Author: Kevin Willis

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The Supernatural – Dreams & Visions

It is likely that God has been speaking to you in dreams.  In the days to come, God will increasingly unveil His secrets through dreams and visions.

I figured these kinds of experiences happened to other people but not to me.  I didn’t receive any warning that I would have this encounter, it just happened.

It was Wednesday, 26 March 1996, in the wee hours of the morning. It all started when I woke up with this excruciating back pain. I crawled to the bathroom and back.

I managed to get in bed afterward, but the pain lingered.  It was awhile before I got some relief and then it happened.

As I lay there, I found myself rising out of my body towards the ceiling.  I then had the sensation of traveling at an incredibly high rate of speed then I came back down. I rose out of my body a second time and had the same experience.

When my professor saw it as a hospital room, it clicked and all made sense.

I went traveling a third time, but this time I arrived at a destination. I found myself in what appeared to be a hotel room or something similar.  I was in bed and there was a television in the corner of the room displaying nothing but static.

As I sat in bed, all of a sudden, this four-legged creature approached the foot of the bed.  This creature was not very tall and looked part rat and part dinosaur. 

I had my full senses. This was not a dream.  I was having what the Bible refers to as a night vision.

This creature -which I believe was a demonic spirit- and I maintained eye-to-eye contact.  I saw everything, the details in his face, etc., in high definition. 

Instinctively, I jumped into a karate stance right there in the bed.  Then I began rebuking this creature in Jesus name, and…the vision ended.  (Luke 4:41; 9:42) Needless to say, I was in shock and awe.

Did you know you have angels guarding you? Psalm 91:11

Something very interesting happened after that vision. I got out of bed, put my clothes on, went for a walk, and all my back pain went away.

Now I know all this sounds strange so let’s pause here for a moment. The Bible is full of accounts of God speaking to people through dreams and visions.  

God spoke to Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph through dreams and visions.  (Gen 15:1, 12-16; 41:1-7; 46:2-4).  Joseph the earthly father of Jesus had four dreams related to the birth and protection of the Savior. (Matthew 1:20; 2:13; 2:19; 2:22)

Daniel is famous for his dreams, interpretations, and night visions. (Daniel 2:28; 4:5; 2:19)

It is likely that God has been speaking to you in dreams.  In the days to come, God will increasingly unveil His secrets through dreams and visions.

Be open. God wants to use you in this dimension.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18)

Why does God speak to His people through dreams and visions?  God’s kingdom is not of this world.  The mysteries of God’s kingdom are for those who know Him and serve Him.

Conversely, the knowledge of God is foolishness to philosophers, scholars, and brilliant debaters who reject Him. (1 Corinthians 1:20)

Interestingly, God takes delight in concealing His secrets even from those who love and serve Him.  Why?

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” (Proverbs 25:2)

Allow me to cut to the chase:  God wants you and me to seek Him! 

God is always extending to His people the invitation to go deeper.  Too many Christians are content to live on the surface, bypassing God’s invitation to explore the depths of His wisdom and knowledge. (Isaiah 45:3; Col 2:3)  

I began earnestly praying to God for an understanding of my night vision.

In the process of doing so, I sent an email summary of my experience to one of my divinity professors at Regent University.  Let me provide a little context before I tell you how he responded. 

In early to mid-March, my wife, Vanessa and I discovered that she was pregnant.  On 21 March, -five days before my vision- she began having complications with the pregnancy. I immediately notified my professor of the complications and he began to pray for us. 

I will provide excerpts from his email response: “In this demonic vision, the Lord was letting you know the place the enemy wants to take you. As I prayed it looked like a hospital room, possibly signifying the loss of a baby.”

“If you rebuke the enemy -the thought that you are going to lose the baby- the attack against Vanessa and the baby will go away much the same as your back pain went away.”

Praise the Lord!  Vanessa and I stood in faith, but our faith came under fire a few days later after a visit to Dr. T. for an ultrasound.

Dr. T could not find a heartbeat during the ultrasound.  She scheduled us for a follow-on visit about a week later but she was not very hopeful.

I relayed this disheartening news to my professor. He said, “Kevin hold out in faith until there is an absolute confirmation of the results.”  Vanessa and I kept believing.

I drove to the hospital for that second ultrasound appointment on the morning of Tuesday, 9 April.

As I drove into the parking a song came on the radio, “Show Up,” by John P Kee.  To say that the lyrics spoke to our situation would be an understatement.

When I heard this song…it was a done deal!

“If there be anyone who’s going through. We have the answer to the problem for you. Trust and obey, and never give in. Only the strong shall survive and win. Just ask the question and the answer shall come. Just exercise your faith and know He’s the One. If there is no sign, keep this in mind. He’ll show up on time.”

I turned up the volume and was shouting the victory in the car before we received any results!

Dr. T conducted the examination.  Dr. T located the fetus.  Dr. T heard a heartbeat.  God…showed up on time!!

Vanessa and I had three lovely daughters at the time. On 24 November 1996, Kevin D Willis II was born.  I wanted so badly to have a son, and one of the main reasons was for my wife.

There is something special about mothers and sons, and any mother who has a son needs no explanation.

Our son just graduated from Liberty University with a degree in graphic design and is serving the Lord with his talents. 

God used a night vision to engineer a sequence of events that enabled Vanessa and I to hope against hope and receive God’s miracle answer! 

This is the beginning of a series on Dreams, and Visions.  I am asking the Lord to help me make you more sensitive to this NORMAL and very Biblical form of Holy Spirit revelation.

It is likely that God has already been speaking to you in dreams.  In the days to come, God will increasingly unveil His secrets through dreams and visions.

Stay tuned and I pray that the Lord will give you greater revelation on mysteries of the Kingdom of God concerning you. God Bless! Press On!!  Kevin

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How to End Racial Division in the Church

During the period of the most intense racial tension in 20th Century America, God sent an earth-shaking revival marked by interracial worship and led by Bill-an unlikely catalyst.

Bill sat weakened in a chair dictating a letter after suffering a heart attack, Thursday, 28 September 1922.  Hours later, a second heart attack ended his life. 

I wonder what Bill was thinking in the hours before he went to be with Jesus?

Many looked at him as a failure. The Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) that he pastored now ran less than 30 in attendance, and he was struggling financially.    

Bill started holding services at AFM on 14 April, 1906, at an old dilapidated, two-story frame building after a house church gathering grew too large and too loud.  The neighbors complained to the police so something had to be done.

Unlikely location for a revival that would impact over 50 nations within 2 years

At first Bill pastored a small black congregation, but God showed up so powerfully that white Christians began crossing the color line seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:4)

AFM became the epicenter of Pentecostalism. From this humble location, the movement spread to the entire world. 

I imagine Bill marveled at how he, the son of former slaves, pastored an interracial congregation at the height of the Jim Crow era.

After all, the revival took place only seven years after Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court decision that legalized segregated facilities across America.

The basis of the decision was that separate facilities were not unconstitutional as long as they were equal, but in practice, the facilities were rarely equal. 

Ida B Wells is famous for her anti-lynching campaign.

White supremacist terror groups like the Ku Klux Klan thrived during this era.  Between 1889-1922, 3,456 blacks were documented as being lynched to include 83 women in 44 of 48 states.  Many lynchings went unreported. 

This was a time when theories like Social Darwinism were used to argue that certain groups achieved dominance in society because of their innate superiority. 

Closely associated to this “doctrine of devils” was a new “science” called eugenics which aimed at improving the human race by removing “undesirables.”  Adolph Hitler embraced both theories but he was not alone.  

 Against this backdrop, AFM held services three-times-a-day, seven days a week for 3 1/2 years! You may want to read that again. 

Interracial worship under the leadership of a black man in 1906? Absolutely unheard of.

All nations, all races, and all social classes worshipped at AFM.  Within two years over 50 nations had been impacted. 

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” (Acts 2:1).

Bill believed that Pentecost marked the beginning of a new order where all people were accepted, and where God’s love prevailed.  

AFM’s newspaper, The Apostolic Faith, had a mailing list that grew in circulation to 50,000 worldwide.  Bill himself wrote and taught a global audience about the baptism of the Holy Spirit through this periodical. 

AFM church’s building at 312 Azusa Street was located in downtown Los Angeles and is regarded as the most famous address in Pentecostal-Charismatic history.  Why? 

Today there are 600 million Pentecostal-Charismatics in the world.  Nearly all of the church organizations that serve these individuals can trace their roots directly or indirectly to Azusa Street.

The LA Times and others newspapers wrote scathing, racially-stereotyped accounts of the events that took place at Azusa Street. Many theologians denounced the movement.

A favorable view of Pentecostals regarded them as Christians who spoke in tongues, believed in divine healing, and the soon return of the Lord Jesus. 

Bill spoke in tongues.  Bill prayed for the sick.  Bill believed Jesus was coming soon.  But the defining characteristic of AFM was social and ethnic diversity in worship.    

Breaking with many Pentecostals of the era, Bill viewed tongues as a sign of the Holy Spirit baptism and not the sign.  Bill taught that love was the real evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit:

“If you get angry, speak evil or backbite. I don’t care how many tongues you may have.  You have not the Holy Spirit.” 

Bill believed that walking in the fruit of the Spirit -love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control -was the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  (Galatians 5:22-23)

Incredibly, God empowered Bill to put his beliefs into practice before a worldwide audience, 50 years before Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement.

God’s presence overcame Jim Crow and racism.  Pentecostal historian Frank Bartleman put it this way, “the color line was washed away in the blood.”

Cashman got “woke” at Azusa Street.

Gaston Barnibus Cashwell, a white man born in Sampson County, NC visited Azusa Street.  He reacted with alarm and discomfort when black people laid hands on him for prayer in a service led by a white woman.

Cashwell later reported that God “crucified” his racial prejudice.  Cashwell returned to the East Coast and began conducting interracial meetings of his own that drew thousands in Dunn, NC. 

All moves of God have a shelf life and Azusa Street was no different. Internal strife and division led to the demise of the revival.  Loss of the mailing list was a critical factor.

AFM secretary, Florence Crawford became upset when Bill got married to Jennie Evans Moore, 13 May 1908.  Florence believed that the imminent return of Jesus made marriage a distraction.

Crawford stole the mailing list and joined another Pentecostal fellowship in Portland, Oregon that survives to this day.  The loss of the list was devastating in terms of promoting the revival.

In my opinion, analyzing the decline of the revival is of less importance than understanding why God visited AFM, and why God chose to use Bill.

I believe God poured out His Spirit on AFM to declare to a global audience that there is a solution to racism, tribalism, and biases based on class distinctions and gender inequities.

I believe God chose Bill to show the world that He is no respecter of persons. I believe he chose Bill because of his humility and his willingness to yield to the Spirit of God.

Seymour lost his left eye and nearly died from small pox. His healing inspired him to preach the gospel.

Bill is Reverend William Seymour, the catalyst of the Azusa Street Revival.

I believe you can capture the essence of Reverend Seymour’s message in this way. 

The purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to empower believers with the love of God to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth.  (Acts 1:8)

Reverend Seymour was a strong advocate for spiritual gifts, but as the Apostle Paul stated:

“Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.” (1 Cor 13:8)

Fast forward to today.  Azusa street offers a practical expression of the Biblical solution to racial division in the church in America:

In Christ, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) 

Revisiting the life and ministry of William Seymour gives new meaning to these familiar words:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

I don’t know what Reverend Seymour was thinking in the waning moments of his life.  He was isolated, alone, and marginalized by men, but he was no failure.

“If you were to ask who is the Luther, Calvin or Wesley of the Pentecostal Movement, it would have to be William Seymour” -Dr. Vinson Synan

Reverend William Seymour was one of the greatest and most impactful Christian leaders of the 20th Century. 

His enduring legacy is that Pentecost is not about tongues.  Pentecost is about heavenly empowerment to walk in love and bring men and women into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. https://dreamprayernetwork.com/gods-plan-of-salvation/

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”  (John 8:32) God Bless! Press On!! Kevin

Video References on William Seymour, AFM & Azusa Street:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRjYbSNIQ28&t=2372s; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn2CScpoHyo&t=21s; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPtGJ35jIwA; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXti6tqkX9E

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How to Hear from God Part 5-Minneapolis

God is not whispering. He is screaming at the church to take action to prevent the reoccurrence of episodes like Minneapolis.  

We hinder our ability to hear from God if other agendas take precedence over our allegiance to God and His purposes.

The rival kings had taken counsel together to go to battle against a common enemy. They worked out their differences, established an alliance, and drew up plans for battle. 

King Ahab asked 400 of his spiritual advisors if he should go to battle. These so-called “prophets” assured Ahab of battlefield success. (1 Kings 22)

King Jehoshaphat then asked a critical question, “Is there a prophet of the Lord that we can ask?” Hold that thought.

The world is watching the United States deal with the aftermath of the tragic death of George Floyd from a sustained knee to the neck. Racism -that great stain against the American ideal -is again at the center of national debate. 

The Old Testament (OT) account of the two kings speaks to our present circumstances. As always, the OT is real, raw, relevant, and pregnant with meaning.

Since the death of Mr. Floyd, Democratic and Republican officials have worked tirelessly to develop news headlines and storylines consistent with party platforms. This is, of course, an election year and both parties are aggressively seeking to control the narrative.

Any news stories or perspectives that differ from the established party storylines are quickly labeled as a “spin” or “fake news.” Cable and network news outlets from MSNBC (liberal) to Fox News (conservative) also broadcast calculated storylines, 24/7. 

Both cable networks have an agenda.

Then, of course, social media is awash with raw and unfiltered opinions. I doubt that ranking Republicans, Democrats, cable news network executives, or social media influencers are particularly interested in hearing from the Lord.  

Sadly, I believe they have more in common with Ahab than Jehoshaphat.

American politics is fickle. The landscape is always changing. 

You may be unaware that in its inception, the Republican party drove the political debate that led to the end of slavery, and supported Reconstruction after the Civil War. Yes…the Republican Party.

Terrorist Groups like the Ku Klux Klan defeated efforts to extend citizenship to former slaves during the Reconstruction era.

Conversely, after the Civil War, southern Democrats -yes, the Democrats- resisted Reconstruction and denied civil rights to blacks for 100 years.  

Now…why wouldn’t both parties want to hear from the Lord? Let’s go deeper.

It turns out that there was a positive response to Jehoshaphat’s query about the availability of a prophet of the Lord. His name was Micaiah but Ahab hated him. 

Why? Because Micaiah only said what God wanted him to say.    

Ahab’s advisor’s pleaded with Micaiah to maintain the party line. Micaiah refused. He told Ahab that disaster awaited if he went into battle. One man stood alone against the collective opinion of 400 Democrats and Republicans -I mean- “prophets.”

Ahab flew into a rage when Micaiah did not adopt the party line. Micaiah was ridiculed and slapped in the face by one of Ahab’s advisors for his audacity.  

Ahab blurted out, “Didn’t I tell you?” He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.” “Arrest him,” said Ahab, “feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from battle.” (1 Kings 22:27-28)

Ahab went into the battle on the advice of the “immoral majority” and was killed. The Bible records that the dogs licked up his blood at the place where the prostitutes bathed. (vv.37-38)

I believe God is looking for Micaiah’s today to speak His truth to power at all levels, and in arenas beyond politics.  You are reading this. Are you one of those individuals God is looking for?  

“I should have steered clear of politics”

In 2011, at the age of 92, Reverend Billy Graham gave an interview to Christianity Today Magazine.  He was asked if he had any regrets over his lifetime and ministry.  He said, “I would have steered clear of politics…looking back I know I sometimes crossed the line.” https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/januaryweb-only/qabillygraham.html

The First Century in which Jesus walked was full of political sophistication.  Rome was dominant and Greek culture was embraced by the elites. 

Palestine was considered a backwater in the Roman Empire but it was not in terms of religion and politics.

Groups like the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Zealots aggressively sought the allegiance of the Jewish people in Palestine.  They sought to get Jesus to align with their political and religious views.

Jesus wasn’t having any of it.  Like Micaiah, Jesus stood apart from partisan politics. He came to do the Father’s will. 

Micaiah was placed in prison. Jesus was crucified.  Can I still interest you in being a spokesperson for God in the 21st Century? 

Aligning with Biblical principles will eventually bring you into conflict with the platforms of your preferred political party.  Aligning with God will eventually bring you into conflict with the story lines of your favorite news sources.

Efforts to redefine marriage during the Obama administration should have been fiercely resisted by all Christians regardless of party affiliation. 

Likewise, some of the abrasive rhetoric of the Trump Administration only further divides our nation and should not be tolerated or excused by Christians regardless of party affiliation.

To whom do you owe allegiance?

God is not whispering.  He is screaming at the church to take action.  It is time to break affiliations if necessary and prevent the reoccurrence of knee-to-the-neck episodes like what took place in Minneapolis. 

The two men who shot Arbery were never charged until leaked video footage caused outrage.

It is time to unite and put and end to conditions that allow travesties of justice. Ahmaud Arbery was jogging in a local neighborhood when confronted and gunned down. The perpetrators were allowed to go uncharged for over two months until a leaked video exposed their heinous crime.

We can no longer view these incidents as black issues or problems. These are American atrocities. Rioting, burning and looting are not the answer, but ignoring the root causes of the unrest in our cities is likewise not the answer.

God is looking for people who will hear His words and act courageously.  

God is looking for Micaiah’s who will break ranks if necessary to speak the truth.  Can God count on you?

Those who will hear God most clearly in the days to come will be those He can count on to speak His truth and take action no matter the consequences.

I want to be counted among those who take a stand in my generation.  How about you? God Bless! Press On!! Kevin

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

“For evil to succeed, all it needs is for good men to do nothing.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

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How to Hear from God Part 4-The Supernatural

It would be tragic for you to live your entire life and not realize the extent to which God has supernaturally gifted you, and desires to channel His power through you.

I watched in disbelief, but I could not deny it.  I was not a Christian at the time. The three of us were alone in the chapel at Camp Hovey, Korea in the winter of 1978. 

“Brother, the Lord just spoke to my heart.  You got wife problems.”  The young Soldier now joined me in startled disbelief.

How did Master Sergeant (MSG) White know that this Soldier, whom he’d never met before, had wife problems? Turns out he did have wife problems. White then began to tell him how to set matters right with his wife.

I later asked MSG White, who was also a Baptist preacher, how he knew the Soldier had wife problems?  He replied, “Sometimes the Lord will reveal to you what is going on in another person’s life so you can help them.”  What??!!

I didn’t know what to think. I had not been to church in over a decade. Church to me was dry, boring, and full of older, uninteresting people.    

I started spending time with MSG White. He seemed to be a walking problem solver who loved serving people. His influence was instrumental in me giving my life to Christ only weeks after I met him.

Gradually at first but over time, the unthinkable occurred. God began speaking to me, and most often while I was in the process of serving others.

I never get used to it. It still amazes me that God speaks to me. David said it like this: “What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalms 8:4)

God will make you smile if you will yield to Him.

It saddens me that many individuals experience a dry religion.  There is so much more!  The premise of this series follows: 

“If God promised to guide you, tell you, speak and declare to you, (John 16:12-15) then why would He make it difficult for you to hear His Voice?”

You are a candidate to hear the Voice of God, and you are also a candidate to walk in the supernatural power of God. 

Previous articles have outlined the fundamental requirements to hear from God.  Now let’s reveal more hidden treasure.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Those who set their hearts to seek God diligently, and serve others, can experience the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible has a number of gift lists, but our focus will be on the nine gifts of the Spirit outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. You will find this passage at the end of this article.

These gifts find expression in the lives of committed believers who serve others.

When you become the bridge between God and the needs of others, His power will flow through you.

MSG White was not sharing God’s “inside” information to impress that young Soldier; White was trying to help the young man so the Holy Spirit “helped” MSG White, help the Soldier.

Herein lies the critical point.  God’s knowledge is for service not arrogance.  God’s knowledge is to help not horde.  God’s knowledge is to set free, not to make you important in the eyes of others. 

If you want to help others, God will impart His secrets to you and channel His power through you.  He will stir things in you, that will astound you.  You just have to remember.  It’s not about you. It’s about others.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have shared this quote with hundreds of federal government employees as part of a presentation on self-awareness. Through coaching, I helped many of them discover talents they did not realize they had.

I could not engage with these employees from a faith-based standpoint for obvious reasons, but listen. God created you! He has deposited things in you -even beyond the nine gifts of the Spirit- that are hidden. 

It would be tragic for you to live your entire life and not realize the extent to which God has supernaturally gifted you, and desires to channel His power through you.

God wants to talk to you about you. God also wants to talk to you about others if your motivation is to serve. 

Why? Because God wants to heal broken humanity and He primarily uses human vessels to do so.   

Okay Kevin…how do I access this hidden treasure? Very simple. You ask for it. Jesus said:

“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” (Luke 11:13)

Important! Don’t miss God due to pride.  You see, for many, the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues is the entry point to access the power of God. 

Please don’t reject what God has for you.

Speaking in tongues may seem strange at the beginning.  This fact explains why Paul gave specific instructions on how the gift of tongues is to be regulated in church gatherings.  (1 Corinthians 14:22-29)

Still, the apostles that performed miracles, established the church, and wrote the New Testament, spoke in tongues. Paul spoke in tongues more than his contemporaries.  (1 Corinthians 14:18)

These men rose out of weakness and received supernatural power that turned the world upside down. (Acts 17:6)

I was turned off by speaking in tongues back in Korea in 1978.  Pride got in the way.  I earnestly asked God for eight of the nine gifts and especially prophecy.  I did not want the tongues.  Well…tongues was the first gift I received. First, I had to humble myself.

It is a tragedy that so many young people (Generations X, Millennials, and Generation Z) are missing out on an empowered, purposeful life that could eclipse anything they can imagine.  

No matter your age group or demographic…

It would be tragic for you to live your entire life and not realize the extent to which God has supernaturally gifted you, and desires to channel His power through you.

Ask the Lord for His supernatural power and keep asking for it. Humble yourself. Begin serving others, and in the process of serving, the Holy Spirit will begin to help you, help others!

Get ready for the new you. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin 

Bible
Word of God

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. (1 Corinthians 11: 7-11)

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How to Hear from God Part 3 -Hidden Treasures

I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isa 45:3

I’ve made the same bold declarations to incoming Bethel College freshman for over ten years. My students have been a mix of 18-year old high school graduates and adult learners of all ages.

I hand them the Old Testament (OT) Survey syllabus and -with no introductions- fire away: “This is one of the greatest courses you will ever take in your life! “

Most people think that Genesis is about Creation. It is more about the story of Abraham’s family.

“The OT is real, raw, and relevant, and is pregnant with meaning! You will be a different person by the end of the semester!”  

I am sure they are wondering, “who in the world is this guy?!!” By the end of the semester, the vast majority of them believe. 

They believe and become different people because they’ve spent 15 weeks uncovering hidden treasures.

Few Christians have an appreciation for the treasure hidden in the OT. We are going to unlock some of that treasure in this article.   

You see, there is a key that unlocks the door to divine revelation. Before we reveal the key, let’s do a quick review of the past two weeks.

“If God promised to guide you, tell you, speak and declare to you, then why would He make it hard for you to hear His voice?”  (John 16:13-14)

If you desire to become familiar with God’s Voice: 1) be born again; 2) know God’s word; 3) love God’s word; 4) practice a lifestyle of humility; and establish your “need to know.” 

The need to know is critical. God will rarely speak to you if you aren’t going to do His will. Now let’s move forward. The key that unlocks the door to divine revelation is worship.  

The salvation story in the OT begins with a family. Abraham is head of this family. His family endures generations of hardship, struggle, and 400 years of slavery. The family’s emancipation from slavery is also its birth as a nation-the nation of Israel.  

God chose Israel above all the nations on the earth because He loved them, and to keep the promise He made to Abraham. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8) God’s only requirement of Israel was to worship Him. Jesus summed up all of the instructions given by the OT law and prophets:

 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Mark 12:30-31)

Here Jesus describes what worship to God is, and those who set their hearts and minds to worship Him, unlock the door of divine revelation.  

Those who worship God unlock the door of divine revelation.  

Those who enter the storehouse of God’s riches are not impressed with themselves. They are humble servants of God eager to express their worship to Him by serving others.  

Worship involves giving thanks to God out of a pure heart. Worshippers actively pursue God. They desire to know Him.

Some think of worship as singing, dancing, shouting, praising, serving, etc. They are correct because worship to God can be expressed in these ways.

But outward expressions only become worship when their intended purpose is to give glory to God. Allow me to transition here to address some important related issues.

The way people describe worship can draw people near to God or repel them from God. Allow me to explain.

Over 20 years ago, our church’s prayer ministry was led by some great women of faith. I was blessed by their leadership, but I occasionally struggled with the way they described worship. 

I did not want to be rocked in “Daddy’s Arms,” feel a “warm embrace” or have God “kiss me on the cheek,” etc. Now there is nothing wrong with these expressions, but our examples and illustrations must be more inconclusive.

Admittedly, for years I viewed worship as being soft and feminine. I struggled relating to their very genuine expressions of their love for God. As a prayer leader myself, this attitude toward worship hindered me, but I grew and learned.

God is worshipped on the field of battle. The OT is full of such examples.

In the OT, men of God worshipped Him on the verge of battle, and during mortal combat. Men of God also worshipped God in the aftermath of bloody conquests.  

These men were not waiting for a warm embrace. Their acts of worship included combating fear, accepting risk, caring for wounded comrades, and shouting chants of faith like: “let God arise, His enemies be scattered!”

Ultimately worship is an inner attitude that finds outward expression. What expressions does God like? He likes and receives authentic expressions of your love for Him.  

Strive to express your devotion to God in ways that reflect the person He has made you to be. Be Real!

Worship is the thread that ties together OT figures that God spoke to regularly.

As noted previously, you can worship in singing, in the playing of instruments, in dancing, in prayer, in the giving of thanks, and in the lifting of our hands to honor God.  

You can see acts of worship in expressions of faith, in the giving of material possessions, in self-sacrifice, and in boldly speaking God’s truth to unreceptive individuals or audiences.  

The motivation of worship can be judged by this one standard: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and, love your neighbor as yourself.”   

“I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” ( Isa 45:3)

Worshipers receive God’s hidden treasures, and riches stored in secret places. Worshippers know God.    

Cultivate the art of hearing from God by worshipping Him daily. Next week we will reveal more hidden treasure that relates to hearing from God. Exciting times await. Until then, God Bless! Press On!! Kevin

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How to Hear from God Part. 2

God has determined who will gain access to His unsearchable riches.

God is in the “intelligence business.” He grants access to some and restricts it from others. The proud and arrogant will not hear from God.

I graduated college and entered the Military Intelligence branch of the Army in May, 1977. There are aspects of the intelligence business that are secretive and behind closed doors. It is a world of protections, protocols and security procedures. 

Classified information is safeguarded with different levels of protection. If you meet the right security clearance requirements, you can access the information.  

There is one critical question regarding your access: Do you have a “need to know?” Upon reflection, I have concluded that God is in the “intelligence business.”  Allow me to break this down for you. Here we go.

I remember those Sunday mornings back in 1979. I used to walk up to her door to pick her up before church. I’ll call her “Sister E.” I had a brand new 1979, Metallic Red, Cutlass Supreme.  

I always held the door for her and treated her special. Church services would end and I often gave her a ride home. It was all normal. After all, I was 23 years old and single.  

I’d gotten saved in Korea in 1978. In January 1979, the Army reassigned me to Fort Meade, MD-near my home in DC. I had a plan. 

I was going to find a church, find a Spirit-filled young lady, get married, leave the Army in three years, and serve God.  Well, I found a church. Now on to phase two!

Months after I began picking Sister E up, I had no dates, purchased no ring-nothing. I tried to be charming. I went to church wearing those tailored-made suits I purchased in Korea, had the fancy car, etc. 

I should add that I also had a full head of hair back then and a mustache too. Bottom line: despite my best efforts, my plan was not coming together.

Before I go any further, I should probably provide an important detail. You see, Sister E was easily in her 70’s. My driving her to and from church was for other reasons.  

I was looking for someone much younger if you know what I mean. I picked Sister E up because I couldn’t stand seeing her struggling to walk up the hill to church on Sunday mornings. Funny how God works.  

Sister E was different. She told me that folks at the church did not like her. I noticed that she did not fit in well with the other seniors. 

She had an unpleasant body odor; perhaps that had something to do with her relationships, but I think there was more to it.

Anyway, some things were evident about Sister E. She loved God. She loved serving God, and…Sister E heard from God regularly.  

I don’t want to offend my Pentecostal brethren, but I never heard Sister E speak in tongues, but I’ll tell you this. The Holy Spirit spoke to Sister E. 

As I mentioned last week, Jesus said “He (the Holy Spirit) will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me (Jesus), for He will take of what is Mine, and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14) 

The Holy Spirit has come to guide us in ways that will bring glory to God!

I believe God occasionally speaks to believers and unbelievers. God spoke to Sister E regularly. Sister E is an excellent case study for those who want to cultivate the art of hearing from God.  

God is in the intelligence business. He grants access to some and restricts it from others. The proud and arrogant will not hear from God.

Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes.” (Matthew 11:25)

The Apostle Paul said it this way: “God will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” (1 Corinthians 1:19)  

Coding is used in the intelligence business to conceal secret information. “The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant.”  (Psalms 25:14)

During World War II, the German military used the “unbreakable” Enigma coding machine to pass along its war plans. Unbeknownst to the Germans, the British broke the code, saving untold Allied lives and shortening the war.

The Enigma was believed to be unbreakable but British mathematicians broke the code. God’s “codes” will never be “broken” by the proud and arrogant.

Parables were one of Jesus’ favorite coding methods. Jesus would hide eternal truth right out in the open to display His preeminence over all.   

The disciples asked Jesus why He spoke in parables. Jesus said “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.” (Matthew 13:11)  

Sister E’s case study reveals that you must first know God to hear from God. We come to know God through confessing with our mouths the Lord Jesus and believing in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead. (Rom 10:9-10) 

You must not stop at salvation. Salvation is the entry point. Sister E loved God, and so much so, that she became His disciplined follower-a disciple. 

She established a relationship with God and became familiar with His voice.

How did Sister E come to know God so well? She came to know Him because she came to know His Word-the Bible. She came to love God, because she came to love His Word.

Sister E also became familiar with God’s Voice because she established her “need to know.” She established her need to know because she went about doing God’s will. Those who set about their own plans and purposes will not become familiar with God’s Voice.

Those who set about their own plans and purposes will not become familiar with God’s Voice.

Sister E would periodically give me Bible verses on scraps of loose-leaf notebook paper. Those paper scraps were priceless.

She would say, “Brother Willis, the Lord “vealed” (revealed) this to me the other day. Those verses were always HUGE in my life. Allow me to detour just a bit.

When I was in high school, my small circle of friends included the smartest people in our graduating class. My closest friend was voted “most intelligent,” “most brains,” and “most likely to succeed.” He was also president of the debate team.

As for me, let’s just say I finished in the top 50% of the class. I still have a relationship with my brilliant friend. He has listened to me talk about God and salvation.     

Thank God he attends church but we never connect on a spiritual level. He can be pretty arrogant at times. God resists the proud.

In my 40-plus years of serving God, those who hear God best are the humblest people I know. Sister E was very humble. Remember, she was also a bit of an outcast.

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble!

Many who hear God well are outcasts. They don’t fit in with the crowd. Here is another interesting point. Age is not a discriminator.  

God speaks to children and the childlike. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)

God is in the “intelligence business.” He grants access to some and restricts it from others. The proud and arrogant will not hear from God.

I picked up Sister E because she was struggling to walk up that long hill. Sister E passed many years ago, but as I write this, she is speaking from the grave through me. (Hebrews 11:4)

If you would hear God’s voice: 1) be born again; 2) know God’s word; 3) love God’s word; and 4) practice a lifestyle of humility. Caution…you may become a bit of an outcast.  

If you desire to become familiar with God’s Voice, establish your “need to know.” Set your heart to make God’s will a priority in your life. Those who need to know are those who do His will.  

Sister E will have more to say in the weeks to come. I hope you will stay through the entire series because I have a revelation about Sister E that you will not want to miss. 

Until then, God Bless! Press On!!  Kevin

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How to Hear from God Part. 1

If God promised to guide you, tell you, speak and declare to you, then why would He make it hard for you to hear His Voice?

This article begins a series on hearing from God.  As I began to develop this post, I felt the strongest impression to document a challenge facing spiritual leaders. 

Since hearing from God requires sensitivity to such impressions, I decided to insert it here.  This is a word of encouragement for spiritual leaders and those who support them:

“In the debilitating course of social distancing, quarantine, disease and death, the devil has sent a spirit of discouragement against leaders in the church.

The effect of this attack is draining the energy of many leaders; the intent of this attack is to cause malaise and fatigue and eventually…hopelessness.

In an environment where spiritual leaders can and should recharge, many are feeling more drained than before the pandemic.

Let’s stop this now!!

Spiritual leaders experiencing these attacks should heed Paul’s admonition to stand in the power of God’s might. (Ephesians 6:10-17)

Concerned individuals should pray for their leaders, and encourage them in practical ways with phone calls, texts, emails, inbox posts, uplifting letters, etc.”

More on this impression later.  Let’s establish a foundation for hearing from God.    

The Bible contains two Testaments, sixty-six books, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses.  I have been a Bible student for over 40 years.  I have walked several hundred college students through the entire Bible over the past 14 years. 

In my studies, this verse remains one of the most remarkable to me: “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I (Jesus) go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper (the Holy Spirit) will not come to you. But if I (Jesus) go, I will send him (the Holy Spirit) to you.” (John 16:7)

Divine Helper Sent For You.

Jesus told the disciples that it was better for them that He leave so that the Holy Spirit could come.  When you consider what Jesus did, how could His departure be better for them? 

As the Biblical story unfolds, we learn that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one with the Father.  (John 14:11a, 16-20) Jesus fulfilled His mission through death, burial and resurrection.

Unlike Jesus in His earthly ministry, The Holy Spirit is not constrained by space and time.  The Holy Spirit equips, enables, and empowers believers to make disciples of all nations.  (Mt 28:19-20; Acts 1:8)

The Holy Spirit desires to speak to God’s people!  We must express a desire to hear from Him, and cultivate the art of doing so.

Jesus said “He (the Holy Spirit) will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me (Jesus), for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14)

Here is our fundamental premise.  If God promised to guide you, tell you, speak and declare to you, then why would He make it hard for you to hear His Voice?

We need to hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit.  One fact is true concerning all of the “game changers,” “earth-shakers,” and “shot-makers” (the most notable characters) in the Bible. They prevailed because God spoke to them and they followed His guidance.

I am talking about people who overcame pandemics, famine, war, unrest, distress, impotency, barrenness, death sentences, and “incurable” diseases.

Yesterday morning, I read how Saul was hunting down David to kill him.  David was always one step ahead of Saul. Why? God kept telling David how to avoid Saul. (1 Samuel 23-24)

You are about to make some critical decisions that may have huge implications for your life.  Why? Because the COVID-19 pandemic has removed or shifted many of the foundations upon which we trusted.

Government leaders, corporate leaders, spiritual leaders and heads of household be advised: your foundations have been removed or shifted! 

COVID-19 outbreak has sent many in search of more stable foundations.

What you were leaning on, counting on, depending on, basing your hopes upon, in many instances is now gone, but there is a firmer foundation.

God is a speaking God.  All earthly foundations have been shaken, but God’s Kingdom cannot be shaken.  (Hebrews 12:26-28)

Sources that you can trust-men and woman of character-who love God are saying the same thing.  There is opportunity ahead. 

This note of optimism does not gloss over the 67,454, coronavirus-related deaths in America (as of 4 May), and quarter-of-a-million fatalities around the globe.

We find ourselves in need of comfort and strength. We also find ourselves in need of invention, innovation, and creativity.  The Holy Spirit is the source of them all. 

The Holy Spirit desires to speak to you. He wants to be involved in establishing new and more enduring foundations in your life. 

If you are interested in a refreshing, reinvention, or reframing in your life, then cultivate the art of hearing from God. 

If you are interested in beginning or restarting your walk with God, please go to the following link: https://dreamprayernetwork.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=302&action=edit

I opened this blog post by documenting an impression that I believe came from the Holy Spirit.  Whether the Holy Spirit was the source of my impression is for others to judge. 

The Bible is the final authority in measuring the validity and accuracy of all such impressions, words, and encouragements.

In the coming weeks, I hope to help you cultivate the art of hearing from the Holy Spirit.  May I ask you to do some reading in preparation?  I request that you read chapters 14-16 of the Gospel of John. 

Key verses from those chapters are below.  Until next time.  God Bless! Press On!!  Kevin

Bible
Word of God

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 14:15-18

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. John 15:26-27

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:7-11

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore, I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16:13-15

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How to Break Out After the Pandemic

Crisis conditions are ideal for your release from cages of routine, frustration and mediocrity.

“Some of you feel like you’re just been thrown away and put into prison and God has thrown away the key.  But the Lord says ‘I have not forgotten you. I have not forsaken you. The doors of the prison-house are going to come open.” -Cindy Jacobs, 8 October 1998.

I invited Cindy Jacobs to speak to our prayer counselors at CBN. It was like a storm blew through the National Counseling Center. You can check out her ministry at Generals.org.

I had long since left the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), but I thought about Cindy’s words. I was alone in an apartment on a temporary assignment for 90 days in the DC-area.  It was the fall of 2014. I felt like I was in a prison and God had thrown away the key.  Ever felt like that? 

There are all kinds of “prisons.”  As for me, my job back home had become a prison.  The job was interesting at first but after nine years it had become stale.  I was very frustrated.  I could not stomach the idea of returning to that role in 90 days, but I didn’t see a way out. 

My heart was crying out so loudly that I didn’t need to verbalize a prayer.  Ever been there?  Thankfully, God heard the cry of my heart.

I was ironing clothes one evening and I heard a YouTube video that spoke to my situation.  Bishop T.D. Jakes began describing the plight of a lion locked in a cage in his message, the “Lion’s Lair.”

Born to live in the wild and run free, the cage became the lion’s new normal.  The lion was confined for the benefit -the entertainment- of others.       

Despite efforts to tame the lion, its instincts would not allow it to become comfortable in the cage.  The lion looks at the bars and roars its disapproval. 

Jakes said, there is a roar within us when we desire to escape the parameters of our situations. He said that we all live in cages. “It may be spiritual, moral, or emotional cage.” Then he spoke the magic words, “You can get out.“

How do you get out of an abusive background when it has become your normal?

I thought Bishop Jakes was speaking directly to me. I began to imagine what getting out would be like. Soon afterward, I began taking the first steps on what became a year-long walk to freedom.  It was hard, but along the way, I discovered what it takes to get out.

There are three critical components to a “jailbreak.”  Your escape will involve a crisis, courage and crushing.   Step number one: embrace crisis. 

Don’t fear the crisis!  Crisis is a means that God uses to bring change!  Ironically, crisis is a also a vehicle God uses to bring promotion to people.

His courageous response to crisis change the course of history.

A crisis brought Moses from the prison of a desert to a victorious encounter with Pharaoh. His courageous response to the burning bush-crisis led to the emancipation of God’s people.

David broke out of a prison of obscurity with his courageous response to a crisis in Israel. Goliath was his name. A rock to the forehead of Goliath made David a “rock star,” – a champion in Israel.

How many people appreciated the firefighters and other first responders in New York City prior to the crisis of 9/11?

Heroism is being redefined during this pandemic by the courageous actions of first responders around the globe. Don’t fear the crisis. RESPOND with courage!

Know who he was before the pandemic?

Did you know who Dr. Anthony S. Fauci was before the COVID-19 outbreak? Dr. Fauci is a household name now. He has emerged as one of the most influential people in the world. Nothing flips the script like a crisis. Courageous responders break the confinement of barriers and emerge the better for it.

Don’t become stagnant because of COVID-19.  Be cautious.  Be guarded.  Be safe.  But be courageous. Respond and move forward.  This pandemic will be the demise of some and the catalyst of promotion for others.  Now, back to my long walk to freedom.

I found the perfect opportunity to break out of my current job situation.  I just needed my senior executive’s endorsement. I got on his calendar to discuss the proposal.

As I sat outside of his office, I had a very uneasy feeling.  I was invited in. He immediately made it clear that he REALLY did not like my proposal for change.  This was a one-way conversation. He concluded his remarks, pointed to the door, and shouted: “hit the road.” 

 It was humiliating to be treated in this manner, but the Lord spoke to me immediately.  “He just kicked you out of his office and into your future.”  That was encouraging for the moment, but despair quickly set in. 

That night I took my son to see a play at his community college.  I don’t think either one of us was particularly interested in seeing the “Wizard of Oz,” but he got extra class credit for attending. 

I watched the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion come to a crossroads. Their friend Dorothy was taken captive by the Wicked Witch of the West. It was a simple decision: fight or flight? They chose to fight. I sat in the theater and made the same decision.

Out of weakness they became strong.

Rarely do things change apart from a crisis.  Crisis is the seedbed of courage.  Doctor Myles Munroe once said that “crisis is the enemy of tradition and the status quo.”

Fight or flight?  How badly do you want to escape the parameters of your situation? How badly do you want to break free?

I threw caution to the wind. I set up an office call with my senior leader’s boss using his open-door policy.  I told this high ranking official that my executive was unprofessional, unreasonable, and unsupportive.  He listened to me-a midlevel employee! When my senior leader found out, he went into a rage.

I took a huge risk, but it paid off.  After some infighting I was allowed to work for a different leader in another part of our organization for 60-90 days. During this time I was to try and find another job. Well, 90 days passed and I had not found another job. 

It was nerve-wracking. At any time after the 90 days, I could have been returned to my old job.  This is the final phase; the crushing. 

I started my job hunt in January 2015 and did not find a new job until October of that year.  I was turned down for job openings on three different occasions.

I only got the job in October because the individual that was selected, turned the job down at the last minute.  Each non-selection notice was a crushing experience, but I got out!!

Cold and miserable in the Mohave Desert. My heart was crying out for a change.

That prison break gave me five years of experience in my lifelong calling to develop leaders. Instinctively, I knew that God had something more for me.  My pursuit of freedom was worth it.  It was worth getting crushed, and crushed again. 

Cindy Jacob’s was right. God had not forgotten nor forsaken me. The prison door did come open. T.D. Jakes was right. I could get out. I did get out. You can get out too!

The knowledge gained along the crushing path to freedom will liberate you and equip you to help others gain freedom. Jesus was crushed for the salvation of many.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. -Isaiah 53:5

If you are not a Christian and would like to become one, please follow the guidance at the following link: https://dreamprayernetwork.com/gods-plan-of-salvation/

God Bless! You can get out!! Kevin

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No Sanctuary in Spiritual Warfare

Don’t allow him to gain a foothold in your household when you have the authority to cast him out!

“The Passion of The Christ,” portrayed a very real but shadowy figure who would prefer to remain anonymous.

I waited all year for our family vacation in the Carolinas. We all needed a break. Three of us were involved in major job-related transitions. The holiday season was busy as usual, but that didn’t matter now. I signed out of the office on Thursday evening, and that Saturday morning we were driving south to paradise. That’s what I thought at the time (smile).   

During the drive, I reflected on what I said to our prayer team the previous Sunday before service. We needed to continue praying for our church over the holidays I said. Some could afford to take off but not us.  In my view, we were still on duty so to speak.  

Long and boring hours but someone has to stand the watch.

It was natural for me to feel this way.  Someone always had to be on duty when I was in the military.  Thanksgiving or Christmas it did not matter.  Someone was on call 24/7.  We know that the devil never takes holidays off.  He is always looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Before the prayer team dismissed, I felt prompted to encourage us all to pray for our families throughout the holidays.  We must not give the devil an inch. (Ephesians 4:27)

I want to pause here to make a point and put a spotlight on the devil.  Did you know that many, perhaps most, American Christians do not believe he exits? This is tragic because the devil is the most disruptive and dangerous when he is unrecognized.  His ability to conceal his identity and activities is part of his agenda.

According to the Barna Group, four out of ten Christians (40%) in the U.S. strongly agreed that Satan “is not a living being but is a symbol of evil.” An additional two out of ten Christians (19%) said they “agree somewhat” with that perspective.  In my opinion, the root of this “symbol of evil” deception is Biblical illiteracy.  Note the survey results below:

In the Bible it is written that Satan is a fallen angel.  He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. (Isaiah 14:12; John 10:10) Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8) The devil is the ruler of this world system and has fallen angels -demons- that extend his influence. (Mt 4:8-9; 12:22-26; Eph 6:11-12)

The Bible reveals that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (2 Cor 11:14) The Word of God also makes it clear that Christians are not under the devil’s rule or authority. (Colossians 1:13) On the contrary, we have dominion over him.  Jesus said “don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20) Thank you for this detour. Let’s resume our blissful journey to paradise.

I was so happy when we arrived at our timeshare unit.  Vacation at last!  I felt like shouting out the word made famous by the character Quasimodo in Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Perhaps you recall that Quasimodo rescued the gypsy Esmerelda from the gallows, and then carried her to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral.  The hunchback then lifted her above his head and cried out to the cheering thousands below, “Sanctuary!”  Quasimodo felt he had rescued her into a safe haven away from her accusers.

The Classic Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing. Archdeacon Frollo.

Sadly, Esmerelda was deceived by the evil Archdeacon Claude Frollo.  The Archdeacon concealed his identity (sounds familiar), led her away from Notre Dame to apparent safety, and then off came the disguise.  Frollo pressed Esmerelda to submit to his lustful desires or face the gallows.  She refused and he gave her over to the royal soldiers and she was hanged. 

Neither the Cathedral nor our timeshare unit proved to be a Sanctuary.  There is no Sanctuary in spiritual warfare.  Don’t ever let your guard down or take your armor off.  (Ephesians 6:10-18)    

I should have remembered. God always uses our family timeshare experiences to test our willingness to love one another (smile). Testing is what happens when you place a husband and wife, and three adult children (one daughter was away this year) together in reduced living space with one vehicle for an extended period of time. It can be fun.   It can be a real challenge.  

Tension, difficulty and disagreements are normal in healthy families.   In the family context, we can learn essential conflict resolution skills.  We can learn to defer to one another, and to practice self-control, but make no mistake about it.  The devil is out to destroy families because families are the foundation of churches, communities and nations.  

Think about what is happening to families in America and around the globe. Safety measures made necessary by the COVID-19 outbreak placed families in unfamiliar territory.  Families face unprecedented restrictions and there is no clear end in view. The pressure keeps mounting; stress levels are rising and there is no Sanctuary.   

My wife homeschooled. Its not for everyone.

I recently heard the Surgeon General recommend steps to reduce COVID-19-related stress.  He suggested that we eat well, exercise and get the proper amount of sleep.  He also recommended that we pray! Regarding spiritual warfare with the devil, the Bible gives clear direction. 

The Bible teaches us to submit ourselves to God.  We are to resist the devil and he will flee from us.  (James 4:7) God’s presence in you as a believer is greater than the power of the devil.  (1 John 4:4) If you have not received Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you the way at www.dreamprayernetwork.com/gods-plan-of-salvation.  

Well, our holiday vacation came to an end.  Upon reflection, I should have paid more earnest attention to the guidance I passed along to the prayer team.  I should have been more watchful in prayer over my family. 

It was a great and difficult vacation, and I learned a valuable lesson. You may feel like you have earned or deserve a break. You may feel like you have reached a safe haven, but there is no Sanctuary in spiritual warfare.  I have been applying this lesson over the course of this pandemic.

Please give special attention to your family during the remainder of this crisis.  Keep your armor on.  Don’t allow an Archdeacon Frollo-type spirit to gain a foothold in your household when you have the authority to cast him out!  Pray for your loved ones, family members, and those in your sphere of influence. Pray for your neighbors. May the Lord mightily bless you and your family for the duration of this pandemic and beyond. God Bless! No Sanctuary!!

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me, Says the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17

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How to Prepare for Life After the Pandemic

It is more important to think about who you will be rather than what you will do once the pandemic ends. 

It was a great privilege just to be in the class.  This five-day course had some fancy title but it does not matter much now.  I was attending this class at the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of VA.  The Professor had a Ph.D. from Harvard and had been teaching at Darden for over 45 years.  He said a lot of things that week, but I will never forget the very first words out of his mouth. 

He said, “…you know, I believe it is a privilege to be able to think.”  Those words hit me like ton bricks back in the Spring of 2014, and let me tell you why.  I was working a full-time job.  I was in a developmental program at work.  I was serving in multiple capacities at church.  I was teaching a college class.  I was striving to be a good husband and a Dad.  Then of course there was the yard, the house, and the many other things clamoring for my attention.  No matter all this activity, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough.  Can you relate?

Take advantage of this pause to refresh and reset.

Then as now, there is very little time to think.  Well…that’s not true anymore is it? Millions of Americans, and untold millions around the globe have seen their nonstop activities come to a grinding halt in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.  We now have plenty of time to think. Here are some things to think about.

I find it interesting listening to people talk about what they are going to do once things go “back to normal.”  I heard a woman say, “I am going to put on my tennis shoes and run all over the church with excitement once we can gather again.”  I heard a guy on the radio say, “I am going to take pleasure in putting on a shirt that has buttons for a change.”    

What about you?  Will you attend a sporting event, go to a movie, hang out with your friends or go to your favorite restaurant?  What will your post-pandemic “go-to” activity be?  Allow me to offer a thought here.  It is more important to think about who you will be rather than what you will do once the pandemic ends. 

Your Future Matters. Think About it!

I retired from government service at the end of December 2019.  During my last five years, I had the opportunity to coach over a hundred emerging government leaders on their professional development and careers paths.  I also had the privilege of working closely with a number of high-ranking federal executives. 

Both emerging leaders and executives -in most cases- had one thing in common.  They had great clarity on what they did, but little clarity on who they were.  This observation held true for those with a range of 10-40 years of service.  Few could pin down a defining purpose for their lives.  Humorously, two executives told me, “I have no idea what I am going to do when I grow up.”  Not surprisingly, as they pondered retirement, they had no idea of what they would do next.

A life that is more rewarding, fulfilling, and impactful awaits those who know who they are and understand their purpose.  Mark Twain said: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”  If you want to know the answer to the “why” question, go to the source. 

The Bible makes it clear that God created all things.  It is recorded in the Psalms: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.”  (Ps 139:13-14)

It seems plausible to many that God created them, but what if I told you that God has a plan for your life?  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) To know Jesus is to begin the journey of self-discovery. 

You can know Him by confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. (Romans 10:9-11) If you do so, the Bibles says that you are saved. Easter celebrates the resurrection. If you have received the free gift of God’s salvation, past or present, please read on a little bit further.

If within your heart you take Him in, new life will begin. Jesus is that kind of Friend!

Seize the opportunity to reset for a better future.  Dr. Robert Redfield, Center for Disease Control (CDC) Director is reporting that the virus is beginning to stabilize around the country.  Ask God who He created you to be.  Ask God what His plans are for you.  After asking these questions…listen.  In fact, keep asking and seeking Him and you SHALL receive an answer (Matthew 7:7-8)

A more rewarding, fulfilling and impactful future awaits you.  Take advantage of the remaining days of social distancing and restrictions to refresh and reset.  It is a privilege to be able to think.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

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