Tag: Gifts of Spirit

Words of Knowledge Tunnel

Posted on by DSilvan

I traveled to South Bay Agape Christian Church in San Jose to go to the  Empowered Conference hosted by Revival Valley. The keynote speaker was Joanne Moody of Agape Freedom Fighters. She leads healing teams, teaches, equips and empowers the body of Christ to live out Matthew 10:8 ~

“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.’”

Towards the end of the evening we were encouraged to participate in a Words of Knowledge tunnel where the Holy Spirit would give us words specifically for the people in our group. Surprisingly, I was at peace and not anxious about this experience.

In previous times, I have excused myself to go to the bathroom because fear overwhelmed me: I never believed this could happen . . . how can I do this now? Will I hear from God? Will they be my words or His? What if I don’t hear anything? What if the person doesn’t like the word I have? What if I look stupid struggling to get a word?

However, this time I was determined to face my previous fears and overcome them. I was eagerly ready to do this anticipating I’d be able to hear the words I was to deliver. The Lord had been having me practice this with Him for over the last 6 months before my healing prayer appointments as I’d pray for each client. He’d been encouraging me to listen throughout my day to deliver words to His people He drew to my attention. God had been building my trust in Him showing up. He’d been teaching me how I receive these words from Him: pictures, impressions, thoughts of words, feelings in my body and more.

We were asked to form a group of 8 people who were complete strangers. This way we were insured to not know anything about each person in our group. The words would be completely based off of what we received, no preconceived impressions. Then we formed the famous soccer tunnel with 4 of us on one side and 4 on the other side facing the other group. Group A would start and each person in Group A would walk down Group B’s line giving each person a single, special, and unique word that popped into their mind from God when you paused and looked at them. At the end, each person in Group B would have collected 4 words from complete strangers. Then Group B would do the same to Group A. At the end all 8 of us had 4 unique words and maybe even some of the words would be repeated. This was an extremely powerful exercise of trusting God to deliver words through the Holy Spirit and then receiving what was given to us from our Heavenly Father.

The first one to speak to me was a young gentle Asian woman who was precious and treasured. Her word to me was “Wise.” That resonated. I hear this often when people pray with me. The next woman was a warrior and the word she delivered was “Regal.” Immediately I saw a picture of royalty . . . part of God’s royal team. That resonated, too. Next was a gentleman that appeared to be Hawaiian or Samoan. He walked with a cane and looked like a climber-of-large-mountains full of wisdom. He stood before me eyes closed and head down. I felt he had a word for me, but was wrestling with it. With his eyes still closed he stepped in even closer and tilted his head to my right. I really felt he had a word, but was seeking clarity. He opened his eyes, looked into my eyes, then looked down and stepped even closer to me. He was now 6 inches from my face . . . definitely invading my safe bubble space. Lol. He looked up as his shoulders relaxed and surrendered to giving me the word. He looked directly into my eyes again as he quietly spoke in a rugged voice, “Broken.” I admit I was a little knocked off kilter . . . kind of shocked, because I didn’t expect a negative word and that felt negative. Delivering any word in this type of environment takes courage to step out. Quickly trying to process, I told him “thank you.” However, I wasn’t sure I wanted to receive it, yet. The last was an Asian gentleman who seemed like a gentle giant. His word to me was “Prayerful.” This resonated, as well.

As we wrote our words down, I was trying to process through why I received that word I viewed was negative, broken. I knew the gentleman heard that word so I began asking God, “Why that word, what did You want to say to me through it?”

Right at that moment, Joanne Moody said, “Some of you might have received a word that seems negative. Maybe they missed it. Or, maybe that’s an area God is planning on working on in you. Ask the Holy Spirit.”

As I wrote my words down “Wise • Regal • Broken • Prayerful” I kept repeating them over and over in my mind. I felt the Lord say, “Yes, you are broken and I will be healing things in you, BUT your heart has always been for the ‘broken ones.’ You are for the ‘broken-hearted.’ You are My daughter that I have poured Wisdom into, a Regal daughter of mine that is Prayerful for the Broken.”

Now that is pretty powerful!!! I received that!

Afterwards, I told my husband who escaped to the bathroom beforehand, “I wish you would have done it even though it was intimidating. I think God would have delivered some powerful words to him that would have knocked his socks off!” I encouraged him and shared how I remember being there and done the same escape technique, too . . . All in God’s timing.

God is still building and refining this in me. He’s teaching me every day. Right after this day of training and seeing God do amazing things, I still wrestled with stepping out in faith. Ugh!

There was a tattooed girl in Target that I noticed. I thought her tattoo of colorful flowers was beautiful, intricate and exquisite. I felt God nudge me to tell her, “You are radiant, beautiful and extravagant. Many might be turned off by your tattoos but I think they are magnificent!” I wanted to share that I felt God impress upon my heart that He loves how you express yourself.

But . . . Nope, I didn’t do it. No shame, guilt or condemnation. Next time I will. It’s a process :o)

Understanding God’s Heart

Posted on by DSilvan

Many times I’m allowed to go through experiences so that I feel and understand God’s heart. When our older children called only when they needed something, my heart was broken. I didn’t hear from them because they were busy living life. I yearned for our lost closeness, our connection, our friendship. God showed me that’s how He feels when I only call on Him when I’m in trouble. He yearns to hear from me always, even when things are going good because He loves me immensely.

Other times He allows me to go through things to reveal how my actions hurt. He let me walk through a time where people didn’t hold their thoughts captive, didn’t choose to believe the best in me and held me to perfect standards. My heart was broken. The Lord met me then saying, “just like those friends “chose” to believe the lies the enemy planted in their thoughts, so too are you in regards with your husband. This is how his heart feels when you keep choosing to listen to the enemies taunts, read in to what isn’t spoken, assume the worst scenario and demand perfection. Beloved, hold your thoughts captive, cast away the lies, believe and ponder on only the good. Remember to live out Philippians 4:8 ~

“. . . whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Then there are times He leads me to Scripture to give me clarity and explain why it hurts. He encouraged me to read Hosea. God taught me that the pain I was enduring was because an idol, a passion, was being placed above me. I felt unloved, neglected and forgotten. He spoke gently saying that this is exactly how He feels when we choose our lusts and passions over Him. Running to these things for provision, comfort, fulfillment, security, love, and not putting Him first in everything breaks His heart. He showed me some idols He saw in my life like sugar, my husband, people’s approval. In His jealousy, and for my protection, He would not let me have these because He is purifying me. He called me to endure this so I’d understand the pain in His heart when we chase idols rather then placing Him first and foremost.

Recently He said, “when the unexpected storm hits do not get shaken for this is to be anticipated as My child. My Son went through trials and persecution, so will you. Rejoice that you are marked as Mine. Remember, I am with you and this circumstance will not overcome you because I am with you. This trial is testing your faith and building endurance for the race. I’m refining your trust in Me. In the good times trusting Me is simple, but in the tumultuous, unfair and unjust situations, when the fire seems scorching hot, trusting Me is not an easy task. However, as you continue practicing keeping your eyes focused intently on Me, you will be able to traverse the deeper waters I am taking you to. I will develop all this in you over time. Remember the story of My disciples I took in the boat with Me? I was sleeping quietly appearing to be unaware. All of a sudden that furious storm hit and they were terrified. They didn’t need to be confused, bewildered, or fearful…they need not cry out for Me for I was there with them . . . but their faith was little. I am with you, too. To get bigger faith Denise, you must work out those faith muscles by facing obstacles, calling on me and watching me quiet the storms. This will be painful, tiring and challenging. I will refine you and take you to higher levels of faith as I complete my work in you. There’s nothing to hard for Me.”

Look for Him in every situation because He is constantly teaching and counseling us to know His heart.

Rejoicing For I Am His

Posted on by DSilvan

Early on in reading Jeremiah, God grabbed my heart as He illuminated His Word and spoke directly to me…

“Before I formed you in the womb (Denise) I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” ~ Jeremiah 1:5

I didn’t really know what God meant at this time.

And I still am discovering what this encompasses. What I thought this meant was as I learned God’s Word and stored it in my heart, I would be used to speak His Word to others giving them life, encouragement, direction and gentle correction. Yes, this is part of being His prophet. But I have recently found there is so much more. I’ve been learning how I hear from God, how He speaks to me through His Scriptures and my circumstances, and I am learning how to share what He impresses upon my heart for others in order to share His love and grace He has for each person He places before me.

Rewind to 10+ years ago, a burning passion to understand spiritual warfare was birthed as God connected childhood demon-filled nightmares to an encounter with evil at a Women’s Retreat. I began researching and gathering info on spiritual warfare, not yet knowing why.

One-and-half years has passed since God impressed upon my heart to attend that yearlong Healing Prayer class. For many years I’d studied under a cessationist and was taught that some gifts ceased after Jesus’ days and that words spoken to the 12 and 72 were not meant for me. Because of this, I went to this Healing Prayer class with trepidation and suspicion. However, I intentionally tried to remain open to what God desired to show me. Being like a Berean, I searched Scriptures to make sure what I was being taught aligned with His Word. He awakened me to what He had called me to as His current day disciple, yet sadly I had missed —

In John 14:12-14 Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”

I asked God, “What are these ‘works’ Jesus speaks of? And God told me to read through John recording what Jesus was doing. God removed all that faulty teaching and transformed my understanding. He showed me personally the authority He had given me and what He was calling me to.

He continues to reveal why He spoke to me in Jeremiah; why He allowed me to experience darkness through depressions and anxiety; why he allowed me to see visions and dreams of the spiritual world; and, why he led me to a class on Healing Prayer.

In Luke 4:18 Jesus reads Isaiah 61:1-2, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

Because I no longer live but Christ lives in me, I am called to do the same. I am to exercise the authority I have been given through Jesus. I am to embrace this incomparable great power He has placed within me. I am His ambassador sent to represent Him and His Kingdom. Because He lives in me, I will cast out the enemy; I will lay hands on those He places in my path and they will receive healing from physical ailments and sickness in the Name of Jesus. The kingdom of God will come near to them, (Jesus living in me) and the Father will be glorified in the Son. (Luke 10:1-24, Matthew 10:1, Mark 16:15-18) And, I am to speak His Word to help others see how to walk in the authority He has given us as His children.

These last 9 months have been a wild, challenging, joyful, faith-building adventure. I’ve experienced God in ways never before. He showed me He would draw people to me and He has. He’s allowed me to feel His intense power as I prayed for a young man’s deliverance in my small group. He’s allowed me to smell the presence of the Holy Spirit as fragrant roses to remind me His Spirit was present as I prepared to pray for a man’s healing. He’s given me divine encounters with strangers who delivered timely messages sharing God heals immediately, as well as over time — do not be dismayed. He’s allowed me to feel a person’s pain leave her arm through mine. He’s given me timely words to share with client’s during healing prayer prophesying life and hope to their situation. He’s compelled me to do things that this introvert, don’t like to pray out loud girl has done because He bubbled up so fiercely inside me I had to respond. But isn’t that just like God, using the weak to do His work. For when it happens all the glory goes to Him. He doesn’t need me to do any of this work, but He loves to allow me to participate with Him.

Looking back through all He has done in these previous years overwhelms my soul and encourages me to follow Him deeper. Just as the early disciples came back excited exclaiming all they had done in the name of Jesus. Proclaiming that even demons had to answer to them. But Jesus reminded them that the only thing they need to rejoice over was that their name was written in the Book of Life.

Therefore, I’m left rejoicing for I am His.