Tag Archive for: intercession

The Ministry of Intercession in the End Times

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!' And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!' Let the one who is thirsty come, and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.” Revelation 22:17 (NIV)

The Bible ends with this verse!

I understand the Spirit and the Bride saying “Come” as the ministry of intercession! It is a heart cry, a prayer asking for the Kingdom of Jesus to come. As we approach the end of this dispensation, prayer, and intercession will be restored and increased to greater levels. It's no wonder that we are seeing houses of worship rising worldwide. There is a growing recruitment of intercessors, driven by the urgent need for intercession because the days are dark!

Are you feeling a deep stirring within you for intercession?

I have personally experienced an accelerated upgrade in intercession. The Spirit within me, as the Bride of Christ, is praying fervently for people and nations. These are often quick prayers, but they are weighty, anointed by the Spirit, and reaching the throne of Grace and Mercy. I find myself interceding for various matters, even while doing the dishes. I hear names—sometimes unfamiliar names—and feel prompted about future events, then quickly partner with the Holy Spirit in prayer. It is increasing! Are you experiencing the same escalation?

The High Priest, Compassion Himself, visited Abraham to invite him to intercede for Sodom and Gomorrah. We often perceive God as rushing toward destruction, but He makes every effort to save us. Abraham responded to this divine invitation to intercede with Jehovah, and so will the Bride respond to the nudges of the Spirit. We will gain insight, change lives, and witness the impact of God’s loving kindness and mercy.

You are part of His end-times activity.

I even see, in the spirit, a vision of incense grains sticking to your lips. You are His royal priest, positioned with the Lord, and He is waiting for you to make a difference in your generation and in generations to come because your prayers have a ripple effect that doesn't fade.

God in your prayer life is the X-factor, and no one can surpass Him, just as Nebuchadnezzar declared: “Heaven has dominion.”

It’s time to awaken to your identity and position in Christ as the most authoritative being on earth. It’s time to send and release missiles of glory, power, deliverance, altar-breaking, healing, love, joy, peace, righteousness, sanity to kings, protection, and more.

That's why we invite you by the Spirit to be part of your prayer team, create one maybe at your home, and join our NEWLY launched prophetic intercession ministry called: “The Checkdate”.

God bless you,
Tony Francis

The Unexpected Spiritual Exposure from a Cheese Drop

You might be wondering about the title of this article and what it pertains to.

Today, I contacted a delivery service to buy some cheese for me to use in making sandwiches. I put the unopened cheese package in the fridge, planning to use it tomorrow. Later, when I went to the fridge to get something else, the cheese package fell to the floor because my sister had already opened it. I didn't expect the cheese to be consumed today, nor did I expect it to fall onto the dirty kitchen floor and be ruined.

I was angry!

In my perfectly natural and justified anger, I found myself shifting towards wrath. Pay close attention here as I explain how to discern the spirit realm. Let's call it “The Spirit Realm Made Simple!” As I mentioned, I moved from human anger to wrath, and it was a subtle, smooth transition. If you aren't sensitive to the Holy Spirit, the ways of the spirit realm, and the devices of our adversary, the devil, you might not even notice this shift. In my wrathful state, I began imagining all sorts of accusatory scenarios against the goodness of the Lord. I thought things like, “Lord, you know I prefer living alone, but you’re keeping me here with my mom and sister,” and made inner vows like, “I will never get married. I hate living with people who steal my peace and interrupt my quiet time.” These thoughts escalated to even considering quitting the ministry, which felt like a threat to God.

I asked myself, “What is this all about?” and then I asked the Holy Spirit. It was odd to be overwhelmed with such wicked and ugly thoughts. I told the Holy Spirit, “This isn’t me. It’s a privilege to serve you and your people.” I realized these thoughts were likely familiar spirits using my mind to create these negative thoughts and make me believe they were mine. I was relieved, thank God.

Here’s what happened: earlier in the day, the Holy Spirit had elevated me to new and deeper levels of power in words of knowledge and the prophetic, and I was excited about it. The devil, who spies on us—especially those in ministry—targeted me because this new level threatens him by making Jesus more real to people through my ministry. He saw me ordering cheese, possibly inspired my sister to open the package, and positioned it so that it would fall when I opened the fridge. The devil was watching my every move. When the cheese fell, my anger was a natural response. But then the devil overlapped those emotions with demonic wrath, making the transition so smooth that I didn’t notice. His schemes don’t always involve big falls after grand events; sometimes, it’s the small things that ruin the garden. Catch those little foxes!

How do you discern the spirit realm at work within you? Your mind is the battlefield. Pay attention! It’s like giving yourself an out-of-body experience to observe and process what’s happening without emotional involvement. I stopped and asked the Holy Spirit why I was in a rage instead of just angry. Why was I having such accusatory thoughts against the Lord’s goodness? Usually, you can expose the devil when your thoughts suddenly rise to accuse Jesus in a surprising, impulsive way. Or if you have nagging urges to do something terrible, like hurting someone, attempting suicide, or watching pornography, know that a demonic influence is active.

Familiar spirits can take people out and make them do their wicked will. How often have you adopted sick identities because familiar thoughts tormented you until you believed them? How many TikTokers have done dark things online because the devil kept telling them to in their thoughts, feelings, and imagination until they believed it was them?

Not every thought or feeling that comes to you is yours.

How many times have you felt depressed, oppressed, or possessed and started medicating while God was calling you to intercession, not depression? Many intercessors become mentally ill because they can't figure out that what they are sensing isn't theirs.

The cheese wasn’t wicked 🙂 but it caught the demonic rats today!

You won’t make it in life or your daily activities if you don’t grow in discernment. The spiritual realm can overwhelm you.

It’s time to learn the ways of God, man, and the devil. Stop just playing church, enjoying worship, and listening to sermonettes, and go home.

God bless you
Tony Francis

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Blessings and Battles: My 40th Unexpected Birthday Experience

Many of you know by now that on June 7th, 2024, I turned 40. Yay! I just finished a decade and started a new one in the Lord. I wasn’t going to make a big deal out of my birthday, but I felt it was a big deal to end a decade, especially when it was loaded with challenges, sicknesses, and many lessons, and start a fresh new one. God celebrates us daily, monthly, yearly, and decade-wise. He cherishes our time on earth and considers it a valuable asset for His glory. I know a birthday is precious because it reminds us of God creating us, but I always thank the Lord for my second birth 20 years ago! Both are important.

So, my birthday is on June 7th, and this time it fell on a Friday, which is a Sabbath, entering the rest of God. Also, 7 means completion, and turning 40 is meaningful because it is the number of ending a wilderness, and it feels like that. Not only that, the month of Sivan 5784 started on my birthday!

The Lord has been talking to me a lot about rest and entering my promised land, and I couldn't wait for a fresh new beginning in the Lord. As many of you saw, I even created a webpage declaring and prophesying all those goodies. You can still leave me a birthday prayer there and enjoy my gifts for you. (Click here)

Friday came, June 7th arrived, and I NEVER expected that instead of experiencing the goodness of the Lord and the promised rest and freshness, waves of demonic temptations would bombard me. Oh my God, pressure from every side, sexual temptations, oppression, ups and downs, swirling emotions, and even the strong feeling of going back to Egypt, my place of bondage. My soul was in agony, confused, asking the Lord what was going on. I even told Him, “This is not real because I feel like 20 years of being on the potter's wheel feels like a waste.” Wow! What is going on, Lord?

I forgot that a new beginning and new levels are a threat to Satan. Forgot! I, who teaches the Bible and about the ways in the Spirit, was caught off guard. The devil was at the gate of this NEWNESS of Life to abort it and destroy it. To discourage me and compel me to hate it and expect nothing but death, pain, and curses.

Please read this carefully because you will learn something powerful here:

I am a free man. Not that I won't be tempted anymore—everyone will—but it took me years to establish my transformation and freedom in my character and mind, especially in my places of bondage. I greatly appreciate my freedom because sin was never fun and will never be. It was a tormenting cycle! Pleasant to the eye and feelings but deadly when you partake of it. This is how sin works! Remember when we all fell in Eden?

So when you feel a sudden urge to go back to Egypt after years of freedom and enjoying your transformation, KNOW that there is a demonic presence and oppression here because it doesn't make sense why there is this strong stirring in you to do something this strong you forgot about, prayed over with tears for long, went to conferences for freedom, read the books, rebuked the devils, etc. So when it is a sudden urge, discern that there is a demonic activity. But if you are still in your journey toward freedom, know that you still have strongholds and wrong mindsets that are not yet touched by the Lord or renewed. So it is natural to feel frequent desires to sin. Those urges can sometimes be demonic but not necessarily. It is mainly because you are not there yet and your flesh is still active.

This was not the case on my birthday—three days of oppression, entertaining sin, and old behaviors. Sometimes I made it, sometimes I couldn't. I never experienced a level of oppression like that before.

Why am I sharing my vulnerability with you here? Because many of you are and will start a fresh NEW strong beginning for the glory of the Lord, and the devil is at the door, not just the Lord. You need to be aware of this, be watchful in prayer, and seek help, intercession, and a faith community to take out your giants.

We all want to enter the promised land, but no one wants to confront the giants. I was focusing on my promised land and forgot giants were waiting for me. But greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. Even though you go through battles, the final say is the Lord's. Remember that the dragon is WAITING for the woman to give birth to kill the baby(Revelation 12) and tried his best and caused lots of trouble, yet we have read the last chapter and Jesus wins!

Don't feel discouraged because with God things will get better and right on track if you keep pressing in. I am writing you this in the belly of the whale, knowing that any moment now, with your prayers, love, support, and giving, I will experience resurrection life and power because it is my portion and yours in Christ.

God bless you,
Tony Francis

We'd love to hear from you! Share your experiences, new beginnings, and thoughts in the comment section below.

A Special Word From the Lord this Pentecost 2023

“I am among my church still and will always stay. The church is my holy bride and I constantly wash her away from accusations against her. The number one tactic of the devil and this unclean world against my church is to slow her down with accusations. This Pentecost I will release my church into new levels of freedom, a glorious freedom!

“Who is this who looks down like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awesome as an army with banners?” Song of Solomon 6:10

Accusations uglify and you are beautiful in me. Be on my side, always release my heart of intercession, and don’t weaken my arm, the church is my holy arm and I want to use you greatly for such a time as this. Please know the nature of the accusation and know that you are not of it. It is the stranger’s voice that you don’t hear. Truth leads, accusation stops your progress and my kingdom’s advancement. There is nothing good in accusation, it is not the exhortation that you want to release, it is totally different.

I love you; I am meeting with you in a special way this Pentecost, it is the church’s birthday that is so precious to my heart. The church carries my precious salvation to the whole world. The enemy couldn’t stop me from redemption but if he could stop the church that carries the message, he would love to and he is working on this night and day! Today you are seeing the many laws the enemy is establishing to restrict your freedom and kill the message, twist it, and label it as craziness, hatred, and religious. But I will rise, the ancient days, and turn things swiftly and suddenly. I love suddenlies, don’t you?

I will do a new thing in your schools, well, it is not new; I am just digging old wells that will refresh the generation. I want you to know my heart this Pentecost, I don’t hate those against me, I love them all to life. You can still love everyone and stand for the truth. Hating others will put you in a vulnerable position, weaken your truth and even contaminate your anointing, you will be rendered ineffective. Don’t swallow that bait!

This Pentecost, I am touching your tongues, and realigning them with LIFE for your organs are a weapon of righteousness.

Repent.

Amen

God bless you

Tony Francis

If you feel led to sow into this prophetic ministry this Pentecost it will be a great blessing that will help us advance the word of God.

Make a donation this month

 

What is the Holy Spirit saying about the biblical year 5783?

I sense the delight of Yeshua in my heart for what is coming.

I even see the Lord in a vision right now flipping the calendar himself and turning it to welcome the new. I see a remnant from his people in his presence who were purged and went through so much. You are among those remnants and God is going to do exploits through you!

I see the Lord speaking with each one of his remnants in specific ways, it is like he is giving each one a specific and unique mandate for this year. I am now taken in the spirit to the instance in the bible where the roof or the ceiling was torn by faith-filled people to lower down their friend in need of a miracle. Those remnants are not just faith-filled believers, what qualifies them is the violence they have in their faith for Jesus, an aggressive faith-filled believer. Great faith & exploits will mark this year. As the world is heading toward extremism in almost everything, so shall kingdom people but not all will respond, just the remnant.

As I was looking at the year 5783, I realized that it has three odd numbers and one even and that ONE even number felt ODD to me because it stands alone. I felt the Holy Spirit is highlighting that we will see in this year the ODD, the unusual, the strange, miracles, signs, and wonders in the hands of the remnant, the violent in faith. You will be a sign for Yahweh this year. God is not calling strange people or promoting weirdness but the supernatural and the ODD will be so visible through his people. This also makes sense to me, and I can witness it even in the natural because aren’t we seeing ODD laws, a new breed of sexual beings, etc.?

In the year 5783, the anointing of the Holy Spirit is so rich, so present, and so available like never before because it is the anointing that breaks the yoke of bondage and nowadays not only individuals are oppressed and demonically possessed but also whole nations. God’s anointing is richly available for you to serve the earth that is groaning for FREEDOM. This year will be marked by the anointing of the Holy Spirit! Halleluiah.

I am now in the spirit standing before the throne of God and I am allowed to hear strange, big prayers, prayers that feel so new to heaven because the needs on the earth changed, and what we are dealing with nowadays is extreme, very extreme. A new level in intercession and intercessors will emerge and will allow the Spirit to pray through them what this era really needs. Those intercessors will not be intimidated by their big, new, and strange prayers because they know the Holy Spirit, follow him and know he is the one in charge of them.

Wow! I see crusades, crusades, and crusades, and even more, crusades happening in this coming year and forth. The Lord is also inviting his people to finance the kingdom, that’s why we will see the appearance of wealthy people who became abundant, it is an abundance with a purpose! Money will speak for eternity because it is used for the glory of the Lord. If you feel like going for a new business, go for it as the anointing is available for you this year and you will be among those who will bless and finance the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

I see the Holy Spirit moving among the children, like a children’s revival.

Amen

Tony Francis

  • If you are interested in requesting your YEARLY prophetic word, it is now available. On September 25, 2022, we enter 5783, the biblical year. Click here to learn more!

 

  • If you feel you carry a prophetic word for the body of Christ for the year 5783 and you want a platform to release it, I offer you this opportunity for free because I want to encourage prophetic voices to emerge and be visible. Click here to submit your word

 

  • Thank you for your generous donation to my ministry Healed Nations. Your empowerment will help me advance the Kingdom of Jesus worldwide because I am embracing this year a violent faith, the odd, and the exploits for his glory. Also, I am believing that those who will SOW that the rich anointing of the Lord will come on them this year.

3 Things Every Christian Must Know During COVID-19

By Robert Hotchkin

We are in the midst of some really interesting and challenging times.  There is all sorts of information, theory, confusion, opinion and conjecture swirling about in regards to this COVID-19 CCP Coronavirus pandemic.

Some voices are shouting that the virus is a man-made conspiracy meant to “thin the herd” with a bio-weapon.  Other voices are barking that it is a natural occurrence and evidence that the earth is trying to “shake off” humanity so it can rebalance its ecosystem.  Then there are voices screaming that this is the judgment of a wrathful God.  And others blaring that it is all a scam – just a deep state power grab and suppression of civil rights.

On top of all that, we also have a cacophony of opinions about the best way to deal with the virus.  Some say masks and gloves help.  Others say they have little or no effect.  There are those who claim ventilators are part of the solution.  Others say, no, ventilators might actually work to weaken the lungs.  And then we probably don’t even have room to get into all the conjecture, theories and arguments about the best drug treatments and vaccine approaches.

What are we to listen to?  What can we trust?  What are we to believe?

As is always the case for Christians, the best person to listen to is Jesus.  He actually taught into this very type of situation more than 2,000 years ago in Matthew 16:13-20.

Remember the story?  He and the disciples are coming into the region of Caesarea Philippi.  As they do, Jesus asks His followers what the report of the world is about Him.  The disciples tell Him that some sources say He is John the Baptist, while other voices are declaring he is Elijah, and then there are those who say He is Jeremiah, and still more proclaiming that He is one of the other prophets.

Jesus gives no heed to any of that.  He doesn’t even address all the theories and opinions being blared out by His day’s version of CNN, MSNBC and Fox.  Instead, He asks them, “Who do you say that I am?”

When Simon Peter responds that Jesus is the Messiah, the Lord says something truly profound that speaks into the very situation we are facing with the swirl of COVID-19 news, media, theory, information and conspiracy:

 

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:17-18 NKJV emphasis added)

 

Jesus is giving Simon Peter kudos for being able to “hear” past the noise of all the voices and opinions and conjecture and agenda and politics of the world, and instead tune into what heaven is speaking and revealing about the situation.  Jesus is showing His disciples then, and all of us now, that the key to thriving and even being blessed in challenging times is to focus on heavenly truth as opposed to earthly debate.  When we do this, He reveals, we will be established in truth, built upon the rock, and empowered as His church and Body. The result will be that nothing of hell will be able to prevail in the earth no matter how well fortified those demonic strongholds seem to be.

So, with that in mind, let’s look at three key heavenly truths that are critical for every Christian to know, and live from, right now. 

 [1]  WHO GOD IS

Who do you say God is during this pandemic?  In seasons of great challenge and need, what you believe about God is huge.  The Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebrews 13:8).  That means we should not allow our temporary circumstances to impact our revelation of who God is and what God is like.  Just the opposite.  We should allow our revelation of who God always is, and what He is always like, to impact our circumstances.  No matter what is going on in the ever-changing happenings in the earth, the one thing we can count on is that God is the Lord and He does not change (see Malachi 3:6).  That means that God is still God.  He is still healer.  He is still deliverer.  He is still provider.  He is still protector.  He is still good, and He is still well able to bring about the very best results in this current set of circumstances.  COVID-19 has not changed who God is to you, for you, or with you.

 [2]  WHO YOU ARE

There is a reason you did not go home to heaven as soon as you got saved.  It’s because you have a key role to play for the Kingdom here in the earth.  When you said yes to Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you were not only forgiven of your sins and restored to relationship with your Heavenly Father for all eternity.  You were also restored to the plan He has had since Day Six – to have children made in His image who operate in His deputized authority and Holy Spirit power as His dominion stewards in the earth.  You want to know what God’s plan is to deal with COVID-19?  Look in the Word (see Genesis 1:26-28).  Then look in the mirror.  It’s you!  He knows it (see Luke 10:19).  He needs you to know it.  So that you start operating in the power and authority He has given you to heal the sick, raise the dead, feed the hungry, bring peace to the panicked, send forth His never-failing Word in intercession, pray for our leaders, and basically arise and shine because there is darkness in the earth that needs dealt with (see Matthew 10:1, 8; Matthew 14:16; Isaiah 55:11; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; Isaiah 60:1-1, and John 14:12)!

 [3]  ALL THAT YOU HAVE

2 Peter 1:3 is a great scripture to be meditating on right now.  It reminds you that by God’s great and divine power, He has blessed you with everything pertaining to life and godliness.  Did you catch that?  EVERYTHING.  Isn’t that amazing?!  Whatever you need for everyday life – He has blessed you with it.  Whatever you need to put God on display through your life – He has blessed you with it.  Not will bless you with it one day in the sweet by-and-by if you are good.  But has blessed you with it here and now because He is amazing.  So no need to panic.  No need to fear.  No need to hoard.  You have it.  And He will lead you into all of it (see Psalm 23:1-3).  This will allow you to look, sound and act differently than the rest of the world right now.  To be at peace when others are anxious.  To be confident when others are shaken.  To be a source of blessing, encouragement, wisdom, solutions, love, compassion, joy and much, much more when others are feeling bereft.  As you look and sound different from the rest of the world, the world will eventually take notice and ask why.  That’s when you get to share with them the greatest thing you have been blessed with – Jesus!

Don’t let the WHO, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, YouTube, your next-door neighbors, or anyone or anything else tell you what is true right now.  Let the Word of the Lord speak to you.  Let eternal truth remind you.  Let your Heavenly Father and His Holy Spirit edify, encourage and empower you.  Let them remind you who God is, who you are, and all that you have been blessed with in Christ Jesus.  Because when you do, COVID-19 will not stand.  And neither will anything else hell tries to send at you.

  

Robert Hotchkin is an author, minister, speaker and media host.  He is the founder of Men on the Frontlines, and one of the core leaders of Patricia King Ministries. He hosts the weekly Heroes Arise broadcast, co-hosts the show Propel with Patricia King, and is a regular guest and co-host of the show Supernatural Life on GodTV.  Robert’s newest book, 31 Decrees of Blessing for Men, is a powerful daily devotional that activates men to walk in all that they have been blessed with as sons of God.

4 Daughters Who Prophesy

“Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.” Act 21: 8-9

I am restoring the prophetic mantle over this young generation back again. For this shall be the generation that will seek the face of the God of Jacob (Psalms 24:6) and will proclaim him gloriously, says God Almighty! And I know many are reading this timely word not by accident as I have drawn them into this lifetime invitation.

Do you want to be part of this prophetic army that God is rising in this hour? Your response will determine how Heaven will reply. Many are called to a prophetic intercession that they will not pray to God but let God pray through them in a perfect unity with them.

Many are called to be prophetic evangelists and will shout out the good news as if Jesus is walking our streets once again. Many are called to be prophetic worshipers as if Jesus himself is adoring the Father from their hearts, lips and musical gifts (Hebrews 2:12). Many are called to be prophetic writers as if the Holy Spirit is birthing heavenly and anointed books through them.

But ALL are called to be prophetic in their characters and walk as if they no more live but Jesus lives in them and through them. Once again the world is going to be reintroduced powerfully to the real Jesus to encounter him in his full glory and God will do it through you!

Through you, Jesus will be in the marketplace, in schools, in universities, in business fields, in churches, and all kinds of secular places of authority. 2000 years ago, people had to travel for days and months to meet Jesus and it was worth it but today and because of your prophetic character, where Jesus uses your mind to think, your tongue to speak, your eyes to see, your ears to hear, and your emotions to feel, people will meet him … Everywhere!

Pull down the prophetic mantle from God as soon as you finish reading because this is the prophetic word of the Lord for YOU! Amen

Declare with me: Everything in me prophesies the King of Glory!

You can also watch this blog as a Vlog (Video Blog). Click here to watch it: 4 Daughters Who Prophesy …

Please share this devotion with your friends below on social media.

Glory to God
Tony Francis

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

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.