More Determined than Hell Itself‏ – HFJ26

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Sorry I’ve been quiet again this past week. We had an issue with the people receiving these through FB since recently some messages I’ve sent have appeared to post, but either truly didn’t (or were lost by FB after?). So, I’ve been trying to transfer some people over to the email list. They’re not included in this message yet, since they’re still trying to get caught up (they were about 5 posts behind this group for various reasons). This is also a reason I’ve delayed in sending out confession #6 – hoping that they can get caught up and we will very soon have everyone in sync. It will be a lot less confusing for me at least!

The past week+, the Lord’s had me continuing that series from a few weeks ago.
I think I sent the links for part 1 and 2 already (As in the Days of Noah… and …Get Your “Super” On).
Here are the links for the next 3, if you haven’t had a chance to see them on FB yet:

part 3 – Are You “Full of It”?
part 4 – “Destroy the Dragon and Take Back Your Home Land” ~ Powerful Prophetic Message from The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug
part 5 – Taking Back Lost Territory ~ “Become More Determined than Hell Itself”

The Lord has been blowing our minds with confirmations from each of these after I post them, even the past 2 days since I posted note 5!
Hope you get a chance to read these and that you’ll also combine this revelation with the previous revelation from the SHIELD series so that we’re PREPARED for whatever comes.

One of the precious girls in this group shared that she received her healing Wednesday through some things the Lord spoke to her at a moment of decision and brokenness in her own healing journey. One of the most impactful passages He gave her, as she cried out for Him to speak, that helped her reach out and take her healing by faith was Psalm 23. I thought that was AWESOME, since He’s been emphasizing the SHEPHERD theme the past year (as shared in past posts)! I thought it was very fitting to rejoice with her over her testimony of how God sent this Word to heal her as we come to the close of confession #5  ~ He sends forth His WORD and HEALS ME ~ His written Word and JESUS, His Word made flesh!! Everyone praise God with Elise for how He is manifesting in her life and say a pray for her as she fully walks this out with the Lord our SHEPHERD (feel free to continue praying for her if God continues to lay her on your heart)!

Love and Blessings!!
Laura

Taking Back Lost Territory ~ “Become More Determined Than Hell Itself!” – part 4

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Note 5 – part 4 (continued from same day) (Navigation forward and backward at bottom of screen)

Are we ready to pay the price to faithfully endure, no matter the cost? Is there any price we would not presently be willing to pay? He has spoken again about drawing as close to Him as possible, in a posture of total surrender, willing to lay anything/everything on the altar (see Preparations notes). Is there anything we would not be willing to sacrifice or endure for Him? Would we remain faithful not only through verbal persecution and rejection, but even if, as for Paul and many believers throughout history, it meant beatings, prison, or death? I believe these kinds of questions will help us identify what our “idols” may be.

Certainly, if there are sins we’re unwilling to let go of, issues we’re not willing to face, or areas we won’t surrender/yield to Him so He can change us, these are altars and idols that must be demolished. If we’re not willing to surrender to Him in severing sin from our lives now, it’s doubtful we’d be strong enough in Him, full enough of Him, to sacrifice in these other costly ways that may be required (see – “Are You Full of It?” and follow up).

But what about things that aren’t sin… at least not until they’re standing in the way of us following the Lord? What if, as He seemed to be highlighting throughout these messages, our idols are COMFORT, CONVENIENCE, or PLEASURE? What if these are the subtle things the enemy has used to lure us off the narrow path or to distract us from fulfilling what God has called us to do (see “Are you full of it?”)? Or what if our “idols” are our family, friends, or other relationships, our career, finances, reputation, material possessions, free time, entertainment, or even food? Again, is there anything we would not be willing to sacrifice in order to do His will? …Or anything that we would not allow to be taken from us if we had to choose between those things or remaining faithful to Him and His Word? Is there anywhere we would not be willing to go (or to move)? Anything we would not be willing to do…or to say? I believe He wants us to challenge ourselves with these questions so any weaknesses can be exposed and strengthened now and these matters settled in advance of those kinds of decisions. But I also believe He wants us to work through whatever is exposed in us as a result of these questions now because these idols He’s declaring war against are preventing His people from the repentance that’s necessary to heal our land, preventing us from doing what’s necessary to rise up, resist the enemy, and take back lost territory, and preventing us from bringing in the final harvest and fulfilling our destinies for His Kingdom.

The JHM devo on 2-16 tied these themes back together with “Preparations for the Promised Land” notes.

Jesus, the architect of the human soul, … cries out, “Happy are the poor in spirit.” …How far removed from the carnal mind of this pleasure-seeking generation! What does “poor in spirit” mean? …happy are the people who allow the hand of God to crush their carnal nature so that they are no longer conformed to this world but are transformed into the glorious image of Christ. Happy are those who allow the hand of the Master to remove their imperfections, remaking them into a vessel of honor pleasing to the Master. … Jesus lists being broken in spirit as the number one priority in the pursuit of happiness. Only when the carnal nature is crushed and the inner poison removed can there be complete healing and a new beginning.”

We pray each of us will do whatever is necessary to remove any idols of comfort, convenience, and pleasure-seeking in order to wholeheartedly seek the Lord and do His will. We pray we will all go through the process of repentance and refining with Him so we can be conformed to His image and become His vessels of honor, fit for His highest and noblest purposes. We pray that all spiritual toxicities, impurities, diseases, and idols are removed and we are filled to all the measure of the fullness of God, to overflowing, and that we receive the complete healing and new beginning He desires for us individually, for the church, and for the nation/world. We pray that through this process we will become more determined than hell itself in accomplishing the assignments God has given us, spiritually TOUGH, INDOMITABLE, TOTALLY COMMITTED, FULLY PERSUADED, that we will walk in the fullness of His Supernatural Presence, Power, and Promises to FAITHFULLY, FEARLESSLY, FULLY OVERCOME EVERY OBSTACLE AND ATTACK OF THE ENEMY AND FINISH OUR COURSE IN VICTORY.climing 2 poster

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(this last part is from the end of the Rick devo that was in my note included from September)

 Prayer:
Lord, thank You that because Your Spirit lives in me, I have everything I need to overcome any attack the devil would try to orchestrate against me. Because Your resurrection power lives in me, I am stronger than the devil, TOUGHER than any problem, and can outlast any time of difficulty. It is not a question of IF I will win, but of WHEN I will win the victory (that is already won through Jesus)! Thank you for giving me the power of the Holy Spirit to outlast every attack and to persevere until I have accomplished what You asked me to do!

Confession:
I confess that I am totally focused on finishing the assignment Heaven has given to me. I will successfully push beyond each attack of the enemy because the Holy Spirit is empowering me. I am not a defeated victim. I take advantage of the power that is available to me. Therefore, the Spirit of God will energize and lift me to a place of victory over any obstacle the devil tries to throw in my way. I have resurrection power living inside me that supernaturally quickens me to overcome every demonic attack that tries to assault me and my purpose in life!” © Copyright Rick Renner

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They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Revelation 12:11

Praying for us all!   (see note 6 – part 1 – “No Sacrifice; No Victory…” here)
© Laura Jewell Tyree

Note1 – “As it was in the days of Noah”

Note 2 – “When “Marvel” Meets Real Life ~ Get Your “Super” On”

Note 3 – Are You “Full of It”? and follow up

Note 4 – “Destroy the Dragon and Take Back Your Home Land” ~ Powerful Prophetic Message from The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug – parts 1-4

Taking Back Lost Territory ~ “Become More Determined Than Hell Itself!” – part 3

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Note 5 – Part 3 (continued from same day) (pt 1, pt 2 ; Navigation forward and backward at bottom of screen)

THEN, Yesterday (2-18), I began reading Rick Renner’s “Dream Thieves” study guide (which he’s offering for free download on his page). I was reeling from the continued confirmations from the Lord.

I believe in response to our prayers about the series of Hebrews 11:1 words, the first place the Lord led me to in the study guide was chapter three. I was amazed to see yet another word about heroesHebrews 11:1! From Hebrews 11, Rick talked about how “God Selects the Unlikely To Do the Extraordinary” (reminiscent of words about the Butterfly Effect) and said, “Even Unlikely ‘HEROES’ Can Rise Up To Fulfill Their God-Ordained Destinies Through Unmovable Faith in God.” After quoting Heb 11:1 and discussing the Greek he said ~

“Although some may say that Hebrews 11:1 is a definition of faith, it’s actually a description of the behavior of faith. … we know that this kind of faith is determined, COMMITTED, and unrelenting. It knows what it wants, and it won’t let go until it gets it! This is a resolute, steadfast, full-of-grit kind of faith that has gumption and backbone. It knows how to look straight into the face of opposition and refuse to move. It is firm, unhesitating, unflinching, INDOMITABLE, tireless, obstinate, and inflexible. This kind of faith knows exactly what it wants. It is a faith that will not bend under pressure and has resolved to believe at any cost—rain or shine, sink or swim—until it sees the manifestation of what God has said or promised. This is the behavior of bulldog faith as it is described in Hebrews 11:1.”

(continuing our previous “HERO,” “INDOMITABLE,” “COMMITTED,” and immovable, unshakeable, unbreakable, unstoppable themes). As I then skimmed through other parts of the study guide, I saw he had the portion of Psalm 105 from which the Lord told us we needed IRON TO ENTER OUR SOULS. He also talked in various places about how “THE CALL IS NOT CONVENIENT,” about COMMITMENT, CONFORMING TO CHRIST, COUNTING THE COST, etc.

“The Call is Not CONVENIENT” (It may require “drastic change” which is not “easy or convenient”)

“Are you pliable in God’s hands? Are you willing to conform to God, or are you trying to make God conform to you? What are you willing to change…to fulfill your divine destiny?… God’s plan may require you to lay aside something…. …you must be willing to trust God and let go. What are you holding onto that may actually be hindering you…?”

“The reason many people fail is not for lack of vision, but for lack of resolve—And resolve is born out of counting the cost. … When you consider potential obstacles before you actually face them, you will develop an inner resolve or determination to endure whatever you encounter along the way.”

“Paul esteemed fulfilling his God-given dream and assignment—his divine destiny—more than his physical life and temporal gain. His attention was riveted on ETERNAL REWARDS and a heavenly commendation (see 1 Corinthians 4:5). …Paul’s focus and determination sustained him in the midst of trials and hardship so that he could finish his course with joy.”

“Take some time to consider the stories of the men and women in Scripture who made the commitment to believe and obey God, regardless of the challenges or obstacles they faced. When you move into the realm of bulldog faith, you can stand steady against all odds to see your divinely inspired (destiny) come to pass. Have you identified the price that you must pay to fulfill the (assignment/calling/destiny) God has given you? Are you willing to pay that price? If not, are you willing to allow God to help you become willing?”

And this is what I feel like the Lord is asking each of us. We’re certainly asking ourselves these questions in response to these words, but I believe this message is for the whole body ~ in order to prepare each of us to remain faithful to the end. 

to be continued… (see part 4 here)

(Navigation forward and backward also at bottom of screen)

Taking Back Lost Territory ~ “Become More Determined Than Hell Itself!” – part 2

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Note 5 – part 2 (continued from same day) (pt 1 here; Navigation forward and backward at bottom of screen)

Paul tells us more about “his determined attitude to finish God’s call, regardless of what he has to do to finish it and the challenges he has to face on his way to victory.“

Beatings Didn’t Stop Him
In addition to Paul’s hard work for the Kingdom, he also endured severe physical beatings as he pursued the fulfillment of his assignment. Rick talks about how the Greek word used to describe the “stripes” Paul received is the same word used to describe the mortal wounds received by the man in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30). Paul said he received these kinds of wounds “above measure.” This is translated from a Greek word which Rick described as something “way beyond the range of anything considered normal.” He said:

“Paul’s use of this word tells us that he was beaten way beyond the range of what we could even begin to imagine. This (Greek) word describes both the frequency and the intensity of his beatings. … They were cruel, severe, merciless acts of brutality. What his enemies did to his body was way over the top! But Paul never allowed even these acts of physical brutality to affect his COMMITMENT to the task God had given him. You must be more determined than the forces that will try to come against you. Otherwise, it won’t take much pressure to make you say, ‘This is too hard’ or ‘I didn’t understand how difficult this was going to be.’ You’ll mentally start packing your bags so you can transfer back to more COMFORTABLE territory where less is expected of you.

By no means am I wishing hardships or even hard times on you. But I do pray that you make up your mind to be TOUGHER than anything the devil ever tries to throw in your direction. In your flesh alone, you are not strong enough to withstand the devil’s assaults. But with the power of the Holy Spirit, you can resist, stand against, and drive back everything the devil will attempt to do to you, to your family, to your business, or to your church or ministry. Isn’t it time for you to make up your mind to stick with God’s call on your life and press ahead in the power of the Holy Spirit?”

Prison Didn’t Stop Him
Rick then talks about Paul’s frequent experiences in prison. After describing the horrible conditions, he says:

“Paul was kept in this kind of extreme confinement many times during his ministry. … No one wants to go to jail! But if going to jail meant that Paul would accomplish his apostolic calling along the way, that was what he was willing to do. Paul was ready to undergo any inconvenience, pay any price, and go to all lengths to do what God had commissioned him to do. Even jail could not stop him.”

Death Didn’t Stop Him
He also talked about how often Paul faced death. In fact, he said, “…I die daily.” (I Corinthians 15:31). Though this certainly had spiritual significance and implications, he also literally faced death.

“Paul faced actual physical death on a regular basis. … He faced death so often that he learned how to face it bravely. In Romans 14:8, he wrote, ‘...whether we die, we die unto the Lord….’ In I Corinthians 15:55, we see that he learned to meditate on victory rather than on mortality and fatality: ‘O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?’ These…are the thoughts of a man who faced the prospect of death almost on a daily basis. Paul never sought to live under this constant threat of murder or execution. It was just a part of the journey to get where he needed to go. But rather than run and hide from imminent danger, he faced it bravely and kept moving forward to do what he was called to do. Had Paul been less COMMITTED, it would have taken only a few of these difficult experiences to knock him out of the race. But because he was totally focused on finishing the assignment Heaven had given him, he pushed beyond each of these attacks, and at the end of his life, he was able to say, ‘…I have finished my course…’ (II Timothy 4:7).”

Rick concludes:

“The Holy Spirit who empowered the apostle Paul to overcome each of these instances is the same Holy Spirit who is available to help you. You never have to be a defeated victim! If you choose to take advantage of the power that is available to you, the Spirit of God will energize and lift you to a place of victory over any obstacle the devil tries to throw in your way. Never forget that you have resurrection power residing inside you (Romans 8:11). If you’ll YIELD to that power, it will supernaturally quicken you to OVERCOME EVERY TIME! So throw open your arms of faith and embrace the Spirit’s power to overcome each attack the devil has tried to orchestrate against you. If you’ll embrace that power, it will begin to flood you with everything you need to survive and to gloriously succeed in your task!”

©  Rick Renner – excerpts from Sparkling Gems

We were amazed to see the post from September concluded with this part of the passage I mentioned in Friday’s status that the Lord has recently given us a series of words from again!

Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward. For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised. For still a little while (a very little while), and the Coming One will come and He will not delay. But the just shall live by faith [My righteous servant shall live by his conviction respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, and holy fervor born of faith and conjoined with it]; and if he draws back and shrinks in fear, My soul has no delight or pleasure in him. But our way is not that of those who draw back to eternal misery (perdition) and are utterly destroyed, but we are of those who believe [who cleave to and trust in and rely on God through Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and by faith preserve the soul. Hebrews 10:35-39

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After I wrote about the “elegy” in note 4 (parts 1 and 4), the Lord also brought to our remembrance “Sobering Song from the Savior” (2012), reminding us that the elegy was not the first time He’d given us such a sobering song. When I reread that note this week (Sobering Song…), I saw how perfectly it goes along with this message!

to be continued… (see part 3 here)

(Navigation forward and backward also at bottom of screen)

Taking Back Lost Territory ~ “Become More Determined Than Hell Itself!” – part 1

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Note 5 – Part 1 (Navigation forward and backward at bottom of screen. Links to Previous notes also at end of part 4)

The Lord is blowing our minds! I believe He is definitely trying to prepare us (His people) to be able to endure to the end no matter what comes.

On 2-14, I mentioned “He has continued the kinds of words…about the necessity of becoming FEARLESS, now urging us that it is going to take “GUTS,” require us to be spiritually “TOUGH“, and TOTALLY COMMITTED in order to make it all the way to our goal. As in 2012, He has been telling us again to pray for “conviction” to the point of being “FULLY PERSUADED” regarding our calling and His promises. …” (Receiving Egypt as a Reward, see also Something’s Afoot)

In addition, throughout last week, phrases such as “Jesus doesn’t call us to be comfortable; He calls us to be Christlike“ and (He doesn’t call us to be comfortable, but) “…to be conformed to the image of Christ“ kept coming to my heart/mind. When I saw the JHM devo on Saturday (2-15), I realized He was continuing to confirm these things:

“Happiness begins with an absolute COMMITMENT to Christ. There are two groups of people who came to hear Jesus’ sermon about happiness (the sermon on the Mount):  the disciples, who have made an absolute commitment to follow Jesus, and the multitudes, a curious mob committed to nothing. A disciple is someone who has forsaken all to follow Christ. Jesus established the entrance requirements early on when He said, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever will loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:37-39). Jesus does not call us to a life of CONVENIENCE. He calls us to a life COMMITMENT.“

Last week, the Lord also gave us a series of words based on Hebrews 11:1 and we’ve been praying for further revelation about what He’s asking us to do in response. Yesterday He tied that passage together with other recent themes! (see end) Continuing the “Get Your Super On…” theme, He also gave us several words about “HEROES” (and Champions) last week (about Jesus as our HERO/Champion and that He calls us to be as well). And along the vein of our need to become spiritually “TOUGH,” He brought back to remembrance the passage from Psalm 105 He’s given us often since 2011, saying that He wants His IRON TO ENTER OUR SOULS (Ps 105:17-22 -see v.18 in the Amplified version). Talk about getting our “Super” on ~ He wants us to become spiritual IRONMEN / IRONWOMEN! He showed us a film where the everyday hero (who didn’t consider himself a hero) demonstrated exactly the kind of attitude the Lord’s been telling us we must develop toward our enemies in the spiritual realm ~ FEARLESS, INDOMITABLE, FULLY PERSUADED that he would be VICTORIOUS in EVERY BATTLE before the fight even began! 

At the end of note 4, part 4, I referred to a note I’d written at the beginning of September last year, but never posted. The fact that a note was sitting in my drafts which had a title very similar to the message the Lord was speaking to us through the Hobbit came to mind repeatedly last week. So we finally reread it Saturday night (2-15) as we prepared to post The Hobbit note. We were IN AWE to discover it was full of confirmations of some of these precise things the Lord was just emphasizing to us again. So here’s the note from September 2013:

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Several weeks ago we saw a news segment about Israel’s enemies methodically gaining ground. This story highlighted the nontraditional strategy being used to show that this is not occurring through overt acts of war, but rather through their adversaries infiltrating, settling in areas, pushing them out, and thus, slowly claiming piece by piece of land. Many believe there is an urgent need for Israel to awaken to what’s happening, begin to stand their ground, and reverse the situation before they find themselves overtaken (…or facing war).

Once again, I believe the Lord was showing us that what’s happening in the natural realm is mirroring the spiritual realm in our nation and the nations. In this comparison, Israel represents the determination3church. In the same way, the Lord has been saying that we must awaken, begin to stand our ground, and take back the territory that’s been lost. I wish I could say He’s assured us that this can be accomplished simply and without opposition. Instead, He’s continuing to speak of the need to allow His iron to enter our souls that we become immovable, unbreakable, unshakeable, and unstoppable regardless of what hell brings against us. When Jesse asked what message we were to share about this, He led him to this word:

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Become More Determined Than Hell Itself! 
(excerpts from Rick Renner – added emphasis mine)

“If you’re going to do something mighty for God, you have to throw yourself into the call of God and do what is needed, regardless of whether or not it is CONVENIENT to you. The fact is, doing what God has called us to do must be paramount in our lives – more important than any COMFORT or PLEASURE. Like the examples we see in the lives of Jesus and the apostle Paul, we must be willing to do anything required or go to any length to do exactly what God has assigned to us. Of course God wants His people to be blessed! But a believer shouldn’t start complaining just because He runs into an attack of the devil that affects the level of COMFORT  he is accustomed to. And if he’s asked to do…more than what is usually asked of him, he shouldn’t start griping that the extra task is not part of his job description. …

To push the forces of hell out of the way, you have to be more determined than hell itself. You have to be willing to do anything necessary to get the job done. The vision before you must be more important than your own personal PLEASURE. When you adopt this mentality for your life you will always push through hard times and take significant territory for the Kingdom of God.”

 to be continued… (part 2 here)
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“Destroy the Dragon and Take Back Your Home Land” ~ Powerful Prophetic Message from The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug – part 4

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(Note 4 part 4 – continued from same day) (Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3; Navigation backward to part 3 and beyond at bottom of screen)

Unite In Defense of Your Home

When they enter the mountain, they find an inscription praying that the heart of the mountain will unite them all in defense of their home.

Though the Enemy Makes Great Boasts…The-Hobbit-Dragon in gold

Smaug sneers, “The king under the mountain is dead; I took his throne; and ate his people like a wolf among sheep. I kill where I wish, when I wish. My armor is iron, no blade can pierce me.” While he is making great boasts about his invincibility, Bilbo sees his weak spot where he was previously injured and is now missing a scale. He realizes that the rumors are true; the dragon has a place where he is exposed and, therefore, vulnerable.

The Dragon’s not Going Down without a Fight:

Thorin announces to Smaug, “I am taking back what you stole.“

Smaug boasts, “You will take nothing from me; I laid low your warriors of old; I instill terror in the hearts of men; I am king under the mountain.” Thorin refutes him in defiance, “This is not your kingdom; these are (our) lands; this is (our inheritance).” Despite their elaborate plan to kill Smaug, he still departs from the mountain, declaring his revenge will be the destruction and ruin of the lake town. He flies toward it with this intent.

Bard, determined to succeed where his ancestors have failed by killing the dragon, and aware of the imminent danger due to the prophecies and signs he’s observed, pleads with the guards who have taken him captive, “Listen to me! You don’t know what is coming!” But they turn a deaf ear to his warnings. This brings to mind the prophet Jeremiah and many other OT prophets who were rejected, persecuted, even killed in some cases for prophesying the true message of the Lord of impending destruction if the nation didn’t repent. We have witnessed this same rejection and persecution of God’s true watchmen and prophets who are sounding the alarm today.

I felt like Bard as the film ended, wanting to cry out the same thing to those leaving the theater ~ “Listen to me! You don’t know what is coming!”

The film ends with a song about death, war, and destruction ~ “I See Fire.” As I questioned if I should include it (since its not a very happy message), the the Lord reminded me of the word He had given me a few weeks ago ~ “elegy” ~ a mournful poem, funeral song, or lament for the dead (see part 1). I was stunned. I felt His Presence. Though the song had struck me, haunted me, I had not even realized it until this very moment ~ the word He gave me perfectly describes this song. So here is a link to this “elegy” from this parabolic prophetic film ~ I See Fire

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Yesterday, as I was looking back through past notes from our seeking, I saw that in mid January, when we asked about what message the Lord wanted us to speak on FB, He had given us a word about idolatry. Since we had continued seeking and hadn’t posted right away, that particular passage completely slipped our minds when I wrote the last note (note 3 – “Are You Full Of It?” and follow up) which addressed that subject.

Then a week ago Saturday (2-8) He directed us to the beginning chapters of Jeremiah ~ highlighting from 4-7. I urge you to read these! We remembered that these were many of the same passages He asked us to speak from in 2011/2012 (see parts 1-8 of prophetic word for church/nation…,  Zeal for His House Still Consumes Him, and others) Yesterday, we received a powerful confirmation of this passage from Jeremiah 4.

If you will return, O Israel, says the Lord, if you will return to Me, and if you will put away your abominable false gods (detestable idols) out of My sight and not stray or waver, And if you swear, As the Lord lives, in truth, in judgment and justice, and in righteousness (uprightness in every area and relation), then the nations will bless themselves in Him and in Him will they glory. For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem: Break up your ground left uncultivated for a season, so that you may not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and take away the foreskins of your hearts, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest My wrath go forth like fire [consuming all that gets in its way] and burn so that no one can quench it because of the evil of your doings.

Immediately we noticed in this word confirmations about repentance from idolatry and also about the need for “circumcision” (as discussed in “Preparations…” notes). Though He’s still giving these very sobering messages (as seen in Jeremiah 4-7), we should rejoice that they still contain the message of mercy and hope. There is still a window of opportunity, if we will truly repent. This is comforting, since in light of these latest confirmations about coming war and desolation, I had looked back at past words He’d given. When I read one (from 2012) that said “it’s not too late” (to prevent this judgment/destruction from occurring now), I had wondered if this was still true. So, we should be extraordinarily grateful that He’s still giving us an opportunity to turn back fully to Him, but we must also no longer delay in doing so! We must take these messages seriously and respond wholeheartedly as He desires! (not just the nation, but the church ~ each of us).

This past week as I wrote this, a note I wrote last September that I had saved in my drafts and never posted kept coming to my remembrance. I remembered writing the note and that it was entitled, “Taking Back Lost Territory” ~ “Become More Determined Than Hell Itself!” So last night, as we prepared to post this, I finally opened it to reread and see if the Lord was wanting me to include it along with this new note. We were overwhelmed by the confirmations in it of some of the exact same things the Lord’s been speaking to us this past week again as I’ve written this. Since this message is already sufficiently long. I will post the other one separately.

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Follow up:
Once again, this morning we were in absolute awe by the confirmations the Lord gave us of this note from our pastor’s sermon!! In his continued series on the coming blood moon tetrad (parts 1 and 2 Signs of the End), he spoke of “taking back our land,” (!!!) of “war/battle” (!!!) – our need to fight, not be fearful/silent, lethargic, etc., of the vital importance of the “MAP” of the Word (!!!!!), and other amazing confirmations. From the spiritual excitement these precise confirmations always produce, I do not know how we keep from launching straight out of the room week after week! Some of what he said this morning brought this previous word/dream from the Lord back to mind as well: KEEP AWAKE!

[3-9-15, Follow up 2: We just re-watched this movie this weekend, just over a year later, in preparation to see the 3rd. Once again, we were amazed the next day by the confirmation’s in our pastor’s sermon – including LITTLE KEYS OPEN BIG DOORS, the sin of SILENCE in the face of evil (which He had re-emphasized to us again last week as well), our need to recapture the spirit of our founding father’s of “give us liberty or give us death,” and the need to fight (the spiritual battle and through speaking truth) to take back our nation, etc. The Lord has also been repeatedly re-emphasizing the first chapters of Jeremiah again lately (1-7) as well as other passages He’s given us since 2012. We have been AMAZED in rereading these notes to realize all that has happened in the world since they were posted last year that confirm all the Lord was saying. It struck me this time as we watched this film and the 3rd how it was emphasized several times that the enemy would begin his destruction and reign of terror IN THE EAST – that the EAST would fall to him first and he would spread from there. Many of the precise horrific and unimaginable things He had warned us about (as mentioned in pt 1) have already been happening in the EAST since these notes were posted! Please continue to pray for our nation to return to the Lord, and for each of us to do our part to repent and return wholeheartedly to Him, so the plans of the enemy will be thwarted!!)

Blessings and Prayers! (see Note 5 – part 1 – Taking Back Lost Territory…” here)
© Laura Jewell Tyree
(Navigation backward to part 3 and beyond at bottom of screen)

Note 1 – “As it was in the days of Noah”

Note 2 – “When “Marvel” Meets Real Life ~ Get Your “Super” On”

Note 3 – Are You “Full of It”? and follow up

“Destroy the Dragon and Take Back Your Home Land” ~ Powerful Prophetic Message from The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug – part 3

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(Note 4 Part 3 – continued from same day) (Pt 1, Pt 2; Navigation backward to part 2 and forward to part 4 at bottom of screen)

Division, Apathy, Complacency, Fear, Selfish Ambition (Selfishness), and Idolatry must be Overcome:

We see that old offenses, unforgiveness, bitterness, enmity, and strife keep groups from working together in order to unite as they ought to against their common enemy who plans to destroy them.

On more than one occasion we see instances of the temptation to refrain from getting involved in order to help others who are in danger. (Bringing to remembrance the message that the principle of reaping what we sow applies to sins of omission as well as commission – what we fail to do for others, we will fail to receive.

Tauriel realizes the enemy is growing bolder. She tells Thranduil that she’s trying to clear the land of the threat, but more of the giant spiders (spirits of deception) keep coming. She’s concerned that if she follows his advice, they will only infest other lands as well. He replies, “other lands are not our concern.”Legolas and Tauriel - It is our Fight

Later she goes out to help others when she learns that one’s life is in danger. When Legolas finds her, he insists she is betraying Thranduil (his father) and tells her she must go back with him. She says that if she did so, she would never forgive herself. Like his father, Legolas urges her, “it’s not our fight.” Tauriel responds, “It is our fight. It will not end here; with every victory this evil will grow. If your father has his way, we will do nothing. We will hide within our walls, live our lives away from the light and let darkness descend. Are we not part of this world? Tell me, when did we let evil become stronger than us?”

In other scenes we see spiritual significance to the vast wealth that lies within the mountain. There is vast treasure to be gained by taking the mountain (which can represent the “7 mountains of influence” as well as the “homeland”/nation. If you’re not familiar with the “7 mountains” revelation, it’s worth researching). But though there is great treasure, there is also great danger. The dragon is lying within, so concealed that some even wrongly presume he’s dead (spiritual symbolism of how some view the enemy). Yet he’s still alive and still retains power  ~ though his power has been weakened and his defeat will ultimately be fully manifested. The dragon will awaken to attempt to destroy them when they enter the mountain to possess their land.

Thorin must overcome selfish ambition and greed. The wealth and riches that led to the destruction of their ancestors also begin to taint his heart and corrupt him. Balin speaks some confrontational words and warnings to Thorin, attempting to bring him back to his senses.

Here we see spiritual representation of the “abomination that causes desolation.” The material blessings of the mountain (nation) had eventually corrupted and turned the hearts of the people (away from the Lord) to idolatry. This drew the dragon who brought desolation to their land. Not being super familiar with the books (forgive me Jason), I went into this thinking the desolation of Smaug referred to desolation brought TO the dragon. Obviously, it became apparent that, instead, it referred to desolation brought FROM the dragon. Due to the things the Lord’s been speaking about “idols” that we set up in His temple (our hearts/lives) being an “abomination that causes desolation” (see the Preparations for the Promised Land notes), I then realized there was even a powerful confirmation of this principle seen in the events of the film and even in the use of the term “desolation” in its title.

Trust and Teamwork Turn the Enemy’s own Weapons Against him:

~ On more than one occasion the heroes have to learn to trust someone who’s leading them a way they aren’t certain about.

hobbit river fight teamwork~ In one scene, as they’re escaping in the river (water – symbol of Word and Spirit), their enemies are attacking them. Yet as they fight the enemies and overcome them, they plunder their weapons and begin to slay the enemy with their own weapons. (brings to mind David and Goliath – how David slayed Goliath with his own sword – an allusion to how the Lord promises that no matter what the enemy brings against us, He is able to take what was meant for our harm and turn it around for our good if we continue to trust and follow Him.)

In addition, we see in this scene how vital their teamwork is. Over and over different ones would have been killed as they were fighting an enemy, because another enemy came upon them in their blind spot. But just in time, others who could see what was happening from their vantage point, would throw a weapon, taking out the enemy who was about to ambush their friend (representing what we are called to do for our brothers and sisters in Christ – speaking the truth in love as watchmen on the wall to expose and take out the enemy who has come upon them in their “blind spot” to deceive and destroy them).

~ Also later, in the mountain, they determined they will not meet their death cowering in fear, but that if they’re going to die, they will go down trying to kill the dragon. This is the spirit of our founding fathers which must be revived in this nation. Through working together in teams they’re able to distract the enemy and elude death. They’re also able to bait the dragon, using his own anger and ego against him in order to accomplish their goals.

We Can’t Give Up Now

The company reaches the mountain with the key and their best interpretation of the instructions they’ve been given in the map (representing the Word of God) and search for the key hole. When this is failing and time is running out (they think), they frantically attempt to break the door down to no avail ~ “it can’t be opened by force.” As the sunlight disappears, Thorin stands clutching the map (the Word), reading the instructions again to make sure he had read them correctly, “That’s what it says! What have we missed? What have we missed?“

Balin states, “We’ve lost the light; there’s no more to be done; we had but one chance; it’s over.” But Bilbo begs, “Wait a minute..We can’t give up now! We can’t give up now!” As the rest walk away, accepting defeat, he begins to go back over everything again by himself, thoroughly and repeatedly, carefully thinking about the words and their meaning (representing reading and meditating on the Word of God). This leads to the revelation of the true meaning of what was written and the way into the mountain is then illuminated.

He cries after the others to come back ~ that he knows the proper interpretation and has found the way. Thorin puts the key in the door and is able to easily push open what was previously impenetrable. Through this I was “hearing” recent words the Lord has given about:
~ seeking and crying out with all our hearts for the wisdom, understanding, and knowledge necessary to fulfill our assignments,
~ receiving the vital “keys” of revelation we need from His Word and Spirit,
~ His prophecies of open doors,
~ and our pastor often saying, “LITTLE KEYS OPEN BIG DOORS!“key to the mountain

We must receive the keys, and the proper “light” to use them (by accurately interpreting/understanding the map of His Word), to open the doors to the solutions we need for our lives and nation. We can’t solve spiritual problems with natural solutions. He holds the key. He is the Key.  (Proverbs 2-4, Matthew 16:18-19, Revelation 3:7, Isaiah 22:22; 33:6)  

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. Isaiah 33:6

to be continued… (part 4 here) (Navigation backward to part 2 and forward to part 4 also at bottom of screen)

“Destroy the Dragon and Take Back Your Home Land” ~ Powerful Prophetic Message from The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug – part 2

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(Note 4 Part 2 – continued from same day) (Pt 1 here; Navigation backward to part 1 and forward to part 3 at bottom of screen)

beginning of notes about movie:
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“Take Back Your Home Land”:

The movie opens with Gandalf first meeting Thorin (prior to the events of the first film). He advises him to gather his armies, march upon the mountain which was formerly their home, destroy the dragon (representing satan) who stole their land and brought desolation, and take their mountain back ~ “You can wait no longer.“ “That dragon has sat there long enough.” “Take back your home land!“

(Again, we know that our battle is not against flesh and blood ~ Eph 6. These are spiritual analogies referring to the spiritual war that the army of the Lord, the church, must rise up and engage in to take back our nation).

“The World is in Grave Danger” ~ “War is Coming”:

Distraction and “blindness” have allowed the hidden plans of the enemy to flourish

As the movie unfolds, they become increasingly aware that the enemy (Sauron), who they thought was no longer an issue, has returned and has been preparing for war. His plans have only been able to develop because he remained hidden in darkness from their sight as he grew in strength and number. As a result, “War is coming.” Unfortunately, though our battle is not against flesh and blood, our enemy does not value the same principles. I believe the Lord is confirming that natural, and not just spiritual, war is at stake (…or at hand).

something moves in the shadows“Something moves in the shadows unseen, hidden from our sight; every day it grows in strength.” (Lady Galadriel) She recognized their need to beware of an enemy who was masquerading under an identity, yet was “not what he seems,” and of their urgent need to understand the truth of the situation.

In another conversation, when Radagast observes that no human could summon such evil, Gandalf replies, “Who said it was human… We’ve been blind, and in our blindness the enemy has returned; He’s summoning his servants. The Defiler is…a commander of legions. The enemy is preparing for war.” Gandalf states that he must rejoin his friends because, “they are in grave danger.” Radagast realizes, “If what you say is true, the world is in grave danger.“

In another scene, Thranduil states – “Such is the nature of evil. Out there in the vast ignorance of the world it festers and spreads ~  a shadow that grows in the dark ~ A sleepless malice as black as …night.” A minion of the enemy threatens him, “Your world will burn; the time has come again. My master serves “the one.” Do you understand now? Death is upon you; the flames of war are upon you.” These things are precisely in line with what the Lord has been showing us since early 2012, horrific dangers and desolation is approaching which will only be averted by our nation’s repentance.

When Gandalf and Radagast go to the enemy’s lair, they realize it has only appeared as if nothing was happening there, but this façade (purposefully presented), was far from the truth. Gandalf says, “A spell of concealment lies over this place. …our enemies are not yet ready to reveal themselves; he has not regained his full strength…We must force his hand.” Radagast pleads, “WAIT, What if it’s a trap?” Gandalf assures him, “It’s undoubtedly a trap.“

If I wasn’t convinced before, after seeing this scene, I felt certain that Tolkien must have understood spiritual authority in Christ. Once inside the enemy’s lair, he began to command the evil that was hidden there to come forth and reveal itself! The enemies were exposed,Gandolph in enemy's lair forced out of hiding, but declared that Gandalf was too late. The Defiler informed him that the enemy is now “everywhere,” eerily quoting directly from the demoniac in the Bible that they are “Legion.” (Reminiscent of “As it was in the Days of Noah…” note) Gandalf fights Sauron with his scepter of light (representing the Word and the Word made flesh, Jesus). Considering the word the Lord just gave us a few weeks ago from John 1:5, we were amazed to hear the enemy say, “There is no light that can defeat darkness.” Thankfully we know he is the father of lies and that, no matter how things may temporarily appear, the truth is “The darkness CANNOT OVERCOME the Light!”

Unfortunately, however, this scene does end with the temporary appearance that darkness is prevailing.

Deception Lures from the True Path to Imminent Death:

Before sending those going on the quest into a forest, Gandalf warns, “The very air of the forest is thick with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray. You must stay on the path; do not leave it… No matter what comes, stay on the path!”

Of course, they come under the deception and illusion of the forest (representing the spirit of the world), they get off the path and are lost, confused, disoriented, going in circles, and unable to discern the right way. Their perception of reality becomes distorted. They’re no longer able to think or see clearly.

This confirmation was profoundly meaningful since in the last note (part 3 and follow up), I’d written about how the enemy attempts to deceive and lure us off the path without us being aware.

Bilbo declares, “We’ve lost the sun (representing The SON ~ Jesus). The sun (Son)! We have to find the sun (Son)!” He climbs a tree to find the sun (Son).the-hobbit-blue-butterflies When he breaks through (BREAKTHROUGH) the forest top, many BLUE BUTTERFLIES fly from the tree tops. This was especially significant because of the butterfly theme from the past years, representing transformation (metamorphasis, dying to self, resurrection to new life), faith/fulfillment of destiny (flying), and the “butterfly effect” (referring to the ability of one who seems insignificant to make a significant impact. The Lord has particularly used blue butterflies (in things He’s spoken to us since 2011) to represent the Holy Spirit! When Bilbo breaks through, he finds the sun (Son) and is then able to think and see clearly again. From this vantage point, free from the deception and illusion of the forest (world), he can now discern the right direction to go and calls down to his friends, “I can see! Can you hear me? I know which way to go!” When his friends, still below in the deception of the forest, do not respond, he begins to descend into the forest again to tell them the way. But his foot gets caught in a giant spider’s web (representing deception). He falls and gets entangled and ensnared in a web and is attacked by giant spiders (representing spirits of deception) who have taken his friends captive in their webs and intend to devour them. Thankfully, Bilbo has a sword (representing the Word of God) and uses it to kill the spider attacking him and then to set the others free. (allusions to I Corinthians 10:3-5, Hebrews 4:12, John 8:31-36, and others)

to be continued… (part 3 here) (Navigation backward to part 1 and forward to part 3 also at bottom of screen)

even the smallest person can change the course of the future

“Destroy the Dragon and Take Back Your Home Land” ~ Powerful Prophetic Message from The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug – part 1

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We’ve continued to receive multiple confirmations for the 3rd note (and the follow up) in the series this past week, as well as more for the Shield notes, and other recent themes. But right now we’re in awe at the confirmations for this note we just received! (mentioned at the end)
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Note 4 Part 1the_hobbit__the_desolation_of_smaug

After much anticipation and waiting longer than we ever intended, last Sunday (2-9) we finally got to see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. We’d already had an amazing week of the Lord speaking the same message to us through three films He orchestrated for us to see (mentioned in Something’s Afoot). So since we’d already planned before any of that happened to see the new Hobbit movie that Sunday, we were on high alert, expecting the revelation to continue. We were praying in advance for God to cause our eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts to perceive, and minds to understand everything He wanted to speak to us through this epic movie we’d waited months to see.

Oh my!! What a prophetic word for the church, nation, and world it is at this specific time! There were such profound confirmations of things we believe the Lord’s been saying that I was seriously debating whether He wanted us to stand up and give an interpretation and have an altar call at the end. I felt urgency to warn people who seemed to be leaving the theater without giving a second thought to how what they’d just witnessed in prophetic parable was more real than they’d ever dared to imagine.

A bit of background: As we’ve sought the Lord for understanding about the “John the Baptist” calling He gave us in 2011, in 2012 we began asking Him to lead us to anything we needed to see, hear, and understand in order to fulfill it. In response, He led us to several series of messages. What He was showing us through them were things we would have most likely written off as “conspiracy theories” if we had just stumbled across them on our own (or if someone else had directed us to them). But because these messages kept coming up in response to our prayers, we couldn’t dismiss or ignore them. We haven’t been sure whether we should share any of these messages in their entirety since at one point the Lord warned us about the potential for rumor mixed in with fact. So still being uncertain about the credibility and validity of ALL of the information presented, we didn’t want to discredit what we knew to be credible by also unwittingly promoting what is not. The things He began showing us in 2012 have continued through the past month, prompting what I mentioned in my post a few Fridays ago ~ “From what He’s shown us, it seems like the world has been following a script straight from the book of Revelation in their preparation for the antichrist kingdom (their “new world order”). The stage is being set and nearly every piece is now in place.“

Since some tune out as soon as they hear anything about Revelation and end-times prophecy, I realized I was taking an even greater risk by mentioning “new world order.” For those unfamiliar with this stuff, I’m sure it sounds like crazy conspiracy-theory. I finally mentioned it that Friday solely because I believe the Lord has truly been giving additional confirmations. Recently, we’ve been asking Him again for further clarification about exactly what He wants us to speak (specifically in reference to these things). As mentioned in previous notes, He has confirmed on numerous occasions beyond the shadow of all doubt that the messages of His soon return and of repentance from sin are an essential part of our calling that must be kept and not castrated. But we had no idea if we were supposed to speak about any of these other things that sounded so bizarre and questionable to us? We would certainly never have chosen to speak about things we felt so ignorant about and have no way to prove.

A few weeks ago (after praying about whether we were supposed to share any of this revelation), He gave me a word; and this time I mean a literal “word” ~ one word ~ “elegy.” I had never heard this word before and had no idea what it meant. As I researched it, I was amazed and concerned. The word referred to a mournful poem, a funeral song, or a lament for the dead. He showed me this word in connection with the phrase “New Order.” Umm…. Lord? I didn’t like the sound of this. Yet, in all He’d previously shown us, as far as I could remember, the antichrist kingdom had always been referred to as the “new world order,” not just “new order.” So I held out hope that perhaps He meant something else this time; maybe there was an alternate interpretation. Very shortly afterward (either that day or right after), He led me to see clips of a prophetic message. The man prophesying said that the Lord kept giving him the phrases “new world order“ AND “new order.” !! If you’re already familiar with teaching about these things, then you’re likely not the least bit surprised that the Lord would couple this phrase with a word describing a mournful poem, funeral sonew world order quoteng, or lament for the dead. According to what we’ve seen, in order for those who desire and plan to bring about this new world order (aka the antichrist kingdom), they need our present world order to collapse and be destroyed. Then, like a phoenix, their new world order can arise from the ashes of what has been destroyed.

Immediately, the warnings He’s given from the past 3 years of the terrible destruction and desolation that’s coming if the church/nation does not repent began coming to my remembrance. I’d specifically mentioned in “Preparations for the Promised Land” that during our “Jonah-storm,” He told us that if we did not continue to call the church/nation to repentance that x, y, and z would happen ~ horrific, unimaginable things that would only happen if our nation was overthrown by our adversaries in war (parts 1-3 of Preparations for the Promised Land). So, it was more than a bit disturbing for Him to now confirm these messages about the satanically inspired antichrist kingdom with a word about “new order,” funeral songs, and laments for the dead.

The new Hobbit movie truly seemed like prophetic confirmation of things He’s been saying in the past years.

So many parallels, but I will try to limit this to some key confirmations. These confirmations are listed by theme rather than by their chronological order in the storyline. (My husband also informs me that, though this is a very concise summary for a 3-hour film, I still ought to give a *spoiler warning* for anyone who has not yet seen the film and doesn’t want to discover certain things in advance. So proceed at your own risk.).  🙂

to be continued… (part 2 here)

FEARLESS and FULLY PERSUADED‏ – HFJ25

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Happy Valentine’s Day!
Sending a couple of messages with overviews of some of the themes the past few weeks. You may have seen the post last Saturday that talked about continued confirmations from the “Light vs. Darkness” note and from the more recent series (“As it was in the days of Noah” and “Get Your ‘Super’ On”):

Something’s Afoot

This update focused on the messages in 3s the Lord was giving ~ including the word “INDOMITABLE” and about the need to overcome fear to the point of being FEARLESS in order to complete our assignments/destiny.

This theme has continued this week. In addition to the devos below about Courage, He has given me two more words that talk about having to have spiritual “GUTS” and has spoken about the need to become spiritually TOUGH and to be FULLY COMMITTED in order to go ALL THE WAY THROUGH to the completion of our calling (or to the manifestation of His promise). This goes along with the message that was in the “Get Your ‘Super’ On” Note that mentioned Him telling us to “EXERCISE” our faith and in spiritual disciplines until we are strong enough to overcome every obstacle and attack of the enemy (which also goes along with the theme from the Slaying the Giants notes about changing our perspective to see our challenges as the opportunity to “work out” spiritually and get stronger).

The verse mentioned in the KCM devo below from (II Peter 1) was one of the passages He gave us which emphasized the concept of EXERCISING and DEVELOPING our spiritual muscles:

“For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue). 4 By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in [exercising] virtue [develop] knowledge (intelligence), 6 And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety), 7 And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love. 8 For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep [you] from being idle or unfruitful unto the [full personal] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is blind, [spiritually] shortsighted, seeing only what is near to him, and has become oblivious [to the fact] that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Because of this, brethren, be all the more solicitous and eager to make sure (to ratify, to strengthen, to make steadfast) your calling and election; for if you do this, you will never stumble or fall. 11 Thus there will be richly and abundantly provided for you entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”  II Peter 1:3-11

Here are some of the devos that go along with this theme from this week:

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Dare to Be Courageous!
Kenneth Copeland

My brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.– Ephesians 6:10

In the face of impossible challenges, God gives us the same instruction He gave to Joshua and Solomon. “Be strong and very courageous.” He does not say, “You pray and I’ll make you strong.”He says, “You be strong—not in your own power, but in My might.” Clearly, being courageous is our responsibility, and it’s not a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. It’s a command.

The word translated courage in the Hebrew means “to be sharp, alert or clearheaded.” It also means “to be strong or confirmed.” When I looked up the word confirmed in the dictionary, I found it means, “to be strengthened, established and made more firm.” The word virtue in 2 Peter 1:5 carries this same idea. There, the Apostle Peter tells us, “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue.” In other words, “Add to your faith courageous, moral energy.”

There’s a conspicuous lack of courageous, moral energy among many believers today. Great numbers of Christians know the Word says that by the stripes of Jesus we were healed (1 Peter 2:24). They believe it. They have been taught that if they’ll fill their hearts and mouths with that Word—and stick with it long enough—healing will be certain to manifest in their bodies. Why then don’t more people take hold of that Word and stay with it until they’re healed? No courage. No moral energy. You see the same problem in the area of finances. Christians everywhere want to be debt free. They know the truth. So they confess, “I’m the head and not the tail. I lend to many, but I don’t borrow! God meets all my needs…” and so on. But when it comes time to buy a car, a house or build a church, they wilt. “Oh my, …. There’s no way in the world I’ll ever be able to believe God for that much money.” What makes people back off their faith like that? A lack of courage. A lack of moral energy.

You may be facing some serious circumstances today. It may be your health, your family, your finances. Whatever it is, being courageous to believe the Word of God can put you over. But, you have to choose to stand up to the fear, to stand up to that doubt. Boldly declare, “Fear, you have no place in me. I’ll not serve you. I dare to believe the Word of God! I dare to stand on it and not back off! I dare to be courageous!”

Scripture Reading: Psalm 31 (© 1999 Kenneth Copeland Ministries)

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Standing in Big Shoes
by Joyce Meyer

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. —Joshua 1:5

…God told Joshua he would succeed not because of anything he had in the natural but because He was with him. Moses was successful only because God was with him. God told Joshua the same thing would hold true for him if he believed. God kept encouraging Joshua to be strong and confident, to take courage and not be afraid. In other words, He told him to believe! Put your faith and trust in God. He will give you the strength to stand and accomplish whatever He asks you to do. (Copyright © Joyce Meyer)
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“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 NIV

  • By the grace of God there is NO LIMIT to what we can do – we need to change our minds accordingly.
  • It is through Him that we can do these things. He gives us the strength – always consistent under every circumstance.
  • Our God gives – we need to develop a receptive spirit and faith to receive strength.

strength.1

Prayer: Lord I praise you that you do give me strength today. I CAN DO ALL THINGS AND THERE IS NO LIMIT. I WILL NOT FEAR WHAT SEEMS TOO HARD, I CAN DO THIS BECAUSE OF YOUR STRENGTH. AMEN.
Ed Traut (Copyright © Prophetic Life Ministries)

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Notice the Ed devo brought the recurring theme of NO LIMIT again – since the Lord has brought this up so often (LIMITLESS, NO LIMIT, etc.) we are focusing on this in prayer, asking to receive and walk in the fullness of this revelation.

Also, one of the things He has been telling us to do again regarding becoming spiritually TOUGH enough and having the GUTS to go all the way through to the completion of what He’s called us to do is to pray for “Conviction” ~ in the sense of being CONVINCED of our calling, of His promises, etc. He began telling us to pray for this in 2012 and He answered those prayers in amazing ways. But He has been telling us to do this again recently – adding that He wants us to pray for “conviction” to the point of becoming “FULLY PERSUADED.” (The KCM devo above touched on this concept too – though the Lord gave him the word “confirmed”). Here are a few of the powerful confirmations from this. The night of 1/30 the Lord gave us this word from Ivan Tait:

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Fully Persuaded

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, HE WAS ABLE ALSO TO PERFORM. Romans 4:21

“Your power lies in your convictions, and your convictions are the result of your persuasion. I am on a quest to persuade you toward My ways and thoughts and My way of doing things. There will be no doubt left. We shall be one mind, one life, and one breath. No unbelief. … No double-mindedness in your actions. This is because My promises have won your heart. … Be persuaded, convinced, and convicted. Live without doubt and walk without fear.”
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The next morning, 1/31, we listened to the Wed. night sermon from the 29th (as mentioned in a previous message). One of the awesome confirmations I didn’t get to share previously was during that sermon when our pastor said:

“…what we want to go for is to get the doubt removed OUT of our mind, b/c when you move the doubt out, when you get rid of all the hesitations and the doubt, and become what Abraham was – FULLY PERSUADED – then LOOK OUT! Mountains begin to move, signs, wonders, and miracles begin to happen at unprecedented levels!”

We were once again amazed at God’s orchestration and astounding confirmations!! So, praying we will all have total conviction about our callings/assignments/and about all of God’s promises to the point that we have “FULLY PERSUADED FAITH.” It is THIS degree of faith that will cause us to endure to the end regardless of the challenges ~ making us immoveable, unshakeable, unbreakable, and unstoppable, and able to fully possess the promised land.

Will probably send other themes in separate messages…

Blessings and Prayers! Laura

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