Scripture: "They fastened their faith onto their promises and pulled them into reality." (Hebrews 11:33 TPT)
Scripture: "Whatever builds up your faith and deepens your love must become your holy pursuit." (2 Timothy 2:23)
Scripture: "Use your prophecies as weapons as you wage spiritual warfare with a clean conscience." (1 Timothy 1:18-19)
Dear Friends,
May the peace and presence of the Holy Spirit be an experienced present to you today. I am sitting up in the chapel as the rain gently comes down. Everything is Irish green...rich and healthy in this summer rain pattern. Hopefully our prayer lives are rich and healthy as well? "That is why I remind you to fan into flame the gracious gift of God, that inner fire, which is in you through the laying on of hands." (2 Timothy 1:6 AMP) My sense is that it's very important right now that each of us takes an assessment of our inner life. What are you feeding? Because what we feed is what will grow. Where are your thoughts? How about your words? Do we remember that the power of life and death is in the tongue? (Proverbs 18:21) Do we live aware that we can negatively prophesy over ourselves and others? And issue word curses carelessly without even thinking about it. No one needs help feeling bad about themselves. ALL need encouragement. Be intentional about pulling out the gold.
There is a holy fire being released right now to purify the Body of Christ. These times we are in are calling for daughters and sons of God who want Jesus more than anything else...and people who want to make Jesus easy to see. To develop a Kingdom mindset we have to live intentionally. And we have to make His Word our new default. Here are just a few quick thoughts for you. Write down any Scriptures that jump out at you. Read them in several translations. That gives even more depth of meaning to them. Pray them out loud. (Declarations) For instance: the 3 Scriptures above jumped off the page at me when I first read them in The Passion Translation. I pray Hebrews 11:33 like this: Jesus, I am fastening my faith onto the Scripture promises that I am reading. I thank You that each promise is Your oath to me. These Words cannot return void. They WILL do what they say they will do because You are God; You cannot lie and nothing is impossible to You. And I won't quit praying, Lord, until I see this promise as a reality. Give me more faith, Jesus, so I can be tenacious and pull that promise right into my life right now!
For 1 Timothy 1:18-19, many of us have been given words by someone who has prayed for us. These are called "rhema" words, prophecies, encouragements given by God through the person praying over us. Often, they are "words of knowledge" that the person praying would have no way of knowing. A word of knowledge should never be new information. It should always resonate deeply with you. Often the purpose of a "rhema" word is that you know the Lord hears you and is there with you. Years ago, I began recording words given to me. I transcribed them in my journal and will often read them. It's astounding how many have become realities or are part of a process that is happening even now. The enemy will always try to discourage a move of God, big or little, and will try to tell you that it will not come true, or that it certainly couldn't be a word of God for YOU. In this season it is very important that the children of God know who they are and get better and better at recognizing the schemes of the enemy. None of us are worthy of anything. God doesn't use us because we are worthy. He uses the ones who show up! It's that simple.
The middle Scripture above says that whatever builds your faith and deepens your love must become your holy pursuit. This is not a season to get lazy about growth. PURSUE HIM WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART, MIND AND SOUL. We are in a heck of a mess and it may get worse before it gets better. We cannot get lazy and lay aside the passionate pursuit of the Kingdom. Jesus commissioned us to continue His work of preaching, teaching and healing. He did not give Covid passes! Even if Churches aren't yet open...actually, especially if Churches aren't opening, we have to bring Jesus wherever we go. YOU are a monstrance hosting His Presence. You are a living tabernacle. Let's ask Mary to help us remember always who we carry, and to teach us to give Him glory with every fiber of our being.
So, important thoughts for the day: Feed what you want to grow, pray and declare His Word over your circumstances. And do not quit. EVER. The circumstances may be factual, but His truth supersedes any natural fact. Nothing is impossible to our God. Pray like you are a beloved child of the King, not an orphan begging for a few crumbs. "It gives the Father great pleasure to give you the Kingdom." (Luke 12:32) Act like you believe that! Don't fall to the enemy's tactics. Know your buttons, shake it off and power through. Only God gets to say what is the truth. Camp out there every day. EVERY. DAY. He is God and satan is NOT. And finally, passionately pursue whatever builds your faith and deepens your love. This is no time to be a slacker. This is the time to have every warrior in the battle. We are at war and we are all "on." So, don't be caught off guard. We may get beaten up a bit along the way, but the Lord promises that He is with us and that victory is absolutely assured. STAY THE COURSE.
"Carry in your heart the passion of your calling." (2 Timothy 4:5) You are missionaries bringing the love and the power of Jesus Christ to each person you meet. Doesn't this world desperately need to see Jesus show up? He wants to show up through you: your words, your touch, your commands in His name. You have His authority. You want to see Him? Risk inviting Him to come. Practice! We spend so much time telling God how to see us...weak, imperfect, insecure. (freaked out!) Graham Cooke says He refuses to partner with our insecurities. He wants to tell us how He sees us when He's doing His thing through us. So tag you're it! Turn your expect switch on and believe Him. It's about to get fun! Set a goal of praying with at least 1-2 people a day, and not for hangnails. Pray for things that will cost you. It's not about you. It's about the person in front of you feeling loved and known by Jesus. And it's about His love for this person and His total power and ability to do whatever is needed. It's time to step out of our ordinary and attempt to do what we cannot do in our own strength. Let Him set this fire in you. Pray that He sets more and more of one in me. Let's let Jesus BE JESUS!
All glory to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Lord, be among Your people, be beside us and within. And with Your loving presence we'll be fire again.
Let's keep each other in prayer.
Thank you Anne.