Image via Wikipedia

Do you ever get tired of the feeling that your prayers are going nowhere?

A couple days ago my husband got a hold of this little laser light. Gary got to playing with this laser and it was strong enough to shine on our neighbor’s house. He thought it was funny to tease their cat that sleeps on the porch, on a railing by their front door. Then he saw that the doorbell wasn’t too far from the cat that was batting at the red light the laser was producing. So he thought it would be fun to have their cat ring their door bell. Some men never grow up! So basically my husband was trying to teach their cat to hit a very small target, their doorbell, but the cat couldn’t seem to reach his target.

This reminded me of a lesson the Lord taught me in a fun and unexpected way. My husband Gary and I decided we would play a game of darts. We have the electronic dart board set up in our house and every once in a while we would have a friendly competition. I always lose, because I am not skilled at dart throwing. Well this evening we were playing a game where you had to hit the exact space equal to the points you needed to go out of the game. So if I needed to win the game with 3 points I had to hit that exact spot. I can usually keep up, in the game, but I can’t for the life of me direct the dart to hit the exact mark.

This night I won five games straight. I could not miss the last number and for some reason I was getting divine help. It took me a couple games to realize that I was divinely being helped but every time it would get to the last number I needed, everything would go still and like in slow motion the dart I threw would go right into the slot that was needed for me to win. My husband was completely taken off guard, as was I and of course I didn’t tell him that something supernatural was helping me until the next day because honestly a woman needs to gloat at least one night!

You may be wondering what this lesson was about. Well honestly I was too, until a few weeks later the Lord showed me as we pray with His mind and from His perspective the dart of our prayers never misses the mark.

So often we are tempted and do pray with our own understanding and what we think should be an outcome. This can sometimes be effective because we want something positive to happen and the grace of God. However, when we tune in to the Holy Spirit and ask Him what we should pray or when we are in worship and we feel a stillness and weightiness of the glory and we pray from that perspective those prayers hit the mark dead on.

My challenge to you is to look at a difficult circumstance and wait on the Lord until you know you have His heart. Then release that arrow of faith right into the situation and see what our Lord can do. I promise your prayers are going to hit the mark and you are going to feel an intimacy with the Father as a result of this time devoted to know Him and His purposes. You also are going to get a real boost to your prayer life as you get filled up with a creative spirit as you pray.

Blessings,

Sheryl Jones

Image via Wikipedia

What do you wish for Me to do for you? If you could ask the Lord for anything what would you wish for Him to do for you?

In Matthew 20 the blind men on the side of the road were crying out to Jesus for mercy. The Lord could see they were blind men but He still asked, “What do you wish for Me to do for you?” Their reply was, “Lord we want our eyes to be opened.”
This morning I was thinking even though I am not physically blind, that would still be my answer. “Lord open my eyes, Yes I can see but spiritually right now I need to see like I have never seen before. I can hear in my spirit so strongly, take the limits off.” The Lord wants us to see… see into the spirit realm and call what is not into being. He wants us to walk with eyes wide open. He wants us to break through the limited way we view a situation and see all kinds of possibilities. He wants us to see Him and all His glory everywhere we look. It is time to see!

This Easter weekend we had the opportunity to partner with a group that ministers to street people of Spokane, an area that’s been marked by a degree of darkness. I was so excited to be a part of this event and God is doing amazing things through these people who have laid down their lives to serve the homeless and hurting. I had an opportunity to minister to a couple who wanted to be prophesied over. The woman was in a wheel chair and I could tell she had very little muscle control but seemed to be really enjoying herself. We prayed with her and then turned to her husband and he said, “Don’t worry about me, I have received the one prayer I have prayed to the Lord and I won’t ask Him for anything else.” His one prayer was for time to spend with his wife. Obviously the Lord had spared her life and they were able to have a life together, he was so thankful.
This couple’s story sounds sweet but something went off in my spirit and I immediately laid hands on this man because do you honestly think the Lord wanted him to ask Him for one thing and never ask again? This man needed his eyes opened and the limits he had put on his relationship with God removed.

Have you put limits on God? Do you really believe that He can and will give you the desires of  your heart? Do you believe that He wants to open our eyes to a realm that anything is possible. Then we need our minds renewed and we need to have our senses touched by the Spirit so we can boldly go where no man has gone before, or at least see greater possibilities.

The Lord loves to show His children that nothing is too hard for Him. I challenge you to ask Him to break the limits off  your life, you will be glad you did!

If this message has blessed you send it on to a friend.

Blessings,
Sheryl

In a recent quiet time the Lord began to show me His heart of unity that is to be our heart of unity. Unity is an issue of the Father‘s heart.  Therefore any attempt at unity that doesn’t understand the Father’s heart and the nature of covenant isn’t going to have unity.  My question to the Lord was how is this possible that we can be “unified” on so many levels and yet divided on just as many.  We throw a phrase around like “we agree to disagree.”  We agree one moment only to disagree the next, we stand together, we stand apart, we build each other up to then tear each other down.  We slap the word unity on this type of relationship and live thinking we are unified.  Let me stop here and just say that this is an issue of my heart and where the Lord is leading me, not a judgment on anyone else.  But can I encourage you to allow the Holy Spirit to stir this issue up on your heart?  Are you really living in the Spirit of Unity?

As I sat with the Lord He began to expand on this subject in a way that I haven’t personally experienced.  I’ll share more in the coming weeks but let me submit this part to you.  If our current understanding of unity allows for this psychotic behavior, is this the true unity of the Father’s heart?  You’d be right in saying “no”.  We know and recognize this yet what are we doing to change it?  So then what is this form of life really called?  Apart from psychotic and disturbing, it’s philosophical. Philosophy by definition is designed to allow many “schools of thought” to be entertained at one time while remaining open to possibilities beyond our understanding.  Great, but the issue of unity is not a school of thought that can be debated when it comes to the Father.  He is very clear on the topic and expression of unity.  Most of what we have heard in the past about the church and unity needs to be restored and redeemed by allowing the supremacy and sovereignty of Jesus to rule our lives.  Not our philosophical rhetoric we spew out in an attempt to define and justify our Christian living habits and group alignments.   We are one in Christ!

Paul in his letter to the Colossians is dealing with what I believe the Holy Spirit is trying to deal with in Body of Christ today:  Philosophy, empty deceit, traditions of men, and principles of the world not according to Christ that we slap a label of unity on whenever someone joins our camp.  Col 2:8-10: Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;  and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. NKJV

Wow, what a revelation!

Go and read chapter 1 of Colossians and take note of how Paul starts to deal with the issue of false unity.  He does so by bringing forth revelation of Jesus Christ that you can’t help but be caught up in His glory and from there we can start to get understanding about the unity of the Father’s heart.

Learning and Leading,

Jeph

Image by Puzzler4879 via Flickr

Have you ever wanted a clean slate?

The Lord has shown me two different pictures when I have been praying lately. The first picture was a slate wiped clean by the blood of Jesus. Then the most recent picture was of a wall that was light gray and it looked like a fresh slate ready for decoration. In the last few weeks when I have been asked to pray with people the Lord keeps showing me people who either can’t let go and start over or people who are just about to walk into a fresh start.

In my life I have had opportunity to have a clean slate, my past wiped clean and a fresh beginning in both my spiritual life and physical life with the Lord wiping away a business debt of thousands.

This morning the Lord brought to mind a word I got a few months back about a fresh start.

Today is a day of new beginnings; it is not just a new day of the month it is a new start. Many are asking for a do-over. They are discontent with how certain things have gone and today they get a fresh start. Many are waiting, “waiting for what?” Start today; start now, that which has been in the back of your mind.

Fresh start could mean, “Because I blew it,” in your mind. In My mind, I just want you to start without baggage. Let the load go. Let the anniversary of the death of the old thing be done and now you embark on a new future.

No looking back, again I say, “No looking back.” “How do I do that?” Looking back brings with it regrets and what-ifs? Today is a fresh beginning; a time to tune in to Me; A time for the leading of the Spirit; a time of the supernatural. Do not despise small beginnings; I am stirring up desire for more. I am releasing you to come up higher. I am releasing a perspective that will cause even a change of climate.

The Lord has great plans for us and some of us are getting a fresh start, with a clean slate. This doesn’t happen in the world, there is always someone holding your past over your head, but with the Lord, all things are possible. So reach out and take what He is willing to give you; a clean slate and a fresh start.

“I know the plans I have for you,” announces the Lord. “I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come. ¹² Then you will call out to me. You will come and pray to me. And I will listen to you. ¹³ When you look for me with all your heart, you will find me. Jeremiah 29:11-13.

Blessings,

Sheryl

Image by ChrisMoncusPhoto.com via Flickr

This Sunday we purposed in our hearts to press into worship with all our hearts. As we focused on Him, the Magnificent One, the glory fell and at one point I could feel it rest upon my shoulders. I don’t know about you but when the glory falls is when I receive greater revelation. So I love this place of clarity we enter into as we draw closer to Him.

During this time of intensity in worship the Lord impressed on my heart that it was a time to create with our words. It is time to speak into our future. It is time to call those who we love out of bondage. It is time to speak to the nations, to hear the voice of God.

Years ago we were worshiping at Mountain Top and we went into this time of declaration. It was a simple song that came from the heart of God. To someone who does not understand when you are in the glory words are creative it probably sounded foolish. We lifted our voices and sang out, “Come home, come home,” this lasted for quite a while; just this simple phrase being lifted up in declaration.

I can remember thinking to myself, who are we calling home? After service that evening, we hadn’t been home even maybe a half hour when we heard a knock at our door. When I opened the door, a young girl was standing there and she said, “Will you take me home?” This girl had run away about three weeks earlier and she felt like she was to go home. She started walking down the street and when she saw our light she felt she was to come to our house and we would take her home.

I have no doubt that our worship created an atmosphere that brought this girl back home to her family. I know that the “Light of Christ” was shining on our house and the Holy Spirit guided this girl to safety, through us but also as a testimony of what can be accomplished in the glory.

On Sunday the Lord reminded me to create once again in the glory. To worship with a focus on Him and then seed into the future with our words.

Ask the Lord to demonstrate His power through you. He will give you the words to create, for your future and for others, even words for the nations.

Blessings,

Sheryl

Image via Wikipedia

Caution: Just a quick mention that I ramble a little bit below, but I mean well by it. Without going into crazy detail, I want to unpack some of my thoughts on Ephesians 2:6-7. My hope is you’ll feel a greater freedom to participate and receive a real healing.

So how do we go back in the past and shut down these demonic influences? Ephesians 2:6-7 says,

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

Instead of going into great detail about whether were seated in the heavenly places when we die, or if were seated with him in heaven now, I’ll tell let the cat out of the bag and tell you what I believe. If we consider the dimension of time, it’s my belief we are seated in heavenly realms with Christ the moment we ask him to become our Lord and Savior. In other words, that means our heavenly citizenship begins at the point of salvation, not only when die and go to heaven. I believe Christ’s teachings are consistent with this radical view. We can see evidence of this view in Jesus’ expectations of his disciples. In Matthew 10, Mark 16, and Luke 10 Jesus deputizes his disciples to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and cleanse lepers. The origin of these standards must be heavenly, as we know death and sickness to be part of every day life. He literally gives power and authority to common men to bring the standards of heaven to earth. Did you get that? Jesus challenges his disciples to bring heaven’s standards, laws, precepts, and principles to earth before they ever have a chance to experience them in heaven first. Not only does he challenge us to do that, but he gives us the resources by giving his authority and access to the Father.

Part of going back into your past and shutting down demonic influences over you and your family line is about you truly discovering who you are in the Father’s eyes. We have to understand that God is not bound by time… and if were seated with him in heavenly places right now, we are also not bound by time. Under the leading of Holy Spirit we have access and authority to tear down and destroy (2 Cor 10:3-5) spiritual strongholds (past, present, and future). It’s kind of like God has given us the keys to his time traveling DeLorean, gives us date and time coordinates, and when we arrive at our destination we have every resource we need to deal with what we find.

Next week I’ll post a video… we’ll pray for your freedom and break through! Shoot, Skype me and I’ll pray with you personally!

The Lord has given us everything we could ever need by choosing to dwell in us, with us and upon us.  Yet our flesh cries out for the world and the nature of the world.  This constant tension becomes a frustration that creates spiritual turbulence.  It is in this spiritual turbulence that we then become spiritually nauseas and then comes the vomiting.  Many are sensing the shaking that is going on both in the natural as well as the spiritual.  We are seeing the bible fulfilled right before our very eyes – earthquakes, famines, disease and the love of many growing cold (Matthew 24:7-14).  Turn on the news and it becomes quite clear that we are experiencing turbulence.

Exposure to prolonged turbulence is unsettling to the stomach and the senses.  It ultimately affects our lives and the condition of our relationship with obedience.  We get to the point where we don’t want to do anything but have it all stop.  Maybe this is where you are at right now in you your life, marriage, job or faith.  It’s in this time that a dangerous thing begins to take place; we take our eyes off of Jesus and put them on the things that are creating the turbulence and try to gain some sense of control.  This is when the vomiting starts – we start gossiping, backbiting, slandering, coveting, complaining, doubting, etc.

In the Lord’s provision to His sons and daughters the Prince of Peace is to settle our stomachs – natural and spiritual.  He is our sure foundation of hope.  Though everything is going to be shaken – He can’t be shaken?  What becomes discouraging for many believers, including myself, is how much is still being shaken within us.  All that I thought was Him and immovable is being revealed as more me than Him.  Yet the promise holds true that He will never leave us nor abandon us.  So we do what any good pilot does when they get into turbulence – change altitude.  You find that air space that is at rest.

Christ is the only resting place we have.  We learn to create an atmosphere where there is no effect of the turbulence of the world upon us. We do this by living in a place of thanksgiving and praise.  It is in our praise and thanksgiving that we find the abiding presence of God inhabiting us.  It is in His air space that the spiritual nausea is settled and the vomiting is non-existent.

So if you find yourself vomiting due to the spiritual nausea – you might consider changing altitude by remembering all the benefits you have inherited through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Eph 2:13-18  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For He Himself is our peace . . . thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. NKJV

Living in the Glory,

Jeph

Around our house it is not unusual for little squabbles to break out over odd things. I have two grandsons, one who is 6 and the other who is 3. They remind me of two bear cubs, always in each others space and usually wrestling. Chase is the youngest and he really looks up to his big brother, Braden. The other day Chase had decided it was time to wear Braden’s underwear. He was not going to put on his own underwear no matter what I said. I tried enticing him with Spiderman, Transformers and Star Wars underwear, but nothing was working. He had his heart set on his brother’s new underwear that was plain blue.  When I asked Chase why he wanted to wear those underwear he said, “Because I am bigger now.”

Chase is always looking to do the next thing, he doesn’t ever go backwards. He has a focus on what he sees as his future and if it means wearing the boring, over-sized underwear, so be it.

The Lord has been speaking to me about leaning into the future. There are those who think they can stay in the same place, when in reality they are going backwards. To get where we need to go, it takes stamina, it takes purpose and it takes standing up for something when it is not popular.

Where I worship at Mountain Top in Yakima, WA we have had to pursue freedom. We have been ridiculed and many come just to turn around and leave because it takes a real effort to lean into what the Lord has called us into. However, we have leaned into this worship with all we have so others can come easily into a prophetic environment. When you worship with us it is common to have visions, prophetic words or pieces of a puzzle come into place for what the Lord has given you.

For me there is no choice but to lean into pursuing God with all I have. The more closely I try to follow Him, the more the hunger builds for more of His presence. As I press ever closer to Him, the more confirmations I receive that I am on the right path and that His presence has gone before me.
So, like Chase, if it takes me wearing a garment that is too big yet, so be it, I am not taking my eyes off of my future, in fact I am going to lean into it with all I have.

2 Timothy 4:7 (Contemporary English Version)

I have fought well. I have finished the race, and I have been faithful.

This is my course, let’s lean into our future together.

Blessings,

Sheryl

Image via Wikipedia

I will have Dreams and Visions…
I will dream the blueprints of heaven.
I will dream and know the plans of the enemy.
I do hold the thoughts and the dreams of
His heart inside of me.
My dreams will help fulfill His dreams.
Our dreams are intertwined.

I’m a visionary at heart. I need goals set before me.
Without goals and dreams before me I get depressed.
I have been feeling like the Lord is saying write down
declarations on paper. Hab.2:2

The above paragraph is one of my declarations that I have
Written down on a large piece of paper that rests on a easel in
My room. I have set it before me.

Even though I’ve done this many times in the past there seems
To be a strong word now from the Lord to declare.
What we declare will make things manifest.
The seed of the dream that is planted inside of me will grow
As I release it into the atmosphere.
I’ve heard someone say, ”Your dreams will chase you.” I use to
Think that I had to chase my dreams. I’m beginning to
Understand if our dreams are His dream they are chasing us.

I’ve had many dreams on my journey with the Lord over the last 30 yrs.
As I matured the things that I dreamed about changed.
For a time it was my dreams that carried me through the low points of my life.
It seems lately that most of my dreams have evolved into something different.

Example… In my earlier years I wanted to plan parties
For people. Things like children’s birthday parties, anniversary parties,
Etc. I loved creating an atmosphere. I was awesome
At throwing parties for church events, and often people would
Say, “Nancy you really know how to create an atmosphere.
Then one day the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said,
“Whatever you put your hands to I can prophecy through.”
I had to grow into that word… and I’m still growing!
I just love hearing what God is saying through the Holy Spirit!

Now when I listen and come into agreement with God, it creates an atmosphere.
It literally creates the word that God is speaking.
God has called me to be an atmosphere changer.
This is His dream and mine intertwining.
As I’ve grown closer to my Father what I once thought
Was just my dream was His dream too.

A dreamer and atmosphere changer.

Nancy