Tag Archive for: prophet

Dancing Between Two Emotions

You host your own emotions, I am not saying something new to you here, we all know that. Your heart is your deepest part, your core, your behind the scenes where the action takes place. It is where you closely listen to your emotions where it whispers to you the sadness, other times shouts the thrill of joy and hope, not to list all the other scenarios and discussions that your emotions throw at you even when you are not in the mood for a 2 ways conversation!

Nobody like strangers, if a thief enters my house I will kill him. We protect ourselves well from aliens. Your heart is your space alone and you are a master over it, sometimes! Emotions are God’s blessings to you that flow like waves in your inner ocean. Sometimes it is a peaceful wave, other times it is a force, a storm. You are made in God’s image and God has emotions towards you!

Have you ever stopped to listen to the heartbeat of God for you? He has a big heart huh? What a glorious experience, right?

When you accept Christ in your heart, you host God in you what the Bible calls it “the new birth experience”. You become the temple of Holy Spirit where he dwells. Behind the scenes now there is a unity between you and the Lord. You will cry at what makes God cry and God will cry at what makes you cry. You will laugh with him and he will laugh with you but never at you! You are now officially hosting more than your emotions and God will give you grace, wisdom, and maturity to discerning what is yours and what is not, his word will sharply divide and pierce all layers.

Prophetic vessels of God are quite something! They need to be studied closely in a lab. A prophetic vessel not only delivers God’s word but his heart as well. The Helper the Holy Spirit is the ancient of days maestro who will beautifully orchestrate and harmonize the instruments of emotions of yours and God to create a beautiful melody that the deaf can hear but you will live your life on … dancing between two emotions because you are hosting God.

Tony Francis

A Sinner In The Hands Of An Angry God

To be honest with you, I thought innocently that God of the Old Testament behaved differently than in the New Testament because the covenant changed. This doctrine, that I am sure you also heard, has convinced me skillfully not to say deceitfully! I didn’t argue with it I just let it pass but deep inside I was not feeling good about belonging to “A GOD WHO KILLED PEOPLE” for a while until a better covenant came to pass.

This morning the Lord led me to read a certain passage in the gospels and the understanding he unfolded to me changed the whole formula and introduced me to the real God. What you are about to read here will wowy you and it will for sure bibidi babidi bou you!

In Luke 9:51, James and John wanted to call fire down from heaven to consume the Samaritans who opposed the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem. They said to Jesus with a religious zeal, excitement and “feeling right about it” attitude: “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”

Cool boys, I am happy and satisfied you wanted to be scriptural and never do a thing not backed up in the book of LIFE. Before proceeding I just want to throw this for free, is not it strange and weird to bring death out of the book of LIFE? James and John were right about two things: they were in a relationship with Jesus and they asked him if he would like to barbecue some Samaritan flesh because of opposition and second they knew that only God would command the fire to come down from heaven! No man can do that!

BUT … Elijah never called the fire down from heaven to consume the false prophets but to demonstrate that God is a living God and THAT fire consumed the ALTAR he built by the leading of the Holy Spirit. I don’t know if at that instant James and John forgot this IMPORTANT detail because they were religiously zealous and angry!

Once again, Elijah by the leading of the Holy Spirit called down fire from heaven on the altar and the Israelites who saw it were marveled and could have turned back to God if they had a chance to. But we will see that Elijah after this good glory demonstration didn’t give them any!

But He [Jesus] turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

Religion wants to barbecue people, Jesus wants to unbarbecue you! … After I read that, my eyes were opened and I said, hmmm wait a moment! If God sent the fire using Elijah to demonstrate his presence to turn his people back to him, then he must have told Elijah to kill them all after that. Because Elijah was a prophet and he must be led by Holy Spirit to kill them all and slaughter each, after all, we have been taught that God of the Old Testament can do that easily because of “THE AVAILABLE COVENANT” back then!

I am not here to defend God but my bible says that Jesus is the same today yesterday and forever. God’s nature doesn’t change according to James 1: 16-17 “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every GOOD gift and every PERFECT gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” God is good and perfect and this will remain forever no matter how much doctrines will say differently with a religious zeal! Jesus is always about saving souls even in the Old Testament.

Could it be that Elijah started in the spirit and continued in the flesh? Why did Elijah killed the 850 false prophets and not gave them a chance to be God’s prophets? It was a very good potential opportunity that moment don’t you think? But it was lost forever because he got religiously excited!

To be honest with you I don’t know why Elijah killed them all but I am sure that Jesus doesn’t want a soul to be doomed but to be given chance after another to turn back to God! How many chances these false prophets were given to repent after that glorious demonstration? NONE.

In my opinion, Elijah started ministering good but got in the flesh. The Law of Moses commanded NOT TO KILL and it is a GOD GIVEN LAW. When you get religiously zealous, you want to add to the word of God or take from it. Elijah could have thought in himself, it is OK to kill them all “Exclusively”. Maybe because the Law of Moses at some point was confusing and unclear.

Bear with me to clarify this point with you please. Moses got the laws from God but after a while and because the Israelites were so hard and unbearable Moses ALLOWED things. At some point, leading very hard people drove Moses to permit some things to CONTROL the crowd under the name of GOD! But did God say that? In the beginning, no, GOD had clear laws, but later on, MOSES PERMITTED THINGS. No wonder why Elijah could have been confused.

They said to Him [Jesus], “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. Matthew 19

Moses permitted some laws beside the laws of God just to settle some issues to go have some good deep sleep. His church was a headache! BE TERRIFIED if you permit things that God’s nature doesn’t approve it.

Let’s wrap it. Yes, we read in the whole bible that the goodness of God issued some endings to wicked people and cities. So God in his sovereignty can terminate things. But in my opinion and understanding, God does this after he gives many chances because HE IS PATIENT, merciful and slow to anger. BUT when he finds that there is no more way to repent and that the cup of sin is full he takes some steps to demonstrate his goodness by cutting some things off. Doctors are good when they cut an infected organ in someone’s body if they know for sure there is no more option as hard as this is.

Did Elijah give chances to these false prophets? Was he long-suffering and patient with them? Let’s check our ministries if they are aligned with the nature of God or not.

Peter also got the “religious killing zeal” MODE ON for JESUS and dismembered the ear of an antichrist enemy in the garden of Gethsemane. Not knowing that Peter himself was an antichrist in this action. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

James, John, Peter, and Elijah were all zealous religiously and did things they thought approved by God. They were trying to show some love the best they knew how. It is not a devotion to disfavor God’s servants and their weaknesses, we are no better in many situations.

Bottom-line, Jesus shows his heart many times that he is for you not against you. He wants to save you and not destroy you. “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?” Ezekiel 18:23.

You and I with a huge cloud of witnesses have misrepresented the true good nature of God at some point in our life. The Lord told me this morning: “When you understand my nature you read things right”. The Lord can forgive us all this mess and misrepresentation if we repent. God is always angry at sin not at sinners. Jesus was violent with sin issues and flipped the tables but never slapped anyone! Can we minister without chopping heads? Yes, it is possible if you know how loving God is!

A sinner in the hands of an angry God is the most beautiful experience at all. Because he lavishes you with his bounty goodness, unconditional love, many chances to be saved and redeemed to flourish beautifully before him for his glory. You will be undone by his beating heart for you! However, after experiencing his many goodness demonstrations if you decide to trample on the precious saving blood of Jesus and reject LIFE, whose fault is this?

Toni Francis

When the Prophetic Knocks on Your Door!

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“And the day came when Elisha passed over to Shunem. And a great woman was there. And she laid hold on him to eat bread. And it happened, as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread. And she said to her husband, Behold now, I see that this is a holy man of God who passes by us continually. Please, let us make a little room on the wall.

And let us set a bed for him there, and a table, and a stool, and a lampstand. And when he comes to us, he shall turn in there. And the day came when he came in there, and he turned into the room and lay there.” (2 kings 4: 8-11).

The prophetic can pass by you to stay or to leave, you choose! This book can be another book you read or a life-transforming message.

Do you have a little room in your heart for a prophet, the holy man of God? Do you have a place for the prophetic in your church? Build one!

Invest in stretching your territory to make room for the prophetic anointing because you will be blessed. This woman was rich not only because of her wealth but because she discerned a greater wealth and attracted it by honoring and welcoming the prophet.

You may say, I am rich, I am satisfied, so I don't need a prophet to pass by me. This woman didn't think this way, although she was rich, she was poor in other areas, she was barren, and money couldn’t give her a child.

She didn’t know by investing in the prophetic and sowing seeds of honor that she was opening the gates of heaven over her and making a room for life in her womb not only on the wall of her house.

There is always what we call the rewards of honoring a prophet. After she had built a room for Elisha, he wanted to bless her.

“And he said, what then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, truly, she has no child, and her husband is old” (2 Kings 4:14).

Elisha could have said what can I do to a wealthy woman? It’s me who needs her help. Had he thought this way, he would have hindered her blessing and turned off his gifts. But Elisha, who was wealthier because he was rich in the Lord and had access to things this woman didn’t have, he prophesied a son to her.

A prophet enriches your life when you think you have it all, even when your bank account is full.

There are always things you don’t see or hear that God prepared for you to release in your life. Just make a little room for him! Your honoring seed triggers the prophetic anointing and puts a demand on it.

Your wealth may be in your pocket like that woman, but the wealth of a prophet is in his mouth.

The seed of welcoming him, building him a room and blessing him with meals of hospitality triggered heaven to answer back. You can’t sow into heaven without triggering it to responding to touch your life.

I am not limiting your seeds to money only; it is not about what you give it is in the heart of honoring.

It may be money, room, a place to rest in, or maybe inviting a prophet to your church, etc.

In a nutshell, welcoming a prophet is the greatest form of honor you can give him whatever the expression of your giving is.

You can’t welcome a prophet and not embrace the supernatural. You step into a realm you’ve never walked in before when you touch a prophet’s life. Are you ready for some supernatural experiences to take place in your life?

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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 …

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Glory to God
Tony Francis

Your Faith Creates Miracles

This month is critical. This is the month of Nisan 5774, which means “miracle,” and the meaning of 5774 means, “Door” in Hebrew. The year Ayin Dalet in 5774 represents the Prophetic season we are in right now. It is the head of the year.

I hear the Lord saying that the Doors are not only swung wide open and torn off, but He has set trap doors for the enemy. That’s why in this time we must have faith. I hear the Lord say, Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” That is what Faith is. It created an atmosphere for miracles.

Faith is birthed within your heart. The mind will always want to reason you into logic, but Mark 11:22-24 decrees:

And Jesus, replying, said to them, Have faith in God [constantly]. Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.

Your Faith can and will create the miracles that you need in your life.
That’s why Romans 10 8-10 Decrees:

But what does it say? The Word (God’s message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach, Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.

There will be times that we will need to lay down our own dreams and desires at the altar of the Lord and trust that the Father has a plan for our lives. Faith decides your timing. Remember, God always reacts to faith.  In Acts 1:7:8  Jesus said to them, “It is not for you to become acquainted with and know what time brings [the things and events of time and their definite periods] or fixed years and seasons (their critical niche in time), which the Father has appointed (fixed and reserved) by His own choice and authority and personal power.”

Acts 2 1-4 Decrees:

But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth. In Acts  And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place, when suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them. And they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different, foreign) languages (tongues), as the Spirit kept giving them clear and loud expression [in each tongue in appropriate words]. Remember there was around 500 men an woman and yet only 120 [the #120 means Children of Promise] There Faith was unlimited. Faith will command and expect the word of God to move, but you  will need to receive it.

Deuteronomy 27-3 Decrees:

Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands that I give you today. 2 When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. 3 Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you this day, on Mount Ebal, and coat them with plaster.

I keep hearing, “Tell my people that if they will come into agreement with Me, then the seed that has been lost or stolen from them will be resurrected back to them. Stand on Deuteronomy 27:3.

The seed of 273 is just this:
The #2 means Agreement
The #7 means Divine Completion
The #3 means Resurrection

Also the numbers mean this:
The #27 means To Proclaim/Prophecy
The #3 means  Trinity Resurrection

In Romans 10:11 the Scripture says, “No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed. Let’s believe God the Father for as we come into agreement with not only Him but Heaven itself and prophecy that the promises He has given you will come to pass. You will see Divine plan for your life.  Let’s choose to be the 120 and see His Glorious Resurrection power unfold, in every circumstance of your life.”

My prayer for you is this, “Father, just like the day of Pentecost of 120 [which is the Promises of God] we are in the Upper Room waiting [like many of your children].  One drop of oil fell from heaven and as it accelerated to earth, that one drop become Fire and one-hundred and twenty sons and daughters were ignited into their callings. All one-hundred and twenty went from active to accelerated!  Today Lord, let your sons and daughters be refreshed and renewed in you! I hear a new E.R.A. [Evangelism/Radical/Acceleration] will explode in you!”
In Jesus name!

Till the end,

Angela Greenig

www.AngelaGreenig.com 

A Terrifying Beauty

Jesus Christ the King is the most excellent of men and his lips are so beautiful anointed with favor and grace, his words and teachings  are pleasant, full of authority and he is so blessed there is no curse in him. That’s why the bride in Song of Solomon 1:2 passionately said: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth– for your love is more delightful than wine.” His kisses awaits you, are you hungry for them? His prophetic word for you is filled with love that brings ecstasy stronger than wine making you a love drunkard and one of his love captives. You are totally dismantled of your power and resistance in the bosom of his love for you; you can’t resist him when he wraps his strong and gentle arms around you and when he looks at you, you are fully captured!

Jesus is a mighty ferocious warrior girded with a sword and clothed with splendor and majesty. When he wars in a battle he always wins, he loves to fight for truth, humility and righteousness because it is his very nature. His arrows pierce the enemies’ hearts and the nations fall beneath his feet. He reigns forever in justice, what a beautiful kingdom to be part of! You are a citizen of such a kingdom and king and if not you are invited to become part! Jesus is so joyful and happy there is no depression in his presence, only fullness of joy!

All his robes are fragranced with amazing perfume, “Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens love you!” Song of Solomon 1:3. Jesus loves to listen to music. People who surround him are all royalty, kings, queens, princes and princesses and you!  Everybody wants to be around him for their values come directly from him! In his presence you are highly favored and precious! Everyone looks at him and waits carefully for him to speak and weight every word he says and every gesture he makes. His facial expressions are so heavenly and you can’t but gaze and gaze upon him night and day! He is so beautiful in his holiness! Everything he does is so beautiful! Love beautifies. In his presence everyone ushers to pour out their gifts, sacrifices and praises for him with so much delight. The pain of giving is eased for his sake. When you give him you don’t add value to him but to you. The wise men showered him with expensive gifts when he was born!

This royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. You were made to encounter his terrifying beauty continually … you were made to become like him!

This devotion is mostly paraphrased from Psalm 45

Glory to God
Tony Francis

Elisha’s Double Anointing

By Barbie Breathitt

Christlikeness From the Life of Elisha: Tests and Double Mantle

Tests and a Double Mantle

After Elijah trained his servant Elisha to look and see, listen and hear, and prophesy the word of the Lord, it was time for him to return to Heaven. The heavenly chariot of God carried Elijah away from Elisha into the spiritual expanse of Heaven's eternity outside of time. Elisha was told by Elijah, “If you see me when I am taken from you, [you will receive a double portion of my spirit]…”

Elisha had to pass many tests and persevere in order to walk in Elijah's double mantle (see 2 Kings 2:1-18). Elijah asked Elisha to stay in Gilgal, the place of cutting, circumcision, and the rolling away of reproach, but he refused. This is a picture for us that when God removes our past failures and reproach, we must walk through the gates of authority into the new place with God; and so Elijah then moved on to Bethel, the place or house of God, the gates of Heaven. Bethel was a place where people went to seek counsel from God. Elisha followed Elijah to Bethel to learn how to obtain God's counsel.

We must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to the next place of testing to progress spiritually. We cannot remain complacent or stagnant; the river of God always flows.

Next, the sons of the prophets came to Elisha in Bethel and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?' And Elisha said, “Yes I know; be still!” Elijah told Elisha to remain in Bethel while he went on to Jericho. But Elisha said, “I will not leave you” (2 Kings 2:3 NASB).

The sons of the prophets in Jericho, a place of fragrance and warfare, had also been shown that Elijah was going to be taken away from Elisha that day.

From Jericho, Elijah and Elisha traveled on to Jordan, a place of flowing down or descending, where fifty men of the sons of the prophets stood opposite them at the Jordan River. Elijah took his mantle, folded it together, and struck the waters of the Jordan, which divided, allowing both prophets to cross over on dry ground.

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to Heaven. Elisha saw it [the chariot] and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 2 Kings 2:9-12 NASB

However, Elijah did not hand his mantle onto Elisha; Elisha had to pick it up after Elijah was taken into Heaven.

What Was the Significance of Elijah's Mantle For Elisha?

The word mantle in Hebrew is addereth; its root word being adar, which is also the word for the last month on the Hebrew calendar. The month of Adar is the best time to remove any personal barriers to holiness, thus it is a time to create the potential for the greatest joy. Adar is the final month of the year, i.e. it completes the year, and hence it is a time of completion.The root meaning of adar is glorious, splendid, marvelous, and mighty. In a noun form it is rendered as a cloak or mantle.

He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over. 2 Kings 2:13-14 NASB

Jewish traditions indicate that the mantle that fell from Elijah was a tallith or prayer shawl. The tallith of a prophet or master teacher would have dark purple-blue threads in the corner tassel. People believed that the purple thread contained miracle power. This is why the woman with the issue of blood wanted to touch the hem of Jesus' tallith or garment. When she was healed, Jesus said, “Who touched Me?…I felt virtue leave Me.” Then He told her, “Your faith has made you whole,” not a purple thread (see Matthew 9:20-22 and Luke 8:43-48).

Elijah's tallith, mantle, or “adar” symbolized that Elisha had removed any barriers to his relationship with God. He was no longer the servant but now stepped into the place of the prophet he had served. Elijah's mantle was a doorway to God's power. Elijah told Elisha that if he saw him taken, he would have his desire to carry on the prophetic ministry with a double portion of his spirit.

The mantle is a symbol of joy and completion. Elijah left his mantle as a sign that he had completed his assignment. Elisha picked up Elijah's mantle indicating the start of a new year; he was picking up where Elijah left off and beginning his own ministry as a prophet. Elijah's mantle was a symbol of an agreement of power and authority between Elijah and God. Elisha's picking up Elijah's mantle symbolized that he was entering into the same agreement with God. When Elisha used Elijah's mantle to part the Jordan River, God established His agreement or covenant with Elisha.

What The Double Portion Looks Like

Everyone is at a different level of hearing and seeing in their spiritual understanding. Elisha had walked and been personally trained by Elijah for years. He had been tested and tried in spiritual disciplines. The sons of the prophets had been through training as well, yet they did not possess the level of seeing that Elisha had developed. Elisha saw the chariot of fire and the horses come to separate him from Elijah. He cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” (2 Kings 2:12 NASB).

The sons of the prophets only saw the whirlwind the chariot created. The sons of the prophets were left wondering if Elijah had been translated to Heaven or if he had possibly been transported to another geographic location. They had to search for three days in the natural to come into peace. Elisha knew Elijah had been taken to Heaven because he saw beyond the natural into the invisible realm of the Spirit.

Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go'?” 2 Kings 2:15-18 NASB

The New Testament shares an example of the audible voice of God speaking from Heaven when Jesus foretold of His death. Some that stood by didn't hear anything. Others who were present in the crowd heard God's voice manifested in thunder, while still others thought it was an angel.

So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.” John 12:29-30 NASB

The names of both Elijah (meaning “the Lord is my God” or spiritual champion) and Elisha (meaning “God will save me” or protected) carries the record of what they represent, but not necessarily how they saw, if they are thought to be seers. Elijah's name means God is Jehovah or YHVH is my God. He functioned as the Father's recorder on earth.

In the case of God's servant Elijah, the chariot was a trans-dimensional carrier of God's servant. The chariot of God transported Elijah out of time into the eternal realm where Elijah had always existed in heavenly places. When the fullness of time came, God reached down to retrieve the recording of Himself He had placed within Elijah.

Elijah came to restore all things back to God. He was called to turn the hearts of the Fathers back to the sons, and to turn the sons' hearts back to the fathers', to make ready a people for God lest God curse the earth (see Malachi 4). Elijah's anointing was to restore righteousness and protect the earthly realm from being struck with a curse caused by sin.

Elisha's name means “GOD is salvation” or “My God is salvation.” He functioned under a double portion of Elijah's spirit.

Walk Like the Prophet Elisha

Elisha's eyes saw beyond the veil of the natural into the supernatural realm where God's army of fiery angels and chariots reside. His eyes were not limited by situations or hard facts. He knew to look beyond the natural to see God's provision. He trusted more in the realm of faith than what seemed to appear in the natural.

When fear blinded Elisha's servant, the prophet's prayer was able to open the attendant's spiritually blind eyes to see the coexisting spiritual realms of angels. Knowing that there are more for us than against us brings a peace beyond our present understanding.

Prayer delivers us from fear. Prayer opens our eyes to see God's ever-present answer, while at the same time prophetic decree will blind our enemies and place them at our mercy. For God to trust us at this level, it requires us to develop greater levels of obedience of compassion. God wants to trust us with the lives of our enemies. God tests and tries us until He knows that we will not execute our own judgment or harm people in any way.

When God delivers our enemies into our hands, we must return good for evil, blessing for cursing, and lovingkindness for abuse. The Lord is the only one who should ever move in judgment. He said, “Vengeance is Mine.” We have no right to be vengeful. It is God's place to vindicate us.

We are called to love our enemies, to be kind to those who persecute, use, and abuse our kindness. We should lead our enemies to salvation, and their eyes will be opened to God's saving word, loving spirit, and grace. It is time to love like God loves; see like God sees; obey what God's Word says, and then do what God does.

Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17 NASB

When Elisha's enemies came down off the mountain to pursue him, Elisha prayed. We should follow his example. Elisha's prayers struck his enemies with blindness. This removed the enemy's power and control. They were forced into a vulnerable place, wandering in darkness and confusion. The army had come to do the prophet great harm, but God protected him. The prophet placed his trust in God. In this new state of total dependence and humiliation, the enemy had to trust and blindly follow Elisha to Samaria. Elisha said, “Follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek” (2 Kings 6:19 NASB). (Photo courtesy: Global Recordings Network)

When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Strike this people with blindness, I pray.” So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city; follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he brought them to Samaria. 2 Kings 6:18-19 NASB

Elisha's enemies had to walk through the process of trusting the one they were sent to destroy. Once they arrived at the promised location, Elisha prayed that God would reopen their blind eyes. Their vision was restored. New vision was given in the midst of their enemies.

When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 2 Kings 6:20 NASB

Many of us have been wounded by an enemy or betrayed by a close friend, but we are to respond to them with God's lovingkindness and compassion.

Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” He answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow?…2 Kings 6:21-22 NASB

Elisha told the King of Israel to respond according to the greatness of God's loving-kindness, to make his enemies the objects of compassion in the presence of all their captors. Elisha encouraged the king to feed the Arameans, to provide for and care for his enemies instead of killing them. The king prepared a feast for the enemy soldiers and they ate to their fill.

“…Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” So he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel. 2 Kings 6:22-23 NASB

Elisha's mercy triumphed over judgment. Great grace leads us to victory. The King of Israel's enemies were delivered into his hands. The King was eager to execute judgment and destroy his enemies, but the prophet carefully redirected his focus to blessing and not destruction.

Good will always triumph over evil. Love will also bring forth a better result than hate. Never greet your enemy in the same malignant spirit. Never return evil for evil but learn to bless instead of curse. We are not of this world, so we cannot respond in the spirit of this world. God is love so we must respond in the power of His might.

Barbie L. Breathitt Ph.D.
Breath of the Spirit Ministries
Email: Barbie@BreathOfTheSpiritMinistries.com
Website: BreathOfTheSpiritMinistries.com

Compaction

“By this we have known the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother having need, and shuts up his bowels from him, how does the love of God dwell in him? My children let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:16-18)

In his epistle, John the apostle of love defines in simple words what true love is. If you are Christian, a follower of Christ than what do you think the greatest thing to pursue and to learn about is? How to preach effectively and make the masses convert and repent? Or maybe take some courses on how to cast out devils and look spiritual and violent with the enemy? Maybe some courses on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the prophetic activations or how to be healed in 7 steps? Look my friend, I thank God for all these blessings that we have in Christ but a true Christian is someone who is totally aware of his high calling which is loving God and his neighbor! This is Jesus’ greatest commandment for you and me that we have to pursue with all of our strength to be like our master and not to go astray from the pathways of love.

In a parable Jesus told us about a man who was victimized by thieves (Luke 10:30) and was left half dead, we read that 3 men passed by him, a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan. The first two looked at him and left him but the Samaritan had compassion on this tortured man when he saw him and helped him with first aids but also went the extra mile, not only the extra mile he went all the miles with him until he was totally whole and fully recovered. This Good Samaritan had a heart full of love and not just a religious head and a hardened heart. The Greek meaning of the word compassion means “to be moved with” and this is what happened to the Samaritan, he didn’t just felt pity and said few touching words for the victimized man and the people around: “Oh I am sorry for you brother, you don’t deserve this, God protect you and heal you …” No! A spiritual man is someone who acts because faith without works is dead. If you pretend that the love of the Holy Spirit is poured out in your heart without manifesting it in actions, than you are a liar! Compassion is love in action and I call it COMPACTION!

Glory to God
Tony Francis

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