A few nights ago I could not sleep and was pacing and praying and praising in the wee hours of the morning. I was thanking God for Who He is, and my spirit got caught on "Thank you for being The Destroyer".
The Destroyer?
I was a little suprised by own words. God is Patience and Kindness. He is about Goodness and Grace, Healing and Freedom. But I could not get this out of my head or off my lips!
The Word of God says,
"Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them." Ps 54:5
"Let my persecutors be put to shame, but keep me from shame; let them be terrified but keep me from terror; bring on them the day of disaster; destroy them with double destruction." Jer 17:18
"The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy." Ps 145:20
Praise God that He destroys the works of the enemy in our lives. He will avenge us. He will save us from temptations, faulty belief systems, Satan's schemes to take us out, even our own folly. Not only will he remove us to safety but He will utterly destroy those things meant to destroy us.
Shortly after I began seeing God this way and thanking Him for it, I logged on to Stir the Water, a website about learning to walk in the prophetic, especially the seer anointing. In one of the posts, a user said the Lord had shown him Jesus manifested in the form of a coiled serpent. Again, I was slightly agahst -- serpents are of the devil, right? I was certain this person had lost it, but the Lord showed me again that in His Goodness, He is, indeed the Destroyer. The image given was of a coiled snake, still as a stone, but able to strike out at its enemies before they even knew what was happening. God's message to the poster (and to us) is "I can rest and be still, because I am in control". Imagine the muscle control of a serpent as it lies completely still, perhaps basking in the sun, but then lashing out in utmost precision. Our perfect Savior is just like that!
Then, a couple days later a friend was sharing with me a dream she'd had in which she found herself having snuck up on some thieves and in one swift motion, snapped their necks, killing them. I know that sounds greusome -- at least it did to me -- but she knew the Lord was affirming to her that he was giving her discernment and power to destroy evil that comes into her life and against her family. Then I saw, God not only works on our behalf, but He teaches us to destroy the works of the evil one ourselves... in His power and authority. He does not want us to be helpless babies but to "grow up in all things into Christ." (Eph 4:15; also see Psalm 101) It is God who ultimately avenges, and He alone is the Judge when it comes to people. But Satan, all his cohorts, and all his schemes and weapons, God has already judged. Therefore we judge them too, and walk in His destroying power against the darkness of the spiritual realm.
This morning I wrote out my previous post of what Steve Shultz had said, including that God is contending with the wicked and seriously avenging His own. And it hit me -- Hey, there's a theme going on here!!! (God speaks in confirmations)
Steve is a man of grace, mercy and forgiveness, and I have never heard him speak with such a tone of warning and urgency. Indeed, he even said it was hard for him to do but had to speak as the Lord was speaking. Yet, in God's severity we rejoice! After all, it's His love and grace He has poured out on us. But upon His enemies and ours, He pours out wrath and destruction... for our sake!
Thank you, Lord, for your power which you work on our behalf. Thank you for your mercy and your protection. Destroy of the works of the enemy, including the strongholds in our thinking that sometimes we'd rather hold on to. In your severity you are good and worthy of thanksgiving and praise!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Jesus Encounters and God Contending
These notes are obviously just my paraphrase of the things that were said by the speakers a the conference (What God is Doing in 2010), and totally dependent on what I was able to 'catch' as I scribbled feverishly as I listened, so they might not always have perfect sentence structure or even complete thoughts! Ask the Lord to fill in the gaps for you, and/or order the CDs from the Elijah List. http://http//www.elijahshopper.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=249
The comments inside the brackets, {} , are my own personal thoughts or revelation.
Thursday afternoon: speaker Steve Shultz
Increase of Jesus Encounters
Steve's message was primarily about new revelation of Jesus Christ. Every time the 24 elders around God's throne cast down their crowns and say, "glory!" they are getting new revelation of Jesus Christ. {And they've been there a long time, so there's alot for us yet to get!}
Every day, we have (or should be having) new, fresh revelation of Jesus Christ. He said the things we will realize about Jesus this year will amaze us.!!
Hebrews 1:1-3a "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.... He is the radiance of His glory and the exact reprentation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. "
Believe you can have FACE TO FACE encounters with Jesus. Such experiences are increasing and will increase throughout this year and the coming decade! Have you seen Jesus in a dream? That counts for a face to face encounter. It's not just a dream.... He is in the room, manifesting Himself to you.
ASK for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation and for the Fear of God SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW HIM BETTER. (Eph 1:17) (Steve pointed out that the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation is apparently not the same as the Holy Spirit per se, since Paul was Spirit-filled and was writing to Spirit-filled people. This is something more, to be asked for and sought out in addition to "being Spirit filled"). Then, WAIT ON THE LORD. Nothing has to "happen". Some fantastic manifestation is not proof that you are in the Presence or that God is filling you up. If something "happens", great; if not, great.
Purposefly detach your yourself from the tree of knowledge and re-graft into the True Vine Every Day. This all takes DISCIPLINE.
God will Contend with the Contentious and Vindicate the Righteous
This year, God will contend with those who contend with us, His people (Is 49:25).... IF we are blessing our enemies, loving those who hate us, praying for those who persecute us, etc.
Revelation 3:8-9 "I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name. Behold I will cause those of the synagoge of Satan, who say that they are Jews, {claim to be people of God} and are not, but lie -- behold I will make them to come and bow down at your feet, and to know I that I have loved you."
This is very sobering.
-- We must walk in forgiveness and humility or the judgement will bounce back to us.
-- We must walk in repentence and love towards our brothers.... indeed, if we are contending with -- talking against, holding things against, being dishonest with -- any of God's people then we are the ones God will contend with. We do not want that to happen!
-- We don't ask for this. God will do as He sees fit. Solomon was rewarded because He did not ask for the destruction of His enemies.
Steve says he believes we may be entering a season like that of Ananias and Saphira, who lied to the apostles and were immediately killed by God. He said that after God started speaking to him about this, he began remembering people who had "contended with" him personally in one way or another and all of those people have had very severe things happen to them (including sudden death). He's not saying he was "THE" reason for that, and he certainly did not pray for that to happen to them, but just that God's vengeance for us will come and that it is a very sobering thing to think about. The greatest form of vengeance is for them to get saved!!
"This is the year to bless your enemies and see God defend you!!"
The comments inside the brackets, {} , are my own personal thoughts or revelation.
Thursday afternoon: speaker Steve Shultz
Increase of Jesus Encounters
Steve's message was primarily about new revelation of Jesus Christ. Every time the 24 elders around God's throne cast down their crowns and say, "glory!" they are getting new revelation of Jesus Christ. {And they've been there a long time, so there's alot for us yet to get!}
Every day, we have (or should be having) new, fresh revelation of Jesus Christ. He said the things we will realize about Jesus this year will amaze us.!!
Hebrews 1:1-3a "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.... He is the radiance of His glory and the exact reprentation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. "
Believe you can have FACE TO FACE encounters with Jesus. Such experiences are increasing and will increase throughout this year and the coming decade! Have you seen Jesus in a dream? That counts for a face to face encounter. It's not just a dream.... He is in the room, manifesting Himself to you.
ASK for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation and for the Fear of God SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW HIM BETTER. (Eph 1:17) (Steve pointed out that the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation is apparently not the same as the Holy Spirit per se, since Paul was Spirit-filled and was writing to Spirit-filled people. This is something more, to be asked for and sought out in addition to "being Spirit filled"). Then, WAIT ON THE LORD. Nothing has to "happen". Some fantastic manifestation is not proof that you are in the Presence or that God is filling you up. If something "happens", great; if not, great.
Purposefly detach your yourself from the tree of knowledge and re-graft into the True Vine Every Day. This all takes DISCIPLINE.
God will Contend with the Contentious and Vindicate the Righteous
This year, God will contend with those who contend with us, His people (Is 49:25).... IF we are blessing our enemies, loving those who hate us, praying for those who persecute us, etc.
Revelation 3:8-9 "I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name. Behold I will cause those of the synagoge of Satan, who say that they are Jews, {claim to be people of God} and are not, but lie -- behold I will make them to come and bow down at your feet, and to know I that I have loved you."
This is very sobering.
-- We must walk in forgiveness and humility or the judgement will bounce back to us.
-- We must walk in repentence and love towards our brothers.... indeed, if we are contending with -- talking against, holding things against, being dishonest with -- any of God's people then we are the ones God will contend with. We do not want that to happen!
-- We don't ask for this. God will do as He sees fit. Solomon was rewarded because He did not ask for the destruction of His enemies.
Steve says he believes we may be entering a season like that of Ananias and Saphira, who lied to the apostles and were immediately killed by God. He said that after God started speaking to him about this, he began remembering people who had "contended with" him personally in one way or another and all of those people have had very severe things happen to them (including sudden death). He's not saying he was "THE" reason for that, and he certainly did not pray for that to happen to them, but just that God's vengeance for us will come and that it is a very sobering thing to think about. The greatest form of vengeance is for them to get saved!!
"This is the year to bless your enemies and see God defend you!!"
"What God is Saying for 2010" Conference -- my overall impressions
First, my overall impressions of the the conference:
I got excited at this conference. The gist of a lot of what I heard Chuck Pierce, especially, saying was that 2009 (I have notes from his word for last year too, if you want them) was the year of the womb, and of "coming full circle." 2009 felt like a lot of pushing, and like going around the mountain again. 2010 (year 5770 on the Hebrew calendar) carries the (Jewish) symbol of ayin, which has several meanings, but the first one I clued in on was about hands reaching up to heaven and a SWORD reaching down to earth to intersect and bring a breakthrough in the very things we have been beseeching heaven for.
Several themes resonated throughout the weekend even though speakers had not talked to each other about their topics. Most of them were exciting and hopeful, some of them sobering, and all of them pretty much dependent upon a people hungry for the presence of God and willing to watch and wait in the secret place, just for the sake of love.
God is promising though, in answer to our waiting, a great outpouring of His manifest presence and a great awakening in America. We have been waiting and praying for revival and visitiation for so long, it has almost seemed the waiting will go on forever, but many are seeing that we have enered the season when we will see the answers. Indeed, many miracles, signs, and outpourings are already coming about. God has not forgotten or forsaken America and by early this spring, the prophets say, the world will recognize that He is on the move in the Church in America. Yes, the Church.
"Coming down," so to speak, after the conference, I suffered a few days of depression, because there was so much hope and vision poured out, and yet many of the specific answers for my personal life are still out of grasp. I am pressed by the Spririt every day to come into the secret place, to watch and wait even when nothing seems to come of it, and to really get specific about what I want and need. It is time to urge heaven and not shrink back. It is not time to hesitate, and that is something I am really bad about. I am also challenged to live my life before my family and friends as a testimony of His grace and glory and of faith in His promises, how ever foolish it may seem.
I got excited at this conference. The gist of a lot of what I heard Chuck Pierce, especially, saying was that 2009 (I have notes from his word for last year too, if you want them) was the year of the womb, and of "coming full circle." 2009 felt like a lot of pushing, and like going around the mountain again. 2010 (year 5770 on the Hebrew calendar) carries the (Jewish) symbol of ayin, which has several meanings, but the first one I clued in on was about hands reaching up to heaven and a SWORD reaching down to earth to intersect and bring a breakthrough in the very things we have been beseeching heaven for.
Several themes resonated throughout the weekend even though speakers had not talked to each other about their topics. Most of them were exciting and hopeful, some of them sobering, and all of them pretty much dependent upon a people hungry for the presence of God and willing to watch and wait in the secret place, just for the sake of love.
God is promising though, in answer to our waiting, a great outpouring of His manifest presence and a great awakening in America. We have been waiting and praying for revival and visitiation for so long, it has almost seemed the waiting will go on forever, but many are seeing that we have enered the season when we will see the answers. Indeed, many miracles, signs, and outpourings are already coming about. God has not forgotten or forsaken America and by early this spring, the prophets say, the world will recognize that He is on the move in the Church in America. Yes, the Church.
"Coming down," so to speak, after the conference, I suffered a few days of depression, because there was so much hope and vision poured out, and yet many of the specific answers for my personal life are still out of grasp. I am pressed by the Spririt every day to come into the secret place, to watch and wait even when nothing seems to come of it, and to really get specific about what I want and need. It is time to urge heaven and not shrink back. It is not time to hesitate, and that is something I am really bad about. I am also challenged to live my life before my family and friends as a testimony of His grace and glory and of faith in His promises, how ever foolish it may seem.
BTW you can purchase any or all of the conference on CD, DVD, or MP3 download from the The Elijah List. Here's the link. http://http//www.elijahshopper.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=249
The favorable year of the LORD
So how does one START a blog?
I have wanted to and been encouraged to for some time now, but where to begin?
Well, I discovered that you start with a Title. That directs you, doesn't it? It states your purpose.
So I began to ask myself, "Okay, why am I doing this?" The first thing that popped into my head was "Proclaim the Favorable Year of the Lord!" I tried to think up other titles that would fit the prophetic and mystical experiences and musings that I hope to convey, but the Holy Spirit kept pressing me... Proclaim the Favorable Year of the Lord... the time/season of his favor and grace. It can't be about me. It's about Him, and it's about YOU. Isn't that what all prophecy and heavenly "download" is about anyway?
It has been spoken by many that we -- the Church, the World -- everyone, has entered a new season (whether we know it or not) and God is about to blow across the land in unprecedented waves of both judgement and grace. It is time to seek the Lord while He may be found. And found He will be! It is His promise. I believe He will be found in many unexpected ways.
I will begin by posting my notes, which I took during the "What God is Doing: 2010" prophetic conference in Albany, OR the first week of January. Oh, man! I got excited during that conference about God's plans, His favor, His love, and the revelation of Himself that He is about to pour out on those who seek Him. Indeed, this is the year to Proclaim the Favor of the LORD.
I have wanted to and been encouraged to for some time now, but where to begin?
Well, I discovered that you start with a Title. That directs you, doesn't it? It states your purpose.
So I began to ask myself, "Okay, why am I doing this?" The first thing that popped into my head was "Proclaim the Favorable Year of the Lord!" I tried to think up other titles that would fit the prophetic and mystical experiences and musings that I hope to convey, but the Holy Spirit kept pressing me... Proclaim the Favorable Year of the Lord... the time/season of his favor and grace. It can't be about me. It's about Him, and it's about YOU. Isn't that what all prophecy and heavenly "download" is about anyway?
It has been spoken by many that we -- the Church, the World -- everyone, has entered a new season (whether we know it or not) and God is about to blow across the land in unprecedented waves of both judgement and grace. It is time to seek the Lord while He may be found. And found He will be! It is His promise. I believe He will be found in many unexpected ways.
I will begin by posting my notes, which I took during the "What God is Doing: 2010" prophetic conference in Albany, OR the first week of January. Oh, man! I got excited during that conference about God's plans, His favor, His love, and the revelation of Himself that He is about to pour out on those who seek Him. Indeed, this is the year to Proclaim the Favor of the LORD.
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