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Tools for the Feast

Writer's picture: Mandy Woodhouse Mandy Woodhouse

Hello friends! It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been able to post anything here. Partly due to my own time restrictions, and partly because I don’t want to just post something for the sake of saying that I’ve posted something. I want to encourage, edify, uplift and equip others. I want to offer hope and Holy Ghost-inspired help, and not function as just another “blogger.”


So, here I am finally with something to share. Now this post may be a little more “applicable” than my usual musings, but I felt the Lord say that there are some who are desperate for tools to diving in deeper with the Lord and His beautiful Presence. These are tools that the Holy Spirit gave me recently for the group of women that I mentor, and I am so happy to share them with others in faith that it will be exactly what SOMEONE may need to find breakthrough.


I burn for intimacy with Jesus, and I can fully attest to the fact that the enemy is out in full force at the moment, “seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). I’ve found that personally, the way that he hits hardest is by interrupting my time in God’s Presence, or even stealing it away from me completely! If the devil can attack your precious time being loved on by your Father and being reminded who you are in Him, he can potentially get you believing lies and walking in “old nature” mindsets that actually no longer define who you are. The minute we engage with the lies of the enemy about who we are, who God is or even the motives of others – that’s when he has an open door in our minds and access to our lives. Engaging with truth and being touched by His Presence is the only way to consistently overcome these lies.


Having said that, I know that everyone is wired differently, and the way that I “connect with God’s Presence” may not be how YOU connect. I also know that there are no formulas to digging deeper into His heart – but there ARE tools that can help motivate you and close the crack in the door to the enemy. I believe that some of those tools are below.


I hope that they bless you 😊

Tool number 1: BE STILL AND KNOW. My friend Daryl once challenged me during an intensive to both add as well as subtract things from my life that the Holy Spirit led me to add or subtract. These are things that may keep a person from hearing God’s voice clearly, such as TV, YouTube, Social Media, caffeine, etc. Or to add things such as an extra 30 minutes of Bible reading, exercise, praying for longer time frames, etc. At this time when Daryl presented the challenge, I had already cut out all the things mentioned above, so when I asked God what He would have me subtract or even add, I was unsure of what He would say. The only thing He said was to add 15 minutes a day, sitting outside in the sunshine, doing absolutely NOTHING. He said to go out without my Bible or journal, without music, not to even pray and most definitely without my phone – and just LISTEN. Listen to the birds, the trees blowing in the wind, the car sounds in the background, etc. What this did was slow down my mind, and as hard as it was at first, it actually opened me up to hear clearly from God and connect to His Presence more deeply than I had in ages.

Tool number 2: PRAY IN TONGUES FOR 10-20 MINUTES. Praying in tongues, non-stop for up to 20 minutes (but longer than 5 minutes), can have the same slowing effect as just being still, yet it also seems to shift things in the atmosphere as well. Once again, it’s hard to do if you aren’t used to it, but it’s a powerful tool as it edifies your insides. You are actually speaking a Heavenly language, so you can rest in knowing that you are speaking the perfect will of the Father. It calms, empowers, sends devils fleeing and puts angels to flight. If you don't have the gift of tongues and want it, just ask the Holy Spirit to come and give it to you. You don't have to overthink it, just receive it by faith and the manifestation will come.


Tool number 3: REMOVE ALL DISTRACTIONS. Ok, let's be honest...this mostly means your phone. Those who have children or pets or spouses already know what you have to do to get your “alone” time with God. Our phones and devices, however, present a huge challenge. If you are a person who struggles to not have your phone on you because “what if” someone needs you, etc., I encourage you to evaluate, with the Holy Spirit, your boundaries. You can also always start your time with praying to bind up any spirits that would come to distract, and begin to take authority before you even speak to the Father. If you need to go for a walk, do it! Do you need to sit in your car, then go for it! Whatever you can do to come to Him without distraction is imperative for connection.


Tool number 4: DRAW NEAR TO HIM AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU. James 4:8 isn’t a command, it’s a promise! He promises that He will draw near to those who step out toward Him. So, if you draw near, and yet you still can’t see or hear that He is right there with you, maybe double-check that there truly isn't any distractions or additional things blocking you from seeing your beautiful Heavenly Father who is waiting to connect. Ask Him for help if you need it.


Tool number 5: KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A SOUND, DISCIPLINED MIND. 2 Timothy 1:7 says that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound or a disciplined mind. Most people know this verse as a tool to help when they feel afraid – which is absolutely correct – but I also want to point out that because of Jesus you have a SOUND MIND. You have a mind that is easily DISCIPLINED to the things of Heaven. So when the enemy tries to place thoughts in your mind and tries to press you with random feelings or thoughts to distract you, you have the POWER to use your SOUND MIND to take those thoughts captive and tell them to GO, IN JESUS NAME! Not every thought you think is yours.


Tool number 6: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ARE LISTENING TO. Mark 4:24 says to be careful what you listen to, as it will be multiplied back to you. Simply put, if you are filling your mind with things that make you feel fear, then fear will carry over into your time with the Lord and keep you from a quick and easy connection. If you are listening to negativity and cynicism, then these things will be a roadblock to deep connection. If you are agreeing with the lies of the enemy about who you are, that too may also be affecting how you relate to the Father. Also check out Philippians 4:8.


Tool number 7: LET GO OF WHAT YOU THINK IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE. Have you seen the amazing show called “The Chosen?” One of the more popular quotes from that program is, “Get used to different.” I feel like this is a prophetic statement of not only the world at the moment, but also for the Bride of Christ at large (which is you who know Jesus and also me). I believe that things are not going to look the same that they always have, and things are not going to work the same as before. The Lord showed me recently that this also goes for our time with Him. Where a few worship songs and a passage from the Bible used to push me into His lap, I feel lately that this no longer works. HE WANTS TO TAKE ME DEEPER STILL. Whether it’s a natural response to how my life is currently functioning or whether He just wants to show me more, I cannot currently function on just 2 minutes of praying in tongues, a Bethel song on YouTube and a few chapters of John. I MUST take my 15 minutes outdoors, pray in tongues for 10+ minutes, remind God who He is and what He means to me, then make declarations of who I am in Him, and then usually I go into a deeper place of prayer an intercession from there….and the rest is just simply glorious!


Again, these tools may not work for everyone, and some of you may take bits and pieces from a few and not from others. Whatever works for you and how you function with Him, that’s what’s important. I hope this blesses you while you read it!


I want to leave you with one last prophetic vision I had recently. I saw a vision of a big, silver food platter with all of my favorite foods on it. I was being handed this platter, and I was so overwhelmed at how delicate and tasteful the tray was, that I was almost afraid to touch anything on it. So, I nibbled a few little items, and then stood back to stare at how yummy everything looked. The Holy Spirit then spoke so clearly, and He questioned why I wasn’t eating everything on that silver platter, since it was ALL for ME.


Friends, the Holy Spirit is inviting us into a banqueting feast, not just to nibble a bit on a few juicy morsels. Why settle for the littlest canape when He has an entire feast waiting? There is so much more – we were created for so much more. May this bless you and help you go deeper today.

Xoxo

Mandy




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