Category Archives: Holy Spirit
The Manifest Presence of God Cannot Be Faked
This morning I was so encouraged to read a dream that Rick Joyner had a couple of weeks ago. It is the same thing the Lord has been stirring in my heart.
Here are some excerpts of his dream:
What I saw in the dream of December 5, 2025, eclipsed everything I have experienced or seen in any previous dreams or visions. In this dream, I had been asked to speak in a small Sunday school class about revival. This was at a modest church, and at a class that was usually attended by about a dozen people.
I had learned to measure the spiritual hunger in a crowd rather than its size to judge its importance. So, in this dream, when I entered the class, I was expecting to find about a dozen spiritually hungry people. I was not disappointed by their hunger, as this class was electric with their hunger for God. But it was far more than the dozen people I had expected.
They had packed in every person they could possibly fit into this small classroom. There was not a seat left, nor any place to stand in the room. I could hear more gathering outside, and the people in the back started opening the windows so those outside could hear.
I don’t think I had finished the first sentence when the presence of the Lord entered the room so powerfully we did not need to see Him with our physical eyes to know He was there. Those who could find room on the floor poured out of their seats onto it. The rest who were in their seats or standing were bowing over to get as low as they could. I wanted to do the same and could not imagine talking in His presence like that.
Rick describes a second scene in the dream where even more people came together and again, God’s manifest presence poured in and people were overcome. Leaders assembled to discuss how to host more meetings like it.
He closes by saying, The dream ended with people expecting revival to break out at any time in any place, but I knew it was soon going to be happening all of the time in every place. I have experienced the manifest presence of the Lord many times, personally and in meetings, and even a couple of times when the glory of the Lord appeared. What I experienced in this dream was stronger than any of these, by far. This manifest presence of the Lord is going to be the hallmark of what is coming. This is something that cannot be duplicated. Once you experience His presence, I don’t think we will be fooled by any substitute.
& & & & & & & & & & & & & &
I recently spoke to a local leader who was describing a program he was praying about putting together to help people go deeper in their relationship with God. Immediately I sensed from the Holy Spirit that what was needed was not more teaching or classes, but encounters with God’s manifest presence – like what Rick described happening in his dream. I have felt this stirring for some time and I have wondered what it will look like. Rick’s dream describes what I imagine. People gathering for what they expect will be another teaching or class and instead of hearing a great speaker, they will be overwhelmed by the manifest presence of God.
If you have never been in a meeting where this has occurred, you may not realize what a HUGE impact it has on you. When God’s presence is SO strong in a meeting, no one wants to move or speak. The air feels charged. Every movement feels significant – you don’t want to be foolish or act on your own will. All you want is for God to do whatever it is He wants. There is a deep holy hush or sometimes an explosion of worship – depending on what God is doing. Often people immediately fall to their knees or get on their face and begin to repent. It impacts you deeply and you are never the same.
The Lord recently showed me a vision of what His Tsunami of Love will look like. I was surprised and delighted. For years, He has been showing many people this Tsunami of God’s Love that is coming. But I had no idea what it would look like.
What He showed me was this HUGE wave of people full of the love of God with joy and peace in their hearts loving everyone everywhere they went. It wasn’t just an outpouring of His Spirit in a meeting, it was people consumed with His love and letting it flow out to all those around them. It was amazing to see! Here’s a picture to give you an idea of the image I saw:
Can you imagine what an effect that would have on the world?! It would bring Heaven to Earth – just like Jesus’s prayer: Your Kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-13)
One of the things Rick mentioned was people trying to fake this experience of God’s presence. God’s presence will be so popular and will attract such large crowds that there may be those who try to duplicate or “fake” the experience in order to gain attention. But the Manifest Presence of God cannot be faked.
I have been in charismatic church meetings where the leader has said, “Oh, I feel God’s presence. It is really here. Pay attention – God is here!” But I did not sense anything – instead, it felt like emotional manipulation. I am VERY sensitive to God’s manifest presence – I have been in many meetings where it was tangibly felt. You can’t fake it. And people are tired of being duped by leaders who are trying to stir something up that God is not doing. This generation craves authenticity.
If you’d like to read the full post where Rick Joyner shared his dream, it is here. He talks about his previous Vision of the Harvest and how that is being fulfilled. These are exciting days to be alive!
Have YOU ever experienced God’s manifest presence? The kind of experience that is undeniable and very tangible. Please describe it for us – I love to hear stories about God’s presence!
Your kingdom come! Your will be done! We are looking forward to having YOU overwhelm us with Your goodness in the coming days – yes, Lord!! 🔥❤️😊
Spirit of the Antichrist
Recently the Lord has been bringing to my attention the Spirit of the Antichrist. I was not very familiar with this spirit so I did a study of the Scriptures that mention it.
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. I John 2:18-22 NKJV
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. I John 4:1-6 NKJV
For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 2 John 1:7 NKJV
A few key points about the Spirit of the Antichrist stand out to me from these Scriptures:
- It denies that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh
- It denies the Father and the Son
- It is a deceiver
As I pondered these Scriptures with the Lord, this is what came to my heart that I wanted to share with you.
Any spirit or influence on your mind that tries to deny that Jesus Christ is IN you, that’s the spirit of the Antichrist. Anything you hear or read that denies that you have a good heavenly Father, that’s the spirit of the Antichrist. Anything that keeps you from enjoying fellowship with Jesus Christ as a real person, that’s the spirit of the Antichrist.
Jesus Christ came in the flesh and He is currently on the earth – in YOUR flesh and blood. He’s IN YOU. Anything that denies that Jesus is IN you, currently residing in your heart, in oneness with you – that’s the spirit of the Antichrist. You can reject that spirit – it’s the opposite of Christ.
When you feel like an orphan or a victim of circumstances, that’s the spirit of the Antichrist, encouraging you to deny the Father and deny that you are His son or daughter. It is deceiving you to believe you are not loved and taken care of by a good, loving Father. You can reject that.
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 NKJV
The Antichrist is often referred to as the lawless one. It is interesting that the Lord will destroy it with the breath of His mouth and the brightness of His coming.
You are the light of the world – you destroy the power of this spirit by BEING that light, by showing who Jesus is in you.
The Holy Spirit is the breath of His mouth. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22 NKJV
You have the Holy Spirit. As you walk in the Spirit and speak the truth, you have the power to destroy the spirit of the Antichrist. Isn’t that powerful?
It’s Christ IN YOU, the hope of Glory! (Colossians 1:27)
We know that this spirit is already at work in the world and unfortunately it is also in religious circles. John mentions that in the first Scripture above – They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
Be careful when someone talks about Jesus or mentions Him in a general way, but He is not real to them. They don’t actually talk TO Him, just about Him. If He is not present in the conversation, begin to ask yourself why. Many people get deceived by what they think are Christian teachers but in reality, they don’t acknowledge Jesus as being real, in the flesh, today.
Here’s the truth you can proclaim and walk in today:
Jesus Christ is IN me and I am God’s beloved child.
The light you shine as you walk in that truth will destroy the power of the enemy every where you go.
Go be dangerous! 😁
Points to Ponder:
Where have you seen Jesus talked about, but not acknowledged as actually being HERE right now?
Could the second coming of Christ have already started by Christ abiding in us, destroying this spirit of the Antichrist by the brightness of His light in us and the breath of His Spirit being released through our mouths?
What is the Lord showing you about the spirit of the Antichrist?
Did you realize you were so powerful?
Please share your thoughts in the comments – that’s how we learn from each other. God bless you today! Thank you for reading this post. ❤️
Book Review: The Girl Who Sees Angels
I just found this new series of books that I have fallen in love with! If you’re a seer or you want to be a seer, these books will really encourage you. It’s a fictionalized story of a girl who has the gift of seeing, but doesn’t understand what she sees. The Girl Who Sees Angels by Jeffrey McClain Jones is the first book in the Sophie Ramos series.
Her mother takes her to doctors, psychiatrists and even a priest, trying to figure out how she can see things that nobody else can see. They think she’s very troubled, but instead she’s very gifted.
During the course of the first book, she meets some Pentecostal Christians that help to validate her gift. That’s really cool! If you’ve ever questioned your sanity because of the things that you see or hear or feel – this book will definitely encourage you! 😊
One of the things I really appreciated about these books was that the author writes from a place of authenticity. Some supernatural fiction that I’ve read (actually most) make gifts of the Spirit so unbelievable and they exaggerate things to such a degree that it detracts from the story. This author doesn’t do that.
Many of the things he writes about, I’ve experienced. The reaction of charismatic Christians to her gifts, I have seen. They encouraged her. They nurtured her. They taught her and helped her to understand what she was seeing. During the first book, she has an experience that shows her how she can help people with her gift. That amazes her and inspires her to learn how to use the gift with greater clarity in order to help others. She’s excited to unpack it and learn more – we get to follow her on that journey.
I’ve only read the first 2 books so far, but I was enjoying them so much that I didn’t want to wait until I finished them all to share them with you. There’s 4 books in the series. I encourage you to check them out. They are a lot of fun. I would call them “deliverance fiction”, a category I’ve never heard of but I wish existed. 😁 We get to see how her ability to see the unseen realm impacts her job, her relationships and every day life. If you are a seer, you will definitely relate!
This author has a lot of books and many of them have piqued my interest. You can check them out here. I’m especially curious about his series, Seeing Jesus. I’m hoping to read some of those next! (Update: I did a review of Seeing Jesus here.)
I love reading supernatural fiction that draws my heart closer to experiencing God in the here and now. Have you read any books that are like that? Please share the titles with us in the comments.
I love finding new authors and books that draw me closer to Jesus, don’t you? 🙂
Thanks for reading. I really appreciate it. God bless you richly today. 💗
Spirits of Chaos & Control – Can You Recognize Them?
Chaos cannot control you unless you let it.
This week, a cloud of the Spirit of Control came over my region. I sensed it – it felt like witchcraft, a means of controlling people’s choices by manipulating their thoughts.
The next day I felt the Spirit of Chaos in the atmosphere. It also affects your mind and tries to keep you distracted from what you need to do.
Chaos is the feeling you get when you are trying to multi-task and you keep being interrupted by others so that you cannot finish anything you are trying to do. It’s kind of like having extreme ADD come over you.
You can’t focus on what you are doing and you feel frustrated. Your thinking may feel foggy. It might also interfere with your sleep, which can also affect your ability to think clearly.
Chaos tries to overwhelm your thinking because then you become vulnerable to being manipulated. I hate that!
I started to feel overwhelmed so I stopped what I was doing and began focusing on the Holy Spirit within me. As I did, peace and clarity came back almost immediately. It was awesome!
That’s when the gift of discernment kicked in. Holy Spirit showed me it was the Spirit of Chaos that was operating in the atmosphere and that’s why I couldn’t think and was feeling overwhelmed.
Thank you, Father, for sending us the Holy Spirit! What a wonderful, desperately needed gift!!
Where would we be without the Holy Spirit? 🙂
Holy Spirit reminded me that the Spirits of Chaos and Control often work together. Chaos creates fear because of the uncertainty of what is going on. Then Control comes in reaction to the fear, trying to restore certainty and security.
For instance, when the pandemic came, fear was most people’s response to the chaos and uncertainty brought by this unknown virus and its consequences. Then that was immediately followed by a strong desire to control everything in order to restore a sense of security. We saw this both on a personal level as well as on a social and even national level. First there was Chaos, fear was the reaction and then Control sought to stop the chaos.
I’m not sure whether these spirits work together as a team or whether they are fighting with each other for authority over the affairs of men. If you have any insight on this, please feel free to share your thoughts so we can learn from each other.
I discovered that there was a cloud of dust traveling from Africa and it was over my region in the United States. It arrived the same time I began experiencing the Spirits of Chaos and Control. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
What do you think? When weird things start happening to you, do you immediately turn to the Holy Spirit to help you figure out what is going on? What helps you deal with regional spirits of darkness?
Thank you for reading. I really appreciate it. God bless you! 💗
P.S. I’ve also seen Spirits of Chaos and Confusion work together but only on a personal level. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Chaos and Confusion work together on a regional or societal level. Have you?
Thorn of Unbelief – Do You Have Any?
Did you know you can have a thorn in your heart and not even know it? This was a BIG surprise to me.
The other night we were praying for someone in our small group who was in pain. As we waited on the Lord, I saw the outline of a human body with a ball of conflict in one spot. It was like an angry ball of light trapped in the soul. Immediately the Lord showed me that disease or dysfunction in the body starts in the soul. It doesn’t start in the body.
He showed me that the way to expedite healing was to find the root of the conflict in the soul, minister to it, remove the thorn, receive His healing for the wound and it will manifest in the body as health and healing. Then what He said next blew my mind – Unbelief in God’s goodness is the number one root. Pull that out, resolve that wound and all the others will be minor by comparison.
Wow! Suddenly this Scripture made so much more sense: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2 Look at that – I pray that you be in health just as your soul prospers.
After our small group was over, I spent some time pondering what the Lord showed me and He showed me more (isn’t He wonderful?). This is the original sin from Eve – unbelief in God’s goodness. This is the thorn in the flesh that each man and woman gets to overcome during their lifetime – to break the power of Unbelief, which is the root of all deception. When you remove this root of unbelief, this thorn in your soul, everything else falls into place. You are able to walk as Jesus walked; He never doubted the Father’s goodness. It was never in question.
So I immediately asked the Lord, How can I become convinced of God’s goodness on a deep soul level? What is the key? Holy Spirit, please show me.
I meditated on several scriptures about God’s goodness, to wash my mind with the water of the word. I personalized the verses to help me connect with the truth.
- God’s great goodness is prepared for me because I trust in Him. Psalm 31:19
- The goodness of God leads me to repentance, a changed mind and heart. Romans 2:4
- I see God’s goodness in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13
- The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Psalm 33:5
- We are satisfied with the goodness of God. Psalm 65:4, Jeremiah 31:14
- God will fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness toward me that Jesus Christ may be glorified. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
After I meditated on these scriptures, I was led by the Lord to find and remove the thorn of unbelief in my own heart. He highlighted four specific times in my life where this thorn pierced my heart. As Holy Spirit showed me each one, we processed it to remove the thorn and pain of unbelief. Then I received what I should have received during that time. It was a very deep and powerful healing experience. I had prayed through each of these painful life experiences previously, but this was a different focus and I could feel the positive effect in my heart.
After removing the thorns from my heart, I had such joy! I’ve always been an upbeat person but there was also a shadow of “what if” lurking underneath – a dread of bad things that might happen. That is now GONE! 😊
A few days later, just as I was getting ready to go to sleep, my stomach started bothering me with indigestion. That has prevented me from being able to go to sleep many times in the past. So I prayed for my digestion. I soon fell asleep with no problem and was not bothered by indigestion at all! Hallelujah!! 😊 That’s breakthrough! I’ve prayed for that many times in the past and still suffered – so this proves to my mind that something has definitely changed in my heart! Thank you, Lord!! ❤️ My soul is prospering and so is my body!
Unbelief in God’s goodness toward you is such a deep heart issue. I had never realized this until the Lord showed me. So many things happen in our lives that put that thorn in our hearts – disappointment, disillusionment, rejection and failure to name a few. And we don’t even realize those thorns are there.
Scripture talks about the power of unbelief:
- Jesus did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:58
- Jesus marveled because of their unbelief. Mark 6:6
- Jesus rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart. Mark 16:14
- Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. Hebrews 3:12
- But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
Would you be willing to ask the Lord to show you if you have any thorns of Unbelief in your heart? He asked me to share this very personal experience with you so I trust that He wants to do this for you too. I am so happy that I went through the process of removing those thorns! My life is changed! 😊💗
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Illusions of Earth – Ready to Be Removed!
On earth certain aspects of life seem solid and unchangeable – gravity, for instance. We can depend on gravity to keep us grounded while we are here. I never worry about floating out of bed in the morning, do you? 🙂
However there are several aspects of life that are actually illusions – things that seem to be solid and reliable, but as you grow and learn more about God’s eternal kingdom, you see them as flimsy veils that have no real substance. The more you walk with God, the less influence they have on your daily life. That’s really good news! 😊
Here are several illusions about life on earth versus the truth about God’s eternal kingdom.
The Illusion of Worth
On earth we measure worth based on accomplishments, talent or even wealth accumulation. If you are poor, unskilled or considered undesirable for some reason then you may feel you are not worthy. Not worthy of love, attention, acknowledgment or respect.
But in the eternal realm of God’s kingdom, you are already worthy. God made you – you are not junk (Genesis 1:27). You are not undesirable. You are not rejected or unwanted. God loves you and He is excited to see what you will do with what He gave you (Ephesians 2:10). He smiles when He looks at you (Zephaniah 3:17).
The Illusion of Separation
Sometimes we feel far away from God. We wonder if our prayers matter. Does He hear us? Does He care? Many times people feel alone in their troubles, like God has abandoned them. God is “up there” in heaven and we are “down here” on earth and it feels like a very far distance between the two places.
But in the eternal realm of God’s kingdom, you are never alone. In fact, it is impossible to be alone! We are one with Him. He is in us and we are in Him. Scripture says “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) and “he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (I Corinthians 6:17). “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” (I John 4:13)
The Illusion of Death
This illusion of separation makes many people afraid of death. There are a lot of questions surrounding the act of dying. What happens next? Will we still be ourselves? Will we see other people we know? Or do we just cease to exist? The sense of separation people feel during their life tends to influence their fears about death and what to expect afterwards.
But in the eternal realm of God’s kingdom, you don’t die. Your spirit continues eternally. You retain your sense of self, your identity and other people will recognize you (I Samuel 28). You will see people you knew on earth. Just like you can’t be separate from God while on earth, you cannot be separated from Him afterwards either. You are one spirit with Him. He lives eternally and so do you. Death is not the end – it’s simply a transition to another way of living. Our body stops functioning but who we really are lives on (John 3:16).
The Illusion of Time
Often on earth we feel limited by time. We don’t seem to have enough time to accomplish all that we would like to do. We fear running out of time or of being late or left behind because we didn’t do what we needed to in time to meet a deadline.
But in the eternal realm of God’s kingdom, you have all the time you need. You are eternal (see previous point). You don’t run out of time. All your steps are ordered of the Lord (Psalm 37:23). You are right on time. You’re not late. Many Christians experience time as something fluid and bendable. Have you ever been in the presence of God and it seemed like only a few minutes, but when you look at the earthly clock hours have gone by? We think life is dictated by earthly time, but in reality God’s time table rules over all. You will never be late when you are following God’s direction (Joshua 10).
The Illusion of Lack
Another big illusion we experience and often fear is Lack. We compare ourselves to others who have “more” of something we wish we had – whatever it is – and that makes us think we don’t have enough. What if we run out? What if we don’t have enough? What will happen then?
But in the eternal realm of God’s kingdom, you have all that you need when you need it. God takes very good care of us. Jesus said, Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ These things are what unbelievers seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33)
The Illusion of Fear
Fear seems SO REAL when you are experiencing it. It feels paralyzing. You don’t know what to do. You can’t think straight and you feel weak or unable to take action. But time and again, we have learned that FEAR is actually False Evidence Appearing Real. Most of the time, if you look for proof that your fears are real, you can’t find any verifiable proof. Fear seems very powerful and people often use it to manipulate us to do things – or we use it to manipulate others because of our fear.
But in the eternal realm of God’s kingdom, there is nothing to fear. God is love and His love removes all fear (I John 4:18). As we live and abide in Him, we have nothing to fear. We are taken care of – we don’t fear lack, we don’t fear running out of time and we don’t fear death. We know we are not separated from Him and we accept that we are valued and loved by Him. What is there to fear? (Psalm 27)
The Illusion of Control
Control causes us a lot of stress in this earthly realm. We want control – we think being in control will keep us safe. We want to manage/control everything around us – our time, our resources, the people we love (and those we don’t). When we are not in control, we get stressed and fearful. It’s a lousy way to live!
But in the eternal realm of God’s kingdom, we find freedom in giving up control! We can rest in the Father’s timing, His ability to provide resources and take care of the people we love (and those we don’t). Surrender is the way to enter God’s kingdom and it frees us from so much stress! We don’t have to be in charge of it all – we can give it over to the Lord and He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6, 16:9). What an awesome promise!
As I am writing this list of illusions, I can hear people thinking, “Yes, but what about …”
Instead of arguing, try this – ask Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to you that you are concerned about. That’s what I have done. I have experienced these illusions personally and over time, He has taught me what the truth is about God’s kingdom. How things work in the eternal realm.
I used to think that my worth was defined by how society judged me – whether I had talent, prestige or wealth. God showed me what true success was – being loved by Him! Living in the reality of His judgment of me as His beloved daughter set me free from anyone else’s opinion. I am worthy and I am enough!
I used to feel separated from God and abandoned by His goodness. It was a HUGE revelation when He showed me that it is impossible for me to ever be alone! Hallelujah!
I used to think that death was the end. It was so encouraging to discover that I will live forever and I’ll see my loved ones again, including my beloved pets! What a relief!
I used to feel time was my master and I was always fighting with it. But when I realized that I will live forever and that I’ll never run out of time, it was so freeing! Learning to trust that God is ordering all my steps gave me the peace to relax and simply enjoy the process.
I used to fear lack – having things taken from me or losing things I needed. It was a big fear, often on my mind. But the more I have depended on God to be my Provider, I have never lacked anything I needed. In fact, one time when I was grumbling to Him about something, He very strongly said to me, You don’t need it or else I would be providing it! I immediately realized my mistake – He WAS providing all that I needed, not necessarily everything I wanted.
I used to feel fear every day – it pushed me around and told me what I could and could not do. I hated it. It was such a BIG relief when I realized it was an illusion. God is love and His love never fails. Sometimes I still have to remind myself – I have a poster on my wall that says, “Have no fear. I AM here.”
I used to be under the illusion that control would save me. If I could just stay in control, everything would be okay. But the more I’ve learned how to surrender to God’s control and timing in my life, the freer I have felt. I don’t have to be in control – what a relief! I can let go and He will take care of everything that concerns me.
Wouldn’t you like to have that peace and freedom too? Ask Him to show you what truth you need today to help you pierce through the illusion.
You are not rejected or unwanted. You are loved by God and worthy. You are enough.
You are never alone. It’s impossible to be alone – you are one with Him.
You are eternal – death is not the end.
You have all the time you need. You are not behind. You are right on time.
You have all that you need when you need it.
You have nothing to fear.
You don’t have to be in control – you can let go and let God take care of you.
So what do you think? Did any of these illusions surprise you? Or did something inside your heart say, Yes, that’s true! I never thought of it that way before.
Do you have any other illusions you would add to this list? Please comment and share your insight with us – that’s how we learn from each other. Thank you to Terry Spencer for sharing Zachary Fisher’s thoughts which got me thinking about this topic. God bless you and thanks for reading! 😊❤️
Personal Attack – How to Overcome!
What do you do when you are under attack from a person in your life? Can you discern the true battle? How do you overcome?
A reader of this blog asked this question:
I served under another ministry and I was on good terms with the leader – I felt that I served them well, to the best of my ability. After the Lord led me to start the ministry where I am now, the other leader began to attack me and the ministry. I had a vision where I saw him summon all his members and he pointed at me and told them not to have anything to do with me – this was after he called me in front of his church and commended me about how I supported him when his ministry first started with just a small group. They have since grown and expanded and have built a larger facility. Why is he attacking me and what can I do about it?
We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12
What does it mean that we don’t wrestle with flesh and blood? Who are we really wrestling with?
I have seen a strategic pattern that I want to share with you that will help you get the breakthrough to overcome any attack that is coming against you personally.
The enemy knows your weaknesses – oftentimes better than you know them yourself. The Lord allows him to reveal them to you and this can be a great gift if you take advantage of the situation. Think of him as a personal trainer – his attacks will make you stronger so you can overcome any situation that comes your way!
Proverbs 26:2 says “the curse causeless shall not come”. This means that if someone is cursing you, attacking you, saying bad things about you – their words have no power to hurt you if there is no cause for them.
What is the Cause, Holy Spirit?
So the very first thing you do is ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you, What is the cause? Did you do something you need to repent of? Even if it was unintentional, repent of anything you realize you did that could have given this curse a cause, a legal right. Did you judge the other person? Did you speak anything negative concerning this person? Did you spread a rumor about them? Anything at all – even if it was only in your heart and you didn’t say it to another person. Immediately repent and ask the Lord to wash you.
It’s never about the man or woman – the person who is fighting against you. It is always about the spirit behind it. Defeat that spirit and the person will stop bothering you. The spirit attacking you is revealing a weakness – allow the Lord to heal that weakness and suddenly the attack will disappear! I’ve seen this happen many, many times.
If the attack continues after you have repented – or if you truly cannot find anything that you did to repent of, then it’s time to look deeper. There is agreement in you that gives this attack a right to continue. We call this “legal ground”. The devil knows his legal rights and wherever there is deception or agreement with darkness, he has a right to attack or harass us.
How do you defeat that spirit? Remove the legal ground!
- Identify how the attack makes you feel. Do you feel intimidated? Does it make you have doubts about your own ministry (insecurity) or are you becoming discouraged? What exactly is it trying to do to you? This will help you identify which spirit is attacking you through this person.
- Ask God why you feel that way. This attack reveals a weakness in you – perhaps it is self-doubt, or perhaps it is fear of man or doubt in God’s ability to protect you. I have an exercise that can help you identify what lie you believe about God or about yourself that gives this spirit a legal right to harass you. It is below.
- Break your agreement with the lie you believe. It may be very deep – take time to really examine it. Then let it go!
- Forgive the person who is attacking you. Release blessing upon them.
- Continue to thank God for His protection and care for you.
The Lie Detector exercise helps people identify the legal ground that the enemy has. There are two versions of it. You can do them both or just do one, based on what you sense from Holy Spirit. One helps you identify lies you believe about yourself. The other one helps you identify lies you believe about God.
Lie Detector: Self Concept
Go to a place where you will not be interrupted. Take a few deep breaths, letting them out slowly to help you relax and to quiet your mind. Say these statements/questions out loud and then wait for an answer. An answer may come as a feeling, a thought, a picture in your mind, a word, a memory or just an inner knowing. If no answer comes to the first question, this may not be the right time for this step.
“Spirit of Truth, is there a lie I believe about myself?” (pause and wait for an answer)
“Who taught me that lie?” (pause and wait for an answer)
“I forgive (name) for teaching me this lie. I forgive myself for receiving this lie and allowing it to influence my thoughts. I release myself from this lie. I give it up and let it go.”
“What truth do I need to hear?” (pause and wait for an answer)
“I receive the truth that (the truth).”
Lie Detector: God Concept
Go to a place where you will not be interrupted. Turn off any devices that might distract you. Take a few deep breaths, letting them out slowly to help you relax and to quiet your mind. Say these statements/questions out loud and then wait for an answer. An answer may come as a feeling, a thought, a picture in your mind, a word, a memory or just an inner knowing. If no answer comes to the first question, this may not be the right time for this step.
“Spirit of Truth, is there a lie I believe about God?” (pause and wait for an answer)
“Who taught me that lie?” (pause and wait for an answer)
“I forgive (name) for teaching me this lie. I forgive myself for receiving this lie and allowing it to influence my thoughts. I release myself from this lie. I give it up and let it go.”
“What truth do I need to hear?” (pause and wait for an answer)
“I receive the truth that (the truth).
I encourage you to write down the answer you get to the last question, “What truth do I need to hear?” Put it on a post-it note where you can look at it each day. Meditate on it. Say it out loud to yourself. Really let it soak in – it might take awhile for it to become your new default way of perceiving God or yourself (especially if that lie was in there a long time).
Once you overcome and break through whatever agreement you had with darkness or deception, that attack will simply disappear! Where there is no legal ground, the enemy cannot take advantage of you. He cannot harm you. The curse causeless cannot come!
Forgive the person who was attacking you. Release blessing upon them. They were simply being used by the enemy – don’t take it personally. Let it go!
There have been so many stories of curses that were placed on Christians, but when there was no cause, the curse was powerless to harm them. I’m thinking of a specific story right now from the mission field. A Christian missionary family moved into a village where there was no church or any other Christians. They began to witness about Jesus and people in the village became interested to know more about Him. The local witch doctor became jealous of the influence the Christian missionaries were having in his village. People used to come to him and now they were going to the missionaries for help with their problems. He announced to the village leaders that he was going to curse them with his witchcraft power and that they would die in 3 days. This witch doctor was very powerful and they believed he could do it. Everyone was tense and waiting to see what would happen. Blissfully, the missionaries were unaware of this curse. They just continued loving people and praying for them. When they didn’t die after 3 days, the witch doctor came to ask them who this Jesus was! They delightfully explained how God has much more power than the devil and how Jesus defeated Satan on the cross by laying down His life for us all. As a result, the witch doctor renounced his witchcraft power and became a follower of Jesus, receiving forgiveness for his sins. The entire village rejoiced and a church was planted among them so they could learn to follow Jesus.
You have the power to overcome all the power of the enemy with the Truth that is in Jesus! You are not a victim of his attacks – you are more than a conqueror! Unleash the Light that is in you to dispel the darkness. Do not be afraid – greater is HE that is IN you, than he that is in the world.
Do you have an example of seeing an attack against you disappear when you overcame the deception within you? If so, please share below! That’s how we learn from each other.
By the way, the example I used above was about someone being attacked in ministry. But these kinds of attacks can come from anywhere – your neighbor, your family, someone at work or at church, etc.
Thank you for reading this blog and sharing it with others who might need this information – you are a blessing to me! 😊
Listen! It Could Save Your Life!
In the days to come it will be life or death for us to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s impressions, especially in the great chaos of these times. – Rick Joyner, MorningStar Ministries
I was sitting at my desk at work, typing on the computer. I could see that the sky was getting dark and remembered hearing that there was a tornado warning in the area. Suddenly I heard in my spirit, RUN NOW! I grabbed my phone off the desk, ran into the hallway and straight toward the bathroom. Just as I opened the door of the bathroom, I glanced back and all the windows in my office exploded – exactly where I had been sitting! I stayed in the bathroom, praying and worshipping the Lord. I had no fear – just freaked out a little bit at how fast everything happened. I could hear the forceful winds of destruction all around me, but I had peace from the Holy Spirit that I was safe. I prayed for the building to stay intact and released peace into the storm.
Eventually everything calmed down and I peeked out into the hallway. I didn’t know if anyone else was in the building since it was after the time when most people went home. I called out and discovered the owner’s son was there, a young adult. Together we walked through the office, looking at all the damage. Then I grabbed my purse and keys to go home. The parking lot was a nightmare with cars on top of each other. It was shocking how much devastation the tornado caused in such a short period of time. I just kept saying, Thank you, Jesus! Thank you for your protection! I was in awe that I had been in the middle of the storm and was unhurt! And my car was okay – a little bit of damage, but I could drive home. So grateful to God for His Holy Spirit and the angels that kept me safe and at peace. 😊
When I read those words from Rick Joyner, a respected leader in the body of Christ, I was reminded of two stories where someone’s life was saved by listening to the Holy Spirit. This story is from a friend of mine who called me from the parking lot after the tornado passed. We both praised God for His protection of her that day!
Another time my friend was at the beach – just down the street from where this story with the tornado occurred. It was a beautiful day – she was listening to the peaceful sound of the waves lapping against the shore. A bird flew overhead. There was a nice breeze. What a great way to relax. She took a picture with her phone, trying to capture the essence of the experience. She thought of me and wanted to share the picture via text.
She was ready to leave when she heard the Holy Spirit say, Go over there and take some more pictures. So she got up from where she was sitting and walked a short distance away. From there, she took some more pictures of the waves and the beach. Just as she was turning around to walk back to her towel, she heard Pow! Pow! like gunshots. She saw everyone running for cover so she ran toward a short wall that was near the beach. She and another woman ducked behind the wall. The woman had a child with her.
My friend immediately started praying – releasing protection and peace. There was a lot of noise and commotion nearby. The woman was afraid and wanted to leave with her child, but my friend encouraged her to stay down and wait until it was clear. After a few minutes, things quieted down and after a short while, they could hear police sirens coming their way.
The woman’s husband came for her and the child and said it was safe to come out. My friend walked back to her towel to get her things. Police and paramedics were surrounding a woman who was laying on the ground – right where my friend would have been if she had left earlier. The woman had been shot. My friend was shocked and said a prayer for her.
She walked to her car, got in and locked the doors. Then she burst into tears. THANK YOU, JESUS!! was all she could keep saying. Again, her life was spared by listening to the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit.
WOW! You never know when violence and destruction might come your way. This should encourage us to pay attention to that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit – it could literally save your life some day!
Has something like this ever happened to you? Please share the story with us in the comments! If your story is longer than 2-3 paragraphs, I also accept guest posts for this blog, if you’d like to submit one. You can contact me here.
Discerning of Spirits, Gift of Discernment
I came across your blog while seeking answers concerning the gift of discernment. I would like to get help in understanding the gift because there’s a lot I am going through and sometimes it becomes so overwhelming.
Overwhelming? Oh, yes! I can relate. Having the gift of discernment can definitely feel overwhelming at times.
The gift of discernment (aka discerning of spirits) is a very challenging gift to have. Many people have no idea what to do with it and they often feel alone. What they experience seems so weird or odd that they are afraid to tell anyone. If they do mention it to someone close to them, often that person has no idea what they are talking about – which teaches them to not talk about it anymore for fear of being rejected or judged for being abnormal.
Let’s talk about this gift and try to normalize it for those who are uninformed.
Discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:10). No instruction manual is provided with this gift so you learn about it through life experience. This forces you to draw close to God and ask HIM to teach you about this gift.
This gift gives you the ability to discern good from evil (or truth from deception) and especially the spirit behind something. Sometimes it is similar to intuition but it usually comes with more information. Discerning the spirit behind something can come in many ways – it might be something you see, or something you hear or something you feel. Or a combination of seeing, hearing or feeling. It can also just be an inner knowing.
Have you ever met someone and immediately you got a bad feeling about the person? They looked like a nice person, but everything inside of you was saying, Watch out! Be very careful – this person is not trustworthy. That was discernment giving you information to protect you. Chances are this was confirmed later by their behavior or attitude toward you, right? Or you saw them hurt someone else and you realized your discernment was accurate.
The number one danger that those with the gift of discernment have is to talk themselves out of their discernment. They assume they are wrong or that they are being judgmental of someone they just met. So they ignore or dismiss their misgivings and then they suffer the consequences.
If this is you, please stop right now and say, “Holy Spirit, I am sorry for ignoring the warnings you have given me. I have not honored this gift you gave me. I apologize. Please help me to pay attention to the things you are showing me. I didn’t realize that it was YOU telling me to be careful.”
Some of us have a stronger gift of discernment and we can perceive angels, demons, etc. in the unseen realm. Some see these beings as shadows or lights. Some feel them as energy or a presence. Some hear them in various ways – words being spoken, sounds of movement or wings, etc. Many with this gift can also discern things about people – they can perceive someone’s gifting or calling, or they can perceive areas of unhealed wounds in their soul. And they can also tell if someone has a demon attached to them.
As you can imagine, discerning things that are invisible, that no one else seems to notice, can make you question your sanity. Am I going crazy? I know too much. How come no one seems to have this gift? How do I know if I can trust what I am perceiving? Is it accurate?
First of all, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I started this blog to help people like you and me – to help us know we are not alone in this gifting. There are many of us and in fact, the Lord is increasing this gift because we need it more now.
The biggest question I get is – What do I do with the information I receive? Is it accurate? Should I take action on it or tell other people what I perceive?
The only answer I have is this – ASK GOD. Become very familiar with the Holy Spirit inside of you. Talk to the Spirit every day. Holy Spirit was sent to us to help us and teach us (John 14:26). This gift forces you to rely on Holy Spirit to show you what to do with what you are receiving from this gift. And that’s a good thing! 😊
So whenever I perceive something, I say in my heart/mind, Holy Spirit, what is this? Do I need to do anything with this? And I wait. It can be hard to do this in a busy, noisy place, but I do my best. And if it is a very strong impression then I try to get away by myself for a minute so that I can discern what, if anything, I am sensing I should do.
Many times I do not sense that I need to DO anything. For a long time this bothered me. Why am I receiving information if I’m not meant to ACT on it? I would ask. But then God showed me that this is just part of the gift. Some people can perceive a lot more detail when they hear music because they are musicians – they hear things that I don’t. Some people perceive a lot more detail when they look at paintings because they are artists – they see things I don’t. It’s the same way with this gift – I perceive things that other people don’t. I don’t usually share what I sense – unless I am talking to someone who also has discernment.
I have discussed this gift with many people who DO have discernment – that’s how I know I am not crazy and I am not alone! That’s actually the best advice I can give you – ask the Lord to bring you 1 or 2 people who have this gift so that you can share your experiences and learn from each other. That helped me learn a lot when I was first exploring this gift – I wrote about my experience in the Introduction on this blog. When you share what you sense with someone who has the gift, it’s such a good experience. You don’t feel weird anymore. 😊
The second thing that really helps is to pursue inner healing for yourself. Often we can get overwhelmed by what we sense because of our own wounding. If I have a lot of unhealed fear or anxiety in my soul and I encounter another person who is struggling with fear or anxiety – WHAM! Suddenly I am drowning in fear or anxiety! And I don’t even realize why. My senses are so overloaded that I can’t think clearly. This could happen with any strong emotion – fear, hate, anger, lust, depression, grief, rejection, etc.
The more you become healed on the inside by receiving God’s love for you and what He says about you, the easier it is to discern what is your stuff and what is someone else’s stuff. Then it doesn’t feel so overwhelming because you are no longer triggered so easily by other people. After you have been healed, you can then use this gift to help others heal – that’s a very powerful and redemptive experience. When you see how your past suffering helps someone else find freedom from the same things that used to plague you, it helps give purpose to your pain.
I hope this article has helped bring some clarity to this topic. Keep in mind that people use the word “discernment” differently. Some use it to mean having wisdom to make a good decision. Some use it in the Catholic community when they are talking about someone discovering their calling in life or ministry. Because of the different uses of this word, it can be hard to find books or articles on this topic.
Here are a few I can recommend:
Seeing the Supernatural: How to Sense, Discern and Battle in the Spiritual Realm by Jennifer Eivaz
The Veil by Blake Healy
Discernment: The Essential Guide to Hearing the Voice of God by Jane Hamon
The Discerner: Hearing, Confirming, and Acting On Prophetic Revelation (A Guide to Receiving Gifts of Discernment and Testing the Spirits) by James Goll
Sometimes this gift is considered part of the prophetic giftings. Some say it is part of being a Seer. This gift can be used to help people with inner healing and deliverance. It is very helpful when dealing with spiritual warfare too. There’s so much this gift can do to assist the body of Christ.
Don’t be afraid. Ask Holy Spirit to teach you and pay attention to what you sense. There are many articles on this blog that describe experiences I have had that might encourage you. You can use the search feature at the top or side to search by a specific word or phrase. You can also look at the Directory for a list of all the articles by name.
Feel free to post your question or comment below – that way we can all learn from each other! I look forward to reading your thoughts and responding to your questions.
Related posts:
- Feeling in the Spirit – What Do I Do With It?
- Spiritual Senses – Which one is your strongest?
- How to See the Unseen Realm
- God’s Voice vs Other Voices: How Can You Tell the Difference?
- How to Remove Blocks to Hearing God
- Spiritual Protection from Dark Forces & Evil Spirits
- Spiritual Cleansing: Taking a Spiritual Shower Each Day
Generational Curses & Blessings
Everyone suffers from generational curses. Most people enjoy generational blessings too. Here’s a brief discussion about this topic. I get asked about this frequently so I decided it was time to write about it.
When someone describes negative patterns in their life, I often tell them to ask Holy Spirit if there’s a generational curse they need to break. Here are some examples
- Getting passed over for promotions in your job over and over
- Unable to stay employed (for various reasons)
- Whenever you are blessed financially, something comes to take it immediately
- Almost everyone in your family has been divorced
- Family history of addiction to alcohol, drugs, compulsive behaviors, etc.
- Family history of trauma and/or abuse
- Family history of severe anxiety or crippling depression
- Family history of mental illness, any kind
- Family history of cancer, arthritis, kidney disease, diabetes, etc.
- Family history of suicide or early death
- Chronic illness
- Accidents happen frequently to you
Generational curses come from choices that were made by previous generations – someone in your family made a bad choice and the consequences were passed down to you. You may or may not have made the same bad choice. You can see this very easily in family traits – your father had a bad temper and so do you. Some of it is learned behavior – you copied what you saw as a child. Some of it can be spiritual – a familiar spirit of anger or impatience that seems to push your buttons so that you get angry easily.
There are entire books written about this subject, if you want to know more. Many books that deal with inner healing and deliverance cover this topic. As you become more healed inside, you stop making bad choices. But when you are still suffering the consequences of other people’s bad choices, that’s when it’s time to consider generational curses.
You may not be aware of how generational curses affect you – most people aren’t. Whenever I see a pattern in someone’s life, that’s the first thing that comes to mind.
The only one who knows whether you are being affected by a generational curse is the Lord – so ask Him! He will show you whatever details you need to know in order to break the curse. It’s not complicated. Breaking the curse is easy. Recovering from the patterns of thinking or reacting that you have developed is what takes time to heal from usually – sometimes they stop immediately, other times it takes daily practice until they disappear from your life (i.e. learning how to respond with patience instead of anger is both mental and emotional).
How to Break a Generational Curse
- Ask the Lord what generational curse is affecting you. Wait quietly in His presence as He shows you. You might see a picture of someone or an event that occurred, you might hear words spoken to your mind or you might simply have a knowing about what happened. It can often help to have someone pray with you to hear from God. Since a generational curse is familiar to you, it can be easier for someone else to perceive them from the Lord.
- Repent and renounce the behavior that brought the curse. You can pray something like this, Lord, I repent and renounce on behalf of myself and my bloodline for participating in __________________. Please wash us of this sin and place your blood, Jesus, on my bloodline to break this generational curse. Thank you, Lord.
- If the Lord shows you anyone that you need to forgive, this is a good time to do that to clear away any bitterness or judgment you have held against someone in your family. You could pray, Lord, please forgive me for my judgment of __(name)__. I forgive them for how their ____(sin)____ affected me and influenced my choices. I release them from the harm they caused me and I let it go.
Generational Blessings
We tend to focus on generational curses because they cause us pain. But there are generational blessings too! These can be invisible to you and it might help to have someone help you discover them. Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight to you the way you have been blessed through your bloodline. Pay attention when older family members tell stories about past generations – there might be a hint in there!
For instance, ever since I was very small, I wanted to be a teacher. I studied to be a school teacher and during my internship, I discovered that I was not cut out for that kind of teaching. So I changed my focus and tried other career paths. Then one day I was going through a safety deposit box at the bank with my mother. She pulled out some really old papers and started telling me about my great grandmother and what an excellent Bible teacher she was. I sensed the Holy Spirit saying, “See? It’s in your bloodline to teach. You have a generational blessing passed down from her.” No one had ever mentioned to me that she was a teacher and no one in my family had followed in her steps. This was a generational blessing waiting to be claimed – I embraced it in my heart as being for me!
That gave me courage to explore how to teach about spiritual things – like through this blog. I have also written books and taught workshops on spiritual topics like cultivating the presence of God at home and at work. The more I have done this, the bolder I have become realizing that I have been blessed in order to BE a blessing to others. Thank you, Lord, and thank you, great grandma Emma, for your faithful service to the Lord to teach His word! 🙂
Another time the Lord showed me a generational blessing, I was at church with my dad. The minister said during the service that my father was a man of great wisdom and that whenever my dad spoke, the minister listened to him. I was surprised! In my family, I did not grow up going to church. It was a recent development that my father had started going to church. When I asked my father about it later, he said his mother had been very connected to God and was also known for her wisdom.
People have often commented on the wisdom I carry and share with others, but I had no idea it was a generational blessing! It was a beautiful surprise and I cannot wait to meet my grandmother in heaven.
We often take good things for granted so you probably have more generational blessings than you realize. Ask the Lord to highlight them for you and He will!
I hope this brief discussion on generational blessings and curses has been helpful. If you have experience with this, please comment below so we can learn from each other. If you have questions, feel free to post them and we will do our best to answer them. God bless you! 🙂
Discernment of the Supernatural Realm 