Your Shield and Great Reward

How would you feel about your problems, trials and frustrations if you realized that GOD ALMIGHTY IS YOUR SHIELD? The same promise that God gave to Abraham in Genesis 15:1 belongs to those who belong to Christ. God said to Abraham, "I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward." A shield is used for protection. God is your defense!

In a recent dream, I was being chased by enemies and one threw a knife at my back. (Thank you Holy Spirit for the heads up!) I saw it coming and immediately cried out, "Jesus, You are my shield and my exceedingly great reward!" INSTANTLY the knife that was coming at me flipped in the air and began to chase down the one who threw it. He ran for his life! What a revelation, right? If you're under attack, persecution or encountering trouble, begin to declare, "Jesus, You are my shield and my exceedingly great reward!" Watch what happens next!

God is bound by His covenant with us. Your enemies become God's enemies' - but God's enemies becomes yours also. He is in it with us and He is our shield. Our defense! God has promised to do exceedingly ABOVE all we ask or think according to His promise in Ephesians 3:20. He is your shield that goes before you. He is our blessing, and His shield surrounds us with favor. What a great promise! Fear finds no place where the Lord of all our impossible situations stands between us and our enemies. The glory of the Lord comes behind us as our rear guard to keep watch against ambush attacks of the enemy. Whatever enemy it is, you can face it head on knowing that God is for you and working on your behalf to make His good plans for your life come to pass.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.” – Ps. 28:7

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. “ – Ps. 18:2

“After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." – Gen. 15:1

“Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” – Prov. 30:5

I love Psalm 35 also. King David is the author of Psalm 35, and it was written at a time when He desperately needed God’s intervention to deal with his enemies. King David understood the important secret we also need to know: God is bound by His covenant with His children to deliver help in our time of need. He IS our shield and military help at the time when our enemies gather against us. David’s heart was reassured that God would rise up in His defense!

Do you need a prayer to assure your heart? Do you need a prayer that will rise up as a call for help against any enemy? Here is a prayer for you!

Lord Jesus,

I thank You that you plead my cause with those that strive with me. You fight against those who fight against me, according to Your word in Psalm 35:1. I take hold of You, my shield and buckler, and I thank You that You stand up for my help. You have seen those that pursue me and you have reassured my soul that YOU ARE MY SALVATION.

I thank You that those that wait for you shall never be put to shame. Those who seek my life are turned back, sent into confusion, and those that try to harm me in any way whatsoever bring shame and dishonor upon themselves. This is your promise in Ps. 35:4.

I thank You that the angel of the Lord chases those that come against me. Those that insist upon acting as a destroyer or accuser in my life fall into the very destruction that they intended for me.

I thank You that you are awakened to my vindication and my enemies shall not rejoice over me. Those that rejoice in my hurt are brought to shame and mutual confusion. These are my promises from Your word. You do it automatically, as a partner in covenant with me. I need not worry. Man has no power over me. The enemy has no power over me. No weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that rises up against me is condemned, according to Your Word. I praise you all day long and I rejoice in my salvation. You are my shield, my buckler, my strong tower. You take up for me in the day of battle.

Therefore, I bless my enemies and ask that You bless them with a heart that is changed; a heart that can receive Your truth and revelation. Bless them by giving them an encounter and revelation of Jesus Christ. Show them Your love and your grace. Bless them in any way you desire. Let their hearts be released in humility and repentance to stop persecuting Your servant. Thank You, Father, Lord Jesus and Holy Spirit for Your love and help that protects me and assures my heart. In Jesus name, amen.

Who's on the Throne?

Life happens. It's how we respond to situations that makes all the difference. We are not meant to live off our feelings. Those that live from one feeling to another will get addicted to the emotional roller coaster and actually create their own drama because it feeds their need for attention and emotional highs and lows. A person that repeatedly confesses negativity and unbelief has chosen to live under a curse. Anyone aligned with unbelief is in rebellion towards God. His hands are tied until the person repents. He cannot bless what is aligned with Satan! He blesses what is aligned with faith. Everything will go wrong because negativity and complaints are constantly rehearsed and spoken. We will have what we confess!

I was once at that place in my life too, so please don't take this as judging, BUT -in order to set others free it requires speaking truth in love. I am not condemning anyone, merely calling attention to a problem that can keep people trapped in negative cycles. When a person creates a need for drama so that they can receive attention for their problems, it is actually a much bigger problem called idolatry. The person idolizes their problems and desires praise, attention and sympathy to feed their own need for affirmation. This is often present in a person with low self esteem, identity issues and feelings of low self worth. These things work together with a spirit of self-pity, because self-pity also elicits worship to feed it's need for attention. It doesn't care how it gets it, but it is never satisfied.

The person in bondage to these spirits is a person that does not know who they are in Christ.They feed the idolatrous spirit in their life the praise and false worship that all idols require by seeking attention for their problems and a continuous need to create drama. Those that help feed this spirit in others are actually cooperating with the demons that help keep people bound. It's a form of co-dependency. People that are bound by these spirits have actually made a decision to deny the truth of God's word. This is dangerous because they live in a constant state of unbelief. They are also a person that has chosen to take Christ off the throne of their heart and enthrone Self. They cannot grow into maturity until the make a deliberate choice to deny Self and renounce those forms of idolatry in their life.

Friend, the hard part is recognizing it within ourselves. When someone speaks the truth about our situation it can cause pain, offense or anger. That response is an indicator that truth has found it's mark and is coming against a stronghold in a person's heart and life where the enemy is protecting that lie. Once we recognize where the enemy is hiding, we can then take deliberate action to renounce that false god and allow Christ to take His rightful place in our heart. We can be consumed with ourselves, or we can allow our heart and mind to become consumed with elevating Christ and walking in our real identity. A person will never walk in the authority God has made possible until they choose to discard the lie and embrace the truth. You were never meant to be a victim of circumstance or live under a curse. You can change your mind about who you are. You can change your confession to speak words of faith. By doing so, you begin to create a new cycle that includes freedom, healing, restoration and recovery. You are ALREADY LOVED. ALREADY ACCEPTED. ALREADY VALUED. You don't have to fight for it! Your loving Father loves you unconditionally. Somewhere along the line, the enemy fed you a lie that says you have to try to earn love, attention or affirmation - but the truth is, it's already yours. In Christ. May this be your day to have that revelation of the truth that makes you free!

Tearing Down the High Places

There is a testing that comes to the body of Christ prior to a move of God. God asks some questions and poses circumstances in the lives of His people to discover some of the following: "Will you lay down what's on your agenda in order to make yourself available to move with what's on His agenda?" "Can you discern between the many voices of the world, your own ideas, a good idea and a God idea?" "Are you prone to jealousy if God chooses to move through someone other than yourself?" "Can you recognize God's delegated authority?" "If God moves in a way that you do not understand or in a way that does not fit your theology, will you criticize or speak against it, or even try to hinder it – or, will you allow Holy Spirit to bring revelation?" "Are you building your own kingdom or the kingdom of God?" Many times people do not realize that they are being tested but God is in the midst of them, moving silently, presenting opportunities for each person to reveal what is in their heart. How we respond could mean the difference between being included in what God is doing or being shut out of it entirely.

As Gideon was gathering the people that would battle against the Midianites, the Lord appeared to him and said, "The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there." (Judges 7:4). God was not going to share His glory with anyone that would try to take it for himself. God IS getting ready to move in a mighty way, and I believe that God is testing the hearts of His people right now. He will not allow anyone to own this next move of God or try to control it. It is not for selfish gain, self-promotion or to build man's personal kingdoms.

God will test the body of Christ to see if people will hear and respond to a call for action. That action involves tearing down the high places in our lives where self is in control rather than God. Let me jump back to the story of Gideon for a moment. The strongman over the Israelite nation at that time was Baal. The name "Baal" literally means "owner, master, or husband." Baal worship included self-mutilation, prostitution and child sacrifice. Baal worship was promoted as the state religion during the administration of King Ahab. Now look at the spiritual parallels. We know that Satan wants ownership of the earth and wants to deprive God of His rightful worship through His sons and daughters. Satan has always contended to be our master, or our husband, and has always looked for ways to get us to come into agreement with him. He knows that wherever we come into agreement with his deception also allows an open door for him to bring other forms of deception, worldly enticement, illness, ruin or things that will rob us of the desire to fulfill the call of God for our lives. Some of the manifestations of "other masters" are alarmingly evident in the lives of the younger generation as they promote mutilation, piercing, tattooing, cutting, sexual promiscuity, and emotional detachment towards pregnancy and abortion. Life by self-rule is exalted as Baal (or Satan) becomes their master and husband. The current presidential administration and many national leaders have approved legalized abortion and even the funding of it. Child sacrifice is alive and well, we've just been deceived (and desensitized) as a nation into buying into a more liberal viewpoint that attempts to justify our own god-ship issues and the premature ending of innocent lives. We've got a modern day Ahab as a national leader, and through his agenda (which promotes euthanasia, assisted suicide and abortion among other things) a spirit of Baal has strengthened its grip over our nation. 

Satan gleefully accepts the worship that is offered to him on these thrones of iniquity. A throne of iniquity, in case you aren't familiar with the term, is a place where Satan is worshipped through the actions of repeated sin. It is a modern day "high place" that needs to be torn down. This is what causes the prince of the power of the air to be able to set up and establish principalities and powers over regions. The power of sin and darkness is strengthened where ever Satan is worshipped. In order to displace and tear down these demonic forces, we must operate in humility. We must overthrow self rule and deny what our flesh wants so that Christ can rule in our heart and life. The question is, how do we tear down what we cannot see - especially if it hides in the hidden places of our own hearts?

The first thing I suggest is for each person to ask Holy Spirit to examine their heart and reveal to them whatever may be resisting His authority to rule over their heart, life, decisions - and yes, the sacrifice He may ask you to put on the altar. I will give you a hint: it is whatever feeds your flesh, ego, pride, or something from which you gain a sense of identity outside of what God has revealed in His word. It is the thing you probably do not want to give up. The second thing is to pray to surrender the things God asks as a sacrifice. The last thing I suggest is to pray our breakthrough prayer that looses the enemy off of you and eliminates the blind spots where he has had attachments to your life. The link can be found on the main page on the right hand side, called BREAKTHROUGH PRAYER. 

Many of the enemy's strongholds live within us. We may not even be aware that they are there! The enemy hides himself in every little crevice of darkness – areas of our heart that we have not truly surrendered to the Lord. I have been at that place many times, thinking I was fully surrendered to the Lord until He started working on a deeper issue in my heart or character that I had not understood was still a "crooked place" in need of straightening. Gideon's campaign and his assignment from the Lord was to tear down the altar and the high places of Baal, overcome the Midianite army and build an altar to the Lord. It was by the destruction of the ungodly altars that put fear in the hearts of those that worshipped Baal and its ungodliness. When the Midianites saw that their god and his temple were defeated, conquering them in battle was a done deal. It wasn't the size of the army that was important; it was their commitment to the task at hand. Gideon went to battle with jars of clay, torches and trumpets. They didn't even have to do anything difficult. They did their part and God did His. He turned the enemy's camp inside out! The battle will be won with humble vessels that are passionate torch bearers for the Lord. They shed light on the path for others through prophetic revelation, and it is the decree from their mouth that will overcome the works of the enemy. God is looking for men and women who are committed to Him. He is looking for those that can discern His voice asking His army to fall in rank and follow Him into battle. He is looking for those that will take a stand. He is looking for those that will respond to a call for action. He is looking for those that won't try to take the glory for themselves, put Him in a box, or control this next move of God. Will you be one of them?

Declare: Satan, the sword of the Lord is upon you! Let the trumpets be sounded! Let the army of the Lord arise! Let God arise and His enemies be defeated, in Jesus name!

Speaking in Other Tongues

Recently I had a woman contact me and ask me if I had a prayer to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Can you believe, out of all the prayers I have on this website, I had completely overlooked that topic? Well, all I can say is THANK YOU for the nudge to now post this most important prayer!

Can you imagine sending your child off to bootcamp, knowing they will face war in their lifetime, and not send them out with any weapons? It would be unthinkable, right? Wouldn't you want them to have every weapon available to them? Yet, this is the reality of Christians that try to live without the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is MORE than just speaking in tongues.

There are SO many reasons why it’s important for the believer to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speak in new tongues. It is a power gift, and who doesn’t want more power to overcome the evil one? It gives us power to witness, inner strength to overcome temptation to sin and demonic oppression. Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, so it reveals truth to us as well. It’s a direct prayer hotline between us and our Father that the devil cannot understand. Wouldn't you like the enemy to be completely unable to understand what you are asking God to do? God gives us this gift as a strategic tool for warfare! Speaking in your heavenly language connects you to the throne room where revelation flows. It edifies the believer and fills them with increased power and anointing. It fills the internal well with rivers of living water that encourages, builds up and releases joy. The JOY of the Lord is our STRENGTH! You need joy in order to overcome trials! There are just so many excellent reasons why a Christian should speak in tongues on a regular basis. If you want more information on this beautiful gift, study the scriptures in the Book of Acts. Jesus’ disciples were instructed to WAIT for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on them. Others witnessed tongues of fire upon them, which speaks of power and anointing. Jesus didn’t want them to go anywhere or do anything until they got this gift because He knew that they needed it in order to prove to an unbelieving world that the kingdom of God was real. How much more should we desire it too?

I believe this gift is for everyone. God is not a respecter of persons, meaning, if He gives it to one He will give it to others as well. We need simply to ask.

Luke 11:13 tells us that our Father is a good Father and gives good gifts to those who ask. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

The question remains, and I know some of you may be thinking this, so I’ll answer this now. 

“Why do some people receive the gift and others do not?”

I may not have the perfect answer, but I will tell you what I know. I have observed people lined up at altar calls just to receive this gift. Those who truly desired it, who had a spiritual hunger, received it. It was like, bang, bang, bang all down the row. People responded in faith and got filled just like that. God wasn't picking and choosing one person and not giving it to others. So I know the gift is for everyone. But, He does respond to those who eagerly desire more of Him. Sometimes people want the gift, but are struggling with an area of pride that tells them they will look or sound foolish, and that fear is a block to them receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Or maybe they have conflicting thoughts because of a lack of understanding. (A double minded man receives nothing from the Lord, James 1:7). He is a gentleman: He will not force himself on anyone especially if they are afraid of trusting Him. If they are exhibiting fear or an indifferent attitude towards Him, He may wait until they continue to press in and ask, for they may need to overcome their insecurities first. Ask the Lord to give you a jealous heart towards Him, a heart that is consumed with thoughts and desire for more of God! Personal desire for more of the Lord is KEY to whether or not people receive. Make up your mind you can't live without it and pursue Holy Spirit until you get it. It's that important! 

If you would like to receive this wonderful gift, here is a prayer for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Pray: Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask You to bless me with my spiritual language and baptize me in the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, I want you. I need you. I am jealous for your Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit, and possess me. Baptize me in fire. Fill me. I need to be clothed with power from on high. Please fill me with rivers of living water that is spoken about in John 7:38, where Jesus said that whoever believed in Him, out of his innermost being would flow rivers of living water. Jesus, I do believe in You. I confess You as the risen Son of the Most High God, who died for my sins and rose again to give me victory over the evil one. Thank You for rivers of living water flowing from within me, and answering my request for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

You may sense some strange new words forming in your thoughts. Just speak them out by faith. You may also feel like something supernatural is stirring from your belly and feel it rising up and out of you. Don't be afraid, just know it is God answering your request! One thing I know is that God responds to the hungry heart. He promises that everyone that asks, receives, and whoever seeks, they will find; whoever knocks, the door shall be opened to them. Go in faith and grab hold of your desire!