Dr. Cindy Trimm: The Rules of Engagement- Part 1Maybe you have unintentionally bought into the idea that you can't wage warfare against the enemy. Perhaps you've been trained to believe that spiritual warfare is only for the pastor, evangelist, or seasoned church mother who is renowned for engaging in such activity. Well, today we're helping you banish that illusion beyond any doubt, by sharing with you an exclusive interview with this month's featured preaching woman, Dr. Cindy Trimm. She cordially accepted our invitation to be published on our site and impart to us some rules of engagement regarding leadership, strategic prayer, the Kingdom, and our spiritual responsibilities for such a time as this.
Baring a warm personality and a heart of gold, Dr. Trimm is one of the most intelligent, down-to-earth people you could ever meet. Mantled with enormous responsibility, she serves as a prime example of an innovative preaching woman whose ministry is sweeping the globe, as she wins souls for Christ and strives to unlock the God-given potential of everyone she encounters. Best known as the General in the Art of Strategic Prayer and Spiritual Warfare, Kingdom Practitioner, Dr. Trimm is an empowerment specialist, respected prophetic voice, bestselling author, life coach, chancellor and ambassador of Hope; but most importantly, she is a potently anointed woman of God abounding with love and concern for humanity.
As one of the leading voices of this time, Dr. Trimm founded Cindy Trimm International (CTI), to bring practical solutions to spiritual and social ills; effecting change within our communities while transforming the course of our global destiny. Her track record as a revolutionary thinker and prolific communicator, has established her as one of the most respected and sought-after leaders in the world today. Though it seems that Dr. Trimm appeared out of nowhere onto the world stage, that is certainly not the case. She is a 21st Century World Leader who has partnered with heads of state, business moguls, politicians, church, civic and world leaders for more than 30 years to equip and empower millions to maximize their potential.
As many people are extremely intrigued and ultimately spellbound by the wisdom, exploits, and authority she portrays by the power of God's Holy Spirit, PreachingWoman.com's founder, Nichelle Early (NE), embraced the opportunity to speak candidly with Dr. Trimm (CT) and ask the questions inquiring minds want to know.
NE: Dr. Trimm, many people are amazed with how God uses you so mightily for His glory. But, I want to share with them the woman behind the ministry. So, my first questions is, "Who are you? Or, who do you say Dr. N. Cindy Trimm is?"
CT: I think if I am to explain who I am it would be from the perspective of purpose and mission. I was born to unlock the hidden God-given potential in people and to help them maximize their leadership potential; to inspire them towards spiritual growth and innovative activities that leave the world a better place for the next generation. I exist to provide a service to humanity by being a leader of leaders and providing mentorship in this hour. However, beyond that, I'm just a regular person and I strive to be very humble...Personally, I am a British-American, born on a little island called Bermuda. I love learning, travelling, reading and eating (LOL!). But, most importantly, I love doing what God has called me to do; ministry. I love to preach, and I live by what I preach. The Bible is my moral compass. I read it for personal enrichment, spiritual motivation and inspiration. God has given me His word, strategies and principles to share with people and I love doing that, because people are my passion. I love people from all walks of life and I aspire to make the world a better place!
NE: Dr. Trimm that is awesome and the world truly needs more people like you.
CT: Thank you! I want to leave a legacy of hope, spirituality and goodness for the next generation to follow. It is a privilege to serve and to be used by God.
NE: Well certainly you are doing that; you truly exemplify that each time you take the platform to minister to God's people and we thank you for who you are what you are doing in and for the Body of Christ!…Now, how did you get started? When did all this begin for you?
CT: Well, back in the day, I started preaching when I was young. And, there were not a lot of female preachers in my area at the time. However, I encountered a very powerful preaching ministry at a nominal church and I began going there. They discipled and taught me. As I grew in the Lord, I began having dreams, visions, and experiences, but there was no one to explain to me what I was experiencing. Now, this church believed in the Holy Spirit, but they took exception to the manifestations of Holy Spirit. So eventually, I left and went to a Pentecostal church. There, they were demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit…I always had a very scientific and philosophical mind, and as I saw them demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit, I decided that I wanted to do what they were doing. So, I asked God to allow me to do what I saw them doing by the power of His Holy Spirit. Sometime later, I had an encounter with God and I was filled with the fullness of the Holy Ghost!...By the time I was 18, I was invited to speak at a youth meeting. I wasn't invited because I could preach, I actually was invited because they needed a speaker and someone told them that I was a great talker, so I accepted. I preached, God blessed, and I have preached every since!
NE: Wow! Talking about a divine appointment!
CT: That's right! Understand that when destiny and purpose intersects the avenue of opportunity, it creates the occasion for greatness! When the opportunity comes, and it comes to everyone, we must all make destiny decisions. We have to be prepared for opportunities; we have to have eyes that see, and we must be sensitive and recognize divine moments. Often times I hear people say that they are waiting on God, but God is waiting on us!
NE: Amen! That is so true! And, God says Yes!
CT: You know Nichelle, I feel very convicted by the Holy Spirit to mentor and coach in this hour…my mission at this time is to unlock human potential for greatness…Every individual has what they need on the inside of them, you don't have to look outside of yourself, because God has placed the spirit of creativity on the inside of you, and it's that same creativity that unlocks greatness. I believe we are in a season wherein it's necessary to engage people in Kingdom exploits. The Bible says in Matthew 28:19, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. [KJV] Therefore, we should go beyond the four walls of the church to disciple the world. We must leave where we are and quit disciplining each other and disciple those that need a Savior. Understand that the church is the place where we receive our conversion into Kingdom leadership; it is the place where we are empowered to go back to reach the lost. We can't be on the 'cutting edge' of evangelism; we've got to be the 'edge.'
NE: I totally agree!
CT: I'm reminded of Paul when he said in 2 Timothy 4:7…I have finished my course…God determines how far we go, not man. It was God that gave Paul the course, and God that allowed him to finish it. We must be determined to go where God is leading us, because in this season God is calling us to do great exploits!
NE: This is just so awesome, I can hardily contain myself…I just have so much to ask you, so let's see…Leadership, and then we will get to strategic prayer.
It appears that the world, the church, and organizations are experiencing a leadership crisis, why does leadership matter in this hour?
CT: Well, first of all, leadership is not about a title. [For instance,] a woman can be a leader as a mother. A leader is someone people follow, someone who can influence you to believe things you many not otherwise believe, or do things you many not otherwise do. A leader has the ability to influence you to go, say or see, things that you may not otherwise… Leadership should not be viewed exclusively from an institutionalized perspective. We are all leaders in some way because we all influence others in one way or another. This is why in this hour we really do need more teaching, training and education in this area; we must bring people together so that they can learn what it is that God has placed inside of them. My goal as a leader is to empower people and provide them with the tools and strategies necessary to do something great for the kingdom. That is what leaders do!
NE: I agree. I truly believe that people are looking for someone to mentor them and show them how to reach their destinies.
CT: Yes…Being connected to people is so important, because people are looking for answers out here. God has divinely empowered me with a mantle to see others succeed…I truly believe in humanity and in the goodness locked within the hearts of man. Even in those who have fallen in tough places in life and have been cast away. It's important that we remember that Christ died for everyone: blacks, whites, skinheads, drug attics, sinners; not just the church. Often times, we judge people so quickly because we see them as sinners, and we shouldn't be shocked because people sin, the name 'sinners' says it all. The world needs messengers of faith and hope not people of condemnation. We should show love, because love is the greatest of these (I Corinthians 13:13). Understand that love does not sanction sin, but love causes you to see yourself in the other person's situation, and it causes you to ask yourself, "What would I want someone to do for me if I were in that person's shoes?" In other words, love moves us to action on someone else's behalf…Some of my biggest heroes are Mother Teresa, Dr. Martin Luther King, Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, because they walked, demonstrated and lived a life of love. They demonstrated the Christ-message - love. They saw the conditions of humanity and were touched with compassion and they became the change they were looking for.
NE: How true, all of them really did become the change they were looking for, and like you were saying earlier, they too, believed in humanity and the goodness within people.
CT: Yes, I truly believe that there is goodness in each of us. For instance, let's talk genetic codes; every human being has genetic codes within them that effects, let's say eye color, for example. And what happens is that each different eye color has a genetic code. However, only one gene is turned on, and the others are suppressed. And so we see the 'turned on eye color.' Sometimes, when it comes to goodness, it's not that people don't have goodness; it's just that it's suppressed and needs to be 'turned on'. And, that is what the anointing does. It turns on whatever it is that is in your spiritual genetics that is suppressed.
- The anointing is Heaven's empowerment agency
- It's the unction to function
- The Holy Spirit of God is the quintessential coach
- He is the epitome of a mentor
- He is the ultimate empowerment specialist
It is so imperative that you make the Holy Spirit your best friend. When you have a rendezvous with the Holy Spirit you have a rendezvous with greatness!
NE: Absolutely!
CT: I think sometimes people think that it's about being in the presence of great men. But it's not. It's really about the mantle of greatness, or the realm of greatness, if you will, that they live in…We need to seek God for the ability to discern the realm where the man or woman of God lives…For example, Saul and Samuel…he had dinner with the prophet, but later he had to return to his own realm of residence. We must be grateful for the opportunity to taste the realm where the man or woman of God lives. We may have to return to our present or current realm, but at least we had the experience of their realm so that we have something to aspire to. Therefore, it's important to decide whether we want to make the sacrifice to live in that realm after we've tasted of it. And we can; the moment we get rid of excuses for not doing, being, or having what God has already said for our lives, we can go to the next level and another realm of greatness. The question is, are we prepared to make the sacrifice; the sacrifice to become excellent in character, attitude, activities, and service. Are we willing to abandon self destructive behaviors and cast down old paradigms in order to go, have, and be what God has already said we would be? What we give up pales in comparison to what we get when we follow Jesus! And, in order to follow Jesus, you must carry your own cross; no one can carry it for you!
NE: My God! That is absolutely amazing…we have so much to cover, but this is just so good!…You mentioned sacrifice…
CT: Yes…sometimes people confuse sacrifice with suffering. Suffering for Christ sake is not lack, or being poor. Suffering is when you have your own agenda and it encounters a 'Garden of Gethsemane experience.' In other words, sacrifice is when you can truly say, "Not my will, but thine will be done." It's the act of breaking your own will by ridding yourself of fear, unbelief, disobedience, and submitting your total self to Jesus! Sacrifice is not just about what you give up, but it's about understanding that your sacrifice is equivalent to your future greatness…Let me say this, God doesn't need your money, so sacrifice is not about that. There are laws that are at work; what you do, or sacrifice, should be done as unto the Lord. Whatever you do, it should be so that the Father is pleased with you. For me, I care about what the Father thinks of me, not what man thinks. And when you get to that place, you awaken every morning to unlimited possibilities!
When you sacrifice and bless others, then heaven conspires with the universe to bless you! Never make demand of the sources that God uses to bless you, because when you make a demand of those sources, you no longer see God as your source. Just give, and leave the harvest to the Lord. His hands are far bigger than mine or yours anyway! God is my source and I practice that every day!
NE: Amen! What a great explanation regarding that…Let's get to strategic prayer. In your opinion, what is strategic prayer?
CT: Well, most importantly, we must recognize the word "strategy." If you want to achieve anything in prayer, you must have a strategy. You must figure out what is highly important in order to have the intended outcome. The Bible declares: …the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much [James 5:1]. Prayer is a two-way conversation with God. Prayer doesn't just change things , it changes everything! So, when we look at strategic warfare in prayer, consider the military. Soldiers operate with tactics, strategies and protocols. They are highly trained. We must be the same.
Prayer is an essential tool for individuals who expect to do something extraordinary for God!
· Prayer allows Heaven to eclipse earth…it is the solar eclipse of heaven's power upon the darkness of evil on the earth!
· Prayer is the atomic power of God!
· Prayer gives God permission to intervene on Earth!
· Prayer alters the environment, while bringing demonic climates into alignment!
· Prayer is the absolute difference between life and death!
· Prayer diffuses confusion to become cooperation!
In other words, you've got to pray and God will give you the answers you need!
NE: Wow! I don't have any words…I feel the anointing! That is just awesome…After hearing that explanation on prayer, I don't understand why people don't pray…We could talk all day, but I want to be mindful of your time…Let's talk a little bit on the Kingdom.
CT: Yes, the Kingdom. Adam and Eve had Kingdom authority and power. But, they fell from that realm and lost their authority and power. Today, when man gets saved, they are introduced to Jesus: the message of the King and His Kingdom. Understand that the Kingdom is not another revelation.
Simply put, there are two Kingdoms:
- The Kingdom of Light, which encompasses God and His goodness, righteousness, love, truth, revelation, information and vision.
- The Kingdom of Darkness, which is the absence of God and His goodness, righteousness, love, truth, revelation, information and vision.
The Kingdom is a way of life…it is the principles you live by. You either live by light or, you live by darkness. Every day, we must embrace the Kingdom of Light!
NE: Amen! We have so much more to talk about…but I know we are out of time. Thank you so much for allowing PreachingWoman.com the opportunity to do this exclusive interview with you!
CT: You are very welcome. I am humbled and honored to have had this opportunity to share with you! If people want to learn more about prayer and want to change their lives, I have several books and tapes that I highly recommend. Also the World Summit would be a great event for them to attend. The World Summit on Leadership and Prayer is being held in Milwaukee, WI, May 27th - 31st And, by the way, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Paula White, Micah Stampley, Vickie Winans, The Binions and others, will be joining me as well as Bobby Jones who will be recording live. You definitely don't want to miss this encounter!
NE: Wow! The World Summit is going to be awesome!…Again, I'm honored to have spoken with you today Dr. Trimm, and I thank you again for being featured on PreachingWoman.com!
CT: Again, I am humbled. Thank you for your time!
Dr. Trimm has received multiple honors and awards including: Ambassador of Goodwill for the State of Tennessee; the Guinness Book of World Records; Woman of the Year for Outstanding Community & Professional Achievement; Twentieth Century Award for Achievement; Two Thousand Notable American Women, and listed among the top 500 Leaders of Influence. She has also received awards and distinctions from the Queen of England, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Governor of Bermuda.
Hearing and heeding to the voice of God, she continues to be placed in high demand on a variety of ministerial and professional platforms. Indeed, she is widely known and revered as a leader of leaders, a champion of champions, and one whom God trusts to deliver a message of hope and deliverance to the nations. Dr. Trimm has given her life to instructing and activating persons in the atomic power of prayer and equipping nations to pursue destiny.
She is the bestselling author of: The Rules of Engagement, Commanding Your Morning, The Mantle, The Spirit of Sabotage, The Assignment, The Atomic Power of Prayer, I Need a Midwife, Birthed Out, The Purpose of the Church; and, she has been featured on many television, streaming, and radio programs around the world including: The Word Network, TBN, Daystar, TCT, Streaming Faith, Premier Radio, 98.1 ISAAC Trinidad, etc., and she has hosted her own internet radio show, "How to Do This Thing Called Life." She has been featured in a number of magazines and e-publications including Charisma, Upscale, Elijah List, Gospel Today, SAVED, CRUX Christian Magazine, and many others.
Experience the matchless power of God with Dr. Trimm as she hosts two spectacular events coming up soon! Be sure to attend her Kingdom University School of Ministry in Atlanta, GA, March 29 - April 3, 2010 at the Renaissance Atlanta Downtown Hotel Kingdom University New England/Northweast, April 19- 24, 2010. She will also be hosting her 2010 World Summit: Leadership and Prayer in Milwaukee, WI, May 27-31, at the Milwaukee Theatre Center. Visit www.CindyTrimm.comor the Latest Events section on www.PreachingWoman.comfor more details!
Our interview with Dr. Trimm was so extensive; and, she had so much more that she was willing to share with us! Therefore, we will continue this interview by featuring Dr. Trimm again in our April edition of PreachingWoman.com . So, stay tuned, because you don't want to miss Part 2 of what Dr. Trimm has to say next month!
