After hearing a couple of messages recently at a Men's Retreat, I was given some new insights into what it means to be a Biblical Conqueror. This message is about those new insights. It is also about the incredible mindset and resources the Lord has given us to be such conquerors in our lives.

Psalm 82 has been almost universally misunderstood from the time of St. Augustine interpreting it as referring to "human judges." Rabbinic Judaism also abandoned ancient Judaism's original understanding.

The notion of God's Divine Council (found in Psalm 82, Psalm 89, Job 1:6-12) proves to be a challenging concept because of our theological "traditions",  but it was NOT a foreign concept in ancient Judaism, and for the earliest Christians.

Thankfully, in recent years, many are returning to the original understanding of God's Divine Council, the Apostolic one!

This short podcast is my attempt to simplify and explain the Divine Council and why it is critical for our understanding of the Biblical narrative.

If it weren't for the work of the late Michael Heiser, I would probably still not like studying the Old Testament. But that all changed when Heiser's work gave me the interpretive "keys" to understanding the so-called metanarrative.

The release THIS MONTH (October 2025) of a new, expanded edition of Dr. Michael Heiser's most influential book, The Unseen Realm - Discovering the Supernatural World of the Bible, motivated me to revisit this topic, which is really a DNA message to understanding the Old Testament.

Whereas many scholars would agree with ancient Judaism on the meaning of Genesis 6:1-4, the majority of Christian voices (from Augustine, to Calvin, to Wesley, and the majority of our popular modern-day Bible teachers and/or commentators) get Psalm 82 wrong. 

This message seeks to address our misconceptions. 

After Jesus ascended to heaven, we know that He sat down at the right hand of the Father and lives to intercede for His Church until He Returns.

However, we read of ONE PLACE where Jesus is no longer sitting, but standing.

READ Acts 7:55-56 - When Stephen was being martyred for his boldness and faith in Christ, Jesus was STANDING at the Right Hand of the Father.

On Wednesday afternoon, September 11th, 2025 - Jesus undoubtedly was once again standing on His feet, welcoming in His son, Charlie Kirk.

As Tertullian famously said in AD197, "The Blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church" - the more they persecuted and killed the early Christians, the more they multipled and the Kingdom of God expanded.

As one pastor, Shane Winnings, has called us all to action in the wake of Charlie's martyrdom - YOU'RE UP!!!

Will you answer the call???

This message is all about the meaning of "the Name of..." in its ancient, Biblical context, understanding. 

What is it to pray "in the Name of Jesus"? Why do many Christians treat it as some type of formula?

Why is His Name so offensive?? Maybe the most critical/important part of this message.

The Divine Council is a central Old Testament teaching. I would argue that much of the Old Testament doesn't even make sense unless one grasps this concept. 

In a recent message on Zechariah 6, which itself is a Divine Council passage (revealing the outcome of a Divine Council meeting), I reviewed two of the most important Divine Council passages in the Old Testament: 1 Kings 22 and Psalm 82.

Due initially to the abandonment of this teaching by the rabbis around the year 100AD, and for Augustine's influence later, the Divine Council concept has been at best ignored and at worst utterly rejected.

Thankfully, in recent years, there seems to have been a recovery of this truth. 

In AD 180, Charismatic ministry was very different than today. By God's grace, we need to somehow recover what was lost.

Irenaeus (AD 180) - “Those who are in truth His disciples, receiving grace from Him, do in His name perform miracles, so as to promote the welfare of others, according to the gift which each one has received from Him. For some do certainly and truly drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ] and join the Church. Others have foreknowledge of things to come: they see visions and speak the prophecies they have received. Others still, heal the sick by laying their hands upon them, and they are healed. Moreover, as I have said, even the dead have been raised and remained among us for many years. And what more can I even say? It is not even possible to number all of the gifts which the Church, throughout the whole world, has received from God, in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and which Christians demonstrate daily for the benefit of the unbelievers, neither deceiving them nor taking any financial reward from them [on account of such miraculous ministry]. For as Christians have received freely from God, freely also do they minister [to others]” Matt. 10:8  (Against Heresies, Book 2, Chapter 32, Section 4)

We have had this podcast now for nearly 20 years. As I've gone back, I realize that there are ministries and people mentioned, and even endorsed, that we can no longer recommend.

Some of the ministries we would reject entirely - i.e., Todd Bentley and Fresh Fire. He marked, and to be avoided as an unrepentant sexual deviant. Other ministries still have good things but they have also had mixture, and/or have tolerated teachers/teachings that are false. 

Ideally, I will one day go back and either give a disclaimer on each podcast that endorses one of these teachers/ministries or will edit the podcast. But until then, I have put out this disclaimer.

#mikebickle #ihop #toddbentley #freshfire #rickjoyner #morningstarministries #physicsofheaven #bethel #toddwhite #lifestylechristianity

There are a tragic number of Christians who have been deceived into believing that they can live their Christian lives WITHOUT attending Church. I meet them all the time. I have friends who have been taken in by this LIE. 

We were baptized INTO A BODY, and BY DESIGN we need God's people. To fulfill our mandate we must be gathering IN PERSON with God's people. There are things that God only supplies in the gathering.

This is short message but an important one. 

APOLOGIES for the quality of the recording while I was driving

1 Peter 4:17 - For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God

There is a growing consensus that God is currently judging His Church and Christian ministries. Of course, He has always done so. It was happening in the 1st Century when the Apostle Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote the Epistle of 1st Peter. And it seems to be happening at an ever-increasing pace today. He's exposing sin and false teachings. He is shedding light onto lifestyles that are hard to imagine belong to followers of the one who said He "has no place to lay his head" (Matt. 8:20).

It should be producing the fear of God amongst His people. It should be producing repentance in the ones being exposed. I am not sure it is producing either. 

I end this podcast by highlighting something else I believe God is judging - the very structure and nature of Church and ministries. I think many who are applauding the exposures and correction God is bringing are not yet discerning that it is celebrity Christianity that God intends to judge and bring down. The platforms, the money, the idolatry, the power/influence - He wants to renovate it all! It hasn't been healthy for the sheep, and it has effectively destroyed so many of the shepherds. 

I am sure that many will not get the memo and continue to pursue bigger and bigger platforms, will justify that pursuit in the name of "godly influence". The money will continue to flow - honorarium will get larger and larger, etc. etc. But if what I am saying is true, the cloud will have moved elsewhere. God's anointing will no longer be upon those who are sure it is upon them. God's Word says that "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble". That is where we are sure to find God's power as we insist on humility.