Category Archives: Gifts of the Spirit

January 12, 2015 · 5:17 pm

To Listen or not to Listen to Prophecy…That’s the Question (Part 2)

Let’s break down the process of speaking a prophecy from my experience, okay?

When I prophesy, I first feel a nudge in my inner man from the Holy Spirit to speak something. Along with my nudge or inner witness, I usually have the opening words, which may be something like, “I believe the Lord wants to speak to us…” As I speak the opening words, a few more words are given to me by the Holy Spirit and then more words gush through me as I speak, until I finish.

There are a few inner things happening in me while I prophesy.

On the one hand, I’m trying to listen to the Holy Spirit and speak His words in a similar manner. If He is cheerful, I want to be cheerful. If He is sober, I want to speak in the same way. Etc. Etc.

At the same time, I am trying to check my words against scripture because every prophetic word must line up with the Bible and its intent. If my words do not line up, they should be judged as false.

So, I like to think of myself as a computer with a few tabs open while I am prophesying.

Don’t worry!

It’s not as hard as it sounds because the Holy Spirit is doing the heavy work. I am just a vessel allowing Him to work through me. He fully understands my capabilities, my insecurities, my audience, and my faith level. He then gives me more than enough grace to handle all of this.

Now, whether or not you prophesy like I do really doesn’t matter because we are all unique individuals. Allow Him to train you to prophesy according to the measure of faith that God has assigned you.

Okay, what about spiritual discernment?

(Continued in Part 3)

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January 10, 2015 · 9:05 am

The Rumors of Larry’s Death Were Not Greatly Exaggerated (Part 1)

(Click on photo to enlarge)

“Well, what are your plans for your life?” asked Carol, my fiancee of just a few hours.

“I am going to start a large publishing company which will generate millions of dollars to help feed and care for the poor of the world,” I said without hesitation.

Carol giggled. “Sounds great, honey.”

This actual conversation took place sometime during the week of March 10, 1996. Carol and I had first met each other on the previous Friday, had our first date on the following night, and became engaged on that Sunday morning. We eventually communicated our dreams, our hopes, our middle names, and so forth on the fly as we planned for our wedding on April 5, 1996.

Now, let’s fast forward to the various times when we had no money to pay our car payments, our rent or house payments, our creditors, buy groceries, and whatever else over the last eighteen years. The conversations between Carol and me in the midst of our Dunkirk crises generally followed along these lines:

“Larry, what are we going to do? We don’t have enough money to buy a cup of coffee, let alone make the house or car payment,” said Carol.

“I really don’t know,” I replied.

“Well, what do you know?”

“I know the Lord has called me to start a large publishing company which will generate millions of dollars to help feed and care for the poor of the world. So, that means the Lord has a way for us to survive this predicament.”

“O Lord, I’m married to a man who has no clue about the real world and has his head stuck in the sand!”

Yet, the Lord has always brought us through our valleys. It hasn’t always been textbook pretty, but we have survived.

The publishing company, LarryWho, is now alive and on the ground. Its first book, The Day LA Died, is off the printing presses and awaiting release right now. Everything seems to be coming up roses, right?

Maybe.

You see, this series came about because I decided to evaluate my publishing and book marketing qualifications at 3:15 this morning. And guess what? I am clueless. I laid in bed for forty-five minutes before deciding to get up and face my inadequacies.

I walked downstairs, fed the cats a few treats, and sat down, expecting to seek the Lord in my normal manner. But I couldn’t concentrate. So, I walked through the house praising the Lord.

As I praised Him, a revelation dawned on me:

When the Lord created the universe, how much input and advice did He need from me? How about when He set the sun, moon, and stars in place? Or the mountains and seas? Or man and the duckbill platypus? He accomplished it all without my help. Thus, why am I concerned about my lack of publishing and marketing qualifications? The Lord, my CEO, my Sales Manager, knows how to do it all. I need to trust Him to open doors and reveal each step of the journey.

So, this series will be about a blind pilgrim – me – fulfilling a dream of starting a large publishing company. Who knows? Maybe my journey will encourage you to do the same.

(Continued in Part 2)

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Filed under Christianity, Gifts of the Spirit, Kingdom of God, Literature, Prayer, Prophecy, Self publishing, Shameless Advertising, spiritual warfare, Writing

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January 8, 2015 · 8:19 am

Jesus’ Great Hope for Cain

This is an eye-opening article from my friend, Hope Flinchbaugh at Lift Jesus Cross.

Lift Jesus' Cross!

‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.’ Acts 2:17

“Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. Joel 2:28

We live in a season when the Tree of Knowing Good and Evil has grown exponentially. Instead of the Tree of Life bearing fruit on both sides of the River of Life, we have seen the Tree of Knowing Good and Evil taking root on both sides of Information Highway through television, radio, internet, email, and print. As Christians, what we believe from these trees will shape our future. Perhaps this is why God promises…

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January 6, 2015 · 12:23 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (1/6/2015)

Dad would drive our 1955 Pontiac, Mom would ride in the shotgun seat, and my sister and I sat in the back. It did not matter where we were going because she and I would soon end up having a fight. Maybe she put her hand over the midline between her side of the seat and my side. Maybe I touched her. Whatever lit our fuses would soon be forgotten as our fight escalated.

Mom would then turn around and give us her best ‘don’t mess with your mama’ look. “Larry, why are you always causing trouble? Behave yourself.”

“Mom, she hit me last. So, I should be able to hit her one more time. It’s only fair!”

I am sure most of us can relate to this incident in one way or another, but the point is that avenging ourselves by retaliation is a natural reaction, which we learn as youngsters. Not only that, retaliation and vengeance will always escalate until one party loses or both sides quit. There are no in-between positions.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, we cry out to You to stop the racial war which is now being stirred up in America. Help us to no longer act as children, tossed to and fro by the waves of mankind and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes, and help us to speak the truth in love and to grow up in every way into who You are, the Head of the church. (Based on Ephesians 4:14 and 1 Timothy 1:1)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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January 5, 2015 · 2:16 pm

To Listen or not to Listen to Prophecy…That’s the Question (Part 1)

A friend sent me an email with a YouTube video link by an evangelist who talked about the New World Order, 6000 FEMA camps in America, pastors pledging allegiance to the New World Order, railroad cars moving Christians to camps, and countless other statements.

I listened to three or four minutes of the video and turned it off.

Today, I gritted my teeth and listened to the full message. Did I feel any better after listening to the twenty-six minute message? No, absolutely not. It still felt like ice water dripping on my inner spirit.

There is no doubt the evangelist has a prophetic gifting, sincerely loves the Lord, and has a little bit of truth mixed into her message. But just because a person talks about dreams, visions, prophetic words, has a few revelations, and inserts some scriptures along the way, are we supposed to accept her message as an inspired word of the Lord?

So let two or three prophets speak [those inspired to preach or teach], while the rest pay attention and weigh and discern what is said. (1 Corinthians 14:29 AMP)

It is not just the responsibility of leaders to discern whether prophecies are accurate words of the Lord. We all are called to do this. Why? Because the Holy Spirit dwells in each of us and does not just fall upon prophets, kings, and priests as in the Old Testament.

Okay, let’s be honest with ourselves.

Most of our spiritual ears have been dulled by the world around us, by our teachings, by our dependence on leaders, by television and movies, and by countless other things. Our spiritual discernment is probably at its lowest level right now.

So, what can we do to sharpen our spiritual discernment?

(Continued in Part 2)

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December 17, 2014 · 9:05 am

Islamic Terrorists Versus Radical Christians: New Game. New Rules. (Part 11)

How to be a Radical Christian (vi).

And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” (Acts 19:15)

The number one rule in spiritual warfare is that a believer needs to be known in two places in order to have authority over demonic forces: heaven and hell.

Being known in heaven comes with having your name written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life at salvation. This is an act of grace by our Lord, and has nothing to do with our individual struggles or works. A believer’s authority is a part of the Christian’s makeup from his new birth onward.

On the other hand, being known in hell comes out of struggles, and then, eventual victories over demonic forces that have influenced and controlled a believer in different areas of his life. If there are no victories, there will be very little authority over demonic forces.

For instance, I knew a man that was part of a prayer group. The prayer group began interceding against prostitution activity in his neighborhood, and the unclean spirit behind the activity. But the man failed to mention that he himself had a long standing problem with lust.

After a few days of prayer and fasting, prostitutes knocked on his door day and night, offering their services to him free of charge. It almost drove him over the edge. He withdrew from the prayer group.

In Part 5, I stated that a religious spirit empowers and guides the Islamic Terrorists and that the only way to overcome this religious spirit is for a bunch of Radical Christians to get free of the religious spirit that rules over our nation.

So, how do we get free of the religious spirit?

Most of us Christians will have to come out of our present churches in order to accomplish this feat.

(Continued in Part 12)

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December 9, 2014 · 1:45 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (12/10/2014)

A centurion named Julius guarded Paul and other prisoners on their journey to Rome. They boarded a cargo ship in Syria and crossed the Mediterranean Sea to other ports. In Myra of Lycia, they boarded a ship sailing to Italy.

The traveling was slow because it was late in the year, when the Mediterranean was hazardous for sailing. They reached a port on the island of Crete called Fair Havens. Paul said to them −

“Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” (Acts 27:10)

The centurion, pilot, and owner of the ship ignored Paul’s words and sailed for a different port on Crete. But a strong wind blew them out into the Mediterranean. They were storm-tossed and forced to jettison the cargo. Soon they feared for their lives.

Paul stood up in their midst when the storm was at its worst and said −

“Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet, I now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.” (Acts 27:21-22)

Paul’s words of hope were like life rafts for the other 275 men on the ship. They followed his advice and all were saved.

Why does it always seem like we people have to travel through terrible storms before we listen to the voice of the Lord? It doesn’t have to be that way.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, give us Americans ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to His churches. (Based on Revelation 2:7)

What do you think and did the Lord speak to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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December 7, 2014 · 11:07 am

I Love Christmas

In 1994, I attended a Christmas party for youths at an inner city church. There were thirty to forty youngsters between the ages of three and ten years old. The kids were mostly from homes where the mothers had drug/alcohol problems and the fathers were long absent from the homes. Although the children were poor, they wore their best clothes for the party.

The kids sat in a circle in the middle of the church’s basement. I sat between two of the youngest girls who alternated between sitting on their chairs and on my lap. Both were too excited to sit still.

The young teacher asked, “Why do you like Christmas?” She pointed to a child and added, “Okay, let’s start with you and go around the circle. Each can answer that question for us.”

One by one, they stood up and gave their answers. Each mentioned Jesus a little bit and then quickly added, “I sure hope I get such and such toy for Christmas.”

This continued in this manner until a seven-year old boy stood up. “We don’t believe in Christmas!” he proclaimed and sat down with his arms folded across his chest.

All of the other kids gasped, not understanding why the boy said what he did.

The little boy’s mother stood up. “Yes, we don’t celebrate Christmas. December 25th is not even when Jesus was born and is in fact the date of a pagan holiday.” She continued on for five minutes in a diatribe about how it was wrong to celebrate the holiday of Christmas.

Finally, she sat down.

The little children sat there stunned by her words. They looked like they had just heard their pet had been run over by a Mac truck. Their faces revealed their hurt.

I felt the Holy Spirit come upon me and I stood up.

“Yes, she may be right that December 25th is not the exact day for Jesus’ birth, but who really cares about the exact date? He was born and loves us now. Yes, December 25th may have been a pagan holiday, but who even remembers that stupid god except a bunch of fuddy-duddy Christians. That god is long dead and Jesus is alive. As far as pagan holidays go, the other 364 days of the year are all pagan holidays for one god or another. But this one day of the year, Jesus has reclaimed for Himself. If you happen to live in any nation of the world and hear the word ‘Christmas,’ you will learn that a man named Jesus was born on that day. So, let’s enjoy this one day when our Lord Jesus is remembered by the whole world.”

I sat down and every kid jumped with joy. The party continued onward.

The woman ended up coming up to me afterward. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I was wrong to push my ideas on the group and I felt you spoke the word of the Lord to me and everyone. Forgive me.”

The memory of that particular party still reverberates in my heart. I love Christmas.

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December 3, 2014 · 10:56 am

Islamic Terrorists Versus Radical Christians: New Game. New Rules. (Part 9)

How to be a Radical Christian. (iv)

Would you have enjoyed traveling with the Apostle Paul on one of his journeys? Consider Silas’ experience in Acts 16: 11-40.

In the city of Philippi, Paul and Silas did some street ministry. Paul cast a spirit of divination out of a slave girl. Instead of being thankful for the girl’s deliverance, the owners became enraged and stirred up the crowd against the two men.

Next, the city magistrates stepped into the melee, ripped the clothes off the two, beat them with cudgels, scourged them with a whip, tossed them into prison, and fastened their feet into stocks so that they couldn’t move.

Then, somehow, at midnight, Paul and Silas began praying and singing hymns. The power of God hit the place. Cell doors opened. The jailer’s life was spared and his whole household was saved. Paul and Silas were washed and fed. And then, the two believers were returned to prison.

The next morning, the magistrates sent some go-fors to release Paul and Silas from their cells. But what does Paul do? He said, “No way, Jose! We ain’t leaving this dandy place until the men responsible for putting us here come and say, ‘Pretty please with chocolate syrup all over it.’ Don’t even try to make us go. We ain’t moving!”

What do you think was going through Silas’ mind at them time? He was bloody. He was bruised. He was sore. He was stiff. He was tired. And he might have been thinking something like this: “Paul is a radical nut! How can he possibly believe that those men will come here and beg us to leave?”

How?

Paul had radical faith in God. And radical Christians need this same type of faith to oppose Islamic terrorists.

But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

(Continued in Part 10)

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December 2, 2014 · 12:02 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (12/2/2014)

Faith is looking at a situation that does not exist and believing it does exist. You then must pray and walk out your faith until it happens, like Abraham did.

But sadly, we often try to reverse this process by looking at bad situations, which we can see with our eyes, and then trying to believe the bad situations do not exist. This works only on TV shows like Bewitched, when Samantha blinked her eyes and everything changed. It will never work with faith.

Okay, are you with me?

This is very important for us to understand if we are going to make changes in America, especially in racial relations.

How can changes be made in America?

We must have prophecies and prophetic words, dreams, and visions from the Lord. Otherwise, how can we believe for things that do not exist unless the Lord speaks new things to our hearts?

Will this be an easy, quick work? Heavens no!

There will be naysayers and roadblocks all along the way because both sides are entrenched and taught in the old ways. You see, it’s hard to let go of what we know and have seen, which have somewhat worked until now, so that we can believe for what we cannot see and cannot prove will work until the Lord brings it about some day in the future.

But yet, it’s the only way to win spiritual wars.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray that You will open the eyes of us American believers so that we know there are more with us than against us as we wage warfare with Your prophecies. (Based on 2 Kings 6:16-17 and 1 Timothy 1:18.)

What do you think and did the Lord speak to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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