I came home from a women’s leadership meeting at church one night to find everyone had already gone to bed. Feeling hungry, I went into the kitchen and fixed myself a bowl of fresh blueberries. They were in season and were magnificent.

Then I heard it. It was a strange noise I had never heard before. It sounded like the lower notes of a cello and it was occurring at five- and 10-second intervals. Not only was the noise unusual, but my dishwasher and the entire kitchen counter would vibrate at each interval.

“What in the world could that be,” I thought. Our dishwasher was in its last stages of drying, so I turned it off. But the noise and vibrations continued.

I went to the bedroom and woke my husband. “Art! Art, wake up! There’s a strange noise in the house. It’s a low, humming sound, and it’s causing everything to vibrate.”

Art’s a sound sleeper, so he simply turned over and said, “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. It’s probably the hot water heater.” But we had only recently purchased the hot water heater, which had been installed, inspected and reset. Could this possibly be the cause?

Now, settled in the bedroom, I could still hear the noise and feel the subsequent vibrations. It was not just in the kitchen now. It encompassed every room.

Being the woman of faith that I am, I said, “We have to do something. We just can’t sit here. What if there’s something wrong with that heater and it explodes? It can cause a fire. I’m calling the fire department to check it out.”

At those words, Art got up and went out to the garage. He examined the heater, then went to the fuse box and turned off the connection to the heater. That should do it. It didn’t. The noise continued.

Now I was really getting worried. Art went back to bed and turned over. “I have an early day tomorrow, and I need my sleep,” he said.” The Lord will take care of us.”

“Well, I’m staying up in case something happens,” I said. I gathered some treasured belongings and asked if our valuable papers were secure in our fireproof box in case I had to quickly grab them on the way out of the possibly exploding house.

I spent most of the night watching old reruns and praying during the commercials. Then I started timing the noises like a midwife. One, two, three, four, five, and I would hear the sound and feel the shaking; one two, three, four, five, and the cycle continued. In between “contractions” I prayed, “Lord, what is this? Help us, God.” I finally gave way to exhaustion and fell asleep.

In the morning, we awoke to the same rhythmic sounds. “Thank You, Jesus,” I said. “We’re still here. We’re alive and well. The house is still standing. But what is that noise?”

Our son woke up and we asked him if he heard the noise and felt the shaking. He said yes and mentioned that the night before he had turned on a switch he thought was connected to the water heater because the water was not hot enough.

Switch? What switch? He then walked into the garage and turned it off. The noise and shaking stopped, and our electrician later discovered it was connected to our attic fan, which we never used. I felt so foolish. The reality was much less foreboding than my imagination had been.

So while my husband and son slept peacefully, I had stayed awake waiting, watching, praying and imagining the worse. Have you ever felt that way? Have you had situations that were beyond your control and you didn’t know what to do?

Sometimes we don’t know what’s happening, why or how a situation is going to work out. We have no answers. We only have questions and we are forced to wait for and depend on someone who knows more than we do to take over and bring the solution. As much as I prayed, God did not show me what was going on. Instead, He allowed me to stew in my own fears. He knew I was perfectly safe from harm. He knew what was happening and that my fears were unfounded even if I didn’t. Instead of fretting, I could have slept in peace and safety, according to Psalm 4:8.

There are times when a major crisis disrupts our lives and we feel equally helpless in the face of it. God knows all about that too. He knows the end from the beginning and He has already promised that all things will work out for our good no matter what it sounds or looks like (see Rom. 8:28).

He knows how to handle each situation, and we can rely on Him totally for even the smallest details of our lives—whether it’s the unfamiliar noise and shaking of an attic fan, or the shaking of our security through unemployment, illness or loss of a loved one. We may not understand what’s happening when we’re going through it, but in His time He will give us understanding and we will rejoice at the final outcome (see Jer. 29:11). 

Prayer Power for the Week of Sept. 28, 2015

This week thank the Lord that He is always watching over you and that His plans are only for your good. Praise Him that He knows it all and will answer all your prayers toward that end.

Rely on the Scriptures to help direct your prayers to align with His will. Continue to pray for our national leaders concerning the economy, the military, international relationships and Israel. Pray that we as the body of Christ would unite in prayer and purpose for God’s kingdom to be established globally. Keep praying for revival in our nation and around the world (Jer. 29:11; Rom. 8:28; Ps. 4:8).

A Renovation Challenge

My husband had initiated a large remodeling project in 2003 to update our church building. It was desperately needed as our facility had received little attention since the 1950s. We had terrible, dim lighting; gold-colored theater-style chairs (that smelled!); old musty, green carpet; a huge pipe organ system; metallic-gold wallpaper on the sanctuary’s largest wall; and other memorabilia from that long gone era.

Also worth mentioning was the cracked exterior paint, the slippery cement lobby floor, the stair wells that led to nowhere and the missing foundations on parts of the building. It all had to go! As a church, we managed to successfully complete our renovation to a more functional, high-tech and visually aesthetic facility with many families making deep sacrifices to make this happen.

Our biggest issue during the remodel was our city’s building department. They approved our construction plans and then reneged on their approval after we began construction. Our entire sanctuary had been gutted and now they wanted more safety features to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars. If we didn’t comply, they threatened to inspect our extensive building for even more code violations. It felt like extortion and put us in a terrible financial bind. By the grace of God we got through it, but as a new prayer community, we began to pray a simple prayer not realizing the ramifications.

All we asked the Lord to do was to “change the building department.” We were not their first victims and so we felt justified in this prayer. For myself personally, I was in a state of unforgiveness, angry and wanted some type of justice. We kept that prayer before the Lord continuously and didn’t let it go. About a year later, we heard the news: The entire building department, including tenured members, had been laid off. That seemed totally impossible given the culture of our city government.

Think About What You Pray

I learned a very valuable lesson during that season. We need to think about what we pray before we pray it. We actually prayed a prayer out of our own heart without bothering to seek the Lord’s heart, and yet that prayer still materialized.

Is it possible to pray a prayer that doesn’t align to the heart of God and still have it come to pass? The answer is yes! We are more powerful than we think and we’ve been authorized by God Himself to govern the affairs of earth through our prayers (Is. 56:7; Matt. 6:10).

Does God personally answer our prayers if they don’t originate in Him? He does! Many things we pray for really have to do with our own preferences, but don’t necessarily cause a negative chain reaction. For example, you might pray for a closer parking spot at the local mall for safety reasons or you simply don’t want to walk the distance. Or you might pray for better weather on a day you have something important going on such as a ministry outreach or an outdoor wedding. These are prayers that we ask based on personal preferences and God graciously answers many of these with His favor.

Then there are prayers that we ask out of our own “selfishness, anger or trying to bend the will of another.” For example, the Israelites began to complain and weep for meat to eat saying, “We remember … we ate freely in Egypt” (Num. 11:5). The Lord was very displeased with their complaining, but still answered them with 30 straight days of meat raining in their camps.

With the endless supply of meat, the Bible says He also sent them “leanness of soul” (Ps. 106:15). In other words, their souls diminished in the knowledge of God instead of growing in knowledge of Him because they prayed with a despising heart. This tells us the importance of having a right heart in prayer. Our “reasons” for asking things are just as important as what we are asking for.

Don’t Command the Wrong Kingdom

I heard someone pray one time, “Lord, if this person keeps drinking, just make them sick!” There was a day I wouldn’t have thought much about that, but my experience with the building department taught me better.

What does “sick” look like? If that person takes a drink, do they get cancer or something? Do they throw up? Get ulcers? Does God answer a prayer like that? Or, does it bargain unaware with the demonic kingdom to try and manipulate someone’s behavior? Jesus did something quite unusual in John 13. Satan had just taken possession of Judas and then Jesus says to him, “What you do, do quickly” (John 13:27).

In other words, Jesus commands Satan to now proceed with the plan of the cross, knowing Satan couldn’t execute Him unless He permitted it. Jesus only did that once, but scenes like this instruct us about the spiritual realm. When we don’t know the written Word, when we don’t carry our Father’s heart, we can slip into prayers of anger and manipulation. These prayers have the potential to move the wrong kingdom into motion.

Jesus’ disciples experienced rejection by a certain Samaritan village and reported it to Jesus. They asked if they should command fire to come and consume the village like Elijah did (see Luke 9:51-54). I’m amazed at their level of faith—they believed they could actually command fire, but instead of praise they got a swift rebuke: “You don’t know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (Luke 9:55-56). Notice that Jesus didn’t say their “command” couldn’t happen. What He addressed, however, was their wrong heart and their wicked desire to kill off an entire village.

Have you ever felt like the disciples did after being rejected by someone? Did you even suggest to God they should be punished for what they did to you? These are normal feelings, and we’ve all experienced them. We struggle to balance our feelings with the redemptive heart of Christ when we are mad, disgusted, appalled or experience injustice.

Regardless, we are exhorted to pray and intercede “for all people” (1 Tim. 2:1). Praying “for all people” is not praying just for the people you like. It’s praying for the people you don’t like, believing they will turn from darkness to light and live victoriously for Jesus Christ.

Become Agents of Redemption

I sat in a conference one day next to a middle-aged woman who began to share her story with me. She had been a children’s pastor at a church and felt she had discerned her pastor’s wife as operating in a Jezebel spirit. It’s a very involved teaching, but in short, a Jezebel spirit can be characterized by manipulation, control, sexual sin and a counterfeit prophetic gifting. It’s a very serious accusation.

This children’s pastor began to pray and ask others to pray with her about the Jezebel spirit controlling her pastor’s wife. She believed that she had also found proof that her pastor’s wife had this evil spirit and gave her evidence to the church board and a denominational oversight committee. Sadly, the board and the denominational committee agreed and removed the pastor and the pastor’s wife from their pulpit.

My mouth fell open as she described this, because it was obvious what had really happened. She had become offended at her pastor and his wife. She chose to use prayer, accusation and even “prophetic” words to remove them from their pulpit. How did she succeed? In anger and ignorance, she commanded the wrong kingdom and actually succeeded in getting her will accomplished.

Hearts that are aligned with Jesus and His unfailing love will not pray to wound, sicken or destroy another person ever. Remember that there is no justifiable offense in the kingdom of God. This doesn’t mean we don’t exercise wisdom in our natural relationships and have good boundaries with evil people.

When it comes to prayer, however, we consider the spirit of the matter and become agents of redemption instead. We pray for resurrection life to flow into their dead places. We pray for the blood of Jesus to cleanse their hearts of every evil tendency. We bind demonic spirits from using them as hosts for evil. We ask Holy Spirit to hover over them and birth His kingdom into their hearts. We pray passionately, but we pray wisely. We bless and do not curse.

Reprinted from The Elijah List. Jennifer Eivaz is a vibrant minister and international conference speaker who carries the wisdom and fire of the Holy Spirit. She presently serves as an executive pastor with Harvest Christian Center in Turlock, California, and is focused on raising up a passionate and effective prayer community that is tempered with love and hears the voice of God accurately. Jennifer loves the presence of God and is a prophetic voice to her church and to others. Her teaching style is authentic and aimed at the heart, having been built on her personal testimony of God’s incredible goodness and miraculous display in her life and in the life of her church. Jennifer is a graduate of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is married to HCC’s Senior Pastor, Ron Eivaz, and they have two wonderful children. She has written a book called The Intercessor’s Handbook. Reach out to Jennifer via email at Asst2jeneivaz@. For more information about her ministry, visit her website or blog.

It occurred to me the other day that I haven’t written much about anxiety and depression. If you’ve read some of my earlier posts, you know that I experienced severe anxiety and depression about five years back, which was ultimately what God used to bring me to Christ. Prior to this, I had been able to get through everything on my own, but I couldn’t seem to get myself out of this one. Honestly, I think God needed to present something to me that I had absolutely no control over for me to finally turn to Him. And though I would never want to return to this terrible place, I am thankful that God did what was necessary to bring me to Himself.   

But it was such a horrible, dark place to be, and I didn’t know any other person who had been through what I was experiencing, which made it even more frightening. I would have given anything to simply talk to someone who had been there, someone who had made it out on the other side. Someone who was “normal” again.

When I was there, I think I just about lost all hope that I would ever be normal again. I questioned whether or not I was going crazy, and I actually feared I would end up locked away in some asylum somewhere. It was truly unbearable—unbearable beyond words. And with time, it only got worse.

Just when I thought my depression was the worst it could possibly be, I would plunge even deeper into my pit of darkness. The anxiety raged like a storm within me. Mentally, my mind seemed to spin out of control with fear. Fears were stacked upon fears unceasingly.

As one fear settled, another would take its place, and I’d feel as if my whole being were being plunged into the pit of hell. Thought after irrational thought entered my mind, as if planted there by another, which would send me into a tailspin of fear that wasn’t manifested only in my mind, but in my body as well. Physically, symptom after symptom began to show up.

First I had the headaches that remained day and night for months on end. Then my heart was acting funny to the point that I went to the emergency room because I thought I was having a heart attack. Then I experienced panic attacks that left me feeling like I couldn’t breath in enough air.

Irrational panic would strike suddenly out of absolutely nowhere. But even when I wasn’t having a false heart attack or panic attack, I was never at ease, and I found myself saying over and over, “I just want to feel peace. How do I find peace?”

I thought I was going to die, and I was terrified of dying. Yet at the same time, I found myself thinking it would be easier to die. I don’t think I was suicidal or anything, but the level of suffering I experienced made a small part of me want to give up and die. But I couldn’t give up. I was a mommy and a wife. My family needed me, and so I fought. I fought like never before to get better.

I tried everything that worldly experts tell you to try. I tried eating better and exercising more. I tried therapy. I tried meditation.

I tried a stress management class. I tried yoga. I tried reading self-help books.

I tried implementing the lessons taught in The Secret. At one point, I was even considering going to a Buddhist retreat, if you can imagine that! And when all else failed, as a last resort, I tried medication, but it only made things worse.

There were times I thought I was on to something, but ultimately all these worldly solutions turned out to be a bunch of foolishness. They were all man’s attempt to attain happiness apart from God, which is something that, quite simply, cannot be done.

I was desperate, but nothing worked. Nothing was making me better. And so with all other option exhausted, I finally called my friend Sarah and asked about her church. I figured it couldn’t hurt to give church a try.

So, I went, and to my surprise the pastor’s message spoke to what I was struggling with in that exact moment. As a non-Christian, I left thinking, “The shear probability of that happening is just crazy!” It blew my mind. I went back the following Sunday. It happened again, and it continued to happen over and over until I finally understood that God was showing Himself to me, and I believed.

Now, I’d like to tell you that my anxiety and depression vanished the day I gave my life to Christ, but it didn’t. It took time. But over time, it did subside little by little until one day it simply wasn’t there anymore.

But I don’t believe this would have happened had I not poured myself into seeking God like I had. In my desperation, I took every opportunity I had to seek God through going to church, going to a women’s Bible study, listening to sermons on podcast, listening to Christian music and reading my Bible. If I wasn’t actively taking care of my family, I was actively pursuing God, and I believe God honors our pursuit of Him. Scripture tells us that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. It’s a promise, one God is faithful to fulfill.

Anxiety and depression are terrible. You feel alone. And if you’re anything like I was, you think you’re going crazy and will possibly never recover. But you need to know that God intends to pull each of us out of our pits, just as He pulled me out of mine.

I would have given anything to have been able to talk to someone who had gone through was I was going through. Someone who had made it out on the other side. Someone normal! So if you or someone you know are in that place, please don’t hesitate to contact me with your questions.

Laurie Coombs is a passionate writer and speaker on the issues of forgiveness, redemption, and the hope found in Jesus. She is the author of Letters from My Father’s Murderer: A Journey of Forgiveness, an incredible true story of grace, mercy, and the redemptive power of God. Her story was featured in Billy Graham’s film, Heaven, as well as on many other national and regional radio and television programs. She is a contributor to Zondervan’s NIV Bible for Women and writes at , , and . Laurie and her husband, Travis, make their home in Nevada along with their two daughters. To connect with Laurie, please visit or find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Millions of Americans (myself included) have been tuning into AMC’s The Walking Dead on Sunday nights. The show is so popular it even has an after show called The Talking Dead, for those who need to relive the last episode for another 45 minutes!

I don’t love the blood and guts, but the characters and storylines have drawn me in.

Rick Grimes (the main character) and the rest of his zombie-fighting crew have found themselves in extreme conditions as they fight for survival. These unimaginable circumstances have instantly turned their friendships into relationships that feel and look like family.

Let’s just say you don’t want to encounter them in a dark alley!

Each day a choice stares them each in the face. Will they choose to fight for the sake of the group, or will they fight each other thinking only of themselves? Only to be eaten alive by flesh-tearing zombies! (Trust me the storylines are worth it!)

You would think with scary killing zombies everywhere the group would quickly come together to fight the real enemy. But survival seems to bring out the best and worst in people, and although the zombies are clearly the “bad” guys, the humans still end up fighting one another.

Jealously, selfishness, and control still are in play and the ultimate goal of banding together for the sake of survival is still void in some hearts and minds.

So, the question remains: Is the church any different from The Walking Dead?


Sadly, I am not so sure, and I am the first to admit I can fall into the same category as these TV characters I have grown to love.

We (the church) are often busy debating theology, politics, and our stance on issues. We find ourselves sacrificing relationships for the sake of being “right” and we won’t budge, and sometimes won’t even truly listen to each other.

Lance Wallnau says, “We are more willing to attack one another, than band together and fight the enemy.”

We are in a war with a real enemy. I never want to focus on the enemy (he doesn’t deserve our attention), but it’s important we remember the bigger battle we are in and the need for complete unity to take ground for the kingdom.

We seek to be the best church on the block, rather than bond together for the sake of our community, city, and nation. I am not saying I am perfect or my church has is it all figured out.

I am saying my heart has been challenged to seek unity for the bigger battle at hand. I have no idea what that looks like, but I know the challenge stands in front of me/us.

In the meantime, I will keep watching The Walking Dead and will keep being challenged by their relationships that look like family.

Even more challenging is watching these relationships form with people who don’t look and act the same, and honestly, probably couldn’t be a more different group of individuals. Yet they understand the times they are in and see the need for unity. (I know they are acting, but I am challenged still.) It should be no different for the church.

In this season God is stirring family in the hearts of His people.

Our mission, our destiny, and His kingdom can’t be achieved alone but rather through family.

Will I fight for family and unity or seek to be in my own corner, going at it alone?

The choice is ours. What will we choose? {eoa}

Mikaela Kate is passionate to see YOU reach your full God-given potential!  Her heart is to inspire the next generation to discover who they are and what they are made to do. There is a unique VOICE locked within you, Mikaela Kate is authorized to RELEASE it!
 
A speaker, writer, and coach, Mikaela Kate has invested seven years developing college-age men and women into leaders. Conducting Bible studies, women’s groups, and young adult teams she encourages others to go further and higher—taking their gifts, passions, and skills to the next level!
 
A graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in marketing, she discovered her love for strategic thinking, big picture ideas, and meeting people where they are.  These skills and passions later equipped her to plant a church with five other staff members (Veritas Church, Iowa City, IA).
 
She moved to Sheffield, England and worked as the Young Adults Leader at St. Thomas Philadelphia. While in England her passion for America grew and her desire to see her native land transformed for Jesus ignited. She sees people living out their God-given purpose as a key to the transformation of this nation.
 
Mikaela currently lives in South Carolina and is an active member of The Father’s House Church.

As I’ve been praying about this new Hebrew year of 5776, the Lord revealed some amazing things that I want to share. Since we have now moved from 5775 to 5776, and to see what this year may hold prophetically, we look at the number six to see its meaning in Hebrew.

The number six is vav. a word meaning “peg” or “hook.”  

As I was studying this, the Lord immediately brought back to me the story of Jael in Scripture, which you can read about in Judges 4. In this epic event, the Lord delivered the Israelites out of the hands of the oppressive Canaanites, and He did so in a remarkable way!

He used an unknown woman who was not even an Israelite to defeat the head of the Canaanite army, a man named Sisera. The Bible says that the Canaanites had “harshly oppressed the children of Israel for 20 years.” The Israelite army, along with their leader, Barak, had come up against the army of the Canaanites, and began to drive them back. As a result, their leader, Sisera fled on foot, and came upon the tent of a woman name Jael, who was a Kenite, not an Israelite.

As he lay down to rest in her tent, and fell asleep, this audacious woman took a tent peg and drove it through his head. Although her tactics were unconventional, they were extremely effective! She used what she had to defeat the enemy, and in doing so, her name is forever blazoned in biblical history as a hero!

In killing Sisera, she made it possible for the Israelites to win the battle, as Scripture tells us that from that day forward Israel grew stronger and stronger against the Canaanites until they utterly destroyed them. Jael used the only thing she had, which didn’t seem like much, but it destroyed the “head,” in more ways than one.

The Spirit spoke to me and said, “I will be raising many up in this year—5776—who will use what I have placed in their hand (the tent peg) to destroy the plans of Satan and take out the ‘head’ of the enemy who has kept them oppressed and defeated … the enemy who is waging war in their family, their city  and their nation!”

He also began to show me that many of those He will be raising up will be the most unlikely ones … those whom no one would suspect, who have no rank or title. He will use them to destroy the enemy who has kept so many bound for far too long.

They may not seem to be the strongest or the most qualified, but if they will obey the Lord and use what is in their hand, they will forever change their destiny, their territory and their generation.

I also felt the Lord saying that, just as He did then, He is especially raising up courageous women, for such a time as this, to war against the enemy. It is time for the daughters of the Lord to arise, and take their place in His army. We must fight the our soul’s enemy, who has kept us oppressed and who is seeking to destroy us as well as all those around us.

The Lord has given us His tools, and though at times they may not seem like much to fight with, He will show us how best to use what He has given us, to destroy the “head” of the armies that are fighting against us. Something else the Lord began to show me about this story in Judges 4 is that Jael was alive during the reign of Deborah, the judge and prophetess. Deborah was truly a prophetess of the Lord, but she was also a judge, which means she carried an apostolic anointing.

This is why the Israelites were able to throw off the oppression of the Canaanites during her lifetime. Not only did Deborah prophetically hear what the Lord was saying and what was coming, she equipped and charged the Israelite army and its leader, Barak, to go forth in battle and fight for their freedom. In addition to the women the Lord is raising up, the Lord will be placing many men of God into leadership positions alongside these women.

They, like Barak with Deborah, will be able to listen and heed the voice of the women of God that He has anointed for this hour. They will not care who gets the credit. They will have no prejudice, and will be able to discern those whom the Lord has appointed to be apostolic and prophetic leaders in the kingdom during these last days.

Jael was not an Israelite, but she was close enough to the boundaries of Israel to most likely have heard of the judge and prophetess Deborah. I do not believe it is by mere chance that the Lord used a woman of no consequence to kill the head of the enemy army, during the very time that the entire nation of Israel was being ruled by a woman.

In fact, Deborah even prophesied that the Lord would use a woman to destroy the enemy army. She tells Barak, the leader of the Israelite army, that she will go with him into battle at his request, but also tells him that there would be no glory for him because Sisera would die at the hands of a woman.

I believe Jael was only able to have the courage and wherewithal to strike a fatal blow to the enemy, because she had already heard of a mighty woman of God who ruled the entire nation of Israel, a woman who was a prophetess as well as an apostolic leader.

The Lord told me that He is also raising up Deborahs in this hour who will lead an entire army and put the enemy on the run. They are a hybrid warrior of apostolic (judge) and prophetic leader. These women will raise up many “Jaels” under them, who will strike deathly blows against the enemies in their own territory and sphere of the kingdom. 

These are the daughters of Deborah, and this is their year. Armed with the hammer of authority and the “peg” of purpose, they will pursue their destiny and make their mark in kingdom history.

Amanda Shiflett and her husband, Darin, are a unique and anointed ministry team with a heart for equipping the body through worship, prophecy, evangelism and deliverance. At God’s leading, they co-founded Ministries for Life not long after their marriage in 2009. God has blessed and anointed them to work together to impact this end-time generation.

For the original article, visit .

As we entered the Jewish New Year, I began to study the prophetic insight on this coming year 5776/2016. For the past few years I’ve noticed some patterns that seem to present themselves with each year.

For instance, last year, 5775/2015, had a meaning “to see the wind or breath.” And from last year until now we have seen exactly that as it relates to the body of Christ. We saw God breathe and bring life to things we thought were dead; we saw the wind of God come in and separate the wheat from the chaff. We also saw winds of doctrine infiltrate churches and ministries as it relates to the legalizing abominations, etc. I was interested to see what insights could be found for this year.

The Hebrew alphabet is alpha-numeric; it also has word pictures associated with its letters. The letters associated with this Hebraic year 5776 are the ayin and the vav. The ayin has a numerical value of 70 and the vav has a numerical value of 6 forming the “76.” The word picture associated with ayin is an “eye” and the word picture associated with the vav is a “peg, nail,or hook.” When one puts the pictures together it could be said that the year 5776/2016 would be a year “to see the peg,” or ” to see the nail or hook.”  

As I looked at the Scriptures regarding a peg, nail or hook, I believed there is some insight that can be gleaned on what to look for in this upcoming year 2016/5776. Practically speaking a peg, nail or hook is and was used to secure and connect things. One of the places to see the picture of the peg in Scripture is found in the tabernacle. The peg was used in several places to secure the curtains of the inner veil and the pillars of the outer wall (Ex. 26:32, 27:17).

Just as last year we saw the wind come and separate, I believe this year will be a year for the things to be connected and made secure. This year will be a year to see positions, partnerships, and purpose become secure so that strategies will be released to advance the kingdom.

In the book of Judges, we see that victory was secured with a tent peg: “Then Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand and went quietly to him, for he was fast asleep and tired. She drove the tent peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground, so he died. Now as Barak had been chasing Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek.” When he came in, there was Sisera fallen dead with a tent peg in his temple.” (Judg. 4:21-22, MEV).

The battle was going on in the field but victory was secured in the house. She secured the victory by going “softly” or “secretly” towards the enemy. We must wage war from the secret place of the presence of God. We must wage war in the secret place of prayer. I believe this is key in the days ahead. There may be all types of battles and chaos going on around us in the field, but we must secure the victory in the house. We must make sure our houses are secure and in order before we can impact what is around us and this comes through prayer. Jael drove the peg into the head of the enemy.

Jael functioned in the place of her authority (her house) and finished the fight completely by attacking the head. She used her dominion mandate to destroy the enemy. The best way to kill a snake is to take off its head (Gen. 1:28, 3:15). She took the hammer of God’s Word (Jer. 23:29) and the peg of the prophetic (Judges 4:14) and drove it completely through to the ground. This is a picture of a complete victory by using God’s word and waging the warfare with the prophecies that has been spoken (1 Tim. 1:18).

Another thing to look for in 2016/5776 is for God to exalt and secure the position He has for you in the kingdom. In Isaiah 22:15-25 we will find the story of Shebna and Eliakim. Shebna who’s name means “youthful,” “youthfulness,” and “vigor,” was trying to promote himself in the kingdom. He did this by building a tomb so he could be placed among the rich and royal of the day.

“Thus says the Lord God of Hosts: Come, go to this treasurer, even to Shebna, who is over the royal household, and say: ‘What right do you have here? And whom do you have here that you have dug out for yourself a tomb here, as he who hews out for himself a tomb on high, and who cuts a habitation for himself in a rock?'” (Isa. 22-15-16, MEV).

God saw that Shebna’s motives were not pure. He wanted to advance himself in the kingdom more than he wanted to advance the kingdom. Shebna’s labor was in vain. (Psalm 127:1).

Any time man tries to advance himself in the kingdom, the only thing he really ends up building is a tomb. We must learn to remain humble with a heart of a servant and let God advance and position us in HIS timing. In verse 25 we see that the Lord removed the “tent peg” of Shebna because of self-promotion.

“In that day, says the Lord of Hosts, the nail that is fastened in the firm place shall be removed, and be cut down and fall. And the load that was on it shall be cut off, for the Lord has spoken it.'” (Isa. 22:25, MEV).

The Lord will not leave a position void in HIS kingdom. He is always looking for one to stand in the gap. (Ezek. 22:30) Eliakim fills the role that once seemed like a secure position for Shebna. Eliakim’s name means, “God raises,” “God sets up,” or “God establishes.” The servant Eliakim was called, clothed, strengthened, and positioned in the kingdom by God. He was promoted and raised up by God and not man. What Shebna forfeited God fortified with Eliakim. He was given the “key of David” to open things that were shut, and to shut things that were open ().

The Scripture states that God would fasten Eliakim as a nail/peg in a sure/secure place and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house. 

 “I will fasten him as a nail in a firm place, and he shall become a glorious throne to his father’s house” (Is. 22:23, MEV).

Look for God to remove things you thought were secure, things that were actually built on self-promotion and not true servanthood. “Kingdom connections,” ministries, and relationships in your life that are more about themselves than having a mutual advancement of the kingdom will be removed. The Shebna’s in your life and ministry will be removed and God will raise up the Eliakim’s that will have the key of David to close doors that need to be closed and open doors that need to be opened. This is a time of being established strengthened and secured in your position in God’s house to advance the kingdom (Isaiah 22:23, 54:2).

Has there been a space of grace in 5776 shown to us that we may have revival in America? In the book of Ezra we can see another reference to the use of a tent peg or nail.

“Yet now for a little while, there has been a favorable response from the Lord our God—leaving us a remnant to escape, giving us a tent peg from His holy place, having our eyes enlightened by our God, and giving us a little reviving in our bondage. For though we were slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage but has extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, granting us a reviving for the rebuilding of the house of our God, for the repairing of its ruins, and for giving us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem” (Ezra 9:8-9).

I believe there has been a space of grace given for the believers to recognize their position in the holy place, and to have our eyes enlightened to the Scriptures so that even though the nation may be going slipping into bondage with its abominations, we will still have revival in the midst of it. God always has a remnant that is secure and will not bow their knee to any false images of religion and false doctrines of devils out there (Dan. 3; 1 Tim. 4:1).

The vav when added to the beginning of any word creates the meaning “and.” When writing a sentence, the “and” is the “peg” or “hook” that connects a word or clause to the next. We first find the vav written in Genesis 1:1 when it speaks of the heavens and the earth. This is why the vav is known in some traditions as the divine connector. It connects the heavens with the earth.

Again, a tent peg was used all throughout the tabernacle in the wilderness. The tabernacle was a picture of the blueprints of heaven manifested on the earth (Ex. 25:9, Heb. 5:8). On a practical perspective look for God to breathe a fresh wind on tent revivals this year. It’s already started in some places throughout Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The Lord is strengthening the stakes/pegs so that we can take territories for the kingdom. The tabernacle in the wilderness and the tents God is moving in now are places for divine connection with the presence and power of God.

“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes” (Isaiah 54:2, MEV).

With that said there is a greater divine connector that we have now and his name is Jesus. He is the prophetic tent peg that has secured our position in HIM by nailing the ordinances against us to his cross. Let this year be a time of finding your place in Him and in doing so you will understand your position in the kingdom making your calling and election sure (2 Pet. 1:10).

“From him comes the cornerstone, and from him the tent peg. From him comes the bow for battle, and from him every ruler goes out, all these together. And they will be as mighty men, who trample down in the muddy streets in battle. They will fight because the Lord is with them, and He will put to shame those riding on horses” (Zech. 10:4-5, MEV).

“He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and contrary to us, and He took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed authorities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col. 2:14-15).

Watch for God to secure your position in Him and in the kingdom. Watch for the removal of those with selfish ambition and those that are about self-promotion. Watch for a space of grace and for a reviving in the midst of bondage. Watch for partnerships and purpose to become secure so that strategies and victories will be released to advance the kingdom.

Jason Armstrong is the founder of Remnant Fire Ministries based in Cleveland, Tenn. Jason travels as a prophetic teacher releasing kingdom strategies, prophetic insights, and practical revelation to ignite individuals, families, churches, and nations with a burning heart for God and His kingdom. Connect with Jason online at 

While it may be cheap and convenient, McDonald’s isn’t known as the most compassionate fast-food restaurant around.  

That’s why this viral photo is igniting the Internet.  

A Facebook post shows one employee’s integrity as he paused in the middle of rush hour to serve an elderly gentleman.  

“To be honest, I thought the cashier wasn’t going to help, especially during rush hour in downtown Chicago, but to my shock, he shut down his register and disappeared from view…,” writes Destiny Carreno.  

But the cashier surprised her further. He left the front, “Not to get away from helping him, but to wash his hands and put gloves on! I had to stick around and see how this would play out, especially since it hit me so close to home.” 

The picture is a heart-warming reminder of how we can be Christ to the least of these. 

Church of God’s Lee University has yet another talented vocalist shocking viewers on reality TV. 

Jordan Smith, a senior at the Pentecostal college, wowed judges on The Voice, shocking each and every one of them as their chairs whirled around. 

“I don’t know if I’m really happy or really scared,” Smith says. 

Smith is a member of the Lee Singers, one of several choirs on campus. 

The school is renown for its musical talent, having vocalists like Clark Beckham compete on reality shows, and a group choir performing at the presidential inauguration. 

Smith joined Adam Levine’s team after the Maroon 5 frontman declared Smith to be the “most important person to ever be on this show.”

Watch the video to see his audition. 

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins is a busy man these days. He is hosting his annual political conference, the Values Voters Summit, this weekend, featuring numerous presidential candidates and other pro-life, pro-family leaders. In the midst of his busiest season, he got word on Friday morning that House Speaker John Boehner resigned. When Sen. Marco Rubio announced the news, VVS attendees gave the news a standing ovation. Like a true leader, Perkins looked ahead to the next Speaker, and the qualities that conservative Christians want in a House leader:

“American voters who put the Republican Party into the majority have grown weary of GOP leaders running into these political battles waving a white flag,” Tony Perkins said.

“If Republicans will not fight to end taxpayer funding for an organization that is trafficking in baby body parts, and possibly infanticide, what will they fight for?” he asked.  

“We welcome Republican leadership that understands that some values, like life, religious liberty, and national defense are worth fighting for – no matter what,” Perkins concluded. 

Sen. Marco Rubio announced that Speaker John Boehner was resigning—both as Speaker and from his seat in Congress —at the Values Voters Summit in Washington, D.C. , this morning. This is how the crowd reacted. It seems that even Rubio was taken aback at the response.