Daily Devotions

Posts tagged “prayer

Dark Origins

Melissa Gabler—These days many of the must-have items touted on social media by “influencers” are from very dark origins and meant to enslave and control the purchaser. But rationalism would say, “Don’t be dramatic. You watch too many movies.” That brings me to the next item, entertainment. Entertainment has become such a priority in our culture that it has made its way into many of our churches. Some like to quote movies and throw the world’s songs into worship sets. There are those who hope those sermons are short because they need to get home for “the game”, and we just keep overlooking the demonic that gets more and more obvious in our favorite TV shows. Rationalism: “Oh it’s not that bad. Don’t be so religious!” I recently saw a video of a man bringing someone to deliverance. In the video you would hear the voice of the young man coming to deliverance, then all of a sudden you could hear the voice of the demon. The man doing deliverance asked the demon where it came from and it told him it came through a song. The young man explained that he only listened to the song because he likes the music, but the demon said, “We can use what is ours.” Well, there’s no rationalizing that legal technicality!


Anticipating and Participating in a Kingdom Event


Kathy Gabler—Jesus said, “If you are able to believe, all things are possible to the ones believing.” (Mk.9:23) He was telling him, “Sir, the ‘IF’ is in your court both now and in the future.” The way Jesus handled this situation shows us the Power of the Kingdom was being released for more than that boy. The deliverance was for the whole family.
An equipping insight here is that anticipating and participating in a Kingdom power moment may be more involved than we perceived in the very beginning. It may include prepping people to receive as well as equipping them to hold steady for the future.  Some of the healing evangelists in the last sixty years would require people to be in three meetings before they got in the prayer line.  I have to wonder if they too were trying to affect the thinking of people so they could align with God to keep their healing in the future. 


Lord Help us to Stay Sharp

Marty Gabler—May those who look to the Lord, find that He will help us to stay sharp and enable us to make decisions and to notice things that an entity or a company tries to slip past us, and to notice extra charges that we didn’t bargain for in the beginning and to hear everything the business person is saying on the phone as they quickly go over the list of costs and items. May the Lord help us to not be intimidated into giving in when pressured. May He cause us to see the ol’ “switch-and-bait” coming before it takes its toll. We will no longer just settle for an item or cost we are not agreeable to just so we can get it all over with. 2Thess.3:2-4,Amp—“and [pray] that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not everyone has the faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you [setting you on a firm foundation] and will protect and guard you from the evil one4 We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do the things [which] we command.”
(MARTY will be speaking and prophetically ministering at DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY 2024, Sept.13-14. At Grace Church Willis,TX. No Fee. All information for DVP2024 is at this link: martygabler.com/dvp2024/)


Win With Un-carnal Weapons

KATHY GABLER—Sharing the third victory in this series which was won with un-carnal weapons that were received in dreams and visions: Old wars, Old enemies, New Victories
A lady told me that she had seen a dark shadow in her bedroom one evening.  Strangely, she was not frightened, but she knew she needed wisdom and insight to set the thing to flight.  A few days later in a dream, God opened her understanding.
In the dream she discovered an old soul-tie, an individual that she had considered a constant refuge in times past.  Suddenly she realized that because this friend had never required any commitment (nor offered any), she had used the relationship as a refuge whenever she feared commitment in her life.  Many times when she’d been faced with the need to commit to a relationship or to commit to a  responsibility, fear would flare up and send her running back to the refuge where there were no strings attached.  It was a need-based, unhealthy relationship and she realized she was still tied to its memory.  As surely as an old photo album from that time of her life was stored in a closet, she had stored that sense of refuge in her memory.  Like a comforting blanky or silky, she could still pull it out if life got too demanding. 

Awaking and considering the dream, she realized the dream revealed she had maintained a memory in her heart of a carnal place of refuge.  If the Lord is not our refuge, then neither is He Lord of our refuge … and the places in our life where He is not Lord are places vulnerable to powers of darkness.  The dark shadow’s presence was evidence that a stronghold needed pulling down.  Suddenly she remembered that same dark shadow had come to her room when she was a child.  This revealed more of the nature of the stronghold.  That fear of commitment that made her seek out refuge in her teen years had obviously dogged her in childhood also.  Her understanding opened further and she knew there was a deeper root.  That root was fear, a fear of failure to be exact.  That fear, which is common to many, had likely plagued other generations in her house before coming to her room and it continued to show up through her life at points of purpose and times of potential fulfillment of destiny.  Once again the familiar enemy showed up, intending to hinder a new season of purpose in her life, and he fully expected to send her scurrying backward in search of safety again.

However, she now had an un-carnal weapon to wield.  With the dream’s insights came the grace to take action.  She started by getting rid of the old photos.  There was no need to preserve the memory of the old refuge any longer because there was no need to assume or even accept failure.  She no longer trusted her ability to build a refuge like she once had.  By trusting in God instead of self,  she slammed the door on the fear of failure and the dark shadow no longer had a legal leg to stand on.  Through her obedient follow-through she was swinging an un-carnal weapon that defeated an old enemy for her and for her generations to come.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, (2 Cor 10:3-4,NKJ)
(KATHY GABLER will be speaking at DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY 2024 which is September 13-14 at Grace Willis. No Fee. For all information go to martygabler.com/dvp2024)


Give and Receive Accordingly

Marty–As the people of God assemble today may the Lord Most High grant you the edification of each member of the Body of Christ knowing that the eye needs the hand and the hand the eye. May He cause us to be aware of each other’s giftings and give and receive accordingly for the building up of the Body in love. I declare that this is a division-free day in the Body of Christ that He may be glorified and the powers of darkness may be stymied in their attempts to divide and conquer. 1Co12:25—“so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.”


Configuration

Jim Hodges—Configuration is basically defined as: “The way the parts of something are arranged to work together.” You could illustrate this in a computer. Hardware and software are arranged or configured to work together. In the world of chemistry, we observe an arrangement of atoms in a molecule that defines their relationship and function.  In the world of theology, let me say it this way: Through the work of Christ in redemption, you and I are reconfigured to our original configuration. Paul in Ephesians 1:3-11 declares that you and I were adopted by Father God in Christ before creation. We were configured in Christ; we were arranged as a son or a daughter of God. To say it another way, I refer now to Paul in I Corinthians 15:45-49 — you and I were in the Last Adam before we were in the First Adam. That is our original configuration! But because of our first parents’ sin (I Cor. 15:22), death was passed to us and our configuration was corrupted! But through Christ, His death and resurrection, we are reconfigured to be who we really are in the Last Adam. Out of personal identity, we then get arranged or configured by the Holy Spirit to be a part of the Body of Christ and find our Kingdom assignments. Reconfiguration, then, leads to both our individual spiritual maturity and to a release of a glorious Church in the earth — many sons and daughters who are like the Son of God! (Jim Hodges’ website:  jimhodgesministries.com)


HOW TO PREPARE

Melissa Gabler—I want to talk about where we are and how to prepare for what is coming. About four years ago I had a vision about the U.S. in which I saw the American church (as a whole) represented by large, white, stoic columns. The columns were lifeless, traditional structures. All of a sudden the earth began to rumble and all of the columns fell. I looked away for a second and when I looked back, in the place of the columns were green plants growing and people moving all around them. There was life where there was not before. I believe this intense shaking is upon us now.
Why must we be shaken? The American church as a whole has too much doubt, unbelief, skepticism and rationalism mixed in. Rationalism is – “the principle or habit of accepting reason as the supreme authority in matters of opinion, belief, or conduct and the doctrine that reason alone is a source of knowledge and is independent of experience”. Rationalism is based on what we can see and what we have been told from man’s wisdom. For example, the hot social issues demonically fueled by rationalism say, “We just need to love more.” No, we just need to deal with what’s in the atmosphere causing such problems! It has become very easy to rationalize away the power of God and His Word because it doesn’t fit the American ideal of how life should go and issues should be resolved. For the most part, our nation has been hypnotized into believing a Sunday-morning-feel-good message and some Christian radio throughout the week is all we need. As we all know, that’s not working.
(Come to DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY Sept.13-14,2024 and worship with Melissa and the Grace Worship Team. She will also be speaking Sept.13 at 7pm. NO FEE. ALL INFORMATION for DVP2024 is at martygabler.com/dvp2024/)


Dreams Visions Prophecy Sept.13-14,2024

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Repentance Ushers in Release

Kathy Gabler– Repentance ushers in release and change for everyone. One reason we avoid it is shame locks us down. The fact that we need to think differently and change feels like an indictment against our self-image or even worse, against our Christianity. That’s the deception of shame in action. The truth is that repentance brings healthy changes and change is part of the process of maturing and overcoming.  2Co.7:10, TPT — “God designed us to feel remorse over sin in order to produce repentance that leads to victory. This leaves us with no regrets. But the sorrow of the world works death.”


Restorative Work in You

Marty Gabler–May our Lord do restorative works in you so that what the enemy meant for evil may be turned to defeat him; so that what the enemy did to prevent your gifts and energies and capabilities from being released, might be totally redeemed and come forth as a glorious praise to God as others receive and are blessed from that work being done in you.
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Gen.50:20, NASB)

Bowing Your Knee

MELISSA GABLER—The Holy Spirit presented this to me awhile back, “Either you are bowing your knee in awe and reverence to Me or you are bowing your knee in tolerance and submission to everything else.” How can we see miracles when we are bowing our knee to the impossibilities mounted against us? How can we leave a winning legacy when we count ourselves among the doomed statistics of disease and age and depletion and debt? It’s really starting to make sense why we have only seen glimpses of effectualness.  So many have been under the control of the enemy who planted subtle deposits of fear for years through platforms to which we’ve given our trust and they didn’t work.  But now it’s our time. We get to be alive for this! We get to be alive for the awakening and to bring the Kingdom to earth in ways we’ve never seen before.


The Strain of Faith?

KATHY GABLER—Many times through the years I remember straining to have faith.  I do believe that started when I was about eight years old.  I was watching Peter Pan and was straining “to believe” so that the fairy Tinker Bell’s light would not go out.  (I don’t think it’s happenstance when Disney distorts your theology, it’s a goal.)  That childhood experience put a subtle twist in my understanding of faith that became a misbelief for years.  Then when I heard the Scripture that “without faith it is impossible to please God”, that intensified my struggle to get to faith because it was coupled with the drive to please God!  These were unseen battles going on in my soul but they created tangible stress in my life.  And that stress continued for years until I stopped to consider this question:  Is there such a thing as the STRESS of FAITH?  The short answer is “NO.”   Since stress indicates we have not come to the rest of faith, stress is actually a sign of not-yet faith.   The rest of faith comes with alignment with God’s will and word, not our straining efforts.


Preserved in Purpose

MARTY GABLER—As the people of God assemble today may the people of God all worship Him and call on His name in one accord. And may they find, as they go through the week, that they are preserved in their person, their family, their job and their purpose. Ps.31:23, NKJV — “Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person.”   v.23, EXB — “Love the Lord, all you who belong to him [loyal ones; saints]. The Lord protects those who truly believe [are faithful], but he punishes [repays] the proud as much as they have sinned [those who act with pride].”


Prayer Concern for our School Children

MARTY GABLER—We are concerned for our children today, Holy Father. We pray that, where earthly fathers have failed, You reach out Your protecting Hand and speak with Your guiding Voice to the children and Youth of our nation. We pray that Your Presence would be known on our school campuses through the believers that are on site and that Your Holy Spirit would strengthen and give wisdom to the teachers and school officials for the appropriate education and safety of our children.   We declare that the hand of the Lord is moving in behalf of our children and that no spirit or enemy that has designs on harming or destroying them shall succeed. We declare that no weapon formed against this generation will prosper. We declare an awakening of the righteous purpose of  Almighty God in this generation that they might live righteously, courageously, and effectively to Your glory.  “I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one.” (Jn.17:15, Amp)


Ask for Insight and Understanding

MELISSA — This passage is a perfect tool for this time: Proverbs 2:3-6, “make your ear attentive to wisdom and incline your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;” Ask for insight and understanding and you will begin to awaken to the fear of the Lord. Then you will understand how to navigate through what is at hand and what is to come. This is our opportunity to demonstrate the Kingdom of God and leave an effectual legacy centered in the fear of the Lord. I’ve heard so many times over the last couple of years that revival is coming. Yes, revival is coming, and it will come through awakened people bowing their knee to the Almighty God. (Come to DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY Sept.13-14,2024 and worship with Melissa and the Grace Worship Team. She will also be speaking Sept.13 at 7pm. No Fee. All info for DVP2024 is at martygabler.com/dvp2024/)


Obedience to the Will of the Father

KATHY GABLER—Jesus exemplified that His first obligation was obedience to the will of the Father.  Opinions, emotions, traditions and minions can quickly bind Christians with a sense of obligation that has nothing to do with obedience or the order God can bless.  A vivid example of this in my mind is how often I’ve seen Christians feel obligated to tolerate all behaviors, without confrontation or rebuttal.  I’m not sure how the mindset developed that being non-confrontational is being holy, but there are no rewards for it in the Bible.  Jesus did not tolerate the attitudes or arguments of the Pharisees. He spoke very directly and at times did not even bother with diplomacy.   If tolerance is an obligation that is not first based in timely obedience to God, it is more likely coming from guilt or self-righteousness.  At that point, toleration falls into the category of good works and is an attempt to sanctify our own soul.  Of course, neither tolerance nor any other good work can cleanse the soul if it is not obedience (1Peter 1:22).  As Jesus demonstrated, a mature son lives his days discerning the Father’s heart and keeping obedience in priority to any other assumed or imposed obligation.
(Kathy will be speaking at DREAMS VISIONS PROPHECY which is September 13-14 at Grace Willis. No Fee. For all information go to martygabler.com/dvp2024/)


MARTY SPEAKING AT GRACE WILLIS 8-11-24

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Relationships and God-Appointments

MARTY—God had spoken to David years before he met those guys in 1Chron.12. But relationship with them played a major role in bringing him to the throne. David was not able to get into his God-appointed position without those important relationships. Rom.12:4-5 shows us that we cannot prove the will of God by ourselves but only in relationship. Rom.12:4-5, Amp — “For just as in one [physical] body we have many parts, and these parts do not all have the same function or special use, 5 so we, who are many, are [nevertheless just] one body in Christ, and individually [we are] parts one of another [mutually dependent on each other].”


Self-Sabotage

KATHY—Yes, the devil and self-sabotage are two different things.  However, the devil LOVES stoking the flames of self-sabotage! All we have to do is let our fears and concerns fall out of our mouths like kindling for the enemy’s threatening bonfire.  So many times we make the devil’s job so easy.


When the Enemy Defends the Threshold

KATHY—When harassment and affliction and irritations and attacks reach their peak, the enemy is defending the threshold of promise. He fights dirty and he is persistent. He will start fires and battles just to distract us and delay us, hoping we will get exhausted or lose direction or miss God’s timing. May we remember these wars are about character issues even though evil and circumstances seem to be the problems. The key to prevailing is to agree with God and His word. The strategy to prevail is to submit ourselves to God and trust Him. That breaks down to our daily behavior. We cannot ignore godly counsel. We cannot make our decisions based on how we feel instead of what we know to be true. We cannot mouth our discouragements and frustrations and fears, (thereby giving them strength through agreement). We cannot forget His principles and try to survive by our zeal or stubbornness. We dare not exchange the promise of God for a bowl of relief as Esau did.


Forming and Shaping Us

As the people of God assemble today, may awesome God more fully and completely do His work of forming and shaping so He may use each of us as a building block to form a well-built dwelling for His mighty Holy Spirit to abide in and work out of. “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Eph.2:22, ESV)


Your Thoughts and Musings

MARTY—May the Lord bless your thoughts and your musings so that you receive insight for victories in every area. ”I will also muse on all your work, and meditate on your deeds.” (Ps.77:12, LEB)


Bloodline Iniquities

MELISSA—The Kingdom is within our grasp but there is something that can hinder us from grasping it fully and that is bloodline iniquity. Our bloodline affects our lives and our future and we need to purify it so that we can grasp the Kingdom and be the increase of it in the days ahead. I heard it put this way, ”Iniquity is not just a sin that we ask forgiveness for and that solves the problem. Iniquity is an entire body of sin and evil that gets rooted. Iniquity corrupts the whole structure of our thoughts and behaviors and it infiltrates bones and organs.” Sin and evil really stuck out to me in this quote and helped me understand the depths of iniquity. It‘s not just sin because not all sin is wicked. It‘s sin and evil compounded with intention. We are talking about decisions, actions and agreements in our lineage, in our family history that gave the enemy a foothold in our lives.


God’s Hand Moving

KATHY—I have been seeing God’s hand moving behind a curtain on a stage.  That has kept me anticipating the curtain rising in my understanding.  Little by little an expectation has grown in me that we are about to see many things the Holy Spirit has been adjusting, rearranging, developing, redeeming, restoring and maturing.  I don’t think there will be some colorful, feel good, fairytale play behind those curtains, rather a stage set with details that bring clarity and a God-perspective that equips us, literally showing us another way to think and perceive and prevail.  I have a feeling the curtain will rise on insights that adjust our mode of operation and strategies and change our outcomes.