Dear friends, For several days the Lord has urged me to release words of COMFORT for those who are struggling at this time. I believe there is a deep work of healing and restoration taking place in the Body of Christ to counter the brokenness and grief so many are feeling. I hear the Lord saying He wants to bring an end to present trauma and tears. This is a time to receive heaven’s comfort in exchange for your sorrow. Dear Friends, As I prepared to mentor a group of prophetic believers last week, I asked the Lord what His greatest desire was for them. In response, He said, “I want them to be WITH ME where I am.” (John 17:24) I sensed a deep longing in the Lord’s heart for His people - especially His prophets - to ABIDE in the hidden place where He lives, which is high above earthly chaos; far above palaces, politics, and powers. Dear Friends, As I encountered the Lord in prayer today, I felt great encouragement in the Spirit. I could see the battles raging in the Spirit, yet I heard the Lord say that in these times of turmoil, those who LISTEN will hear His voice LOUDER and MORE CLEARLY than ever before. The enemy's warfare is substantial; even relentless. Yet I saw that believers who responded with INSTANT OBEDIENCE to the words, strategies, or instructions the Lord gave personally would find places of DEEP REST and SUSTAINED STRENGTH that were available no other way. Would you like a copy of this poem to use in ministry? We now have 5.5 x 8" Prayer Cards with the prophetic poem above (front) and teaching scriptures on "God's Role in Your Healing Process" (reverse). These are a wonderful tool to use as part of an inner healing ministry. Available in the His Inscriptions Store. A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. "Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; Then the GLORY OF THE LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." ~Isaiah 40:3-5 NASBS Dear Friends, Throughout this week I have felt such encouragement from the Lord concerning the present course many in the Body of Christ are on. I believe the Lord wants you to know that the steps of obedience you have taken to walk in new, unfamiliar, even uncomfortable things this season are a blessing to His heart! God is carefully ordering your steps; watching over every detail of your life so that you arrive at your destination whole, complete, and empowered by His Spirit. The direction you are taking and the timing of the fullness of the new things that He's calling you into is so perfectly ordered and orchestrated. No matter what things look like around you, the Holy Spirit within is paying close attention to the details. He’s causing all things to work together for you, not against you! Dear Friends, In a series of encounters since Rosh Hashanah, the Lord has been speaking to me about what to expect in 2024 (Hebrew year 5784). Above all, I believe the Body of Christ will see significant EMPOWERMENT this year as we embrace our beautiful friendship and partnership with the Holy Spirit. Dear Friends, There are so many wonderful prophetic words concerning the amazing glory and vindication the Body of Christ is beginning to experience. My heart is stirred with faith and expectancy to see God continue to empower His Body in greater ways and with the fullness of His Spirit! At the same time, there is even greater resistance from the enemy, who continues to do everything in his power to stop the advance of God’s army. Today, I want to share with you a powerful vision the Lord gave me to show us how to overcome this resistance! Dear Friends, Through multiple encounters in prayer this week, the Lord has been highlighting Acts 16, speaking to me about “prison breaks” and breakthroughs coming for the Body of Christ. Those who have felt “locked up” in impossible situations for so long are about to see supernatural breakthroughs as the Lord Himself unlocks prison doors on your behalf, bringing you out into new places of freedom! Dear Friends, During a prayer retreat before Rosh Hashanah / New Year 5783, I experienced several profound encounters in the Glory of God. These are some of the things the Lord revealed to me during that time. Every word from our Lord’s mouth is like a cup of compassion. His life-giving words are liquid love, meant to sustain body, soul, and spirit! While this is a slightly longer word for the year, I encourage you to meditate on each portion of what He’s shared with me, allowing the depth of His wisdom and love to penetrate your hearts. The eight sections of this word are listed below. Feel free to read one section at a time, pausing to pray and allow Holy Spirit to minister truth to you at this significant time!
Deborah Dear Friends, Early in the morning on 8.13.22, the Lord drew me into an encounter with Him. I heard Him say: “The scepter of wickedness will not remain over the land of the righteous.” (Psalm 125:3.) I was immediately shown a vision of a “scepter of wickedness.” It resembled a rough, brown branch or wooden staff, much like a walking stick. Carved into it were words like “slavery;” “debt;” “fear;” “poverty;” “borrower;” “bribery;” “money;” and “interest.” All the words on this scepter spoke specifically of economic oppression that was being inflicted worldwide through ungodly leaders. The Lord then highlighted three Scriptures. The first was 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” In context, 1 Timothy 6 warns believers about false teachers, greed and covetousness along with the need for us to guard the “deposits” of faith and contentment we have made for eternity. The second scripture was Matthew 19:21. Here, Jesus responds to a rich young ruler’s question, saying: “If you want to be perfect (mature; complete), go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” The third scripture was from Matthew 6:24: “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Dear Friends, In a series of encounters over the past week, the Lord has been speaking to me of His “Eagles”: those believers and warriors who have taken the time to rest deeply in the Lord, heal, listen, and prepare themselves for the future. These Eagles are trained to soar! Like great birds perched on the Master Falconer’s arm, they are awaiting His signal and ready to be released. I believe there will be a time very soon when these Eagles are corporately released. They will know by the Spirit what they are to do, both individually and in collaboration with each other. Their visionary leadership and heightened perspective in stormy times will be a great asset to the Body of Christ! Dear Friends,I hear the Lord saying to the weary: “I am your Lifeline and your Rescuer!” In a vision this week, I saw the Lord Jesus holding a thick rope which extended from heaven to earth. His desire was to rescue His people by drawing them up higher with Him in the Spirit. The ones who took hold of the Lord to ascend in this way were deposited on a cloud in the heavens. All around them was darkness. I heard the Lord say that He was a “Lifeline” and a “Rescuer.” When I asked the Lord about the cloud, which was very high above earth and surrounded by a vast space, He spoke into my ears a verse from Psalm 18:19: “He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.” “The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.” John 3:32-34 Dear Friends, One of the easiest ways to pray is to use the Lord’s prayer as a “template” or starting point for deeper understanding. For centuries, people have found that praying slowly and intentionally through the prayer Christ taught His disciples brings great revelation. Through this prayer, for example, we realize that we are children of a Father who is unlike our natural fathers because He is both good and holy. We see that we can approach Him intimately, calling Him “Abba,” which means “Papa” or “Daddy,” a far cry from the religious idea of an angry or unapproachable God! We learn that this holy Father desires to feed and care for us daily, keep us from temptation and deliver us from evil. Each phrase communicates something essential for us and can become a gateway into deeper revelation as we pray. Dear Friends, Times of stress can make us feel as though we have been thrown overboard, tossed from the safety and comfort of our ships into a tumultuous sea. Traumatic events - whether injuries, losses, wars, or relational fractures - shock our systems like a plunge into cold water, momentarily destabilizing us. All we can do, it seems, is watch as waves and wind batter and shatter the only sources of security we have ever known! We are living in a time of unprecedented trauma, when storms of epic proportions are being unleashed against our world. It’s a time of compounded trauma: each event triggers another. Stress is emerging like bands of a storm, wanting to draw us into the very center of its turmoil. King David expressed so well how this feels. He wrote: “For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.” (2 Samuel 22:5-6) It is important for the Bride of Christ to remember that her security is in Christ alone, not in things she might hold dear. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Although it may seem like the Lord Himself has cut your lifeline and detached you from the safety of any “ship” you have relied on in the past, I believe this SEVERING from the old is what’s necessary for a stronger TETHERING to your empowered, new-creation life! Christ in you is the hope of glory! I hear the Spirit saying: “We have this hope as an anchor for our souls.” Dear Friends, Happy New Year! This word for 2022 can be viewed and shared on YouTube as well as on the blog for those who prefer to watch or listen. I believe what the Lord is sharing with me at this time will be a blessing to you as you set your focus on the new year! At the end of this post you’ll also find a link to a companion study sheet which you can download or print for free. On Christmas night, I was awakened by the Lord at 3:16 AM. Throughout that night, I was also given a series of three related dreams, which I will share below. When I awoke from the third dream, I heard this phrase ringing loudly in my ears: “2022 is the year of VISION and PROVISION!” VISION and PROVISION are significant themes for the Body of Christ in 2022. The Lord wants you to know He is releasing KEYS OF DELIVERANCE this year which will UNLOCK your ability to SEE more clearly and RECEIVE more abundantly! Using the “code” of 3:16, Holy Spirit highlighted a number of specific scriptures as He unfolded this word. The verses are included below, woven into the content of the prophetic word itself. A war is a series of battles, not just a “one-and-done.” Satan, the enemy of our souls, is prepared to fight for the long haul. Believers today must be equally equipped in the knowledge of God and His Word to defeat him. Nearly two years ago, the Lord took me into a vision of His armory. He showed me exquisite swords and weapons hanging on the armory walls. Each sword represented a Scripture verse or strategy that could be used in spiritual warfare. Sadly, for the most part, they were not being used. This week, as many of us are taking a firm stand in very difficult times, I feel it is important to re-publish the vision. I want to encourage you to take up your swords for as long as necessary, believing in both the sharpness of each blade and the slickness of each anointing! Biblical warriors were as married to their swords as present-day prayer warriors can be to our cell phones. 2 Samuel 23:10 describes one of David’s mighty men, Eleazer, who “stood his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand grew weary and stuck to his sword.” We’re told that the LORD brought about a great victory because of Eleazer’s perseverance with the sword. Psalm 30:5 says: “Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” Psalm 12:6 expands on this thought, saying: “The words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible; like gold refined seven times.” Jesus adds in Matthew 4:4 that man LIVES by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Every sword in God’s armory is available to believers today. Faith does not shrink back to destruction when weary! There is a weariness that has overtaken many in the Body of Christ right now, but the Lord is raising up warriors that are as captivated by the Word as David was, and as skilled at using it as Eleazer. As you read this vision, my prayer is that you will cling to the Word like never before and see continued victories. Whether you speak it, sing it, decree it, or pray it, the Word of God will NEVER return void. Dear Friends, During a time of worship this morning, The Lord reminded me of David's words in Psalm 139:11-12: "If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,' even the darkness is not dark to You; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light with You." The Lord then spoke these words into my heart: “I will come and visit those who open the doors of their hearts to Me in this dark hour. As distractions fade and what seems like a demonic covering enshrouds you, I will enter as LIGHT: a covering of glory no man can restrain! Do not fear darkness, but welcome light just as Israel in Egypt welcomed light into all their dwellings. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart! You have nothing to fear when the Prince of Peace and the Ruler of the Kingdom of Light dwells within you!” I felt it was more important than ever to hear and obey the voice of the Lord, opening our hearts to His Word and relying solely on His counsel so that we can overcome present difficulties. In times of deep darkness, only supernatural power can protect and enlighten our paths. Dear Friends, On 7.27.21 I had a vision of the Lord Jesus, followed by two encounters in the Spirit which the Lord asked me to describe to you exactly. Please know that it is not my desire to call attention to the encounters themselves, but to the messages contained within. I saw the Lord comforting those who were suffering from trauma. We are living in increasingly difficult times, and as trials increase, the manifest Presence of the Lord is also increasing to release grace and peace to His people! I believe the Lord wants to impart hope and healing to those who face trauma and opposition for His Name, and I am praying that these words will impress you as deeply as I was impressed when I heard them. At the end of this post you will find a recorded prayer you can use to receive ministry yourself or share with a friend. (Click here for audio podcast or scroll down for YouTube podcast) In this new era, I hear the Lord issuing an age-old call to His Body to return to our First Love: “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:2-4) Dear Friends, I hear the Lord saying: “I am solving the puzzles of your life, one piece at a time!” I believe the Lord is saying that there has been a massive attack of confusion: a demonic attempt from the enemy to send confusion over people's lives and over the directions that they should take. This morning I heard the Lord say, “Take heart, because I am solving the puzzles of your life one piece at a time. What the enemy has used to keep you in a maze of confusion and darkness will not stand. I am releasing light into tunnels of darkness, hope into caverns of confusion, and a new clarity to see how the pieces of your life should fit together to bring Me glory. I will not only show you how to solve complex situations with people on the outside, but I will show you how to connect the dots on the inside, so that you can see what I have been doing in the background all along. I have never stopped working on your behalf! I have never stopped moving the pieces together so that they can be assembled correctly. I have not forgotten you and I will not leave you until the puzzles of your lives are finished!” Dear Friends, Joshua thought it would be easy. Fresh off an angelic commissioning, the successful crossing of the Jordan, and a decisive victory at Jericho, he was ready to take on the next city: Ai. This commander had all his ducks in a row. Joshua had patiently served God under Moses for years. He knew the Presence of God intimately himself, and woke up early each morning to seek God. He was courageous and even received manifest angelic assistance. Joshua was a good leader and a tenderhearted warrior who received detailed military strategies from the Lord. Everyone in Israel wanted to fight with him! Yet despite an abundance of prophetic words straight from the Lord promising him success, Joshua and his army failed. What went wrong? “Simon Peter said (to the disciples), ‘I am going fishing.’ They said, ‘And we are coming with you.’ So they went out and got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.” ~John 21:3
There was a time when the apostle Peter felt more like a defeated soldier than a fearless leader. He wasn’t “catching” much of anything! His Savior had just been arrested. A valiant attempt to defend Jesus with his sword had brought the Master’s rebuke instead of praise.
Even worse, Peter had watched Jesus willingly face death like a lamb led to the slaughter. On the darkest of nights, Peter matched Christ’s three bold identity statements (“I am He”) with three denials of his own (“I am not;” see John 18). Come to the sea of Galilee with me to understand how Peter must have felt at this moment - and what the Lord did to restore him. |
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AuthorA severe hearing loss from childhood caused Deborah Perkins to develop what she now calls her secret weapon: tuning in to God's voice. A Wellesley College graduate and an award-winning writer, Deborah is now a wife and mother of 3 boys. Deborah has devoted over 25 years to professional and lay Christian ministry in New England and beyond. Her passion is inspiring people to cultivate greater intimacy with God. |