FEAST 2004

By MariaMaria #665 CM/FM 3473 10/03

Continued from Part 1, GN 1060

How come we never saw the keys in the spirit world before?

1. (Question: ) Since their revelation to us, the keys now turn up all over the place in visions of the spirit world, whereas they didn't before. I understand that they were only recently revealed to us‚ but it seems they were in operation in the spirit world all along, so it would seem that they might have been noticeable before if all these spirit helpers have them somehow emblazoned on their bodies or on their gear.

2. (Jesus:) The reason you didn't see the keys before in your visions is because I had not revealed them to you.

3. When I saw some of My disciples after I was raised from the dead, we walked for quite a distance and talked of many spiritual things. As they were turning off to go into the village where they were staying, I made it appear as if I would be going on. They pleaded with Me to come stay with them‚ telling Me it was already quite late in the day. So I went with them and we had dinner. As we sat down to eat, I took bread and blessed it and gave it to them and "opened their eyes," and they knew Who I was—and then I vanished out of their sight! That was quite a surprise for them, to say the least. They told each other after I left, "Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures?"

4. As I have opened your eyes to your spirit helpers who are arrayed and carrying the keys‚ has it not borne witness of all that I have told you in the past? Although the keys would have been noticeable in visions you received in the past, it was not My time for you to see them and therefore I "hid" them from you until the time was right. So many truths I have blessed you with, and there are new ones to come, for you have grown strong and are ready for more "meat."

5. You must always remember that the spiritual world is different than the one you live in now. Some things are similar, but the spiritual world is so far beyond what you can comprehend in the flesh that you're basically guaranteed to stumble if you try to fit the spiritual world into what you know from the physical world. It simply doesn't work. It doesn't fit.

6. In some cases I've revealed your helpers to you with keys emblazoned on their bodies or as part of their weaponry to help you comprehend the power that they carry in a way that you can remember it and associate it with the power I've given you. In other cases, the spiritual beings really do have those as part of their permanent décor or adornment as a testimony and statement and constant witness to all those of the spiritual realm, almost as a means to give the glory to Me, and to make the Enemy tremble.

7. They are proud of the source of their power, and have chosen to wear it as a testimony. This is not always permanent, but many of them chose to wear the keys when they were revealed to you so that you'd remember them that way, and so in seeing them, you're reminded to give Me the glory and to call on the keys as well.

8. Remember to stay flexible and flowing, My loves. As you follow Me step by step, it is important to be open to change. I'm taking you deeper into the spirit world. You will need to leave the carnal mind behind and embrace My thoughts and ways. In letting go of your thoughts and ways you will experience freedom you have never known and the power of the keys will come to life as never before. As you allow Me full possession, I will be able to fulfill My commission in each of you. Let go today! (End of message from Jesus.)

How do we find the right balance of claiming key promises and scriptures?

9. (Question: ) What should we teach our kids about claiming Bible promises and keys? What's the balance? We've been claiming Bible promises for many years‚ but what about our young children? How do we teach them to have solid faith in their Bible promises, while at the same time the adults are now mostly claiming key promises and memorizing those more than their Bible verses?

10. Are the keys going to replace the promises in the Bible, as far as the Family is concerned? If so, is that a good thing? We adults are all being encouraged to memorize key promises, so it follows that we will also encourage our children to do the same. They (and we) can only memorize and review so much, so the more keys they (we) memorize, the less Bible they (we) will be able to memorize or review.

11. The Bible promises we all memorized as babes gave us something in common not only with our fellow Family members, but also with other Christians now and down through the ages. The set card and Memory Book gave us all the same solid foundation of scripture. But with so many key promises to choose from, and more coming all the time, coupled with Mama's explanation that it's okay to condense or reword them as needed and as the Lord leads, what was once rock-solid common ground seems more like shifting sand.—Not that the key promises are necessarily any less valid than those Bible promises‚ but there is less and less of a clear standard with the key promises, and it can only become more so as we get more and more of them and as they continue to be adapted according to each individual's faith and needs and memorization capabilities, etc.

12. It would be nice to know whether it's more important to claim a key promise over a Bible verse promise‚ or if they're equal in power. Like where do the Bible verses now stand that we used to claim when praying? Should we still claim them‚ or only key promises? Are Bible verses still as powerful, or are key promises more powerful? Are the keys different from Bible verses, and if so, how? Are they part of the "new weapons" and therefore more useful and powerful than Bible verses?

13. (Dad:) God is ever moving, ever changing, and He's given a new set of promises that you can claim and memorize‚ much like He delivered new Word through me. However, just as with the new Word that came through me, the Bible is the foundation. It's the foundation stone of our beliefs and doctrines.

14. When it comes to reading the Word, you need both. The Letters give you the Word for today. That's important. But you still need to know the Word from the past. It's important to know the Gospels, and to know a bit of Bible history, and very important to be well versed in Bible prophecy about the Last Days. These things are important. But you won't do well at living and applying the Bible today if you aren't coupling it with fresh Word for today.

15. It's good to know the Bible. And for your children and new disciples, it's also very important to teach them the Bible. Getting to know Jesus from the Gospels helps them understand more about Him today. They can't get to know Him as deeply if they only learn about Him from the newly printed Word. Also, some Bible history from the Old Testament and the Book of Acts helps to solidify one's beliefs. But you can't be a good, strong Family member if you only study the old. The New Wine is very important‚ and when it comes down to what you need most at this time in history‚ I would rather you spend the majority of your hours of studying the Word in studying the Letters and the Lord's counsel for today.

16. It's like the verse, "Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper." You can apply that to the Bible and the New Wine. To be established, you need to know the foundation from the Bible. But to prosper‚ you must have the Letters.

17. Now let's relate this to the key promises. Your children should be focusing on memorizing from the Memory Book‚ and then the key promises.

18. For children, memory work comes easily. It's not going to be difficult for them to memorize more than just what is in the Memory Book. Where it gets difficult is that many children have sadly been allowed to fall behind in their memory work. If you've got a teen or JETT or preteen who hasn't memorized much, that child hasn't been well prepared for learning the keys, and there's some catch-up work to be done.

19. Those older kids will need to be memorizing both. I'd have them concentrate on getting the Memory Book down. But even with that, the keys are so simple to memorize‚ they can easily memorize one or two key promises a week as well.

20. One purpose of memorizing the Bible is so that you have a rock-solid foundation of Word in your heart.

21. The purpose of memorizing the key promises is so that you learn to wield this new power that has been granted to you.

22. Because of this‚ you need to memorize both. And because of this‚ your new disciples and your children need to concentrate on the Bible memory work in the Memory Book.

23. However‚ they can also be memorizing key promises, one or two a week, at the same time as they're concentrating on getting their basic Bible verses down. With the key promises, they don't have to get them so word perfect, and that makes it easier to memorize them. So it won't be difficult for them to add a couple of key promises into their memory work each week, even while mainly focusing on memorizing the most important Bible verses until they've completed the Memory Book or the Word curriculum standard for their age. (End of message from Dad.)

*

24. (Jesus:) In the days to come, you'll want both. Your kids will want both. They will want Bible passages that they can review to keep their hearts close to Me. This holds true as well for the days when you don't have Word books at your fingertips. But you'll also want those key promises.

25. When you're praying together, it's important to use the key promises. This shows that you believe I'm doing a new thing by giving you this greater—in fact, direct—link with Heaven. And you should be doing this around your new disciples and children too.

26. But when claiming promises, it's important to also include the Bible promises, especially around children and new disciples. The kids need to see the Word they are encouraged to memorize put into action. It's a must. If they are only memorizing but not seeing it used and put into action, it will just seem like dreariness to them. So you need to use both key promises and Bible verses in your classes and prayers. And they need to use both too.

27. There's currently a large swing toward memorizing the key promises. But if you look back over the prophecies‚ there is nothing in there that says these supersede the Bible promises.

28. The new promises I have given you bring to life all the promises of the Bible and make it possible for them to be fulfilled with greater ease and completeness in the days you're living in, because the obstructions between Heaven and Earth are now overcome by the promise of the keys.

29. I have not replaced the promises I've given in the Bible; I've enhanced them with the promise of the keys. (End of message from Jesus)

*

30. (Dad:) When the MO Letters started coming out, I often quoted the Bible to you to show you that the foundation for what I was saying was solid. Some folks had to have that, the ones who were raised in the churches and on the Bible, because their faith was in the old wine. It's not that the old wine wasn't good. It was, and it still is. It's just that our God is a moving God, folks. He's a changing God. He's constantly improving. He's up with the times. He's a very now generation God. Isn't that the way you would want Him to be?

31. Times change, so God changes with the times to accommodate people in order to get His Word to them. His Word changes not, that's the thing you need to remember. Jesus was the Word made flesh. Before He came to Earth, the prophets received the Word of God, which they passed on to the people, but when Jesus came‚ as you can tell from the Gospels, it caused no small stir among the religionists of His day.

32. He spoke the Word and it came alive. He spoke the Word and it was relatable. He spoke the Word and it was easy for people to remember. He didn't speak with enticing words of man's wisdom‚ but in demonstration of the Spirit and with power. Jesus was God's new bottle, bringing His message to the people with power—more power than they had ever experienced before! He was a miracle worker. His miracles weren't for mere show, but they were a demonstration of the Spirit. When performing miracles, Jesus constantly drew people's attention and focus to the Word.

33. And because of that, He was accused of being demon possessed. He was accused of being a blasphemer, one who didn't follow the Word, one who twisted the Word. What do you think those old Pharisees must have thought when Jesus took their hallowed Word of God and brought it up to date when He was on Earth?

34. Beloved, fear not to teach and preach the keys. As the MO Letters are to the Bible, so are the keys to the Word. They are in unity. They complement one another. As the Bible was the foundation for the MO Letters, so is the Bible the foundation of the keys. Have faith, beloved!

35. People used to surprise me when they would memorize and quote from my Letters. I got a little concerned about that. The Lord told me not to worry. He told me that the foundation was right. The foundation was God's Word. As long as the foundation is the Word, you can be at peace and have full faith that you're moving in the right direction.

36. The keys are God's Word for today, just as much as the Letters are! They do not contradict the Word; they complement it. They are also unique in that they are God's gift to you for this time in history, and they make available to you the full power of God, because you are going to need it! If you are going to go through the Great Tribulation, a time when there will "be affliction such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be" (Mark 13:19), wouldn't you like to have the keys available to see you through? The Lord, in His infinite love for you, wants to give you all that you need. You didn't need it before. You do need it now. So go for it!

37. Don't be afraid to memorize key promises. They enhance the written Word and are one with the Word. The combined three-in-one power is what you're going to need to survive in a horrible world, a place where the spiritual reality is as the angel told John in the Book of Revelation, "the habitation of devils, the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird" (Rev.18:2). Rejoice that the Lord loves you so much that He is giving you the power to not only do the works He did, but greater works. You're going to need that power.

38. Of course‚ the power doesn't come without you meeting the conditions. That's where the Word Revolution comes into the picture. This is God's program for success. The Lord is of such tender mercy. He's offering you time to be ready when the lights go out. Every day that passes is one less day you have. Please memorize the Word. Please hide His Word in your heart that you might not sin against Him in that day when great evil is upon the Earth. Be sure you are faithful to take quality time in the Word and apply the Word to yourselves personally and take the steps to change.

39. Call on the keys and claim the Word. All the Word that you have stored in your heart—Bible, MO quotes, and key promises—will work together to be your strength‚ your stability, your comfort, your power and protection, your grace‚ and the wellspring of love and joy in your heart that will enable you to stand strong as witnesses during the worst days this world has ever known. Now is the time to tap into the three–in-one power, beloved. That is the power for the hour which is coming upon the Earth, when men's hearts will fail them for fear, when all the world will wonder after the Beast, when power will be given to the Beast over all kindreds, tongues, and nations.

40. There are going to be great signs and wonders happening on Earth, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. That's you, beloved—you, the Lord's called and chosen ones. Satan will deceive the nations, but he won't be able to deceive you, if you hide the Word in your heart. It is the Word that will keep you—only the Word. It is the only true standard. Those key promises are God's Word. The Bible is God's Word. The MO Letters are God's Word. Mama's Letters are God's Word.

41. Stretch your "wineskins"! It is only by stretching, yielding‚ believing and imbibing (taking in) God's Word for today that you will be able to remain the new bottles that the Lord will be using tomorrow to pour out from. If these things are difficult for you, just wait! There are more "strange truths" that He has yet to reveal. Stretch, my children. Don't become brittle‚ unbendable, unmovable, and unchangeable. Don't become stagnant.

42. Remember my Letter, "All Things Change"? Let the Lord wash away all those dregs in your spirit, the things that are polluting you, your carnal mind and thoughts. Let Him wash that away and open the eyes of your mind and spirit to His Word as never before. The water will be pure and healthy. You might find the water to be like the kids did in my dream, "Strange Truths" (ML #360, Vol.3). There may be "little creatures" in it, but the Source is good. The water comes from God. It will quench your thirst and give you the strength you need to carry on.

43. I don't want you to "forget the past," as in throw out the Bible verses now. Incorporate the keys into the Word you have already. You need both! So don't be afraid to call on the keys‚ claim the keys, and teach the keys. Your young ones need that key power just like you do. Just as you were fed by the MO Letters and quotes and were strengthened, so will the keys strengthen your children. The keys and the Word are one. Teach your children to use the keys. The keys of the Kingdom are given to them too. Power to the people of the keys! (End of message from Dad.)

Text box.

Did you know…

That we need additional spiritual protection in order to use the keys?

That the keepers of the power source of Heaven were given to us to help us learn how to use this power?

(Printed 2001, about the keepers of the power sources of Heaven:)

44. (Jesus: ) I gave each of you the keys to Heaven and Hell—the power of Heaven and dominion over Hell. These are not tangible, physical keys; nevertheless, it was an enlarging of My power in you. To use these keys requires faith, wisdom, and a mighty protective field around you. So as I gave you the keys‚ I sent these keepers who transferred the power to you, and who will stand by you as added protectors of the portion of My Spirit that I am entrusting you with. Through them I will also help you learn to enlarge your faith and to use this power in the days to come. Put your trust in these beings, for they contain the secrets of the power of Heaven. They are directly connected to My mind, which commands these power sources. (ML #3351:5‚ GN 946).

End of text box.

Why do we have to have so many new key promises?

45. (Question: ) Why do there have to be so many keys and so many key promises? Is there ever going to be an end to them? Are they all really needed? I believe in the keys and their power‚ but it seems that just a few general ones would cover all situations and therefore suffice—like some of the main Bible promises, or even just the one verse on which all of this keys business is based: "I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth will be loosed in Heaven" (Matthew 16:19).

46. Instead, there are already hundreds of keys for just about everything imaginable, and hundreds of key promises—way too many for me to remember. Also, since the Lord has said that we can ask Him for specific keys for any situation, can't those who want something really specific just ask for, receive, and claim what they need at the time, without every one of them needing to be recorded and published for the whole Family?

47. (Jesus:) I understand that you probably feel glutted with all the key promises, and overwhelmed if you think about trying to memorize and use each one at the right time. That's not the goal, nor My intention. The keys of the Kingdom that I've given to you work—they work when you call on them and when you're living the requirements for using them. When you reach out to Me and My power and specifically invoke the power of the keys, they are there for you, whether you quote a key promise or not.

48. The many key promises are for you, My loves‚ not simply to multiply the keys. The keys are all-powerful, and I don't need to be reminded of what they can and can't do. My call to you to memorize the key promises is to help them become a part of your life, for you to have My Words ingrained in your heart, so that when you face a battle, a test, a difficulty, or an impossible situation, the promises will come back to your mind and remind you of what the keys can do.

49. The promises put into words what I can do for you through the keys. The promises remind you of some of the conditions that are necessary in using the keys. The promises are My Words to you—alive, moving, changing, powerful—and when you memorize them‚ that power and faith and spiritual strength becomes part of you.

50. It's not a competition to see who can memorize the most, or a race to see who can memorize the fastest. It's simply storing My Word in your heart in obedience to Me, which will help you and keep you in the times to come. It's reminding you of My promises over and over as you memorize and review them, and whether you feel it or not, it strengthens your faith.

51. That's also why I've given such specific promises on such a wide variety of topics—I want each of My brides to have exactly what they need. When you're going through a jealousy battle or some emotional trauma, for example, the key promises on faith, rising above‚ and emotional stability will be a very great comfort to you. They're promises from Me to you that you can claim and appropriate and that put into words exactly what you need and want to see happen. They're like a written prayer that you can pray and claim no matter how you feel. You can stand on them as My Word.

52. Or say there's a parent who has children out of the Family. You can bet that the promises I've given along those lines are exactly what they need. You might not need them, but they do—desperately! Those specific promises on that topic bring comfort, grace‚ strength, and faith for the battle. And they also work! They are effective in prayer!

53. I've given lots of variety because I don't want My brides to get bored. It was out of love for you that I gave so much variety, and many people appreciate it. If you would rather stick with a few general promises that work for you, that's totally fine with Me. Whatever works, as long as you're praying, standing on My Word, and claiming the power that I've given you through the keys, that's what you need.

54. But you might be surprised. The day might come when you will wish you had more promises memorized—just as the day will come when you'll wish you had more Bible verses and chapters, MO quotes and more stored in your heart. The more of My Word and promises you have stored in your heart, the more spiritual ballast you have to rely on in times of difficulty. It's a spiritual principle. Memorizing, reviewing, and quoting My Word helps it to become a part of you and stick with you.

55. But don't get caught up in worrying about always using the right promise‚ or having them all memorized and categorized perfectly. Just hide My Word in your heart faithfully in the way that works best for you—key promises, Bible verses, quotes and stories, it's all needed, and you'll be glad you did when that's all you have left. I'm able to bring back what you've stored there. So if you want to be spiritually rich in the days to come‚ stock up now! By the same token, I'll be able to use the key promises you've memorized to not only help you, but give comfort and faith and a foundation to others‚ if you're able to memorize a variety. If not, I'll use what you have and I'll make the most of it.

56. So don't let the Enemy condemn you or get you tripped off on these sidelines that discourage or distract you from what he fears the most—your foundation in My Word, and hiding it in your heart for both now and the days to come. That's what his goal is. Counter it with an all-out attack of loving‚ treasuring, respecting, memorizing, quoting, and using My Word in all its forms. Make him wish he'd never attacked you in the first place! (End of message from Jesus.)

Why do the keys often not seem to work "as advertised"?

57. (Question:) I think the thing I've struggled with at times is the matter of the results not quite living up to the promises. The key promises promise so much, and we've all been wielding them for well over a year now (admittedly not always proficiently), but I wouldn't say a lot of situations have improved as greatly as the promises have advertised. In some things, like the housing we were praying for‚ it even seemed to be quite a letdown, in fact.

58. The question would be as to whether we're still in a stage where we're taking it mostly by faith while we learn, or if it's really supposed to be happening as advertised and it's our error in not having enough faith, or clean enough hearts, or not enough knowledge, that things aren't happening. I know miracles happen, but honestly‚ not quite like the promises say they will, or not as quickly and instantaneously as they promise.

59. A related question: I do wonder at times just how effective the keys really are. It says they blast the Enemy to bits, but then it seems like some of our prime targets such as Apotheon, Pan, etc.‚ seem to be alive and well and continuing to come around. I'm grateful that I can have the keys to attack these guys, but it seems that they could be more effective.

60. (Jesus: ) The keys do work, and when wielded correctly, they do accomplish My will. More study needs to be done on the part of My brides so that they understand clearly how and when My keys work, for they only work in conjunction with My will and in My time.

61. For example, the housing situation you were praying for is a huge subject with many aspects, and you have claimed keys and I have won great victories for you through the keys. But it is neither My will nor My timing to just, whoosh, bring about the ultimate victory in some situations instantaneously. I have a much greater and more long-term vision than you, and in this particular situation, I knew that those involved were gaining more benefits from it taking longer than they expected, than they would have if everything had fallen into place effortlessly.

62. You see‚ I have to weigh up, and I constantly do weigh up‚ all the needs of My children. Life on Earth isn't meant to be perfect—it's a training time, a time of learning, growth and progress. And as you know, it's the tests and trials and difficulties of life that propel you to growth, not the times when everything goes perfectly. So just because you have the keys, it's unrealistic to expect that all your troubles will vanish. They're meant to help you cope in increasingly intense battle conditions, but they won't completely take away all your troubles. In your situation in WS, I weigh up your need for solid, undisturbed work time in order to serve the Family‚ versus the battle training you need through having challenges hurled your way day after day. And I give you a perfect balance of both.

63. This is definitely a time of training in your use of the keys, and it goes along with the Word Revolution and strengthening yourself in all the new weapons. The keys are activated and enhanced by many different factors, including your faith, which comes from your personal connection with Me and the Word, your yieldedness, your determination to persevere in prayer‚ and your skill at wielding specific keys for specific situations. Many times prayers prayed using the keys are rather haphazard, and there is much yet to learn.

64. You also have to use the keys in conjunction with prophecy, to know how to pray and what to pray, and even what you can expect the keys to do for you at any given time. If you use them in this way, you will grow in faith that I do all things well and that the keys do all things well, that the keys never fail. If you don't see an obvious target hit after you've wielded the weapon of the keys‚ seek Me as to why. Maybe I had another plan‚ or maybe there's something for you to learn regarding your use of the keys. I can give you further insight that will help you grow and progress in your skill of wielding the keys. And with time you will become very proficient. So seek Me; there are always answers.

65. Along with that, I will explain that you will not completely destroy Apotheon, Pan, Bacchus, or other spiritual principalities. I could have destroyed them long ago, but I have let them rule and reign during this age of man's choice. Your use of the keys destroys their influence in your life, and how completely that influence is destroyed, or how easily it comes back‚ is largely up to your personal yieldedness and desperation. But you will fight these principalities until your dying day. That doesn't mean it's futile to fight them with the keys‚ because their influence on you can be lessened, and even—in the case of My brides who truly forsake all and are desperate enough to want My full possession—completely vanquished. It doesn't mean they don't still exist, but their power over you can be zero. Do you see?

66. The keys strengthen you the more you use them in conjunction with My Word and My will. They give you everything you need to become seasoned warriors in the Endtime battle. Don't let the Enemy lessen the power of the keys in your life by telling you that they don't work. (End of message from Jesus.)

Text box.

More insight into how using prophecy with the keys works wonders

67. (Jesus:) I've explained this principle to you before. Because the keys only perform My highest will, it's important to find out My highest will when you claim them‚ if you want to be truly effective. One way to do that is by asking Me to show you what you should be praying for. Sometimes I'll tell you, and at other times I'll just tell you to pray for My highest will, whatever that might be. Sometimes I'll tell you to pray in a certain direction—for example‚ for supply or safety, however I choose to bring the miracle. In other cases I might ask you to pray for something that you would have never thought of, had you not stopped and asked Me. I won't always tell you the end result, and sometimes things change along the way according to many factors and the choices of those involved. But in any case, your prayers will be the most effective possible, because you'll be praying in the direction of My will. (End of message from Jesus)

End of text box.

What are the conditions necessary in order to claim victory?

68. (Question:) There's a key promise that says, "There is no stopping those who use the keys in conjunction with My will, in desperation of heart and humility of mind and spirit. When the conditions are right‚ the keys will always bring you victory." The question I have is, what do the conditions refer to? It could be two things: If you fulfill the conditions for using the keys—like the desperation, humility, and yieldedness—the keys will always bring you victory. The other thing it could mean is when the conditions are right, like the balls on the billiard table, when He knows everything is right and in line for the miracle to be performed. Or He might be talking about both—we have to fulfill the spiritual conditions, and the other factors also have to be lined up right.

69. (Dad:) You don't know everything and aren't generally in a position to know what's best. Even if you think you know what's best‚ you still have to let God make the ultimate decision. That's one of the first conditions to getting answers to prayer, even when you claim the keys. The keys won't use their power to give you something just because you ask for it, unless it's in accordance with the Lord's will at the time. Remember that essential phrase‚ "In conjunction with My will." The keys will only work for those who are asking in accordance with His will. In other words, they won't work for those who are using them for selfish reasons, or ungodly purposes, or even for anything that's good and important, but simply not the Lord's perfect will or timing for that moment.

70. So first of all, you have to be willing to yield to whatever the Lord knows is best, even if that means not getting the answer to your prayer right then, or getting a different answer than you want. The keys have power, but only to do what's best for you and the Lord's overall plan.

71. Once you're in a position to accept whatever the Lord wants to do, He still might not give you exactly what you want if He knows it's better not to give it to you quickly, because in the longer process you'd learn lessons. If He feels the spiritual lessons you'll learn are more beneficial than giving you a quick answer or miracle or supply, He might choose to wait on giving you the thing you're asking for.

72. So if you're yielded and willing to accept whatever He wants to do, even if it means waiting, being patient, and continuing to trust Him while you're learning lessons, you're meeting the next condition. Learning lessons might be an important condition in your life, so if you meet that condition and do the learning and go through God's school, then you'll be in a better position to receive.

73. Other times it might not necessarily be a question of teaching you lessons or yieldedness, but simply because His will is to be fulfilled in some other way than what you're praying for. Even if you're generally yielded and moving forward in the spirit, you still don't know the mind of God on every single issue, and you have to continue to trust His great wisdom.

74. There is also the factor of personal choice. The Lord has the power to work all things out for good for those who love Him‚ but sometimes that takes time‚ if some of those involved aren't fully yielded or obedient to follow through on His plan. He likes to give people chances to be used of Him to fulfill the answer to others' prayers, but if they aren't willing or don't choose to be used, then He will find another way to bring the answer, and that takes time.

75. The Lord hasn't put a lot of conditions on the keys. He's basically given them to you with very few limits or boundaries. At the same time, the spiritual principles that apply to answered prayer and His Word also apply to the keys. He assumes you understand that when the promise says, "Call on the keys and I will supply all your needs," that this means within His will and what He knows is best for you and others and His work.

76. So there are conditions—the same conditions that apply to His Word. If you claim the keys of miracles and they don't perform the miracle you asked for, or the keys of healing don't bring you instant healing, it's not because they're failing, but most likely because the Lord's will differs in some way from what you want. Even though He hasn't put specific conditions with each key, there are spiritual requirements you must meet in order to use them and benefit from them.

77. Reread the requirements He gave the Family when He first explained the gift of the keys. ("Call on the Keys," ML #3368:80-81, GN 962.) He talked about meeting His will, fulfilling your role as a disciple, etc. If you're generally meeting the spiritual standard of His Word and living the life of a disciple, then you can use the keys and expect miracles—in accordance with His will. (End of message from Dad.)

Is it always going to be a "but if not" type of situation?

78. (Question:) I just finished reading some prophecies about a recent situation we went through in our Home and our housing setup. It was very inspiring—also very convicting to see that I wasn't having "crazy faith" to just believe that You'd take care of us no matter what. I was looking at things from a System perspective, and even doubting Your ability to make everything turn out for good in the end.

79. But I still have a question concerning desperation in prayer for events that apparently You already have planned out. It just seems we were really praying our hearts out for these various aspects of the situation‚ and although the keys promised complete victory, and You even said that as we prayed‚ it would be done for us‚ some of these things didn't turn out the way we were praying for them.

80. From these messages I just read‚ it's obvious that this was Your plan all along and that You had a good reason. That's fine with me, and I'm certainly going to try to work on trusting You more in the future, and I'm sorry for any of the times I've been lame and didn't put my trust fully in You. But I guess despite all the Word on the topic, which I do really want to read more, it's just hard not to be fatalistic when You seem to have everything already so well planned. Sometimes it seems You're even planning bad stuff to happen to us, but which You will fix in the end. Very often this seems to happen, with or without our prayers.

81. Consider the conference [some of our detractors and apostates are currently holding]. We're praying against the efforts of our detractors, that You will confound their efforts to hurt the Family, but I'm open to the possibility that You won't do that, and then You'll explain that it was Your will that this happened in order to fill their cup of iniquity more fully, or in order that persecution can come about, because that's Your will for the Family. Again, I'm fine with Your plan. I don't want to do things man's way or my way, but I do dislike having to stir myself up to ask and ask for something when that wasn't even Your plan at all. This doesn't always happen, but in some cases it does.

82. What can You tell me about this? The question basically boils down to, "How can I have faith to really claim the keys and ask for a certain thing, when there's a good possibility You already know that You're not going to do it, or not at all in the way we're asking? And how can I not feel like I wasted time and effort and breath to ask for these things? And how can I keep up my faith in the keys, which do promise everything but sometimes seem conditional on Your will, which You don't always reveal? Is it always going to be a 'but if not' type of situation?"

83. (Jesus:) Even with something good and needed—like prayer—you can either lean to your own understanding as to what to pray for and how to pray‚ or you can first ask Me to explain how I'm looking at the situation and how I want you to pray.

84. I live in the eternal now. I can see the road at present, the road ahead‚ and the road behind. You, however, do not.

85. Your attitudes of trying to anticipate My moves are rooted in pride and are a work of Pan. It's spiritual pride and self-righteousness to try to see what only I can see, and to try to establish a pattern to My behavior by observing My past moves. It's like you're trying to say that you don't want to simply follow along on the "little dog line," going wherever I lead, but you want to be a little more knowledgeable, a little more in the know than everyone else. You don't want to be humbled by pouring out your heart and soul to Me in prayer, only to find that I took those prayers and used them to accomplish something other than what you thought I would do. You want to pray and see everything turn out exactly as you prayed it, but that is not the point.

86. Somewhere along the line you've gotten a bit off track in thinking that the keys are here to serve you and do whatever you tell them to do. While they are here to help you‚ they're here to help you accomplish My will and My plan, not your own. It's true that often your plans and My plans lie in the same direction, but what you must constantly remember is that My ways are not your ways‚ and will never be your ways. You're not God, and it's as simple as that. The sooner you can come to terms with your more humble place in the scheme of things, the happier you'll be, and as a result, you'll actually be more powerful because you'll be a better channel.

87. The keys were not created simply to obey your every wish and to fulfill your will. The keys must be used in conjunction with My will, and as you do so, I will perform your requests in the way that I know best. And remember also that I see the past‚ the present, and the future‚ and My manner of answering your request is almost always going to be somewhat different than what you had in mind. Your job is only to channel that power by being humble of heart and making a vacuum that I can fill. You need to suck in the spirit and work up that desperation, and then it frees Me to do My work in My way.

88. Can a man be found righteous with God? Can you hold Me to an accounting? Must I defend My actions to you? You're only a man‚ and not God, therefore you will not always understand everything I do and why. If you want to be powerful in the spirit and accomplish everything that I have for you‚ and if you want to see answers to your prayers, then stop trying to do My job and focus on yours. Your job is to pray; your job is to be desperate and full of faith, regardless of how I seem to answer or not answer.

89. It comes down to whether you believe I will answer prayer or not. If you believe that I can take every prayer and do something with it, then you can always pray in faith. But if you're always worrying about whether I'm going to do something other than what you're asking for, and if you'll end up looking foolish or disappointed in the end, that hinders your praying a full-of–faith prayer.

90. A lot of your prayers have been hindered from having the full power they could have because you've been too busy trying to outguess Me. In your spiritual pride you haven't wanted to just pour out your heart in the way I've asked. You've tried to see with your carnal mind where I might go in the spirit. You've tried to second-guess Me and pray prayers that could be compatible with a number of answers‚ so that you wouldn't look like a dumb sheep, but one who is wiser and has Me pegged and My moves figured out. This is why you're lacking in power, and this is what will always happen if you don't live for the moment, doing just what I ask, when I ask, and not trying to figure out the future.

91. You need to focus on the now. Right now I've asked you to pray against the activities of your detractors at this conference, and you should do so in full faith that I will answer your prayers. Don't try to assume what I might do or imagine how I might consider answering. Just pray. I'm the One Whose reputation is on the line. I'm the One Who has promised that I will come through. And I always will. Leave the answering to Me, and if you have prayed, then rest assured that My will will be done. But, in expecting the answer, leave yourself open to the fact that you're a mere mortal, and while your short-sighted and maybe immature solution to the [conference] problem might be something drastic—say an asteroid from the heavens falling upon the meeting site—this will probably not be My solution to the problem! My solutions are often slower, subtler, and require more faith on your part to believe that I'm really working.

92. I'm also a God of love. As long as I can, I give second chances‚ and third and fourth and hundredth chances‚ in My mercy hoping that some will return to Me. But you have less patience than I do, and you want to see answers right away. You want to see all your enemies judged. When you pray for someone who is sick, you want them to immediately jump up from their bed whole. You don't allow room for personal choice in your solutions. You don't realize that even those in the Family who are sick, though they're your sweet brothers and sisters, sometimes My hand is upon them and I will withhold My healing until a certain choice of theirs is made. Sometimes I wish for them to be afflicted so that they can be made strong in other ways. Or sometimes it's simply not My timing yet.

93. When you pray for a sick person whom it's not My time to heal yet, your prayer isn't wasted. Like I've said before, I can use that fervency to bless them in a way that I know is good for the overall solution.

94. Prayer and the working of miracles will always take faith. For you to be powerful in prayer, you'll have to stop holding Me to your own standards of what you think should be done. Are you asking Me for My will or yours to be done? When you pray‚ state the petition you have need of, but ask Me to work in My way. You can give Me direct requests, but know that I will answer in My way, which is so far removed from your way that it's like it says in the Bible, "as far as the heavens above the Earth." You'll never fully understand how I work. Sometimes I answer exactly as you wanted, and sometimes it seems nothing like what you wanted.

95. All I need from you is trust. Give Me a little more slack, a little more room to work in the way I see fit, without your starting to murmur and complain and doubt and say that I'm not coming through, and that you're always having to make excuses for My failures.

96. Let go of that pride that needs to see results and vindication. Who are you trying to justify this for, anyway? Why do you feel humiliated when your prayers aren't answered exactly as you had hoped? Are you weak in faith? Do you want to see big showy miracles so that you can have something tangible to stand on to justify your faith in Me to those who mock?

97. You've thrown yourself fully into the business of wanting to see miracles, signs‚ something tangible, so that you can feel like, "Okay, there. There's a real miracle. I prayed for such-and–such and it happened‚ so there!" Even that is pride, and a lack of faith.

98. I ask you to walk by faith, not by sight. And the kind of faith that will overcome the world and all of your detractors and enemies is the kind of faith that says, "But if not." You need the kind of faith that doesn't need a sign in order to feel vindicated, but that you'll believe in Me and My work even if nothing visibly changes. That's the kind of faith I will bless with real action!

99. Your faith hasn't been pure. You've been kind of putting Me to the test in a disbelieving manner. I like to be put to the test in faith‚ as in times when you're excited to see what I'm going to do. But you haven't been testing Me in a good way. You've really been assuming that I won't answer, and you've been challenging Me to. I cannot bless that. I bless the kind of faith that challenges Me to work in whatever way I see fit, and that is excited and thrilled with anticipation of what I'm going to do, even if it's totally different than what you were expecting.

100. You've allowed Pan entrance in this way by trying to prove Me‚ trying to prove the power of the keys. You've let Pan blind you to the things I have done, and you've only allowed yourself to believe whatever I've done that coincided exactly with what you had in mind. That mindset and way of thinking is hindering you, blocking your mind from accepting that I work in mysterious ways, and that My ways are beyond finding out for mere mortals. You've allowed Pan to close your mind to My miracles that don't fit in the tight little box of "your will."

101. You need to let go of that attitude. You need to rebuke Pan, and that box that says I must work in a certain way or else I have failed. You haven't put it in words so black and white, but your questions and your doubts essentially tell Me that I must perform your will or be called a liar. That is a work of Satan, the hinderer, who wishes to use pride and lack of faith to destroy your usefulness as a prayer warrior. You must shake off those shackles and begin to pray with a purer heart and a more open mind, understanding that I know best, and that you can request but the answering is My business. You should praise Me regardless of what you see or don't see. Without that kind of faith, it will be impossible to please Me.

102. That doesn't mean that you should never ask for specific things. You can ask that I hinder this conference, and you can ask that I change or stop certain individuals. You can even ask Me to do specific things in regards to the situation. But you must know that even if that doesn't happen—as it may well not, since My will and My planned judgment or solution might be different than what you're asking—I heard your prayer and I used it for something positive. It's those who are willing to go by faith who will be rewarded, not those who are so finicky about their prayers being answered exactly when and how they intended.

103. So when I say to pray, pray. And when I say to praise, praise. Be humble. Just be a follower on the "little dog line," following your Shepherd. Don't try to guess or wonder or worry. Just relax. Just channel. Just pray. And just believe. Work on strengthening your faith. You can do this through the Word‚ and also through praying prayers that leave Me room to work, and praise Me even when you don't see the answer or the answer doesn't come to pass as you'd hoped.

104. Praising Me for whatever I choose to do or not do—that is pleasing in My sight, and that strengthens your belief in Me. Even if at first it feels forced, soon you will believe‚ and your praises will be genuine, and your faith will be rewarded. (End of message from Jesus.)

Text box.

Do you know…

What the ultimate purpose of the keys is, why they were given to us?—To win souls, to reap the final harvest.

(Published at Feast 2001:)

105. (Jesus:) Believe and receive, for I now put the keys to the Kingdom in your hands. All power of Heaven is at your command to fully access as you will. Use it wisely, My loves. Use it in love, use it with discretion, use it with great honor, use it to right all wrongs, to expose evil, to set at liberty those who are bound.

106. With this all-powerful possession you must never forget the purpose of it all. … I don't give you such great possession of My power for your benefit alone.

107. … I give you such great power on Earth at this time to serve a far greater end. It's not for you to wield My power for your own enjoyment and thrills. I ask you to shun being as those in the churches, who discover a measure of My power, yet are as young and unwise children playing with a high-powered machine as if it were a toy. Be not as those who dabble with a measure of My power, using it to their own end, forgetting the reason for it all.

108. You must remember, My loves, the aim, the purpose‚ the goal, the final end result of why I put such power in your hands—which is to win souls to My Kingdom! This is the reason for it all. This is the reason for such great possession of My Spirit within you. This is the reason I give you full access to all of Heaven's power.

109. The outpouring, the power, these blessings I give you, My loves‚ are all to this end—that you might reap the harvest that awaits you. This is where your eyes must always be focused. This is the goal. This is your purpose in the era of action. This is the reason for it all‚ the purpose behind everything you do, the reason I place these keys in your hands, the reason I come to you now‚ to possess you in such a great way. The reason for it all is to win souls, to reap the final harvest in the end of days. Time is short, dear loves, so very short, and the night is fast falling—this is why I pour out My Spirit as never before.

110. I ask you now to join arm in arm with one another. As we join as one, let this fire burn deep within your bosom as you receive these blessings and mighty outpouring of My Spirit. As you access these keys to the Kingdom of Heaven in the days to come, never forget the purpose of it all—to reap the final harvest, to win‚ to gather the lost, to get the job done.

111. I will not be totally satisfied until every one is Home again, and believe Me, neither will you. And when you come Home to Heaven, your satisfaction will be in knowing that you fulfilled your destiny. You didn't quit. You didn't give up. You did your part. You fought until the End and you brought others in. Let this passion light your fire! As you go forward into this era of action, as you access My power in fuller capacity, enabling you to perform greater miracles‚ as you work greater works, always remember the purpose and reason for it all. (ML #3318:203-204, 206-207, 209-211‚ GN 922).

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Are we automatically protected from everything when we call on the keys?

112. (Question: ) Recently a couple of our WS Homes suffered minor car accidents. One of the drivers received from the Lord that they would have been better protected if he had called on the keys specifically. But in the other case, the driver and passenger had specifically prayed and called on the keys when they went out.

113. Several people have had questions about this and other similar scenarios: Every time you call on the keys, are you just automatically going to get protected from everything? I don't think we can expect to be kept completely free of anything that might harm or hinder us in any way. The Lord has to let the Enemy attack us in some ways. To call on the keys not to get headaches, not to be discouraged, not to suffer any afflictions or setbacks or difficulties of any kind would be just like being in Heaven.

114. How much can the keys protect us, and to what point? How much protection can we expect by calling on the keys?

(Note: The following answer was published in the "Introduction to the Keys Promises," GN 1011, and is being included with the other key questions and answers for easier review and reference.)

115. (Jesus: ) The power of the keys is a spiritual phenomenon, a mystery, a reality. The keys are a part of Me; their power and My power are the same‚ just like the Word is a part of Me and prayer is a part of My Spirit. All the spiritual weapons are in some way a part of Me, an extension of My Spirit‚ something I give you to help you fight the spiritual warfare and stay connected to Me.

116. I've told you that every prayer is heard and answered. This is true. Even though you don't always see the results of every answer right away, they are answered in My way and in My time. When you pray in My Name and claim My promises, you have My power at your disposal to work for you, to do miracles, open doors, whatever you're praying for. Even though you might not always see the immediate fruit of claiming My Word‚ it stands firm and is true.

117. It's the same when you pray in the power of the keys and claim the key promises. They work for you in the spirit and answer your prayers. You don't always see the physical manifestation of the power of the keys on the spot, but their power is at work just the same. Sometimes I allow "bad" things to happen in spite of the fact that you prayed and claimed My promises, or prayed in the Name of Jesus, or claimed the power of the keys. It might seem like prayer or the keys don't really work and don't make a difference, especially in cases when you pray for protection or healing or something you feel you really need, and you don't seem to receive it.

118. The results are up to Me and My will at the time—how I know it is best to answer your prayer. Sometimes I allow negative circumstances to happen in order to accomplish My higher will. For example, I might allow you to have an accident‚ even though you claimed My protection and claimed the keys. That doesn't mean that prayer and the keys don't work; it just means I have a higher purpose for allowing those circumstances. Ask Me about it and I'll tell you why.

119. Ask Me to explain the reasons why I allow something "bad" to happen in your life. If you pray specifically for a good night's sleep and claim the keys—and then you don't sleep well—that doesn't automatically mean the keys aren't working for you. Ask Me about it, ask Me why I allowed that situation to happen, and I'll explain it to you. Maybe I want to speak to your heart in the quiet of the night, or guide your thoughts, or convict your heart about something. Sometimes I want you to pray about something. I'll show you the reason for everything I allow if you ask Me.

120. I choose not to guard you from every single thing in life‚ because if I did, then you wouldn't learn and grow in the spirit, and you wouldn't learn how to fight in the spirit and use your spiritual weapons. I have to allow some "bad" things to happen so that your faith will grow and your use of your spiritual weapons will be sharpened more quickly.

121. You are surrounded by the protection of the keys when you specifically claim them to protect you, but if something happens to you anyway, it just means that it could have been much worse if you hadn't prayed and specifically claimed the keys. Every promise of the power of the keys is fulfilled in some way when you claim them, but exactly how I choose to fulfill those promises is according to My wisdom and what I know is best at the time.

122. It might seem odd to you that I don't choose to protect you from every possible hurt or negative experience, especially when My promises indicate that I will, but remember that it's often the deep, dark experiences of life that teach you the most valuable lessons. If I were to protect and keep you from every negative thing, then you would be in Heaven and not on Earth.

123. The power of the keys is a spiritual weapon that I have made available to My children who live in the physical world. Without their power a lot more "bad" things would happen, but because you pray and specifically claim their power, you have much greater protection and help from the spirit. When you pray, claim their full protection or their full anointing, full wisdom, whatever you need their help with, and then leave the final decision up to Me as to how to fulfill My promises. Don't limit your faith and don't belittle the power of the keys because of doubt or a lack of faith, but trust in My promises completely, even if you don't see the answers as you'd like them. (End of message from Jesus.) (ML #3428:41-49, GN 1011).

Is there something we're missing or that we need to do in order to make the keys really "work" for us?

124. (Question: ) It seems to me that people with less understanding of the Lord or the workings of the spirit world seem to be able to use the keys more effectively. Very cool testimonies have come from new disciples, Active members, sheep, and even some outsiders who have heard about the keys and tried to use them. And it's worked for them. But we use them a lot and often there aren't visible results. We know there are other times when it's a "miracle of the keys," but I just wonder if our familiarity with the Lord or lack of faith in some way is hindering the Lord from being able to really perform the supernatural key miracles that He's promised.

125. We see lots of little answers to prayer, but the GNs promise really big, fantastical ones, and I haven't seen many of those happen yet. I've heard lots of cool keys testimonies from people who are really babes in the Lord and the Family, but maybe it's just that they believe more and the Lord can't afford to disappoint them, whereas we already make excuses for the Lord or perhaps expect that something won't happen, or that the miracle "might" not happen. I'd be very interested to know how we can strengthen our faith so that the keys can really work for us.

126. (Dad:) The Lord is giving the Family wonderful promises of protection, supply, everything you need, without limits. He's giving you hundreds of key promises on every subject and for every need. He's telling you that you can have healing‚ the power to rise above, supply of every need—all by simply asking for it and claiming the keys. Just think about that for a minute. It's a very big promise, right?

127. Think about what you need in your life right now, whether spiritual or physical. What's stopping you from getting it? What's stopping you from having the financial blessing you need, the material things you need, the victories in your personal life and walk with the Lord? What's stopping you from reaching out your hand and accepting the blessing‚ the promise? It's probably partly a lack of faith‚ and partly a lack of experience to trust and believe this new gift will really work for you, and partly the Lord's divine wisdom.

128. When the Lord gave the Family the gift of prophecy, there were some testing times. Some people said‚ "I can't hear from the Lord. No way!" Some people thought only their top leaders and shepherds were spiritual enough and good enough to hear from the Lord. "Receive a direct specific prophecy myself?!" But you eventually went through the growing pains and you stretched your faith far enough to receive the New Wine of direct prophecy. Now almost everyone hears from the Lord personally, by themselves, directly from Heaven.

129. At one time you thought prophecy was such an amazing and miraculous gift that you'd never be capable of it personally. But because you kept trusting and believing and working on it, your channel became more and more practiced. Today almost everyone can receive the Lord's counsel about any question they have—good‚ wise counsel that they depend on.

130. Think back to when you were a babe in the Lord, just learning to have faith. You read the Bible and memorized verses, and some of them seemed pretty outstanding. "If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it." "Anything? Wow!" But did you ever claim that verse and it didn't come to pass? And what about all these new keys with their wonderful promises of blessing and help? What if they don't work sometimes?

131. Yes, you can and should claim the keys, as well as the printed Word in the Bible, as well as His promises in the GNs. Of course they will work—eventually, in the way He knows is best, and according to your faith. The Lord gives you hundreds of promises because He knows you need that many in order to cover all your needs for all time. He knows He needs to give it all to you because sometimes you'll have more faith for one than another, or you'll understand one better than another.

132. The keys and all that they promise are like other spiritual gifts and weapons—you grow into faith in their use; you learn and understand and grow as you use them and as time goes on. The Lord's told you how He's preparing you for the Endtime and the miracles and wonders He will do through you. Just because you don't see all of those miracles and wonders today doesn't mean they're not true. They are true and they will happen just as He says—in His time, when the time is right and you're ready and the world is ready for it to come to pass.

133. If some of you wonder why you don't see the marvelous answers to the key promises you claim today, just wait. Hold on, keep using them, keep building your faith by learning them and memorizing them, and when the time is right for you, you'll see the miracles and answers.

134. It's the same with any promise He's ever made, whether in the Bible or the GNs, or through the keys—they're true and will happen just as He said. Sometimes He lets people see signs and miracles right now because they need that to encourage their faith. Sometimes He lets it happen to encourage others' faith, as a witness. And sometimes He wants you to just believe by faith even though you don't see any signs or wonders.

135. You can pray for healing and not be healed right now the way you'd like; whereas someone else prays for healing and they are healed. What's the difference, and why does it work for some people and not for others, or work for you sometimes but not at other times? How come a babe in Christ who doesn't know half as many scriptures as you do can claim a miracle and get it, and here you are, older in the Lord and wiser, and yet maybe you weren't able to do what he did?

136. There are many, many reasons, way too many to address here, why the Lord doesn't always answer in the way you think or even wish He would. But you just have to accept that He knows best. After all, He is God! But in this particular situation—asking why the Lord sometimes lets wonderful miracles be performed for total babes in Him, and then you who have been serving Him all these years don't get what you were hoping for—well, maybe the Lord knows you don't need it as much! He knows you're going to stick and still have faith whether He answers the way you'd like or not. He knows you're not going to backslide or throw in the towel just because you didn't get what you asked for. You're strong in Him, you're grounded in the faith, you're a solid believer by faith—and that's an even greater witness and testimony.

137. Those who have great faith to trust and believe even if they don't see the answers right away are the same ones who will have faith to expect miracles when the time comes. So don't give up just because all your prayers aren't answered today, or just because the promises you claim don't come to pass exactly the way you expect. A lot of them will be answered, and those that aren't are working together for your good to prepare you for the Endtime when He needs you to have great faith.

138. Keep exercising your faith in His Word by claiming it, using it, and memorizing it. If things don't work out the way you expected‚ ask Him about it! Ask Him what better purpose He had, why He chose to work the way He did, and He'll tell you. That's also building your faith in His Word. It's better to find out than to let questions and doubts build up in your life. If you doubt and question the Word or His promises, then when the time comes to be strong and use them, you won't have the faith or power you need. If you ask Him to explain things to you now, then in the future when you really need to depend on His Word or claim a miracle, you'll have the faith and power to do it.

139. It might look like He's not living up to His part of the bargain in not fulfilling His promises all the time, but even that is part of strengthening your faith for the bigger battles ahead. You can't receive the blessing if you don't trust and believe and claim His promises in real faith. If you just assume they don't work‚ so why bother, then they certainly won't work for you.

140. When He knows the time and circumstances are right for you, then you will receive the blessing if you trust and have faith. It will pay off eventually and His promises will come to pass and be fulfilled if you continue to have faith and trust. (End of message from Dad.)

*

141. (Jesus:) The keys are helping you to fight today's battles, which would be much harder if you didn't have the power of the keys. But the main purpose of the keys today, more than outstanding or miraculous and spectacular demonstrations of power, is instructing you in their use, giving you experience, and helping you to raise the level of your discipleship, which is necessary for you to harness their full power. That's their greatest accomplishment in these days.

142. The keys are working in many ways that you might not have noticed yet, because some are less obvious than others. For example, the keys are working in people's personal lives. The battles of the spirit have intensified greatly, and the physical manifestation of those battles is soon to follow. Whereas people should be struggling more than they ever have been, some have learned and are learning to use the keys, and they're overcoming things that have been holding them back or bothering them for years. How is that possible? Because the keys are working!

143. Yes, there are some physical manifestations of the power of the keys, but those are more easily noticeable. But if you were to look for the more hidden miracles, you would see many more and would realize how much the keys are already helping you. And in recognizing and studying these miracles, you would learn much more about the keys‚ when they work, how to make them work for you, what conditions are necessary, etc.

144. So realize the twofold purpose of the keys in these days‚ and study, learn, and use them! (End of message from Jesus.)

Text box.

145. (Jesus:) Don't become complacent, knowing you possess the keys to unlock any door. For though they will unlock any door for you, you must learn the skill of turning the keys in the locks. You must learn which key opens which door. I will not hold back the approaching night of gross darkness much longer, so it is high time to realize and then release the power that I have placed within your hands and to practice with the keys. For in the darkness you will need to be masters of the keys. (ML #3349‚ GN 942).

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Encouragement to keep trusting, learning, and expanding!

146. (Mama: ) To close this GN, here's some encouragement from our Husband that one of the teamworkers of one of our WS Homes received for someone who was battling with trying to absorb and put into perspective all the new moves of the spirit, along with all that we've learned from Dad and that the Lord has poured out over the years. It can seem kind of overwhelming sometimes—all the instruction about the keys and the key promises, our spirit helpers‚ the spiritual entities who fight us that we're supposed to be praying against and aware of, plus all the older weapons of praise, loving the Lord intimately, prophecy, etc.

147. If you're feeling overwhelmed by all this new information, I think the Lord's answer will be comforting and encouraging for you‚ and help to put things in perspective. He gave it not only to the person, but He also speaks directly to all of us. I love you!

148. (Jesus:) My dear one, thanks for loving Me and giving yourself to Me completely. That's really the name of the game, and all I'm really after. I'm so proud of you and of all My dear brides of the children of David. As you give yourselves more and more to Me, it allows Me and moves Me to fill you more and more and give you more of the tools and gifts, more of the insight into the spirit world that will empower you and help you to be able to overcome and win in each and every situation.

149. It would be great, of course‚ if you were so spiritual, such mighty warriors‚ that you were like one of those Hollywood, computer-fabricated action stars, like the guy in The Matrix or one of these other fanciful productions. And in the spirit, your prayers—when you're really, truly desperate and wholehearted—are that powerful, and do those kinds of mighty feats.

150. But prayer, calling on the keys, and using the new weapons are all spiritual. It's invisible power, silent force, and the results are often the same. The miracles and answers happen in the spirit first, behind the scenes. A lot of it is something you might not even know about‚ or find out what happened, because it changed something in the spirit, or moved something in the spirit.

151. Of course it ultimately affects the physical, too, and there will be real, solid, tangible, physical answers to every sincere and wholehearted prayer, and every time you obey Me and use the new weapons or call on the keys. But the real action happens in the spirit world. I get to see it, and so do My heavenly helpers. But for you, My dear loves, it's nearly all by faith. That's why your love and faith mean so much to Me, and why I've promised to reward you mightily for the stands of faith that you take.

152. It's truly wonderful in My book—the fact that you receive Me, accept My Words, believe them, and act on them‚ all by faith, many times without even being able to see the results. That's real love. That's real faith. It makes Me so proud of you, and makes Me want to bless and reward you all the more!—And I do!

153. I have blessed the Family with exceptional faith. In fact, the Family as a whole has so much faith and insight into the spirit world that they've even become familiar with it. They take it for granted‚ even get tired and are bored with it all sometimes. And sometimes they're tempted to just want to forget about it all. It seems like so much to do, so much to remember, so much to stay on top of.

154. Well, dear ones‚ I'm not asking you to stay on top of anything—I'm just asking for your hearts. Yes‚ I'm constantly pouring out new truths and revelations to you. And I'm glad that your queen keeps on rolling the gold, sharing the know, and passing on My Words to the Family. That's what I've called and ordained her to do‚ and she's been faithful to do that year in and year out.

155. Even things that she herself doesn't fully understand, she takes by faith and passes them on, trusting that I know what I'm doing and that I'm leading the Family exactly where it needs to go. Yes, a lot of it is a mystery, and a lot of it might not be needed in every situation. But there's a reason for it all. You need to be aware of and know about it all, because at some point in time that bit of info will be needed.

156. So keep praying, looking to Me, and fighting in the spirit. At every turn, in every situation, the wealth that you've been given over the years will come in very handy for you in one way or another, whether it's the knowledge of the keys, the names of which demons are hindering and fighting you in the spirit, the intimacy of knowing that I love you like a husband loves his bride, or his child, or his best friend. It's all important, and it's all needed for different situations and circumstances.

157. I want you to be gifted and knowledgeable about all of these things. Every part of it that I've revealed at one time or another to you is important, and I will expect you to be able to draw on it and use it—whether it's the intimacy of the bed; the authority given to you to rebuke demons by their name; the power and riches of the vaults of Heaven that are instantly opened to you by the keys I've given you; the spiritual edification that comes from giving Me your all when you worship Me in spirit and in truth, by giving Me your mind‚ your thoughts, your heart, your tongue, your body, and surrendering them completely to Me. All of these are important.

158. These weren't just fads or phases that I brought the Family through and expected them to just "fade away" in time. They're part of what makes you‚ the Family, so unique, so special, such well-rounded Christians and missionaries.

159. Of course, you've still got a lot to learn, a lot of growing and maturing to do, and you've still got a lot of pride and spiritual problems to forsake and overcome. So I'll still keep pouring out to you and giving you answers—new truths, revelations, new concepts and ideas—and things that will help you in one way or another. It's all needed and it's all part of My spiritual world. But I understand that you, being carnal‚ mere mortals, have limited capacity to receive and hold and use what I have revealed to you at any given time. I know what it's like to be hindered and held back by the flesh and the carnal mind and reasoning.

160. I've given you a powerful brain and spirit, but right now only a tiny portion of both are completely open and usable. Once you become a spirit being, much more of your spirit and your mental capacity will be open to these things, and it won't be such a big deal—all these demons and goddesses and spirit helpers and angels and keys and powers and gifts and spiritual concepts. It'll all just be a walk in the park. You won't be overwhelmed by it all then, or stumbled by it, nor will you be wondering if it's all real or needed or important. You'll understand it all so much better then. (See ML #2955:1-29‚ Lifelines 21.)

161. Like Paul told the Corinthians, "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (1Cor.15:49-53).

162. And as John wrote‚ "Beloved, now are we the sons of God‚ and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that‚ when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (1John 3:2).

163. Once you come to be with Me, it will all be more clear. Once you leave the corruptible flesh and take on your immortal spirit bodies, the significance of all these things will be much easier to grasp. And then you'll have the spiritual power to be able to use it all, handle it all, and remember it all‚ and it won't seem so overwhelming or such a big deal to you.

164. In the meantime, I will use whatever you absorb and put to use in your life. Don't just leave it on the shelf, waiting for the time when you can see everything clearly. But take each new truth and revelation—and the old ones as well—and hide it in your heart and work to make it a part of your life, and you'll see Me use it at the most unexpected times. It's all necessary. It all fits together, even if you can't comprehend it all right now.

165. So, thanks‚ dear loves, for trusting Me on these things. Thanks for accepting and for being willing to keep receiving My answers, even when they start opening up another whole new facet or stage of your growth‚ and you're tempted to feel like putting a cork in it.

166. Don't be afraid of the new and unexpected or incomprehensible. The spirit world is vast, and there are so many things that I have yet to tell you. I don't expect you to be able to handle it all or remember every little detail. I know your limitations. But I do want you to receive it and believe it and do your very best to put it into practice whenever you can. (End of message from Jesus.)

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Did you know…

There's more to come!

167. (Jesus:) These keys to the Kingdom are not the last gift that I will give you, My children of David. Those who hold on and go on for Me will receive more spiritual gifts from My hand. The time is not yet right for Me to reveal them to you now, because I must take you one step at a time. But know that your faithfulness to hone this new gift of faith that I have given you, to use these keys to the Kingdom, will pave the way for the next great gift that I will give you, My darling brides. (ML #3351:53, GN 946).

Copyright © 2003 by The Family

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