Turn to Exodus 17:8-13
(8) Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
(9) And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
Let me ask you a question ladies and gentlemen: do you think what Moses is about to do it an instruction from the Lord? Moses just didn't decide that "You know, tomorrow I'm going to stand on a hill with a rod in my hand as you fight Amalek." No. There is a reason for what he did.
(10) So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
(11) And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
(12) But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
(13) And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
Now this is what the Lord shared with me.
Moses stood in the gap for his people during that fight. If he had not been obedient and willing to follow Me, then Israel would not have won that battle. Moses’ raised hands were a type of worship that you can give to Me that defeats attacks of the devil. As long as his hands were raised, the enemy was conquered. When his hands became heavy then the enemy gained the advantage. (I want you to really listen to what the Lord says next.) Notice that the enemy did not conquer; he gained the advantaged. When you worship, you conquer! Because of who you’ve become, the enemy can never conquer you. You have My life and nature - a life and nature that the enemy is powerless to stand against.
This is an example of how war is waged in the realm of the spirit and manifests itself in the realm of the natural. Looking at it from a natural standpoint, what difference would it make if Moses’ hands were raised or lowered? It wouldn’t make any sense in the natural. But in the realm of the spirit, raised hands toward Me is worship. Raised hands and praise and worship on the lips of those who believe means that heaven gets involved in whatever they’re fighting. And when heaven is involved the victory is assured!
Notice that Moses stood on a hill so that he could be seen, not only by the men of Israel but by the Amalekites - Israel’s enemy. When you step out for Me, when you begin to go deeper and deeper into Me, then you will get noticed by the enemy. But know this My son, you are never alone. I’m always with you and whatever you need to conquer these situations, you already have them. I’ve given them to you - 2000 years ago.
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Praying in Tongues
All of us, ladies and gentlemen, have the ability to have upper room experiences with the Lord. All it takes is setting your little fanny down and pray in tongues or just sit in his presence quietly.
Turn with me to I Corinthians 14:2, 4
(2) For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: (What does this mean? When you pray in tongues you are having a conversation with God. Sometimes we miss that. When we pray in tongues God is talking back to us and giving us the information we need to fulfill what He has called us to do.)
Again, For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto me, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
(4) He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
Jude 1:20
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Psalm 1:1-3
(1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
(2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
(3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
And this is the note that I wrote to myself – The Holy Spirit reminded me that the water by which the tree is planted is prophetic of the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
This what the Lord said.
The tree is nourished by the water and as long as it continues to drink it will grow and its roots will be established. Praying in the spirit is what builds a strong root system in your spirit man. As you pray in tongues the roots sink deeper and deeper into the revelation knowledge that God wants to establish in you. But that will only happen as you continue to drink from the river of water.
You see without praying in the spirit you can’t really know Me.
(Without praying in tongues you really can't know your Father. Did you hear that? So anyone who preaches against praying in tongues what are they telling us ladies and gentlemen? That they really don't know their Father. That they really don't know the God that they serve. Remember Paul said "I'm so glad that I pray in tongues more than all y'all. My Tennessee just came out. [laughter] How many books did Paul write?)
It is through your times of praying in the spirit that I am able to release into you all that I am. Your spirit man has a great capacity to know Me and the things that are important to Me. As you pray in the spirit you allow Me to share with you how you fit into My plans and purposes. And the only way you can know this is by spending time with Me in prayer.
What I desire for My people is not a secret hidden somewhere here in Heaven. It’s already waiting for the person who wants to know why they are here and what is their purpose. I know the answer and I’m anxiously waiting to give them the answer but praying in tongues is the key. Without it I can do very little to help a person come to the place of knowing My plan for his life. Do you see how important it is for My people to understand praying in tongues?
Then I said, "Yes, sir."
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Rights and Privileges
Ephesians 2:11-19
(11) Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
(12) That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
(13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
(14) For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
(15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
(16) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
(17) And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
(18) For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
(19) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Do you see what was accomplished through My son? Strangers and foreigners do not have access to the same things in the household that a son does. Strangers and foreigners are on the outside looking in even though they may have an agreement with the Master to someday change their status. And that is what we see in the law.
The Jews were really strangers and foreigners to the true covenant - what I fulfilled on the cross. They were no different than the Gentiles. But now everyone who comes to Me can become members of the household and leave behind the status of stranger and foreigner. They can partake fully of all that comes with being members of the household. That’s what verse 19 is talking about.
Those who teach in the body of Christ today have perverted what it means to have rights and privileges as a member of My family. They talk about being children of the king and having the rights and privileges that belong to the child of a king. But what they fail to see is that the rights and privileges belong to them because they (the children) belong to me. The rights and privileges are not theirs simply because they are My children. The rights and privileges come with knowing who you are and knowing what’s expected of you.
(Let me give you an example of what the Lord is saying. Little John is 14 years old and wants to drive a car but he's not old enough. But he is still part of the family and has other rights and privileges, right? Once he turns 16 he gets his learner's permit and then he gets his drivers license. He now has the right and privilege of driving a car. But he doesn't have the right and privilege of flying an airplane! Do you understand what I'm saying? How many of you would give your 6 year old keys to a motorcycle? No one! She is not mature enough.
(Rights are privileges are yours because you are in God's family but God is not going to give them to you until you can handle them. And so many in the Body of Christ don't understand this. Jesus says that the works He did we would be able to do to. Many of us think we can start doing that now. We can't because we're not ready. We haven't matured to that place of being able to do it. What Jesus did was lay out the vision, the goal. Rights and privileges come with maturity.)
Remember Matthew 6:33 says you have to seek the things of the kingdom first and when you do, everything will be added unto you? You could think about it this way: “When you seek the kingdom of heaven, all the rights and privileges will be added unto you.” The rights and privileges are not given to children. They are given to those who know how to use them for the benefit of the household. And that’s where most of the teaching in the body misses it - they don’t make the connection between rights and privileges and how they are to be used to benefit the household.
(We have so many in the pulpit who teach that the rights and privileges are for Christians personally. That's a lie. God wants you to have nice things but His primary goal is saving the lost - using what we have for the household. Ladies and gentlemen, you are already part of the household. He want you to use what you have to bring the lost into the household not add more and more material possessions.)
There is also a lack of balance in the teachings about the rights and privileges that you have available to you as sons and daughters of My Father. The focus should not be the rights and privileges, which are a by-product of seeking the kingdom of God. The focus should be on seeking the kingdom and the rights and privileges will come. But when you are taught to seek the rights and privileges - let me put it another way - to focus on them rather than the kingdom, then you are not spiritually mature for those rights and privileges. You will misuse them.
Rights and privileges come with responsibility and many in My body are not ready for that responsibility and some do not want it. And that’s why so few in My body are walking “in their rights and privileges.” And that’s why many will never walk in them. Operating in your rights and privileges mean that you are spending time with Me, receiving My instructions for how to use those rights and privileges to bring people into the household.
But so many believe that the rights and privileges are about them and how they will benefit. But that is so far from the truth. Go back to scripture and look at how My servants walked with Me and had access to power (rights and privileges) that very few others had access to. My desire is for everyone, who is willing to make the sacrifice, to walk in the fullness of My blessings.
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Conforming to His Image
2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
My Word cannot override what you really believe in your heart. My Word can only respond to faith and if faith is not operating in you My Word will not operate you. That’s why it’s so very important that you live a holy lifestyle. That’s why it’s so important that you seek to conform to the image of My Son. The more you look like My Son the more faith will operate in you and the more My Word will come to pass in your life.
But the enemy of the soul will do everything he and to stop you from conforming to the image of My Son. He will cause situations and circumstances to arise to try and cause you to believe that the effort to conform to the image of My Son is not worth it. But isn’t it worth confirming to the image of My Son to give sight to the blind? Isn’t it worth conforming to the image of My Son to give strength to the lame so they can walk again? Isn’t it worth conforming to the image of My Son to be a beacon of light to a dead soul to give that soul life? Yes, it’s worth it! My Son died on the cross to make every effort you make to be like Him worth it. Time is important but your heart is what I’m after.
Hear Me, there is no sacrifice you will ever make for Me that I will not remember. There is never a sacrifice that you will make for Me that I will not reward in this life and in the life to come. I find joy in those who sacrifice for Me and My kingdom. I find joy in those who are willing to give their all for Me because they are vessels I can use to pour out My love to the nations. So hear Me, I will always show Myself strong to you when you sacrifice yourself for Me.
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Satan wants to Neutralize Christians
Luke 22:31, 32
(31) And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
(32) But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
(What did Jesus pray for Simon? Did He pray that Satan would not have access to him? Did He pray to build a wall around Simon and the rest of the disciples so Satan couldn't get to them? No. Jesus said "I pray that your faith will not fail." So many Christians want God to fight their battles. They want Him to get in the ring and beat up the opponent while they sit on the sideline. It doesn't work that way. Jesus didn't pray for Simon not to be attacked. He didn't pray for Simon not to be persecuted. He said "I pray to the Father that your faith fail not.")
Hear what the Spirit of the Lord would say: I have called you out to do a work for Me. And I have not called you by chance. I purposed in My heart to call you for this work. So know that the work I have for you is yours to do. No one else can do it. So be about doing My work. Do what I have called you to do and know within your heart that you are doing the will of your Father.
For there are many who want to see the manifestations of My power. They long to see the things that they have read about in scripture come to pass today. But what they fail to realize is that My power is available - right now. It’s at their fingertips. But too many of My people have put themselves between Me and the healing power that is at their fingertips. They have not been willing to put the flesh in its place. They continue to give it preeminence in their lives. And as long as they are governed more by the flesh than the spirit, they will continue in their longing for the manifestation of My power.
Just like he desired to sift the disciples as wheat, Satan desires to sift all of My people as wheat. He wants them neutralized to the point that they are not living out their callings in their lives. He wants them focused on their emotions and the things that are happening in the natural. When you allow Satan to dictate your relationship with Me, you are allowing him to rob you of blessings now and rewards in eternity. When he does that he has sifted you.
There has never been a time in the history of the world like the time you live in. The realization of the Word going over the world is as close as your next breath. The reality of My Word permeating the depths of Satan’s domain brings Me much joy. You cannot judge what’s happening in the realm of the spirit by what you see in the natural. That is where Satan deceives My people everyday. But in the realm of the spirit, yes, that is where the true progress in My Word and My will are taking place. And as My people continue to press into Me, more and more of what is happening in the realm of the spirit will be manifested in the natural. So be alert. Be aware. You will hear about My power and My grace in places you thought impossible. But oh, it is coming! It is coming!
When you come to Me with believing -faith - you come to Me in the manner in which I desire for you to come. For when you come to Me in faith, you are coming to the one who has the ability and willingness to respond to your act of faith. And know this for sure: I do respond to faith. Faith is what moves Me to action. Faith is what gives Me entry into the realm of the natural to perform My will. Without your faith, My will does not come into manifestation in this world. (How important are you ladies and gentlemen? We are so much more than we realize.) Without faith My people will not see the deliverance that My Son paid the price for them to see. So continue to teach and build on that foundation of faith so that I can begin to bring more of My will into manifestation.
Remember Jesus said that you’re going to hear about wars and rumors of wars but the end is not yet? The war is in full progress in the realm of the spirit. The war has been raging for many, many centuries. And only a few of My people have grasped this and understood the significance of what is happening. Everyday Satan is fighting to keep people for spending eternity with Me. And in some places he’s winning skirmishes, not the war.
But every skirmish he wins breaks My heart. Every skirmish he wins means one less person who will spend eternity with Me. It is My will that he loses each skirmish. But until I have enough people ready to engage him in battle, I will continue lose people in these skirmishes. But know this: in the days ahead, he will win fewer and fewer skirmishes. My people will rise up and take the field of combat and do much damage to his territory and they will bring back the spoils of war (souls). So be encouraged.
Heaven is waiting for people who are willing to stand for Me. Heaven is waiting for people who are willing to turn to Me with everything they have. Heaven is waiting for the people of God to take back the territory that is part of their inheritance.
(Remember when the children of Israel got to the Promised Land? The people were waiting for them weren't they. They said "God told us you were coming. Here are the keys to the house and car. Enjoy them." No! Israel had to fight for everything in their promised land. You're going to have to fight too.)
And heaven will wait until My people begin accessing the power that’s available to them to take the land. The land belongs to them but is currently occupied by the enemy.
What is in the land? Healing is in the land. Prosperity is in the land. Peace is in the land. Everything I have promised to you in My Word is in the land. Just like the children of Israel, you must possess the land. You must be willing to fight for the land. You must be willing to do what I tell you to do to occupy the land. The more of the land you occupy the more of My blessings you will see manifest in your life. I want you to occupy all of the land. Do you hear me? All of it. My Son died for you so that you could have all the land. So rise up. Be strong. Be encouraged. Your enemy has been defeated. Go in and possess the land. Go in and possess your inheritance. Go in and enjoy the spoils of victory that My Son won for you!
Can I get an Amen?
I so enjoy those times when God does things like this. I pray you will too.
