PROMISED LAND MINISTRIES SEPT/OCT/2006Treasures of Darkness Riches of Secret Places Is. 45: 1-3
A few weeks ago the Holy Spirit began to speak into my heart and the conversation which followed is what I am going to share with you now.
Holy Spirit: Do you remember there are Treasures to be found in the darkness?
Rita’s Thoughts: When I heard this I was excited because these words very quickly and simply described my life over the last six months. Even though I had been given a diagnoses which tried to cast a shadow over my life those words and following events have not become my life. My life for the last six months has been filled with new treasures and great riches. I have been filled with the knowledge of the goodness of God. You are well aware of the words which have affected you and many times bring a life of darkness. We are told that out of the abundance of the heart we speak. Don’t give your heart and thoughts to those things. Give your heart and confidence to the Lord for there is nothing which can separate you from the love of God. Rom. 8:37-39 The life with Jesus Christ which you experienced before the darkness will become more wonderful during the darkness.
Holy Spirit: And God will give you riches stored in secret places.
Rita’s Thoughts: Yes, I am gaining riches and my cup is running over. Trusting in Him. This is life. The treasures come daily like fresh manna falling from heaven and riches are discovered sometime hour by hour. It is a continual walk of revelation coming and understanding being given. Knowing Him. This is life. This was the case before cancer and it is more so today.
Holy Spirit: The Lord called your name and directed you to this time and place to reveal Himself as Eternal Life, life in every situation, Good Life.
Rita’s Thoughts: I knew there was much more for the Holy Spirit to open for me. So I found the scripture in Is. 45:3.
Holy Spirit: The Lord God called you this way to give you treasures you would have never gained and riches you would have never possessed otherwise.
Rita’s Thoughts: I knew I would never have chosen to have walked in this darkness. I remember the day I left the appointment when I was given the diagnoses. I was brought totally to the end of myself. As I prayed I asked- “Lord remove this cup from me” A long silent pause---- and then--- “ but not my will but yours be done.” I knew wherever this path would lead the Lord has a purpose and a plan to do me good. He is completely and totally trust worthy.
I read Is. 45: 1-3.
Holy Spirit: The Lord has anointed you and taken you by the hand. He will subdue the enemy and doors will open and the gates will not be shut. I will go before you and level the mountains. I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.
Rita’s Thoughts: Great excitement came as I saw scriptures which described events I was experiencing. I began to search references and bible commentaries pertaining to these particular verses. A record of this battle showed when the Philistines captured the city of Babylon they traveled in on the dry river bed, under the cover of darkness, and went under the wall, quietly moved to the gates of the city and opened the gates. This allowed the remainder of the army, waiting outside the walls, to enter the city undetected. The city was taken, treasures were captured, and all the riches stored in secret places became the possession of those who took the city. The darkness the enemy brings many times is used by the Lord to allow us to enter the camp of the enemy and plunder all his goods.
Do not let the darkness you are walking through at this time to become your life. Do not let it determine what you think and what you do. If you know Jesus Christ as Lord of your life He has allowed you to walk this way to plunder the enemy’s camp. He will lead you to know Him in such a way that you can go into the city on the dry river bed, under the cover of darkness and open the doors of Hope to those who are outside waiting to come in.
As you are reading this if you are traveling in darkness in your life and you have never asked the Lord Jesus to come into your life as Savior and Lord do it now. You have an enemy. Satan who wants to defeat you. You have a Savior Jesus Christ who gave His life for you so you can live forever. His shed His blood which will cleanse you of all sin and you can become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Jesus has appointed victory for you. There is treasure and not defeat, riches and not despair.
Call us if you are the one who has just made a decision we want to rejoice with you and pray with you. We are here and will help you begin your new life with Jesus Christ. Promised Land: 432-337-2032
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GRANDMAMA’S CORNER
by RG
SNAKE IN THE GRASS
I Tim. 5:14---- “give the enemy no opportunity ”
It has been several months since the boys and their parents have moved to the country. They have 2 acres of land which is covered with trees, grass, and undergrowth. They see all kinds of animals including snakes. The boys have learned to be aware of them when they are outside. They have learned by being told and by seeing that snakes roam around. A few weekends ago we were all sitting in the dining room talking and Bailey had been outside working and he came running through on the way to the bedroom. His Mom followed him and asked what he needed. He said “ the BB gun because there is a snake outside. I need to kill him.”
This so reminded me of what happens in our spiritual life. As new christians many of us are unaware that there is an enemy that we have to watch out for.When we see the enemy the first few times we get someone to help us. We watch and learn how they handle it. And before long when we see or hear the enemy we go get our weapons and take care of him ourselves.
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MEXICO
“Before We Ask”
The first of July we received a call from Pastor Zuniga at Tierra Prometida informing us that an electrical storm had come through the area and struck the transformer on our property 3 times. They were without electricity and water. He had contacted an electric engineer who was going to get them up and going again. The local electric company would repair transformers on the main road but not repair the ones on our property. That is our responsibility.----- We were busy here securing a generator which we would send to Tierra Prometida and be a great help during times of storms. The generator would enable them to keep frozen food from spoiling and have water and lights. Two days later we received a call that the transformer had been purchased and installed. Praise the Lord. We have never known anything to be accomplished that quickly in Mexico. We were told the cost of the equipment and labor was $ 3,125.00 American. The bank in Mexico had let them charge that amount and given them 30 days to pay for it. We did not have funds to cover the cost so we began to pray, knowing the Lord is well able to supply our needs here at Promised Land and also at Tierra Prometida. As the weeks passed and time arrived for some decisions to be made. We decided to make a small business loan and send the finances to them. We spent two days getting all our financial reports together and filling out the application for the loan. On Wednesday I made an appointment with the bank and was closing my office preparing to leave. I noticed the mail laying on the desk in the main office and I picked up the top envelope and opened it and saw there was no letter but it contained a check. I took the check out and opened it. It was made out in the amount of $ 4000.00. Did you hear us rejoicing and Praising the Lord? The Lord knows what we have need of before we ask. Needless to say-- I canceled my appointment with the bank. The ministry in Mexico and at Tierra Prometida has been a continual source of Faith Building experience for us all. Also the portable generator was purchased and has already been delivered to Tierra Prometida.
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AZUSA “GREATER DAYS “ CELEBRATION TESTIMONIES:
God, The Great I Am, Creator of all true worship gave me an opportunity to experience a joyful, exciting and loving account of who Jesus Christ is.
I saw signs, wonders and miracles at Promised Land each day and night:
There was a supernatural sovereign move of The Holy Spirit of a Living God in every place.
My Azusa Street Experience was most glorious! Lucille Ellison
“My most pressing desire at this was to see JESUS’ FACE in my hands so that I would be face-to-face with HIM. After praying both Thursday night and Friday night with leaders regarding this and receiving precious encouragement, I was returning to the dorm Friday night and the LORD showed me the FACE OF JESUS in my hands as I have so desired!!! HIS FACE was full of the WRITTEN WORD: line after line! I rejoice!!!
During the praise of such wonderful miracles the next morning, while slain in the spirit, I saw JESUS’ FACE again just as I had seen it the night before. THEN I saw “my” face mirrored =my face was lined with the WORD as HIS was. Praise GOD!!! I will never be the same!” Deborah Phipps
I was blessed to be able to share with everyone present at the Azusa Saturday morning meeting how the Lord had first demonstrated in action, then confirmed in his word, the power/function/anointing of flags and banners in the body of Christ. For those not present at the meeting-and as “refresher course” for others who were there- what follows is what the Lord showed us.[Tehillah Covenant Ministries] at the Azusa celebration meetings.
We had several different types of presentations ready for the praise and worship times over the three days of meetings: Messianic dance, tambourine, interpretive dance, and- since we had so much room available to us either out on the grounds or in the Tabernacle- we prepared a couple of songs using flags.
Prophetic words came forth during the Friday night meeting, when we took large silk banners(one of the Lion of Judah and another of the Lamb Who was slain) to the front of the congregation. As soon as the song ended, Rita said that the Lord had told her that whomever wanted to enter “into the new and the now” should follow the banners in an impromptu processional around the Tabernacle. Everyone participated!
Tehillah’s presentation that evening included eight large (6' x 8') flags. The congregation entered in with much zeal and we all had a joyous time celebrating.
I was headed to Odessa for the Saturday morning services when I realized that something seemed to be happening when we lifted flags and banners, whether as a choreographed presentation or free-style with the praise band. There was a definite change in the atmosphere and in the response of the people. Then the scriptures dropped into me, as awesome as an army with banners(Song 6:4) and the one in Song of Solomon that talks about the bridegroom’s coach (as he goes to the wedding) being escorted by armed men, (Song 3: 6-11).
Suddenly, revelation! Perhaps the reason that we were seeing such a strong response to the flags and banners is that as we draw closer to the time when The Bridegroom will return for His bride, we enter into another season of warfare. Don’t flags and banners call armies together?
When I got to our quarters at the retreat center, I hurriedly explained to the rest of Tehillah what I believed I had heard from the Lord. The group unpacked all our flags and loaded them onto poles.
We went to tell Rita what we were hearing from the Lord. Thank you, Lord, that she is one of those who can immediately change direction in a meeting, if she hears from the Holy Spirit. We found her moving chairs into the dorm because the wind was very strong and pretty chilly. We explained what had us so excited and she asked us to share it with the group when the meeting started.
We bundled up all our flags and trooped back to the dorm. As soon as we entered, we found the room full of people; we couldn’t have presented our dance numbers if we had wanted to! We believe that we had literally and figuratively been constrained by the Lord.
Praise and worship had already begun and when the song ended, Rita called us up right away. We shared the Scriptures we had received from the Lord and they were an instant witness with the group. We all picked up flags and again a huge line marched out of the building and onto the grounds, singing. We sang our way back into the dorm and the momentum just kept building.
The guest speaker, Mark Bristow, stood to speak. He laughed and said that he planned to speak on Moving when the Holy Spirit speaks, and that we just had a demonstration. He is a great speaker and as his message ended, a true Azusa street experience occurred!
Prophetic singing began, prophetic words for healing began to come forth, people began laying hands on each other and falling out under the Spirit, people received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a spirit of intercession fell on some and they fell to the ground weeping and wailing, tongues with interpretation came forth.....this went on for about two hours and only stopped when the caterer came with lunch. It was just wonderful.
We had laid out a floor banner that says; The River of God Sets MY Feet A Dancing; that we use in a presentation of that song. People were dancing up and down it and laying on it. Then the scent of flowers manifested on the banner! We could smell something like roses. Mark said later that he thought an angel might have been present there. (Talk about interfering with my logical, analytical mind set on that one!) So many wonderful manifestations of the presence of God happened. The phone rang at one point, and it turned out to be a man who was on Azusa Street at that very moment-he was calling to tell us that he had taken us there in his heart; or something like that. I felt like I had received an IV of the Holy Spirit, and I sure needed it!
Just a few days later, I found online a prophetic word entitled, “Dancing with Timbrels and Banners”(http://www.wingsofworship.org/prophetic/song_of_deborah.htm) proclaiming that healing and restoration occurred in the Body of Christ as timbrels (tambourines) and banners(includes flags) were lifted up. This prophecy describes what we believe we saw during the Azusa celebration. I sent a copy to the pastor of our church, and he told me he had received a very similar word from another source that same week.
I asked for and received permission to be more demonstrative at my church with flags and banners and the feedback has all been very positive. Have there been times when the initial zeal has faded? Oh yes. Sometimes I feel too old to jump around and sweat; other times I just feel foolish. But the Lord has been faithful to reassure me that yes, flags and banners are part of our worship offering to Him, and have a definite purpose in this season. Now, we are hearing reports from all over the world that others heard the same call as we did that weekend during the Azusa centennial celebration.
I would encourage everyone who has felt a tug in their spirit regarding flags, banners, tambourines, standards (rods; staffs), scepters, anointing oils.......all the “ancient” things.....to consider whether or not you too are being called to step out in prayer and faith, and into a new season of warfare to call forth the Warrior Bride. For she is “as awesome as an army with banners”!
Blessings to all~ Denise Brown Tehillah Covenant Ministries
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