Podcast Summary

Dufresne Ministries Podcast

Episode: In The Spirit, Part 1 | Joel & Amy Siegel | Paducah, KY | Wednesday AM | Miracle Crusade 2023
Date: May 30, 2023
Guest Ministers: Joel and Amy Siegel
Host: Dufresne Ministries (Nancy Dufresne)

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on exploring the meaning and practical experience of living and ministering "in the Spirit." Joel and Amy Siegel deliver a teaching at the Miracle Crusade 2023, drawing lessons from Ephesians and Revelation about the spiritual realm, the importance of prayer, and how believers can move progressively into living out of that realm. The session incorporates biblical teaching, personal anecdotes, exhortation for spiritual discipline, and a time of corporate prayer and worship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Necessity and Experience of Being "In The Spirit" (00:09–12:52)

• The Importance of Receptivity
  • Joel opens by emphasizing how essential it is to engage one's heart and remain spiritually receptive. Attending church, or any spiritual service, is not enough if you're not engaged—"You can come to church and be physically present, but if you're not engaged like you should be, you're not receptive like you should be." (03:04)
• Textual Foundation: Ephesians 6:18
  • The anchor scripture is Ephesians 6:18: "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit..." Discussion on prayer distinctions:
    • "Supplication" means petition, or what is specifically asked.
    • "Prayer" (Greek) encompasses worship, praise, thanksgiving, rejoicing.
  • The encouragement: "Praying always with all prayer, praise, worship, thanksgiving, rejoicing, and asking and supplication in the Spirit." (06:26)
• Praying for All Saints
  • "Did you know that that's your job, praying for all saints? ...If you've been born again, you've been elevated to sainthood." (07:41)
  • Memorable line: "You're either a saint or you ain't. And if you ain't, you need to be!" (08:08)

Defining the Spiritual Realm and "In The Spirit" (12:52–22:04)

• Revelation 1:9–10 as Example
  • John’s experience: physically on Patmos, but spiritually "in the Spirit."
  • "In the Spirit" is described as a state of existence—a place where one is more attuned to God and the spiritual realm than to the physical world.
  • "When John says, 'I was in the Spirit,' he's talking about a place where he's more conscious of the spiritual than he is of the natural realm." (19:44)
• Our Design for the Spiritual Realm
  • Humans are spirit, soul, and body. "Your spirit has been designed to function in the spirit realm." (09:44)
• Kingdom Laws vs. Natural Laws
  • Believers are not limited to the natural; spiritual laws (faith, sowing/reaping) govern the spiritual realm, analogous to the laws of physics for the natural.
  • "The law of faith, one of the big laws, the law of sowing and reaping, these are all laws of the spiritual realm... you're not limited as a believer." (16:56)

Moving Deeper: How and Why To Enter the Spirit Realm (22:04–45:17)

• Progressive vs. Sudden Entry
  • "You can be in this spiritual realm by degree, meaning you can be more or less there... you could be there to the point that you are unaware of your physical existence." (21:49)
  • Sudden entry may occur at God's initiation (e.g., Brother Hagin’s testimony of suddenly being in the Spirit while praying in a kitchen—35:28).
  • Progressive entry: "You can't put yourself in the Spirit suddenly, but you can position yourself. You can live in such a way..." (35:44)
• All Godly Spiritual Activity Moves You Toward the Spiritual Realm
  • "All godly spiritual activity moves you toward the spiritual realm... One of the first levels is praise and worship and thanksgiving." (36:52)
  • Collective engagement increases the corporate level of spiritual awareness: "When a congregation collectively engages in spiritual activity, it moves the whole congregation toward the spiritual realm." (37:59)
• The Role of Worship Beyond Formality
  • "The whole purpose [of worship] is not just to give latecomers time to get in... That's spiritual activity that's supposed to move us into [the spirit]." (38:41)
• Prayer, Tongues, and Effectiveness
  • "Prayer in your known language, prayer in other tongues — spiritual activity will move you into the spiritual realm." (39:20)
  • When you operate in the Spirit, "your words will have an effect that they won’t have purely in the natural." (24:57)
• Warning: Stay Accountable and Connected (41:08–45:17)
  • Amy Siegel issues a warning: "Your safety is being connected to your local church." (41:08)
  • Experiencing spiritual things doesn’t eliminate your need for church and leadership. Those who disconnect "become ineffective" and can open themselves up to wrong spirits. You never "graduate" beyond the need for a pastor. (43:17–44:00)
  • For ministers: Stay tied to the ministry God connected you to.

Application and Exhortation (45:17–51:20)

• Progress Into the Miraculous
  • "If you want to go further and deeper into the realm of the miraculous… I'm convinced God has things for us we have not yet experienced and seen." (45:17)
  • The means of progress: extended praise, worship, praying in tongues.
  • Move towards the spirit progressively: "Sometimes it’s doing those things long enough will move you there." (45:50)
• Disclaimer and Deference
  • "If you hear our leaders, if you hear Pastor Nancy say it different, go with what she said and forget about what I said. I just want to make that disclaimer." (46:10)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

"You can come to church and be physically present, but if you're not engaged like you should be, you're not receptive like you should be."
— Joel Siegel (03:04)

"Supplication... means petition, or what is petition? It's what you ask. So he separates asking from what he calls all prayer. Isn't that interesting?"
— Joel Siegel (05:55)

"You're either a saint or you ain't. And if you ain't, you need to be!"
— Joel Siegel (08:08)

"When John says, 'I was in the Spirit,' he's talking about a place where he's more conscious of the spiritual realm than he is of the natural realm."
— Joel Siegel (19:44)

"The law of faith, one of the big laws, the law of sowing and reaping, these are all laws of the spiritual realm... you're not limited as a believer."
— Joel Siegel (16:56)

"[Being in the Spirit is] a place of authority... declaring things and decreeing things, dealing with things... there are times I'll see into this spiritual realm."
— Joel Siegel (24:57)

"Your safety is being connected to your local church... people will get these glimpses [in the Spirit] and they'll start to think I've arrived... But you will never graduate to a point where you don't need your pastor."
— Amy Siegel (41:08–44:00)

Timeline of Important Segments

• 00:09–03:45: Opening encouragement; importance of spiritual engagement.
• 04:10–07:41: Ephesians 6:18 explained; distinctions in prayer.
• 07:41–09:15: All believers as saints; call to pray for all saints.
• 09:44–12:51: The reality and purpose of the spiritual realm for Christians.
• 12:52–16:17: Exploration of "in the Spirit" in Revelation; John as example.
• 16:17–21:46: Spiritual versus natural world; spiritual laws for believers.
• 21:46–24:57: Degrees of being in the Spirit; Pauline/Johnine experiences; importance in dealing with spiritual forces.
• 35:28–37:34: Brother Hagin’s story—sudden spiritual entry.
• 36:52–39:20: Collective and individual movement into the Spirit through worship, prayer, tongues.
• 41:08–44:00: Amy Siegel’s warning about remaining connected to the local church.
• 45:17–46:10: Importance of learning from spiritual mentors; disclaimer to defer to Pastor Nancy.
• 46:30–51:20: Exhortation to engage in sustained praise and prayer.
• 51:24–end: Transition into collective prayer, worship, prophetic utterances (extended spontaneous prayer, declarations of provision, spiritual breakthroughs, prophecies over businesses and supplies, spiritual joy, decreeing and establishing God’s will).

Extended Prayer & Prophetic Decrees (51:24–End)

• The latter portion features extensive corporate prayer, spontaneous worship, praying in tongues, prophetic decrees over provision, land, buildings, businesses, favor, miracles, and joy ("There was great joy in that city"—73:21).
• Notable declarations:
  • "Unusual favor... we've never seen that happen before." (61:07)
  • "You live and not die... speak. I speak. Strength." (65:14–65:58)
  • "Flood stage of the reign of the Spirit... rearranging the landscape as it were." (69:50–70:37)
  • "Thou shalt decree a thing and it shall be established." (75:44)

Concluding Thoughts

Joel and Amy Siegel lead listeners to hunger for a deeper experience of God's presence and power, invoking both instruction and activation. Listeners are reminded to ground their spiritual life in the church and pastoral oversight, while persistently pursuing spiritual activity (praise, prayer, tongues) that propels a person, or a congregation, into the spiritual realm for miraculous living.
The tone is exuberant, faith-filled, practical, and pastoral, mirroring the charismatic/Word of Faith stream.

Recommendation:
If you’re seeking both theological grounding and practical steps for experiencing “in the Spirit” living—especially in the context of prayer, worship, and miraculous ministry—this episode offers an engaging dive with memorable teaching and demonstrable activation.

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