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  1. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/february-9-2024 February 9, 2024 Our friend Gina Gholston, felt the need to break weariness, discouragement, hope-deferred, the pain of past wounds, and other weights hindering believers at this time. And I’m glad she did! We need YOU free and healthy to run the race! You’ll find her words encouraging and powerful. The title is: Free to Run Many within the Body of Christ are experiencing a deepening passion for God. There’s an unshakeable feeling that we have crossed into the unfolding of a history-making moment, provoking a deep longing to know and walk with God. There is a clarion call from the Lord, piercing the hearts of all who have ears to hear. Christ is calling His Body to rise and shine with the light of His glory (Isaiah 60: 1-2). Recently, the Lord spoke to me that 2024 will be a year of His revealed glory. This means the Church, must be alert and move in high levels of wisdom, authority, and boldness, enabling Christ to work through us. Undaunted faith in God is required at this time! I have said many times: real faith takes real courage. And we are in a real faith and real courage season! Faith comes from knowing God and His Word. As we spend time with Him, focusing on Him and His Word, faith arises within us. That faith gives us the courage and confidence to advance. It’s an urgent, yet exciting time, the moment we have longed and prayed for. However, some are finding themselves hesitant in their response to His calling. This hesitation could be for many different reasons. Some fear what is ahead. Grief and trauma from past wounds control some. Many have grown weary in well-doing, while others have become shrouded in hope deferred. Though some of our reasons seem justifiable, it is critically important that we overcome all that is detrimental to our focus forward, and refocus back onto God. Our love for and trust in Him must outweigh and overpower all fear or uncertainty of the future. Our desire for His glory must outweigh and overpower any shroud that seeks to confine us to emotional entanglements from past experiences. We must awaken passion, set our eyes on Him, cast our cares onto Him, disallow fear, and by faith, move forward! To some, America may seem too far gone for recovery. The advancement of evil agendas may seem to have prevailed against the prophetic destiny of God for our nation, but things are not always as they appear in the natural. There is another portion of the story that has yet to be told. Through past dreams and prophetic words, God has declared that He is NOT late, and that America SHALL be saved! This is the time, and the Lord has need of us in order to produce a national and international revival! Jesus is calling us to see and hear beyond the chaos and noise surrounding us. He’s calling us to draw near to Him, seeing and hearing from His perspective and with unhindered clarity. This breaks us free from the strongholds of doubt, fear, and the confining grip of anxiety and uncertainty. Recently the Lord reminded me of a vision I had several years ago in which I saw a man sitting in a chair, his elbows on his knees and his head propped up in his hands. He was weeping. His tears were dropping onto some type of white dust covering his legs and feet. As the tears mingled with the dust, they formed into blocks of cement. The man wanted to stand and walk, but was completely confined by the cement blocks. Then, suddenly, I saw a hand swinging a large hammer. As the hammer hit the cement blocks, they were broken into pieces, instantly freeing the man to stand and walk. I believe this pictures what is happening with many in the church today through spiritual awakening. When we hear and believe God’s Word, truth comes like a hammer (Jeremiah 23:29) to break us free from that which has been confining us to fear and other crippling emotions! Our journey is unfinished, and the Lord wants to free us to run without encumbrances and weariness. When He speaks, we must respond and obey. God’s plan is progressing. The path ahead is formed, and we must choose to take our place on that path so His glory can be revealed. It’s time. An increase is coming to those who respond in faith and obedience to the Lord—an increase of strength, vision, wisdom, and strategy. God is taking us to another level of seeing and hearing in the Spirit. He is increasing our awareness of the authority we have in our speaking and praying. Our confidence in Him is increasing, as is our boldness. And as we remain steadfast, Holy Spirit will work powerfully through our obedience. I hear a clarion call echoing from the throne room of God to the heart of His true warriors, “Shake off distractions and disappointments. Set your face like a flint toward Me. Do not be moved by what you see happening around you! It’s temporary. There is a turning in the works. I have told you ahead of time, and now is the time! I have called you for this moment. Believe My promises. Remember My Word! DO NOT DOUBT IT, and do not fear.” Pray with me: Father, thank You for this history-making time. We hear You, and we will follow You forward. We refuse to allow our enemy to talk us into surrendering our posts. We receive and believe Your Word. Like a hammer, it is breaking off all emotional entanglements of the last season. Thank You for healing many - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually - so that with renewed focus and strength, they can rise to finish what You have started in and through them! We trust You, and we will not be afraid. You are our strength and defense, and our salvation. Your favor is upon us, and You will work through us to fully establish all of Your intentions for our time. We breathe in Your awakening breath, and we shout with steadfast resolve, “Weariness will not rob us of our due season!” We are free, we will run, and we will BE all You have called us to be! We continue to pray for our waterways, water resources, dams, and ports. We ask for protection over them and for strength and strategy for those obeying this assignment We know a shaking has begun and will intensify. But You said America will survive and be restored to her destiny. We do not fear, we believe Your promise, and we will partner with You in all You have planned for our future, including revival and reformation. We thank You for Your faithfulness and mercy. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We set our faces like a flint toward Yahweh. We are not moved by what we see happening around us! We remember and believe God’s Word, never doubting it, and we shall see the performance of that which He has said. **************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. ------------------------------------------------ Portions of today’s post were taken from Gina’s book Carry On! You can find out more about Gina at GinaGholstonMinistries.org.
  2. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/february-8-2024 February 8, 2024 Mary Had a Little Lamb (Revival and Reformation, Part 6) “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns, and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’” (Revelation 19:11-16; NASB) Mary had a little lamb… This gentle “lamb” spoke words of comfort to outcasts, healed those who suffered, gave of His time and energy to multitudes, and forgave sinners. His tender heart wept over the tomb of a friend, over a city, and in times of prayer. He allowed soldiers, whom He created, to mock Him, spit on Him, beat Him mercilessly, and lead Him quietly to His death at Calvary. “He was oppressed and afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7; NASB) But Jesus isn’t only the meek, sacrificial “lamb,” slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). He is also the “lion” of Judah; He fears nothing and no one. He created everything... with only His words. And He keeps the universe operating in perfect order... with just His words. While walking the earth, He also walked on water…and through walls. Storms obeyed His commands, He turned water into wine, and multiplied by thousands a few fish and loaves of bread. His spit healed blind eyes, and His touch cured leprosy. He raised the dead and reversed insanity. Demons fled from Him, shrieking in fear. When their Creator willingly died, the sun refused to shine, and the earth shook. Death, of course, couldn't hold Him, and His resurrection was so powerful it spilled over onto other dead people, raising them from the dead! Once back in heaven, He reclothed Himself in glory. His eyes are like fire, His voice is like a waterfall, and when appropriate, His words become a sharp sword with which He strikes down nations. Fire also goes before Him and consumes His enemies. In righteousness He judges and makes war, with the armies of heaven following Him. Angels worship Him; rulers cast their crowns at His feet. He is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. It behooves us as humans to know which Jesus we’re dealing with: the Savior or the King; the Lamb or the Lion; the Mediator or the Judge. Mary’s little Lamb, who loves sinners and wants to save them, has been known to don His Kingly robe and send an angel to kill an earthly king - on this side of the Cross (Acts 12:23). The Great Shepherd, Pastor Jesus, laid down His shepherd staff and picked up His sword, striking down two people defiling the early church at its inception (Acts 5:5). On one occasion Savior Jesus determined that His warrior mantle was needed and struck a man with blindness for opposing the gospel (Acts 13:11). Am I saying that God likes to hurt people or rain down judgment? Absolutely not. In numerous posts, I have said that God takes no pleasure in the judgment of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11). But neither am I saying that He never judges the wicked. God knows when grace and mercy are possible, and He knows when judgment is necessary. And His judgments are “true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:9). We have been discussing revival and reformation. Savior Jesus, the Lamb of God, is going to pour out His Spirit on Earth in unprecedented measure, saving a billion or more people in this season. And Lord Jesus, the Lion of Judah, is going to disciple nations, reforming them to His precepts and laws. In the Great Commission of Matthew 28, He stated that He had been given all authority, not just in heaven, but also on earth. This is King Jesus speaking. He then said go and disciple the nations, “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” Notice that He did not “invite” them to honor His teachings; He “commanded” them! Let’s remember in this revival and reformation that Jesus is Savior and Redeemer, but also that He is Lord, Master, and King. He is our High Priest, offering grace and mercy, and He is the Lawgiver, demanding truth and justice. He is the Lamb, kind and gentle; He is also the Lion, strong and fierce. He’s the Servant of all, yet He is the General of heaven’s army. He is our Husband, but also our Bishop; our Provider, but also our Creator; our Friend, but also our Captain; a Healer, but also a Warrior. He is the Son of Man, and He is the Son of God. This incredible God-Man is about to make His presence known on earth in dramatic ways. The Savior is coming with His redeeming grace, and the King is coming to expand His Kingdom. Keep your lamps burning brightly. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for Jesus, for who He is, and what He has done. We thank You for His humanity and His deity. We thank You for His perfect love and perfect justice. We thank You for Your plans that are unfolding. Thank You for the way in which You orchestrate events, and even in perilous and difficult times, navigate through them to bring about great spiritual harvests on Earth. We ask for a release of Your saving power, and Your righteous judgments. We ask You to end the reign and terror of the Prince of Persia in the Middle East, and for millions of souls to come to You in that region. We ask You to stay the hands of evil leaders in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and elsewhere, keeping them from actions that would hinder revival and reformation. We ask for You to stay the hands of evil in America, the rule of leaders who allow modern-day slavery - the trafficking of humans through Mexico - in order to gain votes in the future. Their lust for power and control has seared their consciences. Judge this hideous evil. Expose it. Remove those who shamelessly partner with it. Rain revival on our churches, our campuses, our cities, and our homes. We bind the strong man, Baal, in America, decreeing that he will not maintain his hold on this nation. We declare that the blood of Jesus is cleansing our nation, and that You will send the revival we need. You will answer by fire, just as You did for Elijah, and send the rain. We ask for and receive these things by faith, in the holy name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree that Earth’s Creator, Owner, and Redeemer is coming to revive and reform. ********************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. ----------------------------------------------------- You can find our recent Revival and Reformations teachings here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.
  3. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/february-7-2024 February 7, 2024 Revival and Reformation, Part 5 REVIEW God has told us that 2024 will be a year of revival and reformation. We must know what to expect. We have been looking at these two Kingdom activities and the fact that they are linked to Yahweh’s assignments to us through Adam and Eve in Genesis 1: multiply His family and govern/manage His earth. Christ recommissioned the church to these assignments in Mark 16:15-20 and Matthew 28:18-20. In the first passage, He told us to multiply His family by preaching the gospel; in the latter, He instructed us to teach His commandments, in order to disciple nations. We have also taught what occurs when we do not prioritize both of these assignments. You can see the first three posts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4. In yesterday’s post, we discussed several differences between Mark 16, which produces revival, and Matthew 28, which leads to reformation. Today, we’ll look at more comparisons. THE FAMILY AND EKKLESIA Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church…” The word build is oikodomeo,(1) a compound word made of doma,(2) which by itself means “build,” and oikos,(3) meaning “a household.” “Oikos referred to three related but distinct concepts: the family, the family's property, and the house.”(4) Zodhiates says, “oikos includes the idea of household affairs,” and the lineage and posterity descending from one head or ancestor, such as “the house of David,” or “the house of Israel.”(5) Without question, Jesus was saying He came to recover God’s family, to restore the household of God, and to establish a posterity and lineage flowing from Himself. We are partnering with Him in this endeavor of restoring to God His family as we fulfill Mark’s commission. We are also participating in this process when we honor Christ’s family, properly relating to and caring for one another. We are, and must live as, “the household of faith,” (Galatians 6:10). And yet, we are also a Congress. Christ didn’t stop by calling us His family, but added that this household would also become His Ekklesia (church). We have already established that in Christ’s day, an ekklesia was a governmental term. Jesus left no doubt that this is what He was referring to by adding that He would give His family the “keys” or authority of His Kingdom. We are to use this spiritual authority to teach and disciple all aspects of a willing nation’s activities. God’s ways and principles apply to ALL aspects of life. Just as a family and an ekklesia are very different, we are defined by other contrasting comparisons. We are a flock of sheep, but we are also a convocation of eagles. We are the bride of Christ, loving, honoring, and worshiping Him, but we are also His soldiers, wrestling with principalities and powers, enforcing his victory at Calvary. We are His body - fellowshipping with, caring for, and feeding one another, and we are His voice - wielding His sword, releasing decrees, binding and loosing. We are farmers, harvesting souls according to Mark 16, at times reaping the bumper crop of revival; and we are ambassadors, representing the will of God as we disciple nations according to Matthew 28, reforming them to His ways and principles. We must know when to wear our “family hat” and when to wear our “ekklesia hat.” One must relate to family far differently than they do those outside the home. Also, some will be assigned to wear one hat more than the other. Just because your family unit - your congregation, or your broader affiliation, such as a movement or denomination, is more motivated toward soul-winning (fulfilling Mark 16), do not judge those who are called more to spiritual warfare and other ekklesia-related activities. It should also be obvious that our level of maturity will determine our activities. Only when children mature into adulthood are they qualified to perform certain activities and operate in certain levels of authority. The same is true in God‘s family; we are all heirs of God (Romans 8:17), but we must mature until we can partner with God. The first involves benefits; the latter, responsibilities. Everyone in God’s family should, at some point, be capable of representing Him in the full authority of His Ekklesia. If this does not occur, then they have not been truly discipled. The above passage in Romans 8 contrasts children, teknon(6) (verses 16-17), and sons, huios(7) (verses 14, 19). It tells us that all of God’s children (teknon) are heirs of His blessings, regardless of their age or maturity. But it also says His fully matured sons, the meaning of huios, are capable of being led by His Spirit. In that time and culture, when a child matured to the huios stage of adulthood - sonship - he was entrusted with the family affairs and business. The father would conduct a public ceremony in which he would say, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” It was his statement to the community that this child was now a “son” and was being given full authority to do business in his name. This is what Father God was doing at Christ’s baptism when He spoke those words: declaring Christ’s sonship. Isaiah prophesied, “Unto us a child is born, and a son is given. And the government will be on his [the son’s] shoulders…” (Isaiah 9:6). Father God was publicly declaring that it was now time for His Son, Yeshua, to be released into His full authority and ministry. He was authorizing Jesus to represent Him, to speak for Him in His name. Romans 8 says creation is anxiously waiting, not for God’s children, His kids. Creation is waiting for God’s fully matured sons and daughters, those who are led by His Spirit, know His ways, and can be trusted with broader authority. Children reap the benefits; sons are given authority and responsibility. It is they who can be trusted with the full authority of Christ’s Kingdom, enabling them to bring healing and transformation to the nations of the Earth. This is the church, the Ekklesia that Jesus is building. Pray with me: Father, we agree together today for the spirit of wisdom and revelation to increase, giving us a greater understanding of our assignment to represent You on earth. We are Your family, and we are Your Kingdom representatives, Your Ekklesia. WE increase and multiply Your family for You. It is profound, almost incomprehensible, that You would entrust us with such a responsibility and privilege. You also train and disciple nations through us! We must have this increase of wisdom and revelation in order to understand and embrace these assignments more fully; we also need it in order to accomplish them at higher levels of authority and effectiveness. Most believers have little understanding of these roles and responsibilities. They believe life is about temporal things, but so few see its significance through the lens of eternity. Please help us change this. We ask for this new level of maturity. Bring enlightenment, revelation, and understanding. We call forth the great outpouring of Your Spirit You have promised, which will not only win people to You, but will also create this awakening and reformation of the church. Do this here, and around the world, we pray in Jesus’ name. Our decree: We declare that the coming revival will be blessed with great wisdom and revelation. ***************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. ---------------------------------------------- James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 3618. Ibid., ref. no. 1430. Ibid., ref. no. 3624. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oikos Spiros Zodiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984; revised edition, 1990), p. 2232. James Strong, ref. no. 5043 Ibid., ref. no. 5207
  4. 4 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/february-6-2024 February 6, 2024 Revival and Reformation, Part 4 God has told us that 2024 will be a year of revival and reformation. We have been looking at these two Kingdom activities and the fact that they are linked to Yahweh’s assignments to Adam and Eve - and therefore all of us - in Genesis 1: multiply His family and govern/manage His earth. Christ recommissioned the church to these assignments in Mark 16:15-20 and Matthew 28:18-20. In the first passage, He told us to preach the gospel in order to see people saved; in the latter, He instructed us to teach His commandments in order to disciple nations. We have also taught what occurs when we do not prioritize both of these assignments. In the 1970s and 80s, America experienced a powerful revival, yet we lost much ground spiritually in our nation. Why? While the church worked at getting people saved (Mark 16 family mandate), unbelievers worked hard to “disciple” the nation (Matthew 28 mandate). Both groups were successful: we revived, and they reformed. We prepared people for heaven; they shaped a generation's thinking and prepared them to rule here on earth. America is now experiencing the fruit of this: we have an ungodly government, education system, and media, great erosion of the family unit, gross immorality, a loss of purpose as a nation, a lukewarm church, and we could go on. You can see the first three posts here: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. In yesterday’s post, I listed a few comparisons between revival (Mark 16) and reformation (Matthew 28) in order to help us understand the differences. I want to give several more today. 1. The messages are different, as are the methods of delivery. In Mark 16, Jesus told us to “preach the gospel,” which is the good news of Christ’s redemption. In Matthew 28, He told us to “teach” what He “commanded.” The New Testament word for preaching simply means to announce or proclaim a message, whereas teaching means to explain, expound, instruct, etc. We announce the good news; we teach God’s ways, precepts, desires, and the principles of His Kingdom. 2. The goals of Mark and Matthew are also different. The goal of Mark’s commission is saving people; the goal of Matthew’s is saving nations. Mark’s goal is to birth children; Matthew‘s goal is to mature, train, and commission them as Kingdom soldiers, ambassadors, and legislators. Through Mark’s commission, people receive God‘s life and nature; through Matthew’s commission, they are trained to release His life and nature. The fulfillment of Mark‘s commission brings wholeness to and shapes individuals; the fulfillment of Matthew’s brings wholeness to and shapes cultures, societies, and nations. Mark’s commission is intended to deliver people from demons and sin; Matthew’s is designed to deliver nations from principalities and powers, philosophies, laws, unrighteous systems, humanism, racism, and more. Mark’s assignment is to heal people of brokenness, diseases, oppression, etc.; Matthew’s will heal nations of poverty, hunger, violence, and other evils. The salvation released through Mark’s message fills individuals with Holy Spirit; Matthew’s teaching is intended to fill the atmospheres of regions and nations with Holy Spirit’s presence and peace. In Mark, Holy Spirit is poured out; in Matthew, the Word and truth are taught. One is an outpouring; the other is an outworking. Through Mark’s commission, personal destinies are awakened and accomplished; through Matthew’s, national destinies are awakened and accomplished. 3. The church’s activities are different in each assignment. In Mark’s, we serve the needs of people, protecting and nurturing God‘s family; in Matthew’s, we serve the purposes of God, accepting risk, sacrifice, and even martyrdom. In revival, we emphasize the provision of Christ; in reformation, we emphasize the principles of Christ. The former focuses on our inheritance and our rights as a joint heir with Christ; the latter focuses on our assignment from Christ, our responsibility as a citizen of His Kingdom. In order to fulfill Mark’s commission, we gather and are filled, empowered, and anointed by Holy Spirit; to accomplish Matthew’s, we are authorized, commissioned, and sent. In the former, we release power for signs, wonders, and miracles, doing the works of God; in the latter, we dispense truth, doctrine, and information in order to transform systems and laws with the ways of God. To win the lost (Mark 16), we preach grace and emphasize God’s mercy, compassion, and love; to disciple nations (Matthew 28), we teach God’s Word and emphasize His justice, righteousness, and truth. As God‘s family, our prayers are priestly - petitions, requests, intercession; as the Ekklesia, our prayers are kingly - decrees and declarations. To accomplish Mark 16 and function as God’s family, Christ’s ministry gifts of pastor, evangelist, and teacher are needed; to function as the Ekklesia, Christ’s ministry gifts of apostle, prophet, and teacher are needed. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for Your heart to redeem and save. Thank You for the power of the gospel, of the name of Jesus, and of Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your Word, which transforms, instructs, and teaches us Your ways. And we thank You for Your prophetic words informing us that revival will intensify and reformation will begin in 2024. We will partner with You as instructed. We will preach the gospel of Jesus Christ all over the world. We will baptize those who believe, lay hands on the sick and see them recover, and we will cast out demons. This will produce the revival You speak of. We will also teach Your Word, Your commandments and ways, discipling nations. We will do so with Your authority, as You instructed us in Matthew 28. This will produce the reformation You have spoken of. We will not be fearful of the shaking that is coming, for it is a cleansing and shaking down of evil, and a restoring of our nation to You. It is like that which You spoke to Jeremiah, a tearing down and uprooting, but also a building and planting. Therefore, we will move forward in faith through anything that comes against us, overcoming it in Your name and authority. So, Father, we boldly and passionately ask You for this revival and reformation. Let Your power and outpouring be such that they cannot be ignored. Awaken the church, save unbelievers, and transform nations. And all of this we ask for in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the greatest revival in history has begun, and the greatest season of earth’s transformation has also begun. ************************ Click on the link below to watch the full video.
  5. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/february-5-2024 February 5, 2024 Revival and Reformation, Part 3 We are discussing the concepts of revival and reformation and how they relate to Christ’s great commissions of Mark 16:15-18 and Matthew 28:18-20. Each of these commissions corresponds to one of the two mandates God gave humankind through Adam and Eve, in Genesis 1:26-28. The first of these assignments was to be fruitful and multiply: “Give Me more kids,” God said. The second was to steward, manage, or govern the earth. “You will represent My Kingdom’s government on this outpost of the Kingdom,” He told them. If you did not watch or read the first two posts, or would like to reference these two assignments in more detail, you can do so here: Part 1 and Part 2. Both of these assignments were interrupted at the Fall. God temporarily lost 1) His family and 2) His ambassadors on the earth. Jesus, of course, was sent to recover and restore this. When He said in Matthew 16:18-19, “I will build My Church,” the word “build” is oikodomeo,(1) which means to build a family or household. In choosing this word, Christ was saying, “I’ve come to get the family back!” “Church” is the word ekklesia,(2) a “called out” assembly of people. Certainly, this is the bride and body of Christ, “called out” of darkness into God’s light (1 Peter 2:9). However, at that time in history, the Greek Ecclesia/Ekklesia “played a central role in the political life of the city [Athens]. The Ecclesia had the power to nominate and elect magistrates, who were responsible for administering the city’s affairs and carrying out the decisions of the assembly. The Ecclesia also had the authority to pass laws and to decide on issues related to foreign policy, defense, and the administration of justice. “In addition to its legislative powers, the Ecclesia also participated in the judicial process in Athens. The Ecclesia members would try cases involving serious crimes, such as murder, and they could impose punishments. This made it an important institution for ensuring justice and upholding their rule of law in the city. The Ecclesia’s powers and importance varied over time, but it remained an important part of the political landscape of Athens throughout the classical period and into the Hellenistic era.”(3) By choosing this word, ekklesia, Jesus was saying, “I have come to reestablish My family as My spiritual government on earth.” Christ’s other comments in this passage amplified and explained this further. He said that this ekklesia would be given His Kingdom authority (keys), through which they would lock and unlock, forbid and allow (bind and loose), and that the government (gates) of hell would not overpower them. In those times, city councils often met at the gates of their cities. To them, the gates symbolized government, determining what would enter their city physically, just as government did legally. Because of this, the gate symbolized government. Jesus stated that the spiritual authority He was giving His family would enable them to ambassadorially represent His Kingdom (see also 2 Corinthians 5:20), and they would not be overcome by the government of hell. After reversing the setbacks of the Fall at the Cross and reestablishing God’s two-fold plan, Jesus re-commissioned His followers in Mark 16:15-18 and Matthew 28:18-20. In Mark’s gospel, He told them to go and preach the good news so humans could be saved, delivered, healed, and filled with Holy Spirit, becoming part of God’s family once again. In other words, He told them to “be fruitful and multiply!” When this occurs in mass, it is a revival or awakening. In Matthew 28, however, Jesus re-commissioned the Ekklesia regarding management of Earth, telling them to “disciple nations” according to His teachings. “As My Ekklesia, You have My authority. In My name, instruct and disciple nations back to the ways of My Kingdom,” He instructed them. When this occurs with groups and nations, it is a reformation. Obedience to both of these mandates is absolutely essential. I will highlight the differences between them more fully in tomorrow’s post, but here are a few comparisons and differences: Revival brings people into God’s family; Reformation teaches them His ways. Revival births them spiritually; Reformation trains them practically. Revival transforms the human heart; Reformation transforms the human mind (thinking). Revival’s fruit is internal (it takes place within us); Reformation’s fruit is external (it is worked out from us). Revival is accomplished through preaching (Mark 16:15); Reformation takes place through teaching (Matthew 28:20). Revival creates converts; Reformation creates disciples. Revival restores God’s life; Reformation restores understanding and implementation of His laws, principles, and ways. Revival saves individuals; Reformation saves regions/nations. Revival produces God’s bride, family, and worshippers; Reformation produces God’s Ekklesia, those who represent His Kingdom authority and rule. As I said in Friday's post, in most revivals, believers think only of getting people saved/born again (Mark 16). This, of course, is essential and must be the starting point - birthing obviously precedes training. But if Matthew 28, the reforming and discipling of individuals and nations, doesn’t occur, the long-term fruit will be minimal…and can even be lost! I mentioned the great Charismatic Movement of the late 60’s through the early 80’s, which included the Jesus People Movement, that saw millions of people in America and tens of millions around the world come to Christ. It was a wonderful example of Mark 16 occurring with great momentum, a significant revival. However, there was a deficient understanding of our calling to do Matthew 28. For the most part, the minimal awareness of discipling that existed was limited to the discipling of individuals who came to Christ, not the discipling of nations, societies, and cultures. Discipling nations involves teaching, modeling, and implementing God’s ways in all areas of life - government, education, and all other societal institutions. It is NOT dictating or forcing God’s laws upon people and nations, as we are accused of by some who misrepresent our words, but rather teaching and modeling His ways and principles in every sector of society. Salvation, the new birth, opens the human heart and will to this, which is why revival must occur first. When people are born again, Holy Spirit writes God’s laws in their hearts (Hebrews 8:10), making them open to and hungry for His truth - possessing a strong desire to find and pursue it. Also, their conscience becomes alive, active, and wants to please God (Hebrews 9:14). When a nation experiences significant revival, the portion of the populace affected by it does not have to be “forced” to implement God’s will and ways; they desire to do His will, to obey Him. They must be taught these ways, however - retrained. And their children must be, as well. If this training and discipling do not occur, satan attempts to counteract the revival by infusing wrong thinking, ideas, philosophies, etc., into the culture. Sadly, during the Jesus Movement/Charismatic Movement of the ‘70s, Christians in America did Mark 16 only. While millions of people were being saved, humanists, secularists, and atheists were busy doing their version of Matthew 28, discipling a nation. We saved individuals; they discipled a nation. We preached the gospel; unbelievers taught dogmas and doctrines. We went to church; they went to our schools and universities. We gathered on Sundays; they gathered all week. We enjoyed Christian TV; they made movies/programs and eventually took over the industry. We sang and worshipped at church; they took over the airwaves and discipled a generation with their music. The result: we experienced one of the greatest revivals in history AND LOST OUR NATION! This is almost incomprehensible/inconceivable! Yet, it occurred. The generation that humanists, secularists, and atheists discipled is now in charge - governing, teaching, entertaining, and informing our nation according to their evil ways. This is the fruit of Mark 16…without Matthew 28. Pray with me: Father, You have said that this year, 2024, reformation begins. This means revival also will go to a new and stronger level. As Your voices on Earth, we declare this: Reformation begins in 2024! Revival breaks out here and around the world in 2024! The entire North American continent, South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, the Middle East and the islands of the oceans and seas - all will experience outpourings of Holy Spirit. As the waters cover the sea, so shall Your glory cover the earth. Even as sin abounds, grace and glory will abound more! The King of Kings receives more of His reward this year. The Creator welcomes more of His creation into His family this year. The Spirit of deliverance will deliver many this year. Entire regions will be delivered and see the light of the gospel. Strongholds will melt under His fiery wrath. Youth will see His light and become volunteers in this day of His power. They will run with endurance, war with strength, speak with prophetic insight, and build with apostolic depth. They will evangelize millions and reform nations. They will wear their passion on their sleeve, manifesting love for You everywhere they go. Their revival will be a presence revival, then a power revival. They will be the Amos 9:13 generation: plowmen will overtake reapers. They will run with fathers and mothers, demonstrate humility, and walk in the fear of the Lord. They will heal the sick, open blind eyes, see extraordinary miracles, set oppressed people free, and raise the dead. They will be fearless, bold, more than conquerors, and not for sale. We declare these things by the inspiration of Your Spirit and in the authority of Christ! Amen. Our decree: We decree that this hinge year opens the doors of revival and reformation. ************************* Click on the link below to watch the full video. ---------------------------------------------------------------- James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. nos. 3618 and 3624. Ibid., ref. no. 1577. https://study.com/academy/lesson/ecclesia-ancient-greece-history-facts.html
  6. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/february-1-2024 February 1, 2024 Revival and Reformation, Part 1 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved; but the one who has not believed will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name, they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.’” (Mark 16:15-18 NASB) “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”’ (Matthew 28:18-20 NASB) Last week, my brother, Tim Sheets, said Holy Spirit told him reformation would begin in 2024 (Link here). Others are now confirming this, having heard Holy Spirit tell them the same thing. This means revival must also go to another level of strength, for God intends the two to work in tandem. The “Great Commission” of Mark 16 is the restoring of people back to God‘s family - salvation. The “Great Commission” of Matthew 28 is the restoring of a people’s thinking back to the ways of God - discipleship. The first (Mark 16) changes people’s nature - who they are - transforming their spirit. The latter (Matthew 28) changes their thoughts and actions - how they live - transforming their soul (mind, emotions, and will). God not only wants kids; He wants them to become mature sons and daughters who know His ways and think His thoughts, enabling them to represent Him. When Mark’s commission occurs in mass, resulting in the salvation of many people, we call this revival; when Matthew’s commission occurs in mass, resulting in societal change - government, laws, morals, education, culture, etc. - we call it a reformation. These two commissions will never be fully understood without a clear understanding of Genesis 1, for they are actually recommissions of what took place then. Jesus came to restore - restart, rebirth, revive, redeem, recover, reform, refill, and recommission. It is only logical, therefore, that we must go back to the beginning in order to understand what he is restoring and recommissioning us to. In the first chapter of Genesis, God created a new planet in His universal kingdom: Earth. It would become home for the family He was soon to create. For five days, He transformed this home. I love the glimpses of His heart as He progressed. After each day’s work, God said the progress was “good.” Why would He say this? The Lord certainly wasn’t bragging, patting Himself on the back for a job well done. Nor was He surprised - “Wow, this is turning out really well.” No, Yahweh was stating His pleasure, His satisfaction in what was occurring, just as an expectant mom and dad might do when preparing their nursery. Abba’s pleasure increased to its highest level, however, after creating His human family. In His sixth pronouncement that what He had created was good, the Architect added a word: “This is very good” (Genesis 1:31). That one word practically leaps off the page at me. Can’t you hear the satisfied heart of Creator God in this statement? His plan was coming together, and like a proud parent standing over a newborn baby, Papa God was savoring the moment. Initiating the Sabbath was actually another indicator of his pleasure. When God had finished creating, He “rested” (Genesis 2:2). The word shabath does indeed mean “cease from work,” but it is also used figuratively for celebrating. In much the same way that we celebrate certain days, holidays for example, by resting from work, this is one concept of shabath. How about that! On the seventh day, God stopped working and celebrated! Father God was so excited about His family that He decided the occasion would be commemorated with a weekly “rest and celebration day.” This puts a new twist on the Sabbath. Every seventh day, we should rest and celebrate our membership in God‘s family. Creator made this family in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). The Hebrew word for ‘image’ is tselem, which involves the concept of a shadow, a phantom, or an illusion.(2) An illusion is something you think you see, but on closer observation, discover that your eyes have tricked you. When the rest of creation saw Adam or Eve, they must have done a double-take, thinking: For a moment, I thought it was God, but it's only Adam. We are also told that they were similar to or comparable to God. The Hebrew word demuwth, translated as “likeness” in Genesis 1:26, comes from the root word damah, meaning “to compare.”(3) Adam and Eve, at creation, were very much like God, filled with His life, nature, and Spirit. They were family. He who had innumerable angels serving Him was not satisfied. God desired sons and daughters; He also wanted companions for His Son. To satisfy this, He created a new “species,” in His image and likeness, far different than the angels. Then came two commissions or mandates. Commission One: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28). “Reproduce! I have placed in you the ability to multiply My image and likeness,” He was saying! “And I want a big family!” Just let that sink in: God gave humans the ability to reproduce and multiply eternal images and likenesses of Himself! Astounding! What a privilege and what a responsibility. Then came Commission Two: “Rule over…all the earth…over every living thing that moves on the Earth” (Genesis 1:26-28). Psalm 8:6 restates the mandate, “Thou doest make him to rule over the works of thy hands, Thou hast put all things under his feet.” Each verse uses a different Hebrew word for “rule,” translated as “dominion,” in other versions of the Scriptures. The Genesis verses use radah,(4) Psalm 8 uses mashal.(5) Both words convey the concept of dominion, management, government, or rule. Adam and Eve were commissioned to govern or manage Earth, their home, for themselves and Creator God. They did not “own” Earth; they were delegated stewardship and governance for the Owner and Creator, Yahweh. “You will manage your new home, this new colony of heaven.” Obviously, they were to do so under His headship and rule, implementing the principles of His Kingdom, not according to their own dictates. We know this plan was interrupted at the fall. When Adam sinned, he lost the image, likeness, and Spirit of God; he also lost his dominion, the delegated authority to manage Earth; and God lost His family. (God did NOT lose ownership of the Earth, for He had never given that to Adam, nor did He lose HIS personal authority over the Earth; we humans lost our delegated authority, which had now been transferred to satan.) These two losses are what Jesus came to restore: 1) God’s family and 2) their lost dominion or governance of Earth. We will pick up here tomorrow. Pray with me: Father, we know revival has begun. It is in its beginning stages here in America, though in some parts of the world, multitudes are coming to You. Increase it here and around the world. Save a billion souls. Here in this nation, we know we will experience the fullness of revival before You are finished. We thank You for the increase coming this year. Unleash the full-force power of the gospel and confirm it with signs, wonders, and miracles. You have said reformation will begin this year, stating that the overall ekklesia, the church, and local expressions of Your ekklesia are now prepared and ready. You said angels have been dispatched to assist us, that the impossible will occur, and the unchangeable will change. So we ask You for this. Revive, reform, and restore America. Revive Asia. Revive the Middle East. Let this revival break out all over the world. We call for the coming of Your Kingdom, and the accomplishing of Your will here and throughout the earth, as it is in heaven. Multiplied power, multiplied deliverances, multiplied salvations. Being this forth. And as You instructed us, we pray for the protection of our waterways, dams, reservoirs, and ports. Protect them from evil. Expose any planned attacks against them. We pray for Texas as they make a stand to protect their and our borders. Bring this to a righteous and lawful conclusion. We pray all of this in the mighty name of Yeshua. Amen. Our decree: We decree that 2024 is a year of revival and reformation. **************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. --------------------------------------------------------- James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 7673. Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984; revised edition, 1990), p. 1768. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. No. 1819. Ibid., ref. no. 7287. Ibid., ref. no. 4910.
  7. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-30-2024 January 30, 2024 A Sense of Urgency Tomorrow (January 31, 2024) is a very important day, one I believe will be used to heal and save our nation. I would love for you to participate. Before I give the details, let me tell you why it is so important. The Scriptures teach that “righteousness exalts a nation, and the nation is blessed whose God is the Lord” (Proverbs 14:34, Psalm 33:12). Secularists and humanists would have us believe America can be great without God, that our greatness is due to our own abilities, determination, and natural resources. This is foolish pride and deception. Abraham Lincoln clearly understood this when he wrote his March 1863 Proclamation of Prayer: “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand that preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.”(1) These sobering words are as relevant today as they were 150 years ago, perhaps more so. America has again lost her way. Centuries ago, the prophet Jeremiah lamented the fallen condition of Israel. Like America today, they had turned away from the Lord and been overtaken by immorality, compromise, and idolatry. God raised up the prophet, Jeremiah, to confront them, and in the sixth chapter of the book bearing his name, Jeremiah said: “Everyone’s after the dishonest dollar, little people and big people alike. Prophets and priests and everyone in between twist words and doctor truth. My people are broken—shattered!—and they put on Band-Aids, Saying, ‘It’s not so bad. You’ll be just fine.’ But things are not ‘just fine’! Do you suppose they are embarrassed over this outrage? No, they have no shame. They don’t even know how to blush.” (Jeremiah 6:13-15 The Message) I ask you, could not these words be written of America today? Israel did not heed the words of the prophet and repent. So, God issued another message through Jeremiah: "Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, the tried-and-true road. Then take it" (Jeremiah 6:16, The Message). The Lord was offering them a recovery. Israel ultimately rejected Jeremiah‘s warnings, however, and went into a prolonged season of great judgment. Just as Israel in Jeremiah's day, America has lost her way. Having deviated from "the old road," we are wandering aimlessly in the wilderness of godless humanism and moral relativism. Many of our national leaders are drunk with power and dizzied with deception. They mock God, reject His ways, promote evil, and want a different America than was envisioned by our Founders. Many are working diligently to transform us into a godless nation. Far too many spiritual leaders have also lost "the old road." Like a GPS that cannot connect to a satellite, they are now without heaven's direction. Sold a package of unbiblical ideals, many run toward misdefined goals and are fueled by untamed egos, making the rapid growth of their churches and the size of their congregations the standard for success. They’ve forgotten Christ's mission statement: preaching the good news to the poor, releasing captives, opening blind eyes, setting free the oppressed, casting out demons, healing the sick, and discipling nations (Luke 4:18; Mark 16:16-18; Matthew 28:19). They do not preach the Cross or welcome the power of Holy Spirit, preferring instead, the “new” road of entertainment, feel-good messages, and the avoidance of moral and cultural issues. Where has the new road led us? Our schools have no prayer, Scripture reading, or moral standards. Without the stabilizing anchor of truth, our kids wander aimlessly through the maze of moral relativism. Life has been cheapened, morality is mocked, and violence is rampant. Schools allow perverts to groom our children, our education system is a joke, and most of our media are liars. Illegal drugs kill hundreds of thousands, terrorists and traffickers are allowed into our nation at will, and our President and his Head of Homeland Security oppose stopping this. The leader of the free world can’t string two sentences together, and many of our leaders are liars and fools. Our journey down the path of unbiblical, amoral, and antichrist philosophies has produced these shocking but predictable results. When the slow death began, we had no answers. We had lost our mooring, our moral compass, and our foundation had crumbled. Consequently, we began sinking fast and are now stuck in the mire of a foundationless culture and the quicksand of humanistic, "no absolutes” thinking. Having abandoned the old road, we lost our way and are “flatlining” fast. Please believe me when I say that apart from God‘s supernatural intervention, there is no way out. How do we find our way back to the old road? It begins with humility and repentance, which brings me to the reason for this post. Wednesday (tomorrow) is A Day of National Repentance, planned and coordinated by Jim Garlow, Founder and CEO of Well Versed, and Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. Last year’s event was the first year of this Day of Repentance and was blessed by the Lord’s presence and favor. The purpose of the day is carefully guarded: there are no speakers or messages, no introductions or applause, and each prayer of repentance is limited to less than a minute. Last year‘s gathering was attended by many leaders, including a couple of dozen members of Congress. Tony Perkins said of last year‘s day of repentance: “It was one of the most powerful events in DC I’ve been involved in, in 20 years.” Jim Garlow said, “God showed up.” What more could be said to gauge the success of any gathering? Speaking of those who want to participate, either in person or by Livestream, Garlow said, “Those who have a sense of urgency given to them by the Spirit of God…those who realize exactly where we are as a nation - how far we have fallen, how close we are to going over the cliff to our destruction - these are the people who will be interested in this time of repentance.” I will be there offering my short but heartfelt prayer of repentance for our nation. Though no seats are left, I encourage you to join us online. To do so, text the word “prayer” to 67742 or go to NGPR.org. The activities will begin tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7:30 AM Eastern Time and finish around 1:30PM. Pray with me: Father, America has lost her way. We left the “old road” of truth, and chose a new path for our journey as a nation. We are now so hopelessly lost that there is no way back without Your help. We repent for the pride and fleshly desires that motivated this wrong turn. As President Lincoln said, “We have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we [became] too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.”(2) Forgive and heal us, we pray. Whatever is required to awaken this nation, please do it. Then send a sweeping revival, an unprecedented outpouring of Your Spirit, one that overwhelms darkness, opens blind eyes by the millions, and turns our nation back to You. You have offered to do this, but we know Your promises are conditional. So we now offer the biblical response required of us: we repent, ask for cleansing, and appeal for the awakening, doing so in the Almighty name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the mercies of the Lord are new EVERY morning and that they NEVER come to an end. (Lamentations 3:22-23) ******************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. -------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-97-appointing-day-national-humiliation-fasting-and-prayer https://www.loc.gov/static/js/lib/pdf-2.6-es5/web/viewer.html?file=https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/rbc/lprbscsm/scsm0265/scsm0265.pdf
  8. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-31-2024 January 31, 2024 Standing In The Gap “Son of man, say to her, ‘You are a land that is not clean or rained on in the day of indignation.’ There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in the midst of her. Her priests have done violence to My Law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the common, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have closed their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am defiled among them. Her leaders within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to make dishonest profit. And her prophets have coated with whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘This is what the Lord God says,’ when the Lord has not spoken. The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery, and they have oppressed the poor and needy, and have oppressed the stranger without justice. I searched for a man among them who would build up a wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one. So I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; I have brought their way upon their heads," declares the Lord God." (Ezekiel 22:24-31 NASB) During one of Israel’s times of apostasy, the Lord made those statements through the prophet Ezekiel. The sins mentioned are grievous, but the statements in verses 30-31 are also quite sobering. As a just and holy God, the Lord cannot ignore sin. He has, however, told us that we can stand in the gap for those who have sinned, asking for His mercy. In my book, Intercessory Prayer, I address the subject of why God waits for humans to ask Him before He moves on earth. It has to do with His decision to work on earth through humankind, not independently of them. For whatever reasons, it seems that this was an immutable decision, so much so that it demanded the incarnation of Christ. God knows our needs before we ask, but we must ask. He desires to save people more than we want Him to, yet He needs us to ask Him to send laborers into the harvest (Matthew 9:37-38). The great intercessor and teacher, Gordan Lindsay, once said that God never asked us to pray for anything that would automatically occur, such as the sun to rise, or gravity to operate. These are laws He has established that operate regardless of our actions. He did, however, ask us to pray for laborers, for His Kingdom to come, and His will to be done on earth (Matthew 6:10). They are NOT automatic; we must ask for them. In this Ezekiel passage, God tells us that in His mercy, He wanted to spare Israel from the judgment they deserved, and would have had appropriate intercession occurred. Tragically, He found no one to do so and, therefore, had to release devastating judgment. I mention this to emphasize that God WILL honor our repentance and intercession on behalf of our nation. There are other passages in Scripture where God did find a person or persons to repent for Israel, and He responded with mercy. Moses interceded for Israel, and God said He had pardoned them according to Moses’ words (Numbers 14:20). Nehemiah repented for the sins of Israel and God honored this (Nehemiah 1:4-11). Daniel repented for the sins of Israel, interceding for their restoration, and God did so (Daniel 9:1-19). We can repent for the sins of our nation and believe that God will respond with cleansing and healing. Many leaders are doing so today in our nation's capital. If you are reading this early enough and can join us today by livestream, please do. To do so, text the word “prayer” to 67742 or go to NGPR.org. The activities will begin at 7:30 AM Eastern Time and finish around 1:00 PM. However, we can all join our hearts in repentance on this post. ******** Father, we repent for the shedding of innocent blood, for the sin of over 60 million abortions. This has occurred because we lost our love of children and family, placing ourselves above all else. This opened the door to the spirit of murder and violence, and we now experience thousands of murders and horrific violence in our nation. Please forgive and cleanse our land, freeing us from the curses the shedding of innocent blood has brought upon us. We repent for pride, rebellion, and breaking covenant with You in government. In pride and arrogance, our government has chosen to usurp Your authority, reject Your Word, and remove Your influence from their actions. They have honored sin and immorality while rejecting Your moral laws. Those in our government had the audacity to believe they could redefine Your most sacred covenant, marriage. Our government removed You from our schools, and many have tried to remove Your influence from every aspect of our government. We have allowed injustice to enter our government, shape our laws, influence our courts, and the political spirit now dominates. We repent for these and the many other evils of our government. We repent for the idolatry in our nation. We promote and celebrate many gods and religions, worshiping demons, idols, pleasure, mammon, and our own selves. We even deny Your role in birthing our nation. We repent for this idolatry, and ask You to cleanse our nation. We repent for the gross immorality in our land. We have cast off all restraint and now have rampant fornication, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, pedophilia, and other sexual sins. We lie, cheat, steal, covet, hate, abuse others, and are filled with drunkenness and addictions. Please forgive and cleanse us for these and other immoral actions against You and our fellow man. And we repent for the condition of the American church. We have allowed the spirit of religion to replace our relationship with You. We have grown lukewarm, losing our passion and first love. We have compromised truth, refusing to speak against the sins of our nation. We have watered down the message of repentance and the Cross, thereby losing the power of the gospel. We have allowed legalism, doctrines, competition, and pride to divide us. We lost our saver and the power to preserve, and are no longer the light You need us to be. Please forgive us for these compromises and evils. ******* We pray for the gathering in Washington, D.C., today. Lead and direct those who repent for our nation. May our humility be deep, our repentance be heartfelt, and our hearts contrite before You. Use this day of repentance to save America. We pray this in Yeshua’s name. Amen. Click on the link below to watch the full video.
  9. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-26-2024 January 26, 2024 Wisdom From A Founding Father Patriot and Founding Father Samuel Adams said the following: “If ever a time should come when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.”(1) “It is in the interest of tyrants to reduce the people to ignorance and vice. For they cannot live in any country where virtue and knowledge prevail. The religion and public liberty of a people are intimately connected; their interests are interwoven; they cannot subsist separately, and therefore, they rise and fall together. For this reason, it is always observable that those who are combined to destroy the people's liberties practice every art to poison their morals.”(2) “Liberty will not long survive the total extinction of morals.”(3) Sam Adams is one of my favorite founding fathers. He was God-honoring, wise, bold, fearless, and right. His voice still rings clearly down through the ages, issuing warnings that are just as relevant today as they were two and a half centuries ago. Not a day goes by that I do not grieve the condition of America and the world. That’s why I appreciate words of hope like Tim’s in yesterday’s post. The marriage of reality and faith is often challenging, as Abraham demonstrated. He had to hold fast to hope, with no human reason for hope, embracing an impossible promise while recognizing the reality of his and Sarah’s reproductively dead bodies (see Romans 4). But he held fast to hope, turned it to faith, and received his promise. God doesn’t demand denial, and He understands our grief. He didn’t glibly deny the condition of His fallen human family. He acknowledged their condition, grieved their pain, wept over their cities, rejoiced not over their required judgments, was moved with compassion, and became human in order to accomplish their redemption, a redemption requiring excruciating pain and suffering. The path to victory is not denial; it is anchoring to hope in the midst of our grief. I have hope for America and the world because I believe in God’s heart, His redeeming love, His Word regarding pouring out His Spirit on flesh, and His promise of an endless, unshakable, ever-increasing Kingdom. I also have hope because of His promise that His light can overcome gross darkness (Isaiah 60: 1-2), as also referenced in yesterday’s post. I was reminded again today of this passage. It was the theme of Intercessors For America’s recent 50th anniversary celebration a few weeks ago, where I had the honor of speaking. Their theme was “Preparing For the Coming Glory,” and they were reminding the IFA family that Isaiah 60:1 was one of the verses founder Derek Prince shared at their birth 50 years ago. Tears filled my eyes as I read the text, reminding me of this. Yes, I have hope. Notice that the passage in Isaiah doesn’t just say that God’s light overcomes “darkness”; it goes on to say “gross darkness.” Here are verses one and two of Isaiah 60: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” (KJV) I am so glad Holy Spirit said He knew this was coming and assured us He could overcome the darkness with His light and glory. The Hebrew word “gross” in the passage, araphel, means “thick darkness, a dark cloud,” and yes, “gross darkness;” it can also be used metaphorically for “gloom.”(4) Most certainly, America has arrived at the “gross darkness” stage: Prioritizing pleasure and convenience over babies is darkness; ripping them apart in the womb as they struggle is gross darkness; killing them on the table of a botched abortion is gross darkness. All racism is darkness; excusing torture, rape, and the baking of screaming babies by terrorists is gross darkness. Creating decades of humanitarian crisis and suffering by opening borders for votes is darkness; allowing rape, the trafficking of thousands of women and children, and the killing of hundreds of thousands through illegal drugs while doing so is gross darkness. Promoting confusion-identity to further ideology is darkness; mutilating children’s bodies to do so is gross darkness. Rejecting God’s ways is darkness; mocking His ways is gross darkness. There can no longer be any doubt that many leaders in America have depraved minds and seared consciences. There can be no doubt that half of our political system, the Democrat Party, now opposes the God of Scripture and that for which He stands. There can be no doubt that they hate our Judeo-Christian foundation and heritage, and are doing everything possible to destroy it. There can be no doubt that they want to weaken America and transform us from the roots up. This is why we need both revival and reformation. Unless Holy Spirit changes my mind, I will talk more about this on GH15 in the near future. Though the terminology isn’t the issue for me, my concept of revival is people coming to Christ in mass, not just a few. Salvation changes the hearts of people, bringing salvation to them and writing God‘s laws on their hearts. This is our commission from Christ (not a suggestion) in Mark 16:15-20. When this occurs in mass, we have revival. My concept of reformation is discipling nations, teaching them the principles of Christ’s Word and Kingdom, as He commanded in the commission of Matthew 28:18-20. Yesterday’s post said 2024 is a year of reformation. This cannot occur without revival, the changing of darkened hearts in mass. Surely, we have learned by now that we will never transform America only through the changing of laws; millions of hearts must change. But hopefully, the church has also learned that revival alone - leading many people to Christ, as occurred in the great Charismatic and Jesus People revivals - without also discipling the entire societal and cultural structure of the nation, will be short-lived. Since these two work in tandem, and since the Lord said reformation begins this year, it also means revival will intensify this year. I believe two things will produce this: 1) hearts will become open through the coming shaking - please believe me when I say it is coming, and 2) the overwhelming light of God’s glory will be poured out (Isaiah 60:1-2). Do not fear the shaking; the praying remnant has sealed our land, and now we are protecting our other resources, as we have been warned to do. America will be saved, we will see worldwide revival, and yes, we will disciple nations. I conclude with another quote from our fellow patriot and brother, Sam Adams, now in the cloud of witnesses: “We have proclaimed to the world our determination ‘to die freemen, rather than to live slaves.’ We have appealed to heaven for the cause of our justice, and in Heaven, we have placed our trust.”(5) Stand, praying church, stand! Pray with me: Father, to our grief and shame, we now live in a land of gross darkness. Our arrogant rejection of You and Your Word has taken us to the edge of destruction. We appeal, not for justice but for mercy, doing so based on the Mercy Seat that is sprinkled with the blood of Yeshua Himself. We also do so with hope and faith based on Your promises, Your ability to do the impossible, and to change that which seems unchangeable. We continue to ask for spiritual rain, for the wind of Your Spirit, for the storm clouds of heaven to replace the storm clouds of gross darkness and evil. Open eyes, save, deliver and transform. Send the disrupting fires of revival and the transforming truths of reformation. Give Your Son, and our Redeemer, the promised reward of Psalm 2; also, release the promised rod of iron to those who oppose you. Crush all adversity. Remove centuries-old and millennia-old strongholds of darkness throughout the earth through explosions of Your light and glory. Give Christ the reward of His sufferings and the fulfillment of His passionate and loving heart. And as You instructed us, we pray for protection over our land and its borders, dams, ports, waterways, and water supply. We bind attempts to destroy, interrupt, and poison. We ask You to expose every plot and stop them. We accept any shaking that You know is necessary to discipline and turn this nation, but we reject all else. And we pray all in Yeshua’s powerful name. Our decree: We decree that the glorious light of the gospel and authority of God’s Kingdom will overcome the gross darkness covering the earth. ********************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. ------------------------------------------------------ https://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/Samuel-Adams-Letter-24Oct1780.html https://1776patriotusa.com/quote-samuel-adams-1772/ https://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/samuel-adams-quotes-2.html Strong, James, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville) and Thayer, Joseph Henry. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Reference number 6205. http://www.samuel-adams-heritage.com/documents/speech-about-declaration-of-independence.html
  10. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-25-2024 January 25, 2024 Many of you around our nation and the world have grown to appreciate the ministry of my brother, Tim Sheets. His insights are amazing, his messages are powerful, and his understanding of our times is keen. I feel a word he has shared, which I am releasing in today’s post, is extremely important. Please listen and read it carefully. Supernatural Precedents and Mighty Angels In recent weeks, Holy Spirit has instructed me to study and prophesy from Luke, chapters one and two, telling me they speak prophetically into 2024. He said that supernatural occurrences at Christ’s birth were precedents that would be used again in a supernatural reformation beginning this year. It is important to note that the word ‘supernatural’ was emphasized by Holy Spirit. Christ’s Kingdom activity is amping up, and we will see parallels of that amazing transitional moment of history - Christ’s birth - take place in our current time. Holy Spirit said, “Transitional principles seen at Christ’s birth will now be seen again as I pour out the anointings of supernatural reformation on the King’s true Ekklesias.” He continued by reminding me of a word he gave me approximately 15 years ago: “I will lead another campaign for King Jesus on the earth. It will be similar to Acts 2 and the campaign I led there, only this time I will be bringing far more of the angel armies.” Then He simply said, “It now begins.” As I was praying about this, Holy Spirit spoke again, saying, “The campaign I spoke of begins in 2024. The plans have been made, and the Ekklesias have been established. The remnant has been prepared to stand. The apostles have received initial assignments. The prophets are being anointed with eye salve to prophesy Godhead strategies. The seers will see more clearly and prophesy into the times. Time and place are now connecting, and My angel armies have been deployed.” In a recent vision, I saw the angel gate being opened for the church. The angel, Michael, part of the seraphim order and head of the angel armies, was standing at the gate. He nodded his head, and a division of angels took flight; he nodded again, and another angel division took flight, and so on. I saw angels of breakthrough, government, awakening, evangelism, reformation, and revival taking flight. Holy Spirit said, “The supernatural reformation will begin to move forward in baptisms of My power.” An Important Dream In July of 2022, I was given a dream that led me to study a division of angels I had never studied. In the dream, a mighty angel flew to me, and I knew the way in which he flew had significance. It was like the angel sent to the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6) and those the prophet Ezekiel saw moving with lightning-like speed back and forth (Ezekiel 1). Holy Spirit was revealing to me another level of angelic assistance, the seraphim order. Since that time, I have been seeing how seraphs are often involved in supernatural times of transition. Luke wrote about this in regard to Christ’s birth, mentioning angel armies, mighty angels, while emphasizing seraphim. I believe Holy Spirit wants us to have a true understanding of this pattern and precedent as we move into 2024. Seraphs assist in filling the heavens and earth with the glory of the Lord. They prepare the way for His glory manifestations, arranging things for the increase of His presence in demonstrably real ways. Obviously, they don’t make God’s glory greater, but the manifestation of His glory and presence is seen in greater measure. They are the most powerful order of angels we know of. Seraphim are present in heaven’s throne room, from where they carry out orders for the Godhead. The story of Christ’s birth shows us how they assist God on the earth. There were at least two of them involved, Michael and Gabriel, commissioned to assist with His birth and the massive shift in the earth realm. In Luke 1:11, Gabriel was sent to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist. In verses 26-30, he was sent again to earth, a village called Nazareth, to announce the supernatural birth of Christ. In these verses, Gabriel had been sent to announce a Godhead surprise; something impossible to man, yet possible with God, was now going to happen. There were several supernatural events surrounding the birth of our King, including a sign in the heavens, a star or light the magi followed for over two years, leading them to Christ. The greatest miracle was Christ’s conception, of course, as the natural law of nature regarding human conception was suspended. Impossibilities occurred, and unchangeable things changed. And powerful angels assisted Holy Spirit in the release of this supernatural, transitional, reformational time. I believe Holy Spirit has revealed the order and function of seraphim angels to prepare us for this current time of supernatural reformation. Their assistance, along with that of other angels, is necessary to see the Godhead’s surprises and massive transitions. Holy Spirit will now use them to assist us, the heirs of God, in accomplishing this reformation on the earth (Hebrews 1:14). The prophet Habakkuk prophesied an incredible word that is now coming into its time. “But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14 AMP) I believe this is now a focus of Holy Spirit. He is accelerating this prophetic word, using Christ’s Ekklesias and powerful angel armies. The glory of God’s presence will rise on earth in greater measure this year. This can occur even in the midst of gross darkness (Isaiah 60:2). I believe two supernatural signs this year will be the visible cloud of God’s presence and also His fire. I know His manifest glory will be clearly seen. Summary This announcement is being made in our times, “The King is coming to manifest greater glory and power. A new era of supernatural reformation now begins, and Christ’s Kingdom will advance and accelerate growing and expanding exponentially. Hell’s kingdom will not stop it; The angels have blocked them.” As the Ekklesia has been praying and making decrees, the angels have been doing their assignment. Supernatural events are going to occur that cause reformation to roll across this land. Holy Spirit says, “Follow Me into a supernatural era: one that will be dramatically different and erupt with Godhead activity. one that sees God’s manifest presence fill the earth more and more. one that sees the impossible made possible. one filled with outpourings, activating the fires of the greatest reformation in history. one that begins an era of massive soul harvest. one that sees the amazing transitional precedents of Christ’s first coming manifest again in our times. one that sees angel armies assisting us as we follow Holy Spirit’s plans and activate His strategies. Follow Me into an era that sees the King’s Kingdom accelerate in the earth realm.” ************** Pray with me: Lord, we will steward this word the best we can. Help us to see Your strategies and plans. We will not compromise or be swayed by what man says or how things appear. We are a Kingdom Ekklesia, and we will believe and do what You say. We exalt You, Lord. Manifest Your presence in all the earth. Let us see Your glory and Your fire. We ask for signs, wonders and miracles. Release Your angel armies to perform the decrees of Your heirs. Make the impossible possible. Accelerate Your Kingdom's advancement. You have said in this word that we are moving into a year that begins supernatural reformation. We believe this, Lord. We believe that You do the impossible and change things that seem unchangeable. We know that You even suspend laws of nature when that is required to accomplish Your purposes. So we boldly declare that Your glory will begin to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, that supernatural manifestations of Your glory will be seen. We agree with and declare the words you spoke to Tim, “It now begins.” Demonstrate to the world that You shake other kingdoms, but Your Kingdom cannot be shaken. Demonstrate to the world Your power, Your love, the reality of Christ, and the truth of the gospel. We ask these things in Yeshua’s powerful name. Our Decree: We decree that the glory of God’s presence on earth will rise in greater measure this year, as His mighty angels assist His Ekklesia. ******************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. ------------------------------------------------------------- Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim. You can learn more about him at TimSheets.org
  11. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-24-2024 January 24, 2024 Walking Trails, Sailing Oceans Many of you are praying over the ports, dams, waterways, and water reservoirs in your states, as I knew you would. This is very important, as it is certain that our enemies intend to make every effort to exploit Biden’s open borders. America’s enemies have no doubt entered and plan to attack us. This could well be one of their planned actions. We are not to live in fear, but neither should we be naive. I’ve been sent other dreams besides Gina Gholston’s, warning of attacks against dams. One trusted friend said, “I had a dream about an attack on the power grids. I saw hydroelectric dams being destroyed, causing terrible flooding and destruction to the cities below the dam.” Dreams such as this are not saying these tragedies WILL occur; they are warnings to pray against them so they WON’T occur. Many thanks to those who are praying. Some are telling me they had already been praying, some for months, having received warnings from Holy Spirit. This is so encouraging. Here are just a few comments I’ve received from intercessors: “Dutch, Ceci, and Gina, thank you for this assignment on the waterways and dams. We have SPAN teams busy on this assignment throughout many states. So interesting that in Elbert County, CO, where we live there are 60 dams! We spent significant time in intercession concerning this two weeks ago in our regional prayer gathering. And now many of our SPAN teams are getting strategies and praying onsite!” (Becca Greenwood, Colorado) “Excited to pray over the waterways. We decree there will be no agreement between destructive forces and the spirit of leviathan.” (Regina Shank, Missouri) “Praying over Florida’s waterways. And also for all things to be fully seen and revealed.” (Brian Gibbs, Sarasota pastor) “Starting to organize the Texas teams to go to the thousand or so dams in the state.” (Tom Schlueter, TXAPN) But it seems America’s water and structures are not the only water-related prayer assignments taking place. If you have followed GH15 for a while, you’ve heard me speak of John and Sandy Halvorsen. John and Sandy have a unique prayer assignment on their lives. It started with an assignment to walk across America, praying for our nation. It has now transitioned to prayer journeys throughout the world. These combination prophetic acts/prayer assignments have been blessed with much favor from the Lord. Here are some excerpts from their home congregation, Great Lakes Church, in Duluth, MN, describing their journeys, as well as this current assignment. “After church planting in Europe for the better part of the 1990s, God called the Halvorsen’s in 1998 to walk across America from north to south and west to east… “After completing that assignment, John and Sandy were privileged to pastor Great Lakes Church for many years until 2008, when God called them to walk again, this time from Portugal to China! The message of that trip was God wants His world back, and that God would break through in areas previously hostile towards the Gospel. “After ‘Prayer Walk Eurasia,’ John and Sandy again pastored Great Lakes Church until 2018, when they were called to more prayer walks across America. One was from LA to NYC, and the other was from Miami to Seattle. The prophetic focus of those trips was one and the same: crying out to God for awakening for America. “In recent years, John’s calling got even stranger when God sent him to the North and South Poles. [He has also been to the equator.] These two trips were similar to his previous adventures in the sense that they were prophetic acts. At each pole, John unraveled the Appeal to Heaven flag and prayed that God would get the glory on the earth that He duly deserves. Through this experience, John believes the Lord is saying the Gospel is about to reach every tribe, tongue, and nation… “In 2023, God is sending John and Sandy out again, this time by water!”(1) John says of this assignment: “God has just called Sandy and me to travel around the world by water. His desire is for the entire planet to be filled with the ‘knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.’” (More here) They were led to make the trip - not once - but twice. Their first journey began in Southampton, England, on January 3, 2023, stopping in many ports and “end of the earth” islands before returning to Southampton from the Pacific Ocean on April 13, 2023. They are now on the second leg of the assignment. When hearing of the prayer assignment we released on January 15th, Sandy Halvorsen sent the following message to a mutual friend: “Becky! It’s so strange that we are often on the same page as Dutch’s posts on GH15. The Lord has us again traveling around the world by water this January through April, as we did last year, to pray for a free flow of the Holy Spirit to the nations of the world! Last year, the trip was not hindered, but this year, there are droughts, wars, and military threats over the earth's major waterways, and we find ourselves contending for FREE FLOW globally. It was SO ENCOURAGING to read of the prayer initiative over America’s waterways that Dutch is leading; it is a great confirmation to us in this global prayer assignment by water! GOD RULED AS KING OVER THE DELUGE, AND HE RULES AS KING FOREVER!! AMEN!! “It is such a confirmation that praying over our waterways right now is totally a God thing! Gina’s dream was in November, and that’s also when the Lord confirmed that He wanted us to take this global waterway trip again! I think He is speaking loud and clear!” Incredible! Pray for the dams, waterways, reservoirs, and ports in your state. And pray for the Halvorsens!!! Check out their Facebook page (FB page), where they post daily updates on their journey. And consider doing what Ceci and I intend to do - sow a seed into their assignment! (Click to give) Pray with me: Father, as I said in yesterday‘s post, we thank You for the “goers” and the “doers”: Those who drive many miles to pray over borders, rivers, ports, dams, and reservoirs, others who hike through woods and mountain trails, anointing the land with Holy Spirit’s oil, and still others, too old to do those things but determined to be in the fight, anointing maps with oil and praying. And, of course, thank You for those who walk nations and sail the oceans, interceding for revival. It is the faithful work of the “secret place” laborers that empower the preaching on the stages, the travail in the hidden place that opens the eyes of the masses in the crusades, the prayers of the few that protect the many. They’re the unsung heroes, the nameless warriors that protect lives, rescue prodigals, ripening earth’s harvest, and saving America. Encourage them today - their labors are not in vain! We pray in agreement today that though America will be shaken, she will survive because of prayer, repentance, and mercy. We agree in prayer that our water supply, dams, and ports will be protected from destruction. We agree that the shaking and accompanying work of Holy Spirit, will do what is needed to turn our nation back to God and bring forth our greatest revival ever. And we agree that our government will be cleansed from its filth and perversion and be given righteous rulers, for only righteousness exalts a nation. As always, we pray this in Yeshua’s name, our only access to You. Our decree: We decree that the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the Earth as the waters cover the sea. ************************* Click on the link below to watch the full video. ------------------------------------------------------------ https://www.glcduluth.org/pastorjohn
  12. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-23-2024 January 23, 2024 “We Cut the Coal” Jesus placed a very high emphasis on faithfulness. In a parable regarding the subject, He stated that this virtue would be part of our welcome into Heaven: “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’” (Matthew 25:21) In today’s post, I want to honor, thank, and encourage the faithful intercessors and other front-liners who are working diligently to see the purposes of Christ accomplished in America. Most of you are never paid a penny for your labors, never receive glowing introductions, and will never stand on a stage. You’re the nameless, faceless heroes the prophets assured us were coming. Thank God you’re here. Your best days are ahead of you. The great leader, orator, and statesman Winston Churchill, was known for his ability to bolster the spirits and determination of the British people during the harsh days of World War II. I cannot match him, so I will quote him. On October 31, 1942, he was addressing a conference of coal mine operators and miners in Westminster’s Central Hall. Compared to some of Churchill’s speeches, this one seemed like nothing extraordinary, not until his ending, that is: “We shall not fail, and then someday, when children ask, ‘What did you do to win this inheritance for us, and to make our name so respected among men?’ One will say: ‘I was a fighter pilot’; another will say: ‘I was in the Submarine Service’; another: ‘I marched with the Eighth Army’; a fourth will say: ‘None of you could have lived without the convoys and the Merchant Seamen’; and you in your turn will say, with equal pride and with equal right: ‘We cut the coal.’”(1) With absolutely no fear of being sensationalistic or exaggerating the truth, I say to the intercessors and active “coal-cutters”: Thank you for furthering the cause of Christ and helping save the world from evil and tyranny. Helping to restore America back to her destiny IS essential to saving the nations. Ronald Reagan was accurate when he said of America: “You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children’s children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.”(2) Reagan had a good reason for stating this. Though we in America are not more loved or special to God than other nationalities, we do play a unique role. And we must not fail. As you know, our plight has become desperate. George Barna, in his book American Worldview Inventory 2020-21: The Annual Report on the State of Worldview in the United States, tells us “that only half of American adults (51%) believe in a traditional biblical view of God as the ‘all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect and just Creator of the universe who still rules the world today,’ down from 73% in 1991”.(3) “The largest declines in possession of an orthodox, biblical perspective on the nature of God since 1991 were among individuals who attend Pentecostal or charismatic Protestant churches (down 17 percentage points).”(4) Forty-four (44) percent of Americans believe that Jesus committed sin while on earth, and another 16% had no opinion. That would mean 60% of Americans aren’t convinced of Christ’s sinless life. “Americans are now more confident about the existence of satan than they are of God!”(5) And over half of the adults (52%) do not believe Holy Spirit is real; another 17% have no opinion. That is 69% who aren’t convinced in the reality of Holy Spirit.(6) Dr. Tracy Munsil tells us, “The fact that 4 out of 10 adults believe that Jesus Christ - who came to earth to save us from our sins - was Himself a sinner and therefore in need of salvation is mind-boggling. Add to that the fact that more people believe in the existence of satan than the God of Abraham, and you cannot miss the severity of the spiritual crisis in America today.”(7) The revival for which we contend is without doubt America’s only hope! I recently heard a quote implying that our yieldedness to God is more important than our actions or efforts. May I respectfully say that this is a half-truth. Our yieldedness is but one side of the coin. The converse side of the coin is the hard work side - the bended knee side - the “Go ye” side, the “coal-cutting” side. Without this half of the coin, it’s a counterfeit. In late 2020 and early 2021, I listened as effortless believers mocked, ridiculed, and criticized others who worked tirelessly for the ideals and principles - not for Trump or political party - in which they believed so passionately. Those ideals, of course, included the lives of millions of babies in the womb. I am not contending that they all did so perfectly, just that they “did so.” Some were like Eleazar in Scripture, one of David’s mighty men, who fought the enemies of Israel until his hand clung to the sword (2 Samuel 23: 9-10). They had to peel Eleazar’s fingers from the sword after the battle. When he could no longer hold on with his physical strength, he held on with his heart. I have watched intercessors weep through bloodshot eyes, pray through the night, fast for days on end, and spend thousands of their hard-earned dollars to see the purposes of God established in our nation. You are the Eleazars of the Kingdom, and your efforts do not go unnoticed in Heaven. You are today’s “mighty men and women.” I have watched others of you stand in the rain and snow for hours with a piece of red LIFE tape covering your mouths. Others of you have adopted unwanted babies or children, preserving their destinies and giving them families. Still, others have supported these actions financially. You are my heroes - I am humbled by your sacrifices and commitment. Thank you for your coal-stained faces. You all are important reasons we are the “post-Roe generation.” Had there been more of you, perhaps some of the other cataclysmic issues of our day would now be overcome. My prayer is that your ranks grow. In conclusion, I dedicate the following quote from Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt to the “doers.” Roosevelt’s statement was made on April 23, 1910, in a speech originally entitled “Citizenship In A Republic.” The speech is now best known as “The Man in the Arena.” A copy of it hangs in my studio next to me now. This incredible leader, who once gave a speech while bleeding from just having been shot in the chest, spoke of people like you: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”(8) To you, the coal cutters of the Kingdom, I say thank you. Pray with me: Father, You are not impressed with our gifts and talents. They came from You, after all. What You appreciate and need is our faithfulness. You equated greatness with servanthood, not with eloquence, large followings, money, notoriety, or influence. Prayer changes the world, and You said to do it in the secret place. We thank You for the faithful, hidden ones in the Kingdom - the doers, the givers, the goers. May the coming season in the church be known as “the believers' movement.” Deliver us from showbiz Christianity, platform-driven movements, and spiritual entertainment centers. Give us real Christianity, the book of Acts kind. It’s the only model You gave us. Light a fire in Your people. Release a call to action. Give us Eleazars, spiritual “coal-cutters,” doers. Deliver the church from selfishness, laziness, and “prayerlessness.” Make us lovers AND warriors. We pray this in Christ’s name. Amen Our decree: We declare that we will not fail in our assignment to see America saved. ******************* Click on the link below to watch the full video. ------------------------------------------------------- https://www.preaching.com/articles/preacher-get-it-right/ https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/301222-you-and-i-have-a-rendezvous-with-destiny-we-will George Barna, American Worldview Inventory 2020-21: The Annual Report on the State of Worldview in the United States, (Glendale, AZ: Arizona Christian University Press), p. 25. Ibid., p. 27. Ibid., p. 32. Ibid., p. 33. Ibid., p. 34. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/63389/roosevelts-man-arena
  13. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-22-2024 January 22, 2024 Declarations For Breakthrough Questions regarding declarations, decrees, and the confession of God’s Word over our lives are among the most asked questions I receive. Today, I want to share with you a clear explanation from our friend Jane Hamon on this subject taken from her great book, Declarations For Breakthrough. Tom and Jane Hamon are among the prophetic voices I trust most. They are also great teachers and writers, and also pastor in the Florida panhandle. Jane says... ******************* “Do you want to supercharge your prayer life? Do you need a greater strategy for what to do when you hear God speak? I believe that understanding the biblical concept of declarations and decrees will take each of us to a greater place of effectiveness in advancing the Kingdom of God and bringing awakening into our land. “I love the voice of God. When He speaks, things change. As a matter of fact, I believe one word from God can change anything and everything. When we agree with the voice of God and verbalize what He is saying, we are given the power to shift heaven and earth and change our very circumstances with prophetic declarations. These authoritative, spiritually empowered decrees have the capacity to bring breakthroughs and initiate change. “Decrees have been used for thousands of years by governments as a means to deliver judgments, laws, and orders with the expectation that they will be carried out. Esther, Ezra, and Daniel are books about decrees being issued that changed the course of history. Such is the governmental, Kingdom power God has put into the mouths of His people as we decree what He says! Decree the Abundance of Rain “My husband, Tom, and I were ministering in Edmonton, Canada, one August during a time when they were experiencing one of the most severe droughts in modern history. Because I always check the weather forecasts before arriving in a new city, I knew there were no weather patterns indicating they could expect any relief. But the first night of our conference, in the middle of my message, I suddenly heard the Lord tell me to decree that the heavens be opened, and release the sound of abundance of rain. I prophesied what I had heard the Lord say, directed the people to shout for joy in response to the word of the Lord, and we pointed our fingers toward the sky while decreeing an abundance of rain. “Fifteen minutes later, I noticed someone come in the back door and whisper to their family members. Those individuals got up and left the service. Soon, others came in and whispered to their friends and families; again, those individuals got up and left. This was becoming disruptive, so I paused in my ministry and asked what was causing people to leave the service. “With big smiles on their faces, people began to shout, ‘It’s raining! It’s raining!’ “We ran quickly to the doors and saw that all those who had left the service were in the parking lot dancing in the rain. Pretty soon, the whole congregation was dancing and declaring, ‘The drought is over! The drought is over!’ “When watching the weather report that night on the local news, we were amused to see that the meteorologists were perplexed, commenting that they had not seen the rain coming. It seemed to come out of nowhere. It rained the whole week we were there. “Clearly, God shifted the atmosphere over Edmonton and brought an open heaven through the power of the decree. Jesus Taught the Power of the Decree “Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus demonstrated the power of the spoken decree. He told His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you’ (Matthew 17:20). “When Christ ministered healing and breakthrough to people, He never actually prayed for them to be healed; rather, He released declarations of breakthrough, saying things like, ‘Stretch out your hand’; ‘Be made whole’; ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk.’ Jesus raised the dead by making decrees: ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ In the situation with Jairus’ daughter, He said, ‘Do not weep. She is not dead; only sleeping. . . . Child, get up.’ To the dead man at Nain, Jesus decreed, ‘Young man, I say to you arise.’ To one woman who had suffered from a spirit of infirmity for twelve years, He decreed: ‘Woman, thou art loosed,’ and she was instantly delivered and healed. When He and His disciples were on a boat, and a ferocious storm broke, rather than pray, Jesus made a decree: ‘Peace, be still!’ The Early Church—Our Example “Jesus’ disciples learned how to use decrees to bring breakthrough to people, setting the example for all believers through the ages. When confronted by the lame man begging for alms at the Gate Beautiful, Peter made a decree that released healing: ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk’ (see Acts 3:6). And the power behind that decree caused the lame man suddenly to jump to his feet, walking and leaping and praising God. These words rise up and walk are expressed in the imperative mood, not asking permission or making a suggestion, but giving a command. “In Acts chapter nine, we read the story of Dorcas, also called Tabitha, a follower of Christ from the city of Lydda, who became very sick and died. Peter went to her and got down on his knees to pray. After doing so, he turned to her dead body and decreed, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ Then she opened her eyes, looked at Peter, and sat up. “The apostle Paul also utilized decrees. In Acts 13:11, we read that Paul decreed blindness on Elymas the sorcerer who was hindering the Gospel from going forth. In Acts 14:10, he spoke to a lame man in a loud voice, ‘Stand up straight on your feet!’ And the man leaped up and immediately walked. “Prayer is actually the foundation for every decree we make, for through a constant flow of communication with the Father, we are able to more clearly hear the words He would have us speak. We pray, connecting to the Father, then we decree, shifting the earth. “We must marry the power of prayer and the authority of the decree. Prayer is our petitions, communication, and fellowship with God, while decrees are God’s words released through our voices into the earth realm to bring change. “Job 22:28 begins by saying, ‘You will decree a thing’—not just your pastor, not just a prophet, but you shall make decrees that cause things to be established and light to shine on your way. The Hebrew word for ‘thing’(omer)(1) means ‘the word’ or ‘the promise.’ What do we decree? We decree what God has spoken. “Today, God is looking for believers who will stay filled with the power of the Holy Spirit so they can boldly declare His life and divine purposes—and change history in a moment.” ****************** Pray with me: Father, thank You for releasing the power of Your prophetic voice into the earth today. We pray that we will hear You clearly in order to more effectively decree what You are saying into the earth. You told us to release Your governmental authority. We will continue to release what You have already clearly spoken: America shall be saved Worldwide harvest is coming The earth shall be FILLED with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea Miracles are on the increase Prodigals are coming home America shall be given a wise, God-honoring government once again And the hand of God is protecting America’s water supply, dams, and ports. We ask and declare these things in the mighty name of Jesus! Amen. Our decree: (Make it personal) We declare that we are anointed by Holy Spirit to release declarations of breakthrough. We have the power to shape our lives by speaking God’s Words! ********************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. -------------------------------------------------------------- Today’s post was taken from Jane Hamon’s book Declarations For Breakthrough. You can find out more about Jane at TomAndJaneHamon.com. -------------------------------------------------------------- James Strong, The New Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 562.
  14. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-19-2024 January 19, 2024 Is Truth the Absolute Standard? A tactic used by many people, and certainly one used by liberals and those on the left, is to mock and ridicule those with whom they disagree. The purpose of this is to try and humiliate or embarrass their opponents and, through that, silence them. This is one of many reasons we Christians must be confidently anchored in God’s unchanging truth, found in His Word. We must know what we believe, why we believe it, and stand steadfastly on it. Beliefs regarding God, salvation, morality, marriage, family, gender, etc., are fluid to many people, making their spirits and souls mooring-less, foundation-less, without a true north; for them, all truth is relative and, therefore, changing. Without truth’s common starting point, even common sense can be lost. Some national leaders and educators now say they do not know how to define a man or woman, that what it means to be male or female has changed. Others believe children should be mutilated in attempts to change their gender, contending that cutting off a body part can transform DNA and chromosomes. Many on the left believe a nation should not have borders, that people or nations can spend more money than they have without it becoming a problem, and that it is perfectly appropriate to take from hard-working people and give it to those who have not worked for it. Madness! Do not be intimidated or silenced by these misinformed people. Love and pray for them, but do not be intimidated or influenced by them. Stand for truth! In my book Becoming Who You Are, I write about the importance of truth. Here is a short excerpt: “There is no greater teacher in the universe than God, and He was Adam's instructor in the ways of life. Through their spiritual connection, the Creator taught the created about creation, imparting portions of His own divine wisdom into the soul of Adam. “Man's understanding and logic were intended to originate in God. Our Creator never intended for us to function intellectually apart from His influence. We were never to be ‘independent thinkers,’ never to have independent knowledge. Never! The reasoning process of our souls was not to be strictly human; it was always meant to have a supernatural element. All knowledge that traversed through people’s souls was to be influenced by the Spirit of God. HE would be the origin and builder of man's knowledge. Of course, the Fall changed this, but that was the plan. “Another word used to describe this God-based knowledge is truth (Greek: alétheia). Biblically speaking, truth isn't just factual, nuts-and-bolts information; facts aren't necessarily synonymous with truth. And knowledge in and of itself doesn't lead to biblical truth. One can learn volumes of facts and information, yet completely miss the truth. Many highly educated people are skeptics, when it comes to believing in God and spiritual truth. Satan will even use facts, but his facts will never lead one to truth. In fact (pun intended), they can even lead to deception—a distortion of truth. “Biblically, truth is not easy to define. Alétheia literally means ‘the reality that existed in the original norm’; the reality lying at the basis or essence of something; true and genuine reality!(1) With words such as reality, original, norm, and essence used to define truth, it becomes obvious that the Creator, God, is its Author. If truth is the ‘original norm,’ then there is an origin and an originator. There can be no truth without a creator. And if truth is defined by ‘norm or normal,’ then truth cannot be relative, always changing. It is absolute and unchanging, like its Creator, God. “Since fallen man doesn’t want a norm, a standard, an original, he must deny the existence of truth, which is defined by these things. But when the standard is denied, as it is when God and His absolute truth are denied, anarchy is inevitable; the bar is lowered to the point of insanity, and man can justify anything. “But truth does exist and can be summarized as the absolute standard found in God, from which all wisdom, logic, and knowledge proceed. It has always existed in God, and it never changes. “‘When Lloyd C. Douglas, author of The Robe and other novels, was a university student, he lived in a boardinghouse. Downstairs on the first floor was an elderly retired music teacher, now infirm and unable to leave the apartment. “‘Douglas said that every morning, they had a ritual. He would come down the steps, open the old man's door, and ask, “Well, what's the good news?” “‘The old man would pick up his tuning fork, tap it on the side of his wheelchair, and say, “That's middle C! It was Middle C yesterday; it will be Middle C tomorrow; it will be Middle C a thousand years from now. The tenor upstairs sings flat, and the piano across the hall is out of tune. But, my friend, that is Middle C!”’ “There is a Middle C. It exists today, and it always will. No refined data or trendy theories will eliminate it. “Likewise, there are absolutes. An absolute norm. An original. An alétheia. And ruling high above as the Creator of it all is God. The true God, who reigns in truth. This God-birthed truth— the only truth—was always intended to shape humankind's perspective. This is critical because Jesus said knowing the truth would make us free (see John 8:32). No truth, no freedom; know truth, know freedom. We must know that it exists and that the original plan was for us to live with it as a compass.” Hold fast..! Pray with me: Father, we thank You for Your Word. Thank You for communicating Your ways to us - giving us guidelines to live by, truth to guide us. Thank You for Jesus, who came to embody truth for us, to show us exactly who You are, what You are like, and how to live as the people You intended us to be: walking in truth and in love. We are not arrogant and haughty regarding our efforts to walk in truth. YOU are the Truth; we are simply those endeavoring to learn and live by this truth, and none of us do so perfectly. But as You teach us, and as we increasingly understand Your truth, may we possess steadfast, immovable, uncompromising hearts and minds in order to model it. Yes, we want to see Your truth implemented in our society and world, but our hearts are not to condemn those who disagree with us. Instead, we will win them! We believe Your gospel, Your Word, and Your truth have the power to open their eyes, free them, save them, and transform their thinking. We ask for an awakening to the body of Christ in America. Many have been influenced by and conformed to the thinking of the world, causing them to depart from Scripture and compromise Your truth. Please bring a correction to this. Return a deep love for Your Word to the American church. We know there will be no sustained revival if this does not occur; certainly, there will be no reformation. So we ask for this, and we do so in the mighty name of Jesus! Amen. Our decree: We declare that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) and that His Word is truth (John 17:17). This will be our standard. ************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. Portions of today’s post were taken from my book Becoming Who You Are, Embracing the Power of Your Identity in Christ, published by Baker Books. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dutch Sheets, Becoming Who You Are, (Bloomington, MN: Baker Publishing Group), pp. 45-46. This is a definition compiled from several different lexicons and dictionaries. The number in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible is 225.
  15. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-18-2024 January 18, 2024 Seize the Opportunity “But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” (1 Corinthians 16:8-9 NASB) Holy Spirit has been drawing me to this verse a good bit lately; I’ve actually quoted from it in a couple of posts. It came as still another confirmation when my spiritual dad and apostolic leader of the fellowship I’m aligned with, Jim Hodges, used it in his recent newsletter. Here is Jim’s exhortation, with a few slight additions to make it more applicable to a broader audience. Jim says: “The apostle Paul’s ministry often demonstrated that opportunities to advance the Gospel of Christ were accompanied by opposition. He stated this in our opening verse, 1 Corinthians 16:9. Count on it: opportunity is accompanied by opposition. This is amply illustrated throughout Paul’s ministry. Perhaps the most dramatic one is his dangerous trip to Rome, recorded in Acts 27 and 28. The open door at that time was for Paul, a Roman citizen, to stand before the Roman emperor and personally declare to him and his palace guards the Gospel of the Kingdom. “In this Corinthians verse, Paul describes an opportunity to advance the gospel as being great and effectual. Great is megas,(1) meaning ‘exceedingly large, wide, grand or great;’ we get our English word mega from this Greek word. Effectual is energes,(2) meaning ‘powerful, effective, and active’; it’s easy to see the words’ energy and energized in this word. Energes is power in action, power at work. The root word (ergon)(3) actually means ‘to work.’ “Paul called the opportunity a ‘door,’ which is a place of access. He was saying a door of great opportunity was wide open, affording great access, and that this mega opportunity would have divine power/energy to succeed in its mission! And it certainly did. Ephesus became a great beachhead for the gospel. “On another occasion, Dr. Luke records in Acts 14:27 how the Lord Himself had opened a door of faith for Paul and Barnabas to go to the Gentiles!” Then Jim says: “Great and effectual doors are open to the Ekklesia, the Church, in our day! Despite the opposition, we must walk through them, proclaiming and demonstrating the Gospel of the King and His Kingdom! Holy Spirit will empower us! At this time, we have been given great access to the following wide-open doors: The 3rd Great Awakening. (A great and transformative outpouring of the Holy Spirit here and around the world.) Revival and reformation. The recent outbreaks of the Holy Spirit at Asbury University and many other colleges across America are one of many signs that revival is here and very accessible! And the church is now equipped to add reformation to this revival, discipling people groups and nations with the principles of Christ’s Kingdom. Global harvest. The Body of Christ is increasing on the earth faster than the world’s population. This includes Israel and a number of Muslim nations. (I recommend reading The Triumph of Christianity by Baylor University professor Rodney Stark). The turnaround and reset of the USA. There is an unrelenting remnant that refuses to come down off the wall of intercession, declarations, and decrees on behalf of our beloved, though beleaguered, nation. The release of the supernatural power of the Lord. We have entered a season of great signs and wonders. Don’t miss opportunities to demonstrate this! The increasing release of revelation through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Just as John ascended by the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, recorded in Revelation 4:1, we can go through the same open door he entered! This is truly a season of revelation! Accessing the doors of civil governments to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom. Paul’s mission to Rome was successful; Philippians 4:22 tells his effectual ministry resulted in the conversion of a number of Caesar’s ‘household.’” My Comments We should not be surprised or alarmed when great opposition arises against our attempts to go through spiritual doors and reap the fruit. Jesus Himself said, “If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you” (John 15:20). The key to victory is staying focused on Christ and the opportunities Holy Spirit gives us (Hebrews 12:2; Philippians 3:12), not the opposition. We have not only been invited into God’s family, but to join Him in His labors, partnering with Him in His great cause. If you are a regular reader/listener of Give Him15, you know this and have probably said “yes.” Mine and my spiritual father’s exhortation today is to persevere through all opposition and seize every opportunity. Our prayers are saving this nation and being used to reap the greatest spiritual harvest ever. Remain steadfast. When we finish our race, we’ll rejoice for eternity. Ignore the critics and naysayers. Reject all unbelief. Cast off all lethargy and complacency. Never, ever yield to discouragement. Resist the devil, submit to and draw near to God. Hate evil, love people. Repeat. I leave you with a passage from The Message: “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.” Philippians 3:12-16 Pray with me: Father, we are not those who put their hand to the plow and turn back. As General Patton said, somewhat more colorfully, “Retreat? No, we’ll advance to the rear.” We say to You, Father, we will not retreat. We are advancing with You into greater glory, greater faith, greater opportunities, and greater fruitfulness. Thank You for the honor of partnering with You. We ask for razor-sharp focus in this hinge year. We ask for keen hearing, acute awareness, sharp vision, and heightened discernment. May we not miss an opportunity. Like Peter, who walked by the lame man at Beautiful Gate many times, but knew when the season had changed and it was time for this miracle. The gift of faith was activated, the miracle occurred, and thousands were saved. We want this level of sensitivity. We declare that this is a year of extraordinary miracles! And we turn our hearts to the warning You gave us for our water, dams, and ports. We decree by faith in You and Your word that every port, dam, waterway, and water supply in all of America is protected and shielded from evil. No evil plot planned or devised against them will succeed; every snare is broken. We will not fear, and terror will not come near us (Isaiah 54:14 AMP; Isaiah 54:17; Psalm 21:11; Psalm 124:7). Our decree: We decree that no opposition will deter us from Holy Spirit’s opportunities. ************************ Click on the link below to watch the full video. ------------------------------------------------- You can find out more about Jim Hodges at JimHodgesMinistries.com. ------------------------------------------------ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 3173 Ibid., ref. no. 1756. Ibid., ref. no. 2041.
  16. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-17-2024 January 17, 2024 Watchman Prayer in Action Our friends and prayer leaders, Hal and Cheryl Sacks in Arizona, sent me the following sobering information, affirming our concerns over America’s dams. “The consequences of a terrorist attack on a United States dam could be catastrophic, even the small earthen dams. Multiple attacks on two or three of these structures could create mass casualties on a scale greater than September 11, 2001! The potential devastation, loss, and associated chaos make dams and waterways a prime target for terrorism. “Take, for example, the Hoover Dam (Nevada/Arizona), the largest dam in the U.S. in terms of water capacity, which holds back 8.95 cubic miles of water at a time — a truly astonishing amount of weight. Hoover Dam is located on Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S. when measured by water capacity. “In the event of a terrorist attack, roughly 25 million people in Arizona, Nevada, California, and parts of Mexico would be without water for drinking, plumbing, and irrigation. At least 1.3 million people in those states would be left to find alternative electricity supplies. The agriculture community would come to a screeching halt. There would be fatalities resulting from flooding and a loss of clean water. A few million people could be forced to move to other cities or states.”(1) I have received several communications from prophetic leaders around the country, stating that God has been talking to them about praying for America’s water supply, waterways, dams - and though I did not mention it in Monday’s post - ports. As we launch this week into praying for protection over these water supplies and facilities, I want to encourage you with a testimony from the incredible book INSPIRED STORIES: 50 Years of Answered Prayer, Volume 1, recently released by Intercessors For America. This book, containing 28 powerful testimonies of answers to prayer, is SO encouraging!!! Here is one regarding terrorism: Terrorist Plans Thwarted “In the years and months leading to July 4, 1976, Americans were planning a joyous celebration of the nation's bicentennial. At the same time, terrorist groups were planning to exploit the opportunity for purposes of their own. These terrorists were well organized and well armed, and their intentions were clear: to bomb, to burn, to destroy, and above all, to disrupt the July 4 bicentennial celebrations, the Democratic Convention in New York City (July 12-15, 1976), and the Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada (July 17-August 1, 1976). “Dr. William Kintner, a University of Pennsylvania political science professor, testified before Congress on June 18, 1976, in hopes that making these serious terrorist threats public would deter the terrorists from acting. Kintner told Congress: ‘... [T]here is reason to be concerned that the terrorist elements in our society will find the bicentennial an irresistible attraction - not only because the eyes of the world will be focused on the bicentennial festivities, but also because they regard the celebration itself with consuming hostility since it stands for everything they are opposed to: freedom.’ “‘Extremist groups that hate this country and what it stands for,’ Kintner said, ‘have been talking in terms of disrupting, or spoiling, the bicentennial.’ He gave examples of radical rhetoric that implied and could thus incite violence: ‘turning the bicentennial upside down.’ [Another group said] ‘When they light the candles on the 200th birthday cake, we will be there to blow them out.’ [And still another] talked about ‘bringing the fireworks,’ and this slogan has been repeated by some of those in charge of a planned mass demonstration in Philadelphia. "Radical domestic groups and communist leaders were identified as among those giving rise to the terror threat during the summer of 1976. “But God raised up His standard, and satan‘s plans were stopped cold. All three events went ahead, free from any terrorist interference. Prayer was the key here, and so the warfare that did take place was all in the spiritual realm. One example was Joy Dawson's prayer of intercession at a conference in Pittsburgh. As this leader of the Youth With A Mission ministry team began praying, thousands joined her in taking authority over the unseen forces in the heavenlies. Here are excerpts from that powerful prayer: ******* ‘... [C]lothed in the armor of God now, we come to address satan, principalities, and demon powers, and we come to tell you, God the Holy Ghost has disclosed your plans for riots on July 4 in Philadelphia and on into Montreal. ... You will not win, and we come to do aggressive warfare against you in the name of the Lord Jesus and in the power of the Holy Ghost. ‘Tonight, I come and address the particular principalities that satan has allotted to be loosed on July 4. The Holy Ghost has named them to me. They are the principality of lawlessness, the principality of anarchy, and the principality of rebellion — and I tell you right now, you will not do anything to discredit the work of the Living God. I bind you right now. I resist you right now. I command you three principalities, in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus, to cease all plans right now. I command confusion in the committees of hell tonight through Jesus Christ. You will not work, you will not thwart the will of God, because it is written in the word of God: “I will work, says the Living God...” ‘And we now say to You, O God, as we take our place, having turned from the powers of darkness — we say thanks be unto God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, for we are more than conquerors through Him who washed us in His own precious blood. We praise You now in faith. King God, we worship You and praise You tonight for the sheer privilege of being on the winning side. We worship You because You're the mighty conquering king, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the wonderful Lord Jesus Christ. And we tell You tonight that it is a privilege to obey You. We will say “Yes, Sir!” to anything You ask us to do, and we thank You that Your truth is marching on because You are marching on. Hallelujah!’" (2) ******* Pray with me: Father, we thank You for the watchmen You have raised up in our nation, those assigned to be sentries and guards and can sound the alarm when prayer is needed for a given situation. We thank You for the prophetic anointing, which brings discernment regarding the future, alerting us to the strategies of satan and his kingdom. You told us to “be alert” and pray at all kairos times (Ephesians 6:18), times of strategic, well-timed attacks from satan’s kingdom. We do so now. Father, You have assigned us to pray for protection over America’s water supply, waterways, ports, and dams. (From the prayer and decree written for this assignment [on our websites]) Your Word tells us that unless You keep or guard a city, the efforts of watchmen are in vain (Psalm 127:1). Therefore, we look to You for protection - You are our refuge, a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). When You are for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)? You save us from our enemies, men of bloodshed who do iniquity (Psalm 59:1-2). You are the Creator and Owner of the entire world - all of its inhabitants, as well as the seas and rivers. You are the King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty in battle, and the Lord of angel armies (Psalm 24:1,7,8,10). As a Master Workman, You set the boundaries for the seas and drew the tributaries of the earth (Proverbs 8:29-30), and still maintain ownership and authority over them. Contend with those who contend with us (Isaiah 49:25), cause evil to “bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous” (Proverbs 14:19). We ask that Holy Spirit would hover over the dams, water supplies, waterways, and ports of our nation, just as He did the waters of the earth in Genesis 1:2, releasing life and blessing. Arise over us, God, and cause every enemy to be scattered (Psalm 68:1). In Jesus’ name, Amen! Our decree: We decree that the powerful and majestic voice of the Lord thunders upon America’s waters, blessing them with peace (Psalm 29:3-4,11). ******************** Click the link to watch today's video: ---------------------------------------------------- https://a-z-animals.com/blog/discover-what-happens-if-the-hoover-dam-ever-breaks/ Dave Kubal and John D. Beckett, Inspired Stories - 50 Years of Answered Prayer, Vol. 1, (Plymouth: MA, Proclamation House Publishing), pp. 32-36.
  17. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-16-2024 January 16, 2024 Flashpoint of Revival In 2021, I began receiving clear words from the Lord, several of them, instructing me to be more intentional about partnering with other Christian movements. No one segment of Christ’s body can accomplish His purposes. These prophetic words and dreams stated unequivocally that working together would not simply add to, but would multiply the church’s effectiveness. I have always tried to honor other “streams” and movements, and have endeavored to be a unifier, not a divider, but realized this was not enough. Since receiving those words, I have attempted to diligently obey them by actually working with and supporting the efforts of others. One of those ministries has been Flashpoint. I appreciate Gene Bailey and his sincere efforts to turn our nation back to God and see worldwide harvest, as well as the excellence with which he does so. In today’s post I am sharing a segment from his great book, Flashpoint of Revival, to encourage you as we begin the assignment of praying over our waterways and dams in America. God is not finished with America!!! ******* From Gene’s Book “On April 29, 1607, Robert Hunt and his team landed on the Virginia shore at Cape Henry and drove a cross into the ground, dedicating this nation to God. From that day to this, America has been blessed in many ways but has also seen her share of peril, trauma, and turmoil. For over four hundred years we've traveled a long and sometimes very difficult road. We've produced documents of faith and freedom like the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence, reiterating that we are a people who seek to follow God. Among ourselves we've battled economic injustices, stood up against slavery, and we've fought for what we've believed in. We haven't always been right-after all, we're human. At times we've been more divided than we’ve been united. We’ve shed rivers of our own people's blood. “But God has always had a remnant—a praying people whose hearts He has gripped, who have taken their place working with Holy Spirit to see that America stayed on track with His purposes. Reverence and honor for God have been a strong, noticeable thread woven throughout the years of America's existence. And though at times it's taken decades, even centuries, the Church has cried out in repentance and voiced regret for our past mistakes. We've cried out for revival. We've cried out to see our nation return to the Lord. “So here we stand today in the face of great opposition. Our nation's values have seemingly been usurped by the devil's own agenda. Chaos and contention are raging, and evil has raised its ugly head, seeking to silence, discredit, and dismantle the greatest threat to the accomplishment of his schemes-the awakened Church. We don't see anyone in the White House standing up and drafting a document like the Mayflower Compact. Quite the opposite. Those in positions of greatest power are using Machiavellian propaganda to promote a socialist, anti-God worldview that is bringing tremendous damage to this country and the godly principles upon which it was founded. While the Church's cries for revival may seem to be drowned out by the loud evil agendas of hatred and control, we know God heard Robert Hunt and his men on April 29, 1607, as they declared from that small beach in Virginia that this nation belonged to Him. And He took them seriously. And He hasn't forgotten. “Like so many times in our past, God has been gripping the hearts of people who are willing to work with Holy Spirit in this hour and follow Him into a tremendous last-days harvest. Know this, God is not in a panic, trying to come up with a response to the evil that has been unleashed in America. Long before this chaos began, He was already positioning His ‘Mordecais’ and His ‘Esthers’ for such a time as this. His redemptive plan for America is already set into motion, and as we respond to God and take our places, we will see His plan trump the enemy's schemes. “Remember, though, that Mordecai and Esther were in the right place at the right time and able to step up in great boldness because they were submitted to the Lord. We are no different. We have to allow God to prepare us; we have to fully submit to however, whenever, and whatever He chooses to do with us not just personally, but corporately… “As we've discussed, a lethargic spirit has lulled many believers to sleep and caused others to be drawn away from their posts as watchmen on America's walls. In the absence of these strong watchmen warriors, blatant ungodliness and lawlessness have crept into the Church and into our land. Hell has launched an all-out assault to overtake and overthrow America's God-given purposes and to change the destiny of our nation, “But God... ‘And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.’ (Ezra 9:8-9 KJV) “Each time I read these verses in the Book of Ezra, although they refer to the nation of Israel, these truths jump off the page as I believe God is using them to speak to our current situation in America: God is giving us a ‘space of grace.’ God has a remnant in America. God has given America a ‘nail’ —a secured place in His plan. We are entering an awakening that will enlighten our eyes. God is extending mercy that will revive America, restoring and repairing the House of God, and returning this nation to the foundation and structure of her godly heritage and destiny. “Though it sometimes seems like evil is winning, it's not too late for our country. God has not stopped paying attention to America - He is very much at work, so let's be sure we don't fall back to sleep and miss the opportunities He's setting before us!” ******* My Conclusion Amen! The apostle, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 16:9 said that a great door of opportunity had opened up for him, and yet there was also great opposition. Likewise today, opposition to our cause of worldwide harvest is great, but our opportunities are greater! We will overcome the adversity and reap the harvest! Pray with me: Father, as we are diligent to listen to You and obey, we will eat the fruit You have prepared for us. That fruit, among other things, is worldwide harvest. This is Your passion, and it is ours. Give us strength and endurance, willing hearts, and the revelation needed to accomplish this. Give us insight and wise strategy as we pray against satan’s opposition, and protection from his attacks - “deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). We are in agreement that You will protect our borders and infrastructure in America, including our dams and waterways; we are not at the mercy of our enemies. We embrace Your discipline in our nation, but we will not accept the plans of satan. Turn America back to You and restore us to be the great “combine” You intended for us to be. We declare that the ripe harvest will become the reaped harvest! Sharpen our sickles, strengthen our gifts, and give us hearts to work together. Pour out Your spirit, just as You have promised, until the plowman overtakes the reaper (Amos 9:13). And from the “Prayers and Decrees for the Protection of America’s Waterways” “To You, Lord, nothing is hidden; You reveal and expose secret plans and agendas (Matthew 10:26; Luke 8:17). We ask that any foreign or domestic plans to harm our dams, waterways, and water supply will be revealed and thwarted before they are carried out. Expose every plot to restrict our supply lines, hinder our power sources, or tamper in any way with our water supplies, dams, or waterways. Prevent the theft of weapons, extortion, and all that would assist terrorist activities. Frustrate the plans of the crafty to keep their plans from succeeding (Job 5:12), and create disunity and confusion among them (Judges 7:22).” (Taken from the Prayers and Decrees for the Protection of America’s Waterways. You can find this on our websites: DutchSheets.org and GiveHim15.com.) In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. Our decree: We decree that the body of Christ will work together to reap this great harvest. ************************* Click the link to watch today's video: --------------------------------------------- Today’s post was taken from Gene Bailey’s book Flashpoint of Revival, published by Harrison House and used by permission. You can find out more about Gene at GeneBailey.com.
  18. 7 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-15-2024 January 15, 2024 New Assignment: Protect America’s Waterways Recently, Holy Spirit gave Gina Gholston a dream regarding another prayer assignment for America. You may recall that it was Gina who released the “Painting the Borders” dream. This word has to do with America’s waterways. I have consulted with several leaders regarding this warning; all have felt it is accurate. As you can see by the date, she had the dream a few weeks ago; we’ve been waiting until we felt it was the right time to release it. Here’s the portion of the dream relevant to this assignment: ********** “On November 24, 2023, I dreamed I was with a group of fifty people, a representative from each state. We had been called to an urgent meeting and were gathered in what appeared to be a military strategy room. On the walls were fifty maps, one of each state, highlighting the waterways and dams located in that state. “A four-star general and an admiral entered. They told us this was a confidential intelligence briefing, and the admiral began, ‘We have called you here because we need your help.’ “The general then pointed to the maps on the walls and said, ‘We need you to pray over the waterways in America, including two specific things regarding the dams.’ “The admiral said, ‘For the dams in your state: 1) Pray diligently against domestic and foreign terrorist attacks. 2) Pray diligently against any attempt to intentionally restrict the water flow in an effort to restrict and hinder the supply lines to America.’ “The general said, ‘There are other reasons why they are attempting to restrict the water supply, but primarily it is to restrict the supply lines that operate by way of the water. They want to restrict the ability of boats and barges to be able to deliver supplies via the waterways.’ They then rolled up the maps of each state and gave each of the 50 representatives the map of their state. “As we were exiting, they shook our hands and gave us each a gold coin and a lanyard containing a badge. On one side of both the coin and the badge was the United States Seal; on the other side of each was an arrowhead with a cross in the middle. At the top of both were the words ‘Official Pass.’ “I (Gina) was also given a message containing an address and the time I was to arrive there. I drove to the address, finding eleven others from the previous meeting also present. It was a small diner. There, we were given further instructions, including the admonition, ‘In your assignment, don’t forget the Plains and the Northwest.’ “The twelve of us sat down and wrote decrees, prayers, and Scriptures to be used as we fulfilled the assignment for the waterways and dams. We based them on the two things the officers had asked us to pray. The last thing we wrote was the complete text of Psalm 91. Someone said, ‘This must be declared!’ “We were also all given hand-carved staffs and were told, ‘You will need these as you go on your journey, and it’s time for you to go.’ “‘Strategy rooms were set up in each state. In them were hanging the maps we had been given, along with maps of each county, showing all of the waterways and dams. Meetings were being held in each state’s strategy room, with people being assigned specific areas in which to pray. Each person was given a copy of the decrees, prayers, and Scriptures the twelve leaders had previously written. Throughout the nation, we would all be praying and declaring the same things, along with other prayers, decrees, and prophetic acts Holy Spirit would give individuals for their specific state assignment. “For example, I saw one man use an old canteen to get water from the lake at the top of a dam, take that water and pour it into the river at the bottom of the dam, and declare that the water supply would remain consistent and could not be restricted or tampered with. “In another location, I saw a lady throw an arrowhead into the base of a dam, declaring that the dam and waterway were surrounded and guarded by the ‘warriors of Heaven.’ There were so many prophetic acts and Spirit-led prayers and decrees being made! “I knew that every state was significant and carried great importance in this assignment, but for some purpose, the Northwest and Plains states had been specifically highlighted. “At one point in the dream, I was with a team on one of the dams. I had the carved staff, the coin, and the lanyard containing the badge - all the items I had been given. These things had given us access to walk out onto the dam (I think it may have been the Hoover Dam). We walked onto it and made the decrees, offered the prayers, read the Scriptures, and declared Psalm 91, just as every other team was doing elsewhere. Then we began to do prophetic acts and make declarations as Holy Spirit was leading us. “As we did this, three aircraft arrived and began flying in a circular pattern overhead; at times, they just hovered over us. (Though they looked like airplanes, they flew like helicopters, with rotary blades on the tops.) They were white, with U.S. flags painted on the sides, but we knew they were not truly American. It seemed they were trying to intimidate and frighten us away, but we were not afraid! At one point, as they hovered over us. I took the carved staff, held it over my head, and looked right at one of the pilots. When I did this, all three of the planes flew away, and we completed our assignment.” End of Dream. ********** My Comments This is obviously a very important dream. Numerous others have received warnings about America’s dams and waterways, as well as our water supply/water treatment plants. Knowing that terrorists - most likely many - have no doubt entered our open borders, we must take this assignment seriously. Others have felt that not only foreign terrorists, but also individuals from within our nation may be planning attacks. After prayer and consulting with various prayer leaders, all of us felt we should not try to organize this effort from a specific headquarters but allow it to be grassroots, just as the “Paint Your Borders” effort was. Nor would we coordinate the establishment of “strategy rooms” in each state. We feel these rooms communicate to us the need to be thorough, not necessarily that we need literal locations as existed in the dream, just as there hasn’t been a literal meeting of 50 representatives with military officers, or a meeting in a diner. These portions of the dream give us the assignment, its goals, and other details, not a model that must be followed. Having said this, the strategy rooms and maps are a good strategy, and I have no doubt that some states with well-organized prayer networks will do something similar. Be led by Holy Spirit. We do feel, however, that the prayers, decrees, and Scriptures written in the dream by leaders for all states to use were to be taken literally. The agreement it affords is important. We have done this, and you can find them on both our DutchSheets.org and GiveHim15.com websites. Look for the heading: PROTECT AMERICA’S WATERWAYS. As you release prayers and decrees given to you specifically for your state, the staffs given each state representative in the dream are no doubt significant. In Old Testament times, a man’s staff had his history carved on it in the form of symbols and pictures. Consider using some of your state’s godly history and constitution. I believe all of the state constitution preambles mention the Lord. Holy Spirit will lead you in this. Just as with the “Paint Your State” assignment, you can go to GiveHim15.com and find your state. There, you can add where you have prayed, so others will know which waterways, dams, water treatment plants, etc., have already had prayer. Our goal is for the waterways in each state to be covered. God has not yet given us an end date for this to take place. Let’s get this done, just as we did the “painting” of our borders and “anchoring” of the nation. Use caution when traveling and when near water and dams. Obey all laws and don’t go into restricted areas. Remember, access to prohibited areas given in the dream (from the lanyard badge, etc.) was obviously symbolic. Finally, “Be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Pray with me: Father, thank You for raising up watchmen to guard and protect our nation. We have allowed the enemy into our camp, and now find ourselves in need of Your miraculous protection. You told us in Psalm 127:1 that unless You keep or protect a city, the watchman wakes in vain. We need Your supernatural help to protect our cities and nation. Move on the hearts of men and women in every state to pray over their water supply, waterways, and dams. We ask You to coordinate this effort, to lead us as we pray and decree, and to protect all who participate. We also ask you to coordinate the timing of the efforts so that none of the prayer visits will be late. We commit this to You and Your sovereign directing of it. And Father, as we move into this hinge year, a critical year in the history of America and the world, we command Your Kingdom authority into every region and continent, and the establishing of Your will, according to Matthew 6:10. We decree that nothing will stop the great harvest You have planned - no shaking, no war, no unrest, nothing. It will all be used by You for Your purposes in the earth. We release this in the name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the protection of the Lord will be upon our dams, supply lines, and water supplies in America. ************************* Click the link to watch today's video: ----------------------------------------------------------- You can find out more about Gina Gholston at GinaGholstonMinistries.org.
  19. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-12-2024 January 12, 2024 The Price of Ignorance Satan takes advantage of our ignorance, which the following verse reveals: “So that no advantage be taken of us by satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:11 NASB). The context of the verse is forgiveness, but a general and very important principle is also revealed. Let’s analyze the verse more closely. The word “ignorant” is from the Greek word agnoeo, which means to be “without knowledge or understanding of.”(1) Our English word “agnostic” is derived from it. Technically, an agnostic is not a person unsure if they believe in God, though we now use the word primarily in this way. Actually, an agnostic is one who is ignorant or without understanding of any given subject. We also get our word “ignore” from the same root. In this verse, we are urged not to ignore or be an agnostic - without understanding - where the devil is concerned. “Schemes” is from the word noema,(2) which literally means “a thought.” The verse is saying, “Don’t be without understanding of the way satan thinks.” However, noema also came to mean “plans, schemes, plots, devices” because these things originate in our thoughts. For greater insight, let’s insert all of these concepts into the verse: “Don’t be without understanding of the way satan thinks and operates - his plans, plots, schemes, and devices.” There is also a subtle promise in this command. Since God says we are not to be ignorant of satan’s plans and schemes, He is obviously willing to teach us how satan operates and, when necessary, even supernaturally reveal His plans to us. God doesn’t want us to be caught off guard. What happens if we ARE unaware of satan’s schemes? The verse tells us he will take advantage of us. “Advantage” is derived from pleonekteo, which is a compound word meaning literally “to have or hold the greater portion” (pleon - “the greater part;” echo - “to have or hold”).(3) It is easy to see why this is a word for “covet.” It also means “overreach.”(4) In boxing, the person who has the longer reach holds the advantage and usually gets in more blows. The word pleonekteo is also translated as “make a gain”; satan makes a lot of gains on those who are unaware of his ways. The Greek scholar Bullinger says pleonekteo means “to make a prey of, to defraud.”(5) Let’s put all of these definitions together: “To the degree we are ignorant of the way our adversary thinks and operates - of his plans, plots, schemes, and devices - to that degree he will gain on us, prey on us, defraud us of what is ours, and have or hold the greater portion.” Wow! Ignorance ain’t good! An obvious question is, “He will gain the greater portion of what? The answer would include many things: our jobs, marriages, families, communities, money, government, nation, and more. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Church in America was without an understanding of satan’s plans, and he took the greater portion of our educational system. The same could be said of our government and much more in our nation! The church was asleep, unaware of what satan was doing, and he grabbed the bigger portion of American society and culture. The demise has been shocking. Paul was taken advantage of in 1 Thessalonians 2:18. Satan “made a “gain” on him in the ongoing war over spreading the Gospel: “For we wanted to come to you - I, Paul, more than once - and yet satan hindered us.” We know Paul won more battles than he lost. He was human, however, and at times satan succeeded in thwarting his plans. The verse does NOT say God changed His mind about where He wanted Paul to travel. It clearly says satan hindered him. Those who believe satan can do nothing except what God allows and, therefore, we can simply ignore him should rethink their position. God does not ignore the devil, and neither should we. And satan certainly does a lot of things God does not directly “allow” him to do. The Lord established the laws and principles governing the earth - sowing and reaping, cause and effect, the free will of humans, etc. - and we humans implement those principles. Ignorance of them can be costly (Hosea 4:6). The good news is that God created a movement - also in the 60s and 70s - in which He restored the 5-fold ministry gift of teachers to the church (Ephesians 4:11). Simultaneously, the outpouring of Holy Spirit taking place created a great hunger for God’s Word. The two met, and the results were explosive. Churches moved from preaching only, to also teaching the Word of God. Revelation increased in the teacher and the student. Bible schools sprang up, the Word began to be taught on television and radio, training conferences were birthed, and Bible studies took place in homes, scores of teaching books were written, and thousands of messages were listened to by millions of people on cassette tapes! The body of Christ isn’t fully mature by any stretch of the imagination, but the hungry have grown tremendously in the last 50 years. Many believers are now well armed with spiritual weapons, and dangerous to the powers of darkness. We will not be taken advantage of and duped as easily as we once were. God is about to put what He has taught us to work. We will disciple people and nations, teaching the principles of God’s Kingdom. We will walk in His ways at levels not seen in centuries. We will reveal the “fulness of Christ” in the earth (Ephesians 4:13). All the earth is waiting anxiously for this manifestation of the mature sons and daughters of God. Get ready - it’s coming! Pray with me: Father, just as you warned, our ignorance of satan and his thinking, schemes, and plans has been very costly. He has certainly taken advantage of us and gained the bigger portion of America. He outmaneuvered the church and overpowered unbelievers. A generation of Americans has been swept into darkness. Yet, You are the God of resurrection power, the God of grace, and the Giver of mercy. Your mercy triumphs over judgment, and Your power triumphs over the serpent. You love to redeem and restore. You’re the Great Physician, the Giver and Sustainer of life, the Friend of sinners and Lover of humankind. And You, as all of these, are coming to America! So, we boldly appeal to You for this. Come with strength and power, blow like a rushing mighty wind, fall like the rain, flow like a river. Do this for the poor and the rich, for all races, in the cities and in the country, among the young and the old. Come and heal this nation of the serpent’s bite. Free us from his deception and blindness, his lust and perversions, his hatred and murder. Come to this nation - quickly! And come with awesome power! In Jesus’ name, we pray this...Amen..! Our decree: The serpent has bruised America’s heel, but through the victory of Calvary, we shall crush his head! ************************* Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was taken from my book Watchman Prayer. ---------------------------------------------- Dutch Sheets, Watchman Prayer (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group), pp. 17-19. Ethelbert W. Bullinger, A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975), 400. Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard, rev. ed. (Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 1990), 1797. Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary (Iowa Falls: Word Bible Publishers, 1992), 1,173. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), s.v. 4122. Bullinger, A Critical Lexicon and Concordance, 28.
  20. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-11-2024 January 11, 2024 Understanding Your Sphere of Authority “For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ; not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another. But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.” (2 Corinthians 10:12-18 NASB) In this passage, Paul speaks of the measure of his God-given authority in Corinth, and also references spheres of authority. The word used for “measure” is metron (Strongs 3358). You can easily see the English word “meter” in this word, which is a measurement, or an instrument used to measure, such as a parking meter. It is also used in the context of “metering out” a measured portion of something. In this context, Paul was speaking of the authority metered out to him, the measure he had been given by God at Corinth. “Sphere” is from the Greek word kanon (Strongs 2583), which means “a sphere of rule or activity; a boundary.” Paul recognized not only his measure of authority, but also the places where he had been assigned this authority. He knew there were boundaries or limits to it, but he was also very aware that he absolutely did possess God-given authority in his God-given spheres. Certainly, this passage was referencing Paul’s authority to deal with error and rebellion as an apostle and father in the Corinthian church. However, it also included authority to war over them in the spirit, breaking strongholds and demonic influence. This is clear from the verses preceding this: “Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:1-6 NASB) These verses make clear the assertion that Paul’s authority at Corinth was not only a right to correct them practically and doctrinally, but also included authority to deal with spiritual strongholds in the community through prayer and spiritual warfare. The principle at play here is that: 1) God gives us authority within the “sphere” He has assigned us. Our authority level will be different in other spheres. And 2) this authority not only gives us the spiritual right to bring correction, but it also affords us great authority to pray and war spiritually for the freedom and well-being of those within this sphere. I realize most of you will not be given apostolic authority over a region. The principle is true elsewhere, however. Each of us has a personal sphere: ourself, our family, home, business, etc. No one has more authority to govern your life than you do. You have the right and the responsibility to do so. Also, no one can lay claim to God’s promises or declare His Word over your life as effectively as you. YOU have the right to do this, and no one can take it from you. We also have a higher level of authority to pray for our immediate family members - this is a part of our sphere. Where God assigns responsibility to guard, protect, or cover someone, He also gives us the authority to carry it out. Even if a family member is an adult, though I do not have authority to rule their life, but I still have a very high level of authority to pray for them. I can break strongholds over their life and appeal to heaven on their behalf, just as Paul did for the Corinthians. If they are a child I have even greater authority to pray for and impart to them. In Mark 5:22-43, a man named Jairus asked Jesus to come and heal his daughter. Jesus did so. He did not require an invitation from the daughter, nor was faith required of her. Her dad asking for her was enough. Patriarchs in the Old Testament understood this principle. They had great authority to decree blessings, even destiny, over their children - even adult children. The entire 49th chapter of Genesis gives us multiple examples of this, as Jacob blessed and decreed over his sons. In an upcoming post, we will look at shared authority, as in praying for nations. Today, however, I want to encourage you regarding your God-given right to pray for yourself and your family. We are about to see many prodigals come back to the Father; you play a role in this. Your prayers for them have great authority. You can break strongholds in their lives and free them from deception and demonic control. You cannot control the prodigal child’s will, but you can deal with strongholds that do! Let’s look at three of the above verses Paul gave us from the Living Bible: “It is true that I am an ordinary, weak human being, but I don’t use human plans and methods to win my battles. I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds. These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding him. With these weapons I can capture rebels and bring them back to God and change them into men whose hearts’ desire is obedience to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 TLB) If Paul could do this for the Corinthians, you can do it for your family! Let’s pray. Pray with me: Father, we are not at the mercy of what demons and the world around us throws our way. You have given us great authority through Christ. He conquered FOR US and delegated TO US the right to lay hold of this victory. Faith, the power of Holy Spirit, authority - these things work in harmony to give us victories in life. Today we rise up in that authority and pray for those in our God-given spheres. We know that as we do so, Holy Spirit will release His power to back up this authority. We declare over ourselves that we will walk in health, victory, provision, freedom from sin, peace, and a sound mind. We bind every assignment against us and declare that we are clothed in the armor of God and protected from evil. We pray also for those You have assigned us the privilege of covering, those in our personal spheres of authority. We pray for our spouses that they too will experience Your blessing, health, well-being, prosperity - we declare over them that every promise You have made to Your family is “yes” and “amen.” And we pray for our children. We decree over every prodigal that the strongholds of deception and rebellion are broken off of them. We release the power of Holy Spirit to go to them now and hover over them, releasing life and freedom. We decree that they will come to their senses just as the prodigal in Scripture did. We bind every demon that has attached itself to them, in the name of Jesus. And we decree according to Your Word that all of our children are blessed by You. We cover them with protection from the many strategies of the evil one to influence and control them. We declare that they will know and serve You, that all of our family shall be saved! We pray all of these things through the authority we have in Christ. Our decree: We declare that we will exercise our God-given right to cover those in our God-given spheres. ************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video.
  21. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-10-2024 January 10, 2024 Today we are sharing a GH15 post that you have read before. We are having bad weather in our area with power outages, but did not want to be without a Wednesday post. Therefore, we are sharing one of our favorites from two years ago. Unity is always on God’s heart. Here is a great teaching regarding this subject. We Must Have Unity The Charismatic Movement was a move of Holy Spirit that 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 were 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 occurs, 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 seven 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” is 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? 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 always to 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. *************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. ------------------------------------------------- Barbara Yoder is the senior leader of Shekinah Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan. You can find out more about Barbara here.
  22. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-9-2024 January 9, 2024 The Rats Will Be Exposed God used animals many times in Scripture - because of the animal’s distinct characteristics - to picture humans: Jesus was seen as a lamb and a lion; satan was seen as a serpent and a dragon; Herod was called a fox; false believers were called wolves and goats; and so on. I have seen several dreams given to prophets over the past couple of years with rats representing people. Rats typify or picture darkness, disease or plague, garbage and waste, theft, abominations, betrayal, devouring, and more. In all the dreams I’ve seen, rats are used to picture evil taking place through individuals in our government, and God is exposing them. The dream I’m sharing today was given to our friend, Gina Gholston, just a few days ago. Gina is a frequent dreamer, and has a consistent track record of accuracy in her interpretations and her prophetic words. It was Gina who released the “Paint the Borders” dream. The dream I’m sharing today, Gina says: DREAM OF JANUARY 4, 2024 “I dreamed we were at a gala at the White House. Chuck Pierce, Dutch Sheets, and several other members of our prayer team were there, along with 300 or so other people. It was a black-tie event, and everyone was dressed immaculately. Then, a spokesperson came and told us there was maintenance being done in the White House, and we could not go outside of the room we were in. It was almost as if we were being held there - at least, that was the underlying tone of the one speaking. “I told my assistant that something felt ‘off.’ Then Chuck Pierce came over to talk with us; I told him I felt something was amiss. He said, ‘I know. There’s something happening beyond the walls.’ “Suddenly, a lady on the far side of the room screamed that she saw a rat running across the floor. Several of us saw it. Others were saying, ‘There’s no rat in here. You’re just making that up!’ But the rat was right there, visible for everyone to see. And even though everyone saw it, some still denied it was there. They even became angry that some were pointing it out and desperately tried to make those who saw it believe that it wasn’t really there! “The rat moved toward a wall and went through a hole. Through the hole, I could see lights flickering. Chuck also saw it, and he said, ‘Inside that room, an evil is happening.’ “I gathered a few people to go with me into the room next door in order to see what was happening there. We managed to get out of the gala room undetected, and when we opened the door to the next room, found frantic chaos happening there. About a hundred or so people were in the room; each had a very large paper shredder, trying to use it to destroy documents. There were boxes and boxes of files. Though they attempted to shred the files, they wouldn’t shred, regardless of how many times they placed documents in the shredder. The files would go through the shredder but would always come out whole - intact! These people were furious and in complete panic! They were so preoccupied with the files that they hadn’t noticed that we were in the room watching them. “I then saw the rat that had been in the gala room, and it was lying on its back in the corner of this room, kicking its feet up in the air, laughing and laughing. Chuck Pierce was with us, and I asked him what all of this meant. He said, ‘The instigator has deceived the people. They are doing his bidding, but he himself has gone undetected, even by those who have been deceived. Now exposure has come, and they are left to clean up his mess. However, God won’t let it be “cleaned up”; He is guarding the evidence and forbidding its destruction. The rat is giddy, thinking he’s in the clear - unseen, untouchable - but his days are numbered. The impending exposure is causing the people to become careless, and they are losing control of their ability to hide things. They're not even fully aware that they themselves are being revealed!’ “At that moment, a couple of men wearing pest control company uniforms came into the room. The rat saw them and panicked. He tried to run and hide, attempting to go back through the hole in the wall to the other room, but the men trapped him in a cage. “As the rat was being captured, all of the people at the shredders instantly froze in place. I could see their eyes moving, but their bodies had been ‘frozen,’ and they could not move. Their hands were stuck to the files and the shredders. There was no denying what they had been doing. “At that time, many of the other people at the gala entered the room to see what was happening. As they entered, masks began falling off the faces of the people frozen at the shredders, revealing their true identity. They were being completely exposed. “Then the rat morphed into a man. Some of those at the shredders, although still frozen in place, began to speak, alluding to the ‘rat man’ saying, ‘He’s the instigator! Arrest him!’ “Then some of those at the shredders became unfrozen and, while lifting up the files they had been trying to shred, said, ‘Here’s the proof! Here’s the evidence! It’s all here in the files! Thank God He didn’t allow us to shred it!’ “A lady accompanied by two young men entered the room and gathered all the boxes of files. Several more men came into the room with hand trucks and removed all the shredders for evidence. Dutch Sheets asked the lady why they were removing the shredders. She said, ‘It’s part of the evidence. There’s incriminating data saved in them, and we know how to retrieve it.’” End of dream. [In the dream, Gina actually saw the specific crime/s this pertained to. However, we felt it was not wise to release that information at this time.] There is certainly no need for a lengthy explanation of this dream. God has told us He is shaking and exposing. Individuals and some of the departments and agencies in our government pulled off an unprecedented coup, and a shadow government now rules America. Those involved are incredibly evil and giddy with delight. But the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof (Psalm 24:1), and He removes leaders while raising up others (Daniel 2:21). He treads on serpents and scorpions - and rats - and gives us authority to do so, as well (Luke 10:19). Pray with me: Father, we thank You for the exposure taking place in our nation. You have been telling us this would occur, and we have been watching it take place. We pray that You will continue to expose the evil in our government: lies, backroom deals, corruption in our Justice Department, voting irregularities, distortion of America’s history, refusal to control our borders, abuse of children, and so much more. Continue to uncover and expose. Protect the evidence until it is revealed; convict people, motivating them to reveal the truth; give courage to whistleblowers. As You shake down in order to reveal and uncover, we pray for the intercessors and leaders in the church, asking for strength and unwavering faith; remind them that You will only tear down what is necessary, and mercy will triumph. We pray for those who are investigating and exposing, asking You for wisdom, contacts, protection, skill, and supernatural discoveries. We pray for those being attacked by the “rats,” especially President Trump, asking for Your protection over his mind and body. Give him supernatural strength and endurance. Give strength to those in Congress who are unfairly attacked, and likewise to Judges such as Clarence Thomas. Vindicate the righteous as you expose evil. We ask You for these things in Yeshua’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that rats in our government are being exposed, evidence is being preserved, and justice will be served. ************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video.
  23. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-8-2024 January 8, 2024 This past Friday we discussed the concept of repentance, doing so because it is related to the coming revival, which will intensify this year. Today, I am sharing with you an article released by my friends at Intercessors for America, written by Rich Swingle, highlighting the role repentance has played in some of the Asbury outpourings. Seeking God For Revival (by Rich Swindle of Intercessors For America) Because revivals are marked by repentance, one way to highlight the need for repentance is to consult with those who have experienced revival. We are doing that, and the result is a three-part series, the first part of which follows here. The Asbury Revival The seeds of the Asbury Outpouring nearly one year ago were planted during the 50th anniversary of the 1970 Asbury Revival. On Feb. 3, 2020, at 10 a.m. — the very same day, month, and time the revival broke out 50 years earlier — Asbury University dedicated its chapel service to celebrating that 185-hour revival. Before the chapel service began, Charity Johnson, a freshman at Asbury at that time, struck up a conversation with Jeannine Brabon, not knowing Brabon was to be a featured speaker that day. The two had a meal together after chapel, and Brabon encouraged Johnson to pray for revival, as she had done when a freshman at Asbury in 1967. Brabon left campus convinced that revival would come to Asbury again because Johnson and others were praying for it. Johnson, who studied the concept of repentance in a youth ministry class at Asbury, said: “Repentance is not only about asking for forgiveness, but turning away from what you’re doing. Have a change of mind, a change of heart. It’s actually no longer wanting to do the thing that you were doing. You see the thing that was wrong with it.” The Revival of 1970 Brabon recalls that Psalm 66:18 had spoken to her when she was younger: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. “That whole concept was very key to me in interceding and believing God for revival, not to allow sin in any way to thwart God’s holy purposes from coming to fruition,” she said. On Oct. 3, 1969, four months before the earlier revival, Brabon secured permission to gather students to pray overnight in Hughes Auditorium. “We began by confession of sin,” she said. “All across the auditorium, people began confessing.” They prayed 2 Chronicles 7:14: ". . if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." By 3 A.M., there were still some 80 students present. “I’d never been in anything like it,” Brabon said. “The Shekinah glory literally had descended.” Then, on February 3, 1970, Asbury Dean Custer Reynolds was scheduled to bring the message, but instead, opened the mic for testimonies, many of which were expressions of repentance. The service ended up lasting for one week and 17 hours, and as it progressed, Brabon witnessed more and more expressions of repentance. She said: “I knew — because I’d been praying — who were in the lost set on campus, and I watched them on Friday night at midnight go to the altar and stay there for two hours and just weep, seeking God. That’s where you’d see the genuine repentance. You cannot be in the holy presence of God and not have sin exposed in your life, and you can’t stand in the presence of God and not confess it. There’s no justification for any action. . .It’s, ‘I’m before God, and I did this.’” Brabon points out that one week before the 2023 Asbury Outpouring began, national leaders, including Rep. Kevin McCarthy, then speaker of the House of Representatives, gathered at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., for the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance. . .She believes that the event paved the way for Asbury’s 374-hour chapel service. Another speaker at the 50th anniversary of the 1970 Asbury Revival was Judge Tim Philpot, who called it a revival of repentance. He tells people that he was on the “Top 10 Most Wanted List” — meaning that many on campus were praying that he’d get right with the Lord. His father, energized by a previous revival at Asbury when he was a student, was an evangelist. “I was just a fake,” Philpot said. “My parents thought I was somebody I was not, and my friends knew who I really was.” Though he ranks his rebellious streak as pretty tame when compared with what’s going on today, he nonetheless insists: “By Asbury standards, I was considered quite the rebel.” Philpot was nearly killed in a car wreck three weeks before the Asbury Revival. He recalls: “For three to five seconds, as my car was hurtling through the air — I had heard about heaven and hell my whole life and I was pretty sure I was going to hell.” [Three weeks later the revival was taking place and…] …He finally made it over to Hughes Auditorium. “I was as lost as can be, but I didn’t want to leave,” he said. Three nights later, at 1 in the morning, he went to the altar. “I was weeping and wailing,” he said. “I knew I had experienced God. I saw Him. I felt Him. It was dramatic. It was traumatic. It was real.” The 2023 Revival Inspired by what happened in 1970, Johnson was praying for healing, deliverance, and freedom from pain and sin. She watched her prayers being answered, starting on Feb. 8, 2023. There were a lot of non-Christian students who decided to follow Christ during the Outpouring, she says, because: “They felt a tug in their heart - something was telling them to stay, or. . .[if they had left] go back to chapel, even though everything else within them that was flesh wanted them to leave that day. But they turned around, either by just the Holy Spirit or someone being prompted by the Holy Spirit to lead them back into chapel.” After the Outpouring, Johnson says, groups from around the world called for Asbury students to talk about how the Lord had worked in their lives during the Outpouring, even as students had been called 53 years earlier. In talking about how important prayer is to revival, Brabon quotes E.M. Bounds: “You can do more than pray after you’ve prayed, but you can’t do more than pray until you’ve prayed.” Pray with me: Father, thank You for what You did at Asbury in 1970 and 2023 to touch the hearts of young people. Their 1970 revival was during the Jesus People movement, when You saved thousands upon thousands of young people across our nation. The outpouring took the world by surprise and touched every part of America. Some called it a revolution, the Jesus Revolution. We are asking You for another revival to young people, and that this one would be greater than the former. Let it be immeasurably powerful. Thank You for Intercessors For America, and the tremendous role they have played in birthing Your plans over the past 50 years. We bless them today, asking that Your favor, provision, wise and timely strategy, and multiplied fruit be given them. We join with them in emphasizing the theme You put in their hearts for these articles; it is one we also know is critical as we move toward the great worldwide revival in Your heart. We lock arms with them and agree for the spirit of revelation and repentance to be poured out here in America and around the world. Lift the veil of darkness that covers unbelievers, and let the power of this uncovering be so strong that it impacts not just individuals, but entire regions throughout the world. Thank You for those watching and agreeing with us today. May their faith be strong, resolute, unwavering. Bless them with strength, health, provision, peace, and a fresh outpouring of Holy Spirit to them personally. We ask these things in Yeshua’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that another wave of revelation, repentance, and revival is coming to the earth. ********************* Today’s post was contributed by Intercessors For America (written by Rich Swindle) and used by permission. This series will continue to cover the importance of repentance in the 1904–1905 Welsh Revival and the 2023 Asbury Outpouring. Check www.HeadlinePrayer.org for the next installments, and search for #ImportanceOfRepentanceInRevival to pull up all the articles and interviews. Rich Swingle has taught and performed in 39 nations across six continents, mostly in his own one-man plays, five of which were performed Off-Broadway. He has performed in more than 45 film projects. Rich and his bride, Joyce Swingle, another contributing writer for IFA, now have 41 “screen children.” They have collaborated with Rev. Timothy J. Mercaldo to create a “singing play” titled Songs of Revival: Hungry After God Himself. The Swingles live in New York City. Visit www.RichDrama.com for more information. Click on the link to watch the full video.
  24. 7 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-5-2024 January 5, 2024 An Incredibly Harmful Misunderstanding What I am about to share with you is not related to what is coming in 2024 in a predictive sense. But it is very related in a causative sense. It is extremely important, greatly misunderstood, and terribly under-taught. Please put your student hats on today and THINK. Holy Spirit, open our ears to hear today, and give me the ability to communicate with great clarity. Much is said in revivals and evangelistic meetings about repentance. It is, indeed, involved in the cleansing of sin, whether when one is being born again or when a believer receives cleansing. Unfortunately, many don’t understand the true biblical meaning and process of repentance, which can cause them to miss the transforming power it generates. Believers often struggle with repetitive sin due to this, and unbelievers can think they are born again/saved when they may not be. Statistics reveal that a very small percentage of people who pray what many call “the sinner’s prayer,” actually become true followers of Christ. I’ve heard statistics as low as 3-5%; I’m certain it’s below 10%. You may have picked up on me using the word “process.” Repentance is actually Part 2 of a 3-part process. Part One - Remorse Some think of repentance as remorse. It isn’t. Regret, sorrow, or remorse is a different word in Scripture (metamellomai)(1), and is the first part of the process. It is good to have sorrow or be sorry for our sins, but biblical repentance involves more. Judas had sorrow (metamellomai) but not repentance (Matthew 27:3). Esau wept over selling his birthright - obviously he felt remorse - but couldn’t find repentance (Hebrews 12:17). I’ve seen people weep at altars or when confessing sin, yet quickly go right back into their life of sin. Finney was said to have had men run to the altar weeping while he preached, only to tell them, “Please go back to your seat; you’re not ready yet.” What a foreign thought to most of us. Why would he do this? He discerned that they had not come to full repentance. Part Three - Turn Yes I did what most people do when “repenting.” I skipped a step. But don’t worry, I’ll come back to it. Most Christians believe that repentance also means “to turn and go another direction.” This is obviously important, but is phase 3, the end result of the process. This phrase comes from the New Testament word epistrepho (2), usually translated “turn” or “be converted.” Acts 3:19 (‭TPT‬‬) tells us, “And now you must repent and turn back [epistepho] to God so that your sins will be removed, and so that times of refreshing will stream from the Lord’s presence.” The Passion Translation’s explanation of the words “turn back to God” reads, “Peter uses the Greek word epistrepho ("turn back to God," "be converted").(3) We need to not only repent but to return home to God's grace and truth. This is a Hebraic thought of returning to the Lord God (the Hebrew word shuv)(4). Every Jew would know what that means: "Come back to God!" Repentance and return is more than a passive changing of one's mind.” Part Two - Repent Which brings us to Part 2 of the process: the word repentance itself. Without understanding this phase, we either won’t make the turn at all, as in a sinner rejecting Christ, or we will struggle in sustaining the turn, because it is being attempted from our mind and in our strength. First, let’s define the biblical word, then insert it back into the equation. This powerful Greek word, metanoeo,(5) comes from meta(6) meaning “after”; and noieo/noeo(7) meaning “to consider, perceive, think, understand.” These two words are compounded to form metanoeo, which literally means, as Strong’s tells us “to think afterwards; reconsider”(8). In other words, a person formerly thought one way, but a new and different knowledge or understanding has come, causing what Thayer defines as “to change one's mind”(9). Okay, you might be thinking, obviously a person who endeavors to change course and go God’s way has had a change of mind. So why make this definition a big deal? Patience, dear ones, I’m getting there. And be ready to think! This truly is meat from the Word, not milk. We’re headed for deep waters here. And if you understand what I’m about to tell you, it is a game changer! The biblical meaning of repentance from sin, though including a change of mind, is NOT referring to a simple mental exercise, decision, or choice. Biblical repentance - a change of mind - is the result of revelation, which literally means “lift or remove that which hides or covers” (apakalupsis)(10). Second Corinthians 4:3-4 tells us a veil or covering came to the heart of humans at the Fall, “blinding” us to God’s truth and perspective. The Fall and the Veil This occurred when Adam chose his own “knowledge of good and evil.” When he did, his own mind and intellect took over, gaining ascendancy over his fallen spirit, which had lost God’s life and Spirit. He no longer operated according to and under God’s truth and logic, but according to his own fallen, carnal, fleshly thoughts. Adam’s soul, his psuche(11) (Greek: mind, will and emotions) was now in charge. The New Testament actually calls fallen man a psuchikos(12), from psuche, this Greek word for soul. Usually translated “natural man,” it literally means “of the soul,”(13) referring to one who is led by their soul, not their spirit. In contrast, a “spiritual man” or person in the New Testament is pneumatikos(14), from pneuma(15), the word for spirit. Humans went from being pneumatikoses led from their spirit, which was filled with Holy Spirit and God’s life, to being psuchikoses, led by their souls and whatever information or emotions were held there. James actually tells us the knowledge that originates in this exalted psuche is “earthly, natural and demonic” (3:15). Unredeemed humans now live by and from this soulish knowledge, and Scripture tells us “A natural person [psuchikos - ‘man of soul’] does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [moria - ‘moronish’] to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB). Since the Fall, because of this shift in power from spirit to soul, and the ensuing veil, we humans have needed revelation - “a lifting of the veil” - in order to see and understand truth, God’s logic, at a heart level. When this revelation occurs, THAT IS REPENTANCE! When Holy Spirit has been able to lift the veil of deception, give us a new understanding (His!) of our condition, and the will to recognize Jesus as Lord, we receive faith and Holy Spirit’s empowerment. We see God’s way, we want God’s way, and can go God’s way. We’re changed by the power of Holy Spirit, can now think His thoughts, want what He wants, and believe what He says. The biblical process of change: Remorse, Revelation and Repentance, turn back to God. This process is what we must ask for and war for when praying for the lost. It is what believers need to seek in order to overcome sin. And please hear this: when the true gospel of the Kingdom is preached, power from Holy Spirit is released (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18) to break the power of and remove this veil. The measure of faith (Romans 12:3) needed to believe is then activated. This power is multiplied in revivals. The power of Holy Spirit becomes so prevalent in the spiritual atmosphere that revelation breaks through the veil of deception more quickly. Revelation, in essence, becomes corporate, the veil being lifted throughout entire regions. When Holy Spirit tells us revival is coming, and He is, He’s telling us revelation is coming. When He tells us revelation is coming, He is telling us repentance is coming. And when He tells us repentance is coming, He is telling us breakthroughs of every kind are coming. Our role is to pray, asking for this; and also to decree its release, along with Calvary’s provision, with Christ’s authority. Holy Spirit and the angels will respond. Pray with me: Father, the prophets and prophetic intercessors are seeing a great thing. You have called them into Your inner council, as You did Isaiah, and allowed them to hear Your plans and timing (Isaiah 6). They have Issachar ears and hearts, understanding the times and knowing what to do (1 Chronicles 12:32). They are telling us revival is here and coming, and will intensify this year. As Your voice in the earth, the Church must release Your will. We do so now, decreeing in Christ’s name, which is all powerful and carries all authority, that revelation and repentance are being released into atmospheres throughout the earth. We decree the release of Calvary’s victory in the Middle East, breaking the stronghold of the prince of Persia over millions of people. They will have revelations of Yeshua, they will experience miracles; they will receive dreams and visions. Revival will explode in that region. We declare this over Asia, as well. The greatest revival in earth’s history is coming to these two parts of the world. America and other regions will experience revival, as well. Powerful, strong, veil-lifting revival! Awakening! Transformation! Deliverance! Captives freed, the oppressed delivered, the broken made whole! We decree that the lid comes off in 2024, and breakouts occur all over the world! In Jesus’ name, amen. Our Decree: We decree that revelation and repentance are coming to the harvest fields of the earth, and will release great power. ****************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. ---------------------------------------------- James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 3338. Ibid., ref. no. 1994. Peter uses the Greek word epistrepho (“turn back to God,” “be converted”). We need to not only repent but to return home to God’s grace and truth. This is a Hebraic thought of returning to the Lord God (the Hebrew word shuv). Every Jew would know what that means: “Come back to God!” Repentance and return is more than a passive hanging of one’s mind. Ibid. James Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, ref. no. 3340. Ibid., ref. no. 3326. Ibid., ref. no. 3539. Ibid., ref. no. 3340. F.F. Bruce. The Acts of the Apostles [Greek Text Commentary], London: Tyndale, 1952, p. 97. James Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, ref. no. 602. Ibid., ref. no. 5590. Ibid., ref. no. 5591. Ibid., ref. no. 5590. Ibid., ref. no. 4152. Ibid., ref. no. 4151.
  25. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/january-4-2024 January 4, 2024 2024: Year of the Open Door I should have said this earlier in the week but neglected to do so. Thank you for making 2023 a strong year for Give Him 15. We had 30 million views/reads of the posts. That equals 30 million prayers of agreement for worldwide revival and harvest, and other important causes. And that is just in America. I have good reason to believe four or five times that number participate around the world. Only heaven knows how much we have accomplished. We are also growing in our understanding of God and His ways, me from having to press in diligently for each day's teaching - I have written over 800 posts in the past three years - and many of you from reading them. I also want to thank you for your gifts - both in monetary support and of items - and for the many cards, notes, and letters. Some write to ask for prayer; others share insights they’re hearing from the Lord; still others simply offer words of encouragement. It is all appreciated! Here is an excerpt and example from a recent thank you: “…I think the biggest thing that has helped us from allowing 'hope deferred' was keeping ourselves involved in prayer and the Word on a daily basis. Your posts have kept us informed of what God is saying. We made a decision not to listen to everyone out there but only the ones the Lord was directing us to. So we kept praying and decreeing, believing that our great God has a plan and we are part of it. “This is what He has been teaching me: 1. Keep my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith. 2. Cast all my cares on Him, for He cares for me. 3. Lean not on my own understanding, but trust in God. 4. Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee. 5. Rejoice in EVERYTHING, again I say rejoice. “When I continually do these things, then He can help me, protect me, strengthen me, and I am able to receive His joy and peace; and then I am able to hear Him. It is wonderful, and I am hooked!” We are grateful for responses such as these and try to respond with acknowledgements and “Thank You’s” to all of the correspondence and gifts. If by chance you did not receive a response, please forgive us. There are many of them, and unfortunately, at times, I’m sure one or two fall through the cracks. Mostly, thank you so much for your prayers directed our way. We would not be able to do what we do without the prayers for us personally: prayers of protection, health, provision, and insight. The staff, Ceci, and I thank you. More About 2024 I received strong confirmation as I read the release from ACPE (Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders) of what numerous prophetic leaders from several nations and ethnicities are sensing for 2024 (click here to read). I had not read it before I posted yesterday’s GH15. In summary, they state (in my words): shakings will continue tumultuous times will continue internationally, led by Iran, China, Russia, and North Korea watchmen must continue to be raised up to pray against WW3; Asia will have a strong mantle for this; worship will be a key to protecting borders future wars will be very technological, with “war technology,” including “robotic soldiers,” advancing with lightning speed Matthew 24 is a key chapter for this year Psalm 24 is a key chapter, as well lawlessness will continue economic shaking will continue; currencies will one day go digital (not necessarily in 2024); “solutionists” like Joseph will arise to steer people and nations through economic difficulties The 2024 U.S. elections are critical, not only for America, but the entire world the Kingdom of God, not just the church, will be emphasized more and more, as will the Ekklesia; discipling nations will also be emphasized revival will increase, revivalists will be raised up; signs and wonders, including creative miracles, will take place spirits of offense and division will diligently seek to sow discord and division the grassroots movement of women arising to protect their families will increase; the family will be a major focus 2024 will be a year of open doors - doors of opportunity, higher authority, influence, and revelation. As I have prayed regarding 2024, I have been sensing most of this, as well. I cannot say I’ve seen all of what was brought forth or even some of the details, but we all see and know in part. Overall, however, it was very confirming. In praying about which, if any, of these insights from ACPE to highlight further in today’s post, I feel to emphasize the warning given against division and discord. I mentioned it in my post yesterday, calling it “a year of coming together, a year of great separation.” Unfortunately, until the Lord’s return, there will always be division on earth, including within the church. Though we cannot stop it all, we can refuse to participate in words and actions that fuel it. Human nature, with its propensity to pick up offenses, creates much strife. The secret to not falling prey to this is walking in forgiveness. I have three chapters on this subject in my recently released devotional, Give Him 15, An Appeal to Heaven, Volume II. Regardless of what was done to us, we can forgive. And when we do, it frees us from the pain and scars. However, things other than offenses are used to divide us; one of them is religion. Sadly, religion is one of the most dividing forces on earth. It crucified Jesus! And I’m not just referring to people being divided over different faiths, as in Christianity and Islam. People within the same faiths argue and oppose brothers and sisters over doctrines and interpretations of Scripture. This is sad but rampant. And the problem is not as bad with believers in general as it is with leaders! Jesus’ prayer in John 17 should have tipped us off that this might be a problem. He said His followers becoming one would be the biggest thing in convincing the world of His message (John 17: 20-23). People in the church fight over eschatology, the structure of worship services, what type of songs to sing, the role of elders and deacons, their interpretations of the five grace gifts/ministries Christ gave the church, the gifts of the Spirit, which Bible translation can be used, what women can and can’t do, numerous doctrines, and how we should pray. You would think all true believers would be excited that 30 to 100 million prayers of agreement are offered on Give Him 15 every year. But some believers, including many leaders, don’t like the way we pray, so they attack instead. They don’t like our interpretation of the Ekklesia. Or they don’t like that we believe in all five ministry gifts of Christ; some who do believe in them don’t like our particular interpretation. Some don’t like that we make decrees. Others don’t like binding and loosing. They don’t like our prayers for government, the seven mountains of society, and influencing them with kingdom principles. They don’t like our teachings on authority. Many don’t like my love for America, some don’t like the Appeal to Heaven flag. If you can believe it, I read an article recently criticizing our belief in a billion-soul harvest. Nor do they like our talk about revival and reformation. I’ve heard those things before, by the way. I’ve asked some of them, “But you do hope I’m right and you’re wrong on this one, don’t you? You’ll rejoice if I’m right, won’t you?” I haven’t received a yes answer yet. The sad truth is that some people are just contentious. Others believe they are called to police, judge, and correct the rest of the body of Christ. And they would rather criticize and tear down than love and build up. Heaven must weep. Don’t participate in this nonsense. If you can’t speak well of true brothers or sisters, the way they pray or worship, some of their beliefs, etc., then don’t say anything about them at all. Better still would be to love and affirm them in any way you can. Pray with me: Father, these are challenging times; yet we were born for such a time as this. We’ve put our hands to the plow and will not turn back. You have called and equipped us to preach the gospel of Your Kingdom to all, be lights in every arena, and speak truth to all of society. You have called us to represent You - not just Your love but also Your authority and victory…Your Kingdom. We will not waver. We pray against division and strife, and bind demons causing this. Thwart their plans. Convict believers who partner with them. Motivate Your people to love one another unconditionally, to disagree with one another in kindness and humility, to stop cursing one another and partnering with satan, the accuser of the brethren. And move us fully into the great harvest You have planned. Surely, this is cause enough to stand together. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the greatest of all spiritual traits is love, and that we will honor Your command to love one another in word and deed. ************************* Click on the link below to watch the full video.
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