From the desk of Steve Shultz:
Have you thought of asking your Heavenly Father for a Christmas gift?
After all... "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17).
This is an intriguing and spirit-filled word by Ben Peters... I was most encouraged by it... and I'm sure you will be too.
Ben Peters shares here:
Have you thought of asking your Heavenly Father for a Christmas gift? As I was praying, I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit saying, "The Father wants His children to ask especially for the Gift of Faith this Christmas." He wants to prepare us for the miracles He plans on doing in 2015 for His Church. He could do them on His own, but He prefers to use the Body of Christ on the earth, and He wants us to ask for the gifts that are needed most for the season we are in. Paul said, "Earnestly desire the best gifts" (I Corinthians 12:31).
There's so much to seek Him for as we adore Him this week, especially.
Blessings,
Steve
Note from Steve: By the way, to have daily, encouraging prophetic emails from The Elijah List sent to your inbox, just CLICK HERE.
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"The Gift of Faith – A Christmas Special From Father"
Ben R. Peters, Sacramento, CA
While mothers will most often lovingly choose a gift that will make her child happy, a father (if he is involved enough to do some Christmas shopping) will often choose a gift that will help the child get better prepared for life's challenges. The father might buy his son tools or sports equipment. He might get his daughter books or supplies for hobbies and other activities. Fathers may have two separate motives. The first would be to help their kids succeed in life. The second would be to give them something to do that they can help them with, thus spending bonding time together.
I believe our Heavenly Father also gives gifts for the same basic reasons. He certainly wants to help us to be successful. When we use His gifts successfully, it builds His Kingdom and when we are honored, our Father is also honored. Secondly, when we use His gifts, we always need His help and advice, because we understand so little of the spiritual world, and we draw closer and closer to Him as we work with His gifts and draw from His wisdom and grace to use them productively.
What's On Your Christmas Wish List?
Have you thought of asking your Heavenly Father for a Christmas gift? As I was praying, I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit saying, "The Father wants His children to ask especially for the Gift of Faith this Christmas." He wants to prepare us for the miracles He plans on doing in 2015 for His Church. He could do them on His own, but He prefers to use the Body of Christ on the earth, and He wants us to ask for the gifts that are needed most for the season we are in. Paul said, "Earnestly desire the best gifts" (I Corinthians 12:31). (Photo via Pixabay)
The coming year will produce increased upheaval, and increased revival, building momentum from 2014. The gift of faith will be much in demand, and those who demonstrate the use of this gift will see many miracles. This will cause many doors to open to them for ministry. This gift isn't talked about too much, but combined with healings, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, wisdom and knowledge, this gift of faith is a catalyst to accelerate the working of every other gift.
Normal Day-to-Day Faith vs. The Gift of Faith
It was over 45 years ago that God gave me my first major revelation. It was the simplicity of a Christian's walk of faith – trusting the word of a close friend – someone you know quite intimately. The gift of faith is more of a supernatural phenomenon than normal day-to-day faith. It comes "upon" you like other gifts, such as prophecy or word of knowledge. When you have this gift, you just "know" God will do something. You don't have to do mental gymnastics to convince yourself that God will do it. You just know it, and you can encourage others to believe because of that knowledge.
This gift of faith will easily conquer the obstacles of faith, and like every other gift, it is not earned or rewarded to those who qualify. God's gifts are just that – gifts. We have no right to show them off, except to say, "Look what my Father gave me! He is amazing, and I didn't deserve such a wonderful gift." Some versions of Psalm 68:18 declare that God gave His gifts even to the rebellious, so that He could dwell among His people through His gifts. (Photo via Pixabay)
Key To Increasing the Power of Your Gift – The Humility of Jesus
At any rate, the gifts are to help us build His Kingdom, not to prove our spirituality or build our own ministry kingdom. If we stay humble, He will bless us with more and more fruitfulness. He will increase the anointing on our gifts and widen our sphere of influence. However, if we take any credit for our ministry gifts, God must resist us, which can happen in many ways, and sadly, has already happened to many great leaders. Some have lost their power to resist temptation and have fallen into sin. Some have gotten into unnecessary financial trouble. Some were taken home prematurely. Note: Not all who have experienced these things were being resisted because of pride, but certainly some of them were.
The fact is: God has to resist the proud, because pride is the chief characteristic and first sin of the devil, whom we are told to resist. When we humble ourselves, He sees the image of His Son, Jesus, who humbled Himself to serve others (see Philippians 2:8). He loves to give us grace when He sees His Son in us. That grace empowers our gifts to higher levels. (Photo by Jennifer Page "Love's Preservation" via elijahshopper.com)
God's Heart For Your Ministry – And Everyone Has a Ministry
God is a loving Father and wants to see you happy, fulfilled, and blessed. He doesn't just want to use you to build His Kingdom. You are His child, in whom He delights. This Gift of Faith is being offered to you who desire it. As a natural father to five and grandfather to twelve, and as a spiritual father to many more, I speak a Father's Blessing over you.
I bless you with grace to receive this gift of faith from your Heavenly Father. He knows your lack and your weakness and failures. I speak His grace and favor to you as you humble yourself before Him and acknowledge that you don't deserve anything. But as His child, you are appealing to His Father's heart of love. I bless you with time to set aside to be alone with Him. I bless you with ears to hear His voice as He instructs you about the use of His gift to you. I bless you with His power, love, and a sound mind and freedom from all fear of exercising your gifts.
So, what's on your list? I trust you will add the Gift of Faith.
Ben R. Peters
Kingdom Sending Center
Email: ohmint@gmail.com
Website: kingdomsendingcenter.org
Ben and Brenda Peters have said, "YES" to the call of God to challenge, equip and send dedicated lovers of Jesus into the harvest fields of the earth, including the seven mountains of society. Together they have ministered to tens of thousands of individuals in several countries of the world. After establishing churches and Christian schools for almost thirty years, they began a traveling ministry in 1999, under the name, Open Heart Ministries, speaking, teaching and prophesying in conferences, camps, churches, ministry schools (including Wagner Leadership Institute) and homes. More recently, they also founded an Illinois-based ministry, called, Kingdom Sending Center, after hearing from God during a Heidi Baker meeting in Chicago. Ben began writing revelatory books in 2000, and has published 22 of them since then, and his newest book is HOLY HOW? Holiness, the Sabbath, Communion and Baptism. Ben and Brenda have five children and 12 grandchildren.
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