Prepare For Sudden Enlargement

In the early hours of the morning, giant letters appeared before me in the Spirit: “ENLARGMENT”. 

Immediately the Lord led me again to consider what happens in a family when a baby is coming! The individual carrying “the promise” experiences enlargement, increase, a heavier burden, and stretching while all the others around make preparations to hold and care for the gift that is coming to the family. 

Even as I am recording this post a friend texted to tell me she is suddenly having contractions stating “I wasn’t expecting it today!”

Over the past week I have continued to see a harvest field associated with this moment in time. It is one acre and a perfect square. It is limited in size but full. 

As you read this know that you have been faithful to work every inch of the territory the Lord has assigned to you. 

“To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

An evaluation has taken place in the Spirit. You have been proven faithful, now prepare to step into increase. 

3 steps to preparing for this expansion: 

1. Understanding that the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth is key. Wherever He sends you trust that the path ahead is His path and that you may expect to be met with mercy and truth along the way. 
2. Know before you go that obedience is greater than sacrifice. Learn to discern if His will is to stay or to go in each scenario and blessing will immediately meet you in your response. 
3. “A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.” Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬. You have the power to strategically sow your seeds, whether they are in the form of offerings, time, talent, or prayer, and then command breakthrough to that place of assignment. 

The post Prepare For Sudden Enlargement first appeared on The Banquet Celebration.

Expecting A Harvest 

Early Sunday morning the Lord showed me that  great accomplishment would take place in the spirit. 

Then I saw an enormous rock being ripped in half and I heard “break away”. 

Later I begin to hear “tectonic shift”. This is when I realized this is global. 

I believe this is a message for the church and the world. New alliances are forming. Harvest is beginning. We will enter harvest season full, grace and glory cover the season ahead. 

At the beginning of our Sunday service my pastors wife prophesied that God’s people were pregnant with a promise, for some even a long awaited one. 

Immediately the following day the Lord began to expand my understanding. 

He brought me back to the joy of that time in my life when I was expecting, highlighting how it affects entire family when He brings a new life into it. They literally expand into greater joy. 

It is a mysterious gift that radically changes the lives of many. 

Continually each day this week I am impressed by the Spirit that the Lord is about to add something to each of us that is permanent, like a child.  A permanent addition. 

Your faithfulness is about to be matched with a response of His faithfulness. 

This gift from God will enlarge your world. Your current life experience will expand into new places of opportunity as you carry the joy of its release into your life! 

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭127‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God calls children a “gift”, a “reward”. That is what I see ahead. 

Those who have been faithful are about to witness a personalized illustration of His faithfulness. 

I literally see a golden hue on the next 2 months. I believe it is grace and glory. 

The joy of what is coming will strongly overtake the burden of “caring” for it, overseeing it, working it. 

Can you sense His coming response? A harvest of your hopes!

The post Are You Expecting? first appeared on The Banquet Celebration.

The Great Restrainer Is Working With You

Stories of life behind the Iron Curtain and the occupation which preceded it. 

Having just returned from Eastern Europe my husband and I were offered a very different travel experience meeting people who remembered life on the other side of the war and the evil communist regime which followed. 

Wondering into a local store in Prague I learned a fascinating story. Meeting the owner and hearing that he was 12th generation and was 9 years old when communism took over Prague I asked “did you ever get to go to church?”. He explained that under communism religion was forbidden but he had an uncle who was a minister. In a back room of his shop they held secret meetings where they would teach people about God. When the Soviets blocked his access to gold and silver destroying his business. One day miraculously he discovered a mine on his property and was able to continue to make jewelry and stay in business. His product was a combination of brass, rhodium and 18 karat gold. 

In the 90’s a woman came into his shop wearing a large hat. She stated that the quality of his jewelry was the highest of any she had seen. She was the wife of the owner of MGM and helped open the door for this jewelry to be sold in America. Today it is the gold used in Rolex watches. 

I asked if I could speak a blessing over him and he quickly bowed his head and stretched out his hands. I felt in that moment that the Lord desired to open a door in the spirit honoring the faithfulness of that family. 

At the end of communism in the Czech Republic there was a large public demonstration on park grounds where residents gathered and shook their keys loudly into the air. This gesture represented the statement: “go and leave your keys in the door”. After this point in time the new government searched out original owners or their extended family and returned all property. Those living in government housing were given the opportunity to purchase their apartments for an extraordinary price. Our tour guide explained that she purchased her 3 bedroom apartment for five thousand dollars. 

A frequent phrase used during communism was:  “we pretend to work and the government pretends to pay us”. 

We were told that the shelves were never completely empty in grocery stores and that while they could not find what they wanted, access to food continued. 

They were never told of the American involvement in their liberation at the conclusion of WWII, only of the Russian effort. It was not until 1990 that the history books were rewritten to include the true role played by the United States to liberate the Czech Republic. 

During communism, plain, simple  buildings were erected and everything was painted grey. After communism everything was repainted in colorful  pastels. 

The following day we walked the grounds of a Jewish ghetto and concentration camp called Terezín. 

The fort surrounding the concentration camp was built in 1790 by Marie Antoinette’s brother. It was built in honor of Maria Theresa, who ruled Hapsburg for 40 years and had 16 children one of whom was Marie Antoinette. 

A Jewish ghetto was set up here and in other German controlled cities in order to gather the Jewish community in one place. Today it is a beautiful town with a museum and multiple monuments. The museum walls are covered with original drawings from the precious children who lived there. One young girl in particular was highlighted. Her name was Helga Weiss. 

Helga as a child waited there for 3 years after her family was taken to a concentration camp, which was extremely unusual. She kept a journal during that time and it is now published. During the course of the war she was sent to 4 different concentration camps. From this one location there were 10,500 children taken and only 245 survived. Miraculously she was one of them. 

Please take a moment to pray for Helga Weiss. She will be 97 in November!

During the war the Swiss sent a Red Cross delegation into the ghetto. The Germans made a propaganda video about life in the ghetto which was to be disseminated to the world in order to give the appearance that everyone there was happy. The video was of a staged soccer game where players were surrounded by “happy” fans. The delegation interviewed people in the ghetto and they were scripted to say “ I am happy I am not missing anything.” Fearing for their lives everyone pretended. One week later all who made contact with the Swiss delegation were sent to a concentration camp. 

Among those also imprisoned in this camp were Catholic priests, those who listened to banned radio, did not comply, would not work or helped the Jewish people. 

This camp was a temporary stop before being sent to Auschwitz, an annihilation camp.  

Walking under a brick archway leading to the grounds where the prisoners were kept I took a photo of the German words written “aren’t macht frei” it translates to “Work makes you free”. 

Jewish prisoners were separated from the rest. 

Entering the small Jewish cell which held up to 60 prisoners, I touched the wall and began to pray. Looking up to the Lord, seeking to connect with the prayers released in that room I was surprised to feel hope. God had met His people there. 

This was one of two very intense concentration camp experiences we had during our visit to Eastern Europe. During the second visit the Lord graciously gave me the unique opportunity to first minister to a Jewish woman and then to a German man both equally overwhelmed by the gravity of the spiritual atmosphere. 

As you digest this post, understand that God has sent you in this day and time to save, heal and deliver. Look around and watch for opportunities to help. 

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.”

‭‭II Thessalonians‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This morning I called on the Lord recognizing Holy Spirit as the Great Restrainer who partners with each of us in this hour as we release the goodness of God to those all around us. 

The warfare has been intense and almost overwhelming this month but God’s sovereign hands have been busily moving in the background working out His plans for your life. Do not be surprised if evil is forced to confess its agenda publicly giving people the opportunity to escape!

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“He Knows My Name”

My experience in Switzerland was marked by the sounds of bells. The first sound I heard walking through Fluelen was the captivating call of the church bells from the city center. Each time they rang I got chills feeling in my spirit a deeper call of God going out to the city inviting people to gather in His name for worship. No one responded. 

Exploring the Klingenstock mountains the next day we heard the sounds of tiny bells ringing all around. 

Following the sound we looked higher to discover milk cows grazing on the Swiss alps each adorned with a bell.  As we rode a gondola higher up the mountain the sounds of the bells continued to ring below us.  

The following afternoon we visited a store in Lucerne and purchased an enormous brass cow bell which dates back to 1880. Historically the largest bell was given to the lead cow and that each bell makes a distinct sound. The farmer knows each sound and can tell by hearing which cow is missing. 

Consider our individual voices and sounds, each unique, distinguishable and anointed with purpose. Voices that worship, teach, lead, pastor, influence, direct, guide, rally and support. The ear of our Heavenly Father is attuned, listening intently for each sound to take its place, joining the Heavenly orchestra. Each in its place releasing a unique sound for this day and time in the earth! He is listening, calling, waiting. 

The worship song I continue to hear associated with this message is an older song by Israel Houghton titled “He knows my name”. 

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Psalms 37 affirms that The Lord “delights in every detail of your life.” He watches over even the most specific facets of who He has designed you to be. If you follow Him He will lead you into the next place of destiny for your life. Long awaited paths are opening up even now. 

Even as I record this post I can see and hear the movement of people and voices responding to God, taking their places, joining the chorus and releasing their sound “for such a time as this” in the earth all over the world.  

The post He Knows My Name first appeared on The Banquet Celebration.

The Battle Over The Gates Has Been Won

During an extended stay in Fluelen, Switzerland the Lord highlighted a familiar promise to me:

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Reading this verse I felt a sense of longing as if my spirit responded “how can I get there?”. The Lord impressed upon my spirit “can you imagine what you could do if you believed this?”

Beginning this post you can see the view from my room. A worship song by Hillsong is resonating in my spirit. Particularly these verses “every hour every minute You are loyal to me. You are faithful and you always will be…”

From the middle of June I perceived and experienced intense warfare as events unfolded beyond our control and we had to press with the help of other intercessors to break free. I felt that the enemy was trying to lock us in a pattern preventing us from moving forward.

As I stood in faith being refined by practicing patient endurance trusting God in the intense heat of the battle a long awaited breakthrough 20+ years in the making suddenly came to pass. I am now a licensed, ordained minister. 

There has been a great battle at the gates of your next place of destiny. Through standing in faithfulness and patient endurance the battle was, is, and will finally be won and long awaited breakthroughs are coming forth in your life. 

Today as I gaze upon the glorious, majestic Swiss Alps I can feel the refreshing God promised during this season. As the “faithfulness” song replays continually in my spirit it brings tears to my eyes knowing that the darkness we face has an endpoint and the glory on the other side is always greater than any you’ve ever experienced before. When faithfulness begins to break through in your lives you enjoy a long season of harvesting the fruit of your faith!

 Every word declared in the dark is echoing loudly as it breaks forth and shakes things loose in the light. 

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“While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬-‭13‬, ‭18‬, ‭20‬ ‭NLT‬

“When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭59‬, ‭61‬-‭63‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Discovering that people had to speak to Zechariah using hand gestures reveals to us that not only was he was unable to speak but he was also unable to hear due to his unbelief. 

A generation changing event was about to unfold  preparing for the greatest move of God yet to be witnessed since the beginning of time. In preparation for this moment Zechariah was literally cut off from the world only able to commune with God Almighty. He had to sharply attune his spirit to that “still small voice” that speaks to each of us. A voice that is easily ignored if other forces are competing for our attention. 

As this great prophet was formed in his mother’s womb his father was being prepared for the critical role he would play as he waited on the Lord learning the power of quietness and confidence. 

“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭30‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is literally warfare happening over the gates of your promise. I can see the clash of kingdoms in the spirit.

In this moment a choice is being presented. Will you believe that every Word of God will prove itself true in your life or will you listen to the other voices trying to lure you into conflict?

Choose quietness and confidence and go through the gates!

The post In Quietness And Confidence first appeared on The Banquet Celebration.

On Sunday night, in midst of the most monumental, magnificent celebration ever to grace the White House lawn, I watched astounded as the Lord suddenly spoke through the most unlikely man. 

In an abrupt adjustment BO NICKAL defeated Kyle Daukaus by “technical knock out”. The victory came in the final minute of the first round. (This is significant)

Bo is an American fighter and his first action following his victory was to personally thank and honor President Trump. He was grateful for the opportunity to take the win! (This reminds me of Caleb who eagerly conquered the promised land and declared “give me my mountain”)

Interestingly this grand event took place on President Trump’s 80th birthday. Moses was 80  years old when he confronted pharaoh and delivered Israel. The Hebrew meaning of 80 is tied to strength and endurance. It is associated with reaching your limitations then pressing past them to another level. It means “prayer” and “testimony of the new man”. 

When Bo stood behind microphone he publicly thanked and honored our president then honored God quoting John 10:10 verbatim:

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In this moment, The Lord our God offered a choice and prophesied a turning point!

It was as though a clarion call went out to the nation as in the days of Paul Revere, except this time a choice was presented. “Choose blessing or cursing! Make your choice!”

I believe this point in time marks a turning point in our nation’s history. After decades of steady decline, falling away from God and experiencing the thievery of the enemy a turning point has been reached. God’s plan of blessing, favor and abundance is being realized. 

“The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭28‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Align with abundance today, thank God for the opportunity and take your mountain!

The post A Prize Fighter’s Prophecy first appeared on The Banquet Celebration.

Over the weekend as excitement for our Sunday service began to mount I saw a vision of sailboats gliding through the atmosphere over the sanctuary. I understood this to mean that our Heavenly Father is drawing us into a season of wonder and awe. 

A church member came up to help pray for another on Sunday. Previously she had battled a 6 week period of sleeplessness but the Lord had healed her. As another seasoned saint stood at the altar, the Lord moved in the same way restoring peace and sweet sleep. The Lord gave me insight into this. 

The battle in this moment is over your ability to dream. If the enemy can inhibit your rest, he can hinder your ability to dream. 

“When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.””

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭126‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This promise is spiraling repeatedly in the Spirit around you. It is being issued as an offer.  You must choose to grasp it and move with it or the moment will pass you by.  

Consider Joseph this month. The dreams of one man led to an entire nation’s deliverance.  Open yourself up to wild imaginations and dreams again. 

In the presence of Jesus, as Heaven touches your home, allow your expectations to elevate. Dream big!

Take a moment to repent for limited thinking, for living within the confines of small boundary lines. “Christ in me the hope of glory”! His dreams for your life are massive!

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭13‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬

You must first have a dream in order to see it fulfilled. 

“He gives seed to the sower”. Your seeds are magnificent dreams for the future. Plant them in faith, water them in worship then watch!

I think of Hannah who went to the altar appealing  to God. She exchanged her grief for a dream and then returned to the banquet with a new steady resolve. From that moment on she freely partook of the feast set before her with joy. She then entered a long season of multiple blessings. 

You will harvest the fruit of your wildest dreams in this season. 

The magnitude of the dream you carry will break you through the glass ceiling above as you spiral upward. 

Your ability to dream with God about the glories of your future positions you for expansion. 

It’s time to dream again. 

The post Enter Your Dream Season first appeared on The Banquet Celebration.

Go Through The Gates!

Warfare has intensified in the Spirit over the last few days of May. Often I’ve looked at the calendar in disbelief exclaiming: “is it still May?”

Beginning in the month of June the “summer fruit”will begin to break forth for you. The Lord is promising “you will be strengthened by the summer fruit”. Many hopes will result in happiness. Much faith will be met with glorious resolution. Hearing this prepares us to enter peace, rest, refurbishment and refreshing. However it is also a planting season. 

Throughout this past month as heavy, monumental seeds were sown all over our country through the National Day of Prayer and Rededicate 250 I’ve heard the Lord say “I’ve enriched the soil”. Enriched soil maintains the integrity of the seeds planted. 

“Then the earth will answer the thirsty cries of the grain, the grapevines, and the olive trees. And they in turn will answer, ‘Jezreel’—‘God plants!’”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭2‬:‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Prepare yourself to enter a season of both harvest and planting ensuring that we bare fruit in every season. I see you gaining momentum this month as you see prayers being answered in magnified detail, beyond your wildest imaginations. Such outcomes will fuel your intercession to ask and expect even greater results. 

On the morning of the National Day of Prayer the Lord rallied me with this promise “another level, a greater mantle”! 

Reminding me of the story of the loaves and fishes He refreshed my understanding with a new revelation: it was the actions of one that blessed the multitudes! One gave and 5000 were blessed!  There are times to work with a team and times when you must believe in the power of one! Christ in me the hope of glory!

With this new understanding as I pray for territories and entities the Lord has assigned to my care I now say “I spread my mantle over this” seeing them come under my covering of prayer and blessing. 

Starting in the month of December the Lord assigned this promise to me: 

“Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭24‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Faithfully my husband and I have declared this in prayer every day since that time. I even released it in the House of Representatives in Washington. Normally this assignment would continue for the remainder of the year but on May 26th there was a sudden sharp shift. 

It was the day of a major milestone, my 25th wedding anniversary. I was on a prayer call when the Lord turned my attention to Isaiah 62. 

“Wham!” I saw a marking post had been planted in the Spirit illustrating a sharp turn:

“Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway! Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples!”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭62‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I encourage you today to begin praying this promise over every name on your prayer list. For some the fruit will break forth quickly, for others seeds will be planted in enriched soil with a future break through date. 

Go through the gates!

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Count Your Milestones And Rejoice!

“But the people of God will sing a song of joy, like the songs at the holy festivals. You will be filled with joy, as when a flutist leads a group of pilgrims to Jerusalem, the mountain of the Lord— to the Rock of Israel. And the Lord will make his majestic voice heard. He will display the strength of his mighty arm. It will descend with devouring flames, with cloudbursts, thunderstorms, and huge hailstones.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭30‬:‭29‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Following an extravagant worship service, as I tried to sit down, the Lord spoke to me through the thick cloud of glory immersed in the atmosphere saying “count your milestones and rejoice”! 

Suddenly I realized this is a year of milestones for my family! One child in college, the other starting in the fall, this month my husband and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and next month my parents will celebrate their 50th!

Take a moment to pause, appraise, consider, take note of and add up your own personal milestones. See all the wonderful things He has done in your life. It’s a “stop and praise” Him moment as we turn the corner!

Often we get so caught up in the battle, in the hard press forward, that we fail to glorify God for the milestones we’ve surpassed along the way. 

Today I perceive an enormous transition ahead. I feel the fear of the Lord and the need to quietly observe and listen. The strong, mighty arm of God is about to reach forward into your future and open up something enormous. 

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