Proclaiming the Favor of the Lord

To start, I have been completely blown away by the intimacy and partnership God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, and I have walked in this week! I could write an entire book on all the revelation that Holy Spirit has guided me into and how I am discovering the Bridegroom, Jesus, and who He is... and then I could begin to touch the way that the Lord has been teaching me about what it means to find favor in His sight. It's overwhelming just to begin thinking about how I can put words to these marvels - but I'm going to try a little. As I go into this quick testimony of a few events in the last week I want to preface with a few quick points. First, some of you reading this may have differing opinions of Holy Spirit, who He is and how He operates in this day - I am speaking from my own experiences and am confident that it's not some bogus "show" put on by some crazy-folk. Secondly, when sharing about these experiences it is only to expand your faith and build confidence in the Living God whom we serve, I pray that everything put down into words here is received as to give God All the Glory and Honor as I testify to His greatness!

It really all started last Thursday, stepping into a new season with the Lord as I walked into my first day as a 21 year old! (Sometimes I forget that I'm young still and it makes me stop to think about my life and the way the Lord desires every day of my life...) That morning had some friends pray over me because I was just feeling the "lacking" in me and the severe mourning that I was unworthy and insufficiency to walk in the anointing and calling to which He has called me to. Not 30 mins later I walked into the coffee shop and an older lady told me that she could just feel the Lord's anointing all over me, I didn't necessarily feel anything but as it was obvious that the Lord had something for her, asked to pray for her and ended up prophesying and confirming words that had previously been spoken over her, of which she told me afterward. It was really encouraging that even when I felt so far away and just lacking, the Lord would use me to minister to His daughter. After talking with her I went to a healing ministry session where some interns prayed over my back (I am still contending for complete healing and removal of all pain in my back) and as one of them went to anoint my head with oil - a literal spark of electricity shocked us! It wasn't like I had been dragging my feet on the carpet, but it was visible and loud enough for everyone around to hear/see it. It was so funny to both of us though I was immediately wondering what just happened because as far as I knew, vegetable oil is not exactly a great conductor of electricity.
A few hours later in the prayer room everyone was pressing into the Lord and we were truly encountering the Lord's heart and Holy Spirit's presence. At one point I felt a tangible change in the atmosphere and felt a great pressure being laid on my shoulders/chest, though no one was around me. It wasn't scary or causing any pain, but rather felt like someone had draped a heavy cloth over me - it was warm and rather peaceful. As I sought the Lord for an explanation I did not gat any clear word, but that it had something to do with a mantle of anointing upon me. Afterwards at lunch I happened to pull out my computer, which I rarely bring with me during the day and honestly didn't know why I had that day, and in checking my email I had received a message from my dear sister, Nina! She had been praying for me a few hours prior and received a vision of a mantle of new/greater anointing upon me... no kidding! She went into greater detail as the Lord had given her a clear image and explanation to what had happened - though she had no idea that it was actually happened as she was praying!!! Our God is so great, that He would orchestrate such an event to build, encourage and share with us!

Friday we were participating in the regular apostolic prayer set that all the Intro and OneThing interns do together every Friday afternoon. A group had begun praying for healing over a woman in our track and I noticed Holy Spirit doing a great work over them - eventually, more out of curiosity of what Holy Spirit was up to than anything else, I joined them and it wasn't long after that a great unleashing of God's presence came upon us. I can try and explain a little of the physical ramifications of this pouring out - there were about 10 or us together and though we'd all been standing at the beginning, by the end we were all laying on the ground. There was travailing as the Lord gave us revelation of His mercy; people were praying in tongues; several later shared that there was an unnatural heat stirred within them, that they felt heat - like their hands, lips, bellies, ears, were on fire at one point; bodies were trembling at the presence of the Lord; some received the joy of the Lord through intense laughter that sprung out of deep places in their souls - one friend, Gavin, said that he had never experienced or felt such joy come out of him before; and other things yet also took place. As for myself I spent most of the 2 HOURS on the floor, my body shaking in the little display of God's presence; at different points I went from my hands, mouth/tongue, and ears were on Fire - felt like a hot ember was buried inside - not that it was painful, but that it was so strong that I couldn't deny something was going on. I received several prophetic words for the group, for specific people, and even saw a number of visions while it lasted. This was not some "show" we put on, in fact most of the people that were apart of this group would tell you that up until that day they had never experienced any "manifestation" of the Holy Spirit outside of speaking in tongues, and that usually they were watching others who had with minds full of doubt and judgement. As I said earlier, none of this is that we focus on the manifestations, but those are a physical testimony to the presence of the Lord and I can tell you that it was a time full of revelation, receiving of prophetic words, wisdom was imparted and anointing was poured out over each person to the measure which the Lord gave. During the 2 hours of this another "glory pool" as some call it, broke out about the same time on the other side of the room with much of the same effects; several people were healed from migraines, epilepsy, and other ailments!
That night a few of us attended Shabbat at a friends' home and the Lord again revealed Himself in a tangible presence sort of way. It wasn't as intense nor thick as it had been earlier, but there was again a release of healing, prophecy, tongues, wisdom and revelation to all those in participation that night. There were even a number of non-Messianic Jews who were being ministered to that night. It was beautiful!

That just tells a little of the experiences and encounters with the Lord I've been having here - granted, I've gone through these seasons of what feels like fresh outpouring of Holy Spirit's anointing many times, but it sure is nice to be walking so intimately with Him right now! I hope to share more with you about what the Lord is revealing to me in relation to the "favor of the Lord," but right now I'm off to bed. There is a weekend "Black History Symposium" that I am an usher for which you can join and watch the live stream at www.ihop.org/blackhistorysymposium/. It started tonight with Dr Alex Gee and has already been challenging me to greater understanding of my weakness and God's love for all peoples! So good - you don't want to miss it I guarantee!

May you be encouraged to grow a greater appetite for the Lord's presence - Blessings to you all!

Love Always

Snowy Kansas City and life as an IHOP intern!

It's been 3 weeks since my last post, and yet it feels like just a couple days ago. The weeks fly past here like a snowflake in the wind with hardly a chance to stick and melt.

Woke up this morning to 2-3 inches of snow blanketing Kansas City!

The last few weeks have been astounding! I've spent over 100 hours in the prayer room in the last 3 weeks doing nothing more than prayer and worship. The last few weeks I've also been attending lectures on the book of Revelation and End times, learning about God's love for Israel and the Jewish people and Mike Bickle has started up the continuation of his series entitled, "Jesus: Our Magnificent Obsession." The quality of time spent here at IHOP is so worthwhile! I am loving every minute of it even though it has been filled with challenges. While soaking in the prayer room, I have had the opportunity to face several issues, wounds, and misconceptions that I've gathered over the last few years; spending time in the Word and applying scripture to the condition of my heart has been an incredible time of healing. Through the lectures, and ministry of Holy Spirit in the prayer room, I can literally see the change in myself as I am building up the foundation of Christ's love and growing in the knowledge of Him, that I not serve and minister in zeal alone. (Romans 10:2)

Because I believe it does such a good job at defining my life at this time and the life that I am learning to live daily, I have written out Romans 12 below. It's a very short chapter and I encourage you to read through it, and maybe later to spend some time really praying into the depth of this passage.

Romans 12:1-21 ESV

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."


May the Lord bless you abundantly this week as He fills you with the love and joy of His word!
I'll soon be posting a little something special in honor of my 21st Birthday which was on the 15th!! (exciting huh?!)

My buddies, Jasmine and Bella, keeping me company on the couch today! They greet me at the door every night, leave stuffed mice as presents for my room, and love to cozy up with me whenever I'm around. Love'm! :)

Love Always