I was raised in spiritual warfare. By that I mean, soon after I got saved I plugged into an apostolic church that vowed to run to the battle line to wrestle spirits of Jezebel, witchcraft, religion—and whatever else was opposing the purposes of God.

My church home was akin to a spiritual war zone. We were always on red alert through prophetic warnings, dreams and visions about the next attack. Indeed, spiritual warfare was a consistent thread in most of the praise, worship, equipping classes, Sunday morning sermons and leadership lessons.

You might call it “extreme apostolic.” We hunted down the demon(s) behind every doorknob like a child with a sweet tooth hunts for chocolate Easter eggs. Looking back, it seemed at times like a contest to determine who could present the most detailed dream or vision about the enemy’s impending plan. Once the enemy was spotted, a shouting match with the principality or power ensued that left you with a sore throat—and no respite from the warfare.

I was in a spiritual warfare ditch, where the enemy and his plans were ultimately exalted over God and His plans. Don’t get me wrong. I believe wholeheartedly in spiritual warfare. But we can get into a ditch with any principle if we take it to the extreme. So we have to ask ourselves: What causes us to take biblical principles to the extreme?

There’s no single answer but we can guard ourselves from deception by adding balance and soberness of mind to our vigilance. Our enemy is roaming around like a lion seeking someone to seize upon and devour—and getting out of balance opens a door wide enough for him to freely enter (1 Peter 5:8 AMP).

Another prophetic key is exercising the gift of discernment. (Imagine that!) Over time, some spiritual warriors develop an unwritten checklist of principalities and powers to target—Jezebel, witchcraft, religion, etc.—yet never bind the strongman because they aren’t taking a prophetic perspective. I wonder how many people are praying rote spiritual warfare prayers and seeing no change—and maybe even watching matters getting worse—because the real enemy is allowed to roam free while we recite the same old demon hitlist out of habit.

Why not step back and pray about the root of the matter? When you do, you’ll be more successful in battling what’s battling you because you open the door wide enough for Holy Ghost wisdom to freely enter. It may be that you need to repent for something you are doing that’s allowing the devil to manifest in your midst. It could be that when you shut the door to that sin, the devil can no longer gain entrance through the open breach in the wall. Or, it could be that an enemy you’ve never fought before is attacking you—and you need true spiritual discernment to identify the attacker.

Then again, it could be possible that you are in a completely different ditch. Maybe you aren’t going on the offense against the devil at all. Maybe you aren’t doing your part to protect your spiritual garden from demonic weeds. The problem is, God won’t do our part for us. He’s given us authority in this earth realm. He’s done all He’s going to do about the devil. Jesus gave us His authority, as well as keys to the kingdom. Whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven. And whatever we loose on earth is loosed in heaven (Matt. 16:19). In other words, we can’t blame God when the devil gets in. We’re the ones who allow it.

Again, I started out in an extreme spiritual warfare ditch, where even worship music was an exercise in combat. Yet having escaped a church were strife ruled and reigned—and in which Jezebel was typically blamed for most of the rumblings in the congregation—I entered into a prophetic church that took an opposite approach. And I entered another spiritual warfare ditch.

During my extended season at this prophetic church, I never heard them bind Jezebel once—not even once. I never heard any one come against witchcraft or rebuke the spirit of religion. All they did was praise and worship the Lord for hours on end and roll around on the floor and laugh. This was unusual for me, perhaps especially so after exiting the extreme apostolic. It was actually refreshing. I enjoyed it—until I realized I was in another ditch when I got blindsided by the enemy.

Yes, our praise and worship in the midst of the battle confuses the enemy and shows our faith in God’s deliverance. God likes that. But God is not going to do our part. Although I agree that the battle is the Lord’s and we can praise Him knowing He’s fighting on our behalf, we still have to be prepared to exercise our God-given authority. David was a worshipper, but he was also a warrior. He knew when to draw a sword, and he knew when to draw praise from his lips unto God.

After living in both extremes, I have learned a lesson: we must all become skilled warriors and intimate worshippers. In doing so, we avoid either ditch of extremism and walk in the discernment of the Holy Ghost, knowing when to run to the battle line and knowing when to worship.

A wise man once said, “To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven (Eccl. 3:1).” When you go to war, go with the right strategy. Sometimes that means prophetic worship. Other times it’s prophetic warfare. Many times it’s a combination of both. Ultimately, Jesus must be the center of our focus. The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name (Exodus 15:3). And He is worthy to be praised.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Heart of the Prophetic. You can email Jennifer at

[email protected] or visit her website here.

Do you remember when the Lord spoke to the apostle Paul in the night by a vision? He said: “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10).

That’s the Scripture that came to my mind last Friday after I came home from the spa. Yes, the spa. See, I’m not too proud to admit that carrying the weight and fighting the spiritual warfare that goes along with planting a church, writing a new book about the Jezebel spirit, producing worship songs, commenting in a weekly national radio broadcast, working in media ministry at Charisma, raising a teenager as a single mother—I’ll stop there—I’m not too proud to admit that sometimes the warfare against my mind and body is so intense that it borders on overwhelming.

When that happens, I’ve learned that I need to unplug and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to me. And that’s what I did last Friday afternoon. I never imagined that God had someone in the spa ready and waiting to speak a word in due season that would remind me of just how great our God is and how much He really cares. But that’s just what happened. Call it a divine appointment. God had stationed a powerful prayer warrior (with a strong Jamaican accent) in that spa to minister to me by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I emerged from the spa with a renewed awareness that God really does order our steps (Psalm 37:23). I emerged with a new perspective on carrying the spiritual burdens and fighting the warfare that goes along with everything the Lord has called me to do. And I emerged with a firm decision that I wasn’t going to carry the weight alone anymore—and that the battle belongs to the Lord (2 Chron. 20:15). I decided I would not be afraid, but speak; that I would not keep silent for God is with me, and no one will attack me to hurt me. Indeed, He has many people in this city (Acts 18:9-10).

Of course, I only came to this revelation after I decided to still my soul (Psalm 46:10). I unplugged from the racing world around me and went to the spa. First, I hit the sauna. I was alone, save the Holy Spirit. God told me, “When you leave here, leave all this pressure behind you. Leave it right here.” I tried, but when I walked out of the sauna to meet with my massage therapist, I was still carrying the load. I guess Darla, a Jamaican woman in her 60s, discerned my condition and the Holy Ghost gave her a word of wisdom. She said, “When you leave here, leave all the pressure behind you.”

Uncanny? No, it was the Holy Ghost speaking through her what He had moments ago spoken to me. See, the Lord has many people in this city—and one of them was in the spa that day. The Lord ordered my steps to this Spirit-filled woman. And the Lord confirmed what He spoke to my spirit through an obedient vessel. I told Darla that I had just been praying and the Lord gave me those same words. And that set into motion prophetic intercession that I never would have imagined in the middle of a spa.

Filled with the Holy Ghost, Darla grabbed me, hugged me and started preaching a powerful word of faith that put the devil on the run. After two strokes and a brain tumor, Darla explained, she learned how to cast all her cares on the Lord once and for all. She testified to the goodness of God, exhorted me to praise Him through the warfare, and otherwise encouraged my heart with the oracles of God. Then she went off in diverse tongues and intercessory prayer that literally infused my spirit, soul and body with the strength I needed to run back to the battle line, not in my own strength—but with His might.

Listen, you know the Word. You know the Lord. You know His ways. But sometimes when we’re in the thick of the battle—when people are trying to silence our voice and principalities and powers are mounting up against us—sometimes we need to put more than 1,000 to flight because there are more than 1,000 coming at us. Sometimes we need a prayer warrior at our side that can help us put 10,000 to flight. Sometimes we need an encounter with God in the midst of the spiritual warfare to remind us that He has people in this city.

Beloved, if you are discouraged, stressed, overworked or ready to quit, just hang on. Everyone feels like giving up sometimes, and it’s usually when we’re trying to do what He called us to do in our own strength. Cry out to God. He’s listening. Thank God for grace. And thank God that we do not have to be afraid because God is with us and no one will attack us or hurt us—for He has many people in our city.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Heart of the Prophetic. You can e-mail Jennifer at

[email protected] or visit her website here.

We are emotional beings. God gave us emotions—and God Himself has emotions. Our emotions can be a great motivator at times and a great enemy at other times.

Think about it for a minute. Sometimes we feel joyful; sometimes we grieve. Sometimes we feel bold; sometimes intimidated. Sometimes we feel triumphant; sometimes completely and utterly physically and emotionally exhausted.

Is it possible that we could avoid the extreme highs and lows of the emotional roller coaster if we maintained God’s perspective? What if we could wait on the Lord, mount up with wings as eagles and take a prophetic perspective of our lives—then rejoice in the Lord for the victory?

Paul the apostle had a Holy Ghost knack for putting things into perspective, which I believe gave him stability in his calling despite natural emotions that could have derailed him—and all too often derail others, if only for a few hours. When we see Paul react emotionally in Scripture, it is usually from concern for others (save perhaps his frustration over John Mark that caused his split from Barnabas early in his ministry).

Paul wasn’t “in his feelings” for himself. But he wasn’t emotionless, either. The emotions he displayed were rather selfless. If he was grieved, it was because someone was hurting. If he was weeping, it was because souls were being lost.

Yes, Paul displayed a righteous indignation for sin. Yes, he exposed some by name who needed to be exposed. But his motive was always to advance and protect the kingdom of God despite any personal cost and without any personal agenda. When we can take that perspective, we can do great things for God—and indeed will do great things for God.

Here’s a perfect example of how Paul put things into perspective: After Paul was imprisoned, he discerned that not all gospel preachers have pure motives. In fact, some of them were preaching Christ as a personal jab to the apostle, who sat in chains in writing to the Philippians. In Paul’s own words:

“Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice” (Phil. 1:15-18).

Paul Didn’t Get in a Tizzy
I’ve been living in the book of Philippians lately, and those verses continue to strike me. Paul could have put himself in a tizzy, calling out false apostles who were motivated by selfish ambition and who were actively working to breed strife. He could have allowed deep frustration to set in as he continued to hear about these impure preachers freely roaming the streets while he was standing waist-deep in sewage in defense of the gospel. But Paul took a different perspective—and that perspective kept him emotionally stable.

Paul had his mind set on things above, not on the things of this earth. He thought on things that were true, noble, pure, lovely, of a good report, things with virtue and praiseworthiness. He told us to do it because he knew from personal experience how powerful it was. Instead of grumbling and complaining about false apostles he could do nothing about, Paul found something even then to rejoice about: Bad motives or not, every time one of those false apostles opened their mouths Christ’s name was proclaimed. Paul’s motive was so pure indeed that the only thing that ultimately mattered to him was that Christ’s name was preached, whether he was doing it or his enemies were doing it. And he rejoiced.

There were also times when Paul was grieved. When Epaphroditus, his brother and fellow soldier, almost died working with him in the ministry, Paul grieved (Phil 2:25-30). And we know that Paul wept over those who set themselves up as enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things (Phil. 3:17-19). Yet Paul had a different perspective. Paul ultimately maintained a posture of rejoicing.

The Fellowship of Christ’s Sufferings
Paul experienced the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings more than most of us ever will. But he was stable in his calling despite the emotions that surely tried to invade his soul. We talk about our tests and trials. Well, three times Paul was beaten with rods, once he was stoned, three times he was shipwrecked, and a night and a day he spent in the deep.

We talk about how the devil is attacking us. On Paul’s journeys, he was in danger from rivers and robbers, as well as Jews and gentiles. He was in danger in the city, in the wilderness, ion the sea and among false believers.

We talk about our burnout for the kingdom. Paul labored hard, had many sleepless nights, was often without food and exposed to cold weather. All the while, he was carrying the burden of the church (2 Cor. 11). I realize all of our problems are relative, but Paul faced much worse than most of us ever will—and he nevertheless rejoiced. The good news is, so can we! It’s a decision.

To be sure, I believe the key to Paul’s emotional stability was rejoicing in the Lord. No matter which way Paul’s emotions were trying to sway him, he remained constant and fearless in the face of his enemies. Paul refused to give in to ungodly emotions that would lead him away from his purpose—even for a few hours. Paul consistently rejoiced, in the good and in the bad.

The concept of rejoicing or joy appears 16 times in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, which, again, was written from a jail cell. Paul discussed joy in suffering, joy in serving, joy in believing and joy in giving. The joy of the Lord is our strength, friends.

What if we adopted a lifestyle of rejoicing? Not rejoicing for the trial, but rejoicing in it? What if we rejoiced with those who rejoiced rather than being a jealous killjoy? What if we decided by our will that no matter which way our emotions wanted to take us, that we could do like Paul did, and find something in the situation to rejoice about? What if? …

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Heart of the Prophetic. You can e-mail Jennifer at

[email protected] or visit her website here.

You were walking by faith and not by sight down the narrow path that leads to life. One day at a time, you were pressing on toward the goal to win the prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling you upward. You had the peace of God that passes all understanding.

Suddenly, the narrow road constricted. The eyes of your faith waxed dim. One day at a time seemed like too much and the finish line too far off in the darkened distance. The peace turned to anxiety and you didn’t understand how to get past where you are to where you are going—or even how to get there.

What in the world is happening? It’s a trial—and not just any brand of trial. A raging fiery tribulation. A top to bottom faith examination. A fruit inspection. You are on audition for God on the way to the next level. The good news is you don’t have to waste your pain. You can rejoice—and take a lesson from a High Priest who understands.

I remember a time when I found myself smack dab in the middle of a raging season of testing and trials. It almost seemed as if a new trial started before the last trial ended. It’s tempting to get overwhelmed in those periods when trials begin to seem like a way of life instead of a small pothole on a lengthy highway. That’s when we need to focus on the prize instead of the pothole.

“Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God” (Heb. 12:2, MSG).

We’re supposed to “study how He did it.” So how did He do it? It may seem oversimplified, but biblical principles are cut and dried. Jesus remained faithful to God’s plan, trusting Him completely. He endured being misunderstood, mocked, scourged and even crucified. He prayed all night when necessary, with a “nevertheless” mantra that we would all do well to adopt.

When the hurricane-force winds come to hurl satanic debris at your foundation and the torrential rains come to drench your destiny, will you remain faithful to God’s plan? Our calling is to be faithful whether that circumstantial mountain we’re trying to cast into the sea budges or not. Will we trust Him with our very lives in those wilderness places? Or will we head back to Egypt for comfort and wind up going around the same mountain again?

When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter cut off the ear of a soldier seeking to seize his Lord. Jesus told Peter to put away his sword. “I am able right now to call my Father, and twelve companies—or more, if I want them—of fighting angels would be here, battle-ready. But if I did that, how would the Scriptures come true that say this is the way it has to be?” (Matt. 26:53).

So we see that Jesus remained faithful to God’s plan, even when the stress caused Him to sweat blood, if not bullets. The Bible says God will not put more on us than we can bear. This is not a cliche. Jesus did not run away from His trials, and He didn’t bury His head in the desert sand, either. Faithfulness to God often means faithfulness to continue to carry out our God-given responsibilities on the home front and in the local church.

No matter how hot the fire, we have no excuse to forsake our calling. How will the Scriptures be fulfilled if we all curl up in a fetal position and hide from the world like a caterpillar who envelops itself in a cocoon while it changes? The testing of our faith works endurance in us. Those character-building days are as precious as gold; they bring the dross to the surface and purify our souls.

Jesus also exemplified endurance in trials. He Himself tells us in Luke 8:15 that those who endure to the end will be saved. God doesn’t bring trials, but He will use them to train us. I’ve often said to myself, If I just knew why I was going through all this, it wouldn’t be as bad.

At least when we go to the fitness center, workout and end up sore, we know that we are building strength and endurance in our physical bodies. Well, ultimately that is the same result of going through trials: strength and endurance in our spirits—and character in our souls. That should be enough to get us to rejoice.

Finally, Jesus prayed in the midst of His trial. The apostle James also tells us if we are suffering, we are to pray (James 5:13). And the apostle Paul backs him up in his epistle to the Philippians. Paul tells them peace comes from praying instead of getting wrought up over circumstances (Phil. 4:6). If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. We may not always get an answer to our “Why, God, why?” petition, but trust means not always knowing why. Again, we can rest assured that the “why” boils down to building strength, endurance and character in us.

No matter what brand of trial we find ourselves in—health troubles, financial woes, relationship crises—if we will settle into the “nevertheless” mindset and seek to do His will, He will come to our rescue and work all things out together for our good. Jesus is always with us—even in the trials. He will never leave us. He will never forsake us. He understands the emotions we are experiencing because He has also experienced them.

Let me leave you with a couple Scriptures that remind us to rejoice: “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place” (2 Cor. 2:14, KJV). Or how about this one? “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). Hallelujah!

It’s been said that being in the midst of a trial can sometimes feel like getting thrown into boiling water. If you are like an egg, your affliction will make you hard-boiled and unresponsive to God’s leading. If you are like a potato, you will emerge soft and pliable. Decide today to be like a potato, submit yourself to God, resist the devil. Not only will he flee from you, he will find a stronger opponent the next time he comes stalking.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Heart of the Prophetic. You can e-mail Jennifer at
[email protected] or visit her website here.

Whether we’re headed for downfall or mass revival, it’s hard to dismiss The Harbinger’s warning for America

You might call Jonathan Cahn a harbinger—one who foreshadows what is to come.

The Messianic rabbi’s prophetic message is not only winning the attention of the body of Christ, it’s beginning to demand the attention of the secular world as well. That’s just the way he wants it. 

Cahn’s book The Harbinger reveals an ancient mystery that claims to hold the secret to America’s future. Cahn is blowing the trumpet in Zion, so to speak. He’s living out the Ezekiel 33 mandate as a watchman to warn America because he doesn’t want the blood on his head. And his voice is being heard.

Here’s the message in a nutshell: God is warning America to turn back to Him using nine harbingers, or prophetic signs, to shake the nation. The Harbinger may anger some; it may scare others. It will cause some to fall to their knees in repentance, and it will cause others to cry out in intercession. As of this writing, it’s clearly doing one thing: In its first week of release, the book rose to No. 8 on Amazon’s Best-Sellers list and had moved almost 200,000 copies.

I recently had the opportunity to discuss The Harbinger with Cahn. He believes the Holy Spirit showed him that events such as 9/11, the collapse of Wall Street and the Great Recession are the result of God lifting His hedge of protection around America. He believes God is trying to get the nation’s attention.

I’m not into the “judgment scene,” but I do believe God does and is sending warnings to America. I believe we reap what we sow. I believe where there is unfettered sin there is ultimately death. And although some like to make the argument that many nations are more sinful than America, consider this: To whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). As a world power, America has done much good. But the foundations of our Christian heritage are fast eroding. The seven mountains of society—economy, government, family, spirituality, education, media and arts—are shaping an idolatrous, New Age culture.

In April 2007, the Holy Ghost woke me up at midnight and told me a shaking was coming with the purpose of laying bare the sin in the land. He told me He requires repentance for abortion, prayerlessness, apathy and idolatry. He also told me there is a Great Awakening coming to the nation, and that it would get darker before the light shines brightly again. And so it has.

Again, I’m not one to prophesy judgment. Jesus came to save the world, not condemn it (John 3:17). But I do believe The Harbinger offers a timely message for the church. The shaking is undeniable. Natural disasters are claiming lives in America. Economic disasters are driving poverty in America. Agronomists are predicting famine in America. Politicians are being shot in America. Protesters are taking to the street in America. All the while some Americans are armed for another Civil War. 

It would be easy to dismiss Cahn’s revelation about America’s future, which is based on a pattern found in Isaiah 9:10 where God temporarily lifted the hedge of protection around Israel and an enemy struck the land. It would be easy enough, except for the fact that the U.S. is not specifically mentioned in end-times prophecy as a leader among nations. 

Many Bible scholars believe the reason the U.S. is seemingly absent from end-time prophecy is because the nation falls from world power and will not play a major role in end-time events. There is any number of scenarios that could lead to America’s downfall. But I believe we’ll see another Great Awakening first. In fact, I believe that we are on a cusp of that Great Awakening even now. And I believe the Lord is using The Harbinger to sound an alarm that will wake up the mighty men and women, the reformers and deliverers who will stand in the gap and make up the hedge. 

One thing is certain: Cahn’s prophetic message is waking up the sleeping giant that is the church.

Jennifer leclaire is news editor for Charisma. She has worked in publishing since 1990 as a journalist, editor and marketing copywriter, and is also the author of several Christian books, including The Heart of the Prophetic and Doubtless: Faith That Overcomes the World. To read her blog, The Plumb Line, go to plumbline.charismamag.com.

Never let the devil see you sweat. If your best friend betrays you, don’t put your disappointment on display. If you can’t pay your mortgage, don’t verbally doom your financial fate. If the doctor gives you a bad report, don’t speak death over your life. If you just feel like giving up, don’t voice your resignation.

There’s no faith in circumstantial fretting. Our frustration and fear is what causes us to overheat and sometimes boil over. Why not decide by your will to agree with the Word of God and receive the grace you need to overcome the disappointment, the financial stress, the health issues and the despair? Why not walk in Philippians 1:28? Pick whatever translation inspires you. Here are a couple of choices:

“And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God” (Phil. 1:28, AMP).

If you prefer a more modern language, try the Contemporary English Version: “Be brave when you face your enemies. Your courage will show them that they are going to be destroyed, and it will show you that you will be saved. God will make all of this happen, and He has blessed you.”

Wielding Your Spiritual Sword
Beloved, we need to be doers of this Word! I’ve read this verse over and over and over (and over and over and over) again. But it wasn’t until right before I sat down to pen this article that I saw something I’d never seen before. It’s glaringly obvious at some level, but bear with me because maybe the Holy Ghost will help you connect the dots like He just did for me.

Here’s the point: Walking in Philippians 1:28 is spiritual warfare waged from our position in Christ.

Think about it for a minute. Was Christ ever for a moment frightened or intimidated in anything by His opponents and adversaries? No, He wasn’t. In fact, Christ’s constancy and fearlessness was a clear sign, proof and seal that God was with Him. He wasn’t anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, He presented His requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guarded His heart and mind. We have that same promise from our position in Christ (Phil. 4:6). And that’s where we war from.

That peace belongs to us. That stability belongs to us. That faith belongs to us. When we let the devil see us sweat, so to speak, we are demonstrating that we have more fear of the devil than fear of the Lord. When we start talking about all of our problems and walking in worry, we are demonstrating that we have more faith in what the devil is showing us than faith in what the Lord has told us. When we let the devil see us sweat, we aren’t in complete unity with God because we are not doing what His Word says. We may believe it’s true, but faith without action is dead.

Who’s Gonna Get the Glory?
When you run into a trial, who gets your attention? Jesus or the devil? God deserves all the glory all the time—and He gets glory when you do His Word because then you get what He promised.

God tells us over and again not to fear. And we know that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). God has given us Holy Ghost power over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). He’s given us His perfect love, which casts out all fear when we embrace it (1 John 4:18). And He has given us a sound mind and a discerning spirit so we won’t fall into the snare of the enemy.

So how do we manage not to let the devil see us sweat—not to visibly and verbally react to the circumstances around us—when the storms are raging? How do we trust God for the totality of His salvation, which includes deliverance, safety, healing and health? The answer is simple: Look at everything from God’s perspective.

Next question: How can you find God’s perspective? Well, His Word is His perspective. God doesn’t break a sweat when your daughter rebels. He doesn’t start biting his nails when you lose your job. He doesn’t have a nervous breakdown when you get a bad report from the doctor. No, God laughs at the enemy because He knows the end of your story (Psalm 2:4).

How do you keep God’s perspective? Think about what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely and of a good report (Phil. 4:8). There’s plenty of promises—more than 7,000, actually—to meditate on, that will build your faith and send fear running seven different ways. There’s no way to get knots in your stomach when you meditate on God’s virtue and praiseworthiness. There’s only peace and victory.

And remember, everything on this earth is temporal. No weapon that is formed against you can prosper (Isaiah 54:17). Not really. The devil is waiting for the satisfaction of a single bead of perspiration to drop from your brow—or a single word of doubt to cross your lips. But God is also watching—and He has equipped you to stand against the wiles of the devil as you await the assured promise of His deliverance. So keep your eyes on eternity and never let the devil see you sweat. Give God the glory for your deliverance. He is faithful.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Heart of the Prophetic. You can email Jennifer at

[email protected] or visit her website here.

If you don’t like what I write, agree to disagree or speak the truth in love. But don’t pronounce shame on me. If you don’t agree with your pastor’s theology, ask some honest questions in the right spirit or go to another church. But don’t pronounce shame on him. If you don’t like the way your son is behaving, then discipline him. But don’t pronounce shame on him.

Beloved, I see far too many shame pronouncers in the Body of Christ. And it troubles me. Rather than announce what a shame it is, let me rather turn to the Word and educate shame-pronouncers why Jesus doesn’t want us to pronounce shame on one another. Like Paul, I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved brethren I warn you (1 Cor. 4:14).

In other words, I’m not trying to heap shame or condemnation on people who have adopted the habit of pronouncing “shame on you!” when they don’t like what people say or do. I am merely warning you not to use these three words so loosely because your words carry the power of life and death and Jesus suffered death to give us life.

You Are the Righteousness of God in Christ
The Bible says we are the righteousness of God in Christ—and there is no shame in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). The Bible says whoever believes on Jesus will not be put to shame (Rom. 9:33; Rom. 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6). The Bible says I am raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6). We may not like what someone does, but what someone does is not who someone is. So to pronounce shame on a person for taking actions you don’t agree with is, well, a downright shame.

I know this is Christianity 101, but bear with me for a moment. Jesus was punished so we could be forgiven. Jesus was wounded so that we could be healed. Jesus was made sin so that we could become righteous. Jesus died so that we could have life. Jesus was made a curse so that we could be blessed. And Jesus bore our shame so that we could share His glory.

Jesus took our shame to the cross. The writer of Hebrews put it this way: “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). When we make a mistake, Jesus wants us to be sorrowful and repent, but He doesn’t want us to carry the reproach of shame. Indeed, there is a spirit called shame that is holding some believers in the bondage of guilt, disgrace and regret even after they’ve asked for forgiveness. This does not glorify God.

Proclaiming the Spirit of Shame
I used to be one of those people—and I remember when the Lord set me free. Ironically, it came hours after a prophet I respected pronounced shame on me and a few other intercessors. The pastor’s house flooded while he was away on vacation and he was angry at the intercessors because he felt he wasn’t being covered appropriately. (He was essentially blaming us for what happened at his house. Blame and shame are running buddies, so where you see one manifest you should look out for the other.)

Of course, the intercessors absolutely were praying for the pastor while he was gone—probably more than he knew. But the elder prophet of the group, who was intimidated by the pastor, led us all in repentance before the Lord for our sin of prayerlessness. I wasn’t in agreement with it, because I knew we had done our duty and the blame did not belong on our shoulders. I was definitely sorry that the pastor’s home flooded and wanted to understand why our prayers didn’t shield him. But repenting for prayerlessness was not appropriate since we had not committed that sin.

Next, the prophet did something that really disturbed me. It sounded something like this, “Lord, send your shame on us to bear for seven days!” I suppose she was working from Numbers 12:14 where the Lord suggested that Miriam should be shamed seven days after she and Aaron spoke against Moses. Perhaps this prophet forgot that Jesus bore our shame.

Bowing Under Shame
Well, the devil took advantage of that prophet’s words. I could literally see the countenance on the faces of the other intercessors as shame descended on the group. She invited the enemy upon us, and we received it. I immediately felt oppressed, embarrassed, like I didn’t even have a right to join the leadership meeting that followed the prayer meeting. I went home, feeling ashamed.

When I got home, the Lord put a spotlight on a book that was in my library; one I had never read. It was “Gods’ Remedy for Rejection” by Derek Prince. There was a chapter called “Betrayal and Shame.” I started reading at about 7 p.m. I read and prayed until about 2 a.m. and the Lord opened my eyes and delivered me from that shame the prophet pronounced.

This was certainly a case of Genesis 50:20. What the enemy meant for evil, God turned to good. God delivered. But what if I had not been as spiritually sensitive to what was happening to me? I’ll tell you what would have happened. When that prophet pronounced shame on us, it would have sent me spiraling downward  into a greater bondage. Again, the Bible says death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21). Beloved, pronouncing shame on the righteousness of God in Christ is not appropriate.

Shame Doesn’t Belong to Us
I’m quite sure I am going to get some hate mail over this column. But that’s OK. There’s no life in pronouncing shame over someone. Shame is a real emotion that we may feel when we do something wrong. But it’s not God’s will for us to walk in shame. If we feel ashamed, we can repent, ask for forgiveness and move on in the grace of God. If we do something shameful, we turn away from it. We can renounce the hidden things of shame (2 Cor. 4:2).

Paul suggested that not sharing Jesus was a shame (1 Cor. 15:34) and that believers going to court was a shame (1 Cor. 6:4-6). He was showing them that the activities were shameful, and not out of a prideful, angry spirit—out of a spirit of love. He wasn’t pronouncing shame on people. He was suggesting that what they did was shameful. As Christians, we may unfortunately do shameful things at times. But we should not receive declarations of shame over our lives. Jesus bore our shame.

What’s more, the shame-pronouncers I see are simply moving in the wrong spirit. Bottom line. Yes, our adversaries will be put to shame, but shame is reserved for those who refuse to accept Christ. Even then, we should not pronounce shame on them. Unbelievers are already judged (John 3:18). He who believes in Jesus will by no means be put to shame (1 Peter 2:6). Amen.

While I was praying over 2012, I received impressions about many
things—some warnings and some promises. But what burned most on my heart
to share with the masses wasn’t a list of predictions or a prophetic
directive. What burned most on my heart to share are four simple words:
Revival begins with you.

We yearn to see signs, wonders and
miracles manifest today as they did in the book of Acts, don’t we? But
are we willing to pay the price the early church paid? Are we willing to
die to self? Are we willing to relinquish control to the Holy Spirit so
He can move like He wants to move? Are we willing to repent for the
character flaws that hold us back? Are we willing to walk in love and
unity with true believers who don’t believe exactly the same as we do?
Are we willing to war against the spirit of compromise that is raging
against the church in this age? Revival begins with you.

The book
of Acts never fails to fascinate me. It is the Holy Ghost in action, the
gifts of the Spirit made manifest, a charismatic believer’s delight.
Indeed, many of us want to see the Holy Ghost move in the church—and in
the world—like that again. Well, I beseech you to consider these four
words: Revival begins with you.

Sure, we see a ration of revival spring up from time to time. We see a
measure of the miraculous. We see demons cast out, in the name of
Jesus. But it doesn’t compare to the book of Acts, does it? Revival
begins with you.

Despite 24/7 prayer movements that bear plenty of
fruit, we don’t see people waiting to stand in our shadows hoping to
get healed. Despite the apostolic movement (and the thousands of
Christians who call themselves apostles), we rarely see people raised
from the dead. Despite large stadiums of sincere people repenting in
tears before the Lord for the sins of generations, we are yet a far cry
from the reality of the book of Acts. Revival begins with you.

We
can’t do the Lord’s part—we can’t force miracles, signs and wonders. But
we can do our part—we can tear down the strongholds in our own souls
that are preventing us from walking in the fullness of the Spirit. We
can stop tolerating spirits that tempt us to sin. We can start
interceding for the fallen saints instead of playing judge. In other
words, we can start living like the saints lived in the book of Acts:
sold out, on fire and ready to die for the gospel. Revival begins with
you.

Again, we can’t manufacture miracles. We can’t work up
wonders. But we can cooperate with the Holy Spirit to separate the
profane from the holy in our own hearts and in our own minds. We can
purge ourselves and lay aside every weight that holds us back. We can
allow the Spirit of God to do a deep work in us and so the Spirit of God
can do a great work through us. Revival begins with you—and me.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Heart of the Prophetic. You can email Jennifer at

[email protected] or visit her website here.

Put your determination where your desire is. The Holy Spirit spoke those seven simple words to me … and they bear repeating: Put your determination where your desire is. Friends, that’s a key to reaching every godly goal.

Before you decide you don’t need to read another goal-setting article, think again. My goal here is not to teach you how to set goals. My goal is to stir the Holy Ghost determination in you to reach—and even exceed—them to the glory of God.

Doubtless, you understand the principles of goal-setting and don’t need me to tell you that most great men and women who reached their goals first wrote them down on paper, then told other people and finally took daily steps toward their intended destination. So I won’t drive you down that step-by-step route.

If you’ll get in my vocabulary-based vehicle with me for the next five minutes, though, I’ll give you a key that will not only start the engine of your dream machine but also offer the fuel to keep it running despite the rocks and sand that the devil tries to pour into your gas tank.

Let me start by repeating the word of the Lord … Put your determination where your desire is. What’s your desire? What has God placed in your heart that burns inside your inward parts with a passion? What is that fire that’s shut up in your bones; that blaze that can’t be quenched by the nastiest naysayers or the most daunting doubters? Simply stated, what are your hopes and dreams?

Stop Wishing and Get Determined
Whatever they are, stop wishing and get determined. See, the difference between hoping and wishing is significant. A wish is a desire for something that seems unattainable. (But nothing is impossible with God.) Hope, by contrast, is desire with an expectation of attainment. Hope expects with confidence. Hope cherishes a desire with anticipation. Hope breeds faith—and faithful determination generates grace.

Put your determination where your desire is. Now, if your desire is for your household to be saved, or for your spouse to abandon some annoying behavior, your determination is bound to prayer. James 5:1 says the effective fervent prayer of a righteous person makes tremendous power available. You can’t change people no matter how determined you are. But you can pray for them with a sincere heart and open the door for God to move in their lives—and you should.

But I’m not talking about other people. I’m talking about you. Put your determination where your desire is. Put your determination behind the desires that God has put in your heart. But Jennifer, doesn’t God’s Word say to delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart? Indeed, it does and that is undisputable. Does that mean we should hang out on a glory cloud worshipping the Lord and expect Him to send an angel to hand deliver the desires of our heart in an express mail envelope? We both know the answer to that. (The answer is “no” in case you are just catching up.)

Demonstrate Your Faith
Put your determination where your desire is. If you know God put a desire in your heart, don’t sit there and wish. Don’t pray and believe only—show Him your faith by your works. If it’s a job promotion, then study to show yourself approved—study books, attend seminars and otherwise educate yourself in your field. Be determined to become an expert. The fruits of your determination will be evident to all and, combined with God’s favor and grace on your life, you will see your desire come to pass. He will do it, but you make yourself ready and able.

Put your determination where your desire is. This prophetic principle works for anything and everything. Do you want to be a better wife, mother, friend? Put your determination where your desire is. Do you want to be a better minister, leader, role model? Put your determination where your desire is. Do you want to achieve financial freedom and pour millions into world evangelism? Put your determination where your desire is. What do you desire? What is your hope? Your dream? Your passion? Put your determination where your desire is and you shall surely see it come to pass.

Overcoming Resistance
Here’s the rub: If you merely desire without determination, you may as well pull a wishbone or blow out some birthday candles. You need determination to overcome the resistance. Resistance from your flesh. Resistance from your friends and family. Resistance from the devil. Do you have a desire? Welcome to resistance. The good news is determined folk like you can put your flesh under, respectfully ignore people who disagree with your dreams, and even outlast the devil.

Yes, you really can. Here’s how … that resistance should only serve as confirmation that your desires are in line with God’s will. That confirmation should give you joy unspeakable and full of glory. That joy will invigorate you with strength. That strength will fuel your faith and activate God’s grace. And that grace will empower you to continue persevering in the face of any opposition. Believe this: God’s grace is sufficient to overcome anything that stands between you and His will for your life. Hallelujah!

Pay Attention to Your Inner Life
Now let’s get real for a minute. I believe that if we focus on the inner life that we are better prepared to conquer circumstances in the outward life that keep our dreams imprisoned in our souls, hidden from the view. The Bible says seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and plenty of desirable “things” will be added. Jesus said the kingdom of God is within us. Therefore, we need to be determined to get our inner life straightened out before we concern ourselves with the job promotion, the big ministry and the prosperity.

David was determined that his mouth would not transgress. Job was determined not to deny his integrity. Paul was determined to keep his conscious clear before God and man. Put your determination where your desire is. But your first desire should be Christ-like character. Let’s face it. Our determination may very well get us a job promotion, prosperity and other “things.” But our determination won’t keep us somewhere God didn’t take us. It won’t preserve the stuff that God didn’t give us.

So set your goals, dream your dreams, keep your hope for each and every desire that God has put in your heart. God wants to give you all those things—but He also wants you to keep them. Desire more than anything else to be like Him. Be determined to walk like Him, talk like Him, act like Him. Be determined to delight yourself in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Heart of the Prophetic. You can e-mail Jennifer at

[email protected] or visit her website here.

While I was praying over 2012, I received impressions about many things—some warnings and some promises. But what burned most on my heart to share with the masses wasn’t a list of predictions or a prophetic directive. What burned most on my heart to share are four simple words: Revival begins with you.

We yearn to see signs, wonders and miracles manifest today as they did in the book of Acts, don’t we? But are we willing to pay the price the early church paid? Are we willing to die to self? Are we willing to relinquish control to the Holy Spirit so He can move like He wants to move? Are we willing to repent for the character flaws that hold us back? Are we willing to walk in love and unity with true believers who don’t believe exactly the same as we do? Are we willing to war against the spirit of compromise that is raging against the church in this age? Revival begins with you.

The book of Acts never fails to fascinate me. It is the Holy Ghost in action, the gifts of the Spirit made manifest, a charismatic believer’s delight. Indeed, many of us want to see the Holy Ghost move in the church—and in the world—like that again. Well, I beseech you to consider these four words: Revival begins with you.

Sure, we see a ration of revival spring up from time to time. We see a measure of the miraculous. We see demons cast out, in the name of Jesus. But it doesn’t compare to the book of Acts, does it? Revival begins with you.

Despite 24/7 prayer movements that bear plenty of fruit, we don’t see people waiting to stand in our shadows hoping to get healed. Despite the apostolic movement (and the thousands of Christians who call themselves apostles), we rarely see people raised from the dead. Despite large stadiums of sincere people repenting in tears before the Lord for the sins of generations, we are yet a far cry from the reality of the book of Acts. Revival begins with you.

We can’t do the Lord’s part—we can’t force miracles, signs and wonders. But we can do our part—we can tear down the strongholds in our own souls that are preventing us from walking in the fullness of the Spirit. We can stop tolerating spirits that tempt us to sin. We can start interceding for the fallen saints instead of playing judge. In other words, we can start living like the saints lived in the book of Acts: sold out, on fire and ready to die for the gospel. Revival begins with you.

Again, we can’t manufacture miracles. We can’t work up wonders. But we can cooperate with the Holy Spirit to separate the profane from the holy in our own hearts and in our own minds. We can purge ourselves and lay aside every weight that holds us back. We can allow the Spirit of God to do a deep work in us and so the Spirit of God can do a great work through us. Revival begins with you—and me.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Heart of the Prophetic. You can email Jennifer at

[email protected] or visit her website here.