Lisa Great

The breath in our lungs is not so we can have an opinion; it is not for self-promotion; it not so we can criticize other people; it is not so I can cut down someone else. The breath in our lungs has been placed there so we can praise the Lord. Psalm 150 says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

We were given breath to be a blessing; to speak the word of God; to release blessings; to build up people, cities, nations; to sing songs of praise to the God who gave us breath. Have you ever really thought about the truth of why you were given breath? What are you doing with the gift of breath you have been given?

We have been given breath to become a living soul. Breath is what gives us life. Our words are breath; our very being is dust and breath. Genesis 2:7 “Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”

Dust in Hebrew is ashes, earth, mortar, powder, rubbish, debris. Breath in Hebrew is spirit, wind, inspiration, source of life. When breath is put into dust we come alive. No wonder He makes beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3).

It is easy to see the dust in people, but can you see the breath in them? Can you be like Ezekiel 37:9 and hear the Lord say, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”

Use your breath to speak to their dust and tell it to come alive. We must stop being dust speakers and dust seekers, for when dust meets breath, we come alive. If all you can talk about is the dust that people are, you need someone to prophesy for breath to come into you. Friends, when dust meets breath, they come alive. Prophesy to the breath! Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

When many of us hear the letters M-O, we think mode of operation or modus operandi. This morning the Lord added value to the letters M-O by saying, it is a mode of operation, and our mode of operation that He desires from us is mutual obedience.

I wonder how many Christians consider the truth that we are to be in a mutually obedient relationship with Christ. The idea of Jesus obeying us seems like a foreign language, even to my ears, but when the Lord explained it to me this morning, it made total sense.

We see obedience in light of a military idea. There is a commander and we are soldiers that only do what we are told and if we don’t there is some form of punishment involved. I was watching a show last night about these social media influencers that get put through some military training drills, so they see what other people do for a living.

What I loved about the show is how the social media influencers were so grateful for the hard work the military people do to keep us safe and how they now have more content for their channels but it is not surface but substantive content.

Back to M-O. Mutual obedience is not only us obeying what God says, asks us to do, but God obeying what we ask Him to do. I know this sounds weird, but think about this, prayer is us asking God to do what we ask of Him. We want the Lord to respond to our requests, asks, and He wants us to do the same for Him.

When we learn the dance of M-O, mutual obedience, it will help us understand more clearly what Jesus said in John 15, “If you love me you will do what I say.” It is an invitation to M-O, mutual obedience, for He wants to do what you say and He wants you to do what He says, for you and God are on the same team, you are not rivals. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

The older I get the more I reflect on the past, not to relive it, but to learn from it. I reflect on things I have seen, heard, done and had done to me. It is not a dwelling in the past, it is a reflecting on the past for the gaining of wisdom from my mistakes and the mistakes of others.

Being a lifelong learner means being able to look at life in all its complexities and diversities and realizing everyone stumbles, some fall, others deny and still some learn and grow from it all. So many things to see, hear and reflect on, it is not a burden but a blessing, for the days ahead will not be like anything we have gone through in the past.

Outpourings, revivals, healings, tents, buildings, stadiums, pulpits, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists and apostles. We have seen churches in homes, offices, buildings, on street corners, in small groups, large groups, cathedrals and sports arenas. So much to reflect on, rejoice over and learn from. All because we are standing in the threshold between what has been and what is upon us.

Shofars sounding in Israel, announcing a new day; shakings around the world, announcing follow the way; tectonic plates moving spiritually and physically, as the earth groans for us to arise as sons and daughters; and numbers 5786 declaring strike the ground, stake your claim, drive the tent peg, and connect heaven to earth.

So much to see, to hear, to say, but through it all the Lord cuts with His voice like a sharp sword and says, “I Am God and there is none like Me.” When Isaiah saw the Lord, he fell to the ground; when Jacob saw the Lord in Genesis 35, “Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.” In all of this we must return to the Lord! Remain as one with the Lord! And not lose sight of the Lord! Just a reminder, in the midst of it all, He is the Lord! Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

The church has been a place where people hear the same thing over and over again. When you are going to a place which tells you what you already know, there is no reason to be teachable. The reason we need to be teachable is because we are being told, taught or trained in something we do not already know. Many Christians are not teachable, not because they don’t want to learn, but rather because they are so used to hearing what they already know, there is nothing new to learn.

As narrative creators arise with a message, a sound, a word, a truth, a promise, a song, a company, an idea, a thought, a question, you have never heard before, or never considered before, it is an invitation to be teachable. The challenge is, when we hear something we have not heard before, we resist it as wrong, because it is not aligning with what we already know.

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4). The invitation of Jesus was to be teachable, for He wanted to teach them truth that would set them free.

The Pharisees/the teachers of the Law, resisted the gospel of the kingdom, because He was teaching something they had not heard before. Not only did they resist His message, they killed Him. The religious spirit is a murderous spirit and it will seek to kill the messenger in order to stop the spreading of the message.

If you hear something you have not heard before, it is your invitation to be teachable. Jesus preached a gospel they had not heard before; Paul preached a mystery they had not been told before (Christ in you the hope of glory) and religion resisted both messages and sought to kill both messengers.

The spirit of division and murder is in the earth, it comes in the actual murder of messengers and in the attacking of people’s character. History does not speak well of attackers. Remain teachable, it is the true identifier of godly humility. We do not want to be on the wrong side of history in the making. We are living in biblical times. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

Blow the trumpet, sound the shofar, today is the beginning of 5786, it is a new year on the Hebrew calendar. Every Hebrew year is packed with prophetic promises. This year will be no different. Living in the decade of the 80’s in Hebrew, it is the year of the mouth, so open up your mouth, speak to the nations and declare they are the inheritance of the Yeshua. Jesus alone is King of all kings, Lord of all lords, ruler of all nations. He is in charge and He will never be dethroned, for He has a kingdom that knows no end. This is the good news and today is a a very Happy Hebrew New Year.

Colossians 2:9-15 is the announcement this trumpet is sounding on this first day of 5786.

“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

Happy New Year and welcome to 5786, the year where heaven is established on earth through us and we decree Matthew 6, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Vav us oh Lord, establish your kingdom on earth, we want to be ambassadors on earth of your kingdom that’s blueprint is in heaven. We will ascend to see and descend to build with words of life, hope, peace and joy. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

The residue of division is only residue. It is not reality. The residue of division is in the minority, not the majority. The one with the microphone amplifies where they stand, whether in the minority or the majority. But the microphone does not determine reality. It only amplifies its perspective. When the microphone or shall I say amplifier is handed to the majority it aligns with what is seen. This sight and sound experience is the spark of the reformation of a nation.

Being born into a divisive culture, whether in church or corporation, education, or entertainment, division has been amplified because of the ones that have had the microphone. But division is giving away to unity, which is the celebration of diversity. This is not religious or political, this is reformation of a nation. Everyone, everywhere, every day is what a reformation looks like.

The transformation is happening in homes, in coffee lshops, in gaming communities online, and now is being seen on televisions and heard on radios and podcast all over the world. The reformation is not just of one nation. It is of many nations. The reformation is not a church revival only but it will conclude revival. The reformation is not a media takeover, but it will include media. The reformation will scoop up education and bring about a transformation in the hearts and lives of humanity.

We are living in the days of reformation that are bringing about a global transformation not so that everything gets darker but because the light is shining and the darkness cannot overcome it or comprehend it. Psalm 82:8 says, “Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!” God has arisen. He has judged the Earth and he is inheriting all the nations. We are living in the days of a worldwide reformation. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

Matt Redman sang a song years ago that I used to shout from the top of my lungs declaring blessed be your name and a line in the song was you give and take away, you give and take away, blessed be your name. This song came back to my remembrance this morning as I was reading in Genesis 30 about Jacob and Rachel’s son named Joseph.

Joseph is a significant figure in the book of Genesis and many sermons have been preached on him. His journey from being thrown in a pit by his own family to being placed as second in command by a wicked ruler in Egypt brought about great sermon material. It’s hard not to hear messages in my head as I read certain passages in my head.

Reading Genesis 30, the Lord has been highlighting the names of people in this rich chapter. The mother named the children and Rachel said about Joseph the following words…”God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the LORD add to me another son!”

The name Joseph means God took away reproach and God added another. Joseph means God gives and God takes away. Which is why the song blessed be your name, you give and you take away came to my remembrance this morning. Knowing what God is giving or adding to us is very important and knowing what God is taking away from us is equally important.

God gives us people, and God takes away reproach, shame, ridicule, unforgiveness and brokenness. God gives us healing, prosperity, deliverance, and abundant life. I think it’s time to sing Matt Redman‘s old song blessed be your name and shout the words you give and take away. Thanks to Joseph a man who God used to give the land of Goshen in a famine to Israel and to take away the reproach of Egypt through a man named Joshua.

May we all declare today blessed be the name of the Lord! Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

Walking with God is a seeing, hearing, and speaking experience. Being able to see what God is doing is only one step in the process. After seeing we are supposed to be hearing what God is saying about what we are seeing. If we only see and don’t hear we come up with our own conclusion or understanding of what we have seen. What we are seeing gets filtered through our own perspective if we don’t hear what God is saying about what we’re seeing.

After hearing what God is saying about what we are seeing, we must only speak what God is saying, based on what we heard because of what we saw. Too many people see something and then say whatever they want, and declare thus says the Lord. This causes confusion in the body of Christ because not everybody is saying the same thing. We all may be seeing the same thing, but if we are not hearing the same voice and only speaking what He is saying it will bring confusion to the listener.

While I was sitting with some friends yesterday, the Lord spoke to me so clearly and said , ”DRY BONES ARE RATTLING”. This statement was made as an announcement from the kingdom of heaven. It was in decree form that I heard it. There was no asking of my opinion. There was no need for interpretation. It was a statement from God, declaring, “DRY BONES ARE RATTLING.”

This statement is found in Ezekiel 37:7 “There was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.” What caught my attention after finding the declaration was what happened after the sound of the rattling. Ezekiel says “the bones came together, bone to its bone”. This is a nod to Genesis 2 where Adam said about his wife Eve “she is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh”.

Friends what we are hearing worldwide is dry bones rattling. As we listen to the sound of the rattling what we are going to see is a coming together. The process of seeing, hearing and speaking is active, but we must be careful what we say so that we only say what God is saying about what we are seeing. We are about to see a coming together of the likes we’ve never seen before. Can you hear the sound of dry bones rattling? http://www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

On Saturday while in Florence Alabama, Chuck Pierce said, “the Lord will send you back to some places in order to re-align that location so that you can move forward into your new assignment.“ I knew I was coming to Kansas City on Wednesday and those words hit me hard wondering what was God going to realign that may be out of alignment.

Yesterday I had a realigning moment with a good friend of mine, and as soon as the realignment happened, the spirit of wisdom, revelation, and understanding flowed freely. When there is anything that is out of alignment, we cannot hear clearly what is being said. It was a powerful dinner in which realignment happened for a future assignment.

This morning while reading Genesis 28, it says, “Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac.”

Haran is where Abraham left in order to follow the Lord into his promised land, called Canaan of which his descendants would occupy and inherit. The fact that the Lord lead Jacob, Abraham‘s grandson back to that location for a realignment in order to step into a future assignment was not missed in my reading this morning. God spoke to Jacob exactly what he spoke to Abraham. It was a moment of realignment for the assignment and it came through a dream.

The other point of notice in this story is that there is a stone that Jacob laid his head on and a declaration from Jacob that this is the gate of heaven. This is where Jesus got the words that he spoke over Peter who he called rock, When he said in Matthew 16:18 “and upon this rock, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Abraham Jacob/Israel and Jesus’ words to Peter all come into alignment at this moment for a future assignment of which we are fulfilling.

If the Lord invites you to circle back to a location for the sake of realignment, it is for a future assignment. We may not have understood what was out of alignment in a past location, but it must come into alignment in order for us to enter into the new assignment that is upon us. I am so grateful to be back in a past location for the sake of realignment for a future destination. He’s inviting us back so that we can go forward in victory. It takes humility, but it’s because we’re in a building age. We must be aligned correctly. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org

In church on Sunday we were declaring the Lord as holy. We sang those words over and over again, holy, holy, holy, the Lord is holy. As we were singing the Lord showed me what it means that He is holy. He said, “Holy means transparent, without darkness, without wickedness, no sin, see through, nothing hidden.” He then said to me, “Did I not say you are to be holy as I am holy?”

I stood there in worship stunned, thinking we have been taught we cannot be holy for it means we are to be without sin and we have been so indoctrinated that we are sinners we cannot even fathom being holy. Yet, the Lord says, we are to be holy as He is holy. We are to be transparent as He is transparent; we are to be forgiving as He is forgiving; we are to be without darkness as He is all Light.

He would not tell us to be something that was impossible for us to be, but to be holy as He is holy takes humility. If we are not humble we cannot be holy. Holiness is not the absence of sin, it is the immediate confession of it to God and to each other so we can be free, forgiven and holy as He is holy. (1 John 1:9)

I am concerned we have become too comfortable with sin, darkness, unforgiveness, jealousy, bitterness, anger, perversion, gossip, hatred, adultery, idolatry and division, that we just accept it as the way it is. No this is not the way it is, nor is it the way it should be. Humanism has taught us to blame others, accuse others, as though humanism is God. Humanism is self-protection, not God’s direction. We must repent for being humanistic.

Malachi 3 says, “I the LORD do not change!” We find great security in this as we should, but we are also to not change, for the next verses speak about how the people changed their mind about God and following Him. We love that God does not change but we are okay with us changing how we treat others. This is hypocrisy and not acceptable in the kingdom of God. We must be holy as He is holy. No other standard is biblical, nor is it acceptable to the Lord. Www.apostolicresourcecenter.org