As a nurse, I work with a lot of people, and now that I’m in the float pool, I work with different people on different nursing units every day. While it has its upsides and downsides, I’ve met some really cool people over the years, and while I can count the number of patients I have ended up knowing long-term on one hand, the few who have chosen to stay connected with me after their hospital stay have become treasured relationships.
Recently, I was working with a woman who, at the end of our day together, let me pray for her, and then she told me a story. When she was eleven years old, her family was having difficulty. Her mom and dad were getting a divorce, and her life hadn’t been that rosy up to that point either. Well, things were about to change.
One night, she remembered this large being descending through the ceiling and speaking to her. She couldn’t see his figure clearly, but she was very clear on one point—this figure was God and He had come to visit her. The visitation wasn’t long, but God spoke a message to her, saying:
“You’re going to go through problems, but it’s all gonna be okay. Take heart.”
This eleven year-old probably didn’t realize that this visitor was practically quoting what He said to the disciples in John 16:33, saying ““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
In the subsequent years, that family went through major turmoil. The domestic violence and abuse came to a head one day and the mother had planned to murder the father to make it all stop. A pastor stopped by the house, something he never did, saying “The Lord would not let me alone until I came to see you today.” As a result the mother did not harm the father in spite of his many transgressions against the family, and God spared both his life and protected the children from what would otherwise have thrown them into the foster system.
As this woman told me this story of how God visited her and spoke to her words of peace and strength so many years before, she was still very excited about it. After all, it’s not every day that one has a visitation from God, and it’s not every day that you can share it with a stranger and have them not just believe you, but share in your excitement.
Furthermore, that message is a good message for us all to remember, regardless of the situations we find ourselves in. Take heart! He has overcome the world!
A missionary friend shared the following on social media yesterday in regards to the coronavirus. People all over the world are panicking. Information is conflicting, some of it very hopeful and some of it incredibly grim. While I have reasons why I believe it isn’t going to be half as bad as many projections, I think that regardless of what happens we need to have hope, walk in peace, and fix our eyes on the Great Physician. I hope the following, from someone who deals with the poor, the sick, and the downtrodden daily, offers a different perspective on how we can position our hearts toward faith:
“We are flying home today from India where at the moment it is far safer in regard to the spread of the virus- than it is in the US.
It’s interesting to watch as these world events unfold but even more interesting to see it from a third world perspective.
We have worked here, along with our 2 daughters when they were younger, for over 31 years. Mere words don’t do justice to the atrocities we have seen during our time here. Some so shattering we have never spoken of them.
When we felt the call to India we knew that call would take us to the lowest of the low, to those who lived in unspeakable squalor. Where sewage ran in the streets, cardboard and plastic were used as walls and ceilings- and along with the stench and the heat would come the flies. Thousands of flies.
Bear with me a moment as I share just one story with you. During the formative years of our ministry we found ourselves working in Calcutta. Where early mornings before the sun rose, dump trucks would work their way through the streets picking up and discarding the bodies of street people who had died overnight.
It was the stifling heat of one afternoon that drove us out of our hotel room and onto the streets. I held the hand of our little daughter as we meandered up and down the narrow pathways. After sometime we turned a corner to head back and suddenly realized we had stepped into a small leper colony. I think they were as shocked as we were. Everybody froze.
Without hesitation my husband extended his hand to shake the fingerless hand of one of the men. I reached out to hug one of the women with open sores, who then proceeded to break down and cry. When they realized someone was open to touch them, to hug them, they lined up and one by one they buried their faces into our chests and wept. We spoke no Hindi, they spoke no English but it did not matter. Enough was being said.
After some time we returned to our room, removed our dirty clothing, showered long, ordered tea and stared into the ceiling. We did not sleep that night and there have been many sleepless nights since.
From that day our journey has taken us to a place where we along with our teams work with sex-worker children who potentially have AIDS, with trash picker children who carry disease, and run a hospital that sees some of the worst of the worst—and as long as we can we will continue to do so.
So I said all of that to say (and please forgive me) I might be a little embarrassed right now.
Embarrassed by the hoarding of food in the US while the fight for us and many ministries here to feed slum children one meal a day is very real.
Embarrassed by the closure of church community at a time when community is needed now more than ever. While all the doors are shutting, I wish ours would remain open.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying I have not felt fear. I have felt fear for my 91 year old Mother living in Florida and my eight year old grandson living in Georgia. I have felt fear all my years of serving in India.
But fear does not own me like my faith does.
Don’t get me wrong. We DO need to operate in wisdom. We DO need to be prepared.
But we also need to be the light when it is the darkest. We need to have open hands, open hearts, open pantries and open doors.
This virus will dry up and go away as quick as it came. It will not survive.
I pray we can all look back with the satisfaction of knowing we did not miss this divine moment. I pray we see this obstacle as the opportunity that it really is.
I don’t know about you but I am personally tired of talking about church. I am tired of just going to church.
I want to BE the church.”
The following is a transcript of a vision Heidi Baker of Iris Ministries had years ago which was shared at a conference in 2015 (see video at the bottom). In light of the current coronavirus issues, people panic-buying and grocery store shelves being nearly empty, and the fact that any similar “sudden” event could cause a similar problem, this word seems both relevant and something worth praying into. We, the Body of Christ, need to purpose in our hearts to pursue walking in the Greater Works of miracles that Jesus promised in John 14 that we would walk in.
“I had a vision in your church and it wasn’t what I expected to see. I saw bread lines, soup kitchens, and I saw people wearing beautiful clothing. Their clothing was not worn out. Now in my nation when people are hungry you can tell. I mean they are in shredded rags. They don’t have shoes or they have flip flops. Most of them have no shoes. They are hungry and they know they are hungry. They come for food, not because they are beggars, but because they are hungry.
I have held starving children in my arms. I know what starvation is. I know what pain is. I know what suffering is. But in this vision that I had that was in your nation, which the Lord is helping me to say, I will identify with America as well as Mozambique.
I saw this bread line, long bread lines, and I said, ‘Lord, I don’t think that is popular to say in a church, especially one that is all about revival and victory and power.’
I didn’t want to see what I saw, but I saw what I saw so, I was so undone that I just said what I saw. And I saw all these people and they had beautiful cars, 4 by 4’s and Lexus, Mercedez, BMW’s, Toyotas. There they were with fancy shiny cars, but they were standing in line.
What I said about worrying, the worriers turned into worshipping warriors.
I asked, ‘Why are they so well dressed and standing in this line?’
He said, ‘Because it is a suddenly. They are suddenly in need of food.’
I asked, ‘What are we to do?’
He said, ‘Tell them that what you see in Mozambique they will see in America with the signs and wonders and miracles. They will see it on their soil. They will see what I do.’
What is it that He does? For one thing He puts peace on you in the midst of the storm.”
-Heidi Baker-
We have previously published a prophetic word from Margie Moorman back in 2017 (titled Could These Be Bread Lines Again)that, from our perspective, is both a confirming word and also kind of picks up where this prophetic word leaves off and shares what God’s plan for our response to those in bread lines should be.
“And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.” (Mark 1:39 NASB)
You don’t have to dig very deep into the New Testament to discover that casting out demons was a normal practice for both Jesus and His followers. The above verse puts deliverance side-by-side with preaching. Think about that: It was as common for Jesus to cast out a demon as it was for Him to preach a sermon.
In stark contrast, you often have to search far and wide to find Christians, churches, or ministries that believe in and actively practice the ministry of deliverance. Even many churches or ministries that affirm the reality of evil spirits and how they can influence people, often do not openly teach about or minister in this area. Why is this the case?
Removing the Obstacles
There is a great need to restore the ministry of deliverance to the church today. If Jesus spent such a great deal of time and energy freeing people from demons, why does it seem so uncommon in much of the church today? If it was basic training for the disciples of Jesus, why is it so rarely talked about and practiced in modern Christianity?
I have found that the need for deliverance is much greater than many people suspect. But there are some roadblocks that keep us from recognizing this need or actively engaging in casting out evil spirits. In my book Keys for Deliverance, I outlined three obstacles that must be removed in order to see deliverance restored to the church.
1. Ignorance
The Bible says that God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (see Hosea 4:6). This is certainly true when it comes to the reality of demonic influence and the need for deliverance. Many believers have simply never received any solid teaching in this area. Time and time again I hear people say that they have never heard the topic of evil spirits or deliverance taught in their church. At the same time, people have been exposed to extreme and disturbing Hollywood portrayals. And on top of that, some ministers practice bizarre and unbiblical methods in the name of deliverance. This all leads to much confusion, misunderstanding, and ignorance in the area of deliverance from demons.
In 2 Corinthians 2:11 the apostle Paul says, “…lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his de-vices.” We are not to be obsessed with learning about the kingdom of darkness; our primary aim should be knowing God and walking with Him. But neither are we to be unaware of the devil and his workings in the world. The point is clear: if we are ignorant of Satan’s devices, he will take advantage of us.
Proverbs 11:9 says that “through knowledge the righteous will be delivered” (emphasis added). Many people remain under demonic influence, captive in certain areas of their lives, simply because they do not realize the truth that what they are dealing with has a spiritual root or element to it. They have simply never learned about demons and deliverance and how understanding these realities is relevant to their lives. And especially in the Western culture, there tends to be a worldview that denies spiritual
realities, only looking at things from a logical, medical, or scientific perspective. While certainly not all problems are demonic in nature, in many cases there is a need for deliverance that must be discerned and dealt with.
2. Fear
On the opposite side of ignorance is fear. For some, the topic of demons and deliverance conjures up nightmarish images. We might think of horror movies, ghosts, wild demonic possession, or other frightful scenarios. It seems easier to put our heads in the sand than face the reality of an active kingdom of darkness and evil spirits that need to be driven out. Or, fear of the spiritual realm can push some people not to ignore the demonic, but to become overly obsessed with it. Instead of making Jesus the primary focus, we can take on a paranoia about evil spirits and give them too much attention and power. This fear of evil spirits comes from the kingdom of darkness itself, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
We need to take on a healthy and balanced approach to spiritual warfare and deliverance, where we are aware but not afraid. We must not be ignorant of the works of the enemy and our need to destroy them, but we must keep intimacy with God as the highest priority. We must be open and ready to receive deliverance, and equipped to minister it to others, without allowing it to make us paranoid or afraid. This is not always an easy balance to walk in, but with the help of the Holy Spirit and instruction of the Scriptures we can maintain it.
James 4:7-8 gives us some great wisdom in this regard: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Notice that two out of the three commands are God-focused while one is focused on resisting the devil. That is a good ratio. We focus on submitting to God, drawing near to Him in relationship, and fulfilling our purpose in His kingdom; all the while ready to resist the devil so that he will flee. And notice it does not say “ignore the devil and he will flee” but “resist the devil and he will flee.” There is a responsibility to take an active stand against the devil and his demons.
3. Stigma
Another obstacle to seeing the ministry of deliverance fully restored and active in the church is that there is often an unnecessary stigma associated with it. Because of misunderstanding and fear, the thought of needing deliverance from an evil spirit sounds alarming, embarrassing, or shameful. And if you come from a background that inclines toward skepticism and resistance to anything supernatural, the concept of deliverance from demons can easily be seen as primitive, foolish, or superstitious. Without proper understanding, to suggest that a person might need to be set free from the influence of an evil spirit seems insulting or downright crazy!
But this stigma need not be the case. In the New Testament, deliverance from evil spirits was practiced and spoken about openly and plainly. Consider Luke 8:2: “and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons.” Notice first that being freed from evil spirits is paired side-by-side with being healed of infirmities. This is often the case in the New Testament (see for example Matthew 8:16-17, Luke 6:17-19, and Acts 5:16). There is no need to be ashamed if you need healing from the flu, the common cold, cancer, or some other disease. In the same way, there is no shame in needing deliverance from evil spirits. Mary Magdalene was
identified as someone “out of whom had come seven demons.” This was spoken of matter-of-factly, and not something that needed to be kept secret or hidden.
Needing deliverance from evil spirits is much more common than you might suspect. And it does not make you an evil person to need freedom from the torment or oppression of a demon. Jesus ministered deliverance to everyday, synagogue-attending Jews like a man in Mark chapter one and like the woman He called a “daughter of Abraham” in Luke 13:10-17. Even children needed to be delivered from evil spirits (see Mark 7:24-30 and Mark 9:14-29). There is no need to be ashamed if you need deliverance.
Let’s remove the ignorance, fear, and stigma that is often associated with the topic of deliverance from demons. As we do this, we will pave the way for many more captives to be set free!
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About Jake Kail:
Jake Kail was called to ministry in college after a life-changing encounter with God. He is the author of multiple books, and he speaks at churches, conferences, retreats, and other events. His ministry is often marked by encounters with God, healing, and deliverance from demonic oppression. Jake lives with his wife and family in Lancaster, PA where he serves as the lead pastor of Threshold Church. Check out his books, blog, and podcast at www.jakekail.com.
This is an article reposted from Mystic Mama Storm, a good friend who tends to write a lot about her visions, dreams, and other spiritual encounters with Jesus and various aspects of the heavenly realms. This article is a testimony of Jesus setting someone free from addiction. Read on and be encouraged!
The Boy and His Sword
There were approximately 20.6 million people who suffer from addiction in the United States over the age of 12 in 2011. Addiction can be such a large hurdle to cross. Countless people in this world have grown up with a mindset that they are going to hell, because of their continued struggles with addiction. What is not realized by most is that often addiction goes hand and hand with Mental Illness or some trauma that occurred in the person’s life. Addiction frequently is passed down a family line.
As a child, I saw first hand the effects of addiction. There was a constant cycle of trying to get free, feeling better, getting worse, relapse, and rehab or hospital stays. This often left my family feeling hopeless and longing to find freedom from the effects of it. I have also seen people with this struggle in the church being shamed and pushed out because of their failures and relapses. Often these people are blamed for being weak and in some cases pushed out of the church until they repent. They walk away with shame feeling like they are hellbound or disqualified to be loved by God. These situations cause my heart to cry out for justice and healing for these people. The enemy cannot have them anymore. These agreements and mindsets have them in prisons and bondage. I say no more!
Although overcoming the addiction is a big part of the being healed. I believe that the healing goes much deeper. Trauma and wounds from a person’s past or even present situation can be a big part of what causes this addiction to have such a hold in a person’s life. This also can attribute to pain and sickness. Sometimes the solution is much deeper. Sometimes healing needs to take place on a deeper level at the root of what is causing this struggle in a person’s life.
Here is an example of a recent breakthrough with someone struggling with addiction (I am sharing this with permission):
A friend of mine called and asked that I pray for her brother and his wife. Just to be clear, her brother asked us to pray and gave us permission to see what was happening around him and remove anything demonic. To protect the identity of this couple and their circumstances, I will not go into the details of what was happening in their life. However, I will say that a heroin addiction and violence were involved.
As my friend and I prayed, I saw a picture of my friend’s brother; we will call Judah. He had this large demon that was attached to his back. The demon had his claws in his neck his left shoulder, and his mouth was right at Judah’s ear. When we saw him, I asked Papa what we should do. He said, “Ask his name and assignment?”
I asked him these questions, and the demon became very angry that we were there. He wouldn’t respond but rather decided to get bigger and was hissing and seething with anger. He grew in size trying to look like a threat. The entire time I felt a complete peace and confidence that he had no ability to hurt us. As he continued his fury and showing off, I again commanded him to reveal his name and assignment. I also threatened that if he didn’t cooperate there would be consequences. With this, he revealed his name as Volatility and that he was assigned to bring threats, addiction, and violence to the mind and soul of Judah.
Normally, my response would be to bind and restrain the demonic and cast it out of Judah, but I felt the prompting of the Lord to do something I have only done a few times. I spoke to him and said, “Volatility, I remind you of who you are, and you were created to be.” As I said these words, I saw him stumble backward and saw him transform. The transformation was only temporary, but he was a glimmer of a redeemed form of an Angel. At this moment, I heard the Lord say his name, and I began to speak to him, “Your name is Cadence, not Volatility. You were created to speak life to people. Your words and assignment were not meant to corrupt but to bring healing and life. I remind you of who you are!” As I said this, he was very disoriented and completely left go of Judah.
To be honest, because of my lack of understanding, I was a little taken back by what was happening, but yet I knew that God has a reason for this. I would love your thoughts on this.
As this happened, I knew there was nothing more God wanted me to do with this demon so one of my angels removed him from where Judah was, and we placed a wall of fire around him that no harm could come to anyone. I believe Volatility/Cadence was left somewhere safe to sort out what he had just experienced. It was time to get back to ministering to Judah and his wife.
We began ministering to his wife whom I will call Ann. Although she was not healed completely, we worked with several areas in her life and ministered to a young fractured part of her that had struggled with potential child abuse and deep trauma. We worked with this younger part and brought her to Jesus and left her with Him in the garden of her heart. Although this was a wonderful story, I want to concentrate on Judah’s story.
Then we saw a little boy who was a fractured part of Judah that was watching what was happening. He had been peeking around a corner watching intently as we ministered to Ann. We sensed that he wanted to have the same freedom. Then I saw two smaller demonic bullies, and he was afraid of them. Once we removed the bullies who were demons, we began ministering to this little boy. Removing fear, pain, and other strong, painful emotions and we watched as these painful emotions were replaced with joy, courage, and peace. He had a wooden sword, and he wanted to just play with us. It was like he had been so shut down by fear and intimidation that suddenly he came alive with this new ability to have fun.
First, we removed him from the room he was in and collapsed the old room and placed him in the garden of his heart. There were cool rock formations that he was able to climb on and explore and just be a kid. Although some parts of his garden still needed work, the area we went to was full of life and provision. For a little while, we played back and forth with swords as well as a game of hide and seek. It was a lot of fun. Who knew healing could include playing in the spirit.
After a few minutes, I asked him if he would like to meet Jesus as He could play with him and hang out with him. He did, and Jesus came. Out of safety from a potential false Jesus, I asked him to check Jesus’ eyes to make sure it was filled with Love.
Jesus got down on His knees in front of him. Little Judah in a very curious and in an innocent manner got face to face with Jesus and looked closely. Then taking his fingers, carefully played with Jesus’ eyelids, pulling them up the whole way and looked super closely as Jesus smiled big. Then Judah responded, “Nope, I don’t see anything bad. All I see love!” With a lot of laughter, Jesus hugged him, and Judah hugged him back, and we knew he was at a great place to allow Jesus to minister and play with him until we could pray again.
THE FRUIT/TESTIMONY:
We are not done praying for Judah or his wife. However, from this prayer session, He has seen significant change, and His Mother even reported a big change. I received this message from his sister two days after our session:
Hey Susan, so I talked to my mom yesterday. She said that Judah is doing really good. He was saying things like even the trees seem different and food tastes different. He said he doesn’t have any cravings and that he can’t believe he’s wasted so much time on drugs. He’s been arrested before, and he has never said anything like this. Mom said that they have laughed like they haven’t done since he was a kid. I’m like oh my goodness. Pinch me. It’s one of those things that seems too good to be true. It really is amazing. Like major miracle! My mom wanted me to tell you thank you so much for your help. She just cried when I told what the Lord had shown us. I think just having someone else helping is such a relief. She’s carried a heavy burden for Judah. Anyway, it’s going really good for them. Thank you so much!!
I then received this message a few days later:
Just got off the phone with Mom. Judah told her that something profound is happening with him. He can’t explain it. He said that even time has stopped or something like that. That he looks 10 years younger from when he went into jail until now. He has been an addict since 18. He’s 33 now. This is a huge miracle! That boy is set free. Papa is so good.
I don’t know about you, but I am so excited to see how simply following God’s leading can bring such healing. I am so excited to see more breakthroughs like this.
About Mystic Mama Storm:
My name is Susan Melanie Storm. I am a mother of two beautiful girls and a wife to a handsome tall husband who proudly considers himself a computer/Star Wars/superhero geek.
Along with being Mystic Mama Storm (my pen name), I am also a musician who loves to write and worship. I have a degree in graphic design and a heart for the creative arts.
My heart is for people to experience God in a real way daily as a Father, Savior, Friend, and Bridegroom. I am a spirit-filled Christian Mystic. I use the term mystic because my relationship with God is based on complete union and intimacy with Jesus, the Father, and Holy Spirit and my desire is to bring healing, life, restoration, and love to others through an intimate relationship with God and to inspire others into a similar relationship.
The following article on understanding and engaging the Presence of God was written and posted by Zane and Keturah on their website back in 2017 (shared here permission).
Do you know that one of the ONLY thing that sets the Saints apart from the rest of the world is their conscious acknowledgment of God i.e His Presence? Do you know that the only thing that separated the [circumcised] Israelites of the Old Covenant from the the [uncircumcised] gentiles, was the residence of the Presence of God? As a matter of fact, where there was contravention to the terms and conditions of the Old Covenant the Israelite was threatened with being “cut off from His Presence”.
This is not a light matter. And it would be of great benefit to identify the mechanics of engaging His Presence.
All throughout Scripture, starting from the Torah (The Law), the Presence of God was the central theme that its fine print revolved around. The Prophets were -in want of a better expression- the guardians of it (Him). It is undeniable in Scripture that the Presence of God was the basis or the foundation upon which all, and I mean all, the men of God operated and did ‘signs and wonders’ as well as had fellowship with God.
THUS, it would be most intelligent for the New Covenant Saints to maintain conscientious recognition of the simple and yet MOST POWERFUL fact, that the Presence of God dwells with us. i.e FREELY, as well as ETERNALLY. And, not to mention, that it is the basis of our existence and ONLY means of functioning actively and directly in the Kingdom of God. In fact, the Presence of God and the Kingdom of God are one and the same.
SO, HOW EXACTLY DOES ONE LIVE ENGAGED IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD?
The word “Presence” is defined by the Meriam-Webster Dictionary as:
:something (such as a spirit) felt or believed to be present
:the actual person or thing that is present
What does the Bible say about the “Presence of God”? Let’s commence by perusing the Scriptures:
The Saints must DWELL in the Presence of God
What exactly is the presence of God?
Psalm 51:11 Amplified Bible (AMP) reads:
Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Psalm 139:7 Amplified Bible (AMP) reads:
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
These two verses parallel the Presence of God with the Holy Spirit.
They indicate that the Holy Spirit is in fact the Presence of God.
Now, all Saints are fully aware of the fact that by Jesus’ sacrifice i.e His Blood, that the Holy Spirit has been freely given to us and resides with us eternally (1 John 2:20). However, it has not been promulgated amongst the popular church doctrines as to how to live through Him or in His Presence.
If the Presence of God is in all of creation (as Psalms 139:7 alludes), and not everyone is experiencing the Kingdom actively, then there is a mechanical means of engaging it or disengaging it. After all, Adam (Genesis 3:8) hid from it (The Presence of God).
So, question: How does one engage or live (dwell) in the Presence of God?
Romans 5:5 Amplified Bible (AMP) reads:
Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
According to the above mentioned verse, the love of God in conjunction with, as well as, in addition to the Holy Spirit is present in our hearts. What exactly does that mean? How do we live from this place, “our heart”?
2 Corinthians 1:22 Amplified Bible (AMP)
it is He who has also put His seal on us [that is, He has appropriated us and certified us as His] and has given us the [Holy] Spirit in our hearts as a pledge [like a security deposit to guarantee the fulfillment of His promise of eternal life].
The word Heart in the Greek New Testament is the word:
kardia kar-dee’-ah
translated as:
the heart, i.e. (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle.
To be a little more specific, let’s identify what exactly thoughts and feelings are. Again, according to the Meriam-Webster Dictionary:
Definition of thought
something (such as an opinion or belief) in the mind
Definition of feeling
the undifferentiated background of one’s awareness considered apart from any identifiable sensation, perception, or thought
the overall quality of one’s awareness
conscious recognition : sense
Definition ofsense
conscious awareness
Definition ofaware
knowing that something (such as a situation, condition, or problem) exists
feeling, experiencing, or noticing something (such as a sound, sensation, or emotion)
Therefore, by the definitions elaborated, we can safely and confidently agree that to access the Presence of God is to actively engage the conscious awareness, conscious recognition, or our conscious acknowledgment of God in us, as well as, in the atmosphere. Even in all the earth. This is what is referred to as the ‘Kingdom of God in us’. Actively sensing his proximity and his omnipresence.
Therefore, the Kingdom of God/ the Realm of God is in the active exercise, as well as the background conscious awareness of the Holy Spirit in us, as well as in all the earth and even the universe. Awareness of Heaven itself!
Do you know that is what prayer is for? According to the writer of Hebrews 11:6, when we pray we must believe.
The word, ‘believe’ in this verse of the letter to the Hebrews is the Greek word ‘pistis’ that means credence.
Credence is defined as the mental acceptance that something is true and real. This same “pistis” is expounded up in its mention in verse 1 of the same chapter. It reads:
Hebrews 11:1 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Now faith is the assurance (title-deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].
Emphasis on: Faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses (the five senses).
In other words, this excerpt in its opposite would read, faith comprehends as fact what CAN be experienced by the SPIRITUAL senses.
Therefore we know that prayer is in fact, faith practice, or mental awareness practice, regarding the active exercise of the conscious awareness of God.
So, since the definition of ‘pistis’ = mental acceptance that something is true o real, then obviously we must come to an understanding as to what our mental image of the Presence of God is, to be able to mentally accept that it is true or real.
So, what is the Presence of God likened to?
Concerning our dear and Holy Father,
Psalm 84:11 Amplified Bible (AMP)
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Concerning our Lord Jesus, the Christ,
Malachi 4:2 Amplified Bible (AMP)
2 But for you who fear My name [with awe-filled reverence] the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go forward and leap [joyfully] like calves [released] from the stall.
This is also confirmed in the Book of Revelation:
Revelation 21:22-23 Amplified Bible (AMP)
22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all] and the Lamb are its temple.
23 And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the glory (splendor, radiance) of God has illumined it, and the Lamb is its lamp and light.
So, from these excerpts, we see that both our Father and our Lord and Savior (The Lamb) are suns. Suns are entities of Fire/ Energy producing abundant Light.
Colossians 1:13 Amplified Bible (AMP)
13 For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
The opposite of darkness is Light. And so, we know that we have been rescued from the dominion of darkness and transferred to the Kingdom of His Beloved Son which is the Kingdom of Light!
If the Holy Spirit is the Presence of God (as we noted earlier on in Psalms 51:11 and Psalms 139:7), then we know that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of LIGHT. God is LIGHT.
Therefore, we can safely conclude that the mental image that we must accept as true or real regarding the Presence of the Lord is, LIGHT.
Furthermore, we cannot, in any way, be negligent to the fact that the Holy Spirit is also given to us. Therefore, the Presence of God is given to us, residing inside of us. Christ in us is the expectation of glory. We have been made suns just like Jesus Himself. The Presence of God therefore resides with us eternally and we can access it at a moment’s notice.
Activation
So now that we are clear, with respect to what the Presence of God is and how one actively and consciously dwells in Him (The Kingdom of God/ Heaven itself), let’s now step into an activation exercise.
Pause for a moment, wherever you are and first acknowledge the Holy Spirit (the Presence of God) in you. The word Presence is defined as something (such as a spirit) felt or believed to be present.
So just as the definition indicates you are going to believe and feel.
Believe by accepting your mental image of His Brilliant Light (like the sun) as true and real in you and radiating from you throughout your immediate environs, then throughout your neighborhood and then throughout the whole Earth.
And feel, by sensing His Presence. Feel Him in you. Feel Him in your body. Feel Him all around you. This is what we call becoming consciously aware of Him.
Do this for a few minutes before proceeding to the following instructions.
Now, let’s proceed:
Look at just a few scriptural excerpts enlightening us about the Presence of God for you to acknowledge while in His Presence.
2 Thessalonians 1:9 Amplified Bible (AMP)
These people will pay the penalty and endure the punishment of everlasting destruction, banished from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
The presence of the Lord = the glory of His Power
Acknowledge that you are in the glory of His Power
Hebrews 9:24 Amplified Bible (AMP)
For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but [He entered] into heaven itself, now to appear in the very presence of God on our behalf;
The Presence of God = Heaven itself
Acknowledge that you are literally in Heaven itself while in conscious awareness of His Presence
1 Chronicles 16:27 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Splendor and majesty are [found] in His presence; Strength and joy are [found] in His place (sanctuary).
His Presence/ His Place = Splendor and Majesty, Strength and Joy
Acknowledge that you are in His Splendor, Majesty, Strength and Joy
Jeremiah 4:26 Amplified Bible (AMP)
I looked, and behold, the fertile land was a wilderness, And all its cities were pulled down Before the [presence of the] Lord, before His fierce anger.
In the Presence of the Lord, God’s fierce anger pulls down the enemy
Acknowledge that the fierce anger of the Lord pulls down the enemy all around you.
Psalm 68:1-2 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Let God arise, and His enemies be scattered; Let those who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked and guilty perish before [the presence of] God.
Before the Presence of God: The enemy scatters at the Presence of God. They are driven away like smoke and they melt like wax before the Fire. The wicked and guilty perish before the Presence of God.
Acknowledge that the enemies of the Lord scatters when you are in His Presence. Those that hate him flee. Like smoke is driven away, they are driven away. Like wax they melt before the Presence of God (FIRE),
The study of the Presence of the Lord is rich. Dive in! You may find very enlightening information about your Father and your identity in Christ (The Presence of God).
In conclusion, what is presence defined as?
Definition ofpresence
:something (such as a spirit) felt or believed to be present
:the actual person or thing that is present
How do we live in the Presence of God/ the Kingdom of God?
By ACTIVE EXERCISE OF OUR CONSCIOUS AWARENESS of it (Him) in you, as well as, His omnipresence.
Psalm 84:11 Amplified Bible (AMP) reads:
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
The Lord God is a Sun and Shield
Dwell in His Presence/ His Sunshine Saints!
There is an entire REALM of POWER awaiting you!
Be BLESSED!!!!
-Zane and Keturah –
Below is an abbreviated bio and their website and social media contact information. A full bio can be found here:
Founders, President and Executive Vice President, and Master Teachers of the Zane kai Keturah International Institute of Pneumatology, R. Zane Pierre and K. Keturah Bartholomew are from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, in the West Indies. They are Spiritual Mentors in the field of Pneumatology predominantly guided by the content of the Bible through the paradigmatic lens of the ancient Hebrews and particularly the authors of both the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible.
Their groundbreaking progress in their pragmatic and experimental approach to Spirituality and the evidential Supernatural Power of the Spirit of God recorded in the Bible have brought to light the centuries’ forgotten mechanics of Spirit and given birth to the Zane kai Keturah International Institute of Pneumatology through which they teach Pneumatology (the mechanics of Spirit and spiritual concepts), particularly, from the reference point of Biblical Scriptures and Literature, to the Body of Christ, internationally.
About nine years ago, I met Barbara and her husband Roy. She was admitted to the hospital for a stem cell transplant and we met at that time. She has since been cancer-free for many years, and we were able to reconnect years later when she tracked me down over social media.
Recently she shared an encounter she had as she was going about her day and just being intentional about hearing and obeying God as she went about her day. This is reminiscent to me of the directive that Jesus gave the disciples in Matthew 10:7-8 which says, “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” It wasn’t that she went to have a “full time ministry” job of some kind, but that she chose to be intentional about ministering to others in her “as you go” daily life. I hope the testimony below encourages you “as you go” about your daily life as well!
Soup and a Prayer
I am beyond excited. As I got in my car to run my errands I said okay Lord, put me on. What’s on your agenda? And immediately came to my mind was “Go to Shari’s and order a bowl of soup. There will be a man wearing a plaid jacket that I want you to pray for.”
I did my errands and waited for my ‘soup run’ at the end of that time, feeling that was the way I should go. Before I went into Shari’s I asked the Lord for specific conditions that I would be praying for. I wrote them down so I could show the man a page of things I had already written before I met him so it would just add to the authenticity of God’s divine direction.
I went in, found a table, and ordered my bowl of loaded potato soup. That’s a bowl mind you, as instructed, not a cup, and I couldn’t finish it all so brought half home for my husband Roy. I finished and went to check out and still hadn’t seen anyone who fit the description God gave me. As I sat waiting for my turn to pay and a man walked in to order a pie. He was wearing a plaid jacket!
After this man made his transaction I engaged him in conversation and told him basically what I told you. I asked him if he had any of the conditions that were on my list, which I showed him, and he said his wife was at home sick with vomiting . . . so I checked that off the list. Next came knee and back problems, both of which he had! I learned his name is Ben, and he’s a believer. I got to joyfully pray for him and encourage him.
it brings me to tears to think of the measures that God goes through to get people’s attention, to let them know how much they are loved. I told Ben, I said “Do you realize God has His eye on you, and how much he loves you that he would set it up for me to pray for you?” I let him know how extravagant God’s love was for him to send me to specifically seek Ben out so he could be prayed for and encouraged. I’m just saying this is the best half bowl of soup I’ve ever had. I’m jumping for joy!
This article is a prophetic encounter experienced and shared by Margie Moormann, prophetic speaker, author, and visionary of Still Waters Ministries:
I gaze at the stately, distinctive, green trees lining either side of the path I am on. I’m not able to identify what type of trees they are. Each branch is vibrant and alive. A delightful, sweet fragrance emitted from the trees fills my nostrils, suggesting what the aroma of heaven might be.
Visible on the path is a fountain of crystalline, sparkling, water. As the water dances in the fountain, it appears to be smiling with delight. What am I seeing? Where am I? I try to grasp all that I am viewing, but I know I need to move on and discover what is ahead.
The path is red cobblestone. Each stone is outlined in a thick gold rim. As I step forward, rings of gold from my feet form a ripple pattern, pushing more gold out onto the path. This path is a wondrous, golden passage to somewhere unknown.
The path turns and I see an angel sitting on a bench of gold. Gold is everywhere! I’ve seen this angel before. The dress she is wearing is exquisite. The jewels, the fabric, the style has been designed specifically for her alone. She rises. Her white dress reminds me of a Viennese waltz dress. Every movement causes the dress to flow in splendor. She approaches me, smiling a familiar smile. It feels good to be close to her again. She brushes the train of her dress across me and I am enveloped in the most glorious, swirling array of fluorescent colors reflecting a Holy Light. The angel is with me. Has there been a sharp change in elevation? My shoulders and knees become weakened. I’m wondering if I will fall. She reaches out to steady me.
The sheets of colors continue to move in a whirling motion above and around me until they become mixed together as one lustrous, undiluted, incandescent color. I have never seen this color before. I cannot identify it. I’ve read there are over 5000 colors we see, but this is something new. The color whirls close, capturing me, and I am embedded into the vortex of this vibrantly ablaze coloration. With a shortened breath I ask her “What color is this?”
Truth tenderly flows from her lips “This is the true color of I AM. All visible and invisible colors, all hues, all color values, all things perfectly completed together as one in His Glory is what you are experiencing.”
The color has substance. I am curious and touch the substance surrounding me. My body becomes entirely transformed into this undefinable color.
“This is who you are. This color is called The Bride of Christ.”
I am thinking how difficult it often is for the majority of His sons and daughters to see ourselves as Papa God sees us.
“We don’t seem to have the full understanding of being perfectly complete in Him. There’s always something we want to change about ourselves.”
“Watch what happens,” she replies.
With the train of her dress in hand, she pirouettes as a ballet dancer, creating an opening in the atmosphere for men, women and children to come into the perfect color of the Bride of Christ. Coming through this entrance are thousands upon thousands of persons colored in blue, followed by multitudes in yellow, countless numbers in green. Masses of people in orange and red are entering. Incalculable numbers in purple, in gold, in silver, in a polychrome of colors move in through the opening.
“These are those that see themselves with one or more characteristics of I AM. Jesus delights in their passion of co-laboring with Him. They are pleased to be operating and sharing in the characteristics they recognize. With His hand of love extended to each one, Jesus continuously desires to draw all even deeper into the knowledge of Him.”
“Will we ever realize we are capable of being the color of the completed Bride of Christ?”
“Watch again and see what transpires.” She moves the people together. Their colors begin swirling. The colors attract each other and they become One. “You need each other. As you come together, receiving insight and understanding from each other, you blend and unify, becoming the confluence of all that I AM is. You become the color of Jesus Himself. The Bride of Christ.is your color.”
Colossians 2:10 And our own completeness is now found in Him. We are completely filled with God as Christ’s fullness overflows within us. He is the Headof every kingdom and authority in the universe! (TPT)
Each person looks at themselves and weeps, discovering they are the new color of the strikingly beautiful Bride. Many fall prostrate on the ground. I deeply take in the sight of the completed Bride of Christ and begin weeping uncontrollably. What a glorious display of the heart of Papa God. As one voice, we break out in praise and thanksgiving to Him Who was, Who is, and Who is to come! We are divinely connected. We are so diverse, yet so One in Him.
“This is how Jesus sees His Bride. Not fragmented, but wholly, securely interlinked and interlocked. Now come with me to the Fountain” she says, leading us all on the path to the dancing waters.
“Jump in.”
We hesitate. “Don’t be afraid. Your identity in Him does not change. The water is sweetest in the fountain. The abundant Love of I AM is without interruption or cessation. Immerse yourselves in His Light of revelation, in His covenant relationship with you. Ask Him for comprehension of all the great subjects in His books. And as you receive freely from Him, give freely what you learn.”
Proverbs 13:14 When the lovers of God teach you truth, a fountain of life opens up within you. (TPT)
Psalm 36:9 To know You is to experience a flowing fountain, drinking in Your life, springing up to satisfy. In the light of Your holiness, we receive the light of revelation. (TPT)
We splash in the fountain. We laugh. We embrace each other. We join hands. LOVE binds us together. We need one another. Sitting in the pool of water, we begin sharing our experiences in Jesus. Eyes are opened. Revelation is flowing. Eagerness to know, understand and experience more is increasing. The color of the Bride of Christ is dazzling in the Fountain of Life!
The angel has been observing us as we draw closer to each other and to Him. She nods as if hearing something. Holding the train of her dress once again, she pirouettes over us and we find ourselves standing together on the cobblestone path. As we move, gold from our feet ripples out onto the path.
She waves a banner over us. It reads: Joshua 1:3.I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
Together we raise our hands high in excitement as the banner confirms our heart’s cry for Holy Spirit to move through us, calling the earth into true relationship with Jesus. Does the angel see our reaction to the banner? We all look for her as the banner sweeps over us, but she is gone.
The wholeness I feel being one with Him and one with the Body of Christ is blissful and euphoric. None of us is called to be alone. There is coming a day when the Bride of Christ color permeates the earth. Our senses are becoming heightened and aware of this extraordinary, magnificent, awesome color beginning to settle on Papa God’s people.
I saw a television commercial by The Ford Motor Company. “Together we are better than we are alone.” I wonder if the company realizes they are professing Papa God’s heart.
Romans 12: 4-5 For as in one body we have many members and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (TPT)
1 Corinthians 12:27 You are the body of the Anointed One, and each of you is a unique and vital part of it. (TPT)
Romans 12:5 So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (NIV)
dress picture credit: TangoRouge.com
Margie Moormann is an ordained, godly, energetic international speaker and teacher with a prophetic voice engaging audiences world wide with her sensitivity to Holy Spirit’s leading. Rooted and grounded in Jesus the Vine, Margie’s Spirit-led words come with compassion and power releasing encouragement, victory and the immeasurable love of Jesus Christ.
She loves sharing experiences she’s had—Supernatural Holy Spirit encounters abound. Her delightful sense of humor will have you laughing in the joy of the Lord. She releases an expectation of being transformed as we are immersed in the still waters of Jesus’ love. You will Be blessed, refreshed, restored, renewed and released as you hear God’s voice speaking to you through Margie.
*Disclaimer: Neither The Rising Light nor Shelemah own the Bible with flowing oil and are unable to send you oil. Contact information on how to obtain a vial if interested is at the end of this post. Please do not contact The Rising Light nor Shelemah requesting oil.*
God is doing miracles in the earth, and we are living in a time where these miracles are growing increasingly extravagant. The Rising Light has featured other articles before about oil, manna, gemstones, and even feathers, but I am excited to share this one with you because not only is it a spectacular miracle, but it is current and ongoing.
I was introduced to this particular miracle manifestation via Leah, an inner healing practitioner and owner of Shelemah.com. I was introduced to Leah by a mutual friend. She visited Dalton, Georgia where there is a bible that is literally dripping and flowing with oil from heaven. I spoke with Leah about this, and was very excited to hear about the miracle as I am writing the book “Oil From Heaven” to bring wisdom and revelation on this very miracle. She wrote a blog article about her experience back when it happened in May of 2017, titled “A Bible Dripping With Oil”, and she has given me permission to share her article here. If you want to read the original article and/or visit her site you can click on the title above.
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“Yesterday I went on a little adventure. The previous night a friend across the country heard rumor of prayer room walls and a Bible dripping with oil just a few hours from me. A few texts back and forth and she had me connected with a new friend who is a part of the community where this sign and wonder is taking place and I was headed on road trip to meet this beautiful community.
In the back of a little gift shop in Dalton, Georgia there is a prayer room. For the past two years people have gathered there to pray for their city, region, and each other and intermittently oil has dripped from the walls. January 27th of this year one of those prayer warriors, Jerry, noticed his Bible was dripping with oil. Starting with Psalm 39 it spread over the next few days through the rest of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the concordance. Then the oil started back in Genesis and spread till it covered the whole Bible.
When he realized the oil wasn’t going to stop, Jerry put the Bible in a ziploc bag at first, but as the oil continued, he had to size up to larger and larger containers. The bucket he now keeps it in continues to refill. God told him early on that as long as he gives the oil away freely and does not sell it, the oil will continue to flow. And so in the back of this little gift shop he gives away vials of oil and invites people to dip their hands in it.
He sent a sample of the oil to a chemist who says it is most similar to mineral oil, but that it isn’t mineral oil. It’s totally colorless and odorless and according to the chemist unexplainable.
The little gathering in the back of this gift shop was such a sweet place of love and fellowship. Thirty or so people were there praying for one another, giving prophetic words, and sharing testimonies of healing. They are quick to tell you that it is God, not the oil that is healing people, but there are multiple testimonies of how God has used the oil to heal people of cancer, skin rashes, and other diseases. This news article also reports Jerry’s testimony of the oil as it was told to me when I visited.
When I dipped my hands in the oil it continued to multiply on my hands. My new friend tells me that they have seen this a few times before and it seems to be related to a healing gifting. The feeling of the oil getting heavier on my hands as the quantity of it grew was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was like the opposite of feeling something dry on your hands. The oil is the thickest I’ve ever seen, similar to castor oil, but is light, silky smooth, odorless, and colorless. Jerry eventually gave me a towel to wipe most of it off and it stopped multiplying but even as I sit here a day later typing I can still see the shiny residue from it on my hands.
Seeing the Bible dripping with oil was an amazing experience that deepened my awe and wonder of what Jesus can do. It really does mess with your head to see something so unexplainable but that clearly is happening. As I have talked with God about the oil and about why this particular sign for our region, He has reminded me how the Bible Belt has often held a trinity of Father, Son, Holy Bible. What better place for Holy Spirit to show up and make Himself known.
Signs and wonders like this are actually more common than we realize but I believe the two extreme responses they tend to get are why we don’t hear of them more often. On one extreme people deny it totally and cling to a cessationist belief that miracles, signs, wonders– basically anything to do with the Holy Spirit stopped with the Bible and it is wrong to believe those things could happen now.
On the other extreme you have people that begin to obsess with the sign and wonder itself, attributing power and significance to it that was never meant to be there. This extreme is the folks that start calling and emailing me insisting they need the oil for themselves (without even reading this article to see that I’m not the right person to call/email). They place their faith in the oil instead of the Giver of the oil. This extreme is also why I have purposely withheld the name of the gift shop and Jerry’s personal contact information.
Yes, oil dripping out a Bible is pretty cool. Yes, I believe the oil is a manifestation of the presence of God. But, if you feel like you need a vial of the oil to pray for healing or experience God’s presence that’s a problem. God does not need the oil to heal. He does not need the oil to make His presence known. And you don’t need it either. If you feel a desperation for the oil itself, go to the Source of the oil in prayer. Don’t just seek out the earthly source carrying it right now. A sign and wonder is supposed to draw you into closer relationship with the Giver of the sign, not create an unhealthy desire in you to possess the sign for yourself. There’s nothing wrong with thinking it would be cool to get some of the oil and wanting to see it for yourself. But it becomes unhealthy if you feel incomplete without the oil.”
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If you want to find out more about the oil, please do not contact myself or Leah, the guest author of this blog. Neither of us have the oil-Bible, nor are we in possession of any significant quantity of oil from this Bible. Contact them via their website (www.hisnameisflowingoil.org) on their contact page, or via the Flowing Oil page on Facebook. They also show the events where Jerry, the man who owns the bible dripping with oil, will be present, and you can contact them from there to request the oil. Alternately, you may email flowingoil01272017@gmail.com. They are offering this service free—please consider offering a donation to help cover the cost of shipping the oil, for the time associated with bottling and mailing it, and to help cover costs as they travel around and minister.
Leah Lesesne (pronounced lay-uh luh-sane) lives in downtown Atlanta with her husband Tommy and their urban farm full of critters. Her passion is to help you be as healthy, whole, and close to Jesus as possible. After working for a few years as a professional counselor, she stepped away from the mental health field to pursue her first loves of inner healing prayer ministry and holistic health. Website: www.shelemah.com
In the last blog post I explored teleportation in Scripture.
We looked at how it has happened on many occasions throughout Scripture by the Spirit of God and, if you choose to believe the reports of believers who have experienced it, teleportation continues to happen today at (I believe) an ever increasing rate!
“Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6 and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,
‘He will order his angels to protect you.
And they will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
7 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
8 Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”
10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’”
11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.” Matthew 4:6-11 NLT
So the devil teleports Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and tempts him to test God by jumping off. Apparently this is a very real temptation for him? And then the devil teleports him to the peak of a very high mountain and gives him supernatural vision to see all the kingdoms of the world. Worship me, he says, and it’s all yours. He was tempting Jesus to circumvent the cross. As if to say, you don’t have to suffer and die to reclaim this lost world, just worship me.
Jesus responded to the attack both times with Scripture (as the Father gave to him in that moment).
It’s SO important to know God’s Word if we are to survive the testing of the enemy (the written word of Scripture AND knowing the Living Word which is Jesus himself!) I encourage you, as I have many times before in my blog, to be a good “Berean”:
“Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” Acts 17:11 NASB
Receive the word with great eagerness, search out the Scriptures for yourself!
Have you ever considered that when Moses was sent to rescue Israel from Egypt that for many of the miracles that Moses did, the Egyptian sorcerers could do the same? See Exodus 7!
Aaron, Moses brother, threw down his staff and it became a serpent. The sorcerers threw down their staffs and they became serpents. Somehow it wasn’t all that persuasive to them that Aaron’s snake then ate theirs? The ultimate showdown of power moves begins.
Moses and Aaron use the same staff to turn the waters of the Nile into blood. But, the Egyptian magicians then turned water into blood also. Next a plague of frogs, “But the magicians were able to do the same thing with their magic” (Exodus 8:7).
But listen to what happens next:
“When Aaron raised his hand and struck the ground with his staff, gnats infested the entire land, covering the Egyptians and their animals. All the dust in the land of Egypt turned into gnats. 18 Pharaoh’s magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered everyone, people and animals alike.
19 “This is the finger of God!” the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. He wouldn’t listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.” Exodus 8:17-19
From then on, the sorcerers could not do as Moses did and when the plague of festering boils came:
“Even the magicians were unable to stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and all the Egyptians. 12 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and just as the Lord had predicted to Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen.” Exodus 9:11-12
In the end times Jesus warns that the Antichrist and his false prophet will perform great miracles to deceive if possible even the elect.
“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25″Behold, I have told you in advance.” Matthew 24:24
So… my point in sharing this is to say that a show of power isn’t everything and to alert you to the fact that we ought not to simply be searching for power. The devil can offer you a measure of that. We ought to be searching for the person of God Himself and to be endued with his power to turn the world upside down as the apostles did in the first century for God’s kingdom of love.
The Scripture predicts that people in the last days will have a form of godliness but deny it’s power. I don’t want that to be me. I don’t want that to be you.
How do we foster and protect a childlike heart that receives the things (or power) of God? How do we continue to walk in faith and freedom and the power of God?
This is your inheritance as a child of God and his promise to you, see Joel 2 below – Which has found its ongoing fulfillment since Acts 2:
The Lord’s Promise of His Spirit
28 “Then, after doing all those things,
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
29 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on servants—men and women alike.
30 And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth—
blood and fire and columns of smoke.
31 The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red( of course we don’t see this kind of thing happening do we?)
before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives.
32 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved,
for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape,
just as the Lord has said.
These will be among the survivors
whom the Lord has called. Joel 2:28-29 NASB
I urge you, as the apostle Paul does, to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts (but most of all Love – PLEASE read 1 Corinthians 13!) in your walk with God just as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:
“Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3 But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 4 A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. 5 I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy…”
I was blessed years ago to read these angel’s words in regard to prophecy:
“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10 NASB
Or, “For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.” NLT
It’s all about Jesus! HE is everything!
“God is love… in whom we live and move and have our being.” (from 1 Jn 4 & Acts 17)
My position is this:
“For the believer, there is not more than Jesus to discover and experience, BUT, there is more OF Jesus to discover and experience!”
Now, I must admit, I got just the tiniest bit of flak for my post on teleportation and spirit travel. I can understand why this would freak people out.
When I was exploring visions in Scripture I was seeing that sometimes their spirits were leaving their body! Many would call this “astral projection” (I have no history, as some of my readers might, that would cause that word to be a negative trigger – I mentioned it once which I will refrain from using from now on. I realize now that it is needlessly provocative. I am SO sorry for my carelessness and recklessness of some of my wording.)
So when I was teaching people to prepare their hearts and minds for a vision from the Lord Jesus, I was strongly suggesting – and kind of geeking out over the fact – that this just might mean you have an out-of-body experience! And to realize that as you seek the Lord it’s ok and not automatically “from the devil” if that were to happen!
“Oh no! Daniel is teaching people how to astral project!”
That’s what some likely heard. But, that was not my intent at all. This is what the Bible actually says happened to so many saints and prophets and apostles! (Ezekiel, Paul, and John)
What a sad state the church would be in if it were to reject and judge people for believing the Bible! Thank God that isn’t the case! Have you ever read something in the Bible and thought that most people (even other believers) will find what you had just read as simply unacceptable? Sometimes we can’t wrap our minds around the reality what the Bible is actually saying. This has been true about me for most of my Christian life until the Lord started to open my eyes.
God has made me to be an writer. I know that. He has gifted me in this and in my desires and interests in the supernatural as well. I am glad for who he made me! I am happy to be who I am! I feel his smile and favor upon me. He has made me confident in my relationship – my friendship – with him. If you want to know how to arrive at that place of confidence I would be delighted to share my journey with you! Much of that journey is captured right here in this seven-year long blog.
I didn’t give myself my first life altering vision. I wasn’t seeking a vision. I was just seeking and loving Jesus, fresh back from a life of backsliding and going the devils way. The visions (and mostly dreams – night visions) have helped me immensely along the way however and so I don’t belittle them as some do and I don’t believe it’s wrong to seek them. I think we need to. I often ask for dreams from God and that I would remember them.
It is hard being here on this planet. The Lord is the master at striking a balance between keeping you grounded and present for your mission here AND giving you just enough of heaven along the way to keep the smile always on your face. I was beaming yesterday as this thought crossed my mind.
At the age of eighteen I came back to Jesus because he gave me a dream and showed me my life in five or so years time. The corruption and pain from remaining on the devils path that I saw was too great to bear and so I called up my mom who had been praying for me and asked to go to church with her!
God used a dream/vision of my future to bring me back to himself! Six months later I had an extraordinary supernatural experience with the Lord. It seemed to me that he took my spirit on a time travel. At least that’s my geeky way of interpreting what I experienced. The experiences of and with the Lord continue and I’m SO thankful for each and every one!
Stay tuned. Keep seeking Jesus with all your heart! Stay immersed in His Word and in fellowship and in prayer! And be free!
Don’t forget to read Part 1 here, and also the original Part 3 of his blog will be found here next week!
Chronicling today's miracles, signs, wonders, visions, and supernatural encounters
When he realized the oil wasn’t going to stop, Jerry put the Bible in a ziploc bag at first, but as the oil continued, he had to size up to larger and larger containers. The bucket he now keeps it in continues to refill. God told him early on that as long as he gives the oil away freely and does not sell it, the oil will continue to flow. And so in the back of this little gift shop he gives away vials of oil and invites people to dip their hands in it.
hands. My new friend tells me that they have seen this a few times before and it seems to be related to a healing gifting. The feeling of the oil getting heavier on my hands as the quantity of it grew was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was like the opposite of feeling something dry on your hands. The oil is the thickest I’ve ever seen, similar to castor oil, but is light, silky smooth, odorless, and colorless. Jerry eventually gave me a towel to wipe most of it off and it stopped multiplying but even as I sit here a day later typing I can still see the shiny residue from it on my hands.
Leah Lesesne (pronounced lay-uh luh-sane) lives in downtown Atlanta with her husband Tommy and their urban farm full of critters. Her passion is to help you be as healthy, whole, and close to Jesus as possible. After working for a few years as a professional counselor, she stepped away from the mental health field to pursue her first loves of inner healing prayer ministry and holistic health. Website: