Your calling is going to crush you.
If you’re called to mend the broken-hearted, you’re going to wrestle with broken heartedness. If you’re called to prophesy, you’re going to struggle to control your mouth. If you’re called to lay hands, you will battle spiritual viruses. Your calling will come with the cups, thorns, and shifting necessary for your mantle to be authentic, humble, and powerful. Your crushing won’t be easy because your assignment isn’t easy, but it is worth it. Your Oil Will Cost You Everything God is looking for people who are willing to say, “I’m all in. I’ll pay the price.” Luke 14:28 (ESV) says, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” Maybe you have told the Lord you’re all in, but do you know how to pay this price without giving up? The key is to keep surrendering yourself and your oil at the feet of Jesus. There is no other way. Remember the woman in the Bible who poured her costly oil over Jesus, while others scolded her, saying she had wasted it (Mark 14:3-9)? You will always have scoffers who do not understand your passion, actions, or commitment to the Lord, but you cannot let them stop your willingness to pay the price. To Fully Answer the Call, You Must Surrender All Surrendering – which means to give oneself up to the power of another; to submit, yield, give away, relinquish control – is hard work and requires intense warfare against the flesh’s self-centered nature. Nonetheless, you must learn to surrender:
It’s Worth the Price Even though your oil will cost you everything, it’s worth it. Only when you’re fully living for the Lord, surrendering all to His will and His ways, will you truly become all He has created you to be. Have you counted the cost? Are you ready to pay the price? Pray the following prayer aloud: Dear heavenly Father, Thank You for the destiny and call You have placed on my life. I have counted the cost and choose to make a fresh commitment to live only for You. I surrender all areas of my life afresh to You today including my self-will, relationships, tongue, need to know and control, and finances. I’m “all in” for You, Lord, and I’m willing to pay the price. Anoint me, lead me, and guide me to do all that You have called me to do. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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An oak tree and a willow tree lived side by side. Fixed in their ways, they stood the same way, day after day. Suddenly, a mighty gust of wind began to hit the trees. The oak tree, rigid and refusing to change its position, was broken by the power of the wind. The willow tree, on the other hand, bent as the wind blew and escaped the storm unharmed.
As with the storms of life, becoming resilient--adapting and bouncing back when crisis hits--is the key to surviving intact. “I have always done it this way” just is not going to cut it anymore! Resilience has to do with one’s emotional strength. It is knowing how to cope, despite setbacks, barriers, or limited resources. It is being able to learn from mistakes and move forward, rather than wallow or dwell on failures. Someone who is resilient will be strong, tough, quick to recover, flexible, and adaptable. Resilience is an ability to spring back into shape after bending, stretching, or being compressed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” God desires that we become resilient. Resiliency Blockers
Resiliency Boosters Resiliency can be developed in our lives when we choose the right behaviors, thoughts, and actions.
Pray the following prayer aloud, asking the Lord to help you develop resiliency in your life: Dear heavenly Father, I ask You to empower me now to successfully be resilient in the face of every adversity, trial, and storm. Forgive me for the times where my resilience has been blocked, including when I've walked in self-pity, negative and destructive thinking, and blamed You when things went wrong. Enable me to use the resiliency boosters, including flexibility, determination, having a tough skin, and completely trusting You at all times. I command any spirits hindering my ability to be resilient to go now, in Jesus’ name. Thank you, Lord, for equipping me to survive every storm. Amen. Our thoughts, words, and actions create atmospheres. We carry, cultivate, and release those atmospheres wherever we go. Considering the current global pandemic that we suddenly find ourselves facing, I feel compelled to share how imperative it is to create the right atmospheres so we can live in faith within a world snared by fear. What is your Atmosphere? Your atmosphere is the pervading tone or mood of a place or situation that you are within. Atmospheres can do two things: attract similar atmospheres and collide with each other (which is when one atmosphere takes over another; the strongest prevails). You have the power to create, change, and shift atmospheres through your thoughts, words, and actions. Guarding Against a Spirit of Fear One morning, recently, I awoke to a spirit of fear. Throughout the night, this demon had been tormenting and bombarding me with dreadful thoughts, telling me that I had contracted the COVID-19 virus. This spirit had been trespassing and harassing me because, you see, it was in the atmosphere. I wrestled with this spirit in my mind, but then I quickly realized that I needed to expose the darkness. I partnered with my husband in prayer so that we could agree, in faith, and shift the atmosphere. Faith successfully broke the atmosphere of fear and those thoughts disappeared. Fear is the Opposite of Faith In Mark 4:40, Jesus said to His disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” When we are full of faith, we are not afraid. It is necessary to identify our fears so that we can exercise our faith over them and walk in victory. If we choose to live by what we see in the natural, fear can trespass and intrude. We must adjust our thoughts, words, and actions so that they line up with the Word of God. Take self-inventory. What are you thinking, speaking, and doing in these present times? Are you spending too much time listening to negative news? Are your thoughts and words fear-based? Have you allowed an atmosphere of fear to prevail in your home? If you haven’t been aligning with a lifestyle of faith, make those necessary changes starting today. Close the news, open your Bible, and pray! Stand firm in your faith and allow God to strengthen that faith. Isaiah 7:9 says, “If you are not firm in your faith, you will not be firm at all.” I declare over you that the atmosphere of fear is colliding with the atmosphere of faith, and the atmosphere of faith will prevail in your life! Pray the following prayer aloud, declaring an atmosphere shift: Dear heavenly Father, Thank You that You haven’t given me a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. I command every spirit of fear attacking me or dwelling within my atmosphere to leave now, in the name of Jesus. I ask You, Lord, to send Your angels to drive out anything that is not of You. I claim Your promises in Psalm 91, and I plead the blood of Jesus around my body, mind, family, home, and atmosphere. I ask for a fresh release of faith now, in a greater measure than I’ve ever experienced before. Equip me, Lord, to align my thoughts, words, and actions with a lifestyle of faith and not fear. Empower me to shift atmospheres from fear to faith wherever I go. In Jesus’ name, amen. Detox: a cleanse; a refreshing; a reset. Natural detoxes have many proven benefits such as boosting energy levels, strengthening the immune system, and eliminating toxins. People love what a natural detox can do for their physical bodies, but what about a spiritual detox? Is it beneficial to eliminate behaviors which could cause negative spiritual effects in our lives and hinder a breakthrough? Here are five behaviors we need to eliminate to live our best life ever: 1. Unrealistic Expectations When we have unrealistic expectations of others, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment and resentment. It’s important to love and accept others right where they’re at and to stop trying to get something from an individual who simply can’t give it. Jesus is our source – nobody else – and when we understand that, we can be free. 2. Wrong Relationships 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” No doubt about it, we will become exactly like the people we surrounded ourselves with! Stay away from “still” people: still complaining, still hating, still not making a change, still living in the past, still making excuses. These kinds of relationships will cause toxicity in our lives. Understand that relationships are either for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Don’t hold onto a relationship longer than the Lord intended. 3. Fear of Man Fear of man is being more impressed with man’s reaction to our actions than with God’s reaction. It’s time to detox from people-pleasing and the fear of man’s opinion. If we live for people’s acceptance, we will die from their rejection. Proverbs 29:25 tells us, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” We will never please everyone and remember that God’s opinion is the only one that really counts. Live to please Him, not others. 4. Comparison 2 Corinthians 10:12: “…But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” When we compare ourselves with one another the Bible says we are unwise. Comparison can result in insecurities, inferiority complexes, jealousies, competitiveness, and discouragement – all of which are toxic. 5. Complacency Complacency is when we experience a calm satisfaction with our own abilities or with a situation, which prevents us from trying harder. Zephaniah 1:12: “At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill.’” We can become complacent in our workplace, ministry, relationships, and with the Lord. Complacency will keep us in our “safe zone.” It will block our growth, our breakthrough, and God’s best. It’s Detox Time! It’s time to be cleansed, refreshed, and reset! Pray the following prayer and detox now: Dear heavenly Father, I desire to live my best life, walking in the highest call You have for me. I ask You to cleanse and detoxify my spiritual life from any unrealistic expectations, wrong relationships, fear of man, comparison, complacency, and any other behaviors or attitudes that are bringing toxicity into my life. I’m sorry for allowing these behaviors to hinder me. Lord, I ask You to empower me to make any changes necessary for me to stay free, fill me with Your glory, and refresh and ignite my spiritual life, in Jesus’ name. Amen. In a world where there are innumerable opinions, distractions, and voices, how can we undoubtedly stay on track with God’s will for our lives? When multiple opportunities appear all at once, how do we know which door to go through? God has provided us with a gift, the gift of discerning of spirits. It is one of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, outlined within 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (ESV):
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good … to another the ability to distinguish between spirits … All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. This gift is the special ability that God gives the body of Christ to know, with assurance, whether something is Godly, demonic, or the flesh. It is the ability to obtain sharp perceptions, judge well between good and evil, cut right through smokescreens, and read between the lines, exposing what is hidden, obscure, or false. It involves going past merely what is evident in the natural to what you spiritually see, hear, and understand. JESUS WAS DISCERNING Jesus operated in the gift of discernment. His conversation with Peter in Matthew 16:21-23 (ESV) illustrates this gift in operation as He discerns the human spirit (the flesh): From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hinderance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man [flesh].” Peter loved Jesus. Obviously, he didn’t want Jesus to violently suffer and be crucified. However, Jesus discerned the human spirit Peter was operating in. Discernment is crucial in keeping us in the center of God’s will, regardless of man’s words, opinions, or persuasions. ARE YOU DISCERNING? Jesus also discerned the thoughts and true intentions of men in Mark 2:8 (ESV): And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?” Understanding the true intensions of others can save you from entering a wrong relationship, business deal, binding contract, or what seemingly looks like an amazing opportunity. On numerous occasions, this gift has saved me from various hardships. It has also enabled me to move powerfully in deliverance ministry and encouraged my faith through being in the presence of God’s angels. I have noticed that the gift of discernment sharpens the more I flow in it. THE GIFT IS FOR YOU NOW! Now is the time for you to move in the gift of discernment! Pray the following prayer: Dear heavenly Father, Thank You for freely giving gifts to Your children. I ask that You impart to me the gift of the discerning of spirits in a greater measure than I have experienced before. By faith, I receive this gift from You now. Lord, sharpen this gift inside of me so that I can stay within the center of Your will and be protected from unnecessary trouble, delay, and turmoil. Guide me, Lord, and help me know what choices to make and what doors to go through. God, I ask You to teach me and empower me to use the gift of the discerning of spirits not only for myself but also for the benefit of others and for the fulfilment and advancement of Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen. You would never willingly ingest bleach or spoiled food. Why? Because they're poisonous and harmful. Yet is it possible that you are producing toxins that are adversely affecting your life through inner vows you've made, words you've spoken, and judgments you've released? This is a toxic trio!
Often, in ignorance, we behave in ways that can poison our lives and the lives of others. It's time to come clean and remove the toxicity! INNER VOWS An inner vow is something you say or come into agreement with on the inside that does not line up with God’s Word or will for your life. Inner vows are often made in times of hurt, most commonly during childhood. While they may be intended to protect you from harm, they often result in the opposite outcome. An example of an inner vow is, “I will never marry anyone like my father.” Maybe abuse from your father was prominent in your home. Through your vow, demonic spirits are activated on assignment to work against you and cause you to marry someone just like your father. WORD CURSES Word curses are negativities that you have spoken aloud over yourself or others. This can also include negative words that have been vocalized over you. Satan knows the power of negative words. His agenda is to provoke people to speak words to curse so that he can gain a right to dispatch his demons to fulfil evil assignments. Some examples of word curses can include, “I feel like I’m going crazy,” or “I never have enough money, I’ll always be poor.” Perhaps you were raised in a home where there was no revelation about the power of words, and statements like, “You’re good for nothing,” or “You'll never amount to anything," were common utterances. JUDGMENTS A judgment can be made in a split second—sometimes without even realizing it! Judgments are not solely verbal. Judgments can also be made internally. We can judge people by how they look, how they dress, or how they talk. We can judge a person’s motives incorrectly. When we make a judgment, it not only negatively affects that person, but it also affects us in the form of a curse. When we release a judgment, it essentially has a boomerang effect. Luke 6:37: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you….” (NLT). END THE TOXIC TRIO NOW! Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of any inner vows you have made. Be intentional about the words you speak moving forward. Be aware of any judgments you are passing and be quick to repent. If you're tempted to speak ill of others or pass judgment, take a minute to think about what it would be like to walk in their shoes. Ask the Lord for compassion, and choose to release life and love instead! Pray the following prayer aloud to repent for and break the power of the inner vows, word curses, and judgments that have negatively affected your life: Dear heavenly Father, I repent for all the inner vows I have made, word curses I have spoken, and judgments I have passed. Please forgive me of these sins. In the name of Jesus, I break any curses or powers that these vows, words, and judgments have had over me, as well as any negative effects from words or judgments that others have spoken or made against me. I command all connected and related spirits to leave me now, in the name of Jesus. I declare that the affected areas of my life will now line up with God’s will for me. I ask you, Lord, to empower me to stay free from this toxic trio. In Jesus’ name, amen. |
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