Hate

See the image above? If you look closely you can see it is made up of the word "LOVE." I like the idea, but the truth is hate does not come from love.

Hence my thoughts today.

Jesus told his followers that the world would recognize his people by their love. In other words, Christians love (people). Hate is not a part of Christianity. Oh sure, you can tell me we are to hate evil, but evil is a thing. People, we love. No matter who people are, what people do. We love people. Any people, all people.

Think with me for a moment . . . If you were tasked with getting people as far away from God as possible, what would you do? Obviously you would want people to be as opposite from God as possible. Well, one such goal would be to develop hatred as a common, even acceptable thing. After all, if God is love, hate is the opposite.

That is exactly what the devil is doing. And unfortunately he is reaching this goal- he is succeeding in making(?) people hate other people. The question mark is there because I wonder about making someone hate. I am not so sure he is causing hate directly, but he is causing situations around people to develop severe anger. Severe angst. Hate naturally flows from these feelings. If you cook yourself in anger the final dish you bake is hate.

Hate. 

There should not be a single Christian who hates any person. True, there are people we should be actively fighting against. I pray against certain people every day. I do not want to see their agendas come to fruition. However, while I pray against their acts, I pray for them to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Or maybe they are Christian already . . . is that possible? Can people so far from acting like God (loving) actually be Christian? Perhaps like the frog in the kettle, they have become unaware of the boiling water they have been simmering in?

We are dangerously racing towards the end times. Ten years ago, I could not see how we could possibly get to those days. Yet today, isn't it obvious? Can't you see where we are headed leads to the vision in the book of Revelation?

Stop. a. moment. 

Are there people you dislike so much, you actually hate them?

If you call yourself Christian, ask yourself if this can be possible and still remain a Christ follower. Certainly, not for long.

If you follow Jesus, you love.

If you follow the devil, you hate. 

The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

"Witches cast mass spell against Trump," the article is titled. As a Christian, I have been the subject of witches' spells over the years. Even as I prayed for them, they have come against me. In one of my appointments, a local coven regularly came to my corps at 3 AM (witching hour) to lay hands on our building and "pray" against us. I once found physical spell evidence around that building. You see, witches are not the friends of Christians. They pretty much stand for everything opposite of what a Christian believes.

Now also, as a Christian, I know that such things (curses) cannot stand against us, God's people, because, well, God is God (Isaiah 54:17)! What he blesses, no one can curse! There's a certain passage in the OT (Balak's story in Numbers 22) that shows this playing out with the Israelites. Look it up. It's a good one!

In most cases, witches are against anything of Yahweh or Jesus.

Back to the article (there are actually many articles out there) about the witches cursing Trump. Frankly, if Trump were against God, then the witches would not be cursing him. Make sense?

Do you see any witches cursing Biden or Harris? Do the same search for them and you will find they SUPPORT them. That in itself should tell you something. Not everything, but SOMEthing you should be seriously thinking about.

So back to my title: as the saying goes, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Makes sense. Therefore those who are against Trump are with the witches. They are "friends," as it were.

You see, you cannot say you are for God and then support the opposite. It doesn't work. You end up holding hands with His enemies.

I think that bullet's near miss in Pennsylvania was God telling us something. I don't believe you can overlook God's hand in that as a miracle. God isn't finished with Trump yet. I for one, want to be around to see what God's planning for him!

Now you might be thinking: "there are some pretty bad people who support Trump!" Agreed. We could say that about both sides (which is true of SO many comments about either side!). Let's leave that for a future post.

This is not the only reason to support Trump in this election. I just hope there are some who will use this realization to see through the confusion of the enemy.

And God Made Them Male and Female

Did my title make you cringe? I can hardly believe I am diving into this here, but truth IS my purpose . . .

I was scrolling through some posts on Facebook the other day and found one from a friend with a similar title. I read it with trepidation, but pretty much agreed with the gist. Then I read a couple of responses (again from friends) and was chagrined at the logic- or lack thereof. And yet, one of them said something I had been wrestling with for years- just never had the courage to spout it off in public. And that's usually my thing- I work through something before I put it out there (it's too bad so many people post things online without thinking).

But that got me thinking even more. This is now where I stand on the subject:

God made humankind in his image. Male and female, which I think is interesting, because both are present in God's being. As it is with most of us- we have aspects of masculinity and femininity blended together to make a unique being- like no one else. Yet we are born with one set of organs or the other. These define us from the moment of conception- way before we are born.

Obviously (well, not so obvious to so many these days), truth is involved and all truth is God's truth, wherever it is found. And I'm talking about absolute truth, not subjective truth. No matter what we WANT to believe, truth is absolute. We cannot change it to fit our wants. Something is either true or it is false. It's truth or a lie. You cannot have one truth while I have another. That is a lie. Oh, and who is the father of lies? Hmmm, he had a little something to do with all this, methinks!

I've heard that "God don't make no junk" and I believe it. He has a design and purpose for each of us.

Here's where some get tripped up. They think because there are those who are born with both organs, that somehow sets a rule for everyone. The problem is, we can't base truth on the sin that has corrupted just about everything around us (I'm not saying that person has sinned or they are evil).

You see, humankind fell and brought sin into the world (apparently sin existed before it came to this world, because there are heavenly beings who also fell before we did). That sin, brought with it a corruption that messed with all of God's perfect creation. Think of it- there were no weeds before sin's corruption! But now those weeds spread like crazy to the point where we hardly know what it could be like without that corruption. Corruption is "normal" to us! It's all we know. Ouch!

That corruption has brought weeds, cancer, and a whole lot of other problems into the world. I can't even begin to make a list here. And because of the corruption, we cannot make rules based on the fallen world around us. We need to look to God's Word for the only perfect foundation for human faith and practice.

And truth.

Back to how God made us- one or the other. 

I gotta tell you that the Enemy does everything he can to get us to believe we are anything and everything BUT what God designed us to be. The LAST thing he wants is for us to fulfill God's purpose for our lives! If we even listen for a moment to his lies, we begin to travel down a road that leads far away from God and what he intended for us. Allow me to illustrate with a (condensed) personal story:

I really disliked school as a kid. There are a lot of reasons for that, but in the end, I was convinced that school was not for me and I wanted nothing to do with it. Then I learned that one of my spiritual gifts was teaching. NO WAY! I said. Because to be a teacher, you have to be a student first. And I was NOT that. O please God- ANYTHING but that! When I let my guard down and actually listened to God, I found there was a whole lot about learning and teaching that I liked and enjoyed. I finally agreed with what God made me to be and all of a sudden, learning and teaching exploded for me. There's been no looking back since. I love it!

BUT, for years the Enemy tried desperately to convince me that I was NOT a student/teacher. It's sad to see how long I was deceived by his lies in my own life.

Today we see a LOT of people struggling with who they are; what they are. I have absolutely no problem telling you that struggle is from the father of lies. If you listen to him, your confusion will only get worse. You will never "discover" who you are. You will never find truth. The truth is "who God made you to be" and once discovering that (and his love) you will be set up to accomplish his purpose for your life. And the Enemy will have a lot less hold on your life.

As for those born with multiple sets of organs, I suggest we take each case individually. Do I have an answer for that situation? No. Sin has confused everything beyond what we can sort out on our own. Yet I believe God has a purpose for that person's life. They will struggle. Don't we all struggle with something? God will redeem their situation to his glory- if we let him. God does have their answer. We will find it nowhere else.

Elohim, Our Authority and Nephilim

I may be jumping into this subject mid-stream. I have learned a lot since I regularly blogged, so there are quite a few things I may have to explain from the middle. Hopefully I won't confuse you!

There may be a past blog where I talked about Psalm 8, in which the word Elohim is used. I used to reference this verse as evidence of our being placed above the angels, in God's creation/authority order. I have since learned I was a bit off. Not in our authority, but where we actually sit in the creation/authority order. I won't rehash my old thoughts here unless I need to reference them to explain something.

In Hebrew, the word "Elohim" can be singular or plural. In it's singular form, it refers to Yahweh/God- the One and Only; there is none like him. In it's plural form, it refers to the "gods" (beings) that Yahweh created. As far as I can tell at the moment, all heavenly beings God created are Elohim (plural). In other words, there are no "beings" that are angels. 

In Psalm 8, we have BOTH the singular Elohim and the plural form of the word.

The word "angel" means "messenger." An "angel" is not a being, as such, it is a "job description." So any Elohim given a specific task is considered an angel. I guess when they complete that task and go back to "normal operation," they are no longer considered an angel (sorry for all the quotes!).

Moving on to the creation order, we have God, gods, human-kind, then Nephilim. So we are below the gods, but above the Nephilim. Yes, there are gods who have fallen and they may have done so while they were angels (are you following?), but my point is that I no longer believe demons are fallen angels, rather fallen Elohim/gods. The more I think about this, the more it makes absolute sense to me regarding our authority to cast out demons.

I used to say we were created ABOVE the angels, so when they fell, we naturally still had authority over them; to cast them out. But that thought process fell apart when I realized we were BELOW the gods/angels.

I now believe demons are the disembodied spirits of Nephilim, whom God did not create, so they have nowhere to go, after they die. They go around looking for another physical body to inhabit, so they can do something/anything in the physical realm (remember Jesus and the herd of pigs?). This understanding is nothing new, as it has been around for a long time. Why do we often lose the understanding of things we used to know?

Nephilim came about by Elohim's (the gods) physical union with human women- they were god/human hybrids. Like Hercules, as it were. See where a lot of mythology has come from? I find it fascinating that so much mythology has its basis in reality. Hmmm, I wonder if there actually WAS a Nephilim named Hercules . . . mind blown!

Well if I haven't confused you by now, I'll finish with my purpose of this post- we do have authority to cast out demons. No surprise, since many of us have seen/done this over the years (and Jesus told us to do so), but for me this explanation is the reason we can do it.

 

My Daily Devotional Today . . .

November 15: Could This Be Next?

Dear Mom:

Gosh, can you believe it's 2023 already?… It seems just yesterday I was sitting in first grade celebrating the century change. I know we haven't really chatted since Christmas. Sorry. Anyway, I have some difficult news and I really didn't want to call and talk face-to-face. Ted's had a promotion and I should be up for a hefty raise this year if I keep putting in those crazy hours. You know how I work at it. Yes, we're still struggling with the bills.

Timmy's been 'okay' at kindergarten although he complains about going. But then, he wasn't happy about day care either, so what can I do? He's been a real problem, Mom. He's a good kid, but quite honestly, he's an unfair burden at this time in our lives. Ted and I have talked this through and through and finally made a choice. Plenty of other families have made it and are much better off.

Our pastor is supportive and says hard decisions are necessary. The family is a 'system' and the demands of one member shouldn't be allowed to ruin the whole. He told us to be prayerful, consider all the factors, and do what is right to make the family work. He says that even though he probably wouldn't do it himself, the decision is really ours. He was kind enough to refer us to a children's clinic near here, so at least that part's easy.

I'm not an uncaring mother. I do feel sorry for the little guy. I think he overheard Ted and me talking about 'it' the other night. I turned around and saw him standing at the bottom of the step in his PJ's with the little bear you gave him under his arm and his eyes sort of welling up. Mom, the way he looked at me just about broke my heart. But honestly I believe this is better for Timmy, too.

It's not fair to force him to live in a family that can't give him the time and attention he deserves. And please don't give me the kind of grief Grandma gave you over your abortions. It is the same thing, you know. We've told him he's just going in for a vaccination. Anyway, they say it is painless. I guess it's just as well you haven't seen that much of him.

Love to Dad:
Jane

"You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13)

-Facts of the Matter, (First Things First, Page 84, Number 85)

The Blood Sacrifice

DISCLAIMER: You know I have strong political beliefs, but with this note I am trying to avoid them for a deep spiritual purpose. I know to some of you it won’t look like I am trying to avoid anything, but I put this here to assure you my purpose is not political, even though it may make you think that way. I use strong words, because this is a strong issue that needs to be addressed. I am not looking for a fight- I don’t have it in me right now. So please read this prayerfully.

- - - -

There are many issues we need to think about during election campaigns. I have always been a bit concerned with those who simplify things down to one major issue and have agreed with those who have said “you can’t do that; there are too many other factors that need to be considered.”

But I read an email the other day that has made me think differently. At least about one particular issue- abortion.

In 2 Kings 3:26-27 there is a strange case of the king of Moab in battle with Israel. The battle is going against him, so he sacrifices his son and the battle changes so drastically that Israel quits and goes away. There is something important in this story!

Here is the spiritual premise: a blood sacrifice releases much power in the spiritual realm.

I need not remind any of you of THE great blood sacrifice that released such great spiritual power that we are redeemed from our sin! We are the direct recipients of the power of a blood sacrifice.

Jesus’ sacrifice obviously overshadows any possible comparison, but we cannot ignore the fact that a blood sacrifice also empowers the enemy and his forces that fight against God. We have seen the results of such blood sacrifice over the years- in scripture and more recently, specifically with Nazi Germany against Israel. The blood sacrifice of God’s chosen people brought great power to the Nazi regime.

As we look at the HUGE blood sacrifices that have been and are being offered to evil through abortion today in the USA, it really doesn’t take much to see that evil is running powerfully rampant in our society. God himself turns against those who choose to go against his ways. As a country, the single most important spiritual issue we face is how we deal with the innocent. God will not continue to sit by and bless those who blatantly trash his precepts.

Is the economy an important issue in this election? Yes it is. Could it be going awry because of the strong influence of evil empowered by a blood sacrifice? Yes it could. Could any other issue be put in this same category? Of course it could.

My point is, we need to change the way abortion is empowering the enemy in this country. The fact that we are so blind to this issue only goes to show how powerful the enemy has become in even fooling “the elect.” We need to eliminate the blood sacrifice that brings him such strength in his fight against God

How do we do that? By electing people who have strong convictions against allowing blood sacrifice to continue in this country. If we do that, we can begin walking the long path back to allowing God to bless this nation- again.

How does your candidate stand up to this test? The next president of the USA will probably have opportunity to at least place 2 new judges on the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the place where this abortion issue can be dealt with. If the next 2 appointments are pro abortion, we have lost the fight. If the next 2 appointments are anti abortion, we have a fighting chance to eliminate the enemy’s blood sacrifice empowerment and bring God’s blessing back.

Honestly, I believe there are a whole lot of important issues in this campaign. But as much as it is in my power, I cannot personally allow any of them to overshadow the importance of this one issue which can affect every other issue on the table. And God’s blessing, which we so desperately need.

Please pray hard and vote.

The War College 2008

My annual teaching trip to The War College in Vancouver, Canada for 2008 is now officially history. The history part is a sad thing as I am already missing the DTES with its many good friends, students, powerful ministry and cute little mice in the apartment. Well, 3 out of 4 ain't bad! Here are some thoughts about my trip:

This was a new season for me. Many things have changed since last year, including my roll in the 614 community. Oh sure, I taught a class, but I spent more time with leadership and past missioners than this year's batch of students.

I also spent quite a bit of prayer ministry time counseling as well as casting out demons. Yeah, I did do plenty casting with great results, but my prayer ministry time was regularly more than what it has been. I liked that.

The 614 community used me as a guinea pig in their latest innovation called "Community Hospitality." Basically different people fed me each meal and engaged me in hanging out! A smashing success, I'd say! I loved it!

I ended up with 2 new Battle Gear T-shirts! One is the new long sleeved "Saved to Save" design for officers. Yeah!

Computers were everywhere for me to use when I needed one. SL, JG, JS to name a few, but I offer special thanks to RB (who doesn't like to be called RB, but I'm just using initials!) who was exceptionally generous!

Here are a few of highlights from the prayer sessions:

One walked on water with Jesus! Steve Court: take note! Special Credit is due!

One had a Sword of the Spirit that was so big, it had to be handled with 2 hands! A Two-Handed Sword of the Spirit is awesome (and it does massive damage to the Enemy, trust me)!

More than a couple had false images of Jesus that were absolutely destroyed and replaced with an accurate image of The One who loves them like no other!

One had a wonderful banquet with Jesus and ate some very tasty stuff that dissolved the Enemy's influence!

One flew with Jesus over the countryside a la Peter Pan! There was powerful spiritual direction in their travel direction.

One did a deep sea dive underwater to find a sunken treasure chest. They were more valuable than any of the chest's jewels.

One took a high dive of a huge cliff with Jesus into crystal clear water!

I even got a session led by a wonderful team who were very helpful. Trust me, I needed some dusting off too!

Well, it seems my visit was all over before it started. Although the area may seem like a scary place for some, I've got to tell you, Vancouver DTES always feels like home to me. I love it- but most of all I love the people who are giving their lives in this place to help bring Jesus to the lost.

To all of you 614ites I offer my blessing for continued joy in service, successful ministry that changes lives and peace right in the middle of the Enemy's camp. Storm the forts of darkness- bring them down!

Bad Guys and Good Friends

This is the scripture God led me to tonight. When you finish reading it (please actually read it- don't just bleep over it or breeze through it like we so often do because it's scripture we know), you'll have some clue as to how my day went.

What you won't know without me telling you, is how encouraging God's Word was to me at a time when I really needed it. AND how encouraging a good friend's listening ear can be when you need to just unload (you know who you are- thanx).

Psalm 37 (The Message)
A David psalm

Don't bother your head with braggarts
or wish you could succeed like the wicked.
2 In no time they'll shrivel like grass clippings
and wilt like cut flowers in the sun.
3 Get insurance with God and do a good deed,
settle down and stick to your last.
4 Keep company with God,
get in on the best.
5 Open up before God, keep nothing back;
he'll do whatever needs to be done:
6 He'll validate your life in the clear light of day
and stamp you with approval at high noon.
7 Quiet down before God,
be prayerful before him.
Don't bother with those who climb the ladder,
who elbow their way to the top.
8 Bridle your anger, trash your wrath,
cool your pipes—it only makes things worse.
9 Before long the crooks will be bankrupt;
God-investors will soon own the store.
10 Before you know it, the wicked will have had it;
you'll stare at his once famous place and—nothing!
11 Down-to-earth people will move in and take over,
relishing a huge bonanza.
12 Bad guys have it in for the good guys,
obsessed with doing them in.
13 But God isn't losing any sleep;
to him they're a joke with no punch line.
14 Bullies brandish their swords,
pull back on their bows with a flourish.
They're out to beat up on the harmless,
or mug that nice man out walking his dog.
15 A banana peel lands them flat on their faces—
slapstick figures in a moral circus.
16 Less is more and more is less.
One righteous will outclass fifty wicked,
17 For the wicked are moral weaklings
but the righteous are God-strong.
18 God keeps track of the decent folk;
what they do won't soon be forgotten.
19 In hard times, they'll hold their heads high;
when the shelves are bare, they'll be full.
20 God-despisers have had it;
God's enemies are finished—
Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time,
vanished like smoke in thin air.
21 Wicked borrows and never returns;
Righteous gives and gives.
22 Generous gets it all in the end;
Stingy is cut off at the pass.
23 Stalwart walks in step with God;
his path blazed by God, he's happy.
24 If he stumbles, he's not down for long;
God has a grip on his hand.
25 I once was young, now I'm a graybeard—
not once have I seen an abandoned believer,
or his kids out roaming the streets.
26 Every day he's out giving and lending,
his children making him proud.
27 Turn your back on evil,
work for the good and don't quit.
28 God loves this kind of thing,
never turns away from his friends.
Live this way and you've got it made,
but bad eggs will be tossed out.
29 The good get planted on good land
and put down healthy roots.
30 Righteous chews on wisdom like a dog on a bone,
rolls virtue around on his tongue.
31 His heart pumps God's Word like blood through his veins;
his feet are as sure as a cat's.
32 Wicked sets a watch for Righteous,
he's out for the kill.
33 God, alert, is also on watch—
Wicked won't hurt a hair of his head.
34 Wait passionately for God,
don't leave the path.
He'll give you your place in the sun
while you watch the wicked lose it.
35 I saw Wicked bloated like a toad,
croaking pretentious nonsense.
36 The next time I looked there was nothing—
a punctured bladder, vapid and limp.
37 Keep your eye on the healthy soul,
scrutinize the straight life;
There's a future in strenuous wholeness.
38 But the willful will soon be discarded;
insolent souls are on a dead-end street.
39 The spacious, free life is from God,
it's also protected and safe.
40 God-strengthened, we're delivered from evil—
when we run to him, he saves us.

Mean People S . . . well, Stink!

In the last couple of weeks both Debbie and I have come across mean people. I'm not saying we met a couple of people that were ornery, I am talking about all-out, full-in-your-face, "I hate the whole world and YOU'RE the one I'm taking it out on" kind of people! Sounds a bit like George Bernard Shaw's quote:

"Do you know what a pessimist is?
A person who thinks everybody is as nasty as himself
and hates them for it."

Both of our instances took place when we were trying to be helpful to a particular person/group and the other person just so happened to be one of those "mean people." So they weren't interested in anything we had to say- in fact, they intentionally ignored any attempt to clear up the apparent misunderstanding and proceeded to jump down our throats- feet first. I guess they thought our motivations were just like theirs and rushed to a conclusion.

The truth of the matter is, being mean is a sin. God is never mean and he desires us to be anything but mean to his children. When we are mean, we offend God (the definition of sin) by hurting those he loves. Making matters worse are those Christians who are known as mean people! "A mean Christian-" talk about an oxymoron!

When confronting mean people it takes everything we've got to not respond in kind. Although there are situations that call for us to stand up to the mean person. Jesus once cleared out the temple because people were being mean to other people (by cheating). His response was not mean, but forceful.

I can recall times when my Dad, who is the most gentle man I know, stood his ground against a mean person and would not back down. I admired his forcefulness and tenacity in the face of glaring meanness.

Mean people are hard to deal with, but we've got to do it, because they're out there and you never know when you're going to find one blocking your path. Don't let them get away with it- call them for their sin and maybe you will help them see the error of their ways.

Fear Factor

Scene One: Central New Jersey, a quiet little suburb of Red Bank near the East coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Fade slowly in:

I was sitting in my living room reading. It was early evening and my family was moving around the house doing their respective routines like homework, watching TV and washing clothes. It was a typical evening in the Burr home.

I don't remember what I was reading, except that it was spiritual in nature. Probably something by Peter Wagner, as I have read almost everything he has written! Anyway, I was comfortable, I was enjoying a good book and I was in a fine mood.

Out of the blue, God called for my attention. I was so totally drawn away from my reading, I closed my eyes to avoid any unnecessary distractions. I wanted to be open to what God had to say to me. I listened carefully.

I began to well up with a sense of the spiritual realm around me. I was aware that angels were all around, but it wasn't like they were around me specifically- they were just everywhere. Moving around, watching, protecting, whatever else angels do.

I perceived God wanted me to go outside. It was a cold night and the wind was blowing a bit, so I put on a coat and stepped out into the frosty air.

"Well, I'm outside, what do you want me to do?" I asked God.

I soon knew I was to pray for the people in the houses that surrounded ours. I started with the house right across the street and made a full circle to the right until I was back to the first home again. We lived almost at the end of the street, so there were six houses, one being at the very end of our three block long street. Part of my prayer was to request that God station angels at these homes. I prayed that these angels would guard and protect these homes and the people who lived in each.

When I finished with these six neighbors, I looked up the street. That's when I knew I should continue, so I moved off my lawn and onto the pavement. Walking down the middle of the road, I eventually went all the way to the other end, stopping momentarily to pray at each home and asking God to position angels at each location. I asked for a legion of angels at both the Police station and a ladies league building next to it.

When I reached the other end of the street, I just understood I was finished with my assignment. I had no clue what it was all about, but I did what was asked of me. So I turned and began my short walk back home, praising God and rejoicing with the angels that were now stationed all up and down the street where I lived. I went back into my living room, picked up my book and continued reading from right where I left off.

"Interesting," I thought, but had no idea what it was all about.

Scene Change: Next evening, same setting, but it's later. It's dark out, everyone else is in bed.

This night as I'm reading, I begin to feel afraid. We all get those weird "alone in the dark" sensations, but this was completely different. I tried to ignore it, but it was growing stronger. Before long, I was really frightened. Of what, I didn't know. All I did know was that moment by moment, I was becoming more terrified than I could ever remember.

It got so bad that I put my book down and started praying. I closed my eyes tightly and prayed for dear life. Nothing happened except that my fear grew greater. After some time of this, I realized my hands were stiff. I then noticed that I hadn't moved a muscle for a long time. I was frozen in place; I was "scared stiff!"

I wanted to open my eyes, but was afraid to do so. I imagined all kinds of evil beings hiding in the dark outside my living room window, peeking from behind furniture, ducking out of sight in the kitchen, creeping down the stairs, crawling up the chair I was sitting in. In short, I didn't know what to do! I could hardly even pray and my fear was getting worse by the second. I sensed evil all around me and it was out to get me.

I have no clue how long I sat there transfixed in my seat, but I finally got up the courage to drag myself out of the chair and into the kitchen. You have no idea how hard that was! I grabbed the phone off the hook, punched the speed dial to my pastor (my brother) and slid down the wall to hide beside the counter on the floor as low as I could get. I closed and locked the basement door and turned on every light, while I avoided looking out the window or into the other room.

"Howie- 9-1-1!" I cried, as I filled him in on my situation. I knew I needed prayer support, so I was glad when he began to give it. But nothing happened; I continued to get worse. He was praying alright, but covering everything under the sun- sort of like wide spread buck-shot- hitting everything, but not doing much damage to anything in the process.

We talked a moment and together decided we needed to be more specific. I was afraid, so Howie said we should pray against the spirit of fear. "Do it," I said. "I'm not going to be much help in my present state of mind." I remember he prayed that God would send His angels to help us in this fight.

As he prayed specifically now, my mind began to clear a bit. Suddenly, I understood we were praying against "the Strongman of Center Street" (the street where we lived). When I told Howie that, he began to pray even more specifically using that name I was given.

Then I realized the Strongman of Center Street was not fear. Fear was much more powerful than he and seemed to be coming in as if called alongside the Strongman to help him intimidate me- or worse.

When I told Howie this, he began to pray that people in Fear's area of responsibility would begin hearing and understanding the Gospel. That they would start accepting Jesus as their savior and overthrow the enemy's hold on their lives. Now we were getting somewhere! I could pray again and we continued to pray that people would come to the Lord in droves and Fear would be caught with his pants down, so to speak. We envisioned Fear away on a pleasure trip while those under his control were leaving the enemy's camp and turning to Jesus. I imagined people in bars, just getting up and leaving, sensing there was more to life. We could almost see "the Boss" coming in and screaming red-faced: "What is happening here?! Where is Fear?!"

Needless to say, Fear dropped everything he was doing with me and ran away so fast, it must have made the Strongman of Center Street dizzy! We took advantage of his stupor and ousted him from his assignment on Center Street.

Right then it was if a light switch was flipped. I was no longer afraid. Fear did not leave slowly, little by little, as it had come. It was instantaneous! We had finally hit the nail on the head.

I stood up confidently and looked through the window. I was not afraid. I opened the basement door and gazed down into the dark. Nothing. Things that moments before had unnerved me, held terror no more!

It was about then I remembered what had happened the night before. God had me station angels all up and down my street. Every house had at least one standing guard and there were two legions watching from the other end of the street. When we asked for angelic help, they didn't have far to go! God, in His infinite wisdom, knew what the enemy had planned for me and made sure help was nearby to assist ASAP. And help they did! The worst thing that happened to me was merely a sensation of fear. I suppose it could have been much worse if I wasn't being protected from the unseen realm. We rejoiced!

After I thanked my brother for his aid, I went outside, knelt on my lawn and praised God for His awesomeness. I could smell the cleanness in the air- almost like the way a fresh Spring rain cleans the air- but this was in the spiritual realm. I was aware of God's cleansing blood that flowed down the three blocks of Center Street that night.

- - - - -

Today I am reminded of Daniel, when he prayed seeking an answer from God for 24 days. An angel came with that answer and told Daniel that God had sent him immediately after he had spoken to God about it the first time. But on the way, the angel had encountered an evil enemy who deterred him all that time until Daniel's continued prayers gave the angel a more powerful reinforcement to help him get through to Daniel (Daniel 10). I wonder what would have happened if Daniel's answer angel had already been stationed nearby?

There really IS a war going on in the heavenlies. We might not see it daily (it's probably a good thing we don't!), but that does not deny its existence. Our prayers cause things to happen that would not happen if we didn't pray. When we start praying, we should not let our entreaties quickly fade. The "ammo" we pray into the spiritual realm gives strength to those on our side. The "ammo" we fail to pray defaults our enemies an advantage because our side is not strengthened.

Epilogue: It's been about ten years since that night. Fear has not bothered me from that day to this. Oh, he tries now and then, but I know his secret and how to defeat him, so he doesn't stay long. He used to have much more control over my life, but it's hard for me to even remember those days. I won my Fear Factor challenge thanks to Jesus.

Fade to Blood red.

- - - - -

Prayer: Lord, our enemy would keep us in fear. He would keep us blind- especially to his existence, that he could better hide his evil work. But we have the truth! We know he exists; we know he fights against us and we know that when we stand up against him, he runs like a frightened puppy.

We are tired of blindness and tired of being afraid. We choose to open our eyes and fear no more.

I speak the truth over you, that you would be free from the enemy's lies and his hold over you. You were created to be victorious and I proclaim that destiny. Seek and find your place in the war.

I speak peace and joy into you, from the Holy Spirit of God Himself. Go with that blessing upon your life and spread it around.

Amen.

Standing Strong

I'm trading my sorrows;
I'm trading my shame;
I'm laying them down
For the joy of the Lord . . .
I'm pressed but not crushed
Persecuted but not abandoned;
Struck down but not destroyed.
I am blessed beyond the curse,
For his promise will endure
That his joy's gonna be my strength.
Though the sorrow may last for the night,
His joy comes with the Morning!

- - - - -

In this world you will have many troubles,
but take heart!
I have overcome the world!
- John 16:33

- - - - -

The One who rules in heaven laughs!
- Psalm 2:4

- - - - -

The quotes above and some others have come to me from various sources in the last few days (most directly from God). As I sit in the midst of many "troubles," God has made me aware that none of them will crush me. None of them will be my undoing. In fact, when I really dwell on it, it gets funny that The Enemy thinks he can discourage me through "issues," when I know Yahweh is the one in control!

I mean, come one! Things may look impossible to me, but to God? HA! What's a mere $2.5 million to God? What's a little personality struggle? What's a tough email? What's a United Way report deadline? What's a $2000 doorstop of a computer? As I delve deeper into these (and more), some of them may look increasingly impossible to me, but to God? HA! I say! Double HA even! {lol}

The "trick" is holding firm in faith, believing God will come through as he has promised. Bottom line: He's NEVER failed me before; He has ALWAYS come through. My history with Him proves that over and over again. I could tell you some incredible stories . . . (another blog).

So as I build myself up in faith by reviewing the many times God's saved me in the past, repeat God's promises to me, write these things down AND speak them out loud to others, I am strengthened and encouraged. I am emboldened to step up to the plate and swing away! And I can do it in perfect calm; His peace.

There will come a day (sooner than later) when I will be able to look BACK on these times and rejoice that God WAS there; that he came through AGAIN; that he kept me in the palm of his hand through it all.

The only question that remains is whether I was able to stay faithful in the midst of it all. Did I trust IN the storm or did I wilt at its imagined fierceness? Was I overwhelmed or did I stand strong?

Right now, I'm standing strong. I trust in my God and I will show that faith to anyone who comes near.

Just you wait!

Seeking Serious Prayer Partners

As I mentioned previously, my Dad was with us for a few days; he just went home today. Because of his age, situation and distance he doesn't get up to visit as often as he and Mom used to. It was awesome having him!

While he was here he pulled an old tattered piece of paper out of his Bible and held it out to me. It looked familiar and immediately I knew what it was.

Years ago Debbie & I had asked people to pray for us on a regular basis. Ministry is serious warfare, but not a lot of people realize that. So in an attempt to gather people to partner with us in our ministry, we created the Prayer Partner Daily Prayer Outline to the left. I gave Dad a new one and thought it would be a good thing to remind some people out there to keep praying for us. Especially since we're just moving on to another appointment in a couple of weeks.

There might also be a few new people out there reading this who would take up the challenge of praying for Debbie & I. If God is nudging you to do so, click on the picture to enlarge it and print it to put in your Bible or somewhere you'll see it often.

By the way, there are different categories of Prayer Partner. Peter Wagner calls them I1, I2 and I3 intercessors.

An I3 intercessor is one who will print this list then pray for us now and then. They are kind of casual pray-ers. Their prayers are always effective and helpful. There are often many such intercessors praying for specific people or ministries.

An I2 intercessor is one who takes their intercessory role very seriously. They receive a special calling (a "nudge") from God, make it a point to pray for us regularly and often take long periods of time to pray specifically. They will keep in touch now and then to learn what is going on in our lives so they can pray with pin-point direction. Their prayers are obviously even more effective and helpful. There are usually only a few of these intercessors praying for specific people or ministries at a time.

An I1 intercessor is one who also receives a special calling from God to pray for us. The difference is they keep in very close contact and regularly get updated on details of our life and ministry. The purpose is not only to pray specifically, but also to listen to God for us. These intercessors will often have special Words (of knowledge and prophecy) that God sends to us through them. Their prayers are extremely effective and helpful. There are usually only 1 or 2 such intercessors for specific people at a time and they cannot just take up this role on their own. They must get "permission" from the people or ministry to take on this special role. I don't remember ever having such a Prayer Partner . . . yet!

If you decide or receive a nudge to become one of our Prayer Partners, let us know by either commenting here or sending off an email (or snail-mail) note. We appreciate our prayer partners and welcome those who will be faithful!

NNE Youth Councils Report

Sorry for the delay in reporting about our Divisional Youth Councils. A lot has been going on, so when that happens, my blogging usually takes a hit. I know, I know! I must be very busy lately!

(in)Visible was the theme; We are visible; we are seen, known and loved by God. That theme was very appropriate and well orchestrated throughout the weekend.

Like last year, I was assigned to get a prayer team together for the weekend. Last year, God gave me that assignment. This year, our DYCS asked me as well! Based on who I knew was going to be there, I conscripted Joyce Hartshorn and Shaun Bellanger to round out the team. There are other powerful prayer warriors in our division, but since they weren't going to be present, I decided to go with power over numbers. As it was, Joyce had to leave before the SonDay AM service.

At 7:45 AM SonDay, I arrived at Sebago Hall to begin praying. I was by myself for a few minutes, so I began praying the Bible throughout the room. I started with scripture praising God and his power, then he led me to a passage about his love. I was soon overwhelmed with the desire of God to make his love known to the delegates that morning (I hadn't put 2+2 together yet, figuring out that was the theme for the morning service).

Before long Shaun arrived and his first question was: "What is God telling you?" I told him God wants to make his love known and he jumped right in. God soon gave Shaun Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)

For Yahweh your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song.

WOW! Incredible! Now things were getting exciting! We quickly got that verse up on the video screens and it stayed there well into the service (still a couple of hours away). We began to pray for freedom of worship and against quenching the Spirit.

We kept praying and a few people joined us here and there until the room was filled with excited kids, ready to hear from God. The service started but there seemed to be something blocking us from getting through to God or from God getting through to us. The war was on. We kept praying.

Worship was a little stifled. That block needed to be broken. Warfare was just beginning. We kept praying.

We got a word from Michelle (one of our delegates from Bangor) that the Spirit was hovering over everyone, but was unable to fully settle down on everyone in the room. We kept praying.

I talked with Everett, our DYCS, about the fire extinguishers I saw hanging on walls throughout the room. We agreed he (as the authority present) would take them all off the walls and put them on the floor as a prophetic act to signify our desire to not quench the Spirit. Soon after that, one of our Cadets got up to give her testimony. She started by singing "Jesus loves me . . ." and I knew immediately in my Spirit that was what we needed to begin breaking through. God began to move. Before long, kids were moving freely up to the altar and kneeling all around the room, seeking God with tears and sincerity. Yet there was still something keeping the Spirit from completely falling on us. We needed to press through.

At one point Meghan, another of our Bangor delegates, stood up on her seat in the front row, raised her arms and began praising God. Now Holy Spirit fell big time! Michelle got the word that as long Meghan kept her hands raised, the Spirit would keep moving freely. So Michelle suggested we follow the example of Aaron and Hur- help Meghan keep her hands raised. So for the next hour(?) or so, people kept sharing the task of keeping Meghan's hands high in the air. It was an awesome sight! And the Spirit kept moving!

Eventually, Holy Spirit waned and we had to slip quietly back into the "real" world. But many lives were touched by God that morning. I believe deeply touched and changed. Our Bangor delegates particularly, received very special blessings from God, praying for each other and re-committing their lives to God's will for them. At least one got saved for the first time!

Now our challenge is to be faithful- to keep walking out God's will for us on a moment by moment basis. Our task is to be obedient to what God tells us daily- to make the right choices each time. To live holy as God expects.

We can do it. We will do it, by his grace within!

No Cancer!

I just got back from my doctor's report on my biopsy and it was NEGATIVE! Meaning I have NO cancer. Whew. I do have to have a procedure to take care of an enlarged prostate, but it's a relatively simple office appointment (and a few weeks recovery) that is obviously a whole lot easier to deal with than cancer.

I really wasn't a bit nervous or concerned at all right up until we headed to the doctor's office for the report today. But the closer we got, the more "concerned" I got! I should have had a lunch that was a bit easier on my stomach! I was very pleased when Debbie said she was going with me and even offered to drive (now THAT truly means she loves me)!

I know many of you were praying for me and I appreciate that very much. I believe prayer changes things and based on some things that happened prior to today (there was plenty of spiritual warfare going on over this one), I believe your prayers changed my outcome. Some may believe it a coincidence, but I believe God just chose to remain anonymous (eg: a God-incidence)! Please continue praying for the next few weeks that everything continues to go well with no complications, et al.

It is Finished

While it may be an appropriate quote this time of year, it's not what you might think. Actually, our Corps new Prayer Room is finally finished! And it's already being used to good advantage.

Pictured from Left to Right you can see what it looked like just before we added books to the bookshelf, CDs to the music rack and started posting things on the bulletin board.

In this small room are 4 doors, so it was a bit difficult to arrange the space effectively (one door is a closet and another will be locked- so don't worry about the gold cloth hanging over it).

Highlights are as follows: The room is painted Royal Blue with Gold cloth accents depicting the royal atmosphere of where we will meet with our King.

Out theme is on the banner maroon banner- we'll never give up!

We have a serious current map of the world which will help us focus on specific areas at different times.

The picture depicting 2 Chronicles 7:14 will always keep our attention on humbling ourselves to seek God's face.

We have a wall calendar from The Salvation Army in Japan to remind us of the international mission of our Army.

The bulletin board will help us keep everyone on the same page with new items for prayer and things to meditate on.

On the desk is a notebook to keep track of what we are hearing from God and keep continuity from person to person spending time in the room.

Our goal is to eventually get to 24/7 prayer, but for now we start where we are with our intercessors practically DYING to get in there and spend some quality time with God!

This is an exciting venture for our corps. Please pray with us that we step up to the plate (as it were), take full advantage of this opportunity and pray the fire down from heaven to bring revival and change the world around us.

Here's to getting the whole world saved starting in Bangor, Maine!

We are What we Watch

Today was a movie day, as it often is on our day off. As we were heading into the parking lot of the movie theater, we realized it was a day off for a lot of other people as well. The place was crowded (usually on Mondays we get the theater to ourselves)! I guess that happens on national holidays and almost everyone has the day off.

As we headed down the hallway to our theater, I felt like we just missed the party and everyone was leaving. One of the movies had just ended and we had to dodge people until we passed the group emptying out into the hallway. There were lots of kids in the crowd, so I looked to see what animated movie they just saw. Imagine my surprise when I realized it wasn't a cartoon- it was rated PG-13.

Here's what the MPAA rating says about PG-13 movies: "Parents Strongly Cautioned" and this particular movie posted this: "Crude and sexual humor, some nudity and language." Yeah- that's what I want to make sure my kids get drilled into their heads (please see the sarcasm in that last sentence!).

So what's the deal these days? What is it that makes us think we can submerse our kids in this sewage and expect them NOT to grow up to become societal problems? Why are we surprised when they develop "issues?"

And "our kids?" These are movies I shouldn't watch (by the way, we didn't see this particular movie and will not in the future)! AND we can't just talk about movies; we need to include TV in this mix as well. Some things are just NOT good to let into our heads.

This is real spiritual warfare friends. What do you think? Anything you think we can do about it on a large scale or are we stuck with what our world is becoming?

Prophetic Titles

One of the special things God did for me this year during prayer ministry times, is give me a "Prophetic Title" for each person I prayed with (I say each person, because there are many people who wish to get involved in such prayer ministry, not just the current session of students. In fact, there are a few past students who have scheduled a prayer time with me every year I have returned!).

I mentioned these titles a couple of days ago. Simply put, they are a way God sees the person. It is prophetic, because (like all prophecy) the individuals have to agree with the title and move toward it for the truth it represents to become a reality. For instance, Jesus saw Peter as a Rock. Peter had to accept that and help it come into being in himself. If we disagree with such things they will not come into being.

Some of these are truly exciting to me, so I hope each person will receive them, agree with their truth and move in that direction.

I asked if I could publish these on my blog and got the okay, so here they are (not in any particular order and I hope I get all the names right!):

Matt Armstrong - Quiet Strength
Donny Melanson - God is my Power
Matt Elcome - My Pure One
Catherine Marquis - Explorer of My Mysteries
Lisa Stewart - My Worthy One
Becky Austin - Receiver of My Radiance
Crystal Myers - My Playful One
Andy MacDOnald - My Strong One
Lynn Wagner - My Priceless Jewel
Olivia Munn - I Pour Into This one (I was heavily impressed with this!)
Kirsten Ivany - Simply Trusting in Me
Juan Reyes - Abandoned to Me
Regan Lipsett - My Treasure
Holly Warren - My Obedient One
Stephanie Lines - Beloved of God
Stephie (last name?) - My Princess
Cristina Edmonds - At Peace With Me
Nicole Brindle - Blessed Beyond the Curse
Ian Smith - Full of My Wonder
Dawn Paulson - The One That I Want (with the music from the musical Grease!)
Jeremy Strain - Mighty Warrior
Lynne Cawker - My Precious Bride; My Sun Ray

Did You Know Jesus Can Play Basketball?

I'm back home in Bangor now, but I've got so much to say about my visit to The War College, I'm not sure how I can possibly cram it all in here! I'll probably miss half of it, but I'll try my best to share in the next few days. I've even been energized to blog more, so maybe you'll see me get back to the daily blogging I did for over a year straight. Hope you can handle it all (heh, heh).

Each War College session seems to take on a "personality" of its own. I discovered this one's quite by accident during my prayer ministry times. Not all, but many students had a very similar experience with Jesus: he had them stop "running" around and sit with him. That was the gist. In fact one student spent the entire hour doing nothing, but sitting with Jesus- together watching a sunset. At one point, they were heard to mumble to those supporting her in the prayer time: "I'm sorry, guys, that nothing more exciting is happening!" But I wasn't sorry at all. Sitting with Jesus tends to "radiate" his awesome presence to everyone in the room- at least I get that wonderful sense of God's presence and can sit there as long as Jesus wants to!

So I gather this session of students is very industrious! Perhaps almost too much? If you want to see my thoughts on "Being Over Doing," you can look back to my Saturday, August 12, 2006 Blog entry. I had to remind quite a few of this truth this year.

Here's a great personal testimony of one of my prayer ministry times. I got permission to give you this reference to Lisa's Blog where she talks about her experience. I was again pleased we were meeting in the War Room, so such a deliverance like this was easy and painless! Actually, we had quite a bit of fun playing basketball and such. Lisa (who started out the most nervous of anyone this year) found out Jesus can play basketball BIG time!

I praise God for his deliverance! It is available to anyone who wants it and I have been witness to dozens and dozens of such times of prayer and victory. Why should we let demons mess with us anyway?

Hallelujah!

Another Wonderful Day!

Hmm. I'm still wondering why my class on The Apostolic is always the least intersting for the students. Every year, they seem to zone out during these couple of hours- that is except one or two who seem to really catch on. Maybe that's the idea (it sure seems true for the rest of the body)- only some are meant to "get it?" I wonder why The gift of apostle is so confusing to many?

Ah well, there was still very good discussion in the Spiritual Gifts portion. I love good discussion with interested students! In fact there was some ideas brought up which will give me something to think about for awhile. Way to go, Jeremy!

Then I had lunch with Steve & Tara. Good conversation; great company. The food wasn't bad either!

So we continued with some great prayer sessions yesterday. There is always a WIDE range of experiences because there is an even wider range of people. No two prayer sessions are EVER even near the same! I am always amazed at that. Whenever I think I know what's about to happen, Jesus takes it in a direction I never expected. God is so creative and fun!

After my last prayer ministry session, I went to Knee Drill. I was refreshed by the wonderful praises ringing up to God! Then they asked me to get in the center of the whole crowd and they prayed for me. VERY good! Individual prayers and then everyone all at once- whew! It went right through me! I have never felt so appreciated as I do here. So many people tell me how glad they are I have come and give of myself. It's very humbling and yet it build me up like nothing else.

Aaaahh . . . I love it here!

Then to top off a great day, I spent the last few hours of the day chatting with Danielle. That is always one of my favorite things about spending time in Vancouver- I get to chat with Danielle! She is so funny, creative and wise. The apostolic fairly radiates from her through her cool personality and I soak in everything I can get. I always laugh heartily, learn a lot and get my creative juices flowing to apply to my own situation back in Bangor. There goes God again- blessing me through others.

That's what it's all about. I pray God can always easily bless others through me.

Wednesday

Another great day in Vancouver! And can you believe it? It was sunny! I know- Whoa! Not a drop of rain in sight. A rare occurance and very cool.

Class went well with a lot of good discussion. I tend to think well in such settings, so my brain was in high gear and I actually came back from most of my tangents.

Prayer ministry was even better. I got a student who is very good at listening prayer, so once we got started she took off! At one point she experienced something very similar to something I experienced years ago and when I closed my eyes I was back there in the full glory of God's presence. I have often wished I could do that, so that was a special blessing for me.

In prayer with another student, we also encountered our first false Jesus image this year. So many people have a "false" image of what Jesus is like- eg: "Jesus is mad at me, so he punched me." Obviously, Jesus wouldn't do that, so we kinda know it's not really him! But people seriously have false impressions of what he's like, so it's very good to break that and let them find the real Jesus. Their whole understanding of God realigns. Good stuff.

God is continuing to give me prophetic "titles" for each person I pray with this year. Kinda like Jesus calling Peter "Rock." He was notthing like a rock, but that's how Jesus saw him and Peter was able to have that title to live up to. I believe he did in the end. Hopefully the students will live up to these as well. I will probably post them all here later.

Yesterday my day went as long as Tuesday, but I didn't feel all wasted at the end. I think God is giving me strength (duh!). Eagle's wings are kinda cool. Besides, I can crash on my long flight home Saturday so why not go all out until then? :) The great part is that when I have any break inbetween sessions, I can stay in the War Room and just soak. Soaking is good. Gotta love soaking!

Today I teach 2 classes and only have 3 prayer sessions after that. Then it's Knee Drill (powerful prayer meeting)! I'm also hoping for a "dusting off" session for me sometime before I leave.

On with God's day! Until next time . . .