Confident Expectation

A quick word of encouragement for today!

I felt the Lord impress this upon my heart last night. The Lord says, "I have heard your prayers. I want you to know you have been heard. I am not ignoring your prayers. I am a good dad, and I AM here for you. I speak to My children. Things are being set in order to bring your prayers to pass." Then He reminded me that when I order something online I have an expectancy that my package is out for delivery and will arrive shortly. I watch for it daily and have a sense of anticipation, along with a certainty, that what I requested is about to arrive. Each day my anticipation grows and joy springs up along with it, knowing that what was ordered is about to show up at the door. The Lord says to have this same sort of expectancy and KNOW that you KNOW, your prayer has been heard. The promise is being fulfilled and angels are assigned to track it to it's destination. The Lord said, "Just worship Me with all of this (expectancy and confidence) in your heart." Every day, confess and praise Him with absolute confidence that your answer is about to show up. Declare those things that don't seem to be, (for they do exist in the spirit realm) and the power of your praise and declaration will establish it.

1 John 3:21-22 "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.…"

Are You Testing God?

This is such a powerful message. Please, please read it to the end! I know there are some people that will read this today and they will ignore it because their hearts are already hard. They aren't thinking about spiritual matters or the condition of their soul, and the sad truth is, they are tired of hearing anyone speak truth because they don't want to feel condemned. They don't want to be told they need to change, try harder to 'be better' and they feel as if all their freedoms will be taken away if they submit to God. They aren't interested in what they perceive to be a boring "Christian" life. They don't care about anything except what they want right now. Some of these people even call themselves Christians. They go to church and may go through the motions but their hearts are far from Him. Here's a painful truth. Jesus said, 

"These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me." (Matthew 15:8)

This is what the Lord said in Isaiah 29:13 - "These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their reverence of Me consists of tradition..."

God called them hypocrites and declared their worship was in vain. Another painful truth, but can we be honest here? We're just not going to make any progress unless we can be honest between ourselves and God. I know, that one probably hurt a bit. Run and get the bandages; I'll wait! 

Are you still with me? Friend, (and I do call you friend, because you're reading my blog!) anything done pretentiously is vanity. It's a form of fraud. Not only is it pointless, but living a lie is also a form of testing God. When we demand answers, or tell God that somehow He has to prove Himself to us, that's testing God. When we turn away and declare Him unfit to be Lord of our life, it's rejection. When we stubbornly refuse to obey with all sincerity, it's a form of rebellion. When we do something to place our own lives in jeopardy and then accuse Him of not taking care of us properly, that's a form of testing God. There are many ways we can end up testing God and perhaps not see it as such. Somehow, the enemy succeeded in spinning a lie that a person can live how they want and God will not hold them accountable. That is incorrect. Father is loving, He is gracious, very patient and always merciful, but even God has his limits. Those who are wise don't test them. 

I read a quote today that I'd like to share. "If we ignore the Holy Spirit’s voice long enough and often enough, eventually we will become spiritually hardened and will no longer be able to hear Him when He does try to speak to us. It will be like His voice evaporates or dries up, and we will hear it no more." -- Rick Renner

That quote sparked this article. I just knew there are so many people in a far more dangerous place than they realize. Do you ever wonder how some people are in danger of losing their salvation and yet have this false sense of security that they are ok? The worst thing a person can do is neglect their salvation. That begins by neglecting their relationship with Holy Spirit. Wake up, wake up, wake up! That is how it starts. A casual attitude towards the Lord hardens the heart until the person is so desensitized that they no longer have a desire to truly repent. They no longer desire  to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. This is rejection of the Holy Spirit. He will not stay where He is unwanted, unloved or unappreciated! Once He is gone, so is the person's guarantee of salvation. 

I never want to judge someone else's relationship with God, but I can honestly say that I have known at least one or two people where God showed me very clearly that those individuals lost their salvation because of their rejection of Him. It was a slow, gradual process of them hardening their heart and justifying their own willful rebellion. Obedience became selective and rebellion became stronger. The fruit of the Holy Spirit became drastically diminished. Bad fruit became more evident, until the very God that they professed simply ceased to be evident in their life at all. And that is how you shall know what spirit really has taken up residence. Examine the fruit of a person's life and how they live. The fruit tells the story.

That is why no one should EVER harden their heart towards God. Never delay obedience, repentance, or the opportunity to wake up out of that spiritual slumber and make a conscious choice to invite Christ to be your Lord and Savior. Even if you have to start all over again. Do it today! None of us are promised tomorrow. When you keep your heart, your life and relationships in right standing with God, you have confidence towards Him and you know that when you pray, because of the covenant you have with Jesus, God will answer you. 

The beautiful thing about God is that He is so very gracious. It is the kindness of God that leads men to repentance. It's not condemnation. It's not guilt, or manipulation. I do not want anyone to feel condemned. I want you to know that God's mercy is waiting for you! Do you know how good God is? Even when we are blind to our need for repentance, He can still get through to us! I had an experience with the Lord that I will share with you, just to give you an example how much He loves each one of us!

One day as I was driving down the road, I came to a stop light and saw a truck with a sign in the back window. It was so huge a person couldn't miss it! The sign said, "REPENT NOW!" I thought, wow, that is so clear and to the point! Instantly I had a fleeting thought pass through my mind, "But what if people don't know what they should repent for?" And just as quickly another thought that was also very clear. God reminded me of something that I had completely forgotten about. In that instant, He reminded me of what my intentions were, and what the lie of the enemy had been at that time. He also showed me that the enemy did not care one bit what my intentions were, only my actions, and my actions had produced an agreement in the spirit realm where I had unknowingly given the enemy access. I was shocked, then immediately knew what I had to do to make it right, and I did. I tell you, God is so very good. He does not want anyone to be in captivity or tricked by the enemy. Even when we're not aware of something, He can show us just how to move from a place of being guilty of sin, and helping to show us the way of escape so that the enemy is defeated! Can you agree that truth is our friend and should be embraced? Can you also agree that repentance is a good thing because it puts us back in right relationship with God where our prayers can be answered? YES and YES!! 

So, my question is, why would anyone want to run away from the Lord? He really loves us so much! It's the enemy that tries to convince us that truth is a bad thing. Why would anyone want to run away from the truth that can set them free, or close the door to the devils that want to rob, steal and plunder our blessings? Why would anyone want to neglect such a great salvation? Running away from truth can get a person killed if they aren't careful. It can also cause one to lose their salvation if a person neglects their relationship with Holy Spirit. Spiritual decline is often such a slow process that the enemy hopes the person will never wake up from it. It's the frog in the pot philosophy. Once that door is open to the enemy, he has access to everything in the house!

God is infinitely good, and kind even when we don't deserve it. I pray that if you have been feeling down, frustrated, or apathetic towards the Lord, that today will be the day when you have a change of heart and seek Him in earnest once again. Le'ts stop believing the lies of the enemy and letting deceptive thoughts steer us away from the truth that can heal us. God does not use truth to condemn us, belittle us, shame us, or make us feel small and worthless. No, no, no - He does not! He speaks truth to us to show us where we have believed something the enemy told us so that we can get out of captivity and enjoy life again! Taste and see that the Lord is good! He loves you!

Father,

I repent for trying to avoid truth, and avoid the conviction to change. Forgive me for any areas of my heart and life where I have tested you. Forgive me and show me if there is something that I need to repent of. Give me a message that I can recognize and understand. Holy Spirit, please forgive me if I have pushed you away or neglected my relationship with you. I apologize for not honoring You and treating you with casual disregard. Please do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Create in me a clean heart and renew my relationship with you so that I can worship you in Spirit and in truth. In Jesus name, Amen.

Expect the Glory!

There’s a battle in the spirit taking place. In a recent dream I saw the enemy chasing many people up a mountain. I thought it was odd that we were climbing higher and higher until we got to 46,000 feet. People were running and trying to hide from this assassin. Just as they reached the door of a cabin where they thought they would be safe, the assassin appeared as if to prevent them from entering their safe haven.

Here is what I believe the Lord is saying through this dream. Many people can attest to the fact that they are in a battle. We feel the tiredness from the constant trudge uphill, but going up into the high mountain with praise and prayer is where the battle is won. The enemy may be trying to block you and convince you that you cannot enter that place of safety in the Lord, but that is a lie. Don’t believe it!

Forty-six is a significant number. 46 means man without the Holy Spirit. “Thousand” refers to completeness and the glory of God. In the dream, the hike up the mountain was very steep but there was snow at the top. Snow speaks of refreshing. I believe the number 46,000 is speaking of the fullness of time for another outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The number 46 stands for reconstructed life, or resurrected, transformed life. Genesis 46 speaks of Jacob’s life and journey into Egypt. It outlines the promises God gave him back in previous chapters and tells of the family that went with him. No one was left behind, and God’s promise to Jacob was that his son Joseph would care for him until his dying day. God is so gracious to give us a promise before He expects us to move towards Him in faith!

Sometimes I think God allows the enemy to chase us into the very place of desperation that will compel us to go higher than we normally would on our own. Trying times and pressing circumstances will force us to seek God and press into Him for revelation and breakthrough. Another touch. A word. Anything. Our soul longs for that life-changing encounter that will trigger a release of God’s glory to be poured out, so that we experience His refreshing and goodness. The cry of our heart is like the very words of Moses, “Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me Your glory!”

The Mountain of God

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.” Exodus 34:29

When we’re in the presence of God, we’re in a place where we can be transformed.

In Exodus 33: 13-18, Moses found himself literally between a rock and a hard place because the Lord put him there. Moses was persistent. He wanted to see God’s glory! He wanted to experience His goodness in a fresh new way. Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!" And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion."…

Friend, there are times when we find ourselves stuck and feeling hedged in on every side. Sometimes we can’t get ourselves out of it because the Lord put us in those circumstances in order to show His glory. If that speaks to your heart, then just worship and praise Him for He is merciful and good all the time. He will not forsake you! Your impossible situation could just be by God’s design - a set up for His miraculous intervention and an incredible testimony!

When you’re stuck and frustrated it’s important to line up your conversation in faith. Remember what the Lord has said. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.” Ps. 50:23, KJV

Another translation says it like this:

“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” - Psalm 50:23, ESV

How do we get up the mountain? Praise and worship.

The last few days, the song that has been running through my thoughts is Taste and See. God wants us to taste and see how good He is! He also wants us to share His goodness with others, too. There is a fatherless generation that is crying out in need. There are people everywhere that need a touch from the Lord so that they, too, can taste and see that He is good! One of the ways we meet with God is to go higher up the mountain with our praise and worship.

Jesus went ‘up the mountain’ where he met with Elijah and Moses after his crucifixion.

The scripture in Matthew 17:1,2 reads: “Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.…”

It was a place of transfiguration, where God’s glory shone upon His servants.

“And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.…” Matthew 17:3

What we see revealed is that going up into the high mountain is a place of revelation...Moses and Elijah were revealed, giving us the example of heavenly realities. The Law, (Moses) and the prophet (Elijah) were fulfilled in and through Jesus Christ.

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” - Matthew 5:17.

In Matthew 22:38 Jesus told us that the first and greatest commandment was to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind. In the next verse, He said that the second greatest commandment was like the first one, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words, Love God; Love Others. Then the following verse tells us that everything in the whole Bible hinges on these two things, and Jesus came to demonstrate the fulfillment of those words. "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

As Jesus went up to the high mountain where He was transfigured by God’s glory, His Father revealed this truth by sending Moses and Elijah for Peter, James and John to witness. Suddenly, they were reminded of a familiar verse by the prophet Isaiah that had been spoken about the Christ.

"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." As Peter, James and John stood there on the mountain with Jesus, it was that “Aha” moment where suddenly everything Jesus had said made perfect sense.

The revelation on that mountain continued to flow. The same verses that were written about Jesus now had much greater meaning. They were on that mountain too. They were being transformed by the renewing of their minds. They were entering a new day. They didn’t know exactly was was about to occur, but Pentecost was coming. God had scheduled a “suddenly” that would change them forever and mantle them in power. The very outpouring of the same precious Holy Spirit that enabled Jesus was about to possess them, too, in a greater way than they had ever experienced. They had experienced the power of God coming upon them, but this would be different. They were about to get an upgrade in the Spirit! Their lives were about to change in a radical way, a day that would forever be marked in history as one of the greatest days mankind would ever experience. Until now.

I believe we are on the verge of another tremendous move of God’s Holy Spirit like the world has never seen. I know that God can move at any time He chooses, but I believe Pentecost is a key time to anticipate and position ourselves for a breakthrough visitation. Anticipation begets expectation, and expectancy is like a personal invitation for the kingdom of God to explode into our lives at any given moment. When we position ourselves in humility, obedience, confession, generosity towards others, demonstrating mercy, praise, and prayer, we position ourselves for heaven to invade our circumstances. Imagine you are running towards God in your praise, worship and prayer. You are running, running, delighting in Him and sensing His nearness. All the while, Jesus is running towards you. You are on a collision course with a God-ordained ‘suddenly’ and when you collide, it will cause an explosion with the force of an atomic bomb. Spiritually speaking, that is. When God shows up, everything else has to move or get out of the way! Expect Him to show up; Jesus is RUNNING towards YOU and it’s your time now!

Keep Asking, Seeking, and Believing!

If at first you don't succeed, keep trying. Scripture reminds us to ask, seek and knock and when we do we will receive an answer. Sometimes God doesn't bring the answer to your prayers the easy way because He has set you up to receive a miracle. Don't stop asking, seeking, praying and believing! The wonderful thing is, God created His body to be the answer for each other's needs. Not just in practical things, but in spiritual needs as well. If you feel like you need an elevated expectation of faith, someone has the gift of faith. If you need encouragement, someone has the gift of being able to encourage others and restore their hope. If you need a healing or a miracle, there is someone that carries that faith-filled anointing to help you receive the answer to your prayers! Ask the Lord to give you eyes to see His anointed servant in the field that has the anointing to help you. Lord, lead us to those that are the conduit for your anointing to flow...the answer to our prayers!

I have been releasing quite a few strategic prayers against the enemy lately, and powerful declarations for breakthrough. The enemy is not happy about it, either! Our finances have been under attack and it's been quite frustrating. We've prayed, asked, declared and yet we keep getting hit with things that we simply can't foresee that keep sucking our finances dry. Yesterday as we were praying, I asked the Lord (AGAIN!) for wisdom. I said, "Lord, with all due respect, if we are in error somehow, show us where and we will repent. But if this is just the enemy being a thief, then show us what we can do that is anointed for breakthrough." Not even an hour later, my husband called and we talked for a minute and he had the 'idea.' As he was talking, instantly my Spirit agreed and we both knew it was what we needed to do. It was a very simple thing, actually, but it did require giving out of our need. The enemy kept hammering away at our finances trying to incite fear so that we would reduce our giving, but my husband said, "This is a test, and because the enemy is a thief, we are going to double down and give twice as much." We've been in that place before many times, and I tell you, it works. When the Lord gives you an idea and joy springs up because of it, that's a witness that you've received a key strategy that's anointed for breakthrough. We could not wait to follow through on what the Lord told us to do, and there was joy and expectancy in releasing what came from our hand as we placed it into the other person's hands!

When you're desperate for a breakthrough, look for others to sow into. Where you have a need, plant a seed. It doesn't have to be complicated. There have been times when we've sowed tents, blankets, food or other practical things into the homeless. We sowed a vehicle into a family that didn't have a car. We've sowed simple meals or a plate of food into various individuals. I remember one time being so desperate for a breakthrough that I ran down the street with a plate of food looking for someone to sow it into. All I had was enough for one plate! But ask I prayed and walked, I found a woman digging through the trash and she gratefully accepted it. Listen, the enemy doesn't want you to sow. He will tell you that your little offering won't make a difference. He will tell you that you look ridiculous. He will tell you all sorts of things to hinder your steps of faith! Don't listen to those voices; he is just full of fear because you're about to receive a blessing! We are so blessed we have to give away what we have. With the Lord as Jehovah Jireh, our provider, He will always replenish what we give away!

The enemy knows when breakthrough is close, and will tempt you with fear of lack, fear of taking a step of faith, or simply try to convince you that you have nothing to give. So many things are just a test of our faith, but when we give the Lord what is important to us, a divine exchange takes place, and He is able to give us something even better. Remember the little boy with only a couple of fish and a few morsels of bread...or the widow woman with her last meal of a little loaf of bread...or the woman with nothing in the house except a small cruse of oil. God took what was ordinary and anointed it for breakthrough when it was given in faith and selflessness. None of them could have foreseen the domino effect that would have people to this day still talking about their miracles, and using the examples of their lives as a model for breakthrough. How about you? God wants to give you a God-sized breakthrough that will keep people talking for years to come as others share your testimony. Believe it? He does! That is what makes the good news really great news to those who hear about YOUR story! Ask the Lord what you have to sow and where to plant your seed of faith. When you bless someone else you position yourself for an outpouring of God's goodness.

It is important to be able to recognize the times and seasons of the Lord. Right now we are very, very close to a tipping point where God will pour out the answers to prayer. For some it will be a cup of blessing; for others it will be a cup of judgment because they refused to correct the path they were on. You never know who will have that last prayer or act of selfless giving that tips the bucket to pour out. Don't give up, double down and get serious about asking God, "Who can I bless today? What kind of seed shall I sow? Who needs me today, Lord?" Generosity, especially sacrificial giving out of one's need, attracts heaven's attention! When God looks for someone to bless, He looks for those that are properly positioned. Humility, faith, and acts of generosity and selfless giving all position us for breakthrough. Praise, prayer and worship also position us for breakthrough. But, when we get all the elements working in tandem together, we become a magnet for heaven's outpouring.

Breaking Invisible Barriers

Isaiah 10:27 - “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.”

Have you ever felt as if there is some unseen force working against you in life? Things that prevent you from experiencing true victory, healing, joy, prosperity and freedom?

It is very hard to have peace and joy when a person is in captivity. If there is an absence of joy and an absence of praise, it is because of captivity. Slaves have a hard time praising God. That is why they need a Liberator. It’s why we all need Jesus.

The enemy knows how strong of a weapon praise and worship are against him, and that is why he does everything he can to eliminate joy and peace. If Satan can take away a person’s praise, he can take away their strength, for it is written in Nehemiah 8:10, that the joy of the Lord is our strength.

In order to steal a person’s praise and strength, the enemy first places an ungodly yoke upon them to bind them to hard servitude. He makes a person a slave to certain things such as poverty, infirmity, fear, barrenness, bitterness and torment of soul. The person tries and tries to get free unsuccessfully, but all their efforts prove futile to release them from the bondage and frustration that come as a result of being yoked to something that prevents them from breaking free into real freedom.

In 1 Samuel chapter 1, we find a woman named Hannah that was barren AND bitter, constantly provoked by her rival, Peninnah. She desperately longed for a child but could not have children. Year after year, she worshiped God until He answered her prayer. Worship drew her closer to the heart of God. Where God is elevated, every rival loses its power.The answer to her prayer was met; joy replaced bitterness, and she was released from captivity. Hannah's tenacious spirit wouldn't let go of God until He blessed her, and worship paved the way for her breakthrough.

The demoniac in Mark 5 had been chained in the tombs, but when he recognized Jesus drawing near, he ran to worship Him (vs. 6) and was set free. Even in this man's worst state of torment, he had a choice, and when he recognized the opportunity to run to Jesus he didn't hesitate. Worship is key to elevating Jesus above our problems, and meeting with Him in worship allows God to break the chains that have us bound.

A woman with an issue of blood was bound to her infirmity for 12 long years and became impoverished, rejected by society and hopeless in the process. She was yoked to a spirit of infirmity and couldn't break free by her own efforts. Yet, when she saw Jesus in the crowd she made her way to Him. Pushing past the intimidation and fear of being recognized and shunned as she usually was, this desperate woman fell down with one last thought: If I can just touch the hem of His garment I can be healed. Desperation, humility and faith are perfect conditions for receiving a miracle any day of the week!

A different woman in Luke 13:11-18 was severely bent over for 18 years and could not stand upright due to being yoked by infirmity & arthritis. In an act of faith, she came to Jesus, and found the most loving and concerned gaze she had ever seen. "Woman, go in peace...and be loosed from your infirmity."

Perhaps one of the greatest examples of being yoked and bound is the story of Sampson in Judges 16. Sampson’s parents tried to warn him but lust and immaturity caused him to choose unwisely in a marriage partner. He married a woman aligned with his enemies. Together, they were intent on destroying him. A life of compromise bound him to the enemy’s yoke and for a long time had him spiritually blind and literally going in circles in service to those that mocked him and had no regard for his life. (See vs. 21). Every decision counts when choosing our relationships.

A yoke is something placed upon a person that is demonically placed in that person's life to keep them from moving forward. It is some instrument of oppression that keeps a person bound and in a state of emotional, spiritual or financial poverty. It may be financial, physical, relational, or some sort of barrier that they cannot break through. 

Whatever we are in agreement or covenant with has the power to either take us into captivity and contribute to bondage and bitterness. God wants to heal us so that we can live free from bondage and constraints.

A yoke destroys hope, faith, and the future of the individual upon which that yoke is placed. A person becomes so used to being bound to their circumstances that they lose hope that life will be any different. It makes them want to succumb to their circumstances rather than wrestle to be free, healed, and delivered. Because it is assigned by the enemy, it has the power to place a person's future in the hands of the enemy until that yoke is broken.

Isaac gave his son, Esau, some powerful advice in Genesis 27:40. He told him that he would serve his brother until the day that he was discontent and restless enough to break free from that yoke. That’s another whole long story, but I’d like to focus on what it means to break the yoke from off of our necks. Sometimes, like Sampson or Esau, we can allow relationships to dominate us to the point where we discover we are actually in captivity. We can either succumb to the spiritual forces at work in other individuals that seek to dominate us and hold us captive to their will, or we can break free. That is what Isaac meant when he told his son, “...you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck."

Sampson realized this too. It took captivity, blindness and being harnessed to those that wished to enslave him to make him wiser. Though he lost his natural sight, it was this terrible turn of events that actually allowed him to understand what he didn’t understand previously: the woman he married and had yoked himself to was there to pull him down, not lift him up into the man he was supposed to be. She was aligned with the Philistines, his enemy.

There is a yoke-breaking anointing. It comes from learning to wrestle with God, wrestle in prayer, and give yourself to praise, worship and proclaiming God’s word. Sooner or later, the power of the anointed word forces the natural circumstance to break open. It may not come pretty or the way you would hope, but the breakthrough will come. The natural realm must eventually yield to the spiritual laws connected to God’s word. He watches over His word to perform it. Circumstances will come to a head and lead you to a crossroads where you are forced to make a decision. You are either going to live yoked and in captivity, or you are going to choose the option that leads you towards freedom. The anointing is what sets captives free. It is the power to make a way out of hard service and slavery to other masters.

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.” Leviticus 26:13

God makes a way to freedom just like He did for the Israelites. He parts the Red Sea - the things that have held us back and held us in bondage to servitude - and He makes a way where there doesn't seem to be a way. Moses and all the Israelites were stuck, and surrounded by the enemy who didn't want them to go anywhere, but God issued a proclamation: “Lift up your rod!" The voice of the Lord breaks open the invisible gate and lets the captives go free.

The Breaker ANOINTING

Micah 2:13 - "The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD at their head."

Worship makes us bold and therefore results in spirit birthed proclamations. Those proclamations shift atmospheres, deliver ultimatums, liberate captives, tear down strongholds, level the mountains and establish the kingdom of God.

DECLARATIONS:

In the name and authority of Jesus Christ, I command the yoke on your neck to be broken now, for it is written, that God has brought you out of Egypt and broken the bars of your yoke so that you would no longer be a slave.

I declare you shall no longer wear the yoke of the enemy and I cancel debt, poverty, infirmity, hopeless, unbelief, and fear RIGHT NOW in Jesus name!

I declare a release out of your captivity in the name and authority of Jesus Christ!

I declare you will prosper and be in health from this day forward, in Jesus name!

I declare you are released from every man-made, self-imposed yoke and hindrance! Wear that yoke no more in Jesus name!

I declare the Lord has established you in your field where you can prosper!

I declare the Lord Jesus Christ has given you the strength of a wild ox and a fresh anointing to accomplish the very works of God!

I  declare angelic assistance to come to you this day to fulfill God's promises to you, in Jesus name!

I declare God has given you a mouth filled with wisdom that the enemy cannot contradict, in Jesus name!

In the name and authority of Jesus Christ I declare breakthrough has come to your house this day!

A Cry From the Heart of A Fatherless Generation

There is a cry in the hearts of a fatherless generation. God has given me dreams where I’ve seen the questions they’ve asked. I’ve heard the pain in their voices, the anger that has come in as a result of feeling fatherless and abandoned, and how the enemy has taken them captive because of it.

I’m not sure exactly who I’m talking to today. I know there is someone specific that has these questions in their heart. If I only reach the one, that’s ok. God has an answer for you, but before I go on, I want to say something. There are times when people fail us. In big ways and small ways, failure is a part of everyone’s life. The enemy is very good at twisting our perception of truth and spinning a lie so that what we believe is the most painful version of an event. Sometimes the truth looks nothing like what we have built it up to be in our mind. I know of situations like that, where the child saw a situation from one point of view, and then learning the parent’s side of the story, where one parent actually kept the other one from being able to be a part of the healing or help the child when they needed it. Yet, the child could only see what they thought they knew, and not the whole picture. Bitterness and fear tempt parents to play games and use their children as pawns all the time. It’s the most painful sort of game, with the children that suffer because of it. They grow up learning to take sides, and usually a skewed perception of one parent because of something the other parent did trying to win their child’s loyalty at any cost. My hope is that in reading through this, you can open the door to your heart a crack wider and see a bit more of the bigger picture. If you’ll open your heart to truth, that truth may hurt for a while but in the end it will help you heal.

A CRY FROM THE HURTING

I see a cry from a young woman. It may represent just one specific person, but again, it may represent many more. There is a cry from the daughters, a wail from the deep recesses of their heart, “Father, why did you not stand up for me? Why didn’t you fight for me, defend me when the enemy came in like a flood?” Sometimes this is the lie the enemy tells us about God. He accuses God in our minds as not being someone we can trust to take care of us. From parents that left their children far too soon to parents that were simply absent and unaccounted for in their manner of relating to their families, it has left behind a trail of woundedness and a sense of rejection. It has hardened the hearts of children and led them to believe that God is not real, or He is disinterested and unloving. Their cries were silent, while their soul suffered in disappointment when the men in their lives failed to stand up and lead like men. Perhaps it was simply a lack of knowing how to parent with love, strength and conviction; many men have not been fathered themselves. Perhaps it was due to men working or traveling long hours and they became unavailable. Perhaps weakness in their role models left entire generations of people feeling abandoned, confused and ill equipped for parenthood. Mothers and other women took up the slack and became the dominant role model, and many due to no fault of their own. In some situations it was just necessity, but God’s order got turned upside down, and that left it’s mark. A witchcraft spirit will cause the male role model to became despised and unwanted in some homes because the male authority is supposed to represent Christ's authority and God's divine order. If rebellion is allowed to grow, it lays the groundwork for the perverse spirit to gain an even stronger hold on the family. A spirit of fear often masquerades as manipulation, guilt and uses control to dominate the household. This spirit makes prey of others and turns them into victims. The perverse spirit twisted their perception of relationships, turned them upside down and reversed the order. Seducing spirits have led many individuals into a homosexual lifestyle, or a lifestyle marked by dependency upon anyone that could possibly fulfill their desire to be taken care of, even if it was in an illegitimate way outside of God’s design. People that are fearful and unsure of their own abilities, and those that cannot bring themselves to trust God, will look for security through dependence on others. The need to feel loved and secure has been so great that it took priority over wisdom, truth and faith. A new normal is defined yet it is far from healthy. Many, on some deeper level know it to be true; they are just afraid of feeling so lonely, rejected and fearful of an unknown future that they can’t bring themselves to face the truth and make the changes that are required to walk a different path. They have made someone else god in their life which will only ever produce feelings of dissatisfaction, more fear and insecurity, frustration and confusion.

WHY DIDN’T YOU LOVE ME? WHY DID YOU GIVE ME UP?

This word is even more specific. I see a young Muslim man that has the question in his heart,  “Why did you give me up?” “Why did you abandon me when I was yet so young and still innocent?” “What did I do to deserve being abandoned to a fate such as this?” Fear came in while you were still very young and has been your companion since your infancy. Fear is like this demonic guard dog that is with you night and day. You can’t get away from it, and it has left you angry and full of questions. This is a cry from many individuals. It affects both male and female, and this pain is being used to attract people into the wrong purposes. You lost your voice and lost your identity, and the enemy will try to convince you that you can force the world to hear you roar.The deception from the enemy is that you can fulfill a great cause and make your life count by making a strong statement and you force the world to finally hear you - but the lie is that you are aligned with the right cause. Anger blinds people to truth and the enemy is aware of that. If Satan can use your anger to achieve his purposes to kill, steal and destroy, then he will spin his lie suited to the lies he has told you in the past. He has, after all, forged your belief system to align with his. This is the hook the enemy is using to pull people into fighting for terrorist groups like ISIS. This cry is especially strong in the heart of Muslims, and the enemy is taking advantage of those without a sense of identity and purpose to lure them into fulfilling his agenda. Fathers and mothers are to impart a sense of identity and purpose in their children, but when those deep needs are not met, people will grow up looking for ways to fulfill purpose in ways that speak to their heart. If they are angry, their anger will draw them into things that channel that anger into a negative purpose. If they feel abandoned, they may look for a sense of family and connectedness in gangs or other ‘false family’ structures. How they perceive themselves, God and others has everything to do with how people seek a sense of fulfillment and purpose as they grow older.

I saw a Muslim youth in my dream. He wanted to know why his mother had given him up and did not fight for him. That is a hard thing to answer, but especially in that culture, for their world is remarkably different than the Western world. I understand the nature of what he was questioning, though. He wanted to know why someone didn’t save him from the life he was born into. He took it as an abandonment from God, and the enemy came in to tell him about a different god. You see, children are not born evil, but they can be born into it, and the enemy then begins the task of inflicting pain, corrupting their minds and hearts, and robbing them of all their innocence. Children are naturally innocent and it hurts them greatly to witness evil and become subject to that in their lives. Many Muslim children, especially those raised by extremists or in other parts of the world, are forced into doing things against their conscience, controlled by great fear, and learn to hate themselves in the process. It is a painful and terrible thing to rob children of their innocence and defile their conscience, for without the truth about the One who loves them...the One who died in their place so that they could know genuine forgiveness and wholeness...without the truth of how repentance and confession can cleanse the soul...without the truth about their Heavenly Father that is nothing at all like their earthly father...they must carry the weight of their sins. If someone never tells them the truth, they will never know that there is a far different reality for those that will choose Christ, for His blood can cleanse their soul from all the unrighteousness and painful memories that haunt their soul. His love can provide a way out of the life they didn’t choose for themselves.

No matter where you may be in life, if you’re feeling abandoned, rejected, fearful or angry about your past, present or future...The truth is, God did not abandon you. He has not abandoned any of us, for His word states in Hebrews 13:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” I prefer the Amplified version of the Bible for it says it like this: “...for He [God] [b]Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor [c]give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [d][I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor [e]let [you] down ([f]relax My hold on you)! [[g]Assuredly not!]”

Psalm 91:1-16 offers this consolation, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, …”

Deut. 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

And 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

The truth is found in God’s word. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16,17.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32.

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

Romans 8:31-39 tells us the TRUTH.

31 “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[a]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I PRAY THAT TRUTH SHATTERS EVERY LIE!

Dear one, the enemy of your soul is not your father or mother. It’s understandable to feel angry when one is disappointed, hurt or betrayed. It makes a person feel inconsequential and unimportant, rejected. Your enemy is not those who failed to provide a good role model in your life, or those that did not stand up for you the way you wanted them to. People fail one another all the time. The enemy is not those who rejected you or left you feeling confused, betrayed or abandoned. It’s not those that have neglected to protect you from harm, disappointment or even those that have perpetuated evil against you. The enemy of us all is Satan himself. I pray that you realize this and allow truth to restore your soul, to deliver you out of captivity, and to revive your heart. I pray that you turn your broken, grieving heart over to the One who can make it whole again. Jesus can even restore your innocence if you will just trust Him to bring you out of bondage and into the light of His truth. You may never have all the answers as to why certain things happened in your life, or why you had to experience such deep disappointments, but that alone is not evidence that God - the real God - does not exist. The presence of pain, anger, or disappointment as a result of others’ actions does not validate whether or not your Heavenly Father is real. It simply means that those that contributed to your pain did not know God themselves or allow Him to change their heart for the better. They did not understand their true identity or that God is love. He has not left you, even when everything inside of you screamed that He abandoned you. Jesus has not left you, even when your mind was surrounded by darkness and discouragement. Even when the enemy, working through negative circumstances, tried to convince you otherwise. God is holy and cannot lie; He has always been with you even when you did not know how to connect with Him. He is with you now, if you will just take a step of faith and cry out to Him. Those that call to Him shall never be forsaken.

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3.