Encouragement

“That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving And declare all Your wonders.” – Psalm‬ ‭26‬:‭7‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

“They shall also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, And tell of His works with joyful singing.” – Psalm‬ ‭107‬:‭22‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;” – Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

As believers, our attitude determines our altitude. The revelation and realization of our approach and entrance into the presence of God is an attitude of gratitude. It is with thanksgiving for all He has done, for every blessing, for our every breath; in everything, we give Him thanks.

When we come before Him accompanied by the sacrifice of thanksgiving, the gates of heaven are opened. We know that, for all He has done, we have not deserved nor are worthy of such goodness and favor.

When I was first being led by the Holy Ghost into the Baptism in Him, during the Charismatic movement, those who were filled with Him declared, “Thank You, Jesus.” The overflow from their spirit was the declaration and proclamation of what He has done for us. It is a true sacrifice of worship.

It is fundamental in our relationship to Him. It has eternal value and will never cease.

When Jesus fed the five thousand, He took the five loaves and two fishes, looked to heavens and simply gave thanks. The Father received His sacrifice and opened the windows of heaven and multiplied that which was given and fed all who were there. And there were leftovers: 12 baskets full—take-home boxes for the 12 disciples.

The power of the attitude of Thanksgiving, the pleasure and joy it brings to our God.

Hallelujah, let us give thanks now and forever and this day a feast commemorating and celebrating all He has done.

Blessings. – Keith Curlee

John 14:26:

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— (New International Version)

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. (New Living Translation)

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— (Amplified Version)

Here is another of Jesus’ and the Father’s complete endorsement and promise concerning God the Holy Ghost. Another exact and unchanging representation of their relational Oneness:

I will raise my eyes to the mountains; From where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. – Psalm‬ ‭121‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

For David, his help came from heaven, from above, the Lord. Yes, but the Father sent His Son to us, His only begotten Son. Likewise, the Father and the Son sent the promise of the Holy Ghost, also from Heaven to Earth, pouring out His Spirit on all flesh. After we come to Jesus, believing and confessing Him as Lord, our next confession should be the call for HELP!

He told His disciples He would not leave them orphaned, helpless and alone. In so many of us we have difficulty in asking and receiving help. I would like to share one aspect or work, help, of the Holy Ghost. He has come to help us pray.

“Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” – Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬‬‬

Recently I was in a prayer meeting where prayers were offered up and they were all over the spectrum; praying for this and that and reading scripture in an attempt to cover all the bases. Myriad needs and wants — all genuinely heartfelt. I was so troubled and asked the Holy Ghost to help us. In a matter of minutes a precious sister came to the microphone and prayed this: “Holy Ghost help us to pray, we need Your help!” My spirit leaped inside me and suddenly I was moved on by the Holy Ghost and began to pray in the spirit, in tongues. I felt undergirded and lifted into a place of intercession.

Jesus was asked to teach us to pray, but the Holy Ghost helps us to pray. Such confidence in praying and asking for help from heaven has so much power. I have often heard believers say, “I don’t know what to pray.” They confess that they do not know what to pray. So many times we have used up our words of understanding. At a loss for words, but He is not at a loss. He knows how to help us pray the will of God.

This intercession is too deep for words. Praying in our understanding, yet confessing, we do not understand. This is not to negate praying in our own language and words. Nay, Nay! Paul puts it in order for us. He says in 1 Corinthians 14:15:


”So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind”

It is important to see the priority, or order. Pray and sing with the Spirit, and pray and sing with understanding. Yes, praying and singing in tongues is what he is advocating. For the Advocate, God the Holy Ghost. Praying and singing are both expressions and parts of worship. I assure you that in heaven, as worship goes up, it is not all in English. Many tongues and voices will be calling out and crying to the Lord. Yet very clearly each worshipper and prayer is heard and received. What a mighty God we serve.

Our cry and call to Jesus in worship is, “Worthy, worthy are you alone,” and our next cry is, “HELP me pray, Holy Ghost, in Jesus Name.” He has sent Help. We do not have to look to the mountains as David, but God the Father and Son has sent the Holy Ghost to be IN us and alongside, with us, forever. He is ever present when we pray. Ask Him for His help.

In addition, in ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭18‬, Paul commands, “With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints.” Pray at all times in the SPIRIT. This verse is for another time.

Thank you Heavenly Father and Son for another Helper, the person of the Holy Ghost, Hallelujah!

-Keith Curlee

For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” – Deuteronomy 20:4

The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous: The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. – Psalm 118:15

Years ago my daughter Hannah passed through a dry time while in college in Tuscaloosa. I was ministering to a house group in a town not far away. I received a call from her from her just before the meeting. When I answered the phone I heard her shouting, “Dad I got my shout back, I got my shout back, I got my shout back! Dad, shout to the Lord with a voice of triumph!” The sound of victory coming from her innermost being was full of joy and worthy of the Lord her King. The Holy Ghost spoke to me: “Where is your shout?” Just a couple of hours later she showed up at the meeting, washed my feet, and prayed for me to get my shout back. I got it back!

Ever since then, when God answers my prayer or gives victory, I shout. In worship I shout, when others have victory, I shout, when the devil is cast out, I shout. According to the word of God, shouting and joy are expressions of one another. Joy is not something that cannot be contained, it is shouted from the housetops, unto the Lord.

Last week, there was a spiritual battle in the heavenlies for this nation.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. – Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

A battle of principalities and powers in high places. Rulers of darkness in our time and the spirits of wickedness in heavenly places, where the Prince of the Power of the Air resides. Positioned between heaven and earth. The battleground in the Spirit. Politics and these spirits wanted to make it about flesh and blood. Two personalities and two parties — red and blue — and grievous to the Holy Ghost, righteous and unrighteous, among God’s children.

Already the balance police in the body of Christ began to preach to those who are celebrating victory. To tone it down, be humble, do not gloat, do not boast, and not to offend. These voices are quenching the Holy Ghost and robbing those who have been crying out to God on behalf of the millions of babies who have been murdered on the lie of reproduction rights. So many believers were praying, fasting, beseeching, meeting, and calling on God to have mercy on this nation and bring us back to our Judeo-Christian roots. The foundation it was built on.  As God told Israel, “Choose life this day.”

There were two joys at stake as well: the joy of the Lord and a joy which was temporal and based in humanism and emotions. Joy, for the believer, is vital to our relationship with the Lord. So vital that Paul writes, “rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” It is where His strength comes from.

Yes, for those who see victory, do not let anyone quench your shout of victory and joy. Shout to the Lord give Him glory and strength. For this joyous victory will be required to get about the Father’s business and the increase of His Kingdom. For the Kingdom of God IS righteous, peace, and JOY, in the Holy Ghost!

So shout unto God with a voice of triumph! HALLELUJAH!!!

-Keith Curlee

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” – Deuteronomy‬ ‭30‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The word of the Lord is not complicated when it comes to communicating with His children. These two verses are clear when it comes to how we shall live.

First, He calls His children to know they have choices to make in their new life; no longer slaves, but free. He says, “Choose.” In fact, He is calling on them to do so, and both Heaven and Earth are taking notice—they are witnessing.

Secondly, the choices are simple: life and death and blessing and cursing.

Thirdly, the consequences of these choices directly affect not only the chooser and his children but also their children’s children.

Next, He tells us that His choice is life, not death, blessing and not cursing. He gives us daily life and eternal life. This is His desire for His children. So demonstrative: Life! Jesus, when He came, clearly “Amens” this choice.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. – John‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Choosing life and blessing is choosing God, the giver of all life and blessing. We are His children, those who put their trust in Him.

Finally, the land we live in will be a place of blessing for the length of our days and we will be made strong.

Thus His will is for life and blessing. The question for me is, “Does my will surrender by choice to His will?” Every day I will, by His grace and mercy, choose Him and His life and blessing. To love Him, obey Him, and cling to Him these days and in every day. Blessed be the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever Amen!

– Keith Curlee