Bless, Not Curse

The word for Waterford today is about blessing and cursing. It seems there are a lot of people in Waterford, who live here, who have believed lies and whispers of the enemy and have come to despise Waterford. They see it as a cursed land and not blessed. Instead of feeling blessed to live here they feel it's a curse. Some people from outside of Waterford have said that. That criticism is a type of persecution. But when its coming from the inside, it's more of a self-loathing. The criticism that God wants to deal with today is not coming from without, but from within.


The people of this community need to be sure not to agree with the words of others, whether inside or outside Waterford, which are words of cursing. Especially the believers. As Christians, we need to be careful that we don't agree with any of the curses which might be spoken over the township. They could be coming from demonic forces, or simply negative words spoken from people.

Of course Waterford is not perfect, but I don't believe God is cursing Waterford. We need to align with Him and agree with His words and what He is saying over Waterford. Words of blessing, healing, life, and salvation. I believe that is what He wants the people to do--speak over their own community, speak words of blessing, and ask Him to move in their community. Don't despise the place you live in.

Father God, we repent of negative, critical, and curse words that we've spoken over this Waterford region. Please forgive us for any negative words, words of cursing instead of words of blessing that we've spoken. We repent of those words. We no longer line ourselves up with or agree with those who are speaking curses. Forgive us and wash and cleanse us and let those words come to nothing. 

We make a decision to speak words of blessing, life, salvation, and healing over Waterford, the people, the land, the families, businesses, churches, government, and schools. Words of blessing, life and salvation, and healing, to draw the hearts of the people turn to You. Draw the the heartbeat of the community, Waterford at its core, to seek after You and seek to do Your will and line up with You. We ask for and speak this blessing, that You draw people by Your Spirit to You. Into salvation. That You've not given up on this community. You've sent Your angelic heavenly host to work on behalf of those who are and will be Your people. We unleash and release blessing on this community in Jesus' Name. Draw all people to You. We lift Jesus up so all are drawn to You. 

We ask that You release dreams, visions, revelation, understanding, teaching and the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus so the hearts of the people in Waterford, the hearts of the businesses and schools will turn to You and lift You up. That they will say yes, Jesus Christ is Lord and we worship the King of kings and Lord of lords. There is one true God. The God of the Lord Jesus Christ. The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Noah, Adam and Eve, and all of creation. You are the one true God. We lift You up, exalt You, and worship You. We thank You for Your goodness, mercy, grace, and compassion. We choose to worship You. To speak words of blessing. We ask that You bless.

In Numbers 22 Balak hired Balaam to curse Israel. Balak was afraid of Israel because they were a large number and he knew they were blessed by God. He wanted them to be cursed so he could defeat them and drive them out. The enemy knows that when God has blessed something its a mighty thing. He will want to bring a curse on what God has blessed. He wants to bring a curse on us. He wants us to agree with him, Balak had to get Balaam because he knew that what he blessed was blessed and what he cursed was cursed (verse 6).

God has give us power and authority in our words. What we bless is blessed, what we cursed is cursed. Of course we need to align with God in what we say, but our words have power. The devil will try to get us to speak curses and agree with others who are speaking curses. We need to stop that and realize the power we have in our words. Balaam said he could only speak what the Lord tells him to speak (verse 38). If the Lord is speaking blessing, then we need to too.

We're not going to be hired out to speak curses. If someone speaks a curse, a complaint, a gossip, and we agree with them, we are agreeing with their curse. Either just be quiet or speak blessing instead. Don't agree with their curse. Speak what God says--His word. Today is the day of salvation for Waterford, not the day of curses. It's time for salvation and spiritual growth. We don't want to be hired out to speak a curse. When we agree with someone who is speaking a curse, we are getting something out of that--recognition, acceptance, something. It's like we're hiring ourselves out to speak a curse like Balak tried to do with Balaam. Our payment could be that we want to fit in, be accepted, look cool, or look like we're "in the know." But what we're really doing is selling ourselves out for a curse. We need to stop that and speak blessing instead. Speak what God is saying over our community. When God does bring judgement, it's a scary thing for those people. While we have opportunity to bless, we need to do so.

Father we speak a blessing over every square inch of Waterford. Bring salvation, bring healing, bring life, and deliverance. We speak deliverance from demonic deception, addiction, poverty, a religious spirit, from anything the enemy would bring to try to keep people from fulfilling the destiny You have called them to. Whether its people, groups, businesses, schools etc. we speak blessing, freedom and deliverance. The enemy cannot stop this community from fulfilling the purpose which You have purposed it to do in the holy mighty name of Jesus Christ. You're so good to us.

I had a dream last night. I dreamt I was praying for someone or something. I think I was praying for healing. After I was done, there was a girl or young lady standing next to me on my left. She was skinny, long blonde hair. She said something about them getting what they deserved. I said to myself, "That's a curse. She's speaking a curse and I'm not agreeing with her." I didn't say a word. I was careful not to say anything, especially anything that would indicate I agreed with her. Not even an "uh huh."

I believe that is the message for this community today, and for all of the body of Christ. That we don't align ourselves with those who are cursing our cities.

Father God, thank You for revealing this. We want to completely align ourselves with You and Your word. Holy Spirit and angles of heaven, alert us and all of God's people to the times the devil tries to get us to do this. Alert us so we are aware and don't fall into that trap. Help us become more aware of the words we speak, as well as what is in our heart. We need to let no unwholesome word come out of our mouth, but only that which is good for edification, according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29). We want to speak words of grace We release words of grace over Waterford today in Jesus' name. Amen.

Yet is Now

As I was getting ready to pray for Waterford this morning, the only direction I had at first was that I kept hearing the word "Yet." Earlier this week I read to a group of fourth graders at a local school. When I finished, one of them mentioned that the book I read reminded him of "The power of 'Yet.'" Apparently, it is a Sesame Street saying which they use to try and convey the idea that you shouldn't give up if you can't do something, but keep trying. Don't say you can't do it, but that you can't do it yet. Whether its learning to read, a new skill or whatever. There are times you may feel like you can't do something, but that doesn't mean you will never be able to.

The word 'yet' has different meanings, but when used as an adverb it speaks of time. It could be past or future. "This is the best one yet" would be relating something happening now with the past, where "I haven't done this yet" would be relating the present with the future. It's a powerful little word that makes a big difference when added.

I felt like the Lord was saying there are some things that have not yet happened here, but that "Yet is Now." There have been some things we haven't been able to do that are going to begin to happen. However, we need to be aware that there are things we have to do to prepare for that. Just like someone who says they are unable to read yet, doesn't mean that they don't try, or don't work at it. There are things we have to do to prepare, and things we have to do to practice.

There's a difference between preparing and practicing. When we prepare we study, learn, listen, research etc. Where when we practice we are trying it out for ourselves. We are doing what we have been taught. We are being trained. We can learn all about something but we need to try it ourselves and be trained to do it before we can go to a whole new level.

Rick Joyner mentioned recently how some people think that if you plan something ahead of time that God is not in it. The thought is that it has to be spontaneous in order for it to be of God. That is simply not true. In fact, God is a huge planner. He envisions just about everything before He does it.

You could break down our growth in the Lord to five levels.

Follower
Disciple
Bond-Servant
Friend
Family--son, daughter, heir

The second level of being a disciple is where the teaching occurs. The bond-servant level is where the training and equipping happens. The bond-servant level is often where people discover their gift. So many Christians are unsure of what their place is in the body. They just might need to move from the disciple level to the bond-servant level. Often when we get moving and start doing something our gift will surface. When we start practicing its like our own AIT--advanced individualized training.

We need to become personal in training new Christians. They need more than general teaching, but individualized training so they can take their place in the body of Christ. Of course they have to have the desire for more--to be more than just a convert. As Christians, all of us can move from being a follower to becoming a disciple--a student of the Word, one who takes up his cross and follows the Lord, and one who is being conformed to the image of Jesus. Jesus said a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave his master. It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave his master. (Luke 10:24-25). Yet there's a lot of people who settle in the teaching stage. They are content with being taught, but they are missing out by not pressing in and stepping up to the next level of bond-slave. There is so much more waiting for them.

I pray there is a stirring in the hearts of the people throughout southeast Michigan. That there is a stirring in the heart of God's people. That they want more than being just a follower, or even a disciple of Jesus, but that they want to become a bond-slave. That they are willing to do whatever the Lord wants them to with their time, money, resources, space, etc. That they dedicate it all to the Lord, so they can truly say, "All that I have is Yours. I want to put Your will above my will, build Your kingdom instead of my kingdom." 

This bond-servant relationship is not a forced relationship. A bond-slave is a person who has willingly chosen to be God's servant. God doesn't force anyone. If you want to remain where you are you can. But you can get closer to Him if you want. God I pray that by Your Holy Spirit and the angelic host of heaven, that You release into Waterford, Oakland County, and southeastern Michigan this desire and stirring to do more than just be a follower of You, more than a disciple, a student of the Word as important as that is. But release a desire to press in and become Your bond-slave and servant. We want all that I have to be Yours. To put Your will first. We want a closer relationship with You!

Of course we go on into friendship and family, but we still remain in the prior levels as we move on. We don't quit being a follower when we become a disciple. And we don't stop being a disciple when we become a bond-slave. We don't stop being a bond-slave when we become His friend.

Father God we pray for hearts of unbelievers to turn to You, but also for those who are already born-again and follow You, we pray You bring them to the next level of discipleship. That they develop a hunger for the Word of God, to study it and pour themselves into it. Let a love for the Bible be released into southeastern Michigan right now. Let there be a love for the Word of God released now in Jesus' Name. Also let there be a passion and desire for people to lay down their plan for Yours. To plan after the Spirit of God and not their own thoughts. Let them know there is more beyond.

We make a decision to be followers of You, disciples of You, bond-slaves of You at all costs. We will put Your will above ours. We will build Your kingdom before ours. We will give our time, space and money to You. Completely. 100%. Sold out, dedicated to You. Any fear that would come against this we rebuke in Jesus' Name. Those who are afraid to completely surrender to You. To take up their cross and follow You, we rebuke that fear in Jesus' Name. Get out of Michigan! We don't accept it here. For those who are listening to the lies of the enemy telling them they don't need to become radical for Jesus, we bind those lies in Jesus' Name. You shall no longer deceive God's people in this region. We silence those lies in Jesus' Name. The lies, deception, fear, no more. No more shall they prevail in God's people in Michigan any longer.

Father, by Your Spirit release the wind of Your Spirit to stir up the hearts of Your people. By Your angelic host of heaven bring Your presence and a hunger and desire for Your Word and desire to completely sell out. Give Your people thoughts and glimpses of what is to come. What can happen. All this week I have been getting glimpses, feelings, that something good is on the horizon. Something good is getting ready to happen---a joy and excitement is here. I think there is a darkness that is being lifted and a light coming to the area.

This darkness that has been covering this region be lifted in Jesus' Name. Let a new dawn dawn in Jesus' name. Let there be a new day dawning throughout Michigan. Lord, let Your light shine. Let there be an illumination that "Yet is Now." What has not happened yet, happens now so the timing You have for things come into alignment. I repent on behalf of Your church for getting out of Your timing and alignment. Have mercy Lord and forgive us and work things out like You do so we come into proper alignment and timing for our lives and this region.

Bring the people here who have been out of state that need to come back, and those who have been here who need to go elsewhere, move them on. Bring us into alignment that we are in the proper place at proper time. Our timing is right, our location is right, and our provision & finances are right. Proper job adjustments happen. Time, space, money. Timing, location, and provision. Bring them all into proper alignment so we can truly live in the land of our anointing and prosper in it. So we build Your kingdom not ours. We surrender to You Lord. We wave the white flag of surrender to build Your kingdom, not ours.

Father we take a minute to listen to You. We slow down and listen to You. We move out of the trap of busyness, hurriedness and rushing. We won't get sidetracked on things that use up our time and fill up our mind so we can't listen. If we're going to bring the yet here now we need to know how to listen to You and how You speak to us. We are Your sheep. We hear and follow You. We need to know that first before we can follow You, or serve You. We determine to slow down and get quiet before You, fall in love with Your written and spoken word, and act on it. It's not hard, but the enemy fights us. Sometimes our flesh does too.

Thank You Father for being so patient with us. For being good. We want to be like You Jesus, conformed to Your image. 

The Lord also spoke with me this morning about Sodom and Gomorrah. He pointed out to me how the angels listened to what Lot said. When they first came into the city, they saw Lot and he asked them to come stay at his house for the night. They said no, that they were staying in the square, but he persisted and they changed their mind and went to his house. Then when they were getting ready to destroy the city, they told Lot to go to the mountains. He asked if he could go to the little city that was there and they said yes. They said they granted his request and would not overthrow the little town. (Genesis 19). They listened to him.

Angels are on a mission from the Lord, but they can change some of the details within the confines of what the Lord has told them. They will respond to what we say and do what we ask if they can. We often have more freedom in this than what we realize. This is an area of prayer we need to be more aware of. We need to teach people and train them in this area. Prayer is not a religious duty, but a relationship, a conversation with the Lord where we discuss matters with Him.

The Lord told me eight years ago to begin Pray for Waterford Michigan and to pray for whatever I wanted. There was a lot I was praying for--schools, churches, families, businesses, government. But then I realized after a while that I wanted to pray for what was on His heart for this community. We need to know His heart and He needs to know ours. There is a basic plan--His will--but then we have a certain amount of freedom within that. We are partnering with Him. He is not a distant God, but He is our Father whom we can converse with, sharing thoughts on how to build His kingdom and stopping the evil. Father teach us how to partner with You, pray with You, and show us the guidelines of Your will for this community. We want to partner with You and use the freedom You've given us properly. Show us how to do it right Lord! 

Waking Up of the Oil Soaked Wicks

Psalm 46:10 Cease striving and know that I am God.

I've had two different trains of thought that are tied together. First I saw people in the community being really busy in their thoughts. Their thoughts were extremely active to the point where they couldn't hear the Lord or any of the thoughts He was trying to get through to them. There was so much busyness in their minds that they didn't have a minute to just stop and think. It was almost like being ramped up on a stimulant like caffeine.

I saw how important it was for these people to stop striving. To be still, and aware of the presence of God and know that He is God. The people were busy with impulses, reactions, all kinds of thoughts, plans, and distractions. The enemy is trying to fill people's brains with anything to keep them away from being still and contemplating. These people needed to give themselves a minute to think. They need to have some blank time to daydream and open up to the thoughts coming up from their heart so they are not always being directed or dictated to as to what to do.

I could see families waking up, moms planning the day, but in a way that was hectic so they did not have a minute to sit, think, and enjoy. This is the devil's playground--keeping people so busy that they can't hear from the Lord. They are going in a direction that is fruitless, against His will, and even dangerous.

We want to be sure our thoughts, plans, and reactions are from Lord. I saw a lot of reacting going on. Instead of initiating, planning, and thinking from the heart, it was a lot of reacting and putting out fires that are distractions from the enemy. Then there was a breeze from the Lord that blew these 'busy' thoughts out of the way.

Lord, breathe and blow throughout the community. Blow out the rut of negativity, the habits of thought that are not from You. Blow out the negativity and distraction. Instead, blow in Your thoughts so the actions, planning, and thoughts of the people are from You and reveal the direction You want them to go.

With this breeze comes repentance. People will stop and think about the direction their life is going, and what they are spending their time doing. They will think about their priorities. They will say, "I want to repent and turn from this direction and go in another direction." They will have a desire to do things God's way.

Lord, stir up this desire as your thoughts blow into the people. Bring Your breeze that brings stillness. Its not a stormy breeze but it brings a stillness, calmness, peace, and causes people to contemplate, think, prioritize, and repent from ways they shouldn't be going to wanting to do it Your way.
Father, bring this breath and breeze so the people see the beauty of You and Your ways. So they see Your love, Your wisdom, Your life, Your goodness, Your reality, and Your holiness. That these thoughts be brought captive to the obedience of Christ. This truth of thought brings freedom. Our minds are freed by truth. Unblinded minds are freed by truth.

Father God, I pray about these impulses, reactions, programming, dictating, habits, distractions, diversions, and glitches of thought are freed by Your truth. The enemy can no longer blind the minds, fill the minds, or capture the minds, but they are free in Jesus' Name! I pray that Your breeze blows through and brings the revelation, the knowledge, the instruction, and direction You want people to go. Bring the life. I pray that people stop, listen, pause, and contemplate. Contemplate You. That their thoughts are guided towards You. Release Your angelic heavenly host to bring this to pass.

This goes along with the other train of thought which the Lord showed me--a baptism of repentance. These 'still' thoughts that come from the breeze lead people to change their direction and that is what repentance is--going the other way. I saw a baptism of repentance sweeping through southeastern Michigan. I saw a blaze--wicks that were oil soaked wicks. They were God's people. There was an accelerant in the air around them which was the Spirit of God and the Word of God. This breath/breeze that brings the stillness also brings an accelerant and fills the air so when one match is lit it spreads like wildfire throughout the region.

God is filling the atmosphere here with an accelerant by his Spirit and by His Word. The voices of  the enemy--guilt, shame, regret, criticism, and a religious spirit are blown away by the Voice of the Spirit of God. His Spirit and His Word is filling the atmosphere like an accelerant. The enemy knows it and tries to stop it. But he can't if we do what we need to do.

The religious spirit is going from churches. We'll get back to preaching Jesus, repentance, and salvation. Repentance prepares the way for the Lord. It prepares the hearts. Like becoming a new wineskin, we prepare our hearts so we are ready for Him--to be filled with His wine, His oil, His Spirit, His Word. This is the accelerant that fills the atmosphere so when one match is lit it will spread quickly.

I pray for the Christians--the believers, the leaders, the Spirit filled churches--especially the ones who feel they have it all together. They feel settled in. God, light a fire in their hearts so they can set the example. Begin in Your house and Your leaders to get the people out of their false sense of security/peace. Bring the true peace--the breeze that blows off the distracting thoughts. 

On the one hand the enemy brings busyness but on the other hand he tries to lull to sleep--a false peace. He brings thoughts that cause us to be complacent so we settle in and are lulled to sleep. The enemy will try either way--to keep us really busy or give us a false peace--sleep so we're unaware of what is really going on. We have to be able to discern both.

We need to tune in to the Spirit of God and the Word. I feel that this year it is especially important that we read the Word a lot. We need to be the oil soaked wicks that are soaking in oil. We need to be spending time in His presence, listening to His Spirit, and reading the Bible. As we do, our wicks are becoming soaked in the oil and that accelerant is being released into the atmosphere so when He brings the fire and lights the one match it will spread throughout this region. It will burn off what needs to be burned off and light the fire/motivate where we need to be motivated.

Father God we pray that you help us prepare our hearts to be the new wineskins, to be the oil soaked wicks, to get into Your presence and allow this breeze to bring the stillness from You, that we align ourselves and our priorities with You. That we don't give into impulses, programming, habits, or reactions that the enemy wants us to respond to, but that we respond according to Your Word and Spirit. That we're not lulled to sleep but we're not too busy with activity either. We want to be the oil- soaked wicks. We make the choice to soak in You. 

I pray for all of Your people, leaders, believers throughout this region, that You blow this breeze over them so they can still their hearts and listen to You. That they quit striving and know You are God. That they hear Your voice and hear Your Spirit and take the time to let the things go that need to be let go and listen to You. That they soak in the oil and get ready to be lit. Set the blaze afire when the time comes. Do that by Your Spirit and by Your angelic host of heaven. I pray we soften our hearts so we have the insight we need.

In Mark 6:52 it says that the disciples "had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their hearts were hardened." Jesus had done a miracle of feeding the 5000 and then the disciples went out onto the lake and a storm came up. Jesus came out walking on the water and stilled the storm. They were "utterly astonished." It amazed them so much because they hadn't learned from the miracle of feeding the 5000. The reason they hadn't learned from that was because their hearts were hardened. These were the disciples hearts that were hardened, not the crowd. Its not that they didn't want to believe, they were followers of Him. But it could have been that the fear of the storm hardened their hearts, or it could have been simply because they hadn't had enough time with Jesus yet for their hearts to soften. (Of course we know that eventually they did have softened hearts.)

The point is, we want to make sure that the fear of the storm doesn't cause us to harden our hearts because then we won't be able to gain insight--to hear, understand, and learn what we need to. We also want to be sure we spend enough time with Him, soaking in His presence, soaking our wicks so our hearts are soft.

Father God, I thank You for this word and insight and pray that You continue to give us revelation and understanding of this so we're ready. So when You light the fire in this region, we're ready, Your people are ready, and this blaze spreads throughout the region. I pray in Jesus Name that we stop the competition, the striving, doing things for show, arrogance, pride, false and evil motives. That we have a true heart filled with your Spirit, in sync with You, working in unity of the Spirit, that we release this blaze so it spreads throughout this region bringing revival and the awakening You desire.

The busy people I saw this morning were people waking up and going about their day like it was a robotic, pre-programmed thing. But some were beginning to literally wake up and say, "Wait a minute, is this what I want to spend my time doing? Is this the direction I want to go in my life?" This applied, not just to Christians but to others--those bound by addiction or crime--as well as families and believers. People are beginning to wake up and say, "This is not the direction I want to go with my life!" This awakening is coming as this still breeze comes to the people.

Lord, do it, and help us. We cooperate with You, Your Spirit, Your angelic host of heaven so that this can be done in this region and we can have this awakening and revival, this blaze that You desire to have in southeast Michigan in Jesus' Name, amen.