The Power of Atmosphere

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The Power of Atmosphere
By Junior deSouza

You go to this church and your spirits are lifted, your emotions float, your mind relaxes. You go to that church and your spirit is vexed, your emotions weigh, your mind races. You go to a friend's house and you breathe easy, let your hair down, soften your face. You go to your uncle's house and your muscles tense, your teeth grind, you look out the corner of your eyes. What's causing all these automatic reactions?
Atmosphere. Atmospheric power.
Every location has an atmosphere, and every atmosphere has a mood, and every mood has a biological response, priming us for a certain action or inaction. Ponder the different atmospheres we frequent--the rooms of our house, school, church, work, restaurants, people's homes, stores, websites, cities, nations--and their subsequent, and very real, effect on us. The Spirit needs us to better understand ambience, equipping us to nurture them, stand victorious in them, and in some cases, completely transform them.
Every aspect of nature has something to reveal (Job 12:7,8, Ro 1:20). The Creator created Earth's atmosphere, then, to help us understand necessary truths about ambience. Friends, hear the wisdom of God speaking in creation to educate us in atmospheric victory.
What is atmosphere?
The atmosphere is simply the air surrounding the earth. This air is a mixture and interaction of various gases, particles, temperatures, and solar activities.
A spiritual atmosphere is simply the "air" surrounding a particular location. This air is a mixture and interaction of various images, mindsets, emotions, body language, sounds, spirits, behaviors, and social activities.
The Five Spheres of Atmosphere
The Earth's atmosphere has five layers, or spheres, going from the top down. I will go top-down, not bottom-up, for two reasons. One, we are seated in heavenly places in Christ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion (Eph 2:6, 1:21), therefore, we are to view and move in atmospheres from the top-down (with identity and authority) and not the bottom-up (with inferiority). Two, there is a certain spiritual progression in moving top-down, as you will see.
Exosphere
The exosphere is the first, highest, and outermost atmospheric layer, beginning at about 10,000 kilometers above earth and extending downward to about 700 kilometers. The unique fact about this sphere is that it is the transitional zone between Earth's atmosphere and true outer space. A molecule travelling fast enough can escape into outer space, or if not, be pulled back into the atmosphere by gravity.
The exosphere represents the first and highest sphere of any spiritual atmosphere--the theological, ideological, and philosophical domain. In simpler terms, worldview. At its apex, every atmosphere is controlled by a particular worldview about God and life. These deep-seated opinions dictate every last detail of the ambience, even mundane elements like clothing and colors. Scripture tells us that faulty theology, ideology, and philosophy is the "high thing" that exalts itself against God (2Co 10:5). This is the exosphere, the zone of transition and leverage in any spiritual atmosphere.
Atmospheric wars begin here. If you are divinely-called to transform an atmosphere you frequent, Scripture says a war must be waged in the exosphere against faulty knowledge (2Co 10:3-5, Eph 4:17,18,23, Ro 12:2). However, with warfare wisdom and Spirit-led Bible skill, you can prevail in transitioning a person/group from an "earthly" atmosphere to true and greater spiritual reality.
On to a different application. Many wonderful Christian atmospheres are being assaulted. And where? In the exosphere, the zone of transition--worldview. Paul said in the last days deceiving spirits would connive to lure us away from biblical truth to the "doctrines of demons" (1Ti 4:1). They intend to squelch and squash any heavenly atmosphere in the land, especially those winning ambience wars for God's kingdom. Some points of attack: signs-n-wonders obsession, cessationism, hyper-prosperity, worship wars, and so on. Christian segments that have succumbed to these enemy offensives have polluted or diluted their atmosphere. So I say, if you are a ministry with any degree of heavenly atmosphere, guard it! Maintain sound theology, ideology, and philosophy from Scripture! From the very beginning Satan went after Eve's worldview, asking, "Did God really say?" (Gen 3:1). Whoever takes the exosphere takes the transitional zone of the entire atmosphere!
Though much more could be said about warring worldviews, the foremost practical strategy is this: speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15, 1Pet 3:15). At the right times, in the right ways, with the Spirit present, giving a defense of the truth can pull down the high thing. Address the high thing as Christ did, with both "grace and truth" (Jn 1:17). Privately, combine fasting with worship and intercession. Fasting can overcome literally anything (Isa 58:6, Mk 9:29 NKJV). Your words spoken in love will materialize what has already been accumulated and secured in the secret place.
Thermosphere
The thermosphere is the second layer, extending downward from about 700 to 85 kilometers. The unique fact about this sphere is that auroras occur here. Auroras are beautiful bands or arches of colored light appearing in the night sky, caused by atmospheric gases colliding with charged particles (pics: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=auroras+&aq=f&oq ).
The thermosphere is the next sphere of a spiritual atmosphere--the collision. Undoubtedly the flesh and enemy will not go down without a fight, and that fight happens here. This is the sphere of direct collision, confrontation, and conflict with the person/group of an atmosphere.
In a moment of anointed discussion, I've seen people with opposing worldviews agree and accept my words as truth, taking baby steps of theological transition (the exosphere). Then, days or weeks later, their flesh and demons counterattacked and the next discussion was a hostile "collision" (the thermosphere). And so went the unpleasant cycle of transition (exosphere) and collision (thermosphere), transition and collision, transition and collision. Ah, the roller coaster!
Such extremes comprise the normal cycles of atmospheric transformation though. Therefore, don't get too excited in the exosphere (when transition happens), and don't get too low in the thermosphere (when collision happens). A man of understanding is even-tempered (Pr 17:27). Understand you will go through many cycles before the high thing is pulled down and theological transition is permanent.
In the physical thermosphere, auroras happen. Auroras are beautiful bands or arches of colored light appearing in the night sky, caused by atmospheric gases colliding with charged particles. Your collisions with the person/people of the atmosphere can result in personal auroras! Such collisions can reveal your love, patience, forgiveness, wisdom, confidence, strength, boldness...the manifold light of Christ in you lighting up that night sky atmosphere! You are His aurora, yet only displayed through collisions! (1Co 11:19)
Mesosphere
The mesosphere is the third and middlemost layer, extending downward from about 85 to 50 kilometers. Mesosphere is taken from the Greek word mesos, meaning "middle". The unique fact about this sphere is that it is the middle or "heart" of Earth's atmosphere, and it contains the coldest place of all five spheres (as low as -148F). And, non-coincidentally, it is the least understood of the five spheres. It is difficult to study, being too high for aircraft and too low for orbital spacecraft. Therefore, it is sarcastically called "the ignorosphere" by scientists.
The mesosphere is the very middle or "heart" of a spiritual atmosphere, specifically, the heart of the person/people in it. Just as this sphere contains the coldest region of all five spheres, so also the human heart contains the most sinfully depraved and coldest elements of a person/people. Jesus said (Mt 15:19), "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." Other New Testament writers say the hearts of those who do not walk with God are darkened (Ro 1:21), stubborn and unrepentant (2:5), set on evil things (1Co 10:6), hardened (Eph 4:18), always going astray (Heb 3:10), unbelieving (v12), bitterly jealous and vainly ambitious (Jas 3:14), and boastful (Rev 18:7). That's quite a laundry list of depravity! The human heart is, without a doubt, the coldest place in any carnal atmosphere.
Even more interesting, the mesosphere is the least understood of all five spheres, being impossible to study by aircraft or spacecraft. Doesn't this sound like Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Isn't it glorious how creation parallels Scripture perfectly? Just as the mesosphere cannot be studied by human technology, so also the heart of man cannot be studied or understood by human intelligence alone. This is where secular psychology and sociology run out of breath. The heart of man can be correctly discerned only by God's Spirit, who searches all things (1Co 2:10), God's Word, which judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb 4:12), and God's mature people, who are capable of discerning all things (1Co 2:15, Heb 5:14).
Changing the heart of a person/people in an atmosphere can only be done by the direct grace of the Holy Spirit. No one comes to the Son unless the Father draws him (Jn 6:44). The Lord opened Lydia's heart to respond to Paul's message (Ac 16:14). It is God who commanded light to shine into our dark hearts (2Co 4:6). The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, He directs it like a river wherever He pleases (Pr 21:1).
However, this kind of grace-induced heart change is most often effected through costly demonstrations of love. If God has indeed called you to transform a particular atmosphere, a part of you will die for that atmosphere (2Co 4:12). You will be required to love the hateful, forgive the undeserving, and bless the ungrateful. Then, as the shards of a shattered ego lie irreparable at your feet, you will rejoice in wearing as decoration the very hearts your self-death has won (Isa 49:18). God's grace via your agape love oils the hardened heart, massaging it to be saved forever.
Here, in the mesosphere, we come uncomfortably close to the heart of the unredeemed, that cold, mysterious place. While many view the heart as the "ignorosphere", something unsearchable and ignorable, we go after it with Spirit and truth to know it, love it, and win it. Love secures the mesosphere, the heart of an atmosphere.
Stratosphere
The stratosphere is the fourth layer, extending downward from about 50 to 20 kilometers. The unique fact about this sphere is that the crucial ozone layer is located here, absorbing the sun's UV rays and shielding life on earth.
The stratosphere is the fourth sphere of a spiritual atmosphere--the sphere of the Holy Spirit.
The stratospheric ozone layer protects life on earth by absorbing the sun's UV rays maximum effect. If this layer did not exist, the sun would scorch and destroy all life on earth. The sun is a picture of the Lord (Ps 84:11, Mal 4:2, Mt 17:2, Lk 1:78, Rev 1:16). The fervent heat of His holiness and judgment would consume mankind in an instant--if it weren't for the Holy Spirit striving with man mercifully and patiently (Gen 6:3), beseeching him (Jn 16:8), shielding him from the heat of the Lord's holy judgment (Jn 16:8).
The ozone layer represents the Holy Spirit, regardless of how evil an atmosphere might be. He is always present striving with the fool and the sinner to convince them of God's way (Jn 16:8). However, just as the ozone layer can be depleted through persistently wrong environmental choices, so also the Spirit's ozone ministry will not go on forever (Gen 6:3). The Spirit of grace can be insulted repeatedly (Heb 10:29), and, rejected beyond repentance (Mk 3:29). A person who rejects the Spirit in this way depletes his spiritual ozone layer. All that remains is the scorching judgment of the Sun to come upon that person without any grace-shield or insulation whatsoever (Heb 10:29, Pr 29:1, 1Jn 5:16).
The pre-Flood world rejected the Holy Spirit in this way (Gen 6:3), depleting their spiritual ozone. Consequently, the Sun's judgment broke through and consumed then via the Flood. The first century Jews also resisted the Holy Spirit in this way (Ac 7:51), depleting their spiritual ozone too. Consequently, the Sun's judgment broke through and scorched them in AD70 through Titus.
Realize, then, that the Holy Spirit was already present and active in the atmosphere before you were ever commissioned to transform it. Simply join Him in His ozone ministry, interceding and pleading for the repentance and deliverance of the person/people in it. For, when the Ozone's ability is depleted, the Sun's judgment breaks through in full strength.
Troposphere
The troposphere is the lowest atmospheric layer, extending downward from about 10 kilometers (depending on latitude) to the earth's surface. It accounts for almost 80% of the atmosphere. Troposphere is a French word that means "sphere of change", taken from the Greek word tropos, meaning "a turn or change". The unique fact about this sphere is that most of our day-to-day weather changes happen here. Of all the spheres, it is the most practical and relevant to us humans.
The troposphere is the final sphere of any spiritual atmosphere--the sphere of practical change. Just as this is where our day-to-day weather happens, so also this is where the day-to-day rehabituation of atmospheric behaviors and expressions happens. In other words, no matter what happens in the other spheres, it must eventually find practical expression through daily habits. There is a practical unprogramming and reprogramming of a person's brain and body.
Numerous scriptures speak of this rehabituation. The most popular, 1Timothy 4:7, says to "train" or "exercise" in godliness. The Greek word here is gumnazo, from which we get the English word gymnastics. Just as a gymnast practices the same actions over and over until the brain and body are superbly programmed, so also the brain and body must be habituated in godliness. Ever had a bad habit you utterly hated, but simply could not stop? Your inner man was renewed (which is why you hated it), but your flesh was still sinfully programmed. This why Paul said, "I keep doing what I hate...I cannot do the good that I want...it is the sin abiding in my flesh [brain and body]" (Ro 7:15-20).
As God works to transform the atmosphere, realize there will be a day-to-day reprogramming of the negative behaviors and expressions of the person/people. However, as we stay diligent to love patiently and present a godly model, this "troposphere" will truly become a "sphere of (practical) change" for those in the atmosphere you are delivering.

Summary

Every spiritual atmosphere contains five spheres, represented in the five spheres of Earth's atmosphere. Abounding in or transforming an atmosphere means understanding and redefining these spheres.
The exosphere is the transitional zone between Earth's atmosphere and true outer space. Spiritually, it is the worldview of every atmosphere, its driving theology, ideology, and philosophy about God and life. It is the high thing exalting itself against the knowledge of God, and therefore, the zone of transition (leverage point) from an "earthly" atmosphere to true and greater spiritual reality.
The thermosphere is where collisions happen, producing auroras. Auroras are beautiful bands or arches of colored light appearing in the night sky, caused by atmospheric gases colliding with charged particles. Spiritually, our collisions with the person/people of the atmosphere can result in personal auroras. You are an aurora of Christ's manifold light, yet only displayed through collisions!
The mesosphere is the middle sphere, or heart, of Earth's atmosphere. It contains the coldest region and is the least understood. Spiritually, it is the "heart" of an atmosphere, more specifically, the heart of the person/people in it. The human heart contains the most sinfully depraved and "coldest" elements of a person/people, and as Jeremiah said, who can understand it?
The stratosphere is the sphere that contains the ozone layer, which protects life on earth from the sun's full UV capability. Spiritually, the ozone represents the Holy Spirit, who, through His striving, beseeching, and persuasion of men to follow Christ, creates a type of grace-insulation and grace-period from the Sun's full judgment. He is already present and active in every atmosphere.
The troposphere literally means the "sphere of change", for this is where our day-to-day weather changes happen. Spiritually, this is where the day-to-day reprogramming of atmospheric behaviors happens. It is the sphere of practical change through habit-reforming, or rehabituation.