Faith, Growth and Miracles

I have been reading the book, "When Heaven Invades Earth, a Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles" by Bill Johnson. 

I have to say this, I WANT TO LIVE A LIFE WHERE THE MIRACLES HAPPEN....EVERYDAY!  I have pondered on this for some time....actually since I began following Jesus back in 1973.  However, I was never taught how. 

I am discovering, through going back into scripture, reading some books and talking with some of my prophetic friends, that what I was longing to do, I can do, through the Holy Spirit.  Well...duh!   But, my question has always been "how"?  I wanted to learn...I'm a see-er/do-er person.  I've NEVER had an example shown me, except Jesus. 

I have discovered as well, that most things can be obtained/accomplished without God/Holy Spirit leading.  I have the resources to do and accomplish LOTS of things for the Kingdom.....BUT....

Yes, BUT - is a HUGE three letter word.  But - where is God in all this?  Where is God in our meetings, our programs, our goals?  WHERE?   Well...apparently for a very long time, God has been placed on a shelf and just called upon - "when needed", like a prescription drug.  I'm sorry, but I just don't go for that. 

Indulge me.  Here is the excerpt from Bill Johnson's book, "When Heaven Invades Earth, a Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles".  Faith from a Relationship page 47.

    “The Holy Spirit lives in my spirit. That is the place of communion with God.  As we learn to receive from our spirits we learn how to be Spirit lead.

     "By faith, we understand."  Faith is the foundation for all true intellectualism.  When we learn to learn that way, we open ourselves up to grow in true faith because faith does not require understanding to function.

    

 I'm sure that most of you have had this experience--you've been reading the Bible, and a verse jumps out at you.  There is a great excitement over this verse that seems to give so much life and encouragement to you. Yet initially you couldn't teach or explain that verse if your life depended on it.  What happened is this:  Your spirit received the life-giving power of the word from the Holy Spirit.  When we learn to receive from our spirit, our mind becomes the student and is therefore subject to the Holy Spirit. Through the process of revelation and experience our mind eventually obtains understanding.  That is biblical learning--the spirit giving influence to the mind.”

By 'faith'....  I think this is what has happened, at least here in America with the CHURCH (the Body of Christ).  We give intellectual knowledge the go ahead, rather than being vulnerable to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We know we can accomplish much with our resources....but come on; can't God do better, if we allow Him to?  DUH!!!  Of course He can!

The Holy Spirit LIVES in my spirit.  I asked him to, way back in 1973.  Every so often, He will stir my spirit awake, like from a long sleep, to get me off my comfortable chair and follow Him.  Okay!!!!  It wasn't until last year, in 2011 that I really started searching deep within myself.  I wanted more of God.  I really wanted MORE.  I knew I was missing out, but darn it, didn't know how to attain that - more.

Faith.  Simple and true.  Believing I have a Heavenly Papa who loves me so much, that He wants to show me the things of Heaven.  He has. In just a little over a year, I had learned to not just have a "quiet time", but to have some Papa God time, where I can go and sit on His lap, tell him things and as I sit quietly, He tells me things as well.

I have learned just from that time together I have the Holy Spirit to counsel and guide me, and help me speak words that need to be spoken.  I have been used of the Holy Spirit to heal.  Yes, my conservative Baptist friends....heal. Allowing Holy Spirit to work through this broken vessel to help another, and show His love is AMAZING!  It didn't just happen once, either.  I have been (as some call it) "slain in the spirit" with my head plastered on a table at 5 Guys Burgers, while just sharing and talking with my husband and a friend.(That was a first, by the way.)  A little worship & prayer time we were having, just the three of us, yes, in the middle of 5 Guys Burgers on one of the busiest nights they had.  God seemed to put us in a bubble, because no one really noticed us.  

As a daughter of the King, I want to live for Him.  I strive to love as He loved and to help others as He did, but not through my strength.  I fail quite often.  I'm still human and I have to repent...every day.  But, Papa God still uses me.  I get disgusted with work at times.  I am impatient.  I can get grumpy sometimes.  Yet, God still loves me and still uses me for the Kingdom, in spite of - ME!  Thank goodness.

I have stepped out in Faith on many occasions this past year.  Yes, I have.  It has been a scary journey at times, yet wondrous.  I have found that when I act in faith on what I have been told by Holy Spirit to do, WOW!  Just WOW!

This is just who I am - at this time of my life.  Good grief!  You would think at 58, I would want to slow down, right?  WRONG!  There is so much more I want to learn and to grow in.  Who wants to slow down?  NOT ME!

Dear Papa God

Dear Papa God,

I need to feel your peace in my life today. You have promised peace, and I have experienced your perfect peace beyond all understanding in times of life that are just plan hard. There is so much going on in this world, in my country, my community; so many prayer requests and needs in my church family; and special needs in my own family.

There are days I can feel so overwhelmed by outside influences. I can’t explain it. It’s like I can feel others hurts and joys. Sometimes, Papa, I’m not sure if it is me or someone else.

You know, I love to prayer walk around my neighborhood to just get out and be in the sunshine and fresh air so that Your Presence may touch each home in some way. Every household has needs. One of their biggest needs: they don’t know You. So, on their behalf, I declare blessing upon each household. I declare Your favor to be lavished upon them, whether in business, finances or relationships. I declare that angels be set upon each property to protect them from evil that surrounds them. I declare Your Truth would be revealed to them. I declare that they would begin to walk in their identity and destiny that you gave them even before they were born. I ask for the Holy Spirit to hover over each one in each household, keeping their minds clear and sensitive to Your Spirit. Lift the veil of unbelief from their hearts. Let the Holy Spirit touch them in such a way that they see Your Truth, Light and can hear that quiet roar in their spirits. Awaken them, Papa, awaken them!

Please continue to touch our lives. Have mercy upon us as we journey through this world. Give us guidance and protection from the evil around us. Allow us to sense Your manifest presence and experience Your Shalom in the midst of it all.

Thank you, loving and merciful God.

In the Savior's name I pray, Amen.

Papa God, What's in Your Heart

There are days, when I just sit quietly for long periods of time (that in itself is amazing) waiting to hear from Papa God.  This came from one of those mornings where the quietness of the day washed over me. The sounds outside were clear and sweet and then the answer came to my question:

What is your heart in this Papa God?

Light Breaks darkness

Angels ready in the wings to help and partner with you

Assignment

Strength

Truth’s light to shine brilliantly

Focus to be on Jesus and His finished work

Stronghold…breakdown the wall

Let Love in….Agape….Truth….JOY…Peace

My Shalom

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty

Who was and is and is to come.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty

Who was and is and is to come.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty

Who was and is and is to come.

Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world

But that the world through Him might be saved.

The Lord is my Shepherd

I shall not want.

He guides me to green pastures, beside the still waters

He restores my soul.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

I am the Resurrection and the Life

I am the Bread of Life

He who believes in me will have everlasting life…..

But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

No, No Daddy. I've got it. Don't Let Go!

While 'pondering' over some spiritual things, I wondered why it is so difficult to let go of control of my life and let Holy Spirit just 'take the wheel and steer'!  It just makes life so much easier, if I give permission to Holy Spirit to take control. 

I've been going through so many emotions this past week.  Faith. Strong Faith.  Then, I plummet downward and then I am anxious. I'm not sure what I'm hanging onto.  Maybe it is control. Control of my emotions. Control of everything around me. Control wanting to make it happen, which is totally out of my control.

Jim hasn't had a call back from the interview he had.  He is handling it better than he has in the past; that is growth for him.  I just feel the weight on my shoulders.  I don't like that weight.  I want it off!

Today's devotion by TERESA SCHANTZ kind of summed it up in a 'parable' for me.

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"Coming out of the grocery store, right in front of me, were a man and his young son. The little boy was desperately hanging on to a big bag of ice, trying to appear as if the act was effortless. His father was doing the actual carrying, holding it with true ease by its handle. The little boy cried out, “Don’t let go, Dad. Don’t let go!”

The father replied, “I won’t, son. Is the bag too heavy? Is the ice too cold?”

“No, no, Daddy! I’ve got it. But don’t let go!”

Thinking back on this scene, I drew a significant parallel. How like the little boy am I, hanging on tightly to my life, insisting on controlling it all by myself. I go into the office early and do paperwork through lunch, obsessed with getting ahead and forcing my career to climb. Or I pick and choose the church activities that I want to participate in, those that most conveniently fit into my life. And I plan constantly for the future, making lists, structuring my priorities to meet my time lines.

In reality, my Father is carrying the load. I could easily let go and allow Him to effortlessly carry my burdens and rule my life. I know there are times when my Father says, “Teresa, is the load too heavy? Are you feeling cold and alone?”

My answer is usually just a shift of the load. I groan under its weight, but tenaciously hold on to the burden. “No, no, Father! I’ve got it—but don’t let go!”

So I have to decide: When I wake up early in the morning and my body immediately tenses in anticipation of the day’s problems, do I want to carry it all by myself, or would I rather leave it for stronger arms to bear?

Father, be patient with my insistence that I struggle alone with my load. Teach me to let go to You."