This Month's Newsletter

Secret Place Part 1: Revealing spirits that can hinder the flow of God in your life

Pastor Don Nicely's Newsletter for January 2008

Friends I personally believe that this is the most exciting time of the year. Everything is new. The year 2007 has been wiped clean from our lives and God’s mercies are new again this morning. In more than 18 years of ministry I’ve seen a lot of different things happen in the church. But nothing like what is happening in this final hour of the church age. Satan has certainly pulled out all stops, for he has but a short time to work and he knows it. Throughout the word of God various hindering spirits has surfaced in people of God’s fold.

Last year I taught you how to dress for battle and fight a spiritual warfare. This year we are going to take the enemy on full speed ahead. God wants to flow in his people but the enemy is hindering it. God wants to restore families marriages, relationships, but the enemy is standing against it.

Through my search of the scriptures I have came across ten different hindering spirits that have the potential to stop the flow of God if your life. The sad fact is that many churches, and families are not even aware of the devils plans against them. Listen to me; if you are a Christian you have an enemy who wants to steal from you, kill your plans for blessing, and destroy you if at all possible. He is very cunning and is constantly scheming against you –so wake up and fight for the blessings of God that are rightfully yours.

Scripture states that God wants to make our hearts glad by living right in the midst of our lives. His blessings can flow like a river that is too wide to cross, and too deep to wade, so we must surrender to its current and allow the current to take us wherever it wants to take us.

Psalms 46:1-5 (NKJV)¹God is our refuge and strength A very present help in trouble. ²Therefore we will not fear Even though the earth be removed, and through the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;³Though the mountains shake with its swelling Selash ⁴There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. ⁵God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

Yes we will face troubles in this life, but God’s word tells us not to worry, but instead trust God’s river to keep flowing without hindrance. Ezekiel saw a river that was flowing from God’s temple.

Ezekiel 47:1-12 (NKJV)¹Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. ²He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. ³And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. ⁴Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. ⁵Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. ⁶He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of river. ⁷When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. ⁸Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When It reaches the sea, its waters are healed. ⁹And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. ¹⁰It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Englaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. ¹¹But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. ¹²Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

The various depths of the river indicate the various levels in which we can submit our lives to the anointing of God. At ankle level we are just beginning our walk of faith with God. Then when we reach knee level we are getting more and more on our knees meaning that we are getting more devoted to him as we create a great communication with him on our knees. When we are at a waist level, our loins are girded with truth, because the water is symbolic of the word of God, but when we are submerged in the water we are surrendered to the power of the Holy Spirit. At this point the river controls our life. Only after you are submerged can God truly bless you. Because then the river flows out of you as well as on you. Look at what the Psalmist says;

Psalms 36:7-9 (NKJV)⁷How precious is Your loving kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. ⁸They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. ⁹For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.

Friends I hope that by now you know that the river is the Holy Spirit.

John 7:38-39 (NKJV) ³⁸He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. ³⁹But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because was not yet glorified.

Ezekiel said all those who live beside the river will experience life. The rest will suffer dry seasons where there is no fruit for their labors. We have entered into a time in history when god is pouring out His Spirit on His people like never before. That great river whose banks are lined with healing fruits and all whom it touches become made whole is waiting on you. He is releasing his anointing power for one purpose. Tow in lost souls. God is releasing His anointing to save people so they can spend eternity in His presence.

The question is how deep will you go? In this exciting move of God are you content to stand on the bank of the river and water the flow go by? Is water flowing to your knees all you can handle?

We can jump in or stand in the shallows, the choice is ours.

God wants to teach you how to get in the flow of His Spirit.

In the next twelve months we are going to study various hindering spirits that can stop the flow of God in your life. God’s vast river of blessings is available to anyone who will just jump in and enter in through worshipping God with a truthful heart. God only accepts your whole heart. You might only want to give him part of it, but He won’t accept it. Only true worship can lead us into His presence. His river of life is filled with His blessings for those who will not swim against the current. That’s why Jesus gave Peter the command to launch out in the deep for a catch. Too many Christians are fishing in the shallows for God’s blessings. They can only be found in the deep, because deep calls out to deep. The deep things or secret things belong to god, and He only shares them with those He can trust.

Let me finish this lesson today by asking you another question.

Are the blessings of God flowing in your life right now? When you walk into a room of contention does peace fill the atmosphere? Are people excited to see you? If not keep reading this year’s newsletters because something is hindering the flow and I want to teach you what it is so you can remove it.

Continued Next Month