Deborah Perkins's Posts (85)
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The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts we consider less honorable, we treat with greater honor.
1 Corinthians 12:23
1 Corinthians 12:23
I just hung up the phone tonight with someone like you: a His Inscriptions reader who is a dear friend and part of a vast community of prophets and prayer warriors who love the Lord.
At the Lord's leading, she blessed me deeply with a simple prayer that was powerful and effective to break an unseen attack of the enemy. And I am so grateful!
Perhaps it is more my heart than the Lord's that I write this, but I feel compelled to write a thank you to the "hidden ones;" the parts of Christ's Body that are often forgotten.
You are the indispensable warriors on the front lines who pay a price daily to cultivate the Presence of the Lord in your homes, churches, and nations. Some of you have taken huge "hits" from the enemy and have not been released to explain why; your assignments are often top secret and cannot be shared.
You set the stage for God to come and manifest Himself in the earth; your lives are an open gateway to glory!
Like my friend tonight, you are available to pray and intercede on a moment's notice when the enemy comes in too close. Some of you will occasionally stay up all night to blanket those in ministry with your prayers. Others intercede in practical ways, offering assistance, support, or kind words and deeds to encourage those around you.
(One of you, after reading my post on God's heavenly prayer room, even took the time to send me a scented handmade candle to bless my prayer times. So thoughtful and appreciated!)
You are the "spies" like Joshua and Caleb who have pioneered missions, staked claims in new territories, and stood fast for the ground already gained. You've returned from heaven's courts with fresh strategies for battle. Some people have listened to you and received their victories. Some haven't, and you have wept over losses that could have been averted.
You are the servant-nurturers who have perceived - often before anyone else - that someone was wounded and needed care. Other parts of the Body have you to thank for their own ministries, yet rarely do you receive thanks! Amazingly, you do not need or seek it; you work for the Lord.
You are the prophets of your own lives and of the nations you live in, receiving Divine intel daily and taking the world's news to the Lord so that disasters may be averted.
You choose to believe against hope that things will be okay in the end, because you partner with the Great Intercessor who is before God's throne!
You are lovers of God and of men. You are well hidden on earth, but well known in heaven!
You are so loved and cherished by the Lord. I know because I've seen His heart for you! Your transactions with God in prayer are holy; even angels wonder at the intimate relationship you cultivate with your Father!
Moment by moment, day by day, in every situation and sometimes at great cost yourselves, you honor the Lord by holding up the arms of those He's called you to support.
As darkness increases on the earth, it sometimes seems to you that you're on a "night watch" in the Spirit. You know the enemy's strategy is both to outnumber and surround you in the dark, striking multiple blows. But you are filled with light!
It is the wisdom of God and keen strategy, not strength, that will win the coming battles. Intercessors and watchmen, seers and prayer warriors are extremely important to the Body right now.
When the Lord says He upholds all things "by the Word of His power" (Hebrews 1:3), you understand that Word must at times come through YOUR mouths!
I just want to say thank you. I think the Lord does, too.
I believe you are a very special breed of people whose lives are deeper, richer, and more powerful than the world will ever know.
It takes one to know one.
Jesus knows.
~Deborah
It's easy to drift from your vision unless you take the time to develop an action plan that propels you towards your desired destination!
“Vision drift” happens in your marriage, your vocation, or your spiritual life when you lose sight of your purpose and mission in those areas.
Drawing from Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy’s book entitled “Living Forward,” (Click here to preview the book), the Lord impressed on me that the best way to stay focused spiritually is to develop an action plan.
Drawing from Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy’s book entitled “Living Forward,” (Click here to preview the book), the Lord impressed on me that the best way to stay focused spiritually is to develop an action plan.
Many people are frustrated that they don’t seem to hear from God, and yet they never take specific steps to change that. Since we have a biblical promise that believers can hear him (John 10:27), it’s up to us to listen. If you are among those who aren’t as disciplined about maintaining quiet times, or if you simply want to improve your existing relationship with God, this strategy is for you.
As we begin a new year and a new era, I want to challenge you to pull out your calendar, block off at least an hour or two of time in the near future (a half-day would be even better), and do a “mini” prayer retreat. The goal of your retreat is to create an action plan that will help you see exactly how you can improve your relationship with God.
Here’s what your personal mini-retreat might look like:
Why Do a "Mini" Prayer Retreat?
Because they are so powerful, I hold prayer retreats on a regular basis each year. Schedules and priorities change, and it is helpful to get away and “take inventory” to see where my spiritual resources are weak or depleted, and what areas need growth or change. Even disciplined believers with regular quiet times need a chance to evaluate occasionally what is working and whether they are moving closer to their ultimate goal of life-giving communication with God in every area of life.
For example, one of the things I have noticed (and write about frequently here on my blog) is my tendency to allow notifications on my phone to distract me from my focus. (Click here to read my thoughts on smartphones.) Looking at the retreat outline above, that habit falls under the category of my “present reality.”
However, the kind of future I envision with God is similar to the one I cultivate with friends: if I am having a conversation with someone, I put the phone away and focus on the relationship. I’d like to be more consistent in really listening to God, and this can’t happen when I’m pulled away by phone calls or emails every few minutes.
So to reach the goal of giving God my full attention, my specific action plan includes waiting until my quiet time is over before turning on my phone, and – to increase my focus during the day – returning to just a few set times daily when I check email and messages. I have learned that very few alerts on that phone demand my immediate attention, no matter how loud or persistent they seem!
A second priority for me is increasing the amount of prayer time I spend listening to God. It is easy – and sometimes tempting – to read the Word, send up a few personal requests for the day, and then move on. My richest quiet times, however, come when I allow God the time to speak in return, quietly journaling what I hear Him saying to me, or even taking the time to meditate more deeply on the scripture verses He “highlights” to me as I read.
Tithe Your Time
If the idea of doing a mini prayer retreat interests you, I want to ask you to make a commitment to God right now to schedule that time – before you close this page and move on to the next things in your day! It is much easier to move forward spiritually when you set aside just a little time at the outset to create a plan and stay focused.
My mission, and the mission of His Inscriptions, is to Restore Life-giving Communication with God. If you decide to use the prayer retreat outline above, I’d love to hear how it works for you.
In fact, if you have set a date and time for your retreat, I would be delighted to pray for you on that day, so that you can feel confident that God is speaking to you. There is power in unified prayer! Simply contact me here with the date and time of your prayer retreat.
Where to Do A Mini Prayer Retreat
If you live in the New England area and need a quiet place to do a spiritual retreat, there are many options. The Sanctuary at Woodville, in Hopkinton, MA, has space for individual or corporate prayer retreats, as well as beautiful trails you can hike around a lake. (Bonus: It’s stunning in the Fall!) You can find more information here.
L’Abri is another well-known resource for Christians, with retreat centers in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Canada, England, Australia, Switzerland, Korea, and even Brazil. Guests spend half of each day in self-directed study and the other half working in the community. Dinnertime conversations and lectures are always spiritually focused and very enlightening! I have enjoyed many pleasant hours in both the American and Swiss Alps retreat houses. More info here.
For a large database of retreat centers in the Northeast (note: not all are Christian), click here for the RetreatFinder site. To connect online with others who pray, I highly recommend Pray.Network’s website, which also lists nationwide prayer events.
Lastly, check with churches in your local area for prayer rooms that are open to anyone wishing to use them. It is a rare church that will turn away someone who wants to invest time in prayer! These settings are usually quiet and conducive to personal reflection.
One Final Note
You can download your own print-ready copy of the Mini Prayer Retreat strategy here. For more on the Living Forward book, including life-plan templates, visit the website here. I pray the Lord will use this simple, strategic idea to help you renew your relationship with Him!
~Deborah
Right now, Deborah Perkins is outside collecting eggs from her coop full of chickens. While she enjoys cooking fresh breakfasts for her hubby and three sons, her true passion is to help people "Discover Life-Giving Communication with God." Her free blog, online Christian Resource Library, and mentoring courses on prayer and the prophetic are available to subscribers. Join the His Inscriptions community to strengthen your walk with God!
As I sat with the Lord in prayer last week, He gave me a picture of three doors. With the exception of our quiet times, these three doors are meant to remain open, the Presence of God accompanying us as we pass through each door into different spheres of influence.
The first door was the door to our hearts, or our "innermost room." Jesus called believers to go into this innermost place and close the door so that we could commune with the Father in secret. The Passion Translation describes this place as the "resting place of His love" (Ephesians 3:17), the source and root of all that we do.
It is like the "Holy of Holies" - a sacred space where there is a divine exchange of our sin for His righteousness, our unworthiness for His love, and our humanness for His supernatural Spirit. It is the only place in Scripture I know of where we are told to close the door, seal ourselves off, and be alone. We "cap" our well, so to speak, for the sake of replenishing and purifying what He has placed within us.
The second door opened to those closest to us: family and friends with whom we live our daily lives. This represented our secondary ministry, second only to God.
The third door opened to the world of our communities, churches, and nations; our "metron" or expanded sphere of ministry. While many believers place this sphere first, that is not the biblical pattern. (See 1 Timothy 5:8.)
What exactly is this ministry? It is the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:11-21).
The beautiful truth of the New Testament is that God's "door" is always open. The veil that separated us from intimacy with Him was torn at Christ's death, and we are now able to boldly approach His throne through Jesus's righteousness! Hallelujah!
Paul said he "resolved to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2) The message of Christ is our ministry! For our message to be authentic and powerful, we must ourselves be ministered to by the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3, 4, and 5 describe a new perspective on ministry. Ministry at its best is not an "office" or a title, but a position of servanthood. Here is what one of the most qualified Jewish leaders of Bible times thought about Christian ministry once he was converted:
The first door was the door to our hearts, or our "innermost room." Jesus called believers to go into this innermost place and close the door so that we could commune with the Father in secret. The Passion Translation describes this place as the "resting place of His love" (Ephesians 3:17), the source and root of all that we do.
It is like the "Holy of Holies" - a sacred space where there is a divine exchange of our sin for His righteousness, our unworthiness for His love, and our humanness for His supernatural Spirit. It is the only place in Scripture I know of where we are told to close the door, seal ourselves off, and be alone. We "cap" our well, so to speak, for the sake of replenishing and purifying what He has placed within us.
The second door opened to those closest to us: family and friends with whom we live our daily lives. This represented our secondary ministry, second only to God.
The third door opened to the world of our communities, churches, and nations; our "metron" or expanded sphere of ministry. While many believers place this sphere first, that is not the biblical pattern. (See 1 Timothy 5:8.)
What exactly is this ministry? It is the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:11-21).
The beautiful truth of the New Testament is that God's "door" is always open. The veil that separated us from intimacy with Him was torn at Christ's death, and we are now able to boldly approach His throne through Jesus's righteousness! Hallelujah!
Paul said he "resolved to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2) The message of Christ is our ministry! For our message to be authentic and powerful, we must ourselves be ministered to by the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3, 4, and 5 describe a new perspective on ministry. Ministry at its best is not an "office" or a title, but a position of servanthood. Here is what one of the most qualified Jewish leaders of Bible times thought about Christian ministry once he was converted:
The lives of the people you minister to are your "letters of recommendation."
As you minister to people, Christ writes "living letters" on the tablets of their hearts by the Holy Spirit, His "pen."
Any competence or skill you have (think of Paul's amazing qualifications, all of which he counted loss!) is the direct result of Christ's empowering Presence. HE makes you an adequate minister, not your works.
You are sent forth by God with pure motives, speaking out of your union with Christ. You are an Ambassador for Christ, yet everything you say and do is heard and seen by your governing King!
You are a mirror which brightly reflects the glory of God. If your gaze is not directed towards His brilliance you will reflect only darkness.
It is because of God's mercy alone that you are entrusted with New Covenant ministry!
You preach Jesus crucified, not yourself glorified. You give yourself as a servant to those you desire to lead.
At times you won't know what to do, but quitting is not an option. Failure is not an option, either, when you are listening to the Lord and following His strategies.
You may be persecuted by people, but God does not forsake you.
Your body may be wasting away but your inner man is renewed day by day.
You don't live a self-absorbed life but a generous and poured-out life, because you follow Christ's example.
You no longer evaluate or judge people by their external appearances. Your new perspective in the Spirit enables you to discern the heart.
In short, God has entrusted you with the ministry of OPENING DOORS to Him, however you do it. The flavors of ministry are as varied as the people God calls! You might paint a picture, write a word, grow a garden, cook a meal, counsel the hurting, teach the ignorant, fight for justice, build for the homeless or give to the poor.
Yet no matter how you reach out, you are opening the door to what you have seen and understood about Jesus in your relationship with the Word. You are lifting the veil for someone else. Through you, God is pleading with the world to be reconciled to Him. This is ministry!
I pray that you will take time this week to reflect on why you do what you do as a believer and a leader. I pray that your ministry will always be authentic, borne out of a love for Jesus that is cultivated in the secret place of the closed door. I pray that you will emerge from your "Holy of Holies" full of the Presence of the Lord, flinging wide every other door that might be a barrier to someone else who needs Him. May you have a ministry of opening doors for those around you, so that all may be reconciled to God!
Do you long to hear from God better?
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Would you like to be mentored in your prophetic gift?
Join Deborah online for the
E3 Prophetic Training Course!
"E3" is an online training course in prophetic ministry and the art of hearing God. E3 is short for "Encourage, Exhort, and Edify," the prophetic mandate given to believers in 1 Corinthians 14. This 6-session course can be taken anywhere in the world via the "Zoom" app, and includes teaching on:
*Pursuing God: How to Hear from God and Receive Prophetic Insight
*Dreams & Visions: Receiving, Sharing, & Interpreting Dreams & Visions
*Process & Protocol: Prophesying & 5-Fold Ministry in the Local NT Church
*Prophetic Pitfalls: Avoiding Typical Traps & Temptations
*Authenticity in Ministry: How Character Impacts Your Anointing
*Activation and Release: Session includes Personal Prophecies
Testimonies from Previous Graduates:
~"I was surprised that I was able to discern more clearly the Lord speaking to me, not just about myself but getting pictures or words for others as I prayed. I am more confident in what to do when I have them. I feel less confusion about the prophetic."
~"I feel free to not have to fit into some box but just to allow the Lord to use me how He made me. I don't have to try to hear like someone else!"
~"I feel less concern now about having to figure everything out like a frustrating puzzle. It's like a wonderful treasure hunt searching Him out!"
Details:
Courses are offered twice a year in the Spring and Fall.
FALL COURSE DATES ARE NOVEMBER 4, 11, & 18th and DECEMBER 2, 9, & 16, 2019 (MONDAY NIGHTS) from 7:30-9 pm.
Cost is $30 per person; you will need to download the Zoom app (free) to participate.
Replays are available to registered participants.
Class size is kept small to allow for additional personal mentoring from Deborah.
Course includes outside access to Deborah for personal questions or ongoing mentoring.
Interested? Register here or contact Deborah for more information on upcoming course dates and times.
© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com
As I sat down to write and pray this morning, the Spirit of God impressed upon my heart to turn the pages of Paul’s letter to the Colossians into a prayer. With several translations of Colossians in front of me, I began meditating on the powerful words about Christ’s preeminence, transforming them, paragraph by paragraph, into personal prayers. I realized then just how rich God’s Word is when we pray it as promises over ourselves!
Never are we closer to praying the will of God than when we are praying the Word of God! The Spirit and the Word work together as we pray, making our divine inheritance manifest as we speak God’s Word back into His heart.
To pray the Word of God is to agree with what God has already said He will do, setting in motion spiritual blessings that have been seen throughout history and can be activated once again by faith.
Space limits me to sharing just the first section of my prayers from Colossians with you today. If you would like to order the complete booklet of "Pray Colossians!" please click below to purchase in our store.
May this heartfelt “prayer paraphrase” of Paul's first-century letter to the Colossians reveal more to you about your inheritance in Christ and build your confidence to begin praying the will of God over your life!
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There are some Bible stories that are so powerful, they have the ability to change your entire perception of who God is and how He feels about you. For me, one such story is found in Luke 24.
In the midst of great grief, turmoil, and confusion, two disciples encountered the Wonderful Counselor and were forever changed. In places of pain and confusion myself, I reread this story and see such beauty in it. Take a walk with me along the Emmaus Road to see how brokenness is turned to beauty.
Beginning at 9pm tonight (Thursday September 27th, 2018) a powerful movement of prayer and intercession will be launched in ALL 50 STATES and on 100 COLLEGE CAMPUSES around America.
Our goal: to bring the Presence of Jesus into every state in our nation, and to impact this generation to bring in a billion-soul harvest.
I want to personally invite you to find the location nearest your home (see below), and join us for an hour, a day, or the entire weekend. Never before has our nation needed God so desperately, andnever before (to my knowledge) has every state in our nation joined in unity to seek God simultaneously through prayer and praise. This is an historic moment you don't want to miss!
Our goal: to bring the Presence of Jesus into every state in our nation, and to impact this generation to bring in a billion-soul harvest.
I want to personally invite you to find the location nearest your home (see below), and join us for an hour, a day, or the entire weekend. Never before has our nation needed God so desperately, andnever before (to my knowledge) has every state in our nation joined in unity to seek God simultaneously through prayer and praise. This is an historic moment you don't want to miss!
Details:
Who is invited: anyone, anywhere in the US
What: 50 hours (3 days) of continuous, 24/7 worship to exalt Jesus and pray for revival in our nation, our children, our government, our churches and our homes.
When: September 27th (Thursday, 9pm) through September 29th (Saturday, until 11pm)
Where: Every State capital in our nation (see list of locations below) and 100 college campuses
Why: 2 Chronicles 7:14
https://www.hisinscriptions.com/blog/you-can-know-the-holy-spirit
No one was more skeptical of the supernatural than I. Raised in a world governed by the intellect, I was trained from an early age to focus on learning and self-development while rejecting emotionalism and spiritual “fanaticism.” Truth was limited to what could be discerned through science or the five physical senses alone.
In fact, when I finally discovered the Holy Spirit, the very first “label” my family put on me was that of a “fanatic.” Never mind that I hadn’t actually done anything worthy of that label yet; my confession of faith in the third person of the Trinity was enough to worry them!
Click to keep reading and download a free printable on the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps the #1 reason why we pray is because we need God. We come in great need to Someone who suggests that He might meet our needs for us, something no man has ever done before. We have not seen this kind of love this side of heaven. We discover God’s amazing goodness and generosity, and we are compelled to love Him more.
But prayer is not meant to end at the meeting of our needs! We begin here, but soon realize that our needs are meant to be a gateway into greater experiences with God. It is always relationship that God seeks with us. He means to be Father, not justProvider! To focus on God as Jehovah-Jireh alone is to miss the myriad other aspects of His character and Names, to miss the greatness of Him.
The short story that follows is meant to illustrate our passage from beggars to sons and daughters. Our story unfolds like that of a weary traveler:
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This week, I had the honor of interviewing Pastor Jason McGee, Senior Pastor of One Family Church in Shrewsbury, MA, for His Inscriptions readers. My husband and I have known Jason for several years, and helped him plant his church in Shrewsbury.
One of the things that most impressed me during the church plant was his emphasis on prayer. I was curious to know, several years later, how he views prayer and what priority he gives to prayer in his growing congregation. Here are his thoughts.
Let me be the first to admit that sometimes, my prayers don't get answered. It happens to everyone. We're all on a journey, growing in the knowledge of who God is and how He works. No one - not even the most "spiritual" believer you know - has his prayers answered all the time!
But in 30+ years of growing in the Lord, I've discovered that there are some prayers that are powerful. More powerful than others. One such prayer is asking God for what we call "Divine Appointments."
Read more: CLICK HERE
The Lord once said to me, “I am a Speaking Spirit.” To define Himself in this way is to emphasize His desire for communication with His creation. Although He is Spirit, and seems very different at first from our own flesh and blood, we must remember that we, too, are spiritual beings who have the capacity to hear what the Spirit is saying:
“Draw near to listen to My “Speaking Spirit,” and you will be rewarded with a deeper understanding of who I am and what motivates Me!”
“Draw near to listen to My “Speaking Spirit,” and you will be rewarded with a deeper understanding of who I am and what motivates Me!”
These are His words for us in this season. How do we get to know this “Speaking Spirit?” We return to one of God’s introductions of the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 11:
“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him [Jesus], the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” ~Isaiah 11:2
To continue Reading, click here.
"For I," declares the Lord, "will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst." - Zechariah 2:5
Technology now permeates every aspect of our lives, from our phones to our programmable refrigerators. At the touch of a button, orders are placed, documents sent and retrieved, and, sadly, unsuspecting children are seduced. Is the internet destroying life as we know it?
Here is a prophetic perspective on technology, especially as it relates to your family.
Early this morning, the Lord woke me and began releasing words of encouragement for the WOMEN in His Kingdom. These are not just "Esthers" and "Deborahs," as we have heard previously, but also "Annas," those welcoming new things of the Spirit for this new season. I heard Him saying:
“There is a Spirit of GRACE upon My women today which will carry them through the next season. There is grace in the Spirit on them the way strength of the flesh rested upon Samson. These women will do mighty exploits in My Name, because they have believed.
I am calling forth the “Annas:”* prophetic intercessors whose eyes have been opened to see the new season that is upon them. (As Anna welcomed the arrival of the age of Christ.) They will prophesy of the new miracles just birthed, identifying them to a deaf and blind people who cannot see My promises in their midst.
These are the nurturers of the promise, women who cherish deeply the things of God. They will not only see these promises manifesting and identify them to others, but they will also take the promises in hand themselves and bless Me for them.”
One of the fun parts of this ministry is that I get to meet all kinds of amazing people who love the Lord! One of my favorite people is Teresa DeMatos, who co-pastors the church I attend with her husband, Lee DeMatos. Together, they have experienced some powerful encounters with Jesus and - even more exciting - some very personal answers to prayer.
"Power to do the impossible resides in the spirits of those who know Me," I heard the Lord whisper early yesterday morning. I am more convinced than ever that every day that we neglect God is a day that we give more ground to the enemy. What is deposited in us cannot be taken from us, but in order to be effective against the world's daily assaults, in order to do the impossible, we must tap into God's power at least daily!
