Holy Spirit

The Quest (Conclusion) – Karen Austin

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We then moved into the “Charismatic Circles”. We were baptized in Holy Spirit and began to speak to move in the gifts of the Spirit. We had the power and we had arrived! We cast devils out of everything that moved. We were now the “elite”…even though there was a little pride in it all. We now had it all. We got our identity from our gifting’s and we could still have somewhat of worldly life. We had now moved into the Inner Court. But still…if we were honest…something is still missing. Something or Someone was drawing us…there was more.

We began to be uncomfortable with things we always did. It somehow did not seem right. Time came where we had to make the decision…to move on or stay where we were, content, spiritual…just like most around us. We were still hanging onto our own successes as our identities. Still, there was a wooing. A hunger for something more.

The only thing…this required dying. Dying to ourselves, to the way we wanted it, to what was comfortable. It was no longer our choices, but we chose what pleased Him. It was costly. It required us to get out of the boat and walk on the water of the unknown. We were entering territory that was not familiar. We ran the risk of being called “too religious or spiritual”. Still we pressed through because what we found is worth the cost.

We can look at the life of Paul and although he was as scholar and had a pretty good position in life. He surrendered all this to life a life for Christ and to become His bondservant. “I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27.

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” Philippians 3:8-10

Paul said all he had before he counted a “dung”. I’ll let you look that word up. But because of His total submission and passion for God, he moved in such demonstration of the spirit and of power that no one could say it was man doing these things. It was raw power of God. Paul even was even caught up into the third heaven to hear of heavenly mysteries.

It is at this juncture, that many decide to remain where they are. But to those who dared to answer the call of this drawing of Holy Spirit, it was time to go for all He had for you. You yielded and said, “Yes Lord, I surrender.” Now came the time that He revealed Himself to you in a way that you never imagined. The power of His Holiness caused you to prostrate yourself before Him. His love and acceptance enveloped you and gone were the laws of man you thought you had to adhere to. Here was pure love. That which you have been seeking…you never want to leave. This was it!

You now have entered beyond the veil, into the Holy of Holies. It is a place where you have lost yourself as you once knew yourself, but found yourself in the embrace of your Heavenly Father. It is a place of true contentment and joy. There is nothing in this world that compares to what you have found with your Father. Your creation began and is fulfilled with the love that you have been searching for and will continue on throughout eternity. You are loved more than you can imagine!

I hope while reading this, you have located yourself on your spiritual journey. My prayer is that you don’t stop. In the Father’s heart are things for you that you have yet to discover. He has more of Himself that He desires to reveal. This is the deepest place of fulfillment that you will experience this side of heaven. Even when we enter eternity, we will still be learning the vastness of His love and His power. I encourage you my friends, continue on for He has much that He wants to show you and for you to experience.

The Quest – Karen Austin

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From the moment of our birth upon this earth, the quest for acceptance, true unconditional love was already beating in our very being. We came from a place of unconditional love, as we were created and formed by our Father’s loving hands. “You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside,
and wove them all together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13.But how could we be searching for something that we never knew existed?

My belief is that we knew the pure love of our Heavenly Father in the realm of eternity. Then when we were born flesh and blood, we instinctively knew we were missing something that made us whole. We quickly learned though how to make our parents jump and give us what we wanted.

As we grew into a toddler, the closest thing to fulfilling the empty place in our hearts was our family. Some of us were blessed to live in a family that affirmed us, many did not. Still, even the best of families could not fill that which we sought.

We then became of age to leave our secure home, our dependence on our parents and off to school we went. We believed everyone would love and dote on us as our parents. We believed everyone was just like us. We had not been harshly judged, told we looked funny, or didn’t wear the latest fashion. For the most part, we had been happy.

Once again, we looked to be accepted. The games we played with our parents to get what we wanted didn’t work with our teachers. We were just one of many who were a little “princess” or “prince”. We began playing sports or joined clubs – or wished that we did, but maybe we didn’t have the money or talent to be included. We wanted to belong to something so much and be like everyone else, so we would fit in and be affirmed. By this time, we were willing to try anything to be loved and accepted. Some of us studied hard to make perfect grades. Others joined every extracurricular activity they could to be “in the crowd”. Though some of our attempts we stumbled on to some things we were good at. Little did we realize that these were a gift that our Heavenly Father deposited into us for His glory.

All the while, our Father was watching over us…seeing the wrong choices we made, seeing the hurt and rejection we endured. He saw some of us ended up hiding from others, even ourselves. Still, in His love, He was always lovingly reaching out to us…longing for us to turn to Him.

We went on to search for the exact career that would fill that still aching need to be loved as we had experienced by our Heavenly Father. We thought being fulfilled was being successful – making it in the world so we would have the acceptance of our peers and our neighbors. We met Mr. or Miss Perfect, got married and had children. All this is wonderful but still….the longing remained.

Somewhere along the way, we finally heard the call of our Father. We accepted Jesus as our Savior. His Presence enveloped us and the pure love. That which we have been seeking our whole life was now not only revealed. Unfortunately, many of us learned more laws than unconditional love. We then began again looking for acceptance from our Pastors and those we deemed “spiritual”. We volunteered for everything there was to do. We worked in the nursery, parked cars, cleaned and did lawn work. We fed the poor, joined the choir and went to nursing homes. Still…we knew there was more. We accepted Him as Savior, but had yet to allow Him to be Lord. Still, all of this is just the Outer Court.

Anchors in the Storms of Life (Part 1) – Barbara Potts

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We are living in a time that we have not seen or experienced before…. Within the span of only a few weeks the whole world was thrust into a Pandemic of disease, fear, and economic chaos.  Prophetic words have suggested an unsettling scenario:  re calibration – reset- upheaval – never the same again!

What should be our response to these things?

I would like to suggest 7 anchors of peace and hope to hold on to, gleaned from the 23rd Psalm in The Passion Bible.

The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd
I always have more than enough.
2 He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.
His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.
3 That’s where he restores and revives my life.
He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure
and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness
so that I can bring honor to his name.
4 Lord, even when your path takes me through
the valley of deepest darkness,
fear will never conquer me, for you already have!
You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way.
Your authority is my strength and my peace]
The comfort of your love takes away my fear.
I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.
5 You become my delicious feast
even when my enemies dare to fight.
You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit;
you give me all I can drink of you until my heart overflows.
6 So why would I fear the future?
For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life.
Then afterward, when my life is through,
I’ll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you!

Verse 1: “The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd…”

This brings to mind the old hymn:

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
  All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
  Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
  O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
  Everything to God in prayer!

Indeed, Jesus is our friend, and He invites us to share our every thought, fear and need with Him.

Psalm 95 says:

 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

The best friend a sheep has is the SHEPHERD.  Jesus identifies Himself twice in the gospel of John as the Good Shepherd who “gives His life for the sheep.” And Jesus taught in the parable of the lost sheep in Matthew 18:12-13:

“If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?  And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

Our Good Shepherd is very intentional about guiding us and keeping us from getting lost and falling into the pit falls of life.

“…. I always have more than enough.”

In John 10:10, Jesus said He came to give us ABUNDANT LIFE:

“I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!”  (The Passion Bible)

In Philippians 4:19, Paul exhorts us:

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Anchor 1: Our God is a God of Safety and ABUNDANCE! – With Jesus as my friend and shepherd I will always be safe in his arms and have what I need; even more than enough!

Verse 2 in Psalm 23:

“He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life.”

This is reminiscent of the words of Jesus in John 16:33:  “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Then Jesus assured us with these words in John 14:27:  “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

One of the Names of Jesus is Jehovah Shalom – Jesus IS PEACE!  And Jesus lives inside of us and fills us with His Peace!  And He invites us to come and abide in Him, the Prince of Peace… (John 15:4-7; Isaiah 9:6)

 Anchor 2: God offers me a quiet place of peace and rest in Him at all times, for His Presence restores and revives my life.  Do I go there often to commune with Him?

Verse 3 of Psalm 23:

“He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring honor to his name.”

David spoke of pathways in Psalm 16:11: “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

The Psalmist in Psalm 119:105 described the Word of God as a lamp that shines to lighten our path:  “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

And Psalm 118:19 speaks of pathways leading to righteousness:

Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the Lord.

Anchor 3: God’s pathways bring pleasure and joy, and His Word lights my path with revelation. He leads me on a path of righteousness so I can bring Him praise and honor.

Verse 4a of Psalm 23:

“Lord, even when your path takes me through
the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have!”

Paul admonished Timothy that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” ( 2 Timothy 1:7)  Fear is not a part of who we are in Christ.  Instead, Paul said in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  There is nothing I will face that will be too difficult for me – for if God is for me, who can be against me? (Romans 8:31)

In fact, we must see testings and trials as gifts to help us learn to overcome…James said, “My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things.”  (James 1:2-3, The Passion Bible)

Anchor 4: I am empowered by God to endure and prosper in every temptation and trial of life, and to navigate through the deepest darkness.

Verse 4b of Psalm 23:

“You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way.
Your authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.”

Romans 8:35-39 is perhaps the greatest passage on the power of God’s love to keep and to save. Paul’s beautiful words resonate across the millennia:

“What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?… Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The prophet Isaiah penned these words on the keeping power of God in Isaiah 26:3-:

“You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.”

Abundant Life is Revealed in the Spirit – Karen Austin

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When Jesus walked the earth, we read in Scripture there was such division among the people over Him. “So the crowd was divided over Jesus,” Luke 7:43.Some believe He was the Messiah. Otherswere offended by His teaching. They said “How can He say this?” The religious leaders even went so far as to say about ones who followed Him, “They are all cursed”. The people had an understanding of the Bible, but still missed who Jesus was and what He was saying. Unbelievable…but is it really?

Unfortunately, this will be so in our day. There are scriptural truths about to be revealed that some will again say “How can this be true? I believe the Scripture means this…” There will be things that take place that some will cry out, “How can God let his happen?” But what many fail to understand, and honestly have not been taught, is the foundation of His throne is righteousness and justice [Psalm 89:14]. All throughout history, time and time again, God does what He does because of love. He hates evil. We know that the enemy’s goal is to steal, kill and destroy. God is very, very longsuffering giving mankind much time to repent. We, too, are told to hate evil [Psalm 97:10].

Jesus came so that we may have life and life abundantly [John 10:10]. Abundant life does not mean that we have the coolest car on the block. It does not mean that we have a lavish home. Life abundant means life free from the law of sin and death. It means we have eternal life. It means we have our needs met, not our wants. It means walking in wholeness; spirit, soul and body. It means walking in the light as He is in the light. It means hearing and being obedient to His voice. It means being led by His Spirit. We must understand that this life of freedom Jesus paid the price for does not come just because we go to church once a week. It comes because we choose to live a life of obedience and holiness. This is a season where we are seeing the dividing of the wheat and tares and of sheep and goat nations.

Just because our nation was founded upon Christian values established by our founding fathers, does not mean we automatically live in the liberties that were intended. No, we must fight to maintain those freedoms in our nation. So it is spiritually. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

My brothers and my sisters, we are about to find out who we really are and what God created us to do. We, who yield to the dealing of Holy Spirit, are soon to find out what a major part we are to play in this culmination of history as we know it. The curtain of this new season is being pulled back, ever so slightly. We are getting a glimpse into this new era. Again, some will not understand. Some will be offended. His light of revelation is uncovering hidden truths in His Word, which will reveal not only His majesty, but also our assignment destined from the beginning of time.

As we receive what He is offering us to walk in such as liberty and authority, as we follow Holy Spirit’s leading, we will walk in the powers of the age to come. We will walk upon the road less traveled. We will say to the mountain before us, “Be removed”, and it will move! We will not be ones who will follow Jesus just because of His miracles. But because of our love and passion for Jesus, we will follow Him. Out of that place of being hidden in Him, we will work the greater miracles that Jesus spoke of.

These are days of great darkness, but for us who are willing and obedient, we will walk in days of great light!

What Happened to Being a Light? – Frank Work

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I watched an interview with the rapper Snoop Dogg concerning the remake of the movie “Roots”,  that really spoke to me about a mindset of how we view a past that we were never part of. And how that past can affect a culture that is hundreds of years removed. Snoop Dogg goes on to say;

“I’m sick of this. … How the heck they gonna put Roots on Memorial Day?” a subdued Snoop Dogg asks in the selfie video. “They just going to keep beating that stuff into our heads as to how they did us, huh?”

He goes on to say…

“I don’t understand America. They just want to keep showing the abuse that we took hundreds and hundreds of years ago. But guess what? We’re taking the same abuse,” he says. “Think about that part. When you all going to make a series about the success that black folks is having. The only success we have is Roots and 12 Years A Slave?”

Now don’t get me wrong, I in no way thinking that we should be oblivious to our past, in fact I know we can learn many things, both good and bad, from our past. I remember in Orlando Fla., we saw a very great tragedy. Anytime human life is lost, its a travesty against us as a nation. It wasn’t LGBT’s who were lost, it was people, lives, living, breathing, human beings who are now lost because of one man’s inability to see past his own hate, or should I say, his own self taught hate. Look I am not advocating a lifestyle here, I am advocating my belief as a Christian that Jesus views all life as sacred. Again I say, let’s remember what Jesus said in John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Somehow those words, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world” are lost. Jesus reprimanded the disciples for judging wrongly when they wanted to call down fire, Jesus said in Luke 9;

54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”
55 But He turned and rebuked them,and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.

Which to me means, we don’t really have the mind of God and what His purposes are in many area’s of our lives, I know I don’t. Chick-fil-a helped the victims of the Orlando shooting during a time when the light of Christ needed to pierce the darkness. If your conviction is to not associate with people differing from your belief system, and anything associated with them, then I guess your time at Chick-fil-a is done. Again, this isn’t agreeing with a lifestyle, if anything this is being in agreement with the word of God.

Let’s just remember who we are really fighting here. It’s not a people group, it’s not a person, it’s Satan. It’s the accuser of the brethren, it’s the hater of our souls and the who despises our love for God and the love God has for his children. Time to grow up people, we aren’t fighting a natural war here, we are fighting a carnal war, we are fighting a spiritual war, a war that is claiming lives everyday. Doesn’t God have a desire that ALL should be saved? How are you going to do that when condemnation is the first thing we speak when we wake, and the last thing we speak when we sleep?

I for one am not going to put up with it, you want to vomit your hate monger words across your Facebook page, feel free, it’s your page, I will kindly remove you from my feed. Seriously, let go of your hate, we aren’t called to hate, but to love. Stop using the Old Testament mindset to justify your abuse of God’s people. Stop prostituting God’s grace and embrace the cross for what it really means. It’s a sacrifice we can’t repay, an embracing of death that we don’t have to walk through. A gateway to God that we could not find, except through the blood of Christ.

What’s going to happen when the pagans, the witches, the satanist, the LGBT community, the lost in Christ, come banging on the doors of your church, wanting to be saved, wanting to know Jesus. When they are drawn to the power of His blood and are seeking redemption and healing? Will you turn them away? Will you tip your cap of pride and tell them to go away for they are “unclean?” Remember we are being watched as Christians. When you tell someone you are a Christian, or profess that you are a follower of Jesus, you are being watched and observed on how consistent you are to His word.

That big building you go to every Sunday is not a fortress to keep you safe from the world, it’s a place that is suppose to be a city of refuge to the lost and broken who want to find Jesus, and HIS BRIDE WITHIN. Stop holding on to the gift of salvation like it is yours to hold. It’s not. Remember what Peter said in Acts 3:6

6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

Be a light that those in the dark who want to come and see. Thank goodness that Jesus didn’t respond to the lepers, the harlots and the tax collectors like we do to people in today’s world. Who can be saved indeed.

Walk as Children of the Light (Conclusion) – Karen Austin

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Approximately fifteen years ago while in prayer, I got a deep sense that something regarding “light” was going to be significant in the days to come. I had no further revelation, just a knowing. I am now just beginning to receive a bit of revelation on the subject and am seeing others begin to teach on the subject of light.

In the natural sense, light therapy is beginning to be used as a healing therapy, which I find very interesting! They even have created “Happy Lights” that “mimic sunlight to enhance mood, energy, sleep and focus”. This is a created light, but the light I want to focus on is our Creator’s light.

The first thing that God did in creation was to release light. “…Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light.” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.…” Genesis 1:2-4

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His light was released to us. “…to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ Acts 26:18

His light is continually being shed upon us as we read His Word and spend time in prayer. His light reveals darkness in us just as when Isaiah saw the glory of God. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 6:5. When His light shines, revelation comes.

I truly believe in answer to our many times of intercession and tears, He is answering our prayers. It may not look like we thought it would, but He is doing just what we have been crying out for. We may wish we didn’t have to see the things that are being exposed, but they have existed for a long time, even if we didn’t want to acknowledge them. His light is shining exposing corruption in nations. His light is exposing the plans of evil to destroy and to silence the church. His light is also exposing wrong motives, jealousy, selfishness, pride and other works of the flesh in the church. The church is to be building His Kingdom, not our own Kingdoms. He is coming back for a spotless Bride and will have no less!

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” Ephesians 5:8-13

His brilliant light has been shining in our hearts, especially during this time of being shut-in, to expose bondage in our lives and reveal things we didn’t know even existed in our hearts. My prayer is that His Bride is allowing Him to expose darkness in us so we will shine even more brightly for Him. He promises to give us light. If we make a determined choice to remain in the light, we will become more like Him every day.

If you haven’t noticed, the world has not been running to our doors. Honestly, in many instances, the church has not looked much different from the world. The one thing that will set us apart is holiness. Holiness and purity. Not holiness as an outward adornment, but an inward beauty. Jesus was raised from the dead “…with power, according to the spirit of holiness” Romans 1:4. The resurrection power of God is from true holiness. “For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).

The world has yet to see this Bride coming out of these times of wilderness shining with the light of Jesus, clothed with the garments of holiness and resurrection power. Now is the time for this mighty army to arise because this is the hour that the world will need us the most. “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Isaiah 60:3

Jesus is still saying to us today, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” It is time, Bride of Christ, to allow His purifying light to search our hearts to see if there is any evil way that we may be made clean and pure to shine forth His glorious light in the days that lie ahead. I ask, by the power of Holy Spirit, that I do not allow my flesh to dim my light.

1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” … You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.

Walk as Children of the Light (Part 1) – Karen Austin

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What I desire to do today is to give you an overview regarding light. I want to then focus on the light of Jesus and how it relates to what I sense He is doing in this hour.

”And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:13-17 ESV

In this scripture we see the first place Jesus ministered, after being tempted in the wilderness, was in the land of Zebulun. This fulfilled prophecy spoken by the prophet Isaiah many years prior. This was a place that people were dwelling in darkness and there was a shadow of death over them. Sounds familiar also to our days. Zebulun was one of the twelve tribes of Israel who failed to drive out the Canaanites as commanded. Much like us, at times we have chosen to go on our own path rather than the path the Lord set before us. As we see, even in this example, when we turn back because of our love for God and His love for us, He draws us back to His desired path.

What I want to emphasize today was a great light dawned upon them. This is actually what is meant in Isaiah 60:1-2 “Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples, but the Lord shall arise upon you [O Jerusalem], and His glory shall be seen on you.” Light always overwhelms darkness. A picture of this we have in the natural is daybreak. The sun rises in the East and releases light that dispels the darkness of night.

Matthew 24:27 “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”Some characteristics of lightning is brilliance, speed, cloud. The feature of lightning that stands out the most is its brilliance or brightness. This is a parabolic meaning of light in Scripture and a picture of Jesus’ soon return as His brilliant light will be seen by all.

Life Flow (Conclusion) – Karen Austin

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Have you ever come from a delicious meal but still did not feel satisfied? You wanted something else, but wasn’t sure exactly what it was that you still wanted. It is the same with our spirit man. We can come from an eloquent service but not have encountered God. We still feel dissatisfied. Now, our soul may be satisfied because we did what we are supposed to do, but our spirit man will still be hungry. The Father created us to come to Him for our life source, our sustenance.

Isaiah 28:11,12 “He will speak to His people, to whom He said, “This is the rest with which you may cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing.”

REST – place of stillness; peace; a quiet place.

Psalm 23:2,3 “He leads me beside the still waters, the waters of quietness. He restores my soul.”

Acts 3:19 “. . . . times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”

God’s heart is to bring restoration to our life and to those in the world. When we come into His Presence, allow Him to speak to you, heal you and give you direction. Don’t just give Him our list of needs, but listen to what He would say. There is nothing that the world has to offer that will give us the confidence, peace and refreshment as sitting in His Presence. The world is looking for peace, security and rest. They are choosing substitutes, but they know they are not truly satisfied. Only our Creator can truly satisfy and give us true rest.

There is a place, especially in spirit and truth worship, where we experience a tangible heavenly atmosphere. This is the place where the life flow of God will bring life to the very cells of our body. It will refresh our soul. In this place we will experience this God life flow….where discouragement, oppression, sickness begin to fall away. We must go to the source of life – our Father in Heaven. Rev. 22:1 “And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

His invitation is “Come unto Me, all you who labor and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.” Take My yoke upon you and you will find rest, relief and ease, and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiteness for your soul.” Matthew 11:28-29. Yoke up with the One who created you instead of yoking up with your problems and what the enemy is telling you.

In His Presence, we breathe in His strength, His life. We must take the time to sit at His feet and enter into His life source. The Word says “If He be lifted up then He will draw all men unto Him”.

I sensed the Lord saying: “I have a high road that I have prepared for My people. A way, that to the human reasoning, does not appear to be profitable. But I say, I know all things. All things are in the power of My hand for My people. Just as I led My people out of the bondage of the Egyptians; as I led Lot out Sodom before the destruction of the land, I too, will lead you out of bondage of the world’s system. I will lead you out before the end of all things. Trust Me, My children in the hour of turmoil. Know that these things I have said in My Word will come upon the earth. All the earth is groaning for the revealing of the sons of God. As you stay connected to your life source, My very Presence, you will hear in stillness My spirit speaking to you, you will hear My will and My desire for you. Know that I love you with a love that you cannot even comprehend. But oh, you may come, taste of My love. I have called you and chosen you to stand out from the world. You who hear My voice, listen to what the spirit says. Do not forsake your daily time in My Presence. My Word to you is life to you and health to all your flesh.”

Life Flow (Part 1) – Karen Austin

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How many of you have come into a church service tired, discouraged and just beat down by life? Then as you worshiped, the heaviness began to lift. You connected with heaven and were revived.

Once the Lord asked me, “Why do you think that you feel so good, so strengthened, after being in My Presence?” I know the Word says in His Presence is fullness of joy, but what I was feeling went beyond joy. He then answered His question. “There is a life flow in My Presence.” “For whoever finds Me, finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.” Proverbs 8:35. We may read this scripture and think it means whoever finds Him finds salvation, eternal life. While this is true, the word “life” here means alive, live prosperously, be quickened, and revived from sickness, discouragement or even death! It means refreshment. Life to the Hebrews was associated with health, prosperity and vitality. They view man as a whole being – spirit, soul and body. So whoever finds Him, finds healing, hope and prosperity.

Psalm 36:9 says “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”God is the source of life. The book of Genesis tells us that God took the dust of the earth and formed a man and then He breathed into man’s nostrils and man became a living being. Intimacy with man began in one breath – when His breath became ours.

One thing I believe Holy Spirit is doing right now is inviting us to allow His Kingdom rule to grow, mature and consume us. It is then His Kingdom will reach beyond us to touch other people. The Presence of God should radiate from within us to touch those in whom we come in contact with. We are to release the fragrance of Heaven where ever we go. Remember Moses who spent much time with the Father, and when he left that place, his appearance was changed…His face shone, reflecting the glory of God.

David is one of my favorite Bible characters. He was a man of one thing. Even though he became king, had political authority and power, met with important people from other nations, his heart was still to worship God. It was during the time that he spent out on a hillside in worship, he found his life source.

“They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house. and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life, in your light we see light.” PSALMS 36:8, 9.

I invite you to drink from the river of His pleasures where I have discovered peace and rest…where I have found answers when I didn’t know where to turn. Drink from His river of life, for in His Presence is light and His light brings revelation which we need so desperately in these days and the days that lie ahead.

~~to be continued

My People Called by My Name – Karen Austin

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“I am calling you up and I am calling you out. I will direct you and I will lead you. I have been training your spirit to follow after Me and My ways. Even in times of trouble, your heart was still tuned towards Me. Watch and see what I will do through you as you yield yourself to Me.

Stay pure that I may work through you as I desire. I will no longer be confined within the boundaries of old mindsets. I have been working in those who are Mine, new garments to hold the new wine that is being poured out upon the earth. “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” (Mark 2:21-22, NIV) For I shall do a new thing, such as has never been seen by man. There will be miracles here and miracles there. There will be such an outpouring upon your sons and your daughters that you hearts will overflow with joy. My raw power will be on display.

Even in worship, My Presence will be so heavy, so strong that many will be drawn into that place. Fear, shame, intimidation will not be able to keep them bound as they experience My love for them. For you see, this is the hour of My love being revealed in such a greater measure because the hearts of many are drawing Me near.

Keep your heart continually pure and connected to Mine. You must allow Me to continue a deep work of cleansing in your heart – removing thoughts, ideas, mindsets, traditions and even your opinions. For you to minister from this deep realm – it must come from “the deep” in you. You must continue to walk in humility. Man will only be transformed when their heart is touched with My Spirit delving into the depths of their hidden pain, impurity, anger, resentment and shame to bring healing and restoration. Just as MRIs and CAT scans can see clearly and find foreign matters in the natural body, so shall My discernment increase in greater levels to enable you to see that which should be foreign in the heart of those who are Mine.

A desire for righteousness is rising within My people. There is a cry for truth and no more compromise. These are ones who will stand for justice and freedom. They are not willing to compromise and allow evil to prevail. I have placed destiny within their hearts for the days you are in… a call to change their nation and even their world. Did not My disciples turn the world upside down with My Kingdom truths and My Kingdom authority?

No longer look back for the pattern, for the old will not get you to the destiny that I have for you. This must be a walk of faith, trusting Me as I lead you into the land of promise, what I have prepared before the beginning of time. All that has been done before has paved the way for today – this last day move. Be ready. Seek Me.

Are you be willing to be different? To step out from that which was and into that which is to be? Will you allow Me to manifest Myself through you as I desire and to whom I choose? You must not be afraid of the criticism of man. My Word will testify of itself.

Allow Me to work in you, finalizing the work for the building of My dwelling place – you.”