FEAST 2002

By MariaMaria #592 CM/FM 3374 10/01

Dearest Family,

1. Our wonderful Husband has again "opened unto us His good treasure" (Deut.28:12) and laid before us a feast! As you'll see as He unfolds these revelations and visions of the spirit, the dynamics of the spirit are changing, and He has said we're going to start feeling the effects immediately.

2. Of course, each one of these messages that the Lord has given for this Feast time is only the beginning—they leave much for us to learn and discover and uncover as we put them into action and begin to apply them to our lives. Just as we received the keys at last year's Feast and we're still uncovering their mysteries and learning to use them, so it will likely be the same with many of the things the Lord says here—we won't comprehend their full meaning right away, but as time passes and we ask Him more about it and apply His counsel step by step, we'll learn and understand more, and realize more and more how deep and amazing these truths are that He places in our hands.

3. I urge you to ask the Lord to open your spiritual eyes and ears and help you grasp these messages in the spirit as much as poss­ible. Before you even start reading, ask Him to give you the faith to receive the things He's saying without hesitation. They're very deep, and they're destined to affect our lives and future in a very big way! The Lord is picking up the pace, and things will never be the same again! Things will not just continue as they were, as He explains in this first message.

4. (Jesus speaking: ) The messages for the Family Feast 2002 are opening a door to a whole new realm in the spirit‚ and it will take a while for you to grasp their full meaning and come to know their depth. As you go along‚ I will build on these messages and will continue to show you more and more truth and more application of them.

5. I have purged the Family through the "Convic­tion vs. Compromise" series. You have entered a new era, an era where I expect more‚ and in return am giving you more. It is an era of miracles and wondrous rewards for those who are obeying and following Me completely. The messages I will give you now are offering more of those rewards and blessings. They're offering new blueprints for effectiveness and fruitful­­ness, and with those offers comes the requirement that you make certain sacrifices. I put this offer before the Family, and each of you must decide what you're going to do with it. In a way‚ that's always what I do with My Words—I give them, but it's up to each of you how much you believe, obey, and strive to make that Word part of your life. It's the same with these messages‚ but the stakes are much higher.

6. I am no longer calling repeatedly. You have had your times of training in obedience and following Me, and these are no longer mere tests; they are the real thing. You have gone from the practice range to competition, from ­basic training to spiritual combat. Rewards are given instantly to those who obey instantly. And by the same token, the loss will be felt instantly by those who hesitate. In the spirit world, things are moving faster. You have less time. The time for great and obvious demonstrations of My Spirit is right around the corner. In order for each person to be ready for those days, I'm stepping up the pace, and I don't have time to wait around for those who are hesitant or unsure.

7. Yet this is My mercy. If I did not pick up the pace‚ no one would be ready for the more difficult, intense, fast-paced days of action you will face in the future. I have patiently trained and instructed. I have pulled the Family along as fast as they would let Me. I have nudged and pleaded and given second chances. All of that has been part of your training and of teaching you to obey. I have let you feel the results of your actions. Now the results will come much more quickly—instantly, in some cases.

8. And so it is with these Feast messages. They are inspiring, thrilling; they rejoice your heart. But they are also much more than that. They are again a call to My children to leave the things of the world, to grant Me full possession, to again draw closer to Me and to receive what I have to give you. And I will not plead or cajole. I will simply put forth the truth, and you who follow will be blessed more than you ever thought possible. My Words will remain there for those who hesitated, and in time, if they choose to follow‚ they will also be empowered and blessed. But it will never be as great or overwhelming as if they had chosen right then, at that moment, to come, drop everything, and follow Me in spirit.

9. Read these messages carefully‚ My loves, and I will give you questions that you can ask Me at the end of each message—questions for pondering and reflection, and a further opportunity for you to grasp what this means for you personally. Each of you will need to make the effort in the spirit to receive what this means for you, and then to obey it. That is a choice only you can make. You have been taught and instructed, and now is the time for you who will to put it into action. (End of message from Jesus)

10. (Mama prays:) Sweet Husband, thank You for that challenge. It sobers us to see how much more You're expecting of us. Please help us not to let You down or disappoint You. Help us to apply ourselves, to do everything in our power to absorb what You're saying‚ and to take each word to heart.

11. Thank You, dear Lord, for the wonderful, terrific, thrilling things You're giving us! You never cease to amaze us! Just when we think You've given us everything‚ You bless us with something more. You're so good to us, precious Love. We don't deserve all these wonderful gifts, but we're so thankful for them. We praise You and glorify You!

12. We call on the power of the keys right now, all together as Your Bride. We ask You to loose their power on our behalf, to open our eyes and ears of the spirit and to help us grasp these words that You are about to give us. We stand unitedly with You, our Husband and Deliverer‚ and in Your Name and in the power of the keys we rebuke the Evil One from hindering this important time we have to spend with You. We rebuke and bind Pan and Oplexicon and all the others who fight against the truth of Your Words. Free us in the spirit from our pride and carnal thinking or anything else that would hinder our receptivity. Give us faith to follow You wherever You are leading us. Give us unhesi­tating conviction to obey You, no matter what.

13. We are Your Bride, sweet Love, and we are here for You. We put aside all else and dedicate this time to You. Please pour down Your liberating, exhilarating spirit upon us now, and enrapture us with Your Words. Help us to grasp these spiritual truths and principles and to apply them to our lives today. We want to change and keep in step with You. We love You, our miracle-working Husband.

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Note: When the Lord uses the terms "carnal mind," "carnal-mindedness," "carnal thinking" or "carnal reasoning" in the mess­ages which follow in these Letters, He's not using carnal in the more familiar modern way as meaning "sensual or sexual," but in the original way as meaning "of the flesh" instead of being "of the spirit."

In Romans 8:7 it's used in this way. Paul says, "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Strong's Concord­ance translates the Greek word for carnal here as "flesh; i.e.‚ the body (as opposed to the soul [or spirit]), or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties and passions)."

The New Testament also uses carnal in another context—to mean worldly as op­posed to spiritual. Nelson's Bible ­Diction­ary defines carnal as "worldly, non-spiritual; relating to or given to the crude desires and appetites of the flesh or body." It goes on to explain: "The apostle Paul contrasts 'spiritual people'—that is‚ those who are under the control of the Holy Spirit—with those who are 'carnal'—those under the control of the flesh (1Corinthians 3:1-4; Romans 8:5-7). The word carnal is usually reserved in the New Testament to describe worldly Christians."

Thus‚ when the Lord uses a term such as "carnal mind," He's speaking of the mind of the flesh or of human nature as opposed to the mind of the spirit and Heavenly nature; a worldly or non-spiritual mind as opposed to one under the control of His Spirit.

14. (Jesus speaking: ) When My Father presented Me with the keys to the Kingdom‚ this was the turning point in My earthly life that catapulted Me forward in My era of greater miracles. As I have shared with you, in a sense I always had the power of the keys in My hands, for it was given Me from the beginning, just as you have always had the power in part. But it was when My Father activated the full power of the keys He'd put in My hands that it was necessary for Me to learn further lessons about how to use the keys to the Kingdom I held. Faced with a daunting need, with the oppression and evil in the world around Me‚ needless to say, I wanted to do all I could to learn to use the full power of the keys. With the mission to overcome death and free mankind, I knew I had to use the keys wisely and I had to wield their power accurately if I was to fulfill My destiny.

15. All power in Heaven and in Earth, all the power of the universe, is an awesome thing! There are no human words to describe the full extent of the matter. Yet you, My intimate brides, are destined to see and feel and experience wielding this awesome power firsthand. You know this; however, what I want to tell you about now is a vital element that you must be aware of in order to reach this point—the point where you can fully benefit from the power of the keys.

16. I have instructed you to call on the power of the keys—to use them, to say the words, to just do it by faith. Just as you call on Me in prayer‚ so you call on the power of the keys. Those who are doing this are finding that the keys do work. Yet you know they can do more, and you sense that there must be something further you can do to be able to use the keys as you need to. If you are going to use the keys in the ways I have promised, you must cultivate this habit and put into practice what I am about to tell you.

What Is Lacking in Mastering

The Full Power of the Keys?

17. You in the Family have already experienced miracles during your lifetime serving Me. If you'll carefully review your lives and all the years you've served Me, living by faith, you will see I have already helped you to hurdle many impossibilities. You've experienced My miracle-working power both in your lives and the lives of others for whom you pray. You've experienced My supply and healing touch. You've seen My power work to change hearts, minds and spirits, to change habits, to help you gain victories over deep-rooted spiritual problems. To varying degrees, the power I have given you has even helped to change your own human nature. And now‚ since I have activated the keys that you hold in your hands, as you begin to call on their power, some are beginning to experience even greater miracles. You are beginning, but something is lacking and holding you back from becoming skilled in the use of the keys.

18. When My Father gave Me full access to every power source in Heaven and the universe, I did not immediately, that very same day, or even in the first week or month step out to call on their complete and full power. Why? Because in My flesh, like you‚ I had some lessons to learn about how to go about using the power of the keys. My Father instructed Me, as I have instructed you‚ to call on the power, to say the words, to use the power, to just do it, and as I obeyed in this, miracles were performed in varying degrees. Raising Lazarus from the dead was not among My first miracles; this was something that came in time as I learned to master the art of using the keys.

19. Day after day I was faced with the dire needs of the people, which drove Me to seek My Father further about My use of the keys. I was calling on the power, but as the crowds who followed Me grew to mammoth proportions, and as I was faced with greater and greater obstacles, as My ministry continued and Satan turned up the heat of his malicious attacks on Me and My disciples‚ I was driven to desperation to learn how I might use the keys to a greater degree.

20. I came to a point where I sensed something was threatening to hold Me back from using the full power of the keys. That morning, as was My custom, I rose early and walked up the mountainside to pray. I was more desperate than ever for a solution. I cried to My Father, "What is it? What is threatening to hold Me back from doing more? What more do I need to know? What more can I do with these keys? What do I lack to fully access their greater power?"

Focus on the Power

—Not on the Obstacles!

21. In that moment, His reply so clearly echoed in My ear as He said, "The vital element You must pursue, My Son, if You are going to use the keys to a greater degree, is You must learn to focus on the power! You must only focus on the power and the power alone." What My Father spoke to Me that day was like turning on a light in a room. "Focus on the power!" Yes, of course, that was it, I thought to Myself! And My Father went on to give Me the following sound advice.

22. He told Me what I needed to do was focus more on the power of the keys than on the obstacles I faced. He said I needed to forget about looking at the obstacles and set My ­focus only on the power I had access to. I had to acknowledge that the obstacles were there; I had to acknowledge there was a problem; but when I was faced with an obstacle, I was to instantly focus on the power, focus on the keys‚ focus on My Father, on His Word, and on what I knew to be true.

23. I had to focus on His Word‚ on the power of the keys, not on the circumstances that sur­rounded Me. He told Me clearly that what I had to do was to ignore all other possibilities of sol­utions to any given problem or obstacle I faced. I had to ignore all other voices crying out to Me and only focus on the keys.

The Key to Focusing on the Power:

Take Immediate Action!

24. How was I to do this? I was in the flesh as you are‚ surrounded by the things of the Earth. I was not exempt from carnal thinking. My Father said it was simple, really—a simple matter of faith alone. I had to focus on His power rather than carnal thinking, and the way to do this was to exercise My faith in His Word, in His promises to Me, and most importantly‚ I had to not only claim His promise, but I had to act on the Word I was given.

25. I was to look fully to My Father by putting the instruction He gave Me into action; this was focusing on the power. I would shoot up prayers and hear from My Father on the spot, but the key to focusing on the power was to take immediate action and do what He told Me to do, and do it right then if He was so leading.

26. The key was not only in calling on the keys‚ but in following through. By taking action, by being a doer of the Word that I was given, there was no room to even contemplate other possibilities, which would block the power of the keys I had available to Me. Being a doer of the Word, obedient only to the will of My Father, was My declaration of faith. Obeying and acting on the Word—the power of the Word—opened the floodgates for the power of the keys to flow through Me.

Let My Word Dictate Your Life!

27. Today, you, My chosen of the Endtime, have volumes of My written Word, both new and old, and you have My voice at your beck and call through prophecy. If you are to avail yourselves of greater use of the keys, you must focus only on this. You must act on this power and be instant followers and doers of the Words I have spoken. And by this I don't mean in part, but all the way. If you want all the power‚ you must go all the way.

28. Ask yourselves what happens when a person is fully focused on something. When you are fully focused—whether on a work project, an ideal‚ a goal, or a love relationship—that thing tends to consume all your time, all your energy‚ all your resources, all your passion. The bottom line is that the thing you're fully focused on tends to dictate your life. This is what you must now do regarding the keys I have put in your hands. You must be so focused on the power of the keys and the Words I give you that they dictate your life. You must focus on the power to the point that the power is dominant in your lives.

29. Focusing on the power is letting My Words and the power you have in the keys dictate your life. It's letting the keys and the things I instruct you to do have supreme rule in your life. As My Father's Word to Me had to dictate My every action, so My Word to you must dictate all your actions. Focusing on the power is ignoring all possibilities other than what the keys and My Word can do for you. Focusing on the power is refusing any alternatives other than using the keys and standing on My Word.

30. I had to look to My Father's Word rather than the circumstances I found Myself in. I had to look to the keys alone and claim their power, ignoring all else, and this is what you must also do. The power rules! The keys rule! The Word rules! You must believe it, stand on it‚ live by it!

31. My Word is alive, it's action, it's power­ful! It's sharper than any two-edged sword. It can divide the soul and spirit, and discern the thoughts and intents of every heart. My Word is live power!

A Mystery Revealed!

32. And now I tell you a mystery, dear loves: The keys to the Kingdom and the Word are one. The keys are not just the Word; they are many things and they take on many forms. They are, however, one with the Word. Through the keys you find entrance to the full counsel of God. The keys open up My full Word power to you. You need not try to understand this with your carnal mind, but only believe.

33. As My Father and I are One, so are the keys to the Kingdom and the Word one. I have given you all power in Heaven and over Hell. I have put the keys to the Kingdom in your hands. I have opened to you, the children of David, the full range and full under­standing of My Word. This is what separates you from all other Christians in the world today. To you is given the full counsel of God. To you are given the keys to the Kingdom.

34. I tell you again, you need not ponder this deep truth in your carnal mind—only believe that the power of the keys and the power of the full and complete Words I give to you‚ My Endtime brides, are one and the same. To whom in all the Earth have I given such an awesome outpouring of My Words of life and truth as I have to you, the children of David? Receive and believe and call on the power of the keys!

35. Being an instant doer of My Word is directly linked with your ability to access the power of the keys. Living all the Words I speak to you is directly linked to the power you are able to access. When you live the Word, My power flows through you, and you, in a sense‚ become the living Word, as I was the living Word when I walked on Earth. When you call on the keys‚ all the power of My Word is at your command. If you are to focus on the power, you must look to the power of the keys; you must look to the power of the Words I speak to you; you must be instant doers of the Words I give you.

36. Nothing can stand against My Word! Nothing can stand against the keys to the Kingdom! Love is the greatest force; My Word is the greatest force; the power of the keys to the Kingdom is the greatest force in the world, in the heavens, in the universe! These three are one, just as My Father and I and the Holy Spirit are one—three separate beings with different attributes, and yet one in the spirit.

37. You, My loves‚ have the full set of the keys to the Kingdom in your hands, and to you I make available the full counsel of the Word of God. To you who love Me intimately and who give Me your all, I will hold back nothing. To you is given the full power, the full understanding of My Word. So if you are to focus on the power, you must live My Word to the full; you must be a doer of the things I tell you.

Adopt a "Do It Now" Policy!

38. If you want to focus on the power, My brides, you must learn to do as I did and adopt a "do it now" policy. This will help you stay focused‚ because in doing what I tell you without delay, you will be declaring your faith, and through this stand of faith, you will ward off the distraction of other things‚ carnal reasoning, and the impossibilities that try to bring you down.

39. You must hear from Me and take immediate action, nothing wavering, without so much as even considering any other possibility or alternative other than calling on the power of the keys. If you stop to consider other alternatives, this will lessen the power of the keys, for in so doing, you open the door for the ­Enemy to get a foothold in your heart and mind with temptation to waver and back down.

40. You must not look to the right or to the left. You must not even consider any other course of action. You must look straight on to Me alone and the things I tell you to do. You must simply follow through on what I tell you to do. This is focusing on the power. It's not letting your focus get interrupted with other alternatives, with carnal thinking, with temptations of doubt, with negative input of the world, with anything other than My sure Word.

41. This is what I had to do during My public ministry on Earth. If I was to access the power of the keys to the greatest degree, I had to look only to the power of the keys‚ call only on the power of Heaven I possessed. My faith had to be in the power of the keys alone. I had to ignore all other possibilities of solutions to the problem. I had to look and act on what My Father told Me to do each time and ignore the circumstances around Me.

42. Through the "do it now" policy, I was allowing My Father's highest will to dictate My life. There was no room to even consider any other course of action. Through the "do it now" policy, I was putting My faith into action, putting My Father on the spot, and claiming the power of the keys.

43. As I put this instruction into practice, My power was increased. Through putting the Words My Father spoke to Me into action on the spot, I became more fully focused on the power of the keys I held. Because I was claiming His power, because I took action, this cancelled out room for Satan to try to come in with the things I now warn you of—carnal reasoning‚ threats of doubt‚ and the ways of the world.

44. Through taking action instantly I was slamming the door on the Devil's "it can't be done" threats‚ on his "you can only go this far and no further" spiel, on his "what if it doesn't work?" line, and on his doubts. The carnal mind is the enemy of the power of the keys, and I was not giving My carnal mind room to work because I was putting faith into action immediately and instantly doing what I was told from Heaven. This was the focus I needed to be able to avail Myself of the full power of the keys.

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45. (Jesus speaking:) One of the secrets to using the keys and receiving their power is hearing from Me about what My will is in that particular situation, and then claiming the power of the keys to fulfill My will. The keys only perform My highest will; they will not perform the will of man when it is not Mine, no matter how desperately you plead or claim their power. So it behooves you to find out from Me first what My highest will is. Then you can‚ in full faith and con­fidence, claim their power to fulfill My will.

46. So when I tell you not to consider other possibilities, I mean for you to first hear from Me as to what My will is, and that you should continue to hear from Me regarding what My will is‚ moment by moment. Then you can be confident in your focus and determination, knowing that you are in step with Me and that I will continue to lead you aright.

47. Another secret to harnessing the power of the keys is found in living the words of counsel I have poured out to you over the years—part of which is working in cooperation, counseling with your shep­herds and teamworkers, and operating in unity. The keys will not sow disunity. They will not function or give their power to those who are not pulling together with others to accomplish the goal I have put before you. "Do it now" means instant obedience, but part of that obedience is continuing to work in counsel and unity, not going off independently, or you will wind up missing My highest and lacking the power of the keys. (End of message from Jesus.)

Live More in the Spirit

Than the Flesh

48. Focusing on the power is a matter of simple childlike faith, and why I so often told those who followed Me that they had to be like children to go to Heaven. It's a matter of believing and doing, of acting on what you know by faith to be true, and a matter of putting your faith into action. This is what focusing on the power is. You've heard these principles, My brides‚ for many years, yet these habits are not a reality in your lives. Now it must be, now you must make it so, and now with access to the full power of the keys you can do it.

49. To focus on the power you must walk more in the spirit than in the flesh. Remember, I was in the flesh as you are, and like you, I had to learn to rise above the flesh and walk more in the spirit than in the physical realm. I had to learn to walk above the things of the Earth and operate more in the realm of Heaven. This is what focusing on the power is all about; it's about living more in the Heavenly dimension. This is what you will need to do in these Last Days. You must learn to not be concerned about the opinions of men and what others will think, to not lean on carnal reasoning, but to live more in the spirit than in the things of this world. This is what My prophets of old had to learn—to walk more in the fear of God than in the fear of man—and so must you.

50. Your father David taught you to live in the Word. I have told you to set your affection on things above and not on the Earth. This, too, you've heard for years on end‚ but now you must live it. Now being a doer of the Word must be your aim, your goal, and a central point in your life. If you are to focus on the power of the keys, if you are to allow the words I speak to you to dictate your life, you must rid yourselves of all that stands in the way of this. Detach yourselves from other things that clutter your life—the cares of the world, the pride of life, anything that opposes My Word.

51. You must choose Me over all every time. You must shed the weights and sins that would hold you back. You must stand true to the words of the anthem I have given you that says, "yielding all [to Me], without fear or hesitation."

52. I have given you, My children, promise after promise of the great things I will do through those who access the power of the keys. This will only come by focusing on the power; by putting your faith in My Word alone; by ignoring all other possibilities; by putting Me on the spot; by obeying My Word in every area of your lives; by instant obedience to the things I tell you to do; by burning your bridges to the things of the world; by putting your trust in Me alone; by not only hearing but doing these things.

53. Do this, My loves‚ and you will discover the full power of the keys. You need not ask, "But we are weak and weary men, how can we do these things?" All you have to do is call on the power of the keys! Focus on the power! Do it now! Today the keys rule! My Word rules! And the people who focus on the power of the keys will rule and reign with Me in the power and might of the Kingdom of God!

Now is the hour, glory of Heaven,

My mighty power is at your command!

Come, take the stand, hand–in–hand, shoulder-to-shoulder,

March on together to your destiny.

Melted as one, weak and strong‚ younger and older,

You will rise above, with the song of victory!

54. Play it out, sing it out, ring it out—the song of victory! Today the keys rule! Focus on the power! (End of message from Jesus.)

55. (Mama: ) What you just read is not long or complicated; this truth from our Husband is not out of reach or impossible to attain. This counsel is for you, as an individual. What you do with this is between you and the Lord. Please take the time to seriously consider how you need to change your life in order to focus on the power and adopt a "do it now" attitude. Remember, those who obey immediately‚ who don't hesitate or lag behind, are the ones who will receive the greatest rewards. Obey today and partake of all the Lord wants to give you!

Much love in our faithful Promise-keeper,

Mama

Questions to ask the Lord:

1.What "clutter" is there in my life that op­poses the Word and prevents me from focusing on it and obeying instantly?

2.What most often causes me to hesitate in my obedience or acceptance of the Word, and how can I overcome it? What are the weights and sins in my life that hold me back, and what should I do to forsake them?

3.How do the opinions of man and carnal reasoning hinder me? What can I do to be set free from these things?

4.What does "focus on the power" mean for me personally? What can I do to live more in the Word and let it dictate my life?

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