Hi all,
I'm old enough to remember when microwave ovens were first sold in stores, and I remember the first time I saw one used. They were very expensive when they first came out, and the only people we knew who had this new technology were wealthy friends who became close after my dad left. They were so close we kids called them 'Uncle Del and Aunt Betsy'.

They had 5 children, roughly the same ages as we 4, the oldest was their son Trip, who was about my age and my good friend. Trip isn't his real name, but they gave him his grandfather's and dad's name, so he was the 3rd, thus 'triple', which became 'Trip'. If you knew his real name you'd understand why he prefers 'Trip'.

They had a big house with a stairway on each end of the house leading to the full basement which is where we usually played, with one stairway just off the kitchen. I'll never forget being there one day when Aunt Betsy decided to make BLT sandwiches for lunch (bacon, lettuce, tomato), microwaving the bacon. I excused my self from play several times to come up and down those stairs just to watch the process.

I couldn't believe she could put bacon on a paper plate, cover it with a paper napkin, press a button, and a couple minutes later have 'fried' bacon. She explained it over and over to me because I thought surely I am missing a step - it can't be THAT easy! I stood and watched several batches cook from start to finish just to be sure Aunt Betsy wasn't joking.

Prayer and Presence or formula?
To this day I don't know how microwave ovens work, but I use ours regularly. Barb doesn't because the rapid heating has been shown to destroy nutrients, so she thaws, warms and cooks on the stove or counter top toaster oven. But I'm a guy so what do I care about a few exploding vitamins!

If someone could time travel back to around 1910 and explain to a house wife that one day a small box would sit on kitchen counters, and people would press a button, then invisible rays would cook the food in mere seconds, she would think they'd come from Mars!

Mentally I know how they cook: Light in a wave length beyond our ability to see, microwaves, heats water molecules within the food. But really all I know is I press a button and 2 minutes later my popcorn is popped. It isn't important that I know how it works, just that it does.

It is generally the same with prayer. I don't always know the mechanics of how it works, but it does. Some people approach prayer like a technician trying to figure out that microwave, theologically taking prayer apart piece by piece trying to figure out how it works, thinking there must be a single part to discover that will make all the bad in life go away.

And if God the Father were a robot that might be the case, but in fact He is a living being and Judge of all, thus much of what He does and the reasoning behind it remains within Him alone. As Deuteronomy 29:29 says: The secret things belong to the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of His (this) law.

What is the anointing?
This series is not about you and I sitting down to take apart the microwave in a search of the key that makes it all work, but rather how to enjoy the presence of the microwave in our lives. It isn't about trying to figure out how God answers prayer, but rather understanding that in His presence there is no darkness, no fear, no lack, no frailty nor infirmity, so that if we can enter His presence He will figure out the mechanics required to answer that prayer and meet that need in our lives.

In His presence there is no lack, therefore His presence is our objective. (In life, and in our meetings)

Power and authority
In Luke 5:17 the religious leaders from all over the land came to hear Jesus teach, and the text says: "And the power of the Lord was [present] to heal them." (Amplified Version)

The reason the Amplified Version (and others) put 'present' in brackets and 'them' in italics is because these are implied in the Greek, not written. Literally the text says: "And the power of the Lord was to heal." The 'present' and 'them' were inserted to convey the thought, and aren't incorrect, just in my opinion, unnecessary.

They rather dilute the impact of the sentence as Luke wrote it: "The power of the Lord was to heal."

By stating 'the power of the Lord was to heal', Luke puts a personality behind the power, that the power had a will to heal. And that is exactly correct. The power is the Father, and Jesus is the authority to use that power. Another translation is this: "And the power of Jehovah was to heal."

Stop in the name of the law
The word 'power' here is 'dunamis'. It is often used in conjunction with authority, or 'exousia' in Greek. It is important to know the difference. 'Dynamite' is derived from 'dunamis', so we understand power.

The word authority or 'exousia' comes from 'exesti' which means "it is lawful", thus using the name of Jesus must be in a spiritually lawful way to have the power of the Father behind it. To use His name as a curse word has no power behind it. To name a boy in Spanish 'Jesus'' (hey-soos) has no power with it.

To use the name of Jesus in any way aside from the Father's intended use (the power), will net a zero result. Nothing will happen no matter how much we sputter and shout religious sounding prayers and commands - The name of Jesus must be used only in conjunction with the Father's power.

When a police officer holds up his or her hand at an intersection and traffic comes to a stop, it is exousia, authority, that stops those cars. If a car tried to run down that officer, ignoring the authority, the officer could pull his or her service weapon off their belt and fire shots at the car - the gun is the power, or dunamis.

Authority is of no use unless you have the power to back it up. A parent can exercise their authority to a child to tell them not to do something, but if that child disrespects parental authority mom and dad had better use power to back it up.

Jesus is the authority, but the Father is the power. This is why one of my favorite passages, Hebrews 1:1-3 says this:

"God (Father) in many times and in many ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, but now in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He (Father) appointed heir of all things and by whom He (Father) made the worlds;

Who, being the brightness of His (Father's) glory, and express image of His (Father's) person, and upholding all things by the Word of His (Father's) power, when He had purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."

The power behind the authority
Jesus is the Word of the Power. This is why Jesus said in John 5:19 and 30 that He only did and spoke what He saw and heard from the Father. The Father is the power, Jesus is the authority, the Word of that power. The Father - the power - initiates all action, therefore His will must be determined before using the Name.

Many Christians think Jesus is the source of power, so they speak His name 50 times in a long and drawn out prayer, usually a prayer partly directed to God and partly directed to the devil, in which they speak the name of Jesus, bind the devil, plead the blood, command angels, and generally reveal they are like a blindfolded child swinging at a birthday piñata, not sure where the target is but knowing if they hit it they get the spiritual candy.

Don't make a move, don't say a word unless....
The name of Jesus is the most powerful name in the universe WHEN the power of the Father is used with it. If you speak the name, but the power of the Majesty on High isn't behind it, nothing happens. We have the authority to use the name, but as in Jesus' time and in Acts, the power and the name must be together for anything to happen.

So you can see where I'm going - the anointing is the manifested presence and therefore power of the Father. When His presence is manifest, that is felt, perceived, discerned, then using the name of Jesus releases the Father's power, resulting in the Father's desired result.

This is why (as I've said before) I don't care for 'prayer lines' - because I have to linger before each person, find where His power (will/anointing) is, and then do/pray accordingly. That takes time and concentration. It is much more efficient to teach people how to perceive the anointing - His presence and power - and receive on their own.

So that is why I'm not talking about taking the microwave apart piece by piece, but rather defining, explaining, and leading you into a how-to know 'the anointing', for once in that Presence, there is fullness of joy and every need is met.

Until next week then, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org

Hi all,

I shared last week that I first look for a feeling, a sense, a mood of the Father in my spirit, rather than voice.

Fellowship and a word to us

The Greek word 'logos' is used when speaking of the general counsel of God. Logos is the whole of Genesis through the Revelation. In popular church culture new converts are taught to read the Word, maybe 2 chapters per day plus daily verses to read or think on, and this is the logos.

While it is good and proper to know the logos, to have a broad knowledge of chapter and verse, the logos does not produce faith. Knowing the logos doesn't make one saved nor lead to salvation, for how many heathens have heard chapter and verse, how many theologians know the Bible, yet are not born again - just knowing John 3:16 doesn't get you to heaven.

What do you live for?

Coming out of the logos is a specific word spoken or shared with a person. This word is 'rhema' in the Greek and means a specific word spoken to a person. The rhema proceeds from the logos, the specific from the vague. You got born again by responding to a rhema. That response to a rhema invitation to salvation is faith.

Matthew 4:4 quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 and uses rhema, not logos: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word (rhema) that comes out of the mouth of God."

Here we see that our spiritual nourishment is not the logos, the general counsel of God Genesis through the Revelation, but a specific Word to us - as specific as our breakfast, lunch, and dinner is for us and not for the multitudes. We live by and for a specific Word given to us from God.

This verse also shows us that we should make a specific Word from God equal importance in our hearts to receiving our daily meals. Again - not making the logos, the 2 chapters per day, the daily memory verse equal to our food, but living for a specific Word to us from God is what we live for and equate as equally important with our daily bread.

How does faith come?

In Romans 10:17 Paul says 'Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.' The statement that faith comes by the Word, does not use logos, but rhema. In other words, faith doesn't come by just knowing the Word, faith comes by hearing a specific word to you from God - that produces faith.

And remember Jesus and the NT teach the Holy Spirit calls these 'rhema words' of communication various things like 'leading into truth, shown things to come, witness in our spirit, discernment of spiritual things' - they aren't all just sentences you will hear in your spirit - thus my sharing last week that I look first for a feeling, a witness, a mood, for the specific rhema proceeds from the general presence (logos) of God.

Jesus is the logos of God - the general counsel and fullness of God in the flesh. But as logos He is also viewed by some as a mere historical figure, by the Muslims a prophet, to others a curse word. But to those who believe, He is more than logos, He has become a rhema to us, a specific word to us that led us to salvation. The rhema proceeds from the logos.

The error of modern evangelical Christian culture is this; Telling a person that building knowledge of the logos will lead to great faith, to answered prayer, to a mature Christian life. False.

Frustrated Christians
Again, it is good to have a working knowledge of scripture (logos), don't get me wrong. But it is the rhema, not the logos, that produces faith, and THAT is what we need in life. THAT rhema is what we are to equate in importance with our daily food intake.

Unfortunately Christians are raised thinking 'If I just knew more of the Word' (fill in the blank) I'd be healed, my child would be saved, I'd have my prayers answered, I'd enter my ministry...and they mean logos.

Consider that Noah walked with God, the logos, but it was a rhema that told him to build the ark. His response to the rhema is called great faith in the Hebrews 11 'hall of faith'. Moses walked with God, the logos, but it was his response to the rhema to go back to Egypt that made him the great leader. Abraham walked with God, the logos, but it was his response to the rhema about a promised land, about having a son of promise, that caused him to receive the promise.

Therefore faith is our response to a rhema - not knowing the logos. (For more on this I suggest my How to be Led by the Spirit and my Balancing Grace and Faith series)

As a result of the error that believes just knowing the Word (logos) produces faith, many Christians are frustrated because they don't understand why they study and read and still don't seem to have great faith. The answer is simple; they've made the logos their daily bread instead of the rhema. Thinking they are doing what God said, they are in fact in disobedience and error, taught by well meaning ministers who don't know what they are talking about. (I've never suffered from an opinion deficit disorder, lol)

Why many don't get healed
Because faith doesn't come from the logos, but from the rhema - a Word directly from God to us - that means when a person faces a need for healing or any other miracle, the first thing to do is to get alone with God and spend time in the logos, lingering over verses that pertain to the situation, and spend time there until the rhema comes from the logos to you. That logos time (for me) involves worship and prayer and alone time with Him before I ever open the scripture. Allow time to hover and meditate on His presence, and then the passages that are relevant, and do nothing else until you receive that rhema from Him.

Popular church culture says to grab a chapter and verse from the logos, make a stand on that, and expect a touch from God. That is not faith until and unless we have received a rhema for the situation, and THEN faith is the result because we know that we know that we know because we heard from God on it.

Faith comes not by the logos but by the rhema. So whatever your situation, drop the culture that says to pick out a chapter and verse, and instead spend time in worship, in meditation, in study of the logos to allow God to speak out of that logos, a rhema to you. This is how faith works.

Ask what you will
"If you abide in Me, and my Words abide in you, you will ask what you will and it will be done for you."

This verse in John 15:7 has led many Christians to learn all they can about the logos, thinking they will 'arrive' one day when that verse will be true for them - they will be so in tune with God that whatever they ask will be done because they will have so much Word in them. Wrong.

That is NOT what Jesus said: Jesus used rhema: "If you abide in Me, and the Words I speak directly to you for you abide in you, then you can ask whatever you like according to that word/rhema to you, and it will be done." 

That is what He said. It isn't a blank check of all answered prayer all the time, but a specific statement that if you receive a rhema and that rhema abides in you, you may ask according to that rhema and it will be done.

When Noah was given a rhema to build a boat, he then could ask anything he wanted as it pertained to building the boat: I need wood, time, help, sealant, the animals brought to me - anything related to that rhema would be given him.

This is why when you've received a rhema - a leading, a peace, a word, a direction - and you asked for something within the rhema to happen, it happened.

For instance, when Barb and I were moving from our little efficiency apartment in Charlotte, North Carolina to Tulsa in 1979, and the Father told me, "You can rent a house in Tulsa", we immediately began figuring what we needed in that house to welcome our first son who would be born during our sojourn there.

We made a list: Earth tones, brick fireplace, wood mantel, butcher-block or light counters in the kitchen, window over kitchen sink, 2 baths, 3 bedrooms, attached garage, within 25 minutes of work and my school, and for under $400/month. Once there and while we were going to see a house for rent, my spirit leapt within me when we turned a corner and my eyes landed on a house - then I saw the 'for lease' sign. And it had all we asked for, and is where we lived that year. Why? Because we waited before the Lord until we got a rhema, then we asked whatever we needed based on that rhema and it was done for us.

You have to know Him and fellowship to get a rhema
Knowing the logos does not require knowing and fellowshipping with God. Getting a rhema DOES require fellowship and knowing God.

When I study the Word I read through the logos looking for something to 'jump out' at me or catch my attention. I sometimes read just for pleasure, but usually I am 'trolling' for a rhema like a fisherman with a lure in the water as the boat moves slowly along. I pray that He would open the eyes of my understanding, and then I troll through the Word, and when something catches my attention I stop and will study that Word, that verse, that subject for weeks or even months on end.

At any given time I have 5 or 6 rhema words/concepts I am thinking on, studying, meditating on - and that's why I have faith. That's why I know so much - honestly, I just wait until I get something He wants to teach me, then I study it out until I get every morsel of spiritual nourishment out of that daily bread from heaven.

A rhema can come from the most unlikely source because when you know His presence inside, you are constantly switching your attention to down inside you. Like when I was watching a rerun of a TV show and telling the Father His life must be boring, because I was bored with just that 1 show I'd seen so many times I knew every line, so I asked 'Where do you find fulfillment? (since you know the end from the beginning) and He responded: "I enjoy the process". That rhema from years ago is STILL giving me spiritual food to this day.

It is fellowship all day long, switching back and forth between the natural and spiritual. It is a way of life, not a formula. Like any friendship, looking for feelings, nuances, moods, words, back and forth with each other.

We must know Him...and that fellowship results in rhema's in our lives...our response to those rhema's is faith, and our peace in Him. There is so much more to the subject, but I feel I must move on, but perhaps something related next week. Blessings,

John Fenn
www.cwowi.org

The word 'fellowship' is used 4 times in the 1st chapter of I John alone. It is the key word to the chapter and the whole letter. The Greek word 'koininia' is 'fellowship', and comes from the root 'common', as in 'to have something in common'. Having something in common is therefore the basis for fellowship.

That is what fellowship with the Father and Son is: We have something in common so they want to spend time with us, and we with them...amazing!

Don't embarrass us!
I took 3 years of German in high school, and spent 2 weeks there the summer I turned 16. I came within 3 weeks of being born in a town near Stuttgart, and grew up with German food and hearing my parents speak German to each other when they didn't want us kids to know what they were talking about. And if my mom stubbed her toe or smashed a finger, the exclamation that followed was in German. 

Time passes, Barb and I marry, we have 3 boys - but I still love German and Germany, especially Bavaria and Swabia. One day we were at a mall, more for walking around than anything, as back then Chris could walk with leg braces and a walker, and he loved to run! Trying to get him to slow down and walk with us was a challenge, but all 3 boys could expend excess energy while Barb and I kept in our minds the quite evening we were going to have while they went to bed early, exhausted from the excursion.

It was on one such outing we talked with a clerk briefly, but I noted an accent and asked, "Bist du Deutsch?' (Are you German?). She answered 'Ja' (Yes) and I immediately began asking in German where she was from and telling her I had been to Germany.

Just then, out of the corner of my eye and just within hearing range, I saw Brian, our youngest, tug on Barb's pant leg and say in a woeful tone, 'Oh no Mom, dad's talking German again! Can we go?' and Jason (being older so a bit more bold) sounding like a frustrated dog owner trying to get the dog to come: 'Dad! This is embarrassing! Dad, come on!'

I still do that sort of thing to this day, though my German is now just a bit more than enough to get me to a restaurant, bathroom, and hotel (but really, what more do I need than that? lol)

Why did I do that? Because I had something in common with the clerk - I had been to her native country and could speak enough of the language to get around. We had something in common.

What do you have in common with the Father and Son?
Jesus is talking to the disciples in John 16, giving them instructions that after He is gone they are not to pray to Him for answers; they are to pray directly to the Father only.

"In that day you will ask me nothing. Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you...ask in my name; I am not saying I will pray to the Father for you, for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved me..." v23-27)

That is the first thing we have in common with the Father - we both love Jesus. This fact removes all argument for why a person cannot fellowship with the Father and Son. Things like 'I made so many mistakes' and 'I'm such a sinner' fall to the way side as insignificant because the Father loves us because we love His Son. We have that in common, so the basis for fellowship is established.

If we as mere humans put up with the difficult to love, but because they have 1 good redeeming quality we allow them in our lives so we overlook the rest, how much more does our Father desire fellowship with us because if nothing else, we love His Son!

Beyond that...
Have you ever been lied to? Have you ever been betrayed? Have you ever been falsely accused? Have you ever had your words misunderstood and/or used against you? Have you ever had your friend(s) leave you? Have you ever had people you thought were friends drop you because they were offended at you?

All these things and more Jesus experienced. You have that in common. Start thinking what you have in common with the Father and Son, rather than being focused on your negative qualities. They've invested in you for eternity, revealing in Ephesians 2:7 that in the ages to come the Father will continue to show His great kindness towards us - so get over yourself, they have.

So day to day fellowship - what does that feel like?
When I wake up and immediately shift my attention down inside me for His presence and start praying in tongues, I understand that presence to be the Father. I don't try to distinguish 'Is this you Father, or you Jesus?' in my spirit. It is the Father. I feel His life, His energy, His warmth in my spirit. I know Him.

As Romans 8:15 says, we have received the spirit of adoption, so we cry out Abba, Father. So it is Him down inside. It should be pointed out here that in first century usage, the word 'abba' was the informal and familiar use, more like our 'daddy' today in English, or 'papa'.

The reason both Abba and Father are used here is because they denote both formal and informal relationship and fellowship. When I was a young boy, it was "My daddy can beat up your daddy!" because at that age and with limited understanding, my daddy was always right and could do anything.

As I got older I understood daddy also to be father. Father carries with it my growing understanding of what it takes to be a man, to be a father. That is how we are with the Father God. He is both daddy and Father.

From vague to specific
When I shift my attention to my spirit I often do so while simultaneously asking, 'What do you think Father?'

I'm not really shifting my attention in order to hear words, but rather to sense what the Father is feeling. What 'feel' does He in side of me, give off?

I'm not first listening for words in my spirit, I first look for what I might call, His feelings or opinion on a matter. When I ask 'What do you think Father?' it is in response to everything from should I burn the driftwood on the beach today, to should I record this month's teaching series, or write today? Should I take some Skype calls and Facebook Instant Messages or concentrate on studying the Word this morning?

And in day to day life I ask when someone expresses an opinion, either in person or by email, and I'll ask, 'But what do you think Father?' 'What do you want me to say to them?' 'Shall I be blunt or do you want me to be gentle? What season of life are they in right now?' and so on. When out and about with a list of things to do I'll ask 'What do you think I should do first?' - and I look for a feeling, a witness, something highlighted in my spirit that draws my attention more to it than the others: 'Go to the hardware store first' feels 'right'.

Emotions of the Father
When the Father was teaching me about Himself many years ago He said this: "I express my emotions though the manifestation (gifts) of the Spirit." I told Him, 'I need chapter and verse on that Father.' and He responded: "Study compassion. Every time you see compassion in the gospels you'll find a manifestation of the Spirit."

Immediately I knew He was right. It states Jesus had compassion on a leper, and He healed him. He had compassion on the unfed multitude, and food was multiplied. He had compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd, so He sent out the 12 to heal and help. (Mt 15:32; Mt 9:36-38,10:1; Mk 1:41) Even in His parables compassion resulted in a supernatural forgiveness of debt! (Mt 18:21-35 KJV all)

So I look not for a word, but for the Father's emotion - compassion? Grieved? Happy? Again years ago while a pastor in a traditional church, when He was teaching me this, I began asking the Father before a service, 'What are you in the mood for?' Knowing a traditional service is divided into 3 parts, the worship, the Word, and prayer/ministry, I began asking what area He was in the mood to do for that service.

I would sense - not hear - but sense more 'weight' in my spirit on say, worship - which explained why He gave me absolutely nothing to teach that service - He wasn't in the mood to say something through my teaching, but it felt 'right', it bore witness, to focus on worship.

The worship leader at the time, Paul, the first few times looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights - 'What? I don't have anything but 4 songs'. I'd tell him just to go with the flow and worship...and the night would be filled with 90 minutes of worship, then ministry time, all of us soaking in His presence - all because I wasn't looking for a 'word', but for that presence on the inside of me first and foremost, and from there to what the emotions of my Father was for the event at hand.

Emotions are part of what we have in common with the Father and our Lord. Compassion to others is first rooted in Him, so learn to look for that commonality in your fellowship, and 'feel' His presence within. Fellowship on what you have in common, and ask Him His opinion on things, and 'feel' His reply.

More next week as I plan to conclude this series then - blessings,

John Fenn
www.cwowi.org 

Hi all,
When I was almost 14 and for reasons known only to my mother, she allowed me to buy a squirrel monkey at a mall pet store. A squirrel monkey is a Central and South American monkey about 1 foot tall (.3 m), and back then people could buy monkeys in pet stores in the US.

I think my mom's reasoning was that she saw her hurting oldest child still reeling from dad leaving the family 1 1/2 years earlier, and she instinctively knew a pet of my own would be healing as I loved and cared for it. For some reason I don't recall, I named her Tilly.

Tilly was very shy at first, and in the pet store clung to the other squirrel monkey in the cage with her. Perhaps it was her neediness that resonated with my own hurt that drew me to her, but as a young teen I didn't understand those forces in me. She came home unsure of me, unsure of my intentions, totally insecure, wouldn't respond to my voice, and she didn't even eat for the first couple of days.

The way she acted reminds me of some Christians when talk of fellowshipping with the Father arises. Religion makes a cage of uncertainty and fear around people, forcing them into a corner, nervously peering out at the Father from behind their protective bars of fear, uncertain of His true intention towards them.

Fellowship with the Father and Son
When the apostle John opened his first letter he said this: "...we are also telling you so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And this fellowship we have, which is a distinguishing mark of all Christians, is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ." (Amplified Version)

Clearly he could distinguish between the Father and Son in his spirit, and that is what I'm sharing today, and how to receive a personal Word from Father or Son.

What does fellowship with the Father feel like?
The Father is the source with a capital S, of everything. In the New Testament when it uses the word 'God', it usually means the Father. As in 'God so loved the world that He gave His only born Son' from John 3:16. It is the Father that Jesus will one day turn His kingdom over to as seen in I Corinthians 15:28: "When all things are made subject to Him, then the Son will also be subject to Him, who put all things under Him, that God the Father may be all in all."

In Matthew 24: 36 Jesus said He doesn't know when He will return, nor do the angels know, only the Father knows. When the apostles asked Jesus for more answers about the future in Acts 1:7, Jesus told them, "It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father has kept within His own authority." The Father is the Source of all things and greater than all, keeping some secrets even from His Son.

For this reason the Father deals with core issues in our heart. He deals with 'source issues' if you will. Who we are, why we are, where we are going, what is the plan for our life. That is what the Father deals with. He shares these things in the deepest part of our spirit, and He feels rather solemn, sober, serious yet with peace always. There is a weight, a mass, a deepness to His presence inside our spirit.

In meetings I have the Father is often present in this heavy presence that causes everyone to stop speaking. When in His presence it feels like you will violate something sacred to speak or even move, and that is correct- you will be violating His presence if you do talk or walk around, thereby grieving the Spirit.

Last spring in our Dutch conference I saw the glory of the Father roll into the room like a wave, about 4' deep (1.2 m), and suddenly I could not move - it was like my feet were stuck in concrete and several others experienced the same thing. The first times it happened to me years ago I was uncomfortable, but the Father told me: "Don't be afraid of the silence."

After that I relaxed, let people do what they do for the sake of the majority who are sensitive enough to sit in silent fellowship as the Father does deep surgery in their spirit, or deals with deep issues within. Often, because He is a Spirit and deals with the depths of the human spirit, a person's mind is clueless what went on in these times, but they know SOMETHING happened down inside. They feel an intense warmth, an intense presence in their being - that is the Father in their spirit - and you just want to linger there forever.

What does fellowship with Jesus feel like?
Isaiah 42:1-4 describes the person and ministry of Christ, and verses 3-4 says this: "A bruised reed He will not break, and the smoking wick He will not extinguish. He will bring justice and truth, and He will not fail nor be discouraged until He has set justice in the earth. (And the isles of the Gentiles wait for His law!)"

Of Jesus it prophesies that He will not break a bruised reed - if you have ever bent a flower stem or bruised a tender twig, you know it won't heal - Yet He will not break it the rest of the way, He brings justice and healing to that bruised reed! This speaks of physical healing.

When a person's life is like a nearly extinguished candle, He will not blow it out, He will re-light the flame! He will not be discouraged (by our failures). This is a picture of our emotions and emotional healing and health.

Fellowshipping with Jesus is therefore 'lighter' in nature than with the Father. He feels not as heavy, but rather very connected to our emotions, our feelings, in short, our soul. The Father's presence has nothing to do with our emotions and mind, for unless people are accustomed to His presence through experience, their mind can't grasp what is happening way down inside them.

In the many times when my eyes have been opened to the Lord's realm and He has come to minister to people in meetings, there isn't the heavy 'can't move or speak' atmosphere, but more worshipful, soul-affecting presence, and joy. It is an easy presence, relaxed, with a freedom to worship, stand, kneel, express oneself, presence. Jesus is very relaxed around us, and we around Him. He deals with the emotions and physical needs in our lives.

Think back in your life
If you can remember a time in your life when you were seeking direction, and you knew you were at an intersection in your life with dire consequences if you made a wrong choice - and suddenly you knew down inside what to do - that is the Father's revelation and presence. He deals with 'source' issues.

If you have ever been in a relationship (personal, work, church, neighbor) and you realized if you stayed you would be destroyed or hurt, and you had that realization way down inside - that was the Father dealing with 'source' issues down in your spirit: What are you doing, why are you doing, where are you going?

An example
Jesus deals with emotions - I remember ministering to a group of 200 or so Bible school students when suddenly in the middle of the worship, Jesus came walking up the steps of the platform to my left, stood in front of me and said: "I'd like to minister to my people". I knelt before Him, and responded: "Lord, they are your people, please do as you wish." With that He walked back down the steps and started walking around the room. He would stand beside some and talk to them, or He put a hand or both hands on some and ministered to them.

There were people bursting into tears all over the place, men and women, touched by His presence. Later, as I taught them about what happened and the ways of the Father and Lord, about 10 people reported either seeing Him or feeling Him walking or standing by them during this time. 

He stood by one woman and I did something I usually don't do; eavesdrop. If it had been too personal I would have turned away, but it wasn't. He turned to me (Dummy I said to myself, for I realized He knew my struggle of wanting to listen yet NOT wanting to eavesdrop, and at THAT exact time He turned to look at me).

Confirmation
He told me when she was young He told and showed her she would work in an orphanage and minister in other nations, but she was experiencing severe doubts if she had heard right as it had been years since she had heard any confirmation. He said He was assuring her she heard right and that it would come to pass exactly as she had been told and shown.

Things like this went on all over the room, and the worship leader, with whom I had a great working relationship and was very sensitive to the Spirit, continued playing the keyboard lightly which helped keep the students focused on worship.

When He was done, the Lord walked up the steps, stood in front of me (I stood up right after He first left to go minister to them and remained standing before Him) and said: "Thank you for allowing me to minister to my people. He started to turn away, but then turned back and continued, "Many of my ministers won't let me." After that He took His usual 2 1/2 steps, and 1/2 way through that third step He disappeared.

He did this same thing 3 or 4 times, always asking permission, until finally maybe the 4th or 5th time I told Him He didn't need to ask permission anymore, just to know as long as I was in charge of a meeting He could do whatever He wanted and I'd adjust. After that He would just appear suddenly on the floor of the auditorium looking at me, and as soon as I saw Him I'd tell the worship leader and students just to worship quietly and wait before the Lord.

All over the room people were crying, their fears vanquished, their confidence restored, refreshed in soul and body - that is the presence of Jesus, and you can fellowship with Him that way in your spirit.

At home or in house church or in traditional church
I've run out of room for this week. I encourage you to spend time in worship, and turn your attention down inside your spirit to discern if you sense the deep 'source issue' solemn presence of the Father, or if you sense the healing balm of the One who ministers to the nearly extinguished wick and bruised reed - and this is the start of how to receive a personal word from Father or Son where you sit, where you kneel, where you live. The cage bars are dissolved, you can come out with confidence; now experience God!

You can live in this! By switching attention from the natural realm to your spirit through your day, once able to discern things in your spirit, you can tell if it is the Father or Son dealing with you. Continued next week for specific words come from this foundation. Blessings,

John