Quote

I read this quote... I never realized I loved Ezekiel 1 so much...

"There is a beautiful analogy which can be drawn from Ezekiel’s vision of the fiery
chariot. To some scholars this serves as a metaphor for God’s powerful throne. It is
ominous and intimidating. You will notice that it exudes power, tremendous power.
Images of wheels within wheels, peals of thunder. The ancients believed that if one
could touch this throne they would become a conduit of God’s power into the human
realm. This is what was believed that Jesus did, this was seen as the validation of his heavenly authority. Jesusʼ journey toward righteousness put him in contact with God’s powerful, holy throne.

The wheel in Ezekielʼs vision is unique. Can you see that this throne is designed to
move in several directions, what does that mean? It moves to and fro, it is not a fixed throne. Why would it move?

The idea that one must make an arduous journey to get to God is mitigated by the
reality that God is making effort to get to us.

Godʼs throne is a moving throne of presence and power. which is dispatched as answer
to our need. To the ancient Hebrew people, touching God’s throne meant answer, if this interpretation of Ezekiel’s throne is correct, imagine the comfort we can glean from the knowledge that God’s power is here and ready, right now, that is awesome!" - John McKendricks

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I put this as my facebook status a little while back and am putting it up here so I'll remember what I put.

I get the feeling that many are trying to attain the breakthrough that God wants to give freely if they instead would shift their hearts to compassion for how those around would be helped by the breakthrough. God tends to empower compassion more than self-promotion.

This is also what kills spiritual jealousy and puts us in a place to recieve impartation. If my focus is on who can be blessed by what I recieve than I am no longer threatened by what gift someone else carries that I don't. It also kills any offense I may have against God for what I am jealous of someone else having. I just desperately need the impartation so that more can be touched. Hunger for God and love for others will compel me to go places and do things that simple natural desire never will. It also will with far less fear as it no longer is about me but compelled by seeing the goodness of God expressed and compassion for those in need. Love is what casts out fear.

Healing

Basics of a healing ministry - this might be a little repetitive from some of the prior notes, but it never hurts to go over this stuff if you want to see God heal people.


#1 I am not allowed to make healing (or the healings I have not seen happen) difficult because of what I have not seen God do yet. Healing is not difficult for Him and it is not difficult for Him to do through you or me. As Curry Blake has said, "the only hindrance to having a healing ministry is believing there is a hindrance." If healing is as hard as I believe, I am not allowed to believe healing (or the healings I have not seen occur yet) is difficult for God or Him to do through me (believing healing is difficult, rare, impossible, etc. is the best way to kill your chance of having a healing ministry). Coming up with untrue ideas of healing or of God when we don't see Him heal someone is one of the best ways to believe healing to be difficult, rare, or impossible - avoid the temptation to do so.

Cultivating his presence is a much better response to getting more breakthrough - not coming up with wrong beliefs based on disappointments. Radical hunger for Him often releases a grace to see things from His perspective. This naturally creates an aligning of our hearts with His and grows the annointing on your life - which is a really good way to see His heart for healing expressed through you - also, hanging around someone that has a lot of breakthrough helps as well.

#2 I am not allowed to ask God to do what He gave me authority to declare. Nobody is ever recorded asking God to heal anything in the prayers for the sick that were recorded in the Bible. I don't know that I am really going to improve on the way Jesus prayed. If he and the apostles took authority over sickness, asking God to do what He gave me authority to command probably isn't going to get me better results than Jesus and the apostles had. Asking is not an improvement to His commanding. I don't think I have ever seen God heal anything when I asked him to. There has been very large numbers of healings that have occurred through taking authority over sickness, though. And authority is for every believer - unless you don't believe it is for you. Then you just gave up an incredible gift He has given you.

#3 Take my eyes off of me. The best way to kill my faith is to see how much I have. Another good way is to try to see if I think I am good enough or read my Bible enough to see a healing happen.

#4 Believe that God actually wants to heal people when you pray. You and I do not have the right to believe that God doesn't want to heal the person that is in front of us. Because He does. Please do not come up with reasons before you pray to disqualify yourself from seeing God touch who is in front of you. If you were getting prayer and were sick, you would not want the people who are praying for you thinking of reasons why it won't manifest when they pray because of their own issues.

#5 Steward what is given to you. Do not make an identity out of what He can do through you. As we get comfortable with seeing certain healings happen, it is important to not make the ones that we have not seen difficult in our minds. That's why we need to hold on to what He did through us knowing that our gifting is not us - it is Him in us. Thanksgiving is the best way to keep things healthy to be positioned for more (or a great way to steward when the healing process starts to see the full manifestation come when praying).

#6 A healing does not validate your life. It does not prove things are right with you and God. It does not show all is right in your walk with the Lord. It is not something you attained. All it means is that God loves people and wants to heal them and He likes to partner with us.

#7 Love the sick person in front of you. It is amazing how many more healings can come when I can love the sick person in front of me rather than be self-absorbed when praying.

#8 Keep your awareness of God bigger than the problem in front of you - Bill Johnson. This is huge. And it is not just a healing issue, it is an all of life issue and is so crucial to living a hope-filled life. Surround yourself with influences that expand your view of God. I'd recommend listening to David Hogan testimonies to expand your view of what normal Christianity is supposed to look like :).

#9 Share a testimony of God healing before praying. It is AMAZING how many healings come if I can share a quick healing testimony first. The testimony of Jesus IS the spirit of prophesy (according to Revelation).

#10 Lastly, go for it. You don't need to be perfect and this is not a formula. It is just more of a troubleshooting if things aren't going right. We learn by doing - take risk!! And invite Holy Spirit and the (healing) angels to help!

Have fun watching God heal people! Take lots of risk!! And fall in love with the Healer - He's a whole lot better than what He can do through you or me!