Today I was in a restaurant having breakfast with some dear friends before I took off to the airport. I spoke about doubt and unbelief. As I was thinking on this later, I decided it would make a really good post.
The bible tells us to not have doubt and unbelief. But what is doubt and what is unbelief? For some they assume they are one in the same. But they are two different areas that have two different outcomes in our life. If we are not to have doubt and unbelief, then we must have the opposites which are understanding and believing.
We all have times of doubt and unbelief in our lives. One of scriptures that always has stood out to me is in Romans 4 were it talks of Abraham. It says when he became fully persuaded, he believed the promise of God not doubting. Which means there was a time he wasn’t fully persuaded and had to go through a process to shift out of doubt. Being persuaded occurs in both the areas of doubt and unbelief. One deals with how we think of applying promise and the other of activation of the promise and the outcome if it. ,
Many people can have great faith but still have doubts if things will come to pass as promised. Others have deep assurance of promise, but their faith is lacking and hope the promise will come. If we are honest with ourselves, we all have been on both sides of this having doubt and great faith, and also times having no doubt but lacking in faith.
When we think of doubt we are dealing with assumed facts in the mind and how we perceive those facts working out. Facts are only conclusions based on inputs. We may or may not have all the inputs because facts are the best educated guess. When we think of unbelief, we are thinking of truths not fully developed. Truths of God that are sovereign and even can be spiritual law’s and promises. I see these truths as non-negotiables. This means doubt cannot and should not negotiate the outcome truth is trying to bring.
We see Abraham became fully persuaded, meaning the facts he was faced with, which are stated as the deadness of both his and Sarahs bodies, had to give way to the truth promised by God. God wasn’t moved by the facts and could even create new facts to dismiss doubt, hence their bodies were regenerated into the ability to bring forth a child of promise. But this was created by faith. It came down to what was going to rule and how Abraham would submit. He had to bring the final doubts under his spirit believing what God said was true. When this occurred, he was fully persuaded. It’s amazing of the power both the mind and the spirit have to create or deny.
Doubt occurs in your mind while unbelief occurs in your spirit. Doubt comes by your thoughts and the imaginations of your mind. It is how you perceive things and what you do with random thoughts. It is what you assume and what you fear. Doubt has a foothold in what we think on consider and ponder.
Doubt comes to diminish hope and even to dismantle hope. It comes to put hope aside. If hope is removed, then faith has nothing to create the evidence of things hoped for. You see doubt is as powerful as faith but has the opposite result. While doubt occurs in the mind, unbelief occurs in your spirit. Unbelief is not believing or engaging in spiritual truths that governor all things. Unbelief stops your faith working as well. It does this by not fully embracing truth by faith. Unbelief working hand in hand with doubt diminishes the possibilities of God and causes us to contemplate instead of engaging.
This is why Apostle Paul tells us to be careful what we hear. He also said to take every though captive to the obedience of Christ. Casting down imaginations and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. The knowledge of God is found in the truth of God. The imaginations are found in our mind. The real stronghold we are fighting is in our thought life. Whatever we allow to dominate will also create our reality. We can have facts, or we can have truths. We can have information, or we can experience life. We can have intellectual ascent or spirit ascent.
I hope this short teaching will provoke you to take a look at the possibility of your own areas of doubt and unbelief and turn them around to be assurance and full faith believing. Like Abraham its time we become fully persuaded of some things in our own lives.
This morning, I woke up and the Lord told me to write about kingdom centers, hubs, revival hubs, prayer hubs etc. I have written on this many times and even have a book on it many use as a handbook. All of these are titles for expressions of ministries outside of a typical church setting. Churches are places of nurturing for life. These centers are more for the advancement of Kingdom causes. Most offer more than a church can offer as well. In the 1970’s these were called parachurch ministries, meaning they stood alongside churches and did what churches refused to do, but more like what they couldn’t do or did not have the capability to do.
I started ministry with a church expression. That really was all there was in the 1990’s. If you were called to fulltime ministry, then you went this path. But after seeing the conflict in my people and coming to my own realization of my true call of apostle, I resigned from the church I started and told the people we were going to become an Apostolic Kingdom Center. Our current center has stood the test of time, first as a regional center in a corner of our state and now with a state wide call in the center of the state at the capital.
We started out as a center in 1995. At that time there was no center in my state of Iowa and few in the United States. I was persecuted by people, churches distanced themselves, people thought we were starting a spin off cult. I paid a high price to work through what I knew God wanted to do. But there were people who came. We started a accredited school, traveled our state doing meetings and helped places and people who had struggled with real answers. We invested into many cities and towns. We helped with church splits, churches dissolving and a host of issues. At the same time we were pressing for an awakening to come forth. But many rejected the apostolic and the center we had established.
I began traveling the United States speaking at conferences and finding others with this same heart. Over the years this has led me helping probably no less that 30-40 people start centers and give words to what they had in their heart. Some started Bbile schools as well for training. We helped with that as well, having an accredited school at one time. Today as I travel and speak I literally spend time talking to someone at every conference desiring to start a center or hub for their region. Some contact me later to discuss things in detail. This is the history I have to speak to the following.
So here is a description of Kingdom Centers, Hubs, Revival Hubs, Prayer Hubs or whatever title might be used. I’ll just call them Hubs since this is the current word being thrown around. Hubs first should have a large vision that encompasses all the other visions of those attending. Unlike a church you go to serve the vision of the church, a hub has a vison for the person who attend. The vision of the hub is large enough to encompass all the other visions people carry into the hub. Hubs are looking to see how to release the hidden potential in a person. Some offer opportunities that cannot be found in a local church.
Centers all carry certain dynamics. These are just a few.
Deep kingdom teaching with generally a set teacher or a series of teachers. This comes many times by a school of ministry being formed from the teaching grace. Some have leadership training. Life skills and worship team development. Others may be focused on a specific area of culture. But all have teaching, and it is not just regular teaching of foundations. It is a kingdom focused revelatory teaching. This sets the hub as the standard.
Solid doctrine. Teaching is paramount but solid doctrine is more. Of all the things the early church fathers were concerned about was solid doctrine. The second generation of apostles were constantly fighting for authenticity. By the third-generation men were drawing people to themselves by words that sounded good but had mixture. You will find no mixture in a Hub. There is great focus upon a solidness in what is taught as it will be reproduced over and over.
Activation. If you are teaching, then you also need activation into what has been taught. This is making things have a certain reality that moves from concepts to practical application. Hubs look at each person as having a place to be productive. There are not consumers but investors.
Opportunity. To activate there must be opportunity. With opportunity comes privilege. A hub creates opportunities of activation and responsibility. This generally comes through the activation of the dreams of the people. Their vision gets empowered, and the hub begins to branch outward in ministry.
Empowerment is by seeing the value in each person and who they can become. It is having a vision for them as an individual and also in a corporate body. It is believing in the person and knowing them.
Grace Dynamics. This is seen as all five graces of Ephesians 4 are seen to some degree or another. This mix causes a balanced approach and forms a true kingdom community of believers whose hearts are knit in love and concern. These graces are the catalyst to a creative atmosphere as well.
These are just a few of the ways Hubs operate. But most churches see them as competitive to their own vision, culture and community. Hubs are formed to bring and do what most churches may not have capacity for. Churches have boundaries to protect their culture. Hubs have boundaries to protect doctrine and truths. Some churches act like Hubs and probably will develop into them. I have helped many make this transition, to help them realize the struggles that come. Many times, you lose people due to the standard being raised. Commitment to a Hub and possibly a church also occurs. People become conflicted. Money is indeed another problem as most give to an institution than a Hub. Most Hubs fail due to lack of finances.
Many times, people who attend Hubs have no real church home and become the core group of a center. This will help with some of the problems and may create others. Why did they not fit in a local church. Are there areas in their life needing to be addressed? Possibly. Sometimes they come thinking it is a place they will shine or stand out.
Hubs each seem to have a specific assignment, and many have personal preferences of styles of worship, certain causes people rally around and maybe even a prayer focus. I don’t look at these as hubs because the vision is too singular and not all inclusive. Hubs are aware of all cultural issues and are looking at ways to shift or affect the culture. They are not looking for easing the problem but finding the root issues and addressing them. They encompass all the concerns and causes but hold them balance. The word and kingdom are foremost focus with Christ as the one orchestrating.
Many look at the church in Antioch as a model of a center or hub. But the real Kingdom center was Ephesus. Antioch was a culture crossroads and was filled with idolatry. It was actually a demonic center. Paul taught there and established a solid group of kingdom people. But Ephesus influenced Rome with its idolatry. Ephesus was also a place of cultural influence but was a crossroads to the rest of the known world. From Ephesus Paul would branch out and spread the kingdom.
Hubs should have an apostle overseeing them. All should be apostolic but that does not mean that an apostle is resident. It means they have come under an apostles grace a set apostle carries. That is key because apostles have been given authority to them within regions, territories states and even nations. They carry a certain grace pertaining to their assignment. Regions have graces to draw on that hold the answers people and leaders need. To deny this grace is to deny Christ set order. Myself I know I carry certain graces, one being an advancing grace. I also carry an atmosphere shifting grace. This grace brings the Spirit of Understanding as well. These are just a few. These dynamics are what cause expansions for those who engage and embrace it. If people don’t the grace is still present, just inactive or not to fullness.
Hubs are started not by a need for them, nor are they started because of being offended at churches. They are not started because of opportunity, nor because you cannot find a place to minister. They are God ordained and spiritually confirmed by other leaders. Most require the apostles active grace to even begin properly on solid doctrinal foundations. Of the dozens and dozens of hubs and centers I have seen and helped the ones who made it were truly ordained by God. The others seemed to fade away over time. It takes a pioneering spirit, a building anointing, a prophetic visionary type person. It requires great faith as well. Hubs and centers become great places of resources to a region, especially in spiritual activity, equipping and teaching. They extend these activities into other regions as well.
What I have experienced is many times church leaders don’t want to embrace what hubs and centers have to offer. It can reveal lack in their own ministries and the fear of losing people seems to keep them at a distance. Yet what centers and hubs offer is a great resource to make the role of pastor easier because people have been matured. Centers and hubs maintain high standards and are places of doctrinal security. Especially if they have a ministry school, they realize what is taught will be reproduced over and over. They don’t want more error being taught so doctrinal standards are maintained. If centers and hubs were embraced, the whole Body of Christ will be better off. It becomes the training ground for future leaders.
Today we see three words being used at times almost interchangeable. Awakening, revival and reformation. Lately reformation seems to not be as dominant as it once was. All three are very different in both outcomes and what we are talking about. We really need to understand our terminology better. Perhaps it’s due to the loss of our vocabulary over time. At the time of Shakespeare, the vocabulary used daily was 54,000 words. Todays modern culture it is reduced to 3,000 words. Because of this we lump words together to have a similar meaning.
The terminology we use causes us to not be on the same page as well. A revival many times has a great stirring of emotions to stir up the loss of passion for the Lord. Really it is saying we have lost our first love. Many revivals also have a heightened time of the gifts of the spirit moving as well. But these should be normal Christian life. When we look historically, we see locations where past revivals occurred are historically actually worse 100 years later than at the time before the revival. This is due to the fact of outward influences that caused the revival have been removed. So, there isn’t anything to build upon. Revival means to return to a former state of being or to revive such as to raise from the dead. That is a sad state of affairs to say we need a revival. It means we have lost the life we once had and need to return to it. We should never get ourselves into such a place.
Awakening is an internal moment an individual has that forever changes them. It means to get out of sleep, or to come alive to a new understanding. It affects how we see God in life and affects our perspectives, what we put effort and energy into and affects the people around us. If enough people experience awakening, we call it a great or mega awakening meaning enough individual people being awakened during a set time has reached a mass affect upon culture. This is when bars are closed, and people’s lifestyles are changed for the better. It becomes a cultural shift. Many of the past revivals were awakenings that occurred. These caused cultural reformation and realignment. Revival generally touches a smaller group, while great awakening touches the masses. Awakening being internal has a lasting effect and carries a foundation to build upon.
Do we see patterns of revival or awakening in scripture? We really don’t see revival. What we do see is an ongoing awakening. Even when things seemed stagnated or at a pause, another moment of seeking God produced a new insight in what to do, an awakening to a new dimension of faith unfolded. The church actually moved from one awakening to the next progressively. New revealing of truth happened and new experiences because of that revealing unfolded. It was going from glory to glory. This happens every time we read the word of God, and something is highlighted to us by the Holy spirit. We are awakened to another dimension of God we never knew. We constantly experience awakening on a daily or weekly basis.
The early apostles were very adamant to maintain authenticity to the original awakening truths. We see this in Acts 4 where they continued steadfast in the apostle’s doctrine. There are several written works concerning these truths and maintaining them. Polycarp, who was a disciple of Apostle John was one who tried to maintain what was most important that John and told him. He was eventually burned alive, and the flames did not consume him, so they drove a stake through his heart. Ignatius was another disciple of John who also maintained the integrity of the original truths. Both of these men made sure the apostle’s doctrine was documented correctly. Even in this second-generation of apostle’s people were already beginning to shift the scriptural understanding. By the third generation a battle with men’s influences was beginning, trying to bring men’s opinions into true spiritual faith and taint it. These times of sightly drifting from truth had an effect. It began a realization over time of missing something that had once been. This was the beginning of the modern-day revival mindset we have today. In all honestly it seems what we do as revivals today is actually “living faith outside the walls” more than finding what was lost. Revivals as we now know is really a new thing started in the 1700’s. They believed men had lost faith in God and focus on God was lacking terribly. They held meetings specific for people to either renew faith or experience it for the first time. Really it was more of an awakening than a revival.
When it comes to revival or awakening, I am more concerned about the fruit that is being produced. I am looking at 2 things in this. One does the outcome last and can I taste Christ within it. Second does it have the seeds to reproduced Christ, so he is multiplied. Does it have the longevity and legacy the early fathers were looking for in people’s lives? These things are kingdom minded and advancing.
Am I against revivals? I see it as something we should say we will work towards to not being needed. Our mindset should be that it is revealing something more detrimental than a fix to our current situation. Should our focus be on the church? Yes, to make sure it is in constant awakening. This requires an ongoing kingdom revelation to be allowed to flow. We must challenge people to pursue growth and their own disciplines. Do I think we need to change our terminology? Absolutely. We will, once we see ourselves different because we see constant awakening occurring in our own lives.
Like most Christians, we use the name of our Savior very loosely. We tack “Jesus” on the end of our prayer or request so it’s official and somehow makes what we just prayed justified. Yet, if we truly understood our actions, we would be filled with awe and wonder. Jesus means ‘Jehovah is salvation’ and Christ means ‘anointed one’. These are not titles but functions! Even at the time of Jesus birth, God determined his name “He shall be called Jesus” or his function, anointed. He also took on the name of His father Jehovah is salvation.
This name or function carries with it the ability to steward grace and eternity.
Let’s look at a word definition in John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God .
Name means = the name is used for everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, i.e. for one’s rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds,, etc.
The Bible enjoins us to pray “in the name of Jesus.” The invoking of Jesus’ name is not a magical incantation; its significance lies deeper. In the culture in which the Bible was written, a person’s name indicated the sum total of his attributes and character. To ask for something in Jesus’ name is not to tag on a phrase at the end of a prayer. Rather, it means that we believe that our request is what Jesus himself would ask for. We are showing that we are so closely aligned with the mind of Christ that we can make our request in his stead.
Looking at John 14:13-14 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son . If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it . We see this is a legal birthright of sons and daughters. This is asking without restrictions. But the one thing I want to point out is the name of Jesus is always associated with the Glory of God. WOW!
When we speak the name or accept the name, we are accepting not just a savior but we are identifying with the creator of the entire cosmos. It means we accept our own existence as a son or daughter of that name and we make a demand based on relationship with the creator of everything. The early church recognized the power of the name. They believed that when it was spoken it put into motion a power that would release something created based on what was spoken prior to the name. In other words, the name was not the conclusion of the matter prayed but the beginning or starting point of the answer. It was the extension of God now brought to bear into the earth. This would mean an answer was surely coming. God’s Glory was going to be revealed. A shifting was about to occur.
The name of Jesus was recognized by others. They knew an authority had to perform the miracles and that a name always carried association to a higher power. Acts 4:7-10
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this ? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel , 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole ; 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole . 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner . 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved .
Peter declares the authority the name holds and we see the glory of God revealed because of it. The leaders then determined an amazing thing. They were told in Acts 4:18-20 not to speak or teach in this name. The unbelievers realized the power of the name and what would be released if spoken or taught. When they told them not to speak, the word ‘speak’ is defined more as the sound wave that is carried than the content spoken. In other words, they were commanded not to release the power and Spirit behind the name that would cause a vibration in the hearts of men to be set off.
Then the apostles prayed this prayer: Acts 4:29-30 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word , By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus . They actually asked for more of an increase of the creative ability of the name! The outcome is God infuses the vibration of his Spirit into their midst and the place is shaken. This was an impartation of the Spirit associated with the name. (Remember the word “speak” means the sound wave over content)The prayer was a simple one but because the name is the beginning and not the end, a new chapter is about to open – Ananias and Sapphira. The church now moves to unified Acts 5:12, Magnified Acts 5:13, to multiplied Acts 5:14. And the apostles are jailed again, only to be released the same night because they are given orders Acts 5:20 to go speak the words of this life. The name of Jesus also holds life!
The apostles are beaten and told not to speak in the name again and they rejoice that they were counted worthy. You see the problem today is we use the name so loosely almost as a guarantee of our request. The early church used the name to touch lives not to get things. To bring the kingdom to bear into the earth. I will not go intothe other areas of the name such as Paul was called to bear or carry the name. How we take on the name as Christians, etc. But I want us to see why the harvest is not coming into the church yet.
The great commission has mandates we are to fulfill as The Church. A mandate is non-negotiable. It is something we do not have to pray about. Mark 16:17-18 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues ; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover .
THE NAME IS PART OF THE GREAT COMMISSION! Without us understanding the release and creativity of the name, we will never fulfill the great commission. Why was the early church so fearless, so radical? They understood that they represented the name and if they got into a tight spot, the name also had the ability to create whatever was needed for the moment! If we look at Acts and see everything they did, we see it was all listed in the great commission. Casting out demons, drinking poison, etc. and it was all associated with the name. You see everything was not based on faith, or education but an understanding of the power behind the name.
Now let’s look at one more point in conclusion. Today much emphasis is placed upon the prayer movement, harp and bowl (crown is missing) and 24/7 Davidic worship, etc. An answer of why we are not seeing breakthrough results is seen in scripture.
Acts 15:14-17 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name . 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written , 16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up : 17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things .
We as God’s people have to first associate with His name, the name of Jesus, not a denomination or organization. Remember the name is associated and brings Gods glory. Much of what we are seeing is not based on the name of Jesus but based on the name of an organization. Then Verse 16 says “after this” after what? When a people exist for his name, then God, not men, will reestablish a place of dwelling. Then the residue of all men will run into it to call upon his name. Here is the final thing. The tabernacle of David so many are trying to build is not about our worship or our prayers but is supposed to be about His name! It is not to bring The Church into intimacy or get them excited but it is to be the greatest evangelism tool the world will ever see. It is a place were the Glory of God dwells because the name is being continually released creating and touching the needs of all men! When this occurs the name of Jesus will not be a conclusion but a release of creative power bringing the beginning of the future!
This blog could be the most important blog I have ever written. I am always looking for keys and challenges to present before the body of Christ. Many want the dynamics of the church in Acts but don’t know the mindsets they had, nor the seriousness of purpose. They did not live compartmentalized lives but lived their faith and then inserted life into it.
What I see is today’s body is so fixated on themselves and their needs getting fulfilled week after week in meetings. We have made a self-perpetuating focus on ourselves with not much focus on the kingdom work at hand of creating image barriers. We have causes and programs associated with them. We pray and maybe even act upon so many moral and social convictions and yet seem to see such hard-faced battles with some results and maybe low to no results. What is missing? The answer is a God-sent burden.
The early church had a very intense burden they carried for the work of God to advance. They had a burden for souls. This burden was so much part of their faith walk, that they only acted upon what they were burdened for. Today’s church has causes without burden, prayer with no burden, and programs with no burden. In all honesty, I see we don’t have much of a burden for anything. If we did much of what we do would have a huge impact.
What you’re burdened with is what you will invest yourself into. It is what you will give time, resources, and even your heart. Without this burden, we are not aware of the spiritual climates and conditions around us. We also miss opportunities each day because we are not tuned in to the spirit realm, which is another thing a true burden from God will do, get us focused.
I’m not talking about your pet projects or your passions. I’m talking about an apostolic burden, or a burden sent by God to send you out from it. I’m talking about something that you cannot accomplish unless there is a dependency upon God. A true burden will be an activator of true faith. It will reveal God’s righteousness and create His justice.
Paul was burdened for the church:
2 Corinthians 11:28 (KJV 1900) — 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
The word “comes upon” means something clearly identified, anxiety, pressure and concern, responsibility, oversight. He was not pushing off the burden God had assigned him.
Paul was burdened for his kinsmen:
Romans 9:1–5 (KJV 1900) — 1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Paul was a Roman and wished other Romans would come to salvation.
Paul was burdened for Israel:”
Romans 10:1–4 (KJV 1900) — 1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Paul was burdened for fullness to come:
Colossians 4:12–13 (KJV 1900) — 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
A burden will take you from secondhand knowledge to firsthand experience. A vision that has no burden attached is a religious structure. Just like a call with no burden has no destination. When you answer the call, you are accepting and answering the burden of God. But when burden is acted on it will also release Grace … the ability of God to create change. Many times, a burdened prayer will receive a quick result. It is because the burden activates grace for change.
Galatians 6:1–5 (KJV 1900) — 1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
These verses seem to be double-minded. But if we look at the word meanings we see a different thought is being given. Bearing each other’s burdens is to help carry the load a person is under. The definition of burden in verse 2 means there is too heavy, crushing, loads (barē)—more than a man could carry without help.
But Paul then says something in verse 5 that seems contradictory. We are to bear our own burdens. This second burden is “phortion”: It is used to designate the pack usually carried by a marching soldier. It is the “burden” Jesus assigns to His followers (Matt. 11:30). It comes from the word meaning of carrying the ship’s cargo, which is tied to an apostolic work. (An apostle was also the commander of a fleet of ships.) A further definition likens it to a soldier carrying what the commander or apostle saw as necessary or valuable for the mission. When we help each other carry the first burden it enables each person to carry the second burden. It is not taking care of the first for our relief. It is helping with the first so we can be effective in service with the second burden.
The burden will release God’s glory as well. As we look back on every great outpouring it was started by prayer. But it wasn’t just prayer it was burdened prayer. There is something about giving ourselves to the burden that releases the Glory of God connected to it. The greater the burden the greater the glory. Deep travail is the revealing of someone beginning to be caught in the burden.
Burdens are not man-made nor even man inspired but are given by God to bring glory to His name. They are heaven-sent and are part of a corporate plan for the Body of Christ. In this hour God is looking to and foe to see who will carry His burden that will release grace, create change, remove injustice, and let His name be glorified.
In the scriptures, Leviathan is seen as a demonic being we have to deal with. This morning in a conversation, the Lord gave me a great revelation concerning this demonic force and how it works. First, some background on what Leviathan is. It is a seven headed dragon-like creature that was believed to live in the streams. Its counterpart, Behemoth looks like a rhinoceros and lives in the mountains. Leviathan, having seven heads and a singular body, has a primary assignment to create indebtedness. It was called a twisting serpent and was believed to wrap itself around a person’s eyes and cause the inability to see sunlight. It also is seen in Hinduism as one of their gods. It is called a piercing serpent and is seen as piercing the base of the skull with its tail. The base of the skull by those in occultism is looked at as the point of Kundalini and also life force or flow. This is why yoga is so wrong; it tries to trigger this area of the skull. The base of the skull is also the place connected to astral projection and connected to the silver cord found in Ecclesiastes 12:6.
Leviathan is found in the streams or flows of many of the spiritual meetings going on right now in the overall church structure. It does not mean our stream is demonic, but I am speaking of demonic presence trying to come into the stream that is occurring. I believe we may have allowed past and even present streams to become polluted that allow access for this spirit. This demonic spirit is trying to stop others from experiencing the awakening by taking residence in streams and affecting those participating in those streams.
Since part of its assignment is to bring poverty or lack, this seems to be a major hold right now with many apostolic and Kingdom works. Many Kingdom centers and emerging voices and places of awakening are lacking in the area of funds to perform the Kingdom work and assignments. I believe it is directly related to a second indebtedness, an indebtedness to religious systems. This is seen as an obligation to remain in the past structures that have no life. Many in this hour are benefiting from apostolic alignments and from revelatory teaching found in emerging Kingdom centers, apostolic churches and other forerunner type ministries. But at the same time, many are still putting their tithe in past structures or streams due to being “indebted” to that structure by obligations, soul ties or traditions and not by real life-giving relationships. These fading structures should be approached from a missiology perspective by those still attending both them and the emerging move. These structures should not be looked at except through the eyes as a missionary place to minister life-giving flow. They need awakening.
Leviathan’s seven heads represents the double mindedness and inability to make a full commitment to embrace the light and revelation that lies before us. This demonic force comes to wrap in a twisting motion around us and to take the truth and twist it as well creating many iniquities. The truth of freedom, awakening, reformation and Kingdom has been twisted by those who want to deny its graces upon others. The wrapping of its long neck over the eyes is the stoppage of revelation coming that “seeing, we might see and be converted.” The neck represents the will and it is allowing its will to cover instead of God’s will to fully cover.
Many outside of the Body are experiencing this in full force right now. Many are in such tight bondages and they are having such a hard time seeing truth. We have many different types of belief systems going at the same time. We are disjointed on End Times, Israel, the existence of five-fold ministry and function, the existence of the Holy Spirit, Kingdom/Church, open Theism, hyper- grace, and other multi- head beasts all fighting for a voice in the midst of the stream of truth. Many have taken over the stream fully and have become the main voice. Many of these streams are polluted and Leviathan is sitting in the midst of the streams controlling them.
The covering of Leviathan is scales of pride (Job 41:15). This pride is very evident in the Body of Christ. It says the scales are joined one to another. Pride seems to connect to others walking in pride and when this occurs, it becomes a covering we think is impregnatable. This is reflected in many pastoral gatherings, alliances and meetings. As we try to participate in supporting these gatherings, we do not fit many times. Do not come under these coverings. What you submit to, you then are indebted to. The verse goes on to say ‘his heart is as stone’. This is the outcome of pride, hardness of heart. Pride protects what must be changed. This demonic force has tried to stop the changing of hearts in this current move from unfolding. Pride is such a terrible thing in men’s lives. The unwillingness to admit to a need or a lack causes stoppage of God becoming strong in our weakness. When we say we are without need we then enter into self deception. This spirit has led many into this place. If not careful, they will become reprobate in mind. I strongly urge you to read all of Job 41 and see the things we are combating.
I hope these things make sense to you. I am seeing very clearly the struggles so many are going through are directly related to this demonic force. It is stopping the embrace of truth, awakening, etc. It has positioned itself in the streams of the past to try and stop the flow of new streams emerging today.
Our hope is found in Psalm 74:13 As God says He will break the head of Leviathan and feed it to the people in the wilderness. I think of a song Ric Pino sings and the words go like this “He gives us giants for our bread”. The victory of defeating this power will be living bread for us. He goes on to say He will dry up the streams he is living in. We better be sure we have the right stream flowing.
In Isaiah 27:1, He says He will take His sword and slay Leviathan. That sword is in us. It says He will both punish and slay. I believe that punishment will come through the Saints, the holy remnant rising and standing against him. For seven heads we have something more, the seven-fold spirit of God. The seven lamps are burning. Seven graces and divine enablement’s. Seven mysteries of Christ the great warrior and conqueror of all demonic powers. When his will no longer is wrapping us and his scales of pride no longer covering us, we then can free others.
It seems to work with Diana in Acts 16. Diana means fully enlightened, but flow restrained. We can have great enlightenment, which I believe we have, but something is restraining us. It’s the entanglement of a Levithan spirit. It is not so concerned if you get revelation but is concerned if you flow with revelation. It tries to slow the process of flowing by blinding what revelation we currently have. It tries to twist it. It tries to restrain it. If you desire or have to have more and more revelation but never do anything about it, you are falling into a spiritual trap. Our stagnation allows an entanglement to occur.
It’s time to defeat leviathan in our own lives and then in the lives of spiritual structures and in the culture. We do this by speaking the truth in love. We do this by doing works, so our faith is not dead. We do this by realizing I no longer live but Christ lives in me and through me and the life I now live I live by faith in the son of God.
I was up in the night contemplating the prayer life of the church and how much prayer is done daily on a global scale. The hours and numbers of those praying. The energy it represents and how much is happening and also how much for all the effort is not happening. I have just come out of a dynamic prayer meeting which had much heart felt repentance and open confession of lack and need for God to intervene. It was powerful. Why are some prayer meetings so strong and good and then others seem flat?
As I contemplated this in the night I reflected on the early church of Acts. They had both individual prayer and corporate prayer. They also prayed with different types of prayer based on the current moment and need. Theses are thanksgiving, supplication, faith, agreement, intercession, binding and losing, and imprecatory. I have written about these before in my blog post and in my book on imprecatory prayer. They knew which type of prayer was needed for each situation. It was not one fits all. That is the first reason some prayer meetings are good, and others aren’t. We are hitting and missing with our approaches.
I also reflected back to the single focuses of the church in Acts 2:42. To stay in the apostle’s doctrine, prayers (plural) fellowship and breaking of bread. The apostle’s doctrine was to implement the doctrines of Christ and bring forth the Kingdom. It is listed first as a target to hit, then prayers plural is listed as this is a tool to accomplish this. The fellowship or intimacy was with God and each other and able to happen because of the times of prayer.
I then was reminded how they prayed in Acts 4 they prayed for boldness and suddenly the place was shaken and instantly they received boldness. The response was directly tied to the prayer and the prayer was based on advancing the kingdom. They said the one thing they lacked to be effective and cried out in desperation for it. God answered and they were forever changed. The right prayer meeting does not give you relief but produces lasting change. What a powerful prayer meeting. It reminded me of the one we had just had. Our prayer was not about meeting our needs but about shifting us for service.
Jesus said don’t pray for what you need for your father in heaven knows before you ask. Matt 6:8. Then he gives the Lord’s prayer in the next verse. He gives the model for prayer with the emphasis on the Kingdom and the power and the Glory. It seems the personal prayer was for the examination of ourselves and the corporate prayer a defined intention.
In Acts 12 Peter is in prison and the church is praying without ceasing for his release. A specific focus of why the meeting has been called. It was a continuous meeting probably with people in shifts coming and going. The assignment was driving them and the vision of the outcome. When Peter knocks on the door their assignment is completed. The ramifications of this a new season of Spiritual history is about to unfold. The transition from Jerusalem to the world.
Again, in Acts 13 as they were ministering to the Lord the Holy spirit said, and Paul and Barnabas were chosen for an assignment. THEN they prayed before they were sent out. This prayer was for the corporate assignment that had just been spoken by the Holy spirit. It seems the meeting was not so much a prayer meeting seeking direction as it was a meeting of simply ministering to the Lord. The word ministered means to serve the state at your own cost, to do service, to discharge an office.
I have been in all night prayer meetings and after doing it a few times and seeing pillows and sleeping bags come in the door it kind of lost its purpose. In Africa they have asked me if I wanted to call prayer vigil or all-night prayer. I asked the host pastor why? It seemed he felt the anointing was needing empowered by prayer or needed to increase and prayer was the answer. I told the pastor these people are up early and are working all day. They are coming here in the evening and the meetings are running long. This is the third day with one more to go. Why would I put this on the people?
I know every move of God was birthed from prayer. I know nothing moves without prayer. I also know the very much needed times of prayer and have seen the changes that occurred. I’m just saying perhaps our model of prayer, the scheduled structures we have created, and our approaches need to have more of an intentionality about them to make them more of a special moment. I have done this with communion. I only do it when Holy Spirit prompts me to. This makes it hold greater value when we do share communion and takes away the religious pattern and traditions.
Perhaps we should not call prayer meetings on a schedule but schedule them when there is a real need. How many times do people ask,” Are you going to the prayer meeting tonight?” If there is not a sense of urgency in gathering to get answers then why is there a meeting. Are we caught in traditions?
So, what am I trying to say in all of this? I am seeing the direct correlation to not having prayer meetings to have prayer meetings, but they should always have a greater purpose and vision. Something beyond our own selves. They should reflect on the assignments and kingdom advances. They should be part of a flow. To me this is why prayer meetings seem to have low attendances, because these things are not seen. If you reflect on your prayer meetings the most successful were the ones with these elements or the dealing in hearts to be prepared for service. So like spiritual flow in a service, or flow in worship, maybe we need to have a spiritual flow in prayer meetings. Each one seen in the Bible produced an eternal result.
Everyone deals with self-esteem at some point in their life. Some deal with low self-esteem all their lives. It is something I have had to work people through over my entire ministry life. Some face the extremes of lacking self-esteem by the ongoing demeaning of a person until the person is completely broken down. This can come by others who press you down to gain advantage over you and feel better about themselves. It can also come by doing it to ourselves thinking we deserve it. Self-esteem could be termed self-value or how you value yourself. Self-esteem is how you value the very essence of yourself. We all deal with self-esteem in many ways. Confidence is a major one.
Webster’s defines self-esteem as: a confidence in one’s own worth or abilities; self-respect.
The confidence in one’s own self-worth is not in right decision-making but is found deeper. It is having a settledness in who you are, (Identity) and the potential that is inside you. Most of the time, confidence is eroded when things go bad or go in a different direction than anticipated. Life events have nothing to do with our self-esteem but if we are not careful, we will let it come in and begin to erode our confidence. I have had many life events go in the wrong direction. There was pressure to let those moments define me and who I am. I made business decisions that cost me tens of thousands of dollars. Other business decisions should have made me wealthy, but I ended up breaking even. Still other decisions made me doubt why I chose a certain direction. But all of them had factors out of my control along with my assumption that others would act like I act, from the same value system. But I decided to allow God to define me instead and He saw me through the detrimental life events. Self-esteem is never formed from hindsight and the what ifs. It is formed by knowing who you are and what you are capable of.
We make decisions based on the information at hand, experience, and a trust in others to perform what has been determined. We believe they value what we value and will respond like we would respond. How they respond is outside of our control. Self-esteem is about you as a person and not outside influences, and how they affect you. You remain deep down who you are no matter what happens in life around you. You are a person, and those influences are events. Two very different things.
Self-esteem is really a measuring of what we feel we should be doing and attain, versus what we are doing. The in-between is the place self-esteem is determined. The closer the gap between our reality and what we feel is “perfection”, the greater our self-esteem. The wider the gap, the less we feel about ourselves. We must be careful not to widen the gap by the words we speak and how we see ourselves. Self Esteem is not just how we value ourselves but starts by how we see ourselves. How we compare “us” to possibly a false image of “us” or what others might expect or even others we admire. Correct self-esteem will always have a gap between where we are at now and where we see our potential really is. That’s healthy self-esteem, evaluating improvement but not being driven by the standard of perfection.
2 Corinthians 10:12–13 (KJV 1900) — 12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
We have wrong self-esteem when we have wrong standards by which we measure ourselves. We may be coming up with unrealistic ideas of what the standard for ourselves should be. We set standards upon ourselves that God never intended. He knows we have limitations, and He has made provision for the lack, mistakes, and choices. It really becomes a mental health issue of having healthy and realistic expectations of ourselves. Ones that give us a realistic target to hit and not a perfectionist mentality that we sometimes hit but most of the time, fall short.
But self-esteem deals with how actions determine our value. Our actions come from our value system. How we value ourselves and what we know to be true about ourselves. That’s why when those values are violated by others, it cuts us deeply. Our first response generally is that there is something wrong with me. But really, how people respond and when they respond poorly or with differing values that are less than ours, only shows areas needing adjusted in their lives and not ours.
Actions may be right or wrong at times, but the value of who we really are remains the same. It never changes nor is it reduced. God is no respecter of persons and values every person equally. He loves us because He chose to love us, not based on our actions or lack of actions. God has no variable or sliding scale. He sees us how He made us and not what comes at us, trying to change the very depths of who we are. His opinion of us remains the same while ours may change. Self-esteem is really who you are as a person, more so than the decisions you make. Value is not determined by our actions but by our character, value systems, moral living, treatment of others, kindness, compassion, appreciations, and the unique and wonderful way God made us. These are the things I point out to those who have self-esteem issues.
If you have self-esteem issues, you can approach it in two ways. First is the resetting of the perfection bar you have established. Problems in life do come along. People deceive us, lie to us, abuse us and a host of other things. These do not demean our value but come to erode at our perceptions of ourselves. If we are not careful, we put them into how our self-esteem is formed. We set high unattainable standards thinking this will stop the life issues. Set a realistic goal for your life and find happiness that you are on the journey to reach it. Remember that how the journey unfolds will not define who you are.
The other area is seeing if we truly are living below our potential. Perhaps we have a ‘let’s wait and see’ attitude or an unwillingness to put energy into bettering ourselves. This also must be addressed and shifted. God expects a good healthy attempt with what we can do and not ultimate perfection from us, as He says there is none perfect, not one. To adjust self-esteem, we need to take the undue pressure off us. We close this gap by making an effort, working our potential, and measuring it with God’s realistic viewpoint, and our self-esteem will quickly rise.
I had this written before the recent Tornados that hit Kentucky. The trauma they are experiencing is beyond comprehension. The loss of life, property, dreams, heritage and a how daily life was done, is a trauma that takes time for healing to occur. In these kinds overwhelming situations you will go through all the stages of loss: grieving, anger, despair and a host of other things. It is hard for those who know the Lord and the hope and peace He can bring. I honestly don’t know how anyone can have that strong of a will to make it without Him. I wrote this blog to deal with the daily issues of life more so than the catastrophes of life. I hope some of this will be applicable to both.
There is a lot going on in culture. There are two types of things I see prevalent in the church culture right now. First is the denial of problems, pain, disease etc. It is like if we deny, it doesn’t exist. This is coming from the belief of positive confession etc. Negative things do exist and not calling it by name does not make it go away. The faith movement has made us go to an extreme of not admitting to what we are facing. Denial does make it any less real and can mask something to never be addressed. This denial thinking is not very well accepted by the emerging generation as it is not authentic.
The second is the over focus on the problem of trauma, depression, anxiety, and a host of other societal problems. This has led to a cultural acceptance in the church that it’s ok to not be whole. Again, an honest evaluation, but not a Godly or biblical perspective. Jesus did not just heal, but made whole to the degree the effects caused by the problem were reversed as if they never occurred. But the over emphasis on trauma can create a self-destructive path and a non-deliverance mindset. The problem is real, but its magnitude is more than the answer. The focus is on self and feelings than faith and freedom. This focus on the problem more than the solution is not very well accepted by an older generation who will say “just get over it.” Which is coming from the first mindset of denying it. This position is not accepted by an older generation who has endured much.
So, we are sitting in two different philosophies and approaches. But both have many things in common. Both approaches do not bring wholeness to the issues. Both do not have a solid pathway to resolve. Both have faith involved to a degree, but not true authentic Biblical faith. But what is positive is both have a desire to be walking in freedom as an outcome.
We all have things we will go through in life. I see three areas of roots causes of trauma.
First, some are just life issues due to living in a sin filled world that we feel the effects of. Unredeemed man and man’s greed and pride can come into play. These can create all kinds of abuses from others. Rape, deception in business, murder, revenge, corrupt governments, unfair situations. We can create a lengthy list. It is the unredeemed areas of men, acted upon. These are external processes that affect a person’s life.
Second, other things are our own poor decisions and responses that have caused our problems. These things create a self-induced calamity that can become a false identity and an ongoing cycle of trauma, or life events that are detrimental to our emotional and mental health. These are emotional and psychological areas that come as defense mechanisms to cope with or not cope at all. These decisions are not being responsible for our choices which have repercussions. These can create “loops” of thinking and lead us to a self-deceived state the Bible speaks of. These are internal processes.
And finally, that which seems unexplainable or makes just no sense. These things are demonic or have demonic roots. This would be the demonic attacks to slow us down, distract us and cause confusion in faith. I have experienced all of these and I’m sure you have to. But we give too much credit to demonic things and deny the first two sources. I have had my dark times in life, but I decided to not live in the darkness and allowed the light of God’s deliverance to come in. These are supernatural processes.
At times it can become confusing as it appears all three are at work at the same time. That can be true. The demonic forces bring things to shift our faith. The same time demonic forces move upon the evil in men’s hearts to create situations that affect us. We then make decisions emotionally and intellectually more so than spiritually lead. So, what is the balance we need?
We need to not deny our problems or the problems of others, but face them from a biblical perspective. This emerging generation needs to be taught, not denial, but how to walk out life and still find rest during the storms. We were not promised a life of ease but a life of overcoming. But to overcome there first must be a battle, or something we must gain victory over. This is where the older generation should be quick to train and encourage rather than judge or give a quick answer without investment.
We must walk out the problems by facing them and finding solutions. For some they seek a counselor, therapist, or an emotional health person to help them deal with things. These can help, but the only way to truly be free is to allow God to deliver, heal and make whole by restoration. Lazarus was dead and Jesus called him asleep first, but because the people couldn’t go there in understanding, he finally said, “He is dead.” Jesus came to change the life calamity with light and life. His perspective was positive, not negative. Others were sick or demonized and Jesus recognized the condition, and then addressed the thing holding people bound. What is needed is a perspective from God, not ourselves. From the potential of faith which exceeds our understanding. If we don’t shift into a position of faith, then things will hold a grip on us, a grip that is more intellectual, and emotional based on the current condition and not the future.
When I came into the kingdom many years ago, there was not any of the counseling things we have today. If you had a problem or anxiety, depression or any type of emotional problem you and God worked it out. Your dependency grew on God until you had a breakthrough. You were also dependent strongly on the spiritual community you engaged in to stand with you, hold you accountable and walk out healing with you. It made us closer and more connected in heart. No one journeyed in trauma alone. We had emotions, we had feelings, but it was our faith in God that caused breakthrough. We didn’t deny, but lived above things, knowing God was our breakthrough.
God is near those who are broken-hearted. God does not draw close to just bring comfort, but comes to resolve or bring change. Every time Jesus was near those broken hearted, he brought a shift into their lives. Jesus is the agent of change, and his involvement will always produce change. Like all healing it is God who is the ultimate healer. He has allowed healing to come by all kinds of ways. He uses doctors, people, loved ones, friends, and even kids at times. All are relationships and that is what we experienced in my early years. Someone in my Christian circle could be carrying your answer. If you are out of fellowship, you could be delaying your answer. I have seen this happen constantly, that an answer was given in a meeting, but the person wasn’t there and never heard it, so they struggled until the answer came again later in the future.
Some emotional traumas are how others have treated us physically and emotionally, abusing us. Those require healing, time and seeing God step in to make us whole again. Many other emotional traumas we face come because of what we hear or assumptions we make. We are quick to allow our mind to imagine all kinds of fantasy. I had a spiritual daughter come to my office and demand I tell her who was talking about her behind her back. I told her, “No one.” After about 20 minutes of arguing she would not back down. I told her, “O.K. I’ll tell you who is talking about you, there is only one person and it’s you!” Sometimes we make things bigger than they are. We also hear in ways that come from past hurts so what we hear may not be completely accurate. It really comes down to not what we hear but how we hear. A person may be accusing but it may be coming from their own insecurity or hurts. It’s how we hear their voice in the accusation. Do we hear the accusation or the hurt it comes from?
Jesus said in the parables to be careful “How” we hear. The problem is not hearing God’s voice but distinguishing it with confidence from all other voices. There are five voices affecting our spiritual ears.
God’s voice – which can be a still small voice
Man’s voices, the flesh – your desires and emotions
Voice of reason – your intelligence
The voice of conscience – your sense of knowing right from wrong
Satan’s voice – deception
All of these have certain familiarities to them. We are most familiar with our intellect and our conscious. Then our voice or emotions, then satan’s, and finally God’s. As you see God’s voice is at the end and the other voices are entertained. If we create a new order of God’s voice first the outcome becomes; our conscience will submit to it, our intellect will embrace it, our desires and emotions will yield to it, and Satan’s voice will be diminished or gone.
As I said, we all go through traumatic events in life due to one of the three reasons. We are not going to avoid it. It’s how we negotiate the moment and what voices we are allowing to dictate and form us during it and afterward. You can tell by this story how I negotiated the three areas and the five voices.
I can remember being clinically depressed for over a year. I was transitioning into the apostolic from the prophetic and I had not heard God’s voice for a year. I also was denied any ministry role everywhere I turned, and leaders were pitting people against me. I was hearing all the voices, but the most important, God’s. I was trying to sort out what decisions I had made that were wrong (there weren’t any). And I was living in others unredeemed responses and oversight in my life. I knew the enemy was trying to stop me at every turn and constantly spoke to me about failure, unqualified, rejected, no value and would never find my purpose, identity or do anything of any value for God. I fought all the voices, all the influences, and still wasn’t having break-through. During it, my youngest son died and was pronounced dead in the hospital. I got the call and instead of conscious or emotions or intellect or even the voice of Satan dictating, I allowed God’s voice already in my spirit to rise. Remember, I was in a deep depression and hadn’t heard God’s voice for a year. But His voice was still in me, just buried in the mud of everything. I told the devil he could take everything, but wouldn’t take my son. Not a tear, not a fear, not a voice of reason, but the gift of faith came to me. I went to the hospital and raised him off the table 2 hours after he had died. You see, denying the other voices has given my son from that day (Dec 2) 30 more years of life so far. Which could have been for me, to live in 30 years of trauma instead. It came down to a decision I had to make concerning God’s role in my life.
I know this short teaching doesn’t cover every unique detail, but I will say I have helped people work through all kinds of abuse, trauma, suffering, rejection, mental stresses, emotional upheaval etc. all thinking in the moment there is no way I’ll ever get free. Yet they all did. Some in a few weeks and others many years. You can avoid future things by hearing God, and you can heal from past things by God speaking into you. Everyone is only a guide to healing, be it emotional, mental, or physical. But the bottom line is, God is the one who brings the wholeness. All those things do not define who you are to God and what you can do for Him upon the earth. There are many things to bring wholeness, but dealing with the voices is a main hurdle to overcome and will help in the entire process. I hope this helps you break free from a cycle you may be in, and I also hope it helps you heal from past hurts.
This will not be an in-depth teaching on deliverance. But I want to speak to what we are seeing because there is a greater level of demonic influence leading to more deliverances being conducted. This is due to several things. Culturally we are more accepting of people acting out. We must be aware of is as the true church arises, demonized people deep down want to be free and will seek out those places that bring freedom. This is what is bringing a new awareness to deliverance. My concern is seeing a repeat of many years ago of a lot of confusion in deliverance that finally leveled out as it matured. We seem to be repeating this again in some circles as deliverance ministry is new to many recent believers. I have seen believers who are still walking our deliverance or in need of deliverance trying to conduct deliverance on other people. We are planning to do a full conference in this area in the near future to help instruct people.
With so much attention on deliverance and so many “Experts” I decide to write into this subject to help bring some clarity. First what qualifies me? Let me give you some history and then Ill speak to some of the things going on.
I have always been involved in deliverance minsitry. It started when I was 6 months old in the Lord in 1979. Many people were getting delivered from drugs, and a huge number of other things and we had many demons manifesting. These deliverance went on for many years. We eventually did mission trips into West Africa in 1992 and went to the location were all the witchcraft in West Africa originated. Along the way we confront a village of four hundred witches, saw demonized monkeys, saw witches saved and delivered, and a typical night would do 2-300 full blown deliverances in a meeting. In 2000 I went into Nigeria and dealt with witchcraft at new levels. Witches behead people in anger that I as an apostle and had come into the area. I have seen curses broken, eyes regenerated where there were empty sockets, hearing come back, sunken skulls pop out, plagues dissolve, women be able to conceive, broke the power of water gods who impregnated women, and I had to take authority over a witch doctor who astral projected into my bedroom once. There are many curses put by witches. In one place a death in an intersection happened weekly because the witches had put a curse on it. I took 300 pastors, stopped the traffic broke the curse and until this day no deaths. These are only a few things ill share as most people in the western church wouldn’t believe or would acknowledge how real it can truly be.
In the states I have cleaned out homes where demons were being seen. In one home they were turning on the water faucet. In another they were seen walking around in the night. Our ministry was birthed doing deliverance as over sixty cult people got saved and went through ongoing deliverance. We had daily walk-in deliverances as well for 12 years. We confronted strong holds over families, broke generational curses, and took out a couple primary principalities. We have seen people levitate, contort and just about any kind of manifestation.
But what makes me most qualified to address some of the things I see is not just my experience in these areas, but my current position in the Lord as an apostle, father, leader, and biblical student of the word. There is a grace to bring order and see authority be effective.
There Is a lot of people in this hour doing a lot of deliverances with what I can see either a mix of understanding or a lack of understanding due to immaturity. There is a great need for deliverance minsitry, but it needs to be done in a right way and order. Demons are very stealthy and slick. Demonic spirits will point the finger at others and accuse them of the very thing they are doing. The main strongest demonic spirits will sacrifice other demons in a deliverance so they can remain hidden. So, you need to move based on what your spirit knows not what you observe. My greatest concern in this hour that we are repeating is the sensationalizing of the demonic and the over focusing and fixating that occurs. Jesus rebuked the disciples talking so much about demonic forces instead of talking life giving conversations. As deliverance is occurring right now, and I’m really concerned about how many are modeling how it should be done.
Mercy Deliverance
To me God will deliver people when deliverance is done in ignorance and without much knowledge. I call this Gods mercy on a person. In many ways this deliverance is very pure as all the motives are gone and the simple innocent desire for someone to be free remains. The person doing the deliverance may not have much knowledge or understanding. They may not have ever been around deliverance. But the great desire they have for the person to be free and the love they have for the person will free them. God loves people so much he will deliver them despite our techniques or understanding. Sometimes God heals people the same way. Sometimes God simply delivers the person without someone doing deliverance on the person.
Showmanship Deliverance
This is deliverance that draws a lot of attention to the demon itself and the person doing the deliverance. Talking to demons, getting its name or history etc. does nothing to facilitate the deliverance and is not needed. Jesus asked for the name once and Legion responded. This was not to create a deliverance doctrine but to show the strength of the authority of casting demons out no matter the vast number. Showman’s ship deliverance sensationalizes deliverance and can empower the demon as attention is being given to it. Afterall demons do lie and will tell you things you want to hear. This type of deliverance is not done in love and desire for the person but for the one doing the deliverance to be known. This kind of deliverance can be lengthy and drawn out. It also can be very traumatizing for the one being delivered. It has a lot of confusion, chaos and many voices. Many times, there is not a set person leading the deliverance but an entire gang.
I understand there is much zeal, and that zeal may come out without much control being present. But this is about the person being free more than my own self expressions. In other words, many times showmanship deliverance is done for bragging rights and to create a following. God will still deliver a person even if the motive of the deliver is wrong. This can cause people to think this is the correct way, after all a result happened. But there is a more excellent way. The way of love.
Training in Deliverance
To me training deliverance is when a person wants to learn deliverance minsitry but has lots of struggles doing the deliverance. The only real way to learn deliverance is by actually doing it. This means you will make mistakes and struggle in some areas. Being with a seasoned person will help you through the journey. This is how I have always trained deliverance people. You can teach the areas understanding is needed in, but the actual application is when the real training begins. Jesus sent the disciples out and when they came back, he told them what had happened. No one should ever do deliverance by themselves and should always have at least one other person. When in West Africa we had over three hundred people manifesting, ripping their cloths off, smashing their heads into trees etc. We had to tie them up with ropes. The Pastors did not know how to do deliverance, so we showed them how and trained about twenty pastors as they did it.
Biblical Deliverance
Let me say this as I start this area. People perish for lack of knowledge. We need several things to be effective in deliverance. I’m not going to cover this as an all-inclusive teaching but a simple addressing the need for understanding. You can accomplish anything with love, even if you’re lacking. Love covers a multitude of sins, short comings and inadequacies.
With Biblical deliverance you need four things in deliverance. Know your authority. Use your faith. Hear the Holy Spirit. Rightly discern the spirits. Everything else is a bonus but not needed to be affective. You don’t need to know a list of demons and their attributes. You don’t need the demon to talk to you and tell you things because everything is probably a lie. You don’t need an exorcism cross, or holy water. You don’t need a demon to thrust about or scream to have a deliverance. You simply hear God, rightly discern, bind the demon and cast it out with the authority you have been given.
Most of the time it does not need to take a long time. Jesus said to a whole legion of demons one word “GO”. Other times it was simple words, but words filled with power and authority. What I see a lot of times is the struggles doing deliverance come from not knowing who you are in Christ and having things in your own life you need delivered from. You can’t deliver someone from things you are battling yourself.
Biblical deliverance is not a show. It never distracts from what is going on. Many times, demons manifest and eventually a whole room can move from worship focused on God to a demon who then is stealing God’s worship. When this happens, the demon is in control. Simply cast it out and move on or remove the person to another room and deal with it then.
We need no gimmicks. We need a voice of authority. We don’t need a bunch of people yelling but one person should oversee the deliverance and everyone else is praying and discerning. If demons manifest, you tell them to be still. If the person yells you tell the demon to be quiet. You take control right away and part of that means you maintain order. Deliverance is an ordered ministry.If a demon screams , I command it to be quiet. If it thrust about, I tell it to be still. I take away its power, influence and control of the moment.
Any type of deliverance is a traumatic experience for a person. The person needs much love afterwards and discipled. They need assurance and to feel they are accepted. The work of deliverance many times is the steps afterward and the days and even weeks following. A void needs filled and the person needs assured.
I also discern if deliverance is truly need. There is a big difference between demonic oppression and possession. Oppression is outward influences affecting internal decisions or responses. Possession is forces from within that can take charge of a person, that the person loses control. We can take authority over both. Sometimes we are trying to cast out when we need to prevent by stopping before possession occurs. Other times if we deliver someone, we need to place a deposit within of God’s love, presence etc. to fill the void. This is the real work of deliverance. The casting out of demons is the act of deliverance. After all the word salvation means deliverance and just as salvation is both a moment in an event and a long-term process, so is deliverance it has both the act of and the work of.
Deliverance from the Demon not Manifestations
We need to touch briefly on taking out root demonic influence points and not just binding manifestations. There is no spirit of nicotine but a spirit of bondage. There is no spirit of addiction but a spirit of bondage. There is no spirit of lust, but perversion. Lust is excessive desire created in the soul as thoughts are planted by demonic forces trying to pervert. Remember jezebel was a person who had demonic influences.
Every demonic spirit has certain attributes. Those attributes reveal what spirit is working behind the scenes. The spirit of jealous will have competition, feelings of inferiority, and a suspension. Symptoms will point to a primary demonic spirit as work. There is much to teach on in these areas and again our class in our school is about 25 hours. I feel like we sometimes look very uninformed in the spirit realm and look foolish to the people of the world looking at how we set people free.
If we do deliverance with a works mentality, then then it will “wear out the saints”. If we, do it as a common action with real authority then it will not wear us out or wear us down. We also will not be getting backlash or having demonic activity coming against our lives. We are above these things and have been positioned to live at a higher level.
The sensationalizing connected with deliverance needs to be removed out of our lives as it only opens doors to wrong motives, elitism, pride, and a host of other things. To me the simplicity of authority is all that is needed. We need to show forth the majesty and sovereignty of our Gods power over evil forces and how quickly that authority can move anything that opposes.
Greg Crawford 