http://www.identitynetwork.net The cost of living continues to rise. Prices increase while purchasing power seems to decrease. Families feel squeezed. Businesses face uncertainty. Hard-working people often discover that despite greater effort, they are struggling to gain ground. In fact, economists have increasingly described our current environment as the quiet erosion of the middle class. The pressure is not imaginary. It is measurable. It is affecting households, businesses, and communities everywhere. The natural response is understandable. When pressure increases, people instinctively tighten their grip. They become more cautious. They focus on preservation. They begin measuring every decision through the lens of what they can afford. Yet Kingdom people are called to live differently. The Kingdom does not ignore reality, but it is not governed by it either. Faith does not deny circumstances. Faith refuses to allow circumstances to have the final word. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300505&view=post&blogid=2093 Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 This past week, I've been thinking quite a bit about the two followers of Jesus who were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus after Jesus's death. Discouraged, disillusioned, and despairing would best describe them. Their hopes had been dashed and their dreams shattered. The story is found in Luke 24:13–34. As the two were walking and talking about all that had happened over the past few days, Jesus Himself came up and walked beside them—but they didn't recognize Him. I find that fascinating. Jesus had been brutally crucified on the cross, yet when He appeared to these two, the scars must not have been evident. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300506&view=post&blogid=2093 Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 "Go. Be Jesus." It's only three words, but it may be one of the simplest and most challenging invitations a person of faith can embrace. In a world filled with arguments about religion, politics, morality, and culture, those three words cut through the noise and bring us back to what really matters. They remind us that following Jesus was never supposed to be primarily about winning debates, defending institutions, or proving we are right. It was always about becoming people who embody the love, grace, compassion, and mercy that Jesus modeled. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300511&view=post&blogid=2093 Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Not every person in your life who is thriving is thriving because of their own anointing. Some are walking in overflow because they are positioned near someone who carries the unusual, weighty favor of God. This is called proximity to favor. There is a profound truth buried inside the early chapters of Genesis that many believers overlook about the favor of God. Lot became wealthy while traveling with Abram. This is an example of proximity to favor that is truly remarkable. What this means is that not everyone carrying the favor of God is the actual source of it—some are blessed because they are connected to the one carrying the unusual favor from God. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300476&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Recently, I heard the Lord say that greater shaking was ahead and that this is a crucial time to possess the Spirit of the fear of the Lord. I came across an article I had written and sensed that it was time to republish it: Fear can be either good or destructive, depending on who—or what—is being feared. We never need to fear the enemy or any circumstance when we are walking within the will of God. However, if we step outside His will, fear becomes a warning signal. God created fear as a protective mechanism to keep humanity from harm. In this sense, fear can serve a redemptive purpose by drawing us back to God and producing obedience. Hebrews 10:30–31 reminds us that the Lord will judge His people and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300477&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Decisions are made with the heart, not the head. Whether it was your last purchase of a house, car, clothing or selecting the spouse you fell in love with, your heart made the decision, and your brain made the justification. The head rationalizes what the heart has already decided. Neuroscience bears this out too: research into emotional processing has consistently demonstrated that patients who lose access to the emotional centers of their brain become incapable of making decisions, even when full rational capacity is intact. Hearts make decisions — but the implications depend entirely on the framework you bring to it. New thought philosophy hears "the heart decides" and concludes that the heart is simply the subconscious mind, a programmable mechanism that can be loaded with the right imagery, affirmations, and identity cues in order to produce desired outcomes. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300485&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Smith Wigglesworth was a great preacher. But before he was a preacher, he was a plumber who wasn't a Christian—nor a very nice man. Fortunately for him, he had a godly wife. He didn't want her to go to church, but she went anyway. When she did, he'd lock her out of the house, and when she came home, she'd have to sleep on the back porch. In the morning he'd unlock the door and she'd come in and say, "Good morning, Smithy!" and make him breakfast. She was a godly example for him. She prayed for him and God gave her the grace to be good to him in spite of his rude behavior. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300438&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Not long ago, I got a personal prophecy from a prophet.  You may be thinking, wait a minute, I thought you were a prophet. Why are you getting a prophetic word from another prophet? Well, the truth is I still look for confirmation and insight into what I may not be seeing or things God already told me.  In any case, I got a prophecy from a prophet, and he told me something God is about to do.  It was confirmation on something I knew God needed to do and something I have been praying for.  So, I accepted the prophetic word with joy. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300440&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Decades ago, I was participating in an all-night prayer meeting, "bombarding the gates of heaven." I remember beating the wall and yelling, "God, if You loved the people in Arlington, Texas, half as much as I do, we'd have revival!" Immediately, my lightning-fast mind realized that something was seriously wrong with my theology. What was I thinking? Did I really believe I loved these people more than God did? No, not exactly. Like many Christians, I believed God was angry with the human condition, and it was up to me to turn Him from wrath and judgment. I was interceding, or so I thought, pleading with God on the behalf of others. What could possibly be wrong with that? http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300441&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 We are living in unprecedented times, and although darkness covers the earth, the Holy Spirit is still moving through us, and hovering over us. He is about to do amazing things in our midst, but we have to be ready. It's imperative that we not only raise our level of expectation, but also our level of spiritual awareness and sensitivity to recognize what Jesus is doing in this time and season. As I said before, it is not enough to be a mediocre Christian if we want to experience the deep things of God. We need to be filled with The Holy Spirit before we could position our hearts to hear from Him. With this infilling, we come into a holy union with our creator. We are then able to hear His voice and know His ways. Then we'll recognize the different moods and moves of The Holy Spirit. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300452&view=post&blogid=2093 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 In a world obsessed with platforms, titles, and perceived influence, we must remember: God is not impressed with our position; He is drawn to our posture. It is not where we sit, stand, or speak that determines our effectiveness—but how we bow in humility, how we listen to His Spirit, and how we live when no one is watching. Our private posture affects our public influence. Our private choices have public consequences. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300373&view=post&blogid=2093 Tue, 9 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 My friend, if I could sit across from you today—perhaps over a warm cup of tea and a quiet moment away from the noise of life—I would gently take your hand in mine and share with you a truth that has been forged in the deepest places of my own journey. Don't waste your pain. Now, I understand that those words may feel difficult to receive. Pain is not something we would ever choose for ourselves. It is not something we pray for or anticipate with eager expectation. More often than not, pain arrives uninvited, disrupting the life we thought we would live and rewriting the story we thought had already been planned. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300392&view=post&blogid=2093 Tue, 9 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 "A healed mind does not race. It responds." There is a particular quality of thinking that most people have experienced at least once, usually by accident. It arrives in the middle of a walk, or just after waking, or in the stillness following a conversation that went deeper than expected. It is not loud. It does not announce itself. It simply appears, and when it does, it has a quality that is unmistakable. it is clear, specific, unhurried, and exactly on point for the moment. This is not an altered state. It is not a spiritual achievement reserved for monks and mystics. It is what the mind naturally is when it has been freed from the weight of what it was never designed to carry. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=300311&view=post&blogid=2093 Mon, 8 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 So that your FAITH might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the POWER of God. 1 Corinthians 2:5b ESV We know the Church is being corrected in some of our doctrines and beliefs regarding the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Whether it's the use of spiritual gifts, the accuracy of prophecy, or the veracity of our leaders, we are being disciplined. But this process is not meant to reduce us – it is meant to purify and empower us. It is not only our doctrines that are being tested, but our faith in a supernatural God. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=299693&view=post&blogid=2093 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 It's a question I frequently hear. It's one I've asked. And maybe it's one you've asked, too. It's, "God, why did You give this to me?" This can be any number of issues from emotional or psychological struggles, to symptoms or sicknesses, disabilities or disasters. When we struggle for so long, the tendency is to eventually blame God, which is exactly what the enemy wants. The devil's goal with a question like this is to take himself out of the limelight in order to make God seem to be the author of all evil. He does this to erode your confidence in God's goodness, and ultimately, your relationship and intimacy with Him. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=299706&view=post&blogid=2093 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 If you've ever had a difficult boss, coach, parent, or other superior figure, you likely know what it means to desire their favor. In some cases, it seems futile to even try, especially if they tend to find fault with anything and everything you do. In the best cases they can be pleased, if you work hard. Regardless, it's challenging to live under such circumstances because you rarely feel they are pleased and therefore, you seldom feel satisfied. It's comforting, then, to read Psalm 90 and realize that the Superior of superiors, the everlasting God, is able and willing to shine His favor upon His people.     http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=299707&view=post&blogid=2093 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 "I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak" (Matt.12:36 – CSB). "For nothing is concealed that won't be revealed. And nothing hidden that won't be made known and brought to light" (Luke 8:17 – CSB). These are my least favorite verses in the New Testament. They are the words of Jesus. Am I to believe them? Are they true? Will all I have said and all I have done be revealed openly on the day of judgment? I hope not. According to Jesus, it is only a matter of time when all that is knowable about you and me will be out in the open. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=299626&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 "If you think Jesus would flip that table, why would you want to pull up a chair to sit at it?" That question has been sitting with me lately, especially while watching so much of modern culture reward behavior that feels completely disconnected from compassion, humility, or basic human decency. We live in a moment where outrage is entertainment, cruelty is often mistaken for strength, and power seems to matter more than integrity. Too many people no longer ask whether something is right or wrong. Instead, they ask whether it benefits their side, protects their tribe, or helps them win. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=299640&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Many years ago, as I was ministering in Westville, Oklahoma, I began to prophesy and heard myself say, "There's more to prophecy and prophesying than you thought." I didn't know what that might be, so I had to keep talking to find out what God was saying. The Spirit of God continued, "Don't say, 'I can't prophesy,' for you can. You can prophesy in your prayer closet. You can prophesy in your car. And you can prophesy when you're alone. Did I not say that in the last days, I would pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy?" http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=299494&view=post&blogid=2093 Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 If you were to hold an ancient shepherd's staff in your hands, you would feel more than just the smoothed grain of almond or oak. You would feel the ridges of a life story. In the quiet hours of the night watch, a shepherd would take a small knife to the wood, carving the milestones of his journey into the very tool he leaned upon. There might be a notch for a narrow escape from a predator, a symbol for a year of plenty, or the initials of a father and grandfather who carried a staff just like it. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=299275&view=post&blogid=2093 Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Jesus valued friendship. In John 15:15, Jesus told His disciples, "I have called you friends." Such a profound statement coming from the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! That Jesus invited you and me into deep friendship is nothing short of miraculous! But let's go a bit deeper and consider three lessons we can learn from His friendships. Psychologists teach us how important secure attachment is in forming deep relationships later in life. As our Creator, Jesus knew how important that place of secure attachment is. So He encouraged His friends to abide in Him (John 15:4). http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=299195&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Most people approach their roles, responsibilities, and daily work as obligations - things to manage, survive, or simply get through. But that perspective misses one of the most powerful Kingdom realities: Your assignment is not a task - it is a territory. And you were never sent into that territory just to function. You were sent there to govern it. There is a defining difference between working in an assignment and ruling within it. Most people show up to complete tasks. But from a Kingdom perspective, you were designed to establish Heaven's order in a defined space. You are not just present- you are positioned. Not just active—you are authorized. Not just responsible—you are representative of God's rule. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=299225&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 Around 3 a.m., the Words "A Cataclysmic Collapse" came to me. Later that morning, I came across 1 Thessalonians 5:3, which speaks of peace and sudden destruction. "While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape." 1 Thessalonians 5:3. I had never heard of "A Cataclysmic Collapse" and didn't even know its spelling. I looked it up on my dictionary app. I never dwell on The LORD's Judgments or anything negative about the future, even though The LORD warns about these end times. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=298991&view=post&blogid=2093 Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 What does it mean to be spiritually disciplined? In short, spiritual disciplines are the habits and patterns you walk in that produce spiritual maturity and growth. Yet not all spiritual disciplines are created equal. Many spiritual disciplines have been misused, hindering the growth and life they were intended to bring. As Jesus taught, we must discern people and practices by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20). The fruit of true spiritual discipline is holy transformation–becoming more alive, more whole, more purposeful, and more like Jesus. They are habits and patterns that produce spiritual maturity and growth. They feed your faith and starve your fears. http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=298759&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400 The true active Church (global) that we know today is going to face some changes. The ones who are working to maintain it and increase it for His Glory are doing well. But not all churches are doing that!  Some have slacked off, some have gotten into wrong doctrine, and some are just dying off. Some have gone on to Glory, which is to their benefit, but some have just gotten lazy and complacent and let "others" just do it for them. They will toss in some money gifts, but pretty much let all the others do the work! http://www.identitynetwork.net/Articles-?articleid=298760&view=post&blogid=2093 Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400