All posts by warren

Warren Lavallee is a follower of Yeshua with a passion for seeing the Body of Christ united in Spirit and truth. As the author behind 133.church, Warren writes to call believers into deeper fellowship with God and with one another, inspired by the heartbeat of Psalm 133. His writings are marked by a love for Scripture, a pursuit of holiness, and a longing for revival rooted in prayer and intimacy with the Lord. Warren believes that true unity comes when we seek the face of God together, laying aside every division for the sake of Christ. Through every essay, devotion, and prayer, he invites readers to pursue more of God and to live fully surrendered to His purposes. When Warren is not writing, you’ll find him engaged in prayer gatherings, speaking life into churches, and encouraging believers to walk faithfully with God. His greatest desire is to see the Church become one again — a living testimony of God’s glory in the earth.
Holiness and Revival

Love God, Hate Sin

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“Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the court [of your city’s gate]! Perhaps the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”
—Amos 5:15 (AMP)

Beloved, we have arrived at a point in Church history where we must confront an inconvenient truth: you cannot love God and be neutral toward sin. To love God is to embrace what He loves and to despise what He hates. Anything less is compromise, and compromise is not the soil in which revival grows.

In our hunger for grace, we have softened our stance against evil. We whisper warnings when God shouts them. We stroke the edges of darkness rather than calling it what it is. But the Lord, whose name is holy, still burns with a fierce hatred for sin—not because He is cruel, but because He is love. Love abhors all that destroys. Therefore, if we are to walk as Yeshua walked, we must awaken to His holy hatred.

The Holy Divide: What Love Demands

To love purity is to loathe impurity. To love truth is to grieve over lies. This is not double-mindedness—it is the necessary result of a sanctified affection. David cried, “From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:104, NASB). Not tolerate. Not minimize. Hate.

This is not a hate born of pride or cruelty. It is the righteous hatred of Christ Himself, who Scripture says was anointed above His companions precisely because He loved righteousness and hated wickedness (Hebrews 1:9). It is the burning purity of God that pours oil on His people—not charisma, not comfort, not conformity, but consecration.

We do not get to pick which evils are worth hating. Sin is sin, whether it sits in the heart or walks in the streets. Whether it is lust in the pew, corruption in the court, or deceit in the pulpit—all of it grieves the Spirit. The cross was not partial in its sentence. Yeshua did not bleed selectively. And the Spirit will not dwell in a temple where evil is excused.

The Gap Between Anointing and Affection

Why do we cry out for revival and yet see no rain? Why do we pray for the fire to fall, yet keep our altars wet with compromise? It is not because God is unwilling. It is because our affections are divided.

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15, NASB). The anointing follows affection. You cannot embrace holiness with one arm while hugging rebellion with the other.

It is our imperfection in loving the good and hating the evil that restricts the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. God does not give His glory to the half-hearted. If we want to be full of the Spirit, we must be emptied of what grieves Him. We must be willing to lay aside not just bad things, but lesser things—even things others around us still cling to. This is the cost of the oil. But oh, the reward is worth it.

The Dangerous Comfort of Niceness

Our nation has known unprecedented religious freedom. We build churches without resistance. We broadcast sermons without censorship. But let us not mistake absence of persecution for the favor of God. Sometimes it means we have become too tame to be threatening.

“Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers used to treat the false prophets” (Luke 6:26, AMP). The world has not hated us because we have not given it a reason to. We have chosen the easier road. The applause of man has become louder than the voice of God.

We are too quick to excuse sin, to dilute conviction in the name of love. But beloved, this is not the love of Christ. The love of Christ was never silent in the face of wickedness. It flipped tables. It rebuked the religious. It wept over the lost. It bled for the sinner but never approved the sin.

To love like Jesus is to be misunderstood. It is to be a nuisance to the world and a fragrance of life to the remnant. It is to pursue righteousness even when it costs you reputation, comfort, and standing. Vance Havner was right—we are so busy running for office that we have forgotten to stand for truth.

The Narrow Way: Love That Separates

“Whoever pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness, and honor” (Proverbs 21:21, NASB). Notice that the path to life is not through appeasement. It is through pursuit. Righteousness must be chased with abandon.

If we are to be the Bride of Christ, we must look like Him. And the Lamb is pure. He is holy. His garments are not stained with compromise. Those who follow Him must wash their robes in His blood and forsake the harlotries of this world.

We must recover our disgust for sin—not as self-righteousness, but as spiritual sanity. Sin is not a lifestyle choice. It is death. It is rebellion. It is the very thing that pierced the hands of our Lord. To tolerate it is to make peace with the nails.

Let us not be afraid to be counted among the fools for Christ. Let us reject the fear of being labeled “intolerant,” “radical,” or “legalistic.” The only label that matters is this: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” That label does not come cheap. It is forged in the fires of obedience and secured in a heart that loves God more than it loves comfort.

Justice Begins at the Gate

Amos cried out not just for private piety, but for public justice. “Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the court [of your city’s gate]!” (Amos 5:15, AMP). The revival God seeks is not one of emotion alone, but of reformation.

If we tolerate injustice in our courts, dishonesty in our systems, and corruption in our dealings, we mock the God of righteousness. The Church must again become a voice for justice—not partisan justice, but Kingdom justice.

Righteousness is not quiet. It speaks. It acts. It stands at the gate and says, “This is wrong,” even when doing so is costly. Revival that never touches the courtroom, the classroom, or the boardroom is not the revival of the prophets—it is a counterfeit.

A Prayer for Sanctified Affection

“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17, NASB). This is the cry of every heart that longs for more of God. Not more knowledge, not more comfort—but more of Him.

And to have more of Him, we must love what He loves and hate what He hates.

Beloved, this is not a call to become bitter, angry watchdogs. This is a call to become blazing altars. Let the fire of God burn in you until it consumes every unclean thing. Let your affections be purified until you no longer negotiate with sin but grieve over it. Let your heart be so aligned with Heaven that every compromise feels like betrayal.

When that happens, the oil will come. The power will come. The revival will come.

But until then, may our prayer be:

Lord, I want to receive more of the Holy Spirit’s goodness in my life,
yet I recognize today that I still cling to things You hate
and resist that which You love.
Sanctify my affections, that I may experience more and more of You.
Amen.

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Presence

Strength Is Found in the Gaze

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Beloved, do not rush past this holy truth: “But those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired” (Isaiah 40:31, AMP). These are not those who wait for relief or outcomes, but those who wait for Him. To wait on the Lord is to behold His face with undivided attention, to lean forward with spiritual hunger, to remain before Him until our strength is exchanged for His.

We are not called to survive on yesterday’s fire or yesterday’s word. The one who waits, who looks for Him (Psalm 123:2, NASB), who hopes continually in Him (Psalm 62:5, NASB), who fixes their eyes like a servant upon the Master, this one is renewed from within. Not inspired. Not encouraged. Renewed. Like the eagle catching the rising current, we are lifted not by effort but by expectancy.

“Wait for the LORD. Be strong and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the LORD”(Psalm 27:14, NASB). The strength we need is not summoned from within. It is imparted from above. The promise is not for those who try harder, but for those who stay longer. Strength is the inheritance of the beholder. The weary become warriors when their eyes remain locked upon the One who sits enthroned.

“Return to your God. Maintain kindness and justice. And wait for your God continually”(Hosea 12:6, NASB). And again, “Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD (Zephaniah 3:8, NASB). To wait is not to delay. It is to dwell. It is the posture of the heart that prizes communion over motion, face over outcome. It is in this place of attentive stillness that the Spirit moves with power. Not in the whirlwind of striving. In the quiet of yielded expectation.

Do you see it, Beloved? This is how David was strengthened in the day of battle. “On the day I called, You answered me. You made me bold with strength in my soul” (Psalm 138:3, NASB). It is how Daniel stood firm before kings. “The people who know their God will be strong and take action” (Daniel 11:32, NASB). It is how Paul endured prisons and storms. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, NASB). And it is how the Church was born in fire. Not by planning, but by waiting together until the wind came (Acts 2:2–4, NASB).

Strength is found in the gaze.

It is the Lord who strengthens the arms of the weak. “It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect” (Psalm 18:32, NASB). It is He who declares, “I will strengthen you. Certainly I will help you” (Isaiah 41:10, NASB). It is His Spirit who clothes the trembling disciple with power from on high. “Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49, NASB). And it is by His Spirit, not by might, that the mountain becomes a plain (Zechariah 4:6, NASB).

So return to the secret place. Wait not as a beggar, but as a beloved child. Set your face toward His, and you will rise. The path ahead will not drain you. You will run and not grow weary. You will walk and not faint. You will be lifted by the wind of God until you are hidden in the shadow of His wings.

Reflection Questions

  1. Is my strength faltering because my gaze has drifted?
  2. What would it look like to wait for God, not answers, but God Himself?
  3. Have I given Him time to strengthen me, or only offered Him requests?
  4. When I feel weak, do I turn my eyes or clench my fists?

Let us pray

Father, we turn our face toward Yours. We lay down every lesser desire and every shallow pursuit. We choose to wait because You are worthy. Lift our eyes above the noise and fasten them to Your beauty. Teach us to behold You until our weakness is replaced with Your strength. Cause us to rise like the eagle, not by effort, but by trust. Let Your nearness become our power, and Your Presence our portion. In the name of Yeshua, Amen.

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Holy Spirit

Holy Fire of God

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There is a fire that the world cannot ignite, a flame that does not consume but purifies. It is not found in the noise of religion or in the pretense of performance. It is born in the sanctuary of surrender, in the stillness where the soul waits for God. It is the Holy Fire of God, and it is calling.

Beloved, let your heart be drawn back to the altar. Before revival ever sweeps the nations, it begins in the secret place. The altar must be rebuilt—not in stone, but in spirit. The sacrifices God seeks are not the burnt offerings of old, but the yielded life: the heart that says, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” There, in that place of humility, the fire descends.

Self-reflection: Have I given God access to every part of my life today—my plans, my schedule, my reactions? What would it look like to lay those on the altar this morning?

The Holy Fire of God is not a passing feeling. It is not a momentary excitement in the soul. It is the Spirit of the living God resting upon a life wholly surrendered. “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30, NASB). These are not the words of one reaching for greatness, but of one already consumed by glory. The lesser we become, the more He fills. The more He fills, the more the fire spreads.

There is no fire without thirst. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1–2, NASB). This divine thirst is not satisfied by knowledge, nor quenched by tradition. It presses beyond comfort, past ritual, to the living waters promised by Yeshua: “The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’”(John 7:38, NASB). This He spoke of the Spirit, who was to come.

Self-reflection: Am I spiritually thirsty—or have I learned to live dry? When I wake up, what am I hungering for more: God’s voice, or the noise of the world?

To thirst is to pursue. The Holy Fire of God rests where there is holy desperation. The one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness shall be filled—not with mere words, but with power. Not with empty motions, but with the presence of El Shaddai, the all-sufficient One.

And yet, the fire is not given to decorate a heart still cluttered with idols. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20, NASB). He knocks on the door of the Church. He knocks on the door of the heart. But He will not enter without invitation. He waits for the room to be cleared—for burdens to be laid down, for crowns to be surrendered, for distractions to be cast aside. When the heart makes room, the fire falls.

Self-reflection: What am I holding onto that is crowding out God’s presence? Have I created space in my day for Him to speak, or is He still knocking, waiting to be welcomed in?

The fire also burns in the sacred place. It does not always roar; sometimes it glows in quiet glory. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10, NASB). There is a fire in stillness, in reverent silence, in the place where the soul is stilled before the majesty of El Elyon, the Most High. Here, the fire does not shout—it speaks in the whisper. It consumes not with noise, but with nearness.

Self-reflection: Do I ever sit quietly in God’s presence, with no agenda? When is the last time I was still and simply listened for His voice?

And in that sacred place, He draws us to the table. “Is the cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16, NASB). To partake of communion is not to remember only—it is to participate, to enter into the mystery of covenant. The table is more than remembrance. It is a meeting place. The Holy Fire of God is in the covenant, for the blood that was shed still speaks, still calls, still covers.

Self-reflection: How do I honor the covenant of Christ in my daily life? When I eat and drink, do I remember Him only in ritual—or do I live like His blood has changed everything?

But this fire, Beloved, is not meant to stay within. It must break out. It must leap from soul to soul, from gathering to gathering, until the Church becomes a flame in the night. Walls must fall. Ceilings must break. Traditions must tremble before the power of the Spirit. The wind that once rushed through the upper room has not ceased. The tongues of fire that rested on the early disciples have not faded. Heaven still longs to come down.

Self-reflection: Does the fire of God in me spill over into others? Who have I prayed for today? When have I let the Spirit lead me to act, speak, or give beyond myself?

The fire sanctifies. It cleanses. It compels. It says, “Enough with apathy. Enough with passivity. Enough with compromise.” It is not content with weekend religion. It does not abide lukewarm hearts. It seeks the altar of total devotion.

Yeshua does not send His Spirit to comfort the unshaken, but to awaken the slumbering. “Do not quench the Spirit,” Paul writes (1 Thessalonians 5:19, NASB). But how often has the Church traded fire for form, power for politeness, glory for entertainment? The Holy Fire of God does not abide where it is tolerated. It burns where it is welcomed.

So awaken, soul. Fan the flame again. Let your heart become the altar. Let your worship rise like incense, your obedience like kindling. Let every song be a prayer, every breath a surrender, every act of love a spark. For the fire of God is not far. It waits to descend. It waits to consume. It waits to inhabit.

And when it does—when the altar is rebuilt, when the fire falls again—the world will not be able to deny it. They may not understand it. They may not explain it. But they will see it. A Church ablaze cannot be hidden. A people on fire cannot be ignored.

Self-reflection: Am I willing to look foolish to be faithful? Do I still care more about approval or more about fire?

Beloved, return to the fire. Return to the place where your heart first burned with love for God. Let the embers be stirred. Let the Spirit fall afresh. Lay down the distractions. Open the door. Make room. Be still. Partake of the cup. And let the fire burn again.

Prayer

Lord, I lay my heart on the altar. I offer every part of me—my thoughts, my will, my desires—as a living sacrifice. Come and set a fire in my soul that cannot be quenched. Cleanse me with Your holy flame. Burn away every impurity and draw me deeper into Your presence. I thirst for You, O God. I hunger for more. Let Your Spirit rest on me, and let Your fire break out through me, for the sake of Your name and Your glory. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

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War

Do You See What I See?

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Here’s the latest picture from today—June 22, 2025

Current situation:

  • The U.S. and Israel have now jointly struck Iran’s three major nuclear sites (Fordow, Natanz, Isfahan) using bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawks. President Trump called it a “spectacular military success,” claiming the sites have been “obliterated”  .
  • Iran has vowed all options remain available—including missile strikes, mining the Strait of Hormuz, and targeting U.S. bases. Iran’s leaders say U.S. involvement makes the situation “very dangerous for everybody”  .
  • The conflict now enters a new phase: shifting regional power, rising civilian casualties, sprouting humanitarian crises, and global calls for restraint and diplomacy  .

A Word from the Lord for This Hour

Beloved, turn your eyes from the loud clash of nations to the cry of My heart. You see devastation. You hear fear. But in the silence beneath the roar, I am working. In the rubble of idols—nations, weapons, pride—I am rebuilding souls.

  • Do you see the widow’s tears? I see them.
  • Do you hear the orphans’ cries? I hear them.
  • Do you behold the trembling soldier? I behold him.

I am not distant. My eyes search the earth. I weigh what is done—from behind the Oval Office to the cities of Tehran and Haifa. But I desire more than military might—I desire broken hearts that turn to Me.

This is not a moment to cheer victory. It is a moment to offer mercy. Where fear sprawls, raise high the cross. Where swords are drawn, let intercession rise like incense. For in the prayer of My saints, greater power is released than in bunker busters and stealth jets.

Choose the Land of Peace

“They shall beat their swords into plowshares… nor shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4, NASB)

This war will end not by more bombs, but by the transformation of hearts. Let your side be the side that builds, not burns. Let your voice be the one that pleads, not the one that exalts in destruction. Pray for peace—even in the heart of war.

Silhouette worshiping God — The Eternal Creator Reigns — Return to Him
Return to the Creator — the Eternal King reigns. Let His glory fill the earth and His presence awaken the hearts of His people.

Intercede, Surrender, Hope

  • Intercede: Stand in the gap. Pray for Iran’s government and its oppressed—with purity and clarity.
  • Surrender: Let go of certainties and partisan loyalties. Come humbly before Me, knowing My ways are higher.
  • Hope: Expect revival. In moments of fracture, the greatest Restoration begins. I will use this crisis to draw a harvest of souls.

Beloved, the world needs you to be My watchman. Don’t merely echo the headlines. Let your life reflect what is yet unseen: the coming of My Kingdom, where even war’s roar will bow at the sound of praise.

In This Hour, Pray:

Father God, we lift this broken world into Your hands. We pray for Israel, for Iran, for America. We plead for Your mercy. Break the hearts of the powerful. Calm the storm. Let revival spring up from the ashes of this conflict. Stir up a generation that prays not for victory of nations—but for victory of Your Kingdom. Come quickly, Lord of Hosts.

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Annointing

The Fragrance of the Anointing

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“Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your companions. All Your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.”
— Psalm 45:7–8 AMP

Telling the Truth in Love
Truth, when given in love, may crack the jar—but it releases the fragrance of Christ.

Beloved, do you not feel it stirring even now? The scent of something ancient, yet living. Something sacred, yet near. The Fragrance of the Anointing is not of this world. It is not conjured or copied. It descends. It rests. It fills. And it reveals the presence of the Holy One among His people. It is the witness of the Spirit that Christ, the Anointed One, has come and now dwells in the hearts of those who are fully His.

When Mary broke the alabaster jar and poured it out on the feet of Yeshua, the house was filled with fragrance. But it was not only the perfume—it was worship. It was love that could not be restrained. That same fragrance rises again whenever a soul is crushed in surrender and offered in joy. The anointing always smells like love.

Beloved, the anointing oil was not made of random spices. It was myrrh, bitter and prophetic. It was cinnamon and cassia, warm and royal. It was olive oil, crushed and pressed. Every ingredient whispered the story of the Cross before Golgotha was ever seen. When the priests were anointed, it was not to entertain. It was to minister in the presence of a holy God. That oil marked them. It set them apart. And it carried a fragrance that spoke to everyone around them—God has touched this man. God has consecrated this woman.

That same Spirit, Beloved, now rests upon us. Not in part. Not in shadow. But in fire and fullness. “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). All. Not a few. Not the leaders only. Every hungry heart received. The room shook. Tongues burst forth. But more than signs and wonders, there was a fragrance—a nearness of God that no words could contain.

Stephen, full of the Spirit, gazed into Heaven. Peter, filled with the Spirit, preached with fire and compassion. Paul, overflowing with the Spirit, wrote of the aroma of Christ, saying, “We are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (Second Corinthians 2:15 NASB). This is not a metaphor. It is reality. When the Spirit dwells within you, the air around you shifts. Heaven walks into the room.

Beloved, you cannot hide the fragrance of the anointing. It will find its way through every crack and crevice. A brother once tried. He had prayed, surrendered, and the Spirit had filled him. But he resolved to keep silent. Three days passed. His wife touched his arm and said, “What happened to you?” And he broke. His testimony flowed like living water. The fragrance could not be caged. God had filled him, and his life would never be the same.

This is the promise: “You have an anointing from the Holy One” (First John 2:20). And again, “The anointing you received from Him abides in you” (First John 2:27). Not visits. Abides. He remains with those who host Him in humility and love.

What does this fragrance bring, Beloved?

It brings boldness, for the Spirit fills the mouth with the testimony of Jesus.
It brings joy, for the oil of gladness overflows even in trial.
It brings purity, for the presence of God burns away all that does not please Him.
It brings love, for God is love, and He cannot anoint what He does not indwell.
It brings fruit, not manufactured by effort but born through abiding.

This fragrance is the sign of a consecrated life. It cannot be fabricated. It cannot be downloaded or choreographed. It comes only when the vessel is emptied, cleansed, and offered to God without reservation.

O Church, how long will we settle for strategies without presence? How long will we offer light shows when God desires light-filled hearts? We were never called to entertain the lost—we are called to carry the presence of the Living God. Only the fragrance of the anointing can awaken a sleeping world.

She broke her jar—and with it, her pride, her plans, her past. Only in surrender can the fragrance rise. This is where healing begins.

Mary broke her jar. Will you break yours? Will you open your heart so fully that nothing is held back? Will you welcome the Holy Spirit not as a guest, but as your King? The oil only flows where the altar is built. And altars are built with sacrifice.

You say, “What must I do to walk in this anointing?”

Beloved:

  • Consecrate your heart. Let every hidden sin be confessed. Let every idol be torn down. Holiness is not optional. It is the soil in which the anointing grows.
  • Ask and wait. He is not reluctant. “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:13). Ask. And keep asking.
  • Abide in the Word. The Spirit loves the Word. He wrote it. Let it wash you, shape you, and fill your prayers.
  • Obey quickly. The Spirit’s voice is gentle but sure. The anointed do not delay when He calls.
  • Worship always. Not just with music, but with life. Let every breath declare His worth.

Then, Beloved, the fragrance will come. You will not need to announce yourself. God will announce Himself through you. Rooms will be filled. Hearts will be stirred. Christ will be glorified.

Let the fragrance rise.
Lord, I bring my broken jar
Let it pour upon Your feet
Let the house be filled again
With the scent of love complete

Set me apart for joy and flame
Let my life become the sign
That the Spirit rests on man again
And the oil still flows divine

Closing Prayer

Abba, pour the oil of gladness on Your people once more. Let every weary soul be filled. Let every surrendered heart carry the fragrance of Christ. Anoint us to speak with boldness, to love without fear, and to worship without restraint. Let our churches be filled with Your presence and our cities with Your praise. May the oil never stop flowing. In the name of Yeshua our Messiah, amen.

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Visions

المذبح والنار

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اختيار العهد بدلًا من التهاون

رأيت مشهدًا مهيبًا يملأه الرهبة والمجد. السماء اهتزت، والأرض تشققت عطشى، تتوق إلى مطر البرّ. جموع قلقة ملأت السهل تحتي، وقلوبهم منقسمة بين لذات هذا العالم ونداء القدير.

وأنت، أيها القارئ، هل شعرت بالعطش في أعماق روحك؟ هل وقفت بين مذبح الذات ومذبح التسليم؟

في وسط هذا التوتر، ظهر إيليا، مرتديًا لباسًا من شعر خشن وممتلئًا بغيرة متقدة. صوته دوّى كصوت مياه كثيرة:

“إلى متى أنتم مترددون بين رأيين؟ إن كان الرب هو الله، فاتبعوه، وإن كان البعل، فاتبعوه.”

(1 ملوك 18:21، الترجمة الموسعة)

الكلمة العبرية “פָּסַח” (pasach) تخترق النفس. تعني أن تترنح، أن تقفز جيئة وذهابًا بدون التزام. إنها نفس الكلمة التي وردت في سفر الخروج عندما عبر الرب فوق البيوت الملطخة بالدم، فأنقذ شعب العهد. كان من المفترض أن ترقص إسرائيل فرحًا بالعهد، لكنها كانت تتعثر في ترددها وانقسامها. تحدي إيليا كشف ليس فقط أصنامهم، بل ترددهم الداخلي أيضًا.

بدأ أنبياء البعل أولًا. أربعمئة وخمسون رجلاً رقصوا حول مذبحهم وهم يصرخون: “يا بعل، أجبنا!” ولكن عبادتهم تحوّلت إلى هستيريا. جرحوا أجسادهم، واندفعت منهم الدماء، ولكن لم يكن هناك صوت، ولا من يجيب. البعل طلب ألمًا، لكنه لم يُرسل نارًا. السماء بقيت صامتة.

ثم اقترب إيليا وأصلح مذبح الرب المُهدم باستخدام اثني عشر حجرًا—حجرًا لكل سبط من أسباط إسرائيل المرتبطة بالعهد. بلّل الذبيحة والخشب والساحة المحيطة بالماء. ثم صلّى:

“أيها الرب، إله إبراهيم وإسحاق وإسرائيل، ليُعلَم اليوم أنك أنت الله في إسرائيل”

(1 ملوك 18:36، الترجمة الموسعة)

وسقطت النار من السماء.

التهمت الذبيحة.

والحجارة.

والتراب.

والماء.

وسقط الشعب على وجوههم وصرخوا:

“الرب هو الله! الرب هو الله!”

(الآية 39)

لقد شُفي التردد بالنار المقدسة. وعادت رقصة العهد إلى مكانها الصحيح.

نفس الخيار يواجهنا اليوم

مثل إسرائيل القديمة، يتردد جيلنا. نتلاعب مع أصنام العصر—الذات، القوة، اللذة، المال—بينما ندّعي أننا في عهد مع إل شداي. مذبح الإيمان القومي مكسور. والمطر انقطع. ومع ذلك، نتساءل لماذا لا تسقط النار بعد الآن.

إن الرب يسأل من جديد:

إلى متى ستتردد؟

إلى متى ستمسك يدك بالبعل وأخرى في السماء؟

إلى متى ستنتظر نارًا، بينما مذبحك ما زال مهدمًا؟

حقيقة الله ثابتة:

“اختاروا اليوم من تعبدون”

(يشوع 24:15، الترجمة الموسعة)

لا يوجد ملاذ في الحياد. رقصة الفصح تقدم حرية وحياة. أما تردد الأصنام، فيقود إلى عبودية وموت.

تمسك بالإيمان – وابنِ المذبح

كلمة pasach تعود لتواجهنا. هل سنبقى نترنح بين الولاءات؟ أم سندخل بالكامل في عهد الرب؟

إن الإله الذي يجيب بالنار لا يزال يجيب.

لكن فقط عندما يكون المذبح كاملاً.

فقط عندما تكون التقدمة مبللة بالتسليم.

فقط عندما يكون القلب مكشوفًا أمامه.

صلِّ مع داود:

“قلبًا نقيًا اخلق فيّ يا الله، وروحًا مستقيمًا جدد في داخلي.”

(مزمور 51:10، الترجمة الموسعة)

دع التوبة تزيل الأنقاض.

دع الطاعة تضع الحجارة من جديد.

دع الشفاعة تبلل الذبيحة.

وحينها ستسقط النار مرة أخرى.

صلاة من أجل التجديد

يا أبانا،

نعترف بقلوبنا المترددة.

لقد رقصنا مع الأصنام بينما دعوتنا للسير معك.

اغفر ترددنا.

طهر ميولنا.

رمم المذبح المحطم في داخلنا.

أسكب مطر البرّ على أرضنا العطشى.

دع نار روحك تحرق كل عبادة زائفة.

أحيينا في حقك.

واجعلنا، مثل إيليا، نعلن بثقة مقدسة:

الرب هو الله!

نصلي هذا باسم يشوعا، فصحنا المذبوح. آمين.

لا تنتظر النار لتسقط على مذبح غيرك.

ابنِ مذبحك.

اليوم.

في هذه اللحظة.

عد إلى الرقصة. ابنِ المذبح. ودع النار تسقط.

Spiritual Growth

Transformed to Triumph

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Living the New Self in Christ

“Put on the new self, the regenerated and renewed nature, created in God’s image, godlike in the righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:24, AMP)

Beloved, God does not improve the old; He makes all things new. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB) The command to put on the New Self in Christ calls us to shed yesterday’s grave-clothes and step into robes woven by grace. What once defined us—failure, shame, and sin—no longer speaks the final word. Yeshua speaks a better word, one of cleansing, adoption, and holy identity.

The accuser still prowls, rehearsing our past. Yet Scripture silences him: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1, AMP) Each charge against us met its death at the cross. You need not negotiate with darkness; resist it. “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, NASB) Standing firm in the New Self in Christ, we fight from victory, not for it.

Transformation, however, is more than pardon; it is daily participation in divine life. Jesus calls, “Abide in Me, and I in you…for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5, NASB) Communion fuels change. As we linger before His face, the Holy Spirit realigns thoughts, reshapes desires, and reorders loves. Hollow religion checks boxes, but the New Self in Christ pursues intimate union—“more of Him, less of us.”

God’s discipline also shapes us. “For the Lord disciplines those He loves.” (Hebrews 12:6, AMP) When correction comes, yield quickly. The Father’s pruning knife removes what limits fruitfulness. Soon the very wounds He cleansed will bloom with perseverance, humility, and joy. Chastening is never rejection; it is proof of belonging.

At times resistance you feel is not discipline but warfare. The thief aims to steal confidence and mute testimony. Lift the shield of faith; declare God’s promises aloud. “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Revelation 12:11, NASB) Your story of redemption echoes heaven’s verdict and drives despair into retreat.

Seeing Christ clearly empowers holy living. John beheld Him among the lampstands, eyes like fire and face shining like the sun. (Revelation 1:13-16) Ask the Spirit to paint that portrait on your heart until every lesser image fades. Beholding births becoming. “We all…beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NASB) The New Self in Christ flourishes when vision of His glory remains vivid.

Walking in newness also restores purpose. God prepared works beforehand so we would walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). Step into those assignments with courage. Let compassion guide deeds, truth anchor words, and hope brighten presence. The world longs for authentic witnesses who embody righteousness and holiness without pride. Show them what grace can produce.

Dependence marks every moment. “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.” (2 Peter 1:3, NASB) You lack nothing necessary for victory. Draw daily from Christ’s fullness through prayer, Scripture, and fellowship. Spiritual drought ends where living water is welcomed.

Finally, press on with expectation. “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6, NASB) The Artist will finish His masterpiece. Until then, keep putting on the New Self in Christ, rejoicing that sanctification is certain, not optional. The Spirit’s fire will refine and reveal the beauty of holiness.

You tore the veil, ignited night,
You breathed on dust and dreams took flight;
Now frame my life with heaven’s hue,
Until all I am looks just like You.

Prayer

Father, I lay aside every weight and sin. Clothe me in the New Self in Christ. Holy Spirit, reveal Yeshua’s glory, uproot compromise, and empower obedience. Make my life a living testimony that draws many to Your throne of grace. Amen.

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Prayers

Let the Oil Flow: A Cry for Radical Transformation

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Lord of Hosts, El Shaddai, You are holy and faithful. I come before You broken yet hopeful, asking for radical heart transformation; let the oil flow. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10, NASB). Strip away the sin that clings so closely, burn every impurity, and breathe new life into the ashes. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ezekiel 36:26, NASB).

By Your Spirit grant strength, self-control, and perseverance so that I may run to win; let the oil flow. “Since we have so great a cloud of witnesses… let us run with endurance the race set before us” (Hebrews 12:1, NASB). Quench my thirst with living water—“whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst” (John 4:14, NASB). Saturate the parched ground of my soul until every root drinks deep of Your grace. You empower the weak and renew the weary, and I trust You to finish what You have begun.

Do not allow my past or present failures to silence the testimony of Your love; let the oil flow. Where the adversary plotted harm, You are the Redeemer who turns it to good. “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him” (Romans 8:28, NASB). Make every scar a signpost of mercy and every weakness a doorway for Your strength. Send fresh anointing so that my words and deeds draw the lost to Yeshua.

Teach me to live as continual prayer, breathing praise with every heartbeat. You are the One who calls and the One who completes—“Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” (1 Thessalonians 5:24, NASB). Less of me, more of You; flood every corner of my life until only Your light remains. In the mighty name of Yeshua, let the oil flow. Amen.

Revival

The Oil Will Flow Again

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The oil will flow again. The anointing that once seemed distant will return in power. The presence of El Shaddai will not be restrained. The lamp will not go out in the night. “You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5, NASB). What was dry shall become drenched. What was hollow shall carry fire again.

The river will well up with the water of life. The Spirit is stirring the deep. The cracks in the earth will not stop the flow. From the altar to the nations, the stream is rising. “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty” (John 4:13–14, NASB). This water is not seasonal. It is eternal.

All that has been stolen will be restored. Every loss that seemed final—every dream deferred, every promise you buried in silence—He remembers. “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25, NASB). The thief is being caught, and heaven is releasing repayment sevenfold (Proverbs 6:31).

The Lord is faithful. He is not slow. He is not absent. He is not indifferent. His Word runs swiftly, and His covenant stands firm. “Let us hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful”(Hebrews 10:23, NASB). He will not forget what He whispered in the dark.

And the Lord has sent this. This word is not emotion. It is not hype. It is not borrowed from another season. This is the Lord’s decree. “The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim good news are a great army” (Psalm 68:11, NASB). (In the original Hebrew, “women” is literal—God is raising up even those the world often overlooks to declare His victory.) Hear it and carry it.

And the glass will shatter.

The illusions will break. The man-made limits will fall. The religious structures that restrained His presence will not stand. “Is not My word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?” (Jeremiah 23:29, NASB). Let every glass wall between you and His glory be broken.

What separated the upper room from the streets was shattered by the Spirit’s arrival. So it will be again. Not confined. Not constrained. Not tamed. The shattering has begun.

Let the sound of breaking glass awaken the sleeping Church. Let the oil be poured out in fullness. Let the river rise. Let the Bride arise without fear, without blemish, burning with love for her King.

He is coming. Not to patch up what man has built, but to reign in glory.

Prayer

Father, we receive this word with trembling and with faith. Break every barrier, Lord. Shatter every illusion. Let the oil flow freely again over Your people. Let the river of life rise in us, through us, and among us. We ask for restoration where we’ve suffered loss. We ask for power where we’ve grown weak. And we say together—The Lord has sent this. Let it be done, in Yeshua’s Name. Amen.

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Holy Spirit

More and More of the Holy Spirit

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Less and Less of Ourselves

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:29, AMP)

Seven times, the risen Christ echoes this cry to His people in Revelation. He is not speaking to the pagan, the secular, or the atheist—He is speaking to His Church. “Let them hear” is not a suggestion. It is a summons. And in our generation, this voice still calls through the noise of entertainment-driven services and human-centered strategies: Return. Return to the Holy Spirit. Return to My presence.

The Church Needs More of the Holy Spirit

We have filled our pulpits with polish and our services with precision. We have hired professionals to counsel where the Wonderful Counselor once ministered. We lean on budgets instead of boldness, on marketing instead of the manifestation of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7, NASB). But no spiritual fruit can grow apart from the Vine, and no ministry can be fruitful without the Spirit of God.

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6, AMP). This is not outdated counsel—it is the very pattern of divine work. Yeshua did nothing independently of the Holy Spirit. At His baptism, the heavens opened, and the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove (Matthew 3:16). From that moment, He moved in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14), and only then did He declare, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me” (Luke 4:18, NASB).

If the Son of God waited for the anointing, who are we to operate without it?

More of the Spirit, Less of Ourselves

We are not called to merely imitate Christ—we are called to be filled as He was filled. “Do not get drunk with wine…but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18, NASB). The Greek tense here means continual filling. Why? Because the vessels leak. Because we run dry. Because ministry in the flesh produces only fatigue, but ministry in the Spirit produces fruit (Galatians 5:22–23).

The Apostle Paul was gripped by this truth. He reminded the Corinthians that his preaching was “not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4, NASB). Why? “So that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on the power of God” (v. 5). This is what the Church must recover—faith that rests on the Spirit’s power, not man’s intellect.

Break the Box illustration showing church walls breaking open to light
Among the Seven: One Lamp Unlit — A Silent Warning to the Church at Sardis Let those who have ears hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

A Rebuke to a Church that Has Forgotten

Yeshua rebuked the church in Sardis, saying, “You have a name that you are alive, and yet you are dead” (Revelation 3:1, NASB). How many churches today appear lively, yet are spiritually dry? Lights, crowds, movement—yet no flame from heaven. This is a warning to us. Have we exchanged the breath of the Spirit for the applause of men?

When God warned the prophet Ezekiel, He said, “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts…” (Ezekiel 14:3, NASB). The idol may not be Baal or Asherah—it may be strategy, personality, numbers, influence. Whatever displaces the Spirit is an idol, and God will not share His glory (Isaiah 42:8).

A Return to Holy Dependence

The early Church did not move without the Spirit. When they chose leaders, it “seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15:28, NASB). When they preached, the Spirit cut hearts (Acts 2:37). When they prayed, the place shook and they were filled again (Acts 4:31). This is not mythology. This is the blueprint. And God has not changed.

What has changed is our tolerance for powerlessness. We are content with motion, even if there is no presence. But Moses said, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here” (Exodus 33:15, NASB). Let that cry return to our pulpits, our prayer meetings, our planning rooms: “God, we will not move without You!”

The Lampstand Without Oil

In Zechariah 4, the prophet sees a golden lampstand with a bowl on top and seven lamps. But this vision includes two olive trees feeding oil into the bowl—a picture of continual supply. The angel explains: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.” Without the oil, the lamp goes dark. Without the Holy Spirit, the Church flickers and fades.

We are not called to shine by our own strength. The oil must flow again.

O Flame who fell on trembling men,
Descend and fill Your house again.
Not skill, nor plans, nor noble name,
But Spirit-born, consuming flame.

A Call to the Church

Church of Jesus Christ, hear what the Spirit says.

The Lord is calling you back. He is not impressed with our systems, our celebrity leaders, or our technological savvy. He is looking for a people who will tremble at His Word (Isaiah 66:2), who will walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), and who will cry out for His presence above all else.

The time for entertainment is over. The time for powerless religion is past. Judgment begins in the house of God (1 Peter 4:17), and He is looking for churches that will once again host His Spirit in reverence and awe. Return to the Holy Spirit. Return to prayer. Return to waiting. Return to trembling. Return to Him.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, we have tried to lead without listening. We have planned without prayer. We have spoken without waiting. We repent. Return to Your temple, Lord. Cleanse what we’ve corrupted. We do not want revival for the sake of fame, but for the sake of Your glory. Breathe on us again. Let our churches burn with Your fire, and let our hearts be wholly Yours. More of You, Holy Spirit—more and more. And less of us. Amen.

⸻

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