Supernatural Fragrance: Following the Perfume of His Virtue

By Steven Brooks

"Steven Brooks spoke for me on my tour to Israel. After he spoke, many, including myself, smelled the fragrance of lavender. Now it's God's time for all spiritual senses to be open. Steven has the authority to release this gift on you!"

Sid Israel Roth

Host, It's Supernatural 

Bestselling author Stev

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Sep 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781637694879

Steven Brooks

Born and raised in Brisbane, Australia, Steve Brooks had spent his early years writing science fiction and horror stories to entertain his family and friends. Steven excelled in history during his schooling and pursued a personal interest in European history since. Steven left Brisbane in 2004 to travel the world with his wife Kerri-Ann. They spent over a year going through various countries and in Europe spent most of their time in Germany. Here Steven fell in love with the Bavarian mythology and spent many hours visiting castles and villages off the Romantische Strasse. Stories of Ludwig, The Swan Knights and Hildebrand filled his head with wonderful imagery and he kept them close to his heart, even after leaving Europe. He knew he wanted to write about this interesting piece of history and decided to embrace the allure of storytelling and quickly began studying to become a novelist. Steven's love of storytelling was uncontrollable and once he began typing he never stopped.

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Supernatural Fragrance

Following the Perfume of His Virtue

by Steven Brooks

Supernatural Fragrance: Following the Perfume of His Virtue

Trilogy Christian Publishers A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network

2442 Michelle Drive Tustin, CA 92780

Copyright © 2021 by Steven Brooks

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. Scripture quotations marked CEV are taken from the Contemporary English Version®. Copyright © 1995 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.TM Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked Phillips are taken from the New Testament in Modern English by J.B. Phillips copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Administered by The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England. Used by Permission. Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Public domain.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without written permission from the author. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

Rights Department, 2442 Michelle Drive, Tustin, CA 92780.

Trilogy Christian Publishing/TBN and colophon are trademarks of Trinity Broadcasting Network.

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Trilogy Disclaimer: The views and content expressed in this book are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views and doctrine of Trilogy Christian Publishing or the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Manufactured in the United States of America

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN: 978-1-63769-486-2

E-ISBN: 978-1-63769-487-9

Endorsements

Steven Brooks spoke for me on my tour to Israel. After he spoke, many, including myself, smelled the fragrance of lavender. Now it’s God’s time for all spiritual senses to be open. Steven has the authority to release this gift on you!

Sid Israel Roth

Host, It’s Supernatural

"Pastor Steven Brooks is a true friend and co-laborer in the kingdom of God who speaks as one who continually sits at the feet of our Master. His books and videos serve as edification to hungry souls, and they never fail to grant fresh heavenly perspectives (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).

"The Supernatural Fragrance of revelatory truths is Christocentric: they always point to the vivid beauty of Jesus. Let us consider the Song of Songs 4:6-7. The mountain of myrrh speaks of His death at Calvary, while the hill of frankincense represents His resurrection from death. Through His death and resurrection, holy fragrance has been lavished on the body of Christ as we who are called to be His own are crucified with Him, now seated with our resurrected Lord in the heavenly places (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 2:6; 2 Corinthians 2:14).

"Supernatural Fragrance is unequivocally one of the most profound and empowering books on this little-explored subject. It is a must-read for anyone who endeavors to be perfumed with the aroma of Christ (Song of Songs 1:3-4). Pastor Steven has drawn upon his wealth of spiritual insights and penned down seventy-seven different fragrances and their associated spiritual meanings. Beyond that, he gives the reader a roadmap to their practical applications. It is clear that his desire is for the reader to augment our spiritual sense of smell to enrich our kingdom walk. I am confident this book will be a perennial classic in the library of all of us who yearn deeply for the sweet scent of His presence.

Jedidiah Tham

Living Lilies Ministry, Singapore

It is my joy to encourage your reading of this wonderful book, which I have found to be so amazing and new. Did not the Lord say that new wine should be poured into new skins? His wine and its smell always require new skins. Steven’s books are demanding in this regard: they ask that whatever our age, our skins be always new to welcome the gifts of the Spirit, those gifts that he makes us discover. This time we are invited, for our joy, to follow the wake of the perfume. May many readers follow the path of the odor! In doing so, they will be sanctified.

Father Geoffroy de Lestrange

Roman Catholic priest, France

In this ground-breaking book, Pastor Steven Brooks shows us that the ‘odor of sanctity,’ known from many of the great saints of the church, can be an experience for all of us along our pilgrim way. We can participate in ‘discernment of spirits’ through smell, even as we live lives exuding the fragrance of Christ, the Anointed One. This spiritual perception is no mere religious curiosity but a serious piece of our armament in spiritual warfare and a source of refreshment and consolation amidst all of life’s varied experiences. We can smell victory and triumph and the freshness of the kingdom, which is more real and vibrant than the freshest days on earth. After absorbing the message of this book, the fruit of Steven’s meticulous research and personal experience, one may never take the sense of smell for granted again. Smell may be more than a physical sense; it has the potential to be the organ of prophetic and spiritual insight.

Dr. Ronald Thomas

PhD, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Associate professor of theology

Belmont Abbey College

Belmont, North Carolina

Dedication

Supernatural Fragrance is dedicated to Saint Padre Pio (May 25, 1887–September 23, 1968). Padre Pio was a Capuchin friar and priest within the Catholic Church. For over fifty years, he functioned in the ministry office of a prophet and touched countless lives around the world. With Padre Pio, it was said that the extraordinary was ordinary, the uncommon was common, and the supernatural was natural. He turned many to the Lord through his prayers and his usage of the gifts of the Spirit, such as the word of knowledge, prophecy, and working of miracles. Those who had the joy of seeing him minister at Mass often described a heavenly fragrance that would diffuse through the air. This aroma of paradise seemed to emanate from the padre and would manifest in many different scents to those who were around him, although he himself was unaware of it. While many experienced these fragrances in the padre’s presence, it would also happen to those who were hundreds of miles away from him, and it even continued to occur after his death as a supernatural sign of a prayer being answered or a blessing being released. God certainly anointed him with a miracle ministry. However, he also lived a very normal life displayed through his humor, common sense, and authentic behavior, which at times included his gruffness when dealing with certain stubborn people who were slow to repent and soften their hearts toward the ways of God. His ministry and legacy continue to inspire those who are faithful to Christ. Approximately eight million pilgrims come each year to San Giovanni Rotondo, where Padre Pio lived and is now buried.

First the Natural, Then the Supernatural

So the last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. But we should notice that the order is natural first and then spiritual. The first man came out of the earth, a material creature. The second man came from Heaven and was the Lord himself. For the life of this world men are made like the material man; but for the life that is to come they are made like the one from Heaven. So that just as we have been made like the material pattern, so we shall be made like the Heavenly pattern.

1 Corinthians 15:46-49 (Phillips)

In these verses, we see that Paul is referring to the way in which God reveals divine secrets through the natural realm. What you experience in the natural is an indicator of the reality of that same experience in the spiritual realm, where it has a deeper and fuller expression. In the context of his statement, Paul is referring to our natural body. Because we have a natural body, it should be easy to understand that we also have a spiritual body. There is always a parallel between the natural realm and the spiritual realm. If you can smell in the natural, then you can also smell in the spiritual. If you are able to see in the natural, you can also see in the spiritual.

There are five basic human senses, which are sight, taste, touch, hearing, and smell. Our sense of smell is used constantly. This book will take you on an explorative journey into the sensory realm of smell that exists in the spiritual world. As a Christian, your inheritance in Christ qualifies you not only for the natural but also for the supernatural. We should become acquainted with both realms because we are called by God to live in each of them. Just as on the earth you can own two homes, as a believer, you have two inheritances, the natural and spiritual. As the possessor of two houses, you own keys to both; therefore, you can go in and out anytime you want. It is always best to have an understanding of the natural first, and then we can be equipped with information that helps us progress more effectively into the spiritual. In light of this, let’s consider the natural world of smell.

Each day we encounter different kinds of smells. Some things have a foul and unpleasant odor. Whether it’s taking out the kitchen trash or washing dirty laundry, we try to get past disagreeable smells as quickly as possible. Other things emit a pleasing fragrance that brings a smile on our face and causes us to linger in their presence. By definition, the word fragrance means a pleasing or delicate odor that gives off a sweet or pleasant smell, such as fresh flowers or perfume.

Fragrance is all around us. A few decades ago, scientists thought that smell was on a level of importance much lower than our other physical senses, such as vision or hearing. However, we now understand that smell is critical to the way we live our lives, and it has a huge impact on the quality of our lives. There are so many things that our nose is able to discern that our other senses can’t evaluate nearly as well. For example, you may want to buy fish at the grocery store so that you can take it home and prepare it for dinner. While at the store, you first visually examine the fish as an indicator of freshness. You can look closely at the eyes of the fish to see if they are clear and not glazed or cloudy. Clear eyes denote freshness in fish, but if they are glazed over, it means the fish has been there longer than preferred. You can take your finger and feel the fish, gently pushing against the areas with the most flesh. A feeling of firmness is a good indicator of freshness. If the fish is soft and mushy, then it’s not going to taste very good.

But concerning fish, what is the number one judgment we use to conclude whether it is truly fresh or not? It’s the smell of the fish. Simply put, if the fish smells fishy, then it is not fresh, and you should probably choose something else for dinner. Fish that are fresh have no smell. The other day Kelly and I walked into a large grocery store. The seafood section was in the far back of the store, at least one hundred feet away. As soon as we entered through the front of the sliding glass doors, we were greeted with the overpowering smell of old fish. We both looked at each other and said, Their seafood is not fresh. We knew that without needing to visit their seafood display for verification.

If you wake up in the morning and decide to have cereal for breakfast, what do you do if you notice the expiration date on your milk carton is passed? You could possibly throw away the carton in the trash, but you also don’t want to waste the milk if it is still good. So what do you do to discern freshness? Do you touch the milk to make sure it feels fresh? Or do you put your ear next to the carton in order to hear the milk before drinking it? No, you open the lid and smell it. Your nose is the final authority for how you base your decision. Your nose knows! If it smells fresh, then it is most likely still good to drink for another day or so. Therefore, you ignore the expiration date on the carton, and you sit down and enjoy your breakfast.

I grew up on a farm as a young boy, and we had a large garden that produced countless fresh vegetables. In some ways, this was wonderful because I liked many of the things we harvested, such as strawberries and cantaloupes, but in other ways, I didn’t like it because we had to eat whatever we grew, and I didn’t always like what my parents had planted. For some reason, Brussels sprouts and okra were often grown, and they would eventually end up at the dinner table. When it came to cooking the vegetables we ate, they weren’t fried but boiled in water, so my two brothers and I always got the full factor of the flavor and texture of various foods during mealtime. To me, boiled okra has a particularly slimy sensation when you eat it.

Although it was a struggle for me to chew it because I considered it to be an unpleasant-tasting vegetable, I could eventually get it down. But for some reason, the dreaded Brussels sprouts were almost unbearable to my taste buds. Today, I know many people who love eating them, but I’ve never liked the way they tasted, and as a kid, I got an instant gag reflex from the flavor and smell of them. Quite a few times, I was able to secretly slip a few Brussels sprouts off of my plate and hand them to our family dog, who lay beneath the table as we ate our evening meal. But eventually, I think my father caught on, and he wanted me to be a good boy and finish my food. My mother was always there to encourage me to eat everything on my plate while reminding me that there were starving children in China who had no food and that I should be grateful to God for my generous serving of Brussels sprouts. I told my mother that I wished to send my Brussels sprouts to China as an offering to feed the poor, but she didn’t seem to take my idea with much seriousness.

Through the mysterious grace of God, I discovered during one particular evening meal that if I pinched my nose and held it firmly closed when I ate my food that I couldn’t taste what I was eating. This funny trick helped me survive my tribulation days of okra, cauliflower, collard greens, spinach, and the dreaded Brussels sprouts. What we recognize as the taste of our food is not just the work of our taste buds. Your sense of smell has a direct relation to how the food you eat tastes. God designed us so that our noses have the ability to detect around 20,000 different odors. You are able to place that huge list of odors within about ten different fields of intensity. Scientists tell us that smell is detected through your nose and mouth when chewing food. They say when you can’t smell through your nose, your ability to taste food is greatly diminished. (I could have told them that through my discovery at the dinner table as a young boy living in the back woods of Mississippi.) If you’ve ever had a severe cold with your nose stopped up, then you know what I’m talking about. Without smell, there isn’t any taste.

If you want to personally experience eating without tasting, you can do a simple test. Get some jelly beans of various flavors, and select three primary flavors, such as apple, cherry, or licorice. Pinch your nose so that you can’t breathe in or out, and put a jelly bean into your mouth. Chew it up completely and swallow it. Then, take a drink of water and swish it around in your mouth and then swallow it also. Now let go of your nose. You’ll notice that you never tasted the