For all the talk about modern-day Pharisees, there are plenty of Sadducees running around the church wreaking havoc on people who have faith to believe in the resurrection power of God at work in the lives of the saints.

We get a glimpse into this mindset in Acts 23:6-9 when Paul was standing before the high priest making his defense against accusations from the Jews:

Then Paul, knowing that one sect were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, cried out among the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee. I am being judged for my hope in the resurrection of the dead.” When he had said this, dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit. But the Pharisees acknowledge them all. There was a great outcry. The scribes that were from the sect of Pharisees stood up and argued, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”

Paul’s answer displayed the wisdom of God. But there’s something more here for us today. Check out the video teaching and shake free of the Sadducees!

Have you ever walked into a room singing a tune and suddenly felt angry on the inside? How about walking into a lunch meeting feeling optimistic and finding yourself provoked, stirred or otherwise agitated?

Paul teaches we wrestle not against flesh and blood (see Eph. 6:12), but flesh and blood can come under the influence of spirits. And spiritual atmospheres can also trigger the prophetically sensitive.

Check out this video teaching in which I unpack Acts 17:16 from several translations for emphasis. The MEV reads, “While Paul waited for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him …”

Paul warns us to cast down vain imaginations and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Put another way, we need to discern the demonic creepers that sneak into our thought life.

In this Mornings With the Holy Spirit prayer broadcast, I got a word of knowledge that exposed many demonic creepers that work to rob the peace and joy of God from our hearts.

There are creepers named condemnation and creepers named guilt. There are creepers that remind you of the pain of the past and creepers that try to make you dread tomorrow.

We’re standing against the creepers today in Jesus’ name!

Be sure to watch the video and agree with the deliverance prayer!

The kingdom of God is not based on talk but on power (1 Cor. 4:20). But how do we tap into that power? How do you position yourself to move in God’s “dunamis“—the power for performing miracles that opens the eyes of the lost to the love of Christ?

I am convinced if we want to see Book of Acts-like power manifesting in our lives, we need to understand the dynamics that unlocked and unleashed that power in the early church. At least three of those dynamics are in Acts 1 and 2.

Imagine the scene: Jesus appeared to His disciples for 40 days, teaching them about the kingdom of God. After His impromptu seminar, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. Jesus prophesied they would receive power when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. He disappeared in a supernatural swirl, taken up into a cloud followed by two angels prophesying He would return in the same way (Acts 1:8-10).

Pressing Into Prayer

What did the disciples do in response to this visitation? They obeyed the word of the Lord—they immediately returned to Jerusalem and found an upper room where they could gather to tarry in prayer. The Bible tells us the apostles, as well as the women and Jesus’ mothers and brothers “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14a).

This wasn’t a 10-minute pre-service prayer meeting like we see in many of our churches today. This wasn’t souls crying out for prosperity. These were unified “pray without ceasing” petitions with strong devotion to seeing God’s will done in the earth as it is in heaven.

I don’t know how long this prayer went on—how many hours or days they petitioned the Father. I don’t know exactly what words they prayed. I don’t know any more than what the Bible tells me, but I am certain it was the James 5:16 (AMP) level of prayer: “The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].”

Prayer Brings Revelation

Whether they prayed for a day, a month or 119 days before God revealed to Peter passages from the book of Psalms, again, I don’t know. But at some point, Peter—who first received the revelation that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God—received another revelation from his heavenly Father:

“Brothers, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit previously spoke by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became the guide to those who seized Jesus.  For he was numbered with us and took part in this ministry… “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, ‘Let his habitation become desolate, and let no one live in it,’ and, ‘Let another take his office'” (Acts 1:15-17, 20, MEV).

At that point, Peter acted on his revelation and suggested they draw lots to see which of the remaining disciples who had walked with Jesus since the beginning and were witnesses of His resurrection should step into Judas’ role. The lot fell to Matthias, and he was numbered with the 11 apostles (Acts 1:16).

Revelation Brings Alignment

Peter’s revelation restored kingdom order. Jesus chose 12 disciples because 12 is the number of government. Judas betrayal led to an empty seat of governing authority. David prophesied, “let another take his office.” Once prayer unlocked this revelation and kingdom order on the earth was reestablished in the last verse of Acts 1, we see something astounding happen in the first verses of Acts 2.

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed and resting on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak (Acts 2:1-5).

Holy Ghost power fell upon them, filled them, gave them a new language and got the attention of the world. Souls were saved. The fear of the Lord came to every soul. And dunamis power was released. Specifically, the Bible says “many wonders and signs were done through the apostles” (Acts 2:43b).

Unlocking ‘Dunamis’ Power

From the first two chapters of Acts, we learn that prayer unlocks power—but sometimes it first unlocks revelation that sets the stage for power. It’s possible there is something out of alignment in your life that’s blocking the dunamis from manifesting.

Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s sin. The disciples in the upper room were not in sin—they were in prayer. But there was yet something missing. There was something they needed to do to set proper kingdom order. There was a revelation necessary to open their eyes to an adjustment they needed to make.

If you want to walk in the power of God, pray. Ask Him for a revelation of anything out of alignment in your life. Ask His kingdom to come and His will to be done in your midst. Do like the disciples did—lift up continuous petitions with strong devotion to seeing God move in and through you for His glory. Amen.

“Jonah” prophets—those prophets who would rather see a nation destroyed because they are bitter in spirit—are pontificating and prophesying about doom, gloom, cataclysmic disasters, catastrophic calamities, foreboding horrors and the like.

And these Jonah prophets are gaining quite a following—and putting a pretty penny in their pockets with petty fear-mongering campaigns.

But God is about to deal with the Jonah prophets.

1. Jonah prophets are disobedient to God, bucking and fighting against his will.

Just like Jonah fled to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord because he did not want to see Nineveh come to repentance (Jon. 1:1-2), modern-day prophets run the opposite direction when God is calling them on a mercy assignment. All they hear, see and say is doom and gloom because they carry judgment in their heart.

2. Jonah prophets say they fear the Lord (Jon. 1:9), but inwardly their actions do not line up with their words, and their prophecies are not in line with the Father’s heart.

I can just hear the Lord saying, “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel and had caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds” (Jer. 23:21-22).

3. Jonah prophets think their way is better than God’s way.

After God spared Nineveh, Jonah had the nerve to say to His Creator, angrily no less: “O Lord! Is this not what I said while I was still in my own land? This is the reason that I fled before to Tarshish, because I knew that You are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in faithfulness and ready to relent from punishment. Therefore, Lord, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jon. 4:1-3).

4. Jonah prophets are self-centered drama queens.

Twice more, Jonah expressed to the Lord he would rather be dead (Jon. 4:8-9). We don’t know what happened to Jonah after that incident. All we know is we don’t see God using him anymore.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m sober. My eyes are wide open. I see the conditions in America. I hear the cries of legitimate prophetic voices that are warning us of the destruction they see in the days ahead.

Yes, I do believe that we’re reaping what we’ve sown. But I absolutely, positively refuse to buy into the notion that God is not going to pour out His Spirit once again. I reject the idea that widespread transforming revival that sees a great harvest of souls is not possible in America.

Yes, I believe God does send warnings through prophets. I receive many of these warnings myself, and I believe they should be trumpeted with clarity, humility and weeping. I believe we need to lift up our voices and speak the hard truths so that we don’t end up with the blood of lost souls on our hands.

But I refuse to lose hope for a Third Great Awakening. After all, even Isaiah, who offered plenty of prophetic words about judgment, was known as the prophet of hope.

Let’s pray for the Jonah prophets, showing them the mercy they are trying so hard to withhold from the nation. Let’s stand in the gap for the Jonah prophets who are blinded by their own bitterness. Let’s cry out on behalf of the Jonah prophets, petitioning God to help them step into their true calling, refusing to filter what He is saying through the anger in their own hearts. Let’s move in the opposite spirit of the Jonah prophets and bless those who are cursing our nation.

Have you run into an undercover angel? Can you sense the presence of angels you cannot see?

Angels remain invisible unless the Lord chooses to reveal them. Hebrews 13:2 tells us plainly, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unknowingly.”

The NLT translates this verse: “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!”

But there are ways to discern the presence of angels you can’t see. In this clip, Jennifer LeClaire tells Lori Bakker there’s an angel standing beside her.

Visit  to learn more and be sure to join Jennifer on Facebook each morning for live prophetic prayer calls and Mornings With the Holy Spirit Devotions.

{eoa}

I hadn’t received a significant personal prophecy from the Lord in years—nor was I looking for one. While I used to crave prophetic words as a young Christian, I’ve learned not look to man as a mediator to deliver messages from God.

That said, I value personal prophetic ministry. That’s one reason we have prophecy rooms every Friday night at the Awakening House of Prayer. A prophetic word delivered in due season can change someone’s life (see Prov. 15:23). And when we’re going through mega trials that are rocking our emotions, it can be difficult to discern the will of the Lord.

The purpose of New Testament prophecy is to edify, comfort and exhort (see 1 Cor. 14:3). Personal prophecy can build you up when the enemy is tearing you down. Personal prophecy can comfort you during an instant crisis or a prolonged storm. Personal prophecy can exhort you to take action—and inspire the faith in you to run to the battle line.

Rapid-Fire Jaw-Dropping Prophecies

Recently, I found myself in a personal prophecy swirl. I don’t mean on the giving end—I mean on the receiving end. People I hadn’t heard from in months emerged with vivid dreams about my present condition and my future hope. Others I just recently met had spectacular open visions of what the Lord was calling me to do next. Indeed, a river of personal prophecy was flowing into my life from many streams.

At first, I found it strange that so many people—even random strangers who sent me Facebook messages—were having so many dreams, visions and prophetic words concerning my ministry. I thought, “Dear Lord, it’s so weird that all these random folks are dreaming about me.”

The river soon started flowing over the banks and turned into a flood. Folks I had never met before and would never see again started delivering massively directional words. These words were so specific and so bold these saints must have been super-sure they were hearing from the Lord. They would be foolish to come up to me and proclaim such things in His name. It was enough to make my jaw drop.

Join Jennifer on Facebook every morning for prophetic “Mornings With the Holy Spirit” prayer calls.

Many Suddenlies Are Not Suddenlies

At the same time, I was having dream after dream and getting word after word directly from the Lord about crossing bridges, mega provision, relational deaths, spiritual assignments against me, turning points and big decisions. Add it all up, and it’s a prophetic swirl that was undeniable.

Paul taught us that we know in part and we see in part (see 1 Cor. 13:9-12). Each prophetic word I received from Father’s heart—every dream, every vision and every angelic encounter—served as a puzzle piece that was slowly bring into view the mega picture. If anyone had told me what that picture looked like in a single prophecy, my mind and emotions would have rejected it. God in His wisdom trickled out bits and pieces of information like bread crumbs on a hiking trail. And I followed.

Through this I learned that many suddenlies are not suddenlies at all. God changes us from glory to glory, and we move from faith to faith. He prepares our hearts, sometimes for years in advance, for the next breakthrough. He sees the end from the beginning and sends messengers we know and messengers we don’t to give us signposts on the highway to our destiny.

What to Do in a Prophetic Swirl

The Bible says, “Believe His prophets, and you will succeed” (2 Chron. 20:20b). Of course, you have to make sure the prophet is truly speaking what the Spirit of God says. We must test the spirits to see if they are God (see 1 John 4:1b). We must prove all things and hold fast to that which is good (1 Thess. 5:21).

There comes a time, though, when the collective of prophetic voices becomes so loud and so confirming that we have to extend our faith to believe God. There comes a time when we have to get out of minds and into His heart.

When you are in a prophetic swirl, stay close to God. Understand that personal prophetic swirls usually precede mega transition—and so do trials. The personal prophecies are intended to edify, comfort and exhort you through the trial, through the transition and into the next assignment God has for you. And I can assure you, it’s good! {eoa}

When I first got saved, my eyes were opened to the reality of angels. I was living in Ozark—a small town in Alabama that was essentially my wilderness place—and diligently looking for a church to call my home when I found a Pentecostal congregation that was radical in its faith.

The first time I walked through the doors, I saw a display of feathers. Being newly saved, I had no idea what in the world this signified. One of the members excitedly explained these were feathers that had fallen into the sanctuary in past services.

Of course, I was skeptical—until feathers started falling into the sanctuary right before my eyes. After seeing so much New Age angel philosophy creep into the church, I shied away from angels. But in the last couple of years I’ve resumed my study and discovered angels are on assignment to help us more than we realize. You can read my prophetic word about angels here.

1. Angels are spirit beings. “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to minister to those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb.1:14).

2. Angels are messengers. The root word for “angel” in the Hebrew is “messenger.” We see angels speaking to Joseph in dreams, angels speaking to both Abraham and Lot, angels speaking to Peter in prison and more. Angels still can and do bring messages to people in dreams and visions, from the spirit realm or face to face.

3. Angels are immortal. Luke 20:36 tells us after we die, we can’t die again because we “are like the angels.” The late Lester Sumrall once said, “You’ll never read the obituary of an angel.” When our body dies, 1 Corinthians 15:53 tells us we trade mortality for immortality. We get a heavenly body. We are then immortal like the angels.

4. Angels outrank man. Psalm 8:5 tells us, “For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor.” 2 Peter 2:11 tells us angels are greater in power and might than mere men.

5. Angels have an intellect and are wise. 2 Samuel 14:20 speaks of the “wisdom of angels.” They have the capability to think. But angels are not omniscient. They do not know when the Lord will return (Matt 24:36).

6. Angels are holy. Mark 8:38 speaks of the “holy angels.”

7. Angels are innumerable, according to Hebrews 12:22. There are so many you can’t count them. And if God needs more angels, He can create more.

8. Angels have supernatural strength. 2 Thessalonians 1:7 says they are “mighty.” Revelation 18:1 tells us they have great power. Psalm 103:20 says they excel in strength.

9. Angels are invisible unless God reveals them.

10. Angels have emotions. They are joyful about God’s will. Luke 15:10 tells us “Likewise, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” You can grieve angels. Angels are grieved by what grieves God.

11. Angels have a free will. Isaiah 14:13-14 tells us, “For you have said in your heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also on the mount of the congregation, in the recesses of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'”

12. Angels are always obedient to God’s Word. Psalm 103:20 says, “Bless the Lord, you His angels, who are mighty, and do His commands, and obey the voice of His word.”

13. Angels don’t need to rest. Revelation 4:8 says, “The four living creatures had six wings each, and they were covered with eyes all around. All day and night, without ceasing, they were saying: ”Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.'”

14. Angels travel with lightning speed. Revelation 8 and 9 show angels moving rapidly through heaven. They are beings of light that move at light speed, which is 186,000 miles per second.

15. Angels are God’s warriors. The archangel Michael went to war with the prince of Persia in Daniel 10:13, and Revelation 12:7 tells us of Michael and other warring angels going to battle against the dragon and his angels.

16. Angels can appear in human form. Abraham had lunch with angels (Gen. 18).

17. Angels are servants to God’s children. Consider Hebrews 1:14 in various translations:

 “Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?” (AMPC)

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out for service on account of those who shall inherit salvation?” (DARBY)

 “Isn’t it obvious that all angels are sent to help out with those lined up to receive salvation?” (MSG)

 “Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation” (NLT).

Visit  to learn more about how angels are working in this hour. {eoa}

We know the enemy is launching fiery darts at the saints, but the Lord showed me demonic fiery darts are no match for the divine arrows from heaven.

Father God has given us the shield of faith to quench the enemy’s flaming missiles, but He’s also given us divine arrows of deliverance in this season (see 2 Kin. 13:17)—and He has given us the strength to bend a bow of bronze (Ps. 18:34).

The Lord is a warrior, and the battle belongs to Him. If need be, He will use His own arrows against the onslaught against your life (Deut. 32:23). Let this prophetic prayer encourage your battle-weary heart.

{eoa}

I’m a trusting person. I don’t throw discernment out the window when I encounter new people, but neither do I enter into new relationships with suspicion.

Essentially, I choose to believe the best, to take people at their word and to give people the benefit of the doubt. To put it another way, I trust people until they give me a reason not to.

Most of the time, this mindset lays a foundation for strong, trusting relationships. Sometimes, though, you get blindsided by someone you thought you could trust. Still, I would rather operate with an open, discerning heart than a closed, suspicious soul. I believe this is God’s will for our lives.

All that said, there are times when it becomes painfully apparent that you can’t trust anyone around you—or at least you’ve discovered you can’t trust most of the people around you, and you’re entirely unsure about the rest.

You may be in a season right now when everywhere you look, someone you thought you could trust betrays your trust; someone you thought had your back stabbed you in the back; someone you were closely aligned with forges an alliance with someone who openly stands against you. Why do people do what they do and how should you respond?

Why People Betray You

I have found myself in this sort of perilous situation more than once. Sometimes it’s because people’s motives were never right to begin with, and I didn’t pick up on it because I chose to believe the best.

Other times it was because people change. People may start off with the best intentions toward you until the enemy finds something in them—whether it’s personal ambition, fear of loss or a demonic accusation against your character—and pulls their strings like a puppetmaster.

Still other times, they think they can’t trust you and decide to get you before you can get them. I’ve said this in the past, but it bears repeating: People outside your inner circle persecute and malign you—but they can’t really betray you because betrayal implies trust. That brings me back to my original question: What do you do when you can’t trust anyone around you?

How do you respond when people you’ve stood by, opened doors for and displayed loyalty to betray your trust and stab you in the back while saying they have your back? You’ll probably get hurt, mad, then really mad. You’ll probably relate to David in Psalm 41:9b (MSG), “Even my best friend, the one I always told everything—he ate meals at my house all the time!—has bitten my hand.”

Walking Out Psalm 37

If you’ve been betrayed, you have to forgive. But if you are just discerning that you are surrounded by Judases you can’t necessarily get away from, you have to lean in to Psalm 37. Sometimes you need to emotionally detach, walk in love and embrace Psalm 37 at a new level. The Holy Spirit told me once, “Trust in the Lord, and do good” (v. 3). Listen in to some of the rest of this psalm and let it encourage your heart:

Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be jealous of those who do injustice. For they will quickly wither like the grass, and fade like the green herbs. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and practice faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of those who prosper in their way, because of those who make wicked schemes.

Let go of anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it surely leads to evil deeds. For evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the earth (Ps. 37:1-9).

I don’t know about you, but that changes everything for me. God is our vindicator. We can’t always trust people, but we can certainly always trust Him. {eoa}