Prayer for Ministry

There is nothing like friends who love the Lord with all of their heart and have a deep knowledge of His Word.  I love it when these cherished friends take time out to bless you... just because!  Patricia Shankle is one of those awesome women of God who blesses my socks off.

You may know Patricia, already.  She and her husband, Randy Shankle, travel the country preaching the gospel and promoting their new book, The Protector: The Randy Shankle Story.  The Shankle's have recently been featured on the 700 Club, as well.

Patricia is a new member of the DRM Board.  The beautiful prayer (below) is something that she dropped in my facebook mailbox the other day.  As you read this prayer of encouragement, take it for yourself, too.  Let the words of this ordained minister speak to your soul as YOU take hold of the promises of God for your ministry, job, family, and life. 

Note from Patricia:

"I have been praying specifically for you and your ministry lately. I am believing God to advance and enable you through His Spirit, where there is no doubt to anyone of WHO is in charge. I pray, and I know you want this, that HIS GLORY will radiate through your words, song, etc. and that hearts will be pierced by His Spirit and they will know it is Jesus that they hunger for. That you will be used mightily in this present hour and that thousands will hear the message of hope and grace through your person and ministry. Not by our might or by our power, but by MY SPIRIT says the Lord. He will accomplish what He has set forth to do! He has called, He has chosen, He has anointed, He has appointed. He that has begun a good work in you, will not only watch over HIS WORD, but He will perform it, perfect it, bring it to pass, finish it! In the meantime.......just shout for joy because your redemption is drawing near to seeing these things coming to fruition. His mighty invisible hand is moving in the unseen realms, but the wheels are turning and this day you ARE going forward! The best is yet to be! Blessings and much love." - Patricia Shankle 

THANKS PATRICIA!

Be sure to find The Protector  or Patricia Shankle on Facebook.

OBTAINING THE VICTORY

QUICK BIBLE STUDY NOTES ON OBTAINING THE VICTORY...

Settle it in Your Heart!
John 14:21He that HATH MY COMMANDMENTS, and KEEPETH THEM, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me SHALL BE LOVED OF MY FATHER, and I WILL LOVE HIM, and (I) WILL MANIFEST MYSELF TO HIM.

Do you want God to MANIFEST Himself to you? I do! He says that if we will "keep His commandments" - He will!

Question: But, how do we keep His commandments?

Answer: By obeying the Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit always speaks in accordance with God's Word. If we question the voice that we hear, we should check God's Word to see if the voice we heard testifies of the character of God. We also keep His commandments by BELIEVING HIS WORD.

Question: What is the character of God?
Answer: God is love! He loves YOU and YOUR FAMILY! He wants to manifest Himself to you. He wants to bless you!

According to John 14:21, your part of the agreement (covenant) is that you will...

A) Have His Commandments in your heart

B) Keep His Commandments

C) Love Him - (If you don't keep His Commandments, the Bible says you don't know Him.)

1 John 2:4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Boy, that's some strong words. But it is the truth... because God's word is true. Hallelujah!

MANIFEST: Strong's Concordance: To show one's self, come to view, appear, be manifest to indicate, disclose, declare, make known (emfanidzo = Greek) - Dictionary: To prove; to put beyond doubt or question

I like that! God wants to put your doubts to silence. He wants to tell you some things; disclose some information; make some things known to you; give you an indication of what to do or where to go. He wants to MANIFEST Himself to YOU and reveal the VICTORY!
Your part... KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS and LOVE HIM.

Do you really BELIEVE His Word? I mean, deep down in your heart, when all hell brakes loose and it "appears" His word is not true... do you believe His Word?

If you are holding on for a miracle in any situation, I've got a Word for you: "Like Queen Esther, you need to BELIEVE that you were chosen for the assignment of winning the victory."

You were chosen to win every family member to Christ. (Esther 4:14)

*Commit yourself to be VICTORIOUS

*Commit to SEEKING GOD & His Will

*Commit to NEVER look back (Luke 9:62) Forget about the "what ifs"

*Commit to FORGIVE

____________________________

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Hebrews 11:6

But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

THINGS TO REMEMBER FOR MARRIAGE VICTORY:

a) God wants you and your family WHOLE!

b) Marriage is God's idea. It "is" His Will for you to stay married until "death do you part"

c) Marriage is a PICTURE of our commitment to the Lord... through thick and thin.

d) Someone must go first! Will you be Jesus toward others, even if they don't deserve it?

________________________________

To learn more about How to Obtain the Victory, consider a LIVE message at your next event. I can be booked to speak for your next event through STACY@THEROBINSONAGENCY.COM or by calling 1.800.782.2995.

Honorarium Negotiable.

FOR MORE ABOUT DEBORAH CLICK HERE

http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

WALK IN YOUR DESTINY!

Our study today comes from Genesis, Chapters 12-21. I hope this speaks to some of you today!

In Genesis 12, verses one and two, God tells Abram to go to a foreign land where He will make Abram a great nation. God said he will bless anyone who blesses Abram, but He will curse anyone who cursed him. I think this was God's way of saying, "Don't worry about the people you encounter in the place where I am sending you, because I will protect you."

When Abram arrived in Canaan, God said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land." But because the Canaanite was already living in this new land, Abram decided to keep traveling. I guess he forgot about God telling him not to worry about "people". Besides, these Canaanites were probably not too excited about Abram moving into town. They certainly did not want him to posses "their land".

Did you notice God said He would give that land to Abram's seed? That sounds like God was telling Abram he would have children! Abram was around 75 years old at this time (vs. 12:4). Pretty far-fetched, huh?

When Abram "moved" from where God said stay, he ran into trouble… FAMINE. So in an attempt to provide for the needs of his family, he gives his wife (Sarai) to the Pharaoh of Egypt; claiming she is his "sister" so that they can have peace and wealth for a season. It makes no sense, but to Abram it was the only way. Yuk!

Abram was not being obedient to the Lord. He was not living in the "destiny" God had spoken into his heart back in Genesis 12:1. Even so, in compassion God delivered Abram and his wife from the Egyptians. He even gave them cattle, silver and gold as spoils from the Egyptian people. God had a plan for Abram and even Abram's immaturity of how to stand on His Word couldn't stop God's plan from coming to pass.

Chapter 13: When back in Canaan, once again God told Abram to look around because everything he saw was to be the inheritance of both him and his seed. In Chapter 15, verses two and three, Abram questions God for prolonging his ability to have children (seed). God reassures Abram that his seed will surely be as numerous as the stars of the heavens. God reminds Abram that He brought him out of his homeland to bless him in the promised land.

You know the story… Sarai, his wife, becomes impatient and tries to help God. She gave her handmaid, Hagar, to her husband, Abram, so that God's seed promise would come to pass. Even though Sarai and Abram were disobedient in trying to force the Will of God to come to pass "in their time", God still had a plan. Abram and Sarai's immaturity did not stop His plan.

Yet again in Chapter 17, when Abram is ninety-nine years old, God tells him, "I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan…" God even changed Sarai and Abram's names to be called Sarah and Abraham, further reminding them of their position in His eyes. Here again, Abram didn't quite get it. In verses 17 and 18, Abram actually laughed at God saying surely you must be talking about Ishmael. Is he the seed that will inherit the land of Canaan? (Ishmael was the son born out of disobedience.)

Finally, in Chapter 18, God appears as three men (FATHER, SON and HOLY GHOST) before Abraham to tell him that this time next year, they will have a son (Isaac). Now Sarah was very old "she" laughed within herself at God! Still, her doubt didn't stop God from pursuing them. He wanted them to take their rightful position in His plan to bless them.

For some reason Abraham "moved" again. This time he came to a place where he felt he had to lie (again) saying Sarah was his sister. (Well, it wasn't a complete lie. After-all, he and Sarah did have the same father.) Although God had told Abraham time and time and time again that his seed would inherit the land of Canaan, Abraham continued wandering aimlessly; not realizing his position as Sarah's husband and a man chosen to have favor by God. Still, in spite of Abraham's immaturity, God delivered Sarah and Abraham out of the hand of Abimelech. God even gave them favor to receive silver from this experience.

In Chapter 20, verse sixteen, Abimelech goes on to rebuke Sarah and Abraham by saying, "He is a covering to your eyes". In other words, Abraham was a "husband", not a brother! He was the man who God appointed to be an heir to God's promises. Sarah and Abraham needed to stand tall and to "be" who God had called them to be. It seems (up until this point) while they knew God had spoken to them and promised them land and children, they did not fully receive their positional standing of who God called them to be. He had called them to be man and wife in a land where He would send them. Yet, they kept holding onto their past, saying they were brother and sister.

Is there something God has called you to be? You know you have heard the voice of the Lord many times speaking to your heart about the inheritance He has for you; yet, you are immature (afraid, fearful, insecure, or timid) over accepting the position He has appointed just for you. Will you be reproved right now by the Word of the Lord and begin to confidently proclaim the thing He has spoken to your heart?

Yes, even in old age (or at least old to you) God will perform that thing He has promised! So PROCLAIM your position. Stand strong. Believe. And, walk in your destiny!

In Christ,
Deboah Ross
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

Spiritual Warfare

Taking Back Territory!


Have you ever wondered how you ended up being in the middle of so much chaos, when you thought you were doing "exactly" what the Lord told you to do? Maybe you ministered to someone, only to have them turn and despise you. Perhaps you moved to a new city, but quickly found life to be in turmoil. Did you take a new job -thinking it was God's perfect plan - only to find yourself miserable? Some of you have raised children in godly homes, but are now faced with the nightmare of watching them choose sinful lifestyles. Still others of you married the man of your dreams, but soon discovered your prince was a toad!

Whatever your dilemma, the Lord is well aware of every struggle. In fact, it may surprise you to know that sometimes the Holy Spirit will lead us "into" enemy territory for the purpose of SPIRITUAL COMBAT!

Yes friend, God has appointed us to be "more than conquerors". Oftentimes, this means we are to go on the offensive and overthrow spiritual wickedness in high places. When we come out on the other side of our trials, the Lord has revealed yet another facet of His endless love, as He molds us and shapes us for His glory.

I know, as women we would much rather sashay along a "rose garden" Christian lifestyle without any of life's thorns and thistles. If you are anything like me, you would do anything to avoid problems, confrontation and hardship. Still, God has a plan for us as He leads us into enemy camp, knowing we are well equipped and able to come out VICTORIOUS!

Let's look at scripture to see what God's Word has to say about this...

Exodus 23:20-28... KJV

"Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you."

In this passage, God tells the Israelites that He has sent an angel (the Holy Spirit) to bring them to the place "He has prepared for them". Strangely, this land of promise is a place where the Israelites must face confrontation from enemies; even those who worshipped false gods. I bet the Israelites were a little confused over "why" God would lead them into hostile territory, calling it the "land He had prepared for them". I know for me, it sure doesn't sound like a place
I'd like for God to lead me. I'd rather be led into a land of peace and tranquility.

Just the same, the Lord goes on to tell the Israelites they must "overthrow" these enemies. He even tells them to tear down their images - to destroy their false gods. The Lord does comfort them by saying He will go before them. He says He will be an enemy to their enemies but their only stipulation is that they "obey" their angel (for us, the voice of the Holy Spirit). They are to pay careful attention to him. God says that they should not bow down to the gods of their enemies nor should they "do" as their enemies do. I think for us, the Lord is teaching us to not get caught in the trap of following the methods, mannerisms, and tactics of those who persecute us.

Has the Holy Spirit ever led you into a place that you felt was exactly where God wanted you, only to find out that hostility, conflict, and disappointment awaited your arrival? Yuk! Well, PRAISE THE LORD! It is here that God has promised you the victory over your situation. Your only responsibility is to "obey" the voice of the Holy Spirit and then TRUST THE LORD to take care of your adversaries... your problems, your heartaches, and your obstacles.

Are you in need of some basic necessities? Perhaps you are in a position of choosing between buying groceries or paying the mortgage. Do you have sickness and disease that are plaguing your body? Have you had a miscarriage - whether a literal miscarriage or perhaps aborted dreams and visions that have been lost in a sea of disappointment? In this passage of scripture, God says He will make sure you have food and water. He says He will take sickness away. He even declares that women who trust and obey Him will not miscarry their babies but will be fertile for child bearing. Wow! Do these promises speak to any of you? Be sure to notice the contingency... obey the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Precious friends, THE LORD WILL CAUSE YOUR ENEMIES TO TURN THEIR BACKS AND RUN FROM YOU! He will drive away life's ugly obstacles as you "obey" the voice of the Holy Spirit and then place your complete trust in His promises.

Wow!!! I hope this quick study will brighten your day as you face your giants! Remember, don't be discouraged if it takes a while for you to see your victory. Some things the Lord will do "little by little"(Exodus 23:30). Never-the-less, God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19 & 1 Samuel 15:29)!

You know, I used to ask God, "Lord, what do you mean by obey? Do you mean 'obey the ten commandments' or are you talking about 'obeying the greatest commandment'?" It frustrated me to think I might have missed God by not obeying (whether intentional or unknowingly) His commands, thus disqualifying me from His blessings. The devil always tries to clothe us with guilt so that we will be insecure about believing God's Word.

I was so relieved to find out that "obeying" is nothing more than fellowship with God; conversing with Him about each and every situation. Really, the Lord just wants us to trust him... step by step... in every situation.

Obeying the voice of the Holy Spirit requires us to commune with our heavenly father. It requires us to pray without ceasing. This is not a legalistic set of rules we must obey, but rather a deep yearning desire to do whatever pleases God... in every aspect of our lives.

Friend, God loves you and has good plans for you! Obey Him and walk in the fullness of His provision.

Yours In Christ,

Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross Ministries

http://www.deborahrossministries.org/