And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses. Colossians 2:13 You will never be sure that you have God's unmerited favor if you are not sure if God has forgiven you of your sins. Beloved, I want you to know that your sins are forgiven not according to the riches of your good works, but according to the riches of God's grace (unmerited favor). All your sins, past, present and future, have been forgiven. Don't draw a timeline of God's forgiveness of your sins.
Have you ever seen people mess up the Gospel for other people? It is heartbreaking! I was blessed to find the real Jesus in my childhood, but over the years I saw a lot of abuse. For so many it becomes a sign up to a money-making MACHINE. For others, it is wanting people to give to them in ways that Jesus does NOT require! I've heard of people tithing to churches all their lives and then can't get help when they desperately need it or go through a tragedy. The church feels entitled.
Recently in a vision I saw that there are people who are in a place of frustration regarding their worship. More specifically because there was no real breakthrough in the worship. It was like they were hitting a wall and there was no to little effect in shifting the spiritual atmosphere. Having been caught up in a place of mechanics and performance in the worship, it was getting them nowhere. In this God was sending help to bring them back into the simplicity in worship where the flow of the Spirit could be restored.
Fifty years ago, Time magazine featured Jesus Christ on its cover to document an unusual spiritual revival that was sweeping the nation at that time. At the height of the Jesus movement, which began around 1967, thousands of teenagers and young hippies found salvation as an alternative to psychedelic drugs, free sex and Vietnam War protests. But this spiritual awakening exposed a big problem. Many churches weren't prepared for an influx of new souls - especially young people with long hair, tie-dyed T-shirts and love beads. Some Christians actually rejected the new converts because they couldn't handle the change.
It is time to change your perspective and beliefs about yourself. We have each been given an expected end that has been determined; this includes a specific work and unique assignment. "For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]" (Eph. 2:10, AMPC). In these times of shaking, it is important to change our perspectives from that of victims of circumstance to warrior agents sent into a volatile situation as apostolic people and crown agents of the kingdom of God.
To me, not many people's feet are beautiful but to God, all of the feet of His children are beautiful. How do I know? One of my favorite Scriptures appears in Romans 10:15 (NIV). It says, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Back in 1989, a friend and I had the opportunity to begin publishing a regional Christian newspaper in our area of Mid-Missouri. God had told me I would publish such a newspaper back when I was in junior high. At that time no such newspapers existed but I knew what God had said and had even gotten a degree in Christian journalism to prepare for it.
What is the spirit realm projecting onto you? Are you aware of it? Do you know what's you and what's not you? It's important. As I travel and talk about the "feeling" gift of discernment, I always have people tell me, "I have never heard anyone talk about this before. I'm so glad you are. It has helped me so much!" Many of us have been wired by God as "feelers." We have a natural intuitive ability, as well as the ability to sense and feel in the spirit realm, as well as feel the emotions of others and the spiritual atmosphere they walk in. One of the greatest tools I have learned is this: NOT EVERYTHING I FEEL IS ME. You will have no idea how this truth set me free.
The past few months I've noticed that many ministries were opening up schools of the prophets and schools of the supernatural. They are training the young as well as the old believers how to be used in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, how to hear His voice, how to walk in integrity and how to understand the Word of God. Yesterday the Lord said to me: You will see many more supernatural training centers in the coming days. I'm raising up Spirit filled teachers to teach believers how to walk in the supernatural realm and launch them into their ministries.
"Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John 14:12 KJV). Regarding the ministry of Jesus, we see that everywhere He went, miracles seemed to follow. His ministry was indeed a ministry of the miraculous. It was one that was marked with power and demonstration. When Jesus showed up: dead things lived again; funeral processions came to a halt; blindness was wiped away; crippled limbs were made straight; leprosy vanished; and demon power fled from His presence.
As I was walking through our neighborhood on an evening walk the other night, I was seeking the Lord for guidance on this next season. The Lord told me, "Hold on." Disappointed, I thought, I've just been through one waiting season after another and now I need to hold on? His response was, "You're going from 'hold on' to 'hold on!'" Immediately, I thought of when you get into a fast-moving vehicle or ride. This kind of holding on is not a waiting period but a period of stabilizing during acceleration.
