Deborah Perkins's Blog, page 21

This Weekend! Simultaneous Worship & Prayer in ALL 50 STATES & 100 College Campuses!

​Jesus is on a rescue mission to our nation and to the next generation! 
Beginning at 9pm tonight (Thursday September 27th, 2018) a powerful movement of prayer and intercession will be launched in ALL 50 STATES and on 100 COLLEGE CAMPUSES around America.

Our goal: to bring the Presence of Jesus into every state in our nation, and to impact this generation to bring in a billion-soul harvest.

I want to personally invite you to find the location nearest your home (see below), and join us for an hour, a day, or the entire weekend.

​Never before has our nation needed God so desperately, and never before (to my knowledge) has every state in our nation joined in unity to seek God simultaneously through prayer and praise. This is an historic moment you don't want to miss!

Details:
Who is invited: anyone, anywhere in the US
What: 50 hours (3 days) of continuous, 24/7 worship to exalt Jesus and pray for revival in our nation, our children, our government, our churches and our homes. 
When: September 27th (Thursday, 9pm) through September 29th (Saturday, until 11pm) 
Where: Every State capital in our nation (see list of locations below) and 100 college campuses
Why: 2 Chronicles 7:14 #wsite-video-container-629425916963618315{ background: url(//www.weebly.com/uploads/tent_america_v... } #video-iframe-629425916963618315{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-629425916963618315, #video-iframe-629425916963618315{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-629425916963618315{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } } Watch Live Kickoff Video with David Bradshaw, Michael W. Smith, and many others!
​ Locations: (Click on "Event" link under a state, if listed, to visit their Facebook pages for more information)
Alabama
Capital
263 Commerce Street,
Montgomery, AL 36104
EVENT
Campuses
To be Announced

​Alaska
Capital
9397 La Perouse Ave.
Juneau, Alaska 99801
EVENT
Campuses
University of Alaska – Anchorage

Arizona
Capital
Capitol Senate Lawn
1700 W Washington
Phoenix, Arizona
Campuses
Paradise Valley Community College
University of Arizona
Grand Canyon University
Arizona State University – Tempe
Arizona State University – Downtown Phoenix

Arkansas
Capital
Statehouse Convention Center
Riverview room 3
Statehouse Plaza
Little Rock, AR 72201
Also, We have permits to be on the capitol grounds for 6 hours per day.
EVENT
Campuses
Arkansas State University

California
Capital
Location 1:
CESAR CHAVEZ PLAZA
910 I Street
Sacramento, CA. 95814
Time: Thurs 9/27 @ 6pm to
Saturday 9/29 @ 8pm
Location 2:
SACRAMENTO STATE CAPITOL
1315 10th Street
Sacramento, CA. 95814
Time: Friday 9/28 @ 9am to 9pm
EVENT
Campuses
UCSB
UCLA
Cal State Northridge
CSULB
UC Berkeley
Cal Tech
Pepperdine
USC
UCI
UCSD
San Jose State University

Colorado
Capital
7pm 9/27 – 9pm 9/29.
200 E Colfax Ave
Denver CO 80203
EVENT
Campuses
To be Announced

Connecticut
Capital
1665 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06120
EVENT
Campuses
To be Announced

Delaware
Capital
411 Legislative Ave,
Dover, DE 19901
EVENT
Campuses
To be Announced

Florida
Capital
400 S Monroe st, Tallahassee
FL 32399
EVENT
 Campuses
University of Florida

Georgia
Capital
Liberty Plaza 214 Capitol Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30334.
EVENT
 Campuses
University of West Georgia

Hawaii
Capital
To Be Announced
Campuses
To be Announced

Idaho
Capital
700 W. Jefferson St.,
Boise, Idaho 83702
Campuses
To be Announced

Illinois
Capital
Illinois State Fairgrounds
801 E Sangamon Ave
Springfield IL 62702
Campuses
Bradley University

Indiana
Capital
Main Worship & Prayer Tent will be located at:
HOPE CENTER
11850 Brookville Rd,
Indianapolis, IN 46239
The “Indiana Strike Tent” on our Statehouse lawn will be located at:
200 W Washington St,
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Campuses
Indiana Wesleyan University
Ball State University
Purdue University-Fort Wayne

Iowa
Capital
Iowa State Capital South Lawns
1007 E Walnut
Des Moines, Iowa 
6PM Thursday 9/27 until 11PM
6AM Friday 9/28 until 11PM
6AM Saturday 9/30 until 11PM
11PM TO 6AM 
Campuses
Iowa State

Kansas
Capital
300 SW 10th,
Topeka, KS
Campuses
Butler County Community College
University of Kansas

Kentucky
Capital
Frankfort Capitol Terrace
700 Capitol Ave,
Frankfort, KY 40601
Campuses
Georgetown College
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville

Louisiana
Capital
900 N 3rd St Baton Rouge
Louisiana 70802
Campuses
To be Announced

Maine
Capital
160 Riverside Drive
Augusta, Maine
Campuses
To be Announced

Maryland
Capital
2001 Vineyard Lane
Annapolis MD 21401
Campuses
To be Announced

Massachusetts
Capital
Boston Common, adjacent to the Brewer Fountain,
Boston ,Ma 02108 ….there is no street # to that location,
Nearest marker : the tent site is near the corner of Park St & Tremont St, adjacent to the Brewer Fountain
This is right outside the Park St Transit Station for those taking public transportation.
Tent time is 10 am – 9 pm.
Campuses
Wellesley College
Northeastern
American international college

Michigan
Capital
100 N Capitol Ave
Lansing, MI 48933
Campuses
Hope College

Minnesota
Capital
Minnesota State Capitol
75 Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Campuses
Bethel University
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
North Central University
St. Cloud State University

Mississippi
Capital
Mississippi State Capitol
400 High Street
Jackson, MS 39201
Campuses
Mississippi State University

Missouri
Capital
201 W Capitol St
Jefferson City MO 65101
Campuses
Prayer for the Campuses of Missouri
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Ozark Technical College
Missouri State University
Evangel University
Drury

Montana
Capital
Montana State Capital Building
1301 E 6th Ave, Helena, MT 59601
Campuses
To be Announced

Nebraska
Capital
Centennial Mall and K St. Lincoln, NE
Campuses
University of Nebraska at Kearney

Nevada
Capital
101 North Carson St
Carson City, NV 89701
Friday 9AM to 5 PM Saturday 9AM to 5PM
Campuses
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
4505 S. Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas NV 89154
Thursday 5:30PM – 9PM; 
Friday 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM; 
Saturday 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM
University of Nevada Reno
1664 N. Virginia Street,
Reno NV 89557
Friday 28th 7am-7pm 
Saturday 29th 7am – 7pm

New Hampshire
Capital
107 N. Main Street, Concord
NH 03301
Campuses
To be Announced

New Jersey
Capital
165 E Front St,
Trenton, NJ 08608
Campuses
Rutgers University — New Brunswick (College Ave Campus)

New Mexico
Capital
490 Old Santa Fe Trail,
Santa Fe, New Mexico
&
1239 Paseo De Peralta,
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Campuses
New Mexico State University

New York
Capital
Capital Region Prayer and Healing Center
553 Clinton Ave, Albany, NY
Thursday 8-11pm, 
Friday/Saturday 7am-11pm
Victory Christian Church
118 Quail St, Albany, NY
Thursday/Friday 11pm-7am
Campuses
New York University
Schenectady County Community College

North Carolina
Capital
Halifax Mall,
300 N Salisbury St
Raleigh, NC
Campuses
Raleigh Campus Connect
Guilford Technical Community College
Western Carolina University

North Dakota
Capital
Stairs of ND State Capitol
600 East Boulevard,
Bismarck, ND
Campuses
To be Announced

Ohio
Capital
5050 Old Groveport Rd.
Groveport, OH 43125
Campuses
To be Announced

Oklahoma
Capital
2300 N Lincoln Blvd
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Campuses
University of Oklahoma

Oregon
Capital
900 Court St NE
Salem, OR
EVENT 
Campuses
Western Oregon University
George Fox University

Pennsylvania
Capital
Walnut St. and Commonwealth Ave,
Harrisburg, PA 17120
EVENT 
Campuses

Puerto Rico
Capital
To Be Announced
EVENT
 Campuses
To Be Announced

Rhode Island
Capital
River Island Arts Park
95 Bernon Street
Woonsocket, RI
Campuses
To be Announced

​South Carolina
Capital
1100 Gervais St,
Columbia, SC 29201
Campuses
Clemson University

South Dakota
Capital
Steamboat Park
Poplar Ave
Pierre, SD. 57501
Campuses
To be Announced

Tennessee
Capital
Watkins Park 616 ,
17th Ave. N. ,
Nashville Tennessee 37203
Campuses
Belmont University
Tennessee Tech Campus Cookeville Tennessee

Texas
Capital
Kick-off Celebration
Texas State Capitol (South Steps)
1100 Congress Avenue,
Austin, TX 78701
Thursday, September 27  6-9 PM
Tent America
Iglesia El Shaddai
7650 Ed Bluestein Blvd
Austin, TX
Thursday, September 27 | 9 PM – Saturday, September 29 | 9 PM
Campuses
University of Texas (Arlington Campus)
University of Texas (Austin Campus)
Frank Phillips College Dalhart
University of Houston
UT Tyler
Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
The Prayer Room Church
Baylor University
LeTourneau University
Texas Tech University

Utah
Capital
350 N State St
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
(South East Lawn Area)
*** Please note from midnight to 6:00 am the 27th and 28th we will be at:
Liberty Church
3855 South 500 West
Salt Lake City, UT, 84115
Campuses
Healing Rooms Salt Lake City, UT

Vermont
Capital
The MONTPELIER VERMONT TENT will be sustained by 2 hour shifts of Worship and Prayer. We will utilize 2 locations:
Our opening service will be 9pm – 11pm Thurs.
Sept 27 VERMONT STATE HOUSE LAWN
115 State St., Montpelier
The night watch will move to LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
3 St. Paul St., Montpelier 11pm – 9 am (Thurs. & Fri. nights)
The worship & Prayer meetings will go back to the VERMONT STATE HOUSE LAWN each morning @ 9 am Fri. Sept. 28th / Sat. 29th
The closing meeting is 8 pm – 10 pm
LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
3 St. Paul St., Montpelier
Campuses
To be Announced

Virginia
Capital
Mount Olivet Church
1223 N 25th St,
Richmond, Virginia 23223
Campuses
Virginia Tech
James Madison University

Washington
Capital
Sid Snyder Way.
Capital West Lawn Olympia
Campuses
University of Washington Bothell Campus
Seattle Pacific University
University of Washington

Washington DC
Capital
David’s Tent
800 Madison Drive NW,
Washington, DC, 20408
Campuses
To be Announced

West Virginia
Capital
1900 Kanawha Bld
Charleston West Virginia
Campuses
West Virginia University

Wisconsin
Capital
Crimson Way Church
14625 Watertown Plank Road
Elm Grove, WI 53122
Thursday September 27: 8PM -8AM
Friday September 28: 10PM – 8 AM
McKee Farms Park
2930 Chapel Valley Road
Fitchburg, WI 53711
Friday September 28: 8AM-10PM
Saturday September 29: 8AM-10PM
Campuses
University of Wisconsin

​Wyoming
Capital
Holiday Park
Cheyenne WY 82001
Campuses
To be Announced

History:
Tent America and the Awaken the Dawn movement were founded by Pastor David Bradshaw. From their website: "Our first assignment was Awaken the Dawn on the National Mall in Washington D.C. and it was nothing short of amazing! On the weekend of October 6-9th, 2017, close to 50,000 people and 1,600 worship teams from all 50 states offered up 2850 combined hours of worship and prayer in 58 tents around the clock for three days on our National Mall!

Throughout that weekend, nearly 4 million people across the globe participated and heard the gospel LIVE on Facebook! There was a shift in our Nation’s Capital, prayer movements were birthed, prayers were answered, people were healed – and thousands of lives were impacted and forever changed. But the event in Washington was never meant to be the endgame, but a staging ground and beginning of a new Jesus Movement in this generation!"

I look forward to praying with you this weekend. Questions? Contact Deborah here for more information, or visit Awaken the Dawn's full website here. 

© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com
​

Prophetic Vision: "The Harness of the Lord"

There are two great choices every Christian must make. The first is a choice to be free; the second is a choice to surrender that freedom.

I am eager to share a very powerful vision with you today, one that isn’t mine, but comes from a father in the faith during the "Latter Rain" movement who has now gone home to Jesus. Before I do, let me retell a story.

Some of you might remember the 1998 movie entitled “ The Horse Whisperer .” In it, a very young Scarlett Johansson (think: Avengers star and now the world’s highest-paid actress) plays the role of Grace, a horse-loving 12-year-old. A traumatic winter accident injures Grace and her horse, and kills her childhood girlfriend. After this, Grace and “Pilgrim” (her horse) seem broken beyond repair.
​
Enter the Horse Whisperer. (Played by Robert Redford). 
​
In this remarkable story, a very gentle, patient man succeeds in restoring both girl and horse, using what the movie calls his “God-given gift” to connect intuitively with horses. The parallels to Christian life cannot be ignored.
​
I watched the movie again this week, noting the similarities between the “Horse Whisperer” and our Savior, Jesus. 

Savior or Lord?
We come to Christ willingly at first, longing for freedom, which we find at salvation. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Galatians 5:1.) This message of grace is powerful to us when we have been enslaved by sin and tormented by failure. We long for life to be better, and crave the warmth of being in Christ’s “stable!”

Many Christians remain in this “state of grace” forever. Receiving Jesus as Savior, they rejoice that they are loved and revel in the knowledge that the cross is enough to send them straight to heaven.
​
Maturity, however, demands that we reach a place in Christ where we make a second important decision for Him: the decision to surrender to Christ as Lord. It requires a relinquishing of our freedom for a purpose greater than ourselves. We yield ourselves to unconditional service in His Kingdom.

While many confess “Jesus is Lord” at the outset, I believe that as we grow, we realize how little control we have actually given Christ; in many areas, we find we are still holding the reins to our lives!

As I contemplated this, I wondered: what is it that keeps us from surrendering all, really, to Jesus? Why do we sometimes wrestle with God over the things He calls us to do? How do we submit more eagerly to His yoke, which He claims is “easy” but which seems to us, at first blush, to be just another form of slavery?

The obvious answer, of course, is that the flesh battles against the soul and the spirit. We long to be comfortable and we want to run our lives – we carry the pride of life that says we know what we are doing and it’s been working for us before. (See 1 John 2:16.)

This classic movie, however, revealed to me another possible source of reluctance: we’ve all been hurt. Whether we’ve experienced trauma or rejection or pain, there are things that have happened to us, as to Grace’s horse Pilgrim, that cause us to lash out or rebel when confronted, to resist putting that harness back on. The Lord calls us to come, and emotionally we “rear up” against Him, using all the force within us to resist. We fear we will experience pain again.

Like Pilgrim, we are in a miserable state: bruises from the accident on our bodies, scars from a lost battle on our minds. Our mode of operation now is “self-protection.” Those who challenge us had better beware! Our anger will crush their desire!

What does it take to overcome these wounds? We need a “Spirit Whisperer:” Jesus.

Only someone who understands pain can help us overcome it. Only someone gentle enough to watch and wait for the truth can connect with us. Only someone with both patience and a firm, guiding hand can entice us to return.

There is a magical moment in the movie that I love. The “horse whisperer” (Redford) tries unsuccessfully to harness Pilgrim, who rebels and flees at a fast gallop out to pasture. Trust does not come easily for this one!

Rather than pursue him, Redford sits down at the opposite end of the pasture and waits. His eyes never leave Pilgrim; the horse knows what the trainer expects. The trainer doesn’t give up on the horse, despite his life-threatening injuries; he simply waits for Pilgrim to choose to trust him – just as Jesus allows us to choose Him as Lord.

After many hours, Pilgrim slowly turns around, taking a few tentative steps toward the master. Such slow progress! Yet the trainer still waits. Eventually, Pilgrim closes the distance between them and returns to the Whisperer’s arms. From that point on, Pilgrim is willing to trust again and to receive the harness, knowing that it is for his ultimate good.

What a beautiful picture of our life in Christ! What a poignant reminder of the love of Christ that waits patiently for a willing Bride, never coercing her into submission, never forcing her into service!

The goal will always be for us to take His yoke upon our shoulders. But we have a wonderful promise in Matthew 11: 29: “I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” His yoke is easy, His burden is light. Anything Christ calls you to do He will have already prepared you for. Most importantly, anything He summons you to will be done together, with Him by your side. You need never fear the surrender of your life to such a kind and wise Master!

To close, I want to share, with his daughter Becky’s permission, a vision that a Missouri-based minister, Bill Britton, had many years ago in a pastors' conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is so closely tied to today’s theme that I felt you simply had to see it! I pray it will encourage you as much as it has encouraged me, and that you will continue that process of yielding wholly to the One who “whispers” so gently to your Spirit: “Come!”


Bill Britton: "I Saw the King's Carriage!"
​On a dirt road in the middle of a wide field stood a beautiful carriage, something on the order of a stagecoach, but all edged in gold, and with beautiful carvings. It was pulled by six large chestnut horses, two in the lead, two in the middle and two in the rear. But they were not moving, they were not pulling the carriage, and I wondered why.

Then I saw the driver underneath the carriage, on the ground on his back, just behind the last two horses' heels, working on something between the front wheels of the carriage. I thought, "My, he is in a dangerous place; for if one of those horses kicked or stepped back, they could kill him, or if they decided to go forward, or got frightened somehow, they would pull the carriage right over him."

But he didn't seem afraid, for he knew that those horses were disciplined and would not move till he told them to move. The horses were not stamping their feet nor acting restless, and though there were bells on their feet, the bells were not tinkling. There were pom-poms on their harness over their heads, but the pom-poms were not moving. They were simply standing still and quiet, waiting for the voice of the Master.

There were two young colts in the field. As I watched the harnessed horses, I noticed two young colts coming out of the open field, and they approached the carriage and seemed to say to the horses: "Come and play with us, we have many fine games, we will race with you, come catch us." And with that the colts kicked up their heels, flicked their tails and raced across the open field.

But when they looked back and saw the horses were not following, they were puzzled. They knew nothing of harnesses, and could not understand why the horses did not want to play. So they called to them: "Why do you not race with us? Are you tired? Are you too weak? Do you not have strength to run? You are much too solemn, you need more joy in life."

But the horses answered not a word, nor did they stamp their feet or toss their heads. They stood, quiet and still, waiting for the voice of the Master.

Again the colts called to them: "Why do you stand so in the hot sun? Come over here in the shade of this nice tree. See how green the grass is? You must be hungry, come and feed with us, it is so green and so good. You look thirsty, come drink of one of our many streams of cool clear water."

The horses answered them with not so much as a glance, but stood still, waiting for the command to go forward with the King. 

Colts in the Master's Corral
And then the scene changed, and I saw lariat nooses fall around the necks of the two colts, and they were led off to the Master's corral for training and discipline. How sad they were as the lovely green fields disappeared, and they were put into the confinement of the corral with its brown dirt and high fence. The colts ran from fence to fence, seeking freedom, but found that they were confined to this place of training.

And then the Trainer began to work on them, with his whip and His bridle. What a death for those who had been all their lives accustomed to such a freedom! They could not understand the reason for this torture, this terrible discipline. What great crime had they done to deserve this?

Little did they know of the responsibility that was to be theirs when they had submitted to the discipline, learned to perfectly obey the Master, and finished their training. All they knew was that this processing was the most horrible thing they had ever known.
​
Submission and Rebellion
​One of the colts rebelled under the training, and said, "This is not for me. I like my freedom, my green hills, my flowing streams of fresh water. I will not take any more of this confinement, this terrible training." So he found a way out, jumped the fence and ran happily back to the meadows of grass.

I was astonished that the Master let him go, and went not after him. But He devoted His attention to the remaining colt. This colt, though he had the same opportunity to escape, decided to submit his own will, and learn the ways of the Master.

The training got harder than ever, but he was rapidly learning more and more how to obey the slightest wish of the Master, and to respond to even the quietness of His voice. And I saw that had there been no training, no testing, there would have been neither submission nor rebellion from either of the colts.

​For in the field they did not have the choice to rebel or submit, they were sinless in their innocence. But when brought to the place of testing and training and discipline, then was made manifest the obedience of one and the rebellion that lay hidden in the heart of the other. And though it seemed safer not to come to the place of discipline because of the risk of being found rebellious, yet I saw that without this there could be no sharing of His glory, no Sonship.

Into the Harness
​Finally this period of training was over. Was he now rewarded with his freedom, and sent back to the fields? Oh no. But a greater confinement than ever now took place, as a harness dropped about his shoulders. Now he found there was not even the freedom to run about the small corral, for in the harness he could only move where and when his Master spoke. And unless the Master spoke, he stood still.

The scene changed, and I saw the other colt standing on the side of a hill, nibbling at some grass. Then across the fields, down the road came the King's carriage, drawn by six horses.

With amazement he saw that in the lead, on the right side, was his brother colt, now made strong and mature on the good corn in the Master's stable. He saw the lovely pom-poms shaking in the wind, noticed the glittering gold bordered harness about his brother, heard the beautiful tinkling of the bells on his feet and envy came into his heart.

Thus he complained to himself: "Why has my brother been so honored, and I am neglected? They have not put bells on my feet, nor pom-poms on my head. The Master has not given me the wonderful responsibility of pulling His carriage, nor put about me the golden harness. Why have they chosen my brother instead of me?"

And by the Spirit the answer came back to me as I watched. "Because one submitted to the will and discipline of the Master, and one rebelled, thus has one been chosen and the other set aside." 

A Famine in the Land
Then I saw a great drought sweep across the countryside, and the green grass became dead, dry, brown and brittle. The little streams of water dried up, stopped flowing, and there was only a small muddy puddle here and there.

I saw the little colt (I was amazed that it never seemed to grow or mature) as he ran here and there, across the fields looking for fresh streams and green pastures, finding none. Still he ran, seemingly in circles, always looking for something to feed his famished spirit. But there was a famine in the land, and the rich green pastures and flowing streams of yesterday were not to be had.
 
One day the colt stood on the hillside on weak and wobbly legs, wondering where to go next to find food, and how to get strength to go. Seemed like there was no use, for good food and flowing streams were a thing of the past, and all the efforts to find more only taxed his waning strength. Suddenly he saw the King's carriage coming down the road, pulled by six great horses. And he saw his brother, fat and strong, muscles rippling, sleek and beautiful with much grooming.

His heart was amazed and perplexed, and he cried out: "My brother, where do you find the food to keep you strong and fat in these days of famine? I have run everywhere in my freedom, searching for food, and I find none. Where do you, in your awful confinement, find food in this time of drought? Tell me, please, for I must know!"

And then the answer came back from a voice filled with victory and praise: "In my Master's House, there is a secret place in the confining limitations of His stables where He feeds me by His own hand, and His granaries never run empty, and His well never runs dry."
​
And with this the Lord made me to know that in the day when people are weak and famished in their spirits in the time of spiritual famine, that those who have lost their own wills, and have come into the secret place of the most High, into the utter confinement of His perfect will, shall have plenty of the corn of Heaven, and a never ending flow of fresh streams of revelation by His Spirit. Thus the vision ended. 

Interpretation of the Vision
"Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." (Habakkuk 2:2) "Harness the horses: and get up, ye horsemen" (Jeremiah 46:4). I'm sure that many of you who can hear what the Spirit saith to the Church, have already seen what God was showing in the vision. But let me make it plain. Being born into the Family of God, feeding in the green pastures and drinking of the many streams of the unfolding revelation of His purposes is fine and wonderful. But it is not enough.

While we were children, young, undisciplined, limited only by the outer fence of the Law that ran around the limits of the pastures, (that kept us from getting into the dark pastures of poison weeds), He was content to watch us develop and grow into young manhood, spiritually speaking. But the time came to those who fed in His pastures, and drank at His streams, when they were to be brought into discipline or "child-training" for the purpose of making them mature Sons.

Many of the children today cannot understand why some of those who have put on the harness of God cannot get excited by the many religious games and the playful antics of the immature. They wonder why the disciplined ones run not after every new revelation or feed on every opportunity to engage in seemingly "good and profitable" religious activities. They wonder why some will not race with them in their frantic efforts to build great works and great and notable ministries. They cannot understand the simple fact that this Company of saints is waiting for the voice of the Master, and they do not hear God in all this outward activity.

They will move in their time, when the Master speaks. But not before, though many temptations come from the playful colts. And the colts cannot understand why those who seemingly appear to have great abilities and strength are not putting it to good use. "Get the carriage on the road", they say, but the disciplined ones, those in God's harness, know better than to move before they hear the voice of the Master. They will move in their time, with great purpose, and great responsibility.

And the Lord made me to know that there were many whom He had brought into training who had rebelled against the discipline, the chastising of the Father. And they could not be trusted with the great responsibility of mature Sonship, so he let them go back to their freedom, back to their religious activities and revelations and gifts. They are still His people, still feeding in His pastures, but He has set them aside from the great purposes for the end of the age. So they revel in their freedom, feeling that they are the Chosen ones with the many streams of living water, not knowing that they have been set aside as unfit for His great work in this end of the Age.

And He showed me that though the chastising seemeth grievous for the time, and the discipline hard to endure, yet the result with all the glory of Sonship is worth it all, and the glory to follow far exceeds the suffering we endure. And though some lose even their lives in this training, yet they will share alike in the glory of His eternal purposes.

So faint not, saints of God, for it is the Lord that doth bring thee into confinement, and not thine enemy. It is for thy good, and for His glory, so endure all things with praises and thanksgiving that He hath counted thee worthy to share His glory! Fear thou not the whip in His hand, for it is not to punish thee, but to correct and train thee, that thou mightest come into submission to His will, and be found in His likeness in that Hour.

Rejoice thou in thy trials, in all thy tribulations, and glory thou in His cross, and in the confining limitations of His harness, for He hath chosen thee, and He hath taken upon Himself the responsibility of keeping thee strong and well fed, so lean thou upon Him, and trust not in thin own ability and thine own understanding. So shalt thou be fed, and His hand shall be upon thee, and His glory shall overshadow thee and shall flow through thee as it goes forth to cover the earth. Glory to God! Bless the Lord, He's wonderful! Let Him be Lord of your life, friends, and complain not at that which He bringeth to pass in your life.
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Plenty in the Time of Famine
For in the hour when famine sweeps the land, He shall feed by His own hand those who are submitted to His perfect will, and who dwell in the secret place of the Most High. When terror stalks the land, those in His harness shall not be afraid, for they shall feel His bit and bridle and know the guidance of His Spirit.

When others are weak and frail and fearful, there shall be those who shall be strong in the power of His might, and shall lack for no good thing. In the hour when the traditions of the religious systems have proven false, and their streams have dried up, then His Chosen ones shall speak forth with the true Word of the Lord.

So rejoice, Sons of God, that you have been chosen by His grace for this great work in this last hour. The fence which kept the colts in their own meadows and their own pastures means nothing to the team in the harness, for the gates open to them, and they go forth pulling the King's carriage into many strange and wonderful places. They do not stop to eat the poison weeds of sin, for they feed only in the Master's stable. These fields they trample under their feet as they go forth on the King's business.

And so to those who are brought into absolute subjection to His will, there is no Law. For they move in the Grace of God, led only by His Spirit where all things are lawful but not all things are expedient. This is a dangerous realm for the undisciplined, and many have perished in sin as they leaped over the fence without His harness and His bridle.

Some have thought of themselves as being completely harnessed and submissive to Him, only to find that in some avenue of their life there dwelled rebellion and self-will. Let us wait before Him until He puts His noose around us and draws us to His place of training. And let us learn of the dealings of God and the movings of His Spirit until at last we feel His harness drop about us, and hear His voice guiding us. Then there is safety from the traps and pitfalls of sin, and then shall we abide in His house forever!"  ​-Bill Britton

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.
-1 Corinthians 9:19, ESV

© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com Note: This vision, along with several others, can be found in the publication “Eagle Saints Arise,” which will be reprinted shortly by Bill Britton Ministries. Click here to view their website and other books by this author. “The Harness of the Lord” vision reprinted here with permission. To view the full vision, along with Bill's introductory remarks, click here. Image credits: Cover: Erin Dolson of Unsplash. Secondary photo: Marylou Salon, Unsplash
​ More Prophetic Words

The Secret to Seeing God

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
​-1 Corinthians 13:12

As a maturing believer, I have a burning desire to see and hear God more accurately. I often ask to know more of God. Sometimes I hear from you readers asking similar questions: How do I know what God wants me to do? How can I be sure I will see Him leading me, or hear Him guiding me? I want to know Him, but I have trouble seeing Him!

God’s solution to these everyday questions is a secret that Jesus revealed in the Sermon on the Mount.


In a quiet time one morning this week, the Lord reminded me of His secret, saying: “An honest heart is the most valuable of currencies. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
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In other words, authenticity is our heart’s currency in the Kingdom of God. To see God more, we need a pure heart.


​A Pure Heart
Some of my very best friends are quite blunt; they do not hesitate to speak their minds and do not sugarcoat their words! I love the secure feeling that comes from always knowing where I stand with them. I never wonder if they really mean something different when they say this or that; I know that they speak the truth from their hearts. How I wish I had more friends like these!
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Jesus appreciated this quality, too. When Philip first brought Nathanael to Jesus, the Lord said, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” (“no guile,” in some translations). “I saw you under the fig tree,” Jesus tells him, “even before Philip called you.” (John 1:47-48.) Nathanael was someone with a pure heart.


This exchange between Jesus and Nathanael is a poignant one which shows us that God is looking at the “real you” when He sees you. He sees the condition of your heart within you, not the “you” you primp and present to the world. Scholars believe it is likely that Nathanael prayed regularly, as so many other Jews did, under a shady fig tree, and Jesus “saw” his faithfulness there – by the Spirit.

When you pray, are you honest like Nathanael? Are your prayers heartfelt and authentic, or do you hold your true feelings back? So many of us have been taught that prayer is impersonal, ritual, or follows set patterns and protocols. Yet Philippians 4:7 tells us that we can pray “all kinds of prayers and supplications.” Praying authentically from the heart somehow releases to us the blessing of seeing God for who He is as well. 

One of the most important signs to me that something is amiss is when I cannot pray wholeheartedly. (Or love sincerely, for that matter!) I have found that being “Spirit-led” is very much related to being open-hearted. Peace in my heart is a sign that I have brought everything fully to Him. (See Philippians 4:7 for more on how to do this.) Honesty in my heart gives me the ability to hear Him better.

The promise Jesus gave to Nathanael for being pure of heart was this: “Hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Did you catch that? Jesus was saying, as He did in Matthew 5:8, that because Nathanael had a pure, honest heart, he would “see” in the Spirit. What a blessing!

Believe it or not, it is important to God that we “see” Him and find our way in this challenging life. From the pillar of fire in the wilderness, to Jesus seeking out blind Bartimaeus after He healed his natural eyes, we find that God’s desire for us is not just to see physically, but to have our spiritual eyes opened. I long for more of that, and praise God, we have Bible verses that show us God is chasing us down to make sure of that! 
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​Purity, Holiness, and Authenticity
Here’s what’s interesting to me: purity – and even holiness, according to the dictionary - is not the same as what we call perfection. Our goal is not to live life perfectly or without sin - only Christ can do that.

Our goal, rather, is to set ourselves apart in devotion to God (holiness) and be heart-level honest with Him about our failings, allowing Christ to cleanse and restore us to a place of innocence (purity). That is authentic Christianity, and being "real" like that really opens the heavens!

When God says “Be holy;” “Be perfect;” He is not asking us never to fail! He is looking for the maturity that causes us to remain in Him through good times and bad, bringing everything to Him. Paul states it this way: “The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Timothy 1:5, NASB) Our authenticity doesn't stop with God. Christians are also admonished to love others sincerely, from the heart. 

I Want To See God! So How Do I Purify My Heart?
I know from experience that no matter how hard I try, there are just some people I don't really... (forgive me, Lord!)... love. You know the ones I'm talking about. The ones whose personalities grate on your nerves. The ones that remind you of your failings. The ones you determine to avoid at all costs. One word from these people is enough to change your life - for the worse! 

How, then, can anyone be truly pure? How do we keep offenses from hindering our prayers? How can we be "real" and authentic with people we know will hurt us?

I know only of only one remedy that works: praying the Word over my heart before every encounter! Only the Word has the ability to transform and renew me so that my heart is able to love - and free to pray again when it has been offended. 
​Walk Purely, Walk Securely
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 119:130: “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” (NKJV)

As I’ve prayed into this New Year (5779), one of the cautions the Lord has given me is that the enemy is already seeking to undermine us. We must be “exceptionally diligent” (His words, not mine) to dig deep and fill up on the Word of God! Believers’ roots must be deeper than the enemy’s ability to dig, in order to survive the onslaught against them. Relationships too, like a good cup of tea, must be steeped in authenticity. 

When we dig deep in the Word of God, the Spirit of God purifies us. Take a look at these verses:
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If you want to learn a language, immersion is the key to fluency. If you want to purify your heart and see clearly, immersion in the Word of God is the best strategy. Measuring your heart against the Word reveals places of defilement that need confession and cleansing. This is how you become holy. (2 Corinthians 7:1.) 

Despite great desire, no one has ever seen God face to face. 20/20 vision comes later, at the reappearing of our Savior. (1 Corinthians 13:9-12 and 1 Timothy 6:16.) For now, we know in part and see in part.

Yet how brilliant are even the reflections of God we see! The smallest shafts of light illuminate great darkness, revealing the paths we need to take. Take hold of the secret Jesus shared with His disciples: purify your heart, and you will see more of God! 

© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com Subscribe
​When doubt swirls all around, and you fear you have gone too far or lost your way, all that is necessary is to stop and surrender yourself once more to Jesus.
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A New Season is Here! (Now What Do I Do?)

Change is inevitable. Many people in the Body of Christ are going through intense changes right now: the loss of a friend, a spouse, or a child. A transition into a new job. A feeling that God is calling you to do something different in the next season than what you have done before, accompanied by a disconcerting sense that you aren’t sure yet how to do it!

A new Jewish year, 5779, begins this Sunday, September 11 at sundown – Rosh Hashanah. Spiritually, the number nine speaks of fruitfulness, harvest, birthing and creation. Politically, a new government is being shaped as we vote in the primaries this week and watch the “dethroning” and reseating of key justices in the court. Personal, political and religious seasons are shifting, for better or worse. Why?

A new season is here! It is important that we understand our place in the “new,” releasing the past and realigning ourselves with God and others for the future.

But how do we do that?

Walking Through Transition
There is a reason why so many “first day of school” pictures are posted to social media – they are celebratory moments, mingled sometimes with stress or even fear. We look forward to a joyful future, yet crave the past, where we feel more comfortable.

My husband and I just released our oldest son, now 18, to college this week. Through him, the Lord gave me a detailed prophetic picture of what it really means to walk through transition and enter a new season.

Those of you who know my son know that he was READY to go. He is a strong, mature, and very confident young man, one whom I have no trouble believing will do well for himself.

Because he is my firstborn, he has benefitted from all the love and attention I could have given him. He has challenged me and I him. We have talked about every issue under the sun and I love seeing him form his own opinions now and discover his own talents.

The college he chose is a perfect “fit” for him. His dorm is clean, spacious and bright, and he has a wonderful roommate who is already a friend.
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So why, when we joyfully released him into his destiny and a future we have spent years preparing him for, did I come home and feel utterly lost?

Let Go Of The Old!
The truth is, I missed the old season! Suddenly, all the “old things” assumed a prominent place in my mind: the fun things we did with our son when he was little, the “Castle stories” we told at bedtime, the trips and adventures we shared. Above all, I remembered the need he had for me – which he has no longer.

Without this child to care for, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself! I had spent a busy, intense summer preparing him to "fly the coop." Then one day, 18 years of mothering, discipleship, and daily investment in this important person ended abruptly – and I didn’t like how it felt.

Many parents describe times like these as times of grieving – almost as if a death has taken place. It is the feeling of loss that must be dealt with in order for us to move through transitions successfully.

Whether your life changes are spiritual, physical or emotional right now, I can guarantee you that in order to move forward, you will need to fully release – perhaps even grieve - the past. And this hurts sometimes!

Acknowledging pain is a precursor to healing. Being honest with God about how you feel is as spiritual as making prophetic decrees about your future. When we take the time to recognize the good things from a past season, to contemplate them and thank God for them, we are honoring Him. (Yes, even with our tears!)

We don’t want to stay “stuck” here, of course. But the marking of these “life moments” is important so that we can close those doors and open our hearts fully to the new things ahead of us.

It is okay to grieve, to rest, and to give God room to comfort us over our losses as we transition. He is, after all, our comforter!
​Jesus Is Your Future
Transition brings a sense of being “lost” or helpless, and we also need to understand that those feelings are only temporary.

We know from the Bible that God’s plans for our future are always good. We know from many prophetic voices at this time that God is calling us up higher, to new levels, new challenges, and new positions. (See my previous post,  The Divine Invitation, for more on this.) To take on new roles, we must release the old ones, difficult as it is.

It may seem easier to hold on to a past that is known than to step into a future that is unknown. In the end, though, we will hinder our growth by reusing old wineskins. We need fresh and expanded versions of ourselves to contain God's new wine!

When Jesus was comforting His disciples about the future, Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we don’t know where You are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered him: “I AM the way…”

The only thing you really need to know about your future is that Jesus is already in it. Jesus has prepared it for you, and Jesus IS your way! If you know Him, you need not fear your future – in fact, you can expect GREAT things because He has promised them to you! Walking through transition requires that we stay close, soften our hardened hearts, and spend time asking Him for our next steps, which He promises to show us.

Moving Forward
I look forward to celebrating my son’s future successes, just as I eagerly anticipate the breakthroughs God has for the Body of Christ. Yes, we are transitioning out of the old and into the new. Yet we have incredible promises from Jesus that we can expect to bear fruit, yield an even greater harvest, and see the nations come to know Him – all because we chose to step boldly into a new season with Him! The Hebrew year 5779 is said to represent a time of creative miracles, birthing, harvest and fruitfulness. Let’s set our faith high!
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My story of transition is not unique, but it is surprisingly timely. My prayer for you today is that you, too, will honor the old with your thoughts and your tears. Commemorate and remember the things God has done for you in the past; it’s a biblical and healthy process! Then tenderly close that door, and open your heart to all the new things Father has in store for you. He will never lead you astray.

​It’s okay to not know the details yet. You know Him, and that is enough. 
​ ©Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com
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Reflect and Pray:What "old things" are ending for you right now? Can you discern that it is God's timing to lay down or release some things that are no longer relevant or have been brought to maturity?

In order to move on, we need to take care of "unfinished business." Are there loose ends in your life that need to be dealt with, or relationships that need closure? Make it a priority to finish what God is asking you to do so that you are free to pick up something new! 

Do you believe that God's plans for your future are good? Spend some time today asking Him to show you what's next in His amazing plan for your life! Prayerfully accept that transitions can be uncomfortable and allow Him to comfort you in places where you feel you are "losing" something of value. Ask Holy Spirit for wisdom and revelation as you move forward into your future. 

If you are struggling with transition right now, or do not have a sense of clarity about what God has for you next, please contact me so that I can pray for you. I love to agree with my readers in prayer and believe that prayer is one of our corporate keys for the coming year! 
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The Divine Invitation

God has issued a Divine Invitation!

It’s not just an invitation to salvation, although believers begin there.

It’s not just an invitation to experience healing or deliverance, although those are benefits of belonging to the Kingdom.

It’s an invitation to come up higher spiritually, to experience the supernatural dimensions of the Kingdom of God.

Why would we need this? Francis Frangipane says it best: “A Christian is not just a person going to heaven. Shouldn’t a Christian also be a person coming from heaven, with the goods, power and virtues of heaven?”
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Christianity isn’t meant to be a just a security blanket, providing comfort when we contemplate death. It’s meant to be a dynamic relationship involving supernatural power here and now. The beloved disciple, John, understood this and gives us a glimpse into God’s multi-faceted invitation.

John's Invitations
Rejected. Exiled. Imprisoned.

Holding tightly to the Word, yet cast out because of his faith.

A brother and companion to those in tribulation.

Yet in the end, John was a great communicator of prophetic revelation to churches throughout the world.

In the Gospel of John, there are no fewer than eight direct invitations from Jesus recorded for us, including: “Come and see!” “He who comes to Me will not hunger.” “Come and drink!” “Come to abundant life!” “Come forth to resurrection!” And even: “Come have breakfast!” The book of Revelation contains even more: fourteen invitations!

John the fisherman accepted Christ’s initial invitation to salvation, then recorded a boatload of other invitations he heard from Jesus as he walked with Him. John communicates so much to us about God’s desire for a deeper relationship with Him!
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If you are waiting for an invitation from God, John presents it! John’s gospel gives us practical reasons to come to Jesus: we will no longer hunger or thirst. We’ll find life and rest. We’ll get to know Him, and He will also come dwell with us (John 14:28, 15:26, 16:7-13). Jesus, we find, longs for us to come to Him as a hen longs to gather her chicks under her wings.

RSVP, Please!
​Perhaps even more remarkable is John’s second book – the book of Revelation. I think what is most amazing about Revelation is John’s experience within it. Here we see, in diary form, what happens when a believer responds to God’s deeper invitation to “come.” We find out the details of what God has invited us to!

Having known Jesus in the flesh, John now comes to know Him more deeply by the Spirit. Despite being physically confined to the island of Patmos, John ascends into heaven spiritually at God’s invitation. He then returns from his encounter carrying heaven’s “goods, power, and virtues” - in a series of prophetic words.

John comes face to face with the Son of Man in bright fiery glory, a reminder of his previous encounters at the transfiguration and resurrection of Christ (Rev. 1; Matthew 17; John 20). 

John then encounters the crucified Lamb in the midst of God’s throne (Rev 5), the only one worthy of opening the sealed scrolls. He is invited to “Come up here” to witness an historic and prophetic unfolding of events.

We wonder at these miraculous impartations of revelation to John: the detailed things he saw, the pattern for the end of the age, and the inner workings of heaven.

We see repeated invitations, first by the Lord, then by the four living creatures, to

“Come and see.”
“Write what you see.”
“Come up higher.”

We watch as John looks and heaven unrolls its carefully sealed secrets, scroll by scroll. John soon needs no further angelic invitations; he looks for himself, he sees, and he becomes convinced of the Lord’s desire to impart prophetic wisdom that will shake the world as he knows it. 
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What exactly does John see, apart from the revelations concerning the end time churches? Here is a short list:



​You're Invited!
All of what John saw was possible because of one thing: he desired more of Jesus. Not content to settle for salvation, John was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” when these events took place (Revelation 1:10). He had positioned himself, despite his tribulations and captivity, to pursue relationship with the Lord and to hear from Him. He then received an invitation.

Because John "turned aside" and responded to God’s unique invitation (like Moses, Jacob, Gideon and others before him), he was rewarded with an increase of God’s presence. (See Matthew 4:21-22, Revelation 1:12.) Those who “turn aside” from everyday life to pursue supernatural invitations are blessed!

David Guzik of Enduring Word ministries writes in his commentary on Revelation 1: “This was a spectacular vision, and many people wish they could have a spectacular vision like John had, but we can know the very same Jesus John saw. We can know His purity, His eternal wisdom, His searching judgment, His victory, His authority and His majesty. Each of these aspects of His nature are ours to know intimately.”*

In other words, throughout the Scriptures you discover that ​you’re invited! Heaven still summons us to life-giving encounters with the Lamb, our Savior! Every step we take towards authentic worship of Jesus gives us another opportunity to see Him in His glory and receive from Him prayerfully and prophetically. We learn from Him, then we share His heart with our world.

If we are too busy making excuses to respond to Divine Invitations, we will be left out like the guests in the parable of the Wedding Banquet!
​Our quiet times are meant to be full of wonder, worship and awe as we experience new revelations about our Savior. How do I know? When John returns from heaven full of these revelations, he opens and closes his letter to the churches with specific invitations from the Trinity:

Rev 1:4 – John sends greetings from God the Father, Jesus Christ, and from the “seven Spirits who are before His throne” - as if he knows them personally. (He does!) Imagine: The seven-fold Spirit, with seven horns and seven eyes, sent throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are “fully committed to Him,” is eager to send greetings to YOU, a fellow believer and member of God’s corporate church. We greet those with whom we desire relationship. Is it not amazing that this magnificent 7-fold Spirit before the throne, along with Christ Himself and God the Father, greets us and welcomes us to come and encounter Him? Wow! 

Rev. 22:17 – John closes his letter with a final invitation: “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (NKJV) There can be no mistaking such an invitation. You and I are the “whoevers,” and the only requirement for access into the supernatural realm of faith is our desire. As it was for John, the door in heaven is standing open, beckoning us to come in (Revelation 4:1).

Rev 1:3 - “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it, for the time is near!” We are promised a blessing as we engage with Christ in His glorified form, along with prophetic revelation released from the Throne.
​Conclusion
For prayer warriors and prophets alike, John’s exquisite letter to the Asian churches reveals the prophetic process like no other book of the Bible can. We see John’s obedience to observe the Sabbath and his discipline in stirring himself up in the Spirit. We see his receptivity to the voice of the Lord – a listening ear in prayer. We see his openness to the things of the Spirit, even experientially, that allow him to cross that great supernatural threshold into heavenly realms. And we see that his worship of Jesus and a subsequent encounter with the Lamb is what transforms John from an exiled and rejected disciple into a confident prophet and spokesperson for the Lord.

The greatest revelation known to man began with an exiled believer on a far-away island, someone who took the simple step of being “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” John’s act of simple obedience has encouraged churches throughout the generations to hold on to the hope of their heavenly callings and to enter in to the fullest experience of Christianity. 
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I pray that you will respond to God’s “Divine Invitations” with a wholehearted “yes” every time. Not just for the sake of experiencing God yourself, but because what you hear, learn, and experience in the supernatural will empower you to share your wisdom with future generations. The ancient hymn becomes a perfect prayer:


​© Deborah S Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com.  *David Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary on Revelation 1. Quote used with permission. Link here.
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The Amazing Power of Intercession

Do you know the difference between prayer and intercession?

Prayer, according to Merriam-Webster, is “an address or petition to God in word or thought.” It is, as most people imagine, making an earnest request to God.

Intercession, which many people believe to be the same thing, actually takes prayer one step further. While it may include praying to God for something, to intercede is to “intervene between parties with a view to reconciling differences; to mediate.”* In other words, intercession is prayer in action!


Christ’s work on the cross was the ultimate form of intercession. He prayed for us, but He also acted on our behalf. He took steps to reconcile us to God, becoming the mediator of peace and a new covenant with God. 
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In other words, prayer goes straight to God’s heart. But intercession links the heart of God with the hearts of men. Intercession is action-packed prayer! 

Intercession: God's Action Story
To illustrate the difference, let me share a story.

A few months ago, I made an appointment to see my audiologist. I don’t see her very often, but I had an urgent need that required attention.

When I called to ask for the next available appointment, the secretary told me that my doctor was on vacation until early the following week.

“That’s great!” I said. “She deserves a vacation!”

“Well, actually…” the secretary hesitated. “She had to return home to Columbia because her sister just died of cancer. I can give you an appointment the day she comes back.”
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“Of course,” I said. “I’m so sorry to hear about this. I will see her when she returns.” 

Compassion in Action
As I hung up the phone, I felt crushed. I genuinely like my doctor, and was so saddened by this turn of events in her life. I actually felt bad that I needed to see her under these circumstances! My sadness led me to pray for her, that God would comfort and heal her family, and give her grace to return to work the next week while she was grieving.

On the day of my appointment, I again prayed for this doctor. Yet as I left the house, I felt strongly that I needed to do more than just pray. I felt led to acknowledge her sister’s death in some way, even though she didn’t know I was aware of the loss.

​I decided to stop by the store and pick up a single rose for her as a kind gesture. I found a beautiful rose in an unusual color, and brought it to the appointment.
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The funny thing was, while my doctor seemed to appreciate this gesture, she didn’t say anything beyond a simple “thank you” that day. I expressed my condolences, gave her an awkward hug, and went home.

Prayer + Action = Intercession
Two months later, I returned to see my audiologist. When we had finished and I stood to leave, she stopped me. “Do you remember the unusual-colored rose you gave me the last time you were here?” she asked.

“Of course,” I said.

“Well, I couldn’t bring myself to tell you at the time, but your gift really touched my heart in a powerful way. My sister loved roses, and she would go to the market in Columbia to buy roses in the exact you gave me! She would put them in her house every day.

“When she became sick with cancer, her husband would go out and buy those same roses for the house, to cheer her. It was my sister’s rose! So I could not believe that you brought me that very same color flower when I returned to America. I told my brother in law and his family what you had done, and they were amazed! Thank you!”

“It was God,” I said. “Only God could arrange something like that!” I hugged her again and this time, she returned the hug. :-) 

God’s love reached this doctor in a tangible way, through a very personal act of intercession. She may never know that I prayed for her, but she does know that God cares, because He intervened as I acted on His compassion.

Because I prayed and acted, God was able to touch not just one person in America, but a grieving family in Columbia as well. They now know that something bigger is at work in their lives, something that only God could coordinate. Through a simple rose in a color awash with meaning, God's love touched people in two nations! Hallelujah! 

Reflect on This  Have you ever been used by God to intercede for someone, not just in prayer but with action? What happened?
 
A wise pastor once said this: “You will not pray effectively for what you do not love.” Ask God to give you the compassion you need to both pray and intercede for those around you. Then watch to see what happens when you become the answer to your prayers! 
​© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com. 
**Merriam – Webster’s Online Dictionary; Link here: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prayer

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Prophetic Teaching: God is Raising the Bar!

In a charismatic church I attended a couple of weeks ago, the pastor asked this question: "Be completely honest. How many of you read your Bible on a daily basis?" Fewer than 5 hands went up. 

Alarmed, I decided to ask the same question in a second church where I preached the following Sunday. Again, the same response - just 6 or 7 hands this time. I was amazed. 

Not coincidentally, the same week I received Lifeway's "Facts and Trends" magazine in the mail. One of the articles contained this statistic: 66% of Christians (including Evangelical, Mainline and Black Protestant churches) believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life." Among Catholics, that statistic jumps to 79%.* 

The Bible teaches that Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life. " (John 14:6) No one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ. For a Christian, then, this belief in many roads leading to heaven is, quite simply, untenable. How did we get here?
​ Raise the Bar!
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Several weeks prior to these unsettling events, God awakened me in the middle of the night with a word concerning - of all things - weightlifting. God often speaks to me with analogies or illustrations from everyday life, and this was no exception. Here is what I heard Him say: 

When you are unsure what to do, it is My word that guides you. When you lack the strength to carry something out, it is My Spirit who enables you. Think of it this way: My Word sets the bar, while My Spirit does the heavy lifting! They are “power twins” when used in tandem.

You may think the bar is set too high, when in actuality it is designed to make you stronger. I am seeking someone who will “step up to the bar,” accept the task of lifting not just any easy weight, but the more difficult (heavier) ones. Why? Because without the “power lifters” in the Kingdom, no one would realize what true fitness (for Kingdom work) really is! 
​ I was challenged to "raise the bar" just recently in my own spiritual life. What I hadn't realized was how many believers have "joined the gym," so to speak: they've accepted Christ and go to church, yet rarely, if ever, do any personal spiritual training.

Despite the freedom of speech and the availability of the Bible in literally hundreds of easy-to-read formats, very few people have even a basic quiet time. Biblical illiteracy is at an all-time high. This saddens me.
​For more information on how to overcome Bible illiteracy, click here. 
​Why Work Out?Why should we invest time in Bible reading, prayer, or fasting? Are these disciplines truly helpful or are they obsolete? 

If we want to abide in Christ, we must spend regular time in His Word somehow. Here's more of what the Lord spoke to me that morning: 

The entrance of My words gives light. Seek therefore to bring light into every circumstance, for without My words you will surely perish. Critical times require critical doses of My word, which has the power to save and heal. 

We obviously have a critical need for believers to know what the Bible says, to protect them from deceptions like the one stated above by Lifeway. But beyond that, we are called to bring hope to a critically hopeless world, and without the life-giving words of God embedded in our spirits, we will not save, heal, or deliver those who are perishing. 

It is not that God is limited; He is all-powerful and can intervene with miracles anytime He wills. Yet as a general rule, He chooses to work through us, His followers. If we as followers are flabby, not fit, we will not be able to bear the heavier burdens that afflict people on a daily basis - nor will we make it through our own spiritual "workouts." 

The Holy Spirit has promised to assist us with the heavy lifting, and He does. But he is requiring believers to engage and submit to His personal training, to develop greater spiritual fitness. Paul states it this way in Hebrews 5:11-14:

There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. (NLT)

Centuries ago, Paul struggled with the same issues we face today: those who should be healing and raising the dead are instead languishing in learning the basic principles of faith, not making much progress. How much more urgent now, in the last days of history, is God's call for us to step up to His bar, His standard, and become spiritually fit?

The Lord continued speaking to me: 

Fear not the setting of the bar at a higher height or deeper level than you are accustomed to. Approach it, rather, as a divine opportunity for untested growth and maturity in My Kingdom, growth that will both benefit you and inspire those around you for My glory.

I don't know about you, but I want God to be able to use me for greater things! It requires discipline and training on my part, but there is joy, too. Why would I not submit to the "Father of my Spirit" and live? (See Hebrews 12:9.)

Commit Yourself to Spiritual FitnessEphesians 4 reminds us that the Body of Christ functions as every part does its work. Every joint and ligament supplies a measure of strength, balance, and fitness to the overall process of Kingdom-building. When one part is unfit, the entire Body suffers. 

Those of you who read this blog are already a step ahead of so many believers I know. Let's not be among those who slow the Body down with laziness or apathy! I urge you to commit yourself to being spiritually fit - not just because it will help your church and the Kingdom at large, but because it may make the difference for you personally when the enemy next attacks your faith, your family, or your future. 

Here's the final part of the word the Lord shared with me that early morning, one I hope you will take to heart:

You must put into use everything that you know and have learned about life in the Kingdom in order to succeed in heavy warfare. For it is not just a question of whether you can lift the bar once, but whether you have the perseverance and stamina to lift it ten times in succession. It's not about simply fasting for a day, but eating (healthily) as a lifestyle. Do you truly prepare yourself for ongoing spiritual conquest, or are you lax until the moment arrives when a “lift” is needed on someone’s behalf? The latter will not do. I require ONGOING champions who are fit for any battle, any time. For this, you need one essential element, and that is discipline.

Yet here, dear one, is the problem: discipline cannot come only from within yourself. You do not have the perspective you need (of an outsider) to see what you lack, but only the pride to see your current gains! One part of your (spiritual) body may be fit and toned, while another lacks conditioning. One type of “stretch” may be easier for you than another, which strains you or does not yield immediate results. I speak in physical imagery yet it illustrates a greater spiritual principle: you MUST have training as well as discipline to make it. 

Therefore, seek out the mentors, seek out the ones who have gone before, and apply yourself to their proven methods. As you do so, My Spirit will enable you to both see and perceive what is needed or lacking in your current spiritual “schedule.” In this way, you will supplement what you know with the extra boosts you need spiritually.

Friends, the Holy Spirit is your personal trainer . He is ready and waiting for you to step up to the bar. There is so much to be gained by your obedience! As John Ortberg says, "Spiritual transformation is not a matter of trying harder, but of training wisely." 

The same Paul who was frustrated by the Hebrews' lack of maturity also wrote to Timothy: "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and the life to come." (1 Tim 4:4, NLT). And to the Corinthians: "Everyone who competes in athletic games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Cor 9:25, NIV)

May the Lord show you what you have not done that you should be doing. May God give you understanding of the "bar" He has set for you, and the call He has on your life. And may the Holy Spirit enable you to lift every weight that encumbers you or those around you, in the strength of HIS might! Amen. 
© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com 
*Facts and Trends Magazine, Vol. 64, #3, Summer 2018. Published by LifeWay.com, Nashville, TN 37234.
​ Reflect on This:1. Assess yourself honestly: What level of spiritual fitness are you at right now? Do you have a plan for growth, or are you following a course of training through your church, a Bible Study group, or from the Lord personally? 

2. Jesus is the Word of God. (John 1.) To abide in Christ is to be saturated with the Word. Are you reading or listening to the Bible on a daily basis? Why or why not? What steps can you take to ensure that staying in the Word is a priority for you? List possible ideas in a journal or notebook, then commit to one! All spiritual gifts and fruits spring from knowing the Word! 

3. Read Ephesians 3:16-20 in the Passion Translation. (Access it online if needed). What do you notice about the work of the Holy Spirit in you? How does He empower the believer? 

Build Spiritual Muscle! Read another article by Deborah here. 
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About Deborah Perkins
Deborah is looking for "Beta Readers" of her newest book, Why Pray? Reasons to Reach for God. If you would like to read a free digital copy of this book in exchange for submitting a review on Amazon or Goodreads, please contact Deborah here. Online reviews help boost our book's exposure to a larger audience & are greatly valued!
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You Can Know the Holy Spirit!

No one was more skeptical of the supernatural than I. Raised in a world governed by the intellect, I was trained from an early age to focus on learning and self-development while rejecting emotionalism and spiritual “fanaticism.” Truth was limited to what could be discerned through science or the five physical senses alone.          
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In fact, when I finally discovered the Holy Spirit, the very first “label” my family put on me was that of a “fanatic.” Never mind that I hadn’t actually done anything worthy of that label yet; my confession of faith in the third person of the Trinity was enough to worry them! 

Click Here to download the free printable from this article on the Holy Spirit!The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
The Westminster Catechism, which I memorized as a child, plainly states that God is “Three in one.” Apparently, my first church didn’t support authentic belief in the third of the Three!

However, when I looked at the answer to question 6 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: “How many persons are there in the Godhead?” I found something that surprised me:

“There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.”

It seemed that some of the traditional teaching I received overlooked something – or rather, Someone – who was actually essential to the Christian faith.

The question I want to ask you today is: do you consider the Holy Spirit to be the same in substance as God and Christ? Equal in power and glory?

Sadly, many in the church do not.

"Same in Substance"
To believe this essential truth is to admit that the Holy Spirit is not just a Spirit but also a person, as God and Christ are (“same in substance.”) God walked with Adam in the garden, Christ walked with us on earth, yet some traditions fail to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit also walks with us – dwelling within our very persons! (*For a printable list of Scriptures on how to know the Holy Spirit, click here to view or download.)

To receive the Holy Spirit as a unique and separate entity is to understand that like God, like Jesus, He is capable of compassion. He can be grieved by our actions. He both hears and sees what we do and say. He has opinions about where we should go and how we should live.

Yet even more than that, He is equal to God in power and glory, and so has the right to be obeyed as God! Does this surprise you?

Too often I think we imagine that the Holy Spirit is nothing more than a breath of wind, a harmless dove, or a “feel-good” Spirit that shows up as goosebumps on our skin when we imagine we sense His Presence. He reminds us of what Jesus said – but He isn’t really God, He’s just “the Helper.” We fear talking to Him personally, citing scriptures that tell us to pray to the Father in the Name of the Son.

But what if He is God? What if the thoughts and suggestions He makes in that still, small voice are actually echoes of the thunderings of heaven? What if, as His equality with God illustrates, talking with the Spirit of God is the same thing? What are we afraid of?

A Personal Experience
As a young Presbyterian child, I was encouraged to sing in the choir. My family was very musical and appreciated fine arts and culture, so this was considered an acceptable use of my time spiritually.

Our elaborate gothic church was built in 1927, and its foundation was laid in the shape of a cross. It seated over a thousand people. It boasted elite and powerful members. But my favorite feature of the church was its stained glass windows.

On any given morning, from the choir loft over the nave, you could see the sun rise to a height where rainbow-colored rays from the windows were reflected onto the surrounding walls. It was truly beautiful!

I remember one morning in particular, I was singing a hymn with the choir, watching the windows come alive like watercolors in the warm sun – my favorite thing! But suddenly, something in the atmosphere shifted. Not only did I feel a tingling on my skin, as if every hair on my body were standing on edge, but I sensed the presence of Another.

It was as though an invisible being had stepped into the choir loft with me, electrifying the air around me. My fellow choristers kept singing, oblivious to the change. But I knew I was encountering a spiritual presence. I just didn’t know how to identify it.

Years later, I was introduced to the Holy Spirit as a person who lived inside of me - the gift of God. I began to understand that God, like man, wanted to be known experientially, not just intellectually. And then I remembered that morning in church.

With the inward conviction that only the Spirit can give, I heard Him saying, “That was Me!” I knew in an instant that the presence I had felt that day was HIS Presence; I just didn’t have a name for Him yet.
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I believe a major process of growth in our spiritual lives is learning to discern both the movements and the identity of this third person of the Trinity. We can know about God intellectually, as I did, but not experience Him personally. We can also experience the movements or benefits of the Spirit without attributing them to God. Much of what God does in our world is written off as circumstantial or surprisingly unusual - not powerful as from a Sovereign design.

"Equal in Power and Glory"
Unlimited by time or space, and able to surprise a child in a choir loft of an otherwise powerless church with His manifest Presence. This is the person of the Holy Spirit. Do you know Him? Can you sense His Presence in your life? Do you consider His movements and instructions to be those of God Himself? Do you agree that everything the Spirit does is for the glory of God? Or does the very idea of a Holy Spirit concern you?

I think that for many who come from traditional spiritual backgrounds (Catholic, Lutheran, or Presbyterian like me), interacting with God as Father feels safer than interacting with the Holy Spirit. The Father is in heaven and has far more Bible verses written about Him than the Holy Spirit does! The Holy Spirit – if we admit He is dynamic and real – is closer to home. He’s on our turf, dangerously near.

In a way, this is a good thing. His daily presence in us means we cannot relegate God to the top shelf, pulling Him down only in our moments of need. It means we are somehow more accountable, more vulnerable, and uncomfortably subject to aspects of the spiritual dimension.

We fear what might happen if we yield to Him as God. Will we lose all semblance of sanity? Will we lose control? If we choose to follow Him as a dynamic trinity, will we, as my family feared, become “fanatics” for Christ?

While I admit that it’s a process to get to know the Holy Spirit, I find that the more I allow for the supernatural (call them “fanatical” if you will!) aspects of my faith, the more I understand of God Himself. We cannot understand a spiritual being without the Spirit! Not only that, but our prayer lives become more powerful when the Spirit leads us, since He knows how to lead us in prayer that agrees with the Father. (See Romans 8:26-27.)

Our senses must be renewed daily to His Presence as surely as our minds must be renewed to His truths. We need both Logos and Rhema, Word and Spirit, to understand God in His fullness. We need to recognize and honor the Third person of the Trinity to understand the heart and intentions of the First. Above all, as in any relationship, we need time to learn of His character and trustworthiness.

Time reveals that the goal of the Spirit is the same as the goal of Christ: to grow us up to maturity in God. To “glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” He comforts us in our afflictions. He reminds us of what Jesus said to us. Everything He does is in line with the Bible – God’s Word! To say that the works of the Holy Spirit have ceased operating (a “cessationist” view) is, in effect, to say that God has also ceased to exist and operate in our world – a foolish view for a Christian!

Western traditions tend to downplay or even ignore the supernatural dimension of faith. But if God is not powerful, if He maintains no presence or impact on this earth, why would we worship Him at all?
 
While many in the church shy away from getting to know the Holy Spirit out of fear, ignorance, or intimidation, I pray you will welcome this essential third person of the Godhead. “Religious” people may call you a fanatic. But from the standpoint of a very personal Christian faith, it’s the most reasonable thing you can do. 

© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com
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Download A Free Printable Gift: "Know The Holy Sprit."Click Here.Reflect on This:
1. Romans 8:6 reads: “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Yielding to the Holy Spirit is far from fanatical! When the Holy Spirit was released upon the early believers in Acts, He came with both power AND the unique ability to cause untrained men to speak in other languages. Just as God is powerful, wise and omniscient, so the Spirit is both an intelligent and compassionate being, whose goals are to bring peace and wisdom to the mind and the reality of God’s love to even the hardest of hearts. 


2. Take a look at the following Scriptures: Acts 1:8; Matthew 12:31-32; John 3:5-8. What do you learn about the person of the Holy Spirit in these passages? (For more detailed scriptures, view or print a free download on the Holy Spirit here.)  
 
3. What were you taught about the Holy Spirit as you learned about the Christian faith? Are those teachings consistent with what the Bible teaches? Are you aware that the Holy Spirit is given to you as a gift at your salvation? (See Acts 2:38.)
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Kingdom Priority: "SATURATION!"

As I spent time with the Lord today, I asked Him, "What is Your Kingdom priority for this moment?" The answer came quickly and powerfully: "SATURATION!" God is ready to SATURATE you with His Presence! Are you positioning yourself to receive all He has? Keep reading for the full word.                                                                                         
​ Kingdom Priority: Saturation!
"Take all the time you need to come and be SATURATED in My Presence. For the refreshing rains of heaven are falling right now on My people, and those that hear the sound of the rains will come and soak in My revelations.

This is a time of unbridled revelation straight from the Throne. No censorship, freely open to all: all ages, all genders, all races, all people. Why shut yourself out? What is stopping you from entering in? Do not let the limitations of past seasons or current difficulties hinder you from pressing in to My goodness and encountering Me. No other source of wisdom will both SUSTAIN you and PREPARE you for what is coming.


Without the cleansing of this rain upon you, you will miss the upcoming move of revival. Let My rains wash off of you the filth and dirt of previous adventures in the Spirit so that you are ready to experience - taste, touch, and see - all the goodness of the coming ones!


That which has been 'caked' onto your eyes, covering you like scales: the old perceptions, the old limitations - has prevented you from seeing the new things I am doing. Let me wash your collective eyes so that what is now being revealed may also be perceived.


YOU CANNOT RECEIVE WHAT YOU DO NOT PERCEIVE! If you fail to take the time to watch and listen in this hour, you will miss the goodness of what I am planning. Be diligent to set aside TIME in the Spirit so that you are part of the "planning board" for the next phase of My Kingdom!"

Reflect and Pray
1. What is stopping you from taking time to be with the Lord? If you do take time to pray but still feel dry or weary, how can you "up your game" to meet the challenges of your life as it is now? (Example: with my children home from school all summer, there are multiple people in the house all the time. Extended prayer times, which I love, are few and far between! When my kids set up a tent in the yard one weekend, I took advantage of the new structure and still spent a day at home, "alone" with Jesus! That kind of creativity helps me meet the challenges of daily life so that I can continue to be sustained and prepared spiritually.) The enemy's goal is to weary you. God wants to both sustain and prepare you. When can you plan time to pray so that you are refreshed and ready?
 

2. Do you believe that God desires your input on Kingdom plans? Or have you been taught that you should simply "take orders" from God? Take a look at the following scriptures and determine for yourself: what does the Word say? Exodus 3:10-14; Genesis 18:22-33; Job 15:8; Jeremiah 23:18; Acts 1:24; Colossians 4:3; Hebrews 5:7.  

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3. Ask the Lord to show you what preconceived ideas or valid past experiences in the Spirit may be hindering you from seeing or receiving new ways God wants to work in your life. Just as we do not expect our children to remain the same forever, so God expects His kids to be growing and maturing, and experiencing new things! Are there changes you need to make in order to welcome the "new things" for your new spiritual season?

©Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com

Trained by Pain

What is your first response to pain?

​In the span of just one week, several of my close friends experienced heavy losses. One friend was betrayed by someone close to her. Another dear friend was faced with the emotional pain of feeling unloved in primary relationships. When a third friend broke her foot in a roadside accident on vacation, I spent a number of hours with her in the ER, hoping to relieve her physical pain.    

In each case, my first response was compassionate action: I reached out as best I could with prayers and practical help. 

​I know for a fact, though, that when I am the one in pain, my first response is very different. When hurt increases, compassion vanishes. I have a new goal: avoid that pain at all costs!   


While it’s not fun, pain can be a good thing. Pain is our body’s way of signaling that something is out of order and requires our attention. Pain is a catalyst whose goal is to put us on the path to healing. 

The trouble is, while we go to great lengths to heed pain’s physical messages by seeing a doctor or caring for injured body parts, we are not as likely to seek healing for our soul wounds or spiritual issues. Why? ​
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A Human Analogy
In the physical body, when bone sits upon bone without any cushioning, pain results. Cartilage – that protective cushion between bones – can wear away with overuse or injury, making movement highly painful.

As a former runner, I experienced this firsthand. Over time, the cartilage in my knees disappeared, and bone began rubbing on bone. Aggravation and then pain resulted. An x-ray from the doctor revealed that even the positive movements I tried to make to exercise produced nothing more than a desire to give up!
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Relationships can feel like that sometimes. In family or friendship, the softness of love and mutual compassion can erode over time until we feel nothing but annoyance with each other. The dry, bony issues from our past resurface and there is nothing to keep us from exploding in anger every time the other person “rubs us the wrong way.” 

Trained by Pain
When we are in pain we tend to hurt those closest to us – as if rejecting them first will keep us from being hurt again! We instinctively strive to protect our wounded souls from further damage. Instead of seeking healing as we do with physical wounds, we are “trained by pain” to avoid the offender and mount our defense!

The deepest wounds come from our past primary relationships: those who were supposed to love us but rejected us, neglected us, or didn’t respect us. Wounds from acquaintances don’t cause pain the way wounds from close friends do; after all, they don’t know us the way our family and friends know us! When someone who really knows us rejects or misunderstands us, the pain goes much deeper.

The enemy capitalizes on this, reminding us that it is our closest relationships that have done the most damage to us. So, in an effort to protect what is sacred to us, we distance ourselves. We end friendships. We divorce. We leave churches. After all, we were fine until we tried to get close again, right? It’s their fault.

We withdraw from God just as surely as we withdraw from people when we are in pain. Pain multiplies when we believe God should have done something and didn’t. Instead of admitting that we may have misunderstood God’s purposes, we cling to our anger and reject Him as well. Our prayer lives move from halfhearted to nonexistent; we certainly won’t pray “wholeheartedly” with someone who has disappointed us!
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What do we do with this kind of pain? How do we reopen the gates of our hearts when we hurt?

Healing Comes Through "Painful" People!
There is a friend I know whose words are often simple but powerful. On his Facebook page recently, he posted this insightful comment:

“I always knew that healing is found in the body of Christ, but now I know it's found in the joints of the body with whom He connects us.”

I pondered this for a while and knew it to be true. In fact, as I messaged him later, I realized that every significant healing I have had as a believer has come not through big-name speakers or even highly skilled ministers, but through those closest to me. My local church. A friend of a friend. A father or mother in the faith. Someone I live with or a friend I am close to.

In other words, ​healing comes from the very people who are the most likely, because of their proximity, to hurt me!

The implications of this revelation are alarming. To put it simply: pain drives us away from the very people God wants to use to heal us. Not only that; pain stops us from connecting with the one person – God – who could heal us!
 
Why would God design relationships this way? Isn’t He losing the battle here? After all, people often reject God when their natural fathers don’t love them. Why would anyone choose to run towards the one who hurts them? Wouldn’t that feel like self-sabotage?! Wouldn’t that be – wait a minute – what Jesus did?
​Love's First Response to Pain
I believe God’s love is the “cushion” we lack when bone grates upon bone. While cartilage cannot be replaced or regrown in the physical body, God’s love can both cushion and heal our souls.

It is love that allows us to see that hurting people hurt people. Love knows that to be honest with a friend will bear more fruit than ending the relationship. Love can hold on when a spouse is suffering. Love is what gives us the endurance we need to continue to run our spiritual race.

Maybe this is why Jesus commands us to go towards the one who offends us, not away from him. (See Matthew 18:15) To confront when we feel hurt. To be honest, to reconcile.

Maybe this is why Jesus toiled all night in prayer at Gethsemane, baring his soul to his Father. Because the pain of separating from the relationship would be greater than the physical pain He was called to endure. Maybe that “cushion” of real love is what kept Father from grating on Son, and Son on Father – right up to the resurrection. They had each other – and they knew that it was their closest relationships that would heal them.

In Psalm 22:24, we have an open window into the heart of God concerning pain. Read this verse in the Passion Translation:

“For He has not despised my cries of deep despair. He’s my first responder to my sufferings, and He didn’t look the other way when I was in pain. He was there all the time, listening to the song of the afflicted.”

Despite how we may feel sometimes, God is our “first responder” when we are in pain, not our last resort! The secret to walking out of pain is allowing Him to examine our wounds and set us on the path to recovery. We must engage, not withdraw.

Forgive your enemies? Pray for those who hurt you? All this is only possible when we see, as my prophetic friend did, that healing comes from the parts of the body closest to you. And that our first response should be like God's: turn towards the pain, not away from it. Pray, don't hide.
 
Don’t leave your church. Don’t walk away from your marriage. Don’t forsake “the wife of your youth.” Why? Because God has designed that person to be your healer! It might mean you have to initiate reconciliation. (It’s the offended who seeks out the offender, remember?) It might mean you have some uncomfortable conversations or adjustments to make. That's part of the healing process.

Every time you allow the pain to drive you towards love, your ability to function in the Body  becomes better. Misunderstandings are cleared away. The enemy’s doubts are driven away from your mind. Physical healing now has an opportunity to manifest. And the love of God, like a healing balm, anoints the wounded places so that they are stronger than ever.

Don’t let pain disqualify you from the blessing of love and wholehearted relationships with God and man. Instead, let pain be your training ground to learn to love at all costs. After all, isn’t that what Jesus did?

© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com. Cover image: Gus Moretta from Unsplash.
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