Silicon Valley Healing Rooms Taking Spiritual Vitamins
Most doctors recommend taking vitamins daily is to reach and maintain good health. Scripture also has some recommended daily actions for good spiritual health. Paul has an action plan at the end of 1 Thessalonians. Following this prescription impacts our spirits, our souls (that is, our minds, wills, and emotions), as well as our physical bodies. When life challenges hit us, and we’re not taking care of our spiritual selves, the “overwhelm factor” moves toward our souls. We try to think our way through problems, determine our outcomes, and reign in our emotions to cope. When these efforts fail to resolve life’s issues, our bodies often succumb to the pressures in one way or another. The steps of solution are often the same prescription for prevention. Let’s look at what the Apostle Paul suggests.
1. “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16).
Clearly, in order to fulfill this piece, we have to learn the way to rejoice in good times AND through bad times. In this use of the verb, it is not to be falsely happy when challenges come. It’s more about learning to praise God when good things happen and when bad things happen. We live in a fallen world where life happens to everyone, in one way or another. Praising God means to choose to take these things to God and know that He has promised to be with us in trouble (Psalm 91:15), to help us find a way to move forward, to do battle when we need to do battle, get strategies from heaven, and to know that He is working it out for good (Romans 8:28). It’s not about thanking him for something bad. It’s for knowing that He is able to meet our needs in the middle of the situation and eventually see there’s a Design Plan behind everything.
2. “Pray without ceasing” (v.17).
At its core, prayer is dialogue. Sometimes God does the talking. Sometimes we do the talking. It takes a while to learn His voice, and recognize how He speaks to each person a little differently. His pace of answering our questions may be a little different than our style. However, God allows—even invites—us to come to Him at any time (available 24/7) with any issue or request. Praying without ceasing is about doing life with God. Not just emergency phone calls when we can’t handle something. We pray about our ups, our downs, our joys, our hurts, our family, our work, our health, and our relationships. There isn’t anything He doesn’t have wisdom to share with us. Sometimes we need to hear Jesus say, “I know it. I understand.” (See Hebrews 2:10.) He took on all our sins, our pain and our suffering on the cross. Having Him understand us and walk through every dark valley helps.
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3. “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (v.18). 
When this is hard to do, read an account of what life was like for people who came west in a covered wagon. Read a missionary account of what their life is like. Listen to a former homeless person describe their life. Check in with friends who are caregiving for a relative. Stay current on the issues of sex-trafficking, addiction, gang life, lawfare, prison life, job loss, etc. The list is long. Thanksgiving is the mortar between life’s rocks. |
4. “Do not quench the Spirit” (v19). 
This is a Bozo No-No! Do not do this. And why would we want to? The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that we will get what God promised for his people. (See Ephesians 1:13-14.) The Holy Spirit helps get us right with God. The Holy Spirit knows and reminds us that the ruler of this world is already judged. The Holy Spirit guides us in all we do. (See John 16;13-15.) The Holy Spirit speaks words he hears from the Father. The Holy Spirit encourages us. The Holy Spirit transmits the things of Jesus to us. The Holy Spirit is our heavenly ally.
5. “Do not despise prophecies”(v.20).
Prophecies aren’t always about the future God has for each of us. Sometimes they are reminders in Scripture. Sometimes they are guidelines for adjustment to get back on track. Sometimes they are words of encouragement or confirmation. Sometimes they are dreams. Whichever way God sends a Rhema word to us, we might do well to ponder it, process it, and provide for it.
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6. “Test all things; hold fast what is good”(v.21).
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One gift Christians need to ask for and develop is discernment. We live in an era where many people think it is okay to lie, even under oath. God goes out of His way to teach us to tell the truth at all times, to put a guard on our mouths (see Psalm 141:3), and to be men and women of integrity. Lies can take us on detours. 1 John 4: 1-3 offer a truth test for Christians to discern if they are being lied to.7. “Abstain from every form of evil” (v.22).
This includes the eye gate, the ear gate, the guardrail gates for our feet to stay on track, and not go where we are not supposed to go. Keep the “little” sins a big thing, and the “big” sins won’t be such big temptations. Fasting works well to break a particularly difficult pattern.
At the end of these seven verses, Paul offers a blessing. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). Carry on. Let us read these verses routinely. They are good for our spirits, souls, and bodies. They keep us healthy like vitamins do.
God Answers Prayer
Since our last Healing Rooms Open Hours: 
One woman’s stress went from a 4 to a 0. She said her experience was a gift from God. God used the prayer team ministers to meet her at a deep level with beautiful visions and verses. She wrote that her faith had been strengthened in a profound way.
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One woman came in with discouragement and not seeing much hope. She referred to it as treading water. She left feeling hope and victory coming. She appreciated being heard and understood. She also appreciated the maturity and wisdom in the team members who prayed with her. She left feeling encouraged and strong. The Scriptures shared really resonated with her.
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One man’s stress went from a 6 to a 4. He is in the middle of a process of getting a new job and there are many steps. It helps to talk and pray. He also is facing some medical concerns. The team prayed about the progress so far and the steps to healing that lay ahead.The teams prayed for issues around anxiety, marriages, dental matters, heart healing, strength to take action, wisdom, adult trauma, cancer, diabetes , God’s peace and strength, relief from fear and worry, high blood pressure, AFIB symptoms, rapid heartbeat, perseverance and endurance, life direction, whether to move or not, job changes, relationship with adult children, disagreements with neighbors, faith renewal, breakthrough in circumstances, counteracting witchcraft, workplace challenges, settling in to a new place to live, caring for a loved one, financial breakthrough, sciatica, sleep disorders, and trauma relief.
Scheduling an Appointment
Together, Silicon Valley Healing Rooms Prayer Ministers are ready to take your prayer requests to God in prayer. They also seek God’s word for you in advance of the appointment.
We are now taking signups for prayer appointments for Tuesday May 6, 2025
To sign up for an appointment, there are TWO STEPS:
1. Let us know your TOP THREE APPOINTMENT TIME PREFERENCES, in order of priority.
We will coordinate the teams, and send the zoom information on Monday for the appointment on Tuesday.
2. Share a phone number so we can TEXT you with scheduling changes.
In the event that we are not able to offer you the time frames you desire, you may share a phone number with us to text you if an opening should arise when someone needs to cancel an appointment. This happens from time to time, and we are able to text you to see if you are available to join an available prayer team. All information is confidential to the ministry and is not used for solicitation. This step is optional.
You are welcome to sign up for prayer appointments at the following times listed below:
| Morning Times: | 11:10 to 11:40 am |
| 11:55 to 12:25 pm | |
| 12:40 to 1:10 pm | |
| Evening Times: | 7:10 to 7:40 pm |
| 7:55 to 8:25 pm | |
| 8:40 to 9:10 pm |
It is our greatest joy to join you in prayer and pray for whatever you want to bring before God. We pray, believing, knowing, and confident that God answers prayer.
If you don’t need prayer right now, you are welcome to forward this to others you know that might want people to pray with them.
***We love to hear how God has answered prayer. Please share what God has done in your life as a result of prayer. You can reply to this email, or share it in your appointment, or write a comment on our web site.
The spiritual winds are blowing strength, life, and peace into us,
Stephanie Shoquist, Donna Maranon, Jim Clow Directors, Silicon Valley Healing Rooms Team
Future Open Hours Online: May 6 & 20
CONTRIBUTIONS WELCOME You can contribute to Silicon Valley Healing Rooms online or by cash or check. Learn more by visiting the website www.SiliconValleyHealingRooms.com.