The Power of Prayer & Fasting

Why do we fast?

1)    In obedience to God’s Word

(Joel 2:12-15; see also 2 Corinthians 6:4-6 & Matthew 9:15)

2)    We fast to humble ourselves before God and obtain His grace and power.

James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

3)    We fast to overcome temptations in areas that keep us from moving in God’s power.

(See Luke 4 regarding Jesus’ overcoming temptations of the devil through fasting and prayer)

4)    We fast to be purified from sin (and to help others become purified as well)

Certain sins seem to keep popping up in our lives.  Jesus wants us to defeat these entangling sins in our own lives.   (see Daniel 9:3-5)

5)    We fast to become weak before God so that God’s power can be strong through us.

Fasting is a choice FOR GOD and AGAINST THE FLESH.  (See 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Psalm 109:24-28)

6)    We fast to obtain God’s support in order to accomplish His will.

Anytime you are trying to accomplish God’s will and before you make any kind of major decision in that regard, you need to fast and seek the counsel of God

(See Acts 13:3-4; 14:23)

7)    We fast in times of crisis.

(See the book of Esther; 4:15-16; also 2 Chronicles 20

8)    We fast when seeking God’s direction

(See Ezra 8:21-23)

9)    We fast for understanding and divine revelation

(See Jeremiah 36:6)

What are the Benefits of Fasting?

1)    You are humbling yourself

James 4:6, “…God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

2)    You will see life’s priorities more clearly

3)    You will see balance return to areas of your life where there is imbalance.

4)    Your selfish ambition and pride will begin to leave.

5)    You will be more sensitive to God’s spirit and the gifts of the spirit can flow through you more easily.

6)    Your hidden areas of weakness or susceptibility will rise to the surface so that God can deal with them. (This is what I like to call soul scum).

7)    It establishes in you self-control and makes you more selfless.

Anytime you’re approaching the ministry of any kind of healing or deliverance, you need to fast.   It postures you in humility (acknowledging your need for God’s help).

When we sin and continue in a pattern of sin, we open doors to the enemy to set up a kingdom in our mind (part of our soul) beginning with a foothold and then continuing in strength to become a stronghold.  This is called demonic oppression.

The three levels of sin are:

1)    To yield to temptation (a thought brought on be your own desires) to sin, to be quickly convicted, to repent and stop sinning.

2)    To yield to temptation, to sin and enjoy it for a season all the while being convicted and soon after repenting and asking for prayer and accountability while you resist your own flesh until you’re under control again.

3)    To yield to temptation, to enjoy it and to ignore convictions so long that before you know it, you’re no longer in control.

This is how a sin turns into a foothold and then into a stronghold.

What we want to do through fasting is for our areas of weakness and also our areas of need (that we may be unaware of) to rise to the surface so that we can submit to God, resist the enemy, and have him leave that stronghold and then leave us alone.

Many forms of demonic oppression will yield to the anointing of the word of command spoken by Spirit-filled believers.  That is why encounter speakers and guides fast and pray before an encounter.

Many forms of demonic oppression will not respond without your participation in engaging the enemy along with the person ministering to you which would happen easier through humbling yourself through fasting.

This resistance to spiritual authority is commonly seen in cases of chronic drunkenness, alcoholism, drug addiction, homosexuality, witchcraft and occult involvement as well as with suicide attempts, depression, and rebellion.

Spirits influencing a person’s soul due to these sin patterns do not willingly let go without a humility in both the minister and the person receiving ministry.

The Pathway to Repentance leads to Triumph

The first step to deliverance is repentance.  You will not get free without it.  Sin opens the door to the enemy every time, either through doing something you shouldn’t or not doing something you should.

Some of us fight depression, others constantly battle evil tempers and fits of rage.  We all need to echo the prayer of King Jehoshaphat in the Old Testament by saying, “Before this enemy I have no might.  I humble myself; now give me the victory.”  This releases the Lord to cleanse us on the inside, thus driving out any spiritual force of wickedness that holds us captive to do his will.

How Long do I fast?

Start with one day each week.  Then progress to 3 days.  You can fast 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, 40 days.  All of these are in the Bible.  Mostly, fast regularly in moderation and fast at length as the Lord leads or as you have the needs outlined in the beginning of this study.

What Should I do when I fast?

Fasting combined with prayer is the best route to take. If you absolutely cannot do this because of your schedule, make sure you find time to pray each day and more than usual when you can get to it.  But the best way is to take the actual time you would spend eating a meal and go somewhere and get on your knees.  Feel the hunger and give it to the Lord as an offering.  You are drawing the strength you would normally get from food from Him during this time.  You are creating hunger for Him.  This is only done through fasting and it is your job, not His.  Fasting without prayer is nothing more than a hunger strike.  It accomplishes little more than detoxing your body.

Will Fasting Cure Anything?

Fasting is not a cure-all.  It will bring you into victory in the Spirit realm, but it does not mean you can fast and still go on sinning!   Remember, you must repent of your sins before you can be released from the power of your sins.  Fasting is not a cure, it is a weapon.  You were born in a war and you were born for war.  Pick up your weapons and fight!

Never Fast to Impress Others

If you want to obey God and incorporate regular fasting into your life, do it as secretly as possible.

Matthew 6:1, “Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

How will I feel During a Fast?

Particularly if you are not eating at all, you may get a headache, you may have chills, you may feel slightly nauseated; among other side effects.  This is because there are accumulated poisons stored up in your body that are being purged when you rest your intestines and stomach.  Secular health authorities say that a one day a week fast is great for your health for this very reason.  However, after about the 3^rd day of a fast, the hunger usually passes and you begin to feel better and can go on for a while longer.

What if I Break My Fast in a Moment of Weakness?

Remember that God has a sense of humor.  If you try a 3 day fast and you only make it 1 ½ days because you had to ride with someone to McDonald’s, give yourself and break and rejoice that you made it that far and know that God is pleased with your desire to get closer to Him.  Then try to do better next time—just make sure there is a next time.  Remember, it’s all about your pursuing a relationship with Him.  You can have as much as you want.

What are the Different Types of Fasts?

1)    Complete Fast

This is the most severe fast—going without food or water.  You can only do this fast 3 days.  Physiologically, the body cannot be without water for more than 3 days and survive.  The Scriptures say that Jesus did not eat when He fasted for 40 days in the wilderness, but notice that it does not say that he didn’t drink.

2)    Normal Fast

Abstinence from all food, but normal intake of water.  In fact, drinking more water than normal is good during a fast, because those toxins need a ride out of your body.

3)    Daniel fast or partial fast

Daniel and his buddies ate no pleasant food – meat, wine, sweets, etc.  They lived on veggies, grains, & water.  God honors this type of fast as much as any.  You can also fast certain meals.

4)    Fasting other than food

You can fast media (to keep a clear head), fasting your time in service to others; you can fast words, fellowship, and marital relations (but only for a season the Bible says so that you do not succumb to temptation).

5)    The Fasted Lifestyle

Youth and adults all over the world In these last days are adopting a fasted lifestyle where they give up meats and sweets or television and movies—something to sacrifice or things that distract and have committed themselves to a Levitical call to prayer.  Some are called to do it.  Some choose to do it.  Either way, it is a bold and powerful move toward increased Kingdom power.

In Conclusion…

If you are fasting food, avoid acidic juices that can overwhelm your system.  Never break a fast with a large meal as this can shock your system and cause sickness and even death if severe enough.  Also try not to overload your system with sugar.  Diluting juices with water helps in both cases.

Respect your body.  Remember, you are trusting in the Lord for your strength, but this is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Listen to your body when it is complaining of more than just hunger.  You can tell your hunger to shut up, but heed warnings of low blood sugar, diabetes, or anemia, etc.

Remember, fasting is not about moving God as much as it is about moving us into a place of purity and vulnerability to be a vessel that God can flow through whether He is cleaning us out or moving through us after we’re clean to help someone else.

We’re the vessel, He is the treasure.

Hiding the Word in Your Heart

"I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11).

Why do we hide the Word of God in our hearts?  It is because everything we believe is contained therein.  Our beliefs control our thought, our emotions, and our behavior. Every single episode of my life formed beliefs for good or evil whether I was praised, rewarded, and trained or misunderstood, neglected, and abused. These beliefs must stand firm or be confronted with truth so that we can live the abundant life God provided through the death and resurrection of His Son.

Once we accept Christ's sacrifice for our sins and we inherit eternal life, we begin the life-long process of sanctification - the renewing of our mind.  And how does that work?  It works by the power of God's Word. Some read the Bible, even daily and yet it does little to change them.  What if we started allowing the Word to read us?  If on any given day, the lies of the enemy rise to the surface of our hearts and begin to be entertained in our imagination, why not find a promise or a command that directly confronts that lie in the Bible and allow it to bring us into alignment?

If we tend to struggle with doubt and unbelief at the end of the day when we become weary and tired, then the last thing before bedtime would be to find Scriptures on faith and renew our minds just before we lay down to rest - so that the last impression left on our brain is the truth. 

If we awaken from a bad dream and we feel afraid, why don't we run to the word and allow the promises of God's love sink down deep to confront that fear through the power of perfect love?

If someone else's reaction to a bad day gets taken out on us; why don't we search God's word about how much the Father values us so that we realize who we really are to Him and understand that another person's reaction to a bad day doesn't change our personal status.  Then we can move on to exercise empathy for our offender, taking into consideration the frustration or disappointment of their day's events and finally forgive them.


Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that, "the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." If our hearts are divided between two opinions - a lie and the truth; then God's Word will separate those things within us, confront the lies with that truth, and take into a greater place of faith.  Then we step out in that truth with action whether it is declaring our trust out loud, agreeing in prayer about it with another person, or making a necessary choice in faith.  Once we do, the experiential outcome solidifies our faith as God shows Himself strong.  This is the truth in James 1:2-4 which says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."


So next time you get into the Word, allow it to read you as you are reading it!  Let the power of the truth confront your unbelief or the lies lodged in your heart and radically transform your mind and heart. Your emotions will begin to quiet as your faith increases and the peace and joy of the Lord will flood your soul.

Selah!

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

In every husband/wife relationship, there is usually a little corner of the mind that says, “There are some things about this person that need to be changed.  Given some time, I think I can change them.”  Of course, we all need to change for the better and a spouse can certainly pray for and encourage that along with compassion and gentleness.  But Marriage Today expert Jimmy Evans reports that couples spend about the first 10 years trying to change each other.

Once a long-term commitment is made in marriage, individuals want to be accepted for who they are in both strength and weakness.  The acceptance levels of idiosyncrasies overlooked in the dating process can quickly vanish.  Life is allowed to become a daily, nerve-wrecking grind.  Expediencies die unfulfilled.   Couples feel that they can no longer be themselves and in place of acceptance, they feel rejection.

A spouse’s habits or his past life experiences are not the bullets to fire when we have already accepted that person into our life.  That does not mean that you cannot or do not agree to work through the fallout of past experiences that affect the marriage, but when we accept someone in marriage, we accept everything about them, hence the vow, “For better or for worse.”

Three important truths come to mind here...be who you are all the time, Repent for sin/flesh patterns in your life that do not make up who you are and need to die anyway, and Colossians 3:13, "Bear with each other and forgive one another.  If any of you has a grievance against someone, forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Remember and practice these three things and Yes, you will still love each other tomorrow and every day afterwards.

Journey Up the Mountain

Sometimes you just have to unplug! Well, I say use the word "unplug" loosely as I have an entire office set up  here on the mountain thanks to my sweet husband!  Out of a great many square feet of cabin, I am holed up in this little space with just this little lamp light and my computer - having the time of my life!

It is so quiet.  Other than a few technology bobbles, it has been very productive.  And I've even learned a few things from the techno-bobbles!  So nothing wasted. I'm just thankful to be here!

But that is not what I wanted to write about.  You see my life is so busy in this season that I rarely have time to just hang out with the Lord.  We are usually on the run together these days - not a bad thing.  He said this season would come.  I had a few years to prepare.  But this week is something I treasure and want to add to my regular "To-Do" list - these little getaways where it is just He and I.

From the moment I decided to come up on the mountain and after my brother- and sister-in-law graciously offered the cabin for my use this week, I slipped into this beautiful place of anticipation with the Lord.

As always, I could never "just leave".  Oh no, the dog needed a refill on his medicine and more dog food.  I had to make sure there were groceries in the house. My husband ran out of clean, white socks!  Not to mention that I've had Jaci Valesquez' jacket and jewelry from the video shoot hanging on my closet door since April and I wanted to mark that one off my list!  So I had to run to Nashville that morning.  Finally it was time to leave, but those storms were coming and I am committed to pray for the safety of my city.  I felt compelled to sit tight until the worst was over.   Here is where it gets fun!

I was watching the sky.  It looked interestingly dismal.  Already in pockets on the outskirts of town, trees were down, roofs were damaged, and many reported hail.  But I'm thinking, "Okay Lord, let's get this show on the road.  I want to be in tune with you tonight as I am going to be dodging this storm and arriving late to the mountain as it is.  So help me to know when to leave, how to be safe, and so on.

My first impression was to get a haircut.  Well, I needed one, so I made an appointment where I felt led to go.  While I was in there, the bottom fell out and we had a rain so bad that my husband called to check on where I was and if I was okay.  So while it is storming outside, I am sitting in a chair with a heated towel around my neck getting a head massage.  I'm thinking, "Great choice Lord!"  By the time I was done, the rain had stopped.   The skies are still looking pretty nauseous, so my next inclination was to go and get my eyebrows waxed at a different location.  So I drove there and got just inside the building when the bottom dropped out again.  I'm starting to catch on to what the Lord is doing - sharpening my ears to hear His direction.  So I enjoy a bit of salon conversation and walk out looking like I'd been slapped around a few times but with nicely arched brows :)  I'm saying, "Now what?"

"You forgot your pillow!"  Okay, so I call my husband to say that I'm coming home to get my pillow.  He said, "You're still in town!  I thought you'd be halfway up the mountain by now.  I am concerned about your travel tonight.  Why don't you just come home and leave in the morning?"  I said, "Nope!  I'm already having too much fun.  I'm going on tonight."  So I went home and fetched my pillow, kissed my concerned husband (he's so sweet) and left with fairly clear skies over the 'Boro but really nasty looking skies in the direction I am headed.  I'm suddenly thinking of the character Pecos Bill in the old movie, "Tall Tales" lassoing a tornado just for the thrill of it.  Not that I would ever do that or anything - I hate storms and I hate tornados.  But something about this night gave me assurance that God was as excited about my trip as I.

I started out for Altamont, which is about an hour east of Murfreesboro.  It was sprinkling but so very dark due to the ominous clouds.  The sky looked like it was about to erupt.  When I was just about to Manchester, my next impression was to stop and get peanut butter for my celery.  Indeed I had forgotten to pack it.  So I stopped at exit 114 and pulled in to the Walmart.  Just as I got inside the building, the bottom dropped out once more.  The rain was so loud you couldn't speak to your neighbor walking next to you through the store.  I began to pray for safety.  I got what I needed and just waited to see what I should do next.  "Why don't you look at some hair gel to go with that spiffy new spike-do?"  I have to walk to the other side of the store, but okay.  The bottom drops out once more and again it was something you wouldn't want to be outside in, and certainly not driving through.  It passed, I checked out and left Walmart, heading for the mountain.  It never rained more than a sprinkle the rest of the way.

So I'm praying for everything I can think of since we're alone - God and I.  Suddenly I pass my exit!  "Shoot-Fire" I said.  Lord, there is not a turnaround or another exit until Monteagle mountain!  Oh well!  I go on up Monteagle mountain, which is one mountain beyond the one the cabin is on.  As I ascend, it gets foggy.  Aaahh!  I see.  So this is the safer route!  The Pelham exit (the one I missed) and corkscrew drive up the mountain I usually take has very little street lights, the road is narrow and the mountain path very winding.  My drive would have been a test on my nerves for sure.  So I got off at Monteagle and took Highway 41 through Tracey City and over to Altamont.  Once I was on the mountain and crossing over the top, there was hardly any fog at all.  God is so smart :)

It was nearly 11:00 p.m.  The family cabin is in a gated community but way off the beaten path.  Someone knocked down the street sign, so I'm saying, "Okay Lord, is this it?"  I feel a witness of the Spirit, as it is very dark in this area of the mountain.  I drive on the little one car road, then off the pavement onto the gravel road, winding more and more into the woods.  Finally I come to the entrance gate.  Everything is dark and still, no sound - just stillness.  I go in and follow the road until I see the cluster of signs pointing the way to the cabin.  I follow the turn and finally reach the white gated entrance to the property.  Now I have to get out into the dark and open that gate.  So far, I have not seen anyone at their cabins along the way - it's just me and God and the stillness of the woods.  And of course, by this time, it does begin to sprinkle a little.  Why?  Because every time I come to this mountain it rains or snows! What are the odds?   Anyway, I get out and sense my surroundings.  So far, so good.  So I open the gate and get quickly back in the car and continue the drive to the cabin.
The cabin is situated on a bluff overlooking the valley below.  It is breathtaking and beautiful.  The Lord has timed my entire trip just right so that every time a stormy outburst occurred, I was safely inside one building or the other.  And the end of my trip is no different.  I find the key, go in and disarm the alarm system.  I unload my entire vehicle, go in and lock the door behind me.  Suddenly, the rain is so loud once again that I am wondering if the tall front chalet windows are going to fall in!  I set up my little office and immediately commenced to working - after I thanked the Lord for the adventure.

Being alone with God is not like being alone at all.  He has done an amazing work in me in regard to fear.  He has sharpened my ear to hear His voice over the years.  This evening was just an opportunity to see just how well He has made my heart attuned to His guidance.  I am so grateful.  And here I've been since Monday evening - in a beautiful cabin, in almost perfect weather (after the storms), in the pitch dark of each night in a cabin with no curtains and lots of windows.  And yet I am at peace.  My God, how You love me!

King David said, "If I make my bed in hell, you are there!"  He knew what it was like to be in tough spots and still feel the overwhelming presence of God.   I cannot say that I've always felt peaceful in my surroundings or circumstances because I didn't fully know that I could trust God.  But I can say, that in spite of my immature distrust, I do not ever remember a time in my life when I was in serious trouble - and there were a great many of those times - that He didn't show up.  In every attempt on my life, when I was lost in the mountains alone, when I was chased by a ferocious dog, when I was almost struck by a rattle snake, when I was stalked by a strange man in my hometown, when I had demonic encounters at night...I could go on and on but my point is that He was always there and He always showed me what to do.  Here I sit at 1:25 a.m. writing this for you to read and I'm alive and well because, "Even if I made my bed in hell" (or in troublesome circumstances) He is, has been, and always will be there for me.

Life is busy.  Evil is busy too.  All around us bad things happen to good people because evil has yet to be extinguished in our world.  However, we have a Redeemer who is alive and well!  He is the Master and Commander of the Host of Heaven.  He is all-powerful and an ever present help in time of trouble.  But if you can just get in the groove of acknowledging Him - as if He is always there, because He is - your life will never be the same again.  That has been my story for a very long time now and it gets better every day, every month, and every year.

This year, I am passing a torch to my daughter.  I pray that she too will discover His faithfulness as we launch her into the nations for His glory.  Ahhh - there He is again, holding my heart when I speak of her departure.

You are good Abba and I love You.  Your Presence is the only safe, sane, significant, sound and sensible place for my retreat.  Thank You for accompanying me here this week.  Until tomorrow...You are my peace.

NO DARKNESS AT ALL

"God is light; in him there is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5b).

It was early fall, around 2006. I was invited to go to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with my friend Michelle, most of the members of a small group I was leading, and the Esther Project girls (women enrolled in our residential drug and alcohol rehab program).  They were taking a mini-vacation and invited us to go along.  David and I had planned a trip shortly thereafter to a healing conference to have his vision prayed over and I had committed to a 50 day fast leading up to that trip.  I thought at first to bow out of the trip to the mountains with the girls, but the Lord told me to go and enjoy the days, give Him the evenings, and call David each night to pray for him over the phone.

So my daughter and I packed and headed off to Pigeon Forge. We were staying in a three story cabin a short drive out of town. It was absolutely breathtaking scenery. Mine and Abbey's room was on the top floor to the back of the cabin. We had a balcony off of our room that faced a gorge in the woods. It looked like the Abyss. At night, when you turned the lights out, if there were no lights on downstairs on the back porch, our room was pitch black.  You couldn't see a thing.

One evening, I went up to my room while everyone else was in the basement having fun.  I was trying to focus and worship, but I couldn't because I could hear the girls downstairs having so much fun.   But God had the best distraction planned for me!  Suddenly I the Holy Spirit impress me to turn the lamp off.  I was like, "Lord, it will be pitch dark in here!" The worship music I was playing was a bit mystical sounding so it suddenly seemed a little creepy to be in the dark.  Nevertheless, I got up and cut off the lamp.  There was no light coming under the bedroom door and the girls had the back porch lights off so the gorge was pitch black.  I actually had to feel my way to a rocking chair. I sat down and pulled a blanket over me for a sense of security. I just sat quietly...waiting.   I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face.  The Lord said, “Look right in front of you.”  Suddenly, a ball of light began to form right in front of me. It even lit up the room a bit. It was blue, orange, yellow, and red and looked like a ball of smoke. It was like having my own little Shekinah night light. Then it faded away.  The Lord said, "Did you know that darkness does not exist? It is merely an absence of light. In Me, there is absolutely no darkness at all. As long as I am with you, you will never be in the dark.  I will never leave you and I will never forsake you." It was a beautiful, life-changing experience.  Thinking back to that evening, and in light of praying for David’s blindness and his impending healing; it is even more meaningful since David’s disease blocks out the light from his eyes.

I was so thankful for such a special evening. During God’s little illustration, I had lost track of the sounds of the house, but as I turned the light back on, I began to once again hear the sounds of the girls laughing and having a great time. I didn't mind.  I smiled and prayed for them, thanking the Lord for making the time I had chosen to spend with Him so special.

When you serve the Lord with a whole-hearted devotion and acknowledge Him in your life, He will not disappoint you. How great is the God we serve, Who would send His own Son to die for us, Who would send the Holy Spirit to live in us and empower us, and Who will never leave us alone, even in what seems to be dark times. He is awesome and I'm proud to call him Papa.

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).

SOMEONE'S WATCHING OVER ME

“From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will touch you” (Job 5:19).

When God spares your life, you never want to take it for granted.  Many of you have already read about many of my experiences with the “7^th” trouble, but few  people,  know the particular details of this story that happened in September of 2009.

I was scheduled to go to a new doctor in Nashville.  I had been looking into some non-surgical procedures for a health condition and we had not carrying health insurance for a while by that time. I negotiated a deal with the doctor’s office for a cash payment so I needed to take my checkbook for the appointment.

I remember early in the day, as I was preparing to leave, that I picked up my checkbook to make sure I had transferred the money into the account to cover my first visit.  Looking back, I remember how I checked the amount, closed the checkbook and said out loud to myself, “I need to remember to take this with me.”  But instead of putting it in my pocketbook, I placed it on the shelf of my desk.  It did not even dawn on me at that moment that I had just done completely opposite of what I needed to do.  I never gave it another thought.

Shortly thereafter, I left home to take 840 to I-24 and on to Nashville.  I was listening to the radio, just singing and trying not to be anxious about my procedure.  As I was approaching the Almaville Road exit, I had a sudden strong impression to rummage through my pocketbook.  As I did, I realized that I did not have my checkbook with me!  I kept driving, while taking each item out of my pocketbook to make double sure I did not have it.  Indeed, I remembered leaving it at home on the desk. Instantly, and without a second thought, I crossed three lanes of traffic to get off the Almaville exit.  Even as I was making the exit, I wondered why I could not just go on to the appointment, tell them what a stupid thing I did and just mail them a check.  “Why am I doing this, I thought?”  After all, I was now going to be very late for my appointment.  But I still felt very compelled to go back home.

Figuring now that my actions might possibly be inspired, as I neared the end of the exit and stopped at the traffic light, I said out loud, “Lord, are you doing this?  Are you turning me around for a reason?”  Strangely, I felt a peace and experienced no more frustration over the whole matter.  I called the doctor’s office and let them know that I had left my checkbook at home and was going to get it before I came and that I would be about 45 minutes late.  The receptionist, a very nice woman, just laughed and said she’d see me when I got there.

I called home and told my daughter I was coming back and to meet me in the driveway with my checkbook.  She did and I turned around and was on my way back to 840 and I-24 again.  However, when I got to I-24, traffic was backed up as far as the entrance ramp. I thought, “Hmmm. What have we here?”  I could not see anything except but traffic, so I just crept along with the other 4 lanes.  For a long time, we were at such a standstill that we were actually getting out of our cars on the interstate and talking to one another.  It was blazing hot too.   “Anybody know what’s going on?”  “No, I can’t see anything up ahead.”  All four lanes of traffic were closed off.

Very slowly, after what seemed like forever, we started creeping along mile after mile. I called the doctor’s office to say that I was now stuck in traffic and that I did not have any idea how late I would be and that I just hoped I could make it by the last appointment of the day.  I promised her I was not trying to chicken out.  She just laughed again, told me to be careful, and that they would wait on me.

Pretty soon, I got back to the Almaville exit where I had the “suddenly” pulled off.  As we all made our way about a mile passed the exit, everyone was being flagged to get into single file on the right shoulder of the road to pass this terrible wreck that had taken up all 4 lanes and the left shoulder.  As we crept along and slowly passed the scene, I could see rescue workers, fire truck workers, and hazardous materials workers cleaning up after what was mostly gone now.  All that was left of the wreck by the time I saw it was a lot of debris and one very flat car on the back of a flatbed tow truck.  “Could that have been me Lord?”  I prayed for the injured and families of those who may have lost their lives that day.

As I finally drove on, I reflected on where the wreck was, how long it took me to get back home to pick up the checkbook, how far the traffic was backed up, and how long it took me to get back to that spot.  It became apparent to me that I actually could have been in that wreck had I not pulled off when I did.  I nervously said, “So this is why you got me off the interstate!  I turned off the radio and drove the rest of the way in silence.  Thankfully, the rest of the trip was uneventful.

I got to the office and went in for my appointment.  As it turned out, the doctor and her assistant were both believers.  We had a great time sharing our faith with one another.  They were both full of the joy of the Lord.  We shared how God had worked miraculously in each of our lives and how grateful we were for our relationship with Him. The procedure was not so pleasant, but the fellowship and connection we made that day was very encouraging.

The doctor stepped out of the exam room while I got ready to leave.  As I stepped out into the hall to go to the lobby to pay for my visit, the doctor met me in the hallway and said, “Monica, the Lord just told me that I am not to charge you today.”  I said, “Well ain’t that a blessing!”  She laughed with me for a moment and then said, “But He probably won’t say that next week!”  We laughed some more, but then it dawned on me that I DIDN’T EVEN NEED MY CHECKBOOK!  God knew all along that He was going to speak to that doctor about not charging me.  He also knew she was going to listen and obey Him.  That just confirmed even further that He spared me from that terrible accident and He began working before I ever left the house.

Unseen things are going on all around us every day.  The Kingdom of darkness is carrying out hell’s plans to kill, steal, and destroy.  Angels are fighting on our behalf, speaking messages from God to us, leading us this way or that; doing the ministry they were commissioned to carry out on behalf of the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:13-14).  Sometimes they will steer us clear of trouble.  Sometimes they, along with Jesus, will meet us at the threshold of eternity.  Some of us will come back.  Others of us will go home.  Of all the reasons why, God alone knows.

With our eyes so much on natural things, how much are we missing? How many times have we been spared that we never knew about?  I have had my share of close calls that took me to the edge of eternity and back.  I have always been very grateful for the Lord’s healing power in my life, bringing me back from the point of death.  But I am also very grateful for the times, known and unknown that He steered me clear of harm’s way like that day.

Thanks again Lord.  It’s good to know that You are protecting me in this life AND that You will meet me when this life is over.

Miracles are happening around us every day.   So take a moment every day and thank God for the ones you did not notice but happened all the same.  Always remember, someone is watching over you.  For the Lord is good, and His mercy and love endure forever! (Psalm 100:5).

BORED WITH THE BASICS?

I love to read.  I have a fairly large library of books.  I was tested on an entrance exam to Nursing School a few years ago and was found to be only one of a few students who was a 100% “self-learner”.  Give me an instruction manual or an educational book and I can do just about anything – so they say.   Today, I love to learn and I do it best by reading and then through practice.  I read something a few times, highlighting it and making notes on it, and then I re-read as much as necessary to make sure I understand it and can further put it into practice at least to a degree before I move on.   Then, if I can create a tool to help others learn about it, that is what I do next.  This is the way God wired me.  But before you think of me as boastful, you must know that it is not something I have done all my life, not even most of my life.  I had to settle down and grow into it because I was much too desperate and not very patient!  I find this ability to be just one more part of the testimony of God’s grace in my life.  

I was not a very good student in the latter part of elementary or secondary school.  I had two brain surgeries before 5^th grade and no one ever pushed me academically or physically after that year.  I guess they were afraid I’d spontaneously combust!  I guess that no one, at least in the hospitals I was admitted to, had ever survived the type of accident and resulting injuries I had experienced.  My initial prognosis was death and if not death, then to be a vegetable for the rest of my life.  But even after the miracle occurred and I went back to school, very few in the school system wanted the liability of something bad happening to me.  My family had no idea what to believe or trust after what they had been through.  Miracle aside, they had been through a very traumatic experience with my accident.  I cannot really blame anyone because I know that the doctors, the school, and my family did not want to take what they believed were unnecessary risks.  But my perceived disability outweighed my desire to grow.   It was a heaviness that stunted self-motivation (which was what, in light of the fear in those around me, was crucial for me to excel).  In fact, I almost never made grades above a “C”.  The only time I did make a better grade was in my last two years of High School in subjects that I really loved, which involved Science and English.  I finally met two teachers who saw more in me than I saw in myself.  But even when I took my exit exams, I scored very poorly.

There was a season, however, that lasted well up into my 30’s, where I found myself too eager to know more.  I was driven by the fear of failure.  I was desperate to rid myself of that feeling of being "stupid." I ran from experience to experience and subject to subject too quickly to master anything.  This only increased my frustration.  I grew easily and quickly bored with what was in my hand before it had a chance to come to maturity and actually work much change in my life.  God would show me something to read and immediately I would think of someone else who needed to read it and give it away.  Or I'd take good notes just to file them away so I could take more notes.  God kept saying things to my heart like, "Enter into My rest" and "Trust Me with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding..."  I would say, "What?"  I have sense learned that I am the vessel, and HE is the treasure...I get to rest in Who HE is.  Then I allow Him to flow through me.  Then I obey out of trust, but He supplies the knowledge and power to accomplish the task.  When we trust, we relax.  It is in that quiet trust that we learn what "My yoke is easy" means.  I had to learn this the hard way. In fact, God used many long road with dead ends to wear me down enough to stop, focus, and draw some meaningful conclusions.   But even that much revelation I credit to Him - for He is the only One Who could choose me, save me, change me, liberate me from a life ravaged by heartache and sin ad make into something that no one, including myself, would have ever dreamed!

Looking back, I have memories of myself and others who could not wait for the next good Bible study or good book that came out on a particular subject.   Being hungry for more is not a problem.  In fact, hunger is a good thing.  It will keep propelling you forward instead of allowing you to become stagnant.  But in everything, there is balance.  Some of us were so driven for another sermon, another class, another book, another conference, but we skipped taking the time to practice what we learned.   You cannot build more upon what is not stable.  Why is that a problem?

My Daddy was a builder for many years.  He taught me that if you do not have a strong foundation upon which to build a house, it will develop cracks and other structural flaws that eventually compromise its stability.  In the same way, we do this by not allowing one truth to be set in our hearts in such a way that it becomes a habit or practice before we move on to another.  We get so impatient and easily bored with something that we do not allow it to become a part of our beliefs.  If something is not a part of your beliefs, your behavior will reflect it.  When your beliefs change, so does your behavior.  That is why behavior modification works to an extent, but it happens from the outside – in; not from the inside – out.  It may be something you do for a good sprint, but it will not necessarily become a part of your life’s marathon.  Pretty soon, you’ll find it too hard to keep up.

King David said in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me O God, know my heart.”  He was asking God to look into the seat of his beliefs.  He went on to say, “Try me and know my thoughts.”  Why? because what you believe will determine how you think.  He further asked, “See if there be any wicked [or darkened] way in me.”  Why? Because our thought life effects our emotional state of being. Whether or not we accept or reject a particular thought will cause our bodies to go into a particular emotional state.  Then he ended with, “And lead me in the way everlasting.”  Why? Because King David understood that his beliefs were ultimately in control of his conduct.  It makes perfect sense when you think about the expectations we have in those who call themselves, “Believers”; to act differently than the world - doesn’t it?  Why?  Because if you have “believed” in the Lord’s ability to save you and then the Word’s ability to change you by renewing your mind, then your behavior also changes.  You become more at peace, more mature, more stable, more free.  You begin to live with nothing to prove and nothing to hide.  You begin to walk in increasing integrity and more grace.  It just makes good sense – change your beliefs and your behavior will be a fruit, not a task.

So the question is this:  How well are you practicing the basics and furthermore what else you have already learned?  Have you become bored with the elementary teachings of the Word without being able to live them every day?  Are you running after the deep things of God, which are wonderful, exciting, and worth running after; but still unable to get over an offense, to communicate or conflict well with your spouse, to break a secret addiction?  Are you running from conference to conference but unable to find the time to read your Bible in a devotional way?  

The Apostle Paul gave us a great piece of advice in Philippians 3:16 when he said, “Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”  It’s great to learn new things and have great experiences with the Lord, but before we move on to the next new study or experience, let us put it into practice with consistency.  If we don’t, what good is it?  I have been in the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement all of my life and it has not been unusual for me to see someone “slain in the spirit” (falls on the floor under the power of the Holy Spirit) at an altar service when someone who is anointed lays hands on them.  And that’s fine.  I have had it happen to me on numerous occasions.  But I like to say that it is not about falling down.  It is about how different you are or are not when you get up!  If you are just doing something for the experience alone, which is more like a “courtesy drop”, then what good is falling down?  If the Spirit of God puts you there, let Him actually do something once you are down there so that when you get back up, something is different – whether it is a physical or emotional healing (which I have experienced on numerous occasions), a new sense of conviction to forgive someone or give up a habitual sin;  or just to be humble and open to God’s help instead of being so independent and prideful.  There is such purpose in the things God does for us.  It is never for a show or for the experience’s sake alone.

It is a good thing to evaluate your heart and mind now and then.  We all need to check ourselves from time to time.  We all need to regularly ask ourselves, “Am I doing the basics well?  Is it time to take a few steps back and revisit the foundational things.”  Instead of continuing to be 100 miles wide and a few inches deep, perhaps we could venture deeper in experience with the disciplines of our walk with Christ.  Then, instead of just emphasizing the need for more sermons, books, or teachings; perhaps we could seek out the opportunity to give away some of what we have already attained - perhaps make 12 or more disciples like ourselves?  (Would you be worth duplicating in your level of obedience to God’s Word at this season in your life?)  Many are saved, but how many walk in obedience or disciple others out of love and gratitude for the Lord’s sacrifice?  Many churches offer lots of sermons and teaching but do not effectively make disciples or train others to make disciples.  If you have not had this incredible opportunity to become discipled, find a place where you can or pray for someone who can walk alongside you – to be like Paul was to Timothy.  Then, once you are discipled and you are putting your faith into practice -  then pass it on.   It is one of the greatest blessings in life.

 

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my [biological and spiritual] children are walking in the truth” (3 John 1:4 – Emphasis mine).

Both Matthew and Mark recorded the Great Commission given by Jesus.  If you put both of their words together, it reads...

“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;  they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.’ (Mark 16:15-18)…‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Become a disciple and then make disciples.  God has made available all the power you need.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).

Truth Number Nine:

We Grow Spiritually

In every hard circumstance of life, we should grow.  But, so many times the things we suffer seem to make us bitter instead of better.  This is not the Lord’s will.  The Lord has so mercifully kept His hand over my life.  When I counsel people today, I see all kinds of  bondage that has been formed in their beliefs - many times with the help of circumstances out of their control.  I know that in the experiences of my own life, God had me protected in the palm of His mighty hand.  That is not to say that I have never needed deliverance or healing for myself.  I have needed much healing over the years from the assaults of the enemy - the assault on my mind as well as the assaults of people coming in and out of my life.   Sometimes, it was a result of my own sin, walking in some places that I should not have.  As a result, I needed to repent before I could be set free from the resulting strongholds.   But He has been faithful to deliver me as I have enjoyed His presence, particularly the last 17 years.  In all my life's experiences, particularly those  involving near-death, He took away the sting, gave me understanding (as I patiently continued to seek after it) and helped me grow in character and maturity.

I think back to when I was eight and I had just returned from California, moving back home to Virginia.  I came back to the same town, the same school and the same friends.   We even bought a house just miles from where we had lived before.  I left Virginia as a pretty little girl with long brown hair.  I came back as a bald-headed child (because I refused to wear a wig) who looked terminally ill.  Not to mention the fact that I had no skull on the right side and I had to wear a crash helmet to school and almost everywhere.  (The right side of my skull was crushed beyond repair in the accident.  Head trauma produces a lot of brain swelling.  Plates cannot be placed in the head until the swelling goes down - hence the year without a skull or a plate).  I also had to have a bodyguard at school.  I lost my identity as I became known as the “the girl who got kicked.”  My mother was afraid to let me out of the house during the day.  I was a latch key kid and I couldn’t even go out and sit on the porch (even though I did sometimes).  But even through losing my identity and suffering rejection, the Lord BEGAN teaching me about how my identity was in Him.  I cannot tell you how He did it.  I just know He did.  Those circumstances pushed me closer to Him.  I was alone for so many hours, many times He the only One with whom I had conversation.  When my mom would finally get home and I could go outside, I would put on my helmet, jump on my bike and down the road I would fly.  I felt safe in the Father’s hand - probably due to how close He seemed to me.  Even though our church taught more about what we could not do than what we were supposed to be, through His nearness, God was training me up throughout those years.  By the time I was in High School, I was very solid in my stand for Christ.  Not popular at all, but the one to whom kids came when they were in trouble.

I could go on with story after story about what each experience did to help me grow spiritually.  I probably do not even fully realize all of what God has done to this day.  It really does not matter if I ever know until eternity. What I do know blows my mind already.  It is enough to know His hand has been on my life since birth.  With tears of joy, I can pray His Word in Ephesians 2:10 about my life:

For I am God’s workmanship [formed in the secret place and fashioned over time by the Potter’s hand], created IN CHRIST JESUS to do good works [and a specific work] which He prepared in advance for me [and has trained me all the days of my life] to do [in Him to the glory of God, my Father.]”

Truth Number Eight:

He Trains Our Hands for Battle

When we are dead to our flesh, we are better equipped to wage spiritual warfare. 

In 1997, two weeks after I received the revelation from God about why He allowed me to experience death so many times, I got extremely sick.  I found myself in the bathroom, standing in the dark with Abbey clinging to my leg.  I began to cry out to the Lord.  I said, “What on earth have I done?  I was on the mountain and I feel like I have fallen off a cliff! When did it happen?  How did it happen?  The Lord very clearly spoke to me and said, “You have taken Jericho.  I left giants in the land to teach my young men to make war.  Now face your giant and fight until you win” (Judges 3:1-2). I was not a happy camper, but I knew I had no choice.  God had lifted His hand and the same spirit of death that I had seen in my dreams was pursuing me again.

For six weeks, I cried out in prayer, standing on the Word of God.  I praised the Lord and I worshipped the Lord.  I barely had a voice, but I squeaked and cried day after day.  I would stay up all night long praying just knowing that with the dawn would come my victory only to find another day of battle.

The first week, I went to the Emergency Room at 2:00 a.m. with chest pains.  They couldn’t find anything wrong with me.  I went in days later and I had pneumonia.  Then before I could get over that I had the Asian flu and on and on it went.  I would sleep when I could and pray when I could not.  I would read my Bible and listen to the Word on tape.  During the day, I would put in worship tapes and just sing my heart out before the Lord.  I had to call friends over in the middle of the day and get David up in the middle of the night to speak the Word over me because I felt like I was going down and could not pick myself back up.

My sweet Abbey just played every day so well.  I know she has pondered all these things in her heart.  She knows what it is like to war, to pray through, to worship and to experience victory.  She has seen the hand of the enemy, and the mighty hand of God come and defeat the enemy over and over and over again.

Finally, the night before I was healed, a friend was praying for me.  The Lord opened her spiritual eyes and she saw the spirit of death.  But the Lord showed her that he was there by legal right and he was not budging yet.  About 2:00 a.m., the Lord awakened me and said, “Have you had enough?”  I was so glad to hear that.  I told Him, “YES!”  He told me what I had to do.  But what He said did not indicate that He was going to heal my problem.  He told me to do something that through obedience for the rest of my life would keep me free from the problem.  I asked Him why He would not just heal me.  His response was similar to what He told Paul when He said, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9).  He assured me that a complete healing would not benefit me as much.  He told me to contact a woman and to do whatever she said.  I had never met her or heard of her.  The next day I found out who she was through a friend and made an appointment to meet her.   She was a nutritionist and health educator. Her services were $125.00 (which I did not have) but I booked the appointment anyway, hung up the phone and said, “OK Lord, I need some money.”  Two hours later I received a phone call where my Emergency Room physician that I saw for my chest pain had decided not to charge me and was returning the check I had already sent for my bill.  The check was for $125.00.

After that appointment, my diet and my lifestyle changed drastically!  I lived a fasted lifestyle for the next seven years!  How ironic.  At the time I first wrote about this, I had just heard the message from Mike Bickle entitled, “Forerunners with a Holy Violent Love.”  I had no idea that what the Lord had me doing all that time was not only restoring my health but was also a strategic form of spiritual warfare.  The benefits of this obedience combined with an ongoing desire to know the Lord more kept me going for all those years.  Since then, I have seen some of the most incredible answers to prayer.

It was all in His master plan for me.  He is always doing something incredible and it usually takes me years to figure out just what He is doing.  Looking back, the picture always comes together - eventually.  That is about the same time span as when the Lord uses the word, "Soon...".  Many of you know exactly what I mean!  Isn't it always through our rear-view mirror that we see things most clearly?  It's a good reason to keep our mouth shut in the midst of what we're going through.

Selah.

Hidden in Christ, even when we do not see it, He is ever training our hands for battle so that we can defeat our enemies.  as we decrease, He increases (John 3:30).  As we humble ourselves, He lifts us up (James 4:10).  When He rises up in us, our enemies are scattered (Psalm 68:1) and we truly walk with His authority (Luke 10:19).  Never again have I battled that spirit since that time in 1998.  He put a sword in my hand and it was that season at the Gilgal of my life (Joshua 5:9) that He truly removed the reproach of the spirit of death.