3 Stages Of Marriage – Marriage Therapy Made Easy!

By Wayne Sutton

Marriage is a wonderful thing. Well, at least it should be wonderful. In our Phone Counseling and Life Coaching business we all too often see marriage issues leading to separation, divorce, and even at times violence. Our hope and prayer is that we can lead people to an awareness of where they are in the marriage, and begin a process of reconstruction or rebuilding the relationship. But, that is jumping ahead. So, let’s look at the three levels of marriage closely.

The Romance Stage

First, this is often called the “Romance” stage – as two people have captured one another’s heart and attention. This period can and usually includes the dating and engagement period. The romance stage is all too often a “time of blindness” where we unconsciously ignore the negative and focus solely on the attractiveness of one another. This stage, unless affected by other past relationships or other deep issues, is usually fun-loving and care free. It is also usually easy to discuss “toxic issues” such as sex, money, and family. This romance stage almost always transforms into the second stage of relationships, which I refer to as the “Reality” stage.

The Reality Stage

Reality, this is the tricky area. Reality is time when the honeymoon period is over, and the true self emerges. We all too often see the other person “as we choose to see them” during the romance stage, and then the way they truly are during the reality stage. Worse, many times we perceive the person through our own perceptions, based upon the filters of past relationships and personal history. This is where we must take a self-analysis of our walk and expectations from both ourselves and those we bring into our life.

The Rebuilding Stage

Polarity between the couple can show the major differences, and if not careful can lead to resentment. Resentment is like a cancer of the soul, and this can bring jabbing words of pain or distancing from the couples. This is sadly the reality stage that almost everyone walks in, yet few are willing to leave. This stage can bring the emotional ups and downs for years or even decades. This up and down lifestyle is either tolerated and the person lives in a life of stress, or they end up in divorce.

There is hope however for nearly every marriage. The key to healing a marriage is learning to walk in the stage of “Rebuilding”. Rebuilding may be quick and easy, or it can be a lifelong experience. However, even the process can be rewarding as you go through the journey. Let the journey be an experience, and let love grow through the process.

How do you rebuild? Sometimes it is simple as self-evaluation and applying grace through the rocky times, and at other times it may include using a marriage counselor or therapist. Most situations can be healed through proper time and loving support. Where are you on the three stages of life? Are you ready to rebuild and get back to the romance stage?

Wayne Sutton
www.TheSecondAdam.com

Why Expelled?!

By Joe Tannous

It was 5:30 am, just got home from new year’s eve, got my bible, and I started reading the 3rd chapter of Genesis. It speaks about the fall of man, and the revelation I will share in few moments, blew my mind. I always thought, and taught, that God expelled Adam and Eve because of their rebellion, but to my shock, I found that it’s not the reason. If you read well verses 22 & 23 of that chapter, you will get to know it.

Please allow me to explain this marvelous truth, the scripture reads: “God said, “The Man has become like one of us, capable of knowing everything, ranging from good to evil. What if he now should reach out and take fruit from the Tree-of-Life and eat, and live forever? Never—this cannot happen!” So God expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they’d been made.” (Gen 3:22-23) (MSG) Remember, that up to this point, man had fallen, sin entered his heart, entered his being, and God said that if he should eat from the tree-of-life, he would live forever with his sin, away from God, and because God didn’t want man to be away from Him, He expelled him, He brought him out of the garden, cause he had Jesus in mind, the plan b was already planned and ready to reconcile man to God, but if Adam was not expelled and ate from the tree of life, the redemption could not take place, that’s why God brought man out where he can’t eat from the tree of life.

Now you can see with me the reason of why God expelled man, not because of rebellion alone, but because of redemption and reconciliation. Then Jesus came redeeming us to God, Hallelujah!

Blessings

An Amazing Experience

By Joe Tannous

One night I was walking home and while walking I was in conversation with the Lord. I asked: “Lord, let me see sin, the way you see it”. Directly after I finished my request, I heard the Lord saying in my spirit: ” Joe do you know what sin did?” and I know when the Lord ask me a question means that I don’t know the answer very well, so I replied: “tell me Lord”. “Sin limited me” He replied:” and every time you fall into sin, it’s limiting you.” I said: “Lord how did sin limit you, you are God.” “Joe, what do Philippians 2:7-8 say about me?” He replied. I knew these so I replied: “rather, he made himself nothing, by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross”. He replied: “now you know how it limited me. it made me a human, I, God, became a man because of sin” when He said that, I began to cry on the streets, I don’t know what people thought about me, and I don’t really care, but His words penetrates my heart like a bullet, oh God my sin limited you, because of my sin you became a man, you took a limited flesh…

But I didn’t understand the fullness of His words back then, until few days that I understood. Just see that with me, Jesus was a spiritual being, He is God the Son, and God is spirit, so The Father is spirit, the Son is spirit and the Holy Spirit is Spirit, but Jesus because of our sin, made Himself nothing, the Son, left His nature as a spiritual being, and took a flesh, a limited flesh, no longer a spirit, but a flesh, came to earth, born as a human, lived as a human, died as a human, God became a man, God died like a man dies because of my sin and your sin. but the good news is found in verses 9, 10, 11 of that epistle, ” therefore God [the Father] also highly exalted him and given Him the name which above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father”. (The emphasis is mine) the Father exalted Jesus, Hallelujah! That was His reward for leaving His spiritual being, and now He will always have a flesh, for ever and ever, just like you and me. Sin made Jesus a limited flesh, sin limited God, and so it’s limiting you.

Blessings

Has your soul become much discouraged because of the way?

By Katie Souza

“The people journeyed from Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea to compass the land of Edom, and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.” -Numbers 21:4

How many of you have become much discouraged because of the way? Have you been praying for your children to get off of drugs, but you are still getting phone calls from jail? Did you just lose your job and now you’re close to losing your home? Maybe you have been battling with sickness, or perhaps your marriage is on the rocks and the daily battle has caused your soul to be much discouraged because of the way.

This is a dangerous place to be. Look at what happened to the Israelites. The tiresome journey wounded their soul, then they began sinning out of those wounds. They spoke against God and against Moses by saying, “Wherefore have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? There’s no bread here, there’s no water here, and our soul is loathing this light bread.” They were so wounded by their journey that they began to complain, criticize, and speak against God and Moses. They were so wounded by the journey, even their souls loathed the manna. They were actually complaining about the supernatural provision that arrived at their front door every morning.

Many times wounds in our soul will tempt us to sin by grumbling and complaining. Unfortunately, this can leave us wide open for an enemy attack. When the Israelites complained, God sent fiery snakes to bite them and many of them died! This all started because they let their souls get much discouraged because of the way.

How many of you know that when you get wounded, you start talking smack? You get angry, judge, criticize, and gossip about people. You start speaking negatively about your situation. You let yourself become overwhelmed, tired and depressed. The longer that goes on, the more it attracts demonic attacks, then those fiery snakes start really snapping at you. Next thing you know, everything gets ten times worse! A relationship totally falls apart, you get very sick, or even goes totally broke and lose it all! Unfortunately, it all started when you let the journey causes your soul to get much discouraged because of the way.

What is the first thing we do to get our soul healed? We repent for allowing ourselves to get wounded through the crises, then we also repent for any bitter thing we let come out of our mouth because of it. That is what the Israelites did. They went to Moses and said, “We’ve sinned, we’ve spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he will take away the serpents from us.” So they started the healing process by repenting.

Then the Lord told Moses to make a serpent and put it on a pole then have everyone that was bitten look upon it because then they would live. In John 3, Jesus said, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” The serpent represented Jesus so they were instructed to look to Him for their healing. The Scripture says when they did they would “live.” One of the meanings of that word is “to prosper.” The Bible says we are prospered and brought into health even as our soul prospers. When they looked to Christ, they got healed in their bodies but also in their souls, which happened to be their problem in the first place. Their souls had become much discouraged because of the way, but when they repented, when they looked to the healing power of Christ, they prospered in their health, even as their soul prospered!

Sit down today and get quiet. Take time to repent and forgive any sin that was involved in your soul getting discouraged during your journey. Then, do what I did after the TV shoot. Look to Jesus and decree that his Dunamis power is making you excellent of soul! Keep it up until you experience a real shift, then watch the flow of blessing enter into your life and turn your circumstances around!

For information and resources on Soul Healing please visit www.expectedendministries.com today!

4 Keys to Healing the Sick

By Dr. Stuart Pattico

The supernatural is to be normal in the believer’s life.  We are to be hearing God’s voice, receiving prophetic revelation, and doing wonders through the Holy Spirit’s power.  Jesus said that we would “lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17-18). So how can we begin to operate in this healing power?  Well, let’s look at four keys that I share when teaching others to move in this area:

 

1. Depend on the power of the Holy Spirit

It’s easy to think that Jesus was able to heal the sick because He was God.  Whilst He always remained 100% God, He also became 100% Man, and all the miracles that He did, He did as a Man dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit.  That’s why He said: “the Son can do nothing of Himself” (John 5:19).  Jesus didn’t heal anyone in His own power; He depended on the Holy Spirit.

The good news is that the power of the Holy Spirit is available to you too! (Acts 1:8).  So right now, put out your hands and say “Holy Spirit, release Your healing anointing on me!”

Typically, when ministering to the sick, I ask the Holy Spirit to come upon the sick area.  After all, He is the Healer.  I simply say, “Holy Spirit, come on this area…”.

2. Realise that God loves people and wants them to be well

Have you noticed that Jesus never refused to heal anyone?  Jesus healed everyone who came to Him.  Acts 10:38 explicitly states that He went about “healing all who were oppressed by the devil”.  Why did He do this?  Well, He knew that God loves people and wants them to be well.  Imagine that someone you love wasn’t well and you had the power to instantly cure him or her.  Wouldn’t you heal them?  Of course you would. You would do that simply because you love them.  Well, God is Perfect Love (1 John 4:16), and He heals people because He loves them!  When you minister to the sick, know that you are ministering God’s perfect love to people and never doubt that He wants that person to be well!

3. Realise that sickness and disease can hear you

On one occasion, Jesus was hungry.  He went to a fig tree hoping to find some fruit but found none. He said to it: “Let no fruit grow on you ever again”, and the fig tree immediately withered away (Matthew 21:18-19).  Now, what was Jesus doing speaking to a tree?  The answer is simple: He knew that it could hear Him!  Again, it is easy to think that the tree could hear Him because He was the Son of God.  But Jesus then said to His disciples:

“Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.” (Matthew 21:21)

Wow!  We can do exactly what Jesus did to the fig tree.  We can speak to things and they will obey us.  It’s important to realise that sickness and disease can hear us when we speak to it.  We can command it “out” and it must leave.  It can hear us!  Be bold, and say to the sickness “Out! In Jesus name!”

Whilst it’s not wrong to ask God to do something, often people beg God to heal someone, when God wants them to realise that they can command the sickness to leave.  However, it’s important that when we speak to sickness we do so with faith, believing that what we are saying is happening (Mark 11:23).

4. Realise that God wants people to participate in their healing

There was a man who had a withered hand.  Jesus said to him, “Stretch out your hand” and he was healed (Matthew 12:13).  Notice that Jesus told the man to do something – “stretch out your hand”.

God wants people to participate in their healing.  When I minister to the sick, if they have a measurable symptom, after commanding the sickness “Out! In Jesus name”, I immediately get them to test their condition.  Because I have said it in faith, I fully expect them to say, “the pain has gone!”

Their participation also means that he or she has faith (Matthew 9:22, 29).  So encourage them to agree with you that they will be healed right there and then.  But don’t make people feel bad if they lack faith, instead encourage them

Brining it all together, here is one way that you may wish to minister to the sick.  It’s not about a formula; people have different approaches.  What matters is the result. But here’s an approach you may wish to use:

  1. Stimulate their faith by asking what they believe will happen when you minister to them. Encourage them to agree with you that they will be healed.
  1. Ask the Holy Spirit to come on the affected area.  If appropriate, with their permission, lay hands on that area.  Do not lay hands on that area if it is not appropriate to do so, or if they do not wish you to.
  1. Speak to that area and say to the sickness / pain, “Out! In Jesus’ name”, believing that what you are saying is happening there and then.
  1. Get the person to immediately test their conditions and watch what Jesus does… I believe He will amaze you!



For a full video-teaching on healing the sick, visit http://www.stuartpattico.com/bible-school-healing-the-sick.html .

Dr. Stuart Pattico is a speaker and the author of various books including Praying with Power, End Times: Are You Prepared, The Anointing, You Can Prophesy, and Interpret Your Dreams. Visit www.stuartpattico.com for videos, his free online Bible school, articles, books and further information.

DISCLAIMER: this article is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional.  Always consult your GP before stopping any medication.

© 2013 Dr. Stuart Pattico. All rights reserved. No duplication permitted without permission from the author.

4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice

By Mark and Patti Virkler

Christianity is unique among religions, for it alone offers a personal relationship with the Creator beginning here and now, and lasting throughout eternity. Jesus declared, “This is eternal life – that they may know God” (Jn. 17:2). Unfortunately, many in the Church miss the great blessing of fellowship with our Lord because we have lost the ability to recognize His voice within us. Though we have the promise that “My sheep hear my voice,” too many believers are starved for that intimate relationship that alone can satisfy the desire of their hearts. I was one of those sheep who was deaf to his Shepherd until the Lord revealed four very simple keys (found in Habakkuk 2:1, 2) that unlocked the treasure of His voice.

Key #1 – God’s voice in your heart often sounds like a flow of spontaneous thoughts.

Habakkuk knew the sound of God speaking to him (Hab. 2:2). Elijah described it as a still, small voice (I Kings 19:12). I had always listened for an inner audible voice, and God does speak that way at times. However, I have found that usually, God’s voice comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions.

For example, haven’t you been driving down the road and had a thought come to you to pray for a certain person? Didn’t you believe it was God telling you to pray? What did God’s voice sound like? Was it an audible voice, or was it a spontaneous thought that lit upon your mind?

Experience indicates that we perceive spirit-level communication as spontaneous thoughts, impressions and visions, and Scripture confirms this in many ways. For example, one definition of paga, a Hebrew word for intercession, is “a chance encounter or an accidental intersecting.” When God lays people on our hearts, He does it through paga, a chance-encounter thought “accidentally” intersecting our minds. Therefore, when you want to hear from God, tune to chance-encounter or spontaneous thoughts.

Key #2 – Become still so you can sense God’s flow of thoughts and emotions within.

Habakkuk said, “I will stand on my guard post…” (Hab. 2:1). Habakkuk knew that to hear God’s quiet, inner, spontaneous thoughts, he had to first go to a quiet place and still his own thoughts and emotions. Psalm 46:10 encourages us to be still, and know that He is God. There is a deep inner knowing (spontaneous flow) in our spirits that each of us can experience when we quiet our flesh and our minds. If we are not still, we will sense only our own thoughts.

Loving God through a quiet worship song is one very effective way to become still. (Note II Kings 3:15.) After I worship and become silent within, I open myself for that spontaneous flow. If thoughts come of things I have forgotten to do, I write them down and dismiss them. If thoughts of guilt or unworthiness come, I repent thoroughly, receive the washing of the blood of the Lamb, putting on His robe of righteousness, seeing myself spotless before God (Is. 61:10; Col. 1:22).

To receive the pure word of God, it is very important that my heart be properly focused as I become still because my focus is the source of the intuitive flow. If I fix my eyes upon Jesus, the intuitive flow comes from Jesus. But if I fix my gaze upon some desire of my heart, the intuitive flow comes out of that desire. To have a pure flow I must become still and carefully fix my eyes upon Jesus. Again, quietly worshiping the King, and receiving out of the stillness that follows quite easily accomplishes this. 

Fix your gaze upon Jesus (Heb. 12:2), becoming quiet in His presence and sharing with Him what is on your heart. Spontaneous thoughts will begin to flow from the throne of God to you, and you will actually be conversing with the King of Kings!

Key #3 – As you pray, fix the eyes of your heart upon Jesus, seeing in the Spirit the dreams and visions of Almighty God.

Habakkuk said, “I will keep watch to see,” and God said, “Record the vision” (Hab. 2:1,2). Habakkuk was actually looking for vision as he prayed. He opened the eyes of his heart, and looked into the spirit world to see what God wanted to show him. This is an intriguing idea.

God has always spoken through dreams and visions, and He specifically said that they would come to those upon whom the Holy Spirit is poured out (Acts 2:1-4, 17).

I had never thought of opening the eyes of my heart and looking for vision. However, I have come to believe that this is exactly what God wants me to do. He gave me eyes in my heart to see in the spirit the vision and movement of Almighty God. There is an active spirit world all around us, full of angels, demons, the Holy Spirit, the omnipresent Father, and His omnipresent Son, Jesus. The only reasons for me not to see this reality are unbelief or lack of knowledge.

In order to see, we must look. Daniel saw a vision in his mind and said, “I was looking…I kept looking…I kept looking” (Dan. 7:2,9,13). As I pray, I look for Jesus, and I watch as He speaks to me, doing and saying the things that are on His heart. Many Christians will find that if they will only look, they will see, in the same way they receive spontaneous thoughts. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us (Matt. 1:23). It is as simple as that. You can see Christ present with you because Christ is present with you. In fact, the vision may come so easily that you will be tempted to reject it, thinking that it is just you. But if you persist in recording these visions, your doubt will soon be overcome by faith as you recognize that the content of them could only be birthed in Almighty God.

Jesus demonstrated the ability of living out of constant contact with God, declaring that He did nothing on His own initiative, but only what He saw the Father doing, and heard the Father saying (Jn. 5:19,20,30). What an incredible way to live!

Is it possible for you to live out of divine initiative as Jesus did? Yes! Fix your eyes upon Jesus. The veil has been torn, giving access into the immediate presence of God, and He calls you to draw near (Luk. 23:45; Heb. l0: 19-22). “I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened….”

Key #4 – Journaling, the writing out of your prayers and God’s answers, brings great freedom in hearing God’s voice.

God told Habakkuk to record the vision (Hab. 2:2). This was not an isolated command. The Scriptures record many examples of individual’s prayers and God’s replies (e.g. the Psalms, many of the prophets, Revelation).

I call the process “two-way journaling,” and I have found it to be a fabulous catalyst for clearly discerning God’s inner, spontaneous flow, because as I journal I am able to write in faith for long periods of time, simply believing it is God. I know that what I believe I have received from God must be tested. However, testing involves doubt and doubt blocks divine communication, so I do not want to test while I am trying to receive. With journaling, I can receive in faith, knowing that when the flow has ended I can test and examine it carefully, making sure that it lines up with Scripture.

You will be amazed when you journal. Doubt may hinder you at first, but throw it off, reminding yourself that it is a biblical concept, and that God is present, speaking to His children. Relax. When we cease our labors and enter His rest, God is free to flow (Heb. 4:10). Sit back comfortably, take out your pen and paper, smile, and turn your attention toward the Lord in praise and worship, seeking His face. After you write your question to Him, become still, fixing your gaze on Jesus. You will suddenly have a very good thought. Don’t doubt it; simply write it down. Later, as you read your journaling, you, too, will be blessed to discover that you are indeed dialoguing with God.

Some final notes: Knowing God through the Bible is a vital foundation to hearing His voice in your heart, so you must have a solid commitment to knowing and obeying the Scriptures. It is also very important for your growth and safety that you be related to solid, spiritual counselors. All major directional moves that come through journaling should be confirmed by your counselors before you act upon them.

For a complete teaching on this topic, order the book 4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice at www.CWGministries.org. Online catalog of 60 books by Mark & Patti Virkler as well as 100 college courses through external degree: www.cluonline.com

Death & Life according to God’s word

 By Joe Tannous

The bible teaches us that “death” is being away from God, it’s not when your body dies, it’s when your spirit dies. That’s why Jesus said to that man “let the dead bury their own dead, but you, come and follow me.” Well, see this with me: How can dead people bury dead people? This can’t happen. What Jesus was saying is that a dead person is not according to the worldly system, the one who can’t breathe anymore. For Him, a dead person is the one who is away from Him, the one who does not have a real relationship with Him. God has created you to fellowship with you, to spend time with you, to hear you, to speak to your life, to show you how much you mean to Him & the list continues. 

You cannot declare “oh yeah I know God”, while you are not having a read relationship with Him. If you love someone, all that you want is to spend time with him/her. The same is with God, He is standing on your door, at your heart, knocking until you hear & when you do hear Him knocking, please do not reject Him, open the door for Him. He wants to build that relationship with you, an everlasting one, do not reject His voice today, your life is so precious to Him, but you will not find that anywhere else except in Him, anything else seem to be life but in fact it leads to death over death, but in Jesus and yes in Jesus, this relationship between You & Him will lead you to recognize life over life over life… because He is the life. Amen 

WHO IN THE WORLD ARE YOU?

By Patricia King

Jesus stated to those who opposed Him, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.” John 8:23

He further explained the following to Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”– John 18:36

In the world but not of it.

We are in the world, but we are not of the world. Jesus prayed in John 17 that the Father would not remove us from the world but that we would be kept from the evil one. We are mandated to represent the Kingdom of heaven in the earth. In 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, Paul taught that when Christ is in our life we are new creations. We are Kingdom creations. Our citizenship is in heaven and we have been commissioned as ambassadors in the earth for the Kingdom of God. An ambassador carries govern- mental authority in a foreign land as he/she represents the nation he/she is from.

Ambassadors have diplomatic immunity in the nation they live in and are governed by the law of the land they come from. Do you know who you are in this world? You are a new creation. You are a citizen of heaven. You are an ambassador for Christ.

Jesus lived in two realms at the same time and so can you. He lived in the natural realm while in the earth but also in the heavenly realm or the Kingdom realm. He explained this to Nicodemus in John 3:12-13.

How do we live in the Kingdom realm while in the earth?

Jesus taught an important key for living in the world as a Kingdom citizen. In Matthew 18:1-4 He explains that we cannot enter the Kingdom realm except we come as a child. He was referring to the innocence, faith, and the realness of a child. When you are childlike, a whole realm opens up to you. Young children are not usually afraid of what people think about them. They have innocent faith and believe what their parents say. They are not concerned about paying the bills or taking on weighty responsibilities. Oh, to be a child! This is the key to entering the Kingdom and enjoying Kingdom life. Jesus wants us to be “child-identified.”

Who In The World Are You?

You are Christ’s representative, an ambassador, a co-ruler with Him, and a Kingdom citizen. But above all of these, you are God’s beloved child. Oh, how your heavenly Father loves you! Oh how He wants you to experience freedom as His precious one.

Revival Is Coming

By Patricia King

A mighty wave of the Spirit is coming to the earth soon! It is going to be amazing and will have greater influence and spread faster than any other move of the Spirit in the history of the church. This move will sweep over the nations like lightning, with a level of grace (God’s favor and divine influence) that is unprecedented, manifesting the fruit of holiness, conviction, and a great harvest of souls.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.” Titus 2:11-12 NASB

The younger generation will be transformed by this move and many miracles, signs and wonders will mark the wave. Resurrections and creative miracles will be witnessed on a regular basis, and the presence of the grace of the Lord will fall upon gatherings of believers like a cloud filled with the dew of heaven.

How do we prepare for such a move? Biblical and church history reveals an important key. Having prophetic insight into what is coming is not enough. For example, Elijah heard “the sound of the roar of a heavy shower” (1 Kings 18:41) and immediately went to the top of Mount Carmel to give birth to the vision through watching and praying (see 1 Kings 18:42-45). Birthing revival through intercession is a key. He saw the cloud manifest firsthand and experienced the heavy rain and the accompanying power of God as he outran Ahab’s chariot.

Jesus prophesied to His disciples that they would be “baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5). The disciples responded to that word by birthing it in prayer and intercession in the upper room. Like Elijah, they became partakers of the first fruit when the Spirit was poured out and three thousand were added to the church in the first day.

Prior to the Welsh revival, a strong focus of prayer prevailed. Evan Roberts, a pivotal individual in the birthing of the revival, committed himself to prayer and to gaining a more intimate relationship with God for a period of 13 years before the revival in Wales broke out. He went to prayer meetings almost every night of the week to intercede for a mighty visitation of God’s Spirit. The prayer birthed a season of personal visitation from the Lord for him and soon after the revival was launched. Even in the midst of the revival there was tremendous continued grace on prayer.

People were praying everywhere. Small prayer groups grew into large corporate gatherings of intercession at any time during the day or night. As a result of the prayer the revival spread like wildfire. Prayer meetings often lasted till the early hours of the morning and people hesitated to leave lest they miss out on a special move from the Lord.

Similar prayer focus is found prior to other outbreaks of the Spirit throughout revival history. Let’s birth revival. Let’s birth the next outpouring of the Spirit. We have the prophetic word and now we need the intercession. Let’s receive grace to come boldly before the throne and cry out to God to help us in time of need. Let’s humble ourselves before Him and ask Him to manifest His great mercy and power in this hour.

If we posture ourselves in prayer, we will see the glory of God. Revival is on its way.

Give God your best

By Martine Kiwan

“A son honors his Father and a slave his master. If I am a Father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says the LORD Almighty… But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name? By offering defiled food on my altar… By saying that the LORD’s table is contemptible.” Malachi 1:6-7

When we do not offer the Lord the best in everything we do, service/worship/giving… we are despising Him. Love is the key to honor the Lord and by accepting his unfailing love, we cannot but to offer Him our best of best!

Father, I pray that your love fills us, and that everything we do for your glory we do it from all our heart and power. Let us offer you our best service, ministry and worship. Thank you Holy Spirit for your work in Jesus name, Amen.