Category: Leadership Development

Copyright 2010 Theresa Harvard Johnson

Manipulation: exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one’s own advantage; fudge: tamper, with the purpose of deception; control (others or oneself) or influence skillfully, usually to one’s advantage.

People will attempt to manipulate a blessing from your life in this season. Be watchful, don’t let the spirit of manipulation that grabbed hold of Rebekah pervert your destiny and steal your blessing. We are a DISCERNING PEOPLE.

We are NOT BLIND like Isaac was in that season, but overwhelmed by Holy Spirit. Trust the pull on the inside of you that says, “Move slow. Don’t jump into this. Get counsel. Don’t rush to make a decision. Listen to what is not being said.” Even hold fast to that check you get in your spirit that says, “Something here is just not right.”

I tell you, REBEKAH is on the move in this season… and willing to do ANYTHING to MANIPULATE HER DESTINY. What the Lord wants you to see is that if you stand close to him, she will lose her power. Why? Because the light in you will EXPOSE HER PLOY! You will learn to RESIST HER.

Take a look at Rebekah in operation.

Copyright 2010 Theresa Harvard Johnson (Read Part I Here) Saints, the signs are right in front of us. No longer can we tip-toe around Rebekah and HOPE she gets delivered. If there’s one thing I learned about my Lord Jesus Christ, it is that we must confront sin. In Rebekah’s case, this is what was…

Copyright 2009 Theresa Harvard Johnson

James 1:2-4 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”**

Have you been through a storm lately? Are you in the midst of one now OR maybe just coming out? Either way, storms are and will be a part of this life as long as we live. When I was a child, I didn’t understand that… and I long sometimes for those days to come back again. Right now, there are some people dear to me that are really going through. In praying for them, this question rose in my spirit: “Why are they STILL going through this storm?”

This particular storm has been like a Tsunami for one of my friends and their family. If it wasn’t for their faith, I am sure they wouldn’t have survived this far. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had at least one storm like this in my own life and at that time I didn’t think I was going to make it — even with the Lord on my side.

Copyright 2013 Theresa Harvard Johnson

Psalm 46:1 CJB, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

This morning I awoke in intercession for scribes. I saw, heard and felt the depth of discouragement raging over many of them as they were pummeled into hopelessness. As I prayed, I could see hosts of angels dispatched to war on their behalf. It was such a battle because the discouragement was intense. It was then that I heard the voice of the Lord shout: “Arise! Arise! I am with you! I am with you! I have come to renew your SURE HOPE!”

 

As I sit here now, I am reminded of the days I have spent in discouragement concerning my own scribal ministry. I wasn’t gazing on the past; rather, I was remembering just how far God has brought me. For several seasons, I was on a rollercoaster. It was as if I would take one step forward and be pushed five steps back within myself. I often wondered if God was truly with me — that’s just how bad those setbacks were. Then, just before I was ready to throw in the towel and give up on this “scribal thing” God would make it known that he was “my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” 

And I was in trouble — at risk of losing my SURE HOPE.

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(I strongly encourage you to read this uplifting article, “I Declare That Your Name Is Joseph!”)

Copyright 2013 Theresa Harvard Johnson

(I strongly urge you to read Part I of this article before digging into this part. This article is written specifically for seasoned leaders who have been seeking the Lord for strategies to keep order within the ministries entrusted to them. It identifies a subtle attack that the enemy is using in this hour to bring division and distort authority in the midst of core leadership groups. Christ maintained the proper relationship with his disciples – with each one of them, outside of the son of perdition knowing their boundaries and navigating humbly within them. It is with this respect and honor that I share, what the Lord has been teaching me personally in this area. You may also check out this series: The Devastating Effects of Approaching Leadership Casually and The Re-Emergence of Diotrephes)

 

In the previous post, we began examining blatant disrespect. Now, we’re going to go deeper. Please bear with me as we cut through to the root of this issue. I want to be sure that understanding comes and that there is no room for the adversary to jump in with another Gospel. Pride and false humility will tell us quickly that, “We don’t need this.” Yet, I am learning daily that I am never too mature in my spiritual walk to be reinforced in the foundations of the Word.

 

Matthew 7:12 CJBsays, “Always treatothers as you would like them to treat you; that sums upthe teaching of the Torah and the Prophets.”

Take some time to really meditate on this passage of scripture that Christ quoted in a confrontation with the elders and priests in the temple. We are going to go deeply into it near the end of this post. This fresh revelation that Father is bringing from it has blessed me so much. I pray that it blesses you as well.

You see, as we discuss this subject we must address that there is this prevailing place of entitlement among the Body in which some “mentees, spiritual children and students” demand that they are treated with respect – but they care so little about how they treat those who lead them. These same mentees, spiritual children and students demand grace and compassion in the midst of their maturation process, but fail to extend the same courtesy to those who lead them.