Speak to the Fire: What to believe in a messed up world

By Joy Ryan

I was inspired to write this book when God began to do things directly in response to my questioning Him. All of a sudden, it seems like he showed up. And then all of a sudden, He shined the light down the history of my past and pulled the ripcord, bringing it all together, showing me the places where He has been there the whole time!

My hope is that He will do this for you, and you will also see where He has actually been walking with you, even though you may not have known it. My hope also is that you will "Speak to the Fire" in your own life and understand that you have the power to change things, with even a tiny bit of faith in our creator. Speak to that problem that has been haunting you! Speak truth to it, and forgive yourself!

No matter what walk of life you are—married, single, LBGT, parents or not—no matter where you are on your path in that walk or what religious label you carry—Christian, Mormon, Agnostic, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, even Atheist—this will inspire you to start OR to keep talking to God, that fire within you!

There's a lot of uncertainty and a lot of division in our country these days. So much hate, so much prejudice, so much fighting. So many things done claiming to be "in the name of God" that just don't sit well with me.

The word Christian doesn't sound right to me anymore either. It has been distorted and twisted and used for political reasons. The church itself has been corrupted in many ways. But God, Christ, Jesus…They all still live and speak to each one of us, if we will quiet our minds enough to listen.

I even recall that, when I was single, I didn't put the label "Christian" on the dating websites but opted instead for the "spiritual but not religious" category. I dated Jewish, Muslim, Agnostic, Mormon, Catholic, pretty much anybody that I was attracted to. Each step of the way, I knew that God would lead me to the right person and that my steadfast belief in Him would not be shaken. Unequally yoked? I can hear you now. That is what grace is for, and when you are truly led with a humble heart, the Lord knows…and matches you up accordingly! Sometimes that path can be the very thing leading you closer to each other and to him. Pray, seek God's answer and follow that divine direction he puts in your heart AND gut.

There is a true voice of God, and there is a true spirit of God, and it doesn't matter what label you put on yourself. I was raised non-denominational Christian, I believe, and I even had to check with our pastor to ask! My mother was raised Pentecostal, but she was led away from some of it. She fell under the non-denominational category as well. She was a fire-breathing, Holy Spirit-filled prophet herself. She didn't always get it right, but she did get most of it, and I was blessed to have her as a mother. The term "false prophet" is in reference to willful liars doing their will out of greed vs. God's will he put in their spirit. Discernment comes into play on the part of the receiver. More on that later.

In every generation, God is still present. Sometimes we just don't recognize Him. Worse yet, sometimes we don't really understand where other people are in their path to Him. He created us all equally and He loves us all equally, regardless of what label we put on ourselves.

I have atheist friends who are more LED in goodness of heart and deed than some of the people claiming to be Christian. I have brought to my pastor some of my Muslim friends, who were given words from God of comfort and direction; and it didn't matter what faith, background, or country these friends were from.

God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, our Creator knows the heart. We don't. And we don't know what label people have on themselves (or that are placed on them), whether or not there's relevance. Even the great singer Prince, who was raised Baptist, switched to Jehovah's Witness; and in his walk, I am certain, he found the Lord, touched the face of God, and he loves Jesus. Know He understands

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098328009

Book preview

Speak to the Fire

© 2018 by Joy Ryan

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

TXu-2-111-707

ISBN (Print): 978-1-09832-799-6

ISBN (eBook): 978-1-09832-800-9

Table of Contents

Introduction

Speak to the Fire

This Is How I Fight My Battles

Jesus Christ, Used As a Swear Word

Thank You, God, Firebird Plates

Purple Light and Involuntary Paralysis

Because I Hear You, Pennies from Heaven

No, I Told Her She Can Fly

And Along Came an Angel and Sat Down Beside Her

On My Birthday—Venice, Italy Time

Freedom in the Music

1111

Time to Listen

Vision Caribbean Blue

When There’s Not Time to Spare, the Power of Prayer

Corona Be Gonna

A Last Goodbye, or Is It?

Pray for Me

Letter to the Retirement Home

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

All the Colors of the Rainbow

Black and Blue Bruises

Widow Walk

When Parents Depart

Monologue vs. Dialogue

Onboard the Destiny

Man Will Fail You but God Never Will

Bio

Introduction

I was inspired to write this book when God began to do things directly in response to my questioning Him. All of a sudden, it seems like he showed up. And then all of a sudden, He shined the light down the history of my past and pulled the ripcord, bringing it all together, showing me the places where He has been there the whole time!

My hope is that He will do this for you, and you will also see where He has actually been walking with you, even though you may not have known it. My hope also is that you will Speak to the Fire in your own life and understand that you have the power to change things, with even a tiny bit of faith in our creator. Speak to that problem that has been haunting you! Speak truth to it, and forgive yourself!

No matter what walk of life you are—married, single, LBGT, parents or not—no matter where you are on your path in that walk or what religious label you carry—Christian, Mormon, Agnostic, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, even Atheist—this will inspire you to start OR to keep talking to God, that fire within you!

There’s a lot of uncertainty and a lot of division in our country these days. So much hate, so much prejudice, so much fighting. So many things done claiming to be in the name of God that just don’t sit well with me.

The word Christian doesn’t sound right to me anymore either. It has been distorted and twisted and used for political reasons. The church itself has been corrupted in many ways. But God, Christ, Jesus…They all still live and speak to each one of us, if we will quiet our minds enough to listen.

I even recall that, when I was single, I didn’t put the label Christian on the dating websites but opted instead for the spiritual but not religious category. I dated Jewish, Muslim, Agnostic, Mormon, Catholic, pretty much anybody that I was attracted to. Each step of the way, I knew that God would lead me to the right person and that my steadfast belief in Him would not be shaken.

Unequally yoked? I can hear you now. That is what grace is for, and when you are truly led with a humble heart, the Lord knows…and matches you up accordingly! Sometimes that path can be the very thing leading you closer to each other and to him. Pray, seek God’s answer and follow that divine direction he puts in your heart AND gut.

There is a true voice of God, and there is a true spirit of God, and it doesn’t matter what label you put on yourself. I was raised non-denominational Christian, I believe, and I even had to check with our pastor to ask! My mother was raised Pentecostal, but she was led away from some of it. She fell under the non-denominational category as well. She was a fire-breathing, Holy Spirit-filled prophet herself. She didn’t always get it right, but she did get most of it, and I was blessed to have her as a mother. The term false prophet is in reference to willful liars doing their will out of greed vs. God’s will he put in their spirit. Discernment comes into play on the part of the receiver. More on that later.

In every generation, God is still present. Sometimes we just don’t recognize Him. Worse yet, sometimes we don’t really understand where other people are in their path to Him. He created us all equally and He loves us all equally, regardless of what label we put on ourselves.

I have atheist friends who are more LED in goodness of heart and deed than some of the people claiming to be Christian. I have brought to my pastor some of my Muslim friends, who were given words from God of comfort and direction; and it didn’t matter what faith, background, or country these friends were from.

God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, our Creator knows the heart. We don’t. And we don’t know what label people have on themselves (or that are placed on them), whether or not there’s relevance. Even the great singer Prince, who was raised Baptist, switched to Jehovah’s Witness; and in his walk, I am certain, he found the Lord, touched the face of God, and he loves Jesus. Now he understands more than we do or will…until we get there ourselves. There was a divine reason for his given name, his fame, and his walk.

A quick loving note to my critics in advance. This wasn’t written with tender tones or the intention that Grandma was going to read it, although she has secretes of her own, I’m sure. If you don’t agree with what I’ve written, then—simply put—this isn’t your sound or where you are called on your journey, and that’s okay. But offending you in order to reach past you to that one person who claims purity or carries guilt, hate, shame, and/or judgment undetected…that is worth it and also who this was written for.

If it reaches someone who avoids church, then good! I avoid it, too. You’ve got to find that vibration, where you are, that speaks to your soul…that is God. Be it for example: in your living room, out on the water, in the mountains, Agape, Saddleback, Mariners, City Church, City Home or New Breed Worship Center…God knows where you are and why you are holding this book!

So, this isn’t to convert you or change you. This is to take you where you are and let you know that God shows up, and in whatever way He can in order to meet you right where you are and speak to your heart…be it in music, be it in a color, be it in dreams, visions, or whispering in your head. It is not just your imagination! Enjoy it! Be expecting it! Lean in to the goodness of Him speaking to your soul! Feel the joy and fire in your heart, and know that is from Him!

By Joy Ryan 2020

Chapter 1

Speak to the Fire

It was the summer of 2018 at our home when I came into the kitchen to discover a mushrooming cloud of white and deep grey smoke coming out of the center of the mountain that showed through the window frame. Fire! A forest fire had started. It was several miles off from what I could tell. The news reported that this Holy Fire (as it was named) was arson set by an angry cabin owner who destroyed his neighbor’s cabins while taunting the fire captain with emails of the threat before he did it. You will see this place burn! he sent.

As the days passed, the fire consumed the top of the mountain and much of the back side of it that we couldn’t see. Smoke billowed high over our heads and blew back over to the other side. The opposite side of the mountain had flames licking at homes all along its border.

I heard a small snip of pastor on the video service talking in those few days about seeing the works of God. He said we would be able to speak it, and it would come to pass. Not control of other people, mind you, but situations. He said you would see God work on your behalf within 24-48 hours of your demand, showing His power and the power He gave His chosen.

I can’t recall how many days had passed, but the fire remained 5% contained and out of control, closing down businesses and having those homes on the opposite side of the mountain evacuate. I included prayers that they would get it put out, each night in our normal prayer routine.

One of those nights, I had gone into the bathroom alone to brush my teeth and get ready for bed. I wasn’t thinking about anything really. The memory of pastor leaped into my mind, saying the part about speaking it out to a situation and you would see God’s hand do it in that next 24-48 hours.

The image and words of pastor in my mind were suddenly drowned out by a loud, clear command: SPEAK TO THE FIRE! I suddenly began to cry and shake. I didn’t think that up. It came into my head, loud and clear, out of nowhere! God! The power of those words enveloped my entire being. I said back to Him that I don’t know what to even say to it. What do I say? I recalled pastor said to do it with authority when you do. What should I even say?

I walked out onto the balcony and lifted my hands up toward the red, glowing flames, seeing them reach the sky with silhouettes of the trees they were devouring. Shaking and crying, almost in disbelief myself, I said to it, Not a life lost, not another home burned, and you will cease one week from this night, in the name of Jesus!

I went back inside, shaking and crying on overload of this overwhelming request. Had I thought this up? Was that really the voice of God? It wasn’t in any human voice I recognized, the words powerful and clear throughout my being, the way the Holy Spirit feels. I didn’t think this up in my own mind, I struggled with doubt, or did I? The uncontrollable shaking and crying was evidence there had been a supernatural force who had touched me, it wasn’t my own doing. I cried and thanked God in complete surrender.

I texted pastor on the 9th—that September evening—what had happened, to track it. I didn’t tell anyone else about it. I had peace about it somehow and just believed that it would be done. I didn’t watch the news closely anymore after that, only catching that they had begun to gain some ground on it.

A month later, I went and looked up all the dates. Here’s what happened and the timeline. The fire had started on the 6th with zero to 5% containment for several days. The following day—24 hours later, after my prayer on the 9th, Sept 10—it went to 10%; on the 11th to 29%; then on the September 12, the fire containment spiked to 51%; on the 16th, to 78%; on the 17th, to 85%; and on the 18th, to 91%. By September 21, it was fully contained with just the center at the top burning that last bit of brush.

By that evening marking one week, it was over 80% contained and never turned back. Over 10,000 acres burned but no fatalities, and no more homes lost after the 9th. Eighteen cabins had been destroyed on the 6th when it started. I had not put out the fire, God had. Yes the firemen also, but with God’s help. But he told me to Speak to the Fire, and so I followed orders, fearfully but with faith, and it came to pass right before my eyes.

Speak it…in Jesus’s name.

So, that thing that is burning you inside, the guilt, shame, whatever it is. Speak to that fire, and let yourself free of it with help from the Almighty. It is said that Jesus forgives all, and that is why He went to the cross in the first place. Even if you are not sure about all this religion stuff, you can reach out in faith and know that God doesn’t want us living in hurt, guilt and remorse. It’s in the past and lost in the sea of forgetfulness. Stop torturing yourself or letting your thoughts do it.

Speak to that FIRE and make it cease!

Mark 11:24…Therefore I say unto you, what things so ever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Chapter 2

This Is How I Fight My Battles

It’s silly for an adult to be afraid of monsters in the dark. Or is it? What do you do when some horrific image keeps tormenting you, especially in the night?

There was a news story that quickly got my attention because of the horrifically demonic and hypnotic image that would suck you in so that you couldn’t look away. It wasn’t of the devil as we know it, but this was evil and was directed at children. I won’t describe it to you because I don’t want to put the image in your mind, but rather will describe what happened.

This news story went on to say that the image would lure children because of the graphic nature of this monstrous thing, and it would talk to them, giving them commands to do themselves and others harm, followed with threats if they didn’t comply. This was spliced into some of the most popular toddler and young children cartoon videos that are in heavy circulation. It was pure evil, embedded so as not to be detected by an adult unless they watched the whole program.

I was horrified! I went to my five-year-old daughter and had to know if she’d ever seen it. I quickly showed her the image and asked if she’d ever seen it in her cartoons before, and she said YES! She’d seen it a long time ago. I asked her what she did about it. She said she scrolled on by because it was creepy. I agreed with her and boy was I angry at the evil and the folks who were behind this nasty trick.

I began alerting my other mom friends and the kids daycare where my daughter attended regularly. I had opened the image several times to convey my distress and warn the others, not knowing that my daughter kept seeing it, too, and was becoming upset at my distress about it.

Later that night, my daughter was deeply upset and afraid of the image and was having a hard time getting to sleep. I have to admit to you that I was, too. Not out of fear of monsters, but angry that she’d been exposed to this demonic thing. I understood what it was and its motives. And mad at myself for possibly overreacting and causing her worry.

I thought back about my own mother who was a pastor, and how she helped me, when I was about seven years old, to break free of this horrible little green demon that kept haunting me and telling me not to eat. This was something that came to my mind, not by way of TV or radio, but in the spirit realm I honestly believe. And here’s why.

To the spirit vs. physical realm, if you will for a moment…. You can all try this yourselves, and then that ah-ha moment will hit you. We are all given free will by our Creator. This means not only what we do but what we think about. There are plenty of other positive and self-help books discussing this very thing and how it works.

We can all agree that we are a living spirit ourselves, living in a flesh body. When we die, our spirit leaves our body and goes to Heaven, hopefully. Right? God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all spirits, too. Right? And we’ve all heard of haunted houses and ghosts. And have you ever wondered how Hollywood movies get those horrible images of demons, ghosts, goblins, etc., for their films? Because they are not a figment of our imagination, but rather a manifestation of the evil spirits that do exist and present themselves to those willing to see. Yes, creepy but not crazy. Next, how to fix this for good.

Drugs or no drugs, we are influenced, whether we like it or not (or even understand it or not), by positive and negative forces all day long. Remember the images of the angel on one shoulder and devil on the other? We have a mind to think thoughts at will; but, also, the mind is directed by unseen forces. Images of ideas and sounds of songs, etc., pop into and out of our heads all day and all night by way of dreams. Test it and try this yourself for a while by putting on some music and see how it makes you feel. What message, positive or negative, is coming through? Notice how your body and gut respond to it. We all have free will to choose what we listen to or what we see. Even in our mind.

Back to the tormenting green demon that chased me for all that time, scaring me and keeping me from eating. I wasn’t even 40 pounds when I entered the second grade, and I finally had the understanding to actually tell my mother what the problem was. Boy, was she mad?! She was a pastor, and this demonic thing had the nerve to torment her own child, in her own house. So she armed me, and it worked…and it has ever since!

Even in the Bible, in Philippians 4:8, it talks about keeping your mind on whatsoever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable and that the God of peace will be with you. This is perfect for day to day living. You don’t want to be absorbing