Sylvia Neusch's Blog, page 3

Can You Hear Him Knocking?

Can you hear Him knocking? Jesus is standing at the door of many hearts in this hour, and He is patiently, but intently, knocking. His knocking is a compelling invitation. He knocks and waits for our response.

Jesus is inviting us to go with Him into the new. It is a time of leaving the past behind to lay hold of the new. When Elisha received his call to follow Elijah, he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. Elisha kissed his mother and father goodbye, slaughtered his yoke of oxen, then burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and give to people. He made a clean break with the things that might hold him in the familiar in order to fully step into the new with a whole heart.

Some believe that Elisha's burning the plowing equipment represented an altar. God is calling us to the altar in this season. The altar is a place of sacrifice. The altar is a place where we give up and release those things that would keep us from fully embracing His call on our lives. The altar is a place where everything that is not of Him is burned up and consumed. He is a consuming fire.

Jesus is knocking that we might welcome Him in. He wants to come and make Himself at home in our hearts. He is cleaning house, rearranging things and bringing upgrades.

"My beloved reached into me to unlock my heart. The core of my very being trembled at his touch. How my soul melted when he spoke to Me!" Song of Songs 5:4 TPT

Yes, Jesus is longing to unlock hearts in this hour. He holds the keys to every heart and His touch leaves us forever changed, longing for more intimate encounters with Him.

Things may feel unsettled for many. Issues are coming to the surface requiring a response. Will we cave into the comfortable and familiar, or will we allow Him to have His full way? It is easier to stay broken than to do the hard work of healing unto restoration and wholeness. But, the latter will yield fruit and benefits for generations to come. Jesus paid the price for everyone's wholeness and He longs for all to step into their inheritance with Him.

Transitions are underway, both big and small. It is a time to keep our hearts in check, not passing judgment on the movement of others. We must keep our gaze forward and our eyes on Him. It is not the time to judge the path of another, but trust that our Father is big enough to guide their steps as well.

"Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all you ways." Prov. 4:25-26

Can you hear Him knocking? Even His knock speaks of love. It is not a time for hesitation. It is not a time for excuses. There is an urgency in His knocking. The time is a kairos time. It is an appointed time. There is an encounter with Him waiting for us. There is oil for our lamps. It is a time to gather oil. It is a time to trim our wicks.

"Listen! My beloved is knocking: "Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night." I have taken off my robe--must I put it on again? I have washed my feet--must I soil them again?" - Song of Songs 5:2-3

Those who open the door to Him in this hour will dine with Him. He has a banquet table awaiting those who will enter in with Him. It is a time to buy from Him gold refined in the fire. There are white clothes to cover our shame and salve to open our eyes to see. (from Rev. 3:18)

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." Rev. 3:20

This is what I hear the Spirit of God saying:

"Can you hear Me knocking? I am knocking and waiting for you to answer. I am not looking for a tentative answer but a whole-hearted response. Will you go with Me wherever I might lead you? It will not always be easy, and the way not always clear, but I am with you.

As you open the door and step through, know that it is a moment of surrender. It is a death to self and it is a life-filled path that will also lead you to join in the fellowship of My sufferings. But, it is also the only path to hope, joy, and great fulfillment. Yes, I have new realms to reveal to you and treasures mined from the dark places that have sought to take your life. But, LIFE I give to you, My child. Ever unfolding, ever joyful, abundant and eternal life is yours.

I am issuing an awakening alarm. It is time to rise from your slumber, being watchful and mindful. It is time to be ready, dressed in your battle armor, awaiting your marching orders. You have been trained and equipped, and it is time for forward movement. But first, renew your heart before Me. Receive again My cleansing, healing, and refreshing waters to wash away the dirt and grime from the former seasons.

My grace covers you, My child. My grace releases to you everything you will need. As I said to the twelve, "Follow Me."

Will you open the door and come with Me?

The King of Hearts is on the Move

I heard in my spirit recently, "The King of Hearts is on the move". For a number of months now, I have felt the Holy Spirit's heightened activity in my own heart and have witnessed it in the hearts of others as well. It is a time of increasing awareness of His movement in our lives and His continued work to conform us into the image of His Son, Jesus.

"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" - 2 Corinthians 3:18

In times of outpouring and revival, the glory level increases around us. We may feel, see, and experience Him in greater ways. We may have a greater awareness of His Presence in our corporate meetings. In these times of increasing glory and Presence, we will also have a greater awareness of those things in our lives that are not in alignment with His kingdom. This is not a time to move into self-condemnation or self-abasement, rather, a time to submit our hearts and lives to His grace and mercy and receive His cleansing and realigning of our lives to His. It is His goodness that leads us to repentance.

I believe we are in such a time right now. As the glory level continues to increase, things are beginning to come to the surface in hearts and lives. As believers, we are a brand new creation, no longer bearing a sin nature. But, scripture makes it clear that we can still sin even though we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:8-9

As the Holy Spirit continues His work among us, we should not be surprised as things begin to bubble to the surface in the hearts of those around us. This is a key time for the Church to walk in unconditional love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy. It is also a time to receive His cleansing and breakthrough anointing in our hearts and release it to others around us. Patterns that may have taken months of deliverance and counseling before are going to begin to be broken in a moment in powerful encounters with Him. Prodigals are going to return to their faith in great numbers as well.

The baptism waters are going to be stirring and active in this time. Don't miss the freedom He is offering and step into His waters of deliverance. Breakthrough after breakthrough is going to happen in the waters of baptism. The old is going to be buried in the waters of baptism and new life, healing and deliverance will be the testimony of many.

Spring Cleaning in the Kingdom

Recently during a worship service, I heard the Holy Spirit say, "I'm cleaning out the closets". Just the day before, I had spent some time cleaning and organizing in our master closet. As I surveyed the piles of things I had sorted on the floor, I realized I just don't need these things, anymore. I had an unusual urge to purge and get rid of the unneeded things, to simplify and keep only those things that I needed.

And just as He spoke to me in that worship service, I believe the Holy Spirit is doing a similar thing in His Church right now. We are being challenged to simplify and streamline our lives with Him. We may find Him asking, "What is most important right now? What things are not beneficial? What things do you need to get rid of in order to give Me your full devotion?" His work is uniquely personal and individual in each heart. Some are being called to a higher level of health consciousness in their bodies. Addictions are being exposed and uprooted in other lives. Many are sensing the need to turn from things that have become idols in their hearts, repenting and turning from those things that have held their affection. These are just a few examples of the deep work that Holy Spirit is doing in hearts in this hour and it will only increase in the days to come.

Yes, it is spring cleaning in the kingdom! Traditionally, spring cleaning is defined as "a thorough cleaning of a house or room, typically undertaken in spring". (Oxford Languages dictionary) Spring cleaning seems to be a bit of a lost art, but in generations past it was a time to go room to room in your house doing a very thorough cleaning.

I feel I must emphasize that the "spring cleaning" that Holy Spirit is orchestrating is out of His heart of love for us and all of mankind. His movement is always unto redemption, new growth, and transformation on every level. He is moving on our hearts to get rid of the clutter to make room for the wonderful, new things that He has prepared for us. When our hearts hold on to things that do not bring Him honor, we are living short of who He has called and created us to be. He is calling us up higher to step into who we are as the sons and daughters of light. He is preparing the soil of our hearts so that all He has sowed and is sowing, will fully take root and grow, yielding a bumper crop full of His righteousness.

Increased Glory and Increased Warfare

As to be expected, along with the increase of God's glory and kingdom activity has come an increase of warfare. It is a time to go in low, walking in humility and grace. It is a time to be quick to forgive, being slow to speak and slow to anger. We must be intentional about not giving the enemy any toehold of access into our lives.

The enemy is an imposter. Scripture tells us he "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (I Pt. 5:8) Notice it says, "like" a lion. The imposter is being exposed in this hour and the King of our hearts, our Lion of Judah, is rising up to roar over the hearts of His Bride, the Church. His roar is calling us up higher and awakening our spirits to hear and be in tune with all He wants to do.

We must fight smart in this hour and Paul has given us divinely inspired words to walk by concerning our warfare:

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Cor. 10: 3-5

We will do well to resist the urge to fight our spiritual battles according to worldly wisdom or tactics. We have a choice as to how we will act or respond in the many situations that come our way. Our senses need to be on high alert to detect the enemy's evil schemes. We can send the enemy's camp into confusion by our godly responses.

What exciting days we are living in as the Bride of Christ! We have front row seats to see and participate in seeing the earth filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. May He have His full way with His Church and the many hearts who call Him Father. May the Lamb receive the reward of His suffering, the greatest harvest ever to be seen!

Arise and Shine, Church!

I saw a movie a number of years ago about an Amish community. In the movie, when someone needed help, whether a crisis, a barn-raising, or help in harvesting their fields, they would ring a large bell. Within minutes, the community would appear in all directions, hurrying to help and assist the one calling for help. This scene from the movie has continually reoccurred in my thoughts lately. When I asked the Lord what He might be speaking, I felt He said it was the Spirit of God who is now ringing the bell for the worldwide Church to awaken to "Arise and Shine" and fully step into Her role as the Ekklesia and Royal Priesthood. There is a call for intercessors to pray and the Ekklesia to put the decrees of God in their mouths. There is a call for the harvesters to come forth and go into the fields to bring in the great harvest.

God is calling and assembling His Bridal army. Before a large military move, the troops have a time of inspecting their equipment, packing and assembling their supplies, and physically and mentally preparing for the battles ahead as they move forward to take new land. We have been in such a time, as the Body of Christ, where the Spirit of God is going deep into hearts and lives to touch those things that are not adequate to take on the journey into the new land He is giving us. It is a loving work of His grace and much deep healing is taking place in hearts, families, marriages, and lives.

I see camps of intercessors sharpening their swords and immersing themselves in God's word. God is releasing upgrades in their weaponry and larger, more powerful swords are being released. These praying ones are consecrating themselves, surrendering everything to the Captain of the Lord of Hosts. New revelation for greater strategic warfare and blueprints for wisely reaching and harvesting each of the seven mountains is being released. Rivers of refreshing are being poured out, and battle weary warriors are being rejuvenated, uplifted, and wonderfully refreshed in the waves of joy, peace, and love He is pouring out. Those who feel too weary to go another step will suddenly be energized by the power of His Spirit.

A Kingdom of Priests

There is a thread running through scripture, beginning in Exodus 19:6 where the Lord first spoke these words to Moses asking him to share with the Israelites, "...You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." What was God looking for? It is evident that He wasn't looking for just one person to serve as a priest, but He was longing for a nation to step into that place. Notice Peter's declaration in I Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." The longing of God's heart was becoming a reality!

Hallelujah! The people of God no longer needed a mediator to approach Him because of the atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Now, they must embrace and step into their identity as a holy nation with a holy occupation.

Every believer is called to be a priest unto God. I believe we are just beginning to grasp the significance of our role as the Royal Priesthood. We have been seated in Christ in heavenly places and it is for a purpose. Jesus Christ is on His throne at the right hand of the Father, and we are seated there, in Him. A throne signifies governmental authority. The One on the throne has been given all authority, and the right to rule. As we own our position in Him, we must acknowledge and embrace our inherited authority to rule with Him. We step into our "royal" role by choosing to enforce the rule of God's kingdom from our seated position in Christ. As His Ekklesia, we take up our keys, binding and loosing, and bringing heaven to earth by releasing the decrees and declarations we hear from the Spirit of God.

"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1:22-23

In Luke 4, Jesus read from the Isaiah scroll proclaiming these words, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Part of our role as His Royal Priesthood is to carry on the works of redemption and restoration that Jesus came to do. What an incredible honor to be able to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming freedom for captives, and releasing prisoners from darkness. What a joy to proclaim as His priests the year of our Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God!

The Isaiah 60 Church

As we move forward to embrace our call as His Ekklesia and Royal Priesthood, we will see the Isaiah 60 Church emerge. The Isaiah 60 Church is a lighthouse and a beacon for the nations that are engulfed in the thick darkness. We are experiencing a time of thick darkness and the Lord is calling the Church to Arise and Shine to Her full stature and position. As we embrace our call and respond to His awakening Spirit, we will need to be grounded in these things that would be a strength for us and for others:

The Isaiah 60 Church Walks in Hope

Hope acts as an anchor for us. It stabilizes us amid the tumultuous waves of trials and oppression that come against us. Hope acts as a light for others, pointing the way when darkness hides the path we should go. Hope causes us to be immovable and unshakeable. Hebrews 12 indicates that we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

We grow in hope by focusing on truth. Many are going through necessary mind renewal as the enemy has assaulted the thoughts and minds of many. The Spirit of God is calling for His people to abide in Him and His word. From this place we then learn to speak and declare His truth over our own lives, and then the lives of others. It's not enough just to speak the truth though, He actually wants to change our very thoughts. As we continue this process our thoughts do begin to change, and we find we are thinking in alignment with Him and His kingdom. Emerging from this process is a powerful people of HOPE. Nations will be drawn to the hope that we carry as it will become a more and more valuable commodity in the days ahead.

The Isaiah 60 Church Walks in Favor

God's favor on our lives is a work of His grace. But, as we grow in hope, it actually opens the door to His favor on our lives.

"...the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord." Isaiah 60:5b-6.

God wants more for us than for us to just "get by". He actually desires that we flourish. As we flourish and grow in favor we represent our good Father. But, our favor is not just for us to enjoy--it is for the benefit of others. Our favor will grow as we learn to steward it for the benefit of others. Stewarding our favor well involves honoring the people He places in our lives and arenas of influence. "Jesus increased in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man." (Luke 2:52) If it was necessary for Jesus to grow in His favor, then it is certainly necessary for us as well.

The Isaiah 60 Church Walks in Peace and Well Being

"Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler. (Isaiah 60:17) God has transformation and upgrades for His people. Like hope, peace is a very valuable commodity in these times. In times of crisis, your peace will be called upon. We grow in peace leaning into our relationship with the Prince of Peace. We learn to walk in peace by cultivating it during trials and times of crisis. It is His desire that we all walk in His peace, His shalom, with nothing missing, nothing broken.

The Isaiah 60 Church Walks in Intimacy

" The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. (Isaiah 60:19-20)

The people described in this verse know that God is their light source. He is the source of their strength and their glory. As we behold His glory we become like Him. We are totally dependent on Him. Like a battery that must be recharged, our light will wane if we are not connected to Him, the source of our light.

The Isaiah 60 Church is answering the call to awake. As carriers of His light, we will step into our call to displace the thick darkness with the powerful kingdom of light that we carry. His glory, His weighty Presence, rises upon us and the world is watching and waiting for the Isaiah 60 Church to step fully into Her call to Arise and Shine.

Hearts are Coming Alive Again

The Father is thawing out hearts that have been frozen because of the unyielding coldness and bleak situations many have experienced in the past season. Many have known fear, despair, and great trauma that has left them battle torn and weary. God is breaking off the ice that has surrounded these hearts and the warmth of His glorious Presence is beginning to flood in.

There are those whose hearts have been numb and unable to feel because of the pain they have experienced. Emotions have been shut down, but His warm healing oil is being poured out over these places to awaken, revive, and restore. Emotions are going to come alive and you will know what it is to feel again, to really live life again.

A softening is coming for hearts that have hardened as a result of the fierce battles. Like a turtle huddled in its shell you have retreated and sought protection, closing off your heart so that the pain would not be so great. Even now, REVIVAL RIVERS full of love, mercy, and grace are flowing to heal and restore those broken and sealed off places.

The battles have been intense and the attacks against you unrelenting. But, the Lord's love for you is exponentially more unrelenting. He won't give up on you! His love towards you is tireless and His persistence is unmeasured. He will not leave you in your wounded state, but is coming as the Deliverer and Champion of your freedom.

"You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain." Song of Songs 4:12

The garden of your heart may have seemed locked up for a time and you wondered if you would ever experience true life again. The springs of living water within you felt as if they had been closed off, unable to flow. The Spirit of God is moving to reverse the curse against you the enemy has attempted to enforce. You will know what it is to flow with the rivers of living water once again. God is throwing open the windows of your heart and His light is flooding in to cause a GREAT RESURGENCE like you have never known before. You will see and experience His goodness all around you! The waters of your inner fountain will begin to flow again and you will find the greatest delight in His refreshing river.

"Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere..." Song of Songs 4:16a

God is moving all across the earth, and His winds are beginning to blow, ushering in His restoration of hearts and great harvest. Hungry, hurting hearts in need of His healing are beginning to cry out and turn towards Him once again allowing His ardent affection to melt away the prisons of pain bringing welcome freedom. The warm winds of His Spirit are beginning to blow and hearts are coming alive again. Blow Spirit, blow!