One morning a few weeks ago, I was reading through the gospel of Matthew, as I have done many times before, when a verse stopped me in my tracks. It’s in chapter 10, when Jesus sends out his 12 disciples.  He gives them authority to cast out demons and heal disease.  He tells them where to go and what to do, and in the middle of the instructions he says,

               As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Matthew 10:7

God and I have had a long running conversation about what I’m supposed to do with his command to heal the sick and cast out demons.  That might be a topic for another post.  This other piece, to preach a particular message, seems easier!  But what does it mean?

I only had the vaguest notion of what Jesus was telling us to tell people, so I looked at mentions of “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven” in various Bible translations.  I learned several interesting facts about the concept, but nothing I could explain to a stranger in an elevator.

One extremely helpful verse is Romans 14:17, where Paul writes, “The kingdom of God is not food or drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  That seems a pretty viable message: “Righteousness and peace and joy are at hand!  You too can experience this amazing transformed life! But wait, there’s more! If you act now, we’ll include a second package for your friend or family member, absolutely free!”

If only it were that easy, we’d all send in our three easy payments of $19.99, wouldn’t we?  But these characteristics don’t seem to be in very abundant supply, even among Christians.  What’s the missing link?  Jesus says the kingdom is near us, in our midst, even within us.  Why don’t we see it?  What stops us from experiencing the kingdom?

One of the more interesting facts I discovered on my survey of this verse in various translations is that the Biblical word translated “kingdom” actually means the reign of God; not necessarily a physical place, but wherever God is the ultimate authority.  If I am not experiencing righteousness, peace, and joy, it’s because my heart has put something other than God on the throne. As I was mulling over how to explain that, life provided a real-life object lesson.

A friend of mine started attacking me for doing something in a way that I believed was right and best. The first couple times she fussed about it, I just ignored it, but then it got so intense I felt provoked to defend myself and started to wonder if perhaps our friendship was over. I can tell you, I did not have peace and joy in that moment!  The kingdom of God was available to me, but I wasn’t feeling it. Just then, I received a “verse of the day” in my email: Ephesians 4:32.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

As I thought about the price Jesus paid to forgive my loathsome sins, it put the petty disagreement with my friend into perspective. I realized that I was placing far more value on my right to do things my own way than I was on being kind to my friend.  God was not reigning in my heart; my selfish nature had taken over.  Just like that, I realized that there was no real harm in letting my friend have her way in this area.  What’s more, the entire episode could have been avoided if I had chosen kindness and humility in the first place.  As I put God back on the throne of my heart, I could feel the righteousness, peace, and joy of his kingdom come flooding back. 

We live in a fallen world, just as Jesus did.  There was nothing easy about the circumstances he was born into, the life he lived, or the death he died.  But he brought us his kingdom of righteousness, joy, and peace and he wants us to experience it!  He said it best: Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Who Is Our Enemy?

We have a very real enemy. Those of you who are regular readers here at LynnDonovan.com are well aware that we face not flesh and blood but an unseen realm. And that realm is very real. It’s always active with entities good and bad.

Over the next several weeks, I will be traveling so my posts my be spotty until the end of May. However, I want to begin to share some insights into the spirits that we face. I plan to post about Jezebel, mind-bending spirits, sexual spirits, lying spirits, Pharmacia, and others that I’ve dealt with in my life or the lives of those for whom I pray.

Today at the prompting of Martha, we are going to examine Jezebel. And my friends, this is a wicked and cunning operator.

John Ramirez, ex-Satanist and “son of Satan”, says clearly that “Jezebel” is a name indicating a high-level Satanic principality. Not a human person, though named after a human person and its underlings have a goal to manipulate, control and destroy.

We know from the book of 1 Kings. Jezebel was a real woman who was born a princess of the Phoenician empire. A land that worshiped Baal, a Demonic power (god), who requires blood. I found a disturbing depiction of this worship and I’m going to share it because sometimes we need to be shocked into reality about what is really going on in this world:

Baal worship consisted of melting screaming children alive in the arms of a huge bull/man statue with a bon fire raging. You then take the ashes and put it into the foundation of your house. This way you will be granted with blessings to come for your family to come. That was the belief. This is actually just like modern abortion. Kill your first born so you can work at a cubicle for another 3 years to save up a bit more money and be in better financial shape for your family to come. We certainly are in the age of Jezebel and her Spirit. 

Ya, tough to read but it rings true to me.

The spirit of Jezebel is all about CONTROL, MANIPULATION, FEAR, INTIMIDATION and WITCHCRAFT. At the root of all of this is devil worship. And you nearly always need an Ahab who is the figurehead of power but is covertly or manipulated by a controlling Jezebel. This spirit likes to partner with a religious spirit within the churches as well. 

Don’t think for a minute that believers aren’t susceptible to this spirit. I often find this operator very active within church walls, in marriages by men and women. It's not just a woman controlling spirit. It can manifest equally in either sex. Some of the testimonies I’ve read about this spirit’s operation comes from spouses of pastors. Truly chilling.

Okay, I think this is enough for today. But I have much more to share about this evil one and how to identify it in operation and how we defeat it in the name of Jesus.

Look back over your life. At work, at church, in any organization and look for someone who is charismatic, charming, someone who will fill a leadership vacuum every time one arises, and will not receive any correction or allow any voice of descent.

Want to share with me today? Let’s chat in the comments about what you saw and what you did? Love you. Stay strong in the Lord. He defeats this controlling spirit. Hugs, Lynn

My Beloved Son and Daughter,

I have heard the deep longing of your heart. You have been faithful and true and yet have dared to ask the questions that many have feared to ask. In the depths of your soul you have asked yourself, “Where is the God of miracles? Where is the power and authority Jesus modeled to the disciples? Why don’t we see the miraculous today?”

I have heard your heart’s cry and it is time. You were born for such a time as this to step into the Living Word of God. I’m calling my church out of lethargy, out of fear and into sonship. I am calling you to step into your supernatural destiny. My church has tarried long enough in the trenches of powerless faith. My Beloved, you have been held back from an encounter with Me and today I’m calling you into freedom.

My children have been shackled by powerless living and left with little answers to difficult problems. You have agonized over your own children struggling with porn, a son who turned from his faith to heroin, your daughter who attended church all of her life and is now lost in a world of self-doubt, addictions and fear.

My Beloved son and daughter, I AM the answer. My Word has always held the truth, power and answers to all of your struggles and every one of the world’s problems today. I ask you today, my Beloved, step out of the old and dare to discover that you can walk in miracles. You can bring freedom to your children. You are commissioned to rise and walk in the calling of my Son, Jesus.

~Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these.— John 14:12

If you are hungry for more of God, are bored with powerless and Christianity, are longing to experience the powerful answering of prayers, and you are desperate to watch God move in the difficult problems of your life, this journey is specifically for you.

Encounter God’s unfailing love, faithfulness, power and promises and live in the supernatural lifestyle intended for His sons and daughters.

What can I learn from the book of Numbers of the Old Testament or Torah?

Many of you know that I read through the Bible every year using a Daily NLT Bible. This Bible offers a reading plan daily of a portion of the OT, NT, Psalm, and Proverbs.

Okay, I’ll be vulnerable here. I’ll admit that in years past, I’d open up the Word, skip the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy and jump right into the New Testament and read the Gospels. I love the Gospels. I never tire of reading about Jesus.

BUT…. THIS YEAR I’m mind-blown by what Yahweh is revealing to me in the book of Numbers.

Y’all THE BOOK OF NUMBERS???????

SAY WHAT?

I believe that my difficult trials in January and February gained a reward that I'm now receiving in March. Father, is speaking to me about things I’ve never known before. AND THEY ARE IMPORTANT. And fascinating.

I’m going to share a few with you here and a fantastic story in the Zoom meeting on Thursday. (If you missed it, you can still register and I'll send you the link to the teaching, click here.)

Let read this passage in the Old Testament: Numbers 19:1-10

Get your Bible out. You really need to read this and see it on paper. Trust me.

Did you read it?

In recent weeks the LORD began each morning with this:  “Lynn, what don’t you understand?" This is what He would ask me after I read my Bible.

Then He said, “Ask Me questions.”

That alone blows my mind. But, hey!  COOL!!!

The first part of the passage didn’t really cause me to ponder, but I guess there are questions in the first part that I could unpack such as: Why the RED heifer? And why the specific instructions to burn all the various parts?    hmmmm

But when I reached verse six, I stopped and stayed there: And the priest shall take cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet yarn, and throw them into the fire burning the heifer. Numbers 19:6

I asked this, “Father, what is the significance of the cedarwood? What does the hyssop mean to You? And the scarlet?”

Now, let me ask you this, do you know? Why would our God of all the universe, tell the priest to throw these things in the fire and create ash that the people will later use in a purification ceremony? Perhaps, you are like, duh, Lynn, I know this already. But, I didn’t understand.

So, this is where it gets fun. I heard Father say to me, “Pause here and ponder.” I waited, read the passage again and continued to ask Him to explain this verse to me. Then He told me to retrieve my phone and search cedarwood. So I searched these two things cedarwood and hyssop.

Well all of you who are essential oil people  probably know there are properties in the cedarwood. But this is what God told me, “The cedarwood represents long life. The hyssop is called the oil of gladness and it is an ancient herbal medicine. It is for healing.”

Then the Lord supplied a holy download. “The burning of the cedarwood is a property in nature that I gave to my people. It’s a restorative property. It is life-giving and represents the best health and long life that is a covenant with my people in that time period. The hyssop carries a healing component and it offers healing as a gift to my people.” Okay, it wasn’t word-for-word but a word of knowledge, or a knowing that I receive.

Then I heard this scripture: His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue. 2 Peter 1:3

Then the Lord spoke to me, “Lynn, I’ve created a world that has everything you need for life, health, and holiness. And I delight to show you the secrets of the Kingdom.”

Whoa. Just WHOA!!!!

Then He told me to get my laptop out and share with all of you.

Who knew?  I mean really.

THE BOOK OF NUMBERS? COME ON!!!!!

As as side note: I might have ordered some cedarwood for my home and perhaps a diffuser and hyssop oil. God knows what He is doing. I’m partnering with Him for life, health and holiness.

Next time: I can’t wait to tell you about a Covenant that is available that very few Christians know about. And God also showed this to me in the book of ---now get this, LEVITICUS…

I hear ya, NO WAY.

And this is a crazy wild story. See you next time. Marching toward heaven, Love, Lynn

So many people struggle to hear the Lord. They want their prayers answered and it feels like there isn't a response. This is often due to the fact that praying is at the core - RELATIONSHIP. If you don't know how to enter into that relationship, your prayer life will feel inadequate and a one way conversation with little satisfaction and often great frustration. 

Learning how to enter into the Presence is the Key to everything in the spiritual. 

There was a good deal of interest in the Intimacy Seminar. So, let's DO IT.

In this seminar I will teach you the way to enter into the Presence of God. The teaching will include the scriptures, have your Bible ready, a pen and paper. We will cover what the blocks are that denies you access to the Presence. We will also learn about first fruits and how that passage is very powerful in our prayer life.

The LIVE ZOOM meeting will be next Thursday, March 18th at 11 am PACIFIC TIME. I'm going to charge $10. This will help me pay for the Zoom renewal this year. THANK YOU! 

This also means that those who are really interested make an investment and will be ready to learn. WAHOO!!

If you can't make it, purchase the seminar and I'll email a link to watch after it is recorded.

I can't wait to walk beside you as you deepen your faith journey and learn to talk with God. Hugs, Lynn

Intimacy with God Seminar $10.