PERCEPTIONS
Do you see what I see?
In the account of Elisha and his servant Gehazi, when they were surrounded by a great army...Gehazi responded in UNREST because he didn't perceive what couldn't be seen in the VISIBLE REALM, Elisha responded in REST because he did perceive what could be seen in the INVISIBLE REALM...Basically this was Elisha's prayer for Gehazi..."Lord show him that your Kingdom is more REAL than anything we can see, touch, taste, or feel...." And then his EYES WERE OPENED, and he SAW the Horses and Chariots of Fire sent from God...and What do you know...ELIJAH PRAYED, AND THE EYES OF THEIR ENEMIES WERE BLINDED...OHHHH GLORYYYY (see 2 Kings 6:15-18)
People of God, it is Mandatory that we Shift into His Rest! It enables us to see so much more than can be seen in the Visible Realm...There is more that is for you than there is that is against you... I pray that this Reality become Actualized with OPEN EYES in Jesus Rest...much love
THE SECRETS OF RELATIONSHIP RECOVERY IN REST
MARRIAGE
In this modern-day of Global Unrest, everything gets tested, especially our relationships and marriages. Many Christian marriages have gotten caught up in the charismatic juggernaut of "Smiling and Faking it" on the surface, presenting their "best side" in public appearances, secretly masking the underlying struggles to faithfully "stand in the evil day" Ephesians 6:13. Truth be told, many marriages are under attack, and the current of unrest is getting stronger.
Today I would like to talk to you about a little utilized biblical concept called RECOVERY. The word "Recover" is found approximately 21 times in scripture, and is used in varying ways. We are more familiar with the term "renewal", which is very closely related to "recovery". But the word "Recovery" carries with it a strong sense of PROCESS. "Healing and Repair" is often a process. Processes require "Time". There are not always quick fixes for spiritual problems, we have to LEARN HOW to RECOVER! Our timeframes for RECOVERY will differ greatly based upon some very pertinent truths.
1.) Recovery in a Marriage requires surrendering to the will of the Great Physician. This surrender is to the Lord, and to His Kingdom (and it's principles). This principle of surrender is the first part of the process. No Surrender, No Real Recovery! In this Surrender Scenario, the marriage partner is not the focus. We cannot recover for someone else, we can only receive healing for ourselves. This would be like asking for anesthesia for the person in the adjacent hospital room, while you are the one that is enduring the pain. Recovery is first personal. Surrender, and wait (waiting is necessary, stillness is optimal, patience can be painstaking, His Rest will assist you) 'til the anesthesia (a tangible peace from God) sets in. Soon the Lord will perform the necessary surgery within the area of your personal need. Yes, Recovery comes before Reconciliation! Surrender precedes Recovery! Once personal recovery begins, we can move on to part two of the process.
*****Note: Reconciliation without Recovery is often prolonged through physical intimacy that only bandaids the deep wounds in a marriage. Sex is not recovery, though it can be a part of the process... So opt for Surrender before hopping in the sack...
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 1 Corinthians 7:4-5
In other words: Take some time for RECOVERY
2.) Recovery in Marriage requires a strong "Spiritual Immune System"... Recovery is also dependent upon the body's RESPONSE to dis-sease. The first responders are the "Immune System". There are times when our "Spiritual Immune Systems" are weakened through constant attacks and spiritual invasions. As the Body of Christ, we all have a spiritual immune system. The Substances of Faith, Hope, and Love are all sustainable and revivable in Rest. They may seem worn down and unrecoverable at times, but when we surrender to the one who "formed" the Body of Christ, He readily revives these substances in Rest. Recovery is often the result of Revival in Rest. When we are met by the all Glorious REST OF GOD, we are encountering an aspect of His Glory.
...and His Rest shall be KABOD (GLORY/GLORIOUS). Isaiah 11:10
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18
While our focus is upon the Lord, beholding him as in a mirror or a glass, we are changed into that same image. The thing is, we have to continue to look into the mirror until all we see is Him. If we can still see the "SELF" image in the mirror, then we are not ready to walk away from it. Keep looking and waiting, a Glorious transformation will occur... Here it comes, the image of the Lord is arriving, we are being changed into that same image from Glory to Glory. This is so necessary for RECOVERY!
While our focus is on our mates, beholding bitterness and anger and unforgiveness, we are often changed into that image. No Change, No Recovery!
3.) Recovery in Marriage requires a Revelation of His Rest: I have often heard, or even perceived in my spirit this question. "What's all this talk about Rest"? When I perceive this, I understand it completely. In order for there to be a Revelation of His Rest, the "Eyes of our understanding must be enlightened"
Every biblical truth has a range of enlightenment. We can read the same scripture a thousand times, and each time, there is a potential to receive more light, more revelation, more of it's intended truth!
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Corinthians 13:12-13
Here the Apostle Paul compares two things... Now and Then.
Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face. verse 12
This is how it is when reading the scriptures, or hearing from God. There is a progressive clarity of truth, and increased light. Notice that the Apostle says, "Now we see through a glass, DARKLY"
But, he doesn't leave us there, Hallelujah! The intention of the Lord is not that we would remain in darkness concerning the truth, but that we would experience an increase in light, and so he was prompted to pray to this end!
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints... Eph 1:17-18
It is also very powerful, that he says that the greatest of these is love. This is the FULL RECOVERY of our Spiritual Immune System.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity (LOVE), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (LOVE). 1 Corinthians 13:12-13
I believe that there is an implied "THEN" concerning love in this verse of scripture. If we can be processed in love "Then" we will have experienced the Greatest of these spiritual attributes. Love is transformative, Love is self-less...I now pray for the REcovery of Love in His Rest for the furtherance of the call of God upon your lives and within our marriages. This Love is not of that Earthly quality, it is of The Father, and it is recoverable in Rest. Only surrender, He is taking us higher in Rest!
His Rest is a powerful part of that "inheritance in the saints" that the Apostle Paul prayed for. This Rest enables full recovery within our relationship battles. I pray for a manifestation of the Glorious Rest of Jesus Christ to enter deeply within your heart and soul, to the end that your relationships may fully recover and grow-up in Christ in every way. His Rest is Glorious ~ Shalom/Rabbonis Friends
REST: THE WEAPON OF DIVINE POSITIONING OVER DEATH
Fear can be subtle in its approach, or it can mount an all out terror campaign intent upon paralyzing vulnerable believers, and has unleashed this campaign on the Modern Day Church. Christians today will have to conquer fear, when it is encountered, in order to accomplish God’s purposes in the earth for the End Times. There are four major areas of fear that have kept much of the Church in a docile, passive and defensive state in relation to the forces of darkness, and world-wide evangelism.
1. The Fear of Death
2. The Fear of Harm
3. The Fear of Disease
4. The Fear of Rejection
The Fear of Death (Rev 12:11)
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Rev 12:10-11
The majority of the times, when we hear this scripture quoted, it is quoted without the final phrase “and they loved not their own lives even unto death”. This is because most of us Christians are uncomfortable with the subject of death. Or to be more specific, most of us are afraid of death itself, even though we believe in the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Resurrection of the Dead. Here, in the Western Church, we have not had to enter into this discourse about Death. We usually only deal with the subject at funerals, or when a person is deathly ill. Scarcely have we thoroughly discussed death apart from the afterlife or going to heaven. Because of this, few have had their faith exercised to oppose the Fear of Death, though they live! I believe that there is a great mystery revealed in this passage concerning victory in spiritual warfare, which, when it is revealed to our hearts, will result in three-dimensional protection against fear. Loving not our own lives “even unto death” has nothing to do with dying, it is a realm of fearlessness born from the Rest of God (a Glorious condition of the heart), where we are strengthened and weaponized by the Love of God. When our hearts receive His Rest, even death itself is unintimidating.
THE TIME TO MAKE PEACE
Commonly, the term "He or She made their Peace with God" is made about people who were near death, and had previously departed this life. The idea is that they had come to terms with death itself, and had settled their accounts with God before they left this life. And while this is definitely possible, from the biblical perspective it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of true reconciliation with God, and the obtaining of Peace.
Peace is not something to have scurried after at the end of one's life, it is not the "go-to" when the Big D. is knocking on your door. No, Peace is to become an active part of our daily lives, especially Peace with God. Most of us are not comfortable with talking about death, because we don't really believe the message of Eternal Life through the Lord Jesus Christ. Before we tackle the subject of Death, let's deal with the subject of Peace.
Peace is among the most precious substances of these end-times. Without it, the wear and tear of life would be unbearable. There are many sources of pseudo peace, temporary distractions from life's hardships (which I will not take the time to list), but I am convinced that there is only one source of Peace that carries the necessary weight to be able to stand up to life's ultimate question. What happens when we die?
Therefore being justified by faith, we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...Romans 5:1
Unless we have faith in Jesus Christ and have accepted him as our personal Savior and Lord, there will be "No PEACE" with GOD, and if there is no peace with God, then we have but a Psuedo Peace which will crumble in the face of God's eternal judgment. When Jesus gives you Peace, it pays dividends in this life, and in the next.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27
Tribulations and trials, pressures and stressors of every kind are moving like waves upon the earth's shore... Floodlike waters of distress have invaded our cities. Maybe you have felt the birth pangs, or experienced the tide. But I have "Good News" for you, there is a "Peace that passes all understanding", there is a Rest that runs deeper than the ocean floor.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
Come unto me all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you Rest... Matthew 11:28
Now concerning the topic of Death
The sting of death has been removed through one precise act of God, and nothing else can truly remove its devastating sense of absolution and finality.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
Even Death has a destiny, it will come under the Judgement of God
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” Revelation 20:14
Jesus came to give us peace with God, Yes, He is the Prince of Peace!
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7
The time to make Peace is now, and not at the end of one's earthly life...
There is only one way to obtain Peace with God (to Make Peace with God), and to have the Peace of God, it is through Jesus Christ the Lord. Everything else is but a Pseudo-Peace.
... And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Colossians 1:19-20
His Rest is Glorious
WHAT TO DO WHEN ENCOUNTERING EXTREME SPIRITUAL WARFARE 1 KINGS 18 ( Part 1)
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
This Jezebel, the wife of Ahab (to whom Elijah was sent), was enabled and controlled by a ruling spirit of terror which struck fear in the hearts of, and disabled the power of many of the Prophets of the Lord in that day. A bewildered group of anointed vessels, once confident and assured as instruments of the one true God, had to be hidden away for fear of losing their lives at the hands of the woman Jezebel.
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Where was their God in all of this?
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How could the spiritual climate take such a turn for the worse?
God had not left them; they were simply encountering something beyond their frame of reference in the realm of Spiritual Warfare.
When a person is battling the Spirit of Fear, they are encountering high-level spiritual warfare. Fear is a merciless Spirit of Captivity that can be fed and fueled by introducing old and new evidence to the (5) five senses. Our five senses were undoubtedly the second mechanism for awareness and relationship before sin entered into the world. Our uninterrupted connection to God was our first source of awareness, evidence, and security in the earth.
Thus, we were protected from fear, because God was so near. His Glory surrounded us and became the covering for our nakedness. His Love communicated to us, Spirit to spirit, heart to heart, mind to mind, all we needed to know at any given time.
It is quite evident in both the Old and New Testaments that there are times of sovereign intervention and rescue, but many of the battles fought on the prophetic front lines have to be contended for through the use of every available spiritual weapon and resource. In this case, a wave of terrorist oppression overwhelmed the prophetic community and brought great distress to the Kingdom of God. Prophetic and Kingdom confrontations are abounding in this day also. Evil has “stepped it up a notch”, and status quo Christianity will not protect the ill-equipped. The Church has everything it needs to overcome evil in our day, but has in a very real way...lost its will to fight, and abandoned the pursuit of “Revelation for the Present Day”.
Tune in tomorrow for Part 2 where we explore God's remedy for the prophetic community, the Answer is in "His Rest"
WHAT TO DO WHEN ENCOUNTERING EXTREME SPIRITUAL WARFARE 1 KINGS 18 ( Part 2 )
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? 1Kings 18:17
Here we see that the nation of Israel is in division again in the ranks of its leadership. The King is calling the prophet a trouble maker, which usually means that the prophet is speaking against the ungodly actions of the King. Both Prophet and Priest were called to uphold the spiritual standards of the nation, and all good Kings complied. But Ahab was a wicked king.
And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim. God has sent His prophet to confront the wicked King Ahab Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 1Kings 18:18-21
Confrontation will be unavoidable in this life if we are going to stand for the Kingdom of God in these last days. Backlash, persecutions, satanic retaliation, darts, arrows, anchors, witchcraft, resentments, ridicule, and all manner of spiritual warfare is waged against those who are actively serving the Lord. As we are seated with Christ (our Rest) in heavenly places, we will wage war from that position, by the Authority of the Kingdom of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is no power in heaven or on earth that can prevail against us when we are properly aligned and positioned in Rest. The Kingdom of God is synonymous with Rest. In Rest, every faculty of our nature, and every resource of our being becomes available for use in real-life situations. Every other anointing and gifting gets elevated and maximized in Rest, especially when we are confronted with opposition. The Healing anointing is benefited immensely by the manifestation of Rest and is increased in power and potency by it. The responses of Rest are empowered by the Kingdom of God; the reactions of unrest are empowered by fear. REACH (for the Rest of God) before you react, and remember that you are not alone!
And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 2:6
THIS IS A PLACE OF POWER & PROTECTION PLEASE BE SEATED ...Stay tuned for part 3 (His Rest is Glorious)
THE TRIAL
Whatever we are going through, it is important for us to remember that Jesus is right there... Yes, even in the suffering, you might wonder how he could be there and not intervene, not alleviate the present suffering (could he be asleep within your ship called suffering?). You might question his care for you, as the disciples did, "Master, Master, carest thou not that we perish"
Our Trials will
1.) carry us into new dimensions of Glory (onto new shorelines, into new promised lands) if we can only see Jesus! Think about the Children of Israel... though it is said that the 40-year journey was only slated for 11 days...given the numerous heart issues, idolatries and ungodly appetites revealed in the wilderness, it seems clear that the circles they went in were needed to purge out the influence of Egypt/Babylon that had invaded so many of God's own people...Yet, even still we saw Jesus (in type) right there, willing to heal as Moses lifted up the serpent IN THE WILDERNESS, and all who looked upon it were healed...That was a picture of God's Providence in the midst of THE TRIAL. Not every trial is purposed to train...
***There are those that Satan has purposed for our destruction... never FORGET, JESUS IS THERE... LIFTED UP IN YOUR WILDERNESS... listen, there is something to learn..., SOMETHING TO PERCEIVE, that is bigger than THE TRIAL 2.) or OUR TRIALS will turn us into the current of Kingdom Life... As Jochebed pushed Moses up the river towards Pharoah's courts, she was sending him right towards the courts of the one who wanted to destroy him, and all the firstborn in Israel... But God had a plan that was way beyond her understanding...THE TRIAL (The Slaughter of the Firstborn) was the means by which Moses would become The Deliverer... Once we hit the river of life, we will be met by the plan of the Almighty... We will surely be lifted above the waters of destruction... Remember, If Jesus is silent within the ship of your suffering... that's a good sign, HE'S NOT TROUBLED BY THE TROUBLE (LORD GIVE US YOUR REST)... He will either soon arise... Or we are being prepared as an overcomer, either way, we are not going under...
Perhaps the Lord is preparing you to become the voice of your generation, sharing the secrets to abiding in God's Glory, even in THE TRIAL... Life is a School, and THE TRIAL is the field of experience (the testing or proving ground for our discipleship and a time of the application of that which we have learned)...For those undergoing extreme life tests (WE LOVE YOU, HE LOVES YOU)... Yes, he is there... Yes, he loves you... First Forgive... Repent... Cry out... Then, Listen for the whispers of truth that are coming to set us free (removing all distractions). I am convinced of this one thing... He is right there, [I PRAY FOR THIS AWARENESS]
...THE ANSWERS ARE WITHIN THE AWARENESS OF HIS MANIFEST PRESENCE...AND A JOINING WITH HIM AS ONE SPIRIT...DEEPER REST AND AWARENESS, ACTUALIZING THE SON OF GOD, PERCEIVING JESUS...NOW TOUCH
I once met a man that disliked something about His wife. It was her distrust of Him (a beauty mark)…He later admitted that he had produced this distrust through multiple infidelities. Now some of you may be saying to yourselves “this man has some nerve disliking her distrust”. “He doesn’t deserve her trust”. And, you may be right. We are often offended when we are reminded of our own wrongdoings, and we may try to create a false sense of guilt within those we have wronged. Right now, he can’t bear to see his wife’s pain, and he may not fully understand his part in it. But, when his eyes are opened to her pain (a broken heart) and his contribution to it, he may esteem her and her beauty mark (her inability to trust him, and sometimes an inability to trust anyone)…
The truth is that his wife’s distrust is a constant reminder of his failure as a husband, and his failure is full of itself. It may take an act of God for him to see his wrong within her pain and cry out “now I can see what I have done to you” “now I understand why you can’t trust me”. “Within your pain, there is a mark of beauty, how you can love the one who pierced you.” (sounds like Jesus to me!) “Within your pain, there is a mark of beauty, a truth I can no longer run from…”
“I have pierced the one whom I have loved”. “Your pain and distrust have revealed this truth to me. I weep as I behold you and your beauty mark, a scar, a life experience”. “If I may embrace you in sincerity, I will embrace you, not to appease my guilt, but with unfeigned love magnified by your mark of beauty. I weep as I behold your strength., Oh my beloved, you are an overcomer”!!!
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7
You bear the Marks of an Overcomer