After speaking to several men and women of God from different cities the last couple weeks, the Lord is sending a clear message to His church and that message is a call for humility! So let us come together in prayer and ask the Father of mercy to pour out a spirit of humility on ourselves, our friends & families, our churches, our ministries, our regions, and the body of Christ!
WHAT IS BIBLICAL HUMILITY?
Obedience
Recognizing your dependence on God
Recognizing it’s the Lord working for you and through you
Giving God all the glory
Lowliness of mind
Esteeming others higher than yourself
Making yourself of no reputation
Boasting only in the Lord
Recognizing the importance of others, especially ones that may seem lss important than you.
Opposite of pride and self-centeredness
WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF HUMILITY?
Proverbs 3:34 - “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:10 – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come to You in the name of Jesus and thank You for Your abundant mercies. We praise You for choosing us to be Your blood brought children even before the foundations of the earth, according to your loving-kindness!
Father, we humble ourselves in your sight according to James 4:6&10 and we repent of any and all pride and self-centeredness. We repent for anytime we have tried to take your glory, exalt ourselves, or think that any fruit or success has come from our own hands. We ask You to forgive us and keep in the way of everlasting!
We ask You to expose and remove any root of pride, offense, unforgiveness, bitterness, and self-centeredness that we may have cultivated in our lives. We ask You to give us a servant’s heart and pour out a spirit of humility, love, peace, joy, unity, and holiness over Your church!
We pray that You make us like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let us do nothing through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each of us esteem others better than himself. Let each of us look out not only for our own interests, but also for the interests of others.
We pray that You let that mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
We pray that You give us the grace to do all things without complaining and disputing, that we may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom we shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that we may rejoice in the day of Christ that we and our fathers have not run in vain or labored in vain.
We thank You Father for hearing this prayer for Your word says You are faithful to answer that which we pray in Your will and not only have You told us through Your people but also through Your word it is Your will for us to be humble.
Now to You Most Holy Father, who is worthy of all praise and honor, all glory be unto You and Your kingdom through Christ Jesus forever and ever!
AMEN!
***Please forward this to friends & family so they may join us in prayer...
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Lions of Christ in Cleveland on Sunday, July 26!
The Lions of Christ will be at the Dolloff Road Church of God in Cleveland on July 26 at 11am. Come expecting God to move in a powerful way! Don’t miss it!
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
Location: 5005 Dolloff Rd, Cleveland, OH 44127
Date: Sunday, July 26
Time: 11am
What to expect:
Come expecting a high energy service where all who are hungry & thirsty get set ablaze for the Kingdom of our Mighty God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Praise & Worship: Rick Thompson
Speakers: Rob Sheer, Mike Thompson, & Brian Baxter
About us:
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we are a team-based and multi-faceted ministry with the vision to tear down strongholds and mobilize the church! Our team-based ministry model allows God to use us in a diversity of gifts including but not limited to revelation, healing, and prophecy.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us and the church in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
Location: 5005 Dolloff Rd, Cleveland, OH 44127
Date: Sunday, July 26
Time: 11am
What to expect:
Come expecting a high energy service where all who are hungry & thirsty get set ablaze for the Kingdom of our Mighty God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Praise & Worship: Rick Thompson
Speakers: Rob Sheer, Mike Thompson, & Brian Baxter
About us:
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we are a team-based and multi-faceted ministry with the vision to tear down strongholds and mobilize the church! Our team-based ministry model allows God to use us in a diversity of gifts including but not limited to revelation, healing, and prophecy.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us and the church in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Consequence of Not Running with the Vision
The time comes in every believer’s life when the Lord will cast the vision for the call He has placed on our lives. This is a very exciting time in most believers’ lives. The hours we have spent in scripture and prayer seeking which role He will chose for us is finally revealed. This excitement, however, doesn’t always last as the joy of the vision can be easily choked out by the cares of the affairs of this life or other obstacles we must overcome before the fulfillment of that vision.
Too often these obstacles become overbearing and we begin too lose sight of that vision. As we begin to lose sight of that vision we begin walking away from our call and the command the Lord has placed on our lives. Losing the vision has serious consequences not only for us but for others around us including family and others the Lord has entrusted in our ministries. King Solomon is a great example of this.
We often hear about the successful side of Solomon’s life, how he was blessed by God with great wisdom and riches but we don’t seem to hear the other side as often. 1 Kings 11 tells us that in his old age, Solomon’s heart turned away from the Lord and did not keep what the Lord had commanded him. As a result, the kingdom was torn away from Solomon and given to someone else.
“So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had commanded. Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant (1 Kings 11:9-11).”
Some may try to argue that this was a consequence under the old covenant but Jesus warned us more than once in the New Testament:
“But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” - Luke 9:62
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” – Matthew 13:44-46
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” – Luke 6:46
To further illustrate the consequence of not running with the vision let us take a look at an excerpt from an article by The 700 Club about world renowned evangelist Reinhard Bonnke:
“When Reinhard tells of God calling him to a life of evangelism, he speaks easily about a dialogue they had. It seems God laid out for him what would be expected. And Reinhard told God that he would obey and follow what God was asking of him. Before this extended conversation ended, however, God told him, “You weren’t my first choice.” Reinhard listened. “You weren’t my second choice either.” Later on there was a time when Reinhard hesitated to schedule a specific crusade. He says as he wavered, “God said, ‘You drop the vision and I drop you.” The evangelist attributes the tremendous responses he sees in ministry to simple obedience to what God requires (CBN.com).”
WOW! What a dreadful rebuke from the Lord but I’m sure Reinhard Bonnke was happy to receive it especially now, knowing the millions of souls that have been saved through his ministry. Could you imagine how the first two guys that didn’t run with the vision feel now? If nothing else this story proves that God is serious and if we don’t run with the vision He has given us, He will give to someone else!
As a minister, this terrifies me and keeps me continually praying to be in His will at all times. It also inspires me to read the revelation and experiences of other men and woman of God in order to see how they overcame the schemes of the enemy to keep us from fulfilling that vision. So to end this article I want to quote Rick Joyner from his book, Overcoming Witchcraft, in which he says that loss of vision is one of eight “stings” the enemy uses to overwhelm believers and that staying the course is crucial on that road to victory.
“When we begin to lose our vision, we must commit ourselves to strengthening our vision more than ever… Above all, we must hold our course! We should not change our direction until we can clearly see the new course… we need to just hold our course and keep going forward. We will soon break into the clear (Joyner, 1996, pp37-38).”
***May the Lord continually keep you in His perfect will and provide you with the strength, peace, and drive to continually pursue the fulfillment of the vision He has casts for your life in Jesus’ most precious name! AMEN!
God bless!
Mike Thompson
Too often these obstacles become overbearing and we begin too lose sight of that vision. As we begin to lose sight of that vision we begin walking away from our call and the command the Lord has placed on our lives. Losing the vision has serious consequences not only for us but for others around us including family and others the Lord has entrusted in our ministries. King Solomon is a great example of this.
We often hear about the successful side of Solomon’s life, how he was blessed by God with great wisdom and riches but we don’t seem to hear the other side as often. 1 Kings 11 tells us that in his old age, Solomon’s heart turned away from the Lord and did not keep what the Lord had commanded him. As a result, the kingdom was torn away from Solomon and given to someone else.
“So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had commanded. Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant (1 Kings 11:9-11).”
Some may try to argue that this was a consequence under the old covenant but Jesus warned us more than once in the New Testament:
“But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” - Luke 9:62
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” – Matthew 13:44-46
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” – Luke 6:46
To further illustrate the consequence of not running with the vision let us take a look at an excerpt from an article by The 700 Club about world renowned evangelist Reinhard Bonnke:
“When Reinhard tells of God calling him to a life of evangelism, he speaks easily about a dialogue they had. It seems God laid out for him what would be expected. And Reinhard told God that he would obey and follow what God was asking of him. Before this extended conversation ended, however, God told him, “You weren’t my first choice.” Reinhard listened. “You weren’t my second choice either.” Later on there was a time when Reinhard hesitated to schedule a specific crusade. He says as he wavered, “God said, ‘You drop the vision and I drop you.” The evangelist attributes the tremendous responses he sees in ministry to simple obedience to what God requires (CBN.com).”
WOW! What a dreadful rebuke from the Lord but I’m sure Reinhard Bonnke was happy to receive it especially now, knowing the millions of souls that have been saved through his ministry. Could you imagine how the first two guys that didn’t run with the vision feel now? If nothing else this story proves that God is serious and if we don’t run with the vision He has given us, He will give to someone else!
As a minister, this terrifies me and keeps me continually praying to be in His will at all times. It also inspires me to read the revelation and experiences of other men and woman of God in order to see how they overcame the schemes of the enemy to keep us from fulfilling that vision. So to end this article I want to quote Rick Joyner from his book, Overcoming Witchcraft, in which he says that loss of vision is one of eight “stings” the enemy uses to overwhelm believers and that staying the course is crucial on that road to victory.
“When we begin to lose our vision, we must commit ourselves to strengthening our vision more than ever… Above all, we must hold our course! We should not change our direction until we can clearly see the new course… we need to just hold our course and keep going forward. We will soon break into the clear (Joyner, 1996, pp37-38).”
***May the Lord continually keep you in His perfect will and provide you with the strength, peace, and drive to continually pursue the fulfillment of the vision He has casts for your life in Jesus’ most precious name! AMEN!
God bless!
Mike Thompson
Friday, June 12, 2009
Praise Reports!
For the last few weeks, Rick and Mike joined a small team of volunteers from the Freedom Prayer Room to share the love of Jesus in a local government housing area in Windham, OH, on Thursday nights. The Lord has been showing up in a powerful way! Here are some praise reports:
June 4, 2009
WOMAN HEALED OF BACK PAIN!
While praying for a young couple, we received a word of knowledge for back issues. The young lady revealed to us that she had a tail bone issue with her last pregnancy that caused her severe pain. After praying, the pain along with a small lump on her back went away! THANK YOU JESUS!
MAN HEALED OF INJURED FOOT!
John noticed a young man who had walked passed us had a limp. When we caught up to him he told us he injured his left foot with a pallet jack at work. We prayed for him twice, each time the pain was reduced. We then told him that we believed if he would walk across the street and back his foot would be 100% healed by the time he came back. He walked across the street and on the way back his limp mysteriously disappeared! Praise God!
June 11, 2009
MAN HEALED OF FOOT & ANKLE INJURY!
A young man walked by us with a limp. We asked what happened. He had a cast on his left foot and said he got hurt playing basketball. After we prayed for him we asked him to walk around on it and jump. He then sat down on the sidewalk and asked if he could take his brace off. He then took his shoe off and pulled down his sock. Rubbing his foot he was amazed. We asked if he had a lump on it prior to us praying and he told us it was swollen but the swelling was almost completely gone. Then he asked us how we did it, we laughed and said we didn’t do anything, Jesus did it! Praise God! All glory be to You our heavenly Father through Christ Jesus!
YOUNG MAN RECEIVES JOB!
At a local convenient store on the way out to share the love of Jesus, we ran into a young man we prayed for last week. He said the prayer worked because he just got a job. He didn’t need a healing but he needed a job and we praise God for delivering one!
THANK YOU FOR USING US IN SUCH A PROFOUND WAY JESUS! ALL GLORY AND HONOR BE UNTO YOU!!!
June 4, 2009
WOMAN HEALED OF BACK PAIN!
While praying for a young couple, we received a word of knowledge for back issues. The young lady revealed to us that she had a tail bone issue with her last pregnancy that caused her severe pain. After praying, the pain along with a small lump on her back went away! THANK YOU JESUS!
MAN HEALED OF INJURED FOOT!
John noticed a young man who had walked passed us had a limp. When we caught up to him he told us he injured his left foot with a pallet jack at work. We prayed for him twice, each time the pain was reduced. We then told him that we believed if he would walk across the street and back his foot would be 100% healed by the time he came back. He walked across the street and on the way back his limp mysteriously disappeared! Praise God!
June 11, 2009
MAN HEALED OF FOOT & ANKLE INJURY!
A young man walked by us with a limp. We asked what happened. He had a cast on his left foot and said he got hurt playing basketball. After we prayed for him we asked him to walk around on it and jump. He then sat down on the sidewalk and asked if he could take his brace off. He then took his shoe off and pulled down his sock. Rubbing his foot he was amazed. We asked if he had a lump on it prior to us praying and he told us it was swollen but the swelling was almost completely gone. Then he asked us how we did it, we laughed and said we didn’t do anything, Jesus did it! Praise God! All glory be to You our heavenly Father through Christ Jesus!
YOUNG MAN RECEIVES JOB!
At a local convenient store on the way out to share the love of Jesus, we ran into a young man we prayed for last week. He said the prayer worked because he just got a job. He didn’t need a healing but he needed a job and we praise God for delivering one!
THANK YOU FOR USING US IN SUCH A PROFOUND WAY JESUS! ALL GLORY AND HONOR BE UNTO YOU!!!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Flesh vs. Spirit: The Battle For Your Heart
The terms “flesh” and “Spirit” are often used in the church today and I for one believe that there is a big misconception in regards to what this really means in a practical sense not only in our personal walk with the Lord but also in the corporate environment as well. To fully illustrate the point of this article I want to first define what the Bible tells us about the flesh and Spirit, show where the battle lies between the two, and then finally show this misconception in scripture so that we can be aware of it in our own lives.
WHAT IS THE FLESH?
Our flesh is our old, corrupt, sinful nature that came about due to the fall of man. The outcome or works of the flesh are listed below:
Galatians 5:19-21 says “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
WHAT IS THE SPIRIT?
When the Bible talks about the Spirit in regards to our lives, it is talking about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the Christ like nature we receive in the new birth. The outcome or fruit of the Spirit are listed below:
Galatians 5:22-23 says “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT WAR AGAINST EACH OTHER!
Galatians 5:16-17 says “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”
THE BATTLEFIELD IS THE HEART!
Mark 7:20-23 says “And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
What Jesus says here is really close to what Paul says in Galatians 5 regarding the works of the flesh (see above scripture).
WHAT’S THE POINT?
The point I am trying to make is that what determines whether you are in the flesh or in the Spirit is the intentions of your heart! Every decision we make is either out of the flesh or the Spirit! This point is clearly illustrated in scripture in several places but we will focus on two in order to explain the big misconception.
THE BIG MISCONCEPTION!
The big misconception is that actions always determine whether we are in flesh or in Spirit. Some actions such as murder, violence, substance abuse, etc. can obviously determine this but not all actions can. If this article, we don’t want to focus of those obvious one but rather, let us focus on the actions that have the appearance of good such as preaching, teaching, operating in spiritual gifts, charity, etc.
Just because someone is preaching the gospel, doesn’t mean their preaching it in Spirit. The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 1:15-16, “Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains.” Please keep in mind that Paul specifically names envy and selfish ambition as works of the flesh in Galatians 5 (see scripture above).
So therefore, if someone is doing a “good” thing such as preaching, it doesn’t mean they are bearing good fruit. What determines this, is the intentions of their heart. Are they preaching out of the Spirit (love, peace, joy, etc.) or out of the flesh (envy, jealousy, hatred, selfish ambition, etc.)
THE BIG MISCONCEPTION IN CHURCHES TODAY!
Is this section I want to list and briefly explain two common areas where the big misconception can typically be found:
MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SPIRIT – Many times people will comment on how others manifest the Spirit and claim that they are in the flesh. Unless someone is “manifesting” in order to look spiritual this is likely not the case. Remember, what determines whether you are in the Spirit or in the flesh is your heart.
If someone jumps up and down praising God on their own free will, not fully taken over by the Holy Spirit are they in the flesh? Most would say yes, I would say not necessarily. Why? It depends on their heart. If they are jumping up and down to be seen to be seen they are in the flesh because selfish ambition is a work of the flesh. If they are genuinely jumping up and down praising and thanking God they are in Spirit because joy is a fruit of the Spirit whether or not the Spirit completely took them over to do it or not.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS – Just because someone is operating in a spiritual gift does not mean they are walking in Spirit, it means they have been baptized in the Spirit have a spiritual gift. As illustrated in the section above, we can operate in spiritual gifts but not be in Spirit. This not more clearly shown than through the Corinthians.
The Corinthians operated in spiritual gifts. In fact 1 Corinthians 12-14 is where we learn the most about them in scripture yet Paul still called them carnal because they displayed works of the flesh. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 says “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men.”
This is confirmed in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 when the Apostle Paul says “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” Love is a fruit of the Spirit, charity and spiritual gifts are not (gifts are evidence of baptism of Spirit not fruit of the Spirit). They are however, vehicles for fruit to be shown.
You can lay hands on a 1,000 people and everyone be healed but it doesn’t mean you’re walking in Spirit. If while you are laying hands on those 1,000 people to be seen or to make money you are walking in the flesh but if you are doing it out of love and compassion then you are walking in the Spirit. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).”
“The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).” God did not take away the gifts from the church in Corinth even though there were not in His will and neither will He take away our gifts if we are not in His will. Therefore, we must be even more certain to pursue His will which is to walk “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:2-3).”
CONCLUSION:
To end this article I want give you the same exhortation and pray for you as Paul did for the Philippians:
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:1-4).”
I pray for you and everyone that reads this article the same that Paul prayed for the Philippians, “that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” in name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
God bless!
Mike Thompson
WHAT IS THE FLESH?
Our flesh is our old, corrupt, sinful nature that came about due to the fall of man. The outcome or works of the flesh are listed below:
Galatians 5:19-21 says “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
WHAT IS THE SPIRIT?
When the Bible talks about the Spirit in regards to our lives, it is talking about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the Christ like nature we receive in the new birth. The outcome or fruit of the Spirit are listed below:
Galatians 5:22-23 says “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT WAR AGAINST EACH OTHER!
Galatians 5:16-17 says “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”
THE BATTLEFIELD IS THE HEART!
Mark 7:20-23 says “And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
What Jesus says here is really close to what Paul says in Galatians 5 regarding the works of the flesh (see above scripture).
WHAT’S THE POINT?
The point I am trying to make is that what determines whether you are in the flesh or in the Spirit is the intentions of your heart! Every decision we make is either out of the flesh or the Spirit! This point is clearly illustrated in scripture in several places but we will focus on two in order to explain the big misconception.
THE BIG MISCONCEPTION!
The big misconception is that actions always determine whether we are in flesh or in Spirit. Some actions such as murder, violence, substance abuse, etc. can obviously determine this but not all actions can. If this article, we don’t want to focus of those obvious one but rather, let us focus on the actions that have the appearance of good such as preaching, teaching, operating in spiritual gifts, charity, etc.
Just because someone is preaching the gospel, doesn’t mean their preaching it in Spirit. The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 1:15-16, “Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains.” Please keep in mind that Paul specifically names envy and selfish ambition as works of the flesh in Galatians 5 (see scripture above).
So therefore, if someone is doing a “good” thing such as preaching, it doesn’t mean they are bearing good fruit. What determines this, is the intentions of their heart. Are they preaching out of the Spirit (love, peace, joy, etc.) or out of the flesh (envy, jealousy, hatred, selfish ambition, etc.)
THE BIG MISCONCEPTION IN CHURCHES TODAY!
Is this section I want to list and briefly explain two common areas where the big misconception can typically be found:
MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SPIRIT – Many times people will comment on how others manifest the Spirit and claim that they are in the flesh. Unless someone is “manifesting” in order to look spiritual this is likely not the case. Remember, what determines whether you are in the Spirit or in the flesh is your heart.
If someone jumps up and down praising God on their own free will, not fully taken over by the Holy Spirit are they in the flesh? Most would say yes, I would say not necessarily. Why? It depends on their heart. If they are jumping up and down to be seen to be seen they are in the flesh because selfish ambition is a work of the flesh. If they are genuinely jumping up and down praising and thanking God they are in Spirit because joy is a fruit of the Spirit whether or not the Spirit completely took them over to do it or not.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS – Just because someone is operating in a spiritual gift does not mean they are walking in Spirit, it means they have been baptized in the Spirit have a spiritual gift. As illustrated in the section above, we can operate in spiritual gifts but not be in Spirit. This not more clearly shown than through the Corinthians.
The Corinthians operated in spiritual gifts. In fact 1 Corinthians 12-14 is where we learn the most about them in scripture yet Paul still called them carnal because they displayed works of the flesh. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 says “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men.”
This is confirmed in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 when the Apostle Paul says “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” Love is a fruit of the Spirit, charity and spiritual gifts are not (gifts are evidence of baptism of Spirit not fruit of the Spirit). They are however, vehicles for fruit to be shown.
You can lay hands on a 1,000 people and everyone be healed but it doesn’t mean you’re walking in Spirit. If while you are laying hands on those 1,000 people to be seen or to make money you are walking in the flesh but if you are doing it out of love and compassion then you are walking in the Spirit. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).”
“The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).” God did not take away the gifts from the church in Corinth even though there were not in His will and neither will He take away our gifts if we are not in His will. Therefore, we must be even more certain to pursue His will which is to walk “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:2-3).”
CONCLUSION:
To end this article I want give you the same exhortation and pray for you as Paul did for the Philippians:
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:1-4).”
I pray for you and everyone that reads this article the same that Paul prayed for the Philippians, “that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” in name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
God bless!
Mike Thompson
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Pray & Praise in Revival for 100 Mile Radius on Sunday, May 31 @ 7pm!
Prayer & Praise Meeting Sunday May 31, 2009, at 7pm
Come join us at the Freedom Prayer Room on Sunaday May 31 to pray & praise in revival for Freedom Township and a 100 mile radius which includes cities as far north as Cleveland, as far South as Columbus, as far east as Pittsburgh, as far west as Sandusky!
Don't miss this exciting event!
Come and be a part of something bigger than you!
Key Bible Verse: "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose." - Acts 16:25-26
Date: May 31, 2009
Time: 7pm
Location: Freedom Township at 7845 State Route 303, Windham, inside the Freedom Floor Covering building, across from Valley Tire.
What to expect:
Format will include continuous praise & worship by Rick Thompson and have an open mic for opportunities to lead prayer. Audio for this event will be recorded and made available online for free downloads. For a closer look at this event, listen to our free podcast of our “Prayer for America” available on the Lions of Christ Blog.
***Prayer & laying on of hands will be available by our prayer team volunteers at the end of the meeting for those in need or those wanting to receive a touch from God.
About us:
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we are a team-based and multi-faceted ministry with the vision to tear down strongholds and mobilize the church! Our team-based ministry model allows God to use us in a diversity of gifts including but not limited to revelation, healing, and prophecy.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us, the church, & the communities in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
Supplemental scripture regarding intercession: http://www.dianedew.com/interces.htm
Contact us:
info@lionsofchrist.com or www.lionsofchrist.com
Come join us at the Freedom Prayer Room on Sunaday May 31 to pray & praise in revival for Freedom Township and a 100 mile radius which includes cities as far north as Cleveland, as far South as Columbus, as far east as Pittsburgh, as far west as Sandusky!
Don't miss this exciting event!
Come and be a part of something bigger than you!
Key Bible Verse: "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose." - Acts 16:25-26
Date: May 31, 2009
Time: 7pm
Location: Freedom Township at 7845 State Route 303, Windham, inside the Freedom Floor Covering building, across from Valley Tire.
What to expect:
Format will include continuous praise & worship by Rick Thompson and have an open mic for opportunities to lead prayer. Audio for this event will be recorded and made available online for free downloads. For a closer look at this event, listen to our free podcast of our “Prayer for America” available on the Lions of Christ Blog.
***Prayer & laying on of hands will be available by our prayer team volunteers at the end of the meeting for those in need or those wanting to receive a touch from God.
About us:
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we are a team-based and multi-faceted ministry with the vision to tear down strongholds and mobilize the church! Our team-based ministry model allows God to use us in a diversity of gifts including but not limited to revelation, healing, and prophecy.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us, the church, & the communities in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
Supplemental scripture regarding intercession: http://www.dianedew.com/interces.htm
Contact us:
info@lionsofchrist.com or www.lionsofchrist.com
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Free Prayer & Praise Podcasts
Podcasts from our Apr 17 Community Prayer & Intercession meeting and our Feb 15 Prayer For America meeting are now available to listen or download for free! Includes worship by Rick Thompson & impromptu prayers by several believers!
Click here to listen or download>
Click here to listen or download>
Friday, April 24, 2009
Ohio Ablaze with Wes Geiger at the Freedom Prayer Room
Join us for Ohio Ablaze with Wes Geiger May 3, 9, & 10!
The Lord has connected us with Wes for what we believe is going to spark revival in Ohio!
Come expecting a high energy service where all who are hungry & thirsty get set ablaze for the Kingdom of our Mighty God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Dates: May 3, May 9, May 10.
Time: 7pm
Location:
Freedom Prayer Room
7845 State Route 303
Windham, OH 44288
Located inside the Freedom Floor Covering building.
Look for Freedom Floor Covering sign.
www.freedomprayerroom.com
Speaker:
Revivalist Wes Geiger of Seekers International Ministries. For more information about Wes, please visit his site at www.islandrevivals.com.
Worship:
Rick Thompson
For more information about Rick, visit his site at www.rickthompson.us.
Information:
For more information please visit www.freedomprayerroom.com or watch our video ad on You Tube.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us, the church, & the communities in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Lions of Christ in Ravenna, OH, April 19, 2009, @ 11am!
The Lions of Christ will be at “God’s Church” in Ravenna, OH, on April 19 at 11am. This service will be a Mobile Fire Breakthrough service. Come expecting God to move in a powerful way! Don’t miss it!
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
Location: 6351 Bridge Street, Ravenna, OH 44266
Date: Sunday, April 19, 2009
Time: 11am
What to expect:
Come expecting a high energy service where all who are hungry & thirsty get set ablaze for the Kingdom of our Mighty God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Praise & Worship: Rick Thompson
Speakers: Mike Thompson, & Brian Baxter
About us:
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we are a team-based and multi-faceted ministry with the vision to tear down strongholds and mobilize the church! Our team-based ministry model allows God to use us in a diversity of gifts including but not limited to revelation, healing, and prophecy.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us and the church in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
Location: 6351 Bridge Street, Ravenna, OH 44266
Date: Sunday, April 19, 2009
Time: 11am
What to expect:
Come expecting a high energy service where all who are hungry & thirsty get set ablaze for the Kingdom of our Mighty God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Praise & Worship: Rick Thompson
Speakers: Mike Thompson, & Brian Baxter
About us:
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we are a team-based and multi-faceted ministry with the vision to tear down strongholds and mobilize the church! Our team-based ministry model allows God to use us in a diversity of gifts including but not limited to revelation, healing, and prophecy.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us and the church in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Intercession Prayer Meeting Friday April 17, 2009, at 7pm
Come join us to lift up our local communities of Garrettsville, Windham, Freedom, Hiram, Nelson, Parkman, Mantua, Braceville, & Shalersville in prayer and intercession! We will praying for our leaders, economy, residents, and the church as led by the Holy Spirit.
Key Bible Verse: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. - 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Date: April 17, 2009
Time: 7pm
Location: Freedom Township at 7845 State Route 303, Windham, inside the Freedom Floor Covering building, across from Valley Tire.
What to expect:
Format will follow the International House of Prayer (IHOP) Prayer Room model which will include continuous praise & worship by 2006 Garrettsville Idol winner Rick Thompson and have an open mic for opportunities to lead prayer. Audio for this event will be recorded and made available online for free downloads. For a closer look at this event, listen to our free podcast of our “Prayer for America” available on the Lions of Christ Blog.
About us:
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we are a team-based and multi-faceted ministry with the vision to tear down strongholds and mobilize the church! Our team-based ministry model allows God to use us in a diversity of gifts including but not limited to revelation, healing, and prophecy.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us, the church, & the communities in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
Supplemental scripture regarding intercession: http://www.dianedew.com/interces.htm
Contact us:
info@lionsofchrist.com or www.lionsofchrist.com
Key Bible Verse: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. - 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Date: April 17, 2009
Time: 7pm
Location: Freedom Township at 7845 State Route 303, Windham, inside the Freedom Floor Covering building, across from Valley Tire.
What to expect:
Format will follow the International House of Prayer (IHOP) Prayer Room model which will include continuous praise & worship by 2006 Garrettsville Idol winner Rick Thompson and have an open mic for opportunities to lead prayer. Audio for this event will be recorded and made available online for free downloads. For a closer look at this event, listen to our free podcast of our “Prayer for America” available on the Lions of Christ Blog.
About us:
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we are a team-based and multi-faceted ministry with the vision to tear down strongholds and mobilize the church! Our team-based ministry model allows God to use us in a diversity of gifts including but not limited to revelation, healing, and prophecy.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us, the church, & the communities in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
Supplemental scripture regarding intercession: http://www.dianedew.com/interces.htm
Contact us:
info@lionsofchrist.com or www.lionsofchrist.com
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Lions of Christ at Dolloff Rd. Church of God in Cleveland, OH, on March 29!
The Lions of Christ will be at the Dolloff Road Church of God in Cleveland on March 29 at 11am. This service will be a “Breakthrough” service. Come expecting God to move in a powerful way! Don’t miss it!
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
Location: 5005 Dolloff Rd, Cleveland, OH 44127
Date: Sunday, March 29
Time: 11am
What to expect:
Come expecting a high energy service where all who are hungry & thirsty get set ablaze for the Kingdom of our Mighty God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Praise & Worship: Rick Thompson
Speakers: Rob Sheer, Mike Thompson, & Brian Baxter
About us:
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we are a team-based and multi-faceted ministry with the vision to tear down strongholds and mobilize the church! Our team-based ministry model allows God to use us in a diversity of gifts including but not limited to revelation, healing, and prophecy.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us and the church in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
Location: 5005 Dolloff Rd, Cleveland, OH 44127
Date: Sunday, March 29
Time: 11am
What to expect:
Come expecting a high energy service where all who are hungry & thirsty get set ablaze for the Kingdom of our Mighty God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Praise & Worship: Rick Thompson
Speakers: Rob Sheer, Mike Thompson, & Brian Baxter
About us:
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we are a team-based and multi-faceted ministry with the vision to tear down strongholds and mobilize the church! Our team-based ministry model allows God to use us in a diversity of gifts including but not limited to revelation, healing, and prophecy.
Special request:
For our friends that can’t make the service, please keep us and the church in prayer so that lives will be transformed by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Prayer for America (Live)
This is a recording of live intercession for the USA at the Freedom Prayer Room, recorded 02/15/09. If you like this podcast please download it for free and join us in prayer and stand in the gap for our nation!
To listen or download this podcast for free, click here:
To listen or download this podcast for free, click here:
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Vision: It’s Time to Run
Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. - Habakkuk 2:2
February 14, 2009
How the Word Came:
On Sunday night, a lady in the prayer room started prophesying, saying “it’s time to run! There’s not time to walk, it’s time to run, we have to run!” I wasn’t there but this lady is a relative of mine that typically doesn’t prophesy too often so my interest was peaked about what God was saying. The next night, on the way to church the Lord began to reveal more of His vision for me. After the service, the pastor made a chance for me to receive prayer from Prophet George Moss. I told George some new things were coming and all I keep hearing form the Lord is to step out in faith. I told him my concern was stepping out too far in front of God. He gave me a word saying the Lord is leading me out by His word and that I am not stepping out on my own but rather the Lord is leading me out. As excited as I was, this wasn’t the only word I would receive this week!
Through a couple of emails I kept reading Habakkuk 2:2 and while it got my attention I didn’t really put too much thought in it. Last night, a great man of God who the Lord is beginning to use in a mighty way (who I knew of but just got to talk to this week in regards to Jesus), gave me that same scripture and said he felt like it was for me. Now God had my attention! I starting thinking, Lord what are You trying to say with this scripture? What do you want me to do?
In the prayer closet today the Lord gave me the revelation! THANK YOU JESUS! It brought back into remembrance a series of visions He gave me around early spring 2008 and showed me it is now time to run with it.
ISAIAH 58 – The Blueprint
The Lord showed me a red banner with Isaiah 58 written in white letters being raised. To be honest I was afraid because every time I’ve read Isaiah 58 prior to this I felt the powerful fear of the lord but this time was different. The Lord started showing me a blueprint or roadmap in this chapter.
In Isaiah 58 the Lord tells His people that if they turn from their wicked ways and do good, their darkness will be as the noonday sun and He will make them like a watered garden. The Lord doesn’t say here I will make you like a watered garden and then you will do good, He says if you do good I will make you like a watered garden!
What the Lord is saying for the church now is turn from your wicked ways such as pointing fingers, speaking wickedness, bickering, & gossip (v. 9), its time to step out in faith and do the good we are called to do such as feed the hungry, satisfy the afflicted soul, loose the bonds of wickedness, and lead people to righteousness and He will show up!
The Lord is saying if you step out on faith I will show up! If you step out in faith I will make you like a water garden bearing much good fruit. Rivers of living water will flow from you and spring up into life not only for you but for those around you!
IT HAS ALREADY STARTED!!!
“And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. (Mark 16:20).”
The Lord is raising up people everywhere, from every age group, from every background, who are willing to step out on faith! Like the early church, He is confirming the word through accompanying signs!
It’s only February but so far this year has been filled with testimony after testimony about how He is using nameless faceless people you never heard of to witness, heal, and deliver! We are living in an amazing time!
DON’T MISS IT!!!
The Lord is moving, don’t miss it! Don’t let the enemy tell you or use others to tell you that you are being prideful, that you are not good enough, that you’re too young or old, or you didn’t go to Bible school, etc! They did the same thing to David before he was used by God to slay the giant (1 Samuel 17:28-53)!
“26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).”
Isaiah 61 – The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me
After the banner of Isaiah 58 was raised and planted I saw another banner being raised. This banner looked like the first one except written on it was Isaiah 61. The Lord then told me after His people step out in faith for a time He will powerfully anoint them and send them out as in Isaiah 61.
“And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations (v. 4).”
“For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations (v.11).”
Torchbearers are being sent forth!
The Lord told us regarding the Lions of Christ, “the only two things you need to teach people is that it’s time to mobilize the church and that everything they need is found in My presence.”
The Lord is now showing me that He is sending out several torchbearers to mobilize the church, to spread the message, to preach His word in order to rally the troops so to speak. These torchbearers are like Paul Reveres being sent out proclaiming “the Lord is coming, the Lord is coming!” They are being sent to alert, impart, & commission hungry believers to His call! These are the ones the Lord is using to write the vision and make it plain so that those who read it will run with it!
Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. - Habakkuk 2:2
One foot in front of the other!
The Lord kept showing me legs walking, one foot in front of the other. What He was showing me was that the leg that was in front now moves to the back to hold and stabilize the weight of the body while the leg that was behind moves forward and steps into new territory!
As these torchbearers step out in front to commission believers, the leg that was out in front is moving to the back to hold the weight of the church. The Lord showed me this to will happen to the torchbearers. As believers are raised up through them, they will eventually be that back foot holding the weight of the Bride as the other foot moves another step closer to her King! This time will be a time of rest and stability for the initial torchbearers as they begin to take positions in church governments.
Humility is the key here! We must not be self-centered but kingdom minded. We must do what we can to support what the Lord is doing no matter who He uses!
Prayer:
I pray that this word be true to you, that it blesses you. I pray that the Lord keeps you in His will that you may full of the fruits of righteousness which are by Christ Jesus to the praise & glory of God the Father in Jesus’ precious name! AMEN!
God bless,
Mike Thompson,
Lions of Christ
February 14, 2009
How the Word Came:
On Sunday night, a lady in the prayer room started prophesying, saying “it’s time to run! There’s not time to walk, it’s time to run, we have to run!” I wasn’t there but this lady is a relative of mine that typically doesn’t prophesy too often so my interest was peaked about what God was saying. The next night, on the way to church the Lord began to reveal more of His vision for me. After the service, the pastor made a chance for me to receive prayer from Prophet George Moss. I told George some new things were coming and all I keep hearing form the Lord is to step out in faith. I told him my concern was stepping out too far in front of God. He gave me a word saying the Lord is leading me out by His word and that I am not stepping out on my own but rather the Lord is leading me out. As excited as I was, this wasn’t the only word I would receive this week!
Through a couple of emails I kept reading Habakkuk 2:2 and while it got my attention I didn’t really put too much thought in it. Last night, a great man of God who the Lord is beginning to use in a mighty way (who I knew of but just got to talk to this week in regards to Jesus), gave me that same scripture and said he felt like it was for me. Now God had my attention! I starting thinking, Lord what are You trying to say with this scripture? What do you want me to do?
In the prayer closet today the Lord gave me the revelation! THANK YOU JESUS! It brought back into remembrance a series of visions He gave me around early spring 2008 and showed me it is now time to run with it.
ISAIAH 58 – The Blueprint
The Lord showed me a red banner with Isaiah 58 written in white letters being raised. To be honest I was afraid because every time I’ve read Isaiah 58 prior to this I felt the powerful fear of the lord but this time was different. The Lord started showing me a blueprint or roadmap in this chapter.
In Isaiah 58 the Lord tells His people that if they turn from their wicked ways and do good, their darkness will be as the noonday sun and He will make them like a watered garden. The Lord doesn’t say here I will make you like a watered garden and then you will do good, He says if you do good I will make you like a watered garden!
What the Lord is saying for the church now is turn from your wicked ways such as pointing fingers, speaking wickedness, bickering, & gossip (v. 9), its time to step out in faith and do the good we are called to do such as feed the hungry, satisfy the afflicted soul, loose the bonds of wickedness, and lead people to righteousness and He will show up!
The Lord is saying if you step out on faith I will show up! If you step out in faith I will make you like a water garden bearing much good fruit. Rivers of living water will flow from you and spring up into life not only for you but for those around you!
IT HAS ALREADY STARTED!!!
“And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. (Mark 16:20).”
The Lord is raising up people everywhere, from every age group, from every background, who are willing to step out on faith! Like the early church, He is confirming the word through accompanying signs!
It’s only February but so far this year has been filled with testimony after testimony about how He is using nameless faceless people you never heard of to witness, heal, and deliver! We are living in an amazing time!
DON’T MISS IT!!!
The Lord is moving, don’t miss it! Don’t let the enemy tell you or use others to tell you that you are being prideful, that you are not good enough, that you’re too young or old, or you didn’t go to Bible school, etc! They did the same thing to David before he was used by God to slay the giant (1 Samuel 17:28-53)!
“26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).”
Isaiah 61 – The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me
After the banner of Isaiah 58 was raised and planted I saw another banner being raised. This banner looked like the first one except written on it was Isaiah 61. The Lord then told me after His people step out in faith for a time He will powerfully anoint them and send them out as in Isaiah 61.
“And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations (v. 4).”
“For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations (v.11).”
Torchbearers are being sent forth!
The Lord told us regarding the Lions of Christ, “the only two things you need to teach people is that it’s time to mobilize the church and that everything they need is found in My presence.”
The Lord is now showing me that He is sending out several torchbearers to mobilize the church, to spread the message, to preach His word in order to rally the troops so to speak. These torchbearers are like Paul Reveres being sent out proclaiming “the Lord is coming, the Lord is coming!” They are being sent to alert, impart, & commission hungry believers to His call! These are the ones the Lord is using to write the vision and make it plain so that those who read it will run with it!
Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. - Habakkuk 2:2
One foot in front of the other!
The Lord kept showing me legs walking, one foot in front of the other. What He was showing me was that the leg that was in front now moves to the back to hold and stabilize the weight of the body while the leg that was behind moves forward and steps into new territory!
As these torchbearers step out in front to commission believers, the leg that was out in front is moving to the back to hold the weight of the church. The Lord showed me this to will happen to the torchbearers. As believers are raised up through them, they will eventually be that back foot holding the weight of the Bride as the other foot moves another step closer to her King! This time will be a time of rest and stability for the initial torchbearers as they begin to take positions in church governments.
Humility is the key here! We must not be self-centered but kingdom minded. We must do what we can to support what the Lord is doing no matter who He uses!
Prayer:
I pray that this word be true to you, that it blesses you. I pray that the Lord keeps you in His will that you may full of the fruits of righteousness which are by Christ Jesus to the praise & glory of God the Father in Jesus’ precious name! AMEN!
God bless,
Mike Thompson,
Lions of Christ
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Surrender: The Key to Transformation
A friend told me one time that the Lord spoke to him and said, “Victory is in surrender.” This revelation changed the way I started to look at things. I no longer needed to strive per se but rather I needed to position myself to what God was trying to do in my life.
I quickly learned how effective a simple prayer can be when I prayed: “Lord, I don’t know what You’re doing to me but I trust You and surrender to whatever Your doing in my life. My flesh may not like it but my spirit is more than willing, do with me as You will in Jesus’ name!”
Sometimes we don’t understand what the Lord is doing in our lives but we don’t have to, all we have to do is trust Him!
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).”
Most of us seek the Lord for greater transformation, healing or deliverance in some area of our lives and understand this process is done through the Spirit of Lord.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord ( 2 Corinthians 3:17-18).”
What most of us seem to forget in the process of transformation is that how long the process takes usually depends on us. The more we surrender to Him and let go of ourselves, the more He will transform us. I will close this lesson with the words of John the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).”
I quickly learned how effective a simple prayer can be when I prayed: “Lord, I don’t know what You’re doing to me but I trust You and surrender to whatever Your doing in my life. My flesh may not like it but my spirit is more than willing, do with me as You will in Jesus’ name!”
Sometimes we don’t understand what the Lord is doing in our lives but we don’t have to, all we have to do is trust Him!
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).”
Most of us seek the Lord for greater transformation, healing or deliverance in some area of our lives and understand this process is done through the Spirit of Lord.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord ( 2 Corinthians 3:17-18).”
What most of us seem to forget in the process of transformation is that how long the process takes usually depends on us. The more we surrender to Him and let go of ourselves, the more He will transform us. I will close this lesson with the words of John the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).”
The Power of Culture
Here are some of the definitions of culture from dictionary.com:
“The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.”
“The predominating attitudes and behavior that characterize the functioning of a group or organization.”
“These patterns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a particular period, class, community, or population: Edwardian culture; Japanese culture; the culture of poverty.”
“These patterns, traits, and products considered with respect to a particular category, such as a field, subject, or mode of expression: religious culture in the Middle Ages; musical culture; oral culture.”
Here is a definition of subculture from dictionary.com:
“a group having social, economic, ethnic, or other traits distinctive enough to distinguish it from others within the same culture or society.”
How Cultures are formed:
Once we are born into a culture we are exposed to precepts that shape our thoughts, feelings, emotions, values, morals, and actions. Cultures are typically formed in two ways. First, culture is shaped by a few powerful people that have or had great influence over their society and that influence while it may be changed, typically in some form or another is passed down from generation to generation. We see this in governments, institutions, & societal traditions.
Secondly, culture is shaped by a subculture, a small group, or remnant of people that gain influence over others in society. We see this in many social movements such as the “hippie” movement in the 60’s. MTV started as a small cable music network playing music videos 24 hours a day to a media conglomerate which great social influence.
How the kingdom of heaven is formed on the earth:
“Another parable He spoke to them: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened (Matthew 13:33).”
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen (Matthew 28:18-20).”
It’s pretty clear that we are supposed to take what Jesus taught us into the world and to change until the day of His return but in order to do this accurately we must first learn what the kingdom of heaven is.
What is the culture of the kingdom of God?
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).”
“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).”
We can say that kingdom culture is heaven’s culture. Anything you read in the Bible about the kingdom of heaven (with the exception of Lucifer’s fall of course), is what God wants on earth.
Walking in the Spirit at an individual level expands the kingdom!
We don’t walk in the Spirit only for ourselves but also for others!
What part do we play in changing lives?
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).”
People seek either what is missing in their lives or to be free from what is in their lives. Many in the church are right with God through the blood of Jesus but much fewer are in peace & joy in the Holy Spirit. How can the world be convinced through us if we are still in bondage through the works of the flesh?
“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).”
If we want to be a light unto the world as He was, we must walk in love and His Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).”
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).”
If we walk in love and the fruit of the Spirit, we will go to people (led by the Spirit) or they will come to us (convicted by the Spirit) seeking how to fill an empty void or how to get free. We then lead them to Him and the Spirit does the rest. This is how the kingdom is spread through us individually.
Promoting kingdom culture corporately not only expands the kingdom but changes lives!
Just as any well run organization knows, corporate culture is the foundation in which actions, expectations, and behaviors are set. As our congregations are called to represent the kingdom, the corporate culture of our congregations should also accurately reflect kingdom culture.
As leaders we should evaluate our congregations to see if we are accurately representing kingdom culture, values, and principles. We should ask ourselves questions like are lives being changed? Are believers being transformed into the image of Christ? Are they walking in the works of flesh or fruit of the Spirit? Is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit found here? Are we fulfilling the call He has put on our ministry?
We must also remember that we must be led by the Holy Spirit at all times, making ourselves available and positioning ourselves to what God is doing.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Romans 8:14).”
The bottom line is that if we want lives to change we must give the Spirit of the Lord freedom to do what He wants to do even if we don’t understand it. He is the one that truly changes lives and we should do whatever we can to preserves, promote, and facilitate His work through us.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).”
“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord ( 2 Corinthians 3:17-18).”
Prayer:
I am blessed that you took the time to read this teaching. I pray that the Father of Glory will bless you will wisdom, understanding, peace, joy, and boldness in order to not only allow Him to transform your life but the lives of those around you in the name of His precious son, Lord Jesus Christ! AMEN!
“The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.”
“The predominating attitudes and behavior that characterize the functioning of a group or organization.”
“These patterns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a particular period, class, community, or population: Edwardian culture; Japanese culture; the culture of poverty.”
“These patterns, traits, and products considered with respect to a particular category, such as a field, subject, or mode of expression: religious culture in the Middle Ages; musical culture; oral culture.”
Here is a definition of subculture from dictionary.com:
“a group having social, economic, ethnic, or other traits distinctive enough to distinguish it from others within the same culture or society.”
How Cultures are formed:
Once we are born into a culture we are exposed to precepts that shape our thoughts, feelings, emotions, values, morals, and actions. Cultures are typically formed in two ways. First, culture is shaped by a few powerful people that have or had great influence over their society and that influence while it may be changed, typically in some form or another is passed down from generation to generation. We see this in governments, institutions, & societal traditions.
Secondly, culture is shaped by a subculture, a small group, or remnant of people that gain influence over others in society. We see this in many social movements such as the “hippie” movement in the 60’s. MTV started as a small cable music network playing music videos 24 hours a day to a media conglomerate which great social influence.
How the kingdom of heaven is formed on the earth:
“Another parable He spoke to them: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened (Matthew 13:33).”
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen (Matthew 28:18-20).”
It’s pretty clear that we are supposed to take what Jesus taught us into the world and to change until the day of His return but in order to do this accurately we must first learn what the kingdom of heaven is.
What is the culture of the kingdom of God?
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).”
“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).”
We can say that kingdom culture is heaven’s culture. Anything you read in the Bible about the kingdom of heaven (with the exception of Lucifer’s fall of course), is what God wants on earth.
Walking in the Spirit at an individual level expands the kingdom!
We don’t walk in the Spirit only for ourselves but also for others!
What part do we play in changing lives?
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).”
People seek either what is missing in their lives or to be free from what is in their lives. Many in the church are right with God through the blood of Jesus but much fewer are in peace & joy in the Holy Spirit. How can the world be convinced through us if we are still in bondage through the works of the flesh?
“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).”
If we want to be a light unto the world as He was, we must walk in love and His Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).”
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).”
If we walk in love and the fruit of the Spirit, we will go to people (led by the Spirit) or they will come to us (convicted by the Spirit) seeking how to fill an empty void or how to get free. We then lead them to Him and the Spirit does the rest. This is how the kingdom is spread through us individually.
Promoting kingdom culture corporately not only expands the kingdom but changes lives!
Just as any well run organization knows, corporate culture is the foundation in which actions, expectations, and behaviors are set. As our congregations are called to represent the kingdom, the corporate culture of our congregations should also accurately reflect kingdom culture.
As leaders we should evaluate our congregations to see if we are accurately representing kingdom culture, values, and principles. We should ask ourselves questions like are lives being changed? Are believers being transformed into the image of Christ? Are they walking in the works of flesh or fruit of the Spirit? Is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit found here? Are we fulfilling the call He has put on our ministry?
We must also remember that we must be led by the Holy Spirit at all times, making ourselves available and positioning ourselves to what God is doing.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Romans 8:14).”
The bottom line is that if we want lives to change we must give the Spirit of the Lord freedom to do what He wants to do even if we don’t understand it. He is the one that truly changes lives and we should do whatever we can to preserves, promote, and facilitate His work through us.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).”
“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord ( 2 Corinthians 3:17-18).”
Prayer:
I am blessed that you took the time to read this teaching. I pray that the Father of Glory will bless you will wisdom, understanding, peace, joy, and boldness in order to not only allow Him to transform your life but the lives of those around you in the name of His precious son, Lord Jesus Christ! AMEN!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Lions of Christ Free Podcast
"Still Small Voice"
This was recorded live & impromptu in The Prayer Room. Rick and I wanted to experiment with prayer, scripture, and worship. Please let us know what you think, we are trying a few new things in regards to media, all feedback is welcome!
We pray that the Lord bless you and keep you strong in Him in Jesus' precious name!
(Click to Listen)
(Click to Download)
This was recorded live & impromptu in The Prayer Room. Rick and I wanted to experiment with prayer, scripture, and worship. Please let us know what you think, we are trying a few new things in regards to media, all feedback is welcome!
We pray that the Lord bless you and keep you strong in Him in Jesus' precious name!
(Click to Listen)
(Click to Download)
Friday, February 6, 2009
Changing the Corporate Atmosphere
We are all aware of common ways to stir up the Spirit of God such as praise, worship, preaching, teaching, testimony, and prayer but in this teaching we want to focus on a tactic less talked about but equally as important as those listed above and that tactic is agreement.
Many of us read the book of Acts and yearn for that same anointing that was on the early church. Many of us ask why the modern church as a whole doesn’t walk in the same anointing and while there may be many reasons I believe the most important is unity or agreement.
POSITIONING YOURSELF “WITH ONE ACCORD”
After Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem and ascended to heaven, the disciples entered the upper room and “all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication (Acts 1:14).” How important is it to come together “with one accord?” It’s so important that it is mentioned in the books of Acts 11 times for both good and bad (See link below). It’s so important that the disciples used it to position themselves to what God was doing.
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them (Acts 2:1-3).”
Look what happens in Acts 4 when the disciples came together “with one accord” in prayer:
“And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord… And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness(Acts 4:23-31).”
THE POWER OF AGREEMENT
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them (Matthew 18:18-20).”
WOW! This is a powerful scripture! Jesus didn’t say I might be there, I may be a little late, or I’ll think about it, He said, “where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Come on Lord! This scripture gets us excited! Why? Because it tells us that all we need is 2 or 3 in agreement and He is there! Do you want to hang out with Jesus? Simply get at 2 or 3 people in the same place to come into agreement in His name! It is clear that it is His will to be there with us! What an awesome God we have! AMEN!
“Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,
And the LORD listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the LORD
And who meditate on His name.
“They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My jewels.
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him (Malachi 3:16-17).”
UNITY BRINGS AN ATMOSPHERIC ANOINTING
“1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore (Psalm 133).”
This is another powerful scripture we need to examine closely! Verse 2 illustrates the anointing that comes from unity as oil being poured out all over us. We believe this verse is symbolic of Christ who is the head of the church which is His body and when we come together “with one accord” the oil (anointing) pours down from the head (Jesus) onto His body (The Church).
Verse 3 illustrates the anointing that comes from unity as dew descending upon a mountain, a cloud coming down. This verse sounds a lot like the day of Pentecost and the mount of transfiguration where the disciples were overshadowed by a cloud before entering it (Luke 9:34). Unity can bring down a cloud of God’s presence! Hallelujah!
CHANGING THE ATMOSPHERE OF YOUR CHURCH
If we are going to change the atmosphere of your church, you must position yourself with what God is going “with one accord.” Some churches may already be there, others it may take some time but we are going to give you a few keys in order to set yourself up for a powerful move of God in your church!
1. Cast a vision – Determine what direction the Lord wants your church to go then cast your vision repeatedly to the congregation. Proverbs 29:18 says “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” You must continually preserve and promote the “with one accord” principle and when you come together in Spirit and in truth, you will begin to feel that sense of family we long for!
2. Get anointed – You can give out what you don’t have. You need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and to be continually filled (See our teaching on how to increase the anointing).
3. Strengthen your inner man - The outward power of God works according to the power of God that works in us (Ephesians 3:20, 1:19-20). In other words, you can only transfer the amount of God’s power your inner man can handle which is why Paul prayed that God would strengthen with might their inner man through the Holy Spirit (Keep in mind these were Christians). Think about your house. You may be connected to the power from Niagara Falls but your house can only exert the amount of electricity the wiring can handle. If you want more power, you need to strengthen your spiritual power lines.
4. Operate out of the overflow – In Psalm 23:5, David said, “You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.” As our cups overruns, the anointing pours out of us onto those around us, changing the atmosphere according to the amount of the overflow. If you are having trouble overflowing, be humble enough to get ministered to by those who are. The words “anoint” means to rub or smear into, like marinating a steak. The more we get into the presence of God, the more of His presence we carry!
This is a continually process, the more we allow the Lord to change us the more anointing we will carry. “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).”
5. Develop a small group – Develop a small group for the task of changing the atmosphere. Make sure you pick the right people. Many churches play safe picking who looks good for the position rather than the one the Lord has anointed for this task. If the people you pick are not anointed for these positions, their success may appear to be better at first but may be limited to their natural ability. The anointed one may seem to be reckless at first but it is the job of leaders and spiritual parents to mentor and develop these people into their calling. Jesus did this by picking 12 out of the multitude that would later establish the foundation of the church.
The Lord said to Moses in Numbers 11:16-17, “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.”
6. Use the group – Just the presence of these newly overflowing light-bearers in your congregation will begin to change those around them. I can see in a dark place with a flashlight but with 12 flashlights you will light up a room! We see this at the day of Pentecost when 3,000 were added to the church by 120 being filled with the power of God.
7. Sharpen the saw – After the first group is developed and sent out so to speak, develop another group. Also use first group to develop others. After Jesus sent out 12, He sent out 70, and then He sent them out to make disciples of nations. As we see in the book of Acts, the disciples continued to multiply this way. It works the same way with changing the atmosphere of your congregation!
PRAYER
We have met and known pastors who wanted a powerful move of God in their congregation but their people weren’t ready or didn’t want it. We believe everyone wants the power and presence of God whether they realize it or not. It seems many who do not want it are tied up in the physical manifestations of the Spirit but what we notice is that once they receive it for themselves and know in their heart (not in their head) that it is real, they almost always want it and yearn for it!
So this we pray, that this teaching with touch you and your church, small group, home, or organization and provide an effective strategy to changing the corporate atmosphere that will embrace the power and presence of God. We pray that God grants you each wisdom, understanding, perseverance, and boldness in order for Him to establish through you an atmosphere that diffuses the sweet fragrance of the love of Christ, to the praise and Glory of God in the name of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! AMEN!
Bible Gateway Search Link (Click Here)
Many of us read the book of Acts and yearn for that same anointing that was on the early church. Many of us ask why the modern church as a whole doesn’t walk in the same anointing and while there may be many reasons I believe the most important is unity or agreement.
POSITIONING YOURSELF “WITH ONE ACCORD”
After Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem and ascended to heaven, the disciples entered the upper room and “all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication (Acts 1:14).” How important is it to come together “with one accord?” It’s so important that it is mentioned in the books of Acts 11 times for both good and bad (See link below). It’s so important that the disciples used it to position themselves to what God was doing.
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them (Acts 2:1-3).”
Look what happens in Acts 4 when the disciples came together “with one accord” in prayer:
“And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord… And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness(Acts 4:23-31).”
THE POWER OF AGREEMENT
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them (Matthew 18:18-20).”
WOW! This is a powerful scripture! Jesus didn’t say I might be there, I may be a little late, or I’ll think about it, He said, “where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Come on Lord! This scripture gets us excited! Why? Because it tells us that all we need is 2 or 3 in agreement and He is there! Do you want to hang out with Jesus? Simply get at 2 or 3 people in the same place to come into agreement in His name! It is clear that it is His will to be there with us! What an awesome God we have! AMEN!
“Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,
And the LORD listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the LORD
And who meditate on His name.
“They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My jewels.
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him (Malachi 3:16-17).”
UNITY BRINGS AN ATMOSPHERIC ANOINTING
“1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore (Psalm 133).”
This is another powerful scripture we need to examine closely! Verse 2 illustrates the anointing that comes from unity as oil being poured out all over us. We believe this verse is symbolic of Christ who is the head of the church which is His body and when we come together “with one accord” the oil (anointing) pours down from the head (Jesus) onto His body (The Church).
Verse 3 illustrates the anointing that comes from unity as dew descending upon a mountain, a cloud coming down. This verse sounds a lot like the day of Pentecost and the mount of transfiguration where the disciples were overshadowed by a cloud before entering it (Luke 9:34). Unity can bring down a cloud of God’s presence! Hallelujah!
CHANGING THE ATMOSPHERE OF YOUR CHURCH
If we are going to change the atmosphere of your church, you must position yourself with what God is going “with one accord.” Some churches may already be there, others it may take some time but we are going to give you a few keys in order to set yourself up for a powerful move of God in your church!
1. Cast a vision – Determine what direction the Lord wants your church to go then cast your vision repeatedly to the congregation. Proverbs 29:18 says “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” You must continually preserve and promote the “with one accord” principle and when you come together in Spirit and in truth, you will begin to feel that sense of family we long for!
2. Get anointed – You can give out what you don’t have. You need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and to be continually filled (See our teaching on how to increase the anointing).
3. Strengthen your inner man - The outward power of God works according to the power of God that works in us (Ephesians 3:20, 1:19-20). In other words, you can only transfer the amount of God’s power your inner man can handle which is why Paul prayed that God would strengthen with might their inner man through the Holy Spirit (Keep in mind these were Christians). Think about your house. You may be connected to the power from Niagara Falls but your house can only exert the amount of electricity the wiring can handle. If you want more power, you need to strengthen your spiritual power lines.
4. Operate out of the overflow – In Psalm 23:5, David said, “You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.” As our cups overruns, the anointing pours out of us onto those around us, changing the atmosphere according to the amount of the overflow. If you are having trouble overflowing, be humble enough to get ministered to by those who are. The words “anoint” means to rub or smear into, like marinating a steak. The more we get into the presence of God, the more of His presence we carry!
This is a continually process, the more we allow the Lord to change us the more anointing we will carry. “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).”
5. Develop a small group – Develop a small group for the task of changing the atmosphere. Make sure you pick the right people. Many churches play safe picking who looks good for the position rather than the one the Lord has anointed for this task. If the people you pick are not anointed for these positions, their success may appear to be better at first but may be limited to their natural ability. The anointed one may seem to be reckless at first but it is the job of leaders and spiritual parents to mentor and develop these people into their calling. Jesus did this by picking 12 out of the multitude that would later establish the foundation of the church.
The Lord said to Moses in Numbers 11:16-17, “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.”
6. Use the group – Just the presence of these newly overflowing light-bearers in your congregation will begin to change those around them. I can see in a dark place with a flashlight but with 12 flashlights you will light up a room! We see this at the day of Pentecost when 3,000 were added to the church by 120 being filled with the power of God.
7. Sharpen the saw – After the first group is developed and sent out so to speak, develop another group. Also use first group to develop others. After Jesus sent out 12, He sent out 70, and then He sent them out to make disciples of nations. As we see in the book of Acts, the disciples continued to multiply this way. It works the same way with changing the atmosphere of your congregation!
PRAYER
We have met and known pastors who wanted a powerful move of God in their congregation but their people weren’t ready or didn’t want it. We believe everyone wants the power and presence of God whether they realize it or not. It seems many who do not want it are tied up in the physical manifestations of the Spirit but what we notice is that once they receive it for themselves and know in their heart (not in their head) that it is real, they almost always want it and yearn for it!
So this we pray, that this teaching with touch you and your church, small group, home, or organization and provide an effective strategy to changing the corporate atmosphere that will embrace the power and presence of God. We pray that God grants you each wisdom, understanding, perseverance, and boldness in order for Him to establish through you an atmosphere that diffuses the sweet fragrance of the love of Christ, to the praise and Glory of God in the name of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! AMEN!
Bible Gateway Search Link (Click Here)
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
To All Our Friends From "The Hem of His Garment" Conference
We met many good people at "The Hem of His Garment" Bethel Healing School January 28-31, 2009. The atmosphere was electric and the sense of family was something special, something I never experienced before. I hope Lord brings us together again as I enjoyed every minute spent with each of you. We met many great people with different testimonies, stories, and ministries and we were blessed by each one.
F.Y.I. - We will be attending the Morningstar Healing Conference (Fort Mill, SC) in March, Bill Johnson will be speaking there. If any of you will be attending please email us and we will get in touch!
I pray that we stay in touch and continue to build relationships with one another. I pray that the love we shared we will continue to share to those around us and to the lost in this world, may we be the light He called us to be in the name of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Thank you for the love and experience!
God bless!
Mike
F.Y.I. - We will be attending the Morningstar Healing Conference (Fort Mill, SC) in March, Bill Johnson will be speaking there. If any of you will be attending please email us and we will get in touch!
I pray that we stay in touch and continue to build relationships with one another. I pray that the love we shared we will continue to share to those around us and to the lost in this world, may we be the light He called us to be in the name of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Thank you for the love and experience!
God bless!
Mike
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Gospel Artist Rick Thompson Offers His Music FREE Online!
Gospel artist and Lions of Christ praise & worship leader Rick Thompson is offering music from his 3 cd's for free through his website. Nothing required, including registration, click and you shall receive!
Visit his site today: www.rickthompson.us
Visit his site today: www.rickthompson.us
Friday, January 23, 2009
Free Podcast From Bill Johnson & Bethel Ministries
I believe offering the word free, although is rare in many cases in today's world is a vital part of building up the body. I also believe that it is important to hear the word from people who the Lord may use in different ways. This helps us to grow and may give us that one revelation that changes our lives and propels us into breakthrough whether it would be Word of Faith, prophetic, or denominational.
as far as Bill Johnson, the wisdom and revelation the Lord has blessed him with has really touched my life. I have read his book "Face to Face with God" and recommend it to anyone looking for a closer relationship with Jesus. I am also currently reading his devotional titled "A Life of Miracles" which included scripture and excerots from three of his most popular books. I am so intrigued by the excerpts from "The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind" I'm putting it on my "to read" list and already telling others about it.
With that all being said, Bethel Ministries offers free weekly podcasts that you can download on your pc and burn on your disc. I believe they will allow you to download past sermons as well (I think they're available for a couple of weeks at least, but not sure). I have been blessed by them and pray that you will be blessed also in Jesus' precious name!
AMEN!
http://www.ibethel.org/features/podcast/?page=75
as far as Bill Johnson, the wisdom and revelation the Lord has blessed him with has really touched my life. I have read his book "Face to Face with God" and recommend it to anyone looking for a closer relationship with Jesus. I am also currently reading his devotional titled "A Life of Miracles" which included scripture and excerots from three of his most popular books. I am so intrigued by the excerpts from "The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind" I'm putting it on my "to read" list and already telling others about it.
With that all being said, Bethel Ministries offers free weekly podcasts that you can download on your pc and burn on your disc. I believe they will allow you to download past sermons as well (I think they're available for a couple of weeks at least, but not sure). I have been blessed by them and pray that you will be blessed also in Jesus' precious name!
AMEN!
http://www.ibethel.org/features/podcast/?page=75
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Check Out "Stirring Waters Worship!"
Visit their My Space page: www.myspace.com/stirringwatersworship
Visit their You Tube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/SWWorship
Visit their You Tube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/SWWorship
Monday, January 19, 2009
The 7 Mountain Mandate by Dr. Lance Wallnau
In his teaching series titled “The 7 Mountain Mandate,” Dr. Lance Wallnau says in order to be more effective, Christians should infiltrate 7 mountains or pillars of society that shape culture. Wallnau claims the church has been successful at evangelism but has failed at changing nations. He says that only a few people in positions of authority at the top of each mountain (religion, family, education, government, media, arts/sports, business/technology) actually determines what happens on the mountain (or area of society), thus, shaping culture. Christians have made the mistake of merely focusing on getting people to the religion mountain rather than training and sending believers to infiltrate other mountains so that Kingdom principles can be applied and promoted there.
Some Christians believe this teaching is heresy, claiming Lance is a false prophet, and that it goes against scriptures that show the kingdom will be fulfilled at the return of Jesus Christ but I believe that history and the Bible would prove different.
In the Bible, David was anointed to be King, a secular position even though he was an incredible man of God. Daniel was promoted into a high ranking government position due to his spiritual gift of dream interpretation. Moses, Joseph, Cornelius, the list goes on and on.
In history, the anecdotes may be even clearer than the obvious Biblical examples mentioned above. One of the most profound examples I believe is Constantine and the conversion of the Roman Empire. In 312 at the Battle Milvian Bridge, it is said that Constantine saw a cross and light above the sun with words saying “by this, conquer!” A year later the Edict of Milain was instituted which decreed the tolerance of Christianity and removed penalties for professing Christianity. Constantine began to promote Christians in high-ranking government positions, supported the church financially, and built a number of extraordinary buildings for them. Many claim this was the beginning of Christendom. By the conversion of one man in authority on top of the government mountain, God spread Christianity throughout the world.
While it may not have been as successful as the opportunity could have been, we cannot forget the story of Marco Polo. His family spread Christianity along a trade route to Asia. Intrigued by their claims of Christianity, Kublai Khan said, "You send me a hundred men skilled in your religion and I shall be baptized and all my subjects will study Christianity too. There will then be more Christians in the East than in the West… The men remained in China for 17 years, during which time Marco carried out diplomatic missions throughout the empire. Marco claims that he held the position of governor over the large commercial city of Yangzhou. He also claimed to have visited hundreds of Christian churches. These would have been the result of Christianity that had arrived in 635 from Christian merchants along the Silk Road (Nostoro, 2008)."
While it is true the Kingdom will be fulfilled to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must accept that God in His mercy still wants to save as many people as possible. History proves that there is no greater way for nations to be converted than through leaders in high positions whether it would be through their conversion or through the Lord raising up leaders full of faith in Him. The bottom line is that we must fulfill that which God called us to fulfill. For some of us this may mean full-time ministry but for most of us it will mean fulfilling our secular roles in a holy and Godly manner, using our influence for Kingdom purposes. I will close with some food thought: which has more influence in the lives of others, being a pastor of a church of 120 believers (the average size of an American church) or managing a company of 5oo employees, etc.?
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_I_and_Christianity
http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/bios/b3marcopolo_p1hj.htm
Some Christians believe this teaching is heresy, claiming Lance is a false prophet, and that it goes against scriptures that show the kingdom will be fulfilled at the return of Jesus Christ but I believe that history and the Bible would prove different.
In the Bible, David was anointed to be King, a secular position even though he was an incredible man of God. Daniel was promoted into a high ranking government position due to his spiritual gift of dream interpretation. Moses, Joseph, Cornelius, the list goes on and on.
In history, the anecdotes may be even clearer than the obvious Biblical examples mentioned above. One of the most profound examples I believe is Constantine and the conversion of the Roman Empire. In 312 at the Battle Milvian Bridge, it is said that Constantine saw a cross and light above the sun with words saying “by this, conquer!” A year later the Edict of Milain was instituted which decreed the tolerance of Christianity and removed penalties for professing Christianity. Constantine began to promote Christians in high-ranking government positions, supported the church financially, and built a number of extraordinary buildings for them. Many claim this was the beginning of Christendom. By the conversion of one man in authority on top of the government mountain, God spread Christianity throughout the world.
While it may not have been as successful as the opportunity could have been, we cannot forget the story of Marco Polo. His family spread Christianity along a trade route to Asia. Intrigued by their claims of Christianity, Kublai Khan said, "You send me a hundred men skilled in your religion and I shall be baptized and all my subjects will study Christianity too. There will then be more Christians in the East than in the West… The men remained in China for 17 years, during which time Marco carried out diplomatic missions throughout the empire. Marco claims that he held the position of governor over the large commercial city of Yangzhou. He also claimed to have visited hundreds of Christian churches. These would have been the result of Christianity that had arrived in 635 from Christian merchants along the Silk Road (Nostoro, 2008)."
While it is true the Kingdom will be fulfilled to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must accept that God in His mercy still wants to save as many people as possible. History proves that there is no greater way for nations to be converted than through leaders in high positions whether it would be through their conversion or through the Lord raising up leaders full of faith in Him. The bottom line is that we must fulfill that which God called us to fulfill. For some of us this may mean full-time ministry but for most of us it will mean fulfilling our secular roles in a holy and Godly manner, using our influence for Kingdom purposes. I will close with some food thought: which has more influence in the lives of others, being a pastor of a church of 120 believers (the average size of an American church) or managing a company of 5oo employees, etc.?
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_I_and_Christianity
http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/bios/b3marcopolo_p1hj.htm
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Paul's Prayer for the Philipians
This powerful prayer Paul prayed for the Philippians is a great supplement to our daily devotionals.
Philippians 1:9-11
"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Put in first person to pray for ourselves:
This I pray, that my love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that I may approve the things that are excellent, that I may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11
"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Put in first person to pray for ourselves:
This I pray, that my love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that I may approve the things that are excellent, that I may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Friday, January 16, 2009
"Fishermen"
Posted by Nadine Mansour on the Pray4me Yahoo Group:
Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And lo, there were many fish in the streams and lakes throughout the surrounding area.
Week after week, month after month, and year after year, those who called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about .
a.. The call to fish.
b.. The abundance of fish.
c.. How they might go about fishing as an occupation.
They declared that fishing is always to be the primary task of fishermen, but they never fished!
These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings for local fishing headquarters. The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn't do, however, was fish.
In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. The board was formed by those who had great vision and courage to speak about fishing, to define fishing, to promote the idea of fishing in far-away streams and lakes where many other fish of different color lived. Also the board hired staffs and appointed committees and held many meetings to .
a.. Define fishing.
b.. Defend fishing
c.. Decide what new streams should be thought about.
But the staff and committee members did not fish.
A speaker bureau was provided to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing. After one stirring meeting on "The Necessity of Fishing," one young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported that he had caught two outstanding fish. He was honored for his excellent catch, and he was scheduled to visit all the big meetings to tell how he did it. So he quit his fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other fishermen. He was also placed on the Fisherman's General Board as a person having considerable experience.
Now it's true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish. They received ridicule of some who made fun of their fishermen's clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen, yet never fished.
They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the talks about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master, who said, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fisher of men"? (Mark 1:17)
Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who didn't fish were not really fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct.
Is a person a fisherman if, year after year, he never catches a fish? Is one following if he isn't fishing?
Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And lo, there were many fish in the streams and lakes throughout the surrounding area.
Week after week, month after month, and year after year, those who called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about .
a.. The call to fish.
b.. The abundance of fish.
c.. How they might go about fishing as an occupation.
They declared that fishing is always to be the primary task of fishermen, but they never fished!
These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings for local fishing headquarters. The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn't do, however, was fish.
In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. The board was formed by those who had great vision and courage to speak about fishing, to define fishing, to promote the idea of fishing in far-away streams and lakes where many other fish of different color lived. Also the board hired staffs and appointed committees and held many meetings to .
a.. Define fishing.
b.. Defend fishing
c.. Decide what new streams should be thought about.
But the staff and committee members did not fish.
A speaker bureau was provided to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing. After one stirring meeting on "The Necessity of Fishing," one young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported that he had caught two outstanding fish. He was honored for his excellent catch, and he was scheduled to visit all the big meetings to tell how he did it. So he quit his fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other fishermen. He was also placed on the Fisherman's General Board as a person having considerable experience.
Now it's true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish. They received ridicule of some who made fun of their fishermen's clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen, yet never fished.
They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the talks about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master, who said, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fisher of men"? (Mark 1:17)
Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who didn't fish were not really fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct.
Is a person a fisherman if, year after year, he never catches a fish? Is one following if he isn't fishing?
3 Attacks on Your Faith in the Church & Strategy to Overcome Your Giant!
When we develop our relationship with God and we know who He truly is and who we are in Him, our faith will likely be persecuted. As believers we expect this from the world (John 15:18-25) but where we miss it sometimes is that it comes from the church as well. This is dangerous, especially for new believers who filled with zeal have recently learned of the precious freedom we have in Christ. This lesson is most clearly illustrated by the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.
All the men of Israel feared the Philistine giant because they saw the insurmountable circumstances before them while David had faith because he knew God was bigger than any giant (2 Corinthians 5:7). In verse 26 David shouts, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” This one statement of faith causes three attempts to keep David from his destiny (keep in mind David was already anointed to be king) through fellow men of Israel:
David was accused of evil: “Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him (v. 28-31).”
We see this many times in church. When believers step-up full of faith they are many times misjudged as prideful and self-seeking when truly they are full of faith and vision, believing the word of God. To be aware of this attack is crucial to ever believer’s life.
From early on in my walk with Jesus, the Lord has blessed me with a prophetic calling which was the cause of much persecution from family, church members, etc. While I focused on Jesus I knew rumors and backbiting were going on but I never stopped to think or dwell on them. When I put my focus on them I started questioning myself and whether or not I really heard from God, after all I thought, if these Christians have been around much longer than I they must certainly know what they’re talking about. This became a short stumbling block for me until I turned my focus back of Jesus.
David’s ability was questioned: “Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth (v. 32-33).”
Once our faith is accepted the next thing which is questioned is our ability. What Bible school did you go to? Who did you sit under? What denomination are you from? The problem is that Saul, like David’s brother was walking by sight. He was looking at David’s schooling, experiences, etc. while David wasn’t walking in faith in his own abilities but rather he was walking in faith of God and His ability to use David and to come through for him as He has done in the past.
“Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine (v. 36-37).”
Saul clothed David with his armor and weapons: “So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine (v. 38-40).”
Once we pass the “ability” test and are accepted for the task, many times others will try to get us to use their gifts, weapons, or the way they have always done things. David however, had to use the tools that he knew, the ones God gave him not Saul. If David would have decided to face Goliath with Saul’s armory, the results could have been devastating but we know the rest of the story! Hallelujah!
A Closer Look at David’s Strategy:
As we take a closer look at one of David’s most profound victories recorded in the Bible we can recognize a few key steps David took to overcome this giant:
David recognized that the Lord was with him and His ability to overcome: Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied (v. 45).”
David expected the Lord to move of his behalf: “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand (v. 46).”
David declared the word: “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel (v. 46).”
David glorified God & gives Him the battle: “Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands (v. 47).”
When the giant came at him, he hurried to meet him: “So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine (v. 48).”
This is a crucial step that should be noted by all believers. David did not run from Goliath, an army in retreat always opens itself to attack from behind (Joyner). David did not hesitate, by confronting the giant the rest of the enemy fled. “And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled (v. 51).” James 4:7 says “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
When David overcame the rest of God’s people had faith to overcome: “And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents (v. 51-53).”
Our testimony of victory builds the faith of others to overcome in their own lives!
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death (Revelations 12:11).”
“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelations 19:10).”
My Prayer:
I pray that the Lord will use this teaching to show you how to overcome trials and battles in your own life and that He would pour His wisdom into you and strengthen you with His right arm in the name of our most precious and powerful Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!
AMEN!
All the men of Israel feared the Philistine giant because they saw the insurmountable circumstances before them while David had faith because he knew God was bigger than any giant (2 Corinthians 5:7). In verse 26 David shouts, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” This one statement of faith causes three attempts to keep David from his destiny (keep in mind David was already anointed to be king) through fellow men of Israel:
David was accused of evil: “Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him (v. 28-31).”
We see this many times in church. When believers step-up full of faith they are many times misjudged as prideful and self-seeking when truly they are full of faith and vision, believing the word of God. To be aware of this attack is crucial to ever believer’s life.
From early on in my walk with Jesus, the Lord has blessed me with a prophetic calling which was the cause of much persecution from family, church members, etc. While I focused on Jesus I knew rumors and backbiting were going on but I never stopped to think or dwell on them. When I put my focus on them I started questioning myself and whether or not I really heard from God, after all I thought, if these Christians have been around much longer than I they must certainly know what they’re talking about. This became a short stumbling block for me until I turned my focus back of Jesus.
David’s ability was questioned: “Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth (v. 32-33).”
Once our faith is accepted the next thing which is questioned is our ability. What Bible school did you go to? Who did you sit under? What denomination are you from? The problem is that Saul, like David’s brother was walking by sight. He was looking at David’s schooling, experiences, etc. while David wasn’t walking in faith in his own abilities but rather he was walking in faith of God and His ability to use David and to come through for him as He has done in the past.
“Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine (v. 36-37).”
Saul clothed David with his armor and weapons: “So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine (v. 38-40).”
Once we pass the “ability” test and are accepted for the task, many times others will try to get us to use their gifts, weapons, or the way they have always done things. David however, had to use the tools that he knew, the ones God gave him not Saul. If David would have decided to face Goliath with Saul’s armory, the results could have been devastating but we know the rest of the story! Hallelujah!
A Closer Look at David’s Strategy:
As we take a closer look at one of David’s most profound victories recorded in the Bible we can recognize a few key steps David took to overcome this giant:
David recognized that the Lord was with him and His ability to overcome: Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied (v. 45).”
David expected the Lord to move of his behalf: “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand (v. 46).”
David declared the word: “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel (v. 46).”
David glorified God & gives Him the battle: “Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands (v. 47).”
When the giant came at him, he hurried to meet him: “So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine (v. 48).”
This is a crucial step that should be noted by all believers. David did not run from Goliath, an army in retreat always opens itself to attack from behind (Joyner). David did not hesitate, by confronting the giant the rest of the enemy fled. “And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled (v. 51).” James 4:7 says “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
When David overcame the rest of God’s people had faith to overcome: “And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents (v. 51-53).”
Our testimony of victory builds the faith of others to overcome in their own lives!
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death (Revelations 12:11).”
“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelations 19:10).”
My Prayer:
I pray that the Lord will use this teaching to show you how to overcome trials and battles in your own life and that He would pour His wisdom into you and strengthen you with His right arm in the name of our most precious and powerful Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!
AMEN!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Vision of the Multi-Headed Dragon
After a couple of days of being busy and not taking a specific time to pray and be available for God, I hit the Prayer Room and began plowing again. The first two days were like digging a dry well but I made sure I pressed in for a significant amount of time. When I went to pray on the third day, as soon as I kneeled down I heard the Lord say, “write this down (I only told this part to encourage people to press in, breakthrough can be one more prayer away).”
As I grabbed my notebook I saw a red multi-headed dragon being ridden by a woman. The Lord then warned me that after my next breakthrough I would have to fight the biggest battle I have had to fight yet in my spiritual walk. I then saw a man in full armor representing me resisting this huge dragon and I thought as I saw this “how am I supposed to fight this thing? Lord, I need strategy!”
The Lord then told me each head of the dragon represents a different attack. At first I saw only two heads. The Lord told me to resist the weaker head with my shield (faith) and to attack the stronger head with my sword (Word) so I watched as I raised my shield to resist the weaker headed and I attacked the stronger head with my sword ( appeared as though I was attacking it’s mouth). As I watched on I can remember successfully resisting the dragon but it took much focus and endurance, it was a long and constant battle and I knew that I needed perseverance to overcome.
As I started to knock the enemy back I noticed a few more heads coming from the background in the forefront on each side. I remember thinking something along the lines of, “I only have two hands, I need back-up, Lord what do You want me to do?” The Lord then told me to ask others for help. As I asked for help I saw other believers interceding for me and as they prayed light would shoot from their mouths to a specific head of the dragon keeping it from attacking my while I continued to thwart off the first two heads before the dragon fled in frustration.
After the battle, I noticed I was wounded and exhausted but in good spirit. I had chinks in my armor from the battle but I knew it was time to rest and that the Lord would heal me. The Lord then told me after this battle He would send me a prophet, a mentor who made sense of the battle and taught me as I rested and recovered.
I believe the Lord wanted me to share this with others so that they could implement this strategy in their own battles.
I believe the Lord was showing me that enemy comes to devour us he will come on different fronts. For example, one head may be finances and another head may be a relationship problem, etc. We should use our faith to resist the weaker one and the word to attack the other stronger one. When the enemy brings more things that we can handle we need to ask the brethren for help. One thing I should note is that in my vision each person that interceded for me were praying against different heads coming against me (i.e. one might pray for finances one might pray for relationships, etc.).
I also believe the Lord was saying it’s OK to rest, refresh, and heal after a battle. To evaluate what happened so that we can learn and be empowered by our trials and to learn from the trials of others. Also the Lord told me that the woman riding the dragon was the source of the attack. I believe He was saying that what comes at us is not the cause but there is usually something behind it, a root so to speak. I believe that He would have us ask for His wisdom in these things and have Him reveal to us any cause or root of attack so we can be much more effective in overcoming it.
I pray that the Lord will use my experience to show you how to overcome trials and battles in your own live and that He would pour His wisdom into you and strengthen you with His right arm in the name of our most precious and powerful Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!
AMEN!
As I grabbed my notebook I saw a red multi-headed dragon being ridden by a woman. The Lord then warned me that after my next breakthrough I would have to fight the biggest battle I have had to fight yet in my spiritual walk. I then saw a man in full armor representing me resisting this huge dragon and I thought as I saw this “how am I supposed to fight this thing? Lord, I need strategy!”
The Lord then told me each head of the dragon represents a different attack. At first I saw only two heads. The Lord told me to resist the weaker head with my shield (faith) and to attack the stronger head with my sword (Word) so I watched as I raised my shield to resist the weaker headed and I attacked the stronger head with my sword ( appeared as though I was attacking it’s mouth). As I watched on I can remember successfully resisting the dragon but it took much focus and endurance, it was a long and constant battle and I knew that I needed perseverance to overcome.
As I started to knock the enemy back I noticed a few more heads coming from the background in the forefront on each side. I remember thinking something along the lines of, “I only have two hands, I need back-up, Lord what do You want me to do?” The Lord then told me to ask others for help. As I asked for help I saw other believers interceding for me and as they prayed light would shoot from their mouths to a specific head of the dragon keeping it from attacking my while I continued to thwart off the first two heads before the dragon fled in frustration.
After the battle, I noticed I was wounded and exhausted but in good spirit. I had chinks in my armor from the battle but I knew it was time to rest and that the Lord would heal me. The Lord then told me after this battle He would send me a prophet, a mentor who made sense of the battle and taught me as I rested and recovered.
I believe the Lord wanted me to share this with others so that they could implement this strategy in their own battles.
I believe the Lord was showing me that enemy comes to devour us he will come on different fronts. For example, one head may be finances and another head may be a relationship problem, etc. We should use our faith to resist the weaker one and the word to attack the other stronger one. When the enemy brings more things that we can handle we need to ask the brethren for help. One thing I should note is that in my vision each person that interceded for me were praying against different heads coming against me (i.e. one might pray for finances one might pray for relationships, etc.).
I also believe the Lord was saying it’s OK to rest, refresh, and heal after a battle. To evaluate what happened so that we can learn and be empowered by our trials and to learn from the trials of others. Also the Lord told me that the woman riding the dragon was the source of the attack. I believe He was saying that what comes at us is not the cause but there is usually something behind it, a root so to speak. I believe that He would have us ask for His wisdom in these things and have Him reveal to us any cause or root of attack so we can be much more effective in overcoming it.
I pray that the Lord will use my experience to show you how to overcome trials and battles in your own live and that He would pour His wisdom into you and strengthen you with His right arm in the name of our most precious and powerful Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!
AMEN!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
3 Keys to move into 2009 and Beyond
God spoke on New Year’s Eve and said, “tell my bride it’s time to make herself ready. Behold, I come quickly!” Afterward I thought to myself, “what do I tell” and “who do I tell?”
In the prayer closet today He had me read James 1:5-7 and to pray for wisdom. As I prayed with the scripture I prayed for wisdom, not have any doubt, not to be moved like the waves of the sea being carried by the wind, and not to be double-minded but to be full of faith, wisdom, and discernment and to know where to move throughout 2009 and beyond.
He responded by giving me 3 keys, 3 “to do’s” for this year and the coming years. When I questioned whether or not I should share this word publicly, I heard the Lord say prophesy according to your faith. Romans 12:6 says, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith.” I felt like if I didn’t give this word I would be blowing a huge opportunity for growth so I quickly grabbed my pen and notebook.
The Lord told me there are 3 keys we need to focus on privately and corporately. Those three keys are praise, intercession, and intimacy. He then began to show me the effects of putting these 3 keys into practice; we will look at them individually.
Praise: Praise is where we serve God, minister to Him, and Glorify Him. Psalm 22:3 tells us that God is enthroned in the praises of His people. When His Spirit comes as a result of our praise, heaven opens, barriers in the atmosphere are broken, our hearts get plowed, and we experience breakthrough.
Intercession: Intercession is a way we can serve others through prayer. The Lord showed me when we take the time to pray for others we not only help them but we help ourselves. Intercession is one form of love in action which is why I believe Paul told us to “pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17).” As we recognize the needs of others we gain perspective and are more thankful for things that He has given us, especially here in the U.S. As we pray for others, our own heart gets plowed. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Intimacy: When we set time apart for God and make ourselves available, He will minister to us by revealing Himself, restoring us, giving us rest, and empowering us to overcome. John 14:21 says, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Mark 14:38 says, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Private vs. Public: I believe the Lord is really speaking to His people to get in the prayer closet. I know this is the case for me personally and many believers are saying the same around the globe. While we must come together and practice these 3 keys corporately, the Lord is looking for people to set time apart, close the door, and plow the heavens with prayer. I believe our public ministry and breakthrough can be only as big as our personal prayer life (relationship) and the difference between those who do and don’t practice these 3 keys privately will begin to be drastically shown. Matthew 6:6 says, “when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
I thank you for taking the time to read this word the Lord shared with me and I pray that it will speak to your heart and kindle an even closer relationship with Him in Jesus’ precious name!
Amen!
In the prayer closet today He had me read James 1:5-7 and to pray for wisdom. As I prayed with the scripture I prayed for wisdom, not have any doubt, not to be moved like the waves of the sea being carried by the wind, and not to be double-minded but to be full of faith, wisdom, and discernment and to know where to move throughout 2009 and beyond.
He responded by giving me 3 keys, 3 “to do’s” for this year and the coming years. When I questioned whether or not I should share this word publicly, I heard the Lord say prophesy according to your faith. Romans 12:6 says, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith.” I felt like if I didn’t give this word I would be blowing a huge opportunity for growth so I quickly grabbed my pen and notebook.
The Lord told me there are 3 keys we need to focus on privately and corporately. Those three keys are praise, intercession, and intimacy. He then began to show me the effects of putting these 3 keys into practice; we will look at them individually.
Praise: Praise is where we serve God, minister to Him, and Glorify Him. Psalm 22:3 tells us that God is enthroned in the praises of His people. When His Spirit comes as a result of our praise, heaven opens, barriers in the atmosphere are broken, our hearts get plowed, and we experience breakthrough.
Intercession: Intercession is a way we can serve others through prayer. The Lord showed me when we take the time to pray for others we not only help them but we help ourselves. Intercession is one form of love in action which is why I believe Paul told us to “pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17).” As we recognize the needs of others we gain perspective and are more thankful for things that He has given us, especially here in the U.S. As we pray for others, our own heart gets plowed. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Intimacy: When we set time apart for God and make ourselves available, He will minister to us by revealing Himself, restoring us, giving us rest, and empowering us to overcome. John 14:21 says, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Mark 14:38 says, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Private vs. Public: I believe the Lord is really speaking to His people to get in the prayer closet. I know this is the case for me personally and many believers are saying the same around the globe. While we must come together and practice these 3 keys corporately, the Lord is looking for people to set time apart, close the door, and plow the heavens with prayer. I believe our public ministry and breakthrough can be only as big as our personal prayer life (relationship) and the difference between those who do and don’t practice these 3 keys privately will begin to be drastically shown. Matthew 6:6 says, “when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
I thank you for taking the time to read this word the Lord shared with me and I pray that it will speak to your heart and kindle an even closer relationship with Him in Jesus’ precious name!
Amen!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Quote of the Week
Victory over depression
"Depression is usually the results of allowing discouragement & confusion to cause us to drift from our basic spiritual disciplines, such as reading the Word, praying, fellowshipping, etc. Picking them up again with resolve will almost always start to reverse the downward spiral." - Rick Joyner
"Depression is usually the results of allowing discouragement & confusion to cause us to drift from our basic spiritual disciplines, such as reading the Word, praying, fellowshipping, etc. Picking them up again with resolve will almost always start to reverse the downward spiral." - Rick Joyner
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