Isn’t it incredible to think that in the last week over 25,000 people came to #Asbury to magnify our savior. To spend time with him instead of spending time in front of a computer or phone, or bar or strip club or pornography site, or movie theater or any other activity they might have chosen to do.
Isn’t it incredible that no matter what was shared from the microphone or song that was sung that the whole Focus was on worshiping Jesus and lifting him up in honor and reverence. Isn’t it amazing that America has an opportunity to experience the love of God and a new way. Isn’t it amazing that we can be God’s hands and feet no matter who we are. I’m so thankful that when we get to heaven there will be no finger pointing or judgment but that we can all worship God for the rest of Eternity without being scrutinized. Can you imagine all the different denominations in heaven standing side by side worshiping without a label or a title. Worshiping right next to people who might have slandered you or judged you. Worshipping the same God with all our heart and soul.
I’m so thankful that worship can begin right in my home or car or wherever I am. Because He is worthy. I don’t have the right to judge anyone for how they worship if it’s different than mine. That’s their responsibility between them and God. How they worship doesn’t affect my life or my devotion to God. I don’t have to be cautioned for how they worship or how I worship. I just want to laugh for so many of the comments I’ve seen. I’m so thankful for what God has done in my life this last year. I would not have made it without pressing into the presence of God and experiencing his love and peace. Sometimes hurting people just need that. They don’t need a sermon or someone preaching at them. The presence of God can do more healing than a hundred sermons. I’m not saying in any way that sermons are not important because they are and I believe that with my whole heart. I know the Word of God has become my daily manna this year.
I need new food each day from the Word to live. The Bible has become In Living Color. I’m watching it be displayed right in front of my eyes everyday, The Good The Bad and ugly. The word of God and His promises in the Bible are the only truth I can stand on. They are the only hope I can put my confidence in. I’m thankful for teachers/preachers who can teach the word and allow it to go deep in my heart and help me know better how to live. I also know that there are many hurts and wounds that go so deep that is going to require time to heal. As much as we want that healing to move quickly, trauma is very real and it’s affects go down deep into our soul. I’m thankful there are counselors and therapies out there that take people through those deep important steps of healing. Community is so important.
Someone told me that just turning on worship music doesn’t fix everything. That’s true, but that’s definitely the place I personally start as well as, going to God and making sure my heart is right and I’m living in purity before Him. I pray this week that Across the Nation there will be a desire for God like we’ve never experienced before. A desire to live in holiness before Him so we can be an example of the hands and feet and mouthpiece of Jesus to a world who has had their sin debt paid for and don’t even know it.
Lord Spread It to America and Every Country #asburycollegerevival #asburyuniversity #asburycollegerevival #asburyrevival2023 #awakening #visitation #genz #jesuslovesyou
I listened to a video by Rick Curry who’s been doing a lot of on the ground broadcasting about what’s happening in Asbury. He’s talked to the president of the college few times. The town of Wilmore has a population of 6,000 people. There’s about half that amount on the campus of people coming in from all over the state, country and the world. It’s incredible the hunger of people who stand in line just to get into 1 of now 4 buildings. The most exciting thing is hearing that the hunger is spreading from City to City. Right now Rick Curry said that people can’t even get into the town of Wilmore. It’s packed. I can’t even imagine what the hospitality industry is experiencing right now because they were not prepared for anything like this, as well. There is another city close by with a large meeting area that Rick talked about. Not sure if that will open up soon. I can’t imagine on a college campus where they still have to hold classes because not every single student is in every meeting and they’re paying to go to the college. Knowing that there is reality of even simple things like cleaning up the chapel and providing bathrooms and food. To watch some of the videos that Rick is posted with people walking up and down to those who are waiting in line and handing out sandwiches to them while they’re standing out in the cold snow to get in the building. That’s amazing. I have heard of a food cart just cooking and donating as a sigh of love and service. Here is the link to Rick Curry’s post where he shows the line and the town and the church. (disclaimer, I don’t know who he is or what his ministry or beliefs are. I have been listening to his unbiased reports about Asbury) https://fb.watch/iN0nlpCAdj/?mibextid=RUbZ1f
My prayers is that every city would begin to experience this hunger. But it also requires locations to provide space and time for God to move outside of a one or two hour church service. It’ll be very exciting to see what happens in the coming days who’s going to respond to the call of this Awakening that is happening in our country.
It’s been so exciting in my own heart to see God starting to move in our country. It’s way more peaceful than focusing on challenging seasons of life. But I think that’s the key, bringing God into our challenging seasons. We don’t have to go to Kentucky, we can worship God as we’re watching the dishes or getting ready for the day or driving in the car. We just have to turn our eyes and hearts to Him.
What we’re seeing is people wanting to be in God’s presence and sacrificing their time in life to press into that. They know there is nothing flashy in the flesh but the glory of God is what is shining! In Jeremiah 29:13-14 Amplified version it says “Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ says the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and I will [free you and] gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ says the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’
Are we seeking Him every day? When we do, we notice a change in our own heart and life. Does it mean everything is going to be easy? No, it just means that we know where our source of strength and peace is. It’s found through the veil that was Ripped in two when Jesus died on the cross, it is found in the holy holies that we can approach the throne of grace with boldness and confidence because of the blood of Jesus that covers Us.
Wow! I don’t want to forget, one of the most incredible things that Rick talked about in his last video was that there is a church up the road from the Asbury campus that is opened its doors around the clock for people to come for food and prayer. That my friends, is unity. That is the body of Christ being the body. I’d love to hear of other churches in that area who are doing the same thing. The Bible is very clear when it says where there is Unity there is a commanded blessing (Ps 133:1-3) I want to see every Church in our nation come together with one heart with no agenda of trying to outdo the other, no jealousy no envy no strife, let’s put Jesus as a center and give him the glory. He said if I am lifted up then I will draw all men unto me. (John 12:32) It’s time to lift him up. It can start with a pure and hungry heart in your own City, home and church. Let it spread!
From the beginning, what has taken place at #Asbury has started in Humility. “If my people will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and Turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven I’ll forgive their sins and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
What happened in Asbury took place in a prayer room then led to a chapel service. A hunger in the students that led to the Holy Spirit bringing conviction to sins, public repentance and a heart for worship that has not stopped. These are the earmarks of what I have heard and I’ve had a good friend there in person to confirm.
The fact that they’re are no special/famous speakers or flashy worship is not a condemnation against those things. What the faculty and students have said is that there are no celebrities here except Jesus! Jesus is King! That is something we don’t expect to hear and see going into a service where the Holy Spirit is moving. This non-stop worship service is, in some circles reserved, but it’s not just worship that is drawing people. It is the hunger. Revival starts with hunger. There’s a hunger to seek the Lord. Those who come are sitting on a wooden bench for hours with no words on the screen of the songs, and no agenda. They are coming to experience the presence of God that they might not have ever felt before.
There’s transformation happening in that room in the hearts of people. Having students lead from the platform without worship lists, leading with a heart of love and Desire to be with Jesus. I think we can get so wrapped up in words of Revival or Movement or Awakening. Without a doubt this last week has been one that has shown America we want Jesus here! We want His presence we want to feel his love. It shows America there are Christians that are hungry for more than what we have been experiencing.
🔥Revival starts with hunger and is sustained by humility. HUMILITY is the Hallmark of what we are witnessing at Asbury. The fact that they don’t recognize or acknowledge many famous pastors and leaders who have sat in the congregation is commendable. Heaven won’t be doing that either. All of our eyes and focus will be on God. That in no way says that famous leaders are doing something wrong by fulfilling God’s call on their life. They are just having a service and overlooking the title and position of other ministers, allowing God to be the focus.
It’s wonderful that the worship songs that are being sung are those that might be older so people know it and don’t need words on the screen. Sometimes it’s hard to go to a service and all the songs that are sung are super complicated and long and hard to remember. It doesn’t matter the songs that are sung, it matters the heart of Purity they are sung with. The Lord is enthroned on the Praises of his people! He is being enthroned around the world in a fresh way as people everywhere are tuning in to live streams. What a beautiful time of refreshing when the body of Christ comes together in unity in one place. Where there is Unity there is a commanded Blessing. Last night in their service they said don’t just come here and get fat and keep it all yourselves. You need to take what you received here and go out and spread it to the city in your community. They want what God has done in that place to impact our nation. That is where transformation starts to take place, outside of the walls. Humility-Hunger-Repentance-God is Glorified!
Want to learn more just click on one of the hashtags below and you will see tons of videos and hear testimonies. You will be revived and renewed. Do it all over God!
Yesterday I started studying Jeremiah 33:3. It fits so perfectly what is going on.
‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.’
Call קְרָ֥א (qə·rā Verb – Qal – Imperative – masculine singular Strong’s 7121: To call, proclaim, read
to Me אֵלַ֖י (’ê·lay) Preposition | first person common singular Strong’s 413: Near, with, among, to
and I will answer וְאֶעֱנֶ֑ךָּ (wə·’e·‘ĕ·ne·kā) Conjunctive waw | Verb – Qal – Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual – first person common singular | second person masculine singular Strong’s 6030: To answer, respond
and show וְאַגִּ֧ידָה (wə·’ag·gî·ḏāh) Conjunctive waw | Verb – Hifil – Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative – first person common singular Strong’s 5046: To be conspicuous
you לְּךָ֛ (lə·ḵā) Preposition | second person masculine singular Strong’s Hebrew
and unsearchable things וּבְצֻר֖וֹת (ū·ḇə·ṣu·rō·wṯ) Conjunctive waw | Adjective – feminine plural Strong’s 1219: To cut off, make inaccessible, enclose
you do not לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb – Negative particle Strong’s 3808: Not, no
know. יְדַעְתָּֽם׃ (yə·ḏa‘·tām) Verb – Qal – Perfect – second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural Strong’s 3045: To know
Let’s lift up our voices and allow our hearts to join with thousands around the world who are humbly pray seeking God’s face, repenting and turning from our wicked ways. God come heal our land!
Will You Agree Together With Me? Let’s Pray:
God move across our country with a level of hunger as well as a passion for righteousness and a life lived in holy reverence and worship to God. Let all the secret sins that so easily ensnare us to be revealed by the Holy spirit, conviction to come and true repentance which is turning and walking the opposite direction.
Let there be a generation of men who rise up and say, I will not allow my eyes to look at porn, I will love my wife and concecrate myself to her as Christ loved the church and laid His life down for it. Let there be father’s to teach their children the love of Father God and the truth of the word of God. Let a generation of mother’s Arise who interceded over her husband and children till the destiny that God ordained before the foundation of the world is released through them. Let these women not be afraid to pursue God with abandonment even if their husbands think they are too passionate for God.
Let there be a generation of children who know there is No Jr. Holy Spirit. That they can approach the throne of God with boldness in prayer and worship and lay hands on the sick and see them healed. Let a generation of youth Arise who say they are drawing a line in the sand and stepping into the call of God on their lives with abandonment.
Let all those not married be like Paul and Live every moment of their lives sold out to help see Heaven invade Earth in every mountain of influence they are apart of.
Jesus, Let your Kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven. Here we are Lord, Send us! Release your Holy Spirit in a new measure. Let every well of Revival around the USA be unplugged, dig it out and drill even deeper so a well that will never run dry will be released over this land! Now is the time. Let the hunger burn. Let our churches experience a purging of fire and repentance from the top to the bottom. Let there be a freedom to worship with abandonment. Let there be a release of the gifts of the spirit.
Release the prophetic, release the apostles, release the evangelists, raise up a new generation of Pastor’s who will be willing to lay their lives down for the sheep and be willing to disciple and raise up new leaders. Raise up teachers who will teach the Meat of the word and not just hand out bottles of milk for the congregation to suck on. Let a burning passion for the word of God be birthed by teachers who reveal God ls truth and principles and how to apply them to our lives. Come Lord we need you!
Do you Trust Me? This can seem like one of the scariest questions God could ask us. We might have an automatic response to say yes, on the other hand the reality of what he might be asking us to give up is massive. Are we willing to give up the little that we have in our hand to God believing that he will supply everything we need? We’ve grown up saying Jehovah Jireh is my provider but when asked to give up the last bits of oil and flour to make a loaf of bread, would we respond like the Widow with Elijah?
To me, it’s interesting to read the first sentence of this story, it said the brook had dried up because there had been no rain in the land. No rain and no brook means – no water to the crops for wheat or the Olive Tree for oil. If you’re in business that can mean no customers and no sales. I know what that’s like. As a business owner it can bring a sense of panic wondering where your supply is going to come from.
Elijah the prophet asked the widdow of Zarephath bring him some water and also a little cake of bread. He didn’t first tell her if you do this, then it will never run dry. He just asked her to do something for him. She didn’t reply with a happy heart, “Sure no problem, I’ll go do that for you.” She pleaded with him that it’s all that they had left for just themselves to eat then they would die. It shows her desperation.
The response of the Widow of Zarephath shows that they must of hardly had any food or oil for quite a while. She must have been scraping by to only have a little bit left to say they would make their food then die. It shows they were already in starvation mode with no other hope of getting nutrients. She was a widow who only had her son left. A son that meant the world to her who she had been taking care of for who knows how long on her own. She had to be a very very hard working woman and loved her son very much. Why would she take the last bit of food out of his mouth and give it to a stranger?
She said all she had left was a “handful of flour in a jar and a little bit of oil left”. A handful of flour is probably around a half a cup maybe a little bit more. To make a small loaf of bread in my bread machine it takes three cups of flour for a small 1.5lb loaf. So a third of that is just a few slices. But hers was unleavened, no yeast bread, so it meant if she only used oil and flour that is a very hard dense small loaf that does not fluff up like ours. Just to put that in perspective it was a very tiny meal left that she would share with her son.
After she shared her desperate heartcry with Elijah he said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”
It’s no surprise that he told her Don’t Be Afraid!
Oh, the faith and obedience of that woman! She didn’t give out of her abundance, she gave out of her lack. She was sowing into a field the last of her seeds in hope of a harvest. Her obedience not only provided for her and her son but also for the man of God who stayed with her for a time.
Can you imagine how she could have shared the testimony of this miracle with the town around her? How God is miraculously providing for her. Or did she keep it to herself so her neighbors didn’t come and try to take what she had as well. It is very interesting because it was enough for her, her son and Elijah. I wonder what would have happened if she tried to give it away and if it still would have been replenished. Interesting thought to ponder.
BUT! This isn’t the end to the story. That wasn’t the last of her calamities. Her son got sick and died while Elijah was staying with them. Verse 17. Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18. She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”
It’s so interesting how quickly she forgot the miracle God was continuing to do for her household by supplying her with flour and oil.
It can be so easy, even after receiving a blessing from God to quickly question his goodness and promises by allowing fear and doubt to slip in. Just like the children of Israel did in the wilderness, when they quickly forgot all the Miracles that God did for them and complained. I love how the Bible shows our raw humanity and struggles of faith.
19“Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”
22The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”
24Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”
The only risk in giving it all to God, when he asks, is absolutely nothing! We can trust Him.
God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalms 50, wow that is quite a passage. I will let you read it so I don’t offend anyone!) If we sell our little bit of cattle on our hill it’s not the end. God owns the cattle on all the other hills and he will supply every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Phillipines 4:19.
Trusting God should be the easiest thing in our life to do. He has shown himself faithful over and over and over again. We might think we have the best plan that will get us the best result, but in Isaiah 55:9 it says that God’s ways are higher than our ways his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We can make a plan, but it’s the Lord who directs our steps. Prob 16:9
Commit your works to the LORD [submit and trust them to Him], And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance]. Proverbs 16:3
If we are walking step by step living in purity before God, acknowledging his ways and following his paths, He will guide us and provide for our needs. He’s a good God who loves us so much. Doesn’t mean that this life is going to be easy but it means that he has our back and will take care of us. We can trust Him!
1 Kings 17:7-16 New International Version Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath 7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”
12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”
15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.
It is one thing to believe in God, it’s another thing to believe that He is a God of His word and that He keeps His Promises. For many of us, we have been waiting in expectation for God to come through in huge areas in our life. It means taking litterally the verse that says “Do not be weary in well doing, you will reap a harvest if you do not lose hope. (Gal 6:9) This morning I woke up and the phrase of the song Way Maker was going through my mind,” Even when I don’t see it you’re working, even when I don’t feel it you’re working. you never stop you never stop working. Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, my God that is who you are.
It started my day with my eyes fixed on the one who is in charge of it all. Nothing I can do in My Own Strength can make God’s will accomplish faster or be more perfect. He is all knowing, all powerful, always there. He knows my end from the beginning and if I walk with him he will make my path straight. I’m waiting with hopeful expectation that he will fulfill his word.
But as for me, I will look expectantly for the LORD and with confidence in Him I will keep watch; I will wait [with confident expectation] for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Micah 7:7 Amplified
What are you believing God for right now? What can we pray for you for?
Do you realize that you can be forgiven from something but still hold on to the shame of that sin?
The enemies goal is to kill, still and destroy.(John 10:10) He can keep you bound in shame after you are forgiven by God by putting thoughts of condemnation upon you for something that is already under the blood of Jesus! The end of that verse says that Jesus came to give life, and life more abundantly.
The battle first is in the mind. When we Repent (turn and go the other way, not to do it again) we are forgiven by God. He throws it into the sea of forgetfulness never to be remembered again. But the enemy does not forget and he will throw that in front of your face as often as he can to keep you buried Down Under the weight of a burden that is non-existent in the eyes of God. One of the main ways you can break the power of that condemnation is by Sharing Your Testimony of what God has done in your life. The Bible says we overcome the Devil by the Blood of the Lamb, the word of Our Testimony and that we do not love our lives even into the death (Revelations 12:11).
We Overcome him NOW, not just at the end of the world. We overcome him daily in our thoughts by taking the blood of Jesus that has covered our sins and commanding the enemy to leave! Then by the word of Our Testimony, we share our freedom that we have received to others.
There are so many sins that are embarrassing and keep us full of shame because we don’t want anyone to know we ever struggled with that. But if we do not share what we have overcome we are robbing someone else of the hope that God can free them from their pit of shame! We are robbing them from the realization that they can take the steps to get freedom from the sin that so easily entangles them. If people don’t realize there are others out there that have walked their walk and have broken free from that sin, then they will never have the hope of a new life walking in Purity before God..
It’s time to get bold with our testimony.
There are hundreds of thousands of people out there who need the transforming power of the blood of Jesus to break chains that have held them in bondage.
Your testimony could be the chain breaker that could change not only their lives but the Legacy that comes after them.
The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out, who accused them day and night before God. They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their testimony. They weren’t in love with themselves; they were willing to die for Christ. Revelations 12:10-11
“No freshly spoken word of God will come to you, that does not contain its own ability to perform it.”
The verse in the Bible that says it is impossible for God to lie is one of the most comforting scriptures. Hebrews 6:18 “God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.”
If God says something he will do it. Piggybacking on yesterday’s post about faith, faith being complete trust in the character of God. Knowing that God cannot lie is a part of his character. He is trustworthy. That means if he says something I can put complete faith and trust in the words that he speaks. Those words can be what I read in the Bible or words that he speaks to me personally. Having an unshakable faith in his character means I can trust his words will come to pass. When the angel came to Mary and told her that she would have a son and that Elizabeth was already in her 6th month, she asked “how is that possible?”. The angel said, in Luke 1:37 “Nothing (no rehma) will be impossible with God.” Rehma in the Greek means: rhḗma (from 4483 /rhéō, “to speak”) – a spoken word, made “by the living voice” (J. Thayer). 4487 /rhḗma (“spoken-word”) is commonly used in the NT (and in LXX) for the Lord speaking His dynamic, living word in a believer to inbirth faith (“His inwrought persuasion”).
I love Pastor Bill Johnson’s definition of this verse,
“No freshly spoken word of God will come to you, that does not contain its own ability to perform it.”
Bill Johnson, Pastor Bethel Church
If God speaks something to you that means he is not limited by circumstances, all he needs is a willing heart that trusts him and is ready to obey. This fills me was such hope and anticipation for what God is about to do. There are no limitations with him. He always tends to work outside of our box. It’s easy to trust in his character when I know He is good all the time.
He knows everything that is going on: He is Omniscient.
He is everywhere and surrounds me wherever I go: Omnipresent.
He is all powerful nothing is too hard for him: Omipotent.
He is the Apha and the Omega: the beginning and the end. He has already been where we are going.
How do you measure faith? If it takes a mustard seed size faith to move a mountain (Matt 17:20), then how much faith to see someone healed?
Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.
“Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].” Hebrews 11:1 Amplified
To me, Faith is trusting in the character of God beyond my own understanding. When I pray for something and it does not happen, even praying with complete faith and trust, if I say this did not happen because I did not have enough faith, I put all the pressure and blame on myself.
That is exactly what the enemy wants to happen! When I don’t get what I pray for the enemy would want me to doubt my faith in God. As a result, the enemy’s goal would be for me to start doubting God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do.
When I pray for something in faith believing God’s will to be done above my own, something switches from me being responsible for the answer to leaving it in God’s hand and trusting HIM to have the answer in His timing.
When I pray, Father, Your Kingdom Come On Earth as it is in heaven, not my will be done but Yours be done (Matt 6:10). My focus shifts on Him and His kingdom which is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). If I can have peace and joy while walking in righteousness (right standing in him) before Him, then I am experiencing the kingdom of God. If I live in that mindset it puts my focus on Him for whatever happens in my life.
By praying this way, I am focusing my attention on the Father, instead of my attention on the problem. If my trust and focus is on Him, not just relying on whatever size of faith I have, it begins to take my focus off of the issue. That begins to remove fear, doubt and disillusionment that can take place when you are surrounded by circumstances outside of your control.
Again, if I pray and think my faith will get me this answer, then my attention focuses on myself. I believe that is the opposite of what God intends for prayer.
I want my focus to be on the immense love of God, that he has me in the palm of his hands and whatever life and people throw at me I can rest in confidence in him. His character never changes his word never changes, his promises never fail. Happy Monday!
The picture in this post was a gift from God last year. I took it right down the street from my house when Mount Hood had the most incredible lenticular clouds over the top. It’s a treasure.
If you think being a Christian entitles you to an easy life, I’m sorry to say, that is a lie. However, one of the biggest gifts of a life with Christ is the privilege of tapping into all of the Power and Resources of Heaven through the blood of Jesus. When you are covered with the blood of Jesus you have everything you need to not only survive each day but experience true peace, joy and contentment. In 1 Timothy 6, Paul says, Godliness with contentment is great gain. In the Amplified it says “But godliness actually is a source of great gain when accompanied by contentment [that contentment which comes from a sense of inner confidence based on the sufficiency of God]. 1 Tim 6:6 Amp
I love that version! It describes that inner peace and confidence that we can have in Christ. Understanding the love that God has for us settles our soul like nothing else in this world! No matter the pain, betrayal or rejection you have encountered, allowing the love of God to fill every pore of our being is like taking a dry sponge and plunging it into water. If you let it soak in there for a bit, it fills up every single crack and hole.
When you bring that sponge out, what happens? It drips. What drips out of us if we soak in God’s love? The abundance of Living Water that Jesus Promised in John 4 with the woman at the well. He said, if she would drink of this water she would never be thirsty again. And also in John 7:38-39 Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
In Psalms 16:11 it says, You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
John 10:10, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy: I have come that they may have Life, and may have it in Abundance.
Let’s drink from the well of Jesus today. Let’s soak in His presence (in His Presence, there are Presents😂❤️) and in His unfathomable love. Let it sink into every single pore of our being until we drip his love and peace on all those around us.
Let’s talk about opening & closing doors in the home. Something pretty incredible happened this week that was quite the learning experience. I knew better. Long but worth it post.
A few years ago my daughter’s friends were telling her to watch a TV series called Once Upon a Time. It takes Disney stories and brings them to life and has them trapped in the real world. When my daughter was younger I told her she could not watch it because I had heard there was some dark aspects of it.
Forward to the last couple weeks where I told her that I would watch it with her (she is almost 15). We both knew it was showing things on there I typically wouldn’t have in our house in regards to magic. But the storyline was good and intriguing so we kept watching it. There were times where I asked her if it was too heavy and we would take a break. But then this week when we watched a few episodes, during one of the episodes my 18 yr old son came in for lunch and he heard one phrase that was spoken where Rumplestilskin was evoking a dark spirit. He said he had chills go through his body. That night I was up late reading my Bible. My daughter stood in my doorway at 12:30AM with a startled look on her face. She said that she left her room to go to the bathroom and when she came back her desk chair was turned towards the wall. She said it wasn’t like that when she left and it made her scared. I went in her room and prayed for her and prayed for peace for her room.
Then the next morning when my son was eating breakfast he did not look right. He looked heavy and down, not just tired. I asked him if he was okay and he said he felt like he did something wrong but he didn’t know what he did. He said he just felt weird inside. That same day my daughter kept on looking at me and asking me what was wrong. She said something in my eyes looked different. I was baffled because to me I was just hot and at the time I was getting my lunch so I was hungry and maybe a little agitated. But she said there was something else. That afternoon I talked to them about what I think was happening and that we need to spend some time praying over the house when we get home from youth group. I told the kids that I realized what I had done, as the adult allowing a open door in the spirit to have access in our home the last few weeks. When we willingly engage by watching or listening to even very light occultic/demonic activities, by our choice it allows an Open Door in the spirit Realm because we have given it legal access.
But the good news is we have Authority in the name of Jesus to close that door. We stood in the living room and I led the prayer and then they prayed their own prayers. I repented and asked forgiveness for opening the door to the enemy. That I was wrong even after feeling a check in my spirit I shouldn’t have kept going. I asked Jesus to close that door and fill our home with his perfect love that casts out all fear. Declared the blood of Jesus is over our home and all evil spirits must go! After the kids prayed we took oil and anointed every single window, door and electronic equipment and screen, declaring the blood of Jesus over everything.
My son stayed downstairs after we anointed with oil. When I came down to turn off the lights he was walking around playing worship music and praying and declaring every demon needs to flee his home in Jesus name. He was walking in an authority and passion like I had never seen before. I was so proud of him and so comforted at the same time for him to step up in leadership in this way.
The most incredible thing was waking up on Thursday and having peace, joy and freedom. It might be a simple thing or very complicated for some people to understand. All the more I know now, when my kids or I have a check in our Spirit about what was being watched, we need to keep out anything that has a resemblance to the occult. It’s not worth it. It’s Entertainment masked as light or fun. But the enemy can get in and will stay there if we are not sensitive and tell him to get out. Some shows are darker than others and each of us has to use our own discernment as to what our spirit can allow. But after talking to my daughter, we agreed we’re not watching anymore of that show, even though we are curious what will happen. Guess she can ask her friends and get the cliff notes.
I pray sharing my experience helps you to identify things in your home that could possibly be giving the enemy legal access to bring torment. I have prayed through my home countless times when I felt or knew something was wrong. The biggest step is repentance and renouncing sin or the allowing of something to come into the home. The Authority that Christ is giving us under the blood of Jesus has a power to kick out every evil spirit in your home. It takes us recognizing it even if we don’t know specifically what is causing the torment. We can start with repentance and going around the home and declaring the blood of Jesus over every entryway. Closing our Eye gate, Ear gate and heartgate is so important. For us and our children.
There have been times where someone’s been in my house that I knew in my spirit something was wrong, so I went through and prayed after they left. Another time when our first born was just a toddler we had someone babysit him who we knew wasn’t a Christian and she gave him a hanging mobile. We put it up in his room that night and he woke up screaming bloody murder for no reason. I recognized what had happened with the thing that she had giving him that we put up in his room. It was taken outside and destroyed and we prayed over the house and he had no problems after that with his sleep being disturbed. The kingdom aof light and the kingdom of darkness are constantly at war with each other. But we have the authority as sons and daughters of God, under his blood. There is power in the blood of Jesus to break every chain!
Here are some great teaching resources on Discernment (thanks Mom for the links)
Jane Hamon’s teaching series on Discernment is great. Here is a condensed version. Discernment: The Essential Guide to Hearing the Voice of God https://a.co/d/38t1EfU
Live Life Out Loud For God 