‘With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.’ Isa 12:3

Recently, the conviction has been growing in me to have an attitude that rises up to say,

‘I will dig a well in the place where God has led me. I will not sit back and wait for breakthrough and the release of God’s purpose and presence in my home, my relationships, or my church to happen. I will not become disheartened when God’s prophetic purposes are delayed, nor will I give way to the temptation to give up or move on.

Instead, I will proactively and expectantly pray and do whatever it takes for breakthrough to come.’

The Unseen Resources of Heaven

For the past 8 years, The Hunk and I have been living in Victoria, Australia—a region that is suffering drought.

I learned recently that here in Victoria, groundwater provides drinking water for 60 cities and towns. Amazingly, a large percentage of the world’s fresh water is actually under the ground, not on the surface of the earth.

Rain that falls to the earth seeps into the ground – and that water travels under the ground through water-carrying soils (sands and gravels) and rock strata called ‘aquifiers.’

Consequently, there is a HUGE resource of water lying concealed beneath the earth.

Springs of water occur where one of the aquifiers that is carrying the water under the ground meets the ground surface so that the water flows out.

So when God says, “I am the spring of living water” (Jer 2:13) He is also saying, “I am the Source of Life. And in Me all the unseen resources of Heaven are there to back you up.”

These unseen resources of Heaven are ours—but we need to access them, to tap into them.

The Water of Life

In Biblical times, groundwater was accessed and life sustained through the digging of wells.

In Genesis 26, Isaac, along with his family, servants and flocks, was forced to change locations. Isaac re-opened wells that his father Abraham had used and discovered fresh sources of water. However locals contended that the water belonged to them.

Finally, Isaac moved to a new place. In Genesis 26:25 the Bible records that he

• Built an altar
• Pitched his tent, and
• Dug a well.

When his servants located water, he knew they had found the source of life and could live there permanently with their families and flocks. Beersheba became Isaac’s home for the remainder of his days.

How To Dig A Well

Like Isaac did, we can dig a well and make room for God to move wherever we find ourselves. Here are 5 ways that we can ‘dig a well’ for spiritual breakthrough:

1. Choose the Ground

Ask the Lord to show you where He would have you concentrate your prayers and efforts for breakthrough at this time. It could be one area or many.
It could be your home and family, your church or ministry, your community, a relationship, or someone you would like to see come to Jesus.

2. Prepare for the Work Ahead

This is where we resolve that we want God to move.
Now is the time to reflect. We are not satisfied with living by our own strength, neither are we content with the results that we have seen up until now.

We long for God to get the glory in our household, church, and place of study or work, and we will not settle for less than Jesus’ best.

Ask the Spirit to fill you and stir up in you the inner resource of resolve that you need to start digging and to keep going until breakthrough happens and His life, power and provision is released.

3. Start Digging

It’s time to break ground–to begin somewhere, no matter how small our efforts may seem at first.

We must dig deep to locate water. We dig primarily by praying, and we pray because God is our Source. He is the Living Water. We are totally reliant upon Him.
We start with prayer, but we do not stop at prayer. We also dig by listening to what the Lord is saying for our situation and obeying Him. We dig by speaking life-giving words.

4. Persevere–Keep On Digging

The ground may be hard, others may give up, but we must stay and persevere. This choice will confront us again and again.

Recently I have been meditating on this. I have resolved to, when I encounter dry ground, not to give up and move on, but to dig a well in the place God has called me.

5. Focus on the Water, not the Dirt

When digging a well, there is a lot of dirt to encounter before we reach the water. We can easily be tempted to pay attention to the things that are wrong or less than perfect in our situation, church or relationships.

Don’t focus on the dirt to be removed, focus on the water that to be received. Keep your eyes on the prize.

Remember, nothing is too difficult for God, and if He has given you a vision, it will be fulfilled.

A well represents provision and life.

A physical well can provide drink—and therefore life—to a community. When we determine that we are going to dig a well, it is not just about ourselves, but for many.

Would you like to see God move in an area of your life—your family, a relationship, a locality, your church or ministry—and fill it with His Presence?

Dig a well.

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Related Posts:

Spiritual Renewal: How to Receive a Fresh Impartation of the Holy Spirit

Portal Moments: Supernatural Encounters with God and Answers to Prayer

© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

Overcoming in Times of Spiritual Warfare

In the last post I shared two important keys to dealing with spiritual warfare as a Christian in your personal life and ministry, using the acrostic RICE. These were:

R = Recognise

• Be aware of the signs that spiritual warfare is occurring

I = Identify

Assess the

• Means—who or what is the enemy using to get to you
• Mandate—what is the treasure that he is after in your life and ministry, and
• Message—what is the message he wants you to believe in the crisis

Up until now, we have not taken action in response to the spiritual warfare. However, realising that we are in a battle and taking time to assess what it is about are steps that are critical to our recovery and victory.

C = Combat

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes ( Eph 6:10-11)

Now it is time to take action. Here is a checklist of 11 ways that you can proactively respond when experiencing spiritual pressure:

1. Recommit to GOD

‘Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’ James 4:7-8
Remember, we don’t wage warfare in our own strength, but in Jesus’ authority. Ensuring that we are yielded to His authority, then, is of great importance and our first act of warfare.

2. Take Ownership (1 John 1:8-9)

When a battle is occurring, we need to take ownership of our own part in it. Spiritual warfare is not a reason to blame the devil for our less than perfect responses. Examples of things we need to acknowledge are:

• The lies we have listened to
• The inroads we have allowed in relationships.
• Our sin of discouragement, fear, or condemnation, and so on

We need to be wary of the danger of simply dismissing something as spiritual attack and not dealing with our own part in it.

Have you ever noticed that spiritual warfare is a great opportunity for personal and character growth?

3. Disagreement  (1 Pet 5:9)

This may sound strange, but getting into an opposing position in times of attack is critical, yet often the hardest thing to do! This is especially true when we are struggling to overcome discouragement, condemnation, fear, failure, etc.

We may have been feeding on negative thoughts or feelings, and we have to rise up in disagreement against them. This is not about summoning up an emotion; it starts with a quality DECISION backed up by prayer that we will no longer give way to our wrong responses.

4. Move in the Opposite Spirit (Matt 5:43-45)

This is especially true when it relates to warfare being directed through the actions or words of another person. This means that if they are closed, be open with them, if they’re being deceitful, be honest, unkind, be kind, and so on.
Take the enemy by surprise! Break out and do the very thing that there’s pressure against you doing (see Identify:Mandate).

5. Obedience (1 Chron 14:13-16)

Obedience to the Holy Spirit often means doing the very thing that you don’t feel like doing. This is about not responding to what you feel, but Who you know. Ask the Lord to show you what He would have you do in the situation.

6. Expose the Enemy (Eph 5:8-13)

Bring the situation and your responses into the light. Confess your own struggles to someone who is a ‘safe’ person. Exposing the enemy might also mean exposing his strategy.

7. Speak Truth (Eph 6:17)

In the last post, I discussed the importance of identifying the message (lies) that the enemy wants us to believe. What is God’s Word on the matter? Identify the truth and use scripture, or a paraphrased/personalised version of it, as a confession and for meditation.

Remember also who you are in Christ and speak it out.

8. Praise and Thanksgiving (2 Chron 20, Ps 8:2, Ps 149:6-9, Acts 16)

‘May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands.’ Ps 149:6

9. Prayer (Eph 6:18) and Praying in the Spirit (Rom 8:26)

Prayer using the authority of Jesus’ Name is a primary weapon of spiritual warfare.

10. Refresh (Psalm 32:7; Psalm 23:5)

If you have been under siege, you need to receive grace and regain energy. Take extra devotional time. Utilise worship and other ways you personally connect with God.

11. Remember Prophecies Made About You (1 Tim 1:18)

Keep prophetic encouragement at hand. When hard times come, prophecies can help keep you encouraged and on track. You can also use them to pray.

E = ENLIST Help (2 Cor 1:10-11)

We were never meant to stand alone as Christians. When spiritual warfare is occurring, find safe people who can support you (Gal 6:2, James 5:16, Lev 26:7-8).

These can include:

• A leader who can pray for you and advise you
• Intercessors—those who are gifted in prayer (of particular value if you are in a Christian ministry role)
• Friends and team members

PROVIDING A SAFE PLACE

There are many things that we can do to help and support each other during times of struggle, These include: listening, providing a safe place for confession, encouraging, speaking truth that will combat the enemy’s lies, prayer and supporting in practical ways.

Related Posts:

12 Signs Of Spiritual Warfare

Responding To Spiritual Warfare Pt 1

© Helen Calder    Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries

When we experience a spiritual attack as Christians, we need a plan to deal with it as well as to recover from any injury that we may have sustained.

R.I.C.E is an acronym used for treating physical injuries:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

Here is a strategy for dealing with spiritual warfare that I have developed for our training using the R.I.C.E acronym.

R = RECOGNISE the Battle 1 Peter 5:8

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

The first step in dealing with spiritual warfare is simply to recognise that it IS spiritual warfare.

This might sound very simplistic, but in reality, this is half the battle! Remember, the enemy likes to operate under cover, in darkness. (Eph 5:8-13)

You may be drowning in discouragement, pain or condemnation. And the accuser will make sure that you think it is just YOU, that you have done something to deserve it.

Once you recognise the signs that you are experiencing spiritual warfare, you are on the way to winning the battle.

I = IDENTIFY the Enemy’s Strategy

There are three things it is helpful to identify when you are experiencing a demonic attack:

1. MEANS:

Isa 54:17

No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.

What, or who is the enemy using to fulfil his purposes?

Is it personal? It may be something physical such as a health issue, or it could be an internal, soul issue such as a personal weakness or pain from your past.

Or is it a circumstance or person external to you, such as a work colleague, family member, or even the weather or traffic!

If it’s something external that you cannot change (except by addressing it through prayer), remember that you can control your RESPONSE.

2. MANDATE:

2 Cor 2:11

… in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Where there is a battle, there is BOUNTY. If there is warfare going on, you know that the enemy will be after something. It may be helpful to identify what that is.

What is he after? Does he want to compromise or destroy your ministry call, your sanity, your health, your marriage or family relationships? Is he after your peace with God, your joy, or does he want to steal away a word God has spoken to you?

3. MESSAGE:

Gen 3:1

Now the serpent… said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

When under pressure, ask: what is the message Satan wants me to BELIEVE?

What is he saying – identify any battle going on in your MIND. What are the ‘tapes’ that are playing there?

The enemy usually wants us to give up. You might recognise these examples:

• I can’t do it!
• It’s hopeless!
• Someone else could do this better than me!
• Did God really say that / call me /heal me? (Doubts)

Note that the enemy often speaks in the first person—we think it is us!

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In the next post, I will look at the last two parts of the RICE strategy, the proactive ways we can enter into the victory Jesus’ has won for us on the cross. These keys to overcoming in spiritual warfare are:

C = Combat, and

E = Enlist Help

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Related posts:

12 Signs of Spiritual Warfare

Responding to Spiritual Warfare Pt 2: Time To Engage

Prophetic People & Spiritual Warfare

Your Prophetic Word And Spiritual Warfare

© Helen Calder   Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries

Is what you are experiencing spiritual warfare, or ‘just life?’

For many months I blithely walked around my favourite local park, enjoying the gardens, the scenery, and my time out, oblivious to any dangers that might be lurking in the shrubbery.

Then one day I read a newspaper article about a boy who had been bitten by a snake in the same park just a few days before, and had been taken to hospital.

We are Kiwis living in Australia. We don’t have snakes in New Zealand. We can walk in the bush in our ‘jandals’ without a care in the world.

On my next visit to the park, I was on high alert. Tense, and on edge, I watched the path and was alerted by every rustle in the bush. There seemed to be an awful lot of rustling! I did not enjoy the walk that day.

Sure enough, I soon settled down and was back to taking pleasure in my walks. However I took some basic precautions; not veering off the paths and ensuring that I had my mobile phone with me if I was walking alone.

Balance in Spiritual Warfare

In Luke 10:19-20, Jesus said,

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Like my response to snakes in the park, there are two errors that we can fall into with regard to spiritual warfare. One is to ignore it altogether (2 Cor 2:11) and at the other extreme, to make too much of it.

Balance requires us to always step back and discern whether what we are experiencing is spiritual warfare, or just something happening that is physical and emotional, or a combination of both.

Our goal in spiritual warfare is not to draw or pay attention to what the devil is doing. It is to focus on God and pay attention to what HE is doing—and not put up with less than His best.

12 Signs you may be Experiencing Spiritual warfare

Here are some signs of a spiritual battle taking place. Being alert to these can help you weigh up whether or not a situation is being affected by spiritual warfare.

1. Changes for the worse (especially sudden or severe) in areas of health, finances, relationships

Important note: When we are sick or when bad things happen to us, it is not always the devil that causes it
·It may be just physical
·Sometimes it is just life
·Sometimes (e.g. financial or relationships) it is others’ or our own wrong choices.

2. Temptation to sin—beyond the normal

Temptation originates with our own weakness and ungodly desires (James 1:13-15) but the enemy can use situations and people around us, to apply extreme or sudden pressure on us in these areas.

3. Pattern of recurring negative events

Note that this can also be indicative of a curse in operation.

4. Atmosphere – of pressure or oppression

In Rom 14:17, the Apostle Paul tells us that the Kingdom of God consists of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. When we are robbed of these things, we need to pay attention. What happened?

5. Severe discouragement

We need to particularly pay attention when the first signs of discouragement strike. Discouragement or confusion should be like an orange flashing light, alerting us to the possibility that we are in a spiritual battle.

According to Rick Joyner, the progressive ‘sting of witchcraft’ is: discouragement, confusion, depression, loss of vision, disorientation, withdrawal and despair leading to defeat. These are the signs we need to pay attention to when on the alert for spiritual warfare in our personal lives and ministry [1]. One example of this in operation is Elijah’s response after he was threatened by Jezebel. (1 Kings 19)

6. Crippling condemnation

The conviction of the Holy Spirit is specific and brings conclusion through repentance, but condemnation is cloudy.

7. Intimidation and Fear (I Can’t)

This is especially so when the fear is pressuring you to stop moving in the direction of God’s revealed will for your life, or that of your family, ministry or church.

8. Confusion

The enemy thrives in confusion. We think it’s us. Everything gets hazy. Confusion is often an attack on our minds, but it can also be apparent in relationships where communication becomes distorted, perverted and misrepresented.

9. Anything that brings pressure to bear AGAINST God’s revealed will for your life

10. Pressure (beyond the normal) on important relationships

11. Battle in the mind – negative ‘tapes’ playing

Our mind (and that of others) becomes a central battleground (2 Cor 10:5), where the enemy tries to sow messages that are contrary to the word God has spoken to us or revealed in the Bible underscoring feelings such as failure, fear, condemnation, hurt, or even attack and accusation of others.

12. Distinct start time,

With spiritual warfare, there is usually a distinctive time of onset. If you have an ongoing history in one of the above areas, e.g. fear, relational or sin issues, it is probably not warfare. It may be personal ‘baggage’ that you need to deal with.

The Battle Won

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, [Christ] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col 2:15)

The good news is that Jesus has won the battle for us on the cross. We can apply the authority He has given to us and enter into His victory.

In the next blog post I will begin exploring some ways to deal with spiritual warfare once you have discerned it taking place in your personal life, church or ministry.

If you have any ideas about other signs of spiritual warfare or personal experiences, we would love to hear your response in the comments section of this post.

Snakes Alive!

My first real-life encounter with a snake came later, in another park. The Hunk and I were exploring a trail when we came across a poisonous brown snake barring the way to our destination.

My intrepid husband crept closer to the snake doing his best Steve Irwin impression (‘Crikey! Isn’t it a beauty?)

I, on the other hand, dug my heels in and refused to progress any further, even when the snake veered off into the undergrowth. What if it was there again when we returned?

It seems that some things never change!

[1] Rick Joyner, The Surpassing Greatness Of His Power, 1996, Whitaker House:New Kensington

Related Posts:

Responding to Spiritual Warfare Pt 1

Prophetic People & Spiritual Warfare

Your Prophetic Word and Spiritual Warfare

Prophetic People & Spiritual Warfare In The Church

© Helen Calder Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries

Are you looking for resources to help you develop your gifts of prophecy or prayer?

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© Helen Calder    Enliven Blog

The week I didn’t talk to God

I didn’t talk to God for 5 days, following a powerful encounter with Him during the final session of a Healing Rooms training day.

It didn’t seem to be a remarkable moment, this rushed conclusion during which every participant was anointed with oil and prayed for.

What happened? Well, let me just say that childhood encounters with electric fences on my uncle’s dairy farm pale in comparison to what struck me in full force at that moment.

After 5 days of stunned silence, I thought I had better get back on speaking terms with the Lord—and only then because I was leading a prayer meeting at our church that evening.

I drove out to the beach, planted my feet in the sea and uttered just 3 words:

‘WHAT WAS THAT?’

The response was immediate, and very clear:

‘You asked for it.’

I had to admit, the Spirit of God had me there. I had encountered the power of His presence after praying a big, bold prayer. ‘Lord,’ I said, I’m not here for healing, and I’m not looking for a healing ministry, I want to help raise up an army of healers!’

When we pray for God’s Presence, do we know what we are asking for?

I believe it was Tommy Tenney who reflected on the annoying way that some small dogs chase after cars. What would the dog ever do if it caught the car? Does it ever enter its mind?

In the same way, we ask for God to move, and seek His Presence, but do we really know what we are asking for?

I have thought about this again this week, because The Hunk and I have experienced a series of miracles, and a heightened sense of God’s Presence.

I found myself overawed, conscious of an urge to draw back from Him.

When heaven invades earth, when God shows up, when miracles break out—we will not always respond the way we expect to, or would like to.

I draw reassurance from accounts in the Bible that show I am not alone in my weak and imperfect response to God’s Presence:

When God showed up:

• Moses and Gideon argued with God (Exodus 4, Judges 6:11-15)
• Saul was blinded (Acts 9:1-9)
• Daniel fell and lost his strength (Dan 11:15-18)
• The Apostle John was told not to be afraid (Rev 1:17)

When Jesus came to His disciples walking on the water, the disciples did not recognise Him, thinking He was a ghost! He told them not to be afraid, for they were terrified.

God does not always show up in the way we imagine, or at the time we expect.

If the greatest saints in scripture struggled in their response to God’s Presence, what makes me think I can?

The Unfamiliar God

God is not ‘safe.’ That is—He is not safe to our pride, our dignity, our sinful nature, our puny ideas or plans. He is more than we can handle and He is beyond our control.

In the Narnia Chronicles, C S Lewis wrote stories of the lion Aslan, King of Kings of Narnia. Aslan’s subjects had a saying about him: ‘He is not a tame lion.’ He was majestic, terrifying to his enemies and redeemer of his own, powerful and unpredictable. Yet the child Lucy would run to him with joyful familiarity and bury her face in his mane.

At times, I respond as Lucy did. At other times, struck by God’s power and unpredictability, I draw back. I have wandered into unfamiliar territory in my relationship with Him.

God did not disqualify Moses, Gideon, or His disciples, when they did not respond well to His Presence or the message that He brought them. Instead, He showed them patience and brought comforting reassurance.

As I recall these things, I do not feel so bad about my own response. I decide to receive His grace and reassurance too.

Ps 103:13-14 says,

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

The challenge we face is to continue to press in, to continue to pray the bold prayers. To take a deep breath and be honest with Him about how we feel, that He is overwhelming, that we are not certain that we can take any more of His Presence, and yet are afraid that He will draw back; that we cannot live without Him, and yet need His strength to live with Him.

I think I will go and do that right now.

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Related Posts:

The Power Of A Prophetic Act

If you have any thoughts on this topic, or have had any experiences like this, I would love to hear from you. Click on this and leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing