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Saturday, March 17, 2012
How Do U See God
Saturday, February 25, 2012
The Year of God's Favor
The Year of God's Favor!
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has
anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
Isaiah 61:1-2a ESVOne of the words the Holy Spirit is emphasizing for us in this year is Isaiah 61 – this is the year of the Lord's favor! So what exactly does that mean for you? How can you step into this reality and experience God's favor in your life, your job, your relationships, your nation?
Proclaim
In both Isaiah 61, and later in Luke 4 when Jesus fulfills Isaiah's words,
favor is initiated with proclamation! Favor is not passive. Favor is the
anointing of the Holy Spirit to proclaim and release healing, deliverance,
blessing and prosperity. The Message Bible translates it this way,
"This is God's year to act!" (Luke 4:19).In the year of God's favor, impossible situations turn around. In the year of God's favor, chains that once held you back are loosed. In the year of God's favor, the atmosphere is pregnant with miracles, signs, and wonders. In the year of favor, waste places are restored, missed opportunities redeemed, dreams reawakened. So in the year of the Lord's favor, don't be afraid to take up difficult challenges. God wants to open the doors of favor to you. How do you enter? Let's begin by looking at favor, so we can define this year by what God is saying, and begin to prophetically proclaim it.
Be Specific!
Every time favor is mentioned in Scripture, it is accompanied by a specific
picture of what favor looks like. Isaiah 61 tells us what to expect in the year
of God's favor: an increase in His presence and anointing; healing, deliverance,
salvation, restoration, promotion, increase, joy! Israel experienced God's
favor, and her enemies showered her with silver and gold. Joseph walked in
favor, and he was promoted from the lowest dungeon to the palace. Esther
experienced favor, and the unchangeable laws of the Medes and the Persians were
reversed to bring deliverance to her entire nation.We will share more examples of favor in this and future articles. Take these and begin to proclaim them. God sees your circumstances by what He can do, not what you can't do. Begin to pick up the vibration of God's possibility in your impossibility. God wants you to step into the reality of this word for your life today.
Proclaim a thing, and it shall be established.
Job 22:28
Kingdom First
Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you
the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4What do you desire? Choose godly desires, and God will bring them to pass.
It is important that our first priority is the Kingdom of God. Seek first the Kingdom, and all these things shall be added to you. So, as we seek to walk in favor, and all the blessings that accompany it, let us make the things of God first in our life. Delight in His presence, His Word, prayer, tithes, offerings, communion, fellowship in your local church, worship, and the peace of Jerusalem. Love and obey His Word. Bless His house, Israel, and the poor. Be humble. Steward and celebrate the testimonies of what God has done in your life. Rehearse His miracles. Pray in the Spirit and cultivate your relationship with the Holy Spirit. These are some of the things God highlights as His priorities. His Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy. So if you seek His Kingdom first, you are going to experience more and more the Shalom of God, which is wholeness, prosperity, and peace in every area of your life.
Don't Quit
But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast
love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison...The keeper of
the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because
the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.
Genesis 39:21, 23Joseph is a wonderful hero for us as we enter this year of favor. He had a God-given dream as a young man that grew more remote with every passing year. He was persecuted, thrown in a pit, sold into slavery, imprisoned. But wherever he went, God's favor rested on him. In every situation, God's favor went before him, promoting him, increasing him, and equipping him for his destiny. So don't quit. Don't let the events of the past discourage you from pursuing the dreams, visions, and goals God has put in your heart. Keep your dreams bigger than your failures. Whatever has happened in the past, you can tell the devil, "It's a new day!"
Relax
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the
Lord, "plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11
God has wonderful plans for you. So don't put self-inflicted stress on your life. Be faithful. Keep seeking God's presence and following His cloud. But relax! God's got your plans under control. He wants to prosper you and give you a hope and a future. Your job is to stay close to the Shepherd, listen to His voice, and then rest in the assurance of His grace and mercy working on your behalf. It is His delight to see you fulfill the awesome plans He has for you. He is a promise-keeper.
Yes, you will still experience challenges. Scripture says that the very plan God had for Joseph "tested him until it came to pass" (Psalm 105:19). God's plans are not to harm you. So don't be afraid of the challenges, or define your future by your past. When your life seems to be in the pit, God is working behind the scenes to bring you out on the other side in victory.
Give Thanks
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
(Psalm 50:14).
Thanksgiving is not a feeling, but starts as an act of your will. Leviticus 22:29 says, "And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, offer it of your own free will." It is a choice we make every day. It's like walking into a dark room in the middle of the night. It's dark. You can't see anything. You may even stumble around as you run into furniture or misplaced objects. You can either grumble and complain about the darkness, or simply turn on a switch. The moment you turn on the switch, you see the light. Our switch is thanksgiving. It releases the anointing. And the anointing "breaks the yoke" (Isaiah 10:27). So don't give into the darkness, discouragement, or fear. Turn on the switch with thanksgiving and see God's anointing come to break every yoke and hindrance. Your praise is the key to getting in tune with the year of God's favor.
Get in Tune
Set the atmosphere for favor. The Word of God is living, active and full of
power. Meditate on the corporate picture the Lord is giving us in His Word for
2012. The following are some Scriptures the Lord has quickened to us for this
year of favor. Put them on your refrigerator, bathroom mirror, or your desk. Let
the Holy Spirit paint a picture for you, and then begin to step into it. As you
get in tune, then begin to prophesy it over your life, your children, your
church, and your nation.God wants to pour out His favor on you individually, on us corporately, and on our nation. This is a crucial time in history. We need God's favor as never before. We invite you to join us as we prophetically proclaim the Year of God's favor and open the year with a time of corporate prayer and fasting. We want to set up a scenario by which God can pour out His Spirit in a mighty visitation.
Proclaim Favor for 2012
Psalm 5:12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.
• Restoration
Psalm 105:37 He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes.
John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
• Honor (even from enemies)
Exodus 11:3 And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.
• Increased Assets
Deuteronomy 33:23 O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the Lord, possess the west and the south.
• Supernatural Victory
Joshua 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
Psalm 44:1-3 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, the deeds You did in their days, in days of old: You drove out the nations with Your hand, but them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out. For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them.
• Promotion
Genesis 39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
1 Samuel 16:22 Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight."
• Requests Granted (even by the ungodly)
Esther 5:8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said."
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• Changed Laws (even those that are permanent)
Esther 8:5 If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king's provinces.
• Establishment
Psalm 90:17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!
• Help
2 Corinthians 6:2 "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
• Salvation
Psalm 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, hear me in the truth of Your salvation.
• Anointing, Liberty, Healing, Comfort, Praise...GLORY...
Isaiah 61:1-6 AMP The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion – to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit – that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. And they shall rebuild the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations and renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Aliens shall stand [ready] and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But you shall be called the priests of the Lord; people will speak of you as the ministers of our God. You shall eat the wealth of the nations, and the glory [once that of your captors] shall be yours.
Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda
Chavda Ministries International
Email: info@chavdaministries.org
Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda: With over three miracle-packed decades of experience, Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda lead Chavda Ministries International, a worldwide apostolic ministry. The vision of CMI is to proclaim Christ's Kingdom with power, equip Believers for ministry and usher in revival, preparing for the return of the Lord. For over thirty-five years, the Chavdas have been reaching the nations with the Gospel accompanied by signs and wonders. Hundreds of thousands have come to salvation and thousands have received healing from critical diseases like AIDS and cancer through their ministry. Together, the Chavdas pastor All Nations Church in two locations, ANC in Charlotte, North Carolina and the sister church ANC in Atlanta, Georgia. They also spearhead a global prayer movement, The Watch of the Lord®, where they have been leading their congregation in weekly corporate prayer for more than a decade.
Friday, February 24, 2012
God Has Seen Your Future And It Is Good
At the end of 2004, during one of our services, the Lord told our church this: “I your God have gone ahead of u and I have already been 2 your future. I have seen it. And I declare that it is good.”
Although this word was given through me 2 our church, I believe that it is not only for our church, but also for every member of the body of Christ.
I tell u, when God declares your future good, it will be good! It will be filled with many wonderfully good days!
So what do u do when the Lord tells u that u are going 2 have a good future loaded with His blessings? You prepare for it! In other words, before the blessings come, b4 the increase comes, He wants u 2 enlarge the place of your tent and stretch forth the curtains of your dwellings.
For example, if u are believing God for a child, start reading books on babies and preparing the baby’s room. In fact, prepare 2 have more than one child. Start looking for a bigger place for your family for God says, “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.” Get ready for expansion!
My friend, God wants u 2 get ready, and expect such favor and increase in the days ahead that “u shall expand 2 the right and 2 the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited”. (Isaiah 54:3)
Because God has declared your future good, know that u stand on favor ground today. Expect good things 2 happen 2 u. Expect 2 see the favor of God on u and your family. Expect the blessings and increase of the Lord. Expect many good days 2 show up in your life!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Even Sodom
Even Sodom!
It is not God who hinders the healing of our land. Rather it is our
apathy, our own unbelief, that keeps us from grasping the potential offered in
the Gospel of Christ! Do not marvel when I say entire cities can be
saved. The Scripture tells us that nations will come to our light and
kings to the brightness of our rising! (See Isaiah 60:1-3.)
All We Lack is Christlikeness!
"He then began to denounce the cities in which most
of His miracles were done, because they did not repent" (Matthew 11:20). Jesus has a word to say, not only to us
as individuals, but to entire cities as well. In anger He rebuked Chorazin,
Bethsaida and Capernaum (Matthew 11:21); with tears, He cried out to Jerusalem
(Luke 13:34). If He expected cities to repent in the first century, He expects
cities today to repent as well.It was in this very context of reproving cities, however, that Jesus made a statement which unveiled the scope of God's redemptive power. Listen to His rebuke, but also to its hidden promise. He said, "For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes" (Matthew 11:21).
Tyre and Sidon were Gentile cities known for their debauchery and sin. Yet, Jesus said that His life, revealed in power, can bring even the vilest of cities, places which ought to be destroyed, to "sackcloth and ashes." The strategy, therefore, to win our cities is for the Church to reveal Christ's life in power. Yes, the revelation of Christ in us as individuals, and the power of Christ displayed corporately through us, can turn our worst cities back toward God!
Today, many cities are ripe for revival. What hinders the turning of the people's hearts? Part of the answer lies with the Church, with our sins of self-righteousness, indifference and unbelief. The Lord said if His people would humble themselves and pray, seek His face and turn from evil, He would then heal their land (see 2 Chronicles 7:14). The future does not belong to the world; it belongs to the transformed Church. Indeed, let us never forget: God "desires all men to be saved" (1 Timothy 2:4). With this in mind, Paul taught that entreaties and prayers should be made on behalf of all men, "for kings and all who are in authority" (1 Timothy 2:1-4). The sacrifice of Christ provides for the salvation of all men. Heaven waits only for the Church to act.
One may say, "But, that was then. Our cities are worse. They are beyond redemption." Not so. Jesus continued His rebuke of cities, saying, "If the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day" (Matthew 11:23). Amazingly, when Christ is manifested in power, Jesus said even Sodom could find repentance!
I have heard many ministers compare Los Angeles or New York to Sodom. These cities have seen Hell, now let the Church show them Heaven. They need 2 see Jesus revealed in His Church. The promise of Christ is that even Sodom could repent in the atmosphere and revelation of Christ's power. If there is hope for Sodom, there is hope for your city as well!
The Obstruction to Revival: Complacency
When we picture cities, we tend 2 see skylines and factories, streets and
schools. Jesus, however, sees people. He beholds husbands arguing with wives
while their children tremble in fear. He sees drugs being sold on playgrounds
and teenagers having abortions. He suffers at the bedside of the infirm. The
heart of Christ grieves with the loneliness of the elderly and identifies with
the struggles of the handicapped.Jesus does not have a problem with the hot or cold dimensions of life. It is the lukewarm that He will spew from His mouth (Revelation 3:15-16). What stopped the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum – communities that already had the blessing of Christ's healing – from embracing ongoing renewal? They assumed Christ's love was given only to enrich them. All they saw were the rewards of Christ without understanding His requirements.
The Church today is frighteningly similar in attitude to these ancient cities. The majority of the first century saints gave their lives to Christ with the full knowledge they would face persecution, suffering and, possibly, death for their faith. Such was the character and vision of the Church in the first century.
The main emphasis of much of our Christianity, however, is to help Believers become "normal." So much of our contemporary teaching keeps alive the very nature Jesus calls us to crucify! We need to reevaluate our preaching. Are we preaching the Cross and the call to follow Jesus? What are we training our people to become?
Please hear me, the Father's goal is not merely to bless us, but to transform us into the image of His Son! He desires to use us 2 turn our cities back to Him. But God has made no provision for the healing of our land apart from us becoming Christlike! Once we realize this vital truth, we shall return 2 the source of New Testament Christianity, and our cities will have hope for redemption. When the Church demonstrates the love and power of Christ, repentance and revival can occur even in a place like Sodom.
Lord, forgive us for our unbelief and apathy. You have promised that even Sodom would come 2 You at the revelation of Your character and power. Transform us, Lord Jesus, for the sake of your glory and the renewal of our cities.
Francis Frangipane
Ministries of Francis Frangipane
Email: francis1@frangipane.org
Friday, February 17, 2012
Life Above The Sun
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Saturday, February 11, 2012
12 Scriptures for 2012 and Beyond
12 Scriptures for 2012 & Beyond
I
believe it is the year of the Word of the God and God of the Word! It is a time
when the office of the teacher (Ephesians 4:11) or the teaching gift of the Holy
Spirit (Romans 12:7) will be re-emphasized in the Body of Christ. It is a time
when a convergence of the School of the Word and the School of the Spirit takes
place. That is why I released a Bible reading program at the first of the year.
It's never too late 2 participate!With this conviction in mind, I went to prayer and asked the Lord for Scriptures for 2012. To my delight, I felt the Holy Spirit highlight the following 12 Scriptures for 2012 and beyond, all with the address of 20:12, 10:12, 12:12 or 12:20. I hope you enjoy this innovative way of gleaning from the Word of God.
1. Exodus 20:12 – "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you." We must cultivate a culture of HONOR! Everyone wins and the supernatural flows freely in such an atmosphere!
2. Proverbs 20:12 – "The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made both of them." Communion with God, including a greater diversity in the prophetic, will be welcomed as there is an increase in both the seer and hearer anointings.
3. Ezekiel 20:12 – "Also I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them." The Holy Spirit is emphasizing REST! It will be a tool of healing for many. Some will be called into a time of "sabbatical rest," extended vacations and celebrating the Sabbath.
4. Job 12:12 – "Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding." The Spirit of Wisdom (Isaiah 11:1-3) and the gift of the Word of Wisdom () will be emphasized as part of the solution for the times we are moving into.I Corinthians 12:8
5. Zechariah 12:10 – "I will pour out on the House of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn." There will be more global prayer that will arise for the nation of Israel in 2012 than any previous year in Church history. This is all in preparation for regional conflicts in the Middle East that could come forth in 2013 and beyond.
6. Matthew 12:20 – "A battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not put out, until He leads justice to victory." Discouraged people will find fresh hope, and the justice movement will come into greater maturity and impact.
7. Luke 12:12 – "For the Holy Spirit will teach u in that very hour what u ought 2 say." Spontaneous leadings of the Holy Spirit will be released to many. Dependency on the "now voice" is a necessity. The Holy Spirit will manifest Himself as our Teacher.
8. John 20:12 – "...and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying." There is an increase of angelic activity in the seer realm of discerning of spirits. People who have never seen angels will have angelic encounters.
9. Acts 20:12 – "...they took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted." The revival of the resurrection of the dead will spring forth. It will not be limited to "third world countries" but will escalate globally.
10. Romans 12:12 – "...rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer." The message of the hour is HOPE! The call is 2 "Never give up!" There will be a return in the local Church to the call to intercession.
11. I Corinthians 12:12 – "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ." This is the chapter for the year! It is time for Body ministry once again. As the five-fold ministry gifts are restored, the "saint's movement" will now pick up steam. Time for every member 2 function in the gifts of the Holy Spirit!
12. 2 Corinthians 12:12 – "The signs of a true apostle were performed among u with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles." I am excited about this verse! It is the culminating verse the Lord has directed me toward. True apostles performing signs and wonders, walking in character are now on the scene.
Praise the Lord for the Year of the Word and the God of the Word merging. Let the fullness of the convergence of the ages – along with the graces of the past – be brought forward into our now for such a time as this. I trust these 12 Scriptures for 2012 and beyond will be a blessing 2 u!
With great expectations!
James W. Goll
Encounters Network • PrayerStorm • Compassion Acts
Email: info@encountersnetwork.com
I Move in a Multitude of Ways
"I Move in a Multitude of Ways"
I hear the Lord say, "Hear the mixture of the sounds. Did u not hear the thunder? Did u not hear the horses? Did u not hear them pounding the earth as they are preparing to move about? Did u not hear the rain of refreshment that is about 2 fall upon the Earth? Did you not hear this tingle of hope, hope that causes people 2 look up 2 know redemption is drawing near? Did u not come to an understanding that I move in a multitude of ways?
Sometimes I come in the thunder, sometimes I come in the whisper, sometimes I come in the stillness, and sometimes I come as a King of Glory on a mighty white steed preparing His people, preparing His people to go forth with the Gospel of power.
"I Am Preparing Runners"
"I am looking for a people who will submit, who
will surrender, who will abandon themselves 2 Me, who will take back their will
from one another and place their will and allegiance 2 Me and 2 Me alone. My
will is about to be revealed. In this will, you will come 2 understand why I
have had u lay aside, and why I have had u called out. I have called u aside so u could recognize My whispers. I have called u out
from other things that would pull on u, 2b cut away from u, for your
good.
"I am preparing runners: runners with My
word, runners with My power, runners who are able 2 leap over mountains with Me
with hinds' feet. I am causing My own to come apart, 2 come into the bridal
chamber where I can whisper to them My will, and they can come forth with
authority, knowing who has sent them. For the time you are entering into, the
bridal chamber is thrown open. But it will be different, for there will be a
party in this bridal chamber. It will be the wedding party that I am preparing
for My own. Others will come, and those who are not dressed properly but with
their own good works or with all that man has placed upon them, I will take it
off of them. I will place My robes of grace, My robes of righteousness, and
robes of My power with My works, with My name, for My sake.
"Learn to Accept My Glory"
The following corporate prophetic word was given by Eileen Fisher on
January 10, 2012 during her weekly Prophetic School of the Holy
Spirit meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado:The Lord said, "Take off restrictions. Take off the restrictions man has placed upon you. Take off constrictions, that the world has you tied in knots, not allowing u 2 run free. Throw off heaviness. Throw off sin. Throw off depression and discouragement. Stand on My Word. Dwell in My Word. Let My Word dwell in you. You are going to see My hand. When it comes down, you will know it is My hand. Even now My hand is moving.
"Can u not hear the spirit of mockery rising up in the
world? Do you not understand that I was mocked upon the Cross, and My own, too,
will be mocked? Know in the mocking, there is also a marking of My
glory. Learn 2 accept My glory. I have marked you with the Blood of My
Son. I have paid costly for you. I have paid a great price for u. Live
abundantly. Live in the Blood of My Son. Have I not said, 'There is life in My
Blood?'
Eileen Fisher
Eileen Fisher Ministries
Email: eileen@eileenfisher.org
Friday, February 10, 2012
Rejoice, O Barren
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