Lies coming down

I shared this word with only a few fellow intercessors back in February, but this week I’ve seen more and more of it coming to pass.

On Monday night February 14, 2022, as I was praying before sleep the Lord showed me ranks of angel warriors with swords drawn and pointed outwards, preparing to attack.

Father God showed me that he has called Time and the warriors are deploying. He is calling an end to the lies and deception that the enemy has been using across America (and the whole world, for that matter).

The spirit behind all the lies and deception is actually the spirit of fear, He said. Fear of being found out, truth revealed, deceptions uncovered, lies that had brought much influence, power and wealth, while hidden.

Over the coming days / weeks / months there will be a battle of God’s warriors against the spirit of fear behind the lies, deception, all the deliberate falsehoods afflicting God’s people — indeed all people.

You won’t actually perceive this battle very well on the earth for a little while, He said, because it is a purely spiritual battle. But you will perceive the results soon as the lies are made obvious. The lies and deception will come down, will end, and the truth will become obvious.

Soon the spiritual battle will descend onto the earth and the natural world will also engage in this battle. Spiritual warriors and prayer warriors will be put to work more fiercely than ever.

So be alert, be aware, watch and keep watching, listen and keep listening. More importantly, pray and keep praying.

Posted 1 April 2022

 

Merry Christmas 2021

Exciting. Adventurous. Fascinating. Wonderful. Interesting.

Do those sound like your 2021? Maybe, maybe not.

For me there have been a few exciting times, others a bit interesting; not so much fascinating or wonderful, though, if looked at in the purely natural. (Which I don’t do as much as I used to — the supernatural is much more fun!)

What ARE fascinating and wonderful are Father God, His son Jesus, and my constant companion Holy Spirit. All have an extraordinarily fascinating way of looking at things. A totally different viewpoint from our merely human ones. Like current events. Holy Spirit can take us behind the scenes, let us look at what’s really going on. Major news media never really do that.

Or what I used to think of as “familiar” verses of scripture. Take up my cross and follow Jesus? Where, to be crucified? No, no. That was Jesus’s previous assignment on earth. He has a new assignment these days, and so do I. So do you.

Follow him wherever he is going, or wants to go — or wants us to take him, rather. Like Harris Teeter for groceries this week? On a Tuesday? At 10:00 AM? That may be my assignment. Maybe not the most interesting, but who knows? I may just run into somebody I’m supposed to talk to, or pray for. That happens a lot.

The Trinity have a fascinating viewpoint of space. And oceans. And mountains. Why so big? So deep? So tall? And interesting stuff too – the purpose of conversion, for instance. There is a very real purpose! A real change from the inside out, a real reason for it.

Have you ever considered the edges of leaves? Holy Spirit asked me one day. I wrote about that.  https://estherspetition.wordpress.com/2015/01/21/have-you-ever-considered-the-edges-of-leaves/  And so I did! They are so interesting! The tremendous variety! Sizes, shapes, shades, thickness and texture… and colors! So many shades of green.

Until the Holy Spirit pointed all that out to me one day, I had NEVER looked at the color green or the edges of leaves like that. “They’re part of my delicate design and engineering,” he explained. “Made for the eyes of those who care enough to see the wonder of my creation.” Wow! He wanted me to see that wonder and to appreciate it, and Him, the designer of it all.

He has a unique insight into the background of news stories, too, or bits of recent or ancient history, Bible characters named or unnamed. Spiritual discernment. Revelation knowledge. Wisdom. All shareable with us for the asking! Now that’s REALLY wonderful.

And he has a sense of humor, too, one you can’t duplicate! I was reading a devotional one morning and one sentence declared “Jesus is always by our side, no matter what.” Holy Spirit whispered, “And IN your side, too!” with a chuckle.

This year of dreadful news, fears and isolation, has been different. Difficult. Some friends died, others were very sick, some are struggling with slow recovery from health attacks – and I believe attacks is exactly what they are. John 10:10 was true when Jesus spoke it and it’s still true today. Remember, “You’re not paranoid if somebody really IS out to get you!” And somebody is.

But Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. (I John 4:4) I’m so very glad of that.

At our house, Shelby, kids and I are doing well this Christmas Season, and so are Millie (puppy), Friday, Baby, Smokie and Twila (cats), plus Fred and Rainbow (fish). I’ve done some Esther’s Petition blog writing this year (although not as much as in past years), and basically keep up with friends and family around the nation and world online. There’s been a lot to pray about this year, that’s for sure!

May we all have a wonderful Christmas celebrating the One who is the Reason for the Season, and a truly blessed New Year ahead!

Love, Bette

Acceleration, happening now

18 October 2021

Last night the Lord quickly answered my prayer question, “What’s happening now, Lord?”

Acceleration, He said. More and more things are happening fast, and faster, and faster. Some are visible, some invisible.

Some people – believers and unbelievers – have been blase up to now, simply shaking off news of behaviors and actions of ungodly people. Now they have begun to feel uncomfortable. They wonder if perhaps they should pay closer attention to current events. Their discomfort is growing more intense by the day. Soon their discomfort will have to be addressed.

Some ungodly ones who thought their way of doing things would benefit them and their friends are noticing unplanned results instead. Their ideas have brought results they didn’t anticipate and don’t like. Things are worse for them today than yesterday and will be worse tomorrow than today. They’re wondering what to do, but none of their ideas will be better than their past ones. Indeed, they will be worse. Some will be much worse.

Yet things are better today for many who now have life. Yesterday they had death; they were working for the wages sin brings, and that is death. Yesterday they came to a decision, decided right, and today they have life. Today many others will come to that same decision, will decide right and also have life. Their numbers are increasing exponentially.

The acceleration is working both ways. Watch for it. Pray about it.

Guess Who Wins?

20 September 2021

Praying before going to sleep, I asked Father God, “What’s going on in the world now, Lord?” His answer was fairly long.

Two types of supernatural warfare are going on, he said. The enemy is stepping up his attempts to destroy God’s most precious creation, mankind.

As a multitude of images rolled through my inner vision, the Holy Spirit repeated at intervals, “Guess who wins?”

So what should we be doing about all this, I asked him? Jesus is your model, your example, he said. Ask Him what he wants prayed, pray that. Use your delegated authority: Ask Him what he wants commanded, declared and decreed; command, declare and decree that. If you aren’t sure, pray the Word until you are sure. Stay alert. Listen for His voice. Pray, command / decree / declare, praise, worship, and thank Him. Repeat.

The conversation continued… One type of spiritual attack negatively, insidiously affects the spirits / minds / emotions / beliefs / attitudes / characters / will of human beings around the globe, leading to destructive behavior.

The weapon? Words. Suggestions, accusations, lies purporting to be facts. Words spoken by others, in person or in the media — or whispered in your ear by evil spirits, disguised as your own thoughts.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21)

The result? Exaggerated negative effects on the personality. Some negative characteristics are present simply by being born with a sin nature, into a sinful world. But they are becoming increasingly noticeable these days.

• hunger for power is mankind’s initial and probably greatest temptation since the Garden of Eden. This is how Satan tempted Adam and Eve, how he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. You can be like God! he said. You can have it all! (see Genesis 3:5, Luke 4:7)
• greed, double-dealing, deception, deceit
• false beliefs, false worship, self-delusion
• pride, arrogance, “holier-than-thou”
• selfishness, self-centeredness
• impatience, short-temper, tantrums
• resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness
• anger, rage, revenge
• distractedness, doubt, misgivings, mistrust
• fear, anxiety, worry, paranoia
• depression, hopelessness, despair

Even without being supernaturally escalated, those can and do result in distrust and disunity, the breakup of families, friendships, communities, businesses small and large, governmental bodies from school boards to legislatures. Disagreements escalate to arguments, fights, plans, plots, conspiracies, power-grabbing and power-protecting behavior.

Some lead to murder. Others result in suicide.

Occurring with greater frequency and intensity in every sphere of human activity are supernatural attacks on the economy, social media, government, justice system, politics, judiciary, religion, the military, law enforcement, primary and secondary education, publishing, entertainment, communication, medicine, research, manufacturing, agribusiness, construction, small businesses, and many large corporations, including big oil. A special target seems to be families.

Conflicts have been springing up between nations, prejudices between ethnic groups, cultures, ages, and genders at an increasing frequency in recent months and years.

Even in Christian circles this type of spiritual warfare is escalating.

Churches can be split because the true – demonic – source of internal conflict goes unidentified and unaddressed. Non-profit organizations. Charities. Missionary groups. Ministries. Entire denominations.

The other type of supernatural attack disastrously affects our habitat.

Our natural world of mountains, oceans, flat-lands, skies, space, and everywhere in between is under attack also, causing the loss of human life on a small or massive scale. “Accidental” breakdowns of national and international power grids, plus satellite communication systems could be included here.

• earthquakes, earth cracks / fissures, massive mud slides, sink holes
• hurricanes, tornadoes, sand storms, straight line storms
• ocean warming, volcano eruptions, floods, tsunamis
• wildfires, crop failures including timber land, poverty, famine
• infrastructure collapses of dams, high rise buildings, highways, bridges
• supernatural weather, rain, hail, ice, extreme cold or extreme heat
• disease, natural or man-made, pestilence
• solar storms causing space-based communication and navigation disturbances

There are so many areas of supernatural conflict on and around planet earth! You can probably think of some not included in these lists.

But God’s army, his supernatural angelic warriors have joined this global battle against the enemy’s forces. Great turmoil in the spirit world is being felt by many believers these days; we are being called to prayer, continual, consistent, persevering prayer. Intercession.

As a multitude of images rolled through my inner vision during this long conversation, the Holy Spirit repeated to me at intervals,

“Guess who wins?”

Collateral damage is a problem in any war and this one is no different. Many “innocent people” are caught up in this global conflict; many will die. If they have not committed their lives to Christ, they will be lost forever. Some may be our own friends and relatives.

So, what should we do, what can we do about all this?

Intercessors are co-laborers with Christ. Jesus is the primary prayer warrior. He plainly said that he only did and said what his Father did and said. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he made good use of all the spiritual gifts. (Discerning of spirits is an excellent one for us to covet!)

He was constantly watchful, alert, on guard, and listening for Father’s voice. So must we be. He is our model, our example, our leader, manager, guide, instructor, all of that.

Ask Him what he wants prayed; pray that.

Use your delegated authority. Ask Him what he wants commanded, declared and decreed; command, declare and decree that.

If you aren’t sure, pray in the Spirit. Pray the Word until you are sure. God’s word, his promises, his declarations are your own weapons of defense and offense. Read, study, meditate, memorize scripture.

Above all, stay alert. Listen for God’s voice. Pray, command / decree / declare, praise, worship, and thank Him. Repeat.

Earth. Can it be saved?

14 August 2021

Over the course of several nights recently, I had a conversation with myself, then with the Lord about the current condition of planet earth.

I had been wondering but not really praying about the condition of the earth. I read The Watchers emails and visit their website occasionally (https://watchers.news/), and you can get really anxious and depressed with the chaos and “natural” disasters around the world. I put “natural” in quotations, because I am not convinced that they are indeed natural. They seem supernatural, demonic in origin to me.

Climate change is certainly not new, but the current severe heat wave seems to be unprecedented in recorded history in those areas. The destruction and loss of life due to record-breaking heat, cold, floods, and other large disasters has been increasing in frequency and severity, it seems to me.

Large volcanoes. Large earthquakes. Strange, weird, or just odd phenomena appearing on every continent.

Is it dying, I wondered? Are human behaviors actually killing the planet? That’s the claim long made by some groups. I had always “poo-pooed” that idea, believing these disasters have always happened. It’s just that with today’s increased communication ability, we’re hearing about them now when we didn’t before. That’s what I have thought.

But is that really the case? Can earth be saved?

As I was meditating, a verse popped into my mind… “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” (Psa. 24:1, I Cor. 10:26, KJV).

I looked all those words up, earth, fullness, world, dwell therein. It doesn’t just mean the planet surface, it means everything in, around and under it. Including the civilized and uncivilized areas. Oceans, islands, lands, and core. And everyone and everything on it, humans, animals, plants, and any other creature (insects, bacteria, viruses), all are the Lord’s. Present tense.

Here’s how my conversation went (more or less) after I asked that question, “Can earth be saved?”

Father God speaking:

I made it. I planned it. I designed it. I engineered it. I constructed it.
I began with the universe. Then galaxies. Then solar systems. Then planets.
I hand-picked the specific timeline, and the specific spot in all of that for my ultimate creation, mankind.

I chose the continent, the region, the nation, the city, and the hilltop for my house. The Temple. My room in the house, the Holy of Holies.

Do you think I’m going to just give it up, without a fight? I always win my fights.

The usurper wants to be god, himself. He tried to steal the earth. That didn’t work out for him.

But limited as he is to this planet, this sphere, his prison, he wants to re-make it in his image. He wants to destroy everything beautiful, and good, and useful, and beneficial to human beings. He’ll poison, corrupt, contaminate, pollute or mutate whatever he can.

And he would kill it all too, if he could. He can’t. It’s mine.

I created it, I can re-create it. Repair what is broken. Replace what’s missing. Restore it. Heal it. Make it healthy and whole again. And I will.

At that, the peace of God settled into my thinking about what’s happening on this planet. Despite what the enemy does – with the help of ignorant or evil human beings – and even if Creator God has to completely rearrange the very microscopic cells of this planet, He will do it.

Battle Array

“SHOCK”. That’s the subtitle of the post I wrote on January 1, 2021. https://estherspetition.wordpress.com/2021/01/01/2021/

“Wait and see. Keep praying,” the Lord told me, and so I have been. Since then:

1. On the evening of January 1 as I was praying before going to sleep, the Lord gave me a mini-vision of an array of angels dressed in battle armor, thousands upon thousands of them in the heavens. Silent and still they stood arm to arm, facing the earth. Above and behind them a fierce spiritual battle was going on, but these warrior angels weren’t taking part in that battle; they were protecting the earth.
2. On January 2, the Holy Spirit told me, “It’s coming down.” He showed me the warriors descending from the heavens onto the earth. My prayers became even more intense.
3. On January 3, he said, “The battle is joined.”
4. On January 4, he added, “We are now on a war footing.”

After that evening I haven’t heard anything specific from him during my night-time prayers. There’s just a deep sense of continued watchfulness.

Despite having received those words, like so many others I was terribly shocked at what happened at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. I realized that the Lord’s word to me about 2021 was coming to pass.

What will happen next? The Lord hasn’t told me. He may or may not. He just keeps saying, “Wait and see. Keep praying.” This is a spiritual battle and it’s not over.

Forgiveness, the most powerful weapon

Two scripture passages keep coming to mind today:

• First, Jesus’ words on the cross, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” [Luke 23:34 KJV].

• Secondly, Stephen’s words as he was dying, “And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” [Acts 7:60 KJV]

Forgiveness is the most powerful weapon there is.  Multitudes soon received that forgiveness and were born again. A coincidence? I don’t really think so.

Did you ever wonder why those statements were both spoken ALOUD? And heard and recorded by those who heard them?

Jesus taught us how to deal with enemies. Love them. Pray for them. Do good to them. Ask God for mercy for them. (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27-37)

It has bothered me greatly these last several years to read on social media Christians cursing (in words or attitudes) so many people they don’t like in politics (both parties). Jesus paid a tremendous price for the souls of those people!

Please read this article from Intercessors for America when you get a few minutes. I have been a supporter and subscriber to IFA for many years; this particular article seemed extremely timely when I read it this morning.

https://ifapray.org/blog/a-prophetic-word-for-the-unmasking-of-the-cover-up/

 

Dream Warning: July 2012

Over the years I’ve had a number of remarkable, prophetic dreams, some pleasant, some not so much. Some of them have been posted here on Esther’s Petition. The following is an excerpt from one posted back in July 2012… still appropriate.

I have had another of those remarkable dreams. Not one I want to repeat this time, however. It was the early morning hours of July 7, 2012, before daylight.

Standing in a small meeting room, I was speaking to several men sitting around. They were dressed in business suits and looked sort of like insurance salesmen. Or FBI agents. I was telling them that the signs were there, for people who were looking and listening. Warning signs. The signs were there, as well as information on how to protect yourself and your loved ones.

These signs were scattered around the whole world, on internet sites, blogs, news items and scientific articles, print newspapers and magazines, in many places and from many seemingly unrelated sources. For those who were paying attention, I told them, the signs were obvious and recognizable.

War is coming, and it’s coming to our country, I said.

A couple of the men glanced at each other, as if to say, we know this — but how does she know it? It didn’t seem to worry them that war was coming; it only seemed to puzzle them that I knew it.

I suddenly realized that few people in the general population were paying attention, and although these men knew what was ahead for the country, they weren’t notifying the population. They probably had no plans to do so. That’s when I woke up.

I lay there and thought about it for a few minutes. War is coming, the dream told me. And it may be soon. What kind of war? Invasion? Revolution? Riots? Small pockets of violence? Wide outbreaks? I don’t know, but the warning signs are indeed out there, and the body of Christ needs to pay attention.

It’s not what you might think

January 25, 2019

“What is going on, Lord?” I asked him very early this morning. I had been praying about the situation in Washington (the shut-down, etc.). His response:

Things are being shaken.
The outer “chaff” is being separated; falling away so the inner core, the heart, can be revealed.

The camouflage, masks, false pretenses are being seen for what they are. They are coming off.

True character, motives and intentions are being revealed.

I am knitting together what should be together.
I am splitting apart what should be apart.
Loyalties are being shifted into proper alignment.

Some who have stood together, not because they wholly agreed but for their own personal agendas, will turn against each other.

Some who have stood apart, not because they wholly disagreed but because of misunderstanding, suspicion or fear, will join forces and strengthen each other.

This battle is not over.

Distractions: weapons against you

“We are not ignorant of the devil’s devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)

Or are we?

When you’re distracted, your attention changes. Your focus shifts. Suddenly you’re side tracked, off target.

This doesn’t just mean an annoyance; if you’re a soldier in a for-real war, a distraction can be fatal. Wounded or dead, distractions prevent your objectives from being accomplished.

Enemies use distractions like slick magicians, but the result isn’t just a laugh or two, the result is death. Think suicide bombers dressed like pregnant women. Think Trojan War. Distraction is a well-known, well-used warfare strategy. (See below.) How is it that the church at large isn’t recognizing that fact?

If he can’t kill you outright, the devil will try to nullify your faith, thus your effectiveness. An attractive con man, Satan can be an enemy spy in the camp (i.e. the church, or in the mind of an individual). He’s pretty good at it.

Too many Christians seem to have forgotten we’re in a real shooting war. There’s a real enemy who has thousands of years of experience in destroying humans. (But our commander-in-chief has way more experience in combating the enemy!)

Right now the enemy is using distractions across the body of Christ as effective weapons. Some distractions that I see across the globe right now include:

• Offense. Feelings hurt. Self-pity. Rights violated. Poor me. Bad you!
• Pride. Self-righteousness. I’m right, he’s wrong. I have to tell him that he’s wrong. Gossip. Social media!
• Deceptions. Fake news. Half-truths. Exaggerations. Believing a lie. Not believing the truth.
• “Discussions” of politics and religion. Smart alecky comments degenerate into bad manners. Rudeness. Spite.
• Busyness. Laziness. Ignorance. Schedules packed too full of non-essentials.
• Disagreements leading to arguments. Strife. Church splits. Denomination splits. Family splits.
• Worry. Anxiety. Depression. Lay-offs. Poverty. Hunger. Homelessness.
• Disease. Pain. Cancer. Stroke. Heart attack. Accidents.
• Troubles in family and friends.
• Fear. Paranoia. Crime. Terrorists. Human trafficking. Children stolen.
• Technology. Hacking. Stolen identity. Smart phones. Reckless driving.
• Too much stress. Alcohol. Drugs. Pornography. Spending. Movies, magazines, television, sports. Anything to take my mind off my troubles.
• Apathy. Spiritual fatigue. Doubt. Unbelief. Nothing does any good, why try.

What happens when all these distractions are going on? Rather, what is NOT going on? Our personal assignment is not getting done. Our personal mission is not being accomplished.

What to do? Open your eyes! Pray for gifts of discerning of spirits, so you can see what’s really happening – this is a spiritual battle, this is a real war, and these are real dangers.

———————————————–

Distraction in warfare

• Fake targets:
  • In open field with mass military strategy, sometimes a contingent of troops distracts the enemy army to expose their flank, or to draw them away from a key point or fortification.
  • Flares can divert enemy soldiers’ gaze.

Distraction was a key battle strategy in tales from the Trojan War. According to the legend, the Greeks seemed to have retreated by pretending to sail away. In their stead, they left a large wooden horse, which the Trojans then chose to bring back within their walls in order to celebrate their supposed victory. The Greeks used the Trojans’ pride as a distraction, as they actually hid men within the Trojan Horse in order to let the rest of the army in during the cover of night. The Greeks then entered and destroyed the city of Troy, effectively ending the 10-year standoff that was the Trojan War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distraction#In_warfare