Seven Keys to Hear God's Voice

                  
What am I going to do with the rest of my life? Where should I go to school? Should I take this job, or is there something better on the horizon? Who should I marry?
Life is a never-ending series of choices. Can we know whether we are making the right decisions? Should we consult our horoscope? Maybe we should call the psychic hot-line? Do we go with what the experts are saying or rely on our gut-feeling?
Should we look to the stars -- or should we seek the Maker of the stars? I recently received an e-mail in response to my article, The Harness of the Holy Spirit in which a reader makes these thought-provoking statements:
"Your article is typical of many books I have read. Everyone talks about doing what the Holy Spirit says, but you do not state how you 'know' it is the voice of GOD. I have yet to read any book or article that can lay that out. It is easy to say The LORD told me to leave this or do that, and I was blessed down the road because of it. Anyone who can present a way one can actually know that the voice they are hearing is from GOD, not man or Satan, would change the world. That's probably why the world hasn't changed."

Well I have good news for my friend, and for you -- God wants to speak to us, and yes, you can 'know' that you hear His voice.
God wants to fellowship and communicate with us. That's two-way communication. Why? Because you can't really have a relationship unless there is true dialogue. How do we get to know a person? By communicating with them. By talking and listening.
It's the same with our relationship with God. He talks, we listen. We talk, He listens.
God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to take our place and to die for us. He did this so that we could once again have fellowship with Him. In the book of Hebrews we see that we can have access to God's very presence, "...having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way..." (Hebrews 10:19-20a).

He also wants us to be fulfilled, blessed and successful in the plan that He has established for our lives -- so that we can be a reflection of His love and blessing in the Earth. In Jeremiah 29:11 the Lord makes clear His intentions for you and I, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
We see in Genesis 3:8a, "...they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day..." This is how God wants to relate to us today as well. It is God's desire to walk with and to communicate with His children.
He wants to talk to us. And He wants us to listen and talk to Him, too.
There is more good news -- we can hear His voice. The Bible, God's love letter to mankind, makes it clear that we were created to have two-way communication with Him. Jesus tells us in John 10:27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."
While in college I interned in video production at a local public television station. One day the producer and I traveled to a video shoot with a young woman who worked in the donor relations department. Along the way she told us that, at the urging of her father, she had recently purchased a flat with two apartments. Still uncomfortable with the big step she had just taken she thought out loud, "How do you know if you are making the right decisions in life?" That's the question of the ages, isn't it?

The writer of Proverbs describes the way that our thoughts and intentions line up with God's will when we submit ourselves fully to the Lord. "Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed" (Proverbs 16:3 Amplified Bible).
The Lord manifests Himself to us and through us as we humbly seek Him. The familiar passage in Proverbs 3 makes it even more plain. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
My friend pointed out in his e-mail to me that there are three different voices that we can hear -- and he is absolutely correct. Now that we know we can hear God's voice, we need to be alerted to the fact that there are other voices whispering into our ears as well. In fact, there are three voices that we can hear -- the voice of God, the voice of our own fleshly desires, and the voice of the Devil. But Jesus tells us in John 10:4b and 5, "...and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
The writer of Hebrews tells us that we can train our ear to recognize the voice of God above all the noise. "But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14). It is by practicing, by reason of use, that we are able to discern whether what we hear is of God, our flesh, or the Devil.
Isaiah 30:21 says, "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left."
So God will speak, and you can hear His voice, but you must be careful -- especially when you are a young Christian -- that you objectively confirm that you are following the Holy Spirit and not another voice. Our own flesh can scream pretty loud (especially when we are under pressure, or we want something very badly). And the Devil is the father of lies -- he is the great deceiver.
So how can we know whether we're hearing the voice of God? The Bible gives us seven basic keys or filters through which every possible leading should be judged. We are to carefully examine the thoughts and intentions of our hearts -- and the words of godly people who may have influence on us by their words and actions -- through the use of these seven keys:

• Scripture: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17).
   
• The Holy Spirit speaking to our heart: "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, 'know the Lord,' for all will know Me, from the least to the greatest of them" (Hebrews 8:10-11).
  
• The Prophetic (word of knowledge, word of wisdom, personal prophecy): "Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:19-21).
   
• Godly counsel: "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14).
  
• Confirmation: "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed" (Matthew 18:16).
  
• The peace of God: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).
  
• Circumstances/Timing: "After these things he (Paul) left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working; for by trade they were tent-makers" (Acts 18:1-3 -- this relationship between Paul, Aquila and Priscilla -- which happened as a result of circumstances -- became one of the most important strategic partnerships in the book of Acts).

Many times the Lord will confirm His direction to us through three, four or more of these keys -- especially when we are in the process of making an important, life-changing decision.
The bottom line, as Pat Robertson has said for years, is that big decisions take big prayer. In other words, as we humble ourselves before the Lord, seek His guidance in our lives, the Good Shepherd will be faithful to lead us, "…in paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (Psalm 23:3).
In the coming weeks we'll look more closely at these seven keys that God has given to help us discern whether what we are sensing is of God, our flesh or the Devil. Because God loves us and wants us to relate to Him, He has given us these clear principles in the Bible to guide us.
The New Testament talks of the early disciples -- people like Paul, Aquila and Priscilla -- as people who heard the voice of God. My friend who wrote the e-mail will be happy to know that this was the report made of them:
"These who have turned the world upside down have come here too" (Acts 17:6b).
Yes, my friend, you can hear and know the voice of God. And because of this the world is changing -- more than perhaps you've heard.

Written by Craig von Buseck
 Craig von Buseck is a writer and author of several books, including Nobody Knows: The Forgotten Story of One of the Most Influential Figures in American Music. He holds a Doctor of Ministry and an MA in Religious Journalism from Regent University. Craig has extensive ministry and speaking experience. He travels often to minister in churches and speak at writers conferences and professional events.

ISIS Crucifies man for not denying Christ in Libya

                                              
Islamic State militants in Libya crucified a man after suspicions arose that he is a christian. He was killed him in front of kids.
 The man refused to deny his faith and so the militants brutally beats him up and hung the man on a cross and he was left out for public viewing. A photo circulated last week showing another event where three brothers were being crucified in the coastal town of Derna, Libya, after they refused to turn over their brother who was accused of supporting the Libyan Army.
 The Islamic State has been attempting to coerce the town’s residents into joining their military ranks as part of their efforts to overtake the Libyan National Army. ISIS has advertised an upcoming lecture entitled “The Start of the End” in town, in order to convince non-believers to submit to their cause and join their ranks. Those who do not pledge allegiance to the group will face death.

5 Things Every Believer Has Authority Over

                          
There seems to be a lot of confusion over who should or can live a supernatural lifestyle. Here are a few things Jesus said about living supernaturally, which would include the gifts of the Spirit like prophecy.
Mark 16:16-18 says, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Jesus said that believers should have supernatural power that validates that God lives in them. He didn't say, "These signs will follow first-century believers or some special Believers. Neither did He say that supernatural signs would accompany only leaders or apostles. He said believers.
Here are five things that every believer has authority over:
1. They will have power over demons.
2. They will have a heavenly language.
3. They will have authority over creation (serpents).
4. They will have power over the biological elements (poison).
5. They will have authority over sickness.

 In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." (John 14:11-12)

Of course, the works Jesus is pointing to that prove that God is working through Him are the miracles He performed. The disciples were already casting out demons and healing the sick. But Jesus said that they—and we—would do greater works than Him when He went to be with the Father and the Spirit was poured out on His followers.
2 Ways to Read the Bible
Some might say He was speaking only to His 12 disciples, not to us. Do you realize many of the portions of the four Gospels that we insist are for us were spoken to His disciples?
So there are two ways to read the Bible. You can reduce the Bible to your experience or you can use the Bible as your standard and change your experience to meet that standard.

 Written by Kris Vallotton
Kris Vallotton is the senior associate leader of Bethel Church in Redding, California, and co-founder of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). Kris travels internationally, training and equipping people to successfully fulfill their divine purpose. He's a best-selling author, having written more than a dozen books and training manuals to help prepare believers for life in the kingdom. He has a diverse background in business, counseling, consulting, pastoring and teaching, which gives him unique leadership insights and perspectives. Kris has a passion to use his experience and his prophetic gift to assist world leaders in achieving their goals and accomplishing their mission.

The Key to Understanding the Spiritual Realms of Authority

                   
Understanding realms of authority is a safeguard against getting outside of your spiritual coast. Knowing your limitations in the spirit is a must. Understanding realms of authority will also enhance and accent your God-given gifts. It brings correction to our tendencies to rebel. Understanding realms of authority gives us a better foundation in understanding order. It is true there is no male or female in the spirit—but there is always order. You do not have to worry about proving what you can do when you are subject to God's order. God's order always undergirds true authority, and that which He sets in place cannot be moved.
The authority of God will always be challenged. It is simple: The devil hates believers! Whether it is in the natural or the spirit realm, demonic forces always fight against the constituted authority of God's elect. The words constituted authority are very important and must be defined. Constituted authority is that which has been appointed, set up and established by God. What God has appointed is anointed and cannot be denied.
Many people try to operate in the spirit and do not understand spiritual realms. In order to understand spiritual realms, we must understand realms of authority. Though there are many kinds of authority, spiritual authority is the greatest. If our authority in Christ is by the Spirit, it cannot relate to whether or not a person is a male or female, Jew or Gentile. There is no distinction between them in the spirit.
Some people would give everything they have for religious authority, political authority or even the authority that comes with fame. Athletes draw from physical authority, while great minds lean on the authority of the intellectual realm. Rich people glean from their financial authority, and the people of the world cannot help but depend on their natural authority. Although spiritual authority is the greatest, it often takes the back burner in the minds of men for the more obvious realms of authority.
Spiritual authority is the secret weapon of creation. Many people in high positions have tapped into this truth. Witches and those from the dark side crave authority in the spirit realm to the point of knowing that authority, when harnessed and pushed in the right direction, can rule over and affect every other realm that exists.
By making this point, I must note that there are always opposing authorities in the spirit realm—good vs. evil, dark vs. light, the kingdom of our God vs. the kingdom of darkness. There is a battle going on in the spirit, and it is not a natural one. The real battle is not over land, oil, political positions or the keys to the stock market. The real battle is over authority in the spirit. Every human being has the potential inside to rule and have dominion in the earth.
In the Garden of Eden, God gave dominion to all mankind, not just to believers. The problem comes into play when believers do not use their access to the spirit realm that God has given them to represent Jesus in the earth realm. The devil has been recruiting men to operate in the spirit realm (on the dark side) since the fall of mankind. The Holy Spirit is wooing us to walk with God again as Adam did in the cool of the day.
To be effective in the earth realm, we must do two things:
1. Walk with God in a personal relationship and have nothing before Him in our hearts.
2. Walk in the dominion that God has given us in the earth realm.
Doing the things I have listed above will confuse darkness. It causes a level of spiritual authority that overrides the authority of those on the dark side. I have an armor bearer who was a crack addict for 10 years. He was on crack most of the time while he was in my church. He was also a part of a cult that was involved in the Yorùbá religion form of witchcraft. He was dedicated to the devil and was involved in sacrifices to demons. His wife was studying to become a high priestess in the cult. She was at the church for many years but eventually went back to operating on the dark side. My armor bearer eventually separated from her and was miraculously delivered and is serving the Lord.

He had three children with his ex-wife. After he divorced her, she got into a relationship with another warlock and had two more babies with him. I thought this young man would never be delivered, but today I witness him living for the Lord wholeheartedly.
Recently the warlock that his ex-wife is with flagged him down as he was driving through the neighborhood. My armor bearer was caught off guard, because he knew that this young man was working witchcraft against him. The warlock ran up to him and made amends. He said, "I have fasted seven days for you to die. I have sent spiritual hurricanes and tornadoes to your life, but none of it has affected you." Glory to God! When we walk in power as we walk with God, our spiritual authority overrides all authorities of opposition.
At an early age, I took an interest in mythology. At the time I did not know the Lord and had no interest in reading anything. For some strange reason I became absolutely fascinated with reading stories on mythology. I took classes on the subject in high school and college. After giving my life to the Lord and becoming a deliverance and warfare preacher, I noticed that there was a connection between the spirit realm and mythology.
The importance of what God revealed to me was rooted in the meaning of what a myth actually is. A myth is a legendary narrative that has been verbally passed through generations but cannot be verified. God showed me that just because things cannot be verified does not mean they do not exist. This is why people do not understand how to maneuver in the spirit. Believers are supposed to walk by faith and not by sight. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Second Corinthians teaches that what we see is temporal, but what we cannot see is eternal (2 Cor. 4:18). I am sure most Christians understand what this passage means when they use the word eternal, but we need to investigate deeper into the meaning of temporal. The Greek word for temporal is proskairos, and it relates to that which is only for a season and temporarily exists.
The things of the spirit realm are very real, but they cannot be socially, scientifically or intellectually confirmed. The things of the spirit can only be spiritually discerned. Let's take a look at 1 Corinthians 2:
"But as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.' But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one" (1 Cor. 2:9–15).
This passage of Scripture is very clear and to the point. Spiritual things must be spiritually discerned! Intellect, science or anything that we can relate to in the natural will only distort a clear view of what is going on in the spirit realm. We discern things spiritually by knowing them through our spirit man and not through our natural man. First Corinthians 2:14 says that the natural man cannot relate to the things of the spirit.

 Written by Kimberly Daniels
 Kimberly Daniels pastors Spoken Word Ministries in Jacksonville, Fla., and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with her husband, Ardell. She is a city councilwoman in Jacksonville as well as the author of numerous books, including Spiritual Housekeeping

Victory In The Word

                            
                                      by Pst Chris Oyakhilome

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life…(John 3:36).

God’s plan for our lives is for us to grow and make progress from glory to glory. However, not many Christians have accepted this as a reality, which can either be attributed to their not-so-good experiences or to their having been wrongly taught. That’s why you may find a preacher say to his congregation, “I too get discouraged sometimes.” One could mistake such comments for honesty and humility, but it actually shows ignorance of spiritual realities.

Some people, however, like hearing such things, and even speak against ministers who, according to them, “pretend” as though everything is always all right. It’s not pretense; that’s the reality. Everything is always all right, because we’re in charge and in control. We own, and dominate this world. Jesus made it so for us. Hallelujah.

When you find people in whose lives God’s Word isn’t real, they think that everyone else experiences the same thing. But it’s not so. Your experience, good or bad, doesn’t negate or nullify the truth and power of God’s Word. The very statement, “I get discouraged sometimes,” is a traumatic affirmation; it’s defeatist, because one vital thing God requires of us is courage. He admonishes us copiously in the Scriptures never to be discouraged.

To get discouraged means you trusted in your own ability, and not in the Lord. It means you allowed your feelings to dictate the circumstances of your existence. When you believe God’s Word, it doesn’t mean your faith won’t be tested, but that’s where you prove that what you’ve come to believe is real.

Believing is a process of possession. When you believe, that thing you believe settles in your spirit. It then moves from something you believe in, to something you know; something you possess. At that point, it can never be taken away from you, because the believer is a “haver”: “He that believeth…hath” (John 3:36).

Never be discouraged. Even in the face of daunting challenges, maintain your confession; stand your ground. Apply the same principles in your health, finances, academics, family, etc.

                    CONFESSION

I am who God says I am and I can do what He says I can do. I’m strong in faith at all times, with my face set before the Lord, who indeed, is my strong tower and refuge; my God in whom I eternally trust.

Further Study: || 2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. ||

|| 1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ||

|| Isaiah 55:10-11 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. ||

Daily Scripture Reading

1-Year Bible Reading Plan: John 20:1-18,
1 Chronicles 20-22

2-Year Bible Reading Plan: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58,
Ecclesiastes 3-4

The Importance Of Wedding Anniversary Celebrations

Nearly 23 years ago, I eloped with the man of my dreams, tying the knot wearing jeans and a black turtleneck in a tiny attorney’s office in Antigua, Guatemala. During our first 10 years of marriage, we never failed to celebrate our anniversary in a splashy manner — befitting of a young couple very much in love. I remember once my husband gave me a package of six ballroom dance lessons — a staggeringly romantic gesture from a man who, once released from the awkward rituals of dating, seemed determined never to set foot near a dance floor again.

But, after a lovely 10th anniversary party, the reality of three children and two full-time jobs and home renovation and extended family issues started to encroach on our couple time and I began to believe that simply being able to count on this man was worth its weight in anniversary chocolates any day of the week.

As our marriage matured, I assumed we’d always be together and that people who have to celebrate occasions like anniversaries and Valentine’s Day are really pretty pathetic. Shouldn’t couples be kind to each other every day of the year? Well, of course they should — in theory. But now I think I was wrong.

Over a few glasses of wine, I’ve told girlfriends that, somewhere along the way, the passionate kiss I used to plant on my husband’s lips when he walked in the door from work morphed into a peck on the check that eventually morphed into — on some days — an inability to even look up from my email inbox. As I’ve watched several of my friends’ marriages end in divorce, I know for certain how potent a force — and how dangerous — complacency can be in a relationship.

And so these days I believe celebrating one’s anniversary must never be overlooked, as it reinforces the fact that your marriage is a priority. An anniversary celebration also allows you to pull back from your daily grind and relive a moment that changed your life forever. My mother always used to say that anyone can pull out all the stops on their wedding day. But when a couple makes it to 10 or 20 or 60 years of marriage, well, now that’s something that really needs celebrating.

We asked our Facebook fans whether they still celebrate their anniversary — and we were rewarded with an earful.

“Being married a long time is a source of pride in today’s world of high divorce rates,” said Susan Speetzen. “Of course being married 30+ years call for a bigger celebration than the first few years.”

And here are the ways in which our fans celebrate. Have your own ideas? Let us know in comments.

1) “We will be married 45 years in March and we celebrate every year in some fashion. Some years bigger than others but always with our children and grandchildren. This year we are going to have a large family portrait done!” said Chrisenda Smith.

2) “We use it as a ‘free pass’ for doing something special or purchasing something to spoil ourselves to honor another year properly — and to add to our memories. Depends on the year but we sometimes get the kids together for a cruise, a trip to Hawaii, or we purchase some item we’re both in love with. We do some kind of joyous thing together that celebrates our ‘us’ and marriage together,” said Anna Gregerson.

3) “We do dinner, movie, share memories and sometimes we even watch our wedding video,” said Nancy Brovelli Mercurio.

4) “We go to a great restaurant, just the two of us. We make a plan to purchase something that we’ll both enjoy,” said Denice Loritsch.

5) “It depends on what’s going on that day but it’s always celebrated, but maybe not with a night out or gifts. One day my husband never forgets and always celebrates in some way is the date we met. Nineteen years later, we always remember that day!” said Terri Tuscano Stokes.

6) “We just celebrated 32 years and why not? We’re still deeply in love and look forward to our special day every year. Sometimes we celebrate with a dinner/movie date or a day sightseeing someplace we haven’t been. Sometimes we go away for a weekend. We’re always looking for new ways to celebrate our long-lasting marriage,” said Kate Burt.

7) “We take a cruise,” said Rachel Cracken Herbig.

8) “On Dec. 19 it will be 45 wonderful years. We usually go eat at a good Chinese restaurant. My husband is retired with chemical depression and we just enjoy thanking God for what he has done for him. He doesn’t like to get out so we will probably eat and get back to our side-by-side recliners. Sometimes we talk to each other without ever saying a word. God gave me the best,” said Lois Daniel Skipworth.

9) “We always make a point to celebrate... next month is 31! Marriage is hard work, and celebrating all you do to stay in love and happy is very important. We often plan a vacation around our anniversary but at least dinner and a nice time to be together and talk about us. We don’t normally buy gifts, but instead buy a memory,” said Laureen Lund.

10) “We always go out to a nice dinner, just the two of us, and talk about the best parts of the last year and what we hope to do and look forward to in the next year,” said Rachel Jacobson.

Written by Shelley

BREAKING:22 Terrorist Training Camps Identified In The US…

                    
According to some very shocking new reports, there are at least 22 active terror cells inside the United States. You read that right. And the information comes straight from an FBI map.
Jamaat ul-Furqa is the Islamic fundamentalist organization believed to be running the camp. The group has relationships to Al-Qaeda as well as the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organizations.

“In order to live in these camps, you must pledge to support a Pakistani Cleric on the International Wanted List,” reports Mad World News. “As early as 2012, the media confirmed 19 Jihad camps on Untied States soil.”
According to reports, the FBI states that “their hands are tied in monitoring their activities, despite a training video that is years old, possible murders, and proof of illegal activities.”
If that is true, Homeland Security has known about these camps for years. The Obama administration has allegedly refused to classify the parent organizations of the camps as terrorist organizations. However, the cells have already been involved in several serious crimes, with suspected involvements in at least 10 murders.
What do you think? Does Obama need to step up and start protecting our country?

Source: ww.americannews.com