My Friend

I have a friend who is looking for people to pray for.  His eyes are wide open to see anyone who might be sick, diseased or hurting in anyway.   Then if they allow, he prays for them and invites Holy Spirit to show up and Holy Spirit does!   And Holy Spirit is showing up more and more!  There were so many testimonies at the Emergency department of the local hospital that he got told to come back whenever he wanted!


This can be your testimony too!  This fellow hasn't been saved more than two years.  He saw a few healing services and how people were healed and went after it.... consistently.  God's rewarding him.  Like the Bible says, "He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him." (Prov. 8:17)

This fellow doesn't know his Bible inside out either.  He just loves Holy Spirit and makes time to fellowship with Holy Spirit.... when Holy Spirit nudges him.   That's a huge key right there.  Too many people miss out on God because it's inconvenient or they are busy doing something else.

Another key I have noticed in this man's life, is that he has also followed the little nudges like the hair standing up on his arms. He'll say, "He's here now."

I wonder how many of us have out-reasoned ourselves from an encounter with God by not acknowledging Him when he showed up in little ways.   This fellow has been faithful with little and now he's been given much!  The atmosphere is electric around him!  He starts talking about Holy Spirit and you can feel Heaven around you!  My eyes start to tear up and the hair on my arms stands up too.


Anyhow..... if you want more of God try these ideas and I am sure you will get a breakthrough-- just like he did!  God is on your side and is not trying to punish you.  He has said that never again will he be angry with us. Hallelujah!  We can always take him at his word. He wants us to have encounters with Him everyday.


I bless you with more of his love and courage.  May we always be bold and stouthearted.  Lord go ahead of us and prepare the way for us.  Help us to seize the opportunities to pray for people.  Help us to remember to get them to check to see if there's a difference!  Help us to be diligent about seeking you Lord.  Amen!

Big hugs,
Brenda Gale Thompson

Protecting A Service

Sometimes in services we have to deal with witches and witchcraft that has been sent against us. I'm going to give you a quick check list of things to be aware of and give you some ideas of what to pray.  This is not an exhaustive list by any means, just some things that I have learned along the way.

When you walk into a service and feel restless ask the Lord what's going on.  Don't assume it's you unless you have been struggling with something previously.

If you get the sense that the worship is going nowhere ask Holy Spirit what's going on.  Many times the enemy will come in between services and lay down curses and try to put a fog over the building so that the people can't ascend in worship. John 4:23, 3John 2, Eph. 2:6, 10, Psalm 100:6, Jer. 1:10 are good scripture declarations.

If you notice that there is hurt or offense over petty things where you KNOW you have lots of love for these people, start asking the Lord questions.  Psalm 119:165 is your defense. Because we love his word nothing can cause us to stumble or take offense.  Also, we lay down our lives for the brethren, God's love is shed abroad in our hearts by Holy Spirit. Let not the pride of our hearts deceive us Lord. (1John 3:16, Rom 5:5, Obad. 1:3)

If you notice lots of distracting things going on ask Holy Spirit what to pray and then obey quickly. Sometimes it's a spirit wanting to disrupt the service and sometimes it's a legitimate need that requires help or assistance.

If you notice people falling asleep during the service it could be a spirit of stupor coming over the people so they don't receive the word of God.  You can come against that in the spirit by praying for alertness, that Holy Spirit would wake them up, etc., etc. The words you declare have power especially when you use the word of God and plead the blood of Jesus.

If you ever see a leader, start to stumble while they are sharing, start praying in tongues.  Sometimes a curse sent at a leader will bring confusion to the mind and they need support. Another thing that I have experienced is a physical attack where you are so tired and exhausted that you just want to go home.  Prayer support is required because God has promised to arm us with His strength and power and to make our way perfect. (2Sam. 22:33)

The biggest thing I have learned over the years is to be alert.  When I am too comfortable the enemy can sneak in and wreck havoc in a service.  We must be alert and on guard.  Our leaders, especially the speaker and  worship team  need our protection.


I hope this helps you to be more aware of how important you are in a service. God bless you as you grow into His likeness! (Rom. 8:29)

Big hugs,
Brenda Gale Thompson
(photo courtesy of photobucket.com)

Honor

This is not an easy post for me to write as I am still learning what it means to honor people. I don't have a problem honoring most people, but when they are mean to me,  I want to pull back and protect myself.

What I do know is that the fog that I wrote about in my last post cleared when I chose to honor my husband instead of stating the obvious.  I had the opportunity to say bluntly what he was like, but I chose to say what I appreciated about him instead.

Two minutes later as I was driving home and I got the song, "Here comes the bride, here comes the bride."

So I put two and two together and figured that, for me at least, it's not okay now to state the obvious. It doesn't matter what kind of a stinker he has been, I still have to walk in love. I heard myself telling a lady that when the going gets tough, to just imagine that her husband is Jesus, and how she would you treat him... then act accordingly.

Not the easiest thing to do that's for sure.  It's back to Phil. 4:8... think about (and speak about) whatever is pure, lovely, praiseworthy, noble and of good report.  I am also calling forth those things 'that be not as though they were'. (Rom 4:17)  God told me I could have a better marriage than I dreamed possible and I'm hanging onto his promise and speaking it out loud as a war declaration.

That doesn't mean you don't get help or don't speak the truth.  "I'm hurting, " is very real.  It just means be careful who you talk to. The whole world doesn't need to know about your 'stuff'.  What the Lord told me once is that, "If you wouldn't say it to Me in prayer, then don't say it, period."

It gives us an idea of how far the Lord wants us to take this supernatural love.  Every time we run out of love we can ask Holy Spirit for more because there is an unending supply. (Rom. 5:5, Psalm 136, 1John 4:8)

Since I have been given the opportunity to be on the ministry team at church I have had many more opportunities to pray for people.  I started asking the Lord, "How do I activate your power flowing through me to them?"  He said, "Just love on them."

I started experimenting during ministry times and when I am the support person I just put my hand on them and say quietly how much I love them and how I know that Holy Spirit loves them so much more. People have stopped me and asked me to move my hand to where they hurt because they can feel the heat of Holy Spirit flowing into them. That is very encouraging.

I hope I have helped you. I certainly don't have it all together.  I am going to keep working on this honor thing and not judging another man's servant.  With the Lord's help all things are possible. (1Cor. 1:26-29, Rom. 14:4, Mark 10:27)

Bless you as you go, in Jesus' name!
Big hugs,
Brenda Gale

My Friends

Friends are so important, don't you think?  I have a few good friends that I can call anytime and they will help me with emotional and spiritual support.  It's so nice to know that you have people who believe in you.

My girlfriend wants me to write a book about how to make time to seek God.  What a nice compliment!  I am no pro, that's for sure, but I could probably fill a book with all my bloopers. I can't repeat a joke properly to save anything so I won't even try, but my friends laugh when I mention my daily antics with the job, kids and farm. I am so glad I don't have to try to be somebody I am not.

So, my thought for the day is pray for your friends and be yourself.  God loves us so much for who we are and not for what we can do. Hallelujah! His love sets us free to be ourselves and all that He's dreamed for us.

I bless you with an open Heaven today. May you have His abiding presence with you today.  May you comprehend all the good things He has laid up for you in Heavenly places and may you learn how to pull them down by faith. In Jesus' name I ask.  Amen!