Day 291

Day 291 of  The Red Shoe Project has come and gone.  My RED shoes were securely fixed on my feet and now they are lying by the front door.  It's almost time for bed.  Many things got accomplished today!  I like when things get accomplished.  Even so, today had it's challenges.

The other day I talked about the need to "push through" in order to get into the "prayer zone" - that special place of prayer where you get lost in intercession.  The Spirit of God falls on you and you totally lose track of the time.  When it's finally done and over, you open the door and realize, "You're back!"



You leave your prayer chamber filled with spiritual fuel and you're ready to do the work of the ministry.  The anointing power has been activated in you life and now it's time to go into the world and take care of business.  You must do whatever The Lord has instructed you to do!

That's the fun part because you're soaring by faith!  You know what God has spoken, so you just go out and do it.  You're not worried about what people think -- Instead, you're focused on what God's about to do!  Hallelujah!  At the end of the day, you plop into bed totally exhausted, but happy as a lark.  It is a good thing to be about The Father's business!



Then comes "the day after."  Somehow, while you were sleeping, all that spiritual sustenance drained from your body.  You went from  Full to Empty! -- from Powerful to Limp!  And there's the devil just waiting to smack you down before you even get your bearings about you.

The other day, at The Bonfire,  I met a woman who said she used to pray for people to be healed all the time.  She stopped because she found that she was taking on the ailments that they had.  She'd pray for someone who had a sore back and they would leave healed, but she'd suddenly have a horrendous back ache.  Who needs that?

"That's not of God!" shouted a sister from the other side of the room.  "That's the work of the enemy!"  When you think of it, what was the result?  She stopped praying.   Sure, she didn't get sick anymore herself, but she threw the baby out with the bath water -- no one got healed anymore either.  That's not God!

It got me thinking about the importance of putting on the Armor of God.  (Ephesians 6)

A fire fighter doesn't  head out to a fire in his gym gear.  No, he puts on special protective clothing and equips himself with special tools to do his job.  In the same way, a surgeon doesn't walk into the operating room in a suit and tie.  No, he has a specific cleansing routine before and after.  He puts on a pair of scrubs, special gloves and a mask.

  Why would prayer or any other job God gives you 

be any different?

If you're going to do the work of the ministry, you must put on the Armor of God!  Why?  Because anyone working for the Lord is a prime target for spiritual warfare.  Watch Out!!!  It would be great if we could do all the fun stuff with no push back, no challenges, no opposition.  But it doesn't work that way.  The enemy will come after you!  You can't think of yourself as a Pastor or Pastor's wife -- a Sunday school teacher -- an altar worker -- a prayer partner --  youth leader -- or just part of the worship team.  NO!

You must think of yourself as

 "A Soldier in God's Army!"  

You have to be able to protect yourself, and God has given us Divine Instruction on how to do that in Ephesians 6.

There's also the matter of re-fueling.  When the car is out of gas, you bring it to the pump and "fill-er up!"  When we are out of fuel, we must fill up as well.  It's back to worship & praise, God's Word, and prayer.  If you don't do that, the enemy will get you.  He'll shred you to pieces and it won't be pretty.

He'll lie, lie, lie, wearing you down, until you believe him.  You'll find yourself doubting all that God has told you.  As a mature believer in the Lord you must be able to identify that tactic immediately and respond quickly.  If your armor isn't on, you better get it on!

I didn't make it to the prayer chamber, today, until late afternoon.  I had appointments all day.  Fortunately, one of my appointments was with two awesome friends that are solid Christians.  Just being with them stirred my faith!  Which, by the way, one of them was in need of a healing, so of course, I prayed right then and there!  Yeah... that's a new gift that God has instructed me to put into practice.  That means if I'm around anyone who needs healing, and God doesn't instruct me otherwise, I shall step out by faith, lay my hands on them and pray.  That's how it's done.

Hmmmm.  Think of it this way:  When you get a new phone, what do you do?  You play with it.  You figure it out.  You spend a lot of time maneuvering it, so you know how it works, right?    Sometimes God's gifts are like that.  You've got to figure them out.  You've got to try them on for size. You've got to practice until you get it.

The ultimate goal is to 

understand everything that device 

has to offer and to be able 

to use it fully to your advantage.   

You're right -- many of us don't do that.  We learn just enough to get by.

With a phone, that's not an issue.  

With the devil... it is!  

The more you know  AND the more you practice, the better!   

Be prepared!

I was also extremely thankful for an unexpected visit from my prayer partner.  It was a short visit, but she poured words of truth into my soul.  It is good to have a friend!  When she left I felt nourished and ready for anything.

Finally, I got myself into the prayer room.  That was an amazing time.  God met me there and much was accomplished!

Until tomorrow...

Your friend in RED shoes,
Gail

Day 290

It's Day 290 of  The Red Shoe Project.  Before I even got out of bed I heard the bell on my iphone signal someone had left a message.  I grabbed for my glasses and then for the phone.  Hmmmm.  A comment on facebook.  Compelled to take a closer look, it turned out to be a prophetic blessing from a dear friend.

What a way to start the day!

10:00 a.m.  I popped on my RED sneakers, got Pauly's leash and out we went to greet the day.  Simply Beautiful!  As we walked along, Pauly sniffed here, there and everywhere, while I enjoyed the warmth of the sun and began to whisper praises to God.  That word from Kam was having a time-released effect on me.  I could feel it penetrating my soul!

I was filled with wonder as to 

what today might hold for me.

Pauly did an immediate about face and decided that we would walk down the street instead of up the street and I joyfully followed.  As I enjoyed the walk, I looked up to the sky and whispered,

"What shall we do today, Lord?"  

Rather abruptly, I remembered a disturbing text that I received last night from a dear friend of mine.  She had just been notified that her daughter, who had been clean for quite some time now, was dismissed from the halfway house for using heroine.  "Oh God! -- Why isn't she free?"  We have prayed over her, for her  and with her,  relentlessly, over the years.  We really thought she had made it this time!  And my poor friend... "wearisome"  doesn't quite describe it.  Drug addiction is a grueling battlefield.  It's effects on the family are devastating.  I could feel anger churning within me as tears filled my eyes.  I wanted to tear that demon-spirit of drug addiction apart with my bare hands.  And then I heard the voice of the Lord...

"No Gail... 
this is not a battle 

to be fought in the natural.  

It can only be won 
on your knees.  

Bring it into the prayer chamber today!"

Yes!  That is what I would do.  I asked God for direction for today and He just filled in the  #1 spot on my "TO DO"  list.  I tugged on Pauly's leash and we began to shuffle down the street.  I thought my conversation with God was over for now, but apparently not.  Suddenly a vision flashed before me clearer than ever.  I must admit, I think this is the third or forth time I've seen this in the past two days.  

The vision:  There's a minister preaching on a platform when suddenly he's interrupted by people in the audience shouting ...  "I want to be saved! What must I do to be saved?"   The crowd is quite large.  All over the place, people are jumping up and down to be noticed.  Their hands are outstretched as they call out out from the depths of their souls... "Save me!  Save me!  What must I do?  Please tell me!"  The anguish in their voices chilled me to the bone.  Talk about a vision for the lost!

Oh my gosh!  There I was walking Pauly on this nice sunny day and my insides were crumbling fast.  Tears were streaming down my face.  My heart was wrenched as their desperate cries echoed in my brain!  Suddenly,  my breath was snatched from me.  I could feel the anointing!  Right then God said to me...

"It's okay Gail... 

 Bring it to the prayer chamber.

We'll take care of it there."

Pauly started to move along to the next house and the next and I followed.  My tears had dried up for the time being.   #2 on my list was now successfully written on my heart.  With that done, another request came to mind.  My prayer partner's brother-in-law is battling cancer. We've been praying for a miracle.  I can certainly pray more.

Miracle:  a surprising and welcoming event that can not be explained by natural or scientific law.  It's supernatural!  A divine interruption that changes everything!  Something impossible takes places due to the goodness and grace of God.  With it, HOPE is restored and all the praise goes to God Almighty!

"That shall be #3 on your 

list for today,"  God said.

12:55 p.m.  I have written down the 3 priorities for today's meeting with God.  I could perhaps think of 101 things to pray for myself, but that's not on today's  agenda.  God has all my stuff under His control.  For now, my job is to present these three requests before the King on behalf of my friends.

Right before I shut the door behind me to pray, another request came in by text message.  "Pray for Jim - He's in the hospital."  It was so perfectly timed, I made it #4 on the prayer list.  No more diversions.  It's time!

"O Righteous Heavenly Father, I come...  "

3:25 p.m.  My time in the prayer room would be considered quite unconventional for some.  I prayed in the Spirit for about an hour or so.  As I paced back and forth at the end of my bed, I felt like I was eavesdropping on a foreigner preaching.  LOL.  Then God started to talk with me.  

"You're going to do it!" He said.  

"You're going to lay your hands on people 

and they're going to be healed!"

"Did you not hear what Ziva said to you yesterday?"  Suddenly I remembered  what happened at yesterday's  Bonfire.  We were discussing Gifts of Healing.  Afterwards, Ziva -- who's frequently used in the laying on of hands -- grabbed me in her arms, placed her hands on my head and spoke out rather boldly, "God's told me to impart everything He's given me, to you.  You're going to lay hands on people and they will be healed!"   How could I have forgotten that?  There was so much body ministry going on at the end of our meeting, I didn't take it all in at the time... but she had in fact said that.

"Don't you remember what that prophet, David Wagner spoke to you?" said the Lord.  "Did he not tell you that I would use you in the ministry of healing?  Did he not anoint your hands and pray for that?  Didn't he tell you that it was about to take place?"   That was true.  He said those things just two months ago.  I had pondered them and, well,  I guess I just tucked them away for awhile, figuring God would do it when He was ready. 

Okay... so let me make this clear.  I'm not looking to be a healer!  If anything, I've tended to shy away from that gift, ever since the minister told me to go back to my seat and pray quietly.  (Sorry, I can't remember what day of The RSP we talked about that.)  Sure, that was over twenty-five years ago, but even still... I don't want you to think that I decided today that it would be a good thing for me to become a healer.  It doesn't work that way!  Besides, no one's really a healer.  God's the healer.  We're just vessels He chooses at will to move His healing power through.  Then He told me that...

 After our prayer meeting 

He wanted me to go by the 

hospital and lay hands on Jim.  

He was going to heal him!"

"Don't worry about what you say,  or how you say it.  That doesn't really matter to me."   He said.  "I don't really care how you do it.  That's just like sprinkles on top 

of the cupcake.   You decide.  

But I'm going to heal him!" 

You better believe that was a powerful moment.  Oh my gosh... it was an afternoon of travailing in the Spirit for those four items on the "TO DO" list!

When the door finally opened, I quickly put on my RUBY REDS and headed over to the hospital.  I found Jim and his wife, shared my story and we all held hands and prayed.  I stayed several hours and upon departure, I told Jim I expected him to be out of that bed and home pronto!  

We are all believing together that 

"It is done!"

11:17 p.m.  It's been a long, glorious day!  Praise the Lord!  I've added a few pictures to the blog and corrected a few spelling errors.  It's time to post and call it a night.  Thanks Kami for that awesome word this morning.  You were right on!

In Red shoes,

Gail

Day 289

Day 289 of  The Red Shoe Project has me out of the house, in RED shoes, and about the Lord's business.  I'm expecting an incredible day in Christ!  but I haven't forgotten that I promised to finish my story from the other night's prayer meeting.  Truly it was a glorious night of prayer and healing, but there was even more!

Let me back up for a minute...  About a week or so ago, God gave me Psalm 102:13 to stand on.  Do you remember?

"...it is time to show favor to her;

the appointed time has come."

I bring that up because, well - it's just time.  The harvest is here!  If you stay on track and keep moving forward, eventually you get to where you're going.  I haven't been going in circles.  I haven't been taking detours.  I've been on the straight and narrow, and finally I've arrived at the place I set out for.   For so long, my destination wasn't in sight.  It was far off.  I had to walk believing that I'd eventually arrive.  I had to trust that God's promises were true -- that I was, in fact, hearing His voice, -- and that  one day I'd embrace  the physical manifestations of those promises.

The other day I was driving to church and God spoke this to me:

"Gail, I want you to know just how divinely 

orchestrated this time of your life is.  

Everything that you are about to experience 

has been Spiritually-set,  Divinely-recorded and 

God-directed.  You couldn't mess this up if you tried! " 

Talk about no pressure!  Thank you Lord!  Is this some sort of spiritual coasting?  I just let go and let God?  I'm taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.  Boy that feels good!  For a girl who's always trying to do things right it's great knowing that God has this all under control.  Perhaps it's like that much more than I think?

So back to the prayer meeting.  Here's the big take home for me.  It's been 289 days of wearing RED shoes, right?  We're into the last quarter of the year.  God speaks this powerful word of prophetic direction to me.  I'm telling you... I couldn't have come up with something so masterful if I tried.  

"We're about to accelerate, Gail.  

It's time to pick up the pace. 

We're going to do more in this 

last quarter than all of the first 

three quarters combined." 

"This will be a time of

PRAYER   PRAYER   PRAYER"

"Everything is about to change 

as we add the fuel to the equation!"

Wow!  When He spoke that, and even now as I read it, I can sense a Divine Combustion taking place within me.  BOOM!  Can you see what He's doing?  I can't quite grasp ahold of the entire picture, but I can see bits and pieces of God's will for me flashing on and off in my heart and mind.  It's overwhelming!  

The Prayer Changes Everything!

How did this all happen so fast?  I was just relaxing at home on a Sunday evening, surfing the web, looking for something inspirational to nibble on.  

I never knew that one little click   

would change my life,

 empower my ministry and  

plummet me into the depths 

of God's very heart. 

Talk about full circle.  He's brought me back to my  #1 Ministry of Prayer.   He's saved this most powerful component for a year-end Grande Finale!  

I can't help but smile at the wonder of it all.  Who knows how long ago it was that Roberts Liardon even preached that message?   His grandmother has long since gone to be with Jesus.  They don't know me, and I don't know them.  What I do know is this:  God anointed that specific word --  that message -- that testimony and that practice to transform and empower my life and ministry today.  I'll never be the same.   It just goes to prove that God's ministry is timeless -- It's recyclable -- It's forever anointed -- And always impactful!

Heading back to the prayer room,

Gail 

Day 288

It's Day 288 of  The Red Shoe Project.  It's early.  I have not yet slipped into my RUBY REDS for the day.  I am still enjoying the aftereffects of last night's ministry.  WOW!

I went to a Holy Ghost prayer meeting 

late last night and I'm going again today!

Yesterday was my sabbath day -- Church, followed by lunch with friends, some downtime at home, and then, the writing of the blog.  There was still plenty of time to spare before the day was done, so I took Pauly around the block for his evening walk, came home and began surfing YouTube for some inspiration.  CLICK.  I settled back in my chair to take in a good word.  What a nice way to end the day!

There I was listening to Dr. Roberts Liardon speak on the topic of Diverse Tongues.  He shared a great testimony about his praying grandmother and her impact on his life.  Daily  she would go into her room, shut the door,  get on her knees and say,  "Oh Righteous Heavenly Father, I come."  And then she'd pray for hours in the Spirit.

Hmmm.  That got me to thinking, "I wonder what would happen if I did that?"  Seems simple enough. After all, it sounds like the Spirit is doing all the praying.  If I could just push through the awkward part up front until things took off, it could be quite powerful.

"Pushing through"

Determination is...

Staying Power,

Singlemindedness,

Purposefullness,

Intentness,

Persistence,

Stout-Heartedness,

Pressing in until

you're there!

Yeah... that sounds easy, but most people don't make it.  They give up!  They get tired!  They throw in the towel too soon.  If you're going to do this, it's critical that you determine up front that you're going to  stay focused, until you're airborne.  It's like taking off in a plane.  You've got to get off the ground (earth)  and into the air,  (the heavenlies).  So I took up the challenge.  What can I say?  I felt...

Compelled  --  Drawn  --  I just had to try it! 

It seemed like the right thing to do.  There was a sense of joyful urgency within me.  Something was going on in my heart.

The Holy Spirit was shouting, 

"YES!!! Let's do it!"

I looked at the clock.  It was just after midnight.  I went into my room and shut the door.  Pauly jumped on the bed and settled down for the night.  I propped up the pillows, sat back, pulled my knees into my chest,  bowed my head, closed my eyes and repeated the words...

"Oh Righteous Heavenly Father, 

I come."

Then I opened my mouth and let the Spirit have His way.  We started off in one tongue and before long, another emerged.  One was light and flowery.  The other was authoritative and firey!  Along came another and another.  How many languages does The Spirit know?  Apparently, many.  After about twenty minutes, I happened to open my eyes and noticed the clock.  It wasn't twenty minutes at all.  More than forty five minutes had passed and I hadn't even gotten started yet.

Let's get this baby off the ground!

Oh no... here we go!  I got off the bed.  I had decided to pace.  That's it!  When the pacing starts it's "Take off"  for me.  Before I knew it,  I was praying in English - I was praying in the Spirit - I was taking authority over demons - I was ushering the needs of family and friends before the throne of God!  I was claiming this territory and that.  God decided to shuffle some things around in the spirit realm.  It's amazing what can happen when you get in the gap!

For example... that "Frozen Shoulder" of mine thawed out in God's throne room!  "NO MORE!"   I shouted.  "I'm not letting you rob me of my healing any longer!  My friends prayed and it's done!"   

Ahhhh -- so that's what "calling it as if it is"  is all about.  I get it now!   Oh, the enemy tried to bring back the soreness.  He tried to inflict pain here and there.  He was relentless in his offerings to me.  But I shut him down in the spirit.  "Get out!"  I shouted.  "Back off!  You are defeated in Jesus Name!  I am healed!"  Yeah... I'm not messing around with that anymore... It's over!

Somehow, with that one conquest alone, 

I found myself through 

"The Door of Victory"  

in many areas of my life.  

"Money - Marriage - Ministry - Healing - Deliverance - Salvation  They're all the same!"   said The Lord!  "Believe by faith and walk in it!  Don't think about it.  Don't discuss it with the enemy.   Don't try to figure it all out.  You won't in the natural because it's not natural, it's supernatural and that's a whole different arena.  You have to understand it with your spirit mind, believe it and walk in it!"

Breakthrough!

There's more!  But you'll have to wait until tomorrow. It's too much to share in one blog.  Besides, I'm off to put on my RED shoes and head back into the prayer room!  

Have a glorious day!

Gail