How to Contend for Your Prophetic Promise
When God has given a prophetic promise, how are we to respond? Are we to wait for Him to bring it about in His divine timing, or are we to war for that which He has promised to see it speedily brought forth?
This is not really a trick question. Hopefully you will agree that the answer is—both! Scripture gives clear direction that we are to wait for the Lord and to war for His promises. But sometimes walking this out can be harder than it at first appears. So while both are important, today I want to emphasize the importance of contending for the promises of God and fighting the good fight of faith—both personally and corporately.
“This command I commit to you, my son Timothy, according to the prophecies that were previously given to you, that by them you might fight a good fight” (1 Tim. 1:18).
I call you to fight! When it comes to prophetic promises, hearing God’s voice and responding to God’s voice are two necessary and interdependent aspects of seeing them come to pass. In other words, there is the promise revealed, and then there is the promise fulfilled. We are called the fight the good fight in a battle called spiritual warfare. God is moved by faith and by people who take action (Dan. 11:32). This is an important part of contending for the promised word to bring it into actual reality.
How to Receive Divine Insight by Praying in the Spirit
Praying in the Spirit activates the grace of God to pray perfect prayers in any situation. These prayers go beyond our own agendas and beyond our rational understanding. When we pray in the Spirit, divine insight enlightens our hearts so we can hit the mark when we pray.
Praying in the Spirit With Eager Expectation
The book of Jude has only one chapter, but it is full of revelation and divine insight about praying in the Spirit:
“But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith. Pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God while you are waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, which leads to eternal life” (Jude 20-21).
The wording catches my attention: “waiting anxiously.” That does not contradict the Scriptures about casting your anxieties upon the Lord (see 1 Pet. 5:7. See also Phil. 4:6; Matt. 6:25-34).
5 Prophetic Points for 2019 and Beyond
As we march into critical times, there is a dramatic escalation of activity in the Spirit world being mirrored in the natural realm. Both dimensions reflect the intensity of the last days heavenly battle that seems to be kicking into higher gear. Not only are these times extremely crucial, they are days of great advances.
What Time Is It?
The book of Romans contains more than just the great plan of salvation. It carries the plan of how to live an effective Christian life in the midst of dark storms. It is a book that teaches what time it is and how we are to rule and reign with Christ Jesus in practical ways.
7 Effective Spiritual Weapons to Cut Off the Enemy’s Attacks
Battle is part of the Christian life. There is a real enemy and you were born into a war. So seasons of struggle are a given.
But can you shorten your seasons of struggle? I believe you can, and I believe that the Bible is filled with good advice toward this end. You do not need to prolong the agony. You can arise and conquer.
One of the enemy’s ploys is to make you roll over into a passive position. When that happens, you are no longer actively engaged and the devil can roll over you. It is important to daily arise, speak to your inner man and remind yourself of the foundational truths in the Word of God! As you rise up, these truths become weapons that drive the enemy back and make quick work of the battle.
God’s Prophetic Calendar Is Once Again on Display Before the World
Israel is once again on display before the eyes of the world.
The board has been set, and the pieces are moving. Throughout the ages, it seems as if God has been waiting for His strategic moment. He is positioning His intercessory knights and prophetic bishops together for a sweeping move—one that all the world will observe closely. No eye will miss the mysterious and fascinating day on God’s prophetic calendar when He once again steps into the world of space and time. It is time for the unveiling of the mystery of Israel as the apple of God’s eye (see Zech. 2:8), the crucial piece on God’s chessboard.
Although modern Israel is only a little over 70 years old, the Jewish nation is actually one of the oldest on earth. These people and their land reach back to the time of Abraham’s prophetic pilgrimage and the covenant promise of God to him and his descendants (see Genesis 17:4–8). After what many considered to be a silence of 2,000 years, this land has been reborn.
A Brief Overview
3 Powerful Things Prophetic Intercession Does in Your Life
In prophetic intercession, the Spirit of God pleads the covenant promises made throughout history to be enacted in our day.
This inspired form of intercession is the urge to pray, given by the Holy Spirit, for a situation or circumstance about which you may have little natural knowledge. But you are praying the prayer request that is on the heart of God.
As much as any time in history, it is time for believers in Jesus to take up the call to pray what is in the heart of God to be enacted for this generation!
How Does Prophetic Intercession Work?
Prophecy: God Told Me Kennedy Would Resign, Trump Would Assign 3 Judges
Much of my life and ministry have been given to the convergence of prayer and the prophetic. I have seen some amazing results, but at times I have also had to steer my way through a maze of questions and riddles. Let me give you an inside look into one of the jigsaw puzzles I have been putting together for the last year or so concerning prayer, the prophetic and the Supreme Court of the United States of America.
On June 27, 2018, I was awakened at 2:22 a.m. from a clear dream followed by a Word from the Lord. In the dream, Judge Anthony Kennedy’s face came before me and it was revealed to me that his resignation was imminent. As I was aroused from sleep, I could feel the tangible presence of destiny filling my bedroom. The external voice of the Holy Spirit then began to speak to me. I was told that President Trump would preside over the replacement of three Supreme Court Justices.
It was obvious that the first replacement had already transpired. As we know, Judge Neil Gorsuch had replaced Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, being sworn in on April 10, 2017. That was one down, with two more yet to come according to the word I received. Amazingly, Judge Kennedy resigned later the very same day I had the dream about it, on June 27.
ames Goll: The Holy Spirit Told Me, ‘I’m Going to Teach You the Highest Weapon of Spiritual Warfare’
Prayer—in all its forms—has played a key role in my life and ministry for years. I want to see the works of the devil destroyed with the least amount of backlash. So I have pondered deeply on various understandings and perspectives concerning spiritual warfare and how to deal with territorial spirits. I’ve met with different revival leaders around the world to increase my understanding on issues dealing with principalities, powers, and spirits of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12).
A gigantic breakthrough came to me one day when the penetrating voice of the Holy Spirit spoke, resolving the whole dilemma, “I’m going to teach you to release the highest weapon of spiritual warfare.”
Stunned, I marveled at the thought, “the highest weapon.” That one statement made my spiritual antennas go way out! My initial response of gratitude was soon replaced by curiosity and anticipation. What could the Holy Spirit mean? What is He referring to?
James Goll: It’s Time to Call Forth the Missing Parts of the Body of Christ
Have you ever wrestled with whether to pray or whether to act? I propose that both are needed in the body of Christ in this hour. We need both Mary and Martha to come together in a powerful convergence.
Are you motivated by love from a pure heart? Are you a “burning one” or a “burned-out one”? Compassion ministry, or whatever you want to call it, can be very draining and exhausting. But it doesn’t have to be. It depends on your motivation and your approach. It should not drive you, but rather God’s heart should lead you. Do you see the difference? Do you live the difference?
“Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion, every man to his brother. Do not oppress the widow, orphan, sojourner, or poor. And let none of you contemplate evil deeds in your hearts against his brother” (Zech. 7:9-10).
Needed: A Convergence of Mary and Martha
Why You May Be Limiting the Flow of Holy Spirit’s Power in Your Life
“Ask rain from the Lord during the season of the latter spring rains. And the Lord will make the storm winds; and He will give them showers of rain; all will have vegetation in the field” (Zech. 10:1).
Ask for rain. Ask for more rain. And then ask again for, “More, Lord!” When the rain of God’s presence begins to fall in a manifested manner, you don’t just stop there, do you? No! You must persist and ask for more.
How much of the Holy Spirit do you want? How much of His presence can you handle? How hungry are you? The depth of your hunger is the length of your reach to God. Ask for rain.
One of the primary Scriptures prayed throughout the revival pages of history is this particular passage from Zechariah 10:1. This scripture urges us—no, it compels us—to believe God for something bigger than we have ever dreamed or conceived. God has a big dream in his heart. He wants to the see the earth filled with the “knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the seas” (Hab. 2:14).
Prophetic Dream: The Holy Spirit Told Me, ‘Strike the Waters’
Today I was given a dream in which I relived an actual event (and powerful spiritual encounter) that took place almost 30 years ago. It is rather dramatic, but don’t let the details overwhelm you to such a degree that you miss the main point of the visitation I am about to share:
- Believing God matters.
- Obeying the little things matters.
The Encounter at Longview Lake
It was a quiet evening in May 1989. Michal Ann and I had just returned home from a meeting in nearby Kansas City. I was restless and we both knew it. I had to be alone with the Lord; something was up. So Michal Ann blessed me, and I got into our car and went on a drive. It was about 9:00 p.m.
I could hear the still, small voice of the dove of God speaking in my heart. He would say, “Turn here. Turn right. Go there.” His presence was very near. Eventually I drove up to a manmade, recreational body of water called Longview Lake not far from our home in south Kansas City. Even the names of the roads leading there seemed prophetic: Longview Road and Highland Drive. (And that night I would experience a long look at a higher place into which Jesus wants to bring His body.)
Your Personal Tutor: How the Holy Spirit’s Touch Can Lead You in Every Situation
Have you ever needed to know which way to turn—what choice to make? Have you ever felt caught in that awful position called transition, where you wonder if things will ever move forward and change?
Don’t you sometimes wish a complete guidebook or DVD would just drop down from heaven’s storehouse, into your lap? Have you sometimes wished for a personal appointment with the man Christ Jesus, so He could tell you everything you want to know?
But Jesus said, “It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7). Jesus, the Son of God, who cannot lie, told His disciples that it is better that the Holy Spirit come and be with them than for Him to remain.
Jesus had more things to say to his disciples, but they could not bear them right then. He knew ahead of time that they would need some ongoing coaching. He also knew He would have a lot more disciples to tutor in the centuries to come.
James Goll Says God Has a Word for Us: ‘No More Boxes!’
God has a word for us, “No more boxes!” God does not live in a box. He did at one time—but ever since He broke out of the ark of the covenant, He has never lived in a box again. Of course, you and I tend to live in boxes that are often fairly nice, although cramped. They’re neat, but stuffy, old and stale. If God no longer lives in a box, then let’s follow suit and let’s live outside of the box too!
He wants to lift the lid over our head so we can experience His voice on an ongoing basis. Let’s breathe in God’s refreshing Word and renew our hearts and souls so that we will walk in a new level of His divine creativity.
God Confirms His Word
God wants us to hear His voice, discern it from other voices, and then, through the spirit of wisdom and revelation, correctly interpret and apply the word He has spoken to us. God has said that “, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed” (Matt. 18:16, NASB). For emphasis, we find this statement, or a variation, three times in Scripture: in Deuteronomy 19:15, in Matthew 18:16 and in 2 Corinthians 13:1.
James Goll: 10 Prophetic Principles to Help You Thrive in Times of Transition
We are in a time of an enormous transition in society at large with many cities and nations being weighed in the balance. This level of turmoil on an international scale reflects the condition of the body of Christ. It is a time of upheaval and contention, which ultimately results in change. I believe there are 10 key prophetic principles that will help you not just survive but thrive in times of transition.
We are at a crossroads of change. This is true politically in the Middle East, the Korean Peninsula, the U. S., Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela and many other nations. Every continent is being shaken in one way or another.
Issues such as global economics, the very moral foundation of this generation, uncivil wars, polarization, concerns of social justice and health care reform are in a time of convulsive shaking. The intense battle over the selection of a Supreme Court justice of the United States is critical indeed. During this time, the body of Christ needs to be a pillar of prayer releasing prophetic solutions to bring hope during times when everything that can be shaken is being shaken. We truly need grace for this transition.
3 Stages of Prayer That Lead You Into Deeper Intimacy With Jesus
Contemplative prayer often has been relegated to ancient church history. But God is restoring it as a means to develop intimacy with Him.
I have found that the most direct road to greater intimacy with God has come through the practice or discipline of an almost lost art in the fast-paced church of today—something called contemplative prayer. More than a decade ago, this type of prayer came to my attention through some experiences God ordained, and since that time it has become one of the central features of my walk with God.
When I first began to practice it, I spent one full year reading only the Bible and the writings of the earliest Christian leaders, commonly known as the “desert fathers.” The more I read, the more I realized I was on familiar ground. This was a road I was already walking on to some extent.
Contemplative prayer is all about the quest for intimacy with God. The Bible is full of references to this quest:
The Key to Receiving the Holy Spirit’s Supernatural Power
I’ve been reflecting lately on what miracles and gifts have in common. You do not earn them. You cannot perform well enough to deserve them. And they are freely given by the Holy Spirit. In fact, if the truth were to be told, a miracle is a gift. And like all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, a miracle is a demonstration of the depths of God’s immense love.
The spiritual gifts are given to flow through us as acts of mercy, kindness and love toward others. In other words, we cannot hoard them and keep them to ourselves.
These grace packages are meant to pass through our hands; we are to distribute them as God shows us. Freely we have received, now we freely give (see Matt.10:8).
3 Errors the Spirit of Deception Uses to Seduce You
Satan loves to deceive—it is vital that we discern. I have an urgency that is arising in my heart to blow a trumpet and to warn the body of Christ. The devil is a liar and the father of lies (see John 8:44). Now hold on as I share my heart with you.
Recently, a well-known leader and author whom I know, has gone off the deep end into aberrant sexual exploitation, all under the guise of “being free in Christ.” But the grace of God is meant to lead us to repentance and the knowledge of the truth (see Titus 2:11-12)—it is certainly not a license to cast off restraint and cause others to stumble. In other prophetic settings I am aware of strange doctrines emerging that each believer has an individual angel assigned to them to be their personal mentor. But Scripture says this is to be the job of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and authentic humble leaders in the body of Christ (see John 16:13-15).
Forewarned Is Forearmed
Biblical Keys to Hearing the Voice of God Clearly
“I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And when I turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the seven candlesticks was one like a Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and with a golden sash wrapped around the chest. The hair on His head was white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters” (Rev. 1:12-15).
God not only wants us to know the historical Jesus, who came in human form and walked among men. He yearns for us also to know the living, resurrected Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Father wants to enable us to hear, know and obey the risen Lord.
James Goll: How to Test the Spirits When You Receive Supernatural Revelation
When you receive supernatural revelation, it is vital to discern—sometimes instantaneously—what to do with the revelation you receive. It is by practice that you learn to discern good and evil, and such discernment is of critical importance in the days in which we live.
Don’t Be Naive
Not all revelation comes from God, and not even all of what appears to be spiritual comes from the Holy Spirit. 1 John 4:1 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
As this scripture makes clear, it is imperative to learn how to “test the spirits” in order to determine if they are serving God or the enemy. Do not be naive! The unseen spiritual reality around us is populated with both angels and demons, and human beings are notoriously poor at telling the difference between good spirits and bad ones.
Prophetic Voice James Goll: How to Guard Your Heart in Seasons of Transition
“Be strong, and He will strengthen your heart, all you who wait for the Lord” (Ps. 31:24).
The state of your heart is crucial when walking through a valley or a traumatic season in life. How you close one door in a time of transition makes a huge difference in how well you walk through the next door in your life’s journey. One thing is certain—when walking through a valley (see Ps. 23), you can’t afford to sit down in that low place and have a long-term pity party. Sometimes, you have to choose to put one foot in front of the other and just keep on walking!
I went through three bouts of cancer over a nine-year period, lost the wife of my youth to heaven, became a single dad of four, and was plunged into hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical debt, having never missed a bill payment in my life. Then I attempted to rebuild my life while having an international ministry, which removed the privilege of going behind closed doors. (After all, I was James W. Goll, an international prayer and prophetic voice—I felt like I lived in a public gold fish bowl!)
Soon I discovered that I needed to take a deep look at the condition of my heart.