Tag Archive for: salvation

So How Did I Start Prophesying? 

For those of you who know me, you know that I am very active in prophetic ministry and I love it! For those of you who don’t yet know me, I want to tell you that I am a Jesus freak first and prophetic freak second. How did I come this far? It is all by the grace of God of course but it started years and years ago.

After I met this new “Jesus” that a Pentecostal friend told me about, I gave my heart to Him and became born again. This is when I started to really live; it was the new beginning I was longing for. There may be two reasons why people don’t experience salvation. The first reason may be the lack of someone telling them about the Lord, and the second reason may be some wrong misconceptions, doctrines, and teachings about this GOOD and beautiful Lord, this new “Jesus” who I met. Anyway, just after I became born again my eyes opened to the Bible, this spiritual book, in a new way I’ve never experienced before. The Bible has become the place I run to every day to meet the lover of my soul, learn more about him, and lay hold of his blessings to me that seem more accessible after becoming his. Not that unbelievers can’t receive from Jesus this is not what I mean! But as a son, the inheritance of my heavenly Father has become mine in Christ.

One day, I was reading in 1 Corinthians 14 these words:

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.

I parked on that verse and started a conversation with myself by acknowledging that I already spoke in tongues so I was halfway there. I felt the invitation of the Holy Spirit to ask for the gift of prophecy because I wanted to be an encourager, comforter, and edifier to others. So, I prayed these words, “Lord, your word invites me to ask for the gift of prophecy to encourage others and edify them and I want that. It is also written that if I ask, it shall be given unto me and as I believe that I have received, it shall be unto me. I do ask you Father to give me right now this gift of prophecy in Jesus’ name. Amen”.

As soon as I finished lifting my prayer and sealing it with the amen, I knew the gift of prophecy was mine. Little did I know that God delighted so much in my prayer that it excited him to a point of giving me a tangible manifestation that I wasn’t expecting. I felt what appeared like HOT OIL coming down on my head, very hot to the point my head started itching so hard. It was a dramatic commissioning moment I won’t forget all of my life. I didn’t ask for this dramatic fiery hot oil anointing to be poured on my head but it was another gift on top of the gift I received. I know that the truth of the word of God is far greater than physical manifestations but Abba’s ways of encouraging us and defining our moments with him are amazing and so confirming!

The next day I woke up so excited because I knew I could prophesy to people. From that time till now, I have never stopped prophesying the love of God to people. What a journey it is with Holy Spirit and I trust him for greater things to come! The gift of prophecy is a grace to hear from Holy Spirit for others to encourage, edify, and comfort them. I believe this gift is a mix of faith and boldness because it takes faith to hear what God is saying and boldness to deliver it.

If the Lord is inviting you to partake in this gift, bring your dish now and fill your plate and if you feel him inviting you for something else, follow him. Whatever you’ve been given in the pages of the scriptures glorifies Jesus. Steward your gift well, invest in it, and live on the wings of risk, thrill, and eternal enjoyments. There is nothing more beautiful than to give someone dear to Jesus a GOD ENCOUNTER and you are this one!

Tony Francis

I AM Coming Back

“Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.” John 20: 6-7

When Jesus rose from the dead, he took some time in his tomb to fold his face’ cloth and laid it separate from the linen he was buried in. Our Lord does things in wisdom to communicate to us a love message. So why did Jesus fold that napkin and put it away from the linen? Is he leaving us a message here?

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about the Hebrew tradition of that day. It is believed that if the master of the house was done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I am done”. But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the folded napkin meant, “I am coming back”.

Whether this tradition is true or not, Jesus promised us many times in the bible that he is coming back for sure. His second coming is near and who knows maybe while I am writing this devotion he appears!

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Act 1:11

I tend to believe that the folding of a napkin next to a meal means, “I am not done eating, I am coming back”. When Jesus folded his face’ cloth after his resurrection, he laid it next to the linen his body was buried in and what is the broken body of Jesus Christ than the bread of life? The unblemished lamb of our Passover? The Lord’s body is the real meal of life! Jesus is not done; he is coming back for another round. Don’t clear the table church, spread the gospel, feed the nations THE bread of life, shed the light of God’s salvation to every soul sitting in the dark, as long as it is day do the work of him who sent you. Yeshua is coming back …

Glory to God
Tony Francis

Blessed, Cursed then Blessed

From my book “Blessed in Christ” – How to live like a Christianaire! Purchase & download your digital copy today! Click here.

God called you blessed when he created you.

In Genesis chapter one, God made man in his image and likeness and commissioned him things to do. You are made in God's image and God is blessed, so you are blessed.

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1: 26-28

But before God blessed them to DO, he already blessed them to BE. Man was blessed because he was made after the image and likeness of God, Selah. It can’t get any better! The greatest blessing you can have is to be like the one who brought you into existence, God Almighty.

Before doing things with him and for him, before possessing substances, before having titles, names, and positions, your ultimate blessing resides in being made in God's image.

Now the devil was at the corner to steal the blessings of man and to distort his blessed image, and he did.

Adam lost it all including us because we were “in Adam”, same nature of him, and because of Adam mankind was cursed including the land itself. Sin, curse, and death entered the world through yielding to the temptation of doing it all without God. The devil succeeded and distanced us from God. We never wanted God!

Many including me used to ask: “why would I receive someone else’s fault, sin, and consequence?” and we become angry with Adam, after all, he is the reason of all the pain and mess in our world. Then we try hard and make it our quest to reach heaven for one thing, to slap Adam and spill all our anger on him.

My friend, the reason you and I would have received and lived in the death loop of someone else’s fault simply is because if we were to replace Adam, we would have done the same thing he did. God is merciful to you and me that he didn't chose us to be public pioneers in messing it all from the dawn of creation. Thank God your name and mine is not listed on the first pages of the bible as a lesson to remember forever! How about that? (Yeah you can praise him here).

For all men have fallen short and needed the Glory of God.

“The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth–men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air–for I am grieved that I have made them.”

Fast-forwarding to the good news. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the second and last Adam, the perfect man without a sin, wrinkle and blemish came and gave himself for our atonement and eternal sacrifice, redeemed us and cleansed us by his blood and reconciled us back to God.

THE Door was opened for us to come boldly before the throne of grace and mercy through Christ.

When God created man he said, “It is very good”. God will only put an “it is very good” stamp over what he makes. He will never say very good to our self-righteousness, failing religious attempts or to our “intelligent” strategies to build a tower to reach Heaven. It was so clear and LOUD when God said over Jesus Christ, the only Lamb of God, at the river of Jordan when John the Baptist baptized him “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”.

The person and sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross is the only pleasing thing to God. Redeem your time and stop trying to look good for God. Just humble yourself, receive Jesus Christ in your heart and you will be stamped again “VERY GOOD”! Jesus is your righteousness. What a gift!

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah 64:6

All the animal sacrifices made in the Old Testament although required by God himself didn’t please him. They were only a temporary covering and shadow for what was coming, for who already came, Jesus Christ!

Our blessed Lord died for all, one sacrifice, one salvation for eternity! It is the gift of grace and righteousness offered by God to us because he loves us and wants us back because though sinners are loved by God they can't live in the abode of his holiness. Hallelujah, the high cost of pride was paid by THE humble ONE. The Justice and Mercy of God were fulfilled in Jesus on the cross.

God is just and merciful. He knows we are sinners who can't redeem themselves by themselves, so he sent his son as THE sacrifice, paid the price of sin with a severe judgment and unleashes his mercy over everyone who receives Christ and what he accomplished for us. On the cross, the justice and mercy of God hugged each other!

In Christ, you are blessed!

This is what I am going to walk you through in this book that I pray will impart revelation, faith and awareness of who you are in him and to help you position yourself to receive every good gift God has in store for you. He knows what he has planned for you, it is thoughts of peace to give you hope and a future but do you know it?

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

I can’t list all the blessings of Christ to you that’s why you have your bible that speaks volumes! I will share some of it here to get you started so you can sail deeper with the Spirit later.

I want to whet your appetite!

Remember you are blessed first when you are Christ like and blessed with a real inheritance as well that God longs for you to know about, possess, enjoy and glorify him with it.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3

Toni Francis

From my book “Blessed in Christ” – How to live like a Christianaire! Purchase & download your digital copy today! Click here.

Between Fake and Authentic: a Lost Identity

By Roula El Azzi

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

As a woman living in the Middle East in a country called Lebanon, I can say it is very challenging to stay simple and natural. Plastic surgeries have invaded our society and the media has had a big role in promoting it. Today, our society is suffering from fake beauty, fake identity, and loss of confidence in God who wonderfully and fearfully created each one of us.

The beauty of the woman has always been considered an important measure of her worth in society. As a woman, this made me always wonder “what if I am not physically beautiful according to the fake criteria of beauty?” I wanted to stay natural and simple without relying on heavy make-up, plastic surgery, or clothes that do not reflect my personality.

For several years, my label was “the girl with the big teeth”. It hurt, but I persisted in fixing my dental issues without changing my authentic identity. Even when in desperate moments I tried to copy others in following the latest trends and fashions and failed, the question of what authentic beauty that amazes the soul and create a lasting print of uniqueness in life is has always been on my mind. I asked myself this up until the day my soul met the one who loved me unconditionally; “Jesus”.

Experiencing Jesus was a turning point in my life, and yet I kept struggling with my physical appearance for several years until one day, I was on my knees praying and crying to the Lord: Please Lord let me see myself through your eyes only, not mine, not the eyes of the people around me, not the society’s, ONLY through your eyes! Suddenly, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, peace and calmness filled my heart… I stopped weeping, stood on my feet and looked at the mirror… In that very moment I felt like I was out of time and space, as if I was looking at another person, a beautiful charming woman full of life. I touched my face in wonder, asking in a loud voice: “Roula is that really you?! Wow!” I saw myself as the most beautiful woman I have ever met! Since then, I understood that my identity is in Jesus Christ, and that nothing in this world can make me more beautiful than how He sees me.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 1Peter 3:4

How does a woman living according to God’s call live in the modern world and remain an influence to others, a role model to follow who is not affected by the world? By wearing the righteousness of God and not the latest trends of the world, by reading the word of God and not the words of labels, by hearing the voice of God and not the voice of bullying, by knowing who she is in Christ and not in the opinions of the world. Jesus saved us and gave us eternal life, He gave us power over all of the plans Satan has prepared to destroy our peace and joy in the Lord. His precious blood shed on the cross is our worth, Let’s rejoice in Him!

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10

Satan’s goal is to destroy the holy image of the woman. He works on making her out as a commodity for sexual lust, a tool for seduction and a shopping robot. We all, as women of God, have at times fallen into this trap, but our Lord did not leave us without guidance. He gave us His words as a lamp to our feet and His Holy Spirit to guide us in every step.

We all have an invitation today to remember our identity in Christ, to embrace His love, and accept ourselves as He created us.

His light is shining upon our lives, revealing the truth and unmasking Satan’s lies. His voice is calling; let us wake up to our true mission, a mission to make life, to speak life, and to give life to whoever needs it. To be the bride of the groom, loved unconditionally, cherished and honored, while remembering His words: You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you. Song of Songs 4:7

The Reality of Spiritual Substances

God is the God of manifestations, he simply is. He wants to reveal himself to you clearly so you can enjoy his tangible love, goodness, mercy, salvation, protection and all the good things he has in store for you. God’s glory is he who is and what he has and he poured it all over you in Christ! It can’t get any better.

A couple of days ago I met by a divine appointment a group of amazing believers, two sisters and one brother in the Lord. They came from a different country for a few days and I had the privilege and the honor to spend some time with them. We shared lots of God stuff in my country and theirs. We were both so blessed to hear what God is doing among his church and we were celebrating that! One of the dear ladies called Lin opened her heart and shared with us her many amazing precious God encounters and oh boy how blessed and excited I was to hear it. I was amazed and surprised by the simplistic childlike faith she has and how the Lord lands on her kind of faith with signs and wonders! She brought with her many things and photos that backed up her beautiful genuine stories and I had the opportunity to witness it all. She showed my friend and me different colored perfect gemstones (as examined by a gemologist) that fell from heaven on many occasion and each gem has a beautiful story that speaks about our good good heavenly Father. I saw Angel’s feathers’ photos, oil from heaven, heavenly bread with chunks of gold and other cool stuff. I kept wowing with each story and was definitely caught by the thrill of seeing tangibly these good gifts from dad not to mention that I felt the anointing and the presence of God on some items!

Later after they left back to their country, I was thanking God for this opportunity to meet them and pondering the amazing things my ears and my eyes experienced closely. Then as simple as this is, the Holy Spirit interrupted my excitement in his kindness and corrected a major thing in my heart. He prioritized it all to me once and forever.

What I saw was so awesome and with a big YES you must remain open for God’s signs and wonders and we want to see visibly his glory and blessings. I want God to invade all my dimensions, the invisible and the visible. But remember that in Christ, you are a SPIRIT being of light and God wants your thrill to be first in the spiritual because this is who you are FOREVER! The spirit world for you must be your main focus before anything else. You are a spirit, with a soul living in a body. Yes, God loves to see your smile and joy when you receive his gifts in the physical realm but he wants you to be excited to spiritual realities first, to the invisible king and kingdom within you. We tend to think that if it is touchable then it is tangible and we get frustrated if we don’t experience glory in our mortal fleshly senses. But my friend let me adjust you as Holy Spirit did for me if it is spiritual it is also TANGIBLE and more real and remaining (Matthew 6:19-21).

God wants you to believe that what he gives you as spiritual things and substances is tangible and real. The experience of it may be different from the physical and the natural because you are operating in another dimension a supernatural one but it is real and tangible for him so it must be for you! The presence of the invisible Holy Spirit with you is something spiritual and he will never become flesh like Jesus, he will stay your invisible helper. But being invisible doesn’t mean he is not a real person around you. Holy Spirit is real and tangible and not believing this is a dishonor of Jesus’ promise when he said he would send the helper to be with you forever and lead you into all truth and he did.

In Christ, you are a spirit first so making the spiritual your priority is important but press in to see God’s glory in other dimensions as well. We want God to fill everything but first the spiritual.

Final note: After Holy Spirit met me and adjusted my excitement, I lifted my hands to heaven and asked my heavenly dad to give me a gemstone because he is no respecter of men, he favors faith, not people. I was sitting on my bed and I was waiting on him after I requested that from him and it is up to him to give it or not, you can’t force him. Then I saw in a faint image in my mind a blue gemstone dropped on my bed, it was not in the physical realm (the lowest realm) but in the spiritual. So by faith and with so much innocence and simplicity, I stretched my hand to grab it, although, in the seen dimension my hand is empty, yet I believed I was holding a blue gem in the spiritual. BECAUSE I honor the spiritual first and it is tangible for me. I can say I have a gemstone from heaven from a different perspective :} and it is up to you to believe it or not.

Toni 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

In The Gap

By Kay Franklin

It’s so amazing that we are looking for God and at the very same time He is looking for us.  A few weeks ago, I shared with you from John 4:2, 24:  But the time is coming, indeed it is here now when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.  The Father is looking for those who will worship Him that way.  For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.

Today, God is still seeking, He is still looking!

Listen to Ezekiel 22:30-“I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me before the land that I should not destroy it but I found none.”  God seeks for a man to make up the hedge and stand in the gap…

I like to look up definitions to words and so I would like to share with you the definitions for a few of the words that I looked up:  The sought means to seek, require, request, face to face.  Hedge means fence, wall, fortified wall.  Stand means to remain, stable, endure, take a stand.  Gap means breach, bursting forth, outburst, and broken wall.

Here are some examples of people who have stood in the gap:  Abraham was invited by God to stand in the gap for Sodom and Gomorrah.  Abraham had a visitation and before the visitation was over, made clear to Abraham was He was considering with regard to Sodom important and Gomorrah.   

Genesis 19:10 shows us that because of Moses standing in the gap, that the city of Sodom and Gomorrah was not saved, but Abraham’s family who resided there was saved.  This is why standing in the gap is so Moses models standing in the gap.

 In Exodus 33:11, it is said of Moses that the Lord spoke with him face-to-face.  Moses spoke to God on behalf of Israel. 

Genesis 32:30 reveals to us that Jacob had a face-to-face encounter with God and he was preserved. 

Be encouraged to stand in the gap for yourselves or for your nation! 

We can stand in the gap in prayer but stand in the gap to repent.  Nehemiah stood in the gap and repented on behalf of his nation for things that he did not do but in order for the nation to advance, repentance was required.  As a result, the dilapidated wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt in less than 60 days.

2 Chronicles 20:21 shows us that those who sang went out before Judah’s army singing, praising, giving thanks and worshiping God.  They were in the gap for Judah!  Because of their bold moved to sing, praise, give thanks and praise in the gap, those that came up against Judah were ambushed.

So far, we have seen that we can stand in the gap with prayer, repentance, praise and thanksgiving.  Other ways that we can be in the gap is with fasting.  In Esther 4:16, it is recorded that Esther said to observe a fast for me-do not eat or drink for three days night or day.”  This fast was requested by Esther because she was planning to approach the king without his summons which was against the law.  The Jewish people complied with her request and Esther’s life was spared.  The Jewish people fasted in the gap. 

So, many times we feel led to be in the gap for others.  Just know that all of these things can work as you are in the gap:  pray, repent, praise, give thanks, worship and fast!  God bless you!

Getting Ready For Marriage

What is it about marriage that almost everyone wants to experience? Is it the routine of humanity since the dawn of time? Or there is really an ecstatic taste for such an experience that no one wants to miss? I don’t know if you are single or engaged but in case you are single this devotion will stir you for marriage and if you are already in the golden cage, posture yourself for one of the greatest experiences that God fashioned for you.

The idea of marriage is perfect, awesome and exciting, not agreeing with this? Well go check all the wedding photos and videos, everyone is smiling and seems to be happy. Marriage ought not to be celebrated big time out loud once by the couple, celebration is the big entrance that should lead you to other party doors that await you to discover or create. Sounds so perfect and too good to be true? You can’t believe it because of the kind of marriages you are seeing around you in this fallen world? Let me remind you that God is good and his concepts, designs and lifestyles for you are so good, but we ruin it. I believe if you connect back to him as couples and surrender your marriage to him, you will relive the glorious experience again or soon you will if you are still single.

God wants to heal you and your marriage and he wants to put a banner of love above it all the time. This should be your atmosphere and ceiling to live under, not division, unforgiveness, dishonor and cold love. Do you remember when you surrendered your life to Jesus and got saved? Still remember the excitement that day you marked on your calendar? Everything you surrender to God shall be saved, so does your marriage my friend.

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

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 

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