02 December 2023
There is something I wanted to emphasize for Radix Fidem folks: Covenant boundaries offer more protection than you know. Hebrew culture assumed that the rebellious elohim councilors were quite able to reach inside human heads and direct thoughts and behavior. However, that didn't let the victims off the hook, because the only reason people would be open to that kind of invasive power is they didn't take full advantage of the Covenant hedge. If someone neglected the Covenant, they were open to just about any transcendent spirit entity who wanted to use them.
Obviously, this kind of thing isn't restricted to just the "demons" alone. There are many different kinds and levels of invasive spirits. This is why deliverance can be so difficult in some cases, such as when Jesus encountered the boy having seizures. It required a greater degree of self-discipline to be effective in casting them out. I'm not in a position to list them for you; I know only that the non-human bad guys are all more powerful than us.
But the Presence of Jesus is more than any of them can resist. Still, Jesus doesn't redeem your fleshly nature for you. It requires that you seize control of the flesh from outside the fleshly nature -- from your spirit within. You must rise up out of your fleshly nature and take command in His name. Jesus opened that path explicitly.
Furthermore, there is something of a sliding scale, in the sense that you can be pretty sharp with the Covenant, but you'll never be as strong as you could be. The goalposts move every time the Lord carries you through another learning experience. But there are times when you'll just have to set aside the whole world and really invest time in worship and prayer in order to get things done. This is that kind of situation where Moses went up on Mount Sinai. He fasted and avoided human contact for a long time, and it put him in a position to receive something major God had for him.
To westerners, this sounds too much like earning your way up the spiritual ladder. That's because they miss the whole point. To be spiritual is to be less worldly. It's not about earning something, but going where it stands waiting. There are seasons in your life when you'll need a bigger effort at bringing discipline to the flesh so you can drag it along. God demands more from us at certain times, and it's our duty to become sensitive to that sort of thing.
Sometimes the image of "Covenant boundaries" is more like becoming more aware of God's priorities. It means getting to know God in terms of His divine moral character, His personality. I can point out the examples in Scripture all day long, but those are only manifestations of His priorities in certain contexts. Nobody can draw a line in the sand for someone else, unless that someone is under their spiritual covering. I can suggest where I draw the line, but it's always up to you to recognize that line as applicable. If my teaching isn't echoed by your convictions, then it's just another example from a different context.
When you draw close to Him, something changes permanently. The markers move and your sense of what matters is improved. And in the next test of faith, you may need to reevaluate yet again. There are no simple rules, no shortcuts. The Law Code is just a frame of reference.
There have been cases where people have struggled against some defilement they didn't even know about. There are defilements fundamental to the nature of Creation, and they aren't mitigated much. You simply have to grow into understanding them, and then take action when you do. Other defilements are mitigated by God's mercy because that's how He wants to handle it, until you become aware of that issue. And some will seem for all the world to be unique to you individually.
Again: The Covenant is not a burden, but a privilege. You rise in the ranks of spiritual and moral privilege by your obedience in faith, drawing closer to God's throne. It's not like earning points toward an impersonal promotion. It's very personal; you need to curry the Master's favor. He definitely plays favorites. His favorites are the ones who really do love Him sacrificially.
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