Categories
Getting Help Healing Holy Spirit Jesus Prayer Prayer, Intercession, Angels,

Jesus Teaches How to Pray

Jesus Teaches us – Intimately and Personally

Jesus will teach you how to pray – if you ask and also pay close attention to whatever it is you experience next. I’m still learning a lot, and he always surprises me. Here’s a recent example.

A good friend was lighting a heater, there was an explosion, and his eyes hurt so much he could not open them. So he went to the hospital emergency room.

I asked Jesus how to pray for him. I saw a thick white line out in front of my eyes; I was seeing through the face of the person who was hurt. Normally, I’d ignore such a strange thing to see, continuing to ask for an answer and looking for one. Which would mean I would miss the answer Jesus had already given.

I’ve learned that the first thing I experience after asking is literally the answer as to how I am to pray. So I prayed by seeing that thick white line in front of my eyes, as I identified as though being the person who was hurt.

This made no sense to me. Even more than usual, this made no sense to me. But I’ve been learning that what I experience first, after asking Jesus how to pray for someone or something – is my answer, and this is literally what I am to do.

This morning the line was far thinner. And I continue to pray this way, seeing that white line, no longer thick, as if through the eyes of my friend who had been hurt. Jesus is healing him.

I also realize that even if I am mistaken in how I am seeing what Jesus says about how to pray, when I pray as I am shown, I am praying with faith.

And I realized my friend is getting better, and I knew he would be okay. And I am to continue to pray this way, enforcing the answer to my question about how to pray in this situation, for this person, until the answer is completely enforced and his healing is complete.

Jesus will also teach me when I’m done, if I am attentive to this issue. He sends Holy Spirit to give me what I need.

And for most of my life I’ve missed the answers he’s given, I suspect, because his answers surprise me so much, seem so unusual and unexpected. And because I had not thought to ask how I should pray; I presumed I knew how to intercede – without asking Jesus and paying close attention to what he says to me through Holy Spirit.

I am slow…but I am learning.

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Evangelize Jesus Joy Key Article Kingdom of God Ministry Presence of God

Experience Jesus

Jesus Invites – by Sitara

I realized something recently that surprised and delighted me. Some years ago I introduced maybe as many as 75 people to how to experience Jesus for themselves, experiencing Jesus in their heart. It was based on a key decision, which I explained they could undo if they did not like the experience or did not want to continue to experience Jesus. Not a single one chose to not continue to experience Jesus in their hearts. That’s astounding, there is little that we humans do that works so well. But then, this was the work of Holy Spirit….

Most of these people went on to be baptized in water, and then be baptized in Holy Spirit. We met in one of three houses, rotating where we met for about two years. Our weekly meetings lasted 6-8 hours; some people came early, others left early. We didn’t have 75 people at these meetings, but the house was always pretty full.

During that time, discipling happened, helped and led by Holy Spirit.

Regardless, we all learned how to experience Jesus. And everyone liked this so much they wanted to continue.

I was inspired to try this with people by Holy Spirit when reading scripture. It was long ago, and I’m not sure, but I suspect I had been reading 1 John, Chapter 4.

Here’s how it went, helping people to experience Jesus for themselves:

Try out these beliefs, and check your heart: you will be experiencing Jesus in your heart.

If you don’t like it, just decide against those beliefs.

Jesus is fully man, completely human.

Jesus is fully God, he is God.

When you believe both of these things: you can experience Jesus in your heart.

Hallelujah!

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Discipleship Intercession Key Article Kingdom of God Ministry Prayer

Ministry Size & Fame

Public Ministry is Like Being on a Stage

Most of us are called to minister in our sphere of influence. There is a deep satisfaction to ministering where we are to people we can touch with the Kingdom of God.

This is a safe place to practice, learn, and minister in. Your ego will be tempted far less than in some other spheres. It’s a good idea to start where you are, and to follow Holy Spirit as in Galatians 5. The Fruit is good!

I notice that when I minister in my sphere of influence, Holy Spirit often noticeably helps. I feel safe, secure, helpful. Inspired. Temptations of my ego and flesh are minimal. Holy Spirit moves.

Please notice for yourself what it is like for you when you minister in your sphere of influence.

Then there is the Normal Christian Pattern of Ministry Growth. That Jesus taught, his disciples followed, and ministry and church growth – Kingdom of God spreading – was rapid and overcame the Roman Empire. (Until Constantine when they started using expensive buildings and stopped Christians from ministering and turned most of them into passive participants. That’s another story.)

Jesus sent disciples out in pairs. See Mathew 10 & Luke 10. Go. Go minister. Jesus even gives directions on how to do this without money or buildings. Sent people go out in pairs. Take little with them. Depend on resources to live from where they stay, in houses of peace. Ministering to the people who know and are in contact with a house of peace is easy. As healing happens, as people are set free, you become busy.

Be not burdened with seeking fame, money, or expensive buildings that eat up resources for ministry. Follow the pattern in the Gospels. Share the Good News of the Kingdom. Heal the sick. Free the bound. Some people will be eager to learn more: make disciples, of all sorts of people. Disciples that meet together are the start of an ecclesia – often translated as church.

(A church is a gathering of believers, not an expensive building.)

Doing these things will cause increasing numbers of people being ministered to, healed and set free. You will become busy as word gets out – the need is great and there are many in great need. Disciples who plant ecclesias will multiply, and multiply, and the numbers can become amazing before too long.

This is a simple and powerful pattern that Jesus demonstrated, taught, and that his Disciples followed. This pattern still works today.

A few are called – a few – to larger and more public ministry. These are few, and the traps and dangers are many: various temptations. Big expenses and big egos are rampant. Selling the current culture of entertainment works, and becomes part of ministries – too often without Holy Spirit. Tricks of theater can become ineffective substitutes for Holy Spirit, as can enlarged egos of people who seek fame.

Theater skills and lessons can be used well in ministry. Some do this on a full time basis, some part of the time. Too many are distracted by worldly fame and worldly methods – this is not a path that is safe or good for everyone! Take care. Follow Holy Spirit, always; and you will be doing well. For Jesus sends us Holy Spirit for such reasons as these.


The most successful ministers and ministries have intercessors – before, during and after ministry. (This is true whether ministry be large or small; is part of the the Normal Pattern of Ministry Growth that Jesus gave us. Jesus sent people out in pairs. One prays while the other ministers, I was taught early on – and this works amazingly well.)

Teams of intercessors leads to more effective and powerful ministries.

Best is to always minister where God calls you to minister. If you are not clear, ask for more of Holy Spirit. Then ask for where you are to minister. Usually you will not be given a grand plan or a grand assignment. Usually you will be given a single step to follow and do, where you will learn what you need for future next steps.

You will make mistakes and run into obstacles. Holy Spirit will show you what’s next, as you continue to learn. We love our successes and learn most from our failures. After five or six good failures, your ministry will likely be taking off.

You may become famous or have acclaim. If this is for the glory of God, you and your ego and flesh may be safe from temptation.

Seek first the praise of God.

Categories
Getting Help Key Article Kingdom of God Miracles Prayer

Ask for Kingdom Rule

Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God is where everything works the way it did in Paradise, Eden. God rules, with love and gives hope, always.

So when you have a problem or difficulty, Ask for the Kingdom of God to rule in that part of your life. (Or even better – all of your life!)

Expect good miracles.

Expect God’s rule to replace that of Satan’s.

So simple. Easy. Effective!

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Discipleship Gospel Heaven Jesus

Experience a bit of Heaven – Now!

Experience what heaven is like, now. You can do this.

It has been explained to me that the essence of heaven is being face to face with God. Even more near God and God more fully present to us than we have experienced yet here on earth. (Sounds to me like more close than we could experience here and live.)

And yet, we can experience more of our Lord. Being with us and near us; which is the start of how Jesus preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom: the Kingdom is at hand (literally within reach).

We can experience more of this now. By faith.

Let us take seriously such promises, and seek to experience more of them now.

When the New Heaven and New Earth come about, God will literally be our Light, all the time. This is how close we will be: our Light and ability to see is from our Lord. On a daily basis, regularly.

This means that as we go about our business, doing what we do…God is our Light. God is experienced more vividly by us.

So when we read such things as this in the book of Revelation, let us take it seriously; meditate on such verses. Appropriate them and know them as true, by faith.

Then, in such faith, you will experience more of God – even during ordinary life and events. While you are busy and doing things, God is our Light in the New Heaven and New Earth.

Know the truth of this now. And in your heart, with such faith, even to just understand a little bit, such verses and such promises, you will find yourself experiencing some of this – more than has been normal for you.

On earth, these days, when we get busy we get distracted, usually, from thoughts, experience and realization of the reality of God and the Kingdom. In the New Heaven and New Earth, God is the center and literally our Light. We can have awareness of God at all times.

Begin to experience this now, with faith. How wonderful and unusual, experiencing God as close and as our Light even as we go about our business.

Such is the Kingdom of God, for us. Appropriate and receive and experience this in your heart now, with faith, simply by taking his Word seriously. With faith.

And your heart will know and experience the Light of God always with you now….

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Faith Hearing God Jesus Key Article Ministry Miracles

Faith is Easy, When —

Faith is easy when we hear and rely on a word from God. Faith comes to us by hearing, and what we hear that gives faith is a Word from God.

We hear the Word. We hear Jesus, the creator of heaven and earth.

So…you understand, in a general way, that God does certain things and wants certain things to happen, like the destruction of the works of the devil. Such as Restoration, Salvo – including healing and freedom from unclean spirits (such things are what Jesus came for).

But without a personal Word from God that you hear personally, it is hard to have faith; likely impossible – otherwise we are trying to have faith in our thoughts or even worse, faith in our faith. Which I can tell you by too much disappointing experience – is not only extremely hard, it does not work.

But faith in what you hear from Jesus, the Word of God that created since the beginning before time and light, such faith works. And as long as you are experientially in touch, in contact, with that Word, faith is relatively easy and God’s inspiration always makes it easier.

So…how do you get such faith when you do not yet have it? Hear from God.

How to hear from God in such a personal way when you have not yet personally heard from God? It’s simple. Even easy. ASK.

Ask Jesus. (you are first having faith in Jesus.)

Pause, listen, receive and hear; and let faith blossom. (You are receiving a Word from Jesus. Have faith in that Word. Act – receive and take action to receive and have or experience what you have asked for. Taking action is not only part of the process Jesus repeatedly promised, it’s an outcome of and a result of your faith.)

So when you know something is wanted or promised in scripture, by God, and you have not heard in a personal way that gives you personal revelation and insight, ASK.

Ask, receive, knock – take appropriate next step action.

If you want a baby, maybe get a crib. At least buy diapers. Start getting ready to have what you have asked for and what Jesus gives you a personal, inspiring, revelatory message for: have faith.

If you want to heal someone, ask Jesus – how do I pray. Notice what you experience next, and pray – doing that. Until healing is completely and thoroughly enforced, the prayer results have shown up. (Ask – Jesus. Receive – guidance about how to pray. Act [action is like knocking on a door] to open up what you are having faith for – open that door for Jesus. Jesus makes it easy.)

Faith is easy. Ask Jesus. Listen – receive. Knock – act on your faith.

Faith is easy when done right. The Word makes such faith possible. Grab onto it!

And do not proceed on your own ideas about how to do something without faith or guidance from God. Sarah tried that, and the results have been not only the birth of a difficult child, but the birth of a people-group that have been in conflict with Israel ever since.

Faith is easy. Ask, Receive, and Act (like knocking on a door) – to be ready to have what you have asked for.

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Discipleship Father Holy Spirit Jesus Key Article Purpose

Your Purpose in Life

Jesus Sitting on a Mountain by the Sea of Galilee Matthew 15:29

You have a Purpose in Life.

Father always knew what is is. Jesus knows what it is. Holy Spirit can help you find out.

You can discover your Purpose in Life. You can have such clarity. You can have certainty. Suddenly, many things become clear.

It is simple. Oh, so very simple. And not always easy!

I will tell you what it is, your Purpose in Life. Yet, you will, at best, need your own revelation from God. Then you will understand your Purpose in greater depth. And probably in a way different than I put it, though this way is certainly correct and true.

So be prepared to Ask Jesus, and listen to and listen for what Holy Spirit shows or tells you. Or what thoughts or feelings or memories come to mind. Remember, God’s first language is not English. So be alert and pay sharp attention, notice what you experience. Ask for greater clarity.

Ask, seek, and take actions, such as knocking at a door. (See Mt. 7:7-8)

Your Purpose grows out of being a sincere disciple. A disciple is someone who takes action and does what they are shown. They learn to do what their teacher demonstrates and shows and tells about and teaches.

Your Master and master teacher is Jesus. You are, I certainly hope, a disciple; if you are not sure – please pray and ask for forgiveness and make a new and deeper decision to learn to be a good disciple.

So you can grow into the character and ministry of Jesus (start with the Fruit of the Spirit, see Gal. 5; and go on to the Gifts of the Spirit so you can minister more like Jesus does, see 1 Cor. 12).

Your Purpose in Life is to learn and grow into being more like Jesus. Having the character and ministry of Jesus, becoming more and more like Jesus. In how you are, who you are, and in what you do. Express more and more of Jesus in your life.

And you get to these things with your own unique gifts and abilities – all given by God. You get to do this in your own way, learning from others, yes – but being your unique self in your own sphere of influence.

I encourage you to pray, to ask, seek and yes, to knock – and let Holy Spirit impart a revelation to you of this, a revelation Father saw for you from before time, let Jesus model and teach you through scriptures and in your life, and Holy Spirit will give you access to the character and ministry of Jesus in your own time and place and in your own unique way.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor. 3:18, NKJV)

Pause in the Presence of God.

Categories
Discipleship Healing Holy Spirit Jesus Joy Kingdom of God Ministry Presence of God

New Person – New in Christ, Heals Easily

New Person – New in Christ, Heals Easily. aaron-burden-lW79kLuvl8E-unsplash

You are fully restored, in Jesus Christ, when you are born again.

Your New Person, New in Christ, Heals Easily.

So…you can heal easily. Just being restored to who you really are, in Jesus.

So…you can heal others and minister to their needs, easily, because of who you already are, in Jesus.

Your New Person, in Jesus Christ, has no wounds or injuries.

Your New Person, in Jesus Christ, follows Holy Spirit, is full of Holy Spirit, and ministers powerfully, effectively and easily.

Your New Person – is the preferred way to be living.

Your New Person – is the preferred way to minister.

This is simple. Easy, when you are doing it – hard when you are not living out of your New Person.

Why would you live any other way?

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Calling Conversation with God Discipleship Father Holy Spirit Jesus Trinity

Greeting Members of Trinity

Prague – The baroque painting of Holy Trinity in church kostel Svatého Tomáše by Karel Škréta (1610 – 1674).

In the morning, you can say, “Good morning, Father. And pause. Good morning, Jesus. And pause. Good morning, Holy Spirit. Pause.

When you do this, you can feel the difference. And you are in touch with a Holy Community, a Community of the Three Persons of the Trinity: (One) God.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each a different person, yet each fully and completely God. A mystery….

Throughout the day and evening, you can greet the members of the Trinity, one at a time. Pausing each time.

When you pause, you can often feel or otherwise notice a response. Stay with that. No need to rush!

When you go to sleep, say, “Goodnight…” to each of the three members of this Holy Community of Oneness — three Persons, One God.

Expect to sleep more easily and well. I do. I believe you can, too.

Pause after each time you speak. Notice and feel the response; notice how you are being made different.

This is your genuine family. In this family, I am a brother of yours. You have many sisters, many brothers, in Christ. All connected to our genuine family, the Trinity.

Greet each other. Pause, listen, look and feel. Notice what you experience, and how you are different.

Keep doing this and you will notice transformation taking place. Others will notice, too, “18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,[a] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.[b] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV

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Calling Conversation with God Create Holy Spirit Key Article Lessons Miracles Prayer Presence of God The Word

Call and Response

Call and response has a long tradition as a pattern of preaching or speaking in historically black churches. The preacher calls, pauses, and the congregation responds.

It’s more of a two-way conversation than is being preached at, which none of us like very much.

There is similar a pattern in creating, healing, calming a storm, moving your mountain, or commanding a fig tree. Or even having a two-way conversation with God.

This is hard to put into words, and most of us are not used to doing this, noticing or paying attention to the elements of this – so please bear with me and seek and ask to understand – this has been a missing element for too many of us for too long. Including me. It’s taken me years to notice and appreciate this pattern, how widespread this pattern is, and how wonderfully useful it is.

There are elements to this pattern. The hovering of Holy Spirit over what is yet undone or uncreated. The speaking of the Word. Pausing, maybe like a Selah, pausing in the Presence of God. Having called forth a response, we pause for and give room and time for a response, and we pay attention with our spirit in Holy Spirit, and listen or receive.

A conversation with God is a two-way communication. You take turns expressing something or asking something, pausing and then receiving or giving a deep response. And you take turns.

Talking to your mountain, storm, fig tree, healing or other situation is the same. You say something, first in your spirit, and in connection with Holy Spirit, in this case a command. And you pause, listen, calling forth, and inviting and allowing for a response from the deep.

It is not just you talking. Not in a conversation with God, which would be rude and ineffective if you never listened. The same with talking to nature, commanding or calling – there is a response.

Call and response. That is the pattern. Call with your spirit first, in contact with and in harmony with Holy Spirit. Speak, Pause, and actively receive your response.

Too often we broadcast in our communication, but never Selah, pause in the Presence of God. We do not pause and wait for the response in our spirit, which happens before we notice a response in the world.

Response. From God. From our mountain, storm, fig tree, or healing a Centurion’s son at a distance.

And sometimes not directly, do we call or command. But sometimes we do it implicitly. “Stretch forth thy hand”, (commanding what a disabled person could not previously do). Not always commanding healing directly.

Call and response. For many of us, and for me, this has too often been a missing element, and thus a missing key.

Call and elicit, ask for and wait for the response you sense in your spirit, done with Holy Spirit, and there you sense a response before a physical response happens.

All this happens first in your spirit, in harmony with Holy Spirit. Then in the world – response happens.

Miracles happen when faith comes into contact with the Anointing or the anointed. Similarly, call and response for healing or correcting something in nature happens when the Holy Spirit hovers, the Word is spoken, and then there is a pause as we allow space and time for a response.

Whether in creating, healing, commanding nature. It is all the same pattern.

Done with Holy Spirit.

We experience the Anointing as Holy Spirit for a purpose.

Creation of the universe was through the spoken Word of God. With, and after the Spirit was hovering over the deep.

You may notice that you can know in your spirit, with Holy Spirit, when you’ve made contact. You may know you’ve made contact, and a response is in process. Other times, you may not have made contact in your spirit with Holy Spirit with whoever or whatever you are calling to. At least this has been my experience with this. And you may not know why. This is a good time to ask Jesus how to speak or pray. And notice what comes to your spirit and mind next, arriving and in harmony with the Spirit of Holiness.

Call and respond. For many of us, it’s more than a conversation between a preacher and congregation. It’s been a missing element too often in creating, correcting, or healing.

Call. And notice whether you are in contact, and pause for and allow the response. Starting with your spirit, with the Spirit of Holiness, speak a word in harmony with or in Christ Jesus, the Word; pause and allow for a response.

You may find you know what to do next. Including giving thanks and rejoicing!