Author: DSilvan

Santa Claus Metaphor

Posted on by DSilvan

Wrestling with letting go of old patterns of thinking and embracing and believing God’s Word still continues within me over this new adventure in healing. As I sit watching Christmas movies and wrapping presents, I’m pondering the many thoughts I have about this new me.

The thoughts swirl and bounce all over the map. The authority I have as Jesus’ disciple perplexes me and leaves me with many questions. Who am I to think Jesus has given me authority? Why did you wait so long to teach me about this?

This healing prayer ministry God led me to challenges me and stretches me on so many levels: Can I heal? Is God calling me to do this? Is this for every disciple? Because I’m in the class, does that mean I am one that God has called to do this?

I can’t stop thinking about all the people God keeps placing in my path that need help and prayer. It’s astounding how it seems like everyone is coming out of the woodwork and needs a touch of God. Have they always been around me? Am I just noticing now because I’m so focused on healing and prayer?

How am I supposed to survive in our couple’s small group I’ve been with for the last 12 years? They keep commenting on and looking at me as if I’m off my rocker. They occasionally question me if I’m being led astray stating that even the elect will be deceived? Are you going to the dark side? Perhaps I should take a break from them until I’m more secure in what you are calling me to do.

God has been on a mission to teach me how He speaks to me. He’s shown me various different ways He has met me and spoke to me during my lifetime. One way He communicates is by speaking simultaneously as I’m watching a movie. As I watch the image unfold on screen I can hear what God wants to say to me in a metaphorical manner . . . just like Jesus did in His parables. God explains His thoughts to me through the pictures I see displayed before my eyes.

As I was watching the Christmas movie Santa Claus 1 with Tim Allen, God spoke to me about my healing prayer journey . . .

ME: Random thoughts flit through my mind . . . “God what do you have planned? I just don’t see how You are going to use me. What is it going to look like?”

The scene in Santa Claus 1 when Scott Calvin was sitting on the bench watching his son’s soccer game and all of a sudden all the little children were lined up to talk to him . . . THEN all of a sudden —

GOD speaks: “That’s what you will look like . . . Scott Calvin with all those little children flocking to him. These will be my little children. They will come from everywhere wanting to talk to you. Seeking you for what you have.”

ME: “That doesn’t make sense. Santa Claus is a metaphor for You, Jesus. You are the One who has the gifts to give them. You are the One who is powerful. You are the One who can make miracles happen. You are the One who holds the answers. You are the One who they need. What will they get from me? I can’t be Santa Claus for them. How will I be able to do any of what You say?”

GOD speaks: “It won’t be you…it will be Me in you that does it all. They will flock to you because of what I will do through you. Don’t get confused, it’s always Me in you. Just like people flocked to Peter and Paul to be healed. My people will do the same with you.”

GOD speaks: “Do you see? You are just like Scott Calvin. He is wrestling with believing he is going to be Santa Claus. He is doubting that this is all real and that he will be able to do what is asked of him. You are no different, child. You are wrestling that I will do this through you. You are doubting that this is all real and that you will be able to do what is asked of you. His little boy believes his dad is Santa Claus, but Scott Calvin is really struggling with this new concept…Just as you are struggling with this new concept you are learning, but it’s not new it’s always been yours. Even though so many changes are occurring within Scott Calvin to point to this reality, he wrestles with grasping the idea . . . you look similar to him. Even though his body appearance is changing and he’s starting to look different than how he was . . . you are doing the same. He doesn’t like looking different to those who know him and he can’t explain why it’s happening. You feel the same way with all your friends who wrestle with believing how I am creating you into something different. You don’t like the changes and everyone’s eyes on you. Everyone on the outside is doubting this new you, just like Scott Calvin’s family is doubting all that is being said about him. Scott is beginning to see things differently and having different feelings that align with this new beginning and being surprised by it. You are experiencing that amazement, too. He can spot things about others and know things he shouldn’t know like whether they were naughty or good. You know when warfare is present. I allow you to sense it, to feel it, to KNOW it’s there. Trust that. Don’t listen to man when they doubt you and mock you. Trust the One Who is revealing that to you. As you move more freely in this, more will happen through you. Because of these things I do through you, people will flock to you. They will want to talk to you. They will seek you out. You will help them, you will listen to them, and they will receive the gifts they desire because I have all this for them. You are merely the vehicle I am choosing to use to deliver  what I have for them.

ME: “God are you really talking to me through a Santa Claus movie. I don’t think I can share this with anyone. They will think I’m crazy.”

GOD: Silence.

ME: Looking left. Looking right. Did that just happen? YES.

Sweet Smell of Roses

Posted on by DSilvan

I’ve been going through a year-long Healing Prayer class. Something that I was taught in my younger years was foolishness. You don’t go to a class to learn how to heal…God either gives you the gift of healing or He doesn’t. Period.

Well, just like God, He loves to show Himself bigger, grander, more abundant and infinitely larger than the tiny box our finite minds try to place Him in. So the adventure begins. God nudged me, intrigued me and prompted me to attend a Healing Prayer class with a couple of my friends. I thought “I’ll go God, but I’m just going to listen…I’m going to test what they say and see if it aligns with Scripture…I want to see if these ‘people’ are as crazy and unbiblical as I’ve been warned of in my younger years. I will try to keep an open mind and welcome what You have to teach me.”

All along I had the thought “If Jesus shows me how to remove the log from my eye, then I will be able to help others remove the speck from their eye…or…if I learn how to be healed, then I can help others learn how to be healed.”

When God is growing you and stretching you there are many challenges to unwrap and deal with . . . there are growing pains . . . and . . . sometimes even gangly awkward moments as you learn to walk and operate in your newly formed body.

God showed up unbelievably throughout this year. He traveled me through His Scriptures and revealed Himself in ways that are so precious to my faith walk. He’s been ever so gentle as He waited for the transforming of my mind to enable me to see actually what His Scripture says versus what authority figures in my younger years had told me was the truth.

Though there have been a handful of powerful prayer encounters in regards to healing and spiritual warfare that have happened during taking this class, the one I will share now just occurred on Thursday, December 14.

On Monday night, December 12, at my healing prayer class I shared, or basically confessed, in an abbreviated version that I had been disobedient because I had felt God nudge me to pray for a stranger, but I kept going. As I drove to drop my daughter’s lunch to her, my eyes caught an elderly man on the sidewalk hunched over walking with a cane and clearly crippled. I had been reading through all the healings and deliverances Jesus performed as well as those that the disciples had done. Immediately upon seeing him I had the thought “Go pray for him. Lay hands on him.” God flooded my mind with a couple stories I had just read: the paralyzed man by the pool of Bethsaida (John 5), as well as the crippled woman in the synagogue (Luke 13). But in my flesh these are things I NEVER would do, so I resorted to what was comfortable and kept driving. I consoled myself . . . I said “I’m dropping this off to my daughter. I have a mission to accomplish. I don’t know this man. What’s he going to think of some stranger stopping on the street offering to pray for him?”

As these many excuses whirled around in my head and seemed reasonable, I felt the Spirit in me grieved. I was convicted and said, “God, when I return if the man is present, I will pray for him. I don’t know what, but I will pray.” He was nowhere to be found. But in wrestling over my response, I wanted to confess my offense so I could be healed from the entrapment of fear that kept me from being obedient to God’s movement in my life. I promised myself the next time I felt Him prompting me to pray for someone I would take a step of faith and do it. Trusting God to be faithful and do as He has promised.

The next day on Tuesday I checked in on a girlfriend to see how everything was going. Her husband is very ill. After hearing her words, God reminded me that He had prompted me many times over the last 2 months to GO PRAY for her husband and LAY HANDS on him. I texted her and shared how I felt led to pray and lay hands on her husband for healing and asked if she thought he’d be open to it. After I sent the text I thought, “What on earth are you doing?! You are really in this now! You don’t even know what you’re doing!”

She replied, “Yes. Come over after our study on Thursday. I’m not telling him you’re coming. You just be led by the Spirit.”

Uhmmm…I don’t know if this is such a great idea. What am I going to walk into? Typically everyone Jesus heals is waiting for Him to heal them…yearning to just touch a piece of His robe and be healed. A surprise attack is not typically the way it happens!

I wrestled in turmoil. “I” don’t know what “I” am doing. “I” don’t know what to say. “I” have really gotten myself into a pickle here! “I, I, I.”

Thank God He orchestrated this to all unwrap right as I was leading a lesson on the Shield of Faith. God has perfect timing. One key thought that stuck out as I studied all day to prepare was we just need the faith of a mustard seed. Tiny. Miniscule. Faith. Our focus need ONLY be on the “Object” behind our faith. God. HIS faithfulness. HIS sovereignty. HIS healing power. HIS Spirit giving me the words to speak. HIS ability to move mountains. HIS ability to perform miracles. He was just pounding this all into me so I would lessen my focus on “me” and put my magnifying glass on Him and His ways.

I waivered back and forth throughout the moments in my day. Wednesday came and I had decided I would fast to prepare. I would pray to God seeking Him. And, I would read Scripture that God brought to mind through prayer. As nighttime came, I realized the daily activities had engulfed much of what I wanted to spend in devotion to God. I was nervous. I was anxious. I was fearful. I wasn’t as prepared as I wanted to be or envisioned I should be. That’s when this smell gently wafted through our home.

My youngest daughter and I were baking goodies to send with our oldest daughter to Mexico the next morning. I kept asking her and my husband “Do you smell that?”

They smelled nothing.

Typically smells affect me, give me headaches, make me sick so I was searching to find it so I could stop it. Someone needed to wash the lotion or perfume off. But I couldn’t find it anywhere. I couldn’t describe it, yet. But it would be there strong…then disappear. I’d walk right through it, turn around instantly and then couldn’t find it. Everyone looked at me like I was weird.

As I tried to figure out what was happening, I said to my daughter perhaps I’m “smelling” a spirit (an evil spirit is what I thought). To which her reply was “Mom, I don’t think an evil spirit would smell like what you’re describing. Maybe it’s your guardian angel.” Wow. I thought, you might be right. I’ve been praying to have a better understanding of His angels and special encounters with them. 

Immediately a memory flooded my mind of when I’ve heard my girlfriend Mara say “Do you smell those roses? The Holy Spirit is here.” I knew as that memory was unwrapped in my mind, that I smelled roses! That was it…ROSES! I knew it wasn’t a guardian angel…the Holy Spirit was letting me know He was present.

Not in words. Not in pictures.  But rather more in a way of simple understanding downloaded into my being. I knew that the smell was to let me know the Holy Spirit was present. He was with me. I don’t need to fear my preparation. I don’t need to worry about if I’ll have the right words. I don’t need to be anxious if this man would be welcoming. I need only be obedient to what God was asking of me. The Holy Spirit will be with me.

The smell of roses continued to appear off and on throughout my home. I kept checking, “Do you smell that?”

Seriously, I think they thought I was going crazy!

After study the next morning, I went to my friend’s home. She sweetly introduced me and said why I was there. He was gracious…much better at having an unannounced guest in his home than I would be. And God was good!

As I went to grab my anointing oil, it was nowhere to be found! How do you loose your little purse that holds your oil for a healing prayer appointment that you brought specifically? His wife had a tiny bottle she got from Jerusalem that had never been opened and I was able to use that…he was the very first anointing from this bottle! I asked if he was aware of the Scripture that said if anyone is sick they should seek the elders of the church to be anointed for healing.

He was cute, but somewhat annoyed, “Well, I’ve read the Bible.”

I giggled and moved on. I asked if he was okay with me anointing him and if I could lay hands on him. He said yes to both. His wife told me later that she was astonished he said yes to these.

Talking with strangers is not easy for an introvert, shy person. Isn’t it interesting how Jesus chooses to use a person in ways they feel completely inept? So I will be forced to rely on Him completely and not try to be self-sufficient. Because I did all this with ease, peace and comfort, I know the Holy Spirit was enabling and empowering me. I sat down and gently spoke with him. Gently asking him what was happening in his life. I focused on listening intently. We moved into asking questions about his health that would pop into my mind. I asked him for symptoms that he was experiencing and pain that he dealt with. He never speaks to anyone about what is going on, yet he poured everything out to me. His wife told me afterwards she was amazed. I asked background questions that appeared in my thoughts. I asked what he would like Jesus to do for him to which he replied, “Give comfort to my wife. If I die tomorrow I will die with a smile on my face because there are many far worse off than me.” His requests of Jesus were only for others. I loved his heart. I shared that his heart was beautiful, that he was living out the greatest commandment by loving God and loving others.

I felt guided through praying for each of his ailments and there were many: cardiovascular (hereditary), multiple aneurysms, bladder hernia (hereditary), kidney disease, COPD. I asked for complete healing for all areas. God brought to mind Scripture throughout. I watched this man’s face as I prayed and there was complete stillness and peace. A deep peace that made me wonder, “Did he fall asleep?” I kept praying. Speaking God’s word over him, washing him with every verse that was brought to mind. Reminding him of how much God loves him. And that though God loves that he desires others to receive, that his God desires to give to him as well.

In hindsight, I see many things “I” wish “I’d” remembered to do, like ask his pain level at the beginning and check in on him at the end to see how he was. Encouraging him to share if Jesus was speaking to him at all during the prayer time. However, because I felt the Spirit completely led me the entire time, I was relieved of the pressure to be perfect. If those needed to be addressed the Spirit would have prompted me, given me the thought and reminded me to do them.

I don’t know if any healing took place because all his ailments are on the inside and unnoticeable to the visible eye. However in speaking to him afterwards, multiple times he removed his glasses to wipe tears from his eyes.

Afterwards, this gentleman spoke words over me that left me feeling as if God was speaking through him to me. He said “You are blessed. Denise, you could have been one of the original disciples in the Bible.” There was so much more that he said, but my heart stopped at the first two and couldn’t retain much more. I was rather dumbfounded. I thought, “Wait! I’m here to bless you. Not the other way around.” But isn’t that just like God. As we bless others He is faithful to pour out blessings on His obedient servant…He’ll deliver confirmation to encourage our obedience…I listened…I stepped out in faith…I trusted God. He worked through me to touch Michael and then He worked through Michael to touch me.

I was…Humbled. Joyful. Happy. Filled to overflowing. As he spoke words of encouragement and love to me, I received confirmation that God had done something in Michael. My hope is that God will give him healing, lessen his pain, give him comfort and reveal Himself to Michael in a deeper spiritual way. He was grateful. He felt loved. God showed up. God moved. God was faithful as always.

The smell of Roses! What a beautiful smell!

 

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

Matthew 10:1
Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.

Luke 10:19
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

John 14:12
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

John 15:5-8
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

God Give Me More

Posted on by DSilvan

God has been stretching me . . .

He’s moved me from a conservative cessationist Baptist heritage which emphasizes His Word and taught me that certain gifts had ceased to exist for us as believers today . . . tooooo . . .  the opposite spectrum, the Charismatic continuationist side which emphasizes His Spirit and recognizes ALL the gifts of the Spirit and teaches that we are to look just like the church in the days of Acts.

I’m so very grateful for my Baptist foundation where God immersed me in His Word and taught me to search His Scripture like the Bereans to see if what I’m hearing is Scripturally sound.

Although growing up, ironically, I always was prompted to ask the questions from Scriputre that made the cessationists squirm . . . challenging all they believed to be true. In my spiritual immaturity, I followed what man said to me when they discounted my questions. I thought what the elders told me was absolute truth and I just didn’t understand Scripture. I was confused.

Now, God was challenging me to revisit many of these questions I had in my early 20’s. He was radically pushing me from my comfort zone to see Him from a different perspective. This uncharted territory was a land that had been characterized to me as “scary, foreign, and taboo.” Doing this was difficult. Change is not easy, especially when everyone around you exists where God is drawing you from.

When I was young I asked why are there so many different denominations? Why was the Baptist “the right” one? Aren’t we all ONE when we believe in Jesus? Why did these charismatic people fall over when slayed by the Spirit? What does that mean anyway? And, why do we disagree with this so strongly? My elders’ responses never rested peacefully, but who else was I supposed to ask? Therefore my questions remained . . . placed high on a shelf to be addressed at a later date when I was “more mature” in my faith.

God revealed to me in a picture of a pendulum that though these denominations exist furthest from each other He is present in both. He’s not one or the other, but rather encompasses ALL denominations, in between as well. He doesn’t want me heavy on either side, but balanced and embracing ALL that He is. Fluidly and freely moving with His Word and His Spirit.

In 2015, I began asking God for MORE of Him. That was my heart’s cry! In 2016 God prompted me to take a year-long study on Healing Prayer. To this day I laugh how I showed up there. I knew I was supposed to be there because the push from my heart could not be denied.  But the rigidness of the way I was raised was combatant all the way. I went each Monday night with my arms tightly crossed set to disprove what they were going to teach. I think my goal was to show how wrong they were. My thought was God heals or God doesn’t. You can’t be “taught how to heal” through prayer. This was just foolishness.

Within this class, I was confronted with many teachings and perspectives. Some revolved around the questions I had early on in my Christian walk. One topic God awakened me to was a disciple’s authority. This journey has made me stop abruptly and make a 180-turn. I had been originally taught that what was spoken to the 12 disciples in Acts was for them . . . not you and me today. But God was challenging that belief system. He has been transforming the pattern of my thinking to see how Jesus has given us the same power and authority to drive out all demons, to cure diseases, to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick (Luke 9:1-2, Luke 10:19, Matthew 10:1, 7-8, Mark 3:14-15, Mark 13:34).

However as I make this transition, I must remember to be gentle because there are 2 camps here — those who believe disciples have been given authority and those who say that this was only for Jesus’ day. I encourage you all to not be like me and easily grab what I say as truth, but instead test what I’m saying to see if it aligns with Scripture. Be a Berean and search Scripture after what I share. Seek God and ask Him to reveal Himself. Ask for MORE of Him. Beg Him to guide you through Scriptures and give you clarity. Because He will. Trust the Spirit He has given you within. You were not given a “junior” Spirit. You have been given the fully empowered Holy Spirit. He is your teacher and guide. Trust Him first and foremost, not man.

What I’m about to share with you started because I was crying out to God because of the turmoil I found myself in. As God pulled me out of cessationism and was freeing me to experience His Spirit fully alive and functioning with all gifts, I was confronted with uncomfortable situations. Many of my conservative friends had not been awakened to this same realization. I was trying to enter new ground God was taking me to but I kept having people around me holding me back, causing me to doubt, instilling fear, tearing me down as I felt I was being lifted out. I felt almost persecuted by my Christian friends. This was rather bizarre.

I felt torn between these two camps. I wanted more of God. I wanted to understand Him more intimately. But I wasn’t sure I could survive in the old place while He was teaching me all the new He had for me. Just as He’d give me a treasure, I seemed to have it snatched out of my hand by someone who didn’t believe what I was walking into.

I was confused what God wanted of me. I cried out to Him to reveal to me the truth. What camp was truth. What He wanted me to believe. Where He wanted me to stand. I needed His word to stand on and I needed to know how to defend or explain what He was showing to me. I wanted to stand firm in what He was showing me and to no longer be swayed back and forth by doubts.

He was faithful to teach and guide me through Scriptures as He unwrapped this new territory that has always been mine. He traveled me through Scripture in a rapid conversation on Saturday, November 5th as I sat with Him nestled under trees at a softball field. That’s what I love about God. I was in the midst of two softball teams, stands full of fans and these people had no idea the spiritual encounter I was having with my Heavenly Father. As I sat their with my headphones on, Bible in my lap, I scribbled as fast as I could in a small tiny journal all the Scriptures God was directing me to as I asked Him my questions.

After this intimate time with Him I was on fire!

This had never happened with me before . . .me asking a question and Him giving me a Scripture to look up. I was in awe.

One week after this adrenaline rushing encounter with God, He revealed to me what had taken place as a speaker taught me about 2-way journaling with God. God encouraged me to go back to our discussion and record our dialogue. He wanted me to put pen to paper and record the discoveries He journeyed me through in a 2-way journal.

Immediately I deciphered my shorthand and recorded it to share. Here’s an excerpt of our dialogue . . .

ME: “God I’m wrestling with knowing what Your truth is. I’ve been taught different things and as I share with others, their rebuttals confuse me. I find myself doubting what You’re showing me and I feel like a wave being tossed from one side to the other by the wind (James 1:6) I don’t want to know what people say about You and Your ways todays. I want to know what You say. I want to know what to believe.”

GOD: He led me to 1 John 2:27, “As for you, the anointing you received from Me remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. Stop going to them. But as the Holy Spirit teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit — just as it has taught you, remain in Him.”

ME: “What about all those who say I’m crazy? Those who say miracles don’t happen today? Or, this isn’t for disciples today! God warns us about false prophets performing miracles and signs to lead people astray even the elect. All of them imply that these things are happening not because of You but because of the enemy, the false prophets, the antichrist.”

GOD: He led me to John 15:20, “Remember what I told you. A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” He led me to Matthew 10:24-34, “The student is not above the teacher nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! They will say evil is using you. They will question Jesus’ power in you or the power you are using to do these things. Listen to what the Spirit tells you in the dark. Listen to what’s whispered in your ear and proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of these people. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both your soul and body.” Then He led me back to John 15:7-8, “If you remain in Me, and My Words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. This is my Father’s glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourself to be my disciple.”

GOD:  “Are you going to believe what I’m saying to you? Are you going to believe My Word is true? OR Are you going to believe those who doubt what I said?”

ME: “I’m going to believe You!”

ME: “So I’m going to be labeled as crazy, accused of allowing Satan to use me, questioned by what power these things are done…take comfort in knowing it happened to You as well. But God, when they say these things what can I show them in Scripture?”

GOD: He led me to John 14:12-14, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father… If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it.”

ME: “Greater works than these? What works?”

GOD: “Denise go back and search my Scriptures in John. He gives you an accounting of all these things seen from John’s eyes. Record them.”

ME: I began reading the book of John and writing down what Jesus did.

GOD: He led me to John 21:25, “But remember Denise. John’s recordings are not exhaustive. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

This encounter left me invigorated, exhilarated, energized, encouraged, filled up and excited.

I was left wanting even MORE!

These are the miraculous things John recorded Jesus doing . . .

Jesus saw Nathaniel under the fig tree [Jesus had Word of Knowledge] (John 1)
Jesus turns water into wine (John 2) — Sign #1
Jesus reveals to Samaritan women of 5 husbands [Jesus had Word of Knowledge] (John 4)
Jesus heals the Official’s son without going anywhere (John 4) — Sign #2
Jesus heals the man an invalid of 38 years walks at pool of Bethsaida
Jesus feeds 5000 (John 6)
Jesus walks on water (John 6)
Jesus heals man born blind with mud on eyes (John 9)
Jesus raises Lazarus (John 11)

Shattering Strongholds

Posted on by DSilvan

Our children were raised in the church and all of them spoke of God, praised God and raised their hands in worship. But when the teenage years hit, the world sucked them in, friends in the wrong crowd led them astray, their rebellious ways of their flesh surfaced and the enemy slyly entered causing chaos, destruction and discouragement. The Scripture “Train them in the way they should go and they will not depart from it,” tortured me because I wondered where I had gone wrong.

With one of our daughter’s we dealt with drugs, promiscuity, an attempt to harm herself, homosexuality, vile disrespect, uncontrollable anger and much more. I was lost. I didn’t feel equipped on how to battle these things. God spoke frequently and reassured me through His Word. God gave me two Scriptures that buoyed my faith and anchored me during these storms. One is Isaiah 43:5-7 and the other is Jeremiah 31:16-17.

Jeremiah 31 states —

This is what the Lord says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord. “They will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope for your descendants,” declares the Lord. “Your children will return to their own land.”

Over the last 7 years God has been teaching me much about spiritual warfare. He’s provided experiences, people who give me random books like “God Wins,” and packets that contain random prayers. The random prayer led me to a book that transformed how I prayed for our children: “Shattering Your Strongholds“ by Liberty Savard. God was teaching me how to fight spiritual warfare through prayer.

I love how God sets up divine appointments to encourage us and to foreshadow what the future holds. Five years ago I roomed with a complete stranger at retreat. We stayed up late talking. She shared how she was at the retreat with her rebellious daughter whom she thought would NEVER EVER come. I remember thinking, God that would be amazing. I long for that day to be seen with my daughter. But if I’m being honest, I thought it would never happen. My faith in God was lackluster.

Six months ago, our daughter was going through something. Honestly I don’t remember what the topic or issue was. However, the way I always handle difficulties is I point to God. I quote Scripture that comes to my mind in the conversation and I speak of His ways. He’s the first thing to roll off my tongue, whether I’m speaking to a believer or non-believer. My solution is always, God.

After I mentioned God, our daughter said, “Mom, I knew you were going to talk about God. I don’t want to hear about God. It’s not always about God. Sometimes I just need you to listen and say something different. STOP talking about God!”

Clearly, she didn’t want to hear His name.

Anyone who knows me, understands all I ever talk about is God this and God that. God. God. God. He is my everything and I see Him involved in everything. According to her, I just needed to listen to her and give her worldly advice, but never mention His name.

So, I stopped. I gave her space. I resolved to not say God’s name to her again. HARD!

My heart mourned . . . I still didn’t really understand truly what I was battling.

Shortly afterwards, God reminded me of the book He led me to, “Shattering Your Strongholds“. I pulled out this arsenal and began praying. At first I prayed exactly word for word what the author wrote. I began commanding all the ways of the world and ways of her flesh to be loosened from her in the name of Jesus. Then I asked for her to be bound to the opposite godly characteristic. I commanded anger to be loosened from her and for her to be bound to God’s love. I commanded rebellious ways to be loosened from her and for her to be bound to God’s obedient ways. I prayed for her heart, mind and soul to be bound to God’s heart, mind, and soul. I asked for her thoughts to be flooded with thoughts of God. Then after doing this for a few days, I could sense the Spirit prompting me to pray specific things. I continued praying over anything and everything ungodly that popped into my mind to be loosened from her and sought God to reveal what I needed to bind her to specifically. I was commanding the ways of the world and flesh to be loosened from her and commanding heaven to come to earth for her.

Two months later, our daughter called me asking if I had an extra Bible to read and if I had that Bible study on forgiveness. In all calmness I said, “yes.” Secretly, on my side of the phone, I was doing a happy dance while my heart was nearly exploding from my chest! I didn’t have an extra Bible but she didn’t need to know that. I ran right to the Family Christian store and bought her one in her favorite color. Just like how God works, two days earlier, I had just found these studies hidden under boxes in a room that I was cleaning, otherwise I would have had no idea where they were.

Within 2 hours she had both. Over the next few months she began asking me to pray and her sisters to pray. Then, she mentioned she was praying. Through moments of amazement, God’s faithfulness was becoming visible. His provision. His direction. His leading. All of it was perfect.

Two weekends ago, all three of our girls went with me to the Girl’s Getaway…even the one I thought would NEVER come. God had been working on her heart. The walls she had erected to protect herself and keep others out were being chiseled away and torn down. She was revealing brokenness within her to others and showing tears during small group. She has NEVER allowed herself to be emotionally vulnerable before. Life had taken its toll on her and she was ready to admit she couldn’t do it on her own. She submitted and surrendered. Verbally choosing to receive His free gift of hope.

God brought her home. God returned her from the land of the enemy. God provided hope for my descendants. He is faithful. He is true to His Word. He is trustworthy and worthy of all our praise. We serve a Mighty and Sovereign God. One Who is beautiful in all His ways. One Whose timing is impeccable and Whose faithfulness is never ending.

These are the prayers God reminded me of. Pray them in their entirety or take the snippets that speak to you heart. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to what you need to do. He has provided this for you . . .

Satan and His Demonic Forces

If the person for whom you are interceding has not confessed Jesus as Savior and Lord, pray specifically for his/her salvation if you have not already done so. Stand and thank the Father that it is done in the name of Jesus. Then pray:

“Father, in the name of Jesus, I come boldly to Your throne of grace and present                         before You. I stand in the gap and intercede in behalf of                         , knowing that the Holy Spirit within me takes hold together with me against the evils that would attempt to hold                         in bondage. I unwrap                         from the bonds of wickedness with my prayers and take my shield of faith and quench every fiery dart of the adversary that would come against                         .

Father, You say that whatever I bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatever I loose on earth is loosed in heaven. You say for me to cast out demons in the name of Jesus.

In the name of Jesus I bind                          ‘s body, soul and spirit to the will and purposes of God for his/her life. I bind                          ‘s mind, will and emotions to the will of God. I bind him/her to the truth and to the blood of Jesus. I bind his/her mind to the mind of Christ that the very thoughts, feelings and purposes of His heart would be within his/her thoughts.

I loose every old, wrong, ungodly pattern of thinking, attitude, idea, desire, belief, motivation, and every wrong mind/body agreement he/she has about wrong behaviors. I tear down, crush, smash and destroy every stronghold associated with these things. I loose any stronghold in his/her life that has been justifying and protecting hard feelings against anyone. I loose the strongholds of unforgiveness, fear, and distrust from him/her.

Father, I ask you to commission your ministering spirits to go forth and provide the necessary help to and assistance for                          .

Father, I have laid hold of                         ‘s salvation and his/her confession of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I speak of things that are not as though they were, for I choose to look at the unseen — the eternal things of God. I say that Satan shall not get an advantage over                         , for I am not ignorant of Satan’s devices. I resist Satan, and he has run in terror from                         in the name of Jesus. I give Satan no place in                         . I plead the blood of the Lamb over                         , for Satan and his cohorts are overcome by that blood and Your Word. I thank You, Father, that I tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy in                         ‘s behalf.                          is delivered from this present evil world. He/she is delivered from the powers of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of Your dear Son!

Father, I ask You now to fill those vacant places within                          with Your redemption, Your Word, Your Holy Spirit, Your love, Your wisdom, Your righteousness and Your revelation knowledge in the name of Jesus

I thank you, Father, that                          is redeemed out of the hand of Satan by the blood of Jesus. He/she is justified and made righteous by the blood of Jesus and belongs to You — spirit, soul and body. I thank You that every enslaving yoke is broken, for he/she will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power in the name of Jesus.                         has escaped the snare of the devil who has held him/her captive and henceforth does Your will, Father, which is to glorify You in his/her spirit, soul and body.

Thank You, Father that Jesus was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil. Satan’s works are destroyed in                         ‘s life in the name of Jesus. Hallelujah!                         walks in the Kingdom of God, which is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit! Praise the Lord! Amen.

This prayer may be prayed as many times as necessary. It takes time to realize the faith that leads you into a position of praise and thanksgiving. Stand firm, fixed, unmovable, and steadfast remembering that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

Shattering Your Strongholds Prayer

I have included a prayer from Shattering Your Strongholds by Rev. Libery S. Savard. This prayer stresses the importance of binding ourselves and others to the will and purposes of God and loosing the strongholds from our souls that prevent healing prayers from penetrating our spirits. I recommend that you incorporate this powerful prayer into your deliverance intercession. Shattering Your Strongholds is excellent reading for all involved in intercession whether individual or corporate.

“In the Name of Jesus Christ, I bind                        ‘s body, soul and spirit to the will and purposes of God for his/her life. I bind                        ‘s mind, will and emotions to the will of God. I bind him/her to the truth and to the blood of Jesus. I bind his/her mind to the mind of Christ, that the very thought, feelings and purposes of His heart would be within his/her thoughts. I bind                        ‘s feet to the paths of righteousness that his/her steps would be steady and sure. I bind him/her to the work of the cross with all of its mercy, grace, love, forgiveness and dying to self.

I loose every old, wrong, ungodly pattern of thinking, attitude, idea, desire, belief, motivation, and every wrong mind/body agreement he/she has about wrong behaviors. I tear down, crush, smash and destroy every stronghold associated with these things. I loose any stronghold in his/her life that has been justifying and protecting hard feelings against anyone. I loose the strongholds of unforgiveness, fear, and distrust from him/her.

I Loose the power and effects of wrong agreements from                          . I loose deceptions and lies from                        ‘s mind, and I loose the effects and influences of any soul ties heshe has with other people. I loose the confusion and blindness the god of this world from                        ‘s mind that has kept him/her from seeing the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I call forth every precious word of Scripture that has ever entered into his/her mind and heart that it would rise up in power within him/her.

In the name of Jesus, I loose the power and effects of any harsh or hard words (word curses) spoken to, about or by                         . I loose all generational bondage thinking and associated strongholds from                         . I loose all grave clothes from him/her. I loose all effects and bondages from him/her that may have been caused by mistakes I have made.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I crush, smash and destroy generational bondages of any kind from mistakes made at any point between generations. I destroy them right here, right now. They will not bind and curse any more members of this family. I bind and loose these things in Jesus’s name. He has given me the keys and the authority to do so. Thank You Lord for the truth. Amen”

*Used by permission of Rev. Liberty Savard, Pres., Liberty Savard Ministries, P.O. Box 41260, Sacramento CA 95841. 1993 Bridge-Logos Publishers, New Brunswick, NJ.

May we all be loosed from the strongholds of anger, anxiety, competition, confusion, control, deceit, denial, depression, disease, disobedience, distress, distrust, doubt, envy, false security, fear, fornification, gossip, greed, guilt, hostility, immorality, immaturity, independence of God, isolation, jealousy, lust, manipulation, oppression, prejudice, pride, rebellion, self indulgence, sexual soul ties, sickness, suppression, violence and wickedness, procrastination, sibling rivalry, people pleasing attributes and intimidation.

May we all be bond to love, faith, peace, God’s order, a sound mind, freedom in Christ, truth, agreeable spirit, joy, hopefulness, health, obedience, contentment, belief, clarity, kindness, security, courage, boldness, purity, faithfulness, keeping people’s names safe in your mouth, seeing the good in people, generosity, virtue, honor, respect, goodwill, benevolence, moral uprightness, maturity in faith, dependence on God, companionship, delight, God’s favor, blessing, justice, humility, harmony in relationships, submissiveness, unselfishness, peacefulness, cooperation, pleasing God, building one another up.

An Abundance of “GOOD”

Posted on by DSilvan

The majority of the time, reflection over my life’s daily meanderings becomes a microscope that reveals God’s movement in my life.

For the past 6 months, God has been surrounding me with suggestions in a certain direction — Prayer.

By looking back through the months one can vividly see God guiding me in a laser beam direction: 1) Healing Prayer year long study, 2) War Room movie on prayer — inspired to pull out ALL my books on prayer, to journal specific prayers for each family member again, prompted to color code them to pin on a “Prayer Wall”, 3) Battle Plan for Prayer study, and 4) Power of a Praying Wife.

. . . God had me CHASING after prayer!!!

So here I sit . . .

Arriving late to my scheduled appointment with God on my back patio . . . BUT I’m HERE!

Not knowing where to start . . . BUT just starting!

I’ve prayed for years. Always spontaneously. Frequently for the good. Usually for all the bad in our life. Interceding for others but always feeling they were meager offerings. Always left with a longing . . . a deep desiring for more!

I want to leave a legacy of prayer.
I want to be a Power House of prayer.
I want to demonstrate for our children and their children, and their children’s children how FAITHFUL God is!!!
I want them to see me faithfully, diligently, persistently fighting for them in prayer!

All of this brings me to this morning . . . the first morning of the rest of my journey!

I’m a process oriented person. Scheduling everything out makes me feel completely in alignment.  Yet, when it comes to my prayer life I’ve ALWAYS defended my free-spirited, pray whenever you want, don’t set a scheduled time to pray as a thing to check off my list attitude. I was adamant to not let it just be a “thing” to do, but rather shoot prayers up randomly when prompted.

Yet now, after some more learning, my first goal is to begin initiating a “scheduled” time to meet God. If King David set aside time in the evening, morning and afternoon . . . and . . . Daniel met with God 3 times a day . . . and . . . Jesus disciplined Himself to kneel with God early in the morning . . . SHOULDN’T I?

Why did I resist so vehemently to enact a scheduled time to sit with my Father when God repeatedly illustrated how important this is for us throughout Scripture?

Why did I cling to merely the spontaneous form of prayer?

Why did I settle for such a little taste of Him?

Don’t get me wrong. God LOVES my spontaneous prayer! BUT . . . I wanted MORE and He is showing me how to get there.

As I struggled at 0’dark to crawl out of bed, I hit my snooze every 9 minutes for one hour. I had missed sunrise, but I’m here!

God was faithful to paint a picture across the blank canvas of my mind while I wrestled with my desire to meet with Jesus bright and early. And, what I anticipated . . . the encounter I had hoped to receive . . . arrived in a different package than expected.

What I love about God is how He can speak VOLUMES into my soul within a matter of seconds. It’s like He immediately, concisely, and completely downloads His conversation into my consciousness with His gentle whisper. Then He let’s me unwrap His instructions, view His perspective and digest how my current situation relates. WOW! A•H•Mazing!

He’s always patient in letting His teaching meander and wander in my mind until my heart catches up and grabs hold. And if I’m being honest, the transferring of the information in the nerve endings of my brain can’t be done by myself. God must transport His truth into the fibers of my heart.

DISCLAIMER: I am FAR from perfect. I have way more areas for God to work on then are beautiful for others to imitate.

I don’t know what I was expecting God to talk to me about . . .  but it wasn’t this.

I’ve been struggling with an area of being a godly wife…putting conditions on following God’s instructions to me as a wife as long as my husband does what God instructs him do in Scripture. In the midst of my pain,  I’ve felt “justified” into allowing my hurt areas to usher me into times of disobedience.

Just for the record…this is NEVER wise to do.

Now, let’s move on to the metaphorical journey God took me on this quiet and cool morning.

My husband, Bill, and I took our grandkids to the Sacramento Zoo. We were having a GREAT time! A wonderfully fun time! Unfortunately, we informed our vibrant and animated granddaughter that we would not be able to go to Fairy Tale Town because WE, the older grandparents, were exhausted after our 5 hour Safari Adventure! And, we knew the kiddos were exhausted too as they were sprawled out in our wagon. We announced we would be back to visit Fairytale Town another day.

Well . . . needless to say. That did not go very well.  According to her all the fun we just had . . . was now. . . HORRIBLE!!!

She cried. Screamed. Shook her hands in rebellion against our words. Acted out a grandiose 4 year old tantrum masterfully.

Immediately upon delivery of our words, she no longer remembered how she ran to see the salmon pink flamingos with bubbling excitement, how she giggled when the hedgehog jumped as she touched him, how captivated she was to feed the ENORMOUS giraffe, how she laughed at the Orangutan picking things off his girlfriend’s fur, or how she raced to see the screaming and screeching chimpanzees fight as she pushed her way to a front row seat with wide-eyes!!!

Instead, she laser beam focused on the ONE bad thing that happened and allowed the rest of the FANTASTIC adventure to be killed, destroyed and stolen from her fun chamber.

I was so frustrated! We just had an outrageous time at the zoo with animal watching, junk food eating, tons of ooo’s and ahhh’s, train rides and carousel rides. Why would she look at a tiny moment and allow it to deplete all that was good? Why would she let that one negative to steal the abundance of GOOD she had experienced?

Like I began with earlier, God plastered this image of my granddaughter having a tantrum as I wrestled to roll out of bed for my “newly” scheduled quiet time.

Why was this in my thoughts?

Is this what God had scheduled for our conversation today?

I decided to camp here for the next 20 minutes and then unpack it for the next few hours as I sat with God writing.

I remembered my feelings of frustrations, disappointment, anger, loss for words, confusion, yearning for her to not focus on the one bad thing BUT to embrace all the glorious encounters she was allowed to have. Clinging to the memories and fun laughs that were had. Remembering the beautiful and majestic animals we were allowed to see, smell, hear and touch.

And our dialogue began . . .

GOD:
In a gently, loving, nurturing and teaching whisper, God said “Exactly! Denise, stop shaking your fists at Me in a 4 year old’s dissatisfaction.  Embrace the good! There is an abundance of “GOOD” in your life. In stomping around in this tantrum, pouting about what you don’t have, you are missing what else there is for you. You are alienating yourself from other fun-filled times.”

“Remember to place a magnifying glass on these good moments and allow them to flood your mind. Don’t let this one area of dissatisfaction kill, destroy and steal the 33 years of love and fun you’ve been given with your husband.”

“My timing is not ‘NOW’ for what you desire to take place.”

ME:
“That’s not fair. What about me? When is it my turn?” As the tears flooded my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. I wanted to continue in argument, plead my case and shake my fists while screaming “I want what I want and I want it now!” A picture of Veronica from Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory popped into my head. I was behaving self-centered, spoiled rotten and ugly just like Veronica. UGH!!! Okay it wasn’t that bad, but it sure felt like it.

GOD:
“Do you see how Bill experiences frustration, disappointment, anger, loss of words, confusion, a yearning for you to not focus on the one bad area that needs work, but instead embrace all the magnificent areas he gets right? That you both get right!?”

ME:
Silent. . .

GOD:
“As you plan to take your granddaughter back to Fairytale Town for more fun and adventures at a time that is better for all involved . . . I, your Heavenly Father, am planning this for you. Please be patient and TRUST me. I have good adventures planned for you, too.”

“Understand the patience I have with you as you learn to accept this time of waiting like you did beautifully with your granddaughter. No longer shake your hands in rebellion, but quietly wait for My timing and trust Me.”

“Understand Bill’s experience of pain, bewilderment and confusion. Honor Me by loving him well.”

“Understand what I’m asking of you. Be obedient in this time of waiting. Love without conditions. Respect at all times. Be his helper always. Show My love as God’s child because you are Mine, not because someone has satisfied your conditions.”

“Most importantly, in order to do this, come to me BEFORE so I can fill you up, come to me DURING so I can guide you and come to me AFTER so I can replenish your strength.”

Okay. So that was pretty jaw dropping for my first scheduled prayer time!

It probably goes without saying . . . but this almost 50 year old, experiencing a 4 year old spiritual fit, is obviously going to be meeting with God often to make it through this time of waiting.

I LOVE God!  I love His tender care of me. I love how He grabs my heart and teaches me through things I understand. I love how He’s willing to endure my 4 year old tantrums even after walking with him for almost 30 years. Always patiently waiting until I surrender and submit to Him . . . REPEATEDLY. I also love that He paired me with a humble, patient husband who is willing to stand on the battlefield as I figure this all out . . . all the while loving me unconditionally.

As my granddaughter shed tears for having to wait . . . I too experience the same.

I know God is faithful and true to His word for He has shown me time and time again. I’m choosing to TRUST Him in this area of waiting . . . until He says “Precious child, the time is NOW!”

Wherever you are, whatever you struggle with . . . seek your Heavenly Father. Hearing His words is a reassuring and soothing balm to your hurting soul . . . even when it’s for correction and redirection.

Father,

You are good, good, oh.       

I need help. Heal my wounds and forgive my tantrumous ways.

My husband, my granddaughter, my family and friends need help.

Thank You for all You have done, all You are doing, and all You will do.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Special Note: For friends and family reading this…divorce has never been in the horizon for I love this man that God has knitted my heart together with…and in case you think this is something “BIG” it’s merely about spending more quality time with me traveling…and I don’t want to wait. I’m jealous of the time he spends on the field coaching and I was looking forward to this season of life to end as our youngest leaves for college and finishes travel ball…but unfortunately, it’s not NOW.  And, I wrestle with jealousy, anger and bitterness often…REPEATEDLY having to surrender it all to Jesus.

I know I can’t be the only one out there who wrestles with things like this…but perhaps you have different areas. More difficult areas could be a fixation on drugs, alcohol, work, hobbies, pornography, affairs, really anything that steals time from you spending time with your loved one and leaves you feeling less than and not as important. 

Through my longing to spend time with Bill, through desiring Bill to want to spend more time with me on his own not based on my demands, God teaches me how He feels in regards to my devotion and time with Him. And this last epiphany is probably the most important lesson learned.

Because of this, I merely decided to reveal the ugliness of my heart and it’s needed correction in loving Bill better . . . and . . . God better. I chose to share my encounter with God in this journal so future generations of ours will know difficult times come, but God is always there. Always Faithful! Always breathing life into your circumstances. Always showing you how what you’re wrestling with relates to your relationship with your Heavenly Father.

Praise you Father for your sovereignty in all circumstances!

 

Awkward Elephant In The Room

Posted on by DSilvan

My heart breaks for this topic. There’s a writing brewing deep inside . . .

Having an almost son-in-love who is black (although, I don’t look at him as a color) I have experienced racism first hand. We’ve gone to eat with his family and our family in Sacramento and the non-verbal looks we received blaringly spoke “Why are these white people with those black people…and why are these black people with those white people.”

As if we are different people.

Extremely uncomfortable.

This was the awkward elephant in the room no one would acknowledge, but clearly it stood there waving his trunk and flapping his ears. The racist undercurrent was so strong you could almost feel it rushing forcefully through the room, violently wrapping around your legs waiting to suck you under. This was 2 years ago.

We’ve also experienced this with our other son-in-love who is Hispanic (struggling for the last 7 years to come to the US.) My eldest daughter is in San Francisco today seeing our 5th lawyer who is going to be “the one.” This “one” loves taking challenging cases and winning. My prayer is that God finally placed a lawyer in our path who can help devour the red tape and daunting paperwork that the government has asked us to maneuver through…all within a cost we as a family can afford.

In reflection, I grew up in a small town that had only 1 black boy at my high school. I didn’t view myself as racist. Yet, I would switch to the other side of the road innately…just as in the story of the good Samaritan. Where did this come from? It’s not like I had a bad experience that tainted my view and shaped my perspective. I would make racist comments, say racial jokes and say stereotypical slurs that if said directly to someone would pierce their hearts. Until my children called me on it.

Where did this come from? Why was it there? Perplexing.

As I read this article (link below) and having pondered on my feelings over these last weeks, I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t say there is still something hidden deep within my soul…I’m able to push it down…I’m able to move beyond it…BUT IT’S THERE. Even if it’s only faintly existing now like the morning mist in the early morning.

This morning I asked, “Why is this still a problem? Why haven’t things changed drastically for the better? Why do these lies remain?”

I realized I’m only 1 generation from a heritage of extreme racism that moved here to the West from the deep South. ONLY ONE. I’ve been a tiny bit removed from the dark lies so it’s faintly and slowly dissipating in me. Although I’m more “accepting” than my forefathers, racist tendencies still raise their ugly head in my heart. It’s like an ingrained fear that’s been etched into my fibers from the repeated lies I was told growing up… “THESE” people are……. “THOSE” people do this……. you fill in the blank you were told.

Do you have any hidden lies that lay secretly dormant but are quietly forming your reactions?

I’m grateful that through the refining of my being, by my girls challenging me to see with a different perspective, the lies that are like deeply grooved carvings in my belief system have been diminishing. They’re gently being sanded down so I can see clearly. I’m able to rationalize that just because one black man/woman does evil DOES NOT therefore mean ALL black people are bad. And, the same for those who are Hispanic.

Not every Hispanic or black man is in a gang, a drug lord, or a dead beat wanting to live off the system. Most of the time they are hard working humans looking to escape an oppressed country/culture and give their family a better life. They are metaphorically prisoners of the place or color they were born into fighting against a system that does not make it easy to jump out of and better themselves.

Our girls have unknowingly been breaking down the racism thread in our family. They are the SECOND GENERATION from the highly racist viewpoints. They had parents that being 1 generation removed didn’t brainwash them as intensely through fear into seeing certain colors as bad people…so they have hardly any segregating grooves to refine. They have put racism in the forefront of the older generations to face and confront. Desensitizing their irrational fears and providing a new point of reference for them to experience people through their heart instead of their color.

This has been amazing. Most of the time it’s in a good way. However other times racist comments are made in jest (and, I cringe), stereotypical sayings are said behind backs (and, my heart breaks), racial jokes are made (and, I remember where I was.) These times merely reveal that the older generation’s hearts have not yet acknowledged the ugliness that still lies beneath the murky waters of their broken soul, just like was the case in mine. More compassion, understanding and willingness to see from a different perspective will continue to help bring to completion the good work God has started within our family to break down barriers.

When you hesitate to introduce a loved one to your elders, I think it’s quite easy to admit RACISM still exists. If you would be mortified if your daughter or son brought home a black/Hispanic fiance, you must admit RACISM still exists. We can ignore it when it’s not in our neighborhood, in our back yard, or right inside our home. But when it touches your life personally and you experience it first hand you must admit racism exists…not admitting it’s existence would be complete foolishness.

One of my daughters always says “Acknowledging the problem is the beginning of recovery.” We first have to see it and admit it. Then, we can make intentional choices to change the landscape of the world around us. One relationship at a time.

We must remove the broad brushstroke that was used to teach us about people who are different looking than us and instead choose to look to a person’s heart. We might not be able to cause BIG change on a large scale, but in every person we encounter, we can make a BIG difference in their life by loving them. And if all of us did that, what a great world we would live in.

Love. One. Another. John 13:34

Father, God I pray You will remove the scales from everyone’s eyes and allow them to see one another the way You see them…with unconditional love. May You give us all a healed heart from all the wounds and lies. Father, allow everyone, black, brown, yellow, white, blue to receive Your love. A deep unending love from a Faithful Father Who adores His precious and treasured children. I pray You transform our pattern of thinking from believing the lies and viewing one another as “these people” and “those people” but instead enable us to be one Nation, united as one to do mighty things for You and to glorify You in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

We. Have. Hope.

God has shown His power in the past. He can move mountains and part seas that seem unmovable. He can restore and resurrect where division and death have occurred. Trusting in His faithfulness, omnipotence and sovereignty.

Here’s the article I read on FB.  This outpouring was ignited from these words…

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Roaring Lion Within

Posted on by DSilvan

Seriously…these images were ALL AROUND me! EVERYWHERE. The saying on the photos was irrelevant (rarely fitting what I heard from God). So, I edited them and placed wording on them that God spoke to me.

Back on April 27, 2016 God began surrounding me with images of Lions and Tigers.

The searing images are what God used to speak to me…instantly… deep within my soul. I am small, but HE is the Immense, Regal, Powerful, Protective Lion within…embrace what He says about you and allow the shadow of Him, the reflection of Him, touch the lives of all you encounter. “Denise, let Me have all of you. Let Me reign in every area of your life. BELIEVE all that I say about you. Then, your simple human form will reveal the Mighty Ruling King you serve. Let Me reign within you and God’s presence will be known”

Sitting in AWE.

Does He hit you from all directions, too?

I love it when this happens! When He drives home a point. Encountering Him like this is beautiful! I’m always left craving more.

In addition to the images, He surrounded me with music that He used to tie all the photos up beautifully with…like a magnificent wrapped gift tied with a silky red bow waiting for me to unwrap all that He had for me.

God spoke clearly each time that He is the Lion within me . . . How do I see myself? Challenging me,  “Denise, believe what I say about Me and what that means for you.”

How do you see yourself? Choose to believe the truth! 

Claiming what God has made true about me because of Jesus in me will be a life long journey. The reality of it is that the thief, the prince of this world, the serpent from days past, comes to speak lies with his forked tongue… you are unworthy, you are good for nothing, you are useless because of the things you struggle with or the things you’ve done in the past, you are unforgivable, you are poor, you are ugly, you are fat, you are too skinny, you are this, you are that, you are . . . — you fill in the blank with whatever the enemy whispers in your ear to tear you down. Those are lies! Believe in God’s truth about you. That’s what matters.

These lies that torment me come from many places. The world has warped my thinking; the enemy has used bullies, a critical parent and harsh people to tear me to shreds; as well as, my own faulty perceptions twisting me in to knots. Fighting against these lies and replacing them with God’s truths takes diligence to change the voice within my mind and transform the pattern of my thinking. With God’s help this is possible!

This entire year, God has been chiseling into the flesh of my heart His truths about me because of His Son.  I’ve KNOWN them in my mind, I’ve READ them for years . . . but many times I don’t EMBRACE them and then my behavior doesn’t portray them accurately because they haven’t traveled to my heart. I have to repeatedly REMIND myself Who I belong to and what that means about me.

I read a timely devotional on May 1 . . . clearly God had some words for me during these past 5 days. Read below and see what it says to you?

What you are about to read ties in with a past post I wrote when God downloaded my identity a fresh. Check it out here: Identity in Christ.

Sharon speaks of much of what my heart has walked through.

April 27, 2016
You Are Who God Says You Are
Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1 NIV)

Friend to Friend

I became a Christian when I was a teenager. But even after I made a commitment to follow Christ, feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy clung to me like a spider’s sticky web. The dirge of “I’m not good enough” was a song I couldn’t get out of my head. The lies of the enemy created limitations in my life. They were the barbed wire that fenced me in and kept God’s best at bay.

The problem was, I had no idea who I was, what I had, or where I was as a child of God. Oh, I understood that I was going to go to heaven when I left this earth, but what I was supposed to do until I got there had me stumped. I felt that I was always disappointing God, and I was certainly a disappointment to myself.I tried the best I could to be the best I could be, but always fell short.

Eventually I joined the ranks of thousands of Christians before me who settled in the land of in-between: saved from my Egypt—the penalty of sin in the hereafter, but worlds away from my Promised Land—experiencing the abundant life in the here and now. I settled into a stagnant faith, a safe faith, the stuck faith with other defeated believers who falsely saw themselves through a filter of past sins and failures, rather than through the lens of their new identity as a child of God.

After high school I went to college where I met and married an awesome Christian man. About four years later, I became a mom. Life was good, except for this termite-like gnawing in my gut that I just didn’t quite measure up to all the other church moms with their smiling faces. (I wonder if you’ve ever felt that way too.)

I walked around with the fear that one day I would be found out—that one day folks would figure out that I wasn’t all I was cracked up to be. I lived under an undefined self-imposed standard of approval.

Childhood echoes of “you’re so ugly” and “what’s wrong with you” and “you can’t do anything right” left me feeling congenitally flawed. I sat in Bible study groups like someone in a hospital waiting room: hoping for the best but expecting the worst. My greatest fear was that I’d be no closer to being free of the insecurity than I was before the study began.

When I was in my mid-thirties, I sat under the teaching of an older woman in my church, Mary Marshal Young. She opened my eyes to the truths in Scripture about who I was, what I had, and where I was (my position) as a child of God. I had read those verses scattered throughout Scripture before, but when she encouraged me to cluster them together into one list, God began a new work in my heart.

You are a saint.

You are chosen.

You are dearly loved.

You are holy.

These truths were right there on the pages of my Bible in black and white and a few in red.

You are reconciled through Christ’s life.

You are justified by Christ’s blood.

You are free from condemnation through Christ’s death.

You have the mind of Christ.

You can do all things through Christ.

I knew the verses were the infallible Word of God, but I felt rather squeamish hearing them, reading them, believing them.

They didn’t feel right.

They didn’t sound right.

They made me downright uncomfortable.

And all the while I was studying about my true identity, the devil taunted me with accusations. Who do you think you are? A saint? Are you kidding? This stuff might be true for some people, but it certainly is not true about you.

One day God asked me an important question—one that He is asking you right now. Who are you going to believe?

I was at a crossroads, one you might be standing at this very moment. Was I going to believe God and begin seeing myself as God saw me, or was I going to continue believing the lies of the enemy and the echoes of my past? Was I going to remain stuck in a stagnant faith because I was too insecure to take a step toward the abundant life that Jesus had promised, or was I going to march confidently around the walls of my inadequacies until they came tumbling down?

Finally, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. “God, I’m going to believe I am who You say I am,” I prayed. “I don’t feel it. I can barely think it. But I’m going to believe Your Word is true for me and about me.”

And that’s what I’m challenging you to do today. Let go of your insecurities and take hold of your true identity. Will you join me? If so, click over to my Facebook page and say, “I’m taking hold!”

I encourage you to pray with me —
Heavenly Father, I bring myself before You. I thank You for choosing me to be your child, for calling me Your beloved, and loving me just as I am. Today, I ask that You loosen from me all the lies I have believed and ask that they no longer be part of me.  Help me choose to believe that I am who You say that I am—a holy, dearly loved, child of Yours who is equipped by You, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and enveloped in Jesus Christ.  Father, when my faith waivers, and unbelief sneaks in, quickly remind me that I am who You say I am.  Lead me not into the temptation of doubting, but deliver me from my wrong thinking, from the lies the enemy throws at me and replace the deceitful words with Your truth about me. Enable me to be the child You’ve created me to be!  And in the process of changing the patterns of my thinking, may I bring glory to You!

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Here is the song that just pierced my heart! Enjoy!

God’s Not Dead ~ Newsboys

 

 

 

Who’s Your Daddy?

Posted on by DSilvan

As I walk through the days planned in my journey, I find encounters that really leave  lasting ripples deep in my soul.  The Healing Prayer classes God led me to begin taking, the Bible studies I’ve recently walked through and pictures or videos that get placed in my midst to view have all brought me to this moment in time.

Though they seem to come from many areas, God Masterfully weaves them all together to make a huge impact. Speaking truth deep within my yearning and hungry heart for more of Him.  I can see how each was meant especially for me…but not intended to stop there. What was planted firmly in my heart is to branch out freely speaking life and hope again and again to my children and husband  reminding them Who our Daddy is. My mind becomes flooded with faces of close friends and family who need to imprint these truths upon their hearts so as to NEVER forget, or quite possibly to understand for the first time.

His ways of surrounding me with what I need to hear at this exact moment is astounding.  Whether it is for healing within myself, or to help others find relief, peace and comfort in times that seem insurmountable, or to pass on as finely etched treasures for others to unwrap so they can REMEMBER who created them and is their Stronghold and Fortress for all times…no matter the reason, I’m left in awe, worshipping a Mighty God Who is for us!

I just saw a video of Priscilla Shirer speaking truth about our Mighty God! There is power in these truths.  Being a visual processor, I wrote it out to etch each truth onto my heart once again with each pen stroke.  My prayer is that as you read each truth, your heart will grab hold and embrace them as yours forever!

Who’s Your Daddy?

When you feel like you can’t handle the task at hand ask yourself . . . “Who’s your Daddy?”

You will feel SECURE, TAKEN CARE OF . . . not because of you, but because of Who you belong to!

TELL YOURSELF —
He is the 1st & the Last, the Beginning & the End.
He is the Keeper of creation & Creator of all.He’s the Architect of the Universe & the Manager of all time.

He always was, always is, always will be Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated and Never Undone!

He was bruised BUT brought healing!
He was pierced, BUT eased pain!
He was persecuted, BUT brought freedom!He was dead and brings life!
He is Risen to bring Power!
And, He Reigns to bring Peace!

The world can’t understand Him.
Armies can’t defeat Him.
Schools can’t explain Him.
And leaders they can’t ignore Him.

Herod couldn’t kill Him.
Nero couldn’t crush Him.
The New Age can not replace Him.
And, Oprah can not explain Him away!

REMIND YOURSELF . . .
He is Life.
He is Love.
He is Longevity.
And, He is the Lord!

He is Goodness, Kindness, faithfulness.
And, He is God!

He is Holy and Righteous and Powerful and Pure.

His ways are right.
His word eternal.
His will unchanging.
And, His mind is on us!

He is our Savior, our Guide, our Peace, our Joy, our Comfort, our Lord!
And, He Rules our lives!

I SERVE HIM BECAUSE  . . .
His bond is low.
His yoke is easy.
His burden is light.

His goal for us is abundant life!

I FOLLOW HIM BECAUSE . . .
He is Wisdom of the wise.
He is the Power of the powerful.
He is the Ancient of days.
He is the Ruler of rulers.
He is the Leader of all leaders!

His goal is a relationship with me!

He will NEVER leave you!
NEVER forsake you!
NEVER mislead you!
NEVER forget you!
NEVER overlook you!
And . . .NEVER cancels your appointment in His appointment book!

When you fall, He will Lift you up.
When you fail, He will forgive you.
When you are weak, He is strong.
When you are lost, He is your way.
When you are afraid, He is your courage.
When you stumble, He will steady you.
When you are hurt, He’s going to heal you.
When you are broken, He will mend you.
When you are blind, He will lead you.
When you are hungry, He will feed you.
When you face trials, He’s with you.
When I face persecution, He shields me.
When I face problems, He will comfort me.
When I face loss, He will provide for me.
When we face death, He will carry us all home to meet Him

He is everything . . . for everybody . . . everywhere . . . every time, and in every way!

He is your GOD!!!

And this is Who you belong to!!!

I pray that these truths will grip you like never before and give you peace and comfort that surpasses all human understanding. Be strong and courageous because you KNOW Who you belong to.

I’m including the link to her youtube video because her delivery is beautiful! Close your eyes and listen. Let it permeate every fiber of your being. Enjoy!

French Coffee Press & Crockpot All Day

Posted on by DSilvan

Over the weekend we had a special guest speaker at church, Rene Schlaepfer .  He’s the pastor at Twin Lakes Church in Aptos, California next door to  Santa Cruz.  What an amazing story teller he is.  My husband and I loved his message.  During our brief encounter with him we were inspired to intentionally use our iphones to capture pictures daily of beautiful things…things we’re grateful for…as a way to “frame” our life to focus on the positive and “notice” the amazing things we encounter DAILY because of our amazing God.

I innately peer through glasses as a “realist”…but really that means I naturally view things from a negative bent.  These marred lenses are something God has been redefining, adjusting and refocusing through the years.  For others I’ve always been able to see the silver lining on their situation, however when immersed in a difficult quagmiry mess, I look at the yuck…I mean…I used to only see the ugliness.  But, what I’ve noticed is there are new sproutings occurring within me…I’m LOOKING for the good in the darkness…the lessons being brought forth for new beginnings…a fresh perspective… a new song on my lips.  So, this concept of “framing” my life through my iphone will help me look for God’s beauty in everything on purpose.  Intentionally looking for good.  This treasure I will be incorporating into my everyday life!  I challenge you to do the same.

Another tidbit he reinvigorated and breathed fresh life into, is the concept of meditating on God’s word.  I’ve done this often throughout my walk of faith. However, he created a  picture that enlivened and awakened my desire to begin again.

Place God’s Scripture in a French Coffee Press, “slowly, reading God’s word, pressing gently down to steep on a word or two” gleaning what God had in store for me that day…working hard to get the “woodsy, aromatic, earthy, fruity, richness” of His word.  And…then…I can take that same verse and CROCKPOT it all day…meditating on what God was saying to me.

Funny how routine things that have taken on a form of staleness can take on a different appearance.  This isn’t anything new.  I’ve marinated in God’s word like this often, but God grabbed my heart through the picture of the French Coffee Press and Crockpot and said “Denise, I want you to do this more intentionally! There is a rich, warm, tenderness that you’re missing from My word.”

Rene gave us a weeks worth of Scriptures to start with and WOW! Loving it!

Psalm 145:2 is where we started:

“Every day I will bless you
    and praise your name forever and ever.

I read this slowly, pondered over each word.  Reading it again and again.  And then I started having questions…

“Wait. God HOW can I ‘bless’ You?”
“What does blessing You really mean?”
“Really God, even as I’ve been having trouble dragging myself out of bed the last 4 weeks after being sick…EVERY DAY I will ‘choose’ to bless you?”
“What does that look like?”
“God…is this what You’ve been speaking to my heart recently? Is this why I told people even in the ugly we can find things to be grateful for?  You’ve been spinning and transforming my perspective in the midst of the hard moments, weeks, months, years. I’ve been finding myself grateful in the hard experiences of losing our home, our diminishing finances, our loss of health, and destruction of many things we took for granted…Is this what you’re speaking of?”

I mean really…how do “I”, the created, bless God, the Creator?  The Maker of Heaven & Earth.  The Self-Existent One. The Everlasting God. The Beginning and the End. The Alpha and Omega.  The Almighty God.  Sitting quietly perplexed…

I eagerly swiped open my Blue Letter Bible app so I could research what “bless” meant in Hebrew.  Words in Hebrew and Greek usually mean so much more than the simple word we give them in English.  I know, you’re getting to see the “geeky” side of me, but this is where God meets me best.  Digging into His word, unwrapping what He said at it’s basic original meaning.  I LOVE doing word studies!  For all of you, maybe reading the Scripture seems so simplistic, “duh…Denise.” But for me to understand the simplistic, my brain requires me to research, dig, pick apart, digest for longer periods of time in order to get God’s simple words.  It helps me understand God better and what He’s asking me to do.

Just in case you have never used Blue Letter Bible, I want to give you step by step so if you’re intrigued and want to try this out for yourself…you’ve been given some simple guidance.

When you open up BLB, at the top of your screen, for  an iphone, there is a Bible that is displayed open, touch that icon. In the search bar type in your Scripture reference.  In this case it would be Psalm 145, then click search at the bottom.  I read the Bible typically in ESV (closest word for word translation) or NIV (easier version to understand). I believe the app default is New King James (NKJV).  If you’d like to switch, tap on the Psalm 145 header and it will bring up: the Books of the Bibles, OT & NT, and Bibles….click on Bibles, then Manage Bibles, and you can select different translations to read.

Now that you’re in the Bible version you desire, scroll down to the verse you desire to dive into deeper and tap that verse.  Our verse is Psalm 145:2, so tap on the #2 verse.  Now you will have many selections, but what you want for a word study is “Interlinear/Concordance.” This will take you to the Hebrew text for Old Testament (OT) and each word has a lexicon reference# and Hebrew word displayed.

Because I wanted to know what it meant to “Bless” God, I looked up “I will bless:”  #1288, “barak.” Tap that phrase and the meaning comes up.  Sometimes it’s exactly what the translators wrote in English and it supplies no additional meaning, but in this case I was able to see what God meant in a deeper fashion that helped my heart grasp what David was saying for God. *Even more can be read under the Strong’s Definition and under Gesenius’s Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon.

Bless – “Barak”
To kneel, adore, praise, salute, kneel before our Maker…Jehovah. Celebrate God.

Then I wanted to know what Praise meant, so I looked up “You, And I will praise:” #1984, “Halai.”

Praise – “Halai”
To shine, flash forth light, boast, glorify, to rave, show, celebrate

To make show – external appearance, grandiloquent words

To sing, praise, celebrate

Then I wanted to know what Name meant, so I looked up “Your Name:” #8034 – “Shem.”

Name – “Shem”
Name, reputation, glory, character

All of a sudden a beautiful picture was revealed to me on what God was saying to me in Psalm 145:2 — “Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.”

Every day no matter whether I’m in a bad, hurtful, ugly, trying place or a wonderful, amazing, easy, joyful, time, I will choose to bless God.  I will kneel down and adore my faithful God.  I will praise and salute Him for His mighty ways.  I will kneel down before my Maker, Jehovah and CELEBRATE my sovereign GOD!  I will sing praises of His mightiness, I will shine a light on His unending love for me.  I will celebrate and boast over all the great deeds and works He has down throughout time and in my life.  I will boast, rave, glorify and show all in my midst how amazing my God is.  I will use grandiloquent words to speak of His Name, reputation, glory and character forever and ever.

Now after studying His word deeper, I was able to grasp a much crisper picture of what He was encouraging me to do through David’s words in this tiny verse in Psalm 145. For me, doing this takes a black and white verse that in basic form appears 2-dimensional and transforms it instantly before my eyes.  As I combine the additional understanding I’ve unearthed, brush strokes with vibrant rainbow colors are masterfully applied and brings to life a 3rd dimension so I can wrap my hands around His words. WOW! Right?!

Now I encourage you to take a moment to read through all 21 verses of this Psalm.  David provides specifics on what each item he refers to.  He clearly tells us how we are to bless Him and praise His name.  Below I’m recording everything I gleaned from this Psalm…write down what God whispered to your heart during this time in His word.

I can’t wait to get to tomorrows Coffee Press. What will God provide as I place His word in the crockpot all day to simmer…what tender meat will He provide for me to savor at the end of the day.

Thank  you Jesus for supplying faithful servants to remind us how your Word feeds us. How if we are obedient and read Your word as food for our soul, You will be faithful to fill us up.  We don’t survive on merely food alone, but on the word of the LORD. Amen.

Father, to my husband, to my children, to my brothers and sisters, to my parents, to my friends, to my acquaintances, to my readers, I will:

…speak of Your greatness
…exclaim how greatly You are to be praised
…shout from the mountains how Your greatness is unsearchable
…commend Your works
…declare Your mighty acts
…speak of and teach how to meditate on the splendor of Your majesty
…tell of Your wondrous works
…share Your awesome deeds
…declare Your greatness
…speak of the fame of Your goodness
…sing aloud of Your Righteousness
…share how Merciful and Gracious You are
…celebrate how You are slow to anger
…boast of Your abounding steadfast love
…exclaim how You’re good to all
…explain how Your mercy is over all You have made
…give thanks to You as on of Your works
…bless You as Your saint
…share the glory of Your Kingdom
…tell of Your power
…make known to the children Your mighty deeds
…teach them of the glorious splendor of Your kingdom
…share how Your kingdom is everlasting
…explain how Your dominion endures throughout generations
…speak of how faithful Your words are
…tell how kind You are in all Your works
…share how You uphold all those who fall
…speak of how you raise all those who bow down
…instruct how are eyes are to look to You
…remind how You give food to us in due season
…celebrate how You open Your hand
…bring focus to how You satisfy the desire of every living thing
…sing of how You are righteous in all Your ways
…remind them that You are kind in all Your works
…teach that You are near to all who call on You in truth
…share how You fulfill the desires of those who fear You in reverence
…shine a light on how You hear our cries
…joyously celebrate how You save us
…remind all that You preserve all who love You
…warn the wicked You will destroy them
…speak with my mouth and sing with my voice the praise and adoration of Your ways
…sing and praise Your reputation and character
…boast of Your name and glory
…glorify, shine a light on and celebrate Your ways forever and ever

After reading and journaling all God had for me, I found it interesting that in all 21 verses David spoke of POSITIVE words of affirmation and praise of God (43 praises to focus on.)  There was only half a verse at the very bottom that spoke of the negative that can be experienced from those who are against God.  That means in that 21 verses of Scripture 98% was focusing on God’s beautiful character and only 2% was reminding of the wrathful side.  Is that not a beautiful picture of how we, as Christians, are to fill our speech with an abundance of focusing on God’s goodness, mightiness and amazing ways.  Rather than getting stuck on the ugliness and beating lost ones with the terror of what awaits them because of x, y and z, we are to inundate them with praise and adoration of a Mighty God that has done miraculous things in the past for the Israelites and how He’s met us in our own life today.  God’s love, faithfulness, goodness, works and mighty deeds are what win people over for Him.  We need a God like You in a world that surrounds us with pain, fear and trials.  Father I pray that You will remind us daily how to do as You ask us to do…Love on the people You’ve created so they may see a clear and accurate painting of You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Identity In Christ

Posted on by DSilvan

This list of Biblical truths reveals who God made you to be and what you enjoy as a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  You can’t earn these qualities for they are from the grace of God, a free gift, when you were born into God’s family through faith in Jesus.  I encourage you to embrace, own and commit these to memory.  Knowing exactly whose you are and the qualities you possess as a child of God will help you grow and mature in your walk with Jesus.