This week was particularly troublesome to my spirit. I had to face some real issues in prayer for others: troubled marriages, news of cancer, a suicide leaving 4 children under 12, and people who really needed a touch from God for breakthrough. I found after 3 days of battling in prayer that my joy was diminished to a real low point. I took it all before the Lord and He reminded me of John, His disciple. I was exhorted to lean upon His breast and find His rest. My peace was renewed, my hope was raised, and my joy returned. I’d like to share the three steps it took for me to find this place of  peace and rest.

1.  STOP.  I recognized that I was spiraling down, emotionally. My thoughts were swirling in confusion. God is not the author of confusion.

2.  SEEK.  I sought the Lord. I wrote out on a yellow pad all of the things that were of concern to me.

3.  SOAK.  I put on instrumental worship music to create an atmosphere of rest and release.

From that position of resting in Him, I was open to hear from the Lord. Wisdom flowed to me. Peace ruled in my heart. His love permeated my body, soul, and spirit. While in that place of submission and openness, I received new strategies for prayer in those situations that were troubling me. My joy returned.

HOW TO QUENCH THE FIERY DARTS

Remember the admonition when we were children facing fire?
It was STOP, DROP, and ROLL! The same can be applied to spiritual warfare.

Share/Bookmark

My Recipe for Prayer

My Reverse Oreo Cookie Recipe for Prayer

Recently Shell Cowper-Smith was sharing Graham Cooke’s formula for prayer that he calls a “faith sandwich.” It’s “praise + prayer + praise.”

I very much liked the concept and I labeled it my “reverse oreo cookie.” I take the purity of my devotion TO Him in the knowledge of His love, His goodness, and that He hears my prayers. I then take my “dark” need and present it to Him in prayer, supplication, and sometimes travail and tears. Finally, I give Him my song of praise and worship that He has heard me. From that point on, until resolution comes, Iactively rest… as Shell puts it, STAND, in His peace.

Share/Bookmark

• I have seen breakthroughs in my family with long-standing issues.
• I have seen deep-seeded issues come out of the closet and be dealt with — both in myself and in others.
• I have been set free from hidden wounds and personal judgments.
• I have seen new strategies released for our business.
• I have been blessed with dreams, visions, and revelations in the night. I have journaled these and then found that they are confirmed by prior revelations or daily experiences, tying it all together.
• I have noted a new militancy in my tongues and in my prayers… based on my study and understanding of Ephesians.
• I have been drawn even deeper into meditating the Word and actually understood hard passages for the first time.
• I have enjoyed intimate times with the Lord.
• The floodgates of my emotions have erupted with cleansing tears that have brought healing.

Share/Bookmark

So, I opened to chapter 3 and read from the beginning. The Chapter is titled, “The New Birth” Imagine that! You’re taking me back to when You became really real with me, aren’t You?

My Daughter,

Yes, today is your new, new, new beginning. You first new was when you learned that I, the Father, loved you. Your second new was last November 2008 when you learned that I, the Spirit, loved you and missed you terribly. That’s why I took you through your past and you reread all the prophetic words you’d heard before. I wanted to stir up your passion again. Your third new is today. When, I, the Son, come upon you in fire to empower you to do My work in the earth.

Do you remember last night before you went to bed? You recalled Chapter 2 in Acts. In fact, you even quoted the Scripture and marveled that although you didn’t see My fire come upon you, you felt it in the inside. Others saw it for you. EJ saw Me blow it on you from My mouth. He saw fire coming out of your mouth and your hands. You recalled the word My servant, Len, spoke over you about prayer assignments and My words coming out of your mouth with fire. Tom spoke My word that if you saw what you sense to start, it would come with fire and it will bring a double portion. Delia told you she saw rain, then fire, then snow and then hail and I gave you the interpretation. Recall the woman who asked if you have had any fires? You said, “No, it’s been very dry, though, and our drought has been extended. Water has been cut down to only 3 days a week. Everything is parched and beginning to brown. My garden is suffering and I’ve lost some plants.”

Mary, I’m sending you back to My California. Yes, it’s mine! I want you to take back what the enemy of My people has stolen. He has hindered, harassed, and deceived too long. Now is My time to set My children free. My tender plants are dying spiritually and need that fresh fire.

Remember the first night when you felt Me open the lantern inside you and turn up the flame? Remember the impression that I was walking among you as My lampstands? Revelation 3, theLaodiceanChurchis today. Today, you have overcome your lukewarm heart. Today, it is truly on fire and Rev. 3:21 is for you.

“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

I wrote:

It just started raining again, Lord. It’s a gentle rain. No thunder or lightening. You are watering the soil of my heart again. Thank You for the refreshing. Thank You for Your abundance upon my life, in my life and through my life. Lord, I am amazed at You. [As I wrote that, I kept hearing the Phillips, Craig and Dean song over and over in my heart.]

Tonight the shofar will be blown. It’s the Jewish New Year beginning with the shofar. The trumpet will be blown all over the earth in His honor tonight at sundown. It signals a change. It signals a new year.

Again, the Lord spoke to me:

“Just as I am marrying you to the generations, Mary, I am marrying your heart to My chosen people. Begin to pray for Jerusalem in all its meanings.Jerusalem– your heart and center; Judea – your family; andSamaria– My people.

Marriage is a sacred covenant. It is a union between two people. Today, you are the Bride and I am Your Bridegroom. I see you beautiful before Me and My eyes are full of passion for you. Oh what a battle we join together as we become one.

Your voice is My trumpet…

I will begin to open your eyes as you have cried out. You will “see” war in the heavenlies even as my prophet opened his servant’s eyes with a prayer. I have asked the Father to open yours. I have given you new spiritual eyes to see the world as I see it, to see My people as I see them, to see the needs as I see them.

If you will obey Me in all things, I will empower you with greater anointings. Be humble before Me. Be quiet before Me. Bow your heart, your mind, your will, your emotions before Me. I am the lifter of your head.

And as you have prayed since the beginning of your walk, you will see My eyes. And in that, you will begin to see with My eyes. I will cause you to see men’s souls. I will cause you to see men’s spirits. I will cause you to see men’s bodies and their pain and suffering in all areas. You will read their thoughts – not as a mind reader, but as one who has been gifted by the King of Heaven.

Here is My scepter. The vision you had last night before sleep was of a knight dressed in armor. And later you saw Me on my horse with fire coming out of My mouth. That was for you. You are My knight, chosen for service. I am your Liege Lord. It is time for battle. It is time for war. Gird yourself. The enemy will rise up and try to overcome you. But be gladdened for I am your Shield and Defender. My angels have charge over you. You have My armor. Recognize his attacks so that when he comes at you one way, when you pray and declare My words, he will flee 7!

I have heard your cry to improve your memory. My Word is in you. All the time you have spent has not been lost or forgotten. It’s there and I will quicken your spirit with My Spirit and My words and the Word will come forth like a well spring from the center of the earth. It will water My people and quench the fiery darts of the enemy.

This day is My gift to you. These words are your battle cry. This renewal is not just for today, but for ever until we stand face to face. When you look in the mirror of eternity, you will see Me.”

Share/Bookmark