New Agers say that the spiritual realm is more real than the physical realm. We experience the physical realm, but it's an illusion—much like the Matrix. Materialists say that the physical realm is all that there is. There is no spirit. But God created both the physical and the spiritual, and they are both good—very good.

When God wants somethings done, he may choose to do it through people, or if it would exalt him more, he may choose to do it not by physical might or power, but by his Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). This is very similar to Isaiah 31:1.

God acted to destroy the Assyrian army “by a sword, not of man; and a sword, not of man, shall devour him” (Isaiah 31:8, ESV). What was more real: the angel who delivered the virus or the virus that physically killed tens of thousands of them (Isaiah 37:36)? Of course, the physical virus and its effects were real, resulting in real dead people, just as the angel bringing it was real. Simply because the angel is unseen doesn't make it less real, and simply because something physically manifested from the spiritual realm, doesn't make it more real. Both are real at the same time.

The spiritual can produce physical effects. It can produce a reality that was not physically real. There was no virus or plague, and then there was. That doesn't mean the spiritual is more real, it means the spiritual has power to bring about physical reality. So that's why we pray.

We can ask God for a new physical reality—for help from enemies, for healing, for salvation, for good counsel, wisdom and direction. But whatever happens in the physical is really real. It is happening and God will judge according to that reality. But knowing you have an army of angels at your back will change how you perceive things! Furthermore, they will, at the appointed time, change the physical world, under God's direction.

The faithful man who died

There once was a man who lived in a two story house. The house was near a river and unfortunately the river began to flood.

As the river rose, warnings were given via radio, TV and shortwave. Large jeeps drove through the area to evacuate people. As a jeep drove by the man's house, he was told:

"You are in danger. Your life is at stake. You must evacuate. Get in the Jeep. Let us help you evacuate."

"No," the man replied from his doorstep. "I have faith. I will be ok. The flood won't get me. God will take care of me."

The water continued to rise.

Soon the man was on the second floor. A boat was going through the area and arrived at the man's house. Rescuers made every effort to convince the man to take action so that his life would be saved.

"You are in danger. Your life is at stake. You will drown in the flood."

"No worries," says the man. "I have faith. Everything is ok. Even though the flood is rising, I will be fine. God will take care of me."

The flood continued to rise.

The man went to the roof to avoid the rising water. A helicopter pilot sees him on top of the roof and hovers above the man. Using a megaphone, the pilot tries to convince the man to grab the rope ladder which was dangling above his head.

"You are in danger. The flood is still rising. You will drown if you do not grab the rope ladder. Let us help you."

"No worries." says the man. "I will be fine. Yes, the flood is higher but I have faith. God will take care of me."

The flood rises. The man drowns.

At the pearly gates, the man says to God: "I had faith. You let me die."

To which God replies: "I sent you a jeep, a boat and a helicopter. What more could I have done for you?"

Some of us are too spiritually minded and miss the physical things God wants us to do! Perhaps there is help that God has already provided, and we have missed it!

Of course, some of us are too physically minded and cannot see past what is physically happening—oh no, _____ is back in power. Oh dear, lockdowns are on us. Oh woe is us, the elites are grabbing more power.

But “the Lord has spoken...[Jerusalem] despises you and laughs at you...” (Isaiah 37:22, NLT).

As the Lord speaks, reality shifts. The same black cat walks out again, but the world has been changed (sorry, Matrix reference again). And yet, at all times, we must walk in this physical-spiritual reality, acknowledging what is physically happening, but when hope is lost, praying for a new reality.

The Israelites did not have to fight against the Assyrians at that time, but they did have to fight at other times. God busted the Apostles out of jail by his might and power sometimes, but at other times, he chose not to. Paul was shipwrecked, but God used that situation to give each person hope in the Lord's word through Paul (Acts 27:13-44). In Victoria, we are entering another four years of darkness. In the US, we know that the 2020 election was rigged at four key swing states (see the documentary 2,000 mules, based on millions of hours of video footage and analysis)—just as the prophets prophesied: they didn't get it wrong!

So what do we do when things aren't comfortable? When the fullness of the kingdom of God is not here yet? When trouble and persecution arise? The situation may not be clear, but, comfort and ease are not our lot.

And there are certainly more than conspiracies around food production. The green and carbon agenda is in full view, destroying Sri Lanka; now directly attacking 3,000 farms in the Netherlands (to be shut down to reduce emissions), and more in Germany; and in Australia and the NZ there is a war on cow farts (Cow Fart Tax: Australia Plans Methane Tax - XYZ )! We don't need a prophecy to get ready now—just do it!

What was prophesied would come?

I love how the Apostles who experienced the persecution of the religious elite found solace in God's sovereignty. Specifically, that what was happening in their day was prophesied about. This brought comfort because they knew through such terrible incidents, God was still in control:

So, since God did prophesy about this situation, they are emboldened to pray:

Is that not our time today too? Is God caught unawares?

Those who have gone before us in this persecution, the Chinese believers, often ask us to pray: but not for the persecution to stop. Rather, that they would be able to endure it, and preach fearlessly—like the Apostles here.

When the darkness grows darker, the light grows lighter. Against that backdrop, the preaching and demonstration of the gospel is much clearer.

Of course, they go on to experience even more persecution—and God doesn't stop it. He bends it into something good—the spread of the Gospel, the light in the darkness—and brings justice to those who do wrong, and comfort to those who had to endure this cursed world.

A physical-spiritual response

What 'works' in this (physical-spiritual) situation is love. The Apostles go on from here and preach the good news that is the only real news that will save them, and, they start a big program to serve the needs of their growing community. The government was never going to help, apart from the fact that they didn't have a welfare system, there is clear difference between taking other people's money and making your name look great (aka taxes), and taking your own money to help others more needy. Sacrificially serving others physically manifests God's unseen and unfelt love to others. We get to do that! We get to administer God's love. (Of course he can and does do this directly as well.)

The world today hates religion, and God, but is still in need of a saviour, so they turn to the State—or spirituality. The State is blunt instrument that was never designed to bring love and care (that's the church's role), and is currently subject to great corruption. Spirituality will often lead down the wrong path. But people are looking. May they see our light. That's all we need to do. “Let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16, NET) May they also “see the light of the gospel” (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).

When we open ourselves up to the right Spirit, we take the right physical direction. When we act on the Spirit's will, we take on a new physical path. When we love, we show people something of God, and those who are open move towards it. When we pray for people, they see something of God, and they move towards it. When we teach people, they hear something of God, and they move towards it.

Many people are talking about setting up our own systems apart from government control. That has always been the health of the West—it's institutions that were founded apart from the government: schools, universities, hospitals, the police (as opposed to the military), numerous ministries to the poor and disabled, and more. The problem is that when the government says that they are providing something “free”, it means they have almost total control over it—paid for out of your money and administered by force with a hostile worldview. Many of the once-Christian institutions are now “free”—i.e. controlled by an anti-Christian government. It is wise to setup our own institutions, as that is the only way people can receive actual education, actual justice, actual health, and actual life.

God will often use what is physical to bring about his (spiritual?) purpose—if his will can be called “spiritual” (it is metaphysical, more strictly speaking: meta means beyond, so beyond the physical). So, for one example amongst many, Dr Buttar (https://drbuttar.info/) fought the system that was against his cancer cure. He legally fought—paying millions to do so—and won the right to administer a real cure for cancer, amongst other difficult-to-fight diseases. His holistic system brings people into the right heart, soul, and mind—just as a real hospital should be, and always was about. This sort of things is worth physically setting up, with its real spiritual consequences.

Conclusion

Ultimately, we are not trying to establish heaven on earth. We are trying to show heaven to earth(lings) by bringing glimpses, shadows, miracles, and truth to a lost and dark world. So we don't ultimately care in what we create, if it gets destroyed. That's not where our hope lies. But we do create things in this world to the glory of God, so that's where our excellence finds its motivation. And that's where people find God, too.

Against deep corruption, light shines all the brighter. May the people find us in a community where they can see and experience peace, hope, righteousness and the true security of having your name written in heaven: