Articles

Aligning with God's Course Through Seasons of Transition

Opening & Introduction: Jacquie Tyre

Over the last few weeks Holy Spirit has been speaking to me about being rightly aligned with His course in order to move into the next season, or era, that is rapidly coming upon us. In the course of praying into this, I sensed the Lord say that our Ekklesia Arising assembly on July 24 was to focus on preparing us to move through this time and that Teresa Heath and Connie Bolton had portions to share that were key. So, they graciously agreed to share and what came forth was a three-stranded cord of strength and unity out of the heart of our Father. The following notes are compiled from each of us and provided for your edification and encouragement.

Prophetic word received in early July:

Be sure My people are moving in this season rightly aligned with My course so that they might not go astray. The winds of adversity, the winds of confusion, and the winds of deception are swirling and their intensity increasing. Therefore, My people must position themselves on My course, in My way, to avoid the dangers that lie to the left and to the right. Do not think that the winds will sweep you off the path in one fell swoop. No, these winds are set to cause you to lean in such a way that you feel like you are upright when indeed you are off-plumb and veering off My course.

Know that things are not always as they seem. Some of the people, places, and things that you have watched in the past season as indicators of My presence will not be so in this next era. It is mandatory that My people come to more fully know My voice, My Word and My ways, and find their places of divine fit among those who have determined to walk in the fear of the Lord - no matter the cost.

The passage of Scripture I was led to as I prayed into it was Psalm 119:30-33, specifically on verse 32.

"I have chosen the way of truth;

Your judgments I have laid before me.

I cling to Your testimonies;

O LORD, do not put me to shame!

³² I will run the course of Your commandments,

For You shall enlarge my heart.

Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,

And I shall keep it to the end." Psalm 119:30-33

In studying this passage, I began to look at the words "way, course, and cling". The following provides the definitions that give key insights into what and how the Lord is calling us to aligned with Him in this time of transition.

Way & Course (same Hebrew word): derek H1870: 1) way, road, distance, journey, manner a) road, way, path b) journey c) direction d) manner, habit, way e) of course of life (fig.) f) of moral character (fig.); "The action of going, walking, a going, hence a journey which any one takes; a way, path, in which one goes very frequently....way, mode, course, a way of living or acting; the mode of worshipping God

Cling: dabaq H1692: to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to, overtake, catch - to be glued; to be attached to anyone - to be lovingly devoted (to a king, to God, to a spouse); to be attached to any thing - to come upon; to adhere firmly; to follow hard; to cause to reach.

The Lord is inviting us to check our ways and adjust our steps so we are found in step with Him. . . even clinging to Him. Teresa & Connie will share then I will come back with some closing thoughts to summarize with some critical questions that I sense the Lord is asking us as a tool of inspection and adjustment.

Insights shared by Teresa Heath:

Setting Our Course for the Next Season

What is God saying about setting our course for this next season?

We are now in a time of transition - passing from one place or condition into another. As we walk through this time of transition, we must prepare or set our course as we come into this new season. We need to be prepared to walk in THIS season, not just doing everything the same way as always because it's familiar.

Here are some questions I felt God was asking as I pondered "setting our course".

Matthew 3:2-3 - "REPENT, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT."

In some Bible notes I read - "Repentance is a change of mind that bears fruit in a changed life." WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE IN OUR WAY OF THINKING FOR THIS SEASON? Are we filtering what God is saying to us through old mindsets (or those things we THINK we know); or are we praying, listening and allowing Him to give us FRESH MANNA? Are we willing to lay down old thought patterns and ask for HIS revelation of His Word? Will we allow what He shows us to go deep and change our very way of living so that we bear much fruit? We may speak and say things, but we will act and "be" according to what we truly believe, think, and have faith for.

God gave me the word "Esther" one night recently, which started a short study of the book to see what He wanted to highlight for me at this time.

The following are questions and thoughts discovered out of the life of Esther:

God has a purpose, plan and strategy for where He desires to place us in any season we are in. We need to learn to listen, hear and obey Him to walk in that place He has for us so that we can accomplish the purpose(s) He has for us (individually and corporately as His body). We can only find satisfaction and joy as we follow and obey Him. Are we willing to serve Him "wherever" and in "whatever" area He asks us?

One thing I have done recently is pull out prophetic words spoken over me and asked God to show me if it is the season for any of these so I can think about those things and see how they may fit in this next season.

God has a purpose for everyone He has ever created. In speaking with some people lately I have found that many have dreams of what they would be doing that have just died over the years. God places dreams in us, and we need to pray into those dreams and share them with others who will encourage us. . . maybe even help us walk them out. May God breathe life into those dreams causing us to fan into flame those things we may feel we can only imagine! We may think WE can't do it, but GOD can bring about anything HE desires!

• ARE WE WALKING IN HUMILITY?

Esther had a humble heart, and we need to walk in true Godly humility in this season. She had a willingness to listen, learn, take advice - therefore, positioning herself to receive favor. She could be trusted by God. So He could allow her to find favor.

• ARE WE RIGHTLY ALIGNED AND CONNECTED WITH WHO SPEAKS INTO OUR LIVES IN THIS NEXT SEASON AND THOSE WHO WE WILL WALK WITH?

Esther wisely humbled herself and listened and received advice from Hegai, the king's eunuch. When going into the king's chambers each woman could take anything she desired with her from the harem. Esther wisely only chose what Hegai advised her to take with her. Who in her sphere of influence knew the king so well as the eunuch?

Esther wisely aligned herself with Mordecai - a voice she knew and trusted. Mordecai heard from God, lived a godly life and was able to speak to Esther what to do and what not to do as she fulfilled her purpose. Mordecai also seems to be a picture of Holy Spirit whose voice we need to know and listen to in this season. We must be accustomed to hearing Holy Spirit if we are going to truly serve and follow God now. Sometimes it takes great faith to follow when we don't know the outcome of what we are being asked to do. When Haman had set up to have the Jews annihilated Mordecai told Esther to go to the king and "implore his favor and plead with him for her people". This could have cost her life, but as we know she chose to do what was asked of her.

When Mordecai asked Esther to go into the king, she at first wondered . . . what might happen to ME? But Mordecai reminds her that she also is a Jew, even though in the king's palace. Also, that God would send deliverance from another place as what is going on is about His people - not only Esther. (He even suggests that her and her father's house would perish.) Mordecai even says, "And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" Once again, she is there for God's Kingdom purposes! She grasps the truth of what Mordecai says and does what he says as she realizes this is much bigger than she is!

God always knows what is happening and we need to seek Him, get His Word from Heaven as to what He is doing on earth and do what He says . . . working with heaven for His Kingdom to come. He has a plan for this season and we want to be where He desires to use us with our eyes on Him.

I believe especially in the upcoming season we must make more effort in covering one another in prayer, and to learn to serve one another as we receive our assignments in this season. For Esther to accomplish what God had for her took the fasting and intercession of the Jews in Susa. And, of course, Esther did as well. God honored this and the Jews were saved!

Also, regarding prayer, I think God is saying, "Don't just keep rehearsing all that is wrong - don't just look at the circumstances . . . Rehearse the goodness of God and what HE is able to do - Get the mind of Christ on the subject - Press in until you hear - Worship Him as you pray - We must get our eyes on Him and stand in agreement with heaven.

Insights shared by Connie Bolton:

Every day and throughout the day...acknowledging His presence 24/7. The Lord has designs of doing a refining work in us, as we all know by the circumstances we find surrounding us in this present hour. But His songs of deliverance that are surrounding us are so much greater. And He is still exposing, extracting, and eliminating roots of iniquity and enemy strongholds in our individual hearts, as we worship Him. We keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and sometimes He speaks tender truths to each of us, as we worship Him. This individual worship is a mandate from the Lord. He is our PERSONAL Lord and Savior. It doesn't matter who we know or where we are connected in the Body of Christ, if we are not yielding to the Master Gardener in His pruning, if we are fighting against the furnace fires of refinement, if our hearts are not yielded to Jesus completely, we will miss out, as individuals, His purposes and His use of us in Kingdom advancement.

If we find ourselves in a suffering season, it may not be the enemy, it may be the Lord's discipline. He disciplines us for our good that we may share in His holiness. In Christ, God sees us as holy. But, the world is not seeing us as holy. So God is doing a refining and holy work in us, sometimes as we worship Him.

As we worship Him, as we are in His presence, He purifies our hearts, they are enlarged and beat in sync with the heart of God. This is how I see our hearts enlarging. When we get into the Presence of the Lord, and we are one with Father and Jesus by Holy Spirit, our hearts touch God's heart. The rhythm of His heartbeat becomes the rhythm of our hearts. Our individual intimacy with Jesus, our oneness with Him must increase, that more of Him will be revealed in each of us individually. In His presence there is fullness of joy, peace, love, light,--there is the fullness of Him. In His presence He purifies us, He washes away what would defile, and He fills us with His glory, we clay vessels are new again. Jesus still lives to serve and to intercede for us. Sincere, individual worship and praise is a blessing for Kingdom advancing in our own hearts and minds.

Example

In the first quarter of 2006, I was under intense spiritual attack, and during a time when prayer ministers were praying for me, I entered the Throne room, bowed and weeping before the Lord. I was coming to Him in worship, but I found myself asking "again" for forgiveness of sins that were already under the blood. I had been listening to that condemning voice and receiving his lies. I was a mess! But...in the presence of the Lord, Jesus stood up and came to me. He took my hand and lifted me up from my knees so that I stood before Him. His loving eyes of grace looked intently through the window of my soul. Then He knelt before me and dipped His hands into His blood and began washing my feet with His blood. I said, "Lord, this is all wrong! I should be kneeling before You."

He looked up at me and said, "Child, I still live to serve. Remember? I live to intercede." So Jesus began at my feet and washed my entire body with His blood. He lingered at my heart and said, "I am purifying your heart." Then He continued with His washing of me and lingered at my head, and said, "I am changing your thought life and cleansing your imagination." Then He had a large vase of fragrant, golden anointing oil, and there was a glory about this oil. It shimmered. He lifted it over my head and poured in on me, and anointed my entire body with it. He finished at my feet, where He had begun. Then we sat at an ancient table, and He served me communion. We ate it together. Then He said, "Let's go to Father, He wants you to pray for the Church." So Jesus and I went to Father. I prayed for the Church.

When I first entered His presence to worship Him, I was weeping; but after I prayed for His Church, Father, Jesus, and I were all laughing.

This is simply an example of what the Lord may do as we fix our eyes on Him in worship. He delights in tending to our hearts, that they would beat in sync with His.

So...having the Kingdom of God advanced in us personally,when we come together in corporate worship, open heavens will be all over the earth, and there will be catapultic and exponential advancement of the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ on the earth. The KNOWLEDGE of the glory of the Lord will fill the peoples of the world as the waters cover the seas. The scripture reference He has led me to is from Acts 4:13. People and nations will know that we have been and are with Jesus, seated with Him in the heavenlies, just as the Sanhedrin noted that Peter and John had been with Jesus.

God has reestablished the five-fold giftings that prepare His people for works of service, that the Body of Christ may be built up and mature, that we may be so One in Christ that His very fullness is revealed in us and through us. We have heard it over and over, we must be rightly aligned. We need to understand this in two ways. Rightly aligned vertically with Christ as the Head of the Body. We keep our eyes fixed in Him. We do what He does, and we speak what He speaks, just as Jesus did what He saw Father do and spoke that words that Father taught. We also see this as rightly aligned horizontally, shoulder to shoulder, as troops led forth in triumphal procession following Christ's lead.

As we remain under the Apostle's teachings, the Lord does a Word-work in our hearts and minds. This Word-work is deeper and richer that what we find in congregations today. We begin to think differently about who we are...about who we are in Christ...and we take this back to the congregations. Holy Spirit downloads specific strategies to His Apostles, and it is His will that we remain under the Apostles teachings, to rightly align vertically and horizontally, in corporate worship and in works of service. We are the very workmanship of God ourselves, and as instruments in His victorious right hand, He advances His Kingdom in the lives of others through our works of service. He advances His Kingdom through us. I believe we need to pray about whom the Lord would have us bring to the Apostles' teachings, that His rich Word-works would be well-rooted in their hearts and their congregations, too. God is shaking the heavens and the earth in this present hour. Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. But God's Kingdom, the Kingdom of heaven, cannot be shaken. Through the anointing on His Apostles and their troops, God is overturning royal thrones and shattering the power of the enemy's kingdom. The Lord's Apostles are His Signet ring, I believe with all my heart that in this season, when the Apostles of God gather together, they carry His full authority.

We must be devoted to their teachings. God has chosen them as His Apostles, and He has chosen each of us to be in their companies, in their troops. He has made these divine connections, and we need to be attentive to future divine connections to bring others under the Apostles' teachings. Scripture references-- Acts 2:42, Haggai 2:20-23

God is concerned for the lost, and we are, too. God is concerned for the captives in the Church. We're concerned for those slumbering and for those who are complacent and apathetic and demon-possessed in the Church, too. As I was praying for the Church this morning, Holy Spirit showed me those who are saved yet bound up like mummies. They were not bound with cloths; they were bound with leather. For the sake of Jesus' suffering on the cross, we must intercede for them regularly. Concerning Intercession for the lost and slumbering, one day I heard this from the Lord.

 "Beloved daughter, Again I am coming to the world-not in human form but in the Wind of my Spirit-in great power. Just as I sent my Only Begotten to the world, that which He created, I am sending the Wind of my Spirit, I am blowing my Breath upon the earth. Be sure to recognize me." (Remember when Jesus came to that which He created, they didn't recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, and they didn't receive Him. Although they had heard the words of the prophets concerning the Messiah's coming, they never heard the voice of the Lord through the prophets. We do not want to be like them. John 1:10-11) Just as I sent my Son to that which was His own, I am breathing my Breath into and upon my nation of priests-those who are called by my Name. Were I to send the Wind of my Spirit today in the power of my intent, all my own would not receive me, though some would. My desire is for ALL.

Preparation of the heart is necessary-My praying saints must pray for my own and for those who don't yet know they belong to Me, that I may be fully received. I am coming in great power-'I will (future Imperative-That's like God commanding God to do something) pour out my Spirit on ALL people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women I will pour out my Spirit in those days (a double portion.)

I Am doing this that none may perish but that ALL will know my salvation, for I have compassion on all I have made. Prepare your hearts to receive my Spirit in completeness, and my full glory shall be revealed in you-I will show myself among you and through you to the nations of the world with signs and wonders. No buildings with walls can hold the harvest-I Am the Foundation. I Am the Firewall of Protection. I Am the Glory within. I Am who I Am."

So we must pray for preparation of our own hearts and for the preparation of the hearts of those "who don't yet know they belong to Jesus."

Another time when a group of intercessors were praying for the lost in our community,--the Muslims, the Buddists, the New Agers, all those duped by lies, I heard....

"My Only Begotten's broken body and shed blood had the power to rip from top to bottom the thick and heavy curtain that I, the Most High, put between myself and sinful man, how much more will His broken body and shed blood have the power to rip to confetti every veil the enemy has placed over the minds of man so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel. Focus the full power of My Only Begotten's broken body and shed blood, focus the full power of His Cross, upon those veils.

(I said, "Lord, I don't know the full power of Jesus' Cross,--His broken body and shed blood.") And I heard Him say, You do not need to know the full power of the Cross, to pray and focus the full power of it. Beloved, focus the full power of my Only Begotten's broken body and shed blood, focus the full power of His Cross upon those veils, and they will shred to confetti and fall to the ground. In that instant, I will give the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that they may see the Light of the Gospel and know Me and my Son. They will know my kindness, and true repentance will flow from their hearts. My holy angels will gather that which the enemy meant for harm, those veils now shredded into confetti, and rejoice in the repentance of man and the Salvations springing up."

We must not give up our intercession, bringing others to the Throne of Grace--to the One who is full of grace and truth. So this is how I pray for those "who don't yet know they belong to Jesus." I also pray this for those in the Church who are still bound up.

"Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ, I focus the full power of Your Only Begotten's broken body and shed blood upon all the veils that the enemy has put over the minds of man so they cannot see the power of the Gospel of Light. Father, I believe that the Cross of Jesus Christ has the power to shred to confetti every veil the enemy has put over their minds. I thank You, Lord, that in Your-ordained moment when those confetti-shredded veils fall, You will give them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to know You and to receive their salvation in Jesus Christ. They will know Your kindness and true repentance will flow from their hearts. And I thank You for Your holy angels gathering that which the enemy meant for harm, those confetti-shredded veils, and tossing it in the air because they are rejoicing over the repentance of man and the Salvations springing up."

Understand, there is a direct ratio of how much we intercede for the lost and in how much power God releases through us for their awakening and salvations.

The Acts of Service will be demonstrations of loving and honoring each other in the Body of Christ and in the Community. Listening for promptings from Holy Spirit as He leads us to pray for someone at a restaurant, grocery store, workplace, etc. When we do these acts of service, we demonstrate our faith in the power of Jesus' name and the saving, redeeming, healing, delivering, restoring power of His blood. Jesus' life is in His blood. Scripture references... 2 Corinthians 2:14, Acts 3, and Acts 9:32-37.

Now I want to show you something in the Word. Let's go to...

2 Corinthians 2:14 says, "Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ Jesus, and through us, spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." He ALWAYS leads us in triumphal procession in Christ! And through us, He spreads EVERYWHERE the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.

Song of Songs 1:2 says, "...Your love is better than the finest of wines. ...Your name is like fragrant anointing oil poured out, no wonder the maidens love you so."

Have you ever thought about the Name of Jesus as being a fragrant anointing oil? That when we speak the name of Jesus, a fragrant and powerful anointing oil is poured out? This is why I like wearing perfumes with names that remind me of Jesus.

Now let's go to the Book of Acts, Chapter 3. We know the story of Peter and John at the Gate Beautiful. They encounter a 40-year-old man who has been crippled from the moment he was born. He has never walked a day in his life, and he is begging at one of the Temple's doors. Peter says, "Silver or gold I have not, but what I have, I give to You. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up!"

The poor, crippled man did not jump to his feet. But Peter, who believed in the power of the Name of Jesus Christ, extended his right hand to the crippled man and pulled him up on his feet. And he was healed. He began jumping and rejoicing. And entered into the Temple of the Lord for the first time in his life.

Understand this. That man did not have faith to stand when Peter commanded him to stand. Peter had to demonstrate HIS faith in the power of the Name of Jesus Christ. He reached down and lifted that man up to his feet, and he was healed. And thousands came to faith in Jesus that day because of this act of service unto the Lord and unto the "used-to-be crippled man."

The fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus is spreading everywhere. Then in Acts chapter 9, we see Peter in Lydda with a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Verses 34-35 say, " 'Aeneas,' Peter said to him, 'Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.' Immediately Aeneas got up. All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord."

In this instance, Peter didn't have to demonstrate his faith in the power of the name of Jesus. The fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus had already reach Lydda and Aeneas. So when Peter spoke to Aeneas that Jesus heals him, Aeneas believed and stood up from his mat, no longer a paralytic. And once again, possibly thousands came to faith in Jesus.

God uses our acts of service to bring salvations. When the righteousness of God rains down from heaven as we do these acts of service, salvations spring up. So when you're in Walmart or at work or wherever, and the Lord opens your eyes to see someone suffering, limping, weeping, or angry. And you hear His still voice speak, "Go pray for that one." Don't hesitate. Close your eyes and picture Jesus with you. And as You demonstrate Your love for Jesus by obeying His instruction, let Him speak through You. Allow your Oneness with Him to grow, that His power would be released to bring healing or comfort to that one. As we continue being obedient to Jesus' voice in the marketplace, the fragrance of the knowledge of Him will spread everywhere. Salvations will begin to spring up and many, perhaps thousands, will know Jesus as their Savior and Lord. And the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ will advance more and more.

As these signs and wonders occur, guard your hearts against jealously. We must continue interceding for each other that we all remain humble before the Lord and each other. And if something defiling arises, go to the Lord. Confess, receive His forgiveness, and let Him cleanse you of all unrighteousness.

Thank you for letting me share what God has shared with me.

Jacquie Tyre:

• This is a season to test your affections.
• What captivates your heart?
• What consumes your thought life?
• What motivates the plans of your days?
• What determines the depth of your relationships?
• What holds the highest priority in your life?

• Affections have to do with what or who we love or worship, and relates to our emotions.

• This is a season to test your motivations.
• Why are you doing the things you do?
• Why do you go where you go? . . . say what you say? . . . believe what you believe? . . . serve where you serve? . . . pray what you pray? . . . teach what you teach? . . . entertain who you entertain?
• Are you doing what you do for yourself, alone? . . . for others? . . . for recognition? . . . for financial gain? . . . for comfort or convenience? . . . for the Lord and His Kingdom?
• Are your decisions made out of personal preference? . . .out of frustration? . . . out of tradition? . . . out of routine? . . . out of expectations? . . . out of obedience? . . . out of love?

• Motivations have to do with the way we think or process life, and relates to our mind.

• This is a season to test your alignments.
• Where are you connected?
• Do the people & places where you are aligned or connected bring you life, vitality, encouragement, challenge, and hope? Or, do you find yourself depleted, drained or "dying on the vine"?
• Do the people & places where you are aligned or connected bring you life, vitality, encouragement, challenge, and hope? Or, do you find yourself depleted, drained or "dying on the vine"
  
• Do the places of your alignments or connections facilitate the flow of life between all involved? (A lake or a pond only stays alive as long as it has both the inflow and outflow of water that creates movement. Movement is life.)
• What is the scope or sphere of those with whom you are aligned?
• Does it correlate to the vision the Lord has placed within you?Does it cause you to dream bigger or do you feel shut down or like a ceiling has been placed over your head?
• Is there a process for development that will lead to increase (provided the Lord affirms through faithfulness and trustworthiness in attitude, action, and acumen)?
• Do you have those around you that are (1) of broader sphere, (2) of similar sphere/scope, and (3) of lesser sphere? (This is not about importance but about the measure or sphere that has been granted by the Lord. Its another way of saying, we all need to have a Paul, be a Barnabus, have a Timothy in our lives.)

• Alignments have to do with expressions of trust, and relates to our will.

The Lord is looking for a people who will be fully aligned with him, body, soul and spirit, with our spirit-man fully under the sway of Holy Spirit. When our mind, will, and emotion follows Holy Spirit we will walk in health and integrity of being before the Lord and before others.

I pray we will all be found rightly aligned with the Lord on His course so that we might finish well in this season and enter into the new era in great strength, born not out of our being, but out of union with the Lord.

For His Glory,

Jacquie Tyre

CityGate Atlanta

Kairos Transformation Ministries