the_haggai_project

Swag with Purpose

Mon, 19 May 2025 20:26:53 GMT

I LOVE TO PRAY: Swag with Purpose

This is the story of I LOVE TO PRAY:

It was Halloween 2023, and I was running all around my house, cooking, cleaning, and setting up. Instead of celebrating Halloween, we were hosting friends for dinner and worship.

In the midst of the final preparations, I suddenly paused. Unexpectedly, my heart focused intensely on children. I knew the Lord was calling me to do something with children. I had no idea what, but "THE CHILDREN" was emblazoned on my soul.

THE CHILDREN need to be protected. THE CHILDREN need to be loved. The CHILDREN need guidance. THE CHILDREN need a powerful relationship with God and to know that God is the ultimate authority.....and on and on..... THE CHILDREN!

So, I started stepping out in faith. It began with a post on my children's school's GroupMe, which led to gatherings.

The gatherings started with "I Love to Pray" as the first PowerPoint slide and grew to include coloring pages, a craft, a message, snacks, and a song with dance moves. At some point, I began calling these gatherings I LOVE TO PRAY .

After much prayer, I felt led to pause the gatherings because I was being called to create a curriculum: The I LOVE TO PRAY curriculum. As of today, I'm still developing that curriculum.

I worked with an incredible music producer, and the I LOVE TO PRAY song is now mastered. While working on pre-production for the music video, I connected with a Miami artist who designed the shirts for the kids in the video.

Then, I had an idea: What about an I LOVE TO PRAY swag line?! A swag line consisting of hats, shirts, phone cases, backpacks, totes, water bottles, coffee mugs, and more.

SWAG WITH PURPOSE! The purpose is to: 1) encourage prayer, 2) spark conversations that lead to sharing the good news of who we pray to, and 3) direct 100% of proceeds to support the development of this curriculum.

Every brand sells "something" with its products. I LOVE TO PRAY promotes PRAYER--something healthy, powerful, life-changing, life-giving, and healing.

Purchase today with purpose for yourself, children, and friends at www.TheHaggaiProject.live/store.

Wear I LOVE TO PRAY and bless someone TODAY!!

Lessons from Abigail's God Story Day 5 CHARACTER MATTERS

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Enjoy 5 Power-Packed Days!

Lessons from Abigail's Story

Day 5: Character Matters

Positioning Prayer: Heavenly Father, I deeply desire to walk in alignment with You and to know You. Teach me Your ways. Bless me with Understanding. Allow Your wisdom to guide my every thought, word, and deed. Thank you for speaking to me as I study your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 25:2-42; Psalm 15; 2. Samuel 3:3

Many measure the value of a person based on their financial worth. However, wealth and excellent character are not directly related. Wealth doesn’t indicate excellent character, and vice-a-versa. In fact, wealth doesn’t change a person, it just magnifies who the person really is.

   Nabal stripped of his wealth was a mere fool; Nabal with his wealth was a dangerous fool. His foolishness caused his household to be an unsafe and hostile environment. Everyone always covering their backs. Abigail, however, was “a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance,” with or without wealth! Character matters.

   Nabal, who was financing a huge party, could have easily blessed David with food. It was already prepared. It was a small ask compared to the wealth he gained by having a private security force guarding his employees and goods day and night. If he had character, he would have not only given David food, but would have invited him and some men to the party. He may have even gifted David with some of his profits. But Nabal was a man of no character and, thus, put his whole household in jeopardy.

   Abigail could have heard the news and rejoiced that David would kill her husband and she would finally be rid of him. She could have picked up her things, her favorite relatives, and servants, and left Nabal for a couple of days. She could have said that the Lord orchestrated this whole situation for her to escape her horrible husband and not lifted a finger. But Abigail was a woman of character. She understood that, as Nabal’s wife, she was one flesh with him. So, she readied herself to make the wrong right and even shield her husband from his own folly. She led her servants, faced an enraged “enemy,” and turned David’s heart in such a way that he called her “blessed.” She did what was right. Character Matters.

   God honored Abigail’s character. The Lord dealt with Nabal and then placed Abigail under the protection of a godly husband, David. God gave her a son, which was a sign of God’s favor in her day. And, the Lord included her story in the Bible so through the ages, people can learn from her! Character matters!

Activating Prayer: Lord, I repent for any lack in my character. Lord, I need help. Form me into a person that has Godly character. This is my desire and I trust that you will do it. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

To read all 6 weeks of devotionals, click here .

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The Haggai Project is for YOU.

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(Photo by Mike Enerio)

Lessons from Abigail's God Story Day 4 VALUE DISCERNMENT

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Enjoy 5 Power-Packed Days!

Lessons from Abigail's Story

Day 4: Value Discernment

Positioning Prayer: Heavenly Father, I deeply desire to walk in alignment with You and to know You. Teach me Your ways. Bless me with Understanding. Allow Your wisdom to guide my every thought, word, and deed. Thank you for speaking to me as I study your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 25:2-44; Proverbs 3: 21-27

Dishonesty runs rampant. It always unnerves me that someone can look me in the eyes and lie to my face. But people do it often. That’s one of the reasons I love walking with the Lord. The Holy Spirit always leads me to know who to trust or what to trust in a moment. We need to know the best choice, the good choice, and the bad choice. The need for discernment is essential to detect liars and to make decisions. By valuing discernment, we will readily recognize and act on it.

Abigail needed discernment. One day, out of the blue, her servant tells her a treacherous story of blessing and betrayal and her husband is playing the villain. Her servant could have been lying to her. He could have misunderstood the exchange. There are several variables that could have qualified his side of the story as tainted. Quickly, Abigail had to assess the situation. History with her husband Nabal and history with this servant definitely helped her assessment. She had to take her servant’s first-hand account of David’s protection as truth. She had to believe that her husband would scream/revile/rail at David. She had to believe that because of what her husband did, now “harm is determined against [Nabal] and all his household.” The stakes were high.

Truly only God knows the heart. The Lord had blessed Abigail with discernment, likely honed over many years. Accordingly, in an emergency, she was able to discern that everything the servant said was truth and, as a result, had to act fast. Praise God that she did! She intercepted David and around 400 men on their route to slaughter the men of her household. She not only discerned the trustworthiness of her servant, but she discerned what she needed to do: bring food, beg for forgiveness, and honor David and his relationship with the Lord. It was within her power to do this, so she did.

Without discerning all of this, a horrendous tragedy would have befallen them all. But because she had developed and valued discernment, she and her whole household were able to go to bed without fear that night because sudden disaster had been averted.

Activating Prayer: Lord, I repent for any time I have not valued discernment. I declare from this day forward I will value discernment. I want to know your perspective of every situation. I want to see it from your eternal viewpoint and respond with Godly discernment. In faith, I am going to start walking in this manner. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

To read all 6 weeks of devotionals, click here .

Join the movement to become a House of Prayer.

Sign-up for the Online Program & then enjoy a Retreat.

Pray with Me.

Read an Article.

Purchase books, art, & music.

The Haggai Project is for YOU.

www.TheHaggaiProject.org

(Photo by Arthur Chauvin)

Lessons from Abigail's God Story Day 3 SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM FOOLISHNESS

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Enjoy 5 Power-Packed Days!

Lessons from Abigail's Story

Day 3: Separate Yourself from Foolishness

Positioning Prayer: Heavenly Father, I deeply desire to walk in alignment with You and to know You. Teach me Your ways. Bless me with Understanding. Allow Your wisdom to guide my every thought, word, and deed. Thank you for speaking to me as I study your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 25:2-44, Romans 14:17-18; 1 Peter 4:8

Being married to a fool is hard. Being irreversibly connected with foolish people through bloodlines and community is hard. How do you live an honorable life before God and deal with fools?

Abigail represents a perfect example of how to live a Kingdom lifestyle while navigating the effects of idiots. Literally, her husband’s name Nabal means “fool.” He lived up to his name; even his servants called him in KJV a “son of Belial,” meaning a “good for nothing,” and in other translations like NKJV a “scoundrel.” Nabal’s foolish decision to insult David was not unique. He had a pattern of this behavior.

Abigail was able to exist in this environment because of her 1) faith, 2) joy, and 3) righteous behavior. Her faith, on display in her conversation with David, indicates a woman who trusted and had a relationship with God. Her joy, known by her name meaning “my source is joy” allowed her to righteously respond in wisdom to the situation. Joy, being her source, led her to righteous behavior; she was not paralyzed by anxiety, stress, or other carnal responses. These three things separated her from the foolishness of her husband.

Some may think because Abigail went behind her husband’s back, she wronged her husband. While he was partying, she was blessing David with food, humility, and Godly advice. But Abigail did not wrong her husband. Walking in wisdom and love, she was protecting him and her whole household. Foolishness had blinded him, but she could see clearly and as his wife had the authority to cover his sin. The next day, after he was sober, she then informed him of her actions. Her actions were not selfish but intended to protect the whole household, even her husband. Nabal had no idea what devastation he was bringing down on them. His brashness invited the slaughter of all the males.

Abigail, because she knew right from wrong and good from evil, did not allow herself to be lulled into complacency because she needed to “let her husband lead.” Nor did she allow herself to be an accessory to evil. She separated herself from foolishness and aligned herself with the Lord. From this alignment she was able to make wise decisions that saved her own household from death and destruction and saved David from sinning against God by shedding innocent blood in anger. And because Abigail separated herself from foolishness, she found favor with God and David.

Activating Prayer: Lord, I repent for any time I have lacked faith, joy, and righteousness in my decision and actions. I repent for any time I have aligned myself with foolishness. Every day I desire to walk with You. I desire to walk with You in strong faith, unrockable joy, and deep righteousness. Show me the way. I ask for wisdom. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

To read all 6 weeks of devotionals, click here .

Join the movement to become a House of Prayer.

Sign-up for the Online Program & then enjoy a Retreat.

Pray with Me.

Read an Article.

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The Haggai Project is for YOU.

www.TheHaggaiProject.org

(Photo by Kristian Lovstad)

Lessons from Abigail's God Story Day 2 GOD WILL AVENGE

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 11:45:00 GMT

Enjoy 5 Power-Packed Days!

Lessons from Abigail's Story

Day 2: God Will Avenge

Positioning Prayer: Heavenly Father, I deeply desire to walk in alignment with You and to know You. Teach me Your ways. Bless me with Understanding. Allow Your wisdom to guide my every thought, word, and deed. Thank you for speaking to me as I study your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 25:2-44, Romans 2:6, Deut 32:35

Many times, our first instinct is to lash out in revenge. Somebody did us wrong, WE will set it straight. Anger, righteous indignation, pain, embarrassment can all contribute to our response. But there is a better way.

David was right; Nabal had repaid him evil for good. David had directly increased Nabal’s wealth by acting as a private security detail for every shepherd and sheep. In response to this, Nabal denied knowing David and even called him a mere run-a-way slave. David, the King’s son-in-law, known to be a victorious warrior in battle, an unknown? No, Nabal with his words and denial of David’s request for food, had unleased insults and disrespect upon David. This was evil.

David’s warrior instincts went into high gear. In a flash, Nabal had become an enemy and now his household would deeply suffer. Around 400 men “girded on [their] sword” with the intent to kill.

Then, Abigail, with her wisdom and honor turned David’s heart. She brought gifts: “two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five seahs of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs.” She took the lowly position as she “fell on her face before David, and bowed down to the ground.” She began to speak against Nabal’s actions, to ask for forgiveness, to declare the promises of God over David’s life, and to give advice. Her words reminded David who he ultimately was and that he did not need to avenge himself, the Lord would avenge him.

And, in fact, the Lord did avenge David. “The Lord struck Nabal, and he died,” and David “proposed to Abigail, to take her as his wife.” “The Lord [had] returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head,” and David married a wise and honorable woman. God will avenge.

Activating Prayer : Lord, I truly repent for all the times I have avenged myself. Please, bring people like Abigail in my life to remind me who I am in You. Thank You that You avenge. You will repay. Everything in the past and everything in the future meant to disrespect and dishonor me, I give to you. Thank you that you will do the right thing in each and every case. I take my hands off and put the situation and people into Your hands.

To read all of Her God Story's 6 weeks of devotionals, click here .

Join the movement to become a House of Prayer.

Sign-up for the Online Program & then enjoy a Retreat.

Pray with Me.

Read an Article.

Purchase books, art, & music.

The Haggai Project is for YOU.

www.TheHaggaiProject.org

(Photo by Lewis Zhao)

Lessons from Abigail's God Story Day 1 THE POWER OF HONOR

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 11:00:00 GMT

Enjoy 5 Power-Packed Days!

Lessons from Abigail's Story

Lessons from Abigail’s God Story

This year I was asked to be a guest on Her God Story podcast. After my interview I was honored to be asked to write for the Her God Story 6-Week Devotional . As a result, I wrote a week of devotionals dedicated to the story of Abigail. Enjoy! See link to full devotional below.

Day 1: The Power of Honor

Positioning Prayer: Heavenly Father, I deeply desire to walk in alignment with You and to know You. Teach me Your ways. Bless me with Understanding. Allow Your wisdom to guide my every thought, word, and deed. Thank you for speaking to me as I study your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 25:2-44

My children have started to spontaneously honor me with their lips. I awake in the morning to their compliments and go to bed at night covered with their words of blessing. I never knew the power of this honor until I became the recipient of their positive words.
Their compliments overwhelm me and give me energy to do more and more for them. They have learned that they experience an energetic smiling Mommy when they fill their mouths with honor.

Honor shifts relationships and situations. When we choose to honor, peace invades and everything moves in a positive life-giving direction. Dishonor causes the opposite results: destruction, devastation, and death. Abigail’s story emphasizes the power of honor.

David, while living in the wilderness, had been protecting Nabal’s shepherds and flocks to such an extent that he and his men were described as a “wall” that provided such protection that the shepherds “were not hurt nor did [they] miss anything.” Instead of raiding the flocks for food, he preserved them and the shepherds and sheep flourished. David honored Nabal and literally created wealth for him without asking for anything in return. This is an example of sacrificial wealth-creating honor.

Then, during a Feast Day, David via representatives asked Nabal for some food. Nabal’s response was dishonorable, disrespectful, and insulting. His response was such a slap in the face that David armed 400 of his men to kill every male in Nabal’s family. Nabal’s dishonor was about to bring death, devastation, and destruction upon Nabal’s household.

Fortunately, Abigail, Nabal’s wife, had an honorable servant who witnessed the exchange, knew it was wrong, and reported it to Abigail. The brave servant honored David and his men by reporting to Abigail the truth. This is an example of honor brought about by taking the role of an advocate of truth.

Abigail, being a woman of honor, worked in haste to correct her husband’s wrong. Knowing his dishonorable state of mind, she did not consult him. She did the right thing by quickly gathering food and jumping on a donkey to intercept David. She honored David with her behavior by “[falling] on her face before David and [bowing] down on the ground.” She complimented him with her lips and stated the truth about Nabal’s behavior. She pleaded for forgiveness, spoke into David’s destiny, and reminded him of God’s hand over his life. This tidal wave of honor changed David’s heart from that of a killer to that of a soft man of God. David’s heart was now full of respect towards Abigail and not murder. Honor is powerful.

Honor generates wealth, protects, advocates, and changes hearts. When we walk in it, blessings rise to the surface. Honor is powerful.

Activating Prayer: Lord, I desire to be a person on honor! I repent for every time I have not been honorable. I desire to live by Your standards. Please, Lord, bless me with the understanding of honor and how to integrate it in my life. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

To read all Her God Story's 6 weeks of devotionals, click here .

Join the movement to become a House of Prayer.

Sign-up for the Online Program & then enjoy a Retreat.

Pray with Me.

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The Haggai Project is for YOU.

www.TheHaggaiProject.org

(Photo by Anthony Roberts)

My Healing Testimony

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 14:19:01 GMT

It is my joy to share

my healing testimony.

My Healing Testimony

One December night in 2002, I did the unfathomable, I snuck out of my house for the first time. I was determined to get prayer. In a couple of days, a doctor was going to slice my neck open and remove my thyroid. My boyfriend told me, "My mother says that God will heal you. Will you agree to get prayer?" I agreed. I snuck out of my house to meet up with his mother and a married couple. They prayed over me and I felt love surround me. I said the "sinner's prayer" that night, but it wasn't until April 6, 2003, when I cognitively accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Between that night and my salvation, I called in sick to my surgery (I never returned), continued to take my thyroid medication, and had no doubt in my heart that God would heal me.

It took three years for the healing to manifest. I was finishing up my first semester of Law School when the mass on my thyroid became so big that with a mere glance (no doctor's note) the Assistant Dean informed me that all my finals would be postponed so I could have the mass biopsied for cancer. That led to three separate procedures and the discovery that the mass had liquified. During the last procedure, after syringes extracted vials and vials of dark to lighter blood, the two sides of the nodule touched and the mass verifiably was gone. My prayer of thanksgiving that the mass would self-destruct and liquify had been answered, but my doctor was not happy. He immediately sent me back to law school with a horribly bruised neck (from all the syringes) and no medication. For 7 years my body was dependent upon Synthroid and now the medication that regulated by body's energy and metabolism was gone. I had exams to take, law school to complete, and all I had was God.

The process of my healing and the brutal removal of my medication, allowed me to experience Spiritual Boot Camp. During the delay, I lived out unwavering faith and a theological correction: I did not have to wait upon God to heal me, He had already provided for my healing via the cross; I just needed to receive it in faith that "I was healed" and thank Him for my healing until it manifested. What a change in perspective! The whole process built unquenchable faith. Then, during the removal of my medication while in law school, an intimate relationship grew between myself and the Lord. My literal survival was at stake. I needed to know how to jumpstart my body in the mornings. I needed to know how I was going to make it without the medication. Prayer got me up in the mornings, lots of naps in God's Presence helped me concentrate in class, and the Holy Spirit told me when I would be called on, what to study, and what to do with my time. This was Spiritual Boot Camp. I was literally set apart and fully co-laboring with God. The Lord was preparing me for future assignments as my body was not only healed from a thyroid nodule but also from dependency on Synthroid. #OnlyGod

Join the movement to become a House of Prayer.

Sign-up for the Online Program & then enjoy a Retreat.

Pray with Me.

Read an Article.

Purchase books, art, & music.

The Haggai Project is for YOU.

www.TheHaggaiProject.live

(Photos by Mohamed Nohassi & Cristian Escobar)

5 Questions; 5 Minutes

Mon, 02 May 2022 11:46:33 GMT

Peek into an Interview.

Hear something new.

Phil @ The http://Reimagine.Network

asked the questions.

I answered.

"5 Questions; 5 Minutes"

Your book is certainly a prayer guide, but it also looks like it can function as a personal journal, a daily devotional, a Scripture study... How did this format come together for you?

Thank you for noticing! I knew that the graphic designer was key to taking my “multi-purposed” format and turning it into a palatable adventure. Visually it’s so easy to enter this God-journey, whether the reader is a new or mature Christian, because the format gives space for God to transform the reader’s soul. Therefore, the book is interactive and a complete compilation of every thought Jesus expressed found simultaneously in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). His Words (the provided Scriptures) birthed every prayer, “Let’s Agree” section, and summary, and each of those parts empower the reader to journal their thoughts, to pray with understanding, and to align with the Kingdom of God. In other words, the format was created by a healthy symbiotic relationship with the Word and a desire for everyone to be on the same page, in agreement, when praying.

2. What happens when someone is diligent to focus on praying what the words Jesus spoke to those he

encountered?

It’s important: when God says something three times. God specifically emphasized in three separate Gospels these Words of Jesus. Thus, He not only wants us to understand His heart concerning these matters, but praying them through will bring His Will into one’s life and/or situation. A Christian aligned with Heaven is unstoppable. Alignment comes with knowing, understanding, and acting on the Word. Prayer is an action, and specifically, it maintains, cultivates, and implements alignment with the Kingdom of God. How can we not sense the call to pray the literal words of Jesus repeated thrice!

3. How does this discipline of Scripture-fed praying build up, disciple, the reader?

If someone wants strong muscles, they must work out and push themselves so their muscle fibers tear, heal, and grow. If a believer wants to have a strong inner man, they must let the Word tear the world from their soul, heal any brokenness with its truth, and strengthen them as they implement that understanding in their life and prayer. Scripture-fed praying builds a strong inner man. It requires understanding God’s heart in the Scriptures and calls the believer not only to align their life with that Word but to speak that life within the Scriptures over themselves, others, situations, cities, nations, etc. It’s the antidote for weak and wavering Christians. So many believers pray soulish or fleshly prayers not built on the Word and those prayers create bondage not breakthrough. Word-based prayer corrects behaviors and thinking while bringing the will of the Lord into the life of the person praying and their prayer objective.

4. How do you hope this book will be used by?

Individuals? My hope would be that that the 31-Day Journey would be an annual feast of Jesus’ Words until God’s heart is emblazoned in the Reader’s, and the Reader can recall Jesus’ Words and pray seamlessly the Word via the RDTP Prayer Strategy, which is introduced in the book and is the framework for every prayer.

Intercessors? This book will be a challenge for Intercessors because I’m asking for their prayers to have a paradigm shift. For them to repent first, declare the Word second, and then enter into thanksgiving and prayer. It also challenges them to re-evaluate their prayer life. How much do they actually pray the Word? How much of their prayers are actually Spirit led? The book would be healthy for them, and my hope is that they will be open.

Pastors? Just like our bodies need a check-up, so does our soul. The book provides a private one-on-one with God concerning matters important to Him. A Pastor would literally be able to evaluate His sermons and how he has been leading the sheep. Also, He would strengthen His inner man and either start or further the habit of Praying the Word.

Church Leaders? For Church Leaders, the book provides personal and leadership value. In a private way, they can assess how their life, teaching, and advice aligns with Jesus’ Words, and they can assess how their ministry is doing. Furthermore, it provides a prayer strategy that works, which they can implement and teach others to do.

Small Groups? This book is perfect for a Small Group that values theologically sound discussions and rich, fruitful prayers.

5. Natasha, please write a prayer you would hope each person reading this prays as a response to what they have just read.

Jesus, I repent for not esteeming Your Words. God, you saw fit for Jesus’ thoughts to be repeated

three times and I, we, Your Church, Your Bride has not seen fit to value them. I repent. I don’t want

to live this way. Lord, I desire to value what you have given me. I declare that I will abide in Your

Words and Your Words will abide in Me. I declare that I will speak your Word over situations not

my soulish or fleshly will. Wherever I am, I desire to go deeper. I will understand Your Heart and live

and pray according to Your Heart. Thank you for continually giving me opportunity to know You deeper. I praise You for Your loving and tender ways that constantly draws me closer to You.

Join the movement to become a House of Prayer.

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Pray with Me.

Read an Article.

The Haggai Project is for YOU.

www.TheHaggaiProject.live

To Buy the Book,

go to www.TheHaggaiProject.live/store.

(Photo by Nathan Dumlao)

A Habitation Focus Sustains Revival

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 15:18:16 GMT

With child-like wonder and innocence

leave all pre-conceived notions behind &

join me as I unpack how "A Habitation Focus Sustains Revival."

"A Habitation Focus Sustains Revival"

It’s all the buzz. “Revival! Revival! Revival is coming!” People are shouting about Revival from pulpits to social media platforms. Expectation and public awareness of Revival is permeating consciousness. Intercessors are praying with more fervency; Evangelists are positioning themselves to harvest souls; Christian leaders are sharing their opinions of where and how the Revival will come. And who doesn’t just love the fruit of Revival—people returning to God, people being saved, people set on fire for God. Uber goodness!

When does the drum of Revival become idolatry? When does the focus shift from God to the idea of Revival, to the outcomes of Revival? When is God no longer worshiped in “Revival”? The answer to these questions is complex, varied, and vast. Whatever the reason for this idolatrous shift, the result is always the same: a shorten, weakened Revival, namely, one dead on arrival.

How can Revival be sustained, then? How can God’s people maintain a Revival lifestyle? How can Revival be a cultural norm? How do those who are saved, healed, rededicated, and delivered during Revival continue in their refreshed walk? The answer is simple: Revival should not be the focus. God’s Habitation should be the focus.

It’s all about the focus--a focus not merely on God (for there is a plethora of that which begets no resulting continuous Revival) but a focus on God’s Habitation. God’s Habitation—His presence permanently dwelling with us—is a measured establishment of His Kingdom. Wherever there is peace, joy, and righteousness in the Holy Spirit, the Kingdom of God is present (Romans 14:17). Once the Kingdom of God has been established and continuously cultivated, Revival is sustainable. Revival is the fruit of the Kingdom of God, namely God’s Presence. As we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, our needs (even those needs for Revival) shall be met (Matt 6:33). As we abide in Him and He in us, whatever we ask for will be done (the Revival that we seek for ourselves, our families, our Church, our city, our nation will be done) (John 15:1-8). The word “Habitation” succinctly summarizes the notion of us (individually and corporately) abiding in Him and He in us and advances the notion that the Kingdom of God can physically be detectable at specific locations via the recognition of the peace, joy, and righteousness that abounds.

As a result, God’s Habitation, should be the focus, the end goal, what we buzz about: such a deep intimacy with God that He dwells with us. Our hearts need to scream, cry out, yearn for God’s permeating powerful presence: the Presence that heals, the Presence that protects, the Presence that exposes and eliminates darkness, the Presence that reflects all of God’s names (Jer 29:13). When we focus on God’s Habitation, everything will follow with permanence. When we shift focus to one result of God’s Habitating presence like Revival, we get a time-sensitive result.

Let’s unpack this a bit more. Yes, God indwells a person at salvation, but that is not the Habitation referenced within this article. We are talking about a Habitation that is attained when the Spirit of God is unquenched within a believer(s), i.e. the believer(s) is/are intimately repenting, praying, understanding the Word, obeying, maintaining a humble heart before God. Only then can a true partnership with the Kingdom of God be cultivated and maintained. As the believer(s) nurture(s) this Presence of God through prayer and living an obedient repentant lifestyle with a humble heart-position before God, the co-laboring birthed through obedience expands the believer’s authority and draws the Kingdom of God to settle. Consider Jesus as a Son of Man, how He carried the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God could not settle, could not manifest when there was doubt and unbelief but where there was faith, even a mustard seed, the Kingdom of God manifested in healings, deliverances, salvations, etc. Everywhere Jesus went there was Revival, why? He was a Habitationalist. Now, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus, and when believers co-labor with God in obedience that authority manifests in the physical realm (Matt 28:18). Consider those dwelling in God’s Presence in the Upper Room at Pentecost and the result was that the Kingdom of God manifested in such a way that 3,000 people were saved—that day. Consider how God’s Presence was so strong upon Peter that when Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit, they dropped dead. When God’s Presence is grounded, unholiness will not abound. Peter was a Habitationalist.

When the focus is on God’s Habitation, true believers will do what is necessary to obtain and sustain the strong relationship which draws His Habitation. So, how specifically do we pursue God’s Habitation for ourselves, our household, our neighborhoods, cities, nation, world? Consider the following three ways:

1. The 2 Chronicles 4:17 Model.

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves,

and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then

I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

A contingent statement issued by God—2 Chronicles 4:17 outlines all we need to know concerning how to attract God’s Habitation. Although a contingent statement, this verse releases a promise, a guaranteed result. God will hear our prayers, He will forgive us, and He will heal our land. All His remnant people must do is live a repentant lifestyle (repenting for their own and other’s sins) drenched in prayer and humbly seeking His intimacy. [1] Easy right?

Well, the plan is simple, but we, the Called Ones, the remnant must be relentless and undistracted in our pursuit. Again, the pursuit is not for Revival, but for God’s Habitation.

2. Worship in Spirit and Truth

God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). When God’s people worship Him in spirit and truth and draw neigh to Him, He draws neigh (James 4:8). In order to worship in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24) and ascend the hill of the Lord, one must have clean hands and a pure heart (Psalm 24:3-4). Thus, the depth of relationship draws God’s Presence and the sustaining of the clean hands and pure heart maintains His Presence. Worship is not merely musical adoration but lifestyle--everything that encapsulates our life, our interactions, our verbal and musical exclamations must be worship. Being carriers of His Presence means that God’s Habitation has been established around us. When that is established, Revival spills forth--people cannot help being saved, healed, delivered, and set on fire in pursuit of God.

3. Individuals Building Themselves Each as a House of Prayer

The Book of Haggai contains an overarching message: God calls individual believers to each become a House of Prayer, and those who respond to the call will thrive. [2] The literal construction work of building oneself as a House of Prayer is done by praying the Word. The literal promise in the Book of Haggai is that after building oneself as a House of Prayer for over 3 months, a believer will thrive. When a believer fully thrives, he/she experiences no lack in any area of his/her life. The adventure looks like an upward moving spiral where progression is a constant. When a believer fully thrives in relationship with God, they become a Habitationalist—one whom cultivates God’s Presence to such a degree that His Kingdom is established within their life and household and overflows into other facets of life. Becoming a House of Prayer is invaluable and arguably, expected. An individual who is building themselves as a House of Prayer, is preparing themselves as a dwelling place for God’s Habitation.

We must be individuals who easily repent, daily build ourselves as Houses of Prayer, take time to understand the Word, and maintain a deep, vibrant, worshipful, and humble relationship with the Almighty. Sustained focus on abiding creates Habitationalists and invariably cultivates and sustains Revival. Let us be aware of satan’s tricks! The Adversary wants us to take our eyes off God and place it elsewhere. Let us not fall for this! Let us focus on abiding and let the fruit of being Habitationalists, like Revival, naturally flow. When the Church takes on a “Habitation” lifestyle, Revival will be normative.

#BeAHabitationalist

[1] “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9 This is part of our identity in Christ.

[2] For more information: www.TheHaggaiProject.live

**A huge "Thank You" to Phil Miglioratti

from #reimagineFORUM for publishing this article on Discipleship.Network.**

Join the movement to become a House of Prayer.

Sign-up for the Online Program & then enjoy a Retreat.

Pray with Me.

Read an Article.

The Haggai Project is for YOU.

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(Photos by Maria Lupan & Ben White )

Travel with Me!

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:18:15 GMT

You are invited to Travel with Me!

Our journey will be Spirit-led

(He is the Guide! Gal 5:22-23)

& it will be fun!!

Together we will draw closer to God & thrive in every area of our life.

Join the movement to become

a House of Prayer.

Sign-up for the Online Program &

then enjoy a Retreat.

Pray with Me.

Read an Article.

The Haggai Project is for YOU.

www.TheHaggaiProject.live

(Photos by Matt Howard & Patrick Tomasso)

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Swag with Purpose

I LOVE TO PRAY: Swag with Purpose

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**Lessons from Abigail's God Story** Day 3 SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM FOOLISHNESS

**Lessons from Abigail's God Story** Day 2 GOD WILL AVENGE

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Travel with Me!

Lessons from Abigail's God Story Day 5 CHARACTER MATTERS

Lessons from Abigail's God Story Day 4 VALUE DISCERNMENT

Lessons from Abigail's God Story Day 3 SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM FOOLISHNESS

Lessons from Abigail's God Story Day 2 GOD WILL AVENGE

Lessons from Abigail's God Story Day 1 THE POWER OF HONOR