Before I get to the specific message I received from the Holy Spirit for today, I invite you to pray with me this week for our country as we navigate this COVID-19 crisis.
I haven’t written about it specifically for a reason. I was waiting for the moment. For the time that the Holy Spirit said, “Go. Tell them now.”
Now, as we head into Passover week, it is the time. This message is a combination of several messages I have received from the Holy Spirit over the last several weeks.
It begins with my last Weekly Prayer Focus post called Miracles and Prophecy. After that, I got small snippets of words. But, looking over my journal for this past month, I can clearly see that they are all connected.
My prayer for you in this message is that you see that God is not surprised by what is going on here on earth. He is aware and he is using it for HIS PURPOSES!
And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
A Prayer for Our Nation's People
First, please take a moment to pray this with me:
Lord, I come to you in humbleness and grace as I lift up my nation’s people to you. I pray for protection over my home, my family, my church and my church family.
I pray for strength, protection and energy for workers in healthcare, grocery stores, restaurants, delivery services and businesses that are still working in the offices, warehouses, and factories.
I pray for wisdom, patience and peace for those now combining working and helping their children with school work.
I pray for provision for those who are out of work because their employers or our government has closed them down or reduced the workforce in this time.
I pray for pastors across the nation to innovate in how they pastor their congregation and how they meet the needs of people in their community and beyond.
In the precious name of Jesus Christ, I lift my prayers up to Heaven. Amen.
February 22, 2020
Press into the Shaking
So often we run from the shaking, but it is that shaking that is breaking off the chains of bondage so that we may walk out of our prison cell and into freedom!
Press into the shaking and take it where it leads you. Your freedom is on the other side.
Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!
As I finished writing this scripture from Acts in my journal, I noticed the song that was playing was We Thank You for the Cross by Brian and Jenn Johnson. You can listen to it on YouTube, but here are the lyrics that stood out to me this morning.
But on that day What seemed like the darkest hour A violent hope Broke through and shook the ground And as You rose The light of all the world was magnified And You rose in victory! Though our sins are scarlet You have made us white as snow Though our sins are scarlet You have made us white as snow
Be in prayer for the shaking, the breaking, and the cleansing within the Body of Christ!
He came to set the captives and prisoners free!
Press into your own shaking that may be happening in your life.
It is uncomfortable, but it is necessary.
Press in and find your own freedom on the other side!
O Israel, keep hoping, keep trusting, and keep waiting on the Lord, for he is tenderhearted, kind and forgiving. He himself will redeem you; he will ransom you from the cruel slavery of your sins!
This message was followed on March 9, 2020 by a message about fear. I shared that in a post titled A Society Driven by Fear.
The week prior, I had been given three dreams.
Two were very similar and one was different, but with a similar theme.
In the first two dreams I saw a man in a hoodie walking up the street in front of my house. I was walking out to my car that was parked in the driveway.
In the first dream, the man got in the back seat of my car as I got in the driver’s seat. I turned around to confront him. He was pointing an Uzi style gun at me. I was caught off guard, but I didn’t feel afraid.
The second dream was very similar to the first, with a hooded man walking up my street as I walked out to my car. This time, I got in the driver’s seat and as I reached for the door to close it, the man was standing there. Again, I felt caught off guard, but not fearful.
The third dream was very different. I was back stage at a theater and the performance was about to begin. I was excited as I walked through the costumes and props. I told someone I needed to use the restroom before the performance began. When I came out of the restroom, the performance had started. I walked out on stage and joined a few people seated around a table. One woman seemed to be a teacher or director. The woman sitting next to me was singing. She was reading the lyrics from a stack of handwritten notes in front of her. I realized she was singing my lines! As I looked on in this realization, the teacher looked at me and nodded her head acknowledging that the woman was singing my part because I was late. I looked at her straight on and in a very matter of fact tone said, “Well, I wasn’t at any of the rehearsals.” It was as if the woman had prepared to sing my part all along because the lyrics were in her handwriting, but I didn’t even know I had a part. I didn’t know I had lines. I was again caught off guard, but not afraid.
The impression I get from all three of these dreams is that we do not need to be afraid. We may be caught off guard by our current circumstances, but it is just intimidation. We need not be afraid. We may not know what to do, we feel unprepared. But we need not be afraid.
March 14, 2020
Show Up!
To give some context to what follows, I want to share that on this particular day, the Intercessory Prayer Team that I serve with was praying over a sanctuary that would not be full of people the next day. In person services had been cancelled and would be held online. Gatherings of more than 10 people were not allowed.
As I walked around the empty sanctuary I began to pray…
Lord, in this time of prevention show Your Church how to show up.
Show our pastors how to show up for the lost.
Show our congregation how to show up for neighbors.
Lord, in this time when people are fearful and stressed – show your people how to show up as your hands and feet in the world.
You, Lord, have forced us out of the 4 walls of our church buildings.
Show us how to take YOU out of these walls with us. To GO! To show how to live by Your Spirit!
I heard the Holy Spirit say, “There is a game plan of fear, but the Lord says he has his own game plan of love!”
May those of us who believe in Your sovereignty, Lord, go out in wisdom, peace and joy!
Show us how to see the positive and the negative. To be there to pray with the fearful, the scared, the worried.
May we be the example of what it looks like to trust in You.
Push peace.
Push love.
Change the atmosphere!
Impact the mental temperature!
Push peace, love and joy to the world through your words and actions.
Don’t partner with the enemy’s gameplan!
Because of this, you must wear all the armor that God provides so you're protected as you confront the slanderer, for you are destined for all things and will rise victorious!
We commend ourselves to you by our truthful teachings, by the power of God working though us, and with the mighty weapons of righteousness - a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.
March 17, 2020
Don't Worry. Don't Panic.
It will be over soon. Keep praying for increased faith and speak to the virus, the spirit of infirmity, the spirit of fear and the spirit of death, too! Commend them into the sea! Bind them and cast them at the cross!
Declare life.
Declare health.
Declare peace.
Declare love.
Declare faith.
It isn’t important to know why this virus was created or chase after theories.
Rest in Me and know that I am God!
Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.
March 21, 2020
Gratitude
Give praise to the Lord God for his ways are good. Be thankful for all the ways He is blessing our land during this time.
Sometimes we don’t see the blessing in the moment. We experience hardship and pressing and feel hopeless and despair.
But when you look at what you still have, what you get to do, who you get to spend time with, what rest you have, the slowness – praise the Lord!
So many say they don’t have time. Commute times have been eliminated or reduced because of businesses and buildings closing. Time with family has been increased.
Focus on the positives.
Trust Me.
We will all come out better on the other side and then you will see the blessing.
In this, I have been reminded of the shaking, stillness, rest and blessing that resulted from my dog attack and the six months of recovery. It was uncomfortable, but full of grace, love and rest.
Short term discomfort for long term gain!
Right here, I recommend you read Psalm 136.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
March 24, 2020
The Blood of the Sacrifice
Over this time, I had been feeling a pull to anoint the doors of my home as protection against the plague, just as the Israelites did in Egypt. I had read of other prophets getting the same message. Even another member of my ministry team had a vision about taking communion and anointing his doors with the blood of Jesus.
They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the animal.
But I wasn’t sure how to go about it. So of course, I asked…
Jesus, show me what to do and when to do it when it comes to anointing my home and claiming the blood of Jesus over our door posts so this virus will pass over us. Jesus, I am willing. Show me what to use. I don’t have a lamb to sacrifice. Will oil work? Holy Spirit, I ask for your instruction.
These are the instructions I received:
Put a small amount of olive oil into a bowl. Pray over the oil to claim it as a symbol of the blood of Christ.
Take communion with juice and bread.
Then anoint all doors to the outside of your home with the oil. Place the oil on the top trim board of the door encasement.
Pray as you do this above each door, “This oil represents the blood of the sacrifice. This blood protects my home and all who live within it from this plague and pestilence. When the evil comes near, it will pass over this home and all who dwell here. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I also asked about when I was supposed to do this. I know that Passover on the Hebrew calendar is April 8 – 16.
The Holy Spirit said, “NOW! Don’t delay. As soon as possible.”
On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the Lord! But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.
And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
April 4, 2020
Peace in the Process
I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Peace in the process” this morning as I sat down to pray.
Keep your focus on Me, your Papa God – provider, protector, healer, comforter, nurturer, Creator.
When all feels like it is spinning out of control and fear tries to settle in, remember me.
Remember My love for you.
Remember I created you and I do not forget my own creation.
Remember I have told you that you will face trouble in this world, BUT I have overcome the world.
So take heart! Rest in my presence always. Practice this rest daily.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
When the stress can be felt throughout your body, tell, no command every cell in your body to come into peace.
Be still.
Be quiet.
Choose peace in your mind and tell your body to follow.
Release peace to your cells and every muscle in physical stress.
Feel My peace wash over you.
Then sit and rest in My peace.
We aren’t through this pandemic, yet. There is still more to endure.
But you will not perish.
But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.
Finally, join me in one more prayer…
I plead the Blood of Jesus over our nation and to the farthest reaches of the world. Lord, by your Blood we are cleansed. By Your Blood we are redeemed. Revive our spirits, Lord. Wake us up! Call the lost. Cause the scales to fall from their eyes so they may see You clearly. Cleanse us of religion. Cleanse us of man-made laws and expectations and limitations on what you can do, God. Remove all barriers to freedom! Amen.
My mission is to encourage women to trust in themselves in life and in business. With love and faith I lead women business owners to find freedom in their God-given identity so they can live out their purpose with confidence. By helping you set expectations that lead to action, your dreams become a reality!
Stephanie Ferrara
Coach, Speaker, Freedom Fighter
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