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Spiritual Pest and Problems (Part 4)

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” -- "and the gates of hell shall not prevail (stand strong) against you." Mathew 10:16, 16:18b, & Psalm 23:4 KJV

I'VE HEARD OF PEOPLE PRAYING FOR PEOPLE and COMMANDING THE SPIRIT, WHATEVER KIND OF SPIRIT IT WAS, SAYING, "GIVE ME YOUR NAME! WHAT'S YOUR NAME?"--And they have to obey, and the mouth of the victim files open and tells the name of the spirit, what kind of spirit it is. So it's good to really nail it down and identify it and make it confess its name!--Or have someone with discernment there that recognizes the spirit and its name, and then rebuke it specifically by name in the Name of the Lord and command it to depart, because we have authority over those devils!

I THINK IT IS REALLY QUITE A MINISTRY FOR SOME WHO HAVE THOSE GIFTS and THAT ANOINTING, WHO HAVE DISCERNMENT and WHO HAVE POWER OVER EVIL SPIRITS. We all have power over evil spirits, all of us who have the Lord, but we need to learn how to exercise it and how to be specific about it and how to discern what demon or devil it is and what kind or what name, and then command it by name in the Name of the Lord to depart, with real anointing take charge of the situation and command it to depart! But if the victim doesn't want to be delivered, and their own will refuses to be delivered, then the Devil has got a real hold on them.

I GUESS YOU'D CALL IT TAKING AUTHORITY OVER EVIL SPIRITS, being specific and actually commanding the evil spirit to leave in the Name of the Lord and by the authority of the Power of the Spirit with real anointing and spiritual power, and it will depart! It's just pitiful that these Christians who have hosted these pests for years and been annoyed by them and pestered by them, oppressed by them, handicapped by them, haven't recognized it and really rebuked it by name! I think sometimes they don't want to recognize it, they don't want to admit it and confess it. We've had several cases like that. Until we virtually exposed them, they weren't even willing to confess it or admit it, Some of them hadn't even realized it until someone came along with real discernment and rebuked the demon in Jesus' name.

BUT ANYHOW, WITH THESE SERIOUS CASES OF DEMON OPPRESSION and PESTERING, THEY NEED TO REALLY GET FOLKS TOGETHER WITH REAL FAITH and POWER OF THE LORD and really fast and pray to get rid of them and recognize them and discern them and face them down specifically by name or by type or whatever, and just rebuke them in the authority and anointing of the Lord and in the Name of the Lord and command them to depart! As the disciples said, "Even the devils are subject unto us!" They have to obey when you are specific and call them by name and command them in the depart, even tell them where to go like Jesus did.

THEY ASKED IF THEY COULD GO INTO THE SWINE, SO HE LET THEM and THEY POSSESSED ABOUT 2,000 HEAD OF SWINE! That was quite a herd!--And they all ran down and fell over the precipice into the sea and were apparently killed. (Mat.8:28-34; Mark 5:1-17) So no wonder their owner their owner got mad at Jesus! To get rid of that many devils all at once and destroy his whole heard of swine was quite a scene!

JESUS WAS VERY SPECIFIC! HE WOULD TALK TO THE DEVILS and EVEN CALL THEM BY NAME! In that one case He demanded the devil's name. He said, "What is thy name?" And the man said, "Our name is Legion for we are many!" The poor demoniac was possessed by a whole legion of devils! Then as soon as they were all gone the man sat there at Jesus' feet, clothed, in his right mind and peaceful. Up till that time he had broken chains and was a wild man, violent! He was totally, instantly delivered apparently from 2,000 devils!

Deep Truths TFI

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Spiritual Pests & Problems (Part 3)

Spiritual Warfare: Effectively Armed in Mind and Spirit

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:11 KJV

The Lord makes it clear that learning to recognize the spiritual warfare, and working with those who are helping us from the spirit would, as well as fighting against those who seek to hinder us are secrets to success and survival at this time in history.

This is a unique time. It's a time that is different from all that has gone before, because this is leading up to the grand finale, so things are different, more intense. The Enemy, as was foretold in the Bible, knows that his time is short and he's trying all sorts of new tactics and pulling out all the firepower against us that he can muster (Rev.12:12). It's very important for us to remember that, as it will help the battles and all that the Lord is showing us to make more sense and fall into perspective. Maria Fontaine

SO MR. MACHOWSKI SLAMMED HIS BIBLE SHUT and SAID, "OK, IF YOU WON'T CONFESS JESUS CHRIST, THEN YOU'RE NOT OF GOD! IT MEANS YOU'RE EVIL and OF THE DEVIL! GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!" But he didn't know specifically then how to really take authority over the evil spirit and command it in the Name of Jesus to leave with the authority of the Lord. He just sort of told him to get away, he didn't want him around.

IT'S LIKE HAVING AN EVIL BOARDER IN YOUR HOUSE! He's not in control of the house, but he causes you trouble and annoyance and you don't like him. You tell him to leave several times but he won't leave, so finally by the authority and the law--in this case of the Word and the Name of Jesus--you literally throw him out! Otherwise he just won't leave!

SO ALL THESE YEARS I KNEW THAT CHRISTIANS WHO ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE LORD COULDN'T BE LITERALLY POSSESSED OF THE DEVIL. My Mother recognised that, She'd say "Well, they're not possessed, they're just oppressed and being annoyed by an evil spirit." Because she didn't see how the property of the Lord could be in possession of the Devil. But some Christians certainly were pestered and annoyed and caused a lot of other people to be annoyed as a result by having those oppressive spirits.

YOU NEED TO TAKE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY! First of all, you need discernment to recognise the spirit, what kind of spirit it is and what it's the spirit of, whether it's a spirit of fear or whatever it is, then you need to take charge and recognise that you have the authority of the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord to rebuke it in Jesus' Name and command it to go!

THIS IS WHAT THE DISCIPLES WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT WHEN THEY CAME BACK TO JESUS and SAID, "EVEN THE EVIL SPIRITS ARE SUBJECT INTO US!" (Luk.10:17) In other words, they had to go when the disciples told them to depart in Jesus' name! But there were some stubborn ones, Remember, Jesus said of one, "This kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer." (Mt.17:21) In other words, they had to really get down to business with God and fast and really pray together to have a real anointing and real power to rebuke a powerful devil.

IT TAKES AN ANOINTING, THE RECOGNITION and DISCERNMENT OF SOMEONE WHO IS REALLY ANNOINTED and I BELIEVE THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE THAT GIFT--Not only of the discerning of spirits, but of the casting out of devils. They've got a real anointing for it, a real discernment for it, and whoever has it needs to help that person and help them along with united prayer and even fasting, if necessary, to rebuke the devil and recognise the demon, what kind of demon it is.

DeepTruths TFI

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Spiritual Pests & Problems (Part 2)

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; Philippians 1:9-10

THE ONLY WAY PEOPLE LIKE THAT CAN GET RID OF THEM, THAT HAVE HARBOURED DEVILS SOMETIMES FOR YEARS, IS TO GO ON A DIRECT ATTACK and BE SPECIFIC, EVEN NAME THE DEMON, IF POSSIBLE, and COMMAND IT TO DEPART IN JESUS' NAME! It's just like having lice or fleas or crabs or worms or something like that, you've got to go on the attack and do something about it to cleanse yourself and get rid of it. You can't just scratch them and swat them and sort of chase them a little bit, you've got to get rid of them completely. You've got to recognize the spirit, the devil, the demon or call it by name of necessary.

I KNOW I WAS SUDDENLY INSPIRED THAT DAY PRAYING FOR THAT GIRL! I rebuked the spirit of fear and commanded it to depart in Jesus' Name and she was instantly completely delivered, and therefore at the same time she was healed! She had gotten so fearful she stayed in bed all the time and couldn't even eat, and finally got to where she could hardly drink water. She was just frightened and afraid of everything! But the minute we got rid of that fearful spirit, we commanded her in the Name of the Lord to get up and walk and get out of bed, and she got right out of bed and started walking around the room and was completely and totally delivered and never had any problem with it again!

SO YOU'VE GOT TO BE DEFINITE and SPECIFIC ABOUT THESE THINGS and EVEN CALL THEM BY NAME and REBUKE THEM BY THEIR KIND OR WHATEVER and WITH REAL SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT See, I was just suddenly anointed by the Holy Spirit to recognize that spirit and rebuke it in Jesus' Name. It was just like sudden tongues or a sudden prophecy or something, it was just as supernatural and miraculous! It was a sudden outburst inspired by the Spirit! I wasn't expecting it, I really had no experience along that line at all. I didn't even know I had any gifts at that time. I'd never spoken in tongues or prophesied or anything.

THERE ARE LYING SPIRITS THAT DECEIVE PEOPLE and USUALLY THEY'RE VERY DECEITFUL. They don't want to wake the people up to the fact that they've got problems with the Devil. They even pretend to be good, like Tom, Mr. Machowski thought Tom was good because he was helping him win bets and races and make a lot of money. So he finally decided to bet everything he had on that horse and make a real killing and Tom told him the wrong horse and he lost everything! Tom just cackled and laughed about it like it was a big joke! I think that was just before Mr. Machowski was saved, and his getting saved was a result of that, when he realized that Tom was bad and something evil.

SEE, THE DEVIL IS A DESTROYER! HE JUST TRIED TO STRIP MR. MACHOWSKI! He maybe even sensed or knew he was going to get saved and was trying to destroy him, because it was then that he heard that Gospel program on the air and got saved. He heard this preacher preach on spirits and rebuking spirits, etc., and discerning spirits and he got that special verse about "every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is not of God." (1Jn.4:2) He took that home with him and went into his usual seance with Tom and confronted Tom with that verse. He said, "All right, Tom, you claim you're good, now confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh!" Tom hemmed and hawed and beat around the bush and finally ranted and raged furiously because he was caught and exposed!

Deep Truths TFI

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Spiritual Pests And Problems! (Part 1)

"Jesus casting out Legion"

Taking Authority Over Evil Spirits

By David Berg, April 1985

I was so surprised that time when Mother {Virginia Berg} and I went to pray for that girl in Pittsburgh, Helen Jones. Mother always did all the praying and took charge of the whole thing, whereas I just sort of stood by and helped lay on hands etc. But all of a sudden the Spirit just hit me and I practically began to prophesy when I laid my hands on her head and I got the Scripture about the spirit of fear, "who through fear of death were all their lives subject to bondage." (Heb.2:15) So I knew then right away, the Lord revealed it to me that it was a spirit of fear and I rebuked it.

I DON'T HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES TOO OFTEN, BUT EVERY NOW and THEN I RECOGNISE SOMEBODY HAS GOT SOMETHING, ONE OF THOSE LITTLE PESTS! It's not like being demon-possessed and a demon's in full control and where people have fits and go absolutely berserk, but it's sort of like having fleas or lice or ticks or something that are just pests. What do they call that kind of pest that lives on you?--A parasite that just lives on you and with you and is a constant pest and annoyance. Although it can't actually completely possess you or control you, it constantly annoys and pesters. Of course, I suppose if some people would yield to it completely they would get possessed. But it's just sort of like harboring a parasite that is living off of you, like a blood sucker.

MY MOTHER USED TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION BETWEEN SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY BEING POSSESSED BY DEVILS, WHEREAS OTHERS ARE JUST OPPRESSED BY SOME DEVIL OR DEMONS THAT CONSTANTLY PESTER and BOTHER THEM and ANNOY THEM. Like Mr. Machowski, he wasn't demon-possessed by Tom, at first he just worked with him, then after he was saved and found out that Tom was bad, he tried to get rid of him. Tom never really possessed him, he just pestered and annoyed him, he was a pest.

(Maria Fontaine:) WELL, THAT'S THE SAME THING WITH LEAH. SHE HAS BEEN FEARFUL and HAS HAD CHOKING SPELLS, FEELING SHE WAS BEING STRANGLED, and she's had weird experiences where she was sort of out of her body and she didn't know which voice said, "This isn't you and this isn't you," neither of her bodies was hers. She felt like it was trying to get her, trying to annoy her. She knew it was wrong and she always rebuked it.) Because she belonged to the Lord he couldn't possess her, (Maria: I guess people don't realize that. I don't think she realized it was an attack any more than other people who've had attacks. She's had it all her life so she didn't know it was something she could get rid of completely and permanently. I think her idea was that she sort of had to live with it and just rebuke it. She'd get temporary victories, but it kept staying around and pestering her.)

I THINK THIS IS WHAT THE LORD WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE SAID, "GIVE NO PLACE TO THE EVIL ONE!" (Eph.4:27) Some people just sort of harbor them and allow them to hang around without really rebuking them and getting rid of them. See, it wasn't until Mr. Machowski was standing on the street corner preaching in Chicago that he finally really rebuked Tom and Tom left him and entered into that drunk, and the drunk had a fit and fell down on the sidewalk slobbering just like an epileptic. Apparently he could totally possess the drunk, because the drunk wasn't saved.

(Maria Fontaine:) IT'S SO SAD THAT CHRISTIANS GO SO LONG WITHOUT GETTING COMPLETE DELIVERANCE. Like Leah, she has been really sold out to the Lord and really wanted to do His Will and really trying, but it's such a handicap and a hindrance to her.) You see, they have to recognize those devils and sometimes even call them by name and command them in the Name of the Lord to depart, then they have to obey.

Deep Truths TFI

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The Divine Exchange - Final

AND WHEN A CHRISTIAN IN TIME OF SORROW AND DISTRESS YOU CAN STAND ON THE PROMISES OF GOD and be so faithful that others will notice your faith, and there in that hardy dry dusty place you will dig a well -- that is, make it a place of refreshing -- that is where the Christian life looks good: When you become an overcomer in the place of difficulty. Virginia Brandt Berg

WHAT A PITY IT IS THAT WE'RE SO DETERMINED TO WALK IN OUR OWN STRENGTH, and we walk our own way and we won't depend upon the Divine. We lean so much on the human. What a pity when we draw only upon natural resources when we have all of Heaven's resources at our command. How strange that we should ever insist on walking in our own strength and depending on our own wisdom when we can have God's power and His riches, and we can be linked up with everything that God is and God has.

THE WONDER OF IT IS THAT THE LORD WANTS TO HELP US! He yearns to strengthen and comfort and supply. He longs to give His strength to us, but if we insist on walking by ourselves in our own strength, then He leaves us alone and He walks off the stage of life and leaves us to ourselves. -- Perhaps until the foundations of our pride and confidence in the human have been shaken and we come to the realization that our human strength after all, is only weakness.

YOU ARE SAYING THAT YOU ARE SO WEAK? GOD'S WORD SAYS IN ISAIAH 27:5, "TAKE HOLD OF MY STRENGTH," and in Isaiah 49:5, "My God shall be my strength." The Lord said about David, "Look not upon his countenance nor the height of his stature." These things, He said, make no difference -- your human wisdom. It's the strength of the Lord that can be depended upon.

THE LORD IS SAYING TO YOU, "MY STRENGTH FOR YOUR WEAKNESS IS MY PROVISION FOR YOU." The humble, the meek, the weak, can thus become strong. Then your testimony will be, "I can do all thing through Christ which strengtheneth me." -- Phi.4:13.

REMEMBER THAT ALL OF GOD'S GREAT SPIRITUAL GIANTS WERE WEAK MEN WHO WERE MADE STRONG BY HIS POWER. It can be the same with you. So don't feel yourself hindered by some infirmity of human weakness, for the strength to go through the victory is not in your human strength anyhow. You're to take God's strength, Divine strength. Can't you take it today? Take it now.

GOD'S WORD SAYS, "WITH ALL MIGHT ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS POWER, THAT WE MIGHT KNOW WHAT IS THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TO USWARD WHO BELIEVE." -- Eph.1:18. God bless you and help you to reach out and take hold of all that God has provided for you. You must diligently seek and depend utterly upon that strength of His, He'll give it. God bless you. He answers prayer and He's still on the Throne.

deeptruths. TFI [Video Posted - WARNING: SEPTEMBER 2016 New World Order Is Almost Complete...]

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The Divine Exchange (Part 2)

For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul. Jeremiah 31:25 KJV

THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT FREQUENTLY GOD WORKS CONTRARY TO HUMAN LOGIC. Someone has written a wonderful book on that very saying, that God works contrary to natural expectations, that God has His own way of doing things, and they are quite contrary to our ideas. In His Word He says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways. For as the Heavens are high above the Earth, so are My ways above your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." -- Isa.55:8.

THE GREEKS INFERRED THAT PAUL WAS NOT AN ORATOR, THAT HIS SPEECH WAS CONTEMPTIBLE. It was the greatest ambition of a Greek to be an orator. That's what they taught their youth, and the lack of the gift of oratory was a weakness. They reasoned man's way, for you know that God's way has always been that it isn't the oratory, it's the spirit in the speech that counts with God.

PAUL SAID IT'S ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN YOU. Oh, that's a wonderful sentence! This that the Greeks called weakness, God calls strength. It was an asset to Paul. How many times we've all heard some humble speaker that isn't gifted at oratory at all and not learned in man's wisdom nor trained in man's colleges perhaps, but oh, filled with the Spirit of God and he literally sweeps the people off of their feet, sweeps an audience along on the tide of his earnestness in the power of God which was manifested through him.

THE MAN IS SO HUMBLE, SO EMPTY OF SELF, SO WEAK IN HIMSELF, THAT GOD HAS A CHANCE TO WORK THROUGH HIM. Thus this very weakness becomes his strength. That's why Paul says that when he was weak, then he was strong. The Word says,

"MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS." Now you may think, "Oh, I'm too weak to do this or that" or "I'm so weak when it comes to temptation, I feel my own weakness so much that I don't feel worthy to claim promises." Well,

A MAN IS ONLY STRONG WHEN HE'S COMPLETELY EMPTIED OF HIMSELF, AND HIS STRENGTH COMES FROM THE LORD. There are those before whom I stood once in a while, that when I stood in public ministry, I felt so keenly my weakness. Oh, I can't begin to express the weaknesses I felt, and I've gone so hesitatingly before those to whom I was to speak feeling utterly helpless in myself, but that can become my strength because of this verse. That's what it means, "My strength" -- God's strength -- "is made perfect in weakness."

THE LORD COMES AND HE SUPPLEMENTS YOUR WEAKNESS WITH HIS STRENGTH. That's what He wants to do. So when you feel this awful weakness, this terrible lack, that's the very time to take hold of God, to claim His strength. When you're weakest in yourself, then you become strong if you depend on His strength. So what the Greeks in ignorance of spiritual things called weakness, that really became strength.

GOD'S WORD SAYS IN ISAIAH 40:29: "TO THEM THAT HE NOT MIGHT HE INCREASES STRENGTH." Oh, when we're so sure of our own strength, so confident of our own powers, then the Lord just lets u walk alone in our strength. I was reminded of when I visited my little new grand baby who was just learning to walk. She would take a hold of your finger and just start out like she's going to take the world by storm. She just thinks that she can surely be there and she goes so fast, and the first thing you know she's stumbled and bumped her nose and bruised herself. She'd just walk in her own strength until she learns that she's got to hold on to your finger because she can't quite walk by herself. -- And that's how we are.

deeptruths. TFI

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"The Divine Exchange" (Part 1)

When God is near,
With light my path is glowing,
The cup of life with gladness overflows,
And in the garden of my heart is growing,
The flower of love,
More fragrant than the sweetest rose.
When God is near,- A.H. ACKLEY

By Virginia Berg

HOW TRUE THAT IS! WHEN YOU FEEL HIM NEAR YOU AND THAT YOU'RE HAVING SWEET FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM and His promises are being realized in your life, and you are conscious of his loving you and you just feel that love surrounding you, it is a paradise, isn't it? It is an ecstasy! There is nothing like it in all the world!

WE ARE TURNING TO GOD'S WORD IN 2ND CORINTHIANS, THE 12 CHAPTER, THE 9 VERSE. As we read, Paul was speaking, "The Lord said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee. For My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ should rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, and persecutions and distresses, for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong."

IN THE VERSE "MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS," THE LORD WAS SAYING TO PAUL'S HEART THAT HIS STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN PAUL'S WEAKNESS. And then He says, "For when I am weak" -- Paul now speaking of himself -- "when I am weak, then am I strong." You'll be puzzled at such a strange statement if you are not acquainted with the writings or character of the Apostle Paul when he says that "when I am weak, then am I strong," for he was a great scholar, talented writer, and outstanding Christian Apostle, and to think that he would say this thing. But if you look to whom Paul is writing, it might help us to find an answer to this strange statement.

PAUL WROTE THESE WORDS TO THE GREEKS. If you read back in the Corinthian letter, you'll note that they had questioned his right to Apostleship because of something which they called weakness. They inferred that his bodily presence was weak, and therefore not fitted for his high calling. The Greeks exalted perfection of the physical body, not only through their national races and son on, but they thought that anyone was a weakling who was not robust.

WE KNOW FROM WHAT PAUL WRITES ELSEWHERE THAT THEY ALSO ATTRIBUTED OTHER WEAKNESSES TO HIM. They scorned a man that had been stoned, whipped or imprisoned. This did not at all constitute their idea of strength. And Paul's manner of organizing and sustaining the Church, that was contrary to their strong human logic also.

Virginia Brandt Berg was a famous woman evangelist, healer and one of the first radio evangelists in America in the beginning of the 20th century. She was the daughter of a wealthy family of ministers, who lost her faith through modernism in Bible College and consequently became a prodigal socialite that travelled Europe and wasted her fortunes in gambling, partying and living it up with the "cream of the crop."

She was about to get married to Bruce Bogart, cousin of Humphrey, when a talented Swedish singer stole her heart with his songs, after which they promptly eloped. The Swede Hjalmer Berg then was converted during one of her fathers services, and turned into a staunch believer himself. Virginia was disappointed, but stayed with him. Immediately after the birth of her first baby, she was carried from the car and dropped by accident. She broke her back in several places on the curb. She was in a 5 year deathbed but after united prayer was finally miraculously healed in an instant. (See her book "The Hem of His garment" for the rest of the story.)

deeptruths. TFI

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Spiritual Buoyancy - Final

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4 KJB

Okay, so there you go. Prayer is God’s UPWARD-ACTING FORCE! As God’s people were praying for me, I simply did not, could not, and will not go under for good. He doesn’t allow it to happen.

When you add in the fact that as believers, we are less dense—Jesus lives in us—and we are shaped appropriately—we are in Christ—you can’t be in a better position! Right? Add those two huge things together and you get spiritual buoyancy.

Again, all of us are human. This doesn’t mean that you don’t go under. It just means that with prayer and Jesus, you don’t stay there.

And, in fact, the lower you go, the faster you shoot up because of upward-acting forces. Try to push a beach ball far under the water and you will see what I mean. It shoots up out of the water with great force.

I am learning that this upward-acting force is always more powerful than any weight—including cancer and all the scary unknowns that go with it—that tries to push me down.—John D. Talbert

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A little brown cork
Fell in the path of a whale
Who lashed it down
With his angry tail.
But in spite of its blows
It quickly arose,
And floated serenely
Before his nose.
Said the cork to the whale:
“You may flap and sputter and frown,
But you never, never, can keep me down;
For I’m made of the stuff
That is buoyant enough
To float instead of drown.”
—Author unknown

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I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth.—Isaiah 58:14

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Those who fly through the air in airships tell us that one of the first rules they learn is to turn their ship toward the wind, and fly against it. The wind lifts the ship up to higher heights. Where did they learn that? They learned it from the birds. If a bird is flying for pleasure, it goes with the wind. But if the bird meets danger, it turns right around and faces the wind, in order that it may rise higher; and it flies away toward the very sun.

Sufferings are God’s winds, His contrary winds, sometimes His strong winds. They are God’s hurricanes, but they take human life and lift it to higher levels and toward God’s heavens.

You have seen in the summertime a day when the atmosphere was so oppressive that you could hardly breathe? But a cloud appeared on the western horizon and that cloud grew larger and threw out rich blessing for the world. The storm rose, lightning flashed and thunder pealed. The storm covered the world, and the atmosphere was cleansed; new life was in the air, and the world was changed.

Human life is worked out according to exactly the same principle. When the storm breaks, the atmosphere is changed, clarified, filled with new life; and a part of heaven is brought down to earth.—Streams in the Desert, Volume 1

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Obstacles ought to set us singing. The wind finds voice, not when rushing across the open sea, but when hindered by the outstretched arms of the pine trees, or broken by the fine strings of an Aeolian harp. Then it has songs of power and beauty. Set your freed soul sweeping across the obstacles of life, through grim forests of pain, against even the tiny hindrances and frets that love uses, and it, too, will find its singing voice.—Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

Anchor TFI [Posted Video - SIGNS OF THE END PART 164 - LATEST EVENTS APRIL 2016]

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Spiritual Buoyancy (Part 1)

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. Mathew 14:29 KJB

A compilation May 03, 2016

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.—Isaiah 43:2

*

When Mrs. Booth, the mother of the Salvation Army, was dying, she quietly said, “The waters are rising but I am not sinking.” But then she had been saying that all through her life. Other floods besides the waters of death had gathered about her soul. Often had the floods been out and the roads were deep in affliction. But she had never sunk! The good Lord made her buoyant, and she rode upon the storm!

This, then, is the promise of the Lord, not that the waters of trouble shall never gather about the believer, but that he shall never be overwhelmed. He shall “keep his head above them.” Yes, to him shall be given the grace of “aboveness.” He shall never be under, always above! It is the precious gift of spiritual buoyancy, sanctified good spirits, the power of the Christian hope. When we are in Christ Jesus, circumstances shall never be our master. One is our Master, and “we are more than conquerors in Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”—J. H. Jowett

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Joy is a spiritual buoyancy that comes when we are rejoicing in God.—Tim Keller

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In 2 Corinthians 4:7–9 we read: “We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great [extraordinary; transcendent] power is from God, not from us. We have troubles and trials all around us, but we are not defeated or crushed. We do not know what to do, [are perplexed/bewildered], but we do not give up the hope of living. We are persecuted and pursued but God does not leave us, He does not abandon or leave us behind. We are hurt sometimes, struck down, knocked over, but we are not destroyed.”

This joy, this buoyancy, does not mean we are impervious to suffering; it means we are unsinkable. We are constantly getting wet, we are constantly being pushed down. However, we do not stay down; we don’t sink.—Tim Keller

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Our buoyancy comes from a focus on the unchanging privileges that we have in God, namely complete access to our gracious loving Forever Father.—Author unknown

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God seems to ask greater depths of experience of us as we go along the heavenly pathway. First the water of trial is ankle deep, then knee deep, and later loin deep with waters to swim in. Swimming on top of trouble would never be possible in ankle-deep waters. How good that the Lord graduates our trials, which though severe all issue well.—W. M. Wadsworth

*

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.—Isaiah 40:31

*

Here is the analogy that comes to mind: it feels as if I am floating on the top of water in a swimming pool on one of those inflatable cushions. When you lie on one of those, and one of your friends tries to push you down under the water level, they can do it, but only for a little while. Why? I believe you call it BUOYANCY.

The definition of buoyancy in Wikipedia (it is on the World Wide Web, so it has to be accurate, right?): “an upward acting force, caused by fluid pressure that opposes an object’s weight.” It goes on to say, “If the object is either less dense than the liquid or shaped appropriately (as in a boat), the force can keep the object afloat.”

Anchor TFI

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Raising Our Sails - Final

Great Faith

Zigarelli pointed out that each Christian has a vital, active role to play in his or her own spiritual growth. Some believers might object to the concept of the individual playing a role in their spiritual growth, saying that it is the Holy Spirit who does the work to change us, to transform us into the likeness of Christ. That it is the fruit of the Spirit, not our own efforts, that we see manifested as Christlike character attributes. And there is truth to that.

But as Zigarelli wrote:

The more complete conceptualization of the growth process is that God has a role and we have a role. The interplay of those roles has been likened to the task of sailing a boat from one place to another. To get a sailboat from point A to point B, two crucial elements are required: we need some wind blowing toward our destination, and we need to put the sail into position to catch that wind. You can probably guess the analogy here. God’s Holy Spirit is the wind, seeking to gradually move us toward Christlikeness. We are the sailors, needing to raise the sail; that is, to do something that puts us in the position to catch God’s Spirit, so that the Spirit will move us along toward the desired destination.12

If we seek more Christlikeness in our lives, we need to “raise our sails.” How do we do that? We achieve this in part by doing the things that help to develop Christlike character, and by giving focus to specific attitudes and actions that put our sails into position to catch the wind of the Spirit, which will move us to our destination. Practically speaking, becoming Christlike means altering some aspects of our present character, and such change is difficult. It takes intentionality and discipline. However, being moved by the wind of God is well worth whatever the cost.

Some time back, I wrote a series of articles on the Spiritual Disciplines. These covered Bible intake, prayer, stewardship, simplicity, giving and tithing, wise use of time, fasting, solitude and silence, worship, evangelism, fellowship, confession, learning and studying, journaling, service, and celebration. Practicing the Spiritual Disciplines is one of the major ways of developing Christlikeness. Since I have previously covered this aspect of spiritual growth at some length, I won’t spend time in this series reviewing each of these disciplines, though I will touch on a few of them. But I highly recommend that you read or reread these articles to complement this series, since these two concepts are inseparably intertwined.

In this series, I’m focusing on developing Christlikeness within us, which entails the serious character-building work it takes to live the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament. This has to do with intentionally living in the kingdom of God. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus taught about the kingdom of God, sometimes referred to as the kingdom of heaven. He taught that the kingdom is both future and present. Living within the kingdom in the present means that we allow God to rule and reign in our lives, acknowledging and honoring Him as the one who created us. It means seeking to live in a way that honors and gives glory to Him, by doing our best to live according to His words in Scripture.

In order to become more Christlike, to live more kingdom-centered lives, we need to put in effort to align our lives, decisions, actions, and spirit with God and His Word. Doing so means “putting off” some aspects of ourselves and our character, and “putting on” aspects of Christlikeness. It means cultivating the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.13 As we do our part to raise the sails, we grow in Christlikeness.

11 Zigarelli, Cultivating Christian Character.

12 Ibid., 39.

13 Galatians 5:22–23.

Directors Corner TFI

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Raising Our Sails (Part 2)

There is a Time for Everything: Cultivating an Atmosphere of Strong Faith

Faith is an extremely powerful spiritual force, and we need lots of faith!

Faith is what enables us to expect and receive great things from God. It's not something that we can work up, but it is something that we can open our spirits to receive in full measure if we're strong in the Word, if we're willing to let go of the past, if we're humble and obedient and putting on the Lord's mind--As we live in the Word and let His power flow through us, we will become the living Word, a living testimony of God's power and promises--So be humbly confident in the Lord's anointing in you, and the fact that the anointing is going to grow. Maria Fontaine

Clearly, doing as these passages advise takes effort. “Put to death,” “put away,” and “put on” are all actions. None of these things—whether putting on kindness, humility, patience, compassion, or putting away anger, malice, covetousness, evil desire—happens naturally. They are the fruit of a life transformed and empowered by the Holy Spirit as we follow what Scripture teaches, as we apply our faith to our life. They have to do with intentional spiritual growth, with the development of Christian character, which, like any kind of training, involves disciplining oneself to do certain things in a certain way. Once one has put in the time and effort to train, to break old habits, and to build new ones, then “putting off” the negatives and “putting on” the positives becomes more natural, as we are gradually changed by the Holy Spirit.

When speaking of putting effort toward disciplining oneself, I don’t mean to infer that this is something we can do on our own, without God’s help or grace—we most certainly can’t. But neither can we expect the Holy Spirit to change us without any effort or action on our part. We struggle with sin throughout our lives, and while God forgives us for our sins, we are expected to endeavor to avoid sinning. We are to “put to death” and “put away” those things which draw us away from Christlikeness, and to “put on” a new self, to live as best we can as the new creature that we have become in Christ.

I think most of us try to do this, and we are moderately successful at it. However, the more I’ve studied and learned about our faith, the more deeply I’ve understood the significant difference that living what Scripture teaches makes in one’s life. Putting in the effort and self-discipline to intentionally work toward growth in Christlikeness brings greater happiness, relationship with God, sense of fulfillment, and joyful living.

I recently read the analysis of a survey by Michael A. Zigarelli, a Christian author, showing comparisons between what the author called low-virtue, average-virtue, and high-virtue Christians.11 He was trying to find out what made high-virtue Christians different. His results showed that of the 5,000 Christians surveyed, most were average-virtue Christians. He then went on to identify the differences between the average and the high-virtue Christians. Those he categorized as high-virtue were those who put effort into doing specific things which resulted in Christian character growth. He also made the point that average-virtue Christians could, with some extra effort, become high-virtue ones. (Continued in Final)

**
Future Prospects: Work those Spiritual Muscles!

(Jesus:) With each test you face, the process will become more and more clear, until your faith muscles are strong and exercised and you can put them to use with a moment's hesitation. Teach of you will become as a Prizefighter, One of My Commandos, Skilled and Trained for all Scenarios, and Ready for the Darkest Days that will Ever Fall Upon the World."

Directors Corner TFI

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Raising Our Sails (Part 1)

by Peter Amsterdam February 9, 2016

More Like Jesus

Anything that we want to do well at in life requires effort. Those who are tops in their field, whatever it may be, in large part achieve what they do because they work hard at it. The same holds true for Christians growing in Christlikeness and becoming the people God intended for us to be. It takes work as we consciously and deliberately develop godly beliefs, habits, attitudes, thinking, and behavior. It also calls for intentionally letting go of wrong beliefs, harmful habits, ungodly attitudes, erroneous thinking, and bad behavior.1

Throughout the New Testament, we read about the concept of “putting off” or removing aspects of our lives—both inner thoughts and feelings, and the resultant outward actions—which fight against Christlikeness. Meanwhile, we are to be “putting on” or adding to our lives those things which develop godliness. The idea of putting something off clearly calls for a decision to be made and action to be taken. The same holds true for putting something on. Let’s look at some New Testament passages about putting off, followed by some which speak of putting on:

Putting Off

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: s*xual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry … you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.2

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor.3 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.4 Put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.5 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.6Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.7

Putting On

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.8

The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light … put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.9 Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and … be renewed in the spirit of your minds … put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.10

1 Many points in this article are summarized from Cultivating Christian Character, by Michael A. Zigarelli (Colorado Springs: Purposeful Design Publications, 2005).

2 Colossians 3:4–5, 8–10.

3 Ephesians 4:25.

4 Ephesians 4:31.

5 James 1:21.

6 1 Peter 2:1.

7 Hebrews 12:1.

8 Colossians 3:12–15.

9 Romans 13:12,14.

10 Ephesians 4:22–24.

Directors Corner TFI

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This is a list of Keys707's Blogs. Click here for Keys707's Blog List

Keys707 Blog (464)

Spiritual Pest and Problems (Part 4)

Spiritual Pests & Problems (Part 3)

Spiritual Pests & Problems (Part 2)

Spiritual Pests And Problems! (Part 1)

The Divine Exchange - Final

The Divine Exchange (Part 2)

"The Divine Exchange" (Part 1)

Spiritual Buoyancy - Final

Spiritual Buoyancy (Part 1)

Raising Our Sails - Final

Raising Our Sails (Part 2)

Raising Our Sails (Part 1)

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