Hungry, Humbled, and Healed

    

     Mark and I are preparing ourselves spiritually for a new opportunity in the Kingdom of God. Next week, we are going to be part of a team ministering to female military veterans at a 4-day retreat. The Lord answered our prayers for expansion of His Kingdom into new territories, and we are praying that these women will find their freedom in Christ and be set free from whatever bondage their spiritual enemies have inflicted upon them.
     As I have prayed for the Lord's guidance, direction, and protection, I clearly heard the desire of my spirit -- that they would come hungry, be humbled, and leave healed. Yes, Lord! That's my prayer for each attendee! But I soon realized that this is my hope for each person that we come into contact with for the Kingdom. Whenever we meet with anyone whom we've invited to the Lord's table for healing, it is important that they be hungry for an encounter with Jesus; that they arrive with the awareness that they are longing for something [or Someone] that they have been separated from. It is that hunger for more that drives them to the table -- a thirst for more from life; more in their relationships with loved ones; more of knowing who they are and what their purpose on this earth is; more answers to their torment; and more of a spiritual experience with their Savior.
     I'm going to get personal here -- if this describes you, I bet you have tried to fill that hungry void with everything but a personal encounter with Jesus. More money, more drugs, more sex, fancy cars, big houses, trips to Europe, titles at your job or in your Church -- none of it will still the voice that whispers you are unloved, rejected, unworthy, or unimportant. Yet you are hungry and thirsty for more! 
     That's why Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied". Here, righteousness, is "whatever is right or just in itself that conforms to the revealed will of God; whatever has been appointed by God to be acknowledged and obeyed by man" (Strong's Concordance). Please -- don't just read over that definition as we've all done so many times in our attempts to study the Bible. When you are at the point that you are hungering and thirsting for God to reveal Himself and His will for your life, that's usually the point you are most desperate. All those others things I mentioned in the last paragraph haven't satiated your hunger or quenched your thirst.
     But Jesus is telling us that when we hunger and thirst to have the Father actually show up and reveal His will for our life and what He has appointed to us from the foundations of the world -- and we are ready to acknowledge and receive what is revealed and appointed, then we achieve the satisfaction that we've longed for! And that takes us to the next step ... to be humbled.
     Once we're desperate to have our hunger and thirst satisfied by God, we have to come to the end of ourselves. It's here that we have to admit that all we've done to fill that bottomless pit has failed. In fact, it is our own actions that have often dug that pit deeper; our pride and refusal to surrender to the One who created us and knows us best, has only pushed us further away from Him.
     When we are able to look at ourselves -- in all our filthy rags -- we see that our selfishness and pride have been the driving force that has led to our insatiable hunger and the thirsty condition of our heart. And because God has given us all free will, He will not step in and remedy your situation. From the depths of your hungry soul and spirit, you must be willing to reject and defeat your pride and confess your need for Jesus. It is from that position that you can become obedient, receive God's grace, and begin to be healed.
     You see, our Father in Heaven longs to heal us all. He paid an indescribable price to deliver us from Death and the devil's torment. But to be restored to full health and healing, we must be hungry for the Healer and humble ourselves before His throne. It is only then that we are teachable and can learn His ways. And that's when the Father will stretch out His hand to restore honor and goodness and character to your life, along with health to your body, soul, and spirit. 
     I can only imagine what wounds we will see at this upcoming retreat. But I also know that they will be no different than the ones who find their way to our door and Jesus's table every week in our home. The devil's tactics never really change -- he seeks who to devour because of willful sin, which leads to open doors of torment. They all come looking for the same thing; a way to quiet the voices of condemnation. So it is my prayer that God will create a hunger in them for the Kingdom of God in their lives and the freedom that it brings. Bring them hungry, Lord! And I promise we will help them to humble themselves; we will speak of Your Mighty hand that seeks to exalt those who tremble before You. And, right now, I praise You for the healing that is even now being prepared for those who will submit to You with contrite hearts. Their healing and their victory is on the way! And I truly thank you, Father, for all those You entrust to us. Bring us more! Bring us those willing to come hungry, to be humbled and to be healed by the Blood of Jesus. What an honor it is to serve You!

Proverbs 4:20-22    Listen carefully, my dear child, to everything that I teach you, and pay attention to all that I have to say. Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit. Then, as you unwrap my words, they will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being.

The Gift Of Freedom Revisited

I recently stumbled across this post I wrote nearly five years ago and was astounded to discern that the truth of it is still as relevant today. I am still just as inspired as I was then, and I am still as committed to shouting this news from the rooftops! So, whether this is the first time you have read this, or like me, you are revisiting it, I hope it speaks loud and clear to your spirit. Enjoy and then join me!

     How do I write about what I experienced over the weekend?  How do I impart the words of knowledge and freedom that I received, with both gratification and glory to God for His revelation, and without offending His Church and the Body of Christ?  That's a very difficult tightrope to walk.
     But, I guess the message I am getting from the Holy Spirit is this:  "Just tell the truth."  So here goes... You know that God seems to be leading me and my husband on a path towards accepting our position on the battlefield of Spiritual Warfare.  So, this past weekend, we had the privilege to attend a 2-day conference taught by Dr. Charles Kraft, a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary for 40 years.  The title of the conference was "Defeating Dark Angels", but the central topic of the meeting was based less on the sensational-sounding aspects of that title, and more on the Scripture-affirming concept of inner healing to help deliver defeated Christians as they battle their demons.
     There is no way in a single post that I can elucidate all the insight and understanding that my spirit was given during the intense instruction.  So I will try to give you the points that opened my eyes, my mind, and my heart to the truth of who I am meant to be as a follower of Jesus.
     Let me start by saying that Dr. Kraft is unlike what the secular world -- and for the most part, the Church -- views as a "Deliverance Minister."  He is a soft-spoken, gentle man, who never raises his voice.  He does not employ any of the histrionics of the so-called "healers" or "exorcists" that characterize the modern perception of evangelists who cast out demons -- there is no melodrama, theatrics, or artificial showmanship; no Benny Hinn, here.  There is no writhing on the floor, no yelling, and no dramatic vomiting. As he reiterated many times throughout the conference, "If the healing is not loving, it's not from Jesus."

     To begin with, he makes it very clear that there are two levels of demons we encounter in our spiritual warfare.  The "ground level" troops are the fallen angels that we call demons or evil spirits; those who envy us our bodies, and who look for someone to inhabit.  The "cosmic level" demons are those we encounter in Ephesians 6:12-- the principalities, powers and rulers that command the ground troops. They have different personalities, are destructive to the peace that Jesus has promised His followers, and they differ in power and wickedness.  All that sounds like we're waging a losing battle, doesn't it?  Sadly, many Christians are living their lives in defeat, rather than through the victory that is ours in Christ.
     Interestingly, Dr. Kraft wrote that although most Christians recognize that much of the New Testament was written by the Apostle Paul to the new Christian Churches, they fail to acknowledge that 80% of Paul's Epistles tell us of Jesus's Power, and about 20% talk about the Love of Jesus.  The average Christian knows about Love, Faith, and Redemption, but they are weak on Spiritual Warfare and the Power and Authority of Jesus that He transferred to us.
     As a missionary in Nigeria, Dr. Kraft asked the people he had come to serve in Jesus's Name, "What is your biggest problem?"  Their answer?  "Evil spirits."  I think it should be clear that we are all made in the image of God (as spirit beings), so why would we be any different?  Oh, yeah... the prosperity, the level of comfort, and our ability to hide from our demons through the means of entertainment, technology, addictions, and a myriad of other distractions.  So, in the end, we continue to ignore the attacks and continue in our bondage, while focusing on loving Jesus.  We base our Christian Worldview on the 20% of Paul's writings that talk about Love, and turn a blind eye to the 80% that tell us He has given us Power in His Name to be free of all the oppression, pain, and spiritual domination.
     The first step towards this freedom is to make two major changes in this worldview towards accepting our role in Spiritual Warfare:  1) Believe there are demons, and 2) Be able to effectively use our conferred Power and Authority (in His Name) to deal with these dark angels (demons) and to "set the captives free".  It was an eye-opener to me, when Dr. Kraft pointed out that there are three things that are most important to Christians:  Salvation, Freedom, and Habits.  We've got the first one down; we understand the origin and process of Salvation pretty well.  And we've gotten real good at the last one; our habits are entrenched in our Sunday attendance and all the ceremonies and traditions of our denominations.  As Dr. Kraft expressed so well, "Our churches are full of people wonderfully saved, but they're not free."
     We seem to have lost sight of the fact that Jesus obviously took Satan and his demons seriously.  And, even more importantly, He expects us to take demons seriously and to use His power to get rid of them.  That is very evident in the Scripture that instructs us on His Great Commission:  Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).
     I have pointed out this Scripture in the past, but now I have an even greater understanding of it.  Jesus passed on to His disciples all of His power.  He set aside His God Power, and never once used it on earth.  He only acted as a human being, using the power of the Holy Spirit.  He intends for us to do the same!  We modern-day disciples of Christ are no different than the famous Disciples of the Gospels.  We are to see ourselves as Jesus sees us.  He tells them to go and make disciples of all the nations (and disciples is who we are); to baptize; and to "teach them to observe (or do) everything that I have commanded you."   Down through the centuries, each succeeding generation of disciples concentrated on evangelizing and baptizing, but failed to teach how to defeat demons using the power of the Holy Spirit.
     But the one thing I want you to get from this abbreviated summary of the conference is this:  There is no deliverance from our demons without inner healing first.  As a visual person, it helped me a lot to picture Dr. Kraft's illustration on what that looks like... "Where you have garbage, you have rats.  If you just get rid of the rats, and don't get rid of the garbage, the rats will come back.  But if you get rid of the garbage first, [the cycle] of the rats gets weakened, and it is usually easy to kick them out.  The rats, if they are there, are always the secondary problem, not the primary one."
     So his model of "Deliverance" is to accomplish the inner healing of the Christian first, then see if there are any demons present.  In other words, the "garbage" could be a number of things resulting in unresolved pain and hurt in one's life.  It could be broken relationships, areas of unconfessed sin, involvement in the occult, or sexual or physical abuse in your past --- anything else that gives the Enemy a "legal right" to influence you, either from the outside or the inside.
      When we deal with the "garbage" and get healed from that -- through getting in touch with how Jesus sees us; this Jesus whom we know as our loving Savior who created us, chose and planned us from before God made the world -- then the demons lose their hold on us, and we can often kick them out of our lives without a fight.
     But now comes the part that is difficult for me.  How do I express my frustration with the Church for their inability to see this dynamic?  How do I make my fellow Christians and members of the Body of Christ understand that if Jesus instructed us to be taught on how to use His Power and Authority through the Holy Spirit to defeat Satan and his demons -- yet we don't recognize that authority, or refuse to consider it -- then I humbly see that as irresponsible on our part, as His disciples.  This Power and Authority is available to all who follow Jesus, and is meant to be a means to offer Freedom to those held captive by Satan.  I will agree that certain people of faith seem to have a "knack" or "gifting", if you will, to "take the ball and run" with the power and authority.  But as Dr. Kraft so wisely counseled us, "Obedience precedes gifting."  If we will only be obedient to Jesus's command of John 14:12, (We will do the works He did, and do even greater things), I believe we will find that our ability to engage in His Power and Authority, through the Holy Spirit, will come in greater measure.
     We should not be afraid of our Commission, and we should not shirk our responsibility to follow our Savior's commands.  As 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]."  THAT, my fellow Christians is living in true Freedom!  And THAT is why Jesus performed the will of His Father on the Cross... to give us the ability to use the same Authority from our Father, and the Power of the Holy Spirit to not only live a free life ourselves, but to help set other captive Christians free.
     You see, "Deliverance" doesn't have to be a violent, theatrical show of God's Power and Authority.  It can be just like Jesus showed us ... loving; practiced by any Christian; and it leads to healing, not just deliverance.
     But ultimately, the choice to practice His Power and Authority is still ours.  I agree with Dr. Kraft... God will not violate our Free Will.  He will not force the use of His authority upon us, nor will He change our free will.  But He can change the circumstances that result from our free will when, in the Name of Jesus, we take authority over demon spirits and break their power in Jesus's Name and through the Holy Spirit.
     The final thought I want to leave you with is this ... Deliverance is not a science; it is a journey of faith.  Jesus has given us tools to empower ourselves in our spiritual warfare, and they do just that... empower us; but they don't fix us.  We are in a spiritual war, and no war is won in a single battle.  Throughout our journey through life, we will engage in many battles, and growing into a mature faith is our goal.  But God has a goal, too.  He always wraps His Power in His Love, with the goal of setting people free.  My prayer is that His people will learn to use that Power and Authority to heal themselves and others from the attacks of the Enemy, and to free those whom Satan has in captivity from "the sins that entangle us."  It's time for all Christians to begin that journey of healing towards true Freedom.

     I wouldn't change a word about this five-year-old post. Every word still stands on its own. But the Lord has added new revelation in context of the Kingdom of God. Inner Healing is an important component of the Kingdom culture on earth. Without freedom, a Christian is subject to the lies of the Ruler of this dark world and unable to walk in his or her full power and authority as an ambassador of the Kingdom of Heaven. We have been appointed to take back territory [physically, geographically, and spiritually] for our King, and if we are shackled by wounds or pain, then lives remain in enemy hands. So, I am grateful to be able to re-share my initial enthusiasm for the ministry of Inner Healing, and to declare that my passion has not waned. God bless Dr. Kraft for the countless lives he has influenced while working with Jesus to "set the captives free". May we all answer the call on our lives to "Go!"

Psalm 32:8    "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you [who are willing to learn] with My eye upon you." 

Einstein, The Cross, And Our Power To Heal

    Okay, it may take me a while to set up the concept of this post's title, so I hope you will be patient with me. This post comes from a fascinating study I did based on a teaching by Katie Sousa, an anointed Prison Minister who went from a life of crime herself, to being an outspoken advocate for Jesus. She took me on a wild ride from Albert Einstein's theory of space-time continuum, to Jesus's healing hand, to the power of the Cross. So, I hope I can explain how all this connects, using Scripture and interpreting the meaning of specific words and verses in the Bible. Here goes...
     I know that people [including Christians] often have a hard time understanding how our Inner Healing Ministry really works. How can we ask Jesus to be in the Spirit and be present at our table in the here and now, and He can still heal wounds and hurts that happened in the past? That's where the physicist Albert Einstein comes in.

     Einstein created a theory of special relativity which says there is a fundamental link between space and time. The universe can be viewed as having three space dimensions — up/down, left/right, forward/backward — and one time dimension. This 4-dimensional space is referred to as the space-time continuum, which means space and time can exist uninterrupted. Furthermore, this theory says that this continuum is like a fabric or curtain that stretches, bends, and warps. NASA proved this theory with a project called Gravity Probe B, which proved that the earth is actually bending and stretching the fabric of space. So, it was concluded that space and time are like a fabric that can actually stretch and bend.
     And guess what? It was all created by Jesus! This is the Amplified version of Hebrews 1:1-2, which says, God, having spoken to the fathers long ago in [the voices and writings of] the prophets in many separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the truth], and in many ways, ² has in these last days spoken [with finality] to us in [the person of One who is by His character and nature] His Son [namely Jesus], whom He appointed heir and lawful owner of all things, through whom also He created the universe [that is, the universe as a space-time-matter continuum]. 
     But I want you to see an expanded understanding of this truth, which appears in the Amplified Classic version: But in the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order]. 
     So, although Einstein may have discovered this theory of time and space, it was our Lord who created them and how they work together. And I hope to show you how He uses His creation to "heal the broken-hearted and set the captives free". 
     In fact, Isaiah 40:22 proves both Einstein's theory and NASA's experiment. It reads: It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in. What is a curtain made of? Fabric! And what does the fabric of space and time [which Jesus created] do? It stretches and bends and warps... as Jesus made it to do, and as He operates and arranges it [according to Hebrews 1:1-3].
     What does all this have to do with our Inner Healing Ministry? It explains how Jesus is able to heal past hurts in the present; and it explains how we are able to travel in the spirit to receive counsel from the throne room of God. Stick with me. I'm still building the premise.
     Can we agree that where God lives in the third Heaven everything exists -- all of our resources, all of our healings, all the angels and it includes all the reaches of space and the ages of time? [Again, see Hebrews 1:2 above].  So, if you lived in the eternal realm with God and Jesus, and you wanted to go to France tonight to witness the French Revolution in 1789, you could because all the ages of time are contained in Heaven. 
     We can't do that here on earth in our fleshly bodies because we are restricted by time and space. Our time is linear and only moves forward at a steady pace. And moving any distance [in space] is restricted to the time it takes you to get there. So, isn't it logical that if we want to gain access to time and space we need to get to the eternal realm of Heaven? 
     This is where the Cross comes in. The fabric of time and space is used to divide us and keep us from getting to Heaven. But Jesus made an opening in that curtain of fabric [of time and space] for us to get there. And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. Notice it split from top to bottom -- from Heaven to earth. He has given us access! Now, I know there are some Christians who think this can't be achieved until we die and go to Heaven. But Ephesians 2:6 tells us, And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus;  and Philippians 3:20 tells us that our citizenship is in Heaven. When Jesus died and was resurrected, He tore that curtain between Heaven and Earth and we have access to all the reaches of space and all the ages of time NOW!
     So how does this relate to our power and authority to heal others who are tormented by past wounds and hurts? Well, it was at His baptism that Jesus first ripped through the fabric of time and space. He went forward in time to get all the power [from the Cross and His resurrection] that He would need to do His three years of Ministry while on earth. Scripture even tells us that "the Heavens were opened to Him" -- where all the power of God resides (Matthew 3:16). Jesus had to have access to that power from the eternal realm before He started ministering to people to heal them from past events that were wounding them and keeping them in bondage to the Enemy. And Scripture uses a particular word to describe this entire concept of stretching and bending time and space to return to the origin [or cause] of the suffering. It is the Greek word EKTEINO.
     The word ek means "from [or out of] place, time, or cause". In other words the origin or beginning of a situation. And teino means "to stretch". Consider the story of Jesus healing the man with the withered hand, which appears in several of the Gospel accounts. It reads, And He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” ⁴ And He said to them [the Pharisees], “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. ⁵ And He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The word for "stretch out" is Ekteino! Jesus took the man to the origin [time] when his hand got withered, and to the place it got withered, and the cause [or reason] it got withered and pulled it out at the root (stretched time and space to heal him in the present). And the hand was restored! He didn't change the order of the events, but He changed the consequences or the result of the events.
     Now consider the story of the Leper who was healed: When He came down from the mountain, great crowds followed Him. ² And behold, a leper came to Him and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” ³ And Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed (Matthew 8:1-3). Again, Jesus dealt with the time, place, and cause (ek) that the unclean spirit came into the man, and then pulled it out by the root (stretched time and space - teino) to restore the leper to health. 
     There are other examples, too. In Luke 4:31-37, Jesus heals a man with an unclean demon, rebuking the demon and telling it to "Come out!" That's the same word, Ekteino. And all this demonstrates what we do in our Inner Healing Ministry. We go back to the origin [a memory, or an event] in which the wound was inflicted upon the Beloved -- to the time, the place, and the cause, and then we invite Jesus to appear in that memory and pull out the hurt and the wound at the root. He's able to do that because he can bend and stretch time and space to be both in the past and then appear to the Beloved in the present at our table. 
     But here's the Good News for all of us --- when we are baptized, the power of the Cross is released when we go down in the water (and die with Christ); and the power of the Resurrection is released when we come out of the water, releasing power and authority and dominion to us! And we have the ability to stretch time and space when we go in the spirit to the throne of God and appeal for compassion and mercy and grace to help in our time of need. We have the power to experience Ekteino for others [when we stretch time and space to assist Jesus in freeing them from the bondages of their past]; and we have the ability and power to introduce Ekteino to them and to ourselves, when we go into the future and lay hold of our promises and bring them into the now! 
     Nothing is impossible for our Lord! We are not limited by time or space when we recognize that we are spirit beings who have access to all the reaches of space and the ages of time. Isn't it amazing? We serve a Mighty God! 

Psalm 31:14-15    But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!  
     

The Beauty and Balance of Bold Faith

     In 2008, I received a word that awakened an innate love of writing that had surfaced as a child, and then had lain dormant for over 30 years. A man whom I only met once told me he had a message for me from my Father in Heaven to "be the pen and not the blank piece of paper". Only God could have revealed to him that I was meant to write, since no one -- not even my husband -- was aware that my gift even existed, let alone that it had been inoperative for so long.
     He told me that God wanted me to write because He created me to do it, and that it pleased Him for me to use my gift. That's all it took -- there was no question about it; no hesitancy at all. I was simply going to be obedient. That led to three years of writing every single day for the joy it gave me, and for the pleasure of my Father. The result was a novel that I have yet to publish because the goal wasn't to write a best-seller, but to just develop a discipline of writing ... and to please God, of course.
     Three years later, I heard a word from Him, myself. I was commanded to write a blog -- this very blog -- to calm the fears of women as we faced a radically changing world. I clearly heard in my spirit that women were frightened about the economy, the constant threats of war and terrorism, the transformation of our society and morals, and the structure of the family, just to name a few. But the Lord told me that in all these matters, I needed to point them to Him. In other words, don't shy away from examining world affairs, but give them courage to face an evolving world by looking at it through a lens of faith and the Bible. Thus, began a season of blog posts on looking at subjects like the Hegelian Dialect, Normalcy Bias, World Politics, Isis, and Prepping.
     Then in 2015, God told me to stop looking at the world, and point my audience solely to Him. I wrote about new revelations I was receiving on old, familiar Scripture. And I discussed topics like Occultism and Witchcraft; Power and Authority; and our relationship with the Holy Spirit. And if you've followed the path the Lord has led me on, you now know that He is declaring a new season of writing on the Kingdom of God.

     As you can see, He has been moving in my life and there is a progression towards knowing more of Him and His ways. But I'm not the only one! I have been blessed within the last three days to be among groups of believers just like me; people who are on an individual journey, but one that God has designed to benefit all of us. Our assignments don't resemble each other's. What's more, God is showing me how important it is for those of us who are "watchmen on the wall" to stay alert and aware of not only what He is doing in the world and the spirit realms; but what He is teaching each of us, and what we are encountering and learning; and also what the Enemy is up to in his schemes and strategies to defeat God's agenda.
     And this is encouragement for all of you who read this blog. As we focus in on our individual assignments, we can sometimes lose sight of the bigger picture -- all that I mentioned above. And when God has placed you in a remote location to sow seeds for the Kingdom, as He has me and my husband, one can feel isolated and removed from where [we perceive] all the action is occurring. So, it was good for us to travel to Austin a few days ago to be in the company of a diverse group of Kingdom-Seekers and hear what the Lord's been up to, and to get a glimpse of where He's taking us.
     As you know, Mark and I have been given an assignment of working with Jesus to bring Inner Healing and Divine Deliverance to those who are hurting in this world -- the broken-hearted, the prisoners, the blind, and the oppressed. But He has recently added "teaching the Kingdom" to our job description. Those two tasks are consuming both our ministry and prayer time. So we were able to share these experiences with the group and hear how the Lord is working differently in their lives. And that's where it got interesting and exciting!
     We had a Watchman whose assignment is to research and investigate -- and ultimately destroy -- the rapid advancement of technology and how the Enemy is using it in nefarious ways to infect and infiltrate our bodies. I'm not just talking about listening in on your phone conversations or the vaccine controversy, folks. The knowledge that the Lord is downloading to certain Watchmen makes the plots and storylines of TV Shows like the wildly popular Stranger Things seem like fairy tales. I mean, I'm talking about the fact that the Enemy knows Scripture such as 1 John 5:1, which says, This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
     So, imagine if you can, that the Lord downloads a message to you that concerns this topic of light and it has huge ramifications for the human species. I'm going to give you a very condensed science lesson and you will see what I'm talking about. According to Wired.com, an online magazine that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics, all objects produce light. That is, we are matter that consists of energy fields and magnetic fields, which result in electromagnetic waves. All of these electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed (the speed of light). However, they have different interactions with matter. And technically, the interaction with light and matter depends on the frequency of light. And here's how and why that is important to us humans ... What happens, say if there is no light that enters your body through your eyes? What if you are in a place with absolutely no source of light? The correct answer is that you will just see black [or darkness] - forever.
     What if the Lord showed you that the Enemy has co-opted mankind to develop various ways to insert Artificial Intelligence into our bodies that will bend light, so that what is attacking our bodies through allergies, seizures, body aches, profound fatigue, autism etc., cannot be found? When the Light Source is diverted, these attacks on our bodies remain in the dark and are many, many times undiscoverable. But what if God gave you the keys that fit into the locks previously unopened by traditional and non-traditional medicine? What if He showed you that the body could actually speak to you [via muscle testing] and show you what, how, and where those attacks were originating from? Would that fit into your faith grid? Can you trust that the God of the Bible could [and would] reveal something so unorthodox and extraordinary? 
     Picture, if you will, this diverse group of obedient followers of Jesus and how we were able to reconcile our dissimilar, non-traditional paths of faith and obedience. After all, my path certainly has nothing in common with revelations regarding the quantum mechanics of the body. Yet, one could conclude that the goal of both ministries is healing of both body and spirit.
     The point that I want to make by sharing these disparate accounts of journeys with God is that, in the end, the entire group had one thing in common ... despite different paths, we all arrived at the same position of faith: no matter what this world conjures up to try to destroy our assignments from God, the blood of Jesus defeats it. We have been given the power and authority from our Lord over all the power of the Enemy, and ultimately he cannot harm us. Those of us who answer God's call to boldly walk where most people dare not tread can expect criticism and rejection. But that was the beauty of this gathering of the faithful. We were all willing to accept our assignments, even if it meant isolation, condemnation, and the possibility of failures. We might not look like the world, or even each other, but we all recognized that we have the Light in us, and when we expose the Enemy's darkness to the Light of Jesus, we can and will be victorious!
     So, I just want to end this post with this word of encouragement to you ... don't worry about how your assignment from God looks to others; and don't compare or try to emulate another's spiritual walk. There is something uniquely and exceptionally beautiful about how God designates each of us for specific purposes, and how those purposes balance each other out to fulfill His ultimate plan. We don't need to try to figure it all out or how it all fits together; we just need to be bold and persistent. That's the picture of Faith that honors and glorifies our Father in Heaven. May it ever be!

If you would like more information on the ministry of Quantum Mechanics and the healing of the body, visit Natalie Morris at Quantum Command. 

1 Corinthians 7:17    May all believers continue to live the wonderful lives God has called them to live, according to what He assigns for each person, for this is what I teach to believers everywhere.

The Battle Is The Lord's, But We Must Play Our Part!

     I am writing this post as my husband, Mark, and I are preparing to enter a spiritual battle over a child tomorrow, and it is on my heart to share what the Lord is revealing. Our children in this particular generation are the battleground! They need deliverance and inner healing from spirits of pharmakeia (drugs), alcohol, pornography, rejection, rebellion, depression, suicide, sexual depravity, anger, gender confusion, hopelessness, and so much more. In addition, spiritual attacks categorized as  "mental disorders" -- including Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), etc. -- are on the rise, and you can see that the Enemy has targeted our children for defeat. These issues that I have mentioned have become common among the adults in our society, but now our children's innocence is being threatened by spiritual darkness coming straight from the pits of hell.
     I find myself asking why do Autism statistics report that 1 in 50 children now fall on the Autism spectrum -- up 30% from last year; up 150% from the year 2000, and only 1 in 10,000 children were diagnosed in 1980? And why do boys outnumber girls at a 5:1 ratio? Why are 1 out of 7 children receiving a porn solicitation online, and why do so many adults report that their porn addiction started before puberty? Why do more teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease... COMBINED? Why is suicide the second leading cause of death for our youth aged 10 to 24? Why does the psychological community now list 14 unique Gender Identity Disorders? Why do the Milennials refer to themselves as "Generation Hopelessness"?

     I ask all these questions because I am discerning that the Enemy is aware that God has a remnant that is awakening to their identity as citizens of Heaven, and that revival is in the spiritual air. I believe that we are raising a generation whose purpose is to "prepare the way of the Lord!" Every generation is born with the possibility to answer that call, but I believe Satan has deliberately aimed his demonic attacks against this generation of children and young adults because parents and grandparents have turned and sought the Lord, and picked up their mantle of power and authority, instructing and training this next generation to receive their assignments as God pours out His spirit upon all people.
     "Your sons and daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions...". The Greek word for "prophesy" is propheteuo, and it means "a proclaimer of a divine message; a proclamation of God's divine purpose in the earth". The Greek word for “visions,” horasis, can mean “our eyes opened to have divine encounters and see into the spiritual realm.” These are not daydreams but visions of the heavenly realm! They will see the reality of the Heavenly kingdom and be instrumental in bringing it to earth! Can you see that Satan would do everything he could to deter the destiny of a child called to that commission? 
     And he's done a pretty good job so far with our kids attached to their phones and computers, and with social media running their lives. And I don't use that term "attached" lightly. Technology has opened portals to the dark side, and demonic programming and components can become attached to the soul (mind, will, and emotions) and literally run (govern; operate in; own) someone's life. And we must prepare for a spiritual battle to not only protect our kids, but to empower them to walk out their destiny and receive their inheritance when the Lord returns.
     We must become a nation and a people that is willing to "get in the fight". We must be willing to follow the Biblical mandate to "pray and fast", for that is what Jesus did before He began His assignment. He knew the power of this dynamic combination that would see God work in miraculous ways to restore dominion of the earth to Him and His children. He prayed and fasted for 40 days in the wilderness before His temptation from Satan, and His isn't the only example we have of the effects of prayer and fasting. Moses fasted before receiving the Ten Commandments. Elijah fasted during his escape from Jezebel. Esther fasted for the safety of the Jews. Daniel fasted for an answer from God. Paul fasted after his conversion. And each of these periods of fasting (no matter how short or long) were accompanied by private and urgent prayer; and they were all honored by God.
     That is why Mark and I have committed to this fast before we speak to this child and his parents as ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven. We will declare that the kingdom of darkness that has taken hold of this child must yield and bow a knee to the King of all creation. Our notice to minister to this child has been short, but we truly believe that this time in which we are fasting and praying will be consecrated unto the Lord, and the impact will be compounded and magnified. He will anoint our words with His power and authority, and He will display His love for this child.

     There is one thing I know for sure ... and that is that Jesus desperately loves this young man and wants him to walk free from the bondage he has been in since childhood. I know that the battle is the Lord's and He goes before us, commanding His heavenly host to prepare the ground and seed the environment of our meeting place with His glory. He and the Holy Spirit will be present to declare that this child belongs to Him; that there is a scroll written in Heaven with the boy's name on it and all the good works that Jesus has planned for him, and which are still to be accomplished as he walks in His Freedom!  The spiritual consequences of our prayer and fasting will be mighty weapons in the hands of the Lord and His angels. Our obedience will be rewarded with victory in this boy's life! 

     So it is my prayer that we all will commit to prayer and fasting as a means to transform our lives and our nation; as a way to transition the earth to become like Heaven; and as a pledge to help this generation of children, teens, and young adults to step into their calling. Let us raise up a generation of mighty prophets and warriors that will not only proclaim God's divine purpose, but walk in divine encounters as they set the stage for Christ's return. The time is now!

Isaiah 58:6    Is this not the fast which I choose; To undo the bonds of wickedness; To tear to pieces the ropes of the yoke; To let the oppressed go free and break apart every [enslaving] yoke?

    
    

The Danger of Narcissism in The Body of Christ

     I recently read an article by Joseph Mattera in Charisma Magazine, titled "9 Signs You're Operating in A Spirit of Lawlessness Instead of God's Kingdom". The article was addressed to pastors who were more interested in empire building than in equipping the saints to do the ministry of spreading the gospel of the kingdom.
     One of the signs was this: you are a narcissist in relating to your desires in life. The article referenced Ezekiel 34 and "the judgment God will bring on shepherds who use and abuse the sheep for their own pleasure." It focused on pastors in the church and the narcissism that leads them into building churches that glorify themselves and [leads them] away from their kingdom assignment. But I will also tell you that this particular sin is often found in our Deliverance ministry among individuals looking for spiritual healing.
     The psychological definition of narcissism -- selfishness involving a sense of entitlement; egotism; self-absorption; self-love -- points to the Biblical warning to us believers: But you need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce and difficult for the people of God. People will be self-centered lovers of themselves and obsessed with money. They will boast of great things as they strut around in their arrogant pride and mock all that is right. They will ignore their own families. They will be ungrateful and ungodly (2 Timothy 3:1-2).

     You see, the sin of Pride is at the root of Narcissism and has been a problem for God's people ever since Lucifer fell from Heaven and brought Pride to the Garden. It was Pride that convinced Adam and Eve that they could decide for themselves to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; that they could be "like God". It was Pride that caused their separation from the Presence of God and their exile east of Eden. It is Pride that keeps people from recognizing their sin, or convinces them to cover up the sin that was committed against them.
     Narcissism has been a most useful and powerful weapon of Satan's in keeping all human beings -- both believers and non-believers -- in bondage to his kingdom of darkness. This has resulted in innumerable opportunities for spirits of lawlessness and independence [from God] to gain strongholds in people. 
     We have many examples of Narcissism in the Bible, but I want to concentrate on two of the better known. The first is Jezebel, and her spirit is very evident in today's world. Ryan LeStrange, in his book, Hell's Toxic Trio, says that "Jezebel is a bewitching spirit" and "the first component of witchcraft is rebellion". 
     The Bible Study Tools website gives this testimony of Jezebel's character in the Bible: "As a woman seeking more power, she sought to destroy those who questioned her and most of the prophets of Yahweh were murdered at her request ...  Jezebel has come to be recognized as a model of the wicked woman, embodying the characteristics of cruelty, greed, and vanity", or as the Bible describes people like her, "self-centered lovers of themselves".
     But here is the thing you need to understand: the Jezebel spirit is sexless; it can manifest in either a man or woman. Both Adam and Eve gave in to rebellion and it was Satan who found an open door into Jezebel's heart, and he is the originator of her rebellion. So he is only too willing to sow that same spirit into any willing person, male or female. We have seen many men come through Deliverance with "Jezebel spirits". Whenever this spirit is present it is operating in a seductive and controlling manner with the goal of destruction for selfish purposes. We see that in the story of Jezebel and Ahab in the Bible. She was able to seduce Ahab to abandon his God and serve Baal and worship him, leading to the destruction of the prophets of the Lord.
     In Hell's Toxic Trio, Ryan LeStrange writes, "[Jezebel] is a perverse spirit of domination that works to open up gateways for demonic activity to overthrow godly plans, families, ministries, and people ... The Jezebel spirit neither honors nor recognizes covenant. When this spirit operates in families, it manipulates and forms alliances to fulfill its own evil agenda. When this spirit operates in ministries, it totally disregards authority, honor, and relationship [towards the Lord] to pursue its own desires. It is totally deceptive and demon-inspired." Power and Control are its motivators.
     The other prime example of Narcissism in the Bible is Nebuchadnezzar.  We know the story of Nebuchadnezzar largely from the perspective of Daniel, the Jewish prince who rose to prominence in this Babylonian's kingdom. Daniel became known to King Nebuchadnezzar because he was able to interpret the king's dreams. But it was Nebuchadnezzar's arrogance and pride that saw him reject the repeated warnings God sent in those dreams. Although he praised the God of Daniel after the interpretation of the statue of gold, silver, bronze and iron, he refused to repent, believing himself to be a legend [in his own mind] and above reproach or defeat; certainly above the chastisement of Daniel's God. He believed in his own self-importance.
     Again, we can apply the warning from 2 Timothy (above) .... They will boast of great things as they strut around in their arrogant pride and mock all that is right... They will be ungrateful and ungodly. But God humbled King Nebuchadnezzar and brought him into a season of insanity that he might finally repent of his arrogance and pride and acknowledge the sovereignty of YHWH. 

     The Bible is full of other examples of narcissism and self-love: Cain, Saul, Absalom, Azariah, Manasseh, and most likely even Solomon. And they all learned painful lessons! And Jezebel and Nebuchadnezzar's lessons were particularly traumatic. But there is a difference in how they responded to the warnings of the Lord. Jezebel was tossed out of a window by her eunuchs and her body was devoured by dogs. There was no repentance on her part and she suffered a violent death.
     But God will offer mercy to those who accept His chastisement and turn back to Him. Nebuchadnezzar, after his season of insanity, lifted his eyes to heaven, his reason was restored, and He blessed the Most High, and he praised and honored God with this prayer: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation, all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and He does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him, “What have you done?”
     We must all examine our hearts and see if we have any trace of Narcissism, or its root sin of Pride. At its core it is the self-idolatry that Adam and Eve submitted to, and which caused the downfall of ancient leaders of Israel. Our modern leaders must not bow down to its seduction, and we must each stay humble to avoid its temptation in our lives. It is much more pervasive than we would ever admit, and this spirit's objective is to keep us from walking in God's plan of sanctification for our lives by distracting us with our selfishness. We must turn away from self and towards Jesus in humble adoration. Once we are cleansed from this destructive spirit, our path to glory will be opened, and we will praise Him in immeasurable ways!

Daniel 4:37    Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and faithful and His ways are just, and He is able to humiliate and humble those who walk in [self-centered, self-righteous] pride.
        

The Power Of The Spoken Word To Bring Inner Healing

     I have to share the amazing works of my Lord Jesus! First of all, He never ceases to surprise me with how He makes His presence known in ways I'm not expecting. In addition, He will bring forth concepts from those encounters that I had never before considered. And He did all that this weekend.
     Mark and I were blessed to be invited to speak before a small group of Evangelical Millennials who were interested in learning more about our Inner Healing and Deliverance Ministry.  All I knew was that they were involved in something similar to "Street Ministry" in which they canvassed their neighborhoods and apartment buildings, sharing the Gospel Message. I assumed they wanted to know how to incorporate Deliverance into that short amount of time they would have the opportunity to speak to people on the street.

     So, as in our more formal sessions of Deliverance, we always begin with the issue of Forgiveness. We explained to the group that unforgiveness is the single most powerful weapon the Enemy has to keep us in bondage. In fact, when people come to our Table of Healing, we often find they can't explain the feelings of depression or heaviness that keeps them from feeling the joy of the Lord. The first question we ask is, "Who are you angry at", followed by "What do you need to forgive them for"?
     We then employ an exercise that has profound effects on breaking those chains of bondage that keep people tied up in anger and unforgiveness. We have them recite [out loud] the following: Father God, I forgive ________ for _________.  It made me feel _________. Father, I release him/her/them to You, covered by the blood of the Lamb. It may sound too simple but we explain that the act of saying this out loud and releasing the person(s) who have wounded their soul and/or spirit has a profound effect in the spiritual realms. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that words have the power to give death or life, and the person who speaks will bear the fruit of those words, whether good or bad. When we are able to forgive someone who has deeply wounded us, and state the act and how it affected us, the power of that wound is mitigated because it is no longer held in secret for the Enemy to use against us. Both the Beloved and the Enemy sees the persecutor released to God [covered by the blood of Jesus]. Then the wound can no longer fester in darkness, but has been exposed to the Light of Jesus, which heals all things.
     So I introduced that simple exercise as a "quick and easy" way to bring healing to someone they were evangelizing to, at the same time stressing that it is extremely effective and profitable for the Beloved. I soon realized that this group wanted and needed more information on the whole process of Deliverance and its Biblical foundation. So Mark and I expanded our testimony and training to the group. What we didn't know was that one of the young people had quietly got up and left the room. The spiritual leader of the group got up to minister to him, and actually used the Forgiveness exercise. When they rejoined the group, they gave their own testimony of what happened... At first, the young person didn't want to say the words out loud. The wound was so deep that they just wanted to write the name of the person and the hurtful acts -- not speak them out loud. But the leader encouraged the spoken word and it was truly liberating! He testified [with a face that beamed pure joy] that Jesus had truly set him free!
     And that's really the point I want to make with this blog post. Being able to confess the name of someone who has hurt you, what happened to you, and how it made you feel takes away the power of the Enemy to continue to lie to you about who you are. Releasing all that pain to the Lord cuts those bonds to sins of anger and unforgiveness, and Jesus takes it all away and covers it with His blood.
     As I meditated upon the grace of Jesus to allow this group to witness the power of forgiveness in their midst, the Lord broadened my understanding of why the spoken words of Forgiveness are so important. He showed me that when we are able to speak Forgiveness out loud, it is recorded in our Book of Life in Heaven. So when the Accuser comes before the Court of Heaven to accuse us of unrighteousness and unforgiveness (which we walked in [in silence] all the years we harbored it), there is evidence before the Lord that our Accuser is giving false witness.

     Now, I may not be able to show you Chapter and Verse where the Bible states this concept in precise terms, but I can tell you that I see enough of the shadow of this theory in Scripture to call it real. In Daniel 7:9-10, the prophet is given a vision and he tells us that he saw thrones put in place in Heaven, and the Ancient One sat down to judge. Millions of angels ministered to Him, and millions stood to attend to Him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened. There is little in Scripture to tell us exactly what was written in those books, but perhaps we can see a parallel "on earth as it is in heaven". Consider the books of I and II Kings, and I and II Chronicles. There we find the acts and deeds recorded [both good and bad] of the Kings of Judah and Israel. In fact, 1 Kings 11:41 says, "The rest of the events in Solomon’s reign, including all his deeds and his wisdom, are recorded in The Book of the Acts of Solomon".
     But there is a particular verse in Malachi that I discern gives credence to what the Lord recently showed me. Verse 3:16 reads, "Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed His name".  When we participate with Jesus and the Holy Spirit in a Deliverance/Inner Healing session, we are most certainly people who fear the Lord and we are speaking with one another, confessing forgiveness and reconciliation, and being healed in the process. And I know that the Lord pays attention and hears us, because I have witnessed the consequences of those actions, and it is called spiritual freedom! And I do believe that our faith and reverence for the power of Jesus "to forgive our trespasses and to forgive those who trespass against us" is recorded in Heaven as witness to our esteem for His name, and as a challenge to Satan's charges against us. 
     Our obedience to forgive, and then announce it so that the spirit realm hears, causes our testimony to be recorded and preserved in the books of heaven, whether it be the Book of Remembrance in Malachi or the Lamb's Book of Life in Revelation. In the end, I cannot really explain the spiritual mechanics of why it works ... I just know it does! 

2 Corinthians 4:13   Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had, who wrote in Scripture, “I believed, therefore I spoke.” We also believe, therefore we also speak.." 
    
    

Jesus Is Truly Our Hope

     I don't know of any better way to express the hope that Jesus represents for mankind than to share testimonies from the Ministry to which He has called me. To begin, I was pretty amazed at how quickly the calls started coming in when we returned from our vacation. It's so easy, when you're distracted with traveling and out of your routine, to become casual about the spiritual battle that is waging in people's lives. And it certainly seemed as if God has broadened our territory while we were gone!
     But these are a couple of stories that remind me that no matter whether you are dealing with people you know, or strangers you've never met, Satan repeats the same lying messages, just using different methods. Let me expand on that premise...
     I will call this man Benny; a middle-aged man who has been lost in the depths of hopelessness that comes with years of drug abuse -- methamphetamines, to be exact. In case you didn't know it, meth use has become an epidemic in this country, destroying the lives of countless individuals and families. It doesn't care what ethnicity you are; if you're rich or poor; young or old. Highly addictive, meth burns up the body’s resources, creating a devastating dependence that can only be relieved by taking more of the drug, leading to serious health conditions, including memory loss, aggression, psychotic behavior and potential heart and brain damage.

     It creates a false sense of happiness and well-being; creating counterfeit confidence in a life that has been decimated. Such was the case with Benny. He had mistreated his body for so many years, and nearly lost his family. When we were called to his older brother's home to assist in Benny's deliverance, we met his wife, who is an intelligent woman, very faithful, but firm in her stand that he could not come back into their home [with their two young daughters] until he dealt with his drug problems. Of course, Mark and I knew that at the root of this self-destruction was a spiritual issue from which Benny needed to receive divine healing.
      From the moment we met him, we could see his gentleness and his loving heart. He knew Jesus and believed in Him. But we could also sense the deep torment that was keeping him in bondage to the drugs. He gave us a short recap of what had brought him to this point... Nights of being tormented by a demon who was in his room, sitting on his chest, and then harassing him with taunts and accusations, inches from his face. When he decided to accept his brother's invitation for deliverance, he got in his truck to drive to his brother's residence. On the way, the demon tried to pull his hands off the steering wheel, started beating him about his head, and pulling his hair. By the time we arrived, he was nursing a bloody nose from the beating. His brother and wife were at the table and we let him talk for a few minutes to see if we could determine if he was really ready to let Jesus work in his life to set him free.
     It was obvious that he was suffering and did not want to continue this lifestyle, but the Enemy had such a strong hold on him through this drug. We had to discover what was at the root of it all. So we asked him when his life began spiraling out of control? What was the heaviest thing in his spiritual backpack that he'd been carrying around his whole life? Not surprisingly, he was at first reluctant to share anything that the devil had wrapped up in layers of guilt and shame, and after some prompting, he broke down and admitted he had been sexually molested as a teenager. How Jesus hates this sin! And it is so prevalent in our culture! I'm beginning to think that it is committed against our boys at a greater rate than our girls, and I strongly believe that this horrendous sin is what Jesus is referring to when he says, "If anyone causes one of these little ones [who believe in Me] to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea".
    This sexual molestation was the impetus for Benny's false belief system about himself; that he was worthless, dirty, no good, unworthy of love, condemned. It set the course of his life that led to bad decisions encouraged by the lies of the devil. But when we were able to help Benny forgive his molester and others who had harmed him; to break the ungodly soul and spirit ties with these individuals and the drug dealers who had helped him disguise the pain, then he was ready to hear how precious he was to Jesus. He experienced Jesus coming into that molestation event, walking him out of that memory, and disintegrating where it took place.
     We spoke life into a man who learned that he was so deeply loved by His Heavenly Father that he was worth the sacrifice of His own Son. Benny felt the power of the Holy Spirit when we laid hands on him and prayed. He heard the life-giving words that God had a purpose for his life and that his testimony could help set others free!
     Benny hung his head and wept, repeating "Thank you, Jesus!" several times. He now understood that Jesus died to give him victory over the drugs, and it is time to walk in that freedom and change his life. His wife reiterated that the victory was his and up to him to develop that relationship with Jesus and walk forward in freedom. It has been a week since we ministered to him, but we have received a report that Benny is calling family and friends and telling them, "Jesus set me free!!!" Hallelujah!
     The other story I want to share is of a woman I will call Karen. Karen was referred to us by a good friend; she was despondent and beaten down by her life circumstances. When I initially talked to her, I told her that we were not life counselors, and that we worked with Jesus to help people heal their inner wounds so that they could move forward in fulfilling the purposes of their lives. She was clearly unsaved and stated she wasn't against Jesus, but just wanted to try and get some "clarity about her life".

     I will be honest, I wasn't too sure we were the right people for the stage Karen was at in her life, but I always know that Jesus is the answer for everything, so we were willing to meet with her. We listened to her explain the deterioration of her life, her utter feelings of desolation, loneliness, and abandonment. Then we explained that Jesus wanted to set her free from all that "baggage" she was carrying around, but she had to desire a relationship with Him.
     Karen said she was interested in knowing more about Jesus but the idea of "church" was not inviting because the Christians she had met did not invoke the sense of "community" she was seeking. Mark and I were encouraged when she told us that she had once had a dream when Jesus came to her. She couldn't remember what He said to her, but she remembered the deep feeling of peace! I told her that's the Jesus we serve.  What's more, her story is not unique. Her circumstances describe nearly everyone we see... there are always incidents in people's lives that Satan uses to keep them in bondage to his lies.  Therefore, the advice we offered her is fitting for everyone to follow.
    We explained that our ministry is centered on a relationship with Jesus and He is the answer. We listened to her questions about the validity of other religions and explained that those gods are very real, but are lesser and inferior gods to the Most High God of the Bible; the One True [big "G"] God. We also explained that the spirit realm is very real, and there are real spirits of depression and abandonment that are trying to keep her separated from the love of Jesus [and that peace she felt in the dream]; they want to keep her from seeking the life He offers. We asked if she wanted to begin a relationship with Jesus and she said yes, so we led her in a prayer in which she asked Jesus to forgive her of her sin and to come into her heart to become her Savior. We explained the importance of Forgiveness and we recited the Lord's Prayer together. Karen then forgave those who have hurt and abandoned her, releasing them to Jesus. We prayed over her and she wept, repeating, "Help me, Jesus". I prayed that He would visit her again in a dream and give her new words to remember; that she would be in His Presence and know He is real. I told her this was the first step in her relationship with Him and it is a journey for the rest of her life. When she left our home she said she felt lighter, and that it felt like she had "come home". Nothing represents the calling of Jesus on one's life any better than that!
     I know that both Benny and Karen will be visiting us again. They both have made dramatic changes in their spiritual lives and the Enemy will try to lure them back in to bondage. I explained to both of them that they are a prize in a spiritual battle, and they can expect to encounter some of the same tactics of the devil. But they know Jesus is with them; they know the lies the devil uses and that they must fight to stay free. But, as always, it is a tremendous blessing to begin a session without hope, and then see the Beloved go home full of joy, with a new sense of their worth as a child of God. It is extremely humbling, and an honor and privilege to be considered worthy of being Jesus's ambassador. It is His power and authority, on loan to us, that allows us to hear the Holy Spirit's words of counsel as we guide people, one by one, into the Kingdom of God on earth. Thank you, Jesus! There is no greater work on this earth for me to do. I pray that mine and Mark's obedience and service continues to be pleasing in Your sight!

2 Corinthians 5:20    "We are ambassadors of the Anointed One who carry the message of Christ to the world, as though God were tenderly pleading with them directly through our lips. So we tenderly plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Turn back to God and be reconciled to Him".

God's Multi-level Marketing!

     Excuse me for the clumsy and tactless comparison of God to a business strategy, but it was the closest thing I could think of to describe the joy I am experiencing these last few days. You see, it's been four years since God challenged us to walk this path of Deliverance Ministry and Inner Healing. As I stop to consider where we started and where we are now, it seems like we've been enrolled in an Advanced and Accelerated course; learning how to work with Jesus and the Holy Spirit to continue the work that the Lord began during His short time on this earth.

     I'm not sure Mark and I fully understood just how much the Father would immerse us in this calling, or the gravity of the need for healing in people's lives. All we knew was that our hearts and spirits couldn't say "no" to the Father's desire to use us to heal and deliver His children. We hardly ever knew what would happen when we sat down to listen to the pain and the wounds of those tormented by the Enemy, but we were always aware of the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and fully trusted Them to guide us through the process of setting the captives free.
     And from the very first time that we witnessed Jesus healing the damaged soul and spirit of a Believer, we knew a small amount of the joy that God must feel when He sees His enemy defeated and the chains of bondage come off His beloved child. And we got to be a part of that! There are not enough exemplary words to give praise to our amazing God for that gift.
     Now, four years later, we are beginning to see those we have helped to see Jesus [in their circumstances] start to help others.  They have freely received the grace of God and want to freely give that opportunity to another -- and this is where my clumsy comparison comes in. Just like multi-level marketing, we share the goodness of our product --  in this case, freedom from torment and victory in Christ -- and train the recruit in the ministry, so they can go out and share "the product" with others. This results in a network of "freedom fighters" for the Kingdom of God.
     But unlike the worldly marketing strategy, which often involves coercion and arm-twisting to build your "line", the word-of-mouth about what God can do for you is the best strategy -- you don't have to up-sell peace, freedom from pain, and the destruction of the lies of the devil! And instead of earning money, which is only worth the paper it is printed on, the distributors of God's offering earn heavenly rewards from the fruit they produce.
     Let me tell you, nothing feels like success more than witnessing someone getting free from a false identity due to molestation, physical or emotional abuse, generational curses, sins they have committed or sins committed against them -- all the things the Enemy can use to keep a child of God in captivity.  It has been our privilege to witness the removal of dirty veils, the breaking off of chains, and the destruction of strongholds in people's lives -- and all with the knowledge that Jesus is there and the One doing the work. 

     And now we are witnessing those who have been set free, setting others free. The seed of freedom that was planted in our hearts has borne fruit and new seeds are being planted. And I can't help but see the plant process as a metaphor for what God is doing in His multi-level ministry model. Excuse me as I try to connect these dots ... Once a seed germinates and breaks through the surface, it starts the steps to produce leaves. This starts the process of photosynthesis (utilizing the Son Light) while the roots search and absorb water (the Living Water) for the new seedling which slowly grows into a mature fruit-bearing plant. 
     Do you see it? Mark and I are just the product of the seeds planted by Dr. Charles Kraft and Barbara Bucklin of Luke:14 Ministries. They planted the seeds, and participated with the Holy Spirit to give us the Light of God and His Living Water until we matured into a fruit-being servant of the Kingdom.  Our obedience produced new seeds planted in new ground, and now those plants have sprung forth bearing fruit, with the intent to reproduce more seeds. It is for complete freedom that Christ paid the price to set us free. And with each new "level" of freedom that permeates the Body, it's another defeat for the devil and one more step towards the imminent destruction and failure of his agenda.
     So, I hope you don't mind the way I've tried to explain the joy I am experiencing. I don't know any other way to describe what it's like to see those whom we've had the blessing of ministering to now passing their freedom [in Christ] on to others. Seeing their obedience to share what they've received is a reward beyond anything this world has to offer. Thank you, Jesus, for trusting Mark and me with administering Your precious gift of freedom.  We are truly humbled.

Galatians 5:13     Beloved ones, God has called us to live a life of freedom in the Holy Spirit. But don’t view this wonderful freedom as an opportunity to set up a base of operations in the natural realm. Freedom means that we become so completely free of self-indulgence that we become servants of one another, expressing love in all we do.