Daniel was a man who never compromised his heart in the presence of tangible delicacies.

Prominence, wealth, influence, status...privilege. These are the things that can tempt and corrupt, even spoil the perfectly good soil of mans heart. But Daniel denied it all.

Daniel had a gift to See. He was what the Bible calls a Seer. He had encounters. Not only with God, but with Angels. He literally talked to angels who came representing the Lord (the Bible is very clear he conversed with an angel named Michael). Wow. That’s enough to make one quake in their shoes. Or is it?

Daniel was a man loyal to the heart and breath—the very Ruach of God Almighty. His very breath. His faith and loyalty lent to him a certain kind of courage and boldness that had the audacity to deny the Palace’s Pleasures. He understood that he already had the greater reward.

Daniel was the catalyst for change in an exiled kingdom. Babylon. The most decedent and sophisticated society of the day. Daniel valued more what the Heavenly Father had to say.

God still speaks to His people today. The Seer gift is not an extinguished blessing. It thrives and is alive and God takes delight to give this blessing to His selected people. The key to handling such a powerful ministry is handling it with responsibility. The receiver of the gift must know that it is never about them, but about their God and the advancement of His Kingdom which shall never end. It’s a Kingdom that calls all of humanity, Friend. Christ was always about relationship. If it wasn’t and if it isn’t relational, it’s probably not God.

I have been studying Daniel in a Bible Study. It’s been fantastic. I love to study ancient prophets and the Old Testament. Nehemiah may be my favorite. Nehemiah is for sure the closest to my heart for personally reasons.

At study last week the topic was that of spiritual warfare and how the Seer gift operates. At the end of the study we discussed this more and God used it to open a door for personal ministry to the ladies. It was Lovely.

I understand this gift. I’ve had it since a child. But as a child it frightened me because though I experienced it—I did not understand it. Therefore I felt frightened. This is usually how fear operates and successfully penetrates the heart of a person. Fear of unknown. Fear caused by something we don't understand.

As a young adult I became enlightened and groomed in all that God had made room in my heart for this power gift to do. God intends to exhume lost territory.

There are yet Daniels in the world, in America, who need to rise. I hope this blog is a catalyst for it. Sometimes intercessors don’t know it yet. Just like I didn't use to know who I was.

The Lord leans into every intercessor differently. But over the years I’ve noticed some common threads of how he speaks to them.

Tuesday night I went to a Bible Study for ladies at the Church (different from the Daniel study) and someone asked me if I was alright or if I was tired. I was not tired, I was in pain. I was interceding for every lady in that room. I could feel every blow of the enemy in my physical body. My throat was being squeezed. I was enduring the warfare of spirit. I still hurt physically from it the next morning. God calls on intercessors to cover the atmosphere in prayer and lay a foundation of illuminated light so the minister who speaks would have words that penetrate undistracted hearts. The enemy loves to distract people so they can’t grab what God would have for them. Standing in the gap fighting off any spiritual attack of the mind or body or outside influence is a common role for the intercessor.

But God is so good.

I came home and felt exhausted, but a young woman at the study texted me late that night and I encouraged her. It was unique that she texted me because I don't know her that well. But I feel her trust in me.

The enemy hit her hard after she left and because of the nature of what happened to her she felt she couldn’t go again to the class. I assured her how she could go again next week and I would help her—she felt better. Then The Holy Spirit very clearly spoke to my heart:

“Do not let the enemy of your assignment distract you from your real assignment.”

The Intercessors Anointing and Prophetic Anointing are a peculiar calling. We fight battles unseen by others. We tear down strongholds. We take all the fire so others can walk through unharmed and arrive safely on the other side of their pain. We sacrifice without anyone knowing our sacrifice.

This is one reason being healthy and physically fit is important. We experience real physical afflictions as God’s Army. We need physical strength and muscle to endure the fiery darts of the enemy. We advance by the level of God’s Grace, but also our tenacity and resolve and strength to overcome!

So it gets better.

Keep in mind I’m just sharing my story. Grab it if you relate to it—that’s what testimonies are for. After my study later in the week, the one on Daniel, the Spirit spoke and specific call for me to fast for seven days. So I did. Thursday of last week marked the end of the seven days and I went to an Encounter service on Friday. An Encounter service is really a service where you get to be refreshed by ministry, the Word is taught, but then there is personally ministry from those God has gifted with Words of Knowledge and Prophecy. The purpose is to receive a fresh encounter with God, however that may look for you. Encounter we did! The service was at the church of one of the Pastors who lead us when we journeyed to Israel back the end of February. I took with me a group of friends, five of us in all. Some from my church and some not. But we are all kindred spirit in Christ. The Lord spoke to me during the worship portion of the meeting and told me that he was opening my womb and restoring blessing to that which had been barren for too long. I was going to receive. And receive I did! The ministers called myself and my husband out by name and declared over our business and call to be marketplace prophets and ministers. The minister said all we had been through had only sharpened the accuracy of our prophetic voice. Our swords were sharp, but now it was time to go to the next level (which is awesome because that is the name of our business and the minister didn’t know this). All things I knew from my own time in the Word and in Spirit, but this was a launching point for ministry. Then if that wasn’t beautiful enough...got called out again for a specific one of my children; the only one who concerns my soul. The prophet declared words over my child that were spot on and also exactly what I pray for this kid and all God has shown me for the Powerful mantle on this kids shoulders. The Enemy can’t have our children!

Ok, kind of strange maybe? Kind of heavy? Or is it?

Think of all the unusual and peculiar behaviors people participate in. Let’s just gawk at how famous musicians dress and behave? Not all of them-of course-but let your mind meander. How did our culture get to a place where the opinion of a small child declaring they aren’t the gender they are, but the opposite gender and the parent taking it to heart and believing it? Is this taking imaginary childhood play, a normal component to cognitive development in young children, kind of far? Kind of a lot too far!

To me all of that is far more peculiar than the unconventional tactics of a Holy God. Could you imagine someone stepping up to you spitting on the ground then mixing his spit so he can rub it into your eyes? How would you feel about that? But that’s exactly what Jesus did on one occasion to heal the blind.

There will never be anything more clear than the Gospel and the will and mind of Christ.

God gave Daniel discernment, wisdom, knowledge and the mantle of Prophet because he could handle it! He was sensitive to the spirit, but he also knew how to use his head! For example, everything I am writing now is more transparent than I usually am about these types of things. But even now I feel the tug of my soul to show you how much my God loves.

He loves so much he does for us. Period. Need I say more? If I do, how about this, God will equip you supernaturally with everything you need to succeed in life and he will do it in grand wisdom and style. He is so unconventional! This may be what I love most about my God!

Slip yourself into the River.

There is a move of the Spirit coming and we can be open, receptive and used to expand the kingdom with it. Or we can reject it and remain the same. Spread some blame to the stars and the heavens for your lack of success because a move of the Spirit was passed by. Don’t buy that mess!

People love to gawk. They delight with the unique. Our culture is obsessed with the mystical or mysterious. Let's really give them something to talk about! Signs, wonders, miracles! They follow those who believe! Sight to the blind. Heal the sick. And I dare say raise the dead! Let us raise up a dead Church (as in The Church) and come alive with a spectacle of love like that has never been seen before!

God has a plan for you just as he has a plan for me. He is a God of mystery, but he is also a God who declares brilliantly how intentional his love and desire to bless is.

God has a plan for you and all the good you do—don’t quit now!

The best of the best will teach you how. The Messiah is His Name!

~Nicole💗