There are three stages through which the Lord takes everyone who says they are a believer. These stages are phases He allows to strengthen your walk with Him, move into your authority and teach you how to have unshakable faith. I used to think that it was only me going through this, but after years of working closely with those called to do great things in the Kingdom of God, I have come to see an undeniable pattern.

The steps I am talking about are:

1.  Broken.
2. Emptied.
3. Stripped.

In order to create you anew, God must break your of your old self. He must take you through a process of humbling you so you fully surrender to His will in your life. He breaks you of who you think you are. You cannot truly serve God with pride, ego and arrogance. They have to go and this is the phase in which he causes you to question everything that you have used to define yourself. For me, He used becoming a single mother to break me. This reality took me to a place of breaking me down so ruthlessly that there was literally none of me left. One day I fell flat on my face and cried out to the Lord to no longer do my will, but for His will to be done in my life.

Once the breaking has begun, then He must empty you of your old ways. He must empty you of your past habits, beliefs, thought processes, addictions, behaviors and uncleannesses (Ezekiel 36: 29; Galatians 5:19). This is when you lose your “appetite” for the friends you’ve always had, the places you have always gone and the bad habits you have participated in. It feels like He has taken you by the ankles and is shaking everything that you are familiar with out of you.

Once He begins emptying you of what you think you know, He begins to pour the Truth of His Word in you. This is when you begin to hunger and crave His Word. When you are in this phase you are more interested in learning His ways than you are attached to your old ways or what you have learned prior to your walk with God and coming into the Truth of who He is.

Just like an infomercial…right when you think the deal is done, there flashes a big, “BUT WAIT, THAT’S NOT ALL” on the screen of your life. There is one more phase that no one wants to talk about – stripped.

Then…comes the stripping. This is the final part of the process of Jesus testing you to see if you are truly worthy to be called one of His. He is testing you to see if you will serve Him no matter what. This is where most “believers” fall off their Christian walk. But, it cannot be avoided.

He then has to strip you from your worldly possessions. He literally removes anything that you are overly attached to from your life. Cars, houses, friendships, relationships, titles, money, jobs…

This is when you can feel like you are at your breaking point and possibly cannot go on. You must realize when you are in this step of the process because if you don’t, it can take you out. The great news is that He has left a way to pass through these processes with ease and joy.

You must remain in Him. You simply cannot look with your natural eyes because things look CRAZY! You must stay absolutely focused on the vision He has planted within you and know that His word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). You are going through a season of pruning and it is necessary for Him to reconnect you with him – the branch.

The longer we fight these phases, the more difficult it is to move through them. The Body of Christ is being stripped. He is separating the true believers from those who have just been playing church and giving the Lord lip service.

Here are a few steps that can help you pass through these phases without too many battle wounds:

1. Don’t make it mean anything. When you are being emptied and stripped you can easily feel like you are not good enough, unworthy, embarrassed or that God has forsaken you. He has not. Just know that you are passing through a phase on your way to your promised land.

2. Renew Your Mind Daily. As you pass through this process, you cannot rely on your old mind. You have to adopt the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5) so you can see what is going on in your life from a Heavenly perspective and not the world’s. Ask Jesus, “How do you see me? What are you preparing me for, Lord?”

3. Spend more time in His presence. Set aside time every morning to not only pray, intercede and study the Word, but carve out time to sit in stillness and listen for His voice of instruction and peace that passes all understanding. Do whatever it takes to fully lean on him and not anything of the world. Let the Holy Spirit show you what it means to meditate on His Word day and night (Joshua 1:8;Psalms 1:2).

While these experiences may look different for everyone because it is according to your faith, your issues and your attachments, the process is identical. The Lord has to purify you in the fire of life to prepare you to really be ready to receive and to serve.

Know that on the other side of this is the “exceeding abundantly” that He promises those who believe in Him. He must break you, empty you out and then strip you to then finally fill you with His glory and blessings. You know you are ready when you move into a place like the Apostle Paul when he said, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” He said this as the Lord was blessing Him greatly through the gifts of the church at Phillipi after a challenging period.

Unlike the rich young ruler, you must remain in a state of being unattached to material things (Matthew 19:16 – 23; Mark 10:17 – 23; Luke 18:18 – 23). You have to be willing to walk away from anything in order to receive everything.

Hang in there…it will be over soon.

Love, Ericka

My birthday was on Tuesday and I am more excited about my life and ministry than I have been in the nine years since beginning this journey full-time. I am sitting here amazed at the Lord. Amazed that the visions He has shown me are in the season in which they are coming to pass.

When you are willing to do what it takes to have unshakable faith in your life, He will move all of heaven and earth to bring His word to pass in your life. I just keep praising Him for His Word and that it does not return void but brings you whatever He said it would.

And my journey has not been easy. On the day of my actual birthday I woke up feeling incredibly grateful for all God has brought me through. I thought of all of the tears of struggle and frustration that I shed early on in the process of building a ministry. I thought of the days where I simply did not know where the finances were going to come from the cover the basic needs of me and my daughter.

I thought of the countless nights that I couldn’t sleep before I learned to really trust the Lord because of worry and anxiety. I thought of the many times I pushed past the Lord in a rush to manifest all that He had shown me in visions. It has been worth every second of the journey.

Then, something happened on the eve of my birthday. I became fully “integrated.” I gained the spiritual understanding that the Kingdom of God truly dwells within me. That means that there is a replica of the Kingdom of Heaven within me. I no longer had to push, strive, or reach, I simply had to access what God had already placed within me – express it.

The truth is, I don’t even know what this looks like, but I am finding out. About six months ago the Lord told me that He desired to make everyday my best day. In other words, everyday was going to be better than the last day in a way that would keep my mind continually blown. But He said that I did not know how to receive from Him and that my capacity for good was not big enough. I have spent the last six months getting ready.

He told me on my birthday that it had begun. He started by blessing me with the best birthday present I could imagine –  the critical team member to partner with to bring this work to the world. I had been praying for years about the right person coming and he sent her on my birthday. Every vision, every prophecy and every promise the Lord made to me about this person came to pass and I am so grateful I can barely contain myself.

Now, everything is in place to truly release all God has placed within me. This has been the best birthday ever; one that is beyond what I could think or imagine…just as His Word promises.

Praise God! Off we go…

The Word says that the Kingdom of God is within you yet why are so many believers not walking in their full power and authority? Why are so many of us experiencing lack and struggle? Why do so many of us have challenges coming together with other believers?

Luke 17:21 – Neither shall they say Lo here! or, Lo there! For behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.

This Word from the Lord can clear this up for you. Here is the “download” that the Lord shared with me as I was consulting Him about accessing a new level of resources for the ministry:

“Calling Forth” means to call forth from within. My children have been missing what I mean by “call forth.” In order to call forth, that thing has to already be within you. I am within my children yet they do not understand this. That which they seek is already within them. I have made them whole, yet they still love broken.

To call forth, you must believe that it is already within you. Like an ATM (automatic teller machine), you can only call forth or order what it has inside of it. My children are spiritual ATMs who have been filled with every need yet they believe they are empty.

When they call forth that thing that I have already placed within them, the angels deliver that thing from Heaven. You are a mirror image of Heaven. Everything in Heaven has been placed within you.

The word “forth”means “from within.”

Daughter, the currency you desire is already within you, like the rib of Adam (He was referring to the fact that the Lord took a rib out of Adam to create Eve), take it out of you (access it from within) and the mirror image will appear unto you. It is that simple.

The difficult part if getting it within you (you must have a pure heart and spirit) and knowing that it is already within you. You are an unlimited bank account, now pull what you need out of yourself and you shall have it.

Call it forth and it shall be yours. It has already been placed within your DNA.

Then the Lord took me inside of my own DNA (in the Spirit) and showed me inside of what looked like a room full of safety deposit boxes. I had to pull up the scripture to unlock the box. I only saw one lock on the drawers. I had to find the key to open the drawer and speak it forth then saw what I am asking for manifested. It literally came from within me. He continued:

The Kingdom of God is a mirror image of the Kingdom of Heaven and it dwells within you. In Jesus name, you can call forth anything you desire (that the Lord has shown you in a prophetic word or vision). IT IS ALREADY WITHIN YOU.

This is why my children’s prayers appear that they are not answered. They are still coming to me and I have already placed it within you. I have to sit back and allow you to establish and “get” this fact. All you have to do is call it forth.

May this Word shift you into your position of authority and ignite the Kingdom of God within you.

Love, Ericka

He woke me up with a spiritual spanking. You know, when He tells you those difficult things to hear about yourself. Okay, that sounds way too nice for what He said to me. It was more like a spiritual whipping.

He began to tell me that the gaps I was experiencing in the manifestation of what He had already released to me were because I had NOT been doing everything He asked of me with consistency. He said that He blesses those who move on his instruction with consistency.

I had been moving, just not consistently. He began to scold me about the five things He told me to do each and everyday without fail. I was hit or miss in getting them done. He said that when I get those things done without fail every day, the resources that I need will flow freely and without hindrance. He said that it was my disobedience that was causing the delay. Whoa!

This was hard to hear because all day every day I do the things of the Lord. Yet, I was feeling tired. He reminded me that I was tired because I was functioning outside of my gifting. When I did the things of my gifting that He instructed me to do everyday, He would add to my time and increase my energy.

I immediately began correcting my path and my energy came back. My time seemed to increase. He said that with all I have on my plate, if I give Him what He has asked for, He would make sure everything else gets done. Here are the five things the Lord has demanded that I do everyday without fail:

1. Pray and Meditate for 3-4 hours per day.
2. Write.
3. Market/Connect with My Flock.
4. Eat right and exercise.
5. Record video of His revelation.

He scalded me about how urgent getting mastery around these things are. He told me that time is running out for His children and we have to get in His righteous order immediately as there is much depending on our obedience.

Play time is over. We have got to be about our Father’s business.

What are the things that The Lord has told you to do each and everyday without fail?

It is time to align your life with those things and get them done so He can fully allow all He has for you to flow into your hands.

The scripture he showed me for this teaching comes from 1 Corinthians 9:25 – 27. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

This scripture reminds us that we are to strive for mastery to obtain His crown. We are to do it with certainty and keep our bodies and lives under subjection so when we move forward in the things of God, we won’t be disqualified from the very things we are preaching to His people.

It’s time to “GET ‘ER DONE!” Love, Ericka

The easiest way for me to share with you the process of renewing your mind is to share a response that I replied to an e-community member of mine. She emailed an “Ask Ericka” question asking me if there was a certain process for renewing her mind. I get this question often and I would like to share my response to Nikki with you.

Nikki, yes, sound of his voice, the core process is similar for all of us. You will want to set aside time in the morning before you begin your day.

Find a special place for you – a chair, pillow, etc. Something other than the bed that is still in your bedroom and not the main part of the house as it provides too many distractions. I use a set of large pillows that I just keep on the floor in my bedroom.

I actually begin by writing out the scripture from the most recent sermon or Bible study I have attended in a notebook I keep for all of my sermon notes. This helps me get into the Word and make a transition.

I remain in the Word until I feel that “relief” that only the Word of God can provide. Once I have been in the Word, I then begin to renew my mind. I check in with my mind by asking the following questions: 1) Mind, how are you doing today? 2) What do I believe God for right now? 3) What am I willing to believe God for?

Then, I begin the process of praying. I begin my prayer by thanking God. I transition my prayer to confession and asking God for what I need and for the needs of others.

Once I am done praying, I sit still and focus on “stretching my mind” around what it is I am asking from God. In other words, I practice believing God for the things I have prayed for and have on my “to do” list and the things that are needed and desired for my vision to move forward.

I then spend as much time as I can just sitting there. If I have any questions to ask the Holy Spirit, I ask. If not, I just sit and ask God what He would have me work on today and to whom He would have me minister.

The key is to make the time to sit there until you get through the chattering voices in your head. I call this my “task voice.” Once you begin to allow those voices to chatter (the ones that will talk about your To Do List for the day, etc.) your body will begin to get uncomfortable. Your toe might itch, your back might bother you. Sit still through those distractions from your flesh (I call these the itchy-twitchies).

On the other side of the distractions is the silence of the Holy Spirit – God’s voice. It’s unmistakable. You will know when you hear it.

Your process may be different from mine, but the point is to begin to find your process. However you need to get into your still space, allow it to unfold.

You will always want to be in the Word before you pray and pray before you meditate. The prayer is you speaking to God and meditation is God speaking back to you. The time may vary in how long it takes to get to the voice of the Holy Spirit, but it is there, waiting for you to find it. It may even take several days of walking through the steps, but it is there just waiting for you. I hope that helps…Love, Ericka

The key is that you create the time in your daily routine (that is a book in and of itself) to ask and listen for answers from The Holy Spirit. I do this directly following my prayer time by moving into a quiet space of meditation (listening for God’s direction and insight).

(Excerpt from Ericka’s book, Beyond Fearless: How to Remove Every Hindrance From Your Life).

In His Service, Ericka

Ministry Mastery: How to Create A Thriving Ministry

FREE Sneak Peek Tele-Conference

A Complimentary Teleconference for Kingdom-called Christians on
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
8:30 pm Eastern Time
with Evangelist Ericka D. Jackson

Nine years ago God called me out of Corporate America and started me on an incredible journey in full-time Kingdom ministry (with no money saved!) and I have never looked back. For the last nine years I have built a ministry model that will enable those who are called to minister to the Body of Christ to create multiple streams of income within your ministry so you are free to do God’s work each and every day.

Actually, I can teach you how to in one year or less what it took me nine years to build! If I can do this as a single mother with no additional financial support or church payroll, so can you!

There is no better feeling than knowing that you are fully available and free to truly speak into the lives whom God has called you to impact on a daily basis. While I talk to people all the time who long for this life, until now, there has been no step-by-step teaching that will show you how to create the income you need to work in your ministry full-time. There are classes that teach you how to minister, but not how to make a full-time living through your Kingdom ministry.

I have created a model that takes Kingdom business practices and applies it to ministry so you can bring your gifts mightily to the Body of Christ. Let me show you how to build your ministry up to the place where you can leave your secular job and do the will of God in your life full-time. Now is the time to come out the the failing secular world system and into the abundance of God’s Kingdom. The path has now been blazed…let me show you how.

Whether your gifting is in music, song, mime, administration, teaching, preaching, speaking, writing, healing, prayer, discernment, finances, prophecy, pastoring, hospitality or working with your hands, this class if for you! No matter where you flow in the five-fold ministry, this class is for you. God created you to make a good living with the gifts with which He  blessed you. Don’t delay, you can be free sooner than you think!

On this special FREE sneak peek, Ericka will be sharing some of the revelatory teachings that make this course so ground-breaking. She will share an overview of the program and answer your questions about the course.

During this call, Ericka will also be sharing:

• What makes this one-of-a-kind course so powerful
• Testimonies from students of the course and how they are impacting and building the Kingdom of God as a result of what they learned
• How to have your time, finances, energy and efforts added to and multiplied on a monthly basis
• Pitfalls to avoid on the path to creating a thriving ministry
• How to access the throne of God anytime

Ministry Mastery: How to Create A Thriving Full-time Ministry is a comprehensive six-month course that includes two live tele-classes a month, an online learning center, a private social network, and several bonus gifts for those who enroll. It begins on Tuesday, July 13th and meets on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays through Tuesday, December 28th (skipping the week of Christmas).

Sign up below to reserve your spot on this this complimentary sneak peek call. You will be receive the call-in number and password once you submit your information.

Click Here to Reserve Your Spot

I’ll see you on the 29t!h – Ericka

The Lord has been having me teach some of the profound revelation He has been sharing with me at my Beyond Fearless Experiences around the nation. He also promised me that He would be increasing the signs and wonders seen at these events as I continued to move forward in faith. He said that He would continue to bring signs and wonders that the world has not yet seen. So every Beyond Fearless I pray and sit on the edge of my seat to witness what the Lord is going to do.

I have become accustomed to the healing angels being present literally changing and healing the hearts of the people who attend. The event in and of itself is a sign and wonder because it is the Lord who brought the teachings and showed me how to fit more than three years of revelation into one day that will leave people changed forever.

It is easy to take for granted the miracle of witnessing people being delivered and releasing years of emotional pain from their past. That has become the norm for me. So, I asked the Lord to show up in a new way this past weekend at Fayetteville, NC’s Beyond Fearless Experience. He did exactly that…

In the midst of the teaching of ground-breaking revelation, I began to hear what I thought was a torrential downpour of rain hitting the meeting room windows. It was loud enough to cause me to pause my teaching. But, that wasn’t it. There was no rain coming down outside. As I listened the walls began to creak.

This has become a familiar sound to me. As I sit on my prayer pillows in my bedroom visiting rooms in Heaven in the Spirit, my walls and windows begin to creak and pop. I don’t mean the regular shifting that occurs in walls when the weather changes, I mean an abundance of creaks and pops that are unmistakable. When I asked the Lord about the sounds, He told me that when His angels are present, they literally shift the physical make-up of the walls and that was what I was hearing.

The Lord used this way to signal the presence of multitudes of angels at the Experience on Saturday. The creaking and popping was so intense that it sounded like the downpour was happening inside of the room. The Lord allowed my spiritual eyes to open and see streaks of light going back and forth across the room. Sandra, one of the ministers on the team, sees in the Spirit and she confirmed what I was seeing.  I got to witness the sound of angels and it was awesome! To God be the glory!

This is only the beginning…Praise God!

In His Service, Ericka

You Hold The Power
by Ericka D. Jackson

You hold the power of co-creation in your hand
More than ever before you must take a stand
Stand up and build your Vision today
It’s time to give it your all an no longer just play

There is greatness in you the world has not yet seen
Your greatness can no longer remain just a dream

He put a Vision in you that only you can fulfill
You must boldly go forth and not sit still
How? You might ask. Allow me to say,
Keep your eyes on the prize and do a little each day

What is your Vision? Whom will you serve?
All of God’s goodness you fully deserve

Make today the last day with your fears that you wrestle
This is not about you, you are only the vessel
But an unwilling vessel is a dangerous thing
Because the brilliance and gifting remain unseen

God has given the plan on which you shall act
You have all that you need and nothing to lack
No more fears, no more lies, no more living small lives

Go forth and spread love
With the force of a lion and with faith as your glove
For without you, someone else will not see
All that God needs them to be

It’s time for you to walk in Victory!

copyright 2006. Ericka D. Jackson