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Trade Winds

Trade winds are east winds and there are many scriptures about how God uses them.

But first, when we look at these two Words separately, we see that east is derived from a Word that means forefront (Strong’s #6921, qadim). And wind means breath and spirit that can give life or a violent exhale (Strong’s #7307, ruach).

So, this wind can empower courage, inspiration and strength of mind and heart. Or it can express anger, wrath and grief. It can reveal goodness and expose evil simultaneously.

One commentary says the east (trade) winds are often violent and scorching and come from a desert (Brown-Driver-Briggs).

In Holy Scripture, God allows the east winds to:

Scatter (Jer 18:17)

Shatter (Ps 48:7)

Shrivel (Ge 41:27)

Sweep out (Job 27:21)

Drive out (Is 27:8)

Dry up, break off (Ez 19:12)

Wreck (Ez 27:26)

Wither, thin, blight (Ge 41:6, 23)

Parch, violently accuse (Job 15:2)

Plunder (Ho 13:15 AMPC; here Assyria is called the East Wind)

Poison (Am 4:9)

Bring locusts (Ex 10:13)

Yes, bring locusts!

Exodus 10:13 AMPC says that “Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night; when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.”

God also used east winds to allowed a famine in the land. We see it in Genesis 41:27 AMPC, where Joseph says to Pharaoh, “And the seven thin and ill favored cows that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears [of grain], blighted and shriveled by the east wind; they are seven years of hunger and famine.”

What’s interesting here is that, with the famine, came God’s solution through Joseph that even went beyond Egypt.

So, with all this, we see that east winds are what God has used historically to bring a shift—to clean house from strongholds and restore order and freedom for His people. East winds are a tactical force that God simultaneously uses in spiritual battles to push back darkness and clear the path of victory for His faithful people.

Just like with the Israelites, described in Psalm 78, those living unrepentant lives (of bondage) must turn to The Lord and go His way to survive the east winds.

As I pursued God for this message, I believe Holy Spirit revealed to me that there is an east wind coming across the USA that is divinely-purposed to clear a path for His people to be set free from oppressive alignments and rise to the forefront. This same east wind that will cleanse Kingdom domains from evil will be the same east wind that accelerates God’s faithful people.

This new alignment is a type of revival.

God is expressing definition in this hour as this east wind blows through. He asks, “Did I not put My laws in your minds and write them on your hearts?” 

We must be ready for this defining moment by deciding whose side we’re on. We must turn from selfishness, stubbornness and rebellion. We must be awake and intentional in Kingdom efforts.

The Lord also showed me the Word “mill” in a Word-vision. I sensed a few interpretations:

First, no longer can we mill around “aimlessly, slowly or confusedly, as a herd of cattle” (Dictionary.com). It’s time to trade up. It’s time to decide this day whom we will serve, as this trade wind will prove to be God’s dividing line that will reveal His sheep from goats as individuals as well as nations.

Secondly, I sensed that God will expose more about international trade and give us wisdom and opportunity to spearhead and develop big and small shifts that will cause His people to excel, especially in work arenas.

As God re-ignites their dreams, these people can receive His invitation to head further into freedom by working together to pursue their hearts’ desires. God gave me the understanding that they will overcome limitations of the past with Christ-mindedness.

Thirdly, I sensed that there are specific regions and towns in the USA that will recapture manufacturing for God’s glory. I saw “East Tennessee” in a Word-vision. God highlighted this area but I sensed there will be an outpouring and an overflow that will affect outlying areas as well. “Be ready for new opportunities,” says The Lord of Hosts, “Be available. This is what I have been re-ordering you for.”

Fourthly, there are even those whom God is calling back into manufacturing. Those who thought they had to accept retirement. God has recompense for these wise and willing ones. He is inviting them into new opportunities to experience a fullness of joy in this area that they once missed. “This time,” says The Lord of Hosts, “will be different.”

You thought it was over, but God has a new beginning for you, a type of revival that will cause you to have a good ending. A better ending that will re-set your posterity.

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for bringing us into greater truth and freedom. Please help us to be on the right side of your trade (east) winds. Bring any conviction that leads us to repentance. Get our minds and hearts right with You. Show us Your merciful provision. Order our steps. And reveal Your wisdom to help us get into position to receive Your fullness of joy in this season.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Domain Name

In good and evil, names are directly linked with identity and domain. Domain being a field of action, thought or influence, as well as a realm or range of personal knowledge and/or governed territory (Dictionary.com).

Names reveal direction, purpose and unique character.

We see name changes in Holy Scripture that reflect transformation, like Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel and Saul to Paul (Ge 17:5, 35:10; Ac 13:9).

Name changes are linked with experiencing a change of heart and/or a way of life. They reveal God’s redemption for His people, His nations—from setting us up to raising us up to manifesting the expansion of His Kingdom through us. 

When we know and apply the Name of Jesus, we can take dominion as He wills. This must be rooted in love, as He put His laws in our minds and wrote them on our hearts to influence us to act accordingly (He 8:10). When we fully yield to Him, He expands His covenant of victory-salvation in and through us on earth. 

Alternatively, acting on sinful flesh weakens us. Therefore, pretense has to go as we are made stronger in Him. Pretense is anything that is not of God, such as lies, indulgences, addictions and even priorities that are out of order, according to Holy Spirit. 

Matthew 7:21-23 ESV reminds us that Jesus said, “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'”

Romans chapter 8 has a lot to say about the opposing domains of flesh and spirit. In verse 13 TPT Paul says, “For when you live controlled by the flesh, you are about to die. But if the life of the Spirit puts to death the corrupt ways of the flesh, we then taste his abundant life.”

Yes, we grow in grace, love and insight that enables us to choose excellence and be filled with His fruits of righteousness  (Phil 1:9-11). Yes, God takes us from glory to glory. And yes, when we know better, He expects us to do better. As we seek Him, He will invite us higher. 

Living in His domain of truth, love and overflow is a choice.

So, we are to serve God faithfully, as one after God’s own heart, and let His power flow through us as His delegated authority to take dominion for His Kingdom.

Acts 3:16 reminds us that “It is the faith that comes through believing in Jesus’ Name that has made the crippled man walk right in front of your eyes!”

God sets us up to help fulfill His Gospel. Obedience unto God is everything, as we prove our trust in Him as our Source for life, given even through wise strategy in life or death situations. This is how Moses and Joshua knew God in pivotal moments of Kingdom expansion.

We serve God on earth out of the complete victory Jesus already won for us. It’s a matter of choice to believe and take courage to do it His way above our own, the latter of which always leads to less than His best life for us.

So, let’s be reminded of John 10:10 TPT, which says, “A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!”

Pray with me if you will…

“Our Beloved Father, dwelling in the heavenly realms, may the glory of your name be the center on which our lives turn” (Matt 6:9 TPT). 

Thank You that You are the living God, who endures forever, that Your kingdom will never be destroyed and that Your dominion will never end (Da 6:26).

Thank You for rescuing us from the dominion of darkness and bringing us into the Kingdom of the Son You love, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Co 1:13-14 NIV).

We choose to humble ourselves unto Your will and ways to experience Your expansion through us. Help us rest in Your love and please You.

Thank You for enabling us to let go of lesser comforts that weaken us spirit, soul and body, as we reach for You as our true Source of comfort, love and strength. 

Restore and revive our lives. Open before us the right path and lead us along in Your footsteps of righteousness so that we can bring honor to Your name (Ps 23:3 TPT).

Thank You for Your delegated authority, Your power to act on Your Word by Your Name and see miracles come to pass on earth as it is in Heaven.

And help us to live with You every moment in Your house, beholding Your marvelous beauty, filled with awe, delighting in Your glory and grace (Ps 27:4 TPT).

In Jesus’ Name above all names, 

Amen.

This devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Seen Well

Right now, God is releasing grace to end our torment and destruction from the last season by bringing us into more of His understanding and truth of what happened.

This fresh perspective offers us greater peace and freedom, as Holy Spirit removes our confusion and un-resolve. In doing so, He’s restoring, preparing and enabling us to move full circle into locations and relationships better and wiser. To move into the new life that He promised. And to pour out His living water through us.

God works to unclog the deep wells of our understanding in different ways.

For example, He gave understanding directly to the suffering prophet, Jeremiah, saying, “You have seen well, for I am [actively] watching over My word to fulfill it” (Je 1:12 AMP). 

In this verse, to have seen (Strong’s #7200) means that Holy Spirit opens our eyes of understanding and gives us sure access to experience and display whatever He reveals to us. This is a key promise, as His governing spiritual laws are set in place to work on our behalves. 

In Acts 8:25-40, the curious and worshipful Ethiopian man, who worked as the minister of finance for the queen of his country, gained understanding through a disciple of Christ.

God sent him Philip, to “walk alongside” him in his journey and help him understand more about the Gospel of grace to the point where he could more fully accept it (vs 29). 

This happened while the man read passages from Isaiah 53, which say:

He was led away to the slaughter like a lamb to be offered. He was like a lamb that is silent before those who sheared him—he never even opened his mouth. In his lowliness justice was stripped away from him. And who could fully express his struggles? For his life was taken from the earth (Ac 8:32-33 TPT; Isaiah 53:7-8).

The Lord touched the Ethiopian man’s heart and sent him Philip, who led him to his confession of faith, baptism and indwelling of Holy Spirit (vs 36-38). 

Acts 8:39 TPT tells us that “The man never saw Philip again and that he returned to Ethiopia full of great joy.” 

So, the complete work of Jesus gave this man a new beginning, as he sought to understand Jesus more, while he traveled full circle, back to the physical location from where he came. 

This is our Gospel of Hope, which is certain to be fulfilled (vs 25).

We can only imagine the reach this man had when he returned to his nation. I wonder how he influenced Ethiopia’s Queen Candace (vs 27).

As in this man’s story, once the door of Christ is opened, Holy Spirit brings understanding, which, by invitation, lifts us out of frustrating limitations into a new attitude. So, we can be freer in Christ and with Christ to run and help others, like Philip.

Jesus is the God of Justice, who gives us beauty for ashes to build His Kingdom, beginning with our salvation. And when we seek Him for greater understanding, He’ll bring it. 

When we receive greater understanding, we can know our Lord better and do better for His Kingdom. 

As a well of understanding, we become fortified to overcome our previous lack of knowledge that worked against us to destroy (Ho 4:6; Is 5:13). And we are re-positioned for rivers of living water to flow through us outwardly.

For the Ethiopian man, it came in the form of a disciple of Jesus, who was directed by The Lord’s angel (Ac 8:26).

For Jeremiah, understanding was given directly by the Word of God (Je 1:4-19).

And God will do the same for us. 

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for seeing us and our needs and for sharing Your Spirit of Understanding that knows all things. You command us to get perfect understanding with truth, discernment and wisdom as in Proverbs 4:5. Therefore, we seek You for understanding and invite You to open the eyes of our hearts to see what You would have us see and know right now. What gift of understanding would You like us to experience and display for Your glory? Open Your deep well of understanding Your truths to us, Lord. Help us to apply it and carry out Your mission wisely. Help our unbelief. Thank You for leading us from our certain hope in You to complete fulfillment. Thank You for helping us overcome our lack of knowledge that destroys, thus ending our torment. Thank You for purposely growing us in the knowledge of You and Your Kingdom. May Your rivers of living water pour out of us like a flood at Your will as You order our steps.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name, 

Amen.

This devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Complete Definition

On the morning of October 11, 2022, three days before our Lord relocated me out of state, He gave me this Word. It’s not solely for me but also for those who are willing to hear and receive it by faith. Here is the Word:

We are in a time where those who know Christ as their true power and authority will excel even more. Everyday citizens of Heaven on earth will see God’s explosive power and authority manifest in healings, miracles and deliverances instantaneously and in great measure.

Where the enemy has tried to push back authority in our streets as a visual to intimidate My righteous ones, says The Lord of Hosts, I AM revealing Myself in full-on power and authority through my aligned ones in a rising, the scale of which this world hasn’t seen.

To My people, says The Lord, when the stones start to be thrown, know that Heaven will break open for you even more as conversions happen all around you. Many of the most desperate people, who are caught in impossible snares, will acknowledge My grace and receive freedom.

Those empowered with My truth and love will come on the scene courageously, stand for what is right in My eyes, reach out to others and see it manifest. They will be a witness to those who have deep un-resolve in their hearts toward authority—the ones who exalted their false ways out of fear and envy, says The Lord. As a result, many who didn’t know better will come to know Me and live. Others will self-destruct in their stubbornness.

There is a definitive line between good and evil, says The Lord. I have drawn it and am making it known again. People must choose this day whom they will serve–darkness or light. For I have raised a standard. More than ever, the world will see black and white in a new way. For there is no in-between, says The Lord. To those who are bent towards destruction, there will be no more grace for in-between. It is not about you. It is about Me. It is not about race. It is about running your race with Me. It is not about who is right. It is about My righteousness, says The Lord of Hosts. I AM exalting My righteousness on the earth.

My higher standard will be even more obvious as I make Myself known to this world on a heart level, both to individuals and at large. I will send My beacon-people to those in need of true authority. They will bring the deliverance needed to those who are willing. This move will not be a stretching, like in times past, says The Lord, but will include My righteous expectations and involve a series of definitive and deliberate choices they will now have to make. It will happen in rapid succession. Once choice after the other, they will have to decide whose side they are on: Mine or theirs. Mine or the evil one’s.

Gone is the grace, for those who know better, to torment others. For time is short, says The Lord. Decide this day whom you will serve and live or die by your choices of grace or no grace, as there will be no more in-between allowed for those who know what to do. For I AM cleaning My houses, says the Lord of Hosts. I AM delivering, re-aligning, re-ordering and re-assigning My people. This is a time of honor and exaltation. This is time for Me to be exalted in the earth through those who have aligned with Me as their Love and Truth, their Power and Authority.

Have I not taught you? asks The Lord. Have I not trained you? There has been grace for you to learn a thing. And now, I AM adding speed. I AM increasing velocity to enable you, who choose Me, to soar. Just as My Word does not return void, My straight arrows will hit the mark in this season, as I have restored and equipped them to do so.

This is a time of lift. So, continue to lift Me up in your praises and be lifted. Watch for and experience My joy permeate your entire being, says The Lord. For I come in fullness of Spirit to deliver My promises to My beloved. Watch and see the goodness I do, for you will see My glory fill the earth in a new and fresh way that will awe My beloved and win souls for My glory.

Friends, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your Word that exalts Your nations. Thank You for freeing Your beloved from man’s snares. We choose to hold onto You as You bring Your willing ones where You desire we be at this time. Thank You for remembering us, as You continually go before us and make a way that would be otherwise impossible. We choose to trust You now and forever.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Sweet Devotion

What is devotion?

According to Strong’s, the noun devotion means whatever is honored as “an object of worship” (Strong’s #4574).

Webster’s defines the verb devotion to mean “an act of prayer or private worship” that is marked by dedication and loyalty.

To be a devoted lover of sweet Jesus means to faithfully and irrevocably give ourselves and all that we have to Him. Whatever we devote to Him, including our hearts, He makes holy and increases in value, according to Leviticus chapter 27.

So, God’s kind of devotion is cyclical, as He enriches all that we give to Him.

He is flawlessly committed to us and expresses fidelity to His bride accordingly. As we receive His invitation to commit ourselves to Him we experience His sweet fruit. This means living in submission to all that He is and does.

This Heavenly marriage-devotion is beautifully expressed by King David’s prayer in Psalm 61, where he “relies on the Lord’s promises to support his throne” (Hayford Bible Handbook). In verse 5 of the TPT version, he says, “You have heard my sweet resolutions to love and serve you, for I am your beloved. And you have given me an inheritance of rich treasures, which you give to all your devoted lovers.”

Many of God’s faithful ones, who have been stretched for a season, have kept the faith, found God in the midst and are now being rewarded outwardly. They are beginning to be released into their next assignments. Everywhere I look, they are starting and growing marriages, families, ministries and more.

They found victory deep in the valley and are now finding it in the outward expanse. They learned how to overcome, how to align with God Most High in big and small situations behind the scenes.

They laid down fear and bitterness and learned to trust in God’s truth, His promises. They learned to put higher choices into practice in new areas and have increasingly become the head (and not the tail).

They have grown in holiness, and especially in patience. They learned to “live each day with holy awe and reverence” (1 Pe 1:17). They found hope and fixed it onto God’s greater grace. They were reformed by Him, made stronger in Him and are now able to extend fresh expressions of hope to others.

Their joy is being made full, as they move further into God’s purposes now.

Some, however, have messes to go back and clean up. This is a kind of repentance, a rededication to resurrection life in specific areas. But even these beloved ones can be encouraged, because in this accelerated season, it may not take as long as some think.

These saints have the advantage of hindsight and redemptive grace. Their rewards have not been thwarted. They are simply waiting on the other side of clean-up. Also, the timing of God’s reward can be more about elements not in their control.

So, no matter where we are right now, we can be committed to God in heart and task as we continue to be prayerful, watchful and thankful (Co 4:2). It’s in this kind of devotion that Holy Spirit releases strategy and wisdom to help us become more efficient for His purposes, even in simple things. He will lift our burdens by showing us what we do not see on our own.

For me, Holy Spirit has been guiding me through an online class that I take. A few weeks ago, He directed me to re-order my sequence of tasks, which saves me a substantial amount of time each week. He has me open the quiz document first and answer the questions as I listen to the video. Then He has me read through the class notes, which involves skimming through a condensed transcript.

Before He intervened, I was reading several pages of class notes, then listening to the teaching video, then taking the open-book quiz.

But His way not only makes everything go faster and easier, it’s now more enjoyable and causes me to feel a sense of accomplishment at the outset of my day. I can hardly believe the difference it makes, both in time and attitude.

Jesus took me from daunting to doable. And He’ll do the same for you, as you reach for Him to help you in your assignments

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for being my rich treasure, all that I need. Thank You for revealing Yourself and Your best to me in strategy and wisdom. Thank You for caring about the common things in my life, as well as the uncommon. Thank You for bringing me up higher and sustaining me by Your grace upon grace. I call it forth and choose to rely upon it.

“Teach me more about you, how you work and how you move, so that I can walk onward in your truth until everything within me brings honor to your name” (Ps 86:11).

Help me “do everything I’ve promised you, Lord” (Ps 56:12).

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.