05/31/2006

Kim Clement: "God Said, 'NOW IT SHALL BE A SPIRITUAL SHAKING THAT I SHALL DO ON THE WEST COAST AND ON THE NORTHWEST'"

kim clement

Given: April 29, 2006--Portland, OR

"It is My desire that if You Would Call to Me, I Will Answer You."

The Spirit of God wants you to know, "It is My clear desire--it is My clear desire," says the Spirit of God, "that the households of this Nation come into an unusual relationship with the Lord God, an unusual relationship with the Lord God Almighty." God said, "It is My desire that if you would call to Me, I will answer you."

Jeremiah 33:3: "Call unto Me, call upon Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things."

"Anyone Connected to Your Family Shall Say These Words With You: 'We Will Serve the Lord God.'"

"For it is My desire to take your children, your grandchildren, your step-daughters and your step-sons, and those who are adopted as one, and begin to fill them with My Spirit. It is not your duty to save souls--it is Mine. It is your duty," says the Lord, "to disciple these that I give to you. I will save them. I will bring them from the back streets. I will bring them from the prisons. I will bring them from their high places and their low places. And your children, your nephews, your nieces, your cousins," God said, "anyone connected to your family shall say these words with you: 'we will serve the Lord God.'" For God said, "There is an unusual move of My Spirit regarding evangelism that is going to take place." It matters not how far away they are. They will come back to Me. But when they come back," says the Lord, "they will come back with fire in their mouth. They will come back with a baptism of the Spirit as you have never seen."

"Now it Shall Be a Spiritual Shaking that I Shall Do On the West Coast and On the Northwest"

For God said, "Even as you saw the Asuza Street revival in 1906, and even as the great shaking took place in San Francisco 100 years ago," God said, "now it shall be a spiritual shaking that I shall do on the West Coast and on the Northwest," says the Spirit of God. "Do not think for one minute that I cannot do it. I will do it," says the Lord. "For even tonight as you call upon Me and you say, 'God we want you in our house, Spirit we want you in our house, Fire we want you in our house, salvation, restoration, deliverance,' it shall surely come. For your house is not a building with brick and mortar," says the Lord. "Your house may be in another place. Your children may be somewhere else. But I'm gathering them together," says the Spirit of God. "And there will be a re-visitation of the Asuza Street revival, not as it was then, but far greater," says the Lord. "I will bring those that do not want God and there will be an unusual desire that I will put in their hearts for God. This Nation is about to be shaken," says the Lord. "And I will shake it, but it shall be good, for your summer will be a time of rejoicing," says the Spirit of the Living God.

By Kim Clement
Prophetic Image Expressions
www.kimclement.com 

05/25/2006

Todd Bentley: "A Kingdom Mindset--Be an Ambassador of Heaven"

The Kingdom of God can seem like a vast uncharted spiritual frontier! Consequently, we need a Kingdom mindset in order to rightly discern and tap into all that God wants to reveal to us, especially in days like these--days of the harvest.

You might be wondering, "How we can advance God's Kingdom with a proper Kingdom mindset, one that displays God's love and His glory?" In this teaching, I want to ask a few questions and discuss how we can walk with a Kingdom mindset.

Being God's Spiritual Representative

Let's start by first discussing, that the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are the same; the Kingdom of God is Heaven on earth, and we need to learn how to synchronize both; and God's Kingdom is an ever-increasing Kingdom with no end. We also carry the treasure of God within us, and this treasure equips us to partner with God, so that souls are saved and His glory is manifested in the earth.

Now, let's take a further look at how we can gain a proper Kingdom mindset. First question: Did you know that with all the right qualities and qualifications, you could be one of "the highest ranking diplomatic representatives of one country to another?" (quote from Webster's New World Dictionary). Think about that for a minute.

Before we discuss the official name for this particular "diplomatic representative," let's examine a specific word that's connected to diplomatic--"diplomacy," and it means "the conducting of relations between nations". The fact is, in the context of our political structures (in the natural/physical realm), governments need diplomatic representatives who can be a liaison (act as a go-between), to promote good relations between nations. One important aspect of diplomacy involves helping nations to talk, to get past stumbling blocks, and even to reconcile with each other when necessary.

Yet, let's not forget that we're not just dealing with the natural/physical scheme of things. What about that other realm that is equally important? The realm of the spirit! I believe we cannot ignore the spirit realm. In fact, in the spiritual realm, God has opened up to us, an opportunity to serve Him in a particular "ministry assignment," to be one of His highest ranking spiritual diplomatic representatives!

The importance of this revelation was impressed upon me, because of a vital message that the apostle Paul spoke to the Corinthians. Let's examine the first part of his message; we'll discover that "ministry assignment" opportunity:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:17-19).

It's the ministry of reconciliation--that's the assignment! Let's pause for a minute before we look at the second part of Paul's message, because I have another question. Did you happen to venture a guess concerning the official name for "the highest-ranking diplomatic representative," quoted from Webster's? If you didn't, then why not make a guess right now. Keep your answer in mind as you read what Paul said next:

"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:20- 21).

The answer is "ambassador" (in Webster's). But in the spiritual realm, the name of the "spiritual diplomatic representative" is: ambassador for Christ. Listen, as faithful, on-fire, pure-hearted believers in Jesus Christ, we will have the necessary character-qualities that will qualify us to be trustworthy ambassadors. Not for an earthly kingdom or government, but for God's eternal purposes concerning His Kingdom. Why? So that people are reconciled to God, they are saved from their sins, that they "might become the righteousness of God in Him."

This is no small thing! Do we get this? I mean, do we actually realize what an honor it is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ as His ambassador--the highest ranking spiritual representative!

Embassies In The Spirit

With all this in mind, I've been pondering about "embassies in the spirit." Think about that, too, because that's what the Kingdom of God looks like. Look at this--we are ambassadors of the Kingdom and everywhere we go, so goes the Holy Spirit. Just as ambassadors are connected to their respective embassies, we're connected to the Holy Spirit! It's like we're carrying a spiritual embassy within us. I am "in Heaven on earth," with all the benefits that Heaven has backing me up, regardless of what country I am in. For instance, when we were in Malawi, Africa, the ambassadors from our team who represent Heaven, went into the local hospital. They prayed for all 65 patients and two days later, every single person checked out of the hospital healed! An entire hospital was emptied!

Also, I've been wondering about ambassadors and embassies, and how they function and fit together in the natural and the spiritual realm. For example, various nations have Canadian embassies, which is where the Canadian ambassador (and staff) will reside and/or have offices. When Canadian citizens are in a city and country where our embassy is located, there are certain benefits we have access to (at our embassy), if the need arises. When I am in India, I can go to the Canadian embassy and when I step on that piece of ground, it's like I'm in Canada, even though I'm in India. I have all the rights, all the benefits, all the protection, and all the blessings that I have in Canada--it's like I just stepped into Canada.

In the natural/physical realm, embassies are housed in a building or collection of buildings, situated on a certain parcel of land within certain boundaries, with an address. (In a sense, it's like a little kingdom unto itself.) If a Canadian citizen is in danger or needs assistance, they can come to the Canadian embassy for help, because of its governing authority and its jurisdiction.

Knowing this, do you realize that just like the Canadian embassy, by its very nature, has a governing authority that you, as a born again Christian in the body of Christ, do too? I say this because almost all of us have a home/residence and some even have their home on a piece of land. We all have governing authority over our home/land. For instance, my property is marked out by a property line and what city hall calls my house (my half acre), is my "kingdom." The same goes for you. So get this--the devil has no authority in my kingdom. No plague, no sickness, no disease can enter because I take my authority. I stand my ground, I govern my property, and I declare my property to be "my kingdom"--the property that the Lord has given me. You have the same governing authority.

Let's take this principle concerning governing authority a step further--in the context of the land that the Lord wants us to take in the nations. When we went to Africa to host crusades, we claimed and declared the crusade grounds to be God's property, His kingdom. As a result, we experienced some amazing miracles. The enemy's plans just could not prevail over the grounds. For example, one Muslim boy who wasn't even interested in the crusade, just walked by and when his foot touched the grass, his deaf ear popped open! Why? No deafness in Heaven; God's Kingdom!

Another boy with a tumor came and as he stepped out of the car, his leg touched the grass and his tumor fell off. Also, a man was sitting at a nearby bar covered in hundreds of tumors and drinking beer. The bartender that owned the bar had authority and ownership, and he decided to tune the radio to my crusade. It opened a portal (gateway) for the power of God to come into the bar, and the man with the tumors was healed--every tumor fell from his body right in the bar! He rushed to a taxi cab, came to the crusade, and gave his life to Jesus. Why did the tumors fall off the boy and the man? No tumors in Heaven; God's Kingdom!

The Kingdom of God Is At Hand and Within Us

Such testimonies are Heaven displayed on earth, because the Kingdom of God is the will of God being done on earth. The Bible says that Jesus healed every kind of sickness and disease (Matthew 8:16, 12:15; Luke 4:40, 6:19). This implies that the healing of every sickness and every disease is the will of God--it is the Kingdom of Heaven displayed on the earth. Jesus said, "In this manner therefore pray: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10). Secondly, it's as though Jesus is saying, "It is My will that it would be on the earth now, as it is in Heaven. So when you pray, I want you to pray that it would be on the earth for you, as it is in Heaven now."

The Kingdom of God is the will of God being done on earth, and Heaven is our model. Miracles, signs, and wonders are an outflow of living in the reality of the supernatural. Jesus said, "I say to you the Son can do nothing of Himself but what he sees the Father do" (John 5:19). We need to wait, listen, and see what the Father is doing, because Heaven will come as the will of God is being done on earth. But in order for us to do the will of God, we need to see-- see what our Father has been doing, so that we can be about the Father's business, doing what He is doing. This is how to synchronize Heaven and earth.

When we see what the Father does and we do what the Father does, we have a revelation that the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 10:7), and this is how close it is--it's like a membrane. Do you know what Jesus said to a certain scribe who knew the Word of God? He said, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God" (Mark 12:34). Jesus also spoke a powerful word to the Pharisees, when they asked Him when the Kingdom of God was coming. He said, "The Kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!' or ‘See there!' For indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20, 21).

Here are more questions: Where does Jesus sit right now? Answer: In Heavenly places at the right hand of God the Father (Ephesians 1:20). Where does Christ live? Answer: Christ in me; Christ in you the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). I'm the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Kingdom of God is where? Answer: Within you. Where is Christ sitting? In Heavenly places. Where is Christ sitting? Christ in you. Could it be that Heavenly places are in me and you?

How many times in worship do we think that Heaven is coming down? "Come on, Heaven! Hallelujah! God take me into Heaven." Listen, do you know how easy it is to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven? The Bible says that the Kingdom of God is at hand; that you are not far from the Kingdom; and that the Kingdom is within you. Heavenly places are right here! I am the temple of the Holy Spirit. It's like our heart is the door to being in the spirit. Some of you are waiting for the healing anointing to fall on you, you are waiting for the man of God to lay hands on you, but the Bible says that your miracle comes from within.

A Kingdom Mindset Makes You Dangerous!

Ministering in healing is something that I thank God for and I value. You know when my life changed? When I started taking the time to meditate on the truth of Roman 8:11: "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." I would just close my eyes and say this over and over, "The same Spirit...the same Spirit...the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. The same Spirit--creation...the same Spirit that anointed Jesus of Nazareth. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me."

The truth of God's Word became a part of me. I began to carry the Kingdom in my heart, having a Kingdom mindset. So right now, I am carrying the Kingdom. I'm dangerous, and if you are carrying the Kingdom, you are dangerous! The spirit within you will quicken and bring life to your mortal flesh. The healing anointing is in you just like it's in me!

The Holy Spirit wants us to receive a Kingdom mindset now; it's not just about a future Kingdom. That's part of it, yes, but the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and the Kingdom of God is within you now, here. The Kingdom of God is on earth as it is in Heaven. And when I received a revelation of what it's like in Heaven, right now, I had the faith to believe that it's God's will for me to have prophetic experiences everyday.

In fact, I have come to such a place of Kingdom consciousness, that I am living in my inheritance now. I'm not waiting for it in the future. How much of God can I receive and manifest in my flesh? What is keeping me from more? The natural mind. The carnal mind. The limitations of my flesh. The distractions. The world. Those are the things that try to keep me from manifesting the fullness of God.

Having a Kingdom mindset, has everything to do with God's love being revealed and His glory being released in the earth. "And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14.) So how will they hear unless we go, anointed and empowered, with a divinely inspired Kingdom mindset?

So press in to know the Lord! Friends, if you'll pursue Him with all your heart, you'll have a true Kingdom mindset. You'll be one of God's highest ranking spiritual representatives, anointed and empowered, to go and do the stuff in Jesus' name. Let's pray together.

Prayer:

So Father, today, I pray that You would release to us a greater reality and a greater understanding of the Kingdom that is within. Please help us to begin to see that every place that we go, we carry Heaven with us.

Father, we see examples in Scripture of the patriarchs walking with such a Kingdom mindset, that they even caused their oppressors to be blessed with prosperity. With a revelation of who we are, carriers of Heaven within us, we want to be a blessing everywhere You lead us. We want to see everything changed around us; people impacted by Your Spirit that they might be redeemed and saved.

As we comprehend Heaven and what it's like there--having no sickness or diseases--we want to take dominion--our governing authority, in the earth for your glory Lord.

Thank You that Your Kingdom has come! In Jesus' name. Amen.


Todd Bentley
Fresh Fire Ministries
www.freshfire.ca

05/16/2006

Todd Bentley: "A Kingdom Mindset--Synchronizing Heaven and Earth"

I want to challenge your mindset concerning the way you might be thinking about the Kingdom of God. Did you know that your mindset is strengthened and forged by thoughts and information which you believe to be true? So what is your Kingdom mindset?

Much of the time we think or talk about the Kingdom of God in terms like: "Well, I've got my name written in the Lamb's Book of Life. I'm born again!" Or, "I have a place in Heaven! There's a Heavenly residence in Heaven waiting for me after I die!" Yes, to be born again is of the utmost importance, and God wants you to understand your eternal security in Christ, but did you realize that there's more that He wants you to experience, see and perceive? Hey! The Lord wants our Kingdom mindset to expand!

Synchronizing Heaven and Earth

In fact, we really can't see anything about God's Kingdom until we're born again. Jesus told a Pharisee named Nicodemus: "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again, he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the Kingdom of God." (John 3:3) So being born again and seeing the Kingdom of God goes hand in hand.

Also, to see the Kingdom of God is to experience the Kingdom of God, and to enter it, in the here and now. Jesus went on to say to Nicodemus, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Believers sometimes tend to think that entering the Kingdom of God only centers on their future Heavenly residence. We've limited the born again experience to "one day I have an inheritance in Heaven." However, when we're born again, we enter the Kingdom of God now.

As well, Jesus prayed: "Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" (Matthew 6:10). The Kingdom of God is Heaven on earth. Think about that--in Heaven on earth. We have to learn how to synchronize Heaven and earth. And that is what the born again experience is--living in the reality of Heaven, now, on the earth and not just thinking ultimately, I will enter the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God Are One In the Same--They Are the Same Thing

The Kingdom of Heaven is a part of the Kingdom of God, transcending much more than a "celestial place" out there in the Heavens, and it encompasses much more than we usually realize. For instance, there actually are certain geographical places on earth where His Kingdom and His presence are manifested to a high degree. One example today is Moravian Falls, in North Carolina--a place where revelation just seems to flow.

Some say that when the Moravians came to the United States, they settled for a while at Moravian Falls after leaving Germany--where they had been part of a one hundred year prayer meeting! It is believed that they carried an open Heaven and saturated that area of America with prayer. Some Christians receive an amazing amount of revelation there! Rick Joyner experiences an on-going open Heaven when he's praying and writing in Moravian Falls.

Take for instance, that "certain place" where Jacob dreamed of a ladder set on the earth that reached to Heaven. Angels of God were ascending and descending on it. God stood above this ladder and declared to Jacob the same covenant promise that He had made to his father, Abraham. (Genesis 28:10–15)

When I studied those verses in Genesis, I noticed that three times in verse 11, the Word of God emphasized the place where Jacob had his encounter with God. I asked the Lord about this. I sensed that He revealed to me something about His Kingdom and that is, that His Kingdom often comes to certain places and these geographical locations are connected to revelation. After all, Jacob did receive clear revelation about God's great promises in a particular place. (Genesis 28:16–22)

The Ladder Was Set on the Earth

In Jacob's dream, the ladder was set on the earth, and it reached to Heaven, and there the angels of God were ascending and descending. The ladder went up from the earth to Heaven! That is a picture of our invitation: "Come up here" (Revelation 4:1). The ladder was set up on earth. It didn't come out of Heaven. And the angels of God were ascending. In order for the angels to be ascending on the ladder set up on earth means that the angels had to be already on the earth! They ascended and went into Heaven and descended out of Heaven with revelation. Then they went back up and received more revelation and came back down out of Heaven with ever increasing revelation.

Jesus told his disciple, Nathanael: "Most assuredly I say to you, hereafter you shall see Heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." (John 1:51) Listen! Jesus is Jacob's ladder; and He is the door through which angels are passing as they ascend and descend. And it's all connected to God's heart for the lost to be saved, born again--"Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep . . . I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture" (John 10:7, 9).

Remember, if Nicodemus wasn't born again, he could not see, or enter, the Kingdom of God. And as I said earlier, the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are one in the same. Furthermore, Heaven is our model for true ministry! Do you know how true ministry happens? Through the Spirit of counsel and the Spirit of might. (Isaiah 11:2) The might of God operates by the counsel of God. The Spirit of counsel brings the Spirit of might. As we receive the counsel of Heaven to synchronize Heaven and earth, we'll see a demonstration and manifestation of the might of Heaven. We're talking about taking cities, regions, and nations! Multitudes of people being born again!

Yet, in order to synchronize Heaven and earth, we need to have a revelation, and a clear Kingdom mindset, about the ever-increasing vastness of the Kingdom of God.

Kingdom Radius Is Unto Salvation

It's so true; our Kingdom mindset mustn't be puny! So let's enlarge our outlook by taking a look at a Scripture in the Book of Daniel. In Chapter 2, we read about a troubling dream that King Nebuchadnezzar had. As Daniel recounted the dream to the king, he finished his discourse by saying:

"You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." (Daniel 2:34, 35)

Now, what is the stone cut out of the rock without hands? It's Jesus. And it's the stone that becomes a great mountain, and then the great mountain fills the whole earth!

Isaiah the prophet says, "Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end" (Isaiah 9:7). There is a constant, never-ending increase of God's Kingdom. Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. It's the smallest of all seeds, but when it's sown and has grown "it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches." (Matthew 13:31, 32)

We see that the nature of the Kingdom of God is that it grows. The Kingdom of God is also like leaven; a little leaven will leaven the whole amount. (Matthew 13:33) We're talking about an ever-increasing Kingdom. It was a stone, then a mountain, and then it fills the whole earth. And in this never-ending increase, we can identify God in the center of it all, the center point, and from there His Kingdom expands. That's His radius!

Is it possible for us to have a Kingdom radius, too? I believe that it's entirely possible! A good example of someone who did is the apostle Peter. How big was his radius? Six feet? Seven feet? Scripture says that as Peter walked by, his shadow would fall on the sick and they were healed. (Acts 5:15, 16) Now think about that. The Kingdom of God is at hand, and wherever Peter went he brought Heaven on earth for about six or seven feet. But why not two miles? Why not twenty miles?

In the history of old revivals, as people would touch city limits they were struck down by the power of God. Men and women in the bars across town wouldn't be able to get the beers to their mouths. Talk about God's Kingdom coming! What a spiritual climate and atmosphere!

Remember, the stone became the mountain, and then the mountain filled the whole earth. Now, get this--the Bible declares that "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." (Habakkuk 2:14) Today, we are waiting for a sovereign day in which God will pour out His glory. However, the Bible also says, "Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you." (Isaiah 60:1)

We carry a treasure in these earthen vessels! It's a sovereign time to reveal this treasure and to share the gospel. We are responsible for filling the earth--cities, regions, and nations--with the Kingdom of God! Could it be that God is waiting for you and me to partner with Him in advancing the Kingdom so that His glory is made manifest? But here we are, most of the time, just waiting for the sovereign day in which the end will come. (Matthew 24:14) On the other hand, Jesus is waiting for us to co-labor with Him to fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of God!

Yah! "Arise and shine for your light has come!" Do you know what God told Abraham? "Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you." (Genesis 13:14–18) He showed Abraham the inheritance, and he saw it, and he received it into his spirit. God also said to look and see the stars--"Look now toward Heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them. So shall your descendants be" (Genesis 15:5). God was saying, "Get it in your spirit, Abraham! I want you to see your inheritance." There is something about taking dominion. God said to Joshua, "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses." (Joshua 1:3) There is something about taking the ground in the spirit. There is something about taking land.

Do you want to take the land for God and for His glory? Is your mindset expanding concerning the Kingdom of God? I'm talking about being like Peter (who had a Kingdom radius), and about the glory of the Lord being released through us! Why? Because there is a lost and dying humanity that needs the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. "And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14) So how will they hear unless we go--anointed and empowered--with a divinely inspired Kingdom mindset?

by Todd Bentley
Fresh Fire Ministries
www.freshfire.ca  

05/15/2006

James Goll: "Joni Ames Article On Divine Intervention Is Quite Good--You Should Read It"

Divine Intervention

I don't know about you, but for me, the few months that we are into this year have seemed extremely rough. Usually we can look to the new year, saying, "Whew! Glad last year is over, and I am glad a new year is beginning!" However, this year has been one of the hardest starts to a new year that I can recall in recent time. There have been times when I have just shouted, "Hey! What's the deal?"

At the same time, there have been some times of divine visitation and breakthrough as well. Truly it has seemed that there has been "Extreme Warfare." We need to continue to press on and cry out for "Divine Intervention" so that it will continue to lead to "Extreme Victory!"

During this time, I have had several "experiences" that have led me deeper into the Word and into my relationship with the Lord. Some of these have brought personal deliverance of sorts, or have given me specific directions on various levels, and all have come at very strategic times when I needed them the most.

Redeeming The Time

I was on a ministry trip, and staying overnight in a motel. When I woke up, I checked the time on each of my two cell phones (I had one for North Carolina and one for Florida because I was in the midst of moving from one state to the other). The time on each read 7:17 a.m. Now, why I checked them both, I don't know!

Anyhow, I went on about my business--got a cup of coffee, turned on Good Morning America, walked my two, sat back down, and again checked the time. Each of the cell phones read 5:56 a.m. I said out loud, "That's impossible," and looked again. It remained the same. So I asked the Lord, "What's happening, Lord?"

"I'm redeeming the time, as I told you I would," He said. He then reminded me that, at the end of last year, one second was added to the atomic clocks around the world. (Those are the clocks that are synchronized to keep us all on time.) I felt it was prophetic, and asked the Lord about it. He said, "I'm giving my people a second chance and restoring lost time."

I told Him, "One second isn't very long, Lord." To which He replied, "Don't tell that to an Olympian! One tenth of a second can mean the difference between getting or not getting a gold medal! Besides that, I'm the one that, with Me, a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years, as a day. In one second, I can restore an entire lifetime of lost years--and I plan to restore many in this year to come!"

Dispossessing The Enemy

The Lord then used the [original cell phone time on the clocks of] 7:17 to direct me to Deuteronomy 7:17. It says, "If you should say in your heart, 'These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?'"

He said, "When you hear of things like the Bird Flu, nations becoming a threat, destructive storms, etc., do not say that they are too strong! If you do that, how can I dispossess them?!" In the same way, if you say that your stray child is 'too far gone,' how can I reach them? If you say that your finances are 'impossible,' how can I take care of them? If you say that any situation is too strong, how can I help you? Life and death are in the power of your tongue! Be cautious of how you speak, for My Word says, 'As your faith is, so be it unto you!'"

He then led me to Psalms 106:29-31: (29) ".....A plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, And the plague was stopped. And that was accounted to him for righteousness To all generations forevermore."

He said, "It is time to stand up and intervene! Pray on behalf of My People that these plagues [will] be stopped! Do not stand in agreement with the newscasters that they will wipe out 1/3 of the people! Do not say they are too hard for Me! Intervene, and speak death to the plagues, instead of [to] the people!"

What is plaguing you and yours? "The Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force!" (Matthew 11:12) Wage war with the prophecies made concerning you and yours! (I Timothy 1:18 & 19) Stand up and intervene on behalf of yourselves and your families, so that [all of] the things that have been "plaguing" you may be halted!

Faith

Mustard seeds have always meant a lot to me because of the story in the Bible about them, but also because whenever someone gave me a mustard seed necklace when I was a child, the seed would actually grow and form a little branch and leaf inside that little ball on the necklace! Also, my given middle name on my birth certificate is Faith.

One day when I was going through a lot of "stuff," I said to the Lord, "It is a good thing Faith is my middle name, because I wouldn't have any Faith if not for that!" He then reminded me that He has given to each of us a MEASURE of faith: "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)

Then He led me into the "Weights and Measures" chart that was inside my Bible to find out just how much "A MEASURE" is. My chart said "six gallons." Then the Lord spoke to me and said, "Remember what one tiny mustard seed can do?":

Matthew 17:20 says, "So Jesus said to them, '....Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.'"

Then He said: "Now remember I gave you A MEASURE--SIX GALLONS of faith--so think of it as SIX One Gallon Milk Jugs Full Of Mustard Seeds! How many mountains can you move with that?! Do you see how much faith I gave you?! PLUS, if you use it all up, I'm the 'Author And Finisher Of Your Faith', so I can Make and Give To You Some MORE!"

Remember: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)  It is what God uses of OURS to create HIS MIRACLES--Us believing in Him enough to pray, or TALK TO HIM! Then He reminded me....Faith and Works go hand in hand... (James 2:17-26)

And so it is, if we truly have faith--if we truly believe in Him--we will believe Him--and our actions will show it. We will move towards what we are supposedly believing Him for, and speak in faith instead of doubt! In fact, we will actually "prepare for our miracle," and act like we DO actually BELIEVE Him! All it takes is a "little" faith--the size of a mustard seed--and He's already given to EACH of us, SIX Whole Gallons of that!

So, let's put feet on our faith and RUN THE RACE set before us, moving MANY mountains!

1 Corinthians 9:24: "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may OBTAIN it."

Hebrews 12:1: "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight (worry, fear, distraction), and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Matthew 14:31: And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Matthew 9:22: Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.

Matthew 9:29: Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you!"

PRAYER

Dear Lord,

We ask You for Your intervention. We repent from our sins, including repenting from acquiescing the authority You have given to us to have faith and be overcomers. Forgive us for saying that anything is stronger than You, for nothing is! Help us to keep our conversations pure and wise. We ask that You lead us in the paths of righteousness for Your name's sake, and help us to remember that winter has passed, spring is here, and it is time to blossom and bloom where You have planted us! May we become YOUR beautiful garden!

In Jesus' name, Amen!

Joni Ames
A.C.T.S. Ministries
www.joniames.org
JoniAmes@aol.com 

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