Atmospheres

Atmospheres

Discerning the spiritual realm around you

COMING ON VS. WITHIN

Picture walking into a friend’s house who just had a big fight with her husband. Now picture walking into a friend’s house who just got engaged. Both homes would carry an atmosphere – one would be uptight and anxious and the other full of joy. You would FEEL it before you knew the circumstances. In both situations, the atmosphere you feel is NOT YOU, but the events that just occurred. Many are feeling the ATMOSPHERE of dread, worry, anxiety, fear, and frustration, but that does not mean it is YOU. I often say to my children, “That is coming ON you. It is not coming from WITHIN you.” Why is this important? Because we can allow the atmosphere of the world to become ours when we partner with it, OR you can choose not to. Yes, we are in very uncertain times, but the weight of the world is not on you to carry. You can keep your peace, joy, and clarity even in the midst of the storm. Take a deep breath. You are going to be okay. You have what it takes to overcome. You can do this. Peace is a choice.

IT’S NOT YOU!

There is so much going on in the spiritual realm. If you are feeling overwhelmed, defeated, or like quitting, it is not you!!! This is a classic case of “on you, not in you.” Use your authority against it, and do not partner with it.

THE GIFT OF DISCERNMENT

As my children wrote their Christmas lists, I began to think of the gifts I wanted to give them. God had been highlighting to me that the gift of discernment is going to be essential in the days to come. It is just that – a gift. We don’t earn it, but we can ask for it. The Word says many will fall away because they could not discern (tell the difference between) what is not of the Lord. They will embrace what feels or sounds right, even though it is from the wrong kingdom. They will fail to walk in discernment. God does not look at the outward but rather at the heart. The gift of discernment is the pair of eyeglasses that helps us to see what He sees. The antichrist spirit will, at times, look, sound, and feel so close to the real thing but must be discerned as a counterfeit. Parents, go after asking for an increased measure of discernment for each of your family members.

HOW TO TEACH DISCERNMENT – Go to the local craft store and purchase a fake apple, lemon, or banana. Then purchase from the grocery store one that looks similar. Call a family meeting and blindfold the kids. Make it fun and silly. Set before them each fruit and ask them to feel them. Which one should they eat? Move the fruit away from them across the room and have them take off their blindfold. Now ask them which one will nourish their bodies. Bring them to your children and liken the gift of discernment to that game. God will tell us deep inside of us what is true and what is fake. What is holy and what is unholy. What is right and what is wrong. What is from our Father and what is from the father of lies. Spend some time praying for an increased gift of discernment for each family member.

In the days ahead, practice discerning things as a family. **Increase exercises in “Let’s ask Jesus.” **Ask, “What is Holy Spirit showing you about that?” **Check your gut – how are you feeling? Then walk into a store or new atmosphere and check your gut again – how are you feeling? We can discern the atmosphere by paying attention to what it feels like. I was fine in the car, but I felt afraid and worried as soon as we walked into this store. Discernment lets you know it isn’t you but the atmosphere.

ON VS. WITHIN YOU

How many of you have had some unpretty moments of your mouth releasing things that you later regretted? YEP! I know because many parents have confessed this to me. I want to share something if this is you. There is so much gossip, hatred, wickedness, strife, offense, and slander being released IN the atmosphere. 

Picture it like a spray bottle or someone sneezing. If you were to walk by as the water droplets were being released, the water would get on you, and you would now be wet. The water is not coming from WITHIN you; it is coming ON you. 

In this hour, there is a real temptation to partner with the venting and releasing. Sadly, children often get the brunt of it. I need not tell many of you how powerful the atmosphere has been. You are called by your Father to use that tongue of yours to declare LIFE, PEACE, TRUTH, and FREEDOM. If the kingdom of darkness is felt, I can assure you how much more powerful the Kingdom of God is to change the atmosphere. 

As God was showing this to me, I sensed Him reveal that many have used such sharp words that have caused you to move behind guilt and shame. This is the strategy of the enemy to cripple and render you powerless in this hour. If this is you and you have sinned with your speech and anger, REPENT – go low – confess it to God – make it right with the hearts you have hurt, and then use that tongue of yours to speak life, peace, truth, and freedom. Open your mouth again, and do not allow yourself to be sidelined because you came UNDER something that is not you.

STAY AWAKE AND SHED THE WEIGHT

I had posted asking how parents were doing in this hour, and there was a reoccurring theme throughout all of the responses – heaviness! There is such a corporate release of spiritual heaviness in this hour. So much confusion and static in the spiritual realm, causing people to want to check out. It’s numbing. If this is you, then we have some work to do to shed that spirit of heaviness. You do not need just to endure it but can rise up against it. This is not the hour to let the heaviness become numbness that lulls you to sleep. STAY AWAKE AND SHED THE WEIGHT. 

Here are some things that can help: The heaviness is not always from WITHIN you; oftentimes, especially if numerous people are reporting it, it is coming ON you. When we think it is coming from within us, it is generally coupled with the lie, “What is wrong with me?” Which only defeats you more. Declare out loud, “NOTHING IS WRONG WITH ME!” and command that shame to go. 

Speak to the spirit of heaviness directly and tell it to go. “Spirit of heaviness, I see you and command you to leave now in Jesus’ name. Leave my mind, emotions, body, home, marriage, children, prayer life, voice, etc. (the Bible tells us when we tell the bad to go, we must invite the good). Holy Spirit, I welcome You to come and fill my mind, family, and home with power, love, and clarity.” 

Put your hands on your head and declare, “(Name), you have the mind of Christ. I command all confusion and static to leave now in Jesus’ name.” This is a powerful prayer: “I take my mind and align it with the mind of Christ (not lies). I take my body and align it with the Body of Christ (not the world). I take my spirit and align it with the Holy Spirit (not the demonic).” 

Increase ongoing worship in your home – let praise fill your atmosphere. Turn on dance music and call the kids for a dance party. Shift the atmosphere into joy and laughter. Declare out loud, “I will know what to do because Christ lives inside of me. I have nothing to fear and follow the voice of the Lord.” Call a friend but resist the temptation to talk about current events. Keep the conversation focused on encouraging each other and reminding each other who God is. 

Ask Jesus for the specific strategy for you today. “Jesus, will You please show me how You want me to deal with life today?” Listen and obey whatever He tells you.

Pray in the spirit! I am focusing on 30 minutes each morning, and it is a game-changer to rise above the noise and find His heart. 

Friend, the heaviness is not you. Do not be seduced by the enemy of lies. You have the mind of Christ and the tools of heaven to shed the heaviness.

COMPASSION & VALIDATION

How many of your children, especially younger ones, are having unusual meltdowns and not wanting to be away from you? While this can be rooted in many things, including normal development, I am hearing so many parents reporting this issue, and I think it has more to do with the effects of C-19. First, there is so much in the atmosphere. While we are getting stronger and more resilient, I sometimes walk into a store and feel so gripped with anxiety (which is not coming from me). I leave and feel better. This is being released from others. Those in charge of your children (teachers, friends, in-laws, sitters, church, etc.) are releasing their emotions, and children can pick up on it. Keep going after walking in authority over the fear and releasing peace. Second, children hear that C-19 causes death and their minds naturally worry if that will happen to them or their parents. When you have to leave, assure them you are okay, that you will return, and they are safe. When a child has a meltdown, they only need TWO things – compassion and validation. CV medicine, as I like to call it. Then after they feel safe again and are calmed back down, talk about ways to empower them and increase their capacity to handle it differently the next time.

SPIRIT OF SUICIDE

There is a strong spirit of suicide in the atmosphere. I could feel it one week but had others confessing being tormented by thoughts. Then friends from South Africa messaged me saying the same thing. 

FRIENDS, if your thoughts are moving outside the sphere of LIFE, the enemy is lying to you! 

#1. Realize it is NOT you. #2. Break agreement with the spirit of death. #3. Declare LIFE over your mind, heart, family, and home. #4. Ask Holy Spirit for His truth. #5. Find JOY – search for it until you find it. #6. Increase worship music. #7. Confess it to God (and others). #8. Hold on – this storm will pass (it always does). #9. Speak out loud your destiny and prophetic words. #10. Pull your children in closer as they naturally release joy and play. 

You are going to be okay. Your life is worth more than your battle. Joy will come again. Let God move. Surrender is not quitting.

NOTHING IS WRONG WITH YOU

Maybe we should stop asking, “What is wrong with me?” and begin to ask, “What is going on that You are allowing me to feel?” God allows His children to feel the atmosphere so they can be agents of change on earth. I went away for 24 hours alone and felt great. I was beaming with excitement and joy, but I felt heavy and super sad when I walked into my room. I went to sleep and had a strange dream about death. I woke up, unable to shake this heaviness. Finally, I got the sense, “this is not me, but the atmosphere.” I prayed for the OPPOSITE to come and fill the place, and immediately it shifted.

We do not need to understand every detail of what is going on for God to use us. Heaviness is not His Kingdom, and I had authority in Jesus to release it to go and invite His peace, joy, and comfort.

DISCERN FIRST

When we get overwhelmed with feelings out of nowhere, we have to stop partnering with “What’s wrong with me?” and begin to ask, “Lord, why am I feeling this? How do You want to use me right now?” We feel things in the atmosphere so that we can do something about it.

First – identify what you feel: fear, anger, worry, dread, etc.

Second – ask, “Jesus, what do You want me to do about this?”

Third, pray accordingly.

DRIVING THROUGH ATMOSPHERES

As we drove through multiple states, one can pick up on the atmosphere a town carries. We passed a section where extra large billboards promoting adult stores littered the highway. It was impossible not to see them, and it wasn’t just one, but one every mile or so. My eyes became so heavy I pulled off and sent the kids and friends into the store to browse, giving me a quick five-minute shut-eye. When I closed my eyes, I got this nasty image in my mind that was so X-rated it was vile to me. I ignored it, but as I attempted to get some rest, it returned again and again. I realized the thought was not coming from within me but rather on me and sat up to take authority over it. I asked God to show me what He saw and saw this taller-than-a-building, demon-looking creature on the side of the road with long claw-like fingernails. Asking Jesus to reveal what He wanted me to know, I heard, “He is stationed along the highway and taps their minds with sexual images luring them into the store (that was promoted on the billboard).” I asked the Lord why it was so big and tall and heard, “He has been fed well” (meaning every time someone bites the bait, he is fed and grows stronger). I sat up and realized I was not going to get my rest but was rather on assignment and said, “Well, then I am going to starve him,” and began releasing the opposite in the atmosphere. At the next stop, the encounter was so strong upon my heart that I shared it with each of my children individually and said, “I just wanted you to be aware if you begin having unusual thoughts, it isn’t you but something coming upon you,” and two of them admitted they had been battling nasty thoughts and having a hard time taking authority over it. We prayed, released it to go, and ushered in peace and purity over them. Not every thought is coming from within yourself but sometimes trying to come ON you to get you to partner with it as if it were your own. Discerning the difference is key.