7 Declarations for 5776 & Beyond
Biblical Basis for the Voice of the Lord: God still speaks today! Are you listening? What are you hearing? While we agree that the canon of scripture is closed, we believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. What He did before He continues to do. One of these ongoing activities is that of “communication." The Holy Spirit wants to speak to each of us personally. Man lives by the ever-proceeding word of the Lord. Take a look at this Old Testament verse quoted by Jesus in the New Testament. Deuteronomy 8:3 states, “He humbled you and let you be hungry, [...]
Celebrating the Hebrew New Year 5776
We have now entered into the Hebrew New Year of 5776! The Ten Days of Awe is a time when many prophetic believers receive revelation for the new year. Below I highlight some of the things the Lord has been speaking to me - including the coming harvest, increased hunger for the Word, dreams fulfilled, and harvesters released. This also marks a new beginning for the ministry of Encounters Network! We believe that the Lord has amazing things in store for this year. We look forward to partnering with each of you to reach the nations of the earth through the power of the [...]
Compassion Compels Us to Action
Thus has the Lord of hosts spoken: Execute true judgement and show mercy and kindness and tender compassion, every man to his brother. And oppress not the widow or the fatherless, the temporary resident or the poor, and let none of you devise or imagine, or think evil against his brother in your heart (Zechariah 7:9-10). 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? Mary [...]
The Role of Dreams in Christian History
Dreams have had a profound role in the Christian church since it's beginning. Last month I explained how understanding dreams is rooted in Hebraic history, and today I'm going to expand on that to show the rich heritage of dream language and revelation bequeathed to the Christian church throughout its history. In brief review, to set the stage - what God did long ago, and throughout history, He does today and will continue always to do. Dream language is the language of the ages. This is one of the mysterious ways that God intersects our lives. He invades our comfort zones. He visits [...]
Praying from Victory Not Towards It!
If you missed Part 1 of the teaching on Praying from a Victorious Perspective, click here to read the article. This topic continues to rest upon my heart and soul and I continue to give it much prayerful thought. So hold on to your seat as I unpack another layer of my musings. Years ago I was on a plane sitting at a window seat while we were circling over New York City. The Holy Spirit said to me, “This is the best position.” I wondered what the Holy Spirit meant as I peered from a heavenly vantage point looking down over the amazing sites of one of [...]
Understanding Your Dreams Is Rooted in Hebraic History
Most Christians today are virtually ignorant of the rich heritage of dream language and revelation bequeathed to them by the church throughout its history. Actually, this legacy is older than the church. Christian dream language, like the church itself, has its roots in ancient Judaism. With such a long history, why is this important dimension of Christian experience either unknown or dismissed by so many believers? New Testament Scripture itself says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. With God, there is “no variation or shadow of turning.” In other words, God never changes. What God did long ago, and throughout [...]
Angelic Intervention Through Intercession
While there is great diversity among the angelic host, each category of angels has a specific assignment and distinct attributes. But there are three primary functions listed in the scriptures concerning all the angelic hosts. 1. According to Psalms 148:2, 5 All the angels are commissioned to praise and worship God. This is their first and most prominent ministry. 2. According to Hebrews 1:7, 14 All the angels are ministering spirits, flames of fire called to render service to those who will inherit salvation. 3. According to Psalms 103:20-21 Angels excel in strength, obey the voice of His word, and perform God's word. Having studied [...]
How to Grow in Divine Revelation
God desires that everyone comes to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). So let’s look at 12 powerful principles that will help you continue to grow in the spirit of revelation (Ephesians 1:17-19) as a prophetic lifestyle. These concepts can also apply to families, congregations, denominations, cities and nations: Research Your Foundations Asking great questions leads to finding great answers. Probe into the roots of your heritage with questions like: What is my family’s history, ethnic background, religious heritage and so on? Who were the founders of my city, nation or church? What were their goals, visions, purposes and origins? Researching [...]