The War Zone

There comes a point where every believer in Christ has to make the decision of what type of Christian they're going to be: are they going to be a Christian Civilian or are they going to be a Spiritual Soldier. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you're in the Fight whether you want to be or not (1Timothy 6). But your status as a believer and the role you're going to play in the Kingdom is still one of personal choice. My hope and prayer is that those who are reading this today have made the choice (or will make the choice) to be a Spiritual Soldier, not just a christian civilian. Jesus shed too much Blood on Calvary's Rugged Cross for us to resort to simply being Sunday morning church attendees. The world is only going to change when we as believers grow up, take a stand, and assume our post and position as Soldiers in the Army of the Lord. As we make this decision and ultimately transition, we need to then understand the dynamics of The War Zone.

In the military, there are certain areas, whether it's geographically (on land) or in the air (airspace) that when you enter, it is described as you entering "the war zone". This is why you hear in the news about certain countries having their ships hijacked or airplanes shot at and bombed out of the sky; because they violated what that country described as "the war zone". You entered a space to where, once you "trespass" or "cross that line", we then have the legal right to attack you and shoot you down; because you've violated our "war zone". As it is in the natural, so it is in the Spirit. There's a place you go in the Spirit Realm to where, once you "Cross" that line, you're fair game for the Enemy (the Devil). God will not force any child of His to go into the "War Zone" and become an open target for the Evil One. But if you're a Spiritual Soldier, intent on taking territory for the Kingdom of God, you know the only way you can fulfill that objective is to move into The War Zone.

One of the first signs that you're entering The War Zone is when you've learned how to crucify the flesh (Galatians 5). Even though we have a lot of gifted and anointed believers and ministers of Christ, you're going to be hard-pressed to advance the Kingdom of God if you're still individually under the influence of the sinful nature and indwelling sin. God has given us the strategies of how to put down the "old man" (Colossians 3). And once we do, the level of Satanic attack will escalate. No need to fear though. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1John 4). This is just to apprise you of what you're getting ready to run into in the Spirit Realm.

Another indicator of moving into The War Zone is when your Christian witness moves beyond the four walls of the church and into the streets and communities of the world. The Devil doesn't mind us "having church". We can stay in the sanctuary and praise God all day. This doesn't necessarily infringe on the Enemy's territory. This is the reason why we can have Conferences, and Revivals and church meetings and ministry events and the world and our communities never change. But when we decide to stop having church and start being the church; when you start talking to people about Jesus on your job that don't know about Christ. When we start moving out into the Communities and meeting needs and demonstrating tangibly the love and compassion of Jesus. When we start taking a stand against the Perversion that our Governments are legislating in this country and letting our elected officials know that these laws are against the Divine Will and Word of God, then you're going to see Satanic attacks rise in your life. You're moving into The War Zone.

I look forward to the day when living in The War Zone is a daily way of life for me. Jesus said to rejoice when men persecute you and say all manner of evil against you for His Name's sake (Matthew 5). The scripture says that happy are those who endure suffering and affliction for the cause of Christ (James 5). The Bible also says not to think it strange when the fiery trial comes upon you (1Peter 4). Too many believers and preachers are trying to "stay away" from Suffering and Persecution. Not here buddy! I look forward to the day, in the name of the Advancement of The Kingdom of God, where my lifestyle is one of living in The War Zone.

The Discipline of Fasting

As we continue to press into the Kingdom of God, one of the keys to getting to where God has spiritually ordained us to be is the Discipline of Fasting. You're not going to be able to enter the Kingdom of God and access the power thereof without learning how to Deny Your Self (Ephesians 5). This is one of the challenges of many Christians in regards to learning how to Walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5). Many of us have not learned how to Deny Our Selves (Matthew 16). As a result, we stay trapped in the spirit of the flesh rather than basking in the Freedom of the Spirit (Galatians 5). One of the things that can set us free so that we can operate at the Level for which God has ordained is the Discipline of Fasting.

Fasting is the spiritual discipline of denying one's self in a particular area for the purpose of drawing closer to God and yielding to His Will. If you're serious about being close to God and having His Divine Will manifested in your life, it is imperative that you develop a Lifestyle of Fasting. Let me say it again: if you are intent upon having the Divine Will of God being manifested in your life, it is imperative that you develop a Lifestyle of Fasting. Fasting is not an option, it is Mandatory. I'm not sure if the Discipline and Principle of Fasting is taught enough in many of our mainstream churches. But I'm telling you for the record, if Fasting is not something that you're acclimated to doing "on the regular", you need to change your mindset and adjust your spiritual practices. In order to grow spiritually and be all that God would have you to be, you must embrace The Discipline of Fasting.

A lot of times when people think of Fasting, they automatically think of food. Of course this is appropriate, since many of the fasts that are mentioned in the Bible were specifically people fasting from food (Matthew 4, Exodus 34, Esther 4). However, food is not the only area for which one can conduct a Fast unto the Lord. What you want to be prayerful about is an area for which you may "over-indulge" that is not considered a sin. You do not Fast from sin, you repent from sin. So for some people, you may need to fast from television. Others may need to fast from the Internet (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Some people may need to fast from talking on the phone. A Food Fast, however, is always in order. But the main thing with conducting a Fast is the objective of denying yourself in order to increase your capacity for God (Psalm 35).

When you go on a Fast, do it within a specific time frame. Don't just fast "arbitrarily", but set the time. So you may say, ok I'm going to fast for 3 days. Or, I'm going to fast for a week, or I'm going to fast for a month. But whatever the time frame is, set it. You can always adjust your Fast while you're going through it. So you may start off on a 3 day fast and then need to lengthen it to 5 days. Or you may have started out on a 30 day fast and need to shorten it to 3 weeks. That's ok. But whatever you do, make the time frame specific, don't just leave it open.

I believe saints that many of us have reached a period in our walk with Christ where a Fast is in order. If you feel like you've hit your "spiritual wall". If you feel like you're in a "funk" and you just can't pray and worship your way out of it; it may be time for a Fast. For this reason I recommend that all of us adopt as a part of our spiritual devotion and commitment, The Discipline of Fasting.

Where Is God?

Have you ever looked at your life and asked the question, Where Is God? Have you ever looked at the world and various situations and asked the question, Where Is God? This is the argument that a lot of atheists and agnostics like to make from the standpoint of, if there really is a God then why does He allow this and why does He allow that? These are legitimate questions, but not towards the validity of the Existence of the Almighty. But still, even for those who are ardent believers in God and in no shape, form or fashion question His Eternal Existence or Presence; sometimes we are still challenged to ask the question, Where Is God? Not does God exist, but Where Is He in this situation, in this predicament, in this circumstance?

Saints, let me start off by saying that God is where He's always been, On His Eternal Throne (Psalm 47). But remember, God is also Omni-Present, so He's Everywhere at the same time. So even though "we" may not see or know Where He Is in a certain situation or given circumstance, I can assure, God is Right There, closer than you can imagine. So the appropriate question is not Where Is God, the more pertinent question is Where Are We? As God is Moving, and He Is, and as His Presence pervades whatever situation we're experiencing and being challenged to endure, the better question is Where Are We, and even better, Where Are We with God?

What I am learning is that as a child of God, as a believer in Christ, every situation and trial that we go through is Divinely Designed by the Lord to test and expose where we are in regards to our faith and relationship with Him. We must keep in mind and always remember, Life is about God, it's not about us. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12), so He gets to write the script anyway He Divinely chooses. The question in every episode that God Sovereignly and Providentially allows is, not just where is our faith, but where are we in our relationship with Him (for which our faith is a reflection of). So when the Trials and Vicissitudes of life hit you hard and in a very painful and sometimes even seemingly destructive way, before you start questioning the whereabouts of God and why and how could He do this to you, first ask the question of Where are you in relation to Him in regards to the situation He's Providentially allowing you to experience.

Nobody had a more legitimate reason to question Where Was God than His Own Son, Jesus. As a matter of fact, Jesus went so far to ask, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?(Matthew 27). But did God show up for His Son? He most certainly did! And remember, He didn't relieve the suffering, He didn't alleviate the pain; but what the Father did do was Validate the Experience. That's what The Resurrection was all about; the Validation of the Crucifixion of His Son, Jesus the Christ. And saints, I can assure you, as  a child of The Father in whom His Son dwelleth, if you can just hold on a little while longer, in the midst of the disappointment, in the midst of the disillusionment,  in the midst of the unanswered questions, in the midst of the hurt, in the midst of the pain, in the midst of the anger, in the midst of what feels like utter hopelessness; our God will also Validate your Experience and show you that even though you may ask Where Is God, He will prove to you beyond a shadow of a doubt: He's Been There All the Time.

In It To Win It

I want to ask a question today that I know may be somewhat challenging: are you a Winner or a Loser? Some people may subscribe to the belief that "all of us are winners". Personally, I would beg to differ. Everybody is not a Winner. There are some losers in Life. The scripture definitely supports the belief that we are not all winners when it says, "know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?" (1Corinthians 9). This lets us know that not everybody is a Winner.  I ask this question because for where Christ is taking His chosen in the Kingdom, the only way to get there is to be a Winner. You can't get to the Promised Land, you can't enter the Kingdom of God with a slack and slothful effort and attitude (Hebrews 4). We have to be In It To Win It.

The Apostle Paul says in the 3rd chapter of Philippians that he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He also said that if he didn't remain "spiritually fit", that he could preach to others and then become "disqualified" (1Corinthians 9). Saints, if we're going to make it to where God has ordained us to be in the Spirit, we're going to have to Press for the Prize. Are you pressing? I know some of us are tired. I know some of us are worn out. I know the Journey up to this point has taken a lot out of us. But if you know in your heart that you haven't crossed the finish line (in regards to God's Divine Will and Revelation for your life), then you've got to Keep Pressing. You can't give up, you can't back off and you can't retreat. You can't become idle and you can't resort to self-indulgence or carnal comforts. You have to continue to Press.

Then saints, we have to be Disciplined. This is something that I'm seeing lacking in a lot of believers, particularly those in the Ministry. We can't just depend on our Gifting and our Anointing. Yes, our Gift will make room for us (Proverbs 18) and yes God giveth Gifts and Callings without Repentance (Romans 11); but in order to sustain that for which God has called and gifted you to fulfill, you must have Divine Character. That's why the development and nurturing of righteousness and patience and holiness and love is so vital to the Christian witness (Romans 5, 2Timothy 2). In order to do this we must be Disciplined. This is why Jesus says that we have to Bear our Cross if we're going to follow Him (Matthew 16). This is why we are admonished to Crucify the Flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5). There has to be a certain level of Discipline, a certain degree of Focus, a certain level of Commitment and Sacrifice in order to allow the Holy Spirit to develop the godly character required to win the Prize and fulfill the Divine Destiny for which God has ordained His Chosen.

Finally saints, we have to be committed to Suffering. I am inclined to believe that there are more than a few ministries that "sputtered out" at the end of many Ministers' lives because of their refusal and reluctance to Suffer for the Cause of Christ. There's a culture that has been cultivated in the ecclesiastical community that projects onto many of our preachers a status of "Christian Celebrity". We see these preachers on tv, we buy their books and go to their Conferences; and we're just blessed when they minister the Word of God. Nothing's wrong with appreciating the Vessels of God, but something is wrong when you begin to treat them like a Rock Star. This is why every servant of God, regardless of your calling and office, doesn't need to get acclimated to the calls of "Hosanna", but rather embrace the cries of "Crucify Him, Crucify Him". The Bible clearly says that we are called to Suffer with Christ (1Peter 2). Let us not run from this Calling. And we won't, If we are In It To Win It.

The Fallacy of Independence

One of the mistakes that people have been taught, for which we tend to perpetuate unconsciously throughout our society, is the need for Independence. We teach our children and people throughout society to be "self-sufficient"; don't depend on anybody else, just depend on yourself. This concept is a lie. Yes, people need to know how to be functional and to be able to "take care of themselves" if you will. But nobody can be "Independent". God did not create us this way. God did not design us to be "lone rangers" or to be socially and emotionally isolated. This is not the will of God. God, first off, wants us to be Dependent on Him. And then He's designed us to be "interdependent" upon each other. For this reason, we want to expose the Fallacy of Independence.

One of the biggest lies that Satan has sold this world is that we don't need to be Dependent upon God. Now granted, if you're a believer in Christ, you know that you "need" God. Nobody who's operating with even a modicum of faith is going to deny that. But there's a difference between needing God and "depending" on God. When you depend on God, the very essence and substance of your being revolves around who God is and His Divine Will for your life. In other words, you don't make a move on your own. There is no "Independence". Everything you do is in dependency on the Word and Will of God for your life. This is how Jesus lived, as the Son of God. He did nothing apart from the Leadership of His Father. That's why He said that He only does what He sees the Father doing (John 5). This is how Adam was originally made. His naming the animals in Genesis chapter 2 was not an "independent enterprise". This was done under the leadership of the Father. Why do you think the scriptures describe us as "children of God". We're never described as "adults" of God, even in the context of spiritual maturity. Why? Because God always wants us to have the posture and attitude of a child (Matthew 18). Children are always "dependent" on their parents.

Then saints, we need each other. The spirit of Individualism that regulates American affairs is not reflective of the spirit of the Kingdom of God. In the words of Hezekiah Walker, "I need you to survive". This is why it is incumbent upon the church to create, and in many instances re-create, a Sense of Community in our various neighborhoods and cities. Everybody's living these "isolated lives", even in the church. This is not the Will of God. It's going to take some effort. We're going to have to get out of our comfort zones. But if we want to establish the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven, then we must break down The Fallacy of Independence.

It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight

One of the things most people want to experience, and this includes Christians and the church, is for life to  be a Flow. We don't want to experience a lot of stress, we don't want to experience a lot of strife. We don't want to have to deal with a lot of dissension, we don't want to have to endure a lot of confrontations and circumstantial turmoil. Yes, we know that life involves problems and that "things" do tend to happen. But all in all, we just want things to go smoothly and have a tranquil life. Even though this is ideal, it's not necessarily reality. Neither is it reality for the Christian believer. There are more than a few Christians who mistakenly believe that since we "are" Christians, and because we do have God in our life, that things should be easier for us. However, this is a gross misconception of the Christian experience, because living for Christ Is Not a Flow, It's a Fight.

One of the things that we must constantly keep in mind as believers in Christ is that we have an archenemy that is positioned to bring about our defeat and destruction (John 10). Because American society has not really been exposed to an "all-out war" on our land (even during the World Wars), we don't have a concept of what it means to live and function in "wartime". Saints, we've got to understand, we are at War. Now more than ever, because the Devil knows his time is short; plus he knows God is up to something, he just doesn't know fully what it is. Therefore, we need to abandon the mindset that things are supposed to go smoothly for us because we're "Blessed". Wrong. No saints, It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight.

For this reason the scripture says to, "fight the good fight of faith" (1Timothy 6). The scripture also says for us to "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2Timothy 2). When we're challenged to endure pain, hardships, hurts, conflicts and disappointments, particularly in regards to our faith, don't look at it as an aberration. Don't perceive it as something odd. And don't try to question "what did you do wrong". Understand, this is part of the Fight. This is part of the struggle called Life. Then remember what the scripture says in Romans 8, "and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose". Whatever God is allowing you to go through, whatever it is, He's already ordained it to work for your good. But if we're going to get to the Good for which God has ordained, we've got to Fight, we've got to Struggle, we've got to Press. Is it easy? No. So quit thinking it's supposed to be. Is it going to get harder? Yes. Whoever said Bearing your Cross is supposed to be easy? (Matthew 16) But is the Reward worth it? Yes! (Hebrews 11). And we will be rewarded saints if we understand, It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight.

Hurting People

As we look throughout our country, we see that there are a lot of people that are hurting. People are dealing with various sicknesses and illness that they won't even let people know about. Many of the people that you think are "okay" are really not. They are dealing with aches and pains that they refuse to publicly divulge. They are physically hurting. Then there are people who are suffering with emotional pain. Wounds and scars from the past that have never been healed. Since there is no institutional form of addressing emotional and psychological issues (like the medical system and hospitals address physiological ailments), outside of counseling and therapy, people are forced to deal with their internal turmoil the best they know how. Then there are the relational issues, financial issues, career issues, that are throwing people into social tumult. Bottom line my friends, we are living in a society where there are a lot of Hurting People.

The Good News about the Kingdom of God is that God has established His Kingdom in order to address the hurts and pains of people (Luke 4, Isaiah 61). The Kingdom of God is not simply for "personal prosperity". Yes, God is going to release Supernatural Favor to His Chosen as a Manifestation of the establishment of His Kingdom (Exodus 12). However, when you study the Ministry of Jesus, His Ministerial Objective was never the material advancement of Himself, let alone the people He served. Jesus was always about dealing with the hurts of the people. All throughout His Ministry He was healing the sick, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, making the deaf hear, empowering the crippled to walk, feeding the hungry; this was The Ministry of Jesus.

As the disciples and Body of Christ, this too is our Mission and Ministry. Just as Jesus was called to Minister to the hurts of people and minister to Hurting People, this too is the job of the church. Our job as Witnesses of Jesus Christ is to go where the Holy Spirit sends us and address the needs and concerns of Hurting People. People want to know does someone care? Americans today are "politically vulnerable" because they are desperate for a Government that cares. Cares about their economic plight, cares about their financial woes, cares about the emotional state of their families, cares about the safety and security of their communities. And not only does someone care, can anybody do anything about the problems? The church's answer should be a resounding yes. There is someone who cares, and His Name is Jesus. He cares so much that He gave His Life on Calvary's Cross to die for the forgiveness of the sins of the world. That is the Love of God. The Design of the Kingdom of God is to take the Love that the Father Manifested through His Son on the Cross and spread it to the entire world. A world that needs to know that there is a God who is and has the answer for Hurting People.

The Heavenly Man

There's a belief that I have communicated that may not be entirely wrong, but at best needs to be modified and adjusted. For years I have held to the belief that when Jesus came to the earth as the Son of Man and as the last Adam (1Corinthians 15), He came not only to redeem us back to the Father, but also to restore to humanity what was lost at The Fall (of Adam). Remember that Adam and Jesus are the only two biblically recorded men who operated in the Sinless Glory of God (Romans 3). With this being said, it means that Adam operated in the Glory of God as a human being. This Glory is what Jesus manifested when He took on human flesh (John 1-2). However, what Jesus has obtained for us through His Death, Burial and Resurrection may be even more than what Adam obtained at his creation.

The scripture says that once Jesus completed His earthly ministry and His Post-Resurrection Ministry with the disciples (Acts 1) that He went back to Heaven and is seated at the Right Hand of the Father (Hebrews 12, Colossians 3). The scripture also states that we as believers are seated in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 2). As far as we know (scripturally speaking) Adam was not seated at the Right Hand of Jehovah during his earthly sojourn at Creation. The scripture also says that Adam was made a living soul and that Jesus was made a quickening spirit (1Corinthians 15). That passage goes on to say, "the first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the Heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." Then the scripture goes on to say that "as He is, so are we in this world" (1John 4).

What's my point? My point is that I am beginning to believe that Jesus didn't die and was raised from the dead, "just" to restore what we lost in Adam. I'm beginning to believe that He died, rose and is ascended to the Father to give us something better! We always talk about being Christ-like, and we always put it in the context of His "earthly ministry". But what if Jesus died so that we could replicate His "Heavenly Ministry"? What if Jesus came, not just for us to operate the way He did on earth, but to actually operate the way He does in Heaven? The scripture does say that we are operating now with a "better Covenant" (Hebrews 8). What would make it better? The fact that it's no longer an "earth based" covenant but a Heavenly based Covenant. What this means is that God is creating a new race of people; but it's not an earthly race, it's actually a Heavenly Race. This is the substance of The New Creation (2Corinthians 5). We tend to think that us being the New Creation talks about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8) And it does. But it's deeper than that. And please understand, if we "are as He is" not as He "was" when He was here, then that means the same Powers that Jesus has now; walking though walls, disappearing and vanishing in thin air (John 20), we too can do Now. I know it's out there, but this is what it means as a Christian, to function as The Heavenly Man (1Corinthians 15).

Anointing v.s Authority, Part 3

Let us continue with the distinction between the Anointing v.s Divine Authority. If the church is going to see a Kingdom Move of God with Power, we must be able to embrace the Divine Authority of God, and not just the Anointing of the Holy Spirit. We established that the Divine Authority of God is based upon the Order of God, and that Order carries with it Rank, meaning that the Offices within the Order are not equal. That Order can be found in Ephesians chapter 4, which consists of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. We must understand the Order if we're going to embrace the Authority.

As we addressed previously, many if not most of us have grown up in the mainstream church and been exposed primarily to the office of the pastor. Everybody "loves their pastor", as well they should, because they represent the Anointed man or woman of God for that particular flock. But we're not talking about the local church, we're talking about The Kingdom of God. And what needs to be established is that, in order to have a Kingdom Move of God, you have to have in operation the Office and Rank that is higher than the Pastor. According to the Word of God, the pastoral office is fourth in rank in regards to the Divine Order of God for the church and the advancement of the Kingdom. Once again, the scripture says: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4). Therefore, if all we're operating with is the pastoral office, then we are not ecclesiastically nor spiritually equipped to receive nor usher in the Kingdom of God.

It is time that we recognize and embrace the Order of God and the Rank and Offices required to usher in a Kingdom Move of God, and that is Apostles and Prophets. Even though there has been some degree of exposure to these two offices, they have yet to be established as the Divine Authority for the mainstream church. In order for us to see a Kingdom Move of God within our churches, this has to change. There are several ministers, including several pastors, that operate within an apostolic or prophetic anointing, but have not been established within the Apostolic or Prophetic Office. This is where the church must mature and exercise more discernment. Once again, we love the Anointing, and a person operating within an apostolic or prophetic anointing is going to bless us immensely. Whether it's a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, a prophetic utterance or demonstration of the miraculous and healings; these two anointings are a Blessing to the Body of Christ. But when you have someone operating in the Apostolic or Prophetic Office, then you're talking about Authority. And the challenge with Authority is that you must be subject to it and you must submit. This is what we must learn to do saints. If we as the people of God do not learn how to submit to the Authority of the Apostolic and Prophetic Office, we will be disqualified from our inheritance of the Kingdom of God. These two Offices represent Kingdom Authority. If we want the Kingdom of God, if we want the Power of God, we can no longer just embrace the Anointing of God, we must also learn to submit to His Kingdom Authority.

Anointing v.s Authority, Part 2

As we continue this discussion, once again, we want to distinguish between the Anointing of God and the Authority of God. When we speak of Authority we're talking about the Divine Authority that God has ordained for the establishment and advancement of His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. As I've stated previously, the church loves the Anointing, the activity and manifestation of the Holy Spirit. But what I have learned over the years is that the saints are not equally in love with the Authority that God has assigned and ordained for His church. As a result, because we as the people of God have not embraced the Authority of God, we have consequently forfeited the Power of the Kingdom of God.

Without the Divine Authority of God you cannot access the Power of God. And if you cannot access the Power of God then you cannot have the Manifestation of the Kingdom of God (1Corinthians 4). This is why in the Western church (particularly in America) we witness so many "powerless" churches. Aren't you tired of going to churches that are the equivalent of a Sunday morning religious social club? No Miracles, No Healings, No Signs and Wonders. Aren't you tired of that? I tell you what, God Is! The God we serve is a Supernatural God! But He works according to the faith of His people, or the lack thereof (Matthew 9). Therefore, we must learn how to embrace Divine Authority so that we can receive a Manifestation of the Kingdom of God.

Part of the challenge in terms of the church properly embracing Divine Authority and not just settling for the presence of the Anointing of the Spirit, is to have a better understanding of Divine Order. The God we serve is a God of Order (1Corinthians 14). Many Christians don't understand the Order of God. And without a proper understanding of this Order, it's difficult to fully embrace Divine Authority. The Order of God for the establishment and advancement of the Kingdom of God lies in what is typically described as the "five-fold Ministry", found in Ephesians chapter 4. This Divine Order consists of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Let me say very quickly that this Divine Order carries with it Rank. In other words, these offices are not "equal" in Authority. Just like a General ranks higher than a Colonel, and a Colonel ranks higher than a Sergeant; so does an apostle rank higher than a prophet, and a prophet ranks higher than a pastor. Most of us, if you've grown up in the mainstream church, are primarily exposed to the authority and rank of the pastoral office. Let me say for the record, the pastoral office in and of itself is not sufficient for the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Which means saints, if we want to see a Move of God and the Manifestation of the Kingdom of God with Power, it's going to take more than just the pastor of your local congregation. How do we know this? Because the pastoral office doesn't represent the Rank and Order of the Kingdom. The scripture says in 1Corinthians 12, "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers". That scripture talks about Rank. Now if your church hasn't been exposed to apostolic leadership, or the prophetic office is still something relatively foreign to you, it explains why for the most part we haven't witnessed the Power of God in our churches. Yes the pastor represents Spiritual Authority, but that office doesn't the carry the necessary Rank to usher in a Kingdom Move of God.

Anointing v.s Authority

There is a challenge facing the church, particularly the people of God, that needs to be addressed if collectively as the Body of Christ we're going to be in position to receive and inherit The Kingdom of God. There needs to be a distinction between the Anointing versus Authority, which could be better described as Divine Authority. A lot of the saints have a strong affinity for the Anointing and the working thereof. Which of course we should because the Anointing is of God and is from God. But I tend to run into more than a few devout and devoted children of God who even though they embrace the Anointing, have challenges with Divine Authority and the submission thereof. This is a problem saints, because if you can't submit to Divine Authority, then you can't receive the Kingdom of God. So we must distinguish between The Anointing v.s Authority.

The Anointing of God is the Presence and Operation of the Holy Spirit (1John 2). Jesus received the Anointing of the Holy Spirit when He was baptized by John the Baptist at the Jordan River (Matthew 3). Jesus later goes on to describe the activity and Divine Calling for which the Anointing of the Holy Spirit equipped Him for when He announces His Messianic Mission to the Jews (Luke 4). Every born-again believer in Christ receives the Anointing when they accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior (John 3). We know this because the only way you can be saved is to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at the point of salvation, which is the Anointing (Romans 8). So every believer in Christ has the Anointing because they have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit of God.

The Anointing is manifested in the giftings that God gives to His people in and through the Anointing of the Holy Spirit (1Corinthians 12). This is what allows a believer to preach or teach or to prophesy; it is the Anointing of the Holy Spirit. The church has learned to fall in love with the Anointing and the various gifts that are manifested through the Anointing and Administration of the Holy Spirit. However, and I've said this before, the Anointing is not enough. Atleast not enough to build the Kingdom of God. This is why the Holy Spirit makes it a point to say through the Apostle Peter in the 10th chapter of Acts that Jesus was Anointed with the Spirit and with Power. The Anointing of the Spirit that Jesus received at His baptism by John was not sufficient in and of itself to complete the Mission that the Father had assigned Him to fulfill. That's why He had to go into the Wilderness. And when He came out of the Wilderness, He came out with the Anointing of Power (Matthew 4)

Spiritual Power denotes Spiritual Authority. I run into more than a few Christians who have challenges with Spiritual Authority and the submission thereto. But please understand saints: number one, if you don't have Authority you can't have Power, and number two, if you don't have Power you don't have The Kingdom (1Corinthians 4) For this reason, we must learn to distinguish between the Anointing and Divine Authority.

The Nature of Prophecy

Recently I was watching the NBA Playoffs, while talking to a friend of mine on the phone who was watching the same game at the same time. While watching the game, I said to my friend, "Toronto is up by 13 (points)". My friend said, "no they're not, they're only up by 10". I then said, "they just scored a three-pointer (a 3 point shot). Within a split second my friend said, "ok, I just saw the three-pointer". Then they said something that struck my spirit, they said "your tv is ahead of mine". I then said to them, "that's The Nature of Prophecy". God is looking at the same life that we're looking at, but He sees things ahead of time, and He declares it before it happens and within time, what He has declared comes to pass.

The reason this struck me is because many of us respond to a prophetic word the exact same way that my friend reacted to me telling them the score. Because they hadn't "seen" it happen yet (the three-point shot) they wanted to dispute my announcement of the correct score. It wasn't until their tv "caught up with mine" were they able to consent to the reality that I had already foretold. When God gives a prophetic word, we must remember, using this analogy, His tv is "faster than ours". God sees down the line "way ahead" of what we can see. And most of the time, what we're looking at situationally and circumstantially does not reflect the Reality of what He has already prophetically declared. For this reason we don't properly steward the prophetic word that many of us receive because we don't understand The Nature of Prophecy.

What we need to begin to understand and process in regards to the Prophecy that God speaks over our lives is that He already sees it; we don't. So instead of assessing the Word based upon what we're going through or experiencing, or how we feel dispositionally at the present time, our subjective analysis is not the equivalent of what God is already seeing. What we need to do is understand that where we are has no true bearing on what God has prophetically declared.

There have been many a time where I've received a prophetic word and processed it based upon where I was (spiritually) and what I was going through at the time I received the Word. Wrong. This was a big mistake. Why? Because in not understanding it was going to come or yet to happen, I did not appropriately respond to what God was prophetically ministering to me.

Many times God gives a prophetic word as a Warning. Why? So we can change directions, or in more spiritual terms, Repent. If you know there's an accident up the road that's going to block traffic, wouldn't it be wise, if you can, to go another way? I have received several prophetic words that, based upon my proper adherence to what God was Warning me of, have literally changed my Destiny. Also what I'm learning is that God doesn't give a prophetic word for "consideration". If He takes the time to give his prophet a Revelation and a Prophetic Declaration, it's because it's something you need to hear and need to be prepared for. Saints, God is Faithful. He's not going to let us be caught off guard or caught by surprise. But we must begin to understand and embrace The Nature of Prophecy.

Stay Focused

This is a subject that has probably been previously addressed, but it bears covering one more time. We are in a season where it is imperative that as the people of God and the chosen of God, we remain Focused. If, by the Grace of God, you are on the Path for which God has called you to follow, and you're walking in Obedience, then all you need to do at this stage of the game is Stay Focused. The Devil wants to distract the people of God in order to get us off track and out of Divine position. This is why the scripture strongly admonishes us to Be Sober and Be Vigilant (1Peter 5). The Devil's not playing; but neither is our God! And the word is true, Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1John 4). For this reason, we have to Stay Focused.


One of the ways that we can maintain our Focus is to Seek first the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells us to do this in the 6th chapter of the Gospel of Saint Matthew. Seeking talks about Focus. What is your primary pursuit right now for your life? Is it your career? Is it a Relationship? Is it your Family? Is it your Ministry? If it's any of the above, then your Focus is Off. You may be asking, how can you say that? Surely my Family and my Ministry are things that the Lord wants me to focus on? I will not argue that. But remember the question, what is your primary pursuit? The problem is not having "a" focus on your family or job or even your ministry. The problem is when those things become your Primary Focus. According to the Word of God, our Primary Focus needs to be the Kingdom of God. Those other areas in our lives cannot be made synonymous and the equivalent thereof for the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God talks about the Rule and Reign of God, first in our hearts and then in the world (Luke 17). As you seek first the Kingdom of God, the Spirit will give you "Kingdom Principles" of how to regulate the other areas of your life. Stay Focused.


Another way for us to Stay Focused is to Look Unto Jesus. The scripture says in the 12th chapter of the Book of Hebrews, "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith". If we're going to Stay Focused we're going to have to look to Jesus. So many times as Christians, we're apt to look to everybody else instead of Looking to Jesus. We want to look to our parents, we want to look to our friends, we want to look to our pastor and other spiritual advisors. But the Word says, Look Unto Jesus. Now this doesn't mean that the Lord can't use your parents or your pastor to minister to you in His Name. But as it relates to Dependency, as it relates to Solace and Consolation, as it relates to Comfort and Self-Definition, these things need to come from Jesus. And you're only going to "get" them from Jesus as you Look "unto" Jesus. Stay Focused.


Lastly saints, if we're going to Stay Focused, we're going to have to Guard our Affections. The scripture says in the 3rd chapter of Colossians, "set your Affection on things above, not on things on the earth". Too many of us as Christians have our affections rooted in the earthly, sensual and carnal rather than on the Heavenly and Eternal. Where is your Passion? Where is your Heart? Where is your True Desire? If it's on the earthly and temporal instead of the Heavenly and Eternal, you're Off Focus. Make sure that you're reaching for those things with your Affections that truly reflect the Glory of God and the Heavenly Reality being manifested here on earth. Stay Focused.

Get To the Glory

Do you know what the prize of being a Christian is? It is the Glory of God. This is not a subject that is covered sufficiently in the mainstream church, but it's one that in the coming days, I believe, will literally consume those who have been chosen and prepared for the next Kingdom Move of God. The days of Christians simply setting their sights on going to Heaven when they die are over. If you look at it realistically, the prospect of going to Heaven after we physically die has not served as a major source of motivation in regards to fueling Christian commitment and sacrifice. Why? Because God did not intend man to live strictly within a "hereafter" context (even though this context is important when appropriately applied) but in the here and now with an Eternal perspective. This Eternal perspective consists of The Glory of God. And what we want to do as believers in Christ and children of God is to Get to the Glory.

The Glory of God is the Manifest Presence of God. It is also the atmospheric reality of Heaven. Just as you need oxygen to exist on earth, The Glory of God fills the very atmosphere of Heaven. When God created humanity and placed him in the Garden of Eden, he lived in the Manifest Presence and Glory of God (Genesis 1-2). This is hard for us to conceive because all we've known is the reality of Fallen Man and Sinful Creation. But needless to say, this is not the Divine Will of God for the earth. We know that humanity existed in the Glory of God before Adam's act of disobedience because the scripture says that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God (Romans 3). The rationale is that if there is no sin, there is no fall and consequently, the Glory of God is still in tact for God's creation and humanity. The Blessing is that Jesus died to redeem, restore and renew this Original Glory that God had given to man (1Corinthians 15). But it's not going to be given to us on a silver platter just because we've accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. We must work and we must stretch to Get To the Glory.

When Jesus was ministering to His disciples on the Emmaus road after His Resurrection, He said to them, "ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His Glory?" (Luke 24). The key to getting to the Glory of God is Suffering. This is a challenge for many human beings, even Christians, because we've been conditioned to be so "pain aversive". Of course this is natural, but it's not Supernatural. As a matter of fact, when Jesus was trying to convey to the disciples about His Mission of Crucifixion, Peter tried to dissuade Him from this course, and his actions were categorized as "satanic" (Matthew 16). Why is this important? Because saints, as the church and as the Body of Christ, we are not going to be able to change the world nor sustain a Move of God, if we're not acclimated and oriented towards suffering for the cause of Christ. This Suffering will entail physical, mental, emotional and spiritual suffering. We can't continue to run from the Call of the Cross. Peter said that this is what we are called to (1Peter 2). But our motivation and incentive for bearing our Cross and suffering like Christ should be the same motivation and objective that Jesus had: to Get to the Glory.

Cut It Out

Some of you may be familiar with the colloquial phrase "Cut It Out". This phrase is usually related to children when you want them to stop a particular behavior, a parent may say to the child "Cut It Out". Saints, we are in a place in the Spirit Realm to where, if we're going to continue to walk with The Father and with The Son, the exhortation of the Holy Spirit to God's children is to "Cut It Out". There are some things that are going to have to be "Cut Out" if we're going to go to the next level in Christ and operate in another dimension in the Spirit. For this reason the Spirit says to the elect, "Cut It Out".

In the Old Testament, the sign of the Covenant that God made with Abraham (the Abrahamic Covenant) was sealed by the rite of Circumcision (Genesis 17). The practice of Circumcision involved the cutting off of the foreskin of the male penis. Any male who did not undergo the rite of Circumcision was not considered by God to be a part of the Covenant People of Jehovah. Today in the New Testament, the scripture says that Circumcision is no longer outward in the flesh, but circumcision of the heart and the spirit (Romans 2). Saints, even though our Covenant with the Father is no longer contingent upon the practice of physical circumcision, we are still required to undergo the spiritual procedure of Circumcision of the Heart. Which means, once again, there are some areas for which we're going to have to "Cut It Out".

One of the things that's going to have to be Cut Out of a lot of us is bitterness and resentment. There are still too many of God's people that are walking around with grudges and grievances against there fellow brothers and sisters. This is not of God. The scripture clearly says that we are to forgive others as Christ has forgiven us (Ephesians 4). Did you know that holding on to bitterness and unforgiveness can defile you? The scripture says that many are defiled by the root of bitterness (Hebrews 12). Saints let me assure you, whoever you're mad at or upset with, it's not worth losing your Divine Inheritance over. Many a believer has forfeited the choicest blessings that God has ordained for them simply because they've chosen to stay mad and angry towards someone who hurt them or mistreated them. I strongly suggest that in such cases you allow the Holy Spirit to "Cut It Out".

Another area that we're going to have to address if we're going to move forward with the Lord is the modification of certain actions and behaviors. The Lord keeps stressing to me that the prerequisite for walking in His Glory and Eternal Destiny is Holiness (Hebrews 12). The Bible clearly says, "Be ye holy, for I AM HOLY" (1Peter 1). Holiness is mandatory for walking in Intimacy with the Lord. There are too many of us that are still too undisciplined when it comes to exercising Holiness in our lives. And remember, Holiness is not about your "morality", Holiness is about being Whole: whole in your Body, whole in your Soul and whole in your Spirit (1Thessalonians 5). Have you offered your body as a Living Sacrifice unto God, holy and acceptable unto Him? (Romans 12) Have you allowed the Holy Spirit to heal your heart and mind of defective attitudes that are sponsoring emotional deficits, precluding the character of Christ of being fully formed in you? Have you learned how to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts and thereby learned to Rest in Christ and cease from your own works? (Hebrews 4) These are the references to what it means to be Holy. And I'm sure it goes without saying, in order for us to walk in the Holiness for which God is calling us to, there are some areas for which we're going to have to "Cut It Out".

The Pathway to Destiny

We are in a time where everyone who is a child of God, needs to begin to seriously consider and contemplate God's Divine Destiny for their lives. We are in a very special moment of Transition in the earth. I can't totally explain it, but we're actually moving into a Different Era. The Shift has been taking place for a few years now, but if you're sensitive to the Spirit, you can sense the culmination and climax of what God is getting ready to release on the scene. We all must now properly position ourselves for The Pathway to Destiny that The Father has ordained for our lives.

If you look at your life now, and where you were 20 years ago, regardless of your age, you would probably have to admit that your life is now "radically" different. Of course, that would stand to reason after the transpiring of two decades. But I'm not just talking about the "passing of time", I'm talking about the creation of Shifts. Believe it or not, some people's lives really don't change all that much after twenty years. But I would suspect that for many of us, such is not the case. Once again, why is this significant? Because the changes that have transpired, internally and externally, point to the Divine Destiny that God has ordained and orchestrated for your life. Nothing has happened by accident! As a child of God, everything in your life has been sponsored by Divine Providence, even your mistakes. But in order to reach your Divine Destiny, you must identify, get on, and stay on The Pathway.

One of the challenges for many of us in terms of The Pathway to Destiny that God has ordained for our lives, is the challenge of dealing with Pain. No matter who you are and no matter how long you've lived, Pain is an intricate and integral part of Life. You just can't get away from that fact or that reality. However, that's exactly what a lot of us try to do. We want to "run from the pain". Not address it, not resolve it, not even release it; run from it. But saints, do you know that the Pain that God is Providentially allowing to take place in your life is Sovereignly Sanctioned to facilitate the fulfillment of your Divine Destiny? This is what people don't understand and why so many Divine Callings and Purposes never get temporally fulfilled. Would Joseph had fulfilled his Destiny had his brothers not thrown him in a pit and then sold him into slavery? (Genesis 37) Would his Destiny had been fulfilled if Potiphar's wife hadn't lied on him and he then be consequently thrown in jail for two years? (Geneis 39) Would David had fulfilled his destiny if he hadn't had the trials of running for his life when King Saul wanted him killed? (1Samuel 19). And most importantly, Jesus would not have fulfilled His Destiny had he not endured the Pain of the Cross (Hebrews 12). The similarity in all of these examples is that none of these men, particularly Jesus, deserved the pain for which they were challenged to endure. But The Father allowed them to go through, and in Jesus's case specifically-orchestrated it and ordained it, to the Glory of His Name. You're going through what you're going through for a reason. It's part of your Pathway to Destiny.

This Is A Man's World

Many of you may be familiar with the late James Brown's classic song, "It Is a Man's World". The opening line of the song is, "This is a man's world". And saints, James Brown was right, This Is A Man's World. It is not my objective to come across as chauvinistic. For the point of this discussion today, one could easily say it is a human's world. But according to the scriptures, the song is accurate, This IS A Man's World (1Corinthians 11). Once again, the point is not the distinction between man and woman, the focus is on the role of Man (Human) in the leadership and rulership of the earth. The scripture says, "The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath He given to the children of men" (Psalm 115). Therefore, according to the Word of God, This Is A Man's World.

Why is this so important? Because our society, including the church, has adopted what I'd like to describe as a "defeatist" attitude and mentality. Everybody is moaning and groaning about the state of affairs in our nation and in our world. People are complaining about the economy. People are complaining about government. People are concerned about ISIS and other terrorist attacks. The situation in Flint, Michigan is still in an uproar over the Water Crisis. Teachers in Detroit won't go to work because they can't get paid. And the list goes on. But the question I want to raise today is, what are we going to do about it? It's time to quit complaining, it's time to stop whining, and let's step up and take responsibility for the various issues that we are challenged to face. This Is A Man's World!

If there's one group that should not be complaining and not be overwhelmed by the state of our nation and our world is the church. As the Body of Christ, Jesus is our Head (Colossians 1). That being said, Jesus said before He ascended back to the Father that All Power in Heaven and in earth was in His Hands (Matthew 28). What this means is that through Jesus Christ WE HAVE AUTHORITY. We have Dominion--Divinely Ordained Dominion, that was restored back to us from the Beginning (Genesis 1). This means that if the world is going to get better, and it can, and if things are going to change, and they will, it's our responsibility to see that it happens.

So why isn't the church using the Authority and the Dominion that God has given us in and through His Son Jesus the Christ in order to change the world? Two reasons: one, we won't take a Stand. The church has become as lethargic and indifferent as people in the world. We're so self-contained and "congregationally focused" that we forget that Jesus came for the "world" not just the Covenant Community. The second reason is that we won't trust in God for the answers to the solutions to fix the world's problems. I go back to the prophetic word that was recently released: the Measures are in place for a Turnaround. God already has the answers in place to Turn things Around. He's ready to turn the Economy around. He's ready to turn the Educational System around. He's ready to turn the Government around. He's ready to turn our Families around. And He's ready to turn the church around. God HAS the answers, and He's ready to Release them. But He WILL NOT do it for us. People are "waiting on God" to change things, and He's waiting on us to turn and seek Him to receive the Strategies to implement the change. The Father is not going to do it for us. You know why? This Is a Man's World.

God's Good News

In this Digital Age that we live in and 24 hour-around the clock news, most people tend to stay abreast of what's going on in regards to the news and current events that are going on around the world. It is important to be informed of the various events and activities that are going on within our communities, our states, our nation and around the world. However, a lot of the time, it seems like most of the news that's being reported is pretty much "bad news". You turn on the local news and you hear about people getting shot and murdered and houses getting broken into. You turn on the national news and you hear about terrorist attacks and wars taking place all over the globe. It makes you want to sing that old song, "Don't Nobody Bring Me, No Bad News". But such is the case in our world today.

For this reason we must keep in mind that there's another "brand of news" that is available to us as Christians and followers of Christ. This is the Good News of God. Generally when we think of the term "Good News" in the Christian vernacular, we think of "The Gospel". This is correct, because the word Gospel does mean "Good News". So as Christians, we want to plug into the Good News of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1). The question that must be raised is, what's So Good about The Gospel for the here and now? Generally when we think about the Gospel, we're thinking of the Gospel of Salvation that points to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ; that if a person believes therein they will receive the gift of Eternal Life (John 3). All of this is true, and we give God all of the Praise for it. But the question that the world is asking is, how is this going to make my life better now, not after I physically die?

The reason the church has had a hard time answering this question and as a result has had a very dim witness as it relates to transforming the world, is because we have not been promoting the Gospel that sufficiently answers this question. If you look at the Ministry of Jesus, you will notice that He did not promote nor preach a "Gospel of Salvation". Nor did He teach His disciples to do so. Jesus preached The Gospel of the Kingdom. The scripture says in the 9th chapter of the Gospel of Saint Matthew, "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching The Gospel of the Kingdom". This is the Good News of God. This is the Gospel that the Master wants preached and demonstrated throughout the entire world before His Return (Matthew 24).

In order to effectively preach and be a witness to The Gospel of the Kingdom, we must be in touch with where God's Good News is coming from. Remember, Heaven is Real. Heaven is a Real Place, not just some ethereal location that deceased souls go to in the Spirit Realm. No sir. Heaven is more real than the earth. And God sends His Good News from Heaven everyday, what He wants His people to be "informed of" in the earth realm. That's why Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Thy Kingdom Come, thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6). God's Good News isn't about people getting shot and killed, it's about people getting cured and healed (Matthew 9). God's Good News talks about Restoration, Redemption and Deliverance (Matthew 11). Saints, God has already declared, the measures are in place for a Turnaround, but we've got to begin to plug in to God's Good News.

Stay on the Path

As Pentecost is less than 5 Weeks away, I am believing God for a Turnaround. God IS Moving; and the prophetic word has already gone forth that He will provide the Strategies for the Release of the Measures for the Turnaround for those who turn and seek Him. Therefore saints, if you want all that God has in store for you in this Season, it is imperative that we make the decision as well as the commitment to Stay On the Path.

There's a Path that God has ordained for His people during this Season, and it's a Path that leads right into The Kingdom of God. There's a Shifting that's taking place in the Heavens, that is soon to Manifest in the earth. When the time of Divine Manifestation takes place, it will be too late to "prepare" for the Manifestation at that point. The key will to have already been properly positioned as well as prepared. Part of that Positioning and Preparation Process entails, Staying On the Path.

The first thing, if you haven't already, is to Get On the Path. There are still some of us that are still wrestling with God's Divine Will for our lives. I would strongly suggest that you make peace with whatever it is that you're wrestling with that doesn't reflect God's Divine Will for your life (Hebrews 12). Submitting and subscribing to the Divine Will of God is never easy. But we must be like our Savior when He said, "not my will, but thine be done" (Luke 22). If we don't come to some degree of resolution and submission to what God is commanding us to do during this season, we surely will miss God's Divine Path for our lives.

If by the Grace of God you are On the Path, (you know within your heart that your life is definitively headed in the Direction for which God has prescribed), then your challenge is going to be Focus. In order to Stay On the Path, it will be imperative that you remain Focused on what it is God is calling you to do and who it is He is calling you to be. The scripture tells us to be Sober and Diligent (1Peter 5). Why? Because our adversary the Devil is roaming around like a lion looking to chew us to pieces (1Peter 5). Satan is after us folks. And he's particularly after those who have yielded their hearts and lives to the Father and to His Son. Therefore, the Evil One will attempt to distract you the best he can for one primary reason, to get you Off the Path. Stay Focused! Don't let the Enemy "lure you in" to that which may feel good to you but that you know is not of God (James 1). Now is not the time for self-indulgence. Now is not the time to "feel good". Now is not the time to seek comfort and carnal consolation. Now is the time to Set Our Affection on things Above (Colossians 3). Now is the time to Look Unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith (Hebrews 12). Stay Focused and Stay On the Path.

Lastly saints, if we're going to Stay On the Path, we're going to have to learn how to Sacrifice. In order to get to where God has ordained us to be, there are some things we're going to have to give up. There are some things we're going to have to let go. There are some dreams we're going to have to relinquish, some relationships we're going to have to sever. Not everything nor everybody can go where God is leading and calling us to go (Genesis 12). If we don't have the spiritual stamina and substance to make the necessary sacrifices that God is calling us to make, inevitably, we'll veer off the Path. It won't be intentional, but the Lord is dealing with me that most of His Chosen don't "leave" the Path, they simply "drift away" from the Path. They look up and before they know it, they're no longer headed to where God originally ordained them to be. Don't lose your Destiny saints. Don't lose your Promise. Don't miss your Blessing. Stay On the Path.

The Language of Sonship

As we prepare for this Kingdom Move of God, it needs to be understood that the Divine Agenda for the Kingdom is that we all mature into Sons of God (Galatians 4). It is not enough to simply remain a "child of God" (John 3). We must mature into Sons. Let me say very quickly that Sonship is not a term of gender identification but spiritual status. Therefore, whether you are male or female, in the Spirit realm, you are still identified as a son of God (John 1). But scripture does allow for the term "daughter of God" (2Corinthians 6). As it relates to Sonship and our development therein, we would do well to adopt and embrace The Language of Sonship.

As the Son of God, Jesus first recognized (biblically speaking) His Calling as a Son when He was twelve years old (Luke 2). In recognition of His Call, He departed temporarily from His family and went to the Temple. When his parents finally found Him after 3 Days, His response to them was, "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about My Father's Business?". This is the Language of Sonship. When you are maturing into Sonship you "must" be about the Father's Business. It is not optional, it is a mandate. If you're still waffling and wavering about the things that God has told you to do (not the things that you are "going" to do) then you're not ready to be a Son. Faithfulness is a prerequisite to full Maturity in Christ. You notice also that Jesus was not deterred by the "displeasure" of His family. Yes He was still a child, but His Consciousness and Commitment to what God was calling Him to do and who God had called Him to be was greater than His "family ties". If you're still worried about what Mama's going to say and what Daddy's going to say and the approval of your spouse, then you're not ready for Sonship. Yes we must take these relationships into account, but nothing overrides being about the Father's Business, when you are a Son.

The next thing we see demonstrated in Jesus' Ministry as He embraces His Calling as the Son of God, is found at the Jordan River (Matthew 3). Even though it's weird to say this about Jesus, this was His time of Divine Transition and Transformation. When John the Baptist baptized Jesus at the Jordan River, Jesus was officially inaugurated into the Office of the Son of God. This is why the entire Tri-Une Fellowship was at hand for this event. The Holy Spirit came down upon Him in the form of a dove, and the Father said, "this is My Beloved Son, in whom I am Well Pleased". But look at what Jesus said to John the Baptist when John expressed reservations about baptizing Him. Jesus said, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness". Righteousness and Holiness are a prerequisite for Sonship. You can't be led by the Spirit and operate in Sonship if you have not submitted to the Righteousness and Holiness of God. That's why the scripture says in 1Peter 1, "Be ye holy, for I Am Holy". Loose living and undisciplined thinking is not going to cut it if you want to become a Manifested Son (Romans 8).

Lastly, in looking at the Language of Sonship, when Jesus is satanically tested in the Wilderness, we find His Response to Victory (Matthew 4). Whenever the devil tried to attack His Divine Claim of Sonship, Jesus's response would be "it is written". Saints, if we're going to operate in the Victory of Sonship, we must stand on the Word of God. This is not just the written Word of God (the Bible) but also the Spoken Word of God. There are some of us who have received a prophetic word (multiple words in some cases) and you've chosen to ignore it, and then wonder why you're operating in defeat. God sends His Word for a reason, and for a Season. And just because it doesn't "make sense" or may not register at the time, is no reason not to submit and subscribe to it. Why? Because it's the Word of God. This is why Hebrews 5 says, "but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil". Let us learn to stand on the Word of God. Let us learn operate in The Language of Sonship.

No Fear

If you're being sensitive to the Movement of the Spirit, then you know that we are on the brink of something about to Break. I've received prophetic feedback for the last month or so that there is a "stirring in the Heavens". I believe this means that God is getting ready to Release something from the Heavenly Realm into the earth. When the Father sends this Release at His Appointed Time, I can assure you that things will not remain the same. For many of us our lives will be radically and I believe forever changed. A lot of times, when we as believers are faced with this type of pending Transition and Shift that will literally transform our lives, it's natural to be somewhat afraid. But saints, as we prepare to enter this New Season, we must adopt a posture and a spirit that says, No Fear.

We are about to encounter some obstacles that many of us have never experienced before. I believe that for those who have been chosen to travel this Path, the Spirit is already bearing witness with your spirit, letting you know (at least in part) some of the things that are waiting in store for you. As we are challenged to process some of these daunting challenges, we need to internalize the Word that the Father gave to His servant Joshua, "Be strong and of a good courage" (Joshua 1). Now is not the time to shrink back in fear and apprehension. Now is not the time to be anxious and worried. No saints. Now is the time to Get Prepared. Be Strong. This is not a spiritual suggestion, this is a Divine Commandment. The irony is that many of us are already Strong, otherwise you wouldn't have been chosen for the Assignment for which God has ordained you to fulfill. So tap into the Strength that God has already deposited in you. Then He says, Be of Good Courage. Sometimes you have to "muster up" your courage. You have to take that deep breath and say, I'm jumping in whether I'm ready to or not. It may not go down quite like that, the Holy Spirit will have us ready. But when the Movement hits and the subsequent persecution and opposition commences, we have to be of Good Courage. We have to have a spirit that says "Bring It On". Why? Because the Battle is not ours but the Lord's (2Chronicles 20).

A minister friend of mine was recently sharing with me their challenge with what they described as "self-confidence". I tried to encourage them and support them the best that I could, but nobody can Encourage like the Lord. They were watching a Christian television program, and the preacher was ministering about self-confidence; and what they said was is that we don't need "self" confidence, we need God-Confidence. Saints, this will be the key to operating in a spirit of No Fear. Are we adequate and sufficient for the task at hand in and of ourselves? Absolutely not. But is God? ABSOLUTELY. He's More than Able. This where our Confidence must lie. If we learn to Rest in God. If we truly believe that He has got our back and that truly no weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54), then in our hearts we'll be able to embrace the belief that God has not given us a spirit of fear (2Timothy 1) and through the leadership and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, answer and fulfill our Divine Call and Destiny with, No Fear.

Conviction v.s Conversion

We are living in a day now where very shortly, there will be no middle ground in regards to where you stand in your faith. Either you will be sold out for Christ or not. The days of "lukewarm Christianity" are very swiftly coming to an end (Revelation 3). This may be hard for many to fathom considering we still have thousands of churches throughout America that are packed with hundreds and thousands of confessing believers. But the Hand of God can change situations Quickly and Suddenly. With that in mind, we would do well to consider whether or not our "brand" of Christianity is one that is rooted in Conviction or Conversion.

It always astounds me that we can have as many professing Christians in this country, and still see the culture going in a downward spiral. How does same-sex marriage and the question of gender identity gain traction in a country that was founded as a Christian nation? (that's not historical speculation, that is a sociological fact) I believe it is in large part because a lot of Christians in America have been Convicted, but were never Converted. When you are a Convicted Christian as opposed to a Converted Christian, you have no problem acknowledging Jesus as your Personal Lord and Savior. You have no problem repeating the tenets of the faith, that Jesus was Crucified on the Cross, Died, was Buried, and was Raised from the dead on the Third Day. You have no problem declaring these Statements of Faith, when you are a Convicted Christian. But if all you are is a Convicted Christian, then in essence, that's all you will do. You "might" go to church every Sunday. You "might" pay your tithes. You "might" get involved in a ministry or two; but as a Convicted Christian, that's just about all you're going to do.

But as a Converted Christian, you're not going to settle for the "spiritual status quo". As a Converted Christian your whole goal is to be Sold Out to Christ. As a Converted Christian you're looking to develop a strong Prayer Life (check out how many people in the mainstream church don't attend Prayer Meeting, including many pastors). As a Converted Christian you're looking to read the Word on a Daily Basis (check out how many Christians in the mainstream church don't attend Bible study or even Sunday School). As a Converted Christian you're looking to give God Praise and to Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (John 4) (check out how many Christians when they go to church refuse to lift up holy hands and "demonstrably" worship the Lord). These are just a few differences between a Christian who is Convicted v.s Converted.

In Acts chapter 3, the Apostle Peter said, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted". This let's us know that there is a distinction between Repentance and Conversion. That's why the Lord recently released a prophetic word, telling His people to not only "turn" to Him but to seek Him. One speaks of Repentance, the other speaks of Conversion. In Daniel chapter 3, when you read the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace, initially King Nebuchadnezzar wanted them executed because he was not "convicted" that their God, Jehovah, was the true God. But when the 3 Hebrew boys came out of the furnace without a burn mark or even smoke in their clothes, King Nebuchadnezzar was Converted saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who hath sent His Angel and delivered His servants that trusted in Him, and have changed the king's word". I'm telling you saints there's a major difference between the Witness of a believer who is operating under Conviction v.s Conversion. Which persuasion are you?

Be Not Weary

I'm sensing that as we continue to progress through 2016 that some of the saints are Tired. Even though it's been a Good Year, it has also been a somewhat Taxing year. A lot of challenges have had to been endured over the last 5 months, and I'm starting to sense that some of the saints are simply worn out. You haven't lost your faith, and you haven't lost your belief, you just feel like you just don't have the juice and the drive to keep going. My brothers and sisters, if you feel like you fit this description and are starting to rock and reel a little bit in regards to your spiritual sturdiness, then I say to you, Be Not Weary. As hard and rough as it may be right now, now is not the time to throw in the towel. Now is not the time to seek some form of relief or reprieve. Now is the time to roll up your spiritual sleeves, get that second wind, and prepare to rev up for the second half of this year going into the summer. It will be worth it saints. But whatever you do, Be Not Weary.

Part of the Strategy of developing and maintaining Spiritual Stamina in the midst of mental and emotional fatigue is the value of Reward. The scripture says that they that come to God must believe that He Is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11). The scriptures also say that Jesus endured the Cross for the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 12). Are you aware of the Reward that God has ordained for you? I'm not talking about in the "bye and bye", I'm talking about in the here and now. God has a Reward waiting for you in This Season. But the only way we can obtain it is if we "faint not" (Galatians 6). Be Not Weary.

Galatians 6 says, "be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap". Pay attention to what you're Sowing in this Season. If you're sowing to the flesh, you will reap of the flesh. But if you're sowing to the Spirit, you will reap the Rewards of the Spirit. One of the things that the church does not promote enough is that the Rewards of the Spirit are not of this world. There are some things that God has in store for His saints that money simply cannot buy. Don't lose heart saints. Be Not Weary.

Lastly, fatigue of any sort grows out of a lack of Rest. A prophet recently shared with me that once the people of God learn to Rest in God, they will then receive Restoration from God. What I'm learning too about the Rest of God is that it is not accidental, it is deliberate. That is why the scripture tells us to "labor" to enter into His Rest. Some of us are working hard. Working hard to please others, working hard to achieve success, working hard to "please God" (outside of the Grace of God), working hard to comfort and appease ourselves. None of these things are going to work. Spiritual Fatigue is a sign of a lack of Rest in God. Once we learn how to truly Rest in Him, our witness will reflect that We Are Not Weary.

Preparation for Pentecost

As the Passover Season has concluded, according to the Hebrew calendar, we now want to get ready for the Preparation for Pentecost. Pentecost is one of the three major Feasts on the Hebrew Calendar (Deuteronomy 16). The Day of Pentecost is celebrated on the 6th Day of Sivan on the Hebrew Calendar, which is generally 7 Sabbaths from the first Sabbath of Passover (which generally makes it on a Sunday). The Jews generally recognize Pentecost as the time when God gave the Law (the Ten Commandments) to the children of Israel through Moses at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 20). Christians generally recognize Pentecost as the Advent of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Church Age (Acts 2). Even though both of these historical incidents are correctly associated with this Feast, there's another aspect to Pentecost that I would like to address, and that is the aspect of Divine Visitation. Whether it was the giving of the Law or the Birthing of the Church, in both instances God chose to Visit His people and make His Presence known. I believe this Pentecost will be a season of Divine Visitation. Therefore, let us make Preparation for Pentecost.

One of the ways to prepare for Pentecost is to know how God chooses to Visit His people. There are many witnesses today of those who have had a Face to Face Visitation from the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though this would be an ideal form of Divine Visitation, God is not restricted to visiting His people in and through His Resurrected Son. God can visit you through Dreams. When Abraham lied about Sarah being his sister instead of his wife, the scripture says, "but God came to Abimelech (the king of Gerar) in a dream by night" (Genesis 20). So you can receive a Divine Visitation through Dreams. God also Visits His people through Social Intervention. The scripture says in the Book of Ruth, "then she arose with her daughters-in-law...for she had heard..that the Lord had visited His people in giving them bread" (Ruth 1). God also Visits His people through Angelic Visitation (Luke 1). So there are many ways that God can Visit you during this Season.

In terms of Preparation for Pentecost, we need to make sure we're getting the training we need for the Season. Before The Day of Pentecost, Jesus trained the disciples for 40 Days after His Resurrection (Acts 1). I am sure that there are some things God is training you for during this Season, particularly after Passover. Get the Lesson! Otherwise you won't be equipped for the Assignment that God has in store for you going into the Summer Months. Another area that needs to be addressed for Preparation for Pentecost is to make sure that we're on One Accord. The scripture says that before the Day of Pentecost, the disciples were "all with one accord in one place" (Acts 2). One of the things Satan is trying to do right now is maintain Discord in the church. I'm not just talking about in the congregation, I'm talking about between brothers and sisters in Christ. Don't let the devil put any angst or disagreement between you and your fellow Christians. As much as lieth in you, be at peace with all men (Romans 12). Now is not the time to be basking in bitterness and resentment towards one another. If you want to receive the blessing of Pentecost, be at peace in your hearts with your fellowman.

Lastly, don't be preoccupied with the Times. Many of us have been distracted by the "whens" of God. "When is God going to do this" and "when is God going to do that". Get your mind off the "whens". When the apostles approached Jesus with a "when" question, essentially He said, that's none of your business (Acts 1). God knows our needs, and they will be met and duly addressed at His Appointed Time. Let us have the witness of Job where he said, "all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come" (Job 14). We will truly experience the change and transformation of Divine Visitation if we are faithful to The Preparation for Pentecost.