As a fairly new disciple at 18 in YWAM (Youth With A Mission), I read and listened to anything I could in order to learn and grow in my exciting faith. I had heard the term “the anointing” quite often, but it confused me at first.

After I began to closely study Scripture and learn its real meaning, I began to learn its purpose and how to operate and grow in the anointing.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance reads that “anointing” is a special endowment of the Holy Spirit. Its Koine Greek word is chrisma and refers to the teaching ministry of the Spirit. This shows us that the Spirit of God teaches us all truth as Jesus said in John 16:13, and will tell us what is yet to come—speaking only what He hears and glorifying Jesus. The anointing is the best “Bible college” to be enrolled in and is an exciting adventure with God!

After His water baptism and 40-day fast, Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth, returning to Galilee “in the power of the Spirit.” In Luke 4:18, He read Isaiah 61 from the scroll. Then He handed the scroll back to the attendant, declaring, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

This was Jesus’ manifesto, publicly declaring His anointing as the Savior of the world. The apostle Paul made reference to the anointing in 2 Corinthians 1:21 saying, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and established the guarantee with the Spirit in our hearts.” Looking closely into this, we see that, through Christ, God gives us His anointing and sets us apart to minister with His gifts in power, sealing and consecrating us with the Spirit, being firmly grounded in Jesus.

The Anointing does not point to the believer, but to God who empowers the believer. However, Jesus is the Anointed One, and you are a conduit for His power. When you walk in the anointing you have power to heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead and cast out demons in His Name.

One recent summer I was with Alive2Love in Honduras. We held a corporate anointing, reaching thousands of people. One night in a church service a person grabbed me, wrapping his arms around me and laughing sinisterly. Under the anointing, I had no fear and in the name of Jesus boldly commanded the demons to let go and to leave the person and never return. The person fell to the floor and was set free, rising up afterward to be incredibly filled with the Spirit.

1 John 2:20 reads, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.” The word “know” in this verse refers to the believer intuitively knowing truth from false teaching, holding firmly onto the gospel message and spiritual truth they originally received. The anointing keeps us in the truth by the Holy Spirit as we stay humble.

The anointing is upon you by the Spirit of God, teaching you what Jesus said and leading you further into the Scriptures. The anointing of the Spirit guides you as you read and consume the Scripture, loving the Lord, hungering and thirsting for His righteousness.

Here are five things you can do to continue to grow in the precious anointing:

1. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit every day, adoring Him (2 Cor. 13:14). Talk to Him directly, building friendship with Him, continuing dialogue with Him about everything. Invite Him to your daily Bible reading and ask Him questions. Write down His answers when He speaks to you.

2. Keep your heart pure, aware of His kindness and holiness. He is the Spirit of justice and burning in Isaiah 4:4 which is a purifying and cleansing fire that washes away sin and prepares for His glory and presence. According to Matthew 3:11, Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit and fire, the experience occurring on the Day of Pentecost which empowers us for proclaiming the gospel. It also sanctifies us to walk in holiness in our lives.

3. Let the Holy Spirit teach you the Scriptures (1 John 2:27). As you do this, you will be assured that you remain in Him as He teaches you the truth and then you are to go and teach others what He has taught you. You are anointed to bring God’s transformation to the world.

4. Value and cherish the anointing, not grieving the Spirit by our words and actions (Eph. 4:30). When we value and cherish His anointing, we make room for it in every part of our lives, expressing love and respect to Him, being careful with our words and conduct, cultivating His presence everywhere we go. As we do this we make ourselves available for Him to use us any time and see Him move in power through us.

5. Glorify Jesus (John 16:14). If you give testimony about miracles, signs and wonders, give reference to Him throughout all of it, because He was the One who accomplished the ministry. You were there, but He did the work through you and those with you. He manifested the healings and miracles, so give Him all the credit. {eoa}

Jared Laskey is starting Destiny Open Bible Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He lives to see Jesus awaken this generation to the power of His Holy Spirit. You can follow him on twitter @jaredalaskey, or contact him through his website . He also co-authored a book titled, Veronica’s Hero.

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According to a National Institutes for Health study on heart disease, men who have been stay-at-home dads for most of their adult lives have an 82 percent higher risk of heart disease when compared to men who work outside the home.

The media headline for the article reads, “Stay-at-home dads face health risks.” Elaine Eaker, a researcher at Epidemiology Enterprises, wrote, “This … as far as we know has never been examined. And it’s really an unanticipated finding.” She speculates that role reversal may be contributing to the negative results: “The incongruity with what society expects [in the traditional sense] may be deleterious to your health.”

Another significant finding concerning working moms was hidden in the study: Mothers who labor in high-authority jobs are almost 300 percent more likely to have heart disease compared to women in low-authority jobs.

Peter Baylies has been an at-home dad for 10 years. He and his wife, a schoolteacher, have opted for a moderate lifestyle so they could spend more time with their children. Peter publishes a newsletter, At-Home Dad. Over the past 10 years, he has had contact with over 10,000 other dads who have spent from one year to 10 years as the primary parent for their children.

From Baylies’ contact with dads—and from his personal experience—he has concluded that dads who are the primary caregivers of their children experience the same challenges faced by moms who stay at home, like managing household chores, schedules, planning meals and so on. He said, “The most common challenge for dads who stay at home is keeping in touch with their wife.”

In many cases, moms lose contact with their husbands and families because of busyness, travel and expectations at the work place. As one dad put it, “My wife is gone all the time, and we don’t see her at all.” Baylies notes that the need for balancing work and family is the key, no matter who is working or what they are doing. He has established a network to aid dads who stay at home. 

Action Points

• Discuss with your wife how expectations for fathers have changed from one generation to another. Talk about how this has impacted your fathering.
• Discuss with your wife the challenges encountered by moms who work outside the home. Evaluate the benefits and challenges of working moms.
• Talk to your children about how you navigate the work/family challenge. Ask if they think you are doing a good job. {eoa}

For the original article, visit .

Some believers are intimidated by prayer, especially in a group setting. This can keep them from going to new levels that will make it more powerful and enjoyable.

In this video, Pastor Kevin Senapatiratne reveals is a simple tool to help people overcome any hesitation they may have to pray in a public setting. {eoa}

I rejoiced when I read the following message from a Take Back Your Temple reader:

“I have a note on my scale. It says, ‘It’s about the walk, not the weight.’ I’ve had some success with weight loss and I’m realizing that the most important thing in all of this is loving obedience to the voice of the Lord.”

Truer words have never been spoken! I just love that: “It’s about the walk, not the weight.”

Please remind yourselves of this truth if you ever find yourself tempted to scale worship.

What is scale worship? It works like this:

• If you gain weight, Boo! You feel like mourning—so you eat.
• If you lose weight, Yay! You feel like celebrating—so you eat.

In other words, you give the scale power to control your moods. But the scale was only meant to be a tool for you, not to rule you.

Stay focused on other signs that you are moving in the right direction in your weight loss plan:

• Boosted energy
• Improved quality of sleep
• Enhanced shape and muscle tone
• Improved flexibility
• Added glow to your skin
• Improved endurance
• Reduced depression
• Improved circulation
• Freer breathing
• Improved joint discomfort
• Increased confidence
• Greater mental focus
• Increased muscle strength
• Better mood control
• Enhanced balance and coordination
• Increased ability to handle stress
• Clearer skin
• Increased optimism about life
• Amplified desire to tackle other life goals

Don’t all of these add up to improved quality of life? Take Back Your Temple is about living your life—not living a diet.

Too many people have the classic dieter’s mindset, which is:

“I’m going to eat this way until I get to a certain number on the scale, then I’ll go back to eating my ‘normal’ way.”

However, didn’t eating your old “normal” way cause you to gain weight from the start?

Does it make sense that you need a new “normal” to change permanently?

So keep on walking in the deliverance God has already started in you—and focus on improving the quality of each day, no matter what the number on the scale says. It will eventually take care of itself as you stick to your plan while you are living your life with purpose.

Be blessed in health, healing and wholeness. {eoa}

Kimberly Taylor is the author of The Weight Loss Scriptures and many other books. Once 240 pounds and a size 22, she can testify to God’s goodness and healing power. Visit  and receive more free health and weight-loss tips.

For the original article, visit .

Years ago, I discovered the secret to having your prayers answered. I am sure I was not the first to make this discovery.

In fact, if I was a better student of the Word, I would have figured it out earlier. But once I did, I let nothing hold me back! Let me share it with you.

First we have some amazing promises in Scripture.

“I will do whatever you ask in My name, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it“ (John 14:13-14, MEV).

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you will received them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24, MEV).

At first glance, most people get these passages wrong. One well-known teacher taught that these promises are just like a blank check that Yeshua has signed. We just need to fill in the amount and cash it. Indeed, many prosperity preachers misuse verses like these to appeal to our most selfish desires.

Be Honest, It Doesn’t Work!

Let’s be honest. If I pray right now in the name of Yeshua for a million-dollar house (albeit in Tel Aviv that won’t buy much) it is not going to happen. If I ask God for a yacht, using the name of Yeshua like it is the New Covenant equivalent of “Abracadabra,” it is not going to work.

There two reasons why. First, everything we receive from God is supposed to come from and through a loving relationship with Him, not through executing a formula. And the second reason, which is what we want to focus on today, is issue of God’s will.

Let Your Will Be Done

God is very strong-willed. He is not manipulated by our will. He has a plan for us and indeed He delights in blessing us. But Yeshua is not a Santa Claus to whom we present our list of goodies. Nor is He some genie sent to grant our wishes.

All these promises were given with the holy assumption that we are praying as Yeshua taught us to pray: “Let your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.” The children of God, those who have received mercy and the gift of salvation, are assumed to not misuse God’s generosity for their own selfish desires, but use the name of Yeshua to pray down God’s will.

Faith or Manipulation?

The underlying theme of the New Covenant is that we are dead to ourselves and alive to God. So, when a preacher uses biblical promises to appeal to carnal desires, often in an attempt to get you to give him or her something, he or she is using manipulation and is in error.

Conversely, when we are praying in agreement with God’s will, nothing can stop us. For this reason, I try and pray every day, “God let your will be done in my life as it has been preordained in heaven.”

God’s Will Is Not Weak

In the past the Lord has revealed to us His will regarding certain positions in ministry. I simply prayed, “God, if this is Your will, no one can stop you.” In my first position in ministry, as a $4,000 dollar-a-year youth leader, there was fierce opposition. This was before I understood these principles. Despite having the confidence of the senior leader, one eldership couple aggressively opposed the idea of me functioning as the youth leader. They felt they should have been in that position.

I panicked a little—I really wanted to be the youth leader and was pretty sure it was God’s will. But there was no reason to panic. God’s will prevailed and in short order the other couple left the congregation. It was during this time that another youth leader, Greg Zetts, said something powerful that has never left me: “God’s will is not some weak membrane that can be easily thwarted.”

I have learned over the years there is no reason to panic. If it is God’s will, He can do it. My job is to agree in prayer with His will as Yeshua taught and do nothing in the flesh to try a make it happen.

We have a Part to Play

While God’s will is strong, we do have a part to play in battling to see it come to pass—why else would Yeshua ask us to pray that way? But we do not battle using manipulation, selfish ambition or jockeying for position—no, we battle in prayer and fasting.

Just a few weeks ago a friend called me. The Lord has placed him in a new position in ministry, but there were those resisting him. I said to him, “This is easy, we simply will pray for God’s will and battle in prayer.” We prayed with authority and faith that everyone with wrong, selfish desires over this ministry would walk away and that only those God had called to be in it would remain.” I talked to him a week later and the change was amazing. Those who were opposing him were no longer.

Prayer and Fasting for God’s Will

Several years ago when Elana and I returned to Tel Aviv after serving several years in Jerusalem, we were not sure where we should be. I prayed and fasted, asking God for His plan. Out of the blue, Ari Sorko-Ram called me asked us to return to Tiferet Yeshua—the congregation we were a part of when we first moved to Israel. The next day I was hungry—for the first time in five days. We had our answer.

That led not only to several years of fruitful partnership in media ministry with Maoz Israel but eventually to me leading the congregation for three years—one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. But we didn’t want any of it unless it was God’s will. Once we are willing to get our will in line with God’s, the sky is the limit.

Praying for the Right Order

Another friend inherited a ministry where one of the board members had an opposite vision of his. I said to him, “You can’t coexist. One of you needs to resign.” I started praying for him that God’s will would be done on that board. One week later he told me that without any pressure or ultimatums, the other board member suddenly resigned!

No Witchcraft

To be clear, we are not talking about praying for bad things to happen to other people. God forbid! That is witchcraft! We are talking about praying for God’s perfect will for all involved.

We can have God’s will, once we crucify our own. And God does want to bless us! I do believe in prosperity. As we are faithful, God wants to bless us with every kind of blessing, whether a home to live in or a promotion at work. God loves to bless. But He doesn’t want to give us more than we can handle. All we need to do is just look to the entertainment world to see how getting rich quick can destroy you (Lindsey Lohan, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber). Asher Intrater once said that the reason he doesn’t play the lottery is because God doesn’t bless that way. God gives wealth little by little or else it will destroy us.

“Wealth gained by vanity will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (Prov. 13:11, MEV).

So here are the keys:

• Conquer selfish desires.
• Ask God to show you His will—His perfect desire.
• Begin to boldly proclaim His will and take hold of Him in prayer and fasting.

Then we can ask for “anything” in His name and He will do it, because we would never dream to ask for something that is not according to His will.

Ron Cantor is the lead pastor of Tiferet Yeshua congregation in Tel Aviv, a Hebrew speaking outreach to Israelis. He is also the author of Identity Theft, Leave me Alone—I’m Jewish and his newest book coming out this spring, The Jerusalem Secret, a novel about the first Jewish believers. Ron blogs at .

For the original article, visit .

What do you do when you don’t know what to do?

Why, you do the next right thing, of course!

What do you do when there seems no way out? What do you do when God’s will is not clear? What do you do when your heart is racing out of your chest?

There is only one thing to do, and that is the next right thing!

What is “the next right thing” among the thousands of options that are staring at you through the maze of confusion?

• The “next right thing” is to be kind.
• The “next right thing” is to tell the truth and to choose to be a person of integrity.
• The “next right thing” is often found in the decision to listen and to endeavor to understand rather than to promote, to defend or to pontificate.
• The “next right thing” may not solve the immediate problem but it will certainly remind you and those around you of the true value system that heralds the way to a righteous and reasonable solution.

I often feel underprepared in comparison to those with whom I am working; I am often intimidated by those whose lives have intersected with mine. When those feelings of insecurity cloud my ability to function in a healthy manner, I remind myself to do the next right thing.

• I choose to be kind to those by whom I am intimidated.
• I choose to tell the truth to those who are more educated than I am.
• I choose to listen to the wisdom of those who tower over me in experience or in expertise.

Kindness will always disarm one’s critics and oil the squeaky wheels of differences. Truth speaks louder than cash, than compromise or than flattery. Understanding is the stuff of which peaceful solutions are made.

The “next right thing” is not birthed out of political maneuverings, nor does it spring from an attempt to foolishly impress. Rather, it is generated from humility and it is fertilized by unselfish behavior.

The “next right thing” may often initially go unnoticed by those who are the recipients of your courageous choice but as time unfolds, those same people will begin to respect your character and honor your virtue.

Kindness, honesty and understanding may not win awards or stir up accolades but they are the cornerstones of a life well-lived.

The next time you are tempted to impress others with bluster, opinion and importance, perhaps you should choose to quiet your noisy soul and then remember the eternal profit that comes from doing the next right thing.

When in doubt, be kind.

When in doubt, tell the truth.

When in doubt, listen and understand. {eoa}

Carol McLeod is an author and popular speaker at women’s conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. She has written five books, including No More Ordinary, Holy Estrogen!, The Rooms of a Woman’s Heart and Defiant Joy! Her most recent book, Refined: Finding Joy in the Midst of the Fire, was released last August. Her teaching DVD The Rooms of a Woman’s Heart won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming. You can also listen to Carol’s “A Jolt of Joy” program daily on the Charisma Podcast Network. Connect with Carol or inquire about her speaking to your group at .

In the comments on my blog, I’ve read that some of you are struggling with anger issues, so I feel led to write about biblical solutions for that.

Anger occurs when you feel as though your rights have been violated or your expectations have not been met, or you are outraged about an injustice that involves others.

Even God the Father and Jesus expressed anger.

However, many people don’t feel comfortable dealing with that emotion; instead they keep their mouths closed while seething inside. But keeping anger inside is like a pot on the stove set to boil. Just like that pot will eventually boil over, so does the woman.

And too often, it’s the people closest to them who get burned!

While anger itself is not a sin, there are godly and ungodly ways to deal with it. In this article, I’ll cover some principles of Christian anger management. First, let’s look at what Jesus says about anger:

“You have heard that it was said by the ancients, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be in danger of the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you” (Matt. 5:21-23).

Jesus tells us that before anger is expressed outwardly, it started in that person’s heart inwardly. As I read this passage, I saw something I’ve never seen before.

When you add a “d” in front of the word ‘anger,’ what do you get? Danger! Jesus used the word “danger” three times in his description of the consequences of anger.

He even prioritized pursuing peace with others above bringing a sacrifice to God! Mark 11:25 makes it even clearer:

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

With this background, let’s look at the story of brothers Cain and Abel, the first instance of a person’s anger in the Bible (Gen. 4:3-8). In this case, lack of anger management had deadly consequences:

“In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. Abel also brought the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had respect for Abel and for his offering, but for Cain and for his offering, He did not have respect. And Cain was very angry and his countenance fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your countenance fallen? If you do well, shall you not be accepted? But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must rule over it. Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.”

From Jesus’ words, we know that anger begins in the heart. So the murder of Abel was conceived in Cain’s heart.

Here are the facts:

1. Cain brought an offering to the Lord.

2. Abel brought an offering to the Lord.

3. God respected Abel and his offering.

4. God did not respect Cain and his offering.

5. Cain became angry.

6. The Lord asked Cain why he was angry, then gave him instructions as to how he could gain the Lord’s respect.

7. Cain talked with Abel. Time passed and Cain killed Abel.

Cain was angry with God. Did his anger have a cause? No, it did not. So when you are angry, you should always ask yourself “Why am I angry?” to determine if you have a legitimate cause for it.

Many of our negative emotions are birthed in lying thoughts. Cain apparently felt that God had wronged him because He did not respect him and his offering. But the Lord’s question “Why are you angry?” tells us that there was no cause for Cain’s anger.

The Lord told Cain that if he did well, he would have been accepted. Cain did not respond to God’s instruction. That tells me that Cain had a prideful heart and was not teachable. It appears he was not bringing an offering to the Lord out of love; rather, it seems he was just going through the motions, perhaps because of his parent’s expectations or he was just doing it because Abel did.

If Cain had been humble and was concerned with pleasing God, he would have asked Him: “Lord, what do you mean ‘if I do well?’ What am I doing wrong? How can I do better?”

I believe that if Cain had a sincere heart to please God, then God would have answered these questions.

Instead, God told Cain that sin was crouching at the door. Sounds like danger to me! However, the Lord also said that Cain should rule over it. Rule means “to take authority.” The Lord would not have told Cain to do something that Cain did not have the ability to do.

This is an important principle. We have the power to take authority over anger. Too often, we let anger get out of control because it feels good to our flesh to do so. But as Christians, that is no longer an option because we are submitted to Jesus’ lordship.

Our heart should always be set on peace—peace with God, peace with ourselves, and peace with our fellow man as we are in position to make it.

In Cain’s case, he did not rule over sin in his heart—the desire to murder. Because he could not take his anger out on God, he took it out on Abel. Abel did nothing wrong.

Cain expressed his anger outwardly and danger was the result. He ended up a marked man, separated from God and receiving judgment.

Cain is an example of how not to manage anger. Let’s look at advice from Psalm 4:4 for advice on how to manage anger.

“Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord.”

Here are some points to keep in mind:

1. Be angry …  It is OK to feel the emotion of anger. However, always assess it to discover if there is a cause. If you are angry and can’t identify a reason for it, consider it an attack from the enemy. Submit your feelings to God in prayer or even write Him a letter about it. Ask God to open up your spiritual eyes so that you can see the truth of what is happening. Believe that you have God’s peace within and pursue that peace rather than indulging your flesh through unwarranted anger.

2. … and do not sin. If your anger has a cause, then ask yourself, “How have my expectations not been met?” or “How do I feel my rights have been violated?” If the anger comes from unmet expectations, were your expectations reasonable? Did this person have the ability, knowledge or will to meet your expectations?

Sometimes people can have expectations, but the other person has no idea that you had them. You were expecting them to read your mind! Make sure that the other person is at least aware of your expectations if you have them. Otherwise, it is not fair for you to expect something of them that you never bothered to tell them about.

If they lack knowledge about how to meet your expectations, could you supply the knowledge to assist them? If they lack the will, then you have a decision to make. Depending on the relationship, you may decide to limit your association with them or lower your expectations.

Were your rights violated? If you are in a place to do so, be assertive with the other person and state the facts about what happened and then set boundaries regarding the expected behavior.

Once again, your goal is to make peace so that a spirit of offense will not take hold. You don’t want to act in a way that will be a stumbling block to someone else coming to the Lord.

Finally, if you are angry about an injustice that doesn’t involve you directly, then pray for the situation for God’s justice to manifest. Then pray to ask the Lord if there is anything you can do personally about the situation and for Him to give you the courage and/or resources to take action.

3. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Make it a regular practice to take your thoughts captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. That way, when situations happen that can spark your anger, it will be second nature to shift your thinking to those things that are acceptable to the Lord according to Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things.”

Take moments in your day to just “Be still and know that He is God.” If you are always running around and don’t stop to catch your breath, then the life’s pressures can make you short-tempered and more prone to use anger as a release valve.

4. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and “put your trust in the Lord.” You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21).

Even though it is tempting to let your flesh have its way, act in accordance with your true identity and put your flesh on the altar:

“I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2).

Trust that if justice must be meted out, God will vindicate you:

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘Vengeance is Mine. I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19).

The way to give place to God’s wrath is to bring it under the Lord’s authority in prayer. Let Him give you wisdom as to how to deal with your anger in a way that pleases Him.

Only then can you experience His peace, which surpasses all understanding. His peace will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. {eoa}

Kimberly Taylor is the author of The Weight Loss Scriptures and many other books. Once 240 pounds and a size 22, she can testify to God’s goodness and healing power. Visit  and receive more free health and weight-loss tips.

For the original article, visit .

On a recent episode of Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural, Aliss Creswell, who, with her husband Rob, head up MorningStar Europe in Chester, England, regaled Roth’s audience of personal experiences where she was able to lead people to Jesus and see supernatural healings through extraordinary circumstances.

She told Roth that the gift isn’t simply for her. It’s for everyone.

“The Holy Spirit and I are really close. He’s my best friend,” said Creswell, the author of The Normal Supernatural Christian Life. “I feel the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit everywhere I go. And you can, too. You simply have to cultivate the relationship. Talk to Him. Obey what He’s telling you to do or so. He really loves that.” 

Watch the video as Creswell shares about the power of the Holy Spirit in her life. 

The question at the marriage workshop took us by surprise: “Has your marriage turned out ‘as advertised’? Have you ever wished you could start all over and do things differently?”

Rebekah and I exchanged glances and laughed out loud! We’d been invited to the Q&A as “experts,” but, of course, we’re a constant work in progress like everyone else.

In that moment we both thought of the same sticky patch. Over a decade we’d become so busy and distracted we didn’t really know each other anymore. When that happens it’s only natural to fall out of love, because love requires the intimacy of knowing, and we were consistently invested anywhere and everywhere other than the relationship. We’d both changed, and we’d taken it for granted that our love would keep up. We may have fallen in love at the beginning, but we needed to stand in love to make it last.

Standing requires a foundation, something we had to learn to build, to shore up and to maintain. The truth is anything that crosses the threshold from routine to wonderful is going to cost something.

Our 37 years have been quite the adventure so far. That’s why Rebekah and I were asked to attend the Q&A. Five truths emerged that I believe say a lot about the road we’re traveling. We love to encourage others because we know what is possible when we apply all of our resources to the relationship.

Check out the following five truths for your failing marriage:

1. Marriage is hard work and we like it that way! By hard work I’m talking about putting in the effort: going the extra mile, showing up with flowers at her job, asking her out on dates, complimenting her on anything and everything, always trying to be worthy of her special love. The investment of such effort contributes to our appreciation of the result; that’s just how we are wired as people who were designed to work rather than simply sit around.

2. Sharing an active relationship with God has frequently saved us. It’s important to realize that we are not the beginning and the end of everything, that we have been created by a higher power and with purpose, and that we need our Creator. Tapping into God’s support, encouragement and creative love is a crucial element of shaping our lives both as individuals and as a married couple. We’re not ashamed to acknowledge that our relationship needs God.

3. The children must always come a distant second to your relationship with your spouse. This is important. We talk to people all the time who say, “It’s all about the kids, we’ll work on us later.” But what the kids need more than anything is a loving home where mom and dad are crazy about each other. Your relationship with your spouse must be the number one priority.

4. Absolute honesty and 100 percent disclosure are sacrosanct. You can’t love someone you don’t know. Withholding truth from our spouse puts insurmountable roadblocks in the way of love. Share your struggles, your questions, your feelings and your dreams. Share it all. Marriage that is not a 100/100 partnership is always compromised.

5. Kindness is more important than almost anything. The man who has a relationship with his wife where kindness is the most obvious factor is invariably a man whose wife adores him. “When in doubt,” I tell the guys I work with, “default to kindness.” Whatever is going on, it can be good and strengthening for our relationship if it is approached in kindness. Mostly it’s the little things. Serving one another and doing what we can to make the other’s life easier, more comfortable and a little more pleasant. We work to demonstrate moment by moment that love is an active, continuous, present-tense verb. {eoa}

Derek Maul is the author of five books, a nationally recognized men’s resource, a committed encourager, and a pilgrim in progress. He divides his time between writing and traveling to speak about the fully engaged life.

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In a recent blog, I talked about the wilderness and how it will either “Make or Break” a church or an individual if they don’t learn how to survive in that time of testing that everyone will endure.

I now want to share with you the five keys I believe are the answer to surviving this time of trial. Jesus, who was our greatest example, used these same five keys in the wilderness:

1. Relationship with the heavenly Father – First of all, Jesus had a very close relationship with his heavenly Father and was in constant communion with Him on a daily basis. Jesus was even affirmed by His heavenly Father when He was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist before the Holy Spirit ascended upon Him and was led into the wilderness. When we understand our relationship with God and have a covenant with Him fueled by a red-hot devotional life, we will have the confidence to know that the Lord is in control of our outcome and will be with us even when we walk through our trials and valley of death.

2. Being filled with the Holy Spirit – The next thing we need to point out there is that immediately after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. The thing to understand here is this: If we are going to survive any significant testing, it is essential that we are baptized in the Holy Ghost. If Jesus needed the Holy Spirit baptism to overcome the temptations in the wilderness what makes you think you and I don’t? I always like to point out that Jesus actually “commanded” and not “suggested” that His disciples be baptized in the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:

“Being assembled with them, He commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, of which you have heard from Me. For John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4-5).

3. Being filled with the Word of God – The next thing to point out is that when Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted for 40 days and nights he always used the weapon of the Word! With each fiery dart, the devil hurled at him, His response was “It is written.” In other words, Jesus was filled with the Word of God and understood its power as a weapon of defense against the enemy. You and I must be filled with the Word of God and use this two-edged sword to defeat the enemy and his assignments against us in the time of trial and testing! After three consecutive whippings from the Word, the devil departed from Jesus for a season.

4. Fasting breaks the power of the enemy. One of the primary weapons that Jesus used during his 40 days in the wilderness was fasting. The Bible tells us that he ate nothing for 40 days and 40 nights and afterward hungered. There will be times in our lives where we will need to fast, whether we want to or not—either on a personal level, a corporate level or both.

Fasting is a powerful tool to break the power of the enemy and has many benefits. The book Isaiah Chapter 58 tells us many of those benefits. If Jesus needed to fast, why would you and I believe we are exempt? In fact, fasting is one of the core duties of a believer, according to the New Testament.

5. Jesus returned to the city full of power. One of the things that always intrigued me was that after Jesus emerged from a 40-day and 40-night trial of fasting and temptation, He returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee. It was after this we begin to hear about His ministry exploding with signs, wonders and miracles.

It was after this that we hear of Him raising the dead and casting out devils. I believe there is a level of power in the Holy Spirit that will never be achieved until we encounter our wilderness experience and implement these five keys in our own personal walk with the Lord. If it was possible to survive without any of these things we just named, I believe Jesus would have never practiced them.

However, if He is our example and we are commanded to walk as He walked, then surely we have witnessed a powerful pattern to implement in our lives. {eoa}

Ricky Scaparo is a former pastor and founder of the international ministry “End Time Headlines.” This ministry has exploded over the past few years, attracting hundreds of thousands of followers and subscribers via the website () and social media streams. Ricky provides resources to equip believers and to inform the discerning of the “Signs and Seasons” in which we are in. His mission is to inform his readers and viewers of “Prophetic Events” and how they are unfolding before our very eyes thru news and headlines presented from a “prophetic perspective” in light of the Holy Bible. This ministry is also an outreach ministry that presents the gospel to the lost thru preaching and teaching of the Word of God. 

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