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Woman of God, RUAH!

Ladies, I want to talk for a minute. Well, you read – I’ll write…

For generations we have been labeled as lesser-than, broken, unworthy, weak, feeble, vicious, angry, entitled, unclean, ignorant, unable to lead because of our gender – the list goes on. For generations, some (not all) of us have accepted the labels and even perpetuated and monetized these labels for our own gain and influence.

We are living in a time where we are fighting for equal rights in our government, but we are content to accept the parameters that the Church has set for us because we have grown accustomed and desensitized to the ideals that men are more anointed than we are.

Quite frankly, I am sick and tired of this narrative.

If women were supposed to be this inferior sex, then why would God have used women so influentially throughout scripture? Sarah, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Esther, Ruth, Naomi, etc. Every story that we read about those women shows us that 1. God has and will use women to complete His mission. 2. We are powerful, chosen, and qualified to minister the Gospel, perform miracles in His name, prophecy, teach, pastor, and any other method that advances the Kingdom!

We (men and women) were made for war! We were made for battle!

We must put to rest the woe-is-me, I’m just a woman way of life and put on our armor and fight! How will we ever break the spirit of oppression if we are constantly coddling it? How can we raise daughters who are strong and courageous if we align ourselves with adjectives like weak, simple, inferior, mediocre, ignorant, emotional, etc.

Sarah, even though she may have been weary, wasn’t weak! She was STRONG in faith. Unwavering in certainty that God had the best course planned for her life. She was the mother of nations – no weak vessel could carry that title.

Mary, mother of Jesus was anything but simple. She was EXTRAORDINARY. She was favored by God to carry His only son – can you even imagine?

Mary Magdalene wasn’t mediocre; she was MADE RIGHTEOUS! A woman once possessed by seven demons, was set free by Jesus. She was the first woman to spread the Gospel of Jesus. She was the first to see Him when he was resurrected! She traveled with a group of men just so that she could be taught by the Master! An Apostle to the Apostles, if you will.

Esther wasn’t unworthy of the calling on her life – she was made WORTHY by God and the assignment He placed on her life. God chose her to save her people before she was even born. Courage wasn’t her first response to the call of God, but it was the result of her obedience and willing heart.

Woman of God, the men aren’t spending their time in life groups, conferences, and other meetings talking about worth and brokenness – they are preparing for battle! It’s time to rise up! It’s time to put on our armor and storm the field! RUAH!

xx – Olivia

Turquoise blue instagram post. Attention, do not read the small print. (2048 × 1189 px)

GOD FIRST. FAMILY SECOND. MINISTRY THIRD.

For those of you who have the honor and privilege of serving in ministry, allow me to CALL A THING A THING for you. If your life priorities are not as follows… GOD FIRST, FAMILY SECOND, MINISTRY THIRD …then your life is OUT OF ORDER! Period.

1. GOD FIRST. John 15:5 says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” Your relationship with God is main priority! You cannot pour into the lives of others from an empty cup. Your cup needs to be overflowing. What’s in the cup is for you and the overflow is for everyone else. Don’t let your tank get empty. Your time with God in prayer, worship, and the Word is crucial! That’s how you fill up and overflow. That’s how you keep the anointing flowing in your life. Without it… you can do nothing.

2. FAMILY SECOND. 1 Timothy 3:1-5 says, “…If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position. So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife… He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?” Your first ministry is your family. Your spouse matters, your children matter, you matter. God holds you responsible for your household first. If your house is a wreck, your children are out of control, and your spouse is starving for attention… you need to draw some boundaries and enforce them! Boundaries are your responsibility. You decide what is or is not allowed in your life. You also need to pay attention to those who have issues with the boundaries you draw. These are usually people who are intentionally or unintentionally trying to control or manipulate you. The only people who get upset about you setting boundaries are the ones benefitting from you not having any. You have the right to set the standard (boundaries) for your life. If you can’t draw boundaries and enforce them… you need to consider another profession.

3. MINISTRY THIRD. 1 Peter 5:2-4 says, “Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.” As leaders we must lead by example! Your life example should inspire and minister to others. So many church leaders live OUT OF ORDER. Their lives are a mess… Their finances are out of wack, house is a wreck, and their family is all jacked up. OR their lives are out of balance… their so busy that they don’t have time to enjoy the life, family, and ministry God has given them. We brag about our busyness, but what we’re really saying is that we don’t have time to seek the Lord and hear from Him. OR they don’t live any differently than the world does. We are to come out from among the world (2 Corinthians 6:17). We should look different and act different. Righteousness is nonnegotiable! I’m not saying that we church leaders aren’t human and that we should be perfect. But we should be like the Apostle Paul, pressing toward it! (Philippians 3:12-14)

My fellow ministry leaders… we have some evaluating to do. 2 Corinthians 13:5 tells us to examine ourselves. I’ve taken a look at my life and I’m seeing some necessary changes. I encourage you to pause, take a deep breath, and do the same. Your future will be glad you did!

CTRL + ALT + DELETE

I have a New Spiritual Command for you… CTRL + ALT + DELETE

CONTROL yourself.
ALTER yourself.
DELETE everything else.

God is sovereign and He sits on the throne. We must understand that God is always in control, but He doesn’t always take control. For example. I’ve lost over 100 lbs. God didn’t make me gain all of that weight through the years. He let me eat as much junk as I wanted to. Just like He will not control how much of the negative news reports that you watch. He will not control how much time you spend with Him versus how much time you spend watching tv. God will let you scroll through social media for hours instead of making time for Him in prayer. God is always in control, but He doesn’t always take control. Why? Because He has given us the power of choice. He has given us the authority of dominion. Our lives are not out of our control. Your mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial heath are all within your control. You have the power of CTRL + ALT + DELETE.

Let me give you some examples of CTRL + ALT + DELETE…

God is in control, but He doesn’t always take control. He will not control someone else just for you. When someone shows you who they are… believe them and then do what you need to do with that information. Stay or walk away.
God is in control, but He doesn’t always take control. He will not control how much food you eat. If you need to lose weight… eat healthier and exercise. No excuses.
God is in control, but He doesn’t always take control. He will not control how much time you spend with Him. If you want to grow spiritually… be intentional about praying and reading your Bible.
God is in control, but He doesn’t always take control. He will not control how you spend your money. He will let you carelessly spend as much of it as you’d like. If you want financial breakthrough… start making wiser financial decisions.
God is in control, but He doesn’t always take control. He will not control how you spend your time. He will allow you to let your life get all out of balance. If you want peace of mind… start making choices that keep your life in balance and maintain your personal peace.

+ CONTROL yourself. 2 Timothy 1:7… “The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and SELF-CONTROL.” You have control over your mind. You have control over balance in your life. You have control over the words you speak. You have control over your emotions and responses. Too many of us live our lives out of control. Stop letting your thoughts, emotions, unhealthy relationships, and bad choices control you. Take your life back!

+ ALTER yourself. Ephesians 4:24… “…put on the new self…” Romans 12:2… “…be transformed…” After you get control you are going to have to make changes. You must alter your thoughts. Alter your words. Alter your choices. Alter your time. Alter your relationships. Alter how you spend your money. Alter what you eat. Alter where you go. Alter what you watch. Alter what you read. Alter what you choose to be a part of. Change is a requirement for growth.

+ DELETE everything else. Philippians 3:13-14… “…Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead…” Delete anything that is a source of negativity. Delete anything that tries to take your peace or joy. Delete anything that tries to distract you. Delete anything that tries to disrupt you on your journey to meet that goal. Delete anything that tries to hold you back or stop you. Delete the negative conversations. Delete the broken and defeated thoughts. Delete the unnecessary. That might mean you need to get off of social media, or walk away from some relationships, or choose a different career path, or start doing things a different way.

Stop complaining. Stop making excuses. Stop tolerating and accommodating that which is robing you of joy and peace. Take control of your life. Alter what needs to be altered. Delete what needs to be deleted. Your future will be glad you did!

Frightening Faith

Faith. The substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things unseen.

Unwrapping the definition of faith, alone, is terrifying. Having and exercising the ability to believe that the things we hope and pray for will one day come to fruition is terrifying. There is always that underlying feeling of “what if”. What if my dreams never come true? What if I or someone I care about is never healed? What if I fail? What if people judge me for following the calling God placed on my life? What if something bad happens?

Crippling. Terrifying. Debilitating.

What if I told you there were plenty of accounts from people in the Bible who exercised their faith in frightening situations and came out with the victory? Would you believe me? Lend me your ear (well, your eyes) for just a moment and I’ll show you!

Imagine it – you and your friends have had a long day. You decide to take the boat out for a little night fishing when a treacherous storm rages and starts tossing your boat about the sea. In the distance you see a figure. There is a man walking on the water towards your boat.

Is that a ghost? It’s getting closer! It looks like Jesus.

You call out, “Lord, if that’s you tell me to come to you on the water!” The figure responds with “Yes, come to me!”

Fear grips your heart. It takes your breath away. You don’t know whether you should trust the ghost-like figure calling you out of the boat and onto the troubled water, or if you should stay in the boat. At that moment the decision seems easy. You fling your legs over the side of the boat and set your sights on walking out to Jesus. It’s then that you notice the wild waters and rushing winds. Any ounce of faith that you had has vanished. Gone in an instant. You’re frightened!

You begin to sink into the waves. “Lord, save me!” you cry. Immediately, Jesus reaches out and grabs you. He doesn’t hesitate, He doesn’t make you suffer. He rescues you.

In situations where the tides are high, the waters are raging, and the wind is practically knocking you off your feet – it may seem frightening to exercise your faith. In fact, you may feel like you vaguely see Jesus on the other side of the storm, but taking that first step out on the water will test you in ways that you’ve never thought possible. Just like Peter, we all take leaps of faith from time to time, but there may come a point where the situation is more than we ever imagined.

When fear floods your faith, look for Jesus!
When you are frightened and sinking in your fear remember that God can speak to the wind and waves and make them behave.
When you call out to Him and He calls back – obey His commands.

Peter isn’t the only person in the Bible who exercised frightening faith.

The woman with the issue of blood (Luke 8) had to push through a crowd of people just to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. She had to make up her mind that even though her situation was frightening her faith would make her whole.

Abraham, after praying for a son for many years, had to take a frightening journey up the mountain to sacrifice his son, out of obedience to God’s command. By being obedient and audacious in his faith towards God, Isaac was spared and Abraham was rewarded.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had to exercise faith that could move mountains. They had to put their trust, their hope, and their faith in God to save them! Their faith is what kept them through the fire. Their faith is what sustained them – regardless of the frightening moments.

Faith IS frightening! Just remember that when you are frightened it is in that single moment that your faith will make you strong!

God Is Working

Judges 6:12-16… The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

In Judges 6 we find Israel facing difficult days… They have found themselves hiding in mountains and caves. The Medianites have: surrounded them, destroyed their crops and ruined their land, taken everything away from them, and left them nothing to eat

Israel has cried out to God for help and an angel appears to Gideon in Judges 6:12-13 and says, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” “Sir,” Gideon replied, “If the Lord is with us, WHY has all this happened to us? And WHERE are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”

This sounds like us when we are faced with trouble… We ask God, “WHY?” Why God?! Why have You allowed this? If the Lord is with me, WHY has all this happened to me?

After we ask God, “WHY?” We then ask Him, “WHERE?” Where are the miracles? Where is what You’ve promised? Where is my breakthrough, blessing, or healing? WHERE ARE YOU GOD?!

After we ask God, “WHY?”And after we ask God, “WHERE?” We then question God’s power and ability… Gideon said, “Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us…” This is what the enemy wants you to believe… that the Lord has abandoned you. The devil is a liar!

Judges 6:14… Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

This is what God was telling Gideon… “YOU HAVE IT IN YOU!” You have it in you to face any obstacle and deal with any problem. You are full of faith and power. Because GREATER IS HE that is IN YOU then he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). So be powerful NOT pitiful! Because God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or think ACCORDING TO the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Judges 6:15… “But Lord… HOW can I rescue Israel? My clan is the WEAKEST in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the LEAST in my entire family!”

We pray for a solution and when God says, “YOU ARE THE SOLUTION!” we start making excuses (like Gideon): Do you know who my family is or where I come from? None of that mattered… Why? Because God CALLED / CHOSE Gideon… In verse 12 He said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” Gideon completely disregarded his calling… “Mighty hero…”In that moment, the Lord MARKED Gideon for His purpose… God doesn’t call you by what/where you’ve done/been…He calls you by His purpose! Romans 8:28 says, “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are CALLED according to His purpose for them. It didn’t matter what question Gideon had, where he came from, what excuse he had, what his circumstance was, or what trouble he was facing… Because God called him, Gideon could be confident in this:

Judges 6:16… The Lord said to him, “I’LL BE WITH YOU. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

God is saying, “Because I chose you, you can be confident in this: I will be with you. I will stand with you. I will work it out for your good. I got your back.

We have been chosen and called… 1 Peter 2:9 says, “For you are a CHOSEN people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He CALLED you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.” We have a responsibility during these turbulent times to show people the GOODNESS and FAITHFULNESS of God. Now is not the time to hide… We have to stand strong in our faith and with each other!

GOD IS WORKING! – And He is working it out for our good! Isaiah 43:2-4 says, “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” God is saying… When the waves of destruction slap you, He’ll be working. When the river of trouble gets too deep, He’ll be working. When the heat of the battle gets too hot, He’ll be working. When the flames of despair rise, He’ll be working.

Regardless of what you’re facing… STAND STRONG! 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 says, “We thank God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! So, my dear brothers and sisters, STAND STRONG. Don’t let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord…” Stand strong. Keep the faith! God is our source. We can put our trust in Him!

The Gift Of Goodbye

…Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up…

Hebrews 12:1-2

Hebrews 12 encourages us to let go of anything in our lives that slows us down. Give yourself the gift of goodbye. Say goodbye to sin, the past, unhealthy relationships, negative mindsets and thought patterns. Let it all go…

Say Goodbye to Yesterday. Paul used to be called, “Saul”. Saul persecuted Christians. Acts 8:3 reveals that Saul traveled from place to place doing all he could to destroy the church. He dragged people out of their homes and threw them in prison. This was Paul’s yesterday, his reputation. In Acts 9, Saul’s story is interrupted by Jesus and His life is transformed. Saul goes before the high priest for legal authorization to persecute Christians. On his way to Damascus a light shines around him and from the light he hears a voice speak, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” Saul asks, “Who are you?” The voice replies, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Saul stands up, opens his eyes and realizes that he is blind. The men who were with him helped him to Damascus where he remained blind for three days. Jesus interrupted Saul’s story.

Jesus then appears to a man in Damascus named, Ananias. He tells Ananias that he must go to Saul and pray for him so that he can receive back his sight because Saul was His chosen instrument to share His message. Ananias lays his hands on Saul and Saul is healed. Saul begins preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. The people in the town began to talk about Saul and say things like, “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” That is exactly how people will do you today. When you start living differently, people will drag up your past. Don’t let your past keep you from being who God wants you to be. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” (NLT) God is focused on your future, not your past. God can and will use your story for His glory. It doesn’t matter what your past is, what you’ve been through, or how you have lived. Repent, give it to God, and go forward. You are either a prisoner of your past or a pioneer of your future. Don’t let the voice of yesterday define your tomorrow because I have good news: where you have been does not determine where you are going.

Say Goodbye to The Lids. In Genesis 13 we find Abram leaving Egypt with his wife, nephew Lot, and all of their possessions. The land was not big enough for Abram’s and Lot’s possessions. This caused an argument between Abram’s and Lot’s men. Abram told Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen… The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate…” (Genesis 13:8-9, NLT) Lot surveyed the land and noticed the plain of Jordan was well watered and chose that place. Abram lived in Canaan and Lot lived near Sodom. God called Abram to another level of living and told him to leave everything behind. Abram chose to bring Lot who benefited from the level Abram was living in, but he didn’t contribute to it. The meaning of “Lot” is “to cover”. Lot’s presence covered or put a lid on what Abram could achieve. While God blessed Abram and increased him, there came a time when Abram needed to separate from Lot. After Abram said, “Goodbye,” to Lot, God spoke to Abram, “‘Look as far as you can see in every direction… I am giving you all this land… to you and your descendants as a permanent possession…’” (Genesis 13:14-17, NLT) Abram needed to move away in order to move up.

We have this promise, “The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.” (Psalm 115:14, KJV) Are there people you need to move away from in order to move up into the “more and more” God has for you? I’m not necessarily talking about physically moving away from them, but emotionally. If the people around you are living with limits, they are placing those same limits on you. These limits could be narrow mindsets, low expectations, or even selfish motives.

You may be holding on to a hurt that was caused by someone who left you. When people can walk away from you… let them walk! Don’t try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, or staying attached to you. Your destiny is not, never has been, and never will be tied to anybody that leaves you. 1 John 2:19 says, “They left us, but they were never really with us. If they had been, they would have stuck it out with us, loyal to the end. In leaving, they showed their true colors, showed they never did belong.” (MSG) People leave you because they are not joined to you, and if they are not joined to you, you can’t make them stay. It doesn’t always mean they are a bad person. It just means that their part in the story is over.

Say Goodbye to Stinkin’ Thinkin’. Our lives are a product of our thoughts. The Apostle Paul tells us to think great thoughts. In Philippians 4:8-9 he says, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise…” The command is to “think” about these things. The mind is where we think, feel, and decide. It is the place where all the conflicts of life begin – the ultimate battlefield of life. God, our flesh, and the devil are all battling for control of our minds. The battle rages in our minds because, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7, NKJV) The devil knows that if He can corrupt your thinking, he can corrupt your living. We do not have to live defeated by wrong thinking. There are thousands of promises in God’s Word. Stand on them!

Let It Go… Forget the former things. Don’t even consider how things used to be. God wants to do a new thing in your mind, heart, and life RIGHT NOW! Will you let Him?

MAKE BELIEVE

We all like to make believe that we are perfect, that we do no wrong, make no mistakes, and have it all together. Sadly, this isn’t the case. We’re not perfect, we do wrong, we make bad choices, and we make a lot of mistakes. I’m certainly guilty of trying to be perfect, but without fail humanity kicks in and proves that I’m not. We all have changes we need to make in our lives whether it be: relationships, diet, attitude, perspectives, or thought patterns. The problem is we like change on our terms. We like change when it makes us feel good or look good. The moment changing requires us to do something we don’t like or that doesn’t make us feel good, we resist it. Let’s talk about what we do when it’s time to change…

When it’s time to change we LIE TO OURSELVES. We are all guilty of willfully lying to ourselves about our problems and the things we need to adjust and change in our lives. Here’s a fact: if you argue against reality you will suffer. It is very easy to lie and deny the facts about the issues in our lives. Once you do this, you create a pattern of lying and denial in your life. Don’t get me wrong, our intentions for lying to ourselves are not bad. In fact, we lie to ourselves because we seek comfort, but comfort is overrated. We want to believe our lie because if we consider the truth, it could hurt our precious ego. You may ask, “How do I know if I’m lying to myself and am in denial?” You know that you are lying to yourself when you look for distractions so that you can avoid the real stuff, the hard problems, the truth. You distract yourself instead of actually working on the issues in your life. Do not forget the process to dealing with the problems: face them, confess them, and understand what they are. At some point you have to ask yourself the question, “What is my contribution to the dysfunction in my life?”, and tell the truth.

For if you embrace the truth, it will release more freedom into your lives.
John 8:32

When it’s time to change we FALSIFY THE FACTS. We like to invent and concoct excuses for our bad behavior. We find ourselves blame shifting and pointing our finger at everyone else but ourselves. In order to make positive changes in your life you have to stop talking about what “they” did and start talking about what YOU did. Stop looking at everyone else and look at yourself. Most of our problems have been created by our choices. Change your choices. Choose to own up to the role you played in the mess that has been made. Remember, you will never see new fruit until you first deal with the root.

Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

Deuteronomy 30:19

Is any of this easy? Of course not. It’s a challenge. Call the issues in your life what they are. Challenge them and change them. Give yourself permission to be better than you currently are. The way you do that is to just simply choose. It’s an everyday choice we have to make. It’s gonna hurt and it won’t be easy. The good news is, you’ll come out looking better and being the best version of YOU!

Can You See It?

In the book of Ephesians we find the Apostle Paul telling the Ephesian Church about his prayer for them…

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called—His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms…
Ephesians 1:18-21 (NLT)

Paul’s prayer was not that they would receive these things (faith, power, victory), but that they would understand or see it. The Ephesian Church already possessed these things because they were called, they were God’s inheritance, and because they believed. The same applies to you and me. We are full of faith and power, and we have the victory! Just like the Ephesian Church, if we don’t see it what good is it to us?

The story of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings chapter 6 teaches us the importance of seeing the power and victory we possess…

When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, “We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.” But immediately Elisha would warn the king of Israel… So the king of Israel would send word to the place indicated by Elisha. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he would be on the alert there. The king of Aram became very upset over this. He called his officers together and demanded, “Which of you is the traitor? Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?” “It’s not us, my lord the king,” one of the officers replied. “Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!” “Go and find out where he is,” the king commanded, “so I can send troops to seize him.” …So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city (where Elisha was). When Elisha’s servant got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire…
2 Kings 6:8-23 (NLT)

Elisha’s servant could not see it. All he could see was the enemy coming, which filled him with anxiety and fear. He soon became aware of a game-changing spiritual reality: there was more for him than against him and there was more available to him and working on his behalf. We cannot look at the opposing forces in our lives with our physical eyes. It’s a spiritual thing which means we should see things from a spiritual perspective. In order to be confident and victorious you’ve got to be able to “see” it in the spirit. YES! Things are hard right now. YES! The situation seems hopeless right now. YES! It may look like you’re in this thing alone. But don’t be afraid! For there are more on your side than on you realize!

This is my prayer for you today… that your eyes will be opened and you will see that you are full of faith and you are full of power! I encourage you to stand strong and believe!

Problematic Facts About Problems

Problems! Problems! Problems! The word means “multi-colored”. Problems will come in so many shapes, sizes, and forms that there is no way you can ever be bored with them.

Here are some Problematic Facts About Problems:
1. Problems are not an elective in life.
James 1:2-4… My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble. But this gives you a reason to be very happy. 3 You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering. 4 If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be.

Problems are the required course. Why? Because under pressure, your faith life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

2. Problems are unpredictable.
Matthew 6:34… Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

We don’t plan a flat tire and we don’t know what problems may arise tomorrow. We just have to take on each day, one day at a time. I’ve heard it said, “Christians are like tea bags: You don’t know what is in them until you put them in hot water.” We must remember that our faith is developed when things do not go as planned. It teaches us to trust God regardless of our current situation.

Now some good news…
3. Problems are not permanent.
Luke 2:1… And it came to pass…

If it came to “pass”, it didn’t come to “stay”! Be encouraged. Whatever problems you are facing, they won’t last forever. You can make it though.

Problems show us how grown up we are because they reveal our values. Our values determine how we evaluate the circumstances we find ourselves in. Such as… If we value comfort more than character, problems will upset us. If we value the material more than the spiritual, we won’t be able to “count it all joy”. If we value only the present and forget about the future, the problems will make us bitter not better.

Remember this: The increase of pressure on your faith increases the rate of endurance your faith has. Matthew 24:13… But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Lies We Believe

There are 3 lies we must ignore…

LIE 1: You’re not strong enough to do this.
Psalm 46:1-3… God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

You’re strong enough to face any obstacle or situation; because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. God is our strength and He is always ready to step in when things get tough. So don’t believe the lie that you’re not strong enough to make it through; because you can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who gives you the strength.

LIE 2: You’re not brave enough to do this.
Joshua 1:9… Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Keep your head up and your face forward. When you’re scared but you do it anyway, that’s bravery. Push past fear and be who God has called you to be and do what He has called you to do. You have nothing to fear. You can walk out in faith because God is with you!

LIE 3: You’ve messed up too much to have any hope now.
2 Corinthians 5:17… This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

God will use your story, for His glory. So never disqualify yourself from something that God’s grace has qualified you for. God has brought you into His kingdom for such a time as this.

Always remember: No matter what is going on on the outside, no matter what you are feeling, no matter what kind of lies are trying to get in, God’s VOICE is louder, His LOVE is bigger, and His GRACE is all-sufficient. You can make it! You will overcome!