Soul Patrol

Much of what we do and say can be a product of the soul. Through our emotions we can easily react from our hurt and pain. Our past can still play an unhealthy part in our future. However, there is a higher and better way. These times call for us to walk and react from a spirit that has been ignited by the Holy Spirit. We need to watch for, and discern if we are responding from our soul (usually identified as emotions) or our spirit. The writer of Hebrews tells us that the Word of God will help us to divide spirit and soul. The Word discerns the very intents and thoughts of our heart (see Hebrews 4:12).

There are those who are tired of living in continual response to their soul. This breed of people are willing for the Lord to be hard, even ruthless with them. They are willing for the Lord, and others, to call them out on ways that are soulish. Even the very hint of soulish reaction is sickening to them, and they want it to be detected and corrected. There are a people arising in the earth that are tired of the ways of man and ready for the ways of God. Are you one of these persons?

If you still enjoy expressing your opinion, and struggle with silence when around other people, then you probably aren’t in this group. If you have lots of preferences and you are offended when it doesn’t go your way, then you may not be ready to arise and shine in this hour. If you find yourself trying to push your ideas in a subtle way and you often have hidden agendas, your soul needs to die so that your spirit can arise. You have work to do. You need soul patrol.

Our nation and our region are very soulish. We live selfishly. Sometimes it is as though we think we are the smartest and wisest people to ever live. We believe that our opinion counts most. Christianity in America is not much different. It is like a disease in the body of Christ as the people of God carelessly push their opinions, preferences and ideas. Very little of what we do is birthed in the secret place. God longs to birth desires in us that are stronger than any opinions, preferences or ideas. He wants to birth through you His ideas – His ways. The reward of fulfillment is powerful when God births the desires. There is a new breed arising. It may take deeper darkness for them to be revealed but they are arising and they have healing in their wings and restoration in their dreams!

Many years ago when these mountains of Appalachia were being settled, the people came with a song. Sometimes it was a sad song. Because of their trials and loss they sang a sad dirge. Years later country music capitalized on this feeling with an offering of many sad songs. These songs spoke of their loss and hard times. It was the sound of their soul as they struggled to pioneer these mountains. It was the cry from deep within them much like the Israelites in Egypt wanting a better day. These mountains are ready for a better day and a higher sound. It will be a sound of hope and affirmation of what God is doing. Words of hopelessness will give way to songs about the beauty of the Lord. Through declaration and proclamation of God’s higher ways, we will begin to hear hope proclaimed throughout these mountains! This will change the land and the people!

The children of God must be forerunners in the awakening of the slumbering people and the blessing of the land. For many it will require a new mindset. Many will have to step outside the box of their emotions and proclaim the goodness of the Lord by the strength of the Spirit. Many have lived in the mindset of loss and pain for so long that conversations about it seems to comfort them. If it has become a crutch for them, they won’t easily give up all they have ever known. Yet, it is time for the weak to say they are strong and learn to walk a new walk.

A few years ago, a lady from another nation had a recurring dream. In the dream she could see a mountain range on fire. The fire was so intense that the animals all ran into the valley below to escape the fire. She knew in her spirit that great revival fires were coming to a region somewhere in the world. She was wealthy and traveled to different areas. While descending down towards Tri-cities Airport, she looked upon this region of the Appalachian Mountains. This was the place she had dreamed about.

There is fire coming upon the mountains. It will be intense because of the power of the Lord upon the people that carry it. Animals react from what they have known and feel. Could it be that they could represent soulish behavior? This fire will burn the soulish opinions, preferences, and ideas out of us. This movement of the Spirit will free us to more readily take the powerful fire of God to the people of these mountains. Some desire the fire of God and there are some that are afraid of the fire. For some we will have to take a candle to them because they are afraid of a bonfire. Learning to listen to our spirits as they are ignited by Holy Spirit will enable us to know who needs a candle.

In order to prepare ourselves for such a great work that will bless future generations, we must begin with ourselves. We must allow the Lord to be ruthless with our soulish opinions, preferences and ideas. We need to be on soul patrol. Most of us have seen the evidence of soulish activity and are tired of going around the same tree. To encourage someone in their soulish activity is only allowing them to remain babies in the spirit. Leaders need to learn to shake their heads more in regard to the ideas that are poured out to them. Leaders especially must know the way of the Spirit - the direction birthed in the secret place. It is time to move many of our older believers out of the nursery. If there has been no evidence of change in ten years, then something is terribly wrong. We have allowed soulish believers to lead and teach us without any evidence that they have been with Jesus. When we take the time to be with Jesus, it will change us and it won’t take ten years to do it. We never encounter Him without becoming more like Him.

Move over soul, for the sons and daughters of God are being revealed and their spirits are aflame! The beauty of their feet are being seen upon the mountains! Like the deer, they will take to the high places. They will leap and run with an energy that can only be birthed in Spirit. Their passion will be strong and undying. It is so worth allowing “soul patrol” to have its way with us now, so that we can be a part of what the Father is doing. The resounding Amen of God prepares to echo across the Appalachian Mountains. Sons and Daughters of God rejoice!

The Coming Storm

As I have watched the storms which have come across the south lately I sense something deeper is happening. In my spirit I sense a greater storm coming. As I watch the natural disasters all over the world I sense that greater storms are coming. In America we watch our economy struggle and we wonder if a greater economic storm is on the horizon.

Joseph sensed that troubled times were coming although there were years of abundance. With the wisdom God gifted him with, he led the people to store up reserves during the times of abundance. Nations came to him during these times of great famine. His own family was constrained to come to Egypt during these troubled times. The Lord even prepared a place for them in the land of Egypt called Goshen. Years later it was a protected place of blessing in the midst of multiple plagues that came upon the nation in the days of Moses.

God always makes a way in the midst of storms. He is a storm traveler. He walks the dark hills and byways of life to show us the way. I believe that angels hold together fault lines that can break open the earth. Jesus calmed storms with simple commands and so can we. Food can still be multiplied to feed the multitudes. Nations can walk in health (see Psalms 105:37). There are unlimited blessings in the prepared place of the Lord.

During childhood days I remember a neighbor who prepared a special building because of her fear of storms. It was partially underground and well protected from the wind. This was a refuge for her and her family. I also remember that there was always information available about what to do in case of a nuclear bombing. We were encouraged to have a place suitable for such a happening. I have friends that are preparing food, water, and other needed items in case there is an economic breakdown. I refuse to live in fear but in wisdom I have started storing some canned food and water. Is storm protection necessary? I think so.

When we add together the wisdom of practical preparation and the supernatural provision of God we are of all men most blessed. This is good stewardship. I love how the Lord gives us wisdom for practical preparation and then adds His supernatural blessings. It is very fulfilling. But this can only happen as we position ourselves in the place He is calling us to be. These are serious times and they call for our careful alignment with the ways of God. It is not about how much noise we are making but it is about being in simple obedience with His plans and purposes in our lives. A wheel out of balance will still roll. It will make some noise going down the road but it has to eventually be fixed. Are we allowing God to fix us?

When the Israelites made their journey to Egypt, during the days of famine, they were unaware that God had prepared a special place for them to live. They thought they were just making a food trip. They did not know that their past was about to bless them. They had sold their brother into slavery several years earlier but now this brother was the keeper of the storehouses. What they had meant for evil the Lord was about to turn around for good. This brother (Joseph) invited them to stay in the land of Egypt for the remainder of the famine. They ended up staying 400 years. Because they were shepherds and the Egyptians were cattlemen, they needed to be separated. The land of Goshen was a separated land given to the Israelites. It was a fruitful land and the people multiplied until the Egyptians feared their growth and began to put them into bondage.

When the 400 years had expired, God was ready to move His people out of Egypt. Egypt didn’t want to let them leave. As the plagues came upon the land to force the hand of Pharaoh to let them go, something supernatural was happening in Goshen. Hail was falling all over Egypt but not in Goshen. Swarms of flies were filling the land but not in Goshen. The Lord said that He would set apart the land of Goshen and that there would be no flies where His people lived. This would be the evidence that the Lord was in the midst of the land (see Exodus 8:22). The Israelites were living in the midst of the storm but they were protected.

We are about to see the evidence of the Lord in our midst unlike anything we have ever seen. It is sad that it often takes a dark storm for us to see the greatest works of God. A diamond always looks so beautiful against the darkness of a black velvet cloth. It sparkles in its majesty. Many will marvel as they see the hand of God provide for His people. They will stand in greater awe as the people of God give to the multitudes who failed to bring any food with them (see Matthew 14). We are distributors taking our food from the hand of the Lord and giving to the multitudes. We are the middle-man visited by friends at midnight who need bread. Although we may not have much bread we have a friend (Jesus) that we can call upon so we can give to those who are in need (see the parable of the friend that comes at midnight Luke 11:5).

Our responsibility for these times is to be in alignment with God. We need to be rightly positioned. Stubbornness is fatal in these times. We need to move when we sense He is leading us to do so. We need to prepare even simple things, when we sense His leading. Some will need to stay where they are while others will have to take the most challenging steps of faith. Some will be called to stay in places that seem dead. They will remain in these dry places to be an inspiration of faith. Meanwhile, others will need to join with strong believers to usher in the supernatural manifested glory into our cities. Remember the positioning is of utmost importance. Increased time of seeking God and knowing His heart will supply us with the wisdom that will help us to know which one to do. These are the times to know what the Father is doing and to hear what He is saying. Failure to do so can be harmful or fatal.

Since I don’t consider myself normal, I will admit I often enjoy storms. While at the ocean I love to watch the storms come in while standing on the safety of a balcony. I feel an excitement as the thunder rolls in the distance. I don’t like for the lightning to get very close. That is a little outside of my comfort zone. So, you might say, I like a nice storm. The storms that are coming will be hard ones so it is my desire to be in the prepared place of the Lord. I also want to help others find their right place. For many it will be safe and secure places. Like the manager who ushered about a hundred people into a safe place during a recent storm, and helped save their lives, we will be used of God to do just that. Others will have to stand in unsafe places. Remember God is good, but not always safe. Sometimes He puts us out there in the fire. Sometimes it requires our life.

One of my favorite memories of a storm was in the spring of 1993. There were many firsts for me that day. I had never been on a big airplane before. I had never been outside the United States. Traveling over Greenland that night, on our way into Europe, we came into some major storms. The airplane was bouncing up and down it seemed. I knew this trip was in the plans of God and I was rightly positioned in Him. I simply adjusted my seat back and turned on my tape player (it was the 90’s) and listened to Ray Boltz sing “The Anchor Holds”. I had never felt more secure in my life.

There is a coming storm. As we sense it in the natural, we sense it in our spirit. We need to make sure we are in the right place doing the right things. We need to make sure we are hearing what the Father is saying to us. These times demand a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Times are changing. What grace used to allow now calls us to change (see Acts 17:30). The eleventh hour looks different. Traditions can become powerless. The way we always did it may not work anymore. Pride in our stubbornness can be fatal. As the mighty eagle waits on the rock high in the mountains watching the approaching storm may we stand on our rock, Christ Jesus. With the first gust of wind the eagle screams and takes flight. May our obedience send a scream into hell itself as this generation takes flight into the storm of all storms.

A Nuclear Baptism

Returning from a four-day adventure in the Carpathian Mountains, I hurriedly changed into a clean pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. I was excited to be back in Kiev because a baptismal service had been planned for all the new converts. We boarded the bus and left the city for the lake. It was a huge lake with a beach area around the shore. Most of the people that were going to be baptized had walked the long distance from the city. I took off my shoes and walked along the shore. The local pastors told me that the lake was contaminated. It had radioactive chemicals from the Chernobyl accident that had occurred just north of the lake. The wind had carried the nuclear poison down upon the lake and the city. This had resulted in many of the children dying and many adults had suffered from the nuclear accident.

One of the cruel aims of communism was to poison the people and to sicken them of life. They had hoped that this would only leave the people with the option to lean upon the system in their despair. But the system had fallen a couple of years earlier. This opened up the door for another offer. The Lord desires and invites people to lean upon Him. He is a secure shelter in extreme times of trouble. The people who could not even lift their heads to look at each other were encountering the One who is the lifter of our heads (see Psalms 3:3). They were joyous and they were ready to be baptized as a testimony to the world of a new life.

The minister of the Kiev church hesitantly invited me to assist in the baptismal service. I was informed that upon entering the water that my skin would never be the same. I didn’t hesitate for a second. This was a historical moment and I was born for such a time as this.

The service began with upbeat music and singing that caused many onlookers to stay for the service. Those being baptized were dressed in white robes just above the knee. The water was cold for June and it partially caught my breath. We kept going out into the lake until the water was at the top of my shoulders. Each of the candidates for baptism eagerly waded out as their turn came. They were asked three questions concerning their faith in Christ. They excitedly cried out, “Da, Da!!!” which means, “Yes, Yes!!!” They were so excited about their baptism. The men were baptized first. The Ukrainian pastor and I held up our right hands and he pronounced the declaration. We then took them backwards into the water. This resulted in my getting water in my eyes and upon my face. I had also been told to try to keep from getting the water into my mouth but it was soon in my mouth also.

I still remember so clearly, that as this poisonous water covered my body, I declared in my heart the scriptures that no deadly thing can hurt me (see Mark 16:18). My faith had been overwhelmingly strong on the trip and this was just one more hurdle to jump. I had trusted in scriptures that had not seemed so important back in America. This was good. There were almost a hundred people in the poisonous water proclaiming new life in Christ. I was tired as the last one stepped forward, but my heart’s desire, as recorded that day in my journal, was that I could baptize the entire nation. It was a new day as communism had recently fallen and many were embracing a new life of freedom.

The service lasted about three hours. After the baptisms were over there was a reenactment of the story of Naaman (see II Kings 5). It was a beautiful drama. The man who played the part of Naaman dipped in the water seven times. When he came up the seventh time, to show that he was healed, the people went wild with joy. A man in a boat pulled ashore to watch the story being played out. Many had gathered along the shore. What a great witness to people who had never heard the story before. Jesus is our healer.

Each of the people that were baptized was given a white flower and a Bible. We had acquired the Bibles from some doctors who had been there on mission and were going back to America. Each of our team took part in the presentation of the flowers and Bibles. My clothes were almost dry by then. The sun was hot and I felt like I was burning for Jesus with a passion that I had not yet felt before. I didn’t know it then, but I was rising to a new kind of normal. This passion would consume me in the years ahead. There would be times that it would wane, but with just a little wood thrown onto the embers, the passion would rise and burn.

Leaving out on the bus, I watched the people begin their long journey back into the city. They were waving at us as we passed. I had struggled so hard to understand their language, but nevertheless, I had bonded with them. I loved these people that I had been taught to hate while growing up in America. I remembered as a kid, riding down the road in the back of a truck and hollering out that the Russians were coming. Although we were just having fun, we still feared the Russians because we believed that someday they would conquer us. We had been told that they were our enemies.

My team said to me, “You have made us proud today.” As I looked out the window and saw the lake become smaller behind us and the city looming before us, I began to cry and I heard another voice. So softly the love of God washed over me and I heard Him say, “Someday you can be with them in Heaven and you will understand their language.” There will be no sad farewells. My eyes find tears… even now…. after almost twenty years as I write about that day.

Repentance

God is calling us to repentance. He is calling us to repentance of our actions and our ways. Jeremiah encouraged the people to reform their ways and their actions (see Jeremiah 7:5). It seems most of our attention is towards trying to change our actions when the Lord is wanting to go much deeper and change our ways.

There are times that we seem to be unable to draw near to God. In these times we often begin to search our lives for sin. Usually we find several sins that could be causing the lack of peace in our spirits. However, there may be times that we have confessed before God all the acts of sin we can think of and still have no peace. The heavens may still seem like brass. We feel unable to penetrate it. We become more frustrated because we don’t know what we have done wrong. We don’t know what to repent of. This is a good time for us to allow the Holy Spirit to show us how to change our ways.

We may be confessing and receiving forgiveness of our actions and still overlooking our ways that need repentance. A good example of this is found in the story of Saul and David. Both were anointed to be King of Israel. Both sinned. David was forgiven, yet Saul was rejected by God. The sins of David included “the big sins” of adultery and murder… but he was forgiven. Psalm 51 is a result of his confession and repentance. The sins of Saul were impatience and trying to please his people. Most of us would have plenty of opinion on whose sins were the worst. However, upon confession and asking of forgiveness, the repentance of Saul was rejected. God must not think like most of us think.

What was the difference? It was a matter of the heart. David sinned, but his heart was after God’s heart. Much like Jesus, David wanted to say what God was saying and he wanted to do what he could see God doing. He hungered deeply to follow the ways of God. Although he messed up big time, his desire was for God‘s desires. To understand Saul’s heart we must look at the story in I Samuel 15. Saul was told to destroy the Amalekites and all that they had. However, after the battle the Israelites destroyed all that was bad and saved all that was good. They even let the king live. They allowed the sheep, oxen, and lambs to live. After all, why would anyone destroy little lambs? Saul proudly announces to the Prophet Samuel that he had obeyed all that God has asked him to do. Samuel hears the bleating of the sheep and asks Saul about it. He responds that the people wanted to keep the good stuff. He explains that even some of the animals could be used for sacrifice unto God. Samuel responds that obedience is better than offering sacrifice. Saul began his repentance. He confessed that he had sinned and asked the Prophet Samuel to go with him to the place of worship so that the people might see them worship together. The Prophet refused to go with him and informed Saul that God had rejected him as king over Israel. However the Prophet Samuel grieved much over God’s rejection of Saul. In this story we see the heart of Saul wanting to please the people more than God. Even in the midst of his repentance, his heart was still concerned with pleasing the people.

Often we are so ready to confess and repent of our actions but do not consider our ways. Scripture tells us that Israel knew the actions of God but Moses knew the ways of God (see Psalms 103:7). We too can know the actions of God by simply reading His book. We also can look around us and see His actions in our lives daily. But, to know the ways of God requires more. We can know the ways of God - He wants to show them to us. But this requires us to know Him intimately. We, just like Jesus must allow the Father to show us what He is doing and allow Him to share with us what He is saying. It is the same principle with sinful actions. Actions are pretty obvious. The law will show us our wrong-doing. Our conscience will usually alert us of our sinful actions… unless it is damaged by continual wrong-doing. Others are often quick to point out our actions that are sinful. So, we have good sources to help us know when our actions are wrong. However, to recognize our wrong ways requires much more examination.

How do we examine our ways? First of all, we can consider some of the foundational ways of God. He is faithful. He honors. He creates and builds up. That’s a few for starters. Now look at our ways. Are we faithful? Do we keep our word to others? Fifty years ago in America a handshake meant something. Does our handshake mean anything? Do we honor God and everyone around us? Are we allowing His creative gifts to flow through us? Are we building up others and what God has ordained? Are we good stewards of what He has given us to occupy and maintain?

A lesson learned from the story of Saul is to examine ourselves to see if we prefer pleasing God or people. People have opinions, suggestions, and preferences. So does God. Sometimes they are oceans apart. God’s ways are higher than the ways of man (see Isaiah 55:9). In our society we are often bombarded by opinions. This can mold us and make us. To please the heart of God we must continually ask for the renewing of our minds. Sometimes we have to erase all of our hard drive and reboot. Holy Spirit needs to reprogram us. Are we willing to allow this process?

The American Church loves to please man. We have countless programs to reach people but few that focus on searching out the heart of God. We love to please others. We are taught to be sensitive to others and to be careful not to offend. What if we are offending God? What if most of our works are birthed out of our own intellect, instead of seeking God’s direction in intimate conversation? What if our good works have not been birthed in the secret place listening to the heart of God?

To me the nightmare of all scriptures is Matthew 7:22-23. It is not a scripture hidden somewhere in the Old Testament. It is in the inaugural address of Jesus. It is in his first sermon…. called the Sermon on the Mount. He tells how there will be those who prophesy, cast out devils, and do many wonderful works. He tells these people to depart from Him because He doesn’t know them. They never entered into the intimate relationship with Him that He requires. There is a relationship that takes us beyond our actions and into seeking the ways of God. There is a passion that comes from the secret place that causes us to want His ways more than our own ways. It burns in us greater than the demand others may put upon us. Jesus followed this radical statement in Matthew 7 with a parable about building on the rock or on the sand. The words and ways of God are Rock solid. The ways, opinions, suggestions, preferences and ideas of man can be compared to sand. They will be washed away.

Another interesting day in the life of Saul is in I Samuel 13 when they are going to battle against another enemy called the Philistines. It was their custom to offer sacrifice to God before going into such a major battle. The Prophet Samuel was the only one authorized to offer such a sacrifice. Samuel was late. Saul noticed that the people were scattering because of the delay. He offered the sacrifice himself. Again, sacrifice unto God is a good thing but it was out of order. Saul was succumbing to the pressure of the actions of the people instead of waiting upon God’s man to get there.

Look at the order of things in this story. The Word is slow coming. The people are impatient. It seems like a good thing to go ahead and do something. How many times have we done exactly the same? We have not waited on the word (direction) of the Lord. People have pressured us with opinions, suggestions and good ideas. We have reacted with something good. We still feel empty and the heavens seem like brass. God’s Presence isn’t with us and we wonder why God has failed us. Maybe we even entertain the thought that God is angry with us. We just can’t figure out why. We are sure we have not done any wrongful actions, and if we have, we have made confession and asked forgiveness. What on earth could be wrong? Our ways are wrong! Repentance can be rejected if we refuse to reform our ways. We will feel a great divide between us and our God. Let’s study the ways of God and align ourselves accordingly even if it’s one way at a time. Let’s examine our hearts and see if there are ways that are unlike His. Let’s ask Holy Spirit to shine upon our ways so that we can see more clearly how to repent.