Ancient Accusation

Mind control, it is the weapon of choice for our enemy the devil. It is truly psychological warfare we are in, that is why it is so hard for people to win this war. It is truly a battle for your mind, your soul, your thoughts. If the enemy can convince you of something, he can control you. His whole strategy from Genesis to today is to control the minds of people. It is called deception, false teachings, false prophets, half-truths, lies, strongholds, no matter the name it takes on, the goal is the same to control the way you think, so the enemy can control what you do. It’s actually a very simple and very ancient strategy, but it works generation after generation, that is why it is still employed to this day.

Psalm 3:1-3 says, “O LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, “There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah. But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.”

Same adversary David dealt with is the same one we are dealing with. The enemy told David, “There is no deliverance for you in God.” In other words, God is not going to help you, you are all alone to deal with this, you must fight this battle by yourself, if God was going to help you, you would have been healed by now, your marriage would have been restored, you would not be in debt, you would not have lost that job. You name it, the enemy is going to blame God for it. From the simple to the complex, the enemy will always accuse God for not delivering you, for not delivering me. It’s an ancient accusation, it is the adversaries way of controlling our mind and then getting us to act independently, to isolate, and to self-destruct.

But, we are not FATHERLESS, we have a Father in heaven, and we say hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. He has not left us alone in this psychological war, His word is stll the truth, His promises to you are still going to come to pass, it is still a season of Jubilee, we are not FATHERLESS. It is time to join David and declare, You are a shield about me, You are my glory, You are the lifter of my head. This war is hard because it is psychological, but it is not going to have the final word, for our FATHER, is coming to our rescue!!!

I Know Who I Am

This morning I was praying Psalm 2 and it opened up like a flower in the spring. Did you know that our identity as sons and daughters is a today decree God is making over you? Today is always today, it is never yesterday, nor is it tomorrow, it is today and today the Lord is saying, “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to me, you are my son (daughter), today, I have begotten you.” As I was praying this, the Lord revealed so clearly our identity is a today word. Today you are His son, today you are His daughter, today you are begotten, today! Hebrews 3:15 says, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as did in the rebellion.” Today, His decree coming from His throne today, is you are my son, you are my daughter, today I have begotten you.

This is huge, because without a today knowing of your identity, you will not be able to exercise your authority. Identity always precedes authority. Psalm 2:8 says, “Ask of Me and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance and the ends of the earth as your possession.” When you know who you are, you inherit nations, for you are an heir of Christ, and you possess the earth. What? Yes, it’s absolutely true, people become our inheritance, and the earth becomes our possession. Genesis 1:26-28 establishes our identity as male and female, sons and daughters and then gives us the command to inherit people and possess the earth. My friends, when we know who we are we exercise our authority biblically. When we don’t know who we are we seek to control, possess and plunder people, and relinquish the earth. But God is decreeing today, today, today, our identity and authority, so we can be in alignment with His word.

Now do you understand why the enemy attacks your identity? Because he knows then he can hinder your authority to inherit people and possess the earth. It is time to align with God’s order, receive your inheritance and possess your possessions. Time to sing, I know who I am!

Faith and Flourishing

Two words the Lord spoke to me about this morning, one is faith and the other is flourish. Faith if the only thing in your life that is substantive and cannot be shaken. Now, what your faith is in, determines what is unshakable. I cannot be shaken when it comes to my faith in God. What your faith is in determines what is unshakable in you, but nonetheless it is the faith that is unshakable inside of you. Therefore, determining what your faith is in, will make sure you are not moved in that area. If your not sure what your faith is in, listen to what you defend fiercely when the enemy or others attack that very thing. For me my faith in God is the umbrella which has other unshakable things under it. For example I cannot be shaken when it comes to the word of God both spoken to me personally or written in the Bible. I do not doubt what God has said, now this does not mean I always understand the timing of when it will come to pass, but I do not doubt what He said. My faith is in His word, both spoken and written so I am unshakable in these areas. What about you, what is your faith in, that is unshakable?

The second word He spoke to me about is flourish. Now this is not a word in my vernacular that I use, so I knew it was time to learn what this word meant. Flourish is a bible word, and is tied to the almond tree, which is connected to the word of God. Jeremiah 1:11-12 has God asking Jeremiah, what do you see and he says, an almond tree, then God says, “You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.” This has a direct connection to Isaiah 55:11 “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Jesus then picks this up and says in Matthew 4:4 “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

All that to say, I believe we have entered a time of flourishing. The word of God is about to manifest, not what we have said, but what He has said. His word is about to flourish, proper, become highly productive, effective and influential in our lives. The almond tree is blossoming and the Lord is performing His word. The days we have lived in up to this point have been extremely challenging, frustrating and down right exhausting emotionally, physically and mentally, but Lord God of Heaven and Earth has not forgotten what He has spoken over the nations, over peoples, over places and He is going to do what He said He was going to do. God is watching over His word to perform it and we have entered a season of flourishing because our faith which cannot be shaken is what pleases Him. Our best days are beginning, everything is changing and God is overseeing it all, so its going to be so good!

Throne Surfing

I woke up this morning at 4:30am singing Psalm 24, “Lift up you heads, be lifted up o ancient doors; Lift up your heads, o you gates, be lifted up; that the king of glory may come in!” Singing is not my go to, but this morning a song came out of me and so I sang with it. After singing, I opened my bible to Psalm 24 sensing the Lord was on this psalm this morning, so I began to pray the psalm and the words were dancing on the page as I prayed. This is a psalm I know well, but today it was rhythmic, radiant and releasing revelation of the likes I had not seen before. The word of God is truly a live and active (Hebrews 4:12).

While praying Psalm 24, the Lord reminds me of what He showed me and spoke to me on Sunday morning during worship just a few days ago. I saw in the spirit that as we had our hands raised, the throne of God was resting on our hands as a congregation. Then the Lord showed me that as we raise our hands, it opens up our hearts to worship not with lips alone but with heart as well. When our hearts began to sing with our hands raised, the throne we were holding up with our hands began to move, similar to someone crowd surfing at a concert, but it was the throne of God moving among us. It was as though the throne was flowing with the songs our hearts were singing as our hands were raised.

I had never seen a connection between our hands being raised and our hearts opening until Sunday in church and then the Lord establishes this was His voice I was hearing when I read Psalm 24:3-4 this morning. “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully.” Clean hands an a pure heart, there is the hands and heart connection. It was a beautiful picture I saw as the throne moved among us. Throw up your hands, it opens your heart and it moves the throne of God over your head.

Storm or Garden

Do you ever read stories in the Bible and wonder why they sound so similar but have distinct differences that at times seem irreconcilable? I had one of those moments this morning and then the Holy Spirit spoke with such clarity it broke through the seeming discrepancy and brought crystal clear clarity. The Bible says in 1 John 2, you do not need anyone to teach you for my spirit will teach you all things. The Holy Spirit is a Master Teacher, He has access to knowledge, wisdom and revelation about everything. If you will sit as a student, He would love to be your Teacher and the things you will learn cannot be learned in seminary, university, or even church. They are learned at the feet of Jesus with ears open to the Holy Spirit.

In Mark 14:41-42 it says, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!” This is Jesus speaking to Peter, James and John in the Garden of Gethsemane. As I read this I said to the Holy Spirit, Jesus was asleep in a storm and the disciples woke Him up and were told they had little faith, now the are asleep in a garden and are told to wake up so they do not fall into temptation. On first glance it can feel like they can’t win for losing. But the issue is not the sleeping, it is the when they are sleeping and why.

Jesus slept in the boat during a storm because He knew He had authority over the weather, over creation. The disciples were shocked by His authority over creation. What they didn’t know is that Jesus does not have authority over any person, unless they give Him authority over them, so when they were in the Garden of Gethsemane they needed to stay awake because the betrayer was coming. Many people don’t realize Jesus only has authority over our lives if we yield our authority to Him. Judas did not want Jesus to have authority over him, so Judas excercised his authority over Jesus because Jesus yielded it to him for Jesus knew this was the will of God for Him to die for the sins of the world. Remember Jesus said, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:24) Jesus knew His Father’s will so surrendered His authority to whom the Father chose to betray Him.

I know this is deep for a Monday morning, but we must understand we have not been given authority over any human being. We can influence people if they will allow us to, but we cannot control what any other human being does. Jesus stayed awake in the garden but slept in the boat because He knew what He had control over. This is something we need to understand, for people who have not given their authority over to Jesus, are capable of many things, including betrayal. Our job is to surrender our authority to Jesus so He can lay His head down in our lives, knowing we are submitted to Him. Then if the storm comes, we just call upon the one in our life who has power over the storm, until we realize the power He has given us to speak to those very storms.

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The Send

While various cities around the nation are rallying to show they’re against the over turning of Roe v. Wade in Kansas City they are gathering to worship, pray and seek the name of the Lord in Arrowhead stadium at an event called The Send. If you have wondered about God’s perfect timing this day is a great example of how intimately involved in our nation He is. The Send was supposed to happen in 2020, but due to lockdowns they had to move it, so over a year ago they decided on May 14, 2022, having no clue what would be happening this day in other cities around the nation. God knew, for He knows everything, but the leaders of The Send would not have known. So while some people are saying we want our own way, others are giving their life away to follow Jesus wherever He will lead them.

2 Kings 6 says, “Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

My dear friends, there are more for us than are against us both spiritually and naturally. Fear not, righteousness is exalting the nations again, God is fighting with us and for us, everything is about to change. If you live in Kansas City head out to Arrowhead and pray, sing, prophesy. Or do what I’m doing watch in online and pray from where you are. God is sending harvesters into His harvest field again for the thief has been caught and he must pay sevenfold, even if it costs him his whole house (Proverbs 6:23). Rejoice the battle is being won right now!

Cruising Altitude

I was outside praying and I sensed a measure of warfare in the atmosphere that felt thick. I could not put a name on it, it was just thick. Then without notice I heard a jet engine above my head and the Lord said, “I have the authority and power to penetrate the warfare in the atmosphere.” I immediately entered into the authority of the Lord as He penetrated the thick warfare in the atmosphere and the sense of lightness was palatable almost instantaneously.

As I was looking up to the sound of the jet engine, I was watching the airplane ascend into the atmosphere at a 45 – 50 degree angle. The Lord then again spoke and said, “The higher up you go the less detail you see on earth.” I knew the simplicity of the statement was packed with profound revelation, for often times we can feel like we are staring at a blank canvas, not sure where we are going or what we are doing, and the Lord made it clear, that means you are at a cruising altitude, far from where you once were, but not yet arrived at where you are going.

The closer we get to our next destination, the more clear it will become for us. The sites and sounds will increase, the details will come into view, and the anticipation of the new location will fill our hearts with joy. But until then, if you can’t see anything or aren’t hearing anything, its okay, you are at a cruising altitude, headed to your next destination. The Lord is in control, all you have to do is obey the instructions from the captain of hosts and enjoy the quiet that comes from being at a cruising altitude.

The Wait Has Been Long, But…

For weeks now, literally everyday I have been seeing on the clock, on license plates, on receipts the numbers 633. My spirit immediately says, Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” Yes I know this is part of it, but if it was all of it, I would love keep seeing this number come up over and over again. Today, it happened again, I finish praying I sit down at my desk and there it is on the clock 633. I asked the Lord, what does 633 mean. Immediately, I sense I am to add the numbers together. 6+3+3=12; 12 represents the 12 apostles, the 12 disciples, the 2 tribes of Israel, and the Lord says, 12=leadership. One puzzle piece is in place.

I realized I had assumed the verse God was saying when I saw 633 so I went thoughout the whole bible and looked up all the 633 verses and there is literally only seven places you can find a 633. In all four of the gospels, Judges, and 1 and 2 Kings, that is it. When I come to the very last 633 in 2 Kings 6:33 it says, “While he was giving his instructions, the king showed up, accusing, “This trouble is directly from GOD! And what’s next? I’m fed up with GOD!” I read the verse and knew I needed to know the context. This is the story where the famine is so bad in Samaria that women are eating their children. The king is distressed by all this and blames it on Elisha, the prophet, henceforth, why the king says, this trouble is from God. Context matters.

As I am looking at this verse, the Lord says, tell people, “I am worth the wait!” (Selah) Tears are in my eyes, for the wait has been long, the pain seems to be intensifying from an attack on the world’s health to now the attack on the world’s wealth with inflation. People can’t seem to get a break. I then heard in the spirit, people wanting to give up, saying this is too hard. Those who have a promise from God, but He is saying wait, my friends, “He is worth the wait!” I know prices are high, markets are shakey and housing is out of control, but “He is worth the wait!” How do I know. Listen to the next verse in 2 Kings 7:1 “Elisha said, “Listen! GOD’s word! The famine’s over. This time tomorrow food will be plentiful—a handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel. The market at the city gate will be buzzing.”

One word from God and this whole thing is going to change in a day. One prophet, somewhere, someday is going to hear the voice of the Lord, declare it in the earth, just like Elisha did and everything is going to change for the world. Don’t give up, don’t stop believing, don’t quit now, we are one word away from God’s intervention. “He is worth the wait!”

FAITH

YOUR FAITH HAS POWER!

Mark 10:51-52 “Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “ Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.”

EXERCISE YOUR FAITH!

Mark 5:31-34 “Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”

FAITH IS THE INVISIBLE SUBSTANCE THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING!

Hebrews 11:1-3 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.

By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”

Separateness Precedes Glory

Everything has become common in our culture, therefore nothing is treated as sacred. This has brought about many more challenges then we realize. We now live in a culture that does not treat authority with respect, whether parents toward their children or citizens toward police. We have tolerated the common and not guarded the sacred, so people have sex at will, change their gender without long-term thought, and then wonder why they are miserable. When everything becomes common there is no standard, no plumbline, no measurement by which to know where we are off.

It took some pain to recognize this lack of sacredness in our society has not been all it was marketed to be. Real freedom has sacredness to it; real freedom comes with responsibility; real freedom not only sets us free but keeps us free. Culture has come to a measure of its senses and it is taking back the sacred and separating it from the common. Life is sacred, no one wants to die, why do you think people had such a fear of C-19? Why do you think people are “prepping”? Because innate within every human being is life, and no one wants to die.

The return of the sacred it going to penetrate and permeate every sector of society, the marriage bed is going to be kept pure again, children are going to honor their father and mother again, the sanctuary is going to become a place to meet with God again. But it is not going to stop there, people are going to actually realize they are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6). Leaders in the church are going to teach people the difference between the sacred and the profane, the consecrated and the common (Ezekiel 44).

It is already innate within us, we have “china” we only use on special occasions; we have foods we only eat on specific holidays, we know what the difference is and how important it is. As righteousness exalts the nation again, the demarcation between the sacred and the profane will be taught again. My friends the great awakening is happening, people are waking up to what has been stolen from them and they are taking it back. It is restoration time, the days of our captivity are over. If you can’t see the signs of it yet, you will very soon, as it is going to become the norm again to separate the sacred from the common. Because the glory of the Lord will only come to that which has been set apart.