I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day…2 Tim 4:7-8 NKJV

The outrageous in-public assault on a Ukrainian refugee in North Carolina and the vicious murder/assassination of the dear man of God Charlie Kirk this week left me stunned, saddened…and angry. Let me say with kindness and conviction that both outcomes were avoidable. Let me explain! It’s important that we review our authority in Christ and how we implement that authority. A while back I met with a team of ministers and they accepted a challenge to reach a goal and I made the statement, “No one is allowed to die until we reach this goal!” I was serious, because we need everyone on that team to reach that goal, and nobody is going to Heaven until we accomplish our work, including me. Some people thought I was crazy and expressed their astonishment. But I took them to the Word.

19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19 NKJV

The devil has no authority to arbitrarily kill you or do any harm to you, including disease, loss of job, marital breakdown, or any other catastrophe. BUT you and I must assert that authority! In 2020, when wildfires threatened our home on three sides within a half mile, we said, “No, you are not coming here!” and that is when the fire stopped.

For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. Phil 1:19-25 NKJV

Consider what Paul is saying! He says, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain because in death he can depart and be with Christ which is far better than being here on earth. I once was taught that this somehow refers to the Rapture. It CAN’T refer to the Rapture because the people that Paul needed to stay and help were Christians and THEY would be in the Rapture as well. But Paul said, “What I shall choose I cannot tell!” Paul said, I have authority over myself whether I live, or I die. I choose! No devil can take it from me.

This is true of you and I as well. We choose, or we remain passive and let someone or something else choose for us. I once tried to minister to a wealthy young man who was dying. I saw by discerning of spirits that his family was waiting for him to die to divide up the money, and if he didn’t get away from them, he would die. He didn’t and he did. I had another man, and on two occasions, medical authorities told him he would die. He was on a breathing machine, but word got to us as intercessors, and we answered for him – YOU ARE NOT DYING! Today a picture of him and I, smiling and whole, hangs on my miracle wall. Look what Paul says about intercessors and intercessory prayer. He says, I KNOW…

For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ…

Lightbearers intercessor team has been ‘on the wall’ since 1998, with some of the original members still on the team! I keep in touch with them through email and texts even on a daily, sometimes hour by hour basis. It’s the smartest thing I ever did in ministry, finding the people the Lord has called to pray for Lightbearers. As a minister I can’t imagine doing anything without informing the intercessors. They keep me, my family and our circle of ministers alive through their prayers. They know all of them that I walk with – Carl, Hamilton, Reggie, Collins, FMT, Samuel, Tammie, Joe and Maureen, Helene, Patty, Don and Vicki, Lucy, Aaron, Christophe, and my wife RM, and many others. They are the ‘secret grandparents’ of Samuel Kevin and Samalie, as they walked with us through that whole situation. They are the living reality of the dear saint in the WAR ROOM movie…true heroes that go nameless and faceless!

You may not need a whole team, but you should have someone who prays for you daily, and you pray for them fervently as well. This is how you stay alive!

In any self-defense class, the first thing they teach you is situational awareness. As I viewed the video of the Ukrainian girl in NC as she is attacked on the subway, this was the first thing I noticed – that she was oblivious to the attacker right behind her. She was on her phone, as was everyone else except the attacker. This mistake cost her life! What should you do? Patrick Henry, a Bible believer and one of the fathers of the USA, said, “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance!” He was agreeing with St. Peter…

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NKJV

The devil wants to devour you. Does that frighten you? This is why we pray fervently, daily for one another. Jesus told Peter – and this was perhaps in the back of Peter’s mind when the HS told him to write verse eight – “Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat, but I prayed for you, that your faith fail not.” Lk 22:31-32. Having a faithful prayer partner may just save your life!

He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself…1 John 5:10 NKJV

In situational awareness, you observe everyone in your environment, and you stay aware of your inward witness. The HS is feeding your spirit with information all the time about people, threats, situations to be aware of and to take authority over in prayer. As you stay quiet and aware, your inward witness is sorting through all the sensory input you are receiving to highlight what you need to know at that moment. You don’t have to be anxious, just be aware, and trust that you will know what you need to know and when you need to know it, and you will. This is a central tenet of being led by the Spirit!

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13 NKJV

Some commentators treat this verse as if it refers to the vast sweeping destinies of nations and generations, and it may! But I also think it refers to things that COULD happen ten minutes from now, or in even thirty seconds. I say COULD because the future from man’s perspective is not set in stone. You can change the future by the decisions you make right now. Yesterday I watched as Charlie Kirk’s wife called on her enemies to receive Jesus into their hearts. If they did that, if they made that decision, then their futures changed dramatically in a moment, just like ours did when we made that decision. Decisions can create the future!

…and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:12 NKJV

So, you have a thought about a car accident. What do you do? Ignore it? No! You say, “In Jesus name, that car accident will not happen!” And guess what? It doesn’t happen. Let’s talk for a minute about the will of God. People say, God is in control (of everything). No, He is not. This is a Christianized version of a middle eastern philosophy called fatalism, which says, whatever will be, will be. The Lord reigns over the fullness of time and of history. You and I have authority and responsibility over the day to day life here on planet Earth. The HS is your Helper to give you wisdom, insight and faith to make right decisions and decree the rule of the kingdom of God. If we muck it up, it’s on us, not God.

Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.” Acts 27:9-11 NKJV

So, you have a thought about a car accident. I teach my students to think about what they are thinking about and to ask themselves the question, why am I thinking about that? Day dreams and seemingly random thoughts can be insights floating up from your inward witness and should be addressed, and either be rejected or acted upon. God ALWAYS warns you about potential or imminent danger. Always! Think about what you are thinking about. Stay vigilant, stay aware!

The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak

A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. Isa 50:4 NKJV

If you learn to listen to God early in the morning, He will show you potential problems, situations and opportunities in your day, and how to deal with them, successfully.

Finally, a word about authority. I loved the scene from the WAR ROOM where the old intercessor is about to get robbed by the man with a knife, and she takes authority over him and his knife, then eats ice cream like nothing happened. I’ve lived that situation a few times! As my friend Dale pointed out to me many years ago, the Greek word for authority EXOUSIA, comes from the prefix EK meaning ‘out of,’ and ESTI, meaning ‘I am.’ Authority (EXOUSIA) is what comes out of (EK) you when you know who you are (ESTI). Who are you?

You are a son or daughter of the King of kings, the Lord God Almighty. You are a prince or a princess in the royal family of God. Practice being royalty all the time. My old baseball coach taught me that how I play in practice is how I will play in the game. So true! Practice these truths daily until they become a lifestyle, then live that lifestyle in love and grace and fun. Stay alive! We need you here. Love you!

Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…