Are you open to Jesus as Wonderful Counselor?

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I greatly encourage you to take time to go deeper with Jesus right now.  Consider it a mini-retreat with the LORD.  The session will help you process current feelings, thoughts, actions, and words in His presence and invite His counsel and supernatural transformation.

God wants to counsel you; and set you free from all strongholds of flesh!  He wants to do a deeper work of healing in your life!  He wants you to be a demonstration of the power of His Spirit!!! Jesus is to be witnessed by others as being alive in you!!!

He wants an end-time army of believers who know who they are in Him! 

God wants the Body of Christ to embrace the fullness of the 3rd person of the Trinity for transformation, Romans 12:2!  Holy Spirit is to lead us!  We are to be living a Spirit-filled life, not one of the flesh. 

Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

What are some examples of Holy Spirit leading me?  Of living a Spirit-filled life?

First, I have given myself to serve Him.  The gifts of the Spirit are given to each one and are meant for the building up of the Body, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.

Ephesians 2:10- For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

If you want God to heal you, if you want God to do great things in your life, are you positioned to receive it through serving Him?

I was an absolute mess of emotions when I rededicated my life to the LORD after falling away in a season of great disobedience.  As part of repentance, despite my deep depression, I signed up for children's ministry. 

I will never forget the moment I was sitting at a child table with a little child coloring.  He had bright red hair, his face covered in adorable freckles.  He put his little hand on mine and he said, "Teacher, Jesus loves you very much."  I broke under his discernment, tender touch, and words.  It was a moment of great healing that I would NOT have experienced if I had NOT been willing to serve God in the midst of my own chaos.  I didn't lead the class, I just signed up to be a helper.  It was one of the best decisions I could have made at that time.

Many layers of healing happened from there.  God continued to do deep and wonder-filled things in me for my healing.  Over the years, this has led to receiving "words of knowledge".  He has done some amazing things that continually leave me speechless and in awe of Him!  He gives me prayer images and insight that lead people to great breakthroughs for healing! 

These are not human gifts, they are clearly supernatural and they are meant to strengthen, encourage, and comfort God's people, as stated in 1 Corinthians 14:1 and 3.  

Before I share some of them, I should preface to say that the LORD has prepared me to know how to handle what I receive. If there is a primary message about the Spirit and gifts, God takes time to mature us, test us, transform us through suffering and calls to obedience.  With our cooperation, He takes time to mature us and teach us how to discern what we receive.

2 Timothy 2:15- Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

The Apostle Paul urged believers to follow the way of love AND eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially that we would prophecy, 1 Corinthians 14:1.  You can see that he qualifies that gift is for the purpose of building up others throughs words that strengthen, encourage, and comfort, 1 Corinthians 14:3.

Operating in love is huge!!!  Many times over my walk, I've observed that Christians want to just disappear without addressing what is bothering them with another Christian.  That is not love.  I myself have experienced this many times.  If we are to love one another deeply, we don't just disappear.  We don't talk behind the backs of others.  We address our concerns in love, speaking hard things where we need to.  

We should NEVER expect God to do big things for the Kingdom through us if we are not operating in love...

1 Corinthians 13: 1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 

Does that bring up any situations to you?  Is there anyone you need to forgive?  Is there anyone you need to go to and talk about something that has hurt you or that you are confused about?  Is there any difficult feedback you need to give someone to help them understand why you have drawn away from them?  

I urge you to do this.  

1 Peter 1:22- Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

My main growing experience and exposure to the gift of prophecy was during my time in Southern CA while attending Calvary Chapel in Capo Beach, CA.  (I had previous experience witnessing it at Jubilee Christian center in San Jose, CA and Word of Grace church in Mesa, AZ)

God healed me in many ways through people who operated in the gifts of prophecy and prayer at those 2 former churches.  He did further healing work in my 3rd church.  This is where He began to train me as an intercessor and introduce me to gifts of the Spirit .  This was during my time at Capo Beach Calvary.  

On Sunday evenings at Capo Beach, one of the pastors led an inductive bible study.  It was held in a café setting opposite the sanctuary.  Before starting, he would always announce we would spend time in worship and give time for others to pray out loud.  He gave people time to say out loud what God was impressing on their hearts.  He always gave warning that whatever was spoken would be evaluated by the elders present in the room; and that if the elders felt it was not of God, that person would be addressed in love during or after.  No one was to speak divisively, and it all had to be scripturally sound.  After the time of worship and prayer, he taught from scripture. 

I grew by leaps and bounds in this setting!  It was safe.  He had a godly structure that was spiritually protected with authority in the room.  People spoke freely with God’s love, and the Holy Spirit's presence was palpable, very powerful!!!  The whole setting was extremely edifying, healing, and comforting!

I remember one woman in particular who clearly had a special gift to speak what the Spirit of the Lord was saying.  Countless, countless times what she said deeply ministered to broken places within me.  Because of Roma modeling how to receive and speak words of prophesy, I began to trust the whispers of God and the creative ways that God speaks.  Her words were closely matching with loving words I was beginning to hear in my spirit!  Roma was a true gift and mentor!  She was the first person who encouraged me to speak out loud what God was impressing on my heart.  Praying out loud is one of the most critical aspects of growing in courage and maturing in intercessory prayer with prophetic encouragements! 

Through that experience, and ever since, He has taught me to test the spirits; and at the same time not to grieve the spirit through unbelief or disobedience.  I have learned through experience that the activity of the Holy Spirit will stop, especially due to unbelief and disobedience.   

Lately, the LORD has taken me to each of the Gospel accounts that point out how unbelief hindered the power of Jesus.

Mark 6: 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith. 

What a terrible commentary that Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith!!!  I do not want to be included in that crowd!  What about you?

Yet I see a lot of limiting belief in the church body (wide sense).  And in my own world, I have noticed there are certain circumstances where I’m gathered with believers of limited belief, and the LORD doesn’t speak to me as He does when I’m free from that influence.  It’s been interesting to observe and take notice of it.

If we reject Him; or treat prophecies with contempt, we quench the spirit, i.e. extinguish and put Him out.

1 Thessalonians 5: 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.

Not long ago I had a prayer appointment with a man who has a very strained marriage.  One of the things he shared before we started praying is that he loathed himself.  He had terrible descriptions of who he was.  He also noted he couldn’t remember much from childhood.  He wanted prayer for his wife.  As I started praying the LORD immediately moved our conversation and prayer away from his wife and over to him.  I asked some questions, and shared a “word” the LORD put on my heart.  He didn’t understand it at first, but I’ve learned to press in and encourage the person to keep asking God for insight. 

The Holy Spirit helped him connect; and very quickly, he was remembering a traumatic event from his childhood.  The LORD was taking him back to when fear took root in him.  He was just a young boy.  After we processed that first memory in prayer, the Lord then led to the next memories that came in detail like a flood.  He was shocked.  But the revelations of going back to those memories unlocked deep, hidden things that showed him how fear gripped him in critical moments of fear and loss.  God clearly showed him how a stronghold took over when he was just a little boy.  The Father affirmed his love and helped him see how the enemy entered. 

Wonderful Counselor brought up that memory because it was a critical moment that established a strong root of shame that has been crippling him all these many years later!  It’s the reason why he has spoken so terribly about himself.  The LORD was beginning to address the lies and the shame, in order to set him on a path of healing and freedom!  

The LORD kept taking him deeper in our prayer appointment.  He showed him another significant moment in his childhood where Jesus was clearly present to establish his future in hope and godly identity.  He showed him that he was there with him, guiding his path, establishing his life purpose. 

The memory, vision, and images the LORD gave this man were filled with light, power, clarity, and unexplainable beauty!  It was very powerful, deeply moving!

After we went through these memories, I asked him to go back to one of the most painful ones.  I asked him if he still felt that overwhelming fear and dread.  He didn’t!  It was gone!  The LORD took hold of that root in him and removed it!

Jeremiah 17:14- Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.

Hallelujah!  Woot!  Woot!

Through the time, the LORD opened up the place in his soul that helped him access and grieve… things he said he hasn’t been able to do on his own!!! God was so sweet to show him hope in the midst of all the grief, connecting him with the greater reality that God was with him as a little boy, and didn’t define him through his weaknesses, but defines him under the covering of Jesus, the perfect One.  The Father sees him as perfect because of Jesus.  He blesses him, surrounding him with songs and promises of deliverance!  

Psalm 34:5- Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

Jesus is Wonder-filled, wonderful Counselor!  Isaiah 9:6! 

The lesson for you in the testimony I just shared is this... You are NOT meant to process your deep soul issues on your own.

Proverbs 20:5- Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.

Deep waters in that scripture are overwhelming waters, unsearchable waters, mysterious waters of unknown depths.

You DO NOT have the power to go into these places on your own. 

You need counsel and help from the Holy Spirit. 

He prevents those waters from overwhelming you.  He lifts you up and rescues you from those waters!  He takes your hand and delivers you!

Psalm 18:16- He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.

What does this testimony stir in you?  Do you long for deeper healing?

If so, I have a new resource to share with you related to Jesus as Wonderful Counselor!

It’s a new page of my website.  Take a look.

In the testimony I just shared, take notice that the LORD wanted him to work on his unresolved brokenness, instead of focusing on praying that his wife change.  That is not to say the man isn’t to pray for his wife, but the bigger lesson is that Jesus longs we are transformed by the Spirit.  Our transformation will mean dynamics shift in our relationships.  People in our lives will take note that the light of Christ shines through us, that we are secured in the love of Christ.  His wife is meant to see that he is not self-condemning, that roots of shame and fear are being healed through his abiding relationship with Jesus.

May their marriage and other strained marriages be healed in the Name of Jesus!  Do the deeper work in yourself with Christ to save yourself and your families!!!

Our transformation in Christ will be challenging to those in our lives who witness our healing under God’s power and counsel.  Sometimes we lose relationships when we heal because others will not give in to the same thing.  But that is not to stop us from making choices that lead us to wholeness in Christ! 

Do people see that Christ has done a deep work of healing in you? 

Is it clear the LORD has healed and set you free? 

We all need to continue pressing in for more.  Are you pressing in for more? 

The times require you to be strong and whole in the LORD.  He needs you as a witness for the many who are not strong; who do not believe, but will because of the transformative work that is made clear through you!

If you eagerly desire spiritual gifts as scripture encourages, ask God to put people in your path to be with you as you step out in faith.   Go to your pastoral leaders and ask them to pray for you.  I did this at my current church many years ago, asking the 2 head pastors to pray for me as I was being asked by God to step out and teach.  They willingly prayed for me; and I am confident their anointing and authority has covered me, as has my obedience to follow God and serve.

In any gift, it should be evident you’ve spent time with God.  You must be grounded in scripture to discern or interpret.  If you don’t know the Word of God, asking for gifts is not what you should do.  First, know the Word of God.  You test spirits through the Word of God and His voice.  A healthy fear of God is required as is time in His presence.  Jesus spent extended time with His Father in prayer. 

Time equals intimacy of knowing.  I’ve heard people say Jesus’ public prayers were short, so ours can be short too.  This is wrong.  Short prayers of Jesus may have been captured in scripture, while his long nights and early mornings with God were not captured in words. 

Yet it is clear that Jesus carved out regular time for prayer with His Father and labored in prayer, Mark 1:35 & Luke 6:12.

“The short prevailing prayer cannot be prayed by one who has not prevailed with God in a mightier struggle of long continuance.”- E M Bounds

Jesus had prevailing in prayer on the mountains, in the temple, in the wilderness, in the garden, of being in Heaven with the Father in eternity before praying on earth.  He is still praying!

Romans 8:34- Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Jesus does NOT want us to be overwhelmed in self-condemnation.  He has been interceding for you.  Are you working with Him?  He wants to step in to heal, redeem, and raise up!

Here are some more examples of strengthening, encouragement, and comfort the Spirit has given me when I intercede for people.  May they encourage you of the awesome Sovereignty of our Mighty God!  (Note how the interpretations are tied to biblical truth and an inner knowing the Spirit reveals about the state of God's child.)
 
And if you are interested in a prayer appointment, please reply to this email and inquire!  I’ll get back to you with details!

- One time I became aware of a prayer request about severe panic attacks someone was experiencing.  After praying at home, God gave me an image of this person in an anorexic state.  I did not get an idea it was physical; but spiritual.  It took us awhile to connect via email; and we kept missing each other’s phone calls.  I reached out via email as she came to mind again.  She shared an update.  I had not yet shared the image; but she described an anorexic state regarding a recent relationship conflict.  I shared the image that came to me.  It ministered deeply to her.  After hearing what she was experiencing, I had interpretation for the image.   Her opening up to me was critical for interpretation.  It put in the context her recent experience.  She felt affirmed in the steps she had already been taking for healing, and comforted that she was seen by God.

- Before a meeting, I received a picture of a man holding an ancient spear, the kind that is taller than the warrior.  He was steady on his feet, with a strong stance, body language in a resolved state of assurance and knowing.  I shared it with interpretation that he was grounded as a man of God, aware of surroundings, a calm and a seasoned warrior whom God has established to war on his behalf and represent him in difficult situations. It ministered to him.

- Several years ago, while asking God for wisdom on whether or not I should talk to someone, I received a picture of that man on the ice in a hockey rink.  He was swift and sure on his feet with a hockey stick in hand, moving a puck with great accuracy down the ice.  The interpretation being he was a man who is on solid ground of the Word of God, clear headed, steady and sure on his feet, knowing a path, receptive to coaching, and executing his life with godly skill and training.  Being in a very calm state on the ice, Jesus affirmed his gentleness of heart.  Yes, I was to talk to him.  Yes, I was to share how God perceives him!  It was a word to strengthen, encourage, and comfort!

- Another time, God gave a picture of a woman I know working underneath a car, but her feet were sticking out from the side door indicating she wasn’t working where she should have been, i.e. under the engine.  I got a vague sense of her having skill to work on a project but didn’t understand why her legs were sticking out from the side of the car.  It wasn’t until I spoke to her a couple hours later that I understood how to interpret.  Just that morning, she was left out of a meeting she should have attended for her expertise.  This is why she was misplaced under the car in the image.  She later found out it was a mistake she was left out of the meeting, so the image was just a reminder God was sending to her that He is absolutely in tune with every waking moment she experiences.  Nothing escapes his notice with His children.

- Once I got an image of a person sweeping the floor.  The LORD put on my heart that his heart was like that of the psalmist in Psalm 84, preferring to be a doorkeeper in the house of God versus dwelling in the tents of wickedness.  I held on to it before I shared because I wanted to hear what he might say in our conversation.  He told me he wanted to hear God’s voice better.  He wanted a passion that he had in an earlier career situation.  He wanted to have impact for God.  I was able to tell him that not hearing God’s voice can be a protection against the snare of pride.  It also seasons the man and keeps spiritual hunger alive, like it did with God’s servant Joseph. I told him I’ve heard the Lord’s voice speak through him many times, that he has a clear gift to mentor and speak testimony for God.  I told him not be discouraged because God has used him mightily many times without him realizing it, and will continue to do so.  I encouraged him not to seek another project passion, but to seek the LORD.  I see him as a free flowing evidence of the Holy Spirit not tied to a project but to people God sends in his path, John 3:8.  After I shared, he told me he was speaking to a group that morning, giving testimony of God’s grace in his life.  He is exactly where God wants him! Finally, I shared the image and it touched him deeply.  

Do you see the power of the gift of prophecy to strengthen, encourage, and comfort?

- One image I’ve never forgotten is that of a little girl eating a bag of candy.  She was alone resting against a door.  Suddenly the door swings open; and Jesus is there with a bright smile on his face, arms flung open to receive her!  She throws the bag aside, and jumps into his arms.  After sharing this with her, she told me that as a little girl she would eat bags of candy to calm her anxiety over feeling disappointment from a parent.  At that particular time, God was working on her to see show her a tie to sugar as a way to calm herself when she felt heaviness of condemnation.  He wanted her to come to Him first in her anxiety, not sugar.  He wants her to see He always approaches her with His arms open to love her unconditionally.  This ministered to her deeply, clear that God was speaking to her about an area He wanted to heal from childhood.  God is so sweet!

I hope these have ministered to you!  The Spirit is given for the building up of the Body!  I hope they encourage you to stir up your gifts and to go deeper in healing with WONDERFUL COUNSELOR! 

God wants HIS children to be healed in every area!  He is Wonderful Counselor!  Are you open to His counseling?  Be open to start the process with the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR audio session I’ve put together. 

Who is this meditation best suited for?

• Spirit-filled Christians who...
• are willing to be honest and transparent with the LORD
• are open to the Holy Spirit searching the deep waters of their soul
• seek His counsel and abide regularly in His Word
• are open to receiving redirection from the LORD
• want to be set free and experience greater levels of supernatural transformation and healing

Who is this meditation NOT for?

• those who only want to hear "whispers", without interpreting those whispers through the Word of God.  God DOES NOT speak separately or contrary to His Word.
  • ​​— "I seek the Will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them."  -"Answers to Prayer" by George Muller
• Christians unwilling to be redirected by the LORD
• those who limit Him through unbelief
• non-Christians, i.e. not Spirit-filled, not born-again. 

Some of you may want to go even deeper after you do the session on your own.  God will give some of you some things that will not be resolved in one session.  He will want you to go deeper.  If you are interested in going deeper, I can help you through a prayer appointment.  Sign up to do the meditation first.  Then after, see if you need help going deeper for breakthrough!