Enliven Publishing - Prophetic Ministry that Builds the Church

Tue 27 Jul 2010

How To Recover The Wonder Of Hearing God’s Voice

Posted by Helen Calder under Hearing God's Voice, Holy Spirit, Spiritual Renewal
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The thing I love most about teaching beginners’ classes in prophecy is that look of joy and amazement on people’s faces when they realise that they have heard God’s voice for another person for the first time.

We should never lose the wonder of hearing the voice of God—whether for others or ourselves.

But sometimes over the passage of time, familiarity, staleness, or just plain weariness can rob us of that sense of awe, joy and privilege.

Early last year I was burnt out and in a place where it was difficult to hear from God. But now, the communication—and the wonder—is back.

So, how can we retain or recover the wonder of hearing God’s voice? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Reflect on the Privilege and Power of Hearing God’s Voice

Adam heard the voice of the Lord as He walked in intimacy with Him in the garden. (Gen 3)

And yet later, Moses wondered that Israel had heard God’s voice and lived. (Deut 4:33)

Such was the destructive power of sin on humanity’s relationship with God that upon hearing God’s voice Israel cried out,

‘We will die if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer.’
(Deut 5:25)

The Power of God’s Voice

I have come to realise that the ability, power and strength of the voice of God is far beyond my capacity to perceive.

  • Using His voice, God created the heavens and the earth
    (Ps 33:6, Gen 1)
  • God’s voice shatters His enemies (Isa 30:31)
  • God’s voice is heard in creation’s majesty—the roaring of the waves, thunder and lightning, the events of nature (Ps 29)

John heard His voice like a trumpet (Rev 1:10) and as rushing waters (Rev 1:15); Daniel, ‘like the sound of a multitude.’ (Dan 10:6)

Paul was taken to heaven and heard ‘inexpressible things.’

Reflecting on this causes me to wonder.

2. Consider What Jesus Has Done

That you and I can hear the voice of God and live is a truth that demonstrates His incredible grace.

Jesus reconciled us to God through His death on the cross so that the voice that once threatened death to Israel can bring LIFE to us.

In John 10:27, Jesus said, ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me’.

God desires an intimate relationship with you and I even more than we want it with Him—He created us to fellowship with Him and to hear His voice. He wanted it so much that Jesus paid the ultimate price.

And this causes me to wonder.

3. Remember it is About Relationship

When I was burnt out, it took me a while to realise that I had made the mistake of equating ‘listening to God’ with a type of performance—and I had nothing left to give.

I needed to get back to relationship.

Think about when the phone rings and you pick it up. How different are your responses when the caller is:

  • A telemarketer
  • Someone you love

You see it’s not about the Voice—but the Person behind the Voice.

When we are in love with Jesus, we look forward to hearing Him speak to us in our everyday lives.

4. Put Yourself in a Place to Encounter Him

We need to position ourselves to encounter God and hear His voice, and what that looks like will be unique to each of us.

For me, it firstly meant recognising and repenting of wrong beliefs that had trapped me in a lifestyle of performance.

I then rediscovered His grace.

It also meant being creative with my devotional life, trying new ways to journal, and discovering a new appreciation for the Bible’s personal message to me.

It meant paying attention to my ‘spiritual pathways’ and realising that spending time with God outdoors and with listening to fresh worship music helped me to personally encounter Him.

As I did these things—as I put myself in a position to encounter God—I began to hear His voice breathing life back into me.

5. Explore the Unique Ways the Holy Spirit Speaks

‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says…’ Rev 2:11

One day we shall look upon Jesus’ face in all His glory, and hear His voice in all its strength. For now, we hear Him speaking to us by His Spirit.

However, we need to realise that God speaking is not like a person speaking.

When we talk about ‘hearing God’s voice,’ we are using an earthly expression to describe a heavenly concept. We simply do not have a framework to understand it

You and I use words, speech and body language to communicate. However, the Holy Spirit has endless ways that He can communicate with us.

We hear His voice, not with our physical ears, but with our heart and our spirit.

Throughout the Bible there are many different ways God spoke to His people.

In the book of Acts alone, we see God speaking through prophecies, dreams, visions, angels, leaders, signs, the inner voice of the Spirit—and so on.
There are many ways in which the Holy Spirit can speak to you. Meditate on what the Bible shares about this and be open to hearing Him in new and fresh ways.

The Wonder Recovered

This year, my sense of wonder has returned.

During the past couple of weeks I have heard God speak to me personally in many ways:

  • A conversation with my pastor that rocked my paradigm
  • The words of a stranger who walked into our church for the first time
  • A lone eagle in the sky during time out with God
  • An insight from the Bible that has fed me for days
  • Circumstances that could only have been orchestrated by the Holy Spirit

Last week The Hunk and I were ministering when I heard God’s voice for a woman in the room. As I shared the word, I watched her face change from defensiveness, to amazement and delight.

And right at that moment I fell in love with the Holy Spirit and prophetic ministry all over again.

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Related Posts:

Face To Face With God: Can I Have A Relationship Like Moses?

When your Devotional Life Is Dry: How To Fall In Love With The Bible Again

Spiritual Renewal: Café Moments With God

© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

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Tue 20 Jul 2010

Is It Time to Birth Your Prophetic Word In Prayer?

Posted by Helen Calder under Personal Prophecy, Prayer, Prophetic Ministry, Prophetic Prayer
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The Hunk and I have a drawer that contains personal prophecies given to us over a period of 20 years. Most of them are on loose-leaf pieces of paper.

Some are yellowing with age. On a couple, the typed print is fading and I can barely make out what is written there. A few are on audiocassette tapes.

A number of the prophecies have been fulfilled to varying degrees. Others speak of times yet to come—of things that we carry in our hearts but have not yet seen with our eyes.

Igniting a Prophecy with Prayer

A prophetic word from God is like a notice to us of His intentions. However its fulfilment will only take place as we partner with Him—as we pray, listen and obey.

Jesus taught us to pray,

‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ Matt 6:10

Everything God does on the earth He accomplishes in partnership with His people through prayer. As John Wesley said,

“God does nothing but in answer to prayer, and everything by it.”

Elijah understood this. He prophesied to King Ahab that the drought would be broken immediately by rain. What happens next? We see him immediately birthing the prophetic message in prayer. As James says:

‘Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.’ James 5:17-18

Elijah prophesied—and then He prayed. When the prophecy and prayer were combined, in God’s timing, ignition took place. God’s power was released to fulfil His Word.

Discerning the Timing of God

‘In the first year of [Darius’] reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.’ Dan 9:1-3

Here we see Daniel using Jeremiah’s prophecy to pray, repent, and remind God of His mercy and promises.

Daniel was gifted himself in prophetic ministry. But he recognised that Jeremiah had received a message from God that pertained to the current time in which he, Daniel, lived.

It was time to birth that prophecy in prayer.

Nehemiah reminded God of the prophetic promise made through Moses—that God would restore His exiled people to their land when they returned in obedience to Him. (Neh 1:8-9)

Nehemiah’s prophetic prayer was so powerful that it propelled him into becoming a leader in answering that prayer.

Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit

It is not enough to prophesy or simply receive a prophecy.

Many times we receive a personal prophecy and we say, “That’s nice.” We might even get excited about it, because it speaks to something that is already on our hearts.

We may pray about it as we weigh it up. But then, we shelve it where it gathers dust. After all, the ultimate test of whether it is actually a word from God is whether or not it comes to pass. And so we wait.

Now here is the challenge that I believe the Bible makes to us:

There comes a time when we should begin to birth that prophecy in prayer. And we need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as to when that time is.

In 1 Chronicles 12:32, we read about the sons of Issachar, who ‘understood the times and knew what Israel should do.’ This ability to sense God’s timing is a quality and gift that we should seek as prophetic people.

The Holy Spirit directs the timing of prophetic prayer to bring to birth God’s purposes at the right moment in history.

We need to ask Him for sensitivity to the times and seasons of God, so that like Daniel, Nehemiah and Elijah, we will know when it is time to pray for God’s prophetic word to be brought to pass.

A Neglected Prophecy

Last week, I led a study in prophetic prayer. As I was preparing for it, I realised that we have neglected to review and pray over our prophecies.

A prophecy that was given to us more than 10 years ago came to my attention. A visiting prophet to our church in New Zealand brought a word over my husband and me. He said that God was going to increase the prophetic anointing in our lives.

Now I have a confession to make right here. Because we have other, more dramatic and exciting prophecies, I have never paid much attention to this one.

However, we discussed the prophecy last week and realised that this was indeed stirring in us right now.

I shared the prophecy at our training night and demonstrated some different ways we could pray and proclaim it. Within 24 hours something happened that confirmed to us that the timing of that prophecy is for our current season.

A message from God that we had shelved has suddenly been brought to the forefront.

Here is a challenging question for you to consider:

What prophecy have you shelved—but it is now time to birth it in prayer?

Some Ways to use a Prophecy in Prayer:

1.    Use the prophecy to remind God of His promises in prayer and ask Him for their fulfilment

2.    Turn the prophecy into a declaration of what God will do—and speak it out

3.    Use the prophecy to wage spiritual warfare

4.    Consider the power of praying and proclaiming prophetic scriptures (e.g. over yourself and family members)

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Related Posts:

4 Things You Can Do With Your Personal Prophecy

How Do I Know A Personal Prophecy Or Dream Interpretation Is From God?

The Power of Prophetic Prayer

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© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

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Tue 13 Jul 2010

The Gift of Prophetic Vision: See What Heaven Sees

Posted by Helen Calder under Developing the Prophetic Gift, Prophetic Ministry, Visions
[2] Comments

I sat in the office of a counsellor, head down in prayer. The visit was precipitated by difficulties in a ministry situation that had left me discouraged and heartsick.

At this point in the session, the counsellor was inviting me to look into my heart—to visualise, with God’s help, what was happening on the inside of me.

To my complete surprise, instead of the darkness she was verbally preparing me to face, I found myself in a vision:

I was under water, looking up towards the surface, where a current was flowing swiftly. A thin layer of scum was being carried along and away by the fast-moving water, skimming across its surface.

As I wondered what I was seeing, the vision changed. I saw myself at the bottom of a river, and Jesus was with me. Together we were pulling up weeds from the riverbed, laughing, enjoying the moment. The weeds came away from the river’s floor easily. As we raised our hands and released them, the current of the river caught them away.

My problems were not difficult for the Lord to handle. In fact, I saw that He delighted in sharing this process—of identifying and removing what was not of Him in my life.
That day, I looked for pain and encountered my Saviour. The prophetic vision He shared with me changed my perspective and helped bring me healing.

Revelation Brings Heaven’s Perspective.

The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless?”  (Gen 15:1-2)

Abram had a perspective problem. He was wealthy, but without an heir and without lands he could not comprehend how God could bless him.

The Lord responded by assuring him that He would give Abram a son and that his descendants would possess the land around him. Then:

‘He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars–if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”’ Gen 15:5

When God gives us prophetic revelation—whether in vision or otherwise—He enables us to see from heaven’s perspective.

  • A vision from God changed Peter’s perspective about the Gentiles and facilitated the spread of the Gospel throughout the Gentile world (Acts 10:9-20)
  • A vision of the Risen Christ overturned Saul’s perspective, transforming him from a persecutor of the church to a founder of many churches (Acts 9)

How can we tell whether a personal revelation is from God?

A revelation from God does not come cloaking own ideas; neither does it reinforce our opinions, suspicions or prejudices.

Instead, like a contact lens placed on a natural eye, a vision from God brings adjustment and focus.

The Holy Spirit enables us to see circumstances, others and ourselves as the Father sees them.

He transforms our viewpoint so we can see like Him—and ultimately become like Him.

  • When we are discouraged, He brings hope
  • When we are fearful, He speaks a word of faith
  • When we are hungry to know Him, He reveals more of Himself to us
  • When we are confused, He brings clarity
  • When we are critical, He shares His love for another

Here are some more ways we can check whether a vision or revelation is from God:

1. Is it Biblical?

2. Does it reflect God’s character and wisdom?

3. Is it redemptive—speaking of God’s heart to save and restore?

4. Do you have an inner witness that it is of God?

5. If it concerns direction—does it have the confirmation of circumstances, your gifts and wiring, and other believers—including your leaders?

The Power of a Vision to Restore

If you could see what heaven sees for your situation right now, how would it change your viewpoint?

Years ago, we experienced division in our church. I was deeply hurt, and shared the opinions and grievances of my friends who had left the church. My heart was urging me to leave.

Standing in a service one day, I received a prophetic vision that brought heaven’s perspective to my situation. I stayed, repented, and was restored. And the rest, as they say, is history.

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Related Posts:

How to Exercise Your Prophetic Gift Pt 3: How Can You Tell Your Revelation Is From God?

How to Exercise Your Prophetic Gift Pt 2: How To Receive A Revelation From God

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

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Mon 5 Jul 2010

How to Discover Your Spiritual Pathway

Posted by Helen Calder under Devotional Life, Spiritual Renewal
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Would you like to find out what your spiritual pathway is? I have included a simple assessment at the end of this post.

How do YOU best Connect with God?

A spiritual pathway is a way that you commune with God most effectively and naturally. Utilising your spiritual pathway is a great tool for spiritual renewal.

I first learned about the concept of spiritual pathways reading Bill Hybel’s book, Courageous Leadership.

In the chapter, ‘The Leader’s Pathway’, Bill concisely outlines 7 pathways [1].

I immediately recognised myself in three of these:

1. Worship Pathway

Fresh new worship gives voice to what is on my heart and helps me experience intimacy with Jesus. It is a means of being personally refilled with the Holy Spirit.

A new worship CD, discovery of an anointed song on YouTube or iTunes, especially if it is ‘Live’ worship, refreshes and uplifts me spiritually.

2. Contemplative Pathway

Introverted by nature I love my ‘cave times’ with God. I enjoy spending time alone, praying and reflecting with my Bible and journal—accompanied, of course, by my current favourite worship music.

3. Creation Pathway

Give me wide, open spaces where I can appreciate the beauty of creation, and I am refuelled beyond measure.

My favourite pictures consist of scenic photography and on my computer’s Desktop are inspiring pictures of nature’s beauty.

The Hunk, not surprisingly, is completely different from me in the way he connects best with God. His pathways are:

4. The Activist

My hubby has to be on a mission, fired up for a cause and spreading the fire. One of his favourite sayings used to be, ‘Two thirds of God’s Name is ‘Go.’ Of course, that phrase used to rile this Contemplative up!

5. Relational Pathway

No lone silent retreats for him—The Hunk takes his big strides forward when sharing and praying with other people.

Creation Pathway.

Yes, we do both share this pathway—and are blessed by times spent alone and together in the Great Outdoors!

There are two pathways I haven’t shared here. These are:

6. Serving (Caregiving) Pathway

I have a friend who has a serving pathway—feeling fulfilled and connected to God best when she is busy serving.

7. Intellectual Pathway

Identifying this as a pathway helped me understand a friend who loves hanging out with huge texts and books from ‘Thinkers’ in church history.

Others are Different

Discovering the concept of spiritual pathways has helped me to get closer to God. It has also helped me to appreciate that others do not connect to God the same way that I do.

I have learned not to place expectations on my husband, for example.

I have also learned that my spiritual pathway (or others) is NOT a sign of spirituality or Christian maturity.

Not Being Limited by Spiritual Pathways

As with other tools, such as personality and spiritual gift identification, spiritual pathways has been criticised by some as ‘putting people in a box.’

Personally, I think we should see the concept of spiritual pathways as a starting point, not a limitation, to perceive and discover the way God has wired each of us to uniquely commune with him.

How to use Your Spiritual Pathway to be Refilled with the Holy Spirit

Identifying my spiritual pathways helped me experience renewal when I was suffering from ministry burnout. Like other efforts related to my Christian life, devotional times had become a labour and a duty. I simply had nothing left to give to any task.

When I realised I needed to take deliberate action to be refuelled, I reviewed my spiritual pathways.

Recognising the value of my creation pathway, I began to schedule whole days to go out in the wilds, where I would pray and worship. I would return from these days feeling revitalised and refilled. This simple exercise contributed to my recovery.

Spiritual Pathways Resources:

Bill Hybels’ helpful summary of spiritual pathways draws from Gary Thomas’ book, Sacred Pathways [2]. Gary Thomas adds several other pathways to the mix. These include:

  • Traditionalists—loving God through ritual and symbol
  • Ascetics
  • Enthusiasts

John Ortberg has picked up the concept of spiritual pathways in his book, “God Is Closer Than You Think.”

John Ortberg & Ruth Barton include an assessment based on the above 7 common pathways in their resource, ‘An Ordinary Day With Jesus’

This questionnaire, which I don’t have personally, but was utilised in my church, was helpful. However, I did find their emphasis on the corporate (church) context rather than personal devotional life—especially in the worship pathway—a little disappointing.

A Questionnaire To Help You Discover Your Spiritual Pathway

Following is a simple checklist that can help identify your spiritual pathway, using the 7 pathways described in Bill Hybel’s book, Courageous Leadership [1].

On a scale of 1 to 5, with one being ‘least describes me’ and 5 being ‘most describes me’, label the following points in each group.

Add up your scores and see which pathways you score highest in. These may be your preferred spiritual pathways. Note that like me, you may have more than one.

For a more comprehensive questionnaire, especially if you are leading a group, check out John Ortberg and Ruth Barton’s resource ‘An Ordinary Day With Jesus

Relational

  • I love to pray with others and feel God’s presence more when I’m praying with others than when I’m doing it alone.
  • I would rather do Bible study & journal with others than alone. I thrive on the discussion that comes out of these times together.
  • I love worshipping alongside others
  • It is hard for me to have solitary devotional times; I’d much rather be seeking God with others around me, spurring me on (& vice versa!)

Intellectual

  • I feel closest to God when my mind is fully engaged
  • Give me an intellectually stimulating book any time!
  • My best devotional times with God have me poring over commentaries and studying the Bible
  • I love research & study; it brings me closer to God

Service / Caregiving

  • I feel closest to God when I’m serving
  • I feel fulfilled when I’m doing voluntary work
  • I am most aware of God’s presence when I’m doing something for Him
  • I am happiest when worshipping God by helping others

Contemplative

  • I love to spend time in solitude, and busyness drains me
  • have a large capacity for prayer and for private worship
  • I am a deep thinker; there’s usually a lot going on inside me!
  • I would like to put boundaries around my schedule so that I can spend more time alone with God

Creation

  • I feel close to God when I’m surrounded by the beauty of nature
  • My best devotion times have been moments when I’ve been on a walk, or looking at a view, or staring out to sea…
  • The wonders of creation leave me in awe of God
  • I love to spend time in the Great Outdoors; that’s where I feel most connected to God

Worship

  • I feel closest to God when I’m worshipping Him
  • Putting on worship tapes or CD’s add life to my devotional times with God
  • I love worship times in the church services; that’s when I feel I touch God
  • If I lack opportunities to spend time in worship, I start to feel dry.

Activist

  • I feel close to God when I am engaged in ministry at a fast pace
  • I am a person of action!
  • I thrive spiritually in a highly challenging environment
  • I connect with God best when I’m using every ounce of energy to serve Him!

[1] Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership, 2002, Zondervan, Grand rapids, Michigan

[2] Gary Thomas, Sacred Pathways, 1996, Zondervan, Grand rapids, Michigan

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Related posts:

Spiritual Renewal: Café Moments With God

Spiritual Renewal: How to Receive an Impartation of The Holy Spirit

When Your Devotional Life Is Dry: How to Fall in Love With the Bible Again

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©  Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

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Tue 29 Jun 2010

The Power of a Prophetic Act

Posted by Helen Calder under Breakthrough, Healing, Prophetic Acts, Prophetic Ministry
[5] Comments

In early 2006, I booked flights for my daughter Amy and I to visit my parents in Clarkston, Washington, USA. Our itinerary would take us through Spokane, Washington.

The Hunk and I, being revivalists at heart, have always loved hearing about the healing evangelist John G Lake, who had lived there during his latter years. During his ministry, Spokane was pronounced ‘the healthiest city in the United States’, with over 100,000 healings reported in 5 years from 1915 to 1920.

I researched the subject, deciding to visit both the re-opened Healing Rooms and John G Lake’s grave while I was there.

At the time my trip took place, staff members of our church who were travelling overseas would take other team member’s ‘desk buddies’ with them. It was a standing joke that our church’s staff visited places all around the world by proxy.

I feigned non-intention of transporting the growing number of assorted desk buddies, but kidnapped them shortly before takeoff. My daughter and I spent amusing hours taking photos of them in places such as Hollywood Boulevard.

Before leaving Washington, I visited the Spokane Healing Rooms, where I asked for healing prayer on behalf of one of our pastors. I also visited John G Lake’s gravesite, and took a photo of my senior pastors’ desk buddies there.

Little did I know that my trip would hold prophetic significance for the future of our church—or that it would set in motion a chain of events that would help bring Jesus’ healing power to our city.

The Power of Prophetic Actions.

Prophetic people love symbolic acts. Symbolism is a language that we relate to; it is the way we are ‘wired,’ in our spiritual DNA. I recently described a prophetic act that helped take me through a difficult time.

Prophetic actions are prolific in the Bible. Some Old Testament prophets are renowned for their strange prophetic acts. Isaiah went naked (Is 20), Hosea married a prostitute (Hosea 1:2), Ezekiel lay on one side for 390 days (Ezek 4:5).

Prophetic actions can be seen in the New Testament, too. Agabus tied his own hands and feet with the Apostle Paul’s belt as the Spirit warned him of his upcoming arrest and imprisonment (Acts 21:10-12).

A prophetic act has significance in a number of Biblical contexts. These include:

-         Intercession (1 Kings 18:42-44)

-         Healing (2 Kings 5:9-14)

-         Warfare (Ex 17:10-13)

-         Warning (Ezek 4-5)

-         Foretelling (Acts 21:10-12)

-         Calling to ministry (1 Kings 19:19)

A prophetic act can hold spiritual power for fulfilment or breakthrough when the Holy Spirit directs it (2 Kings 13: 14-20).

Jesus used symbolic action when He put clay on a blind man’s eyes and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam (John 9:6-7). He also taught His disciples the practice of anointing with oil for healing (Mark 6:13), symbolic of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

A prophetic action can be deliberate, or we can be led of the Holy Spirit and only realise the significance later, as with my visit to Spokane.

Using Prophetic Symbolism Wisely

‘You did what? Why would you want to take photos by a dead guy’s grave? That’s weird!’

Not everyone understood the significance of my visit to John G Lake’s gravesite, so for a long time I kept the event, and the desire it represented, hidden in my heart.

Not every church has a culture that encourages prophetic symbolism. Some prophetic or revival churches favour it. Others are more conservative in their approach to prophetic ministry and prefer ‘plain speech’ to the mystery of symbolism.

At times, we need to use wisdom and submit our own preferred styles, terminology and methods for the greater good of our church. Unless a prophetic culture is overtly embraced, I recommend using ‘translation’ when it comes to prophetic ministry. This means speaking and acting in the language our leaders and church family are familiar with.

This does not mean that we are quenching the Holy Spirit; it simply means that we are expressing love—His highest law—and honouring those we serve.

The Chain Reaction

Some 3 years after my visit to Spokane, a ministry mentor—unaware of my journey—hesitantly showed me an application to Healing Rooms training which was taking place in Frankston, some 45 mins drive from where we live.

It was not something I would normally be interested in. However, because of my trip to Spokane, I my interest was piqued. I took the brochure and asked one of my trusted leaders, Sandi Bonavita, if she would like to attend with me and check out the training. We could then decide whether it would be suitable for our whole team to undergo the training at a later date.

During the first morning session, my excitement grew as our presenter showed slides that included the very Healing Rooms I had visited in Spokane, and discussed John G Lake’s ministry.

After the final session of the day, Sandi and I were anointed and prayed for by the Healing Rooms team. A heavy burden of intercession fell upon me—and the power of God hit me. I tell the story in my post, ‘When God Shows Up, How Will You Respond?’

Sandi Bonavita, who accompanied me that day, caught the vision of the Healing Rooms. Sandi and another team member, gifted in healing, began ministering regularly at the Frankston Healing Rooms.

Sandi’s vision and my four-year prophetic journey are bearing fruit. Our Senior Pastor is launching the first Healing Rooms ministry in the City of Casey, in Melbourne, Australia. This will be based out of our own church premises.

In August our church will be hosting the first Healing Rooms training in our area. Sandi has a burning vision to see more Healing Rooms set up in our City and locality. As a result, many Christians will be trained and released to pray for healing. Countless people will receive prayer and learn of Jesus’ love and healing power.

The birth of our own Healing Rooms has another, more personal significance for me. I was just beginning my term as Prayer Leader for our church in 2006 when I visited Spokane. Now, I have passed on the leadership baton to Sandi just as the Healing Rooms is becoming a reality.

The two events have served as ‘bookends’ marking the beginning and end of a significant term of service for me in the prayer ministry of my church.

PS I have asked Sandi to share what is happening in the comments section below. If the comments box is not visible, click here or on the post title and scroll down. If you are in our locality, feel free to make contact with us for further information.

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For further information about Healing Rooms:

In Australia:  http://www.healingrooms.com.au/

USA & International: http://healingrooms.com/

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Related Posts:

When God Shows Up: How Will You Respond?

Discover Your Unique Healing Gift

How Your Prophetic Song Can Release The Power of God

©  Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

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Sun 20 Jun 2010

FACE TO FACE With God: Where Life Begins

Posted by Helen Calder under Devotional Life, Journaling, Spiritual Renewal
[2] Comments

‘God is looking for men and women of maturity…
But there is no maturity because there is no birth.
There is no birth because there is no pregnancy.
There is no pregnancy because there is no conception.
There is no conception because there is no intimate relationship.
There is no intimate relationship because we busy ourselves seeking satisfaction apart from God.’

David Ravenhill [1]

I have kept an early edition of the Morningstar journal in my shelf for many years, for the value of the single paragraph above.

It speaks truth to something deep inside of me—a truth I find myself returning to regularly in my quest for spiritual renewal.

And that is, that at the heart of life-giving prophetic ministry—or any ministry, and even life itself—is intimacy with Jesus.

Face To Face—God’s Purpose from Beginning to End

We are created for a FACE TO FACE relationship with God. We see this at the outset—from the very moment of creation.

Genesis 2 V 7 says:
‘The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.’

Every other creature was created by the word of God, but God fashioned Adam from the ground and breathed life into him,

And from the moment of that very first FACE TO FACE encounter, Adam lived.

After Adam and Eve sin, in Genesis chapter 3, you see God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. It has evidently been His custom to walk and talk with Adam & Eve… FACE TO FACE, but now Adam and Eve have hidden their faces in shame from God

And you see throughout the whole of the remainder of Scripture, God is working, through His plan of redemption, to restore that FACE TO FACE relationship that was lost.

He accomplishes it by sending Jesus to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin. And there on the cross, in one eternal moment, THE FATHER TURNS HIS FACE AWAY from Jesus.

Jesus bore our sin, and the punishment of separation from God that was due to us, in order that our own FACE TO FACE relationship with God might be restored.

And even now, that process of restoration continues until the final fulfillment will take place when we enter eternity…

The Apostle Paul explains it like this in 1 Corinthians 13V12:
‘Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see FACE TO FACE. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.’

Even though the ultimate fulfillment of our FACE TO FACE relationship with God is in ETERNITY, God WANTS to share a close relationship with us now.

  • It is the purpose He created us
  • It is the reason Jesus went to the cross

And this being the case, I want to know what a FACE TO FACE relationship with God means. In the certain knowledge that I have yet more to discover, I also want to know what I am missing out on.

Responding To God

We cannot meditate on this truth without considering our own personal response. For me, right now, that is twofold:

1. Soaking—Taking time to Worship and to be Refilled.

When Jesus was resurrected, He met with His disciples and FACE TO FACE, He breathed on them, saying ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’

Receiving His breath, His Spirit, His life, into us is an integral part of having a FACE TO FACE relationship with God.

For me that means spending time with God, with no other agenda apart from being with Him, receiving His Spirit, enjoying His Presence.

2. Conversing—Intimate Conversation with God

I am personally being challenged that God wants to speak to me FACE TO FACE a whole lot more than I have imagined He does. I recognise that doubts and fears have stopped up the flow of His voice, His revelation, to me.

So I will be digging into some journaling this week—with a specific focus.

Here are some ideas for how to do this, if you would like to join me:

  • Start your journal with the words ‘Lord what do you want to say to me today?’
  • A thought or idea may come to you immediately—in which case, start to write. But if not, wait for the Holy Spirit to give you a revelation—a picture/vision, a Bible verse or story, a word, feeling or idea. Write what you see or what comes to mind and also what you believe God is saying to you.
  • Write your response to Him. You may even want to ask another question. It is your conversation with God.

Remember to weigh up carefully any revelation you receive. Keep up your regular Bible reading and always reflect on what you are receiving in the light of what God says in His Word.

[1] The Morningstar Journal Vol. 3 No.4 1993, ‘The Birthing of a Ministry, David Ravenhill.

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Related Posts:

Face to Face With God: Can I Have a Relationship Like Moses?

Activate Your Prophetic Gift Through Prayer Journaling

Spiritual Renewal: How To Receive An Impartation Of The Holy Spirit 

How To Exercise Your Prophetic gift Pt 3: How Can You Tell Your Revelation Is From God?

©  Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

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Mon 14 Jun 2010

When You Hit A Wall In Your Ministry

Posted by Helen Calder under Ministry
[5] Comments

Have you ever hit a wall in your ministry—a place where you feel you can go no further?

This happened to me a few weeks back in relation to one of my ministry responsibilities. During a 24-hour period, I realised that I had ‘hit the wall.’ I awoke one morning and knew that I could no longer see the future for me in this particular leadership role.

Don’t get me wrong! The ministry was flourishing, I had a great team, people’s lives were being transformed, and Jesus was being glorified. However, there was now another leader who could do what I was doing—whilst due to lack of time, I was putting off other ministry opportunities available to me.

Why we hit a wall in ministry

When we feel as though we have hit a wall, it is vital to establish what—and who—is responsible for it. The situation can be caused by:

1. Ourselves

We may hit a wall when we have overextended ourselves and run out of personal resources—spiritual, emotional, mental or physical. When burnout occurs we need to do whatever it takes to replenish our reserves. On occasion, this may mean taking time out.

2. Demonic Forces

Sometimes spiritual warfare can cause us to feel that we have hit a wall and can go no further in our ministry area. When this takes place we need to recognise the warfare and deal with it for what it is—the enemy’s attempt to derail us from God’s purpose for our lives.

3. God

We can hit a wall when the time has come in our Heavenly Father’s agenda for us to release the ministry and move on.

Just because God has ordained the ending of a season does not mean that it is easy.

  • We have carried the ministry in our hearts and given our lives to serve God in this role. It can be like handing over our ‘baby’ to another ‘parent’ (leader)
  • We may not have seen the end coming and even though it is in God’s plan, it is unexpected to us (Is 55:8-9)
  • We may have been in a difficult season of transition
  • God may have allowed difficult circumstances, or even conflict, to shift us out of a role that we would not have willingly released of our own volition

Sometimes there are a combination of the above factors, as Divine timing, personal and demonic issues collide. In this case, it is good to have people in leadership that we trust who can help us work through the difficulties and our response.

When we believe God has brought us to an end in a ministry role, it is good to submit that guidance, as I have done over the past few weeks, for confirmation.

When God has a purpose in the wall

The Hunk and I have experienced this wall a number of times over the years, when it has been time to release a ministry responsibility or area of Christian leadership. We have not always responded well, even when the timing was of the Lord!

When the sudden realisation came that it was time to move out of my leadership role, it was with a mixture of pain and relief that I contemplated what I believed God was asking of me.

That day, I took time out to pray—driving for miles, contemplating the autumn scenery, walking, anguishing, surrendering. Even though I had been preparing for this wall for some time, its sudden appearance still came as a shock.

After a few hours, I drove into a reservoir park. As I drove in, I looked up, and saw—A HUGE WALL! “I’m going to walk on the wall!” I said.

Prophetic people love symbolic acts, and God in His graciousness had set me up for one, right when I needed it. That day, I walked on the wall, from one end of the dam to the other.

As I walked one way, I looked over the valley and thanked Him for everything that had led to this place: the people whose lives had been changed, the leaders who had been raised up, ministries that had been birthed, and my own growth in the journey.

It took a long time, for there was so much to be thankful for. When I had finished, I stopped, took courage and thanked God for the wall itself—this painful and confronting place.

Dangers at the Wall

It was then that I remembered past times I had faced similar walls. I have not always responded well. Some dangers of the wall are:

  • Staying too long at the wall and not willingly releasing a ministry
  • Mourning over the wall—the loss of our ministry—for longer than we should
  • Allowing the wall to define us. At the place of the wall, we are no longer the right ‘fit’ for the role. There is a danger of taking this personally or internalising reproach from others or ourselves

It was a moment of clarity and healing for me. As I paused on the reservoir wall, I chose to be thankful for my present wall and also prayed about my wrong responses to past walls.

Realise God has not Finished with you yet.

When you hit a wall in a ministry and it is God’s time for you to move on, you may not always see what He has in store for you next. But He has a future and a hope; He has a greater season of fruitfulness ahead (Jer 29:11; John 15:2).

As I walked back along the reservoir wall, I looked out over the other side, across the water to the distant hills. I thanked the Lord in faith for His provision, and for the future ahead—even though I could not define it.

At the wall that day, the Spirit prepared me to release the ministry with joy.

Have you ever, or are you experiencing a similar ‘wall?’ I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment on the bottom of this post. If the comments box is not visible, click here or on the post title and scroll down.

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

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Sun 6 Jun 2010

Key to Breakthrough in your Prophetic Ministry: Desire

Posted by Helen Calder under Developing the Prophetic Gift, Podcast, Prophetic Ministry
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For those readers who are interested in the online prophetic training course, there is a new update here. Read this if you would like to know about the opportunity to receive free prophetic coaching as part of an initial pilot training project.

Welcome to the third in this series of podcasts on the topic of identifying and breaking through barriers to growth in your gift of prophecy.

In this session, I outline

3 kinds of desire that you need to have to grow in your gift of prophecy

**Desire is what motivates us to keep close to God and on track with our spiritual gift of prophecy. Discover how to regain the gift of desire when it has waned.

Some quotes from this podcast:

  • be like Elisha who pursued Elijah for his mantle..
  • desire the Giver AND His gifts
  • If you feel that you have lost that sharp edge of hunger for God and His Presence, it’s time NOW to get back
  • love that leads us to desire to help people and grow Jesus’ Church is vital

Click on the message title below to listen to the 12 minute podcast in MP3 format. To save the file to your computer right click on the link and select “Save Link As …” (Firefox) or “Save Target As…” (Internet Explorer).

How to Overcome Blockages In Your Prophetic Gift, Desire

The next in this series of podcasts will be on how to identify and be released from hurts or wounds that you have sustained in relation to your prophetic gift.
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Related Posts:

Podcast series:

Pt 1: How to Overcome Blockages and Barriers to Growth in Your Prophetic Gift – Intro

Pt 2: How to Overcome Blockages and Barriers to Growth in Your Prophetic Gift – Identify Your Season

© Helen Calder Enliven Publishing

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Thu 27 May 2010

How To Overcome Blockages In Your Prophetic Gift: Identify Your Season

Posted by Helen Calder under Developing the Prophetic Gift, Podcast, Prophetic Ministry, Wilderness Seasons
No Comments

Welcome to the second of a series of podcasts on the topic of identifying and breaking through barriers to growth in your gift of prophecy.

In this session, I outline

6 key stages in the development of your prophetic gift

Listening to this podcast will help you identify which phase, or season you are in, in relation to your spiritual gift of prophecy.

It is possible to become blocked in your development in any one of these phases—so a key to breakthrough is to:

1. Identify which season of development you are in

2. Check whether you have become stuck in that phase

3. Make the most of your season of development and

4. Do what it takes to break through to the next level.

Click on the message title below to listen to the 11 minute podcast in MP3 format. To save the file to your computer right click on the link and select “Save Link As …” (Firefox) or “Save Target As…” (Internet Explorer).

How to Overcome Blockages In Your Prophetic Gift, Identify Your Season

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Related Posts:

How to Overcome Blockages & Barriers to Growth in your Prophetic Gift, Introduction

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

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Fri 21 May 2010

Discover Your Unique Healing Gift

Posted by Helen Calder under Healing, Spiritual Gifts
[2] Comments

  • Have you ever wondered why you feel more comfortable with some styles of prayer than with others?
  • Do you desire for people to be healed when you pray for them?
  • Have you ever been intimidated by another person’s healing gift or ministry?

Did you know that God has given you a unique gift of healing?

During my years of leading people in the ministry of prayer, I have come to recognise that every person expresses his or her spiritual gift in a unique way.

For example, an intercessor can have a bent towards warfare, or worship, or identification, or prophetic intercession. Another may simply be a faithful, task-focused intercessor. Sometimes surprisingly, no two people with the gift of intercession operate effectively in exactly the same manner [1].

It is the same with the gift of healing.

When we study the way Jesus healed people, we can observe many different ways that it happened: He pronounced healing (Mark 5:34), gave a word of command (Matt 12:13), laid on hands (Luke 4:40), used unusual means such as spitting (John 9:6-7), and even repeated praying (Mark 8:22-26)

However, I noticed in studying the book of Acts, that God used Paul to heal predominantly through physical impartation—touch and laying on of hands [2]. Peter healed primarily through speaking a word of faith or command [3].

Like Peter and Paul, we are all wired differently. Our personal combination of spiritual gifts, along with our God-given personalities will impact the way we best pray for and minister Jesus’ healing and love to people.

We need to be comfortable with our own unique expression of the gift God has given us, and allow others the room, and grace, to operate differently.

I have discovered that I have a gift of impartation—when I lay hands on someone and pray, the Holy Spirit flows through me to minister infilling or healing.

For example, one time at an altar call I prayed for a woman, soaking her in prayer for an extended time. She said afterwards that as I prayed it felt as though she was placed into a warm bath. Physical pain that had been a part of her life for a long time disappeared.

One of our team members has a gentle approach in praying for healing, and God has used her prayers to effect some dramatic miracles. Another has a very bold approach using words of command, and has also seen physical healing.

I love the gift of team. One person may have insight into a demonic cause of affliction and be able to break its power. Another’s soft approach may bring healing to both body and soul. Yet another team member’s bold word of command or word of knowledge might be what is needed for a miracle.

How can you discover your unique healing gift and style?

1. When you are starting out, learn a variety of methods for praying for healing [4]. I liken this to adding tools to our healing toolkit. Gradually, we become aware of which ‘tools’ suit us best.

2. Feel free to practice, and to try out different methods. Find a safe environment to have a go, with other Christians who are on the same journey.

3. Be aware of all your spiritual gifts, and explore how these may work together and impact the way you best minister healing.

3. Don’t limit yourself to one style of prayer, even after you discover a preferred means of praying for healing.

Always listen to the Holy Spirit. He may lead you to take an approach that is outside of your comfort zone in order to bring a healing miracle to someone’s life.

4. Do not feel intimidated or made to feel inferior by another person’s style or gift, or feel that you have to be like them.

On the other hand, take care to remain grounded and be wary of others being impressed or intimidated by your gift—especially if you have a bold expression.

5. Be sensitive to people—sometimes you will need to modify your preferred approach if the situation requires it or it is not appropriate. The Holy Spirit will still move, and love is His way.

6. We should never criticise or look down on someone who does not operate in his or her healing ministry the same way that we do.

7. If you lead or teach others, be wise in your approach to mentoring and training. It is vital that we encourage the gifts of others and do not try to recreate people ‘in our own image.’

Healing and Honour

Having said all this, we need to honour the leadership of organisations, ministries, or churches that prescribe set methods, or lead a distinctive culture for operating in gifts of healing and miracles. God can and does use these powerfully.

If, like me, you are privileged to lead and release people into their ministries, consider the joy of helping them identify and discover their unique spiritual gifts and style.

I believe that in our generation we are going to see His healing power break out in an even greater measure than ever before.

Let’s honour each other and release each other to do and be all that Jesus has called us to be—and not settle for anything less.

1 Cor 12:4-6
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Notes:

[1]. A great resource on this topic is FEMRITE, T; ALVES, E; KAUFMAN, K.  Intercessors Discover Your Prayer Power.  2000.  Ventura : Regal.
[2]. Acts 20:10, 19:11-12, 28:8
[3]. Acts 3:6, 9:34, 9:40
[4]. E.g., laying on hands, anointing with oil, words of command or pronouncement, caring and pastoral prayer, praying scripture.

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

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