It’s wonderful to feel wanted and appreciated, eh? When was the last time that you were celebrated? For some, it is only when their birthday comes around, and sadly there are those who are never celebrated. God is wanting us to think about how we treat people, and yes, most of us who know Him, are conscious of the need for us to be kind and courteous to others…. But I believe that when we go an extra mile, that’s when God shows up in extra power.

Think about how He feels about you: The Holy Spirit is always propping you up, never putting you down. You’re the apple of His eye and He lets you know it in so many ways, even and especially when you don’t deserve it. Are we that way too, with the people who are in our lives?

It is said that familiarity breeds contempt, and it’s true that sometimes it does, but while we know better than to have contempt for someone, are we on guard against falling into a lack of appreciation, respect and cherishing of them? God says to honor all men, not just some. I believe that a little bit of honor goes a long way.

Right now, someone has just come to my mind who has made an awful mess of his life. Alcoholics and drug addicts add other detrimental habits in their lives like stealing, lying, no respect for people and their property, and more, and we usually avoid them like the plague for good reason. But today as I write this I am hearing the Lord say: “Reach out to that outcast,…. first by heartfelt prayer, moaning and groaning for him, and then do whatever the Holy Spirit reveals to you.” That person in my life and in yours needs to feel loved and yes, respected, too, by us realizing how very valuable he or she is to our Lord who thinks so highly of them that he laid down His life on their behalf.

I hear the words: “Shoot him down!” and there’s a “Huh?” in me, as I’m thinking that it’s the opposite of what God wants,….  but is it? The “him” is not the person, but the spirit activated in him or her. Didn’t Jesus say: “Get behind me Satan!” when it was seemingly Peter who spoke? Doesn’t the Bible say that we shall condemn every tongue that rises us against us in judgment?…. It’s not the person we’re to condemn, but their tongue. 

I’m sensing that what the Holy Spirit is revealing to us is that while we may have great intentions to manifest love to people, we will not bear fruit until we deal with the “behind the scenes” activity of evil spirits. How many of us have been taking authority over them through prayer, decrees and commands? Oh my brethren, we have to aim at shooting down those spirits in high places.

My daughter Kelly’s name means “warrior maiden,” and she is not just the fruit of my womb, but she’s called to be my spiritual fruit as well. God’s using her name right now to tell me and to tell you: “It’s time to make war against the devil and the spirits of darkness in people’s lives!”

THEN we can make love-….. the God-kind of love that will set them free!