There is an incense of sacrifice (your prayers, singing, organized religious festivities) — and there is an incense of obedience (your dutiful compliance to the precise instructions of The LORD).

There are certain things in The Kingdom that would never be appropriated and effected, regardless of how great your incense of sacrifice is.

Likewise, there are weighty matters that pertain to Dispensation of Authority, that only responds to the incense of Obedience.

The Apostle Paul reveals, we will receive, mighty weapons of war, authority and authorization to punish disobedience of strongholds, and high things that exalts themselves against the knowledge, purposes and will of The LORD — when our obedience is complete.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-6

For so long, we have taught that King Saul’s error was that he offered sacrifices as a King, when it should have been The Priests who would offer sacrifices, when he was sent to battle the Philistines (1 Samuel 13), as well as reserved the fat things for sacrifice, when he was sent to battle Amalek (1 Samuel 15)

How then do we explain that King David also offered sacrifices too (2 Samuel 6:18; 24:25).

The answer is seen in the response of the Prophet Samuel to King Saul,

“And Samuel said, Hath The LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of The LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22

The Prophet Samuel was saying to the King Saul (a man sent to war and pull down the strongholds of disobedience in the Philistines), the incense you ought to have brought is the Incense of Obedience, not sacrifice.

Today, we gloat about the magnificence of our religious festivities, how long and how many extended hours we have stayed praying, how much we have successfully raised in offerings as unto The LORD.

Yet, in the words of The LORD through The Prophet Isaiah, we bear no significant fruits in the land, because the Incense of Obedience is absent.

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith The LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith The LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of The LORD hath spoken it.” Isaiah 1:11-11-20

So weighty a Word from The LORD, it didn’t matter how much offerings they raised, it didn’t matter how many prayers they made, The LORD was seeking the Incense of Obedience from His People.

Yet again, The Spirit of The LORD speaking through the Prophet Amos shows how much The LORD demands to perceive and receive our Incense of Obedience.

“I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.
Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” Amos 5:21-24

The Authority to tear down strongholds, high things that exalts themselves against The Knowledge of The LORD, to march into battlefields and win over the spheres of Nations to The Kingdom, are given only in response to the Incense of Obedience.

We are coming into unprecedented times of spiritual warfare in The Nations, and to a large extent our present religious formations that pander to large religious feasts, the gathering of the fat rams of offerings, and our well rehearsed many prayers would not deliver to us the mighty weapons of warfare and Authority we earnestly need to see expressed to gain the victories we are called to.

For truly, as The Scriptures reveal, when the Incense of our Obedience is fulfilled and complete; we will receive of The LORD; mighty weapons of warfare, matchless authority and authorization to revenge, punish and tear down all disobedience and structures of disobedience that stands contrary to The Will of The LORD in our lives, cities, nations and spheres.

“And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled,” 2 Corinthians 10:6

 

~ by Abel Praise

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Abel Praise, serving as Team Lead, Ministries Of Abel Praise is committed to working with apostolic and prophetic ministries across nations to raise up a new generation of leadership in The Body of Christ; by making teaching and training resources available and stewarding Ministers In Congress Conventions. See also: RighteousLegislations.com

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