Greg Crawford

Category: Leadership Principles

  • Apostolic Burden of the Lord Part 2

    Last time we covered what is the Burden of the Lord. If you didn’t read it go back so you have a foundation to launch into part 2. In this writing we will see how burdens from the Lord come. For the most part they are not our ideas or extensions of ideas of ministry we have. Many times, they are contrary to our plans and maybe even our desires. They will take us off our typical course into a course of Gods ultimate plan unfolding. We will look at Nehimiah, an apostolic builder and restorer. A mobilizer of workers and one who sets things in order.

    Nehemiah 1:3 (KJV 1900) — 3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

    The first thing is he heard. He heard a report. But it was not just idle talk but factual and not with speculation or assumption. Something in this report pricked his heart having a profound effect upon him. Many times, we hear things, and the hardness of our heart keeps us from really hearing. Sometimes something catches our spirit, and we react. This was what occurred to him.

    Nehemiah 1:4 (KJV 1900) — 4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

    The words were heard by others but no one else responded. The words were actually reserved to have an effect upon one person and that was Nehemiah. The others had become accustomed to hearing reports. But probably because of hardness of heart and loss of faith and hope accepted the state of things. But the words caused Nehemiah to take time to process as he sat. the more he processed the more he wept. A burden doesn’t accept the current situation but has come to change the situation. His weeping went to mourning and mourning turned into fasting and prayer to find the solution.

    Nehimiah 2: 11-16   The burden will cause you to evaluate the true conditions firsthand. Burdens take us from secondhand knowledge to first-hand experience. He went by night to examine the assignment. What he saw was different from what others saw. He saw through promise not circumstances. He did not deny what he saw but looked beyond and saw the ramifications. He sees how it affected Gods glory and Gods people. He was seeing with his spirit.

    He then is burdened with reality. The reality the burden has within it is holy. It bears the weight of Gods glory and the work that must be accomplished. He sees beyond the natural. Part of this reality is the personal responsibility that comes with burden. Those with a burden see not only the problem, but the role they play in the solution. The only solution or answers that work is from God and you must hear clearly. Because very burden for God will have those who are critical coming from your own camp. Nehemiah 4:10–11. He is able to share the reason for the burden.

    Nehemiah 4:14.  (KJV 1900) — 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

    Every burden form God is also connected to Legacy.Moses was burdened for the people of Israel. Others had burdens as well like David, Paul, Samuel, all the ones we talk about doing exploits, but seldom do we talk of their burden. Without Gods burden our faith is in vain. Our prayers are lacking, and our impact is greatly diminished. A true burden form God cannot be stopped. It is fulfilling a plan that is required. To me the burden is the key to active faith that produces results. We really only see spiritual changes when we tap into the burden of God, or we get burdened for people where we finally fully engage ourselves. Burden is about transferring. Transferring people from the power of darkness into the kingdom of His son Jesus.

    Every burden will create your apostolic vision. Without a true burden then vision is hard to define, and mission is even harder to operate. We see Ezra in chapter 10:1-4 having a burden before he had vision. We see Nehimiah as well in Chapter 1:3-4. Daniel prayed and fasted for 3 full weeks. What God is looking for is not anointing, which is borrowed from him, or giftedness, which is birthed by him, but the greatest need is who will carry His burden. What is your burden today?

    Those who carry a God given burden are the ones who will do exploits. There may be suffering but the suffering will bring greater glory. Paul was driven by apostolic burden. Building is also coming from burden. Burden touches almost all things we do and reforms values. The burden just has to be from God to be effective. Jeremiah 20.8 says it was like fire in his bones and he had no choice but to respond. Burden brings you into service. Burden makes you go.

    In Galatians 6:1 it says we carry each other’s burdens which the word means heavy crushing loads. But in verse 4 it says each man is to carry his own burden. This burden is “phorton” and is used to designate the pack a marching soldier carries. It also means carrying the ships cargo, which has connotations of being connected apostolically. Paul says you must prove your work, or it must be authenticated to see if it is genuine. He was speaking if your burden is from god or just a good idea.

    Then as we look at spiritual fathering, we also see Sons and Daughters are to carry the burden of the Lord spiritual fathers carry. Many times, we seek spiritual fathering, and we only pick and choose what that fathering is carrying and offering. But we neglect that there is more than the positive fun side of spiritual fathering. In Phil. 3:10 Paul speaks of the “manner of Life”. Paul was saying what Timothy received encompassed how Paul carried and exercised his burden as well. The activation of Paul’s burden in Timothy’s life brought him into his own apostolic journey. Timothy as a son was not disjointed from Paul’s burden but embraced it with the assignments given to him.
    Paul said he was like-minded in Phil. 2:20. That like-minded was also concerning how  the burden would be completed.

    Burden will create a message in you. It will take you on a mission as well. It will give others a vision, so they qualify to have their own. Burden will take you from a second hand knowledge to a first-hand experience. Burden summons us into the destiny we are longing for. Burden has a sense of urgency. It has a sense of responsibility. The size of your burden will also determine your impact on the earth. But because you have a burden doesn’t mean everything is automatic. It requires your response and others as well.

    In the book I wrote “Awakened Heart” has a prophetic word coming from Habakkuk. It encompasses an entire chapter. As I was researching for this blog, I found the word burden spoken 45 times in this prophetic word. It seems it must be important to God.

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    Blessings

  • Apostolic Burden of the Lord Part 1

    I want to speak on the to topic of burden. Having the right burden will activate your faith, allow you to find purpose, bring you into your destiny and create your future. Without a true burden from God you will go through life and ministry aimlessly wandering.

    Jesus was burdened for what would become the church. Paul was burdened for the church. A burden is not pity or feeling sorry for someone. A burden for the Lord is an extension from heaven. When you have Gods burden you will give yourself to it, both like Christ and Paul.

    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.

    Paul said daily this burden was present. The words come upon is associated with pressure, anxiety and comes from a word describing the force a riotous crowd carries. Without a burden for something you don’t have the perspective to speak into it. Paul was burdened for the church so he could address the issues. Today we move out of need-based perception and seldom burden focus. We have a lot of good suggestions but little change. Burdens from the Lord are catalyst for change.

    For myself I am burdened to see Gods people in fullness, I am burdened to see stronger leadership come forth. I am burdened to see those who are disillusioned about God, be shifted.  I am burdened to see us live at a higher spiritual life. You see the message you carry, the way you minister, the things that drive you all come from the true Burden of the Lord you’re stewarding.

    Paul was also burdened for his family, and especially his fellow Roman kinsmen. Romans 9:1–5.  He also was burdened for Israel to find salvation. Because of these burdens his teaching reflected upon it and also his energy in travel. Romans 10:1–4. His burden influenced his prayer life. Romans 1:8–12 . And even caused internal conflicts with himself. Colossians 2:1–5. But those burdens would active him into great faith, passion, and spiritual determination. Maybe today what we lack is not more teaching but a real God given burden we are to accomplish with our lives.

    Your burden will cause a motivation in your faith to occur. It is actually where true ministry occurs and how new ministries are to be birthed. Burdens from the Lord have the Love from the Lord within them. Without the love behind it there is no sacrifice. Without love there is not willingness to suffer. But with love you will to do extreme faith things.

    The burden and the love within it are what forms vision. A vision that has no burden is a religious structure. I feel today we have a lot of structures based around ideas or seeing needs but no real burden. We may have compassion, or sympathy but that is not the burden I’m talking about. The burden is the why you do things and defines the motivations behind actions.

    Answering the call is really answering the Burden. A calling without a Burden has no destination. But when burden is acted on it will also release Grace … the ability of God to create change. Think of how many times a burden in prayer receives an answer. It’s because Grace was released. The fullness of grace is present were burden is being nurtured. This is why some do exploits and others don’t. Colossians 4:12–13, 1 Thessalonians 3:10. Burden is a pure form of activating grace!

    Burdens will cause us to come out of complacency. We will come into new depths. We will study to find answers to the burden. We will take action, whiles others don’t. We will bring new truth to open ears. We may even find those of like faith, which is really finding faith that is active in the same burden we carry. Burdens always create and build for longevity. The burden of the Lord takes us on a fantastic journey! A journey of apostolic building.

    Part 2 we will cover how to acquire the Apostolic Burden of the Lord.

  • What Are You Carrying?

    Romans 11:29 (KJV 1900) — 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

    The question many people have is what do I have to offer? We think we need to have developed to some grand place of spiritual power and knowledge before we actually have something to give to others of value. Yet we have the Holy Spirit and Jesus present with us all the time. We actually are never in lack of resources to draw from.

    All of us are called to be conformed to the image of the son. This calling is a reflection of Christ living in and through us. We have a mission to the world to display this wonderment of Christ in us the hope of glory. We have been graced for this display and empowered to show forth His glory working in our lives. This is the highest calling and most important. Now for some they will be given assignments and task that seem small and insignificant, but God uses them to form us and see how we steward opportunities given. For others they will be given specific functions in the body that come with a lot of responsibility. To whom much is given much is required.

    So, we all are carrying calling. Many are called but few chosen. The choosing is the hand picking of God for a specific task. We have confused calling and chosen. We all have been invited to produce what has been given for us to carry. But many believe unless they have been recognized, titled and positioned they are not able to produce. The fruitfulness of what you carry is seen by those you influence in thinking and actions. How you release your passions and how they affect things others value.

    What you’re also carrying is your giftings. Gifting is natural and spiritual. They are deposits of potential or enablement to do something supernaturally by Gods empowerment. Gifts come not for us, but again to serve the body of Christ. They come to empower us for acts of service and not for us to feel good about ourselves. That will come because we see lives changed and know we had a part to play in it.

    Giftings are always given to help fulfill the ultimate call with your life. Giftings will actually point to your call and will give you a hint of what your calling might really look like. If you know your calling likewise you can then see what giftings it may require as well.

    Both calling and gifting activated is what opens opportunities for you to be asked to do certain ministry assignments or roles. Your ministry is how you serve others in your calling and gifting. Calling and gifting both require obedience. Your obedience is what creates the ministry you will have. Ministry is the expression of both calling and gifting. It becomes the fruit of what both combined will produce.

     Ministry is when you have been chosen. It is the divine enablement of God. Many may be called to do ministry yet never seem to get there. The reason is the gifts and calling are without repentance. What does that mean? God has determined a set way to be chosen. It is by activation of what we carry, specifically calling and gifting. Repentance means not so much sorrow but a change of mind, metanoia. God is not changing his mind how he has determines a set order of roles and responsibilities. But we need to determine to change our mind! You see repentance, changing of the mind is directly connected to calling and gifting. We have to decide to reflect and serve. We have to decide to activate and do. We have decided to be obedient. Because we know what we’re carrying.  

    When you know what you’re carrying you are no longer striving. You relax into what is inside of you and operate from it. You work your faith towards perfecting it. And like Peter you can come to rest, even in a prison cell, know that the circumstance is not the end, because what I’m carrying will get me out of the situation.

    When I was in the hospital in Sept of 2018 it did not look good. I was losing weight. My entire colon was infected. It looked like I was dying, and I probably was. Thousands of people were praying but I kept getting worse. God then spoke clearly to me and said, “Stop having them pray for you but pray for the message inside you that your carry will live. Your temporal but the message is eternal.” I told people to pray for the message inside me to live knowing I would have to live because I was carrying it. 3 days later I left the hospital. A valuable lesson indeed. But that’s also the power residing inside of us that we are carrying.

  • Praying With Assignment

    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.

  • Hope for Tired and Rejected Leaders

    Easter, the cross, the tomb, the resurrection. Power of God upon the earth. Promise of God fulfilled. A kingdom birthed. Freedom in grace has come. Yet in the midst betrayal, rejection, and even those closes failed.

    Sounds familiar doesn’t it. As I’m reading the account of history like so many, I want to point out some silent sufferings that all leaders go through and to bring hope to your labor of love. He speaks to the betrayal of Judas. Sitting amongst them with all the privilege yet to sell the greatest privilege for 30 pieces of silver. Can you imagine what Christ is thinking. This is what my life, my words, my messages and experiences are worth to this one. Yet he believed in him all the same.

    He turns to Peter and says to him “When you’re fully converted” Matt 22:32 then strengthen your brethren. He saw a man still not convinced, still doubting still not full committed. Yet he saw a greatness within him yet to be seen. An assignment for his future given even unconverted! Imagine how he wished he could finish the process he started in both of these. To see the outworking all the investment and be satisfied he had done the work. Yet at times leaders have to say I have done all I can.

    Then as he goes to the garden and in the greatest transition of heaven to earth, the moment of the secret of his life and ministry is being revealed, the disciples could not tarry an hour. As Jesus prayed in the in the garden for the cup to pass, sweating blood as he now begin the final process of being poured out, knowing he must fulfill his purpose upon the earth. The disciples could not overcome their flesh and sleep. The greatest moment Jesus needed them to be connected, yet he went the course by himself. Imagine even seeing the drops of blood yet not inquiring. I imagine Jesus like so many leaders asked the question to himself, when is it enough? I have poured myself out and it’s not good enough.

    But what I see is Jesus could have seen failure. Failure of ministry. Failure to convey truth. Failure to grow leaders. But he was focused not on what was temporal, or his eyes saw. He was focused on what he had placed in the spiritual realm, what was eternal. Perhaps these men would eventually capture it, perhaps not. But it was placed in the spiritual realm and others would now have a chance to capture it. I learned a long time ago, what you say and do is not for who is in a room, but what you place in the spiritual realm so others can catch it.

    As leaders we go through times of the cross and resurrection. At times we are at critical moments and those around us don’t understand the importance of a moment. I am telling you I understand. But my hope is not in people. It is in knowing and doing what is eternal. It is placing things in the spiritual realm for those who truly desire it. Just like the disciples were not convinced so many today are not as well. Jesus didn’t try to convince them, he made them think on the things he spoke with conviction. The power of resurrection is also the power of conviction and as Jesus moved in resurrection power. The early leaders found the same path also releasing the spirit of conviction to change mindset by metanoia, actions of the hearts, and the laying down of worldly pursuits for that which was eternal. Take heart leader. Move in resurrection power in your words and deeds. Stay focused on the eternal for the it all that will remain when all is said and done. Let God sort the ones who are to come along.

  • Here is Your Battle Plan!

    This is small portion of a Class I recently taught in Legacy School our online school.

    Paul told Timothy a valuable insight. It was a charge he gave him. A charge was a command that was not to be taken lightly and was expected to be heeded. Paul gave 6 charges to Timothy over the 2 books written to him. This is the first or foundational charge. The word commit following the word charge was the passing of the charge into the hands of Timothy to steward.

    1 Timothy 1:18–19 (KJV 1900) — 18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightiest war a good warfare; 19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

    The word war  means to make a military expedition, to lead soldiers to war or to battle, (spoken of a commander). It is a verb or action word. Paul was expecting Timothy to go on military conquest or campaign, a mission. He was to be strategic in the advance of the kingdom. But not by natural means but by spiritual means. It was to be a “good” warfare. The word “good” means excellent in nature. It would hold the nature of Christ and the spirit of excellence. It was  battle that was to be done a certain way. As he did this the outcome would be a warfare. The word warfare means a military campaign. Military service, discharge of apostolic duties. It is the word Strateia which is the root of our word strategy. It is a noun and descriptive of something accomplished. The outcome of deciding to lead others would result in strategic warfare.

    Paul refers to how to strategize in this warfare, it is found in the prophetic words Timothy had been given when he was commissioned. It was what God said over his life. Paul connects the warfare is related to what was said prophetically over Timothy. The ability to lead others is related to the prophetic words spoken over our lives. It also holds the strategy we are looking for in how to conduct our campaigns, mission and visions. It is connected to kingdom exploits and advancements. This tells us how prophesy will also reveal what kind of things will try to stop us from fulfilling our destiny. Paul was saying to Timothy the battle is not just about your life but it is about Timothy’s destiny upon the earth and the work he had been assigned for the Kingdom of God.

    Paul tells us the destiny and fulfillment of Timothy’s words will not occur by himself, but he will need to enlist other soldiers to war with him. The destiny was not about Timothy’s life but what Timothy was to accomplish with His prophetic words. He had been given the weapon of war within his prophesy and instruction to convey the importance of what he carried to others. The prophecy would hold such hope, power and vision that it would convince others to aid Timothy and join alongside him. Paul would tell him later to find faithful men able to teach others also. This is not just doctrinal instruction but prophetic strategy that would be sustained to generations coming forth from the prophetic word.

    The Power of Prophesy over a life is a seldom accessed or seen as tool of warfare. Your prophetic words are a battle plan for your life. These words must be worked out and strategized over. They must be safeguarded as well. Paul would also warn Timothy that a good solider he was not to be entangled with the affairs of this live. The entanglements come to dimmish the prophetic words over His life. This prophetic word carried great force and power and worldly affections would reduce its impact. A strong word requires the application of force and resistance to whatever would hinder them from fulfillment.

    Perhaps if prophetic words were not so flowery but actually carried the sense of true kingdom destiny others would engage into them. Perhaps if prophesy were at a higher level, we would have the strategy we are looking for. Make war with your prophesy. Your prophesy is your battle plan given to you by God to fulfill.

  • Dealing with Traumas 

    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. 

    1. 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.
    1. 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. 
    1. 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.

    1. God’s voice – which can be a still small voice
    2. Man’s voices, the flesh – your desires and emotions
    3. Voice of reason – your intelligence
    4. The voice of conscience – your sense of knowing right from wrong
    5. 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.

  • The Test of Grieving The Lost Sovereign Moments

    I decided to write on this topic to help other leaders who possibly experience what I have had happened several times. I have had to answer a lot of questions with other leaders as well about being in or out of spiritual flow of meetings and how to handle these situations as they arise. From people taking over meetings, saying mixed prophesy, prophesying out of their own heart or imaginations, missed responses, doctrinal error present, manipulation of a body, and doing things that are perfectly correct and doctrinally sound but maybe in wrong timing. It is one thing to miss something in a meeting that has only an effect for that meeting. That happens probably almost every time we gather. That is not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about meetings that have a sovereign intentional release of something required for the corporate bodies mission to succeed. In other words, what is missed carries a key component to affect from that point forward to unlock the future. For me this is probably the greatest time of discouragement is when I know a meeting has shifted from Gods intentions of a great deposit. Thank God He is merciful, but that still does not take away the feelings that occur or the knowing of what could have been.

    The Test Described

    This test occurs when you realize an intentional sovereign moment of God has been missed that would deposit a much-needed element that is missing. This occurs when a meeting seems to shift direction away from an opening into a heavenly realm. This may be because of others stepping out of spiritual flow affecting a corporate body and taking the meeting in a different direction. It could be because of mixture or prophesy that is assumed to be prophecy when in reality it isn’t, or a host of things. It could be as simple as the hearing of things may be right, but the timing or implementation may be what affects the shift that occurs. It shows well-meaning intentions outside of the timing of God will not create the intentions of God.

    The Effects

    This test has both frustrations, disappointments, discouragement, feelings of failure, and an overwhelming feeling of loss. This causes a  grieving with it. The grieving is not being able to rescue the moment as the spiritual climate or atmosphere has shifted. This is magnified when only the leader has these feelings and no one else is aware of it. It is as if the pathway to the next thing has been removed. I would liken it to a bridge from one bank to the next. The bridge has been removed, and you see the other bank but have no means to get there. You know it will take time to build the bridge again.

    A leader will feel out of sync with the meeting they are in and the feeling can carry on into the next day or several days. Restlessness as they wrestle with the why’s, and if that moment can be recaptured. It will cause deep inner reflection and analysis of their preparation, leadership abilities, and even the call. It will cause a re-examining to find the moment it was derailed or what lead to the shifting so they can see how it could be stopped in the future. A leader will look at themselves first, assuming they did not hear correctly. They will evaluate to see if they are too critical or their expectations were too high or wrong. It has nothing to do with the leader’s role being fulfilled, but what the Body of Christ did not receive. The leader will see the far-reaching ramifications of the missed moment and will try to figure out a pathway forward.

    Paul felt this many times with the churches he oversaw. He was constantly having to go backward and relay foundational doctrines instead of advancing deeper into the things of God. He was having to sort out what people did as accurate, verses speculations. He was sorting the mixtures of flesh, doctrines, reasoning etc. He had to address the Corinthians concerning the use of spiritual gifts and the overabundance of what was being released. He had to put in place a structure to facilitate the spiritual flow that seemed to always be open. A lot of this was training. But when there was not training you do not see this overabundance. When you see directives from God given you see precise sovereign moments with little to no input.

    What Does the Test Show?

    This test is a hard test to get beyond. The easiest route is to say the leader is too serious but this requires them to embrace a mindset they have to compromise in what they knew to be true. To not allow it to affect them or deny the moments importance also diminishes that they heard God correctly. This test puts a leader into multiple dimensions of overlapping conflicts making it hard for them to move forward not knowing what exactly needs addressed. Most everyone doesn’t want to make mistakes and their heart keeps them in check. That is what makes this test so hard to sort out. You cannot find false truth or mixture. But it comes down to timing. Just because a person hears or sees does not mean it needs to be shared instantly. Many times, the opportunity for others to be trained can outweigh the results attained.

    This test also shows the interconnectedness of the Body and how each person is to function in unison with the others. Without us being led by the spirit you soon see that the body lacks a full understanding and even missing elements that can make it healthy. This test shows the different maturity levels. I have seen the most screwed up meetings and some people still get touched by God. Again, this makes for a conflicting evaluation by the leader of the meetings impact. We have and still show grace for the body to develop and grow. These opportunities are not taken away but are better monitored and given oversight.

    This grieving will test your tenacity to stand against the opposition and even good intentions that have created a false finish line. It reinforces the seriousness of God and it forms a finish anointing. The impasse is being able to stay on course long term in the midst of missing the mark in the short term. The resetting of values is a delicate game of weighing in the scales and not coming up wanting. I have had to weight this in the training of people. Training people will cause mistakes. The mistakes are how we grow. I have sacrificed forward vision unfolding for the sake of giving opportunity. In hindsight I would do it again, but not to the degree I did. I felt it caused the vision to be delayed and kept us always feeling slightly behind or not quite in sync. My conclusion is there are meetings for training and then are some meetings for a sovereign moment of God to come forth. These meetings are not times of training, or it could be derailed. These sovereign moment meetings are setting new courses.

    This test also causes deepening of values to occur. As you realize you cannot simply recreate the exact moment or conversion point as almost all factors are beyond your control. This is because the moment was  a sovereign moment. You look forward with a different mindset to not allow the missed moments to be allowed. As a leader that knows Gods intention realizes also how far reaching the value is and holds a greater love for Gods intentions and how much He believe in us.

    What is to be Formed?

    Having others to share the moment with or to talk about it will help divide the burden. The more who understand the burden and are willing to help carry the less the leader feels isolated in the grieving. The bible says to carry each other’s burdens but this is not natural or our feelings but also our spiritual burdens. This is why there is to be team leadership. This will help bring others into greater spiritual awareness and sensitivity. This plays into the scripture of mourning with those who mourn and laugh with those who laugh. We think of natural things, but can we mourn with those who mourn with spiritual things. The Holy Spirit can be grieved, can we also feel that grieving as well. This test softens our heart to God and allows our spiritual feelings to begin to override our natural feelings.

    A leader will be more intentional next time and not allow feelings to get in the way to maintain the flow of a meeting. They will also not allow as much freedom and will monitor what is said or done. The verse of all things being done decently and in order also comes into this. The decently is probably not the issue as much as the order. I have found after working through all the processes associated with this test, I have to come to conclusion, that moment may never occur again or will have to be ramped back up to that place. You come to the realization you are going forward with a piece of the overall plan sitting, still available as it was Gods intention, but not fully in your possession yet. A pathway will need to be built towards it again, but then at the possible expense of other things. You also realize God can bring that portion again, it just will have to look different as all the factors have now shifted.

    The other thing I have learned is I can’t depend on others to help carry those intentions. Which means I need to not allow the opportunities that I have done at other times. At the end of the day, I’m responsible and I need to take on that responsibility. As leaders we live in enough repercussion of people’s choices! We need to live in the repercussion of our choices more so. Those come as we lead to advance. What we create or form we can shift. What others create or form we are sometimes on the receiving end.

    If you have experienced this missing of a moment, you’re the leader God is looking for. Sounds strange doesn’t it? Will its not the reason you missed the moment but that your spirit is sensitive that a moment was missed. Its that you value those moments and cherish them that when they don’t materialize your heart-broke for the people of God and even God himself. It just goes to show how serious you are as a leader. Imagine what would be revealed when leaders gather, that same honor was shown to the atmosphere God was present in. Imagine the body so protecting the atmosphere that it causes their senses to be heightened to it. If you can relate to this then I say to you be encouraged. Your heart is right.

  • The Call For Freedom

    The one thing all humanity desires deep down is to be free. People work to better themselves everyday around the globe to attain greater freedom in living. People create money sources and business to “buy” time to do what they want to really do. People look for ways to escape their sin consciousness and generational curses and iniquities with addictions, looking for short lived freedom. At the heart of Christianity is the answer of Christ who frees us from all the worlds bondages restricting our freedom.

    We as a nation are to be a model to the nations, is currently going through a crisis of freedom. The current battle going on is will we remain free or will we allow bondages to begin once again to take away what has been so costly paid for. As I write this, it is the day after Lincoln gave his Gettysburg address. At a time, a nation was divided over freedom, he took a stance and stated that all men are to be free. It was an overall perspective of answering the God placed desire in all men to be free. But the evil of men’s hearts to control and dominate was the enemy of this freedom. Today we are running some very exacting parallels. I can see we are in the midst of a civil war over freedom. We are a divided nation. We are pitted within families of being divided of which side we stand on. This division was implemented by a virus much like the virus of slavery.

    A few years ago, the Lord told me “Your message this week is written on the capital wall. Go to the state capital and get your message. “I went to the capital and began my search. I read everything hanging on all the walls. I read plaques and things posted on every floor and almost every public room. I was coming up with nothing. As I kept ascending to the very top floor in the rotunda, I finally found it. Written around the very top was the words, “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. “ The words “a new birth of freedom” is what stood out. I would later learn this was Lincolns last line of the Gettysburg address. The lord spoke to me and said “This will become the rallying point for awakening and reformation you seek. This will be the common sound that will united and draw people to a common cause.” I assumed for my state, today I see it for the nation.

    The longing in men’s hearts is to be free. As a nation now with the recent election held in the balance, it is not about who will be president, but men’s freedom held in the balance. When they killed Lincoln, they thought they had won over the freedom he was bringing. But it only gave resolve to follow through that the nation would not be lost to binding men’s lives. Soon after that time the democratic party was birthed to change law to bring slavery back, to steal freedom from men. The history of that party is seen in different ways of taking freedom away and creating a dependency on programs, governmental control etc. That’s why their platform is contrary to biblical morality and principles that God established for his creation.

    Now here stand the church and its leaders, divided due to influences of the culture and political affiliations. Many including leaders, not understanding Godly principles and their role upon the earth. This alone has caused freedom to be stolen. This has caused men to lose hope of being absolutely free. But also standing, the ecclesia, the active authoritarian body of Christ is also present, who are standing for truth to be seen, for freedom to prevail. This group has been marked standing for truth and crying out against the abominations upon the earth. (Ezekiel 9) This same group is crossing thresholds into heavenly realms to begin to legislate from a higher perspective. To be a voice and declare freedom. We must not cower down or remain hidden or silent.

    We are indeed being marked and even separated of who will be carries of truth. Once this marking is completed then we will be asked to let go of what is in our hands and cross the threshold again. In Ezekiel 10 the one marked had to put his inkhorn down and take the fire from the alter and scatter it to the cities. This is the awaken and reformation we so desperately need. So in this hour perhaps we should be firming declaring from the other side of the threshold “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

  • Navigating Moments

    I debated about writing this blog for the last 24 hours. I have been in a place of anguish and grieving in my spirit over missing a moment in the Lord during a meeting. I decided to write this to possibly help others who have had this same experience.

    We all have had meetings when we missed a transition or didn’t turn the corner. Most of the time these moments are not as critical, and we are able to continue or come back later as God progressively keeps moving us forward. There are really two types of moments Chronos and Kairos. For the most part, what I just described was a Chronos moment. Chronos moment has the anointing present and the gifts are flowing.

    The other type of meeting is Kairos. Kairos moments are when the presence of the Lord has come and flood or invade the atmosphere. The moments are different because Kairos is a transitional moment of time that God has prearranged. This is the moment we just missed that has grieved my spirit so much. What makes it probably worse is I knew the intention God was transitioning us into. These transition moments do not come by very often. They are something that has a sovereign feel to it. It is the alignment of a multitude of things colliding at the same moment. Anticipation, expectation, faith, presence, focus, passion, prayer, preparation and a charged atmosphere of God presence flooding, all have come to a convergence point to bring a group of people through a portal opening into the next level. It seems to take all of these to transition, but once the transition is made it only takes a few of these to maintain.

    Our worship team had the right songs, the people had become a single unit focused in worship and brought to a place many were having individual encounters. The theme of the night’s worship was the fire. Prior to the meeting, the Lord had told me to lay hands on everyone at the end of the service and release fire upon them and He was going to baptize us in a corporate fire as a group. He then told me to pray into the state with this fire resting upon us. He showed me it was a necessary moment to place us in the right place for future things we had planned. It would be a release of power coming upon us. The problem this night was twofold.

    One we were short-handed this night and I had to run the P.A., which is not a problem generally, but this night we had many issues. It took me until almost the end of worship to be able to get things worked out and get engaged. As the worship was ending, I saw the theme of fire and the many people faced down, we had come to the convergence point. I was resting in the Lord and asking should I pray now? You told me at the end? Did we miss it? Did I not hear correctly? A Host of questions flooded me. The P.A. distraction has dulled my spiritual focus. We could have stayed a long time at that moment so I decided to just listen to be sure what should happen. I was beginning to sense God shifting the moment to be the moment I have seen at the end, now in the middle. We were still under tension. I was waiting on Him to give me the unseen nod.

    The second problem was before I had a clear pathway to execute, someone began to pray out loud and it increased in volume and intensity and went for about 10-15 minutes. Nothing wrong with the prayer, but not the right timing and the wrong order. I could feel the moment slipping away and I could feel the expectation and faith in the room diminishing. My spirit reached such a place of grieving of not just missing a moment but missing the opportunity. I struggled to find a way back but knew we just couldn’t without fabricating something. I saw all the factors we had hit and knew these moments don’t just come along every week. We simply couldn’t just have a do-over next week.

    I knew I had to say something as the grieving was so deep in me, I couldn’t even speak the message in this state. I explained how we had missed the moment of God wanting to take us deeper. For most, they had gotten to a good place and were happy we had a good meeting so far. But I knew the whole story and was really the only one in the room seeing a complete picture of what God wanted to do. He was trying to get us into the new season and out of the typical. I knew he was moving us into a level of power. I sensed what He wanted to bring us into was an authentic move of God. I believe many couldn’t figure out why I was so grieved after all the presence of the Lord had flooded the place. After I shared my heart I was able to give the message on Combatting the Religious Spirit. When I was to end speaking about the need for the fire of God, I could sense the emptiness of the words after I said a single sentence on the topic. The Holy Spirit was not there now, so I closed the message. The moment had come and went.

    The last 30 hours have been a gut-wrenching time. I have rerun the scenario over and over. As a leader, I feel the weight of moments. As a leader, I’m responsible if we make those moments. As a leader, I must know how to steward the moments and keep it on track. I have had to ask some hard questions. Am I upset because I didn’t get to pray for people? No. Did I just not connect and everyone else did so am I grieving over myself? No. The grieving I concluded was not because we missed the moment, but because we missed this specific God-ordained moment that was to bring us into our future.
    Will God bring this moment again? Possible, but there is no guarantee. But what I sensed is all the factors were the perfect storm causing the convergence. If we all could keep coming with the same expectations, faith, anticipation etc. then we would put ourselves in the right place. The one thing that also stood out was everyone there that night really wanted to be there and were engaged. Will we need that as well? I don’t know. I do know this I cannot hype people to get there. We could possibly come pressing for that exact moment again. But it also is about timing. I do know we will make the transition but the unknown is when.

    I have decided the next time to step in no matter the embarrassment it might cause. I cherish not just the presence but the order and alignment the Lord is wanting to bring. There has been some good out of this in the many dialogues this has caused in our ministry and in other places who watched the stream. My encouragement to others is no matter what, steward the moments even if someone must be sat down. I hope sharing my heart will help you become more spiritual a tune in the moment to make sure you don’t miss the moment that might be your opportunity.