Breaking Through In Agreement by John Belt

The Winds of Prophetic Worship by John Belt

Ezekiel 37:9
“Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God:“Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.” (NKJV)

The breath of God brings us back to life. It is refreshing. There is something about the spontaneous aspect of prophetic worship that every believer needs. To read 
something or sing something that is “God-breathed” has eternal impact. When our writing and sound has it’s origins out of heaven then it will bring transformation in the earth. Earthly sound will only take things on the downward spiral, but heaven’s sound elevates the heart heavenward.  Only the sound from heaven or something inspired from God’s realm will change things here because it is from a completely different and superior source. Jesus told us to pray that “His Kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven”. This tells us that only what is sourced from the heavenly realm will change things on earth. Prophetic worship is not just singing words that we know, but it does not entirely exclude them either.

Psalm 51:11-12
“Cast me not away from thy presence;
and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
and uphold me with thy free spirit..” (KJV)

What we want is to sing under the inspiration of God, living under the effects of heavens influence. It is the breath of God that brings the winds of change in the earth. If we let the natural mind dictate in predictable forms it keeps us form the fresh wind of heaven. When we welcome the Holy Spirit to “breath on us”, inspire us and help us usher in that heavenly realm it changes our lives. Mechanics and robotics will not bring transformation. Only the encounter with the Person of God Himself will there be a metamorphosis of the heart. When we allow the weaving of that prophetic input into our worship the Holy Spirit is welcomed and involved in the arrangement. Songs that have been inspired by God have a permanent record on earth and in heaven.

As well, the vessel used to lead in worship can make these songs alive or dead depending on their own connection with God. Without the anointing and inspiration of God a great song can be dead as a door nail. Adding the prophetic element in worship helps us to break out of the box into a place of freedom and expansion of possibility, giving us the ability to experience God unhindered in our own lives.

Faith Revolution by John Belt

Our faith is not dependent on our feelings, but is realized through our actions. Have you ever had a time where you just did not “feel” faith for something but at the same time you knew it was the will of God? Many times we have faith in the lack of feeling faith or even in the face of fear. Still, there are times where we actually have faith for something, maybe a gift of faith to see something come to pass.

2 Corinthians 5:4
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

In other words we don’t have to see it, feel it or hear it to believe it. We choose to believe it. Jesus said to Thomas that those who believe without seeing are blessed.

John 20:26-29
“Then He said to Thomas, Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing. And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “ Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

It goes the same for those who, although they don’t feel it, they still step out into the waters with Jesus and watch Him do His miracles. Our actions speak louder than what we feel. Because whether we feel it or not the bottom line is whether we took action on it. Our actions make our faith complete. Faith without actions is dead. God responds to persistence. Faith does not quit. It is better to “go for it” with all the adventure, excitement and wonder rather than having all the answers and everything figured out.

Hebrews 11:8
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

It says of Abraham that he went out “not knowing where he was going.” There is that element of mystery with faith that although it knows this will be a “good ride” I’m not quite sure how it will all look except that it is better than any other path. Playing it safe isn’t faith. There is this tendency to have everything predictable and under control but it results in a quite boring life with little promise associated with it. God wants to have a people who are willing to go for it. We see this in the life of Peter where he is willing to get out on the water with Jesus, in blind Bartimaeus who is willing to look bad in front of others to receive his sight (Mark 10:46-49) and in the lady who is called a “dog” by Jesus to receive her healing saying that “even the dogs get the crumbs that fall off the table”.(Matt. 15:27-28) There is this willingness to sink, look bad or even be insulted that is associated with the life of faith where we are not as concerned about our reputation because our desperation has taken over.

A revolution is defined as a “turning”. God wants to turn our lives His direction to follow in the footsteps of faith where we live dependent upon Him in every aspect of our lives. Revolution is also defined as a change in government. God wants to govern our lives to live in His Presence with a radical faith that is like the bulldog on the bone that won’t let go. (Luke 18:1-8) In essence faith is totally focused on the goal without concern of the extremes needed to get there. God has given every one of us that measure of faith that resides in us ready to be activated in a revolutionary way. Allow God to start this faith revolution in your heart today.

The Secret Place of His Presence by John Belt

Psalm 91 is and has been one of my favorite chapters in the Bible for as long as I can remember. There is so much promise wrapped up in this single chapter of the Bible. This has without a doubt been a key contributing verse that instilled in me the central value of dwelling in the Presence of God. “He who dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty…” It then goes on to list all the associated benefits that come for those who choose to dwell in the secret place of His Presence. This is one of those chapters, like Psalm 23, that should have a special place in our hearts. David had been revealed the reality of this “secret place” with God. It is a “secret”. It is not a “common” place that everyone knows about. It is a place that is only found by those who take time to seek the Lord with the whole heart. A secret is something that is not shared with everyone. It is only for those who have a certain kind of trusted relationship. God found this kind of relationship in David. David was not a common person, but peculiar. Just as Paul talks about uncommon vessels that are used for noble purposes, this is the kind of person that God shares His secrets with.

2 Timothy 2:21-22
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

We also need to realize that this is the kind of relationship that Jesus paid the highest price for us to have. David had tasted of this New Covenant reality, accessing God’s Presence through intimate relationship as a friend of God. Jesus rent the veil asunder that we may come into that very secret inner court of God’s Presence through His blood.

Hebrews 10:19-22
“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…”

The ingredient we need to discover the reality of God’s Presence in the secret place is a hunger and thirst for God. Our pursuit, drawing near to God, will draw Him closer to us. The eyes of the Lord seek throughout the earth to find those whose hearts are toward Him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) When we realize just how valuable the Lord is in our lives we will pursue Him as such. If He is just another activity on our list then we will treat Him as common and therefore our relationship will be shallow without the trustworthy element that a true friend is entitled to. When we treat the secret place as a “secret place” that is uncommon we will value it much more realizing that we are very privileged to have this access. God holds secrets for us in this most intimate of places of relationship. Scripture says that God does nothing without revealing it to His prophets. Prophets firstly are those who have a real friendship with God that can be trusted.

1 John 2:27
“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”

This is not saying that we don’t need teachers, but that the Holy Spirit reveals and teaches us things firsthand of great value because of the relationship with have with God. Dwelling in the Presence of God is essential to dwell in a place of true knowing of God, of revelation, of protection and of promises fulfilled. I would encourage you to take time to read this chapter over your life and take time just to ponder in your thoughts. Through this God will pour out an eternal deposit that will last for a lifetime.

Psalm 91
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “ He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

Going With God’s Flow by John Belt

Which do you think is easier? To flow with a river or swim against it upstream? Of course it is easier to go with the flow of the river’s current. God has a river. He has a will and way for us to go. With all of our hearts we want to cooperate with Him, yielding to His desires for our lives. When we try to do things contrary to this it is like swimming upstream. Our lives consist of so many instances where God gives us the choice to follow His His plan. Just like there were two trees in the Garden of Eden, a tree of life and of the knowledge of good and evil, so we have a choice each day to yield to His Spirit.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents the intellect, having everything figured out, what makes logical sense. Yet so many times the will of God defies natural logic. Sometimes God’s will makes no sense at all. It is many times offensive the natural mind. God sent Jesus to die on a cross to redeem us into His family. Who would have been able to figure that out? In retrospect it is easy for us to see, but it was a hidden mystery until God revealed it.

Colossians 1:26
“…the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.”

Sometimes we make plans for our lives, but God is the One Who approves them. A man plans in his heart, but the Lord orders the steps. We can have everything figured out, have everything make perfect sense and it still not be what God wants. We should always remember that with God’s will it does not need to make sense, be convenient or be anything else but “God’s will”. It was written about Jesus that He had come to do the will of His Father. We don’t want to swim upstream but want to flow with His tide. In our absolute surrender is where we will find His perfect peace in our lives.

Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the Lord forever,
For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.”

Breaking Into Refreshing & Joy by John Belt

Different situations and seasons require different types of prayer. In prayer sometimes we kneel, lay down in more receptive position or stand depending on what is needed. It is always good to rest and soak in the Presence of God everyday. There are other times we need to stand in prayer, stir up our spirit and activate our hearts. We need to incorporate all these types of prayer in seeking God. Standing in prayer is helpful to awaken your senses, stirring up your heart in the Presence of God.

Mark 11:25
“And whenever you stand praying…”

No Heavy Yokes
This can include taking authority over darkness that would try to oppress. Have you ever felt like there is just a heaviness upon your back that is like a heavy yoke? Jesus said that the yoke He gives us is easy and His burden is light. (Matt. 11:30) Like it or not we are in a war and there are times that we need use the weapons that God has given to us in prayer not allowing the enemy to weigh us down. Greater is the One inside of us than he that is in the world. He has given us the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. (Isaiah 61:3) Through our praise, engagement in worship and exaltation of the Name of Jesus we can conquer anything that comes our way.

James 5:16
“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Break the Invisible Barrier
Don’t settle down into a rut, but rather stir your heart to pursue God knocking away every obstacle that might try to hinder. Thanks to what Jesus has done through the power of His cross we have the victory. There is power in His Name and in His blood. Did you know that God wants to pour refreshing out on your life? His waters never cease. He wants to release a new sound in your spirit. Sometimes we just need to take the sword of the Lord and pop open that invisible barrier through decreeing what God says coming into alignment with His heart. When we do the glory Presence of God will come rushing in on our heads with refreshment. God wants His people refreshed and blessed. We need to take what is rightfully ours rather than settling for a passive mindset. God wants to bring us into a place of gladness. God’s news is good news and it only gets better as we go.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

Stand Your Ground
Keep the faith. Stand your ground. Use your weapons, for they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. His victory is our victory and we have all the reasons in the world to rejoice! Maintain that victory through the cycles of worship, prayer and taking your authority in Christ. Jesus paid the highest price that we could live in joy, faith and freedom.

ACCESSING GOD’S GLORY THROUGH WORSHIP by John Belt

The glory of God is the most powerful substance available to the believer. It is the very “force” of heaven, the gravity of God. Some time back I had a dream where I was in a church service and the glory fell in the place and knocked everyone to the ground. Then I heard the Lord speak the phrase during this dream saying, “this is my gravity!”

2 Corinthians 4:7
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”

We know that we have this treasure on the inside of us. Christ in us the hope of glory. It is His surpassing glory and power within us. But how is the glory of God accessed? Through our worship and prayers His glory is manifested in our bodies, the temples of God. Don’t you know that you are the temple of the Holy Ghost? (1 Cor. 6:19) This treasure is buried deep in our spirit. It does take the efforts of prayer and worship to access His glory where it becomes very real and effectual in our lives.

In our corporate worship and prayer gatherings the glory is manifested in even more powerful ways because of the synergy of God’s people joining together as one. An old friend of mine called this the “cluster anointing”. When we get that cluster anointing activated corporately there is a widespread impact on darkness because the glory of God is His Light shining forth. God’s Presence changes atmospheres. This happens by the glory of God being manifested in His people. We need more corporate glory gatherings that will blast the darkness out of our nation. We can change things in the natural all day long but if nothing changes in the spiritual realm there won’t be a real change.

More than ever we need to shine. Jesus said that we need to shine as lights in this world where people can see. The glory is that light. When we talk of the glory of Jesus, we are referring to the light of Jesus. Just as He was so we are in this world, the light that shines. Our deeds are light, they flow from a life that is abiding in the Presence of God.

There is a weight to God’s glory. It is a force that moves, drives out and exposes darkness. It literally pushes it out of the way. Take time to access that glory of heaven in your prayer and worship to God. Watch how it will shift the climate and atmosphere of not only your life, but those around you.

A New Year of Promise by John Belt

Oklahoma City, OK

God has good things in store for 2016. Let your heart be filled with thanksgiving for what His good plans are for you. He is for you, not against you. He gave His only Son so that you would know how real His love is for you by bringing you into His family. Never doubt because His promises are good for you too! He is faithful.

1. Restoration

Psalm 80:3, "Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved."

For all that has been lost God gives us the promises of restoration. God is the ultimate "Restorer". Just as we would take something old and make it like new. God is in the restoring business. He does not look at something and say, "Oh well, I guess this is done." No. He looks at the potential that is in it making plans to restore and renew. That is how He is with our lives. He only has good things in store, so He makes plans to "restore" all. Turn toward Him, believe and actively pursue His promises in surrender to His Spirit.

2. Abundance

John 10:10, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Jesus came to give us "abundant life", not a "half-baked" life, but life to the full. A life full of the true riches of His Presence and where His "provision" is there, as we follow after the "vision" He has given for our lives. Don't settle for less than God's best. Ask God to give you a fresh vision, because we know that where He gives vision there will be provision. We need vision. We need to see where God is taking us and to actively pursue that vision with all of our hearts as this is what He has called us to in life. Know what you are good for, surrender your heart to God and let Him take you to your destination.

3. Refreshing Drink

John 4:10, Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

"The water that I give you shall be a fountain springing up to everlasting life…" (John 4:14)

God has promised us an eternal well of His Spirit that springs up out of our inmost being. He gives us "free access" to drink of His Spirit. Make room for that in your life. Seek and find the fresh drink from the rivers of His Presence! The river of His Holy Spirit is refreshing and reviving to our hearts. Dedicate your life to drinking from the streams of living waters by soaking in the Presence of God.

Discover the place of "receiving from the Lord". It is good to give to God, but we must also be receivers. Jesus told Peter that unless he let Him wash His feet he could no longer be His disciple. We have no strength in our own selves. Through spending time with the Lord we find that strength as we saturate ourselves in His Presence.

4. Increase & Expansion

Psalm 115:14-15, "May the Lord give you increase more and more, You and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, who made Heaven and earth."

God only gives increase. He only expands and grows us. It is His nature. When we get around God everything prospers, flows and grows. When we get in the place He has set for us then there is an overflow and expansion that takes place in our hearts and lives. Believe God to bring you into His perfectly designed place for you in this new year. Don't feel like you have to settle for where you are when God has something specifically designed for you. Seek the Lord and you will find. He is faithful and will bring you into the promised land of destiny and fruitfulness.

5. Higher Places & Favor

2 Samuel 22:34, "He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places."

We were created for the high places of His Presence. As we humble ourselves before the Lord and pursue Him with all of our heart He will reward us with promotion and favor. Our pleasure is to do His will and please His heart. It is written in the volume of the book, "I have come to do your will Oh God..." Let this be what is written of our lives, the reason why we are on this planet...to do His will. God gives us grace in the higher place. Through worship, engaging in His Presence, God awakens our hearts to His love and joy.

6. The Fires of Intercession

James 5:16-18, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the Heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit."

There is a fresh igniting of intercession being lit in America. In an encounter I had recently I saw gatherings where radical abandoned intercession was being released. It was a level of intercession that I had not seen in here before. There was such a cry that the meetings were literally taken over by the intercession while everything else was secondary.

Ask the Lord to ignite you with a heart filled with His fire that beats in sync with His. Prayer changes things. When our hearts are captured in the furnace of prayer then God will respond beyond what we can imagine!

7. God is For You!

Romans 8:31-32, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

God gave His very best for you. He has already done everything that He could possibly do to get you to believe that He wants His best for you. The devil is the one who wants you to believe that God is against you. He is constantly brining accusation against the saints, to bring a heavy stupor over their minds, lying to them about what God thinks about them. Don't give into this for a second. God is FOR YOU! You are His own family. Submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he will flee.

Are there things that God might want us to change? Yes. Does this mean that He is mad at us? No. It means that He wants His best for us and loves us enough to get the message to us. You are legitimately in His family. He is working for you and with you to bring you to a better place. David prayed, "Take not Your Spirit from me..." This is the most important piece...the peace that comes from His Presence being with us. Quiet the noise of your soul, yield yourself to His Spirit in worship and hear His voice.

Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne." (Amplified)

John and Brandi Belt
Overflow Global Ministries
Email: office@overflowglobal.com
Website: www.overflowglobal.com

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD by John Belt

Hebrews 10:38“Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”

Just how important is it for us to draw near to God? When we draw near to God it shows that we believe that He is the answer to all things that concern us. The Word of God says that God has no pleasure in those that “draw back”. At the core of who we are there must be something in us that always causes us to draw close to God. If this is missing from our lives there is something that needs adjusted in regards to our perception and understanding of God’s nature and Who He is to us.  When we understand that God is good, that He only has good in store for us and is unrelenting in His pursuit for His best for our lives we will run to Him.  This does not mean He makes everything easy.  Jesus did not have it “easy”.  He dealt with all kinds of opposition.  God knows what is best for us.  Heading the other direction just reveals that we really don’t know and trust Him as we ought.  Part of the process is to look deeper at our own hearts with honesty.

Jesus taught that the Word of God is sown in different types of soil and the result is different depending on the soil sown into, so we need to examine the soil of our hearts to see if there is anything in us that is not allowing the Word of God to take root.

Luke 8:11-15
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”

We find keys in this verse in regards to having soil that is seasoned for the Word to take root in our hearts. It says a “noble and good” heart. To be noble means to be “honest”. It takes honesty for the Word of God to penetrate our hearts. If we are not honest in our assessment of what God is showing us in His truth then we open our hearts to deception. The Word of God gives light and understanding to us. When that light comes we need to let it go deep. Secondly, a good heart is to be “agreeable” to what God is saying. Having these two elements creates a heart that will constantly turn to God, drawing near to Him. When we harden our hearts we turn away from God in disagreement. That was the problem the children of Israel had as they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. They kept hardening their heart to God’s will through unbelief. When we are honest with God and to ourselves, coming into agreement and alignment with His truth, then we are drawing near to Him purifying our hearts by submitting to Him.

James 4:7-8
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded…”

Submit to God, resist the devil and he must flee. Obviously if we don’t submit to God in agreement with His truth then we open the door to evil. Our submission to God shuts the door to the devil and His truth sets us free.

Make a commitment to sow the good Word of God in your heart today with an honest and agreeable spirit, welcoming the Holy Spirit to water it producing fruit that abounds to eternity.

OVERCOMERS IN THE GLORY OF GOD by John Belt

Haggai 2:9
“‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

The glory of His latter house will be greater than that of the former house. God has plans to overflow His people with His glory. We are in that latter house time. As time goes on the glory of God is going to increase in His Church. Of course the world will get darker but God’s light and glory will only get brighter! For those who make the Lord their dwelling place they will only get brighter in His Presence, shining like the sun.

Isaiah 60:1
“Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.”

These are the overcomers who have learned to live in the Presence of God even when things are constantly changing externally. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. This is the victory, even our faith, that has overcome the world. There is no need to be discouraged, but only encouraged “for if God is for us, then who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) As Jesus said, “Take heart for I have overcome the world.” Let’s keep our eyes on the face of the Son of God, JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith.

John 16:33
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. His light will shine through you and me. God calls us higher and deeper in Him. Make a whole-hearted commitment to continually surrender to the fullness of His presence in your life.

2016: A NEW YEAR OF PROMISE by John Belt

God has good things in store for 2016. Let your heart be filled with thanksgiving for what His good plans are for you. He is for you, not against you. He gave His only Son so that you would know how real His love is for you by bringing you into His family.  Never doubt because His promises are good for you too!  He is faithful.

1. Restoration

Psalm 80:3
“Restore us, O God;
Cause Your face to shine,
And we shall be saved.”

For all that has been lost God gives us the promises of restoration. God is the ultimate “Restorer”. Just as we would take something old and make it like new. God is in the restoring business. He does not look at something and say, “Oh well, I guess this is done.” No. He looks at the potential that is in it making plans to restore and renew. That is how He is with our lives. He only has good things in store, so He makes plans to “restore” all. Turn toward Him, believe and actively pursue His promises in surrender to His Spirit.

2. Abundance

John 10:10
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Jesus came to give us “abundant life”, not a “half-baked” life, but life to the full. A life full of the true riches of His Presence and where His “provision” is there as we follow after the “vision” He has given for our lives. Don’t settle for less than God’s best. Ask God to give you a fresh vision, because we know that where He gives vision there will be provision. We need vision. We need to see where God is taking us and to actively pursue that vision with all of our hearts as this is what He has called us to in life. Know what you are good for, surrender your heart to God and let Him take you to your destination.

3. Refreshing Drink

John 4:10
“Jesus answered and said to her, “ If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

“The water that I give you shall be a fountain springing up to everlasting life…” (John 4:13)God has promised us an eternal well of His Spirit that springs up out of our inmost being. He gives us “free access” to drink of His Spirit. Make room for that in your life. Seek and find the fresh drink from the rivers of His Presence! The river of His Holy Spirit is refreshing and reviving to our hearts. Dedicate your life to drinking from the streams of living waters by soaking in the Presence of God. Discover the place of “receiving from the Lord”. It is good to give to God, but we must also be receivers. Jesus told Peter that unless he let Him wash His feet he could no longer be His disciple. We have no strength in our own selves. Through spending time with the Lord we find that strength as we saturate ourselves in His Presence.

4. Increase & Expansion

Psalm 115:14
“May the Lord give you increase more and more,
You and your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.”

God only gives increase. He only expands and grows us. It is His nature. When we get around God everything prospers, flows and grows. When we get in the place He has set for us then there is an overflow and expansion that takes place in our hearts and lives. Believe God to bring you into His perfectly designed place for you in this new year. Don’t feel like you have to settle for where you are when God has something specifically designed for you. Seek the Lord and you will find. He is faithful and will bring you into the promised land of destiny and fruitfulness.

5. Higher Places & Favor

2 Samuel 22:34
“He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And sets me on my high places.”

We were created for the high places of His Presence. As we humble ourselves before the Lord and pursue Him with all of our heart He will reward us with promotion and favor. Our pleasure is to do His will and please His heart. It is written in the volume of the book, “I have come to do your will Oh God…” Let this be what is written of our lives, the reason why we are on this planet… to do His will. God gives us grace in the higher place. Through worship, engaging in His Presence, God awakens our hearts to His love and joy.

6. The Fires of Intercession

James 5:16
“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”

There is a fresh igniting of intercession being lit in America. In an encounter I had recently I saw gatherings where radical abandoned intercession was being released. It was a level of intercession that I had not seen in here before. There was such a cry that the meetings were literally taken over by the intercession while everything else was secondary. Ask the Lord to ignite you with a heart filled with His fire that beats in sync with His. Prayer changes things. When our hearts are captured in the furnace of prayer then God will respond beyond what we can imagine!

7. God is For You!

Romans 8:31
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.”

God gave His very best for you. He has already done everything that He could possibly do to get you to believe that He wants His best for you. The devil is the one who wants you to believe that God is against you. He is constantly brining accusation against the saints, to bring a heavy stupor over their minds lying to them about what God thinks about them. Don’t give into this for a second. God is FOR YOU! You are His own family. Submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he will flee. Are there things that God might want us to change? Yes. Does this mean that He is mad at us? No. It means that He wants His best for us and loves us enough to get the message to us. You are legitimately in His family. He is working for you and with you to bring you to a better place. David prayer, “Take not your Spirit from me…” This is the most important piece… the peace that comes from His Presence being with us. Quiet the noise of your soul, yield yourself to His Spirit in worship and hear His voice.

Matthew 11:28
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy- laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest ( relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.” (Amplified)

HIS KINGDOM OF PEACE REIGNING OVER US by JOHN BELT

Luke 2:11-14
“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you:You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Peace on earth and goodwill toward men… That is the message that the angels proclaimed at the birth of Jesus. This message is still true today as God extends His love to all mankind. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotton Son that through Him the world might be saved. (John 3:16) And we know that Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but that through Him all may be saved. Peace is central to the message as Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Without Him there is no peace. Jesus differentiates His eternal peace from the temporal peace that the world gives. It goes back to the senario where man is trying to fill the emptiness of His soul with things, worldliness, busyness and other distractions. Meanwhile Jesus says, “Come to me all you who labor, worry and fear and find rest for your souls.”

Jesus is the Source of ultimate peace and satisfaction that flows like a river through the heart of man. I’m thankful that Jesus does not give us a half-fix, but makes us completely whole where we do not lack a thing. Our contentment is from knowing Him Who is above all things, ruling in righteousness with grace and wisdom. He is the hope for all men. All who seek Him with the whole heart find Him. If we ask for bread He will not give us a stone. He is thoroughly good in every way. It is “goodwill” toward all mankind. God is good. And that same goodness draws us to Him, turing our hearts His direction. This Christmas let the peace of Christ reign in your heart with all goodness and fullness of His Spirit.

THE DIVINE MYSTERY “GOD COMING IN THE FLESH” BY JOHN BELT

During this Christmas season we celebrate the birth of our Lord coming down in the form of a man, humbling himself to become like us in physical appearance. (Phil. 2:8) It is the divine mystery of eternal glory that Mary brought forth the Son of God by the Holy Spirit. It is beyond human comprehension to even begin to fathom how God brought this to pass in such a marvelous way, in a way that know one could have imagined. All the prophecies of old being fulfilled through Jesus, even when some prophecies seemed to contradict another. God wove a divine tapestry, a perfect puzzle with every piece perfectly fitted in the manner in which He chose to bring redemption to us through His Son.

Some of the most wonderful music has been created for the Christmas holiday, “Oh Holy Night” and “Noel” and others carry a heavenly sound that is signature in connecting our hearts in worship in a very special way during this time. These songs bring back to our hearts and minds the supernatural occurrence that took place when Jesus was born, reminding us of the wonder and miracle of His birth. It can be easy to just move on through the season with the gifts, materialism and busyness missing the simple wonder of His love for us.

Luke 2:7
“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

He was born in the lowest of places, a humble stable where all the animals had their home.  He didn’t come to a castle, mansion or anything with all the modern day comforts, but in a time that was most difficult. God had a manger for the King of kings as the way of first introduction into the earth. It was only a manger in a stable, but the manifest Presence of God was there.

During this Christmas season take in the greatness and simplicity of the glory of God coming in the flesh through Jesus knowing that where He is there is nothing lacking and we are made whole.

God's Good Plans, Restoration & Rest by John Belt

Oklahoma City, OK

God Will Restore Things From the Past in the Present

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

We are creating memories every moment. The past is moving by and we are stepping into the future. God desires us to be people of the present, not of the past or even the future. He is ready to invest in us right now. This is what will make our impact in the future bright! (Photo via Pixabay)

In our lives we need to be intentional about where we spend our thoughts. God wants us to be connected to what He is ready to do currently. There are both good things and bad things in the past, but both can be a distraction to what God wants to do right now.

Just as we cannot spend our time worshipping at the altar of yesterday, there are also things that we are just not able to fix. This is not to say that there aren't some things that we can do. But once we've done what we know we need to do, it is time for us to leave it and let God do His work.

The good news is that God will restore things from the past in the present. That should give us great comfort and peace that we can rest, leave things alone, pursue Him and watch Him do His work. As we take care of His business, He takes care of our business. He is faithful, perfect in all of His ways, and will do what He has promised.

This next verse is a word for right now:

Joel 2:25-27 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame."

Planted in His Presence

God wants us to begin to create powerful moments that have their roots in His Presence. We've heard it said that, "muscles have memory." It is true. Everything about us memorizes events whether positive or negative. When we are creating memories that have their source in the Presence of God, then we are training ourselves after a life that is in sync with righteousness, peace and joy in His Spirit.

There will be hard things that come against us. It is all part of having a life surrendered to God. But when our lives are planted in His Presence then the things that come against us don't have the same impact. He is a shield to us, a fortress where we can be safe.

Outside of living in His truth and Presence we are vulnerable to the arrows that come against us. We can be secure in God knowing that if He is for us... then who can be against us? When our hearts are yielded to His Spirit, we yield the fruit of that life which is peaceable and filled with His joy.

Rest and Total Surrender

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

We need to make every effort to experience the rest that God has for us.The only place we find this is in a place of total surrender and worship before Him. When we find solace in His Spirit there is flow in our lives that is effortless. God wants to take away the strain of worry and fear and replace it with His grace, faith and peace. (Photo via Pexels)

As we yield to Him He fills us with an unfailing faith that takes hold of Him and overcomes all. Keep on the path of making memories with God. Continue training your senses to His Presence, goodness, mercy and truth.

John and Brandi Belt
Overflow Global Ministries
Email: office@overflowglobal.com
Website: www.overflowglobal.com

Accessing His Grace by the Spirit by John Belt

Oklahoma City, OK

Since the beginnings of my walk with God, the Holy Spirit has always been central to living a life of love, grace and overcoming. I simply cannot imagine walking with the Lord any other way. Jesus told His disciples to wait, to be clothed with power from on high, and to wait for the Holy Spirit to indwell them so they may be effective witnesses.

Acts 1:4-5 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."(Photo via Wikipedia Commons)

The grace of God is a popular subject today. God's grace should be a core value to our life in God. Paul exhorts Timothy to be strong in God's grace.

2 Timothy 2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

This has been one of my favorite verses concerning grace. Grace is the ability that God gives us to overcome. We are not only saved by grace, but we are given ability to overcome by His grace. It is by the grace of God that we stand.

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

When we cry for help God comes in His grace and helps us to stand in trial and difficulty causing us to overcome. The grace of God is not to be used as a license to sin, but to live a holy and powerful life. So does the grace of God standalone without the person of the Holy Spirit? Can we access His grace without yielding to the Spirit?

Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Living Communion

It has always been through a living communion with the Spirit that God's grace has become a living experience for me. This is what Paul also communicated saying, "Let the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all." There is a communion that we have with God by the Spirit that enables us to access the grace of God. If it is without needing the person of God, then we are again stuck with another religious formula. This only frustrates God's grace and our walk with God because it leads us into a performance mindset. We can have all the knowledge and information but only the Person of the Holy Spirit can make it alive in us.

We can be told all day long what is right, what is true and what is Biblical but if there is no life of the Spirit in it, it will fall to the ground. Could it be that this is why Jesus told us about the living water that will overflow like rivers from within us? Our greatest need is to find life, sustenance, and a river of life that we can continually drink from. The Word of God needs the accompaniment of the Spirit's water.

God's truth is like detergent and we need the water of the Spirit to make it work in our hearts. In the same way we need to know the Author of the Book to help us understand the contents. Accessing the grace of God is an "inside-out" experience where we find His strength in our communion with His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the "Spirit of grace" (Hebrews 10:29) and the "Spirit of holiness" (Romans 1:4). (Photo via Tawny Nelson)

The foundation and understanding of grace in our lives is essential to live a holy life before God. His grace is received through our intimate communion with the Spirit enabling us to grow in love for God with a decreasing toleration of sin. Without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

We are called saints, in definition, "holy ones". This is by His grace and our response to His invitation. Does that mean we are perfected? Yes and no. God has done the work for us through the Cross. He is completing His work in us by His Spirit. As we commune with God we access His grace and our lives are being renovated from interior to exterior.

John and Brandi Belt
Overflow Global Ministries
Email: office@overflowglobal.com
Website: www.overflowglobal.com