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Spiritual Growth

The In Between

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Faithful When the Role Fades

What Is The In Between?

The In Between is that quiet, often painful season when your role in ministry or service fades—but no new assignment has come. You used to serve actively, maybe even visibly. You saw what needed to be done and stepped in. But over time, others took over. You offered to help, but were turned away. Now you wait, uncertain, unseen.

This is not failure. This is not rejection. The In Between is God’s sacred pause, where He prepares your heart for what’s next.

God Sees You in The In Between

Even if man doesn’t see you, God always sees. He is El Roi, the God who saw Hagar in the wilderness (Genesis 16:13). When your help is no longer received, and your hands feel empty, remember this: God hasn’t forgotten you.

“Your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:4, NASB)

Many of God’s greatest servants walked through The In Between.

  • Joseph was faithful in prison before being promoted to Pharaoh’s palace.
  • Moses spent 40 hidden years in Midian before returning to lead Israel.
  • Even Yeshua walked through 40 days in the wilderness before His public ministry began.

The pattern is clear: before the release comes the refining.

When Your Role Fades, Let Your Faith Rise

The In Between is not the time to retreat or complain. It’s the time to press into God. Your value was never in a position—it was always in your identity as a servant of El Shaddai.

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people.” (Colossians 3:23, NASB)

When no one calls on you, call on Him. When the tasks are given to others, pray for them. When the door closes, worship at the threshold. God sees your heart more than your output.

Don’t Miss the Purpose of The In Between

God may be pruning you—not punishing you.

“Every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2, NASB)

This is your altar season. A time to offer Him the unseen moments. To lay down pride, offense, and fear. To choose humility when your gift isn’t received. To grow deeper when the spotlight is gone.

If you walk through The In Between with patience and faith, you will emerge with more maturity, more power, and a deeper love for God.

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When silence grows, and roles dissolve,
Still I will wait, though none resolve.
The whisper stirs where crowds have gone,
And there I find You, El Elyon.

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Final Encouragement

If you’re in The In Between, you are not stuck—you are being sanctified. You are not dismissed—you are being developed. Keep showing up. Keep seeking the face of God. Keep your heart clean and your spirit ready.

God is not done with you. He is just getting started.

Prayer for Those in The In Between

Heavenly Father, I surrender this quiet season to You. If You have hidden me, let me worship in the shadow. If others reject my offer to serve, help me to love anyway. Teach me to wait without bitterness, to pray without being seen, and to trust that You will move me again in Your perfect timing. Make The In Between a place of deep growth and quiet strength. In Yeshua’s name, amen.

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Holy Spirit

Revived by the Spirit 

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Escaping the Trap of a Dead Church

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of Him who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are dead.’” – Revelation 3:1 (NASB)

Revived by the Spirit. That is the call. That is the need. That is the cry the Spirit speaks to the churches even now.

You may have the name. You may have the reputation. People might look at your church, your ministry, your life, and say, “There’s someone on fire for God.” But the Lord who sees beyond appearances speaks a more sobering truth: “You are dead.” These are not the words of a critic. They are the voice of Yeshua, the One who walks among the lampstands and holds the seven stars in His hand. He sees. He knows. He grieves. But He also invites.

The danger of living among the remains

Just as a lifeless body is called “the remains,” many churches today are but the remains of what once was. There may still be motion, music, strategy, and sermons, but if the Holy Spirit has withdrawn, then all that’s left is the form without the fire. “For the form of godliness” without its power is a deception (2 Timothy 3:5, NASB).

Where the Spirit of God is absent, the church becomes an organization instead of a living Body. You begin to rely on business models instead of brokenness, marketing instead of prayer, and clever strategies instead of the Spirit’s leading. But the Church is not a brand. It is a Bride. And a bride without her Groom is not complete—she is waiting, or worse, wandering.

The prophet Ezekiel saw this when the glory of the Lord departed the temple (Ezekiel 10:18). The structure remained, the rituals continued, but Ichabod—“the glory has departed”—was written in the Spirit. Let it not be written over you.

How to be revived by the Spirit

But take heart. If the Word convicts you, it also calls you. If you feel the coldness in your heart, if you see that your church is operating on autopilot, it means the Spirit is still reaching out. He hasn’t left you to die. He is inviting you to live again.

“Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” – Revelation 3:2 (NASB)

The way back begins with waking up. It is time to shake yourself from slumber and remember what it means to live for God—not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts (Zechariah 4:6). Revival does not come by accident. It comes by hunger, humility, and holiness.

You must return to the altar. Not the one made with hands, but the altar of your heart. Cry out, “Lord, breathe on me again. I don’t want to be the remains. I want to burn for You.” Let the wind of the Spirit shake your bones. Let the fire of God refine your desires. Let the voice of the Lord awaken every dead thing inside of you.

For the Lord is not looking for clever programs. He’s not impressed by packed rooms or smooth sermons. He is searching for those who will worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23). He is looking for living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him (Romans 12:1). The Holy Spirit is not a luxury. He is your lifeblood.

You were born to burn

You were not created to settle for a name without substance. You were not saved to operate in the flesh. You were born of the Spirit to live by the Spirit and walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). So return to the Lord with fasting and weeping and mourning (Joel 2:12). Cry out until the fire returns. Dig until the well flows again.

Beloved, you were born to burn. Don’t be content with ashes. The Holy Spirit has not changed. He still comes upon those who wait, who hunger, who obey. Do not look back on what God once did. Seek Him now, for He is near to all who call upon Him in truth (Psalm 145:18). It’s time to be revived by the Spirit.

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Let fire descend on hearts once cold,
Let breath return where death held sway.
Revive the ruins, break the mold,
And raise us in Your light today.

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Prayer

El Shaddai, we repent of operating without You. Forgive us for relying on methods, models, and movements instead of pressing into Your presence. Holy Spirit, breathe on us again. Revive what was dead. Reignite our hearts. Fill Your Church with fire—not just emotion, but holy power. Let the world see a people alive in You, moving in You, shining with Your glory. We are not content with the remains. We long to be fully alive in You. In Yeshua’s name, amen.

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Prayers, The Pursuit

The Spirit of Expectation

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When We Believe, He Comes

Beloved, something eternal stirs in the heart that waits on God. Not with arms folded, but with arms lifted. Not in sleepy ritual, but with trembling faith. This is the Spirit of Expectation—the holy fire that has always preceded the movement of the Holy Spirit. And it is this fire that God is kindling once again. This Spirit of Expectation must be embraced.

I have seen many things over the years—church services filled with passion, others heavy with routine. But one recent moment marked me deeply. I was at a Friday evening worship service, simple and quiet. A husband and wife led us in just one song. After it ended, they declared over the congregation, “The Lord is here.” And He was. Not in theory, not in concept—He was tangibly present. Glory broke in like the sun through storm clouds. Why? Because someone believed. Someone proclaimed with faith. Expectation opened the door, and the King walked through.

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!” (Luke 1:45, NASB). This blessing, spoken over Mary, is a beacon to us all. She didn’t wait to see the promise before believing—she believed first. And so must we. When we sing our songs without faith, we offer noise. But when we worship in expectation, heaven listens, and God responds.

The early Church understood this. They waited in the upper room, not bored but burning. They had heard the words of Yeshua—“You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5, NASB)—and they believed. So they waited. Not passively, but “continually devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14, NASB). And then, “suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven” (Acts 2:2, NASB). The fire didn’t come to the curious; it came to the convinced. Their Spirit of Expectation brought divine results.

Expectation is the forerunner of glory. Before the Red Sea parted, Moses lifted his staff in obedience, expecting God to act. “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord”(Exodus 14:13, NASB). Before the fire consumed the altar, Elijah soaked the sacrifice, expecting God to respond with fire (1 Kings 18:36–38). And He did. Why? Because they expected Him to move.

Moses on the Mountain — a lone prophet stands with staff in hand, watching the light of God break through the valley, expectant for the fire to fall.

The tragedy today is not that God is silent—it’s that we no longer expect Him to speak. We host services without watching for Him. We pray without believing for answers. We gather without hunger. And yet, the Lord waits to be gracious to us (Isaiah 30:18). He desires to be welcomed, not as a guest, but as the rightful King. This Spirit of Expectation must be rekindled.

You must rise, dear one. Awake from slumber. Shake off the dust of disappointment and the cloak of unbelief. “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you” (Isaiah 60:1, NASB). Don’t just go through the motions—press in with belief. Expect God to break in when you pray. Expect Him to heal when you ask. Expect Him to speak when you listen. The Spirit still moves where He is wanted. Embrace the Spirit of Expectation in every aspect of your life.

That night at worship reminded me: it doesn’t take a stadium or a crowd. It takes faith. It takes someone who will say with confidence, “The Lord is here,” and mean it. When that word was spoken, it wasn’t a suggestion—it was a declaration. And He answered faith with presence.

The Church must recover this. Revival will not come to the disinterested. It will come to those who cry out, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and I wait for His word. My soul waits in hope for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning” (Psalm 130:5–6, NASB).

Are you watching? Are you waiting? Or are you merely going through the motions? Yeshua is ready to visit His people, but we must prepare Him room. Let your heart become an upper room again—filled with prayer, filled with worship, filled with expectation. Let the Spirit of Expectation guide your every step.

When we believe, He comes. When we proclaim in faith, He is faithful to answer. This is the Spirit of Expectation. And it is time for the Church to awaken.

I watched the sky, I watched the flame,
I waited long with lifted head.
He came, not late, nor wrapped in shame—
He came just as the prophets said.

Prayer

Lord Yeshua, awaken in me a Spirit of Expectation. Forgive me for every time I sang without belief, prayed without hope, and gathered without hunger. Stir my soul to long for You again. I do not want empty religion—I want Your presence. Let my heart believe that You will do what You have said. I lift my eyes to You. Come, Lord—come into my worship, my home, my life. I wait for You. I believe You. I expect You. Amen.

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Holy Spirit

The Everlasting Pentecost

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“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.” — Acts 2:1, NASB

I cry out to you as one crying in the wilderness: awaken your heart, for the Holy Spirit has not left us. He has not retreated to history’s quiet corners. He has not faded into the shadows of theology. Pentecost was not a moment to be remembered; it is a reality to be lived. The fire that fell in that upper room did not burn out—it spread. And it waits even now to consume you with power from on high. Embrace the Everlasting Pentecost in your life.

Pentecost came—and it stayed. This is the essence of The Everlasting Pentecost.

You who feel distant, who have known the Holy Spirit only as a name in a creed or a whisper in a worship song, listen! He is here. Not in concept or ritual, but in power and presence. “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, NASB). This is not poetic suggestion. It is truth that shatters complacency. The God who shook the upper room dwells in you.

The early disciples did not seek a passing experience. They waited in obedience and hunger, their hearts united. And suddenly, like a mighty rushing wind, God Himself came to dwell in men. That wind still blows. That fire still burns. The presence of the Spirit has not diminished—we have simply ceased to press in. In embracing The Everlasting Pentecost, we must press in continually.

We have grieved Him by replacing intimacy with activity. We have traded awe for entertainment. Our insensibility to the Spirit is not due to His absence but to our distraction. Yet, He waits. The dove of Heaven still descends upon the hearts that make room.

O child of God, you were not meant to live powerless. You were not called to survive off past revivals or secondhand stories. You were called to live Pentecost daily. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, NASB) And so is His Spirit.

If He is God, then He is always now. If He is God, then He is always here. There is no Elsewhere with El Shaddai. The Spirit is not bound by yesterday’s failures or tomorrow’s fears. He is the living power of God breaking into the present moment with eternal purpose.

You must not settle. Stir yourself. Let the cry of your heart rise: “Holy Spirit, come afresh! Fall on me again! I will not be content with the memory of Your presence—I must know You now and experience The Everlasting Pentecost.”

You must believe that Pentecost is your portion, not because of your strength, but because of Yeshua’s promise. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”(Acts 1:8, NASB). This is not suggestion. It is a summons. It is time to rise, to repent of apathy, and to seek the fire that never dies.

God has not changed. The Spirit has not withdrawn. Pentecost is not past—it is present. Live in the reality of The Everlasting Pentecost.

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Prayer

Father, in the mighty name of Yeshua, I repent of my unbelief and distraction. I have known of Your Spirit, but I long to know Him. Send Your fire again. Fill me with power from on high. Let me live in the fullness of Pentecost—not as history, but as my daily reality. Open my eyes to see Your presence, open my heart to receive Your power. Let me walk in obedience and boldness as the early disciples did. Let this day—this very moment—be the upper room of my soul. Come, Ruach HaKodesh. I make room for You. Amen.

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The Fire of His Presence

O Lord, who rides upon the storm, whose breath ignites the flame,
You stir the dust to rise and dance, and call Your children’s name.
In wind and fire, You still appear, as on that holy day,
Let every heart become Your throne, and never drift away.

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Humility

The Glory Belongs to God

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“Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth and faithfulness.”
— Psalm 115:1, NASB

You must fix this truth in your soul: the glory belongs to God. Not a portion, not a part—allof it. Anything good in your life, anything holy or helpful or wise, flows from the Spirit of the Living God. You bring the vessel, but He brings the oil. Every time you speak truth, walk in love, or minister to the broken, it is because El Shaddai has moved through you. Indeed, the glory belongs to God alone.

Do not be deceived by praise. The man who takes credit for the work of God builds on sand. Remember what Macarius of Optino once said when someone praised his spiritual counsel: “Only the mistakes are mine.” That was not self-pity. It was the spiritual sight of one who knew his own flesh and trusted only in the Spirit of God. Let that become your conviction. Always remember, the glory belongs to God and not to man.

The glory belongs to God—and Scripture gives us a clear picture of what happens when someone forgets this.

The Glory Belongs to God
Moses strikes the rock in anger at Meribah, and water flows forth—yet the cost of disobedience is the Promised Land withheld. (Numbers 20:10-12)

Look at Moses.

He was chosen, empowered, and sent. The sea split at his word. Water flowed from the rock. Manna fell when he prayed. But in a moment of anger and pride, he struck the rock and claimed the glory for himself. “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” (Numbers 20:10, NASB). It seemed small—but in that moment, Moses acted as if the power was his. God still brought water for the people, but the consequence was severe: Moses would not enter the Promised Land. Why? Because he did not treat God as holy and did not give Him the glory (see Numbers 20:12). Even Moses had to learn that the glory belongs to God.

You must take this to heart. Even the most anointed among us can fall if we begin to believe the power comes from us. The glory belongs to God. You are the mouthpiece, not the message. You are the branch, not the vine. “For it is not you who are speaking, but it is the Spirit of your Father who is speaking in you” (Matthew 10:20, NASB).

The Apostle Paul understood this. He said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6, NASB). Let this be your mindset too. When people are blessed by your words, when prayers are answered, when hearts are healed—fall on your knees. Don’t reach for praise. Reach for God. He alone is worthy. After all, the glory belongs to God.

Prayer

Abba Father, You are holy and worthy of all glory. Forgive me for the times I have touched what belongs to You. Guard me from pride. Keep me small in my own eyes, and great in Your presence. Teach me the lesson of Moses—to speak when You command, to act in obedience, and to always give You the glory. Let every work of my hands bring honor to Your name, not mine. The glory belongs to You, forever and ever. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

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See Also

Return to Biblical Christianity, Seek the Lord

COME TO THE LORD

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Come, beloved. Come to the Lord. Come because the river flows freely to all who thirst. The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!”—and let the one who hears echo it still. Let the one who is thirsty draw near, and let the one who desires take the water of life without cost (Revelation 22:17, NASB). There is no cost but surrender. No price but your pride. No payment but your praise.

Let your soul rise now and walk into His presence. The Lord is holy. The Lord is above all, seated high and lifted up. The train of His robe fills the temple, and the whole earth cries, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:1–3, NASB). Do not stand far off. You were made for this presence. The river is here. Come and be immersed. Come and be filled.

The wind blows where it wills, and you hear its sound—but do you not perceive the Spirit moving? Do you not feel Him calling you deeper? He comes to rest on the yielded, to dwell with the hungry. “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him” (John 14:23, NASB). Lay it all down. Every lesser thing. Every fear. Every idol. Let your flesh be silenced and your heart rise with the cry, “More of You, Lord. Only You.”

You sang the songs. You lifted hands. But now He calls you to live it. To walk where the river leads. To yield your vessel and be filled with fire from above. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8, NASB). This is not a performance. This is not an echo of yesterday’s fire. This is the glory of the Living God, descending now—hovering over you, waiting to rest within you.

You asked, “How long, O Lord?”—but He asks you, “Will you come away with Me?” You cry for victory, yet hesitate at the altar. The fire falls where the sacrifice is laid. The cloud descends where the people wait. The river breaks forth where dry ground is broken. Come, not with pretense, but with hunger. Come, not to be seen, but to behold.

Come to the Lord.

He is able. “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us…” (Ephesians 3:20, NASB).

He is the One your soul longs for. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, God” (Psalm 42:1, NASB).

He is the glory we cry out for.

He is the river we wade into.

He is the fire that rests on us.

He is the house we were made to dwell in.

Prayer

Lord, I come. I lay it all down—my sin, my striving, my self. Wash me in Your river. Rest on me with Your Spirit. Let Your glory fall here and now. I long for You, and You alone. You are holy, You are able, You are above all, and I surrender to Your presence. Lead me into the deep places. Fill me until I overflow. Let my life become a house where You dwell forever. In the name of Yeshua, amen.

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The Pursuit

Face to Face with God

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The Friendship You Were Made For

“So the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” — Exodus 33:11, NASB

There is no higher calling than this: to walk in deep friendship with God. Not as a servant fearful of punishment, but as a friend who knows the heart of his King. In this sacred place, the soul awakens. The noise of the world fades. And the heart begins to burn—not for answers, but for the presence of El Shaddai Himself.

Talking with God face to face is not a poetic phrase. It is the invitation extended to every son and daughter of the Kingdom. Moses stood on holy ground not because of his greatness, but because of his desire. He longed to know God’s ways, not just His works. He dared to ask, “Show me Your glory,” and God drew near.

Beloved, God has not changed. He still meets face to face with those who seek Him, just as Moses experienced talking with God face to face.

In the age of noise and distraction, the Lord is calling His people back to the tent of meeting—back to the quiet place where friendship is kindled in the fire of His presence. The veil has been torn. The Spirit has come. Through the blood of Yeshua, we have been given access to approach the throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16, NASB).

But we must come.

The Spirit says, “Come closer. Linger. Don’t rush away. Don’t settle for shallow prayers or rehearsed devotion. Come to Me, and I will give you rest—not just rest from labor, but rest in communion.” Talking with God face to face truly begins when we stop performing and start beholding.

Let your prayers become conversations. Let your worship become wonder. As John the Apostle laid his head upon the chest of the Master, so must we lean in. God desires nearness. Not a moment. Not a meeting. A dwelling. He wants to make His home in you (John 14:23, NASB).

And when you do draw near, everything changes. You will hear His whisper in the chaos. You will sense His leading in the silence. You will carry His presence into your workplace, your home, your church. You will no longer live as one chasing God—but as one walking with Him.

This experience of talking face to face with God is not reserved for the elite. It is the birthright of the redeemed.

He calls you friend. Not from afar. Not with conditions. But with love that burns like fire and welcomes you into the holy.

So draw near. Turn aside from every lesser thing. Close the door. Still your heart. And speak—speak to the One who already knows you, and longs to be known by you.

Come. He is waiting.

Prayer

Abba, I want to walk with You like Moses did. I want to know You—not just Your words, but Your heart. Strip away every distraction and draw me into the quiet where I can hear Your voice. I choose to enter the secret place and stay until I am changed. Let me speak with You face to face, as Your friend. In Yeshua’s name, amen. And let me experience the joy of talking with God face to face.

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Power

Spirit-Anointed Power

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Walking as Jesus Walked

“God anointed Yeshua of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” — Acts 10:38, NASB

Sprit-Anointed Power

Illustration: A traditional Christian painting of Yeshua with arms outstretched, golden light radiating from His hands, and the Holy Spirit as a dove above Him—symbolizing Spirit-anointed power and divine commissioning.

Do you long to walk in real power—the kind that breaks chains, heals hearts, and reveals the living God? You were never meant to live powerless. The same Spirit-anointed power that rested upon Yeshua is not locked in the past. It is alive, and it is available to you—right now.

From the first moments of creation, the Spirit of God hovered over the deep, waiting for the voice of the Father to call forth light (Genesis 1:2). That same Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, bringing forth the incarnate Son—fully God, yet choosing to live fully dependent on the Spirit (Luke 1:35). When Yeshua stepped into His earthly ministry, He waited for the anointing. Only after the Spirit descended like a dove did He begin His mighty works (Matthew 3:16).

Let this truth grip your heart: Jesus, though God in flesh, did nothing apart from the Holy Spirit. Every miracle, every act of compassion, every confrontation with darkness flowed from His deep union with the Spirit. He did not overcome as God only—He overcame as a Spirit-anointed Man, modeling the very life He now calls you to live.

You have been called to more than survival. You have been summoned into Spirit-anointed power.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses…” (Acts 1:8, NASB). This is not a symbolic promise. It is a living invitation to be filled, overshadowed, and sent out. The same Spirit that raised Yeshua from the dead now dwells in you (Romans 8:11). But too many live as if they are still waiting for permission to move.

Beloved, the permission was given at Pentecost. Now the command is to yield.

God is still looking for men and women who will carry His Spirit into a weary world. The Spirit broods still, hovering over lives willing to be overshadowed. Are you ready to say yes? Are you ready to walk as Jesus walked—with boldness, compassion, authority, and intimacy?

Let the noise fall away. Shut the door, fall to your knees, and ask the Spirit to rest upon you afresh. This is not for pastors only, not for the few—it is for every child of God who refuses to settle for a form of godliness without power (2 Timothy 3:5).

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I welcome You. Overshadow me like You did at the beginning. Anoint me not for fame, but for faithfulness. Fill me with Spirit-anointed power, that I might walk as Yeshua walked—healing the broken, binding up the wounded, and proclaiming the kingdom of God. Let every breath bring glory to El Shaddai. I yield to You. Use me. Empower me. Set me apart for Your work. In Yeshua’s name, amen.

You were born again to burn with the fire of His Spirit. You were saved to shine with His glory. Do not wait for another sign. The same God who was with Jesus is with you. Walk in Spirit-anointed power—today.

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Personal Holiness

The Journey of Sanctification

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Becoming Like Yeshua

“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.”
—2 Peter 1:5–7 (NASB)

The journey of sanctification is the sacred path every believer must walk. This is not a casual stroll, nor is it a sprint—it is a lifelong ascent toward holiness, where the Spirit of God leads us from glory to glory. Yeshua did not die just to forgive your sins. He rose again to make you new. And that new life isn’t stagnant—it grows, transforms, and becomes like Him.

Peter’s words are a divine blueprint. He tells you to apply all diligence—to engage your whole heart. Faith is your foundation, but it must not stand alone. Add to your faith moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These are not random traits; they are steps on the staircase of sanctification. Each virtue lays the groundwork for the next. As you climb, you grow stronger in the Spirit and embark on the journey of sanctification to reflect Yeshua more clearly.

The journey is not easy. Holiness never is. But it is the call of every disciple. “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior” (1 Peter 1:15, NASB). This holiness is not outward show—it is inner transformation. It flows from the throne of God and floods every corner of your life: your thoughts, your desires, your words, your responses.

The Vine and the Branches

Imagine a branch connected to a living vine. It doesn’t strain to bear fruit; it simply abides. As long as it remains attached, the life of the vine flows freely, producing fruit in its season. But when a branch cuts itself off, it withers—lifeless, powerless, fruitless.

“I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
—John 15:5 (NASB)

Sanctification flows from abiding. You cannot manufacture holiness through effort alone. It is born in intimacy with Yeshua. The more you remain in Him, the more His life fills yours. And what begins in secret—prayer, surrender, Scripture—becomes visible fruit: love, patience, purity, humility.

Beloved, the journey of sanctification will cost you everything—and it will give you more than you can imagine. It will strip away pride, expose wounds, and challenge comfort. But in exchange, you receive the treasure of a holy life, the joy of communion with God, and the power to overcome the world.

Keep climbing. Keep adding. The Lord is forming Christ in you. And when He appears, you will see Him as He is—because you will be like Him (1 John 3:2).

Prayer

Father, take us deeper on the journey of sanctification. We do not want shallow roots or fruitless branches—we want to bear the image of Your Son. Teach us to abide, to obey, and to grow. Shape us with every step. Let faith grow into virtue, virtue into knowledge, knowledge into self-control, and so on until love overflows in us. Holy One, guide us through the journey of sanctification to make us holy. In the name of Yeshua, amen.

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A Fragrance That Lingers

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Living in the Goodness of the Holy Spirit

“The good man from his inner good treasure brings out good things.” — Matthew 12:35, NASB

Beloved, let your heart be still before God. Let the world’s winds pass by and lean in to hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit. You are not called to be impressive by the world’s standard. You are called to be faithful. You are not commanded to be celebrated but to be good—good in the eyes of El Shaddai, filled with the fruit of His Spirit, a quiet blaze of holiness in a dark land.

The goodness of the Holy Spirit is not a performance but a posture. It is the outflow of a soul rooted in Jesus, the True Vine. When the fire of God’s presence abides within, He produces in you what the flesh never could: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23, NASB). This kind of goodness cannot be manufactured. It flows from the inner treasure stored up by the Spirit of God.

Child of God, do not overlook the power of a life of quiet faithfulness. You may not be known in the gates of this world, but your prayers shake the heavens. You may not speak before kings, but El Roi sees you when you kneel. You are the first to rise when the church doors open and the last to leave when the Spirit moves. And though your name may never trend, your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life—etched by the blood of Yeshua, sealed by the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul urged Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God within him—not for fame, but for faithfulness (2 Timothy 1:6). Likewise, the Apostle John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, bore witness to those who walked in truth, not with trumpets, but with testimony. He wrote, “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth” (3 John 1:4, NASB). The goodness of the Holy Spirit is revealed in daily obedience, the quiet constancy of a soul set on God.

A.W. Tozer wrote of such men and women. Not pastors or prophets. Not singers on stages. But the ones who sweep the sanctuary floor, who weep in intercession when no one sees. Their fragrance lingers long after the applause of men fades. These are the “plain people,” but they are rich in the Spirit, the marrow of the church, the ones who carry revival in their hearts, not in their headlines.

Dear reader, you are called not to be great in your own strength but to be good through the Holy Spirit. When you store up His Word in your heart, He will bring forth fruit in season. When you walk with integrity, pray in the secret place, and love those around you with Heaven’s compassion, you reflect the image of Christ.

The world exalts celebrities, but Heaven honors saints. The first shall be last, and the last shall be first (Matthew 20:16). So let us set our hearts not on being seen, but on being pure vessels filled with the goodness of the Holy Spirit.

Even now, Yeshua watches over you, not with the eyes of man, but with eyes of fire. He rejoices not in your platform but in your purity. He sees you serving, sowing, praying, and pressing on. And when your race is finished, the fragrance of your life will remain—a testimony that the Holy Spirit was here.

Prayer

Holy Father, I thank You for the call to be faithful and good. I don’t seek the praise of men—I long for the presence of the Holy Spirit. Cleanse me by the blood of the Lamb and fill me anew. Let the fruit of the Spirit overflow in me, especially the quiet and constant goodness that reflects Your heart. Use my life—even in hiddenness—to be a fragrance of Christ to all who encounter me. May I carry Your presence well. In the name of Yeshua, amen.

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