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6 (or 12) min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-8-2021 November 8, 2021 Excavate to the Foundation (Day 1) My friend, Greg Hood, has now had 3 dreams involving Tennent’s Well of revival. The first one explained Tennent’s role in the First Great Awakening, which was bringing fresh fire/revival to the clergy of that day (you can read it here). The second one was about fresh fire coming to the church in Nashville (you can read it here). This latest dream (from September 27, 2021) is regarding fresh fire coming to restore ministers who have fallen into sin and feel disqualified. It also has to do with the different streams in the body of Christ being cleansed, becoming one river and working together. This is a lengthy dream, filled with important insights, so I will take 3 days to discuss and pray into it with you. I will not get to the portion that includes Tennent today, but am mentioning it because this evening and tomorrow I will actually be at the place where Rev. Tennent ministered. I am going because of these dreams, to pray and decree what Holy Spirit is saying to us, from the place where the well was dug. At times, I feel it is important to actually honor what Holy Spirit did by going to that very place. I will share insights as we go through the dream, rather than sharing all of it and then looking back at portions. My comments are in italics. (The dream in its entirety is at the end of today’s post. You can find it on our Give Him 15 website: www.givehim15.com) EXCAVATE TO THE FOUNDATION “The dream began with Dutch and I standing in front of a building in which we were to hold a meeting. It was a large, well-known church building. Things seemed odd as we stood there. There were no people and the sign was not lit. I ran up the steps of the church to check the doors and shouted back to Dutch, ‘They are locked. The doors are locked.’” Obviously, the dream begins by saying things are not right with the church (not just this one but the church at large). It is empty, dark, and the doors are locked, signifying inactivity and/or a lack of productivity. Arguably, the church in America has had little impact on the nation the past 3 or 4 decades. I’ve heard it said that we’ve become a subculture, not a counterculture, and I would agree. Yet, God is not finished with us. He has been working in the church and revival is coming to her. “As I made my way back down the steps to where Dutch was, an angel approached us. He handed Dutch a folded note and said, ‘Go to the Anabaino Cafe. I have written the address on the note.’ We looked at the paper and the address was ‘4 Ephesians Street, Suite 4-7.’” This address is obviously referring to Ephesians 4:4-7. This passage is where we would find our instructions. The passage says: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” The following verse, 8, says Christ gave “gifts” to us “when He ascended” to Heaven. Because of this, these gifts are sometimes called the “ascension gifts.” They are listed in verse 11: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. These are giftings or anointings of Christ, whose name means “anointed one.” He apportioned His anointing into 5 gifts and gave them to the church. They are NOT positions or titles; they are functions. Greg did not know it, but the name of the cafe, Anabaino, is actually the Greek word for “ascended.” It was the Ascension Cafe, with the Ephesians 4 address! Obviously, the dream is saying that unity - honoring one another - and the full release/function of these five ascension gifts will unlock what the church needs and turn the lights on. Also, with Ascension being the name of a cafe, it seems Holy Spirit is telling us we must be “fed” by these ascension gifts. “It was more of a truck stop than a cafe. We went inside and sat at a round table surrounded by five chairs. I can recall in the dream looking out the window and seeing many large flatbed trucks with heavy equipment loaded on them. Dutch commented to me, ‘Isn't that different, not one box truck in the yard. Every truck is carrying heavy equipment. There is going to be a lot of earth moving going on around here.’ “We were served breakfast and as we ate a man walked up to the table and said, ‘I see there are three more that will be joining you. I will go ahead and bring their meal out for them.’ “Dutch said to me, ‘Hood, who are we expecting to join us?’ “I replied, ‘It’s [Greg gave me the names of a Charismatic Baptist leader, a Word of Faith leader, and a prophetic teacher influential in marketplace ministry. I do not have their permission, so I won't share their names.] They are on their way, having received the same instructions we did.’ “The waiter arrived back at the table with our food, along with utensils for all, wrapped in an odd-looking napkin. “Looking up, we could see the other three men coming through the door of the Anabaino Truck Stop/Cafe. They came to the table, sat down and Dutch said, ‘Good to see you guys. Glad you made it. So, you got the same note we did!’ “One of them said, ‘We did and we are here! The time is here! All I have been prophesying for 50 plus years is upon us. I am as excited and full of fire as I have ever been. Let’s eat! We've got a lot of work before us.’” All of the 5-Fold Ascension gifts of Christ are embodied in these 5 men. They also represent several different movements of Holy Spirit over the past 50 years: healing, Charismatic Movement, Jesus People Movement, teaching, faith, evangelism, prayer, apostolic, prophetic, 7 mountains of culture/society, and more. “The gentleman who brought the food to our table approached again and said, ‘I am glad you all are here. Unwrap your utensils.’ As we did, we could see that the utensils were wrapped in a scroll. Each scroll had words written on it, which I could read. “Every scroll had written across the top, ‘Operation Hidden Treasures/Convergence of the Streams.’ In addition to this: On one scroll was written, ‘Dredging Deeper.’ Another held the words, ‘Pentecost Hovering Platforms.’ A third read, ‘Sand to Rock.’ Dutch’s Scroll had written on it, ‘Excavate To the Foundations and Enlist Men.’ And the scroll I held read, ‘Navigate the Water.’” The headings are interesting, to say the least. I won’t go too deeply into them here, but will summarize them. We would obviously be going “deeper” in the Word and operations of Holy Spirit than we ever had before. There would be a hovering and outpouring of the Holy Spirit - a “Pentecost” - which would sustain and increase our ability to influence others (“platform”). We were going to be doers of the word (those who built on the rock - Matthew 7:24-27), not hearers only (those who built on the sand). The “foundations” of the church would be emphasized: Christ (and His Word) is the Chief Cornerstone; apostles and prophets are also a part of the foundation (Ephesians 2:20). We would obviously be “enlisting” more leaders/workers into the effort of the church. And we would have to be able to “navigate” the waters of the Spirit. Wow..! We will understand more of this in tomorrow’s post. But let’s pray into this now. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for Your gifts to us. You have equipped us for the assignment You have given us. We embrace the anointing of our King, Jesus. We honor Him as our Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher. We receive from His anointing and through it, minister His salvation into the earth. We thank You for our family - Your family, Your kids. Please forgive us for the division and disunity we have allowed to plague us. Some of it is born of pride, some of religion, all of it is from satan, the accuser of the brethren. Deliver us from all that divides us. We ask You to take us deeper. We ask for a fresh Pentecost. We ask You to foundation us once again on the “rock” of doing what You say in Your Word. And we ask You to give us increased sensitivity to navigate deeper waters from Holy Spirit. We ask this in Christ’s name, amen. Our decree: We decree that the church will go from disunity and competition to the spirit of brotherly love and harmony. _______________________________________________________________________________ Here is the dream in its entirety: Operation Hidden Treasures September 27, 2021 (A dream given to Dr. Greg Hood) “The dream began with Dutch and I standing in front of a building in which we were to hold a meeting. It was a large, well-known church building. Things seemed odd as we stood there. There were no people and the sign was not lit. I ran up the steps of the church to check the doors and shouted back to Dutch, ‘They are locked. The doors are locked.’ “As I made my way back down the steps to where Dutch was, an angel approached us. He handed Dutch a folded note and said, ‘Go to the Anabaino Cafe. I have written the address on the note.’ We looked at the paper and the address was ‘4 Ephesians Street, Suite 4-7.’ “It was more of a truck stop than a cafe. We went inside and sat at a round table surrounded by five chairs. I can recall in the dream looking out the window and seeing many large flatbed trucks with heavy equipment loaded on them. Dutch commented to me, ‘Isn't that different, not one box truck in the yard. Every truck is carrying heavy equipment. There is going to be a lot of earth moving going on around here.’ “We were served breakfast and as we ate a man walked up to the table and said, ‘I see there are three more that will be joining you. I will go ahead and bring their meal out for them.’ “Dutch said to me, ‘Hood, who are we expecting to join us?’ “I replied, ‘It’s [Greg gave me the names of a Charismatic Baptist leader, a Word of Faith leader, and a prophetic teacher influential in marketplace ministry. I do not have their permission, so I won't share their names.] They are on their way, having received the same instructions we did.’ “The waiter arrived back at the table with our food, along with utensils for all, wrapped in an odd-looking napkin. “Looking up, we could see the other three men coming through the door of the Anabaino Truck Stop/Cafe. They came to the table, sat down and Dutch said, ‘Good to see you guys. Glad you made it. So, you got the same note we did!’ “One of them said, ‘We did and we are here! The time is here! All I have been prophesying for 50 plus years is upon us. I am as excited and full of fire as I have ever been. Let’s eat! We've got a lot of work before us.’ “The gentleman who brought the food to our table approached again and said, ‘I am glad you all are here. Unwrap your utensils.’ As we did, we could see that the utensils were wrapped in a scroll. Each scroll had words written on it, which I could read. “Every scroll had written across the top, ‘Operation Hidden Treasures/Convergence of the Streams.’ In addition to this: On one scroll was written, ‘Dredging Deeper.’ Another held the words, ‘Pentecost Hovering Platforms.’ A third read, ‘Sand to Rock.’ Dutch’s Scroll had written on it, ‘Excavate To the Foundations and Enlist Men.’ And the scroll I held read, ‘Navigate the Water.’ “We then realized that the man serving us at the table was the same angel who had given us the note at the steps of the large church building. He began instructing us regarding this assignment: ‘Each of you has a truck outside in the parking lot. Each truck has equipment on it. Take your truck and equipment and go to the Valley Of the Streams. Dutch, you and Greg will share a truck.’ “I could see that one truck had large pumps on it, another had platforms that hovered and a third had a dredging machine. The one I was in, with Dutch driving, had a large excavator on the trailer. Each of us went to our trucks and left for the streams.” “We drove onto a very large lot in the Valley of the Streams, which was filled with more dredging machines, large pumps and other kinds of equipment. We were met there by many workers who began complaining about working conditions, having to work overtime and the stressful environment in which they had to work. One of the leaders stepped out from his 18-wheel rig and said to them, ‘You're all fired! We’ve had enough of whining laborers. This job requires backbone. Now, grow one or leave!’ “They all left! “We looked at him and thought, ‘What are we going to do now? There are no laborers to complete this mission.’ “Dutch said, ‘We have the scroll that says “Enlist Men.” Hang tight, we will be back soon!’ “The charismatic Baptist leader spoke up and said, ‘We will have all the equipment in place by the time you return. We will not miss this outpouring.’ “There was an old bus sitting on the lot we were on which looked like it hadn't been driven in years. Written on the side of the bus, in faded paint was, ‘The Gospel of the Kingdom and on the back of the bus was a bumper sticker that read, ‘Honk if you love Jesus!’ “We boarded the old bus and Dutch said, ‘Which way, Hood?’ “I said, ‘We are going toward Hebron.’ As we made our way down the road we passed many church buildings that were abandoned and/or dilapidated, then came to a city limit sign that read, ‘Hebron: Population Undetermined.’ “Just past the sign I said to Dutch, ‘turn right!’ He made a sharp, quick right turn down a narrow dirt road, which led us to a wooden building. The building’s sign read, Tennent’s Tavern & Well! Dutch and I walked into the building. We could see many men and women sitting at tables in this dimly lit room. All of them had empty cups in front of them. “Dutch shouted, ‘I NEED YOUR ATTENTION! We are here to enlist people for a new dredging and excavating project. It is the merging of the steams! It’s the Third Great Awakening and it is the opportunity of your lifetime!’ “A man spoke up from the back and said, ‘How can we work if our cups are empty? How can we be enlisted if we have been forsaken?’ “Dutch did not address this man's question. He stepped back and opened the door to let more light into the room, then decreed with a forceful voice, ‘I ACTIVATE THE MANTLE OF TENNENTS’ WELL! I DECREE YOUR CUPS ARE FULL! DRINK THIS NEW WINE AND MEET ME OUTSIDE!’ Dutch went on to say, ‘Bring your work gloves because this is going to be like nothing you have ever worked on in your entire life.’ Their cups filled. They drank. “Dutch and I walked outside. “While inside the building, we had not been able to clearly see who these people were. We actually did not know who we had just enlisted. As the people began to emerge from the building, we could see them more clearly and knew they were 5-fold ministers who had fallen or been rejected in their ministry. They were outcasts, driven away from the church for one reason or another. We recognized many of them who once had nationally known ministries. Others had served locally in their communities. “I said to Dutch, ‘Look at their gloves. Those are not work gloves; they’re boxing gloves.’ As we looked closely we could see that their gloves, like they themselves, were tattered, torn, dry, and cracked from age and weathering. Dutch and I began weeping. Then we saw that each pair of gloves had written on them: ‘evergreen’ and ‘everlast.’ There were hundreds of former leaders standing before us with smiles on their faces and fire in their eyes from the new wine they had just ingested. “Dutch said to them, ‘LOAD UP, WE ARE GOING TO WORK!’ “We arrived back to the Valley of the Streams. Those who had been reenlisted unloaded and made their way to the equipment they were familiar with, then went to work. “The 3 leaders who had stayed at the work site approached us and said, ‘We have dredged deeper than ever before. We’ve gotten enough of the muck out of the streams to where they won’t pollute each other.’ “One of the leaders said to us, ‘We got set up and started working. Our pumps have removed the sand from the bottom of the streams and we've found rock. Solid rock! The water is clearer than it has ever been.’ “Another leader said, ‘Dutch, you guys will have to navigate your excavations from the water, not the land. I have the Pentecost Platforms ready. Actually, I had to rewrite the entire manual of operation because it was so cluttered with religion. The platforms will carry your excavators as you and your team remove the land between the streams to create the river. The Pentecost Platforms are ready to board and can handle the weight of your excavators.’ “Dutch then began to address the work crews that were on the excavators. We could see that each of them had on work shirts like those bearing company names and the workers’ names on them. The company name on these shirts was ‘Mamlakah,’ a Hebrew word meaning ‘kingdom’ (which Greg did not know), and the name of all the workers was the same on every shirt: ‘Hidden Treasure.’ “Dutch and I climbed aboard the first excavator and loaded it on the first Pentecost Platform. The workers, along with other leaders, also boarded excavators and drove them up on Pentecost Platforms. Another leader and a team of workers monitored the Pentecost Platforms. We began to remove the land between the streams. Once we started this portion of the work, it took twelve months to complete it, after which a great river burst forth that had never before been seen in the history of humankind. By the Spirit, I knew that the work was completed in the month of September.” End of Dream. __________________________ You can learn more about Dr. Greg Hood here. Click on the link below to watch the full video. 183 likes. Post marked as liked

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-5-2021 November 5, 2021 A Harvest Dream In the great revival that has begun, all of the earth will be impacted. An incredible harvest of people from the Muslim world will be reaped for Christ. He loves them very much. We must not allow our love for Israel to blind us to God‘s love for the other people of that region. Ishmael was not rejected by God as a person; he was simply not the chosen lineage from which Messiah would come. Some would say this harvest among the Muslim world has already begun. I was recently told by a credible source that more conversions to Christ were occurring in Iran than anywhere else in the world. Afghanistan, they said, was number two. It is little wonder that the turmoil occurred in Afghanistan recently, as satan‘s wrath manifested toward what is happening. Supernatural events are occurring to produce this harvest. Miracles, dreams, and visions are common. It was reported to me by the same person that when many people in that part of the world hear about Jesus and the gospel, their response is, “Oh, I know who He is. He comes to me often in my dreams.” I was recently sent a dream (November 3) given to worship and prayer leader, Tami Flick, from Kalamazoo, MI, which I believe is referring to this great harvest. The dream is regarding a field of bones in Aram, which would be modern-day Syria, southeastern Turkey, and parts of Lebanon and Iraq. Aram was a descendant of Shem, a son of Noah (Genesis 10:22). The Aramean people descended from him, and the Aramaic language takes its name from Aram. In the dream, the resurrection power of Christ comes to these bones, just as it did to the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37. “I was with Dutch Sheets and many others in the body of Christ. We were gathered in a field called ‘The Field of Aram.’ Dutch had somehow discerned from the Lord that we were to pray for resurrection life over this field. Though we didn’t know it originally, it was a field of bones, from back in Biblical times. “You couldn’t tell it was filled with bones - it simply looked like a field of neglected farmland. However, we somehow discovered they were there. In the dream, I was given a vision in which I glimpsed the people from whom these bones had originated. They were mainly women and children/youth from Biblical times, wearing robes and loose-fitting clothing. “Dutch felt strongly that we were to pray and declare resurrection life over the field. I was overwhelmed by the thought. What kind of power might that be, God coming to resurrect a field of bones? I had been in the field, but wondering what it would look and feel like when the breath of God was released to raise up the bones, I moved to the edge of the field. “I must not have been the only person thinking that, for soon, many people were around me on the outside of the field, along a path/road. Even Dutch did so, and was next to me at one point. In awe, I told him, ‘Sir, the Lord Himself is about to walk among us during this time of prayer and declaration.’ I was already beginning to experience the fear of the Lord as this revelation increased in me. I knew we would all feel Him before we saw Him. “Dutch began to move a little away from me, as did others, to get into position. I knew he had heard me but had not yet grasped the full weight of what was coming. I heard him respond as he walked away, ‘I don’t usually “feel” things spiritually. What number would you give the manifestation of His presence you sense coming?’ “I knelt on the ground and replied, ‘10 out of 10.’ “Suddenly, everyone knew He was coming! They all stopped moving and knelt, with their faces to the ground. Then, I felt Him, from behind and to my left. His presence was terrifying as it grew closer. I barely had time to comprehend what I was experiencing when suddenly I was swept up into a whirlwind. “I remember desperately trying to grasp the ground, anything, to try and keep myself down. But it was impossible. The top portion of the ground separated like a thin layer, detaching from the bedrock below as if I was grasping a blanket. “His whirlwind surrounded me and I could no longer hold myself down. Instinctively, I began screaming, ‘Lord, God Almighty!!!’ “He was upon us. He was among us. End of dream.” Tami then said, “I awoke at that moment, with my scream still ringing in my ears. Such a strong presence of God and the fear of the Lord was in my room. It took me a while to even want to move. This was not comfortable. Isaiah 6 comes to mind: ‘In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. And one [seraphim] called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies. The whole earth is full of His glory.” Then I said, “Woe to me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies.’“ (Isaiah 6:1,3,5 NASB) Tami concludes by saying, “He came first TO us, His people, then THROUGH us in route to the field of bones. His presence was so powerful. Even while on my knees, face down on the ground, I was not ready for the strength of what I felt. I’m not sure anyone COULD be. He is THAT holy. His glory…” We live in an incredible time on earth. We must continually remember this. The harvest of the ages is now beginning. Ask for this, and do everything you can to participate. Sow into ministries that are working the fields. Pray for the laborers and the harvest itself. Let’s do that now. Pray with me: Father, we know You love the descendants of Ishmael. His name means “God listens” or “God hears.” Indeed, You hear the cry of Ishmael. We know You are about to rescue millions of his descendants from the stronghold and oppression of darkness. The women and children are especially oppressed and we know this moves Your heart. So, we are boldly asking You for this revival. We ask You for dreams to be given them, visions to occur, and many, many miracles to take place. Open their eyes to Yeshua. Embrace that part of the world with Your saving grace and love. We bind the powers of darkness that would try and stop this. We take the keys of the kingdom, which You gave to us (Matthew 16:18-19), and enforce the victory of Calvary. And as Christ taught us to pray, we ask for Your kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10) to Aram, and other parts of the Muslim world. We also ask for laborers to be sent into this great harvest field (Matthew 9:38). And we ask for the whirlwind of Your Spirit to blow and resurrect the people spiritually (Ezekiel 37:9-10). We ask all of this in Jesus’ name, which guarantees its acceptance and answer. Our decree: We decree that the resurrection wind of Holy Spirit is coming to the Muslim regions of the world! ****************************************** Portions of today’s post were contributed by Tami Flick. You can find out more about Tami here. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

4 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-4-2021 November 4, 2021 Love Is A Many Splendored Thing Today’s post is from my dad, Dean Sheets. He is in heaven, but I dug out a devotional he wrote several years ago (that is now out of print). Dad was quite the orator. I think you’ll like, not only what he had to say, but how he said it. The message is consistent with the theme I have spoken on for the past two days: **************************** “Proverbs 18:24: ‘A man that has friends must show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.’ “What a friend is Jesus! Believers love this friend so much because He first loved them - He instigated the friendship. Jesus said, concerning His friendship with you, I will take from My brow the crown of jewels and exchange it for one of thorns; I will cast away My mantle of glory for the state of poverty, that I may go and find My friends. “That’s what was required to establish the beauty of this friendship. We are friends with God, because He became a man! And as a man, Christ was ‘in all points tempted like as we are’ (Hebrews 4:15). It was C.S. Lewis who said, ‘Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, “What? You too? I thought I was the only one.’”(1) “Calvary echoes the love of Christ, our Friend. ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for his friends,’ (John 15:13). When Jesus came knocking at your heart’s door it was with a nail-pierced hand. Yes, He’s the friend of sinners (see Matthew 11:19). “I heard of a Native American tribe that had no word for ‘friend.’ They used, instead, the phrase, ‘the one who carries my sorrows on his back.’ That sounds like Jesus! “If you want to know who your friends are, just make a mistake. But Jesus is no fair-weather friend. He didn’t begin loving us yesterday. He desired our friendship way back when the world was wrapped in the swaddling clothes of mist, and He’ll be a friend when that world has vanished with the same haze. “A friend is a person who comes in when the rest of the world goes out. Jesus said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,’ (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus is a certain friend in uncertain circumstances. We must follow His example of love and friendship. “Years ago the Salvation Army was holding an international convention and its founder, William Booth, could not attend because of physical weakness. Instead, he cabled his convention message to those in attendance. It was simply one word: Others. “The Master has sent you into His vineyard to love and serve others. Perhaps it is the ministry of intercession for Christian workers here in America or elsewhere. Or maybe it’s the ministry of comfort to sad hearts within your own circle: ‘Bear one another’s burdens’ (Galatians 6:2). ‘Lift up the hands which hang down,’ (Hebrews 12:12). There are many ways to serve others - begin today! Too many are waiting for the ‘big ministry’ to come along, yet someone needs you right now! “Dr. Leonard Cammer, who specialized in treating depressed people, once said, ‘The human being is the only species that cannot survive alone. Humans need another human being - otherwise, they’re dead! A telephone call to a depressed person can save a life. An occasional word, a ten-minute visit, can be more effective than 24 hours of nursing care. You can buy nursing care. You cannot buy love.’(2) “Paul told us to ‘Bear [not bare] ye one another’s burdens,’ (Galatians 6:2). Never put a finger on someone’s faults unless it’s part of a helping hand. “We need one another so much! The words ‘one accord’ are mentioned 11 times in the book of Acts. Remember, that’s when Christians together ‘turned the world upside down’ for Jesus (Acts 17:6). “Together we can do so much. “A threefold cord is not quickly broken,” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). One cord made up of three strands is 100 times stronger than just one strand.” ****************************** Pray with me: Father, thank You for sending Christ to redeem the human race. Jesus, thank You for becoming human to save us. We cannot grasp this level of love. You will forever be the God-man. And thank You both for wanting our friendship this much. We press into Your nature in our hearts. We want to love the way You love. We want to serve the way You serve, experience the level of commitment to one another You modeled for us. The gospel is, in reality, a person. You are the good news! And we anchor our faith in this love. This is why the great awakening is coming - because You will not be denied Your inheritance. So we boldly ask for this revival now, a revival that will usher in 1 billion more hungry people into Your family. It will not be stopped! Demons will not stop it. Godless people will not stop it. Political parties won’t stop it. False religions won’t stop it. You are coming to save! America shall be saved. Other nations shall be saved. You are the Savior and You will win. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen. Our decree: We decree that love will win. Hands-down, no doubts, guaranteed, love will win. Click on the link below to watch the full video. _________________________ https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10554-friendship-is-born-at-the-moment-when-one-man https://sermons.faithlife.com/sermons/104718-the-dark-night

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-3-2021 November 3, 2021 Allow Him to Heal Us Psalm 139: 1-14, 23-24 (TPT): “Lord, You know everything there is to know about me. You perceive every movement of my heart and soul, and You understand my every thought before it even enters my mind. You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book and You know all the words I’m about to speak before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness You follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. You have laid Your hand on me! This is just too wonderful, deep, and incomprehensible! Your understanding of me brings me wonder and strength. Where could I go from Your Spirit? Where could I run and hide from Your face? If I go up to heaven, You’re there! If I go down to the realm of the dead, You’re there too! If I fly with wings into the shining dawn, You’re there! If I fly into the radiant sunset, You’re there waiting! Wherever I go, Your hand will guide me; Your strength will empower me. It’s impossible to disappear from You or to ask the darkness to hide me, for Your presence is everywhere, bringing light into my night. There is no such thing as darkness with You. The night, to You, is as bright as the day; there’s no difference between the two. You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside, and wove them all together in my mother’s womb. I thank You, God, for making me so mysteriously complex! Everything You do is marvelously breathtaking. It simply amazes me to think about it! How thoroughly You know me, Lord! God, I invite Your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting way— the path that brings me back to You.” I was challenged recently to search my heart and see if I had a critical spirit toward another movement in the body of Christ, inappropriately judging their actions, teachings, and motives. Yesterday’s post dealt with the need for all of us to do so. It can be difficult at times to point out what we deem to be harmful beliefs, doctrines, and actions without crossing into inappropriate criticism. And frankly, some errors are propagated with pure motives, while others are to further ambitions and personal kingdom building. There is an appropriate time, place, and biblical protocol for confronting these self-serving activities. Appropriately challenging wrong beliefs and actions is not my purpose. My intent is to again challenge each of us to allow Holy Spirit’s exposure of any inappropriate criticism of fellow believers, especially other leaders. In this 139th Psalm, Holy Spirit clearly states that none of us fully know what is in our own hearts; only God knows what is truly there. We must all willingly allow Him to expose what is motivating us, then confront what He reveals as inappropriate. I have accepted this challenge. How can I encourage others to do what I am unwilling to do? The point of today’s post, however, is not to share what is being revealed to me, for I am not yet through that process. I don’t believe it typically happens in a day or two. Sometimes it takes a while for Holy Spirit to peel back the layers of our hearts and minds to show us what is really there. My purpose, again, is to encourage all of us to allow this process to occur. “According to the Associated Press, on a windy day in March 1997, a father and his son came to Valley Forge National Historical Park, where George Washington stationed the Revolutionary Army during the difficult winter of 1777-1778. The father and son had something much less historic in mind: they wanted to launch a model rocket. At first, they tried using electric ignition wires to light the fuse, but to no avail. So they tried lighting the fuse with a common sparkler, the kind seen on the Fourth of July. “That’s when the trouble began. Sparks ignited a grass fire, and the winds quickly spread the blaze, burning one field where Revolutionary War soldiers had trained, and coming within a half-mile of George Washington’s headquarters. Thirty units from twelve fire departments fought the blaze for an hour before bringing it under control. In the end, over thirty acres were charred. The man with the sparkler was charged with the destruction of government property and use of fireworks.”(1) Like the sparkler, a critical spirit never seems as dangerous as it really is. We are moving into an incredible season. The future will record of this season that it was one of the most significant in history. Our hearts - not just our gifts - will determine much of the role we play in it: Were our wineskins flexible enough to adapt to new ideas, ways and methods? Were we able to accept new scriptural interpretations/theological beliefs, or have we decided - consciously or unconsciously - that all of our beliefs and opinions are completely right? Did traditions outweigh truth? Were we humble enough to lay our “need to be right” on the altar? Did our theological beliefs trump the importance of love and unity? Did we drift too far in either direction from the fine line of judging content (prophecies, messages, doctrines, etc) and judging others’ hearts? Did we break free from our ambition, comfort, and personal desires adequately enough to selflessly strive for the cause of Christ and His kingdom? Were we passionate history “makers” or dispassionate observers? Were we bold in the face of tremendous opposition or fearful passivists? There are more questions to be answered, of course, but I believe the point is made. This is a season to allow Holy Spirit to probe a little deeper, showing us areas He wants to work on. If we allow Him, He will do so - not with a condemning voice - but with a surgeon’s scalpel. His desire is never to hurt us, but to help and heal us. When He points out a weakness, His heart is to shape us for destiny, not sentence us to destruction. Let Him have a look..! Pray with me: Thank You, Father, for Your grace toward us. Thank You for not casting us aside when we make mistakes or errors. Thank You for demonstrating a merciful heart toward us, not a critical spirit. In Your perfection, You could easily belittle others, yet You are patient and gracious - good all the time. We ask for Your heart to be released to the church in this hour. May we find ourselves falling in love more and more with our brothers and sisters. Even those we disagree with. May we err on the side of love, not criticism. Give us hearts to always be looking for ways to bless, not curse. Make us more like You. We choose this day to align ourselves with the Redeemer of the brethren, not with “the accuser of the brethren.” We will live in Psalm 133, where the brothers dwell together in unity. We take the keys of the kingdom and bind the influence of the accuser off of us, in Jesus’ name! Amen. Our decree: We decree that the Ekklesia, the bride of Christ, is coming together in the unity of the faith. ************************* Craig Brian Larson, Choice Contemporary Stories and Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, and Writers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998), p. 104. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-2-2021 November 2, 2021 We Must Have Unity The Charismatic Movement was a move of Holy Spirit which resulted in tens of millions of conversions around the world. There have been other outpourings of the Spirit in the last 60 years - some called them revivals - which touched individual nations. Then, of course, there have been movements of Holy Spirit which were primarily to restore truth to the church, rather than being evangelism-centered, such as the healing revival (of 1947-1958), the prayer movement, prophetic movement, apostolic movement, etc. I have been blessed to observe and be part of all these activities of Holy Spirit. Having been raised in church - in a ministry family, then in ministry myself - I have had a front row seat, allowing the observation of restorations, revivals, trends and movements. While observing all of this, I have never seen a group of people discover fresh truth, shift in theology, implement new ideas, raise up new ministries, and do so perfectly. There is ALWAYS a learning curve, as knowledge grows and methods change. Those who began moving in the gifts of the Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12), including gifts of healing and the workings of miracles, made mistakes as they launched out in faith. Yet, much good was accomplished with many people being healed. Those of us who began teaching new understandings of prayer made some errors, but incredible progress has been made. Deliverance ministries experienced some extremes, yet many people were set free. The Word of Faith movement experienced a few imbalances and extremes, yet through this movement, many people began to understand the importance of faith, our authority as believers and that God really does want to free people from poverty. Groups that emphasized discipleship struggled with control issues, yet an important truth was restored to the church’s understanding. As prophets and prophecy began to re-emerge in the church, mistakes, of course, were made. But one of the most important gifts of Christ to the church has been restored, bringing immeasurable fruit. As apostles and apostolic ministry was restored, extremes came and errors were made. However, an incredibly important function of Christ in the church re-emerged. It is somewhat ridiculous to think that as principles and understandings - which were previously unknown or had been lost - are gained/regained, this will begin with full maturity. Knowledge grows. Truth unfolds. These things will always be a process. When change regarding spiritual restorations and growth is occuring, over time Holy Spirit brings things into balance and maturity. What is disheartening is the criticism, strife and division generated by believers who don’t understand this process. Forerunners, pathfinders and pioneers do not always find the right path on the first attempt. That’s why the process is called “finding.” Forerunners prepare the way because the way doesn’t yet exist. Does anyone really think this occurs without some messes, false starts, backing up and adjusting course? What is wrong with us that we allow a critical spirit to attack and divide us when this process is happening? What is it that motivates us to judge and slander fellow believers who attempt to move us forward in our thinking, yet make some mistakes along the way? This is none other than a pharisaical spirit. And it is a spirit that God does not like. Proverbs 6:16-19 lists 7 things He hates. Many things that normally make the list of detestable things for the average believer aren’t on the list. Pride, however, which is certainly involved in believing one has the right to critique another’s performance, and “one who sows discord among brethren” are on the list. To be sure, it is appropriate to confront heresy or error, but it is possible to do so in love and with a spirit of humility. Our good friend, Barbara Yoder, shares some insightful thoughts regarding this problem. Please read and/or listen prayerfully. *********************************** “First of all, I want to say I know many leaders. Why am I saying that? Because from my direct experience with them, I believe most leaders have pure hearts toward God. They are seeking to do and be the right thing. “The church is already entering into a time of revival and awakening. It has started, but we are only ankle-deep at this time. There’s coming a time shortly when we will dive into full revival, the deep end, over our heads (see Ezekiel 47). “However, if we enter this time without becoming of one heart, one mind, one spirit, we will be blown apart. What is needed right now is a massive cleansing of each of our hearts, mine included, of anything that would cause this move of God to be hindered or possibly aborted. “I believe we are in a season where one of the main things God is dealing with is a spirit of accusation which causes division. In recent years, the spirit of Jezebel has overtaken the nation and the church, which among other things, discredits people and ministries through wrong accusations. Jezebel and Ahab wanted land that was owned by a man named Naboth (see 1 Kings 21). Therefore, she raised up false accusers to discredit Naboth in order to steal his inheritance (vineyard). And she was successful. “To express anything to others that discredits another person, without ever going to the person directly, is operating in a spirit of accusation and division. It is prevalent in the body of Christ and has brought great hurt and wounding. God is beginning to deal with this spirit. “Everything in God‘s kingdom is grounded in sound, healthy relationships. To allow a spirit of accusation and division to proliferate is totally antithetical to biblical truth. “A worthless person, a wicked man, is the one who walks with a perverse mouth, who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who points with his fingers; who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil, who spreads strife/discord” ‭‭(Proverbs‬ ‭6:12-14‬). ‭‬‬ “To sow discord is to say and do things that cause distrust among people which results in arguments and fights. It’s time to turn from anything that would divide the body of Christ. We need genuine, authentic, healthy relationships built on truthfulness and trust. Acts 3:19-21 says before revival/refreshing can come, repentance must occur. Let us turn fully back to God with our whole hearts.” ******************************* I’m grateful for Barbara’s words and challenge to us all. It’s time for us to have a heart check. Let’s ask Holy Spirit to help us walk before God with pure hearts. “Who, then, is allowed to ascend the mountain of Yahweh? And who has the privilege of entering into God’s Holy Place? Those who are clean—whose works and ways are pure, whose hearts are true and sealed by the truth, those who never deceive, whose words are sure. They will receive Yahweh’s blessing and righteousness given by the Savior-God. They will stand before God, for they seek the pleasure of God’s face” (Psalm 24: 3-5 TPT). Pray with me: Father, we are grateful that You are faithful to check our hearts. We do not want to give place to the enemy, allowing discord or offense to occur. Lord, we ask that You shine Your spotlight of conviction to any unswept corners of our hearts. We desire to have clean hands and pure hearts, being tools of unity and truth. We want to walk in the light - so shine Your light upon us, exposing our hearts and motives. Help us to always be willing to admit when we are wrong, allowing You to bring hope, harmony, and restoration to Your body. Show us our hearts Lord, and help us to always be instruments of Your healing and love. We especially ask Your forgiveness for inappropriately speaking against other streams and movements in the church. Teach us to express our differences, even bring correction, without embracing a critical spirit. May we always remember that of all the characteristics of Your kingdom we are to walk in, the greatest will always be love. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen. Our decree: We decree that we will be instruments of love and peace, not giving place to the enemy and his evil tactics. ******************************** Barbara Yoder is the senior leader of Shekinah Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan. You can find out more about Barbara here. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-1-2021 November 1, 2021 Go and Tell We must begin preparing our hearts to share Jesus. The harvest is ripe. Our dear friend and amazing author, Quin Sherrer, always seems to be so practical in her teachings and writings, as is, the following exhortation. It is also very powerful: ********************* “‘I am an ordinary Christian, not an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher,’ a woman wrote me. ‘When I couldn’t go to church during the pandemic, I was fed by sermons and posts like Dutch’s Give Him 15; they also gave me guidance on how to pray outside my comfort zone. But what else can I do to make a difference?’ “I immediately thought about my friend Suzanne. One day she asked God what her new role was now that all her children were gone from home. She felt He gave her a question, ‘What can you do for Me that no one else can do?’ She answered back, ‘Tell my story.’ And she began to do that. “Peter, the disciple, wrote to the early Christians: ‘But you are the ones chosen by God…God’s instruments to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted,’ (1 Peter 2: 9-10 The MESSAGE). “A testimony is ‘to tell something you know firsthand, or to authenticate a fact.’ When we share our testimony, we can testify to what Jesus has done for us and hopefully help influence others for Christ. “Think on this Scripture: ‘That which we have seen and heard we declare to you…that you may also fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ,’ (I John 1:3). “Being a witness for Christ doesn’t have to be complicated. We declare what we have seen, what we have heard! You never know who is listening when you tell a story, or what the results might be. “One afternoon my friend JoAnne and I were in a big city attending a Christian conference and decided to have some tea. As we sat at a counter in an old-fashioned drug store, she began telling me the story of a recent miracle she had heard on a Christian television program. I asked pertinent questions to get the full picture. A man sitting two seats down from us held a newspaper in front of his face. He was obviously not reading it, but was listening to JoAnne tell how Jesus is still doing miracles today. “Suddenly the man threw the newspaper across the counter and loudly shouted, ‘All right, already, I will get baptized. Sunday, I will.’ And he ran out of the drug store. JoAnne and I looked at each other in amazement. We offered a short prayer for the man who was obviously on his way back to the Lord. “There are more than 500 references in the Bible related to the word ‘tell’ including these: tell the people, tell your son, tell your brother, tell the good news, and many individuals who are instructed ‘to tell.’ Jesus often said, ‘I tell you the truth.’ The New Testament is full of instances about people who shared their stories. They looked for opportunities...and told! “A young junior pastor asked his Care Group audience a pertinent question one recent Wednesday night. Then he called to tell me their shocking reply. “‘How many of you have told your testimony or led someone to Christ in the past year?’ he asked. Only two raised their hands. “‘Well, teach them how,’ I responded. Then I shared with him what my pastor, Peter Lord, taught us years ago. “Pastor Lord challenged us to practice telling our story. The idea was to zero in on how we had changed after we made Jesus the Lord of our lives. He suggested we practice telling it in different reasonable time frames: ten minutes, five minutes, and just one minute. “Standing before a mirror and imagining we were speaking to just one person about our transformation, we practiced talking about the most important change we’d undergone. He cautioned us not to tell our whole life story in one bang-up speech. Instead, he suggested we stick to one theme -- whether it was freedom from an obvious sin, or perhaps a hidden one such as unforgiveness, judging others, occult involvement, pride, lying, or any number of issues that were displeasing to God. “‘Just tell what Christ did for you and the freedom you now enjoy. Make it so interesting others will want to know how Christ can impact them too. And they just might want you to share more of your testimony,’ he urged. “Ask yourself, ‘What is my story to tell? How can I speak it with such clarity that I hit the bullseye --- the intended target? What can I say from my own life’s change that might lead others to know Jesus personally?’ “Let’s look at some Biblical examples. “Jesus delivered a man possessed by legions of demons. The evil spirits ran into pigs, who then plunged off a steep slope and drowned. Herdsmen who saw what happened ran to tell those in nearby villages. The man, now clothed and in his right mind, begged to go with Jesus. But Jesus told him to go home and tell others how much He had done for him--- how God had shown him mercy. The man obeyed. He even went to Decapolis - a region of ten cities - to proclaim his deliverance. And the people marveled at his testimony (see Mark 5:18-20). “‘It is a wonder of grace that Jesus used a man who once had thousands of demons to bring God’s truth to thousands of people. He became a missionary evangelist,’ writes a Bible commentator. 1 “After a Samaritan woman had an encounter with Jesus at Jacob’s well, she ran to tell the townspeople. Scripture says, ‘Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did,’” (John 4:39). Not only did they accept her story, but they also invited Jesus to their village. After two days with Him, many more believed He was the Messiah. Spiritual multiplication. “Philip sought and found Nathanael and told him that they had discovered the One whom the prophets wrote about--Jesus from Nazareth. ‘Come and see,’ he said (John 1:45-46). When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Jerusalem, they told the church, apostles, and elders all that God had accomplished through them (Acts 5:4). “On the morning when the women found Jesus’ tomb empty, they hurried to spread the news, and ‘were telling these things to the apostles.’ Their story appeared as nonsense until Peter ran to investigate for himself (Luke 24:11,12 NASB). “Amazed. Marveled. Astonished. That’s how the ‘hearers’ responded when they heard some of the testimonies recorded in the Bible. “God is still saving, delivering, and healing people. He is restoring families and rescuing lost loved ones. We just need to stay sensitive to what He wants us to share. And be open to doing it. “So, let’s rejoice over our own niche in life and look for ways to share our personal testimony. Let’s bring encouragement and hope to others by assuring them He can do something great for them, also! Let’s make a difference.”2 Pray with me: “Dear Father, forgive me for thinking I did not have value because I do not have the giftings I recognize in other people. Thank You for the way You have changed my life since I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Help me be bold to share my testimony when the opportunity comes—and not hold back because I don’t think what I have to say is important. Please bring the people into my life who can be blessed to hear my testimony. Thank You too for those in my past who did not hesitate to tell me about Jesus and His love for me. Amen.” Our decree: “I will tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love for us; and especially I’ll tell what He’s done for me.” ****************************** Today’s post was contributed by our dear friend and author, Quin Sherrer. You can learn more about Quin here. Click on the link below to watch the full video. __________________________________ 1. Brian Simmons, The Passion Translation Bible, 2020 edition, (BroadStreet, commentary on Mark 5:20), p. 104. 2. Portions excerpted from “Cast Your Shadow: Influence on Purpose” by Quin Sherrer. Her website is QuinSherrer.com

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-29-2021 October 29, 2021 The Demonic Long-Game to Take Down America Former member of the Idaho House of Representatives and movie producer Curtis Bowers was interviewed by Jim Garlow Sunday night on the World Prayer Network. Curtis was sharing on the subject of the seemingly rapid Marxist takeover of America. He let the listeners know this is not a recent plan. We are living through the next step, and a significant one, of a plan in the works for 90 years. “The challenge for those desiring to shift America to a socialist nation,” he said, “has been its Christian roots. America’s moral structure as a result of its Judeo-Christian foundation has made it very challenging to shift. Lovers of God know we have freedom in Christ as we live to please Him. Living morally for Him has led to a very blessed nation—and the whole world has known it.” He explained the patient strategy of Marxism as being a gradual takeover of various systems of society, such as education and media. The end-game is to use those systems to change America from within by shifting its morality from God-centered to man-centered. Then, it becomes easy for the government to give people what they want. You can watch the interview here. Larry Tomczak is a board member for Intercessors for America, a best-selling author, and a public policy advisor with Liberty Counsel. He wrote an excellent article on this subject for IFAPray.org recently, expounding on this topic. His warning for America is chilling. He writes: “Do You Know You’re Being Set Up “When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness he tried to seduce Him with tantalizing bait. He showed Him all the kingdoms of the world offering, I will give you all this…if You… (Luke 4:5-7). Satan was trying to set Him up. “Have you ever seen one of those late night commercials on TV with the grainy footage and well preserved singers of yesteryear hawking the classic hits of the past? Aligning with the voiceover announcer they nostalgically reference the era and reminisce to set you up for the sale. “‘These are all the original hits not available in stores, all digitally remastered…what a time of peaceful vibes and love. You’ll relive what was such a wonderful time of carefree living and peace. Let all the memories from those years of love and peace be experienced again as you’re ‘“'going to San Francisco with flowers in your hair.’”’ “For those of us who lived through those tumultuous times, some of us find ourselves talking to the TV set and wanting to smack them upside the head. ‘Hey buddy, that time was not all groovy, lovey, peaceful, flowing-haired girls in granny dresses twirling in the park amidst syrupy-faced guys with tambourines and flutes!’ “Using street smarts, we know they’re trying to set us up. It’s what Obama did when telling us, ‘If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor,’ setting us up for Obamacare socialized medicine. PolitiFact gave him the ‘Lie of the Year’ award! “Are we using the same discernment facing the power of the Progressives using sleight of hand to sell us a socialist bill of goods that will destroy our families and future in America? The bottom line with their nonstop ‘goody bags’ is they are trying to buy us off with our own hard-earned tax dollars. “‘It’ll Cost You Nothing!’ “The radicalized, leftist Democratic party is making offers (like the above quote from [Obama]) to hold us hostage to their socialist agenda. Exploiting Covid and climate fears to manipulate the masses, they’re trying to ‘get while the gettin’s good’ with a befuddled president and bowed down media. They know the clock is ticking and will soon run out as people are wising up for next year’s midterms to throw them out. “Like sideshow barkers, they’re pushing a wealth redistribution agenda through their misleading 2200 page $3.5 Trillion ‘Infrastructure’ bill of giveaways that they say will be paid for by those ‘evil corporations and billionaires.’ This impacts your livelihood and your children whose future is being sacrificed for political expediency. “Here’s their agenda: Forgiveness of college debts. ‘Free’ money ($25,000) for all lower-income, first-time home buyers (they never have to pay it back even though you may have saved a decade for such a purchase). ‘Free’ government checks, child subsidies, universal childcare, pre-K coverage, college tuition, complete medical care, rent subsidies, basic guaranteed income, expanded Medicare (dental, vision and hearing), taxpayer funded abortions, increased food stamp provisions, amnesty for 12-15 million illegal immigrants with full entitlements and open borders for asylum-seekers (2-3 million this year alone) with full medical care. “Our Biblically Based Heritage “Our Founding Fathers and patriotic Americans throughout our history have demonstrated compassionate care for deserving needy individuals as a temporary ‘hand up,’ not a permanent ‘hand out’. We’ve traditionally honored the biblical directive: We command you that if any will not work, neither shall he eat. (1 Thessalonians 3:10) “Big government has no right to take our money and savings earned over a lifetime and give it away for the sake of what they label ‘equity’ and ‘reparations.’ We must stand up to this attempted communist-style thievery and transfer of wealth establishing a culture of dependency in America. The Bible teaches that we have a responsibility to work, plan, and care for ourselves, our spouse, and children (1 Timothy 5:8; James 1:27; 2 Corinthians 12:14); and we will one day give an account before God for this stewardship. “Ben Franklin stated, ‘I am for doing good to the poor but I think the best way to do good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading them or driving them out of it. I observed the more public provisions were made for the poor the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less that was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer!’ “We must be informed regarding this deceptive Democrat set up. The radical progressives have schemes up their sleeves! “How Do You Kill 11 Million People? “New York Times best-selling author Andy Andrews wrote a book with this title. The figure represents the actual number of people killed by Adolf Hitler, not including ordinary civilians and military war dead. “In the book, he gave a simple answer to the inquiry: You lie to the people and set them up to be led like naive sheep to the slaughter. It’s happening today. “When Hitler wrote ‘Mein Kampf’, he stated, ‘The great masses of the people will more easily fall victim to a big lie than a small one.’ “His henchman, Adolph Eichmann, revealed in sworn statements during the Nuremberg trials their deception with the Jewish people. Here’s how they set them up. “‘All Jews listen up! At last it can be reported to you that the Russians are advancing on our eastern front. I apologize for the hasty way we brought you into our protection. Unfortunately, there was little time to explain. You have nothing to worry about. We want only the best for you. You will leave here shortly and be sent to very fine places indeed. You will work there, your wives will stay at home, and your children will go to school. You will have wonderful lives. We will all be terribly crowded on the trains, but the journey is short. Men, please keep families together and board the rail cars in an orderly manner. Quickly now, my friends, we must hurry!’ “Sound familiar? They were set up by the Democratic Socialist regime. We must speak up before it’s too late. “Here’s the deal: ‘Live not by lies’ was the warning given us by Russian defector Alexander Solzhenitsyn concerning the dawning post-Christian, pre-totalitarian society he saw emerging in America. Jesus told us to watch (stay alert) and pray (Luke 21:36). Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (Ephesians 5:11 NIV) “To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Don’t take the bait when they make you an offer they think you can’t refuse.” Remember, the Bible tells us, “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19; NASB) Trust in Him and don’t take the bait leading to the loss of our freedom and ultimately to the loss of our country. Pray with me: Father, we know that the enemy is sly, thinking he has set the perfect trap for America. He and his earthly puppets have been working for decades to undermine the foundations You set for our nation. But he has been found out and You are exposing his plan. Just as he has done time and again throughout the ages, he has overplayed his hand and the plan has become obvious. America is a nation blessed by You. We don’t want a trap which will overwhelm us economically and force our dependence on the government. Keep us from fearing man and what can be done to us. Let us hope completely in You and continue to stand strong for righteousness, truth, biblical justice, and opportunity for all. Thank You, Lord. Amen. Today’s decree: We choose today to worship the Lord and look to Him alone as our Provider. ************************* You can learn more about Intercessors for America here and Larry Tomczak here. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-28-2021 October 28, 2021 What If... “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest, and will give you this land.’ Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but you shall cross ahead of your brothers in battle formation, all your valiant warriors, and shall help them, until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as He is giving you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you may return to your own land, and take possession of that which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise. “They answered Joshua, saying, ‘All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses. Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.’” (Joshua 1:13-18 NASB) In this first chapter of Joshua, God is giving incredibly important instructions to Joshua regarding the fulfillment of His covenantal promise to Abraham. This agreement with Abraham was not about a favored people whom God loved more than other humans. It was a covenant He initiated in order to use Abraham and his offspring to help Him save the world. The Messiah would come through them. The book of Joshua is another step in that process. It is not just about a special people receiving their extraordinary inheritance; it’s about a calling, an assignment, an inheritance needed to help save the world. That’s big stuff! And it makes the instructions God gave Joshua regarding this important next step very significant. As He lays out the important commands and encouragements, God mentions one that may seem a bit unusual. In the above verses, He reminds 3 of Israel’s 12 tribes of a promise they made Moses 40 years ago. Shortly after leaving Egypt, they came to a land that suited their ranching lifestyle, whereupon they asked Moses if that could be their inheritance, rather than a portion of land in Canaan, on the other side of the Jordan. It was agreed to, as long as the men promised to temporarily leave their homes and ranches to assist the remaining tribes possess their inheritance, when the time came. They wouldn’t be allowed to sit comfortably and enjoy their inheritance while their brothers and sisters warred for theirs. Though the promise had been made 40 years earlier, reminding them of it and insisting it be honored ranked toward the top of Joshua’s instructions. Though the book of Joshua can be read in a couple of hours, the conquest of Canaan took 7 years. The commitment these tribes had to keep was no simple task; it wasn’t just a couple of months or a few weekends here and there. It was 7 years! I’m not sure how they did this while protecting their families and possessions back home. Perhaps they alternated - a month on, a month off. Certainly, the women and kids had to pick up the slack and take over some of the responsibilities of caring for the livestock and land - for 7 years! Whatever the plan, it was a significant commitment. This was very important to God. Failing to fulfill the commitment was punishable by death. Since what occurred with Israel was written for our instruction (1 Corinthians 10:11), we can assume it is important for us, also. What if, rather than the demonic and disgusting competitive spirit existing in today’s American church, we took seriously the command to help one another? What if, rather than making great efforts to transfer sheep from another pasture (local church) to ours, we worked together to grow everyone’s congregation? What if, instead of attending Church Growth conferences (Sheep Transferring conferences), we attended “How Can I Help My Fellow Believer Take His/Her Inheritance” conferences? What if pastors and ministry leaders who have successful ministries, large facilities, good salaries, etc., decided to help their fellow “countrymen” possess their inheritance? I’m not talking about a pat on the back, or a hundred bucks once in a while. I’m talking about commitment, Joshua 1 stuff - fighting for them, sharing resources, building buildings, etc. What would it look like if every larger church in America paid the salary of a pastor pioneering a church - a church that isn’t in their network or carrying their name, by the way? What if they supplied them with a worship team? A children’s pastor? What would happen? Well fortunately, we don’t have to wonder. Jesus told us in John 17:21: “That they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” He also told us in Psalm 133: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, as on Aaron’s beard, the oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for the Lord commanded the blessing there— life forever.” Interestingly, the word “good,” describing unity, is the exact same Hebrew word as the “precious” anointing oil of Aaron’s priesthood. God places unity on the same level as His anointing. And this unity included working together, by the way, not just well-wishing. The passage makes it clear that blessings were being exchanged - Mt Herman was watering Mt Zion. Maybe if we did more helping one another we’d see more anointing. Holy Spirit said in this passage He would be able to command more eternal life to be released. And according to Christ, the world would believe. Satan is not our biggest problem. We are. Pray with me: Father, please forgive us for our arrogance in thinking that what You want to do through us is more important than what You do through others. Forgive us for our divisive activities and ways of thinking. Forgive us for the place in our hearts that allows competition with our brothers and sisters to occur. We ask You to replace these attitudes, this sin, with hearts that are willing to prefer one another in love (Romans 12:10). Give us hearts that are willing to serve our brothers and sisters and war for their inheritance. Tear down every wall that has been built by religion and pride. Give us the heart of Jesus, who made of Himself no reputation, laying everything down for others. Bring the greatest revival of unity and love the church has ever experienced. May we take joy and rain down blessings on mountains/ministries which belong to others. Please tear down every man-made kingdom, until only Yours stands. As we move forward into this great awakening, may it be marked by a generation of believers that gloried in warring for others’ success and inheritance. We ask this in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we will allow the unselfish heart of Jesus to rule and reign in ours! *********************** Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-27-2021 October 27, 2021 Grab the Baton God keeps His word. Joshua 1:6 states: “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them” (italics mine). Holy Spirit reminded Joshua of the promise He had made to Abraham and other forefathers. When we go through times of transition, it is imperative that we remember what God has spoken in the past. This will give us comfort, direction, and promises to which we can anchor. Paul told Timothy to wage a good warfare through the prophecies (plural) that had been spoken over him: “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight” (1 Timothy 1:18 NASB). During the difficult time Timothy was experiencing, Paul told him to recall what had been spoken over him prophetically, using those words as a weapon with which to fight discouragement and demonic attacks. God’s words contain power and life. Not just the Scriptures, but any word spoken by Holy Spirit. Of course, prophecy must be judged in the light of Scripture and with seasoned leaders’ discernment (1 Corinthians 14:29), but when it is deemed as truly originating from Holy Spirit, it can and should be used for strategy, encouragement and as a sword of the Spirit. Paul told Timothy to use the prophecies over him as weapons. He also reminded Timothy of the spiritual gifts given to him through prophetic ministry. “Use them!” he commanded (1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6). When we face opposition to the cause of Christ, and to the assignments He gives us, it is critical that we listen to Holy Spirit. This is why I pay attention to dreams, visions and prophecies once I have judged them as originating from Him. This brings encouragement and success (Ezra 5:2: 6:14; 2 Chronicles 20:20). I also honor what He has said to others in past generations. Some of what Holy Spirit does through us is because of promises He made to them (Hebrews 11:39-40). We in America today, are warring for what Holy Spirit began centuries ago. God told Joshua the same thing: what I’m about to give you is the fulfillment of a promise I made generations ago. This served to bring Joshua an important perspective: What was about to occur wasn’t only about them; it was also about Abraham and other people before them. When God blesses us with favor or success, we often think it is simply to bless us or reward our faithfulness. Much of the time, however, it is because of others’ faithfulness. And though not mentioned in this passage, the land they were about to possess was about future generations also. As outlandish as it may sound, it was even about us today! God was not only rewarding Joshua’s generation, He was also furthering the redemptive purposes of history. If you read my posts daily, you will recall that I have recently mentioned four ladies, ranging in age from 69 to 94, who are warring with a prophetic dream, as Paul instructed Joshua and Timothy to do. They are traveling I-40 from the east coast of our nation to the west coast, just as the dream stated. This journey was made in the dream - and now by them - to honor and build on what previous generations accomplished for Christ. In the dream, Holy Spirit said He was going to reopen the well of revival fire released in the Azusa Street revival, under the leadership of William Seymour. I have shared some of their reports; here is another report from these ladies: ************************************ “Friday, October 22, 2021, we arrived at Bonnie Brae House in Los Angeles, CA, at 10:00 A.M. (PST). God had a parking space reserved for us right in front of the house. “Two gentlemen aided us in parking and then gave us the history of the house. One man took our picture in front of the ‘Bonnie Brae House’ sign. “The other man said, in Spanish, that many people come from around the world to pray there--some even pray all day and all night. “Jean was able to talk to the men in Spanish. The house is kept in very good condition. “We prayed at the gate leading up to the steps and on the front porch of the house. We thanked God for those who had gone before us with hearts hungry for more of God. “God answered their prayers for more of Himself, and that answer was the catalyst for the great Azusa Street revival. “May our hearts burn with the same fire to know God in a deeper, higher, more intimate way. May all who go there be touched by the anointing and presence of God. “We then drove the short distance to Azusa Street in Los Angeles, CA, and arrived at 10:30 A.M. (PST). “Once again, God had a parking spot reserved for us. We put money in the parking meter and walked across the street to the historical site. “At the entrance to an alley, situated between buildings, is a marker on a pole which states: ‘Site of the Azusa St. Revival from 1906 to 1931. Cradle of the Worldwide Pentecostal Movement’ “Although now it only appears to be a graffiti-scarred alley, the presence of God is still there. May the anointing of God touch the hearts of all who seek Him. “We declared that the Azusa Street well of revival is, indeed, re-opened and gushing fire and water upon all who will receive it...that God is getting ready to pour out His Spirit in a measure never before seen. “Lord, saturate us anew! Let the fire of God and the water of Holy Spirit flow out from us, igniting fires wherever we go! “God truly went before us, providing for every need of our mission across America on I-40 and to Azusa Street.” ************************************ It pleases God’s heart when we honor those who have gone before us. He is proud of His kids, past and present. When those of us alive and running redemption’s race today acknowledge that the baton was given to us by faithful brothers and sisters, Abba beams. He demands humility, and He rewards honor by releasing the synergy of the ages. I was mocked a few years ago by ignorant believers for praying at the grave of Charles Finney. I believe the name they used to describe me (and others) was “grave sucker,” their description of what they thought I was attempting: pull up and receive some of Finney’s anointing. Though I did ask God to give us many more evangelists with successful exploits like Finney’s, I did not ask for his mantle or anointing. Nor did I try to converse with him. I did honor his memory, however, just as I do at the graves of family members on occasion. I thanked God for leaders like Finney and Father Nash, his intercessor. I thanked Him for what they accomplished, for the Second Great Awakening they helped fuel, and asked God to do it again. I’ve done the same at the graves of other leaders, and no doubt will again. Honor...it’s a big deal. Someone - not just Christ - paid a huge price for the blessings you enjoy. Be grateful, grab the baton, and run. Pray with me: Thank You, Father, for our brothers and sisters who have gone before us. Thank You for the price they paid, the blood they shed and sacrifices they made. Thank You for the privilege of continuing their great legacy. Thank You for the blessing of being used to fulfill promises You made to them. What a great family You have, Abba! And we thank You for the prophecies, dreams and promises You have given to us. We war with them, just as You instructed Timothy to do. We war with Your promise that You will one day return to lead a glorious church, not a weak and tarnished one (Ephesians 5:27). We war with the promise that this church will be one the gates of hell cannot prevail against (Matthew 16). We war with Your promise that the leaders of earth who take counsel together against Christ and His authority will fail (Psalm 2). We thank You for an engaged prayer army today on the earth. They are conducting many assignments, some similar to these four ladies. Prayer journeys are taking place everywhere: people are walking and praying; driving and praying; old wells of revival are being visited. Honor is being given and faith is being released for another outpouring of the same revival fire. We thank You for this. Continue to stir us, Holy Spirit - You are such a great leader! We pray all of this in Christ’s name, amen. Our decree: We decree that the destiny God spoke to the forefathers of this nation will be accomplished! ************************************ Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-26-2021 October 26, 2021 The Key to Success Yesterday we talked about God recircuiting us, as Chuck Pierce said in the word he gave 2 weeks ago. We looked at the importance of guarding what we allow into our minds. When Joshua was about to lead his generation of Israelites into their fullness, God spoke with him about this. Joshua 1:7, 8 (NASB) states: “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will succeed.” God was bringing to Joshua’s attention the vital importance of His Words. “Don’t neglect My words, Joshua. Keep them before you. Say them, meditate on them. Then you will be successful.” When going through strategic times, we must remember to stay focused on the Word...spending time with the Lord...not neglecting prayer. We must do the basics! During Christ’s great temptation in the wilderness, He focused on the Scriptures. For us, too, as simple as it may seem, it is indeed the basics that keep us safe and insure success during strategic times. We will prosper and have success if we remember to do this. On day six of the ill-fated mission of Apollo 13, the astronauts needed to make a critical course correction. If they failed, they might never return to earth. To conserve power, they shut down the onboard computer that steered the craft. Yet, the astronauts needed to conduct a 39-second burn of the main engines. How to steer during this critical time? Astronaut Jim Lovell determined that if they could keep a fixed point in view through their tiny window, they could steer the craft manually. That focal point turned out to be their destination - earth. As shown in the 1995 hit movie Apollo 13, for 29 agonizing seconds Lovell focused on keeping the earth in view. By not losing sight of that reference point, the three astronauts avoided disaster. (1) The basics are our reference points! We must not lose sight of them! As we are moving into the new era of revival and harvest, it will be our connection with Christ, Abba, and Holy Spirit that ensures success. Demons will try to hinder us, the left will employ strategy after strategy to stop us, giants will abound. But God is all-powerful and very faithful - He will give us success if we stay focussed on Him. Joshua 1:9 states: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go,” (italics mine). The word “dismayed” comes from the Hebrew word chathath, which means to crack or break. Zodhiates uses the phrase “cracking under stress”(2) to define it. God was saying to Joshua, “This transition into your kairos stage and toward breakthrough will offer many opportunities for stress. There will be unexpected challenges, difficulties, and warfare. While under the pressure of leading, Joshua, you are going to have to make sure you walk in peace. Don’t crack under the stress.” Colossians 3:15 states: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Notice the word “let.” We must allow the peace of God to rule. We have a choice. We can stress out by focusing on giants, the way things look around us, problems, or we can take the time to quiet ourselves before the Lord, listening to what He says, and keeping our faith strong. Consider this great story: A Queens, New York woman leaned out of her eighth-floor tenement window and screamed for help. She was trapped in her bathroom. The inside knob had fallen off when her youngest child, age two, had closed the door from the other side. Two of her other children, ages four and five, were in the kitchen, alone, as supper cooked on the stove. The woman alternated between trying to break down the door herself and shouting to be heard. Both courses seemed futile and she was beginning to give up hope. Meanwhile, a young man who lived twenty miles away happened to be visiting the neighborhood that day. From the street below, he heard the woman’s pleas. He waved his hand to catch her attention and then screamed out, “I’m coming up to help you!” A short time later, she heard his voice from outside the bathroom door. “Listen closely,” the young man instructed. “Put your fingers in the hole where the knob should be, pull it up, lift the door slightly, and then quickly pull it open.” The woman followed the stranger’s instructions, and within moments the door was open. Once freed from her temporary prison, she ran to check on the children. In response to their mother’s screams, they had become upset and needed some comfort to soothe their cries. When all three children were safe within her view, the woman turned to the young man and asked in amazement, “How could you possibly have known how to get into my apartment, and how did you know how that door opens?” “I know very well,” he answered with a smile crossing his face. “I was born here. I lived in this apartment for fifteen years. I know how to get in the front door without a key. And the bathroom knob? It would always fall off, and we learned to open the door just the way I showed you! (3) As we move forward into God-given destinies, including the transforming of our nation, it is reassuring to know that God has already been there. He has seen every chronos, kairos, and fullness season before. Our shifts, the new places, are only new to us. God understands full well how to open the doors of breakthrough, victory and fruitfulness because He has been there before. And as the eternal God, outside of time, He sees the end from the beginning! (Isaiah 46:10) He isn’t trying to figure out the door - He made the door! And therefore, He knows how to open it. I was recently asked to comment on how to stay informed - watch the news, read articles, etc. - without growing discouraged. How can we keep our faith strong and keep from cracking under the stress, while seeing the mess, corruption, and chaos? The answer is to do what God instructed Joshua: listen to Him. Focus on God’s Word, first through Scriptures, of course. But also through His prophets - what are they saying? We are told in Scripture to believe them and prosper (2 Chronicles 20:20). Believing them involves thinking about what they have said. Keep their words before you, and say them. Focusing on God’s words is one way the re-circuiting will occur! Pray with me: Thank You, Father, for always instructing us in the way we should go. We never have to wonder what to do. Even when Your strategy has not yet been released we can abide in Your presence and feed on Your word. You told Joshua to carefully obey everything You said - this would guarantee success. We resist worry. We refuse to yield to stress and anxiety. Your peace is strong in us as we keep our focus on You. We choose to do this. We know You have been into the future and know everything we need to do. We will not stress out. We decree our faith in Your words. You have said America shall be saved - so it shall! You have said revival is here and coming, therefore it is. You have said a great harvest is beginning - thus, it is! You have said prodigals are coming home, therefore, they are. You have said You were going to expose evil in our nation and pull the plug on it, so that will be done. And You have said You are re-circuiting us and this nation. So be it. We decree these things in the name of Christ. Amen. Our decree: We decree that God‘s peace, His words of life and His instruction sustain us and guarantee success. ************************* Portions of today’s post were taken from my book God’s Timing for Your Life. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ______________________________ Edward K. Rowell, Fresh Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Christianity Today, 1997), p. 73. Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, New American Standard, rev.ed. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1990). Yitta Halberstam and Judity Leventhal, Small Miracles (Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation, 1997), pp. 122, 123.

4 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-25-2021 October 25, 2021 Guard Your Heart I’ve been thinking somewhat about Chuck Pierce’s word that Holy Spirit is going to re-circuit the minds of individuals and nations. This is truly an amazing word (you can read it in this previous post). Let’s look today at how important this is. “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23, emphasis added). “Watch” is translated from natsar, also a Hebrew word for “watchman.” Yes, as important as it is to be watchmen for others, we are also told to be watchmen for our own hearts, guarding what we allow to enter. The word “heart” in this verse is the Hebrew word leb. Although this could mean the physical heart, it is used “figuratively for the feelings, the will and even the intellect.”(1) This would include the soul - the mind, will, and emotions. As doorkeepers of our own souls, we must determine what is allowed in, for what we allow in determines who we become. Proverbs 23:7 gives tremendous insight to the concept of guarding or watching over what we allow into our hearts: “For as [a person] thinks within himself, so he is.” “Thinks” (shaar) is a very important and interesting word. In fact, it is truly a watchman word. It does not actually mean “think;” that was a derived, figurative meaning. It actually means “to split or open; to act as a gatekeeper.”(2) The verse is actually saying, “Whatever a person lets into his soul, so he or she will be.” In other words, we are who we are because of what is allowed into our minds, causing a particular way of thinking. Each of us is the product of what we allow to access our minds and hearts. The context of the verse, in keeping with this reasoning, tells us to be careful with whom we associate. We are, indeed watchmen for our own souls - our minds and emotions. It is critical that we act as gatekeepers or doorkeepers of our hearts. We, as human beings, are not controlled by that which is true. We are controlled by what we believe to be true, whether it is or not. Deceptions, lies, and distorted perceptions can control us, even though untrue. These are what the Bible calls strongholds - prisons in the mind (see 2 Corinthians 10:4) built by distortions and deceptions. Even latent beliefs, buried deep in our subconscious control us, whether true or not. An article in Reader’s Digest stated: “When people who fear snakes are shown a picture of a snake, sensors on their skin will detect sweat, a sign of anxiety, even though the people say they do not feel fear. The sweat shows up even when a picture is presented so rapidly that the subject has no conscious awareness of seeing it.”(3) Once a concept or philosophy has embedded itself into the deepest recesses of one’s mind and memory, the belief center, the mind considers it to be true and functions accordingly. Again, what is believed to be true there WILL control the person, whether it is true or not. Thus Proverbs says, “So he [or she] is” (Proverbs 23:7). This is why Proverbs 4:23 says we must guard our souls, carefully controlling what is allowed to enter. And though we cannot control everything placed there, we can do much to watch over what does and does not have access. Then there is the information that came into our souls before we came to know Christ. Most people have allowed much unbiblical information into their before becoming Christians. Some have allowed great amounts of perversion and unclean thinking to be embedded into them. Still others have experienced great trauma, rejection, or other emotional wounds. All of these things can be used to shape our thinking, causing certain thought patterns and actions. A person isn’t born again long before discovering that the new birth did not erase all that had been previously programmed into the mind and emotions. We can certainly guard what comes into our souls in the future, but what of the strongholds, wrong ways of thinking, fears, and other destructive patterns already there? We must attack them with what God says - His Word. As mentioned previously, “watch” in Proverbs 4:23 is natsar, one of the Old Testament words for a watchman. But the word also means “to lay siege.” The concept is that when laying siege to a city, they were “watching” it to make sure no supplies were able to enter. By the power of Holy Spirit, we can lay siege to our minds. “The weapons we fight with...have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV). Ask Holy Spirit to re-circuit your mind, causing it to become synchronized to God’s Word. Ask Him to pull out or pull down everything placed there that is not consistent with God’s will and plans. He is going to re-circuit us! Pray with me: Father, You told us You are re-circuiting the minds and hearts of people at this point in time. You are doing this with individuals, but also with groups of people. You said the church would begin to think the way You think. We ask for this. We ask for the spirit of wisdom and revelation to be given to us, in order that we might be re-circuited with Your circuitry. For many, this will begin with deliverance from wounds caused by unpleasant experiences; others will be freed from strongholds caused by words spoken to them; and still others will be re-circuited regarding untrue things they have been taught. Do this, please. Do as You showed Chuck Pierce: pull out the old circuit and put in a new one. Then cause us to think Your thoughts. We want to think the way You think and say what You say. We want to be Your voice in the earth, Your mouthpiece. We want to speak words of healing and faith. We want our mouths to release the sword of the Spirit, pulling down strongholds and everything that exalts itself against You. Do this in us, we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that when the re-circuiting is complete, the church will be more in sync with the thinking of Holy Spirit than ever before in history. ********************************* Portions of today’s post were taken from my book Watchman Prayer. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ________________________________ Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, s.v. 3820. Ibid., s.v. 8176. Daniel Goleman, “What’s Your Emotional IQ?” Reader’s Digest, January 1996, p. 50.

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-21-2021 October 21, 2021 Strike the Target While speaking in Indiana a few weeks ago, I was interrupted by a strong presence of the Lord. This was not a sweet presence of the Lord, it was a weighty presence, representing His warrior heart and nature. A fear of the Lord came into the room. I then had a vision of Him staring intensely in another direction. As I looked, I saw a principality that I knew was ruling a significant portion of the earth. Then I heard Christ say, “I am now going to deal with this spirit.” I wrote about this in a previous post. A week and a half ago I was with Chuck Pierce in Tennessee. He, too, had a vision, which I also shared in one of my previous posts. Here is a portion of his word: “All of a sudden I was able to see into the spirit realm and saw a word of knowledge blazed across the heavenly realms over us. It was the word ‘circuit.’ Suddenly, I saw the Lord reach down inside each of us and pull out a circuit. Then, with His hand He began to re-circuit individuals, followed by re-circuiting this region, and finally, re-circuiting our nation. “Through Chuck, the Lord said, ‘I’m going to make My people so in line with My purposes, so thinking the way I’m thinking, they will have no choice but to start walking in a new way…’ For this nation, when He was re-circuiting it, I saw a date come in on that circuit. All of a sudden the computer - which had been turned off when he pulled the circuit out - came back up on October the 18th. Beginning October the 18th, get ready. “The Lord said, ‘You will know, beginning October the 18th, in this nation, that things have come full circle. You will also know that I have pulled the plug on things you’ve been asking me to pull the plug on…’” (Link to that GH15 is here.) October 18, of course, was Monday of this week. I believe God initiated something on that day that will radically shift our nation. He is answering our prayers. On that same day, our friend Gina Gholston had the following dream: “I dreamed I was inside a bowling alley, standing just behind the bowling ball return machine, watching a large ball making its way down the lane toward the pins. The ball carried weight, and I could feel the floor trembling beneath me as it rolled down the lane. “About halfway down the lane, a force came from the left side, trying to push the ball into the gutter on the right. Almost simultaneously, another force came from the right side to keep the ball on track. These two forces were fiercely operating, one trying to push the ball off its course, and the other seeking to keep it on the course. Finally, the ball hit the pins, and made a strike! “There was a large screen over the lanes, spanning the entire width of the building. When the ball hit the pins, I saw a small white light moving on the screen. The light was growing as it moved forward, then burst into many lights spelling the word “STRIKE!” with lights flashing all around it. “Then the word “STRIKE!” went away, and this phrase popped up on the screen: ‘The King-pin has fallen!’ and little bursts of light began falling all around these words, resembling fireworks after they have burst in the sky and begin to fall and fade. “At that time, I noticed two men standing in front of me. There was a strong presence about them, and I remember thinking, ‘these are warring angels.’ They were having a conversation, and I overheard one say to the other, very emphatically, ‘A strike will be made, and the kingpin will fall. It’s time!’ “At that moment on the big screen, the phrase began flashing: ‘America Shall Be Saved.’ Then the words burst into a fireworks display that formed into the American flag.” WOW..!!! Here are a few interpretations: The “weighty” bowling ball represents the glory of God. The Hebrew word for glory means heavy or weighty. The concept includes authority. The forces from the left and right represent the powers of darkness trying to stop God’s glory and authority from accomplishing what He wants them to accomplish in our nation, and the prayers of the church attempting to keep things on target. The strike represents successful intercession. The Hebrew word for intercession, paga, among other things means “to strike the target.” It is used this way in Job 36:32: “He covers His hands with the lightning, And commands it to strike the target.” Our intercession is causing the authority and glory of God to move toward the target. It will strike exactly where He intends for it to hit. This is going to cause a kingpin of satan to fall in this nation. I do not know if this is the principality ruling our nation, or a person satan is using, or both. I do know that God has made it clear recently that giants are about to fall. This is that. The statement “America Shall Be Saved” is self-explanatory! I believe these visions and dreams are all referring to the same thing. We have reached a point of breakthrough. God is about to act. This is incredibly encouraging but also instructional. Holy Spirit tells us these things not just so we can rejoice or be encouraged, but also to show us how to pray. We must issue our prayers and decrees, allowing them to “strike the target.” I am sitting in my backyard while writing this post. At the exact moment I was writing the previous sentence, halfway through it, two bald eagles flew directly over me! Not one. TWO! Just now! You may not believe in signs, but I do. Bald eagles are the national emblem of America. I believe Holy Spirit was confirming, even as I write this post, that this is the word of the Lord! I am also reminded of the dream about Red River Meeting House. This dream was about God re-opening wells of revival from that place, Cane Ridge, Azuza street, and Wales. In the dream, 100 bald eagles flew from there to all parts of the nation releasing arrows that released the fire of God. Holy Spirit said in the dream, “My seers are on the move.” There is just no doubt in my mind: these eagles today, when I was writing this, are another confirmation. Principalities are coming down. The plug is being pulled on evil in our nation - we are being re-circuited. The kingpin is being taken out. And America shall be saved! Pray with me: Thank You, Father, for these encouraging words. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for the confirmations. We believe your verdict has been rendered: America shall be saved. The kingpin is being taken out. You are re-circuiting, resetting, and restoring our nation. We also understand that these dreams and visions are not just for encouragement. They are showing us how to pray. So, we pray now that Your weight of glory and authority will strike the mark. We ask You to pull the plug on evil in our land. We ask You to re-circuit our nation, the church, individuals. We ask that principalities ruling America be brought down. Cause them to experience Your wrath. Strike them with Your glory and lightning, just as You did when You expelled them from heaven (Luke 10:18). And as You do this, we ask for a great unveiling to occur in our land, the spirit of revelation being released. Open the eyes of millions, freeing them from deception and darkness. Lord, do this also in the nations of the earth. Cause the light of the gospel to be seen clearly and enlighten the nations of the earth. We ask for this in the name of Christ. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the eagles are on the move, the glory of the Lord will strike the target, and the kingpin has fallen. *********************** Click on the link below watch the full video.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-20-2021 October 20, 2021 We Have a Part To Play The first chapter of Joshua marked a new season in Israel. A divine shift was about to occur; God was changing the time and season (Daniel 2:20-21), just as He is in America. And the chapter holds several insights for us. A short review of some things we’ve said recently would be beneficial. Scripture speaks of general time/s and seasons (chronos). Spiritually speaking (and often naturally, as well), these are the routine, mundane times of plowing ground, sowing and tending seeds, waiting, etc. They would include extended seasons of prayer, standing in faith and persevering. The season could be days, weeks, months, or years, depending on the subject. When faithfully managed and navigated, chronos seasons will eventually result in strategic, opportune times (kairos) of reaping. At this point, we have an opportunity to reap the fruit of our labors. God has changed the time and season. An example of this would be when He told Joshua that in 3 days, after 40 years of waiting, they were crossing into Canaan to possess the land. The fruit isn’t guaranteed at this stage, but the opportunity to reap has arrived. If we persevere in faith and implement the necessary principles, we will arrive at the fullness of time (pleroo). This speaks of a finished process. The money is in the bank, the harvest is in the barn. For Joshua and Israel, the land had been possessed. For our generation, it will mean we’re in full scale revival. We have a part to play in each phase if we are to get to the next. As we said, in the first chapter of Joshua, God changed the season to a kairos. Israel now had the opportunity to possess. In preparation, God gave Joshua several key principles to guide him through this kairos season. In yesterday’s post we talked about Him showing Joshua this would require faith. Another principle God made clear early on was that Israel would have to fight - their inheritance would not just fall in their lap. This would not be like leaving Eqypt. God will always faithfully do what only He can do; however, there will always be actions He requires of us. As we said on a recent post, don’t make the mistake of overemphasizing the sovereignty of God. It is deception to believe God will make certain that we reap, regardless of our involvement. The generation of Israelites who perished in the wilderness is proof that receiving the fulfillment of what God offers is not guaranteed. Joshua 1:2 states: “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.” Moses had gone away by himself, and God took him to heaven without anyone being there to witness it. Yahweh was indeed informing Joshua of this but was also announcing to him, “It’s your time now, Joshua. You can no longer look to the man who mentored you and led the nation. You have been trained and equipped; now you’re the one. Accept the responsibility! Rise up into your place of leadership and lead these people into their inheritance.” Not only was Joshua facing new responsibilities, however, but all of Israel was also. The word “giving” in the above verse is translated from the Hebrew word nathan, which means more than giving in the sense of bestowing something upon another. Nathan also means to give in the sense of an assignment. This is the word used in Psalm115:16: “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth He has given to the sons of men.” In this Psalm, God wasn’t saying He gave ownership of the earth to Adam and Eve, He did not. He was saying He had blessed them with the bounty of earth, but also that He had assigned to them responsibility and authority to manage it. God’s gifts are often His assignments. He was gifting the land to Israel, yes, but He was also assigning them the responsibility of possessing and managing it. Another picture of this can be found in the word “possess.” God told Joshua in verse 11 He was giving them the land to “possess.” This Hebrew word means “legally an heir” but also “military invasion for the purpose of conquering and settling in the land.” “This is your inheritance,” He was saying. “Now go take it.” Still another word in this chapter confirmed this. The word “tread” in verse three - “every place on which the sole of your foot treads I will give to you” - is a warfare word. It means “to march forth; to tread a winepress.” It also means to “bend a bow,” from the concept of treading on it to bend it. From this concept it came to mean “archers” or as one lexicon said, “bow-benders.” It is still the word today in Israel for loading a gun. When the commander is ready to lead his troops into battle he says, “Darak.” God was telling Joshua, “If you are willing to take your weapons and fight, I will give you victory.” These lessons are all true for us today. God has given us this nation to reap and enjoy its amazing bounty. But with that comes an assignment to manage, govern, and protect it. We are responsible to guard it against those who would try and overrule God’s purposes. We must not allow this rebelion to succeed. America is our inheritance - we must yaresh it. We must be willing to use the spiritual weapons of our warfare and take back what God has entrusted to us. The church must not yield to those who would try and abort God’s purposes. He has brought us to an incredible opportunity to repossess this land. God has changed the times and seasons and has brought us to the brink of incredible revival and breakthrough. We must now seize this. This will require darak. Load your weapons, spiritual bow-benders. Fight the good fight of faith. Take the sword of the spirit and the weapon of prayer. God has promised us victory, IF we are willing to fight. Of course, we are talking about spiritual warfare, not hurting people. We love people, but we do not love the spiritual powers of darkness that have invaded this nation, nor do we love what many people are trying to do. There is no contradiction between loving them and not accepting their actions. We are not to be spiritual pacifists. This is a deception satan uses frequently, convincing Christians that “loving” their enemies, or those who oppose the plans of God, is to sit back and allow them to do whatever they want, that God will deal with their plans and actions when He chooses. This is NOT biblical. We are to hate evil (Proverbs 8:13, Psalm 97:10; Romans 12:9; Revelation 2:6); at times we are to announce judgment (Acts 8:20, 13:11; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Timothy 4:14). And we are most certainly to resist the spiritual powers motivating and empowering evil doers. If these things were a contradiction of love, God would be violating His own nature - love - at times! Church, this can be our finest hour. This is our generation’s time to cross over into Canaan and drive out giants. Let’s do this. Pray with me: Father, You are giving us an opportunity to repossess our inheritance. You have changed the time and season, telling us, “It’s time!” We will now do as Joshua and Israel did: go into the land and remove spiritual giants. As your Ekklesia, we will bind and loose, pull down strongholds and free people from the clutches of the enemy. We, Your people in America, will be what You called us to be: a light to the nations, a voice of the gospel of the kingdom to all nations. Teach us what it means to love Your way, loving unbelievers while not accepting their actions. Give us Your hatred of evil AND Your love for the sinner. Your love is unconditional, yet Your judgments are true and righteous altogether (Psalm 19:9). Awaken the church. Give us a backbone of steel and hearts of love. Put Your warrior heart in us, causing us to fight for justice and truth. Give us Caleb hearts that look at a stronghold and say, “Give me my mountain!” Break off of us complacency, apathy, lukewarmness, selfishness, and fear. Free us from distractions and activities that cause us to miss opportunities and/or feel we are too busy to get involved. We ask You in Jesus’ name to do these things. Our decree: Let God arise and his enemies be scattered! ___________________________________________________ Portions of today’s post were taken from my book God’s Timing for Your Life. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-19-2021 October 19, 2021 Our Faith Will Prevail Hebrews 6:12 tells us it is through faith and patience that we inherit the promises. Maintaining faith for this nation has not always been easy. I’ve watched it drift farther and farther from God. There have been times of great sadness and mourning as I’ve watched God rejected, morality decline, babies killed, our roots deteriorate, and the overall church of America weaken. Obviously, it has looked, at times, like satan and those aligned with him are winning the war. Their arrogance and mockery sometimes makes it more challenging. On my journey the last 20 years, I have traveled millions of miles to thousands of meetings in hundreds of cities - all to pray and encourage others to do the same. I have fought discouragement and the frustration of wondering why more believers - especially leaders - don’t take seriously the need to pray for America. I have listened to naysayers’ unbelief, eschatological explanations as to why I am wasting my time, and ill-informed rebukes about being an American nationalist and/or controlled by a political spirit (even though my passion for America is centered around our calling to serve and evangelize other nations, and I’m not registered with either party.) Emotions are sometimes challenging to deal with. I have experienced anger over Never-Trumper’s who prefer killing babies over mean tweets, and pompous pastors who preach that God forgives sinners and doesn’t remember their sins, while continuously bringing up President Trump‘s past. I watched with shock while spiritual leaders refuse to pray and take a stand against cheating, then congratulated a staunch pro-abortionist (and who has since become the most pro-abortion president in history). I was disgusted as some of them castigated well-meaning prophetic believers whom they felt “missed it.” (A few did, most didn’t. Their decrees were declarations of faith or words stating God’s desire, not His guarantee.) God never said faith journeys would be easy. In spite of the ups and downs, by God’s grace and help I can say I have never doubted His word to me that a Third Great Awakening is coming to America; nor that this awakening will turn our nation back to Hiim and our righteous roots. We will be restored to our God-given destiny. America shall be saved! When needing to make a stand of faith, we must reach a point where what God says is the only determining factor for what we believe. That alone is biblical faith. Faith cannot be based on what we see around us, what others say, or how long it has been since the promise was given. When God was about to bring Israel into their fullness of time, giving them the promised land of Canaan, he made it clear to Joshua that faith would be required to possess the land. In Joshua 1:2 God said to Joshua, “Cross this Jordan,” (italics mine). He was pointing out that it was not the Jordan of several months earlier, nor the Jordan of a few months from then. It was this one - which was in flood stage! (see Joshua 3:15) At this time, the Jordan River was probably a mile wide, very deep, and, as far as these Israelites were concerned, impassible. Yet, God told Joshua that the nation - men, women, children, animals, possessions - would have to cross this Jordan in 3 days. One would imagine Joshua was tempted to think: we’ve waited 40 years! A few more months won’t hurt. Gimme a break! If he did, he didn’t say it. On the contrary, he started packing! What incredible faith it took to receive this word from the Lord! We, too, will face impossible situations and insurmountable odds at times when we are in the process of turning a nation. It will require much faith. We are there now in America. We will have to believe God is going to do His part - the impossible - to get us to where we need to be. As much faith is needed in the possessing stage as in the long waiting period. Chronos seasons of waiting obviously require faith and patience. But when God says it’s time to reap, faith will also be required then. We must be willing to respond and move in faith, regardless of the odds or adversity. I love the following story: “As the drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of Midwest farmers was in a quandary as to what to do. The rain was important not only in order to keep the crops healthy, but to sustain the townspeople’s very way of living. As the problem became more urgent, the local church felt it was time to get involved and planned a prayer meeting in order to ask for rain. “The pastor watched as his congregation filed in. He slowly circulated from group to group as he made his way to the front in order to officially begin the meeting. Everyone he encountered was visiting across the aisles, enjoying the chance to socialize with their close friends. As the pastor finally secured his place in front of his flock, his thoughts were on the importance of quieting the crowd and starting the meeting. “Just as he began asking for quiet, he noticed an 11-year-old girl sitting on the front row. She was angelically beaming with excitement; and lying next to her was her bright red umbrella, poised for use. The beauty and innocence of this sight touched the pastor’s heart. He realized this young girl possessed faith that the other people in the room seemed to have forgotten. The rest of the people had just come to pray for rain...she had come to see God answer.”(1) If we are going to see America turn, we better bring our umbrellas! God did something else to let Joshua know this reaping season was going to require faith. He made sure they crossed the Jordan near Jericho (Joshua 3:16), perhaps the most fortified and impregnable city in Canaan. As Joshua was staring at this stronghold, God made one of His periodic, outlandish statements, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, with its king and the valiant warriors,” (Joshua 6:2). My very human response would probably have been something like, “See what? All I see is one of the most fortified cities in all of Canaan. And, by the way, couldn’t we start with one of the smaller, vulnerable towns? Until we get a little experience and momentum. I mean, we were nomads a couple of days ago, our army hasn’t fought a battle…” God, however, was making a point through the flooded Jordan and impregnable Jericho: “The success of this endeavor doesn’t depend on the size or experience of your army. It doesn’t hinge on when or where you cross the Jordan. And the size or strength of the adversary means nothing. Success will be decided ONLY and TOTALLY by My ability and your willingness to obey and partner with Me. Got it, Josh?” Got it, praying church in America? Let’s pray. Pray with me: Father, Your cause is great and noble. You are determined to offer this entire planet the privilege of knowing You, entering Your family. You love the entire world with immeasurable love. Christ is the proof. A showdown is coming. Demonic rulers over Jericho’s are fearful, sensing that You are coming. They are correct. A shift is in process. The times and seasons are changing. We are going to cross the Jordan. Yes, it is flooded, impassable. No matter! We’re going across. We’re taking Jericho. Jubilee trumpets, marching feet and a shout of triumph will bring Your victory. We pray for the faith of our brothers and sisters, Father, as Christ did for Peter. He prayed that Peter’s faith wouldn’t fail, and it didn’t. It looked like it had, but, no, You sustained him. And we believe You will do so with today’s warriors, also. Sustain them, we pray! May they look at America and other Jericho nations of the earth with eyes of faith and hear You say, “See, I have given you the city.” Our decree: We decree that we will do what is necessary and stand by faith! _________________________________________________________________ Portions of today’s post were taken from my book God’s Timing for Your Life. Click on the link below to watch the full video. _____________________________ Alice Gray, Stories for the Heart (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 1996), p. 104.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-15-2021 October 15, 2021 It’s Time to Think Differently I have been speaking much recently on changing the way we think. I’ve probably mentioned it 8-10 times in messages over the past few months. Obviously, different seasons require different ways of thinking. Not conforming to this principle can be costly. In a cold season, one dresses differently than in a warm season. On vacation, hopefully, one thinks differently than while at work. In harvest season one thinks differently than in the planting season. Seasons change, and so must we. John the Baptist was called a forerunner, because he “ran before” Christ, preparing the way for His coming (Isaiah 40:1-5; Luke 3:1-6). One of the ways in which he prepared the people for Christ’s entrance was by telling them to change their thinking. The actual meaning of the word “repent,” one of John’s main commands, is “to think differently” (metanoeo). It does not actually mean “to go a different direction” as most people think. Going a different direction (epistrepho) is the end result of repentance. When we receive a revelation or enlightenment - a new way of thinking - from Holy Spirit, we can turn and go His way. We can do what He says to do, and we can do it in the way He says to do it. Sure enough, when Jesus appeared on the scene He started doing things differently. He taught differently. He corrected wrong doctrine and theology. He denounced the evolved religious traditions in Judaism that were not in line with scripture or God‘s heart. He worked miracles of healing. He overrode the laws of nature with His faith, authority, and power. He cast out demons. Those who followed Him had to think differently. No revival in past history has looked like the previous revival. This is due to several factors: Holy Spirit is building on what He did in the previous revival; therefore, He is obviously doing different things; He is doing it in a different time, therefore a different culture; and more. This is why He tells us to keep ourselves flexible, comparing us to a wineskin. What might He do differently in the coming outpouring of the Holy Spirit? We will see the full expression of Christ’s five ministry-gift anointings: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. We will see how He intended for them to work together, multiplying power and effectiveness. We will see how this mixes with the new level of worship Holy Spirit has produced in the body of Christ in the last 20 to 30 years. We will see the dramatic impact of 21st century technology on revival. We will see how all of this enables the church to disciple individuals and nations more effectively. This brings me to my final statement regarding what we might see: we will not only see Christ’s commission of Mark 16:15-18 fulfilled, we will also see that of Matthew 28:18-20 fulfilled. The Mark 16 passage is about revival or awakening. It speaks of preaching the gospel and getting people saved, baptized, filled with the spirit, delivered, and healed. The Matthew 28 passage is about reformation. It speaks of discipling or reforming nations, teaching them God’s ways, principles, and commandments. It is teaching people - entire nations - to live by the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven. Seeing these two activities of the Kingdom working in tandem will be something to behold. Much of the fruit produced by the charismatic movement and Jesus people movement of the late 60s, 70s, and early 80s was lost over the next decade or two. This is because the movement was about Mark 16 only - getting people saved - but neglected the discipling of nations, Matthew 28. While the church did Mark 16, humanists, secularists and atheists did Matthew 28, discipling our nation to their “doctrines” and beliefs. They did so through government, education, media, entertainment, and other systems - all while the church was content to leave those areas alone and practice our religion. This flawed paradigm of the church is how you have one of the greatest outpourings of Holy Spirit in history and yet, when that era of history is over, have lost ground. This will not happen in the coming move of Holy Spirit. We will think differently and do both commissions. This will be a game changer. I was with my friend, Chuck Pierce, in Tennessee last weekend. During the worship he had a vision about God re-circuiting the church and nation, which would obviously involve thinking differently. Here are a few definitions of circuit before sharing the vision: “a circular journey; the complete path of an electric current; a means of transmitting communication signals or messages.” Chuck said, “All of a sudden, I saw a word of knowledge blazed across the heavenly realms over us. It was the word “circuit.” Suddenly, I saw the Lord reach down inside of us and pull out a circuit. Then, with His hand He began to re-circuit individuals, followed by re-circuiting this region and, finally, re-circuiting our nation.” Chuck continued, “You know what happens when you really ‘kill’ a computer - that’s the easiest way to say it. You see, a computer stores all sorts of trash within it, and just turning it off and back on doesn’t get rid of the trash and garbage that has been stored in various parts of it. You have to go in and ‘kill’ that circuit, then bring it back up again” He then prophesied, “The Lord says, ‘I’m going to make My people so in line with My purposes, so thinking the way I’m thinking, they will have no choice but to start walking in a new way.’” Elaborating, he said, “In this vision the word ‘circuit,’ I believe, means a line, a message, a current that’s gone out. It went out, then it came full circle back in. For this nation, as He was re-circuiting it, I saw a date that came in on His circuit, and all of a sudden the computer popped back up on October the 18th. Beginning October the 18th, get ready. “The Lord said, ‘You will know, beginning October the 18th, in this nation, that things have come full circle. You will also know that I have pulled the plug on [‘killing’] things you’ve been asking me to pull the plug on. “‘I say, when I pull these plugs - I’ll do it one by one - the messages that have gone out in the past, will not be the same messages I allow to go out in the future. “‘Know this, My circuit is going out from the heavens and as My voice goes out on that circuit, I say to you, it will NOT return void. What begins tonight, in Tennessee, will cause a nation to be circuited again with My message.’” Chuck told me later that what he felt Holy Spirit was saying about “pulling the plug” and re-circuiting the nation was in reference to what has been happening in our nation since late 2019, that a confrontation is coming. Just as we are now seeing resistance, such as walkouts, etc. when inappropriate things are said and done in our nation, these things will continue to be confronted one by one. The layers of lies and confusion that have covered us in our nation are going to come off, one by one. This means the church will think differently...and the nation will begin to think differently. Get ready for this shift! Pray with me: Father, thank You for this encouraging word. You are re-circuiting the church and this nation. We are saying “yes” to this. We want to be in sync with You, both in our actions and our thoughts. We repent - we change our thinking and will move with You! We are moving from the forerunning stage to fulfillment, from preparation to performance. Re-circuit us and re-circuit our nation. Pull the plug on evil circuitry. Pull the plug on lies, deception, evil strategies and plans, and on everything that has been launched by people to destroy Your plan for America. Bring every plan down violently - kill it. We are well aware that in this coming revival, some who now oppose You will fall in love with You. THEY will be re-circuited. Do it! We will rejoice over their salvation. And whatever You have planned for October 18, do it! We’re all in! Our decree: We decree that each of us, and our nation, ARE being re-circuited! _____________________________ Click on the link below to watch the full video.

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-13-2021 October 13, 2021 Boots On the Ground Holy Spirit has been taking me back to the book of Joshua. In this book God changed the time and season, telling Joshua, “The wilderness season is over, now you are going in to possess the land.” This is where we are in America. It is time to possess the land spiritually, through revival - a Third Great Awakening (Mark 16:15-18). This will enable us to change things in the natural sense: laws, morality, government, education, the courts, etc., which is reformation (Matthew 28:18-20). We will never have the strength and momentum needed to reform without a genuine revival or awakening. God is clearly speaking to His people about praying, which is always the initial step, as well as releasing other strategies. It is important when we hear words, dreams, and messages that we act on them. They are not simply to encourage us; they are to give us direction and strategy. I certainly receive them as strategy and as I feel instructed by Holy Spirit, do what they show me to do. Others are doing the same. I prayed for a group of ladies a couple of months back who were going on a prayer journey to Red River Meeting House and, if my memory serves me correctly, on to Cane Ridge. They were doing so in response to Gina Gholston’s dream of the Red River Meeting House. They designed the t-shirt I’m wearing today and gave me one. These teams are serious! Some of the most life-changing experiences I’ve had with God have come on prayer journeys. I’ve been on many, sometimes alone, other times part of a team. We can always pray wherever we are - just as we do daily on this post - but at times, God needs boots on the ground, decrees released directly into the atmosphere, or a prophetic act of obedience onsite. In yesterday‘s post, I mentioned four ladies who are traveling along I-40 and other key places on a prayer tour, based on a series of dreams regarding this interstate. In the dreams, I-40 symbolizes Isaiah 40, yet it is clear that some of the details are to be taken literally. Praying along this interstate - from the east coast of our nation all the way to the west coast - is intended to be a prophetic act that releases the power and fire of God into America. It is incredibly inspiring to hear what these ladies, 94, 84, 71, and 69 years of age, are doing. Yesterday, I shared a short report from them. Today, I want to share a longer account of their prayers the past couple of days: ---------------------------------------------------------- “We left Nashville, TN, and drove to Morganton, NC. Along the way, declarations and decrees were made at the leading of Holy Spirit. “As we left Nashville, TN, we decreed that fire is falling across this nation, that the wells of revival are overflowing; and that the breath of God and the anointing of Holy Spirit are flowing all across the land, bringing in a huge harvest as men realize their need for God. “From Nashville, TN, to Knoxville, TN, we decreed and declared the altars of Baal - drug addiction, pornography, sex trafficking, and child abuse are brought down. “Between Knoxville, TN, and Ashville, NC, we decreed that businesses are delivered from illogical mandates and restrictions. We bound the spirit of fear and declared people once again will desire to work. “We declared over North Carolina that awakening is now, pornography is broken, and churches are standing up for the righteousness of God. We decreed that pastors and church leaders are awakened and on fire to feed their sheep God's truth; that pastors who refuse to do this are removed. We declared that the ekklesia is rising up and taking authority, that racism is broken and that God is pouring out His Spirit over this region. God is cleansing this territory from its old ways to resurrection life in Jesus. “God's power is falling in Ashville, NC, pulpits as they are filled with fresh anointing and fire. We declared, ‘Dry bones, come alive… old wineskins are left behind as new wineskins replace them…and that God's Word accomplishes His purposes as He watches over His Word to perform it.’ “We are so tired of this junk that is going on; we want to help God do His work. And because we want God to succeed, we will do exactly what we hear Him speak. Like Dutch was saying the other night, ‘see and say.’ We see with our hearts and say what He tells us to say. I guess we want to imitate our Father.” ------------------------------------------------------------- Incredible..! This is what it means to put feet to our prayers. I wish we had 100 teams doing this. And even though some of you cannot do so because of jobs or family, you can pray as you drive through your cities. You can pray on the way to work, in route to the grocery store, when dropping your kids off at school. Let’s be doers of the words He gives us. Again, I know many of you ARE doing this. And I want you to know, “It still works!” Every Spirit-led prayer and decree will bring forth fruit. They will not return to Him void, but will accomplish what He intends (Isaiah 55:11). The literal, most accurate translation of Luke 1:37 is: “For no word spoken by God is without power.” When He gives you a prayer or decree to release it is filled with his power. Let’s persevere and take back this land for Him! Pray with me: Thank You, Holy Spirit for the dreams and strategies You are bringing forth. It is our joy to partner with You. In Isaiah 40, You prophesied of John’s forerunning ministry, preparing the way for Messiah to come. You have used this passage once again to say to us today, “Prepare the way, through your prayers and decrees, for Messiah-King Jesus to come to your nation again. We are doing this. Thousands of us are agreeing in prayer today for Your guidance and protection to Jean, Francis, Violet, Mary, and all the others carrying out assignments such as this. Whether they are praying while walking across our nation, driving across, walking their neighborhood, or driving across town, we undergird them with prayer. We ask You to strengthen them and make their prayers a mighty sword in the spirit. We all decree now, “Strongholds in America, come down! Demonic influence, be removed! Fire of God, fall! Church, be awakened! Unbelievers, be saved! Evil in government and education, be exposed and removed! Young generation, receive the greatest revival planet earth has ever experienced! Prodigals, come back to Father! In Christ’s name, so be it! Our decree: We decree that all of these requests and prayers are authorized by King Jesus, empowered by Holy Spirit, and enforced by angels. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read Link: https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-12-2021 October 12, 2021 We Are Being Re-circuited I was in Clarksville, TN, at Riverside Church with my friends Randy and April Lopshire this past weekend. Several prophets were there for the conference, including my good friend, Chuck Pierce. We began the weekend by visiting the Red River Meeting House just across the state line in Kentucky. The presence of Holy Spirit is still very strong there. For those who may not know, the Red River Meeting House was the place of a great revival at the end of the 1700s. The revival spread to Cane Ridge, KY, which became one of the greatest revivals in history and sparked the Second Great Awakening. This revival saved America, and I do not just mean spiritually. Several dreams have been received about past revival wells reopening, including Red River Meeting House. We posted a couple of them here on Give Him 15 that Holy Spirit gave Gina Gholston, who was also with us at Red River this past weekend. Here is the GH15 post where the dream was shared (from 2/9/2021). We were warmly received by those in charge at the property. I wasn’t aware they were conducting a reenactment that weekend, with several people/families camping, some of them dressed in period attire. It was very interesting. I was informed by leaders that visitors to Red River Meeting House have increased greatly since we spoke of it on Give Him 15. Those in charge were so appreciative and thankful. I, too, am grateful that we have listeners and partners who take these words and dreams seriously, and honor what God did in the past through those who came before us. It was meaningful and very moving to pray, prophesy and decree elements of Gina’s dream: the geyser (“It’s time!”), the seers, the eagles with their arrows and scrolls, the rapid response teams, and more as we stood at the Appeal to Heaven flag hanging behind the pulpit. The same weighty presence followed us to the service that night. Chuck Pierce spoke first, I followed. He shared a vision Holy Spirit gave him earlier in the service of the word “re-circuited.” The message he gave regarding this word was profound. As an example of what it meant, Chuck talked about the work Holy Spirit has done in him over the last year. Then he prophesied that God was changing the circuitry of our hearts and minds, enabling us to move into revival unencumbered with the past and in sync with Him. He felt that the prayer time at Red River Meeting House, the decreeing of the dream, along with what Holy Spirit did in this service was confirmation that we have crossed fully into the revival we’ve been working and praying toward. Again, it was a profound word, and certainly a historical day. The same incredible strength of anointing continued Saturday and Sunday. I can only say to you that if there had been any question in my mind as to whether or not we are in the beginning of this Third Great Awakening, it would have been answered this weekend. We’re in it. Another interesting occurrence was the attendance of four “young” ladies - 94, 84, 71, and 69 years of age - representing four decades. They are on an I-40 prayer tour, traveling the route Holy Spirit gave in one of several dreams about I-40 over the last six months (4 decades [40 years] on I-40). They’re visiting various places along the way, praying as Holy Spirit leads and decreeing “Fire” over the nation, just as the dream stated. The fire of Holy Spirit is being released in America. They will finish at Azusa Street in California. What a precious and strong team. The initiator, 84 years old, was listening to me on YouTube last October talk about a prayer assignment I had been given. She said she told the Lord, “I wish I had an assignment.” Later, when she heard the dream Holy Spirit said, “Here’s your assignment.” And they’re doing it! When listening to them talk about it, one is left with no doubt that they will finish and accomplish the mission. The Ekklesia is arising! The words being released by Holy Spirit are to be acted upon. And not just by those in occupational ministry; they’re to be accomplished by the Ekklesia. The ladies sent this short report from Sunday afternoon and Monday: We drove to Belmont Church and the Koinonia Coffeehouse Memorial Marker in Nashville, TN, where the "Jesus Music" movement took place in the ‘70s. Here musicians shared their faith through music. We decreed fresh fire and anointing over a whole new generation of musicians rising up to spread the Gospel in song and setting captives free through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Nashville will once again be known as the place of "Jesus Music." We then went to Regeneration Nashville Church where Kent Christmas delivered a prophetic message stating the importance of our standing up with God against evil. He is raising up a glorious Church bringing justice back to this nation. Hearts were stirred as faith and hope rose up fresh within us. (The I-40 Prayer Team: Jean, Francis, Violet, and Mary) The last thing that stood out to me about this amazing weekend was Holy Spirit continually saying, “It’s time!” He said to us, “When it is time to shift into breakthrough, revival, initiate a new season, etc, I CAN do it. My timing and ability are NEVER determined by My enemies. Never.” God waited 40 years for an unbelieving generation in Israel to die so the next generation could possess the promised land. When the old generation was gone, Holy Spirit said to Joshua, “Here we go!” He led them across the flooded Jordan and planted them on the Canaan side. Then, just to emphasize for us that He can do what He needs to do when the time is right, He said in Scripture, “While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. Then on the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and roasted grain.” (Joshua 5:10-11) Notice the phrase “on that very day.” Holy Spirit didn’t want us to miss the significance of the timing. One can almost hear him tell the angels, “I will wait until the faithless generation dies, which will be in 40 years, then I’ll take the next generation into the promised land. And I’ll do so in time for them to celebrate Passover in the land, on the anniversary of when I brought them out of Egypt. And I’ll have them at exactly the place where I want them to cross over. Then they will eat the fruit of their inheritance the very next day after their anniversary.” Tens of thousands of people, ranging in age from their 40’s to their 80’s, all dying over a 40 year span - not 41 or 39 yrs - by a specific day of the 40th year, shortly before Passover; getting the entire nation to the right spot on the right day, just after the last death; moving them across a flooded river on the exact day needed to celebrate Passover and eat the produce of the land the next day. Are you kidding me? No problem - not for God. He can do what He says He can do. When it was time for Isaac, He did it. When it was time for Joseph to leave prison and become a ruler, He did it. When it was time for Israel to leave Egypt, He did it. When it was time to judge Pharaoh, He did it. When it was time for Messiah, He did it. When it was time for the Cross, He did it. When it was time for the resurrection, He did it. When it was time for Pentecost, He did it. He knows what He’s doing! Do not think He cannot save this nation. Do not think He cannot send revival to the nations. He can, He is, and He will! Pray with me: Father, Your faithfulness to us is amazing. It reaches the clouds. We run from You, reject You, insult You and curse You. Yet You bring a wave of revival to restore us and rescue our children. Your love knows no bounds, Your mercies are forever. We thank You. We thank You also for our brothers and sisters before us who have carried the Kingdom baton faithfully, laying down their lives, giving their blood for the cause. We honor them, knowing we are building on what they have done. We are part of a great family. We boldly state our confidence that You can do what You said You could do. And You can do it when the time is right to do so. No enemy of Yours has ever dictated to You when You could do something. Never. You have said through Your prophets it is time for the wells of revival to spring forth in America and around the world. And yet, You also said when it is time to ask You for it (Zechariah 10:1). We do so now. Let it rain! Our decree: We decree that the wells of revival are now open in America. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read October 8, 2021 His Image and Likeness We have been talking about Daniel 2:20-21, which says God changes the times and seasons. Many prophetic believers are confident this is occurring and that we are experiencing a divine shift into a time of great harvest. God does not create these shifts based on a whim or when He “finally decides” it’s time to do something. The God who sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10) never has to finally decide to do anything. He is a God of precision and order, purpose and design; He does nothing without strategic intent. When it concerns harvest, God’s timing is determined by several things: the spiritual atmosphere of a region; the time it takes to prepare the hearts of a generation, both at individual and corporate levels; and the readiness of His reapers, the church. Since it is His will that none perish, He is always ready to save. It is the decisions and hearts of people that dictate when He can do so. In Elijah’s day, God wanted to turn the hearts of Israel away from Jezebel’s influence long before He was able to do so. It took years of Elijah’s prophesying, a devastating drought, a power encounter that exposed the powerlessness of Baal, and 12-13 more years of work raising up Elijah’s successors. Only then was Jezebel fully overthrown. The timing of awakening is not determined only by what God wants! We, the church, are an important part of this timing. This is why Jesus said on one occasion that the harvest was great but the laborers were few. He followed this by saying “...pray to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers” (Matthew 9:37-38). He tells us to ask because this is how He works on earth. He needs humans, whom He gave authority over the earth, to ask Him (see Ezekiel 22:30-31). He does not work in spite of people but through people. As profound as it seems, the God of the universe needs us! I took the first four chapters of my book, Intercessory Prayer, to teach on why prayer is necessary. If you don’t feel that you understand this, it would be a helpful read. Because of this partnership, Holy Spirit is always working in the church and the world simultaneously to prepare for a harvest season. Going from revelation to revelation and faith to faith (as we have spoken of in the last two posts) is not just to mature us for individual growth and fruitfulness; it is also to prepare us for Holy Spirit’s next phase of activity on earth. As we increase in our level of maturity and understanding of His ways, He can use us to accomplish more and more for and with Him. As you can see, several factors affect the timing of God‘s shifts in the earth and in our lives. We have looked at Proverbs 4:18 and Romans 1:17 as part of the divine shift. Another verse that mentions the phases of our spiritual maturing process is 2 Corinthians 3:18: “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” In order to truly understand this verse, it must be looked at in light of Adam’s fall. God made Adam and Eve - and in them the entire human race - in His image and likeness. The word “image” (tselem) in Genesis 1:26 comes from a word meaning “to shade.” Tselem means “a shadow, illusion or phantom.” We were created so much like God that it was illusionary! The word “likeness” (demuwth) is from the Hebrew word meaning “to compare.” Adam and Eve were comparable to God! Amazing. Made in His image and likeness, filled with His spirit, Adam and Eve were as much like God as they could be without being equals. And why not - He was creating family! Psalms 8:3 says God crowned Adam with glory, which brings us to our text: being transformed from glory to glory. The Hebrew word for glory (kabowd) means “weighty” or “heavy”. The concept is related to authority and influence. Still today we use this concept, saying of individuals who are in charge of a place or situation, “they carry the weight.” We speak of people with great influence as individuals who “carry a lot of weight.” Adam and Eve “carried the weight” on earth; they were in charge. In order to represent Him effectively, God gave them His image and Spirit. When the rest of creation saw Adam and Eve, they saw God in them. The New Testament word for glory (doxa) also includes the concept of image and likeness. Doxa, literally means “the appearance of a person or thing which causes it to be recognized for what it is.” This does not pertain only to God. The concept of “glorifying” something is acknowledging it for what it really is - it’s beauty, virtue or other distinctives. When we are using it in reference to God, we “glorify” Him because we recognize Him for who He is, which motivates us to honor or worship Him. When the Bible speaks of humans having or bearing God‘s glory (Psalm 8:3; 1 Corinthians 11:7) it is not speaking of us receiving praise or honor. It is saying we look like Him. He is seen in us. Of course, when Adam and Eve sinned they lost the glory or image of God. He was no longer seen in them. The end result was that pride, rebellion, anger, violence, perversions and many other forms of sin were seen. When we are born again this changes. We receive His image once again in our spirit, and begin a process of transformation outwardly, which allows us to express His image to others - from glory to glory. Obviously, those around us are not to see our personal uniqueness; we want them to see Christ. It is His image we are being conformed into, His glory. We are to bring recognition of Him, not ourselves. As far as a spiritual harvest is concerned, earth has been in a chronos season for 40 years. During this time, Holy Spirit has worked in the church to produce much change. The apostolic and prophetic anointings of Christ have been restored, worship has matured greatly and many in the church now understand what it means to be Christ’s Ekklesia. He has brought us to a level of maturity that more appropriately glorifies (pictures, reveals) Christ. As the worldwide revival gains momentum, the world will no longer look at us indifferently or with cynicism. They will instead recognize something about us that impresses them - not us, but Jesus. In this process, we have shifted to kairos and are moving toward fullness. The result will be harvest and great revival. Paul who wrote the verse in 2 Corinthians 3:18 - “transformed...from glory to glory” - understood the process well. After his dramatic conversion, he waited in a chronos season for many years while God was “glorifying” him - making him look like Christ. When the time was right, Holy Spirit caused a divine shift, recorded in Acts 13:1-3, and allowed Paul to reveal Christ to the world. He wants to do the same with us. As we allow Holy Spirit to transform us, we will look more like Christ and less like ourselves. At each new phase of glory, He can trust us with more authority, influence, and power. And we, like Paul, will be released to show the world a clearer picture of Christ. Let’s make it happen. Move from glory to glory. Pray with me: Father, the world is desperately looking for You, they just don’t know it. We are Your living epistles or letters, Your ambassadors, Christians (“little Christs”). In order to reveal You to the world, You give us Your anointing, gifts, Spirit and, yes, glory. It is our desire that a new level of this representation, a new level of Your glory, will come upon the church. Let the shift occur. We ask for this in our individual lives in order that we might manifest Your glory at home, work and play. We also ask for it in a corporate sense. Manifest Your glory through signs and wonders. Do so through great deliverances and salvation. Do so through the gifts of Your Spirit. And manifest Your weighty glory, Your authority, in the government of this nation. Let the full weight of who You are descend on America - her government, education system, media, and every other segment of society. Show us Your glory! Our decree: We decree that the glory of God will be seen in our day! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Portions of today’s post were taken from my book God’s Timing for Your Life. Click on the link below to watch the full prayer. https://youtu.be/FAFlnF0XevQ Links to Recent Articles: October 7, 2021 October 6, 2021 October 5, 2021 October 4, 2021 October 1, 2021

The Election Audit “For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.” (Luke 8:17 NLT) The audit in Maricopa County, Arizona, has been strongly contested. Many Americans, Christian or not, have sensed that something was off regarding the 2020 elections. So many citizens in Maricopa County, AZ, complained about their voting experiences, the state Senate decided an audit was in order. Never before in the history of America has there been an audit of this depth and detail. Every ballot was examined, each ballot was counted by hand and machines numerous times, and all points in the “chain of custody” were examined. On September 24th, the long-awaited audit results were released. The day before, on September 23rd, AZ Central ran a headline saying, “Arizona’s Audit showed no ‘Crime of the Century’? I’m Shocked!”(1) Other left-leaning media outlets, such as MSNBC, simply said something like, “Cyber Ninjas’ GOP-backed audit of Arizona votes still shows Biden won...”(2) I am always fascinated to see how quickly the Left tries to set the narrative. Ignoring the full purpose and scope of the audit, they rushed to create the narrative they wanted people to focus on. Recounting the votes tells us nothing. Of course, Biden had the most votes in the “recount.” However, many discrepancies, anomalies, illegalities, and strange circumstances were discovered. “It is vitally important that you take time to watch the report yourself to fully understand the findings so you are informed. The audit was conducted by several highly qualified independent firms and individuals.”(3) IFA explains specific findings: “Dr. V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai, M.I.T. PhD., and his team from Echomail, investigated the mail-in ballot envelopes for signature anomalies, including blank signatures and scribbles as well as partial signatures. They found that many blank signature boxes were approved by election officials which would be in violation of election standards and laws. “The most startling finding was something they did not expect in reviewing signatures. His team discovered 34,448 votes from those who voted more than once in the 2020 AZ general election. What this means is at least 17,224 votes were included in the results that should never have been accepted as valid, due to double, or in some cases triple, voting by the same voter. Keep in mind the Biden margin of victory in Arizona was 10,457 votes.”(4) IFA goes on to report that the auditing firm found: “More than 255,000 early votes shown in the county final vote file lacked a corresponding entry in the early voting returns file. “More than 9,000 mail-in ballots were received and recorded than the official number of mail-in ballots sent out by the county. “A canvass showed over 3,400 more ballots were cast than recorded. “Precincts show 1,551 more ballots cast on election day than people who actually showed up to vote. “More than 23,000 voted by mail despite moving to Maricopa County after the October 5 cutoff date. “2,382 voters cast votes in Maricopa County, in person, after moving out of the county. “More than 2,000 voters were given a full ballot instead of a presidential-only ballot because they moved out of Arizona within 29 days before the election in violation of election law. “Nearly 300 deceased voters may have voted in the election “Nearly 2,500 ballots were shown in the early vote returns that do not have a voter listed as casting them. “While conducting an audit, it is crucially important that auditors receive complete cooperation from those they are auditing. That did not happen with respect to officials with Maricopa County. There was resistance and obstruction from the very beginning which was documented during the hearing. For example, only recently have they received an agreement to inspect routers which were withheld until after this audit report. “We learned explosive findings from independent auditor, Ben Cotton, founder of CyFIR and an expert IT analyst. Cotton shared that Maricopa County deleted a large volume of county election records from the 2020 general election from computer servers just prior to the information being handed over to auditors, a violation of state election law.”(5) Let’s continue to pray for truth to expose darkness, and for the media to be forced to report with accuracy. Americans deserve to know the full story of what happened. Even if it doesn’t change the outcome, it can provide protection for future elections, which we should all be in favor of. Dutch Sheets From GiveHIM15 https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-7-2021

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/september-23-2021 September 23, 2021 Shed the Shell On Monday we talked about allowing Holy Spirit to reignite us, preparing us for the “new” that is coming. In the New Testament, two Greek words are translated “new,” and have different meanings. Understanding the difference is important. The word neos means numerically new, but not qualitatively different. For instance, if you buy a new car of a certain make and model, and like it so much you buy another one for your spouse, that would be neos. It’s new, but not different. I’ll give you a reference in a moment. The other Greek word for “new” is kainos, which also means numerically new, but includes qualitatively new, as well. For example, a new car manufactured today is obviously quite different from a new Model T in its day. Today’s version would be not only numerically new, but also qualitatively new (kainos). Distinguishing the difference between these two words—neos and kainos—is very important to our proper understanding of Scripture. For example, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says we are new (kainos) creations. We’re not just duplications or replicas of the former, which would be neos. We’re new in the sense of being different—kainos - qualitatively new. When we’re born again, God transforms us, gives us a different nature, and fills us with His Spirit. We’re not just forgiven, the same sinful people with a few changes; we are kainos, completely new on the inside. A very important passage in which these distinctions are significant is Matthew 9:17. Jesus used both Greek words in one statement when He referred to the importance of putting “new wine” into “new wineskins.” His choice of words was that new (neos - numerically new) wine had to be put into new (kainos - qualitatively new) wineskins. Wineskins, made of leather, become dry and hard between uses. Before being used again, they have to be soaked in water, then rubbed with oil to soften them. If this does not occur, the fermentation process expands the skin and it breaks. The application for us is that we must allow the water of the Word and oil of Holy Spirit to prepare us for new seasons of wine. The neos wine Jesus spoke of is another outpouring of Holy Spirit. He, the wine, won’t change. Holy Spirit can’t change - no improvement is possible or necessary. He simply pours more of Himself into us. However, we, the wineskin must change, progressively transformed (kainos) from glory to glory and faith to faith. In order to have another measure of Holy Spirit poured into us, we are renewed, changed, metamorphosed. If we do not allow and cooperate with this change, we won’t be able to contain the new wine He pours out in subsequent revivals. But if we do embrace the change in our lives, He can pour neos wine into our kainos wineskins. God has done an enormous amount of work in the church the past few years, preparing us for another move of His Spirit (more wine). Some of the change we all experience is obviously character related. We are consistently being transformed into the image of Christ (2 Corinthiand 3:18). Other changes, however, are in our thinking - both theologically and practically. Many in the church have gone through theological adjustments over the past few years regarding the 5-Fold ministry gifts of Ephesians 4:11, the meaning and calling of the church (ekklesia), understanding marketplace ministry (which we discussed yesterday), maturing in prayer and more. And yet, we must be willing to change more than just our theology. Our wineskins must become flexible in a practical sense. We all become comfortable with certain ways, methods, customs, traditions, etc. This is true in every area of life, both naturally and spiritually. Cultural “norms” are present in homes, businesses, age groups, society as a whole and, yes, churches. This isn’t wrong; it is normal. However, just as businesses must adapt to new products and tastes, innovating to succeed in a new season, we in the church must also. When Holy Spirit is poured out in a new season, He is ministering to a new generation with new tastes and styles, that experiences new and different problems, and that processes everything through a new set of paradigms. When Holy Spirit is poured out on this generation, He is wise enough to know what they need and how they need it delivered to them. The key for us is twofold: remain flexible enough to adapt our methods; and follow Holy Spirit’s guidance in doing so without compromising the message - innovate without ignoring or violating truth. Truth is sacred and unchanging; methods and preferences are not. “From time to time, lobsters have to shed their shells in order to grow. They need the shell to protect them from being torn apart; yet when they grow, the old shell must be abandoned - it can’t grow. If they did not abandon it, the old shell would soon become their prison and, finally, their casket. The precarious time for the lobster is the brief period between the discarding of the old shell and the forming of the new. During that terribly vulnerable period, the transition must be scary to the lobster. Ocean currents gleefully cartwheel them from coral to kelp. Hungry schools of fish are ready to make them a part of their food chain. For a while at least, that old shell must look pretty good. We are not so different from lobsters. To change and grow, we must sometimes shed our shells—a structure, a framework—that we’ve depended on.”(1) Becoming a new wineskin means shedding the old in order to embrace the new. It’s uncomfortable, but necessary. It’s worth pointing out that the two Greek words for “new” - neos and kainos - are also used to describe “renewal.” By adding the prefix ana to them, which is equivalent to the English prefix “re,” we have two different concepts of renewal. Ananeoo is being renewed to what we previously were or possessed; God restores to us something we once walked in. What He restores isn’t qualitatively new or different, yet there is renewal or refreshing. Perhaps He restores to us our joy, health, first love, or a state of faith we previously walked in. The other word, anakainoo, means that the renewal process has changed us. God has brought to us another stage of maturity; we are different. This type of renewal transforms us from glory to glory, into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). When finished, we are more mature, more knowledgable, more like Him. This is the word for renewing the mind (Romans 12:2), the way we think, enabling us to operate more in the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). God is doing new things on the earth, both in the sense of neos and kainos. He’s beginning to pour another round of wine, another rain of Holy Spirit. To prepare for this, He’s also making radical changes in the church. Ready yourself to receive these changes by being a kainos wineskin. Shed the shell..! Pray with me: Father, we position ourselves before You, asking for the ability to change in whatever ways necessary to receive the new wine of Holy Spirit. We want to experience the ongoing transformation into the image of Christ, from glory to glory. We are expecting new wine and we intend to be new vessels. Show us any areas of our lives needing change or adjustment. Show us any way of thinking that would keep us from receiving the new wine. And grow us in our understanding of Your word and ways so that we can be used to reveal Christ as never before. You speak of the church coming to a place where we reveal the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). We want this! So transform us. Transform our minds. Move us into a greater understanding of You, which will release greater authority and power. Move us into a new expression of Your gifts and will in the earth. You said we would do the same works Christ did and greater works. We release our faith for this now. In His wonderful name we ask, amen. Our decree: We decree that we are becoming new, in order to receive the new..! Portions of today’s post were taken from my book God’s Timing for Your Life. Click on the link below to watch the full video. _______________________________- Edward K. Rowell, Fersh Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Christianity Today, 1997), p 43.

6 min read September 22, 2021 We Are All Called to the Ministry..! Words really do matter. Inadequate translations and deficient understandings of what certain New Testament words mean can be very detrimental. For example, as we have spoken of on several occasions there are different words for “time” in the New Testament. Chronos means time in general or chronological time; kairos means strategic or opportune time, sometimes an appointed time; horaios means the right time, the now time. Obviously not understanding the meaning of these different words can be harmful. Though the word “time” is sometimes used to translate all of them, this should not be. In other contexts, the church sometimes interprets and attributes meaning to a word that should not be given it. These interpretations often become very prevalent and widely excepted. The word “church” is a good example. Though used to depict a building where we worship or a religious service, this should never have occurred. The Greek word ekklesia means a legislature. Jesus said in Matthew 16 He would build His “government” on earth. Two other words we misuse, and my purpose for this post, are “ministry/minister” and “calling.” The word in the New Testament for minister (diakonos) simply means “a servant,” NOT a preacher or religious leader. The misuse of this word has brought great confusion. It is now believed that a religious leader is a minister, while those in the pews are servants or lay people. In God’s mind, all believers are ministers. The same word used to describe the apostles “serving” the Word was used to describe the deacons who “served” food (Acts 6:1-6). The words “calling” or “called” (klesis) in the New Testament simply mean “vocation.” My calling is to write, travel and teach; yours may be to build homes or be a full-time mom. But in God’s mind, we are all “called” to “ministry” (2 Timothy 1:9). This levels the playing field, dignifies all callings/vocations, and brings to light the importance we all have in the Kingdom. The Ekklesia is called to minister for God, regardless of the vocation He purposes for us. The church is everywhere, not just in a building. And we are all anointed by Him to do the work of the Kingdom, everywhere. This is the impetus of the recent movement some have termed “marketplace ministry.” It is a great phrase. An increased understanding of this will take the church to an entirely new level of effectiveness. In the book of Acts, Holy Spirit used the word “addition” (prostithemi), to describe the growth of the early church. God was “adding” to their numbers daily (Acts 2:47). The word describing their growth changed, however, in the sixth chapter, when deacons also begin to minister the word and healing, just as the apostles were. From that point on in the book of Acts the word used to describe the growth was “multiplication” (Plethueo). When did the growth transition from adding to multiplying? When the ministry was no longer being done only by the apostles. This is profoundly important. In the last two or three decades Holy Spirit has been correcting our theology, emphasizing the truth that we are all His ministers, called to do His works. Because of this, the coming revival will see exponential fruit and growth. There will be more miracles outside the four walls where we gather than inside. More people will be led to Christ outside those walls than inside. Holy Spirit’s anointing is not limited to buildings on a Sunday morning. I mentioned a week ago that Ceci and I were going to the Opry in Nashville to celebrate the induction of The Isaacs as members (an esteemed and prestigious honor within the Country and Bluegrass Music world). Though they are primarily a gospel music group, they have become widely respected and honored in the Country and Bluegrass music world. Their gifts and talents rival any person or group in the secular music industry. Their incredible harmony is unrivaled. They understand that, whether they are in a worship service or at the Opry, they represent the Lord and are called by Him to release His love and light. And the fact that The Isaacs are so well received in the Country and Bluegrass world is a testament to the fact that people are hungry for what they carry. The songs they sang at the induction, all about the Lord, were not only received, they were LOVED. As the words to It Is Well With My Soul echoed through the building, people responded with a standing ovation and roaring applause. The Isaacs reached people that night, both in the crowd and watching at home, I will never have the opportunity to reach. That is marketplace ministry. Ricky Skaggs, a winner of many awards, including inductions into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, also performed. Ricky presided in the presentation of The Isaacs’ induction. Being a strong believer, he, too, was very anointed and carried the presence of the Lord into the gathering. It was clear when he sang and presented this award, that an anointed spiritual father was in the house. The pleasure of the Lord was present. Though no altar call was given, thousands of people were touched by the presence of Holy Spirit. This is what I am referring to by being “called” to “minister,” regardless of the gift or vocation God has destined us with. You may not have a microphone, you may not have a stage, but you have a voice. Over lunch with a coworker, at a backyard barbecue, or during a visit with a hurting friend, you are called to represent Jesus. He is waiting to release His love, power, and anointing through you. Be sensitive to people’s hearts and yes, always be sensitive to your employer and what is acceptable to them, but God will give you opportunities to share Jesus. You are called and you are a minister. Abraham was a rancher. Noah was a boat builder. Lydia was a merchant. Paul, during segments of his ministry, was a tentmaker. Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king. Daniel was a governmental advisor. David was a shepherd, then king. Cornelius, used to birth a completely new era of the gospel - the beginning of the Gentile church - was a centurion. Some of those God used most significantly in scripture were in marketplace ministry. William Wilberforce, who was used to end slavery in the British Empire, was in government. Mother Teresa ran an orphanage. John and Charles Wesley were given to us by a mom of 19 children. Break out of the layman box and move boldly into full-time ministry! Pray with me: Father, You have called each of us with a holy calling (2 Timothy 1:9). You said we are able ministers of the new covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6). Increase this revelation in the church. Open the eyes of our understanding to the great anointing we all carry. Show every believer they can do exploits in Your name. Break wrong paradigms off of us. Do away with our wrong thinking regarding platform ministers versus marketplace ministers. Remove the deception that believes some are called, but others are simply to serve those few. Bring renewed revelation of Mark 16, that all believers are to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, cast out demons, and partner with You in the preaching of the gospel. We pray for those who make it to the top of the “mountain” You have placed them in. We do not see them as elites, above other believers, but as the point of a spear. They face great resistance and warfare. They experience many temptations to compromise. Keep them pure. You have given them great influence. Make them strong in the Spirit and in the Word. Use them mightily! We fully expect this next wave of revival to go deeper than any other, to be broader than any other, and to bring a billion or more souls into the Kingdom as the church walks fully in her calling. We thank You for Your heart to do this. We love You. Amen. Our decree: As the Ekklesia of the Lord Jesus Christ, we declare that His Holy Spirit in us has made us able, competent ministers of His new covenant in the earth (2 Corinthians 3:6). Click on the link below to watch the full video.