intercede

How to Battle the Wolves – Karen Austin

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Today I want to address something that is very important for the days that we live. This subject was spoken of as a warning repeatedly in the Scripture. What I want to address today is the wolves in sheep’s clothing infiltrating the church and social media. I came across this very subject three times today so I know it is on the heart of the Father.

1 Peter 5:8 “Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack.”

As believers, we inherently want to think the best of everyone and that everyone else who claims to be a Christian has the same character qualities that we work to reflect. It is actually difficult to even write about anyone who would pretend to be a Christian so as to influence others’ lives, decisions and morals negatively. I remember when I was first saved, I believed every Christian was as passionate about Jesus and wanted to reflect His character as I did. I was so disheartened when I found out that wasn’t always the case.

Some of these wolves are very easy to pick out. The mistruths they slyly speak are so out of line with Scripture, that if you read the Word at all, you will quickly recognize them as false. Religion is quick to quote the Word in situations, but it is absent of the heart of the Father. Love always overcomes law. This is another excellent example of why it is so very important to read and study the Word. Here you will not only read about His will, but you will get to know His character. This makes it quicker to discern the true followers of Christ from the false.

The enemy will stop at nothing to get his agenda accomplished…even deceiving well-meaning Christians. For many, many years he has been quoting scripture with a twisted application. This is what is hard for immature believers to discern. They reason, “Well yes, the scripture does say that so it must be true.” His goal is to mislead and manipulate the Word to lead many astray. The problem is, many wolves know the scriptures better than most would think. Their goal is to get us to question ourselves and what we really believe.

When we begin to see the miraculous, signs and wonders, we must look at the fruit of the one ministering. Who do they associate with? I have witnessed so many humble ministers who that are so easy to know they walk in purity and the fear of the Lord. I’m not speaking of false humility…that is another subject. We know even the enemy performs signs and wonders. Remember the miracles the magicians of Pharaoh performed at the time of Moses.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,”

Matthew 24:23-25 “…false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time.”

~~to be continued

The Consistency of God – Karen Austin

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Life is filled with so many twists and turns. Even those who love to plan believe things will go on as they are if they remain diligent in our efforts. But things happen we never imagine happening…the job ending, a spouse wanting a divorce after many years of marriage, family moving, unexpected illness, Covid. Each of us can all fill in the ____ of life events you did not expect.

None of us know how many “new beginnings” we will have in our lives. We can reason, pray, plan or be stubborn and try to hold onto what was. Although, if we do this, we may very well miss the next step in this journey called life.

One thing I have found in life, the only thing that is consistent is God. His love for us never changes no matter what we do. There is nothing you can do that would make Him love you any less. His Word is always true. When people failed me, when jobs transitioned out, when a health crisis in our family lingered on, when my child and my father passed within twenty-two months, when I didn’t know how I could make it…through every one, He was faithful. That is who He is, faithful.

When you have relationship with Him, you know He will be there for you, even when others are not. He will make a way when there seems to be none. If we choose to yield our lives to Him, He will orchestrate all things to the counsel of His will. Which is always better (even though it may not look like at the time). There is not one thing, not one thing that has happened or will happen that He is now aware of and has a way for you to come out on the other side. Things may not look the same as they did, but you will see a stronger, more resilient you facing your next “new beginning”.

Isaiah 40:2-3 “When you pass through the deep, stormy sea, you can count on me to be there with you.When you pass through raging rivers,You will not drown. When you walk through persecution like fiery flames, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you, for I am your Savior, Yahweh, your mighty God, the Holy One of Israel!”

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.

Preparing for the Lost Lamb – Niki Wright

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I saw a vision a few nights ago in the middle of the night. It was Jesus carrying a lamb around His neck. I read Luke 15.4-6 TPT.

4–5 “There once was a shepherd with a hundred lambs, but one of his lambs wandered away and was lost. So the shepherd left the ninety-nine lambs out in the open field and searched in the wilderness for that one lost lamb. He didn’t stop until he finally found it. With exuberant joy he raised it up and placed it on his shoulders, carrying it back with cheerful delight! 6 Returning home, he called all his friends and neighbors together and said, ‘Let’s have a party! Come and celebrate with me the return of my lost lamb. It wandered away, but I found it and brought it home.’”

I felt like He was showing me that we need to prepare our hearts for those who are coming home to Him. For us to be ready to be like the Shepherd and be joy filled to carry them in our hearts. Bringing them back home and celebrating them. 

“With exuberant joy he raised it up and placed it on his shoulders, carrying it back with cheerful delight! 6 Returning home, he called all his friends and neighbors together and said, ‘Let’s have a party! Come and celebrate with me the return of my lost lamb. It wandered away, but I found it and brought it home.’”

With exuberant joy. With cheerful delight. 

Are we ready to join with Jesus in carrying those who are so different than us in our hearts and help them back home? To carry them with exuberant joy and cheerful delight? I feel like the Father is saying it’s time to prepare for this.  As we start to emerge out of quarantine sometime in the hopeful, near future, I pray our hearts are able to see each heart as a child of His.  That we can look past our differences and let our light of His love shine through our hearts to them.  That the walls that may have been there before the pandemic would be broken.  That we will make time to pray for people and carry them in our hearts with such joy!  Sometimes we are to be that person that remains in one’s life to speak life and truth and be of support.  There will be a day where many will be coming back home.  Let’s be ones who are ready to find them and help them stay the course and carry them in prayer and encouragement.  Then, have such celebration when they are back home with Him!

In doing this we also need to protect our hearts from jealousy.  As like in the scripture of the prodigal son we can get jealous of those who come home and get so much from the Lord.  Let’s allow the Father to remind us of who we are in Him and not allow our minds to entertain jealousy even now so that we will be prepared for those who will be returning to Him and be so overjoyed when they receive His love and blessings!

Father, prepare our hearts even now to see each person as your child.  Each one a treasure no matter what they believe or how different they are to us.  Open our eyes to see and know which ones we are to join with you in carrying.  Let us intentionally turn our hearts to them and pour out His love in abundance.  Let us be ones who have exuberant joy and cheerful delight to carry them with you.  As they truly repent and turn their hearts to you let us be with them in our hearts and speak encouraging words and support them.  Let us truly celebrate them coming home to you without jealousy.  Dig deep into our hearts now and deal with any jealousy so our hearts can be ready.  Thank you Father for your faithfulness!

STRATEGIC AND ESSENTIAL FOR INTERCESSORS: DEALING WITH ANGER – Barbara Potts

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A recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that 70 percent of Americans are angry because they think our  political system is not working for them.  I must confess that I find it difficult to hear or read some media reports without anger rising within me. We are in turbulent times. Anger and anger-induced violence are rampant across our nation. There were 32 mass killings by firearms in the United States in 2019. Indeed a spirit of anger has been released over America, creating a volatile atmosphere.  Biblically, God’s anger is against sin, but motivated by love. For His desire is to protect His seed. However, unredeemed human anger opens up a portal of agreement with the enemy. We must not allow anger to rise up in us, because, in anger we are giving place to the devil. (see Ephesians 4:26-27) As Believers in Christ, we have all authority over the enemy (Luke 10:19), but we can’t cast out what we are in agreement with. And so we find that the enemy uses our unredeemed anger against us by using our authority to advance his agenda. Consider this PICTURE:  70 percent of Americans are angry – that means that the devil has legal access to do his work through those open portals… and so violence has become a national crisis.

What is the answer?

As we carry the Spirit of Christ, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth (Exodus 34:6), our presence subdues anger. We must not react from our emotions, but respond from compassion and love. Indeed, “a soft answer turns away wrath.” (Proverbs 15:1) As we walk in forgiveness and love, and we speak/release SHALOM wherever we go, LOVE will displace and dis-empower anger and all of its children, including fear, guilt, and rejection.  You remember when Jesus was in the boat with the disciples on the Sea of Galilee during the storm? He did not come in to agreement with their fear – so he could speak with authority to the storm.

Beloved, the enemy is using our anger against us – even our anger against evil…. we MUST get this…. and come in the opposite spirit.  Let’s agree that we will NOT give any place to the devil or come into agreement with him through our thoughts and emotional responses.  Let us instead have these PRAYERFUL responses:

  • Repent for any and all anger you have held against any situation or any person/people. Ask the Lord to help you to respond in LOVE and compassion that will dis-empower anger when you feel anger rise up in you.  DO NOT LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR ANGER. (Ephesians 4:26)
  • Ask the Lord to release His SHALOM over the nation, over hearts fraught with fear, anger, and retribution; and minds captivated by hatred, suspicion and wounds of the past.
  • Ask the Lord to release His SHALOM that subdues chaos, and brings a spirit of UNITY over houses of government where legislation is being mapped out amidst political dissension.  
  • Ask the Spirit of Christ (love and compassion) to rise up within you, and do not come into agreement with anger, fear or condemnation. Instead, rise up in faith and trust in God to fight the battles against evil. (Isaiah 59:17-18) He loves to execute righteousness and justice in the earth! (Psalm 103:6)

My Hidden Ones Revealed – Karen Austin

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“I will have My praise in the earth. I will have My worship in the earth. I will have My song released by the mouth of My people. They will declare My glory in the earth. On earth as it is in heaven, this is how it transpires, building Me a place to rest, a place to set My feet and release My authority as My manifest Presence inhabits the praises of My people.

“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me?  Says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?” (Acts 7:49,50)

“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?” “Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” (Isaiah 66:1-2)

There are new sounds, new songs being released in this move of My Spirit. I am fine tuning your ears to hear the sounds of Heaven. There are songs of love to woo My lost and discouraged ones. There are songs of war to release the shout of My victory! There are songs of desire to stir the hearts of My Beloved.

Know there is a mighty shifting taking place even now. The wind of My Spirit is rearranging, relocating and reformatting many things upon the earth.

“A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley shall be lifted up,and every mountain and hill made low;the uneven ground will become smooth,and the rugged land a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”… [Isaiah 40:3-5]

There are places and bodies of people whom you have never heard of; those who have cried out to Me behind closed doors…those I am bringing to the forefront in this hour for they have caught My heart. They have allowed themselves to be placed upon the Potter’s wheel. They have had times of being set aside upon the shelf. But even during those times I was molding their hearts and their character. These are ones who shall shine forth My image upon the earth. These are My end-time mighty ones who shall shake the nations and release My voice upon the waters [Psalm 29:3].“

Recognizing Jesus – Karen Austin

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I have been contemplating what it is going to look like once this quarantine is lifted. We pretty much know what the world will look like, but what will His church look like? We know from scripture there were many who did not recognize the Presence of God or that Jesus was the promised Messiah.

Jacob, after a day of traveling, scripture says that he stopped at a “certain place”. He laid his head upon a rock to go to sleep. He had a dream where he saw a ladder and angels were ascending and descending. At the top of the ladder was the Lord who pronounced a blessing upon him and his descendants. Upon waking up, Jacob said surely the Lord was in this place and I know it not [Genesis 28:13-15]. It wasn’t that Jacob didn’t know of the Lord, he didn’t expect Him to be in a place outside of a designated house of worship.

We know the scribes and Pharisees did not recognize Jesus as their promised Messiah. Jesus infuriated them because of His claims of who He was and the deeds that He did such as healing the sick on the Sabbath. He threatened their religious systems and traditions, so much so, that they had him crucified. “Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him.” Acts 13:26-17.

I somehow think what this will look like will be similar to the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. After Jesus’ resurrection, but prior to His ascension, two disciples were walking and Jesus joined them. They were kept from recognizing Him. But as they reached their destination and they strongly urged Jesus to stay with them. As they sat down and He broke bread, their eyes were opened to see Him as He was. “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.” Luke 24:30-31

I believe in this time of being confined to our homes, many have urged Him to remain. We broke bread with Him in His Word. We have taken the elements of communion. We have worshiped and cried out to really know Him. Our eyes have been opened to a greater measure of His splendor and His majesty. We have begun to see Him as He is….and the great part about this is found in 1 John 3:2-3 “Beloved, we are God’s children right now; however, it is not yet apparent what we will become. But we do know that when it is finally made visible, we will be just like him, for we will see him as he truly is. And all who focus their hope on him will always be purifying themselves, just as Jesus is pure.”

Watch for the Seasons of the Lord – Karen Austin

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As I have been contemplating about this that we are facing and the timelines being set by those in authority, I keep coming back to His seasons never change. The enemy manifesting through man may try to change the days and seasons, but His Word and His seasons are forever settled in Heaven. But many in the church are not aware of the times and seasons of our Father. Many desire things to eventually go back as they have been.

I sense the Lord say “Things have shifted – a new season is upon you. My Kingdom rule and My Kingdom rein through those who are Mine is now the time you have entered. Many have said, have prayed, “Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven”. But they have not embraced the part of My Son’s prayer “Your will be done”. The heart of many in My church is for Heaven to come so they may live a life of ease. For nothing to interfere with their life plans and schedules to further My Kingdom, but I have said in My Word, in this world you will have tribulation.

For your enemy is a legalist and My people are blind to the things that have given him a legal right. But I am raising up a company of those like Jeremiah who will uproot and will plant. I am giving sight to those who seek. I am causing those to raise up a standard as they come into agreement with Heaven. For in this time, there will be those with not only Heaven on their minds, but Heaven in their heart. It will be from this place of abiding in My will and My purpose that a path will be formed for others to follow. I am raising up forerunners who hear even the whispers of My heart. They are becoming so sensitive in this season to My desires that when they see them come to pass such joy will fill them such as they world can give; because they will know for this they prayed, for this they contended.

I say there is a river of revelation coming and this is what will cause My people to rise above the cares of this world, to begin to rule and rein from their Heavenly position. This will cause faith to come to a new level because they trust in Me. A partnering with Heaven is at hand and I desire you to be a part. Will you submit your desires to Me? Will you allow My desires to become your desires? I desire to trust you with the secrets of My heart. I have chosen you to be alive in this space of time, choose wisely.”

The Holy Spirit is…. – Karen Austin.

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One day I was meditating on how much Holy Spirit means to me and began to write. I decided to share my musings with you today. I pray they will stir up your love for Him and remind you of all He wants to be and do in your life.

“How can I not love Holy Spirit? How can I not have Holy Spirit as my best friend? His thoughts towards me are always pure. He always sees the best in me. When He corrects me, I know He is showing me truth and not an opinion of man or tradition. Holy Spirit is so full of joy ready to lift my heavy heart. He knows the very heart of my Father – the One who created all things. For it is in the Father that all wisdom is hidden [Romans 11:33]. Holy Spirit accesses that wisdom and reveals it to my heart,

Holy Spirit is the spirit of my soon coming King [Galatians 4:6]. He empowered Jesus upon the earth to withstand all evil and temptation. He does the same for me. He worked through Jesus to heal the sick, cast out devils and raise the dead [Acts 10:38]. He does the same through me. He hovered over chaos and brought order. [Genesis 1:2]. He brings order to my chaos.

Holy Spirit imparted the purest, most powerful love within me as the Father poured His love into my heart through Holy Spirit [Romans 5:5]. Holy Spirit is the change agent in my life conforming me into the image of Christ [2 Corinthians 3:18]. He picks me up when I fall. He encourages me to keep pressing on when I want to give up. He comforts me in my brokenness. He gives me wisdom beyond my comprehension. He releases strength to me when I am weak. He imparts healing when I am sick. He imparts hope when I have none. He believes in me when no one else does. He leads me when I don’t know which way to go.

He is my bright light in times of darkness. He opens the Word to me giving me divine insights. He is always with me, communing with my spirit, even as I sleep. He is my confidant. He never shares my secrets with another. He convicts me of sin, but without condemnation.

He is unpacking all the potential and destiny my Father has placed within me. His nature gifts me with love, joy, unshakeable peace, longsuffering, gentleness, kindness and self-control, patience and goodness. His gifts me with His abilities: words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues.

How can I not love Him? How can I not have Him as by Best Friend?”

“And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like me—and he will never leave you. The world won’t receive him because they can’t see him or know him. But you will know him intimately, because he will make his home in you and will live inside you.” John 14:16 TPT

“Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.” Psalm 51:11

Social Media or Jesus? – Frank Work

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I often wonder how our fore fathers ever were able to get the any information out without the use of social media. To many ministries or people for that matter, have allowed themselves to be judged and swayed, by the opinions and comments of people who either like or dislike what has been posted on their social media sites. Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way against using social media to get the gospel of Christ out there. It’s when I am more concerned about whether I get likes or comments for any particular thread, than I am about pleasing and serving Jesus. If I distinguish what is good by the amount of feedback I get on every single post instead of seeking the heart of the Father, then I truly have lost sight of my first love.

Social media can be a great tool, when used in correlation in the leading of the Holy Spirit. I for one should be asking the big questions before I post anything. Questions like;

“Father should I post this to my social media for all to see, or is this just between you and I?”

“Am I posting this because you told me to post it, or am I posting it to get a rise out of people?”

“Is my post meant to bring hope in Jesus, or to cause controversy and therefore cause my brother to stumble?”

“Am I posting this to be popular and seek fame, or am I posting this because I just want to liked and noticed?”

Social media has become so warped in the past several years from its original purpose. Originally Facebook was meant for students on universities and college campuses to connect through their intranet network, purely as a means of communication through messages and pictures. Now we have what we have now. Facebook has created a generation of people that I have what I like to call, “Keyboard courage.” Basically they will say anything and offend anyone they want through social media, but are just the opposite when met face to face.

We are no longer walking as a people of purpose in spreading the gospel of Christ; we are a people dependent upon social media to do it for us. It’s a wonder that the first generation church ever made it at all. Paul the apostle was infused and connected to the throne of glory and his social media was preaching the gospel of Jesus where ever he went. Perhaps now, more than ever, I need to be more in tune with the Holy Spirit, and follow His leading instead of assuming I have it right. 

A dangerous mindset to have, in my opinion, is to walk through life with the theory of “I would rather ask for forgiveness later, than permission now.” Basically what is being expressed is, I want to do what I want to now, and I’ll worry about the repercussions later. Being selfish is a mindset of the enemy, and being chained by a spirit of selfishness is a gateway which opens up our hearts to many other spirits who will cling on to our spirit-man, and attempt to wrestle us away from turning to the Lord. Satan was filled with selfishness, as described by the scripture below;

Isaiah 14:12-14 (NKJV)

12 “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’

Lord guard our hearts against haughtiness and selfish ambition. Protect our minds against the voice of the enemy who would speak lies in an attempt to turn our hearts away from you. Fill us Lord with Your wisdom and Your truth.