Break bondage in every area

"that every man should set free his male and female slave—a Hebrew man or woman—that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage."- Jer.34:9

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." - Exodus 2:20

Bondage is defined as: The state of being a slave.  A state of being greatly constrained by circumstances or obligations. 

There are so many circumstances in life that keep us in bondage outside of the normal and/or obvious ones.  The important thing to remember is that no one is exempt from bondage.  Regardless of social status, money in the bank, health, etc. anyone in any situation can be in bondage.  It's easy to point fingers at people like addicts and criminals because of their circumstances, but make sure you are examining yourself as well.  The millionaire can be in bondage to his/her money, the hard-worker in bondage to his/her job; getting a little deeper a parent can be in bondage to their children or vise versa and the "every day church going, bible reading, roof raising prayer warrior" can be in bondage to their church.  Oh yeah, I went there.  Before you get all up in arms and stop reading hear me out, satan will use whomever is not paying attention. 

We pray daily and put on the armor of God and cover, cancel, bind and block agendas but we tend to let our guards down at church.  The one place we should really be on high alert.  We should hope and pray that un saved folks are coming into the church every service, that is the purpose - to seek and save lost souls right?  So why is it that we get in church, leave our purses and such laying around unattended because "it's church", we take everyone and everything at face value because "it's church" and we feel like if the minister is reading a scripture we don't need to see it because he/she is a minister and they know the word. 

Corinthians 12 talks about having different roles within the body of Christ, none of those roles include not knowing the word for ourselves.  Our ministers, teachers, spiritual leaders and even mentors in within he body of Christ are there to teach and guide us.  Not do it for us, no one just can get you to Heaven, you have to speak and believe the words yourself.  If your child's teacher stood in front of the class, taught the literature, gave all the answers during the test and physically did the homework for them you would be highly upset because they wouldn't learn a thing. 

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was." - James 1:22

Being a doer is in prayer and in works.  We hear and are given revelation of the word by our spiritual leaders and it is up to us to go back and study and really get even more revelation and self clarification in the word.  How else can you fully explain it to someone else if you are only mimicking what you heard? 

When you fall into that type of bondage it is very hard to get out or even realize that you are in bondage.  You feel like you are just being obedient and serving the Lord, but you have to be careful and make sure that you are truly serving the Lord and not man.  How you pray, what you pray, how you give, how you tithe, how you worship, how you praise; it's all between you and God.  When we fall into a rhythm of only being able to pray one way because "that's what sister so and so said I should do" or we only sit on the left side of the church because "brother so an so said you can't really receive on the right side"...that's bondage.  Waiting for someone to tell you how much to tithe before filling out your offering envelope, instead of praying on it and giving what you've prayed on...that's bondage.  2 Peter 2:19 talks about us being slaves to whatever overcomes us.  We need to serve God and all times and not be pleasers of man. 

We go to church to learn, fellowship and receive revelation in a holy environment.  Not for a fashion show, not to see who makes the most money and not to find out what our next move should be.  Our ministers, spiritual leaders, elders, etc. are there to guide us teach us and help mold us.  Getting to a point where we cannot think and make moves without their consultation can very quickly become bondage if you are not paying attention.  And if you are a spiritual mentor, leader, counselor, etc. to someone make sure that you are not keeping them in bondage by allowing them to put you before God.

Break loose from any and all bondage in your life. 

Hearing God's voice

It's been a while since I've posted here and it should never be this long again.  This was ministered to my spirit by the Holy Spirit and I'm being obedient in sharing.  I try not to force the word out when I share it I want it to be pure and spirit led, I hear God all of the time and this was my confirmation.  Anyway Have a blessed day...

For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire, as we have, and lived?  - Deuteronomy 5: 26

[God's voice may be heard by man when] he is chastened with pain upon his bed and with continual strife in his bones or while all his bones are firmly set.     - Job 33: 19

When you are in tribulation and all these things come upon you, in the latter days you will turn to the Lord your God and be obedient to His voice.                   - Deuteronomy 4: 30

I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord--but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.    - John 5: 30

When you pray about something and God gives you a clear answer.  You know what you need to do.  The enemy comes in and brings confusion.  Don't get confusion twisted with God's will.  Confusion is not of the Lord.  If God tells you to move, but there's a small hiccup in the move, don't lose hope, press through.  If God brings you your helpmate and says this is who you're supposed to marry, don't second guess it when "old flames" come back into your life.  If God says "this" is your destiny, when you don't succeed the first time it doesn't mean that "it was meant to be".  That is nothing but the devil bringing confusion into the mix trying to make you abort the visions that God has called you to birth.  When you're in the hole and there's dirt kicked on you, shake it off and climb higher.  Press forward and PUSH - Pray Until Something Happens!

Uniforms are not necessary

Understand this...Being a believer isn't a uniform situation.  Yes, there is a foundation from which we all believe, however, we do not all do things the same - nor do we have to. 

"4There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all..."

Don't base how you praise, give, honor, worship or live on anyone but God.  Sister so and so may very well be able to give $5000 but that doesn't mean that she is more blessed than you.  We all have gifts and talents that can be used to further the kingdom and God blesses all of us in different ways.  Yes we are blessed in every area of our lives, but how those blessings come for each one of us or each family is very diverse.
Don't ever let the devil or his demons make you feel like you are less than a blessed and highly favored child of God.  Our Father knows what He is doing and, if you give it to Him, has our lives under control.  Don't make comparisons, that causes jealousy and eventually strife.  Be happy for your brothers and sisters in Christ when they are blessed or are a blessing and understand that we are not robots in the word.  We are proactively seeking the word of God and interceding everyday.  Nothing is uniform.  

Procrastinating your way into bondage

9 He who is slothful in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer - Prov.18:9

The dictionary describes procrastination as: The act or habit of procrastinating, putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention.

In Proverbs it talks about being slothful in your work.  That means to procrastinate.  Procrastination is a spirit of laziness.  You put it off because you don't feel like it or you're dreading it.  This can easily become a form of bondage for you and it is in your spirit to procrastinate until you feel a sense of urgency or until the pressure is on you to get something done.  Then we fall into the art of blaming others for things not being done in excellence.  Because of the fact that we delegate something late in the game.  You cannot expect things to be done in excellence if you don't start them in excellence.  Yes we are children of God and yes we have favor in the Lord and ALL things are possible through him.  BUT, don't test the Lord and think that He is going to pull off a miracle to help you when you haven't tried to help yourself.  You have to take care of business and make moves so that what's already loosed in heaven can manifest here in the natural. 

This all falls into being a good steward as well.  If you procrastinate and let things fall to the wayside like: weight, health, household chores, your appearence, car maintenance or anything else - then how can you expect God to bless you with new things?  If a church is growing and needs a new building but the members are not good stewards over the sanctuary that is there already; meaning no one is sowing time or money into the kingdom and if so it is not with a cheerful heart, then how can you expect God to provide a bigger one?  If a woman is not a good steward over her health and her body - but wants a baby - how can God bless her with another life to take care of and she won't take care of her own?  These are all choices that we make family and procrastination holds us back, keeps us in bondage and blocks us from inheriting all the good that God promised us.
When you procrastinate, you might as well tell God to have a seat because you have better plans.  You invite strife, doubt, fear and a host of other blockages into the mix and they are all giving satan a standing ovation.  When the Holy Spirit brings a blessing to you or is speaking to you; make moves!  Procrastination can be a matter of life or death in the natural and spiritually.  I promise you come out on top when you decide to do what you need to do expeditiously!  The Holy Spirit is already leading you and God has you under His wing.  Don't sleep on what you are called to do!  God has a blessing and has called you to be nothing less than Great.  Be the King's kid that you are!!!

Is your faith in the Fridge?

 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.  - Hebrews 11:1-3

I was cleaning some stuff out of the refrigerator the other day and making space for new groceries and such. I made sure that everything was able to fit that needed to be refrigerated or frozen so that nothing would spoil.  It occurred to me that I put a lot of effort in making sure that my food doesn't go bad because that's just wasted money and time (I hate grocery shopping).  I received a revelation from the Holy Spirit about my faith...
We talk about faith and having strong faith and the importance of faith but so many of us don't do what it takes to preserve our faith.  The word tells us that we need to walk in faith and love and have faith in calling those things that are not as though they are (Romans 4:17).  We're on fire for a little while and then it starts to dwindle and we still go through the motions of going to church and we Amen and high-five on Sundays and keep it pushing.  It is important to do what we need to do to preserve our faith.  It is perishable if you don't take care of it.  If you don't put ice cream in the freezer it melts and becomes flavored milk and it is no good.  If you leave milk sitting out it spoils.  Leave a box of cereal on the shelf too long and it gets stale.  We can't do this to our faith.  We need to spend time in the word feeding our faith, spend time in prayer fueling our faith.  Spend time building our faith. 

as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, - 2 Peter 1:3

2 Peter lets you know that God gave us ALL the tools we need to build our faith and walk in the ways of the righteous.

Exercising our faith is important to.  Calling situations to life, sowing into someone and/or the ministry.  Being led by the Holy Spirit and obedient in making a move that you wouldn't otherwise do without a back-up plan.  When we don't exercise our faith - like our bodies - it becomes heavy our of shape and it becomes harder to exercise it or even be in the mood to.   When we allow our faith to get bent out of shape it gets heavy with burdens, stress, doubt, depression and all the weights of the world settle in and make it hard to speak life.  It makes us not want to get up and go to church, bible study or anything else.  It's not even about satan getting in our heads and making us feel these things - we're doing it to ourselves. 
I encourage your family to exercise and preserve your faith.  Don't let your spirit man get bent out of shape. 

HE Knows your Worth: Even when you don't

 

For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? - 1Cor.5:12

Please understand that Christianity does not equal perfection.  Don't become so religious that you are no worldly good!  If it is not your life, it is not your business to pass judgement.  Pray for one another and talk to God.  Don't gossip and then ask God to help that person.  Flick the plank out of your own eye first!  That word came on my heart the other day and I wrote it down.  In re-writing it, it has ministered and convicted my spirit.  The first time I heard it and was obedient in sharing it with some folks...this time I heard it and I'm being obedient in adhearing to it myself.  I thanks the Lord daily for continual revelation and understanding.  He knows I am no where near perfect.  He also knows my heart like no one else. I have to learn that just because He has put something on my heart and given me a gift to use to further the kingdom, doesn't mean that the path will not be bumpy nor the journey weary. 
There has to be a lot of patience put into being obedient so that you are making moves at the right time.  There has to be a lot of silence in obedience so that you can hear when the Holy Spirit is giving you further instruction.  There needs to be trust in obedience because God will require you to step out on faith in areas.  Don't worry He knows your worth even when you do not. 
So many times we (myself included) want to wait for the "right" opportunity to be used.  "When I get that million dollars, I'll sow into the kingdom."  "Once I'm where I want to be in life, I'll help in the ministry." I'm not where I want to be spiritually..." that's like getting in shape to go to the gym!  Don't harp on where you feel you may be spiritually.  98% of the time where you feel you are spiritually is based on your observations of others in the ministry and/or around you.  They may be able to flip to a bible verse faster, speak longer, articulate better, or do something that you cannot do BUT, when God wants you to do something it's because He knows your worth.  He knows that you can speak out boldly, He knows that you can manage a department, He knows that you can committ to being there.  He doesn't call people by mistake.  In all of our imperfection, God's will in us is perfection.  God does not call the qualified because we are ALL qualified and called to be kings and priests.  We are all called to further the kingdom in any way that we can. 
 Corinthinans 12:12-31 talks about unity and diversity within the body of Christ and how we all have different functions, gifts and assignments just as your physical body does.  If we all did the same thing and has the same function and purpose how would we be productive in many areas?  It's the desire for immediate recognition and praise of the flesh that becomes the demise of kingdom business.  If you entertain a vain thought for just a second it opens the door to strife, lust and carnal intentions.  People think of being concerned with looks and fashion when they hear vanity and that's why it is such a dangerous spirit.  Vanity is let in when you get a little irritated because someone didn't mention your name to the congregation.  "Pastor said thank you in private but didn't tell everyone what I did."  "Why is her name ahead of mine..." "I talk to Pastor all the time why did he help them..." Those are vain thoughts.  Romans 12:3-8 talks about not thinking too highly of yourself. 
Let God reward your works...you have to know that they are not going unseen.  Instant gratification is just that and it is gone just as quickly as it came...in an instant! You will be rewarded for every good work...your heart needs to be in the right place.  Do it because God loves you and has done so many things for you in the midst of your disobedience and beliees in the good in you...2Corinthians 9:8. 
I intended for this blog to go a completely different direction.  I have been struggling with feeling blocked and I was planning to write more or less out of frustration.  In the first few words I typed out the Holy Spirit began to minister to me and a calm came over my spirit and I thank God for it.  Continue to be obedient in what God has called you to do and keep pressing through.  He didn't promise smooth sailing, but He did say that we can walk on water!

Patience is Love & Love is Patience

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.2 And though I have the gift of  prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Patience and love go hand in hand.  This scripture has been on my heart but it was a reflection of patience for me.  As I continually grow both physically and spiritually, milestones in my life cause me to reflect.  I reflect on who I am, where I am going and what I am doing to get there.  Patience has been a word that my close friends and family used to describe me on many occasions.  However, It was a conditional patience that I possessed.  1 Corinthians describes love as the greatest thing to have and if you do not have it, you have nothing.  God's love - agape love - is unconditional and his patience is everlasting.  Patience, like love, is necessary in all situations.  In order to truly forgive - you must be patient.  In order to truly maintain love - you must be patient.  Butterflies, bells and whistles of love come naturally as you start to develop feelings; but there's a patience that has to come along with it in order to maintain the natural high of love.  Relationships take patience and developing a calm patience, ironically enough, takes patience.  If God had no patience, what a world of trouble we would be in!

Patience also comes in our everyday actions and/or decisions.  People (including myself) struggle to save money in so many areas because of a lack of patience.  In today's society everything is about convenience.  Fast food, Faster food, Jiffy Lube, Drive thru coffee and more.  If we took a little time out of our busy schedules to be patient and do a few things ourselves; not only would we save money but we would learn lessons in developing patience along the way.  I recently taught myself how to braid hair.  I started out practicing on my fiance's daughter and right after I finished I called and made a hair appointment to get mine braided.  It was recently time to get it redone and I was having a meltdown because I HAD to get my hair done and I didn't know how it was going to fit into my schedule and so on and so forth.  Patience fell heavy on my heart and I woke up the next day and decided to try braiding it myself.  I did it, it's not professional but I know I will get there.  With practice and patience.  The enemy went to work on my mind saying that I couldn't do it, It was going to take to long and - my favorite statement - "I don't have the patience for that..." the thing is, I DO have the patience for it if I choose to have it.

Patience, like love and so many other things is a choice we make.  A state of mind that you choose to have. For all the control freaks out there...to not have patience is a lack of control over your mind.  So renew your mind and get your thoughts in order.  To be absent of love is to have nothing, but without patience true love will not surface. 

Brew coffee at home, make a home cooked meal...What can you do in your daily life routine to allow yourself a lesson in patience?

Good Bondage...

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand tin the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

It is important that we thank God daily for the full armor that he has provided for us.  We need to make sure it is prayed up and secured properly at all times because our spirits are constantly in battle for us.  With that being said, I want to focus on verse Ephesians 6:20 where it says "For which I an an ambassador in chains..." I struggled for a long time with that verse because I was thinking in the flesh about being in chains.  I kept praying and saying Lord why are we in chains when you say we have free will.  Lord I know you set us free from bondage.  So what is the significance of being in chains (KJV says bonds)?  I received revelation one morning as I prayed and the Holy Spirit began to minister to me and explain that I am to be bound to the word of God.  The same way that a man and woman marry and become bound together as one; we as the body of Christ are His bride and bound as one in the body and to the Living Word.
When we spend time in the word, and we pray to the Lord and spend time really getting to know Him and speaking to him in our heavenly language or in understanding, we are getting intimate with Christ and developing the same relationship that we desire to have with our mates.  We do so many things in our earthly relationships to please our mates.  We go on dates to bring back romance, we light candles and desire to spend intimate time together to keep love strong and the bond stronger.  It works the same way with Christ.  He desires our time, He desires us to talk to Him, worship Him, acknowledge Him; spend some intimate time with Him, in His word strengthening your bond with Christ!

Nesting

I read a post of my best friend's the other day and she said that she was starting to nest to prepare for her little one that is on the way.  So I looked up the definition of "nesting" the other day and it was described as an action that pregnant women perform in their third trimester...preparing the house for their new baby; likened to mocking the ritual of birds preparing a nest before hatching eggs.  The same way that pregnant women and birds, in their right, "nest" to prepare for a new life; we, as believers, should  continuously nest and prepare for what God has in store for us. 
God revealed to me that, although I have never been pregnant in the natural; I have been pregnant in the spirit realm plenty of times and miscarried because I wasn't ready.  My spirit was willing but not ready because my flesh was not obedient.  I have been impregnated with a vision and it's about to birth, I am and will be obedient to the word of God and speak life to all things in my presence.  Calling those things that are not as though they are, God will begin too allow my spirit to dilate and eventually go into labor and birth in the natural what He has already done and showed me in the supernatural.  Right now, I will nest and/or prepare for me to be used as a vessel for what God has in store.
We have to understand the God can't bless us with better until we can take care of what we have right now.  This rings true for houses, money, cars, our bodies in health and weight and everything else.  He desires the best for us, but, if we can't take care of - what we consider - mediocre things, then how can He trust us with luxurious things.  Family listen, in the same way that Jesus went to prepare a place for us in His father's house (John 14:2) because He loved us; we need to prepare a place for Him in our hearts and in our lives period.  Prepare and keep up with what He has blessed us with so that we can pull what is already manifested for us out of the supernatural and eat of the good of the land in the natural.  Take time to nest and you'll be blessed!

In The Midst of it...

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6  Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, (Psalms 91:2-9)
 
We often turn to music based on our moods. If you want to set a romantic atmosphere you might find some smooth jazz or a sweet “love song”. If we’re angry we tend to want something more hardcore to amp our mood. The blues when we’re sad and so on and so forth. We always want the world to know what kind of mood we’re in and/or what we’re going through at any given time.  Thanks to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter we can tell our 500 “friends” what going on in our lives in less than 60 seconds!  They can like your status and say they’re sorry for what you’re going through, but nine times out of ten that solves absolutely nothing. We either want everyone to attend our pity parties or we want self-gratification for something we THINK we did on our own.  Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with sharing your feelings and even sharing good news.  But sometimes we need to settle down and go to God first.  Then we can commence to telling it on the mountain, if He wants us to.  There are somethings we need to learn to keep our mouths shut about.  There is a point where I recent;y started asking myself, Lord is this just for attention or is this to give you glory.  Lord am I really gaining anything by blabbing about this?  Lord am I low-key trying to make someone jealous or boast about something?  Is my heart in the right place as I tell this news?  I love to gab and talk like most women do and God really began to convict my spirit about opening my mouth so much.  I would vent out of anger, and once I was calm, I would pray about it and feel bad that I said anything but it’s not like I can take it back.  God wants us to talk to Him and be real with Him.  Yes He already knows, but He wants us to have a desire in our hearts to tell Him everything and allow him to deal with us and/or it accordingly.
Christians, we are doing nothing but selling ourselves short if we feel like we should wait until this are “okay” to go and talk and commune with God.  He will deal with us in the midst of our trials, in the midst of our sin, in the midst of whatever situations we are in.  Psalms 91 says that God is our refuge and fortress and in HIM shall we trust. He will take us under his wing and deliver us from the snare of the fowler. It says that His truth, which is His word, will be our shield and only with our eyes will we see the reward of the wicked. If we’re taking refuge and need shields that means we are in the middle of battle family.  God didn’t say He would be our shield because it sounds nice, He said it because we should constant;y be aware of the spiritual warfare going on around and within us. Satan is always at work and he will send his demons to work on your mind first because that is our arena of faith. Once he plants a seed in our mind we tend to run with it and confess it and then he can pull his demons off because we start to do satan’s dirty work and become our own worst enemy. We confess, “oh my back is killing me!” “Oh Lord I’m so broke” and so many other negative things we speak into our lives and confess them on a daily basis. When we start to feel symptoms or things seem impossible, that’s when we should hold fast our confessions! Take refuge in the Lord and know that he will carry you through. It’s okay to need the Lord, it’s okay to have trials and tribulations. Only the “perfect Christian” doesn’t have issues…I’ll let that marinate

Don’t ever feel like you did something wrong if you are going through a rough patch. God to God, lean on the word and believe it. Have faith and know that his shield will keep the fiery darts of the wicked one (Eph.6:10-20 the armor of God) away from us.  God is not a respecter of persons so don’t count yourself out.  Take joy in the midst of a trial and seek the Lord diligently because He’s got a blessing in the midst of it all.

Self-Defense

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV)

I carry a knife in my purse and everywhere with me.  I feel like, you never can be too safe these days.  I’m always the big talker in my group about who I’ll cut and how quickly I’ll cut him.  So, I was shopping in a store a few weeks back and in my own world.  In my completely oblivious state, I didn’t notice that there was a strange man watching my every move.  Thankfully, the holy spirit stepped in and made me aware of the fact that I was being followed.  I began to walk in a very purposeful pattern around the store to ensure that it wasn’t my imagination…nope, I was being followed.  Big bad wolfess was gone and fear set in.  First I called my sister, then my boyfriend, then my sister again and I was looking for my knife and it wasn’t in my purse!  I was unarmed, alone and quickly allowing panic to settle into my spirit.  By the time I found an associate to let him know I was being followed all I could do was burst into tears, especially after he told me he’d seen the guy following me!  I was stuck in the middle of the store, a complete emotional wreck.  I had the “damsel in distress” thing going big time!

We should never be caught off guard without our weapons!  Not a weapon in the flesh, but our spiritual weapons.  Ephesians 6 talks about putting on the FULL armor of God daily.  We are always at war because we are not of this world.  If your spirit man is where it should be, then he is always ready for battle.  There are so many temptations in the world that we have no choice but to operate in the spirit and be led of the spirit if we want to get through.  Our minds are the arena for faith and satan is the enemy of our souls.  If we’re not covered satan is most definitely going to plant seeds within that arena and pretty soon you are full of fear, doubt and self destruction bondage.  I’m not saying that you need to carry a bible wherever you go to ward anything off, but know the word and meditate on it so that when things come against you, you are able to stand on the promises of God to rebuke, bind down and destroy satan’s evil yokes.  Isiah 54:17 says that NO weapon formed against thee shall prosper!  Romans 8:31 says if God is for us [then], who can be against us!  We, as spirit filled believers who are truly walking in faith, need to have the ability to call on God’s word in an urgent manner and speak to any pressing situation.  If we’re not prepared for battle, it could cost you your life…think about that!  How many enemies do you have that would stop and give you time to get your sword out and sharpen it in the middle of a battle?  In the same sense, how often are you able to stop an emergent situation so you can pull out your bible to find the right words?  It’s time to meditate, to study and to really get to know God’s word.  The last thing we want to do is be caught out there in the world without our armor and not ready for battle!

G.P.S.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.  James 1:12

I was on the freeway yesterday evening, headed to the mall to meet my mom and brother.  I was going a different way than normal so I put the mall address into my GPS on my phone and updated directions from my present location.  I tend to get nervous when I’m driving, especially when it’s late, so I kept updating the directions from my current location.  At some point I was sure I had missed my turn so at the next light, I made a U-turn and was in the process of updating the directions again.  When they finally updated, it told me to make a U-turn (again) and head back north to get to the freeway I was looking for.  After I passed the light where I’d originally turned around, the very next block was the entry to the freeway…I was SOOOO close and turned around and delayed myself by 10 minutes.  Had I trusted my GPS the first time I would’ve been okay!  
So often, we do that with God’s plans for us.  We’ll say lead me Lord and we’ll go and things get a little rough, but we trust the Lord through it.  They get a little rougher, and we still trust and thank God but we start to develop a back up plan in the back of our minds.  Then when it gets shaky and we’re all sorts of uncomfortable, we turn the other way and go to whatever back-up plan we had.  What I’ve found, personally, is that I was so close to a breakthrough but I gave in to fear and missed out on my blessing!

You see satan tries to turn us around and make us lose our ground, he wants us to give up and lose faith and miss out every time. he (yes I did not capitalize on purpose because I feel satan deserves no respect!) is always ready to tempt us with an easy way out a “solution” to what we are going through.  Sure it may have shiny bells and whistles and seemingly look like a blessing, but there’s always something not quite right about the solution and you become torn or confused about which way to go.  My God is not a God of confusion (1Cor. 4:13)!  He said that he will be a light unto our feet and a lamp unto our paths (Ps. 119:105)!  That means he will make things CLEAR for us.  There is no confusion in God’s works…there is clarity, peace, joy and a presence of assurance!  
So next time you’re ready to turn around, and there’s a voice telling you just go a little further, don’t bicker with God, trust and see what just ahead at the next block.

Live like you're already there!

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

The world tells us to “Live like you’re dying” but the word tells us that we are already there!  We, as believers, are in this world, we have to abide by laws put in place and live accordingly.  However, we are not of this world and we must stop picking and choosing what biblical laws to follow.  If you’re running late for work and get stopped by a red light, are you gonna run it just this one time because you need to get to work?  I seriously doubt it because of the fear of getting pulled over and ticketed for breaking the law.  In the same manner that we have respect for the laws of man, we need to have respect and fear for God’s law and what the word says.  If there’s a red light and the Holy Spirit is saying that you shouldn’t go just yet (and maybe not at all), don’t try your luck just this one time…just don’t do it!  Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.”  That means that we need to walk in the spirit and seek God in all of our decisions, we need to be consistently obedient, and in constant prayer.

The world tells us in Romans 6:4 (above) that when we were baptized we were buried with Christ and just as Christ raised from the dead, we did as well through the baptism and we now walk in the spirit in the newness of life!  1 John 4:17 says that as He is so are we.  Christ Died, was buried and rose again!  In the same way, through being born again and baptized our old self died – That ol’ girl died, that good for nothing man is dead – was buried and we rose again in the newness of life!  God wants us to have his best.  We are heirs and joint heirs with Christ!  We don’t have to “Live like we’re dying…” Family we already died and rose again and have been walking with Christ.  We have arrived…we’re already there!  There’s no need to “Live like you’re dying” we should be Living like we are already there!  Have a blessed and highly favored day family!

Faith Equals Works

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? (James 2:14)"

As a believer, the word Faith should be considered a verb. From the beginning it's all about our works and how our works transform after we've been saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit.  When you accepted Jesus into your heart you took a step out on faith, you choose to believe, you walk in faith daily and in challenges you make a choice, you fall into the ways of the world or you trust in God and step out in faith on any given situation.
When you pay your tithe you're stepping out on faith, especially if your finances are challenged at all. Being obedient in attending church and bible study is a work, giving someone a good word of encouragement is works. All of us that are an active part of a prayer/fellowship group, whether it be online or meeting in person are doing a good work because we are uplifting, fellow-shipping, encouraging and even educating (in love) one another on how to inherit the fullness of God! All the small stuff counts. Giving someone some spare change and speaking a blessing on them is good works...and the list goes on. We have all been called to be disciples, prophets & priests in the kingdom. We don't need a pulpit, a long sermon or even a formal setting to be a disciple. So if we change our mindset on Faith and know that Faith isn't just a dormant word it is a action as well, we will see how we use our Faith everyday! With that mindset it will continue to grow your faith and you will begin to do bigger works without even thinking about it or even realizing it at times because you have been so consciously walking in it that you keep pushing and the training wheels fall off without fazing us!

F - Firm
A - Acclamations
I - Invoking
T - The
H - Holy Spirit