Ministry Experience
New Email Daily Devotional ...
How would you like to receive daily devotionals through the internet written by yours truly? It's free and there's no obligation. Just use the “contact us” button on this website and "Send me the Daily Word". Then, every morning when you wake up, your devotional will be ready for you to pull up and read: It's that simple!
We are so excited about these devotionals, the feedback we have been receiving from our readers and the potential they have for evangelization and blessing to Christians all over the World (We already have one reader from France!). The Lord gave me this inspiration to do these devotionals in the middle of the night. If you enjoy these newsletters once a month, think how much you will enjoy these devotionals every day!
The following article is a sample of Dea's Daily Email Teachings.
Be On The Cutting Edge
By Dea Warford
(This is the first of a 3 part series on how we can be on the "cutting edge" of what God is doing on the earth in these last days)
Word: "The Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword." Hebrews 4:12
Wisdom: I was pastoring a small church in Los Angeles County. I knew I was called to evangelize, but there I was "stuck" pastoring. I attended a meeting where a "prophet" was speaking. He prophesied over me that I "would be on the cutting edge of what God was doing" and told me to "pack my bags" because God was going to soon release me to my evangelistic calling ( I believe I had mentioned to him earlier my burden for the field). That was over 2 decades ago. It was nearly a decade until I was indeed released to the full-time evangelistic field. And, today, as an evangelist, I am still desirous to be on the "cutting edge of what God is doing".
Has the Lord spoken to you prophetically, or in a vision or dream, or maybe just filled your heart with a great desire to be used of him in a special way in these last days? Do you long to be on the "cutting edge" of what He is doing too? If so, this message is for you!
The Word of God is full of symbolic imagery of "cutting" instruments. Swords, knives, and axes teach us much about God's ways and how He uses people who have a certain "cutting edge" to their lives. Cutting instruments have finely sharpened edges which are first to enter something before the "dull" area follows them in. ("Dull" Christians are waiting for "sharp" Christians to lead them "in" to God's plan for their lives!)
Cutting instruments are used to . . .
1/ Heal: Knives were used to cut out arrows of war in ancient times and still are used today to cut out bullets. Fiery arrows of the enemy have pierced the souls of many weary souls waging battle against Satan (Eph. 6:16). To remove these "fiery darts', God has given us the Word of God which is "sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit." (Heb. 6:12).
People are often confused as to whether things in their lives are coming from the Spirit of God, the devil or the flesh. They may be hearing something awfully discouraging, but don't realize it is just Satan. They hear something wonderful, and they think it's just them; and not really God. Someone has to help "dull" Christians discern the difference. "Cutting edge people" know how to take the "Sword of the Spirit" and use it wisely: like a surgeon's scalpel, to cut out the "bullets" of the devil, and help bring discernment to the body of Christ. How do these "surgeons" learn how to so use the Word? Heb. 5:15 explains it: "Strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil". Notice, it says, "by reason of use". In other words, the more you use the Bible; the more you read it; the more you study it; the more you learn about it; the more you memorize it: the more you can help make it cut deeply and helpfully into the people you share it with. You must "study to show yourself approved to God" (II Tim. 2:15) faithfully and ongoingly if you expect Him to choose you as one of His special cutting instruments in the last day battle.
2/ Build: Axes, saws, and nails are cutting things that help build. Just as different trades use different tools to work their craft, so different ministries use their varied "cutting edges" for different building purposes. For instance, I once heard Jack Hayford say that, "An evangelist is more like a lumberjack who cuts down trees in the forest. A pastor is more like a cabinet maker." Some pastors won't have me back to their church. I do things so differently than they would do it. They think the best way to treat God's people is like a cabinet maker. But, they sometimes forget, that a lumberjack had to spread a bunch of trees flat on the ground with a "thud" to provide the wood for the more time consuming and careful craftsmanship it takes to build cabinets.
I know I have a "hard" ministry. I know I offend some with my seemingly harsh words. (I get email "rebukes" sometimes. People want me to be like them; see things as they see them; and feel things as they feel them. But, they don't realize that they are gifted with a different tool! It apparently doesn't enter their mind that I am gifted with a different tool or that God doesn't want me to be like them. He wants me to be me! Let's make a covenant now: You let me be me and I'll let you be you! Not that I'll never say or do anything worthy of rebuke or correction. But, just make sure that you are not trying to make a lumberjack a cabinet maker!).
I know I have a tendency to not pull punches. But, I am nevertheless a journeyman builder in the kingdom. I am an Eph. 4:11 evangelist given along with other ministries for the "edifying (building up) of the body of Christ." (v. 12). I have often come through a new forest full of dead trees and in a few services "cut them down". Then, I left it up to the pastors to carefully and slowly make something beautiful out of those same trees. I'm doing my job. They are doing theirs. I can't do it without them. And, though some of them do not know it; they cannot do it without me (or other evangelists, prophets, etc.).
Chain-saws don't work well in cabinetry and skill-saws don't work well in forestry! Your job is to discover your "trade" in the Kingdom of God; find your "tool"; learn to "use it"; and make its "cutting edge" as "sharp" as possible. You may not be a pastor or evangelist, but you too are still a builder! "We are laborers together with God . . . You are God's building . . . I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds upon it." (1 Cor. 3:9-11). Workers outside their skill-level and natural gifting make poor craftsmen. Dull tools make for poor craftsmanship.
When I lived in Oklahoma, I hired a guy over the phone to build me a wooden fence (they didn't have many fences in Oklahoma. I was raised in Southern California. We like fences around our properties!). When the guy came to do the job, I quickly discovered that he only had one arm! (He probably was in the wrong trade with only one arm!) When he cut the posts for my fence, he (or one of his men) used the wrong tool: a chainsaw! It left ugly uneven cuts. A man in the wrong trade with the wrong tools is not likely someone whom I would refer to someone else. Would God refer someone to you? Discover your trade and your tool. You can't do it all! You are not supposed to! But you can do something. So, do something! Meanwhile, seek to be on the "cutting edge" of why and how God intends to use you today to build His body! Then, you'll have plenty of jobs to do in the days ahead!
3/ Destroy: Throughout the Old Testament swords are one of the primary instruments used by the Israelites to "destroy" their enemies. These Old Testament enemies symbolize today's enemy: the devil and his demonic cohorts. Jesus came to help us defeat them. "For this purpose the son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (1 Jn. 3:8). We are soldiers following the "Captain of our salvation" (Heb. 2:10); carrying the "Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God." (Eph. 6:17) to destroy the works of Hell. But, the Sword of the Bible doesn't destroy the devil by sitting on some bookshelf. One has to pick it up and use it!
This is why Jesus told the disciples to "Cast out devils" (Matt. 10:8). They used His Word (Lu. 10:19) and His name (Mark 16:17, 18); but THEY had to take the initiative themselves and do it ("cast out"). Thus, in a very real sense, it is the person himself who casts out the devil or destroys the works of Hell that becomes the "cutting" instrument. "Resist and devil and he will flee from YOU" (not Jesus or the Bible), but "YOU" (James 4:7). This is a very important distinction to understand. People don't get free from demons because they go to church and read the Bible or love the name of Jesus. Someone has to cast them out by taking authority over them!
Are you taking your authority over the enemy? Are you casting devils out: out of your life; out of your children's life; or out of your nation? This is but one way we are a sharp cutting tool for God.
If we are on the cutting edge, things will be changing around us because of us taking the initiative to use God's Word. Learn to use His Word like a surgeon's knife to help bring healing to wounded souls. Be a sharp tool to help build His Kingdom.
And be like a Sword to destroy the works of the enemy.
Start sharpening up today!
Prayer: "Father, help me to be on the cutting edge of what you are doing on the earth now. Help me to do a worthwhile and lasting work for you. Cut off the dull areas of my life. Teach me how to use Your Word as my primary cutting tool."
Confession: "I have the Sword of the Spirit. I will be a sharp cutting instrument for the Lord."
How would you like to receive daily devotionals through the internet written by yours truly? It's free and there's no obligation. Just use the “contact us” button on this website and "Send me the Daily Word". Then, every morning when you wake up, your devotional will be ready for you to pull up and read: It's that simple!
We are so excited about these devotionals, the feedback we have been receiving from our readers and the potential they have for evangelization and blessing to Christians all over the World (We already have one reader from France!). The Lord gave me this inspiration to do these devotionals in the middle of the night. If you enjoy these newsletters once a month, think how much you will enjoy these devotionals every day!
The following article is a sample of Dea's Daily Email Teachings.
Be On The Cutting Edge
By Dea Warford
(This is the first of a 3 part series on how we can be on the "cutting edge" of what God is doing on the earth in these last days)
Word: "The Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword." Hebrews 4:12
Wisdom: I was pastoring a small church in Los Angeles County. I knew I was called to evangelize, but there I was "stuck" pastoring. I attended a meeting where a "prophet" was speaking. He prophesied over me that I "would be on the cutting edge of what God was doing" and told me to "pack my bags" because God was going to soon release me to my evangelistic calling ( I believe I had mentioned to him earlier my burden for the field). That was over 2 decades ago. It was nearly a decade until I was indeed released to the full-time evangelistic field. And, today, as an evangelist, I am still desirous to be on the "cutting edge of what God is doing".
Has the Lord spoken to you prophetically, or in a vision or dream, or maybe just filled your heart with a great desire to be used of him in a special way in these last days? Do you long to be on the "cutting edge" of what He is doing too? If so, this message is for you!
The Word of God is full of symbolic imagery of "cutting" instruments. Swords, knives, and axes teach us much about God's ways and how He uses people who have a certain "cutting edge" to their lives. Cutting instruments have finely sharpened edges which are first to enter something before the "dull" area follows them in. ("Dull" Christians are waiting for "sharp" Christians to lead them "in" to God's plan for their lives!)
Cutting instruments are used to . . .
1/ Heal: Knives were used to cut out arrows of war in ancient times and still are used today to cut out bullets. Fiery arrows of the enemy have pierced the souls of many weary souls waging battle against Satan (Eph. 6:16). To remove these "fiery darts', God has given us the Word of God which is "sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit." (Heb. 6:12).
People are often confused as to whether things in their lives are coming from the Spirit of God, the devil or the flesh. They may be hearing something awfully discouraging, but don't realize it is just Satan. They hear something wonderful, and they think it's just them; and not really God. Someone has to help "dull" Christians discern the difference. "Cutting edge people" know how to take the "Sword of the Spirit" and use it wisely: like a surgeon's scalpel, to cut out the "bullets" of the devil, and help bring discernment to the body of Christ. How do these "surgeons" learn how to so use the Word? Heb. 5:15 explains it: "Strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil". Notice, it says, "by reason of use". In other words, the more you use the Bible; the more you read it; the more you study it; the more you learn about it; the more you memorize it: the more you can help make it cut deeply and helpfully into the people you share it with. You must "study to show yourself approved to God" (II Tim. 2:15) faithfully and ongoingly if you expect Him to choose you as one of His special cutting instruments in the last day battle.
2/ Build: Axes, saws, and nails are cutting things that help build. Just as different trades use different tools to work their craft, so different ministries use their varied "cutting edges" for different building purposes. For instance, I once heard Jack Hayford say that, "An evangelist is more like a lumberjack who cuts down trees in the forest. A pastor is more like a cabinet maker." Some pastors won't have me back to their church. I do things so differently than they would do it. They think the best way to treat God's people is like a cabinet maker. But, they sometimes forget, that a lumberjack had to spread a bunch of trees flat on the ground with a "thud" to provide the wood for the more time consuming and careful craftsmanship it takes to build cabinets.
I know I have a "hard" ministry. I know I offend some with my seemingly harsh words. (I get email "rebukes" sometimes. People want me to be like them; see things as they see them; and feel things as they feel them. But, they don't realize that they are gifted with a different tool! It apparently doesn't enter their mind that I am gifted with a different tool or that God doesn't want me to be like them. He wants me to be me! Let's make a covenant now: You let me be me and I'll let you be you! Not that I'll never say or do anything worthy of rebuke or correction. But, just make sure that you are not trying to make a lumberjack a cabinet maker!).
I know I have a tendency to not pull punches. But, I am nevertheless a journeyman builder in the kingdom. I am an Eph. 4:11 evangelist given along with other ministries for the "edifying (building up) of the body of Christ." (v. 12). I have often come through a new forest full of dead trees and in a few services "cut them down". Then, I left it up to the pastors to carefully and slowly make something beautiful out of those same trees. I'm doing my job. They are doing theirs. I can't do it without them. And, though some of them do not know it; they cannot do it without me (or other evangelists, prophets, etc.).
Chain-saws don't work well in cabinetry and skill-saws don't work well in forestry! Your job is to discover your "trade" in the Kingdom of God; find your "tool"; learn to "use it"; and make its "cutting edge" as "sharp" as possible. You may not be a pastor or evangelist, but you too are still a builder! "We are laborers together with God . . . You are God's building . . . I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds upon it." (1 Cor. 3:9-11). Workers outside their skill-level and natural gifting make poor craftsmen. Dull tools make for poor craftsmanship.
When I lived in Oklahoma, I hired a guy over the phone to build me a wooden fence (they didn't have many fences in Oklahoma. I was raised in Southern California. We like fences around our properties!). When the guy came to do the job, I quickly discovered that he only had one arm! (He probably was in the wrong trade with only one arm!) When he cut the posts for my fence, he (or one of his men) used the wrong tool: a chainsaw! It left ugly uneven cuts. A man in the wrong trade with the wrong tools is not likely someone whom I would refer to someone else. Would God refer someone to you? Discover your trade and your tool. You can't do it all! You are not supposed to! But you can do something. So, do something! Meanwhile, seek to be on the "cutting edge" of why and how God intends to use you today to build His body! Then, you'll have plenty of jobs to do in the days ahead!
3/ Destroy: Throughout the Old Testament swords are one of the primary instruments used by the Israelites to "destroy" their enemies. These Old Testament enemies symbolize today's enemy: the devil and his demonic cohorts. Jesus came to help us defeat them. "For this purpose the son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (1 Jn. 3:8). We are soldiers following the "Captain of our salvation" (Heb. 2:10); carrying the "Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God." (Eph. 6:17) to destroy the works of Hell. But, the Sword of the Bible doesn't destroy the devil by sitting on some bookshelf. One has to pick it up and use it!
This is why Jesus told the disciples to "Cast out devils" (Matt. 10:8). They used His Word (Lu. 10:19) and His name (Mark 16:17, 18); but THEY had to take the initiative themselves and do it ("cast out"). Thus, in a very real sense, it is the person himself who casts out the devil or destroys the works of Hell that becomes the "cutting" instrument. "Resist and devil and he will flee from YOU" (not Jesus or the Bible), but "YOU" (James 4:7). This is a very important distinction to understand. People don't get free from demons because they go to church and read the Bible or love the name of Jesus. Someone has to cast them out by taking authority over them!
Are you taking your authority over the enemy? Are you casting devils out: out of your life; out of your children's life; or out of your nation? This is but one way we are a sharp cutting tool for God.
If we are on the cutting edge, things will be changing around us because of us taking the initiative to use God's Word. Learn to use His Word like a surgeon's knife to help bring healing to wounded souls. Be a sharp tool to help build His Kingdom.
And be like a Sword to destroy the works of the enemy.
Start sharpening up today!
Prayer: "Father, help me to be on the cutting edge of what you are doing on the earth now. Help me to do a worthwhile and lasting work for you. Cut off the dull areas of my life. Teach me how to use Your Word as my primary cutting tool."
Confession: "I have the Sword of the Spirit. I will be a sharp cutting instrument for the Lord."
Helping equip God's people to minister
more effectively to the lost in their community.
more effectively to the lost in their community.
Evangelist Dea Warford
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