How many things have been around us for a long time that we simply have not noticed?
Like the bagel lever on my toaster. I recently went online to find another toaster because the one I’ve had for about twenty years no longer toasted both sides of the bread. When reading the reviews of the brand I was interested in, I came across one purchaser who was pleased that the model she selected toasted one side of her bagel while leaving the other side warm and chewy. I jumped up to see whether that could be why my toaster was toasting only one side of my bread. Sure enough. My toaster had a bagel feature that was turned on. When I turned it off and put in a slice of bread, both sides toasted evenly. I had to laugh, even as I felt foolish for not having noticed the bagel feature that had been there as long as I had owned the toaster.
While toasters hold nowhere near the significance of the Holy Spirit, could it be that many of us have never really noticed Him either? Maybe we’ve never been taught to notice Him. Even though I was raised in a home where Jesus was beloved and obeyed, I don’t remember being taught about the Holy Spirit. Which has made me wonder whether you would say the same thing.
What have you learned or been taught about the Holy Spirit? The only recollection I have of any mention of the Holy Spirit is from church—and we went to church every Sunday. Except that He wasn’t called the Holy Spirit. He was called the Holy Ghost. At the end of the church service, the pastor would pronounce the benediction, indicating in my small child’s mind that now we could go home and have a delicious Sunday lunch. So I wasn’t very attentive or curious about the way he concluded with a benediction. I was vaguely aware that he always pronounced the final prayer in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
It was not until years later when I was teaching a weekly Bible class that I learned the amazing truth of who the Holy Spirit is. I was twenty-nine years old, in my second year of Bible teaching, and doing my best to convey insights into the gospel of John for the five hundred women who sat before me each Wednesday. In hindsight, I was like the blind leading the blind. The only reason I knew more than they did was that I had studiously crammed during the week leading up to the lecture.
The week before February 22, 1978, I was cramming as usual in preparation to teach John 14 to my class. And there it was! Jesus told His disciples, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”1
Several thoughts came to me in quick succession…
…That the Spirit was another counselor.
…That the Spirit was a distinct person from
Jesus but just like Him.
…That the Spirit would come from the Father.
…That the Spirit was with the disciples at that
time but would be in them at a future time.
Like a time-delayed video of a flower bud opening into full bloom, the revelation seemed to unfold gradually. The Spirit would be another counselor. So who was the first counselor, who would make the Spirit another one? Jesus! The Spirit would be exactly like Jesus yet another distinct person. He would come down from God. Even as Jesus had come down from God in human form, the Spirit would come down from God in spirit form. Jesus clearly identified the Counselor as the Holy Spirit.2 The disciples already knew Him because Jesus was filled with the Spirit. They were with Jesus; therefore, they were already with the Spirit. But Jesus was announcing that a day would come when they would no longer be with the Spirit because the Spirit would be sent to actually indwell them.
What an amazing, wonderful discovery that still thrills me! It is more than worthwhile to give Him our attention so we can get to know Him, love Him, and enjoy the presence of the One who is Jesus in me—and in you.
For His Glory,
Message adapted from Anne’s new book, Jesus in Me. Released October 2019.
1 John 14:16-17
2 John 14:26
What a humbling honor to have Keith and Kristyn Getty—singers, songwriters, and worship leaders—fly from Nashville to video tape an interview for their Sing conference in August! They have been wonderful friends for years. Any conversation with them is a blessing to me. I pray that our interaction on camera was also a blessing to those who viewed it.
We are grateful and excited to welcome over 100,000 people who are friends on Instagram. We pray that the Lord will continue to encourage and bless those who follow our ministry.
After being side-lined for a year, it was a joy to be back teaching God’s Word. The added blessing was sharing ministry with my daughter, Rachel-Ruth, at our Cove Seminar. With all our hearts we desire to leave a lasting, godly legacy.
Our website experienced a refresh this summer! In August we switched over to a new and brighter home page design that we pray will help visitors more easily discover all the free resources we offer on the website. It is our joy to provide many messages, studies and opportunities to find Jesus on the pages of our website. Please share our website with your friends and family!
Visit us here: www.annegrahamlotz.org
During the last few months, God has showered me with blessing after blessing. This Thanksgiving I will be counting them one by one and overflowing with praise to the One who is the Fountainhead from whom all blessings flow.
I. THE BLESSING OF GOD THE FATHER
Read Numbers 6:24
*What two things are revealed about God the Father in this verse?
*How are these two characteristics reflected in God’s title given in Psalm 80:1 and described in more detail in Psalm 23?
*List the things the Shepherd does for His sheep in Psalm 23. Which is most meaningful to you?
*List as many blessings as you can from Ephesians 1:3-14 that come from God the Father.
*What five blessings from this list are most meaningful to you? Thank Him for them.
II. THE BLESSING OF GOD THE SON
Read Numbers 6:25
*What two characteristics of God the Son are revealed in this verse?
*What did Jesus Christ claim in John 14:9?
*Give phrases that use these characteristics to describe Jesus Christ as God the Son in John 1:18; Hebrews 1:3; 2 Corinthians 4:6; John 1:14-17.
*What is there about Jesus that makes you love God the Father more?
III. THE BLESSING OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
Read Numbers 6:26
*What two characteristics of God the Spirit are revealed in this verse?
*How does the Spirit turn God’s face towards us? John 14:15-17, 16:13-15; Romans 5:1-5; John 14:26
*Where does real peace come from and how do you experience it? Isaiah 48:17-18; John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7; Romans 8:6, 14:17; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:18
*In what area of your life do you lack peace? Would you ask God to reveal to you why? Then surrender everything to the control of God the Holy Spirit, opening your heart to His river of peace that passes all understanding.
Take a few moments now to offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God from whom all blessings flow.
Click To OrderRegister for the LIVESTREAM at
www.thecove.org/anne-graham-lotz-live-stream-november-8-10
In Jesus in Me, Anne draws on her rich biblical knowledge as well as her personal story—including her recent cancer journey—to help us understand that the Holy Spirit is not a magic genie, a flame of fire, or a vague feeling. He is a Person who prays for us, guides us in our relationships and decisions, comforts us in pain, and stays by our side at all times. In this simple, yet profound teaching, she explores seven key aspects of the Holy Spirit that will revolutionize how you understand and relate to this vital third Person in the Trinity.
Discover how to better love and rely on the Person of the Holy Spirit–and embrace how much He loves you.
If you would like to receive AnGeL Ministries’ full newsletter by email or postal 
delivery, click here to sign up for our free resources!
What do you know about the One whom Jesus promised He would ask the Father to give us, in His absence? How much do you know about the Holy Spirit? Growing up, I can never remember being taught about the Holy Spirit. I knew His name because the pastor of the little mountain church I belonged to always ended the Sunday morning service with a benediction in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He was also mentioned at weddings when the bride and groom were pronounced joined together in the same three names, or when someone was baptized. But it wasn’t until I began studying the Bible in order to teach it that I increasingly got to know this One we refer to as the third person of the Trinity. I discovered He is not spooky, He is not an “add-on” or an optional extra in the Christian life. He is a divine necessity. Yet one misconception of who He is lingered in my thoughts.
When I received Jesus as my Savior, my assumption had been that the Holy Spirit was “assigned” to me. I thought He had come into my life because He had no option. I was now His “job”—His responsibility. My view of Him was that He was strictly professional, a perfectionistic stickler for details and Someone who would keep me in line until one day He would present me to the Father and say something like “Here she is. I’ve done My best to work with what I had.” This harmful misconception could have led me to living a lie, as I would have tried hard to impress Him. I could have burned myself out trying hard to earn His love.
Then one day, while reading my Bible, I was gripped by the following: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”1 While I understand that Scripture is warning us not to intentionally, willfully sin, the word grieve caught and held my attention. I reflected on grief in my own life and knew I had experienced that emotion only when I deeply cared about someone or something. I grieved when my mother went to Heaven. I grieved when my husband followed her there about eight years later. I grieved when my father joined them both. And I realized that grief is a love word. I grieve because I love my mother and my husband and my father.
This realization turned the light on in my thinking as I realized that if I can grieve the Holy Spirit, it’s because He loves me. The Holy Spirit loves me! That was a profound, revolutionary thought. He’s not just a professional partner. He’s not just assigned to me. He doesn’t live within me because He has to—He lives within me because He wants to live within me. He deeply cares about what I do and who I become. When I do the right thing, He rejoices. When I do the wrong thing, He grieves. Not only is He spiritually and practically involved in my life, He is also emotionally caught up in who I am and who I am to become. What a difference that simple truth has made in my perspective. I can be myself with the Holy Spirit. I don’t have to be “on.” I can relax and be transparent with Him. I can trust Him completely because He truly loves me!
And the Holy Spirit loves you too! He cares deeply about what you care about because He cares about you.2 It doesn’t matter how small or how large your concern is. He cares. He understands. He wants what’s best for you. He desires for you to fulfill your God-given potential. He wants to ease your burden, solve your problem, comfort your broken heart, bind up your wounds, bring you through the valley of the shadow, shower you with blessing upon blessing. And yes, He wants to make you holy—because He loves you! He will work all things—all things—for your good.3 So relax. Stop trying to impress Him. Stop working so hard to earn His love. Be open and honest and transparent. Live with the confidence that you are deeply, unconditionally, permanently loved by Him.
I cannot begin to express in words what He has meant to me during this past year. I have experienced His constant companionship. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that He has carried me through not just somehow, but triumphantly. So if you, too, are faced with a deadly disease…divorce…death…disaster, open your heart and life to the One who is Jesus in you.
For His Glory,
1 Ephesians 4:30
2 1 Peter 5:7
3 Romans 8:28
As the launch of Anne’s new book, Jesus in Me, approaches, the AGL Team invites you to saturate this new ministry assignment in prayer. We will keep you updated with specific requests so that we can pray together for the Holy Spirit Himself to guide our efforts, breathe His life into our promotion, and prepare readers for the launch in October. Click here to join.
In what surely was a demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit, Anne was able to complete the three-day audio book recording of Jesus in Me in two days.
Christophe Zimmerlin flew from Europe to interview Anne for France 2 Public television. Their conversation was warm, energetic, and Christ-glorifying.
Anne’s longtime friend, Hall of Fame basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell, had just been forced to resign from the University of North Carolina after 33 years for the ludicrous charge of racism. Yet she hosted with courageous grace her annual picnic for friends, neighbors, Rachel-Ruth’s Bible study, and the men’s study that Danny established in Chapel Hill. Approximately 300 gathered on Sylvia’s front lawn to hear a testimony from former UNC All- American, WBA star, Sylvia’s assistant, and now head women’s basketball coach at Elon University, Charlotte Smith, who has been mentored by Sylvia. It was also Anne’s privilege to challenge everyone from John 11 to trust God when we don’t understand why. (Pictured left to right: Rachel-Ruth, Sylvia, Anne & Morrow; inset photo: Charlotte Smith)
Have you ever felt lonely—even in a crowd? Without companionship? Especially when facing a death, or disease, or divorce, or some disaster? In the past three years, I have become a widow…and an orphan…while at the same time facing some of my life’s greatest challenges. Yet I have experienced the companionship of the Holy Spirit in a deep, vibrant relationship that has been a constant source of joy, peace, and comfort. It’s worth getting to know the One who is Jesus in me…and in you.
I. HIS COMPANIONSHIP BRINGS COMFORT
Read John 16:5-16
*From John 16:5-7, why did the disciples need comfort? Put their feelings into your own words.
A. COMFORT OF HIS PERSON
Get into His Word using one of Anne’s classic Bible Studies. Each study has a DVD and Leader Guide. Participant guides may be purchased separately. We are offering each video study at a discounted price of $20 from August 1 – November 1, 2019.
In Jesus in Me, Anne draws on her rich biblical knowledge as well as her personal story—including her recent cancer journey—to help us understand that the Holy Spirit is not a magic genie, a flame of fire, or a vague feeling. He is a Person who prays for us, guides us in our relationships and decisions, comforts us in pain, and stays by our side at all times. In this simple, yet profound teaching, she explores seven key aspects of the Holy Spirit that will revolutionize how you understand and relate to this vital third Person in the Trinity.
Discover how to better love and rely on the Person of the Holy Spirit–and embrace how much He loves you.
Pre-order your copy today through any online retailer and receive exclusive bonus gifts from Anne.
If you would like to receive AnGeL Ministries’ full newsletter by email or postal 
delivery, click here to sign up for our free resources!
While I’ve been sidelined from my speaking schedule and have been homebound for months due to chemo treatments and radiation, praise God — His Word is unbound! One of my prayers has been that the ministry to which God has called me would continue uninterrupted through every means possible except my travel and personal appearances.
God’s answer to my prayer has come through letters, emails, and social media emphasizing that even though I am bound, God’s Word is not! Below are some testimonies we have received that underscore further answers to this prayer. To God be the glory!
What a blessing your book, Just Give Me Jesus, has been as a resource in my teaching of the book of John. I see that you wrote it back in the year 2000 but its insightfulness and impact in my life are felt today in the year 2019. (Janis, Just Give Me Jesus)
My beloved mother passed away four months ago… and I continue to miss her so very much. When reading chapter 8 in The Magnificent Obsession, Mourning Everything Hopefully, what you felt when your dear mother died, touched my heart. It has helped bring some solace to me, reassuring me that our Lord promised eternal life; we will see our loved ones again. And I must ask myself, “Do I believe?” And the answer is, “Yes!”…(Kathy, The Magnificent Obsession)
I just listened to one of Anne’s messages from January 20, her weekly radio broadcast. I KNOW God used you to speak to me because I heard you give the same message — ‘Are you losing your first love?’ It was so powerful! What a great teacher of God’s Word you are. And now today, 10 years later, I listened to this program, and it is the same message! Isn’t that just like God? To keep pursuing us, using people, places, and things to draw us to Himself. What are the chances I would open this app today and listen to THIS message, and it’s the same one that had profoundly affected me so many years ago? I know God is speaking to me. (Amy, Living in the Light radio program)
I am a missionary in Guatemala. . .God’s world is so big, yet He provides small connections in the most special ways! Today when I received this special ‘invitation’ devotion, I knew it was especially for me to use tomorrow at our Christmas luncheon with our artisans! I have been praying about what specifically to share with them, but knew that one part is a question I will ask them as we reflect on the greatest gift we have received, Jesus. I plan to ask them what they will give Him this Christmas and into 2019. This invitation seems the perfect leading into our discussion about His birthday celebration, and the gift we can give Him because of His great gift, salvation & relationship. Thank you for challenging me and so many others in our daily walk with Christ! (Tina, Blog, You Are Invited!)
Over the years, my mom has enjoyed the ministry of Anne Graham Lotz. Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in September, 2013. During the past five years Anne’s ministry of books and the CD, My Jesus is…Everything, continues in our family’s life. As Mom’s disease slowly robs her personality and memories, she continues to have her faith in Jesus. She carries around the book by the same title and lights up when the CD is played. At times, she sings along with her hands lifted in worship. Life’s concerns can be overwhelming but with our eyes focused on JESUS he can give us strength to face caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s. (Joy, My Jesus is Everything)
Join with me in continued prayer for God to breathe His life into all of our audios, videos, books, Bible studies, and radio broadcasts so that in these last moments of the last days, He will use us to draw people into His Word that they might know Him better.
A quotation, attributed to Charles Spurgeon, expressed it this way: “The Word of God is like a lion – you don’t have to defend it. All you have to do is let it loose, and the lion will defend itself”! And I pray our ministry will continue to let God’s Word loose…unbound!
For His glory,
While waiting for an appointment, I went into the UNC Hospital gift shop. What a delight to find Fixing My Eyes on Jesus in the book carousel, made available to sick and suffering patients as well as to those who love them. To continue following my journey click here.
Forty years ago my husband began a Bible Study for men. Under Bo Batchelder’s leadership it has continued to thrive and grow. Even though I was bound by chemo at the time, it was my privilege to join them by skype video for a Q & A.
Pictured above is Patt Williams delivering Bibles to the Bethany Children’s Home in West Bengal, India. For all of the overseas Bible distribution, Feed the Hunger purchased Bibles locally seeking guidance from local partners as to the most age-appropriate Bible that would serve their ministry purposes.
A generous donor of AnGeL Ministries specifically allocated funds for Bibles to be given out. AnGeL Ministries used these funds to share 26,000 Bibles with various ministries earlier this year. AnGeL Ministries donated New Believer Bibles:
• 1,300 to Real Life Church (Rev. Reggie Stutzman) in the Bronx, NY for distribution at Thanksgiving
• 1,300 to Christian Library International for distribution in prisons
We also donated previously these designated Bible Funds:
• To Far Reaching Ministries for digital Bibles in Central Africa
• To the Good News Center ministry for distribution of Bibles in India
• To Uncharted Ministries for digital Bibles for Middle East / Central Europe
• To Feed the Hunger ministry for Bibles for children in foreign countries
• To Elohim Ministry for digital Bibles for international students
Read 2 Timothy 2:8-10
I. BE CONVINCED OF THE MESSAGE 2 Timothy 2:8-9
In this abridgment of her bestselling book, The Daniel Prayer, Anne unlocks a powerful pattern of prayer for claiming the promises of God.
What is the secret to praying prayers that really “work”? In Storming the Gates of Heaven, a plan for praying effective prayers that God answers is presented through unpacking the ancient prayer of the prophet Daniel, a prayer that moved heaven and changed a nation and one that even today can deliver on God ‘s promises. It’s a prayer birthed under pressure. Heartache. Grief. Desperation. Or a sudden revelation of hope. A promise freshly received. A miracle that lies just over the horizon. Here is the secret to answered prayer!
We are delighted to offer free resources on our website page that complement this book. Please click here to download your choice of lock screens for your phone and a designed PDF download – PRAYER FOR THE BATTLE.
In Jesus in Me, Anne draws on her rich biblical knowledge as well as her personal story—including her recent cancer journey—to help us understand that the Holy Spirit is not a magic genie, a flame of fire, or a vague feeling. He is a Person who prays for us, guides us in our relationships and decisions, comforts us in pain, and stays by our side at all times. In this simple, yet profound teaching, she explores seven key aspects of the Holy Spirit that will revolutionize how you understand and relate to this vital third Person in the Trinity.
Discover how to better love and rely on the Person of the Holy Spirit–and embrace how much He loves you.
If you would like to receive AnGeL Ministries’ full newsletter by email or postal 
delivery, click here to sign up for our free resources!
Have you ever specifically prayed for something, only to have the situation get worse? Have you prayed for your health to improve, only to have your condition weaken, then deteriorate further when you have a negative reaction to the medicine you were given? Have you prayed for your job to be more productive, only to lose out on a promotion, then be asked to resign? Have you prayed for your child’s well-being, only to have him drop out of school, then learn that he is involved in drugs?
Things got worse for Mary and Martha when they sent word to Jesus in John 11:3, Lord, the one you love is sick. Implied in the message was an urgent request on behalf of their brother Lazarus: “Please come. Do something. Help him. Make our brother well.” If they could have heard Jesus’ response at the moment He heard their request, they might have been initially encouraged, because when He heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”(11:4) The logical assumption would have been that He was promising Lazarus’ illness would not become worse…that Lazarus would not die…that God would heal him. Yet not only did Lazarus not get better, things got worse. He did die.
When have you prayed and received initial encouragement through a promise from God? Has that promise led to confusion when it not only seems to be unfulfilled, but things get worse?
On August 17, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Almost immediately, God seemed to give me a promise from James 5:17, Pray for one another that you may be healed. I believed God was promising to heal me in answer to your prayers, even though I didn’t know if it would be before surgery, through surgery, using chemotherapy and/or radiation. So my journey of faith began, undergirded by the prayers of many people.
Rather than be healed before the surgery, I went through surgery. Rather than the cancer being contained, it was found in a lymph node. Rather than experiencing minimum side-effects to chemotherapy, I experienced a severe side effect to my second treatment. Rather than stay on schedule, my treatment was delayed for a week, and another chemotherapy infusion added.
So…when things get worse, how should you and I respond? With complaints? Self-pity? Fear? Doubt? Or trust…
…that God has a greater purpose than our immediate comfort.
…that getting what we want, when we want it, is not always for our good or His glory.
…that our faith is of more value than our physical health.
…that His strength will be sufficient for each moment of each day.
…that His blessings will outweigh any trial.
In this New Year—when things get worse—let’s choose to lay our expectations down and trust God alone. Period.
For the glory of His Name…
I. He Helps
* Which verses in Psalm 63 imply that the Psalmist was experiencing trouble?
* What phrase refers to the Psalmist’s sleepless nights? Why do you think he couldn’t sleep?
* What keeps you up at night?
Why? Trusting God When You Don’t UnderstandIn this volume, Anne shares her heart and God’s teachings on the universal problem of suffering, using the familiar story of Lazarus. This small book presents a simple, powerful message that is sure to bring comfort and new meaning to all who are suffering themselves or know others who need a special touch from God. It will help you understand and deal with suffering by leading you to the One Who knows your needs, shares your grief, sheds your tears and promises glory to come! Based on John 11. Foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada.
If you would like to receive AnGeL Ministries’ full newsletter by email or postal 
delivery, click here to sign up for our free resources!
Getting up early in the morning to fix my eyes on Jesus through prayer and reading His Word is like setting my spiritual compass. Because no matter what faces me during the day, or how “lost” and confused I can become, or how many decisions and choices I’m confronted with, my heart and my thoughts always turn toward Him. And He invariably leads me on the right path.
My prayer is that the devotions in this small volume will help you fix your eyes on Jesus every day, so that you, too, can set your spiritual compass.
If you would like to receive AnGeL Ministries’ full newsletter by email or postal delivery, click here to sign up for our free resources!
For more detailed information regarding our Fall Newsletter, please visit the links below (links listed in order they appear in newsletter):
Just Give Me Jesus hardback book
A Wake-Up Call for God’s People
