Lisa Great

How often do you step back, look around, listen and not talk in order to assess what is happening in the field in which God has called you and gifted you to operate in? Sometimes, we can be so close to something that we cannot see it any longer for what it really is. Evaluation of situations is always a good thing, stepping back for a season or a moment is healthy.

I have watched the church from a far for a long time now. I have not been in any leadership role of a local church since 2013 and in this past 12 years of watching from the outside, I have learned somethings that have given pause and caused me to pray.

Jesus said the church is to be the place where the gates of hell cannot prevail (Matthew 16:18); but what are the gates of hell? If we do not know what they are it will hinder our ability to not let them prevail over us.

The gates of hell are many things but one of their major roles is to release a narrative in a nation. Even if you are locked behind gates, you can still have a voice that affects a nation through the narrative you speak. The narrative of hell is never life giving, hope filled or transformative in nature. The narrative of the gates of hell is death, destruction and disease.

Church, what narrative are we echoing in our heads, in our families, in our friendships, in our communities, in our cities, in our churches, in our nations? When we echo a narrative of death, violence and destruction we will be suspicious of peace, life, reconciliation and prosperity.

The gospel is good news, it is healing, it is joy, it is peace. Why are we afraid of what we are seeing with peace talks between nations? Why do we assume it means it is the rise of the anti-Christ and not the advancing of the kingdom of God on earth?

We as the church have been hearing the narrative of the gates of hell, so we have missed the narrative of the gates of glory (Psalm 24). Both narratives sound similar, because both gates promise peace and prosperity, but if you are suspicious and are expecting an Ezekiel 38 war you will miss the kingdom of God on earth Matthew 6 prayer being answered. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

The word of God is a rich treasure hunt that yields jewels of truth for those who are seekers. Proverbs 25 says, it is the glory of God to conceal a matter, the glory of kings to search it out. In the Message translation they use the word scientists in place of kings and the Holy Spirit whispered to me “archeologists could be another word for kings in this passage.”

Being one who loves to dig into the word of God and find the treasures it holds, the Lord always reveals truth that brings joy. Today I was reading the book of Judges and in Judges 4 it speaks of Deborah, a prophetess and judge of Israel. The story goes on to speak of another woman named Jael, who drives a tent peg through the commander of the enemy armies head.

The Holy Spirit highlighted Deborah’s name, which means Bee or Honey and then highlighted Jael and how she served the commander of the enemies army milk when he asked for water. The Holy Spirit showed me that these two women in these few verses in Judges 4 speak of the land of milk and honey.

Jael representing the milk and Deborah representing the honey. It’s not about gender, but it sure is fun to see these two women who were used to defeat an enemy of Israel in battle, with unconventional weapons like milk and honey or as the story goes a tent peg, which is the vav in Hebrew and is connected to the Messiah.

The word of God is always unveiling truths in stories we have heard so many times, but new revelations are coming forth. To think of Jael and Deborah as milk and honey and the tent peg as the Messiah, adds value to the promised land of milk and honey being our inheritance in the Messiah. Friends, these are not just stories, these are prophetic declarations of truths that point to Yeshua our Messiah, who is our promised land of milk and honey!!!!

He still uses unconventional weapons to defeat the enemy and opens our eyes to His activity in milk and honey. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

What is the fascination with the demonic realm, demons and any activity of the enemy from Christians? Why are we so afraid of this realm? What provokes us to mention it so often and to assume it has power? I struggle with people who know more about what the enemy is doing than what God is doing? The reason being, because the enemy was defeated with three words from Jesus, IT IS FINISHED!

I was reading Daniel 2 this morning an it offered more insight into the realm of the enemy and just gave me more reason why it is not worth even discussing or mentioning. Listen to the leaders of witchcraft in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court when they were asked to tell the king his dream and interpret it.

“The fortunetellers said, “Nobody anywhere can do what you ask. And no king, great or small, has ever demanded anything like this from any magician, enchanter, or fortuneteller. What you’re asking is impossible unless some god or goddess should reveal it—and they don’t hang around with people like us.” (MSG)

They realize they have no access to a god who speaks, shares secrets or even lets them in on simple things, let along a god who hangs out with them. The slavery in the demonic is so obvious to those in it. I love reading what the enemy knows but we don’t so I can peer into his camp through verses like this and then realize how amazing Yahweh is.

Yahweh, Yeshua, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are a speaking trinity, a relational Godhead and a voice that sounds like many rushing waters and is powerful according to Psalm 29. Daniel proves that His God knows everything and shares what He knows with His people. There is no one like our God, He is so worthy of all our conversations, all our worship and all our lives. Look at Him, He is so attention grabbing nothing else compares to Him. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

Genesis 1 says the Lord put the sun, moon and stars in the sky to be for signs and seasons. The Amplified bible says it this way, “And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs and tokens [of God’s provident care], and [to mark] seasons, days, and years.” (Genesis 1:14) This means the sun, moon and stars are communicating things we need to know. 

Psalm 19:1-2 says, “The heavens tell of the glory of God; And their expanse declares the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech And night to night reveals knowledge.” Now we have two biblical witnesses as to what God intends the sun, moon and stars to communicate to us. What is beautiful to look at is also something to listen to. 

This morning we have two voices speaking, the voice of the black moon and the voice of the Hebrew calendar, 29th of Av. I woke up naturally about 4am this morning, laid in bed for a while then went downstairs to walk the dog. My housemate was awake, this is unusual for her, and she says, let’s go outside and look at the black moon, its visible right now. 

Outside we go, but due to cloud cover we could not see it, but the idea of it caught my attention as I walked the dog in the silence of the early morning. The Holy Spirit whispered to me, “Look up the black moon and the date today.” I got home and did just that. The moon is communicating in sync with the Hebrew calendar and its declaration is good news. 

The black moon is a hidden moon, a second new moon in the same month and it speaks to reset or gestation before manifestation. The 29th of Av is the last day of the month, so it is the threshold day into a new month and it means the ending of judgment and sorrow, but is also the doorway into comfort and renewal. 

Putting it all together, the black moon happening on the 29th of Av means this is the end of a long dark season. The old cycle of sorrow is sealed and the new cycle of renewal is here. This black moon declared this is the last dark night before the dawn of divine nearness. It is said the darkest hour is before the dawn and this is what we just witnessed this morning. Welcome to the new day!!!! Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

I was asked one time why I hang out with older people, rather than people my age or younger people. I have thought about that question a lot. I have friends of all ages, but yes I have some friends older than me that I do life with. These friends are stable, wise and easy to hang out with. They have so many stories to tell and they will never change their mind about you. So many qualities they carry, I can’t imagine life without them.

In Houston this past weekend I was invited to speak at a church where the pastor is 85 years old and her congregation is filled with many crowns of glory people. There were a few people my age and some young adults, but for the most part we sang songs the younger ones did not know and we all enjoyed the service. But the question I asked the Lord is, why are you sending me to the older generation?

The Lord answered me on the plane home from Houston, He said, “In the church they love the youth and the young adults, revivals are geared to them that jump, shout and look good on television, but in the kingdom of God I honor the elders and tell them first what I am doing. I am sending you to the elders, to the generals, to honor them for honor unlocks in them what they carry and the generations behind them need what they know, what they’ve seen, what they’ve heard. I, the Lord, start my announcements with the elders not the youth, in the kingdom.”

I said, yes sir, I hear you loud and clear! Friends, the generals in the faith may not be jumping up and down, spinning around, but they carry wisdom, power, glory and many stories we need to hear. God is doing a legacy move and this starts with the Abraham’s then goes the Isaac’s then to the Jacob’s and the 12 tribes of Israel. God is announcing to the elders, to the generals what He is doing and if we honor them it will unlock what is inside of them. They are not going to be forgotten in this move of God, says the Lord. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

In a post modern world where truth has become subjective not objective, we have more standards of truth than we even realize, which is why we are more deceived than we even know. Truth does not change. Truth is not cultural. Truth is a person, it is Jesus Christ, for He said, I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).

Today on THE TRAIL OF TRUTH, the Lord spoke to me while I was reading Psalm 51 and said, “The solution to all our troubles is truth, but we must desire truth in our inmost being.” Psalm 51:6 says, “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts.” If we don’t want to know the truth, hear the truth or we don’t love the truth, troubles will continue.

The challenge we face is that we believe our own version of truth, which is why we do not believe what others share with us as the truth. We can’t see the truth in ourselves, because we have spoken a version of truth to ourselves that is not the truth. Humility is the master key that unlocks truth, for if we are proud, we think we already know the truth until trouble comes and then we wonder how we missed it.

Psalm 15:1-2 says, “LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart.” God is truth, He does not lie, therefore, to be in the presence of God you must be one who speaks the truth in your own heart. Not your version of truth, God’s truth.

We cannot be lovers of truth and not be lovers of God’s word. What we see is more life coaching, counseling and instagram advising, where we have people telling us what we want to hear, for most people can’t handle the truth. However, only the truth will set us free. If we want the trouble to stop, we must speak truth in our inmost being and truth is only found in obeying the word of God. Only you can answer the question, do I speak the truth to myself? If you do, hearing the truth from others will not offend you. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

I think I am going to call these morning blogs, THE TRUTH ON THE TRAIL. Thanks for listening every morning and commenting either privately or publicly about how they are ministering to you. 

THE TRUTH ON THE TRAIL this morning ignited in Genesis 50, but ripples throughout the word of God. When a significant person dies, it detonates a visitation from God. I had never seen it this way before, but follow this bread crumb trail with me. 

Genesis 50:24 says, “At the end, Joseph said to his brothers, “I am ready to die. God will most certainly pay you a visit and take you out of this land and back to the land he so solemnly promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Joseph says when I die, then God is going to visit you. 

Joshua 1:1-2 “After the death of Moses the servant of GOD, GOD spoke to Joshua, Moses’ assistant: “Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I’m giving to the People of Israel.” After Moses died God visited His people by giving them land as an inheritance. 

Isaiah 6:1 “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the train of his robes filled the Temple.” When Uzziah died, that is when Isaiah saw the Lord. Isaiah’s vision led to his commissioning as a prophet to the nation of Israel. 

Acts 1:2-5 “After his (Jesus’) death, he presented himself alive to them (the apostles) in many different settings over a period of forty days. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.” The death of Jesus ignited the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 

THE TRUTH ON THE TRAIL this morning is that when someone of significance dies it dentonates a visitation from God as an inauguration of a new declaration from heaven. Death is hard, but if God uses even death to visit us, then it is more true than we know that He truly works all things together for the good. Can you see the visitation in the death? Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

How do you describe liquid love when it flows through people in a room? How do you explain a love so palpable that people cry, shout, sing, clap and pray for one another? It is hard to describe because it is an experience words can’t capture, but maybe pictures can reveal a measure of it.

While in Houston we went from Galveston on the beach to Eastgate Ministries in a building set up like a home. The presence of God was in every meeting, every moment of this trip to Texas. Whether we were baptizing in a backyard pool or preaching from a public pulpit, the love of God flowed from us and to us.

We met new friends, we reconnected with old friends. It was a trip that will never be forgotten and hopefully will happen more often in the future. The Lord spoke to me a year ago and said “There is a TN/Texas connection.” Now I know about the Alamo and how TN sent help for that battle, that is why we in TN are called the Volunteer state, but this was going to be spiritual.

I saw in the spirit a path walked by many between TN and Texas, but didn’t understand it until this trip. The two states are meant to be joined together spiritually and I am seeing it happen with every trip I am able to take there.

One thing that has been said, is everything is bigger in Texas and I learned that is the truth. They love big, they give big, they serve big and they eat big. We went out to lunch and the deserts that were ordered were so big, our table of 8 could not finish them.

Friends, people are the treasure, they are the most valuable asset in the kingdom of God. May we never forget what is really valuable. God loves people and He commands us to love one another as well. Liquid love is healing deep wounds, so we can love again, for we need each other and together we need the Lord. Thank you Texas for a trip of a lifetime.

Psalm 48:9-10 says, “We pondered your love-in-action, God, waiting in your temple: Your name, God, evokes a train of Hallelujahs wherever It is spoken, near and far; your arms are heaped with goodness-in-action.”

What a time it has been in the Houston area for the past five days. There was more than one occasion where corporately we stood in silence in awe and wonder at this God who is so so so good to us.

The Lord had me make two announcements at Eastgate Ministries in Katy, TX yesterday and I was restrained from speaking them until they were made and confirmed by the leadership of that ministry. I was sent there to announce to the nations, “Open the Gates and Release the Rivers!”

To some this will sound simple or even cliche but in the spirit it was an opening of the likes we knew was needed. We opened the East Gates and Released the Four Rivers. With scripture to back it up, we opened these gates with decrees for the nations and we released these rivers to come to us and come through us.

The perfect timing of the Lord had a Nigerian man in the congregation yesterday morning to represent the nations as we opened the East Gates, so the king of glory (Psalm 24) can come in the nations again. This will be like nothing we have ever seen or heard before.

Then last night as the man blew the shofar, I heard the announcing of the king of glory coming in the room and I saw in the spirit the royalty of God as He walked into that room. It was an experience of the likes that evoked awe and wonder, silence and honor.

The Lord has opened the gates of glory and released the 12 rivers. Nothing will be the same as the liquid love of God heals us, the glory of God fills us and the kingdom of God teaches us. The new day is here! Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

The famine has been over for a long time, but the decree has still remained in effect, so the Lord says to America today, “The decree that has kept you in slavery is over, the new decree from Me is JUBILEE!”

In Genesis 47 we read of a famine that ravished the lands of Canaan and Egypt. During this time, of which Pharoh in two dreams was privy to know about ahead of time, thanks to Joseph interpreting the dreams. This famine was like locusts that devoured the land.

The cost of the famine was their money, their livestock, their lives and the their land. All was sold to Pharoh for food, to the point where the people were grateful to survive the famine and were willing to be slaves to Pharoh just to survive.

Genesis 47:25-26 ‘They said, “You’ve saved our lives! Master, we’re grateful and glad to be slaves to Pharaoh. Joseph decreed a land law in Egypt that is still in effect, A Fifth Goes to Pharaoh. Only the priests’ lands were not owned by Pharaoh.”

With this “salvation” from starvation, came a decree that they would pay Pharaoh one fifth of their harvest, or 20% of their income. This decree has been in effect until now. Where do you think they got the idea of a three letter agency tax system on a nation?

While reading this today, the Lord revealed to me this decree is what this nation is under and the Lord said, “The decree that has kept you in slavery is over, the new decree from Me is JUBILEE!” So, I agree with the Lord’s new decree over America and I decree JUBILEE! The ancient Egyptian decree is over and we the church decree “JUBILEE!” Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

Job 22:28 “You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.”