Choosing Love

I believe that we are to cultivate a deep desire to prophesy, simply because of the spiritual healing and encouragement that the word of the Lord brings to individuals. Prophesy has the power to confirm, convict, empower and release unlike anything else. It dismantles religious and political systems that refuse to acknowledge God, so that the people will understand life from the Lord’s point of view.

What can take years to overcome, one prophetic word under the anointing can bring a person into complete freedom.  

Recently I had a vision of two mountains, one of mountains was more like the foothills where I grew up in California. The other however was much higher and steeper. The first mountain had a dirt trail that went directly to the top, the second had a similar trail, however it was steep and had numerous switchbacks. What stood out to me was how straight the first mountain was and how easy it was to get to the top. On the top of each mountain was a flagpole, on the first mountain, the flag had the word “prophesy” on it. On the second mountain, the flag had the word “Love”, this flag was at half mast.

What stood out was that the first mountain was extremely populated, while the other mountain had hardly anyone on it. While looking at this mountain, I noticed that there were two people walking up the steep trail carrying a crown, one that would be given to a Queen or King on the day of their coronation. While I noticed thousands upon the mountain of prophecy and the ease in which it took to get there, on the mountain of love there were only two climbing, with no one at the top.

The Apostle Paul taught the church of Corinth to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially prophesy ( 1 Corinthians 14:1) "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy." It's such a blessing to see thousands hungering after the prophetic, however the Lord was showing me that very few are actually pursuing love.

In the vision, no one was at the top simply because Love is a journey and it's very difficult to ascend. Love takes extreme stamina, it takes unmeasurable risks, but it pleases God, and it moves His heart.

I noticed that the two climbers on the mountain of Love were sweating profusely which showed me how physical Love is. But why was the flag of love at half mast? Anytime you see a flag at half mast it's because the nation is grieving over the loss of a fallen hero. I believe that the Lord is deeply longing for a people who will pursue love. Why were the two climbers carrying crowns? I believe that the climbers were believers walking in faith and hope and were totally committed to walk in love, because even though the Lord had crowned them with spiritual gifts, they knew that ultimately the gifts weren’t their crown, He was.

So I want to encourage you today to choose the mountain of love, regardless of what it looks like, or how long it takes. Keep climbing and keep pursuing.  

Sincerely, 

John

 

Seized by the Presence

Loyalty, honor and kindness are characteristics that come from someone who has been miraculously set free. These individuals have an appreciation for what was done for them. They seem to live in Holy remembrance and deep gratitude, like most, they want to live in peace, enjoying personal rights and liberty. However, we find ourselves in a hostile encounter with a dark opposing force. This attacker wants to foster shame and steal our desire for peace and prosperity. Our archenemy wants us to believe that we don't have a deliverer so that we'll simply give in and resign ourselves to the powers at be.

I've been profoundly touched by the narrative in 1 Samuel Chapter 11:1-11. This compelling story gives us a framework for hope. Wickedness doesn't have rules in fact it seems to initiate a violent hatred towards the people of God. Human rights, human dignity and human worth was being challenged by king Nahash's brutality. In fact, Nahash's name means snake. However, we witness the men of Jabesh (which means dry) making an agreement with this wicked King. There is a spiritual principle that we all must learn here, and that is, when we are spiritually dry we should never make any kind of negotiations with the our adversary.

Decisions made from the place of His presence are what build hope and freedom, decisions from the place of fear only end in humiliation and the loss of vision.

Our opponent wants to bring disgrace upon us and rob us of our sense of destiny, we must trust that the Lord will bring a solution to our dilemma. In this narrative, Nahash agreed to a truce as long as he could have the right eye of everyone and degrade all of Israel. This is a prophetic parable of the deep hatred and emotional assault that the enemy bombards Christian's with, (the loss of dreams and a great uncertainty about their future).

For the people of Jabesh, all they could do was break into tears because no one was there to save them. Since losing their right eye meant the loss of identity, what were they to do? Will someone come to their rescue? After reading these verses I hear the same cry ringing from the people of God in our era. They need deliverance from the negative emotional traffic that robs them of joy and the ability to imagine what God has for their future. Certainly there is a real threat, but I believe God is moving upon His sons and daughters right now.

While self respect gets lost in the sea of guilt, our Lord is raising up men and women throughout the earth to break the spirit of oppression. We find in this powerful drama that King Saul, who although made some foolish choices in his life, actually started off very focused. He hears the weeping of a nation and begins to ask what is wrong. I have no doubt that a generation is also hearing the weeping of the nations of the earth and they too begin to ask why. Asking the right questions touches the heart of God because those kind of questions originate from a heart that has a holy burden for humanity. By being sensitive to the plight of others, the Lord begins to act. He will then release many that will become His instrument of healing and salvation to communities and nations.

 

1 Samuel 11:6 "When Saul heard this, the spirit of God suddenly seized him; in anger".

 

Beloved, not only did Saul hear this, he literally felt their grief, and then suddenly God captured him. Saul isn't just seized by human need, he is seized by a sense of divine justice. Around the globe today people are getting on a cultural bandwagon, completely unsettled about what they don't agree with. You see, God's desire is to send His presence and power upon the people to accomplish His will. Beloved, God feels divine emotion for those who have been threatened and manipulated by the enemy.

 

The question we need to ask ourselves is "have we been seized by the presence of God or are we just upset"? And yes, there are many social ills that need attention, however, unless we have been truly captured by the anointing and not just a cause, our communities and nations won't experience the redemptive power of God. I believe Godly leadership is being raised up to end the humiliation and impart a right perspective. Arguably, we could make the assumption that God is angered by the oppression, so in response to divine anger, the Lord seizes men and women. Beloved, Saul isn't seized by a cause, he is seized by the spirit of God.

Can we imitate a posture of compassion and humility so that the pleas of those who are victims of demonic brutality get answered? Saul did, he rallied a nation, delivered a community, and they never forgot what had been done for them. Because forty years later when king Saul's body had become a Philistine trophy, the men of Jabesh Gilead rescued this King and honored him.

 

Sincerely,

John 

 

Correct Convictions

What shapes a leaders belief system is arguably the most valuable necessity. How he or she thinks about God, others, and themselves is formed by what they allow in their hearts. Correct convictions can positively form a people who believe that they will be able to obtain the promises of God. With the right knowledge, leaders will not just form others in their own image, but transform others in God's image. When a leader intentionally sits under the word of God, the authority of what our Lord taught surpasses the leaders own experience. Armed with a sense of responsibility these leaders will not just control but inspire.

To bless is to empower and genuine leaders filled with compassion release communities into their inheritance.

This ability to influence isn't because they have conformed to educational theories or to political ideologies, their influence originates from relationship first with God, and then with their colleagues. The way they look at life and the way they see problems are unique. Instead of fear, they have learned to tap into a well of endurance. This attracts others to them. While some in leadership roles are just digging out some new principles to become more popular,

real leaders are passionately willing to become better servants.

We can't take on the responsibility of Godly leadership without becoming a servant. We all want a place among the powerful and the strong, the Lord put that desire in all of us. To get there we have to serve. Servanthood is the true representation of the leaders nature. By putting ourself aside we amplify who He is. Knowing that the majority of disputes happen because we want to rule rather than care for the body of Christ. Many times we perceive major character flaws in gifted people and begin to downgrade their significance, and instead of looking for ways to empower them, we assassinate their reputation. This doesn't solve the issue it only creates a sense of hopelessness.

However, there are corrective ways to fixing what may seem overwhelming. It's really about living a life of prayer. The heart of a true leader doesn't go to God to obtain judgment, but to obtain forgiveness for the Lord's people. We can clearly see this in Moses's leadership approach.

While we appreciate professionalism in the presentation of sermons and worship, professionalism should never be elevated above loving God and loving one another. In other words, let's take the quality of sound, we all like when something sounds good to our hearing, but is that sound the sound of Heaven? Because when love abounds, the sound of God's heart is clearly heard. A sincere leader understands that godliness needs to be elevated much more than talent. People are rewarded amazingly for their accomplishments and talent, but how many have been rewarded for their godliness?

Any person that is in a place of influence whether you're a parent, a CEO, or a pastor, we need to protect those who are around us, by not reinforcing wounded feelings in relational conflicts with one another, Because this doesn't bring the solution that is needed, it only produces more validity to the irritation. In order to have genuine success, rather than contributing to each other's conflicts, we have to work hard on improving our relationships with one another, all while asking the Lord for the keys of the Kingdom to unlock breakthrough for them.

 

Sincerely, 

John