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For the next several days, you are going to hear some favorite posts, hand-picked by Dutch. They are about this wonderful Christmas season, and we think you will enjoy them. There will be no Give Him 15 posts on Dec 26-31. Thank you for your understanding as our staff takes a break. We will see you again January 1st! Merry Christmas! Today I am sharing a special Christmas post written by our good friend, Cheryl Sacks. The title is: A Christmas to Remember  It was just before Christmas, and we were two months behind in our mortgage payments. On January 1, our home would go into foreclosure. Hal and I had no money to buy Christmas gifts for each other or for our five-year-old daughter, Nicole.   When Nicole gave us her Christmas list, it contained only one item…a pair of blue jeans with pink flowers on the pocket. I was praying fervently that we’d have money for Christmas and that we would not lose our home. Yet, I was starting to feel discouraged.   The next day, Nicole came home from school and handed me the school newsletter. The school was asking us to participate in the Christmas tradition of giving to those in need. I had a clear sense that we should try to do something for one of the three families the school wanted to help…even though we ourselves were in desperate need.   The newsletter listed specific needs for each family, simply labeled as families A, B, and C. I noted that Family B needed clothing for a five-year-old girl. Since I wanted to include Nicole in the shopping process, I decided we would adopt Family B, so that she could relate to giving to someone her own age.    The next afternoon, Nicole and I went shopping at K-Mart. As we pushed the basket along together, we looked for some item of clothing that would be right for a little girl her age. Soon, we came to a rack of girls’ jeans, and Nicole spotted a pair with little pink flowers on the back pocket.    “Oh!” she said excitedly, “I just know the little girl will want these!” Into the cart went the jeans with pink flowers. My mind was already racing ahead. If the parents didn’t have money for jeans, then they wouldn’t have money to purchase a shirt to complete the outfit.    “Now, let’s find a blouse or something to go with these jeans,” I told Nicole. Soon we found just the right thing – a pink sweater with a black and white panda bear on the front and a matching pink shirt.   I was rejoicing at the blessing of giving this special gift. Yet a few minutes later as we stood in line, my excitement waned. There in the basket was the exact item my daughter wanted for Christmas...jeans with pink flowers on the pocket...in just her size. Now with my last $25, I was going to buy them for someone else’s little girl.   I thought of how I’d always believed in giving sacrificially. Years before, I had learned about “seedtime and harvest,” sowing and reaping, from Oral Roberts. Whether you have little or much, just like a farmer, it’s not wise to eat your seed, but to plant it and watch it multiply. I’d seen this truth work in our lives over and over again. Yet, right then, I was wavering.   “Lord,” I prayed. “If what I’ve believed about “sowing and reaping” is really true, then I need You to prove it to me now.”   We checked out at the cash register and went home. But all throughout the day I was still vacillating. I began contemplating wrapping up the gift and giving it to Nicole rather than to the little girl in Family B.    That night as I pulled out the wrapping paper, I still did not know what to do. Finally, I walked into Hal’s office where he was studying and told him what a struggle I was having. I reiterated what he already knew. Our own daughter had asked for jeans for Christmas just like the ones I had purchased to give away. How much sense did it make to give them to someone else’s little girl?   “I believe I know what we’re supposed to do,” Hal said. “But take some time to pray and hear from the Lord what He wants you to do.”   I opened my Bible and the pages fell open to Ecclesiastes 11:1-6:    “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days…He who observes the wind (and waits for all conditions to be favorable) will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap…In the morning sow your seed and in the evening withhold not your hand…”   It was evening, and I was considering withholding my gift. It was clear the Lord was telling me not to wait for conditions to be favorable…to cast my bread upon the waters.   I wrapped the jeans, pink blouse, and panda bear sweater in white tissue paper as the school had requested and wrote “Family B” on the outside of the package.    Later, as I was wrapping some small items for the woman in Family B, Hal walked in. “What size is the man in that family we’re giving to?” Hal asked. I looked at the sheet and replied, “Medium.”     A few moments later, Hal entered carrying his new gray sweater vest. “I want you to wrap this up and give it to the man on the list,” he said.    “Oh, that is your favorite piece of clothing!” I said.   “We should always give God our best,” he said. And with that I wrapped the gray sweater vest.    The next day, Nicole took her gifts to school. As was the tradition, the children brought their gifts forward during a school assembly and placed them at the foot of a manger cradling “baby Jesus.” These presents were first and foremost a gift of love to the Savior.    As Nicole shared with me about presenting our family’s gifts to the Lord, I was reminded of how God demonstrated the principle of sowing and reaping through the life of His Son Jesus Christ.    “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will never die but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God gave His only Son, His most precious possession, first ― then received many sons and daughters in return. Through the principle of sowing, God reaped the greatest harvest in the history of the world.   The next Sunday afternoon I was getting ready to go to the evening service at our church. I heard the doorbell ring and looked outside the window to see a white station wagon which I recognized as that of our friends Mario and Cathy Rossetti. They lived just around the corner and our kids attended the same school.    As I opened the front door, Mario began unloading boxes filled with gifts. The boxes kept coming and coming. There must have been fifteen boxes or more. I noticed they were all wrapped in white tissue paper.    “What is this?” I asked. But before Mario could answer, my eyes scanned several packages. Each one was marked “Family B”!    “Oh,” I grabbed my heart! “The jeans with the pink flowers and the panda bear sweater. They’re in one of these boxes! The gray sweater vest. It’s in there too!”   Then I remembered Hal saying, “We must always give God our best.”     I breathed an awe-filled prayer. “Lord, You knew this all along! When I was standing in line at K-Mart complaining, You knew. When You led me to read the verse in Ecclesiastes, ‘Cast your bread upon the waters and you will find it after many days,’  You knew!”     How had I ever doubted God’s Word?   A half-hour later, Hal pulled into the driveway after running errands. “Hurry, we’re late for church!”   “Hal,” I said. “Could you come to the bedroom for just a moment? I have something to show you!”   “I’ll look at it later,” he said. “We’re going to be late.”   “You have to come now,” I said, and I took his arm and directed him into our bedroom.   There, on the floor, were the furniture, and everywhere in between were boxes and boxes of gifts.   “What is all this?” he exclaimed.    “Do you know who Family B is?” I asked.    “No, who?” he said.   “ WE  are Family B! WE  are Family B…you, Nicole, and me!”   On Christmas Day we opened our presents. Among the gifts were a man’s gray sweater vest size medium, and size five girl’s jeans with pink flowers on the pocket, and a matching panda bear sweater and pink shirt.   “But what about the poor little girl?” Nicole asked as she opened her gift. It would be years before she would learn the significance of that Christmas gift.   It had been only a few years before this that the Lord had called us to leave our secular jobs and start the Christian ministry which is now BridgeBuilders. We didn’t yet have many supporters, and we often went without a salary. We were completely dependent on the Lord to provide for our needs.   During the week between Christmas and New Year’s, we received a call from a pastor in another town. He and his wife were coming to Phoenix and wanted to stop by and drop off a gift.   We were excited to see our friends and receive what I thought was to be the gift of a turkey. “We can definitely use it!” I said out loud.   We opened the door wide and greeted the couple. As they entered, the pastor pulled a check out of his pocket and handed it to Hal.   We learned that the pastor had challenged his congregation to give to the Christmas missions fund the same amount of money they were giving in gifts to their friends and family. The collection had been split between our family and an overseas missionary.   Hal and I looked at the check…it was made out for $1500! Fifteen hundred dollars! Exactly enough money to catch up on our home mortgage payments. Pray with me:   Father, through the years, when money is tight and pressures grow great, You often remind me of this story. I know You never want us to forget that we are in a covenant relationship with You, and that if we will act in obedience to plant seeds of kindness, love, and resources, You will be faithful to multiply them.   You said, “Give and gifts will be given you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will they pour into your bosom. For with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others—it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38). Help us to become even more like You, Father, and Your giving heart. You gave first, and You gave the greatest gift. Amen.   Today’s post was contributed by Cheryl Sacks. You can learn more about Cheryl and Hal’s work at bridgebuilders.net and prayersaturated.life . Click on the link below to watch the full video.

The Unintended Christmas Carol  As we wind down our work schedules leading up to Christmas and the holidays, and perhaps wind up our last-minute shopping, I thought a change of pace might be good for our daily posts. Today, I’ll be sharing interesting facts about three of the most popular Christmas hymns of all time, along with the complete lyrics of each. We’ll end with a short prayer and a link to one of these beautiful songs. You’ll enjoy this. Tomorrow, I’ll do the same, sharing some information I’m quite certain most of you won’t know, and ending with my all-time favorite Christmas song. The video link I’ll send will move you to tears. You’ll thank me. Joy to the World “Joy to the World,” written in 1719 by Isaac Watts, has been the most-published Christmas hymn in North America. It was not written as a Christmas carol but as a poem about the reigning King, based on Psalm 98. “Stanza three…alludes to Genesis 3:17-19…speaks of Christ's blessings extending victoriously over the realm of sin…Stanza four celebrates Christ's rule over the nations…called to celebrate because God's faithfulness to the house of Israel has brought salvation to the world.” (1) Here are the words to this famous hymn: Joy to the World “Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let Earth receive her King;
 Let every heart prepare him room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

 Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
 While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains; Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
 No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
 He comes to make His blessings flow, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as the curse is found.

 He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
 The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love, 
 And wonders, wonders, of His love.” (2) O Little Town of Bethlehem “Phillip Brooks was a distinguished man of faith and intellect. A Boston-born Episcopalian preacher, he'd earned a Doctorate of Divinity from the University of Oxford, taught at Yale University, and publicly advocated against slavery during the Civil War. But he's best known for penning "O Little Town of Bethlehem" after a life-changing journey. In 1865, Brooks rode on horseback from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where he participated in the Church of the Nativity's five-hour-long Christmas Eve celebration, complete with hymns. Returning home, this experience proved so profound that he channeled it into the song sung in churches to this day. Its first public performance was held three years later, performed by the children's choir of his church [The Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia] on December 27.” (3) Until then, this musical, “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” was still only a poem. Brooks asked his organist, Lewis Redner, to write the music. Here is Redner’s interesting explanation of how the music came to him: “As Christmas of 1868 approached, Mr. Brooks told me that he had written a simple little carol for the Christmas Sunday School service, and he asked me to write the tune to it. The simple music was written in great haste and under great pressure. We were to practice it on the following Sunday. Mr. Brooks came to me on Friday, and said, ‘Redner, have you ground out that music yet to “O Little Town of Bethlehem”?’ I replied, ‘No,’ but that he should have it by Sunday. On the Saturday night previous, my brain was all confused about the tune. I thought more about my Sunday school lesson than I did about the music. But I was roused from sleep late in the night hearing an angel-strain whispering in my ear, and seizing a piece of music paper, I jotted down the treble of the tune as we now have it, and on Sunday morning before going to church, I filled in the harmony. Neither Mr. Brooks nor I ever thought the carol or the music to it would live beyond that Christmas of 1868.” (4) How wrong they were! O Little Town of Bethlehem “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. For Christ is born of Mary; and, gathered all above, while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wond'ring love. O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth. How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv'n! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heav'n. No ear may hear His coming but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in. O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!” (5) Silent Night “Silent Night” is the world’s most-recorded Christmas song, with more than 137,000 known recordings. (6) In 1818, “Father Joseph Mohr, in Austria, is preparing the music for [Christmas Eve] midnight mass and asks his friend Franz Gruber, a schoolteacher, to write a guitar accompaniment for a poem that he had written two years earlier. That night, the two men sang their brand new song at St. Nicholas church, and one of our best-loved Christmas carols was born. “A commonly held myth is that this was because the church organ was broken – possibly because of flooding from a nearby river. However, nobody knows the true reason why it came to be composed on guitar – perhaps it was because Joseph Mohr also played the guitar. A version of “Silent Night” recorded by Bing Crosby in 1935 sold a whopping 30 million copies.” (7) "Silent Night" is about a calm and bright silent night, and the wonder of a tender and mild newborn child, words written in 1816…not long after the Napoleonic wars had taken their toll. The priest went for a walk before he wrote it, and he looked out over a very quiet, winter-laden town. He was inspired...the town was at peace.” (8) And this provoked the classic, “Silent Night.” Silent Night “Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child, Holy Infant, so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight Glories stream from heaven afar Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born. Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace Jesus Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.” (9) Pray with me: Thank You, Lord, for coming to earth and making Your blessings flow, far as the curse is found. Your right hand has gained the victory for You (Psalm 98:1), and You have made known Your salvation and revealed Your righteousness to the nations (verse 2). You tell us to “shout joyfully,” breaking forth with praise (verse 4); that the seas roar, the rivers clap, and the mountains sing for joy (verses 7-8) because Christ is coming to judge the earth with righteousness and equity (verse 9). As we ponder the wonder of Your great gift to us, Father, we thank You, along with Phillip Brooks, for the everlasting light that shone in the dark streets of Bethlehem. In that quiet town, on that night so long ago, the hopes and fears of all the years met in the birth of our Savior. Thank You for this great gift. Link to: Silent Night, sung by Chris Tomlin Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_to_the_World https://hymnary.org/text/joy_to_the_world_the_lord_is_come https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/60596/origins-10-popular-christmas-carols https://www.hymnologyarchive.com/o-little-town-of-bethlehem https://hymnary.org/text/o_little_town_of_bethlehem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Night https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1xW4JCVM4y33tbZBycYmYqG/5-facts-about-silent-night#:~:text=A%20commonly%20held%20myth%20is,Mohr%20also%20played%20the%20guitar https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/lists/7-beloved-christmas-carols-their-origins https://hymnary.org/text/silent_night_holy_night_all_is_calm_all

David’s Elite Fighting Force “So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam, and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented and bitter gathered to him, and he became captain over them. Now, there were about four hundred men with him.” (1 Samuel 22:1-2) The above verses speak of the beginning of David’s preparation to be king over Israel and of the beginning of his elite fighting force, referred to in Scripture as David’s “mighty men” (2 Samuel 23:8; 1 Chronicles 11:10-11; 12:1; 28:1). Some historians consider this the most skilled group of fighting men in history. This is obviously subjective and in no way intended to be a slight to the great warriors who have existed throughout history. It is simply to point out what an incredible fighting force they were in their time. It is important to know the context of these verses. David had recently been anointed as the next king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:12-13). At the time, He had no idea of the process that would occur to prepare him, a process that would take twenty years! This is true with most of us when we hear prophetic words about God’s future plans for us. We assume they will happen relatively quickly and indeed, some do. At times, however, God is announcing His plans for down the road…sometimes many roads. The current king, Saul, had no intention of allowing David to take his position. To stop David, he turned against him, no doubt motivated by demonic spirits that controlled him. Saul was insanely jealous and eventually even became a murderer, killing priests of God (1 Samuel 22:16-19) and attempting to murder David. Due to these attacks, David had to flee. He landed in a cave named Adullam (18:11; 19:10; 22:1). God used these years of David’s life as part of his preparation. In no way am I suggesting God was behind these attacks on David or the evil that overtook Saul. I’m merely pointing out that He used them as part of David’s preparation. David wrote several of the Psalms from this cave, learned to persevere and forgive, developed character and a high level of trust in God, grew in his ability to receive revelation, and matured in his wisdom. David also became a leader. It is not enough to be a slayer of bears, lions, and giants. Wielding a weapon is not as powerful as wielding wisdom. Fighting skills, though important for David, did not equate to wisdom, hearing from God, and leadership skills. The same is true for us. The ability to war spiritually against satan’s forces, though very important, does not qualify us for other responsibilities in God’s Kingdom. These will require different aspects of maturity. David’s Mighty Men Back to the context of these verses. Other outcasts joined themselves with David at the cave of Adullam. They were described as those: In distress - the word also means “anguish, stress, disability, even confinement.” (1) Their difficulties were so severe as to be disabling; they were completely trapped and confined by their circumstances. In debt - they were poverty-ridden. Bitter - this is actually two words in Hebrew, meaning literally, “bitter of soul.” (2) Life had been cruel to them; they were down and out, in great anguish, trapped in poverty, and bitter at their plight. The passage says David became the “captain” of these 400 “losers,” or so they seemed. Here is what I believe satan was likely saying to David: You think you are the new king over God’s people? Okay, here is your army. Let’s see how you enjoy leading these hopeless, helpless, decimated misfits. Satan excels in his mocking attempts to discourage us and defer our hope, until the discouragement becomes debilitating and robs us of faith. God, however, was saying something else to David: Look through My eyes, David - this IS your army. Do with them what I had to do with you. You were the youngest, the smallest, and the least respected in your family, but I saw what no one else could see and chose you to be king over Israel. You cannot see it with your natural eyes, but I have sent you world-class warriors. Love and lead them, and I will help you train them into one of the greatest fighting forces the earth will ever see. And, by the way, you are not worthy of leading thousands in My Kingdom until you are willing to love and lead the 400 down-and-outers. David passed the test. And so did the 400! Some of these warriors killed hundreds of enemy soldiers in single battles (2 Samuel 23:8; 1 Chronicles 11:11); one fought until he could no longer control his fingers, so he held on to his sword with his heart and kept fighting (2 Samuel 23:10). When the battle was over, they had to pry his fingers loose from the sword. Another warrior jumped into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion (1 Chronicles 11:22). “They were equipped with bows, using both the right hand and the left to sling stones and to shoot arrows from the bow…mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains” (1 Chronicles 12:2, 8). Over time, and as their numbers grew, the mighty men also developed spiritual gifts and anointings. It was said of the soldiers from the tribe of Issachar that they had understanding and discernment of the times to know what Israel should do (v. 32). This was not stated in the context of the priesthood or government, but of David’s army! Talk about “intel”! Holy Spirit has been speaking to me, through David’s “mighty men,” about the prayer army He has created today. Honestly, we were far from impressive thirty years ago when He began. Go back twenty more years, and this army didn’t even exist! Intercessors were VERY “few and far between.” The church looked more like David’s cave-dwellers: poor, distressed, and holding on ‘til the rapture. But God saw something else - warriors at heart! And Jesus, the “Son of David,” went to work by His Spirit. He trained, restored gifts, equipped, seasoned, poured out revelation, and increased wisdom. Many in His body have become a true Ekklesia - authorized representatives of His Kingdom authority on earth. No longer cave-dwelling outcasts, they are mighty men and women of faith, equipped for the spiritual battle of our times. These warriors have matured in His Word and ways, been filled with Holy Spirit, honed their gifts and discernment, learned to use their spiritual swords, and are ready to win the spiritual war now being waged. I say to this remnant of warriors: “Be strong in this hour! Our King is the true King over all the earth. He is Owner and Ruler of all, presiding over a Kingdom that will never cease, not only in its existence but also in its expansion (see Isaiah 9:6-7). And He is coming to reap the harvest of the ages, pouring out the former and latter rains for harvest (see Joel 2:23). You are ready for this! You have been trained and equipped! Now, be bold, strong, and fearless. Announce Christ’s victory and declare His harvest over the earth DAILY - over your families, cities, nations, and the earth! YOU ARE HIS VOICE!” Pray with me: Father, we ask for an infusion of new strength and determination for those praying to see America revived and transformed May we be found faithful as we serve Your purpose in our generation. We thank You for the incredible calling You have on our nation. Cause the fires of revival to burn in our nation as never before. Again today, we pray for our government; it is out of control. Lies abound, injustice is rampant, unrighteous laws are enacted, and our government is now weaponized against its citizens. Bring down these evils. Expose them. Continue to awaken the American people to the corruption. We pray for those on the front lines of this battle against the giant of unrighteous government; give them great endurance and faith. Work miracle after miracle to turn the tables on the darkness ruling our land. We pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the army of God is ready and equipped for spiritual war, and will prevail in this hour. Click on the link below to watch the full video. “Strong ’ s Hebrew: 4689. מָצוֹק (matsoq) -- anguish, straits, stress, confinement.” Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4689.htm. Accessed 7 August 2024. “Strong ’ s Hebrew: 4751. מָר (mar or marah) -- bitter, weep bitterly, bitter of soul.” Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4751.htm. Accessed 7 August 2024.

Don’t Be Intimidated! Today, I want to challenge and encourage you. “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. . . I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:1-7) Paul had assigned his spiritual son, Timothy, to lead the Ekklesia (the church) in Ephesus. Timothy was a young man at the time, 30-ish. This assignment would have been difficult for anyone, but to a young 30-year-old, it was very challenging. Some background information on Ephesus will be helpful: Ephesus was the capital of a Roman province in Asia and the fourth greatest city in the world, after Rome, Alexandria in Egypt, and Antioch of Syria. Called “the mother city of Asia.” Major roads connected Ephesus to all the other significant cities in Asia Minor. Ephesus was known for its amphitheater, the largest in the world, designed to hold up to 50,000 spectators. It was also the location of the great temple of Artemis, or Diana, built in 550 BC. This temple [was] one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World….Much of the Ephesian industry was related to this temple. Craftsmen sold shrines and household images of the goddess that worshipers could take with them on long journeys. The Ephesians were very proud of their religious heritage (Acts 19:35). (1) Ephesus became Paul’s headquarters for two years after he planted the church there (Acts 19:10). A short time later, he assigned Timothy the responsibility of overseeing this church, which was not one building or congregation as we would picture it today, but the entire body of Christ in Ephesus. Scripture mentions several significant spiritual events that occurred at Ephesus over a 35-year time period. (2) Here are a few: God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, such that even handkerchiefs and aprons touched by him healed sickness and cast out demons (Acts 19:11-12). Paul wrote the epistle of 1 Corinthians. Many new believers “who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone” (Acts 19:19; BSB). The total value of the sorcery books destroyed was 50,000 silver pieces. Timothy was assigned his first pastorate (1 Timothy 1:3). It is thought that the apostle John and Jesus’ mother, Mary, lived in Ephesus after Jesus returned to heaven (see John 19:26–27). Jesus directed one of His seven letters in the book of Revelation to Ephesus (Revelation 2:1–7). It is easy to see how intimidating it could have been for a young man in his early thirties to be charged with overseeing this great work located in such an influential but very ungodly city. Timothy was no doubt mature for his age, having been raised by a godly mother and grandmother, and mentored by Paul while traveling with him on his journeys. Paul would not have placed him there had he not been confident Timothy could fulfill this assignment. Nevertheless, it was extremely difficult and had begun to take its toll on this young man. Persecution, false teachers, the city being an international hub of sorcery and witchcraft, great immorality, strife in the church - exacerbated by disrespect from older men because of his young age - these pressures and more were wearing Timothy down. He was discouraged and intimidated. Paul knew that before he left for heaven, Timothy would need further instruction and encouragement from him. Thus, a second letter was written to his spiritual son, Timothy - the last letter Paul would write before being martyred. He began with the important words shared in our opening. Paul begins by affirming his love for Timothy, releasing to him a blessing, then assures Timothy that he is praying diligently for him. He then states his confidence in Timothy: “I know the faith that is in you, imparted from your grandmother and mother, and also the gift I imported to you through the laying on of my hands” (v. 5-6). Paul was encouraging Timothy. His words were stating, “You can do this!” Then, this wise, apostolic spiritual father became stronger in his exhortation. Now, I’m instructing you, Timothy, to stir up (KJV), kindle afresh (NASB) the gift I put in you! (v. 6). Notice: God would not do this for Timothy, nor would Paul. Timothy himself would have to do it! The Greek word used for “stir up” is anazopureo . (3) It is only used this one time in the New Testament and is made of three different Greek words. Ana (4) means “again;” zoe (5) is “life,” and pureo (6) from pur , means “fire or lightning.” Life, fire, again. Paul was telling Timothy, I know what is in you, because I put it there by the power of Holy Spirit. Now I need for you to rise up and fan the flame, blow on the embers. Get the life flowing, the fire burning, again! This is a very strong exhortation. The verb tense of anazopureo indicates continuous or repeated action: You will need to do this repeatedly, continuously, Timothy. One time won’t be adequate. I need you to really press into this! With the faith in you, speak life and fire into your gifts. Make them come alive and burn with passion. YOU do this! God’s power (dunamis) , (7) His love (agape) , (8) discipline, self-control, and soundness of mind (sophronismos) (9) were also given to you. Get these forces working in you again (v.7). Then Paul adds one more thing, reminding Timothy of what he had NOT been given: “God has not given us a spirit of timidity” (v. 7). Though some translations say “fear” instead of “timidity,” the Greek word is deilia, (10) not phobos. (11) Phobos would mean a phobia or terror type of fear. Paul knew Timothy wasn’t dealing with a phobia, but with intimidation. The words timid, timidity, and intimidation are all related. Satan is intimidating you, son, Paul was stating, telling you you’re too young, you don’t have faith, your gifts aren’t adequate for this job, the warfare is too great…This has brought you intimidation and timidity, eroding your confidence and causing your fire and passion to wane. You’re not walking in the power of God’s life in you. But these are all lies. You are NOT weak, timid, or insecure. You’re strong! Gifted! Full of faith! And well able to do this. This Is a Word for Us As God’s remnant prayer army, His emerging Ekklesia, we too have been assigned a great challenge. Our nation is facing great evil, incompetent and lying leaders, abhorrent immorality, and much more. We could easily become discouraged and intimidated, just as Timothy did. But we ARE called, equipped, empowered, and anointed for such a time as this. Fan the flames of Holy Spirit fire in you! Command them to burn! Speak to the life of God in you and command it to rise up! Stir yourself up in your holy faith! Reject every demonic lie trying to convince you that the giants of the land are too big! We are well able to take the land! Pray with me: Father, as Your Ekklesia, the church, finds itself in one of the most critical seasons in America’s history, I pray for the refreshing wind of heaven to blow on us. Re-fill us with Holy Spirit. Give us tenacious hearts and minds in this season, enabling us to fan the flames of passion within. Remind us of who we are in Christ. Remind us that we are filled with Your glorious life. Remind us that we have been called for such a time as this. Remind us that we are more than conquerors through You and Your love. Remind us that Holy Spirit, the Greater One, lives within to help and lead. Remind us that we can do all things through the exalted Christ indwelling in us. Remind us of Your heart to redeem and restore. Remind us that satan was defeated, and redemption is finished. And now, as tens of thousands of us around the world agree in prayer, creating synergy and multiplication, we break off the church all fear, intimidation, lethargy, complacency, and lukewarmness. We fan the flames of passion and faith. And we declare together that we are well able to possess the land! The name of Jesus seals this! Amen. Our decree: We decree that all intimidation is broken off the Ekklesia and the spirit of faith is prevailing. Click on the link below to watch the full video. “What is the significance of Ephesus in the Bible?” Got Questions, 4 January 2022, https://www.gotquestions.org/Ephesus-in-the-Bible.html. Accessed 16 July 2024. Ibid James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. No. G329. Ibid. Ref. no. G303. Ibid. Ref. no. G2222. Ibid. Ref. no. G4442. Ibid. Ref. no. G1411. Ibid. Ref. no. G26. Ibid. Ref. no. G4995. Ibid. Ref. no. G1167. Ibid. Ref. no. G5401.

Keep Your Faith Anchored Today, I want to talk with you about your faith. We must continue to anchor ourselves to what God has said He is doing at this time. In my book, The Power of Hope, I state: Hope does in our hearts what seeds do in the earth. Without hope, life is sterile and unfruitful; dreams won’t be conceived, and destinies won’t be realized. Hope is essential because it is the seed, the starting line, the genesis, the launch pad. It is, in fact, the incubator where faith is birthed: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for,” God tells us (Hebrews 11:1 KJV). If there is no hope for the future, there will be no faith to face it - let alone build it. (1) Jeremiah 29:11 says: “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.” Strong’s concordance tells us the word ‘hope’ in this verse is the word tiqvah. It has two meanings: ‘an expectancy’ and ‘a cord, as an attachment.’ (2) The second definition is especially fascinating. Hope connects us to our future. In this same book, The Power of Hope , I share the following story of God encouraging my faith for America. As I write this, I’m sitting on my back porch [2014 in Dallas, TX], drawing inspiration from an amazing picture of hope. It’s a tree in my backyard that I named The Hope Tree. I gave it that name because it used to be dead - or so the previous homeowners thought. I remember talking with the former owner when we were considering purchasing the house. He told me that not only had the tree died, but he had cut it down. There was nothing left but a stump! It doesn’t get much deader than that! “Then I put in the sprinkler system,” he said. “I placed one of the sprinkler heads next to the stump, and the tree grew back.” I stood next to him, looking at the tree. This was not a wannabe tree consisting of two or three small sprigs, mind you, but a complete tree. Immediately, I thought about the Scripture where God talks about this never-say-die kind of tree: “For there is hope for a tree when it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and its shoots will not fail. Though its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the dry soil, at the scent of water, it will flourish and put forth sprigs like a plant” (Job 14:7-9). Why had this passage from Job come to mind so quickly? Amazingly, in that season, I had been encouraging myself with these exact verses as I prayed for America. “You can revive America’s destiny and cause us to be great again, Lord,” I prayed often. You can imagine my shock and amazement as I looked at the tree before me, a perfect picture of the Scriptures I had been standing on. “Sold!” I said. I hope Ceci likes the house because I’m buying it, I thought. That tree is now my daily reminder of the validity and power of audacious hope. Many people in this season are looking for hope. Life can be difficult and, at times, brutal. The struggling economy is stealing jobs and destroying the dreams of many; diseases have ravaged the health of some and taken the lives of others; our kids cut themselves and shoot their classmates; our government is broken and refused to reform; and the entire world, it seems, is filled with unrest and war. Stumps abound…. (3) God has been faithful in giving me anchor points like this tree over the years regarding His plans for America. And, of course, His plans for America are joined to His plans for the world. It is easy to lose sight of these plans if we focus on the circumstances around us, especially when we see evil at today’s level. The anchor for faith in these times is the Word of God, what He has promised. When I stake my faith in His words, faith displaces fear. God Wants to Save! Do not underestimate the power of God’s love. He loved the world SO MUCH that He gave His only Son to save us. God sees the fallen earth through this lens of compassion. His passion is to redeem, not destroy. Hear Him say to Abraham, Sure! I’ll spare the city for only ten! (Genesis 18:32; my paraphrase). Revival to America and the world is not being wrestled from the hand of a hesitant God, but offered from His merciful heart. Most definitely, we live in a time of great evil, and the wickedness of some is hard to fathom. But DO NOT ALLOW THIS TO BLUR GOD’S HEART. Yes, He will shake down the wickedness, but He will also release His abounding grace. Anchor to this! When a demonized, evil Herod killed the babies in Christ’s day, God did not abandon His plan and bring Jesus back to heaven. He stayed the course, and He will do so today. When His followers were murdered, burned at the stake, and fed to lions, God didn’t throw up His hands in frustration and destroy the planet. He stayed the course and allowed their blood to become seed He would use to turn the world upside down. It is appropriate to grieve in difficult times. It is reasonable to experience righteous anger. But it is not okay to give up. Our Redeemer is on a mission, and He needs us to stay focused on that mission. Speak His words. Remind yourself of His promises. Worship. And stand! Pray with me: Father, we know how the story ends: You conquer evil once and for all, banish the serpent, and restore the earth. And we know how the story of this season will end: You will shake down evil and bring the greatest revival planet Earth has ever seen. You will NOT be outsmarted, out-maneuvered, or overcome. The worthy Lamb is also the conquering Lion; the gentle Shepherd is also the white horse Rider. He holds the keys, and He is the Supreme Judge. We are following Jesus. We represent Him and His victory at Calvary. We are His reaping force, His liberators, and we move in His authority. We bind every strategy of hell to stop this great harvest, confuse the church, and steal our faith-filled hope. We are and will continue to release living water to the “stump” called America, and this stump will grow into a tree once again. Then, we will release this living water as a river to the nations of the Earth, and entire nations will be saved and transformed. Nothing can stop this - it has already been decided. We send these words into the airwaves, the atmosphere of the earth today, and declare that they will accomplish everything You intend. Not one word will return void, because we do so in the name of Jesus. We command a shaking into the strongholds of darkness in the Middle East and around the world. And we release the love and salvation of God to people there and elsewhere. We ask for all of this in Yeshua’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we, the Ekklesia, are steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; this will not change. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Sheets, Dutch. The Power of Hope: Let God Renew Your Mind, Heal Your Heart, and Restore Your Dreams. Charisma Media, 2014. p. 3. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 8616. Sheets, Dutch. The Power of Hope: Let God Renew Your Mind, Heal Your Heart, and Restore Your Dreams. Charisma Media, 2014. pp. xiii-xv.

Intimidation Is a Trap “Just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4) Proverbs 29:25 warns us regarding “the fear of man,” referring to it as a snare. The Passion Translation says, “Intimidation is a trap that holds you back” ; The Message Bible reads, “The fear of human opinion disables.” Indeed, the fear of human opinion leads to people-pleasing, compromised values, yielding to peer pressure, and bowing to political correctness, all of which “disables” the church. A desire in the church to be viewed by the world as progressive and tolerant is a snare satan has used to conform people to his way of thinking. The need to be liked and/or accepted outweighs the Word of God to many believers, causing compromise, lukewarmness, and a lack of fruit. The damage caused by the fear of man has been catastrophic to our nation, leading to the spiritual decay of three generations. Today, I’m going to share from three references that give us pictures and insights into this trap called “the fear of man.” Aaron The first is in Exodus 32. In Moses’s day, many of the Israelites had bought into polytheism. They believed in Yahweh but also in the existence of other gods. After their deliverance from Egypt, Moses had been on Mount Sinai for several weeks receiving God’s laws and ordinances for this new nation, Israel. He was gone longer than expected, and many of the people began to think he might never return (v. 1). Perhaps we need another god to help us since Moses, who represented Yahweh, is evidently not coming back , they reasoned. Pathetic! Aaron, whom Moses had left in charge, was then persuaded to fashion a golden calf for the people to worship (vv. 2-6). Pathetic times two! God was understandably angry and sent Moses back down the mountain to deal with this rebellion. Upon arrival, Moses’s choice of words to Aaron made it clear that God was holding Aaron partly responsible for this sin: “Moses said to Aaron, ‘What on Earth did these people ever do to you that you involved them in this huge sin?’ Aaron said, ‘Master, don’t be angry. You know this people and how set on evil they are. They said to me, “Make us gods who will lead us. This Moses, the man who brought us out of Egypt, we don’t know what’s happened to him.’” (vv. 21-23 MSG) God’s summary statement in verse 25 is VERY telling: “Aaron had let them run wild disgracing themselves before their enemies” (MSG). Another translation says, “Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies” (NASB). Aaron was intimidated by the uprising of the people, which caused him to compromise. The language of verse 25 - “Aaron had let them get out of control” - makes clear that had he stood his ground, God would’ve backed him. Leaders in the church must refuse to be intimidated by the whims or unbiblical desires of people; giving them what they want will never be an acceptable excuse to God. King Saul Another example of an Israelite leader yielding to the fear of man is in 1 Samuel 13. King Saul had been instructed to wait seven days for Samuel, a prophet and priest of Yahweh, to arrive and offer the necessary sacrifices for securing a military victory (1 Samuel 10:8). God permitted only priests to offer these sacrifices in Israel, not kings. But Israel’s enemies, the Philistines, had made their move, amassing a great army with which to attack them (1 Samuel 13:5). Without God’s help, things weren’t looking good, and without the sacrifices, they wouldn’t have this help. Saul waited almost the entire seven days for Samuel to arrive; but toward the end of the seventh day, with his army “scattering from him,” he disobeyed God and “offered the burnt offering” himself (vv. 8-9). Who showed up just as he was finishing the sacrifice? The prophet and priest, Samuel. The delay had been a test from God; and Saul, snared by fear of the Philistines and the scattering of his people, had failed it. God’s response to Saul through the prophet was essentially, I need someone to rule as king who will obey Me, regardless of what circumstances, enemies, and the people dictate. I need a man after My heart (vv. 13-14). “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23) How many leaders in the church have “rejected” God’s Word, compromising in attempts to prevent people from scattering? The Jewish Leaders There is one final passage that gives a dire warning regarding the fear of man. At the end of Christ’s ministry, He had been teaching and performing miracles; many people, including Jewish leaders, now believed He was the Messiah. Yet, because of their fear of man, they would not acknowledge their belief in Him: “Many, even of the rulers, believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing Him, so that they would not be excommunicated from the synagogue; for they loved the approval of people rather than the approval of God.” (John 12:41-43) What an indictment - loving the approval of men more than the approval of God! Interestingly, the Greek word translated “approval” ( doxa ) (1) is also the New Testament word for “glory.” Therefore, the indictment against these leaders should be translated as The Passion Translation words it: “For they loved the glory that men could give them rather than the glory that came from God!” (v.43). The glory they were receiving from man outweighed the glory of God. Sadly, this could be said of many leaders in the church today: popularity, approval from people, large crowds - these mean more to them than the glory of God. I believe God is changing this. Many leaders are discovering that the praise of men no longer satisfies. They’re also realizing that “powerless Christianity” is a contradiction of the Bible. They are awakening to the fact that we have lowered the standard and watered down the wine. We traded the glory of God for men’s applause, sound doctrine for storytelling, the power of Holy Spirit for personal comfort, and prayer for innovative ideas. Three lost generations and an apostate nation later, they have realized this isn’t working. And God is calling them back to the pattern found in the book of Acts. Our prayer comes from there today. Pray with me: “And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant it to Your bond-servants to speak Your Word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the Word of God with boldness. And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great [megas/mega](2) power, the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant [megas/mega](3) grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:29-33) Amen. Our decree: We decree that Jesus is building a bold church the gates of hell cannot overcome. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 1391. Ibid., ref no. 3173. Ibid.

Simplicity “But only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42) Ecclesiastes 7:29 says, “God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated” (GNT). I’ve always felt the latter part of the verse was true about women, and I’ve been told emphatically that the first half is true of men. But I now believe it is all true for all of us. I can complicate almost any problem, regardless of how simple it might be, making it huge and complex. And I don’t like it when someone else trivializes it or gives me some simple plan to fix it. Somehow, I just seem to feel more important when I have big problems with complicated solutions. No doubt about it, I’m an Ecclesiastes 7:29 kind of guy! We must learn to de-complicate life, but we must especially uncomplicate our relationship with Christ. Paul said to the church at Corinth: “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3; emphasis mine). Life can be very complicated; theology can as well. At times, if we’re not careful, both can get downright confusing. But the Lord impresses on my heart time and time again, “There is nothing complicated about a relationship with Me.” The great A. W. Tozer said: “Now, as always, God [discloses] Himself to ‘babes’ and hides Himself in thick darkness from the wise and the prudent. We must simplify our approach to Him. We must strip down to essentials (and they will be found to be blessedly few). We must put away all efforts to impress, and come with the guileless candor of childhood. If we do this, without doubt, God will quickly respond.” 1 Tozer also said, “There are occasions when for hours I lay prostrate before God without saying a word of prayer or a word of praise – I just gaze on Him and worship.” 2 Sometimes, no words are needed as we enjoy God’s company. In 2 Corinthians 11:3, “simplicity” is the Greek word haplotes. Its most literal meaning is “singleness, without dissimulation or duplicity;” 3 or “the opposite of duplicity.” 4 The verse is saying that in our devotion to Christ we must not be double-minded. We must guard against anything causing dissimulation, division, or a watering down. It is okay to be multifaceted in our gifts and activity, and it is wise to be broad-based in our understanding, but in our approach to relationship with Jesus, we must be very single-minded. Allow no other person or activity to crowd Him out. To take Him for granted or allow Him to simply be one of many priorities will weaken us spiritually. “One New Year’s Day in the Tournament of Roses parade, a beautiful float suddenly sputtered and quit. It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas. An amusing aspect of this was that the float represented the Standard Oil Company. With its vast oil resources, its truck was out of gas.” 5 Often, we who have within us the well of salvation fail to drink from it. And, like the Standard Oil float, we sometimes run out of gas. Drink from the well daily. Don’t allow Christ to lose His wonder for you. In Christianity Today , Philip Yancey wrote: “I remember my first visit to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. Rings of American, Japanese, and German tourists surrounded the geyser, their video cameras trained like weapons on the famous hole in the ground. (For those of you too young to remember carrying a large video camera around on vacations rather than a small phone, you don’t know how convenient life has become.) A large, digital clock stood beside the spot, predicting 24 minutes until the next eruption. “My wife and I passed the countdown in the dining room of Old Faithful Inn overlooking the geyser. When the digital clock reached one minute, we, along with every other diner, left our seats and rushed to the windows to see the big event. “I noticed that immediately, as if on signal, a crew of busboys and waiters descended on the tables to refill water glasses and clear away dirty dishes. When the geyser went off, we tourists oohed and aahed and clicked our cameras; a few spontaneously applauded. But, glancing back over my shoulder, I saw that not a single waiter or busboy – not even those who had finished their chores – looked out the huge windows. Old Faithful, grown entirely too familiar, had lost its power to impress them.” 6 I’m afraid this describes many Christians’ relationships with the One we call Faithful and True. We’ve known Him so long, become so accustomed to Him, well, you know.… Don’t ever stop being impressed with Jesus! Do you ever listen and not really hear ? The word “listening” in Greek is the word akouo , which means not only to hear, but to understand. 7 One definition said, “To understand, hear with the ear of the mind.” Jesus repeatedly said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8; 14:35 NKJV). This places the responsibility of hearing on us. We must choose to posture ourselves in a way that allows us to truly hear. In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus commended Mary for listening ( akouo ), 8 while Martha was busy in the kitchen. He said Mary had chosen the good thing, which would produce lasting fruit. Interestingly, the word for “obey” in Scripture ( hupakouo ) 9 comes from the same word. The prefix hupo means “under,” making the literal meaning of this word, “hear under.” 10 The biblical concept of obedience is: (1) hearing and understanding someone, then (2) bringing your will under what they have said. Mary was truly hearing ( akouo ) Christ, which would allow her to obey ( hupakouo ). May we be more like Mary, having unencumbered ears and truly willing to listen, hear, and obey. Pray with me: Father, life gets complicated at times. Our plates get full and we sometimes say we “don’t have enough hours in a day.” But You told us in Ecclesiastes that we complicate life. You have challenged us that no matter how busy and hectic life gets, we must keep our relationship with You foremost and simple – uncomplicated. We know that if we truly listen, You will speak to us both in our hearts and through Your Word. We choose to listen. We choose to have listening and hearing ears. And we choose to bring ourselves under what we hear from You; we choose to obey. We draw near to You, confident that as we do, You will draw near to us. We pray now for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We pray for refreshing to those who are weary, peace to those who are anxious, and endurance to those who are tired. We ask You for the Spirit of revelation to intensify among Your people. Holy Spirit, would You lift the veil in order that those who have never known they could hear Your voice would now begin hearing and enjoying intimacy with You. We ask for these things in Christ’s name, Amen. Our decree: We decree that we have ears to hear what Holy Spirit is saying to the church and that we will obey. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Rowell, Edward K. Quotes and Idea Starters for Preaching and Teaching: From Leadership Journal. Edited by Edward K. Rowell, Baker Books, 1996, p.181. Ibid., p.181. Strong, James. New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2003, ref no. 572. Zodhiates, Spiros, editor. KJV Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible: Hardbound. AMG Publishers, 1991, p.1808. Larson, Craig Brian, editor. Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching: From Leadership Journal. Baker Books, 1993, p.181. Larson, Craig Brian, editor. Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching: From Leadership Journal. Baker Books, 1993, p. 68. Zodhiates, Spiros, editor. Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. AMG Publishers, 1998, p. 1802. “Strong's Greek: 191. ἀκούω (akouó) -- to hear, listen.” Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/greek/191.htm. Accessed 12 May 2023. “Strong's Greek: 5219. ὑπακούω (hupakouó) -- to listen, attend to, obey, answer.” Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/greek/5219.htm. Accessed 12 May 2023. “Strong's Greek: 5259. ὑπό (hupo) -- by, under, under authority” Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/greek/5259.htm. Accessed 12 May 2023.

Running with the King’s Heart Second Samuel 18 is a sad chapter. King David’s traitorous son, Absalom, is killed and his coup overthrown. A “runner,” as they called them back then, needs to run with the bitter-sweet news to David: “The rebellion is over, but your son is dead.” A fast, gifted runner named Ahimaaz wanted to carry the news, but David’s general chose an unnamed Cushite, and off he went. Ahimaaz, however, was not to be denied: “Please let me also run” (v. 22). The general finally said okay, and Ahimaaz took off. He was so fast that he eventually passed the Cushite and proudly delivered the message to David that the coup was over. “Speed” had won…or had it? When David then asked about Absalom, Ahimaaz answered with embarrassment that he didn’t know. He hadn’t cared enough to find out about David’s son! The Cushite then arrived and gave David the full message: “The coup is over, but your son is dead.” Ahimaaz was very fast. He started last but arrived first. This gifted man ran in vain, however: "You will have no reward for going," the general had said (v. 22). Ahimaaz didn’t have the complete message. And he didn’t have it because he was not aligned with the king's heart. David had not only defeated an enemy, he had also lost a son. Ahimaaz eventually stepped aside in ignorance, insignificance, and embarrassment as a nameless individual took center stage and delivered the complete message. Our message will always be deficient in some way if it isn't connected to the King's heart. I'm speaking, of course, of God our King. The pleasure of God is and must remain the ultimate goal of our running. The glory and exaltation of the Son must be our desire. His passion and priority of harvesting sons and daughters into the family must become ours. God is willing to share His heart for America and the worldwide harvest with those who desire it. But beware - His heart is broken. When God touched my heart with His on October 4, 2000, I wasn't ready for what I felt. I thought mine was going to break in two. When He was finished, I had become a man with a cause - and ruined for life. Yes, ask for an impartation of God’s heart, but know that when you receive it, it will cost you. Why Are We Running? Why are we “running,” laboring for spiritual causes? Is it for personal fulfillment, fame, glory, self-aggrandizement, to make a name for ourselves? Or are we, like the Cushite in this passage, content to remain nameless? Is our motive advancement, a position to display our gifts or our speed? Are we wanting to build something big? In Philippians 3:14, Paul said, "I press toward the mark" (KJV). His goal, or “mark,” as he called it, was clear. In verse 12 (NASB), he said, "I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus." The Gift Mentality Unfortunately, the charismatic movement, as wonderful as I know it was, gave many a gift mentality : We ran on the strength of our gifts. The very word "charismatic" means "grace gift." This often led to a performance mentality : running to set records, to be first, to be the best, to be the biggest. "Build 'em big and build 'em fast!" became the mindset of many in the church. Overnight sensations were, and in many ways still are, the order of the day. There is nothing biblical about this mindset! Persistent, progressive, hang-in-there, long-term building should receive more honor than something produced quickly. Sadly, it does not. But far more character is needed to build a work or ministry over a long period of time than to enjoy something that springs up quickly. One of the basic problems with this unbiblical philosophy of success, aside from its inherent pride and self-exaltation, is that if any part of our vision is born from ambition rather than God's heart , we are soon running for ourselves , not the King. Zeal that was originally intended to do something for God, often becomes a zeal to remain successful . This change can be so subtle it frequently happens without us even realizing it. The church in America is inundated with ambitious Ahimaazes - people running for their own fame and success rather than for God’s heart. Vision for the future must not be our starting place. Vision, born of God's heart , must be our starting place. The questions we must continually ask ourselves are: How well do I understand and relate to the King's heart in this matter? Is that, and that alone, my motive for running? Was His heart the birthplace of my vision? Our speed or giftedness NEVER validates our running. Holy Hubert Hubert Lindsay (“Holy Hubert”), a gentleman used greatly by God in the early days of the Jesus People/Charismatic Movement, exemplifies a life lived according to God's heart. “The Jesus People Movement” was used by God to bring thousands of drug-addicted, sexually active, disillusioned, and rebellious young people into the Kingdom of God. Like King David, who was not called by his father to join the “Potential King Pageant” (see 1 Samuel 16), nothing about Holy Hubert's appearance or personality caused him to stand apart. But like David, he possessed something more important: God’s heart for a generation. I once had the privilege of hearing Mr. Lindsay speak. He told of his calling to minister on the University of California at Berkeley campus, and spoke of the miracles and salvations. He mixed in some humor, and we all laughed, cheered, and applauded. What impacted me most, however, was a passing comment Holy Hubert made about how his ministry at Berkeley had been birthed. "I became so burdened for this generation," Mr. Lindsay said, "that I would walk the streets of the campus - sometimes all night long - weeping and interceding for those lost kids. I pled with God to save those young people." God had given this man His heart for a lost generation. The Lord answered Hubert’s cry - because it was His own - and gave him a revival. Church historians agree that the Jesus People movement was incredibly significant in the entire spiritual renewal of the '60s and '70s. And when tracing the roots of The Jesus People Movement, one invariably ends up at Berkeley with Holy Hubert Lindsay. Lindsay’s burden cost him dearly, however. His broken heart led to broken bones - not to a large salary or a huge congregation. Lindsay and his wife were beaten on numerous occasions, stabbed, mocked, and ridiculed as they preached the gospel on campus. His wife eventually suffered brain damage from this, and Holy Hubert lost his sight due to the beatings. Just as the apostle Paul, they bore on their bodies the marks of the Lord Jesus (see Galatians 6:17). The Lindsays picture for us the principle of running with the heart of God, allowing that to become the motivation for ministry. This releases pure revival, keeping it free from the debris of pride and selfish motivation. The Charismatic Movement’s overall weakness in this regard, however, resulted in a generation of Christians who believed giftedness qualified one for ministry. Character and God’s heart were replaced by other priorities and motivations, which inevitably led many to build personal kingdoms. A cooperative heart was superseded by a competitive heart. Travailing, agonizing prayer was replaced with innovation and the strength of our gifts. Last, and probably most tragically, success was measured not by how well we knew the Father but by how well-known we were. Speed, fueled by ignorance, raced forward out of control and with deficient messages. Ahimaaz passed the Cushite, and the King wept. Now, we are in desperate need of an alignment; our fast-moving, state-of-the-art churches are pulling hard to the right and left. A "presence" revival, built around intimacy with the King and His version of success, will be required to correct this. Pray with me: Father, like an automobile traveling down a well-worn road, the potholes of undealt-with ambition and desire for success knock us out of alignment. Before we know it, like Ahimaaz, we are running for our own fulfillment, not Yours, speeding down life’s highway in search of self-worth and success. Passion for You will correct this. We believe this has begun. As it continues, our hearts will burn for You, not for our own fulfillment and personal kingdoms. Religion will be replaced by relationship; intimacy with You will be our desire and the fuel for our activities. Give us Your heart for lost and hurting people. Give us Your heart for the broken, wounded, and confused. Give us Your heart, even for the rebel. Break our hearts for them - give us many who will walk the streets, weeping for those who are so lost. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the heart of God is being imparted to the church, making us nameless, faceless, and powerful. Portions of today’s devotional were taken from my book Praying for America , (1) which is no longer in print. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Sheets, Dutch. Praying for America. Regal Books, 2001.

The Dance of Passover As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15b) In 1 Kings 18, Elijah assembled the Israelites on Mount Carmel in what was to be an epic showdown between Yahweh and Baal; Israel was worshiping Baal in this season. Ahab and Jezebel had led Israel into deep idolatry - much like America’s ungodly, immoral leaders have done. The attendees of the Democratic Convention in 2012 literally booed God “off the stage” and out of their platform. Why not? America had already expelled Him from their schools. The homosexual movement in America has mocked God, using His symbol of covenant, the rainbow (Genesis 9:13-16), as their symbol. Obama followed suit, again mocking God’s covenant - marriage, this time - by lighting the White House in the colors of the rainbow when the Supreme Court made homosexual “marriage” the law of the land. Biden hung the rainbow flag front and center at the White House, pushing aside Old Glory to do so, as transvestites bared their “breasts” on the White House lawn. Ahab and Jezebel would have been proud. In Elijah’s day, Israel was experiencing judgment for this idolatry and its accompanying perversions, a three-year drought that was ravaging the land. America’s troubles, too, are from our rejection of God and His Word. Israel’s judgment was accomplishing its purpose, and repentance was now possible; thus, the showdown on Mount Carmel. I’m confident America’s shaking will awaken us, as well. Elijah prophesied that rain was coming and then called for the contest (I Kings 18:1-2, 19). As preparations were being made, he challenged Israel, “How long will you halt between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him” (18:21 KJV). There was as yet no answer. Israel still couldn’t decide between Yahweh and Baal. The word for “halt” ( pasach ) (1) is fascinating. The Hebrew language is pictorial. A word or number presents a picture that can represent several things; the meaning and/or application of the picture is determined by the context. Regarding this word, for example, picture the up-and-down movement of someone jumping or hopping; that is pasach . Therefore, it is the word used for “hop, skip, or dance.” At other times, the up-and-down movement represents pain, not celebration. Thus, it is also the word for “limping, lame, halt” (a synonym for limp). It is also used for “hesitate,” because to hesitate is to move backward and forward, mentally or physically, while trying to decide something. Pasach is also the word for “pass over” (Exodus 12:13, 23, 27): “When I see the blood I will pass over you” (v. 13). The spirit of death “leapt” or “passed over” the Israelite homes that had the blood of lambs on the lintels of the doors. And a derivative, pesach , (2) became the word for “Passover.” Putting this back into Elijah’s question to Israel, God was essentially asking them in 1 Kings 18:21, Why are you hesitating, halting about who you honor, serve, and trust? You could and should be dancing the dance of covenant with Me, the dance of Passover. Instead, you are limping the limp of Baal. The Complete Jewish Bible translates verse 21: “[Elijah] stepped forward before all the people and said, ‘How long are you going to jump back and forth between two positions? If Adonai is God, follow Him; but if it’s Baal, follow him!’ The people answered him not a word.” Then, the showdown began. Baal’s prophets went first, trying to get Baal to answer by fire. But God had paralyzed the demons behind Baal, and they couldn’t perform. His followers tried many things to get him to respond, including leaping and dancing ( pasach ). Don't miss the revealing irony that Holy Spirit is bringing by using the very same word for their dancing worship of Baal as He uses for Israel’s limp. Baal’s dance always becomes a limp. His worshipers then cut themselves, and blood “gushed” forth. Baal demands pain; he craves and demands bloodshed. Meet America. For many years, we in America danced the dance of Passover. As a result, we were protected, made prosperous, and became the envy of the world. Then, we traded partners. America has been dancing with Baal for decades now, mocking Adonai and His covenant, partying away. But like the Pied Piper, Baal’s “services” aren’t free. He required a price for the party, demanding the blood sacrifice of our children; now, he is demanding their mutilation. He has provoked our children to cut themselves, seeking peace they cannot find. And he has unleashed further violence and death in our land: murder, rape, riots, child abuse and more. We now stumble along with Baal’s painful limp, as he plays his flute and drinks the blood. God’s word to America, just as it was to Israel, is this: How long will you hesitate between opinions, limping Baal’s limp? Return to Me. We’ll celebrate the Passover Lamb again, dancing together in the joyous dance of freedom and victory. I’ll heal your wounds, restore your families, revive the land, and reinstate your destiny. We’ll run together, taking My salvation to the nations of the earth, healing the broken, and freeing the oppressed. May we accept His gracious offer! Join me, please, in asking. Pray with me: Father, we in America have sown to the wind and are now reaping the whirlwind. Like Israel, we traded the Passover dance for the limp of Baal. The death toll from this choice is in the tens of millions. Were it not for Your redemptive power and love, it would ultimately be America’s total annihilation. Mercy is being offered to us, however; not because we deserve it, but through the only appeal You accept, one offered through the blood of Your Son, Jesus. Forgive us for spurning You for demons. Forgive us for sacrificing our children and families on the altar of pleasure and depravity. Forgive us for mocking You and Your covenant of marriage. We ask for the salvation of all who have been deceived into turning away from You and rejecting Your ways. Lord, You broke the rule of Baal off Israel, and You can do so for America. We ask for a reviving of America’s heart and soul, a deliverance from evil, and a return to good. You told us to ask for spiritual rain when we discerned it was “time” (Zechariah 10:1). We are asking, and the rain is coming. We believe this is a season of breakthrough. We ask You for this, and all we have prayed for today, in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that America will choose the dance of Passover, and be healed of her Baal-worshiping limp. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 6452. Ibid., ref. no. 6453.

Epoch-Making Revival One of my favorite verses on revival is Acts 3:19: “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” As is often the case, our English translation doesn’t fully convey the Greek content. The phrase “times of refreshing” is loaded with meaning. “Times” is translated from the word kairos , which means “opportune time.” (1) Wuest, a very literal translator of the New Testament, uses the following phrases to translate kairos : “epoch-making periods” (see Acts 3:19); “strategic, significant period” (see Acts 12:1); “strategic, epochal time” (see Acts 19:23). Using his words, kairos times are strategic, significant, and potentially epoch-making. America must experience an “epoch-making” revival. (2) I looked up the hyphenated phrase “epoch-making” to gain full understanding. It means “significant by virtue of ensuing historical developments,” (3) “a period of time characterized by momentous events or changes,” (4) and “a fixed point of time from which succeeding years are numbered.” (5) That’s what we’re after - momentous events and changes. A revival so great it is historical, one from which succeeding years are numbered, like epoch-making and historical floods. The year is remembered, like the Johnstown Flood of 1889 or the Big Thompson Canyon (Colorado) Flood of 1976. The size of the flood is measured by how often one of that proportion comes: a 50-year flood or a 100-year flood. We want a flood of the river of God so great that people will speak of it the way they speak of physical floods: a revival of such monumental proportions that it is historical. Breathe On Us, Oh God! The word “refreshing” in Acts 3:19 is also important. Anapsuxis is compounded from two words, ana and psucho . Strong’s Concordance says ana means “repetition, intensity or reversal.” (6) Zodhiates agrees, and adds the word “increase.” (7) Psucho means “to breathe, blow or refresh with cool air.” (8) Here are five definitions of anapsucho or anapsuxis : “to draw breath again” “to revive by fresh air” (9) “to cool or refresh with a breath” “to regain strength” “Restoration” (10) In this verse, Peter is saying that if we respond properly to the Holy Spirit, it will create a kairos time for God to once again breathe on us; revive us with a fresh breath, restore us, and give us new strength. I also like the concept of intensity in ana . God wants to breathe on us again intensely. Peter was apparently thinking back a few days to Pentecost when the breath of God blew intensely, once more filling humans with the Spirit and life of God. In Ezekiel 37:1-14, dry bones are used to represent spiritual death. To reverse this, God first caused the bones to reconnect; then He put skin on them, “but there was no breath in them” (v. 8). The prophet was then told, “Prophesy to the breath…say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life”’” (v. 9). God’s breath bringing life is what occurred in Genesis 2:7. He breathed into Adam’s lifeless body, infusing it with His life. In Acts 3, Peter thought back through history - Genesis, Ezekiel, Pentecost - and prophesied that it could happen again if the people would obey the Holy Spirit. They did and God did; and it has happened since, on numerous occasions. God is ready to do it yet again! He wants to release His breath, another wind, to our generation, and He wants to do so with great intensity. Buy the Opportunity! We must seize the moment. Twice the New Testament tells us to “redeem the time” (see Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 4:5, KJV). "Redeem" is translated from exagorazo , meaning “buy or purchase,” and “time” is kairos . We are told to buy the opportune time. (11) Indeed, opportunities must be bought; they cost us - time, energy, abilities, money, even our very lives. If we don’t spend what is necessary and “buy” them, opportunities can be lost. When Apple Computer fell on difficult days, its young chairman, Steven Jobs, traveled from Silicon Valley to New York City. His purpose was to convince Pepsico’s John Sculley to move west and run his struggling company. As the two men overlooked the Manhattan skyline from Sculley’s penthouse office, the Pepsi executive started to decline Jobs’s offer. “Financially,” Sculley said, “you’d have to give me a million-dollar salary, a million-dollar bonus, and a million-dollar severance.” Flabbergasted, Jobs gulped and agreed - if Sculley would move to California. But Sculley would commit only to being a consultant from New York. At that, Jobs issued a challenge to Sculley: “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want to change the world?” In his autobiography Odyssey, Sculley admits Jobs’ challenge “knocked the wind out of me.” He said he’d become so caught up with his future at Pepsi, his pension, and whether his family could adapt to life in California, that an opportunity to “change the world” nearly passed him by. Instead, he put his life in perspective and went to Apple.(12) We must not miss our opportunity to change the world! Let’s buy the opportunity for an epoch-making revival. Seek Vision for the Harvest Allow God to birth vision in you, vision that will motivate you to faith and action. Vision is a life-changer, a rearranger, a cause producer. Its hunger can be insatiable, a motivating force creating energy and energizing creativity. Vision moves us from mere mental assent to physical exertion. It separates the hearer from the doer, a convert from a disciple, and mediocrity from excellence. Vision is also what separates a ripe harvest from a reaped harvest (see Matthew 9:37). Let’s ask God to increase vision and passion for a historical, epoch-making revival, and for hearts willing to buy the opportunity. Pray with me: Father, we ask You to increase our passion and vision for the epoch-making revival You have planned. Light the flames of passion in the church to such intensity that no price will be too great to pay. Awaken hearts to seize the moment, and buy the opportune time You have created. Bring vision to believers, motivating them to write history. Breathe on the dry bones of the earth and give them life. Save and deliver, redeem and transform. Make this an epochal, historic revival - unlike any other. We believe entire nations can and will be born-again in a day. Do it, we pray! Send the rushing, mighty wind of Acts 2. Give us miracles on the level of Acts 3 that cause thousands to be saved. Blow Your breath all over the world. We ask these things through Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the life-giving breath of God is bringing an epoch-making revival to earth again, and this cannot be stopped! I encourage you to visit YouTube, where you can listen to the song, Revive Us (Revival in Belfast) by Robin Mark. Click the link below to watch the full video: Today’s devotional was taken from my book Praying for America , (13) which is no longer in print. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible . Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 2540. Kenneth Wuest, The New Testament: An Expanded Translation . Eerdmans, 1961. New Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus of the English Language , s.v. “epoch-making.” Ibid. The Consolidated-Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary , s.v. “epoch.” James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible . Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 303. Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard , rev. ed. AMG Publishers, 1990. p. 1804. Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary . Word Bible Publishers, 1992. p. 1496. Ethelbert Bullinger, A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament . Zondervan Publishing House, 1975. p. 631. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament , abridged. Eerdmans, 1985. p. 1352. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible . Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. ref. no. 1805. Craig Brian Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching. Baker Books , 1993. p. 278. Sheets, Dutch. Praying for America . Regal Books, 2001.

Let's Finish This! As the book of Ezra opens, Cyrus, king of Persia, allows a remnant of Israelites to return to Jerusalem for the purpose of rebuilding their Temple. Seventy years prior, God had allowed Israel to be taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, because of their apostasy. Later, they came under the rule of Cyrus when he conquered Babylon. God then moved upon the heart of Cyrus, a pagan and idolatrous king, to permit this return. He even stirred Cyrus’ heart to help the remnant raise the needed funds for rebuilding (Ezra 1:1-4), and returned to them all the vessels and utensils Nebuchadnezzar had plundered from the Temple.  A remnant returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel’s leadership and began the work. Ezra tells us:   “When the workers laid the foundation of The Temple of God, the priests in their robes stood up with trumpets, and the Levites, sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise God in the tradition of David…All the people boomed out hurrahs, praising God as the foundation of The Temple of God was laid. As many were noisily shouting with joy, many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first Temple, when they saw the foundations of this Temple laid, wept loudly… People couldn’t distinguish the shouting from the weeping. The sound of their voices reverberated for miles around.” (Ezra 3:10-13 MSG) It has always intrigued me that many younger Israelites shouted for joy while some of the older ones wept. We are left to wonder why the older folks wept. Joy? Grieving lost years? Realizing just how far they had to go? One thing is certain: their perspective was different. There is one more certainty about the celebration which took place that day: it was a bit premature. Satan had plans for the project, also. Daniel 7:25 tells us he attempts to alter “times and laws.” The Hebrew word used for   “time” in this verse means an appointed time ; (1)  the word for   “laws”   means, among other things,  the decree of a king. (2)  God our King, appoints our times and seasons; He also decrees His good plans and purposes for us, both in His written Word and prophetically. However, this verse tells us satan tries to alter those times and decrees. We know he can’t do so by overpowering or outwitting God; he attempts to do so by attacking us. Daniel 7:25 also reveals one of the ways satan tries to do so: by “wearing down” the saints. The Hebrew word this is taken from is never used in Scripture to describe physical fatigue, only mental and emotional weariness. Satan attempts to wear us down in our souls, causing us to “grow weary” (literally: “lose heart”) in our efforts (Galatians 6:9). Fear, discouragement, lack of endurance, hope-deferred, and other emotional responses attack our faith and, if not guarded against, can cause us to lose heart. If this weariness occurs, it can alter our God-appointed times. This time-altering strategy worked against the remnant sent to rebuild the Temple of God. Satan’s method in that situation was to work through other people in the region:   “So these people started beating down the morale of the people of Judah, harassing them as they built. They even hired propagandists to sap their resolve. They kept this up for about fifteen years, throughout the lifetime of Cyrus king of Persia and on into the reign of Darius king of Persia.” (Ezra 4:4-5 MSG) These “propagandists,” or “counselors,” as other translations refer to them, were basically lobbyists, individuals hired and sent to the king with accusations and misinformation. They succeeded in planting concerns in him that, once the Israelites rebuilt their temple, they would rebel from his rule and cause great problems in his kingdom. The Israelites, rather than remaining strong and trusting God to help them overcome this, yielded to fear and discouragement. The result? The rebuilding of the temple stopped for 16 years! All they had produced was a foundation. During this time, though abandoning God’s house, the Israelites began building their own homes and businesses. They attempted to justify this by saying it must not yet be God’s appointed time for the Temple to be rebuilt. Opposition, however, should never be allowed to determine what we believe to be God’s will. Nor should this be something used to judge whether or not it is His appointed time for something. Eventually, God had enough of their complacency and raised up a prophet, Haggai, to deliver His message to them: “God-of-the-Angel-Armies says: ‘The people procrastinate. They say this isn't the right time to rebuild My Temple, the Temple of God.’ “Shortly after that, God said more and Haggai spoke it: ‘How is it that it's the "right time" for you to live in your fine new homes while Mine is in ruins?...’ “Then the governor, Zerubbabel, Joshua the high priest, and all the people with them listened, really listened, to the voice of their God. When God sent the prophet Haggai to them, they paid attention to him. In listening to Haggai, they honored God. Then Haggai, God’s messenger, preached God’s message to the people: 'I am with you!’” (Haggai 1:1-14 MSG) When the people responded appropriately to God’s words, He was quick to respond with grace and favor. Turns out it wasn’t those in opposition to God that were His problem; He was well able to deal with them. His people were the problem! What God needed was a people of faith who would not succumb to fear, discouragement, or self-centeredness. When they were able to shake off these things, God favored them once again and said, I am with you! Let’s go! A month later, Haggai encouraged them by prophesying again,  “Don’t be timid. Don’t hold back…Before you know it, I will shake up sky and earth, ocean and fields. And I’ll shake down all the godless nations. They’ll bring bushels of wealth and I will fill this Temple with splendor...I own the silver, I own the gold…This Temple is going to end up far better than it started out, a glorious beginning but an even more glorious finish: a place in which I will hand out wholeness and holiness.’” (Haggai 2:1-9 MSG) Like this remnant in Israel, many in the church of America have grown weary in their prayers for revival and the rebuilding of our nation. Lobbyists, media opposition, unrighteous laws, intimidating government agencies, elections that didn’t go our way, ungodly politicians - satan has used these and more, attempting to wear us down. Some responded just as these Israelites did, deciding it must not be time for America’s turnaround. Yet many did not! God now needs for us to persevere in our faith and prayers. We must not allow satan to alter our appointed times and God’s promised recovery by wearing us down. Don’t be intimidated. God can deal with His enemies, just as He did in Haggai’s day. Determine that nothing will stop us – wars, threats, fear, discouragement, setbacks, unbelief – nothing. Let’s finish this! Pray with me: Father, You have begun a good work in our nation. You’ve raised up a remnant of people determined to birth revival, and see America accomplish all You have destined for her. We are determined to see righteousness in our government once again, determined to see the young generation of Americans come to know You, and determined to see world-wide revival - at least a billion souls. We will not stop with only a foundation. We will not yield to opposition, fear, confusion, unbelief, discouragement, or selfishness. We will finish this! We WILL finish this! Raise up Haggais in our day with Your words. Stir the hearts of Your people. We ask for an infusion of strength and hope. We ask that mental fatigue and emotional weariness be broken off of the praying church, the remnant. Send a wind of Holy Spirit to us now, we pray. Stir up hearts that once burned with fire for revival and breakthrough, but have now settled for less. Stir up the hearts of pastors who have chosen to settle for less than the fires of revival. Stir up intercessors who have allowed the fire to go out. Awaken us all to Your passion in this hour. May there be a roar of intercession that is released in this nation and the nations of the earth. We ask You, “Rend the heavens and come down!” We make these requests in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen. Our decree: God is with us; we will arise and build! Click on the link below to watch the full video. “Strong’s Hebrew: 2165. זְמָן (zeman) -- appointed time, occasion, season; time.” Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2165.htm . Accessed 12 May 2023. “Strong’s Hebrew: 1882. דָּת (dath) -- decree, law.” Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1882.htm . Accessed 12 May 2023.

Release Your Battle Cry “God has ascended with a shout (rua), The Lord, with the sound of a trumpet.” (Psalm 47:5)  Spiritual War is necessary. Though God is love, He is also a warrior. And Holy Spirit wants to awaken His warrior heart in us, the Ekklesia. As the Lion of Judah, Yeshua wants to roar from us:   “The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” (Joel 3:16 KJV) Holy Spirit gave my friend, Scott Reece, a strong word regarding this: “There is an aligning among My lions that will usher in a new shift on earth. Powers will shift, authority will shift, and ungodly rulers will be unseated. I am making room for those that are righteous to rule in the land. Angel armies have been assembled for the purposes of strategic warfare. They will usher in a godly generation that will hold the standard, even against the darkest nights. This is a generation unlike any other. The cry of My people in desperate times has activated a warfare strategy that will catch the enemy off guard. The hallowed halls of men’s political achievements will be shaken to the core and reverberate with a sound of worship and righteousness. You will witness a breaking down of the political divide and see the establishment of a righteous government, holding a righteous scepter in their hands. You will see a governmental body actually stop and pray before a vote in order to ascertain My heart. The podium will be used for godly leaders crying out together in faith, as opposed to arguing, defending unrighteousness, offending My heavens, and shutting off the land from My purposes. The foundation of this alignment will be laid by My apostles and prophets. The aligning will be a source of activation, release, and unity among My Ekklesia. Do not become distracted by the lying of the enemy. Do not become discouraged by divisive methodologies designed to deter you. Set your heart in alignment with My Word and My purposes. Align with the apostolic and prophetic voices I am raising up. You will hear different roars with different anointings, but as they align, you will clearly see that I am in the midst of the roar and My voice is at the center. My word is emerging as a new wine that is being poured out.” What a powerful and encouraging word. Holy Spirit is “roaring” through our prayers. The Bible speaks not only of God’s people roaring (Joel 3:16), but also of releasing a battle cry. Psalm 47 tells us:  “O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout (rua) to God with the voice of joy. For the Lord Most High is to be feared, A great King over all the earth. He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet…God has ascended with a shout ( rua ) , The Lord, with the sound of a trumpet.” (Psalm 47:1-3, 5) Shout is the Hebrew word rua . This word describes a war cry, a shout of victory over one’s enemy on the battlefield.(1) It was also used for “blowing” the shofar before a battle; one definition is “to split the ears with sound.” Mel Gibson’s rendition of William Wallace in Braveheart comes to mind: “FREEDOM!!!!!”  Rua  is translated “sound the alarm” in Joel 2:1. In this context, it means “we’re going to war.” The passage in Psalm 47 tells us if WE are willing to lift a rua and fight (v. 1), God will rua  with us (v. 5): He   “ascends with a shout.” And as God arises, His enemies are scattered   (Psalm 68:1). They flee before Him! My point is quite simple: There is “a time for war and a time for peace”  (Ecclesiastes 3:8). There is a time to shout, roar and FIGHT, and that time has arrived. And though the warfare I speak of is spiritual, it must be no less intense. We must allow God to awaken His warrior heart in us. The war on earth for the souls of men and women, and for control over regions of the world, is raging. Satan is ruthless in this war, always wanting to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). In this and all spiritual conflicts, how do we release our spiritual power, weapons, and authority? We do so primarily with our words. When Jesus was confronted by satan, He provided the example of how to war against the devil and his spiritual forces : “It is written!” (Matthew 4:1-11). God’s spoken Word is the most powerful force on earth. With it He creates, releases life, tears down, and builds up. And Holy Spirit tells us that God’s Word in our mouth (Greek: rhema : “spoken words”), (2) is a sword against satan and his demons (Ephesians 6:17). When we speak God’s words in spiritual warfare, they are an overpowering weapon, a sword; leaving them unspoken leaves our sword in its scabbard. Whatever arena of spiritual battle we’re in, we must wield our sword! When we are fearful or tempted to fear, we should speak God’s Word that promises freedom from fear. When we are sick, we should declare promises of healing. When we are in turmoil and unrest, we should decree verses of Scripture regarding peace. And when we see satan stealing, killing, and destroying, we should declare God’s Word regarding deliverance and salvation into the situation.  Consider going into a private place and rua- ing over your unsaved family member, a deceived friend, or an evil government. A shout of war is just as terrifying to the ears of demons as it is to human soldiers on a battlefield. Don’t allow your dignity to silence your roar. Unsheath your sword! Pray with me: Father, many believers have learned to worship, others have learned to pray, but most - though descended from the Lion of Judah - do not know how to roar. You said You would roar out of Zion, so we’re asking You to awaken Your roar in the Ekklesia, shouts of triumph over spiritual enemies. May the sword of the Spirit be removed from its scabbard and devastate the powers of darkness. You said in the word You gave Scott that “the cry of Your people has activated a warfare strategy that will catch the enemy off guard.” We now lay hold of this strategy, calling it forth from Holy Spirit to the womb of the church. We declare that we have ears to hear what He is saying, and we will implement His divine plan. Revival is coming to the earth and will not be stopped. The heavens are being rent, hunger is being awakened, the veil of deception is being lifted. The God of glory is thundering, rain clouds are forming, and an abundant rain shall fall. We declare this in Yeshua’s name, Amen. Our decree: We decree that the warrior nature of Christ is being awakened in the Ekklesia around the world! Click on the link below to watch the full video. “Strong's Hebrew: 7321. ר֫וּעַ (rua) -- to raise a shout, give a blast, raise your battle cry.” Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7321.htm . Accessed 12 May 2023. “Strong's Greek: 4487. ῥῆμα (rhéma) -- a word, spoken, by impl. a matter; a word or saying of any kind as command, report, promise.” Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/greek/4487.htm . Accessed 12 May 2023.