Welcoming the Wilderness

     I've spent a lot of time talking about the Kingdom of God; learning how to operate in the Kingdom as we grow in understanding our Kingdom assignments. But today I want to give you a personal testimony of how Jesus can throw you a curve ball, especially when you think you have it all figured out.
     For the last month or so, He has been pushing me to stop and focus on how I was accomplishing my assignment. I know that my assignment [along with my husband, Mark] is to continue His work in setting "the captives free" [from spiritual bondage] through our Inner Healing Ministry. I also know that He has revealed to my husband that we will begin to teach small groups of Christians who want to know more about Kingdom Living. That assignment has already begun and I can see that "Kingdom" is at the heart of what He has called me/us to.
     But my spirit began to be troubled because I could also see that other ministries were pulling on my heart and, while I am in full support of their calling and purpose, it wasn't given to me as my assignment, and I wasn't fully vested in where Jesus wanted to take me. He had more for me to do within my "lane" and I wasn't hearing Him! So, I struggled with saying "No" to this other ministry [for a season, at least], and waited to hear from the Lord about what is next in His agenda for me.
     Almost immediately, He showed me new opportunities within my "Kingdom lane" -- an invitation for Mark and I to come speak to a new group on Kingdom; the possibility of a women's retreat on Kingdom Living and Freedom; as well as encouragement to write a book on the Kingdom of God and Kingdom Living -- all within the span of several hours! This last assignment had actually been given to me as a word of knowledge two years ago, and I had not acted on it, even though it was constantly on my mind. Then in the same afternoon that these other two opportunities surfaced, I was speaking to a woman I consider my mentor about being spiritually attacked after hammering home the Kingdom on my blog, and she said, "So, are you are going to write a book on the Kingdom?" Confirmation of the word spoken over me two years prior! There it all was! Jesus was making it pretty clear that I was to be concentrating on my Kingdom assignment; it was to be front and center!
     So, what do I do? I get all excited and my spirit is fired up! In about 45 minutes I write an outline of what a women's retreat would like -- talk about a fast download! I'm looking at our schedule to plan our talk to the group near Houston, and I'm figuring out how I can rearrange my daily schedule to commit a dedicated amount of hours to begin writing the book.

     And guess what Jesus does? In a small group that meets to discuss our Inner Healing Ministries, Theresa (one of the women I've come to cherish for her heart and her spirit), looks right at me and says, "WILDERNESS"! At first, I didn't realize that the word was meant for me... I thought she was just speaking it into the group. She said, "No, Jesus is telling me you need to hear "Wilderness". Ok, so now I'm a little confused, because I'm thinking "I think I just came out of a wandering season and I'm back on track, focused on my assignment and excited about the future opportunities Jesus is showing me". So, I'm a little deflated in my excitement about what Jesus has in store for me. After all, the word wilderness doesn't exactly have a positive connotation in the Bible.
     You see, at first I'm equating wilderness with the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years and I said, "I don't understand why He would point me to wilderness". Her response was, "He says to just trust the process". So, now I know I need to go home that night and have a talk with Jesus to discover what He means, and why "Wilderness" is something I need to meditate on and pray about. At that moment, it certainly didn't sound like an encouraging word.
     But this morning, it is a different story! Last night I prayed for Him to reveal the fullness of what "trusting the process in the Wilderness" meant for me. Today, He began to reveal it layer by layer. First, the "Wilderness" wasn't connected to the Israelites' wanderings. Instead, He pointed me to His own time in the wilderness after His baptism in the Spirit. Matthew, Chapter 4, gives us an account of that experience ... Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.  The passage goes on to focus on the ways that the devil tests Jesus to get him to sin, and the way in which the Lord defeats the Enemy's tactics with the Word of God.
     However, I believe our English translations put the wrong emphasis on what happened there in the wilderness. I prefer the Aramaic translation which reads, Afterward, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the lonely wilderness in order to reveal His strength against the accuser by going through the ordeal of testing. And after fasting for forty days, Jesus was extremely weak and famished.... As I began to ask Jesus questions about His Word of "wilderness" to me, He began to show me that although it was important to recognize that Scripture is an effective weapon against the attacks of the devil, He wanted me to focus on His fasting experience in the wilderness. The primary purpose of Him fasting was to draw near to the Father for the strength and knowledge and power He would need to begin His ministry; for the signs and wonders that were to come, and for the authority of the Gospel of the Kingdom! 
     Yes, Jesus has a new exciting season ahead for me [and for Mark]. And I believe He will take us to new levels of power and authority. But first, I must spend my time in the wilderness with the Father -- fasting and praying; receiving new revelations about my assignment(s); being prepared for the testing that will inevitably come in this new season. Like Jesus, I need to trust this process in the wilderness. I need to spend time fasting as a spiritual investment to draw upon in those times that I will need God's help. Jesus, Himself, taught His disciples that some of their Kingdom assignments could not be completed without the power that came from prayer and fasting.
     Fasting will also help me strengthen my intimacy with the Father as He reveals His power and strength in my assignment and in my battles against the Enemy. And most importantly, I believe that spending time in the wilderness with my Heavenly Father will help me to pray and hear from Him as Jesus did. And I hope it will reveal any hidden sins that the devil could use to hinder my assignment. I want to leave the wilderness with a heart like Jesus. I want to be able to leave the wilderness empowered with the complete knowledge of my mission and empowered to walk it out, just as Jesus did His!
     So, while my initial response to the word of knowledge Theresa received was luke-warm, the Holy Spirit and Jesus have now shown me the truth of that word. WILDERNESS is not to be denounced, but rather, it is to be welcomed! I gladly enter into the wilderness my God has prepared for me, because I know I will meet Him there. I will be humbled there. I will receive spiritual knowledge and authority there. And I will be empowered to walk in new levels of Kingdom and to share the glorious news with those who are seeking the Kingdom first. My wilderness will glorify my God!

Isaiah 43:19    Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

 
     
    

This Is No Time For Fear

    It has been nearly seven years since I began writing this blog, and I am beginning to sense the same spiritual unease among people that I experienced then. True, there is a disparity in how the economy of our nation was functioning compared to today; people seem more confident in their economic future. But the civil unrest and disrespect towards our fellow man, although beginning to rear its ugly head in 2011, is now on full display. Then there is the uncertainty of the corruption/hostility within our government, the overwhelming numbers of people trying to cross our borders, and the raging fires and devastating hurricanes -- and it all translates to both anxiety and confusion about the future. In Biblical terms, people are beginning to experience fear.
     That word "fear" means more than just being afraid or scared. It has connotations of sorrow and grief and dread ... concerning people, things, and events. But it is exactly at these times, when everything around us screams "End Times" that we must remain clear about the overall message of the Word .... we can be assured of God's final victory over the Anti-Christ forces in the world, and His faithfulness to see us be overcomers of this ungodly system. In these times of difficulties, there's a truth that we can cling to. In Isaiah 43, God declares that He is the Savior of Israel, to whom we have been grafted into. His words to His beloved people are true for us, too: Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you [from captivity]. I have called you by name; you are Mine!  

     Throughout the Bible, God tells us to "fear not" because He knows the Enemy uses fear to decrease hope and limit our victories in Him. But we must never forget that we are a child of an all-powerful, all-knowing, never-changing Father who cares deeply about our life and wants us to walk in the victory His Son died to give us. Remember, He has redeemed us; He knows our name; and He declares to the universe that we are His! Does that mean we won't face trials from an Enemy who wants to defeat us? No. Even Jesus expressed great sorrow and grief and dread as He prayed three times for the cup of agony to be removed, if it was the Father's will. His emotional condition was so severe our Lord sweated blood in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion. But in that moment, as the gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, tell us, Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened Him.
     In that moment of grief and dread -- and yes, we call it fear -- Jesus felt the powerful presence of God with Him. There was a purpose for Jesus's life and it extended far beyond what was about to happen in this world. It was the power of God's love and presence that transcended what was about to happen in the physical. And it allowed Jesus to endure the evil perpetrated against Him. We must follow in His footsteps.
     There are incontrovertible truths that we can adhere to that will help us endure our own times of sorrow, grief, dread, and fear. First of all, we know that we are chosen and nothing can separate us from God. We are covered by the blood of Jesus and wrapped in the Grace of God, which empowers us to overcome all that is from Satan. Jesus is our Good Shepherd and will not allow us to endure more than we can stand. We are being prepared to rule with Him in the age to come.
     If you are suffering the torment of Satan's fiery dart of fear, then you must remind yourself that God's judgments against the world are ultimately to wipe out evil, not harm the saints. Just as He did in the wilderness of Egypt, God will supernaturally protect and provide for us. Our faith demands that we trust Him in this! When the difficulties in this world increase, so will God's guidance and leadership. And should this world result in our physical death, there is no greater joy than knowing that the very next instant we will be in His glorious presence forever!
     But perhaps you still cannot defeat those demons of fear that have crept into your life. Let me give you some advice that will help you rise above the lies the Enemy is whispering to you. You need to understand that you have a choice ... you can give in to those lies, cowering in fear and powerlessness -- or you can stand and declare that you are walking in your inheritance as a co-heir with Christ, and you are covered by the authority of God who has made Jesus "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And He put all things [in every realm] in subjection under Christ’s feet, and appointed Him as [supreme and authoritative] head over all things in the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills and completes all things in all [believers]". We are quite able and capable of rising to our spiritual potential and strength!
     When we know what we believe about God and ourselves, then we have the confidence and faith to stand firm and follow Jesus's model of dignity and strength in our hour of need. We will not be afraid to voice our allegiance to Him or to choose to follow Him, no matter the cost. Here's the thing, Jesus never taught on "feelings"; He always commanded obedience. We must truly believe He is our Rock, our Fortress, and our Deliverer; that He is our Strength, our God in whom we can trust. He is our Shield, and our horn (Power) of Salvation. He is our Stronghold and we must praise His Name, for He is worthy to be praised. And we will be saved from our enemies! This is a passage from Psalm 18, and it is a Scripture that is never far from my heart or my lips. I believe these words with all that is in me!
     So, I encourage you to face your fears and begin to declare the Truth of Scripture -- and believe it! Jesus tells us that we are not given a spirit of fear, but we have the Holy Spirit, who gives us mighty power, love [of God] and self-control. When we recognize the power that is in us, we do not fear anything [or anyone] else. And we have the ability to control our carnal emotions and fleshly behavior, as we walk in our spiritual identity. Fear has no place in the life of a Believer. Trust in God's power inside you and watch Him deliver you of all sorrow, grief, dread, and fear. Then declare that you are ready to walk in the glory of God for the remaining days of your life.

It is my prayer that this Thanksgiving, you will find increased faith in the power of our Lord to deliver you from the concerns of this world. Give thanks to our ever-faithful God who never takes His eyes off you. Praise Him for His enduring love!

Psalm 34:4   I sought the Lord [on the authority of His word], and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.

     

The Significance of God's Mantle Upon A Believer

     "The mantle of God" is one of those theological terms that I am only able to discern from its symbolic application in the Bible. Nowhere have I been able to find Scripture that says "this is what a mantle is, or means" in the Bible. In its very simplest application, it is understood to be a cloak, or outer garment; a covering. Strong's Concordance gives it no more significance than that. But when we read the Biblical accounts of Samuel, Joshua, Joseph, Elijah and Elisha, our spirits tell us there is a spiritual connotation to the mantles they wore. And that is what I wish to discover today.
     I think you will agree that the Biblical account of Elisha picking up the mantle that fell from Elijah is the most concrete example we have of the mantle's significance. First of all, we know that Elijah, the Tishbite, would prove to be a very important Prophet for the God of Israel. His name is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, meaning "my God is YAHWEH", with the elements ('el) and (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. His impact on the nation of Israel is great; he is given a specific anointing and ministry by God, and he is faithful to that calling -- even to challenging Baal, the Canaanite god responsible for rain, thunder, lightning, and dew. Elijah not only challenges Baal on behalf of God Himself, but he also challenges Jezebel, her priests, Ahab and the people of Israel.
     Elijah's service to God was so exceptional that he is just one of two men who were not subject to death before being taken to Heaven (Enoch is the other). And because Elijah's anointing was so important to the future of Israel, it was important that his work continue. And that is where we see the symbolism of that appointment being passed on to Elisha in the form of Elijah's mantle/cloak. 
     Elisha was the attendant and disciple of Elijah. He was with Elijah as the Lord prepared to take him up to heaven in a whirlwind. They approached the River Jordan, where 50 Israelite prophets stood watching them from a distance. And Elijah took his mantle (cloak) and rolled it up and struck the waters, and they were divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. And when they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” ... As they continued along and talked, behold, a chariot of fire with horses of fire [appeared suddenly and] separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he no longer saw Elijah. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces [in grief]. He picked up the mantle of Elijah that fell off him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he too had struck the waters, they divided this way and that, and Elisha crossed over (2 Kings 2:8-14).
     From this Scripture, we can understand that Elijah's mantle was a symbol of his ministry and an indication of his authority and responsibility as God’s chosen spokesman. We also see that this ministry and authority was passed on to Elisha through the taking up of the mantle. 
     So, do you think that you, too, can receive a mantle upon your life for God? I believe at the center of receiving a mantle from God is a servant's heart. I also believe that we don't self-appoint mantles [or ministries] for ourselves, but rather receive our calling from the Holy Spirit. 
      At the beginning of this post I listed several men of the Bible who clearly picked up the mantles God had for them. I just love the account given in 1 Samuel, Chapter 3, of the calling on Samuel's life. As we know, his mother Hannah prayed for a son, promising to dedicate him to the service of YHWH. The child served the Lord under the guidance of Eli, the priest. And the Bible is clear in noting that Samuel was faithful to answer every time God called him. Now Samuel grew; and the Lord was with him and He let none of his words fall to the ground [fail to be fulfilled]. And all Israel from Dan [in the north] to Beersheba [in the south] knew that Samuel was appointed as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. But it is the first sentence in Chapter 4 that shows the result of Samuel's faithful service: And the word of [the Lord through] Samuel came to all Israel. He carried the mantle of the Lord.
     The same could be said of Joshua and Joseph. Their mantles of authority and influence flowed out of their relationships; both with God and their mentors. Joshua learned at the feet of Moses, who had that special anointing from God. Joshua was able to recognize where his victories came from and how Moses' leadership was guided by his mantle of anointing. Although, as a child, Joseph received prophetic dreams of his future leadership, he grew into his mantle through relationships with his father, Jacob; Potiphar, the Egyptian captain of Pharaoh's guard; a prison warden; and even Pharaoh, himself. This example shows us that God will use those in authority over us to grow us and position us to wear the mantle He has assigned us. 

     This idea of a mantle from God was brought home to me when I discovered the meaning of my maiden name. It is Ellison, which has been translated "son of Elias". According to a site which traces the origins of surnames, the origin of the name Elias is that it is a borrowing from the Greek; Elias being a cognate of the Hebrew Eliyahu, which is derived from 'ēlīyāhū (Jehovah is God). The name is a variant of Elijah, the same prophet of Israel [referenced above] who carried an anointing (a consecration) of the Spirit of God.
     That weighed heavy on my own spirit as I recognized that this important mantle had been laid down in my family in recent generations. I knew in the deepest part of my heart that God was preparing me to pick up my family's mantle. I could look back and see the people of spiritual authority God had put in my life, and the path He had laid out before me. I knew it would be a long journey for me; that I had much to learn, but I never doubted and have committed myself to the mission I've been given. 
     Make no mistake, I do not say this to place myself above anyone else in the Body of Christ. I do not aspire to titles or offices. I only want to be as humble as Samuel and be as obedient as he was when he answered the Lord: "Here I am, for you called me. Speak, Lord, your servant is listening". So, are you ready to receive your mantle? Are you willing to invest in relationships with men and women who have true spiritual authority, and learn from them? Are you ready to wrap yourself in the protective mantle of God's ultimate authority? Let the Holy Spirit empower you to do God's work. Let His mantle fall on you and prepare for supernatural ability to complete your unique assignment. 

Romans 11:29   For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].   
      
    

The Power Of Our Testimony - Part Two

     I want to finish out my discussion on how our testimonies can encourage others to step out in the power and authority Christ has given us to effect change on the earth. I'm speaking of change in the sense of changed lives; lives that need to receive the message of what the Kingdom of God on earth looks like. And this "change" involves the power of the Holy Spirit to bring a pardon and forgiveness of sins to those who have been held captive by the lies of the Enemy [who whispers they don't deserve it]. It involves the power of the Holy Spirit to bring sight to the blind -- both those with physical blindness, as well as spiritual blindness to the truth of the Kingdom Gospel. This "change" also includes the power of the Holy Spirit to free those who have been oppressed by sins committed against them; those wounded by tragedy; and those who walk in false identities given to them by the devil. And finally, change can be effected when we share the good news of the acceptable year of the Lord (the day when salvation and the favor of God will abound upon all the earth for those who accept Jesus as their Redeemer).  This is the change prophesied by Isaiah and spoken of by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19.

     I want to make it perfectly clear that all this comes about by the power of the Holy Spirit -- whether one receives the power of these truths through their own unwavering faith; through an independent move of the Holy Spirit; or by us acting in our authority to represent the Kingdom... all allow the Holy Spirit to exhibit His power through us. Furthermore, it is our testimonies of that power that encourages others to seek the Divine Power in their lives... all of which transforms this earth for the glory of God.
     In the previous post, I presented Jeremy's testimony; one of hearing the Holy Spirit and responding in obedience to take a message of the redemptive love of Jesus to heal a hurting family. As I said in that post, it is clear to me that we have to find the balance between battling in spiritual warfare and proclaiming Christ's healing love.  They are really two sides of the same coin, and when you are doing one, you are doing the other, and both reflect the power of the Holy Spirit to change a person's life.
     Today, I want to share my dear friend, Terah's testimony.  First, I want to say that when it comes to being steadfast and committed in battling the Enemy and his schemes, I want Terah by my side. She has been unflinching in battling for her marriage and her family; always relying on her identity as a Daughter of the King. Even when the devil has landed a well-placed fiery dart, she quickly recovers, and returns to her true identity.  I think the secret to Terah's strong faith is that she was willing to examine her theology, and was willing to be discipled through a Bible study, where the Holy Spirit revealed God's truth. Then she was willing to accept those truths and walk out her salvation [in fear and trembling]. Now, together with her husband, Greg, [who is undergoing his own amazing redemptive transformation], Terah is growing in her spiritual maturity.  As we all should do, this couple was willing to undergo some critical self-evaluation and then commit themselves to advancing the Kingdom that Scripture has revealed.
     But before I let Terah tell you her story, I want to say that it is always amazing to me when I see the opportunities [to share the Kingdom Gospel] that God puts in front of us when we are willing to be obedient. Somehow, supernaturally, our hearts and spirits become both softened and more alert to hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit. That is what has happened in Terah's life. And I ask her forgiveness if I have the timeline of her testimony wrong, but I am sure that her heart and her commitment to serve others through the power of the Holy Spirit in her life will come through.  Here's her story...
      "I have been praying for awhile for an acquaintance of mine who had been in a long-term relationship, and had finally broken it off.  My opportunities to minister to her just happened kind of organically. I was coming into contact with her through a series of meetings the residents of our county were convening regarding some concerns over government policies.  I could tell that she was upset and having a difficult time, so I made sure she knew we were there to support her.  But she remained heavy on my heart.
     Shortly after one of these meetings, I received a prompting from the Holy Spirit and texted her that Jesus loved her and wanted her heart to be whole.  She responded that she was struggling, and then she began to open up.  I prayed over her, encouraging her to turn to Jesus and reminding her that her comfort would be found in Him.  I then sent her a copy of The Full Armor of God: Defending Your Life From Satan's Schemes by Dr. Larry Richards". [My Note: This book has played a very important part in Terah's own spiritual transformation, and it is a book I highly recommend].
     Terah continues: "This girl was doubting her own self-worth, and I wanted her to know that each of us has an important role to play in God's plan for mankind and the earth. So, I quoted her a sentence from the book that had spoken to my heart.  I wanted her to know that she was important to God ... And through you, God will reveal something of Himself that will never be seen through anyone else. I then shared with her that one of Satan's primary schemes is to block our spiritual development by convincing us that we are worthless.  And then I told her, 'You aren't! You were worth the death of God, Himself!' 
     I told her I knew how she felt! God wants to hold a full-length mirror in front of us to show us in all of our created and beloved beauty. But what is Satan's counter-move in this spiritual battle? To hold up a magnifying mirror to show some slight defect, and then we become distracted from the full-length redeemed image God provides. The devil's battle plan then proceeds to make us appear ugly to ourselves; to feel bad about ourselves; and to keep us from becoming all that God designed us [and assigned us] to be. I encouraged her to pray with all her might, pressing into Him, and I promised her that Greg and I would be with her every step of the way.
     And then by the power of God and the Holy Spirit's ability to set up Divine appointments, within a few days, we passed her unloading hay on the highway. Both Greg and I felt the prompting to stop and pray over her, invoking her identity as a child of God, and the Daughter of the King. We pressed into Jesus on her behalf, trusting Him to renew her mind as to her new identity. 
     I have to say that I am amazed at these opportunities that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are presenting to Greg and me! And I see us both growing in our own identity, and our power and authority. It's as if the Holy Spirit is bringing people to us so that we can share our own testimonies of what He has done in our lives. For instance, a friend from college called Greg out of the blue to discuss his marital problems. Considering that our own marital issues are being healed by the power of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, it is a blessing to let Them work through us to heal another! I can only imagine the impact in the spiritual realm when my husband prayed a warfare prayer over this man's marriage, with authority!
     And within this same time-frame, an acquaintance from these political meetings in our county called us in a panic. After feeling threatened for her participation, Greg was able to talk her off the ledge by walking her through an emotional healing with Jesus. By the power of the Holy Spirit she was able to imagine Jesus healing her emotions and fears, and letting Him speak into her. In the spirit, she could see herself kneeling at the feet of Jesus while He ministered to her, and then she responded out of her gratitude by washing His feet. What a beautiful picture of spiritual healing! Then Greg showed her how to put on her spiritual armor to stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceptions of the devil. This woman has no need to fear the tactics of men when God is for her! It is such a privilege to share [with another] the power of the Holy Spirit, when we are willing to put on our armor and walk in the authority [given to us by Jesus] to overcome all the power of Satan. That's such a tremendous testimony of God's love for us!"
     

     I hope you can see the power of the Holy Spirit to heal, as represented by these two very different posts. Jeremy's testimony shows how just sharing a word of God's love, received from the Spirit, can begin the process of healing, while Terah and Greg's testimony exhibits our power and authority to battle Satan's schemes to intimidate and defeat us. But it is essential that we recognize both are anchored in the Father's love for each one of us.
     And we need to embrace the truth that the word of God (Jesus) is living inside of us in the form of the Holy Spirit; He is active and full of power -- whether to reveal a word from the heart of God to our heart, or to ask us to partner with Him in defeating a spiritual attack upon our souls and spirits. Whether we experience that power as Love or Warfare, it all serves the same purpose... to remind us that we belong to the Father, and that we are representatives of His Heavenly Kingdom while we are here on earth, commissioned to help set people free from the Kingdom of the god of this world. As heirs of that heavenly kingdom, we are to walk in obedience to our King!
     When we realize that each Person of the Godhead committed Himself to seeing that we receive eternal life, and dedicated Himself to helping us walk in freedom while behind enemy lines, then it is critical that we testify to the Power that can change lives for eternity! But for our testimony to be convincing and persuasive, it must involve more than recitation of Scripture and adherence to rituals and tradition. We must walk in the Power of God that resides in us. Our presence in any circumstance must convey an atmosphere that is charged with His Presence and Power. We must be the conduit between Heaven and Earth, using our testimonies to transmit God's love to a hurting world. 
     I don't need to remind you that God doesn't need us to exhibit His power and love -- He could just whack any of us in the heart and change us if He wanted. And it is surely not our own clever abilities which allow us to minister to others, but the empowering Presence of the Holy Spirit within us who guides us and counsels us whether to give a word from the Father, or to employ a tactic on the spiritual battlefield. Either way, we will have a testimony to share from our hearts; hearts that have been transformed by the love of the Father and the power of the Spirit within us. If you have personally been changed, and know the love of the Father, ask the Holy Spirit to use you and your testimony to change the life of another human being. Let God be glorified through our obedience to Christ and the Holy Spirit!

Psalms 107:2-3   So, go ahead -- let everyone know [Jesus' faithful love never ends]! Tell the world how He broke through and delivered you from the power of darkness and has gathered us together from all over the world. He has set us free to be His very own! (Passion Translation)




 

The Spirit Is Moving!

     While a majority of Christians in the U.S. are embracing their Christmas traditions, I am sensitive to a greater sentiment for rejoicing.  I am sensing a connection among Spirit-led Christians, while at the same time, an expansion of where the Spirit is leading us.  I know that may not make much sense, so let me see if I can expound on this premise...
     Until very recently, I have felt as if the Lord had called Mark and I to a solitary place; a calling that seemed to almost isolate us from the Body of Christ.  I knew He was doing a work in us and preparing us for a unique and, perhaps, even greater service than what we experienced within the corporate body of the Church.  But now I'm discovering [and recognizing] those that have experienced the same "calling out", so to speak, and have been on their own individual paths of serving the Kingdom.
     And now, the Lord is connecting us, each with his or her individual and particular assignment.  And when we come together, it is expanding our ability to reach the Lost and the Saved! Because, as I have said before, [quoting Dr. Charles Kraft], our churches are full of wonderfully saved Christians who are still in bondage. And [quoting the Lord], the harvest of the Lost is great and the Laborers are few.

     God needs us all! That's why He has given some the assignment of healing the brokenhearted and setting the captives free; and others to take back the Land and declare that it belongs to the Lord; and still others to train up disciples of Christ to hit the streets, lay hands on people to physically heal, and share the Gospel of the Kingdom.  And now He is connecting us so that we are actually beginning to work together as a real body works ... each being the hand or the foot or the arms and legs -- but all working under the direction of the Head.  The Spirit is moving!
     I don't claim to know the mind of God, but I am left wondering if it isn't like how God orchestrated Joshua and the Israelite's conquering of the Promised Land ... learning our individual responsibility and then how to relate collectively as we come together in one Body; learning from each battle as we step into the next.  If we had each tried to walk out our new assignments [when we first received them] as part of a corporate body, there would probably have been much in-fighting for position, a lot of confusion, and much discouragement -- which would have delighted Satan.
     But since God has taught each of us our roles, and refined us through our victories and defeats, we are now ready to come together without any jealousy, suspicion, or mistrust.  We see the bigger picture and it is not about us, but for God's glory and establishing His Kingdom on earth!
     I actually experienced this new Army of the Lord last night.  I attended what was called a "worship and healing service" in Corpus Christi, Texas -- which coincidentally, means Body of Christ in Spanish.  At this service, I witnessed people coming from the community to be ministered to for both physical and spiritual healing.  There was the young Hispanic man, with obvious signs on his body of gang affiliations, who was prophesied over.  I stood waiting to minister to his female friend, and watched as his countenance changed from scared [and skeptical] to a complete surrender to the Lord. As the minister declared that God had a word for him; that he would become a leader among his community and walk in authority, leading others to Christ, I saw a man broken in his flesh, fighting back tears, until he gave in and allowed the love of Jesus to flood his heart. There was much more spoken over him than I have recorded here; words from the Throne of God, specifically for this special young man who needed to know that God loves him. I watched as, tears finally flowed, and he allowed himself to be hugged and received by the men who were laying hands on him.  You could tell that being hugged was a foreign action for him, but I saw his spirit respond to the love of Jesus through those men, and my spirit just kept saying, "Receive it, Brother, receive it!"
      And then several of us women ministered to his friend, who was obviously suffering emotional pain from bad decisions in her life.  The minister declared her a thing of beauty to the Lord and spoke of a bright future that God had planned for her, recognizing her gifts and talents that she would use for the Lord.  He then asked us women if we were seeing anything in the spirit.  My friend, Wanda, spoke of seeing a mantle of grace flowing over her, and covering her; the Lord delighting in her beauty. I spoke of seeing that the Enemy had placed a dirty veil before her eyes and that's how she saw herself. I prophesied that God wanted to remove that veil so she could see herself as He sees her, beautiful and pure; and that she would be able to do the same for other young women who lived their lives in shame and guilt.  Then the minister asked my other friend, Debbie, to prophetically act out removing that veil from her.  It was so powerful! You could see her face and her eyes brighten, the darkness being removed by words of knowledge and prophecy.
     I witnessed physical healing -- including my own! And I was able to minister to another woman, leading her through forgiving her father for molesting her as a child, and releasing him to God in the Name of Jesus. She needed to know that she is a daughter of the King, and that is her new identity. Seeing her tears, I assured her that she was much loved -- by her Father in Heaven, and by each one of us. In short, I believe I was seeing what the Early Church must have looked like.  We were people of God, gathered together; each obedient to our different calling and assignment, but partnering with Jesus to do the works that He did while on earth.  And perhaps even more importantly, I saw Ephesians 4:15-16 in person: Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.  That is what training and equipping the saints is to look like!
     But we didn't look like what "church" normally does today.  We didn't all sit for 30 minutes while someone preached to us.  Instead, we spontaneously responded to the need of those who were in attendance.  Several groups sprang up around the room, as the Holy Spirit called us to minister to a hurting soul. We came together with strangers to release the power of the Spirit to those in need of Jesus's forgiveness, mercy, and love. We were no longer solitary laborers, but were working in unison to advance the Kingdom of God and take back territory from Satan. It was palpable and the presence of God was unmistakable.
     It excites me to declare that there is a definite movement of the Holy Spirit across this land, and I am seeing it in ways unlike anything I've seen before.  Connections are being made from great distances apart, and communities are being supernaturally effected by this cooperation and spirit of unity among this growing remnant within the Body of Christ.  It is a beautiful and compelling and powerful thing to behold! And it is happening near you -- I just know it!  Ask the Lord to show you where you can connect into His power here on earth ... and then let nothing stop you from becoming a laborer for the Harvest.  He will equip you for the work and the battles -- and it will taste and smell and look and sound and feel like sweet victory!

Luke 16:16   The Law and the Prophets were until John [the Baptist]. Since that time the Good News of the Kingdom of God is being proclaimed, and everyone with the utmost earnestness and effort is pressing into it for his share in it. (The Expanded Greek Translation)
    

Can You Identify?

     If you've been a long-time reader of this blog, then you understand the journey the Lord has taken me on. You have seen the new seasons and paths to which He has directed me and Mark, and I've tried to be as honest as I could about my questions, as well as my convictions.  As you know, we are entering a new season of learning what it means to be a True Disciple of Christ and to be a member of what I will term, "the True Church".
     What has been perhaps the most surprising part of this journey is just how simple [to understand] Jesus's commandments to us, yet how difficult they are to carry out because we've never been encouraged to do them ... Throughout my church experience I heard references to "the Great Commission", but never once was it elaborated on, beyond the message to "Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor". And that's not even what Jesus categorized as His Commission!  Until you read, word for word, His precise explanation [in Mark 16 and Matthew 28], I doubt you will even know what we are called to do.  And I imagine if you have watched the movie I recommended, The Last Reformation, then your world has been rocked.

     I know I have been enthusiastic in urging you to understand His missive ... to heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, baptize in His Name, and spread the Gospel of the Kingdom ... but how many of you are thinking, right now, "I could never do that!  That is for people who are far more spiritually experienced and knowledgeable than me? The Lord may have called Mark and Pam to do this work, but I am not equipped to represent Him in this exalted way!"
     Well, I'm here to tell you that I am no different than you!  And guess what?  Neither were the Twelve Apostles!  Jesus called ordinary men to follow Him to show us that it is possible for all of us!  And if you have made the mistake of elevating Peter, John, Matthew, James the son of Zebedee, James the son of Alphaeus, Andrew, Simon, Bartholomew, Thaddeus, Philip, Thomas, and Judas Iscariot as extraordinary, exceptional men at the time they were called to follow Jesus, then I assure you that they only became extraordinary when they were baptized by the Holy Spirit [into the power of God] to carry out the Great Commission.  And if you are having a hard time accepting their "ordinariness", then I will let Jesus prove it.
     As I am slowly progressing through the Bible [again], I saw something that I had skimmed over the other times I read it, but which now leaped out at me.  Shortly after the Passover meal in which Jesus announces that "one of you shall betray me", He proceeds to tell the Disciples that He will only be with them a little while longer (John 13:33) ...  Little children, I am with you [only] a little longer. You will look for Me and, as I told the Jewish religious leaders, so I tell you now, ‘Where I am going, you are not able to come.’
     So, I want you to notice how He addresses the disciples ... the same men who have been with Him for three-and-a-half years; who have watched Him do the miracles; and who have sat at His feet receiving the teachings that He is in the Father, and the Father in Him; who have heard Him say that He only does what the Father tells Him to do, or what He sees the Father doing.  He calls them Little children! 
     I am going to borrow from a sermon I heard Bill Johnson give once ... although the Twelve had been with Him for several years and seen His works, they still did not understand!  We don't read about very many successes they had in imitating Him, and He gets frustrated with them at times, calling them an "unbelieving and perverse generation" (Luke 9:41), and calls out their lack of faith, asking, them, "Why can't you understand?" (Matthew 7:7-11). So, the whole time they were with Him, they didn't really get it!
     Here's what I see in that verse:  By calling them "Little Children", Jesus is telling us that they are just infants in their faith, Baby Christians, if you will.  They have yet to grow into a spiritually mature believer who is advanced enough to represent the Kingdom of God.  But He offered them His grace, and He knew they would grow through obedience.  Did He decide they were unworthy to carry forth His message and works, and then dismiss them?  No!  He opened their minds to understand Scripture and told them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them with power, and then they would be able to carry His Gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth.

     Why didn't He open their minds to understand Scripture at the beginning of the three-and-a-half years?  Wouldn't the journey have been easier for them all? The Bible doesn't tell us, but perhaps God knew that if they didn't walk out that training, they probably would have credited themselves for the work they did do.  Plus, if they had been given to understand all of Scripture at the beginning, there would have been no growth and maturity in their walk. I think we can all agree that with experience and maturity, comes wisdom and the ability to persevere.  Jesus knew they would be tested and would need to remember the lessons He taught them along the way. So He took them on a three-and-a-half year apprenticeship, knowing they needed training and guidance.
     So, I submit to you, that you are no different than those twelve ordinary men who made a decision to follow Jesus. They had moments of doubt and fear. They made mistakes. There were many times they didn't understand what God was doing in their lives; and I'm sure there were days they wondered if they were doing His will or fulfilling their purpose. They didn't suddenly and miraculously become Pillars of the Faith.  But they knew Jesus offered something they couldn't live without. And so they trusted Him in their lives, remaining obedient to their calling.
     I will agree that it is more difficult for us because they could touch Him and hear His voice, and actually watch Him do what He calls us to; and we are separated by a distance of over 2,000 years and a couple of heavens.  But the calling is the same... His is the Way to follow [with all that He did]; He is the Truth that overcomes the Enemy's lies about who we are; He offers a Life that transcends these earthly bonds; and He is the Light that shatters the darkness that threatens to overcome us.  And He has shown us that He wants to use ordinary men and women -- fishermen, tax collectors, prostitutes, and adulterers -- to reveal the power of God's goodness over the evil of the prince of this world.  He has shown us that ordinary people can defeat Satan by healing the sick, and casting out his henchmen, the demons, and taking back territory among the souls of men. He has shown us that the Power and the Love of Heaven can invade this earth, and it can come through us!
     All you have to do is be willing to say, "Yes, Lord!" And I will tell you, it is absolutely a journey; and for some it may take longer than the three-and-a-half years it took the Twelve, but just as with them, Jesus will be with you every step of the way -- teaching you, correcting you, encouraging you, and bestowing His Power and Authority, that you might become a conqueror, just as He was.
     So, never think that you don't match the qualifications of those early saints.  Each of us, on acceptance of Him as our Savior, have the opportunity to receive the power and authority from Heaven, and to do the works Jesus and His Apostles did. I will tell you that there was something inside me that responded to the first time I realized what the Great Commission really was. And the first time I listened to the experiences of others who were being obedient to this calling on all of us, I never looked back. The Holy Spirit communed with my spirit and I knew it was right! So, I urge you to trust Him and just be ready to obey. He will answer your willingness with His Love, give you His Authority and Power, and you can walk in the shoes of a Son or Daughter of the Most High God.  Just take that first step of your journey ... tell Him your heart longs to walk in His footsteps, and that you want to learn how to be a true Disciple. Then watch your identity change as you enter into one of the most glorious seasons of your life on this earth!
     Jesus, Himself, says, By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.  What better way to love another than to set them free of sickness and demonic oppression, and then share the Gospel of eternal life in the Kingdom of God, baptizing them in Jesus's Name and setting them free from their sin?  After all, that's exactly what Jesus did, and taught His first disciple to do, isn't it? And the Bible tells us that whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.

2 Peter 3:18    But grow [spiritually mature] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory (honor, majesty, splendor), both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...

     In Romans, Chapter 1, Paul is speaking of the exalted power of the Gospel, and when properly understood, I believe it speaks to an even bigger concept than the Church has realized up til now.  We have all been taught that Jesus came to die for our sins, so that we might escape the wrath of God by receiving Him as our Savior.  The benefit of that decision is exchanging a life of sin that leads to Death and the eternal absence of God for a life lived in Jesus's imputed righteousness and the gift of spending eternity in Heaven with the Father and Son. Does that do a pretty good job of what the Body of Christ is believing?  It is all correct, without a doubt -- but there's so much more!

     For those of us who are willing to hear and see what the Word of God is actually saying, that picture takes on new dimensions and significance.  If you read the first few verses of Romans 1, you see Paul laying out the foundation of our faith ... the Gospel of God prophesied [through the prophets] that the Son of God would be born as a descendant of David in the flesh; that Jesus Christ was declared the Son of God [as a result of] power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Holy Spirit; that we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all people for His name’s sake.

     I'm afraid we might have reduced the real magnitude of these verses to a simplified "salvation message".  And I believe that is borne out by our limited understanding of verse 16, in which we don't see the big picture of what "the power of God for salvation" really means.  Let me see if I can explain ...

     Are we guilty of reading this verse from the standpoint of the Reformation, which preached God's mercy to bring us into freedom from sin and His wrath?  In other words, are we interpreting this word "salvation" as strictly meaning the escape from eternal damnation in the Day of Judgment, and only seeing the work of the Holy Spirit as He relates to conversion?  

     If you are seeing with newly opened spiritual eyes, I hope that you are discerning salvation in the larger scope of its purposes for the Kingdom.  As I have continually written, it is my opinion that the Church has lost the sense of God's Power in us, and doesn't have a very good sense that Jesus came to preach the Good News about the influence of that power [through us] in this dimension called earth.  Furthermore, we don't have a clear grasp that those Kingdom purposes are about forgiveness, and about having the ability and the authority to communicate with God (as Jesus did) so that we can actually be in communication with God's enabled power to heal the sick, for instance.  We don't understand that He desires to use us by releasing His power through us to cast out demons, and even raise people from the dead, if He tells us that is His will.  

     We have not been taught that the Holy Spirit [in us] enables us to see in the spirit, and hear in the spirit so that we can implement our Father's plans and will -- just as Jesus did in His incarnate state.  He showed us that is possible!  And this is the fullest sense of that word SALVATION which includes forgiveness, healing, deliverance and the redemption of "the poor in spirit."

     For too long, we have believed that the power of God worked independently from us, and we saw Him as some distant Benefactor or Judge [depending on our circumstances]. Remember, God identifies Himself as the "I AM". He is not the "I WAS" or the "I WILL BE".  The same actions of healing and deliverance from demons that He exhibited through the Apostles are to be acted out in faith and obedience by us. 

     When we proclaim the Gospel Message, are we making sure that we know the full extent of that Good News?  That it is not limited to eternal life in Heaven, but extends to daily healing and deliverance in the here and now?  We are called to proclaim that Gospel to the ends of the earth and until Jesus returns. But can we truly say we are fully proclaiming that Gospel if it does not include the signs and miracles that Jesus modeled during His preaching?  

     I know that this is probably outside the purview of mainstream Christianity, but it is precisely because this message has been neglected that the Church is powerless today against the forces coming against our families, the culture, and our government.  It is time that the Body of Christ quit trying to come to terms with the Enemy and go back to the fundamentals of Jesus's message... He clearly tells us that He came down from heaven, not to do His own will, but the will of the Father who sent Him.  All we have to do is read the Scripture through spiritual eyes and see what He did.  That is the true Gospel and the full sense of how the Father views salvation.  That is the power Paul is talking about; it is the length and width and height and depth of God's power and love to deliver us all from every kind of evil. That is the picture of His Kingdom and Power and Glory that He wants us to see and to do!

Now, Let's Get Started!

     If you've been following the last few blog posts then you know where I'm going.  Hopefully, you have dived into the Word and really studied all that Jesus had to say about what the Kingdom of God looks like on this earth. And if you truly believe that the Power of the Father resides in you, and that you are a Son or Daughter, Prince or Princess of the Kingdom, then all the deceiving lies of the Enemy will be eliminated. These are the lies he has told you to make you afraid, and caused you to deny your position in the Kingdom.

     So, if you can step out from behind the wall that Satan built between you and the Power and Authority you have been given, you should be asking, What's the next step?  All I can do is tell you the path that God took me down.  Your path may look a little different, but we should all end up at the same destination ... being bold in declaring ourselves as witnesses of another world; in other words, demonstrating what it looks like when the power of Heaven invades this earth through us, the ambassadors of the King!

     There are many modern-day pastors and leaders who are rock solid in their Biblical understanding of our relationship with God, and our commission from Jesus to do the works He did.  I have no problem in recommending studies by Curry Blake or Bill Johnson on how to follow Jesus's instructions regarding our Commission and His model for destroying the works of the devil. Others such as Dr. Charles Kraft and Dr. Kurt Payne offer exceptional models for Deliverance.  Taken together, it all adds up to HEALING, a word that encompasses all that Jesus did to alleviate the human condition: Preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people; and they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them (Matthew 4:23-24).    

     Search those names on YouTube and watch every video you can of their teachings on both physical and inner (spiritual) healing. Scripture is the foundation of their teachings and they will help you overcome any of your "religious sacred cows" that are blocking you from stepping out in faith. Once you have spiritually discerned that all this is God's Truth, then I would recommend that you make an appointment to get delivered.  You don't want anything between you and God that the Enemy can exploit. THEN, just start!  Begin with your family and friends.  I guarantee that there is someone you know who is physically in pain. Ask them if you can pray for them and lay hands on them to release the power of Heaven into their pain.  Just step out in faith and obedience and watch the Father work.  If nothing happens, do it again.  It is your Faith that will make their healing a reality.  If you believe that what the Father did for Jesus, He is also willing to do for you, then the power will be released.  God wants to work with us and through us!

   

 
     If you have a family member struggling with a spiritual issue, both Dr. Kraft and Dr. Payne offer easy-to-follow models for Inner Healing and Deliverance.  As long as you step out in obedience, knowing that it is the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit who are doing the work in the person (not you) and that you are Their instrument to see the person spiritually healed, then God will guide you to success.  He wants to use you (just as He used Jesus, and then the Disciples) to see people healed. He will not give you more power than you can handle, and if you will listen for His voice and His instruction, He will give you more authority and more power as you proceed.

     The bottom line is that in pursuing our Biblical Commission, we are really seeking more of our God.  At some point, we have to let go of our fears of deception and our personal safety and chase after Him with abandon, willing to lose ourselves in order to gain Him.  As Bill Johnson says, "We must believe that our God is big enough to keep us safe in our quest for more of Him.  Practically speaking, many Christian's devil is bigger than their God... It's an issue of trust. Our hearts must be turned completely towards the One who is able to keep us from falling". 

     And I know that recommending watching YouTube videos or reading books other than the Bible may not be the normal route for growing our faith and obedience, but I think we learn best from people who are actually doing the works Jesus did and bearing fruit from their labor.  I mean, what have we really learned from the theories of classroom Christians who never walk out their faith?  If you are convinced (and I hope you are!) that we should be doing what Jesus did, then it only makes sense to study how those who have had success in these areas are doing it.

     I don't know about you, but I want to work in the Father's miracle realm like Jesus, and experience what He experienced.  I want those personal encounters with God and the Holy Spirit! I want to see the lame walk, and the blind see, and the dead raised!  And I want the power that can make that happen flowing through me!  I want to see in the Spirit the way the Apostle John did, and I want Paul's "Damascus Road" moment in my life.  I want the deepest intimacy I can get with my Father, and I want to share it with others and see their lives impacted in the same way, so that they can go out and share it with more people.  I want to see Earth overlaid with the fragrant atmosphere and scent of Heaven. I believe that was what Jesus was walking out during His short time in this world.  And look what He started!  Now it's our time and our turn!  Are you willing to follow His clear Biblical instructions? Then, what are you waiting for?

Psalm 119:10    "With my whole heart I seek You; let me not wander from Your commandments!"

It's Not Enough!

     Today I'm going to be very bold; actually blunt and honest more accurately describes my attitude.  And I'm going to start by pointing the finger at myself.  I have been writing this blog for nearly six years, all with the purpose of directing people towards God.  The first few years I was still focused on this world, combining a message of how to survive the tactics of men and the schemes of the Prince of this world to destroy us.  The last couple of years, I have clearly heard God's instructions to focus on Him and His will to see His Kingdom be realized on earth as it is in Heaven.
     I have listened to the Holy Spirit and spoken to you about our Power and Authority; and shouted that we serve a Supernatural God. I have desperately wanted both fellow Believers and the Unsaved to grasp the magnitude of the God we serve and what He expects from us.  And, yes, I know that I have been moderately successful in getting that message across -- and maybe there are some people who have had those "Aha!" moments, or even began examining their theology and Biblical worldview.  But, I know that I've not done enough!!!

      It's not enough to provide you with food for thought, if it doesn't result in a manifestation of God's Power here on earth.  Just as it's not enough for my husband, Mark, to do in-depth Bible studies whereby he teaches people in Colorado and Ohio about what Jesus meant when He spoke of the Kingdom of God.  And it's not enough for teachers and preachers in the Church buildings to "make a difference" in their classes or sanctuaries for one hour on Sunday mornings.  Yes, in all these instances people's minds are being expanded about what the Bible tells us about our God; they are receiving new concepts of the Bigness of God and new ideas about who He is.  But is that what Jesus demanded His disciples to do after He was gone?  Is it what He demands of us?
     In Matthew 28, we receive our Commission from the Lord:  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe [do] all that I commanded you.  So, now comes a very important question that I had to ask myself ... Where is the fruit from my labor? Are the people who I might have influenced through this blog doing the things that Jesus did and taught His disciples to do?  Are the people who my husband is leading in Bible study, or the students in that Sunday School class, Small Group, or members of the congregation sitting in the pews going out and converting people? Are they baptizing people in Jesus's Name? Are they laying hands on the sick, or casting out demons, or raising the dead, or discipling others in this Kingdom work?  If the answer is "No", then are we doing what Jesus commissioned us to do? Even our "home church" group is not measuring up to Jesus's instruction.
     I will concede that there is a real need to be educating and teaching people in the Truths of the Bible, and the Gospel of the Kingdom. "Teaching" is specifically mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 as a gift from Jesus to build up the Body of Christ, and to bring Believers to maturity in their knowledge of the Son of God.  But we seem to have skipped over one very important reason that the gift of teaching was given -- to equip the saints for the ministry; a ministry that is exemplified by the fullness of Christ; that is, the full measure of all His powers. Teaching is supposed to result in Believers doing the things Jesus did, not just knowing about them! To that end, teaching is not enough!
     I will tell you that God is making that point very clear to me --- head knowledge is simply not enough! I agree with American Evangelist, D L Moody, who said, "The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives". If we are going to make an impact [and change] our cities, our neighborhoods, our communities -- why stop there? -- change the world, then we need to be doing more than educating people.  We need to be exhibiting the Power of God.  That's what Jesus did.  He brought Heaven to earth with signs and wonders, and He said that signs [and wonders] would accompany those who believed His message about the Kingdom of God.  And those signs would include healing, casting out demons, and raising the dead.  If we, in the Body of Christ, are truly making an impact in our labor for the Lord, then we should be seeing this evidence among those we are influencing.  So, why aren't we seeing it happen?
     Timothy says in these last days we will have the appearance of godliness, but will deny its power. That's what I'm seeing.  The Body of Christ has either been convinced that signs and wonders stopped with the Apostles [which makes this belief akin to cessationism], or they fear signs and wonders because of the possibility of being deceived.  So, in their fearfulness, they deny the power of miracles, healing, and casting out demons, and replace them with religious traditions, church activities, and even Bible study. They become satisfied with knowledge alone, instead of a genuine encounter with the Power of God Almighty.

     We are all created for greater exploits than expanding our minds and being able to explain our Bible.  After all, I think we would all agree that there are very real powers of darkness in this world who aren't holding back from the authority they've been given to exhibit their influence.  I have seen God's Power first-hand in the Deliverance Ministry that the Lord has brought me and my husband.  But think about this --- if we would seek an anointing of the Power and Authority that the Father gave Jesus, and which He then gave the Apostles and all who would believe, we could actually encounter the presence of God [just as they did] and defeat the ruling influence of Satan and hell.
     I believe that my husband and I have witnessed the Power of God on only a small scale. Yes, we have seen people's lives changed as they encounter Jesus in a Deliverance session and allow Him to heal their spiritual and inner wounds. And we have partnered with Jesus to cast out demons from tormented souls.  We have witnessed to people and seen real conversions, and baptized new believers in His Name.  But it's not enough!  Our discipleship needs to result in these Believers then going out and exercising God's Power and doing all that Jesus commanded.
     We need to end the powerlessness of the Body of Christ and make God's signs and wonders the focus and ambition of our lives.  Head knowledge only takes us so far.  When we can effect real change in a person's life by showing them God's love for them and the salvation message; by baptizing them; by healing their infirmity, or casting out a demon -- and yes, even raising someone from the dead -- then we can reflect the true image of Christ to the world, and God's will is truly being done.  We have long been told that we represent Christ; but what if we did as Pastor Bill Johnson suggests, and actually re-present Him? What if we returned to a gospel of God's Power, as well as one of His Love?
     I no longer want to simply know that I have the Power and Authority from Jesus.  I want to exhibit it in my life every moment of every day.  I want the fullness of what it means to be a child of God.  I want the full manifestation of the Holy Spirit so that I can truly co-labor with Christ. I want God to be glorified through His power that is evident in me.  I want His power to be released in the works of my life so that repentance, change, and the desire to do the works of Jesus come into peoples' lives through real encounters with God.  As Jesus was, so I want to be!

Matthew 9:8     But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.


     

Resurrection and Rebirth

     You might notice something different about my blog today... the Holy Spirit has been showing me that it is time to be my authentic self and reveal my real name.  Back when I began writing this blog in December of 2011 (it's hard to imagine that it's been that long ago!) I was writing from a different spiritual perspective.  Although I have always written for God, then my focus was on the experiences of this world and how my faith in God affected my interpretation of my worldview. Therefore, at the time, I thought it best to write under a pen name that invoked my self-proclaimed purpose [to awaken the sleeping masses and "ring the bell"] to get their attention. After all, who would be drawn to read a blog by a no-name woman, with no credibility. Thus, I came up with a name that described what I was trying to accomplish, and Belle Ringer was born.
    Now, more than five years later, my focus is on the spiritual realm, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, and my higher calling to be a true Child of God.  What happens in this world is secondary; although it still very much influences how I serve my God and fellow man -- I am in this world to reflect the image of Christ and to continue His works; but I am not of this world. It is time to speak in truth and genuineness... and therefore, time to be my real self ... Pam Kohler.  Granted, to the world my name still holds no credibility.  But to my God, who has known me since before the foundation of the world, it is who I honestly am; and I am not ashamed to proclaim Him to this world, using my legal name.

     But I also wanted to honor all the people who have trusted me and my husband, Mark -- people who have come to us in their true identities as hurting souls; people with spirits so low and tormented that we were often their last hope of getting free.  Make no mistake --- these people came to us not because they thought we could save them; but because somehow they knew our faith could support them until they could find Jesus on their own.  And we always made it clear that it is Jesus and the Holy Spirit who do the redemptive work -- not us!
     We are no different than anyone else. We have our own stories of sin-filled lives and emotional traumas. We still have to fight to keep from believing the lies that the Father of Lies would like to dump on us.  But God took us from our ordinary, worldly lives into an extraordinary spiritual relationship with Him, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  It has been a step-by-step process of seeing Them unpeeled like an onion; layer after layer bringing us into newfound freedoms from the bondage of the devil. And it is work that needs to be done in the lives of everyone Jesus created.
     It is rewarding work, yet at times exhaustive. We have seen people rise from the depths of torment to live new, resurrected lives of joy in the Lord.  We have also seen people slide back into torment when they don't take responsibility for keeping their freedom.  We have seen Unsaved people grab hold of Jesus, weep at the presence of the Holy Spirit, and soar like an eagle with their newfound faith.  At the same time, it has been our experience that lifelong Christians are the toughest ones to let Jesus heal their inner wounds.  The years of Church doctrine, man-made traditions, and flawed theology must all be broken down before the Saved are willing to let their spirits meet with Jesus. And we have, sadly, lost a young man who loved Jesus so deeply, accepted Jesus's forgiveness, yet could not forgive himself because he believed the devil's lie that he was unworthy of the Lord's sacrifice for him. We just ran out of time to help him. That day, Jesus wept, and so did we.
     The Enemy may think he scored a victory, and that we will be convinced that we are waging a losing [spiritual] war --- that we can't get to enough people to introduce them to the healing power of Jesus -- that the numbers of hurting souls are too great, and the scales are balanced in his favor.  But it is in honor of that young man, who trusted us enough to reveal his true self and allow us to help him pour out his pain to Jesus, that we will continue to battle the Darkness until our last breath.
     Because with every one of the people God has brought into our lives, we know without a doubt that Satan is real and spiritual attacks are genuine.  Whether you are Saved, Unsaved, or Ambivalent you are a target of the roaring lion who is looking for someone to devour.  But you only have to receive Jesus, the Son of the Living God, into your heart, believing that His death on the Cross paid for your sins, and you can have the hope of a resurrected life, just as He was resurrected to sit on the right hand of the throne of God.  There is no sin that cannot be covered by His blood!
     So, it is with extreme humbleness that I offer my authentic self to you, the readers, and I thank you for sticking by someone whom you did not really know through all these years.  I pledge to you that I will continue to reveal the Truth as my Lord and the Holy Spirit reveal it to me, and that I will always be here for those who need a listening ear and a willing heart. The [Spiritual] Harvest is plentiful, and the Lord can count on me and my husband to be faithful workers in the field of souls ... right to the very end.  God Bless You All!

Colossians 1:29    "For in this I also labor and fight with the help of the Power that is given to me". (Aramaic Bible in Plain English)