbours-poll-finds

2. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/the-covid-effect-canadians-trust-doctors-and-scientists-while-politicians-and-employers-lose-ground-810405062.html

3. https://www.axios.com/media-trust-crisis-2bf0ec1c-00c0-4901-9069-e26b21c283a9.html

4. https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/data-research-maps/toronto-progress-portal/world-rankings-for-toronto/safe-cities-index/

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Steve Long is the Senior Leader of Catch The Fire Church (Toronto). He is the author of several books including The Faith Zone and My Healing Belongs to Me. Steve and his wife Sandra serve on two apostolic teams; one for the City of Toronto as well as Catch The Fire World. They live in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.