Let’s not make believe and act like your giftedness is an easy path.  It is challenging in various ways.  You operate among others, and they seem so free from the deep inner-workings you have to operate with. They get to hold conversations without knowing things beyond the words being spoken, but you, you are hearing from two realms at once.  You hear with your ears, and also your spirit.  Your world is challenging because few people can seem to understand you.  You don’t get a free day away from this giftedness.  You have been smeared (anointed) with oil of Christ, and given a gift of Christ, [Ephesians 4:7], and yours is prophetic.

Before you go nuts and drive yourself mad, understand, your make-up, your gift, your purpose, your function, and your strengths, were tailor-made by the Lord.  You were designed with grace, and unique design.  There are some things which will help for you to know.   God wants to use you powerfully.  There could be some parts of your interaction with the Lord, you may not fully understand yet. Who does? Lol!

It is important to understand the only scriptural design by the Lord as being the local church.  This is crucial, because as a prophetic vessel, this is important for you to understand, this as being your area of protection and intended architecture for your development – the local church.  It is with leadership, nurturing, and care that you were created to function in.

I am a pastor of a church.  My wife, Brandi, and I have the privilege of leading a church together.  It’s a church full of prophetically gifted people.  These, we have led to the Lord, Jesus Christ, and some we inherited as a 36 year old church with the history of revival, prayer, deliverance, and signs and wonders.

I am simply sharing this as a pastor.  This is not the “whole” story, just a simple writing to get you to think and consider.

We have many people on our deliverance teams, close to 100 people, to be exact.  They work with people on getting set free on each week.  We have close to 90 people on our healing teams.  They are trained and continuing to get trained on ministering life in healing, giving words of knowledge, rebuking sickness and disease.  We do, see miracles on a weekly, sometimes daily basis.

We are about to spark up our prophetic teams again.  These are the ones I have most concern about.  These are the ones I see carry more weight in the area of emotional struggle and wrestling.  They are the ones who have antennas with no “off” buttons.  They are the ones who God doesn’t seem to let up on, lol.  You prophetic(s) know what I mean by that.

There’s just too much to give you concerning Christ in prophets.  There’s just too much to write about regarding who Christ is in you.  There’s not enough space in this article to write concerning the fact that Christ is everything to you.  I want to keep it simple – so the word is – Christ is EVERYTHING to you.  Christ is the One gifted in you.  He is the One Who sees.  He is the One Who knows.  He is the One Who has revelation.  He is the One Whose heart your carry.  He is the Living One inside you.  He is the One with Eyes.  He’s the One with Hearing.  He’s the One Whose heart breaks.  He’s the One Who receives tugs towards others.  He’s the One Who has an issue with sin. Christ is everything to you, in you, for you, through you.  Jesus is everything.

One of the biggest natures of the prophetic gift in you, is that it is actually a grace on you.  You don’t function in a gift alone, you function in a grace which manifests in a gift.  You are endowed with grace which empowers you and gives your access to function with the Lord as a prophet.  That same grace enables you to undergo revelatory encounters and not freak out…. Well, sometimes, you freak out, but you don’t get messed up and ruined.

The grace on you in the prophetic is first and foremost a grace which makes you one whom the Lord has chosen to represent Him on the earth.  So you have been “graced” to stand before men and represent the Lord; to be more exact, to “stand in the gap.”  To stand in the gap means to “intercede.”  Your fundamental function is to intercede.

Your call is designed to stand in the gap, in spirit and through prayer.

Intercession is the job, revelation is the tool box.  Revelation comes to you more than just to give you words to share with others.  Revelation is given to you to make you a WORLD CHANGER.  Yes, you are a World Changer.  You are called to change your world, via revelation.

Prophesying is one of the easiest things prophetic people do.  It’s praying and interceding and learning how to interpret revelation, which is the challenging part.

I’m always training our prophetic people that you are like a baker.  You have to “bake” raw ingredients (revelation) into something which is eatable for others.

Revelation is the food, interpretation is the digestion.

Revelation comes in feelings, emotions, or all sorts of weird dimensions sometimes.  Why? Simply because they are hard to miss.  LOL!!!

How many times have you walked into a room and “felt” miserable?  How many times have you walked down a street and “sensed” some things?  How many times have you spoken with someone and downloaded some intense emotions which could easily be confused as your own?

God gives these types of insights to give us understanding on how things are going on around us.  It’s a form of discernment.  Discerning of spirits allows you to discern more than demons – also angels, the human spirit, and the Holy Spirit.  Just with that alone, you can see how you are picking up on things which can be multifaceted.

Are all feelings God? No way!  I can’t give you a blueprint to show you which feelings the Lord is giving you; since the enemy also influences us.  The best things I can do is inform you and get you to practice discerning that the Lord is giving you stuff to move with Him on.  Practice is how you learn.  A basic rule of thumb can be that satan does not move in love or compassion.

It is important for you to see that God can show you atmospheres caused by people’s emotional or spiritual struggle.  This is to equip you with the revelation of how to proceed either in speech, action, or prayer. God has graced you with the privilege of sharing His heart with you.  He has privileged you with the revelatory ability to pick up on people’s struggles so that you can move in or share with other leaders how people are doing.  Bottom line is – you are a powerful gift to the Body.

Most people themselves don’t always see what they are struggling with.

It’s important to understand a basic way the Word of Knowledge functions.  God shows us by “sharing” with us what others feel.  So God is not necessarily speaking in speech, but in action.  That action is – He is allotting insight into the life of another.  He is taking you behind walls, fears, insecurities, offenses, struggles, or warfare.  God is taking you behind the scene for His benefit.

How it works is like this: God has given you a grace to be able to be sensitive to others.  This is really not your choice.  This has no “off” button.  This really has nothing to do with your will power.  This is a gift, which works through a grace, [Romans 12:6].  You can pick up on things in your family, your house, your neighborhood, your city, your region, state, or nation.  These are things which happen with His purposes.  These allow you to participate in outcomes.

I counsel someone to ask themselves this one simple question to help them discern: “Is this my feeling or am I picking up on something else?”

This will help you begin to hone out what is something which is happening to you outside of your choice.  LOL.

What to do: pray.

Learn to pray and intercede through things.  You may grow in learning how the  Lord shifts “burdens” off of you.  But you have to be willing to let it go.  You have to be willing to give it back to the Lord.  Otherwise, your “sponge” will over-accumulate substance which may be destructive to you.   When the Lord shares it with you, it’s an assignment.  When you hang on to it over and above His assignment, it’s self-righteousness.   There’s only been One effective and eternal Sacrificial Lamb.  You don’t need to be one.  Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient.  He died, but you carry Him.  He’s the One Who moves through us.

It helps to learn more and more to discern what is not you and what is the Lord is sharing.  The reasons are: the Lord wants you to pray or act or speak, but also so that you know what you are FEELING IS NOT YOU.  Some prophetic people look in the mirror and view themselves as crazy.  Chances are – they have misunderstood intercession assignments with themselves.  Basically – those bad feelings you have by revelation are not to be confused with who you are.  You are not your feelings; especially when the Lord is revealing warfare.  Learn to separate, and learn to give it back to the Lord.  Don’t carry residue around.  It can wear you out.  It can destroy you.  It can affect your family, goals, livelihood, and health.

Here’s a revelation for you – learn to laugh your head off!

Some practical helps and wisdom: share some heavier things with a trusted friend or leader in your life.  Journaling with help you differentiate the spirit realm a lot of the times… this is simply because once you write it, it comes out of the intangible world, into the tangible world, where you can see it.  This helps you see how much you are actually carrying.  Interact with other prophetic people and share your insights with them.  They can share how they deal with things.  Again, learn to laugh your head off… laugh as much as you can.  Listen to your spouse, if you’re married… I don’t care how prophetic you are.  God gave you that spouse to help balance you and give you practical wisdom.  They get to tell you when you’re being an idiot.  They are there to be a calming effect on your high-level intensity.  They are there to be practical and down to earth.  LOL!  You were created to function in “team” with others. Remember that as much as you can.  Find someone who is more mature in the prophetic than you are, and yield to their mentorship.

Learn to find some hobbies you can get into.  Though you will never escape the Lord’s design for you, you should learn to have fun.  You should learn to do things which help your body relax, your nervous system to rejuvenate, and your person to get refreshed.  This is the only way you’ll last.  Don’t blow a gasket!  Watch a fun movie or something! Lol

The main thing is to discover that your prophetic gift is not a punishment on your life.  It’s not a curse.  Don’t ever call it that, because it’s Christ in you!

I hope more than anything, this helped provoke you to thought.

Shalom,

Cesar

2 Chronicles 20:20 “believe in His prophets and you shall prosper.”

Scriptures about “asking” :

James 4:2
James 1:5
Matthew 7:7-11
Matthew 21:22
1 John 5:14-15
Luke 11:9-13
John 14:13-14
John 15:7
John 16:23-24

Filed Under: Teachings, Thoughts

Ephesians 1:3 shows us we have been given all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.  That means we have a resource from an economy not of this world.

2 Kings 6:17 shows us the power of someone seeing the economy they are plugged into and how they pray because of that.  Elisha’s servant thinks they’re done because they are surrounded by many soldiers.  They are seemingly in a bind.  Elisha tells him not to fear because there’s more with them then against them.  He then prays for his servant’s eyes to be opened.  Even the servant saw!  What did he see?  The incredible backing which was behind Elisha.  Elisha then prays that God smite his enemies with blindness and which He does.  He prayed right because he “saw” right.

Ephesians 1:3 is much the same way.

Here is a list of things you have in Christ:

• The cross that opens it all
• The blood that covers you
• The presence that brings it all
• the glory that reveals Him
• the Father Who leads
• the Son Who connects
• the Holy Spirit Who reveal
• the throne room where it all happens
• the Angels who help
• the refuge of heaven our citizenship
• healing parts in heaven our resources
• Grace that empowers us
• Mercy that  releases us
• Truth that teaches us
• Word of God that speaks to us
• Power that gives you ability
• Authority that gives you the legal right
• Friends that surround and support you
• Prayer that causes you to hear
• cloud of witnesses who cheer you on
• anointing that gives you tools
• fruit of the Spirit that reveals Him through you
• the body of Christ who you are a part of in purpose
• fasting to give you hunger
• visions to cause you to see
• forgiveness which keeps you untainted
• the gospel which saves
• the mantle which cloaks you with assignment
• discernment which allows you to understand
• wisdom which keeps you
• dreams which open you up

What an interesting title, huh?  I wanted to write a couple of thoughts about how parts of our bodies were seen in Ancient Hebraic worldview.

I am always enthused by these things, not only because it means a lot to me personally to take in anything in Hebrew or Hebraic viewpoints, but I also want to consider these from this contemplation – how we can hear God’s Voice, and also know what’s going on inside us.

In Ancient Hebrew, a handful 0f parts of your body actually were viewed as a “seat” where certain virtues reside.  Interesting, huh?  Did you know that your kidneys are the seat of your emotions?

Do what you want with this writing, but I find it very interesting, and wanted to share it with my friends.

Body Part                              Place of Residing 

Kidney                                       Seat of the Emotions
Loins                                          Seat of Confidence
Heart                                          Seat of Passion
Belly                                           Seat of the Emotions
Gut                                              Seat of the Unconscious Mind or Spirit man
Gut                                              Seat of Hidden Instincts
Heart                                          Seat of Thoughts
Heart                                          Seat of Emotions
Heart                                          Seat of the Mind
Bowels                                       Seat of Compassion

Interesting, huh?

Here’s some general thoughts:

• your belly can speak to you about what type of emotions you are having
• your gut (where your spirit man is) can indicate what your spirit man is saying
• true thoughts, emotions, and mind originate from your heart
• interesting thing that nowhere in Ancient Hebrew was it indicated that something in your head was a seat for anything… (just saying) lol
• passion has to be discovered in your heart, not your surroundings.  Ask your heart questions, then get busy listening.
• compassion makes you have bowel movements.  LOL! (had to put this in here)

Manipulators affect your:

1. Thinking
2. Perception
3. Self-esteem

Thinking –
From wresting for the power balance of a relationship, a manipulator draws strength from causing you to continuously question your own thinking.  Part of the steps to cut the manipulation off, is to trust yourself and your discernment.  Trust what you are seeing, and what you are feeling.  Many times, part of the manipulator’s agenda, is to give your thoughts no sense of authority.

Perception -
Part of the process of manipulation steals the ability of the victim to see any alternatives of escaping the manipulative relationship.  This is done by words, verbal and nonverbal communication.  The victim’s perception is skewed by the thoughts, opinions, and threats of the manipulator.  This is why the victim struggles to take steps to get out of the situation; embracing their own perception is needed to take the leap of faith.

Self-esteem -
The manipulator has created an inflated sense of power in the life of the victim, and has done the opposite to the victim.  Through the relationship, the victim has grown weaker and weaker in how they feel, view themselves, and self-esteem.  The more and more the relationship is manipulative, the more the manipulator’s sense of control is increased, and the victim becomes convinced that his or her needs, feelings, or desires are not of importance.

This teaching is a follow-up to the previous teaching on “Identifying Manipulation.” In the previous teaching, we went over the 7 vulnerabilities of the human heart. These vulnerabilities had to do with buttons manipulators can push to get us to do things we don’t always want to do.

This blog is about the 9 Manipulative people types. Think about it – human nature has developed in each of us. Blind spots evolve in our upbringing, lifestyle, untrained relationship skills, our weaknesses, our strengths, and our thought patterns. These blind spots are not always healthy. These blind spots can absolutely be manipulative ways in how we relate to others.

This teaching is not meant to mess you up by making you insecure – but it is meant to shine a light in your heart, and also to help you in certain stressful relationships in your life which could be manipulative.

When I, Cesar, began to develop this teaching, it began to open my eyes to many issues in the body of Christ; where people become Christians – but they bring in to the Kingdom their own ways of functioning in relationships. When God tells us in his word in 1st Corinthians 13 – Love is the way.

Love never manipulates. Love is a different way of functioning.  In our pursuit of developing a Grace Culture, I want us to learn to love on a whole new level. This means undoing our insecurities, and dismantling our ways of manipulation. This is the truest, purest, in the most life-giving way of following Christ and being His disciple: which is to learn not to manipulate others or even yourself as you fulfill your destiny.

As you go over these people types – open your heart, be honest with yourself, and allow God to reveal to you a new side of who you are. Jesus is our Answer. Jesus is our Model. In Jesus is doing a good work in you. He will help you with this if you allow Him to.

When I created these 9 metaphors, I created them to be visual and concrete concepts you can meditate upon.  Some of them have strong negative connotations, on purpose.  They are supposed to be negative to help inform us of how that manipulator functions.

9 Manipulative People Types

1. Iron Fist - ruthless dominance

- No morals, lies, cheat, steals, etc… Have no integrity, and will run over people and not care about it.  The obvious lack of character makes this person very dangerous and destructive, especially to those who are tender hearted and want to do what’s right.  They use absolute deception to get their way, with very little consideration of outcomes or feelings of others.  They devise plans and potential outcomes with no intentions of really ever fulfilling their commitment.  They will betray with no problem.

2. Balloon - entitlement

- Inflated sense of self-worth, value, and purpose. It will only hang out with certain types of people because they think they are incredibly special.  They make demands and requests which are unreasonable but justified in their mind.  They will speak out of their own devised world of expectations.  They build up their own view of themselves in fantasy and expect everyone else around them to treat them accordingly.  They lash out with vicious threats and guilt trips of someone does not treat them as they desire.  They will also sulk, act wounded, wine, and draw on the sympathy of others.

3. Doormat - low self-esteem

- Emotionally unstable, moody, depressed. View themselves as doormat sub consciously. Blame others for their failure.  Complex self-image problems.  They view themselves as entirely incapable; therefore when others expect something out of them, they will fight the whole way.  They view themselves as victims of others’ mistakes and outcomes.  They have discovered how to survive by having others feel sorry for them and always have to watch what they say for fear of hurting their feelings. This person very rarely has healthy relationships with friends outside of family.

4. Tick - chooses failure

- Depends on others, indecisive, needy, won’t grow up, attach themselves to those who help them, with guilt trips. May even threaten others. Use ultimatums to manipulate.  These individuals will usually struggle with depression, self-esteem, self-worth, and know it.  They have, although, discovered how to suck life from others and never ultimately take steps forward.  They use guilt upon those who hold them accountable.  They will also threaten using fear of loss.

5.  Mask - dramatic and seductive

- Emotionally expressive, can be seductive, etc… Have to be the center of attention and use their sexuality to manipulate.  They can use charm and entrap others by mentally pulling them to do what they want.  They will also use emotional blackmail to scare others and intimidate with threats.  They operate in borderline witchcraft through the control they exude.

6. Dead Weight - passive aggressive

- Punishes by accusing others, controls through sulking. Demonizes others with false accusations in order to manipulate, when they are the ones causing the situation. They quit functioning in their relationship in order to manipulate and punish. Very deceitful. Silent treatment, and won’t open up.  Excuses about trust and weariness will arise.  This person can also deceive multiple people altogether by drawing from the sympathy of well meaning hearts.

7. Boiling Pot - pushy achiever

- High energy, can threaten, over extend others, insensitive to others, very demanding, and manipulate the intimidation.  They manipulate through many of their blind spots.  They don’t really stop to discuss the feelings of others or consider the perspective of others.  They see themselves as mighty leaders and plow forward at all costs.  They can be passionate about tasks and not see how they make others operate under guilt, fear, and insecurity.

8. Snake - con and deceiver

- Liar, possible criminal background, will steal. Struggle with sense of identity therefore have created a false one to impress and manipulate others. Needy for a sense of self-worth.  This person will use promises and sell ideas to others in order to get what they want.  They struggle with clarity on who they are, because they have created so much of who they are using the power of fantasy.

9. Buzzard - addiction is first

- Goal oriented on getting fix at all costs, and will do anything to anyone the matter who they are, including loved ones. They are emotionally addicted, and would deceive anyone

I’m going to be blogging on leadership, so we made these two video’s as an introduction so you’d understand where I’d be coming from.  Recorded in my office at the church.

There are many people in the Church who are heavily misunderstood, misinterpreted, and ultimately rejected. Some of them are genuinely gifted individuals with revelatory gifts.

“Revelatory gifts” can be a mixture of many things. One can be a prophet, or an individual who operates in prophetic gift but is not necessarily called to be a prophet to the Body of Christ, many intercessors, people simply generally sensitive to the spirit realm, or even just those who hear differently than others.

For example, the gift of discerning of spirits in 1 Corinthians 12:10 lends discernment and a perception in 4 areas:

• Human spirit
• Demonic spirits
• Angels
• Holy Spirit

So we understand that with just that one manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s input, we are able to see on many fronts, through the gift of discerning of spirits.

Ultimately, one is gifted according to the grace given to us (Romans 12:6) and God has chosen how to endow us with abilities and perceptions to aid in our assignment.

Hebrews 5:14 says “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (KJ Version)

Strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, and those who are of full age. Full age? Actually, in Greek, the word age is “tenois” which means “complete in growth.” So strong meat belongs to those that are complete and have grown. They who digest stronger stuff are those who have worked out their senses.

In this verse, let’s look at a couple of other words in Greek as well. “Senses” is the word “aistheterion” in Greek. It actually means “an organ of perception.” Wow! You have “perception organs.” There are parts of you made to help you perceive and discern. What a thought.

“Excercised” in this verse (still Heb 5:14) is the Greek word, “gumnazo,” which means “to practice naked.”

What?? Let’s bring it all together… yes, it means that you grow your perception as you “practice your organ of perception nakedly.” Of course, it’s not referring to clothing. It’s referring to transparency as you openly embrace what God has given you. Another way of viewing it is, to practice openly.

We have some demonstrations of perception in the life of Christ – although, it was not about a “way” of perception, but about a “value” of following the Holy Spirit. Jesus followed the Holy Spirit in all things at all times through all settings.

Through he accumulation of various training and various mentors I have had, I made a list which demonstrates the various ways revelatory gifts can perceive insights from the Lord.

Before you read the list, these are in different people and in different degrees.

Use it as a checklist to see how many of these you identify with:

1. Scripture speaks a language others don’t hear – when you read the bible, you hear God speaking in ways others don’t seem to see it or hear it. This is a part of your perception and revelatory gift.
2. Authentic sense of liberty to interpret – When it comes to hearing God and discerning what He is saying, you have a mixture of both confidence and an authority in making sense of what God is sharing, leading, giving, speaking, and moving in.
3. Presence doesn’t leave – You have a lifestyle marked by a nearness of God. Though we all have seasons of various encounters and experiences, revelatory gifts walk with God in a sovereign grace that enables them to interact with His presence in an unusual manner.
4. Encounters unspeakable – You have encounters which you sometimes never share because they are so heavy, significant, and private with God. You encounter God in ways where the occasion is more about Him giving you something, than it is about you sharing with others. Impartation!
5. Historical insights – (I’ll try to properly explain this) You have ways of connecting historical events, recent and past, with what God is saying and doing. This is not common. It’s revelatory. You have a keen sense of making connections to spiritually significant situations and interpret revelations from God in them. Wow, what a thought! The apostles of old did this all the time. They recalled old scriptures written in scrolls by the prophets and were able to make a revelatory connection histority. Peter did this in Acts 15 when he saw Amos 9:11 being fulfilled.
6. Prophetic access – You have access to hear God unlike others do. You just talk to Him, He talks to you. Others can tend to get frustrated when they hear you share, because they just don’t seem to get insights like that. That’s a revelatory gift.
7. Sentences build on ones tongue – God gives you words, revelations, impressions, ideas, or knowledge as you speak. Old Testament, this is Hebrew word, “nabi” which means “to bubble forth.” That’s how many prophetic gifts function, and few know it. So it you operate this way, never stop sharing your heart – your weapon is your mouth!
8. Visions – Strong sense of visual faculties of your mind. Everything you contemplate is visual. Ideas from God, you dream a lot, you see pictures when someone is talking to you, or you see panoramic visuals when you pray. Embrace this gift from God and realize He’ll speak to you in visions. Key verse is when Jesus said in John 5:19 “I only do what I see My Father do.”
9. Pains of others – Parabolic experiences – This one messes many people up. They believe they are experiencing something, but it’s the Lord sharing insights actually pertaining to someone else. This is a lot of how some words of knowledge come to us. You experience things in your life which God is not just allowing, but speaking to you through. This can be mentally, emotional, spiritual, or even physical. Wow!
10. Perspective of His Will unfolding - When you hear others share, you are able to see how God is working and you have powerful insight from that understanding. Your words become powerfully relevant to people’s lives, because you are able to speak knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to people because you see His Hand moving.
11. Words have color or life – You see words spelled out. This is amazing. All you do is ask God a question and you see words. You even see words spelled on people’s foreheads, chests, back of their head, or even hovering over them. Amazing! (I rarely see this)
12. Sight brings activation of revelation – Whenever you look at someone, you seem to activate revelation in you. Remember, we operate in grace, not just gifts. Grace is what we move in. When you have revelatory gifts, you have revelatory grace (ability to pick up revelation) and your gift is just applied to different settings and different answers come to you. Just like asking different questions give you more specific answers.
13. Gifts are common – You operate in gifts just about all the time no matter where you’re at. You don’t require a choir with you to listen to the Holy Spirit. It just comes natural to you.
14. It’s always raining in your mind – Your mind is constantly flooded with insights from Him. Others have a lack or scarce life from Him but you are always picking up stuff. Awesome!
15. Sense angels – You have an awareness of angels around different settings. Just this week, a visitor to one of our Wednesday nights came to me and said they saw many 15 foot angels standing in our sanctuary. Wow! Also, he said one was standing behind me with his hands out. Man!
16. Love deeper – Jesus loves through you in an uncommon way. You just know how to love like Him. What better revelatory gift is there than a love of Christ loving people like they need to be loved?!
17. Eternity has a clear visibility – This one scares me – You have a strong awareness of the reality, the existence, and the enormity of eternity. Much of your life is ultimately influenced by this. It helps you pay certain prices in your life, because you keep a reminder of where all things are headed – to eternity. You also can make decisions based from an eternal perspective.
18. Heaven is accessible – You feel you have access to heaven’s economy, influence, downloads, and input. That’s all I’ll say about this one.
19. Pray but too much happens – More happens when you pray than usual. Never stop praying! There’s obviously an authority on your life.
20. God bugs you – God haunts you, bothers you, won’t leave you alone, keeps you on a short leash, and deals with you directly. Nuff said! lol
21. Being awake is being aware – You wake up with deep thoughts about deep things. As you think and pray, you become aware of things and insights and different things Jesus reveals.
22. Sensitivity – You have a sensitivity in your heart which causes you to pick up things on a level which is uncommon. You have a connection to so many dynamics in any given setting. Sensitivity is related to awareness.
23. Noticing of details – You see little itty-bitty details which cause you to have insights. The slightest facial expression someone has. A sign you see. A picture or impression which comes to you in a flash. Little things like that with great significance.
24. Hearing is intense – You can hear strongly. Not just in a spiritual sense, but even in the natural, you can hear things powerfully and intensely. Sounds are important. Sounds carry meaning, and a lot of the times, spiritual meaning and significance.
25. Thoughts go to amazing places – This is not new age. This is the inheritance of a believer in Christ. Your mind can take your into such deep thoughts and meditation that you end up with answers from the Holy Spirit, unscrambling complex issues, and discerning confusing items. You go friend!
26. See more – You see more than others see in life. It’s like you have large antenna’s and pick up things in your spirit that is beyond what others pick up on.
27. Awareness beyond natural – It seems like revelatory people are always interacting with something beyond just what is seen in the natural. They have a cognizance of the Holy Spirit, and it causes them to say different things, see things differently, come up with amazing perspective, and most of all, hear and see God’s doing in things.
28. Understand Nuts and bolts – You have this amazing ability to understand how things work in the Kingdom. It just makes sense to you. You are very studious and caring about how things work. This can be a great and insightful source of wisdom to others.
29. See where things are going – You have a keen sense to make predictions, seeing where “the train” is headed by mere momentum. You are able to share wisdom and revelation because you can perceive the unfolding of things, even steps ahead before they happen.
30. Hard to hear words when I see the heart – You are more occupied with someone’s heart than you are with just their words. Words are important, but you tend to see more in people’s hearts and are able to discern things that are going on in their heart. (I also suggest if to check yourself if you may be bound or wounded and functioning out of a critical spirit… there’s a HUGE difference. You may need deliverance!). This person can easily tell when someone’s lying.
31. Big picture dominates small problems – You are able to interpret with things from a bird’s eye view. You make or don’t make decisions because of what you see and feel in the big picture. You don’t freak out about things because of the practical wisdom which comes from seeing the big picture. No matter what happens, you hear God through big picture items and themes. Wow! I love this one.
32. Intercession – You get all sorts of insights and feelings to pray for people. You just know somethings not right. It goes beyond discomfort, and into a burden to pray. I thank God for these types of people!

7 Vulnerabilities of the Human Heart (to manipulation)

1. People pleasing
2. Constant need for approval or acceptance
3. Fear of negative emotions
4. Lack of assertiveness and inability to say “no”
5. Vanishing person
6. Lack of self-reliance
7. External locus of control

More in-depth explanation –

1. People pleasing – when someone’s focus is entirely on pleasing others. Growing up, this was their
culture, all they knew, or possibly one of the greatest passions of their heart. This can open them up to
manipulation from others who aim to take advantage of that. This person can get a strong sense of value
from pleasing in serving others. They may view their self-image entirely as a servant of people. They could
have a skewed sense of perception on boundaries in regards to serving the needs and pleasing the desires
of others. This person could possibly have had an upbringing where they had no choice but to learn to
function by almost anticipating someone else’s desires. Strong characteristics can also be low self-esteem,
lack of self-worth, and lack of solid identity. Because of this the person will try to accommodate
everyone’s wishes, demands, requests, pressures, and suggestions.

2. Constant need for approval or acceptance – though this sounds the same as people pleasing,
it is entirely different. Need for approval is rooted more in self-image issues. Acceptance needed by
someone could be an indicator that they have a rejection complex wrestling with them from within. This
puts the person in that hunger and constant desire to get approval and acceptance of others before they
will make decisions, take actions, or do things on their own. Their greatest fear can be that someone
would disapprove or go against them. This could be prominent in those individuals who are afraid or
uncomfortable with conflict altogether.

3. Fear of negative emotions – fear negative emotions is when someone makes decisions and
functions based on steering away from others’ reactions to them. This is also one those individuals who
are fearful of conflict and avoided all cost. Once the manipulator realizes that he would use it for his
advantage. Their worst nightmare is that someone would lash out to them in anger, or disapproval, or
frustration, or a negative facial expression. This person will avoid creating or evoking any negative
emotion out of someone else. Because of this, a manipulator will figure out all they have to do is act angry
– in this individual will do as they wish.

4. Lack of assertiveness and inability to say “no” – this individual has had little success at ever
saying no to anyone for a variety of reasons. They are really unaware of the issues of boundaries,
limitations, or even the value system of being able to rest (by not value in rest, they do not have enough
willpower or see the importance of saying no). This individual can simply be asked to do just about
anything and they will say yes. They can struggle with an obligation or feeling that they must always
accommodate the requests of others. These individuals can be prone to having guilt when saying no. This
can also be common among those who are “works – based” thinkers. They work for their value – and
therefore believe that saying no to someone, is rejecting them, or not showing a “Christian witness.” This
is completely unhealthy thinking. Lack of assertiveness can be a developmental issue in the upbringing,
where the individual never learned how to put their foot down, have backbone, or stand up for
themselves. Another part of this can be lack of self esteem where they value others over themselves.

5. Vanishing person – this person lacks clarity on their identity. They have a limited understanding
about themselves, and don’t have a clarity on “who” they are. This person’s identity continues to get
more and more blurry as life beats them up. They potentially started with the lack of clarity and identity,
and the more and more life and people push them around, the more they lose a sense of identity. They
don’t know their likes or dislikes, their wishes and dreams, their desires, their gifts, their worst, their
value, and who they are or who they will become. Because of this blurriness – they become easy for
manipulators to dominate. They can sometimes have very needy personalities because they don’t know
who they are – and therefore attach themselves to someone else. [This is why it's important to teach your
child who they are in Christ!]

6. Lack of self-reliance – this person doesn’t know what clothing to wear, where to work, when to
smile, when to say something, or where to live. They always need someone else to lead them, show them
the way, give them direction, instruct them, explain to them things, and much more. This person has
never become responsible or realize their potential. They lack a self-responsible, self-mastering, and
selfinitiative part of their heart to do anything. Their entire life revolves around being supported by others in
all that they do. Without self-reliance, people are easier to manipulate because they depend on others.
The ones upon whom they depend can easily dominate them and direct them to do various things even
against this person’s wishes and desires.

7. External locus of control – your locus of control is the core of who you are. An internal locus of
control means that you internally determine the quality of life. External locus of control means that you
view that every external circumstance, and factor – determines the quality of your life. People with an
external locus of control have a bad day because of bad weather. They have a bad day because someone
didn’t smile at them. They have a bad day because someone did say hi to them. But a person of internal
locus of control has a great day no matter what is going on externally.

I wanted to take just one place in New Testament life where manipulation affected the lives of well-meaning and very Godly people. This is just one scenario out of the many lessons in the epistles writen by the patriarch apostles to their spiritual children. The example which follows, although, is Jesus, bringing something to light in a very amazing church. Sobering!

Check out this verse: Revelation 2:18-20 “And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.”

Now I wanted to bring it home for us by giving some perspective right off the bat on why understanding manipulative difficulties within a local church setting is crucial for both leaders and attendants or members of a church. The claws and grips of spiritual state of affairs are usually under the radar of the common individual who is enjoying what God is doing in the local church. Being a senior pastor, lends me to the more in depth panorama of behind-the-scene issues involved in running and leading a local church. This is important because I am not just pointing out people in general who are manipulated. I want to shed light on the fact that manipulation can exist anywhere where human nature is in operation.

The scene of the local church is a complex one. Following God, being the probable main objective of every leader, mixed with the many states of maturity of those within the congregation is a very sticky picture. You also have various levels of commitment levels, understanding levels, denominational backgrounds, perspectives and interpretations of the leadership, and one of the most crucial – various degrees of wounded-ness within the hearts of individuals. Pastoring a church is like managing a car without always having the place and right from people to understand what’s going on under the hood. People have various comfort levels, trust issues, struggles with insecurities, agendas, personal ambitions, extremely different expectations, pressures smothering people’s capacity to both love God and receive from you as a leader.

Dealing with a jezebel is complex. Understanding manipulation is the core playground to be equipped with and familiar with in order to begin to understand how to deal with this person or spirit influencing the actions of this spirit. A usual charismatic approach would be to simply pray and leave it to God. Although that is our main manner of managing, through prayer, it’s important for each of us to have discernment, wisdom, and steps of action in handling these situations.

Here Jesus said, “You get an “A” in love. You get an “A” in serving. You get an “A” in persistence. You get an “A” in faith. But you get an “F” in handling manipulation.”

Most pastors would be grateful and excited to pastor a church which excels in basically the core New Testament values systems – faith, servanthood, patience, and of course, love. But Jesus called their deficiency, they lacked either will-power or “how-to” on handling and stopping a manipulation person who had lied, wrongfully called herself prophetic, and was rooted into the local church, and obviously doing damage.

Uprooting a relationally rooted person in a local church usually comes with great sacrifice, with many parts of potential explosive scenarios on the scene, usually not caught by many. Some plow ahead with no skill or strategy by attacking the person and causing a woundedness which goes beyond what they wanted and expected. Retaliation among the flock begins to take its toll and subtraction to life, energy, momentum, attendance, and courage begins to take place.

What has taken place, is a manipulative person or picture has developed. Roots have found their way into different strengths of the church like ropes, tying things together, and causing things to be diabolically connected in ways where pulling one piece, causes 10 to 20 pieces to fall to the floor. In other words, making forceful decisions with a shot gun approach can cause way more damage to a local church seemingly than the manipulation itself.

This probably is some of the main reasons in America, 1,500, pastors quit or end or burnout from ministry altogether, PER MONTH! Wow! Think about that. These manipulation headquarters can be a local church with an honest leader trying to make things happen while following God to the best of his ability.

Power threats, doused with intimidation and scary actions cause the pastor to be gripped not just under the power of manipulation, but they feel manipulation starting to maneuver the flock altogether.  The pastor begins to watch some in the flock going through vulnerable misunderstandings, not realizing that they could themselves be a part of a mass deceptive scheme happening. Half-truths, lies, gossip, demonization of the character of the leader, accusation against misunderstood and unexplained actions of the leader, cause an emergence of strength within the plot of the manipulator.

I have lately been saying, it’d be interesting if God removed the power of witchcraft from a city, how many churches within that city would actually close down. Many well-meaning Christians could technically qualify as authentic witches by the actual degree of mind-control they exude upon others in that local church.

Keep in mind, this happens to a church, not just because many Christians are vulnerable to manipulation, but also because satan hates what God has given to the local church. He has given the local church His presence and sonship. Satan hates the church because of that. More to that bargain, woundedness is a major player in the lives and worldviews that make up the chemistry and interactions of manipulators with the manipulated.

It’s important to not aim to call anyone out as a “jezebel” within a local church at all costs, but to know how to manage situations through properly identifying the context of how certain situations are made up, knowing how to disarm them through our own repentance and assuming of full responsibility of our part of the ordeal, and to grow in strength in resistance tactics which make us more immune to manipulation altogether.

Manipulation eats up many leaders, members, and disciples of the local church. The worst part of the tragedy is the weakening of the Kingdom advancement eaten up by the vicious appetite by the spirit of manipulation.

It’s no wonder Jesus addresses manipulation within this local church – think about how it prevents the Holy Spirit from being able to inspire men and women with direction. Think about how it puts brakes on the Will of God within the lives of certain people (though His Kingdom, nothing can stop). Think about the disillusionment it brings to young disciples, and God loving souls with very little strength. Think about the reinforcing warfare brought upon those who already struggle with a form of torment or bondage within that local church. Think about how jezebel creates a confirmation to the ideas and accusatory deadly words spoken against the leader of a local church, backing those who hold offense, or hold bitterness or resentment against the leader. Think about all the souls that leave the local church, and never return. Think about what it does to the honor of the name of our King, Jesus.

This is not to create another level of intimidation within our minds. This is not to magnify the power of manipulative spirits. This is paint a more in depth picture into our hearts to bring insight to us on how deep manipulative situations make up the picture of a local church. If manipulation takes geography of a local church, then how much does that impact the influence of God’s Spirit in the context that men and women are vulnerable to an intimidation that prevents them. Though He’s God, His children suffer at the heels of manipulation, especially when untrained to recognize manipulation, or betting yet, their very vulnerabilities to manipulation. If we stay uninformed, we will remain vulnerable.

The equipping concept is crucial. Ephesians 4 actually says leaders are to equip the Body for the work of the ministry. Actually, the word “equip” in Greek is the word meaning “repair” believers for the work of the ministry. Repaired people are more whole. They become less and less vulnerable to the strings of manipulation.

Dealing with this type of teaching is far from tidy. It’s a nasty topic. It’s horrific on some scales. It surfaces the grossest aspects of ministry and simultaneously surfaces probably some of the worst of human nature altogether. Manipulation means we can have many reasons to make some heart-checks, and also go through various degrees and seasons of repentance when examination reveals our heart is guilty of participation.

The more little teachings on this topic you hear, the most your understanding will attain perspective, revealing to you the complexities of human nature at its worst. Moreover, it’s important for you to understand blind spots are brutal. Convincing someone of a blind spot takes the help of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: “Holy Spirit, we ask you for your help. Bring truth to me as I join into this teaching. Reveal tools and equipment to my spirit man. Open my eyes to be able to see things happening on a whole new level. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.”