Tag Archive for: time

If Jesus was a CEO

Jesus runs the universe in his perfect wisdom and authority and preserves everything by the power of his word. It is wide and abstract for us to grasp and understand God’s position as the ruler of the world because we don’t understand its mechanics. But it is easier for us to catch this concept if the ruler of the universe becomes a CEO of a company. His first position is an unlimited authority and reign over the universe, his second position is about a limited authority and reign over a certain domain. But sometimes if we can understand the small picture we can have a glimpse of the bigger one! Earth is a shadow of Heaven!

The first day came! Jesus woke up in the morning, spent his time with his heavenly Father in prayer as usual then put his clothes on and got ready not to go to Jerusalem, Nazareth, any small village or a synagogue to preach, heal and cast out demons, but this time he went to his own registered company somewhere in the city! The Son of God has his own company now and he can’t wait to reach his office to salute his dear employees and get the business done to bring more glory to his heavenly Father in the business field.

What could his goals be? Will he run his company the same way other CEOs do? Who is going to hire to be on his team? Who will be his right hand assistant? He surely can’t fail, success is guaranteed! After all he never failed healing someone and never failed resurrecting the dead, he will surely never fail running his new business! How is he going to run his company? The world is waiting and watching closely to see Jesus in his new position as chief executive officer CEO.

His employees are the luckiest ones because they were given the chance to watch the Son of God running a business for the first time, not a spiritual ministry! Many launched their social media apps to tweet, post and broadcast the first activities of Jesus on his first day at work! And for the first time these employees will hashtag proudly things like #ILoveMyCEO #HisWordsAreMyCommandments #Obedience #WantToMakeHimHappy #MyCEOIsAlwaysRight …

You may think I went too far in my imagination about the Lord. After all he can’t occupy this position, he is a spiritual leader! But my dear friend, this Jesus living in you wants to take over and live through you whatever your position is! You could be the first one to give Jesus the opportunity to run your business on his terms! It is going to be so exciting and of course … supernatural!

Glory to God
Tony Francis

You can also watch this blog as a Vlog (Video Blog). Click here to watch it: If Jesus was a CEO

4 Daughters Who Prophesy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Glory to God
Tony Francis

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

Long Lasting Success

Have you recently plugged your mobile in the charger and after some time it notified you with a green tick that the battery is successfully charged?
It is a happy scene because now you can use your smart phone powered up! I always make sure not to unplug my phone quickly until I am sure the battery is full. I want it to last long! Do you want your success to last long? Yes you do that’s why you are reading this secret tip! Before I tell you how your success can last long, you need to have success first! How to gain success?

God’s word reveals in Psalm 1 “He whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, whatever they do PROSPERS.” Before applying this truth, you need to stop walking in the ways of the wicked, stop standing in the ways that sinners take and stop siting in the company of mockers. Turn away from all this, and connect yourself to success, to the word of God that never fails. God’s word never returns void unto him but always succeed for whatever it is sent to do. Jesus, the word of God, said in John 15: “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” Success doesn’t come from you but from connecting yourself to him, to his word and to REMAIN in it if you want a last longing one. Adam & Eve were successful and blessed in the Garden until the moment their relationship broke with God. If you are a backslider, I have good news for you, you can RECONNECT! What are you connecting yourself to? Don’t you know that you are connected directly to your thought life? Then make sure you connect your thought life to God’s thoughts to see success and fruitfulness!

When it comes to the word of God, learn these 3 powerful tools: Walk, Stand and Sit. Walking is like reading his word without stopping, standing is when you stop because you feel a certain word, a verse or an idea touching your heart, sitting is to meditate on it and suck all the glory and the nutrition out of it for your personal life and growth.

Glory to God
Tony Francis

Is God Upset With You?

By Wayne Sutton

“… But You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness …” (Nehemiah 9:17)

I invite you to read the above verse very slowly…

Ready to pardon.
Gracious and merciful.
Slow to anger.
Abundant in kindness.

Wow.

I ask you to consider how you perceive your God? As I look at the above verse it reminds some of just how loving our creator is, and how he moves with compassion towards his people.

Are you participating in sinful or rebellious activities? He is ready to pardon.

Have you been rebellious for quite a long time? He is slow to anger.

Do you need healing in your emotions or in your body? God is abundant in kindness! Today, slow down to reread a simple verse that displays the love and kindness of our heavenly father! He is waiting for you!

Go to http://www.thesecondadam.com/newsletter.html for your free newsletter and resources!

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 

Temptations Will Never Cease

By Joe Tannous

Many times we ask ourselves, we ask people around us, even we ask God Himself, ” why I am always tempted to fall in sin? Why this desire to sin is always alive? Why wherever we go we find temptation?” I've been asking these questions a lot, until one night I got the answer. We were at church, worshiping God, my hands we lifted high, not singing but enjoying the presence of God in the place, and deep in my spirit I heard a voice saying:” temptations will never cease”, then the whole understanding hit me. Temptations will never cease, do not be deceived if someone tells you that you can come to a place where Satan cannot send temptations into your way, that place will be heaven, even Jesus was tempted. The bible says that Jesus was tempted in every way (Hebrews 4:15). In every way means every single thing that crosses your mind. His whole life Satan kept on tempting Him to fall, all the way Satan tried to kill Jesus through sin, even he thought that the cross would kill Him, so he led Him to the cross, but, and be careful here, when Jesus was on the cross, blameless, without sin, after conquering every temptation, after overcoming every sin, Satan although he knew he is defeated, he never gave up, rather he changed the temptation, you can see him trying to make Jesus go down from the cross (Matthew 27:42). I am saying this, to tell you, TEMPTATIONS WILL NEVER CEASE, even it seems that the devil is not tempting you, even when you think you have a break, even when it seems that Satan is convinced that you belong to God and he cannot make you fall, listen, he will never give up, he will always study you more, he will always have eyes on you to see how he can make you fall, he did that with Jesus in the wilderness, the scripture records ” Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.”(Luke 4:13). When he is leaving you alone, it's not because he gave up, it's because he is waiting until an opportune time. Is that a chance for us to go and sin? Absolutely not! Sin has no power, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”(Romans 6: 14). Jesus conquered sin, and he made more than conquerors (Romans 8:37) hallelujah! Every time you are tempted, it's an opportunity to overcome, an opportunity to fly higher and higher just likes eagles.

Blessings

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: [email protected]
Website: BreathOfTheSpiritMinistries.com

3 Stages Of Marriage – Marriage Therapy Made Easy!

By Wayne Sutton

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

The Romance Stage

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

The Reality Stage

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

The Rebuilding Stage

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

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

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

Wayne Sutton
www.TheSecondAdam.com

An Amazing Experience

By Joe Tannous

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

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

Blessings