Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Do You Wear Glasses??


The first leg of my journey to Entebbe was interesting but mainly uneventful. I have to say that the Lord really blessed me with great flights.

From Guam to Hong Kong the plane was full. I was on an aisle which is my preference so I was a happy girl. I watched a weird movie and worked on a lot of notes I brought with me to type up. As soon as the lights were lowered and meals were served many of the Chinese started walking the aisles like it was a track. OK by me, distracting, but I am not in charge.

Then an elderly lady started walking—fast, head down, hands behind her back. She bumped me, I moved in a little. She went down the aisle and turned to come back. She bumped me again, I moved in.  She proceeded up the aisle a couple of rows, turned and headed to the back. She bumped me again. I had nowhere else to go so I stop typing and watched. By now she is only walking 5 seats or so, not the whole aisle. OK, so for some reason I feel better, she isn't walking nearly as fast as I thought—she is just walking by me a lot—emphasis on a lot. She switches to 3 seats—one in front, mine, one behind, turn and do it again, bump, turn, bump. You get it. OK patient enough—I put my elbow back on the arm rest but I cannot type because she is hitting me so often. 

I just continue to watch—she is hitting me harder and harder. I keep my elbow on the arm rest. It is not sticking out in the aisle but still.... She is muttering while she bumps me. Step, step, turn, step, step, bump, step, step, turn etc. This is getting comical. I realize she is working hard to run in to me--slowing at my seat to throw her hip into me.

Show me something here God…I realize that at one time I would have been furious and I would have shown it. I would have been rude, angry, something that would NOT reflect Christ. Progress for me—thank you Jesus. What else?

I got a big “nothing” so I decided to begin to pray for her. Why is it sometimes we leave intercession to the end of our thought processes? I keep thinking that eventually she will get tired of bumping me. She is like the Energizer Bunny though— step, turn, step, step, bump, step, step, turn—kinda like a dance. She is definitely leading though.

I’d rather lead so I start praying. What is this lady’s deal God? How can I pray for her? It is obviously intentional so it has to be spiritual. I pray but hear nothing….then the sound of a drum—it is the sound of war. I start praying in tongues and listening for the voice of God. As I prayed I realized I needed to stay “on” in the spirit. The Lord is clear that this trip will present a lot of opportunities to miss something in the spirit that God is doing if I do not keep my spiritual glasses on. I never take off my “regular” glasses because I cannot see. Why should I ever take off my “spiritual” glasses?

Once again the Lord impresses on me the importance of intercession as a lifestyle—not just an action. I know this and yet there are times I seem to forget. How is your memory? What type of glasses are you wearing? Do you only intercede when it is convenient for you? Are you living in the spirit? Are you being tossed to and fro with your emotions?

Who is irritating you and needs your intercession today?????

BTW: As soon as I started praying for her she stopped.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Bride of Christ


It takes a lot of work to prepare a bride. There are so many details, so much to do, so many things to get "right". There is the nails, the massage, the hair, the perfumes, the under garments, the the dress, the jewelry, the shoes, the veil and that is just the bride's attire nothing to do with the actual wedding. 



We are the bride of Christ. Each of us individually but also the body as a whole. What are you doing to prepare yourself? The rest of the body? 

James 3:13-18 (NIV1984)

Two Kinds of Wisdom

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.


Are the brides and the bridesmaids fighting? Has the marriage supper of the lamb become a free for all? Or, are we performing as eunuchs preparing the bride to be fit for her king?

Jane Harmon:
Have you seen or met someone who has accurate revelations but their words are harsh, cutting, presumptuous, prideful or inappropriate? Are you having trouble in your soul realm?

Proverbs 21:23 (NIV1984)

23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue
    keeps himself from calamity.

How many times does God warn us to keep our words sweet? Remember the bitter/sweet water out of the same well? Avoid evil gossip, slander, back-biting, tale bearing---guard your words.

Ephesians 4:29-32 (NIV1984)

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

How are we preparing for the bride?

Is your intercession preparing each detail?



Sunday, November 11, 2012

What Are You "Drawing"?


One day while we were driving we passed a house I realized how much it was like so many Christians's lives.. The yard was brown—the grass dead. The house was close to the road and weather worn. It had not seen paint in the 50 years it had been sitting in the burning summer heat followed by the windy, winter snows. The drive was weed ridden with small ruts to be maneuvered in order to arrive at the sad, tired house.


A couple of miles later green assaulted my senses. In the midst of mountainous colors and textures of the high desert it seemed almost out of place. And yet as we got nearer there was a wide tree lined drive way leading to a beautiful home—the house was white with deep green shutters and roof. There were flowers surrounding the house, a garden was nearby, the blue of an above ground pool caught my eye along with the red and white metal of a swing set. The entire picture was Norman Rockwell and so very inviting.

We are in the world but not of the world. Our outward appearance and actions are what draw people to us—it is the love of Christ shed abroad in our hearts that turns them to Christ.

The Philistines stood and looked over the land of the Israelis’ declaring that “surely they served the Most High God”. Who is looking over the fences into your life? Are they drawn? Pray them into the kingdom.

What are you drawing?

Draw the lost.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

How Icy is Your Heart?



I went to Italy a few years ago—the art and architecture of Rome was as breathtaking as I had heard. The beauty of the Vatican was beyond description. The ceiling of St. Peter’s made me think about the intensity of a man who created for God. After months of lying on his back painting the hand of God he had a personal encounter with Jesus—and isn’t that what it is all about? He received salvation. This did not set well with the church and an argument on heresy ensued. He disagreed with the teachings of the church and lay down his painting to move to Florence.


It was in Florence that he began to sculpt. There are entire rooms of his “practices”. He would sculpt an ear—over and over until he got it right. I was amazed and enthralled with this man who was driven to create. This man “created” at great cost to his personal life. He obviously knew God and knew the word (even though in that day the common man did not read the Bible or know the word) because his art reflects it.

While in Florence I went into the Rotunda that holds David—there are no words to describe that feeling. I could try and produce a flowery recitation but it would not begin to describe even the sheer size and magnificence of David or the fact that this rotunda was built to hold David.

They were cleaning and inspecting the sculpture—I think that made it even more spectacular. There was scaffolding up the entire left side. There were 3 people inspecting and dusting the statue at the same time—each at a different level! I could not even speak at the detail, the “realness” of the statue, the heart of the man who poured himself into his work and obviously did it as a tribute to the one he had come to know and love.

I recently had a vision that reminded me of this whole experience---I saw a HUGE ice sculpture. It was beginning to melt, then it would refreeze, melt and refreeze, melt and refreeze, reshaping as it did so. Circumstances would come along and change the atmosphere again melting and refreezing. There was activity to keep the original shape in the beauty. The person was stressing, fretting over the melting and refreezing---stressing over the morphing shape that was not the original. Am I too close to the heat? Moving situations, continuously trying to change circumstances to reshaping the sculpture. That would be like Michelangelo practicing on the huge stone that became David instead of the smaller pieces.

Flirting with sin through lackadaisicalness is still sin. Melt.

Making excuses for disobedience is nothing more than sin disguised. Melt.

Trapped in the mundaneness of life instead of rejoicing in the day the Lord has made. Melt.

If you were stripped naked what would you hide behind? Melt.

What is the area you are compromising? Melt.


What is the one thing that you do not want anyone to see? Melt.

Where do you reserve your heart from God? Melt.

Where do you compromise on the word? Melt.

Mark 7:13
Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down and you do many.

What I hear the Lord saying is—I told you to watch the signs and the times, even as the seasons are changing so are my seasons changing. Though your ice sculpture is nice, you aren’t the sculptor—I AM. The reshaping you have done is nothing more than additions to what I have made. I am taking you back to what is beneath—it is mine and carved from the Rock. Take off all your excesses. This is no longer a season a self-protection but a season of maturity and a solidification of who I am and who I created you to be—a solidness that will draw the world.

Jeremiah 31:2-6 (NKJV)
Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived the sword
Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when I went to give him rest.”
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you.
Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt,
O virgin of Israel!
You shall again be adorned with your tambourines,
And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.
You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria;
The planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food.
For there shall be a day
When the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim,
‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
To the Lord our God.’”



Watchmen—how are you praying?



Sunday, September 9, 2012

I Wonder if God Rides a Harley?


Mike and I went for a ride on the motorcycle one time. It was a beautiful day—hot and yet perfect. I am always amazed at the temperature changes when we pass a stream or just turn a curve. I do not understand air currents—Mike does because he was a pilot but I do not, I just enjoy it.

While we were riding Mike rested his left arm on my knee and leaned back into me. I love it when he does that. No idea why just a warm, fuzzy, united feeling. This time, however, I heard the Lord say. “I love it when you lean into Me.”

There are so many circumstances in life where I need to lean into Him and instead I try to drive the bike. I cannot. It is physically impossible. I am not strong enough. I am not coordinated enough. It is ridiculous to even try. So why do I? 

All of life is like a motorcycle ride. The changes in scenery, temperature, smells, elevation and sounds are so much like our daily walk with Christ. We are just along for the ride. If we try to do the driving it is disastrous. We can lean forward into Him for protection from the bugs, the weather, the road dirt and anything else that comes along. Or, we can sit tall, see everything around us and enjoy the force of the wind, the changes in air temperature, the sights and smells. He is totally relaxed and if we allow He will affectionately rest an arm on our knee just to let us know He loves us. When He leans back it is to not only show us the affection He has for us but to allow us to draw from His strength, His power, His love.

When Mike and I ride I am never nervous, never scared—just totally relaxed. I do laugh most of the time. In fact, I get embarrassed because I cannot quit laughing. I get so much pleasure from sitting on the back of that bike with him I don’t even have anything to compare it to.

Do I enjoy my ride with God that much? Not always. I do not laugh through a lot of life. Why? It is all temporary anyway. Do I have to understand it all? No, just like I do not get air currents. I just enjoy the changes. What is there today that should be able to steal the sheer delight and enjoyment of my ride through life with God? Nothing. How about you?

Nehemiah 8:10 NIV
Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

The thing is the enemy wants your strength—how can you pray when you are focused on you? Do you see someone who floats in and out of joy? Someone who is floundering? Someone who has not realized that the ride through life is a delight? Someone who struggles every time there is a bump in life?

They need intercession. We are a self-centered people. If we see something it is for a reason. You can walk away and leave them floundering, but we reap what we sow. We also get a double portion for those we pray for (Job 42:10).

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Let's Go Shopping!


Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now.”

You know the line. You know the scene: she goes into the boutique to buy some clothes with a pocket full of cash and the snobby women would not wait on her?

At one time, a long time ago,  I was fat—not a little, not over weigh, fat, morbidly obese. Nothing fit me. I either made dresses or had them made. I was miserable and I am sure it showed. I was shopping with a friend—well she was shopping I was just along for the ride. She was wealthy—I was not. 

We went into a lingerie boutique. Personally I had never been in a boutique quite like this—they met her with champagne—seated her on a lovely settee, asked what she was looking for and brought a variety of items.

My friend needed a fancy negligee for her daughter’s wedding night. She wanted g-strings for a shower. She was looking for panty sets to take on a honey moon. I was looking at the negligees when I was asked not to touch things. It was not loud enough for anyone to hear, not to embarrass me just enough to let me know I did not belong. I picked up a g-string-- $125.  That was more than my electric bill when I used the air conditioning…I was WAY out of my league. She told me that there was NOTHING in this store that would fit me. Duh. I was so fat there was nothing in ANY store that was going to fit me. I did not touch anything else but wandered around just looking and observing. 

My friend picked out a negligee. $7K the robe was around $10K. She picked up a half dozen g-strings. She also added a bra for the wedding dress, a couple of cute little bra sets. Probably $25K total. I stayed by the door just watching. We had not spoken while we were in the store. I was so ashamed because I did not belong and concerned my presence was embarrassing her. I put my hand on the door to leave and she turned to me, “Just a minute Sally.”

I cringed. Now they knew I was with her and the lady who had never moved more than a foot from me stepped away. I was totally humiliated and in the midst of my own despair I almost missed what happened. When everything was rung in, when everything was wrapped in tissue, when everything was placed in bags and they were ready for her check (this was WAY before the movie) she said, “This is my friend. You gave me champagne and offered her nothing. You seated me—you followed her. You waited on me—you told her she was not good enough for anything in your store. Since she is not good enough for this store this store is not good enough for me to spend this money.” She turned and headed towards me and the door.

I was so shocked I could not function. She had to put her arm around me to get the door open and she gently guided me out. I burst into tears. I told her to go back and get her lovely things. I apologized for embarrassing her. I blubbered.

She hushed me. She let me know how important I was to her. She knew the shop owner and was going to call. She was livid.  We went to another shop—arm in arm. We laughed. We shopped. We went to lunch….

I have thought a lot about that day—the rejection replaced by acceptance. The shame released though kind words. The self-hatred destroyed by loving considerations. The rigid fear of what people thought about me shattered in the realization that a stranger’s opinion is not my guiding factor. The self-centered introspection replaced by a heart that looks for others who are hurting.

When you are out and about are you self-absorbed or observant—looking for people who need prayer? When someone talks to you do you listen to what is not being said or do you filter what you hear through stereo-types and prejudices?

What is intercession to you? Just a prayer here and there when it is convenient or makes you look good? Or, are you ever watching what God is showing you? Listening to that whisper? The gifts are not for your personal entertainment. Neither are they to make you look good in front of a crowd. The gifts are to convince the unbelievers, to encourage those who need it and help the hurting or confused. They are to edify, correct and promote growth. The gifts are also powerful weapons of intercession.

Luke 13
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”

Be alert in the market place.
Be aware of those around you. Listen to those who talk to you.
Pray and keep the intercession lines open.
Don’t let any “one” be lost because there was no intercessor to dig around its roots, fertilize it, water it…..We are looking for fruit here. 



Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now--for souls that is...




Monday, September 3, 2012

Are You on a Cycle or in a Cycle?


It is funny how life works—all of life basically. It cycles. You know the whole “Circle of life” thing. But seriously is there a cycle? I think so. People are born, people die. Teens become adults and recognize the truths their parents tried to teach them—the ones they thought were total foolishness are now the same things they try to teach to their own children. But the “circle” I am talking about is more than a pattern set into random motion in a random world. It is the system God uses.

Innocence broken by sin becomes conscience and murder enters destroying that era.  Government is introduced and the hierarchy of animals and man becomes solidified when they get off the ark but promise replaces it with a word to a couple desperate for a child.  Moses brings the Law and freedom from Egypt and Jesus bring grace and freedom from Sin. The Kingdom age is hidden like a mystery but a mystery which is hidden within the church so just like in all the other eras the ones who know, know. The tabernacle imitates Heaven. Each piece has its purpose and yet it means something else too—a circle if you will. I could write a whole book just on the circles but instead I will bring you to the one at hand.

Revivals have gone on for generations. We get close to God and move in the loving revelation He provides. We shine with His glory—then the next generation who grew up thinking this outpouring of the spirit is “commonplace” and “nothing special” because it is a way of life becomes more and more lackadaisical, less involved, less in love with the Lord, less radical. You can see it back to Adam and Eve.  Bill Gothard said, “Whatever you allow in moderation your children will do to excess.”   I have seen that proven to be true over and over.

In the 70’s the Jesus movement was in full force and the generation of “free love” was being shown that true free love came at a great cost to the giver. The Spirit is again moving across a generation of non-believers or “used to be believers” drawing and wooing them. The age of so-called sophistication knowledge is being given revelation and understanding that makes kindergarden seem like a phd. The movement of the spirit is destroying preconceived religious thought and moving into a realization of who the Holy Spirit actually is.

In the Old Testament God was revealed to man. In the gospels more of the revelation of the truth of Jesus the Messiah is made known. From Acts the Holy Spirit was revealed to all mankind in a way that was only experienced by the prophets in the days of old.

You have the option at this point in time to get into the circle of restoration of the power of the Holy Spirit—the outpouring of knowledge, wisdom, discernment, miracles, signs, wonders—this fullness of time that brings the Trinity into a true relationship with all three or not….

As an intercessor you have the option to suit up, get into the war and follow His lead or lay it down and walk away. What is your decision?

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

No Snappy Title--Just a Broken Heart Over America


Most people know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. They were 2 ultimately sinful cities. They had refused everything God presented to them. Their goal was pleasure and pleasure only. They were violent in their pursuit of their own pleasure. They had no respect for others or their “rights”. Perversion and violence of every form was accepted and tolerated. In their “sophistication” and knowledge they had lost wisdom along the way and the “stupidity” of exalting themselves above the lives God offered them was the norm. Every man was out for himself though they traveled in packs like wild animals and like wild animals they would easily turn on each other. No one was safe.

Let’s look at America today. We are a nation blessed of God, established by God with a Godly heritage and the opportunity to live as a nation seen under the hand and blessings of God. We walked in that for a time---then we became “sophisticated” arrogant in fact, forgetting that the blessings we were operating under were from God We began to think our “rights” were more important than those of our neighbor. We began to pursue our own pleasures. We began to call evil good and good evil. A big trigger point is abortion. If I say I think abortion is murder I am attacked. This is not murder. Until the child is born it is not a child but a “fetus” (not to be vulgar but what the heck is a “fetus” except an unborn child?). But if a woman with a large family wants to have another baby she is attacked because she should not bring another child onto this earth. If I kill a pregnant whale I am evil because I “murdered” a baby whale. See the inconsistencies here? Evil is good and good is evil. We are more concerned with personal pleasure than any truth that will jostle our wants, our desires, our “rights”. I use the whale because I truly believe that people consider the “baby” whale more important than a “fetus” is because people like to go whale watching. Call me crazy, call me conservative, call me whatever you want but I pray that the Lord of Lords will open your eyes and dig out your ears so that you hear and see truth versus “popular opinion” disguised as truth.

Piece by piece Americans have rejected the truths of God for our own pleasure pursuing endeavors. Many Americans want God out of our country—and he has done, as Khrushchev said to Kennedy in the ‘60’s, start with the children. Prayer in schools is outlawed. One person pushed until she got an entire nation to agree and a door was closed to God. The rejection of God was pushed to new heights in the children of America. The message they got was their wants and their desires were more important than the truths of God. They no longer had to acknowledge Him. Their wants and desires were more important than any god—especially the most high God who deserves our devotion.

We can see the results that quickly snowballed into the mess we have today. People out of work with little or no hope of finding one. The porno viewing pleasure of people in the library is more important than the rights of the child next to them because of free speech. A country where the criminals have more “rights” than their victims. We have deteriorated into a country that protects evil and supports criminals but tosses away the victims.

Genesis 18:16-29 (NIV)
Abraham Pleads for Sodom
16 When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. 17 Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.[a] 19 For I have chosen him , so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”
20 Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”
22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.[b] 23 Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous  people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare[c] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing —to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake. ”
27 Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?”
“If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”
29 Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?”
He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”

As intercessors we have the responsibility to turn our nation back to God. It is our job, our duty, our calling and should be the desire of our hearts. He will hear and our country will not only stand a chance to resist but will have to bow it’s knee to the Creator of the Universe and prayerfully be a field for the harvest.



Monday, August 20, 2012

Are you Living Your Dreams or Just Having Nightmares?


What is your Dream?

We are in the final hours: are you living your dreams or just having nightmares?

Genesis 37:1-11
Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.
This is the account of Jacob.
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad reportabout them.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”
His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.


God gives us the ability to dream. He plants our desires and our destiny is in His hands. Knowing that is such a relief. We don’t have to bother with plans of our own making (which easily turn into nightmares) we can just rely on the dreams He gives us.

Dreams start in your heart and grow into reality. Dreams are a part of our makeup from God. They are part of our spiritual DNA. He gives you the ability to walk in the dreams He provided. So many times we come up against something HARD and we think it isn’t God—stand back and behold His provision. In verse 5 Joseph shared his dream and his brothers hated him. Opposition is common. Hold to your dreams for the experiences we have are what prepares us to walk in our dreams. I could not intercede for the world if God had not given me dreams of the hearts of people individually, then in towns, in cities, in states, in countries, on continents, and throughout cultures. His preparations in our lives often sound like commands but it is the intensity of His love for us. It is us on his heart for our destiny—it is a stirring from inertia into a projection of the destiny we were created to fulfill.

2 Timothy 1:9

who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

You are called—the dreams are within you. 

Bonke: “Why do you play with marbles when you are called to move mountains.”

Warning. Warning.Warning. There is a demonic strategy, the attempt to sabotage the dream God gave you. He wants to:
        Steal the desires God gives you.
Kill the intent of your heart to walk in what God shows you.
Destroy the dream so destiny is thwarted.

Ephesians 6:12

 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

He is intent on the destruction of dreams. This is not a game and the enemy will stop at NOTHING to see you destroyed.


Genesis 39

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of theLord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house,14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed.15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

What are some of the less obvious ways he attacks?

1.   Doubts regarding your calling.  
    Genesis 37:28 28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. 
   
    Joseph had to be wondering what his dream had to do with being in the cistern and being sold into slavery. Those thoughts, those doubts those supposed setbacks are just emotions. We are not moved by our emotions but by the word of God.

2.   Remember who the father of lies is.

John 8:44b

He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

3.   Distractions and temptations in the form of materialism, daily activities and the cares of life.




4.   Assault you with problems, fears, curses, etc.  Paul had to remind Timothy to stir up, rekindle the calling—he was not called to fail but to move to fulfillment.


2 Timothy 1:6-7

            6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is
        in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a 
        spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power,of love and of self-discipline.

Walking in the dreams God had given us gives us vision, joy, excitement, the ability to worship in spirit and in truth. Fulfilling God given dreams helps:

1.   Keep your heart right no matter how often you are wronged, no complaining, no backsliding, no going back. Keep your heart.

Proverbs 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart,
          for it is the wellspring of life.
2.   He had a relationship with God. He cared more about God than his dream. Lay hold of God. The Lord was with Joseph

Genesis 39:2

The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his 
Egyptian master.

Genesis 39:21

the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 
3.   Keep an active prayer life. Gain comes in devotion

1 Peter 5:7

 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
4.   Keeps as air of expectation.

Jeremiah 33:3

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great  and unsearchable things you 
do not know.’
5.   Stay faithful keeping the main thing the main thing.
6.   Keeps you focused so you don’t go left or right.
7.   Make right decisions.
8.   Makes God first everywhere in your life.
9.   Keeps you in the center of His rewards Matt 25.

What does this have to do with intercession? If you are not following your dreams how can you pray for others’ dreams. We have to walk in the boldness of the Holy Spirit, the fullness of our calling, the compassion of our savior. He never stops making intercession for us.

Do you know someone struggling with a dream? Someone who is burdened because they have such a strong desire to walk in their “calling” but they are stuck? Do you see people stumbling in their walk, a stubbed toe, a foot slipped to the side, a broken heart because they are too “old”, or their children are too small or…or…or…. Is your heart moved or do you just spout platitudes?

Help someone fulfill their dream. It might be hard work. You will probably never get credit except in heaven. No one will know, but you will see the fulfillment of God in life after life after life and after all, isn’t that what it is about?