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The Spirit has been revealing the source of hidden attacks against the prophets and seers in the Body. Jealousy, unforgiveness and bitterness all play a huge part in providing a launching pad for spiritual attack. However, in the end-times, there is another attribute of the heart which opens the door to unexpected attack - sadly, it will come through those considered friends, allies and fellow soldiers in a war against a mutual enemy. And this attribute is self-interest or self-preservation. Let me explain.

In recent days, President Trump has recalled American troops from Syria, allowing Turkey to invade Syria. The president of Turkey believes he is the leader of the new Islamic Caliphate and so the movement of his troops into Syria is in order to extend the Islamic Caliphate, in the process obliterating the Kurdish in the border region. America had previously considered the Kurdish as their allies in the fight against Isis; supplying them with weapons. Trump's decision, although described as an attempt to avoid the American taxpayers bearing the cost of maintaining the Isis prisoner-of-war camps, was actually a betrayal and abandonment of his Kurdish allies.

I learned today that the Kurdish are the ancient Medes and have been shown to be genetic descendants of the tribe of Judah. Perhaps the reason why is because when Darius invaded Babylon, his people intermingled with the House of Judah in Babylon. Darius the Mede was the king who commanded all his people to worship Daniel's God after he was delivered safely from the lion's den (Daniel 6). I thought of Jesus having come from the tribe of Judah, and also of the messages the Father had given me concerning Judah being the first to pull up their tent pegs in order to lead the people of God in following the cloud. Suddenly I saw that Trump's actions towards the natural descendants of Judah were a prophetic depiction of the betrayal of brother against brother in the Body of Christ; the stepping aside in order to preserve one's own interests deliberately and effectively opens a door and gives the enemy permission to move in and carry out his plans of destruction against the forerunner company and the true followers of Jesus.

 

Mar 13:12  And brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; and children will take a stand against their parents and [have] them put to death. Mar 13:13  And you will be hated and detested by everybody for My name's sake, but he who patiently perseveres and endures to the end will be saved.

 

Judas walked with Jesus intimately for 3 years and then betrayed Him. That's not so easy to think about when we consider that perhaps the very people we now fellowship closely with may at some point betray us; lead the enemy to us, kiss us and then step aside and hand us over to be destroyed. Will we be prepared to deal with this righteously? As the attacks of the enemy are striking our lives (in the case of the Kurds, aerial bombing obliterating innocent villagers) will we respond as Jesus did? When we think of those who have betrayed us and handed us over to great suffering, will we say, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing"? Will we respond to those who hate us vehemently with the love of God? Matthew explains what causes the betrayal in some instances:

 

Mat 24:10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 

 

This word 'offended' means 'to be entrapped or tripped up' and comes from a root word meaning 'snare or stumbling block'. Has another saint done something that offends you? Hidden offense in the hearts of believers makes them prime candidates for the job of betrayer when the going gets tough. When our hearts are not filled with love and grace towards our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are more likely to veer towards self-preservation and self-interest when placed in a difficult situation. Jesus said 'greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend'. America armed the Kurds and became allies with them because they wanted help from these great warriors in defeating Isis. Selfish ambition in ministry circles and in fact self-centeredness in any form, causes us to use our brothers and sisters to benefit our plans and ambitions in the Kingdom. They make us put our own needs and desires before the good and safety of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

Unfortunately, the enemy has been observing our behavior and choices in the years we have already walked through and he knows those whom he can readily use to betray their brothers and sisters in Christ when persecution comes. Will we be one of them? Or will we be those who rejoice when our fellow saints are shown favor by God and weep with those who go through attack and suffering. Will we respond with love and grace and lay our lives down for the saints whom we walk with?  It is past time to deal with areas of selfish ambition in our hearts. Jesus laid His life down for others. We cannot claim to serve Him and use our fellow saints as rungs on a ladder to achieve our spiritual dreams.

 

Judas very quickly realized he had made a mistake and had betrayed an innocent man but the crucifixion still took place. In the same way, as soon as Turkish air-force began bombing the Kurds near the Turkish border, Trump realized he had made a mistake and has decided to leave some US marines in place to help the Kurds. But Turkey is determined to carry out their ethnic cleansing of the Kurds (who do not support the Caliphate), even if it means a ground war. We must pray for the Kurds to find Christ, for the women and children in the area to be supernaturally protected.

 

And, much closer to home, we must cry out like David did:

 

Psa 139:23  Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! Psa 139:24  And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

 

We must deal with every instance of hidden offense NOW - with unconditional, wholehearted forgiveness or the very sobering realization is that, in the not too distant future, we may find ourselves in the ranks of the army of antichrist persecuting those we used to call our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

Jesus said we would enter a time when our enemies are the members of our own household. Some of the remnant have received training in dealing with this form of attack already and we will be very thankful for that in the days ahead. Blessing those who curse us, loving those who hate us must become as much a part of our daily routine as brushing our teeth. Our own purity and peace of heart depend upon it.