The "Humanism" Spirit

For the past two weeks, at least, the Lord has been really highlighting to me something called humanism.  It's a spirit, I've learned, and we see it everywhere in the world today.  There are just so many good, non-Christian people!  They may be educaters, benefit public awareness, work in hospitals, or teach as nice events. And they just may be under the influence of the spirit of humanism.

Jesus came to give salvation and abundant life to us.  He came to redeem fallen humanity.  But humanism is something else entirely.  Humanism leaves no room and no credit for the work of God. Humanism is dangerous--as I'll describe later, it's spirit is closely tied to antichrist.  For now, though, let's look at a few common beliefs propagated by those under it's influence.  Some may seem innocent enough...but they are all inherently wrong because they do not acknowledge or give glory to God.  The humanism spirit:

--Champions the rights of all

--"Loves" and empowers people

--Teaches unity, peace, and acceptance

--Has no absolute truths, believe whatever makes you feel happy

--Encourages people to be overcomers

--Encourages people to be successful and achieve their dreams

--Advocates self improvement, self help, and self control

--Advocates self-love

--Produces a lying version of the fruit of our Holy Spirit

Now some of these things sound good, and that's because they are!  They can be, if God is at the center.  It's conditional.  It's subtle.  It's so important to know that this spirit only produces corrupt versions of God's gifts.  Because God first thought of giving us dreams to achieve.  God first thought of giving us passions.  God first thought of allowing us to overcome--through His son, Jesus!

And that's where this spirit of humanism goes wrong.  It doesn't acknowledge Jesus!  It's not for Him--its against Him (Matthew 12:30).  It may preach a false Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4) of universal love and good vibes.  But it does not accept the true Jesus at savior.  That's the problem--humanism glorifies people as gifted, dedicated, and elevated enough to save themselves!

As the list above shows, humanism has a false version of everything.  It's perverted the concept of going after one's dreams.  It's perverted the concept of things like human equality and human rights. It's perverted the Christ-based concept of being an overcomer.  The spirit of humanism has a form of godliness, but totally denies it's power (2 Timothy 3:5).  It improves the lives of people while on this earth so that they never have to turn to Jesus in the end.

I would never want to tell a non-believer that they're an overcomer.  I would generally not even say, "you can do this!" to them unless it was part of a larger ministry tactic.  I would definitely not encourage a non-christian to pursue their dreams.  I can't leave it at that!  At least not without telling them to seek first His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33).

I can't be for a person on their own effort.  I can't encourage them to just make themselves a better person.  I can't glory in their flesh (1 Corinthians 1:29-31).  I won't yield to the humanism spirit, no matter how good it might feel.  I need to point to Christ.

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV

Spiritual Weight: The Bad

In the last week of doing street ministry, we've begun seeing a new thing.  During prayer, some people will experience a 'heaviness' in the injured part of their body just prior to full healing.  This heavy sensation comes after pain leaves, but before strength and range of motion are totally restored. This past Friday, I was praying for a young man with wrist pain and after awhile this heaviness just came into his wrist.  I had his hand in my hands, and it was so tangible.  It left after a little while--it wasn't from God.

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."                Isaiah 61:3

This is what Jesus does.  He takes away heaviness, He takes away our sadness.  He casts out anything not for His purposes.  He turns our oppression into a joyful procession.  From Him is the authority, and to Him is the Glory.

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."    Matthew 11:30

If there is a heaviness oppressing us, then it is not of God.  It is inherently against Him, and it is also usually against us.  But Jesus paid the price to overcome these things.  If we seek Him, He will also overcome them in our own lives.

If heaviness comes onto you, it's the manifestation of something that is already there.  It's the manifestation of a spirit that is not of God.  It may have just arrived, or it may be ready to leave.  If it comes, cast it out!  If it is leaving, close any open doors, especially doubt, through which it might try to return.  Close them through repentance and submission to God.  Be filled with the Spirit, and put on the armor of light.  Nothing can stand in the way of these things!  Nothing can separate us from God's love, and nothing can truly steal away His promises.

Deliverance comes when someone yields themselves to the truth.  If we are gathered in His name, than anything with another name will scatter (Matthew 12:30).  This is what we've seen in street ministry.  That's when He sends His word and heals them (Psalms 107:20).  That's when unclean spirits leave people --when God comes in and does the work.  He wants to give us all the garment of praise.  He wants to give us a light yoke, and impress onto us a lightness in our life.

Good Gates, Bad Gates

God has been teaching Vanessa and I about spiritual territories recently.  He's been teaching us about their boundaries, their influences, and especially their gates.  There are good and bad territories, and there are good and bad gates.  These spiritual territories either belong to God as part of His Kingdom, or they belong to satan as an area of darkness.

These are not areas marked by physical boundaries or gates or fences. Instead, they are marked by rulers, authorities, and powers within this dark world and by spiritual forces in the next (Ephesians 6:12).  Territories are either for or against Jesus--there is no middle ground.  There is a constant battle at the gates--the Kingdom of Heaven versus the influences of hell.

"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."  Matthew 12:30

As believers, we have been given spiritual authority to advance the Kingdom and push back darkness. We have been given power to pull down idols and spirits of idols.  We have been given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.  And we have been given the sword of the Spirit, which makes the enemy scatter and brings together the good.  This is something Jesus referred to in Matthew 12:30 above. We have been given authority to prove God's cause and cast away anything that opposes it.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."  Romans 12:12

We need to learn "that which is perfect". We need to bring this weapon of truth out into the world.  God can work through us to pull down the gates.  We can dismantle the manifestations of wickedness which were birthed in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12 again), and prevent these things from continuing to have their way with the earth and it's people.  With His Spirit and His power, we can cast down anything contrary to God.  We can prepare the way for the Kingdom.  We can make way for the Lord, and usher in an environment where He can set up His Kingdom.

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"  John 1:23

This is what John the baptist did, and this is what God wants us to do, each in their appointed way. Through our warfare we should be working through the territories of the enemy and bringing out from within us the Kingdom of God.  We too can pave the way for the Lord.  We too can push back the gates.

How do we do this?  By words of faith and prayers in faith.  It takes faith from God to see our words impact the spiritual world.  It takes faith to move mountains, faith to move spiritual areas, and faith to remove ruling spirits.  Faith is a gift that in itself gives us divine power.

"...for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God,.."       2 Corinthians 10:4-5

John by his words was speaking for the Holy Spirit.  By his words, John the baptist was dismantling religious spirits and changing the spiritual climate in his area.  He was fighting against the old way, against the established authorities, against anything that might set itself up against the true knowledge of God.  The Light that he pointed towards destroyed hypocritical speculation and hardened hearts.

John himself was blessed by God to be used like He was.  His life had such significance--it even served to forcefully advance the Kingdom.  Through the spiritual fighting he did, even the darkness resisting Jesus suffered violence.

"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force"     Matthew 11:12

God wants to give us faith, authority, and boldness.  He wants to give us divine power.  He wants to make us more like Jesus.  How?  By giving to our lives the fullness of God.  By giving to our words some of the power present within His.  He wants us to speak with His authority.  He wants His glory to back us.  He wants to gift to us attributes, character traits, thoughts, prayers and mindsets that make us more like His Son.

We should be full of the power and force of God.  We need to reach our potential in Christ Jesus. When were are full of spiritual gifts and spiritual tools from Him, then and only then can we be truly impacting in the spiritual realm.  Only when we are full of His Spirit can we speak with enough power to push back darkness and advance the Kingdom.

"How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate."    Psalm 127:5

Snapshot: Fruit for Discerning

In a previous post, I described how God was showing me that I need to gather and store up the gifts He gives me.  And He showed me a basket, symbolizing the vessels He gives us to store His treasures in.

Later on (earlier this week), He showed me a tree that grew a lot of fruit on it.  This tree was bearing good fruit, and I imagined myself picking this fruit off of the branches as I went.

Step by step God gave me the interpretation for this.  He impressed to me that the fruit on the tree was dates.  This takes some explaining...one of the hardest messages to receive from God involves calendar dates.  I've often struggled in accurately understanding God's timing--whether or not He wants me to do something on a particular date.  Often, but not always, receiving a clear mandate as far as when to do something is difficult.  I would consider this kind of direction spiritual meat.

"For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil."     Hebrews 5:13-14

"This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words."     1 Corinthians 2:13

And I realized that this fruit on the date tree symbolized more discerning spiritual concepts--receiving from God advanced messages, themes, and ideas.  One example of this fruit would be the acquiring of calender dates from the Lord.  Get it?  Obtaining calendar "dates" from a spiritual "date" tree full of spiritual gifts?  God can be funny with words sometimes.

Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear."    Luke 8:8

God wants to give us deep, discernible messages that bear more and more fruit.  He wants to make us more and more spiritually productive.  He is giving us more advanced messages.  He wants to speak to us with dates and numbers, with profound images and deep things.  He's ready to tell us "great and unsearchable things, which we do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).  He's going to give us good fruit, and He's going to allow us to sort through it and throw away the bad.  God wants to give us a clear filter. He wants to give us enough discernment to quickly receive a new thing.  Let's receive discernment that allows us to dig deeper and deeper into the mind of God.

Your Prophetic Word Confirmed: He Sets a Table

In a blog post here yesterday, I went into how the Lord is faithful to keep us well nourished regardless of our spiritual surroundings. Below is an excerpt from that blog post, with bolded parts for emphasis.


1/14/15 Snapshot:  Rest and Comfort: 

The Holy Spirit brought to remembrance Psalm 23:5.  There were several confirmations for this verse...and I had it playing and replaying in my hear for much of the day:

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."

Spiritually speaking, believers today have enemies as real as those of King David. However, our enemies are not flesh and blood like his.  Instead, they are systems of this world and spiritual powers of darkness in high places (Ephesians 6:12).  The good news is that God still protects us!  He still gives us messages and words--the bread of life--amidst chaos and darkness brought about by the enemy.  He invites us to feast with Him on the Word, and still, enemies and accusers lurk nearby.  But God protects us from these things!  That's what Psalm 23:5 testifies to--the faithfulness of God overcoming all else. 


Then, today, a new Word was released on the Elijah list--"Your Watch Word for 2015".   In it were some very encouraging lessons.  There were also lots of confirmation, one of which was especially striking.  Below is an excerpt from this Word, by Russ Walden.  I italicized it, and in addition bolded the parts that really stuck out to me.


1/15/15 Elijah List:


"You will find My favor in the morning. You will find My favor in the evening. You will sit at the table of My favor in the presence of your enemies and they will not be able to reduce you or inhibit you in anyway.

"Make My presence your priority," says the Father, "for 2015 will be a gauntlet of distraction. The tyranny of the urgent will go to war with the priority of My presence. The enemy is very time conscious for he knows his time is short – therefore he will intensify his wrath against you and against My Kingdom. Do not put your attention on the enemy but let your eye go beyond the second heaven and garner your instructions from My throne – for I will give you rule over your enemy with an iron hand.

Glory to God!  I know that this is a message from the Lord (Jeremiah 32:8).  We are going to find ourselves in the presence of our enemies, but we will then be shown in a new way that Jesus is Lord!  And we'll be aware of this, but God is going to overshadow the enemy!  We'll know that darkness is around us, but more than that, we'll know that God has already set us a table.  We'll see that He has already given us such favor.  We'll see that He will continue to, "give us this day our daily bread".  Praise Him!

He is going to feed us more richly than ever; He longs to satisfy us with the riches of foods (Psalm 107:9).  He is going to speak to us more clearly, by His Spirit and with truth (John 4:24).  The enemy will try to interfere with this; He will try to make us fall for his schemes.  He will try to exchange the truth for a lie, and place these lies on the Lord's table.  But we have the mind of Christ--we can know the character of God (1 Corinthians 2:16 and context)!  We can "appraise all things" and see them as they really are.  God's given us a Spirit that knows how to separate the wheat from the chaff.  He's given us discernment.  We can know His truth.  We can sense darkness near, while not fearing it.  We can accept only the finest of foods--that which He's given us.

"He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD."  Psalm 112:7

This is what God does.  He takes away our fear and timidity.  He gives us a Spirit that at once recognizes danger yet does not fear it.  God wants us to know that the evil one will not touch us.  Our Lord wants us to have that blessed assurance.  We can and will always be fed by His hand.  We can sit with Him at His table.  He wants to set us there.  He wants to give us rest there.  He wants us to see Him ridiculing the enemy.  Will you take shelter under Him?

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."  Psalm 91:1

Snapshot: A Dim Mirror For Now

A few days ago, God started doing a new thing in the visions He gives me.  I think sometimes He likes to throw us off a little.  Our ways are not His ways, after all (Isaiah 55:8) I started seeing words written in reverse, as if I was looking at them in a mirror.  This happened a few times, and seemed to happen when I was praying for others.  The fact that these words and phrases were written backwards baffled me for a little while.  Then, I was praying for a friend and I saw another phrase drawn out in reverse:

"God conquers all"

So, I saw this being written out backwards, and finally I got it.  The Father gave me enough wisdom to understand what He was saying... I realized that these words were going out to my friend as a message from God.  I realized that The Lord was showing me the spiritual significance of my intercession for them.  Through my prayers, a spiritual message was sent to this person from the Light.  What was the message?  That God conquers all!

And I realized that they would see this from their perspective as a message coming from the Lord.  I realized that God was granting me a taste of the spiritual world in showing me that a message from Him was going out from my prayers.

In a way, my prayers--all of our prayers--are marked by the Lord as being sent from His Spirit.  They come labeled with a message from God.  What I've learned from these visions is a new conceptualization of prayer.  I've realized that the receivers of our prayers are getting a message sent from us, to God, to them.  God does this regardless of whether we perceive it or not (Isaiah 43:19).

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit..."
Ephesians 1:13

God gave me a glimpse of what prayer really looks like.  I understood a small measure of what intercession actually did.  The sender of God's goodness can indeed perceive power going out from Him.  Jesus was finely in touch with this (Luke 8:46).  I, on the other hand, still see dimly.  I needed manufactured phrases to perceive that God was flowing prayerful power through me.  Still, God is so faithful to help us understand a hidden concept.  He is even willing to put the concept into English!  His Spirit is teaching us new things.

The recipient of prayer receives a touch from God.  They receive a message, from God, that often was distributed through the mind of someone else.  They receive from God a message, in this case, that He conquers all. They receive His presence and His love as a reward.  They may not understand this completely or be totally in touch with the spiritual world, but God works regardless!

"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."  1 Corinthians 13:12

Glory to God that if we believe, we will have whatever we ask for in prayer (Matthew 21:22).  The answer may not be immediate.  For now, we only see dimly.  We have a conceptualization of the truth that has not yet reached fullness.  We may not understand exactly what we're up against in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12).  But that's OK!  Seeing in part is better than not seeing at all!  I feel so blessed by the Lord for Him to have taught me so well already.  I'm thankful to see in part.

But God can reveal more!  God wants to reveal more!  He wants to give us the Spirit of revelation.  He wants to give us eyes to see.  He wants to cut through any fog or confusion on our behalf.  He wants us to be in tune with the spiritual, but more than that, in step with HIS Spirit.  That's what keeps us safe.  That's what marks us as His own.  That's what seals us.  The Lord is ready to show us more.  Have we received from Him wisdom and the Love required to lead us into all truth?

When He rescues us from Lies

God is taking us into the fullness of the Truth.  God wants us to see the world accurately, and to know how He thinks of things.  What is the truth?  The truth is that Jesus died to save us.  The truth is that forgiveness always follows repentance.  The truth is that God is good, and that He is faithful to love us.

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  John 8:32

This is spiritual milk, but we need to crave it nonetheless (1 Peter 2:2).  If we really know the truth, God will take us unto spiritual maturity.  If we retain Him in our knowledge, He will be faithful to take us from strength to strength.

But some things aren't so clear cut.  Sometimes discerning the perfect will of God can be hard.  We need to be given more faith before we can see more of what He sees.  More faith is needed!  So if we need to be given revelation, God first gives us greater faith.

Faith allows us to see more of what He sees.  If I have great faith, I can see clearly, I can discern clearly, and I can prophecy clearly.  Not all things are spiritual milk, but we still need to know how these things appear to God.  Sometimes in struggling on spiritual meat, we will lose focus and forget the basics.  And sometimes we fall out of faith.

Discernment can be a hard thing.  Knowing His will can be very confusing, and can weaken our faith to the extent that we believe the truth to be a lie.

"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."  Isaiah 5:20

This is what satan does, and this is what his followers do.  This is what anyone, even a believer, can fall into when they lose faith.  This is a result of spiritual warfare, and we need to combat it with the armor of God.  We need to retain the shield of faith, and we need to look to God.  With His protection, we WILL withstand the schemes of the enemy.  We need a revelation from God to stay in the truth.  We need Him to make the word real to us.

A few days ago I was being taken through all these things.  Testing, testing testing...refinement, refinement, refinement.

"Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them."  Isaiah 30:20

So God is faithful to take us out of that pit, that doubt and confusion that the enemy brings in.  He is faithful to rescue.  He is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.  Even if we are faithless, He is faithful (2 Timothy 2:13).  That's a beautiful thing.  God brought me to this passage of scripture, which I thought was so interesting.  He really is greater than our thoughts.  And our salvation truly is greater than our feelings.

Wherefore hear the word of Jehovah, ye scoffers, that rule this people that is in Jerusalem:

Because ye have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol are we at agreement; 

when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our 

refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves": therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, 

"Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner -stone of sure 

foundation:   he that believeth shall not be in haste.  And I will make justice the line, and righteousness 

the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.

And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand; 

when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it."

Isaiah 28:14-18

Even when we align our thoughts with the enemies', even when we mistake light for darkness, God will break through.  He is our strength, and He will be faithful to take us out of death.  Even if we claim to be fallen, He will prove to us the truth.  With the waters of His Spirit and with His truth, He will overcome the enemy.  He will sweep away our negative strongholds and give us a firm foundation.  He will annul our sin, our "covenant with death", and make our foundation stand firm in Jesus.  Glory to God!

Asking for His Details

I was asking God for a few things in prayer earlier today... and decided to play some worshipful music on my Kindle while getting some things done.  As I was getting the music set up, a YouTube add came up which said:  "Ask More, Get More".  This was quickened to me because it happened synchronistically with my prayer.

"Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son"  John 14:13

If we abide in Him, this will be obvious in our lives.  Because when we abide in Him, our will is replaced by His.  When we abide in Him, we are led to pray His Kingdom down, just as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6:10).  And if we ask in prayer for His Will and His Kingdom, He will surely give it!

But we need to ask.  Even more than that, we need to live in a hungering for His Will that results in our asking.  Smith Wigglesworth said that asking is receiving.  But this is only true if we are walking really close to God.  He is waiting for us to ask, and He is waiting for us to receive.  He is waiting for us to stop and consider the very BEST for our lives...and that requires searching for His perfect Will.  God wants to guide us continually (Isaiah 58:11).  Are we willing to surrender all and long for His desires?

Confirmed:  There was a new Rhema Word on the Quickened Word website today.  Here it is.  As I've gotten close to God, I've realized that He is really into the details.  He wants everything, even the little things..  He desires everything, because all things are His, and He will not turn down an opportunity to glorify Himself.  His name is majestic in all the earth (Psalms 8:1).  This article goes into that very well.

God wants to bless every aspect of our lives.  But He can only do that if we are living for Him.  He will only :guide us continually" if we are seeking His Will and praying into it.  The more we ask Him, the more we get direction.  And the more we can receive Holy direction, the more we can please Him and rise above this world.  But we need to seek Him intently and not for selfish reasons.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will."  Romans 12:2

If we are set apart from the world, we can receive downloads of God with clear filters.  God's Word has already been planted in our hearts, but it cannot mature unless we have been sanctified.  So we are sanctified, we pray His Will into manifestation, and we receive a mind in tune with the Spirit and the perfect Will of God.

Finding God's Will is an art more than a science.  We have to be equipped to test it.  We have to strive for His PERFECT Will.  God wants the best for us.  We need to do our best to follow Him.  It takes purpose and purity of heart to see what He wants.  We need to become more pure, in order to plunge deeper into spiritual things.  We should be able to discern God's thoughts on all areas of our lives.  Why not?  Our vision will take on His own if we abide in Him, if we are pure.

God delights in every detail of our lives (see Psalm 37:23 on that Quickened Word post).  Yes, every detail.  The problem is that many are still learning the basics of God over and over and over again.  So many need to stay confined to spiritual milk because they choose to live with minds fixated on this world.  Why not pay the price for spiritual meat? (See 1 Corinthians 3)

Our God is willing, our God is able, our God is mighty.  He is mighty to save and sanctify EVERY part of our lives.  He is not willing for any of our works to be burnt up.  But we can only please Him in everything if we deeply abide in Him.  If we abide in Him, we will find that salvation is a full experience.  Let's seek God for every aspect of His Will.

Let's ask Him for every single detail.  Let's choose the very best path, so that He can delight in us.  Do you know when God wants you to wake up tomorrow?  If not, what does He think about the way you dress?  Does He want you to pray for a particular neighbor?  Does He want you to live where you do?  Do not expect to discern these things if you are living in the world.  We can only see a larger part (see 1 Corinthians 13) if we have taken on His purity.  It takes a transformed mind and a walk in His Spirit to please Him in all.  Let's commit to this.

Remember, God want to guide you continually.  He wants you to enjoy favor in all things you do.  There is a price to pay, but it is worth it.  Entering the fullness of salvation is worthy of counting the cost.  Put Him first, and He will direct you.

Confirmed 12/15:  This post is a confirmation of the "asking" theme.  Like the post says, never be afraid to ask for directions!  Vanessa and I like to call them 'navigational commands'.  We need to ask if we want to receive fully.