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Discipleship Getting Help Intercession Prayer

Prayer & Ministry Targets

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What are prayer and ministry targets? Prayer for and ministry to people and situations where you can see the wanted results as the Kingdom of God spreads.

Answers to prayer with targets that you can see for yourself. Fruit of ministry that can you can see and and appreciate.

Too few people know this. It’s a sort of secret. More people should know: most prayer gets results, and quickly. With wonderful speed. Most ministry yields good fruit – with very good and rapid results.

Why do not more people know? Why are we ourselves so slow to recognize and see this? Well, for me, it’s anxiousness for wanted results. We focus so much on results we want and do not see that we focus less on our Lord. We focus on so much we do not notice how rapid the results usually are, because we’ve moved on to the next thing we do not have or do not see. And we focus on and remember our pain and disappointments more than on our joy and successes.

It’s sort of amazing that we have enough faith to get so much done. But we look at results so little because we focus on the next thing we do not yet experience or have.

In your Prayer Journal or elsewhere (I used index cards) note what you pray for and what you minister for – and note the results and date each of these. You will be as astounded as I was to discover that most prayer yields excellent results and most ministry bears good fruit. And you will delight at the speed. And you will wonder why this sometimes doesn’t happen – you will investigate and learn.

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Calling Conversation with God Hearing God Prayer Presence of God Vocation

From Quarantine to Swamp

Dorothea finally got outside after having been in her apartment for months because of the quarantine. She’s been waiting for this! She needed to escape!

Stuck with her two children and her husband, who had become cranky. She’s been feeling responsible for them all and for taking care of them. She needed to do something for herself and to get out on her own. She was feeling desperate!

She drove past some stores, and decided to get away from people, so she kept going. Went out of town and finally stopped at a rest stop. Sat briefly at the picnic table and decided she had to move. So she got up to walk.

Starting walking next to the road and wanted to be even more away from people driving by, so she turned into the woods and started to enjoy the trees. The smell of pine, the texture of bark, the soft ground beneath her feet – captivated her senses. Dorothea felt joy.

And kept walking. And walking. And after a long while, had been walking so much she did not yet even realize that she was lost. She no longer had no idea where she was.

Suddenly she noticed that she was surrounded by trees and by forest which all looked very much the same: she finally realized, she no longer knew where she was or how to get back.

Still glad to be outside, she decided to just keep going. She was trying to get back. Humidity was increasing. The ground was gradually becoming more wet.

Finally, it dawned on Dorothea: she had entered the edge of a swamp. And she was afraid. Panic set in as she knew she was not only lost, she was in danger. Breathing became fast, humidity turned into sweat so heavy it was hard to see. Wet earth pulled at her shoes with a sucking sound when she lifted her feet. And the water became deeper, deeper by quarter inches, but deeper.

Finally, she knew. She was in trouble. She could die here. She turned and turned; if she was lost before and disoriented, she was completely disoriented now.

There is something about disorientation that affects us deeply, strongly, and that is much more strongly than we ever expect.

She tried to catch her breath. To be still. To look and see through the trees something she could recognize. None of it worked, and despite sweating profusely, she was getting cold. It had been getting darker, and she had not noticed. The absence of light coming through the trees was like a dark, heavy wet blanket being thrown over her, and she felt it. Weighed down.

She tried again to orient, to be calm, to see something she could recognize. To slow down…even to just slow down her breathing. Still, none of this was working. The more she tried and failed, the more complete and widespread her panic was becoming.

Desperate, she prayed. Not with good focus, but with urgency and panic. Out loud, she prayed. She heard her voice of desperation…and suddenly realized she had spoken out loud. She was moving into a frenzy.

In the distance she almost heard something, she thought. So she stopped. Listened. She heard it again, a little better this time. She could almost tell that it was a voice. But it was too far away to hear well. Too soft to make out the sounds.

And she realized, suddenly, there were no sounds. It was silence and stillness speaking to her, directly, from inside of her…not from a distance. The delicate whisper-like word she was hearing was Silence and Stillness speaking to her, directly.

Without words out of the stillness she heard. “Stop. Still, be still. Stop and be still” – if the stillness that was speaking so very directly to her were translated into words.

It was soft beyond soft, still beyond stillness. It was Stillness speaking to her without actual words – yet she knew in her deepest being that this was directed directly to her. A sense of accountability was already arising from within her as she began to hear.

“Stop. Still, be still. Stop and be still.”

And she stopped. Became still. Waited, expectantly.

She was realizing, it was coming to her, that she knew which way to turn. Which way to walk. And she had an inner confidence and fortitude that she did not have before. The fear and the lostness were authentic things that she pressed against and resisted now.

One step after another. She did not know where she was was going to, or what it would be like when she got there. Did not know how to get there. But the next step was always clear. Not the one after that, just the next step.

So she walked and walked, into the growing darkness, one step, then another and another step.

Then she saw it. Light! Kept going, almost trudging. She was exhausted. The deep tired that comes after great fear or having been lost and just keeping going on one step at a time.

She saw light coming from a window. Then a cabin. And she noticed that the ground wasn’t wet anymore.

She was home. She knew it. Deep in her bones she felt it and went almost to the door when an older woman stepped outside to greet her with a smile so warm you could bake cookies with it.

The lady took her inside, gave her clean, dry clothes. And she lay down and slept. She knew not for how long.

She woke in the morning light to the sounds of a crackling fire with fresh, dry wood – the fireplace.

The scent of cinnamon tea and something baked filled her nostrils. She was more hungry than a polite person could ever be, and it did not matter. She was given biscuits and tea and she just consumed them.

She told her story and was given answers to questions with no delay, she felt safe. She was surprised how safe she felt. She even told the nice lady this, how wonderfully safe and held she felt inside.

The grandmotherly lady, hearing Dorothea’s name, asked gently and warmly, “Do you know what your name means?” No…I never thought about it, Dorothea said.

The news about her name was surprising.

“Dorothy is a female given name. It comes from Greek Δωροθέα (Dōrothéa) meaning “God’s Gift”, from δῶρον (dōron), “gift”[1] + θεός (theós), “god”.[2] 

Although much less common, there are also male equivalents in English such as “Dory” from the Greek masculine Δωρόθεος (Dōrótheos).

Also, the given names Theodore and Theodora are derived from the same two Greek root words as Dorothy, albeit reversed in order. The name is variously abbreviated to “Dot”, “Dotty” and “Doll”.” From Wikipedia

Dorothea means, “God’s Gift”. Her life had purpose and meaning, and she has a destiny.

The lady told her, you followed Still Small Voice to get here; it was God who directed your steps, one by one. And you heard. And even in the middle of panic and huge fear, you followed…and came here. Of course our Lord takes you to a safe place.

I’ll not tell you more details of how she got home and to her family now, but I will tell you this, instead – which is far better. Without realizing it, she had stepped into a live experience of the Presence of God. She heard his voice, and she followed.

And she knew deep inside that she could always stop and be still and listen, when things were hard. And she would know deep within herself that she would be okay. She would always be okay. Safe. And even rescued, if such were needed.

A lesson you can have in your own heart and in the depths of your inner being. Just stop. Let go of everything else. Be still. Ask.

You will know. God’s help is yours and you have a destiny. So be glad. Even in these times. Especially in these times.

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Fire Holy Spirit Joy Shaking

Fear not because of Shaking or Fire

Life is good! Fear not because of shaking or fire.

These are times of great shaking. That which can be shaken and removed, will be shaken and removed. That which can be cleansed or refined by fire, will be cleansed and refined.

Times of shaking and fire such as are now happening are hard, and scary, too. It is hard and scary, and will be for a while. Then it change comes. So persist. And there is another side to what is happening, too easy to miss when times are hard and scary. We are getting a foretaste of something wonderful.

In fact, we are already in getting a taste of heaven on earth. A foretaste, if you will:

  • God is already with us and in us; we are his people.
  • We have been being prepared as his Bride, and
  • When we experience God in us, with us or near us, even now, we have no suffering – even where there has been pain. Our Lord fills us with joy.
  • He has baptised us with refining fire, and we are, even now, being shaken. So it’s important to know what to do.
  • As usual, when we have heard God and do as he says, we and our works survive cleansing and refining – fire and shaking.

We can and will survive cleansing and shaking as we do as Holy Spirit says to us. We are already God’s people, and Immanuel is with us, Holy Spirit is in us, and when we follow Holy Spirit, we have Fruit of the Spirit – including love and joy. We experience love and joy!

Life is good! Fear not because of shaking or fire.

Let me show you, and make the case for this being true.

~ ~ ~

First, what is coming, and what I believe we already have access to a foretaste of:

All Things Made New

21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, [a]John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said [b]to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (NKJV, Revelation 21: 1-5.)

What glorious and wonderful promises God makes to us! He will make all things new and dwell with us and we will be his people. New Jerusalem is “prepared as a bride for her husband”. He will be our God. No more pain….

How are all things made new? What happens first? I don’t really know, but here’s what makes sense to me. First, not everything lasts or survives.

What lasts? That which survives fire or shaking.

There are many biblical examples of fire for refining mentioned in scripture. And the baptism by Jesus mentioned in Luke 3:16-17 promises not only Holy Spirit, but also fire for cleansing.

16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” NKJV, Luke 3:16-17.

The effects of such fire reminds me of shaking, where things that can be shaken will be shaken. What survives shaking lasts, as seen in Hebrews 12: 25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I [k]shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. (NKJV)

What survives fire and shaking?

We who listen to and do as God says! You and your works are much more likely to survive shaking and cleansing, even survive refining – when we have heard God and do as he says. (If this isn’t clear, review Hebrews 12 above, the first verse, verse 25.)

These are times of great shaking. That which can be shaken and removed, will be shaken and removed. That which can be cleansed or refined by fire, will be cleansed and refined.

I think we are already in process to get a taste of this. A foretaste, if you will:

  • God is already with us and in us; we are his people.
  • We have been being prepared as his Bride, and
  • When we experience God in us, with us or near us, even now, we have no suffering. Our Lord fills us with joy.
  • He has baptised us with refining fire, and we are, even now, being shaken.
  • As usual, when we have heard God and do as he says, we and our works survive cleansing and refining – fire and shaking.

We can and will survive cleansing and shaking as we do what Holy Spirit says to us. We are already God’s people, and Immanuel is with us, Holy Spirit is in us, and when we follow Holy Spirit we have fruit of the Spirit including love and joy.

Life is good! Fear not because of shaking or fire.

Categories
Hearing God Holy Spirit Joy

Letting Happiness Reign

Yesterday an excellent friend and ministry partner, Debi Mealey Pitcairn Flory, http://www.monentswithnettie.com/, reminded me I had not let happiness loose in her sight very much, lately. She was especially glad to see me letting loose with fun and happiness while we talked.

I didn’t recognize it then, but she was resonating with and saying what Holy Spirit was saying…. A very important thing.

Then, this morning, all of my three large dogs came to see me, very excited. Usually this means we should go out where I can watch them play – like children on a merry-go-round, they love to be watched when playing. It’s somehow very important.

I did something better, because in my mind’s eye I could clearly see D’s face and hear what she said to me yesterday. So I moved from computer and desk where the dogs cannot have good access to me to a nearby small couch. Now all three doggies can crowd around.

So I sang to them, using their names; telling them how good they are – all things they love. We played. Touched, tagged, and rubbed up against each other. I sometimes grabbed necks and kissed faces – right between the eyes.

They danced with happiness, and I let joy reign.

Later, while walking around (I recently stopped using aids to walk unless tired) I danced for the dogs! (I’d been doing what I call “chair dancing” for a while to Renaissance Dance and other delightful dance music, but I had not stood to dance in years.) Today I danced, standing. The dogs love it when I stand and dance. Go figure! <grinning>

All because of an excellent reminder from a brilliant friend!

How might you be a grand friend to someone today? How might you let happiness reign and rule for a while, magnificently, in your life?

What does Holy Spirit have to say to a friend of yours that you can agree with and say out loud? (You can ask and find out. A fine thing for you to be doing!)

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Getting Help Holy Spirit Joy

Bootstrap as Holy Spirit

I have a friend, Debi Mealey Pitcairn Flory, http://www.monentswithnettie.com/, who just inspired me with a previously unknown Name for Holy Spirit.

Like some wounded people, I thought I was doing stuff by myself, for myself. I believed no one else was helping me.

She had pulled herself up by her bootstrap many times. As I have done, though I did not use the word “bootstrap”. We each thought we were doing things by ourselves, for ourselves, and were caught in the illusion that we had been alone, doing what needed to be done.

I have made a wonderful discovery. My friend pulled back the curtain on this issue for me. Opened the curtain to show what I had never noticed before.

When I had thought I was doing stuff for myself because I had to and no one else was there to help me, Bootstrap was already there – has always been here. Helping me – Bootstrap is a Helper, not a “Do it for you-er”. Bootstrap, Holy Spirit, was always already present and helping.

I have discovered I was never alone. Holy Spirit has always been here, helping, including helping me to do things – even when I thought I was alone.

Holy Spirit was always here, sent by Jesus – to help guide and comfort me. To help.

Father sent Jesus, and is with me and for me, cheering me on like any wonderful father, as I keep on trying. Certain that I can do all the wonderful things I am made to grow into and do. I can do it! I can do it! He is cheering me on, always. He knew from before the beginning and has always had excellent plans for me.

A big thanks to my friend, Debi Mealey Pitcairn Flory, http://www.monentswithnettie.com/, for uncovering this mystery. And to Bootstrap, who has helped make all this possible.

Categories
Conversation with God Jesus's Communication Joy

A Revelation that Jesus Loves You?

When you get this revelation, what do you look like? How are you looking different?

Would you like to know?

Have a personal revelation from Jesus himself that affects you and transforms you and improves your life. Changes how you experience your universe.

You need to know. You hunger for the truth of this deep on the inside.

You can find out. Have a conversation with Jesus and listen. Ask what you hunger to know so that when you hear this from him, there will be no question in your mind.

When Jesus tells you such a thing as this, you know. You know that you know. You feel it in your heart, soul, and the feeling overflows into your body. So much so it changes you.

I wonder who else will notice the changes in you?

Categories
Healing Holy Spirit Joy Kingdom of God Pain

You Are Restored

A New Person — Tatiana Syrikova – Unsplash

Life has wounded you – too many times! You hurt inside, because we live in a broken world. A world full of many kinds of trouble.

Jesus has restored you. Completely. Will you take joy in this?

If you live in the Kingdom of God, this is already true for you: you have been and are completely restored. In fact, you’ve even been made better than you were before.

If you do not yet live in the Kingdom of God, begin now. It’s a simple thing once you hear it and when the truth of it resonates deeply in you.

Then you discover that Jesus has actually already restored you. A wonderful discovery for you to make.

This is just a fact. But, for you to experience this as fully and completely as you can, there is a condition:

You trust, rely and really depend on your Restoration more than you trust and depend on old injuries. You trust Jesus more than you trust the Adversary or in a horribly broken world. And more than you trust old injuries.

Will you do this? (You may have habits of trusting injuries and brokenness more than your Restoration to Wholeness and Joy.)

Want some hints on how to do this even better? I’m glad you asked. Here are some especially uncomplicated ways to accomplish this (life is easy when you are doing these things – hard when you do not). Try them one at a time and discover which you are best at, which is most easy and effective for you.

  • Follow or walk in line with Holy Spirit. You will experience Fruit of the Spirit, including love and joy. (See Galations 5:16-25.)
  • Be full of Holy Spirit. Ask for more and receive by faith.
  • Put the right standing with God and the Kingdom of God first. This will re-align all your values in the present moment, and you will be much more in tune with the Kingdom of God.
  • Love God with all your heart, soul and strength. Allow God’s love for you to spill over to others.
  • Trust God and resist evil. In fact, draw closer to God and resist evil: a simple two direction move that will give you freedom and joy!

When you are experiencing God – as Jesus, Holy Spirit, Father – or all of these Persons of the Trinity – and you realize that Jesus is near (that’s why one of his names is Immanuel – God with us), or realize that Holy Spirit actually already lives inside of you, or how much Father loves you and has had good plans for you before the beginning – when you realize and rejoice in the nearness of God or God’s life already in you — life is easier, joyful and you are whole.

Your New Person, created by God as you came into the Kingdom, is already whole and complete and fully restored. Experience this! It’s a glorious way to live.

It is your Old Self that has the wounds and injuries. (Not you.) This is who died when you were born again. Don’t you dare live out of your dead Old Self when you can live out of your resurrected New Person!

Your New Person has no wounds. Your New Person – the real and alive “you” already has Holy Spirit – your Comforter, Guide and your Advocate for when you are being accused.

You have been completely restored, and more. Rejoice! (It’s a choice. An outstanding choice! Don’t be tricked by habits or a broken world or by the devil into living out of injuries that aren’t even alive – aren’t even really yours any more.)

Rejoice! A most excellent way to be living!

Categories
Blessings Multiply Calling Ministry Success

Realize & Accept Who You Are Called To?

When you finally realize and accept who God called you to minister to, who God equipped you to minister to, and who are the people group in your heart, you will:

  • When you find who God calls you to, you will find your love and enjoyment through.
  • You will find love streaming through your heart to them.
  • The love of God flows through you and ministers to them.
  • You know you are authentic and real and so is your love, when you discover and accept who God called you to serve.
  • Many people are waiting for you and for the message God is giving you. Reaching them is easy when you accept this.
  • You reach them with the smile of God.
  • You are gifted to serve them and to minister to them.
  • God gifted these people to receive through you.
  • Love pours out to them, and from them to you. That’s the love of God.

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Holy Spirit Intercession Ministry Miracles

A Secret to Powerful Ministry

There are a few secrets to powerful ministry. This is one.

I am surprised & delighted at how many powerful ministries do this.

When I remember to get this done, even a little, my ministry is stronger, better, more powerful. I am more gifted and smarter. The people I serve pull out the best in me so well they help me do my best – better than I knew I could do. I learn a lot through the people I am ministering to.

It’s simple. Prayer support. The more prayer support the better!

Here are some ideas about how to do this:

  • Jesus sent people in pairs to minister, and he gave us this standard. You minister with someone else; this is how you normally do ministry with the standard set by Jesus. So while one talks, the other prays – for the person ministering. That Holy Spirit inspires and helps.
  • When you go somewhere to minister, have your personal and ministry intercessor teams pray for you and your ministry. You and your family are more safe when prayed for. Ministry is more powerful, effective and inspired when you prayed for.
  • At a place of ministry, have intercessors. Always, always, always have a ministry prayer team. If no one else, have your ministry partner pray. Add people who are there already. Even non-believers. (Doing this plants powerful seeds in non-believers.)
  • When teaching in a local church or elsewhere, ask some to intercede for you. Ask everyone to pray for you also, that you minister with more inspiration, love and power.

Many of us expect that intercessors should pray for the person being ministered to. My experience and that of some I’ve learned from tells me it’s most effective that the power of prayer goes through you to the person being ministered to. Explore this and find out for yourself.

Categories
Anointing Calling Joy Ministry Success Vocation

Favor of God in Show Business

I have a brilliant friend, Herb Otter, Jr. – who has long been in show business. Says he often gets terrible reviews and people talk about not wanting him. Yet they keep calling him back to perform more. He has had as much business as he could handle.

How does this happen, you might wonder?

I am sure I know why. He has Jesus in him; he expresses Jesus often. He has Holy Spirit in him and on him.

He also considers his audience; on purpose he gives them fun and shows the value of improvising. He also teaches, encourages, and reminds us all to have fun and to improvise.

Personally, I have long suspected that this is his mission: to teach, encourage and remind us to improvise and have fun. It’s a brilliant way to live!

Also…this sounds to me a lot like the work of Holy Spirit that he’s teaching and encouraging. This is an important part of how Holy Spirit operates in us, and through us, and in our lives.