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Moments with Marilyn
The practice of consistent, biblically based prayer is a very important part of your pathway to miracles. ~Marilyn Hickey
Connect Blog Posts
The practice of consistent, biblically based prayer is a very important part of your pathway to miracles. ~Marilyn Hickey
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16 NLT)
Then the king said to the man of God, “Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So, the man of God interceded with the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and became as it was before. I Kings 13:6
King Jeroboam was worshiping idols when an unnamed prophet came right up to the altar where two golden calves were and prophesied over it that a new king was going to arise from Judah who would come and destroy the altar.
“Seize him!” Jeroboam cried in anger, pointing at the prophet. But when Jeroboam stretched out his arm toward the man, his arm immediately withered. He pleaded with the prophet, “Pray for me that God will restore my arm.” The prophet prayed, and Jeroboam’s arm was restored.
When God began anointing kings, He set up the kingdom with prophets to minister to the kings, He set up the kingdom with prophets to minister to the kings, and sometimes that meant performing miraculous signs. Who else do we know who came with miraculous signs to convince sinners and idolaters to return to the living God? Jesus!
Now let me say this to you, a lot of times we ski over the prophets and kings in the Old Testament (1 and 2 Kings; 1 and 2 Chronicles) because they can be confusing. But when we do, we miss seeing Jesus in the prophets and we become profitless in the process. Ask God for seeing eyes and hearing ears when you read about the kings and prophets and you will see Jesus in a greater way than ever before!
Dear Heavenly Father, I believe that You want me to see Jesus in every book of the Bible. Give me seeing eyes and I hearing ears, knowing that studying the prophets will make me profitable! Amen.
Healing is not just for you; it is for you to bring forth in others! Jesus said we are to lay our hands upon the sick, and they will recover. ~Marilyn Hickey
Wednesdays in the Word, Marilyn shares encouragement from 1 Peter 1:13!
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:11 ESV)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – (2 Corinthians 12:9)
During one of our trips to Pakistan, we were faced with so many difficulties. Threats, government sanctions, you name it. When I stood up on that platform to preach the first night, over 100,000 people were there to hear the Word, but I remember I felt so weak. I cried out, “Lord, we’ve been battling all these things! What if someone shoots me? What if there aren’t any miracles?” The Lord said to me, “It’s not your name that does it. It’s My name!” And we had the best meetings we’d ever had in Pakistan in those three days in Karachi, the most dangerous city in the world, because we went in the power of His name.
In 1 Kings 19, we read about a time when the prophet Elijah cries out to God, “I’ve had enough! Take my life!” He’s exhausted, and I have found that when you get really, really tired, you can get depressed, because you tend to look at your circumstances instead of God.
So, God comes to him through an angel and cooks for him. Why? Because when you’re depressed, God doesn’t forget you, but He does want you to come out of it. He doesn’t want you to stay in the depression. He sees your weakness and uses those moments to show His power. So, Elijah eats and sleeps and is able to get up and go. Just like we did in Pakistan—strengthened by the provision of the Lord.
Jesus, I declare that Your grace is sufficient, and Your power is made perfect in my weakness. Where I am weak, I declare that in You I am strong!
God has given you the power of choice and the ability to seek out and know truth. ~Marilyn Hickey
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27 NKJV)
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. – (James 5:17 NKJV)
Have you ever made a mistake and God just came on the scene and helped you anyway? I know I have!
Was Elijah a perfect man? Did he make any mistakes? The Bible says he had a nature like ours and passions as we do, and when you read 1 Kings, you see he made some really stupid mistakes. But God doesn’t just answer the prayers of the seemingly perfect. He answers the prayers of the earnest.
When I would fight with my husband, Wally, I always tried to win. One time we had a big argument and it lasted for a long time…about 12 years! When I started in the ministry, with radio and then television, I didn’t take a salary. All the money that came in, we would put back out into the ministry. But Wally would say to me, “You know, you need to take a salary.” And I would say, “No, we have your salary! I don’t need to take a salary.” Then he would say, “Marilyn, a workman is worthy of his hire.” And I would say, “You’re being selfish. I just want to give it all away!”
One night after we’d been having this argument yet again, I turned it over to the Lord, convinced that He would back me up. I told God, “He’s wrong! I’m right.” But the Lord said to me, “You don’t have enough faith to have a salary and a ministry. That’s what really going on here.”
As hard as it was to admit that I was wrong, I learned a valuable lesson: God doesn’t take sides. What does He do? He takes over!
Lord, I declare that I am on Your side. I want You to come on the scene and take over!
Jesus is our double cure in that He took on both our sins and our sicknesses. BY HIS WOUNDS, WE HAVE BEEN HEALED. ~Marilyn Hickey
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. (Proverbs 17:22 NLT)
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105
Did you know that the Psalms are organized like the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible?
The first 41 Psalms are called the “Genesis Psalms,” because Genesis is the foundation book of the Bible, and these Psalms have to do with God’s sovereignty—His authority and dominion overall.
The next grouping of Psalms, Psalms 42-72, are called—you guessed it! —the “Exodus Psalms.” This is where you would go to find a Psalm about how Jesus can set us free.
What if you just want to worship and know Him as your great High Priest? You would go to the “Leviticus Psalms,” because they have to do with the priesthood of Jesus. These are Psalms 73-89. The priesthood of Jesus is very important to us. It shows us that we can have the mind of Christ and receive His gifts of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.
Then come the “Numbers Psalms,” Psalms 90-106. Numbers was Moses’ history. Just like the Israelites, we can often turn to grumbling and complaining. When that happens, we need to show gratitude by remembering all that God has done and how He has answered our prayers.
Finally, there are the “Deuteronomy Psalms.” They are Psalms 107-150. They are very interesting Psalms, because they have to do with the power of the Word in your life. Remember Psalm 119 is in here, which includes 179 verses about the Word of God!
I encourage you to think about which Psalm would help you today and read one from that grouping before you go to bed tonight. Remember, there is power in the Word and a song for every occasion!
Jesus, thank You for providing a Psalm for every occasion. I declare my spirit will be lifted in the same way as the Psalm must have lifted the one who first received it from God!
Jehovah Rophe want to be personal to you. He wants to heal you and make you whole! ~Marilyn Hickey
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33 ASV)
The blueness of a wound cleanse away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly. – (Proverbs 20:30 KJV)
Some people worry about the black and blue marks of a bruise, but these marks are actually symptomatic of the healing process. The blue is the rich oxygen of the arterial blood that brings in new supplies and healing materials of the body’s “first aid” kit. Then red venal blood carries out the damaged cells and waste products.
Have you ever realized that Jesus’ blood also has a twofold healing purpose? It cleanses us of sin and waste, and it also brings the freshness of His love into our lives.
Christ’s blood is one of the most powerful cleansing agents known to mankind! His blood does more than whitewash our hearts — it purifies them from the inside out. Christ’s precious blood purifies our hearts so completely that we become temples of God.
When Jesus was confronted with the wrong-doings of the Pharisees, He warned them, “You are clean on the outside, but your hearts are like the insides of tombs — filled with death.” What do you want to be — a tomb of death, or a temple of God?
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You today for the life of Jesus that flows through us. We thank You for the dealings of Your Spirit to remove the garbage from our lives; and we thank You for Jesus’ love that brings us freshness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
The more specifically you use your faith, the more specific the results will be. ~Marilyn Hickey
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of light. (James 1:17 ESV)
Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. – (Psalm 5:12)
Every one of you reading this wants to have favor. We want to have favor with our spouses, our children, our grandchildren, we want to have favor on the job, with friends and even our neighbors. We just need favor! So, what can get us into the favor of God, favor with people, favor with relatives, and favor with our neighbors?
When I looked at Jesus’ life and how He grew in wisdom and favor with God and man, I noticed it came after he submitted to his parents. Had you ever seen it that way? I hadn’t either! But you know how you read the Bible and you think, “Where did that come from? I never saw that in this light.” That’s because the Bible is Spirit and Life. It’s not just a book; it has life to it. It is the Living Word!
Luke 2:51-52 says, Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man, but it came after they returned home, and Jesus submitted to His parents and was obedient to them.
You want favor? Submission brings favor! It did in Jesus’ life. So, what makes us think we can do our own thing and still have favor? No. It’s submission that can give you favor with God and with man.
Jesus, I declare that I can have favor with God and with man. But it’s not by being lawless and going my own way; it is submission that brings favor.
We need to keep our focus on God, no matter what the circumstances. ~Marilyn Hickey
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 NLT)
Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” – (Psalm 55:5-6)
Countless people today do not seem to believe that God is in control of all things, let alone of all situations in their personal lives. Just as importantly, they do not believe that God can help them gain control over their own thoughts and feelings. Many people are content to live with their fears and doubts. It never dawns on them to confront their fear—many of which manifest in worry and anxiety. It never dawns on them to seek God for answers that will erase their doubts. Instead, like the psalmist, they feel trapped, seeing no way out and wishing to flee.
Some people don’t believe that Christians can or should be oppressed if they are walking with God. Christians, however, can get discouraged just like non-Christians. Christians can become depressed. They can have anxiety. But the key is this: we don’t have to settle for a life filled with fear and doubt!
When you find yourself feeling discouraged, go immediately to God in prayer. Get serious about seeking God to discover the reasons for your fears and doubts, and be open to what God speaks to your heart about what you are to believe and do. Then, ask God to fill you with courage to move beyond fears and doubts, including anxiety.
Jesus, I believe that You want me to be free from the fears and doubts that hold me back from being a witness for You. Give me the courage to confront my anxiety. I declare that with God, I will be victorious!
When you have “Christ in you,” you can lead a miraculous life. ~Marilyn Hickey
For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:10 ESV)
Indeed, we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. – (James 5:11 NKJV)
St. Patrick was taken as a slave by the Irish when he was a young man, around 16 years old. They chained him to a stake, and for six years, he fed pigs with no one to talk to but the Lord. One night, after six years, the Holy Spirit spoke to him and gave him and gave him a way to get back to England. But once back in England, he had a dream that two of the tribal leaders in Ireland invited him to come and tell them about Jesus.
He immediately went to the church in England and volunteered to go to Ireland as a missionary. When Patrick got off the boat, the Irishmen were waiting to kill him. He said, “Before you kill me, you have to hear my dream.” He told them the dream he had, that he was to come and tell them about Jesus. They listened to the Gospel, the story of Jesus dying and rising from the dead and how He saved them and could come into their hearts. These tribal leaders asked if they could bring other tribal leaders to listen, and within 70 years, all of Ireland was saved.
During those six years in slavery, St. Patrick had the patience and perseverance of Job. He learned to listen in his spirit, and the Holy Spirit connected with him, and he ended up transforming an entire nation.
Jesus, I want Your presence to so fill me that when people see me, they see You; when people hear me, they hear You; when I speak, it is Your Word that fills my mouth. Christ in me, the hope of glory!
There is nothing you face in this life that faith cannot conquer. Faith is powerful, faith is your victory! ~Marilyn Hickey
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8 NASB)
He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. – (Psalm 107:20)
I remember when a couple in our church took a transient into their home because he had no place to go. When the young man became ill, the couple sent him to the doctor. To their dismay, tests revealed that the young man had AIDS. Anger boiled in the heart of the man who had so graciously given a home to an individual who now threatened the health and even the lives of his family. This man’s first thought was to order his “guest” out of the house.
Before the man could say anything, however, the Holy Spirit spoke in his heart, telling him to spend his anger on the disease and not on the young man who was so ill. Forcefully, and with authority, the man commanded AIDS to leave the house and never return. Many months and several tests later, there was no sign of AIDS in the young man’s body. Why? Because Jesus paid the price for his healing, and one man exercised his authority in Christ!
Psalm 107:20 says that God sent His Word and healed you. Isn’t Jesus the Word made flesh? Jesus assuredly paid for your physical body with His own physical body in the work of redemption. Not only did He carry away your sin but He also carried away your sickness. Therefore, I know it is the will of God to heal our bodies. Otherwise, Jesus would not have taken those stripes for our healing.
Jesus, I believe that You paid the full price for my healing. Therefore, I declare that it is my right to be healed! I command sickness and disease out of my body and receive Your healing today.
Jesus took sin and sickness upon Himself in order that you might walk free of sin and free sickness. That is truly divine health. ~Marilyn Hickey
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33 NIV)
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. – (Psalm 51:6 NKJV)
I was raised in Texas, and in the summertime, my mother would can peaches. My brother and I had to help by peeling the peaches and sterilizing the jars. We griped and complained. (If you have ever been to Texas in the summer, you know how hot and uncomfortable it can be!) But you better believe we never griped in the winter when my mother opened a jar of home-canned peaches. They were so wonderful.
God revealed to me that reading the Bible is like canning peaches. He said, “When you read through the Bible, sometimes it’s tedious. You feel like you’re not getting anything. But you’re canning truth! And in the wintertime of your life, I’ll take the truth you put in your heart and make it wisdom in your mind.”
As you read the Bible, you are putting truth inside you, and God can take that truth and make wisdom out of it.
You might be thinking, “Marilyn, are you saying no truth in my heart, no wisdom in my mind?” Well, you said it! The more truth you put in your heart; the more wisdom can come from the revelation of the Holy Spirit.
Dear Heavenly Father, You see the end from the beginning and You know that the more we study Your Word, the more it will help us tomorrow. Put the desire in our hearts to want the truth inside of us today.
If you sincerely desire to establish a life of blessing for yourself and your family, you need truth. ~Marilyn Hickey
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NKJV)
By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. (Proverbs 24:3-4 NASB)
But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the you men who had grown up with him and were serving him. – (2 Chronicles 10:8)
After Rehoboam became king, he called for his elders to advise him. First Rehoboam calls in the older, experienced counselors who had served his father, Solomon, during his kingship. They said to him, “Don’t be cruel to the people. Establish a relationship with them, because rules without relationship bring rebellion. Build a relationship and they will always serve you.”
But immature Rehoboam doesn’t like this advice. So he called in his friends who he’d grown up with and who were equally as inexperienced as Rehoboam himself, and they said, “You need to tax the people. You need to let them know who is king. If they think Solomon was hard on them, you’re going to be to times harder!”
Rehoboam chooses the “wisdom” of the younger men. I say wisdom lightly because these you men clearly were not following men. They didn’t have what they needed in the way of wisdom—spiritual wisdom—to share with Rehoboam. So, Rehoboam takes the young men’s counsel, and when he does, the kingdom splits.
Jesus provides us with a better example. In Luke 2:46, His parents find Him in the temple, listening to and asking questions of the teachers there. When you want to hear from God and feel led to seek the advice of others, make sure you are listening to people who are experienced in their walk with God, who know the Word, and who will counsel you with spiritual wisdom.
Jesus, there are things I want to hear from You and lessons from others’ lives that I want to learn. Help me to discern who I should look to for good, Godly advice!
The cure for bitterness is forgiveness. ~Marilyn Hickey
For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:5 NASB)
So, he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. – (2 Kings 5:14)
One of the most unique healings in the Old Testament is that of Naaman, the captain of the Syrian army. Second Kings chapter 5 describes Naaman as “a mighty man of valor, but a leper” (see v. 1 NKJV).
Through his young Israelite slave girl, Naaman learned of the prophet Elisha who could heal Naaman’s leprous body. The captain lost no time in getting to Israel and the prophet Elisha, who sent word to Naaman to dip in the Jordan River seven times. After struggling with his pride, Naaman obeyed and was healed on the seventh dip.
Naaman was a cruel enemy of Israel. He was an idolater. Yet God desired to bring Naaman to repentance through His marvelous grace. Because of his healing, Naaman repented and accepted the God of Israel.
Through the compassion of one little slave girl, Naaman was no longer a leper, and neither was he an idolater. Naaman went home with healing on the inside as well as healing on the outside. What a life-changing experience!
Can you imagine the joy of Naaman’s little maid when she saw her master again? Her compassion and love for this man touches my heart. She had probably been captured and taken from her home to be this man’s slave, and yet she cared for him.
Many times, in the New Testament we read that Jesus looked upon the people with compassion before He healed them. Compassion mixed with faith is a powerful combination!
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for showing Your grace to each and every one of us. Help us to have compassion on others like Jesus did, for compassion mixed with faith is how we bring people into Your Kingdom!
Speak the Word into your situation—boldly! ~Marilyn Hickey
“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim. (Romans 10:8 NIV)
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. (2 Timothy 1:2b NIV)
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
The doctor shook his head in utter amazement. What he found in his examination just couldn’t be. There was no way the stem of the woman’s eye could have reconnected with the eyeball. Every manner of treatment, even surgery, had proven useless; and blindness had been inevitable for his patient. Nevertheless, the woman sitting in the examination chair confirmed his findings; her vision in both eyes was perfectly clear.
With no hope of recovery, except for a miracle, this woman had attended a healing service, and what doctors and medical science could not do, the Lord had done in an instant. Not only did the woman’s doctor confirm in writing this remarkable healing, but she also has written confirmation from another doctor. God had taken the “im” out of impossible again!
This is the kind of thing Jesus does all the time. Since Jesus paid the price for our healing, it just makes sense to me that He would continually prove it in bodies all over the world. His love for us knows no boundaries, and neither does His healing power! Although God is unlimited, for your sake and mine, Jesus suffered the limitations of a human body in order to pay the awful price for our physical healing. Isaiah foretold it, and Jesus confirmed it: by His stripes we are healed! (Isaiah 53:5 NKJV)
Jesus, I believe in the healing work of Calvary. I declare that You are my Healer! You take the “im” out of impossible; all things are possible to those who believe!
Forgiveness is a divine attribute. But we have the nature of God in us, and that makes us partakers of all His divine attributes, including genuine forgiveness. ~Marilyn Hickey
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12 ESV)
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. – (James 5:17 NKJV)
Have you ever made a mistake and God just came on the scene and helped you anyway? I know I have!
Was Elijah a perfect man? Did he make any mistakes? The Bible says he had a nature like ours and passions as we do, and when you read 1 Kings, you see he made some really stupid mistakes. But God doesn’t just answer the prayers of the seemingly perfect. He answers the prayers of the earnest.
When I would fight with my husband, Wally, I always tried to win. One time we had a big argument and it lasted for a long time…about 12 years! When I started in the ministry, with radio and then television, I didn’t take a salary. All the money that came in, we would put back out into the ministry. But Wally would say to me, “You know, you need to take a salary.” And I would say, “No, we have your salary! I don’t need to take a salary.” Then he would say, “Marilyn, a workman is worthy of his hire.” And I would say, “You’re being selfish. I just want to give it all away!”
One night after we’d been having this argument yet again, I turned it over to the Lord, convinced that He would back me up. I told God, “He’s wrong! I’m right.” But the Lord said to me, “You don’t have enough faith to have a salary and a ministry. That’s what really going on here.”
As hard as it was to admit that I was wrong, I learned a valuable lesson: God doesn’t take sides. What does He do? He takes over!
Lord, I declare that I am on Your side. I want You to come on the scene and take over!
God will use miracles to promote faith in His Word so that people will believe and be saved, be healed, and experience abundant life in Him. ~Marilyn Hickey
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)
David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. – (2 Samuel 12:16)
After David committed adultery with Bathsheba, she conceived a child and David had her husband Uriah killed. The prophet Nathan told David: “Because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die” (2 Samuel 12:14).
David responded by beseeching God for the child and by fasting. The Bible tells us that he laid on the ground, refusing to get up or even eat for seven days (see 2 Samuel 12:16-18). On the seventh day, the child died, and it was only then that David arose, washed himself, changed his clothes, and went to the house of the Lord to worship God. After he had worshiped, he returned home and ate.
Many people do everything they know to do when someone they love is sick—some may even go so far as to lie face down on the ground and refuse to move, because they are so consumed by their desire to intercede for the healing of their loved one.
There are times and situations in which fasting is a manifestation of a person’s earnestness before God to the exclusion of all other activities. Nearly always this earnestness is born of a desire to know more clearly God’s plan and purposes and, if possible, to make a difference through prayer. This certainly was true in the life of King David.
Jesus, I declare that I have an earnest desire to know God’s plans and purposes. I know by Your example and that of King David that through prayer and fasting I can more clearly discern the will of God.
God never makes a promise that He does not keep. ~Marilyn Hickey
Light arises in the darkness for the upright; He is gracious and compassionate and rights. (Psalm 112:4 AMP)
The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So, Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” – (1 Kings 18:44)
After three years of no rain, Elijah hosts a contest to prove to the Israelites that the Lord is God and they should be worshiping Him instead of Baal. God wins, of course, and the Israelites are so touched by His awesome power that they recommit themselves to God. So, Elijah begins to pray, “Okay, God, we’ve repented. Now You said You would open the heavens and bring rain.” And Elijah says to his servant, “Go check for a cloud.” The little servant checks six times with no luck, but Elijah doesn’t give up. He sends the servant check six times with no luck, but Elijah doesn’t give up. He sends the servant a seventh time and the servant return saying, “I see a cloud the size of a man’s hand.” That doesn’t sound like a rainstorm to me, but Elijah said, “That’s it!” Then Elijah begins to run to Jezreel before the rains prevent him from doing so. And the Bible says “the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah” (see v. 46).
The two hands here are very interesting. Whenever I see connections like this in the Bible, I think it means something. First, we have a cloud the size of a man’s hand that was seen in the sky. I believe that was Elijah’s hand on Heaven, which he left there when he prayed. And then God’s hand came upon Elijah, enabling him to outrun Ahab and his chariots to get out of the rain. What does all this mean? This is how I see it: When we leave our hand on Heaven; and when we leave our hand on Heaven, we get a hand from You.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the sacrifice Your Son made for us so that we can pray directly to You. We see in Your Word that every time we pray, we leave our hand on Heaven; and when we leave our hand on Heaven, we get a hand from You.
If you want to break the curse and establish the blessing in your family tree, then daily Bible reading is a must in your life. ~Marilyn Hickey
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1 ESV)
Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. –(1 Kings 19:11-12 NKJV)
There are times when I know I haven’t listened to the Holy Spirit, either because I wasn’t really listening or because I just wanted to go my own way.
I remember when I graduated from university, and I got some crazy idea that I wanted to get my master’s degree in counseling. Folks, I’m about as fitted for counseling as a frog! But I thought this would be a good thing.
Well, the Lord kept dealing with me. He was telling me being a counselor was not my thing, and that this was not where I would really succeed. But I started the program anyway, because it was what I wanted. It didn’t take long, however, before I thought, “This is not my things!”
Have you ever heard a still, small voice, but chose to ignore it? Or it wasn’t strong enough and you weren’t listening enough to really get hold of it? I think sometimes we have to intentionally try to listen, to be still, and to tune other things out—including our own wants and desires.
Don’t wait for an earthquake! Listen for the Holy Spirit in the still, small voice.
Jesus, talk to me. I’m listening. And I declare that I truly want to follow You. Help me be attentive to the still, small voice.
Bible reading and prayer will put your life into the proper perspective and help relieve stress. ~Marilyn Hickey
Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23 NKJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
The fruit of the Spirit is in Jesus. When we have Jesus inside, we also have the fruit of the Spirit in us. I have joy because I have Jesus and He’s in me. I don’t call on myself, I call on Him. But I don’t just have joy, I have all of the fruits listed above. If you aren’t getting all of the fruit you’d like to see in your life, it’s because you’re not seeing who Jesus is in you!
So we get the fruit of Jesus, but are these fruits just hanging out on a limb? I don’t think so! I think the fruits of the Spirit flow together with the spiritual gifts.
Look back at the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 and let’s do a little application. Get out a sheet of paper and make a list of the spiritual gifts on one side and the fruit of the spirit on the other. Make sure you get them in the right order: first gift matches up with the first fruit and on down. Did you do it? Now let’s take a look.
First Corinthians mentions the word of wisdom first, and Galatians lists love first. So when the Spirit tells us what to do (wisdom), and the fruit tells us how to do it (in love). What’s next? The word of knowledge and joy. When you bring someone a word of knowledge, it should have joy with it. What about faith? Peace is the fruit that goes with it.
So when we get a spiritual gift, we want the fruit to go with it, because then we become like Jesus and all He has for us.
Father, I pray that You put a divine hunger in me for the fruit of the Spirit and the spiritual gift that goes along with it. When these gifts and fruit flow together, they are absolutely beautiful. Amen.
Bear down spiritually through prayers, placing your trust completely in God and put your family in His hands. ~Marilyn Hickey
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights… (James 1:17 ESV)
And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel.” Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. – (Ezra 3:11 NKJV)
In the book of Ezra, we see a great restoration coming. Ezra’s responsibility was to see that the temple and the people were restored. It wasn’t just the temple that had fallen into shambles, but also the morality of God’s people. In this way, Ezra’s restoration work foreshadows the work of Jesus in restoring man with God through the cross.
So, the first step to restoration was rebuilding the foundation. In the verse above, we see that as soon as the foundation was laid, the people began to celebrate. Why didn’t they wait until the entire structure was completed? Because once the foundation was laid, everything else would spring forth from that.
What is our foundation as God’s people? Ephesians 2:19-22 holds the answer:
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Jesus is our foundation!
Jesus, I declare that You are the chief cornerstone. Everything I am springs forth from You. Thank You for Your work of restoration in my life!
The most important aspect of life is relationships because of the eternal value. FIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY. IT’S ALWAYS WORTH IT. ~Marilyn Hickey
For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield. (Psalm 5:12 ESV)
David wrote the 23rd Psalm before he went out to fight with Goliath. No wonder he won if this was the reflection of his heart! We all love the 23rd Psalm, but did you know that it is filled with revelations about Jesus? Let’s take a closer look.
The Lord is my shepherd…Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd” (see John 10:11). I shall not want…Jesus is Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord who provides (see Genesis 22:14). He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters…Jesus, our Jehovah Shalom, said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (see John 14:27). He restores my soul… “By his wounds we are healed” (see Isaiah 53:5). He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake…Jesus is my Jehovah Tsidkenu: the Lord our righteousness (see Romans 3:22). Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me…Jesus is our Jehovah Shaba; He will never leave us nor forsake us (see Deuteronomy 31:6).
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies… “Thanks be to our God, Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our banner, who always leads us to triumph through Christ” (see Exodus 17:15). You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over…An anointed head is one filled with the revelation knowledge of Jesus, which comes from reading the Bible (see 2 Timothy 2:7, et al). Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever…What follows behind you? Goodness and mercy. And it’s not just one day; it’s all the days of your life.
Jesus, I declare that You are my shepherd, my healer, my comforter and my peace! Amen!
God’s greatness is revealed as we are faithful to His Word and prayer. ~Marilyn Hickey
And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. (Proverbs 8:32 ESV)
In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. – (Job 1:22 NKJV)
A pastor once told me about a man in his church who was an excellent giver. He loved God and stayed true to God, yet his whole business fell apart and he went into bankruptcy.
The man came to his pastor and said, “I don’t have a company anymore and I don’t have much to do, so I’ll just volunteer at the church until God open another door.” He didn’t get bitter. He just stayed in faith, believing that God was going to take care of him.
I don’t know how long this went on, but one day he got a letter in the mail from a place he had worked at 20 years before. The letter said, “We never gave you all of your retirement,” and included a check for $60,000. Folks, that’s what faith can do!
I think sometimes we feel betrayed by God, because we didn’t get a certain answer and God didn’t do it exactly the way we thought He should; the timing can make us so nervous. Just look at Job. Job could have felt betrayed by God. In fact, he did in the first part, but look what God had for him in the second part—double the blessings! So, hang in there, because in due season we shall reap if we faint not. And thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ!
Jesus, You are compassionate. You care about me. You want me to prosper. You want me to do well. And so, I commit to staying in faith and declare that I will see an end to my problems and I will triumph in Christ! Amen.
Your words have power. You can bless or curse yourself and your family by what you say. By speaking the blessings from God’s Word, you release God’s best into your situation. ~Marilyn Hickey
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, Who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5 NIV)
A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. – (Proverbs 27:7 NKJV)
Chauncey Crandall is a friend of mine and a heart specialist, one of the best in the nation. Chauncey had twin sons, and when his sons were 20 years old, one son got Leukemia. Chauncey believed in healing and in miracles. Everybody and his dog prayed for that son, that he would live. But he died.
When is son died, Chauncey was holding him, and he said, “God, I will never stop praying for the sick. I will walk in anointing and I will believe in the miraculous.” As he held his son, his dead son in his arms, the glory of the Lord came on him.
Since then, Chauncey has written a book called, Raising the Dead, about his experience with the miraculous. Now that is crazy faith! Chauncey goes all over the world, raises the dead, and sees miracles like I have almost never seen. You see, Chauncey could have said, “God, You betrayed me. You didn’t let my son live.” But he didn’t let that betrayal become a barrier to his faith. He allowed it to become a blessing because he never stopped believing in the power of God.
If we will believe, even if it doesn’t turn out exactly the way we want it to, surely blessing He will bless us. Because Jesus always shows up when you put your faith in Him.
So, hang in there, because in due season, we shall reap if we faint not. And thanks be to God Who always leads us to triumph in Christ.
Jesus, I declare that Your power brings the miraculous. In the same way that You brought Lazarus back to life You can bring people back to life today. But when my miracle doesn’t come, give me the strength to press through barriers to receive my blessing on the other side.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of light. (James 1:17 ESV)
We need to honor God as our Source and in our abundance. Give to others and furthering the spreading of the Gospel honors God. ~Marilyn Hickey
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8 ESV)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
I want to end every day with thanksgiving. I want to begin every day with thanksgiving. I want to live in thanksgiving.
I don’t think we appreciate all the miracles that God does. It could be the simplest little things: a special dessert that I liked, or time spent with my grandkids. Or it could be something big. It’s a miracle that I am accepted by the Muslims and get to travel to places like Iran. What about an answer t prayer? We pray continually for something, but then we forget to give thanks when God answers our prayers.
Friend, I’m so shocked at every miracle that God gives me, so I give Him thanks. It’s when we get into an attitude of entitlement or expectancy, when we think we are in control of the answers to our prayers that we forget to give thanks. But when we live in thanksgiving, when we live in prayer and rejoicing, thanksgiving will flow from our hearts.
Hold on to how much God loves you. Believe that He will take you through your circumstances and not leave you there. Rejoice, pray and give thanks!
Dear Heavenly Father, the men on the road to Emmaus said, “Did our hearts not burn within us?” and I want that same fiery passion inside me to do Your will, to hear Your voice and to overflow with thanksgiving for the daily miracles in my life! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Speaking the Word, thinking the Word, and doing the Word gives you intimacy with God as He speaks revelation from His Word into your life. ~Marilyn Hickey
And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 NIV)
Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. – (Nehemiah 1:6)
Nehemiah is one of my favorite books of history. I know what you’re thinking. “Every gook is your favorite book.” Let me tell you something. When people would ask my husband, “What’s Marilyn’s favorite book?” he would say to them, “Whatever book she’s currently reading in the Bible. That’s her favorite book.” And that’s so true!
Today, we are in Nehemiah, so Nehemiah is my favorite book today! I love Nehemiah because the name means “comforter.” Who else do we know who is a comforter? The Holy Spirit! Jesus said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26 KVJ). So, as a comforter, Nehemiah actually gives us a picture of what the Holy Spirit will be like!
But Nehemiah is also a book of prayer. There are only 13 chapters inn this little book, but nine different prayers! The wonderful prayers of Nehemiah remind us of the prayer ministry of Jesus and how God is going to have His way no matter how bad or dark the circumstances.
Jesus, I declare that in You there is always victory! As I pray through difficult circumstances, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to comfort me. Amen!
Meditating on and memorizing God’s Word is where the real miracle of expectation comes from. ~Marilyn Hickey
Wednesdays in the Word, Marilyn shares from Romans 5:8, Have a Miracle Life!
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. (Psalm 113:7-8 ESV)
By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take. – (Nehemiah 9:12)
Do you ever think, “I blew it. Surely God is tired of me and wants to throw me out”? It’s not true! Read what He did with the Israelites in the book of Numbers: As they wandered through the wilderness they kept messing up, but His presence never left them. He had His special presence at night—the pillar of fire; and His special presence by day—the pillar of cloud. It not only showed them His presence, but it also guided and protected them.
Jesus is so in this, because Jesus doesn’t throw us out when we make mistakes! You might say, “You don’t how bad mine are, Marilyn.” Well let me tell you something, do you remember that the Israelites made a golden calf to worship? Do you remember they started complaining three days after God had delivered them from their enemies? But God stuck with them, and He sticks with us.
How do you feel about your children? Do you want them to fail? No way! Do I want my grandchildren to fail? No way! You constantly believe God for them. So, God saw the failures of His children but He didn’t give up on them. And God sees your failures, but He doesn’t give up on you.
Nehemiah quotes the book of Numbers to remind his people that they can trust God to guide and protect them, regardless of how far they backslide. And we too can be inspired by this revelation of God’s love.
Jesus, I declare that You came to set the captives free, and it doesn’t happen by my self-efforts. It happens by the redemption of the cross!
As you read the Word and practice what it says, your faith will grow significantly and crowd out fear. ~Marilyn Hickey
And God is able to make all grace abound to you. So that having all sufficiency in all things at all times. You may abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Sometimes I ask God, “God, who am I that you would use me in the capacity that you do?” I’ve gotten to be with kings and presidents from all around the world. I’ve gone to countries no one else can go to. I’ve ministered healing and salvation to more people that you can count. You say, “Well, who are you that God would use you that way?” I agree! Who am I? The truth—I’m a believer! It really is as simple as that.
You say, “But I’m different.” That’s right, you are different. I’m different from you and you are different from me. He makes us all so individual. None of our fingerprints are the same. None of our personalities are exactly the same, or our gifts or other traits. But God know our individuality—He is the One who made us so unique! I like that. Sometimes I can think, “Oh, I wish I was as good as this person I know” or “I wish I had the looks of that person.” But God made me to be unique. If you ever doubt that, you ought to read Psalm 139. I memorized that Psalm because it says He “fearfully and wonderfully” made us. In fact, each day of our lives are written in one of His books. How wonderful is that?! He’s so personally involved and He carries you on His heart and that’s beautiful to us. And what do we have to do in return? Simply believe!
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross so that I would have eternal life with You. Thank You for loving me because You created me, not because of the things I do. I receive Your love today.
Basing your faith on God’s Word brings blessings. ~Marilyn Hickey
Wednesdays in the Word, Marilyn shares encouragement from Ephesians 5:1-2, When you forgive – you forget.
And He said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of His possessions.” (Luke 12:15 ESV)
When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. – (Esther 2:15)
The book of Esther opens with a wife who refused to submit to her husband. Queen Vashti refused to appear before her husband’s male guests, and the king divorced her for it. Then a “beauty pageant” of sorts is held to find the next queen. Enter Esther.
Esther had great favor in the sight of all the people who saw her. But what did she do to earn that favor? She asked the eunuch who was in charge of all the women what she should wear. She didn’t dress seductive or assume she knew exactly what the king would like. She humbled herself and submitted to the instruction of the one who knew the king best. And when she went in before the king, he took her as his wife. Wow!
Favor comes to us when we humble ourselves and submit to the Lord’s instructions. When we are operating out of our carnal man, we can think we know best. But the Bible never says that arrogance brings favor. In fact, just the opposite!
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. I Peter 5:5-6
Jesus, I declare that favor is a gift only You can bestow. Show me where I need to practice humility and submission in my life so I can bring You glory.
Repentance opens the door for the blessings of God. This meant restoration of every kind, including healing. ~Marilyn Hickey
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21 ESV)
So, I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” – (Nehemiah 6:3 NKJV)
After returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, Nehemiah immediately met with the harassment of Sanballat and several others. The root meaning of Sanballat means “satan.” satan will oppose us in anything we are called upon to do for God!
Sanballat continued to harass Nehemiah, even threatening to kill the people while they worked on the walls. But Nehemiah didn’t give up, and he didn’t allow the people to give up, either. He simply reorganized the people and had part of them work on the walls while the other part stood with weapons on the ground for protection.
Next the enemy tried spreading false religious claims: they said that a prophetess had told them that Nehemiah was there to set himself as king. The enemy did everything possible to get him to come down from the wall so they could harm him, but Nehemiah and his crews worked day and night and they completed the walls in a miraculous 52 days!
Nehemiah boldly says this, and I love it so much: “I am doing a great work. How can I come down?” It’s not hard to imagine those words coming out of Jesus’ mouth while He hung on the cross. And God also calls us to do a great work. How can we come down when satan besieges us, people falsely accuse us, and we are attacked again and again? We can’t! We must finish what God has called us to do.
Jesus, I declare that no matter what comes against me, I will keep my eyes on You, the author and finisher of my faith!
God will come through for you, so hold on to your faith. ~Marilyn Hickey
Wednesdays in the Word – Marilyn shares encouragement from 1 Corinthians 1:27, God will use your weakness!
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, to that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV)
My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. – (Psalm 62:5 NKJV)
One time as I was sitting on a plane, the stewardess came to me and shared that she was a born-again believer. Then she asked me my advice: “You know, I have many opportunities to witness on these planes. Many people open up and tell me their problems, and I’m able to lead them to Christ or pray with them. But I do it while serving liquor. Do you think I’m missing God’s will for my life?”
I meditated for a moment, and it seemed that the Lord quickened something to me that I had never thought about in my whole life. I said, “Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king, and God used him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah had to carry liquor, and God never condemned Nehemiah. That seems to have been special positions.” (See Nehemiah 1-2).
This was the answer that she needed, but it was not an answer that came from Marilyn Hickey. It was an answer that came from the throne of grace. The stewardess had waited on the Lord for an answer, and she was not disappointed. You won’t be, either.
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to be patient today as I wait on You for answers, knowing that my expectations will be met by You in due time. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
God’s Word is like medicine. When you take His word, you are taking in health. ~Marilyn Hickey
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26 ESV)
“Therefore, wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor; such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” – (2 Chronicles 1:12).
Solomon was very young, about 20 years old when he became king, but there’s something that David and Bathsheba have put into Solomon to prepare him for this: wisdom.
How do we know they put wisdom in him? Because Solomon wrote Proverbs, and in the first to chapters, he constantly writes, ‘” My mother and my father taught me the importance of wisdom.” Why? Because he was going to be the next king, and in order to rule well, he’s going to need the wisdom of God.
After taking over the kingship, Solomon sees God appear to him in the night and says, “Solomon, what shall I give you?” and Solomon says, “Wisdom.” What else would he say? He’s been taught that all his life. I think if you had awakened him in the night when he was a child and asked him what he wanted he wouldn’t have said water, he would have said wisdom. He wanted wisdom and understanding of how to govern God’s people because that was how he’d been raised.
We tend to go after riches and honor and longevity. But in Matthew 6:33 Jesus says: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” That’s what Solomon did; he went after Godly wisdom, then riches and honor followed.
Lord, I declare that when I seek Godly wisdom first, You will give me a long life to enjoy all the riches and honor You will bring to me. Amen!
Faith is a pleasure to God. If you extend your faith to believe God’s Word for a specific need, God will reward your faith with the full extent of His pleasure. ~Marilyn Hickey
Wednesdays in the Word, Marilyn shares encouragement from Psalm 2:8, Ask BIG!