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A Prayer for a People in Chaos

The prayers and declarations below are the words of God taken straight from Scripture. Isaiah 55:11 says, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

Isaiah 57:19 further states that God will send healing for He creates “the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near.”

“When we cry out to the Lord in our trouble, He saves us out of our distresses. He sends His word and heals us, and delivers us from our destructions.” –Psalm 107:19-20

Therefore, pray boldly and confidently over a people in chaos that they may remember who they are, and return to God. Your words have power. Speak life to the people of this nation…all of heaven stands in agreement with you.

You are sons and daughters of the Most High King. He is your God, your Father in Heaven.

He loves your with a tender, everlasting love. He has happy thoughts of you that are as countless as the sands on the seashore. You are His offspring. He knew you even before you were conceived. He determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. You are not a mistake, for all your days are written in His book.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. He knit you together in your mother’s womb, and brought you forth on the day you were born. He rejoices over you with singing, for you are his treasured possession.

You are made in His image. And in Him you live and move and have your being. He knows everything about you, though you may not know Him. He knows when you sit down and when you rise up. He is familiar with all your ways. Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.

He will never stop doing good to you. He desires to establish you with all His heart and all His soul. He wants to show you great and marvelous things. You will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart.

God has been misrepresented to you by those who don’t know Him. He is not distant and angry, but He is the complete expression of love. It is His desire to lavish His love on you, simply because you are His child.

Every good gift you receive comes from His hand. He is your Provider and meets all your needs.

His plan for your future has always been filled with hope. Delight in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Your heart is good, fertile soil in which the seed of His Word has been planted and will grow, be fruitful, and multiply.

You are called to promote unity, love, joy, and peace; to scatter seeds of hope and plant seeds of NEW hope.

You are mighty lights for God on this earth, and you will push back darkness and chaos where ever it crosses paths with you.

You are living stones built in a spiritual house. You mind, body and soul will submit to the Spirit of the Living God.  And you will hear the voice of the Living God in your spirit.

He is able to do more for you than you can possibly imagine, for He is your greatest encourager. He is the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. When you are brokenhearted, He is close to you. As a shepherd carries a lamb, He has carried you close to His heart. He will wipe away every tear from your eyes. And He will take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. Because He lives, you will also live.

He is for you, not against you. Because of Jesus, He does not count your sins against you. Nothing can separate you from His love ever again. Come home. He is waiting for you, watching for you, and will run to you to receive you unto Himself.

Behold, He makes all things new.

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I Can’t Breathe

Over the weekend, I felt overwhelmed as I took in the news. Death. Riots. More death. More destruction. Cities overrun by thieves and murderers.

In the middle of all of it, as our freedom to move about and do business was starting to return, Virginia’s governor slammed it back down by mandating masks for everyone, telling them to keep being afraid and keep hiding.

These words that people took up as a rallying cry mean more than they realize:

I can’t breathe.

The constant fear all around me. The call to hide, to distance, to be afraid.

The masks. They’re all fake. We all wear them one way or another. We judge each other for them. They are talismans of false security and safety.

I can’t breathe.

I went to the Lord.

I can’t breathe.

He comforted me. And simply said to take off the mask, breathe life, and speak these words over a people in chaos.

“Speak boldly, confidently,” he said, “and all of Heaven will stand in agreement with you. And it shall be done.”

A Declaration for a People in Chaos

You are sons and daughters of the Most High King.
He is your God, your Father in Heaven.

You are loved by God.

You will act like sons and daughter of the King, and think like sons and daughters of the King.

You mind, body and soul will submit to the Spirit of the Living God.  And you will hear the voice of the Living God in your spirit.

Your heart is good, fertile soil in which the seed of His Word has been planted and will grow, be fruitful, and multiply.

You are mighty lights for God on this earth, and you will push back darkness and chaos where ever it crosses paths with you.

You are living stones built in a spiritual house. 

You will walk in victory and see the goodness of God in everything you set you hands to. 

Because He lives, you will also live. 

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Halloween and Christians

This year, I prayed a lot about how we “celebrate” Halloween in my family. I had listened to a lot of viewpoints from people I respect. And they varied from “it’s just fun, no big deal” to “it’s a time of outreach” to “it’s the devil’s holiday and we must not take any part in it.”

What was I to do or think?

A little background first: These past several years, I’ve delved deeper into God’s word and sought to understand deeper spiritual truths and principles. I wanted more than the Christian-looking life I felt like I was living since I became a believer in 1993. I wanted a heart that was after God’s own heart, and wanted to hear the voice of my Lord, and most importantly, follow Him wherever He led me.

As a result, I decided last year I wanted nothing to do with Halloween. No trick or treating, no decorations, no giving out candy.

I do believe it is a “high holiday” for the Satanic and the occult so I wanted nothing to do with it. I figured better safe than sorry. No judgment on people who do take part, it’s not a salvation issue, it’s a personal decision.

I told my kids we’d have a special dinner and movie, and maybe I can do a candy bar for them. But, they weren’t impressed.

They were sad about missing the “fun” but were willing to do whatever I decided.

As this October approached, I still didn’t have clarity, or how much was too much. I still felt like I was following rules without a heart conviction (which, in my book, is just religion), and was missing God’s heart in this.

Even up to the day before Halloween, I was trying to figure out a way to handle Halloween without my kids feeling like they missed out on fun.

As it often happens with God, he waits until the 11th hour, or less, to answer our prayers. In my case, it was afterwards that I realized He was leading me all along without telling me beforehand.

I’ve learned that He likes doing that…it builds and reveals our faith.

Before I tell you what we did, I want to share with you what He said to me when later that night, I asked what His stance was on Halloween.

He said “Take back for the Kingdom what the enemy has stolen. Celebrate me everyday, in everything. Take back fun for the children. Have nothing to do with evil or the appearance of evil. But celebrate, honor, glorify me. I don’t need a Christian veneer over a pagan holiday. I need you to love others the way I love them.”

He doesn’t want us to be afraid or avoid the enemy’s territory, but to boldly go in with the power of God’s love, and claiming what belongs to Him: the children.

And fun. God wants us to have fun.

So, all of October, God had put on my heart to walk around my neighborhood and pray for the children, for the families, and pray for their protection against the enemy. I blessed them and declared that they belonged to God and that the power of the enemy was null and void in this place.

On Halloween, I got a bunch of candy for my kids and decided to do a scavenger hunt for them around the house. As I was driving home, I got the idea to give them each 20 seconds to hunt for candy whenever they made a basketball shot. They loved it.

Turns out, my 7 year old son doesn’t even like to dress up in costumes or go trick or treating. He hates the creepy Halloween stuff. He just likes the candy. And my teen daughter preferred giving out candy over knocking on doors and asking for candy.

I also bought candy to give to trick or treaters and we prayed for every child that came to our home for candy. Not out loud in front of them (that would really scare them!).

We prayed for them beforehand and in our hearts. I did a final prayer walk around the neighborhood that night, blessing all the people who were out.  

At the end of the night, after a quiet time with the Lord, I knew we had done good. I didn’t run away from the works of the devil as if it was some germ infested carcas that I was not to touch or look upon. Again, that’s just religious rules.

I did what Jesus was called to do on this earth: destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8).

Through prayer. 

Through God’s love for every child, man and woman and his desire to bless and deliver them.

Through faith that I am who He says I am, and I have been given the power and authority to take power over all the power of the enemy, and destroy the works of devil. (Luke 10:19)

“Take back for the Kingdom what the enemy has stolen. Celebrate me everyday, in everything. Take back fun for the children. Have nothing to do with evil or the appearance of evil. But celebrate, honor, glorify me. I don’t need a Christian veneer over a pagan holiday. I need you to love others the way I love them.” – God

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About Hurricanes and Disasters: Questions That Make People Uncomfortable

With Hurricane Harvey behind us, Irma coming at us, and two more brewing in our seas (not to mention the massive earthquake off the coast of Mexico), people are turning toward God.

Some are praying for protection, some are asking why. Some blame him. Some are just angry–all the more reason to stay away from him. 

I’ve seen believers and non-believers alike offer a variety of explanations from “it’s God’s wrath and judgment being unleashed on a country that has turned its back on God” to “God reminding us of his power and our need for him” to “God displaying his glory and majesty” to “it’s just man-made climate change.”

But each of those explanations leads to even more questions.

Just Thinking Out Loud Here

For example, if it’s God’s wrath and judgment, then why does the bible say that God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved? (John 3:17)

And then in 2 Peter 3:9, we read God is not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance.

If what we read in these verses is true, then why would God send judgement in the form of destruction and death? Yes, there will be a final judgement, but does he send “mini” judgements meanwhile, just to keep us on our toes? 

And then what about the people who are living righteously before God, but whose lives and homes have been (or will be) turned upside down? What about the churches and organizations who are doing good, serving people, showing God’s love to people? Do they deserve this judgement? Did they need to be kept on their toes? Or do we write them off as casualties of God’s judgement and wrath?

I wonder….would a God who keeps a sparrow under his watchful eye, allow so many seemingly careless casualties of human life, who are far more valuable to Him (Luke 12:6-7)?

Who is this God Really?

Jesus says, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9). And that He only does what He sees His Father do.

Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, and calmed the storm. 

He only did what he saw His Father doing.

If His Father was causing storms, devastation, and sickness, wouldn’t He be doing the opposite of what the Father was doing?

Doesn’t He say a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:24)?

If God causes these storms just so we would turn to him, wouldn’t he be working against himself?

Wouldn’t that be like a doctor causing sickness just so he could help his patients and prove what a great doctor he is?

God’s Sovereignty

We accept God’s sovereign will and His omnipotence. In our mind, everything that happens happens because it is God’s will. He has allowed it. 

But then I go back to John 3:17 and 2 Peter 3:9 and John 14:9. Is what God desires for us in His heart what always happens on earth?

Or is there some other force that is destroying, killing, and stealing what God has created for our good? 

The devil is the prince of this world ( John 14:30). The authority of the kingdoms of the world has been given to him (Luke 4:6). Even creation is subject to him. (Romans 8:21-23)

Does this somehow undermine God’s sovereignty? If not, is it then ultimately God’s doing?

I wonder if, instead of undermining his sovereignty, it demonstrates it all the more powerfully when he uses it all for good (Romans 8:28) and makes all things new (Rev 21:5).

Like the cross. It was evil that did the work, through the choices of man and his corrupt thinking. But God’s good, perfect, loving will prevailed.

But, and More But…

But if he loves us, if he’s all powerful, why doesn’t he just stop the evil, the destruction? 

If he did, what would become of mankind’s free will? His ability to make choices? It’s what people all over the world value above all things, and are willing to die for: freedom. 

Freedom of choice. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. These are some of the most prized human rights.

I don’t know if I’ll ever fully understood how God’s sovereign will intersects with man’s free will. 

I know He is a God of righteousness AND justice.

Justice is punishment for those who do wrong, and compensation for those who have been wronged. Righteousness is perfect goodness, perfect morality, perfect innocence, perfect love.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne (Psalm 97:2). Without one, His throne topples. His sovereignty is undermined.

How do we reconcile those two, knowing He is also a merciful God?

I wish there was a way to tie up all these questions and answers and knowledge in a neat little package that fits comfortably on my shelf.

Isaiah 43:16: God makes a way, where there is no way. 

Ironically, We’re Left With a Choice

Will we choose to believe our experiences? Will we choose to believe what our eyes see? And our own human logic? Or do we believe God, believe what we don’t see with our eyes? Even if what we see appears to be the opposite of what God says.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1). Things. Not. Seen.

Even if we see death, destruction, devastation, do we let that tell us about God’s heart, God’s will? Or do we let Jesus’s words, His life, and His actions tell us?

“If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. He who has seen me, has seen the Father. ” (John 14:7,9)

I wonder if Jesus is God’s answer to the neat little package we so desperately want. In Jesus, God gave us a peek into how He reconciles righteousness and justice with perfect love and mercy.

So then fix we our eyes on Jesus. And throw off anything that entangles and hinders. We hold on to our hope, our faith. If our eyes tell us differently,  we don’t give up so easily. We persevere. (Hebrews 12:1).

And we don’t blame God, we don’t judge others, we don’t condemn.

In Jesus, God paid too high of a price to redeem His beloved creation to just wipe them out in one fell sweep.

So trust in His mercy, His righteousness, His perfect justice. Keep running the race to draw closer to Him, to advance His Kingdom, and be His light in a dark world.