Into the glorious unknown...: October 2011

The Lord is raising up an army to go out and set the captives free and heal the broken hearted. Through the power of Jesus' name they will break every chain. It's not a hope, it's a promise, it's prophetic. Walk in this truth, break chains, heal broken hearts, set the captives free. Freedom Lord!

Oh I love God's sense of humor. Did you know that he the funniest practical joker, ever? Well he is and I know that I have been involved or at the center of some of those jokes and all I can do is laugh. Here is a story of one of those "practical jokes".

It all started about a year ago when I was training for my first 5K and had my Zune (for those unfamiliar, this is the Microsoft version of the iPod) working overtime. Every time I would go for a run I would put my player on shuffle to experience some music I hadn't heard for awhile in the far reaches of my library. One such day I was in my cool down walking back to my house when I heard a man's voice with a heavy Irish, or was it Scottish accent come through my ear buds. My first thought was "why is Shrek on my Zune", I immediately looked at my player to find out who this was and found I was listening to some guy named Graham Cooke. I was perplexed since I had no clue who he was and how he got on my Zune. I assumed that someone must have given me a bunch of his sermons/meditations and I unknowingly downloaded them onto my Zune. Regardless of how he got there I was blessed through his words that day and really enjoyed the truth he was speaking into me. Since that first day I have tried to figure out how he got on my Zune I tried tracking down free pod casts from Graham at my usual haunts but come up empty handed. I've asked people I suspect would have given me his sermons/Way of the Warrior, and they aren't even familiar with him. If you gave this to me do me a favor and don't tell me, I like the mystery, and the inside joke between me and the Father, well and you now too. The other funny thing is I cannot even find Graham Cooke on my Zune when I go to artist look up, and I've noticed that when he does come on, the artist and the song are obscure names, different every time. Hahaha! Crazy, and every time all I can do is laugh.

I had no idea then what the Lord would teach me through Graham Cooke and where he would bring me because of a man I've never met. This past year it seemed every time I put my player on shuffle Graham Cooke had something to say, and he had a word that was exactly what I needed to hear at the moment it was delivered. He has a series (that I apparently have) called Way of the Warrior. It's a collection of meditations, exhortations and prophetic words that he speaks out over the listener. This particular series has been affecting for me and I find myself repeating the tracks several times allowing the words to sink in and their meaning to go down deep. This dude is intense, spirit filled and gifted with prophetic words. Graham is big into identity, our identity in Christ, our unique identities. This is significant, because this past year God has been sealing my unique identity in Him. He has been refining my perception of how He has created me to become more like His perception of who I am to Him. Actually his sermon on identity is the only one I can find without fail on my player. I think God knew I would need to reference this sermon several times. Here are a couple points I really appreciated:

• When you know who you are then you know how you're supposed to live, both within yourself and towards the people around you.


• What you think about Jesus is the most important thing in the world.


• True identity is who we are on earth and how we are known in heaven. (personality (who we are on earth (shaped by upbringing, learned behavior), persona how we are known in heaven) Your persona known in heaven must be established on earth, it's who you are in the Kingdom. Your persona is an expression of God's image, it's the place of your acceptance, its the place where you are beloved and favored. It's how you are perceived perpetually in God and it becomes your adopted roll on earth.


• Your persona gives you legal authority over the enemy. Quit swanning around in the shallows and get into deep water because that's where your persona says you're supposed to be.


• When God shows up in our life and he calls us to a specific task he is introducing us to our persona as He defines it and that persona gives us and elevated status in the situation where we find ourselves.


• God loves your true identity, He loves to tell you who you are. When he introduces you to your true self he then relates to you in that way, always. From that time on he will only relate to your persona not your personality.


• Our personality is never equal to the task that you are called to. God hasn't called you to do something that is possible, reasonable or obtainable. The calling of God always makes you feel at odds with yourself (personality). You can carry on whining about your task, and you can make up all the lists of reasons why you can't do it and God needs to pick someone else, but all the things you think disqualify you do the opposite.


• Once God reveals to you your identity, your persona he will talk to you that way for the rest of your life. WE have some alignment to do. We have to embrace in full the persona of God, otherwise we will do nothing.

That's some good revelation right there. After almost a year of Graham Cooke's thoughts, words of revelation, and meditations, I decided that I wanted to hear him live. I thought to myself surely he will be coming through MN sometime, so I googled Graham Cooke+Minneapolis. Turns out he was here last spring for a conference and I'm not sure when he will be back, but there was a result for a book study, so I clicked on it. The book study was on Graham's book "Approaching the heart of prophecy" so I emailed and joined the group on a whim.

The first night of the study I went to this lady's apartment not really knowing what to expect. I didn't know these people, I had never met them, but I did know Graham Cooke (well sort of) and I was eager to read his thoughts and insight into prophecy and see what the Lord had for me. This was becoming a scavenger hunt and the key word seemed to be Graham Cooke. I was the second youngest woman there and as I sat there listening to the other women introduce themselves and share their hearts I felt right at home. I love that, the community that we have instantly with other believers. After that first night I was able to chat with the 2 leaders a mother and a daughter, and we found out that I actually went to high school with the daughter. Small world eh? I also got to share with them a little about my upcoming trip with the World Race, and they were very encouraging. In fact 2 weeks later (the next time we met) the mother of the duo wrote me a letter with some unknowing prophetic and strategic prayer. We each drew a name of someone else in the group before we left that night, to pray for and ask the Lord to reveal any words he might have for them. She had my name and her prayers for me we spot on. I love how God uses his church to edify one another and encourage one another and intercede for one another. It's incredible.

It's only been about a month now and we've only gotten a couple chapters into the book but God is already using this group and Graham Cooke once more to grow my faith and grow me in the prophetic.

Graham Cooke isn't the point of this past year, he was and is only the messenger and a strategic mouth piece for the Lord in my life. The Lord had his agenda with me and Graham Cooke was an unknowing player in His plan to teach me some pretty amazing things. So thanks Graham Cooke for allowing the Lord to speak through you, and God thanks for the laughs. Keep 'em coming. I can't wait to see what you have in store for me next!