When GOD stirs up

 Isaiah 14:27

King James Version

27 For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, 

and who shall disannul it? 

and his hand is stretched out, 

and who shall turn it back?

If you doubt the power of GOD, read this post.

You will marvel at how He does things.

When He intends something, it's done.

Whether to CORRECT,

1 Kings 11:14

King James Version

14 And the Lord stirred up 

an adversary unto Solomon, 

Hadad the Edomite: 

he was of the king's seed in Edom.

2 Chronicles 21:16

King James Version

16 Moreover the Lord stirred up 

against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, 

and of the Arabians, 

that were near the Ethiopians:

or to BLESS:

Ezra 1:1-2

King James Version

1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, 

that the word of the Lord 

by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, 

the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, 

that he made a proclamation 

throughout all his kingdom, 

and put it also in writing, saying,

2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, 

The Lord God of heaven hath given me 

all the kingdoms of the earth; 

and he hath charged me 

to build him an house at Jerusalem, 

which is in Judah.

Haggai 1:14

King James Version

14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel 

the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, 

and the spirit of Joshua 

the son of Josedech, the high priest, 

and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; 

and they came and did work 

in the house of the Lord of hosts, 

their God,

But what does "stirred up" really mean?

Let's have a look, through different Bible versions of the four sets of verses above:

1 Kings 11:14

Complete Jewish Bible

14 Then Adonai raised up an adversary against Shlomo, Hadad the Edomi, of the royal line of Edom.

2 Chronicles 21:16

Easy-to-Read Version

16 The Lord caused the Philistines and the Arabs living near the Ethiopians to be angry with Jehoram.

Ezra 1:1

Expanded Bible

Cyrus Helps the Captives Return

1 In the first year Cyrus was king of Persia [C 539 bc], the Lord ·caused [L stirred up the spirit of] Cyrus to send an announcement to his whole kingdom and to put it in writing. This happened so the Lord’s ·message [prophecy; L word] ·spoken by [L by the mouth of] Jeremiah would ·come true [be fulfilled]. He wrote:

Haggai 1:14

International Children’s Bible

14 The Lord made Zerubbabel and Joshua excited about building the Temple. Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel was the governor of Judah. Joshua son of Jehozadak was the high priest. The Lord made all the rest of the people who were left alive excited, too. They came and worked on the Temple of their God, the Lord of heaven’s armies.

In SUMMARY, "stirred up" means:

raised up

caused

made

It you want to incur GOD's pleasure, all you need to do is obey His commands.

The LORD is fair, just, and merciful.

1 John 5:3

King James Version

3 For this is the love of God, 

that we keep his commandments: 

and his commandments are not grievous.

After all, He always loves, and protects you.

GOD will never do anything to harm you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

King James Version

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, 

and is profitable for doctrine, 

for reproof, 

for correction, 

for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, 

thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Harm only happens when we bring it upon ourselves.

Through our hard-heartedness, or disobedience.

Better to be on GOD's side.

As Israel only knows too well.

Except we humans, always test the patience of GOD.

His Son, JESUS, already showed the way to obedience.

Philippians 2:8

King James Version

8 And being found in fashion as a man, 

he humbled himself, 

and became obedient unto death, 

even the death of the cross.

The true born again loves obeying GOD.

He will never trust his own mind.

GOD's will becomes his will.

Inner peace results from that.

All these, the HOLY SPIRIT teaches us.

Lastly, take note of this verse:

Deuteronomy 32:21

King James Version

21 They have moved me to jealousy 

with that which is not God; 

they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: 

and I will move them to jealousy 

with those which are not a people; 

I will provoke them to anger 

with a foolish nation.

"I will move them to jealousy"

"I will provoke them to anger"

That's what GOD can do.

Especially for those who refuse to heed His commands.

I would never want to challenge GOD.

He is my Father, and I obey Him alone.

I delight in serving Him, as I serve you.

As JESUS did, showing us the Way.

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Prince of the power of the AIR

 Ephesians 2:2

King James Version

2 Wherein in time past 

ye walked according to the course of this world, 

according to the prince of the power of the air, 

the spirit that now worketh 

in the children of disobedience:

There is something strange going on in the "air" right now.

With the recent plane crashes and all in America.

Which reminded us of the verse above.

With the particular phrase, "prince of the power of the air".

Who is that referring to?

Let these Bible versions tell us more:

Ephesians 2:2

Amplified Bible

2 in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].

Ephesians 2:2

Common English Bible

2 You used to live like people of this world. You followed the rule of a destructive spiritual power. This is the spirit of disobedience to God’s will that is now at work in persons whose lives are characterized by disobedience.

Ephesians 2:2

Contemporary English Version

2 You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn't obey God.

Ephesians 2:2

Easy-to-Read Version

2 Yes, in the past your lives were full of those sins. You lived the way the world lives, following the ruler of the evil powers[a] that are above the earth. That same spirit is now working in those who refuse to obey God.

Ephesians 2:2

EasyEnglish Bible

2 You lived in a bad way, like the people who belong to this world. You were obeying Satan, who rules the powerful spirits in the air. Those spirits are working now in everyone who refuses to obey God.

Ephesians 2:2

Expanded Bible

2 Yes, in the past you ·lived [walked] ·the way the world lives [L according to the course/ways/age of this world], following the ruler [C Satan] of the ·evil powers that are above the earth [L dominion/authority of the air; C probably demonic forces]. That same spirit is now working in ·those who refuse to obey God [L the children/sons of disobedience].

Ephesians 2:2

Good News Translation

2 At that time you followed the world's evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God.

Ephesians 2:2

Holman Christian Standard Bible

2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens,[a] the spirit now working in the disobedient.

Ephesians 2:2

International Children’s Bible

2 Yes, in the past you lived the way the world lives. You followed the ruler of the evil powers that are above the earth. That same spirit is now working in those who refuse to obey God.

Ephesians 2:2

J.B. Phillips New Testament

We were all dead: God gave us life through Christ

2 1-2 To you, who were spiritually dead all the time that you drifted along on the stream of this world’s ideas of living, and obeyed its unseen ruler (who is still operating in those who do not respond to the truth of God), to you 

Ephesians 2:2

New International Reader's Version

2 You used to live as sinners when you followed the ways of this world. You served the one who rules over the spiritual forces of evil. He is the spirit who is now at work in those who don’t obey God.

Ephesians 2:2

New International Version

2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Ephesians 2:2

New Life Version

2 You followed the sinful ways of the world and obeyed the leader of the power of darkness. He is the devil who is now working in the people who do not obey God.

Ephesians 2:2

New Living Translation

2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

Ephesians 2:2

New Matthew Bible

2 in which you walked in time past according to the course of this world, and followed the prince that rules in the air – the spirit that now works in the children of unbelief,

Kehillah in Ephesus 2:2

Orthodox Jewish Bible

2 In which you amol (formerly) fier zich (comported oneself), according to the course of the Olam Hazeh, according to the Sar of the authority of the air [the Samekh Mem, Hasatan, teivel, the devil], the ruach now working in the bnei haMeri (sons of Rebellion).

Ephesians 2:2

Worldwide English (New Testament)

2 At one time you did those wrong things, just like the people around you. You obeyed the ruler who has the power over things in the air. That ruler is the spirit who is working now in the people who do not obey God.

In SUMMARY, "prince of the power of the air" refers to:

Satan

destructive spiritual power

the devil

the ruler of the evil powers[a] that are above the earth

Satan, who rules the powerful spirits in the air

the ruler [C Satan] of the ·evil powers that are above the earth [L dominion/authority of the air; C probably demonic forces]

the ruler of the spiritual powers in space

the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens

the ruler of the evil powers that are above the earth

unseen ruler

the one who rules over the spiritual forces of evil

the ruler of the kingdom of the air

the leader of the power of darkness. He is the devil

the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world

the prince that rules in the air

the Sar of the authority of the air [the Samekh Mem, Hasatan, teivel, the devil]

the ruler who has the power over things in the air

Now that we know "who" this prince is, we can now turn to his influence, and destructiveness.

Click here for the next post in this "plane crash" series.

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