Stuart Greaves, a teacher here at IHOP really turned me on to reading the footnotes in my bible. I found this little treasure in my Bible this morning. In reference to the above verse:
It is difficult for those living in a temperate climate to appreciate, but it was customary in hot climate to anoint the body with oil to protect it from excessive perspiration. When mixed with perfume, the oil imparted a delightfully refreshing and invigorating sensation.
Athletes anointed their bodies as a matter of course before running a race. As the body, therefore, anointed with oil was refreshed, invigorated, and better fitted for action, so the Lord would anoint His “sheep with the Holy Spirit, Whom oil symbolizes, to fit them to engage more freely in His service and run in the way He directs in heavenly fellowship with Him.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.
As usual I’m going to be very open and vulnerable. One thing I’ve been learning is that pressure makes us ugly. This week I have begun to feel the beginning of God’s pressing on my faith and trust. He has been using financial need that greatly outweighs the “seen” provision to test my faith based on the knowledge of who He is and His character. With each new financial pressure, I have seen myself become more self-focused. I see now why Jesus said be anxious for nothing. Because when we are anxious, we are taking our eyes off Jesus and placing them on ourselves. That is not faith. Anxiety is the opposite of faith. The directions for faith are given in Hebrews 12:2 “Looking Unto JESUS…” When we look at the character and personality of our Father through Jesus, what cause do we have to be anxious?
It’s another study point that this verse also includes considering and provoking one another to love and good works. I wonder if this means provoking them to take steps of faith by encouragement and support…
Studying Faith
Faith is the substance of things hoped for…
The evidence of things unseen…
This verse is astounding. It is beautiful. Each time I read it my mind is stretched. Faith is a substance. The next verse says that “through faith the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” So by our faith and our declaration/prayer, we are forming our reality. This of course is through our hope and understanding of God and His will through Jesus and the Spirit.
I wonder what the substance of faith looks like in the spirit world. Hmm…
One definition of faith given in the amplified version is “that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness” (Heb 10:22). I also like the way the amplified depicts our walk of faith in Romans 1:17:
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith… (KJV) Both springing from faith and leading to faith. (AMP) So, by taking steps of faith, we are creating a springboard for greater faith choices. These first choices create a well of faith experiences with God from which we can draw in order to propel us to make those choices in the future. This reveals the righteousness aspect of His character. ( Righteousness is most closely defined as just.) By going from faith to faith, we are taken from glory to glory.
Hebrews 10:35 Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward.
In the Prayer Room, a woman came up to me and said she had a “Word” or prophecy for me. She said, “Strength and dignity are your clothing.” Another prophetic word was given to me later that also spoke of my strength and honor. It’s strange to hear what God says about you when you feel anything but…
As my heart has been opened, I have really struggling with not finding affirmation in others. I was rebuked strongly by God for flirting. This rebuke made me see my darkness, and that I am prone to go to men or even competition with friends for my value and affirmation.
During my quiet time yesterday, I was studying Song of Songs 6. In 6:4, God speaks to her. He tells her that she is beautiful and fierce (as an army). Six verses later, the world (ladies) see these same qualities about her. It is so important that we go to God, asks Him what He thinks about us, what He sees when He looks at us, what He says about our future and our situations. When we let this in to our spirit, the world will begin to see these same virtues because when God speaks, His words do not return void. He spoke the world into existence. He will call forth your strength and your destiny.
14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. 15 What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.
Leviticus can seem sometimes like a boring book, but it is really important. It points not only to revival but the way to the very presence of God. Leviticus talks about 5 different offerings. These offerings bring us into perfection, meaning the place where we are able to successfully fulfill God’s purpose in our lives. And while the first offering, the burnt offering corresponds to the first commandment (love God with all your heart), the second offering, the meal offering, corresponds to the second commandment- to love your neighbor as you love yourself. The meal offering consists of 4 ingredients: fine flour, oil, frankincense, and salt (Lev 2:1). I’m going to go over what each of these stand for. It is important that we become a meal offering to reach people with our lives.
Fine Flour
Flour represents the word of God becoming flesh in our lives. This means that it is not enough to just know doctrine or even speak truth, but you must become truth as Jesus did. Everything that Jesus was and did expressed a certain truth. Many people will not read the word of God, but they will read your life. The attack today is not on the word of God, but on the credibility of Christians and leaders.
The fine quality of this flour represents going through the mill meaning suffering, pressures, and trials. People that do not go through the mill have no fragrance in their life and nothing to give. God always used this method to raise his children, think Paul, Joseph, David. Going through this process allowed Joseph to react to his brothers with weeping and gladness. He exhibited the traits of God’s love and forgiveness. Just as God first told Paul that he would suffer, we too are first called to suffer.
jn 6:3, 2 cor 3:2
Oil
Next oil is poured on to the flour. Oil represents peace and the anointing of the Spirit. Some people love God, but rub people the wrong way (or people easily rub them the wrong way.) They possess truth, but as proverbs states, you must use knowledge rightly. As James says, wisdom that comes from above is peaceable. Your relationships with men must be harmonious and bring peace, not discomfort or discord. The church has made many enemies with using truth wrongly…. Just look at the crusades.
In order to have peace, you must possess patience and longsuffering. This requires the anointing of the Spirit. Think of a wick and oil in a lamp. The wick stands for your personality, your character… you. The oil represents the oil of the anointing of the Spirit. If there is too much wick, there is only a lot of smoke and an awful smell. But when the wick is trimmed back just right (by God, the Word, Jesus), then the oil can work through the wick to produce light.
Proverbs 16:20, James 3:17, Prov 15:2, Gal 5:22
Frankincense
Frankincense always stands for faith, but in this example it does not mean faith God-ward but man-ward. In order to love people, you must see them through the eyes of faith. You must look past all of their quirks and faults and see who they have the potential to be IN GOD. Do not write people off or become intolerant, or they will sense this and close their heart to you. But if you see them the way that God sees them, you will reach them.
You can’t judge a brother until you have walked a full two moons in his moccasins –Old Indian Proverb
You must try to understand that people have been hurt by this world. You don’t know where they are coming from, what they’ve been through, or how hurt they are. You must look beyond with a heart that has faith in all that God can do with their life.
Song of Songs 4:12-16, Gal 5:22-23
Salt
Salt speaks of sincerity. Colossians 4:6 states that we must have speech with grace seasoned with salt that you might have an answer to those that asks of you. There must be no falseness. Our actions and attitudes must be without hypocrisy (James 3:17). God hates religion and pretense. Your love and caring must genuinely come from the heart. The world is looking for real, sincere love.
You know two things were not allowed in this meal offering: leaven and honey. Leaven speaks of false doctrine and hypocrisy. Honey represents human sweetness, that pseudo-sweetness that we all know and have sensed. It’s more of a psychology than a real emotion.
“OOzing charm from every pore, he oiled his way across the floor.” –Prof. Higgins, My Fair Lady
Human sweetness is not what the world is after. They are after the real thing. Honey cannot stand the fire. All human/false sweetness goes right out the window under pressure and in hard situations. But genuine sweetness, love and concern comes out of the heart and withstands the fire.
Lev 2:11, 1 Cor 5:8
In order to touch the lives of people, God requires a meal offering. We need the right ingredients in order to come4 to perfection and be used by God. Your life has to become a meal offering. We live in a false world. Everything about it is false. The pressures of life, the whole of our society is fed a lie. And people are fed up with it. When your life contains the ingredients of the meal offering, people will beat a path to your door. There will not only be the evident presence of God in your life, but you will be used by God to touch many people and usher them into a relationship with Him.
I was moved today by Matthew 11. This chapter begins with John sending messengers to ask if Jesus is really the Savior that had been prophesied or if there was another to come and ends with Jesus calling John the greatest man ever born of a woman. There is great mercy in Jesus’s reaction. (This was John who saw the Holy Spirit come down like a dove and the audible voice of God say “THIS IS MY SON WITH WHOM I AM VERY WELL PLEASED!” Hello???) He could have called John weak. He could have commented on his faith. Instead He clearly states that John is not only unshaken, but He is a man greater than a prophet. The truth was that John was shaken. But God looks at the heart of a man (or woman). His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
When a test makes you stumble, when a fast makes you cheat, when a crossroads makes you doubt God’s voice, do not be ashamed. God does not see a reed shaken by the wind. He sees you strong as you are IN Christ. In Matthew 11, Jesus says that even the least of these is greater than John the Baptist. He sees the motives and the root of the questions in your heart, and He is eager to perfect these motives & answer these questions. It’s okay to ask Him when you feel shaken.
“God is more eager to answer than we are to ask.” — Smith Wigglesworth
Lately, God has begun to take me on a journey of teaching and lessons. A major component of this time of training has been the necessity to die to myself. The knowledge of this necessity as a requirement has begun to drop from my head to my heart. (I love it when this happens! It’s sort of like those light bulb moments you had in school only in the school of the Spirit.) This Christmas, God revealed a practical method to die to myself. It is so simple with profound implications in my spirit. I can’t begin to explain how I feel and the victory that is won when I obey this “simple” command by God, my Father. There are so many biblical examples to support this method such as Abraham and Jesus instructions in Mark 10-21-31. God answered my prayer by showing me how a few of my favorite things would allow me to enjoy great victory over my flesh and ultimately God’s continuous presence and power in my life.
This holiday, I went out Christmas shopping for friends and family. I don’t know if anyone else does this, but I usually end up buying a couple gifts for myself. Maybe even more than I do for others (sadly, i must admit.) At the first store, I bought myself two sweaters- one cream colored and one royal blue with a unique design. I tried them on and instantly loved and had to have both of them! Even though they were not on sale, I simply desired them for myself so much that I bought them. As I was leaving the store, God told me that I was to give the cream sweater to my mother and the blue sweater to my friend Bekah. Seriously? I love these sweaters! Ugh. And I went on shopping. When I got home, God continued to remind me of what he had asked. I decided to keep them both for myself instead. In fact, I wore the cream sweater to my mom’s house. As I was leaving her house, my mom, who never compliments what I wear, said “Hm. I really like that sweater.” Really, God? Ugh.
Then a couple days ago as I was going to put on a charm bracelet that I made for myself, God told me to give it to my friend Tina B. Really, God? This one? But it’s my favorite! I can’t ever make another one like it. He didn’t relent. I spoke with Bekah hoping to get some Christian guidance that would oppose God. Bekah loves me and is good about giving me a couple of perspectives including one on MY side. She reminded me of a necklace that Tina had wanted and how she would much rather have that. Yes! That’s what I was looking for! And so I went home satisfied that I would get to keep the bracelet.
As I was lying down that night, God said clearly, “It’s not about the bracelet. It’s about your favorite thing.” God began to reveal that this was the answer to my prayers to Him. I had prayed, “God, teach me how to die to myself.” This was the practical way. Take your favorite thing and give it away, and each time you do this, you will die to yourself… to your desires. This demonstrates your willingness to lay yourself down and also your utter trust in God. He reminded me of Abraham. His life was filled with this. When he gave the best land to Lot…. When he was willing to give up Isaac. God was teaching Him to die to himself and live in utter trust of God.
So, I put the bracelet in a gift bag and drove it over to Tina B. She began to gush about the personal significance of each charm on this one of a kind bracelet. She even told me that she liked it so much better than the necklace that she had wanted because it was so significant to her thereby meant so much to her. I walked out of her house elated with God’s love in obedience. Today I put the blue sweater in a bag to give to Bekah. I was on a roll. I had learned my lesson and would never withhold when God told me to give. I gave it to her before the church service, and she loved it. God’s presence was so near me throughout worship and the teaching. This was my reward. God was delighted in my obedience, and I felt it. If this is what dying to my desires feels like, I want to do it every day. I’ll give away everything. It’s so amazing. What are a couple sweaters and a bracelet next to the presence and delight of the eternal, uncreated, almighty, holy God?
If this has moved you, I pray that you will be obedient to give whatever He is asking to whomever He is telling you to give it. You will not be disappointed. You will be rewarded not just in heaven, but even now. Mark 10:30 It is only with God’s help that we are able to do this. So pray that He will give you the strength to obey. Mark 10:27
The birth of Christ was foretold from the beginning of time. In Genesis, God said, “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” This was our first hint that Jesus would be born of a woman and would be victorious over Satan, but it does not stop there. In the 8th century, a prophet named Isaiah wrote of the Christ who was to come. Over 700 years before Jesus would arrive, Isaiah wrote, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” The name Immanuel (or Emanuel) means God with us. On one day, God made the choice to come to Earth, to begin in the lowliest of setting, and begin his life of showing us the love of God and the sacrifice of this love.
Be careful not to give more emphasis to the distractions of this “holiday”. For when you give your attention and affection to the distractions, then you are insulting God. Christmas has nothing to do with Christmas trees or ornaments, candy, wreaths, fires, or cider, or even gifts. These are all distractions away from the one true gift and the one true purpose of this day that was foretold from the beginning of time. God came down to be with us, and ultimately to give His life for us. This day, like every day, is an opportunity to give all glory that is due to Jesus. God did not leave us on our own. He is here!
Hold on now, I gotta take a deep breath
I don’t know what to say when I look in your eyes
You made the world before I was born
Here I am holding You in my arms tonight
Noel, Noel
Jesus our Emmanuel
You’re here
I’m holding You so near
I’m staring into the face of my Savior
King and Creator
You could’ve left us on our own
But You’re here
Don’t know how long I’m gonna have You for
But I’ll be watching when You change the world
Look at Your hands, they’re still so small
Someday You’re gonna stretch them out and save us all
Noel, Noel, God with us Emmanuel
You’re here, I’m holding You so near oooh oh
I’m staring into the face of my Savior
King and Creator
You could’ve left us on our own
Bbut you’re here, you’re here
Someday I’m gonna look back on this
The night that God became a baby boy
Someday You’re gonna go home again,
But You leave your spirit and flood the world with joy
You’ll be here, I’m holding You so near
I’m staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator
You could’ve left me on my own, but you’re here… You’re here
Hallelujah, You’re here
Hallelujah, You’re here
Nehemiah 12 discusses the process of dedication of the city walls of Jerusalem. As the Spirit led me through this chapter, He first had me meditate on the significance of “walls”. What do walls represent in our lives; therefore, what is the significance of “dedicating” these walls to God?
Walls represent our protection. When we devote our walls to God, we are commiting our trust in Him for our safety. He is our fortress and mighty protector. As David states in Psalm 91:2, “I will say of the LORD,’He is my refuge and my fortress,my God, in whom I trust.’ “ This means that you trust in Him to protect you from your enemies, from attacks of the Enemy, from sickness, and even poverty.
Walls represent our boundaries or our gates–what we let in and send out. When devote our walls to God, we devote what we put into our vessel–our mind/thoughts, bodies,etc and what we let out of our vessel–our actions, words, emotions. In Phillipians 4:8, God directs us as to what we should allow to enter our minds: “… whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Oftentimes, this means we must deny ourselves some pleasurable entertainment, foods, activities, associations, conversations. These are pleasure to our flesh, but they are enmity to God. Sometimes a tv show may not be sinful, but that time that should be consecrated to prayer is an insult to God. Devoting your walls to God means that we do as the it commands in 2 Cor 10:5, “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Walls represent what we put at the forefront of our life. What comes first as the first priority in our lives should be devoted to God. His will comes before our will. Sometimes this means that our dreams and desires take the backburner to His desire for our life choices and direction. God is a jealous god, and nothing or no one can share the throne of our heart with Him. He is jealous because He knows and understands fully His glory in a way that we can not understand. Nothing rivals is majesty. There is no other placement for Him that is right than to be given full reign.
I’m praying for more revelation on what walls represent. Please comment and tell me what God reveals to you about your walls and devoting them to God. I’ll write more about Nehemiah 12 and the actual process and HOW we dedicate walls to God.
It’s Day 9 of my first 40 day fast. It really feels like it should be Day 10. Maybe I missed a day somewhere? Anyway, this fast I immediately made the decision that I would only eat what I could get through a straw… a liquid fast of sorts. Now, I know this sounds silly, but fasting is really about denying yourself and being hungry. And I am thoroughly denied and absolutely famished. Right now, I am eating squash soup with enough melted cheese and sour cream to almost be cheating… almost.
I have already begun to have an awakening to the deeper parts of God, my trust in Him has grown, and I have had a unique surprise revelation of the emotions of God. Today as I was reading Isaiah 54, it was amazing how God’s voice and emotion jumped out of the Bible at me. During my worship time yesterday and while I was running, I could feel the presence of the Spirit of God resting on my back and shoulders. That familiar slightly cold, slightly warm tingle–something like goose bumps but warm. As He speaks to me, I feel a brush of wind along my neck and hairline, but there is no wind. As I was praying in my kitchen last night, I had a vision of Jesus–all brightness around Him and eyes of fire and embers and wind, wind all around Him, arms outstretched towards me. It stole my breath, and the presence of God overtook me. Did I realize what I was asking when I asked for a deeper revelation?
With a deeper revelation, comes a deeper longing.
With every new revelation of God, your spiritual “vessel” is made larger. Your Spirit will crave more of God, more of His presence, more revelation of Him. If you do not fill it with God, the Enemy will have more of a chance to tempt you because you will be hungrier. Ever gone to the grocery store STARVING. Big mistake. Same principle. You will not be able to satisfy this hunger with a mediocre prayer life, or the vast hunger will lead you to stumble because of our Enemy who prowls like a lion waiting for the moment that you are not satisfied in God.
Madness
God is an all-consuming fire. As you dare to press in, dare to pray for more revelation, and as He grants it, do not doubt that you will be consumed. He will be all that you can talk about. All you can think about. This is madness to the world. But worldly-mindedness is enmity to God. Worldly-minded does not have to do with sin. It has to do with your perspective. The wordly-perspective says “I Can. What will bring glory to me? (Make others think I am good)” The Godly-mind says “He Can through me. What will bring glory to God?” God requires complete dependence, trust, and reliance upon Him. What will happen when God tells you to sell your house and give it to the poor? How will the world look at this? What about when you tell them that God speaks to you, period? What will they think of you then? You may lose their respect, and the world may think you mad.
Pressing In
Opening the eyes of your understanding as Paul said in Ephesians means that your spiritual eyes are opened, being led by the Spirit, walking by the Spirit, in prayer with the Spirit at all times. This is how you walk with deeper revelation of God. The world will be curious about you, drawn to you even, because your thoughts (ways of thinking) will not be their thoughts because as you are consumed, your mind is being molded into the mind of Christ–the mind of God ( Isaiah 55:8, 1 Cor 2). The mind of Christ stands in sharp contrast to the wisdom of man (1Cor 2:5-6). It doesn’t make sense. This is why the world will reject you. But blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake.
“I have come to start a fire on this earth. How I wish it were burning right now!” –Jesus
The hour is here. It’s at hand. Jesus does not wish for you to be luke warm; He wants you to be CONSUMED– madly in love, and deeply intimate (knowing the deep things and emotions of God) with Him. Pressing into the fire means stepping into the eternal blaze. This will kill you. He called you to die, so that you might live. As you live in this consumed, crazy, intimate, deep state, you will experience the great joys of God. You will experience what are the heights, the depths, and the lengths, and the widths of His love. Ever been in love? This is better….. It’s sooooo much better. Give it all. He wants all of You. Press In.
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