What Heaven Is Saying Today by Pastor James Durham

Dec042012

What Heaven is Saying Today

As I entered the Lord’s presence this morning, I heard Him ask, “What do you see on the horizon?” To tell you the truth, I couldn’t really see anything except dark clouds brooding over the horizon in the distance. I pondered the Lord’s word and wonder how to release a Word like this. Then the Lord spoke again and asked, “What do you see on the horizon?” Now, I realized that I needed wisdom and revelation to answer the Lord. I prayed for the Holy Spirit to release what I needed to understand and answer the Lord. I specifically asked the Spirit of truth to release this part of the truth to me. Then I heard the Lord ask for the third time, “What do you see on the horizon?”

 

I answered truthfully, that all I could see right now was darkness and brooding clouds. The Lord said, “Most of my prophets are seeing the same thing. In this season everyone is expecting prophetic words about the coming year and to receive understanding about what to expect. Right now the cloud of deception is exceptionally thick and the darkness is heavy over the world and to some degree over My people. You will only be able to see by the Light of My Gospel! You will only be able to understand by the power of faith! You will only be able to function by the strength of My Glory! You will only be able to minister through the enabling power of My grace!”

 

At this point, I began to gain some wisdom from the Holy Spirit. Too many of us have been trying to accomplish things in our own power, minister through our own anointing, and strive with our own limited strength. This will not work in the coming year. More than ever before, we need to turn to the Lord for understanding, wisdom, grace, faith, authority, and spiritual power. I read something which touched me in the Complete Jewish Bible this morning. 1 John 3:21-24, “Dear friends, if our hearts know nothing against us, we have confidence in approaching God; then, whatever we ask for, we receive from Him: because we are obeying His commands and doing the things that please Him. This is His command: that we are to trust in the person and power of His Son, Yeshua the Messiah and to keep loving one another, just as He commanded us. Those who obey His commands remain united with Him and He with them. Here is how we know that He remains united with us, by the Spirit whom He gave us.” There is an urgency in this hour to trust in the person and power of Yeshua ha Messiach! We cannot lean on our own understanding in a time of deception which is this great.

 

I know that you know these things. However, the Lord wants us to anchor ourselves again and more deeply on these promises and on His person and power! We must be very discerning in this season because the deception is so great. Remember John’s teaching in 1 John 4:1-4, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” I know that you know these things, but you  are going to need this word today! I received a revelation that things are coming which will only be resolved fully if we are standing on these specific promises!

 

Another key to discerning is paying attention to who is willing to listen to the Word of God today. We need this kingdom key to understand who is with us and who is with the world. The Key is found in 1 John 4:6, “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” These kingdom keys are important for each of us today! I feel this great urgency in my spirit from the Holy Spirit to say this as strongly as possible. You will not be able to do business as usual today! You must trust the person and power of Yeshua ha Messiach and open up to the Spirit of truth to decide wisely and choose well today! Amen and Amen!!!!

 

Dec032012

What Heaven is Saying Today

As I was lifted up this morning, the Lord said that it was time for a shift in perspective. He reminded me of what He showed me on Shabbat and pointed out that I had not adequately expressed what He was trying to say. This is what I wrote: “This morning, the Lord was giving some special instructions for us from heaven. First, I had a vision of highways filled with cars as people tried to drive in new areas of ministry. The Lord told us to move slowly and carefully and He will accomplish His purpose through us. Are you ready for it? Are you ready to take the gospel of the Kingdom to other nations? The Lord was reminding us again that the time is short, and we have been called to the harvest fields. I remembered the prophetic word given through Isaiah in Isaiah 35:8, “A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray.” It is time for us to be ready and walk on this highway! No more delays! Now is the time!”

 

When the Lord let me see this and receive the message, I was lifted with Him above this huge highway intersection which is often called a “spaghetti junction.” These intersections picked up this name because many roads converge and a very complex system of roadways are built on multiple levels so that traffic can flow in all directions without the need for a stop light. The intersection I saw had roads at 4-5 different levels with so many loops and turns that it was very difficult to keep up with following the right path. Traffic was very heavy and flowing very fast. The only way to adequately see the correct directions was from a vertical perspective. The Lord was showing me this perspective which is in effect His perspective of where we are to move in order to flow with His purpose for our lives and ministries. In order to move in the right direction, we need to be very much in tune with the Holy Spirit and responding quickly to His instructions to shift the direction of our travel. From the horizontal view we have, it is virtually impossible to keep moving in the correct flow.

 

We have moved into a season of acceleration. Things are moving faster and faster in the spiritual realm. We need an increase in our gifts of discerning of the Spirit so that we can follow more closely where the Lord is directing us. The Lord said, “It will be very ease to get lost in the weeds if you do not follow my leading in this season. From where you are, it is difficult to see beyond what is just in front of you. You must have My vertical perspective to follow My way! You must seek and find the closeness with My Spirit which will allow you to do this!”

 

When the Lord said this, the Spirit guided my understanding. I knew this on Shabbat but didn’t explain it correctly and adequately. As we get caught up in all the activities, programs, parties, and group meetings, we may lose sight of the Lord’s directing. Our attention will be drawn to details rather than the big picture. There is nothing wrong with seeing the details and working plans to make programs successful. However, we must not do it at the expense of missing the leadership of the Lord. We hear this every year and many of us have stopped listening because the message isn’t correctly focused on what the Lord is trying to tell us. This is the mistake I made. It is not an admonishment about our behavior. It is a call to staying alert to follow. Things are moving fast and shifting quickly and we need the flexibility to flow with the Spirit in this hour.

 

Somehow, I still feel inadequate to fully express what the Lord is trying to say. It isn’t some previous Christmas message we have heard over and over. It isn’t about getting better and fixing our priorities. It is about staying alert to follow Him through this huge maze (spaghetti junction). He has wonderful and awesome things to show us! He is releasing powerful prophetic words and releasing new mantles and fresh anointings! He is calling us to be alert in the Spirit so that we can receive all He is releasing and to shift quickly with the seasons in the spiritual realm!

 

He lifted me up again so that I could have this vertical perspective and what I saw was awesome. I saw His glory! I was with Him in the Spirit and it was awesome! It was all about Him and being in His love and in His favor as we accomplish His purpose and His plan! I pray that we are ready to move with Him and experience the greater things of His Glory! I pray that we will be discerning and hear His voice as He leads us beside still waters into His awesome Shalom! I pray that in the midst of all that is happening, we will experience His rest! Amen and Amen!!!

 

Dec022012

What Heaven is Saying Today

This morning I was caught up in the Spirit to a large building which looked like those used for military aircraft. It had rows of lights all across a very high rounded ceiling. The building was filled military vehicles of various types. The activity was at a very high operational tempo. Everyone was in battle dress and loading supplies and equipment. It was obvious that a very large military operation was about to begin and the people in this place were moving quickly to be ready for it.

 

The Lord said, “It is time to lighten your loads. Most of you are trying to carry more stuff than you need and it is slowing you down and holding you back. It is time to let go of some things which seemed essential in the past and embrace what is essential for this hour.” I began to reflect on what I might be holding on to from the past and tried to plan ways to lighten the load to be ready to move quickly in His service.

 

Then the Lord said, “It is time for a weapons upgrade. Many of you are still holding to swords you have collected in the past, but they will be ineffective on the modern battlefield. My church has acted as if the ancient Roman army is still the best trained and best equipped military force. That is way out of date. Are you ready to embrace some modern weapons and modern tactics?” Most of the people quickly let go of the old weapons and embraced more modern and much more powerful weapons.

 

I remembered the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” Bright shiny swords are attractive but very ineffective against tanks, armored personnel carriers, automatic weapons, missiles, fighter jets and etc. Are we ready to let go of old weapons, old ideas, and old solutions to the challenges of spiritual warfare? Are we ready to be equipped and trained by the Lord?

 

I prayed for wisdom from the Holy Spirit. I quoted one of my favorite scriptures to Him: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:12-15) I am asking the Spirit of truth to give us wisdom and understanding about the meaning of today’s Word from the Lord!

 

I pray that you will be fully prepared and adequately equipped in this season of spiritual warfare! I pray that the Holy Spirit will give you wisdom and discernment to know what to say, what to do, and when to do it! May the Lord be with us and guide us to accomplish His purpose! May all we do bring glory to our Father God, our Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit! Amen and Amen!!!!

 

Dec012012

What Heaven is Saying Today

Shabbat Shalom,

 

We arrived back from Israel yesterday afternoon. What an awesome experience we had being with the people of Israel during wartime. God’s blessing and favor were so powerfully present with us. When the air raid alarm went off, we were in the Holocaust Museum. How prophetic is that? We felt such an awesome sense of shalom! There was no fear! When we heard gunfire near the Temple Mount a couple of days ago, we stopped to buy something to drink rather than running in fear. God is so good and we had such an awesome sense of peace and protection. The Lord opened so many doors for ministry. We spent a day in Tel Aviv ministering on the shore and had some awesome responses from people. We accompanied Kevin and Kathy Basconi on two evenings of ministry in a Messianic Church. The Lord released miracles, healings, signs and wonders to accompany the ministry. Twice as many people came out for the second night. We minister to people from Israel, Russia, China, South Korea, Canada, Germany, and the USA during those services. We prayed for clerks in stores to be healed and the Lord was so faithful. We had so many wonderful experiences in His glory; especially on the rock at Bethel! A healing angel manifest at the Pool of Bethesda and people were healed in spirit, soul, and body! Wow! I wish you could have been there with us.

 

This morning, the Lord was giving some special instructions for us from heaven. First, I had a vision of highways filled with cars as people tried to drive in new areas of ministry. The Lord told us to move slowly and carefully and He will accomplish His purpose through us. Are you ready for it? Are you ready to take the gospel of the Kingdom to other nations? The Lord was reminding us again that the time is short, and we have been called to the harvest fields. I remembered the prophetic word given through Isaiah in Isaiah 35:8, “A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray.” It is time for us to be ready and walk on this highway! No more delays! Now is the time!

 

Then the Lord let me see the faces of many people as He said that we need to be more intentional than ever to show our love for one another. As the darkness increases and persecution comes, we must rise above it to let the World know who we are and whose we are by our love for one another and for the lost of this world. The words of the Apostle John came to my mind at this time: 1 John 3:23, “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” 1 John 4:18-21, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

 

This morning, the Lord reminded us to be very careful about what comes out of our mouths. He said, “Be very careful about what you say about one another! The World is judging you by the words you speak! Every time you criticize a brother or sister, you weaken your witness to the World!” There was a special urgency in the Lord’s voice as He shared this. I believe that this is a “today Word from the Lord.” This is not some theoretical teaching which might be good in the future. There is an urgency right now to speak well of one another in front of everyone that the praise and glory of the Lord might come forth. Remember Proverbs 18:19-21, “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle. A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; from the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”

 

May we eat the fruit of blessing rather than curses as we store up this treasure in our hearts! May the Lord fill us with the Love of the Father so that we may share it more and more with the lost and lonely of this world! May the Lord lead us along the correct paths to accomplish His purpose! May we walk, talk, and love in accordance with the measure of grace given to us! May we live and minister in the fullness of His blessing! Amen and Amen!!!!

 

Shabbat Shalom!

 

 

James

 

Pastor James Durham

Higher Calling Ministries, Intl

P.O. Box 292335

Columbia, SC 29229-0335


Jesus is the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords!   

             /}   Sword of the Spirit

@#####{ ]::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::>

             \}       Use it Daily!

 

Nov172012

What Heaven is Saying Today

Shabbat Shalom,

 

It is another training day in Heaven. In the classroom, we were shown something like holograms which were like x-rays of knee joints. We watched as the bones and tissues were repaired. Tendons and ligaments were restored and cartilage was replaced. After this, we saw the same thing with shoulder joints. There is an awesome anointing in this season for healing damaged joints and reversing the effects of the aging process.

 

Then we were shown amazing things happening in the skies over the earth. These were new things and I don’t know exactly how to describe them. One thing I saw was something like very large rolls of ribbon being unrolled. The ribbons were in the colors of the rainbow. The Lord said, “This is the season for the fulfillment of promises for signs on the earth and wonders in the heavens.” I remembered Joel’s prophecy which Peter quoted on the Day of Pentecost: “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.”

 

Then the Lord said, “You need to prepare yourself for what is about to be released from Heaven on the Earth! Only those who are prepared will be able to understand, minister, and teach in this season!” I asked the Lord, “How do we prepare for things we have never seen before?” The Lord said, “You must build up your faith right now to be ready for what is about to be revealed!”

 

Faith is a gift from the Lord! How do we build it up? Then I remembered the words of Jude 1:20-24, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,” We build up our faith by “pray in the Holy Spirit!” We keep ourselves “in the love of God.” We look “for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life!”

 

I pray that you will be prepared for what the Lord is about to release! I pray that you will receive the anointing for healing knee and shoulder joints! I pray that you will build up your faith and be prepared to follow the Lord in the amazing time which is now unfolding! Amen and Amen!

 

Shabbat Shalom!

 

PS We’re leaving for Israel in a few hours. We are expecting to see many of these things unfold in the Holy Lands! We are expecting a great outpouring of His glory! We have several opportunities for ministry. Please pray that the Lord will confirm the gospel message through healings, miracles, signs and wonders!

 

 

James

 

Pastor James Durham

Higher Calling Ministries, Intl

P.O. Box 292335

Columbia, SC 29229-0335


Jesus is the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords!   

             /}   Sword of the Spirit

@#####{ ]::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::>

             \}       Use it Daily!

 

Nov162012

What Heaven is Saying Today

Thanks to those who inquired about our health and welfare after the messages were not sent for a couple of days. We are preparing to leave for Israel tomorrow morning and have had so many tasks to complete before we leave. Some of the things I have received were not clear to me until this morning. I have been seeing some kind of deep darkness settling over us and attempting to block our access to the Lord and to Heaven. Yesterday, after I pressed through all these things, I saw people who were at a decision point. Many difficult decisions were being made. One of the powerful ones was those who were having to decide between their jobs and the Lord, their group affiliations and the Lord, and their future plans and the Lord! There was such a spirit of heaviness over this place of decision that I didn’t want to send it out until I had a better understanding.

 

This morning, I had to press through layer after layer of darkness between here and the open heaven. In a series of visions the Lord let me experience what I  thought was moving toward an open portal into Heaven only to find that it abruptly stopped at another level of darkness. I pressed in and found another opening and move toward it – but came to another ending place where there was darkness. I went through this process several times before actually entering the Lord’s presence. When I finally arrived the Lord took me on a tour to let me know what is happening.

 

We went through many empty tunnels and what looked like riverbeds, but there was no water. I felt a great craving for living water! My thirst continued to intensify, but there was no water. Then, we went to buildings which are the seats of government in various countries. Each place was completely empty. No one was there and no one was developing a solution to the problems of the nations. The Lord let me see these things in the spirit. Then He said that the so called leaders were actually there, but none of them had any answers. In essence the places are empty because the leadership of the world is spiritually empty.

 

In the Spirit, I was returned to a place in Heaven and listened to what the Lord was saying. “You must understand NOW that I am your source! The world can no longer provide for even your basic needs. Those who are dependent on the government for supply will quickly run out and suffer greatly. Those who think there is some kind of “mother nature” to meet their needs will soon see their supplies dry up. None of your manmade structures have the answers for this time. These institutions and philosophies have become a type of idolatry. Then cannot help you now.” I remembered Ezekiel 29:16, “Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence for the people of Israel but will be a reminder of their sin in turning to her for help. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’”

 

I was struggling with the idea of sending this out. I know that people are looking for good news. No one wants any more bad news. I cried out for bread from heaven and for the living water to flow. Then I heard the Lord say, “This is the good news! I am still your source! There are no shortages in Heaven! The storehouse is still full and the floodgates are still open! This is a time for people to understand that I am their hope, their source, and their supply! This is a time of harvest as you spread the good news! People have not been willing to hear it during the times of plenty, but will soon be open to hearing in times of shortages! You must grasp this in your spirit now so that you are ready to spread the good news of the gospel for this time! This is not a time for gloom and doom! This is harvest time!”

 

I heard the phrase, “gird up your loins.” Then I remembered Luke 12:35-37, “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.”

 

This message is about good news. Remember the promise in 2 Corinthians 9:10-11, “Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.”

 

P.S. On our last two visits to Israel, I was unable to make an internet connection to send the messages. The next message may not come forth until the first of December. May the Lord bless you, provide for you, encourage you, and inspire you to be fruitful in this season of harvest! Amen and Amen!

 

Please pray for our safe travel and for the Glory of the Lord to manifest in Israel! Pray for peace, provision, and protection for Israel and Jerusalem. Pray for prophetic words to flow so that many will be led to faith in Yeshua ha Messiach! Amen!

 

Shabbat Shalom!

 

Nov132012

What Heaven is Saying Today

This morning I experienced two separate visions from the Lord, but know that they are connected in the Spirit. First, the Lord let me stand in front of two very strong steel doors like those on a ship or submarine. The door on the right was slightly ajar and the one on the left was closed and sealed. It was obvious that a choice had to be made at these doors. The easiest thing would be to move through the door on the right which was already slightly open, but I had a negative feeling about the door. I could see beyond the door and everything was completely dark. I understood in the Spirit that the easy way is not the way the Lord is leading us in this season.

 

I moved toward the door which was closed and sealed. I knew that it would take a great deal of strength to open the door, but I was certain that it was the way the Spirit was leading. I prayed for strength and move toward the door.

 

Just as I made my choice the vision was gone and another vision was in its place. I knew that this was what to expect when we go through the door seldom used. In this vision, I was standing at the edge of a deep forest. I looked down and saw that a grass fire was quickly spreading. I didn’t react in time to stop the fire and I was certain that I was not supposed to stop it. A sudden breeze energized the fire and it moved very quickly toward the forest. In my mind, I pictured scenes from the recent wide fires across the country and prayed that no one would be injured in the fire.

 

Then I heard the Lord say, “The fire is about to be ignited! Don’t run from My fire! It is necessary to initiate what is to follow!” I remembered 1 Peter 1:6-7, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

 

It is not easy to be tested by fire. We learned at an early age to avoid fire and the memory of the pain it causes stays with us for a lifetime. However, the testing is necessary if we are to be purified and made ready to serve Him. This morning, I heard the Lord make a new command for holiness – the holiness which comes through the fire. I remembered what Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

 

Ready or not, the fire is coming! I asked the Lord this morning if this is the word for the day? It seemed challenging and I wondered if some would experience fear. The Lord took me through these visions three times, and I knew this was the message from heaven for today. I was reminded of 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” This should not lead to fear! The Lord says over and over, “Do not fear! Be strong and courageous!” Are you ready for the fire which tests and purifies? I pray that we will be prepared before it comes so that all our work will endure. Amen and Amen!

 

Nov122012

What Heaven is Saying Today

This morning I was lifted up to heaven and stood by the Lord looking over the open portal in Heaven down toward the Earth below. I could not see the earth because I was looking down into the vortex of what looked like a gigantic tornado. I watched as the outer edges whirled around violently in a clockwise direction. This huge spiritual funnel cloud was rapidly approaching the surface of the earth. Then as I continued to watch this powerful move of the Lord, I heard Him say, “I am about to turn everything around and many things will be upside down! This will bring great trauma to many, but you are not to be afraid! I am about to lift up the righteous and bring down the unrighteous! This will not happen through any work of man! I am doing this thing and it is about to happen! You must be ready for it! You must prepare very quickly!” As I reflected on this word from the Lord many thoughts went through my mind and many scriptures were given to me. A few of these scriptures follow:

 

Matthew 19:30, “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

 

Mark 10:42-45, “But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

 

Zechariah 4:6, “So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.”

 

Then I heard the Lord say, “If you would be ready for this, you must let go of every manmade doctrine and every misleading interpretation of My Word! You must immediately submit to the Spirit of truth and let Him guide you back to the truth of my word!” I remembered what Jesus said in John 4:23-24, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” We like to think we are already do this, but the word of the Lord this morning challenges this belief. We have lived under the influence of a spirit of religion for so long that we are not always aware of some of the remnants which remain in our souls. It is time to break free from every aspect of it. Some of the things which we falsely hold sacred will have to be removed so that we can embrace fully the Lord’s pure and perfect truth! I was reminded of the Lord’s warning in Ezekiel 22:26, “Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.” I then remembered Paul’s solution for this problem. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18, “Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”

 

We are long past the time to come out and be separate. Now the Lord is doing the work and it is going to be awesome. Remember what He said to Ezekiel in Ezekiel 22:30-31, “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.”

 

Once again, the Lord is taking the action! Once again the Lord is doing a mighty work among His people! Once again the call to separate ourselves from the things of the flesh has been given! Will He find us ready and willing to let go of everything which hinders and ready to move with Him? Now is the time to submit to the leadership of the Spirit of Truth! Now is the time to let go of every false and deceptive teaching! Will He find us ready? I pray that He will! Amen!

Nov112012

What Heaven is Saying Today

This morning the Lord took me to many places around the world in heavenly visions. I was aware of His presence, but He was not speaking during this time. He took me to places where I could see majestic mountain peaks in the early morning light as dawn began to break across the horizon. He took me to deep forests where darkness seemed to be so thick that you could feel it. However, when I looked up, I could see that the early morning light was beginning to fill the sky above. He took me beside lakes and along ocean shores and let me see clearly the first light of dawn bathing the earth in every place. It was as if the dawn was coming to every place on earth at the same time.

 

In place after place, I saw the same thing in the skies. The thing which really stood out was the color of the light filling the skies. It was a beautiful bluish/purple color and seemed to be coming in waves. As I viewed these colorful skies, I reflected on the royal color flowing from the horizon. It was the color of the Glory of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. It was awesome and I was filled with expectancy.

 

As I was lifted up, it seemed like the open portal into heaven was closing. When I could not see it anymore, I was wondering how I would be lifted through it? There was no problem getting through the darkness which seemed to cover the open portal of heaven. We are still living under an open Heaven whether we can see it or not. Sometimes we have to take it by faith. At other times it is so clearly manifest that we can receive it by sight. No matter what we see, Heaven is still open and the work of the Lord continues. His provision is still flowing whether you see it or not. Stay open to receive everything the Lord is pouring out from the storehouse of Heaven. The floodgates are open and the King of Glory is coming like a flood in power and great glory!

 

As I entered His presence in Heaven, I heard Him say, “Time is very short! It is so difficult to stay alert and ready! However, that is what you must do NOW! Time is much shorter than people believe! You must understand from the Holy Spirit the times and seasons! You must be open to hear and understand what hour this is! It is too late to heal all the problems of the world’s societies! But, there is still time to establish the Kingdom of God! Continue to press in as violently as necessary and continue to draw people in with you! You must not stop or even slow down! Time is very short! Stay alert! Stay ready! Work diligently now for the night is coming, but first the dawn of my appearing!”

 

I was overwhelmed by all that the Lord said! I prayed that He would help me to remember His words. Then I remembered what He said in John 16:13-15, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”

 

I heard the Lord say again, “Time is very short!” This is a time for radical trust in the Holy Spirit! This is an hour when we need to be very attentive to all He says to us! This is a time to be Spirit led in all things we do! This is a time for increased gifting in Words of knowledge and Words of wisdom! May we have our spiritual ears open to hear and may we have our spiritual eyes open to see! May we understand the times and hear the Living Word speak to us of what we should do! Amen and Amen!

 

 

James

 

Pastor James Durham

Higher Calling Ministries, Intl

P.O. Box 292335

Columbia, SC 29229-0335


Jesus is the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords!   

             /}   Sword of the Spirit

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             \}       Use it Daily!

 

Nov102012

What Heaven is Saying Today

This morning the Lord let me see something which surprised me. In Heaven, I saw one of the actors who played Superman dressed if full costume. It was difficult to understand this. So, I asked the Lord to give me revelation and understanding. Then the Lord brought back a very old memory for me. When I was in seminary, I visited another denominational seminary in the Fort Worth, Texas area. As I waited to visit the Dean of Students, I picked up a school magazine and thumbed through it. My eyes were suddenly fixed on a cartoon which showed a free standing coat-rack with one item on a hanger. It was a Superman costume. This didn’t make sense until I noticed the label just inside the collar of the suit. It said, “MADE IN DESPERATION!”

 

As soon as this memory came back, I heard the Lord say, “People are still searching in desperation for someone to come forward with supernatural powers to save them. They are looking for some man or some woman who can rescue them and set them free from their circumstances. In the recent elections, some people expected a human savior to emerge victorious. That person has already appeared, but many are expecting someone else. You don’t need a man or a woman to do what has already been done.” I was reminded of Acts 4:10b-12, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

 

As I meditated on these words from the Lord, He interrupted my thoughts by saying, “Don’t spend your time looking for a man or woman to come forth to rescue you and make all things right in the world! I have decided to call you (everyone reading this message – yes that means you!) to accomplish my work! I am giving you supernatural powers and prophetic vision to see beyond the surface and do the miracles, signs and wonders I promised!”

 

You are the superman or superwoman the Lord is raising up to accomplish His purpose on the earth. It is going to require supernatural wisdom and revelation from the Lord to do what He is calling you to do. You must listen closely every moment for the “still small voice” of the Lord to lead you in the right direction and to release words on knowledge and words of wisdom!

 

Most of us have been hoping the Lord would send someone else. We like to watch super heroes from the safety of our homes take all the risks and pay the price to do God’s work. It is another thing altogether to hear Him say, “I have decided to call you!” How do we get ready for something like this? We must be in constant contact with the Lord! We must spend time in His Word! We must listen for His voice! We must stand ready to step out when we are called.

 

I remembered the prayer of the believers in Acts 4:27-30, “Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Are we able to pray that prayer for “great boldness?” We love to pray for the miracles, signs, and wonders, but these flow from the bold witness of true disciples of Jesus Christ. Are we ready to do this? When they prayed this way, the Lord immediately confirmed it as recorded in verse 31, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

 

We want the “great power” and the “great grace” which followed, but are we willing to be the bold ones in this generation? Are you ready? I pray that the Lord will give us supernatural boldness and as we share the gospel of the Kingdom that He will confirm it with healings, miracles, signs and wonders! But most of all, I pray for us to live in the “great boldness” necessary in this time! Amen and Amen!

Nov092012

What Heaven is Saying Today

As I entered the Lord’s presence this morning, He directed my attention to a vision of an early evening scene on the Earth. I believe the timing of this vision is important. We are near the end of the day. In the distance I could see a sign like a billboard beside a highway. It was too far away to see it clearly, but the Lord and I were moving toward it. I was expecting to get close enough to read the billboard, but that didn’t happen. It was a sign indicating that we should expect a sign from the Lord which will come very soon. We must live in expectancy and be alert to see what is soon coming our way. This is a time for vigilance. It is not time to go to sleep. This approaching night is a time to be awake, alert, and ready. This is our watch in the night.

 

As we drew closer to the sign, I saw a vision within the vision. On the right side of the road, I saw a beautiful and very large lawn. The light here was like the light of midday. The lawn was beautifully kept with deep green colored grass, perfectly trimmed hedges and small bushes, and lavishly detailed landscaping. I thought it might be the lawn of some great mansion. I thought it might speak of a time of prosperity and peace. However, when we came to the front of this property, I saw that it was a very large cemetery. Then I heard the Lord say, “Many people are located spiritually at this place. They are decorating the place of the flesh and trying to make it look like it is a place of life, hope and future glory! Instead, they should be focused on the place of the spirit. My people are not here! They are safely home with me! Can you see it? Can you get your eyes off of the temporal and focus on the eternal?”

 

I remembered Romans 8:5, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” The day is far spent and we no longer have the luxury of abundant time to focus on the flesh. This is the hour to focus on the things of the Spirit. We must put our trust in the Lord and in His Word as never before. Romans 8:11, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” I was also led to 1 Corinthians 15:53-54, “For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

 

In preparation for the sign which is about to appear, we are being reminded to stay focused on the Lord, the Word, and what is eternal. It is a time for radical faith in the one who promised. John 12:25-26, “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”

 

I suddenly began to experience a very strange kind of shaking. It was very gentle and it slowly spread to my entire body. I knew that some kind of shaking is on the horizon, and I wondered if we are ready for it. The Spirit led me to Hebrews 12:26-29, “At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

 

We need not live in fear or dread, because we have His promises. We have received His assurances about the future. The world still believes that with proper programming and careful management perishable things can be kept from perishing. This is a great delusion which the enemy has designed to keep us from the truth of the Word. The victory has already been won! We need to align ourselves with the victorious Lord Jesus and trust in His promises. John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” We are victorious in Him! We are more than conquerors! May we hold to it as we keep our eyes on Jesus! Amen and Amen!

Nov082012

What Heaven is Saying Today

Some who are younger may not immediately understand the vision the Lord gave me this morning. I was lifted up into His presence and stood with Him as He watched a man who was working very hard. At first, I didn’t understand what the man was trying to do. Then the Lord let me see from a different angle and it was clear that the man was working on an old style butter churn. I remembered doing this when I was young. It is very hard work, and for a long time it seems like there are no results. To produce butter, you work the churn handle up and down steadily for a very long time. The churn is filled with fresh whole milk and the plunger easily moves up and down in the thin liquid. Then suddenly, the milk begins to thicken and you can feel the difference immediately. Only a short time later the white milk has been transformed into golden yellow butter. It is a challenge for a child to continue to work when there seem to be no results. It is a challenge to wait for the sudden change.

 

The man in the vision obviously had the patience to continue to work with no apparent results. He was covered with perspiration. He had been working at it for such a long time that the dust from the air had mixed with the perspiration and it looked like he had a fine layer of mud all over. As the Lord and I watched, I began to notice that the Lord was filled with compassion for the man. Then He looked at me and said, “The problem is that the man is trying to make butter from skim milk!” I received an immediate revelation from the Lord’s comment. It is the milk fat from whole milk which is churned into butter fat. Without the milk fat, butter will never be produced. The revelation which came to me is that many of us have been so concerned for the flesh (our physical wellbeing) that we have cut out as much fat from our diets as possible. In many ways that has been a very positive move. In some cases, we are finding that we need some of the fat. Several recent studies have shown that butter is more healthy than some of the substitutes we have created.

 

As I considered these things, I heard the Lord say, “This man decided that he would reduce the fat in every area of his life. Unfortunately, he reduced the fat content in his spirit and soul.” I had to ponder that statement for a while and asked the Holy Spirit for more revelation. I received this understanding. Many have not only failed to move from milk to the solid food of the Word, but have actually sought less fat in their already deprived spiritual diet. They have chosen to ignore the parts of the Word which they don’t like or don’t immediately understand. They have not been willing to take it by faith or spend time meditating and waiting on revelation from the Holy Spirit. The Lord was talking about a kind of spiritual laziness which results in less than whole milk. No matter how much we work or how long we churn, it will not achieve the desired results. We need to get some fat back into our spiritual diets: not only milk fat but the fat of the solid food of the gospel.

 

Hebrews 5:12-14, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

 

The Holy Spirit reminded me that in the original texts there are no chapter or verse divisions. I was led from these last words in chapter 5 to the first words in chapter 6. This was originally all one flowing Word.

 

Hebrews 6:1-6, “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.” For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”

 

This is not a good time to give up the solid food of the gospel. This is not the time to turn away after having tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come. This is the time to be operating in the full power of the Word of God! This is the time to be telling the truth of the Word, the whole truth of the Word and nothing but the whole truth of the Word! May you be empowered today to carry the full power of the Spirit! May we not waste time churning skim milk and expecting results! It is time for the power of the gospel to be made manifest so that through miracles, healings, signs and wonders an unbelieving generation may be led to the Lord! May we be excellent harvesters using the full power the Holy Spirit has given! Amen and Amen!

Nov072012

What Heaven is Saying Today

This morning the Lord gave me a vision of an early morning sky. As I looked at the horizon, I saw row after row of red and dark orange clouds across the area of the rising sun. I remembered what Jesus said in Matthew 16:1-3, “Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.” As these words went through my mind, I remembered how my father taught me this truth. He said many times, “Red sky at night – sailors delight! Red sky in the morning – sailors take warning!”

 

It was clear that a storm is brewing on the horizon and will soon be upon us. What are we to do now? I heard the Lord say, “Intercessors arise! Watchmen arise! Gatekeepers arise! This is not a time to go into hiding! This is a time to come forth and take your stand! It is in the difficult times that the Kingdom is advanced! It is in times of hardship that the harvest is great!” I remembered again what the Lord promised to Isaac in Genesis 26:1-3a, “There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you;”

 

Isaac trusted the Lord and stayed in the land of famine. The Lord blessed his obedience and fulfilled his promise to Isaac. Genesis 26:12-14a, “Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants.” Remember that obedience came first and was then followed by the blessing. The Word from the Lord for today calls for our obedience. The Word of the Lord today is a promise for another time of sowing in famine and reaping a hundred fold. It is harvest time! It is time for the Kingdom of God to increase and expand. It is a time of blessing and favor from the Lord that will catch the attention of others and draw them to the Lord.

 

I remembered another outcome from Isaac’s blessing and prosperity. Genesis 26:14b-16, “So the Philistines envied him. Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.” This is a time for the Lord to make the enemies see us as “much mightier than” they. This is a time for Kingdom logic and Kingdom wisdom. Notice that the Philistines kept stopping up the wells during the time of famine. Their foolish choices made their situation worse and worse. This is not a season to stop up the wells. This is a season to dig new wells and open those the enemy has stopped up. This is a season to receive blessing and favor in abundance from the Lord. This is a season to release a new flow of living water.

 

This is not a season to grumble and complain. This is not a season to point fingers of blame. This is not a season to draw into a hiding place and hope the storm will pass us by. This is the time to step out in faith and obedience. This is a season to arise and enter the fields of harvest! This is a season to take forth the gospel of the Kingdom and draw people to the Lord. Whining and complaining will not impress the enemy. Grumbling will not bring favor from the Lord. Now is the time to follow His published Kingdom strategy. Not is the time to sow and reap. This is a season for those who plow to overtake those who are reaping. This is a season to receive the abundance of the Lord. He has reminded us once again that the world is not our source of supply. The Lord is now and always has been our source! Amen and Amen!!!!

Nov062012

What Heaven is Saying Today

This morning as I went into the Lord’s presence, I asked for a word from Heaven for today and that is what I received – a word. I heard the Lord say, “Freedom!” He said it in a strong and commanding way. I was grateful for the word, but asked for clarification. Then I heard the Lord say, “Breakthrough for Freedom!” I was certain that this word was for one particular person. Just then I heard the phone ringing and that person had called my wife Gloria. I paused from this time with the Lord and had the opportunity to release that word.

 

As I returned to the Lord’s presence, I saw dark clouds overhead partially blocking the open heaven above. Then the Light of God’s glory shattered the dark clouds and a powerful flow of His Glory came through. I was lifted into His presence and heard the two statements again from heaven. “Freedom!” and “Breakthrough for Freedom!” I was slightly confused since I had already given this word. So, I asked the Lord to tell me again if this is the word to send out today. Then I heard a shout from the Lord, “Freedom!” I was immediately led to John 8:36, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” I knew that this was a word for all of us and especially for Spirit Filled believers in the USA. Then I heard another shout from Heaven, “Breakthrough for Freedom!” I began to feel a strong sense of joy arising within me. However, I knew that we have to reach out and take this gift from Heaven, and today that means going to vote.

 

As I pondered these things, I heard a softer yet very strong voice saying, “Be responsible with your freedom, this time!” I received the command to be responsible as a strong admonition. However the second part of the statement seemed very ominous. It was as though we don’t have many more chances to be responsible with our freedom. Then I remembered Paul’s teaching in Galatians 5:13-15, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

 

I also considered what Peter taught in 1 Peter 2:16-17, “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” Freedom carries great responsibility, and we have received the greatest of all freedoms in Christ Jesus. Now is the time to act responsibly and serve both the Lord and others. This is a time to love everyone and release a call to respond to the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Now is the time of the great harvest! We have been set free to do the work of the Kingdom and we will be held accountable for the use of this freedom.

 

May we all be inspired to live in accordance with the Word of God! May we all be inspired once again to carry the Gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth! May we not use our freedom to live for the cares of this world! May we not use our freedom to indulge the flesh! May we use our freedom to carry out the Great Commission and Great Command of Jesus Christ! The “Freedom” we are being given is a gift from the Father of Lights! Remember James 1:16-18, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” The gift which was freely given carries a charge for responsibility and accountability. May we do well with both! Amen and Amen!!!

 

Galatians 5:15-18, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.”

 

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