Freedom Blessing

Freedom Blessing

By Jenna Vick Silliman, 4-3-13

JennaSilliman@gmail.com

A couple of years ago, on New Year’s Eve, my pastor, John Himmelberger, asked if he could pray for me for more freedom. I didn’t think I needed more freedom, but I now know I did! Freedom in the Holy Spirit is wonderful. “It was for freedom that Christ set us free.” (See Galatians 5:1.) Free to be all that God created us to be, free to grow and bloom and be more and more like Jesus every day. Our heavenly Father has so much for us! In our lives we typically only recognize a small portion of our blessings. Today I would like to bless you with more freedom. Just insert your name in the blank and receive all these blessings from the Lord that are all yours already!

Dear _____, Today I bless you with receiving the Truth that the Lord promises will set you free. I bless you with knowledge of your Papa’s awesome, extravagant love for you and how He treats you with special care because you belong to Him. I bless you with a new understanding of your freedom from anything holding you back such as fear, worry, negativity, complaining, distrust, or doubting. I bless you with freedom from loneliness and a new awareness that Papa is with you 24/7. I bless you with freedom from anything that would make you unusable for the Lord’s glory. I bless you with a desire to forgive anyone who has hurt you and to forgive and forget any offenses. I bless your spirit with the freedom from distractions to seek after God and love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. I bless you as FREE INDEED. Free from the bondage of worrying what people think. Free of all the negative stuff. Free to share our faith with confidence. Free to give generously and enjoy it. Free to worship and express emotions and enthusiasm. Free to dare to be different and unique. Free to be child-like and have fun and goof off. Free to dance without self-consciousness. Free to believe. Free to love and be loved. Free to be affectionate and receive it too. Free to receive all the promises in Scripture! I bless your mind with the freedom to dwell on all good things--whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, and whatever is worthy of praise. I bless you with freedom to stand—unshakeable-- in victory and triumph over sin, not by your own might or your own power, but through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. I bless you with a revelation that you can do all things through Christ Who strengthens you. I bless you with the freedom to declare the truths of God’s Word and take authority in the name of Jesus. I bless you with ears to hear your Papa’s voice better and to hear Him call you by name with tender lovingkindness. I bless you with eyes to see into the supernatural realm and recognize the riches of our inheritance and our identity in Jesus. I bless you with the revelation that we are co-crucified, co-buried, co-resurrected, co-enthroned, and co-heirs with Jesus! I also bless you with the ability to see yourself the way Papa does—free of sin, perfect, and beautiful. I bless you with a new zeal for encouraging others in the Lord, for evangelism, for prayer, for healing, and for using all the gifts so freely given to us from our Papa. I bless you with the ability to receive empowerment in the Holy Spirit. I bless you with the desire to give thanks always, to rejoice in all Papa’s good gifts, and to celebrate FREEDOM!"

Oh the glorious FREEDOM of the children of God! (See Romans 8:21b.)

Please say this poem aloud with me to receive additional freedom.

Freedom Poem (Author unknown)

I believe in love.

I believe in miracles.

I believe in freedom.

I like to color outside the lines.

I like to dream without fines.

Busted parking meters.

I like to push the pedal.

It’s time to release.

It’s time to be freer than walls.

It’s time to answer the call

To be who I am

Strengths, weaknesses, and all.

I believe.

His love is untainted for me.

I am free.

[I got the idea of giving a blessing from the book Blessing Your Spirit by Sylvia Gunter and Arthur Burk. However, “Freedom Blessing” is written by me, JennaSilliman@gmail.com www.TheDanceOfLifeWithJenna.blogspot.com and I’d be so happy if you would pass it on. Feel free to share it!]

John Himmelberger, Honoring His Influence

1 Timothy 5:17 “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.”

Since Spring 2010 I have been blessed to be influenced by the life and teachings of John Himmelberger, Pastor of Deep River Church in Sequim, WA. God has given John to us at Deep River Home Church as a spiritual father, a pastor/shepherd, and a discipler. The way he shares with us from his own journals and life lessons, as well as testimonies of the lives of others, brings revelation and life. Our home church is connected to the rich community of Bethel Church in Redding, CA. We participate via live broadcasts on the web. John, and his wife, Amy, have taken classes with Bethel, and they pass on what they’re learning about. John is a man who seeks to know the Lord Jesus better day by day and lives a lifestyle that is sensitive to the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit. As John says, “School is always in session.”

Personally I have had dozens of life-changing revelations directly as a result of John’s influence. When asked to write on one of the people who has influenced me the most, I immediately thought of him. Briefly, here are some of the things I have learned from John.

John stresses spending time with God and regularly going to “the secret place” to soak in His presence and continue in revival fire of the Holy Spirit. John often answers questions with the question, “What does Holy Spirit say?” to encourage us to go to God with our questions and when there are decisions to be made. The most common statement you will hear from John is, “I love the Lord!” John also constantly reminds us to be thankful and how we enter God’s presence with the password, “Thank You”. (See Psalm 100:4, Message Bible.)

Often John has us pair off and speak encouraging words to one another as we seek to develop a culture of honor, love, and faith. If we look at each other with “kingdom eyes” we will think well and speak well of one another and extend grace and hope to each other. Putting these things into practice has caused them to be more of a lifestyle. More often when I talk with someone now, I listen to the Holy Spirit about what I might share to speak an encouraging word or what I might give them. To value one another, and to be valued, for who we are in our identity as God's beloved people and the body of Christ, is life-changing!

John is one generous guy and he has so much fun giving that it is contagious. Everywhere he goes he sets an awesome example of pouring out your life, your time, your attention, your possessions, your money, and your love. He even gave up his music studio/office for someone who needed a place to live for awhile.

Our words are extremely powerful and John reminds us to speak out the truth and make declarations in faith of what we hope for, even if we don’t feel like it and even if we do not see it yet. For example, one of our declarations is, “God is prospering all of our relationships.” Another one is, “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” Another is, “Our prayers are powerful and effective.”

I’ve come to look at myself, or my identity, more positively too. I am amazing, anointed, gifted, empowered, continually filled with the Holy Spirit, and sent out by Jesus. I have assignments waiting for me every day, everywhere I go. In Jesus I AM the divine appointment because my identity is Christ Himself. As the Word says in 1John 4:17, “As Jesus is in the world, so are we.” 

Pastor John tells us, “We do what Jesus did and say what Jesus said. It is not enough to believe, because even the demons believe. We are world changers and history makers!”

I even pray differently now. I pray with authority and speak out with more boldness. According to Ephesians 2:6 I am co-resurrected and co-seated with Jesus on His heavenly throne. I don’t ask God or plead with Him to move mountains, I speak to the mountain and say: “BE REMOVED!”

I have gift for intercessory prayer. As a result of John’s teaching this has expanded to actually “shift the atmosphere” through praying when I come into a room or in preparation for a worship meeting. Also, in the past I seldom would pray for miracles, but I’ve learned to pray just as Jesus would. John has taught us to persevere in prayer and be expecting miracles. He always says, “The conditions are perfect.” He encourages us to fully trust God even when we don’t see the desired results of our prayers. He has continued to challenge us to be “fearless now” and to “cross the chicken line” and follow Holy Spirit’s leading and not be timid, go by our feelings, our fears, or past experiences. He reminds us, “Our past does not have to determine our future. We have a great destiny.”

John has continually prayed for us to enter into God’s freedom. Freedom is a wonderful thing--free from the fear of what people think, free from fears, free from regrets and “if only” thoughts, free from perfectionism, and free to be all that our Creator made us to be. We have a culture of freedom at Deep River Church and it is awesome. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM!

In these years at Deep River Church I have come to realize I’m a dancer and a flagger for worship and intercession. To enter into God’s presence, as I freely dance and flag during worship and prayer, is one of the most glorious things I’ve ever experienced. I think this is one of the things I was born to do!

Not only have I been encouraged, inspired, and challenged by John’s life, I have been CHANGED. Thank you, John, for all you have imparted to us to strengthen and establish our faith and to expand God’s kingdom. You are amazing!

 John and Amy Himmelberger, July 2012