Friday night, August 14: Coming into our own!

   

        One of the enemy’s greatest coups is keeping us, God’s people, from knowing who we really are. We have been clueless about our identity in Christ, the powerful weapons at our disposal, and the honor and privilege of the partnership He desires to have with us.

    Part of the deception comes from our misunderstanding of God’s sovereignty and how He has set up our roles as His people in relationship to it. The Church in general has encouraged a passivity which has allowed horrible evils and cultural dissolution to occur, when we could have stood powerfully against them. Who sold us the teaching that the church should not involve itself in such a fight? This is the complete opposite of God’s call and purpose for us. 

   The word Jesus uses for church is Ekklesia/Ecclesia, a governmental term akin to Congress, a governing body. 

Through the persevering efforts of a number of apostles, prophets, teachers, and evangelists (as Scripture describes) we are finally waking up from a drugged sleep. Over the next few blog posts, I will address more about our calling, our destiny in Yeshua, and resources to help us become the mighty warriors He desires.

However, because this message is so timely, I will just say today: 

JOIN THE EKKLESIA PRAYER COALITION livestream this FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 at 7pm Eastern time from Oasis Church. People all over the world are coming together, physically and by livestream, to agree in prayer, to declare, and to decree God’s will for Iran, the Middle East, our nation, and the world….as well as anointing for healing. There are local host churches where you can join a group in person (always powerful, or you can join the livestream from your homes. Let’s turn off our entertainment and fight for His kingdom to come, His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven!

Let’s BE the Body!

https://www.oasiswired.org/ekklesiaprayercoalition

Julie

Middletown to the Middle East: Dutch Sheets, Give Him 15 August 2026: 

https://youtu.be/DRTq3ScSo4o?is=

Tim Sheets, Glory River, August 2026: https://youtu.be/Cv1NnF-H0PQ?is=FdiujcQ7Ji8Es8he

Occupation

    

   Many of you know well of the time when Daniel prayed fervently for his people near the end of their exile to Babylon* (Daniel 10). Nothing seemed to be happening in response to his prayers and fasting, until finally Gabriel appeared before him and told him how God had responded immediately to Daniel’s prayers before he had even finished speaking, but demonic intervention had waylaid his arrival. 

   This morning as I was rereading this section of Daniel, I heard God promoting me to stop and see something new. In this passage. The word occupation came strongly to mind. Gabriel was kept occupied by the enemy so he couldn’t get to Daniel. Holy Spirit pointed out to me that the enemy of our souls does the same thing today in our minds and in our lives. If he can keep us otherwise occupied and distracted from connecting with Him, we won’t hear His messages of direction and encouragement or receive the strengthening He is sending us. 

   It isn’t that He hasn’t immediately responded to our prayers. His help has gone forth, but we haven’t put ourselves in battle position to receive it. Yes, thankfully we have angels to help us, but we must do battle, also, in order to receive what the Father wants us to have.

   Sometimes this means, in addition to intercession, the putting aside of various activities, entertainment, all-consuming worry, self-pity, lack of trust, or the demand to understand….to have answers to the ‘whys’. Occupation can take so many forms. The Lord wants us aware that these can all be ‘spiritual battles in the heavenlies’. We must treat them as such and fight accordingly, knowing that He is on our side. He doesn’t want us to be passive victims of attacks masquerading as busyness, soundbites, escapism, or simple distractions. Our very lifeblood, our very breath come from our connection with and trust in The Lover of our Souls. 

   He has also given us authority to fight powerfully, to fight effectively, and to win. To stand up, to decree, to declare what His Word says. Yes! But also to be still and commune with Him. To speak to Him of our abiding trust and love, and even more, to listen. I know this word just now was for me, but I share it because it may well speak to you, also.

   Yes, “the battle belongs to Him,” but it also belongs to us. Let’s ponder our part and not find ourselves passive victims by being ‘otherwise occupied’.  Let’s make it our first priority to be occupied by Him.

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 “You man so greatly loved, don’t be afraid. Shalom to you; and be strong, yes, truly strong.” His speaking to me strengthened me, and I said, “My lord, keep speaking; because you’ve given me strength.” —Daniel 10: 19

“Don’t be afraid, Dani’el; because since the first day that you determined to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard; and I have come because of what you said. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia prevented me from coming for twenty-one days; but Mikha’el, one of the chief princes, came to assist me; so that I was no longer needed there with the kings of Persia. —Daniel 10: 12-13

“Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world..”** [1John 4:4]

“For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.” Ephesians 6:12 

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+after the Persian takeover from the Babylonians