Over the last many months I have started doing some prayer coaching.  These are prayer appointments I set with people I know or who are personally referred to me. 

During these sessions, the Spirit of God impresses things upon me, and often times they are words of affirmation and words of knowledge.  The Spirit speaks and reveals things for the purpose of setting people free and deeper levels of healing.  He does it in a way that honors privacy and deepens their trust in His perfect knowledge of them.  So during a recent session, He revealed the person receiving prayer had misperceptions about God as Father. 

The first 15 to 20 minutes of a session includes talking about what is burdening, so I have an idea of how to begin in prayer and what to cover in prayer.  What's interesting is the LORD often takes the time in a direction that reveals a root issue that was either not mentioned in the beginning or something the person was not aware of.  During the time of intercession, the LORD brought a word to my mind, which I didn’t understand, so I shared it, and it led to this confession coming out, “Nothing’s happening because I’m being punished.”  It shocked her that she said it, realizing right after that she didn’t know she believed her life frustrations were because she thought God was punishing her.  It was truly a moment of revelation for her!

But you see, God saw that in her, and reached in during our session, and drew it out through giving a Spirit led word for us to talk about.  This then it steered her heart to make an honest confession that was a unspoken belief causing her lots of distress.  It was the answer to her prayer request, to understand why she just recently started struggling with feeling lost, anxious, and carrying a gnawing and continual undercurrent of anxiety.  After God spoke what He spoke, it all made sense to her!  

This is a critical example of why we are not to search ourselves.  When we do it, leads to burden and lies.  This is why we come into God’s presence and ask for his insight. 

Proverbs 20:5- The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.

The things brewing within us are indeed deep and dark waters.  We aren't to plumb the depths.  It overwhelms us.  Instead, we are to turn to the One who has insight, the One who knows our thoughts (1 Chronicles 28:9).  The Spirit of Christ has insight because the Father knows the mind of the Spirit and intercedes for us according to His will.  He reveals and is Wonderful Counselor, Isaiah 9:6.

When he does the searching, it leads to breakthrough and peace.  In the prayer appointments God often goes further with people, to reveal root issues.  In the session I'm referencing today, God went further to show his little one that her self-talk was a form of self-torture, taking herself through endless questions.  “What am I doing wrong?”  “What have I missed?”  “What do I need to do?”  “I must not be getting something.”  “I must be missing what God is saying.”

This type of continual self-talk is creating confusion, fueling a feeling of being lost, creating a continual undercurrent of anxiety, and exhausting her.  But God was present to call it out and speak tenderly to her in terms to validate her as his child, invite her closer, remind her to enjoy his presence, deepen in trust, and use the season of waiting to prepare for His timing of promotion!

Jesus too had to wait on God’s perfect timing.  He had a season of waiting.  The Son of God was not released into ministry until 30 years old.  Think about the fact that He was not BAPTIZED with the Spirit until he was baptized by John, Mark 1:9-11. 

Certainly prior to this, He carried the Spirit (Luke 1:35), but there was a BAPTISM of the Spirit to drive Him forward in greater power from then on.  We are told in the moment of his baptism, the Heavens opened; the Spirit descended upon him; and the Father affirmed him, “You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased.”  Immediately after this, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness to face and overcome temptation, Mark 1:12.

The Spirit is also to drive you.  He is your power to overcome all forces against you and reveal the life of Christ through you. 

John's baptism was unto repentance, but Jesus came to baptize you with the Holy Spirit, Mark 1:8.

Romans 8:16 tells us the Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.  Through the Spirit of God in you, HE TESTIFIES TO YOU.  He leads you to life and peace, not confusion and disorder and death.  The Spirit is the voice who speaks the words of the Father to your spirit to affirm you.  Do you hear God in this way, or are you torturing yourself with endless questions and thinking God is punishing you?   If you have never had affirmation within that you are a child of God, that is a red flag for an area of healing desperately needed.

Have you been baptized?  At the end of the Gospel of Mark Jesus says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

Remember, Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit.  This is not a religious requirement of water baptism.  It is a spirit requirement poured out upon those who profess the name of Jesus, Acts 1:8.  Today, I invite you to meditate upon Jesus’ baptism and let it uncover longing.  Do you want more?  Do you want greater revelation, encounter, a closer walk with God? 

Be bold!  By faith, ask for more of the Spirit!  By faith, ask for baptism!   Don't reason it through!

I was already filled with the Spirit, but a time came where God challenged me to ask for more!  Read that blog HERE- ARE BELIEVERS FILLED MORE THAN ONCE?  

"God, with help from the Holy Spirit, help this one envision the moment of Jesus' baptism.  Give them eyes to see the Heavens open, give them sight to see the Spirit descend on Jesus.  Give them ears to hear the Father’s words of affirmation speaking from Heaven, "You are my Son, with you I am well-pleased"  Stir them within to long for Spirit-filled encounter.  What are they longing for?  What thoughts and unspoken beliefs block the work of the Spirit in them?  Lord, you have perfect insight to what is happening within them.  God show them what is blocking their freedom, preventing deeper healing, and standing in the way of joy filled time with you.  Baptize them afresh with power from on high.  Move in them to ask for more of the Spirit!  ASK FOR MORE OF THE SPIRIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Amen!  

Simple moments. Around a table. Texting with a friend. As you put your child to bed. While meeting up for coffee. While on a date. At a check out. While waiting for a meeting to start...

"Let me tell you about what God did for me today.."

Psalm 66:16 says- Come and hear, all you who fear God, let me tell you what He has done for me.

We are to invite others to HEAR what God has done for us. Notice the psalmist calls those who fear God to listen. Often those who don’t fear Him won’t listen. But as we share amongst those willing to "come and hear", we encourage each other. We strengthen ourselves in the wait. We realize we are not alone. We influence our little ones and the next generation to love and honor God. And this is a worshipful act. We can do it around others not willing to listen, but are within earshot. It will perhaps invite questions and curiosity, releasing the power of God through our confession. It encourages other people to consider the promises of God. He helps us to love one another and Him in deeper ways. He wants us to celebrate Him together, to gather and give thanks and praise!

When is the last time you said to someone, “Listen to what God has done, or just did for me…”? It can be as simple as saying, “I really have to share that God got me through this day. I woke up fearful, but I admitted that to Him first thing, and then had a strength not my own for the rest of the day.. He heard my prayer and helped me.” As we make these simple confessions to each other on how we rely on Him in the finite moments and troubles of our lives, we worship Him. We spread good news, encourage the saints, and glorify His name.

Today, who is someone who fears God that you can tell them what God has done for you?

“Come and hear, all you who fear God, let me tell you what He has done for me.”- Psalm 66:16

If you want to go further in this form of worship, listen in to Wednesday 8/11/21's podcast for this exercise of worship of "Come and hear". You will take the instrumental time to tell Him...

• “You Lord have not treated me as my sins have deserved. You have been so merciful. Thank you for providing clean water, a place to lay down in safety. You have sustained me despite my wanderings...” (​Add your own details.)

And then take the simple action before you lay your head down tonight, to tell someone else what God has done for you. Let’s practice it. Let’s make it a habit of encouraging each other in these ways and so worship Him to the glory of His Name! "Come and hear all God has done for me!"

Many of us have experienced real loss over the last year and a half.  And in that loss there is grief.  But is it a grief we acknowledge to ourselves, to God?

I've talked and prayed for a good handful of people who have men in their life who, over the last year or so, have been overcome by anxiety, who are shut down and inaccessible.  Their loved ones are afraid, and do not know what to do.  

God knows all about the hidden, suppressed, overwhelming grief.  Interestingly, during my "career" (really a call) of interceding for others, one of the most consistent messages that the Holy Spirit impresses upon me is that many of His people are grieving, and need to come into His presence for healing.  This requires openness in His presence and being vulnerable with God. 

But will you do that?  (Pause and consider.)  When is the last time you went to your Heavenly Father and shared your sorrow with him?  Are you always trying to keep it together when you talk to Him? 

He wants to comfort you.  

Psalm 34:18- The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Healing requires we do not stuff, hide or stop emotion that feels uncomfortable.  Some attempt to talk things through with others, and find comfort.  Some go to a counselor and find help.  Some think a pill is the answer to manage the complexities of their soul.  But these all come up short. 

There is nothing like being held in the strong and safe arms of Jesus.  He has a supply for you that no man knows anything about.  He has the power and willingness to supernaturally reach in and heal you in ways no one else can.  He puts people back in their right mind. He takes bad memories.  He reframes hopelessness.  He heals the darkest, most disturbing things that are stealing your peace.  

But... 

We resist.  We need to stop resisting. We need to let down our walls.  We need to give Him the opportunity.  We need to grieve in His presence. We can bring Him the deepest hurts and He will heal. 

I'm not going to take time now to go in depth with my personal story, but know I have experienced deep healings in mind and heart (and body!)  through letting God into my grief, I specifically looked to Him as my central resource for deep healing.  He promised me He would heal me, and I believed Him.  It was not a one and done moment, it took a good couple of years to do some really deep work, but as I tasted each new freedom, from that which held me captive, I was made new with purpose, peace, joy health, wisdom, strength, discernment, etc..  So I have I continued investing in His presence and ways!  How can I not?  He captured my heart in the process!  

He wants to capture yours too!

I encourage you to listen to episode #290 of the Peace Be Still podcast for a similar message and interactive session.  He is the God who collects our tears. He knows your pain.  He suffered to levels we know nothing about in order to know our pain.  Let Him minister to you.  Believe!  God does not change.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!  Our living God still heals!

Some scriptures on mothers:

Ephesians 6:1-2 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 

Matthew 12:48-50- He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Isaiah 40:11- He tends his flock like a shepherd:
    He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
    he gently leads those that have young.

Psalm 139:13-14- For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.

Proverbs 23:25- May your father and mother rejoice;
    may she who gave you birth be joyful!

Titus 2:3-4- Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children,​

  PRAYER:

We celebrate mothers today Lord! We're thankful, reflective and wanting our mothers to know we honor them.  Help us love them deeply; and wherever there may be strain, lead us to forgive our mothers and love them as directed by you. 

We want our mothers to know you and ask that you bless them with a fresh revelation from the Spirit.  May they receive holy promise, and be led with your life and power.  God we praise you for your perfect design for them to carry new life, deliver, and nurture.  May each mother know that you see them, love them, want to bless them.

May we freshly express to our human mothers and spiritual mothers that they are honored for their countless selfless sacrifices, their tender mercies, their protective love, their longing to do the best that they can with what they know.  Bless them with your presence God.  Reveal yourself to them in their deepest area of need.  Let them know you see their tears, understand their worries, connect with their longings for their families, and celebrate their victories. 

Lift her face to look at you and be transformed by your love and light. 

Pause and agree.  "Yes LORD, transform _______ (insert mother's name) by your love and light."

Direct her thoughts to reflect on what is good, holy, and pure. 

Help each mother hold on to hope in the midst of storms.  To believe nothing shall be impossible with you God.  Encourage their hearts that you hear their cries for their families.  

Help her cast her cares on you Jesus, to be anxious for nothing but in everything with prayers and persistence to submit her requests to you and then trust.  Help her let go for the peace of God that transcends all understanding to guard her heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Strengthen her with power that comes from the Spirit for every need. 

By faith we bless mothers with gifts from on high, for every good and perfect gift comes from above from the Father of Heavenly lights, in whom there is no shadow of turning.  We acknowledge Jesus that you have designed mothers to be like a glue that holds the family together.  Help them in the daily battle to keep things running smoothly, and to be sustained in the chaos!  Encourage her to gather her family for family time, to represent your will and ways to her children and/or  grandchildren, to have opportunity to renew herself in body, mind, and spirit.  Let her be a beautiful expression of your mercies and power and love and truth to the children under her care.  Let her greatest longing as a mom be one of a spiritual mother, intent to instill godly values and promise into the children under her wings. 

Sustain and heal families with your power.  Keep moms' hearts soft and pliable, open and receptive to your work, will, and Spirit.  Let them not become weary in doing good, for they shall reap a harvest in due time.  Teach them to cling to you in these days, reminding them that they are your child first and foremost, and they need to be held like a child by you, sustained and helped by you to be the mom they long to be. 

Thank you Jesus; for the beauty and transformative work of motherhood.  Bless this one as they rise in your graces.  Let others notice the beauty that becomes evident after spending this time in your presence.  Amen.

Do you know a mom that needs this blessing?  Will you please forward this to them?  Multiply this prayer to mothers!  Today's podcast is a similar prayer exercise to listen in and follow along found here- ​https://www.spreaker.com/user/12247282/280-friend-fri-a-prayer-of-blessing-for-

Often I have conversations with people about upset and disappointment.  And what is always evident is that we as humans skew naturally to the disappointment... to dwell upon it, and then carry it as our form of meditation.  We rehearse and rehearse, too often without releasing it regularly on to the shoulders of our burden bearer. 

To check that, what are you ruminating on right now?  What have you spent much of your week rehearsing?  Positive or negative things?

The things that burden us are typically not trivial things, but heart centric things.  Maybe we are making mountains out of mole hills in certain circumstances; but more than likely, our upset can be traced to deeper issues related to betrayal of trust, unforgiveness, disappointment, pride, lies, hurt, etc. 

Here are some examples of what people have recently confessed to me, that is consuming them:  

- a teenager who told her mom that she is bi-sexual and a satanist
- a woman who is consumed with anxiety that her senior mother's life depends on her sustaining her mom
- an adult who is caught in the middle of lifelong friends who cannot resolve their philosophical differences, so now their friendship circle is broken
- an adult son who has so much conflict with his mother that he wants nothing to do with her, but is wrestling with that choice within and its causing great anxiety
- an adult who wonders why God allowed 3 different big disappointments within the last month
- an adult who is grieving a death of a loved one, while also discovering upsetting secrets of another loved one

We are carrying burdens, deep, heart centric burdens.  Instead of rehearsing them constantly, we need to give ourselves a break and just enjoy Jesus!  We rehearse too much!  We need to process in His presence.  But practice positioning in rest so He can speak peace to still the storm!  

Do not draw away from Him in trial, let it lead to personal transformation through His supply of resurrection power! That is not a platitude, it is a promise.  And it is discovered in His presence!

And BONUS...  it can be done without words!  You can do this by visualizing spiritual promises from the Bible.  No words needed, just a willingness to "see" the pictures Jesus paints in His word.

Jesus tells us to cast our care upon Him, 1 Peter 5:7.  What if you saw Him carrying what you are trying to carry right now?  

He understands.  See Jesus carrying it.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you form images in your mind.  In inexplicable ways, the Holy Spirit will do supernatural lifting of burdens within as you release them to Jesus.  I hope you try the following exercise.

A VISUALIZATION EXERCISE:

Isaiah 61:1-3 has a handful of pictures for you to use in His presence without words.  Pick one from below, and then place yourself in a humble position in His presence.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you as you begin.  "God I need help visualizing Jesus' promises, bring them to life within my mind's eye."

• The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord resting on you
• Jesus binding up your broken heart.
• Jesus releasing you from a prison of darkness
• Jesus comforting you in your mourning
• Jesus exchanging your ashes for a crown of beauty
• Jesus depositing within you the oil of joy instead of mourning
• Jesus lifting off a spirit of despair, clothing you with a garment of praise.

The unbelief in you might be tempted to say, "That's ridiculous, how will it help me to picture any of these?  As soon as I get up, my reality will be unchanged and the stress will remain."

Cast down that argument.  Hold your thoughts captive to the promises of Christ.  He says, "Look to me.  Do not doubt, only believe.  Set your eyes on things above, not on earthly things.  Ascend." 

Believe in the power of God! Believe in His spiritual promises! Be blessed in your time with God!  If you want to experience more visualization of scripture, please listen in every Tuesday to Peace Be Still Daily prayer download!  Listenership continues to grow!  Praise God!

Here are a few direct links to our Monday - Friday podcast:

• Apple- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-be-still-daily-prayer-download/id1506101286
• Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/2iswiKhfl0Zkg7RYjLWHgt
• Spreaker- https://www.spreaker.com/show/peace-be-still-daily-prayer-download 

The program can also be found on Amazon Music, Podbean, iHeart, Google podcasts, Castbox, etc.  Blessings!  

​

Today being Good Friday, we’ll look upon Jesus’ suffering, because the punishment that was upon him brings us peace, and by his wounds we are healed, Isaiah 53:5.

One of the most beautiful promises Jesus brings us is a promise to renew our mind, to calm, soothe, and still our emotions.  Jesus puts us back in our right mind.  It is a continual renewal of thoughts that he promises.  It is experienced through remaining with Him.  But everything is not always up and to the right as Christians.  We struggle.  It’s a clue indicating our critical need to deepen in relationship with Jesus.  In Western culture, anxiety was at epidemic proportions prior to the pandemic, so what now?  Of course, it has increased.  No need to quote statistics, we are living it out, we know anxiety has increased.

Does Jesus care?  Does He understand the anxiety that overwhelms?  Yes, he does and we find clues of his extreme mental and emotional distress when we read the accounts of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before he goes to the cross.  The book of Mark and Matthew inform us that Jesus admits to his disciples that his soul is overwhelmed to the point of death.  The book of Mark tells us that he fell to the ground and prayed.  He didn’t kneel and pray, he fell to the ground.  Both Mark and Matthew tell us he agonized for a long time in prayer, praying 3 different times, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”  The book of Luke reveals that he was sweating profusely in this agonizing time of prayer, and was so disturbed within, it triggered a rare physiological condition where he sweat blood.  The condition is called hematidrosis and is extremely rare, with only a handful of documented cases.  All who experienced it were victims of extreme mental and emotional trauma and terrifying violence.

Piece all those Gospel clues together.  Jesus falls to the ground, a sign of physical weakness from overwhelming internal turmoil.  He agonizes in prayer 3 different times through the night.  He is not getting a good night’s sleep before going to the cross.  He is running on no sleep.  And though an angel comes to strengthen him, Luke records that after, he was still in anguish, Luke 22:44.  Jesus kept praying, and doing so even more earnestly.  In this state, he was sweating profusely, his sweat mixed with drops of blood, the drops falling to the ground. 

When you piece the Gospel accounts together, can you see how clear it is that Jesus was experiencing mental and emotional distress at a level no one else ever will?  Your worst panic attack?  Your soul crushing depression?  Jesus knows.  He went there.  He bore the burden.  He experienced it all.  He carried the weight of it all upon Himself and took all human brokenness, all sin, all shame, all sickness to the cross. 

In the midst of this distress, Jesus gives his disciples a prayer challenge, “Could you not keep watch for one hour?"  He was worried for them, urging his disciples to watch and pray so they would not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  He knew the spiritual traps coming to test Peter.  He had just told Simon Peter after the Passover meal, "Satan has asked to sift you like wheat", Luke 22:31.

Peter's saving grace was that Jesus prayed for Peter's faith not to fail, Luke 22:32. Praise God today that He is your continual intercessor...

Hebrews 7:25- "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."

Are you sleeping?  Tell God, confess your weaknesses.  Wait in the mercy of His presence.  Call on help from the Holy Spirit if you do not know what to pray, Romans 8:26-27.

Peter and the other disciples slept despite the warnings.  And the consequences are immediately obvious.  Peter responds in the flesh at the first temptation, acting violently, pulling his sword and cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant who come to seize Jesus, Mark 14:47.  Jesus however responds in the Spirit, taking the man’s ear and putting it back on his head, fully restoring his ear, Luke 22:51. 

Flesh versus Spirit!  What a difference in terms of outcome, Romans 8:6!

Let the example of Jesus urging his disciples to watch and pray challenge you to take some quiet time.  Assess.  What is the state of your walk with Jesus today?   Are you prayed up?  Are you in the flesh or in the Spirit?  Take all anxiety and internal upset to Jesus to be strengthened by Him.  He understands your anxiety.  He's endured on your behalf.  He promises to comfort you.  Practice staying longer in His presence, resting under the covering of His precious blood shed on the cross.  Please visit our podcast page to find some inspiration to linger longer with God.  Amen.