The Spirit of Intimidation: Big Problem Least Dealt With
Filed under: Biblical Teachings, Deliverance, Godly Principles, Testimonies, What Does the Bible Say About That?, Word of Exhortation
Current Mood:
Anointed & On Fire 4 God!
Though I wrote this article approxmately 2 years ago, it is this article that I receive the most response from – even to this day! Therefore, I am re-submitting this article again – as the points are still very much relevant today. And what I’ve since learned is that many people do not realize that intimidation is a spirit, a spirit very much alive and active – even in our churches! So I pray that as you read this, the Holy Spirit will begin to minister to you and bring you on the path of freedom!
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For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. -2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
- The Big Problem Least Acknowledged
- Intimidation Defined –Exhaustive
- It was Bigger than Just Me
- Spiritual Giftings Doesn’t Mean Spiritual Purity
- Even the Anointed and Pure Hearted Can Be Affected
- How Intimidation Binds the Strong Man to Plunder the House
- Coming Next: Breaking the Chains!
- Prayer For Overcoming Intimidation
- Other Scriptures to Study
Minister Naima Williams. Originally posted on June 23, 2009
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THE BIG PROBLEM LEAST ACKNOWLEDGED
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t’s amazing how much time and energy the enemy is willing to invest in order to close the mouths of the saints. Revelations 12:11 tells us that we overcome by the blood of Jesus and the word of our testimony, so it only makes sense that he would try to influence or stop the spoken word of the saints. This has been one of the many spiritual battles I’ve experienced throughout my life, and it seems to have intensified over the last few weeks. If you’ve read my eJournal entries titled Stand In Your God-Given Authority and A Call to Take Authority, then you know that one of the spirits the enemy used to try to close my mouth is the spirit of intimidation. It’s interesting how we use this word so loosely in today’s society not realizing how it can spiritually, mentally and emotionally cripple its victim. Additionally, many do not know that intimidation is actually a spirit, and this spirit seldom walk alone. The spirit of intimidation is often accompanied by the spirits of insecurity, inferiority, shyness, control and manipulation just to name a few. Up until recent, I used to get clobbered by the spirit of intimidation, and was its slave most of my life. But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ! (2 Cor. 2:14a). God has recently delivered me from the spirit of intimidation, and He is teaching me to walk each day in the power, love and sound mind He’s given me through Jesus Christ!
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ou know the old cliché that says never judge a book by its cover? Well, I admit to doing this myself over the years. I am grateful, however, that the Holy Spirit is helping me to steadily UN-learn this behavior so that I’m less inclined to judge others. This is not only because the Lord tells us to judge not lest we be judged in Matthew 7:1, but also because I myself don’t like being judged. I’ve had people misjudge me because I look a certain way and/or have a particular style, and as a result, many would make up their mind about me before even speaking to me, much less knowing me. Throughout the years, I’ve been frequently mislabeled as either conceited or overestimated as a woman with great confidence. I guess between the two the latter would be much preferred; however, neither was accurate. I was very insecure, shy and timid, but this was often hard to detect because the nervous energy I had would somehow transform into what appear to be an outgoing personality. I never really understood why this was neither did I plan it to be so. It was as if I had a built-in fail-safe that would self activate when needed.
INTIMIDATION DEFINED-EXHAUSTED
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ntimidation was a problem for me for as long as I can remember, but it was just recent that I began to realize how destructive this spirit is and how it can quench the Spirit of God in any believer (See Stand In Your God-Given Authority to read more). John Bevere, the author of Breaking Intimidation expounds:
The objective of intimidation is to restrain you from action and coerce or force you into submission. Intimidation wants to overwhelm you with a sense of inferiority and fear. Once you’ve retreated into submission, either knowingly or unknowingly, you are a servant of the intimidator. You are no longer free to fulfill the will of God but are doomed to the desires of your intimidating captor.
Consequently, the gift of God, His spiritual ability in you, is inoperative. Now your authority has been stripped from you in order to be used against both you and those in your sphere of influence.
The origin of intimidation is fear, which has its roots in our adversary, the devil. He is the originator of all fear and timidity (Gen. 3:1-10), especially v. 10). He will attack us by way of thoughts, imaginations and visions, or he will use circumstances and those under his influence to intimidate us. Either way, he has one objective: to control and limit us. (Page 46)
IT WAS BIGGER THAN JUST ME
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hen the Lord began revealing this to me, I asked Him to show me how this rooted in my life. A few days after that prayer He began showing me flashes from my childhood, and how as a little girl living in an abusive home, the doorway was opened for these spirits to set up strongholds. Without my knowledge or consent, these spirits attached themselves to me and my life at such an early age that I mistook their whispering lies for my own thoughts. As God began revealing this to me, I began to see how intimidation played a major role in my life, preventing me from living in the freedom and abundance that Jesus offers His believers.
SPIRITUAL GIFTINGS DOESN’T MEAN SPIRITUAL PURITY
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ontinuing down this path of discovery, I also began to see how this spirit infiltrated the body of Christ. This spirit is so camouflaged and so subtle that it often goes long periods of time without being noticed. Consequently, it gains enough strength and control to form strongholds in the church. I believe the answer to why it goes unnoticed for so long can be found in 1 Samuel 16:7, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.“ Because we have the tendency of looking at the outward appearance, we make the grave mistake of thinking giftings, anointing or ministry “success” indicate purity in heart and motives. Think about it. If you were living during the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, would you’ve been able to discern the heart and spirit of Judas Iscariot? This is a man who ate, traveled and somewhat lived with Jesus! Furthermore, did not Jesus himself charge him as an apostle? Did he not also heal the sick and cast out demons as well? (Read Matthew 10:1-5). SELAH
If that doesn’t do it for you, Jesus makes it very clear in Matthew 7:22-23 that anointing doesn’t mean a pure heart. “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” I really don’t think you can get any clearer than this.
The author of the book Breaking Intimidation speaks a little about ministry success and relationship with God:
Even though the church is experiencing a refreshing at this time, sin must be dealt with. It is wonderful that people are so hungry for the power of God, but let’s not neglect purity of heart. We have seen too many ministers fall. But they didn’t fall when they committed their first act of immortality. No, they began to fall earlier—the day success in ministry became more important than their intimate relationship with God. We’ve not only seen this among ministers but also within their congregations. (Page 23)
EVEN THE ANOINTED AND PURE HEARTED CAN BE AFFECTED
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n the other side of the coin are those who are anointed and have a heart after God. It is these that the spirits of Jezebel and intimidation seek to neutralize. The unfortunate fact is that these spirits are oftentimes successful, even when going against those who we believe are mighty in the Lord. An example of this can be found in the story of one of the most powerful prophets in the Bible, Elijah. The story of Elijah begins in 1 Kings 17, with chapter 19 showing how through intimidation and fear, Jezebel put this prophet to flight. During my study of intimidation, I stumbled upon a website that provided an excerpt from a book titled The Tactics of the Enemy (author unknown):
For seven years, God had carefully protected Elijah. God fed him in the wilderness. When Ahab’s armies sought to kill Elijah, they were unable to lay a finger on him.
Finally, in a showdown at Mt. Carmel, Elijah called down fire from heaven and resoundingly defeated and killed the priests of Baal. All Israel fell at his feet in repentance, worshipping the true God. Elijah was the man of the hour. He was vindicated, victorious, and clearly in charge.
Nevertheless, when Jezebel sent Elijah a single threat, he suddenly turned coward and fled to the desert. Anxious, depressed, and miserable, he begged God to kill him!
Think about this. It makes NO sense. Elijah enjoyed supernatural protection for seven years. He watched fire fall from heaven and defeat his enemies, yet when a single angry woman threatened him one time, he lost every shred of vision and ran away. He moaned in self-pity and depression, begging God to kill him!
This is a great example of Jezebel’s powerful demonic “anointing” to intimidate, create fear, and cause men of God to withdraw. Jezebel steals your vision. Jezebel will even make you depressed and anxious when there is nothing significantly different in your circumstances. If there are difficult circumstances, this spirit will tell you they are insurmountable, impossible, and overwhelming. Jezebel will make you feel like dying when in reality, you are God’s man of the hour.
WOW! The writer continues:
Jezebel’s witchcraft will attack key leaders in her targeted area through intimidation. Those under attack may awaken one morning to find it takes effort just to breathe. All joy seems to depart. Spiritual life seems irrelevant. Demonic voices will echo in their minds “something’s wrong with you!” They may suddenly find themselves in unreasonable anxiety, fearing tragedy or death. Much of what is called “depression” in the ministry is simply Jezebel!
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his is exactly what I had experienced that day I wrote about in the eJournal entry titled A Call to Take Authority. I woke up to a series of mental attacks and didn’t understand why. Later on in the morning, the Holy Spirit told me to “take authority” and I did. In retrospect I now realize that He was preparing for what was to come a few days later (See Stand in Your God-given Authority). Not even realizing it at the time, I submitted to the spirit of intimidation, and as a result, I was knocked out of the spiritual authority God had positioned me in. I immediately began to experience the symptoms of intimidation and each day the symptoms grew progressively worst.
An intimidating spirit unleashes confusion, discouragement and frustration. Its goal is to cause you to lose your proper perspective. Everything will seem overwhelming, difficult or even impossible. The stronger the intimidation, the greater the discouragement and hopelessness. (Breaking Intimidation, Page 48)
These were the very feelings I had experienced; however, what was worst was that the Holy Spirit within me was quenched, the anointing went dormant and the sweet communion with God was interrupted. At the time I still didn’t understand what was going on, I just wanted it to stop. I prayed, repented, rebuked and bound evil spirits, and nothing I did seem to work. It was a few days later when God began to give me insight and revelation as to what was going on. Originally I was looking at what I was experiencing from a “me” perspective, but God then let me know that what I was dealing with was bigger than just me. He began to show me the spirits I was dealing with and have charged me with responsibilities I really can’t say that I wanted. BUT, when you’re used to communing with God and then that’s interrupted, you do whatever it takes to get back into communion.
HOW INTIMDATION BINDS THE STRONG MAN TO PLUNDER THE HOUSE
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here are still lots to tell, as this is a meaty subject, and it is one that I will be sharing with you over the weeks to come. What I want to make sure that I leave with you is the absolute awareness that intimidation is in fact a spirit, a spirit that is sent by Satan; for God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV). Since this spirit is sent by the enemy, we know that the ultimate agenda of this spirit is to kill, steal and destroy all of mankind, especially the saints of God. In effort to help the enemy accomplish his ultimate goal, this spirit, which works closely with the spirit of Jezebel, looks to enter the strong man’s house and plunder his goods; but they must first bind the strong man (Read Mark 3:27 and Matthew 12:25-30).
If the Spirit of God within a believer is quenched, then the believer is in fact bound, and this almost always causes a domino and/or rippling effect. The book I’ve been referencing throughout this entry, Breaking Intimidation, mentions:
What would happen if all believers functioned in their place? What tremendous things we would see. Revival is not for the preachers but for the entire body—when every person takes his position.
Remember, the gift is the ability God gives us. We are not responsible for that which we were not entrusted with. The leg is not responsible for sight. Even so, the will of God can only be accomplished by the enabling of the Spirit. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.” (2 Cor. 3:5).
It is the joint operation of these gifts the enemy wants to stop. When successful he can severely hinder out growth! He knows he cannot stop God from giving these gifts, so he is after our freedom to exercise them. Intimidation is the primary way he hinders this. (Page 40)
If there is a spirit other than the Holy Spirit that is controlling a person, family or church, than that person, family or church is in fact bound; and again, this almost always causes a domino and/or rippling effect. The author also makes another valid observation and point:
There are those who bear the title of pastor or leader, yet they are controlled by the manipulation and intimidation of others—usually the people who should be undergirding them, such as wives, associates, board members, deacons, intercessors and so forth. They run the show behind the scenes by controlling the person with the title of leader.
This also happens in homes. Parents are intimidated by their children; husbands are intimidated by their wives. They are not the head of their homes. It is important for a leader to consider the counsel of those around him, whether in his home or his ministry. (Breaking Intimidation, Page 52)
You may be thinking to yourself that you wouldn’t or couldn’t be a victim of such a thing (spirit) or that you would be able to spot such workings (manipulation, control and intimidation) a mile away. However, you must keep in mind that the working of these spirits is often camouflaged and subtle, and they can do an enormous amount of damage for years while going unnoticed. The enemy rarely comes at us in his true form because he knows he would have a fight on his hands. However, coming disguised allows him to do serious damage for long periods of time because your guards are down and unsuspecting.
Below are a few other quotes from the book that I wanted to share in this entry:
People who have strong personalities will use intimidation to make a lie look like the truth. You must stay in the spirit to overcome the strength of such attacks. (Breaking Intimidation, Page 86)
Usually intimidation will accuse you of the very weakness it seeks to hide. Those who act pure outwardly but have an impure heart will always attack the pure in heart. (Breaking Intimidation, Page 87)
Naima- I personally have had this happen to me a lot!
Jesus constantly faced intimidation. The impure Pharisees and lawyers tried to discredit Him or catch Him in His words. If they could only intimidate Him, then they could control Him. So they said He was a traitor, a glutton, a drunkard, and a demon-possessed sinner, which were the very characteristics many of them possessed. By refusing to come under their control, Jesus exposed their hearts.
Why do the impure seek to intimidate the pure? To relieve themselves of conviction and to maintain control. If successful, they don’t have to examine their hearts and repent. (Breaking Intimidation, Page 87)
COMING NEXT: BREAKING THE CHAINS!
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n closing, I have seen people smilingly admit to being intimidating, not realizing that in essence what they are admitting to is allowing this spirit of fear work through them. For many years of my life, I used to be that way myself. After having the revelation God has shown me, I now understand what this truly is and this spirit can do damage to individuals as well as the body of Christ.
PRAYER FOR OVERCOMING INTIMIDATION
In weeks to come, I will begin sharing on how to break the chains of intimidation from your life. In the interim, if you are serious about learning more about this subject, then I recommend that you read the book titled Breaking Intimidation by John Bevere. He does an excellent job at exposing this spirit in great detail as well as how this spirit has impacted the church. Additionally, you can begin your deliverance out of the world of intimidation by praying the following prayer:
Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus, confessing that intimidation has caused me to stumble. I ask Your forgiveness for thinking of myself as inferior, for I am created in your image, and I am Your workmanship. Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is in me. Therefore, the power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in me and causes me to face life with hope and divine energy.The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Lord, You said that Your would never leave me or forsake me. Therefore, I can say without any doubt or fear that You are my Helper, and I am not afraid of anything that mere man can do to me. Greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world. If God is for me, who can be against me? I am free from the fear of man and public opinion.Father, You have not given me a spirit of timidity– of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear — but You have given me a spirit of power and of love and of a calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength.
Scripture References:
1 John 1:9
Luke 17:21
Colossian 1:29
Hebrew 13:5
Romans 3:31
2 Timothy 1:7
Ephesians 2:10
Ephesians 1:19-20
Psalm 1:27
1 John 4:4
Proverbs 29:25
Philippians 4:13
(Prayers that Avail Much by Germaine Copeland, page 102)
OTHER SCRIPTURES YOU CAN STUDY:
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Matthew 21:23-27
And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
A double minded man and his spiritual life
Current Mood:
Anointed & 
Blessed & Delivered & Free & Happy & 
Humbled
Living in the world as we do today where everything is always moving and evolving one may find it really hard to stay stable. The way the economy is with so many people loosing jobs and homes people find themselves doing things they themselves said they would never do, which may leave some looking at them in a whole new light. In the Bible the Apostle James warns against being double minded. Being double minded can damage anyone on their spiritual journey in so many ways.
James 1:8 states that “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
Prayer Life:
One of the areas that is damaged is a double minded man’s prayer life. A double minded man prays with doubt. However going to God with doubt you are shortening your relationship with God. Many get upset with God when they feel as if their prayers have not been answered in the amount of time that was set by them. Which creates a doubt within them. When you go to God you have to be sure of the blessing in which you are asking. Go to him without a doubt that what has been asked has already been answered. Also make sure that what you are asking for is according to his will, also make sure your attitude and the way you live your life is in tune with God, and your intentions and motives are also in tune with God. If you make sure these things are done then there is no way that you will have a double minded prayer life.
Faith without work is dead:
There are some people who attend church, read the scriptures while in church, pay their tithes each and every Sunday, go home and do nothing until the next Sunday when they repeat all the steps again. The thing about God is CONSISTENCY. Your cup overflowed that Sunday so you felt that you did not have to do anything that you would be blessed off of the word that you recieved and that would be enough. The thing is, it is not enough for God. Not only does he want you to hear his word but also DO his work within the world. What good is it if you know of something that could possible save someone’s life if you don’t get the word out there?
Matthew 7:26-27 states “
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
God’s word is to be put into action, thus building a strong foundation for you. Doing his work will assure that how you live is not a double minded life.
Purify your heart:
God purifies your heart and with some he does it over and over again. Once God purifies your heart, what you do with your new pure heart is up to you. Some of us feed our hearts with new ways that line up with the will of God. Others gain a new heart only to fill it up with the same old things as before which forces them to ask God for a pure heart all over again.
It is important that our intentions align with the teachings of God. We may start out on something with good intentions but due to the influence of coworkers, friends and family what could and should have been good intentions has now changed. You must stand firm on the foundation of God, his love for you never waivered and yours should not either.
A double minded man does not stand firm in his beliefs. It takes just a tad bit of faith and a whole lot of believing. A double minded man does not really know their purpose they are unsure of themselves which make their spiritual journey one that has no foundation and he is living a very dangerous spiritual life. Be sure of yourself and the direction that you are going, this will ensure a prosperous spiritual life.
How Is Your Relationship W/God..? Self..? Others..?
Romans 2:17-24 NLT 17 “You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. 18 You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. 19 You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. 20 You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.
21 Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?* 23 You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. 24 No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”
In these modern days of hypocrisy, in these days when even those who appear to be the most pious of believers find themselves in handcuffs or openly scandalized, we dare wonder what kind of relationship anyone has with the Lord and or people. You would think that people with an advanced knowledge, people who have studied theology and the Bible most of their lives, having so many degrees and awards that they possess many variations of alphabets behind their name, you would think that they would have a fear of the true and living God that would prevent them from sinning against the very one to who they claim belief.
Let me make myself perfectly clear, this doesn’t mean that men and women of God do not sin. It does mean however that these people should sin less, especially if they have the responsibility of teaching others about the Lord. While I have witnessed many ungodly acts committed by Christians, I am always taken aback by pastors who really have don’t give God, the Bible or Satan any credence. Pastors who teach one thing and live totally opposite of what they teach.
If we were to liken the Jew with the Christian who has knowledge of God, then indeed the Gentile does blaspheme the name of God because of us. If we are to be an example to the world and are instead hypocrites then it is us, the Christian who has crucified our Lord. What kind of relationship can we then have with the Lord if we are disobedient? What relationship can we have with our fellow man, if they cannot trust us to be truthful with God, how can we be trustworthy and truthful to mankind?
We are in an age where relationships with everyone including our family are fleeting. Relationships do not hold the same importance to many people as they once did. The mother who is willing to die for her children may now be the cause of their deaths. The father who would work day and night to make sure that his family would survive is now willing to walk away from his wife and children leaving them destitute and with the possibility of becoming homeless.
“ No, a true Jew (Christian) is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.” Romans 2:29 NLT
Christians need a change of heart; we need to remember our first love and the original principals of the Bible that was taught to us by our fathers and mothers. It is time to repair our relationship with God so that we can have a true relationship with mankind. God wants us to be me more than what we have been in the past. We are to be true men and women of God.
Simply Put, JUST OBEY GOD (Even in seemingly insignificant matters)
Filed under: Family Life, Godly Principles, Holiness & Sanctification, Inspirational Articles, Testimonies, The Faith Walk, Word of Exhortation, Words of Encouragement
Current Mood: Anointed & Blessed & Highly Favored & On Fire 4 God! & 
Righteous Indignation
I woke up this morning thinking to myself, “I am so blessed.” You see, God is so off-the-chain, so awesomely good and I am so deeply in love with Him that words elude me! It is indeed an honor and privilege to know Him, to serve Him and to know that I will spend all of eternity with Him. Folks, I am absolutely blessed and highly favored and I want all the earth to know that Christ IS real, alive, true and awesome! He in me is the hope of glory!
“In ALL Your Ways Acknowledge Him….”
I didn’t make too many plans for today, except for working at home instead of going to my favorite spot, Barnes and Nobles. You see, I know that my son and I like to go to Barnes and Nobles after church on Sundays, so I figured today I would work at home. I also was going to see if I could find a ride to Wal-Mart to get a few groceries; however, God had different plans – and His plans is what I live for.
Today during my first devotion time with the Lord (started around 12:30ish since my daughter and I slept in this morning), I asked the Lord to just speak to me. And the first word that He said was “Go!” I began to question where: to Boston to see my mom? To New York for an assignment? To Virginia for something? Or somewhere else I hadn’t been? In my spirit, I knew these weren’t right. So I asked, “Go where? Is it in my region?” “Yes” He says. “Within ATL?” “Yes”. “So where do You want me to go, Lord? Wherever You want me to go, I will go.”
Barnes and Noble then came up in my spirit.
I immediately began rebuking myself because my initial thought was that I was tripping. But then I had to remind myself, “Naima, you know the voice of the Lord. On top of that, you don’t really want to go there today. Listen!”
Barnes and Nobles again came in my spirit.
So I then said, “Lord, You want me to go to Barnes and Nobles???” He confirmed in my spirit that I was to go there today. I asked Him, “I will go Lord. When do You want me to leave?” “2:30”. I instantly looked over at the clock and seen it was 1:47. “This doesn’t give me too much time to get ready” I thought to myself as I immediately got up to start getting ready. And as I was getting ready, the Lord let me know that I would meet a man today. Didn’t know when or why but I knew I would connect with a man today. So I immediately called a taxi and asked them to pick me up at exactly 2:30. They did.
The taxi service I called is the one I use quite frequently, and when the taxi arrived, the driver was a man, and in the passenger seat sat his wife. I had never seen either of them before; however, we seem to hit it off almost immediately.
“Where are we going?” the driver asked.
“Barnes and Noble.”
He then began to express his likes about Barnes and Noble and the conversation started from there. It shortly shifted to ministering by my inviting his wife to next week’s FIRE Group in Stockbridge. I began to describe who we are and what we do without my knowing even IF she was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ or not. She responded by saying that unfortunately she had a previous engagement that day, so I informed her we meet monthly and gave her the next date which is June 25th. She wrote it down.
Her husband then asked me what I was doing for the youth. I smiled because I had just told my daughter earlier that morning that I was going to begin FIRE Groups for teens – I was just trying to figure out logistics. I began to tell him that a group for teens is in the works and from there I began to notice that he has a burden for reaching out to our lost teens. The avenue that he was going to use to reach them was music. He began sharing with me how we cannot reach our teens with the same kind of Gospel music our grandparents listened to but instead by music that today’s youth would want to hear. I totally agree! You see, I was deeply into hip hop since it first began, and when I finally decided to fully submit and commit (be sold out) to Christ, the Lord then introduced me to Gospel hip hop and Gospel R&B. I shared this with the driver and his wife. He then asked me to listen to a song he had written and produced. He put on the song but unfortunately we had arrived at my destination shortly after the song began, so I asked him if he had a demo. He did and gave me a copy of the song. He asked me to be very honest with him about the song and asked me to ask my children what they thought of it as well. I said I would. We then exchanged contact information and then went our separate ways.
Simply Put: Just Obey God!
So, right now I am sitting in Barnes and Nobles typing this entry to you. I cannot say that I fully know the reason why me and this gentlemen and his wife had to meet today; however, I know it was divine and that God will reveal the rest in His timing. Once He does, I will update this entry with a part two. In the interim, let me point out the fact that obedience is key to your walk with God! You see, had I not called the cab at the time I did and ask them to have the taxi at my door at exactly 2:30pm, then I would’ve missed it – having a different driver. If I didn’t move on what God told me to do AND when He told me to do it, I would not have met this couple and would’ve missed the blessing that is coming my way as a result of my obedience.
Folks, we never truly know how far the ripples go and how heavy the impact when we move on what God tells us to do. And do understand that truth is also essential; for you will not really obey a person if you don’t trust they have your best interest at heart. Thus, when God tells you to do something, don’t try to batter Him with a series of questions and demand that He answers them BEFORE you move. No! You have to exact Proverbs 3:5, which says, Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
I CHALLENGE YOU!!!
I challenge you today to step up in your trust and obedience of the Lord. First, decide that you will trust Him and that you will obey Him – NO MATTER WHAT! Do know that deciding is the first part, and I mean truly making that decision. Following this is making this conscious decision each day the Lord allows you to open your eyes. Decide that you will trust Him in both large and small matters. To help you with this and to foster growth in this area, I encourage you to find several Scriptures on obedience and its rewards (Deut 28) and trusting God (Pro 3:5-6); but in addition to these Scriptures, I strongly advise you to find Scriptures that focuses on God’s unfailing love for YOU! This is key! Not only will this help you in receiving His love but this is also the foundation from which trust and obedience is built. Speaking from experience, I promise you that if you do this and keep at it (no matter what), you will indeed see the fruit of this manifested in your life. Fruit like:
- A stronger, deeper, more intimate relationship with God;
- Your experiencing God’s peace on a more frequent to more regular basis;
- Greatly increased faith, trust, and obedience unto God;
- Your other relationships will also be positively impacted;
- A renewed mind in these areas;
- You’ll be a better witness for Christ;
- And much more!
I know that sounds like a sales pitch, but trust me, it’s not. These are just the natural by-product that comes with studying and meditating on these topics and Scriptures; and it just so happens that ALL of the fruit are awesome and life-bringing and life-changing! Halleluiah!
Prayer For YOU!
Father, I pray that the person reading this will lean his or her entire being and human personality on You in absolute trust and confidence in Your power, wisdom, and goodness and that he or she will have full revelation of the breadth, height, length and depth of your unfailing love. I pray that she or he may have a willing and obedient spirit, and that they may be filled with the full knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom, and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things. This I pray in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
(Colossians 1:4, 9; Ephesians 3:18)
SCRIPTURES ON GOD’S LOVE FOR YOU!!!
| Deut. 7:9 | Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands. |
| Eph. 2:4-5 | But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved |
| Zeph. 3:17 | The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” |
| Zechariah 2:8-9 | For He said, “Anyone who harms you harms My most precious possession. I will raise My fist to crush them, and their own slaves will plunder them.” |
| Rom. 8:35-39 | Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? … For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord |
| Psalms 86:15 | But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness |
| Ps. 48:9 | Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love |
| Ps. 52:8 | But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever |
| Ps. 36:7 | How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings |
Originally written on Saturday, May 14, 2011 approximately 3:00 PM EST.
The Gospel That Jesus Christ Preached
Filed under: Biblical Teachings, Deliverance, Godly Principles, Kingdom Principles
Current Mood: On Fire 4 God! & Anointed
As a preacher, whenever I have an opportunity to share God’s Word I always shock the people upfront by telling them that I will not be preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Predictably, many in the audience become shocked and start murmuring among themselves. Once they settle down I let them know that they heard me right and then I reiterate to them that I will not be preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By this time, the murmuring and shock usually gets a little louder. Then I really shock them by saying that Jesus Christ Himself did not preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By this time, many are thinking that I am nuts and are wondering whether they should they stick around to hear anything else I have to say.
Then once I know I have the audience’s attention, I then tell them that on that day I will be preaching to them the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached. Usually by this time many are confused and are wondering just what in the world I am talking about. I have no doubt that as you are reading this article, you will feel the same way (if you are not already).
Since I am a firm believer in backing up what I say with the authority of the Bible, let me assure you that even though you have already read and are about to read what some consider as very controversial statements that I can prove it all by the Word of God.
Before you read this article any further, I ask that you get your Bible and turn to Mark 1:14,15. I want you to read for yourself what the Bible says is the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached and what Jesus Himself said is the GOSPEL:
Mark 1:14,15–”Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, and saying, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God at hand: repent ye, and believe THE GOSPEL”
The verses above cannot be any clearer. To put them in context, Jesus has returned to Galilee after He has spent 40 days and nights fasting in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan. This was after He was baptized by John in the river Jordan and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove (see Mark 1:9-13, Matt 3:13-17, Matt 4:1-2, Luke 3:21,22, Luke 4:1,2) . When Christ is making these statements He is just beginning His ministry. Jesus’ comments in Mark 1:14, 15 are His first public words.
Therefore, according to Mark 1:14,15 the very first thing Jesus did in His ministry was to identify what the Gospel was that He preached. Read those verses again. According to Mark 1: 14, when Jesus came back to Galilee from the wilderness He began His ministry by preaching THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. He then exhorts us in verse 15 to repent (which means to change the way you have been trained to think) and believe THE GOSPEL. What Gospel? The Gospel the Bible says Jesus preached in Mark 1:14—THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
The Bible declares that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established” (Deut 19:15, Matt 18:16, 2 Cor 13:1). As I was coming up in church, I often heard that “God always has a witness!” Therefore, before I conclude this article let me share with you two more verses or witnesses that clearly establish the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached:
Matt 4:23
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people”
Matt 9:35
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people”
Unless one is deficient in his or her reading ability, it can clearly be seen from these verses that the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached is THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM. I don’t know about you but I received Jesus as My Lord and Savior in March of 1995 and immediately started going to church faithfully for 15 years. In all of those years, I heard very little preaching on the Gospel (or literally “good news”) of the Kingdom of God. Most of what I heard (especially on Easter Sunday) had to do with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Although I certainly thank God for the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, this is NOT the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached in His ministry and as I will prove to you in future articles this is NOT the GOSPEL that Jesus Christ instructed His disciples to preach in what we call the Great Commission (Mark 16: 15).
I know what you have just read is challenging and contradictory to what you have probably heard for most of your life–especially if you are a religious person like I was. It probably has also produced more questions than answers. However, I encourage you not to believe me or put any faith in what I say. I humbly ask that you take the scriptures I have given you and go back and mediate on them for yourself. Even better, I suggest that you go back and read the books we call the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) with an open heart.
As you are reading, I pray that the Spirit of God will open the eyes of your understanding and reveal to you the Gospel that Jesus really preached and what He wanted (and still wants) His Church to go into all the world and preach—THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD!
Beware! The Effects of Unseen Strongholds
Current Mood:
Cool
It’s Wednesday night bible study. The Pastor gets up to speak and says to the congregation, “Everyone turn in your bibles to 2 Corinthians 4:19.” And about three-fourths of the people turn. Pages begin to turn, fingers flip back and forth between the fourth and fifth chapter pages – to no avail. But the twenty-five percent simply sit and wait. They know there is a lesson to be taught. Very soon, that seventy-five percent realize that there is no 19th verse in 2 Corinthians, chapter 4.
So how does that make you feel? Fearful? Lost?
We must understand that there are many unseen attacks in life and the sheer magnitude of those obstacles, which can quickly become strongholds. God’s Word teaches us that we must arm ourselves with the full armor of God, “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil,” Ephesians 6:10.
ALL strategies and tricks of the devil. That includes those unseen. Sometimes in life we become so wrapped up in our own personal goals that we lose sight of what exactly it is God is planning for us. Essentially, it is God’s plan that we must follow, not our own. When we deviate from God’s plan, knowing or unknowingly, we open the door for attacks to come full force into our lives. Unseen attacks operate on a mental level. Because we cannot actually “see” them, as they come in the form of thoughts.
For instance, I moved to San Diego from Virginia just under 9 months ago. Completely alone. New city. New atmosphere. But I moved because I was instructed by God to do so. Since moving here, things have not gone as I planned. At all. And during those tough times I suffered feelings of self-doubt and extreme worry. These thoughts caused unnecessary stress and subtracted my focus from God and His plan.
When we worry, we are actually removing our focus from God. And that causes us to scramble and try to figure things out on our own. If God wanted it this way, He would not have provided a road map for our lives, aka the Bible. He is very clear on His stance towards worrying,
“Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6-7.
This passage also addresses the issue of guarding our hearts and minds. When we worry, we allow evil forces into our spirits because we have let down our guards to our hearts and minds. Which is precisely what I did when I went through a period of worry and frustration.
All of these attacks are unseen – they damage us emotionally and mentally. Therefore, it is vitally important that we pray without ceasing and develop a real relationship with God. It’s not about religion, it’s about relationship. When we learn God’s heart, He is able to reveal His plans for us. Though, not until we are ready.
I have reached a state of true peace, because I decided to let go of my own ideas and follow God’s. In doing so, I released all of the unseen strongholds that held onto my mind and my emotions.
Has My Living Been In Vain?
Filed under: Biblical Teachings, Family Life, Godly Principles, Inspirational Articles, Our children
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalm 127:1 KJV
As we get older we begin to think about our life and what it all has meant. Was our life worth living, what will it mean to others when we are gone, what if any legacy will we leave behind? We also think about our children, did we do the right things for them? Have we given them the tools that they need to survive? Have we raised good, decent and responsible human beings? The Bible says: “Except the LORD build the house, they that build it, do it in vain.”
I have a good friend who is getting on in years, who has lived a consistent life honoring and loving the Lord. Not all of his children are Christian, however, each of them are familiar with the Scriptures, each of them know what the Bible says about Christian living and each of them know what is expected of them when they walk into their father’s house. There will not be any “smokin, drinkin or cussin” in this house; because in this “house we are going to serve the Lord.” See, even though his children may not be confessing Christians they have Biblical standards. The Bible says; “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he (or she) is old he will not turn from it.
My friend has the right idea, our legacy starts with the way we build our life, our family and the way we interact with others. How many times have we gone to funerals and no one really had anything good to say about the decease or what they say isn’t really the true or you knew the decease to be a despicable human being? This is why it is important to live for Christ today.
The Bible says: “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
So many of us worry about having money and being rich but the Bible tells us that this is not the answer either. “The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.” James 1:9-1
The Bible tells us: “…God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock (and others). And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:2-4. I am sure that there are so many who haven’t left the legacy that they have wanted to or intended to leave, however if in the end someone can look at you and say; “Well done.” That is good enough for me.
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