Saturday, September 26, 2009

Bill Yount: "Stay Alert! Your One Moment to Change History is Very Near!"

This word touches on some things that God has been showing me over the past few months. Too often we focus on how God is using us now instead of considering the long haul. This life is a marathon and not a sprint. We need to have a mindset that we are in this for the long haul. Too many great men of God burnt out too early in their ministries because they didn't have this mindset. Stay alert for YOUR time!

Bill Yount: "Stay Alert! Your One Moment to Change History is Very Near!"
Sep 26, 2009

"And the child (John the Baptist) grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel."—Luke 1:80

Many men, women and children throughout the Bible were seemingly born for a certain special moment in time. They were unheard of for many years, and then all of a sudden their name becomes a household word down through the generations. Even after Jesus' own birth, He is not heard from until He shows up in the temple at twelve years of age. It almost seemed like a premature showing, wandering away from His parents. From twelve years of age to age thirty, He just seemed to disappear. All the Bible can tell us is that He grew in wisdom and favor in God's eyes. There's nothing recorded about those formative years between twelve and thirty. Nothing really significant, just that He became a common carpenter. Eighteen years are a mystery, but in His last three years He made history and changed everything forever!

Could this pattern of Jesus' own life be an example for us today? Could it be that our lives are still being prepared for that one special moment in time that we were created for?

I am learning that it's in our everyday, ordinary, mundane grind of life, with all of its problems that could drive us crazy, that becomes the "fertilizer" that produces the supernatural in our lives! When I think of fertilizer, I think of manure. Know that when you have a whole lot of this kind of fertilizer around you, and it seems eternal, something supernatural is about to happen and your one moment to change history is very near!

In One Moment the Unknown Will Be Heard From!

We will never forget the moment when flight 1549 of US Airways miraculously landed in the Hudson River near New York City. This seemingly ordinary pilot, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who faithfully put in forty long years on the job, suddenly became known all over the world as the "Miracle Man."

His secret of fame? As reported by msnbc, "He got his pilot's license at 14, flew fighter jets in the Air Force, investigated air disasters, mastered glider flying and even studied the psychology of how cockpit crews behave in a crisis. He had been in training his whole life for this kind of crises. When the ultimate test came on a descent over the Hudson River, he spoke into the intercom only once and gave perhaps the most terrifying instruction a pilot can give—'Brace for impact'—with remarkable calm." The stewardesses also train long hours behind the scenes for this type of trauma.

I believe his forty years of everyday life in flying experience and preparation took him into a miracle zone over the Hudson River and it created that one moment to make history! He met his miracle!

The Captain at Sea Who Miraculously Survived Being Held Hostage by Pirates Stated..."I Am Not the Hero!"

At first the world was celebrating Captain Richard Phillips who was at sea when the news broke of his miraculous rescue. This faithful captain at sea proved that he was willing to give his life for his crew. According to BREITBART, he made it very clear, "I'm just the byline. The heroes are the Navy, the Seals and those that have brought me home."

CNN reported: "In the end, it was a single moment that brought the hostage crisis to its dramatic finish. Three gunshots. All three fatal. Fired in the dark by three specially trained U.S. Navy SEALs as the pirates' boat rocked in the waters off Somalia. 'Phenomenal shots—75 feet away,' said Navy Vice Adm. Bill Gortney who oversees the region."

According to navyseals.com, "U.S. Navy SEALs is comprised of the most elite soldiers in all of the U.S. Armed forces...The training includes the dreaded 'hell week', where soldiers are truly put to the test. For most people, this test is completely impossible to pass."

By the way, these three Navy Seal heroes were never heard from. Their exploits are only mentioned by Navy officials. In my research, it appears that if you are chosen to this highest ranking caliber of the military Navy Seals, your public identity is taken away and you are never heard from. Their many years of training are for that sometimes "one second" moment of rescue. Their one moment to make history was really a "one second" shot that was heard around the world, and we may never know who they were. Maybe we should take note that some of our names won't be recognized until Heaven.

The Next Sixty Seconds Could Be Your One Moment You Were Born For!

I sense an urgent alarm going off in the Spirit over the Body of Christ: "Stay alert!" In your hiddenness and seemingly overlooked life, you have been in training and preparation for a "God" moment in time. Although you have been used many times in many ways to bring God glory, there is a special season of "one moment" history-making opportunities that are upon us that will explain why we haven't really been heard from yet.

Nothing has been wasted. Even the years the cankerworm and the palmerworm have seemingly eaten away at, your life is now becoming an investment, giving you priceless experience in preparation and training. Even your losses will soon be seen as gains, for you have won Christ through them! All things have been working together for your good because of your growing love for Him. He definitely is not through with any of us. It's all been preparation. His divine nature has been increasing inside of us.

Stay alert! The next sixty seconds could be your one moment you were born for!

Bill Yount
Blowing the Shofar Ministries
Email: theshofarhasblown@juno.com

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Monday, September 21, 2009

Aslan on the March

I was somewhat discouraged a few weeks ago. Sometimes I feel that I have not seen the fruits of my labors and intercession. How long must we cry out before we see the transformation that we desire? When will God fulfill the words that He has spoken to His prophets? When will I see His promises come to pass? I then came across this word that I wrote three years ago this month. When I read it I started to weep as I realized that much of it has already come to pass. While the fullness of this word has not been completely fulfilled much of it has. I look around at those around me and see the fruit. Many of my brothers and sisters are being given prophetic dreams almost every night. The prophetic flow is incredible in both its abundance and power. Many of us, myself included, are being enabled to see clearly into the spirit realm. It is a beautiful thing as we contend for the fullness of heaven to be made manifest here on this earth.

Here is the word from September 2006:

Aslan, the Christ, is on the march. We are not aware but Winter is starting to break. The grip of the Enemy, on this world, has been attacked. The dark cloud over the Church is lifting. As the clouds are being rolled back our Lord is raising up the leaders of tomorrow. These leaders are the ones who are seeking after the power in the present moment. Do not be discouraged; you who have been laboring in the Vineyard of our Lord. The vines you have been tending will come to harvest. The Lord is going to come and prune those vines that you have been tending and will cleanse them of all disease. Those vines will form the mass of the army that you will lead when the time comes. Behold! The Lion of Judah is on the march! His banner is lifted high and it is victorious. His banner does not know defeat and never will. You will join the throng under that banner and taste victory firsthand. That will be the moment of power the likes of the world has not seen before. There will be an outpouring of the Spirit in those days. Our armor will be mended by then and we will be strong. Yes, we will be strong in His mighty power. The prophetic will flow freely, dreams will be commonplace, healing will be daily and without number, and love will be abundant. Those days are what we are to look forward to. For in those days the veil between us and the spirit realm will be lifted and we will be able to see the battles that are being constantly waged with the dark forces of this world. The Lord of Hosts will dispatch His heavenly armies to support our struggle and to go where we send them. A few will be blessed enough to be called as leaders of the Empowered and they are being called out today. Do not run from the calling of the Lord. It is difficult to seek the empowerment in this dark age but you will be blessed to be one of the chosen few to usher in the Victorious Kingdom. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. We are called as warriors who will never know defeat.


Jesus is the Victor- Hallelujah, Amen.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Lou Engle: "Urgent Call to Prayer: Signs of the Times"

Lou Engle: "Urgent Call to Prayer: Signs of the Times"
Sep 20, 2009

Convergence

It is critical that the Church in America understands the times and what needs to be done now. The natural things speak of the invisible. Natural happenings on the earth are revealing something that is going on in the spiritual realm. There is a great spiritual conflict with a rising tide of Islamic boldness being manifested. Several happenings are converging this week.

First of all, our President has recently proclaimed, honored, encouraged the Muslim holy days of prayer and fasting called Ramadan. He was very silent on the National Day of Prayer, but very vocal on the support of Ramadan. Interestingly, at the same time, a major Christian leader of the Emergent Church called for forty days of fasting and prayer in the same Ramadan period with the goal that the Church will better understand our Muslim friends. We are all for understanding, but we must have spiritual discernment as to the spiritual dark powers that are being invoked into our nation.

Cause for Concern

At the same time, on the 25th of September, Muslims are calling for a Muslim Day of Prayer in Washington DC: (http://www.islamoncapitolhill.com/). They are calling for 50,000 Muslims to gather and pray on the DC Mall. This is the exact word of one of the Sheikhs who is leading this historic gathering: "Muslims should march on the White House. We are going to the White House so that Islam will be victorious, Allah willing, and the White House will become into a Muslim house." These are not empty words. They speak of a dark spiritual intent and a coming day of great trouble to America.

A Divine Moment

Now, one of these events is enough to awaken us to this significant throbbing moment, but when they all converge, it becomes a massive spiritual alarm that must be responded to by the praying Church. However, I believe in this moment of divine providence that God has raised up on the stage of history, a little "Esther" that if we pray and fast for her, she could be a major voice to expose the dark under-belly of Islam and radiate a bright hope for a day of salvation for Muslims in America.

Headlines

Rifqa Bary
Photo Courtesy: Fox News
On Monday, Rifqa Bary, a young 17-year-old woman, will be in the headlines of U.S. news. Four years ago, while living in a very devout and radical Muslim home, Rifqa met Jesus in a powerful way as her Savior. She hid her conversion, began praying secretly, and began hiding her Bible from her parents. Then, on Facebook, her love for Jesus was exposed to the radical Muslim community in Ohio.

Rifqa's father demanded that she renounce Jesus or he would kill her as is commanded by the Koran. As a radiant Believer in Jesus she refused to renounce her Lord and fled to Orlando, where she was taken in and cared for by a Christian Church and family. Now, the father is appealing to the courts to bring her back under his custody. Major television networks have already covered her story. How must the Church of America respond in this moment for our sister who is a part of the Body of Christ?

A Major Sign

This convergence, I believe, is urgently summoning us in the midst of the rising tide of Islamic influence in America to recognize that our God is above every god and that if we return to Him with all of our hearts and call upon Him with fasting and prayer, then God could use what the enemy meant for evil to bring about a great day of salvation for Muslims in America, of which Rifqa is but a major sign.

Here is The Call

First of all, we cannot be passive as a Church to let these kinds of developments go on without being challenged in the spirit. Our fight is not against Muslims, it is against principalities, powers, and forces of darkness.

We are calling the Church of America at the end of Ramadan, from September 21st through 25th, to five days of concerted prayer. On Monday, we must pray that God would grant supernatural wisdom to the courts so that the testimony of Jesus would be proclaimed and that the best situation for Rifqa and her family would take place. We must pray for Rifqa to be bold in proclaiming Jesus that even thousands of Muslims would hear and be awakened to the love of Christ. She has already said that this is not about her, but about many Muslims coming to Jesus. We must pray for her lawyers who are being bullied, threatened, and challenged on every side.

On Friday, September 25th, the Muslim Day of Prayer, we are calling the Church of America to fast and pray that Muslims would be moved by the Holy Spirit, convicted by the testimony of Christ, and even be visited by Jesus in dreams. We must pray that God would restrain the spiritual powers behind Islam and grant us the great awakening that we desperately need for America.

Let us hear the call to prayer and not miss this moment.

Lou Engle
The Call
Email: response@thecall.com

Friday, September 18, 2009

"I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!"

"I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!" - Samwise Gamgee

One of my Twitter friends (@rnsheets) posted this quote from the Lord of the Rings. Samwise says this to Frodo when he sees the pain that Frodo is going through with his assignment to destroy the ring. Frodo is being overcome by this burden but it is something that he has to do. Samwise, being the loyal friend that he is, decides to do all that he can do.

I believe that we can learn from this example. A lot of the time we can't carry the burdens of others- they aren't burdens that we can take on. But we can carry the people carrying the burdens. We can lift them up. When Moses wearied of lifting his hands Aaron and Hur lifted them for him. They couldn't take Moses' assignment from him but they could come alongside of him to lift him up.

God often gives us particular assignments. I have been given a number of intercessory assignments during this season. There are things that I am contending for. They are mine to carry. I can't expect others to carry them for me. But I do have those who will carry me when I am weary. I am blessed to have those who intercede for me daily and who check up on how I am doing. This is what the body of Christ is all about. We are meant to carry others when they are unable to carry themselves. We are meant to lift others up when they are at their lowest. We are meant to speak truth and life when they need it the most. In doing so we fulfill the love of Christ.

We are assigned to particular people at certain times. Samwise was assigned to Frodo- he knew it in his heart. Aaron and Hur were assigned to Moses. There are those who have been assigned to me and there are those who I have been assigned to. Let us make their victories our victories and their breakthroughs our breakthroughs. Let us contend for their success with the same passion that we contend for ours. Let us see them as Christ sees them. Would that we be known as ones who are loyal and faithful to the end? Would we be ones who are wise enough to hear what we need to hear? Then let us respond to what we hear and see in those around us.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Keith Miller: "Wisdom and a Fresh Anointing of the Holy Spirit for New Seasons and New Beginnings"

My church had the privilege of hosting Keith Miller this last weekend. He is a powerful man of God who walks in the anointing of a prophetic revivalist. He is also one of the most humble, gentle, and just plain nice men I have ever met. The love of God radiates through him and touches each person he encounters. One of the things that he shared this past weekend was about the spirit of wisdom as a river that flows from us. This word, from earlier this month, contains some of what he shared.

Keith Miller: "Wisdom and a Fresh Anointing of the Holy Spirit for New Seasons and New Beginnings"

The Lord wants to anoint us with supernatural wisdom that will cause people to say, "How did he get so smart?" They said that of Jesus. "And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, 'Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!'" (Mark 6:2b). You see, we need that again in the Church. We need to set the standard for the world.

Jesus lived His life plugged into the Flow of the Spirit of Wisdom, so His life, on a day to day basis, demonstrated skillful living that glorified and demonstrated the reality of the Kingdom of God.

Don't you want an impartation from the Spirit of Wisdom? I believe we're coming into new seasons and new times in the Lord. It's not that it's new to Him, it's new to us. The Church needs to operate in the Spirit of Wisdom and understanding now! We need to raise up a standard, not by our ability, but by being plugged into the Spirit of Wisdom; this is not information or performance, but skillful ability and understanding that releases authority and strong leadership.

Dear friends, we are seeing major changes all around that will affect, and have affected, each of our lives; and more are on the way. If there was ever a time for you and I to live and operate out of the Spirit of Wisdom, it is now! Please know that I'm not talking about what your ability is or a few nuggets of thoughts. These things are a blessing, but I'm talking about something more—something deeper, wider, and greater. I'm talking about living and operating out of a River of Wisdom.

A River of Wisdom is different. When I say a River, I'm talking about the perpetual flow of the Holy Spirit in the area of wisdom. O dear friends, how we need this now. My heart is to see God's precious people living out of the deepest part of the blessing of the Lord...to flow with all that He is in you. As you read this article, ask Him to fill you with all wisdom and understanding, for His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.

The Bible in John 7:37-38 declares that out of your heart or belly will flow rivers of living water! Notice it declares rivers of living water. One of those rivers is the River of Wisdom! Let the River of Wisdom flow!

Spirit of Wisdom Defined

The Spirit of Wisdom is not just information. The Spirit of Wisdom is a supernatural endowment of an ability to do something above one's own ability. It is actually the skillful ability to do what God has called you to do. There is a river of wisdom being released to the Church right now, and it isn't analytical ability, but it is a skillful and creative ability.

The Church is about to minister out of a wisdom that is going to confound the wisest people on the earth. The world will start asking, "Where did he get that ability? He didn't go to school for that!" Believers say, "I got it in a dream." People will be mystified by this. The Spirit of Wisdom is supernatural ability. The Lord demonstrated this in Psalm 136:5a: "Him who by wisdom made the heavens." Wow! By wisdom He made the heavens.

Benny Hinn describes it like this: "Wisdom is living skills; it is the ability to apply the knowledge of God's Word to our lives daily. It involves the application of God's truth to human experience on a day to day basis. Properly mastered, it can lead to a happy, successful, and prosperous life." (from Welcome, Holy Spirit)

The Spirit of Wisdom flows from Heaven, straight from His throne; it comes out of communion with the Lord in intimacy with Him. It flows from His presence, which is the "center pipe" of the lampstand in Zechariah 4:2 from which all the other six operations of the Spirits also flow.

Gift of Wisdom versus Spirit of Wisdom

There is a distinct difference between the gift of wisdom and the Spirit of Wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 12:8, "...for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit," we see the gift of wisdom, or a word of wisdom. We give words of wisdom when the Holy Spirit uses us to deliver a particular piece of information, possibly about a healing, a wayward child, etc.

The Lord wants us to take it up a notch and experience the continuous flow of the Spirit of Wisdom. He is moving us into the function of the Holy Spirit where we will walk in the perpetual, ceaseless flow of the unlimited anointing on a day to day basis, not every once in a while. So we want more than just a word of wisdom, we want a river of wisdom; we want the Spirit of Wisdom.

Function of Spirit of Wisdom

Remember in John 7:38b it says, "Out of his (your) heart (belly) will flow rivers of living water"? (Emphasis mine) That's more than just one river. These rivers symbolize multiple flows or functions of the Holy Spirit. Think about the Spirit of Wisdom as a river of wisdom flowing out of your life. As it was stated earlier, wisdom is not analytical ability, but creative power. So the Spirit of Wisdom is an impartation or a river of creative ability to function in what God is calling you to do.

As I write this, I'm feeling the zeal of the Holy Spirit very strongly. Rivers represent several different expressions or functions of the Holy Spirit ministry. One of those flows is the Spirit of Wisdom. So, as a Believer, you have the potential to have a river of wisdom flow from you, flow through you, and around you, just like it says in Ephesians 1:19, "By His exceeding great power for you, through you and around you."

Wouldn't you like to tap into Jesus, the "center pipe" of the lampstand that is described in Zechariah 4? Jesus is pretty wise, isn't He? He sees the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning. He's the Alpha and Omega. Wouldn't you like to have that kind of wisdom? He has the blueprint plans for your life right in front of Him. He has what God has already ordained for you. He hears from the Father, "Jesus, go get it," and then He tells the Holy Spirit, who transmits it to you.

I know the potential for me in any area is unlimited because it is not based on how well I can do things, but it is based on how I learn to flow with the river of wisdom. Since He gives me supernatural ability to do things, I want to be able to cause people who have not seen me in three years to say, "Oh my, look at this guy! Where's he getting this stuff from?" And I can give the Lord the glory for it all.

So, the Lord wants to anoint us with supernatural wisdom that will cause people to say, "How did he get so smart?" They said that of Jesus. Mark 6:2b "And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, 'Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!'" You see, we need that again in the Church. We need to set the standard for the world.

Benefits of the Spirit of Wisdom

Look at this passage in Proverbs 4:5-13 which is all about wisdom:

Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.

Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life.

Promotion

The Spirit of Wisdom will bring promotion. Grace is favor, or supernatural ability to do what you can't do; He does it for you. I have always had this kind of favor. I would wonder, Why do I always get these breaks? I used to call it luck. Once a man told me, "By the way, I am going to give you a race horse." I said, "I don't need a race horse." He said, "Oh you don't have to do anything." I said, "Well, how much does it cost to feed that thing?" He said, "No, I'll feed it too. I just want to put your name on it." I asked, "Why?" He said, "Everything you touch turns to gold." It was because of God's favor.

I believe the Lord allowed me to touch that side of life because I came from such a bad background. We were very poor. When I was young, I stole clothes off the clothesline to help my brothers and sisters. Can you imagine going to school and being asked, "Hey, isn't that my shirt?" It's kind of embarrassing. I used to go to the grocery store at 4:00am to steal the food that was set outside the store for stock. I knew that side of life.

The Lord's goodness allowed me to know His favor, and that is what is so awesome about His plan. He sees the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning. He later allowed me to prosper in business, which released not only finances, but also important life lessons. Riches don't entice me anymore. I have already had them and I was empty. It can't compare to what I have now. I would never trade the anointing for any amount of money!

Long Life

Did you know that wisdom will extend your life? The Lord told me once, "Keith, a lot of My people are dying prematurely due to stress. If they would just embrace the Spirit of Wisdom, they would have a lot less stress." Remember, Proverbs 4:10 above says, "Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many." When people try to live by their own abilities instead of plugging into His ability, stress increases.

God has purposes and plans for every Believer. His plans are bigger than what you can do. They will either drive you or excite you. We usually go through a season where we're driven by our vision until we get worn out and weary and give up, and that's when God kicks in and begins to do it through us. But we don't have to live like that! We can actually live in His wisdom. Jesus Himself said, "Take My yoke upon you...For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:29-30). Wouldn't you like to live in the ability of the Spirit of Wisdom?

An Ornament of Grace

Wisdom will place on your head an ornament of grace and crown your head with glory. God says, "Let Me put an ornament of grace on your head." Everywhere you go that ornament is there. Rejoice, because grace gives you favor with God and man. Grace gives you what you don't deserve. Grace makes things easy. 2 Timothy 2:1, "You therefore, My son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." The word strong means to be enabled or energized by grace; when we operate out of the function of Wisdom we are energized by Grace not our strength!

The reason why many things are so hard is because we are trying to do it out of natural wisdom instead of the Spirit of Wisdom. And we wonder why it doesn't bring the Lord glory when we struggle and finally get it done. I'm tired of what we can do. Let's see some things that only God can do.

Proverbs 4 refers to "a crown of glory." The Spirit of Wisdom and understanding will promote you, put an ornament of glory over your head, and then crown you with glory. Have you been in meetings where the glory was so strong that you felt the weightiness of the Presence? Remember when Moses had to put a veil over his face because of the glory? Wouldn't you like to be crowned with glory? When this happens, you become more God-conscious than self- or sin-conscious. Do you know what that would do for you if you became more God-conscious than sin or self-conscious? How much better is the new covenant? You want to be crowned with glory, the weightiness of His character, His nature and His power for your life.

Peace

Happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding, for her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her. The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens. By His knowledge, the depths were broken up, and clouds drop down the dew.—Proverbs 3:13-20

Christians should be at peace knowing that the things He is asking of you He is not asking you to do in your own ability. He will give you the Spirit of Wisdom to perform the very thing that He is asking of you. See, it is an incredible thing for the river of wisdom to flow in your life. You will look at yourself in the midst of it all and think, "I can't believe this is even me." Guess what? It's not!

When you begin to minister out of the Spirit of Wisdom, you won't be in a state of emotional reaction. Jesus operated in a constant flow of the Spirit of Wisdom. His works, words, and teachings astonished the multitudes. Jesus provided the disciples with a great supply of opportunities to marvel. He commanded the fig tree to wither (Matthew 21:20), calmed a raging sea with a word (Mark 6:51), and boldly declared to the skeptical Pharisees and Herodians, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Mark 12:17). All who heard Him were astonished with His teaching (Luke 4:32), His understanding, and His answers (Luke 2:47). He did many wonderful things, even raised the dead, and things don't get much more astonishing than that!

In Acts 6:10, Stephen spoke with such wisdom, that those who were resisting could say nothing! "And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke." This is incredible manifestation of the Spirit of Wisdom through a person. Jesus said this in Luke 21:15, "For I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist." This is a function out of the Spirit of Wisdom rather an emotional response.

As a Believer the Lord wants you to function in the Spirit of Wisdom in everyday living, so that you will be able to speak life to the hurting. You can lead many to Christ through the operation of the Spirit of Wisdom. "The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to hear as the learned" (Isaiah 50:4).

Many people will be lead to Christ through the operation of the Spirit of Wisdom. Daniel 12:3 says, "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever." Wow, what a powerful tool to lead many to the Lord...by the Spirit of Wisdom flowing through your life! We are the light upon the hill, and His glory shall be seen upon us which will lead many to the Lord.

Living Wittily (Intelligence, Clever)

God's people should be the wittiest people on the earth. We should be the ones who set the standard. We have the advantage, but we seem to always make excuses like, "Well, if I had what they had..." The truth is you have the advantage over people who aren't born again. You have the advantage because you have the Holy Spirit living in you. Even Jesus Himself said, "It's to your advantage that I go away so He can come" (John 16:7). He was referring to the Holy Spirit.

Nehemiah 9:20a is one of my favorite Scriptures, "You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them..." God has given us His best, and the word for "best" means "beautiful, bountiful." The Holy Spirit is His best one who can instruct us. The word "instruct" means "to shoot like an arrow; to guide wittily, like a wise master builder." Christians should be the ones operating in the most skillful realms of ability and wisdom, because we're plugged into the One who is orchestrating and bringing forth everything that He has purposed since the foundations of the earth.

Don't you want to live your life wittily so that people around you start to take notice? The truth is God wants to do something in our lives that gives Him glory. You shouldn't limit yourself to your education and your natural ability. I believe with all of my heart that this is for every Believer, and it doesn't matter whether you're 10 or you're 70.

Heavenly Blueprints—God's Plans for Us

You can begin to operate daily in the river of wisdom. Courses of action from God will enable you to be a wise master builder, building by custom-made Heavenly blueprints just for you. God has rivers of wisdom available to us for our lives. He has ordained our days for us before they ever come to pass, as Psalm 139:14-18 says:

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.

I love that my days are fashioned for me in the Lord's book in advance! Ephesians 2:10 also speaks of Him knowing our days in advance. It says: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

In John 15:15-16, Jesus Himself said, "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."

Do you want the fruit in your life that He has ordained and prepared? Do you want wisdom in order to walk out His eternal blueprints for your life? Wouldn't you like to have all those things? A river of wisdom will bring this about. Wisdom is more important than any riches of this earth, as Proverbs 8:11 says: "For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her."

Spirit of Wisdom Impartation is Transferable

In February I preached this message in a church in Austin, Texas. I told them, "I am going to ask the Lord to release this for you." I prayed for the impartation for the activation of the river of wisdom and understanding. In attendance was a gentleman who had a business; he could hardly pay his rent. After this, in March or April, he invented a product to refurbish computer components. Now he can't keep up with the orders. He just wrote me a check for $15,000 to build an orphanage, because the Lord is blessing him so supernaturally in the area of finances. God wants to do that for you, in the areas of ministry and for your family.

Since I preached that message we have had several people report that they received an impartation or activation in the Spirit of Wisdom so that their businesses, ministries, etc., have accelerated 20 times over. This is because as a man believes, so shall he receive. Every Believer can live in a river of the wisdom of the Holy Spirit—not just every once in a while, but daily.

The Lord wants you to enter into another level of the Spirit of Wisdom. I am going to ask and believe for you to receive the activation of it. The Holy Spirit is the wisest person on the earth, isn't He? He knows what is going on in Heaven. By one Spirit we have access to the Father. So, when you connect with the Spirit of Wisdom or the river of wisdom, you are truly plugging in to a greater level of the wisest Person on the earth. You are going to flow with the Person who knows everything that is going on in Heaven and who has access to the One who has your blueprints.

Why don't you make these faith declarations with me out loud now in prayer:

We're coming into sync right now with the plan of Heaven for our lives upon the earth. As it is in Heaven, so shall it be in our lives. We're going to walk in such a realm of the Spirit that we're going to gain strength; we are going to increase and we're going to be fruitful because we're going to operate by the Spirit of Wisdom. We're going to build as wise master builders, not with wood, hay or stubble. We're going to build with gold and silver.

The Holy Spirit is going to search out the deep things of God and reveal them to us, then He is going to give us wisdom to be able to implement and see the fulfillment of those things. We thank You that we're a people who are being led and instructed to live wisely and wittily by the Holy Spirit. Our steps are ordered by the Holy Spirit. Our lives will confound the wise.

This year is going to be the greatest year that we've seen for building the Kingdom. This is going to be the greatest year of building according to the blueprints of Heaven. We're going to be amazed at what You are going to do this year. And Lord, because we've embraced the Spirit of Wisdom, You're going to promote us. And because You're going to promote us, You're putting that ornament of grace on our heads right now. And I thank You for the crowning of glory. And I thank You, Lord, that we're going to have long life, because we're going to know a sense of rest in the Spirit that we've never known before, because we're not going to do it by our strength and our ability but by the river of wisdom.

Now, Lord, I thank You that right now You are releasing an ability to teach like we've never been able to teach before. I thank You, Lord, that You've given us patterns to build by, but now the Spirit of Wisdom is going to see the fulfillment of those patterns. I thank You, Lord, that some of those things that we have waited for for ten or twenty years, that this year there is going to be a 30, a 60 and a 100-fold increase of them. I thank You for it in Jesus' mighty name! Amen.

Keith Miller
Stand Firm World Ministries
Email: info@sfwm.org

Permission is granted (and you are also encouraged) to reprint these articles in hard copy form, as well as sending them to your own email lists and posting them on your own websites. We ask only that you keep ElijahList website, email contact info, and author contact information intact.

ElijahList Publications
310 2nd Ave SE,
Albany, OR 97321
www.elijahlist.com
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Francis Frangipane: "TAKE UP THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT--THE WORD OF GOD--AND GO TO WAR!"

Francis Frangipane:

"TAKE UP THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT--THE WORD OF GOD--AND GO TO WAR!"

"If we advance protected by the Blood of the Lamb, if we war armed with the Word of God, and if we shoulder in our hearts the Cross of Christ, we will truly be more than conquerors through Him that loved us."

Christ not only came to set captives free, He came to train and empower the recently freed to be warriors. We may not always walk perfectly, but because God causes all things to work for good, we still can walk triumphantly. How can we, imperfect Christians, walk triumphantly? The Bible says we overcome "because of the Blood of the Lamb and because of the word of [our] testimony, and [we do] not love [our lives] even when faced with death" (Revelation 12:11).

These three things--Christ's atoning blood, our testimony of God's eternal word, and choosing to not love our own lives--secure us in the place of victory. We are a covenant people, a people purchased for God from every nation. Yes, we still sin, but God has placed the iniquity of us all upon His Son, Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53). When the enemy comes to accuse and condemn us for our failures, we must remind ourselves that every sin we have ever committed has been nailed to Christ's cross. The entire "certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us," has been paid in full by the Blood of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:14)!

As much as we need the blood of Christ, to functionalize our victory, we also need a living knowledge of God's Word. Many Christians are awakened spiritually, but they do not know God's promises in the Bible. To be successful, we must know God's Word, believe it, and speak it with faith when we pray. We overcome by the "word of our testimony."

Third, in our world of excess and self-gratification, we must learn the wisdom and power of carrying the Cross ("they did not love their life"). By becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ, the Cross keeps us focused on our transformation. It also keeps us from the quicksand of self-pity, gratuitous over-indulgence, and unforgiveness.

To aid your fight of faith, we've prepared a brief collection of Scriptures. Remember, God's Word will not return to Him without accomplishing the purpose for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). Let us, therefore, "hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23).

Don't murmur when you pray, proclaim the Word of God with authority. Indeed, the Holy Spirit tells us to take up "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). If we advance protected by the Blood of the Lamb, if we war armed with the Word of God, and if we shoulder in our hearts the Cross of Christ, we will truly be "more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Romans 8:37).

The following are just a few of the many mighty promises of God. We urge you to print these verses, memorize them and pass them on to your friends and fellow intercessors.

Spiritual Warfare Verses

"Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven" (Matthew 18:18).

"The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).

"'No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,' declares the LORD" (Isaiah 54:17).

(Isaiah 42:13, 1 John 4:4, James 4:7, Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 16:18, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Luke 10:19, 2 Corinthians 2:14, Isaiah 49:24-25)

Divine Shelter of God

"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son" (Colossians 1:13).

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Psalm 18:2).

(1 John 5:18, Psalm 91:1, Romans 8:28)

Fear

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18).

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4).

(2 Kings 6:16, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 2:14-15)

Deliverance, Forgiveness and Salvation

"He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19).

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

(Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 32:7, Psalm 91:3, Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34, Luke 4:17-19)

Peace

"Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).

"In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8).

(Romans 16:20, Philippians 1:28, Psalm 110:1)

The Power of the New Covenant

"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death" (Revelation 12:11).

(Colossians 2:13-14, Matthew 26:26-28, Zechariah 9:11-12)

Healing

"But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

(Hebrews 13:8, Matthew 4:24, Isaiah 53:4)

Family

"For I will contend with the one who contends with you, and I will save your sons" (Isaiah 49:25).

(Acts 2:17, Acts 16:31)

Discernment

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).

(1 Corinthians 2:15, Ephesians 6:10-18)

We hope these Scriptures will be a blessing and an empowerment to you.

Francis Frangipane
Ministries of Francis Frangipane
Email:francis1@frangipane.org

Permission is granted (and you are also encouraged) to reprint these articles in hard copy form, as well as sending them to your own email lists and posting them on your own websites. We ask only that you keep ElijahList website, email contact info, and author contact information intact.

ElijahList Publications
310 2nd Ave SE,
Albany, OR 97321
www.elijahlist.com
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The Oasis in the Desert

God has brought many of us into the desert place. But this is not the desert place that we usually talk about. This is the oasis. It is a place of refreshment and renewal. God is calling us to come and rest in His presence. It is the secret place where there is only us and Him. Where there is no distraction from other people and the cares of the world are left behind in civilization.

God wants to teach us how to rely on Him. He wants to clense us from the longings of the world. He is removing the Egypt from our hearts. In particular He is delivering us from the control of fear. This is the place of glory. In the oasis you will find His restful Presence. In His Presence there is fullness of joy. There is no suffering, no sorrow, no pain; but only His peace, love, and joy. It is time for us to allow Him to do His work. We need to accept His inner healing. He wants to take away all of our pain. He wants to cleanse us from all of our hurts. He wants to remove all of the fear that we have taken on.

The world creates fear. Fear causes us to put more stock in the lies of the enemy than the truth of God. Fear robs us of faith. Faith is from God. We are meant to be a people of faith that walk in love. I have heard it said that faith is the currency of heaven and love is its culture. We are meant to live in an atmosphere of love and faith. Fear can't exist in that place. God is delivering us from that spirit of fear and control. The enemy has controlled us for too long. It is now time for the Spirit of love to engulf us.

Come to the oasis. Come to the place of rest. Drink of the living waters. Frolic in the streams of cleansing. Swim in the rivers of His joy and pleasure. Allow Him to nourish and comfort you. He will reveal to you who you are in Him. He will show you how He looks at you. Stop viewing yourself through the eyes of Egypt but view yourself through the portal of heaven.

We have come to the place of refreshment where there is no more labor. His grace is here!