Maria
May 2, 2003
n Keys to Victory series
Jewels on Pride and Humility‚ Incapability, and Hearing from the Lord in Prophecy!
By Maria
Maria #482 CM/FM 3235 4/98
How to recognize pride!
What is false humility?
Looking for ways to humble yourself
Do the humble thing!
How to have a humble reaction
The gift of incapability
Feeling incapable can make you a better channel
Feeling weak in ourselves keeps us desperate with the Lord!
Dear Family,
1. I love you! Here's another GN made up of beautiful jewels from our precious Lover—this time covering the subjects of humility, the feeling of incapability, and hearing from the Lord in prophecy. I think they'll be very encouraging for you, and I pray you can apply the counsel to your own lives and benefit from it.
2. These first messages contain some clear practical counsel on how to recognize pride, as well as some good instruction from Jesus about how to stay humble.
3. There are so many reasons why we need to be humble before not only the Lord, but also our brothers and sisters, mates, friends and co-workers. The Lord has listed many of them for us in His Word, and He continues to show us new reasons in our own personal lives as we listen to Him and allow Him to work in our lives to keep us humble.
4. Love is humility, and humility is love—so if we're not humble, we can't be truly loving. When we're not humble, we're not desperate with the Lord like we should be, thus we miss things that He tries to tell us; thus we can't be the blessing to Him and to others that He knows we could be. When we're not humble, we're usually self-righteous—which makes us hard to live with, often harsh and insensitive, know–it-all or critical—all of which hinders our communication with others, and with the Lord most of all.
5. Besides these reasons, as well as many more, the Lord has told us that our humility before Him is a primary requisite to our receiving His pure Words from Heaven. Of course‚ seeing as the Lord is asking us to hear more and more from Him every day, the Enemy is also trying to fight and hinder our channels and receptivity with whatever he can‚ including getting us to fall into the snare of pride‚ and thus either hold back from giving freely what the Lord is pouring out, or being so full of ourselves that the Lord cannot pour through clearly. So another good reason for us to pray desperately that the Lord will keep us humble is so that we can be clear channels for Him and His Words—which He is asking each of us to be!
How to Recognize Pride!
6. Here is a message I think you'll find very interesting, as well as convicting. We asked the Lord to give us some symptoms of pride, or ways that pride is manifested in different people's lives. Here's what He said:
7. (Jesus speaking: ) The spirit of pride is manifested in so many different ways in individuals' lives. The manifestations of it change as a person matures, grows, and is strengthened in one area, but perhaps is fighting a weakness in another area. What are symptoms of pride in one person's life can be different in another person, and must be spiritually discerned.
8. For example‚ one person who has a hard time speaking out in public because they're shy might overcome their pride in this area and manifest much more boldness to speak out in public. Whereas another person might need to manifest more of a spirit of meekness and not be so outspoken, and could be manifesting pride by speaking out in public at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate way.
9. Each case is different and must be spiritually discerned as to whether it's a manifestation or a symptom of pride. My Spirit is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart‚ and those who seek Me will find the guidance and direction as to what is a symptom of pride in their lives and what is not.
10. Pride can be manifested in many ways:
11. m Through not wanting to show patience and consideration for others—either others who you don't naturally like, or even those who you do like in the natural, but grow weary in loving.
12. m By assuming the negative point of view about someone, assuming that they can't do something or aren't capable of doing something, instead of showing faith and trust in their ability to lean on Me and let Me work through them.
13. m By being critical of others and thinking others aren't doing well enough, aren't working hard enough, aren't praying enough, aren't staying close enough to Me. By criticizing others for their lacks or weaknesses of the flesh or of the spirit.
14. m By feeling that you know better about something, that you're more experienced, more mature, wiser, more led of My Spirit, and therefore what others say isn't really very important or to be taken seriously. No matter what their age, younger or older, the feeling that even if what they say sounds good‚ your idea is probably better, and therefore you go with your idea instead of seriously praying about and considering the ideas of others.
15. m Looking at people's outward appearance and basing your judgments about them on either their nationality, their background, their education, their age or their sex, and deciding whether or not they are worthy of this or that, instead of seeing My Spirit and My anointing on them.
16. m Not being able to be warm and friendly with people, but rather keeping people at a distance and maintaining a rather businesslike relationship with most people, instead of humbling yourself and learning to be honest and loving.
17. m Not being able to see people as individuals with different personalities and needs, but rather tending to treat everyone the same. Not being considerate of how an individual might need to be treated.
18. m Failing to see the human side of people, to see their hearts, but rather expecting a certain level of performance, of work, of productivity, and not making allowance for human needs and human weaknesses.
19. m Not being able to say you're sorry. Not being able to see your wrongs, or your mistakes in an interaction with someone. Being unable to admit mistakes or failures, no matter how small. Finding it difficult to say that you were wrong.
20. m Not wanting to fail, and doing everything possible to prevent ever making a mistake so that you won't have to deal with it, instead of trusting Me that if I allow you to make a mistake, I also will teach you valuable lessons from it that will strengthen you.
21. m Having the idea that you know a lot, and giving others this impression by the things you say or the way you express things. Trying to display your knowledge about something, or trying to give hints or openly show that you know more than someone else does about something.
22. m Bragging about past accomplishments or victories.
23. m Relying on the past and the things of the past, the moves of the Spirit of the past‚ instead of moving ahead with the new moves of My Spirit for today.
24. m Not striving to accept the New Wine, the new moves of My Spirit for today, and thinking that it doesn't matter in your personal life.
25. m Resenting the New Wine. Resenting the way I'm moving today and working in the Family, the way that I'm preparing the Family for the Endtime, because you prefer the way it used to be and don't want to have to change and move forward. You don't want to have to humble yourself and learn to live according to the new day.
26. m Not listening to Me‚ not taking prophecy seriously and not working at practicing the gift of prophecy and hearing from Me personally‚ but just thinking that somehow you'll be able to figure things out.
27. m Finding it very difficult to be open and honest, to communicate, to open your heart and share the deeper things of the heart, both privately and publicly.
28. m Not wanting to show that you have weaknesses, but rather trying to show that you are capable and strong, instead of showing your dependence on My strength in you.
29. m Avoiding asking for prayer for personal requests, whether for health, for spiritual, physical or emotional battles‚ or other personal situations that might be embarrassing.
30. These are just a few symptoms of pride‚ and there are many more ways that pride is manifested in different people's lives, according to their personality and the lessons they need to learn. One person who might avoid asking for prayer‚ for example, would be manifesting some pride in not wanting to show their need or their weakness; but another person who continually seeks prayer might also be manifesting some pride through their demand for attention.
31. Pride often results in fear—fear of exposure; fear of being shown weak or incapable; fear of the consequences; fear of losing the respect of others; fear of losing authority; fear of how others will see you, of their opinions if they know the truth; fear of the humbling; fear of the breaking that comes with the humbling; fear of not being in control; fear of being open and honest. Those who suffer from a strong spirit of pride also suffer from strong fears of losing their image.
32. Those who are following My Spirit closely and are trying to emulate My ways don't have to fear losing their image, because they're trying to make My image their image‚ so they have nothing to fear. But those who are not following so closely, but are leaning more on the arm of the flesh, will be fearful of not being strong enough to carry the load, not having enough wisdom or understanding or decision-making ability in themselves for each situation.
33. They will constantly be afraid of doing the wrong thing, making the wrong decision‚ because they have only themselves to lean on. But those who are used to turning to Me and drawing their power and strength from Me have faith and trust. They're not afraid because they know that I'm the One Who has to lead and guide them, and they pin their faith and trust in My answer and My leading, and in all they do they obey what I show them.
34. The humble are not afraid because they've already accepted that they are nothing, that they know nothing, and can do nothing without Me and without the love and help of others. They know they need Me and they readily acknowledge this to Me and to others. So they're not afraid because they know that I will have to help them, and they've learned that I don't fail when they cry out to Me.
35. They've learned through experience, through humblings, that I am always ready to answer their needs and their cries for help, so they rest in Me and depend upon Me to carry them through and to work through them. They've learned the power of prayer and the power of My Spirit. So they pray and trust, they pray and listen, they pray and obey, and thus they are not afraid, for they let Me lead the way. They've learned that I truly am in control, so there's nothing to fear.
36. Those who have not learned to depend on Me are always afraid of their own weaknesses. They're afraid of the mistakes they will make. They're afraid of the things they don't know. They're afraid of the future. They're afraid of being free in the spirit and letting Me take control.
37. But all of this can be washed away as they learn to give their whole heart to Me, and as they humble themselves completely as little children before Me and let Me be their Lord and Master. (End of message from Jesus.)
What Is False Humility?
38. (Mama:) Another symptom of pride is false humility. Following is a very interesting message from Jesus in which He explains what false humility is.
39. (Jesus speaking:) False humility is a cover-up, like a mask. False humility is pride. False humility hinders your being a channel of My love to others. It holds you back when I would have you reach out.
40. There are times when I would have you speak up about something, contribute to a conversation, give a suggestion, or say what I've put on your heart, even if it's contrary to the direction the conversation seems to be going. But false humility can hold you back from this, saying, "No, if you say that, you'll be seen as proud. It's better to be quiet and easygoing." But I'm asking you to say it, to stand up and be counted for Me. It's not a time to be quiet‚ but rather to be lovingly and humbly honest.
41. This is true humility—flowing with My Spirit. Neither running ahead of it by speaking out when it would be best to hold your peace and let My Spirit do the work, nor holding back for fear of what others will think or because you're worried about your reputation in their eyes. True humility gives without concern for the opinions of men—caring only for My love‚ My blessing, My approval.
42. False humility causes you to be stunted in your growth‚ because you suppress the checks of My Spirit which I give you. You don't act upon them because you're trying to please others, rather than pleasing Me. By not speaking up, by not letting Me flow through you, either by offering an opinion, a suggestion, a comment, or even expressing a thought that covers another angle or can appear outwardly contrary to others' opinions, you're not being honest. You're covering up. That is false humility, which is also pride.
43. You're asking Me what the difference is between this false humility and real humility? Well, real humility is being able to let My Spirit move in you and cause you to do My good pleasure—to speak when spoken through, and even to speak when you're not spoken through, and then be willing to admit your mistakes when you make them.
44. True humility yields to the whispers of My Spirit and has perfect peace because of her obedience and yieldedness. When you're trying in yourself to uphold a false front, you can't have this perfect peace and happiness.
45. My Spirit is simple. My Spirit is humble. My Spirit yields. My Spirit gives. As you let My Spirit flow through you and don't hold back, I will cause you to be born again and to be a new creature, to have faith and to have trust and to feel secure in My love; to know that honesty pays, sharing your true feelings, stripping off the garments of pride and false humility.
46. So let go and be set free of this trap of the Enemy to hold you back and suppress My Spirit. Let My Spirit flow in you, and pray for My true humility—which means obeying My checks even when it hurts your pride to do so. My love, My truth, and yielding to My whispers will set you free! (End of message from Jesus)
Looking for Ways to
Humble Yourself
47. (Mama:) Recently when one of our staff members was asking the Lord for some counsel, Dad punched through with this little lesson on humility:
48. (Dad speaking: ) It's good, Honey, that you're really trying to find ways to learn to humble yourself. That way the Lord doesn't have to do it all. With all of us He does things to humble us and keep us humble. But the more we're fighting to humble ourselves before Him and others, the shorter the fall is when He humbles us, and thus the less painful and difficult—because we're already closer to the bottom‚ ha! Praise the Lord! (End of excerpt of message from Dad.)
Do the Humble Thing!
49. (Mama: ) The Lord has shown us several ways to fight to stay humble, which include praying for the Lord to keep us humble, obeying Him when He checks us about "doing the humble thing," and yielding and appreciating it when He works in our lives and the circumstances around us to keep us humble!
50. Here's a message the Lord gave when we asked Him for some practical tips on learning to "do the humble thing." As you noticed in the introduction to the first prophecy, one of the important reasons for being humble is so that the Lord is able to use us as clear channels. Here, in the following message, the Lord speaks specifically about how important humility is in our getting His messages clearly.
51. Precious Jesus, please help us all to do our best to apply this message and live it, and thus be happier in You through our obedience, more humble, more receptive to Your Words‚ more loving to those around us, and a clearer channel for You and whatever You want to use us for!
52. (Jesus speaking:) Humility is manifested in so many different ways, and there are so many things you can do on a day-to-day basis that will help you to stay humble, meek, lowly and desperate before Me. When you are humble, you enjoy the blessings of My love, joy, peace, faith, patience, understanding, and the fruits of My Spirit in your life. These bless you in your interactions with others, and smooth over the rough edges. They make your relationship with Me more alive and real, because you realize how much it is My blessing in your life that gives you happiness, rather than anything you could work up yourself.
53. Humility is even more vital now in this new day, when I'm asking each of My children who are willing, to be channels of My Words from Heaven. In order to be a clean channel, a fully useful vessel, you must be humble and meek. Once you start taking the credit to yourself, or even start thinking of yourself as better than another, then that's the beginning of the end as far as receiving My Words is concerned.
54. If you want to continue being used of Me in this special way‚ if you want to continue being a vessel that I can fill, then you have to continually strip off your pride, strip off your outer coverings‚ continually confess that you are nothing, and constantly come before Me and others in humility. I can only use broken men and women, humble men and women; no others will do. This is why it is so vital to strive to don the spirit of humility, wear the clothes of meekness‚ and put on the garments of lowliness.
55. On a day-to-day basis you should always remember to give Me the glory for anything and everything good that you do. If you receive an inspiring message from Me, or from one of your spirit helpers‚ or from Dad‚ and someone says, "Wow, that was such an inspiring message‚" right away give the glory to Me and proclaim that it is not you, could never be you, and will never be you. Humbly say, "Praise the Lord! Isn't it amazing what a weak and incapable vessel the Lord can use to give us His messages?" Or‚ "Thank You Jesus! Yes, I was thrilled by the messages from Heaven too! Isn't our wonderful Lover amazing? He gives us such jewels from Heaven. What a priceless privilege it is!" Or, "Yes, thank You, Jesus‚ for those messages. Thank You that You speak to us, Your beggars who are so desperate for You and depend on You for everything. You're so good to us."
56. If you cooked a delicious meal or wrote an encouraging letter, did an exciting project with the kids, came up with new ideas for prayer or praise time or devotions, cleaned the living room beautifully, got out lots of tapes and videos while out witnessing, sang or produced a song incredibly, fixed the kitchen appliances, or won a whole bunch of souls while out witnessing, and someone thanks you and praises you for your accomplishment, you should say, "Thank You Jesus! I'm so thankful that He helped me. I couldn't have done it without Him."
57. And not only should you say that out loud, but in your heart you should resist any temptations to get lifted up in pride by consciously thinking, "Jesus, I know that I couldn't have done anything without You. I don't want to take the credit for anything. Please help me to stay humble, to stay dependent on You, so that You can continue to use me and work through me."
58. If something is hard for you to do‚ you can usually safely assume that it's your pride that's holding you back, and therefore you should strive to do the humble thing, the thing that's uncomfortable. If you're in devotions and you're praying for the day and it's hard for you to pray in public‚ you should pray as often as you can, because this would be doing the humble thing. It's humbling for you to pray out loud because it kills your pride. If you do this‚ I will bless you with humility.
59. If you're having a party or activity or inspiration and you're asked to do something that's a little bottle-breaking, or you're given the choice to do something a little wild‚ something that would make you get out of yourself‚ then doing the thing that is uncomfortable for you and that you don't want to do would be doing the humble thing. You'd be pushing your pride out of the way and getting another dose of My humility.
60. The key is to be willing to do the humble thing, even if it's something which goes against your natural personality or desires. If you are willing to do the humble thing, the loving thing, then you can ask Me and receive a clear answer as to whether it is your pride that's holding you back, or whether there is some other reason you don't want to do it. Maybe My Spirit has put within you the desire to do something else, or maybe your personality just doesn't enjoy doing that kind of thing. The way to tell the difference is to ask Me—and be willing to do it if it would help you be more humble and loving.
61. If you've wronged someone or said something sharp or unfeeling‚ instead of waiting for the other person to come up to you, you should be the first one to ask them for forgiveness. You should go to the one you've wronged in humility and meekness‚ even though it's hard on your pride. If you try to do this as often as possible, you'll receive more and more of My humility and love. Even if you think the other person has wronged you, take the humble seat and ask for forgiveness for anything you may have done to offend, even if you don't see what you could have possibly done.
62. Another way that you can actively exercise the gift of humility is by coming before the members of your Home to share the lessons that you're learning, the things I've been showing you, and the events that I've been bringing into your life to teach you things. Sharing your heart openly is never easy and is always humbling; that's why the Enemy fights it so hard. So do good and forget not to communicate, and exercise your humility in this way. You'll also receive the support of your brethren and the prayer power that you need, which is an extra added blessing of taking this humble seat.
63. Loving Me and praising Me intimately together as a Home can also be humbling for some, so you should do this on a regular basis. Coming before Me together in this way brings everyone down to the same level of humility. When you're praising and loving Me together‚ you become one in humility, My yielded, surrendered Bride, One Wife. You realize that you're all My lovers, My brides, My sweethearts, and My humble servants who seek only to fill My wants and desires. This is humility.
64. Learning to be completely open and honest with your shepherds is also a step towards greater humility and meekness. When you're constantly confessing that you need help and prayer and counsel, this is humbling and this kills your pride, but it's so good for you. Confessing your faults lowers your self-esteem in your own eyes, but it exalts you in My eyes and brings down My blessings. Your shepherds are also proud of you when you take these steps of humility and openness.
65. If you have afflictions, even ailments that seem rather small and insignificant, bring them before the body and ask for prayer. Sometimes this can take a big step of humility, but I often allow little afflictions in your life for that very purpose—to humble you. If you have irritations, afflictions, or health problems—whether great or small—ask for prayer and confess your need for Me. This is active humility‚ and with this yielding you receive not only My healing‚ but also My meekness and humility.
66. If I've given you natural abilities, like being a good cook‚ a good speaker, a good writer, a good witnesser, a good childcare worker, a good driver‚ a good handyman, a good computer technician‚ a good mechanic, a good shepherd, a good seamstress, a good producer, a good singer, a good dancer, a good inspirationalist, a good editor‚ a good idea person, a good typist, a good shopper‚ a good provisioner, or whatever ability I've given you—continually praise Me and thank Me for these gifts. Make it your regular prayer request to always stay humble and desperate before Me.
67. Every time you're tempted to pat yourself on the back for something that you've done, turn that thought into a prayer of praise and meekness. Every time you're tempted to take even a little bit of glory to yourself, turn that into a song of thankfulness and gratitude to Me, the One Who has given you all that you possess, your Creator Who has created every single moving part of your body. Praise Me and love Me and thank Me constantly and always give Me the glory at every turn for anything good that you do.
68. Remember, if you do something good, that's a sure sign that I was with you, I was helping you, and I am the One that deserves the glory and the honor. On Earth, it is your responsibility and your duty to give Me the honor and glory and thanks for everything! When you get to Heaven it will be My turn to praise you and give you your due honor and respect. I'll pat you on the back when you get up Here, and I'll give you your rewards, your crown, and your gifts and medals for a job well done.
69. On Earth you must serve Me in humility and meekness, but one day you will receive your due honor. Wouldn't you rather give Me all the glory and honor on Earth now, and receive your reward when you get up Here? Or would you rather receive the praise of men while on Earth instead of basking in honor on High? I think you'll agree that it's worth it to praise and honor Me there and now‚ and let Me praise and honor you at the end of your life's journey.
70. Remember that love and humility are one and the same. If you have real love, then you'll have humility. And if you have humility, then you'll have real love—both for Me and for others. The truly loving are truly humble, and the truly humble are truly loving. I am the source of love, the source of humility, the source of meekness, the source of lowliness. So pull down these gifts through seeking to actively do the humble thing, and give all the glory and honor to Me. (End of message from Jesus.)
How to Have a Humble Reaction
71. (Mama:) This next one is another little tip from Dad when he was talking to one of our staff about staying humble:
72. (Dad speaking:) That was a test for you. It was a test to see how you would react. And though you didn't have the right initial reaction, you pulled out of it and were willing to do whatever. Good for you! If you haven't yet gotten to the point where your first reactions are the right ones, at least you've learned to recognize when you're not having the right reaction, and you fight to pull out of it.
73. You'll probably never attain to perfect reactions to things 100% of the time, because the Lord likes to keep you humble. But you can at least learn to pull out of it and make things right. If you've been a bad sample, you can apologize, and if you've made a strong statement, you can take it back and rephrase it. Keep at it and you'll win eventually. After a while, things won't be such a battle anymore.
74. And above all, don't get down on yourself when you blow it, or you don't see things quite right, or you have a bad reaction or whatever the case may be. That's just another form of pride—to feel so bad about things. Just take it to the Lord, apologize, or do whatever it is He shows you to do, and then leave it behind.
75. If you want to know what to do to have a humble reaction and how you can best fight pride, this is another way: by fighting the discouragement of feeling you failed, and taking positive action to do whatever the Lord shows you to make it right. (End of message from Dad.)
The Gift of Incapability
76. (Mama:) Here is a message about what the Lord calls the "gift of incapability!" He sees things so differently than we do‚ but the more we spend time with Him in His Word and hearing His loving voice, the more He can change our thoughts and attitudes to be more like His—seeing things the way He sees them. The more we are able to see things through the eyes of faith, the Heavenly perspective, the happier we'll be, and the more we'll be able to thank and praise the Lord for even our weaknesses—knowing that He has the power to turn even weaknesses into strengths for His glory. Praise the Lord!
77. (Jesus speaking:) Feeling incapable and inadequate is a gift. Most do not see these feelings as gifts, but they are gifts nonetheless. I allow these feelings, and I even place these feelings upon you so that you will know that without Me you can do nothing.
78. There are some who rely solely on the arm of the flesh. There are some who have been capable for years and have been self-sufficient, and then when I place upon them the gift of incapability, or inadequacy, so that they might lean on Me and find their strength in Me, they fall apart and become discouraged and disheartened. When they have these feelings they think they're a failure and they think I've withdrawn My anointing from them. But the truth is that I've poured out an even greater anointing upon them—the anointing of dependence on Me.
79. It's a gift to feel inadequate, to feel incapable‚ to feel that you're not sufficient in yourself—because these feelings bring out your desperation and dependence on Me, the only One Who is really capable, sufficient‚ adequate and able for the jobs. I understand that the feelings and emotions of knowing that you're not capable or sufficient aren't always very nice. These feelings aren't usually pleasant‚ but this doesn't mean that you should become discouraged or quit just because I'm doing a new thing in your life.
80. With those who are less sure of themselves and feel less competent, I am able to shine through with My power and strength more surely and definitely. These ones know that their strength and sufficiency is in Me‚ and thus they cling to Me. They know that without Me they would be able to do nothing and accomplish nothing. Although they don't necessarily like the feelings of inadequacy and incapability, they realize that as a result of these feelings they are able to reach forth and pull down My power and My strength. They know that these feelings are a gift, and they're thankful for them.
81. But to those of you who've felt very self–sufficient and capable and strong, being endowed with this gift of incapability can come as quite a blow, and you often get discouraged and feel like I'm not going to be able to use you anymore. This is what the Enemy would have you think, because his whole purpose is to keep you from receiving My strength, anointing and power. As long as he can get you to rely on your own strength and sufficiency‚ he knows that you won't receive the full power of My Spirit.
82. My thoughts and My mind patterns are totally contrary to the Enemy's mindsets. I would that you praise and thank Me for the feelings that you get when you know you can't do a thing on your own. You've got to fight discouragement and simply call out to Me to empower you and give you the sufficiency, power, strength and anointing that you need.
83. Make a U-turn in the way that you think, and realize that I give these feelings to you as a gift. I know that you want My power and strength to be shown through you‚ and so I bestow this gift upon you that you might call on Me and receive all of My blessings. You cannot do the jobs and tasks on your own. Your sufficiency and energy will run out before long, but the power of My Spirit never runs dry.
84. When you feel incapable, you're almost like a little baby that is crying for its mother. The baby is totally insufficient, totally incapable, and totally unable to do anything—but cry. When the baby needs something, because of its inability to do anything, all he can do is cry out to the mother. When the baby needs a diaper change, when the baby is hungry, when the baby is tired, when the baby needs a change of scenery, the best thing the baby can do is cry, and the mother will come and take care of the problem and help the baby.
85. And so it is with you when you feel incapable. You're like a baby and I'm like your mother. When you feel insufficient and you can't do anything on your own, the best thing to do is cry out to Me, and I will come, just like a mother, and give you all that you need and desire. I will be your capability, I will be your sufficiency‚ I will be your ability, I will be your strength, and I will be your power.
86. When you feel insufficient in yourself‚ it also makes Me feel loved and needed because I know that you are dependent on Me, that you are desperate with Me. When I know that you long for Me and need Me, this brings out My blessings, just like the motherly instincts are drawn out of the mother when she hears her baby cry. I pour forth unto you freely when you ask. When you call unto Me, I will answer you. When you ask Me for bread, I won't give you a stone.
87. Just as earthly parents love to meet the needs of their children and give good gifts unto them, how much more do I, your Heavenly Father‚ your Husband and Lover, desire to meet your needs and give good gifts unto you‚ My children, My brides, My lovers, as you call out to Me and express your needs and desires. This feeling of incapability works to your advantage and pulls down more power than you would otherwise have had if you had felt sufficient in yourself and would not have had the need to draw on My strength and power.
88. So praise Me and thank Me for this gift of incapability‚ for through it you become capable with My strength and My Spirit. (End of message from Jesus)
Feeling Incapable Can Make You
A Better Channel
89. (Mama:) The Enemy really fights our times of hearing from the Lord! He'll use anything he possibly can to get in and distract us‚ discourage us, condemn us, or even just keep us so busy that we don't feel we have time to stop and hear clearly. No matter how much we battle with it or how much the Enemy fights it, we have to remember that he's fighting because it's our very most important job—listening to the King!
90. I was talking the other day with one of our staff members who was battling with feeling very incapable and discouraged every time she sat down to receive something from the Lord. She would get hit with real discouragement over what she received, wondering if she was being a clear enough channel or if she was really receiving the messages clearly from the Lord. I knew that the Enemy was really fighting her—as he fights all of those who put forth the effort to pull down the answers from our wonderful Husband. I told her:
91. I'm really sorry that you're having such discouragement over your P&Ps (prayer and prophecy times). Of course‚ the Devil's bound to fight you really hard on those because they're so important, so it stands to reason that the Devil is going to fight you with discouragement as much as possible. Actually, I think what you're feeling is a good feeling, but you're interpreting it wrong.
92. You're feeling very incapable and like you can't do it. But then you're interpreting that to mean that you really can't do it; whereas I think the Lord is allowing you to feel that way. Even if the Devil is trying to use it to stop you, the Lord is using that feeling as a good thing. He wants you to feel incapable and like you can't do it.
93. It's sort of a subtle differentiation there; the Devil makes you feel incapable and is trying to get you to just give up and say, "I can't do it." The Lord also wants you to feel incapable—not to the point of discouragement, but so that when you get to that point of incapability, instead of taking the downward road of discouragement that the Devil wants you to take, you take the upward road of looking up to Jesus and saying, "Yes, Lord, this is a mountain too big for me and I know I can't scale it, so I'm really desperate with You because I know You are the only One Who can. You have to do it. You can do it through me."
94. So it's just how we react to that feeling. Sure, it may be brought on by the Devil; sometimes it is. But the Lord allows it because He knows He can get a wonderful victory out of it.
95. It's up to you what choice you make at that point of decision where you feel so incapable. It's your choice to either look at this as, "Well, I can't do it, so I give up," or say, "Yes, Lord, I feel like I can't I know I can't do it. I can't do it, so You've got to do it. I'm going to desperately cry out for Your strength!"
96. See, the Lord looks at that feeling of incapability as a gift, even if the Devil did bring it—like the story about the loaf of bread. That's exactly the way He looks at it—as a gift from Him—even if the Devil brings it. It's a gift from Him to help you to be where He wants you to be in order to get anything done. Because it's only those who are humble, who have a vacuum, and who are desperate for His help that He can fill and He can give the help to. If you think you can do it‚ or are already doing it in your own strength‚ then how can He fill you, how can He do it through you?
97. The Lord is trying to use this feeling of incapability to make you an even better channel‚ by getting you so desperate and calling out for His help in faith, knowing that He's going to do it. You can't do it; He's going to do it. Whereas the Devil's just trying to get you to say, "It's too hard, it's too much, and I can't do this kind of thing." (End of Mama's talk to staff member.)
Feeling Weak in Ourselves
Keeps Us Desperate with the Lord!
98. (Mama:) Lastly, here is a very beautiful message of encouragement regarding receiving prophecy, which has good promises we all can claim. The Lord clearly says here that it really doesn't matter how we feel—whether we're "good" enough or "spiritual" enough—all we have to do is ask Him for the faith to pull down His answers‚ and He will give them! There's nothing we can do in the flesh to work it up or to make ourselves clear channels. We have to do our part of being yielded, humble, desperate and open, but when it comes down to it, the Lord is the One Who has to do the miracle! "Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it!" (1Thes.5:24).
99. The Enemy would love to use condemnation to stop us from clearly receiving the Lord's Words, or having faith in them once we receive them by trying to make us feel that because we're such a mess, we must not be very clear channels either. The Lord knows that we're a mess—and He still asks us to hear from Him daily! So don't let the Enemy stop you through his ploy of condemnation! Open up and receive the loving Words Jesus has for you! Prophecy is His gift of love to you‚ to make your life easier and more complete!
100. (Jesus speaking: ) It doesn't matter how you feel or how you don't feel, or what you think when you sit down to pray and receive My messages—because I can and will override all of your ways completely, if you just ask Me to.
101. If you feel discouraged and like you can't do it, that you can't be desperate enough, you can't be good enough to receive something as wonderful as My messages from Heaven—all you have to do is ask Me to override all of those feelings and replace them with a gift of faith.
102. You don't have to have great faith‚ My love, you just need the simple faith of a little child. Just ask Me for the faith of a child who reaches up and receives her Father's gifts. She doesn't think about it and analyze the message, because she has childlike faith and trusts that her Father knows what He's doing and He knows what's best, and all she has to do is trust.
103. If you're ever tempted to feel discouraged that you're not spiritual enough, or good enough to receive My wonderful, life-changing Words of direct prophecy, just remember that I have chosen the weak things of this world, the despised things, and the people who most of the worldlings look down on in scorn and disbelief to accomplish My will. I like to use the little people, even the underdogs that no one else wants, but who have a burning love for Me and are willing to do whatever I ask of them.
104. I love to use men or women who don't think much of themselves and are little in their own eyes, so that I can pour through them and give My wonderful life-giving Words through them. I delight to use you, and often when you feel the least usable and the most incapable is when I use you the most, because you're the most desperate for Me to do it through you.
105. So don't worry if you feel incapable, because that's how I want you to feel, and that's how I need you to feel. I need you to stay humble and with that feeling of insecurity when you sit down to pray, because I need you to be desperate for My Spirit, for My anointing and My help. If you felt like you could do it, if you felt a little too secure, then I would have to work in your life to make you more dependent on Me and more desperate for My help and My Spirit working through you.
106. This is the very thing that is your biggest strength, My love—that feeling of being incapable, that scary feeling that you can't do it, that awesome feeling that it's too big for you, too much‚ too great, you're too small and incapable. This is your strength, this is your security, because it keeps you desperate and dependent on Me. This is exactly how I want you to feel and to be—weak in yourself and needing Me.
107. So don't despise the weakness, don't despise the insecurity and the feeling of being incapable. Don't let the Enemy use it to discourage you, because it's really your biggest strength, for you have the assurance of being in the center of My will.
108. So whenever the Enemy tempts you to feel discouraged, like you're not doing good enough, you're not receiving good messages or clear messages, or that it's too hard and takes too long, or whatever he tells you that discourages you—just remember that if it discourages you, it's not My voice; it's of the Enemy, and whatever he says is the opposite of the truth, because he is opposed to the truth. For he is a liar, and the father of lies.
109. If he tells you that it's too hard and takes too long, just remember that's not true and it doesn't matter how long it takes. It's not a competition and he has no business analyzing how long it takes for you to receive a message—it's none of his business! He's just trying to discourage you from receiving any messages at all! He wants to do all that he can to discourage you.
110. But you can't listen to the voice of discouragement, or to anything negative when it comes to prophecy and hearing from Me. You have to resist the lies of the Enemy, because his aim is to make you feel like it's not for you, you can't do it. But I say you can, and I will continue to help you each day, each time you sit down. I will speak and I will pour through you what I want.
111. You have to have believing faith, faith that just trusts and believes and receives, no matter how hard it might seem, no matter how long it takes, no matter how you feel at the time‚ no matter what you think about yourself or the message. You have to set all that aside, and just reach up and receive.
112. If you're obeying, listening‚ and doing your best to stay in tune, to stay close to Me and to keep your heart right with Me, you have nothing to worry about and nothing to fear. Just keep close to Me and trust Me to do everything else.
113. Opening up your channel to Me is often a test of faith in many ways‚ and a battle, because you're receiving My Words from Heaven—you're receiving life and light and spirit—so the Enemy fights it and he fights you to try and hinder you and stop your faith. But even that is good for you, because it keeps you humble‚ and that keeps you close to Me and dependent upon Me. So it all works together for good and for My glory.
114. I'm sorry for the tests and battles‚ but some of them are necessary in order to help you to stay on the right track, to stay humble and desperate and in need of Me. It's My way of ensuring that you remain a good and usable channel.
115. Don't worry about it being a big responsibility. Just continue to cast your cares on Me and trust Me to do the work through you. When I ask you to be a channel, in some ways I am asking you to be a robot—to relinquish your free thoughts and ideas and ways of analyzing while you receive My clear Words and pictures from Heaven. Being a robot means that you shouldn't think about or analyze what you're doing, or what you're getting, or why it says what it says. Just go sit down like a good little robot, and open up your channel and trust Me. And I promise that as you obey, as you manifest faith‚ as you stay prayerful and desperate and close to Me, I will always give you My Words and keep you on the right track. (End of message from Jesus.)