“You will move in power and authority when the Holy Spirit remains ungrieved in you”(Sensitivity of the Spirit, R.T. Kendall). If you were to ask Dr. Kendall how to walk consistently in power and authority his answer would be emphatic, “Find out what grieves the Holy Spirit, and don’t do it!”

One of the most valuable lessons we learn is how to listen to God.“Everything else pales beside the priceless experience of hearing God.

The word acknowledge in Proverbs 3 isn’t a casual head nod toward God. It’s not saying grace before a meal or tacking His name onto our goals. In Hebrew, the word implies intimate recognition—to know, consider, submit, and yield.

Men boast in many things—titles, strength, wisdom, success. But God is not impressed by credentials. He isn’t drawn to charisma or resources. What moves God’s heart? What causes heaven to rejoice?

Out in the open, exposed to the elements, the sun bears down relentlessly. In the ancient Middle East, shade wasn’t a luxury—it was survival.

Fasting is powerful. It quiets distractions, sharpens spiritual focus, and cultivates humility. But it’s important to remember this: fasting does not make us righteous. Only Christ can do that.

In nature, grapevine branches will often attempt to root themselves into nearby soil, sending out shoots in search of their own support.

Every man comes to a crossroads—moments where the road of compromise stretches one way and the path of faithfulness stretches another. God’s call isn’t to blaze a new trail, but to return to an ancient one.

The hawk soars alone—sharp-eyed, swift, and focused. Though listed among the “unclean” in the Mosaic dietary law, the hawk was not condemned; it was simply set apart.

Jonah had a rare and treasured gift. He could hear God’s voice clearly. The book of Jonah opens with great drama. God gave Jonah an assignment he didn’t like, so he threw a temper tantrum, and ran away. Doesn’t he sound more like a wayward teenager than a prophet?

There are few men in the Bible like Elijah! Really! The first time his name is mentioned in the Bible, we see him boldly confronting a wicked king (Ahab) and foreclosing on the rain and the dew for a few years! (I Kings 17:1). Then God takes him on a series of adventures where he dines by a beautiful brook with feathered chefs attending him daily with: “Bonjour Monsieur, voici votre pain et votre viande!”

The C.S. Lewis Institute reports that: “In the twentieth century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and C.S. Lewis are among many leaders who practiced fasting and encouraged others to do so. In 1940 Lewis and all of England saw God’s incredible answer to the National Day of Prayer proclaimed by King George VI, which was manifested in the miraculous deliverance of 338,000 British troops at the Battle of Dunkirk.

John Stam and Betty Scott were graduates of Moody Bible Institute. They were married by famed Bible Scholar R. A. Torrey, Jr. Feeling called to China, Betty Stam wrote in her diary, “When we consecrate ourselves to God, we think we are making a great sacrifice, and doing lots for Him, when really we are only letting go some little bitsy trinkets we have been grabbing; and when our hands are empty, He fills them with His treasures.”

The world is increasingly fascinated by the occult. America is no exception. Trends show that millions of Americans are increasingly seeking a spiritual connection — but they are turning to the occult and other Satanic sources instead of the Bible and the God of the Bible.

Robert J. Morgan tells the story of an American pastor by the name of Elisha A. Hoffman, who lived in the 1800s. One day, he met a woman who was severely depressed. She confessed to him that her condition was beyond cure. Wringing her hands in fear, she asked, “What shall I do? Oh, what shall I do to be free?” Hoffman replied, “You cannot do better than to take all your sorrows to Jesus.

The early Church Father Eusebius wrote a story about the Apostle John. The story goes that when the Apostle John was an elderly man, he took an affection and interest in a young man from Ephesus and discipled him. After some time, this young man became entangled with a band of criminals, and was corrupted by them, finally becoming their leader.

The Oxford Dictionary defines authority as “the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.” We have the power, right, and position to enforce obedience through the power of Jesus. 

Fasting quiets the noise of the world so we can hear and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit — even when it's costly. Jesus says in Matthew 6:16, “When you fast…” not IF you fast. Fasting is a spiritual discipline all Christians must appropriate into their rhythms of life. Yet, fasting is a topic that is often overlooked in Western Church culture. It is looked at as extreme or radical and not as important as other disciplines, such as tithing or praying.

Galatians 5 tells us the fruit of the Spirit is the evidence of walking with Him. Fasting aligns us with the Spirit by denying the desires of the flesh and tuning into the voice of the Spirit. 

In Rick Joyner’s book, “The Final Quest,” he shows the intimacy that is available to us today through a vision and conversation with Jesus: “‘If you really desire to be even closer to Me than Paul was, you can. Some will want this, and they will want it badly enough to give themselves fully to it, laying aside anything that hinders their intimacy with Me. They will have what they seek.’”