A Closer Walk With God

Latest Posts At Closer Walk With God

2010-01-11T11:25:00.004Z

Just click on the links below to see the latest posts at Closer Walk With God

Announcing Closer Walk With God

2009-12-13T18:04:00.003Z

I have relaunched A Closer Walk With God on another site. I will be leaving this blog in place so that you can continue to benefit from the rich spiritual food that God has already led me to share.

The new Closer Walk with God blog will focus more on Words From Jesus and I will be posting treasure as the Lord speaks to me.

There are already messages there that I know willl bless your heart. I hope you will pay a vist and comment on what the Lord has already shared with me.

How To Hear The Voice Of God In A Noisy World

2009-11-30T11:31:00.003Z

It can be hard to hear the voice of God, especially when life is busy and and it's a struggle to be still and tune out the noisy world.

I'd like to share something with you. When I had a big decision to make last week, and needed to hear from God, I sat with my journal and my Bible and asked God to speak to me. The Lord led me to read a Scripture that clearly answered my question and enabled me to say no to something that would have been a huge pressure and time drain.

If I hadn't taken time to find God's heart for me in that moment, I would have gone ahead and said yes to something believing that it was God's provision and that I couldn' say no however uncomfortable life may get as a result of saying yes.

Since saying no, I have had peace, and God has opened another door to financial provision that will be stress free! For me, journaling has been a key to hearing God's voice for many areas of my life. I would like to invite you to join us for a free webinar so that you can discover how to hear God for you and others.

This free webinar could be just what you need to help you transform your life. What you don't know about journaling is costing you time, money, joy, peace, health, and quality relationships. Journaling opens the door to quickly experience breakthroughs in many areas of your life.

If you would like to discover how to hear God more clearly so that you can have wisdom, understanding, and revelation for every area of your life I highly recommend that you join us on this free webinar and discover how to allow God to order your steps and be your master coach.

Free Life Transforming Webinar Today
If the time doesn't work for you, register anyway and we will send you a link to the replay. Journaling will help you to hear the voice of God in a noisy world.

Journaling is the key to unlock your dreams

Is It Time To Change Your Priorites?

2009-10-26T22:33:00.003Z

The Lord has made it abundantly clear that He wants me to re-order my priorities.

I have become very busy with doing many good things, God is saying,

"Put your relationship with me first"

So, I am laying aside many of the things that have kept me busy and going back to giving the Lord first place in my life. I hope that you'll join me.

God doesn't want you to do more for Him, He wants you to spend more time with Him.

Abide in me

He says, I am the vine, and you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; without Me you can do nothing.

Your heavenly Father wants you to choose to be with Him more of the time. He longs for you to choose to spend more of your day with Him.

I strongly encourage you to become closely connected then stay closely connected. Remember, without God you can do nothing of any lasting value.

If you want to grow in God, then you can no longer settle for giving Him second or third or fourth place. Make friendship with God your first priority.

Are you ready to give God FIRST place in your life?

What will you do differently to make sure that God gets His rightful place?

I am going back to spending the first part of the day with God. For me, that means meditating on His word, writing down what I hear Him say, and acting on it.

What does it mean for you?

Why Is It Hard To Hear God?

2009-09-19T20:07:00.005+01:00

It's actually easy to hear God once you clear the obstacles away.

Obstacles to hearing God

Thinking that what you hear is just your imagination

One of the bigggest obstacles to hearing God is thinking that what you hear is just your own thoughts. Skepticism, causes you to reject what you hear from the Holy Spirit.

Over dependence on other people to hear God for you

God is longing to have a close relationship with you. He wants you to hear Him for yourself even more than you do.

Being too busy

You will find it easier to hear God if you slow down and create space in your life. Be still enough to spend time deliberately listening for God's voice, and train youself to recognise when it's God speaking rather than your own thoughts.

Turn down the noise and turn up the volume!

God often speaks quietly, Elijah recognised that God was speaking in a whisper rather than in the raging wind, earthquake or fire.

Turn off the noise, tune out anything that could interfere with you hearing God.

Create favourable circumstances. Give God more opportunities to be heard, create an atmosphere that makes it easy to hear God anytime.

If you want to continue hearing God, make sure that you are willing to act on what He says to you.

It’s much easier to hear God when you are ready to receive what He has to say.

Don't expect to hear God if you are walking in disobedience

You need to make sure that you pay attention to the things God reveals. If you've heard God in the past and haven't acted on what you've heard, you need to put that right with God and let Him know that Him know that you're ready to hear and willing to do whatever he says.

There are many reasons why you might find it hard to hear God.

Make sure you're tuned to the right frequency and that there is nothing in the way of you having a good connection.

Selective hearing can be a barrier to hearing God. You will struggle to hear if you are expecting God to speak in a particular way. If He doesn't doesn speak in the way you expect you might not recognise God speaking to you. You need to be open to God speaking in any way He wants too.

Do you want to hear God enough to spend time waiting and listening, believing that He will speak?

Ask God to speak to you and wait for an answer. Be like Habakkuk - stand at your guard post, keep watch and see what He will speak to you.

Habakkuk 2:1-2

If you would like to discover how to hear God through journaling, I have a gift for you,

click here for a free chapter of Journaling For Breakthroughs

If you would like to learn more about how to hear God

click here for a a step by step guide to hearing God's voice

Do You Want To Hear God And Be More Spiritually Aware

2009-09-06T20:20:00.000+01:00

How do you learn to exercise your senses and become more keenly aware of the spiritual world that surrounds you?

Stir the Water offer Prophetic and Seer Exercises with Jim Driscoll. It's a safe place to grow your spirit and exercise your spiritual muscle.

Read the testimonies and join us as we journey through the process of studying our spiritual gifts and exercising our spiritual muscles.

Be amazed as your eyes and ears become attuned with the reality of Heaven and the voice of our Lord.

Just click the stir the water graphic to begin your journey

A Word Of Encouragement

2009-09-06T18:02:00.002+01:00

A Word of Encouragement: God Has the Final Word

As posted on http://www.elijahlist.com/

He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. Psalm 105:17-22

We are living in a critical and prophetic hour where all things are shifting and being brought back into divine alignment. I sense there is a major attack on the Body of Christ and leaders. I am in prayer that you, your mind, your strength fail not. I am prevailing in prayer and I am decreeing and declaring that you shall be victorious and you shall recover all.

I entreat you: There is humiliation before honor, price before promotion, stigma and scandal before success, attacks before accolades, but I hear God say,

"When thou passest through the water, I will be with you and through the fire, you will not be burned."

I hear the Word,

"Hold fast to the profession of your faith…and having done all, still stand."

Your problem and crisis situation is a divine announcement that God is getting ready to either prosper you and/or promote you. Do not resist the situation. Do not throw in the towel. Do not ignore the situation. Do not demonize the situation. Do not pretend the situation is not there. Wrestle with it in prayer.

Dare to Press In

Dare to press into God through prayer. Dare to see your storms as an opportunity to advance spiritually, financially, socially, ministerially, and for personal growth and development. Dare to walk on your prophetic turbulent waters, see and experience the power and presence of God in a new way (see Matthew 14:23-33)

According to these verses, not only will you overcome that which has overtaken you, but you will also be ushered into a new realm of power and a new place of worship. I decree and declare to all of you that favor is upon you.

He has anointed your head with fresh oil. During this time, we all need to let go in order to see and experience Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah-Gibbor, Jehovah-Rapha in our lives. You need to give up trusting in your own way and designs in order to experience God's all-sufficiency. Lean not on your own understanding.

I further exhort all of you, to stop talking to the snake. Take the time to hear and talk to God. He only is the Author and Finisher of your faith.

I encourage you from Psalm 46:10: Be Still, and Know That I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Indeed God Has the final word.

Kingdom Blessings,

Dr. N. Cindy Trimm
Cindy Trimm International
http://www.cindytrimm.com/

Feed on God's Faithfulness

2009-08-31T23:00:00.002+01:00

Feed on God's Faithfulness

“Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on his faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:3-4)

If you did what this Scripture said and fed on God's faithfulness, worry would be a thing of the past, it would simply starve to death as you focused on God's faithfulness, took Him at His word and trusted His promises.

Worry is fed by fear and God's word continually tells us not to fear. Worry would disappear if you didn’t feed it.

I appreciated what Michael J Pink had to say about feeding on God's faithfulness, may you be blessed as you read it.

http://www.sellingamongwolves.com/blog/2009/08/31/feed-on-his-faithfulness/

Establish A POWERFUL Online Presence To Accelerate Your Business Or Ministry

2009-08-31T22:20:00.002+01:00

Recently I've been talking to people who have a story to share or want to learn how to make money online to support their ministry but don't know how to get started.

If you want to discover how to establish A POWERFUL Online Presence To share your story, accelerate your business, or support your ministry, here is a link to a free webinar that will help you to understand what you need to do to get started.

http://lynnelee.com/powerfulonlinepresence

This webinar is presented by inspired Christians who have discovered how to harness the POWER of the web to share stories, products, and services with the WORLD

Be blessed

Lynne

Resources To Enrich Your Christian Life

2009-08-05T22:27:00.003+01:00

How To Heal a Broken Heart - Thursday 6th August

If you have memories that make you suffer every time you revisit them, or if pain resurface whenever you think of certain events, join us for How To Heal A Broken Heart and discover steps to help you recover.

Click this link to reserve your place for the

How To Heal A Broken Heart Seminar

Imagine how good you will feel when...

Your memories no longer cause you to suffer
There is no ache in your heart
You can actually look forward to the day

How To Forgive - Thursday 13th August

Why it is important to forgive
Why forgiving can be so hard
How to forgive someone who has hurt you
Forgiving yourself for mistakes you have made in the past
What happens when you forgive
What happens when you refuse to forgive
How to forgive when you don't want to
Common myths about forgiveness

And much more...

If you know that you need to forgive someone but you're struggling to forgive them, come and find the keys you need.

If you know that God has forgiven you but you are struggling to forgive yourself then you need to be on this call.

Click here to reserve your place for

How To Forgive

If the dates don't fit with your schedule, register anyway and I'll make sure you get a link to the replay.

A Renewed You Coaching Program

By way of saying thank you for reading my blog and prompted by a desire to see you equipped to pursue your dreams, until midnight on Monday 10th August you can get my 16 part email coaching program A Renewed You at a bargain price.

Just $8.50 a month for 4 months, that's around £5. Grab this life changing bargain while you can and start transforming your life today.

Do you want to hear God More Clearly?

I hope you're taking time to get to know God more. Consciously spend time talking with God every day and your life will be transformed. When you know what God is saying the journey is much simpler.

If you struggle to hear God these resources will help you

How To Hear God

If you would like to hear God more clearly and discover the joy of two way communication with God I have a step by step guide that will help you to hear God more clearly. Once you can hear God and are brave enough to act on what you hear, your life will never be the same.

How to Hear God Through Your Dreams

An audio designed to help you understand what God is saying through your dreams.

Journaling For Breakthroughs How to use journaling to hear God by Dr Randy Peck

The Journal - Journaling software that will help you to keep track of what God is saying to you

Uncommon wellness an audio book with Dr Jerry Graham, Sharon Graham and Dr Randy Peck, it is excellent. I'm following their advice and I'm beginning to see changes.

7 Powerful Keys To Unlock Your Life's Potential by Janet Daughtry

This audio series will help you to live life as God intended. It contains the very best of Janet's Christian life coaching and is some of the best value coaching you will ever find.

Access To Previous Seminars

If you have missed previous seminars, they are archived in the Coaching Cafe, just register for a free trial membership and you will have immediate access to all the resources, they might be just what you need to inspire and equip you to get started and keep going.

Christian Life Coaching Cafe free trial

You can't lose, there are many resources to inspire and encourage your heart. It is incredible value, the first 2 weeks are FREE and if you don't want to pay ever, you just need to cancel your membership before the end of the two week trial.

Here's some of what you will find there

Discover Your Life Purpose - Dr Jerry Graham
What You need To do To Be Well - Sharon Graham
It Happened By Design - God Incidences - Kathie Thomas
How To Move Past Fear - Janet Daughtry
Navigating Divorce As A Christian - Shelley Grieser
Journaling For Breakthroughs - Dr Randy Peck
And much much more...

Thanks for reading,

Be blessed

Lynne

Spiritual Exercises To Strengthen Your Spiritual Muscles

2009-06-26T14:11:00.003+01:00

God is speaking all the time. How do you learn to hear Him more consistently and clearly?

How do you learn to exercise your senses and become more keenly aware of the spiritual world that surrounds you?

How God taught Jeremiah to see

"Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me saying, 'Jeremiah, what do you see?' And I said, 'I see a branch of an almond tree.' And the Lord said to me, 'You have seen well, for I am ready to perform my word.'" Jeremiah 1:11:

Looking in faith will lead to seeing in faith, and confessing what you've seen in faith will lead to receiving understanding in faith.

Increasing your faith

Jesus said,

"'For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him'" Mark 4:25

If you don't use the faith you have, your ability to see and hear from God will wither away and slowly fade, but if you do put your faith into practice, it will increase.

Your current level of hearing, faith and prophetic ability can increase. Spiritual exercises will strengthen your spirit and your faith will grow; with time and practice, you will begin to see Him and hear His voice more clearly.

Stir the Water offer Prophetic and Seer Exercises with Jim Driscoll. It's a safe place to grow your spirit and exercise your spiritual muscles.

Read the testimonies and join us as we journey through the process of studying our spiritual gifts and exercising our spiritual muscles.

Be amazed as your eyes and ears become attuned with the reality of Heaven and the voice of our Lord.

Just click the stir the water graphic to begin your journey

It costs just $10 to try these spirtual exercises out for a month, that really is a very small price for tools to help you grow in your ability to hear God.

Discover Your Purpose and Destiny

2009-04-17T11:38:00.002+01:00

Be in Your Element! Discover Your Purpose and Destiny

by Kim Clement

"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith...Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."
Romans 12:3, 6-8

Element is used to describe the place where things we love to do and things we are good at come together. Each one of us must find our element. Have you ever heard the saying, "He is in his element"? It's that place where everything you do well and beautifully is enhanced and expressed without hindrance because of the perfect environment you're in. Water is the element of fish for instance.

You've also possibly heard the saying, "He's like a fish out of water." Well, that simply means you are "out of your element." Many people suffer unnecessarily because they are forced to operate out of their element, and when this happens there is a pressure on them to be something that they're not.

This is one huge positive in terms of a prophetic gift. My belief is that a prophetic voice places a person in their element by releasing a word to them, that, in turn, forces them to seek an environment conducive or favorable for their gift. My goal and aspiration in life is to create environments for all whom I am privileged to be in contact with—where each one of them is inspired to grow creatively.

King David was in his element in the wild, on the hills and mountains with his harp in one hand and his sling in the other. He was chosen as king, but the environment that was afforded him was not favorable for his existence. Once he got into the polished, marble and gold palace, he felt like a fish out of water. He ended up with another man's wife and killing his best friend.

Eventually, King David built a mountain, a rough mountain, and called it Zion. On that mountain he placed a tent, and in the tent, the Ark of the Covenant. He called this place, "The City of David." He created an environment where he was inspired and "at home." He was in his element. People need to have the chance to do what they should be doing and to discover their element in their own way.

What is Your Purpose? What is Your Destiny?

The fact is that there is a difference between your purpose and your destiny. Your destiny is your ultimate election. Your purpose is your present call. What did God choose you to do ultimately on this earth? What is your ultimate election? What were you elected to do before you were born? That's what your destiny is. What is your purpose? Your purpose is whatever you are called to do right now at this very moment.

Again, let me mention King David. David was one of those guys that was in his element when he was in the field, with his harp and with his slingshot, when he was killing bears and lions and singing songs to God. One day the prophet Samuel came to him and said, "You are anointed to be the King of Israel." And from that point onward, destiny was released in David. David already had an election before he was born, but destiny was released. It was stagnant until the prophetic word came to David.

The same applies to you—there is something inside of you that has not yet been unlocked. There is a destiny inside of you that you don't even know about, that you were elected for long before you were born, and suddenly, the Spirit breathes on you and immediately that destiny inside of you is released, it's unlocked, and you suddenly become more aware of it.

Once Samuel had prophesied and laid his hands upon David and said, "You are the King of Israel," did David become the king immediately? No, not according to the Scriptures—it tells us that it took years until David was finally crowned as the King of Judah, and then later the King of Israel. This is important for you to realize—David lived according to his destiny while he was serving his purpose. Destiny is what you are ultimately called to perform in this life. Your purpose is what you are called to perform while progressing to your destiny.

First of all, David is elected and anointed to be the King of Israel, the King of Zion. But he is a young man. He goes out into the fields and one day he hears the sound of a giant that is challenging the people of Israel. Suddenly, something rises in David and he becomes enraged and boldness rises inside of him. His destined authority takes over and he begins to say things that he never dreamed he would say as a shepherd and psalmist. David begins to speak to the people and says, "Give me this uncircumcised Philistine, I'll take him down!"

This boldness provokes anger and jealousy amongst his brothers. His brothers say, "What are you doing here? You are supposed to be in the field looking after our Dad's sheep." They get provoked to jealousy, because sometimes that's what happens when the authority of God comes upon you when you have a destiny. So David says, "I want to have a chance to fight this giant."

You know this story. He prophesies to Goliath and tells him exactly what he's going to do with him in the name of the Lord of Hosts, and it happens! From that point onward, David's call or purpose is to be an armor bearer for King Saul. You may think, "He was anointed to be the King of Israel!" Well that's right, but you've got to understand that he has to serve a purpose before he takes the throne in his ultimate election.

What Are You Called to Do Right Now?

What is your call? What is your purpose? What are you called to do right now? David was called to be an armor bearer and psalmist-musician for King Saul; that was his temporary purpose. Your purpose is always temporary, always changing, but always promoting your destiny. Your present purpose is never permanent. It's important for you to understand that. What you are doing right now may only be for a specific time because God is leading you to your destiny. But if you don't fulfill your call, you may never get to your destiny.

What was David's "call" after that? David's call after that was to run into the wild and live there in exile. King Saul became jealous of David and chased after him, attempting to kill the anointing that he felt belonged to him. David's call, or his purpose, was to be in the field, in the mountains and the hills. Yet even though he was in a place of confinement, he was fulfilling a call and a purpose.

Joseph was anointed and had a dream of kingship. His brothers became jealous of him and were provoked to anger. Why? Because Joseph opened his mouth and spoke with boldness and said, "This is what I dreamed." You see, that boldness comes upon you only when you have been released into your destiny. Once you've been released into your destiny, you may not even realize it, but you are speaking out something that is already in existence. Many other people will be angry with you and upset.

After they sold Joseph as a slave, he was "called" to be in Potiphar's home. Joseph was then placed into prison, and even though he was in solitary confinement, he had a purpose. His purpose was to minister to the butler, to the baker and to the prisoners, and he did it! The Bible says that Joseph prospered in prison. You can prosper in any kind of confinement IF you realize that this is your purpose, and this purpose is leading you to your ultimate election.

You don't have to be confined by bars. You don't have to be confined by the words of people. You don't have to be confined by hatred, jealousy or competition. No matter where they place you, you will still prosper because your destiny dictates your present circumstances. Many of you don't realize that if you keep your eye on your destiny and you fulfill your present purpose—which is whatever you are called to do, whether mopping floors somewhere or working a menial job—YOU WILL BE HAPPY WHILE ON YOUR JOURNEY TO YOUR POSITION IN LIFE.

2 Peter 1:10: "Therefore brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and your election sure. For if you do these things you will not stumble."

When you are sure of your call and you are sure of your election, you will never stumble. The word "stumble" there doesn't mean that you're not going to sin and you're not going to make a mistake. It just means that you may fall down, you may make a mistake, but you will ultimately rise up and you will get back on track because YOUR CALL AND YOUR DESTINY WILL RESTORE YOU.

Your Call is Your Purpose in 2009

Now I'm going to rephrase this because I want you to be in your element. I want you to be at the place where you are doing what you enjoy doing and you are doing what you do well, so that you are not like a fish out of water. Remember, there's a difference between your call and your election. Your call is your purpose in 2009. What is your purpose in 2009?

"Well, I'm called to be a radio announcer. Well, I'm called at this time to be a janitor, but I know that one day I'm going to be a multi-millionaire. I'm going to be a great salesman; an entrepreneur." Make sure of what your call is, and make sure of your election. What's amazing in 2 Peter 1:10-11, "...if you do this...(if you know what your election is and if you know what your call is) an entrance will be supplied for you in the everlasting Kingdom..." What does this mean?

Everybody wants to enter the Kingdom. I'm not talking about going to Heaven. Entering the Kingdom of God means being effective, powerful, influential and affluent in every way on this Earth for the purpose of God. Peter says that,

"You have an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom."

The Kingdom of God is the rulership of God and we have to enter that. And he is also saying,

"If you know what your calling is, if you know what your election is, there will be a door open to you into the everlasting Kingdom."

Why was David able to sing in Psalm 57:7, "My heart is fixed oh God, my heart is fixed: I WILL sing praise" while he was in a cave? What gave him this boldness? He was hated by an entire army. King Saul was looking to kill him. He had a few men around him that weren't even trustworthy. He had no reason, while in a cave under miserable circumstances and conditions, to say, "My heart is fixed." He knew what his purpose was, he knew what his election was and so he sang to God, "My heart is fixed and I will sing praises."

If someone can say "My heart is stable, I'm not insecure, and I'm going to sing praises," then even if that person was in prison or in debt or whatever, that person has security, NOT in his circumstances, NOT in the things that are happening around him, but he is confident in this one thing:

"He that has called me is faithful and He will do it."

David knew he was the King of Israel. He was dumped in a miserable cave, chased by an army, but he lifted up his voice and he said, "My heart is steady, my heart is secure, and I WILL sing praise!" And he did it. He sang praise and the result was that he ended up being the King of Israel.

When Are You in Your Element?

When God breathes on somebody and speaks, He places that person in their element, which in turn forces them to seek an environment conducive or favorable for their gift. When God speaks to you and shows you what you are going to do one day, what ultimately happens then is the enemy of your soul tries to create an environment to stifle your creativity. He tries to create a religious environment to stifle your gift so it won't be effective and what that does is it forces you to find and create an environment where you can be most effective.

You have to seek and create an environment where you are in your element, where you are operating at your best, your finest, being your sharpest. You have the ability to create that environment.

I have found that if you can operate your gift, like David did in a cave and like Joseph did in prison, then you've learned to create an environment that brings the best out of you under the most difficult circumstances and one day when things are more favorable, you will perform perfectly. That's what God wants from you.

Don't ever think that you are going to be stuck in this rut forever. Start searching and saying, "What do I need to do to be most effective?" and then create the environment that will bring the best out of you. Go!

Kim Clement
Prophetic Image Expressions
http://www.kimclement.com/
As posted on http://www.elijahlist.com/

How Do You Discover God's Plan And Purpose For Your Life?

Imagine life where you no longer make choices based on circumstances, pressures or your present frame of mind. When you know your purpose you can focus and concentrate time and energy on what's important.

If you'd like to know how to discover your life purpose join me and Dr Jerry Graham for a free teleseminar on Tuesday 21st April. If you're busy that day, register anyway and I'll send you a link to the recording.

www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/christian-teleseminars.html

"You weren't an accident. You weren't mass produced. You aren't an assembly line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly placed on earth by the Master Craftsman."

The power of thoughts and words

2009-04-05T20:40:00.002+01:00

What Have You Put Out in The Atmosphere?

Everything in the universe begins with and revolves around two things: words and thoughts. These two elements are divine gifts created by God and given to man. They form the creative substance that molds and shapes the destiny of humanity. Each of us becomes the person we are, chooses the direction we take, and accomplishes everything we do based on these two primary elements.

Just as in every seed, there is life-giving power that resides in every spoken word. This principle illustrates how the spiritual law of incubation and manifestation works. Everything you see in the natural began as a spiritual seed—that is, as a thought.

We are told in 2 Peter 1:3-4 that God, in His infinite wisdom, has already given us all things pertaining to life (the Wycliffe version says, "all things of His God-like virtue") that we might partake of His divine nature. Included in this celestial equipping are divine thoughts and inspired words.

As a spiritual being created in the image of God (see Genesis 1:26) your spiritual genes hold the creative power to frame your personal world by the thoughts and words you think and speak, which are divine tools given for your creative use. All you are, experience, and ultimately achieve can be traced back to how you have made use of these two simple, yet vastly powerful, tools—your words and thoughts.

What Occupies Your Mind Determines What Eventually Fills Your Mouth
The power of the spoken word is one of life's greatest mysteries. All that you will ever be or accomplish hinges on how you choose to govern what comes out of your mouth. By what you allow to occupy your mind and mouth, you can either bless your life to great heights of success or send it orbiting into realms of failure, sadness, and discontentment.

This is why Proverbs tells us,

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7), and urges, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life" (Proverbs 4:23).

Jesus followed suit by declaring,

"For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart" (Matthew 12:34-35).

What occupies your mind determines what eventually fills your mouth; your outer world showcases all that has dominated—and at times subjugated—your inner world. Because the law of cause and effect is continually at work, there is always an inner cause for every outer effect. Your outer world is a direct result of your inner world.

Every circumstance in life is a result of a choice—and every choice is the result of a thought. All those things that fill your mind hold the keys to your reality. Your thoughts provide the fuel for your words, and your words provide the fuel for your world.

It is paramount that you become the master of your thoughts. The greatest man has become so by the scrupulous attention he gives to controlling what goes into his mind and what comes out of his mouth.

So,

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:6-8).

Blessings,

Dr. N. Cindy TrimmCindy Trimm InternationalEmail: info@cindytrimm.com
As posted on http://www.elijahlist.com/

About Cindy Trimm: Dr. Cindy Trimm has given her life to instructing and activating persons in the atomic power of prayer and equipping nations to pursue destiny. She is a 21st Century leader who has partnered with heads of state, business moguls, politicians, church, civic and world leaders for more than 30 years to equip and empower millions to maximize their potential. Her track record as a revolutionary thinker and prolific communicator has established her as a well-respected and sought-after leader in the world today. She founded Cindy Trimm International (CTI) to bring practical solutions to spiritual and social ills; effecting change within our communities while transforming the course of our global destiny. Dr. Trimm is best known as the General in the Art of Strategic Prayer and Spiritual Warfare, Kingdom Practitioner and is a respected prophetic voice, bestselling author, life coach, and Ambassador of Hope. She is the author of: The Rules of Engagement and Commanding Your Morning books and has been featured on many television, streaming, and radio programs.

Coincidence or God incidence?

2009-03-27T11:40:00.003Z

Twice nominated Australian woman of the year Kathie Thomas will be helping us to explore the realm of God-incidences and demonstrating that life happens by design.

TUESDAY 8pm UK 3 pm EST

Coincidence or God Incidence? It happens by design
Do come and join us, Kathie will help you to see that God gets you to the right place, at just the right time, a lot more of the time then you recognise. The call is completely free and you can listen in on your computer from the comfort of your own home.

Love to be there but have a time conflict?

Register anyway and I will send you a link to the replay.

Here is the link to register for the call, be sure to let your friends know

http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/christian-teleseminars.html

Replay of journaling breakthroughs

You will find the audio file for the webinar here

http://breakthrough777.com/

Have you tasted the Christian Life Coaching Cafe yet? You can access all the life changing resoruces free for a whole month. It's risk free, you have nothing to lose.

http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/christianlifecoachingcafe.html

Here is the link for your 45 day free trial of The Journal software

http://lynnelee.com/journal it will help you to organise your life and record your God moments.

Be blessed

Lynne

http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/

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How Much Does God Love You?

2009-03-27T11:20:00.002Z

Al Thomas: God Says, "You are Greatly Loved, More than You Could Ever Comprehend"

Al Thomas heard a powerful message on the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit began to speak to Him and he felt compelled to seek the Father concerning some of the revelation he had just heard. This is what God told him.

God said: "Many of My people are in bondage thinking (falsely) that they are failing Me. They pray, read My Word, etc., yet as the years roll on, discouragement rears its head, then guilt and shame become more than acquaintances, not to mention the harassment of the devil's condemnation. I have some powerful keys for My sheep to avoid this snare."

God Said: "Instead of Thinking You are Failing, Dwell on How Much I Love You"

"This is a truth that must be grasped by all of My children or they will never be able to truly be free. It saddens Me that many of My children say, 'God loves me,' but haven't truly accepted it. When you know you are loved by Me, there is a great freedom, a joy, and a sense of 'No matter what happens to me, I will be OK.' My Son did not say the truth will set you free. He said, 'You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free' John 8:32.

"You are greatly loved, more so than you could ever comprehend. Each of My children will enter their mansion (John 14:2) accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6). I have received you as a son/daughter, period. Stop looking at your imperfections and study My Word to see how much I love you (Romans 8:35-39). I think of you affectionately every day."

God Said: "Dwell on the Revelation that I Loved You First"

"There is this strong undercurrent in much of My Church that if you don't please Me in all that you do, then (you feel) in some way I simply don't love you like you think I would (because you had some kind of failure). Be careful, I am not saying you shouldn't be obedient or submit to Me and crucify your flesh. But, the work of sanctification is an ongoing process (2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Ephesians 5:26).

Yet no matter how much you do or not do for Me, I will love you the same —unequivocally. That doesn't mean you should be lazy, but who of you completely measures up? None of you, but that is why My Son came to die for you (Philippians 3:12)."

God Said: "The Devil Wants You to Think I Don't Completely Love You"

"Did you know that the devil can get you to think of a certain Scripture...to fool you? He tried it with My Son (Matthew 4:5-6), so he will try it with you. One of the Scriptures that he uses to condemn many of you is Revelation 2:4: "Nevertheless I have something against you, because thou hast left thy first love."

"In the two verses before this one, My Son highly compliments the Church for good works, patience, not putting up with evil people and for being strong and not fainting. But (and here is the truth many miss), you can work hard, be long suffering, resist evil, etc., and still miss the depth of My love for you. You see, I am not saying the fault is because you don't love me enough...My Son is saying, 'You don't know (or have forgotten) how much I love you!' He loves you first...and that is the first love! (1 John 4:19)."

God Said: "Dwell on My Son Being Your Husband, Not a Legalistic Tyrant"

"My prophet Hosea said, 'Therefore, behold, I will allure her, bring her into the wilderness and speak kindly to her. Then I will give her vineyards from there, and the valley of Achor as a door of hope. And she will sing there as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. "It will come about in that day," declares the LORD, "that you will call Me husband, and will no longer call Me Baali (Master)"' (Hosea 2:14-16).

"Above all, My Son Jesus longs to be your Lover. Once you know you are loved, a great weight will be lifted, and then no matter what happens, you will always be convinced that I love you madly. Child, I will continue to love you. As you digest this great truth, then you will truly start to enter freedom and joy. You belong to Me and My Son, and we love you dearly. I loved you first. You will never be able to love Me more than I love you. So, just accept it. Once you do, you will automatically want to love Me back."

God Said: "Stop Feeling Guilty for Not Spending Quality Time with Me"

"Don't misunderstand; of course I want you to spend time with Me. But many think I am mad at them. So many of My children have simply forgotten how much I dearly love them. Instead of feeling guilty for not loving Me enough, firmly grasp how much I love you. Yes, some have distanced themselves from Me because of offences and false brethren, but they misunderstand that I have never stopped loving them (although My heart breaks and longs for them to return to Me).

"My greatest wish is for My children to get to the place where they grasp the revelation of the intense love I have for them. My love conquers everything (1 Corinthians 13). In the book of Galatians 2:6-9, My servant Paul speaks of Peter, James and John. If anyone had a special place in My heart it was these men.

"When My Son walked on earth they were His closest friends. Later they were called the pillars of the Church. Paul was speaking about Peter, and about all the leaders of the early Church, when inspired to write, 'Whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no one.'

"I want you to tell yourself (some need to shout it, repeat it daily, and get it in their heart), 'The Bible says I am as loved and as important to God as Peter, James and John.' Never ask or think or doubt again how much I love you."

"Now, what did you say your problem was?"

Al Thomas Celebrating His Life Ministries http://www.celebratinghislife.com/

As posted on The Elijah List www.Elijahlist.com

God's love doesn't depend on what we do or what we don't do. He simply loves us regardless.

How To Overcome Fear

2009-03-16T08:32:00.005Z

I have another guest on Tuesday. Christian life coach Janet Daughtry will be sharing strategies for moving past fear.

TUESDAY 8pm UK 4pm EST

Practical strategies to overcome fear

Examine what you're telling yourself
Identify the lies you believe
Renew your mind
Limit exposure to negativity
Change your perspective
Develop a develop a focused plan to move past fear

And much more

How much does this Christian life coaching teleseminar cost?

It is completely free, you can register here

http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/christian-teleseminars.html

What difference would it make to your life if you could live fear free?

Join us and discover for yourself that it really is possible to live a life free from fear.

Please feel free to tell your friends so that they can benefit too.

See you on the call!

Lynne Lee and Janet Daughtry

PS We will be recording the teleseminar and the audio replay will be added to the archive of the newly launched Christian Life Coaching Cafe.

You can register here

http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/christian-teleseminars.html

Replay of journaling breakthroughs

You will find the audio file for the webinar here

http://breakthrough777.com/

Have you tasted the Christian Life Coaching Cafe yet?

http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/christianlifecoachingcafe.html

Here is the link for your 45 day free trial of The Journal software

http://lynnelee.com/journal it will help you to organise your life

Be blessed

Lynne
http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk

Please click on this share button to easily share this event with your friends.

Dialing God's Phone Number

2009-03-05T11:38:00.002Z

John Belt: "Dialing God's Phone Number: P-R-A-I-S-E!"

"Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy..." Isaiah 60:5

Dialing God

As I was just soaking in the Lord's presence with praise music, I heard a touch-tone telephone dialing as I was listening. I was thinking to myself "How can this be? No phone is in here!" I then realized I was hearing this in the spirit of praise, which was coming from spontaneous praise from what I was listening to. These were like ultra-big touch-tone sounds I was hearing. Wow!

P-R-A-I-S-E is our Lord's phone number!

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." Psalm 100:4

God is releasing a fresh sound of praise in the earth. The angels of God are being released in greater measure to break open the heavens over regions as we praise the Lord. There is too much worship music today that engages the head more than the spirit. You might as well be studying a book.

It is such that people never get beyond the veil of their natural minds that keeps them from having an encounter with God. But if we can enter into the simplicity of praise and worship, we can break through into a place of intimacy and encounter the Lord like we have never experienced before.

Worship in the Spirit

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." John4:23

We must slay our intellect and learn to worship in the Spirit—from the spirit within us and out of the depths of our heart. God has glory to be revealed beyond the veil of your head. The mind is a good thing that God has given us, but it only operates correctly in submission to your spirit-man under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the Master of our hearts. He is the Director. We must submit to Him and lay down our natural understandings. Our theology is only as good as the reality of our intimacy, connectedness, and life with Him.

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." John 15:7

This means we continue to come to Him in a living-life of worship and prayer, and then we allow His words to abide in us. If we only study His words without soaking them in our spirit and without knowing the power of an intimate prayer life, then His words are without life in our hearts. His word in us without the Spirit is like being constipated. This is where mean, cruel, critical and abusive religiosity sets in.

Childlike Simplicity

"But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." Corinthians 11:3

It is important that we engage in childlike worship that is simple and not complex. It is this kind of worship that is foundational to our lives. We never outgrow simple praise. There is a place for songs that have a theological bent. But our devotional worship is experiential and foundational to our lives. We do not have the option of cutting the life-flow of God to us.

When we come to Christ, we come in simplicity of devotion. When we first dedicate our lives to Him we are simple, not theological giants. He never wants us to lose the simplicity of devotion to Him. If we do have lost connection to the Head, we must learn and grow in our understanding through our relationship with Him. But it cannot be without the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.

Much of what has gone around in religious circles is either revelation that has dried up or is rotted leftovers. It has become information-based learning, which is no different from the world's way of learning. One way the spirit of the world is manifest is when the ways of the world become commonplace in a people who used to walk with the Lord and have compromised or people who have never known Him.

"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14

The natural mind craves information where the spirit of man craves living revelation from God. The natural mind will bypass God and try to accomplish things by its own power—its soul power. This is just the worship of self. This points us back to the reason simplicity of praise is so important. Simplicity in worship tells the natural mind that it is not in control and must submit like a child. This is where humility is developed.

Jesus said that without childlike faith, we couldn't even see the Kingdom of God. It is faith that pleases God. Faith does not come from the intellect, but emanates from the spirit-man within us—the new creation. This is the new man that is created in God's image. This is how we are called to live— from the inner man. We can also see in the writings of Paul that he was very aware of this.

His Weighty Presence

"Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in Heaven, and One sat on the throne." Revelation 4:2

This is a beautiful illustration of what happens when we truly enter into the spirit of worship. In our hearts and minds, worship takes us before His throne. The reason John was taken in the spirit is because his heart was already there. He was not pondering the theological and intellectual glories, but was soaking in the wonder of Jesus, His love and grace.

Go beyond your natural mind. Drink deeper. Ask the Lord to help you. Be encouraged into a life of simple worship. New songs are good because you have to depend on God in order to get one. It is a great habit. It will help release the Spirit of wisdom and revelation on your life. Be creative. God is creative. Ask the Lord to give you a new song. Worship God for the testimony of Jesus in the Spirit of prophecy. Then the prophetic is released when you worship God in simplicity from your heart. Keep it simple, don't make it complex and you will find a new freedom in your worship life as well as a deeper intimacy.

"...Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever!" Psalm 22:26

Be filled with the spirit of praise every day! Let the joy of God be your strength. Get connected to His life. He is your power source! Let your heart live forever! Let's make room for His wonderful weighty presence to rest upon our lives every day through the glory of perfect praise.

John Belt
Live In His Presence Ministries
www.liveinhispresence.com

You Can Hear God Clearly Every Day

2009-03-03T11:48:00.003Z

Nothing in your Christian walk is as important as learning to hear Jesus' voice!

I'd like to invite you to join me and Dr Randy Peck for a free webinar

Journaling For Breakthroughs

You really can hear God every day for every aspect of your life and you will find it easy to hear God using your journal.

This is what you will take away from today's webinar

4 Keys To Hear God's Voice
Faith to believe that YOU can hear God
Practical help to use journaling to help your hear
God, and plan and organize your life

I do hope you will join us, journaling is a powerful tool, it can transform your life. Just click on this link aned regiter for the call. If you can't join us live, we will send you a link to the recorded audio

http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/christian-teleseminars.html

When you register for the call you'll find a link to download the first chapter of Randy's newly launched book Uncommon Journaling For Breakthroughs for free.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You are also warmly invited to become a charter member in my newly launched Christian Life Coaching Cafe.

Come and join us and discover how to successfully create a thriving and satisfying Christian life.

The first month is free and there is no obligation to stay beyond the first free month. Try it out for size and see for yourself whether this is the missing piece of the puzzle.

http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/christianlifecoachingcafe.html

Please pass this invite along to your friends. They are welcome to join us too.

Be blessed

Lynne Lee
http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/

A Dangerous Prayer

2009-02-02T09:38:00.003Z

How Radical Do You Want To Be?

Are you ready to pray a dangerous prayer?

If you have the courage to pray this prayer out loud day after day, you will change and become more like Jesus.

A Dangerous Prayer

by the late Jill Austin of http://www.masterpotter.com/

God, tenderize my heart again so that I desire to return to You as my first love. Wherever my heart has drifted or gotten lukewarm, return me back to You. God, I give You permission to do whatever it takes to make me wholly Yours. Set my heart on fire for You. Send a holy ambush of your Spirit into my life to usher me out of the ruts that have hindered me from being a dreamer, a lover and a warrior.

Please forgive me for [here be as specific as you can be and take as long as you need]. Thank You for Your total forgiveness of my sins. That is such a precious gift to me.

How I ache to know You more! Draw me close and speak tenderly to my heart. I want to develop a secret history with You, Lord. Captivate my heart with the gazes of Your eyes. I want to see You face-to-face and not through the lattice, as your Word says. Put Your seal on my heart so I am fully Yours.

Now, Lord, I ask You to release the fiery whirlwind of Your presence with a fresh impartation of Your heart into my heart. I ask You to revolutionize my life from the inside out. Let an earthquake in my heart break up the fallow ground. Let the lightning of God strike me so that I become God-conscious instead of self-conscious.

Jesus, I am ready to give up control of my life and put You in charge again. Forgive me for thinking that I know what is best for my life. It is hard for me to let go; the warfare has been so intense and the storms of life so great. But I can see that my way is not working. I am heartsick about my life. I want to run to You and not from You. Give me grace and humility to accept Your timing in my life.

Burn in me a holy desperation and craving for You. I need a profound touch from You, a fresh baptism of fire from the Holy Spirit. I want a force field of Your glory surrounding me so I am dangerous for God. Will You radiate Your love and power through my life so I can do exploits as You promised?

I want to be a carrier of Your glory and go outside the walls of the church, touching people in every arena of life. Lord, I want to know the times and seasons we live in.

Let me see people through Your eyes and not my own; help me feel Your heart for those around me. Break my heart for the lost. Cause revival to burn so deeply in my spirit that others cannot help but be changed by coming in contact with me.

I do not want business as usual, Jesus! I want a radical visitation from You. I must have a visitation. I want an open heaven over my life. Will You help me to legislate Your mandates from heaven, to bring them to earth so I see things from Your perspective and not my own? I am asking You for divine strategies so Your Kingdom will come.

Open my eyes so that I can see what is happening in the realm of the Spirit. How I need keen discernment for the days I live in. I want to get Your plans, Your blueprints so I do not build on the "land mines" the enemy has planned for me.

I want my heart to bless Your heart and give You the love that You deserve. Awaken my heart to worship You. I want to be one who desires You only.

Lord, I want to give You my life no matter what the cost. Even as You died for me, help me to be willing to die for You. You are worth everything I have. All I am-my past, present and future-is at the foot of the cross. Take all of me.

Help me to be a big dreamer with You, dreamer God.

Help me to be an extravagant lover of You, my Bridegroom.

Help me to be a fierce warrior for You, my King. Amen.

If you'd like to learn more from Jill visit http://www.masterpotter.com/, there are lots of inspiring resources.

And if you'd like to have an adventure with God I recommend you discover how to have two way conversations with God, so that you can hear what He has to say for every area of your life.

You'll find helpful resources here

http://www.howtoheargodwithjournaling.com/

You'll find an immediately downloadable guide to hearing God here, just click on the link

How To Hear God

Be blessed on your journey as you discover how to have a closer walk with God.

Lynne

Experience God Through Journaling

2009-01-20T14:00:00.004Z

There is nothing as important in your life as learning to hear God's voice

I know you want to grow in God, that's one of the reason's why you read my blog. God has led me to an amazing resource to help you do just that.

Last week, I was offered an opportunity to join a webinar titled, How To Journal To Hear God's Voice I jumped at the chance and subsequently linked with Dr Randy Peck of Jireh, who is offering a free webinar series Experiencing God Though Journaling.

The first webinar is TODAY. You can listen in live, for free online without becoming a member but my hope is that you will take advantage of Randy's amazing offer of a $1 trial membership.

Believe me when I say, it's worth the investment. There is no obligation to continue your membership, though I believe that many of you will want to when you see what's on offer and experience the power of journaling for yourself.

When you become a Jireh member you will have access to the recorded audio and many other valuable resources. You will find powerful keys to growing in wisdom, understanding and revelation for every area of your life.

I do hope you will join us and discover the keys to hearing God's voice for yourself.

Here is the link www.howtoheargodwithjournaling.com

I am so looking forward to the wonderful opportunities that are opening up, and very excited at the prospect of you growing spirtually as you discover how to hear God for yourself.

Here is the link to your trial membership again, www.howtoheargodwithjournaling.com do go and see what's on offer, there are some very powerful resources.

Praying Home The Prodigals - Prayer Storm

2008-11-26T12:04:00.003Z

I hope this excerpt from Jim Goll's newsletter stirs your heart and gives you renewed hope and inspiration. Be blessed.

Praying Home the Prodigals Revival in the Church - by James W. Goll www.encountersnetwork.com

This week I thought I would share a visionary encounter that I had years ago and allow it to become our weekly prayer focus. This week's prayer will take the form of prophetic intercession. Do you have some friends or relatives who aren't walking with the Lord as they once did, or to the greatest measure they could? Then this week might just be the key for them. Join with us as we Pray Home the Prodigals.

I encourage you to view our weekly Prayer Storm web cast below called Praying Home the Prodigals, and pass it on to others. Also, remember to download our free audio messages which are posted new every two weeks on our web site.

These media tools are designed to equip and renew you in your prayer journey. We also have free downloads of the first lesson of each Study Guide available on our web site! Go visit today and access these great teachings aids today!

In the United States, this week we celebrate Thanksgiving. So let’s offer up our prayers with a grateful heart full of giving thanks for all He has done for us!

Praying Home the Prodigals...

Several years ago when our children were small, Michal Ann and I were standing on our back deck watching our kids play on their playground equipment, which included a swing set and an attached slide. We were enjoying watching our miracle children just enjoy life while swinging.

In an instant, I was catapulted in to an open vision where a spiritual vision was superimposed upon my natural sight. The swing set and the kids playing were still there, but suddenly, I saw a grown adult man gliding down our kids' slide on his back headfirst. Next thing I knew, this man had landed in a round swimming pool at the foot of the slide and a big splash was made. (Note: neither the swimming pool nor the man existed in the natural. This was a supernatural open-eyed spiritual vision layered over what I saw in the natural.)

I pondered and wondered what had just happened. I actually remember saying to the Lord, “What was that?” Instantly an answer from the Holy Spirit came. “I will restore the backslidden man into the pool of my purpose.” Wow! What a great vision and great interpretation. I wish all the interpretations came so quickly!

This vision has been a guiding light for me for years whenever people share how they are Praying Home the Prodigals in their lives. Perhaps this vision will help impart faith, hope and love to each of you in our global PrayerStorm efforts this week in praying home prodigals in your life.

Let’s pray for revival in the church. Let’s intercede for the greatest youth awakening the world has ever seen. But let’s put faces and names to our prayer burdens in a very personal way. Let’s bring names before the throne of grace as we call the prodigals back home into the pool of His great purposes. Pray with a sincere heart and with faith that they should again return to their first love!

Remember, one of the greatest cries that comes before the Lord’s throne is the cry for mercy. Stand in the gap and lift a cry for “Mercy” upon your family members, upon your friends and acquaintances. Intercede in an ambassadorial manner with a clean heart. Do not pray in a judgmental or condemning manner but pray with the heart of Christ.

So let’s call forth the prodigals in Jesus name into their destiny and appointment in God. Pray for them to be healed, cleansed and restored. Remember, we need them to be restored as fully functioning members of the body of Christ.

And remember, together, in Jesus, we make a great team!

James W. Goll & the Prayer Storm Team

Click Here to ENLIST in Prayer Storm NOW

Prayer Storm - How do you pray in the Spirit?

2008-11-05T11:03:00.005Z

I thought you would like to see James Goll's newsletter and be inspired to pray in the Spirit.

This is the first part of a “teaching” based on James Goll's book Prayer Storm.

It will help you to engage in Spirit Led, Spirit Empowered Prayer.

I hope it will encourage you to enter into thanksgiving and then practice “praying in the spirit.” It is such a blessing to pray with the Holy Spirit’s help.

So join us, learn to focus on praying in the spirit and see what He places in your heart to pray, then pray it!

What is Spirit Empowered Prayer?

A. Letting the Holy Spirit Lead

1. Romans 8:14 states,

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.”

2. Just like in a great waltz or dance, you want another to take the lead and gently nudge you in the direction you are to go. Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and He will guide you into a prayer power that is strong and effective.

B. Letting the Holy Spirit Empower

In Spirit empowered prayer, as it was on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2); the Holy Spirit will light upon you and give you power that you previously did not know. When you add the Holy Spirit’s power to the force of prayer, it is like getting a booster to your missile or rocket. A burst of energy that is not your own will come upon you or even through you and your prayers will hit the target!

There are various forms of Spirit Led and Spirit Empowered Prayer. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

PRAYING IN THE GIFT OF TONGUES

A. Praying in the Spirit through the Gift of Tongues

While there can be many expressions of Spirit empowered praying, praying with the gift of tongues is one of the foremost ways. The following are some key points concerning this type of prophetic intercession.

1. Praying in the Spirit is your spirit communicating directly with God. It is primarily for use in your devotional prayer life for intercession, praise, and worship.

a. 1 Cor. 14:2 - For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

b. 1 Cor. 14:28b - ...let him speak to himself and to God.

2. Praying in the Spirit is a Perfect Prayer.

a. Rom. 8:26-28 - And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

b. 1 Cor. 14:14 - For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

c. Since you do not always know how or what to pray in a given situation, you can bring the need before the Lord by praying in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, your helper, enables you to pray as you ought thereby praying in the Lord’s will.

d. Praying in the Spirit is a means by which the Holy Spirit intercedes through your spirit. This is where we get the term “prayer language.”

3. Praying in the Spirit has Definite Meaning

a. Although you do not understand what you are praying, God does. He who inspired it also comprehends it.

b. 1 Cor. 14:10 - There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning.

4. Praying in the Spirit Edifies the Person Praying

a. As you use this prayer language consistently, you become built up, strengthened, and encouraged. You then have the refreshing ability to continue on in your intercessory warfare task.

b. 1 Cor. 14:4a - One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself...

c. Jude 20 - But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit.

5. Praying in the Spirit has the Authority of Heaven Behind It!

a. There is no way you could know in the natural when satan and his demonic forces will launch an attack. But the Holy Spirit will prompt you at the strategic, opportune time and keep you on the alert.

b. Jas. 5:16b - The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

c. 1 Cor. 14:15 - What is the outcome, then? I shall pray with the spirit and I shall pray with the mind also; I shall sing with the spirit and I shall sing with the mind also.

d. Like Paul, you can pray in the Spirit and praise and worship Jesus. As you do this, you regain territory from the demonic kingdom in the lives of those for whom you are praying.

e. This perfect prayer and praise weapon is powerful and always on target. Praise and prayer in tongues is God’s secret anti-ballistic missile!

B. Diversities of Tongues

1. 1 Cor. 12:1, 4-7, 27-28 – blockquote>Concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant... Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God, which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal... Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.(KJV)

2. There are Different Types of Tongues.

There is more than one kind of tongue. In 1 Cor. 12:28 (above), the word translated “diversities” is the Greek word genos, which means “kin” or “offspring”. It is a term that is used to refer to a collection of different things belonging to the same group or family. In other words, diversities of tongues are heavenly utterances that are all different from each other, yet all are related to one another by the same Spirit.

3. Examples of Diversities of Tongues

a. Tongues at the filling of the Holy Spirit - Acts 2:1-4; 10:44-46; Mark 16:17.

b. Tongues for interpretation - 1 Cor. 12:7-10; Isa. 28:11.

c. Tongues of edification - Jude 20; 1 Cor. 14:4.

d. Tongues as a sign to the unbeliever - 1 Cor. 14:22.

e. Tongues of intercession - Rom. 8:26. - The word groanings in this verse can be translated “inarticulate speech”. It refers to speech that does not originate in the intellect or with the understanding. It is speech that is not related to race of nationality. Inarticulate speech includes, but is not limited to “other tongues.”

f. Tongues of Warfare

There is a place where the Holy Spirit goes on the offensive. He battles through us. Sometimes there is a coupling together of the gift of faith with tongues. A rising within occurs and a push or urge to launch out against the demonic forces happens. Sometimes it is the wedding between discerning of spirits and tongues. You combat or attack the dark force, commanding it to flee. In these situations, you are operating in a “militant tongue” or “warring with the gift of tongues.”

When you pray in this type of tongue, you are attacking the powers of darkness. You are taking authority over the power of satan. You are rebuking the enemy and rejecting his plans for your life, by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within you. This is the tongue of intercession engaged in warfare. Deliverance, healing, and liberty can come through the power of warring in the gift of tongues.

BEING TENACIOUS !

A. Never Give Up!

Never Give Up! Passionately pursue God and tenaciously pursue your enemy until you prevail! Love never quits and as intercessors to are called to prevailing prayer motivated by the love of God – not just sporadic praying! Be constant in your prayers. Never Give Up!

B. The Watchmen’s Anointing

In Spirit empowered prayer, an anointing of a watchman can be granted to you. You are watching to see in the Spirit what the enemy is doing and what the Holy Spirit desires to do. You take the keys of the Kingdom and bind up darkness and welcome the opposite Spirit of the Lord’s presence. Watch! Be alert! Be vigilant! Be on your guard!

C. The Words of Jesus’ Word from Matthew 11:12

The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force. (NKJ)

Such will be the Holy Spirit empowered intercessors in a last generation! Will you be among them? Will you volunteer freely?

Father, I want to make a difference! I want to take the Kingdom by force. Teach me Spirit empowered and Spirit led prayer. Anoint me with a prayer power that goes beyond my natural mind. Take me further than I have ever been before for Your Kingdom’s sake. In Jesus name, Amen and Amen!

Watch James W. Goll as he shares on "Spirit Empowered Prayer"

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May His Kingdom come and His will be done in our nations as it is in heaven!

James W. Goll

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The Beginner's Guide to Hearing God by James W. Goll - $12

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Prayer Storm

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Listen to James W. Goll vision for this worldwide prayer movement.

Be Led By The Holy Spirit

2008-10-29T10:08:00.004Z

Be Led by His Spirit - God Will Direct Your Ways

"You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth..." Nehemiah 9:20

Who leads, instructs, and daily teaches you? The Lord gave His Good Spirit to instruct the children of Israel. God's good Spirit, by Moses, instructed them fully, and as they followed the Lord's guidance, they could always be certain of provision and assured of His very best.

The Lord gives us His very best in the Person of the Holy Spirit to instruct us. The word "instruct" in Hebrew means to have success, to have wisdom, to make wise, to guide wittily, or to give understanding. Jesus expounds on the sentiments of this verse in John 16:13 when He shared:

"However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."

And the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:9-12:

"But as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.' But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."

Tune into the Spirit of Truth!

Wow! How the Lord blesses us with such a wonderful gift in the precious Presence and Person of the Holy Spirit who will instruct us in such ways that we will live our lives wittily for the Lord! The Spirit of truth will lead us and teach us about truth. Truth is not a philosophy nor traditions but a wonderful Person named "Jesus"! He identified Himself as the Truth, the Way and the Life in John 14:6.

The Holy Spirit searches out the deep counsel of God for our lives, reveals and teaches it to us. We are not in tune with the spirit of the world, but with the Holy Spirit who knows the things of God! He wants to teach, declare, and reveal to us all that the Lord has freely given to us!

Is that a great and mighty blessing or what? We have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of truth who searches the deep things of God. The deep unto deep things of God! But that's not all, He reveals those deep things to us, instructs and teaches us by them, and guides us by His Eye.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My Eye" (Psalm 32:8)

The context of the word "instruct" in this verse means to be prudent, be circumspect, wisely understand, prosper, to have insight, to teach to act prudently, act wisely, to have success.

"Teach," here means to throw or shoot, to point at or like an archer shooting an arrow. To "guide" here means to advise, consult, to give counsel.

Do You See Your Circumstance Through God's Eye?

The fullness of the careful choice of these words in this verse gives us the sense that with His instruction, teaching, and guidance, we will be able to "see" through God's Eye the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning. Joshua saw it so that he could say at the end of his life:

"Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; and not one word of them has failed" (Joshua 23:14).

Inevitability and Certainty

Inevitability and certainty stands for generations when God counsels, instructs, teaches, and guides us, "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure'" (Isaiah 46:10).

When you let God's Good Spirit, the Spirit of Truth's counsel guide and reveal to you how to have insight, how to act and live wisely, how to be successful, and how to prosper, you'll be as a well-tuned arrow that hits the mark often, and this will happen in succeeding ages, even to the end of the world.

May the Lord release a fresh grace and anointing upon you to direct your ways!

Lord, I pray in the mighty name of Jesus that every person who reads this would be in tune with Your precious Holy Spirit. We thank You for deep, deep communion with the Holy Spirit, such that we can live, move, and have our being in tune with the wise broadcasts of Heaven for our lives. Help us to adjust our ears to hear so that there is no interference. Help us to adjust our receiving mode so that we are in a receptive mode for the downloads of the Holy Spirit for our lives. Lord, thank You for the grace to live each day in tune with You.

Copyright Keith Miller Stand Firm World Ministries http://www.sfwm.org/
As posted on the Elijah List
Used with permission

If you would like to discover how to hear God more clearly I have a guide How To Hear God available for immediate download.

Just click on this link to get your step by step guide to hearing God more clearly

Rediscovering Spiritual Deposts

2008-10-20T10:48:00.002+01:00

My prayer is that this word delivered through John Belt will help to awaken that which God has deposited within you.

"Spiritual Deposits Will Be Rediscovered!"

"Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn." Psalm 57:8

We are in a season of the culmination of anointings that have been deposited through the years. It is time to stir the well within and see God's glory released in power through us.

"...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places..." Ephesians 1:17-21

Spiritual Deposits Rediscovered

Many of us have experienced various anointings and deep experiences with the Lord in our personal history with Him. These are places where the Lord has met with us in significant ways and made spiritual deposits in our lives. But over time, sometimes either these experiences have worn off, or died out and/or are no longer fresh, alive and real in our lives.

I would like to encourage you to come into a place of spiritual tenaciousness that you may engage in consistent hunger in your pursuits to see these giftings, anointings and mantles resurface and open up in your heart. God desires to awaken these treasures inside of us in this new season of restoration and fulfillment.

"Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands." 2 Timothy 1:6

Impartations of the Spirit come through both vessels of God and through God Himself by spending time with Him - all of which are gifts that never leave us, but many times lay dormant within us. Therefore, there is a need for us to stir these gifts and anointings in the wells of our hearts so they may be released once again.

Divine Quickening!

Can these bones live?

"And He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' So I answered, 'O Lord GOD, You know.'" Ezekiel 37:3

Over the process of time, it can become hard for us to believe that these things could be rekindled in us. But the Lord says, "Nothing is too difficult for Me" (see Mark 10:27).

In our journey of life, revelations, experiences and anointings that have come in rich seasons with God can be diminished and even completely forgotten to a great degree - if not completely. Just like the children of Israel had forgotten the works which God performed, we too can easily forget if we don't renew our minds and enter into an experience with God on a regular basis.

Through religious shutdown, difficult relationships, bad relationships or aligning with the wrong thinking, these life-giving experiences and gifts from God can become, as it were, "covered" with what would be like an "iron lid" over the spirit. But these heavenly deposits are still within us. God is ready to quicken these gifts and anointings and make them alive again to take us to a new place in Him.

God is ready to blast off these lids by the power of His Spirit (see Romans 8:11). He is ready to break them apart so that all of the glory, anointing, giftings and mantles will converge within our hearts in this season. This will enable us to fully enter into our destinies as the sons and daughters of God!

His House of Glory

He is also calling forth these hidden, dormant giftings and anointings now for the purpose of seeing His House of Glory built in this day and hour (see 1 Chronicles 22:7).

Just as David was given the blueprints for the House of God in His day, there are anointings that have been deposited and released within men and women that are ready to be revealed again in this hour. In the same way Josiah rediscovered the words of the Lord, so we will again see and experience the glory of the intimate things that God has deposited in us over the years to culminate together in this hour (see 2 Chronicles 34:29-31).

White Seats in High Places!

I recently had a vision of being in a very nice church where everything was perfect, clean, ornate and you could also tell had quite a bit of money invested into it to make it as nice as it was. Then a man came in that I respected in the Holy Spirit. He cringed in the atmosphere of this place saying, "Yuck! Religious!" Obviously he did not like the way things felt there.

Then I was taken up into a place very high in the sky where there were white seats suspended high in the heavens like bleachers in the highest place of a stadium. There was not as much to lean on. It was a very vulnerable place. I was walking around these empty seats as I felt God offering invitations for the Body of Christ to come take their places in these seats.

Holding On to Him in High Places

Heavenly places in the glory of God are for the people of God. He wants us to be seated here because this is where we have been destined and designed to live. This is a spiritual reality that is available to us - a place of true spiritual authority and dominion. In this place we find freedom from religious constraints and living by a list so we can live by the power of His Spirit. Our intimacy with Him must lead us to a place of dominion over the religious lethargy, the comforts of this life and the seductions of this world.

It is in the place of ascension where we can exercise the authority of Christ in our lives and in the earth. It is also in these high places where we are the most dependent upon God and His power, provision and promise. Victory is guaranteed when we live in this realm.

"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face." Psalm 24:3-6

These high places are also the realm of purity. Not one of us can ascend to the Hill of God except we have clean hands and a pure heart. That means that we walk in a place where our heart is in continual pursuit of the heart of God. This is why the seats were "white." White is symbolic for "purity." The air gets cleaner the higher and higher we go. God does not allow contaminants in the atmosphere. Thanks to the blood of Christ we can ascend and live there!

God is calling for pure trust and obedience to Him. This is the place where we learn to lean upon Him and not our own natural understanding. It is here that we are holding on to Him! Come and take your place in these seats suspended in His glorious heavens!

Worship in the Glory!
John Belt
Live In His Presence Ministries
Email: admin@liveinhispresence.com

As posted on the Elijah List

How to Hear God - Discover How To Hear God For Yourself

2008-09-22T20:18:00.003+01:00

Do you long to be able to hear God more clearly? Come and join us and discover how to hear God, it's easier than you think

I'd like to invite you to listen to the replay of my first ever Christian life coaching teleseminar. You don't need to travel anywhere, you can join us from the comfort of your home!

Here are some of the questions we answer

What do you mean by Hearing God's voice?
What are some of the ways that God speaks to us?
What does God sound Like?
How can I hear God more clearly?
How can I make sure that hearing God is part of my daily life?
Do only super spiritual people hear God?
Does God speak to non-Christians?
How can I know that what I hear is really God and not just my own thoughts?
How do I know that I'm not just making it all up?

And of course, much more.

www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/christian-teleseminars.html

I have a guest speaker, Marilyn Parmelee, author of Hearing God's Voice For Yourself.

We will be recording the teleseminar so that you can benefit whatever your plans.

If the day and time don't fit your schedule, you can still join in! I can hardly wait to meet you and share keys to hearing God more clearly.

The recording of How To Hear God is available for immediate download

You'll find all the details here

www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/christian-teleseminars.html

Why don't you also check out How To Hear God - A Step By Step Guide You'll find it here

www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk/how-to-hear-god.html

God's Transforming Power

2008-09-15T09:50:00.005+01:00

We have much to learn from nature. It is one of the many ways that God speaks to us. Ask the Holy Sprit to speak to you as you share in what the Lord has been speaking to Kathi Pelton.

The Transformation of the Passionate Believer

Kathi Pelton

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5-6

There has been much talk about a transformation or metamorphosis occurring in the Body of Christ throughout the world. As I pondered what this transformation looks like, the verse in John 15:5-6 kept coming to my mind.

I know that God is drawing us into a deeper and truer intimacy and passion for Him. Abiding in this passionate relationship is bringing a restoration to true Christianity and Bridal intimacy. During this journey of transition, a friend of our family told me the true story of the life of the "the passion vine butterfly."

Looking at the Life of the Passion Vine Butterfly

Here are the facts regarding this amazingly prophetic little insect:

Entomologists study insects. Etymologists say that the word "butterfly" was originally "flutter by," but over the centuries it metamorphosed into its current form. The butterfly was once called a "flutter by," because as any amateur entomologist will tell you, this is what butterflies do.

However, not all butterflies exhibit this in-flight behavior. The "Passion Vine Butterfly" (Heliconius), flies in a slow, serene, straight line. This butterfly is so named because of its special relationship with the plant called the "Passion Vine" (passiflora).

The Passion Vine produces a cyanide releasing chemical that makes it inedible to most insects. But the caterpillars of the Passion Vine Butterfly are able to process the chemical without harm and voraciously eat the leaves of the passion vine. Not only do the caterpillars suffer no ill effects, but they store the poison in their bodies, thus becoming inedible to birds of prey and other predators.

This protection is retained when they metamorphose into butterflies. Since the Passion Vine Butterfly is unpalatable to birds, it does not need to fly in a "rapid and erratic fashion to avoid being eaten." Instead, it slowly flies in a straight, purposeful path from flower to flower.

There are mimics of the Passion Vine Butterfly that, due to coloration and general body shape, look very much like the Passion Vine Butterfly. These look-alike butterflies do not have the protective toxin in their bodies and therefore can be eaten by the birds - though most birds leave them alone as they are "fooled" by the mimicry.

However, there is one tropical American bird, the jacamar (galbulidae), that is able to distinguish between the inedible passion vine butterfly and the tasty mimics. The jacamar sits up in a tree and observes how the butterflies fly. If the flight pattern is slow and straight, the jacamar knows that even though it would be easy to catch, it would have a bitter taste and be inedible.

If the butterfly has the rapid, erratic, typical "flutter by" flight pattern exhibited by most butterflies, it knows that it is not a Passion Vine Butterfly despite the colorization, and it swoops down for a meal.

I believe that God is calling us to eat and drink of our "Passion Vine," Jesus Christ

We are to commune with Him and be partakers of His Blood and His body so that we might live. We are to feed upon the Bread of Life. We are to abide in Him, our Passion Vine, and as we abide in Him we will be like those caterpillars that can digest this "cyanide" and metamorphose into a butterfly that is not susceptible to the predator (the enemy) that would want to take our lives. We will also be distinguished by our "flight pattern"...rather than moving in a rapid (frantic) or erratic pattern, we will move in a serene, slow and straight pattern (the rest of the Lord).

The Passion of Christ

I found this story of a Jesuit priest in Peru during the 1600's who saw the Passion Vine and the Passion Vine Butterfly as a symbolic picture of the Passion of Christ. Here is what he wrote:

"The crown of thorns, the nails, the color of Jesus' robe, the whips for scourging, were all seen in the complex structure of the flower now known as the Passion Vine Flower."

This plant contains cyanogenic glycosides which release the poison cyanide. When the caterpillar of the Passion Vine Butterfly eats the leaves of this poisonous plant, it then has the ability to form a cocoon and become a butterfly. So too, when we accept the work of Christ's Passion; when we 'eat His body and drink His Blood,' we have the ability to be transformed into a new creation.

"And just as the Passion Vine Butterfly takes a straight flight path as it need not fear predators, so too, we have 'Christ in us, the Hope of Glory' and are now able to walk the 'straight and narrow.'

Indeed, if we try to walk in our own strength, we will only be 'faking it' and the mimicry will not fool the prowling lion who seeks one whom he may devour - just like the jacamar looks for the butterfly that can't fly straight.

"Entomologists say that the mimics of the Passion Vine Butterfly use about 20% more energy in flight than the ones they mimic. Are we weary? Let us return to the One who says that His yoke is easy and whose burden is light...light as a butterfly."

What a wonderful picture of our metamorphosis. Through the Blood and Body of our crucified Christ, we are a new creation that now can fly straight and slow...and serene, not fearing our predators that seek to devour us. We have taken the communion of the "passion vine," Jesus Christ, and now we can enter into His true rest.

To Know Christ Alone

"For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2 (Amplified Bible)

Recently, I was enjoying a conversation with a man that I highly respect. For years now I have watched in awe the journey of this man's life and witnessed his involvement in decisions that not only affect individuals but also nations; he is a man who moves straight and steady...always watching and waiting to see what the Father is doing. He has always had a deep intimacy with the Lord that causes him to "hit the mark" and to make wise decisions.

During our conversation, he began to tell me about the "plumb line" that he lives his life by. He said that each day (and in every circumstance and decision) he looks for the plumb line that Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 2:2, "To know Christ alone, and Him crucified."

He proceeded to explain to me how he is always searching for where Christ is and what He is doing and then he aligns himself as closely as he can get to that. Christ alone (through the power of the Holy Spirit) is his compass, his delight, and the wisdom that he lives by.

As he spoke, I entered into a deeper understanding that I cannot put my confidence in any knowledge that I may have gained, nor anything that I have been acquainted with; but instead, I need to daily find where Jesus is in each moment and every decision and then get as close as I can to Him. To only do what I see my Father doing...because that is where Jesus will be.

But the verse goes on to say, "...and Him crucified." Through the Cross of Christ, we have been reconciled to God and filled with the Holy Spirit who will lead us, not with the wisdom of man, but instead with the wisdom that comes only from God alone.

By the power given to us through our crucified Christ, our weakness and dependency on His Spirit becomes the threshold for many to be carried into salvation, truth and relationship with the invisible God. The Cross is the threshold that we crossed to obtain eternal life, and it is the power that comes from the Cross that enables us to walk in confidence...slow and steady and fruitful.

Dependency on the Vine

We know that Christ is the true Vine, and just as the Passion Vine Butterfly depends upon the chemical that comes from the passion vine to keep it from harm, so we need to continually depend upon and feed upon the fruit of our true Vine to keep us from harm.

Apart from the chemical imparted to the caterpillar (that will become the Passion Vine Butterfly), it is not protected from predators, but as it feeds upon this vine it is infused with a protection that allows it, after becoming a butterfly, to fly slow and straight. No longer does it need to flutter up and down, here and there, trying to escape the predator that seeks to take its life.

As we abide in Christ and seek to know Him, we are infused with His precious Spirit that allows us to fly slow and straight, because we know that even our greatest enemy will recognize His Spirit who is within us.

I have to admit that much of my Christian walk has been spent "fluttering" rather than flying straight. I have walked in too much fear of the "predator" who seeks to devour our lives; forgetting that I have been infused with the Holy Spirit who is also like cyanide to the enemy. Our authority to fly slow and straight comes from the power of the Cross...from our Savior and Friend, the crucified Christ. As we remain in Him and go only where He is going and do only what He is doing, we will be kept from the "fearful fluttering" that attracts our predator's attention.

Ask the Lord to give you the confidence that the Passion Vine Butterfly moves in. We no longer want to live our lives "fluttering" in fear, but instead we want to live and move slow and steady, knowing that His Spirit is our shield and rampart. We want to abide in and near the Vine to keep our lives filled with His Spirit. If we are truly spiritual "Passion Vine Butterflies," then why do we fly as if we are imposters? Only the mimics have to flutter because they are not filled with the true chemical that makes them inedible to their predators.

A New Level of Surrender

"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'" Isaiah 55:8-9

Since the very beginning of 2008, I have personally felt as though I was in a refiner's fire where all the "precious" in my life is being purified and all the worthless is being burned away. The interesting thing is that much of what I thought was precious has been burned away as worthless. Many things: thoughts, beliefs and even personal convictions, God has burned away because they had become "laws written in stone" by me rather than by the wisdom of His Spirit.

I have been challenged again and again to walk in every circumstance by the leading of His Spirit of grace rather than by what knowledge I have gained through past life experiences...making laws from past successes.

There is a spirit of surrender coming upon many that is causing them to allow the Holy Spirit to rid them of all of their own ways...even things that seemed good. I believe it is the making of the new wineskin so that the new wine will not be spilled out as God pours it forth. We have seen that God is pouring forth new wine, but it cannot be contained in old wineskins.

In God's mercy, He is exposing all that would cause a bursting and spilling of His new wine. Though some exposures are quite high profile, I believe that all of God's people are going through personal exposures of the areas in their lives that have become brittle and old...or where we have strayed from abiding in the true Vine. Remember as we pray for one another that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. We pray for grace for those that have fallen and for our own fallen places.

"God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 5:20-21

God is removing the stumbling blocks that are in the way of His Kingdom being established. He has called us to prepare the way for a great harvest and for His Kingdom coming to earth. He is preparing the way for the fullness of the Gentiles and the opening of the eyes of the Jews.

God longs to restore those who are bruised with sorrow for their sin. This is a time to pray for true repentance within all of the Body of Christ...for all of our wanderings and for all the areas that we have strayed from the purity of knowing Christ alone, and Him crucified. Let's look at Isaiah 57:14-19 from the Amplified Bible:

"And the word of One shall go forth, 'Cast up, cast up, prepare the way! Take up the stumbling block out of the way [of the spiritual return] of My people.'
"For thus says the high and lofty One - He Who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, but with him also who is of a thoroughly penitent and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the thoroughly penitent [bruised with sorrow for sin].
"'For I will not contend forever, neither will I be angry always, for [if I
did stay angry] the spirit [of man] would faint and be consumed before Me, and
[My purpose in] creating the souls of men would be frustrated.
"'Because of the iniquity of his [Judah's] covetousness and unjust gain I was angry and smote him. I hid My face and was angry, and he went on turning away and backsliding in the way of his [own willful] heart.
"'I have seen his [willful] ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him also and will recompense him and restore comfort to him and to those who mourn for him.
"Peace, peace, to him who is far off [both Jew and Gentile] and to him who is near!' says the Lord; 'I create the fruit of his lips, and I will heal him [make his lips blossom anew with speech in thankful praise].'"

These verses are of great comfort to many of God's people in this hour. This is His promise of healing for not only the one who falls, but also for all those who mourn due to his fallings. We are learning as a people to rejoice with those who rejoice and to mourn with those who mourn. If we are one in the Spirit, then when one falls we all must own it and come to a place of corporate repentance. And when one is restored we can all rejoice in a corporate celebration.

God is calling us to abide in Him (the True Vine) and to drink of Him so that we might be those who fly slow and straight. No more fluttering, no more mimicking, no more fearful or frantic behaviors. It is a time of surrendering to the grace of His discipline and His transformation.

Will we allow Him to create in His Church the new wineskin that will hold the new wine? My white flag of surrender is raised and I want to go and drink from our Passion Vine.

Kathi Pelton Light Streams Ministries Email: jkpelton@sbcglobal.net

as posted on the Elijah List http://www.elijahlist.com/

Hidden For A Pupose - You Are God's Secret Weapon

2008-09-09T16:42:00.005+01:00

You are God's secret Weapon

Victoria Boyson

"My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place." Psalm
139:15

At the Verge of Breakthrough

Have you ever felt forgotten by God? Do you feel invisible? Does God seem to be blessing everyone except you? Do your expectations of God seem to meet with cold indifference from Him?

If your answer is "yes," then rejoice, because you are at the edge of a miracle! You are on the verge of a breakthrough! The door to your destiny is about to swing open!

The most difficult time of any birth is the few moments right before you deliver your baby into the world. You are exhausted beyond what you can even endure...you cannot stand it anymore. You have pushed and pushed and have exhausted all your strength.

You want to scream, "I can't do this...I can't!" BUT you must! It is at this moment that you must push the hardest and exert yourself the most. You are crying, "I can't," and everyone around you is yelling, "PUSH!"

Then, somewhere deep inside you, strength arises! You have a determination now, where a hopeless feeling used to dwell. Now you cry from the depths of your heart, "I can," and "I will!"

You are at the verge of a breakthrough and perhaps you are tired of believing, but only you can break through to your miracle. Only you can give birth to your destiny! Only you can fight through to your dream's fulfillment. Your God will give you His strength when you have none of your own. When you fall short, He will pick you up because,

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" (Isaiah 40:29)

Hidden Miracles and Butterflies

I have felt this way - I have felt forgotten by God. I wondered if the promise would ever be fulfilled - if God would ever open the door. I had been teetering on the edge of a breakthrough for so long that I began to doubt. "Would it ever really happen? Maybe God has changed His mind?"

I was tired of waiting, of praying, of hoping in faith! I felt like a butterfly in a cocoon, hidden and forgotten. During that time I wrote this poem:

Someday, I'll Fly...

I've not been myself lately or for some time for that matter. I'm
not sure who "myself" is anymore.
I feel like a caterpillar inside the cocoon. I'm neither a
butterfly nor a caterpillar anymore.I'm not what I used to be nor am I what I'm
going to be.
I cannot go back to what I was,or what was familiar to me. I can't
rush forward and be what I have not yet become.
It's a miserable place to be. It's much like a baby in the womb;
you have to wait it out and stay where you are.
I hope every day will bring the end; I know God is almost done
working.I rejoice because the end is near, but still the pain increases.
It's become too easy to not be anything, just a cocoon. I want to
give up, but You won't let me.
I'm not the caterpillar I used to be and I'm not the butterfly I
know I am becoming.
Becoming a butterfly is scary, painful and exhausting.
I guess I don't want to remain a nothing, so I'll endure the
torturous path out of this cocoon.
And I know, someday, I'll fly!

Years ago, we lived in a house with dozens of trees around it. In the fall, the trees were covered with cocoons. We would walk by them all the time without taking much notice of them. A miracle was taking place before us and we paid little attention to it.

But in the fall, our trees were covered with hundreds of beautiful butterflies. Our children would run through the trees and the butterflies would all take flight. It was a glorious sight to see hundreds of butterflies fill the air, sunlight reflecting off their wings.

Caterpillars are ugly little things, but butterflies are gorgeous. God loves to make something beautiful out of something ugly. God loves to take the ugly things of our past that satan meant for our destruction, and turn them into a powerful weapon He can use for our construction.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Death Gives Birth to Life

God takes you through "ugly" situations only to turn you into something beautiful. The Cross looked like the end of a dream to the disciples. They expected their Messiah to come, overthrow the Romans, and establish His Kingdom on this earth. The death of Jesus looked like the end of all their dreams.

Christ tried to warn the disciples of His impending death, but when He spoke of dying, Peter declared, "This shall never happen to You!" (Matthew 16:22). Christ knew that this must happen. Like a seed planted in the ground must cease to be a seed in order to become a plant, He knew that His life on earth, as it had been, must end or He could not bring forth the gift of eternal life for those who would believe in Him.

"In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me, because I am going to the Father." John 16:17

His death gave birth to life! "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies'" (John 11:25).

The "cocoon" that you are in right now is the "death" that will give birth to your destiny. The painful situation you are enduring right now could be the launching pad for your future.

If you feel as though you are invisible, rejoice that you are. God has hidden you away to change you in secret, but soon He will pull you out like a secret weapon and show you off to the world.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven." Matthew 5:16

Your Heavenly Father will declare, "Look at what My grace has done!" The world will praise Him because they can see what He has done in you. You are His trophy! His reward!

Some may argue then, that you have no right to be where God has placed you. But the voice of your accusers will not even reach your ears, because you have paid the price; you have endured and you have overcome.

And "You will soar on wings like eagles" (Isaiah 40:31), and yes, you will fly!

This Could Be the Day

When the expected due date for each of my children neared, I would awaken each day with the expectancy that today could be the day that I would deliver this child. Each day I would think, "Today could be the day.

I never thought to myself that it just could not happen today, because I knew my time was coming and that this day could be the day that I would give birth.

As each day ended without seeing the birth of my baby, I would feel somewhat disappointed. But once again, another morning would come and I would arise with hope from Heaven, remembering that this day could be the day. And I was prepared to go at any time; I had my bags packed and gas in the car.

Each day that you serve God and wait on His timing for your destiny's fulfillment is one day closer to its birth. As you near your time of delivery, you feel in your spirit that the time is near.

Perhaps today is the day! You look around and see your Christian brothers and sisters receiving the promises of God in their lives - you are happy for them.

But when is it your turn? When will your destiny come forth in the way God promised it would? Each day we must prepare our hearts to believe that, "this could be the day He fulfills His promises to me," and then suddenly He does.

The longer you serve God, the deeper you will trust Him to bring the promise to pass for you. As you near the time of receiving the fulfillment of His call on your life, you can know that every day will bring you one day closer. Today could be the day you receive a great blessing from God.

Today could hold the answer you have been waiting for.

Wait in faith through each day as a woman waiting to give birth. God does not bring you to the time of birth just to stop the whole process. He did not bring you this far to leave you now. He will not forget you! It will happen! And remember that "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it" (Philippians 1:6).

"God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act?" Numbers 23:19

If He's promised it, He will do it!

Say this with me: God will do what He has promised. He has not forgotten me, for I am constantly in His thoughts. God is waiting to fulfill His Word through me. It will happen! This could be the day! God cannot lie; He will not change His mind. I choose to believe what God has told me and not the lies of fear and doubt.

He has you hidden for a purpose - you are His secret weapon!

Victoria Boyson Speaking Life Ministries Email: victoria@boyson.org
As posted on the Elijah List http://www.elijahlist.com/

Will you resist change or embrace it?

2008-08-18T15:25:00.003+01:00

If you want to grow in the things of God you need to be ready for change. To be able to walk in the new thing that God is wanting to do in your life you will probably need to let go of something.

Embracing change ususally involves letting go.

John Paul Jackson said

"If you allow God to move in your life and do what He wants to do, you’ll enjoy the change. And if you don’t … then you won’t, for obvious reasons. In this e-letter, I would like to talk to you about something that goes hand in hand with transition. It is the hardest part of change, actually, and is what makes change so often difficult.

Jesus said that whoever loses his life will find it (Matthew 10:39). Growing spiritually is possible only if you’re willing to let go of the old in order to gain the new. In other words, you gain by losing; you give up your life in order to find it.

But there’s a secret in that. What you need to give up is the thing that’s holding you back. You might think it is good, but it is actually keeping you from your destiny."

To read more of this newsletter go to

http://www.streamsministries.com/index.php?cat_id=27&page_id=119

Going Through The Mill? God is Preparing A Bride Without Spot or Wrinkle

2008-08-07T12:12:00.002+01:00

A Bride Without Spot or Wrinkle

By Kathi Pelton

"...so that He might make it holy by cleansing it, washing it with water and the word, and might present the Church to Himself in all its glory, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind, but holy and without fault." Ephesians 5:26-27

Ironing the Wrinkles

Have any of you felt as though you've been placed on God's personal ironing board and the heat of the iron has been moving across your life to get the wrinkles out? If so, you are not alone! I have personally never been as aware of the spots and wrinkles in my life as I have been in the past six months.

Although this can be disconcerting at times, the good news is that the "pressing of our lives" is a sovereign act of God, not a work of our flesh or personal strength. It is also the confirmation that we indeed are part of His beloved Bride who is being prepared for Him.

Since the beginning of 2008, it seems as though God has taken a bottle of "Shout" (the stain remover) in one hand and a very hot iron in His other hand and has been applying both to every area of our lives and hearts. But, like the commercial for the stain remover says, we indeed want the Lord to remove every stain in our lives and "Shout it out."

Though it is a joint effort between God and His Bride, it still is a sovereign work of grace. It is all about His shout and our surrender, His authority and our submission, and His grace and our dependency. It is not a shout of bitter anger, but a holy anger against all that has kept His Bride from being fully His. He is shouting over our lives, "She is mine and she will have no other gods beside Me!"

A Time of Preparation

Our God is preparing His Church to be presented to Him in "glorious splendor" (see Ephesians 5:27). Though we have longed to be holy and clean, often we have tried in our own strength to prepare ourselves. God has been stripping all the masks of holiness and disguises of religion off of His Bride. He is dealing with that which is both internal and eternal - her heart! It is as though all of our old "wineskins" have burst in and we are being prepared for the new wineskin, but the time from the old to the new has been a time of nakedness and exposure.

There are choices we have in this time of nakedness - run, hide, and find a "covering" such as Adam and Eve did in the garden. Or, we can stand naked before God in absolute dependency on His mercy and grace and allow Him to cleanse and wash us from all our filthiness. We can choose to sew together an apron of fig leaves or we can come and allow the grace freely given to us through Christ to clothe us and take away our shame.

This process is not to cause us shame but instead free us from the shame that we have hidden under these masks we wear. It is important to understand that with every deep work of the Spirit there is also a great battle that contends against it. During this time of preparation from the old to the new (which involves the exposure of everything that is not covered by grace), the enemy has sought to shroud God's people in a heavy weight of guilt and shame. God, in His great wisdom, has come to wash us with pure water and the truth of His word.

We cry out like David in Psalm 42:1-2, "As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before Him?"

God longs for us to stand face to face before Him, clothed in the righteousness of Christ alone. He does not want us to come with any manmade coverings or hidden shame. He is overjoyed to cover our shame and remove our iniquity as He quiets us with His love. Stop reading for a moment and take a deep drink of His cleansing water.

Gracious Living

A number of months ago, my husband and I went down to the historic center of our city to have breakfast together. We parked our car in front of a shop that had recently gone out of business and I noticed two things that prophetically stood out to me. The first was the address of the business. The numbers on the window were "111."

When I saw the numbers on the storefront window, I instantly had a vision of God with a stopwatch in His hand. As He clicked the watch to reset it, instead of the triple zeros ("000"), I expected to see, I realized the display read "111." God spoke to me that He was giving His people a fresh start, but we weren't starting from "zero" or "nothing." Our starting place is the Triune God, the "three-in-one."

"There is one Body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:4-6

Then I noticed the name on the storefront window: "Gracious Living." Right away I heard the Spirit of the Lord speak to me and say, "If I were in the business of 'selling' grace, I too, would be out of business."

The whole message of grace is that it is "freely" given, therefore God is still in business! As we entered this year we entered a year of the manifestation of His amazing grace. His grace alone is what we are to be fully dependent upon. There is one God and one God alone and He is the only one that saves by grace. He has invited and continues to invite us into "gracious living" - the place where we live by grace alone.

We do not need to look for a covering because our covering has been provided through the righteousness of Christ! He is our covering. We can let go of the guilt and shame of the manmade masks and disguises - of hiding from Him, and we can know that we are fully received, fully loved, fully accepted and fully covered!

He has reset the stopwatch for those who are running this great race. The numbers are at 111 and they will remain there throughout the race because it is He alone (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) who will carry us to the finish line.

Paul, in Philippians 3:9, wrote, "...(I want to) be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith."

Face to Face

Now that we are reminded that we can stand before God, face to face, through the grace given to us and through the righteousness of Christ, we can let go of any belief that we have agreed with concerning guilt and shame.

I know a young man who has recently become engaged to be married; he is American and she is Canadian. Due to the process of immigration, they cannot be married for another year. The separation is agonizing for this young couple who are so deeply in love. They decided that the young man would leave his home in America for a few months to be near her in Canada while she works on her immigration status.

This young man's parents were a bit alarmed at this because during their engagement, the wise thing to do seemed to be to stay in the U.S. and work in order to save money for their upcoming marriage because he cannot work in Canada. When his parents asked him about this, his response was this, "I know that it doesn't make sense, but I must be face to face with her!"

This is a beautiful picture of the Lord's longing for His Bride. He too left His home to be face to face with her and to redeem her to Himself. Still today He is longing for the face to face intimacy of feeling the breath of her love in His senses. I believe that there will be a lot of things that the Lord asks of us in the near future that will not make any sense to the wisdom of men in even greater measure than in the past. It is all about His longing for intimacy and to be face to face with His Bride.

There is a place of leaving the confinement of what we have "known" and even what we have learned, and entering the place of living according to the moving of His longings. Yet to know the longings of the Lord, you must get very near because they are whispered in moments of intimacy.

Holy and Acceptable

"I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but continually be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God's will is - what is proper, pleasing, and perfect." Romans 12:1-2

Finally, I want to encourage you to allow the Lord to do even a greater work of transformation within you through the renewing of your minds. I think that even those who consider themselves intimate lovers of God can fall into a rut in which they begin to walk by what they have learned rather than by the leading of the Spirit.

We can become so accustomed to the Christian life (by walking in all that we have learned) that we begin to initiate on His behalf because our minds have once again taken the lead. Though these thoughts and ways may even be based in Biblical truths and Godly teachings, knowledge apart from the Spirit's leading can cause us to move in a direction that the Lord may not be going.

We want to know the will of God that is proper, pleasing and perfect! We do not want to assume the will of the Lord can be discerned by past experiences or teachings, but instead by walking in the face to face intimacy that goes beyond every mental exercise or natural thinking. Personally, I want to live in the place of His "longings."

I want to be the answer to His longings as He is the answer to mine. I want to hear and move from the place of hearing His whispers. We are being invited into this kind of face to face living that prepares us as that Bride without spot or wrinkle.

"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come!' Let everyone who hears this say, 'Come!' Let everyone who is thirsty come! Let anyone who wants the water of life take it as a gift!" Revelation 22:17

Drink Deeply!

Kathi Pelton Light Streams Ministries Email: jkpelton@sbcglobal.net

as posted on www.elijahlist.com

Do you really trust God for everything? Grow your faith

2008-08-04T08:52:00.006+01:00

The Bible clearly says that you will have trials and that God allows them to test your faith.

There are times when life is hard and it seems that nothing is going right and times when everything goes your way.

God wants you to trust Him in the bad times as well as the good.

Each time my husband has suddenly found himself without work, I have had to remind myself that God is our provider. And even though Tim has sometimes had long periods of unemployment, we have never lacked anything.

When my children have been seriously ill, or when we have been misunderstood and shunned, when it has seemed as though there isn't a way forward, God has always been there and many times He has made a way where there seemed to be no way.

I've learnt not to look at the cirumstances, but instead, to look at God and who He is, and keep my attention focused on His goodness and mercy and loving kindness.

God's promises are true. God is faithful. Our job is to believe Him. Only believe and not doubt, whatever the circumstances may say.

So if you're flagging today, and if your faith needs a boost, try putting these faith filled words on your lips and reminding yourself of the truth of God's word.

"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God"
You can build your faith by reading and speaking God's word. The Bible tells you that you will be transformed by renewing your mind.

You renew your mind with the word of God

If you're feeling deflated or defeated, it could be because you've been listening to the lies of the enemy.

"You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free"
If you want to grow in faith, let God's word tell you who you are and what you have, and don't give any attention to anything that tells you differently. God's word is true.

I strongly encourage you to acknowledge, agree with, recognise, and speak, the word of God.

Choose to see yourself as God sees you and speak out these truths even when you don't yet see the reality in your life. As you put faith filled words on your lips you will find that what you already have in the spiritual realm becomes a pyhysical reality.

When God called Gideon a mighty warrior there was no evidence to suggest that it was true. God saw and spoke what Gideon would eventually become.

Discover what God says about you and agree with God's opinion of you. Believe what God says about who you are in Christ and you will become what you are in Him. By faith, believe the truth and act on what you believe.

You will build your faith as you remind yourself of who you are in Christ

Biblical Confessions To Build Your Faith

Apart from Jesus, I can do nothing; but in Jesus I can do all things. I choose to see myself as He sees me according to His living Word. My life is hid with Christ in God. I will say the same things that God says in His Word. How can two walk together if they don't agree?

I choose to trust God. His Word will be the final authority in my life. I base my entire life upon God and His living Word. Because I meditate upon His Word day and night and carefully do all that is written in it, I will prosper.

I'm not just an ordinary person; I'm a child of the living God. I'm not just a person; I'm an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ. I'm not just a sinner; I'm a new creation in Jesus. I'm part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. I'm one of God's chosen people.

Jesus has declared me not guilty. I refuse to be discouraged. God is the God of all encouragement. There is no condemnation for me because I'm in Christ Jesus.

Satan is the father of lies. I won't listen to his accusations. I am cleansed by Jesus' blood. No weapon formed against me will succeed. I will disprove every tongue that rises against me in judgment.

My mind is being renewed by the word of God. I will pull down strongholds and cast down imaginations. I will bring every thought captive to the will of Christ.

I am accepted by God. If God is for me, who can be against me? Greater is He that is within me than he that is in the world. Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. As the Father loves Jesus, so Jesus loves me. I have the righteousness of God through Christ. I am not a slave of sin, I'm a slave of God and a slave of righteousness.

I will continue in God's word. I know the truth and the truth has set me free. I am free indeed because Jesus has set me free. I have been delivered out of the kingdom of darkness. I'm now part of the kingdom of God.

I will submit to God. When I resist the devil, he has to flee. No temptation will overcome me which is not common to man. God is faithful. He will not let me be tempted beyond my strength. With any temptation He will also provide me with a way of escape, so that I can endure.

Jesus always causes me to triumph. I'll reign as a king in life through Christ Jesus. The Word of God lives in me. I am more than a conqueror through Christ who loves me. I am an overcomer. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. God gives me the victory through Jesus Christ my Lord.

I am a success to the glory of God. All His blessings will come upon me and overtake me because I obey the voice of the Lord, my God. I am confident that those who seek the Lord will lack no good thing.

I will not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Speak God's word daily. Believe it. Allow the living and active Word of God to build your faith, renew your mind and transform your life.

For more Scriptures to build your faith download Biblical confessions to build your faith

Click this link for more on

Who you are in Christ

Your faith will grow as you continue to agree with God and put His word on your lips. The word of God is living and active, be assured that God's word will accomplish that for which God sent it.

And just so you know that I face real issues every day and that I walk through these things myself. My eldest daughter is in hospital having surgery today. She's expected to be in theatre for around 3 hours. My husband finishes his job in two weeks time and doesn't yet have another one, and there are other things happening that I'm not free to talk about here.

God never did promise us a smooth ride, but He does promise that He will always be with us and that we are never alone. Jesus Himself intercedes for us. Now there's a thought...

Be blessed

Lynne

How To Hear God - The Secret to Answered Prayer

2008-06-27T10:38:00.004+01:00

How To Hear God

Have you ever felt like God wasn't answering your prayers?

Do you know how to pray in a way that gets answers?

Being able to hear God clearly is a key to lining your life up with God's plans and living productively.

Jesus didn't do anything without hearing from the Father first; hearing God is an important key to getting your prayers answered.

Secrets To Answered Prayer - How To Get your Prayers Answered

God Does Answer Prayer

If you want to see more answered prayer you first need to truly believe that God wants to give you the desires of your heart. He loves you and wants you to have faith that what He says is true. He wants you to agree with Him - how can two walk together unless they be agreed?

Do you believe God when He says that He will reward those who seek Him? The Bible makes it clear that God will hear and answer your prayers when you come to Him in faith:

"Ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. Don't let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord" James 1:6-7

Without faith it is impossible to please God

Do you pray and ask God for something without really believing that He will answer your prayer? If you believe that God will only answer your prayers if you pray in a certain way, you need to think again. Answered prayer is not about any formula you might use, it's simply about having faith in a loving God and praying in the way that He leads you.

Obstacles To Answered Prayer

There are things that can hinder your prayers. One of those things is getting too focused on how you think God should answer your prayer. When you do that you can be the obstacle to having your prayer answered. God does answer your prayer but He doesn't always choose to answer in the way you expect Him to.

Something else that can get in the way of answered prayer is unwillingness to forgive other people. If you harbour unforgiveness you block God from answering your prayers.

Another obstacle to answered prayer is praying your own will without any htought to what God wants in teh situation. Answered prayer idepends on lining your will up with God's will.

Do you ask God how He wants you to pray?

Do you listen to see what God's will is before you begin to pray?

How To Get Your Prayers Answered

The next time you pray, try asking God to show you how to pray first. When you've heard God and know His will you will be able to pray in faith, knowing that He will give you what you ask for.

The Bible gives lots of guidelines for how to pray. If you follow God's instructions you will have your prayers answered. But if you ignore God's directions don't be surprised if your prayers remain unanswered.

When you are willing to do things God's way you will see amazing answers to prayer.

If you'd like to hear God more clearly, check out my new immediately downloadable step by step guide to hearing God

How To Hear God

I've kept the price low for now because I want to make it easy for you to have the keys to hearing God more clearly.

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I also have a very affordable 16 week coaching program delivered by email.

If you would like someone alongside while you transform your life but don't want the expense of one to one coaching, this is for you. Take a look and see if this is what you have been looking for to help you get unstuck.

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Awake O Sleeper and Christ Will Shine On You.

2008-06-20T10:31:00.004+01:00

For Dreams to Come True - You Must Wake Up!

Spiritual Drowsiness

Just because we walk and talk does not mean we are truly awake. Zechariah was not sleeping when an angel roused him "as a man who is awakened from his sleep" Zechariah 4:1

Perhaps we too need to be shaken from our slumber to possess the promises of God! Amazingly, in spite of all the signs, wonders, and warnings announcing that we are truly in the last days, Jesus also said there is a mysterious drowsiness that we have to overcome. Indeed, immediately after highlighting the various evidences of the end (see Matthew 24), He compares the Church to virgins who "all got drowsy and began to sleep" Matthew 25:5

Virgins sleeping at the end of the age: this seems incomprehensible with all the signs in the Heavens and wonders upon the earth, not to mention the increasing presence of Christ. Yet this phenomenon is something we each battle: the tendency to become spiritually drowsy and lose our focus as we wait for the Lord's return.

There is a subtle activity of the enemy that dulls our perception and seduces our zeal. Our vision takes a backseat to other less important aspects of life. From the beginning, the voice of satan has had this lulling effect on mankind. Eve's excuse for disobedience was, "The serpent hath caused me to forget" Genesis 3:13

This sense of spiritual forgetfulness, of drowsiness, is the cloud of blindness that we each must discern and overcome. It was in regard to this that the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart through the following dream.

"If You Want Your Dream to Come True, You Have to Wake Up"

There was a temple standing in an open field. My view of the temple was from its side, about 200 yards away. I could not see its front, yet it must have been completely open because great light flashed out from the inside; it pulsed like lightning, yet was solid like sunlight. The block of light issued straight out, and I knew this light was the glory of God.

The temple was so close that I knew that with a little effort I could enter the glory of God. His holy presence was clearly within my reach. There were also others directly in front of me that I recognized as people from church. Everyone seemed very busy. And while the temple and its light were visible and readily accessible to all, every head was bent downward and turned away from the light; each was occupied with other things.

I heard one person say, "I have to do laundry." Another said, "I have to go to work." I could see people reading newspapers, watching televisions, and eating. I was sure everyone could see the light if they wanted to - even more sure that we all knew His glory was near.

There were even a few people reading the Bible and praying, but everyone maintained the downward thrust of their gaze; each had a mental barrier of some kind between themselves and the place of God's presence. No one, in fact, seemed capable of standing up, turning, and steadfastly walking into the very near glory of God.

As I watched, suddenly my wife lifted her head and beheld the temple in the field. She stood and walked without pausing toward the open front. As she drew closer to the light, a garment of glory formed and thickened around her; the closer she went, the more dense the light surrounding her became until she stepped in front of the temple and turned completely toward the blazing face of God.

Oh! How jealous I felt. My wife had entered the glory of God before me! At the same time I realized that there was nothing stopping me from approaching God's presence - nothing except the pile of things to do and responsibilities that, in truth, ruled my life more than the voice of God.
Pushing the weight of these pressures from me, I determined to rise and enter the temple myself. But, to my great regret, in my dream as I rose up, I suddenly woke up!

The longing and disappointment within me seemed unbearable. I had been so close to entering God's presence. How I wanted to enter the temple and be swallowed up in His glory!

I cried, "Lord, why did You let me wake up?"

Instantly, the word of the Lord responded to my cry. He said, "I will not have My servant's life fulfilled by a dream. If you want your dream to come true, you have to wake up."

Breaking Passivity - Setting Priorities

Beloved, today, God is awakening us to the reality of His presence. The promises the Lord gives us in the Scriptures must become more to us than dream-like realities only reserved for the hereafter. Moses frequented the glory of God! Israel's seventy elders ate and drank in God's resplendent glory (see Exodus 24:9-11). Jesus unveiled God's glory on the Mount of Transfiguration! Paul says that we all can behold the glory of God and be transformed by it, 2 Corinthians 3:18

For this reason, the Scripture says, "Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Ephesians 5:14). If we truly want Christ to "shine" upon us, we must arise from the distractions that entomb us in lethargy and spiritual darkness.

Right at this moment, the presence of the living God is near enough to hear the whisper of your heart. But if we want our dream of standing in the presence of God to come true, we must wake up.

http://www.frangipane.org

Heaven and Hell Are Real - watch this amazing video of one man's brush with hell and experience of heaven

2008-06-16T10:52:00.005+01:00

Watch the story of how Mickey Robinson came to know God. He was killed in a plane accident and saw Hell and Heaven.

His story is compelling and well worth the nearly ten minutes it will take you to watch.

It's truly amazing! I hope watching it encourages you to look with spiritual eyes and come to appreciate the reality of the spirtual realm.

The man here died as a result of a plane accident and was on his way to hell. But the amazing grace of God gave him the opportunity to cry out to God to save him.

God did save him and he's sharing his experience of and heaven and hell. Heaven is real. Listen to this compelling story and be blessed.

God Is Waiting For You To Spend Some Time With Him

2008-05-01T12:56:00.003+01:00

I really enjoyed John Paul Jackson's post Love and Humilty - Keys To Living a Prophetic Life

Here's a quote

"Life is all about intimacy with God. We were created for that. Everything we do should be done with that in mind. If it’s not, we’ll find ourselves burned out, broken, lonely and empty — because it’s not good for man to be alone. We were created for relationship, specifically with our heavenly Father. Nothing in this world, or in the next one, is as important as our relationship with God. "

I couldn't agree more. it's so easy to get busy, I hope you'll stop long enough to spend some time with your heavenly Father. He's waiting...

Nothing in this world is as important as your relationship with God. And when you spend time with God everything else will flow better. Time with God is time well spent.

Who Do You Believe?

2008-04-21T11:06:00.004+01:00

I have some questions for you...

Are your eyes on the circumstances and what you hear on the news?
Have you asked God what He thinks?
Who do you believe?

Are you acting on what you believe?

Where is your hope?

I was encouraged by these prohecies brought through Kim Clement. I hope you wil be too.

Kim Clement: "There Will Be No Recession as PROPHESIED and PREDICTED...as Long as there are Warriors that Have Faith Unusual"

Prophesied on March 14, 2008 - San Jose, California

"No limitations." God says, "Why have you limited Me? Why have you placed veils and walls and said, 'This is as far as we can go'? Who told you that? Who told you that you've got the best that you've got? Today, I'm tearing a veil of limitation. I want you to come in.

" God says, "I'll take you to a far greater place than you've ever been before; I'll break the power of the persuasion of your enemy that's lied to you and told you, 'So far and no more.'"

God says, "Who told you that? Who told you that you can do no more than you're doing right now? I've broken something this year that's held you back, but somebody has to see it, somebody has to say it. Who told you that you've come so far and no further? I've broken the barrier, I've broken the persuasion of your enemy. I tell you run, run, run, run, run, for there is a greater dimension for you," says the Lord.

"Warriors, rise up," says the Spirit of God, "for I have desired of you. What I have prayed for has already opened up. Look no further, search no more. For I have searched for you, I have searched for a resting place. I have searched for a place where I can rest My head on the pillow of faith. I have searched for a place where I can put My feet on the sounds of praise. I have searched and I have found a people that would not hold back. For this is the year of triumph, this is the year of triumph; this is the year, for you will search no more. I have searched and I have found you. Now," says the Lord, "run, for the sound of abundance has now become the rain of abundance," says the Spirit of God.

There's No Loss in the Kingdom of God

Do you know what that means? It means you've been walking on ground for too long. God wants to give you a taste of the air; He wants to get you a taste of height. He wants to take you to the highest place you've ever been. Guess what? You've got to have a little bit of wind to get to a higher place. Kites don't fly "without" the wind; they don't fly "with" the wind; they fly "against" the wind. Who's ready to fly? No limitation; I've been persuaded I can fly.

The enemy has put up barriers and lies and persuaded you. Why are there always boundaries, why are there always laws, why does the enemy always come and restrict us? God's saying, "If you can just break beyond the veil of limitation, you'll see a place that you've never seen before." If we don't break it this year, the Church is not going to get to the place it's supposed to get. I've got a good feeling that the cloud of abundance that we've dreamed about has actually become the rain of abundance. Stop believing the persuasion that there's going to be a recession. Stop being persuaded that there's going to be a recession. Stop being persuaded that there's going to be something that's going to hold you back.

Everybody say, "No limitation at all. I've been persuaded by the Lord God Almighty that I can go to a higher place. I will fly, I will accomplish it. I will do what I didn't do last year. What was stolen from me--I will take a hold of. There is no loss in the Kingdom of God. Everything that was taken goes back to God, then He gives it back to me. When He gives it back to me, it's with one hundred fold."

God says, "There's something you've got to attain this year, and you know that you know you can do it." I have been persuaded that there are no limitations; the treasure chest has been opened up; the scroll has been opened. What stops you from accomplishing what you did not accomplish last year? What is stopping you from taking back from God's hand what the enemy stole from you? Say with me, "There is no loss, there is no loss. If it was taken from me, it was given back to God, because it all belongs to Him. He will give it back to me--and with so much more." Take it back, take it back.

Prophesied on February 16, 2008 - Detroit, Michigan

God says, "Let Me speak to Zimbabwe now." God said to me, "I want to bring judgment upon rulers of nations that have suppressed; caused genocides. I want to bring judgments." You say, "God doesn't do that." If He must, He will. If He has to send a king to eat hay for seven years--if He did it then, He can do it again. What I'm hearing is upon the ruler of that nation, "Dementia, dementia, complete and utter madness to where--removal, suddenly." You say, "Doesn't God want to save him?" Absolutely! God said, "I'm taking the families there. I'm going to protect them and I'll give them property; I'll give them freedom. Because of your prayers, I'll raise them from wheelchairs," says the Lord of Hosts.

The Spirit of God says, "There's a brand new realm of boldness that is coming to My people. No more shall there be fear. There is a boldness coming to you: a level and dimension of faith that will bring a boldness upon you; not only to come into My presence, but to stand before your enemy with boldness."

The Sound of Warriors

"Listen to the sound; listen to the sound, for," the Spirit of God says, "this sound that is coming is not a sound that I am acquainted with. The sound that I am hearing comes from a boldness, a prophetic insight from revelation; from understanding grace. The sound that I hear coming from the soil of Michigan is a sound that I am not acquainted with," says the Lord. "I am acquainted with many sounds that come from the earth that come as an aroma, but many times as a stench--a religious stench."

"I have waited for the sound of Daniel again. I have waited for the sound of David again; of Miriam again. 'I will sing unto the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously and mightily over my enemies.' I wish to hear the sound; I've been waiting for the sound of David; not the sound of David on the throne, but David in a cave in a mountain, declaring, 'My heart is fixed on God, my heart is bold, I will sing praises. Yes, I will sing praises.' That's the sound that I am waiting for."

"I've been waiting for the sound of those that were in captivity. I'm waiting for the sound of those who were taken captive. Was it not so in the days of David and in the days of the great saints that the Babylonians took them captive and they required of them a song? They said to them in Babylon, to the children of Zion, 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.' They said these words: 'We cannot sing the Lord's song in a foreign land.'"

My God says to tell you, "You have been chosen to sing a song in a foreign land. You have been chosen to sing a song in a foreign land, for the song of the Lord and the declaration of God will not be captivated in the four walls of religiosity."

God said, "I am releasing this sound, the sound that I heard when Samson brought down the pillars, the sound that I heard when David brought down Goliath, the sound that I heard when Miriam sang a song of victory, the sound that I heard when Moses struck the rock, the sound that I heard over and over and over; that sound shall be released. That same sound that I heard on the day of Pentecost." God said, "That same sound will infiltrate the nations of this world, and I will rise up at the sound of the warriors," says the Lord. "I will rise up at the sound of the warriors."

"What I'm Doing is Taking Charge"

Men shall say, "We've waited for the miracles. We've waited for the miracles of Katherine Kuhlman; we waited for the miracles of yesterday." God says, "There are no miracles that will be captivated and taken from yesterday into today; only better, only greater. This is the year of unique miracles; this is the year of unusual miracles. This is the year where things that could not be brought to the fore, things that were not understood, shall suddenly be understood. There is a rapidity, a movement being raised up by dissatisfied saints."

God said, "Dissatisfied saints have pushed Me, and now I will manifest and bring times of refreshing, times of restoration. This shall be the year of unique and unusual manifestations. Watch out for them, look for them, for they shall come to you," says the Lord, "only by your perception. Let not the enemy blind your eyes, for those who are in this house, you have tapped into a sound that will release joy, celebration, boldness, and scare the hell out of the forces of darkness that have tried to intimidate you."

"My nation waits; 'Who shall be upon the throne? Who shall reside over the populace? Shall it be Democrat, shall it be Republican?'" God said, "This day I say to you, it matters not, for where are the conservatives?" God says, "Listen, the questions that you have shall not be answered by those that sit at the top. I'm going to shock this nation." "God, are You saying that You can take a donkey and speak through him?" "Yes, indeed."

"What about the authority that is given in the White House, men are praying?" "Men have prayed, but not in vain. My ways are not your ways. My thoughts are not your thoughts. Yet My thoughts you will understand; sometimes men who know too much about Me, know too much about Me, therefore they cannot allow Me to do what I want. Let Me take that which seems ridiculous, crazy, and show you how I can put a hook in a mouth and do exactly what I want. Rejoice, rejoice for it is not your political power now, but the sound that is being raised up from those who are about to tap into a new dimension of spirituality."

"Young men and young women shall rise up in the next four years and come to the knowledge of the truth; like Daniel did, like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did. They shall go into the power, the force, the capital, the White House and shall make a difference." God said, "No recession, no recession. I'll raise up this country and make it great again," says the Lord.

"Do not say, 'We shall not have a man who is colored in his skin; we shall not have a man who thinks like us.' I put Saul in command and look what he did. He was right, he looked good, he was head and shoulders above everyone else, and yet look what he did to My priests." God says, "Do not always say we need a Christian in power." The Spirit of God says, "This may be a dangerous thing, for there is a Saul that I've prevented from coming into the White House." Listen to what the Spirit is saying, "I have prevented a Saul in the White House--you think and work it out as you want."

God said, "What I'm doing is I'm taking charge. I'm taking charge Myself. When I do what I'm going to do, you shall look back and say, 'This is the way I know God; He can turn things around in one day.' So it shall be in one day I'll turn it around," says the Lord.

God told me this is going to be the most unusual election and the most unusual reign. "When you prophesy, there will be unique miracles and unusual manifestations that have never taken place. Watch how I work this out. America, you have been set aside once again to pioneer a sound to the nations of the world." The religious rhetoric and the religious nonsense will be taken care of by what God calls the impossible thing. Watch Him work it out.

February 15, 2008 - Detroit, Michigan

Get back, people, get back to it. God says, "I'll give you a double portion and a kingly anointing to deal with the same thing that chased you away in fear. America the great." The Spirit of God says, "So many people have asked the question, 'Where do we go from here? What is happening to our country?' Forget that now; I'm sorting your country out. It is the salt of the earth and it is the light of the world."

The Spirit of God says, "People will say, 'It's taking too long.' There are swift changes that will happen and bring delight to My people. Watch for the cloud, watch for the cloud, it is already here. Most of you haven't seen it," but God says, "Look now through the eyes of holy people and you will see it. I will bring a rain, a rain upon this nation for you and your families and your businesses, so that you will prosper. You will not walk; you will run," says the Lord. "You will have strength to go on to the next place and obtain your testimony today," says the Spirit of God.

God says, "What are they saying about a recession? What is this they are speaking about, this recession? They pinpoint Michigan, calling you one of the worst cities in America." God said, "I defy that through the mouths of the prophets. There will be no recession as prophesied and predicted. As I told you before, the Kingdom of God is not moved by the wealth of men, but the Kingdom of God is intricately woven into one thing and one thing only--the faith of men, the faith of women. I'm looking for faith; I'm looking for unusual faith. I'm looking for a faith that will turn the tide and stop the prognosticators, and that which they say will not happen as long as there are warriors that have faith unusual."

The Spirit of God says, "Once again, the city of light has allowed My prophet to prophesy. From this region they have degraded you; they have said you are nothing. Not according to the strokes given and written by the Lord's pen, Himself." God says, "Hear Me. Hear Me, O Michigan. You are about to have God's signature."

Kim Clement
www.kimclement.com
As posted on the Elijah List www.elijahlist.com

What are you afraid of?

2008-04-05T10:57:00.003+01:00

Joni Ames is a woman of God who walks by faith. I hope her poem blesses you as much as it blessed me.

WHY ARE YOU AFRAID?
by Joni Ames

You've been through worse than this before
So why are you afraid?
There's not a thing above My Love
That anyone has made

My love for you is strong and true
And it will never die
I died to make sure of that fact
For I would never lie

I say, "ALL things are possible"
Do you not know that's true?
I say there's nothing that means more
Than what I say of you!

Who told you, "You are naked now?"
Who told you, "You will loose?"
Who told you, "You don't have a prayer?"
Who caused for you these blues?

The desert that you're walking in
Will soon come to an end
And you will find me waiting there -
For I am your Best Friend!

Upon My Arm, I'll lead you out
For you can lean on Me
And I will show to you the path
On which you need to be

So do not fear or worry now
As I lift up your head
My glory covers everything
You've nothing you need dread

The enemy has lied to you
To try to make you stop
Don't let his lies discourage you
For I've called you on top

Come on up here, and watch with Me
You'll see My Glory fall
And as it does, there's victory
For My Love won it all

Hold tightly to My Hand today
As I hold tight to you
Remember I Am on your side
And what I say is true!

See that sword above your head?
Now grab in your hand
For with it battles will be won
And I'll redeem your land

What once was held above your head
Is yours for victory
To testify of My Great Love
And how I set you free

Don't be afraid, or in despair
Rejoice in Me, Rejoice!
For this day I've begotten you
And given back your voice

Use your voice, and shout for joy
And hear these words I say
For I'm the one who changes things
And brings a brand new day

Take off the old, put on the new
Do not look at the past
Behold, all things are new for you
With peace and joy to last!

Penned by Joni Ames Tue, April 1, 2008

If you'd like to see more of Joni's work visit

http://www.joniames.com/

2008-03-25T10:20:00.002Z

I hope you were inspired by Ram's story. Keith Miller's article inspired me to take hold of that which God has prepared for me to do. My prayer is that it inspires you to pursue God and become who you are.

It's a good reminder that we are spirits abiding in a human body. My prayer is that God will continue to open our spiritual eyes and give us eyes to see and ears to hear.

GOD WANTS YOU TO HAVE HIS HOLY SPIRIT

HE WANTS TO TEACH YOU TO SLAY GIANTS!

BY Keith Miller

What's holding you back from being all that you can be in Christ Jesus? Do you wonder where the breakthrough is so that you can slay the giants that hold you back? I'm here to tell you that God wants to strengthen you with the might of the Holy Spirit to slay those giants in your life so that you will break through for victory in every area of challenge and need. Not only that, but He wants to empower you so that your children and your children's children won't even have to deal with those giants, but experience the fullness of God's promises for them.

Yes, you can blaze a highway of revival right now in your lifetime for the harvest of generations to come! Jesus blazed the way! It's all there, the way to breakthrough and empowerment is by the effectual working power of Christ Jesus in and through you. Paul writes of the Thessalonians that they believed the Word and, because they believed the Word, it became effective for them.

"For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." 1 Thessalonians 2:13

The Lord is sending forth a power anointing for harvest, and He's raising up willing saints and releasing them into new dimensions of the effectual workings of Christ's power in their lives. He is raising up a mighty army of signs, wonders and miracles! Yes, you are destined to be a sign, wonder, and a miracle. All you have to be is hungry enough to glorify Him! Are you hungry? Do you want to be a sign, a wonder, and a miracle for the glory of the Lord and for a harvest of souls such as the world has never before seen?

God wants to activate the workings of Christ Jesus through you, workings that will release a Holy Ghost revival not only in the land, but also in your heart! Yes, upon you He will place a mantle of dominion power that will release you into signs, wonders, and healings for His glory! This anointing? It's for harvest! A harvest of hearts sold out for Him for a harvest of souls. God wants to empower you to be a walking sign and wonder to your children! He wants to favor you to influence a few for a thousand souls.

You're not overcome because Jesus overcame! Why waste time focused on what the giants are doing? Why not focus on who God is and what God is doing and what God can do through you by the effectual workings of His power--His power that will overcome any diabolical scheme of the enemy that has prevented any sort of breakthrough in your life. We're living in a time of acceleration where I am confident that God will quickly restore those things you've lost. He's going to burst forth in your life the workings of Christ through you with a fresh empowering of power! This isn't just a season, but a forevermore of breakthroughs!

Are You Willing?

Everywhere I travel now, and in our own meetings, I hear more and more accounts about God's working power through the saints for the coming revival and harvest. God is working mighty signs, wonders, and miracles through His people: Adults, seniors, and yes, children! Entire families are moving in the effectual working of His power.

In my own family, we're seeing incredible miracles and breakthroughs and, recently, a particularly exciting one, in what you could call "breakthrough in the realm of recovery!" This is exciting because nothing is too small or too insignificant for God. He knows our hearts and oh, how His love abounded in this recovery--and His timing, of course, was great in light of the revelations He's given me for these teachings. More than anything else, this experience drove home the truth about how important it is to position ourselves to hear from the Lord and then to step out into His will to see His power manifest.

Recently, our grown children spent a weekend away at a lake, water tubing. Allison lost her wedding ring somewhere in the lake and tearfully called my wife, Janet, asking her to pray that they find it. She said that they'd searched for over an hour, but that the water was just too murky and deep to find it. My sons, Josh and Justin, dove repeatedly, attempting to feel the floor of the lake for the ring, but each time all they did was stir up more sludge and raise clouds of mushy mire! They searched for more than two hours, but to no avail. However, at home, Janet prayed in the spirit at length, and then God told her to have them pray, right there at the lake. "Call them back," He told her, "and ask them to ask Me where the ring is."

Janet called them on their cell phone and told a tearful Allison to gather everyone, to have them stand in a circle, and to ask the Holy Spirit where the ring was. Josh led everyone in prayer. Immediately after prayer, they resumed the search in the lake, but Josh sensed the Lord maneuver him. Each time he moved in the water, the Lord told him to move this way and that, a little to the right, a little to the left, and so on, before Josh sensed he was to dive. Then, down he dove into the dark water, raking the lake floor blindly with his hands, but he felt something there in the sludge. He grabbed a handful of it, rose out of the water, and presented the ring to a grateful Allison.

Here was this gigantic lake, with the odds of finding the ring as good as finding a needle in a haystack or of searching the ocean for a lost contact lens, but obedience and trust in God's wisdom and power made the impossible (to the natural eye) happen. This was not at all unlike the miracle God wrought through Elisha of making the iron axe head float in the water so it could be found (2 Kings 6:1-6).

God's power and wisdom is so awesome. This is just a small sampling of what we can expect as His faithful children. We can expect empowerment from on High to leap into impossible kingdom realms and new dimensions of Christ's effectual working power. If you can trust in Him and move forward in obedience to His will, He will activate the workings of Christ through you for a harvest of even all that has been lost! Yes, even your wedding ring. Nothing is too small or too great for Him to recover!

The Time of Great Opportunity-- Become a Wall Leaper!

How would you like to leap the wall? We're coming into a forevermore breakthrough era of new opportunities! Favor, Grace, Favor, Grace! It's the age of the Great Opportunity. It's a time of divine open doors, favor, and grace grace! Double portions! Double favor, double grace, double harvest. Exponential grace, (grace grace) x (grace grace) and so on! Expect exponential blessings in your breakthroughs. Expect faith upon faith upon faith to rise up! Expect advancement from strength-to-strength-to-strength! Expect to go from glory-to-glory-to-glory, and so on, as God opens impossible doors for the advancement of His kingdom and His glory.

While in Minnesota with Patricia King, the Lord said, "I want to bring favor to bring influence to give people effective voices in the land." How God uses you will astound you! I believe God is going to give His faithful ones much influence for harvest. He will open doors of opportunity whereby His people will gain positions of influence for their voices to become effective. For instance, whether you want to be elected mayor of your city to go after prayer in your city, or whether you need to blaze through hard ground at your workplace and are promoted, God will open the ears of influence for the harvest of hundreds, if not thousands. It's all about exponential increase of the workings of Christ in you, and as you advance, the Lord is going to swing closed doors open. He's going to open the right ears, the right doors, and set out welcome mats for you to see harvest--even in parched ground.

Harvest Thrust: Out You Go!

"Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." Matthew 9:37-38

In this text, we see the word "Lord" in the context of the harvest. The Greek translation of Lord used here means "One who can empower harvesters, One who can literally oversee the harvest; One who can be empowered for harvest." Interestingly, the Greek word translated "send out" is ekballo, which at the root level means to "drive out." Ballo is where we derive the English word for "ballistic," so we can see the force and sense of urgency, a driving out, a thrusting out of laborers into His harvest. We may be the instrument God uses, but God is the moving force for harvest. We see this same word used in the context of Mark 1:12, describing Christ's actions after He received the infilling of the Holy Spirit at the Jordan River where, with the Spirit now in Him, "Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness."

With that sense of urgency, Jesus isn't going to thrust us out ill-equipped. No, He's going to give us His effectual wonder-working power and authority to help bring in the harvest quickly. He's going after the harvest and He's empowering us for it!

YOU’RE GOING TO GET SOME NEW AUTHORITY

"...He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease." Matthew 10:1

The Lord of the Harvest empowers us to harvest dormant promises and re-dig old wells in desolate places to see His harvest. He's giving us boldness to cast out every hindrance to breakthrough, to restore those dreams and visions of long ago that we thought were lost. He's empowering and sending you out! And quickly!

"These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: 'Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.'" Matthew 10:5

Sending you where?

"But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (verse 6)

To do what?

"And as you go, preach, saying, 'The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have
received, freely give" (verses 7, 8)

As you go, preach! God calls every believer to preach the Gospel with power. God will empower us to preach, to heal, to cleanse, to raise the dead, and to cast out demons. All of this to fulfill His purposes for each one of us. It's a multi-faceted purpose, for God will give you, commission you, and release you to fulfill it, and then give you another word and release you for another and another fulfillment of it until the harvest is in. Likewise, you'll go from fulfillment to fulfillment to fulfillment of every true prophetic word ever spoken over your life. His word will be in your heart like a burning fire, shut up in your bones. You won't be able to hold it back:

"But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not." Jeremiah 20:9b

When the Word becomes as a burning fire in your heart and bones your focus will be on harvest and it won't be denied you. Because freely you have received the Word and freely you give of the powerful Word of the Lord. Those who receive you will receive Him, the Lord of the Harvest. With the workings of the Word in you, you'll become a slayer of any giant that stands in your way of harvest. Even if there's a wall, you'll leap right over it, slaying the giants to bring forth the victory.

"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." Matthew 10:40-42

They will hear of the works of Christ, see the works of Christ, know the works of Christ, and receive the good news of the Gospel. They will see the light of the fire of the Word burning within you.

"And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" Matthew 11:2, 3

We see again reference to the "works of Christ" in John 9:4

"I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work."

It's Still Day!

This speaks of the effectual, powerful, and mighty accomplishments and deeds of Christ. While it's still day, you can work the works of Christ through you, because Jesus is in you. He is still in the world, and it is still day. Jesus said that while He is in the world, He is the "light of the world" (John 9:5). You have enough light to work as long as the light is in the world, "While I AM in the world, I am the light of the world" (emphasis mine). The religious leaders of that day didn't know where Jesus came from or who He was, but Jesus said, "I AM! I am THE LIGHT." Who is the light?

"Jehovah is my light and salvation." Psalm 27:1

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17

In effect, Jesus was saying, "I AM GOD. I am the Jehovah of light and salvation. I am the Father of lights. As long as I'm in the world it's day, because I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD."

As God's child, believing in the Son, and with His Spirit in you, you have the light! "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light" (John 12:36a). We are the sons (and daughters) of Light! Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12). As believers we are not to abide in darkness, but we are to abide (live, have our being) in Him who came as a light into the world (see John 12:46).

Oil and Fire Dispensers

Here we see Jesus in the midst of the seven golden lamps:

"Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band." Revelation 1:12, 13

The lampstands are allegorical representations of the Church, the Body of Christ, God's people, Believers in the Light:

"The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches." Revelation 1:20

The lampstands are allegorical references to the temple at Jerusalem where there was a lampstand of seven branches; three on either side of one central one (see Exodus 25:31-37). We are golden lamps, precious in the sight of God and continually shining and burning with His abiding love.

He pours His oil and fire into us and we are the dispensers of the light! The lamp is not a light in itself; it's only the instrument for emitting the light. The lamp has to receive the oil and fire before it can dispense light. Christ pours the unlimited oil of the anointing in us so that we can shine and burn continually and perpetually with the glory and love of the Lord to the world. As Jeremiah, you won't be able to hold the Light, the Word back! Thus, there's no limitation for the workings of Jesus through you because He's constantly pouring, pouring, pouring His workings in you, the rich oil of His anointing for harvest.

"Seven" Biblically is completion, the ending of one thing, which means the start of a new thing. Do you want consummation in your life of some things? Do you want certain doors to close and new ones to open? Are you tired of going around the same old mountain hoping to get to the top, but the obstacles hold you back? This is the time to shake off the old and get ready for the new and for receiving the workings of Christ in you, for new beginnings, for this grand and mighty last days' anointing for harvest.

It's not yesterday's oil, but fresh oil for today. It's abundant oil that will fill you constantly, and replenish yesterday's oil. It's faith faith, grace grace, to walk in what's happening today. Today!

You are the "light of the world." A city set on a hill "cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5:14)

You are a lamp, not hidden anymore, because He will fill you with the effectual workings of Christ, the effectual WORD in you as a beacon to all who are in the world.

"Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house." Matthew 5:15

As He went to the cross, Jesus said, I AM, I AM the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. He in you pours His workings into you to be that light. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16). He's going to pour so much of Himself in you, that you won't be able to hold it back!

God is turning up the light, to turn His people into "megawatt light bulbs" who will glorify God. Do you want the Lord to reach into your life today and turn up the light? Do you want to see signs, wonders, and miracles follow the preaching of His word? How about the finding of a simple gold ring in a dark and murky lake of impossibility, or the turning of one loaf of bread to feed thousands? Jesus says, "I am the Lord of the harvest, I empower people for the harvest. Are you willing to receive My workings?"

Keith Miller
Stand Firm World Ministries
Email: info@sfwm.org

As posted on The Elijah List
http://www.elijahlist.com/

Dreams And Visions - Ram's Story Part 3

2008-02-23T19:11:00.001Z

India - Dreams and Visions - I meet my wife, Kinsleigh

The Lord was telling me something. I had been doing some summer work, and a few of my friends were planning to get involved with missions work.

India?

There was a church that did a mission in India for four weeks it was called "India challenge." It lived up to its name. It was my first time doing any type of missions outside of England. I was finding it hard in my spiritual walk as I was not encountering the Lord when I would do my normal prayer routine. We landed In Bombay at 2.00am and were thrown into a busy world of thousands of people everywhere; begging for money, grabbing the luggage.

This was our welcome to India. The heat and smell was the first thing that hit all the team. We eventually arrived at the Salvation Army hostel. Our plan for the whole trip was : Sunday morning we would be doing 4 different church services as well as drama’s and worship!!

It was designed to test us to our very limit. The room I was in had over 15 bunk beds, and the room was filled with different people from all over the world. We were set up in teams of four and the teams were made up of 3 girls and 4 guys. Our motto was, "If it moves, pray for it"!

We went out and gave food out to the street people and started to travel with the people which was always interesting. On one trip I remember having to jump off a moving bus. People started to grab hold of me and would not let me off, so I jumped. I was OK but for a few scratches.

After the first week it felt like I had been there for 6 months and at the drop of a hat I could preach and pretty much do what was asked me.

Darkness in our room

India is a very strange place. Millions of idols are worshiped there. I still woke up early in the mornings and one night while I was there, I woke about 2:30am. I slept in a bottom bunk and from my bunk I faced the door, as I looked around the room I noticed that the door was open. We had made sure it was locked as we never knew who would try and come into our room, so I started to get out of bed. As I began to walk towards the door I felt a real dark presence and I started to back track as I could feel fear gripping me. I slowly got back in bed and was staring at the doorway.

Strange demon

We had all our luggage leaning against the wall, so there was a line of luggage leading all the way down to my bed. Suddenly the luggage bags began to drop! One by one like dominoes, towards me. I hid under the sheets putting on the armor and telling God I was too young to die. "Lord save me!" After what seemed like an eternity, I pulled back the covers and all the bags were thrown every where.

Somehow every one else in the room was still asleep. When the guys woke up and noticed what had happened, I recounted the story. From that time we all made sure we prayed before we went to bed.

I was told our team, would be going to one of the biggest slums in south east Asia. We arrived and were brought into a very small meeting room. It was packed with people inside and out. As we got ready to do our drama, there was a power cut and it was pitch black. We all kind of looked at each other in the dark thinking, "What now?"

Someone said these power cuts can last for days at a time! The people did not move, and we just started to pray for the lights to come back on, after praying nothing happened, so we prayed again. Then the lights flashed on and off and came back there, were a real excitement in the air.

After the message people started to pour forward, I was praying for Muslim boys a whole group of them, and as the power the Holy Spirit hit these children, they would push their friends back up and try and act like they were not being touched. We ended up leading some of these boys to the Lord. It was wonderful,

A witch

A couple of my team members called me over to pray for a lady. I asked one of the girls on the team to pray for her with me. She said, “No, I’m not praying for her, she is a witch.” I looked at the lady and asked what she wanted but she remained silent. One of the pastors there told me she was the local Hindu witch. I got myself ready and as soon as I lay my hand on her and said, "Jesus", she turned into a lunatic! She started to move forward like she was going to attack me, she was completely changed, her face changed shape right in front of me and it was no longer a normal women there. I took evasive action and I got into fighting stance, (old habits die hard) I realized who I was in Christ, and looked directly at her and said,

"You have no power over me, I bind your power in Jesus name!" As I said this, she jumped at me and then hit an invisible wall and slid to the floor. It was like someone was sitting on her. We prayed for deliverance for her but ended up just binding the demons, so the meeting would not be disturbed by her screaming. We left that slum happy and worshiped all the way back to the hostel.

I woke up early to the noise of traffic, the traffic noise was conastant and continued night and day. I lay there on my side facing the wall, I was not going to be facing the door any more! I lay there and started to complain to the Lord about the absence of His presence in my life.

I had so easily forgotten all He had done for me that day, as I was talking, well mainly grumbling, the same bright light that filled my room filled this room. I said, "OK you're God, I'm sorry you know what is best for me, "I realized He could manifest His presence at any time so I stopped feeling sorry for my self and got out of my "poor me" world after that. The India trip was awesome and we all had such a great time there.

Bible College in Scotland

When I got back to England things were really moving fast for me, Peter, a friend who I had spent the summer working with, got together with me and said Alison, His wife, wanted to pay for me to go to Bible College. It was a lot of money. I said "I don’t know" because it would have meant a year living in Scotland and away from my family.

A couple of days later I was at our family camp church event which was held each year, I met the people who ran the Bible college and it seemed like the next step for me. I got back and explained to my family I was going to a college in Scotland they were shocked, as were a lot of my friends, thinking I had joined a cult some where. Before I knew it, I was in a room in Scotland, just a week after being in the slums of India.

Scotland

It was hard to for me to adapt to my new surrounding. The course I was doing was in theological studies and involved teaching from a lot of leaders from around the world who would come and share their lives with us for a week or so. Also lots of Bible reading and work around the college. Anything from painting or chopping wood, to washing dishes and cleaning the college. My room mates were really nice. My journey in Scotland had begun.

Scotland Journey

I would be living in Scotland for the next 8 months, during that time I went through many different types of things that helped shape my character today, my time at Bible College really was the Lord's way of getting me out of my comfort zone and in a place of being open and venerable around others.

I prayed with my room mates every night. It was funny, as we would go around the room and pray for one another their requests were normally for peaceful dreams and help in certain areas but when it came to me I would say "I want dreams and visions and encounters with God." They would just laugh about it. We formed a good bond with one another and after college me and my room mate Matt began doing youth events in the south of England.

Matt was a youth pastor and he became a pastor in London, But his vision was to have young people encounter God and we did events which would last a week called "Substance of the soul. " He would preach and have others there and I mainly came and did prophetic workshops and also help others activate their gifts. Those times were always powerful.

Communicating

I also met a wonderful couple who became like spiritual parents to me; they were from White Horse, Yukon Canada. Dan and Mary Ann helped me learn things I guess you would not expect to learn at a Bible college. I was a very introverted person and I did not know how to communicate with people socially. I would be really quiet and never really know how to talk with people about feelings or anything personal. Let’s just say I was very challenged in that area. Dan would normally make me sit by him during our dinner times, so I could not escape and was forced to talk with people, My usual routine was eat quick as possible and get out.!

We would travel, a 2 hour drive into Edinbrough in the back of an old van with seats in the back. It was a rough ride there but was worth it when you got to the church. I remember meeting John Paul Jackson (a prophetic man from the States) there and I told him about some of the encounters I had in the past and some of my frustrations. He shared some insights with me that helped me come to understand that I was not crazy and also the things that had taken place were from the Lord. This was a divine appointment for me, as his teaching and ministry would really help me grow.

I finished Bible College and was now ready to go into the world, and take it for Jesus. I got back to Derby and my family were not interested in anything I had learned in Scotland and before I knew it I was back into the world of looking for work where ever it was.

Dreams
During this time I still felt like I was absent from the Lord but I had started to take note of my dreams more and was beginning to value anything that came to me now, whereas before if I had a God dream I was not too interested in it, as it was not an "encounter."

I began working with many different work agencies I would try and preach and pray for the sick at any opportunity, believing every where I went was a divine appointment. After 6 months of odd jobs all over the place I got placed in a big sterile warehouse which washed all the linen from local and nation wide hospitals.

My first job there was folding pillow cases. This lasted a few days and then I got put on a machine that pulled big sheets inside of it and dried them. It was a hard job as the sheets would fall into barrels and would be knotted up and wet and hot with steam coming off them. I was doing this for 10 hours a day. I felt I would only here for a little while, believing at any moment I was about to walk into my great destiny.

After working there for a few years, I complained constantly about how the Lord had forgotten about me and I must have missed my chance with Him, I came to a realization of the fact that Jesus had pre-ordained good works for those who trust in Him, so I was in the right place as I had not back slidden or fallen into sin.

I trusted that his hand had guided me to where I was and I began to learn to be content with my job and life at that time. I was already in my destiny and was daily walking it out. It was not something I would walk into one day, but it was what I walked in on a daily basis. This was very freeing to me. Godliness and contentment is great gain.

As I began to enjoy my mission field of the work place my joy returned and the Lord really blessed me while I was there. I worked with the company in many different departments but during my 5 years there I had many opportunities to share the Lord and saw many people healed. They used to call me to the office sometimes when people were sick. I saw people instantly healed.

My work place was very flexible with me and allowed me to travel on my holidays and take unpaid leave to go and minister, I had a very good set up.

Then, randomly I decided to change my job and began working in a different warehouse with the same company but this was a lot of forklift and stock control. People thought it was strange, my leaving to do this, as I was in a good place, working in the clean room, working the sterilizer units. I could do this job with my eyes closed, I was very comfortable there. This change of direction came in useful later. It helped me to get a job in the states and I believe it was the hand of the Lord once again directing me.

Dream and U.S

I had many dreams about doing things with certain people in the states. I had dreams of me working with John Paul Jackson, I would be part of a team and we would be giving people words and ministering to them.

I believed that one day I would be in the States and the Lord told me in a dream/vision about leaving England and coming to the U.S. He showed me areas I would be doing things in the future and also confirmed some things as well. He gave me a scripture, Gen 12, the call of Abraham to leave every thing and go to the Land he had shown me, so this is what I did.

Tim. believed that God had much great things in store for me in the area of ministry. I have always been reluctant to move into things as I have found normally the Lord would not leave me any choice but to do what He wanted. After the years of my warehouse work I had learned one lesson, to wait and trust that God is really in control, and if He said something is going to
happen then it will, as we remain walking with him.

As I said earlier, I had started to do youth events in the South of England and worked with my friend from Bible College. This went on for a few years, I had also met John Paul Jackson when he came to Derby. I got to spend some time with him and His team and asked him many questions concerning dreams and angelic encounters, He told me there was a high level gifting in me and spoke about further training.

After a year, my friends Tim and Lynne, went to the Morning Star New Year conference at the end of 1999. There they met a women called Gloria. She felt like she had seen Tim’s wife before in a vision.

John Paul Jackson

She had dreamed about Lynne's house and John Paul was there at her house. This was another divine encounter, Gloria was the dream coordinator for Streams Ministries in Atlanta. A few month's earlier in Derby, Lynne, Tim’s wife did have John Paul come by for tea as he was ministering in our church, in Derby.

A few months later, Gloria came to Derby with a team, her daughter Kinsleigh and a friend and also a guy whom had been trained by John Paul for 10 years His name was Phil Zaldattie. Phil and Gloria spoke at some events the church organized and I got the opportunity to befriend Gloria and Phil.

We did prophetic workshops from the morning to the evening on a Saturday, where we gave words to people for 15 min slots. It was a powerful time. When we had finished I got prayer from the team and Phil gave a word about further training in the States. I weighed the word and said "Thanks."

I kept in touch with Gloria and Phil for a while and thought I would travel to the States. It was a crazy trip. I had planed to travel all across the United States over a six week period, altogether it was a total of 12 flights, and on the first day I got on 3 planes (it was a long day).

My plan was to visit my friends in Canada and then fly down to California and then across to Georgia for a few days and see Gloria and her daughter, Kinsleigh. Then I was going to spend the last week and a half in New England where Phil lived. Well that was the plan. Things went well with my friends in Canada I spent a lot of time praying with people and giving words. I saw
my family in California and they were deeply religious Hindu people.

They were not to pleased with me being a Christian. I didn't go to the temple with them and refused to bow and do any of the things they were doing. I sat there and prayed in tongues for a while.

My stay at the house was unforgettable. The day I walked into the house one of my aunties was manifesting a demon, but they were gathered around her talking to it thinking it was one of their saints speaking through her!! I had just come off the plane and sat down when this was taking place. They were all pretending that nothing was going on. I knew what was happening, the
woman whom was demonized started pointing at me and doing a weird laugh, and made some fun of me. I got up and pretended I needed to go for a walk.

I was wondering what I was going to do as I was planning to be there for two weeks!!! Well I spoke with one off my cousins and said I believed in the power of the Name of Jesus to cast out demons. He looked at me and started to tell me that their cast was a pure cast, and nothing evil was happening. I disagreed with him but they all continued to pretend that nothing unusual
was happening.

After a few days I woke up in the middle of the night and had a some family members gathered around me chanting some things. I opened my eyes, and was shocked, but lay there and just prayed and tried to go back to sleep. After that I decided I wanted to stay elsewhere, so I moved to my mom’s sister’s house across the street and left them to worship the demon.

Once I left there my plan was to stay in Atlanta for 3 days and then to fly to New England but when I arrived at Gloria's house, she informed me that she had some meetings planned, there was a group of people there to minister to.

I shared my testimony and a few words. I called Phil and he told me he had to fly to California at short notice to do some classes. So I was left wondering what I should do? I ended up staying at Gloria's house for the rest of my trip and I was really stretched by the fact that so many people kept coming and wanting words from God.

I felt the Lord gave me a taste of what it is like for many prophetic people and how people see them and just want words. I went home feeling the life had been sucked out of me and I was done with the prophetic if that what it was really about. America was not for me.

I went back home and picked up where I had left off with my job, Phil would call and say come on to the States, After my experience of the last trip I was not going anywhere until I felt the green light from the Lord.

I decided, If God really opens the door then I will come. Some years went by and one day I felt it was time to go back to the States. I called Phil and told him I was going to make preparations to leave England and come over there. He was excited and began to make plans there for me to arrive. I left every thing again and made my way to the States.

As a was getting ready to leave Phil called me and told me I would be based in a church in New England called Gateway Christian fellowship. I would be an intern there. I interned there for the 8 months and was involved with many different events, mainly "The Call" which was held in Boston. During that time, Phil and I traveled and did meetings in the New Hampshire area.

After the time was up I went back home and back to my job again. I remained in England for another 4 years and during that time I leant more and more about understanding dreams and prophetic things. My own personal spiritual life was good. I was involved in a lot of ministry in the church, in prophetic teams and also involved in working in churches out side of Derby.

I was really walking more into my destiny; I had many dreams about Kinsleigh, Gloria's pretty daughter. In dreams I would get information about what I needed to pray for Kinsleigh, I would have dreams about giving her a blue diamond ring and I would have dreams about talking to her about being married. I tried my best to stop these dreams as I had decided the U.S was not for me, but I continued to pray for her. I prayed and kept myself from any relationship for 4 years.

I stopped trying to contact Kinsleigh and Gloria, and then a year and a half went by and I was praying for the Lord to show me where I should go to be a missionary.

Normally in December I would have a very clear dream about things, so I was excited and was in hope for a good dream, but the dream turned into a word for Gloria and Kinsleigh and ended with me once again dreaming about talking to Kinsleigh about getting married.

The Lord also showed me some things that I would be doing in the States. The following day I emailed Gloria out of the blue and told her about the dream and the bits that pertained to the word for her, and meeting some person in Ohio and some other things. That same day they were on their way to Ohio!! Pretty crazy! Then I ended going back to the States and saw Gloria and
Kinsleigh and the weirdness that had always been between me a Kinsleigh was gone, and it all started from there...

Courting Kinsleigh

Things changed for me very rapidly at the beginning of 2004 and I found my self moving to the States and was courting Kinsleigh. On that trip back to the States Kinsleigh had a list of confirmations she asked the Lord to give her concerning me. And one by one she got her confirmations.

We were sitting in at her house downstairs and for some reason the CD player changed
CD and it was a song she wanted to play at her wedding. One time I was leaving to go back home and Kinsleigh was still not sure about me, and she dropped me off at the airport.

I was thinking, "Hmm I wonder what’s going to happen now," As she left and I went to check in I couldn’t find my passport and tickets!! I tried to call Kinsleigh but her phone was off as she was in a meeting with the man from Ohio. I stood there at check out and it was as if I had lost everything.

I had to call my family and tell them to not pick me up from the airport . I did not tell them I
had lost everything. I thought, "The Lord is keeping me here for a reason," So I started to just stop random people and tell I them I was a minister and was there to tell them about the Lord. I told any one who would listen!!

I got a couple of the front desk people and started to give them some words of knowledge and they began sharing their dreams. I prayed for a lady, Mary, was her name, who wanted to be a missionary. They told me they would give me free tickets to get home whenever I wanted, all I needed was my passport!!

After a while Kinsleigh answered the phone and was shocked to hear I was still there. She came back and picked me up and the people at the front desk were telling me that girl who dropped you off kept your stuff because she does not want you to leave.

Kinsleigh came back and had found all my tickets and passport under the carpet in the car. I was left with a few more days in Atlanta before my flight home. On the way to Kinsleigh’s house we saw a rainbow and Kinsleigh freaked out. That was another one of her signs on her list. In those next 2 days we talked and were very open with one another.

Normally I’m a very guarded person but I was brought to the point of brokenness in that airport, so I was open and Kinsleigh fell in love with me. The last few days were God ordained and when I went back to Derby I went to see a friend of mine and he began to tell me the dream I had was a word from the Lord. He and His wife sat me down and said that they believed
that Kinsleigh was meant to be my wife and they had known for a while and had been praying for us. I nearly fell off the stool I was sitting on. God had confirmed so much to me that I was left with no doubt about all he had revealed to me...

A year later we were married and involved in a ministry which Kinsleigh had been a part of for a few years. Nehemiah ministry was founded by Mike Ellis. He had worked with John and Paula Sanford for many years, doing prophetic counseling around the U.S. He was also mentored by Randy Clark for some time. Michael is a business man and would hold schools around the world
teaching the message of inner healing and being set free from negative and limiting mindsets.

We went to a missionary school for 2 months which was held in Brazil, it was a great start for us as a married couple, we got to deal with many of our key issues We had many basic trust issues believing in our hearts that one way or another we would reject one another. With the counseling we were able to pin point the roots and deal with them and pray for one another, also it helped us bring many areas of shame and fear to the light.

We came back and started our married life, we lived in an apartment and after a year, Kinsleigh got pregnant with Isabella and after she was born we moved into our house. I had been working in a warehouse in the local area.

Phil and I kept in contact over the years He has been pioneering a work in Holland and up in Vermont and is just starting a new work in Africa. We remain good friends and I’m sure we will work together again in the future.

I have been focusing more on family life and at the end of 2007 I was in Kathie Walter's meeting, and found my self being set free from some religious mindsets which were based out of religious thinking over many years. It set me free to understand that heaven had never really closed it’s doors to me and I was not walking in the desert of the dark night of the soul. This was not the way the father taught his children.

The Holy Spirit within us is the one who will teach us all things. This was very freeing to me and I have really started afresh with my walk with the Lord. I begin 2008 with a renewed strength of faith that with God all things are possible.

My walk with the Lord has really amazed me. Before I was saved I did not think my life would count for anything, My life has been transformed by His Spirit within me changing me. There is so much that the Lord has done and allowed me to see over the years I have known Him. I have been blessed, and God has opened doors for me and blessed me with all that I have. There are many things I just cannot begin to explain.

God has lead me so far and I will remain in awe of His goodness and the grace He has shown to me and my family

In Christ, Ram Singh

You can find part 1 of Ram's story here

http://acloserwalkwithgod.blogspot.com/2008/02/god-is-at-work-rams-story-part-1.html

More of God - Ram's Story Part 2

2008-02-22T13:38:00.006Z

Ram's story continued - part 2

God or the devil?

I began this new quest to hear from God, trying to understand why he had chosen me out of all the people there were in Derby. There is a very strong Muslim, Indian and Hindu community in Derby.

I started to attend the local EMCF fellowship there; I would go with my now good friend Chandresh. The renewed vision of being able to walk with confidence into the presence of the king consumed me. I began to pray and worship and would be excited every time I went to bed. I expected Him to meet me.

I woke up at 3.33am that night and wondered why the Lord had not met with me in some way. So I did the routine prayer for the church then my family then myself.

This continued night after night. It would get real late and I would have to get up early for college. Not much happened and somehow I got into a routine of praying and mainly worshiping after college, and then waking up early in the night. 3am become my second prayer time each night. I would call it the "hour of power." I started to wonder why God would not answer my prayers.

They mainly consisted of. "You tell me what it is you want me to do and I will go and do it!"
One night I was falling asleep after doing the normal prayer and was closing my eyes but I was still awake saying, "You can still come and meet with me." Telling the Lord I was still awake and ready.

Then suddenly something started to happen...I got scared as a wind entered the room and was hovering over me and I felt it start pouring into my chest.

My mind was in full red after I realized I was frozen on the bed, my arms and whole body became heavy and I could not move, I had no control over my body and I was stuck there. This unknown presence was pouring into me!!

I started to try and fight and struggle and I managed to say "No in Jesus name!!!"
Then as soon as it came, it was gone. I lay there, the presence had lifted and I had regained full control of my body. I was left wondering what had just happened. I kept thinking it must have been a demon or maybe even aliens coming to take me away with them!!

His Presence came again

The next day I prayed and worshipped and went to bed as normal. I awoke at 2am and did my normal chatting with the Lord until about 3am. I started to get tired and wondered why I was even praying at this crazy time of night.

I lay there on the bed once again just waiting for the Lord, then suddenly the liquid presence came, it was pouring all over me. I could not move and was once again thinking the devil had come to attack me. I started to fight and as soon as I did, it lifted and was gone again.

I began to really complain to the Lord about way the enemy was attacking me like this. This went on for close to 2 weeks, and one morning after my early morning "attack" the Lord put a verse in my mind. I looked it up, it was Matthew 7 verse 7, and it really spoke to me. It was, if you ask for bread in His name, I (Jesus) will not give you a stone but give you good gifts.

It was like I heard the voice of God in my heart saying, "It’s ME!" I felt kind of silly that I had been praying and asking him to come and every time He did come I fought him as if he was a demon or something unknown to me. This was going to change!

That day I went and did my studies at college and ran home ready to pray. I was really excited that I was going to hear the voice of God that night. I could hardly sleep...I opened my eyes it was 3.00am. I was ready!!

I lay there with my hands up in bed saying, "I’m ready, let’s go!"
I waited just worshiping the Lord under my breath. I would pray sometimes in silence as I did not want to awake my family. As I lay there, suddenly it started. I felt that warm liquid, thick wind start moving around me and hit me in my chest. My mind was going crazy again saying, "This is not God," but I was fighting myself saying in one breath "hold on longer" and with the next breath "I cannot move!"

As I lay there, trying my best not to say anything just trying to hold on as long as I could. The wind started to move up my chest and started to move around my head. It’s very hard to describe but it started to pour into every part of me, my ears, nose, mouth, eyes and I started to hear a great noise. There was a great swirling, like breaking though some thing and each time it would get louder and louder. "No!" I shouted, and as soon as I did, the Presence left me.

I looked at the clock; it was as if time stood still whenever this presence would come. I lay there all night after that and was very tired all day at college. I was disappointed, with myself for not holding on longer than I had.

A few nights passed and nothing happened, I prayed but didn't have any encounters. It was very draining, at least whenever the Presence came I would not feel tired the next day. The Presence of God was always renewing and refreshing.

The days turned to weeks and I was coming to the point of giving up. I was still dreaming like crazy but I was looking for the encounter, something new! I would still wake up at 3am. Sometimes I would just grunt a prayer like, "Yeah, I’m sure your going to come, I guess not I will try again later."

As my frustration snowballed I was really hungry for anything from the Lord. I once again woke up in the early hours and lay there grumbling at the Lord, as I turned to try and go back to sleep, the wind came back into the room and began to pour into my chest. The wind moved fast, it was like warm oil. Something real, it started to pour all over my face, in my ears, mouth, and eyes, going into my mind, the noise was like a great sound that got louder and louder, breaking into a new level and faster and faster.

I thought I might die if this continued. I kept telling myself to hold on, keep holding on. It was getting too much for me once again. Just as I was going to pull out, there was a great flash, and in an instant I was moving at high speed flying on the back of an Angel, going down the streets of Derby. The speed we were traveling was faster than anything I had ever experienced. Then we started to move higher up, and we got so high, we entered another realm, some place. I felt the wind, I could touch it, taste it.

We stopped and the Angel led me up a mountain, talking with me and showed me a temple of worship for the nations. An incredible sight! I opened my eyes and I was back in bed looking at the clock - 3.33am, it was like time had frozen. I asked myself "Wow what was that?" I was so excited I did not understand what had happened but I knew it was the Lord!!

I awoke that morning saying to myself, "I know God!" I had tasted something of God and it was good.

I was desperate to get home and pray and worship and meet with the Lord. I started to have nightly encounters with the Holy Spirit. Each time I held on I would be taken somewhere or shown some thing.

The Cross - I was there

Another time I was praying and asking the Lord to show Himself to me, and thanking Him for what was coming. As I closed my eyes it started, His spirit came and I was taken to a certain place. The Lord allowed me to have a full vision of the time before he went on the cross, it was a very vivid vision. It began with darkness, then I saw Roman soldiers kicking and spitting on a man who was on His knees on the floor. Then I saw them placing the crown of thorns on His head and I realized it was the Lord.

He was carrying the cross, there were demons swooping down and hitting Him. He fell down and was told to pick the cross up and was led up to the crucifixion place.

The sky was a dark red color and as they began to hammer the nails into His hands, as the nails sank deeper, he began to transform into a baby ( defenceless) it was left to die. His head fell down as if dead, then there was darkness. Great silence and darkness lasted for a while then I saw something coming . At first it looked like a little cross but it got bigger and bigger, and then there before me was a shining gold cross.

As I viewed this cross, looking at it, I began to pull away and see this cross standing alone on a mountain hill, looking. As I was pulling away from this I noticed many other small crosses, millions of them. I had a feeling that these were people who were truly saved and evil could not touch them. As I saw this, I noticed demons flying around.

They went down into this area and sat on the crosses. As soon as they sat, the Angel of the Lord came out like lighting, flying. He was huge and so fast, with His sword out in front of Him, he cut the demons up and then placed the sword in front of him and was flying straight toward me. He came so close that I saw His eyes. I saw teh cross of the Lord in the eyes of the Angel, it was like He flew into my mind.

I was then taken to a place, which I first thought was hell,. It was an underground place where a huge dragon sat, and there was a big boiling pot of hot lava. The dragon was stirring it and it was full of white crosses. He was laughing as the crosses were placed into this water, and as I watched this I was hidden in the Rock. I thought to myself, "This is the devil and fear gripped me and I wanted to get out of there.

As I started to look around I looked straight at this big dragon and it started to breath fire and opened it’s mouth wide and thousands of spirits and demons started to come out. I really wanted to get out of there now!!

Suddenly I was back on the surface of the earth, it looked like a war had just taken place across the planet and the sky was a dark red color and I could see no signs of life there.

I began to look to the sky and I was overcome with the feeling of the coming Presence of the Lord. I was shouting, "He's coming, He's coming!" to myself. Then the sky opened and from the heavens crosses began to fall down to the earth in a spiral motion. They fell fast and it created a circle. I began to feel I was about to meet the 12 disciples of the Lord coming down. I could not begin to count how many crossess were falling.

When that stopped I saw a big red carpet being rolled out. As it was rolling out, two great lions of gold were running along the carpet across the earth and I was about to explode with excitement about the Lord coming back!!

Then I was taken away and I was in space somewhere, walking on a marble floor. It was a palace of some type with angels standing guard at the corners of the building. These angels were way over 20 feet tall.

Indian demon
As I turned the corner there was a massive Indian type demon there and he was coming after me. I turned to see if the angels would help me but they remained at their posts.

This demon came right for me, it was ten times my size! and I fell down and cried out to the Lord to help. This demonic being breathed fire out, but a cross the size of a house came and acted as a shield for me. The flames were pushed back and the cross moved fast and went through the demon’s chest. The demon dropped down dead! That was the end of the vision.
I got up from my bed and was so excited and blessed the Lord.

Addicted to God

All I wanted, was to hear His voice. I had become so addicted to the presence I began praying for 4 to 5 hours, it felt like nothing and was a a taste of what I had been created for. My family would wonder what I would be doing in my room all this time. But during this time I also had demons manifest in my room and try and intimidate me. I would be wide awake and know a demon was in my room. The name of Jesus would always be more than enough; As I got closer to Him the more the darkness around me seemed real as well.

One time I woke up and there was a man outside my window. He was an Angel. I got so afraid that I hid under the bed covers and prayed, "Jesus I’m not ready to die, save me!" The angel just went away. The Lord trained me to value and loves His presence. At times I would pull out of the intensive encounter with the Spirit, the main reason I pulled out, was I never grew accustomed to His presence. There was always a fear of the Lord and also the intensity of the Presence would always seem to increase.

His presence was very overwhelming power. The Holy Spirit never forced Himself on me. He would always stop when I even made even a hint of "No."

There was a cost. Each time I pulled out of the encounter, I would have to wait. At first it would be a few weeks, then when I would pull out again it started to be months.

I felt I was dying as I needed His Presence. It was all I needed. I had lost all desire for anything this world had to offer. Girls, money...His presence was everything to me…

Between me and God

These encounters went on for the first five years of my Christian walk, during that time I spoke to many people about some of the things but the response I received was more negative than positive. People would say that these things don’t happen now, or tell me I was praying the wrong prayers. Some people even tried to cast demons out of me!

I started to keep anything that happened to me as a personal thing between me and the Lord, but I did keep a journal of any really awesome encounters. I thought these encounters happened to all Christians.

The season of Change...
My main goal and desire was still to hear the Lord speak and find out what He wanted from me. I had finished my first national diploma in science at College, so I was thinking about what career to pursue.

I was doing work with a good friend from the church ,Peter Cripps. He was a gift from God to me. He has the gift of loving the unlovable and he is a true man of God. We would work together most days, doing gardening work or anything else that came about. We spent many a day just preaching to one another about our hopes and dreams.

His wisdom and character is some thing I will never forget, he and His wife were to play a vital roll in where my life would go for the next few years.

I had been attending a really wonderful house church where each week we encountered the presence of the Lord. The leader of the house group was my mentor. I was learning more and more about church life and the Bible. My encounters stopped afterI pulled out of a very intensive encounter with the Holy Spirit. I had pulled out, and I knew I would have to wait for a while for Him to return.

I continued my routine of praying and waiting in the late hours of the night. This went on for 3 months, it had been the longest I had to wait for His tangible presence.

I started to fast, but was rebuked by the Lord as I was trying to earn His presence. He did not tell me to fast, I was just striving and doing anything I could to get Him too meet with me!

I had grown in some of the gifts of the Spirit. I would move in the prophetic pretty well, and spent a lot of time learning to hear the Lord for others. I would be dying, really not having a will to live because I longed for His presence so greatly. But in meetings I would feel the power of the Holy Spirit and get drunk in teh Spirit and minister to people. Every one would say "You are on fire for the Lord," but I did not feel that way. I learned very fast that manifestations and moving in the gifts does not necessarily mean you’re close to the Lord.

I began to go through a cold turkey type experience. I was addicted to His presence and there was nothing I could do to make Him come. All I could do was be available and be in the right place for Him to speak to me.

It was becoming very hard for me to keep up the prayer routine as it was so silent. I would wake up at the "Hour of power" and say a few words, and then turn over and try and fall back to sleep.
This went on for 5 months, I was coming to the end of myself...
One night it was 2:30am and I decided to pray. I was crying about why He would not come to me, I said some things, more complaining, as I lay there I just kept saying, "I'm ready, just come." I then got angry and said, "Why did Jesus die if not for restoration with me and God?" Then I said, "Oh well, I guess I will be talking to you tomorrow." I was still in hope for Him to come.

The golden light

Then out of nowhere a great golden light filled my room!! It was so bright I curled up in to a ball with my head trying to hide under the covers, it was like on a summers day and you close your eyes and can see the brightness through your eye lids.

I was thinking, "I'm really dead now, as I had made the living God angry with me."
I was telling myself to turn and see this glory, but the other part of me was saying, "Are you kidding, you’re about to become dust!" The fear and excitement cannot be described.

Then as I lay there, trying not to move or even breathe, or even think any thoughts, (I had become like a dead man) the Holy spirit started to come over me. The swirling presence like a great wind moving all over me, then it started to pour into me. I was once again frozen and the warm oil of the Spirit started to pour all over my head and entered my mouth, ears ,nose and eyes, it just enveloped me.

The sound begun to get louder and louder. With each level I went through the sound got louder and the intensity of His presence filled me.

I was holding on with all I had…I had made it past the sounds and once again I found my self on the back of an Angel. He was flying at great speed, He turned and told me, "You’re going to see God!"

We went though the city of Derby and then flew higher in to the night sky and suddenly I was enveloped in the cloud of Glory that was in my room. I was having a conversation with the Lord and was saying, "If this is really you, I’m going to raise my hands up and feel your Glory." I raised my hands on the bed, and felt the thick warm presence of the Lord over me. It was incredible!

I opened my eyes and I had my hands held up. The room was once again dark and it was 3.30am on the clock. I told myself "don’t tell anyone about what happened or they will be carting you off to the mental hospital".

I was on a high for the rest of the day as I was thinking, "I’m going to really meet God." I had house church that night, I was so excited I prayed and asked the Lord to speak to me and to tell me what was going on. During the meeting no one gave me a word and I was getting ready to run home and have my "encounter."

As I was leaving a friend stopped me and said, "I don’t know what this means but I saw you standing in the ocean and the waves were getting bigger and bigger until they completely overcame you and you had no control". I grabbed my friend’s hand and said, "That is the word of the Lord." I was so excited about what was going to happen that night. On the way home I kept saying "I’m going to meet with God. I’m going to meet with God."

When I reached home I did not even eat. I ran upstairs and started to pray. As I awoke at the normal time, I did not even pray. I just said, "OK I’m here, let’s go." I lay there saying, "you're welcome, just come do whatever you want to." The presence came! It started to fall on me and it felt overwhelming, the liquid presence was pouring into me and my head felt like it was going to explode. The weight that was pouring into me was such that I had never come close to all the other times. I felt my body sinking and it was like the very breath was begin sucked out by that Presence. The noise in my head was such that nothing can explain it.

Once again going through levels of sound and each level brought a louder sound, I could not take this, I started to tell myself pull out! I could not take it, I was fighting myself as this was happening, trying to hold on, thinking it would break, but the presence kept coming and coming until I felt I was about to die there.

I started to lose my ability to talk and I got a faint "No" out of my mouth. And as suddenly as He came, He lifted and was gone. As God’s presence moved on, I saying, "No, please come back!"
It was too late. At that moment I realized it might be a long time until I would have another opportunity.

Training for reigning

The next day I was involved in some meetings, I was approached by a lady from out of town and she felt she had a word for me. It was a word about God emptying the well and laying new foundations. Believe it or not I had another two people come and give me the same type of word in one day.

To be continued...

You'll find part one of Ram's story here

http://acloserwalkwithgod.blogspot.com/2008/02/god-is-at-work-rams-story-part-1.html

God Is At Work - Ram's Story Part 1

2008-02-15T15:13:00.003Z

This is Ram Singh's story. Ram is a friend of mine who now lives in Atlanta Georgia. I hope Ram's story will inspire you and encourage you to look to see God's hand at work in your everyday life.

You never know what might happen when you pray for someone. Our God is the God of the impossible...

Pray for people who are Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, New Age... and watch and see what our wonderful God will do.

I will post Ram's story in 3 parts. If you want to make sure you don't miss any, subscribe by email so that you will be notifed when the next installment is here for you to read.

God moved in Ram's life in a powerful way. He revealed Himself through supernatural encounters. Come and meet Ram...

Introduction

Ram Singh - A young Sikh meets Jesus

My name is Ram Singh. I was born in 1973, in England, in a town called Derby. I was from a Sikh Indian family. My father and mother arrived in England from the Punjab in Indian in the late 1960's.

I lived in England for most of my life but now reside in the united states (Georgia) for the last 3 years, with my wife, Kinsleigh, and little baby girl, Isabella.

I was brought up in a Sikh family with my brother and two sisters, my father died when I was two years old. This meant that my mother was thrown into a world where she did not speak English and was alone. The Muslim community embraced her and helped her find work and be able to look after us all. My childhood was mainly spent inside the house. The house was our home and playground, while my mother worked two jobs.

To be honest I never really believed too much in any thing. I thought I had my faith and that’s what I thought I would stick to for the rest of my life, born a Sikh die a Sikh. The only times we prayed were times when we either broke windows in the house or had done some sort of damage to something. These were mainly prayers to prevent our mum from killing us!!!

We did attend the temple maybe twice a year, usually for weddings. I really never did understand why we did certain things there, we would cover our heads take our shoes off and put money in front of our holy book as we bowed, the holy book would be sung to us by the priest and then we would get some food and go home.

That was my upbringing. As teenager I became very active in sports and when I started high school and became a boxer for close to 8 years, I then got involved with track and field. I guess I enjoyed most sports that involved fighting, as it seemed that’s about all me and my brother ever did. As a child I had a real anger issue and would blow up at my family all the time.

For me to consider changing faith would have meant shame on my family name and also on my mother. When I had finished school, I went on to college not really knowing what to do with myself. I enrolled in a science course, mainly because all my friends were doing business studies so I wanted to do some thing different. I was attending Wilmorton College and I found myself enrolled on a Btec science. During that time I meet a likeable guy called Chandresh, he was a student in my class.

Chandresh - A Christian???

I began to talk with him and I noticed he had the words "Jesus is Lord" printed on his folder. I was surprised to find that he was a Christian. My main area of shock was I had always thought all Christians were white people. I proceeded to ask him, "How can you be a Christian? You’re not white?" At first he laughed and told me there were many different types of people groups around the world who were Christians. I was very surprised and Chandresh did not want to tell me to much as he was a little afraid of me, and did not want to offend me

I immediately began a quest to win him back to his a Hindu roots but after a few days of talking with him and trying to convince him of the error of his ways, he became more confident about his faith, and my attempts to change him were futile. We soon became friends and he began to talk more about his friend, Jesus, and what it meant to be a Christian. I was very suspicious of course.

Dreams and visions and encounters of the heavenly kind

A week later I woke up one morning and in front of me in big letters it said, "JESUS LOVES YOU." It was just there!! I would close my eyes and see it and open them and see it this lasted for about 2 weeks. I remember when I would walk to college I would see an image of Jesus with his arms open toward me! It was pretty crazy and I told Chandresh that he had some how managed to brain wash me with his words and now I was going crazy!! But he got a big smile on his face and he got really excited. He told me this was the living God working in my life. I told him that I would never become a Christian, as it was dishonoring to my family and also I was embarrassed as I grew up in a very strong Asian community. If I became a Christian it would have caused them great shame, and embarrassment.

Weeks began to pass and Chandresh left the class, and started to pursue business studies. We remained good friends and I would meet with him and play video games. I would tell him about the encounters I was having. Images and pictures and weird things began to increase more and more. Crazy dreams, seeing things flying around while I was awake. Everything was about Jesus. Well almost! I began having dreams of dark spirits and being told to use the name of Jesus against these things and I began seeing things in the normal daytime hours.

One time I was sitting in the front room with my family and I looked outside and saw a big flaming fire ball coming towards the house. I screamed and ran outside saying, "What’s that?” My family followed me and just thought I was trying to be funny.

I continued to tell Chandresh about all that was happening and he really wanted me to come to a house church he attended. I told him that I would never attend a church meeting, ever.
But the dreams continued, and in my dreams I was taught about the power of the name of Jesus. I started to realize more and more that when you prayed to Jesus things would happen.

The test
So I decided to put Jesus to the test and said if you are really real you will have to prove yourself to me. Then I began having more and more dreams and visions about the power of the name of Jesus. In some dreams I would have to fight demons and in others I would meet angels. This continued nearly on a nightly basis for close to 4 months. By this time I had accepted the fact that Jesus would hear me when I talked with him at night. The night time became a very exciting time for me as I expected dreams of Jesus and using his name to crush and kill demons it was fun.

Chandresh was getting more and more open about his faith and even frustrated with me, but he continued to ask me to come to the house church meeting. After weeks of harassment from Chandresh I decided if I had enough time out from my training I would maybe visit so one night I was walking back from training track I made a detour. As normal I would walk home talking to the Lord but then I came across this street that Chandresh had been telling me all about, so I thought, "I might as well check it out”. I began to walk up the street, and then my mind started to fill with images. I saw Jesus on the cross and Satan was telling me it was a lie and he never really died, that I was wasting my time.

The House church encounter

I began to agree with my thoughts and I began to turn around and leave. I then stopped and just stood there in the cold snowy weather contemplating what was really going on, I think I was standing there for about 10 Minutes this was never ending.

I could not bring my self to go to the house. Feeling cold, I started to think I was stupid as I did not know why I was even there, I told myself in the Name of Jesus go to the door!! I began to approach the house and I heard singing. Once again I found myself looking at the door number, "11 Harrington street," and I could not bring myself to knock on the door. So many questions were flooding my mind. I left and began walking home, but got half way down the road and turned and once again found my self staring at the door. I was about to turn around and leave when the door opened!! There was Chandresh! Seeing me standing there he proceeded to grab hold of me and pull me into the house. He was surprised to see me and I told him what had taken place and he told me, it was the devil trying to stop me coming here but assured me I was safe now.

A while later I asked him why he came to the door that night and he said he heard a knock on the door. I never did knock!!

As we entered the room I saw it was full of people singing and praying, waving their hands in the air!! I sat there and thought I was with a bunch of crazy people!

I started to feel embarrassed for being there, and was worried that someone from the community might have seen me coming in to this house. The community I am from is like a network of spies. People who have nothing better to do, than gossip about other people's families. So if you were ever up to no good or seen with white people especially girls, some one would have seen and the word would spread like wild fire and then it would get back to the parents.

I was planning to leave as soon as I could. When the people stopped singing I was welcomed. Then the leader of the group asked why I had come tonight? I began to tell them about the dreams and visions I had been having, and also some of the experiences. They looked at me as if I was crazy; I got up to leave but, Chandresh and his friend asked if they could pray for me in the next room.

I did not know what that meant so I asked them. They said they would bless my family and stuff like that so it sounded OK to me. We went to the next room and they said they were going to put their hands on me and pray, I said "Sure" and I stood there with my eyes open looking at them thinking it was strange for a guy to have his hand on me.

As they prayed I stood there and then it felt like my legs began to get heavy. I felt something and I did not know what it was? But I began to double over and wondered what was happening to me.

I began to rationalize what was going on and I thought to myself "I am really tired from training and I need to get home." I was thinking how stupid I must look doubling over in somebody's house that I did not know. All I wanted to do was stand up and then stop them praying for me.
I began to push myself back up and then as I did my finial push to stand up straight. Suddenly a blast hit me in the back and I was thrown back on to the sofa, I heard the guys go "Wow,” and I thought to myself "What's happening"? And I lay there for a few moments thinking, "Did I just get thrown across the room?" Who did that?

Next there was a massive flash and I was taken up to heaven. It was very very bright and I a figure. I could make out a figure and knew it was Jesus and he seemed to be standing in a huge arch way with gates. I was there for a while but I was still very aware of my surrounding. I still could hear everything the guys were saying, I thought to myself "I better get up," so I opened my eyes, and felt embarrassed. They both were just standing over me and I tried to jump up but as I did, I fell back down again. Something was radiating in me and I tried again to get up and I staggered to the door telling them I was leaving.

They looked at me and said "Something has happened here, did I want to talk about it?" "Would you like to become a Christian?" Bluntly I said "No thanks".

Really God!
I wanted to get home. I staggered around like a drunk all the way to my home. I looked into the clear night sky, thinking "Why me?" I was overcome with the fact that this was God really GOD! GOD!!

I had come into a realization of who God really was - GOD! This stayed with me for some weeks. I just walked around saying "Really GOD!" My mind set of wondering why I would want to know this God, changed to "Why did he want to know me?" After all I was just a grain of dust... And HE WAS GOD!!! REALLY GOD!!!

After a few weeks of that encounter at the meeting, I was still having many different types of dreams and seeing some crazy stuff when I was awake. Chandresh was really pushing me to make a decision, but I was very happy to pray and meet with this Jesus person at night. Me and Jesus are fine but I didn’t need to let any one else know about it.

My whole prayer life changed (well I never had a prayer life ever) so I guess I had began some sort of relationship with Jesus.

Months went by and in my heart I had come to accept Christ as my Lord. As I spoke with Him every night I had some type of encounter.

The Name of Jesus has power

One night I started to have another dark type of dream these would excite me as I got to use the name of Jesus to drive demons away!! I had become very confident in the power of the name of Jesus to drive demons out I guess I had become proud of this and felt I needed no one else at all.
So I was very excited to be in another dark dream. I was walking around looking for the demon. I came to a room and saw a being of some form standing in the corner of the room. I started to do the normal routine. I commanded it in the name of Jesus to leave but it just screamed and changed shape!!

At first it changed to some type of animals and I thought, "This is weird." But I thought "Oh well" and I continued to do my thing. The demon changed shape about 6 times, then there was a man standing there, he said, "You've done them, now do me." I knew it was the devil and I was starting to get a little freaked out. I went ahead and tried to drive him out!

I was doing this for what felt like an age and all he did was stand and smile at me. It really shocked me and I awoke feeling afraid and had an urgency to become a Christian. I said to myself. "I need to get in to a church and know Jesus better."

I'm ready

That following day I went and found Chandresh and told him I was ready to accept Christ. We went to JD's house the leader of the cell church I had attended. I said the prayer and became a Christian and got baptized 2 days later. It was amazing and the feeling of being free and clean and becoming a Christian was the best choice I had ever made.

I received many prophetic words at my baptism, and some thing really stuck with me that day. Now that the curtain was torn I had direct access to God!! I started to think all the stuff that had happened to me was only the beginning, now I could enter in to the great place of friendship with God, and really hear from Him.

I had a renewed confidence and boldness to approach His throne for Christ had made away for me. I began to pray with great faith and expectancy. God was going to speak to me!

To be continued...

Prayer

2008-02-15T12:05:00.000Z

Excerpts taken from

Dancing With Destiny: Awaken your Heart to Dream, to Love, to War

by Jill Austin

http://www.masterpotter.com/

God, tenderize my heart again so that I desire to return to You as my first love. Wherever my heart has drifted or gotten lukewarm, return me back to You.

God, I give You permission to do whatever it takes to make me wholly Yours. Set my heart on fire for You. Send a holy ambush of your Spirit into my life to usher me out of the ruts that have hindered me from being a dreamer, a lover and a warrior.

Please forgive me for [here be as specific as you can be and take as long as you need]. Thank You for Your total forgiveness of my sins. That is such a precious gift to me.

How I ache to know You more! Draw me close and speak tenderly to my heart. I want to develop a secret history with You, Lord. Captivate my heart with the gazes of Your eyes. I want to see You face-to-face and not through the lattice, as your Word says. Put Your seal on my heart so I am fully Yours.

Now, Lord, I ask You to release the fiery whirlwind of Your presence with a fresh impartation of Your heart into my heart. I ask You to revolutionize my life from the inside out. Let an earthquake in my heart break up the fallow ground. Let the lightning of God strike me so that I become God-conscious instead of self-conscious.

Jesus, I am ready to give up control of my life and put You in charge again. Forgive me for thinking that I know what is best for my life. It is hard for me to let go; the warfare has been so intense and the storms of life so great. But I can see that my way is not working. I am heartsick about my life. I want to run to You and not from You. Give me grace and humility to accept Your timing in my life.

Burn in me a holy desperation and craving for You. I need a profound touch from You, a fresh baptism of fire from the Holy Spirit. I want a force field of Your glory surrounding me so I am dangerous for God. Will You radiate Your love and power through my life so I can do exploits as You promised?

I want to be a carrier of Your glory and go outside the walls of the church, touching people in every arena of life. Lord, I want to know the times and seasons we live in.

Let me see people through Your eyes and not my own; help me feel Your heart for those around me. Break my heart for the lost. Cause revival to burn so deeply in my spirit that others cannot help but be changed by coming in contact with me.

I do not want business as usual, Jesus! I want a radical visitation from You. I must have a visitation. I want an open heaven over my life. Will You help me to legislate Your mandates from heaven, to bring them to earth so I see things from Your perspective and not my own? I am asking You for divine strategies so Your Kingdom will come.

Open my eyes so that I can see what is happening in the realm of the Spirit. How I need keen discernment for the days I live in. I want to get Your plans, Your blueprints so I do not build on the “land mines” the enemy has planned for me

I want my heart to bless Your heart and give You the love that You deserve. Awaken my heart to worship You. I want to be one who desires You only.

Lord, I want to give You my life no matter what the cost. Even as You died for me, help me to be willing to die for You. You are worth everything I have. All I am - my past, present and future - is at the foot of the cross. Take all of me.

Help me to be a big dreamer with You, dreamer God

Help me to be an extravagant lover of You, my Bridegroom.Help me to be a fierce warrior for You, my King. Amen.

May you and yours have a blessed and prosperous New Year. A year in which you grow in the things of God and know His presence more.

If you'd like more from Jill, visit http://www.masterpotter.com/ and see what she has to offer. I highly recommned her books.

Spirit Filled Life: PSYCHOLOGIST SAYS SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS FOR REAL

2008-01-01T23:29:00.000Z

Spirit Filled Life: PSYCHOLOGIST SAYS SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS FOR REAL

Speaking In Tongues Is Good For You!

2008-01-01T11:09:00.000Z

Make this the year when you build yourself up by speaking in tongues

Paul says that he often spoke in tongues. The Bible tells us that when we speak in tongues we are strengthened. Now see what scientists have to say about it.

As reported on Breaking Christian News

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania took brain images of five women while they spoke in tongues and found that their frontal lobes were relatively quiet, as were the language centers. According to a recent N.Y. Times report, the regions involved in maintaining self-consciousness were active; the women were not in blind trances.

"The amazing thing was how the images supported people's interpretation of what was happening," said Dr. Andrew B. Newberg, leader of the study team. "The way they describe it, and what they believe, is that God is talking through them," he said.

Donna Morgan, a co-author of the study, was also a research subject. She is a born-again Christian who is quoted as saying the ability to speak in tongues is a gift. "You're aware of your surroundings," she said. "You're not really out of control. But you have no control over what's happening. You're just flowing. You're in a realm of peace and comfort, and it's a fantastic feeling."

Reporter Benedict Carey noted that "contrary to what may be a common perception, studies suggest that people who speak in tongues rarely suffer from mental problems. A recent study of nearly 1,000 evangelical Christians in England found that those who engaged in the practice were more emotionally stable than those who did not.

Researchers have identified at least two forms of the practice, one ecstatic and frenzied, the other subdued and nearly silent. The new findings contrasted sharply with images taken of other spiritually inspired mental states like meditation, which is often a highly focused mental exercise, activating the frontal lobes."

Benedict Carey/TN
Source: N.Y. Times

I speak in tongues when I'm driving or doing the ironing or alone in the kitchen cooking...

I encourage you to create a new habit of speaking often in tongues. See for yourself what the Bible has to say about it and plan to speak in tongues more than you do already.

If you don't yet speak in tongues

Ask the Holy Spirit to impart the gift to you
Get people who already speak in tongues to pray for you

Make this the year when you build up your faith and grow in the things of the Spirit.

How To Fight Fear and Push Through To Intimacy With God

2007-12-29T18:43:00.000Z

I thought you might appreciate this article from John Paul Jackson.

He sent it out in last weeks's newsleter. iI you'd like to see more of his work or sign up for the newsletter, visit

http://www.streamsministries.com/index.php?cat_id=27&page_id=62

Fighting Fear

By John Paul Jackson

Truthful and forthright people will tell you that when they are angry, they hear very little from God; when they are fearful, they hear very little from God.

The more emotional we are, the less consistently we hear — or we begin to “hear” things that go against what we know God is or what He has told us in the past. So we need help in removing hindrances to our hearing from God.

When we begin to remove rejection, insecurities and these types of things, automatically our gifts are going to start looking a whole lot stronger than they ever did. They didn’t get stronger; we just removed the things that were hindering them.

What’s the best way to remove fear, insecurity, shame and other hindrances to our gifts? Intimacy with God.

Letting Go of Fear

Just by being with God, we are asking Him to remove our walls. We are asking Him to align our soul with His. We are asking to become one spirit with Him. We are asking to be made holy, which is to be made like Him. All of these happen when we spend time with Him.

But the process can be difficult, especially because one of the things we want to remove actively works to keep us from doing so. Fear is the chief barrier that blocks us from real intimacy with God. It keeps us from completely surrendering our lives to Him and being able to walk fully into our destiny.

Hiding from God — Fear's First Step

Fear is not just the enemy of intimacy; it is the assassin. In the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve committed the first sin in human history, they hid themselves because they felt ashamed; they were afraid to let God see them. How many times do we do that same thing? We’re afraid of what He might say when He sees us, the judgment He may pass on us, if we allow Him to say what’s on His heart.

Because Adam and Eve were responding out of fear, the first thing they did was erect small walls in the form of clothing to keep God at a distance — to keep Him from seeing who they really were. They put up barriers that yelled, "Keep away! We don't know if we can trust You anymore." But obviously, it wasn’t God who had changed in those few moments.

What You Need to Remember

Here's the thing we need to remember about fear: It will lie to us and distort everything we feel. If we allow it to do so, it will convince us that self-protection is more important than releasing our heart, including every hidden thing, to God and being romanced by Him.

Fear will attempt to tell us whatever it can in order to keep us from letting go of the things we are convinced God does not want to know. But we shouldn’t be afraid of God. His intent is not to kill us. It is to have us.

During this Christmas season, remember His heart for you. Remember that He sent His Son to save the world, not to condemn the world — that means you. While you were deep in sin, He loved you enough to come to Earth and be born for you; He loved you enough to die for you.

Could He love you any less now? NO! Don’t let the enemy push you around anymore! Know the truth. Embrace it, and it will set you free.

Something to encourage your heart

2007-12-17T12:05:00.000Z

God has an appointment with you - It's Time to Seek the Lord.

The Love God has for us is staggering. God has treasures and gifts for us. Zephaniah 2:3 tells us to "Seek righteousness, seek HUMILITY." God has some things to tell us and show us. He is waiting on us to get quiet before Him and let Him talk to us. When we quiet our hearts and spend "quality time" with God, we learn to hear His voice, and He will define the next chapter of our lives for us. There is much ahead and there are things He desires to adjust, add, remove and reveal.

A teachable heart helps us to embrace something we have not seen before. It's not new to God, just to us. Psalm 119 is full of "teach me" Scriptures. It is important that we guard ourselves from bringing to conclusion what God has only shown us in part. We don't have the whole picture yet, only God does. It hasn't been revealed to us. He is teaching us to trust Him, rely on Him, listen to Him and do things His way. Humble, teachable, uncritical hearts attract Heaven because that is the DNA of Jesus, Himself.

Double Doors are Opening as We Have a Tight Grip on His Hand

Isaiah 45:1-3, "Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held--to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut: 'I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.'"

Zechariah 9:12, "Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you."

Things are happening in a hurry. God is causing us to inherit even more than we dreamed or thought possible. It is His good pleasure to give good gifts to His kids. When God is holding our hand, we are positioned for God to lead us where He wants to take us. We cease to operate in our own wisdom and strength, and God goes before us to remove obstacles and impossible situations for us. For us to take possession of the treasures of darkness and the hidden riches of secret places, we must take a tight grip on God's hand. He MUST remain in charge and we cannot place things or people ahead of Him.

He is leading us into places to accomplish His plan and purpose for this earth. We cannot go alone or in our own strength. There are people in places of darkness and deception who are getting ready to be rescued and set free and God is sending us to them. When we have full dependency on Him, He will show us things, move barriers out of the way, usher us into places we never dreamed of, and His power will flow through us as we allow the Holy Spirit to rule.

In the past year, I have run into more people who are pregnant with twins and even triplets. There is a definite increase and multiplied evidence of life. It is a sign that God, the Giver of life--is accelerating things. When God increases us after coming out of a dry and desert season, we find new strength, new perspective, new direction and a greater awe and respect for God and His government. Change happens around us and transition happens in us. When we transition, we find new strength, new revelation and new assignments to embrace.

We have a promise in Isaiah 41:10, "Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you steady, keeping a firm grip on you. "

We Have Been Gaining Strength to Engage the Future

When we go through unusually long and pressured seasons, it makes us ready to receive more than what it cost us. This time of difficulty and pressure has only caused us to press into God and take a tighter grip on His hand. Refining times are necessary for strength to come. For example, I was climbing a mountain with a friend of mine who is a personal trainer. When I reached a place in our ascent, I felt like I couldn't breathe. She began to coach me in my climbing. She told me that I needed to use different muscle groups and that I was actually gaining strength in this difficult climb.

Her following words were, "True strength is only developed when met with resistance." These words were like gold to me. I considered this statement in every difficult season I have had since that time. WE ARE GAINING STRENGTH TO ENGAGE THE FUTURE. Every promise He has made to us and every prophetic word we have received that is truly from Him, God fully intends to accomplish in us, with us, and for us.

It's the Season for Life, Healing and Restoration

We are designed by God the way we are for a reason. In times of "aloneness" with God, He will define us--to us. He will tell us why we are put together the way we are and how we are to function. In His light, we see light and things become clearer. It is in these times of being "alone with God," that we discover Him in a new way and discover ourselves in a new way. We experience healing of life wounds and emotional trauma as the Comforter applies His healing balm to our broken hearts, minds, emotions and bodies. His prescription is restoration and healing. Knowing what we have walked through, He makes us new again and brings life to dead places. An infusion of LIFE is available to us when we get before Him and delight ourselves in the Lord.

The God of all hope, comfort, joy, love, strength, power, healing, counsel, light and restoration wants us to come and spend time with Him--AND WE WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.

Bless you,

Cindy McGill
Hope for the Harvest Ministries
http://www.hopefortheharvest.com

Declare War On Grumbling

2007-11-25T11:19:00.000Z

Declare War on Ungratefulness and Grumbling With a Heart of THANKFULNESS

"The thankful heart sees the best part of every situation."

From my earliest Christian years I've heard questions about Jesus' comment concerning Judas Iscariot: "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" (John 6:70)

What did Jesus mean? Was Judas genetically a devil and not a man? (Jesus didn't say Judas had a devil, He said he was a devil). Can a devil actually live among people as a human?

While I am no scholar in ancient Greek, I think truth is better served reading the literal translation of this verse. The word translated as "devil," diabolos, is the same word translated elsewhere in the New Testament as "slanderer" or "malicious gossip" (see 1 Timothy 3:11; 2 Timothy 3:3).

When Jesus says that Judas is a devil, He is saying one of you is a "false accuser," a "slanderer," a "malicious gossip." Judas could not keep his negative perspective to himself.

Remember, just before Judas delivered Jesus to the Pharisees, he was offended that Jesus allowed an expensive ointment to be lavished on His hair. Judas indignantly complained: "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to poor people?" (John 12:5). His words spread strife among the other apostles as well (Matthew 26:8). Judas said, in effect, "Who permitted this thoughtless luxury?"

Well, it was Jesus. The woman had anointed Him for His burial. Yet, to Judas this was an extravagance that Jesus shouldn't have taken. In the angry mind of Judas Iscariot, here was justification to go to the chief priests. He had grounds to break ranks with Christ (Matthew 26:14-15).

God Has a Problem With Grumblers

Betrayal is never a sudden thing; rather, it is an accumulative response to the unresolved anger and disappointment one feels toward another. The offenses we do not transfer to God in surrendered prayer inevitably decay and become a venom we transfer to others through gossip. In the process, we embrace slander, but we feel justified. We become malicious gossips, but in our minds we're only communicating a "truth," a character flaw, that we self-righteously
"discerned."

To understand Judas' betrayal of Christ, we must unearth its source: Judas Iscariot was a grumbler. When we lose sight of the many things for which we should be thankful, we become murmurers and complainers, increasingly darkened by a thought-life engendered by hell.

Beware when your anger toward another Christian has led you to gossip about him or her, especially if you are embittered and are now sowing criticisms about him to others. Yes, beware: you are no longer being conformed to Christ, but are actually becoming more like Judas than Jesus.

Grumblers Everywhere

Of course, this grumbling attitude was not isolated to Judas' betrayal of Jesus. Many would-be disciples and Jewish leaders were also infected with murmuring. Consider: there were miracles everywhere, Christ had just fed the 5,000 when a very large crowd of His disciples began to find fault. Yet, even though Jesus warned, "Do not grumble among yourselves" (John 6:43), still the crowd persisted. Remember, these were Christ's disciples, and they were not grumbling at a sinner, but the only sinless man who ever lived.

"But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this," asked, 'Does this cause you to stumble?'" (John 6:61). And then, the grumbling spirit continued until "...many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore" (John 6:66).

Grumbling caused people to stop seeing and appreciating miracles. It caused disciples to be offended by Jesus' teaching and they stopped walking with Him.

As it was then, so it is today. Grumbling will ultimately cause you to stop walking with Jesus. It is a killer. You see, incredibly, not just the Pharisees and Judas Iscariot found fault with Jesus, even His disciples grumbled at times. Heaven was manifest in their midst and all they were focused on was what they perceived was wrong. That's what a grumbling attitude can do.

This poison of ingratitude is prevalent in the Church today. Paul warned that, "...in the last days...men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips" ( see 2 Timothy 3:1-9).

You get the point: "men will be...malicious gossips" or devils. They will be given to destroying one another with their words.

The Thankful Heart

Personally, I've declared war on grumbling. An unthankful heart is an enemy to God's will. Can you join me with this? Can you crucify a murmuring spirit? We have received too much from God to allow ourselves opportunities for ingratitude and unbelief! We have received too many gifts and privileges to allow grumbling to disqualify us of our destiny.

The thankful heart sees the best part of every situation. It sees problems and weaknesses as opportunities and struggles as refining tools. My prayer is for each of us to possess the abundant life that Jesus came to give us. I want to drive that little, ugly, grumbling demon away from our hearts, and replace it with a living awareness of the goodness of God!

Paul warned,"Nor let us...grumble, as (Israel) did, and were destroyed by the destroyer" (1 Corinthians 10:9-10). The moment we open ourselves to grumbling, we simultaneously open up to destruction.

"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable...is right, whatever is pure...lovely...of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things" (Philippians 4:8).

Remember, Paul was writing to people in the ancient Roman world. It was full of evil, full of injustice, full of reasons to grumble and be upset; but instead, God calls His people to a higher realm, where we dwell on the things that are above.

You say, "Who then will point out all the things that are wrong with life?" Oh, there are plenty of volunteers for that task. Better to ask, "How can I attain the blessed life Jesus came to give me?"

You say, "But the world is wicked. We need to decry and defeat evil." Yes, and I totally agree, I often decry evil myself. But I must live and offer a better life if I am going to defeat evil. God doesn't want His people to be grumbling about the difficult conditions of existence. He wants us to be mercy-motivated, redemption-orientated, prayer-empowered ambassadors of Heaven.

If we are merely complaining about what's wrong with the people around us, we should beware: we may actually be more like followers of Judas rather than Jesus.

Francis Frangipane www.frangipane.org

Defeating Anxiety and Establishing Your Mind on Your Target

2007-11-21T09:19:00.000Z

I am praying that you sing a NEW song. Do not stop singing until you get to the end of your song. The enemy tries to stop your song from coming to the end. He brings circumstances and discouragement to get you out of your place so you cannot hear the completion of the song. I am praying for the Body of Christ to have strength to go the extra mile.

I decree that you will not fall short, but will have new energy, stamina and strength to press through for the extra mile.

Isaiah 26 says, "Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter in. You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You."

I pray that your heart and mind will get fixed and aligned in a new way. May your mind not be pulled in a thousand directions but stay focused on that thing that will keep you in perfect peace. I break the power of anything coming against you that is pulling you so that your heart is divided. We decree that your mind will be whole and in perfect peace.

I decree that we will hit the mark. Sin will not pull us to the right or to the left. Things that are causing us to be anxious will let go of us. We will hear clearly - we will not be drawn out or robbed of strength so that we miss the mark.

The Lord says, "Be willing to step up, for I will give you strength in that place where you have strained to get, a higher place where you can stand, for vision to come forth. I will give you new strength to lift you up. If you will worship Me today, the power of 'lift' will come on you."

If you do not understand the power of lift, there is a section on it in The Worship Warrior. The power of lift will bring you into that place where you can stand and take aim on your mark that God has for you. Lord, let the power of lift hit the Body of Christ today.

Thank the Lord for the Spirit and the Blood. His Spirit is dwelling mightily in you and His Blood is flowing through your veins. Decree that the Spirit of God will energize you and cause you to praise. Ask God for the new word - the new revelation you need to come down and lift you out of the pit that is trying to hold you.

This is a month to develop your warfare strategies. You must have prophetic revelation for the warfare that is swirling around you. This is a time to enter into a new level of trust and rest.

This is also the month of "SAMEKH" - with trust, confidence and support coming full circle in your life.

In a season of coming full circle, this is a time to gain new confidence over your future and see your new beginning in a new way. Be sure to "take the night" or get up when He calls you during the night. This is a month of night visions and a month of dreams.

The Lord is determined to reveal to you, and align you for your future. Let the Lord stir the depths of your womb or river in your belly so you can receive the ability to understand your next measure. This is a month to shoot straight and move quickly.

I bless you abundantly,
Chuck D. Pierce Glory of Zion Ministries

http://www.gloryofzion.org/outmail/11-15-07_WeeklyEmailerOnline.htm

Visions and Impartations - Catherine Brown

2007-11-20T23:30:00.000Z

Flying with a Golden Eagle

Visions and Impartations in the Night Season

Catherine Brown

Solomon Receives Impartation While Dreaming

Did you know that God can impart a supernatural gift to you during your sleep? It's true! We are blessed to read of such an impartation of "wisdom and discernment" given to King Solomon during a dream (1 Kings 3). Wisdom is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit (read 1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

I Kings 3:5-9, "At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, 'Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.'"

Solomon answered,

"You have shown great kindness to Your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to You and righteous and upright in heart. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count in number. So give Your servant a discerning heart to govern Your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?"

The Lord was pleased that Solomon asked Him for wisdom and discernment and the Lord said to him in Verses 10-15,

"'Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for - both riches and honor - so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in My ways and obey My statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.'Then Solomon awoke - and he realized it had been a dream."

Solomon returned to Jerusalem and offered sacrificial offerings before the Lord and then gave a feast for all in his court. Shortly after this, two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him asking him to judge between who was the true mother of a baby child. One of the women's sons had died and only one child remained alive. Solomon had to execute a wise ruling and choose the authentic mother. Ultimately, Solomon's words and actions revealed the true mother's heart in verse 26,

"The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son, and said to the king, 'Please my lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!'"

And in verse 28 we read,

"When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice."

The entire Israelite community affirmed that their king had received a gift from God. We are privileged to study the Scriptures and understand that this wisdom and gift of discernment was imparted to Solomon during a dream!

There is no reason why we too, cannot exercise faith in a similar manner and have an expectation to receive instruction, wisdom and much more from the Lord during our sleeping (and waking).

Flying with the Golden Eagle

Before going on a mission trip to California in early 2006, I had two significant dreams/night visions, one of which I will share with you here. In my dream, I was flying over the streets of California late at night. I was aware that I was being carried along by the Spirit of the Lord. As I swooped through the streets, it was a most exhilarating experience. Suddenly, I became aware of a magnificent golden eagle that was flying ahead of me. I caught glimpses of the golden glory of the eagle from time-to-time as we sped along through the night.

In a split second or pre-emptive discernment, I realized that I was about to collide with the golden eagle. I turned the corner in my dream and did just that - I collided with the beautiful Heavenly being in a face-to-face encounter; and at the same time, I felt a rush of God's glory fill my entire being. I knew right away that I had received an impartation from the Lord. I had complete peace in my heart and awoke to feel the effects of the glory of God in my human frame. (Prophet Daniel describes this, "After that, in my vision at night" in Daniel 7:7.)

My spiritual father, Hugh Black, who has now gone home to be with the Lord, co-labored with the Reverend Duncan Campbell in the Lewis Revivals of the 20th century (1939 and 1949). He often spoke to me of the angels appearing in the Hebridean Islands and how the glory of the Lord was evident on the earth for days after such an encounter - it could be felt in both the body and also seen with the human eye in the earth's atmosphere.

Lifted By the Spirit of God

It is occasionally difficult to find accurate words to convey supernatural experiences. However, we can look to God's Word to find a holy foundation. Prophet Ezekiel writes of his experience of being raised up by the Spirit in various locations, providing us with a solid Biblical perspective of such an occurrence. My description of "flying" with the Lord is simply an alternative way of speaking about being lifted by the Spirit of the Lord and correlates with the experience of Ezekiel in relation to encountering God's glory. Ezekiel 11:1,

"Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the houses of the Lord that face east."
Ezekiel 11:24-25,

"Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God. Then the vision I had seen went up from me, and I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me."

Revelation of Glory and in California

Furthermore, my description of the glory experience is also part of Ezekiel's revelatory encounter too. On several occasions, Ezekiel links being lifted in the Spirit (as in verse 24 above) with receiving a fresh revelation of the glory of God.

Ezekiel 11:22-23,

"Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. The glory of the Lord went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it."

Since we have a Biblical blueprint for receiving an impartation during a dream (as Solomon did), I also have no problem in exercising faith that God truly imparted a measure of His glory to me during the dream experience.

You may well ask, "What is the purpose of such an encounter?" I believe this particular glory impartation was for serving Him in California. Every genuine glory encounter with the Lord births a worship-filled response in our hearts along with a desire to shower His love on others.

So what happened during my trip to California? The dream depicted me on the streets, and whilst much of my time was spent ministering in churches to God's beloved children, I was also privileged to go out onto the streets with good friends to minister with the homeless of Northern California.

It was here that we saw the Glory of God manifest in anointed preaching as two more precious souls gave their lives in commitment to Christ; it was here that we saw God's glory poured out in healing miracles and precious words of Christ's life-giving prophecy.

It was on the streets that Jesus healed the darkness of depression that held a dear one bound; it was here that the Lord healed the dislocated shoulder of a young homeless man, whose body was covered with huge spider bites. It was here that Jesus came with tenderness and ministered to a young couple about to be married, pouring out words of healing and hope.

Thus the glory impartation had been for a divine purpose - to minister Christ's miracle working love to those to whom I had been sent.

The Living Creatures

Perhaps the only fully unanswered question remains in the interpretation of the "golden eagle." Some interpret eagles as symbolic of the prophetic ministry; others interpret them as part of apostolic ministry. Prophet Ezekiel describes the living creatures as having a face like an eagle in Ezekiel 10:14, "Each of the cherubim had four faces: one face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle" (see also Ezekiel 1:10).

The Book of Revelation describes the four living creatures that worship around the throne of the Lamb in this way in Revelation 4:7-8,

"The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around even under the wings. Day and night they never stop saying, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is and is to come.'"

I cannot say with absolute accuracy whether I encountered a living creature or not. I do know that the angelic being was Heaven sent and imparted a measure of the glory of the Lord to me in the vision/dream experience. I also believe that in sharing the dream, the believers of California were encouraged and moved to faith-filled responses. As a people of faith, we are called to exercise faith and discernment. I interpreted the dream as a sign of God's glory given for worship and for mission. A sign with interpretation translates into prophetic understanding. Prophetic understanding births further faith in our hearts and releases destiny as we respond to the glory of God in our lives.

Interpreting Dreams

In the life of the prophet, Daniel, we are able to see interesting interactions with revelations he perceived in the Heavenly realms. In Daniel 10:1 we read, "...a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war." The Scriptures clearly stated Daniel received "revelation," however, verse 1 continues, "The understanding of the message came to him in a vision." In other words, the "revelation" and the "understanding" about the revelation did not come at the same time, but one followed the other.
At a different time, Daniel was praying and repenting for sins in his nation when the angel Gabriel came to speak with him. Daniel 9:21-22,

"...while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, 'Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.'"

God sent an angel to help His servant gain insight and understanding. The angel Gabriel instructed Daniel in respect to the revelation, even though God had given Daniel and his three associates,

"...knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds." Daniel 1:17

It is humbling and helpful to see that the mighty man of God, anointed and appointed, still needed help at times with interpretation. It is faith building to know that our Father in Heaven releases angels to instruct and assist His children with revelation and revelatory experiences!

Seven - A Sign of Completion

Before leaving California, the Lord drew my attention to "seven magnificent eagles" flying together in the air, just as I was approaching my final preaching destination. This was not a vision, but seven "real" eagles that hovered overhead. The Bibles teaches us that God rested on the seventh day and we may safely interpret the number seven as perfection and completion. I left California with God's perfect peace in my heart and a feeling of having completed my Kingdom assignment.

May the God of Israel grant you faith and favor as you pursue His dream for your life and explore the wonderful world of dreams and visions with the Holy Spirit and the angels.

To God be the glory.

Catherine Brown Gatekeepers Global MinistriesEmail: admin@gatekeepers.org.uk
As posted on teh Elijah list

http://www.elijahlist.com/

A Face To Face Encounter

2007-11-19T22:59:00.000Z

I hope today's post will make up for the lack of posts in the last few weeks.

In Part One of this two-part teaching entitled: A Face to Face Encounter, Todd Bentley defines supernatural encounters and experiences based on specific biblical evidence. Then, as he shares his face to face encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul, your belief-grid concerning heavenly experiences is sure to be both broadened and challenged.

In Part Two, as Todd releases meaty portions of what the apostle Paul taught him, (in the context that Jesus Christ is the door to every heavenly encounter) you’ll be inspired to press in for your own face to face encounter with the Lord.

A FACE TO FACE ENCOUNTER

by Revivalist Todd Bentley - [as edited by Kathy Thorne]Part 1 of 2

To come face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ is to come face to face with the goodness and glory of God! Oh to be a friend of God like Abraham and Moses were; for out of their intimate friendship with the Lord they had a face to face encounter with Him (Gen. 17:1; Ex. 33:11).

Listen. Today, for a deeper understanding of the apostolic, we need to note that every apostle in the Bible had been with the Lord. Not only were they friends of God who had face to face encounters with Him, they also had supernatural encounters and prophetic experiences. In fact, what made Paul an apostle was that he was taken up into the third heaven where he saw the Lord (1 Cor. 9:1; 2 Cor. 12: 2-4). That’s where his apostleship came from because he wasn't yet a disciple or an apostle when Jesus was physically on earth.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER

Now I want to ask an important question. Can Paul's experience also be ours today? The answer is "yes" and I say this because Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday when Paul was on earth, and He's the same forever (Heb. 13:8).

Now consider this: Jesus' healing virtue is still released through His trusted servants today and that means that He heals people today just like He did two thousand years ago.

What a great promise when it comes to healing, but why not for the supernatural? If He's the same today, then why can't He visit me like He visited Abraham? If He's the same today, why can't He visit me like He visited Daniel? Why can't He visit me like He visited John? Why can't He visit me like He visited Isaiah? How about Ezekiel?

Yes, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that makes what's available in "Bible days" available today. It's not just about healing and laying hands on the sick and seeing miracles, as great as these are, but it's also about supernatural encounters with God.

Do you believe that? Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead and over five hundred people saw Him for forty days in His resurrected body (1 Cor. 15:6)? Do you believe supernatural things can take place today?

I'm asking this because we're okay with angels showing up and speaking to Mary and Joseph, but we're not okay with angels showing up and speaking to us. We're okay with Paul being taken into heaven, or what he called the third heaven - caught up into a place called paradise. We're okay with that. It's good for Paul, or it's good for Elijah. Yet both Paul and Elijah were men just like we are, and as you know, they're both in heaven today. So are Abraham and Isaiah.

They aren't on earth anymore for God to interact with. But God, by His very nature, wants to interact with somebody supernaturally. My question is: Why not you? Why should anyon's experience in Christianity today be any different from what people experienced in Bible days?

Take Peter. He was in prison (See Acts 12:1–17). While an all night prayer meeting took place (on his behalf in someone’s house) an angel of the Lord came to Peter in his cell and his chains miraculously fell off his hands. Then he was led by the angel out of jail into the city. Peter made his way to the prayer meeting and when he arrived and knocked on the door they didn't really believe that he was at the door! They said (paraphrased): "Ah, it's not Peter, it's his angel."

My point is this. As God pours out His greater glory, we're going to hear about supernatural encounters and prophetic experiences, and they're going to be based on the way God moved supernaturally, in ancient times, for people in the Bible.

ENCOUNTERS AND PROPHETIC EXPERIENCES ARE INTENTIONAL

What's the purpose for supernatural encounters and prophetic experiences? You might be thinking: We've got the Bible and that's enough! For me, it's about intimacy, but not just that. It's: Why wait for your inheritance? When you get to heaven what do you think you're going to see? What do you expect it to be like in heaven? After all, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, the kingdom of God is within you, so why wait?

I'm hungry now. I've got an inheritance, I'm a joint heir, I don't have to wait for: One day I'm going to be in heaven. Thank God that'll be fullness. I'll be in eternity. What's more, we don't only need greater faith, we also need a greater expectation that God wants to impart something to us. We need an expectation that He is going to touch us; He is going to speak to us; He is going to visit us.

Look. Heaven is real; it's tangible, and the glory of heaven is real. It changes everything it touches. Furthermore, God wants the reality of heaven to be made known to His friends. For Jesus told His disciples - after He established the fact they were His friends if they did what He commanded - "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15).

God is looking for true friends with whom He can reveal His glory. There is a purpose for this desire. For instance, as God has revealed different aspects of His glory to me this year I've gained a deeper friendship with God. This has helped me to keep pressing in for all the fullness of God that I can contain, not just for my satisfaction, but ultimately so that He can work through me and cause others to know Him and be saved.

Now I want to share about an amazing prophetic experience concerning God's glory that I had in a meeting in Redding, California this year. Here we go!

JESUS CHRIST IS THE GATE, THE DOOR, AND THE LADDER

In that meeting, about an hour before I was due to speak, I was suddenly overcome by the Holy Spirit. Feeling somewhat weak, as if I was going to go into a trance (a biblical trance like the apostle Peter had - Acts 10:9, 10), I asked my team to take me to a nearby place called "The Green Room."

Sitting down on the couch I could feel a strong overwhelming sense of the presence of God and I knew I was going to fall into a trance. I was going to have a supernatural encounter. Then, in the chair, with my eyes open, I had an open vision. Jesus appeared right in front of me. It was as though He stepped right out of heaven, the Lord Jesus Himself, and stood before me as a Man.

I saw that behind the Lord, almost like a projection, a vision of heaven shone from the back of His body; a trail of heaven followed Him, it was projected behind him. It was as though a window was open and I could look right into heaven itself. But heaven had come from the Lord. In fact, heaven is the Lord.

Out of the Lord came beams of white and golden light. Such brightness! From out of the white, golden, light came other brilliant colors - blue, purple, green, red and pink were the main ones -like rainbows.

Pink prophetically represents love and emotions. I saw what looked to be ten rainbows coming from the Lord, Himself. It reminded me of the description of the throne room in Ezekiel 1:28 -"Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD." I even saw rivers of oil, rivers of honey, and I saw bridges.

Then the Lord did two things to me. He walked up to me and He put His hand inside my belly and He gave me a supernatural enablement to live through what was about to take place. He was establishing me so I wouldn't die. I say that because when I saw heaven I wanted to pass the Lord and go right in. But the Lord said, "If you pass Me right now, you will die. Todd, you are not just having a vision, you are in heaven and this is real." The Lord said, "I am the gate, I am the door, I am the ladder. There is no heaven without Me."

He said, if you pass Me, you will die. Something sustained me. He put His hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes and said, "Peace I give you, not as the world gives," and a great peace came over me like a vibration and my whole body trembled while I received the peace of God.

Then the vision faded. Yet I was so overcome by the glory of God I just laid on the floor in the Green Room and as I was lying there, unexpectedly I was caught up instantly into the spirit. I was no longer aware that I was in a conference setting. All of a sudden I was standing on a grassy hill and I saw still waters. I saw a river flowing between its banks. It was like Psalm 23, green pastures, and I was looking down.

I thought the (flowing) river was going to be pure, living water but as I looked I saw that it was a river of oil and honey. Next the colors changed from pink and rainbows, white light and the color of gold, to orangey red. Everywhere I looked was the appearance of amber. Everywhere, it was like a sunrise or a sunset, red or ruby or orangey red.

I looked up to my left and there was a bridge, and my first thought was: What a secret place. Still waters, I am in Paradise, this is Psalm 23. Look at that beautiful bridge! I just want to sit up on the bridge. That's what I was thinking. The butterflies were flying by and I felt the peace of God; I was overcome by the shalom. Wow. I thought: Look at that bridge.

Now, when you think something in heaven, you are there, so although I don't actually remember moving, the next thing I knew I was actually sitting on the bridge. While in this heavenly experience sitting up on the bridge I saw someone walking toward me. I knew in my spirit it was Paul the apostle. He walked right onto the bridge and he sat down next to me. He had this blank scroll in his hand and he started writing with a pen (which was more like a feather with ink).

When he started writing it looked like Hebrew and he would say, "Eat this." He continued writing on the scroll, saying "Eat this" again and again. But when I realized I was eating, I noticed that I wasn't eating by my mouth, I was eating by my belly. He was stuffing his writings inside my spirit right past by head, putting some kind of divine revelation right into my spirit.

Then Paul spoke to me about the message of the hour for the Church and much more. Yet, it would be best to hold his inspiring message and the other heavenly adventures in connection with Paul until Part Two next week.

Website: www.freshfire.ca

I encourage you to seek to discover more of our wonderful, supernatural God. There is muich more to our life in God than we already know.

Creating An Opening For God's Presence

2007-10-26T12:38:00.000+01:00

My prayer is that this message from Jim Goll will encourage you to press in and seek God's presence. You can find more from James Goll at http://www.encountersnetwork.com/

BLOWING THE ROOF OFF YOUR HOUSE

Making Jesus At Home In Your House

Read Mark 2:1- 5 slowly as a parable. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring personal applications to your life.

Mark 2:1 - Is Jesus at “Home” in your house - family - congregation- city? What would you need to do to have Him be more than the “honored guest” who occasionally shows up
Mark 2:2 - When Jesus is “in His temple” - people will gather and revelation will rest on the word of God. May God’s house be full to overflowing and may the crowds gather once again to hear the word of the Lord!
Mark 2:3 - Some became dissatisfied with the crowds as they were. Four men became desperate for a “break through” on another level. Through the heat of the day, they carried their paralytic friend on a stretcher to the house where Jesus was. They worked hard to carry this “dead weight” possibly at a distance. It cost them something to get him there, but they wanted more!
Mark 2:4 - They could not get near to Jesus due to the crowds. They could have given up, but instead - they moved from the natural into the supernatural to find their solution. Then hope came. We will tear the roof off the house. So they proceeded upon the roof to tear it open with their hands. Through great effort - they dug a big hole in the roof (opened heavens) and lowered their friend into the presence of the living Messiah.
Mark 2:5 - Jesus saw “their faith.” Whose faith? All their faith together! Then he spoke to the paralytic - “Your sins are forgiven.” This results in healing the body. May these words echo through our lives today and the sick Body of Christ be raised up to “wholeness.”

Examples of Opened Heavens in Scripture

Like in Genesis 28:16-17, we need the gates of heaven opened over our cities, churches and families. (For more on this subject see the lesson “Gatekeepers of His Presence” in my Revival Breakthrough Study Guide.)
Like in Mark 2:1-5, we need to “Blow the Roof Off” our thinking, concepts and believe the Lord for extraordinary works of grace. Desperate times take desperate measures. We need desperate laborers to arise who are not content with life as is to tear the roof off in order to lower another into the presence of Jesus!

THREE KEYS NEEDED

Prayer Opens The Way!

Testimony of the Hebrides Island Revival in 1952.

Two desperate women - Peggy & Christina Smith - 84 & 82 years old - were desperate for a revival on their island off of Scotland. They began praying from Isaiah 44:3,

“For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants.”

They reminded God of His word. Then they began to claim Isaiah 64:1

"O that Thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, That the mountains might quake at Thy presence. . .”

The oldest sister was blind, but she received a vision and proclaimed, “He’s coming! He’s coming! He’s already here!”

The Spirit of God fell in a barn that night where seven young men were praying from Isaiah 62:6,7 where it tells us,

"On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; All day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves; And give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”

Sure enough God came. This began the great Hebrides Revival under the preaching of Duncan Campbell. A spiritual radiation zone was created and many souls were saved!

Testimony of Evan Roberts and the Welsh Revival of 1904.

At the age of 13 young Evan began to seek the Lord. At the age of 26 Revival came to his home town. He taught the people to pray two simple prayers. “Send the Spirit now for Jesus Christ sake.” The second prayer was similar. “Send the Spirit now more powerfully for Jesus Christ sake.”

Indeed, God’s Spirit came down and 100,000 souls were swept up into God’s Kingdom. Today, a cry is arising - “More Lord!” Yes, there must be a youth revolution come as it was with Evan Roberts. We must have a “transgernerational anointing” as it was with Peggy & Christina Smith. It is time for prayer to arise and to blow the roof off the house!

The Key of the Prophetic

The prophetic becomes a powerful took to open closed minds, closed doors and closed situations. Seek God, get His word, put the key in the door & turn it! Read the following scriptures.

Deut. 8:3 - man lives by God’s Word.
Matt. 4:4 - by every Word that proceeds.
Eph. 6:17 - the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
Luk. 11:52 - we must use the key and not hinder others.

The Key of His Presence

We need His presence more than anything in this life! The one outstanding distinguishing characteristic of God’s people is to be His presence among us!

Exodus 33:12-23 - God gave Moses his request and revealed His glorious Presence to Him.
Exodus 25:30 - the bread of His Presence (or shewbread) used by the priest in ministering to the Lord.

WHEN WE CARE FOR HIS PRESENCE

I want to tell you a dream that has recently gripped my soul. In January, 1999 while I was having some forced rest due to a hernia surgery - the Lord visited me with a piercing dream that is helping to set my course of direction right now and I believe is a clear word to His people.

In this dream, I was holding long loaves of bread each wrapped in their own individual napkin. I was holding these loaves of bread close to my chest right over my heart. Then I got our youngest child's (Rachel's) blanket she has had since birth. I now wrapped these loaves of bread in her dear baby blanket. I held the bread close to my heart and just kind of rocked the bread as you would a new born child. Then I heard the words,

"When My people will care for, cherish, nurture and love the "Bread of My Presence" like a parent does it's new born child - then revival will come."

I then found my self awakened out of the dream only to find my arms were held out as though holding and rocking something. I then heard myself prophesying out loud in the bedroom the same words I had just heard in the dream as the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit was lingering over my body. The Lord was emphasizing these words by having them be repeated twice!

This I know - He wants us to cherish and care for His Presence. Pray for His presence. Love His presence. Nurture His presence - after all - isn't this what you have longed for all your life? Isn't this what you were made laborers to arise who are not content with life as is to tear the roof off in order to lower another into the presence of Jesus!

Go for it in Jesus Name! You can have an open heaven over your heart and life and carry it with you wherever you go! Just love His presence!

BLESSINGS TO YOU!

James W. Goll www.enountersnetwork.com

I encourage you to set time aside to dwell in God's presence. There's no better place to be.

Rest in God

2007-10-12T16:12:00.000+01:00

Daily Words:Upwords from the "Logos" (written Word of God) and "Rhema" Words (spoken Words) meant to build up, to exhort or comfort

Heb 4:10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. NKJV

A message from Jesus

The Most Productive People ...

Discern the most spiritually productive people of all time and you will find their first priority was to linger in communion with Me for hours. You will know when you are truly abiding in Me because the more you are pressured to worry or to "do," the more you must "abide" in Me - listening - journaling - praising me ahead of time. Yes, you will do your part, like march around Jericho in silent faith, until the day I release you to shout. But, you will know that your battles are really won as you worship Me ahead of time and have quiet confidence in My strength.

Become more sensitive to your tendency to transfer your faith from Me back to yourself. When you feel that urgency to leave communion with Me because you must get up and "get something done," it will be wood, hay and stubble. True productivity (silver, gold and precious stones) comes when you are clear that apart from Me, you can do nothing. You will reproduce reproducers who are what 'you are' - not 'what you do.'

Try it; actively put your faith in what I alone can do.

I AM the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent One.

You Can Know God's Thoughts

2007-10-08T11:54:00.000+01:00

Your life of faith is a response to God's power... 1 Corinthians 2:5

Who ever knows what you're thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God - except that he not only knows what he's thinking, but he lets us in on it. 1 Corinthians 2:11 - 12

Spirit can be known only by spirit - God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing ... Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit. 1Corinthains 2:14-16

God speaks to you through your spirit. God has given you His Spirit so that you can know all that He has given you. If you are in Christ, you have the mind of Christ!

God lets you in on what He's thinking. He communcates with you spirit to Spirit. When you are spiritually alive you have access to what God's Spirit is doing.

Christ knows what God is doing and you have Christ's Spirit, so you can know God's thoughts. It's simply a matter of waking up your spirit and learning to communicate spirit to Spirit.

God shares His thought with you through Jesus whose Spirit lives in you. The Bible tells you that His sheep know His voice. If you are a follower of Jesus then you can hear the voice of God.

If you want to learn to communicate spirit to Spirit ask Jesus to show you how. Quiet yourself in His presence and ask Him to lead you.

Jesus, I am so sorry for not living as though you live within me and for forgetting that I have access to the Father's thoughts through you. Forgive me for neglecting to spend time with you. Forgive me for neglecting to wait and listen for your Spirit communicating with me.

Help me to get to know you more and to live each day aware of your presence with me. I want to know you more.

The truth of your love and your presence is so easily snatched away. Let that be no more. Draw me closer to you, open my spritual eyes and my spiritual ears and help me to hear your voice.

Authority In The Name Of Jesus

2007-10-03T10:53:00.000+01:00

As a believer and follower of Jesus you have power in His name.

Authority in the Name of Jesus

"Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That's just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them?" James 2:19

We have it on good authoity that every knee will bow at the name of Jesus. Everything is subject to Jesus' powerful name. His name is powerful! His name is greater than disability, greater than cancer, greater than divorce, greater than depression, greater than anything you can name. When we stand clothed in Jesus' righteousness and use the authority that we have been given He sees to it that the words we utter do not return to us empty.

The Power of the Word of God

"The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" Hebrews 4:12

The Word of God can be used to break every stronghold. The Word of God is living and active and it is powerful. When combined with faith it is lethal to the enemy.

I encourage you to read Epesians 6 and put on the full armor of God every single day so that you are prepared ahead of time to face the battles and withstand the enemy.

Seek the Kingdom first
Remember that you are seated in heavenly places
Take hold of the your authority you have been given
Submit yourself to God
Resist the devil
Cover yourself with the blood of Jesus
Renew your mind with the word of God
Declare the promises of His Word and
Face each day prepared.

The battle is the Lord's and it is already won. I encourage you to speak out the victory you have in Jesus. Refuse to be defeated. Rise up and be who you are in Christ.

If you follow the links you'll find Scriptures to remind you who you are in Christ and to help to build your faith

A Powerful Prayer of Blessing

2007-09-28T16:43:00.000+01:00

This prayer originated with TD Jakes and has been circulating as a powerpoint.

I hope you'll pray as you read. Be blessed.

Father in the name of Jesus, bless me and mine even while I'm reading this prayer. Open supernatural doors in our lives today and give us a double portion of Your Spirit as we take back everything that the enemy has stolen.

Emotional health
Physical health
Finance
Relationships
Children
Jobs
Homes
Marriages

I cancel every plot, plan and scheme the enemy has devised against us in the matchless name of Jesus. And I declare that no weapon formed against us will prosper.

I speak life into every dead situation. And I thank you that nothing is over until you say it's over! I speak prophetically into our lives and situations:

Our households are blessed
Our health is blessed
Our marriages are blessed
Our finances are blessed
Our businesses are blessed
Our jobs are blessed
Our children are blessed
Our grandchildren are blessed
Are parents are blessed
Our ministries are blessed
Husbands are on the way
Wives are on the way
Mortgages are paid
Debts are cancelled

Our heart's desires are on the way; according to Your perfect plan for our lives.

In Jesus' Name. Amen

I hope you prayed this prayer with me and that you'll send people here to pray it too.

Have a much blessed day,

Lynne

How Are You Responding To Life's Trials?

2007-09-24T11:21:00.000+01:00

Is life a struggle right now?

"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed - that exhilarating finish in and with God - he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.

When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through - all that bloodshed! So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either.

It's the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God?

We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.

So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it! "

I hope you'll be encouraged by this article from Kathi Pelton:

LIFE IS ALL ABOUT HOW WE RESPOND TO ITS TRIALS

A Travel Trial and Encounter

It had been one of those days that it seems nothing goes right; actually it had been one of those years! I travel a lot and things were not going well financially. I was broke. It was the last day of another long trip away from my family and all I could think about was being in the midst of their love and warmth. I just had a call from my husband who told me that he and the kids had cleaned the house, were going to make a special dinner for me, and we could all sit around a warm fire together after I got home from another plane ride in the dead of winter. That was how my mood felt that day - like the dead of winter.

I didn't take a taxi to the airport because some acquaintances offered to drive me (over an hour away) since it was on their way home. I gladly accepted the offer, thinking that the company would be nice. They were late in picking me up and then informed me they had a stop to make along the way. I reminded them of my flight times and they assured me that I would have plenty of time to make my flight. As it went, their stop wasn't brief, but time consuming.

I looked at my watch as it ticked the minutes by and my concern about making my flight was increasing. Then the man driving me asked again, "What time is your flight?" I reminded him, and now concern filled his face. It was a half hour before the departure of my flight and we still weren't quite to the airport...I could feel my heart sinking! I felt sick inside at the thought of spending another winters night sleeping in an airport (because I couldn't afford a hotel) but worse yet, another long night away from the comfort of my husband and kids...and that wonderful fire that they had waiting for me to curl up in front of.

As we arrived at the airport, I knew that it was too late to make my flight. I hoped against all hope that maybe there was a delay due to the snow. I ran into the terminal and had to wait in a long line of other weary passengers. Finally, I made it to the front of the line only to hear that my plane had already closed its doors (I missed getting on by about ten minutes) and the next flight wasn't till the next day.

I felt sick inside, home sick and heart sick. I couldn't bear the thought of sitting up all night in the airport. I was hungry and exhausted, and missing dinner and a fire with my family. When my friends realized that I had missed my flight, they offered to drive me to the nearest hotel. I was embarrassed to tell them that I didn't have any money to get a hotel. I said, "I'll just stay here at the airport." Finally, they insisted that they would not only drive me to a hotel, but pay for it too. I wanted to say no (because I was feeling quite sorry for myself and didn't want a "hand out"), but they would not take no for an answer.

After driving me to a nice hotel nearby and checking me in, we said our good-byes. I was feeling so incredibly sad and I was having quite the "pity party" as I got on the elevator to go to my room, asking God, "Why does this have to happen to me when I'm so tired and homesick? And I was ministering for You! Can't there be some help for me?" As I got on the elevator, I noticed a man who was already in it. We were on the ground floor and he had come down from the upper floor so I expected him to get off. I waited for him to exit before I piled in with all of my baggage, but he didn't exit. I asked him if he was getting off and he said, "No, I'm going up." I got on the elevator and stood there feeling agitated, wanting to be alone. The man turned to me and said, "Having a hard day?"

I surely didn't want to talk to this stranger about my day so I just politely nodded. He said, "Life is all about how we respond to its trials. That's how we grow." Right then the elevator arrived at my floor (the top floor) and I stepped off. As the doors closed behind me I realized that the man was still in the elevator. He had gone through all the floors and had not gotten off any of them...but he had given me an important message from the Lord and I needed to respond.

God Questions Me

I felt the tears filling my eyes and quickly entered my room and before I could even set my luggage down, the Spirit of the Lord filled the room and God's voice began to speak to me in questions like He had asked Job thousands of years before in Job 38:3-18:

"Brace yourself like a man (or woman); I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell Me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone - while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?
Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment. The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.
Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this."

His voice was not angry, but intensely passionate. It was like a parent would talk to their child if they were being irrational and about to stray from their care. If God can sound "hurt," His voice in my spirit almost felt as though I had brought pain to Him through my lack of trust and the accusations in my heart of not being cared for by Him. I wanted the comfort and warmth of my family and He wanted to be my Comforter and my warmth. But first, He had to deal with my wandering heart that had left the place of "daughter" and had taken a posture of "forsaken bride." I had made demands for particular signs of ease and provision when God just wanted my dependence and intimacy, but I was too busy feeling sorry for myself. He had brought provision through my friends - but I wanted independence...not dependence.

Moving From Independence to Dependence

How often do we set up preconceived notions about how God should act with us? I can be very quick to correct my teenagers when they want to decide how and when my husband and I should do something. There were times we had surprises planned for them which were meant to bring them great joy, but their demand for "knowing our plans and purposes" almost aborted a great blessing from coming their way. I had done the same thing with God during that winter day. God had hidden surprises all along the way of my life, but I wanted the provision to come in a way that was predictable and sure. I looked at His surprises as if they were humiliating. I was embarrassed to depend upon others.

We often speak about it, pray for it, but do we really want dependency? Dependency requires a laying down of independence and a taking up of absolute trust.

Many read the story of Job and say, "That wasn't fair. How could God do that to a faithful man?" I felt the same way about my life! I had been faithful in His service. I gave and gave and felt that God was not treating me fairly. But God was jealous for something much deeper than my external provision, He was jealous for me to trust Him and to truly depend on Him. My "American" independence felt like a right that I had, but my independence had become a demand and a wall between a deeper place of intimacy. God wanted time with one of His beloved, and I was demanding some sort of contract to "what His part would look like to me."

Returning To First Love

Let us return to the place of trust and dependence. This is true intimacy. Love is not self-seeking, it is not demanding, it is not easily angered and it does not keep record of wrongs (or perceived wrongs either). I had strayed from first love and was demanding and independent with God.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does
not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and
always perseveres. Love never fails.
But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

May we return to the beauty and freedom of First Love once again...

Revelation 2:1-7, "These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lamp stands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found
them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for My name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

All My Love,

Kathi Pelton - Choose Life - Email: jkpelton@sbcglobal.net

As posted on The Elijah List http://www.elijahlist.com/

A Word Of Encouragement - Have Confidence In God

2007-09-20T10:58:00.000+01:00

"Do Not Fear! Lean Back on My All-Sufficient Power"

"Confidence is an internal state that is made up of perceiving the risk, experiencing he fear, and overcoming the fear in order to take action."

I trust you are all persevering in the faith. While some of you may be sailing smoothly, many are in a season of warfare contending for a breakthrough. It is with that in mind that I wanted to send you a little word of encouragement. I have been reminded of late that it is Christ in us who fights the battle. Wigglesworth and Dr. Charles Price are both quoted as having said something close to this: "When my faith comes to an end, His is just beginning!" It is impossible to have intimacy with Christ without encounters with the powers of darkness.

While we have no desire to pay undue attention to the enemy, C. S. Lewis reminds us of the two extremes that the enemy seeks to purport on the children of God, being that we either pay too much attention to him or pay no attention at all. There are some seasons where I never even give a thought to spiritual warfare, and there are other seasons I am reminded by virtue of the tests, adversities and strange occurrences that I experience and endure while there is a war going on--this is one of those seasons.

For what it is worth, during these kinds of seasons you have to remember Paul's admonition:

"Having done all STAND."

When that kind of season is one you are enduring, you have to remember to get plenty of rest, and make sure you are adequately nourished, and stay in a place of internal quietness and confidence according to Isaiah 30:15,

"In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."

You also have to remember:

"Do not throw away your CONFIDENCE which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have DONE the will of God you may receive what was promised" (Hebrews 10:35-36).

The rest of this chapter is all about possessing your soul by faith in seasons of endurance through adversity:

"FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE,HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul" (Hebrews 10:37-39).

Overcoming Fear with Courage

Here is a thought: ever wonder what was going on in the lives of the apostles when they were called to write what they were writing? We see men of strength, the giants of the faith, incredible exploits of power, yet what was going on in them during those incredible seasons? Don't be fooled by the world's idea of how success and courage manifest. Courage requires an ingredient we talk little about: FEAR.

Paul says to the Corinthian Church that at a certain season in his life, he was with them "in weakness, and in FEAR, and in much trembling." He also speaks in another place of "fightings without, AND fears within." This is the same apostle who tells us that "God has not given us a spirit of fear!" Is he contradicting himself? Never! He is talking about how he learns to master fear and turn it into courage!

Courage is a form of CONSTRUCTIVE COPING! Courage travels with CONFIDENCE. Confidence comes from the Latin "con fideo," which means "with faith." We are most vulnerable to the enemy when we are lacking confidence (lacking the "with faith" factor). Courage travels with confidence because courage requires a number of components: fear, risk, purpose and ACTION (when you have DONE the will of God...Hebrews 10:36).

It would seem that the writer to the Hebrews is telling us that confidence (which requires courage, and we are commanded to be STRONG and COURAGEOUS) is an internal state that is made up of perceiving the risk, experiencing the fear, and overcoming the fear in order to take action. When you throw away your confidence - think in self-ebilitating ways; when you hold fast your confidence and your confession - think in self-nhancing ways that strengthen your experience in Christ.

Just remember that in Christ - faith begins where yours ends. And He is the HOPE of GLORY within you. That means that the higher your level of hope in the acting out of courage, the lower your fear goes. Hope shows you that your success is on the pathway of faith.

God will give you what you need. In Christ's faith you already possess all the necessary resources, skills, abilities, the will (for it is Him doing His Father's will through you), and the pathway to overcoming (He is THE WAY or the pathway), and you have what it takes to overcome any setbacks you may be facing.

When the enemy comes, there is a standard in you that God raises up. See yourself succeeding and discover that as Kingdom success is your goal (which is basically being faithful to The Father), you will regulate your actions in the face of opposition from the enemy while he is threatening to undermine your existence.

Your perseverance will be for the possessing and the restoring of your soul!

A Prophetic Word of Encouragement

Here is a fresh prophetic word that the Lord gave me for you:

"For in this season of turmoil, do not fear! Lean back on My Power, My All-sufficient Power. For I am not unaware of your troubles or the assails of the enemy. I have seen his foolishness in thinking he can persuade you to give in. This is only a season for the perfecting of My faith in YOU. I have conquered what you are facing already. I AM WITH YOU, I AM IN YOU. I WAR FOR YOU, I WAR THROUGH YOU. Let My faith be released against your enemy. He fears Me and therefore He fears you.

This will be a decisive season in your maturity for My Kingdom, and I will prevail through you. I will protect you in your going out and your coming in. Your tears will be tears of release and tears of joy, I will also restore your soul. Goodness and Mercy are following you, remind yourself of these things. This temporary affliction will pass in spite of the lies of the prince of darkness. Let your heart be strong and take courage, soon there is a new level of enlargement coming your way.

For every clash between the Kingdom of Light and the kingdom of darkness, I will release My Spiritual Titans in this season! The wars of the Lord will be fought against the gates of hell and the Warriors of the Lord will prevail. And for every fight there will be a new kind of split decision! Not a split decision as to whether the enemy won or My people won, rather the enemies of My people will be split on whether I defeated them or My People defeated them. For these will be days when the enemy will not be able to distinguish between Me and My people for there is a new level of the manifestation of unity between Heaven and earth. Hell is in confusion for the saints are rising in this day of warfare!

While there are tempests and trials, there is a deep underlying assurance I have given to My people in this hour. The people of God are on the brink of a great surge of the release of My power and My irresistible PEACE!For My Peace will crush the enemy under your feet in the days of battle.

And know that there are hidden factors lying in the secret places of the hearts of My people that will come into play in these days. Even as John the Baptist was in hiding in the wilderness before the days of his public appearing, there are hidden factors in My people that have been hidden for a season and for a time that will now be made manifest for the purpose of Kingdom advancement.

Rejoice My People, for these are days when things long-waited for will begin to emerge from the deep places in your hearts. The secrets of your hearts are being revealed. War with Me for sweet victory lies just ahead!"

Much love,

Mark J. Chironna Mark Chironna Ministries
Email: markchironna@markchironna.com
as posted on www.elijahlist.com

When You Fail You Simply Learn A Way NOT To Do Something - You Have Not Blown It When You Fail

2007-09-16T18:23:00.000+01:00

Be encouraged to see apparent failures as stepping stones. When you fail you've simply learned how not to do something. Pick yourself up and try another way.

I hope this article by Robert Riccardelli will encourage you to dust yourself down and have another go.

THAT'LL PLAY! YOU HAVE NOT BLOWN IT WHEN YOU HAVE FAILED

There is a golf term that is used often after a player has hit the ball in the direction of the green. The ball may have not landed in the desired location (the place you were aiming), yet, there is still hope to get the next shot one step closer to the mark. An encouraging phrase that is sometimes used is, "That'll play," which means, "You have not blown it." You are still in the game and can believe for a better shot on your next swing.

A friend of ours was recently playing golf with his son. His son is grown, has a family, and has experienced success and failure along the path of life. On one of the fairways, the son hit a wayward shot that would normally frustrate the average golfer. The father said, "Son, that'll play." The son reflected on the many times his father had encouraged him with this phrase on the golf course, but also, how many more times this expression had encouraged him as a principle for life. His Dad had always been there to remind him that no matter how many times he blew it--it was okay. He knew his dad was proud of him, and had felt continual love and encouragement to trust the Lord's abounding grace in every situation.

What a wonderful picture of a father who loves and encourages his son no matter how many times he misses the mark in his life. This is a tremendous example of the Father's love for us when we have failed. He is always saying, "My dear children, in Me and through Me--that'll play."

What a comfort to know that we do not have to worry about our past. The Father is saying, "It does not matter, take another swing towards the upward calling I have for you." So, if you have hooked your life into the deep, rough, and have sliced your life onto the fairway of failure, that'll play--just readjust your aim, lean into the wind of the Holy Spirit, allowing His presence to guide you, swing again, and continue to walk the course the Lord has set for you.

Get Back Into the Game

Some helpful reminders in getting back into the game of Spirit-led, Kingdom living:

Start Where You Are: No matter where you have been, you can start now by turning away from unfruitful living. Repent and the Lord will forgive you and not hold your past against you. Begin where you are. Where you are is good enough for our God as you give the rest of your life to Him today, this very moment.

Use What You Have: The Father has created you in His image with incredible potential inside of you just waiting to be released. You have gifts and talents beyond what you realize and they can be used today. Do not be deceived in thinking you do not have enough to give to this world. You have everything you need and you have the Father to fill in the gaps along the way.

Do What You Can: You do not need to hit "a hole in one." You only need to stay in the game and do the best that you can as the Holy Spirit navigates your steps. All you can do is truly--all you can do. So, be at peace and rest in Him.

Love, Love, Love: Love is the answer. God is love, so Jesus and love are the answer. Love God with all of your heart and love yourself, because God loves you and created you with greatness in mind. As you build from the foundation of love, you can love those around you and even your enemies. Watch as His Presence in you begins to extend from your life to impact others and even transform the spiritual climate, wherever He leads you. This is all to the glory of God as you begin walking anew this day.

Pull Out That Driver: So you have blown it like every other human being. Maybe you hit the rough more times than others. In the agape love of our wonderful Savior, it does not matter. It matters that you do not give up. It matters that you get on the course again, put the ball on the tee, pull out that driver, and rip it down the fairway of your new life.
Do not fear as you give it a go, because whether you hook, slice, or hit the mark, in Jesus--"That'll play."

Robert Ricciardelli Vision Advancement Strategies Email: info@vision2advance.com

As posted on the Elijah List www.elijahlist.com email: info@elijahlist.net

We Are A People Who Will Do Great Exploits

2007-09-13T18:58:00.000+01:00

Consider This

You are a child of God and were born again in order to do great exploits. In the Old Testament these exploits were perhaps more exciting and visible as the mighty men of David killed hundreds and thousands of enemies for God.

You were born again not so that you could wait and enjoy the God-life upon your death and entrance into heaven. No, you were born again so that you could experience the God-life (the abundant life) right now; right here where you live, work, and play regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in.

You may not free a nation thru miraculous signs and wonders, you may not slay a Goliath in front of a multitude of men, and maybe you will not get promoted from menial housekeeper to ruler over the land. But, then again, maybe you will!

Consider this: YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD and were created to do great exploits.

Great Exploits = Defeating the works of the enemy
Great Exploits = Expanding God's dominion of love and grace

You can be this person. You are this person of great exploits. God says it about you and I believe it. Believe it with me!

Your great exploit may be praying and slaying a co-worker's giant of cancer. It could be standing in the gap for a family that is going thru a financial catastrophe. It may look like a smile and an encouraging word each and every day you walk into work.

It could be stepping up to the plate and leading a needed ministry and providing a service in your community. It might mean being a dad or a mom and providing for someone without family.

Maybe it looks normal to you and you are already naturally doing it. Look at it again and do it as unto God and it will produce supernatural fruit.
Learn to THINK BIG, BELIEVE BIG and BE BIG; not for your selfish gain but for the sake of the rest of the world around you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Les_Herron

A Year of New Beginnings

2007-08-28T11:15:00.000+01:00

This is a long post but well worth the read. I hope it will inspire you to look for more and raise your expectations.

May the Lord cause His face to shine upon you and give you peace.

"Embracing the Year 5768

Be Simple and Let this be the Year of the New Beginning!"

Introduction by by Jessica L. Miller:

Many years ago, when I was in my early thirties, I had a profound prophetic dream that filled me with unquenchable longing for revival (the manifest sustaining presence of God). The dream was long and detailed, the following is a small piece of it:

I was walking up a green hill carrying a hard bound book. I reached the top of the hill and stood under a huge majestic oak tree. I realized I was middle aged (which is about now in real time - the dream being 14 years ago). I looked at the book in my hands and saw that it was bound in beautiful elegant cream colored paper. Embossed on the cover in gold was an enormous oak tree (similar to the one I was standing under). In a circle around the oak tree were the words, "The Full Circle of Life," also in gold.

I opened the book and read about my life, about my future and about the greatest revival of all time (a revival with a beginning but with no end). One of the hallmarks of the revival that stood out was "creative miracles" - not just blind eyes opening - but eyes forming where there had been none, and much, much more. I wept as I read the account of the impact that the miraculous would have on the world, and the mind boggling masses of people who would become born again lovers of Jesus as a result.

In all the years that have followed, that dream has never been far from my heart or mind.
As publications manager here at the ElijahList, one of the great things I get to do is chase down prophetic authors for articles. While working on a recent project, I realized we were entering into the time frame of the Jewish New Year 5768. We asked Chuck Pierce for the prophetic meaning of the year 5768, which begins at sundown September 13th. You can imagine my surprise and thrill when he told us this:

"The Year of Samekh Chet...The Year of the Full Circle of Life...A New Beginning Is Yours."
jmiller@elijahlist.net

Chuck D. Pierce: Embracing the Year 5768 - Be Simple and Let this be the Year of the New Beginning!

For years, I have taken the Hebrew calendar and looked at the meaning of the numbers and prayed for my year to reflect His year! When we are serving the Lord and seeking His Kingdom plan, I believe each year brings new challenges and new joys for each of us. The Hebrew number system has always helped me as I focus each year on decreeing the "best" the Lord has for me and my family and those connected with me.

I do not think you have to understand the Hebrew year to know the will of God. However, in Hebrew, numbers have word meanings, which have picture meanings, which have sounds. This brings a fuller perspective than just saying we have entered the year 2008. The Hebraic year 5768, which will encompass the Gregorian calendar's, Year of the Lord 2008 A.D., is the "The Year of Samekh Chet!" That means we are coming into "The Year of the Full Circle of Life - A New Beginning Is Yours!"

Time is an interesting concept. God is not in time as we are in time. Our Father has access to every moment in our lives from beginning to end as though they were the present. By the Holy Spirit, we can actually access those times in our pasts when we felt abandoned, abused, betrayed, fearful, happy, fulfilled, or any other emotion or condition. Not only can the believer be forgiven for the past, they can also travel back in time with God, see Him as "a very present help" in the past, and redeem those past times that the enemy wanted to use for evil.

Stepping Into Time

Imagine for a moment that all of eternity is represented by a large piece of paper. This is where God is: unlimited by time and space. Now draw a line on that piece of paper that represents time with a beginning and an end. This line begins when God instituted time at creation, and it will end when God says, "Time's up!" Man lives on the line, while God can step in and out of time according to His purposes and plans. God sees all of time at once and doesn't have to wait for anything to happen; all is present for Him. This is a simplified explanation of a complex idea, but it works.

We, however, must learn to respond to Him within time. We are called to represent Him as ambassadors in our generation. The decisions and actions we take now affect three generations ahead. Therefore, when we know how the Lord wants us to respond and we do so, His glory infiltrates the earth and we see Him change our atmosphere and environment. Because of God's position relative to time, He can - and often does - seem to answer our prayers before they have been uttered!

God has chosen us as the necessary link to bring His will from Heaven to earth. He wants us to commune with Him, listen carefully to His voice, gain prophetic revelation, and decree that revelation into the earth. This will unlock miracles and release His blessings. Once we hear God, we can intercede. We can also prophesy. Prophecy is declaring His mind and His heart. When we receive prophetic revelation, we need to decree the prophetic revelation and then the atmosphere into which we decree goes on "Heaven's time" instead of "earth time."

A Season Of War!

Issachar was the tribe that knew how to move into the new. They were a tribe that understood times and seasons. Consequently, I have tried to present that tribe in the earth today so God's children would know the times we are living in and what we should do to ready ourselves to advance in the earth. We entered a new season of war in the Hebraic year 5762.

Before I share on the year ahead, I felt the necessity of reviewing the last several years. This will give you a good record of how we have gotten to where we are today. By looking at the Hebraic numbers, we can perceive the revelation we need to decree a new thing. Once we decree a thing, we then watch to see God's will manifest. Revelation builds! Revelation overcomes the gates of hell! Revelation gives us the keys to the Kingdom.

Because I could foresee the war season ahead of its onset, I wrote "The Future War of the Church" to help God's people get prepared with the mindset of the season. This season is very real to most of us now. Here is a summary from a Hebraic perspective of the season we have been living in:

5762/2001-2002: The Beginning of Wars for 7 Years. This was ushered in with the tragedy of September 11, when the World Trade Center was destroyed by terrorist activities. This war over God's covenant plan in the earth began. The war over passing the mantle to the next generation began.

5763/2002-2003: A Sabbath Day Rest Year - A time of increasing faith; a year to ride the bull. Changing economic structures began and will fully manifest over the next five years.

5764/2003-2004: The Year of Samekh Hei! A year filled with secrets, mysteries and surprises; a year to run with the horses, gain new strength and roar louder than the roaring lion.

5765/2004-2005: A Year to Circle, Surround and Plunder the Enemy's Camp. A year of violent praise! A year of hurricanes! A time the wind of Heaven brought change in the earth.

5766/2005-2006: The Year of Samekh Vav! A year of staking your claim in the midst of the whirlwind. A time to overthrow old mindsets that have held you captive!

5767/2006-2007: The Year of Samekh Zayin! The year of seven is always a year of completion and fulfillment. This was a time to finish strong. The number seven, Zayin, is a sword with a crown. How you have overcome in the past season causes you to receive favor for your future! The sword is the Word so we are living in a time of the prophetic decrees!

Hebrews equate the passage of time as the life cycle. The Hebrews saw man as participating in two time dimensions. One "age" of time was temporal. We were placed in nature and we interact with the laws of science around us. The other dimension of time was an age to come. 1 Corinthians 2:6-8 says,

"However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."

Wisdom is available that God has stored for a time such as this. We can get to a place to gain wisdom that no enemy of hell has access to. From a Hebraic mindset, events that occurred through life created smaller styles of review of a bigger picture of life. When one summed up all of these smaller temporal cycles, the finite age was determined. We are living in a year of "summing up." We are not just living from year to year, but when you look at the season as a whole, you see the Lord doing something in our generation. He is preparing us to move more quickly and advance in Kingdom purpose in days ahead.

The Kingdom Of God Is Moving Forward!

"The Kingdom is ruled by grace and love--not by rules, regulations and laws."

Kingdom life in the earth realm was used to help individuals understand the Kingdom of God. There are two terms throughout the Bible that we must embrace and understand: the "Kingdom of God" and the "Kingdom of Heaven." Anyone who willingly subjects themselves to the sovereign rule of a Holy God is aligned with Kingdom Principles.

The "Kingdom of Heaven" represents the rule that God asserts on the earth at any given period in time. This is what links Kingdom understanding to time. John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostles all announced that the Kingdom of God was "at hand." As a matter of fact, the Lord said, "the Kingdom of God is within you." If this is so, then when the King moves, we must move with Him.

The manifested rule of God on the earth is ever-maturing. The Kingdom of God represents God's rule in the earth realm. The King is moving us from "just going to church" to understanding His Kingdom in our territory. He is bringing us into a place of dominion, occupation, and ruling with Him in the spheres and places He has assigned us. Jesus taught so much on the Kingdom.

The Kingdom is GOOD NEWS! Kingdom life was proclaimed throughout the three years that we have record of Jesus ministering in the earth realm, with His authority.

The Kingdom is NOT based on needs, since "the poor will always be with us." Jesus gave us a responsibility to work with the poor, orphans, and widows, but on the other hand, He also showed us the necessity to lavishly worship Him as Mary did in John 10.

The Kingdom cannot be controlled by civil government. Through the ages, civil government has made the attempt to govern and rule God's government in the earth. However, the Kingdom is not based on worldly patterns. Another important fact that we must all recognize is that we cannot comprehend the Kingdom by our natural mind. The mind is at enmity with God and longs to be conformed to the world around it. However, as we renew our minds, we break out of worldly conformity and move into seeing Kingdom life in the midst of the societal structures that are molding us.

The Kingdom cannot be obtained by ambition. The exciting thing about the Kingdom is that it cannot be POSTPONED! The Kingdom is filled with power. Over these last two decades, we have seen Kingdom government for the next season of God in the earth realm.

A Kingdom people understand Kingdom grace. The Kingdom is ruled by grace and love - not by rules, regulations and laws. God has appointed Kingdom administrators for every age. We find those gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11-14.

We Are Moving From Glory To Glory - The Year 5768

You are being positioned to make a transition into the next realm of glory. Here are eight key issues that we can look forward to as we enter the Hebraic year 5768 and mature through the year ahead! First of all, the last two years actually come together to form this year's momentum. The two symbols of Vav and Zayin come together to form the symbol for Chet. In other words, the staking your claim and the sword with a crown actually join together to produce your new beginning.

You will begin something new! Even if you refused to shift into a visible new dimension, your present state is your new state. With God, He will meet you where you are and cause you to start new if you yield! You can catch up quickly and gain momentum even if you have resisted change. If you do not yield, your new place will be your old cycle with the old structures reinforced seven times.

The number eight is always linked with "new beginnings!" This Hebrew word is linked with life and being hot! We are entering into a year where we must choose to be hot, filled with passion, so we conceive our future! Choose the fire and the zeal of God!

This is a year of manifestation! There will be a physical manifestation of what you have been watching and waiting to see!
You can supernaturally transcend your limitations and begin your new era.
The land and the Heavens align to create a new Divine Presence in your atmosphere.
"Dominion" will be the key word for this year! Rule where you have been positioned. Rule or watch the "wild beasts" gain ground in your land.
This is a year that God's people will have great authority over their enemies. The nations against you can be driven out of your land! All squatters must go from your inheritance or they gain "squatters rights" and their encroachment will remain another season. Land is equated to the state of our mind. Therefore, this is the year to transform the mind so we have a new victory mentality in the war season we are living in.
Subdue your "animal impulses." Find your place of deliverance and do not let any wild beast enter your highway. Be aggressive to overthrow all poverty mentality! "A lion is on the road, I will hide myself," should not be your theme. Stand firm and face any transgression so you can move down your path! Isaiah 35 is a key for us this year.
Exodus 23 is also key this year. God forms His covenant with us to advance into our future destiny. This applies to families, regions and nations. If we have forgotten and rejected His covenant in areas, that will not be a part of our future. We must return and review our covenant roots and realign now!
Fasten yourself to the Lord. Don't let the enemy's hook drag you off the stage of your future! Break your orphan spirit! Return to a place of innocence! The secret place calls you forth. Stay in the secret place so you can be sent forth on key missions. The book of John and all of his Epistles are key for our transition this year.

I am writing this article earlier than usual. However, I started thinking of the year ahead at Passover time this past year. I left early one morning and came to the office to seek the Lord. While I was meditating on where we had come from since September 2001 and the year of seven, and looking at various Biblical words linked with the number eight, my wife, Pam, called to share a dream.

You should first know that Pam's favorite Scripture passage is Ephesians 5:8-16,

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: 'Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.' See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

To redeem means to "buy back" or "to be released from prison." We have been in a buying - back season. This year we must receive the prize of our battles!

This is the dream she shared: "I woke up slowly this morning, to the sound of singing birds, and it was as though I was walking through a curtain that divided the dream world from the waking world. As I lay there, I began remembering my dream: 'I was with a group of travelers, none of whom I recognized, but I knew they were important to me. We were told we had to take a trip, but we had no luggage, tickets or itinerary. We were standing in a hallway similar to one you might see in an airport, waiting for our departure.

Suddenly, this strong wind began to blow down the hallway (wind tunnel) and push us toward the open end of the corridor. As we got closer to the end of the corridor, some kind of portal opened up, but it wasn't like what you see in the science fiction show, Stargate! The light was warm, and as we entered the portal area, we were disembodied and transported to another place. Strangely, the other place didn't look any different than the place we had just been. However, it was not the same place. We were inside a building, made mostly of glass.

We all knew we had to fly to get where we needed to go. Well, none of us knew how to fly, but we just took off and started flying around the lobby. The people in the lobby were amazed and started reaching for us, saying they wanted to fly, too. We knew we needed more momentum to get to where we needed to be, so we landed softly, turned around, and got a running start before launching ourselves from a mini trampoline in the cafe area of the lobby. Instantly, we were outside the building, in a country setting, and we knew our mission: rescue a captive in the nearby village and bring him/her back with us.

The mission itself is still vague, but I remember what happened when we were ready to return. One of the villagers wanted to go with us but knew it wasn't possible, so he gave each of us a tiny jewel case. Mine was a small, gold case encrusted with pearls. Inside the case were bits and pieces of broken jewelry: pearls, gold beads, crystals. Each case had a word on it. The word on the outside of mine was "Simplify." We thanked the one who gave us the gifts, then turned to launch back into the sky for the return trip. That's when the birds woke me up."

5768 Will Be A Year Of Momentum!

The year ahead will not only be a year to begin a fresh season in your life, but 5768 will be a year when the Body of Christ gains momentum. An object with momentum is difficult to stop. To stop such an object, it is necessary to apply a force against its motion for a given period of time. The more momentum which an object has, the less likely to stop its forward motion. Thus, it would require a greater amount of force or a longer amount of time (or both) to bring an object with more momentum to a halt.

As the force acts upon the object for a given amount of time, the object's "velocity" is changed. When a force acts for a given amount of time, an object's "momentum" changes. If the force acts opposite of the object's motion, it slows the object down. If a force acts in the same direction as the object's motion, then the force speeds the object up. Either way, a force will change the velocity of an object.

This will be a year when forces vie for momentum. God will be moving on us! Will we respond to Him? The enemy forces that we have not resisted will be moving with force to slow down a Kingdom that is advancing in the earth realm. We must bind the strongman's operation and gain access to the spoils. We must start moving as the people of God did when they left Egypt and keep moving until we reach the manifested Promise for this generation. We must not allow the voices of fear, unbelief and doubt to stop us from advancing. There will be three 40-day periods when we overthrow major strongholds that are holding treasures captive.

5768 Will Be A Year Of Impulse!

In physics, force when multiplied by time equals the mass multiplied by the change in velocity. This is known as impulse. Impulse is one body, individual or kingdom working against another. Impulse is the effect of force being communicated. This results in motion. Once things get in motion, they are hard to stop. The Body of Christ will advance with great momentum in the year ahead!

Impulse can be very negative. We must know what is driving us. The Holy Spirit must be preeminent in our lives. The year of 5768/2008 will be the year that we are driven to accomplish our desires. This will be a year that supernatural power has access to mankind. We must stay under the influence of the Holy Spirit or else other spirits will drive us to agree with the plans of darkness in the earth.

The violent are taking the Kingdom of Heaven by force. There are certain changes in the earth that have occurred in the last seven years and have created motion that cannot be stopped. The kingdom of darkness must give way to the Kingdom of God that is advancing with new strength. The supernatural power of God being released on His people is creating much motion and change in the earth.

We are under the impulsion or driving force of a King who wants to see change in the world today. We must gain momentum now! As we learn to move in our proper spheres of authority in the earth realm, we will harness God's power and then release that power. The year ahead will be a transforming year for God's people. Once we are transformed, we will see cities, regions and nations changed. Harvest fields that are ripe will be entered with great enthusiasm. Do not let carnal impulses guide you!

God will visit you in time. Be expectant to watch for His coming visitation in your life. We are a people on the move. God has a Kingdom that is within us. The Kingdom of God is advancing. We are moving from fellowship into war. We are moving from praise to jubilation as we see a manifestation of His promises in our life cycle. This is a year of transcending and taking back what has been held in captivity. However, remember Pam's word, "Simplify," to go back and forth with ease until the new is established.

To summarize, this will be the year to "Go through the eye of needle!" Remove all and get through your narrow place and into the new!

Chuck D. Pierce Glory of Zion Ministries
As posted on the Elijah list http://www.elijahlist.com/ info@elijahlist.net

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Cup of Hope - Amazing Faith

2007-08-23T00:01:00.000+01:00

Cup of Hope - Amazing Faith
By Hope Wilbanks

On Monday night, April 9th, around 11 pm, I was awakened by the sound of someone yelling and crying and beating on the door. Alarmed, I woke up Robert then ran to the door to find my little sister Faith standing there in her pajamas crying, “The house is on fire!”

My stomach sank to my toes.

“Where are the kids?” I asked Faith.

“They’re in the car,” she replied. “James in still in the house!” I ran back inside and told Robert to hurry, that Faith’s house was on fire.

Faith’s four-year-old son, Dylan got out of the car and came towards where we stood in the driveway. His entire body shook as he tried to tell me that his house was on fire. I ran inside and grabbed a blanket to wrap around him, then brought him and Faith’s baby, Katie into the house.

I went back outside to where Faith stood sobbing in the driveway. We watched as the billowing smoke erupted into flames.

I wrapped my arms around Faith and did the only thing I knew to do—pray. As I prayed, so did Faith.

“Thank You Jesus, because I know You know what’s best,” she prayed. There Faith stood, no shoes on her feet, only pajamas on, watching her house go up in flames, and thanking God.

A little bit later Faith wanted to go make sure James was okay, so we got in her car and I drove us across the road to her house. Two fire trucks, an ambulance and countless cars lined the small road. We located James and the EMT checked all four family members vitals to ensure that none of them had suffered from smoke inhalation.

Standing in the drive, watching the firemen put out the last bit of flames, I heard Faith say to someone, “The devil is so stupid. He has tried every way possible to get to me. You’d think he’d have learned his lesson by now that I will NEVER turn my back on God.”

I felt an awesome power of God that night. I watched my little sister lose absolutely everything she had in that fire, yet her faith in God held her steady and strong through it all. She never once wavered, or asked God ‘why?’ She simply stood. It was almost as if I could see invisible roots, wrapped around the foot of the Cross, that held Faith up that night.

I desire faith like that. I want my faith to be so rooted and grounded in Christ that nothing on this earth can ever shake my foundation or faith in God. I want to be so close to God that I trust in His will, whatever that may be.

It’s so easy to get mad at God when things don’t go our way. It’s easy to throw up our hands and walk away when the going gets rough. But God promises us in His word that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. So no matter what trials we face, or what problems we have to work through, we have the assurance that God is right there beside us, carrying us, holding our hand through it all.

Cup of Hope is an uplifting devotional e-zine, devoted to today's Christian women and men. Cup of Hope brings encouragement to you through inspirational articles and ideas. A fresh edition of Cup of Hope is published monthly. Visit us online at http://www.cupofhopemag.com

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