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HERE IS WHERE YOU'LL FIND An ongoing series of informational entries FROM ANYTHING ABOUT our monthly newsletters, to events we've hosted, and THE REVELATION WE RECEIVED FROM OUR BIBLE STUDIES! stay tuned!
NEWSLETTER: Here I am
june 2021
The gospel of salvation and the gospel of the kingdom is the door to multiple dimensions of the gospel that brings us into a full measure and growth to experience the fullness of what the kingdom of God has granted us access to. This call is a Heed to go onto maturity in our obedience to our callings. That we move from being babes in Christ to teachers as it is our calling that we might fulfill the mandate God gave to His church. This is where the Lord has been taking us through this year. Let’s take a moment to recapture what God has been doing in our midst as a family and individual lives. This is for the purpose that we can understand the work He has begun and the direction He has been taking us into for completion. Also, to discern the process He has been at work in our spiritual lives and where He is taking us. All things are done within a framed process of time and season under the sun for a specific purpose. It is imperative that we do understand the purpose so that we don’t abort, sabotage, and or resist what God is doing because of our lack of acknowledging the knowledge of His will. The Lord had us in a season and time of preparation until we crossed over in April that we can bear witness to the move of the Holy Spirit that has taking us into a new place in God or place that is new to us. There has been an explosive birth into a new dimension of God’s glory. Let us recapture some moments so that we might see the road in which the Lord has taking us so that we can continue to mature, grow, and advance in the direction He is leading us in the kingdom of God. In January, God called us to prepare for the glory. This is where we had to bring things into alignment and restoration in our priesthood. A focus on being intentional about God presence being in the midst of us as a life and ministry as well as in the local assembly. Then in February, we were called to position and posture ourselves to be a conduit and receiver of the glory. This is where transformation in our mind and repentance was required in order to receive the opportunity to step into a new dimension of glory that comes from the kingdom of God. There was a focus on showing yourself worthy of such a place by making life adjustments to be found worthy of the price/responsibility to the King who was bringing the glory. In March, the newsletter talked on releasing the glory. This is where God was calling us to a identifying to whom did you receive the anointing, grace and impartation of the glory. The focus was on understanding the difference of being gifted/talented and being anointed. Thus emphasizing that God release from His presence alone and through human agents signified by the anointing of the Holy Spirit and power. This is where the Holy Spirit was bringing awareness of the anointing is the difference and identifying the place of release. This where awareness was placed upon the secret place and the open place working together with the assignment the Lord has called us to operate within. In the month of April, the Lord drew our hearts from one glory to a whole new glory. This glory pressed upon us all to a call of obedience. An obedience that would bring a supernatural change, supernatural growth, and a supernatural thrust into the New Dimension that required us to yield to the completion of what God did in those months to bring us into this new place that we are in. In May, God required an obedience that had us to focus on why obedience is better than sacrifice and why God rather have mercy then judgment. The Holy Spirit led us into the heart of the Father in understand that obedience is what God wants from us and understand that where His mercy is found. God revealed that ultimately that his plan to bring mercy hinges on our obedience to believe in Him and extending that mercy through obedience to the assignment that manifests that glory. As we enter the month of June, we can clearly see the process the Lord has been taking us through to perfect our obedience so that He can fulfilled what He has promised us as a ministry of ministries. Everything that is found under the sun coming from the kingdom of God is not without purpose. God’s glory came to bring us into the new and His glory comes with responsibilities. The instructions, the mandate, and responsibility will always be new and different when we are thrust into a new glory. This brings us into heeding the call with the attitude of being ready to obey as the waves of the glory of Lord will become larger and larger in the coming months. This requires what I paraphrase what I heard Joshua Selman say “absolute Faith in God calling you to demonstrate unwavering obedience.” This brings a demand on our obedience to take on a new attitude of being successful in the assignment He calls us to. Now that we are in the new can you see where the Lord has been taking us into in His glory. The glory that is sobering and awestruck, in which we can’t deny that the Lord is drawing us to respond and move into action. I will like to share a few characters in the bible who gave the right response to God when they were found in awestruck or an awaken place to the presence and voice of God. These characters and description is from a writer that wrote a small summary that I believe you will get the clear picture. “God called out to them.
Abraham answered, “Here am I” in Genesis 22 when God called him to test his faith by sacrificing Isaac and answered the same again when the angel of God called him to stop him from the slaying. Abraham was ready and obeyed. Jacob also answered, “Here am I” when God and an angel of God appeared in his dreams. He left his father-in-law Laban to start the nation of Israel, and later brought his family to Egypt to survive the famine. Jacob was ready and obeyed. Moses answered, “Here I am” when God called him from the burning bush. In Exodus, he freed and led the Jewish people out of Egyptian bondage. Moses was ready and obeyed. When Samuel was a young child living with the prophet Eli, God called him three times during the night, and Samuel responded, “Here I am.” Samuel spent his whole life dedicated to doing God’s work. Samuel was ready and obeyed. When God sought a righteous person to go on His commission, Isaiah responded, “Here I am. Send me!” Isaiah is one of the greatest prophets of all time. Isaiah was ready and obeyed. All these men heeded God’s call by responding, “Here am I.” The depth of their faith in God was expressed in their obedience. They were ready, willing, and obeyed.”
Are you ready, and willing to obey?
Dream encounter
I will like to share a dream I had last year between April and May to give you insight into the near future of The School of The Joshua Ministries.
I had a dream I was walking on this back road near an ocean. On this road, I heard the sound of these sea creatures. I looked to see that they were whales in the water. Many whales and they came up on the shore and one close to me as I was that close to the ocean and sea. I ran and notice a road that cars were driving up on and the cars seem to disappear. It was like I repeated that seen and the road came to an end and was know cars were able to ride up that road or even could be able to walk on. So I ran to find another road to walk on then I awoke. The Lord said those are the nations of the world coming to you. Don’t run from the assignment. I do remember feeling like Jonah when one whale came as close to my feet. God said there will be no road for you to run away from the assignment so that you know that this is of my doing. Trust me that this is my plan for you. I am God and I change not. I’m not like man that I should lie nor the son of man that I should change my mind. This is my will concerning you.
I felt the sweet presence of the Lord on my head like one pouring oil on the top of my head. He said be sanctified in Me, be set apart for Me.
Isaiah 55:5... was a scripture giving by my brother Damion who had known ideal what the Lord said to me early that morning.
It is evident that the Lord required obedience from me and a response to heed His call. All who consider themselves to be a son, daughter, mother, and brother in this house will be in some way called to serve to meet the demands that the nations will be calling for our aid and help with the gospel of the kingdom. I share this because all who are a part of this ministry are being called to serve in obedience where God is calling us all to into this ministry. This is an assignment that the Lord will bring to pass in this house that will require unwavering faith demonstrated in unwavering obedience. His glory has come to stay, bring us into the fulfillment of prophecy, and follow us while acting upon His call.
NEWSLETTER: From Glory to Glory
April 2021
The glory of God is ever increasing in the life of every believer that is intentional about his or her growth in the kingdom. Partaking in the divine nature of God is for the role that God calls each of us into His Spirit to manifest His glory on the earth. There is a strong desire in each and every one of us to bring glory to God’s name. It is a yearning that God puts in us to manifest His glory. As it is written, Colossians 1:27, To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. As you can see this yearning is a hope in us that is like a magnetic pull for the glory of God. This is important to understand and to seize every moment and opportunity to bring glory to God when each circumstance, situation, and or scenario presents itself. **Note** When God creates or orchestrates this it is important for the believer to operate in the Spirit and not on logic or reason. God uses all things (circumstance, situations, test/trials, etc.) to work together for the purpose to release the glory of God. That said it is important for us to understand that this won’t happen unless we apply faith with His works.
As I heard in a prophetic fellowship, I had last month. The words were given that I couldn’t deny that it was truly God instructing me, “It is not in the release, it’s in obedience.”
It’s in our obedience that the anointing is released. This requires a sacrifice of self in order to do the service of God to experience His manifest glory.
Jesus shows us a pattern by going into the wilderness in the fullness of the Holy Spirit and comes out to enter into the promise with the power of the Holy Spirit for the people of God. He restored the place we were called to live. This place is called the kingdom of God where the true milk and honey of the HOLY GHOST would flow in our ministry when we follow His footsteps of obedience.
Before we go on, it is important to understand why we are going from glory to a new glory that the Lord is calling us to. The how and why it’s coming about?
As we saw in last months teaching Moses and Joshua, Saul and David had to contend for a place in that which was promised by fighting the evil eye of unbelief to open a way for another generation. Moses and Saul both fail at the instruction given to them. Yes, it is true that Moses as well as Saul didn’t make it to their promise and there is another generation that is to carry it over into the new. David and Joshua had to learn their anointing in the wilderness by going through the same lesson in which they had to come to grips that obedience is better than sacrifice. Joshua and David could have died in the wilderness believing that this was the way it’s going to be but they didn’t. They ultimately had to learn that within their obedience the glory that God announced over them both was to be released from the highest place of authority they were called to. This would later serve as an example for the people of God as a contact point. That we are all called to serve from a place we would be seated and the glory being released from that specific place. As it is written, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13). As God promised us by His Spirit that we would be seated in Christ and so that which comes from above can be made manifest on earth through us (Ephesians 2:6, Romans 8:9). That the demonstrated power of God and His Spirit shows forth that Jesus is the Risen King (Acts 2:32-33, 1 Corinthians 2:4-6).
The reason why He is calling us to this:
Luke 1:68-72
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
The Lord is doing all of this because of what He has promised and spoken through His prophets what would come. He is inviting us to co-labor and partake in a work in His kingdom to perform His mercy within the New Covenant. He is visiting His people and He is calling us to be apart of manifesting the visitation of the Lord. This is where we transition from being into the school of Joshua and into The Joshua Ministries. The reason why the Lord brings about a revival-like move to manifest His glory is to fulfill what He has promised.
Although God is bringing us out of the school format doesn’t mean we stop being students of His Word and the Holy Spirit. This means that God doesn’t want talkers, He wants doers.
So let us go unto glory that is no longer a veil to us and Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you (Isaiah 60:1, 2 Corinthians 3:18) Amen.
Dream encounter
I had a dream I was walking on this roadside and I entered into this big front yard. The yard was an acre or more. I entered into a fenced area that looked like a farm or pasture. It was a huge yard with all kinds of dogs. The dogs started to come at me. They seemed like they wanted to attack as they charged at me. I began to prophesy to each dog. Each dog transformed into a person. Then they all sat at my feet and waited as if they wanted to hear intently what I wanted to share with them. Like a sheep to a shepherd. They were different types of people and nationalities too. Then I awoke!
We are entering into a spiritual Canaan and preparing for this entry is key to obeying what God is calling us to do. Looking at this dream will require us to do something we have never done before under pressure. Preparing for that which is in the here and now of the Kingdom of God will only be walked out by being in the Spirit. In order to see the fulfillment of what God promised to us as His servants, we would need to set ourselves apart as all of those in Hebrew 11 have done.
We need to come to the Lord like never before in humility (fasting) and seeking (prayer) His face to see this come to pass in our day. Now is the Time!
NEWSLETTER: Release the Glory
March 2021
Releasing the Glory is releasing what you received. That anointing is the river that breaks through on your enemies. A question to ask yourself is if you have received an anointing? And if you did, how do you release?
Let me tell you a true story. In 2008, I was watching a documentary on Smith Wigglesworth who was called the Apostle of faith of his time who operated in great signs and wonders. As I continued to watch this documentary, the presence of God entered the room. I felt as if someone placed a blanket over my shoulders from where I was seated. It was evident that in that moment I had received from the very presence and glory of the Lord. It was on me, but did I operate in that anointing immediately afterwards? No, I had no idea that what needed to be done next was to “release it”. I discovered that I needed to activate or stir up, that which the Lord gave me in order to release it.
What has God said, deposited, or imparted in you that you will be walking in?
Has the glory of the Lord been laid upon you in a tangible way, but you haven’t yet operated in it?
Let’s talk about identifying this and why.
To identify you have to ask yourself these questions: Who has imparted the life of God in me? Was it your current leadership or someone in the past? And what ministry life and anointing did they impart into me?
This is essential to identifying what God has placed on your life and ministry. The focus of this identification is to honor the Lord so that you might be found worthy and fit to be established in the work the Lord has called you to in this hour.
First and foremost, before honor is bestowed to operating in the glory of the Lord there needs to be understanding in walking in humility to receive such grace (Proverbs 18:12). This is important to acknowledge where you have received it and who (The Lord) authorized you to legally operate in His will. The type of humble vessels the Lord gives grace to, are the ones who give honor, and credit to whom is it due. That is a prophetic declaration of humility. This is making an announcement of what God has done and the Holy Ghost will testify to it with signs following.
By now, you should have discerned who has laid hands or imparted a prophetic word on your life to receive a distinct anointing.
Why Identify:
The reason it is important to identify this is to understand what God has given you. He has given us each treasured hid in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7). This is important to know so that you can learn to steward that which he has given you and be active in it to advance the kingdom of God. ***Note*** God will teach you wisdom in how to manifest or release the glory of God that He has been preparing you in time past for such a time as now.
Identify the anointing:
It is important for everyone to understand that I am using the word glory and anointing interchangeably. They are both tokens or signets of the King of glory. Let’s look at some examples. Jesus was anointed for this purpose:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (Isaiah 61:1).
Solomon was anointed for this purpose:
God said to Solomon, "Since this is your heart's desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions, and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have." Both were giving an anointing for someone else’s good and this is true for each of us.
There are a few others I can speak of when it comes to the anointing that has been imparted in TSOTJM but I share these two individuals anointing with the intention to help each of you identify what God has been speaking concerning you.
It is evident that the graces of both Jesus and Solomon's anointing operates at some measure in The School of The Joshua Ministries.
Activating and stirring the anointing to release the glory in the secret place:
Anyone can have a gift or a talent but the anointing is a gift packaged in the presence of the Lord that comes from above. Furthermore, it is of extreme importance to follow the examples of those who pave the way to receive, activate and release this glory of the Lord in their sphere of influence.
Here is an example found by instructions giving to Saul by Samuel the prophet.
1 Samuel 10:3-6
"Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them. After that, you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, timbrels, pipes, and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them, and you will be changed into a different person.
We need to have the intent to follow the Lord's instruction, consume the word He gives without question, present our bodies for worship and allow His spirit to come upon us in a fresh way to do what He called us to do. We will be sure that we have what we received (Mark 11:24).
Let us stir up what we have received to release the glory.
"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands." (2 Tim 1:6)
The purpose of releasing the glory:
There is always a place for the anointing to operate but it’s in the secret place where you find the “why” in releasing.
In this secret place, you will have identified what plow God has called your hands to be placed upon. Walk-in confidence and assurance in knowing that God will be with you, favor you and prosper your way. Like Samuel said to Saul, “Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.”
1 Samuel 10:7.
The reason behind releasing the glory:
The Bible has many individuals who understood that what they received from God was for His purpose. The glory of the Lord is to bring the purposes of God through humble service. “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many, (Matthew 20:28). Let us follow in the same footsteps of our Lord and Savior to receive His praise.
Releasing the glory in the open:
It is evident in the story I shared earlier that I was in the secret place and that is where I received something giving by the Lord. It has been spoken over my life the work I would do in the Lord but I still needed to activate it in the secret place. I began to grow in my understanding then but my lack of knowledge failed me in releasing such anointing in the open for others' good. I failed to realize that the two worked together. For example, These are two that cannot be without: you can’t have super without the nature, light without the dark, good without the evil, and so on. Jesus said it this way, But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:6). The glory you receive from the secret place will only be confirmed or released when you go to the “open” place it is for.
Our assignment in the release:
The release of the glory is connected to our assignment corporately and individually. Our assignment is connected to the open. This glory and placement is in the revival of the Lord. I would like to bring you up to speed at this present moment that revival is here and knowing our assignment in this revival is crucial in seeing the success of the Lord in the sphere of influence that places us.
Another thought that is worthy of consideration is that no revival comes without faith and confrontation in the realm of the spirit. Revival is confrontation to the kingdom of darkness and our enemy is territorial who works legalistic to keep that which he has stolen. One of the greatest revival recorded in the Old Testament is Israel's conquest to the promise land. They had to confront their enemies to receive what was promise them. They could only release the glory that they had to learn to steward in the secret place of the wilderness that followed them by night and day. This is what we will be journeying through this month as we follow the Lord into the secret place that He will require us to release what we receive in the earth. I believe the Lord is calling us to release the glory of the Lord for such a time as now. I hope your ready for this release in your life by Almighty God. It’s Time!!!
Dream encounter
I had a dream that I was in what seems to be a school. I have never been to this school. There were classrooms that specific to what students were learning. The one I was in was coed base. There was a girl who came to me in the class and her interaction was one of seduction and immediately the dream switch as if the Lord snatched me away to where I was now in the hallway. I then walk to see the classroom I was in. Above the top of the door it said something like “Land of Canaan,” or “Art of Canaan,” it was written in a bold royal blue colored plaque. It seems like a class of art or some sort. Then I see my teammates from college waking down the hallway and they said where is the class. I pointed in there. That was the wrong class and they came out and the view was widening. This was when I notice the name of the class. They said we are going in for our team pics. So I walked from the class in what looks like a food court or cafeteria. The rest of my football team was there. I walked by a younger athlete that I played with that I notice was now getting playing time and a starting position now that played the same position said I’m going to score 30 touchdowns and I said that’s good. I walked by him and went through a door and I entered a skyscraper room. There was transparent glass everywhere. This room had some sort of machinery that would be in a working room in the highest room. I notice a very large stadium but I couldn’t make out that it was that but my spirit interpreted that’s what it was. I kept walking and this is when I notice how high up that the view down below reminded me of how it looks if someone was in a skycap room or skyscraper and or airplane. Everything looks small below. I was a little afraid that everything would cave in. I could see through the floor and windows at the same time. I was incredibly high. Then I awoke.
There is much to unfold in this dream but the main focus I will like to bring to your attention is that we are being called to go into a territory that is the “Land of Canaan.” There is much to conquer in this territory in the realm of the spirit that we will learn together. This dream reveals that we are entering into a class short-lived to move in our assignment that is from the Lord in this ministry. Let us consider being active in the secret place so that we can see the glory of God released in the open.
NEWSLETTER: Receiving the Glory
February 2021
“It is impossible for us to receive it carnally.
The temple that Solomon had just finished, all of its ornaments were in place, all furniture was placed in the right order and the priest was ready to minister as praises went forth and suddenly the Glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests were unable to minister or perform their service because of the cloud. (2 Chronicles 5:13-14). When a cloud like that comes we have to adjust to accommodate the glory and presence of the Lord in our lives. We have to move from the natural to the spiritual in order to receive it.
Jesus says in John 3:3 and 5 "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.. no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” Lastly, Jesus says to give identification of something I believe we missed in His message to Nicademos. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
One thing I know is this truth: the Spirit is ALWAYS moving and blowing on the sons of God. I believe this is a perpetual movement of Himself within and amongst those who believe and interact with Him. This is important for us to understand so that we can recognize and acknowledge Him so that we can receive Him.
“Come and See”
We have to hunger for what we don’t have. That’s the principle behind “they who hunger and thirst they will be filled..” Mark 6:31-32.
"Jesus said to them, `Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while.' Many people were coming and going. They could not even eat. So they went away in a boat to a lonely place by themselves."
"Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, And he looked at Jesus as He walked along, and said, 'Look! There is the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Him. But Jesus turned, and as He saw them following Him, He said to them, 'What are you looking for? And what is it you wish?' And they answered Him, 'Rabbi—which translated is Teacher—where are You staying?' He said to them, 'Come and see'. So they went and saw where He was staying, and they remained with Him that day. It was then about the tenth hour."
John 1:35-39
There are rewards that faith requires us to leave people, places and things behind to diligently seek God who can only teach you what your life means in Him. Charge of God remnant. “Go and See” and “Go and Tell.”
"As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent."
Exodus 33:9-11
We have to long to hear His voice and communion with Him and tell others of His goodness.
2 Kings chapters 7 & 8
His glory never comes without instructions and an assignment that is connected to your future and someone else. This is important to discerning His voice for your life and others. God's voice is like many waters, sound likes a roar and the land radiates with His glory (Ezekiel 43:2).
Jeremiah 23:23
God speaks near and far. Our assignment could be a "right now" and/or that which will develop over the course of days, weeks, months and or years. Nevertheless, there is a beginning process that we have to initiate to partner with heaven for the fulfillment of that word over one's life or others. Our priesthood depends on it and where we receive that right of authority to. In Acts 2:1 they were at their tent of meeting and suddenly the Lord came and filled their temple and their response changed them and those around them. I believe because they understood in order to receive they must obey the Lord. The Lord's charge has never changed. When you receive power, then go (ref. Matthew 28:19-20)!
They had to understand that they could not go in their own might or power, but by the Spirit. Then they came to what I believe to be the conclusion as we look deeply in the book of Acts. We have to understand that the Holy Spirit was never meant for a building, but it’s where you are. Our experiences of the glory of God happens because we become willing to receive it and administer it wherever we are at. Warnings and red flags that lead to one's hardness of heart causing us to fail in the ability to receive are: questioning God's authority, being a spectator instead of participating, and finding fault with the way God chooses to manifest Himself. We have already gone through the understanding of judging others' freedom last month of Michal's reaction to David worship before the Lord that she never gave birth to a child. Another scene is found in 2 Kings 7:1-2 & Numbers 13:32 that describe judging not the report of the Lord before its time. You will be able to see it but not partake of it. Be careful of pride, lying in your commitment to Him and taking the glory that belongs to the Lord when these times of refreshing come. Please read (Joshua 7 & Acts 5:1-11). Your obedience to receive the Glory will bring your steps in ordinance with the Lord to pick the ripe of the harvest and that will be "easy and light" (ref. Matt 12:1, Matt 11:28-30).
Dream encounter
January 1st, 2021
I had a dream that I was in this gym and there were teachers there. The gym had large windows you can see through. I could see big tall wheat grass outside the windows. We all got our roles and assignments. It was as if the teachers got the class they were teaching. Although we were in the gym it didn't mean we were all gym teachers. I could tell I was the gym teacher. Once we got our role and assignments then the students came. I then switched from being in a gym to now being in a stadium. It was like I was there, but not there. It then transitioned from being there at the gym to me being at a college game.
This was a half sized stadium, but I knew it was a college. The scene switched and I was with Pastor Ashley. It was like we were talking and viewing the gym that I had been in, but then it went from us being in the gym to us being able to see from a bird's eye view. We were leaving the gym bleachers inside the high school gym to now be able to view a whole town/county, then viewing the college stadium I had just been at. Ashley and I were talking the whole time about the gym and the stadium and reminded me of Sarah and Abraham having a conversation with the 3 angels. The only difference was that I was the one laughing and making jokes saying "you teasing and messin with me because I am in the gym". Then I awoke.
A lot has already been changing with Pastor Ashley and I ever since I had been given that dream. In one aspect it spoke a lot about where God is taking us TSOTJM. We had to make changes in our mindsets during our time of fasting and prayer in order to prepare for what God enabled us to see in the birds eye view. In addition, we needed to receive His desire to continue to follow the Lord in how He transitions this ministry. It is evident in this dream that when the glory comes it causes us to see things from God's perspective so that we can make the right changes to handle the capacity of this type of glory to be made manifest. We have to make adjustments in how we see with viewing from the outside in rather than from an inside view outward. This can limit our vision and influence of ministry in the kingdom without renewing the inward man (ref. John 3:3, 2 Corinthians 4:16). Let us receive this vision and mandate of the ministry as we walk together to fulfill God's agenda for us.
NEWSLETTER: Glory of God
January 2021
“Glory of the Lord”
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruptIon:
43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:41-44
There is nothing compared to His glory, His infinite nature and intimate Love for us as His church that He has purchased by His blood. In this New Year, we have a living hope because He is Everlasting Father knowing our beginning and stands at the end. I say with faith, declaring and decreeing you’re blessed in 2021 according to Deuteronomy 28. I decree and declare no weapon formed against you shall prosper of the plans, plots and schemes of the enemy according to Isaiah 54:17. I reverse and come against all seeds planting by the enemy in 2020 in your life and decree that they will not take root. That they will not be nurtured and incubated. I destroy them now in Jesus' name. I call upon the Lord to release now His seeds of hope and faith, holiness and godliness, prosperity and success to be planted in your mind, body, soul and spirit to produce life after His salvation and that you will eat of the fruit in 2021 in Jesus Name. Amen!
I will like to share there is a harvest coming on the seeds of tears, fasting and praying, faith and faithful ministry, walking in the humility and fear of the Lord, repentance, and obedience towards God in 2020. There is much to say that has been accomplished in 2020 from establishing an online global missions school, miracles and healings took place, the salvation of souls, provide thousands of dollars to those in need during the peak of COVID-19, and that The School of The Joshua Ministries have been recognized as an apostolic ministry in February and released in ordination in December of 2020 by Apostle La Shea Mckinney who is our covering in the ministry. There is much to look back on but we must press toward the goodness of the Lord and the glory that shall be revealed. I would like to bring in to our remembrance of this truth written in scripture For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).
What’s ahead and how do we prepare?
I will like to come to you in revelations of the Church to whom the Lord takes preeminence of His own body in which direction it is going. I had a dream that I was on the outside of the City of Refuge. I walked into the church and herald that revival is coming. For the glory of the LORD WILL RETURN TO THIS HOUSE. The GLORY shall be greater than the former. While saying this I can feel the presence of the leader of the former glory.
This is coming to the body of Christ and I believe the Lord is bringing this to our house and preparation is needed.
When we go into the Bible we see that there are vows needed to be restored in order to be a conduit of the glory of God. Prepare a place for the presence of God is the requirement. Most in the previous and now generation has prepare a place for themselves rather than for God. Christ needs to be restored as the preeminent one (Colossians 1:15-19). This is something the early disciples understood by the command of the Lord in Acts 1 before going into all the world to preach the gospel. In the days of David we see that God was radiating him up as king and in detail there were decisions he had to make in order to walk in the fullness of God to set the stage for Christ to come through His seed. Let us redeem the time and prepare for what is to come.
Sanctification and consecration is vital for God's priest before serving the Lord. This is why we fast and pray to present our bodies as His priest, workman, and servants for His workmanship to be established on the earth. These are things we will fast and about for 21 days. This will be broken down on a weekly basis and it will be important to walk on this journey with each other in prayer, study, and sharing our experiences during this fast.
NEWSLETTER: Tend Your Sheep.. They'll wait
december 2020
““So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
1 Samuel 16:11-12
Tend Your Sheep
Though his life would be on the line, Samuel was sent by God to perform the task of anointing another as king during King Saul’s reign. The one who would deemed next to be king would be a son of Jesse. As you already know, David was not even part of the original line up of the sons which Jesse had made present to be consecrated and become anointed.
Why?
Because he was out tending the sheep.
The Lord was speaking to Samuel as he was passing each of Jesse’s sons. One by one, God was saying “I’ve rejected that one”, “Nope. Not him”, “Next.”. To view one simply based off of their “appearance” or “height” (1 Sam. 16:7) would be invalid.
To view an individual in the church with a title being holier than thou would be invalid.
To view one’s way of outward prayer as having a tight bond with the Lord would be invalid.
God wanted this man-of-God, Samuel, to stay in spirit to look at the heart as Christ did. David was the youngest of the Jesse clan and probably disregarded by his older siblings, but there was something about him that led to his anointing. Something about his heart that made him a beautiful candidate for kingship.
Consider Your Service
Once all the men were spiritually inspected, we have the famous line of “Are these all the sons you have?” (v. 11). I’d imagine Samuel standing there thinking “Now God...I know I heard you right. You did say it would be a son of Jesse, correct?”. There was no time to dilly-dally, so Samuel and his God-given authority says, “send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” (v.11).
Did you catch that?
David's brothers and father were going to wait right where they were for him. David was not where everyone else was because he was doing what he needed to be doing: tending the sheep as his act of service. David knew his duty and did not rush his process because it came right into his hands. Do not rush YOUR process.
I’d envision that even in his youth he had to have the wisdom and mentality of how to properly aide the sheep with nourishment, lead them around the pasture, make sure one doesn’t leave the 99, and even protecting them from lions and bears. All of which are the qualities of God and a great leader. He had an awareness of where he needed to be. He didn’t move from his post. He didn’t decide that weaving baskets would be better suited for him, nor did he determine that he should be a tax collector. He would have completely missed out on this opportunity of being anointed as King if he moved too soon.
Nevertheless, David was out with the flock and Samuel was still waiting alongside David's family and needed to anoint someone. Everyone was on standby until David came. Once Jesse sent for his son it was almost immediately when the Lord said “Anoint him” (v. 12).
Are you questioning whether you are good enough, your occupation, appearance, age, etc.? Because, let me tell you, while there may be time to think on those thoughts while on your pasture, don’t forget that you are right where you need to be.
Your time has come!
Wear YOUR anointing
Even though David was anointed he didn’t sit on the throne until later. Need I remind you all, he was anointed, NOT on the throne, plus still had to endure multiple attempted murder attacks, death threats, word curses, wars, plots and schemes.
Can any of you relate?
One scenario in particular where only David’s anointing was best suited for him was when he had to reject Kings Saul’s tunic, armor, and helmet (1 Sam. 17:38) and fight against a 9-foot giant with only what he’s been graced to carry: stones and a slingshot. That was what he could sustain. That was HIS anointing. Anything added to that could have been what made this monumental moment in history more of an “airball” moment. A complete miss.
To conquer your Goliaths’ mean that you will need to wear your own anointing. David needed to fight the way he had already been prepared to do so. The bear and lion didn’t come into his presence so that he could run away then they would be able to get a meal, set up camp, and then procreate there. He needed to defeat these beasts to take on THE BEAST.
What do your beasts look like that are causing you to “flight” rather than “fight”?
No matter the appearance, all assignments given to you do not require you to wear what somebody else has. You have been called to wear what God has tailored-made for you alone since the foundation of the world. You have been grafted to triumph! The stone that killed Goliath wasn't the only thing that left an impact. King Saul and the other soldiers didn’t even know what hit them either. They were left asking "who was this boy?", but I'm sure they got all their questions answered when he came back with Goliath’s head in hand.
God is ready for His people to have a heart like David. To repent if there has been failure, to Seek Him with hunger and passion, to trust that even in the midst of Giants, swords, and spears that God will prevail.
So I end with this: David went through many trials and tribulations, envy, he was looked down on; physically, yet spiritually encountered battles with a lion, bear, and Goliath; even faced betrayal. There is a conformity of the suffering of Christ we join into that we begin to partake of His divine nature.
Keep being faithful because it’s God who does the exalting by anointing the humble and those who wait and diligently seek Him.
Remember, they don't know who you are and who you'll be, but they will just have to sit and wait while you come and get your anointing.
-Pastor Ashley
NEWSLETTER: It Will Come by Relationship
November 2020
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows,” James 1:17. All things that come from above go to those who are focusing their attitude, motives and desires centered around Jesus. There is only one thing that gets God attention, those that seek God to be close to Him. I am reminded on the day of Pentecost when they (the church) where all on one accord in one place seeking God’s face and suddenly that which is good, pure, peaceful, gentle, full of mercy, of all mighty power, the consuming fire, and good fruit came as a mighty rushing wind in which we know as the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit filled the house and the people.
The Holy Spirit gave them tongues of fire and utterance that changed the trajectory of their life together and ministry. What attracted the Holy Spirit, which is good that came from above? A people whose hearts were in search of Him and whose desires became one with His. Are we called to be these people? Is this God’s will for us? Who are we as The School Of The Joshua Ministries? It has been prophesied numerous times, and I believe the Lord is saying to go to Jerusalem and don’t leave from this place until you receive what the Father has promised. This place called Jerusalem was a symbol of where we first started with Him. A place we can call the secret place. A place where we draw nigh to God and He draws nigh to us. A place where you first encountered Him as Hosanna and He appointed you. The place you found out what you have been called to for such a time as now. This is only found and comes by relationship with Jesus. These words have been a constant voice of the Lord to us as a ministry, that we are an Acts 2 Church, Kingdom Church, a remnant Church, and Assemblies of Nations. I believe the Lord is saying, “Now is the time to arise, step-out, and come forth into that who He has called us to be”.
Dream Encounter:
“In this dream immediate find myself in what seems to be a church. I didn’t know that this was a church at the time. My brother was sitting down as if he was getting loose and stretching like an athlete. I noticed a football by him and I was on a turf that looked like my brother’s gym. I felt elusive and young. I grabbed the football and ran with the ball in a high knee position and making a move. Then I notice Prophet Mike and Prophet Damion there. They were throwing a football to each other. I then sat down in this pew. Then I noticed this was a church but inside an indoor athletic facility. As I sat, Prophet Mike says to me, in order to do an assembly of nations it will come by relationship. I looked at him with a smile and said, you know I know that. He then kept throwing the football. Then he walks over to Prophet Damion and begins to prophecy to him in his ear. Prophet Mike walks and sits down in a pew behind me to my right. I said better yet I agree, relationship is the way. Then I see all these young adults in the church. Then music came on that my wife had played before. It was a fast beat praise song. People were grooving to the song while they were seated. Then I noticed that it was offering time because there was this offering thing handed down. I saw the first one and it passed by me. I looked back and another came and I grabbed it and pulled a wallet out my pocket and open it up to take money out. When I went to go pull money out to give it, it had writing on the money. I had two $20 dollar bills. One $20 bill said “Hannah is faithful” and the other $20 bill said “Joshua is in order.” I grabbed the one that said “Hannah is faithful” and put it in the offering thing. Then I thought to myself, I gave an offering already and I said in my heart, I am looking for something bigger and saw a large amount in my minds eye. After giving, I see Prophet Damion come over behind me about two seats back and lay his hand on one of the saints knee who was there sitting. Then Prophet Michael laid his hands on top Prophet Damion hands. Prophet Damion prayed for healing and Prophet Mike put his hand on top to touch and agree. Then the song switched. Come alive, come alive dry bones, and then something came up on my left looking demonic seemingly trying to interfere. Then I woke up.
These words came to me, “Assembly of Nations comes by Relationship”.
There is no good thing that is withheld from those who walk in relationship with the Lord. Good thing meaning God’s purpose and plan that is your life calling. He is calling us to be an Assembly of Nations. This was the Acts Church destiny and it is ours. Let us focus on relationship with Jesus like never before. That means being intentional, purposeful, and determined in all that you are being and doing with the intent of centering it around and within your relationship with the Lord Jesus. For in him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:8).
As we go even more deeper in our relationship with Jesus, the Lord will show himself strong towards us. 2 Chronicles 16:9.
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. That’s good news!!! Let us not look back, and move ahead by following that which has been written. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14.
NEWSLETTER: build your house and dwell in it
october 2020
The kingdom of Judah had gone through a rough patch…in fact, rough years. A certain prophet named Jeremiah spent 40 years preaching and prophesying to the Judah. Jeremiah was constantly used as God’s vessel and poured his heart out with each message, which the people rejected.
“The message of judgement for wrongdoing is followed by the restorative power of forgiveness and new life: to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant”
One of the key elements here is the restorative nature following the destruction. I believe that we, as a church body, have had a glimpse of what the year 2020 vision was supposed to be. Almost as if a blind person gaining sight, but not quite comprehending what is being seen just yet because of living so long without sight. We were still utilizing other senses to interpret what was just given to us.
Now, as days and months go by we are growing to recognize what had been lost and what is growing instead.
Something greater.
Something stronger.
Something resilient and indestructible.
Years ago, my parents decided to buy a “fixer upper”. My father always had the eye to see a home and what could be improved on it to increase its value. The home we moved into was a small one-level home with a basement with many improvements needed, BUT in a great school zone and awesome neighborhood. You could say, this house was the ugly duckling of the neck of the woods.
Inside the home, the temperature fluctuated with the outside climates. I remember the summer times being hot and winters feeling like Alaska. Our ugly duckling getting a makeover was the talk of the town (or, the local newspaper). Seasons passed before that home was finished and it was a glorious moment. The one-level home with 3 rooms became a 2 level with 6+ bedrooms a renovated kitchen and added deck.
“Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them...”
Jeremiah 29:5
The house that you build will bring blood, sweat and tears, but it will be a rewarding process when you get the added growth in level in your spiritual walk. You’ll be surprised in the heart expansion and capacity to house and minister to others.
⁃ Pastor Ashley
Pastor Joshua's Dream encounter:
I had a dream where I was at a grocery store and I was watching a cashier who had it in her mind to witness to two guys who was now in the parking lot that recently left the store. They got into their cars and went home. I had seen how the Lord gave her a vision of where these two individuals lived. Immediately I am at the door with the young cashier lady and now present with her knocking at the door in the dream. I knocked on the door and a guy open the door to an apartment of guys who stayed there. I explained I had a dream to share with you them and they welcomed us in. We entered in and I shared the vision and their eyes were opened wide. They said they had left from the airport to come home and went to the grocery store and it seemed like they got to their house so fast they didn’t understand what that meant. I asked them to bring the driver out and one went to the back said shockingly, “No way”. I then shared that God wanted to bring salvation to this home. These men were receptive. As I went to minister and pray for these guys to receive Christ. I then awoke.
I believe that God is calling us to build in places that are not the church “norm” and to dwell in them. This will be where God will build us first, prune us to bear more fruit in our spiritual walk, and call us dwell in places spiritually we have never been. The shift into the new has taken place and now God will thrust us into Apostolic and prophetic Evangelism. This is where He is taking us as a church. The time is Now!
NEWSLETTER: KINGDOM PEOPLE ARISE
SEPTEMBER 2020
As the Lord begun to share with me about this article, He revealed two dreams that highlighted a shift that is taking place in the ministry.
A spiritual shift that will manifest in the natural.
The revelation, “Behold I am doing a new thing,” (Isaiah 43) pointed to His manifest spirit and presence that will authorize this change. This is where the omnipresence becomes the manifest presence of God that comes on His people. I am reminded of the following scripture in Isaiah.
“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honor me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.” - Isaiah 43:19-21
This “new thing” has been cocooned and is about to take on a new form that we have yet to see. That is what you call MANIFESTATION. John the Baptist prophesied said “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven." (John 3:27)
The disciples who followed Jesus didn’t experience the fulfillment of this prophesy until after Jesus was resurrected. Jesus had told them to go to Jerusalem and to wait for the newness that was promised to them.
This is the result of the new that all believers should press towards when there is a call to shift into what has been instructed to us in the gospels. See the results below:
NEW SONG (Psalms 96 & Revelation 5)
NEW NAME (Isaiah 62 & Revelation 2)
NEW HEART (Ezekiel 18)
NEW SPIRIT (Ezekiel 11)
These are the fruits of our transformation when this manifestation takes place in an increasing way. As a church, I believe the Lord is calling us to yield ourselves to Him in this dark hour to prepare for this manifestation. We are in a different season in our Jerusalem because He is not just calling us here, but also to the nations of the world now more than ever. While this is taking place the gates of hell are also trying to protrude and trespass itself into the nations of the world with many abominations. Fret not because this is part of the plan of God to stir-up His people to prayer and action. We have to go where He is leading us and get understanding of how He is leading us.
A shift is never without an encounter. Whether by the written word revealed by the Holy Ghost, angelic visitation, dreams, visions, words of prophecy, or whichever way the Lord makes Himself known through a message to His people.
First Dream Encounter:
I was in this place that look like a storage unit. We (men and others) seem to move all the furniture inside this open space of what look like a building with no walls. This building had rooms because I remember walking and talking on the phone with Pastor Damion. The furniture we were moving into this space was of the ministry. The furniture was being moved under this huge covering. I didn’t recognize that it was furniture of/for the ministry until I had seen three different chairs that had the initials TSOTJM.
One chair was very colorful (many colors) and prestigious looking and the other two chairs looked like presidential chairs. The others had the ministry initials on it as well, but I could tell these three chairs were brand new and was purchased to represent the ministry in a way that people would know that this was our ministry. Almost as if someone had bought it as a banner to put outside this location to show it was ours, but instead of it being an actual banner it was these three chairs. I can tell that I was helping but didn’t know that the furniture I had been moving and all of the other items in that storage was our ministry things. They seemed to be all chairs. These were different types of chairs, yet only three had our names on it. After I realized they were ours I awoke.
I will take a moment to break this down of the new the Lord is calling us into. It doesn’t come without receiving the call to something new and not just any new, The Lord’s type of New. We have to understand that this comes with change. Change may look like a change of perspective, a change of how we do things, a change of attitude, and simply a change of all that is required of us in order to receive the new. The Greek translation of “repent” means to change one’s mind. It will require a change of our minds to shift into God’s new.
I want to add that at the time everything was taking place in the dream, I also was speaking on the phone. I was in a room and then walked into an open area of a large building.
I cannot say it enough, being open minded to the move of God will be crucial to experience all that He has and all that He desires us to experience Him. God never does anything new without witnesses, whether there are two, three or many. There were three chairs and with that we can understand that we shall witness what the Lord will do if we are willing to step into this new the Lord is calling us to.
Three does not only speak of witness, but also fullness. Fullness in this dream speaks to the manifestation aspect we were just speaking about. Like a tree which is made known by the type of the fruit it has birthed. There are pruning moments that we go through like that of John 15 where God takes you through a cutting away so that you may grow much fruit. Amongst the three chairs that were many other chairs. All Chairs that were in the same place under the same roof. There is no better place than being under the mighty hand of God and in His will. This is the Lords doing; it is marvelous in our eyes (Psalms 118:23-24). The chairs where placed in a place where there were no walls. Here it is said a lot about being a church outside the four walls. Yes, we are called to be what church really means in Jesus eyes “the called-out ones.” But we are to never forget we are who we are only in God kingdom, a spiritual house with spiritual walls around made without man hands.
Now that we have understanding of the shift and the new, it is important that we know how the Lord is calling us to function in this new place in the Holy Spirit. I will go over this after we examine the next encounter.
Second Encounter:
I had a dream I went into my room to sleep after I spent time with the Lord. I open the door and Prophet Chuck Pierce was in my bed sleep. I came in and instead of closing the door silently. I closed the door and he said you couldn’t close the door softly. You just slapped Jesus in the face. It reminded me of a quote I read from the book, “The Glory of His Presence,” this was stated by Benny Hinn “Jesus has been wounded enough.” He made that statement due to people lack reverence toward God presence and healing power. After Chuck made that statement, I dropped on my knees to the floor in repentance and asking God for forgiveness for what I did. He begins to tell me that he is reading about the people of God in the book of Acts. He said there were about 360 people. He said that God was searching high and low who would deliver those who was in prison, but he cannot find any. He said, “did you not know how many were in number?” 320 was my first thought when he asked that question. He then says I know what the problem is. He said, “We talk about powers and miracles in church, but we don’t see no action.” As He said it, I went into a vision in this dream and seen hundreds of people or more at a conference being taught on operating in it the gifts of the Spirit and no one was doing it. I then understood in my heart and I smile understanding what to do. Chuck Pierce said it’s exciting what I see about the people in the book of acts. He said I see a kingdom people, a people all about the kingdom. Then I awoke from the dream.
Application & Demonstration:
This dream gives us application and how we are called to be a church in our ministries at TSOTJM. A people who flow in the demonstration of the Spirit and power. First there is a call to repentance and change of mind in what God wants us to do in this new time under the sun. There is a time to rest and there is a time to work. In this case we are to enter His version of work. Jesus said to work while it is still day because when it is night no man can work (John 9:4). In this dream I was entering my room after I spent time with the Lord. Oh, how crucial it is to not overlook the time we spend with the Lord and not be apathetic about it. We can miss the visitation of the Lord when we don’t recognize the timing and season in our life. The visitation of the Lord is very important to understand. Christ is visiting His church as it was in the days that we can see in the book of Acts. These people where a kingdom people who overcame by the blood of the lamb, the word of their testimony and loving not their life unto death. They took on what many have placed on pastors alone in these days, the calling to Christ full-time. Everything they did was full-time in ministry. I will go back to the beginning of the dream to speak on how I enter this room. This place I will consider to be the secret place or holy place. I enter casually and not in a reverential manner. There is much to say when we enter into God Most Holy Place. This is the place where highest respect is required of the Lord. Where there is no reverence, the Holy Spirit is grieved. We will experience little of His supernatural work in us when we show little reverence towards Him. We can also bypass the opportunities He has to offer to co-labor with Him.
Furthermore, this is a call to holiness; as it is written “for without it we cannot see Him” (Hebrew 12:14). Holy in Hebrew means sanctified by God. Let’s us be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15) to not only experience Him but also step into His purpose and plan for our lives.
When dealing with numbers in dreams there is a need of soundness and biblical truth. First thing we need to understand that God created numbers to bring His words to pass and bring order and structure to His creation. God uses numbers with us for interpretive meaning to spiritual saying of His. The devil is a thief and has stolen the placement of understanding numbers in the secular word. Hebrew scholars use numbers in Hebrew hermeneutics, and they understand the Angel in Daniel chapter 8 in Hebrew translation is the Angel who is in charge over numbers. I give this background so that you can understand that no interpretation should come from any other source, but that which God has giving man (Holy Scriptures) to follow for our understanding. The number three hundred and hundreds when speaking about people in this dream is a sub focus. One of the ways of God with number value of one hundred or hundreds is using the small things or what we know in the scriptures as a remnant to do much. In Acts Chapter 2 God uses a 120 people in an upper room to demonstrate His Spirit and power to save three thousand people. Later in the book of Acts, the church split due to persecution and God used the church that was few in numbers to spread the gospel and revival hubs where everywhere. I believe the Lord is going to call each of us to do things we never thought of doing and never done before. This doesn’t mean we will not be rejected, persecuted or have any opposition for the things we dare to do for obeying His calling. Challenges and obstacles come with being the called-out ones (2 Timothy 3:12).
In Conclusion:
The Lord is calling us to be out the box. This means come out of doing church as usual and be who He intended us to be according to Christ vision for His church. Leaning on Him is the most important thing to do when beginning that process (Proverbs 3:5).
There are a few things that will help us make the proper shift, adjustment and enter into our life’s calling without missing a beat.
In this new it will require us to really understand below passage with the right heart and spirit to serve Him in Spirit and truth. This importance is truly understanding how to work out our salvation because this is what it means to shine like lights:
Believers Shine Like Lights in the World
12 My beloved ones, just like you’ve always listened to everything I’ve taught you in the past, I’m asking you now to keep following my instructions as though I were right there with you. Now you must continue to make this new life fully manifested as you live[a] in the holy awe of God—which brings you trembling into his presence. 13 God will continually revitalize you, implanting within you the passion to do what pleases him.[b]
14 Live a cheerful life, without complaining or division among yourselves.
This where we as believers learn to grow in our intimacy with God. We walk in a lifestyle of repentance and receive a full understanding of our sins being forgiving of our sins. We experience the virtues of the Holy Spirit being poured out. Now emotionally and spiritually we receive healing from the disease of sin, and deliverance from the strongholds from the devil and demons that God has called us to have power over.
When Paul wrote this, he was speaking of salvation as the everlasting life that Jesus spoke of to Nicodemus in John 3:16. One of the root words to this Greek word in the gematria is aiónios. This word means age long. The understanding is to partake of the character of that which lasts for an age or eternal life. For the believer it means we are to work out the unique quality (reality) of God's life at work in us. According to this word aionios, we are called to this life right now and experience this quality of God's life as a present possession in us. So, let us work out this life with the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
This where we receive exuberant spiritual strength or mental vigor in the presence of God: This is where we as His people become a kingdom people. This gives us strength and capacity to endure and persevere. It also helps us for the continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence in His life in the earth. In this we receive power to live or grow in the full stature of Christ.
Let us work out our salvation that we may be all that Christ sees of us in this shift of His Spirit.
In order for us to truly shift with the Lord we must realize we are to embrace His thoughts and ways.
Isaiah 55:8
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Let us embrace His thoughts and His ways for us in this time.
In His Passion,
Ashley and Joshua Russell
Co-Senior Leaders
TSOTJM & Global Missions Institute
newsletter: Cluster of Grapes
august 2020
I woke up one morning this week and heard “A cluster of grapes”. Any time this happens to me I go straight to the scriptures. It is not just for the validations of what I heard, but to seek out what the Lord is speaking to me about that coincides with His word. God does not say anything without purpose and it is not without the authority of His word that is connected to a message for the operation of faith to awaken to more faith.
There were many scriptures that pointed to this “cluster of grapes” saying, but there are two story lines in particular that speaks of one supernatural message coming from God deliver to someone and the other is connected to time and seasons.
There is one thing that we as believers should never forget: that all scriptures is for our instruction and gives us examples for our spiritual walk that will help us to endure in our faith walk.
(Rom. 15:4 & 1 Cor. 10:11)
I will tell you this now that God gave these two points I will go over: One part scripturally given to me and the other to Pastor Ashley.
I believe that what God said to me is for the TSOTJM and the church at large in which we stand between time and space of something to be fulfilled. It is always amazing to receive a personal prophecy, but it’s even better when it is fulfilled. It is more great when a body of people receive a word from the Lord and it is even greater when that generation walks into a fulfillment of prophecy. I believe God is bringing this to our attention that something exists that is worth more than what money can buy. This deals a lot with the destiny of one generation to another and the fulfillment of a word coming to pass under heaven in a opportune time that is based on our responses and our agreement to what God is saying.
The mystery is found in Numbers 13:23.
“And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.”
Let me share what thus says the Lord. He says ‘we are a cluster of grapes that has been ripening for such a season I have called you to step into where nothing shall be impossible to do in My name for those who believe. Did I not say nothing is impossible to those who believe? If you believe, there is nothing impossible that will not come to pass in what I called you to do for the glory of my name and that which I purposed you to do. If you walk in disbelief; you will forfeit what I have for you in this season. So, walk by faith and not by the sight of the world and the voice of the stranger. Trust in me and I will hasten to perform what I have said. Amen.’
Wow! God is calling us to go where no one in our family or previous generation has gone before. I have waited for the confirmation of this scripture to be revealed to me before sharing this and it came in a form of a dream. As I kept this word hid in my heart, the Lord then revealed His plan and purpose to me in a three part dream, but I will speak of only one to not focus so much on the details, but to give you a visual to help you comprehend the times we are in and the faith God is calling us to enter to see the supernatural displays of God goodness.
I had a dream that was viewing two spies who were undercover who then jumped off a high place, like out of an airplane or off a cliff. They floated in the air as they approached the city where they were going to. One spy was able to open his parachute and the other could not open his. The one who opened his parachute floated away from the target, yet at the same time was speaking on the walkie-talkie with the other guy who couldn’t open his. It seemed as if they made it a joke, but he guided himself down on the target somehow. He landed and I was able to see what he saw. It was a very nice city in the middle of a canyon. They were looking in and around the city, but in my spirit I also knew that spy’s were individuals who are people you can not see because they know how to blend in with everything around them. These two spies knew how to do just that. They were spying on this city which was very high tech.
As you can see this race is not for the swift, nor for the strong, but for those who are willing to go where the Lord has called them! Believe what He said and you will get to where you’re going! He will show you things you’ve never seen before not to just see them in incognito, but to help others know what is in store for them in the place God is calling them into.
(Proverbs 25:2)
Let’s look into the scenario of the first scripture found in Numbers to get more insight on the matter the Lord is speaking into.
God commanded Moses to send spies out into the land to search it out and come back with a report. These men were leaders of the tribe. At that very moment Hosea’s name was also changed to Joshua. God was ready to change the course of direction for the children of Israel in this time period. The people of Israel were traveling in the wilderness and these men went from the wilderness of Paran to the south, and then up into the Mountains to see the people, the land, and the produce. Once that was completed they were instructed to ‘take courage to take of the fruit of the land’.
In verse 20 (take note! We’re in 2020) this was the season of the first ripe grapes. The term was used at a time when the fruit has come to perfection. These leaders had all come back and the majority proclaimed one thing and the remnant of Faith speaking another.
In verse 23, these men had to come from the valley, up through the mountain and back to the people. One large group said one thing and another group said another thing. Similar to them, I believe we are standing between two mountains.
One group saying one thing and the other is saying something different.
These leaders were given the “microphone” to declare what God had for them based off of what they had spied out. The ten who brought back a negative report died along with those who believe them. The two who brought back the positive report lived and their children went into that which man thought was impossible yet God said was possible.
(Numbers Ch.13 & Ch.14).
Let us go unto perfection and enter into that place which He has promised in Himself in the kingdom to overcome, conquer, subdue, be fruitful, multiply and have dominion. This is the promise He has called every believer. There are times under the son where our natural life aligns with the spiritual life that releases these promises. Some come with battles where God calls us to enter into His rest and other times require us to believe where He has need of us to simply walk where His grace provides the way to enter His rest where you need not to toil. Nevertheless, it takes faith and works that are inspired by His grace. These men needed to go there and bring back the report for the people to BELIEVE and step into what God promised with the right attitude.
I hear the Lord saying, ‘You are my people and I have picked you from the valley. The valley of Eschol as a token and as a sign that there is fruit. If you seize the kingdom of God for such a time as now, you will enter into all that you have been called to possess in Me to bring on earth as it is in heaven to have influence where I have called you to walk into’.
There is some instruction that is needed after receiving this type of revelation and there is a scripture I believe that points to it.
What dream, vision, and or prophecy has the Lord spoken to you? Joseph told his brothers his dream and they misunderstood it.
Have you told your dream to the wrong person and/or people? This caused Joseph to go through a process of learning that all interpretations of revelation that comes from God belongs to God. The beginning and the finishing of the word belongs to Him. The increase of the seed which is the word of promise belongs to Him when it comes into the earth.
Joseph who had gone through all this tribulation was called to be a “servant of all”, not to be “served by all”. He realized this while being in jail prophesying somebody’s dream by interpretation.
“So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes.”
Genesis 40:9-10
Joseph told him that he would be restored to his position. The difference between the cupbearer speaking of his dream and Joseph sharing his dream with his family was that the cupbearer knew that the dream needed interpretation. Joseph had took it into his own hands which led to many years of trials until his character fit for the time appointing of that word.
We all will go through a budding, a blissing, and grow into a cluster season of ripened grapes. I believe God is saying we are in the cluster season. I’m sure all of us had been in a season at one point or another where we served others out of our pain, yet still ministering to others and praying for them. This is Joseph’s preparation story that was readying him to reign with the king.
Do you believe that God has been preparing you? He has not just been preparing you, He was calling you into a season to sweat great drops of blood in prayer in order to pay the price for something that cannot be compared to the glory yet to be revealed to us through Christ that lives in us. He is saying now is the time to step into and enter the faith realm where nothing is impossible. The realm where Christ brings us into a place where we grow in full stature, measure and faith to see His kingdom come remove darkness so that you may have influence there in the earth. Where you grow in favor with God and man to serve all through the power of His Spirit working in you to love much and many for His glory.
How do we step into grace that has come to us? I believe this passage will escort us into that faith:
Matthew 11:12
From the moment John stepped into the scene until now, the realm of heaven’s kingdom is bursting forth, and passionate people have taken hold of its power.
Having passion is good. But what’s more important is having passion for what God has passion for. Hating what God hates and loving what God hates gets heaven moving on your behalf and brings the word into that which God sent it to perform.
There is a power we have access to but we cannot have it except we be willing to guard our hearts, separate ourselves and consecrate ourselves for that which will be brought on the Day of Jesus Christ.
Nugget:
Everyday is made by the Lord and there is a word connected to a fulfillment of prophecy to the day we live in. The day of the Lord is everyday because He made it and there is a word from Him giving to His children for fulfillment. We have access to the power of that word and the ability through the Spirit to see it brought into the earth realm in our lives. This is only when it’s given by the Spirit of Christ and not by conjuring up. We access the word of His power (Heb. 1:3, Heb. 11:3) by seeking the things of the Spirit that He has revealed to us.
How do we take on this yoke that is easy? Matthew 17:21. Entering into this realm of rest for your faith operation is found in through fasting and prayer.
In conclusion:
Let us press towards the joy that is set before us and what God did in the past with the elders who received a good report.
2 Chronicles 29:36
Verse Concepts
Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.
Let our hearts be, “Lord give me You” in all that we request and we too shall rejoice over what God has prepared for us for such a time as now in this month and year. Selah.
In His Loving Service,
Ashley and Joshua Russell
Co-Senior Leaders
TSOTJM & Global Missions Institute
newsletter: Your Month of completion
July 2020
Monday June 22nd
The Lord said “July will be your month of completion.”
I felt the Lord was talking about Me, Ashley, and the ministry of God doing a work in us.
Wow!!
It’s begins to make more sense when you visualize the butterfly. It doesn’t come out of it’s cocoon until it has completed it’s course of preparation to then come out. One of the only creatures who is known to go through an evolution process that has been authorized by its creator God.
This has been a sign to the Christians “Christ-ones/anointed ones) for about 2,000 years.
Have we, ourselves, not been in a cocooning season?
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. “
Philippians 1:6
God began to reveal that this was going to be the completion of things that will bring us into the greater glory dimensions, demonstrations of His power, authorities, and favor with man that all who witness will say that it IS God.
This will be the focus point of taking God at His word. It may come with challenges, but overall can not be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us.
Amen.
TSOTJM, this is my prayer for you which is found in Ephesians 1:15-20
“15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places..”
While in prayer, I saw in my minds eye a vision. As I prayed before the Lord finishing yesterdays devotional early this morning and I saw a big giant standing over me. This was the same giant I had seen in the spirit when doing warfare. He was running in a room with long red hair. By the spirit I could discern what type of spirit this was. I had heard of stories of who this was and the people that consisted of them. This one giant represented who the sons of Anak had seen after being sent out to scout out the land of Canaan. They had persuaded the people from not entering into the promised land through fear.
I heard the Lord say to me, “it is time for you to mount up.” All I could see in the spirit was that the Lord was revealing that this was what it meant to “seek the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you”. Meaning that even the most concerning things or the things that trouble and buffer you from receiving the spiritual promises within your marriage, job, health status, relationships, etc. He does not care until you care about what He cares about.
We may think this is selfish, but this is a kingdom key that unlocks the promises of God. We think seeking Him to solve the issue is going to resolve the issue. No. Seeking the kingdom of God, His will and purpose, then following through with it. This will release Gods word of rebuke and judgement on the enemy who seeks to guard what Has been promised to you so that God’s glory will be revealed.
In this that all man will draw nigh unto God through the word that comes to pass on your life.
This becomes a picture of salvation which reveals God’s goodness that brings man to repentance, redemption, Renewal, Restoration, and reconciliation to the manifest will of God.
Who could deny this truth after seeing your past when now all those can see your present that points to a future and hope that they want to experience too through Christ Jesus. Some may rejoice with you and others may seek to plot against you, but when God says it then it has been done at the time He spoke it.
God never fails.
“Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.”
Joshua 21:45.
When God says it who can be against it.
Isaiah 37:32..The zeal of the Lord will accomplish this.” It will come to pass and no man can stop it as long as you as His child continues to believe.
God told me that this is a time for you to mount up.
Mount can also be short for mountain.
Caleb said “give me my mountain” in Joshua 14:12-15.
What mountain of influence did God promise to you, to your family, your hope, the future that brings you to being that city upon a hill?
Have you been asking for things that will consume upon your lust or asking for the glory of God?
There is only one way to seeing it come to pass. Let’s get some perspective.
Got to let go of what is old and throw the old away. Things that you think are testimonies are robbing you of the hope and future God has for you. They are not “testimonies” they are sentimental. They just remind you of where you have been and how much you are missing something that was never really yours from the beginning even though a season ago you had cried out to be delivered from. I call this a “rogue Christian”. A person who cried mercy, but once they had been delivered they forget about their deliverance and become a wanderer. They seek to be bonded to the place they once asked to be delivered from. They’ve forgotten that deliverance is as of one day, but doing the will of God is to be connected to a process that one must go through before they receive the promise.
I had a vision where I was observing a prophet walking through the house of a woman that was seeking direction and deliverance. They walked into the living room that connected to the kitchen. He walked by a closed cabinet that was above and pointed to it, asking what was in there. She said “old things”, He said “That’s it. What we believe is a testimony is not, it’s the sentimentalities that is holding you stuck, bound, and captive to the past that is hindering you to receive the promise.” All I could see in the Spirit was old pictures, cards, and anything else that would be considered sentimental in this cabinet. This cabinet contained all the things that needed to be dealt with so that she could leave it behind enabling her to then press, seek and find the mark of the high calling and inheritance promised to each of us in Christ.
What do you need to let go that’s keeping you from seeking the kingdom of God?
What do you need to leave behind and abandon so that you may see the will of God for your life?
Has God shown you that there is something buffeting you from possessing what is yours and did you deal with it accordingly?
Got to deal with those “sins and weights that seeks to beset us” (Heb. 12:1) that the enemy uses as a fear tactic to makes us feel unworthy of the Father’s love and promise. We cast our cares knowing He is the only one who can deliver and set our paths straight that we may run the race to which there is a prize.
As you know we are called to enter into what is promised to all of God’s children, “Our inheritance in Christ.”
What is your in your inheritance?
In their appearance alone, Anak, from the previous generation had frightened their elders and chiefs that had caused fear to go into the heart of the people resulting in them not receiving the promises.
Now, in this new generation, they were called again to those promises and the giants were still in the land. They were on the mountain where one man named Caleb was promised to receive. He was ready to go to war. He said “I am as strong as I was when I spied the land 40 years ago and I want my mountain that was promised to me”. When your eyes have been opened to deal with the sins or weights keeping you from your inheritance you can rest assured and ask with confidence by the will of God and it will be fulfilled according to the word of His promise.
Proactively waiting is key to seeing His will come to pass in our life for His Glory! What does that look like? Two words purify and sanctify.
Purify in Greek is “hagnizo” which means to cleanse yourself ceremonially from any defilement. The importance of purification ceremonially or in the words of Romans 12:1-3, “that we have something to present to God for His sealing and display”. This is not by works, but receiving what is true that is said about us and we present what we know everyday with clean hands and a pure heart. 1 John 3:1-3, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure”.
Lastly, we sanctify ourselves we are saying to the Lord I am ready for what ever you want me to say, where ever you want me to go and what ever you want me to do. I am always reminded in Joshua 3:5, “And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you”. The Lord wants to do wonders that is connected to His promise for your life and the inheritance in Christ that is connected to that promise.
We can walk in great joy that strengthens us and prepare ourselves for what is to come by seeking the kingdom even more, searching God’s heart to become in right living and right standing, wanting His kingdom to come upon every area of our life, and His will to be done and our will cast aside. So let us go on doing the will of God so that we might “receive the promise” (Heb. 10:36).
The way in which we prepare is seeking all the things that are in Christ are through fasting and prayer.
In conclusion:
Encouraging word from the scriptures to draw our faith from and believe God who is able to make all things manifest with wonders amongst us who believe.
Ephesians 1:3-14 says it all..
"3 Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, 4 just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love 5 He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will— 6 to the praise of His glorious grace and favor, which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ]. 7 In Him we have redemption [that is, our deliverance and salvation] through His blood, [which paid the penalty for our sin and resulted in] the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin, in accordance with the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and understanding [with practical insight] 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, 10 with regard to the fulfillment of the times [that is, the end of history, the climax of the ages]—to bring all things together in Christ, [both] things in the heavens and things on the earth. 11 In Him also we have [b]received an inheritance [a destiny—we were claimed by God as His own], having been predestined (chosen, appointed beforehand) according to the purpose of Him who works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him as our Lord and Savior] would exist to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, and [as a result] believed in Him, were stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit [the One promised by Christ] as owned and protected [by God]. 14 The Spirit is the [c]guarantee [the first installment, the pledge, a foretaste] of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own [purchased] possession [His believers], to the praise of His glory."
Now here is a promise that God is not slack concerning His promises. When we cast our cares on Him, turn to Him to set our hearts and minds on trust His will through His salvation and the sealing of the Holy Spirit He will makes known to us our inheritance.
The inheritance is Jesus spoils and reward that points to our destiny, calling and the purpose that bring glory and praise to His name. He has called us into these promises that all man might know there is a God who names is Christ Jesus.
May the Lord richly bless you to know your inheritance that is in Christ. That which is found in the love of the Father and through this love to become all that He has called us to in Him. We have a living hope to know that He will fulfill His divine purpose in the earth as has promises to His children that all the nations of the world will be influenced by the kingdom of God manifest.
In His promise,
Ashley and Joshua Russell
Senior Leaders
TSOTJM
newsletter: a way of escape to enter into Gods Rest
June 2020
A Way Of Escape To Enter Into God’s Rest...
The season of bearing fruit from the Glory of God that is about to be poured out as God is finishing on separating the wheat from the tare.
The last several months has looked like this for every believer and we know that it has been a severing process and yet a fruitful one. The Lord likes to do this by His sovereignty and wisdom that the enemy can’t see the plan He is devising against him. The Lord has been preparing us for what is to come but it never comes without a fight. Even our adversary is fearful of the ground to which the Lord is releasing you to tread upon. There is victory ahead of you and the Lord has declared, “As I was with Joshua so am I with you. As I have named you with my own name; no one shall stand before you in this season I am sending you into. For I have waited and watched and seen your faithfulness, labor of love and steadfastness of heart. You have been paying the price of faith to be still and allow me to perfect in you who I have called you to be. Now prepare your hearts to receive the abundance of my grace. My grace is my favor, and you will have favor and favor will go before you. Prepare your hearts, prepare you hearts because victory comes to those who will be still, waiting and then go when I give them the outpouring of my Spirit where I have called them. Great is your calling and great is your destiny.” Wow, Praise God!!!
God is truly speaking, and keeps speaking of our victory. This does comes with the change of mindset, attitude and direction. I believe we are moving spiritually from where we was to a new place and new realm in the Spirit. This realm will be a realm of authority and fullness. That causes us to enter into the promise of God at an expedited rate. This requires us to trust the direction the Lord is leading us and to be patient by occupying time until His promises are fulfilled. Let us go onto perfection of faith, not wavering and know that there is a reward in this life from the Lord as heirs as in the next.
This is a dream from one of our students in TSOTJM prophetic institute:
In the dream that I had we were in forest but all of us were standing on what look like a stage and I saw a hug animal who was coming towards us. I felt afraid in the dream when I saw this animal but Pastor Josh jump down off the stage to go pet the animal and feed it. Immediately after that, we heard gunshots and Pastor Josh knew exactly who was after us so we all started running behind Pastor Josh following every turn he took. - Teddy Amoah
When I prayed about the dream, I believe God was telling me I’m under the right leadership who is equip to deal with what is yet to come. This is the second time I had a similar dream concerning what is yet to come which I believe a time is coming where true Christians will be persecuted.
Although opposition, trial, and test will come just know that, it never comes without a reward on the other side or place where the Lord leads us in His way of victory. The reward surpasses all understand and makes what we have gone through beauty for ashes that we no longer see as a reproach but a set up for the manifestation of God’s glory.
What does the scripture say about this?
Romans 8:18 The Passion Translation (TPT) A Glorious Destiny
18 I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory that is about to be unveiled within us.
In 2 Chronicles 20… Where we have heard in the scripture and is faithful saying that is a noble and true that we should think on for our victory. This will assure us to enter into this rest of the Lord and times of refreshing (in verse 20...(believe in my prophets so shall you prosper and believe in God and so shall you be establish). In this story, you will find three kings joining forces to come up against Jehoshaphat who was the king of Judah from the line of David. He got all the elders, priest, men, women, and children of Judah and sought the Lord with all His heart in prayers for help in the new court in Jerusalem. He reverence God as the God above all, prayed the prayer of Solomon (2 Chronicles 7:14). He prayed that God will not allow them to take what was promise to them (their land of inheritance or promise of God), sought His vengeance not their own and lean on Him for help. The Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel in 2 Chronicles 20:15 and spoke “Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.” Then in the next few verses, the Lord gave the battle plans to the king. Jehoshaphat bow down and worship and so did all of Judah. Jehoshaphat gathers the people and prophetically decreed “believe in my prophets and so shall you prosper and believe in God and so shall you be establish.” Then he consulted with the people, appointed singers unto the Lord that they shall sing of the beauty of God holiness and His mercy endure forever as they went before the army. The Lord set an ambush before them and conquered by causing them (Moabite and Ammonites) to kill one another. It was when they came to the watchtower in the wilderness they seen dead bodies falling this taking place and when king Jehoshaphat came he took spoils of riches that could not be taking away with them in one day that it took three days to gather. Wow!
So much to unpack in the story above but it appoints to the expected end to our enemies weapons that where formed against God people and their outcome. For all those who trust in God, let Him fight the battle, believe in His thus saith the Lord and you will not be moved. For we shall come to see that has been promised to us and I mean all that is promised to you from the wicked one who has held your spoils in the land (influence/destiny/and purpose) God has given you to accomplish in the earth. You shall see it as you go to your watchtower like they did at the watchtower.
How do we prepare for that which is to come?
Sanctify ourselves by going to our watchtower and seek God’s face through prayer and fasting.
God’s promises is like the dove of the Holy Spirit coming on Jesus who was the chosen son who’s vessel had been sanctify for the call and purpose to redeem all those who would believe. When we fast we open ourselves to the will of God to be made manifest through us, and it assists in leading us in the direction God has willed us to go conceding our spiritual destiny and victory. This is important to ward off the appetites of the flesh and the mental strongholds that hinders us to receive the things in the Spirit that is in our inheritance in Christ and all the resources in the kingdom of heaven. This is important to understand in the context that just like those three kings there is (Ephesians 6) warfare that takes place in the second heaven to keep that which the Lord desires to bring to you that prayer and fasting can only get it to you. So let us press on not as though we have apprehend what we have by not going through the motions but pressing towards the mark which Christ desires to give.
Encouraging word...
As we know, the stakes are high and being on this quarantine has been revealing in every way. The Lord is moving His people to new grounds and new places that which we done before will be consider old and outdated. With that comes a mind change and pursuing the things of God. Don’t let the flesh, the world, the devil keep you from receiving what God has instore for you, for the uplifting of the kingdom of God that He is calling you to be apart for such as time as now. That’s what makes preparations the key to position yourself for God’s great destiny for your life. This is why we sanctify ourselves through prayer and fasting.
May God richly bless you, keep you in His shalom and His cascade of His love will become experiential knowledge as we enter into a new season of glory in Christ Jesus.
In His Service,
Pastors Ashley and Joshua Russell
Co-Senior Leaders
TSOTJM
newsletter: Affirming his covenant
May 2020
God is affirming his covenant people and his covenant with them.
Like Abraham binding his son on the altar. Comes with those who are willing to be the sacrifice the Lord is calling us to be in, thus for His kingdom and Righteousness.
This is a binding on earth as it is in heaven. The binding of agreement, which affirms a written record of our faith and trust in His grace, to fulfill it at the cost of losing our life reputation for His. This will require faith of obedience and be a teaching lesson. The teaching lesson will be a separation of a sacrifice that is acceptable and what is not. When you look at Genesis 22, we find the account of Abraham taking his son up to be a sacrifice by the command of the Lord. He binds his son on an altar and does not look to unbind him. With all obedience, he takes a knife and ready to kills his son and is stop by an Angel to not kill the lad. There it is the clue, then mystery, and that which is hidden that is ready to be revealed to those who will obey His voice. The Hebrews’ call this occurrence, the binding of Isaac. It is not until we are willing to bind, kill, or even lose what is precious to us, to find our life or in other words the will of God. Abraham was willing to do that. What has God been asking of you? What has he been requiring of you? Is there something He is requesting of your obedience that is a call to faith that looks like a sacrifice of another?
I can assume that Abraham was afraid but knew that obedience was more important than what He feared the most, losing a son of promise. I believe as he got closer to sacrificing his son that the revelation of God’s capability of raising his son from the dead to fulfill the promise he spoke to Abraham in previous years was where his Hope was steadfast in (See Hebrews 11:9). Oh, let us not fear the unknown and know that everything works together for those who love the Lord and are “the called” according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). He calls us to sacrifice what He know we will tend to find our dependence to see if we will allow Him to take preeminence in that area of our life that holds our deepest commitments, affection, and love. Can you hear our Friend say, “For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all. And this great love is demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life[a] for his friends.” (John 15:13 TPT).
It is a test of our faith that the Lord works His love in us who would accept this type of call and sacrifice to which this type of promise is only fulfilled. Let us look a little further, after reading this commentary. It was stated that God in that moment through an Angel said “stop” Abraham, to let him know this is not the obedience I called my people to, to sacrifice their children. That is my own place and position. This will for all life mark the place where God made it known before man, I have not called you to judge innocent blood, I will call my own who is innocent to take on a judgement through sacrificing His life so that you can walk in all the fullness of God promised to you.
This doesn’t come without seeing our first love and reciprocating a obedience that calls us to bind what gets our flesh attention more than the promise He calls us into. The thing that hinders our call to a lifestyle of sacrifice for the high calling that we are all called to pursue in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14). What is the Lord calling you out of that is an old promise to a new promise? What perfect love is God calling you to that has a promise connected to it? Have you been in tune with what the Lord has been calling you to sacrifice? Is your sacrifice (time to accomplish a task or assignment he gave you, people he has been telling you to let go? Or is it something he is calling you to start or step into that will be a blessing to the kingdom of God and to people? Or have you been tested with a request from the Lord that is challenging your comfortability to stay where you’re at instead of moving forward in doing ministry or vocation in which the Lord is calling you to start?
These are a lot of questions that you and I, and all of us need to ask so that we can discern the will of God and obey the Lord through our sacrificial love.
I would like to share as well that no sacrifice is without warfare that the enemy knows it reaps the highest reward and greatest advancements in the kingdom of God. In Genesis 15:11, we find Abraham sacrificing unto the Lord that birds came down to take his sacrifice. Although this did not happen to him when he was going to sacrifice his son, there is a lesson we can learn in this. The devil who is a prince of the power of the air who seeks to interfere or discourage the process of your sacrifice with God will try to do the same with you. He will bring lies to you, discouragement, and distractions. This is his model to kill, steal, and destroy. One of the best spiritual disciplines we have to prepare us to step out in obedience to the Lord’s call is fasting and prayer. This will allow us to become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit and strengthen our will to obey His voice over the schemes of the devil. Our prayer life with fasting assists us to draw near to God, and submit to His command that causes the devil to flee because of our loving devotion to the Lord.
Going back to the story in Genesis 22…After Abraham is stopped; he still pursues to offer God a sacrifice that he knew God provided. He sees a ram in a bush and sacrifices it, and found a new attribute of God. He called the Lord God, Jehovah Jireh. After twenty-five or so years, that Abraham had seen the Lord in a different way, truth and life. Selah. The greatest revelations come when we take a step to sacrifice or consider stepping into a role that leaves a mark on because of our own obedience when we have God moments. These moments are God moments that lead us to greater love, greater awareness, and loving devotion to the Lord.
Let us press on to win Christ, win the battle, receive the spoils that He has for us, and the promises He desires to bring to pass in our life.
newsletter: Come alive Dry bones
April 2020
From a Hebrew perspective sleep is as unto death and awake is as unto alive. God uses the His light to awaken what has been dead and/or sleep. The Bible calls it the light of life (John 8:12). God is awakening in us by drawing us with this light of life to bring us to a place in Him that He has destined for us to be.
I hear the Lord say, “Awake to this and become the light I have called you to be. A Lighthouse and a City on a hill that the nations will come to hear the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.
The scripture reveals that satan has blinded the mind of many and if it were possible even the very elect can be deceived unless God uses an awakening that is of one of the birth pains found in Matthew 24 to bring us out of sleep and slumber. That we might be aware of the signs of His coming and our need to awake, if we have not been watching and praying as we have been called to.
Let us look to the scripture that we may see His plan in all this.
2 Corinthians 4:4-6 English Standard Version (ESV):
⁴ In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants[a] for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ
There is a knowledge in two things here:
The Glory of God
The face of Jesus Christ
The Glory of God:
This is not a mystery. It has been revealed in the scripture. Colossians 1:27, “God’s plan is to make known his secret to his people, this rich and glorious secret which he has for all peoples. And the secret is that Christ is in you, which means that you will share in the glory of God.”
Christ in us is the glory of the Father shared with his children. That Now, not tomorrow would be the very moment in which we understand how we share in it. It is shared in shinning or manifesting what’s in us to what the earth has mourn for you and I to come forth to be the light He has called us to be. Not within our own strength but by the light He gives that yields the supernatural nature of God in the earth.
The Face of Jesus Christ:
This cannot happen without following He who is the light and absorbing or soaking in this light.
John 3:19-21:
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
It reveals here that light comes in an awaken to expose what we like more and to draw us close to what we desire. Those who love evil to darkness, and those who love truth to the light. We as His children are called to live by the truth and to come into that truth. This truth is seen in our deeds or actions that display that we have been in the sight of God. Being in sight is spending time in that light (presence of God). We can only display what we have done in secret before God, in a dark, evil, and perverse world.
Let us go further. One thing we have to remember is that we are light because He has made us light (1 Thessalonians 5:5).
I Am the Light of the World – John 8:12
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
It is clear that only through following Jesus that we will have this light. Let us not just live in the light; let us also walk in the light as well.
Let us put our light into action.
1 John 1-5 - Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
This is the evidence and the results of those who choose to walk in the light.
Let us look at the what God has called us to (Isaiah 58:6-8) and our destiny Isaiah 60:1-3.
newsletter: Rise, take up thy bed and walk.
March 2020
On January 27th I received a texted from Pastor Ashley about a close friend of ours who was in labor. She had explain to me that an impression, or “feeling”, had come to her to check on her friend and see how she was doing. Immediately, she received a text back that said that she was in labor. This was her second child and he happened to come a month earlier than his due date.
As soon as I received this message from Pastor Ashley, the Lord quickened me and said that our ministry was in early labor.
Similar to a woman being in her third trimester, the third day in creation God spoke “let the earth bring forth from its seed the grass, the herb, and the tree bearing fruit”, and like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who was in the grave and rose on the third day.
So where we were from the 27th of January to Feb 1st, three days to enter a new thing, new era and supernatural rest which begun in the month of February for us.
What do we do now after we all have birthed something in the Spirit that requires a corporate response to heavens birthing? What action of faith do we take? What revelation do we respond to at this Day of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:10)?
Our very own, Tyra Roper, brings a revelatory word that unveils the steps we should take after such birthing.
Co-Senior Leader
Joshua
Rise, take up thy bed and walk...
This morning when I woke up a couple of hours after prayer. I asked the Lord what was he saying to The School Of The Joshua Ministries for the month of March. This is what I heard, arise take up your bed and walk. I then saw a blow horn and when the Lord said this, it sounded loud. The Lord continued speaking and told me to read about the man at the pool of Bethesda. John 5:8-9 King James Version (KJV) “Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath.”
The Lord continued to speak and said use the authority I have given you to set the captives free. Move forward in all I have already told you to do. I have commissioned you to arise out of your slumber and walk. Step out move forward and branch out. I have given you eyes to see and ears to hear. Made the vision for your life clearer. By me speaking, the veil over your eyes has been removed. I have poured into you to pour into others, so they might have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Lord is saying to the church.
The power is given to you The School Of The Joshua Ministries to heal the land and assist in establishing the kingdom of God. In the same way, I spoke to the man at the pool of Bethesda I will use you to minister to others. Take up your bed arise. I can make dead things live again, to give hope to the hopeless, restoration to those in need of healing. My truth will set the captives free the same way my truth set the man at the pool of Bethesda free. The trumpet has been sound and it is your time to arise and walk. In me are all things restored and in me are all things put into motion and made. By faith, my truth becomes your reality. It took faith for the man at the pool to get up and walk. My question to you is, will you arise, pick up your bed and walk?
Tyra Roper,
Prophetic Intercessor
Joshua Generation
newsletter: Third trimester process
December 2019
I liken it to the third trimester of a women’s pregnancy. There is only one thought in the mind of women that carry a child inside of the womb, “I’m ready for this child to come out” and at the same time they know they will have their child in their arms not too long from the time of such confession. I believe everyone has come to that point when you think of the word, process. Where am I in my process? When will it happen (promised fulfilled)? Am I there yet (the day you were born for)? I believe you’re asking because of what you sense the Spirit is impression on your inner man. A woman began nesting and start getting antsy because their discerning is amplified due to the day that is approaching.
The feelings a new mother will have is love in full for the child they are ready to raise and at the same time a little nervous of the unknown. That is why there is a need to rest. Trust is pivotal to carrying what you have until the day of Jesus Christ. The day of Christ is reflected upon the day when the Lord comes to bring increase.
Joseph is a great example of a life of a believer who had to go through a 3rd trimester process of maturation for the God dream to come to pass. He went from obedience to submission in the potter’s hands of the Lord, which was important for Joseph to learn in order to see that which was revealed to him in a dream to come to pass. Joseph who name means increase, seen the day of the Lord who planted the seed of a dream, water it through trial and testing, and brought the increase at an appointed time. These where three stages. The first one came with the dream. He was pregnant with a seed that came from above. This was a sure word of prophecy that required integrity and humility to bring it to pass. In order for humility to take place he had to go through small begins and in order for honor to be bestowed on him he had to be tried in moments to express God type of integrity (Proverbs 18:12). Although he was sold into slavery the favor of the Lord was with him and he needed to trust the direction of God leading when no honor came from his own country (Mark 6:4). There will be times where the closest people to you won’t understand what’s in your heart, don’t understand why you’re willing to lay down your life for it and will at times reject you for what your most passionate about. Jesus is a good example and one to follow as he did not cling to his own who knew him not for what He was called for, for their sake. He sought to fulfill the will of His Heavenly Father based on what He showed him (John 14:31).
Because Joseph didn’t know there were instructions and an assignment on his life with the dream; he had to go through sanctification through resistance. This resistance consists of time and people. God uses time to produce character, and people to teach him compassion. Joseph not knowing his responsibility yet, God chastise him for the work ahead. He had to learn to hold fast to the dream as the word of his life. This is the time that God spoke to you that was a similar to the burning bush experience, a time in a dream in the night of who you will be, a prophecy spoken, a promise in the word your standing on because what the Lord showed is a word of life to you that only God can fulfill. I can see it now, Joseph remembering all the stories his father told him of the promises of his father and father, father; trust began to rise up to God in that He is able to complete what he promise. The time of increase was just a call away from him to enter into God’s rest. Faith is the key component to entering into God’s rest (Hebrew 4:10). He has to leave from trusting in his work ethic and doing good for others as being the very act that would promote him. We can only work out that which will be promised to us into the future by working out our faith in the plan He has given us. When we trust Him; there is grace that is ready to lift us up, a righteousness by faith in God ready to be exalted above our peers, and strategies ready to be given as we lean on God’s understand.
Newsletter: passing through the jordan
November 2019
"We’ve heard this name Jordan many times and the significant event of the crossing of Israel into the promise land. But I will like to take you on a small bible adventure of this seen and how it relates to our season as a ministry corporately and individually.
First, let’s look at the word Jordan.
Jordan - Meaning in Hebrew. Yarden (ירדן) comes from the root y-r-d (ירד), which means “to descend”. In other words to flow down and or cascade.
Picture it as a waterfall or an outpouring from God Spirit to do two things.
1. Bring Freedom - from reproach, the journey of the wilderness
(time of testing and or trial).
2. Make Complete - finished work, to begin a new work. Stepping into
and/or began a path that resembles continual victory.
Just as crossing the Red Sea changed Israel's standing from slavery to freedom, passing through the Jordan into the Promised Land, transformed Israel from a wandering horde into an established nation.
I believe that this is a sign post pointing to what God is doing in us as a local church and ministry. God is delivering some us from sins that stem from addiction and or habits that keep plaguing us. For some deliverance of temptations that tends to cause us to start over and or repeat a mindset or attitude or behaviors we resemble when you were an infant in Christ. God is saying that you are going to experience a new level of freedom and receive an anointing to set the captives free.
God knew that this will take place by unifying them. Horde in anthropology of people...a loosely knit small social group typically consisting of about five families. They had to be on one accord. In the book of Acts they were all on one accord, one mind having things in common. The men had to be circumcised, the priest had to be in order, and everyone serving in unity to God’s plan for the new mission ahead. An anointing fell upon them who were seeking to bring glory to Him, serve one another, and following His purposes where He called them to. This was the Lords training purpose with Israel in the wilderness and it was fulfilled at the crossing over of Jordan and into the promise land.
Let’s look at How God changed their perspective.
To the people, the river seemed like an insurmountable obstacle. But to God, it represented a decisive turning point.
When any situation look Insurmountable it was in their eyes something too great to be overcome. There might be a weight that reflects a mountain that sits before your eyes and God is now going to change your perspective, give you renewed sight, and stirring your belief in knowing God is before you that will unction you to speak to the mountain to be cast into the see so that you can fulfill that which He has spoken to you concerning your future.
Crossing over...
There was a significant experience that happened at Jordan.
See Joshua 3:16.
The water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
The water stopped its course but not only that. There was a heap of water that went up that the surrounding people would see a wave that is normally seen in a ocean that was taking place in river. This brought great fear to their enemies. Israel went the opposite direction of their first fight as a strategic tactic which was planned by the Lord.
Their enemy and land.
1. The strongest, as having in its neighborhood an eminent city, a potent king, and a stout and warlike people.
2. The most pleasant and fruitful.
As a more convenient both for the refreshment of the Israelites after their long and tedious marches, and an encouragement to their present expedition.
Israel was sent for an assignment as voyagers to stay and spoils to take. I believe we as a ministry will see the Hand of the Lord and His favor bringing a speedy work to accomplishing purposes that has been stored and now ready to be revealed.
As Joshua generations confess as a scripture over the ministry family. “Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
Let’s walk in these words and confess these prophecy as the Lord fights our battles, give us the strength to overcome all our enemies with given us rest on every side and accomplish the work He has called us to as, The School of The Joshua Ministries.
Newsletter: important day
may 2019
"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” —Mark Twain.
The truth is that we all have desires, dreams, visions, goals and aspirations that we seek to come to pass in our life. Sadly, some of us take a while to learn that we are no longer in the plan of God or even feel it takes too of long a process so we leave from it to take matters into our own hands and do something else. It is imperative for us to go back to that dream or vision that came from God to help direct us to what He wants to fulfill in our lives rather than falling back on the dreams or visions that simply came from the imagination of our hearts.
Though used interchangeably, dreams and visions carry slight differences. Dreams that deal with our future can take days, weeks, months and even years to come to pass depending on its mandate and they are symbolic in nature. They speak for the present and the future. They also require attention, interpretation, and application. During that course of time where the dream is coming to pass in your life, your character is being developed. You are being led and directed to a position to put forth work and effort and have it be with all of your might without “grumbling or complaining” (Phil. 2:14). The fulfillment of dreams starts with lessons of obedience. You can also be tested on your belief in terms of where you feel you are at and where you believe you must redirect yourself to get in the direction of God’s plan for your life. Ultimately, dreams help shape your desire and direct your aspirations.
Visions, on the other hand, are direct and take time but not slow in coming to pass. It’s purpose is to give you hope, strength,and endurance until it’s fulfillment. They show you what is God’s desire and aspirations. It may seem far fetched and impossible to bring it into existence, but require effort on our part to do all that is required from us and trust that God will bring to pass what he has promised for us.
“Whatever you do, do it well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.”
Ecclesiastic 9:10-11
Seize the moment
Dreams and visions within God’s time and chance. They come to pass to those who walk by surrendered faith in the timing of God. Time can be a day or month that represents a year. As noted on the Jewish calendar, a full moon begins a new month. Pertaining to dreams and visions a month can represent a certain time and/or season, which can speak of that individual’s cycle under a calendar year. This helps shed light to a prophetic word fit for a particular time.
Time can be an instrument God uses to bring events to pass in our lives. This doesn’t happen without us being at the right place at the right time. “Chance” plays a factor in this process by being God’s providence on Earth to fulfill a word by our conscious effort to work with that word. In Hebrew thought, chance is defined more as “to happen, come, or arrive, without design or expectation.” It is something that we cannot control, bring into being, nor will into existence by our own desires.
Do you remember those times when “Rock, paper, scissors” would be the ultimate decision-maker of who will be chosen to go first for something? Well, Israel's belief upon this subject may be summed up in the verse, "The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of Yahweh" in other words “We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall.” (NLT) (Proverbs 16:33).
________________________________
I had a dream where I was in a classroom full of students and the teacher was prophet that I knew who was preaching a sober message. The passage he read came from what seemed part of the Old Testament and sounded like it was from Proverbs. What was read seemed to be a scripture I never heard or seen before. I remember opening up my bible to see what he was reading and it was as if I saw the meaning of the scripture rather than the scripture itself. The scripture seemed to unveil itself from the parabolic way to a practical way. He read about a person who wasted time, wasted moments, and didn’t put forth effort who then loses opportunities. His point of teaching was to make the best of your opportunity and don’t waste it. Then I awoke.
The following verse came to me when I woke up.
“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”
Proverbs 6:10-12
I sensed a conviction to show diligence, take responsibility, and stay faithful in season and out of season. This is because God fulfills his plan in our lives when we are doing what we are suppose to while waiting on his promises and when we are where he wants us to be. Now that we know that is not by coincidence, but by time and chance that works with man’s doing under the providence of God, what do we do?
We simply Obey...
As stated earlier from Ecclesiastes, we are commanded to do everything well with all our might. “Might” in Hebrew means bodily strength or physical force as to work or strive. In Greek, it means dunamis, which is the miraculous might. When these two come together they mean exactly what the Ephesians 6:10 speaks of. Which means that God’s spirit of grace comes upon us and His might works within us to bring a combination of work to do God’s will under supernatural guidance.
I am reminded of a season in my life when me and my wife were continually having visions and dreams of us being in different countries. This happened over a course of time for about a year. We were excited about what God was showing us, we talked about the dreams, and we even shared it with others but we left it as that. It wasn’t until my wife and I visited a ministry where the prophet of that ministry spoke out that he saw us in another country that year on a mission trip. It was then that we realized God was speaking to us about being missionaries. In our dreams he had provided us with the grace, strength and guidance for us to work with Him to fulfill a purpose He had for our life. I then prayed that night with that in mind. As I slept the Lord took me into a vision and showed me where we were to go, what we were to do there, and even the people we would meet there. In the end, everything happened on that mission trip that I had seen in that vision. All of that would not have happened if I didn’t pray, surrender to the call, and obey God.
We sometimes think we have to get a certain amount of revelation before we go anywhere. Faith doesn’t always work that way. See, when we take the step to walk by faith and not by sight then the supernatural happens in a different and more profound way. Philip from the New Testament didn’t know he was going to translate from one city to the next after being commanded by an angel to go to Gaza. He obeyed, spoke to a Ethiopian man, baptize him, then translated to evangelize a whole city even until he got to another place. When you take steps of faith by believing and not seeing, the measure of your faith grows and your influence. The providence of God works that way.
“..After you have done the will of God then you shall receive the promise.”
(Hebrews 10:36).
Let us seek God’s face and ask the Lord what has he been saying to us this season. Obey His voice when he gives invitation to serve His kingdom purpose in this window of opportunity.
Pastor Joshua
Newsletter: Making room
April 2019
"A man’s gifts makes room for him and brings him before great men." Proverbs 18:16
I hear the Lord saying “They that are faithful over few things I will make them ruler over many things.”
Revelation:
Humility before honor.
We see this in the life of our Savior and Lord, Jesus. Philippians 2 translates it best as Jesus being found in the fashion of a man who humbled himself to the Holy Spirit in obedience even to His death on the cross before He was honored. His honor was that “every knee will bow and tongue will confess that He is Lord”.
Serving for the glory of God and not ourselves causes us to experience the anointing Jesus had in his earthly ministry that came from the Father. We then experience moments where God began to give us favor with man and going places we never knew were possible except through God.
Interpretations:
In this season and month let us know that our labor is not in vain and let us not become weary in well doing. If you feel as if there has been a lack of submission to the work of the Holy Spirit with the gifts that God has placed on your life then this would be the time to dedicate yourself. Know that in this season of humility that God will exalt you in due time for your faith laboring.
Application:
When we serve voluntarily in lowly areas at home, work, relationships, and church for the glory of God we are exalted in the roles that God always intended us to be since before we were in our mother’s womb. We see this voluntary servitude take place in the lives of many biblical individuals including those, such as, Joseph, Daniel, Mary, Ruth, and Esther.
Let us follow in their foot steps by allowing ourselves to embrace the fact that God is faithful to get us where He has called and intended for us all for the glory of His name. The Lord’s desire is to MAKE ROOM or expand our anointing, influences and borders of where we currently spiritually reside. This spiritual broadening effect will increase our awareness of His presence with the intention of reaching out to all of whom He has called us to who are currently in our lives and those who will come in the future. We then find ourselves becoming more faithful when we “seek first the kingdom and his righteousness”. This life of stewardship of the gifts given by the father and received by us brings glory and honor to the Father’s name.
I encourage you all to remember this:
As it is written, let us “forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13-14 ESV)
Newsletter: sowing seeds
march 2019
The Lord says ”Plant the seed..”
You may be wondering why things have been hard pressed or why you’ve been toiling and working hard but not seeing the fruit. God sometimes allows us to go through those times to pave the way, plow the ground, or even pluck up what should not be there in order to plant “that which shall be until the day of Jesus Christ”.
In this spiritual walk we can at times just focus on the pressing, pursuing, and persevering but fail to see the times and purposes under heaven that the Lord has called us within. It specifically states in Ecclesiastics 3:2, that “there is a time to plant”. This is a law with three parts according to Dan Stratton who says “God Gives so that we can Give: 1.) God gives the seed to the sower, the sower receives it with understanding and the receiver knows it is a seed for sowing 2.) He understands that it is not his harvest 3.) He then sows the seed and expects a harvest after it has had time to do what it needs to do.”
Our “seed” according to scripture is the Word of God and the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 13:31 & Mark 4:26). These scriptures reveal that the seed in essence is the Kingdom of Heaven and it being establish on Earth as is in heaven. It also makes known to us what happens after this seed is planted and the influence it will have in the surrounding area. God is saying that when you plant My will in the Earth, the Kingdom of God will witness on your behalf and make room for you to expand your borders. Seeking His kingdom and righteousness will establish that seed which God gives you and all things will be added to you (Matt 6:33). Let us labor knowing our labor is not in vain.
“Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness”
2 Cor. 9:10
We as a people of God join in each other’s labor. As we plant seed we become one in that labor, increase in righteousness, and position ourselves to receive more seed for the advancement of the kingdom. The truth is that there is no harvest without the seed sown and the seed cannot be sown without a sower. The Lord has given the charge, command, and favor to plant! Now is the time to plant the seed God has given you. Maybe you need to step out and do something to find your seed.
Minister to that coworker God has been prompting you to minister to.
Invite someone to fellowship.
Give a encouraging word.
Begin the ministry work God has been telling you to start.
Know this, whatever you plant and tend to like a gardener you can expect to receive a harvest in due season. (1 Corinthians 15:58).
winter wonderland shoppe
december 22, 2018
this year we were blessed to be able to team up with Community Empowerment of Northern Virginia again to make sure that no house stayed empty during the holiday season. hand-in-hand, we were able to help provide donated clothes and toys to many families in need. Surprisingly, we had a donor who was able to supply us with surplus of toys that left us overflowing! it was an answered prayer for sure! this two day event was not what we expected.. it was better! to God be the glory! we simply prayed that those families (and even those from our team who assisted) would be able to see the light of christ shining through each individual on those days.
Singles Conference: "I Am Not Forgotten"
november 3 & 4, 2018
One of the things that we felt like was so needed, but also so ignored in the body of christ was the remembrance of those who are single/unmarried. They are a part of the body who make up such a large percentage (see the stats) of the congregation, yet no body really answers the many lingering questions that one may have. Stay pure, but then what? is that it?
This conference was such a pleasure to hold within our ministry! We were blessed to have a great handful of speakers who were able to answer these questions and also shined light on those individuals to remind them that they are not forgotten.. they are in God's holy limelight.
Thank you to those who helped, spoke, cooked, cleaned, set up, and simply played a part of this event!
See below for some shots from the event!
