JOY NATION JUNE ISSUE

MAGAZINE

BISHOP JOSEPH L. GARLINGTON WALKING IN THE LIGHT IN A SEASON OF DARKNESS

THE COMING SECOND WAVE

BY PASTOR JONATHAN SHUTTLESWORTH

THE DISTINCTIVE QUALITIES OF SUCCESS

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HOW TO LOVE YOUR SPOUSE

BY BISHOP MIKEL BROWN

JUNE 2022 ISSUE FAITH-BASED

As we walk, swim, and sunbathe our way into the summer season, it's also very important for us to understand what season we are in spiritually, both individually and corporately as the body of Christ. It is imperative to hear, and know God's voice, and to walk boldly in the things that God has called us to.

This edition of Joy Nation is jampacked with tools to help you as you continue to fight the good fight of faith with words from mighty men of God such as our Bishop, Dr. Mikel Brown, and Evangelist, Jonathan Shuttlesworth. Featured in this issue, is Bishop Joseph L. Garlington, Sr., Ph.D. He is the founder of Covenant Church Pittsburgh, which he founded with his wife Barbara in 1971. Bishop Garlington is also an accomplished musician, recording artist, author, and scholar, whose work touches thousands through radio and TV, through his weekly television broadcast, Something Fresh, through national and international conferences, and through albums, books and articles. Bishop Garlington gives us prophetic insight into the coming spiritual season, and what we as believers should do and know as we prepare to walk in the light in a season of darkness.

INSIDE JUNE 20

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WALKING IN THE LIGHT IN A SEASON OF DARKNESS

by bishop joseph l. garlington FEATURE STORY

EDITOR’S LETTER

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH!

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THE DISCERNING OF SPIRITS

by bishop mikel brown

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SAVED & STUCK

by pastor theo jones

It has been our joy to bring you the good news for 44 years of ministry.

With this magazine, we will continue to share the amazing joy of Jesus and inspire a generation by connecting people who experience the JOY. -Mikel and Debra Brown

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THE LOST ART OF MENTORSHIP

by pastor charles bennett

Thanks for stopping by, Andrea L. Newman, Managing Editor

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THE COMING SECOND WAVE EVANGELIST JONATHAN SHUTTLESWORTH

STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF JOY NATION COMING AUGUST 2022

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Often times babes in Christ fizzle out where they were once on fire for God! Why does this happen? Simple. It's easier to go back to what you know when the prospect of change is overwhelming, and you have no clue how to maneuver through your new walk.

Saved & Stuck?

Next Steps for New Believers

By Pastor Theo Jones

So, you’ve answered the call. First, let me take the time to say; “Welcome to the family”. Accepting Christ into your heart and making him the head of your life is definitively the most important decision you will ever make, and you have chosen wisely. As a new believer, I believe there are things that we can do to not only strengthen our relationship with Christ but to be a conduit by which the Lord can move in the lives of others. My Dad once told me that a man is as good as the tools

things other translations breeze over or even omit. This paired with access to other translations is a valuable tool for not only new believers but any believer.

he possesses.

My first suggestion to any new convert is to get yourself a good study bible. God speaks through scripture, and sadly, many

see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.” There will

believers neglect this part. Now, there are multiple translations that are available to

be days that an encouraging word from a brother or sister in Christ reignites the fire

you. I always suggest starting with the New King James version. It’s a bit easier to read without missing out on many of the

within you to stay in the race.

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Secondly, surrounding yourself with a community of believers is key. I love how the Message Bible says it: (Hebrews 10:2225) "So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps His word. Let’s

Lastly, and just as importantly, you need a

shepherd. No, I’m not talking about the guy with the cane surrounded by farm animals.

I mean a pastor. Your pastor is a key part of ensuring that you get all that God has for

preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the good news."

you. The bible says that Faith comes by hearing. What you listen to is ultimately what you become. Romans 10: 14-15 in the Common English translation says it this

I believe this list, while not exhaustive, serves as a great piece of information for believers that want a deeper understanding

way (see, I told you translations were an

and relationship with Jesus. Jesus came so

awesome tool): "So how can they call on someone they don’t have faith in? And how can they have faith in someone they haven’t heard of? And how can they hear without a

that we can experience a life of abundance.

Tapping into His word and living by the principles of God ensure that what God promised shall manifest in your life.

IF YOU'RE IN THE TEXAS AREA

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“Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them, and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” Luke 2:46-47

DARE TO BE

BY ANDREA NEWMAN

Do you remember how you used to marvel as a child at who you would be when you grew up?

You and your friends would exchange visions of the future, fueled by the things that excited you.

That little girl who danced to every song that played, no matter the tune, no matter where she found herself would quickly proclaim, I’m going to be a dancer and perform on the biggest stage I can find!” The little boy who grew up watching Space Jam, practicing free throws at all hours of the night, shooting balled-up paper into trash cans yelling “Kobe!” would say “I’m going to be the number one draft pick in the NBA!” As children, we unapologetically declared our interests and the fire within us drove us to tie a future to our dreams. Why is it that as we grow older, we bury our dreams under the pressure that the world places on us to be something we are not?

God knew us all before we were even born.

Before he knitted us together in our mother’s womb, he knew us and he gave us each, a unique purpose to fulfill on this Earth. What we are called to do is in the fiber of our being. No matter how far we have strayed from God what he has placed within us remains. As children, we are inevitably drawn to certain things without thinking twice about them. Jesus is The Word personified, scripture is embedded into his being and what he speaks is Life and Truth, as is He. When Jesus was “lost” according to his parents, he was exactly where he was supposed to be. He was drawn to the temple, where the Word was being taught, provoking thoughts by challenging JUNE 2022 | 08

the norm, for in his later years of ministry he was to be a teacher, or Rabbi as his disciples called him, among other things. Jesus even replied to his mother’s reproach by saying “but why did you need to search? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house? (Luke 2:49) It shouldn't have been a surprise, but even his mother was guilty of seeing him as her son and not the Messiah, the son of God, who was sent for our sake.

We often get caught up in becoming who God has called us to be, instead of simply being. Therefore, when we are lost without purpose it is because we have not yet discovered what God has already placed within us. Take some time today to reflect on whom God has called you to be. Have you let the world’s demands mold you into someone else? Have you allowed your identity to be in things or people instead of God? It’s not too late to BE who God says you are.

PRAYER: Father, I believe that you have set me apart and called me to fulfill my purpose in you. I admit I have not been walking in my purpose and instead have been living in the shadow of who you’ve called me to be. Give me the strength and the wisdom to BE all that you’ve created me for. If there are things you’ve placed within me that I have not yet discovered, Holy Spirit reveal them to me. I surrender my plans, my false identity, and anything else that has stood in the way so that your will may be done and not mine in Jesus name, Amen.

The Joy Center Youth Ministry Led by Minister Ricky and Tiesha Brown

his is a great time in the body of Christ to be a believer and most importantly a youth member at the Joy Center. We are doing some amazing things with the youth and it's only getting better from here.

The renovations for the youth room are only the beginning. Everything that we do is centered around Christ, and we are committed to challenging the mindset that believers are boring. We encourage the youth to be exactly whom God created them to be. Our goal for those in the NextGen youth ministry is for them to have a true relationship with Jesus, express themselves boldly and freely, and prepare them to stand their ground for Christ. For we stand on principle and not convenience.

Our message to the youth: You’re not alone. You have someone in us who loves you and will seek God for you. We will tell you the truth based on God’s word without looking down on you because, you matter. God can use you right now.

You don’t have to wait until you’re “older” to make a difference. Your presence alone is enough, so let God use you where you are and watch how He transforms everything.

The renovations of the youth room are nearly complete. We recently mounted two 75-inch televisions for gaming, movies, and everything in between. We are purchasing an air hockey table to accompany our ping pong table. There will be board games and so much more to enjoy. We will be painting more walls and adding graffiti-like letters to go with our youth logo. We are so excited for what’s to come!

Opening the youth room on weekends as a safe haven and getaway where friends can meet to play games and watch movies.

The youth room will also open early on Wednesdays before Service to do homework, read, play games, or just hang out.

Tutors will be available for study hall.

A reading nook with an amazing view of El Paso and Juarez.

Host concerts with various Christian artists.

Take trips to resorts, theme parks, and camps.

All boys and all girls youth lock-ins Programs centered around music lessons, television production, and entrepreneurship.

How to Love

By

D r.

ow M ik el Br

n

Your Spouse

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“I think you can be madly in love with someone you would be sick of after ten weeks; and I’m pretty sure you can be bound heart and soul to someone about whom you don’t at that moment feel excited, any more than you feel about yourself.” – C.S. Lewis our human effort will prove to be a major contribution to the success of your relationship with your spouse. Please do not underestimate the tremendous selfless sacrifices and the labor involved just to make a marriage work. When a couple succeeds in developing a good marital relationship, they have successfully learned how to embrace each other’s differences and love one another without partiality.

Your marriage will succeed or fail based on the amount of accumulated information you have stored in your mental data bank. Simply having information safely tucked away in the mind is not enough; you must be willing to act on the information you have. Everything we do in life requires discipline. Discipline helps you to maintain control and keeps you from exceeding the boundaries or breaking the law. If we discipline ourselves in life, we are assured a certain amount of success.

Love is one of the greatest and most powerful forces given to mankind. It is also the most misunderstood emotion we have.

Love exists within our hearts without any qualifiers to dictate what we should love. We are capable of loving things that are bad for us as much as we can love things from which we gain great benefits. Love does not discriminate. Additionally, everyone has the potential to love greatly and the capacity to receive abundant love. The biggest problem is that people do not fully understand what love truly is. Most married individuals have the wrong concept of love. Many people demand to be loved a certain way but are unwilling to give that same measure of love to another. It is possible to be truly loved and not know it. If you cannot define what love is, it can come and go without you suspecting it. This then is truly a problem. How can a person legitimately claim to not be receiving love from their spouse when said individual has not grasped how to give genuine love to the one, they are expecting it from? While loving, one soon learns that human relationships are not altogether as sweet and simple, as they might first appear.

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So how should we love our spouses?

Everyone sees love differently so answering this question is not easy to do. During courtship, individuals are too busy flirting to discover each other’s needs and desires.

Courting isn’t the same as marriage. The root meanings of the word are seduction, to connive, wink at, plot/conspire, and in essence the art of flirting. A marriage cannot thrive off child’s play. It requires a firm foundation so that as the years go by it will not crack under the weight of normal wear and tear. How to love one another is discovered while spending valuable time together.

If a man poetically says to his wife that his love for her “Is like a ship on the ocean’” he also better add, “and sometimes it gets so windy and stormy that I feel like jumping ship.” Truly loving your spouse means that you’re willing to take the good with the bad.

This is what makes love so unique. True love sees imperfection in an individual and still desires to be with them. Your spouse’s life experiences make them who they are.

Imperfection speaks to our humanity. We all have shortcomings that we are attempting to overcome.

Wives demonstrate love for their husbands by honoring and respecting them. A wife’s respect for her husband is the highest expression of love she can demonstrate, and it should be second only to her love for Christ. The word “reverence” as stated in The Bible and when applied to marriage vows suggests that she should perform the following: She should respect and notice JUNE 2022 | 12

him, regard him, honor him, prefer him, venerate him, esteem him, yield to him, praise him, love him, and admire him. If a wife doesn’t believe that her husband should be respected in this manner, she must not expect to see herself as his queen. A man wants to come home, to his castle, where his wife makes him feel like a king.

The way a husband is to demonstrate his love towards his wife is by crowning her the queen of his castle. A husband is to esteem his wife with the same regard as his own life.

When a woman believes that she is genuinely loved, diamonds, fancy cars, and a big house will pale in comparison to her husband’s love. Being and feeling loved becomes the apex of her existence. Despite the many hardships women have suffered at the hands of dishonest men, every woman desires to lift up and praise the man who loves her unconditionally. When I think of my wonderful relationship with my wife, I can only conclude that I am blessed to be able to love such a woman. I admonish every man to love your wife as you love yourself; give your life for her and thus have no life remaining for yourself. This is how I truly love my wife.

When wives truly respect their husbands as the Bible declares they should, and when husbands are willing to die for their wives as Jesus says they must, then and only then will spouses truly understand how to love each other. When this occurs, all your questions on this topic will have been answered within your heart.

For more....

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JOY CENTER SOUTH CAROLINA

By Pastor Theo Jones

God Is doing something special here at Joy Center South Carolina. The task is a challenging one, but we are truly seeing Mark 9:23 live out; “All things are possible to him who believes”. These last 2 years have been a journey of faith and exercising everything that God has been pouring into Bishop during our time in El Paso. Our first year was truly a season of transition.

We got here to Columbia in July of 2020; in the middle of a pandemic that had the minds of believers searching for answers and looking for some level of normalcy in a climate that presented solitude and separation as an answer to survival.

Through prayer, we began an online bible study and invited people to tune in. It took off, and the word was getting out. People were hungry and tuned in faithfully. In February of 2021, we began hosting Sunday services at our home. This was truly a learning experience as we had never done anything like this. With the help of people like Pastor Bennett and so many others that played an important part in our spiritual maturity, God began providing what we needed to be effective in the physical sense (cameras, podiums, microphones, computers, etc.) as well as in the spiritual, by constantly JUNE 2022 | 14

constantly reminding us that this is God's church, and He will grow it if we are obedient.

Shortly after hosting the service at our home, people began coming and we began to see positive movement.

Not only were people coming, but they began joining as well. We quickly outgrew the house and moved services into a hotel where we experienced even more growth. We quickly outgrew that location and God opened the door for an even bigger facility. It’s been amazing to see the hand of God move in the most obscure circumstances. Recently, we conducted our first baptism, and this past Resurrection Sunday, our praise and dance teams ministered Currently, our major goal has been outreach and acquiring a more permanent space that will allow us to serve our community in a better way. We believe that just as the word says in Acts 2: 46-47, as we continue in one accord in the temple, God will add to the church daily those who are being saved.

In partnership with New American Funding, the Joy Center kicked off the first annual 5K Race for the Joy of Health on May 15th, 2022. As the first of many community outreach initiatives, we are pleased to report it was a great success, and that we reached our goal!

Those who came out enjoyed freshly prepared tacos, smoothies, refreshing drinks, and more!

Along with delicious food, there were activities for everyone to enjoy including musical chairs, a frisbee toss, prizes, and some good old-fashioned line dancing!

We look forward to the continuing effort to impact our community as well as reach lost souls!

On behalf of our Senior Pastor, Bishop Mikel Brown we'd like to thank everyone who made this event a success. To all of our Joy Nation members who participated and contributed we thank you and God bless! Stay tuned for the presentation of the checks to The Big Brothers and Big Sisters of El Paso, Veterans Non-Profit, and the El Paso Fallen Officers Memorial Foundation!

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I’m a firm believer that ABBA Father positions and prepares us for kingdom assignment. The path from here to there is often accompanied by adversity and uncertainty. However, for the Believer that believes, one truth remains. God Is Sovereign, and He is working all things together for the good of them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.

(Romans 8:28) very year, we are given the opportunity to sow a $1,000millennium seed corporately for our future as an act of surrender and obedience. In 2020, as a divorced mother of two, still fighting to climb my way out of debt, pay my mortgage, and tuition for my oldest child, while also preparing to pay for my youngest to go to college, I made a heart decision that I would never again struggle with sowing my millennium seed from a place of lack. As a matter of fact, I asked God, “if you bless me, “I want to sow for my children too.” Being planted at The Joy Center, The Word I was receiving, along with the season I was in, and my heart posture all aligned so perfectly. It truly matters what and Who you’re listening to. Being that I was now a single mom there were many things that I felt a need to give up or put on the back burner to provide for and be present with my children. I had so much on my plate with graduate School, home repairs, car repairs, health concerns, and fighting.

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for VA benefits I rightfully earned. There was so much inundating my life that it all left me a bit discouraged as I closed out the year. Yet still, I held on to hope.

One afternoon, I was having a conversation with my sister. We were weeping on the phone recounting military experiences and the effects they had on us which resulted in her encouraging me to go back and fight for previously denied disability benefits.

Little did I know, there was a letter sitting in my mailbox from the VA Appeals Board which stated that all my claims that were previously denied in 2008 had been remanded for insufficient and unsupported medical opinions.

Talk about confirmation!

That old default mindset tried to come to the forefront, “you just paid the kid’s tuition,” “will you have enough?” However, I refused to allow those thoughts to manifest into actions by casting down every thought and vain imagination of “what if.” I trusted God and sowed the seed.

I was. Confident that God had heard the deep cries of my heart and continued to stand on His promises.

One morning in February, I woke up to a substantial deposit. I’d gone from 0% disability awarded in 2008 to 50% disability, with back pay! My mind was seriously blown! Not only was I able to sow a millennium seed for myself and each of my children, but my daughter also had her own millennium seed from graduation that she wanted to sow her own.

Look at God! I gave my tithe, sowed my offering and seed to our Bishop off the top with joy! Paid off bad debt, established savings, completed longoverdue home, and car repairs, and a few bucket list improvements. God granted me the desires of my heart and then some!

Leaving out of 2021, into 2022 the Word came that this would be a year of Fulfillment, that we needed to finish what we’d started. I heard it’s time to go back and finish that Graduate degree. Mind you, I have not one but two college students out of state with tuition, and I still owed a balance from my last semester of graduate school! Nevertheless, there was a call in the house for us to give more than usual.

I woke up a couple of mornings later to yet another surprise! I’d gone from 50% to 70% with backpay! And of course, I gave my tithe, sowed my offering, and seed off the top with joy as I had done previously. Not only that but when I logged into work that Monday, I had a message from a graduate school advisor offering me amnesty for my prior balance to come back and finish! Yes, another divine setup! I had not even contacted the school yet! I called the advisor, thinking it’s been 5 years surely, they’ll require me to take some extra courses. (Be careful what you speak!) The Advisor said, “Looks like you only need an elective and your Capstone to finish. I’ll send you a list of courses to choose from.” I received the list, but I’d already taken everything on the list therefore, I only needed The Capstone!

Listen, it had been 5 years since my last course, but I had no struggles bringing the concepts and principles together to complete the course and finish with an “A” to boot!

My MPA was conferred with distinction on February 26th, 2022. A fulfilled promise to my beloved Mother and an example to my children to persevere. Thank you, Father!

That next week I had a meeting with the Director, I informed him I’d completed my Master’s degree in Public Administration (Healthcare), and I asked if I’d receive a bonus? He seemed a little flustered but said, “I don’t know, I don’t have a Master’s but I’ll check.

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When the 2022 Millennium Sunday came, the kids (young adults) and I were ready to sow.

We’d placed our intent in our seeds. We sowed again from a place of abundance and promises fulfilled. We’re always having a sufficiency of all things! Glory to God! That Tuesday I had my meeting with the Director. We we’re reviewing 2021 Performance Appraisals. I’m thinking this is good but not exceptional, the rating criteria are so tight that an exceptional score is an extremely rare occurrence in my department.

Nevertheless, he precedes to inform me of the merit increase award I’d be receiving and then he also states that I’ll receive a bonus for completion of my graduate program, though there was no policy on the books, another divine setup! The next week during a staff meeting we were informed that our job descriptions were evaluated and compared to other positions in the industry.

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Based on our job responsibilities, our job classification and pay scale were being bumped up a grade! So, though I’m in the private, non-profit sector my pay scale is now comparable to that of a GS-13.

If you knew the entirety of my story and where I’ve come from and through, you’d understand the depth of my gratitude, my even more undignified praise, and the raw worship within me that flows out like oil. I know that I know…God Is Faithful and He gives double for the trouble and the shame.

Stay the course and prepare to be mind-blown as God sets up divine appointments in your favor!! Spoiler Alert: He’s Not Done…

Something Good Is Going to Happen To Us Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond!!!

YROTS ERUTAEF

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“Everything in Christ is getting better and better; Everything outside of Christ is getting worse and worse.”

Rufus Moseley

It seems clear that the coming season in our nation and the world portends a hostile disposition towards the believing church. Our ability to navigate these waters will depend upon our willingness to “understand the times,” and walk courageously as we confront an increasingly ungodly world system.

There is a shaking coming, and this is not the first one. It is just one of many that have proceeded through the millennia. Shakings are a necessary part of growth and advancement, and while they are not comfortable, we have learned to endure them and we have seen their beneficial byproducts. Oscar Wilde, the noted playwright, and poet said, “Without order, nothing can exist; without chaos, nothing can evolve. Nowadays, people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

I See A Storm Coming On the night of September 18, 1979, a turbulent and destructive visitor came to Mobile, Al., in the form of a category four hurricane, with sustained winds of 134 mph. Two weeks after the storm, an azalea bush we had been nurturing for two seasons to produce blossoms each March, along with all of the other bushes – suddenly burst into full bloom! Although it was seven months past the prime season, the gardener informed us that our azalea bush needed a violent shaking to “wake it up!”

Friedrich Nietzsche said, “What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.”

Just as the violent winds woke up my comatose azalea bush. Now the malevolent winds of adversity to the progress of the gospel are awaking us to this startling reality: We, the believing Church, will either become slaves to a sinister system of persons that hate the God who created them; that hates the Church He has birthed to extend His kingdom on the earth, and that hates any Christian who dares to believe that we are mandated to use “the divinely powerful weapons of our warfare” to defeat that system, or we will rise up boldly in Christ.

The storm is already here! It almost seems divinely necessary for any number of reasons, however, I believe God’s ultimate intention is to use this storm and others to awaken His Church, His sleeping bride, to burst into full bloom as did my azalea bush. However, it is common knowledge that storms are a natural phenomenon for cleansing the atmosphere. Solomon observed this 3000 years ago, “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” Proverbs 10:25 (NIV)

“Before we can have a Great Awakening, there must be a Rude Awakening.” -Mario Murillo I See A Judgment Coming It’s not difficult to see when we observe the current attitudes of resistance and unconcealed disobedience to God’s law. A correction is coming; it is inevitable. When you follow God’s ways as they are revealed in Scripture, you realize JUNE 2022 | 21

YROTS ERUTAEF

“The darker the night, the brighter the stars, the deeper the grief, the closer is God!” Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment

realize that a collision is unavoidable. You know a divine correction is coming: It always does.

I See A Revival Coming Revival is a promise well established in precedent, “where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” It will happen; it happened in Nineveh, it happened on Pentecost, it happened in Wales, and at Azusa Street, it happened in Cane Ridge, Kentucky. The Third Great Awakening will happen! There has never been a time when the atmosphere, the environment, the culture, and the international networking of the world systems have been more amenable than today.

Area of Concern We Must Confront It is becoming evident that parts of the church are divided on a critical issue that must be confronted. A failure to do so will jeopardize their progress in advancing the kingdom. A significant faction appears to be willing to accept compromises with enemies of the Gospel, for the sake of progress. These are unwilling to accept the biblical truth of the existence of two kingdoms, that are so radically different and diametrically opposed to the existence of the other, they have convinced themselves that it is possible to partner with evil for the sake of “good.” Almighty God rebuked His people with these words. "My people are destroyed for JUNE 2022 | 22

Immutable Tenets of a Kingdom Mindset We accept unequivocally the spiritual reality of “light” and “darkness” as competing systems in the time/space economy We acknowledge that these two systems are antithetical and eternally incompatible.

We believe that all unregenerate humanity, past, present, and future are living in darkness, and are in peril of eternal separation from God. We recognize the existence of two distinct spiritual kingdoms: The Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan; they are separate and unequal; Satan’s kingdom is under a coming judgment. Jesus recognized these two kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and Satan's Kingdom. (Matthew 12:26 – 28; Luke 11:18 – 20 NASB95) The Apostle Paul realized the existence of the Kingdom of Light vs the kingdom of darkness: “…

Who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.”

Colossians 1:12,13 (NIV and The Living Bible)

YROTS ERUTAEF

The Prophet Isaiah said it this way. "For when the earth experiences Your judgments the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness And does not perceive the majesty of the Lord. O Lord, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it. They see Your zeal for the people and are put to shame; Indeed, fire will devour Your enemies.” Isaiah 26:9b –11 (NASB95)

destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children." Hosea 4:6 NASB95. Later, Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day with these words. "But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God." Matthew 22.29 NASB95. Today, ignorance of the Word of God is at pandemic proportions. The Prophet Amos underscores this condition when he says: “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the Lord.” Amos 8:11 (NASB95) Let’s consider what I call:

Acknowledge the Supernatural Power of the Light of the Kingdom As Mufasa told Simba in The Lion King, “Look Simba, everything the light touches is our kingdom,” We must understand that whatever is exposed to the light becomes light.

(Ephesians 5:13 NASB) All things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible IS light.

Truthfully, those who are born again should understand this well, we all have a redemptive history from darkness to light, “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.”

(Ephesians 5:8) Furthermore, you must know that your inheritance is in the light. Colossians 1:12–13 says, “and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,”

“The darker the night, the brighter the stars…” Dostoevsky Action Steps We Need to Take Now Wake Up! “Besides this, you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed.” Romans 13:11 (AMP) Wake Up God – Through Intercession. Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, Like a warrior overcome by wine. He drove His adversaries backward; He put on them an everlasting reproach. Psalm 78:65–66 (NASB95) Wake Up To Who You Are – You are qualified “and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,” Colossians 1:12 – 13 NIV Wake Up To Who Is In You – You are an overcomer “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 (NASB95) I leave you with three simple imperatives that are necessary to succeed in the coming season: STAND IN THE LIGHT AND FACE THE DARKNESS WALK IN THE LIGHT AND CHASE THE DARKNESS LIVE IN THE LIGHT AND ERASE THE DARKNESS

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YROTS ERUTAEF

We will risk significant losses in our struggle against the powers of darkness if we are ignorant of the total incompatibility of these two kingdoms. The Apostle Paul warns us, “Don’t continue to team up with unbelievers in mismatched alliances, for what partnership is there between righteousness and rebellion? Who could mingle light with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Satan? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? The Apostle James’ words are even more stringent.

“You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.” James 4:4 (NLT)

INSIDE OUT

We’ve all either experienced or observed the benefits of proper preparation as well as the consequences of a lack thereof, yet it becomes difficult to apply such a simple principle to our own lives more times than not. Why? We become so confident in our own strength that we feel as though preparation is unnecessary. This dangerous mentality often exhibited by believers is what keeps us in a state of defeat when the victory is already ours in Christ Jesus! Only a fool goes into a battle without preparation and the proper equipment expecting to win. God has equipped us with the necessary tools to succeed, do you know what they are?

The life of a believer is a battle; a spiritual battle that can wreak havoc both physically and emotionally on the ill-equipped. The Word instructs JUNE 2022 | 24

instructs believers to put on the full armor of God daily (Ephesians 6:10-18). This scripture further proves that a fight is imminent, and if armor is required, then weapons are too. As believers, we must not be solely defensive players but offensive players as well! We have an arsenal of weapons at our disposal. Think of a toolbox full of tools.

There are many different types of tools, but specific ones are needed to get a specific job done. Believers have a responsibility to know themselves better than the enemy does so that they are prepared to fight from a proactive stance as opposed to a reactive stance.

The believer must know the specific ways in which they are targeted by the enemy in order to choose the appropriate tools from the toolbox.

For example, if you struggle with insecurity, and the enemy constantly attacks you with a spirit of comparison and unworthiness, equip your toolbox with scriptures concerning who God says you scriptures

INSIDE OUT are, as well as affirmations like, “I AM CHOSEN!” and “I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE!” The way a proactive believer uses their toolbox wisely is not by solely keeping scriptures in a holster to whip out when they’re feeling attacked, but by meditating on said scriptures, declaring them verbally even when they feel confident and loved and secure!

That’s the true essence of preparing for wartime in your peacetime. If you wait to use your toolbox amid an attack, you will most likely fail.

Members of the Armed Forces constantly undergo training and simulations to be prepared for actual combat. Can you imagine a soldier learning how to use his weapon DURING combat? Exactly, the outcome of that would be fatal.

Some of the essential tools which should be in every Christian’s toolbox are reading/ knowing the Word of God, prayer, and daily affirmations.

The Word of God is the antidote to any of the enemy's

enemy’s tactics, and the “tools” should directly correspond to the mode of attack (Scriptures of joy for sadness, peace for anxiety, boldness for fear). Prayers should also be specific in nature.

Daily affirmations are reminders of the attributes of God that should be present in the life of a believer (“I am more than an overcomer”; “I am bold”; “I am loved”; “I am the head and not the tail!”). You can also add things to your toolbox that work specifically for you like journaling, listening to certain worship songs, accountability partners, mentors, self-care routines, boundaries, etc.

What are some of the other tools needed in your toolbox? What is needed to complete your arsenal? Psalm 144:1 says, “Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle”. Take time to find out what provisions God has already made for your success.

+ JOEL 3:10

I AM STRONG

PSALMS 139:14

I AM BEAUTIFUL

JOSHUA 1:9

I AM COURAGEOUS

JOHN 3:16

I AM LOVED MORE THAN I COULD EVER IMAGINE

ROMANS 8:37

I AM MORE THAN A CONQUEROR

DEUTERONOMY 28:13

I AM A LEADER

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The Distinctive Qualities of SUCCESS

BY BISHOP MIKEL BROWN

hen life seems to be falling apart, and there’s no sign of God anywhere, that is when your faith will be tested and stretched the most. Without any logical or physical evidence of God working on your behalf, you can either doubt or trust in God. If you choose to trust, you must exercise that crazy kind of faith that makes others question your sanity. The same is true when you look at succeeding in life. The very failure that you’re afraid of is the catalyst for growth that allows you to learn and ultimately cultivate a successful mindset. Success is not something you become, but something you are. Success has a way of testing your tenacity to see if you’re worthy of it.

what you can see but rather get to the point where you can see where you are and what you already have. Otherwise, you’ll be like the man chasing the wind on a wild goose chase.

The one concern I have with people that are trying to climb to the top of the success mountain is that they don’t realize that they are already there. It’s not wise to seek out what

You can be born great, and never achieve greatness. Greatness is a form of perfection that requires protection. Only a divine guide can lead you to your greatness. If you take just

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Satan took Jesus to the pinnacle of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of this world and their glory and offered them to Jesus on one condition—that He would bow down and worship him. However, Jesus proved a major attribute, and that is you can’t offer me what I already have. The biggest con in life is selling something back to the man who already owns it but is not aware of it.

Don’t fall for it! Discover that which God has already placed within you so that you don’t chase it aimlessly in the world nor buy it from a con man who can see it in you. Know your worth!

one hour a day to focus on and work toward yourself, you’ll see measurable progress. I strongly believe that a person should work harder on themselves than they do on their job.

How is it that two people can have the same employment position, attend the same school, and graduate with nearly the same GPA, but one person gets paid more than the other? The answer is easy. It’s not that one person spends more time working overtime or does more work. The truth of the matter is that the person who gets paid the higher salary spent more time working on themselves, which led to increasing their value.

Let’s start with the big picture. When we talk about an hour a day having the potential to transform your life, we’re talking about relationships with family members, your health, your business, growing your income, and living your passion. Anything at all that is important to you.

What keeps you marking time? In the military, there is a drill order called mark time march.

Your legs are moving but you aren’t going anywhere. You probably notice that you had a lot of movement or activity, but little traffic.

Your legs appeared to be moving, but you were not going anywhere. This is how Satan wants you to feel about your life; that you are satisfied enough with the motion so that you do not notice the gradual ground lost or surrendered to him. This is where life and business can stop because passivity does not respond to pressure well. Moreover, being spiritually numb without sensation leaves you as a paraplegic with little movement.

A boxer swinging without hitting his target becomes tired twice as fast as the boxer who hits his target. 1Cor 9:26 (NIV) ”I do not fight

“If you take just a couple of hours a day to focus on and work on yourself, you’ll see measurable progress.”

-Dr. Mikel Brown like a man beating the air.” More strength is lost swinging wildly in hope that you are going to tag your target. That’s how most people live their life. You are going to have to buckle down and strategize your spiritual life, figure out your finances and give all to your marriage if you want these three areas to be productive.

You are going to have to hurt your own feelings and put yourself in timeout. This year, at this time, you have to start putting things into perspective. Make your life a priority.

You cannot develop and grow without discipline and order. You need a blueprint to build, and you need a plan to grow, and both of these require a change in the way you think.

I want to teach you how to make giving a part of your life the formula for prosperity.

However, it is going to start with teaching you how to manage your life, your business, and your money. The truth hurts, especially when you have enjoyed the luxury of lying to yourself without anyone to challenge it. Or you’ve surrounded yourself with “yes men” who tell you only what you want to hear and not what you need to hear.

The stakes are high, and the battle is on for the welfare of your success. Focused intensity is the key to change. Most people have a difficult time maintaining focus. The greatest example of focused intensity is in sports. Imagine that kind of focused intensity applied to your spiritual JUNE 2022 | 27

spiritual walk, marriage, and church ministry.

Dreaming about where you want to be cannot be realized until you analyze how you got where you are. Until there is a vision coupled with action, your dream is just a simple wish.

People don’t need motivation, people need discipline.

Have you noticed there are people you know who are literally at the same place today as they were five or ten years ago? They have the same dreams, the same problems, the same alibis, and the same way of thinking. They are standing still in life. The biggest room in our house is always the room for selfimprovement. Becoming complacent with being average, or your past success is guaranteed to keep you stagnant. It doesn’t matter where you are in life, from the homeless man to the successful CEO, there’s always room to grow.

Our job in life is not to get ahead of others but to get ahead of ourselves—to break our records, to outperform our yesterdays by doing it better today with more force than ever before. This is why we must emphasize the

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importance of getting connected and staying connected. A single tree, although strong and mighty, cannot be a forest on its own.

The door to opportunity swings on the hinges of opposition. Problems are the price of progress. You cannot bring about renewal or change without confrontation. The truth of the matter is if you like things easy, you will have difficulties. If you welcome problems, you will succeed. People who have this distinctive quality of being able to fight through failure and frustration successfully do not coward down from disappointment and failure. In fact, they are pulled through those difficult times because achieving their goals is far more important than any obstacle they may face.

Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles, and less-than-perfect conditions. So what. Get started now! With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident, and more and more successful.

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CURRENT EVENT

ABORT ABORTION

BY MIKAYLA OLIVER

Anything that alters, suppresses, or destroys a normal healthy function of a woman's natural body, including induced abortion and hormonal birth control, is not healthcare because it does not care for a woman’s health. It deteriorates a woman’s mental, physical, and emotional health.

Abortion and hormonal birth control have caused lasting and sometimes permanent damage to a woman’s health too many times for it to truly be considered healthcare. Furthermore, ending an innocent human life at any age is not healthcare, it is murder.

Abortion is a murderous act carried out in cruel ways causing the baby to experience a painful death. For example, dilation and evacuation abortion utilize a long-toothed clamp to crush and pull apart the living child’s body at random.

Installation abortion is performed by injecting a chemical solution into the womb that causes the baby to experience severe dehydration, and burning of his or her skin, and internal organs, until the baby dies. This solution can take up to two days or more to kill the fetus. The mother is then given medications to go into labor and then deliver the dead baby. In many cases, babies that were subject to this torture are born alive, sometimes with deformities or other serious health problems. Pro-choice advocates claim it’s their

body, therefore, it’s their choice. Yet if these children were granted the opportunity to choose how they pass, many if not all, would plead to be given the chance to live a long and meaningful life instead of dying in such slow and horrendous ways.

There are too many layers of abortion to discuss as to why it should not be supported nor celebrated, and there is simply not enough time to address them all. I don’t believe we should shame a woman who has had an abortion or is considering it. Instead, we should provide the many better options that don’t result in the mother and father being responsible for shedding innocent blood.

Imagine if we instead invested in educating young men to respect women and be disgusted by rape.

What if we had programs for women and men of all ages to appropriately inform them about the beautiful, intricate, and divine design of the male and female body and its ability to reproduce and bring about life. What if we did not allow abusing one’s choice to kill a baby in horrific ways to be a possibility that allowed people to be sexually irresponsible or live out their dreams? What if instead, we reshaped society to respect the sacredness of intimacy and self-control. After all, women are only fertile for up to 72 hours out of each month. Why don’t we invest in building up JUNE 2022 | 31

CURRENT EVENT

the construct of parenthood and not ending it?

Why don't we raise and prepare men and women to be strong and loving parents? What would become of this nation if the leaders and parents in our communities didn’t abuse their authority by passing on generational trauma and bad habits but instead used it to lead others in the right direction?

What if it was more popular to go to church instead of a club or party? Why not encourage our community to get active and remain productive and honorable people of society?

Abortion is a weak little band-aid over a very large wound that is bleeding out. This large wound is a representation of social issues that have been poorly addressed and neglected. Why not invest in creating a society of people with integrity instead of promoting death as the only solution. Why not expose planned parenthood as being motivated by greed and discrimination instead of allowing it to take root in our cities? Planned Parenthood sees women and they see dollar signs. Planned parenthood sees abortion as an opportunity to quietly commit genocide and discriminate against minorities and the poor by strategically placing their clinics in certain areas. Every day Planned Parenthood kills hundreds of thousands of children.

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Literally, carrying out large containers of dead human baby remains from clinics daily. This should not be welcomed. We can be better than that. I encourage the people of God to do all they can to not take part in creating nor continuing this cycle of pain, death, and ignorance, even in the event of unwanted pregnancies. I encourage all believers to research the origins of planned parenthood and the ugly truth they don’t want you to know. We can find a way to provide aid and a better life for both the parents and child. There are already organizations, churches, and charities in place to do so that should be supported and funded by the government and the public.

As a people, we should be fighting together to require our government to provide longer paid paternal leave, safe childcare so that parents can still make their dreams a reality, parenting guidance, and accessible healthcare for the entire family. We should even demand the FDA not to approve toxic ingredients in the food we eat and products we use, require formula companies to use safer product production so we don’t have another formula shortage due to contamination, and many other things we should be advocating for; but not uniting to legalize murdering children for the sake of our own convenience. This nation needs God now more than ever. We must fight the good fight of faith!

The Lost Art of Mentorship Written by Pastor Charles Bennett "Leadership is not magnetic personality, that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not "making friends and influencing people", that is flattery.

Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations."

— Peter F. Drucker

I've heard it said that there is no shortcut to success. Well, if that’s true, then it is also true that some successful people can assist in shortening the process. Now I am not talking about someone who simply gives you advice. I am not talking about an individual who has accumulated a great amount of information. No, I am talking about someone who has not only talked the talk but who has also walked the walk —someone who has set an example. I’m speaking specifically about a trailblazer who has left a path and pattern of success for you to follow.

Understand that your mentor is not the individual who gives you advice. He or she is the individual whose advice you both listen to and apply. Your mentor is not the one whose instructions you listen to, but he or she is the one whose instructions you obey! This is vital because your mentor's hindsight becomes your foresight. What it took them thirty years to learn, you can learn in 3 years. Proper mentorship allows you to go farther, faster, and ascend to higher heights.

Now, this does not suggest that you are better than your mentor because doing greater things does not make you greater than! I simply mean that their ceiling becomes your floor. Their experiences, whether good or bad, provide a road map of what to do and what not to do. You learn from their mistakes and failures, as well as from their successes and victories. Jesus said multiple times in the Holy Bible that "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher."

The purpose of any good and healthy mentorship or life coaching relationship is to bring out the star in you. It is not supposed to subdue it or reproduce carbon copy versions of the individual you’re following. This would be a great place to quote my own mentor. I learned from him that a good leader or mentor should be a cover, not a lid. Through their covering, you are free to explore, discover, and express your unique personality and gifts. Your mentor cannot put greatness in you. His or her purpose is to help you expose the greatness that is already present!

An insecure leader or mentor becomes a lid that locks you in. They suppress and control your expression by not teaching you how to accurately express your uniqueness or by not helping you come into your own. You were never supposed to be them.

On the contrary, you are supposed to be free to be you.

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06.My mentor would often say that we are a product

A true mentor is not solely interested in celebrating you, but he or she also desires to shape you. He or she sees weaknesses in you before you even recognize them. He or she sees potential enemies before you discern that they even exist. He or she has already experienced the pain of a problem that you are about to create. He or she is uncomfortable leaving you where you are, even if you are doing well. Their greatest desire is to push you to not only do better but to also be better!

The Power Protégé

The profession of mentorship and life coaching has increased in popularity over the years and today has become a major theme in many social arenas. So, I think it would be very advantageous for me to share a few things regarding mentorship from the perspective of the protégé.

This mentor and mentee or protégé relationship can provide an individual with great insight, and it can be tremendously beneficial for all parties involved. However, like anything that could be beneficial, there are potential drawbacks. Now, let me make this clear. It would be hypocritical if I discouraged anyone from having a mentor or from being a mentor because I participate in both relationships. Conversely, if either individual has a distorted concept or understanding, this relationship could potentially have an adverse effect.

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of our information. I believe this to be absolutely true. Why? Because it is the information that you receive that affects every area of your life.

Information determines the depth of your perception. It is the foundation for every choice you make or fail to make in life. Information is powerful, and in the hands of a skilled individual, it can deliver powerful results. So, if you desire to improve any area of your life, whether it is your business, your finances, or your family, having the right information can make all the difference. You can't change your habits if you do not first change what you believe. You cannot change what you believe if you do not first change the information you receive.

INFORMATION IS THE KEY! However, in these modern times we live in, information is now accessible to us in so many forms and so many ways—all right at our fingertips. This era is accurately called the information age, with the internet leading the way as the information superhighway. Nevertheless, with so many sources of information, how can you determine who is a credible source and if the information they are offering is valid or trustworthy?

Therefore, having the right mentor is critical.

As I previously stated, a mentor is not simply someone who seeks to give you advice. They are not trying to impress you with their accumulation of information. So here are a few keys to understand if you desire to get the most out of this relationship.

Understanding The Anatomy of a Mentor

A mentor is not a free ticket to provide you entry into the finer things in life. A mentor is not a coattail you can ride on to success. No, a MENTOR is not just a name you can drop to manufacture an opportunity. This individual is so much more. He or she is a gift given to you, and if you disrespect the gift, you can never enjoy the treasures of wisdom that lie within them. Your mentor is not your friend, but he or she is your guide to help you navigate through your course of life. The true desire of every great leader is to leave

leave a legacy. They desire to impart and not impress. Their main goal is to share and deposit a portion of themselves in you that will have an everlasting effect on your life—so that you can duplicate and share with others.

Admire and Don't Covet

You must resist the temptation to covet your mentor's personality. You cannot apply your mentor's personality, but you can apply their principles. You can admire their gifts, abilities, and creativity without despising and undermining your own. Many times, when we admire an individual, we subconsciously and unknowingly try to be that individual. We should examine the principles and attributes that have made these individuals great and not focus so much on their personalities.

The Art of Listening

This is a lost art because everyone thinks they have something to say. Everyone has an opinion and is looking for every opportunity to voice it.

According to Leonardo da Vinci, "The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions." We seem to live in a society that despises authority and rejects leadership.

However, I discovered that an individual is ready to grow when he or she learns to stop talking when their mentor is speaking. Please understand that your mentor does not need what you know.

You need what he or she knows. Develop this gift and it will take you a long way. Well done is always better than well said. When wisdom speaks, be silent and listen!

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By Bishop Mikel Brown

or the many years, I’ve spent being bornagain, my life has been empowered through Christ by His Spirit. The Spirit of God both equips and empowers us for service. One of the spiritual gifts that seem to be more prevalent than any other spiritual gift in my life is the discerning of spirits. Balanced with the Word of God, this gift has guided me through some of the most bizarre times of my life. I didn’t realize how I habitually operated in this gift until 1985. Certain things seemed so apparent to me that I thought, certainly others can see it too. However, to much of my surprise, they could not. An example of this was, that I could clearly see people’s motivating factors behind their decisions, or I could see a believer lying although they claimed to be telling the truth it was obvious to me that they were not.

With this gift, one can easily detect a person’s vulnerability and thus take advantage of the individual. I strongly believe that many pastors operate in the capacity of discernment, for how can one lead without insight?

God gives pastors oversight of the flock, but He also gives them insight so that they can properly lead God’s sheep. Therefore, people who function in this capacity have the potential to damage others when used out of context. We must remember that the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. It brings tears to my eyes as I think about how important the work of God is on this planet, yet we length JUNE 2022 | 36

take much of it for granted. God goes to great lengths to ensure that His work does not fail on the Earth, so he provides a little extra assurance.

Angels are assigned to us, to assist us in the fulfillment of His purpose in our lives and ministry.

Do you recall the story of Elisha? Elisha, the man of God, was telling the king of Israel all that the Syrian army was plotting against them. When the king of Syria heard that Elisha was doing so without the help of a spy, he sought to kill Elisha.

“And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host compassed the city both with horses and chariots.

And, his servant said unto him, Alas, my master!

What shall we do? And he answered, Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:15-17) Those horses and chariots of fire had angelic warriors sitting on them, ready to fight at a moment’s notice. These are the same angels that

were assigned to Elijah, who was taken up in a fiery chariot. When the mantle was passed from Elijah to Elisha, all that accompanied the mantle was inherited by Elisha, angels and all.

Jesus was so open to the spirit realm that He had no problem with detecting the motivation behind people’s actions. Do you have the boldness to correct a brother or sister when they are spiritually out of order? Can you see how this gift is vital for the body of Christ to protect and encourage the saints? This gift is not a natural insight, and it has

nothing to do with fault finding. All who operate in it must be responsible or else, this gift will be abused and lead the user to ruin. The discerning of spirits is the Spirit-given capacity to pierce through all that is outward, to see the heart of the matter. It is discerning the condition of the human heart.

Demons may endeavor to duplicate it, science may attempt to harness its power, and man might even make an attempt to mock it; but one thing is for certain, there is no substitute or philosophical explanation for the genuine thing.

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JUNE 2022 ISSUE

FAITH BASED