Shalom Saints,
Amongst all the important messages that Efraiym has delivered at House of Israel Charlotte, thisTeaching was stellar! Why? This Teaching touched the spirits of the Saints with its practical applications that we all could relate to in our faith walk. The testimonies, confessions, and revelations shared during the Q & A Session were witnesses to Efraiym’s message being for “such a time as this!”
To set the stage for the Teaching and to help us reach a depth of understanding of just how tangible the presence of Elohim can be, Efraiym read from Isaiah 6:1-4. He wanted us to grasp a higher order presence of Elohim and feel the presence of Elohim right now. This was done in order to have a contrast with the experience of feeling that Elohim is not present when we go through trials and tribulations, or are in a state of disobedience.
Isaiah 6:1-4
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Learn more about the call to Hear and Obey: Hear O Israel… (DVD)
Efraiym let us know that if we are wondering where Elohim is, it could be for one of these reasons:
- We are Shackled to Sin; we do not have a relationship with Elohim and we do not have the ears to hear Elohim.
- At the start of the Journey we were doing well, but we forgot our first love – a relationship with Elohim.
- We have just left the Mountain Top and feel like something is wrong when we come down off the high level spiritual experience.
- We are in a Valley Low and believe that we are alone. Efraiym’s remedy: When you speak to yourself, encourage yourself.
Psalm 118:17
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
- We are going through a wild Roller Coaster ride of up and down experiences.
- We are Sinning when we know better.
- We are Listening to the Wrong Voices.
- Like Job, you are being shown off by Elohim.
Efraiym reminded us that sin separates us from Elohim. Sin will cause us to build barriers between the Father and us. We harden our hearts and that is why we don’t hear the Father or have a spiritual sense that He is near. At this point in the Teaching, Efraiym presented a case study of King Saul in Scripture where he was asking. “Elohim where are you?” Those vignettes throughout Saul’s life provided Efraiym an opportunity to discuss several words of wisdom:
- When you know the Word Elohim has given you, don’t keep looking for Him to repeat Himself. Do what He asked of you. Follow the Instructions!
- Keep your eyes on Elohim so that you won’t be sidelined by your own vain glory.
- Pray that you will not be self-deceived. In self-deception, you are convinced what you are all right!
- Pray for the Father to un-sear your conscience.
- Excuses are not valid reasons for disobeying Elohim.
- You don’t need an excuse when you do what is righteous.
- Check to make sure that you have done the last thing that the Father asked you to do.
- Don’t lose patience and be tempted to pray a Gangster Prayer: Father, if you don’t do this by this time, then I’m going to do that!
- Be still and know that He is Elohim!
- Some don’t see the answer to prayer that Elohim has given them. They want their prayers answered in the way they want them answered.
- You cannot give or pay your way out of disobedience!
- It is illogical to disobey Elohim and then wonder where He is!
Discover what it means to be a mature believer: Messianic 301: Perfecting Your Faith "Maturing in Messiah"
In the Conclusion to the Teaching, Efraiym said, “It is rarely an issue of Where is Abba El? as much as it is an issue of Where are you? A mighty declaration from Efraiym was that even when we disobey, turning back to the Father is possible anywhere along the path!
So, renew your mind by washing your mind with the Word of Elohim and seeking the Father hard.
The Gangster’s Prayer
Buzz from the Fellowship
I strongly suggest that after you listen to this Teaching that you listen to the powerful testimonies that were given by the Saints. I felt a sense of vulnerability coming from them and that they were sharing in a space with Saints that wanted to learn from their trials. There was a spiritual charge in the atmosphere for me. Efraiym had asked for Abba El to meet with us and give us a tangible anointing. The Father was in our midst.
I was rejoicing that Saints had been set free from idols, guilt, confusion and a host of other spirits that want to hinder our walk with the Almighty. During the Fellowship time, I noticed that the Saints, which had testified during the Q & A Session, were in conversations with other Saints and they were giving more details concerning their deliverances.
I participated in a conversation that was an extension of our Sister Saint’s testimony that she had compromised her faith when she succumbed to her family’s enticements to purchase crystals. As a result of having the crystals in her home, she experienced headaches and other negative manifestations due to opening the door for “other spirits”. Several of us shared about the “things” we had to remove from our homes. I mentioned I had thrown out many years ago a pretty green souvenir that I had gotten in Mexico that had a pagan god on it surrounded by hieroglyphics.
I had another conversation with a Brother Saint and we were talking about intellectualism. We both knew people that study and research, and study some more, to be knowledgeable about the Bible and ancient cultures. However, the studying has not lead them into the wisdom of following the Laws of Elohim and having faith in Messiah. My Brother Saint wisely said, if the Holy Spirit doesn’t reveal the truth to you, you won’t get it from reading many books.
My prayer for you is that you ask the Father to reveal to you any areas in your life that are hindering you from hearing from Him and that you do what are righteous. I pray that you are protected from self-deception by keeping the Instructions of the Almighty and following the example of Yeshua Messiah.
Until next time… Blessings to You and Yours,
Sharon