The Hands & Feet of Christ...

At the beginning of the month, I lost one of my students that was in our ministry training.

But let me go back about six months…

Last summer, a young lady discovered the ministry and decided to call our prayer line. She was assigned to one of our prayer team members and through ministry, she rededicated her life to Christ. A few weeks later, my assistant and I went to her home to baptize her. Through the unction of the Holy Spirit, she was given further instructions to strengthen her prayer life and relationship with the Lord.

The young lady started participating in our online bible studies, came to our High Holy Days conference, and enrolled in our Disciples of ACTS ministry training.

When I began our fourth installment of our Disciples of ACTS in August (2022), I sensed deeply that this class would be different. First, it was my first class that was all female. Secondly, this group had a zeal like no other I had taught in the past. I knew God was doing something different.

The ladies quickly banded together; partnered off to assist each other with notes, prayer, and encouragement.

In early December, the young lady we baptized received grave news regarding her health. She first informed one of the ladies she partnered with in class, who in turn, reached out to the entire group petitioning prayer for her recovery.

The student was in the hospital at the time, and the ladies pitched in and sent flowers, cards, encouraging texts, along with daily phone calls to check in.

After ten days in the hospital, my student was sent home on hospice.

From that point, myself and my assistant took over and we visited her at home. Some days we prayed, listened to worship music, and just talked. Other days, I spoon-fed her soup to make sure she had nutrients, and offered to comb her hair. I made it a purpose to keep peace around her. She was also the mother of a toddler.

I prayed, called my staff members to pray, contacted prophets to pray, and I was listening for an answer from the Lord; but He was quiet. None of us received a word of what His will was, and I had never experienced this before.

When I visited my student once she was home on hospice, I said to her; “I’m not sure what the Lord’s will is for this situation: whether He will heal you or decide to take you home. But either way I promise to be here and we’ll take it one day at a time.”

And so, that’s what we did.

After the first week, she seemed to get better; she grew stronger. She came off her oxygen and was determined to get out of bed. We had weekly goals that we prayed about, and she was meeting them; all the way down to her diet. One day I came by and she was ordering a turkey burger, and I was elated. However, after three weeks since being sent home, I spoke to her one morning, and by that afternoon, she was gone.

Four days after she passed, I was sitting in my tub, trying to process everything that happened. I’m one who deals with death different than most; I always have. I’ve never been one to get overly emotional. I understand death: I understand that this life is not our destination. But since we were all unclear of what the Lord’s plan was for her, I hoped for a healing. I had asked the Lord to let me fight for her. But instead, He took her. So there I was sitting in my tub, with my face in my hands, and I asked the Lord, “Did I do enough? Was it something I missed in prayer, Lord? Did I not fight hard enough for her?”

The Lord responded, “You did well.”

When I broke the news to my class, most of the ladies took it pretty hard; after all, they too were hoping for a testimony.

However, the Lord revealed a truth: this WAS a testimony, and an incredible one.

The Lord spoke to me again on another day and quoted; “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain (John 12:24).”

I understood this scripture was pertaining to Christ’s death when He spoke of it, but I didn’t understand how this related to my student.

“I will explain…” the Lord continued.

“I took her for two reasons…” The Lord explained the first, but I’m not at liberty to make it public.

“The second reason is her death became a seed, and it was planted in each of those students who prayed and cared for her in your class. This is what it means when I said, 'when you do this unto the least of these’. This is how My true church is to operate. I AM not interested in popularity, public events, and platforms. I AM only interested in the matters of My Father’s heart.”

“The souls” I responded.

“Yes, the soul” Jesus said.

I explained this to my class.

This I what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s not about church buildings, denominations, ordinations, subscribers, nor views. It’s about being an effective witness of Jesus Christ. Sometimes that means reaching one person at a time, and sometimes that will mean in secret. 

In all things, we must remember that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We can find God in everything; because He owns everything. There is a lesson in all things; in every circumstance. We only need to submit to the will of the Holy Spirit, and he will teach us. 

The Lord saw it fit to use my student's death to produce fruit in many. There are times when God's purpose is to receive honor in our life, but there are times when His honor requires our death. But in all things, the Apostle Paul reminded us that to be absent in body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Spiritual Food For Thought 

Shalom
Mena Lee Jones
Faithful Walk Healing Ministries

The Garden...

I would like to share an experience I had with the Lord and the warning that came with it...

I saw Jesus in a garden. It was His garden. He was bent over in the right corner of the garden, and He was working intensely; pulling up plants and placing them into a pile to His left. I was observing all of this from a distance.

He continued for awhile before acknowledging that I was watching from behind. He straighten up and turned His face towards me and asked, "What color are the roots on those plants?"

He was referring to the uprooted pile on His left. 

I gazed over at the pile and noticed that the plants were all dried up and dead. I studied the roots of each plant in the pile.

"They're white, Lord" I responded. 

As I said this a wind began to blow. The pile of dead shrubs began to roll and were tossed away with the wind. 

The Lord said, "The winds of change are here. That which is dead will be uprooted and carried away like tumbleweed." 

My vision then ended.

Several days later, the Lord starting speaking to me about the vision.

"Do you remember the dried plants that you witnessed Me pulling up?" 

"Yes, Lord. I remember."

"Noticed they all had roots."

"Yes, Lord. They all had roots, but they were dry."

The Lord then took me back a few years ago when I went away to fast and pray. I stayed at a beach in Florida. The Lord summoned me one morning, at dawn to come walk with Him on the beach. There, He spoke to me about the importance of flowing water. He taught me that only flowing water can contain life; stagnant water could not. 

I was pondering how the Lord was relating the current vision to the time at the beach.

"You love plants Mena..." He continued.

"I do Lord!"

"So tell Me, if you have an established plant, and you don't water it for a day, will it die?"

"No Lord" I responded.

"If you wait a week, will it die?" 

"Not usually, but it may begin to wither" I said. 

I thought about an Himalayan vine I had for several years. Whenever I left the country to go minister, my kids, who were still at home at the time, would forget to water it. By the time I would return, the vine would always be withered and on the brink of death. Yet somehow, when I'd water it again, it always bounced back the next day. I named the plant Lazarus because of this. 

Jesus continued, "In order for roots to become completely dry, to the point of death, one must have gone without watering for an extended amount of time."

I agreed with what He was saying. 

"Warn my children! This is a season of sifting, shifting, and separation. There are those who were once rooted in Me, but now they have allowed iniquity (hidden sins; i.e. sins of the heart/emotions, wickedness) and the treasures of the world to stop the flow of Living Waters. They must REPENT and turn their face towards me once more. For that which no longer contains Life will be plucked up and in the end, cast into the fire. I AM the Living Water." 

I want to add that a garden is a place of decision. It symbolizes a crossroad of life or death. Mankind began in a garden, but they chose to satisfy the flesh instead of the spirit, which produced death. Four thousand years later, Jesus came to the same crossroad in the garden of Gethsemane, but He chose to face death so that we can obtain life. 

What will you choose in the garden? 

   

Shalom

Mena Lee Jones

Faithful Walk Healing Ministries 

When God Calls You To Move Off Your Block...

 

In Ecclesiastes 3:1 it reads,

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven."

The Hebrew word for season in this verse is z'man, meaning; an appointed occasion: a set time.

Z'man means an entire season, verses the Hebrew word 'moed' (first seen in Genesis 1:14) which means the beginning of a season [appointed time]. 

One of the most important things I've learned in near fifteen years of ministry is that God will appoint seasons of change in your life. These new seasons will call one to come higher into the presence of God. But this is not associated with a mere feeling or spiritual encounter. That entire season is about refinement and obedience. And with each season, God will require you to shed another layer of flesh-seeking attributes. 

With each new season, change will come. And that change will not always be comfortable. 

In Genesis 12:1-3, God tells Abraham to leave his family and country to the land in which He would show him. But Abraham does something that God didn't tell him to do: he allows Lot to come with him.

Later on, Lot proves to be more of a hinderance than an asset, which leads to them going their separate ways. 

There's a great lesson in that story. Simply put: everybody can't go with you in your new season.

There are times when God will call you to "move off your block." And when that time comes, just go; simply obey and don't look back!

Speaking of looking back, let's go back to Lot...

So after Lot and Abraham go there separate ways, the scriptures tell us that Lot and his family settled in the plains of Jordan, and pitched their tents in Sodom (Genesis 13:12). Sometime later, God renders judgement upon the Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness, but not before He sends two angels to tell Lot and his family to leave. They were given specific instructions: flee to the mountains and don't look back!

But as the story goes, Lot's wife had the desire to look back at what she was instructed to leave behind; and when she did, she turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).

Second lesson: when God calls you into a new season, and you chose not to obey because you want to hold on to that which He's calling you away from, you will encounter spiritual (and sometimes even physical) death. 

Throughout my years of ministry, I've encountered multiple seasons; seasons of abundance, and seasons of fasting. There were seasons which the ones who abode with me were no longer allowed to journey with me. Seasons where I had to relocate, was stripped of everything and brought to a new place with nothing. But then I would watch God open up His storehouses and provide for every single need, and I lacked nothing. 

We as Christians should not find ourselves stuck in the same season, with the same prayers, same testimony, and hanging out with the same people year after year. If after ten, fifteen, twenty years of being saved, you're still sitting in the pew of some church, hanging out with 'Sister Johnson' or 'Deacon Davis' and your only testimony is "I thank the Lord for waiting me up this morning", then I have news for you my friend: You're spiritually dead. 

Jesus Christ did not die on the cross to bring you out of darkness into the light, for you to spend that rest of your life warming a bench and passing an offering plate. 

When we look at the God-called of the bible, we find that there was a constants of seasons, movement, and change. And as these men and women obeyed the instructions of the Lord, He brought them higher, and they were strengthened in their faith, love, and patience. Thus, they became examples for all; teaching us what it means to commit to the will of the Father.

So in this next season, when the Lord calls you to move off your block...just obey. And although it may require you to leave that house, job, city, state, or country; and even though you may have to say goodbye to friends, family, or perhaps your church; know that where God is taking you will bring forth a greater harvest. For in Him, the latter is always greater than the former. 

Spiritual Food For Thought

Shalom

Mena Lee Jones

Faithful Walk Healing Ministries

False Prophets & Unfulfilled Prophecies

As we roll into another presidency and unprecedented (blue) government, I want to address what I know is plaguing many of the Christians’ minds: “What happened with all the prophecies that Trump would win two terms?”

Before you start uploading a million and one videos on who’s a false prophet, I want to educate you on prophecy itself and how it works.

Most modern Christians base whether or not a person is a true prophet on the scripture in Deuteronomy 18:22, which states;

“When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.”

So, in the twenty-first century church, the basis of this is, if someone speaks something and it comes to pass, then they must be from God, and if it doesn’t come to pass, then one is deemed a false prophet.

Let me tell you why in this season, that is a dangerous conclusion...

We are forgetting that Jesus, Himself, stated in Matthew 24:24-25, “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.”

In other words, Jesus warned us that in the last days the false prophets/christs would be so accurate and the signs would be so significant, that if possible, even His chosen would be deceived. This is why in these days it is so important to test the spirit (of the person speaking) with the [Holy] Spirit (who is the bearer of truth).

True prophecy typically falls into one of two categories: conditional and governmental.

A conditional prophecy is one that is usually given to an individual, group, or territory, and is contingent upon one’s execution of obedience or disobedience to God. We find multiple examples of this throughout biblical history. However, I will name two just so you understand my direction.

The prophecy of King Hezekiah’s death – Isaiah 38:1-5

Jonah’s prophecy of the destruction of Nineveh – Jonah 3

A governmental prophecy is one that is unconditional because it was written in place before the foundations of the world. These are God’s appointed times and seasons; which are set and cannot be changed. No manner of fasting, praying, marching, or hoping can change what the Lord of Hosts has set into play.

Again, they are many examples of these in the scriptures, which include, but are not limited to the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ, Israel being scattered and then restored, the resurrection of the dead, the rise of the eighth kingdom (the beast and the false prophet), and the second coming and millennial reign of Christ.

That being said, the prophecies regarding Donald Trump were not governmental; which means that they were contingent upon the actions or reactions of the president and the people.

When Trump got into office, many in the church claimed this was a “reprieve” given, and a time when the lost could be reached, the church could unite, and revivals could take place. Many prayed and fasted for this season. However, once Trump was in office, the results were quite the opposite. Instead of unity, evangelism, and revival, the American church became arrogant, boastful, and divided. We saw brother rise against brother, segregation, defiance, and racial tensions. Politics began being preached from pulpits while paralleled with the Gospel, and Trump became a golden calf for many (not all).

It reminded me of when God told Moses, “Go down from here, for the people who thou hast brought out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.” – Exodus 32:7

Even when the Lord warned that idolatry had taken place in many hearts, the people snarled, scoffed, and even overtook the messengers by verballing beating them down. I personally had several people come to me, wounded from the vicious attacks made by those who were considered brethren.

In October, 2020, the Lord gave me a dream where I saw Trump writing on a piece of paper, that because of something that transpired with the ballots, he was “writing” to tell the people that he won the election and would be president for four more years. At that point, I heard an outbreak of chaos and violence from behind the scenes.

I took this dream to prayer and the Lord spoke “Ezekiel 14” to me. In this scripture, the Lord accused His people of “inquiring of the Lord” to His prophets, with idolatry in their hearts. And the Lord stated that because they would not repent of their idolatries, He would send them prophets that would tell them exactly what they wanted to hear, only in the end, to solidify their judgement.

Now, here we are. Trump has lost the election. And even though one can reasonably argue that it was stolen, you have to understand that not even Satan can execute without permission. So, in the end, the God who is in control of all things, allowed this to happen. And the truth is, He told me this would happen four years ago.

So, don’t pull out your false prophet list to add dozens of names to it, although, many of these people did help to invoke the judgement being passed upon the church. But simply put; God gave the church exactly what they begged and shouted for the first time. However, in the end, God will not be mocked; He will not allow His name to be trampled.

This is the judgement of the American Church. What was prayed away in 2016 (by not getting Hillary Clinton), has returned in 2021.

But as I see it; the greatest outpouring always happens during persecution and tribulation. I mean, just take a look at the first-century church and their accomplishments. Oil and wine cannot be produced unless there is a crushing.

The Lord is cleaning the threshing floor and purifying His Bride because the Day of the Lord is at hand, and He is coming only for a Bride that has made herself ready, and without spot or wrinkle.

Allow yourself to be purified in this final season. It will not be easy, and your faith will be greatly tested. But know that we are the generation that will see all these things spoken, come to pass. And the ones who endure to the end, shall be saved.

Spiritual Food For Thought

Shalom

Mena Lee Jones

Faithful Walk Healing Ministries 

The Cost of Discipleship...

A certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have dens and birds of air have nests, but the Son of Man has no where to lay His head." - Matthew 8:19-20

I just watched a four-minute video about a 73 year old homeless woman who had been on the streets since she was 13. She had lived a hard life; orphanages, drugs, violence, and various shelters. But then she met Jesus, and He changed her entire perspective of living on the streets. She was now content; not a single complaint, and she helped many. When the woman was asked what was her wish, she ended with that everyone would know Jesus like she did. 

I've often said that most American Christians do not truly know suffering and persecution. Most have a roof over their head (even if temporary), electricity, a cell phone, running water to bathe, and some form of food. Yet we complain. We complain about not having more. We want bigger and better, and we are not content with what has been provided to us. 

In the recent years, there's been a movement of Christians wanting God to "Bless this nation" simply so that they could hold on and add to their stuff. But there is a time coming, and that is now upon us, when "our stuff" will be stripped away. Then what will you have? For most, the answer is nothing. But for the old lady in that video, she already had everything, because she had Jesus. 

When the Lord called me into ministry in 2007, He had me to sell everything, pack my car with three small children and drive across seven states to North Carolina. There, we lived in an apartment, in a not-so-great neighborhood, and ate and slept on the floor for at least six months. The Lord said, "I'm going to teach you to Bless My name for everything you receive." When I finally purchased a sofa set, the Lord then had me to open my home for bible study. 

Eight years later, He stripped me again; this time of my career in the medical field. He said I was going to "work for Him" now, and when I asked about the bills, His response was, "Do you trust Me?"

Five years after that, I was stripped again; this time of my family, friends, and everything familiar to me. He said, "Set your face to the Son of Righteousness and do not look back." 

I said, "Lord, I will follow You into the wilderness, even if that means alone, and I will preach to the serpent and the scorpion if that's what pleases you."

I'm sharing all of this with you because as Christ-followers, we need to understand the true cost of discipleship. We've been taught for years that following Christ means that He wants you to be happy: that financial increase, good health, big buildings, and private jets is a sign that you're in God's will and favor. 

But this is all a lie. 

We have to remember that the King of Kings was born in a barn, wrapped in rags, and laid in a feeding box. His first worshippers were poor shepherds tending to their flock at night. 

This King later grew up to live and sit among the rejected, the despised, dirty, and untouchable, the drunkards, and whores, tax collectors, pagans, and the forgotten. Yet His arm was never too short, compassion filled His heart, and He taught, forgave, and healed them all. 

But when the day was over and the sun had set, the Son of Man had no place to lay His head. 

Later, the Apostle Paul wrote, "Not that I speak in regard of need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.  I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:11-13

There is a season of testing coming (and it has begun); a season of hardship. Will you be able to pass the test? Will you love not your life, even unto death? 

For those who are rooted in Christ, the wilderness will be a place of opportunity and refinement; a place to come up higher. But for those who still have Egypt in their heart, it will be a place of death. 

Spiritual Food For Thought 

Shalom 

Mena Lee Jones

Faithful Walk Healing Ministries  

Walk in His Spirit...

In the dawning of the morning, the Lord spoke to me and said,

"I AM not looking for those who know my power, but for the ones who walk in My Spirit."

He then quoted Zechariah 4:6;

So he answered and said unto me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see countless examples of YHVH-God's power. Through these manifestations, kings bowed, enemies retreated, walls crumbled, skies were darkened, the earth shook, and even the sun stood still. Because of this, many feared the God of the Israelites, and some even worshiped Him in hopes that this would bring blessings and peace upon them.

But by the time we get to the New Testament, we find a man by the name of Nicodemus who came to Christ at night, searching for the keys to heaven; and there, he was told that in spite of all the doctrines taught, the law-keeping, and demonstrations of God's power, unless one was born of 'water and Spirit' they could not enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:5).

Once we become born-again, we are now body, soul, and Spirit. That 'Spirit' which you were not born with the first time (because of the sin of Adam and Eve), is the breath (Hebrew: ruach) of the Living God that now dwells in you.

One of my favorite examples of this is in John 20:22;

And when He [Yeshua] said this, He breathed on them and said unto them, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit." 

Note: This was the disciples "born-again" experience once Christ had died and resurrected, which is separate from the fire-baptism experience of Acts 2.

Now that we are body, soul, and Spirit, it is our duty to make sure that we are not lead by the flesh [body], but that we are lead by [His] the Spirit - which takes discipline. This is where the daily process of 'killing the flesh', and submitting to the will of Christ comes in. Our soul is the middle-man; meaning it will go wherever it is lead. So if we allow our flesh to lead, then sin will enter in and darken our souls. But if we allow the Spirit to lead, then our souls will be purified and we will walk in the light of Christ.

  Leader  vs  Follower

From

Body - Soul - Spirit

to

 Spirit - Soul - Body

As we accomplish total surrender to the Spirit of the Lord, we will draw closer unto Him. As we draw closer to Him, the less we will fall into sin. And the lesser we sin, the more we will walk in righteousness and holiness.

In Romans 8:14, the Apostle Paul wrote; "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the Sons of God."

In this season, the Spirit of the Lord is searching for those who are willing to walk in His Spirit. It is only through this that we will be able to survive and even escape the darkness and judgments that is upon the earth. By walking in Christ, we will not fall into temptation, we will not walk in fear, and we will not be overcomed by the evil one. In the end, we will be victorious!

In closing, I will leave you with this scripture;

"For the Spirit searches all things, yea, even the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit of God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." - 1 Corinthians 2:10-12


Spiritual Food For Thought


Shalom
Mena Lee Jones
Faithful Walk Healing Ministries

The Spirit of Babylon...

I would like to share a revelation that my husband received the other morning...

While he was in prayer he heard,

"The stars of Babylon are fools in heaven. And those that are considered fools in Babylon are the stars of heaven."

When we first read this, our initial thought is attributed to the unbeliever, or even the "stars of Hollywood." But this doesn't just apply to those who are of the world, this also applies to those who are in the church that seek earthly promotion and man's approval. And although they may claim with their lips "not so", their actions reveal their inner most desires and motives.

Even some who claim to be watchmen find themselves involved in an eternal hustle for popularity, subscribers, "likes" on social media, purchasers of their products, bookings, platforms, and offerings.

But when we look at the life of Christ, we see that He lived the complete opposite of what the majority of the church promotes today. Jesus lived simply, loved simply, served simply, and more importantly, He gave all honor to the Father, and made no reputation for Himself (Philippians 2:7).

In biblical times, Babylon was known for its power, riches and beauty. The most prominent king of ancient Babylon was Nebuchadnezzar, who is mentioned in several old testament accounts from the Book of Daniel, to Ezra and 2 Chronicles. However, in the Lord's eyes, Babylon was a place full of idolatry, vanities, pride, and immorality. A disturbing fact is that when we view most of the western church today, we find some of the same characteristics within.

Revelation  chapter 18 talks about the judgement and destruction of a woman called Mystery Babylon. There is much debate as to whether or not the scripture is referencing an actual place, or a spiritual system and mind set. The scriptures tend to argue both sides. In verse 4, we read that John hears a voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues."

As we draw closer to the end of this dispensation (age of grace), we as the true Bride of Christ need to make sure that we are not partaking in the sins of spiritual of Babylon. In a day and age where pretty much everything is at our fingertips, just one click away, we need to use wisdom and make sure our flesh is disciplined and subjected under the spirit of truth, and not falling into the temptations of the evil one. We also need not to look for man's approval of us, but God's. Remember, the world will hate you because it hates Christ and the spirit of truth.

Let us humble ourselves and find contentment (and our identity) in Christ.

Spiritual Food For Thought

Shalom
Mena Lee Jones
Faithful Walk Healing Ministries