Block Logic by Os Hillman

"For this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land" (Jer. 32:15).

In the scriptures we discover a difference in the way the Hebrew mind viewed things compared to the way many Westerners relate to God. Hebrews used something called Block Logic. That is, concepts were expressed in self-contained units or blocks of thought. These blocks did not necessarily fit together in any obvious rational or harmonious pattern.

Greek logic, which has influenced the Western world, was different. The Greeks often used tightly contained step logic which reason a premise to a conclusion, each step linked tightly to the next in coherent, rational, logical fashion.

This is why some Bible stories don't make sense to the western mind. It is particularly difficult for Westerners - those whose thought-patterns have been influenced more by the Greeks and Romans than by the Hebrews - to piece together the block logic of Scripture.

Consider Jeremiah and God's instruction to purchase land in a seemingly inopportune time. If I asked you to purchase some land when you knew that the country you were living in was about to be invaded and you were sure to be placed under arrest, how wise do you believe such an investment would be? Do you believe God would lead you to make such an investment? That is exactly what God told Jeremiah to do. However, God had a good reason for having Jeremiah make such a purchase. It was to be a testimony and a promise that God was going to restore the Jews to their land.

Hebrews made decisions based on obedience. Greeks (and Westerners) often made decisions on logic and reason. If the early church made decisions based on a pro and con method of decision-making, there would be no miracles in the Bible. i.e., such as getting the coin from the fish's mouth, walking around the walls of Jericho to take the city, Peter walking on water, etc.

We are not to question God's instructions. We are simply to obey.

Rick Joyner: Disciples of the Kingdom of Heaven - Seeing with Spiritual Eyes

Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the Kingdom of Heaven is like a head of a household, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old. Matthew 13:52
Some become disciples of other men; some become disciples of a certain movement, denomination, or doctrinal emphasis. In the verse we have been studying about the scribes who become disciples, Jesus specified that these would become disciples of "the Kingdom of Heaven" (see Matthew 13:52). He was obviously emphasizing that they were not to become disciples of those on earth, or earthly things, but of His heavenly Kingdom.

See Natural Things through Spiritual Eyes

The Apostle Paul is a good example of a disciple of the Kingdom of Heaven. He was one of the most learned men of his times. He had been a disciple of one of the most respected teachers of Israel, Gamaliel. He was an intellectual elite. For a time, this led him into direct conflict with the God he thought he was serving and a vehement persecutor of His truth. That is where being a disciple of men or of a specific sect will lead you. Then, by possibly the most famous and dramatic of all conversions, Paul becomes one of the most powerful contenders for the Gospel he had recently tried to destroy. How did this happen?
Of course, the Lord appeared to Paul on the Road to Damascus, which will not happen to everyone. Even so, there is an aspect of Paul's conversion that must happen to everyone who would become a disciple of the Kingdom of Heaven – Paul had to be struck blind in the natural so that he could see spiritually.
This is not a statement against learning or even learning from a natural perspective. Some of Paul's previous learning, even in philosophy and other disciplines, later helped him to both understand and promote the Gospel. However, he first had to learn to see natural things through spiritual eyes, rather than see spiritual things through natural eyes. This is the key to being a disciple of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Transformation

Seeing the natural through spiritual eyes instead of trying to see the spiritual through natural eyes is crucial, as we are told in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15:

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.

One of the primary blocks to any Christian growing up into Christ is this one factor. Few have, much less understood the need for the kind of transformation Paul experienced so that they could see from the perspective of the Kingdom of Heaven, not from an earthly, natural perspective. So how do we get this transformation?
It took God knocking Paul off of his horse to break through what was truly blinding him. It takes God to do this for all of us, but it does not have to be as dramatic as Paul's experience to get the final result. It may be better the way most do it who attain to this – they humble themselves instead of having the Lord humble them. We are told that we can judge ourselves and the Lord won't have to do it.
Paul did not get spiritual vision immediately after he received his natural vision back. By his own testimony, we know that he went away into the wilderness for between eleven and fourteen years. Then after he was commissioned to the apostolic ministry, the transformation continued. We can see a great and continuing change in him over the span of his ministry. It will likely be a lifelong process for all, and this is why we must remain disciples of the Kingdom of Heaven our whole life.
Paul, who was so steeped in natural knowledge and training, may have taken a bigger jolt and more severe discipline than others to go through this transformation. Some seem to have a much more "natural" tendency to be spiritual and adapt to seeing from a spiritual perspective. The main point here is that we must have this transformation, and presently very few do. This is why we must become "disciples of the Kingdom of Heaven," not disciples of the earthly.
Rick Joyner
MorningStar Ministries
Email: info@morningstarministries.org
Website: morningstarministries.org

The World's Measure is not the Same as the Kingdom's

The world honors those who are not always worthy of honor.  Sports stars.  People with high degrees.  Those who rise in politics. 

God looks at His Kingdom and the true honor belongs to those who make a difference.  Not those with the titles.  Not those with position.  Those who are last.  Small.  Seemingly insignificant.

“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”   Matthew 20:16

But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.  Luke 22:26

We are seeing this manifest in our day.  The high mighty are being brought low.  The humble are being exaulted.

You can choose.  Jesus said so.  Luke 14

7When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8“When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

10“Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

12Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. 13Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”

CONSIDER THE FAILURES by David Wilkerson

Would you consider Moses a failure? Hardly! He was to Israel what Washington and Lincoln together were to America—and much more. But look closely at the great lawgiver's life. His career began with a murder, followed by forty years of hiding from justice.

Moses was a man of fear and unbelief. When God called him to lead the Israelites out of slavery, he pleaded, "I am not eloquent . . . I am slow of speech” (Exodus 4:10). All his life, Moses longed to enter the Promised Land, but his failures kept him out. Even so, in Hebrews 3:1-2, God compares Moses' faithfulness to Christ's. Moses’ failures did not keep him out of God's Hall of Champions.

We usually think of Jacob as the great prayer warrior who wrestled with the angel of the Lord and prevailed. Yet this man's life was filled with glaring failure. As a youth Jacob deceived his blind father in order to steal his brother's inheritance. He despised his wife Leah while he nursed a great secret love for her sister, Rachel. He did not accept his responsibility as a husband.

Here was a man caught in a web of trickery, theft, unfaithfulness and polygamy. Nevertheless, we still worship the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob.

King David, a mighty warrior and singer of psalms, delighted in the law of the Lord and posed as the righteous man who would not stand among sinners. Yet, how shocking are the weaknesses of this great man. Taking Bathsheba from her husband Uriah, he sent that unsuspecting man to death at the front lines of his army. The prophet Nathan declared that this double sin gave great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.

Picture the great king standing by the casket of his dead illegitimate child, a stolen wife at his side, and a world filled with enemies who cursed God because of his notorious sins. Yet, God called David a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

If you are discouraged by your failures, I have good news for you. No one is closer to the kingdom of God than the man or woman who can look defeat in the eye, face it, and move on to a life of peace and victory. Despite failure, keep moving on! It is often after a failure that a man does his greatest work for God.

Dutch Sheets: Renewed Hope for America

"Stay the Course"
In recent visits to Arkansas and Mississippi, the hunger of the people, the release of revelation and moving of Holy Spirit far exceeded my expectations. These states are on God's radar – He is going to move there with the spirit of revival in powerful ways. I had an especially strong sense while there that many prodigals will soon be returning to Father. God is about to draw them back to Himself with an irresistible force!

I also heard Holy Spirit say, "Opposition, both from the Church and the world, will increase as we break out of normal. Religious spirits will insist on maintaining old structures and systems, and the kingdom of darkness will react aggressively to the spirit of revival. Don't be alarmed at this. Stay the course and resist the demonic pressure!"
The first step in resisting the enemy is being aware of his tactics. Keep your eyes and ears open and don't be surprised. Offensively resist his plans.

He Has Promised!

The Lord also said, "Strategies will begin to change for congregations, ministries and even businesses."
Just as the strategy of the Lord for John the Baptist changed when Jesus began His ministry, Holy Spirit is about to speak new plans, ideas, activities and methods to those who are listening. Change is in the air! Listen carefully for His instruction concerning your ministries and businesses!

Finally, I heard Him say, "The Intercessors are weary. Breakthroughs are hanging from Heaven waiting for those who will receive a second wind and lay hold!"
The long season of praying for revival and outpouring has caused many to grow weary. Some have lost heart; others are simply tired and listless. We must pray for them, and each of us must stir ourselves into renewed intercession, encourage ourselves in the Lord, and receive renewed strength.
Let God's wind blow on you and lay hold to His promises! He has promised and He will bring it to pass!

Renewed Hope For America

I recognize that the mandate upon my life in this season is to restore hope to America and be a voice for awakening and reformation. The fear of the Lord compels me to carry out this mandate with steadfast determination. The Lord is so kind to continuously make it undeniably clear that this race I am running is one that He has clearly marked out for me, and the message I am preaching is precisely what is on God's heart for America at this time. The past few weeks have been extremely encouraging.
I met with a group of pastors in Louisiana last month whom, like many, are tired of business as usual. They are tired with of the lack of fruit, tired of competing with one another for members, and tired of losing the culture war for the soul of our nation. But they are also full of faith! This faith is motivating them to pray—really pray—and seek God together. With a burning desire to tear down walls that divide and debilitate us, they're holding joint services (on Sundays!), dreaming together and making plans to impact their region with revival and reformation. These church leaders are serious about being the Ekklesia!

Thereafter, I ministered in Canfield, Ohio and Beaumont, Texas, where we experienced powerful moves of God. Many leaders were present in each of those gatherings, crying out for God to bring awakening and reformation to America. These stirrings, and the desperation of leaders is encouraging. They are great signs of the kind of hunger needed to generate revival.

While in Ohio I received one of the strongest and most encouraging words I've been given in a long time. After hearing me teach on awakening and reformation, noted author and teacher, Dr. Myles Monroe, grabbed me—literally—and said:
"I now have hope for America!" He went on to say over and over, "You are right! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!" Then he said to me, "You are a reformer! Take it to the nation! You'll be called to Washington DC, to state capitols and to cities. They will seek your counsel and wisdom. You are called to reform this nation."

I feel this word burning in my spirit. I am thinking, praying and processing through what he prophesied. I believe God has told me a new season of great favor is coming. Many doors will open into new arenas that will bring expanded influence and fruit.

I feel this is a word for all of us. The challenges of our era will be met by incredible grace and power. Position yourself now to receive this. Spiritual promotions are being prepared now for many. Move upward into yours.

Spirit of Awakening

I want to help you see what God is already doing in cities across America as the spirit of awakening sweeps across the nation—the unexpected in the least likely of places. As I travel from week to week, I am seeing an increased presence of the Lord as remnants of Believers pursue God with great intensity. I am witnessing miraculous healings, deliverances and profound prophetic revelation—even to the unsaved. There are major shifts in strategy taking place within the Body, and provision and favor is coming from unexpected sources. With great joy, I can also say that I am seeing the prodigals return home.

For the hope of our nation,

Dutch Sheets
Dutch Sheets Ministries
Email: click here

The Spiritual Concentration Camp

"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land-- not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.   Amos 8:11 

We are in that day right now. 

There is no word of the Lord.  Preaching and Teaching may contain the word of the Lord, but there is no proclamation or declaration.  The prophets are silenced.

The NUMBER ONE request I get as a Prophet is a fresh word of the Lord. 

The NUMBER TWO request I get is WHERE CAN I FIND A Church or fellowship that proclaims the Word of the Lord, that Honors the Word of the Lord, that promotes the Prophetic gift and the Prophet.  

The Body of Christ is starving to death, the famine is great.  You can see it in our vacant churches, in our corrupt government, in our broken culture.  It is a spiritual concentration camp of starving souls.  If you could see in the Spirit what I see; staggering starving people with gaunt spirits and bones showing in their lives.

Meanwhile The gatekeepers, the money ministry machines that control the only avenues people look for the bread of life... THE WORD OF THE LORD.  That which man should not live without..  How can we begin to feed the starving children of God in the USA. 

Kent Simpson: The Potter's Hands

I have a little story that somewhat explains the process of being shaped and molded by the Potter's hands. Each of us is nothing more than a clay vessel cleansed of its impurities. God chooses unworthy and broken vessels of clay for His work.
"Pausing, the Potter picks up an abandoned and broken vessel of clay. His empathetic tears fall upon its sinful nature, baptizing it, washing away the years of neglect and abuse. His compassion melts the vessel, resurrecting a new pliable texture. His newfound love for it begins to knead out the lumpy, hard features of its coarse and worldly ways.
"Finally the clay sighs in relief as it is gently placed in the center of the Master's view. He ponders with great thought about what He will make of this re-born vessel. Suddenly, the clay experiences a troubling intrusion. Spinning the wooden wheel, the Master begins to form the clay into His heart's delight.
As the clay feels the strong touch of the Master's hands, he also experiences the swirling of circumstances that he cannot control. Faster and faster, the Potter's wheel turns as He squeezes and shapes the clay, extending its faith and stature. Slowing the wheel, life's problems seem to cease. The Potter sits back and observes His renewed vessel. Noticing a few weaknesses in the vessel, He compresses the clay once again into a shapeless form. Whirling the wheel around even faster than before, causing confusion in the clay.
"As the Potter works the clay, it rises higher and higher. Each finger of the Potter's hand carves deep into the clay, creating deep paths of purpose and destiny. At last, the wheel comes to a halt and the Potter walks away. Standing all alone, the clay begins to cry out for the Master. To his surprise the Potter returns with a sharp, double-edge sword. "What could He possibly want to do with that?" stuttered the vessel. With one clean stroke of the sword of His Word, the clay vessel is freed from the wheel of calamity and confusion. Resting in the hands of its Master, the vessel experiences a great peace as he is handled delicately for a season.
"Having been placed in a small box, the vessel witnesses the closing of a door that only the Master can open. With great intensity a fire begins to breathe its fury all around the clay vessel. Sweating with fear, the vessel struggles to find faith in the midst of this seemingly cruel process. With every hour seeming like years, the vessel weeps every ounce of moisture from its being. Having no more strength of its own, the vessel begins to harden in the Refiner's fire.
As the vessel sees a new glow from his Master's flaming eyes, the vessel recounts its purpose for being created. It recalls the promise of the Potter's return; the vessel begins to reflect. Yearning for deliverance, the smoking vessel cries out with a burning desire to serve His Creator. As the Potter begins to remove the vessel from the furnace, the vessel vows to serve the Master with every part of his being.
Still glowing with passion to tell others about the Potter, the vessel pleads to be used for the Master's glory. Instead, the Potter places the vessel on a cold shelf, knowing that he could scorch another with his heated passion to share his experience. The vessel laments over this chilling experience, waiting impatiently to be called into the service of his Master.
"With each new day the once fiery zeal of the vessel draws cold. Discovering the vessel is cool to the touch and cannot harm those who handle it, the Master takes him from the shelf. Knowing he is called to serve the Master, the vessel waits patiently for the anointed brush of the Potter.
With each unique and personal stroke of the Master's brush, the vessel is gifted with a colorful destiny unlike any other. The vessel is complete, ready to be filled with the Master's glory. It is willing to be filled and emptied again and again, delivering hope to those who thirst for the Master's touch."
But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8
Kent Simpson, Prophetic Pastor
Prophetic Ministries Today
Email: PMT@propheticministries.org
Website: propheticministries.org
Kent Simpson is the pastor of Prophetic Ministries Today located in Gainesville, Texas. He is a former conservative bank president who gave up his lifestyle to follow God's calling to be His prophet. Prophet Kent has been hearing God for others since 1989 and has provided over 120,000 personal prophecy tapes to people all around the world. Believers, unbelievers, investors, business people, Norwegian parliament, and the Pentagon are some of the people who have sought his counseling through the years.

Eileen Fisher: I'm Closing Single Doors, But I'm Going To Open Double Doors

The following corporate prophetic word was given by Eileen Fisher on April 2, 2013 during her weekly Prophetic School of the Holy Spirit meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado:
I heard the Lord say, "I am going to start to move in secret places where I have not moved in before. You're about to see exposure in higher places that you've never seen happen before. You're also going to see a spirit of humility adopted by My Bride, because she is going to be in such a place of submission. You will recognize her obedience by watching her wash the feet of the saints in servanthood.

"She will not be looking to be looked upon. In fact, her eyes will be so fixed upon Me she won't even know who's looking upon her, because she will not care, because she will only have her eyes fixed on her Beloved."

He said, "I am looking for a people who will fix their eyes upon Me, and in the process of fixing their eyes upon Me, I am going to start to fix their eyes. In the literal, in the natural, you will begin to hear of people whose eyes have been touched and healed. You will begin to hear of people who have been trying to listen and listen, and you will hear their hearing has been given back to them. As they were growing to listen on the inside, it was an overflow to the outside."

Double Doors Will Cause The Waters To Part For My Spirit To Come In and Visit Fresh Upon My People to Fill Them

He said, "I am calling many of My people out of still, dead works. And I am calling them to come in to where there is action of My Spirit. When there is action there will bring a reaction. It will be a reaction of healing, of salvation, of the baptism of My Spirit. Get ready to be a people who look for the 'reactor' of the Lord your God."
He said, "And in this process, many of you are going to be compelled in the midnight hours to fall upon your knees and ask for the fresh calling. I'm going to start shutting down doors to places where you have become to be comfortable in. I'm going to close single doors; but I'm going to open double doors.
"The reason single doors will close is because it will be the singleness of man's thinking that I will be closing down. The double doors I am going to open is going to be 'the double door' that will cause the waters to part for My Spirit to come in and visit fresh upon My people to fill them.

Laughter, Healing and Hope

"Get ready for a move that will humble My people. They've tried to humble themselves, but," He said, "true humility comes when you rejoice in Me and acknowledge My greatness, for," He said, "You cannot but be humble when you are in the presence of an awesome God.

"I will humble My own, and it will not be with prayer and fasting, as days of old, but it will be with laughter, and healing, and hope. For I'm about to put up the trumpet, and you will hear an angel that will be sent forth, and it will not be the angel of long-suffering, but it will be the angel of provision, and the angel of gathering.

"And you will hear a new sound that will go forth, but you will recognize it because of the discernment I have put into your spirit this night. You will recognize the right call with the right note. And you will jump, and your spirit will leap, with acknowledgement of My Spirit. I am reawakening My generals who have gotten discouraged."
He said, "I'm shaking them to awakeness, and I'm going to start to put heaviness upon their heart. It will be a heaviness that will be of My presence, to where they will weep at My goodness, as Moses wept, and as I wept over Jerusalem. They will weep, but it will not be unto death, but it will be the weeping that will be unto the new birthing of revival.
"So be not concerned for changes, but keep your eyes fixed upon Me, for assignments will overtake you, and you will know they are by My Spirit. For there will come forth one voice, one battle cry, one agreement, and one provision, and it will be done by My Spirit," says the Lord your God, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Eileen Fisher
Eileen Fisher Ministries
Email:eileen@eileenfisher.org

The Snow Globe

When I am prophesying to someone it seems like the Lord is tell ME something sometimes.  I don't always hear nor remember what the Lord puts in my mouth.  Sometimes, however, it is so stirring that I hear it for myself.  I know other prophets have this event take place.  I read the ancient prophets and the words they brought had as much impact on them as it did on the hearers to which they were sent.

Tuesday night after prophesying to a dozen or so I was about to go home.  One more came to me.  I asked her first name as I always do.  I took her hands, closed my eyes and looked for the imagery that would lead to the Word of the Lord.  A snow globe appeared in the eye of the Spirit of prophecy.  A snow globe like ones you see that has a winter scene with liquid in a globe.  If you pick it up and shake it then for a bit the flakes fall, it looks like its snowing.  You can barely see the little house or figures in the globe as the "snowflakes" fall.  Then after it sits quietly for a bit it clears up.

The Lord said "Sometimes your life is like you are living in the center of a snow globe. All is well then something comes along to shake you, that shaking releases things that obscure your vision, distract, cloud your focus and take your eyes off the destiny I designed you for.  When the shaking comes, stay quiet.  Settle.  Focus and your temporary confusion will fall to the ground.

The shaking you feel is not coming from ME.  It is attack and discouragement coming from the fallen one.  Be of good courage, even though you can't see when the shaking comes... I AM still here. With you.  In you.  Around you.  I will never leave you."

It spoke to me... it spoke to the woman I was prophesying to and I hope it will speak to you.  Next time things seem a bit fuzzy or cloudy... remember the snow globe.

The Apostle Paul Speaks to THIS GENERATION

The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

Tis a gift to be simple

"And the smaller we made our life—no job, no house, not much money—the larger it became in terms of appreciation. There is a sense of privilege rather than of deprivation which comes with simplicity. Bread and oil and wine are a feast.A length of silk is a treasure. A day, a whole string of days spent walking and thinking and lying down in a field or wading in a river—not knowing if it’s the wind that makes you shiver or the revelation that this, this is how you really want to live—these composed our perspective. None of this is to say that in dreams there are no responsibilities. All dreams, at least the ones you really want to come true, begin with work. And so one invents the next thing to do. And the next one after that. Simplicity is not for the faint-hearted. Nor for the feint-hearted either." – Marlena de Blasi

On the Oklahoma Tornadoes of Yesterday

I listened for the voice of the Lord about the devastation in Oklahoma. I was hoping for some consolation. Some wisdom. Some explanation. He was not silent. He said, "The carnal mind is always looking for a reason, for someone or something to blame. Don't allow yourself to be as the godless are. Give thanks for your life, for every breath. Mourn with those who mourn. Share joy with those who were spared. The fear is not for the loss of your life, but for the loss of your eternal destiny. This is not judgement or anger. This is as it has always been. Rain falling on the just and unjust and sunshine on those who in your reason should not deserve it. Spread love, be salt and light, stay steady and vigilant. You do not KNOW the day nor hour of your times. My comfort dwells in you and will ever be."

PERFECTED UNDER PRESSURE By Olufunso Joseph Omidiran www.livingsword.org

Hebrews 5:7-9   7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;  9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Today God has a special mission on earth and goes to find raw materials to achieve His aim. Human instruments (men, women, boys and girls) are His main raw materials.
Pressure!


God’s instruments are permitted to be tempted and pressed ─put under pressure. Pressure can come from
-God Himself when He purposely tests us (e.g. Genesis 22; Hebrews 11:17). Just like a school teacher, He is often quiet while the test is going on!
Hebrews 11:17 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, OFFERED UP Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son
Abraham was tested by God; he was put under pressure by God, so to speak. In divine estimation he was found worthy and it was adjudged that Abraham had ALREADY offered his son as a sacrifice to God. God blessed and gave Abraham a pass mark. We are also able to receive a blessing and a pass mark from the One who called.


-Self. Pressure from self is all because of our own selfish ambition/target, self-indulgence as well as personal aim/agenda/pursuit. This is a ‘cross’ created/designed by you and for you! When Jesus says “carry your cross and follow Me”, it’s all because He already has a cross designed for you by Himself. You may put your spirit, soul and body under pressure because of a burden/problem you decided to carry on your own. This is awful and ridiculous ─ don’t put the blame on God, but on yourself when your expectation fails. God will not back what He has not started/created/initiated.
-Devil/Enemy. Adversity abounds around us, even when we have chosen to do God’s will. The devil and his agents will do all they can to frustrate us and hell could be let lose, so to speak. The good news is that God will still keep/stand by us. He strengthens and fortifies us against all adversity (Hebrews 5:7-9). It should be expected that there will be resistance or opposition to God’s will from the camp of the devil. This is simply logical, isn’t it?


What Jesus did while under Pressure (Luke 22: 39-46)
Jesus is the Brightness of His glory and Express Image of the Invisible God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3), the Perfect Picture of how a man should be and what we ought to do. The most acceptable and honourable man before God is the one who is like Jesus. He also taught us to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him (Matthew 11:29, 30). See what He did while under pressure:

    He prayed, prayed, prayed and prayed! (v 41).
    He still had the time to carry His disciples along. He took them with Him to Gethsemane (v 39).
    He still had the time to teach/admonish His disciples. He told them to watch and pray (v 40).
    He did what He preached and taught, while still under pressure─ He did watch and pray! (vv 41-42). How many teachers and preachers of the Bible DO what they preach today?
    Submission ─ “not My will but Thine”. He chose the path of the cross, chose to die (v 42).
    He received the ministry of angels having made up His mind to do the Father’s will (v 43). God’s angels only work for and respond to those who do the Father’s will. They only act in obedience to God’s instruction (Psalm 103:20; 91:11-12).
    He remained focused on the journey and assignment before Him. He was focused on the cross! The cross is a symbol of death, sorrow, punishment, reproach, sacrifice, pain, distress and curse. Nevertheless, our Lord pressed on with it because it was His mandate from the Father. Are you only concerned for the “Christianity of convenience?”

We’ve got to learn to be like Jesus and walk with Him very much every way. He is our Perfect Example to follow. The consistency of His character was never diminished or abated, even while under pressure. What has pressure done to you? Shalom.



IN HIS HOUSE,

REV. OLUFUNSO J. OMIDIRAN
LIVING SWORD MINISTRIES INT'L
(Healing unto the Nations)

5/17/2013 Word of the Lord. ~IT'S GONNA RAIN~ Jo Ellen Stevens

I have been watching the Prophetic Words of Jo Ellen Stevens for a while. I have written a note to her from time to time. I am careful who I endorse as a Prophet. Yet she is consistent and truly hears from God. This is a deep rich word of the Lord. I am proud to endorse her.

A lot of my church will believe Me for healing and deliverance in some forms ,but they have not even begun to see the signs ,wonders, and miracles that I am about to do in their midst if they will believe that I can do anything!! I am coming in this hour as the God of Moses, Elijah, Daniel,Esther, and David!! They will know I am the God of those that hunger for My Glory!! Believe me for the miraculous, be not afraid as they were at the mount of My presence ,but welcome Me in!! Allow Me to come in the way that I long to come with all of my weighty Glory!! Cry out for Me to do what is in My heart to do and I will come in magnificent power in a magnificent display of splendor!

Where are the people who desire My presence more that their own life? Where are those that want Me more that their reputation? Where are those that are willing to lay down their life to see My Glory come into the midst of their congregations? Where are the Brave and the bold ones who do not care what others think when I show up in a display as the one who owns it all!! I own all of the gold and silver.So why do you not believe me for these things. If you do not I will take it to another people who are hungry and thirsty for my presence!!

I tell you India you are about to see your prayers answered!.You are about to have an awakening of the presence of God and His power, and his healing, and deliverance such as you have not even heard of! People will throw their Idols behind them saying be gone!! My Glory is about to invade you India!! Shout for your King is coming in Splendor and Glory and a great harvest will come forth from those that have sown into you and those that have wept for India!!

Ishmael oh Ismael .I gave your mother living water in the desert to cause you to live, I am coming to you as the rain!! I will save many from the darkness of the night out of Ishmael. They will turn and turn many to righteousness that have not known my Name!!

France , you have some that have been turning the tide of the tidal wave of evil through their prayers. I am coming to reverse the curse of the last decade..I am coming in for my people in you that have cried out to me day and night saying "Do not allow this to take hold of our nation" I have heard the cry of the remnant that have not given into compromise. Rejoice for I am reversing in this hour and out of the seed of the remnant I will bring forth a great miracle working Church!!

South Africa .I am going to show you my miracle working hand in your affairs!! You are the land of the living water. You are the land that has given me many great and mighty hidden ones who have not given into the religious that would deny you of my power and My glory to only control the outpouring of My Spirit .You can not control Me says the Lord .For I will come for the sake of the destitute and those that have cried for my presence!! I will come!!" I am coming as a Tsunami of my Spirit ..

Australia , Land of beauty and land with a heart that runs deep, your waiting days are over and I will once again bring those that have a heart on fire to say no to them that would put you in bondage again.!! I will bring you justice once again" The secular and the non believing shall not prevail to change laws and times!!

America ,America .I have heard your cries of Justice and I am is bringing justice again! What has been whispered in secret shall be revealed. You have cried to Me from the depths to restore your children. I am coming to save them from the scourge of drug addictions and Baal worship!! I am coming to bring about some things in the natural realm that will cause an Awakening from the West to the East. I have heard as I did Elijah many saying that we are becoming so few .We are the only ones .What can we do?,but I say that suddenly an awakening will come and a sleeping Giant will awake .Even in the Ruins of Religion I am going to shake and awake!! Foundations that were not built on me will begin to come to an end!! I am shaking the religious world and provoking them to jealousy through those that call themselves lover's of God ,because I am going to make a difference. Those that have their wicks trimmed and their lamps filled will be they that others will run to to get some oil!! Pour out my friends and I will keep your cup running over to reach the masses!! This is your hour America . I am bringing my Favor to those that have been hidden in me so that they will be a shelter from the storm for all those that call on my Name!! I said All that call on my Name shall be saved!! Rejoice and be Glad all you lands ,because the Lord is coming as the rain and He shall pour out His Spirit on all flesh and they will have a choice as they see the works that I am about to do through my lovers to either accept or reject me as "The God Who Loved Us and gave Himself For Us!!"

Decree ,decree,decree My word in this hour .Pray,pray,pray in the Spirit.. believe me for the miraculous and If you will I will watch over my word to perform it!! Watch for I am doing a New Thing in this hour and it will not look like what you have known in the past so Prepare ,prepare ,prepare your hearts to receive what I am about to do through and in my people that have sought me!!

Joe 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first [month].

Pro 16:15 In the light of the king's countenance [is] life; and his favour [is] as a cloud of the latter rain

Zec 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain;

Jam 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

The Father Says Today: May 15th, 2013 by Russell Walden

The Father says today that the time of veils and secrets is past and the hour has come to remove the cloud of unknowing. This is a day of clarity and assurance. I assure your heart this day says the Father. Fear NOT the scourge of the enemy or the threats of the dark ones. They are impotent to penetrate the blood line I have drawn around you. I have sprinkled every possession and relationship and you entire environment with the enabling and empowering blood of the son.

I have set My seal upon you this day that you might think My thoughts and know them as your own. We are one and I am synchronizing your spirit with My Spirit and causing you to experience the RANK wherewith I am ranked for you are IN Me and I am IN you and it is time to experience the COME UP HIGHER enthronement of My purpose in grace in your life.

SELF as an Enemy

I was spoken to clearly today.  It is for me, but for many also:

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.  Romans 12:3

I am saddened by the self aggrandizement I see in the body of Christ.  It's not just the titles, the robes, the overbearing luxuries at the expense of those who give to God, it's the sad pretense that makes me shake my head in wonder.

This isn't all.  There are many who I know who are very clear on who they are.  They are self aware.

But some stain the Body of Christ by their self appointments and self aggrandisement.

The Lord told ME to be very careful of this.  To think of myself no higher than I ought.  That I need to be aware by faith of those things that could make me stumble.

I am saying to anyone who reads... know who you are, but not more than what you really are.  That's what Paul wrote to the Romans...and now two millenia later I hear him speak it again.

Samuel Chose the King...or did he?

The story of Samuel choosing the king of Israel from Jesse's sons is instructive.  1 Samuel 16:1-13

God had a man to lead Israel.  One who experienced much, was prepared in the secret place, one who had an encounter with the true and living God.  It was that one, the one overlooked by Samuel's flesh that God chose.  If you read the story carefully you will see that Samuel wanted to anoint others who looked better, had better credentials, had leadership quality.  He also didn't want to do this, he was certain that Saul would kill him.  All in All it was the Spirit of God in Samuel that drove him.  This is and was always God's plan. 

Prophets are appointed by God to identify and anoint for service those who God has chosen to lead his people. 

We don't do that any more. 

Apostles appoint and anoint themselves.  Or they find another friendly apostle to lay hands on them.

In some denominational churches leaders are chosen by a search committee.  I have been part of that.  It's not God's way.  God never worked thru committees.  Flesh cannot accomplish what God ordains.  Flesh can only recognize what God has already done if it can put aside it's fleshly influence as Samuel had to.  Prayer isn't enough.  Samuel didn't pray, he heard.  

The real kings who are to lead are chosen by God alone.  You can't find God's leader by resume. 

Ishmael is usually the result. 

I won't name names but there are several men and women of God over the years that God has sent me to anoint prophetically for service in the kingdom.  I was with one such this last weekend.  Years ago God told me how he would be used.  What his place in the Kingdom is.  Like David in that day, once the prophetic anointing took place the Spirit of God moved GREATER on him.  1 Samuel 16:13

We need to get back to true prophets of God anointing true leaders in the Body of Christ or we will continue to lurch from crisis to crisis of false leadership.  When man tries to "HIRE" a leader, he usually ends up with SAUL. 

That of course will require true Prophets.... that's another story.

Kathie Walters: The Story of The Ring: Simply Believe

I was at the computer and noticed that on my right hand there was a ring missing from my pinky (I am a ring person).
It was a lovely dark blue tanzanite with diamonds. I was distressed for a minute, but then I thought, "It has to be in the house somewhere or I would have missed it before." My first thought was to call my dear friends, Lynn and Brian (my twin friends from Oklahoma City). These guys are great spiritual "locators." They are the guys that located my cell phone when it was dropped in the nighttime in a puddle. And God has used them in wonderful ways to "find" other lost things.
Then I had a thought, "I will search the house thoroughly and then I will call the twins." God spoke to me right away and said, "Well, why don't you call them now?" So I thought, "OK then," and I called them. They "located" the ring (by the Holy Spirit) in about 20 seconds and told me exactly where it was...in detail.
I went and looked, found the ring, and called them back. We laughed! But then afterwards I realized that I had at first thought, "I need to DO SOMETHING first (in the way of searching)" before I called them to do the easy thing.
Just ask.

Yield To Him

I then wondered if we go through all kinds of hoops unconsciously before we just simply ask and let God do it... It must be the remains of old works theology.
Funny how it keeps popping up now and then. I am not at all into "working for Jesus." He doesn't want us to work for Him. He wants us to yield to Him, and He will work through us. It's much easier that way, and MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE.
It's ALL HIM. 100%. We get to do the yielding – not the trying. Trying can be very trying. His right hand and His Holy arm have gotten the victory. Religious spirits always make us try and do what only God can do.
He (Jesus) is the one who is going to "present [us] faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). He (Jesus) is going to do that. It's His prerogative. Not your prayer partner, not your mom, not your pastor, not your husband or wife. You are His trophy. He is going to present you faultless. He is going to get all the glory because He did all the work.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7 KJV

Chill Out – Take a Break

There is no striving and trying and working at it in the Spirit realm. Remember, your first calling is to enjoy God, and then out of that you can serve Him as you are led by the Spirit. It's funny, sometimes we will do anything except simply believe. We fast, pray, etc. But when it all comes down to it, it's simply trusting Him to do what He said He would do. "Casting ALL your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7, emphasis mine).
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 2 Corinthians 1:20
Kathie Walters
Good News Ministries
Email: kathiewalters@mindspring.com
Website: kathiewaltersministry.com

Kim Clement: Now Suffocation Is Coming To An End

Prophesied and Transcribed from April 24, 2013

Free From Suffocation

April 24, 2013 - From The Matrix:
We're going to start the whole month of May, which is a week from now (spoken on April 24), as we end the 70th day, after the prophecy that I gave in November about January 21st, between 70-100 days, the python would be destroyed (read on The Elijah List).
I gave a prophecy in November 2012 about January 21, 2013, that between 70-100 days from then, the spirit of python would be destroyed, which is now, in the month of May (read on The Elijah List).
If you've been suffocating at night, if it's been difficult to breathe – how many would relate to that? If anybody has found the last few nights that you've had bad dreams, nightmares, you find it difficult to breathe, you woke up anxious...I want you to know it's the end of an era of the spirit of pythos. If you have had bad dreams, if you've had suffocation or you feel like you're suffocating and you've woken up anxious, very anxious, don't worry. It's the force that is desperate, trying to control your finances, your love, your relationships, your children – and that spirit of pythos is coming down. Not only do I say it with faith – I prophesy it, because we spoke it a few months ago, and I want you to know that that is what is happening.
If you've been experiencing this (I experienced it last night...I woke up battling to breathe), if it happens to you, don't worry about it. You have spiritual warfare and you have the power to overcome this thing, but you also have a prophetic word about what's going to happen at the end of this hundredth day. You're going to sense the presence of God and the end of pythos, which means we're entering into the month of May free from suffocation. Believe it or not, take that as a word and a sign for you – summer is coming!
I want you to know, there's a global outpouring about to take place, and God looks at the Church, ecclesia, to see what they are doing. Judgment begins in the house of God, then He decides how He's going to deal with the nation; [but] He looks at the Church first.
We've got to stop these silly pity parties, because it just takes you to a place of no vision, and that is what the prophetic is for – to give you insight and vision as to what's about to happen.
Everything we spoke about since November of last year is coming to pass – even tragedies that are happening; [but] "out of the bitter will come something sweet." We're coming to the end of this 100-day period where He promised that the eggs of the python would be destroyed and that we would be entering into a new era of economic growth and spiritual growth first of all – and watch what happens. It doesn't matter if you don't like Obama and his administration. God said, "I'm going to take charge because of what My people dictate, what My people say. If My people say blessing, I will bless. If My people say cursing, I won't curse."
There you go. God wants to bless, but He's looking for an occasion to bless and the occasion of the people of God that have prophetic insight who speak it out. It's not just a matter of being positive. It's a matter of saying, "This is what I have seen and I refuse to say anything else than what I've seen."

It's the End of a Season: Rejoice! Breathe Deeply!

The Spirit of God has just said to me that, "The people that are watching need to understand that I cast a mantle upon this generation. I've cast a mantle of truth upon these people that would say yes to the Spirit of God. It is time for you to realize that the strangulation is not against you but against the spirit of pythos, which is divination."
What is that spirit?
There are spirits, there is darkness that is endeavoring to cover the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and all over the world...
And God said, "It is not possible for it to happen if My people would rise up and take charge against the spirit of divination, which is lying – telling a lie about Me. It is misrepresenting Me. I am strangling it Myself. As the people of God realize it is the end of a season, I want you to rejoice; I want you to take a deep breath now."
This is the word of the Lord – now. Take a deep breath! Blow it out!...
...This is a spiritual action; this is a prophetic action. You're doing it like the prophet who lay on his side; the prophet who ate the scroll. Do it now! Breathe in three times and breathe out. This is the word of the Lord. We didn't know what was going to happen because He didn't want to tell me first.
The power of strangulation, the power of suffocation is coming to an end. You say, "Kim, I've heard that before." But those who believe it, those who believe it, shall have it.
How do I strangle this force? By saying the word of the Lord that has been spoken: It is your end; it is your end. I am going to breathe. My finances will breathe, my relationships will breathe, my spiritual life will breathe, my soul will breathe. I will breathe, my family will breathe. We will breathe freely because the breath of God is upon us now. Now Lord, I take authority over that one more time. I want you to breathe in – take a deep breath, everybody. Now breathe out!
Like Jesus said, the wind blows where it wants to. No man can predict and say where it should go, which direction it should go.
Wind of the Spirit, come, breathe, because that is what you came to do. There was a sound of a mighty rushing wind on that day of Pentecost, the day we approach, where once again the Spirit will breathe upon His people. Now, Lord, free every person that has sensed a force of suffocation.
Today I release them from that suffocation. You may say, "Kim, I've got lung problems." Take it now; if it's physical, take it now. I mean this. I'm ministering a word from the Holy Spirit to you. There is breath available; it's around you, it's in your house. I told you there would be a sign. There will be wind blowing outside. You'll sense something now. I'm not making this up. Raise your hands; close your eyes. For every person that has suffered some time of suffocation, strangulation, battling to breathe in whatever area it is in their lives – barrenness, whatever it is (this month of April), You promised us You would open it up.
As we come to the end of it, Lord, open up the spiritual lungs, the lungs of the soul, and breathe now. Close your eyes. Breathe upon each one right now.

It's On Its Way!

He sprung a surprise on me and started giving me the word about now suffocation is coming to an end. I've said that before in my teachings, and it has in individual's lives, but this is more of a Kingdom word, a national word, a global word for the people that have been struggling and suffocating, if you wish. That's the spirit that we're dealing with now. God sent His word, but He's gone through all these different things to you. If somebody sends a package from Europe to you and there's a storm, and the flight has to be delayed – you might say, "How can you relate that to God?"
Why not? The angel had a word for Daniel, and the angel came 21 days after Daniel had fasted; the angel got there on the 21st day. But he said to him, "From the day that you set your mind to understand and to pray, the Lord heard you." That was 21 days prior to that, [but] the angel got there 21 days later. I feel a word coming to me about this – that that word, that desire, that promise, that thing that you've prayed for is on its way. But the angel said to him, "The Prince of Persia has been at war with me and I've overcome him and now I have to go and fight the Prince of Greece." So, I just want you to understand we don't know what's happening in the Heavens. Keep praying, keep thanking – it's on its way. Everybody say, "It's on its way!"

The Season of the One Hundred Fold

April 27, 2013 - From The Den:
God's Spirit says, "Listen; hear Me now. I have set aside a season during the summer which shall be called the season of great harvest – which shall be called the season of the one hundred fold. It shall be called the season where people went out and they picked of the fruit of their labor.
"This is a season, a time, where there will be a great harvest," says the Lord, "where summer camps will be invaded by My Spirit, where summer schools will be invaded by My Spirit. I have set a time aside to invade schools and homes of children. I will raise them up, wipe their tears away, take away spirits of heaviness, and replace it with garments of praise, give them oil of joy for sadness, and to give them healing. This is a season during summer where I will bring a hundred fold upon My people who receive it and who declare it and who live it. I shall do it during the summer," says the Lord.
"Out of the bitter shall come sweet; out of the bitter shall come sweet. Out of the wrong shall come right. Out of the evil shall come good. There is no loss in the Kingdom. That which has been taken from you, I will give back during summer. Listen to Me. I will give it back to you, but I shall not hand back what was stolen two times, three, five, or ten...but 100 times. If you can receive it, then do. If you cannot, then you will not receive it, for that which was stolen from you, I wish to restore 100-fold."
I know there are literally hundreds of thousands of people that will hear this that will suddenly say, "Yes!" And if you've heard it before and you say, "I've heard that before," remember that there are times that God sets aside to restore. That's right, a time for war and a time for peace; a time to die and a time to live. There is a time for everything. Now you're entering a time of restoration of your goods, your financial property, your homes, your relationships that have been stolen. "I will restore," says the Lord. Now everybody all over the world, lift your hands and say, "I receive it! The thief came to steal, kill and destroy, but today I receive the life and the word of the Lord!"

China Is Going To Be Filled With Light

Talking about going to China: We're about to leave for China, and whenever God sends us on a mission there are moments of despair, especially when you are a prophetic voice, because you know that you have to deliver something. Bob Cathers came here and told me, "God's not sending you there to adopt another child, or another two children only – or to visit the orphanages or the healing homes that you support. He is sending a prophet to China as a statement to do something."
It's what He does. You don't have to say a word; it's the presence that God sends to a nation – forerunners. John the Baptist was a forerunner. I see that China is going to be filled with light. I have prophesied that for a season the United States of America and China shall be in agreement and in a pact. No, don't look at me and say it's not in the Bible... (Kim goes on to discuss this. See Genesis 26.).
By the way, this is one of the things He said to me today while I was praying: "I want to restore visions, and dreams, and signs back to My people in fullness." Many of you watching are going to receive signs from God if you believe it.
Kim Clement
Prophetic Image Expressions
Email: hope@kimclement.com
Website: kimclement.com

A SONG IN THE MIDST OF HARD TIMES by David Wilkerson

"They that carried us away required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" (Psalm 137:3-4).

The people of God were in the hardest place of their lifetime. And as they were carried away, their captors required of them a song. Yet there was no life in them anymore, nothing but depression, despair, hopelessness.

Multitudes of Christians are in the same position today. You may be trapped by your circumstances or the devil is coming at you with an old temptation. You are on the edge of giving up, thinking, “I can't make it. In spite of all my crying and praying, that old bondage is going to hound me forever!"

When Israel fell into Babylonian bondage, their captors cried to them, "Sing for us! Play for us! We've heard all about you and what your God did for you Now take out your tambourines and bring out your harps. Play us a song. Show us your joy in your God!"

I do not believe this demand was made only in mockery. I believe it was also a pitiful plea. The Babylonians' gods had left them empty and dry. They had no hope. But they had heard Israel singing to their God, a God who had seen them through impossible circumstances. They said, "These people have a God who can open a sea for them. His fire comes down from heaven and He stands against
their enemies. There's got to be something to this God of theirs!"

Like all the world, they wanted to see a people who endured the same problems they endured and faced the same battles they faced, yet could sing and shout and hold their faith in the darkest of hours! The Babylonians demanded a song because there is something in every person's heart that cries out, "Where on the face of the earth is something that can make you sing even when you've lost
everything?" They needed a testimony! It is important that the children of God, wherever they are at whatever time, sing the songs of Zion: "God, I believe You, no matter what is happening!"

The world is shouting to us, "You can show us a miracle! It isn't the Red Sea opening up that impresses us. It's not seeing the blind given sight or the lame healed. It's that you can look at the darkest hour of your life, a situation that's hopeless to all human reasoning, and yet smile with joy, singing praises to God. That's the miracle we want to see."

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow by Gretchen Kershaw

    Today, we awake to a new day. Yesterday is gone and you can’t do anything about it, but today is here and you can do everything about it! Each day when I wake up, I always thank the Lord for allowing me to see another day. I always start my day by talking with the Lord and asking Him what is Your will for me today, and asking for His will to be done. I have a servant’s heart and my desire is to serve Him…Not just in heaven but here on the earth, matter of fact I desire to serve Him ALL the days of my life. This morning the Lord and I were spending time together and He said to me “My child, many people woke up this morning and are still caught in yesterday; many people are still struggling, hurting, wounded, broken, frustrated, angry etc…from yesterday. My child, many people are stuck in years ago of yesterdays and can’t even begin to see what is before them today!”

    This grieved my heart this morning, as I too was once where many people are at, knowing full well what it’s like to be stuck in yesterday and not know how to even rejoice and be glad that a new day is here. But GOD….Not one of us can change people, make people love us, desire to be with us, share with us, grow with us, apologize for hurting us etc…But GOD… All of our “Yesterdays” are filled with many things some good, some bad, some challenging etc…But all of our “Today's” are NEW in the LORD!!!

    Here's what God says about Yesterday:

    Proverbs 27:1 "Do not boast about tomorrow for you do not know what a day may bring forth"

    Philippians 3:13 "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead"

    Isaiah 43:18 "Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past" See, I am doing a new thing!

    Here’s what God says about Today:

    Psalms 118:24 "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it"

    Lamentations 3:21-24 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

    2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”

    Job 17:9 “The righteous keep moving forward and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.”

    Here's what God says about Tomorrow:

    Matt 6:31-34 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

    If we continue to live in yesterday, we will never be able to see the hope and the blessings of a new day.

    In this manner, therefore, let us pray:
    Our Father in heaven,
    Hallowed be Your name.
    Your kingdom come.
    Your will be done
    On earth as it is in heaven.

    Give us this day our daily bread.
    And forgive us our debts,
    As we forgive our debtors.
    And do not lead us into temptation,
    But deliver us from the evil one.
    For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

    Learn from Yesterday, Live for Today and Look forward to Tomorrow…

    REJOICE….FOR THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE!!!!

Seeing Yesterday's News thru the Eyes of Faith

Yesterday there was some dramatic news of an escape from captivity by three women and a child. 

This is a tragic story with a quasi happy ending.  What makes it more difficult is the end is a long way off for these three young women.

They have been tied up and locked up for a decade.  Abused. Captives.

There is much that is not known about this.  There may well be some twists and turns yet to be revealed.

Here are some parallels in this case to the bondage those held captive by the enemy and in need of deliverance.

• The bondage was a long time and became for them a new normal.
• This was probably not the first time they had the chance to escape.  
• There was fruitfulness from this captivity in a child.  
• No one from the outside thought anything was wrong from external indications in that house.
• The captors seemed ordinary. Accepted.  Paid taxes.  Worked.  Played with his dog.
• The reason for the captivity was not abuse but use.  If it were abuse alone they would already be dead.

Now that these young women and a child are free...freedom is going to be very hard.  They are going to have to learn to adapt.  How to deal.  They will need a lot of deliverance.  They are going to need rooting and grounding.  The potential to go back into another form of bondage is real.
 
The people who loved them who wanted to see them free died without it ever coming  to pass in their lifetime.  The mother of one worked (and prayed perhaps) to see freedom.. but died before ever realizing.  YET the child she fought for is now free.  This is encouraging for those who may pray and fast over a bound child.. and die before ever seeing the manifestation of their prayers.  It has always been so. 

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Hebrews 11:13

We need to be happy when someone is released from bondage.  That is only a first step.  In a way it is the house swept clean.  Luke 11:24-26   The demons surrounding them, memories of the last decade will haunt and in a sad way cause them to become even more vulnerable in the future.

Sometimes darkness has a way of trying to envelope people, even after they have seen the light.  Hebrews 6:4-6

We need to recognize the pattern of bondage and captivity. In a way, many ordinary normal looking people you see all around you are bound and broken inside.  Most of the time the casual observer will see nothing.  Until they are set free.

Let's hope there is a fellowship of believers in the Cleveland area that can somehow help them walk back into the light and stay free of bondage.  The battle really begins AFTER the bondage is broken. 

Darkness and Light

There is a long ago Joni Mitchell song called shadows and light. WOW, I'll bet you never thought you would hear of a prophet speaking about a Joni Mitchell song.  Yet while the song has nothing to do with this other then the title, there is a reason.  The song deals in contrasts.  That of darkness and of light.

If the world can see the contrast how much more must we be aware of a darkness that can invade our lives.  The problem is for many we try hard to push back the darkness by blocking it's intrusion.  So we shut off the TV, stop reading the newspaper, stop reading blogs, in essence we block out ears and say LA LA LA LA.  Hoping  that somehow by this flesh driven action we can push back the darkness in our lives. There is a time for that sometimes, but we must learn to stand against.

Here is truth:  You can't fight darkness by hiding from it.  It's still darkness.  It's still there.  It's still a threat.  There is only one way to fight the darkness... light.

When toured a cave in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the guide took us into the deep dark inner chamber. It was very interesting.  He had everyone shut off all the lights.  It was dark. Pitch dark.  Zero light. He kept speaking to us to let us know he was there yet the darkness enveloped the whole group.  No one panicked.  No one was fearful.  The one who knew the way up was there and speaking.  Our eyes tried to adjust to the darkness but none came.  Finally, he lit one small lamp.  It wasn't much but to our widened pupils it seemed like a beacon.  At once the darkness fled.  Light overcame.  It always does. 

The problem isn't the darkness.  It's the lack of light.

Light comes as the Holy Spirit Hovers over the face of the deep darkness and speaks.

Genesis 1:2-4 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

It's exactly like that in our lives.  Darkness can settle in.  Despair.  Discouragement.  Disasters.  Things that cause us to stumble because we can't see.  Yet Holy Spirit hovers over us to bring light, to speak to us and separate light from darkness.  Just as happened in the natural in the cave.

The face of the deep in our formless void world without God cannot be brought into order by hiding from it.  For a season of healing perhaps, but in the end we must respond with the Spirit in US... light shining in dark places.

Never encountering and overcoming darkness will make cowards of us all.  The enemy wants us to fear darkness, not to confront it.  Certainly not to overcome it.

God is still in the light shining in a  dark place business.  He want to shine in and thru YOU today.  He is not intimidated by deep and dark.  Think of this, the very creation came from life in the sea sustains us to this day.  By light.  The darkness we see has potential in the Spirit to be the very carrier of the new reformation to come.  We are doing a good thing confronting and overcoming darkness with light.

Carry the Light.  Fear NOT the dark.   He speaks even there.

The Death Agenda

We know the words of Jesus:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly".  John 10:10

If you read this in context you will see that this has to do with false shepherds, hirelings, false leaders and pretenders.  In other words anyone who is NOT the GOOD shepherd.

Yet there is a revelation.  There is implied in his warning about the thief that the thief has an agenda.  A mission.  One to Steal what you have and is rightfully yours.  We can spiritualize that and it's OK to do so, but when you are stolen from or someone uses deceit to talk you out of what is rightfully yours, that person is a thief.  He is doing what thieves do... STEAL.

A second part of the thieve's agenda Jesus talked about was destruction.  To tear apart.  To destroy so it is no longer useful.  He leaves behind the rubble for you to clean up after he has wrought destruction.  But the destruction is certain.  The thief gets little benefit from destroying you except it is part of his mandate of evil.   When you see destruction of those things held dear and valuable in your life, be certain it is the enemy, the thief.  He wants you to give up everything under the crushing destroyer sent to create havoc in your life.

The most critical part of this evil agenda is that the thief comes to KILL.  He strives to create less and less value on human life such that in the end there is none at all.  Death is his agenda.  It is his ultimate destruction and theft.  The destruction and theft of life itself.

We see that all around us.  Manifestations of the spirit of death.  We see it in the abortion mills.  We see it on the street.  We see it in our media... TV and movies.  Hundred are killed every day before our eyes until we are hardened in our heart to it all.  We see it's result in the news as the report last week of a huge increase of suicide is taking place in our culture.  We see it all around us.  Death is being held up as the norm by out government and culture.Life is becoming cheaper and cheaper.  Valueless in fact now to many in our culture.

Unless we recognize the thieves in our lives, those sent to allegedly protect, those in authority, those who have the power of temporal life and death over us.. we will willingly submit to their schemes.

Nazi Germany manifested such a disdain for life.  We are seeing the same thing again in the USA.  The death agenda is alive and well.  Even in our health care systems... life is no longer the goal.. cost savings including letting people die is the purpose now of the evolving system.  End of life expense is targeted.  Take a pill.  Over medicate.  Much of what we think is progress is part of the death agenda.

Unless you are vigilant, you too can be like the poor misled and bullied Jews who had hope of a promised better life as they were herded into cattle cars on the way to the Gas Chambers.

The thief is alive and well.  He has an agenda to steal from you, destroy you and kill you.  Jesus said so. That settles it. 

Shining the light of truth on the warfare taking place on the 7 mountains is the job of the watchmen

 Many people take offense when we point out the enemy positions in education, politics and government, media, arts and entertainment, religion and the church, family structure (gay marriage), business and economics. You can't win the warfare over the strategic enemy camps without being aware of what the enemy is doing. Here's one more important truth. The enemy is coordinating the attacks on the mountain tops. Government influences education, economics and family structure by it's policies. Arts and entertainment influences religion. The media supports evil in all these arenas. Not all.. but knowing which makes all the difference.

I have been criticized as a prophet for posting too much on the war of the worlds going on in politics, economics and other things. "Stick to spiritual things" they say. NOTHING is more spiritual then casting out demons and healing the sick. Jesus went about doing exactly that. Those demons and our sick culture IS the battleground.

The Prophet's job is to sound the alarm and focus the attacks we must make against the enemy, to wake up the army of the Lord; to make clear the strategies of the enemy to the kings and priests in spiritual Israel until the enemy says, "The prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom". 2 Kings 6:12b We must not allow our entangling alliances on any of the mountains to trap us into inaction.

Your Gifting is in your Area of Temptation

Who hired Judas to be the treasurer of the ministry? Jesus, of course. Now think, Jesus gave an opportunity for a greedy man to handle His money. Did He not know that Judas had a problem with money? Certainly. Which makes for TWO important discoveries:
1.) the area of gifting is the area of temptation,
2.) God will give you responsibility and opportunity in that area in spite of your weakness.

WHY? Does God want to set you up to fail? Actually He is setting you up to succeed. The only way you can break through a weakness is to face it and overcome it. To break off the iniquity - you must face off with the iniquity.

God doesn't tempt us - yet the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Why? Meeting the tempter seems to be a right of passage into promotion. Did the Father want the Son to fail? Obviously not. He wanted the Son to be tested and qualified to drive the enemy out.

Maybe you and I are tempted most in the area we are called to drive out the devil? Look at the thing you struggle with now and consider if it isn't a spirit somehow associated with the territory you are called to occupy. Judas had a gift for money and therefore had to overcome a spirit of greed. A strong leader may struggle with control, a great persuader with manipulation or seduction.

Temptation reveals weaknesses and "Owning" a weakness actually makes you more authentic. It makes you more generous with others who fall and the humility you experience creates a vacuum in you that draws in greater grace! God gives grace to the humble. Grace is the word that describes a current of divine energizing power from Heaven. As you draw near to Him, He gives you grace and this creates energy to overcome. Heaven creates a table for you right "in the presence of your enemies." You "occupy till He comes" you don't run from the pressure. Heaven is wanting you to win. You'll never meet a temptation you do not have ability to resist (read 1 Cor 10:13)

And you'll never be held back from promotion because you might be tempted. In fact your weakness and your strength are so intertwined that you will surely meet temptation as you advance. Don't let it stop you.

AUTHORSHIP UNKNOWN.