Let’s Believe for Miracles “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging, we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5; NASB) “That evening the people brought to Him many who were demonized. And by Jesus only speaking a word of healing over them, they were totally set free from their torment, and everyone who was sick received their healing! In doing this, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘He put upon himself our weaknesses, and He carried away our diseases and made us well.’” (Matthew 8:16-17; TPT) “And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the Cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24; NASB) I have mentioned often in the Give Him 15 posts that we are coming into a season of the miraculous. I feel it is imminent and today I want to encourage you toward believing for this. I am being stirred personally in my spirit to begin pressing toward this in prayer. The above verses are very clear that healing was included in Christ’s atoning work for us. The verses from Isaiah are prophetic statements/pictures about what He was going to do. The verse in Matthew declares that Jesus was, indeed, fulfilling these verses. And in Peter’s epistle, this healing provision is spoken of as having been accomplished. Not many churches speak of this today, and most believers understand very little about divine healing. However, not only are we told we can expect healing from Christ, but Mark 16:15-18 informs us that as believers we are to lay hands on the sick and minister healing. Simply because we have asked for healing at times and didn’t receive it, or prayed for people that weren’t healed, we must not disregard these promises. We do not always understand why we did not experience the miracle for which we asked, but we must keep asking. Do not allow hope-deferred to rob you of these promises. Mark 16 tells us that power accompanies the preaching of the gospel: “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover,” (Mark 16:15-18; NASB). I know in my heart it is time for this to begin with a fresh wave of the miraculous. I am encouraging you as believers to begin stretching yourselves and your faith to act on this promise. You do not have to guarantee someone they will be healed. Just obey the passage - share the simple gospel of Jesus Christ with individuals and pray for them. Tell them you would like to ask God to minister His love to them. If they agree, pray a simple prayer asking God to touch them with His healing power. Leave the results to God. I also want to encourage us as believers to ask for personal healing. I am doing this personally. If you have asked in the past and didn’t receive your healing, ask again! Do not allow past disappointments to stand in the way. Ask again! Feed your faith every day with the promises of God. Speak and declare the verses in the opening of this post daily, multiple times a day. Your faith will grow as you say and hear God‘s Word (Romans 10:17). Do this faithfully for the next several weeks and see what happens. Abraham, the father of faith, did not start with great faith. He, too, struggled at times to believe Isaac would be born. But he grew in his faith (Romans 4:18-21). You can grow in your faith, also. This occurs as you meditate (“think, muse over, speak or mutter to yourself”) on the Word and promises of God. Don’t just read the Word, say it. Pray it. Declare it. Your faith will grow until you are able to “lay hold of” with it (1 Timothy 6:12). One day soon I will share my testimony of doing this. You may want to pick up a good book on the subject of divine healing. My personal favorite is Christ the Healer by F. F. Bosworth. I realize that when I recommend this book many of you will order it. If that happens and it takes a while to get the book, please be patient. I have alerted no suppliers that I am doing this. If you cannot find a hard copy quickly, perhaps it is available as a download or as an audiobook. But this book is outstanding and will feed your faith regarding Christ’s provision of healing for us. Here is the first chapter of that book being read by Bosworth’s son, Bob. The rest of the chapters are found on the same YouTube channel. (By the way, we do NOT carry this book in our store, however, you can find it in various places online.) My heart goes out to so many who are currently suffering physically. It is time for breakthrough. We are going to pray together in just a moment for a release of miracles and healings. Join your faith with me as we do. Agreement in prayer multiplies power (Matthew 18:19). Let’s believe for this. I am expecting many testimonies of healing to come through this. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for the unsearchable riches of Christ’s redemption. He redeemed us from the curse of sin, brought us into Your family, and now shares His inheritance with us. May we never take His sacrifice and gifts for granted. Jesus, we declare today that You bore our diseases. By Your stripes, we are healed! We agree in prayer today, as You instructed us, asking for healings and miracles to manifest. Release healings now through Holy Spirit’s power, even as we pray. Heal people with painful injuries, viruses, bacterial infections, diseased organs, terminal diseases, and more. We command power into sick and afflicted people NOW! And for those You want to heal through a process of them personally laying hold by faith, we pray for them now. We hold their hands up in prayer as they persevere in speaking and thinking about Your word. May faith explode in them through the power of Your Word and the spirit of revelation (Romans 10:17; Ephesians 1:17-18). Teach them to draw on the fruit of perseverance, and through faith and patience inherit their promise (Hebrews 6:12). And finally, we pray for an awakening of faith in believers to share the good news of Christ and lay hands on the sick, praying for healing. As they do, confirm Your Word with signs following (Mark 16:15-20). Do as You did through Paul - work “extraordinary” miracles (Acts 19:11). We ask for all of this in the name of the Lord Our Healer, Jesus Christ. Amen. Our decree: We decree that a season of incredible miracles is beginning around the world! Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Passion Week: Christ, the Man We are entering the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, often referred to as the Passion Week. Christ actually began experiencing the emotional pressure of what was coming several weeks before the cross occurred. Most people fail to consider that Christ was truly human, with human feelings and emotions. Jesus endured pain (both physically and emotionally), experienced grief, sorrow, anger and disappointment, enjoyed friendships, knew joy and laughter, felt hunger and thirst, grew tired and sleepy. He was completely human, but without the Adamic fallen mature. He had to be in order to represent us as a legal substitute. As one who was truly human, Christ didn’t simply flip over into God-mode when things got tough, in order to not experience the pain or trauma. Philippians 2:6-7 tell us that “although He existed in the form of God, [He] did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” Let Christ be human. As I stated above, weeks before the Cross, Christ began feeling the pressure of what was coming. When He said, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62), Jesus was thinking of Himself. The passage begins by saying, “Jesus let nothing distract him from departing for Jerusalem because the time for him to be lifted up drew near, and he was full of passion to complete his mission there.” ‭‭(Luke‬ ‭9:51‬ ‭TPT‬‬) Jesus knew that in Jerusalem He would face arrest, torture, and agonizing death. But He set off firmly and unflinchingly, committed to finishing His mission. There would be no backing out, and nothing would deter Him from accomplishing His purpose. Isaiah prophecied of this determination: “The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not disobedient, nor did I turn back. I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting. For the Lord God helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed” (Isaiah 50:5-7). Christ knew this passage was about Him, and realized He was entering the season of its fulfillment. So He set His face like flint, put His hand to the plow, and turned toward Jerusalem. He was beginning what would become His final trek to this city. Traveling by foot, and stopping along the way to minister and rest, the journey would take several weeks. Luke, in his Gospel, reveals the humanness of Christ more than the other Gospel writers. Under Holy Spirit’s guidance, each Gospel writer had a different goal in his writing. This is why each man shared different (not contradictory) accounts of Christ’s works and different teachings. Matthew, for example, wrote his Gospel primarily to the Jews; he was, therefore, revealing Christ as the King of God’s Kingdom. Mark wrote to Romans; hence, he wrote of Jesus as a man of action, filled with power and under authority. John wrote to all, presenting Him as truly God. Luke was writing to Gentiles and Greeks; he presented the humanness of Christ - He was truly a man, and therefore, qualified to be our substitute at the Cross. Luke wants us to know that from this point onward the pressure began building in the Son of Man. Jesus was having to stay very focused in order to deal with this pressure. Eleven times after the above verse (9:51), Luke mentions that Christ was journeying toward Jerusalem, and therefore, the Cross. He was on a mission and wouldn't waver. In Chapter 12, Luke quotes Him as saying, “I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished,” (verse 50). “Distressed” is the Greek word sunecho, and is a very strong word meaning, among other things, “to be held fast like a prisoner.” It means “to be confined, constrained, pressed together so as to not able to move (like a city under siege);” figuratively, it meant “to be in a mental state of anguish.” Kenneth Wuest’s expanded and very literal translation of the New Testament renders this verse: “I have an immersion by which I will be overwhelmed, and I am being hard pressed from every side until it be consummated.” In other words, the strain was already very intense! Jesus knew what was coming and was dreading it. The focus required in order to press on toward Jerusalem was so intense that it could be seen on His countenance. In Luke 9:53, Christ was rejected by a Samaritan village “Because His face was as though He would go to Jerusalem.” There was great friction between Jews and Samaritans. However, Christ had earlier been accepted by a village in Samaria after ministering to “the woman at the well,” (see John 4). On this occasion, however, they would not receive Him. Why? They were offended because He couldn’t seem to take His focus off Jerusalem. There must have been many pensive gazes, perhaps even some grimaces, as Christ kept turning His face toward Jerusalem and the Cross. It became so obvious that the Samaritans, rejected and looked down upon by the Jews, finally had had enough. Of course, they didn’t understand. Noone did. This was something Christ would have to endure alone. His face set like a flint, He journeyed on - moving toward His destiny. “And He was passing through from one village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem,” (Luke 13:22). For several weeks, the journey continued and the pressure built, until Jesus rounded the last curve and crested the last hill. When the city came into view, He burst into tears. Christ’s emotions were raw, sensitive, and bottled up. Like a pent-up dam that could take no more pressure, Christ let His emotions out. He loved the city; He loved the people; He loved us all. Yet He knew Jerusalem would reject Him and, in the future, experience great devastation. As this mix of emotions rose to the surface, Yeshua let it all out. And He did more than cry. Again, quoting from Wuest’s New Testament “...having caught sight of the city, He burst into tears, weeping audibly over it,” (Luke 19:41). What must the disciples and those following Christ have thought as He “burst into tears” and sobbed? How often this man surprised and amazed them. Power, authority, humility, wisdom, intellect, love and yes, passion were all exhibited by this amazing Man. And they were about to see His anger. After composing Himself, Christ went straight to the Temple and drove out those who were selling their wares, making His “house of prayer...a robber’s den,” (Luke 19:45-46). This was indeed anger, but it wasn’t a temporary loss of self-control. The Temple pictured we humans, made to be the dwelling place/temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16). The defilement Jesus was seeing reminded Him of the defilement in us, which He was about to cleanse, just days from now. He was symbolically showing what He had come to do: cleanse His temple - US! And Christ was intense about it. Spend some time this week reflecting on the passion of Christ. Let’s walk through the week with Him. We’ll do some of this together on the posts. Thank Him for the price He paid. Worship Him as not only the Creator, but the Redeemer. And let Him be human. Pray with me: Father, thank You for Your incredible love and commitment to us. Thank You for the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. You are amazing. We are deeply moved by being able to call you Abba, Papa. And Jesus, thank You for the incarnation - being willing to become human. The Old Testament prophet called You Immanuel, “God with us.” Thank You for the tears. Thank You for the love. Thank You for the suffering and pain. Thank You for the Cross - thank You for dying. And thank You for winning, for conquering death, for overcoming sin and its evil hold on us. Thank You for sharing Abba with us. Thank You for sharing Your throne with us. Manifest Yourself through us in this era, we pray. May the world see who You are, Yeshua, and all of Your glory as the church You are building matures into the Ekklesia You envisioned. Continue to mature us into a people worthy of who You are. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the sufferings of Christ were not in vain, and His blood will never lose its power. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Strength to Stand There is no activity in the kingdom of God more important than that of intercession. And it is not without good reason that intercessors are sometimes called “prayer warriors.” They are truly front-line warriors of what God does on the earth. As such, they face much opposition. It is important for the intercessor to stay closely connected to our Heavenly Father, allowing Him to daily refresh and strengthen them. He is always to be our strength. I feel that the following word from Gina Gholston is important for us, especially the intercessors. I believe it will encourage you. Without question, this word should also be received and activated by everyone, not just intercessors, but it was given to her in that context. Gina says: “Recently, Holy Spirit has been leading me to pray for the intercessors. I don’t mean just casual ‘touch them, Lord’ type prayers. They have been deep, intense, and urgent prayers for wisdom, strength, protection, and health (both physically and mentally). I’ve also been asking for increased spiritual awareness and insight to manifest in the lives of those who have been called as watchmen on the wall of this nation! “It may seem odd to consider praying for those who pray, but we absolutely must pray for each other. Hell is terrified of wise, bold, and spiritually informed intercessors. Someone once said, ‘The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.’ Demonic forces regularly target the intercessors in an attempt to blind their eyes and silence their voices. Therefore, we must establish a prayer shield over these watchmen warriors so they can stand undistracted and work with Holy Spirit in the place of intercession. “Last year I received an encouraging vision and word from the Lord. In the vision, I saw people I knew were intercessors, and they were spinning around very swiftly like a top when it has been released from the string. Off to the side, I could see the enemy watching them, laughing and mocking. Suddenly, I saw the finger of God placed on the heads of these intercessors, and the spinning stopped. And in that moment, they began to glow with a brilliant light! “Immediately, I heard the Lord say, ‘The nauseating dizziness and all of the confusion from the unexpected attacks launched against you have come to an end!’ “Then Holy Spirit said, ‘The attacks have not created a weakness! In spite of what the enemy tried to do, I have strengthened your spirit man, and what I have developed in you will now begin to radiate through you with a fervency that cannot be extinguished or avoided! Healing and strength are your portion! You are stepping out of a dark, spinning season into the light of My ‘now’ moment, and as you walk with Me I will shine through you with power and the manifestation of My might! The spinning is now becoming a ‘turning of events’...a turning in your favor!’ “Over the past few years, there has been an undeniable onslaught of spiritual resistance experienced by the praying church. BUT, Holy Spirit has put us in remembrance of this unchangeable truth: Greater is He that is in us, than any force of hell that comes against us (1 John 4:4)! Though the battle has been intense, our assurance is that hell cannot defeat us (Matthew 16: 18-19), and no amount of resistance will stop us as God works through us to fulfill His intentions for this nation! Now, the spinning is ending, and things are turning as the Ancient of Days rises on our behalf. “Intercessor, your labor in the Lord has not been in vain! Your prayers and obedience have mattered, and now God is turning things. He has put His finger on us, and we will now rise with a greater intensity and radiance of His manifested Glory! “I feel the Lord is saying to the intercessors: ‘Your relentless and persistent pursuit has captured the attention of Heaven. My eyes have run to and fro to find hearts that are turned toward Me. I have found such hearts in you, My intercessors, and now I will begin to show Myself strong on your behalf. This is a divine moment. Stay the course. Don’t get entrapped by your emotions. Don’t relax your stand on what I have said! My Word stands! Do not allow weariness to rob you of your due season! Don’t lose hope, and don’t discard your courage! I Am re-adjusting your vision and stabilizing your resolve. You will run and not grow weary! Shake off the dizziness. Reorganize for renewed activity. Be re-energized to mobilize! “Onward” is your command!’ “I sense there is an ‘increase’ coming on the intercessors—an increase of strength, vision, spiritual perception, wisdom, and strategy. God is taking us to another level of seeing and hearing in and by the Spirit. He is increasing our awareness of the authority we have in our speaking and praying. Our confidence in Him is increasing. Our boldness is increasing. We will remain steadfast at our post, and watch as Holy Spirit works through our prayers and declarations to set things in motion. The Word of the Lord will be activated to accomplish the purposes and intentions of God. “I hear a clarion call echoing from the throne room of God to the heart of the watchmen: ‘Shake off distractions. Shake off disappointment. Rise! Take your place. Set your face like a flint toward Me. Stand! Do not be moved by what you see happening around you! It’s temporary. It will not last. There is a turning in the works. I have told you ahead of time, and now is the time! Believe My promises. Remember My Word! DO NOT DOUBT IT!’ “God has risen on behalf of the watchmen. He is putting His finger on us. The spinning is becoming a turning of events. Things are turning in our favor, and with a renewed ability to focus, we will continue to work with Holy Spirit as we stand watch on the walls of this nation.” Pray with me: Father, thank You for bringing the spin to an end, and for turning things in our favor. You have broken the snare, and we have escaped from hell’s attempt to stop us. We refuse to allow evil agendas to talk us into surrendering our post. We shake off the dizziness of the last season, and we take our steadfast stand as Your watchmen on the wall. Thank You for healing us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually so that with renewed focus and strength we can rise to finish what You have started in and through us! We trust You, and we will not be afraid. You are our strength and our defense, and You are our Salvation. Your favor is upon us, and You will establish the work of our hands. We breathe in Your awakening breath, and we shout with steadfast resolve, “Weariness will not rob us of our due season!” You, O, Lord, will satisfy us with Your mercy, and we will rejoice and be glad, for we shall see the performance of those things You have said and shown to us in prayer! We stand on Your unfailing Word and promises. We stand on the prophetic words You have given us that America will be saved, and the entire earth will receive a powerful outpouring of Your Spirit. We stand on the promise that our children and prodigals are coming home. We stand on the truth that everything Jesus did for us is available to us now, and we receive it all by faith. We boldly declare the promise that no weapon formed against us will prosper. Strengthen Your intercessors. Strengthen the body of Christ. Remind us not to grow weary in doing what is right, that as we stand we will prevail through You. We call in the great harvest. We call in the release of miracles. We call in provision. We release refreshing by the power of Holy Spirit. And we do these things and the wonderful and all-powerful name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We are stepping out of a dark, spinning season into the Light of God’s “now” moment. The nauseating dizziness and all of the confusion have come to an end. We are getting our focus back, and we will now rise with greater intensity and radiance of God’s manifested Glory! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was contributed by Gina Gholston. Portions were taken from her book Awakening the Church to Awaken a Nation. You can learn more about Gina here.

Strike Now! I was with my friend Scott Reece in Moline, IL this past weekend, participating in his annual Azusa Conference. It was a powerful gathering. Holy Spirit has been waking Scott through the night with some very strong words for the Body of Christ. The one I’m going to release from him today is a very clear admonition to prepare for what Holy Spirit is about to do, AND to stop satan’s planned attacks to try and stop it…before he even launches them! Scott begins with an explanation and ends with a prophecy. At the end when we pray together, we will include a prayer asking Holy Spirit to stop the evil plan in California’s legislature to pass a bill that will allow infanticide (Assembly Bill 2223). Yes, it has come to this! The bill will be voted on today (Wednesday) - I should have done this yesterday! - but many of you read or listen to the post early in the day, so we can still agree with our praying friends in CA regarding this evil bill. Scott says: An Explanation “I am instructed by the Lord to issue an alert to the Ekklesia. Much like a tornado watch versus a warning, this is an alert, not an alarm. “This is the time to strike - NOW! Raise your swords, activate your faith, and release your anointing. This is a preemptive strike against the forces of darkness that have aligned against you, your children, your marriage, your home, and your future (in that order). “Hell has picked up the sounds, sights, and signals of the Kingdom shift that has already been activated, and has strategized a warfare assault to minimize and derail your faith. This is a push into territories that have been left unprotected, vulnerable, and weak; starting with yourself and your children. “God has issued a ‘decree of outpouring’ that rivals any earthly revival ever known to humankind. This sustained revival season we are entering will eternally shape everything we know about the Body of Christ. The repercussions of this revival will reverberate throughout history. This sustained outpouring will be talked about, studied, and analyzed. It will bring millions into the Kingdom. “This is a heavenly release that will captivate the hearts, minds, and destinies of every stratum of society. It will impact elections, governments, nations, denominations, educational systems, cultures, and history. We are entering into an era that will be defined as ‘the great turnaround.’ Churches will be planted by the thousands, but they will look different than what you have seen before. This is a movement of fire! It has already been activated in ‘hotspots’ around the world that have sensed and seen it in the Spirit. “Hell has caught wind of this divine moment in time and is in assault mode. Weaknesses will be exposed and attacked. Foundations will be shaken, unsecured assets will be seized, and anything left unsecured will be easy prey. “This all-points alert is to allow us to secure that which belongs to us now! Strike first! Everything that is secured by you will be swept into the outpouring of God. This is the instruction of heaven to ‘apply the blood to the doorposts’ of everything that is precious to you! “Take nothing for granted! Strike first, following Kingdom directives to secure your realm of influence. “Ask Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and understanding, allowing you to see beyond the natural, and then secure your borders. Strike “Strike first by cleansing your home. Walk around your home, take time in your children’s rooms. Discern the space and the atmosphere. Spiritually deal with any issues, weaknesses, or vulnerabilities. Give up NO ground to the enemy. Even as you would use a diffuser to treat the air in your home, use your spiritual language, worship and decrees to treat the atmosphere of your home. “Strike first by anointing your home with anointing oil. Anoint every entry point, stopping and making your faith declarations. “Strike first by praying together as a family. Cover this time. Anoint your family with oil, making your faith declarations over them. Stop and prophesy over them. Secure their personal borders and their futures. Call them into the turnaround outpouring. “Strike first by asking Holy Spirit to reveal anything offensive to Him that could serve as an invitation to darkness. Be discerning. Remove the offense. “Alignment is protection. “Obedience is security. “Cleansing is breakthrough. “Striking first and securing the borders of your kingdom advances you into victory. It literally postures you in a place of sustained outpouring that establishes the destiny of your lineage for generations to come. The Word of the Lord: “‘I have given the order, I have released the oil, I have decided the provision. Kingdom protocols that will facilitate turnaround outpouring are already in place. The sustaining structures of My Spirit have been established. The sound has gone forth, the shofar has blown. Hell has been shaken, and will continue to be shaken at every stratum of society, and My glory will permeate the world at levels never seen or imagined. “‘Those kingdoms, both carnal and spiritual, that are in violation of My Kingdom are being exposed and dismantled. I will not share My glory with false gods or leaders who flaunt their rebellion as if the righteousness and protocol of My Kingdom are irrelevant. “‘Secure your place by striking first. Protect those in your kingdom by submitting to My Kingdom. As you secure My Lordship in your life, the testimony of My faithfulness will rest upon all that you are, for generations to come. It will mark you and define everything about you, and about your family. “‘There is a place for you in the turnaround outpouring. I leave it to you to find that place.’” Pray with me: Father, thank You for Your empowering word. You deliver us from the snares, the traps, of the enemy in advance when we listen to and obey You (Psalm 91). When You launched Your people Israel into conquest in the book of Exodus, You also judged their enemies and protected them supernaturally. You will do this again today for us. The blood we apply to our homes and possessions is the precious blood of Jesus. We ask for this covering now to be over all of our family members, possessions, jobs, and assignments. We bind every plan of attack against what is ours and decree that on the authority of Your word they are off-limits to every demonic attack. We will obey Your instructions by cleansing our homes, anointing them with the oil, praying over our family members, and removing anything offensive to You. We will strike quickly and effectively. And Father, we pray regarding this evil Bill, AB2223, before the California legislature. We ask You to awaken the consciences of members of this governing body. Place Your thoughts and heart in them, even those who don’t know You. We agree with our brothers and sisters in California and ask You to smite this evil bill and stop it. We ask for this, and all of these things in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen. Our decree: We decree that the Kingdom of God is coming to America and many other nations of the earth, and the plans and schemes of hell will not prevail against it! Click on the link below to watch the full video.

“You Must Acquire the Warrior’s Soul” It will not be news to most of you who follow GH15 and my ministry that we are in a “winner take all” spiritual war for the soul of America. The Left certainly knows this and has pulled out all the stops. They no longer even attempt to masquerade their attempts at taking over. Winning by persuasion and numbers is no longer their plan; they intend to take over by force, laws, and intimidation. In their demented minds, parents no longer have the right to control the education of their children, and kindergartners are supposed to be indoctrinated regarding sexual preferences. The fruit of allowing humanistic ideals to control our nation is now in complete manifestation: truth no longer matters, and lying to advance their agenda is perfectly acceptable. The average American, even those who do not profess to be Christians, shakes her or his head in wonder asking, “How did we get to this insane point?” That certainly needs to be addressed in order to reform our nation. But the strongholds which now exist will never be fully overcome only in the legislative chambers and courtrooms of America only. A Third Great Awakening MUST occur to reawaken the conscience of millions in America. Yes, much else must be done, but without an awakening, there is no solution. So, we war for this and we will get it. Our amazing friend, Quin Sherrer, wrote the following piece regarding the spiritual battle we are in, highlighting General George Patton. I think it is appropriate for us in this season. Quin writes: ‘“I am a soldier. I fight where I am told. I win where I fight.’ That quote by General George S. Patton is displayed at the museum honoring him at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. “An intercessor friend who saw it during a visit there commented: ‘That should be our attitude when fighting God’s enemy through prayer and spiritual warfare, especially with what’s happening in our nation. God needs Christians with a warrior’s spirit,’ she said. “‘Patton attended the Virginia Military Institute and the United States Military Academy at West Point. He studied fencing and designed the M1913 Cavalry Saber, more commonly known as the Patton Saber. He also competed in the modern pentathlon in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.’. 1 As a U. S. Army general, Patton’s leadership was strategic in winning battles. “‘George Smith Patton Jr. (1885–1945) was a general who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. ‘“Patton conducted a highly successful rapid armored drive across France. Under his decisive leadership, the Third Army took the lead in relieving beleaguered American troops at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, after which his forces drove deep into Nazi Germany by the end of the war.’ 2 “Some of Patton’s talk to his troops was laced with words that ladies at afternoon tea would not approve, he once admitted. But he said his men did. ‘Patton's philosophy of leading from the front, and his ability to inspire troops was usually favorably received by them…[His] colorful image, hard-driving personality, and success as a commander were at times overshadowed by his controversial public statements.’ 3 “However, biographers say Patton believed in prayer. Here is one of his statements for his troops: ‘Urge all of your men to pray, not alone in church, but everywhere. Pray when driving. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by night and pray by day. Pray for the cessation of immoderate rains, for good weather for battle. Pray for the defeat of our wicked enemy whose banner is injustice and whose god is oppression. Pray for victory. Pray for our Army and pray for peace. We must march together, all out for God.’ 4 “General Patton once told his men, ‘You must acquire the warrior’s soul.’ Here is another strong quote of his: ‘There are three ways that men get what they want; by planning, by working, and by praying. Any great military operation takes careful planning or thinking. Then you must have well-trained troops to carry it out: that's the working. But between the plan and the operation, there is always an unknown. That unknown spells defeat or victory, success or failure. It is the reaction of the actors to the ordeal when it actually comes. Some people call that getting the breaks; I call it God. God has His part or margin in everything, that's where prayer comes in.’ 5 “Prayer and spiritual warfare must be used when God’s enemy and ours, satan and his demonic forces, attempt to wreak havoc in our families, communities, nations. We battle the enemy to break his assignment, using the weapons God has provided for us: the Word of God, the name and power of Jesus. “Paul instructs Christians that their struggle is not with flesh and blood but with invisible principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness. He says to come against the ‘wiles of the devil’ - the enemy’s evil schemes - by putting on the full armor of God, taking a stand, praying in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests, and staying alert. (Ephesians 6:18; NIV). “Of course, Christ’s victory over satan is complete. Yet, we have a role in enforcing that victory. God is looking for those with a ‘warrior spirit’ to see corruption unveiled and truth prevail in our nation. Dutch Sheets comments: ‘How does this warrior spirit translate into action today against the spiritual giants of our land? Obviously, it begins with prayer - spiritual warfare. But there is more. Standing for truth, voting out of office individuals with unbiblical ideals, giving to righteous causes, speaking out against all that oppose the rule of God - all are ways by which we war.’ 6 “With Jesus, we will win where we fight! But we have to engage in spiritual warfare.” Pray with me: Father, as we stand in the gap for our nation, cities, and families, we declare that the power of the blood of Jesus breaks every chain of bondage. Let every scheme of evil be exposed and thwarted before they can be carried out. We declare that no weapon formed against our nation shall prosper. Every tongue that would rise up against us in judgment will be exposed and cast down. We pray for the manifold wisdom of God to rest upon all who are in authority over our country. May truth and discernment guide every decision they make in their public and private lives. May unrighteous officials currently in office be replaced by those who will serve with integrity. We cry for justice and mercy, truth and righteousness to be established. We thank You in the name of Jesus. Amen.7 Our decree: We decree that the enemy’s tactics and assignments aligned against our citizens and country will be exposed and demolished. Justice will prevail. Christians across this land with a warrior’s spirit will continue to cry out and stand in the gap, ushering in the next Great Awakening with a great harvest of souls. Today’s post was contributed by our dear friend, author, and seasoned intercessor Quin Sherrer. You can find out more about Quin here. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ___________________________ 1. George S. Patton, enen.wikipedia.org › wiki 2. Ibid. 3. Ibid. 4. https://www.azquotes.com/author/11404-George_S_Patton 5. https://libquotes.com/george-s-patton/quotes/god 6. Dutch Sheets Ministries, Give Him15, August 4, 2021 7. Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock, A Woman’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare, (Minneapolis, Minnesota, Chosen Books, 217), 220.

Pregnant with the Heart of the King In yesterday’s post (1/18/2022), my brother Tim Sheets shared from Matthew 1:22, which speaks of “embryonic” prophecy (The Message Translation). The word of the Lord - given by Isaiah about the Messiah - came in seed form, just like a baby. God’s words are actually called “seeds” in Scripture, translated from a Greek word that can refer to spores, seeds, and even sperm. The meaning could not be clearer: though God’s words have reproductive power, they come to us in seed form. The story is told of a traveler from a large city passing through a small, seemingly insignificant village who intended to poke fun at one of the residents. “Have any famous people been born here?” he asked an old-timer sitting outside the country store. “Nope,” replied the old man, “only babies.” Indeed. There are great creations - miracles, breakthroughs, salvations, even transformed nations - in God’s words. They all have one thing in common: they begin as seeds. They must then be received into healthy soil, wombs, hearts. There, they must be nurtured until becoming what they were destined to be. Jesus said our responsibility is to tend the seed; satan’s plan is to destroy it (Matthew 13:2-9; Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-15). Those who experience the seed’s miraculous ability “are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance,” (Luke 8:15). Tim said he believes the words and promises from Holy Spirit about America’s revival and turnaround are coming to full term. In his words, like a pregnant woman several weeks into her pregnancy, we are beginning to “show.” I agree. And this is a time to, as Jesus tells us in Luke’s account, “hold fast” and “persevere.” The African cheetah must run down its prey to eat. It is well suited for the task, however, since it can run at speeds of 70 mph! This magnificent animal has one slight problem, however; it has a disproportionately small heart, which causes it to tire quickly. If the cheetah doesn’t catch its prey quickly, it must end the chase.(1) Sadly, many Christians have a similar approach when it comes to prayer. Speeding into their prayer closet with great energy, they demonstrate great fervency and determination. These believers run to a prayer meeting or a prayer conference, or climb on a jet airplane and speed to Washington D.C. to pray. But lacking the heart for a sustained effort, they often falter before reaching their fullness of time. Many don’t make it to full-term. On the next prayer assignment, they may even pray harder and faster, only to fall short once again. What most of them need is not more explosive power, but more staying power - stamina that comes from a bigger prayer heart. Holy Spirit is looking for those in this hour who will finish well - those who have decided they will stand, pray, declare and decree…until. The baby is kicking - she/he wants out. The body is preparing to deliver this child. Contractions have begun, the water will soon break, and birthing labor will begin. We must not abort the process now. “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal, and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay,” (Habakkuk 2:3). How tragic it was when the Israelites made it out of Egypt, across the Red Sea where they saw the armies of Egypt destroyed by the amazing power of God - only to waver, standing on the edge of their inheritance. Do not let giants of fear, intimidation, corruption in our government, principalities, or any other giant cause you to turn back. Persevere in your faith and intercession. Pray with this ministry and others daily. Decree over your city and nation daily. Decree over your prodigals daily. This is all part of protecting and nurturing the baby until he/she is born. John Killinger tells of an interesting method used in the past to break a wild steed by harnessing it to a burro. The powerful steed would take off across the range, twisting and bucking, causing the burro to be tossed about wildly. What a sight! The steed would run away, pulling the burro alongside, and they would drop out of sight - sometimes for days. Then they would return, with the proud little burro in charge. The steed had worn himself out, fighting the presence of the burro. When he became too tired to fight anymore, the burro assumed the position of leader.(2) And that’s the way it is many times with prayer. Victory goes to the persistent, not to the angry; to the dedicated, not to those who can provide great demonstrations of emotion and energy. We need committed, determined, systematic prayer, not once-in-a-while fireworks. Pray with me: Thank You, Father, for the faithful remnant of intercessors here in this nation and around the world who have learned to persevere. They have matured into believers with big prayer hearts. Strengthen them in this hour. They are pregnant with the harvest of the ages. They are pregnant with the heart of the King and His kingdom. They have another generation in their loins, transformed nations are in the wombs of their spirits. Just as the prophet Elisha instructed the king in scripture, we continue to strike the ground. Just like Caleb, who waited 45 years for his inheritance, we are shouting, “Give us our mountain!” And just like our apostolic brother, Paul, we declare that “we have not yet attained, but we press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of Christ Jesus.” We will not stop. We will not quit. We will never give up. We will run the race and finish the course. And we will see our Isaac born. Our decree: We decree that we are pregnant with revival, and the transformation of this nation and other nations. We will carry the baby to full-term and deliver a healthy child. Click on the link below to watch the full video. __________________________________ Craig Brian Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1993), p.245, adapted. Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching, p 177, adapted.

God Has A Sense of Humor I want to share one more post on forgiveness and being released from past hurts. I have posted on the subject during the previous two days - however, this one reveals, to some extent, the sense of humor God has. A couple of years after insisting that I forgave the man I held responsible for so much pain in my family, and enabling me to do so, (read about it here), the Lord led me to Christ For the Nations Bible Institute in Dallas, Texas. It was there that I became much better grounded in the Word of God, learned to pray, became a true worshiper, embraced a heart for the nations, and met my lovely wife, Ceci. It was a great two years. Shortly after arriving, to my surprise I ran into the son of the man I had hated so strongly. His son was also there as a student. Tom (not his real name) happened to be in the cluster of 15 or 20 students that became my inner circle there. I wouldn’t say he became a best friend, but we were definitely friends. He was a few years younger than me and had no idea of the past hatred I once held for his dad. I’m sure he was completely unaware of what had even taken place a few years prior to this. Tom had gotten into drugs and alcohol while in high school and became horribly addicted. He had come to Christ and was attending the Bible institute to help firm up his walk with the Lord. I found it very encouraging that I could relate to this young man with no feelings of awkwardness or resentment. About six months into my time there, Tom had a bit of a relapse and used some recreational drugs, which was obviously against the very strict policy of the Institute. The Institute wasn’t legalistic. However, it was not a rehabilitation center and was not equipped to deal with drug addiction and rehabilitation, so they were very firm in their stance. To violate the policy meant dismissal, with their help in finding a place more suited to ministering to them. The Dean of Men, who would be making this decision and doling out the consequences, called me to his office. I knew him somewhat from some on-campus prayer meetings I had attended. He was very strict regarding the school’s policies, but was also very prophetic. He prayed regarding situations of this nature, asking Holy Spirit to give him wisdom and guidance. I had no idea why he was summoning me to his office. He explained what happened with Tom, and spelled out the normal consequences for the offense. “I want to give him another chance, however,” he stated. “I believe his heart is right. He is a friend of yours, isn’t he?” he asked. “Yes” I said, “he is a friend.” I felt truly spiritual being able to say that, and was very satisfied with myself. Not that I was proud, you understand. My assumption was that the Dean was about to ask me if I thought it was a good idea to give Tom another chance. NOT! “I have noticed you in the prayer room and observed you praying on occasion,” he began. I was, indeed, attempting to become an intercessor. I certainly wasn’t an expert, but I was passionate. “I am willing to give Tom a second chance,” he said, “if you are willing to take him on as a personal assignment. You must take him to the prayer room every day and pray over him, teaching him to pray, and helping him get free from his addictions.” Did I mention that this Dean was very prophetic?! He knew nothing about my past with this young man‘s father. But had he ever heard from God! I said yes, and left the room astounded. I’m not sure what my exact words to the Lord were when I left the dean’s office, but it was something like this, “Well, God, You sure do have a sense of humor.” “I do,” He said. “But I’m doing more than being humorous. I’m finishing the job. Drive the nail into the coffin of your past. Make satan pay. Overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21) You are free in your heart; now seal it with your actions.” I was able to do what I had been assigned to do. I dragged this young man to the prayer room every day - actually, he had no choice - and prayed over him, as well as making him pray, for an hour or so. Surprise, surprise! It worked…for both of us. We chased off his demons and buried my past pain. Only God. Tom became free and was able to remain free - to this day, I trust. Overcome in the above verse (Romans 12:21), is the Greek word, nikao. It means “to conquer, prevail, overcome; even legally - to win in a court of law.” It’s a wonderful word describing our God-infused ability to be overcomers in life. There is one place, however, where Holy Spirit evidently decided this word was not strong enough to describe the overcoming nature He has given us. Romans 8:37 tells us: “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us,” (NASB). It is almost as though as this revelation is breathed into Paul by Holy Spirit, so he can pass it on to us, he is overcome by the strength of what he is seeing. As he searches his mind for the correct word, Paul comes up empty and finally has to take two words and make them one: hupernikao, translated above as “overwhelmingly conquer.” This Greek word is used nowhere else in the New Testament. The prefix huper means “overwhelmingly, over, beyond, exceedingly, excessively, more than.” Our English word, hyper, comes from this Greek word. Paul, overwhelmed with emotion and excitement, shouts with his pen, “We are hyperconquerors! We overwhelmingly conquer! Our conquering ability is excessive, over the top!” Holy Spirit wants you to win over, conquer, your past. “Through Him who loved us,” Paul goes on to say (Romans 8:37b). Everything God does is motivated by His heart of love. He’s a giver, a blesser, a healer, a destiny-provider. When He asks us to release, let go of past offenses, He is actually saying, “Here’s how I can get rid of this pain. Let me have it.” Forgiveness, releasing the person who hurt you, is one of the ways God erases the negative side of the ledger. He moves your pain into the asset column, making it serve you! You can do this. Let it go! Pray with me: Father, we thank You for Your determination to heal, equip, and strengthen us for success. You have a plan for each of us and You are determined to accomplish it. We pray the prayer of the Psalmist, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23-24). (“Hurtful way” could be translated “way of pain.”) Show us any pain in us that could keep us from accomplishing everything You planned for us. We want clean hands and pure hearts. We pray now for our brothers and sisters who struggle with things they have experienced in the past. Help them to let go. Pour Your grace into them, enabling them to release it all to You. You are such a good Father. You will release and heal them completely. And we pray that in the coming revival, we will be healing agents. We ask You for wholeness, and an anointing to produce wholeness. We can be the generation that heals our land of racism, division, and strife. Start in us, Your people and anoint us to be Your “able ministers of the new covenant” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Expose all evil that is used to divide us as a nation. Expose those with wrong motives, who do so. Raise up leaders in all segments of our society who are healthy and whole, not bitter and determined to live in the past. They try to divide us, not heal us. Deliver us from their leadership, we pray. And we ask it all in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We declare that we will walk in the wholeness of Christ, and minister His wholeness to those in need. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Don’t Take the Bait In Luke 17:1 Jesus tells us that offenses are inevitable; they WILL come. The Greek word for “offense” is skandalon. It is also translated as a “stumbling block,” a word or event which causes an individual to stumble or fall, figuratively speaking. This word is very fascinating. Skandalon literally means “a trap-stick.” (1) It was the trigger of a trap (usually made of wood) on which bait was placed; when the bait was taken by an animal, the trap was sprang. Skandalon is also the Greek word from which we get our English word, scandal. When we, like an unsuspecting animal, take certain types of bait, we are trapped and often find ourselves in a scandalous situation. It also became the word for an “offense.” An offense is a result of “taking the bait” when wronged. Thus the phrase, “pick up an offense.” When we have been wronged or mistreated the key to remaining free from bitterness and lasting pain is to not pick up the offense - don’t take the bait. Jesus told us very clearly that we WILL be baited - offenses WILL come. We must not pick them up - they are traps! The bait in an animal trap is food the creature finds appealing, something it desires to eat. How else could the trap actually be successful? Likewise, we pick up offenses because it is desirable, feels good, to pick it up. When treated poorly or unfairly, stolen from, spoken to harshly, abused or mistreated, it feels good to take the bait. We “deserve” to be angry, to feel resentful, to take up an offense. After all, they hurt us. But it’s a trap! Years ago, in a certain part of Africa, monkeys were trapped by placing a banana in a jar that was tied to a tree or stake. The opening of the jar was just large enough for the monkey’s hand to fit through it when open. However, when the hand was closed into a fist it was too big to remove it. The monkey wanted the banana so badly it would not let go of it, and consequently could not remove its hand. It was now trapped. If you have picked up an offense, if you have taken the bait, let go of it. It’s the only way to be free. If you hold on to it, you will become a captive to the enemy and to the effects of the wound. This brings us to the subject of forgiveness. Jesus told us in Luke 6:37 to forgive and we would be forgiven. In the prayer we call the Lord‘s Prayer, Jesus again instructed us to forgive our debtors, or “those who trespass against us.” The word forgive also means to release. “Release and you will be released,” Luke 6:37 says. The key to being freed from the effects of being wronged - pain, fear, emotional walls, and more - is to release the person that hurt us. Let go of the banana. It may feel good to resent or hate the offending party, but it’s a trap. One of the biggest hindrances for people when trying to forgive is a wrong understanding of forgiveness itself. Most people link it with their feelings. But forgiveness is not a feeling or an emotion. It is a decision we make based on truth, just like love. Being angry at someone we love doesn’t mean we no longer love them. We may not “feel” the love currently - emotionally, we feel anger - but we still love the person. In the same way, forgiveness isn’t a feeling. We can make a genuine decision to forgive/release, while still feeling anger, hurt, pain, etc. We do so as an action of our will, based on truth - God said do it. And if we maintain our decision, it begins the process of releasing us from the pain and hurt. Another hindrance to forgiveness is failing to realize we are not declaring the offending person to be innocent. We are simply releasing them to God - He reserves the right to judge individuals. We are handing them over to Him and He will do what is right. Still another hindrance is a belief that when we forgive we must then have only pleasant thoughts or feelings toward the offender. There are people I have forgiven that I still do not trust or like as a person. They are mean and unkind. But I can choose to love and forgive even my enemies, releasing them to God, though they will never be my friends. When we pick up an offense, if not released, it will become a root of bitterness. The fruit it produces is also bitter: sickness, emotional disorders, anger, loss of joy and a breach between us and God. It also spreads to others. Hebrews tells us a root of bitterness defiles many. “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:15; KJV). The Greek word defiled is also the word for a stain on clothing. When we become bitter we stain others with our bitterness. We’ve all seen entire families separated through bitterness. How tragic. In tomorrow’s post I will share the story of my hatred toward an individual, and God’s healing of my hardened heart. I truly hated this man and would have loved to see him die. God, however, showed me I could release him and thereby, be released from my own chains. He will help you do the same. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for modeling love and forgiveness. While we were still sinners You sent Your Son to die for us. Jesus, You forgave those crucifying You. We want Your forgiving nature to control us. We want to walk in love. We ask for grace now to do so. As You taught us to do, we choose to forgive those who have hurt us. We release them. As we do so, we believe it will release a healing process in us. Wounds will heal, sickness will leave, emotions will no longer control us. We desire to forgive and release so You can forgive us (Mark 11:25). And Lord, we know healed people heal people. Make us healers. Help us to spread healing love, not stain-causing bitterness. Heal our land of racial wounds, political division, and cultural divides. We want to see the accuser cast down in our nation. We bind spirits of division and strife, declaring their hold broken. We desire to be ambassadors and examples of your love and forgiveness toward others. Help us represent You well. We pray these things in Christ’s powerful name. Our decree: We decree that we will love and forgive as we have been loved and forgiven by God. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ______________________________ Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984; revised edition, 1990) p 2274.

First Things First In Joshua chapter one, Joshua is in the midst of a major - and what would no doubt be a very emotional and challenging - transition. The new season he was entering would be stressful, very demanding, and would test his leadership skills to the limit. Firstly, Moses, Joshua’s spiritual father, mentor, probably a close friend, and one of the greatest leaders in history, has just died: “The Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying, ‘Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession. Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people,’” (Deuteronomy 32:48-50; NASB). “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And [God] buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day,” (Deuteronomy 34:5-6; NASB). “Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, ‘Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel,’” (Joshua 1:1-2; NASB). This had to be very emotional for Joshua. Moses was gone. No memorial service, burial service, time for grieving, or even knowledge of where he was buried. His emotions were probably raw, yet he would have to move fully into his new role immediately. “In three days you’re going into the land I promised Abraham centuries ago,” God said. That meant - not a pleasant journey into a new homeland - but a challenging move for an entire nation. And it meant war. Today, we glibly sing of going into “Canaan Land,” or the “Promised Land,” referring to the land in its symbolic meaning for us. For Israel, it was a physical inheritance; for us, it pictures our spiritual inheritance. We sing of crossing the Jordan or of the walls of Jericho falling down. This is easy and exciting for us; it was anything but, for them. Every step of the process was challenging and required great faith. God’s instructions to Joshua at this point would have been incredibly important, perhaps the most important of his life. What were they? Only the basics of our walk with God: don’t be afraid; trust Me; listen to Me carefully and obey; meditate on My words; I’ll be with you. Not theology, not battle plans, not travel formations, not how to get across the Jordan - not yet. First, keep the connection to Me strong. This will be your lifeline, Joshua. Do this and you’ll have great success. Have your devotions, then go to war! When you're about to go into battle, rush off to war, transition into something new, experience a great victory, move forward into God’s plan for your life…first go have your quiet time, your daily devotions. Then, advance. “In Touch and Live, George Vandeman writes: “A young stranger to the Alps was making his first climb accompanied by two stalwart guides. It was a steep, hazardous ascent but he felt secure with one guide ahead and one following. For hours they climbed. And now, breathless, they reached for those rocks protruding through the snow above them - the summit. “The guide ahead wished to let the stranger have the first glorious view of heaven and earth, and moved aside to let him go first. Forgetting the gales that would blow across those summit rocks, the young man leaped to his feet. But the chief guide quickly dragged him down. ‘On your knees, sir!’ he shouted. ‘You are never safe here except on your knees.’”(1) In this world where we are buffeted by the gale-force winds of sin, temptation, busyness, frenzy, and stress, we are never safe except when we are “on our knees,” spending quality time with our heavenly Father. This is especially true when we are cresting mountains. Joshua was reminded to make this connection daily, not just on that day. “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success,” (Joshua 1:8; NASB). Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink,” (John 7:37). The two verbs “come” and “drink” are in the present imperative tense. This means it is a command - not just an invitation - and involves continuous or repeated action. Christ was commanding, “Keep coming to me and keep drinking!” So often we try to live on yesterday’s manna. Just as the Israelites, however, we must have “daily bread” and we must take a “daily drink.” This is what is meant by Ephesians 5:18, “be filled with the Spirit,” Once again, the tense is present imperative. God is commanding us to continually be filled with the Spirit. After speaking on this subject. Dwight Moody was asked why he needed to be filled and refilled with the Spirit. “That’s very simple,” said Mr. Moody. “I leak.” All of us do. That’s why we must drink continually in order to stay filled with the Spirit. I know life gets busy, but we can find a way. We will make the time to connect with God if it is a high enough priority. “Alvin Straight, age 73, lived in Laurens, Iowa. His brother, age 80, lived several hundred miles away in Blue River, Wisconsin. According to the Associated Press, Alvin’s brother had suffered a stroke and Alvin wanted to see him, but he had a transportation problem. He didn’t have a driver’s license because his eyesight was bad and he apparently had an aversion to taking a plane, train, or bus. “But Alvin didn’t let that stop him. In 1994, he climbed aboard his 1966 John Deere tractor lawnmower and drove it all the way to Blue River, Wisconsin. “Devotion finds a way.”(2) Pray with me: Father, thank You for being Abba - Papa God. We believe in Your heart toward us. We believe what we do with You is more important than what we do for You. We believe You want us first, not our works or service. Even our prayers should be born of our communion with You, not from our list of wants and needs. Keep us reminded of this. Remind us that we are never safe except on our knees. Remind us that before we go to war we must come to You. Remind us that every transition in life must be born of our walk with You. Remind us that we must drink from Your river daily. We know that Joshua was one of the great warriors and men of faith in Israel. He had a similar heart to Caleb’s. Yet, before You sent him to war You called him to Yourself. So, we will stay connected to You, and then we will war for our families and our nation. As we do this, we will be strong. We will ask in faith and command with authority and boldness. We do so now. We ask You to save our children, spouses, family members, and friends. We ask You to save America and other nations. We ask for a worldwide revival. We ask from Your presence and heart. And we know as we do this in Christ’s name, we will receive. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we will walk with God before we work for God. Click on the link below to watch the full video. _____________________________ Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching, p 281. Larson, Contemporary Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, and Writers, p 47.

A Harvest Dream In the great revival that has begun, all of the earth will be impacted. An incredible harvest of people from the Muslim world will be reaped for Christ. He loves them very much. We must not allow our love for Israel to blind us to God's love for the other people of that region. Ishmael was not rejected by God as a person; he was simply not the chosen lineage from which Messiah would come. Some would say this harvest among the Muslim world has already begun. I was recently told by a credible source that more conversions to Christ were occurring in Iran than anywhere else in the world. Afghanistan, they said, was number two. It is little wonder that the turmoil occurred in Afghanistan recently, as satan's wrath manifested toward what is happening. Supernatural events are occurring to produce this harvest. Miracles, dreams, and visions are common. It was reported to me by the same person that when many people in that part of the world hear about Jesus and the gospel, their response is, “Oh, I know who He is. He comes to me often in my dreams.” I was recently sent a dream (November 3) given to worship and prayer leader, Tami Flick, from Kalamazoo, MI, which I believe is referring to this great harvest. The dream is regarding a field of bones in Aram, which would be modern-day Syria, southeastern Turkey, and parts of Lebanon and Iraq. Aram was a descendant of Shem, a son of Noah (Genesis 10:22). The Aramean people descended from him, and the Aramaic language takes its name from Aram. In the dream, the resurrection power of Christ comes to these bones, just as it did to the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37. “I was with Dutch Sheets and many others in the body of Christ. We were gathered in a field called ‘The Field of Aram.’ Dutch had somehow discerned from the Lord that we were to pray for resurrection life over this field. Though we didn’t know it originally, it was a field of bones, from back in Biblical times. “You couldn’t tell it was filled with bones - it simply looked like a field of neglected farmland. However, we somehow discovered they were there. In the dream, I was given a vision in which I glimpsed the people from whom these bones had originated. They were mainly women and children/youth from Biblical times, wearing robes and loose-fitting clothing. “Dutch felt strongly that we were to pray and declare resurrection life over the field. I was overwhelmed by the thought. What kind of power might that be, God coming to resurrect a field of bones? I had been in the field, but wondering what it would look and feel like when the breath of God was released to raise up the bones, I moved to the edge of the field. “I must not have been the only person thinking that, for soon, many people were around me on the outside of the field, along a path/road. Even Dutch did so, and was next to me at one point. In awe, I told him, ‘Sir, the Lord Himself is about to walk among us during this time of prayer and declaration.’ I was already beginning to experience the fear of the Lord as this revelation increased in me. I knew we would all feel Him before we saw Him. “Dutch began to move a little away from me, as did others, to get into position. I knew he had heard me but had not yet grasped the full weight of what was coming. I heard him respond as he walked away, ‘I don’t usually “feel” things spiritually. What number would you give the manifestation of His presence you sense coming?’ “I knelt on the ground and replied, ‘10 out of 10.’ “Suddenly, everyone knew He was coming! They all stopped moving and knelt, with their faces to the ground. Then, I felt Him, from behind and to my left. His presence was terrifying as it grew closer. I barely had time to comprehend what I was experiencing when suddenly I was swept up into a whirlwind. “I remember desperately trying to grasp the ground, anything, to try and keep myself down. But it was impossible. The top portion of the ground separated like a thin layer, detaching from the bedrock below as if I was grasping a blanket. “His whirlwind surrounded me and I could no longer hold myself down. Instinctively, I began screaming, ‘Lord, God Almighty!!!’ “He was upon us. He was among us. End of dream.” Tami then said, “I awoke at that moment, with my scream still ringing in my ears. Such a strong presence of God and the fear of the Lord was in my room. It took me a while to even want to move. This was not comfortable. Isaiah 6 comes to mind: ‘In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. And one [seraphim] called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies. The whole earth is full of His glory.” Then I said, “Woe to me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies.’“ (Isaiah 6:1,3,5 NASB) Tami concludes by saying, “He came first TO us, His people, then THROUGH us in route to the field of bones. His presence was so powerful. Even while on my knees, face down on the ground, I was not ready for the strength of what I felt. I’m not sure anyone COULD be. He is THAT holy. His glory…” We live in an incredible time on earth. We must continually remember this. The harvest of the ages is now beginning. Ask for this, and do everything you can to participate. Sow into ministries that are working the fields. Pray for the laborers and the harvest itself. Let’s do that now. Pray with me: Father, we know You love the descendants of Ishmael. His name means “God listens” or “God hears.” Indeed, You hear the cry of Ishmael. We know You are about to rescue millions of his descendants from the stronghold and oppression of darkness. The women and children are especially oppressed and we know this moves Your heart. So, we are boldly asking You for this revival. We ask You for dreams to be given them, visions to occur, and many, many miracles to take place. Open their eyes to Yeshua. Embrace that part of the world with Your saving grace and love. We bind the powers of darkness that would try and stop this. We take the keys of the kingdom, which You gave to us (Matthew 16:18-19), and enforce the victory of Calvary. And as Christ taught us to pray, we ask for Your kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10) to Aram, and other parts of the Muslim world. We also ask for laborers to be sent into this great harvest field (Matthew 9:38). And we ask for the whirlwind of Your Spirit to blow and resurrect the people spiritually (Ezekiel 37:9-10). We ask all of this in Jesus’ name, which guarantees its acceptance and answer. Our decree: We decree that the resurrection wind of Holy Spirit is coming to the Muslim regions of the world! Portions of today’s post were contributed by Tami Flick. You can find out more about Tami here. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

We are the Holy of Holies Yesterday I spoke about Holy Spirit wanting to insert us - our lives, prayers, and decrees - into the cursed places of the earth to bring healing to them. I would add, we can do the same to individuals. One of my friends, pastor and apostolic leader Dr. Scott Reece, sent me the following prophetic word, which is a perfect follow-up to that post. Scott says: “Early yesterday morning, March 23, I felt prompted by Holy Spirit to meditate on the Holy of Holies. “I’ve always been fascinated with the subject of the Holy of Holies. I’ve studied it, I’ve walked the tunnel under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, stopping to pray where the Holy of Holies was most likely located. I’ve taught extensively on it. “I wondered why the Lord was once again bringing my focus to this Most Holy Place? When I awakened at 3:00AM, I sang the song, ‘Take Me In’ (to the Holy of Holies). I then heard Holy Spirit whisper, ‘You are the Holy of Holies!’ “If ever there was a place God was jealous over, it was the Holy of Holies. And if there’s any person He’s jealous over, it’s you (Zechariah 1)! “If there was any place guarded by God, it was the Holy of Holies. And if there is any person guarded by God, it is you (Psalm 121)! “The Holy of Holies contained the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod, and manna. Your spirit now carries the Word of the Covenant, the Authority of the Covenant, and the Provision of the Covenant! “Those items were all contained within the Ark of the Covenant, surrounded and guarded by angels. Your spirit is now that Ark of the Covenant where God Himself has chosen to abide (1 Corinthians 6:19). You, too, are surrounded and protected by angels (Hebrews 1:14). “Only the High Priest could access the Holy of Holies. Only your Great High Priest can access your spirit (1 John 2:27). Your life is not up for grabs, you are NOT easy prey for the enemy! The people KNEW the Holy of Holies was off-limits. The devil and his demons know that you are off-limits, but they lie to you to deceive and gain illegal entrance. The Holy of Holies could not even be touched, and the devil is not allowed to touch you (1 John 5:18)! “The blood was applied to the lid of the Ark of the Covenant, called the Mercy Seat, which contained the law of God, thereby redeeming the people from the curse of the law. The blood has been applied to you, redeeming YOU from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). “The Presence of God manifested in many tangible ways to the people of God, but the Holy of Holies was the epicenter of His presence. You are now a carrier of God’s presence and of His anointing! Through your life, burdens are removed from people, and yokes are destroyed! You walk in the demonstration of the Spirit and power (Isaiah 10:27; 1 Corinthians 2:4). “The Word declares that You are the temple of Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit literally dwells in you, the Holy of Holies. Your life contains the very life, Spirit, and presence of God (1 Corinthians 6:9)! Out of your belly flows THE river of living water (John 7:38)! “You ARE the Holy of Holies…the Most Holy Place! “As I pondered this, the Word of the Lord came to me: “‘You have seen yourself small, insignificant, and unworthy. If only you could know the depth of your value! “‘In the midst of My people Israel I would come in visitation, into the Tabernacle and the Temple. But in you, I do not visit…I dwell. I have made you My holy habitation. “‘Out of my Most Holy Place came promise - the promise of my Word, authority, and provision. Out of your spirit, I am releasing the word of My covenant, the authority of My covenant, and the provision of My covenant. “‘I have set you in the midst of a world that is lost and without a shepherd. Out of you life, anointing, authority, and provision will flow to them. From your belly will come the very essence of who I am! Do not be surprised when people seek you out because of what you carry. They will seek you out in the natural realm, but they are looking for My supernatural realm. Be the supernatural! “‘Do not fear being a carrier of My anointing to the nations. Do not allow the enemy to minimize who you are or what you carry. “‘You ARE My Ark, you ARE My Most Holy Place! I have applied the blood of the Lamb upon the seat of your heart. “‘You are healed…healing flows from you. “‘You are healthy…health flows from you. “‘You are whole…wholeness flows from you. “‘You are anointed…anointing flows from you. “‘You are blessed…blessing flows from you. “‘You are free…freedom flows from you. “‘In a dark and troubled world, you are the epicenter of My presence, grace, love, and anointing. I am pouring you out with a priestly anointing that rises up to destroy the yokes and strongholds of a lost world. “‘Speak and decree the release today of that which is inside you. It is too precious to keep it locked inside the deep chamber of your spirit. It was never designed to be buried. Your heart was once a tomb where a dead man laid, but now it is a living Ark of My Presence, My life, and all that I am. “‘Open your mouth, stretch forth your hand, extend your life and watch the holy reveal that occurs. The Word, Authority, and Provision of My Covenant, contained in the Ark of who you are, will be released unto a wilderness people…says the Lord!’” What an amazing word this is! Receive it. Meditate over these words and believe them. They will feed your spirit and bring even more revelation. Let’s pray. Pray with me: Father, thank You for reminding us of who and what You have made us to be. Thank You for reminding us that we are Your Holy of Holies, habitations of the living God. We are carriers of Your very presence and power. May this revelation become stronger and stronger in the Ekklesia. And even now, tens of thousands of us come into agreement as we release Your words and power into the lost world You spoke of. We release Your life, Your healing, Your deliverance, and Your power - to break curses off of people and fill them with life, through the blood of Jesus. And we release this life to the nations. We release it into Europe, especially Ukraine and Russia, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, North America, and the islands of the sea. We release Your life and presence into our government, our schools, and our homes. Invade the earth through the prayers and decrees of Your people even this very day! We pray and release these declarations in the name above every name, Jesus. Our decree: We decree that we will live and function as carriers of the very presence of Almighty God! Today’s post was contributed by Dr. Scott Reece. You can find out more about Dr. Reece and see his books here. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

In December of last year, Jane Hamon was a guest on Give Him 15. She is an amazing teacher, colleague, and a dear friend of Ceci and me. I feel it is important for you to hear this powerful message once again. The Battle Is Over the Voice We are living in a history-making hour on the earth. It is a time of great contending and yet a time of birthing revival, awakening, and reformation! I heard the Lord say He is taking His church out of Survival into Revival! Isaiah 60:1-3 promises us that in times of great darkness in the earth God will cause His glory to shine upon His people, initiating the greatest harvest the earth has ever seen. Revival is at hand! Yet, in Isaiah 37:3 Hezekiah declared, “for the children are come to birth and there is no strength to bring forth.” This prophecy was given to King Hezekiah, a righteous king who was a reformer of a nation, turning Judah back to God. He was faithful to the Lord, yet his city, Jerusalem, had become besieged by the King of Assyria, Sennacherib, and was faced with certain destruction if God didn’t intervene. (Much as we face in America today.) Sennacherib was one of the cruelest conquerors in history, leaving terror in his wake of destruction. It is about him that Isaiah wrote, as a prophetic word of encouragement, “no weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that rises up against you in judgment you shall condemn” (Isaiah 54:17). The Rabshakeh Assignment In my book, “Declarations for Breakthrough” I relate a dream I had in which a spiritual assignment was sent against a godly leader and reformer. The enemy’s name was Rabshakeh and he was coming to spread poison on the back of the leader and then take a rod and beat his back, driving the poison in until this reformer broke. The back represents the place of a man’s strength. The back was where Jesus was beaten so that we can receive our healing. In the dream, the enemy wanted to beat him down, afflict him with poison and destroy him. But before Rabshakeh could complete his mission of destruction, we alerted the authorities who captured him. They then led us out and put the enemy’s rod in our hands to beat his back instead! What does this dream have to do with the story of the besiegement of Jerusalem? It turns out that Rabshakeh was also the name of the emissary of Sennacherib, his mouthpiece, sent to demoralize God’s people with his words, trying to get them to give up, lay down their weapons and surrender the city. He tried to convince Hezekiah and his leaders that God had forsaken them and would not save them. Rabshakeh’s name means “chief prince,” and represents a demonic assignment against believers, leaders, and even nations today. He was the voice of Sennacherib, or if you will, the voice of the devil. He sought to get into the minds of God’s people, tried to define the narrative, beating them down by relentlessly filling the atmosphere with lies. Rabshakeh’s voice filled the air with accusations against who God is, against the leaders, and about the impossibility of their situation. He was spreading poison through the sound of his voice and trying to get in their heads so that they would be worn down and give up. Don’t let the enemy get in your head! There is a relentless demonic voice that is trying to talk believers out of their divine assignments. The voice of the enemy will try to convince you that all your prayers and decrees have been for nothing and that in the end, God will not do what He said. The voice of the enemy will try to wear you down with accusations, intimidations & frustrations so that all your strength to birth revival and fulfill your calling is exhausted. Rather than being a nation changer, you seek only to survive. Is it possible to be pregnant with revival and not have the strength to bring it forth? Is it possible to be pregnant with your miracle answer and it be aborted or stillborn because you give up or get so distracted with problems that you lose your focus or your faith in God? Is it possible to no longer have strength to stand for the destiny of your nation because of the mental exhaustion of contending? The Decade of Peh You see, we are living in the Hebraic year 5782. 80 is the Hebrew word “Peh” which means “mouth, speech or sound.” It represents the voice. During this decade the battle is over which voice is controlling the narrative, so it is imperative we listen for the voice of God. Psalms 29:4 declares, "the voice of the Lord is powerful.” His voice always brings victory! We must also be aware of what our own voices are saying. Are our words aligning with God’s voice? Likewise, we need to be alert to the enemy’s voice and his bombarding negativity, hopelessness, and fear. Every day we are assaulted by an antichrist barrage of words. The goal of cancel culture is to get believers, prayer warriors, and reformers to back down, break down and surrender. The battle over the voice is fueling the battle for our nation. In this tipping point moment in history, God’s ekklesia must unite to stand against this demonic attack to see righteousness and justice once again established in our land by releasing our voice and God’s decree against all the lies of the enemy. Going From Besiegement to Breakthrough! But rather than let Rabshakeh and his poisonous words rob them of their land, Hezekiah set himself to seek the Lord and to pray. He encouraged his people with these faith-filled words: “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles” (2 Chronicles 32:7-8). The church would do well to allow these words to encourage us during these challenging times. Hezekiah laid the accusations of the enemy on the altar and lifted his voice to God in prayer. He also sent for Isaiah the prophet, to get a Word from God for the nation. This is the synergy that comes when godly government, prayer, and the prophetic anointing create a dynamic for breakthrough. Isaiah told Hezekiah the Lord had heard his prayers; He would defend the city and save their nation! He then released a prophetic word of breakthrough that sounded impossible, declaring God would fight for them. That night God sent one angel who wiped out 185,000 Assyrians! Rabshakeh and Sennacherib both returned to their own country, only to be killed by their own people. God fought for Judah! Dedicated prayer, powerful prophecy, and anointed decrees shifted the battle and brought heavenly intervention! Victory was manifested as God mobilized the angel armies to overthrow the enemy. As we position ourselves just as Hezekiah did, setting ourselves to seek the Lord, hear His voice, and put our trust in Him to fight for us, we will see every voice of the accuser struck down, every besiegement destroyed and everything stolen returned in abundance. Hezekiah’s name means “Jehovah is my strength.” In this time of contending, God will restore our strength physically, emotionally, and spiritually so we can fulfill our divine assignment. The Voice of the Lord Shatters the Enemy! If you recall at the end of my dream, the rod of punishment that the enemy, Rabshakeh sought to use against the leader was instead used on his own back! The Lord turned the evil the enemy meant against the reformer back on his own head! Isaiah also prophesied about this. His word is part of God’s battle strategy for us today in order to break out of the survival of besiegement, into revival for a new day: “The Voice of the Lord will shatter the Assyrian (your enemy), with His scepter He will strike him down. Every stroke the Lord lays on the back of the enemy with His punishing rod will be to the music of tambourines and harps as he fights him in battle with the blows of His arm!” (Isaiah 30:31-32; NIV) So rise up reformers! Be strong, people of God! Seek the Lord and hear His voice. Shake off every chain of discouragement and fear, resist Rabshakeh’s voice from getting in your head, and the voice of the Lord will shatter your enemy! Pray with me: Lord, let Your voice be louder than the voice of the enemy, for Your words are life to me. I submit myself to You, I resist the enemy and he must flee. I evict every lie and draw upon Your supernatural strength to sustain me and give me victory in every battle. In Jesus’ name. Our decree: The voice of the Lord will shatter the enemy. I will think what God thinks and say what God says, and will see the victory. (Portions of today’s post were taken from Jane’s book, Declarations for Breakthrough. You can find this book at janehamon.com, by clicking here, or anywhere Christian books are sold.) Click on the link below to watch the full video.