Hi Friends,

I have a vision that I would like to share with you, but I must preface this with a short teaching.  It has to do with spiritual warfare, and your preparedness. So please understand this is so important for your safety.  It begins as a true story:

When I first came to New Jersey about 22 years ago, I met a woman at church who became a close friend.  I was in the habit of spending several hours every day in prayer, however I had not yet prayed with others in group intercession.  It had been only two years since my personal deliverance and Baptism in the Holy Spirit, so I wasn’t aware to be careful with whom I prayed.  

My friend was very much a devoted Christian, yet I did not know much about her background.  One day as we were praying over the phone, the prayer turned to praying against all the palm reading, and divination on the main highway through town.  She prayed with me, but had never told me that as a Christian, she had gone to a palm reader to get a word about her future, when she failed to hear from the Lord.  Only after we prayed, did she confess that she had gone to see a spiritist.  But she assured me that she had “repented of that long ago.”

However, not long after that day, I found her to be somewhat “unstable.” She was single, and wanted to be married. So she sought out a couple who used to “prophesy” over people once a month on Fridays at our church.  Unfortunately, they were prophesying from their imaginations rather than actually hearing from God. They told her that she would marry a pastor. From then on she became abnormally focused on a particular pastor. I could see that she had become spiritually bound.  Before long, she seemed out of touch with reality and paranoid. She heard voices on her roof, and thought that men were following her. Eventually she went to the mental ward of a hospital.

I also found out that she was taking heavy drugs for migraine headaches, because a few years before meeting her, she had fallen off a set of choir risers and received a concussion. I was told by the pastor, that “We nearly lost her.”  I am not sure which came first the fall or the visit to the palm reader, but I am sure that the drugs she was taking only widened the open door to the enemy in her life.

I never want to make such a mistake again.  I should have never prayed against the darkness, with a person who has open doors to that same darkness.

The Bible says, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.”  Deuteronomy 18:11

“You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them.  I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:31

The seven sons of Sceva is a New Testament example of this.  “Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon possessed.  They would say, “In the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.  One day the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?’ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all.  He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor."  Acts 19:13-17

When we pray, we must be sure that we are “clean” and “right” with God.  There cannot be any unconfessed sin in our lives. There certainly cannot be any “lifestyle” sin.  There cannot be any unforgiveness or bitterness towards another person. And we must ask the Lord for forgiveness if we have wronged another.  

We have to know with whom we are praying, for the protection of ourselves and others.  If you do not know someone in the group, then it may be prudent to wait to pray against powers and principalities when you are with like minded people.  Be particularly careful to cover everyone and all their loved ones with the blood of Jesus, and pray for protection from retaliation.

So, now I ask you to please pray for yourself and your families before reading further.  Ask the Lord to cover you and your loved ones with the precious blood of Jesus, and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth.  Bind every lying and deceiving spirit operating in, around or through you or any family member, in the name of Jesus.

Monday’s Vision

This vision came as a result of praying for the local church, and the church worldwide. I saw the pastor of our church dressed in formal 19th century clothing, a waistcoat and tails. His wife, was dressed in an elegant ball gown from the same era, and fashioned her hair with a center part and banana curls. The Pastor bowed to his wife, and she responded with a curtsy. He took her hand in his, and led her in a dance with him. There was another woman, modestly dressed with a bonnet. She was older, but she was looking at my direction, and then took a few steps in the general direction of the “dance floor.” Yet there was still no one with her.

Originally, I believed her to represent the church, often referred to as the bride of Christ. I believed that she was waiting for the bridegroom who is Jesus. But as I started writing and praying and asking questions about the vision, I realized I was wrong. I asked, "Why was she in a bonnet, and not dressed for a party? Why is she not dressed as the bride in white? Why was she alone? And why did she look directly at me? I realized at that moment that she did not represent the church. But something else. I knew that I had made a mistake, and that I had misinterpreted it.

I began to pray for the Lord to reveal who this person was in the vision. Then suddenly I knew, she represented something evil, something that looked my way, and walked in the direction of the “dance floor.” The woman represented a spirit of jealousy. The Bible make it clear that "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12

Jealousy can manifest in a person, but we must remember that the person is not our enemy, but simply the spiritual entity, that operates through the person's thoughts and emotions. We live in bodies made of flesh, but we are to take our thoughts captive and choose to walk in the Spirit. The woman in the vision looked my way, because I was the focus. I knew this spirit wanted to cause strife and division.

The Lord’s enemies are our enemies. We must fight in the spirit, knowing that the battle is not ours, but the Lord’s. We bind and loosen: “I will give you the keys to the kingdom, whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven."  Matthew 16:19

I began praying:

Dear Jesus!  We bind every demonic spirit that comes against the church. We bind every deceiving spirit that plants itself in a church to cause jealousy and division. We bind every demonic spirit that tries to manipulate and control circumstances causing offense. We bind up every demonic spirit that has evil intentions. We cancel every plan of the wicked one to kill, steal or destroy, to cause harm, sickness or disease. We pray that you cover every member of the church, and their families with the precious blood of Jesus. Lord, be our shield and strong tower. We are looking to you for protection, your grace, wisdom and direction. Please come Holy Spirit and shine in the darkness. We declare that whatever is hidden in darkness, be brought into the light. We declare over our church, no weapon formed against us will prosper.  Lord, have your will in our lives. We submit ourselves to your authority, and we ask that you rebuke the devourer. We declare that You are Lord, and at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! Amen! Praise the Lord, Praise his holy name! Hallelujah! God is the victor!

Please pray on behalf of your churches, your pastors, and the sheep that can be led astray. Please pray that wrong motives are unveiled, and that anything hiding in darkness will be exposed. And pray that the enemy would not use you or anyone else, to cause division or offense. Pray for a spirit of forgiveness, and reconciliation to move through the church. Ask the Lord to reveal any wrong motives in us. It is so important to not take offense when someone puts us down, or excludes us. And it is equally important that we do not accept the praises of men and become arrogant and vain. We must be careful to walk in love, and in peace and fellowship with one another. Please pray for all believers, for our common enemy is not flesh and blood, but the devil and his demons.

Jesus said, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

The devil used one of the Lord’s disciples in an attempt to trip him up. He used Peter’s natural desire to protect Jesus from harm, to get the Lord off track. Jesus knew that his destiny was the way of the cross, bringing salvation to all who would choose to follow him. And when Jesus realized that the devil was using Peter, he declared, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Matthew 16:23

We have to realize too, that the devil will use people in our lives to throw us off track, to cause offense, and to keep us from the work, to which the Lord calls us. He would love for us to hand in our resignation, to leave our post, to leave our ministry and leave our church. His purpose is to keep us bound up with offense, unforgiveness and shame. He will use anyone to keep you from fulfilling your purpose in the kingdom of God. The greatest success for him would be to take you to hell with him, by causing such an offense, that you remain in unforgiveness.  Jesus said, “If you do not forgive men their sins when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will not forgive you, your sins.” Matthew 6:15

There is so much more about this topic, but it is more important to know the Lord, and spend time with him, because he is our shield, he is our strength, and our strong tower.  Knowing the Lord and knowing his Word, will keep you next to him. “For the battle belongs to the Lord!”  1 Samuel 17:47

Someday I will give my testimony about my deliverance, for all of us know someone who needs to be set free.   Jesus is our deliverer!  Thank you Jesus, I will never forget what you have done for me!