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Low & Slow = Divine Flow
There’s another dimension – much slower than our earthly dimension (which is fast and busy). We have to slow down and pay attention. Be still and silent and you’ll notice it.
This other dimension is in control of our earthly dimension. There’s peace and joy there. There’s resources there for whatever is needed. There’s help and support there.
- Slow Down
- Let go of control
- Pay attention to the other dimension – shift your focus, slow down your breathing and even your thinking
- It takes practice
- Stay in the present
There’s grace (divine enablement) in the moment. Not before or after.
Our time is being stolen by thinking about the future or the past – it’s a distraction from this present moment.
When you have nothing left, you are forced to receive from this other dimension and help comes. As long as you are trying to “save” yourself, you tell the other dimension, “I don’t need your help.” So you struggle and things are hard.
So remain consciously dependent, radically dependent, and “helpless” or powerless in the earthly dimension and you will have divine help constantly. It’s an internal shift inside of you. Oneness with Him. Resting and receiving His goodness, whatever that looks like in the moment.
My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness. My power is demonstrated in your powerlessness. Therefore I will boast about my powerlessness that the power of Christ may rest upon me! 2 Corinthians 12:9, paraphrase
Are you willing to let go of your power in order to have His power? It’s not easy – it requires vulnerability.
He told me, “It’s not Me helping you, as though We are separate. It’s Us doing it together, through your surrender.”
HE is not worried. We are the ones who are worried.
Detach from the ego that wants control and likes to worry, especially after midnight when you are trying to sleep. 😴
It’s not comfortable for ego to detach and live from a place of letting go. It doesn’t know what to do with itself. What role does it play?
The ego’s purpose is to be subject. To learn submission, moment by moment.
The ego is transformed through conscious awareness of Oneness with the Lord. It is the channel through which the other dimension comes into this dimension. This is very powerful and beautiful. This is God’s order – the way He created it. Ego is merely a channel for the other dimension, if it submits willingly.
Are you willing?
This is a revelation I received while a friend and I were talking recently. Does it resonate with you? 😊
It is very hard to slow down and pay attention to this other dimension – the kingdom realm of God’s rule and reign. To see what He’s doing, to hear what He’s saying. Yet it is SO worth it! And when we let go, surrender and just rest in Him, everything flows so much more smoothly. That’s what we were created to do – to live in union with Him all day every day.
What are your thought about this? Do you have any specific practices that help you to stay in tune with this other dimension? Please share your comments, questions or ideas below. That’s how we learn from each other – we each share our piece of the peace! God bless you today and thanks for reading! 😊💗
Door of Heaven Opened 🌈
A few nights ago as I was getting ready to go to bed something unusual happened during my bedtime prayers.
I normally pray before I go to sleep, “I close every open door to the enemy’s realm and I seal them shut with the blood of Jesus. I command every spirit not sent here by Jesus Christ to leave now.”
At the end of that prayer, I suddenly felt impressed to say, “And I open the door of heaven over us.” I had never done that before. It had never even occurred to me to do that before.
Immediately I could sense all kinds of goodness ready to be poured out on us. How fun! 😊
I could sense a bright colorful opening above me – kind of like when you open the attic door in your house. There’s a sense of space above you and unidentifiable objects piled up in there. Most attics are dark but this was full of light.
I was reminded of something a close friend said to me one night when we were praying at my house. She saw over herself a portal to heaven and the Lord showed her that wherever she went, she had this portal. She laughed and said, “It’s like a porta-portal!”
The next day I woke up with sore throat. I was miserable all day and when I went to bed that night, I desperately needed to rest. I thought of the open door and I sensed that I could receive from it so I thought of what I needed on a practical level. I asked for my sinuses to clear so I could breathe freely and I asked to be able to fall asleep peacefully. And I did! When I’m sick that rarely happens – I usually really struggle to sleep when my body hurts. And yes, I prayed for healing but didn’t sense that was being released yet.
What the Lord showed me was that this portal required a different kind of attitude of heart – one of resting and receiving instead of standing and declaring. This is preparing us to receive God’s goodness in ways we cannot imagine. In the past we learned how to reach into heaven and pull down what was needed by standing on His word and declaring His promises. It was a type of spiritual warfare and required a lot of courage and determination.
It reminded me of when the Israelites came out of the wilderness into the promised land. They had spent years fighting and conquering in battle. But when they finally entered the promised land, everything was already done for them – vineyards were ripe with grapes, houses were already built and furnished, fields were ready for harvest (Deuteronomy 6:10-12). It required a mindset shift to simply relax and receive.
Over the next week whenever I prayed before bed I could sense that open door. I tried to look into it to see if I could perceive anything specific but it was more of a general impression of goodness. It felt as though it was bursting with resources and assistance, ready to come down from heaven to earth for me. I could see or sense smiles too.
Imagine a well lit child’s playroom with smiling stuffed animals, toys, games, etc. in bright, happy colors.
Or like a beautiful bookstore full of curious objects, big comfy chairs and a delectable cafe full of smiling servers ready to help you.
Some scriptures came to mind regarding this open door of heaven.
Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29
I’m receiving God’s unshakable kingdom!
I will open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10
I saw light, fluffy pink blessings falling out of the open door onto me the night I asked for specific help with my cold symptoms. It reminded me of the tsunami dream I had awhile back – it looked like bad things were going to happen but instead blessings were released.
Have you ever opened a door of heaven over yourself and your family? If so, please share what happened. If not, why not do that now? (if you feel the Lord’s leading) We are in transition to a new season of God’s favor and blessing being poured out without measure. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
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! 😊
Trust in God’s Goodness. He’s Got You! ❤️
Yesterday I woke up at 7am and sensed the presence of the Fear of the Lord in my room. I waited expectantly.
Two pictures kept coming to my mind from the Holy Spirit. One was from a dream I had in 2020 and the other one was from a vision I had in 2022. The pictures kept being shown to my mind over and over and I sensed that they were related – although that had never occurred to me before.
I will share with you the two images, as recorded in my journal. For the purpose of this blog, I have added pictures to try and illustrate what I saw.
July 28, 2020 I had a vivid dream. My husband and I were laying on the roof of a car, parked at the beach. The beach was full of people. The sky was a beautiful light blue with puffy clouds. We were sunning ourselves, laying on our backs. I looked up and suddenly there was this gigantic wave coming toward us. I freaked out and grabbed onto my husband. I didn’t want to get separated from him when it hit us. As it continued to grow larger, I became more frantic. I looked up at the wave and it had grown so tall that it became frozen in the atmosphere! It was as high as the clouds! Suddenly light fluffy chunks started falling, but they were not anything to fear. They were soft and light. I felt such relief and I laughed. I could feel the relief of those around me (the other people at the beach). Then I woke up.
January 7, 2022 I had a vision as I was walking down the hall. I looked up and saw an evil principality in the sky looking down toward the earth. I looked down quickly. Then I looked up and smiled – I was not afraid. Then I thought, I don’t want to draw attention to myself – he’s a big, bad one . So I looked down again. Then I looked up and thought, I am in God and He is in me. I saw this unfolding structure come out of me and surround me. I knew it was a representation of this thought and I felt immediately safe. Then I looked down again and when I looked up, I decided to look past the principality to the Father and His goodness in heaven. I smiled and as I continued looking, I realized the principality wasn’t real. It was like a huge balloon that they use in large parades (like the Macy’s Day parade in New York). It was light brown with a roundish head, a black outline around the head and it had a face with eyes. But now I could clearly see he was just a caricature – a big balloon full of air with no substance.
So how are these two images related?
They both represent something scary that’s very powerful with a sense of impending destruction. The evil principality brings destruction and seems to have influence on the earth. A tsunami is a very powerful, destructive force of nature that is unstoppable.
In both of these experiences, I was shown that there’s nothing to fear. In my vision the principality turned out to be a lot of hot air but no substance. In the dream the tsunami stopped before hitting us and was transformed into something harmless.
For some reason this makes me think of all the negative news we see – all the doom and gloom. It can make you feel afraid of impending destruction beyond your control. I’ve also noticed a very negative narrative being expressed from some religious leaders, forecasting impending destruction and judgment. This can also make you feel afraid.
But I believe I had this experience with the Fear of the Lord to encourage us that even though it might look like things are going to be scary and destructive, FEAR NOT! Instead focus on God’s goodness and His victory over the darkness. You will always have all that you need – your heavenly Father knows what you need before you even ask. Trust in His goodness. He’s got you! ❤️
If you have any insight or have a response to this article, please feel free to comment below. I love to read your thoughts and ideas. We learn by sharing with each other what the Lord is showing us. That’s why this blog exists – to offer a conversation about important topics like this one. Chime in! Let’s hear what you have to say! 😊
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
Spiritual Authority – True or False? Part 2
This is the continuation of our discussion on spiritual authority. You can find Part 1 here.
What is spiritual authority? Who gets to decide who has it and who does not have it? Who determines the rules or boundaries of spiritual authority? Can you identify false spiritual authority?
When I was younger, I was taught that I needed to be under someone’s authority in order to be covered spiritually – like the pastor of a church. Is that true? Does spiritual authority protect you?
What other questions come to mind? Write them in the comments below and we will do our best to answer them!
In my decades of following Jesus, I have seen true and false spiritual authority. The false is much more common than the true, unfortunately. You know it in your gut, but as a young person you often don’t have the words to articulate what you are seeing. I’d like to share what I have learned – you may have a different opinion and that’s okay. This is a conversation – feel free to share your perspective in the comments. 🙂
False Authority
Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28
This is SO counter-intuitive to our natural thinking!!
Mighty men and women of power and authority often lord it over others, making sure that no one else has influence over what happens except them! They make sure that others feel small, weak or powerless around them. They expect deference in their presence – yes, sir! They are always right and they know better than you, so you better do what they want or suffer the consequences of their disfavor.
Unfortunately many leaders in the church follow this example of false authority. It’s the opposite of what Jesus taught about having authority. Why do you think that is?
When you have authority in the natural realm, it can easily go to your head and fill you with pride. That’s dangerous and foolish. Pride always leads to a fall because you are NOT all powerful. God resists the proud – He gives grace to the humble.
Jesus was trying to teach his disciples that humility and lowering yourself as a slave is the way to power in God’s Kingdom. Jesus described Himself as meek and lowly of heart (Matthew 11:29). It’s in your weakness that the power of Christ rests upon you (2 Corinthians 12:9).
One of the characteristics of true spiritual authority is humility. You can hear it in someone’s voice and see it in their actions. People with true spiritual authority inspire you to trust and follow them. You don’t feel intimidated or manipulated by them – they respect you and encourage you to make your own decisions. You feel free in their presence.
If a leader demands that you submit to them and respect their authority, chances are they are operating in false authority. Jesus never spoke that way to people and He warned His disciples from using their power and influence to lord it over others. Keep that in mind – it’s important.
When you feel weak, you look for power to protect you, to empower you to “feel strong”. People can experience a false sense of power that comes from the soul if they manipulate or intimidate people to do what they want them to do.
The authority that Jesus gives provides true power or influence and you can see it in the fruit you experience – love, joy, peace, righteousness, etc. Anything else is false authority, false power. Soulish authority may look very powerful but it is limited. When you have God’s power, your source is unlimited.
One way to protect yourself from developing false authority in your own life is to embrace your weaknesses. Become like a little child, completely dependent on your heavenly Father. Be fully aware that it’s not your power or influence that does anything. Give up any illusion you have of being in control of what God is doing in you or around you. God is in control – NOT YOU.
You are not required to submit to a spiritual leader who is using false authority to control or manipulate you to do what they want. You can treat them with respect, but you do not have to submit to their authority. You submit to Jesus and do what He shows you to do.
If they are trying to convince you to do something and you do not sense the Lord leading you to respond, say nothing. This frustrates most leaders because they know that words can bind you in agreements (that you will regret later). It is better to be silent and attentive to the Holy Spirit, rather than try and talk your way out of the situation. Being silent also means that you can’t be bullied – you are giving them nothing they can use against you, especially if you are feeling weak or overwhelmed in their presence. Jesus was silent in the face of His accusers and it was a very powerful way to respond. He did not argue with them. He simply allowed them to speak and He didn’t say anything unless the Father told Him to speak. It can be very hard to do this, but it is a very powerful strategy.
Who gets to decide who has spiritual authority over you? You do! Toxic leaders will tell you things to make you afraid to leave their church – that God will not bless you if you leave. Or that the devil will get you if you are not under someone’s spiritual covering. Whenever someone tries to motivate you by using fear, run away fast. That’s not God! God’s love casts out all fear (I John 4:18). Manipulation and Intimidation use fear to control your behavior – that’s false authority. Get away from them fast!
Spiritual Covering
One last topic I’d like to cover is the idea of spiritual covering. I have heard it taught that you must be under a local church pastor in order to be covered spiritually. There’s some merit to it, but it has been used to confuse people and cause them to be afraid of leaving bad churches. I want to help bring clarity.
When you are covered spiritually, it means that someone is looking after your spiritual growth and development. They pray for you and with you, helping you to discern God’s direction for your life. They mentor you and help you to avoid making unwise decisions or getting involved with the wrong people.
Many local pastors oversee large groups of people and they cannot possibly provide this level of covering for you. They preach sermons at church and probably pray for you in a general way. This does help protect you from the enemy if you follow what they teach you from the Bible. Their prayers can help you, in a general way.
Will the enemy still attack you? Absolutely! For some reason people feel like there’s some kind of magic about having a pastor’s covering. There is no magic. There is still spiritual warfare and you are in it whether you want to be or not.
It is better to develop a close relationship with a small group leader or spiritual mentor that can meet with you, get to know you personally and pray with you about the concerns in your life. As they get to know you, the Lord will give them insight to help you avoid making unwise decisions or getting involved in bad situations with the wrong people. You need the personal interaction. This is how Jesus interacted with his 12 disciples. He did life with them. Most pastors simply cannot do life with everybody in their congregation, it’s not humanly possible.
I encourage you to ask the Lord to bring two or three mature Christians into your life. They may not be leaders, but they know how to walk with the Lord and how to love others. Remember to look for humility. That’s key. And then just do life together. Spend time with each other. Share about what’s going on in your life and ask them to pray for you. Listen when they have things to tell you about God or the direction in your life. The Lord will bring the right people into your life. You can ask Him to do that.
To learn more about spiritual authority, check out some good books like
Authority in Prayer by Dutch Sheets
A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards
What other questions come to mind regarding spiritual authority? Write them in the comments below and we will do our best to answer them!
Spiritual Authority – True or False? Part 1
I was reading an article in the news recently where it talked about restrictions that some religious organizations and churches place on their members. It made me start thinking about the topic of authority, specifically spiritual authority.
Where does spiritual authority come from? Who gets to decide who has it and who does not have it? Who determines the rules or boundaries of spiritual authority?
What does it mean if someone has spiritual authority? Who do they have authority over? What power does it give them?
What happens if there’s a distorted view of spiritual authority? How does that affect people?
When I was younger, I was taught that I needed to be under someone’s authority in order to be covered spiritually – like the pastor of a church. Is that true? Does spiritual authority protect you?
What other questions come to mind? Write them in the comments below and we will do our best to answer them!
In my decades of following Jesus, I have seen true and false spiritual authority. The false is much more common than the true, unfortunately. You know it in your gut, but as a young person you often don’t have the words to articulate what you are seeing. I’d like to share what I have learned – you may have a different opinion and that’s okay. This is a conversation – feel free to share your perspective in the comments. 🙂
I hope this article helps bring some clarity as you ponder this subject.
What is spiritual authority? Who has it? Where does it come from?
Spiritual authority is an ability to exert power or influence in the unseen realm. Spiritual authority can be given or earned (or both). True spiritual authority gives you power to stop the darkness and release the light of God’s love and goodness.
Jesus gave true spiritual authority to his disciples.
Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. Luke 9:1
He said, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19
Authority can also be earned as Jesus illustrated in the parable about being a faithful servant.
And he said to him, “Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.” Luke 19:17
Unfortunately the devil can also bestow authority to people.
Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” Luke 4:5-7
Jesus had an authority that was astonishing – people were amazed by it. They’d never seen anything like it!
And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. They were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” Luke 4:32, 36
Jesus was very clear where His power came from.
“For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.” John 12:49
[The Father] has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. John 5:27
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Matthew 28:18
Pretty impressive, huh?
So how does this work in the real world – the earthly realm we live in?
How do you know what spiritual authority you have? Believe it or not, it’s pretty simple. The extent of your authority in the spiritual realm is equivalent to your authority in the natural realm. Consider what is under your direct authority and control. If you have children, they are under your authority. If you own a home, it is under your authority. If you own a business, it is under your authority. If you are in management at your job, you have a certain degree of authority. If you are a teacher, you have a certain degree of authority over the children in the classroom while they are under your care.
Authority can also be delegated to us by Jesus for specific assignments. There are intercessors who are given authority to pray over specific realms in the spirit over which they have no natural man-given authority. God will make this very clear to you if He gives you this kind of authority.
Authority can also come from great love or compassion. God can give you a deep compassion for a person or a group of people and as a result, He can give you authority in order to help them.
What do I do with this spiritual authority?
You ask God what kingdom business needs to be performed in your realm of authority. You are His representative in your little corner of the earth. Read His Word. What is under your authority that is not going the way He would like it to go? Ask Him for what needs to change. Ask for His Wisdom and Revelation to guide you. Ask Him what words to speak – just like Jesus did.
Then speak with His authority, the things that need to be changed. You must be convinced of who you are in God’s kingdom and then speak. God said, Let there be light and there was light. He gives us a similar type of authority in the spirit to speak those things that should be in existence. He also gives us the authority to bind up things that should not be operating around us.
Examples:
Your home – if your children are constantly bickering with each other, bind up pride and division and release peace, harmony, humility, unity, etc.
Your job – if communication is getting confused and projects never seem to get done. Bind miscommunication, confusion, apathy and loose clear communication, teamwork and diligence.
Your relationships – if there’s someone who tries to control you, bind fear and control, loose trust and freedom.
The key is to bind up what is bad and loose what you’d like to see. All the while, asking the Father what would be best. He will show you. You don’t have to have great discernment or know the names of specific spirits for this to work. Bind up bad fruit, loose good fruit.
At times, you will see immediate change in your surroundings. Other times, it may take some time. When you are in a place you have no authority, you can always loose good things around you like peace, light, truth, blessings, etc. You should not bind what has a right to be there, but you can loose God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done everywhere you go!
Warning: Do not take spiritual authority where it is not yours to take. Be very careful. Make sure you are certain you have been given authority. You can experience serious consequences if you overstep your boundaries. John Paul Jackson outlines this in his book, Needless Casualties of War.
There’s so much more we could talk about – I’ll continue this discussion in Part 2.
Discernment of the Supernatural Realm 