March 15, 2022 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

RESURRECTION PEACE / Part 1

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:55

What is the most natural human fear?
Death and the fear thereof, the questions of how and when?
As we discussed in a past post, this is Satan’s number one weapon.

Just as he dared challenge God that if He would only remove his protection from Job that he would lose his faith, because in his belief that humans would give anything in exchange for their lives.

Now about peace, Jesus said His peace He left with us, not as the world gives, but His peace.

“And when he had said so, he shewed unto them his hands (pierce marks) and his side (spear wound). Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” John 20:20,21

As He prayed in the garden before His arrest and crucifixion: “And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world.” John 17:13-18

“These things have I spoken unto you, that IN ME ye might peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.” John 16:33

So what is this peace, the gospel of peace which protects the feet of the warriors of the Lord.

This peace in the knowledge of salvation also pertains to the helmet but the main function is to cover the feet travelling to proclaim that gospel and stand in battle without fear because of the peace of the knowledge of the truth of the resurrection.

The ultimate peace, removal of the fear of death and the knowledge through the Holy Ghost and glory of God’s word that your peace is this, just as they killed Him and He rose, that same power through the Holy Ghost will resurrect you.
I know there are scoffers and that is dangerous and that is between them and God in judgment.

But I, like the disciples testify to what I know and I know the resurrection power of God.
We may have breath and a beating heart and function daily and yet be as dead as any in the grave.

Spiritually dead, without repentance or the knowledge of God, or chained up in a prison of our past and never having been freed or made alive in Him.

I spent twenty-seven years of my life trying to outrun”me”, trying every self-destructive behavior possible to deaden the pain that consumed my soul and anything to just feel normal and accepted.
And so many of us have been held in bondage by the enemy.

God does not cause it but it is used to make us run from the only one who can free us.
But God already knows, no matter what people think or how they tried to figure us out.

He already has the answer and once we have surrendered that pain, that one part of our hearts that we are so careful to hide, and He fills us with his Holy Ghost and the power of His resurrection, in the blink of an eye, everything changes.

We know God loves us and we know that he protects us and we are given peace that we truly, truly have never known.

The peace that He is our Savior, and He is our life, He is our protector and that we will never, ever have to be alone without him again.

Which is precisely why I chose Φλογιζω as the name of my ministry, it is a nod to something that Satan intended to use destroy me with. God used to save me and that would be one weapon that the enemy could never terrify me with again, I would also be filled with His fire.

And that is what we all need, to make ourselves consciously aware of that fact and the remembrance of that power, His power because the truth is that not death, not demons or all the forces of hell can ever hold our spirits down.

As we go into the unknown of the last days, hold onto that, nothing, nothing can stop that power or the peace you will have once you let that knowledge renew your mind.
Because truly the grave will have no victory.

Because we can only die one time and that is more than enough to make any warrior want to run… but run like David, not away from the enemy but to meet him head on because you know that through Jesus, you will win the battle, even if it is ultimately won in the resurrection!

Part 2: Resurrection Peace part 2

Φλογίζω/ Rights Reserved NBJ/ 2015 *Original post date: 05/30/2015 Revisited 03/14/2022

August 7, 2021 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

COLLECT CALL FROM EGYPT, WILL YOU ACCEPT THE CHARGES?

Ever wonder what Moses went through? You know, being a prince of Egypt, brought up as an Egyptian, taught by them, trained by them and having close family bonds with them.
Moses had all of Egypt laid at his feet all that was required of him in order to live a lavish life of riches and unimaginable power was to deny his own lineage and turn his eyes away from the suffering of those in bondage.
He couldn’t do it because he was cut from a different cloth, he would forsake all of Egypt, its power and wealth bought by the blood of his true people. That he would not overlook.
He would rather go into bondage with them, than to enjoy his good life at the expense of their freedom. How many times did he hear, “You are one of us, you need to just calm down and forget this nonsense, just stay where you belong.”
Pharaoh tried his different tactics, my favorite is Exodus 10:10,
“And he said unto them, Let the Lord be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.”
Classic Satan and classic control. “Oh, you don’t really want to be out there on your own, what about your loved ones? The world is a bad place and bad things will happen if we aren’t there to protect you. It is not so bad here in Egypt, just stay where you belong.”
Anyone ever felt this kind of pressure? Pretending to wish you well but letting you know that not only will you not make it in your new walk of faith but neither will those you hope to lead with you.
How can you ever leave the Egypt of this world and all you have known to follow Christ into the land he has chosen?
So as we know this story, Pharaoh decides when his logic fails, he will just get rough with them. His heart so hardened that he failed to see the hand of the one true living God at work in all this. And he failed to see all of its strength, ready to come down on him, and he failed to see the anguish it would to his own people.
Once God had forced his hand by sending the plagues ending it with the deaths of the first-born of Egypt, he finally released the Hebrew slaves, but in his stubbornness and pride he could not leave well enough alone and decided to mount his army and set out after them to bring them all kicking and screaming back to Egypt.
As the Israelite’s stood horrified as the Egyptian army grew closer and the Red Sea stood as a formidable obstacle against them. The enemy trying to convince them that they were never even meant to be free, they cried out to the Lord, who was their ever-present help.
Exodus 14: 13, 27&28: And Moses said unto the people, fear ye not, stand still, see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew you to day: For the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. and Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remaineth not so much as one of them.”
Sometimes in life when the Red Sea in view and freedom is almost certain, the spirit of Pharaoh will rear its ugly head and spew out a warning cry to try to force you to stay in Egypt, in sin, in bondage,and misery, to try to convince that you will never be free.
Remember the words of our Lord, the word that is the double-edged sword given you from God, to cut through all the powers of hell, as Jesus said, the which will never, ever prevail.
“Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm”
Serve notice on the Pharaoh in your life, tell him to send his messengers, rally his troops, mount his chariot and prepare his battle against your soul because soon you will see the salvation of your God and Pharaoh and his host will perish in the sea as they try to pursue you.
When Egypt tries to call you back, do not accept those charges, don’t even bother picking up the phone to answer their call because the price for one conversation with them could lead to a bill you will be trying to pay off for the rest of your life!
It would be better to be speared through the back running away than to submit to life under servitude under a spiritual Pharaoh.
Let that old Navy motto about dealing with torpedoes motto ring true in our battles today, full speed ahead.
Φλογίζω /original Post 05/03/14. All rights reserved. Rev. Nina Brown Johnson 2015 REVISITED 08/07/2021

June 29, 2019 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

LIGHT TRANSCENDENCE

2 Corinthians 4:3,4: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them.”

Hidden gospel, hidden, showing proof that it is there, hidden to blinded minds, minds blinded by the very force that trapped them in that darkness.

Hidden in the dark, dark places where not as much as a single ray of sun dares shine.

I am not as concerned with the demonic forces that hold that darkness as I am with those who are their imprisoned, shackled victims.

Victims of abuse, systematic mental torture and twisted mind games.

I understand the feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, guilt, and shame and the effects of PTSD and it’s array of problems.

But I am still a fan, because I know that it is not a mental condition, it is a self-preservation tool given to us. Because the suffered trauma would be far more than our minds could deal with and we would not be able to.

And I know there is only one cure to it all.

Unbelievers say how can you believe in whom you can’t see, well if you never seek him, why would he reveal himself to you?

That is the cool thing, we are carnal before we are spiritual. It’s like thinking you are going to walk before you even learn to crawl.

But if your heart is already hardened to him, don’t even bother going any farther reading this. Because I know what I know, I’m not fluffy and have been very, very much in the world and I also know who saved me and freed me from the prison of my mind and picked me up out of the ashes of my life.

Disputing or trying to pick me or the word of God apart is not going to change any of it.

So this is for those who are cowering in that darkness, scared ,hidden, not wanting to die but too terrified to live.

So terrified that you hide the real you behind an appearance or attitude that will appear fearful to others to prevent any sign of vulnerability or gentleness or anything that others could possibly misinterpret as weakness.

God did none of these things to you.

But only he can heal you and help you, but you have to let him. He does exist and He is so much more than you can ever imagine and He already knows every hurt, every pain, and every tear you have ever cried.

But you have to realize who your enemy is and I promise it is not Jesus or the truth of the Gospel.

He came to set the captive’s free, to give you not only life, but life abundant.

To give you beauty that you can not even begin to understand for those ashes.

And to give you hope, peace, joy and deliverance from all those things you have come to believe are just a part of you. You do not have to carry it forever, you can be free.

This is not a Christian thing, or conversion thing. It is simply this, as the Disciples said “such as we have been given”.

If he did it for me he will for anyone and my journey started with “If you are really there, please help me” and I promise you if you are reading this through tears, it is a divine appointment.

Psalm 27:1:”The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the lord is my life; of whom shall I be afraid.”

Psalm 119:105:”Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

John 8:12:”Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

If you have tried it all, all the world offers and all the self-destruction tactics that go with it.

Please let me suggest trying the light, the true light, Jesus is that light, trust him and you will never walk alone and most of all, you will never, ever walk in that darkness again.

Original post: 05/19/2015 Revisited 06/29/2019

June 15, 2019 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson

OUR Father

“I THEREFORE, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation (calling) wherewith ye are called.

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.

ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM, ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, WHO IS ABOVE ALL, AND THROUGH ALL, AND IN YOU ALL.” EPHESIANS 4:1-6

And didn’t Jesus himself state this in John 10:30: “I and the Father ARE one” I will never forget the moment of truth… MY moment of truth, I had not yet submitted to Christ, but I believed, probably much like many out there, you KNOW the truth but somehow you have bought into the lies that the truth does not apply to you because your too far gone… SUCH A LIE from Satan!

So at any rate, this was years and years and years… you get the point… ago and I was at my sister’s house and this sweet little old man came to the door, who just happened to be a Jehovah’s witness and as I tried my best to politely exit any further discussion he said, “Well, just let me ask you this, what IS God’s name?” and I thought, what on earth kind of question is that? He wants HIS name, I knew I was not easily getting out of the conversation.

I think the feeling of terror was probably something kinda like the half excited / half terror Peter felt when Jesus asked him, “But whom say ye that I am?”

Jesus had ALREADY asked them WHO others said that he was, but he wanted them to say it out of their own mouths and confess their own belief on his identity.

So I mustered up all my courage, because I had a very legitimate reason to fear… what if I answer this WRONG and OFFENDED God, I KNEW what was in my heart, I KNEW what my soul was screaming out BUT could I actually SAY it out loud?

So I looked him dead in the eye and as fast as humanly possible I said, JESUS! His name IS Jesus! Of course he explained to me the reason HE felt I and others were completely wrong in that thinking, and that the correct answer is Jehovah, the conversation fortunately soon ended.

I understand the correct answer is Jehovah, the correct answer is also Jesus. God has many, many names but HE IS STILL ONE GOD as the Bible teaches us.

Everything else is just denominational or the lack thereof such as non-denominational. I often wonder if our mixed denominations or non-denominations hold us true to that calling that Paul advised us to “walk worthy of” and I know in the end it will not matter.

I know in the grand realm of things we will all be in for a few surprises, probably some serious surprises but as Paul taught us in that verse when you read between the lines, it may matter HERE more than we think.

We are to walk in love and in UNITY of the Spirit in the bond of peace, that is the forbearing part.

If we argue and dislike each other due to a difference in those beliefs when we ARE saved by the SAME God. We ARE given the gift of the Holy Ghost, again by the SAME and only God then that unity is going right out the door and we are grieving the Holy Spirit through our discord.

So why did Paul tie it so securely to our callings? I believe because we have to have that unity but that in all things we are to be reminded in that unity that we are still individuals.

Matthew 5:13: “Ye are the salt of the earth…”

Mark 9:49,50: ” For EVERY ONE shall be salted with fire, and EVERY sacrifice salted with salt. Salt is good: but IF the salt has lost his saltiness, wherewith (with what) will ye season it? Have salt IN yourselves, and have peace one with another.”

And if we lose that individuality in not staying true to the calling that we have one hope of then we will become like tasteless salt.

He tells us to have that to be “worth our salt” to have that fire that he “seasoned” us with. It IS our passion to serve him, it is the joy and excitement that we were filled with at the moment of salvation and that desire to spread the word of his love and mercy to the world AS we received it, but if we are not careful, comprising that state of how we received, we fall into his next warning on the subject.

Luke 14:34,35: “Salt is good: but if the salt have LOST his savour flavor) wherewith (with what) shall it be seasoned? It is NEITHER fit for the land, NOR yet for the dunghill (rubbish heap) but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

Pretty clear there isn’t it? Once we lose our “salt” our “fire” HOW would we ever get back what we have given or comprised away?

And if it’s “flavor” is lost, it is then rendered ABSOLUTELY useless, completely and utterly USELESS. As he told us in the verse from Mark, we should have salt ( keeping our individuality in him) and thereby have that peace with one another.

The peace comes form having peace with God and peace in knowing that we are walking “worthy” of that calling.

Maybe this accounts for some of the falling away in churches while the “secular candy coat churches” are growing like wild.

If we are dried like “caked up” salt why would anyone want to listen to us? Why would God anoint us? So you may be wondering what this has to do with Father’s Day?

Well, I had never actually written for Father’s Day because I do tend to try to keep it “multi-denominational friendly” but I am going to have to quit that.

And seeing that OUR father, IS the FATHER OF US ALL, regardless of whether you believe that the Trinity consists of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, as separate (and that IS absolutely true) or if you take the scripture “These THREE ARE ONE” literally (they are and I do) and that “Jesus IS Lord” and “The Lord IS God”, you know we ARE all correct, that is why in that DAY his NAME SHALL BE ONE.

And believe me I know there are people on “both sides” of the fence that would like to string me up for that statement BUT it is true!

I also know there are those who think I worry too much about it BUT Jesus told us to have “salt” in ourselves, if we don’t trust what we feel in our hearts as he deals with us then we are already salt less.

We are warned in the Bible to take heed when we THINK we stand, lest we fall.

Because we can become a little to sure that OUR interpretation of scriptures IS the ONLY interpretation, which again, is WRONG.

Jesus NEVER left us to tell other believers what denomination or his “sheep fold” they belong to.

Only he has that authority as he said John 10:16: ” And OTHER sheep I have, which are NOT of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be ONE fold, and ONE shepherd.”

But now for us to all walk in those calling, walking with passion and purpose as we celebrate Father’s day for our earthly Father’s, remembering to give honor and praise to our heavenly Father, who truly is the Father of us all!

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ what a more appropriate time could there be?

John 14:5-21: “Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whiter thou goest: and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also; and from henceforth ye know him , and have seen him.

Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew (show) us the Father, and it sufficeth us (will satisfy us). Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and YET thou hast not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou, then she us the Father?

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself BUT the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

Believe me that I am IN the Father, and the Father is IN me; OR else believe me for the very works sake.

Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; BECAUSE I go unto my Father.

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father might be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you FOR EVER.

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world CAN NOT receive, BECAUSE it seeth him not, NEITHER knoweth him; FOR HE DWELLETH WITH YOU, AND SHALL BE IN YOU.

I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU COMFORTLESS; I WILL COME TO YOU.

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; BUT YE SEE ME: BECAUSE I LIVE, YE SHALL LIVE ALSO.

AT THAT DAY YE SHALL KNOW THAT I AM IN MY FATHER, AND YE IN ME, AND I IN YOU.

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father. and I will love him, and WILL MANIFEST (reveal) myself to him.”

Φλογίζω Σαλπίζω NB 2018

June 16, 2018 by Rev. Nina Brown Johnson