The Washing Of Feet and A Wider Perspective Of Reality

Are we willing to wash another person’s feet?  When we know who we are in Christ we will know the other person, we can then put ourselves in their shoes and have compassion for those people.  Jesus said, “now that I your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” 

About a decade ago, I was at a Spirit filled gathering and there were about fifty people seated in a circle.  The Pastor of the gathering of these believers decided to rock the boat a bit and “test the waters” so to speak. He came into the room carrying a bucket of water and a towel draped over his arm ready to wash feet. He walked over to one of the seated people, kneeled down to take off his shoes and asked him to put his feet in the water and he then started to wash this person’s feet. Then he asked if anyone else would be willing to wash another person’s feet. There was a silence, then I stood up, took the bucket and proceeded to wash someone’s feet.  I so understood the symbolism behind all of this and how it exposes what is in our hearts. Some of the people walked out and some just sat there. For Jesus, it was the display of His humility and His servanthood.  For some of the believers there, the washing of their feet was in direct contrast to their heart attitudes at that time. For all of us, washing feet is symbolic of our role in the body of Christ.  The question we all need to ask ourselves is, how high, how deep, how long and how broad and wide is our love? Right now in many people’s lives and, I’ll be so bold to say, in “the world,” a whole structure of reality is collapsing, while a new one is emerging. Things can get uncomfortable for a while, and it’s understandable that chaos, confusion and disorientation will reign both within and around us, as we are struggling to adapt to a whole new way of experiencing reality.  Many people are beginning to experience radical changes in their lives, as they enter into these turbulent times or as they enter into “new dimensions.” We are in conflict with the things that do not serve us any longer like negative thoughts and emotions that hold us bound in a lower place. We are in “transitional times” or the “end times” in which we are experiencing the death of a third dimensional reality (thought, mind, and time) and the birth of a fifth dimension. (Heaven, the plain of light)  As believers in Christ we need to come up higher, and go deeper for us to experience His rest, His presence, and His encompassing love for us. Jesus wants us to demonstrate this kind of love out there in the world.  In order for a higher dimension to remain available to us we need to resonate with it. When we shift from one dimension (level of consciousness) to the next higher one we need to become established in it, so that we don’t get pulled back. It takes sacrifice and perseverance. Whatever does not serve us in this transition has to fall away, such as approaches to life we have traditionally taken, also our old ways of reacting, instead of being proactive in a particular situation. Many believers have had experiences of eternal dimensions without realizing it, moments of spiritual awakening and experiences of heart opening.  At times it can happen when we are feeling clear and quiet inside, everything feels lighter and there is a sense of spaciousness and upliftment. There is this ongoing sense of being in present time (my favorite place:) with no interest in past or future, beyond the vale of limitation. We can decide to consciously let go of old patterns and judgements and keep ourselves uplifted to move into this new reality that now lies before us, choosing to simply allow life to transform us sometimes in uncomfortable ways if there is a resistance to this change. One way or the other, experiences in life will usually do the job for us and we will make it into the new reality being fully capable of comprehending with all of God’s people the width and length and height and depth of His love, fully experiencing that amazing, endless love.  If the illustration of the different dimensions of creation doesn’t make sense to you right away, this will very soon.  He wants us to live as His Son did: “Not doing anything we don’t see the father doing.” God doesn’t need our permission to do what He wants to do, giving us no notice at all.  He wants us, as individuals and His Church to live by Him, minute by minute.  It is uncomfortable for me to make God and His Realm subject to time and place…”As many as are led by the spirit are walking in Sonship.” And everyone born of the Spirit is like the Wind!

Jesus replied, “Believe me, the time is coming when you will no longer worship the Father here or in Jerusalem…. But the time is coming and is already here when true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship Him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:21-24).

Becoming

There is a voice from deep within calling us back to who we really are, there is that longing to go beyond what is restricting us. There are many people today that have explored realms and accessed different Spiritual dimensions beyond what we know and are familiar with, however, outside of Jesus, who is the only way, the truth and the life. Our destiny is far beyond human and we should begin to access our true birthplace before Jesus comes back. Most of us were not told about trials, tests and tribulations when we were born again, we were told that everything would be wonderful and easy. Nothing could be further from the truth, in spite of Jesus doing it all for us on the cross. Jesus’ burden can feel unbearably heavy when our striving to obey him ceases to flow from love and divine power. When we are born again we enter the kingdom of light, which is at war with the kingdom of darkness. Our life here on this planet is a journey and we are in a constant learning environment in which we are being prepared for eternal purposes. How we handle all of this determines the level of our graduation and the roles we are to play in this time of tribulation. There will be trials, difficulties and heartaches. That’s part of the course God has designed for us. Just because we are born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean that everything is going to be great and all of our troubles are now over. The question is, how deeply have we grown our roots beneath the soil? This could take a few years! (Spiritual maturity) Life can become a struggle when we find ourselves trying to obey Christ without abiding in Him, thereby detaching ourselves from his strength and power. The Lord doesn’t call us to this kind of wearisome striving because His yolk is easy, and His burden is light. He calls us to obey him while looking to Him and leaning on Him as He bears our burdens and strengthens us with his grace. This can only be obtained by continually entering into His presence. Can we stand the test of time, prophecies and revelations of the Lord, we need to talk about them for the sake of others. I know that it is of no profit to myself but for the sake of peoples’ doubt and unbelief. I also know that God gives us visions and revelations long before we are born again and have become a new creation man. Some of these revelations are brought back to our memory at the appropriate time which could be years later when circumstances call for it. Our calling was given to us before we came to this earth, and our experiences here have been a training ground. The place we were born, the parents we had, the things we endured or enjoyed along with the difficulties and hardships, were designed for our specific eternal roles. If we are to experience His resurrection power we are also to partake in His crucifixion and suffering, (the work of the cross) there is no way around it, this is the life of a true believer in Christ. He is love, love suffers long and love is kind. Love does not focus on what is wrong but will bear with the shortcoming of others, love is generous not envious, love is humble not self-promoting, love is never rude… So yes, we do need to become a new creation when we are born again of the seed of God and are set on the road of becoming a new creature in Christ. For many Christians this journey seems to become unattainable and they become discouraged. Believing and abiding in God takes a commitment where doubt and unbelief have to be overcome. It is the becoming that requires of us to learn how to abide in Him, renew our minds, change our ways, subdue our flesh, and die to self. When we set out to make a change, we usually attempt it on the doing level where it feels good. We try to do new things, or we try to do things differently. Lets rather try to be more, and do less, like being in His presence, being kind, being aware and being unselfish. If all of our doing does not produce a becoming more like Jesus, then what are we doing?

If you have really experienced the Anointed One, and heard his truth, it will be seen in your life; for we know that the ultimate reality is embodied in Jesus! And he has taught you to let go of the lifestyle of the ancient man, the old self – life, which was corrupted by sinful and deceitful desires that spring from delusions. Now it’s time to be made new by every revelation that’s been given to you. And to be transformed as you embrace the glorious Christ-within as your new life and live in union with him!   Ephesians tPt.

Expectation and Faith ( Staying aware of the God that invades the impossible )

Do we talk enough about what God has done in our lives, or have we allowed ourselves to be side-tracked or distracted by the frivolities of the natural realm, not realizing that we are cutting off the very source for the reason we are still breathing when we wake up in the mornings. His name is YAHWE the breath of life, our Creator and everlasting Father. When we lose sight of who He is and we take Him for granted, we are no different than anyone else. Rev. 2:17 seems to refer to an ancient custom, it is about a white stone signifying a precious token of the Lords love, and the new name written in the stone suggests it is the Bridegroom’s name. The statement indicates a special acquaintance with the great King of kings, secret between Himself and the individual. Those overcomers are not to be recoqnised merely as a class – the Bride class – but each will have the personal favour of the Lord. Of this, no one will know, but only himself or herself and the King. There is an individual and personal relationship between the Lord and the overcomers, who may be said to receive the mark of identification, the anti typical white stone, now in this life. This mark is the sealing of the Holy Spirit by which the Lord identifies the overcomers. A vision/dream was given to me about receiving this stone, when still living in los Angeles years ago, before I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ (read my testimony) because He knew me before the foundations of the world. There were still a lot of things I had to overcome, before I got to where I am today. I believe He gave me this dream/vision to let me know that I would overcome and be Victorious, although I did not know that at that time. So what I am saying here is, that the reality of God being active among us needs to be revered and remembered by all of us, because that is the Testimony and the Testimony matters to God. Remembering what God has said, and done in our lives, gives us the courage to step out in faith and also gives us the supernatural strength to accomplish our assignment (mandate).  People will not recoqnise your specific assignment so don’t expect encouragement from others, strengthen yourself in the Lord and learn to face the possibility of lack, without guilt and shame, this is key to maintaining focus in the Christ-like life of miracles. Not that He is the God of lack but the experience of lack leads us to abundance in the spirit and the natural when we draw closer and start living in His presence. We should prefer the discomfort caused by an area of immaturity in our lives if it provokes us to pursue God until we breakthrough. If your finances or health were to be on shaky ground today, where would that leave you, most probably in a state of panic and fear. As a believer we need to immediately be able to make the transition from the natural realm to the supernatural realm where there is no lack, but only the belief that He will take care of all of our needs according to His riches in Glory! Jesus already has provided everything you will ever need. Immaturity in the Spirit causes us to fall into fear (false evidence appearing real) and make the wrong decisions, the only remedy for that is drawing closer to God and getting His revelation on the situation. His gentle guidance comes as a refreshing clarity of mind where we know what to do, or what not to do. Revival is always in the air, He is a God of love. He is the oasis within us and the open Heaven above us. God has already provided for us from the spiritual realm into the physical realm. Our faith is the Victory that enables us to overcome the world.

“To him that overcomes will I give…a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows only he that receives it.” Rev. 2:17

The God of The Mountain is The God of The Valley Too ( unmasking the illusion of failure )

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.   Psalm 23-4

“All my life He has been faithful and all my life He has been so good to me. Whatever the enemy meant for evil He always worked together for my good.  This is where I know that God loved me before the foundations of the world, before I surrendered my life to Him and was “born again” in Spirit and in truth.” From eternity past I was set in place, before the world began. I was anointed from the beginning.  God knows the plans that He has for you, before He formed you in your mothers womb, He knew you!  He allowed you to adventure out and experience life, including revelations of His unrelenting love for you.  It may have taken almost a life time before certain things made sense to you, but your life was never wasted.  In my own life, His spirit led me “where my trust was without borders and He let me walk upon the waters wherever He would call me.  He took me deeper then my feet could ever wonder and my faith was made so much stronger in His presence.  Nothing that happens in our lives is by coincidence, don’t ever negate anything or allow anyone to diminish what you have experienced or been through, it has made you stronger, wiser and more compassionate  for it.  What would you be able to give to others without those deep wells of experience and knowledge within you.  All experiences that you have had wether good or bad, taught you valuable lessons about yourself and others.  Don’t see your life as a failure and buy into that illusion, its only when we can be ourselves and try new things, not allowing what others might say or think, to bother us. That’s what sets us free and brings success. Success is stepping outside of the norm and getting out of your comfort zone. Your Parents were not the blame for what you thought should have been coming to you, they did the very best with what they had and knew. You were born through them and God orchestrated it so, wether you except that or not.  You were not an accident, He already had a route planned for you.  He knew what would not come to pass that you expected to happen, He placed opportunities and open doors before you and  gave you the freedom to choose.  God’s word tells us that time and opportunity happens to us all.  Now, with those opportunities He placed before us, some were there to test us and we knew not to go that way (our knower told us:) but we didn’t listen. Because the choices we make are a product of what we think and believe at that time.  Never the less, His goodness always provided us with a way out.  He also placed a mountain before us to climb but most of us thought it would be easier to go around it, and around it again, until we realized that the way straight up the mountain would have been quicker and less painful.  What you have been seeing as wasted time, God sees that as a stage of growth you had to go through.  He never promised us a life without trouble and heartship, He did promise us that He would be there right beside us, walking us through our heartship and difficulties.  Even during this challenging time of lockdown and the corona virus, He is with us and always leads us and protects us when we stay in close fellowship with Him. 

He’s the one that keeps us faithfully following Him. O Lord we have passed through your fire; like precious metal made pure, you’ve proved us, perfected us, and made us holy. You’ve captured us, ensnared us in your net. Then, like prisoners, you placed chains around our necks. You’ve allowed our enemies to prevail against us. We’ve passed through fire and flood, yet in the end you always bring us out better than we were before, saturated with your goodness.    (Psalms 66)  

The Enemy’s Wrecking Ball Strategy

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”  Revelation 14:6-7

Are we being isolated in order to be manipulated into a new way of doing things – a new world order perhaps? I know…I most probably will be accused of “conspiracy theories” and all, but I just can’t help seeing these scenarios unfolding. The fear and panic of this whole corona virus pandemic has caused governments to lockdown their countries and  their economies to collapse. What we have to remember is that fear tolerated is faith contaminated, that’s why this could possibly be the true intention of what is being set into place. The good news is that our God is still on the throne and He is not swayed by all of this happening, He already knew from the beginning this was going to happen. He has been setting His Kingdom into place for all who love Him and are willing to lay down their lives for Him. We do not have to depend on the ways of the world, loyalty to God resists the onslaught of fear. I am not saying that Covet19 isn’t real, it is, but it is not the usual virus and therefore precautions do need to be taken. Yes, this Corona virus  was a plan of the enemy, but the Lord also has a plan… a plan to work it for good! The effects of this virus has been highly exaggerated for sure, in order for the worldwide lockdowns to have the desired effect. Think about it…how else is a worldwide reset going to be implemented. First take everything away ( all freedom ) plus some (essential?) luxuries and then very slowly give people back some needed liberties which they think, they can’t live without. All of it is so very clear to me, but my heart is not troubled, because I know who I serve. This reset has been coming for a long time and a lot of people in the world have been preparing for this. The transference of wealth from the unrighteous to the righteous has already begun. A Kingdom economy is birthed out of giving. We give to receive, go lower to get up higher, we die to live… It’s a wonderful upside down kind of Kingdom. It never fails! Every spirit filled believer needs to get a hold of that, then there will be no fear of the future, or worry about what the world is up to! To be truly prosperous is to live in both worlds “heaven and earth” abundantly. In John 3:13 Jesus said He came down from heaven but also is in heaven. Lived His life on earth from heaven’s reality. We in South Africa have been in lockdown, level 5, for over a month, and, on the first of May we changed to level 4, which allows us a little more freedom, meaning, that we are less restricted  than we were under level 5. How long this phase will last, we don’t even know. What we do know is, that there is a Kingdom rising, and an army of God’s fearless Warriors being mobilized. These warriors are the ‘laid down lovers’ of The One. They have a desire to live pure and Holy before God, after having been broken and restored; wounded and healed by His refining process. They don’t care about ministry titles or networking to build their ministry. They tend to want to travel back to the valley to help those that are dying there. Jesus said, the Kingdom of God is within you, therefore abide in Me and I will abide in you. The Peace of God is our supernatural shield that keeps us abiding in Christ. Only God has the healing medicine for these end times.

The Lord God alone has healing medicine for these plagues that will come. Nothing else can protect us. “In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” – Revelation 22:2

Divine Encounters – Things To Meditate On During Lockdown  

What has been written here is not my own experience or encounter, I want to bring to your attention an encounter of Neville Johnson, a man of God. I have been aware of his teachings for about 20 years now. Having always resonated with him and his experiences which he writes about, it would only be fitting for me to introduce him on this site. These particular experiences he had when he was quietly waiting on the Lord early in the morning came twice, the first one in 2008 and the the second one again in 2016.  These encounters gave him the impression that the following will start to unfold in 2016 which is now already four years ago.

I was in a paradise like setting, it was warm and the atmosphere was invigorating.  The Lord was at my side and began to talk to me.

“White is the color of purity and black usually speaks of evil, however things in your world are rarely black or white. The process of purification is somewhat slow but in these days it is being speeded up”.

He continued: “Filters serve to purify but filters must be applied in order for them to be affective.  You must apply the filters and direct your mind to the heavenly.

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

The Lord continued: Two things are required, I believe the Lord vividly brought these two prophetic encounters back to me because the time has now come for them to start and both are necessary. You must filter out the bad and think on the heavenly.  This filter must be applied to your mind and emotions. But you must also THINK AND MEDITATE ON THE HEAVENLY seek those things which are above in the heavens where I dwell.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Col 3:1.

I began to think how much our thoughts, emotions, and desires are so earthly orientated, and how that like Enoch we must become more at home in the heavens than we are here on earth. We were created to walk on this earth in our bodies while our spirit sores into the heavens.  Jesus Continued: You must seek to walk in heavens standards and ways, you were made to walk with me and as you do, My realm will become more real than your earthly realm. Purification is a cooperative process, my light and presence will purify you, and keep you pure, but you must be diligent to apply the filters, and refocus your mind on things above. Sanctification means to be set apart; set apart from that which defiles your mind and the emotions and your body. Holiness is simply being separated from that which defiles. I require holiness in order for you to walk with me, you must enter my realm which is pure and undefiled, I rarely enter your realm, and you must come to me. The purer your heart, mind, and emotions are the clearer you will hear God.

Your personal dream life your (Imagination) must become pure in order for the flow of communication from the Lord to be unhindered. Clarity in the spiritual realm requires clarity or purity in your soul life.  JESUS SPOKE: In the days that lie ahead my people will need to be able to hear me clearly, my voice is your life, as it is written my words are spirit and life. Many will die from hunger, prepare for the days that lie ahead both in the spiritually and natural. You must stay connected to the Lord at all times, the pleasures of life and living in a secular world can quickly muddy the true waters of life. Seek the Lord, seek to know Him, for in him only is purity.

THE LORD LOOKED AT ME AND SAID; will you be found worthy?

I thought about this question but I knew the only way that I could complete and finish my course was to walk with the Lord in purity, love, and faith knowing that He is able to keep me from falling and straying from the pathway of holiness and light. The conflict between walking with the Lord and functioning at the same time in a secular world has always been a seeming contradiction, an incompatibility that seemed to defy reconciling the two. However I have come to understand that the two can be reconciled. The two have to become one. We live in this world in our body, but in our spirit we can live with the lord.

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. John 3:13

NOTE: Jesus was both in heaven and on the earth at the same time. Jesus walked in both realms while He was on this earth. Living in a natural world and walking with the Lord in the spirit requires a whole new discipline, a whole new way of life. Our spirit man has to lead, and our mind and emotions must follow. For most of us his order is reversed as we separate the secular from the spiritual. Our soul must serve and follow our spirit man which is joined to the Lord. All of our springs must be in Him. All the initiates in our lives must begin in the spirit and be walked out on this earth through the soul and body.

I found myself watching the Lord picking up sticks and wood.  He placed the wood into a small pile then started another pile etc.  He looked at me and said will you help me?  I said yes and started picking up wood to add to the piles. The Lord blew on each pile as he did they burst into flames.  The scene changed and I was high above the earth looking down like it would be with a satellite view. Fires were starting all over the world.  Many of these fires joined together becoming much larger. I particularly noticed that there was no smoke.  Again I was down where the fires were burning:  There were people in the fires, Shadrack Meshach went through my mind.  I said Lord what is happening?  As I said this people began to emerge from the fire. They were glowing their skin was smooth almost glass like not a wrinkle anywhere.  These people looked almost molten and were glowing with light with blue white and red hues. I said Lord what is this?  He replied. You are seeing what I am about to do next I will purify my people with fire. Like the Phoenix they will arise and go forth across the land.

There will be a time of purifying with Water, Blood, and Fire. At this point I had a distinct awareness that only He could do it.  The scene changed and these people began to spread across the world healing the sick, raising the dead back to life again and supernaturally supplying food and water.  The power of God was flowing through them unhindered.  They were casting out demons and healing people in Psychiatric Hospitals, healing and restoring.  They were Stopping Plagues and Hurricanes. The words they spoke instantly  Lit as lightening.

Again I was standing high above looking at those fires burning when the Lord spoke again.  Jesus: I am going to purify My church, the roots of sin and the effects of sin is so deep in many of your lives that only I can remove them and heal you.  Things you have struggled with for years, not been able to overcome will be removed by the fire. I will cleanse my church with spirits of fire.  The word Seraphim is the Hebrew Word  seraph, meaning burning.  Fire is not for cleansing of sin, Fire is for purging refining, it deals with the consequences of sin in one’s life, the pollution that sin causes.  It also deals with the demonic. THE FIRE DEALS WITH Emotions, soiled hurt and desecrated.  The pollution of the mind with its bad haunting memories, caused through sexual abuse and spirit strongholds in the mind.  Negative hereditary problems and much more. FIRE PREPARES THE VESSEL.  Many through various negative events throughout their lives have been subjected to hurts and fears, hereditary problems, sexual abuse, DID/MPD and Inherited affects from ancestral gross sins, which have built strongholds in their lives.  These will be eradicated and healed when the fire has done its work. Like a brand new person they will be totally changed emerging, as it were reborn and made ready for Gods purpose in this final hour. The Lords said to me:  YOU CANT DO THIS.  How ever, you can put yourself in a position to let me do it.  In Humility and Sincerity we must come before the Lord and Say LORD WE CANT DO IT. YOU MUST ASK THE LORD TO DO IT

A Set Time of Favour. There are set times which come and pass. Times of opportunity which do not last forever.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. Ecclesiates 9:11

God’s Word tells us that time and opportunity happens to us all.  It is often said and is true that, we are what we are by reason of the choices we have made in life, and the choices we make are largely a product of what we think and believe. Time and opportunity happens to us all.  Our response determines if we take advantage of it or not. Acceleration is a phenomena of our times. 

The decisions we make today impact upon us much more quickly than they would have a few years ago.  The process of sowing and reaping is in a state of constant acceleration.  The Goodness of God is coming and the Cherubim’s are coming.  Today if you hear His voice. The set time has come.   

and in a day of salvation have I helped thee:  and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; Isaiah 49:8.  God is saying to you  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Isaiah 55:6

I believe the Lord vividly brought these two prophetic encounters back to me because the time has now come for them to start to be fulfilled.

Lockdown In Progress

I was having a conversation today with my imaginary friends sipping a coffee. We talked about the meaning of the lockdown and whether people were getting it  (not the virus of course)  no pun intended, but the idea that life is short and we are racing toward the end of it, as we know it.  Are we having fun yet? Or are we still arguing and striving over things that are meaningless, just because we want to be right or in control of the situation. Are we learning how to have conversations with our family and friends instead of burying our heads in the world of distractions (cell phones, computers, digital games) Are we laying down our pride and arrogance to be able to get on our knees to say “Lord we need you, help us, we are nothing without you in this fallen world”.  Don’t fool yourselves, things will not be going back to the way they were, your faith will be stretched, and your patience, kindness and self control tested, but don’t worry you will emerge as liquid glass on fire, coming out of the furnace to be moulded and shaped into His likeness…transparent, beautiful, merciful, filled with light and love.  Oh yes, also our resourcefulness will come to good use in trying times like this, it will make us or break us, and reveal the overcomer in us. Jesus was an overcomer, He overcame the world and we as believers are to follow in His footsteps. The Supernatural life is becoming more and more attractive isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to break bread together and have it multiplied for others also? If we are having a hard time spending time with God now because we keep succumbing to the distractions of the natural world, how are we ever going to be comfortable spending eternity with Him. This period of lockdown should be easy for all lovers of Christ, the perfect opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with His tangible Presence. He will never force Himself on us, He desires our company more than we do His. Our selfish need to always want to acquire more spiritual knowledge as a substitute for Him, is also a distraction, maybe not a worldly one but never the less a distraction. Desire that impartation which He so wants to give to you…because there is no greater closeness than to share one life.

Then Jesus, overflowing with the Holy Spirit’s anointing of joy, exclaimed, “Father, thank you, for you are Lord Supreme over heaven and earth! You have hidden the great revelation of this authority from those who are proud, those wise in their own eyes, and you have shared it with these who humbled themselves. Yes, Father. This is what pleases your heart and the very way you’ve chosen to extend your kingdom: to give to those who become like trusting children.  Luke 10-21

There Is Always Hope

He said, “Those who are called to draw near to Me will share in My peace. But only those who have hope have peace, continual peace. If hope is gone, the soul is tossed to and fro seeking safe harbor, Anna. I want My children’s eyes set on Me, hoping in Me, not looking at the passing panorama of earthly events being played out before them. I want them to look beyond, to look up, to see at last the distant shore toward which they are sailing, filling their hearts and minds, their eyes and ears with Me. This will bring the hope that gives peace.”

This is an excerpt out of the book “Heaven Awaits The Bride” written by Anna Rountree who was taken into the “Throne Room” and who had conversations with the Lord regarding the events that were to happen and are now beginning to come to pass in the times that we find ourselves in. Reading this book had a tremendous impact on me and impregnated me with a knowing that as long as we stay in Him, filled up by Him, we will remain in a place of safety, hope and peace with all that is happening around us. The Lord brought this book to my attention again several weeks ago.  I took it off my bookshelf on which it had been stored for about eight years and started reading it again. The other night I read some passages to my husband, and the room filled up with a beautiful tangible presence of God and a peace beyond all understanding. We sat there in silence and in awe…His love for us is beyond comprehension.  We are now into our third day of lockdown in South Africa with the Corona Virus pandemic escalating, and honestly, no one really knows what is going to happen next. There are many Prophecies about the effects and outcome of the pandemic doing the rounds. What we do know is that the world will never be the same again after this very strategic time in our lives. By strategic I mean that God is allowing all of this in order to bring the church closer to Him and bring us to a place of reflection regarding our values and who and what we place first in our lives. This is also a strategic time because the lockdown in South Africa, and in other countries, ends just after easter, which is a time of new beginnings, and, is also just after the passover in the 5780th year of the Jewish calender. This is such a valuable time for separating ourselves unto Him, some people have already been doing that. For others this will be much harder as the days of religion and no power are over. My hopes and prayers are that who ever reads this accepts Jesus Christ into their hearts believing that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that without Him this world is lost. Get familiar with The Word of God and allow it to change your life. The good news is that in Him all things are possible if we only believe. In the Word of God, Joshua 1:9 it is written  “be strong and courageous; do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you where ever you go.”

I will be giving you updates from time to time and share my heart with you regarding life in lockdown status.

 There is a divine mystery—a secret surprise that has been concealed from the world for generations, but now it’s being revealed, unfolded and manifested for every holy believer to experience. Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it!  Colossians 1-26  (tPt)

Kingdom Rising

“You will hear of wars nearby and revolutions on every side, with more rumors of wars to come. Don’t panic or give in to your fears, for the breaking apart of the world’s systems is destined to happen. But it won’t yet be the end; it will still be unfolding.  “Nations will go to war against each other and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be terrible earthquakes—seismic events of epic proportion, horrible epidemics and famines in place after place.  This is how the first contractions and birth pains of the new age will begin!”  (Matthew 24 – tPt)

All that remains now, is to trust in God. If we can’t trust our maker, then who can we trust? We cannot trust our monthly income because it will change or fade away. We can’t trust the stock market because it can collapse, and stocks become worthless. In these perilous times who can resist? Only the ones who have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior and are aware of what is going on in the world. Read your bible, it tells you all about it…The news you see and hear on your television is mostly lies, very little truth in it.  Are we prepared for what is coming? I don’t mean to scare anyone but let’s be honest, what do you see when you look around you? What do you feel in the atmosphere? Relying a 100% on God will have to become the order of the day. Our purpose will not be realized until we understand this Kingdom principle, which is, in order for us to become great in the Kingdom we have to become like little children, believing and trusting our heavenly Father. There is a Kingdom rising who’s foundations are built on trust, believing and giving. How else do you think we will ever become totally God-reliant? This will become the new economy, a Kingdom economy.  There is a fear spreading, a fear of contagious disease and a fear of lack. Please remind yourself of the fact that God has not given us a spirit of fear but a spirit of love, power and a sound mind.  (2 Timothy)  Speak psalm 91 out over your household and yourself, it declares that no plaque will come near your dwelling!  Pray for heavenly wisdom because we are going to need it in these changing times.  Also establish yourself in love, become rooted and grounded in it, love means being patient and kind. It means not seeking your own way, not being jealous or boastful. God has given us everything we need to get through these  seemingly desperate times, we are equipped with boldness, courage and authority. Come on Bride of Christ, this is the time to shine and reach higher! Our thoughts, emotions and desires are too earthly oriented, and like Enoch, we should desire to become more at home in the heavens than we are here on earth. Remember, we were created to walk on this earth in our bodies while our spirits soar into the heavens. What does it exactly mean to become totally God-reliant? It means no backdoor left open for “just in case…” It means  boldly stepping into unknown territory and believing He will back us up. We think we trust God but it isn’t until our self-reliance and security is threatened that we are forced to put that to the test. We are God-reliant when we have nothing left except our foundation as believers, clinging to the truth that He is faithful.

Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines;  Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut of from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls-  Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.  ( Habakkuk 3:17 – 18)

Passion loves the Journey

Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine — these are the many things God has in store for all his lovers. But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit. Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things. After all, who can really see into a person’s heart and know his hidden impulses except for that person’s spirit? So it is with God. His thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by his Spirit, the Spirit of God.   ( 1 Corinthians 2 – tPt)

Passion and focus enable us to enjoy everyday and every situation we might find ourselves in. We learn to love the hand of God in all things. The natural capacity to hear God was put into our DNA when we were born again, we were designed to be lovers of God. Life’s unexpected circumstances empower us to grow and take us out of our comfort zones where we are being stretched beyond our limits.  Religion keeps us in a place of false security where we loose our vulnerability and transparency and we become self reliant. We start doing things in our own strength. Because of the attributes of God, we are called to become more detached to keep our spirits uncluttered, our focus should be on God because God’s focus is His connection with us! Life is full of distractions to pull us away from that place of communion with Him for renewed inspiration and fresh revelation. We need to eliminate the unnecessary chatter that drains, instead of fills our being. Our identity in God takes time to develop, it is a key to transformation and there are no shortcuts to a life lived in the center of “the storm” where we can hear God say “be still and know that I AM GOD”.  We like to be told who we are and not condemned for not being what we have yet to attain. Everyone loves to be encouraged.  I am amazed at the Father’s deep affection for us, demonstrated through the warm, kind and patient disposition of Jesus.  I love the sense of humor and the enthusiasm of the Holy Spirit which tends to bubble up in me quite often, but not so readily understood or received by others.  If I didn’t know better, I would believe the Holy Spirit to be some morbid person incapable of laughter. We take ourselves way too seriously, as if too much joy is sinful and causes us to miss the mark. Our wine skins are in desperate need of having to be renewed to be able to tolerate the new wine that is being poured out in this new time, not a new season, but a whole new beginning! Are we ready to leave the old behind and move into 20/20 Vision where God will show himself of in all His Glory! The natural man cannot perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God, they must be spiritually discerned. Hearing from God ignites this burning in our hearts,  I love His voice, His voice pierces through the heart.  His presence and voice come the same… it comes as a friend and it often comes as an internal desire. Something gets activated when He speaks. We come alive, there is a quickening… the ability to hear His voice does not comes from striving, it comes through entering His rest.

Starting To See Ourselves As He Created Us

“Our royal identity never shines brighter than when we pursue hidden things with the confidence that we have legal access to such things.”  Bill Johnson

As you allow God to paint a picture on the canvas of your heart, you will begin to see yourself as He created you, not as others have labelled you. You will rise above your own self-imposed limitations. Jesus came walking on the water inviting people to join Him.  Wisdom tells us that this must be possible, because God’s nature wouldn’t take Jesus where we can’t go. Lately there has been an uproar about the attempt to resurrect a precious child who died; through prayer, declarations and worship. Isn’t that how all of us, true believers, should be living? Doing what Jesus commanded us to do and even greater things than that! When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples, He commanded them to heal the sick and raise the dead…but nowhere in the Word of God, do we get the idea that God raises everyone who dies. These are the hidden things!  The sincerity of the parents is admirable, they absolutely did what Jesus commanded them to do, whether the outcome was resurrection or no resurrection. The child was not raised from the dead. The parents are a beautiful example of how Christians should believe. I also know that they are at peace with the outcome, knowing they reached a place they would normally have never gone to …faith transforms and changes us, it doesn’t mean there was no grieving or emotions involved, because they were.  Faith causes an awakening, the Word of God says that without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God.  For we come to God in faith, knowing that He is real and that He rewards the faith of those who give all their passion and strength into seeking Him.”  The awakening within us opens up a place for more understanding where we change the way we reach out to people and share ourselves and the good news with them. We learn to meet people at their level of understanding and lose our own arrogance, humility takes us a long way.  People have to experience for themselves, they have to get there themselves, they need that encounter to become real for them, and we can’t rush the process.  I remember when I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart by faith and was then baptized in water, I changed.  I saw everything with different eyes after that experience.  It was not very long after that, when I had my second encounter with Him, which caused me to be very detached from my past and created a hunger in me, which enabled me to move on into the things of God.  Every time we think this is how it should be done or that is what should happen, we are restricting Him from moving in a sovereign way or as some would say  “we are placing Him in a box”.  I can tell you about so many times when He moved in a sovereign way with me in my life and allowed me to experience the supernatural in a variety of ways… there was never any fear involved, only His Peace that is beyond all understanding.  There is nothing like knowing Him, His ways are not our ways…

Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life.  No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.  And from now on you will realize that you have seen him and experienced him.”  James 14. (pTp)

Exchanging The Precious For His Presence

If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God! True happiness comes as you pass the test with faith, and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God!    James 1 – 12

I sensed God saying to me today, give to me what is precious to you and I will give you the supernatural…again. When He said to me “again” it dawned on me immediately that when I had given my life to the Lord about thirty-five years ago, and then a little while later was baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire, sitting on my bed, alone at home.  I gave up everything that was precious to me and He gave me the supernatural.  Everything that happened to me from that point in time was truly supernatural in nature although I did not fully recognize it as that, (I thought it was quite normal) until much later in time.  Invoking the presence of God happened daily without any effort required, my desire was only for more of Him and everything that I was ready to receive made its way to me. It’s shocking how much we take for granted when we are younger and just do not see the  value of things. Smith Wigglesworth once said “If you come into the presence of God, you can have what you come for. You can take it away and use it at your disposal. And there is nothing you can find in the scriptures where God ever charges you for what you have done with what He has given you. God scolds no man, but you can come and come again, and God is willing to give if you believe!”  What an awesome God we serve!  I went through a stage in my life feeling guilty about not having been a good steward with what God had given me because my direction, geographically speaking, perspective, the way I saw things, and my thought life changed.  Things do change… we are supposed to change and grow in the spirit, think and do things in a new way.  God creates new all the time, HE IS A GOD OF THE NEW.  He calls us to be overcomers of our old nature, our narrow and small mindsets, horrible behaviors, habits and traditions. The Kingdom of God transcends time and space…God is artistic and aesthetic, He made things beautiful and enjoys beauty.  We, made in His image, are the same. letting go of what is precious to us could be a difficult thing to do but it should come naturally to those that are living a surrendered life in Christ Jesus.  Do you desire change? What would you like to see in your life…you just know that there is so much more!  Others may say, you should be content with what you have, yet you are dissatisfied.  How surrendered is your life? What are you willing to do, to make those changes that bring about the supernatural and extraordinary.  The gifts of the spirit are wonderful, and yes, they are freely given.  But the flowing river of the Lord’s abiding presence is even more so…. and that is what we should desire and seek with all of our hearts.  Accessing that creative spirit that God has placed within each one of us will help us to move forward. God will always communicate His will to us as we keep developing our relationship with Him.  I don’t have to prove a thing, He has already approved of me a long time ago. The key to change and to “greater things” is believing. Out of strong belief comes action.  Change comes because we believe, and are willing to do things differently.  What I have learned is that God loves me for who I am, not for what I have done or what I can do, and that helps me to relax about myself.  There are different approaches and callings to reaching people for Jesus Christ, because we serve a very big God, and the important thing is that His name is being Glorified, uplifted and spread.  I am so revelated again these days, thanking Him for life and the privilege to be able to carry His presence. He gives us renewed inspiration and fresh revelation when we let go of the things that are “precious” to us. By precious, I mean fearing that our next decision will ruin everything for us.  Our security should lie in Him.  He wants you to be secure in the person He has created you to be. There are seasons when we have to walk away from the crowds, where we have to walk our own road and find our own place.  People won’t always understand you, and that is fine… In Philippians 4  it says, don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing.  Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.

When we are willing to do what ever it takes, to see what we long to see, that is what moves the heart and hand of God. Our initiation is His invitation. We will experience Him in a way others do not, why? because we are willing to do what others will not.

Positioned for Divine Acceleration

As though lifted by a wave of the ocean, you are experiencing a sudden movement forward. Nothing can stop His purpose for your life.

Do you feel supernaturally strengthened by the Lord these days? Are you aware of an acceleration of time. Great manifestation is always preceded by an acceleration of time gaining momentum to materialization. When God is at work in our lives there is unstoppable momentum shifting our circumstances and removing obstacles.  It’s the materializing of things that we are all standing in faith for. Are you paying attention to the signs that God is showing you? What He is showing me these days is that everything has changed again, and, that if we are willing to except that, He can do a quick work in us and in our lives.  For us this has been a season of rest, to renew and refresh. That  season has now come to an end and there will be new challenges for us to deal with in the next season. It seems that His grace is lifting off of the things that before were so filled with His grace, but that is not so.  A change is imminent and it is pulling us out of our comfort zone once again. His grace is always sufficient for every situation. He is moving us onward into unfamiliar territory and new environments where we will be stretched and our capacity enlarged. Being stretched can be a scary experience, but His promise is that He will never allow us to experience anything beyond what we can handle. In this process we will lose some people who are nearest and dearest to us. Believe what people show you about who they are and make no attempt to fix them. Believe what you see and choose whether or not you will be involved with them. This preserves the strength of your heart. Things will get intense, leaving little room for rest and relaxation but God is so good, He helps us to press in and He takes us through. We all want to be accepted and celebrated, not just tolerated…but we need to remember that He raises most of us not to be fruitful at first but to be crushed, and then to become fruitful. Who are you spending your time with? Do they encourage you and want the best for you, do you feel edified after spending time with them. This is so very crucial in our faith walk with God. The way many Christians think these days is that Christ did it all for us, so why must we die to our flesh. Well, dying to self produces character, it makes us more compassionate, patient, tolerant and understanding. We don’t see too much of that in the body of Christ.  In 1 Peter (tPt)  it says, “Since Christ, though innocent, suffered in His flesh for you, now you also must be a prepared soldier, having the same mind-set, for whoever has died in His body is done with sin.  So live the rest of your earthly life no longer concerned with human desires but consumed with what brings pleasure to God. By keeping our hearts clean, free of bitterness and resentment, full of God’s love, we will stay positioned for God’s purpose in our lives. Nothing and no-one can hold us back when His time comes. We need to pay attention to the thoughts that come into our minds especially during these times, because if they are carnal we are inviting trouble into our lives.    

Create a new, clean heart within me.  Fill me with pure thoughts and holy desires, ready to please you. May you never reject me!  May you never take from me your sacred Spirit!  Psalms 51 – 10  (tPt)

I Would Rather Stay Seated in Heavenly Places

There is a generation that doesn’t understand anointing, it only seems to understand gifting.  This is a dangerous thing because the anointing has to be developed in a darkroom.  In other words, the disciple has to go through a process of development to become transparent and sensitive to the light, so that he is able to project unto others the perfect image of Christ, the anointed One.  Being a photographer myself, and having had my own darkroom years ago, I can relate to that analogy very well.  Gifting without the process of development doesn’t touch lives or empower others.  There are many gifted people and the gifts come without repentance, but without anonymity, obscurity and crushing, there can be no anointing.  According to Isaiah 10:27 “it’s the anointing that breaks the yoke”.  There are so many young believers today that want the platform without the process and it shows…we can see this mostly on social media, where they will follow your account in the hopes that you will follow them. When you don’t, they “unfollow” you a day or so later. Even worse yet, if you do follow them, they will ”unfollow” you anyway a day or so later. This is all a way of gaining more followers very quickly.  What happened to integrity?  

What’s happening to the sincerity of God’s people? How are we seated in Heavenly places in Christ (according to Ephesians 2) with all of this? We can’t even show up on time or keep our word! I don’t mean to offend anyone, but these are observations that are disturbing.  I heard someone say a while ago, that one of the most spiritual things we can do is to be on time. I wholeheartedly agree. Not only is it insensitive towards the person who has asked somebody to be somewhere at a certain time but it also gives the impression that that somebody does not think too highly of the person who sets the time. Now these are just some of the reasons why the process of development is needed in the church.  Be developed by God and let those roots grow deep, promotion can only come from God.  If Jesus had to wait thirty years before His first assignment, what makes us think, that we have a handle on this the moment we give our lives to Christ. I don’t think we would survive it. Unless the light inside of us burns brighter then the spotlight on us, we will cave in under the weight of it all.  Many gifted people have suffered and experienced rejection because of stepping into their calling prematurely.

I often think about the spiritual reality of being seated in heavenly places in Christ and that we have access through our faith.  Bringing down heaven to earth takes believing that everything that Jesus spoke about we can have and do in His name and more… if we believe!  If we don’t believe it, we can’t have it!  Then there is also the gift of time He gave us, to develop and experience His beautiful nature and His original plan for us.  How awesome is all of that!  Why would we want to stay in this restricted place, when we are given a choice of life or death.  About thirty years ago, when I began my quest for finding out what the fullness of faith represented for me, I took a huge leap into the unknown.  It was exhilarating, I don’t think I ever felt more alive!  It was spiritually so rewarding knowing and sensing that God was with me through it all.  But if we are not vigilant the enemy has a way of stealing that time from us, by not being willing to die daily.  I would rather stay seated in heavenly places in Christ and be recognized by Him, because it changes our expectations, the way we pray, the way we treat others, and the way we live.

In Ephesians it says that “this entire building is under construction and is continually growing under His supervision until it rises up completed as the holy temple of the Lord Himself. This means that God is transforming each one of you into the Holy of Holies, His dwelling place, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you!”

There Is A More Excellent Way

” If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”  CS Lewis

To be real, honest, vulnerable and transparent, requires off us to lay down our pride and take of that mask that wants others to believe that we have it all together.  For some of us that is a difficult thing to do.  Can we carry the weight of what God wants to give to us?  I see many people in the body of Christ that would like to have what God wants to give to them but are not prepared or willing to make sacrifices, so as a result, there is no growth and life becomes an endless repetition of sameness, boring and unfulfilling.  Only through complete surrender are we able to carry what He wants to do through us.  In relationships we don’t always have to be right, let go, and let God have His way in that particular situation.  It’s only by Grace….some of us need to be put through the fire, so that when something good happens to us, we don’t think its us…sorry, its only by His Grace. Encounter marks us and makes us more hungry for God,  not for the things of this world. It’s about time we become honest and real!  God loves transparency.  He hates religiosity. To have God’s spirit inside of us is such an amazing privilege, He leads us and guides us through His Word and by His Spirit. We will always know what we need to do, and when we need to do it. The question is, will we do it!  My own experience is, that the more spiritually minded we become, the more emotionally stable we are…. that roller coaster road eventually leads us upwards, not allowing ourselves to be easily shaken by trouble and assault, remaining strong and sincere in our love as we express the truth.  The full dimensions of spiritual maturity are not reached in an atmosphere of always needing to gratify the flesh and having everything neatly lined up in a row.  Things can get messy and unexpected disturbances do happen that are unplanned for, it’s in those moments that we get tested and the opportunity arises to subdue our flesh. The Holy Spirit is such a wonderful teacher, so gentle and yet so strong. There is a consciousness  to be attained, called the Mind of Christ, emptying ourselves, and taking the form of a servant.

Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority!  Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm.  Colossians 3  (tPt)

A Higher Realm, The Place Of Clarity, Peace and Glory

In John 3:11 (tPt)  Jesus said,  “I speak eternal truths about things I know, things I’ve seen and experienced…and still you don’t accept what I reveal.  If you are unable to understand and believe what I’ve told you about the natural realm, what will you do when I begin to unveil the heavenly realm?”

We are placed into  impossible situations  so that we will come to know the one for whom all things are possible. This is not understood by the old creation who wants to always be in control.  Placing our confidence in any natural identity is proving that our carnality is still boss and a shadow of the real, the spiritual nature.  I want to shout out, that pulling down tomorrow into today, and also, that which  has been stored up for us in heaven, is accessible to us now… and becomes a reality for us here on earth today.  I don’t want to wait for that day when I get taken home, to discover, that everything my heart desired already existed up there for me. We need a revelation of the heavenly realm and everything it holds and represents for us here today!  Jesus is building that foundation in our lives, line upon line and precept upon precept until we grow into a measure of an understanding of His world.  Sowing and reaping are the fundamental principals of the Kingdom, where we receive according to what we have done, but the accelerated manifestation overrules the law of sowing and reaping and we enter into the law of blessing where we receive according to what He has done. We have crossed over into a time of divine acceleration into the promises and blessings of God. Jesus has been  building this foundation of sowing and reaping in our lives because He wants to take us somewhere else, into a place of divine acceleration, out of this place of limitation. I know that there are places on earth where people are already living in that accelerated place. The idea of planting anything at anytime of the year and seeing it flourishing because of divine acceleration sounds very attractive to me!  Who would not want to be in that place, that place of Glory! “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”  My experiences of the Glory realm have been brief, but enough for me to never ever want to settle for less.  It has always astounded me, that when we attempt to enter a higher dimension in our lives, all of hell seems to want to break loose on us. All of a sudden there are misunderstandings and carnality raises it’s ugly little head. Our walk with Jesus Christ is  not complicated, but it does require all of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, not just some, but all , to walk this Heavenly road.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It is  obedience to God’s will for our lives that produces good fruit in us. To say we want to do His will and then not do it is hypocritical. What is God’s will?  His will is for us to become like Jesus Christ and to walk in His ways.

Co-Creating With God 

Jeremiah 33:3: ‘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’

A talent that is buried is useless but a skill that is utilized displays the Glory of God who gives all special abilities, talents and creative skills. Have you ever felt really stuck, spinning your wheels? This can happen to any of us creative individuals, it’s happened to me a few times in my life. Our inability to move forward is due to fear and issues of self worth. When I compare myself to others I become weak in faith, I see their gifts as being so much better and different to mine. Comparison can be such a killer. When we were born of the spirit we received His resurrection power that heals, cleanses, restores and gives new life. Being Creative should be foremost on our minds as people of God. For me it has always been my happy place, it makes me feel whole where nothing is missing and nothing is broken. It lifts me up and causes me to love well and be a blessing to others. The work of our minds and hands as a people of God contribute to a culture of two Kingdoms fused together. Having Become aware of my creative nature and how it makes me feel took a time of uncovering layers of self worth issues. As children we were all creative and we had no inhibitions about expressing our creativity, showing the world around us, what we had inside of us.  I remember as a child how I would spend hours creating drawings of interiors and I imagined what it would be like being a designer or architect. That was just one of the things I enjoyed doing, among many others. Our Creator placed it all inside of us.  Are you willing to let go of what you believe to be true about your creativity and embrace the truth of God?  You have to be a brave heart and jump in that river of creativity and not let other people affect you in what they might say. Comparison produces fear and can rob us of our peace and joy.  Creativity is also an act of worship, when we worship God in a corporate environment we are creating a way into heaven.  Someone with an anointing for worship on earth can lift us in spirit to their level of praise, their anointing carries us with it and we add our voice to the worship being raised to God.  There is a sound I believe that when released, can carry us into the throne room of God and we get to experience hearing His angels sing.  This is hard to explain for me but I have experienced this in a corporate setting where a certain sound was released by the worship leader (no lyrics) and the worshipers that were sensitive in the spirit, including myself, latched on to that sound with our own voices and allowed it to take us into another dimension.  As a result of this we could tangibly feel the shift and hear the angels sing. An Incredible experience!  People get set free and healed in their bodies by getting up higher. It has also been said in Anna Rountree’s book “Heaven Awaits the Bride”  since all such praise travels to the father, it is like catching a ride on a passing trolley and enjoying the ride to the throne room. If the angels do not ride all the way there, still they have added an imprint to the praise. Therefore, they too have participated, if ever so briefly”.   I have believed for a long time, that people do not only form an understanding of what is true based on the Word, but also through their sensory experience of God.

Isn’t it wonderful that the life of Jesus so perfect and complete is able to flow through different individuals, giving unique flavors to what others are able to taste and see.  The psalmist writes, taste and see that the Lord is good…

“For I am about to do something new.

 See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

 I will create rivers in the dry wasteland”

Isaiah 43:19 .

Where Two or Three are Gathered

They loved power and not purity, they loved healing and not holiness, they loved miracles, signs and wonders and not the Will of God.  Often I have wondered about the people of God who will stand in prayer lines to receive healing in their bodies but remain ignorant of what could be causing their forever ongoing ailments.  Now I am not saying that God would not heal them right there on the spot. He is sovereign and does what He wants. Why, if when, with two or three gathered in His name we are able to displace the powers of darkness that are against God’s purposes in the earth,  are we not yet walking in divine health?  Jesus told us as His Kingdom representatives, “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven and whatsoever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in Heaven.” (Matt. 16:19). We are agents representing another world and we are releasing the reality of that world into this world through our agreement in purpose. We should all have the same purpose, ie bringing Heaven to earth.  Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. He loves to live in a healthy, pure and Holy environment.  Health to our Spirit Soul and Body is connected to our obedience to His commands. Therefore, Honor God with your body.  let’s at least make an effort to become more conscious of  foods that are weighing us down and dulling our senses,  replace those with nutritious natural foods that are life giving. Do you love Him enough to break the stronghold certain foods and behaviors have over your life? When the only stronghold should be occupied by God Himself.  If we want to get up higher into God’s presence and deeper into His mysteries we will have to pay a price.  There is no such thing as a magic wand getting us there making it all happen. We allow so many things in our lives to control us, like unhealthy mindsets, relationships, food addictions, unbridled emotions, etc.  What if we only allowed the Spirit of God to control us and learned to say “no” to certain things that drain our energy and cause us to feel used and abused.  Be careful not to move into works with doing things as  “unto the Lord” which may not be the Lord’s Will for you.  You will know what that is because it will drain you, it will not bring life and upliftment.  Preserve yourself for Him, because only He can lift us up into the place He wants us to be by allowing Him to be intimate with us, rising above that religious spirit.  We will then see what God requires of us and it will change our perspective of things around us. He said I love those that love me, those that seek me diligently, will find me…  Religion tells us what to do and what not to do. True Christianity tells us what to become, and how to become it. Love describes His nature, and Light describes His spiritual essence and power.  That Light is the creative power of God, the healing power, the power that imparts revelation and understanding.  Many Christians are focused on wanting to become more powerful, they want more authority, more gifts, more anointing. Often that kind of focus and motivation is wrong. God now first requires of us to become ‘love’ in order to qualify for Kingdom power. Religion is based on laws, true Christianity is based in love and acting out of love.  The Mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. “And you did not receive the ‘spirit of religious duty,’ leading you back into the fear of never being good enough.”  (Romans 8 v.15 tpt) If we live and walk in love we will fulfill all the requirements of the Law and the prophets.  When love is pouring through us, Light is pouring through us, and that Light will transform us.

I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead.  I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus.  So let all who are fully mature have this same passion, and if anyone is not yet gripped by these desires,  God will reveal it to them.   Philippians 3  (tpt)

On Earth As it is In Heaven

The Lord is “God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath”  Joshua 2:11

My question is, are our beliefs supported by His manifested presence? If not, then we are believing wrongly. Are we walking around feeling depressed, what on earth are we thinking? It’s not complicated, where there is sin, sickness, torment, gossip, slander, divisions, strife etc. there cannot be a kingdom called heaven.  We have to be intentional about how we decide to behave or think under all circumstances in our lives.  The word of God clearly tells us to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ.  We need to put that into practice.  In James 2 : 19-20 (tpt)  it says  ” You can believe all you want that there is one true God, that’s wonderful!  But even the demons know this and tremble with fear before Him, yet they’re unchanged – they remain demons.”  To be joyful is to know God’s presence, our circumstances should not dictate our behavior.  I owe Him my complete trust no matter what things look like, He has done for me, and shown me so much.  Jesus never made an excuse for a problem, nor did He camp out around that problem.  He always demonstrated what the Father’s Will looked like.  When our faith is weak, He always makes provision for access to greater faith through miracles, signs and wonders.  It has always astounded me that after experiencing a miracle, sign or a wonder, people still have difficulty believing.  Why? because of disobedience and broken fellowship with God in their lives. Most Christians are still in bondage to something other than the Holy Spirit.  Change comes when we are touched by the Spirit of God through an encounter with Him, so that our character would be consistent with God’s power.  His manifest presence should be with us everywhere we go unless we are thinking or believing contrary to God’s ways.  The knowledge we gain through studying and searching the scriptures after we give our life to the Lord is good, but without an encounter with God it merely puffs up and makes us prideful.  Our walk with Jesus needs to be in His manifest presence so that we can sense His nudging and we become  sensitive to His leading.  Our walk should be “that we only do what we see our Father doing, and we say what we hear our Father say.”  Believe me, when I say that my actions  and reactions are more Christlike today than they were thirty five years ago, I’m not saying that I have arrived. The process is ongoing. I will say, that without those encounters I would have lost heart a long time ago.  Press in for more of God, don’t be satisfied with the ordinary in the natural, reach for the extraordinary in the supernatural.

Living love Letters

Where are the living love letters in the body of Christ? Where are the people that are so filled with Christ that it spills over onto others. Warming hugs and brotherly kisses, we all should be there by now.  It’s time to let go of our own self-importance or maybe our insecurities and fears?  We need life changing God encounters.  The people of the world will know when their attention is caught by the supernatural manifestations that surround the sons and daughters of God who have overcome their fears and are walking in perfect love and not competition, pride and comparison with others.  As Christians we are the living love letters that the Lord Jesus has sent into the world to spread His love.  How do we gain an awareness of that perfect love that seems so elusive to many of Gods people? By overcoming our fears.  Fears of not having enough, fears of giving, fears of rejection, fears of sickness and disease and ultimately, the fear of death.  I remember a time of testing after I had given my life to Jesus Christ a few decades ago.  He led me into the wilderness, a beautiful place, and orchestrated a time of “surrendering” for me.  My finances were about to run out and I had to come up with a revelation as to what to do.  Fear took hold of me and paralyzed my body.  At that time I did not know that fear was a spirit and that I could have taken authority over it.  I remember now that I sat down on a chair and stayed there for a long time fighting that spirit of fear, it wore me out!  There were a lot of things I did not know yet, I was thrown into the deep end of a life lived by faith and trusting in Him.  In Matthew 4:1 it says that Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted by the devil.  My coming out of Egypt was supernatural for me, something I could have never done without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God.  Psalm 91 was my constant companion and my awareness of The Spirit being with me at all times was such a gift and blessing.  I was not guided to a church or tribe in the body of Christ after I got saved.  I was discipled by the Holy Spirit who took me on a roller coaster journey, teaching me to walk in faith and overcome my fears.  It became my conviction that the wilderness experience is that time in our walk with God when the road becomes narrow, wide enough for only us and God.  All others fall away, so God can have His most personal time with us.  So until you embrace and enjoy the wilderness, our ability to handle God’s best for us, is at best, weak and incomplete. The biggest favor we can do for ourselves is to let God have His way with and in us. It is only the son’s and daughters who have been gently broken by God through the wilderness experience who understand, appreciate, and truly know His love, power and grace.

In Ephesians 3:19, Paul prays that we should “know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge”.  Can you think of anything else that you and I need to know, that would transcend this?

His Presence the Place of Strength

When we are living in that place of not yet, it has got to be the most difficult and holiest of all.  The process between the anointing and the appointing is crushing, to say the least. From the day that we give our lives to God, which for me is now thirty five years ago, there has never been anyone that has prophesied over me that I would have a “ministry”.   I was told about fifteen years ago that I was not a prophetess per se, but an exhorter.  I was also told that my faith was limitless and that the anointing of the Lord is on me to stir people into having faith in the sovereignty of God.  That totally ministered to me.  My experiences with God have always been outside of the church environment and completely supernatural in nature.  He gave me glimpses of the world to come by experiencing displays of the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe that there is a direct connection between the expansion of our hearts, the renewal of our minds, and the seeking of His presence that opens up the heavenly realms to us.  We can’t be passive about the thoughts we are allowing to stay in our minds if we want our souls to prosper, God’s thoughts are much higher than our thoughts, He challenges us to change our thoughts.   I have learned that God meets us at our level of understanding.  He said to me that this is the level of understanding I have given you, an understanding of peoples’ unbelief for the impossible and for you to stir people into having faith in the sovereignty of God, to pull them up higher and encourage them to believe that all things are possible with God. Now walk in it!  Do not be afraid and be of good courage because its takes courage to act outwardly what you see on the inside.  Don’t let others hold you back from exercising your experiential faith.  Enoch was a person who sought to be in the presence of the invisible God. It was his practice to meet with God in the sanctuary of his own heart and Godly imagination which pleased God.  ‘But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a re-warder of those that diligently seek Him.’  ( Hebrews 11:5-6 )

He only needs a willing heart and an open spirit, once you believe that God can and you have faith that He will, you open yourself up for God to move in your life.

Burning for the Divine

The use of the word “Mystic” is difficult for many Christians to accept, it’s a word that people shy away from as we are much more inclined to gain our understanding of God through our reason and the bible, than we would be through a direct encounter with Him.  For some reason we believe our intellect is more trustworthy than our actual experiences.  I bet you that if you search the scriptures with an open heart you will find many verses about God’s people having mystical experiences or direct ongoing spiritual encounters born through intimacy with Him.  Would I be daring to say that if, in John 17:20 God said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” could that also include the knowledge of mystical experiences or God encounters?  There are people that stumble over writings of  Jeanne Guyon and Brother Lawrence etc. and yet we discover that their experiences resonate with ours.  Today we hear believers talking and praying about “intimacy” with God, and surrendering to His Presence, which to me proves that we are now practicing His presence and desiring more of what He can work in us, and, therefore do through us. There are Leaderships in some churches that don’t like the idea of mysticism because it means that ordinary people can have an unmediated experience of God.  This can bring up all kinds of issues about control and hierarchy which can lead to “lovers of God” being accused of false spirituality because of having experiential faith. So, seeking to be a mystic is not popular, but, in the absence of knowledge amongst God’s people as to how to really grow close to Him, this is what happens.  People want to emulate those who are close to God.  Well, we can be as close to God as we want to be.  My own experience has been that we cannot draw closer to God than the depth of our hunger for Him. Our hearts need to become increasingly more open and pure before Him.  Until this hunger becomes bigger on the inside of us, it cannot manifest itself on the outside.  The depth of your hunger for God is the length of your reach to Him.  When you really hunger for God with all your heart and soul, you will have these deeper experiences with Him because you are being filled with the Holy Spirit every time you reach out to the Father in love.  It’s that simple.  Now is the time to begin your journey to a deeper relationship with Christ.  In James 4:8 we are encouraged to “draw near to God and He will draw near to you”  Isn’t this exactly what we ask for?  In Psalm 140:13 it says that “surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence… our fruitfulness and our growth depend on our knowledge of God. We ought to be able to understand that it works the same way in the human realm. As I grow in my knowledge of my friends (transparency) I enjoy being with them more and I have a greater desire to please them. That is what occurs in our relationship with the Lord. The more we know of His love for us the more we love Him in return.  And the more we love Him the more we want to please Him.  As we spend intimate time with the Lord and grow in our knowledge of Him we develop Christ-like traits and we will bear fruit and increase in every good work by the knowledge of God.  Lord, I want to be your resting place…

 If you continue on this seemingly mystical road, you will find others who have hungered for a deeper place of intimacy with God and as a result they gained an understanding of spiritual truth that religious rulers could not come close to with all their theological training and religiosity.  While we adhere to the infallibility of the Scriptures, God can and does reveal Himself in many other ways.

Sensitivity in the Spirit

The closer we get to God, the more spiritually sensitive we become. Our personal relationship with God has everything to do with receiving revelation.  God’s possession of us ( setting us apart to belong to Him ) enables us to sense His presence with us.  So to the extend that we are possessed by God do we sense His presence with us and around us.  We need to heed the spirits call to “come aside”.  All of our senses are activated and enhanced as we surrender to our creator, yielding ourselves to God and complying to His will for our lives.  In Hebrews 5:14  it says that “Solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil”.   My experiences in God have been in the feeling and vision/dream realms.  It has been difficult having to continually surrender my feeling senses to the Holy Spirit so that God can use me in the way He intended when He created me…and not over react when sensing something in my body that is trying to tell me something about my environment or the people I am with.  I have become sensitive to atmospheric changes, feelings of pressure and release around me, also pains in different parts of my body that I cannot always identify.  What I do know now is that those pains are not my own, I can rest in that and turn to the Holy Spirit for guidance as how to react and pray.  My intention regarding discernment is to stay close to the Lord and follow His leading.  I have also smelt the sweet fragrance of the Lord on a few occasions, like a rose fragrance and would like to become even more sensitive to the Holy Spirit by keeping myself pure and continually watching over my heart asking the Lord for healing, and progressive sanctification in the area of unhealed hurts.  In Proverbs 4:23 it says ” Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life”.  I don’t think that any of us will be completely perfected in this life time, but we can expect God’s spirit to do miracles by getting into His word and drawing closer to Him.  Over the years there have been many dream/visions, which have been helpful in making me aware of something I needed to know.  God’s love for us is amazing! One of those dreams was about my dog, a dog I had when still living in Arizona.  I went to visit a friend in Los Angeles for the weekend and  took my dog with me, ( God loves dogs )  on arrival I decided to enjoy the late afternoon sun by taking a walk on the beach with my dog.  After a few minutes of walking, I set myself down against a rock facing the ocean with my dog next to me, I must have dozed of because when I woke up my dog was gone.  I jumped up and started to call her and look for her, she was nowhere to be seen.  The highway was close to the beach and my concern was that she had crossed the highway to the other side into the bushes. The sun was setting and I decided to leave and go back to my friends house. I had peace about the thought that I would see her again.  That night I had a very clear dream about me walking on the beach to exactly the same place I was the day before.  As I was walking along the beach, in the distance I could see a dog coming toward me, limping on three legs…I could not recognize the dog it was still  to far away. Then all of a sudden I saw it was my dog.  End of dream/vision.

When I woke up in the morning the first thing that came into my mind was the dream I had that night. I got out of bed and got dressed in a hurry to go back to the beach, to exactly the same place.  As I started to walk down the beach I saw a dog coming toward me, limping of course, just as I saw it in the dream.  I was ecstatic but at the same time apprehensive not knowing the condition of her leg, as she came closer I saw that her tail was wagging and she recognized me.  Her back leg (thigh) was in a bad condition and ripped open, it looked like she was hit by a car which had been my thought and concern. Back in the car, I took her to the nearest Veterinarian and they lovingly fixed her up. What an amazing example of Gods love for us and animals. He truly cares about every detail of our lives.

Becoming Uncomfortable in what we were once Comfortable In

Often I have thought of the importance of a spiritual family versus a blood family, which seems to be something that becomes more clear as we grow up and mature into people who have found the greater threshold, where the second stage of life may be initiated and begun.  To discover your purpose you have to lose your home, (metaphorically) the son of men had nowhere to lay His head.  We need to become uncomfortable in what we were once comfortable in.  In the gospel of Luke, Jesus says, “when you follow me as my disciple, you must put aside your father, your mother, your wife, your sisters, your brothers —–yes, it will even seem as though you hate your own life…this is the price you will pay to be considered one of my followers.  And anyone that comes to me must be willing to share my cross and experience it as his own, or he cannot be my disciple. So don’t follow me without considering what it will cost you.  If you have ears opened by the Spirit, hear the meaning of what I have said and apply it to yourselves.”  Jesus the King of love is not saying to hate, but to put aside every other relationship into second place.

Well, it will cost you everything that you thought you could never live without. If you don’t believe me, just keep following Jesus. There is great joy in becoming free of earthly bondage. You can focus on what you would lose or on how hard it would be, but you forget that the reason you let go is to be opened to more joy.  You will then begin to feel more confident and more peaceful.  The upheaval of the one that decides to go to the next dimension, out of their comfort zone…needs the help of someone that has already gone there, such as a person in the spiritual family.  The blood family certainly has its place, we love our families, there is an emotional connection that binds us but not always in positive ways.  Negative, critical thoughts and words from our blood families do not make us better at life.  They make us feel stuck, weak and unmotivated to move forward. It is choosing to look at circumstances positively that will empower us to do the right things. Find the hope that new beginnings are always possible, no matter what.

Promises Revealed to Promises Fulfilled

These last few days my mind has been on the “contending” for a promise given and the necessity of perseverance to see it through, no matter what.  This is not only for ourselves but for others, that they may see that God is good and that their faith may be strengthened because of it.  Some people just give up too soon when they are at the threshold of breaking through promises revealed, to promises fulfilled.  When we receive a prophetic word from the Lord He has a date of fulfillment in mind.  After that word is released, He starts working in our hearts and lives to make sure that His word comes to pass.  Our lack of response to that process of change, causes the timing of fulfillment to be delayed.  This is not for the faint of heart or the worldly believer, I know, at times it takes all of our strength we have to continue.  I remember years ago in America when I was at the brink of breaking through a situation which really tested me. There was an opportunity that would have presented itself to me, should I have persevered and stuck it out.  It was something that I really wanted to do but I could not wait any longer for that door to open, and began believing it would never happen. Only some time after that, did I realize what actually happened there, it was total lack of faith on my part (spiritual immaturity) and allowing myself to come under the influence of negative voices of people that thought I was wasting my time there.  I learned a great deal through that experience, it taught me to always persevere in something I believed in.  It gets hard when we don’t see the results we are hoping for coming to fruition.  We run out of everything, but God is so good.  He gives us renewed strength and renewed hope on a daily basis and also the ability to keep persevering when this road grows long.  Our personal victory will build a testimony so that others may benefit from it, and it will help them to receive strength and encouragement to keep going. Who knows, we might be contending for the deliverance of our entire family, friends and church. This is not for us alone, there is a higher purpose in it…—-so that His name should be Glorified in all of this.

Hiddennes and Manifestation

Have you ever thought about why it sometimes appears that God is nowhere to be found?  These are the seasons when God is hiding, so to speak, also known as a time of “hiddenness” which is when He wants us to totally rely on His word and promises, always busy stretching our faith. We all need to learn the discipline of walking by the Spirit and not by the flesh.  During these times of ”hiddenness” ask Him for wisdom and understanding, God’s wisdom is the revelation of who God is and what He is doing in our life in a particular season of our life.  Faith depends on our understanding of the nature of God, knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that He is faithful and that He will never leave us or forsake us.  We are like little children always wanting to unwrap presents, we expect life  to be adventurous and exciting all the time and we don’t want that to change, but it does!  There would be no spiritual growth if there were only times of “manifestation”, the seasons where we feel His tangible presence and His touch upon our lives in an immediate way.  I remember the time when I opened my heart to the Holy Spirit and was filled with His power, that was a time of manifestation, it was awesome.  This was a season where I truly entered another dimension, His presence manifested itself to me on a regular basis.  What an incredible gift that was.   I call those seasons “times of awe.”   Without these different seasons there would be no building of character, no trusting Him for our provision, and no faith walk required.  Our faith needs to become the “walking on water” kind of faith, not the “just getting the rent paid” kind of faith.  God always increases His flow when we are stretched, and when we decide to go deeper with Him… much is required of us, because much will be given to us which we will have to be responsible for.  When God hides from us it is a time to draw closer to Him.  He is with the risk taker, not the one that plays it safe…  —the testing that we go through is not evidence that we have heard Him wrong. All progress in the Christian life is by faith, and God has no plans on changing His way.

What can God do for us that He hasn’t already done, He can do it for us again!  We can come and come again, and God is willing to give, if only we believe…

We have become His poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!  (Ephesians –  tPt)

Uniquely Wired

This morning in my quiet time with the Lord I thought about why there are still so many of God’s people questioning their purpose here on earth,  and are still wondering what they should be doing to bring that into fulfillment.   I believe that we are all uniquely “wired” for a specific gifting.  What has He placed in your hand?  What gift has He given to you, that you can use as a platform?  He wants you to use your gift as a platform. What God has for you is in the deep things, don’t be so cautious…go deeper. Let me give you an example…

I received something in my spirit and believed it, now I am walking in it.  Now, if you have received something in your spirit and believe that you have received it, keep walking in it, and you will have it!  I am a spirit and I have the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit who searches the deep things of God and then reveals it to my spirit… how then can we still doubt when we have been given the Holy Spirit who knows all things.  Exercise your spiritual senses, you have them!  We have got so much more than we believe, the problem is that maybe we have heard something about ourselves ( an untruth possibly ) and believed it.  Until we change the words that are in our heads…nothing will change, because what we imagine in our heads will manifest in our lives.  “We did not receive the spirit of this world system but the Spirit of God, so that we might come to understand and experience all that Grace has lavished upon us.  And we  express these realities with the words imparted to us by the Spirit and not with the words taught by human wisdom. Don’t listen to what other people tell you, and to what they think is expected of you if it doesn’t feel right in your spirit.  Follow the road to fulfillment by understanding God’s redemptive design for you and allowing it to guide your footsteps.

“Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine – these are the many things God has in store for all His lovers.  But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit.  Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things.  After all, who can really see into a person’s heart and know his hidden impulses except for that person’s spirit? So it is with God.  His thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by his Spirit, the Spirit of God.”  (1 Corinthians 12. (tpt)

The Liberating Action of Dying to Self

I want to run and not be weary; I want to walk and not faint. This boundless, sustained energy only comes from spending time with God. We can’t receive it through the laying on of hands or some other form of ministry; it only grows from resting in Him. Everything in life is a gift.  It’s a powerful moment when you’re broken and finally realize that the striving goes away, you don’t do things for recognition, you do things because you’re recognized by Him.  C. S.  Lewis wrote in his book  “The Weight of Glory,” that the Lord finds our desires not to strong but to weak.  We are halfhearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased…
For sure, living the overcoming life and standing on promises that have been given to us is not for the faint of heart. We come to church and expect God to do something for us, remove our mountains  perhaps? The mountains are placed there for a reason, not so that we can go around them and then expect victory. What is your mountain? What is it that you are not willing to let go of and let God do that needed work in you, that catapults you forward into his great promises. Is it your anger, pride, idolatry etc. Whether we are gifted or not, knowing that the gifts come without repentance, we still long to enter that promised land and that’s where it becomes costly.  Moses never entered his promised land and God used  him in a powerful way, unfortunately his anger and disobedience got the better of him. Too many of us are still postponing the inevitable where God will have His way in the end. Words spoken out over us is a heavy thing to carry and the price is high, God says  ——die for my Kingdom here on earth, flesh has no place here, only life in the spirit. We forget we are in a battle, and that bringing down heaven to earth is a fight.  Ease, comfort etc. are momentary states that rarely last a long time for a true disciple of Jesus Christ. When I say the price is high, by that I mean we have to give up certain things and let go of some other things that hold us back, and that offends our flesh and is painful. The enemy knows this and assaults us with disappointment and discouragement. Dying to self ultimately is a liberating action that produces joy and peace and also causes us to have a walk with God for ourselves, hearing from Him ourselves.

Forever Hopeful

With out hope we are hopeless, as far as I can remember back into my childhood I’ve had hope and vision. As poor as we were, our house was always the best house with the warmest lighting flooding out of the windows (that’s how I saw it of course )  Coming home in the winter just after dark at about five pm I was usually running to get home in time, so that my mom wouldn’t worry.  As I approached our place I slowed down and looked at our windows thinking how inviting those windows appeared, the neighbors’ windows always appeared cold and unfriendly to me.  Even then God helped me to look beyond my circumstances and filled me with hope. We weren’t brought up in God, my mother did her best and raised us on good principles, and for that I am grateful. Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen even when nothing looks like it will.  I had plenty of those days in my childhood.  Hope keeps us positive and gives us a will to live. Many times we were told not to put our hopes up, maybe that is why today I am forever hopeful. It says in Romans 5:5 that this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can  now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. ( tPt)  I dreamed and had visions of going to America, land of the free, and ended up there years later. My point is, don’t ever give up on your dreams and keep hoping for the miraculous to manifest in your life…don’t settle for less then what God wants to give to you which is the desire of your heart.

A Gift to be Unwrapped Over Time

If you are amongst those less fortunate to have not received an education, you are most fortunate and blessed to have received talents and gifts that can open doors that no man can shut. My whole life has been about stepping into unknown territory, hoping that the unknown territory would take me to my destiny. Our destiny is what we are best cut out for, it’s what gives our life meaning, hope, joy and deep satisfaction. I  discovered though, along the way, that the journey is more important then the destiny. It’s not only about  reaching our destiny, but about what we are learning on the way there. Are we learning how to love, have we died to ourselves and our own negative pride, have we learned to be grateful, patient, tolerant, etc. Preparing for our destiny is all about honing our skills and maturing into them, building character, so that we are able to handle not only what comes…but also what comes against us. It takes time and perseverance to come to a place of completion. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:3)  You can’t give up, destiny happens over a lifetime it is an unfolding of who we really are. It’s a gift to be unwrapped over time.

Conditional yet Unconditional

I have always had a faith that was supernaturally placed within me and a love that is unconditional for my fellow man. This kind of love didn’t always serve me well until I gained some wisdom and understanding and was able to detach myself from certain people and situations that were very toxic. Trying to love unconditionally and getting it wrong can be a miserable journey. I love my partner/friend unconditionally doesn’t mean I love that person with a purity that transcends my everyday interaction, but it does mean that in every interaction, I come from a place of love. That place of love means I act respectfully and treat my partner/friend as an equal. That means I don’t judge or try to control and I don’t hit below the belt and use my partner/friend’s vulnerability against him or her. These conditions are best not to violate… If I love unconditionally but I am not loved in the same way, it isn’t unconditional love — it’s damaging self sacrifice.  Set your boundaries.  A boundary is nothing more then a healthy understanding of my own value, and of which behaviors value and devalue me. Boundaries are not conditions we set that say, I’ll only love you if you do X, or I won’t love you if you do Y.  Is God’s love unconditional? There is such a thing as unconditional love in God, but it’s not what most people mean by it. Yet when we read the scriptures, it shows that God’s love for us is conditional. For example;  It is not the love that will admit us into heaven when we die because John says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life”  and faithfulness is a condition. ( Revelation 2:10)  Also James 4:8 says “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you”  these are just a couple of conditions in the word of God. There are plenty more… —-for our good. So then,  how does God love us unconditionally, he loves us with electing love unconditionally. “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians)  When we speak of the unconditional love of God it would serve us well to search out the biblical meaning of what the scripture says and find our feet on solid ground… —-for me this has cleared up much confusion and given me something to meditate on.

He works all Things Together for Good

God wants to take us from strength to strength, from victory to victory, and from glory to glory.  In Ephesians 3:20 it says that he wants to do abundantly above and beyond all that we could ever ask or think, according to his work within us. So, to the extent that he’s allowed to work in us, will be the extent that he does great things through us. After meditating on this for a while, I envisioned so many people walking away from their dreams, because people are refusing to die to themselves, and let God have his way in their lives. To what extent do you allow God to have his way in your life? I realize now that God is always good but that everything that happens to us, is not always his will for for our lives, but he is always able to bring good from any situation as we trust him. His awe inspiring, all knowing sovereignty means that he can take my weaknesses and use them for his glory. It means that  when people wrong me and the consequences of their decisions fall upon me, I don’t miss out on his favor. Whatever happens to me that is outside of his perfect will, he is able to work together for good, because I love him.

To Be a Conqueror

And he chose us to be his very own, joining us to himself even before he laid the foundations of the universe. Because of his great love, he ordained us, so that we would be seen as holy in His eyes with an unstained innocence. Ephesians 1 : 4  (tpt)

God is not the back up plan for those of us that did not have a good upbringing, he knew us from the beginning and loved us, and, that alone should give us the confidence to believe that in him, we can do all things and succeed through Christ who strengthens us. When words are spoken out over us, hold on to those words, speak them out, read them over and over again. A prophetic word is an invitation from God for the person who is prophesied over to journey with God in relationship toward his desired outcome. It is to experience him and the reality of what it means to walk in relationship with him, to be guided by him and see his plans for our lives come to pass. The Word given, is to be a true representation of God’s heart and intent for us. Do not give up, if you give up at this stage, you will never get to the next stage. Yes there will be complications, without them, you can not be a conqueror.

Christ our Ambition and Focus

We have a wealth of information stored deep inside of us, but we need to learn to access it, it was placed there by our creator from the beginning. When we let go of past hurts and deeply suppressed emotional imprints from our past, those channels unblock and revelation floods in. Yes, only God can do that but we have to place ourselves in an atmosphere of becoming increasingly separated unto God.  Sanctification comes in the realm of the truth, in the presence of the truth.  “Sanctify them by the truth”  John17: 17 The key to sanctification is to know and obey the truth…our identity needs to be found in Christ first, where we no longer chase after the desires of our flesh but instead seek to bring God glory in all areas of our life. Spiritual growth is a process, a progression toward holiness, embrace the process and lets get intimate with the one who is the answer…we can not grow in Christ if we are focused on our sin, failures, or the devil. The more we seem to focus on our struggles the more we become consumed with what we focus on. If we make Christ our focus, then all good fruit will grow out of that relationship, an abiding relationship.  He needs to be our ambition and focus…

Everybody needs to get to a Place where they get Touched by God

Again this morning…Lord take us deeper, lift us higher…help us to grasp the limitless possibilities of your presence. One minute of God’s presence can accomplish more than years of our striving to get it right in the love department. Everybody needs to get to a place where they get touched by God…cry out for it, cry out for the baptism of fire, do it for the sake of the Kingdom here on earth. Without His power we are powerless and in effective in our efforts to love others in the way that He loves us, conditionally, yet unconditionally!

Ken Mattox stated this so beautifully…

“There is going to be a remnant baptized with Holy Ghost and Fire, they are going to burn with passion and love, and you are going to catch fire when you are around them because they are lit up. Who wants to live un-lit? I love fire! I think God loves fire. God is fire. Every sacrifice had to be consumed by fire. God is a consuming fire. Israel was led by a cloud and fire. Holy Ghost falls in tongues of fire. I love that God has fire as an attribute of His character. Fire consumes. Fire empowers. Fire enlightens. Fire heats up the situation. I believe God is ready to baptize us with Holy Ghost and Fire.”

Please click on  “Faith Like Feathers”  for my testimony.