THE STRATEGY OF ALLIANCES

© Morris Ruddick

Jeremiah 51, a word the Lord used to call me as an intercessor 30 years ago, is also proving to be foundational to my Joseph-Daniel calling.

"You are My battle-axe and weapon of war: for with you, I will break the nation in pieces; with you, I will destroy kingdoms and strongholds; . and with you, I will break in pieces governors and rulers. And I, the Lord, will repay Babylon and Chaldea." (Jeremiah 51:20, 23, 24)

As "God's battle-axe and weapon of war," there is more than just a hint of going out and paving new territory. There is and has been a distinct challenge to the traditions and methods that may have had application in their time; but are falling short for the tasks ahead. God's battle-axe and weapon of war has a distinct ring of change --- militant change.

The repeated use of the phrase "with you" in this Jeremiah 51 scripture suggests that the change and territory to be taken will come as a cooperative effort, but will clearly be God-directed. And there is no question as to the extent of the results .. "I will break nations in pieces; I will destroy kingdoms and strongholds; I will break in pieces governors and rulers."

But then there was this segment that said "And I, the Lord, will repay Bablylon and Chaldea."

After all the instances in which the scripture used "with you," this segment does not. But it gives implication that because of the previous aligned activities between the prophet and the Lord --- that the Lord Himself is then going to do something very dramatic. He is going "to repay Babylon and Chaldea." That certainly had application during Jeremiah's day as God's people were taken into Babylonian captivity.

But as I was again meditating on this personally very pivotal word given me years ago, I began seeing additional insights applicable to those of us called as modern-day Joseph-Daniels.

THE UNHOLY GATEKEEPER ALLIANCE

What I first began seeing was the alliance operating between Babylon as the gatekeeper to the world's business and political system and Chaldea as the source of sorcery that operated behind the scenes to control the business-political infrastructure.

A significant parallel to this Babylonian-Chaldean alliance was operating during the days of Elijah. Elijah was confronting a similar union in his incredible face-off with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah. These were the members of the religious community serving Israel's King Ahab and his Baal-worshipping wife, Jezebel.

Jezebel, wife of the king of Israel, who brought the worship of Baal from Sidon, where her father Ethbaal was king. Jezebel, who sought to destroy all God's prophets in Israel. Jezebel, who installed the prophets of Baal and Asherah as part of the royal household. Talk about the enemy penetrating seats of power!

Bablylon and Chaldea. Idolatry and sorcery. Jezebel and Ahab. The same forces operating against God's earthly infrastructure in the days of Elijah and Jeremiah are the very pivot point that we have before us today as modern-day Josephs and Daniels.

But, the scripture in Jeremiah 51 says, that "I will repay Bablylon and Chaldea, saith the Lord." This insight bears uniquely on what can be expected as we stand against the same forces of darkness.

So, it was over 200 years after Elijah confronted the minions and results of the Ahab and Jezebel alliance, that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah and said, "through you, I will break nations in pieces; through you I will destroy kingdoms and strongholds . and I will repay Bablyon and Chaldea."

There should be no question as to the extent that idolatry and sorcery has permeated the seats of power of the infrastructures encasing life as we know it today. There should be no question about the operation of modern-day Ahabs and Jezebels, deep in the heart of not only our political and business systems, but the religious ones as well. What needs to be brought into focus is the role of today's Kingdom business-community leaders in reclaiming what the enemy has undermined and stolen.

THE RELEVANCE FOR KINGDOM BUSINESS-COMMUNITY LEADERS

In John's revelation of the latter days (Revelations 2:20), it was in the church at Thyatira that the false prophetess undermining the efforts of the saints was labeled as "Jezebel." The relevance to the hour we are entering begins gaining clarity for us as leaders of the business community when it is recognized that Thyatira was the center of a number of trade guilds, which used the natural resources of the area to make it a very profitable area.

The New Testament church at Thyatira was established by Paul through Lydia. Paul, the tentmaker-apostle, together with Lydia, a known business person, established the church in this area. Thyatira was a seat of power that was reclaimed by the alliance between Paul and a key business-community leader. The flip side to this equation is that Thyatira was not the only instance the apostle Paul confronted a seat of power that manifested in an alliance between sorcery and idolatry.

Ephesus was also a commercial, political and spiritual center of the world of Paul's day. And it was Aquila and Pricilla, Jewish business people, who took Paul in. They proved very influential in Paul's work with the Corinthians, Ephesians and other sectors of his outreach to the Gentiles. Also at Ephesus, as the work of the Lord progressed, Demetrius incited a riot directed against Paul because he feared the apostle's preaching would threaten his business of selling silver shrines of Diana, the patron goddess of Ephesus.

Paul used a strategy of targeting and aligning himself with the local business community to pioneer significant segments of the early Church. This strategy provoked various manifestations of the idolatry-sorcery alliance. In like fashion, the Church at Thyatira was praised in John's revelation for its works of charity, service, and faith, but was criticized for allowing the followers of Jezebel to prosper in its midst.

MOVES OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT OF JEZEBEL

So then, who are the followers of Jezebel? And what needs to be done to deny them the opportunity to prosper in our midst?

A clue to their identity, tied back to this word of repaying Babylon and Chaldea, is given in Acts 6 and 7. The context is described in verses 7-10 of Acts 6:

"Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke."

When the power of God is operating, and the wisdom and the Spirit are flowing --- there will be those who resist.

The initial response to Stephen, when those he was interacting with couldn't resist the truth of his words and power of the Spirit was that they used false witnesses, accused Stephen, and stirred up first the people, then the leadership. Religious spirits resist the power and Spirit of God. The ugly, religious backlash Stephen experienced reflects the dynamic that has emerged in centuries past and still exists today when the power of God, the truth of God and Sprit of God are in evidence and are bringing change. There will be those who not only resist, but who will do everything within their power to undermine what they fail to recognize as being from God.

SORCERY: INFILTRATION ALLIANCES AND TACTICS

The Jezebels are those who undermine the power and moves of the Spirit of the Lord.

As we see the gates opening to a major move of God in the marketplace, we need to be wise and alert. The spirit of Jezebel is not limited by gender. The Jezebels are the major source of division operating against the righteous in gatekeeper functions. The Jezebels operate as sorcerers, with a power derived by age-old Chaldean divination. The Jezebels have been and continue to be found hidden in centers of fervent religious and spiritual activities.

Yet the operation of Jezebels will only be in part until they become allied with an Ahab.

The Jezebels who envy, hate, divide and seek to destroy those who operate by the Spirit of the Lord, cannot accomplish their surreptitious tasks without seducing or beguiling the gatekeeper. The Ahabs; the gatekeepers into the seats of power within our religious, business and political institutions. Gatekeepers, who are naively enticed and controlled by the Jezebels and their evil intentions.

So, then after identifying the Jezebels, the issue is to insure they are rendered ineffective and removed from our midst.

Unholy alliances can and will be pulled down by the power, anointing and wisdom of God. But in similar fashion to Jezebel's removal, it is going to take divinely appointed alliances, such as reflected by Jehu and Elisha to accomplish the task.

The Jehu-Elisha alliance came only after Elijah's incredible, supernatural encounter with the prophets of Baal and Asherah. Elijah's role was an essential first step in the dismantling of this Ahab-Jezebel alliance. Elijah's face-off not only removed the infrastructure of the prophets of Baal and Asherah, but it resulted in the hearts of the people being turned back to the Lord. Yet despite his incredible boldness in this divinely appointed engagement; Elijah became terrified at the prospect of encountering Jezebel and fled.

It took Elijah's protégé Elisha AND Ahab's counterpart, Jehu to finally pull down the heart of this unholy alliance, Jezebel herself. It was the cooperative alliance between Elisha and Jehu that accomplished this task. An alliance that gives significant insight into the roles that can be expected from alliances of today's Josephs and Daniels and their counterparts. Alliances that will play into a fulfillment of God's promise to repay Babylon and Chaldea.

JOSEPH'S BROTHERS AND CHALDEA

During his eloquent and anointed response to the council of accusers he faced, Stephen spoke about the necessity of God leading Abraham out of Mesopotamia, also known --- as the land and sphere of the Chaldeans. A requirement and necessity for Abraham to be positioned to receive God's promise.

Stephen also spoke of the envy the brothers of Joseph had for him. The envy operating among Joseph's brothers and the dishonor they sowed within the land of Promise were undermining the purposes God promised to their forefather Abraham. Something had to change.

Plus God had a crucible designed to prepare Joseph for the authority required for him to effectively overcome the Jezebels of Egypt and the power associated with the envy of his brothers.

According to Psalm 105:17, the Lord sent Joseph before them to prepare the way for God's purposes for His people. Joseph was the forerunner who God used to not only circumvent the coming disruptions, but to bring about the change needed to position God's people to inherit His covenant promises.

Yet over the centuries, the struggle has again and again been centered around God's people being enticed and beguiled by the flavor of Chaldea --- finding it easier to believe the supernatural that comes from the evil one than to believe in the God of miracles. The flavor of Chaldea represented by prophets of Baal and Asherah established by unholy alliances. Cycles of unbelief and disobedience resulting in bondage for God's people.

But, the scripture in Jeremiah says that: "I will repay Babylon and Chaldea, saith the Lord."

THE ALLIANCE OF THE AGES

Chaldea and Babylon. Jezebel and Ahab. Witchcraft and mammon. Sorcery and idolatry. The alliance of the ages.

Babylon and Chaldea clearly represent the alliance operating between gatekeepers within the world's commercial and political infrastructure and sorcery. The world's system as a whole is not the target. The targets are idolatry and sorcery; witchcraft and mammon. But change is needed. And the change needed to enter the gates and challenge these seats of power may bring disruption, as was evidenced in the apostle Paul's exploits as he pioneered his way into the bastions of the evil one.

But this is our Father's world. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. What is often labeled as the world's system reflects a misappropriation of God's kingdom and the resources reflected by the Psalmist's insight that the Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

The accomplishment of God initiatives for the days we are entering will incorporate a repossessing of what rightfully belongs to the Lord. And it will involve many instances of God-ordained alliances with gatekeepers of the world's infrastructures, like Pharaoh and Cyrus, as the Lord sovereignly restores what belongs to Him in the accomplishment of His end-time purposes through this move of God in the marketplace.

That does not mean disruptions are not about to hit the world's economies. They are. The time of His power will indeed be accompanied by a time of His judgment. And the disruptions will provide opportunity for those with unusual calls of God, to be used uniquely for the Lord's redemptive purposes within the midst of what we refer to as the world's system.

When it comes to the Lord sovereignly intervening in the affairs of men; to avoid the countdown resulting from evil alliances --- to break in pieces and destroy the foundations of these age-old alliances --- there are ample examples in Scripture of God's counter-alliance emissaries. Examples like Joseph and Daniel and Ezra and Nehemiah, who by the Spirit of the Lord and the authority entrusted to them, reversed the curse of the unholy alliances. God's ambassadors and emissaries --- leaders in the business and political arena --- called to work along side secular gatekeepers in seats of power in the accomplishment of God's purposes.

The age-old alliances between witchcraft and mammon; between sorcery and idolatry serve to entice and divide God's people and undermine God's purposes. "I will repay Babylon and Chaldea, saith the Lord." The Lord is going to sovereignly bring judgment on those who entice his people into unbelief and idolatry; and those who undermine and stymie His purposes. Unique initiatives and changes can be expected within the world's infrastructure where sorcery has become the resident seat of power. Likewise, God's modern-day agendas to repay Babylon and Chaldea can be expected to manifest within religious institutions where the spirit of Chaldea and Babylon rage against the initiatives released by the Spirit of God.

But this judgment of repayment will begin after the thrust of what Jeremiah saw as the cooperative efforts: "with you, I will break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms and strongholds."

THE ROLE OF THE JOSEPHS AND DANIELS

Modern-day Josephs and Daniels; and this entire move of God into the marketplace reflects God's throne-room initiative designed to penetrate the world's commercial and political infrastructures. The Josephs and Daniels will cross boundaries that the traditional Church just doesn't tend to venture into. The Josephs and Daniels will begin the process of restoring God's covenant principles and rule. They will have a role in restoring and operating with a Kingdom perspective within the fabric of society. Today's Josephs and Daniels understand God's concept of community --- how business and community are designed to operate together as it was revealed to the patriarchs and outlined in Deuteronomy. The Josephs and Daniels understand the admonitions in Isaiah 58 to reach out to the hungry and the oppressed as a significant part of being community-builders.

Today's Josephs and Daniels will encounter confrontations with these age-old alliances. But like Daniel of old, they that know their God will be strong and will do exploits. They will operate in the authority and anointing that was evidenced when Joseph was elevated to sit along side of Pharaoh. The confrontations will be about the restoration of God's Kingdom rule. And the Josephs and Daniels will penetrate the heart of darkness --- and the seats of power that control what was originally designed to be a part of God's Kingdom rule. The Josephs and Daniels are going to work along side the Pharaohs and Cyruses of our day to restore what God has all along meant for His own.

Additionally, this move of God in the marketplace will not only serve to create holy alliances between modern-day Josephs and Daniels and their gatekeeper counterparts, but it will see a mobilization within the business community that will result in:

1) releasing the Believing business community into the walk of God's Kingdom;
2) of releasing the anointing into their respective businesses, and
3) of seeing the Believing community's businesses, business people and finances redeemed for the Lord.

God's anointed business community has a significant role before it. It involves the liberation of the common man --- by eliminating the gap between the sacred and the secular. Those who will partner with God --- will see the walls coming down between business and ministry. The business community will play a significant part in restoring the kingly role the Lord intended for His own called into the marketplace through a strategy of holy alliances designed to counter and defeat the prevailing unholy alliances.

THE STRATEGY OF ALLIANCES

Ariel Sharon's autobiography "Warrior" illustrates how an alliance was mobilized to break the stranglehold of oppression that had crept into the seats of power --- in this case, within Israel at the time.

The 20th chapter of Mr. Sharon's book describes the need for the formation of the Likud party in Israel. The evolution of power within the Labor party had sadly digressed from the significant role its leaders had played in Israel's war for independence. What had resulted in just three decades in Israel was the exclusion of anyone outside Labor's members and support system from receiving the benefits that should have been afforded to all the citizenry. There was simply a bureaucratic stranglehold on jobs, housing, bank loans, education, social services and so forth. An unholy alliance, if you will, operating through the bureaucratic infrastructure.

The Likud party became an alliance of necessity for all those outside the Labor infrastructure. It included a host of diverse groups who previously may have been at odds with one another. Groups who otherwise might not have taken the time to sit down at the same table. But the reality of the situation had a very real need for the power of unity that could only come from a "counter" alliance. A counter alliance to challenge the status quo.

The Believing business community today holds a similar potential. A potential of overthrowing the bastions of unholy gatekeepers and penetrating key seats of power operating within the world's business and political systems. Those called in this way, understand.

Anointed business leaders operate across boundaries that those in traditional ministerial circles too often would not consider breaching. And those genuinely called as Josephs and Daniels comprise a balance of administrative gifts of getting things done; with leadership skills that are not constrained by Pharisaical tradition; with a sensitivity and commitment to the Spirit of the Lord that results in their priorities being focused on being about His business.

God's move into the marketplace is the move of God for this hour. A move of God exceeding in significance and impact, the rise of the para-church movement of the late 50's.

We are entering the time in which the Lord will repay Babylon and Chaldea. Alliances will be key in setting the stage for this throne-room initiative. Holy alliances that unseat the Jezebel's and restore God's kingdom rule. Alliances that operate in simplicity --- yet potency to challenge the status quo representing barriers to God's redemptive purposes for this hour.

An important aspect of this dynamic was recognized in an article recently carried in the Wall Street Journal ("Independent's Day," August 28, 2002) about how several smaller ad agencies teamed up to compete for the very large Chrysler account. The observation of the article was that independent business alliances are hot because they capture the creativity of the independent entrepreneurs, something seen as missing in the stifling bureaucracy of the larger agencies.

The stranglehold and pervasive nature of today's unholy alliances of idolatry and sorcery is necessitating unusual action from God's people. Action reflecting an understanding of the times, with a knowledge of what to do. Action that will require diverse groups aligning themselves and creating holy alliances to accomplish God's purposes for this hour. Action not constrained by political correctness, denominational purity or a watered-down Gospel.

Unusual alliances will result. Alliances that begin at the level reflecting Jesus' wisdom of sending his people out on missions, two by two. Alliances that incorporate cooperative efforts between existing networks and coalitions. Alliances between businesses and ministries. Alliances between modern-day Josephs and Pharaohs.

Alliances among entrepreneurs. Alliances that harness the power of unity to push back the encroachment of darkness into what God intended for good. Community entrepreneurs were those originally called as pioneers to pave the way for God's agendas. Community entrepreneurs, who have their foundation with the Patriarchs, with the principles of their modus operandi outlined Deuteronomy.

But the need calls for not only just alliances within the business community; but alliances between the business community and those uniquely called intercessors, who have been anointed to understand the times. Alliances that pull down the barriers between business and ministry. Alliances at the community level. Alliances that penetrate seats of power at the national level. Holy alliances that connect God's marketplace ambassadors for this hour --- across the globe.

Judgment is clearly coming to Babylon and Chaldea. And the process is underway as the Lord positions those with unique callings to serve together with Him in breaking nations in pieces, of destroying kingdoms and strongholds. The penetration of the world's system by God's modern-day marketplace emissaries is going to unfold with simplicity. A simplicity that is marked with a sovereign coordination of uniquely called individuals and groups. Individuals and groups --- entrepreneurs and business leaders --- who form alliances which will break the stranglehold represented by Jezebel and Ahab, by witchcraft and mammon, by sorcery and idolatry. Individuals, groups and alliances who as it was said of Daniel, are those who know their God and will do exploits.