Our Authority, Free Will, and Faith

     I praise God that more and more Christians are coming to the knowledge of the Power and Authority given to us by Jesus Christ. But as we in modern Christianity tend to do, we take a Biblical concept and mold it to our Western way of thinking. And especially, here in America, we have a streak of self-determination and independence running through our DNA. Unfortunately, that tends to bleed over into how we walk out our Biblical authority.
     First, let us establish that Jesus was given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Next, we should understand that He gave His power and authority to all who believe (Mark 13:34). Then we need to clearly see that Jesus modeled for the Body of Christ how we are to walk in that authority. He only did what He saw the Father doing in Heaven (John 5:19); and He only said what the Father told Him to say (John 12:49-50).  How many of us Christians can say we are obedient to Christ's model?  Do we even understand the consequences if we are disobedient?
     Well, let me tell you, that walking outside of our authority is a sure-fire way to run into spiritual trouble. Because besides our authority to exercise the power of God, our Father has given us another important little gift ... our free will. And when our will takes precedence over His Will, we are headed down a dangerous path.

     I do not write this to scare anyone from being bold for the Lord. There are times our authority will take us into some risky territory. But if we follow Jesus's model, we will be walking where our Father has laid out our path, and we will only be proclaiming what His Spirit communicates to our spirit. Any deviation from that, and we're asking for trouble.
     I can confidently say that, because I have acted out of my own free will and regretted it. I have seen a direction the Lord wanted me to go, but I got out ahead of Him and let my soul overtake my spirit, expressing what my mind was dictating and allowing my emotions to take charge, instead of listening for the Lord's clear instructions.  But I have also "ministered to people who took on assignments they determined would glorify the Lord. The problem was, He didn't tell them to go there or to strike the first blow. Those self-appointed assignments led to a season of paranoia and fear for one; and serious health threats for another -- until they realized that they had not received those marching orders from the Lord, and they repented for their disobedience and moved back into alignment with God's calling on their lives.
     "We must remember that "the battle is the Lord's -- not ours! Without God's specific authority to do something, we can find that we hurt ourselves more than advance His Kingdom. Probably the most familiar instance of not exercising our authority properly is the story of the seven sons of Sceva found in Acts 19:13-16, Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”  Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.  One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. The seven sons of the priest, Sceva, were sincere in their desire to do the work of the Lord. Problem was, He hadn't given them instructions to take on that assignment.
     Perhaps the clearest picture of someone in the Bible who understood how Christ's authority worked and how to exercise it was the Centurion in Matthew, Chapter 8: But the Roman officer interjected, “Lord, who am I to have you come into my house? I understand your authority, for I too am a man who walks under authority [and have authority over soldiers who serve under me]. I can tell one to go and he’ll go, and another to come and he’ll come. I order my servants and they’ll do whatever I ask. So I know that all you need to do is to stand here and command healing over my servant and he will be instantly healed.” The Centurion understood that Jesus walked under the authority of His Father. He also knew that he was capable of authority, but in this instance recognized that it was Jesus's authority that would heal his servant. And his faith that Jesus's authority [from Heaven] was so great that Jesus could heal from afar, earned instant healing for the servant. This was a man who understood the Heavenly Source and foundational principles of how Jesus's authority worked!

     So here is another fundamental truth in the Bible: our spiritual authority is accessed through our faith; and the level of our faith determines how much authority we carry. Consider this .... In Mark 9 and Matthew 17 we have the account of the boy with seizures who was not healed by the Disciples. The father of the boy said the Disciples were not strong enough. Strong enough in what? Their faith. In fact, when Jesus hears this, He calls them a "faithless people [generation]". The father then tells Jesus, " if you’re able to do something, anything—have compassion on us and help us!” Jesus responds, "What do you mean IF?" and goes on to explain that if one believes, anything is possible. The father declares that he believes but asks Jesus to help his "little faith". Jesus heals the boy, and His Disciples ask Him why they were unable to cast out the demon, and Jesus tells them that it is because of their lack of faith -- this demon requires prayer and fasting, which in the principles of Heavenly authority, requires a greater degree of faith.
     Now, let's fast forward to the Book of Acts. Christ has ascended into Heaven, and full authority has been bestowed upon the Disciples at Pentecost. Through their journey with Christ, they have advanced from using His authority as He trained them up, to now walking in their own authority as their faith has increased... The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade.  But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them.  Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.  As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.  Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed. (Acts 5:12-16)
     Their faith had increased and now they were operating at such a high level of authority that Peter didn't even have to touch someone for them to be healed -- his shadow released the power of the healing from the Holy Spirit! And notice that when the crowds brought the sick and those possessed by evil spirits to the apostles, they were all healed.... evidence of great faith and authority.
     So, I hope that I've shown how important it is to listen to the Spirit when operating in our authority. We MUST follow Jesus's example and only take on the assignments we receive directly from the Father. When we are obedient to this principle, we have nothing to fear and the power of Heaven is behind us. Step out on our own, without clearance from God, and that free will decision is outside the Father's will. Secondly, as our faith grows, so will the measure of authority we walk in. Jesus has placed us in a position of authority, but the power of Heaven comes when our faith is indisputable.  It is so important that we walk in our  spiritual identity and power, with our spiritual eyes and ears firmly focused on Jesus .... being ever mindful of what He's telling us to say and do. If we can follow His model, just think of the impact we would have on the world!

Matthew 17:20     He told them, "It was because of your lack of faith. I promise you, if you have faith inside of you no bigger than the size of a small mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move away from here and go over there,’ and you will see it move! There is nothing you couldn’t do!^"
     

     
    

Is Inner Healing Biblical?

     I've decided to take on this question because I have recently come to the conclusion that some in the Body of Christ may be confused regarding this issue. In our Deliverance Ministry, which involves inner healing by Jesus and Holy Spirit, I am beginning to run across devoted Christians who do not believe that Inner Healing is Biblical. I hear arguments that it has its roots in the occult, is part of New Age mysticism, and is an Anti-Christ doctrine.
     I am constantly amazed at how Christians view revelation from the Holy Spirit. Just because the words "inner healing" do not appear in Scripture, or you can't give Christians chapter and verse where Jesus says, "I want you to do Inner Healing as part of the Great Commission", then it is dismissed as deception and false teaching. But I would challenge those religious people to show me where "Trinity" is mentioned in Scripture; or "Sunday School". What about "Lent", or "the Rapture"?
     Arguments can certainly be made that the Bible reveals that God is three Persons in One: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But how is this concept derived? The title or words "Trinity" do not appear in our Bibles. Yet we are capable of understanding the concept of Trinity by taking the whole counsel of Scripture and receiving revelation of this Truth by filling our minds with God's Word and meditating upon it; having a heart willing to understand and obey. Yet mention "Inner Healing", and all kinds of labels are applied to you -- by other Christians!
     I have seen it written on popular Christian websites that God wants to free us from sins of the past, but He doesn't need "visualization techniques" or "prolonged emphasis on the past to do so".  This website then goes on to say, "As we abide in Him (John 15:5) He transforms our hearts and heals us. But the key is to focus on the Lord, not focus on ourselves." I would like to offer the following Scriptures to show that God actually does use our imaginations to transform and heal us:

I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination ["innermost" heart], flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of His calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, His holy ones! (Ephesians 1:18)

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will imprint My laws upon their minds [even upon their innermost thoughts and understanding], And engrave them upon their hearts [effecting their regeneration]. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. (Hebrews 8:10)

     I will agree that God does not want us to dwell on the pain of our sins, or the sins committed against us. But I would like to point out that, first, the word "minds" in Hebrews 8:10 is the Greek word dianoia, which means "the exercise of using your mind for deep thoughts; imagination". Proceeding from there, if "the eyes of your imagination" is centered in the innermost part of your heart, as Ephesians 1:8 says, then Scripture is making a connection between our minds and our hearts, where "regeneration" takes place; where we are renewed and restored --- and our imaginations play a part in the renewing of our mind and heart.
     But I want to move on from here and establish that Inner Healing is actually modeled in the Bible by Jesus, and that He actually participates in each and every Deliverance session that we are involved in. Whenever Christians try to convince me that they do not see this concept in Scripture, I will point them to John 21, where Jesus heals Peter's broken heart.

     Remember that Peter had boasted that he loved Jesus more than any of the other Disciples and that he would never leave Jesus. Yet, within hours of making that claim, Peter [sitting by a fire outside the Temple walls] would deny he knew Jesus three times. Here, in John 21, the resurrected Christ appears to Peter, who is seated by a fire, and asks him three times if he loved Him. In essence, Jesus knew how to bring healing to Peter and remove the pain of his denial. Three times Peter denied Jesus, but three times he makes his confession of his deep love for Christ. By the third time, the “crowing rooster” inside Peter had been silenced, and now he was ready to be a shepherd for Jesus’ flock. He was regenerated, restored, and healed.
      Again, in John 4 we see Jesus interacting with the Samaritan woman at the well, and engaging in conversation with her, where He gently heals her from her past sins of multiple marriages, and most likely adultery. She has been shunned by her community and lives in shame and guilt, finding it necessary to come to the well in the heat of the day when she will not have to mingle with the rest of "polite society". But Jesus meets her where she's at, speaks to her about her sin, and tells her that what she's looking for [the Anointed One] is right there with her, and she can drink from His Living Water and never thirst [for acceptance] again. He then tells her, "From here on, worshiping the Father will not be a matter of the right place but with the right heart. For God is a Spirit, and He longs to have sincere worshipers who worship and adore Him in the realm of the Spirit and in truth.” Did you see that? He wants people to engage Him in the spirit realm! And this woman was healed of her shame and guilt as she shared the Good News of the Messiah with her city. God was faithful to use her to reach others because she was honest to tell others that Jesus knew everything she'd ever done and still loved her.

     But Jesus has ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father, so we who are in the 21st Century don't have the blessing of having Him appear to us in the manner He did with Peter and the Samaritan woman. Yet, He does appear to each and every person who comes for ministry at our table! He is invited to be in our midst and He comes to them to heal and restore them, and He comes when they use the eyes of their innermost heart, their imagination. And He is real in that moment! He's every bit as real as when He appeared to Peter and the woman at the well!
    But the spirits of Doubt and Unbelief are alive and well in the Christian community. My fellow Believers are too willing to dismiss even these Biblical accounts of inner healing, because they have developed wrong theology about the impact of sin on the human experience -- the marks left on souls, hearts, minds, spirits, and bodies. They have developed wrong theology about suffering, the supernatural, and Biblical spirituality. In essence, they have developed a belief system that denies that Jesus can still heal today as He did in the Bible. But what hope does that kind of "religion" offer those who suffer from rage, anger, bitterness, self-loathing, shame, guilt, or any of a number of ways the Enemy attacks us? And I'm talking about both Believers and Unbelievers!

      So often in our Deliverance sessions, Unforgiveness is the root of wounded and shattered hearts, souls, and relationships. We see in Genesis 50, that the power of forgiveness can mend broken relationships as Joseph forgives his brothers for selling him into slavery, and extends the grace of God. Jesus establishes the need for forgiveness in the Lord's Prayer, and we have seen the miraculous effects of Him renewing the spirit of a person who has been bound in spiritual chains to Unforgivenss when the person is able to speak forgiveness over someone who has hurt them and release them to Jesus to be cleansed by His blood. 
     I believe that there is no better example of the need for Inner Healing in the Body of Christ than the story of Tamar. As you will recall in 2 Samuel 13, Tamar is raped by her half-brother Amnon, and then victimized a second time by her brother Absalom, who tells her to keep silent about it and "Do not take this to heart". Then the Bible says she remained secluded in her brother Absalom's house and "lived as a desolate woman".  Does the modern Church do the same thing -- expecting Christians to swallow their hurt and pain, and deny it? What does that do to people who carry these emotional and mental wounds? Do you think they might be living in desolation [misery and despair] even though they are saved?  And doesn't it do an injustice to our claims that we Christians walk in freedom? 
     In Isaiah 61, the prophet proclaims, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me to bring good news to the humble and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted, To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives, and freedom to prisoners". This is Old Testament prophecy of the ministry of Jesus to come. It is important we see that the Hebrew word for "broken-hearted" is shabar, which means "earthen vessels shattered in pieces"; and the Hebrew word for "bind" is chabash, meaning "to wrap firmly; to rule, to stop".
     Now take a Luke at what Jesus says in Luke 4:18, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,...". Here, the word for "brokenhearted" is the Greek word suntribo, meaning "harm inflicted by a quick blow [to an earthen vessel]"; and "heal" is the Greek word iaomai, meaning "spiritual healing, to make whole". He does more than "bind", He heals!
     I think it goes without saying that there are many among us who are earthen vessels who have been shattered to pieces by sin -- our own sin (as in Peter and the Samaritan woman) and sin that has been committed against us (as in the stories of Joseph and Tamar). But the important question becomes this:  Does Jesus want us to live in desolation or self-hatred or unforgiveness? Didn't He die to set us free from those bondages? And isn't it time we take a good look at our theology to see if we are denying Christ the opportunity to come to us and set us free? Take another look at those Scriptures in Ephesians and Hebrews. I believe that you will see that it is Biblical to use our imaginations to effect regenerated hearts, and it is all done by inviting Jesus and Holy Spirit to be present in our midst to help set us free. Jesus modeled it for us. It's time we recognize Inner Healing as Biblical, and walk in wholeness and complete freedom.

Matthew 11:28      Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life,  for I am your oasis.



    

Our Journey To Redemption

     If you have been following my blog over the last couple of weeks, you can probably tell that the Holy Spirit is guiding me to an expanded belief system. Having been led to a Deliverance Ministry by God, I have been challenged to see the human condition from His perspective, and to see the absolute necessity for Christians to understand the "spiritual mechanics" of how the Kingdom of Darkness tries to hinder our interface with the Kingdom of Light. But anyone whom the Lord has commissioned to get involved with Deliverance Ministry knows the inevitable arguments that come from the Body of Christ ... Christians can't have a demon; We have the Holy Spirit in us, and a demon can't occupy the same territory; Deliverance ministry is not for today. Jesus trained the disciples to do it, but that all ended when they died ... or any of a number of variations of these rationalizations.

     For a long time, I felt that I could adequately explain why I know that Mark and I have been called to this ministry, and my testimony went something like this: Yes, I agree that once we are saved, the Holy Spirit comes to reside in us and He cannot be defiled, so our spirit cannot be possessed by a demon, but both our body and our soul can be oppressed by a demon. I would then ask the following questions to the Doubter: How many saved Christians suffer from a sudden migraine headache, or herniated disks, or cancer? The answer I get is invariably some form of the following, "God is being glorified through that Christian’s infirmity and He wants to humble them so that they come closer to Him in their affliction. These suffering Christians just need more faith and prayer. God will fix them if it's His will".  I would then explain that God doesn't choose to hurt us so He can love us. These are examples of demonic powers oppressing the body.

     I would then ask how many saved Christians suffer from addiction to pornography, alcohol, or drugs? How many are involved in adulterous affairs or choose to engage in unethical business practices? How many saved Christians suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts, or emotions that are out of control? Again the response I usually get is, "They just need to draw nearer to God and He will draw nearer to them" or the easier way out of this dilemma, "Then they probably weren't saved in the first place". It's as if they want to see the Father as a medicine cabinet God with a magic pill called Faith that makes all our hurts go away. So I would try to show them that these are examples of our soul -- our mind, our will, and our emotions -- being tormented by demonic forces. I was satisfied with the fact that our spirits couldn't be touched.
     Now before I go on, I want everyone to understand that these situations DO NOT mean that a Christian is not saved! But it does point to the very real possibility that their bodies and souls and spirits may be in torment, and guess what? That is not how God designed us to be! He wants us to draw waters of joy from the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). It is never His desire or will that we be in pain, whether physical or spiritual! If at this point, anyone remains unmoved in their theological position, I would just ask them to consider the following: Do you believe the Bible when it says Jesus cast out demons? If the answer is yes, my next question is, "Do you think that when Jesus ascended to Heaven, that the demons said, 'Well, we might as well leave, too' "? If their answer is no, then my final inquiry is, "Then, do you think our Savior would leave us here for the last 2,000 years subject to these demons, without any way to fight back?" That train of thought almost always gives a Christian pause, and they will give Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance at least a modicum of consideration.
     In the past, I have always assured them their spirits were immune to any kind of defilement because, yes, our hearts were owned by the Holy Spirit. But God has been showing me that there is more to this spirit part of the equation. I am still holding onto the position that a true, born-again Christian cannot be possessed by a demon, but I believe God is showing me that our body, soul, AND spirit can be tormented, corrupted, and yes, even defiled by Satan's workers in the spirit realm.
     Now, before everyone goes screaming from the room, I want to be clear AGAIN that this does not mean that salvation has been lost. Let me say that in another way ... The Holy Spirit resides in us and will never leave us as He continually bears with us while we remain in our sinful ways. That's just where we are in the redemptive timeline of our journey. We continue to be cleansed by the Living Water of Christ [in us] as we continue to live in this foul world which inevitably soils us.
     Ephesians 4:30 tells us that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and therefore, some Christians take this to mean that our spirits cannot be defiled in our present state. But I like the way the Passion Translation gives us God's Truth: The Holy Spirit of God has sealed you in Jesus Christ until you experience your full salvation. So never grieve the Spirit of God or take for granted his holy influence in your life. God is Holy and cannot, Himself, be invested in our sin. But in His wisdom and love for us, He first has Christ bear our sin on the Cross, and then deposits the Holy Spirit in us to continue bearing with us until the day we are fully redeemed and saved at Christ's reappearance. It is that second sentence that we need to fully digest ... So never grieve the Spirit of God or take for granted his holy influence in your life. If we have been sealed [and therefore unable to be defiled], how is it possible to grieve the Holy Spirit after being sealed?
     I say all this because it is becoming clearer and clearer to me that we Christians can be defiled (contaminated; polluted; poisoned) in our daily lives as Satan attempts to steal, kill, and destroy parts of our bodies, ours souls and our spirits. Any part of us can become broken, even when the Holy Spirit resides in us. That is why Jesus sent Him; to counsel us, comfort us, advocate for us, intercede for us, and strengthen us -- to come alongside us and help us in those times we are being tormented by the Enemy. As I stated in my previous blog, Jesus longs to occupy the throne of our heart, having complete dominion over it, sharing it with no one else. And He places the Holy Spirit in the "Holy of Holies" portion of our heart, where we cannot be defiled. BUT, if Jesus does not own our whole heart, it becomes a battleground. The heart is the place where the Holy Spirit and our spirit commune in this earthly realm. If any part of our heart is not fully surrendered to Jesus, our spirit can be influenced in wrong ways.
     I do not think it is too difficult for Christians to understand that our hearts can be broken and shattered, as well as our bodies. But how many of us recognize that our spirits can be broken, too? I believe Psalm 51 shows the extent to which we can be broken in body, soul, and spirit. It is the cry of David to the Lord after his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. I urge you to take the time to click on the link I have provided and read it. David asks for his soul and body to be restored: Make me hear joy and gladness and be satisfied; Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Then he pleads for his spirit: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right and steadfast spirit within me... Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit... My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.  
     Hopefully, I have made the case that the condition of our heart affects the health of our spirit. There is a connection between our heart and spirit as exemplified in Ezekiel 36:26, And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you; and in Psalm 34:18, The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. If the heart is broken or defiled, it crushes the human spirit. The only sacrifice that is acceptable to God is a broken spirit and a contrite heart, with the desire to be renewed and restored to a right standing with Him through surrender to Christ. That is our righteousness.
    So, I just want to leave you with this thought.... Do not doubt your salvation if you find your soul, body, or spirit shattered. It is not a question of your faith in the work of the Cross. I am just sharing what the Lord is showing me... the Holy Spirit residing in my heart is the guarantee of my salvation. But remember, our salvation is a progressive journey. I don't think I have ever heard it expressed better than on the website called Mainsail Ministries: The Holy Spirit is a permanent resident within us until Jesus comes again. We are sealed as if inserted into a Holy-Spirit-envelope that is addressed to Jesus. When He comes again to finish the work of redemption, we will no longer need this sealing. Why not? Because we will have Jesus Himself…again. 
     Why do we think that Jesus and the Holy Spirit continue to intercede for us, if it is not because we are transitioning into the image of Christ in our ongoing journey to reach the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness]. Until then, we are going to stumble and fall prey to the tactics of the Enemy to steal, kill and destroy our bodies, souls, and spirits. I believe that the Body of Christ needs to come into a fuller relationship with their human spirits. We tend to live out of our body and soul, while ignoring the spirit part of us, which is how Jesus and Holy Spirit commune with us! How can we ever expect to be free from the torments of the Enemy if our spirits are not encountering and experiencing Jesus from a clean heart? This redemptive journey is not an easy one from the flesh/soul standpoint; but if we can get in touch with our spirits the road is easier as we learn to walk in the path Jesus modeled; spirit to Spirit.

1 Peter 5:8-9    Be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy, the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour. Take a decisive stand against him and resist his every attack with strong, vigorous faith. For you know that your believing brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing the same kinds of troubles you endure.

Understanding The Fullness of God's Will

     About a year ago I wrote a post about God's will. Because this is something that I desperately want people to understand, I'd like to elaborate, giving you an additional perspective to consider. I've shared that I'm attending a Bible study by Bill Johnson, called God is Good. And, as always, he gives me lots to think about and Scriptures to ponder.  
     At the center of the discussion is the fact that we have to decide if we believe God's goodness is demonstrated by His perfect will. This leads to the question, "Is God in control of everything"? And I will tell you that when faced with the pain of this world; the sickness, death, and emotional wounds, no question will cause more debate within the Body of Christ than that one.
     At the heart of this discussion/debate is understanding exactly what we mean when we talk about God's "will". Yet, as I wrote in the previous blog post, it is difficult to come to a consensus about what that word means. Well, as revealed in my Bible study, there are actually two words [in the original Greek] in the New Testament that give us two very different pictures of what God's "will" is.
     The first is the Greek word boulema as it is used in John 6:40, "For this is My Father’s will and purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him [as Savior] will have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day." It is a determination made by the Father and strongly expresses the deliberate exercise of God's will. As Bill Johnson says, this form of the Father's will is going to happen whether you and I like it or not. It will come to pass. If we believe in Jesus as our Savior, we will have eternal life. There is no other possibility. Another perfect example of this kind of God's will is the certainty that Jesus is returning. No question. He is coming back.
     The second form of God's will is expressed in the Greek word thelema, and is seen in Romans 12:2: "Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes."  Here, God's will is His purpose (will) that He wishes to be done. Stated differently, His will is His desire for what He would like to have happen -- and has made possible -- but may not necessarily be accomplished because we don't believe it can be done, or we believe it, but are waiting for Him to do it. I can give you a personal example of this. 
     Nearly a year ago, during my yearly eye exam the pressure in my left eye was elevated and an optic nerve was misshapen, causing the Ophthamologist to give me a preliminary diagnosis of glaucoma. In my spirit, I instantly renounced the diagnosis and refused to receive it. I believed that Jesus would heal me. I began praying over my condition, and enlisted faithful prayer partners to pray for my healing.  Although, I felt no difference in my eyes, I trusted that Jesus's promise to the leper in Matthew 8:2-3 is the same promise He has for me: Suddenly, a leper walked up to Jesus and threw himself down before him in worship and said, “Lord, you have the power to heal me . . . if you really want to.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the leper and said, “Of course I want to heal you—be healed!” And instantly, all signs of leprosy disappeared! 
     In addition, a faithful friend who sees in the Spirit, reported that as she prayed for my healing, she saw Jesus lay His hands on my eyes. I know that Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday [with the leper] and that His promises still hold true. With my friend's vision, my faith was confirmed. You see, Jesus as God's representative, expressed what the Father wished to be done; what was His will to have happen -- that all who come to Him will be healed; from that leper 2000 years ago, right down to me and you.
     But remember this is His thelema will, not His boulema will. It doesn't automatically happen, irrespective of us. This type of will requires our participation. Yes, it was absolutely the desire and wish of God that I do not have glaucoma, because there is no glaucoma in heaven. [REMEMBER: Jesus prayed for Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven]. Could God have instantaneously healed me Himself? Yes. Could I be healed from the further advancement of the glaucoma by taking various drugs for my eyes? Yes. Both would have accomplished a desired outcome. But I was seeking His perfect will for me!
     You see, we must always realize that personal relationship is what the Father has desired with His children from the beginning. It's what the whole Garden of Eden experience was all about and where He wants to return us. If He had sovereignly healed me, without any interaction on my part, where is the relationship? That question remains the same if I let the drugs do the healing. But when I choose to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit [in me] to intercede with Jesus and my Father in Heaven for my healing, then I go to Them in heart-to-heart prayer and engage in spirit-to-Spirit intercession, pouring out my desire for healing, while simultaneously praising Them in advance for the healing I absolutely believe I will receive. It creates personal intimacy with the Father that cannot be experienced with a distant, all-controlling God. 
     Now, I know that my explanation will not be enough for those Christians who, for whatever reason, are unwilling or unable to consider it. But, to me, that short-changes God and all those experiences in the Bible where Jesus healed everyone who came to Him in trust and conviction that He truly desired to heal them. Just think of all the hurting people in the world, who just like the leper, the blind, and the lame sought an encounter with Jesus so that they could be healed. Jesus represented the Father's desire for those afflicted people. And now we represent both Jesus and the Father! We must display Their thelema will to see the hurting people of our day have the same kind of encounter! 
     True, I can give my testimony to a skeptical world, and they can either believe my story that I was healed of glaucoma, or not. I know that the devil came to steal my sight, and I know he was absolutely defeated by the healing power of Jesus in me. But a testimony is easy to dismiss. What the skeptical cannot disregard is when they see me [and other disciples of Jesus] walking out our belief in His promises and showing them God's will for healing as we lay hands on the woman in Wal-Mart with bad knees and see her dancing, pain-free; or ministering to the young man in the mall seeking an answer from Jesus about his future, and he hears and sees His Lord speaking to him; or praying for the woman laying in a hospital bed with heart arrythmia, whose doctors are confounded when all symptoms suddenly disappear.
     The world needs to see this kind of God's will on display. They need those same kinds of encounters with the Father that the people in the Bible experienced. God hasn't changed! He still wants to do that! He sent Jesus to show us that it is possible. So the world needs to see us, His children, walking in belief, trust, and confidence as we represent His nature and heart for all people. It's time we understand the dual meaning of God's will and quit laying all the Enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy at God's feet. Let's give Him the credit He is due. He is a loving Father, who is Good all the time. Period.

Matthew 14:35-36     And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent word throughout all the surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick; and they begged Him to let them merely touch the fringe of His robe; and all who touched it were perfectly restored.       
     

A Fresh Look At The Church And Deliverance

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could He set free [deliver] all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.  (Hebrews 2:14-15) 

      I've made it no secret that I see Jesus's ministry on earth as the role model [and evidence] for the ministry of Deliverance and Inner Healing. As He stated [and I have reiterated countless times], He "came to set the captives free". And what did He set us free from? Ultimately, Death and the fear of dying, as the verses in Hebrews state. And why are we subject to Death? It's the debt we owe God for our sinful nature; paid for by the blood of Christ on the Cross.
     But there are other aspects of the "sin slavery" that He delivers us from, too. We see that in the four Gospels: He is able to deliver us from sickness -- sickness that invades the body, the soul, and the spirit. We can be delivered of physical illnesses, demonic torments to our minds and emotions, and wounds to our spirits [caused by our own sins, or those who have sinned against us].
     The Early Church recognized the full spectrum of what Jesus came to do and pay for. But down through the centuries, that message has been diluted and reduced to "being saved from eternal death". Maybe it's time we take another [closer] look at what the Bible has to say, and the factors that hinder our belief in the validity of Deliverance today.
     Let me start by saying that I love it when I stumble across the writings or a podcast from another Christ-follower whose revelation from Scripture supports what God has put on my heart. And when that person is unafraid of being criticized for standing up for what he or she believes is God's Truth [and can back it up with Scripture], then I am willing to listen. So I was excited when I heard a recent show by New York Pastor Alexander Pagani. He is, to say the least, unconventional in his history -- born in the Bronx and Saved in prison -- just the kind of "misfit" that Jesus found to be so useful in sharing His message. But the Pastor presented a very insightful argument for why the Modern Church has such a problem with Deliverance. And because I have experienced some of the same resistance, I wanted to take another look at our combined experiences and share some of my additional thoughts on the subject.
    Let me be clear, there are many reasons that modern day Christian leaders and their congregations do not embrace Deliverance.  And one of the most insidious hindrances to the freedom that Deliverance brings is Legalism.  I suppose this shouldn't be such a surprise when one considers that the language of the Bible centers a lot around legal terms --- debt; judgment; redemption (The act of freeing someone by paying a purchase price); justification (a legal term that describes a spiritual transaction where God [the JUDGE] declares those who trust in Christ and what He has done for them on the Cross to be acceptable before Him); and of course, "The Law", which is most purposefully expressed through "the Law of Moses" (the Ten Commandments and includes the many rules of religious observance given in the first five books of the Old Testament).
     But, when considered Biblically, the Law of Moses is quite strict and comes with consequences; it didn't center around the love of God, from the standpoint that He had to institute some strict boundaries to cleanse the Israelites from the idolatry and paganism they experienced during 430 years in Egypt.  It was a system of religious responses based on human actions. Think, "An eye for an eye". Deliverance, on the other hand, is a legal exchange, not a religious experience. Today, in the 21st Century, and due to God's immense love for us, our debt for sin was paid for on the Cross, and our rescue, or deliverance, or redemption are all legal transactions where Jesus trades His Blood for our freedom.  
     But here's what modern legalism in the Church gets us: we still tend to blame the flesh when it could be a demon contributing to our sin. And here's how the devil uses that mindset to deceive the Church: he either convinces the Church that he doesn't exist; or convinces the Church that demons don't exist. An argument I often hear is that those who believe in Deliverance see a demon around every corner. But I agree with Pastor Pagani, who says, "That warning is misdirected. We don't blame the devil or demons enough!"
    Once again legalism in the church is a tool that the Enemy uses to corrupt the real legal aspect of our Deliverance. If we accept that "legal ground" is the permission to act, then we Christians need to be cognizant of the grounds by which we legally give the devil the right to act in our lives -- among the most prominent are overt SIN; participation in the OCCULT; UNFORGIVENESS; and the LIES we believe from the Enemy. 
     Depression, Doubt, Guilt, Fear, Anger, Shame, Unbelief, Lust, Pornography, Addiction, etc., etc. are all manifestations of legal ground given to the devil. If we want to remove these spiritual strongholds from our lives, then we have to remove the legal ground they claim. How do you do that? By confessing your sins, forgiving debts, renouncing the lies the Enemy whispers, and cancelling those claims in the Name of Jesus and by His Blood. Legalism in the Church will see those defeated seasons in your life as "suffering" for Christ-- you must work harder at overcoming your sinful state. But Deliverance, in the true model of Christ, sees Jesus doing the work because of the love of the Father. 
     There is another element in the Church that is closely tied to Legalism when it comes to the role of Deliverance in the Church. It's called Tradition. I often wonder.... is the Church willing to receive a "fresh wind of revelation"? I am always amazed at the willingness of some Christians to cling to some denominational doctrine that does not speak to the season and age in which we live. Why is it so difficult to consider that God's revelation has been progressing through the ages? That He reveals more and more of Himself as He blows fresh winds of revelation into our modern circumstances?
     Let me ask you a question ... Has how we respond to the common cold progressed or evolved through the years? Do we still prescribe to Ben Franklin's theory of sleeping naked with the windows open to remove "the putrid air of a closed room" as the way to avoid a cold? Or have we progressed to the use of decongestants, cough suppressants, antihistamines, washing our hands, and doses of Vitamin C as viable solutions? The point I'm trying to make is that if some methods of relieving the common cold are in need of being updated, can we at least agree that our Church models for relieving the effects of sin in our lives may need to be updated, too? 
     Now, let's go another step or two with this concept. Look how technology has advanced in just our lifetimes. The rapid expansion of technology reaching into our lives has skyrocketed. From the rotary phone of my childhood to the Smartphone that is a mini-computer in your hand, the human race has progressed in their knowledge and abilities. Don't you think that Satan, who is a counterfeiter, has been able to evolve his methods of spiritual attack to match the speed with which we are learning how to war in the spirit through Deliverance? My point here being that just as we have updated our medical protocols, perhaps we should be paying attention to updating our models of Deliverance, too -- that is, if our Church is even doing Deliverance!

     I will tell you that since the Lord brought this ministry to Mark and I a short four years ago, we have seen the discovery of ever more sinister ways in which the devil and his demons have contrived to keep people in bondage. Simply rebuking a demon and casting it out may not be enough anymore to stop the devil's torment. Just as mankind is exploring genetic manipulation, so is the Enemy. Just as our wireless devices connect at different frequencies, the devil has found a way to corrupt those frequencies for his evil purposes. I know this may all sound like nothing you've read in the Bible, but that's where we have to make sure that we don't let the religious mindset of Tradition and traditional understanding leave us unguarded and unprepared to battle in the spirit.
    As Pastor Pagani said in his thick Bronx accent, "Tradition makes us get stuck on the Black letters on the white pages [in the Bible]. The white is the essence of the Bible!" In other words, don't just cling to the outward appearance of Scripture, but seek to understand the substance; the heart of the passage; the essence! Remember, that when accused of breaking the traditions of the Sabbath by healing a man on that holy day, Jesus's response was, Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly. 
     We are living in an ever-changing world. And the devil is matching us step for step. He is never going to quit trying to kill, steal, or destroy our lives in Christ. So that means his methods of torment and devouring are advancing as rapidly as our existence. We must be ever mindful to not give up legal ground, or get stuck in outdated traditions that give the Enemy of God the opportunity to take our freedom [in Christ] that our Lord paid for.  It's not too late to get updated on how to bring in the Lord's harvest. We laborers can use the help!

Galatians 5:1     "Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past".


  
        

The Flesh vs The Kingdom

   This is going to be a very personal blog post. I just want to reveal some truths that I know my Father in Heaven wants each of us, whom He calls His children, to grasp. My testimony today involves what I have been experiencing in these last few days, and what I have seen people whom I am close to experience. Furthermore, I know that so many other followers of Jesus can identify with what I'm about to share...
     To begin with, it has been nearly two weeks since my precious father-in-law began a journey into, and through, a serious health episode. He has been experiencing the increasing ramifications of rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, and various other health conditions.  He has valiantly and bravely endured a loss in the quality of his life, and as hard as that has been to watch, I have witnessed a growth in his spirit and relationship with the Lord that might not have occurred without him experiencing a decline in his health.
     No one wants to face a serious health situation, and our family is facing a very high risk surgery today. The last two weeks have seen an acceleration towards this life event and, as scary as it has been to experience, there have been so many blessings as I watch this man who loves his family and his Lord have supernatural encounters with Jesus all along the way. Jesus has helped him get through an exhausting and painful MRI, counseled him on critical surgical decisions, and calmed him during frightening realizations of the fragility of this human life.
     I have also been a party to the opportunities the Holy Spirit has given my husband, Mark, and I to lead our family from inexperience and indifference about the importance of spiritual warfare into dynamic participation on behalf of our patriarch. So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are His lovers who have been called to fulfill His designed purpose (Romans 8:28). 
     I had once prophesied over my father-in-law, [who questioned why Jesus had not healed him from all his infirmities], that God had a purpose for him. He wanted him to help his daughter grow her relationship with Jesus in the spirit. And here we were, witnessing her praying in the spirit for Jesus and warring angels to protect her dad! 

     So now we wait to see what God's designed purpose is tomorrow for this life-saving surgery. No matter the outcome, we know that my father-in-law will be in Jesus's hands -- whether he still has time to serve God here on this earth, or he enters into eternity with his Savior. In addition, we now, as a family, are using our power and authority to see our own spirits work in union with the Holy Spirit.
     On top of dealing with the emotional and spiritual aspects of this family event, my husband and I had to attend an art event in the middle of this situation. We always approach this business side of our life with the knowledge that God will provide our needs as He also works His sovereign will. The outcome may not always be as profitable for our fleshly needs, but He has never disappointed when it comes to meeting the needs of His Kingdom. 
     These events are always stressful, because the world tells us to focus on the outcome -- paintings sold means bills are paid. And you are in the midst of 60 or more artists whose own anxiety over sales adds to a rather secular and ungodly atmosphere. It can be difficult to take every thought captive and shut out the lies of the Enemy. Plus we were operating under emotional and physical exhaustion from making long trips to the hospital to see Mark's dad.  But the Holy Spirit woke me up in the early morning hours of the day of the Show and told me that I needed to make sure that I ministered to an artist's wife who was having to fill in for her husband because he was back home fighting a very serious bone infection after back surgery.
     So when we arrived at the event, I sought her out, but she had not yet arrived. I had hoped to find her before the buying public showed up and the chaos of the night ensued. It wasn't until a couple of hours later that I even spoke of this Holy Spirit prompting to Mark and he immediately said, "Go now! Find her and pray with her". So I left in search of her and this time, I found her. I explained about my early morning prompting and told her I knew this wasn't a very convenient time, but she stopped me and said, "No, now is the perfect time!" So we stood there in the midst of the crowds swirling around us, holding hands; two women believing that I could lay hands [in the spirit] on her husband's back while he was receiving treatment back home in Arizona, and that the healing power of Heaven could do a supernatural work in the flesh of her husband. I will tell you that I felt the power of her faith in that moment, and as I finished praying, she ended our time together by declaring that Jesus was Lord and Savior, and "By His stripes, her husband would be healed!" We didn't notice what the crowd thought about our spiritual warfare, and frankly, we didn't care. We were just obedient to do what Jesus commanded us.  And I am standing on God's promise that when two people are in agreement over what they ask for in prayer [in His Name[, that it will be received.
     And previously, Mark had prayed over a Board Member of the Museum, who was incapacitated by herniated discs in his back, and would be having surgery in a few days. As I returned to stand [in the physical sphere before the paintings we were exhibiting], all the anxiety I had been feeling disappeared. I told Mark, "You know what? I don't think this Art Show is about whether we sell paintings or not. What if the reason we are here tonight is to be the conduit between Heaven and Earth? What if the primary reason we came to the Show was not to seek provision for us, but to pray over those two men and release the power of the Holy Spirit into their situations and see them healed?" Mark just looked at me, and I saw the exhaustion of the last couple of weeks slip away, and the strain of the evening disappear. He said, "I think you're right. It's about doing Kingdom work; not about us".
     And you know something interesting? As soon as we put the Kingdom first, the atmosphere changed, and people began bidding on his work, and the Lord surpassed any expectancy we had about receiving His provision! And the joy at the end of the evening was not about number of dollars, but that we had been willing to hear the Holy Spirit and help Him invade that event with His Presence! 
     But it doesn't stop there! I have heard testimonies from my Brothers and Sisters in Christ of the opportunities they are receiving -- and acting on -- to minister to people; to heal them and to share the gospel. We are all discerning that the Holy Spirit is active and zealous for partners to work with. We are sensing He is on the move in the Body of Christ for those who are willing to hear Him and respond! The opportunities to do Kingdom work abound, and I pray that your heart and spirit are sensitive to hear the Lord calling, even as you answer Him, "Send me!"  

Ephesians 3:20     "Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for His miraculous power constantly energizes you".   

Fighting Our Fears

     In the wake of all the Lord has shown me in the past few years, I am seeing a new paradigm rising in the Body of Christ.  It has a couple of different components, but at the foundation, it is rooted in Fear.  I know that's not a new revelation about the Christian life, but follow me as I show you where I want to go with this...
     The spirit of Fear is as old as the Garden of Eden. In fact, my research has discerned that the first mention of fear is in Genesis 3:10, when Adam hides from the Lord after he and Eve have disobeyed His commandment regarding the tree of the knowledge (recognition) of good and evil. In response to God's question of where he was, Adam replies, “I heard the sound of You [walking] in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
     It is important for us to recognize that this fear was not in the sense of reverence for God, or standing in awe of Him, both of which are implied in a healthy fear of God. As long as Adam and Eve were in perfect relationship with their Creator, they knew only this kind of fear, and they exalted Him and recognized His power and position from their blessed state. But once they rebelled and lost that holy relationship, they were separated from Him spiritually, and to be in His Presence generated a deep-seated dread and terror of the Lord. Here, the sense of the word fear takes on a completely different significance.
     And who was there in the garden to exploit that dramatic change in the relationship between man and God? The Father of lies! He witnessed how terror and dread was a by-product of being out of right relationship with God, and it became a most useful tool in keeping man separated from His Creator and from restoring that full relationship. And today's Christians, who are spiritually saved, are easy targets for the Enemy and his spirit of Fear. Along with the spirit of Anger, it is probably the most common attack that Mark and I witness in our ministry. 
     So, how does all this relate to the new paradigm in the Body of Christ that I mentioned in the first paragraph, and the different components of this paradigm? To begin with, Fear keeps the Church from walking in Jesus's commands to help establish the Kingdom of God on earth. Fear then results in the two components within the Body: 1) the Christians who [because of their fear of what they don't know] deny that we are to heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead, which gives us the opportunity to share the Gospel; and 2) the Christians who recognize this is our mission, given by Christ, but who are afraid for various reasons to walk in that authority and power. Even if one can convince them that the doctrine of Cessationism is wrong -- that Jesus' commandments were just as much for us as they were for the Apostles -- I have heard all the reasons they convince themselves that it's either not God's will for them to step into that assignment, or that it's too difficult for them to do.  Let me share just a few...
     God is in control of everything.  If they or a loved one are ill, or suffer from depression or anxiety, or any number of attacks from the devil, then God is allowing it. Their suffering is a way to bring them into submission to God's will for their life. Therefore, why would they go against God? After all, isn't that what the Book of Job is all about? But the Bible says that God's will is good, perfect, and acceptable. Did you get that? That is the description of His will -- whether you are giving thanks; doing good; abstaining from sexual immorality; acknowledging that His kingdom has come; doing what is pleasing in His sight; doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with Him; confessing your sins; etc. -- it is all His will [the desire of His heart] and His will is good, and perfect, and acceptable to Him. 
     It is NEVER His will to see His children suffer, just as no good father on earth would desire his child to suffer. Did you ever read in your Bible where Jesus told anyone, "I wish I could heal you, but my Father is telling me that you have to suffer a little in order to improve your relationship with Him"? No! The Bible repeatedly tells us that Jesus healed all who came to Him, or healed all who were ill (Matthew 15:30, 12:15). But the fear of God allowing the devil to torment us to test our faith is a wrong interpretation of Job, while being a very real apprehension for a lot of Christians.
     We must always be careful of being deceived.  Fear of deception by the devil is probably the most voiced argument I hear for not walking in our power and authority.  Peoples' fears are often expressed like this ... If we go outside of our denomination's doctrine, how do we know our interpretation of Scripture is correct?  If hearing something different than the theology I've established for myself makes me uncomfortable, then it can't be from God -- it must be a deception by the Enemy... I don't really trust anything I hear that's not backed up and supported by my Church, my pastor, my Christian friends, the Biblical interpretation I've been taught, or fill in the blank.  
     But all I'm hearing in these arguments is the reliance on human wisdom. Where is the trust in God and the Holy Spirit to reveal their Truth to you? This sounds an awful lot like the religious skeptics in Jesus' day. After all, Jesus invaded comfort zones and challenged religious traditions and ideas 2,000 years ago -- and He hasn't changed! 
     At some point, we must quit being afraid of being deceived and trust that God can still speak to us! We must see a God that is bigger than our concept of a deceiving devil. If we are afraid of letting the power of the Holy Spirit work through us [as He did Jesus] to battle sickness, demons, or to bring people to a decision for salvation, then we give the devil more power than he deserves OR has.
     I'm afraid I'll do it wrong.  This would be a valid argument if you were doing it under your own power.  But you're not!  Take a look at Mark 16:20... It reads, And they [the Disciples] went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs. The Disciples were doing what Jesus commanded them [and us] to do... preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, accompanied by the signs and wonders of healing the sick, casting out demons, etc.
     But look at the previous verse in Mark 16:19.  So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.  Did you see what the Bible said happened? It was AFTER He ascended that Jesus worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs. I'll say it again ... This was after His resurrection! Yet He worked with them (partnered with them) to do the miracles of healing and deliverance after He had risen to heaven! He continued to work with them perfecting their abilities through His power. He is the same today as He was yesterday! He has sent the Holy Spirit to do the same with us. You can't do it wrong, because it's not you doing it -- it's Him! All He needs is willing partners, and your trust and faith in Him. But too many Christians let fear, doubt, and unbelief creep into their minds and hearts, therefore making it impossible for Jesus and the Holy Spirit to work through them.
     You need to be careful playing around with the Dark Side.  Once again, fear is the primary instigator behind this sentiment. Yes, the devil is our adversary, and a formidable one. We must have our spiritual armor on at all times, and be aware of his many schemes and tactics to overcome believing Christians. But the reality of this spiritual war is that we have nothing to be afraid of. A very telling passage of Scripture happens in Luke, Chapter 10, when the 72 Disciples Jesus sent out to minister healing and deliverance [and preach the Gospel] return. Read the following from the Passion Translation:
     When the seventy missionaries returned to Jesus, they were ecstatic with joy, telling him, “Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we commanded them in your name!” Jesus replied, “While you were ministering, I watched Satan topple until he fell suddenly from heaven like lightning to the ground. Now you understand that I have imparted to you all my authority to trample over his kingdom. You will trample upon every demon before you and overcome every power Satan possesses. Absolutely nothing will be able to harm you as you walk in this authority.  However, your real source of joy isn’t merely that these spirits submit to your authority, but that your names are written in the journals of heaven and that you belong to God’s kingdom. This is the true source of your authority.”
     Jesus makes it pretty clear that we have nothing to fear!  We have been given all His authority, and He makes sure we understand that absolutely nothing can harm us.  And notice what else He says: that while we are carrying out our Lord's commands to continue His work [which is our ministry], it causes Satan to topple from his place in heaven.  Remember: the Bible makes it clear that there are multiple heavens, and at some point, I plan on writing a post on where Satan rules his kingdom from. But for the sake of this article, I don't want to get caught up in all the theological theories on when this happens, but want to concentrate on the fact that Jesus tells us that 1) we have all of His authority, 2) we have nothing to be afraid of, and 3) when we walk in our designated power and authority it causes Satan to "topple" or "fall", as it is stated in the King James version. It is very possible that Jesus is telling us that our willingness to heal and deliver causes Satan to fall into ruin, or fail, and it happens as suddenly as lightning hitting the ground, every time we walk in that authority.  
    And the last argument from those fighting fear is this one:  I believe that you have to be specially anointed in specific spiritual gifts to do this work, and I don't have the gift of healing.  It is my discernment that this argument comes from a lack of understanding of the Holy Spirit. If we are saved by grace for our faith in Jesus, then the Holy Spirit resides in us. And the Holy Spirit has produced all the gifts and has them with Him, with the ability to give any [or all] to us as we need them.  So that gift of healing is already present in you with the presence of the Holy Spirit. You just have to decide to be obedient to Jesus' commands and cooperate with Him and the Spirit to see someone healed.
     If you will take a look at 1 John 2:27, I think you will find an answer to the fear of walking in the gifts. In reference to being deceived by false teachers or doctrines [or even the devil], John instructs believers: But the wonderful anointing you have received from God is so much greater than their deception and now lives in you. There’s no need for anyone to keep teaching you. His anointing teaches you all that you need to know, for it will lead you into truth, not a counterfeit. So just as the anointing has taught you, remain in Him.  
     If we have the Holy Spirit in us, we all have the anointing to do any of the gifts, as needed. The
“anointing” is the Holy Spirit poured into us, bringing life, illumination, wisdom, fruit, and power from the indwelling life of Christ. He covers it all -- everything we need to defeat the works of the devil, just as He did.
     In summary, I don't want to downplay the power that fear has in the lives of Christians. I personally know the all-consuming fear that can separate one from our Father in Heaven. And it is the fiery dart that the Enemy loves to use against me more than any other. But I continue to choose the Truth of the Word and the promises that Jesus has given us: we have authority over all the power of the Enemy and nothing can harm us. So, while not easy, to live freely, without fear, is a choice; a choice to believe -- and when necessary, to repent for giving in to the snare of the devil, and to once again take that step of faith to walk in my true identity as an empowered child of God and co-heir of the Kingdom with Christ. I declare that the spirit of Fear is the real deception of the devil, and I walk in the perfect love of the One who died for me.

Psalm 56:4    What harm could a man bring to me? With God on my side I will not be afraid of what comes. The roaring praises of God fill my heart, and I will always triumph as I trust His promises.