Snapshot: Psalm 20:6

While in Church a few weeks ago, the Lord gave me a vision where He scooped me up from where I was at, and lifted me to a higher place of worship.  His right arm, specifically, reached down and brought me up to Himself.  I realized that deliverance had come--God was providing a safe place where I would be free to worship in Spirit and in truth.

The rest of the worship session was fantastic!  I knew God had lifted my head up--I knew He had came down and rescued me.  And then I happened to turn to Psalm 20, verse 6.  But I know it was intended by God:

Now this I know: The LORD gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand.

Praise God!  For me, that was such a confirmation.  God was reaffirming what He'd first told me through the vision.  He confirmed that He is faithful, that He is powerful.  He confirmed that He gives saving victory to His anointed.

We can always rely on God's promises.  If He had His way, He'd fulfill every single one of them through our lives.  We just need to trust Him!  We just need to meet the conditions--and then focus on Him.

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me."

Psalm 138:7

Song: Place of Worship

One of my favorite songs right now, maybe my top favorite, is "Place of Worship" by William McDowell.  It's so beautiful, so anointed, so passionate--it points to the savior.

I wanted to know what the Lord thought of this type of music, and so I asked Him.  And He led me to pause the song as the 7:03 mark.  I then entered that into the online lexicon.  Praise the Lord!

Hebrew #703:
A virtuous course of thought, feeling and action;
Any particular moral excellence, as modesty, purity

Praise Him for songs that convey His virtue, His excellence, and His purity.  That's exactly what these William McDowell songs do.  They do what praise music should! They magnify the Lord, and brings His likeness near.   Such music pleased Him--it's acceptable worship in His eyes.  I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do.  It really ushers you into the presence of the Lord.

"Worship the LORD with joy! Enter his presence with joyful singing!"                Psalm 100:2

Snapshot: Music From Heaven

Over the past several months, I've been having some interesting dreams.  God's been giving me songs and harmonies in my sleep.  These songs are downloaded from Heaven. Sometimes they are gospel songs, sometimes they are blue's based--last night, I even heard a Christian rap song.  I don't like rap, but this one was very anointed.

I'm not always a fan of modern Christian radio--some of the songs just sound like pop to me.  And they all sound the same!  But the songs I hear in my dreams are always so creative.  Some incorporate awesome rock riffs; others beautiful harp music.  In addition, they carry such a spiritual weight to them.   It's hard to explain, but this dream-music carries the presence and splendor of Heaven.

"Sing for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath."  Isaiah 44:23

You can probably think of a few songs that personally bring you close to God.  You might have a few favorite Christian songs that are especially anointed.  The songs God's given in my dreams are kind of like this, but just spiritually intensified.  Like I said, they make such a testimony to God's nature.   They really, really usher in the presence of God.  In essence, they are perfect in every way.

I'm not wanting to brag here.  These songs have been given from God, and they are of His inspiration.  They haven't been my doing!  But I think they are representative of something important.  God wants to give us supernatural ideas and downloads.  I'm not even a musician, but God knows I have a passion for worshipful music, and He has seen it fit to give me such things.  He wants to give all of us something good from the storehouses of Heaven.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."  James 1:17

Confirmed:  Yesterday on the Quickened Word there was a word about God releasing new sounds that would  reveal His knowledge.  These songs will be similar to the Psalms in that they prophecy into our spirits a powerful experience with the Lord.  These sounds are designed to stir us up, to allow us to reach new spiritual heights.  They are designed to take us to the mountaintop with God.

"They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD-- the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more."  Jeremiah 31:12

Snapshot: Prophetic Praise

If we draw near to God, we will be consumed in His Love.  We will Praise Him, we will worship Him, and maybe we'll even dance to Him.  This is what King David did, and this is what God wants from those who would express themselves this way.  Music is a powerful thing, and a force that can align us with either Jesus or evil.  God wants us to glorify Him through music.  He wants us to know that "for Him are all things" (Romans 11:36).

In the last month I've been reading about King David and his team of musicians in my new Bible commentary books.  I've been realizing in a new way that David was a very musically- oriented man.  Music was a means of life for David, because David lived for God.  He had such a heart for God's people coming together in worship.  God wants to give all of us a heart like that. 

"How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!"  Psalm 133:1

When the hungry come together, they come to worship and experience true Life.  They live in His presence, and they live for their relationship with Him.  When the hunger is there, the Holy Spirit is there.

So Worship elevates us to a place where we better understand Jesus.  And worship music helps with this.  Worship music is a holiness tool.  It elevates us to a place where our thoughts and our actions bring us to the King.  It gives a testimony to Jesus.

This is where prophecy comes in.  This is where we can give a revelation of Jesus through our speech and through song.  This is where music brings in a message from God that testifies to forgiveness and love.  This message testifies to Jesus.  It tells us that God is doing a new thing; that He is making a way where there was only hopelessness before.

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."  Isaiah 43:19

It tells us to change in accordance with His will.  And it speaks of a future hope and a future calling that far exceeds past doubts and failures.  This message comes as the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10) And music helps us get to that place.  When God's people come in unity and seek Him in song, God is pleased.  When the music and the worship please Him, the atmosphere becomes prophetically charged.

This is one thing King David loved about the body.  This is why David surrounded himself by a team of worshippers and musicians.  It allowed Him to come closer to God.

"Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation."

Let's praise Him vocally.  Let's sing and praise and shout as we become the hope of God.  Let's sing a new song, let's sing in the Spirit, let's sing as we are led.  Let's worship with all of our spirit, as His Spirit leads into all truth (John 4:24).

But don't sing out of obligation--God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).  Sing because there is no other way to express His character.  Sing, because when His Love comes, it's often hard to be quiet.  Make a joyful noise, as He fills you to overflowing with His Love.  Wigglesworth said that you're in a terrible place if you can't shout.  Now, to each their own.  But we need to be passionate about our God.  We need to be passionate about what He's done, and we need to be passionate about giving Him all the glory we can.

"He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed."   Psalm 40:3

God gave this.  God is still doing this.  By the Spirit, He will give you all the songs you want.  Let Him inspire you.  Let Him renew your mind and give you music that glorifies Him.  Sing to Him, and sing to Him a new song.    Sing by His leading to glorify what He's done, to share your testimony.  That's what King Hezekiah did after God healed Him (Hezekiah's Song).  So sing praises, and allow Him to uplift you and spread His glory.

Confirmed:  As I was writing the last paragraph, seen above, Vanessa came in with a testimony.  She was singing to God in the other room, singing praise as she felt led and thanking Him for His goodness.   All of a sudden, she was prompted to file down her fingernails, so she left the room and found a new nail file in the next room over .  As she filed,  she turned it over and read the back--sometimes God will lead you towards apparently random things--and it said, "ENCORE!".

Glory to God!  He likes our music.  God is pleased by our worship.  He wants us to continue in it!  He wants us to give Him an encore!  He wants us to stay in praise, abide in Him, and let Him take our fears away.  He wants to surround us with His Love and with a sense of His presence.

Spiritual Ecstasy

There is something supernatural that happens when we worship God.  We feel more of the Holy Spirit! Often this results in deep conviction, repentance, or Love.  There is a more excellent way.  There is another level to attain.  Once God get's our sinfulness out of the way, once we get ourselves out of the way, that's when there is a breakthrough to happen.

Now our faith in God shouldn't be built on our feelings alone.  His facts are greater than how we feel when in worship.  But if we are seen as perfect by the Lord, that's when He can really touch us.  That's when we can worship in Spirit and in truth (see John 4:24 and context).  When we praise Him in this way, that's what pleases Him.  And pleasing God usually feels really, really good.  Worship like this can be spiritual ecstasy.

There are times in worship when I God so fills me that I am about ready to burst.  And that's what He wants.  He wants us to know the depth of His Love.  The awesomeness of His Presence. The weight of His Glory!  He wants me to become so aware, that the treasure He's given is so from Him, so enormous that I alone cannot contain.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."  2 Corinthians 4:7


Praises to God.  This is how every worship experience should feel.  If I worship Him and do not feel like this, I take it as a problem.  I may have become distracted; my heart may have hardened a little bit; I probably sinned.  All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23).  But that doesn't mean I am justified.  No, it means I need to get right and repent and allow the Spirit to unstop the release of His Love and His Glory.

Once this happens we have accepted His Love.  We have accepted such a gift of Love.  We should feel like we're in Heaven whenever we worship Him.  We should be Singing With All The Saints in Glory.  And if we are pleasing God, this is how worship will always feel.  No good gift will He withhold from us.

We will feel rivers of living water coming out from within us (John 7:38).  We will feel at one with the Father (John 17:22).  We will become flames as fire for Him (Psalms 104:4) and testify to His Joy and His Glory.  And so much more!!  Once again, it's spiritual ecstasy.  And we will do all this through the Holy Spirit, who works with us to fan into flames the gifts that we've already received from God.

Sidenote:  I was reading a new Bible commentary (it was a Birthday present) and there was a long sidenote about the callings of the OT prophets.  Many received their calling, the book said, in a state of ecstasy.  There were some cool facts about Isaiah the prophet.  I thought it interesting that Isaiah often used Spiritual music to induce an 'ecstatic' state, from which He could then prophecy accurately.  The closer we get to God, the more we will become Spirit and Truth, as opposed to flesh and lies.  Therefore, the more truthfully we can access details for prophecy.

Confirmed:  I thought the above book's use of the word, 'ecstatic' was interesting.  In the next few days I was reading a different book, and it was talking about the spiritual level that some of the New Testament Apostles attained.  Just look at His book of Revelation for some clues to this.

And I realized that spiritual ecstasy is totally biblical.  It's a good thing!  Let's hope that God takes us to new levels in the Spirit so that we can take all our delight in Him.  And let's allow Him to make us as undignified as He wants, (2 Samuel 6:22) so that He can pour His greatness into our human bodies.  Let's yield to Him today, and expect that He will show us His pleasure.  Let's ask Him to show us His Love in a new way.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!  Today is a day to remember the unlikely and meek birth of our savior.  Today represents the time when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  Glory to Jesus!  God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.

Over the past few months, the Lord has allowed me to faithfully keep up on this blog.  He's taught me more with each passing day, and I'm so thankful for His leading and teaching even as I make each post.  I'm blessed to have a God who is so interesting, dynamic, and creative in showing and expressing His Love!

I hope that this blog has benefited your walk with God and built your faith.  I hope it has renewed your mind to some possible ways that God speaks.  I hope it has changed your focus off of distractions and onto the Glory of God.  And I hope that it has given you a hunger to have more and more Love for the Savior.

Today I just want to share a song.  I've been listening to it for a few days now...praise my Jesus, I found this song on the same day that "Living in Intercession" was written.  Very anointed and powerful music.  If you are led listen to this, then have His power keep you in a state of worship all day!  Below is William McDowell:

"I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle..."  Psalm 49:4

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.

Snapshot: Praising God

This morning I received from God a vision of a trumpet. Then at church a few hours later, I saw another horn instrument.

As far as interpretation goes, here are a few verses on the subject:

"Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind the LORD your God of his covenant with you. I am the LORD your God." Numbers 10:10

"And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets." 2 Chronicles 29:26

"Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre..." Psalm 150:3

"They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the LORD with harps and lyres and trumpets." 2 Chronicles 20:28

We need to be bold and intentional in coming to worship and praise the Lord...we don't want to have "believed in vain". To me, the trumpet I saw symbolized the importance of bold worship. Let's praise the Lord with the instrument He's given us! Praise is a great way to enter in to God. He accepts the worship of those made pure. He loves it!

And because He wants to be worshipped purely, "in spirit and in truth", the act of praising Him often leads to sanctification, as well. Through worship, the Holy Spirit makes us yielded to Himself and softens our heart. Our heart is softened and shaped pure, until the point comes when we realize that the poor in heart will see God.

Confirmed: This morning, after receiving the vision, a friend kept texting us recommending a Christian radio station.

Confirmed: Psalm 150 was read in Church today. Followed by a great worship service!

Confirmed: After worship, the Lord prompted a church friend to read 2nd Samuel, where David worships the Lord and becomes "even more undignified than this". Glory to God for a shameless love for Him!

Dream: Galaxy at War

This summer God gave me an interesting dream. I was prompted to share it here, by an advertisement on my Kindle called "Galaxy at War". The Lord speaks to me through random things quite often. Kindle advertisements included...

Anyways, in the dream I was on top of a wall in a populated area. I was fleeing something, when a series of chaotic events was set off. The ground shook and this wall I was walking on began to twist and shake. I heard thunder and the sky seemed to turn red. Everything felt very apocalyptic. I instinctively knew that I would not be staying on earth much longer.

"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." Matthew 24:7-8

I felt scared and thought, 'God save me!' After I said this, a light blue, transparent triangular object burst out of the sky. It was spinning as it flew downwards. Instinctively I knew that it was a galaxy. Three huge tubes were conjoined by complex geometric shapes. Like I said, I just knew it was a galaxy. Sometimes in dreams you just know. I've read it's the same for people caught up to heaven.

This galaxy came crashing into the earth and caused an enormous explosion. Just before the fireball from this collision consumed me, I was lifted up to a heavenly place. Everything was still and quiet--quite a change from the calamity on earth. I knew I had been rescued.

So, I realize that this new place is very still and very dark. I felt there was a giant expanse below me. Alone and vulnerable, I curled into the fetal position and waited. This got kind of scary, too! I was so out of control.

Soon, though, this beautiful music began playing. I can't quite describe it; the sound was on a very different wavelength than anything I'd heard on earth. I felt like I was being transported to Heaven, and my mind was at rest. As I traveled up, the darkness faded. I was approaching these angels who were singing this song. As I got closer, the music overwhelmed me. I felt God's presence surround me....and then I woke up.

What a creative God we have. I find that if we keep ourselves pure while awake, He gives us Godly dreams when we ask. And of course He surprises us, too, by giving even when we don't ask!

Confirming scripture:

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and it's works will be burned up." 2 Peter 3:10

"He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds." Job 33:15

"And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps." Revelation 14:2

Elevated Foundations

Today the Lord spoke to me in the morning, saying,

"I am dismantling the old creations and bringing in new, elevated foundations."

He gave me a vision of a wooden ladder being cut down, and a newer and larger metal ladder being set up in its place.  Both ladders were placed on a rock slab, like something out of a quarry.  This, to me, symbolizes my foundation in Christ, and the birthplace of my faith.  A few days ago I read Isaiah 51:1...

"Listen to me, you that follow after righteousness, you that seek the LORD: look to the rock from where you are hewn, and to the hole of the pit from where you are dig." (AKJV)

I believe the Lord wants to show us how to be constantly uplifted, a place where we can fully obey Jesus when he says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled".  Rather, we need to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.  This is something that I know I can struggle with.  

There are spiritual tools, spiritual weapons, that He's been prompting me to use recently.  Of course, The Bible tells us to put on the full armor of God.  But a recurring warfare theme for me personally in the past few months has been to continually praise Him.  The farther along you get with the Lord, the more at risk you become to opposing forces...but praise Him that He provides weaponry that truly allows us to be more than conquerors!  

So, how to stay uplifted, how to best dwell in the shelter of the Most High? Here are a few strategies that have helped me out:

-Above all, praise Him!  Make time for this...as you progress, you'll find that even raising your hands and thanking Jesus for a few seconds takes your right into the Spirit!  It's a wonderful place to be.

-Sing and verbally worship.  Surround yourself with worshipful music, and sing along.  Pray in the Spirit, sing in the Spirit.

-Intentional discussion with other believers.  Confess your sins to one another, so that you may be healed...

-Prayer, dependent prayer.  Lean on Him, and intentionally ask Him to allow you to stay in His presence.  I remember a while ago, the Lord told me quite clearly, "If you can't feel me, something's up."  It takes time, but with humility, you can come to a place where all you want to do is clings to His presence.  It takes a pure heart and pure actions to stay in this place, but praise God that His grace enables us to remain there!

That's it for today.  I'm committing to a post each day, on whatever theme the Lord directs me to.  My goal is to provide fellow Christians inspiration to go deeper into the Glory of God.  Stay tuned for more posts, if you feel compelled!