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  • April 22, 2024

    Introduction In this hinge year, we are moving ever closer to the greatest Kingdom advancement Earth has ever experienced. Yes, darkness is covering much of the earth. But God said that would be the time when His glory would rise upon us, drawing many people to the BRIGHTNESS of the light (Isaiah 60:1-3). Our friend Gina Gholston speaks of this in today’s post. The Heavyweight At the beginning of this year, the Lord told me that 2024 would be a year of His “revealed glory.” Revealed glory indicates that undeniable evidence of His nearness will be seen and experienced. It is more than just intellectual knowledge regarding the existence of God. Revealed glory is indicative of experiential knowledge that comes by way of demonstration of His undeniable power and manifested presence. Habakkuk 2:14 declares that the time is coming when “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” This scripture prophesies a time when the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will be so widespread that it will be unavoidable and undeniable. The incomparable magnificence of God will flood the atmosphere to such a degree that no one and nowhere will be devoid of the knowledge of His nearness and power. I believe we have entered that era. This prophetic promise is cause for rejoicing among the people of God, but it is also a call to attention. The Church is being called to operate in the highest level of her purpose, shining with the light of Christ’s glory and revealing Him (see Colossians 1:27). It is through us that God will show Himself strong and make Christ known. God is not in a panic, trying to come up with a response to the evil operating in our world. His plan has already been set into motion. From the book of Esther, we learn that God works ahead of time to position and set into motion things that must align for a set time. When the set time comes, regardless of how things may appear, God’s plan and intentions will push forward and prevail. Long before Haman plotted his evil scheme against God’s people, God already had Mordecai and Esther in position for His redemptive plan to be fulfilled. When the plot was announced, Haman rejoiced in only a short-lived victory because the revealed workings of God’s plan overturned his plan and changed everything. LONG before the chaos in our nation began, God was already positioning and equipping His Ekklesia. Because of His work ahead of time, His redemptive plan for America will be set into motion and fulfilled in this set time! Though the wicked may rejoice for a moment, we can be confident that God’s plan will overturn the enemy’s schemes. He will work, and no one will reverse what He has done and will do. God’s Ekklesia will move with great triumph as the knowledge of His glory is revealed in undeniable ways. I recently heard the Lord say, “I am pulling out all the stops.” Hidden things used in past seasons to block God’s people are now being dislodged and dealt with. It doesn’t mean that all will be easy or that hell is just going to retreat. It means God has empowered us with Holy Spirit’s supernatural ability to work with Him, releasing His Kingdom and will. It is by Holy Spirit’s enabling power and leading that we can participate in the callings and purposes of God for our lives. Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 2, that Holy Spirit reveals to us the deep thoughts and wisdom of God. As He imparts that wisdom to us, we are enabled to know, perceive, and do things that we otherwise would not be able to achieve on our own. As we cooperate with Holy Spirit, the evidence of God’s power and presence are then made known to those around us. Daniel 11:32 says, “The people that know their God shall be strong and do exploits.” One definition of the word exploits is “to make full use of and derive benefit from a resource.” It indicates a supernatural ability to excel and perform mighty things as Holy Spirit operates in and through us. He is the resource from which we derive wisdom and ability from God, enabling us to advance supernaturally and see His prophesied intentions for our times come to pass. God’s glory will be revealed. He will save America and “make things right again!” Awakening is happening! As Dutch says, “It’s here, but it’s coming.” We are experiencing it now, but the reality of its fullness will intensify to even greater degrees as His glory continues to be revealed through His triumphant Church. And His glory changes everything! Earlier this year I had a dream that is very fitting for this post. May it enlighten and encourage us all! In the dream, I saw children playing on a playground, and a little girl was on the teeter-totter. A huge man came and sat on the other end making her side go up in the air. The man was laughing and said, “I bet you can’t get back down!” There were others standing around looking at her, also laughing. The little girl wasn’t even phased by the bullying. Suddenly, a massive rock came out of nowhere and was lowered into the space behind the little girl, making the balance shift suddenly and dramatically! The large man was flung completely off the teeter-totter, leaving him and the others in shock! The little girl then stepped off, dusted her dress a little, and was smiling as she walked away. Someone asked her, “What happened? How did it shift so suddenly?” The little girl said, “It was the rock. The rock made me heavier!” The enemy does not hold the advantage in influencing the future of our nation. The advantage is on the side of the Church. We are in a time when God’s glory will be revealed. The Hebrew word for glory is kabod; one of its meanings is “weighty or heavy.”(1) It’s indicative of the weighty presence of God. His glory is in us and will be revealed through us. We are NOT the underdogs! We are the “dwelling place in which God lives by His Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). The “Heavyweight” is on our side! He is showing up, things will be tilted to advance His righteous intentions, and hell’s agenda will be toppled by the weight of His presence! Pray with me: Father, Your great plan of the ages is advancing. It cannot be stopped. The prophetic promises You have spoken concerning our times have not failed, nor have they been forgotten by You. You have called and appointed Your Ekklesia to advance with Your purposes, and through us, Your glory will be revealed in this set time. We yield to You. We’re becoming more and more aware of and sensitive to the work of Holy Spirit. He is imparting divine wisdom and the ability to work with You to see Your Kingdom come and Your will established. Regardless of how things may appear in this moment, we do not surrender to despair or the taunting of hope deferred. We know You are on our side, and we are fully confident in You. You will save America. You will come and make things right again. Our decree: We decree that God is with us. Things are being shifted to advance His righteous intentions, and hell’s agenda is being toppled by the weight of His presence. Today’s post was shared by Gina Gholston and was taken from her book Awakening the Church to Awaken a Nation. You can find out more about Gina at GinaGholstonMinistries.org. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 3519.

  • April 19, 2024

    Spirit-Wind People On Tuesday of this week, I shared a post on the power of speaking God’s words. I taught on the word dabar,(1) the most common word for “the word of the Lord,” stating that God’s words do more than inform us; they have power in them to perform or accomplish what they say. We can release God’s power by speaking His Word. Yesterday, I addressed one of the reasons many people struggle with making declarations and decrees, binding and loosing, etc. The entire human race experienced spiritual death at the Fall. Our spirits, the part of us created to relate to the spirit realm, house and connect with God - and which was dominant - lost this ability. The soul - the mind, emotions, and will - that part of us created to relate to the natural world around us, was exalted and became dominant. At that point, humans were no longer spirit-led, but soul-led. And 1 Corinthians 2:14 tells us a natural (psuchikos-soulish)(2) person cannot discern spiritual things, going so far as to say they are “foolish” (moria-moron-ish)(3) to him. When we are born again, God immediately begins working to transform us from being led by our souls to again being spirit-led people. As this transition occurs, we become more able to hear God’s voice, and BE His voice. SPIRITUAL PEOPLE Today, I want to address further what it means to operate by and from the spirit. Pneuma(4) is the Greek word for spirit. It also means wind or breath. The Holy Spirit could be called the “Holy Breath” or “Holy Wind” of God. The “breath” administered to humankind at creation was the Holy Spirit, as was the wind at Pentecost when He brought forth the “new creation” or “new birth.” Since pneuma is the Greek word for spirit, it isn’t surprising that a slight variation of it gives us the word for spiritual: pneumatikos.(5) It basically means relating or pertaining to the spirit. To be spiritual, by Biblical standards, simply means operating or functioning from our spirit. Since this is where the Holy Spirit of God resides in us, being spiritual also equates to functioning with Holy Spirit’s ability or influence. Perhaps you’ve heard of pneumatic tools, which are powered by air, not electricity. The dictionary says the word means “powered by wind or air.” It also uses this same definition for pneumatikos, the word for spiritual. So, to be spiritual is to be wind-powered, wind-driven. The Holy Spirit, in our spirit, empowering us. Let me break this down further: When we are born again, we are born of the Spirit, Wind, or Breath of God (John 3:6). Holy Spirit fills our spirit (Acts 2:4), and our spirits become one with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17). Let that sink in: your spirit and Holy Spirit become one spirit! When we’re born again, we are empowered by the Spirit, Breath, and Wind of God (Acts 1:8). This is why Peter could say to the lame man in Acts 3:6, just after being filled with the Spirit, “such as I have give I thee.” It is why Acts 4:33 says, “And with great power, the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all” (NASB). This was Holy Spirit power. Peter and the apostles were Wind-driven, Wind-powered. After we’re born again, we mature from being soul-led to spirit-led (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18). The Galatians reference is the passage listing the fruit of the spirit. When we are led by the Holy Spirit in our spirit, the fruit of our spirit becomes the character of Holy Spirit. Being led by the Spirit also refers to directional and activity leadings (Acts 10:19; 16:9). Believers are to be Wind-filled, Wind-driven, Wind-powered, Wind-motivated, and Wind-led. Lastly, when we are born again, we speak by/from Holy Spirit in our spirit. That’s what it means to prophesy: hear the Spirit and say what He says (Ezekiel 37:4, 9; Acts 11:28; 21:11). Jesus said the words He spoke were “spirit” (pneuma) and “life” (John 6:63). My interpretation: Christ was saying what He heard Holy Spirit saying, and because of this, the words were releasing life. Wind-words release Wind-life. Jesus is building a Wind-driven church, a church that is filled with and powered by the Wind of heaven, the Spirit of God. He is building a church that knows the Spirit’s voice and releases the Spirit’s voice. “For the Spirit-Wind blows as it chooses. You can hear its sound, but you don’t know where it came from or where it’s going. So it is the same with those who are Spirit-born!”” (John‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭TPT‬‬). We are these Spirit-born people Jesus spoke of. We will be blown by the Spirit-Wind throughout the earth. Satan and his demons won’t know where we’re coming from but they will hear what is to them a terrifying sound: prison doors opening and prisoners going free. They won’t know where we’re going next until we are blown there by Spirit-Wind. Throughout the earth, we will leave a path of signs, wonders, miracles, deliverances and salvations. Get ready for the Wind-driven church! Pray with me: Father, as Spirit filled people we are pneumatic - powered by the breath of Holy Spirit. We are also to be led and borne by the wind, following the dictates of our great Helper, Holy Spirit. How little we understand and take advantage of this. We should be causing dead, dry, and scattered bones to come together, then commanding Your breath into them. We should be healing lame men at city gates, and setting captives free throughout the land. Teach us! We ask forgiveness of You for failing to cultivate a stronger relationship with Your Spirit, and for not learning to walk according to our spirits, rather than our souls. So often we are intellect driven, emotion driven, rather than Wind-driven. We so frequently let other voices drown out Yours, keeping us from being Spirit-led people. We ask for fresh wind and fresh fire. We ask for a refilling. We want to be those Jesus spoke of: Spirit-born people, blown throughout the earth by Spirit-Wind. Release this. Come from the four winds and blow through us on dry bones everywhere. Blow across this nation, saving America. Blow into our government, our schools, our inner cities and country sides. Blow into the Middle East and save millions. Blow into Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia and all of the Americas. Blow a scorching wind into the camp of the enemy, a saving wind to the people. We ask for these things in Jesus name. Amen. Our decree: We declare that we are the Spirit-born people Jesus spoke of, blown throughout the Earth by Spirit-Wind. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 1697. Ibid., ref. no. 5591. Ibid., ref. no. 3472. Ibid., ref. no. 4151. Ibid., ref. no. 4152.

  • April 18, 2024

    Releasing Holy Spirit’s Power In Tuesday’s post, I spoke about the power of God’s words and the power we can release by speaking them. I want to continue that theme today. It is difficult to convince many believers that we can and must release God’s power by speaking. They struggle with making spiritual decrees and declarations, and with releasing spiritual commands such as binding and loosing. Today, we will look at why people struggle with this. It is a fairly in-depth teaching from my book Becoming Who You Are and might be more easily processed when undistracted. “Study to show yourself approved…” (2 Timothy 2:15) is a good verse for us today! I’m going to address the subjects of soul and spirit. Though many people use these two words interchangeably, they are completely different. SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY God created humans as tri-part beings: spirit (pneuma),(1) soul (psuche),(2) and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Our soul (psuche)—the mind, will, and emotions—is the part of us God created to relate to the natural realm/world around us through our intellect, knowledge, wisdom, logic, feelings, our five senses, etc. Our psuche is our psyche. Our spirit (pneuma) was made to house God’s Spirit and life, and relate to the invisible, spiritual realm. This is where we discern, hear God‘s voice, and where faith resides. Before the Fall, this part of Adam and Eve was dominant; they were led and influenced first by their spirits, not the soul. THE REVERSAL When Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, spiritual death came to their spirits (pneuma), and dominance was transferred to their souls, their psuches. At that point, rather than being led and guided in life spiritually – by the influence of God in their spirits, they would now be led by their souls – by what they could see, hear, learn, and discover naturally. They would be led by themselves, not by the Spirit of God. When we are saved and our spirits come alive, once again receiving God’s Spirit and life, He begins teaching us how to again be led by and manifest the fruit of the spirit (pneuma). This is what it means to be “spiritual” (a pneumatikos)(3). And when we are saved or born again, our spirits are given life and transformed instantly (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our souls, however, are transformed progressively; they must be renewed and transformed (Romans 12:1-2; James 1:21). This means that after the new birth, we have the potential to become pneumatikos’s, spiritual people, led and motivated by our spirits; but for the most part we are still psuchikos’s, soulish people, motivated from our souls. An internal power struggle begins. The soul, again, created to connect with the natural realm and operate based on what it can see, understand, prove, etc., - not with the spiritual, invisible world - will continue to struggle with accepting what it cannot see or explain, such as faith, miracles, hearing God speak, the power of speaking God’s words, sowing and reaping, heaven, hell, needing to be born again, etc. This natural, soulish weakness must be overcome if we are to operate in the supernatural, spiritual realm and according to spiritual principles. There is a force of life in us we cannot see or explain. There is a power in us we cannot see or explain. There is a power in God‘s Word we cannot see or explain. There is an authority we have that we cannot see or explain. There are demons and angels operating in the world around us that we cannot see or explain. Do not allow your propensity to operate from your soul keep you from being led by your spirit. If you do allow it, you will always be limited to natural solutions - a natural life (being led by your soul) - and be excluded from the supernatural realm you were also intended to operate in (being led by the spirit). THE LAWS OF THE SPIRIT We must also learn the principles and laws governing various aspects of this spiritual realm, including authority, power, faith, and God’s Word. In Matthew 21 Jesus used a fig tree to teach his disciples. He cursed the tree, and it died immediately. When His amazed disciples asked Him about this, He said, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive it all” (Matthew 21: 21-22 NASB). Jesus wasn’t teaching his disciples how to kill trees; He was using this act as an example of how to deal with mountains of adversity. They would need to have faith in their hearts, based on God’s Word, and they would have to release that faith by speaking. Most Christians’ psuches keep their faith locked up in their pneumas. Romans 10:8 says God’s “word of faith” is in our hearts AND our mouths. The passage then says that’s how we were born again, by believing God’s Word in our hearts and declaring it with our mouths. Second Corinthians 4:13 mentions “the spirit of faith” and describes it as “we believe, therefore we speak.” This is how faith operates. Jesus spoke not only to the fig tree, but also to a storm (Mark 4:39) and a dead body (John 11:43). After rebuking the storm in Mark 4, He challenged the disciples regarding their lack of faith and asked why they were timid/intimidated (deilia)(4) by the storm. In other words, they could have rebuked the storm. Like Him, they could have and should have released faith and authority by rebuking the storm themselves. On another occasion, Jesus was amazed at the faith of a Roman centurion. His servant was paralyzed and in great torment, and the soldier asked Jesus to heal him. Jesus said yes, He would go to the man’s house and heal his servant. The centurion responded by saying, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it” (Matthew 8:8-9 NASB). Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s “great faith” (Verse 10). This man’s military training had enabled him to understand how the unseen spiritual principles of authority and faith were released: by verbal commands. “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” We must also understand this. The authority we’ve been given and the faith in our hearts are released in the spiritual realm from our mouths. Don’t allow your logic-focused psuche to shut down the faith in your pneuma. Release it! Pray with me: ​​Father, if the Ekklesia is to become the full extension of Your Kingdom rule, we must understand the spiritual realm and how to operate in it. We must understand spiritual power, authority, faith, and how to release them. If we are going to successfully bind and loose demonic activity, open and close spiritual doors with Your keys of authority, we will do so from that which is in our spirits, not our souls; from our hearts, not our minds. Give us eyes to see what cannot be seen and ears to hear what cannot be heard. Jesus said the words He spoke were spirit and life (John 6:63). Teach us to release “spirit words,” words originating from our spirits and therefore carrying Your life. He prefaced this by saying the Spirit quickens or gives life, “the natural realm is of no help” (TPT). We want to walk in the life-giving realm, the spirit realm. We want to be spiritual! We want to move mountains, calm storms, and release life. Move us into this higher realm of revelation, we ask in Jesus’ name. Our decree: We declare that we will be spirit-led, not soul-led, and will therefore be Spirit-led. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Once again, this teaching can be found in my book Becoming Who You Are. It is available in our bookstore at DutchSheets.org. ______________________________________ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 4151. Ibid., ref. no. 5590. Ibid., ref. no. 4152. Ibid., ref. no. 1167.

  • April 17, 2024

    My Thoughts Regarding Israel When I travel on weekends, I have to prepare one, sometimes two, or even three Give Him 15 posts in advance. Such was the case this past weekend. That is why I am just now commenting on the situation regarding Israel and Iran. Firstly, I want to say that I am praying for Israel’s protection and shalom, as we are instructed to do. I know Iran and its proxies are motivated by a principality the Bible calls “the Prince of Persia” (Daniel 10:13, 20). This spirit, of course, hates Israel because of its partnership with God in giving Messiah to the world, and it hates America, as well, because of our calling and partnership with God. Those under his influence refer to Israel as “the great satan,” and America as “the little satan;” they chant “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.” I am praying for his hold to end. I am also praying for salvation to the people of Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, and throughout the Middle East. And I’m praying for mercy and protection for the innocent people in that region, many of whom are our brothers and sisters. A couple of years back, I was informed that the church in Iran was one of the fastest-growing in the world—perhaps THE fastest-growing. Many are coming to Christ there and throughout the Middle East. This evil principality is losing its hold. Many are asking if this recent attack by Iran against Israel marks the end of the age and the Second Coming of Christ. Some Christian leaders are saying it is, especially with it coming on the heels of the eclipse, which many said was also a sign of the end. Like EVERYONE, regardless of their predictions, I don’t know when the Lord’s return will take place. But I do NOT believe this is the end, that it is Ezekiel 38. There is a great harvest coming, and that should be our focus. Preaching the gospel of the Kingdom (Mark 16) and discipling nations (Matthew 28) is our assignment. Stay focused on saving and discipling, not leaving. During the Charismatic and Jesus People Movements of the 60s and 70s, some opportunities were lost because people were so focused on Christ’s return…why plan for the future? We will not make the same mistake with this outpouring. Since I have deviated from the theme I began yesterday to comment on current events, I will take the remainder of the post to strengthen and encourage you. The state of affairs in America and the world are troubling. Also, life itself sends problems and challenges our way. Maintaining peace and faith is sometimes difficult. Jesus knew this would be the case. He told us, “Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful” (John 14:27 NASB). Notice that He used two words to describe the unsettledness that tries to overtake us: troubled and fearful. Troubled (tarasso)(1) is a word meaning “stirred up or agitated” like roiling water; it is, therefore, a word describing inward commotion, disquietness, or restlessness. Picture the agitator in a washing machine; this is what can occur in our minds and emotions. Jesus said not to allow this. Instead, we are to receive His shalom - peace and wholeness. Christ then said not to be fearful. This is the Greek word I referred to a few days back, deiliao.(2) He did not use the word phobos,(3) from which we get phobia, terror, etc. This would certainly be included in His admonition, but His choice of words is important. Deilia/deiliao is timidity, intimidation, or insecurity. Don’t let the turmoil and unrest intimidate you, He was saying. My peace is stronger. Be bold and refuse to allow what occurs around you to intimidate you. This is also the word Jesus used when speaking to the disciples on the storm-tossed boat (Mark 4:39). It is the word Paul used when challenging his spiritual son, Timothy (2 Timothy 1:7). The Lord wants us to face the storm; resisting all intimidation; stir up His power within, remember His love, operate with the discipline of a sound mind, and receive His peace. And finally, I want to exhort us to pray for one another. “Therefore, I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3 NASV). The word “diligent” is spoudazo,(4)  from a root word meaning “speed.” This form of the word means to “speedily and earnestly perform a task.” Thayer’s Lexicon uses the phrase “to exert one’s self” to describe this word. My amplification would be to “with great exertion and without delay work toward love and unity.” “Bearing with one another” is the Greek word, anechomai,(5) which doesn’t only mean to be patient or forbearing toward others. It also means “to hold oneself up against; to hold up or sustain,” much like a stake bears up a tomato plant. The point is to provide strength to one another, to “stake ourselves” to others, transferring our strength to them, thereby sustaining them. This is similar to the point being made in Psalm 133, which tells us the dew of Hermon rains on Zion (verse 3). As the day warms, the dew on Mt Hermon evaporates and forms clouds. The afternoon winds blow them to Mt Zion, where they produce rain. Mt Hermon literally waters Zion. God uses this as a beautiful picture of what we must do as His body: sow into, bless, strengthen, and encourage one another. And one way we do this is by staking ourselves to them in prayer. I ask you: who will remain standing today because of your prayers? Who will keep from falling because your prayer arms were wrapped around their heart or mind, or your literal arms around their shoulders? Speak rest today to someone’s “troubled” heart; break “intimidation” off of them; release God’s shalom. Be their strength. Let’s do so now. Pray with me: Father, we come alongside those who are struggling to stand under the weight of their circumstances or grief. We stake ourselves to brothers and sisters who may be struggling to believe, or to walk in Your peace. We wrap our arms of love around them, whether literally or figuratively, and declare over them, “You will not fall; you will stand. You will not give up; you will persevere. You will not die; you will live and declare the works of the Lord. You will accomplish your destiny.” We declare over prodigals, “You will come home to Father’s house. Your disillusionment with life and God will become disillusionment toward satan and his kingdom. Your confusion will become clarity of heart in mind. Your identity crisis will become security in who you are, in who God made you to be. You will come to your senses and return to your Father and your inheritance. You will know the Lord and be taught of Him. You will be radical lovers and worshipers of Jesus. You will feel at home and comfortable in Father’s house. You will change the world.” We decree over America, “You shall be saved. You will be delivered from the spirit of Baal and his control. Your dry bones will live. Your government will be purged and transformed. Your education system will be healed. Your justice system will be restored. Your churches will be on fire. The coming shaking will heal you, not destroy you.” We declare over people in the Middle East, “You will be delivered from the control of the prince of Persia. You will have the veil lifted from your eyes and be able to see Jesus for who He really is. Israel, you will receive your awakening and visitation; the veil will lift from you, as well. Messiah will be seen and glorified in the Middle East. Revival is coming to your part of the world.” And we declare over all the earth: “The glory of the Lord will cover you as the waters cover the sea. You will be touched by God’s power, transformed by His love, and filled with His life. You are owned by Jesus, your Creator and King. He loves you and is coming to rescue you from the control of darkness.” All of this, we declare in His mighty name, the name of Yeshua. Our decree: We decree that Christ is building the church He said He would build: glorious, without spot or wrinkle, and one over which the government of hell cannot prevail. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no.  5015. Ibid., ref. no. 1168. Ibid., ref. no. 5401. Ibid., ref. no. 4704. Ibid., ref. no. 430.

  • April 16, 2024

    Because He Said So (Genesis 15:1-4 NASB) “After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.’ Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.’ Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.’” (Genesis 18:11-14 NASB) “Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’ And the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?” Is anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time, I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.’” (Jeremiah 32:27 KJV) “Behold, I am the Lord the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (Luke 1:37 KJV) “For with God, nothing shall be impossible.” In the GH15 posts, I have written and spoken much about the importance of saying what God says, of speaking His words. Speaking is how God creates and how He releases His power (Genesis 1; John 1). As those made in His image and likeness, we are to operate in this way, also. There is power IN us that must be released FROM us, and the primary way we do so is with our words. I am speaking, of course, of speaking God’s words. The word for confession in the New Testament is homologia, which literally means “say the same;” in other words, “say the same thing God says.”(1) Saying what God says is how we, like Him, release the faith, the life, and the power that is in our spirits. Jesus told us to say to mountains, “Be removed,” using “mountains” figuratively to represent adversity (Mark 11.23-24). This is also how we are born again - believing in our hearts regarding Christ’s redeeming work and saying so with our mouths (Romans 10:9). This is what we are doing when decreeing or declaring in the context of prayer and/or spiritual warfare (Job 22:28; Matthew 16:18-19). And it is what is meant by using “The sword of the spirit, which is the word of God”  (Ephesians 6:17) against satan’s kingdom. “Word” in this verse from Ephesians is rhema, which means spoken words.(2) Speaking God’s words is a powerful weapon. In this post’s opening verses of Scripture, an important Hebrew word dabar is used four times. Twice it is translated as “word” (as in “word of the Lord”); twice it is translated as “thing” (“Is any thing too hard for Me?”). Interestingly, dabar does mean both: a word, declaration, even a promise, and a thing. In Hebrew, the word or decree and the thing or matter it speaks of are the same word!(3) Skip Moen quotes Frederick Buechner as saying, “In Hebrew, the word dabar means both word and also deed. A dabar doesn’t merely say something; it does something. It brings something into being. It makes something happen.”(4) Wow! Joanne Panettieri says of this important word, “The Dabar of the Lord carries with it the ability to accomplish what it is sent out to do.(5) This is what took place at creation. God’s words - dabar - accomplished. Isaiah 55:11 says: “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Here’s what I want you to understand: God is not just saying He keeps His word. Obviously, He does so. But He wants us to know that His words DO! They accomplish, perform, and create that which He says. The archangel Gabriel was asked by Mary how she, a virgin, could have a child. He replied that: 1) Holy Spirit would overshadow her, placing within Mary a reproductive seed containing God himself! (Luke 1:35) Then he said, as translated by most versions of Scripture, 2) “For with God, nothing shall be impossible” (Verse 37). The word “nothing” is actually rhema, which, once again, means a spoken word. “Impossible” is the Greek word adunateo(6) (from the Greek prefix a, meaning without, and dunamis,(7) meaning power or ability), which literally means “without power.” A more literal translation of Gabriel’s explanation would be, “For no word spoken by God is without power.” Gabriel was essentially saying, “Mary, this will happen through the power of God’s words. It will occur because He said it!” Tomorrow, I will talk about the need for us to agree with God, including, of course, doing so with our words. He has chosen to work with and through us, giving us the choice to accept or reject His offer. Certainly, much of what God has said - regarding the future of the earth, the events in the Book of Revelation, etc. - will occur, whether you and I agree with it or not. However, what He says is available to us personally must be received and entered into by obedience and faith. We were saved at Calvary, but that salvation was not experienced until we believed in Christ’s work and confessed Him as our Savior. The same is true with promises to groups of people, including nations; the destiny and blessing God offers must be received by faith and by operating in obedience to His Word. Pray with me: Father, we come before You in humility and faith. In humility, we acknowledge that it is not our strength, goodness, or power that enables us to move mountains. And yet, in faith, we declare that we have been given the power of Holy Spirit and the authority of Christ with which to do so. In humility, we acknowledge that the blessing, mercy, provision and salvation we experience and release to others comes from the covenant we have with You through Christ, not any merits of our own. And yet, in faith we declare that we do indeed have these blessings, rights and privileges. Thank You for welcoming us into Your family and allowing us to partner with You. And we exalt You today as the great and awesome God, the Almighty, whose very words have within them the power and ability to accomplish what they say. No word spoken by You is without power! It always accomplishes what You assigned it to do. No promise You have made is too hard for You to fulfill. This week, open to us a greater revelation of Your ways. Teach us regarding both our need and our ability to operate as You do, releasing power through words. You told us death and life were in the power of the tongue. You said we could move mountains with our words. We join with Mary in saying, be it done to us according to Your Word. And we conclude by agreeing with You today regarding Your promise of salvation. We declare that America shall be saved. Our prodigals will come home to You. And the greatest harvest of souls in earth’s history shall take place in our generation. So be it. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we are coming into greater alignment with the Word and ways of God. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 3671. Ibid., ref. no. 4487. Ibid., ref. no. 1697. https://skipmoen.com/2019/08/an-audible-universe/ http://iconoclast.weebly.com/the-dabar-of-the-lord.html Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, ref. no.101. Ibid., ref. no. 1410.

  • April 15, 2024

    Don’t Fear The Storm I like studying biblical words because of the added insight I receive from the different nuances of meaning. The Hebrew language, with its pictorial style, paints many rich pictures. With a technical approach, the Greeks used to say they could say more in one word than other languages could in an entire sentence. Humorous, but possibly true. Without a doubt, God determined that these two languages would give us the Scriptures. There is another reason I like to look up the original words used in Scripture, however. Some translations often use the same English word to translate different Hebrew or Greek words, which can sometimes be misleading. For example, the King James Version uses the word “time” to translate both chronos(1) and kairos(2). However, one refers to general or chronological time (chronos). The other word, kairos, means strategic or opportune time. The importance of knowing which word is used is immeasurable. From planting until harvest is chronos time; the harvest window is kairos. If you’re a farmer, you better know the difference! Another subject with which the KJV does this is fear. There are actually three Greek words in the New Testament which, at times, are all translated with the one English word, “fear.” One of them means “reverential fear or awe” (eulabeia)(3). This is the word used when speaking of “the fear of the Lord.” Another means “terror, dread, or phobia” (phobos)(4). This, of course, is a fear of harm, pain, or loss. It’s easy to see that knowing which word is used matters greatly. I have a “Fear of the Lord,” but I am not “afraid” of Him. Then there is a third Greek word that means “timidity or insecurity” (deilia)(5) which is the subject of this post. Paul told his spiritual son, Timothy, “God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). This Greek word translated as fear is deilia: timidity, insecurity, bashful, or shy. Timothy was a young man. His youthfulness and inexperience, compounded by the magnitude of his task in leading the church at Ephesus, was causing him to be insecure. Timothy was also facing criticism, persecution, and attacks from people. Paul was not telling him he did not have to be “afraid.” That wasn’t the type of fear attacking Timothy. Paul was telling him not to be timid or insecure. In other words, “be bold, and believe in what God has put in you. He has equipped you to do this!” At times, the two fears of harm (phobos) and timidity (deilia) work together to paralyze or torment us. In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus and the disciples were crossing the lake when a vicious storm arose. It looked like they would not make it through this storm, so the disciples awakened Jesus, who addressed the storm with, “Peace, be still.” The storm ended immediately. Then Jesus asked the disciples an interesting and strange question, “Why are you afraid?” Then, He addressed their lack of faith. I know why they were afraid, don’t you? These were experienced fishermen who had made a living on this lake. When they concluded that this storm was so bad, that they weren’t going to survive it, you can believe it was true. It makes more sense, however, when you realize Jesus did not ask them why they were afraid (phobos). He asked them why they were timid or insecure (deilia). Christ was telling the disciples they could have - and should have - done what He did: rebuke the storm! Boldness was needed at this moment, not timidity. This storm was a demonic strategy to harm them. Jesus had already told the disciples, “We are going to the other side.” They should have acted on His words and did what He had done. I am certainly not boasting that I would have acted differently than the disciples. I am simply pointing out the lesson Jesus was giving them: “When you have My promise or direction, believe it and act boldly on it!” A friend of ours, on the front lines of warfare for America, one who greatly loves our nation and whose life was severely affected by the 2020 elections, was given a dream that pictures this lesson. You’ll be encouraged by it! “I can honestly say I had one of the best dreams I have ever had last night. In the dream, I was in my house, lounging comfortably in bed, when I heard a voice say, ‘Run and hide! There is a hurricane coming!’ “I looked out the window and saw a terrible hurricane barreling towards my house. I knew I would likely drown. The storm was fierce, destroying everything in its path. I stood up out of bed, and the water was already at my ankles, and I knew the storm was just starting. The wind was blowing and debris was flying around my house. Again, the voice said, ‘Run! Hide! You have to save yourself!’ “I thought about it and decided to remain standing. Grabbing the side of the bed, I closed my eyes, tucked my chin to brace for impact, and responded calmly to the voice, ‘I will not run. I will stand my ground in this storm.’ “Everything got quiet. I opened my eyes, and my house was in order. No damage, and it was completely dry. I looked out the window and saw the storm in the distance...fleeing from me.” End of dream. My comments to this person were that not only was God revealing the storm wouldn’t destroy her, but He also revealed what was in her spirit. He has not given her a spirit of timidity or fear. He has given her a spirit of faith and boldness. We need not fear the storms. We must stand our ground and face them with faith in God’s Word. If we do, we will win. The storm will subside…or run from us! “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Pray with me: Father, the past season has been difficult for many people. The coming season of shaking will also be challenging. I’m sure some have been tempted to retreat or, worse yet, abandon their faith. Some want out of the boat. Others, like the fearful spies Moses sent to Canaan, have decided they would rather be back in Egypt. We pray that You would show them, as You did our friend, that deep within them, they have the strength to overcome; that satan is an intimidator who wants us to think we are grasshoppers when facing giants and storms. But You have given us hearts like Caleb. You said we are more than conquerors - we have more than enough strength in us to overcome (Romans 8:37). So we speak to our storms and say, “Be still! Stop! We will not listen to you, we will not run from you, and you will not destroy us. We are well able to possess the land, and we will do so. We are on God’s timetable, and any delays will be used for our benefit. (Romans 8:28) Our times are in His hand. (Psalm 31:15). Everything He has promised, He will do. Our future is secure.” Our decree: We decree that as we resist the devil, he WILL flee from us! Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 5550. Ibid., ref. no. 2540. Ibid., ref. no. 2124. Ibid., ref. no. 5401. Ibid., ref. no. 1167.

  • April 12, 2024

    What Do They All Have In Common? NOAH’S FLOOD In Genesis chapter 6, the story of Noah and the great flood begins. After Adam’s fall, people became so wicked that God knew He would have to destroy humankind and begin again (verse 5). He instructed Noah to build an ark for the preservation of his family, a project which probably took 50-75 years.(1) Then, when it was completed, He sent the flood. It rained for 40 days and nights (Genesis 7:17), flooded the earth, and Noah’s Ark floated for 150 days before coming to rest on Mt. Ararat. Genesis 8:1-4 tells us: “But God remembered Noah and all the animals and all the livestock that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided. Also, the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained; and the water receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of 150 days, the water decreased. Then in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.” (NASB) THE RED SEA CROSSING After Israel’s incredible exodus from Egypt, during which God also demonstrated that the gods of Egypt were not truly gods but simply idols, Israel found themselves still in danger at the Red Sea. There was as yet one Egyptian god He had not exposed, Baal-zephon, their god of the seas. The first two verses of Exodus 14 inform us, “Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea’” (Exodus 14:1-2). Why the geography lesson? God wants us to know that HE chose the place for this encounter. To many of the Israelites, as well as to Pharaoh and his army, it looked as though Israel was confused, disoriented, and wandering aimlessly in the desert. And they were, in fact, now trapped by mountains, the sea, and Pharaoh’s army. God sometimes enjoys allowing satan to believe he has won; at times, He even orchestrates circumstances to accomplish this. Such was the case here. Scott Lancer, in an article for Associates for Biblical Research (Confronting Baal Zephon: The Spiritual Message of the Meeting of Israel and the Armies of Egypt) says, “Let us remember that God had been triumphing over not only Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but also the supposed power of their gods. The plagues were a drumbeat of victory as the gods of Egypt were, one by one, displayed to be impotent and powerless. And even more importantly, Yahweh wanted the Egyptians to know that He is the Lord” (14:4).(2) Pharaoh no doubt believed that this god was more powerful than Yahweh. He supposed that Baal-zephon had led Israel into a trap and was now going to cause them to be destroyed in front of the place named for him. Yahweh had other plans. His plan was to demonstrate that HE was the Lord of the sea. His authority, released through the extension of the rod He had given Moses, controlled the sea, not Zephon. Yahweh would lead his people THROUGH, not around, the sea that the Egyptians believed was under the control of Zephon. And instead of the Israelites being destroyed, it would be Pharaoh and the Egyptian army - in front of their supposed god! ISRAEL CROSSING INTO CANAAN In Genesis 12, God spoke to Abraham, promising him a family, a nation, ownership of the land of Canaan, and that He would use Abraham to bless the entire world. In Joshua 3, four and a half centuries later, this family now existed, had indeed become a nation, and under Joshua’s leadership, crossed into Canaan. Chapter 5 tells us: “While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal, they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. Then, on the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and roasted grain. And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.” (Joshua 5:10-12 NASB) ISRAEL’S DELIVERANCE FROM HAMAN In the book of Esther, we find the great story of Israel’s deliverance from Haman’s plot to destroy them. This wicked man had convinced the king to sign a decree to destroy the Jews (Esther 3:1-12). God used Esther and Mordecai to reverse Haman’s seemingly fail-proof plan. Esther called for a 3-day fast to pray for God’s protection, then approached the king asking for mercy for her people. God intervened, and Haman was hung on the gallows he had built for Mordecai (Esther 7:10). The feast of Purim celebrates this great victory over Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews (Esther 9:26-32). THE COMMON DENOMINATOR Now, what do these events have in common? The date: Nisan 17. Noah’s Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat; Pharaoh and his army were destroyed, and Baal-zephon was exposed; after Joshua and Israel crossed into Canaan and ate the fruit of the land, the manna ceased; and Haman was hung on his own gallows - all on the 17th day of the Hebrew month Nisan. That is miraculous and amazing! One can only imagine the angels’ thoughts as they carried out their assignments. Take the Flood, for example: He’s going to start the rain, flood the earth, and cause enough of the water to dissipate so the ark touches Earth ON THAT VERY DAY? That’s impossible - but then again, we are talking about Yahweh! How about the crossing into Canaan, eating the fruit of the land, and the manna ceasing? He said what?! Over the next four and a half centuries, He’s going to enable an old, barren couple to have a kid, multiply him into a NATION, preserve them through centuries of slavery, deliver them on this special day He has chosen, navigate around a rebellious generation waiting for all of them to die, the next generation will begin eating the fruit of this promised land - and He is going to land all of this on this same special day of the flood receding and the deliverance of this nation from slavery? Four hundred-plus years in the future, on Nisan 17? Well, if He said it, He’ll do it! I suppose the angels were used to this stuff! But why this date? God hadn’t told anyone, not even the angels, why He was doing these things on this date because He couldn’t disclose the mystery of how He would redeem humankind. And part of the plan included Jesus being resurrected on Nisan 17! The new earth and humanity’s restart after the flood; the judging of the powers of darkness and Israel’s deliverance from slavery; the manna ceasing (a picture of Christ’s earthly body) and eating the fruit of Canaan; and Haman, a symbolizing satan, having the tables turned on him while God’s people are exalted, were all pictures of Christ’s resurrection and occurred… ON THE VERY SAME DAY! Get yourself a Hebrew calendar, and the next time satan tempts you to doubt God’s ability to fulfill one of His promises or His willingness to do so, pull it out and point to Nisan 17. He won’t hang around–he hates that day. Pray with me: Father, we are reminded today of Your words: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) You planned the day and time of the Resurrection from the foundation of the world. Sin and death don’t stand a chance against Your omnipotence and omniscience. You always know what to do and how to do it, and You possess the power to accomplish it. You decided Yeshua would be resurrected on Nisan 17, and He was. You said satan was defeated, and he is. You said we are delivered from his authority, and we are. You said we would be welcomed back into Your family through Christ, and we have been. You said He would delegate His authority to us, and He has. You said we can do all things through Him, and we can. You said we are more than conquerors through Him, and we are. You said we always triumph in Him, and we do. You said we are healed by His stripes, and we are. You said Your perfect love casts out all fear, and it does. You said You would send Your Spirit to indwell us, and You have. You said Christ would build an Ekklesia the forces of hell could not overcome, and He has. You told us to heal the sick in Christ’s name, and we can. You told us to disciple nations in His name, and we can. You said Christ is King over all the nations, and He is. You said America will be saved, and it will! You said our prodigals were coming home, and they are. You said You would reap Earth’s greatest spiritual harvest in our day, and You will. You said the church Christ returns to would be glorious, and she will be. Our decree: We decree that God’s word is forever settled in Heaven! Click on the link below to watch the full video. ___________________________ https://youtu.be/wIxWAZ6r8oc?si=Q6Z_JOeu0YF_l64u https://biblearchaeology.org/research/devotionals/3794-confronting-baalzephon-the-spiritual-message-of-the-meeting-of-israel-and-the-armies-of-egypt

  • April 11, 2024

    The Sound That Draws Him Matthew 18:19 says, “Again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.” Today, I feel Holy Spirit’s prompting to remind you of the power of agreement. The above verse is given to us in the context of the church, the Ekklesia, addressing issues from the place of unity. The subsequent verse (Matthew 18:20) is the well-known promise that when 2 or more members of the church gather, Christ joins us. Though God’s presence is always with a believer, He is saying His presence comes in a stronger way when we gather together. “We” are better than “me.” I don’t want to poke holes in anyone’s theological balloon, but as a sidebar, I must point out that there is no verse in the Bible stating the prayers of one can chase or put to flight a thousand, and two can chase ten thousand. (I can see the scowls on many faces.) This assertion comes from a misunderstanding of Deuteronomy 32:30, which says, “How could one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight, Unless their Rock had sold them, And the Lord had given them up?” This is actually part of a passage describing Israel’s enemies overwhelming them, and an explanation of why. Due to their sin, the Lord was no longer protecting them, and their enemies prevailed over them to this overwhelming degree. Don’t get too alarmed, however; though the numbers are somewhat different, there is a passage stating that Israel’s power multiplied when they fought as one: “Instead, you will chase your enemies, and they will fall before you by the sword; five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.” (Leviticus 26:7-8 NASB) The context of this is physical warfare, not prayer, but it is fair to say God’s power was multiplied for Israel when they fought as a unified company. And my point in addressing this is not to become legalistic, but simply to help us become more accurate in our approach to prayer. We must base our prayers on biblical principles and truth, not tradition. And yes, I wholeheartedly believe God‘s power is multiplied when we pray and operate in agreement with one another. Greek scholar and teacher Rick Renner says, “The word ‘agree’ [in Matthew 18:19] is the Greek word sumphoneo, and it is a compound of sum and phoneo. The word sum means with, and the word phoneo means to make a sound. As you can imagine by simply looking at its two parts, this Greek word is where we get the word symphony. Thus, when we describe agreement in prayer, it is good to first think of a symphony, which is a musical piece made of different movements, instruments, and parts. The use of this word sumphoneo in the context of prayer is revealing, for it shows that when two or more believers get into agreement — each of them praying and adding their parts — it creates a supernatural movement that deeply touches the heart of the Father. This action is so powerful, in fact, that Jesus said it would result in the Father fulfilling any issue they addressed through prayer.”(1) Strongs Concordance says sumphoneo means to “be harmonious, in accord, or concur.”(2) The opposite of accord is discord, another term associated with music. Accord or harmony is pleasant; discord is unpleasant. A sour note played by one instrument in an orchestra can often be heard above all the others. God, who created music with all of its pleasantness and power, loves harmony and uses it to illustrate the pleasantness of agreement in the church, including prayer. It attracts Him: “I am there in their midst” (Matthew 18:20). It moves Him to action: “It shall be done for them by My Father, who is in heaven” (verse 19). Too often, the church sounds like a recital of 8-year-olds torturing parents and grandparents with their screeching strings and discordant horns. I question whether God actually shows up for some of it. His patience has its limits. “I’d like to hear some harmony” is probably what He thinks. But when we gather with like-minded people, harmonizing with God’s heart and desires (not necessarily theology), His ears prick up, and He is drawn to the sound. It is pleasant to Him. “How good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). At this place of unity, He commands a blessing! (Verse 3) My goal today is to point out that God appreciates it when millions of people agree together in prayer for His purposes to be established on Earth. It attracts His presence, moves His heart, and multiplies His power flowing from us. Do not forget this when you agree with the person in your circle of relationships, your prayer group, your congregation, and yes, with millions of people on this platform. The number one reason I do the daily Give Him 15 posts is not to provide you with your daily devotional, though I’m thrilled that it accomplishes this for many. It is primarily to generate agreement in prayer for the establishment of God‘s purposes on the Earth. And I know our prayers are effectual. Please do not just listen as I end the posts with prayer. Activate your faith, pick up your instrument, and release a sound into the heavens that moves God's heart. We are playing salvation songs, revival and reformation medleys, and Kingdom of Heaven overtures. As we do, He joins us, then carries the sound of our “music” throughout the atmosphere of Earth, creating change and releasing life. Let’s harmonize now. Pray with me: Father, the orchestra of Your kingdom does more than sing praises; it agrees in prayer. And when it does, You said it attracts You and multiplies Your power. We harmonize together this day, recalling various themes You have asked us to pray for: We break the power of darkness and deception over prodigals and call them home. We ask You for a billion soul harvest throughout the nations of the Earth: to Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, and every other group of people. We bind the Prince of Persia in the Middle East and all of its allies. We ask You for a great harvest of young people here in America and around the world - the largest ever. We ask for signs, wonders, and miracles to take place. We ask for great deliverance to come to those bound by demons, false ideologies, wounds, and any other tool of darkness. We ask You to heal the brokenhearted and set free those held captive. We ask for evil to be exposed in our nation, and a purifying of our government. We ask that life would be cherished and that death, including to the unborn, would be abhorred. We ask that the church be awakened from passivity and complacency and that Your fire would bring revival to believers throughout this nation and the world. We ask for the complete restoration of America to Your purpose and destiny. We ask for human trafficking to be exposed and ended. We ask that racial division be healed and that love and compassion sweep throughout our land. We pray that those who divide us for selfish reasons be exposed. We ask all of this in the all-powerful name of Jesus. Our decree: We declare that heaven’s orchestra is becoming a more finely tuned and skillful body, releasing a sound that pleases the heart of God. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ____________________________ https://renner.org/article/a-supernatural-answer-to-prayer/ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 4856.

  • April 10, 2024

    “The Rebirth of America” Dream Chris Reed of Morningstar Ministries was given a dream on March 9, 2024, which seems significant to me. In his dream, the then-upcoming eclipse of April 8th marked the triggering of a “metaphorical conception” leading to an “awakening” and rebirth in America. Reed did not attempt to define the scope of the awakening, only that it was significant enough to be part of America’s rebirth. I want to highlight certain aspects of the dream and offer a few comments. The “baby” was conceived in April 2024 and born in January 2025. Its name was “America,” and the infant was wrapped in the American flag, leading Reed to use the phrase “the rebirth of America” in summarizing the dream. It is inarguable to any Bible-believing, honest person that America has lost her way and needs a rebirth. The only debatable aspect of this now is regarding the cause. Like many, I tried for several years to give the benefit of the doubt to those being used to weaken America, considering their actions simply as incompetency. I can no longer do so. No one with any intelligence whatsoever could fail to foresee the devastating effects of the left’s decisions; the damage has to be intentional. Those on the left believe America - from its inception - is systematically evil, must be dismantled, and then rebuilt as the woke, globalist nation they envision. Those endeavoring to restructure America have made great progress in this dismantling process, so much so that the America birthed two and a half centuries ago and which subsequently grew into the greatest nation in history has been damaged beyond human ability to restore her. She must experience a supernatural rebirth, both spiritually and naturally. THE COMING TRAUMA The dream was related, in part, to the upcoming presidential election. As I stated, the conception of the “baby” occurred in April 2024; the birth took place in January 2025, the month of America’s presidential inauguration. In the dream, a trauma associated with the elections occurred in September or October, sending the nation into chaos and pandemonium. Reed said this was frightening and intensified the division in America. It also nearly caused “premature labor” endangering the “baby,” the rebirth of America. Because of a 1968 newspaper headline shown to him referencing the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, he felt an assassination, or an attempt to do so, could be the trigger for the chaos. Reed was appropriately cautious, not saying this would definitely occur, but stated what he saw in the dream and asked people to pray. Likewise, I have no prophetic clarity about an assassination or an attempt to do so. I do, however, feel confident that the chaos he spoke of is indeed coming. Who could be naive enough to believe the progressive leftists and globalists will not do whatever they deem necessary to keep Trump from winning the presidency in November? Is the rebirth of America dependent on him winning the White House in November? I don’t know. It is foolish to think that any person, persons, or political party can rebirth America. It is also foolish, however, to believe that it doesn’t matter who is in power. In Scripture, Israel was judged multiple times due to the actions of its leaders, as were other nations, and conversely, was blessed based on the decisions of its leaders. Trump is not a messiah, but he does oppose the demonic opposition to America’s destiny and success. And he is correct when he says the left is actually coming after us - the patriots, the lovers of freedom, and those who honor God; he is just “standing in the way.” The threat he presents to them - not to democracy - is cataclysmic. In 2016, fifty to sixty years of momentum for the left, beginning with the Supreme Court’s decision to expel God from public schools (Engle v. Vitale, June 15, 1962), was dramatically interrupted by the election of Trump. In response, they pulled out ALL stops in their attempts to hinder and remove him. Democrats, progressive Republicans, the Deep State, the Judicial system, mainstream media, social media, billionaires, Hollywood, and more have launched the single greatest attack on an individual in U.S. history. Trump’s survival is nothing short of miraculous. It is due to the American people waking up to the astounding levels of corruption in our nation and rallying behind him; many also believe it is because of God’s favor and protection. So I say again, the left will stop at NOTHING in their attempts to keep him from the White House. Buckle up; it’s gonna get turbulent! THE CONTENTION PROLONGED In the dream, the “baby” named America, wrapped in the American flag, had to be placed in an incubator after its birth in January. The danger to its survival had not ended, and it wasn’t until July that the chaos and pandemonium subsided. This could very well mean that a battle will rage over the U.S. Presidency until the summer of 2025. What can we do? Pray. God is the source of America’s recovery. Apart from His intervention, nothing that occurs in Washington D.C., will save America. Our faith is not in a political party or person. Yes, God uses people, but except He keeps the city, the watchman wakes in vain (Psalm 127:1). Pray against corruption and for exposure. Pray that every attempt to destroy America’s rebirth would fail. Pray that all deception will be broken and that America will see clearly what is truly occurring. And pray for protection over our leaders. Do not fear the shaking; it will intensify, but we must stay in faith. Like Esther in her day, we were born for this time. Our greatest days are ahead if we persevere in faith and obedience. Pray with me: Father, thank You for speaking to us through dreams. Give us insights and correct interpretations. We believe You are showing us the times and seasons, and that over the next 16 months, satan will initiate chaos, attempting to thwart America's rebirth. We ask now for this to fail. We bind it in Jesus’ name. We ask for a healthy “baby,” the rebirth of America. We ask for protection from any and every attack against this. Guide us through this time and help us serve Your purposes effectively. We ask for President Biden’s salvation, and that he be delivered from the unbiblical ideologies and strongholds that control him. May he find true repentance. We pray for Donald Trump. Purify him in whatever ways necessary. Deliver him from evil attacks, slander, and unjust prosecutions. Cause the man of Your choice to win the election. Help them restore America to morality, biblical ideals, and Your destiny for her. Lord, deliver us from evil in our government. And we conclude by declaring that Your Kingdom authority and principles will rule over America. Your desires will be accomplished. Your church will be awakened, filled with Holy Spirit, and burn with fresh fire. We declare that we will hear Your voice clearly, going only in the direction You lead us. We boldly declare that we will not fear any shaking, chaos, or work of darkness. We will operate only in faith. All of this we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that America is being saved and reborn, and the timing of the Lord will not be altered. Chris Reed’s account of the dream and his explanation can be read HERE. You can find out more about Chris at MorningstarMinistries.org. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

  • April 9, 2024

    The Statue of Liberty There is probably no icon more known for depicting America than the Statue of Liberty. In the following dream given to Gina Gholston in 2019, an enraged and violent mob is seen trying to destroy the statue. This is obviously a metaphorical picture of the current attempt to destroy America. The dream is too long to allow commentary, but none is needed: God uses the praying church to save America. This we will do. And we will continue to birth and protect the great worldwide harvest. The dream: The Attempt To Destroy America “On November 10, 2019, I dreamed that I came upon a chaotic mob of hundreds of people. Rage, hatred, and evil permeated the atmosphere. In the middle of this mob stood a living, life-sized version of the Statue of Liberty, wrapped in the American flag. The mob was kicking and beating her. She was pushing back, attempting to fight them off. “Then, the Statue of Liberty fell to the ground. When she fell, I ran toward the mob and saw a militant man dressed entirely in black, carrying a black machine gun. As I ran toward them, he used the machine gun to push me backward. I fell, crying, and screamed, ‘SHE’S DYING! SHE’S DYING, AND I CAN HELP HER!’ I stood up and attempted to break through the mob to get to her, but the militant man again pushed me to the ground. “As I lay there, I could see the Statue of Liberty lying on the ground, the mob continuing to kick and beat her. She was bleeding from her nose and mouth; her hands were bruised and bleeding. Beside her, I saw Dutch Sheets attempting to resuscitate her. These vile people would grab him by his feet, pulling him away from the statue, but Dutch would quickly scramble back to her, continuing to attempt CPR. This happened several times. “Seeing a set of bleachers, I stood and made my way into them. From there, I was able to see everything clearly. I could see Dutch and many others with him: Ceci, Chuck Pierce, Tim Sheets, and more. “I noticed that many people in the vicious, raging mob were dressed in professional attire. It is difficult to describe their rage, hatred, violence, and the chaos it created. “In the bleachers, I looked down beside me and saw a defibrillator! Picking it up I yelled, ‘DUTCH!’ He looked up, saw me, and I motioned that I was going to throw him the defibrillator. I did so, and he caught it. “He then said, ‘This is great, but how will we power it?’ “I shouted, ‘WE’VE GOT POWER!’ “A lady and several others in the mob began pushing against those standing with Dutch. She was their spokesperson and shouted, ‘YOU CAN’T DO THIS! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!’ “Then Chuck Pierce rose up. As he did, he grew taller and spoke to me very calmly, ‘The distress signal has been sent out.’ “I knew he was using a biblical reference to Nehemiah who had said to Israel regarding Jerusalem, ‘Do you see the distress we are in?’ (see Nehemiah 2:17). It was as if Nehemiah’s words brought an ‘awakening’ to the people, and they rose up with a ‘mind to work.’ I felt that Chuck was saying, ‘The awakening message has been preached, and people have received it. They’re awake, ready, and will know what to do.’ “With Chuck’s words in my mind, I looked around for help. There were many people walking around, and I realized some of them were literally glowing! When I saw these ‘glowing ones,’ I took them by the hand and said, ‘Come with me. We may not be able to get down with Dutch and the others, but there is a place for us, and I know how to get us there! We have to get in our place!’ “I led them into the bleachers, which had now encircled the entire scene like a colosseum. The bleachers were filled with these ‘glowing ones.’ “I prayed, ‘Lord, how are we going to do this?’ “Instantly, I heard the Lord loudly say, ‘USE THE POWER!’ “I told all of the people in the bleachers to hold hands and be ready! I heard some of them humming a familiar song. I began instructing the people that when I gave the signal, some were to pray in the Spirit while others sang the song they were humming. “We all held hands. With my right hand, I picked up the cables attached to the defibrillator I had thrown to Dutch; with my left hand, I held the hand of the lady next to me. “The chaos was still raging - loud, chaotic, vicious! In the midst of that, Dutch took the paddles of the defibrillator and placed one on the Statue of Liberty‘s right ear and the other on her heart. Then, as loudly as he could, shouted, ‘CHARGE!’ “I yelled to the people in the bleachers, ‘NOW!’ “Some began fervently praying in the spirit, while the others sang with very loud voices, ‘ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME; LET ANGELS PROSTRATE FALL. BRING FORTH THE ROYAL DIADEM AND CROWN HIM LORD OF ALL!’(1) “As we did so, a visible jolt went out of my hand, through the cables, and into her, causing a shaking. “The people in the mob screamed, ‘STOP! You can’t do this!’ “Dutch yelled again, ‘CHARGE!’ “I shouted, ‘NOW!’ And again, we sang and prayed in tongues, causing another jolt to go through the cables and into the Statue of Liberty. Again, she shook. “This happened twice more, and the Statue of Liberty stood up. She had been bleeding, and parts of her had been broken off, but she stood up completely whole…no bleeding, no breaks. “The mob was furious! This was their ‘big move,’ what they had been planning and plotting. But God’s power, flowing through His people, had stopped it. “The vile lady, the mob’s spokesperson, had the authority to call in a militant force and did so - hundreds of them. They surrounded Dutch and those who stood with him, pointing machine guns at them. “Watching from the bleachers, our hearts were pounding. We knew the severity of what we were about to witness if God did not intervene, but we also knew that we had to take a stand. It was do or die, and if we had to die, we were willing. There was absolutely no fear in us, just courage and determination to do our part! “When they pointed the machine guns at Dutch and those standing with him, it was an indescribable moment. Then they fired the guns, but there were no bullets—no ammunition! Nothing! “The vile lady screamed, ‘THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!’ And she instructed the militant company to take us all out—even those of us in the bleachers—with brute force! As they started their move toward us, we all—Dutch, those with him, and those of us in the bleachers—simultaneously fell on our knees and began to cry out to God. “When we did so, there was the loud sound of an old-fashioned telephone ringing. As it did, the ground shook, and everything went silent. Everyone stopped moving. There was not one sound other than the ringing of the telephone. The instant silence was as dramatic as what I had previously seen. It was indescribable how it went from all the rage, chaos, and loudness to complete stillness and silence! In the dream, I heard these words, ‘Call unto Me, and I will answer you!’ (Jeremiah 33:3). “As that ringing sound continued, the Statue of Liberty stretched out her left arm, holding the tablet. We could all see written on it the Scripture reference, ‘Romans 10:9,’ which states, “If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, YOU SHALL BE SAVED!“‘ “Then the Statue of Liberty spoke, saying, ‘I WILL NOT DIE! I WILL LIVE AND DECLARE THE WORKS OF THE LORD!’ (Psalm 118:17). “Dutch then stood up and said boldly and powerfully to the militant people and the mob, ‘You can’t stop it now! We have called, and the Lord has answered us… America IS saved!’ “At that very moment, the torch in the right hand of the Statue of Liberty began to burn, a large flame leaping up.” End of dream. Keep praying, church! Let no threats, attacks, shaking, or fear silence you. We have the [spiritual] power - use it! Pray with me: Father, it is the power and authority of Christ that has prevailed over the evil one. He expelled him from Heaven; He broke his authority over earth, taking it back; and He took the keys of hell. He has now delegated to the church His authority on earth. All hail the power of His name! You were not confused and weren’t simply speaking Your “hope” when You told Him You were giving Him the nations of earth as His inheritance. Nor was He when declaring He would build an unconquerable Ekklesia. This church is now arising throughout the earth under Holy Spirit’s orchestration, releasing Kingdom authority and reaping Christ’s reward. By Your strength and grace, Christ’s victory, and Holy Spirit’s power we will not waver or fail. America shall be saved. Awakening is occurring. The cloud of witnesses will not have run in vain. The harvest is and will be reaped. More than a billion souls will be won by You in our day. And one day, as the great hymn in this dream goes on to declare: “Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe, On this terrestrial ball,
To Him all majesty ascribe, And crown Him Lord of all,
To Him all majesty ascribe, And crown Him Lord of all. “O that with yonder sacred throng, We at His feet may fall,
We’ll join the everlasting song, And crown Him Lord of all.
We’ll join the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all!”(2) Our decree: We decree that the church, authorized by Christ and connected to Holy Spirit, is releasing life-giving power to restore America. You can find out more about Gina at GinaGholstonMinistries.org. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://hymnary.org/text/all_hail_the_power_of_jesus_name_let Ibid.

  • April 8, 2024

    Eclipse Day, 2024 Welcome to “Eclipse Day, 2024.” Many people have asked for my thoughts regarding it: “Is it prophetic?” “Is it a sign?” “What does it mean?” Many have written about it, and numerous broadcasts have been released. Some say it is a warning of judgment, while others declare it a sign of the end times, that the rapture will occur soon. In some teachings, it has been reported that its path will go over seven cities in America named Ninevah, a sign of judgment—if enough repentance doesn’t occur. Actually, it will be a full eclipse over only two towns named Ninevah; the others will see only partial eclipses. In order to confirm that this eclipse bodes negative consequences, reports are also circulating that some cities and states are actually preparing for problems or calamities The truth, however, is that this is not because they fear judgment or calamity, but due to the influx of visitors - possibly hundreds of thousands - coming to their areas in order to see the full eclipse. They are concerned about supply issues - food, water, housing, etc. - not judgment or calamity. So, Is the Eclipse A Sign? The Bible does indeed tell us the heavens give us signs, including eclipses and blood moons (Genesis 1:14; Isaiah 13:10, 38:8; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2.10, 2:31, 3:15; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24; Luke 21:25–27; etc.). There is no Scripture I’m aware of, however, that says every eclipse is a sign or warning. This means prophetic discernment is necessary in order to determine whether or not a heavenly phenomenon is a sign. And since there is NO ONE who hears from the Lord perfectly, great caution is necessary when attempting to discern this. I am not implying that those stating this eclipse is a sign are mistaken; nor am I endorsing them. I have listened to several; some seem credible, others do not. I’ve also read articles by and listened to podcasts of those attempting to discredit them. These individuals do point out a few wrong facts used by some in formulating their prophetic statements. Most of the critics, however, are obviously cynics of the prophetic in general, and form their beliefs only in the realm of intellect, knowing nothing of prophetic revelation. I also find their arrogance and critical spirits hard to stomach. Having acknowledged my lack of clarity regarding this eclipse being a sign, I want to state clearly that I do believe America is headed for increasingly difficult times for a season. I have consistently said a difficult shaking is coming to our nation in order to finish the task of turning us back to God. I believe this has begun and will intensify. Sin has wages (Romans 6:23). Rebellion to God and mocking Him comes with dire consequences. Psalm 2 is clear: when rulers mock God, He mocks back; when they conspire to throw off God’s rule, they experience His rod of iron. The fools and reprobates now ruling America believe they can mock Him without consequences, celebrating Resurrection Sunday/Easter as the Transgender Day of Visibility instead, along with numerous other “middle fingers” they have given God, His Son, and His Word. The “piper” is about to be paid. The votes they thought they could buy by allowing millions of illegals into our nation will instead buy terrorism and numerous other difficulties. Those who naively voted in these leftists, Marxists, atheists, and liars are about to taste the fruit of their ignorance and rebellion. And a savorless church with its low-watt light will receive its wake-up call. We are all about to taste and see that God is not only good - He is also in charge. I absolutely believe America will be saved and that God will help us recover. But it will not be without pain. As a nation, we have stiffened our necks and doubled down on our pride, rebellion, and stupidity. We have sown the wind, and the whirlwind is coming. At least five proven prophetic voices whom I trust believe the shaking will begin intensifying this month. They are not saying this because of the eclipse, though they seem to be acknowledging that it, as well as other events occurring in our nation, could be further signs that the shaking will now increase. I concur with them. I believe the shaking, which I have called a merciful and redemptive shaking, is about to intensify. It is merciful because its purpose is to turn our hearts redemptively, not because it won’t be painful. It will be. But mercy will triumph over judgment, and America will survive and be restored. Continue to repent on behalf of America and her sins, and decree that she will be saved through a third great awakening. Again I say, the prayers of a remnant are saving America and birthing Earth’s greatest revival. I also believe our prayers can lessen the reaping from our rebellion. It is not time to back up, grow weary, or lose heart. It is time to be unwavering, determined, and strong. Whatever comes in the shaking, God’s Kingdom will not be shaken. It will increase. I have mentioned the following quote by Thomas Paine in previous posts, yet its relevance for us today is great. He wrote it the year our nation was born, though we were just beginning the war to enforce the birth. General Washington made all of his soldiers read the entire article. Here is a portion: “These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country, but he that stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph…”(1) Pray with me: Father, we are thoroughly convinced of Your goodness. We are convinced of Your grace and mercy, that Your heart is to redeem, not punish. This is a sustaining truth in difficult times, an anchor for our souls. You are a good and wonderful Father; though You allow prodigals to eat with the pigs and wallow in the filth of their unwise decisions, You also run to meet them when they return to You. We are thoroughly convinced that America will return to You and be restored -  because of Your heart and unparalleled wisdom. You know how to turn us back. We are also confident that in any shaking, Your Kingdom will stand strong; those who stand with it will, as well. Not for a moment do we believe that satan has outwitted or could ever overpower You. And we do not doubt for a moment that You will have the harvest You have spoken of and promised Your Son. So we say, let the shaking intended to deliver us from evil intensify. Let it come and awaken millions to their need of You. Let it come to free millions of young people from the demonic ideologies with which they have been fed and poisoned. Let it come to open our hearts and prepare us for the outpouring of Your Spirit. Our eyes are on the goal You have in mind, not the pain that will endure for a season. Our decree: We declare that God is for us, not against us. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/thomas-paine-publishes-american-crisis

  • April 5, 2024

    Do Not Underestimate the Love of God Today’s post is not from Tim and Rachel‘s book Come Home, but is one final teaching regarding praying for prodigals or any who are unsaved. After sharing a few posts a while back regarding praying for prodigals, I received a letter from a person agonizing over a loved one who had died. They felt that this person died before receiving Christ, in spite of their faithful prayers. I want to say to everyone listening to or reading this post, never assume a person you were praying for did not make it to heaven. We do not know what occurred in the last moment before they crossed into eternity, as the following two stories will illustrate. The Scriptures tell us God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9 KJV). We don't have to wonder about God’s desire or willingness regarding the lost; He could not make His will any clearer. The Lord wants every person to believe in Christ and be born again. "Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save" (Isaiah 59:1). Not only is God willing to save the lost, but He is fully capable of doing so. He has sufficient power and knows how to bend, shape, and change the perspective of unbelievers, bringing them to a revelation of the truth. Holy Spirit can break off of every satanic stronghold and bring them to a knowledge of the truth. Story Number One “While hitchhiking home, Roger Simms was picked up by an older gentleman in an expensive car. They talked about many things, including Mr. Hanover's business in Chicago. Roger felt a strong compulsion to share his faith but was apprehensive about witnessing to a wealthy businessman. Finally, nearing his destination, Roger spoke up. “‘Mr. Hanover,’ began Roger, ‘I want to share something very important with you.’ He explained the way of salvation and asked if Mr. Hanover would like to receive Christ as his Savior. To Roger's astonishment, the businessman pulled over to the side of the road, bowed his head, wept, and prayed the prayer of salvation. He thanked Roger, saying, ‘This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.’ “Five years later, while in Chicago on a business trip, Roger went to Hanover Enterprises. The receptionist told him it would be impossible to see Mr. Hanover, but Mrs. Hanover was available. A little disappointed, he followed her into an office. “After exchanging greetings, Roger explained how Mr. Hanover had kindly given him a ride years ago. Suddenly interested, Mrs. Hanover asked when this had happened. When Roger told her it was on May 7, five years earlier, she asked if anything unusual had happened during his ride. “Roger hesitated, wondering if giving his witness had been a source of contention. But, feeling the prompting of the Lord, he told her that he had shared the gospel message and that her husband had accepted the Lord into his heart. “She began to sob uncontrollably. After a few minutes, she explained that she had thought her prayers for her husband's salvation had not been answered. After leaving Roger at his destination, Mr. Hanover had died that day in a horrible head-on collision.”(1) God is faithful. He knows how to unlock people’s hearts, convince them of their need and Christ’s provision, and when the time is right for them to be presented with the opportunity. And this certainly does not have to occur in a house of worship. God knows when to have hitchhikers travel home; He knows how to ensure unbelievers are driving the right road, at the right time, and how to motivate them to pick up the “evangelist.” God knows what He is doing! Don't miss the fact that Mrs. Hanover had been praying for her husband’s salvation. Our prayers release God’s power; never forget this. Don’t assume, just because you are not aware of a person’s conversion before their death, that it did not occur. If they were in an accident, they may have cried out to the Lord the moment they were dying. Even while unconscious or comatose, people can cry out in their hearts for salvation. Would the Lord cause a person’s spirit to linger in their body long enough for this to occur, in order to answer a prayer and get someone to heaven? Absolutely. Do not underestimate God’s love and grace. Story Number Two In my book, Intercessory Prayer, I tell the story of praying for a young girl in a coma, whom the Lord eventually healed. What I did not relate was the testimony of an elderly lady who, for a short time, shared her room in the nursing home. This lady was very old, and also in an unconscious state. In the 60 or 70 times I visited this young girl in the nursing home, this was the only person that ever shared a room with her; on all other occasions, she was in a room by herself. God placed the elderly lady there for a couple of weeks in order to get her to heaven. The young girl’s family had placed a radio in her room. (This will be meaningful in a moment.) At times, comatose individuals can hear what is going on around them; they just are not able to respond in any way. So, in case she could hear, they wanted music to be playing so she would not be lying there in silence all the time. The workers in the nursing home would often turn it to a country or a rock ‘n’ roll station. I, on the other hand, would turn it to soft music - not singing, just music - which was more peaceful and conducive to prayer. It was not a Christian station that played Christian music; just soft, peaceful music. On one visit, after praying for the young girl for an hour, I felt Holy Spirit leading me to share the gospel/good news of salvation with the unconscious elderly lady. I stepped next to her bed and said, “Ma’am, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I am going to assume that you can. And I don’t know if you have received Christ, but I’m going to assume you haven’t. I feel that I am to share with you how to be born again and then pray with you.” No response. I did so, then said aloud, “If you are hearing me and do not know the Lord, just pray these words with me in your heart.” I then prayed a prayer of salvation. The instant I said, “Amen” – not 5 seconds, 10 seconds, or 20 seconds after, and not before I said amen - the song, Amazing Grace, began playing on the radio. The entire song, all the verses. I stood there between the two beds and began to weep. I raised my hands and worshiped as I listened to the entire song. I knew that the amazing grace of God had kept this lady alive, put her in this room, and led me to pray this prayer with her before she died, even while she was in this unconscious state. I then felt led to pray that her suffering would end, and she would go on to heaven. And I did so. A week later, when I returned, she was gone. Upon asking the workers where she was, they simply said, “She passed away.” Never underestimate the love and grace of God. Pray with me: Father, Your mercy is endless, enduring forever. You delight in releasing it. It is difficult for us to believe, at times, that You love someone more than we do; but You do. We anchor ourselves to this and choose to believe it. Use these two testimonies to assure individuals that You will do anything and everything to answer their prayer for someone’s salvation. We believe that, regardless of how far someone is from You in their heart, You are not far from them. Your love is endless and relentless. We ask for the salvation of every family member represented by those listening to or reading this today and agreeing with me. We ask You to do whatever is necessary to save or restore them, and one day take them to heaven. We bind every attack satan has launched against them through deception, addiction, pain, or any demonic influence. We declare his hold over them is broken, the eyes of their understanding will be enlightened, and they will come to their senses. They will believe in Christ and His redemption for them. We ask You for millions of salvations to occur around the world, a billion or more. We are thoroughly convinced the great harvest You have planned is coming, and we declare it: Your kingdom influence and dominion, come! Your will be created and done, in the name of Jesus! And we rejoice with You over the inevitability of this billion-soul harvest. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the Lord of the harvest WILL have His harvest! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Alice Gray, Stories for the Heart (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 1996), pp. 225-257.

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