Prayer for Healing from Emotional Pain and Trauma

Friends, 

So much of what we carry with us on a daily basis is retained in painful memories and the trauma of past events. Those wounds become open doors to the enemy which grant him access. These things take up residence in the very cells of our bodies, creating room for illness, disease, infirmity and a whole host of other physical, emotional and spiritual problems. God wants to heal us so deep it touches the very core of our being and regenerates healing from a cellular level. Do you believe it? 

Psalm 91 gives us a blessing and a promise to those that seek their refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 10, the word 'plague' is from the Hebrew word 'nega.' It is translated as: 1) a stroke or a blow, figuratively or inflicted {inflicted by man on man}; 2) also a second meaning, {stroke, metaphor, especially of a disease, regarded as sent by a divine chastisement}; 3) plague or a mark {regarded as the heavy touch or stroke of a disease}. The NASB translates it like this: affliction, assault, infection, mark {regarded as the heavy touch or stroke of a disease, such as leprosy}, plague, plagues, stripes, stroke, strokes, wounds. 

What an amazing promise! Isn't God good?! Regardless of where the wound originated, God has made a provision to be free and healed from it! What ever you are struggling with, place it into one of the stripes Jesus took for you. Matthew 8:17 tells us that "He himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses." Therefore, we can declare "By His stripes we are healed." Agreeing with God's word is key; we must believe that God can, He wants to, and has already made the provision for our healing. Faith is active participation with God so that we can receive what we are believing to receive!

God made a promise to the Israelites that is good for us today, too. If they would worship only Him and serve Him, He would put none of the diseases upon them that were upon their enemies. This is because God is the one that heals us. In Exodus 15: 26 He said, "If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."

One thing I discovered the hard way is to search deep within and examine yourself to see if you could have any open doors to spirits such as anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, or unloving spirits.Sometimes we encounter problems due to no fault of our own, but at other times, we struggle in our health because we really have left a door open somewhere, we just don't realize we have. When we repent and come back into submission to God, we can then resist the enemy and command him to leave. And take every sickness, symptom, assault and affliction that he has put on us and send them all back to hell! 

One thing you can do is to pray and ask Holy Spirit to show you what happened in your life right before you got sick or started noticing symptoms of health or emotional issues. Ask Him to dislodge stuck memories. Pay close attention to the next thought that comes to mind. and ask Holy Spirit to help you fully embrace what your conscious mind has either forgotten or blocked out. Ask the Lord to highlight any traumatic memories AND to give you the understanding of what was going on in yourself and others at the time those events occurred. Ask Holy Spirit to give you grace and compassion for anyone that wounded you. Stand on God's promise until the healing manifests. Sometimes you may have to walk through it until you get to the other side; other times the healing is immediate, but don't waiver at God's promises. He is faithful to watch over His word and bring it to pass!

Here is a prayer specifically written to be healed so deeply and completely it renews us from the inside out. Be blessed in knowing that God hears your prayers and knows exactly what each one of us need! Each prayer is a step closer to your breakthrough, healing and restoration! This prayer can also be used to pray over others.


Dear Heavenly Father,

I lift up myself to You right now. I pray that You would help me embrace whatever traumatic or negative memories that I have either blocked out or forgotten, if recalling those memories can be used to release healing. I ask You, Holy Spirit, to show me what happened in my life right before I started feeling ill, or experienced fear, anxiety, or other symptoms manifested. I give You permission to dislodge memories that are stuck. I pray that You highlight any specific memories or situations that are related to my symptoms, illness or other physical and emotional issues. Help me pay attention to what You show me. Please give me understanding of what was going on in myself and others connected to those events, and grant me grace and compassion to be able to forgive myself and others. Help me to see from Your perspective. 

I pray that You would supernaturally remove the hurtful memories and the trauma of past events out of my minds, emotions, memories and out of my physical bodies. I ask that You would lift all remnants of painful events and the trauma that was created as a result of that pain. Lift it all out of the very cells of my body. Let me remember only the good about those the enemy used to cause pain. I pray that my heart and mind would agree that I am in an entirely new day and I am able to graciously forgive those that treated me wrong. I forgive anyone that caused injury to my soul, spirit and even physically. 

Let my ears not remember hurtful words spoken to me, about me, by me, or by others. Let my heart release all unforgiveness, anger, fear, rejection, pain and shame. I speak now and declare complete healing and freedom from every painful event in my life. I declare that painful memories and hurtful words will not circulate in my mind and emotions any longer in the name and authority of Jesus Christ. I pray that no cell in my body would retain unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, hatred, fear, condemnation, regret, rejection or self hatred. I pray that my physical body would no longer be in agreement with any negative emotions in Jesus name. 

I release myself and others from the pain of their past, and the poor decisions they made as a result of their brokenness. I release them from guilt, shame, regret and bitterness now, in Jesus name. I forgive and release those who willfully and spitefully inflicted pain and suffering on me. I forgive and release those who had wicked intentions and gave themselves over to evil, in order to afflict, torment, and delight themselves in causing me pain. I give them over to You, Father, to do with as You choose; knowing that You are a just God and vengeance belongs to You. I choose to trust You in matters concerning justice and judgement towards others, knowing that as a matter of my will, I choose to forgive and am therefore free in Christ. 

I ask Your forgiveness for any doors that I have accidentally opened to the enemy through trying to comfort myself with artificial means. I renounce and break every unintentional agreement that I may have made with spirits of fear, lust, anger, greed, gluttony, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, unloving spirits, idolatry or a perverse spirit that also inflicts wounds on others. I submit to You, Holy Spirit, and command all ungodly spirits to leave me now, in the name and authority of Jesus Christ. I command all unclean spirits to go back to where you came from and appropriate the blood of Christ over every part of my life, and others for whom I pray. 

I speak now to my physical body and command all illness, disease, infirmity and weakness to be uprooted and removed now in Jesus name. I command complete release in every cell of my body of any and all residual effects of trauma. By the name and authority of Jesus Christ, I lift the remnant of trauma out of my body and ask that Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Life, release healing into every cell of my body. I speak to the hormones, organs and systems of my body and command them to come into balance and normal function. I command my body to be healed at the cellular level. Everything that has been retained that does not exist in the kingdom of heaven, be released out of my cells now in Jesus name. Let every weight be released. Let every hindrance be released. Let all that does not originate from the kingdom of heaven be released out of my mind, body, emotions and memories. Every weakness be filled now with wholeness and perfect soundness in the name and authority of Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit, fill me now with Your fullness, strength and power in Jesus name. Fill me with joy, peace, and a release of supernatural healing that radiates from the inside out. I declare that by Your stripes I have been healed, according to Is. 53:5. Thank you for the blood You shed, Lord Jesus, that makes healing a reality. I thank You for revival, restoration, healing and complete regeneration in Jesus name. Amen.

Self-Pity Is NOT Your Friend!

Dear Friends,

I know that many people face incredible trials, disappointments, and injustice on a daily basis. Life throws us curve balls all the time. People are faced with illnesses, loss of employment, vehicles that break down, unexpected expenses that derail their finances and much more. Every day can be a challenge to continue on in our walk of faith, trusting God for the small things as well as the big things. And in all these daily challenges, what we dare not forget is that we have an evil adversary always lurking, always looking for a way to cause disillusionment and a loss of faith and trust in God. For if he is successful in this, Satan will begin to turn a person’s heart away from God. Perhaps without them even being conscious of the fact that through their painful trials and disappointment, he introduces thoughts and feelings that are of a spirit of self-pity rather than faith.

How often we chalk up bad fruit to something we consider human or harmless, when in fact the root is defiled and can only produce more corruption.  An evil root will never produce good fruit.

Misery loves company, and bitterness relives and repeats the woes of life. The chorus of complaints is led by a spirit of self-pity. The danger of self-pity is that it is the same as idol worship. Self-pity demands worship. It elicits worship from others in the form of seeking attention, sympathy, and affirmation (a form of praise). “Self” (or the person controlled by the spirit of self-pity) becomes god and those that feed this spirit become the person’s co-dependent supporters and worshippers. Self-pity cannot survive without feeding its need for worship, but the very essence of this root is bitter. It will only ever produce bad fruit.

Narcissism also comes from these spirits, and narcissism is so deeply rooted that a person no longer feels a need to repent or take responsibility for their actions. The danger of one who allows self-pity and bitterness to remain is that it presumes a wrong view of eternal security. The person is deceived into believing that they are in right relationship with God, or that grace will always be available to them, though they walk in stubbornness of heart. It is the presumption of grace that causes a person to harden their heart towards genuine repentance, choosing a lifestyle of sin and compromise over obedience to God. The Spirit desires to do the right thing and forgive. Our mind, will and emotions can be resistant, but it takes consistent, determined effort to resist the Holy Spirit and His desire to see us healed. That is why this is a sobering topic, for the penalty for retaining bitterness and unforgiveness is severe. It can literally cost a person everything, including their salvation. The ultimate fruit of bitterness is apostasy.

DIAGNOSING SELF-PITY

• Shifts blame onto others.
• Is easily angered and offended; pouts.
• Sees themselves as a victim. Makes excuses and refuses the redemption of Christ.
• Takes advantage of the compassion of others and manipulates their emotions so that others sympathize with them.
• Would rather complain about their problems than be healed.
• Elevates self-will rather than submission to God.
• Refuses to take responsibility for their own areas of guilt and sin. Unrepentant.
• Prefers spiritual weakness rather than strength from obedience.
• Wears people out with incessant complaining and a need for attention for their issues.
• When confronted with truth, quickly changes topic of conversation. Has a knack of intimidating others and accusing them of not caring.
• Rejects true spiritual authority and embraces counterfeit authority or those that will not challenge them with truth.
• Focuses on self rather than Jesus; denies the power of the cross of Christ.

Bitterness and self-pity will throw a party and invite all their friends. It’s dangerous company. Those that have these spirits often seek others that will be a partner in a co-dependent relationship, because these spirits demand attention. They cannot survive without being fed! Do you see how they also partnership with rebellion towards God? These spirits are not your friends; they are treacherous enemies that create a deadly highway of corruption straight to the soul.

If it were not for the torment in our soul, would we stop to consider the cause? Would we not grow so tired of ourselves and our misery that we would then be willing to change? The enemy uses bitterness to defile a person’s heart and defile others. His goal is to slowly but deliberately draw a person into deception so that they act presumptively to grace and make allowances for disobedience. This kind of behavior causes a person’s heart ever so slowly becomes insensitive towards conviction and the Holy Spirit trying to draw them back towards the Father. Some people are so good at rejecting truth that they honestly don’t feel convicted to change. They are convinced they aren’t guilty of wrongdoing. That is a terrible place to be because once a person has so hardened their heart in rebellion, God may not be able to reach them at all. Don’t ignore your conscience! Your conscience is there to protect you and keep you in the ways of righteousness. No one likes to feel guilt, but the truth is we need it. It is the only proper response to sin. Guilt is what eventually leads us to confess our sin so that God can cleanse us from that unrighteousness. It unlocks the door to forgiveness. In most people, truth that they know but don’t necessarily want to accept will continue to rise to the surface, especially if God is trying to communicate something to them. It’s a funny thing about truth. A person may try to run from it but truth will always follow them home. It demands a decision. We can make excuses to try and avoid dealing with it, but at the end of the day truth is still quietly staring us in the face. They gradually become so desensitized to their need to repent that at some point it becomes impossible for them to feel the desire to repent; and so, they become lost forever, eternally separated from God. Though it pains us to think that God would willingly afflict us with torment, every purpose of God is redemptive. The affliction does not come from God, it comes from the enemy. God allows affliction to torment our thoughts (sometimes our physical body, too) to drive us into Him so that we can be healed. He is the Great Physician. How great His love is; how great is His mercy! He wants us to come to Him and inquire what is wrong so that we may be healed and set free from all toxic roots and deadly sins, but we are not set free from the consequences of our sin until we repent. True repentance is a willingness to forsake that which has us entangled with sin. As long as sin festers, we are in chains, but in the day that we draw near to Him, His immediate response is, “Do not fear!”

There are times when people become willfully blind because they attempt to avoid truth. Truth doesn’t cease to exist because people don’t want to be accountable to it. Truth does have the capacity to make us uncomfortable at times. Truth is important. There are definite consequences for ignoring it, yet people will still avoid, dodge, deny or wiggle away from truth when it comes to matters that hit close to home. Do we really think we will be any better off for trying to avoid the conviction of something we need to face? Avoiding truth keeps a person stuck in a state of emotional and spiritual immaturity. Embracing truth propels us into growth.

Learning to love ourselves requires being able to embrace the truth about us and then be willing to change.

When a person desires truth it is an indicator that they have admitted to themselves that they are ready to face their illusions being shattered. Uncomfortable as it may be to face the truth, the person no longer desires willful blindness. They are ready to receive the truth because they know it has the ability to set them free and release healing.

Sin hurts. It doesn’t just hurt us, it hurts others, too. It causes all manner of mental torment, sickness, disease, loss, broken relationships, and painful events to take place in our lives, and those things affect the lives of those close to us. These things come as a result of the enemy doing what he does best: he comes only to kill, steal and destroy. Satan inflicts pain and suffering and there are times when God allows it. Discipline cleanses the heart. Father’s desired end for all people is repentance that restores us to right relationship with Him and others and also releases healing.

Ezekiel 36:22-35 contains a beautiful promise of restoration. God’s promise is that when we are cleansed from the things that make us unclean, He will restore our losses. His promise is to give us a new heart after cleansing, reverse the famine that has robbed from our lives and bring multiplication of blessing. Now that is motivation for the pursuit of holiness! The truth that frees us is the truth we must admit to ourselves and God, and perhaps another individual. It’s the confession of wrongdoing so that we may be healed. It removes the guilt from our conscience and restores a right alignment with our heavenly Father. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16, NIV). Notice that is says to confess our sins to one another. This sort of confession requires honesty and humility. Without honesty or humility, we cannot have fellowship with Him. God cannot fellowship with those that desire their own sin, self-deception and darkness of heart more than they desire Him. “Behold you desire truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part you will make me know wisdom.” (Ps. 51:6). He is the light shining in the darkness, but the darkness cannot comprehend Him. When Jesus shows up, He is fully aware of all the things that have prevented us from seeing Him for who He really is. He simply asks, “Do you want to be healed?” Self-pity doesn’t want you to be healed. It wants you to ignore truth and allow it to stay. So I will ask again, “Do you want to be healed?”

The truth that we need to be free is what has been with us all along. Everyone has their down days and needs comfort and friendship; someone that will understand us and lend a listening ear. But, if it becomes habitual complaining about the many difficulties of life; if you have evidence of hell unleashed to destroy, devour and plunder the things concerning your life, I urge you to consider whether or not you may have allowed a spirit of self-pity a place in your life. It is a dangerous enemy that must be confronted and resisted at any and all costs. Self-pity always has an end goal of slowly dragging its victim into rebellion and apostasy. That is death of one’s salvation. Friends, it is not worth it! Today can be a fresh start to renounce this wicked enemy of your soul and take back the authority that is yours in Christ.

Prayer:

Today I come to you to acknowledge that I have sinned against myself by believing lies instead of what Your word says about me. I renounce unbelief! I am not a victim; I am victorious in Christ. All things are possible to those who believe. Today I break any and all agreements with myself and Satan that have allowed spirits of rejection, self-hatred, a spirit of abandonment, fear, insecurity, inferiority, shame, bitterness, witchcraft, rebellion, jealousy, evil speaking, self-pity and unforgiveness to manifest. I renounce all seeds that have come from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and every evil seed planted by the enemy. I command those evil seeds to wither and die immediately.  I renounce all ungodly spirits and I command them to leave me at once. Help me to shut my ears to the enemy's unloving thoughts. They are not my own thoughts but his. Father, I repent for allowing these things a place in my life. I thank You for forgiveness for my sins and cleansing me of unrighteousness.   

I thank You that Your blood and Your word cleanse my conscience from unprofitable thoughts and renew my mind. Holy Spirit, forgive me for grieving You and not allowing Your Spirit to influence my thought life and actions. Heal my disappointments, my hope and my faith. I come into agreement with God. I declare that I AM fearfully and wonderfully made. I am loved, accepted, and I am blessed by the Lord. I am surrounded with favor and grace. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Blessings are chasing me down to put themselves into my hands. I am a confident person because you have made me whole and complete. I lack nothing because the Lord is my shepherd and I do not lack. Therefore, I am in want of nothing. If there is a step of faith and obedience I need to take in order to activate blessing in my life, please tell me what to do. Everything that is available to Christ is available to me, because I am a child of God. I have nothing to fear! Fear no longer has permission to bring torment. I embrace the grace You have provided through Your sacrifice, Lord Jesus, and Your love and acceptance for me. Holy Spirit, I thank You for giving me the fruit of self-control in my thought life and I ask You to empower me to live for God. Fill me with Your fullness. I ask You for supernatural assistance to overcome negative self-talk, and I give YOU authority over my mouth and my actions. Help me overcome the areas of struggle in my life. You know what they are. I thank You for victory. In Jesus name, amen.

#Selfpityisnotyourfriend

What it Means to Take the Table of the Lord in An Unworthy Manner

1 Cor. 11:23-24 says: (23) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: (24) And when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (25) After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Jesus left His beloved disciples with the instructions to remember that moment often, and savor His fellowship. He was about to leave them, but wanted to institute a time of remembrance. Every time they broke the bread and drank from the cup they were to remember His teachings, His love, His great mercy and forgiveness. They would remember His miracles, and be encouraged in their faith. But most of all, they would remember His great humility to suffer along with them and for them, and to be their friend. Their friend was King of all heaven and earth. Taking communion was no light thing. It honored everything He had taught them; everything that He was to them. Partaking of the table of the Lord was to stand in agreement with love, justice, mercy, forgiveness and the brotherhood of His body. It was to remind them of the price He was willing to pay for them; His painful death upon the cross and the power of His resurrected victory. Every time they took communion, it was enjoying fellowship with Him. The very act was so sacred it literally drew His presence to them.

With this reminder also came the instruction to avoid taking a sacred act lightly and in the process dishonoring its significance. 1 Cor. 11:26 – 29 says: “For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come.(27) Why whoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. (28) But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (29) For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

How often people prefer the blessing but want to ignore the truth. We are far too desensitized to sin; so much so that we often completely disregard the warnings of the consequences of it. The body of Christ is weak, sick, powerless and some have gone on to an early death all because we fail to judge ourselves properly. We cannot judge ourselves according to our own opinions! Holiness is not something our flesh enjoys or finds easy to accommodate. We often create loopholes in order to disregard or excuse our sin rather than looking into God's word to find the spiritual laws that He is bound to enforce. If we would judge ourselves, we could avoid being judged and chastised. Yet, how frequently we fail to do so. The warning to each of us is to judge the condition of our own heart and life before taking the table of the Lord in an unworthy manner. Recently I had an opportunity to take communion with other brothers and sisters in a new church we visited. As the familiar elements of the bread and wine were passed to the congregants, the pastor spoke on this subject and reminded all the people on the significance of the act they were about to perform. Then I heard something I cannot remember hearing before – ever. And in that moment it occurred to me how serious it is to not heed the Lord’s counsel. I have heard other men of God advise people to confess their sins before taking communion, but what I had not heard was a warning to parents to deal with their children’s hearts before offering it to them. It wasn’t harsh or critical, just an advisement and a reminder that those that sit in the seat of the head of household had a responsibility to those under them. How often people pass the trays of bread and juice and make light of the very thing Jesus told us not to take lightly!

If a person ignores their responsibility towards sin, they keep a covenant with sin and death and that covenant of dishonesty and falsehood will, at some point, bring judgment on their own life. God’s justice demands it. How many people fear the responses of those around them instead of fearing the Lord? When is it appropriate to take the elements of communion and when should one allow it to pass them by?

In regards to bringing an offering to God, in Matthew 5:23 Jesus said, (23) “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has ought against you; (24) Leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (25) Agree with your adversary quickly, whiles you are in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.” If God is willing to refuse a gift or an offering until broken relationships are reconciled and the instruction is to leave the gift and go deal with the brother or sister that is offended with us, then how much more is He concerned with the state of our heart before we partake of communion? Is it not an even more holy act of worship?

We are all sinners, all in need of God's grace, and He has given it freely. Communion is a powerful thing when it is done in humility and honoring towards the significance of this act. It is not just another religious ritual and shouldn't be treated as such. That is taking the table of the Lord in an unworthy manner. It's not correctly discerning the power made available to us through the sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross. Jesus died in our place. He was punished on our behalf with great suffering. The price for our sin has been paid in full, yet, it does not give us a free pass to ignore other portions of scripture in regards to disobedience. Hebrews 10:29 says: “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” If we have broken relationships, they must be dealt with. If we are separated from others, then we should seek reconciliation. If we have hurt or offended others, we must lay down our pride.  If we have unforgiveness or bitterness in our heart, it must be renounced and sought for the Lord’s forgiveness. If we have dishonored authority or spoken in an unmannerly way towards others, we need to confess it and make amends with those affected. If we have committed wrongs, they need to be corrected and confessed. Should we attempt to deceive ourselves or others in regards to not dealing with our own sin issues and take communion as if our heart and life are in right standing, we willfully attempt to deceive God and others and stand in jeopardy of judgment. God is bound by His word to do what the word states. He does not accept excuses; He accepts repentance. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16, NASB)

Married couples have a responsibility to one another as well as to God. If something in their lives is out of order, they need to reconcile it with God. Their spouse is also a brother or sister in the Lord. There are times when marital issues can be quite serious. I think of the steep penalty Ananais and Saphira paid because they conspired together in an attempt to deceive others in the body of Christ. They attempted to lie to the Holy Spirit about things they had done and disguise their motive for doing it. Though that situation concerned finances, God was looking into their heart. They failed to judge themselves when they had an opportunity to tell the truth and judgment fell instantly. This was not Old Testament; this is New Testament (Read Acts 5),  under the covenant of grace. The fact that Jesus made grace available is not to be used as an excuse to deceive ourselves, others or try to avoid accountability.

Galatians 6:6-8 says, “Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teaches in all good things. (7) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. (8) For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” If we attempt to gloss over our own sin without true repentance, we become guilty of mocking God and dishonoring the person of Jesus Christ. Taking the table of communion was not about a religious exercise or ceremony. It was about considering our relationship with the Lord, who Jesus represents in our life, and our relationship with others that also have the Spirit of Christ living in them. It is all about the integrity of our fellowship with God and others.

We need not fear God for He is great in mercy and patience; yet this admonishment to humbly examine our own heart less we be judged gives thought to serious consideration. Let me close this with a more contemporary version from the Message Bible. 1 Cor. 11:23-26 “Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lord’s Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me. After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me.

What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.”

27-28 “Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of “remembrance” you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe.”

29-32 “If you give no thought (or worse, don’t care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you’re running the risk of serious consequences. That’s why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won’t have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.”

The table of the Lord has the ability to bring us into close fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and partake of everything He has made available to us, providing we do so in honesty and integrity of heart. What an amazing blessing awaits us as we remember to first deal with the issues of our heart and life, and then partake of His power, life, healing and provision. Blessings await those that will honor His body, (brothers and sisters in the Lord) and remember His sacrifice with gratitude. Thank you, Lord Jesus. We bless You and what You have done for us and we welcome your communion. Amen.

Prayer for Healing from Auto Immune Disorders

Father God,

I bring myself to You and place myself at the throne of Grace. I thank you that my sins are forgiven and You are always available to help me.  I ask You for Your healing  touch on my mind, emotions, memories, and my physical body. Lord, I do not know the cause of all the physical symptoms I have experienced, but You do. I believe You can help me Lord Jesus. I thank You that You know everything about me and can guide me through my healing. I ask for wisdom from your Holy Spirit to help me correctly diagnose the root of these issues. Lead me to the answers that will release my healing.

Lord, I bring my heart issues to you first, and I ask to be healed from any and all emotional wounds that would keep my heart blocked from giving and receiving love. I ask you to dissolve any root of bitterness that came as a result of hurt, offense, grief, rejection and disappointment. Guide me through my emotional healing and help me to be aware of the love that you have already placed in my life. Help me to trust that love and release any walls of self preservation I have enacted to protect myself. Let sensitivity return, and let me not see it as a sign of weakness or something to be feared. Let me see it as a part of experiencing life. Help me to love myself and see myself as You see me. I open the door of my heart to You.

I ask for revelation of You as my Father, and that Your great love would dispel all spirits of fear, anxiety,abandonment, hopelessness, disillusionment, self pity, cold love and rebellion. I loose myself now from all of these including unloving and critical spirits. I loose myself from spirits of fear, accusation, anger and rejection. I submit to you Jesus and resist these spirits. In the name of Jesus and by the power of Your blood I bind every evil spirit and forbid them from operating against me. I command every unclean, evil spirit to go from me now and never return. I command every assignment of the enemy to be cancelled and unraveled and the assignment from the Lord to be released into my life. By faith, I receive healing from Your Holy Spirit to my mind, emotions, and memories. Forgive me, Lord, for rejecting myself and what You have said about me. You are not a liar. I choose to accept myself, and I reject the lies that the enemy has told me. I thank You for the love that heals and restores every part of me. I thank You that I have great peace and my composure is undisturbed because I put my trust in You.

I speak now to my physical body. I command all swelling and abnormal pressure on nerves on my spine, in my arms, legs, hands and feet to be released. I speak healing into every nerve that may have suffered injury from accidents, compression, drugs, alcohol, lead, radiation, seafood toxins, insect and spider bites. I speak to my arteries, and wherever there is constriction, let there be normal blood flow. Let all pressure on peripheral nerves from enlarged blood vessels, scar tissue or infection be released now in Jesus name. Let all chemical balances of potassium, calcium, sodium, vitamins and other body chemistry be in proper and normal balances. Let any abnormal accumulation of chemical or medication toxins be supernaturally removed from my body now, in Jesus name. I command healing and restoration to the myelin sheath around my spinal cord. Let all viruses and gene defects be healed now, in Jesus name. I command any and all symptoms of MS and other diseases to be eradicated from my body. I command my body’s immune system to be strengthened and the immune cells to stop attacking my nervous system, including my brain, optic nerves and spinal cord in Jesus name. Send Your healing to every ulcer and lession on the myelin sheath of my spinal cord and let it be completely healed and restored. I thank You, Lord Jesus, that by Your stripes I am healed. I thank You for your promises in Psalm 103 that tells me You forgave all my sin and healed my disease. I believe in You O God and in Your word! You said in Psalm 91 that no plague would come near me.I thank You that I do not have to fear. I place myself under the shelter of Your wings. You are my refuge and I thank You that no harm shall come to me. Thank You Father for Your love. Thank You Jesus for delivering me from the things that want to destroy my health. Thank You, Holy Spirit for releasing healing. In Jesus name, Amen

Life Is In The Seed

There is a funny thing about truth. No matter how much a person tries to run from it, it always seems to follow us home. Truth, like the word of God, is the seed. Now, Jesus said there were a variety of hearts that were likened to different kinds of soil. Some hearts, like ground that has been tilled and prepared, allows the seed that is planted to immediately take root and begin to grow. Others...well, they seem a lot like this picture. The person's heart may have a lot of barriers that act as a wall of self preservation. It doesn't just keep others at a distance, it keeps the love of God, His presence and His truth locked up in captivity so that the person cannot really grow or change.

There is a dying process that the seed of truth produces, and it's a necessary step that cannot be overlooked. How often we want to see immediate change either in ourselves or our loved ones, but the seed, Jesus said in John 12:24, cannot bear fruit UNTIL it goes into the ground and dies. Then, and only then, can it actually produce life and bear fruit.

Whether it is ourselves or those we have been praying for, the seed must die. It's a process the individual must go through as they wrestle with that grain of truth, themselves, and God. The seed must surrender to death, and so must we surrender to death of ourselves. We know by faith that our flesh was crucified with Christ, but often our flesh still wants to try to stay alive and resist the growth that the seed is designed to produce. God is very patient with the process because He knows it is the process that will produce lasting change and permanent growth, but, when He wants a person to get on track He does have His ways of turning up the heat and making things quite uncomfortable, so that submitting to Him seems more desirable than resisting Him and doing our own thing! The moment you grab hold of a promise from God, all hell will fight to prove that that promise will not bring forth life. It's ok...that's part of the process but no matter how bad the news it doesn't mean the circumstances are truth. They may be the facts at the moment, but you can just let the enemy know that those facts are not the truth, and your circumstances are going to comply with the word of God. Of course the enemy tries to steal the seed, but here is the great news! Inherent in the DNA of the seed is the quality of tenacity. Don't ask me how, but that seed will always look for a crack so that it can grow and break forth out of the ground. Have you ever seen a shoot of new green life that springs up between cracks in the sidewalk, in between rock and the most incredible places? It makes one wonder how anything could find a way to grow. Yet, the life of that plant seemingly will not be denied. It looks for a place to break through and produce what is in the DNA of the seed!

We rented an apartment a few years back and there must have been a crack in the foundation, because there was this stubborn piece of grass that would grow up from under the carpet and right there in the corner of my living room was green living grass. I honestly think God gave it to us as an object lesson! Tonight He reminded me of that blade of grass. I could never get to the root, so I always had to clip it off with scissors, and it would always grow back. The root always produces the fruit. Listen, whether it's a stubborn weed you need to get rid of or a seed that you want to bear good fruit, the process is the same. You must deal with the roots. Spiritually, it is the same process. Either way, the good seed is more powerful than the weeds. Just keep planting the word of God because eventually it will find a way to break new ground!

Friends, let me give you a reassuring word today. Your spouse, your loved ones, or whoever is on your prayer list may be wrestling somewhere with themselves and God, but that seed is looking for a place to grow. THERE IS ALWAYS A CRACK THE ENEMY DIDN'T COUNT ON. You might not know where it is, but God does, and He will direct that seed to fall into the right crack; the one that has just enough light in it to make that seed struggle to live and keep reaching for daylight. It may take a while, but the word of God does not return void. It will prosper in the thing for which it was sent! (Isaiah 55:11) The interesting thing about a new plant is that it has to fight to live, and in the process as it gets stronger, it will displace some hard clumps of dirt, debris or even rocks. So keep declaring the word of God and sending out light and truth to the person, even if you can't speak it to them directly. Once it is released, it is in God's timing and according to His intimate knowledge of the individual. Ask Him to direct the seeds of truth into the right cracks in their heart. Ask Him to shine His light in that crack that pulls the seed up into the light. Speak God's word that is like a homing device looking for it's target. Truth always has a way of following a person home.

Lessons From the Book of Galatians

The Apostle Paul had some interesting things to say in the Book of Galatians. He started out by speaking a blessing of grace and peace to those he addressed. Did you know that when God wants to tell us something, His words are always full of love, and love brings assurance of our acceptance in Christ. It is this revelation of our unconditional acceptance in the Lord and His good will towards us that leads to increased faith and confidence towards God. Grace and peace are always multiplied when we are in Christ. That’s the first thing we always ought to keep in perspective when we hear a message. Are grace and peace being multiplied unto me as I hear this? If not, test the spirits.

Paul went on to introduce himself as an apostle declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus, He reminded those who would read his letter, not only gave his very life for mankind but that he was sent to deliver us from the temptation of this evil age. In other words, Paul was referring to the redemptive work of Christ to sanctify believers and deliver them out of the temptations of the world. Paul marveled in shock that those he knew had somehow defected from the truth of the gospel that saved them, and they had unwittingly fallen for a different message. Somehow, something had gotten twisted in those they had allowed to teach them, and the message perverted. Paul could hardly believe that they had gotten tricked into believing a false gospel.

The most difficult lie to discern is the one that is introduced along with a majority of truth. It is not always easy to pick up on the deception when it sound plausible. Yet scripture must be balanced by the rest of doctrine and interpreted through the heart of God in order to understand it’s true intent. What I mean by that is, if a person doesn’t truly understand God’s heart, they will never correctly interpret His scripture and a form of legalism or error will be the result. Legalism is the use of guilt, manipulation and control. In the environment of the church, it forces the will of man upon others, often misusing and utilizing the scriptures in order to entice and manipulate people to do the will of a stronger individual . It uses fear and intimidation to fulfill it's desire to control others. It is operating by the spirit of Satan and not the Holy Spirit. Witchcraft and legalism will always misrepresent God's heart and character and the result is the effect of turning others against God, running away from Him in rebellion.

This was apparently the problem with the false teachers that introduced the Galatian church to a “different gospel.” There was no “human flavoring” of the gospel that Paul preached. He was not regurgitating what had been taught by the doctrines of men; Paul received the revelation of Jesus Christ straight from the source. If the gospel that Paul preached had been made up by men, he would have had to confer with others in order to receive their teachings or validate it. But, God’s will to choose Paul to advance the gospel was such an important choice that He left nothing to chance. Holy Spirit gave Paul the download of the gospel so that he would have it correct right from the start. This is an important truth to understand. Others can deliver the gospel message, but only the Holy Spirit can truly impart the revelation of Jesus Christ, His cross and resurrection, and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that changes a person.It is not man's attempt to reinterpret scripture or add to it that sanctifies us. We are not sanctified by our own attempts to appear righteous; it comes only through the blood of Christ as He imputes His righteousness to us. God does not speak to our sin nature and focus on our shortcomings; He speaks to us as we are in Christ and lifts our focus off of ourselves and shifts it back to gazing upon Jesus, for He knows that what we focus on we become. It is the message of unconditional love, acceptance and the work of grace that changes us from the old man to the new. By grace we are saved, and by grace we are sanctified. You see, the gospel isn't about you. It's for you, but the gospel is about Jesus. It's about what He has done through His blood that was shed for us and the power of His cross and resurrection.

Red flags and warning bells went off in Paul’s head when he realized that false brethren had introduced a gospel that sounded believable, yet had subtle deceptions interwoven into their teachings in an effort to steal the liberties of the Galatian church. Perhaps one of the most powerful and impacting scriptures in the 2nd chapter of Galatians is found in verses 19-21. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Let’s just pause right there for a moment. Do you realize that Jesus didn’t just die for you, but He died on that cross as you? Whether you realize it or not, you died to sin a long time ago. Jesus took you to the cross with Him (as He did for all of mankind) and died in your place so that you would not have to pay the penalty for your sins. He died as you. So let me ask you a question. If you died with Christ, then what are you doing with that truth? What have you done with Jesus? Because the day Jesus went to the cross you died to sin, spiritually speaking that is. If you can believe that truth and receive it by faith, then all that remains for you now is to walk in resurrection power. All that remains in you now is for your mind, heart, soul and lifestyle to catch up with that truth.

Paul challenged the Galatian church in chapter 3, asking them who bewitched them (who cast a spell over their minds) that they would stray from the truth and start believing a lie. He reminded them that what they began by faith in the Spirit they could not expect to finish by mistakenly trying to perfect their flesh through their own efforts. Paul challenged them, as any real apostle would do, to consider where they got off track and started believing a different gospel. They had been tricked or perhaps brainwashed into believing that they could somehow achieve a form of righteousness by the commandments of men rather than by the grace of God. They were confused by faulty doctrine and didn’t recognize it. He reminded them that a curse comes upon those that try to achieve righteousness by their own standards and that no one can effectively fulfill the law, and no one is justified by their own forms of righteousness. The just shall live by faith.

Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Do you realize that God does not focus on our sin nature? It's because it has already been crucified with Christ. When God speaks, He reveals the lies of the enemy that hinder us from becoming more Christlike. He is kind even when correcting our perspective. He does not condemn nor reject those in whom His Spirit inhabits. God's love and grace are abundant, and those that grow in their relationship with Him will continue in a life of sanctification - but it is as the Holy Spirit deals with each individual, in His time. The real gospel is in some people's estimation, radical grace, but that is what makes it the good news. God is restoring this truth back to His church, and purifying His bride. He is calling us back to the purity of the gospel.

Some people are alarmed at this new so called "grace movement." People who want to take it to an extreme and perhaps read things into those that are speaking grace and get offended by it, thinking they are actually giving others permission to use grace as a license to sin. I really believe this is a fear response, because fear says, “Let’s rope these people in before they get too far out of control.” Some go so far as to say those that preach such a thing are bordering on teaching heresy.

Scripture reminds us in 2 Cor. 10:12 not to compare ourselves with those that commend themselves, nor measure themselves by comparing themselves among one another because it is not wise. Wisdom refrains from unnecessary judgments, criticisms and comparisons. Fear causes people to jump to conclusions and make judgments that none of us should probably make. Good grief. Everyone is at a different place in their walk with God, in their understanding of the scriptures, and in the depth of relationship with Holy Spirit. If we are going to err, let's do it on the side of grace and not judgment. People are so quick to jump in and want to be the voice of the Holy Spirit to others to either use fear as a motivator towards obedience or caution them not to get too caught up in grace that they fall in a ditch. Can we not trust Holy Spirit to do HIS job? It is HIS job to convict people of sin and HIS job to sanctify...OUR job is to love people where they're at and stop jumping to conclusions based on what we assume about others. We need to stop being overly sin conscious and be Jesus focused. If we make salvation and sanctification about our own efforts then we rob the gospel message of grace. People tend to adopt one of two mindsets when it comes to their scriptural foundation. It is either based on a fear of rejection which puts the emphasis on our own efforts, or it is based on the joy of acceptance by which we can enjoy peace, rest and allow God's grace to transform our thoughts and actions.

So, how does one determine if their belief system needs an overhaul?  A perverse spirit will twist truth, cause confusion and result in double-mindedness and unbelief. It will cause anxiety, fear, frustration, disappointment, anger, and rebellion towards God. It will accuse God to the believer and cause serious trust issues between the individual and God. Pride and anger withstand God so that God withholds Himself from the believer. It is a shallow relationship at best. Real faith and personal growth are stunted, leaving the person disillusioned, dispassionate and wondering why their faith doesn’t seem to produce more results. Genuine faith in God comes as a result of embracing the truth of the gospel, recognizing that daily we need a Savior, Healer, Restorer, Deliverer and Teacher, and experiencing His faithfulness to meet us right where we are. This is how a person comes to understand the power of God’s unconditional love and acceptance. He multiplies grace and peace in the believer’s life and confidence towards God increases as revelation increases. Without revelation, a person is lost in their own thoughts, frustrations, personal limitations and cannot seem to make their faith work for them. It seems like a never ending road of trying to seek and serve God without much fulfillment or satisfaction from their Christian life. In essence, it keeps a person a slave to human effort, is centered around self rather than being centered around what Jesus has done for us, and results in estrangement from Christ. Every wrong thought produces anxiety, frustration, fear and other negative emotions. It produces unbelief and distrust towards God. Every thought precedes an action that will either draw us closer to God or lure us away from Him, His truth, and fellowship with Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, every right thought will produce a natural inclination towards gratitude for what Christ has done, love for the Father, an increase in faith and confidence towards God. This is why it is so important to take every thought in captivity that would rise up to challenge truth and subject it to the authority of Jesus Christ. I will end this with the words of Apostle Paul in which he said, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” (Gal. 5:1).

Declaring Defeat Over the Spirit of Pythos

There is a prevailing demonic principality over our nation that must be dealt with if we are to experience breakthrough and revival. This spirit is the gatekeeper to many cities, and defeating it is the key to others being able to break through spiritually. Defeating it is one of the keys to reaching more people for the harvest and the increase of God's kingdom manifesting in the earthly realm. It is important that those in the body of Christ understand and recognize how this spirit works so that together, we can join forces to take down this principality. There are important keys in this article to help each of us overcome! The spirit I am referring to is known as the spirit of Pythos, or “python.” Python or pythos, from which is originates, is known by certain characteristics. Some of them are:

• Overwhelming tiredness, loss of desire to fulfill destiny and loss of vision.

• It operates in pride, stubborness, heaviness, depression and bitterness. (Acts 8:23)

• Will counterfeit real prophecy with divination, which is from a demonic origin and a form of sorcery (witchcraft). (Acts 13:6, 16:16). Divination defiles and often ends up causing bitterness and rebellion towards the Lord because false prophetic words often end in disillusionment and discouragement. Pythos, or divination utilizes prophecy for profit, or the prostitution of spiritual gifts for selfish gain, (Acts 16:19).

• Is manipulative and deceptive. Uses flattery to gain trust and promote pride. (Acts 16:17)

• Squeezes the life out of individuals, churches, and those under it’s influence. (The nature of the python is to constrict).

• Is attracted to the flesh. (Serpents "lick the dust" which speaks of our fleshly nature. They use their tongue to sense their prey. The more of our flesh they can sense is how it is attracted to individuals.)

• Despises worship and can result in  “brass heavens” or an inability to break through in worship.

• Causes heart and breathing problems, back problems and other health issues, sometimes even death. Brings a spirit of infirmity with it.

• Works together with the spirit of witchcraft, or Jezebel, which lusts after power and control. A spirit of lust (a consuming desire for power, sex, money, fame, recognition, etc. often accompanies the python and witchcraft spirit). Withstands breakthrough. (Acts 13:8)

• Perverts the straight ways of the Lord. Influences people to believe what is right is wrong, and what is wrong is acceptable and even approved. (Acts 13:8-10)

• Promotes bitterness, rejection and encourages separation from others rather than seeking healthy, like minded spiritual relationships. Projects doom and unbelief on the future, stripping people of faith. Those under its influence often retreat from fellowship and isolate themselves from others in order to preserve themselves from further hurt or relational disappointments.

• Lies to those under it’s influence to destroy faith in God, and accuses God to the believer.

• Does everything in it’s power to wear out the believer until all their strength is gone. The nature of a constrictor is to slowly suffocate and squeeze the life out of it's victim.

The spirit of Pythos, from which we get the word “python” takes on the characteristics of the serpent and tries to squeeze the very life and breath out of the believer, the family of God and tries to destroy the prophetic voice. It hates worship, hates the prophetic gifts (which can see through it’s deceptive ways and identify this spirit), and it hates apostolic authority. It has no problem with titles, name plates or self appointed labels, but it is terribly fearful of genuine authority in Christ. It will attempt to destroy, defame and defile God’s appointed authority because it knows that it has the power to destroy it’s ungodly yoke of oppression and shed light on it’s deceptive ways.

Because this spirit operates in pride, arrogance, bitterness and hatred towards the Spirit of Christ, it is very warlike. KEYS TO BREAKTHROUGH: To defeat pride, you must operate in humility. To defeat hatred, fear, anger, and grief, you must operate in love. Never engage in warfare by the same tactics or by the same spirit as the enemy. 

That is our responsibility in the natural. But as men and women of the Spirit, we engage in combat with the enemy by declarations and decrees which act like stealth bombers releasing bombs over enemy territory. Decrees are actually enforcement of God’s laws, utilizing His word, which declare a higher spiritual law above that of the earthly realm. Demonic principalities operate in the earthly realm and the 2nd heaven (the airwaves where Satan has limited influence) and when we release decrees (speaking the prophetic word, enforcing what God has already spoken through His word), these things give us victory over all the power of the enemy. Air strikes are preparation for what comes next. How many of you know that in war, both air strikes and ground troops are needed in order to advance against the enemy and secure the victory? That is why it is so important for the apostolic and prophetic to work together. Prophetic declarations affirm what God is saying and establish His will, and they also shed light on people's prophetic destinies, while the apostolic releases strategies to the ground troops. Those with apostolic authority often deal with power encounters with the enemy, establish sound teaching and order in the body of Christ, and help mobilize the body of Christ.

Decree an End to the Spirit of Pythos

I declare an end to the Pythos spirit today, in Jesus name, over this geographic region, (the city where I live), over the state of California and over our nation.

I declare Jesus Christ is the stronghold of our family, our city, the people in this geographic region and over our nation.

Let there be revelation of this counterfeit spirit wherever the spirit of python is at work. Let people have discernment to recognize this spirit. Come out of (_________) in Jesus name. (Acts 16:18)

Let the influence and voice of divination be silenced. Let the power of witchcraft and the spirit of infirmity be broken now, in Jesus name!

Where there has been constriction, I speak enlargement: over my family members, over this geographic region, and this nation, according to Genesis 28:14 in Jesus name.



Let the wind of the Holy Spirit breathe new life into those that are weary. Let the wind of the Holy Spirit release resurrection power into those that are empty, dry, and without strength. I prophesy to the breath according to Ezekiel 37:9 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath on these slain, that they may live.’” I prophesy to the whole house of Israel as I say, “Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves; and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, have spoken it, and performed it,” says the Lord. (Ezek. 37:12-14.)

Thus says the Lord to His anointed (insert your name) : "I will go before you to make the crooked places straight. I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel and (insert your name)." (Is. 45:2,3) Lord we agree, that what you did for your anointed servant Cyrus to subdue nations and go before him to loose the armor of kings; to open before him the double doors so that the gates would not be shut, you have done for us. We thank You for breaking through the barriers and leading us beyond the outer gates and through the doors you have for us. In Jesus name, amen.

#Breakfreefromconstriction, #DeclaringdefeatoverthespiritofPython

Bless - and God Will Take Care of the Rest!

Friend, do you sense God holding back from you? Do you feel as if blessings are hindered from coming to you? Then let me ask you, how is your confession?  Angels and the Lord are always listening to what we speak. Careless words are one significant reason why people struggle. We may speak something and immediately forget about it, but none of our words are inconsequential. None.

Words are not just words; they carry the power to create in the spirit realm. Words have great power to either release a blessing or a curse. If we are not careful, our mouths have great power to hinder blessings that God wants us to have from actually coming into our hands. Many people have heard of the necessity of speaking life into God’s promises and contending for them until they come to pass. We can believe for good health, financial increase and restoration, family members to come to salvation and many others things, but sometimes there is an area people neglect to consider, and it’s that specific area I want to bring to your attention.

The words we speak about others carries a great responsibility, especially the words we speak regarding other Christians. If we do not harness our tongue, we can put ourselves out of alignment with God and actually hinder Him from being able to release blessing into our lives. "How can we hinder God?" you might ask. Because He is a good Father and teacher. He takes great care to teach us important life lessons because He wants us to not just learn from them, but be permanently changed in our nature so that we begin to look more like him. We must align ourselves with faith in order to move His hand and unlock the blessings, and obedience is a large part of demonstrating faith. In Genesis 12:3 God made a covenant with Abram in which the Lord God said, “I will bless those that bless you, and I will curse those that curse you...” God’s covenant with every Christian is the same as what He offered Abram, and when we speak negative words about others, especially words that have the power to injure a person’s relationships, reputation, livelihood or future success, it is the same as cursing them. When you curse people with negative words, it is creating with the satanic power of witchcraft attached to your words, and God cannot and will not bless it. Speaking ill of others is a direct violation of who we are in Christ. It denies the law of love by which all are judged, and as God’s children, we should know better. James chapter 3 tells us that the tongue is like a fire that holds a world of iniquity in it and is so set among our members that it has the power to defile the whole body; it is set on fire by hell itself. Vs. 9 says “With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Vs. 10: “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not to be so.” This is a stern warning about the damage that can be released with the power of the tongue! The contradictory speech of speaking blessing and then cursing can only ever produce bad fruit and negative results. Because we judge others, the fruit of judgement, not blessing, is released into our own lives. (See Matt. 7:1) Psalm 109:17 tells us, “As he loved cursing, so let it come to him; as he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.” You can read the next several verses yourself to see that when people misuse their speech and allow their tongue to curse others through gossip, evil speaking and slander, the ripple effects of those actions goes far beyond what they might perceive at the moment they act careless with their words. They actually release a curse upon themselves that can affect every aspect of their lives. Remember God’s promise to Abram. Those that bless His servant would be blessed; those that cursed him would receive the curse. God has never retracted His promise neither has He nullified His covenant. There are many warnings throughout scripture to advise us to be careful about the words we speak. It is not a light thing in the eyes of the Lord to speak ill of others.

I have had many people speak negative things about me and my family over the years, and admittedly it is not always pleasant to our emotions to have to deal with people that rejoice in wishing you misfortune. I have also had people deliberately accuse, slander and try to influence others to think negatively about us, but if we listen to the Holy Spirit, He will always counsel us to bless and not curse.Friend, what voice are you listening to? Who do you allow to influence you? Separate yourself from a gossip, and depart from those that love to whisper about others or you can find yourself in a snare. Don't allow foolish, immature people to entice you to partake of their own rotten fruit. Bad company corrupts good morals. In Luke 6:26 Jesus gave us words of wisdom when He said, “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you.” A little later in the chapter He continued to advise us “not to judge.”

Friends, the words you speak are important. If anyone is guilty of gossip, slander and speaking curse words over others  - especially if they have spoken against another one of God’s children - you need to know that God holds you accountable for what you speak. One cannot sweep everything under the rug with a broad broom of grace and think that there is no responsibility towards what we speak. Words hang in the spirit over others and have the power to release the power of witchcraft or blessing. Now, if you speak well of others you have nothing to worry about. But if you speak things that are not right, those words will boomerang back into your own life with a curse attached to them. God is a shield around those that trust Him. It’s a part of His covenant. (See Genesis 15: 1) So, do you know what a shield does? It deflects the fiery darts, arrows laced with poison and shields us from the onslaught of enemy fire. But if we are not acting in faith, and speaking right things is a part of acting in faith, then that shield is lowered and the person finds themselves vulnerable to taking a hit. Friend, if that is you today and the Holy Spirit has convicted you of speaking the wrong things about someone, then take the opportunity to correct the situation. If you don’t you may find yourself at odds with God and His blessings withheld until you repent. You don’t have to struggle if you will take the road of humility, but pride can keep a person from receiving what is actually theirs. Don’t let pride be your stumbling block. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.Talk to God and ask His forgiveness, then do what Jesus told you to do: BLESS the one you spoke against. Pray your best prayer of blessing over them and their household. Bless their family, their future, their health, their business, and anything else you can think of. Ask God to do for them what you would want Him to do for you. Reverse the curse and take it off of yourself at the same time. God promises to show His salvation to those that order their conversation aright.

Your words have the power to bless or to curse. Now, in light of what you’ve read here today, isn’t it wisdom to bless? I have blessed people when they didn’t deserve it, and not just with my prayers. It brought hot coals of conviction on their head and released my heart with joy. Blessing releases joy and freedom, regardless of how others treat you! When others have come against us, I ask God to bless them, heal their heart, bless their family, bless their household, and I tell you, it works. When we bless, God will take care of the rest. He moves mountains. He changes hearts. He removes those with an agenda to hinder what God wants to do. He will take people out of the way if that’s what is needed, and you don’t have to do anything to make it happen. I've seen it happen. You don't have to worry about a thing. Regardless of how you may feel personally about someone, you can still choose to do the right thing. Maturity and wisdom advise us to choose obedience. Just follow God’s word and bless those that curse you. Pray for those that spitefully use you and persecute you. Then trust God to take care of everything else. He is your shield and exceedingly great reward!!