Shout of Faith

I am your God of all comfort, even as you feel so very uncomfortable. Dare to believe My "much greater" rather than your feelings, "much less". Abide in Me as you rest to wellness, and choose joy! 

Keep your eyes fixed steadfastly on Me, and not on what you can see or how you feel. Trust Me with your whole heart, Beloved. 

Give your shout of faith before you can see the outworking! Remember that I AM with you ALWAYS, in every situation! 

A New Precedent

Beloved, there is a battle raging - refuse to give up hard-won ground! When you done all you can do, stand! Fix your eyes on Me - get your eyes off your pain and onto Me. This is part of the process of Me breaking the power of fear off your life! In pain, you react out of fear - all you can think about is escaping the pain!

Beloved, I have a higher way. I want to reach through your pain and lift your eyes to Me. I want you to be so transfixed by My beauty and glory that you no longer notice your pain! I want My voice to be louder to you than the screaming of your pain! Refuse to give attention to your pain and focus all your concentration on gazing on My face and listening to My voice. Here I will unfold the mysteries that you have been longing to understand! 

 Take the issue of "on earth as it is in heaven" - the reality is, sin and sickness are on earth, and I delight in robbing the enemy of his tools and using them for My purposes! They make good teachers. You are learning deep abiding through this sickness, and conquering your feelings (not letting them boss you around), that you would not have learned this week if you had received miraculous healing. 

You are learning to contend - not necessarily for miracles at this stage - but for mastery over sin, which is more important by far at this stage of the journey. The lessons you are learning in taking and holding ground will serve you well when we move into miracles. Stand firm and refuse to give an inch of ground to fear, self-pity, discouragement, disappointment or bitterness. 

Thank and praise Me for all I am doing in you at this time. Let My joy rise in your spirit throughout this day. Your cheerful heart will be good medicine to your infected body (Prov 17:22)! Believe it, Beloved! 

You are setting a new precendent, My Precious One! A whole new approach to sickness in your home - one that leads you deeper into joy and victory in Me! While you will not look forward to sickness in the future, you will not fear and dread it like you previously did! "We know the secrets of the fireswamp...we can live there quite happily for some time, so whenever you feel like dying, feel free to visit!" (The Princess Bride movie)

via GIPHY

Your Joy Is My Reward

Your Joy Is My Reward (song by Candice Barnes, 2016)

I refuse to be discouraged by what my eyes can see
I refuse to be discouraged by what's not happening
I will trust You with my whole heart,
I will trust You, Lord!
I will trust You with my whole heart -
Your joy is my reward!

I refuse to yield to self-pity for how I feel right now
I refuse to yield to self-pity
My feelings cannot boss me around.
I will praise You with my whole heart,
I will praise You, Lord!
I will praise You with my whole heart -
Your joy is my reward!

Creative Process

When discouragement is taken out of the creative process, you are free to practise, mess up and try again in joy, without feeling as though you are the failure. Your mistakes may look hideous to you, but sometimes they are just a few tweaks away from being amazing! Refusing to let discouragement influence your creative process will release increase in creativity and joy! 

Redeemed Will

Beloved, can you trust Me enough to show you Truth and keep you from error? You do not have to be one hundred percent sold out to the teaching of one person or movement in order to truly benefit from aspects of it! No one is completely free from error. Just trust that I can expose the lies to you as you listen to My Spirit and live in My Word. 

It is true that in heaven My Will is done perfectly and heaven is free from sickness, sin and sorrow. But it is equally true that I can use the pain and sickness of this world to shape you and sanctify you. 

As you grow in Me and in revelation of your role as co-heir with Christ, you can also grow in asking in faith for things you need. That is not to say that you should not also accept everything from My hand with joy...as you embrace My provision in every circumstance, you are trusting that I can use this situation to your good, whether it be to teach you persistence and joy in the midst of trials, or seeing miracles released into your life. Both are equally valid and you will not always be able to tell one from the other upfront. Your response can still be the same - yield yourself entirely to Me, and also ask for what you need, simply and in faith. I will show you if and when you need to contend. 

Your will is redeemed, Beloved! You yield in joyful obedience as I yielded to My Father. 

DIS-couragement

Let's talk about discouragement again. Beloved, as I told Joshua to be strong and very courageous, I speak the same to you. I, who showed enormous courage in facing the terrible suffering of the cross, dwell in you!  I AM your courage! Becoming DIS-couraged speaks of being robbed of your courage. This can only happen if you allow the enemy to steal from you. Keep that door locked, barred and guarded - do not listen to a single whisper! The discourager would rob you of the comfort I give.

Breathe Me in deeply and trust My healing and My provision. Let joy rise in you. Celebrate all that I am doing! You are taking ground in Me. We are showing the enemy that sickness is no longer an entry point in your life. We are laughing in the face of the enemy, for what he intended for harm is driving you deeper into victory! Ha ha!! Joy, Beloved! Let's dance on the head of the enemy!! 

A Son's Obedience

Rest into wellness today, Beloved - rest and rejoice, even before you feel well. Sing and declare healing over yourself and your family. Embrace the lovely rest day in My Presence. Refuse to be disappointed or discouraged - just rest in Me and enjoy My Presence. 

You are moving into friendship wtih Me, but you are also My Beloved Child. Just as there is an element of friendship between grown child and parent, yet there is still a parental relationship. As you grow up in Me, there are times I need to discipline you, yet there are also times of genuine sharing heart-to-heart. 

As you grow in revelation of who you are in Me, you will see just how much I love you - your personality, likes, dislikes, preferences, talents, hobbies, pursuits and your will. Yes, I will share secrets with you and allow you to influence Me. We parter together - I gave you your unique personality and I love it! I do not want you to give that up - just to give up all expressions of sin nature that is already dead. That is the pruning of the branch - as you give yourself up to the process, I can activate aspects of your personality that have lain dormant. You can discover whole new personality traits that you never knew you had! This is Me giving you a new name and calling out things I see in you that you cannot see yourself. There would be no space for these aspects to grow if I was not pruning you. 

My obedience to My Father is not a slave's obedience, but a son's obedience, flowing from Love and intimacy. My Father does not threaten Me or intimidate Me into obedience - it gives Me joy to humble Myself and do what He wills. The greater your level of intimacy with Me, the more I can share My reasons behind what I ask of you. In coming to earth, I knew what the Father wanted Me to do...but I also knew why. It was this that enabled Me to suffer immense pain adn torture - for the joy set before Me! I understood why My Father asked this "impossible" task, and yielded Myself to His will out of Love for Him and Love for you! 

As you can see, it's all about Love! Growing in Love for Me, as you spend time soaking in My Word and in My Presence, and gazing on Me throughout the day...this Love will naturally overflow to others. The more you gaze on Me, the less you gaze on yourself. I want to release you into new levels of freedom and power, but this comes with less thinking about yourself, not more! These changes began in earnest as you let Me show you how I see you - perfectly loved and perfectly righteous! The beauty of this new identity is that it is founded entirely upon grace - how I see you, through no goodness or work of your own! Yet it is so much more amazing than you could dream up or believe on your own. As you really believe all I say about you, you are released to live more freely and fruitfully than ever before. Self-promotion is not an issue, as you know you are what you are entirely by God's grace.

 

Contending For Victory

Come enter My rest, Beloved. I long to soothe your aching head and kiss your stinging eyes! I am so proud of you for continuing to stand firm against the sins of thoughts and words - being vigilant about not allowing sneaky uninvited guests such as self-pity, discouragement, doubt and guilt to creep in. This is your place of contending for victory - realising that I already have won and declaring that over your circumstances. You do not do this in your own strength, but in the mighty power of Me in you. 

You know that I love to love on your kids through you too. Keep on gazing on Me until you see them through My eyes. 

The feeling of overwhelm which was so familiar just a few months ago is hardly recognisable to you any more. It thrills My heart when you yield every worried or overwhelmed thought immediately as you sense it trying to sneak in the back door of your mind. It is as you yield your worries to Me that I can cause My peace to radiate out of you. Everywhere you go, you radiate My peace, it shifts atmospheres and touches people around you! 

No more "frazzled Mum looking for sympathy", but an peace-filled Mum extending grace and love. Others can see a change in you! They will ask how you do it - don't hold back in sharing the Truth of Jesus Christ, the Hope of Glory! 

Yield Every Thought To Me

Beloved, you are not ruled by your feelings. Hold on to this Truth when everything in you is crying out to be heard. Refuse to let self-pity, doubt, second guessing, discouragement, confusion, fear or guilt have a say - yield every thought to Me, over and over, as quickly as they bombard you! Rejoice in the peace you have in Me!

Never once did I complain, though I was tempted to sin just as much as any human. Through the Spirit's power, I did not sin in thought or deed or by failing to do something. I want to keep living this Spirit-empowered life through you! As you keep saying "Yes!" to Me, you are saying "No!" to the enemy and to sin.

Come Play With Me!

Beloved, come play with Me! It is just as important to make time in your day to play with Me, as it is to commune with Me in a more serious way. Come laugh with Me, do some swing dancing, slide down the waterfall then relax into complete rest, floating in the River of Life.

No More Disappointment or Discouragement

Beloved, you used to think that the key to avoiding disappointment was to "manage your expectations" - but this essentially meant expecting a low level outcome and anything better was a bonus. But this did not work very well, as it was from a negative, earthbound perspective. Beloved, you could not understand how to be expectant in faith, but then not disappointed if things you hoped for did not come to pass. 

A child who loves and trusts her Father perfectly and knows that she is loved perfectly can ask Daddy for anything with hopeful expectancy, and joyfully accept a "no" or "not yet", because she trusts Him completely - and knows He has His perfect, unselfish reasons for that answer. These reasons are never lack of supply, for Daddy has access to unlimited supply! These reasons are never manipulative or on a selfish whim. These reasons always flow from Perfect Love. Trust Me completely, My Dear Child. 

You never need be beset by disappointment or discouragement again! 

Yes and Amen

How beautifully different and glorious it is to wake on the day of a big event after a calm night's sleep with a peaceful heart - no stress at all! To run into your Daddy's arms, climb up on His lap, and kiss Him all over His face. You take His face in your hands and ask with complete confidence, "Please can I have Your peace dwell in me all day? And Love that overflows and fills this house and spills on everyone who comes through that door? Thank you, Daddy!"

You have good parents but you were often afraid to ask them for things because you thought there was never enough to go around. But you have let go of the pauper's rags and poverty mindset, and you now know you belong to the King of kings who has all supply! 

Ask and you will receive as you ask "in My name" - that is, as you live in union withMe, it is I within you who asks on your behalf, though you speak the words, and My Father's response is "Yes! And amen!"

How I Love You!

"The shepherd laughed too. 'I love doing preposterous things,' He replied. 'Why, I don't know anything more exhilerating and delightful than turning weakness into strength, and fear into faith, and that which has been marred into perfection.'" (Hinds Feet on High Places)

"You awaken us to delight in Your praise, for You made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You." (St Augustine)

Beloved, how I love you! Your beauty is beyond compare! The tender love you show Me, by your yielded life, thrills My heart and captivates Me. I am  yours and you are Mine. Beloved, come dance with Me this morning, upon the grassy hills of the secret garden. 

You twirl and spin with your garment of praise - such beauty and grace delights and enraptures Me. To see the laid-down love in your eyes as you dance for My delight gives Me joy unspeakable! Your joyful confidence in My Goodness is a beautiful thing! 

I called you awake and out of bed early this morning for this - to pour out My Love and My delight upon you! Not for a word of admonishment or warning - just to Love on you and remind you who you are...One Loved By Me! Embrace this mysterious and delicious Truth today, My Precious One. 

The love you pour out on others flows from this place. Continue to be a channel of My Love, My Darling.  

*****

"Don't yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts - instead, be courageous!" (John 14:27)

There is a constant battle raging for influence over you. You are the one who has power to turn the tide. In every situation, you yield to something - either fear, self-pity, discouragement, fear of man, etc.; or to Me, to My will and to My Love. You get to choose to what you yield. Isn't that exciting? You don't have to let a "discouraging situation" discourage you, if you choose to yield to joyful trust in Me!

The Place of True Heart-Rest

Love is growing in your heart, Beloved. It really is! I can taste the fruit in your heart garden already. 

Beloved, as you are faithful in listening to My voice, yielding your will and obeying joyfully, there will still be things that don't go the way that you expect them to. This does not mean that you heard wrong. Do not second guess - when I call you to a life of obedience; walking with the Spirit; "moving by the impulses of the Spirit"; "moving to the unforced rhythm  of My Grace" - I call you to follow without questioning and second guessing. Do not let doubt in, even for a moment! If you think you are doubting yourself and whether or not you heard correctly, reject this as a lie of the deceiver, the father of lies; for when you yield to Me, you are trusting that I will show you what to do. Go forward, let the past go, even the past of five miutes ago, and press forward in joyful trust and obedience. Trust that I will show you if there is something that you need to follow up on or make right! 

I call you to rest as a lifestyle! My way is to energise you through My Presence, which is best found in the place of true heart-rest. You are learnign to live from this place of rest. It will become a habit, like breathing!

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how i do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matt 11:28-30 The Msg)

Every Little Matter

Be vigilant about handing over every little care and concern to Me. In the parable of the sower, the weeds of life's distractions and cares are what crowd out the kingdom message and "prevent him from bearing spiritual fruit". As you tend your garden, you pull out each weed as I point them out to you. We work on this together. 

Bring every little matter before Me and yield it to Me. I tell you in Philippians 4:6 not to be worried about a thing - and I do not ask anything of you that I do not also expower you to do, th rough My Resurrection Life at work in you! What beautiful freedom! 

In Proverbs 3:5-6, I say to trust in Me completely! And with all your heart to rely on Me to guide you, and I will lead you in all the decisions you make. As you become increasingly intimiate with Me, I'll lead you wherever you go! As you diligently avoid all that is wrong by being in awe and wonder of Me, this is where your healing starts! 

Shed a Greater Light Abroad

Beloved, My Love is not an ulterior motive. I love you, and I want to be with you always, every moment! 

My Love in you is not an ulterior motive, either! You need not feel guilty for wanting to introduce others to me! When you first met and fell in love with your husband, you could not wait for your friends and family to meet him! How much more for Me, who can save them from themselves?!

If you keep gazing on Me, I will open your eyes to needs all around. My Love transforms your vision. Serving need not be a chore! You get the privilege of pouring My Love on others, partnering with Me. It is a joy and a delight! 

Having children will not stop you from serving - in fact, it is imperative that they see your love in action where I send you. Share with them the joy of secret giving, also. 

The world will see Me by your love for one another. This is how I draw people. This Love is genuine, not exclusive. There is always room for another to be welcomed into the embrace. In a world full of insincere "care" with secret hatred, as well as blatant outright hatred, My Lovers will stand out as stars in the universe by their extravagant Love for each other and others. 

Your hearts burn with My all-consuming fire of Love. As you gather together, the flames join as one in Me, and shed a greater light abroad. Others are drawn to this light and the warmth it offers freely to all who would receive it. As you bring others into your cirlce, they are warmed and heartened by the fire, and the longer they spend with you, the more likely their hearts will also be set ablaze. But even before they are, they will benefit from just being near you. As you go about living life with them, they can see more clearly by the light you shine, and feel cared for and warm by the heat your fire gives. Every act of love counts. Not one is wasted.

The Redeemed Personality

"Since this is the kind of life we have chosem, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives." Gal 5:25 (Msg)

Every attribute of your character and your personality is now redeemed. Therefore, the very traits that previously casued you they most trouble can now be your greatest assets. 

You were called a "strong-willed child"...Beloved, when your will is yielded to mine, your strong will is in accordance with Mine,a dn will be tremendously helpful as you stand against the onslaught of arrows from self-pity, fear, victim mentality, discouragement, spirit of heaviness, shame, guilt, or any other of your familiar enemies. Your yielded strong will can help you stand, stubbornly refusing to wallow, insisting on rejoicing in confident trust at all the Anointed One allows to touch your life. 

Behold, the redeemed personality! The redeemed imagination! That which used to torment you can now give you access to amazing adventures with Me!

 

Weapons of Warfare

There is no need to be covered before Me, as you are no longer bound by shame. I have removed your shame. Here in our secret garden, you can walk with Me like Adam and Eve before the fall. Walk and talk, face to face, completely unhindered by shame. 

You are fed directly by My hand - the Bread of Life and the Living Water! This is our private place of intimacy, you are perfectly safe to be yourself here. 

When you go about your day, you need protected. I clothe you in robes of righteousness, in strength and dignity, in the garment of praise and in your armour. You are a warrior-princess! Your dance is your weapon of warfare, as is your song of praise. You have your sandals of readiness of the gospel of peace, your shield of faith, sword of the Spirit, helmet of salvation, belt of Truth and breastplate of righteousness.

As you survey the scene before you, you see everything with the gaze of Love, for you have been staring into My eyes. When you see your children fighting, you see them in the spiritual realm. Instead of seeing them as an inconvenience and an annoyance to deal with, you see them beset within and without by the enemy. In your warrior dance, you attack their enemy with your sword and tend to your children's wounds with loving tenderness. You teach them how to use their weapons too. 

When you need to take flight, you have the Holy Spirit dove to climb onto and soar up high above your circumstances. Then you can survey the scene from above!

The First Gate and the Second

My wisdom is growing in you. See to it that you do not poison the roots by words or thoughts that are unkind, unloving or unlovely. Keep gazing on Me until your heart fills with My Love. 

Words are so very powerful. Therefore, take seriously all of the warnings in My Word to watch every word that comes out of your mouth. 

I am the Bread of Life, I am the Living Water - eat and drink of Me until you have your fill. Beloved, as you "eat My flesh" and "drink My blood" you are partaking in My Lifeforce and allowing Me to live My Life through you. 

Everything that I am will become fruit in your life - you will become patient, kind, compassionate, loving, trusting, generous, passionate, wise, caring...So many of these traits are expressed through your words, so guard your heart carefully as the first gate; and your mouth equally carefully as the second gate. 

You used to think that sanctificiation happened just as you spend "quiet time" in My Presence, but you are learning that every moment of the day is an opportunity to live close to Me and let Me live through you - especially the frustrating, unpleasant, boring and painful moments. Be grateful for these, therefore, and truly yield to and treust Me for My answers in how to deal with each of these.

Free From Fear of Man!

Beloved, during My time on earth as a man, I did not have to work at being free from fear of man - I just kept My eyes fixed on My Father. As long as you are in right relationship with Me and know who you are, you will care less and less about pleasing man, and more and more about loving them as I do. For as long as fear of man motivates you, you will be held back from truly loving others the way I do. 

Fear of man causes you to break the royal law of Love (James 2:8). This is your highest law. 

As you let Me live My Life through you, you will continue to discover greater freedom in this realm. Freedom from fear of man, freedom to love others extravagantly as you love Me. It will come pouring out of you naturally as you abide in Me, constantly yielding up your own selfish desires and reactions. This is how I change you fr4om the inside out!

Done With "Shoulds"!

My Darling, you are done with "shoulds" for good! Catch every "should" before it leaves your mouth and yield it to Me. Speak instead, "I will..." or "I will not...", as I lead you. You are no longer bound by "shoulds"! I have set you free! 

You have questions about the role of contending in the life of faith, if faith is actually about yielding to Me. Contending is an important part of this lifestyle of yielding, Beloved, just not in the way you are used to thinking abou them. 

The primary place the contending happens is in your thoughts and emotions. In order to yield completely and to stay completely yielded, you often have to wrestle a thought or emotion into submission to Me. There is much action in this "inaction" of yielding. Just as it takes enormous effort and muscle control to stay perfectly still in a given position, so it takes enormous self-control (by the spirit) and faith to stay yielded in a given situation. 

Your flesh is dead but zombie-like in its persistence to keep rising and trying to take back control of your body, mind and spirit. It is dead, but you must reckon it dead many times a day by your will and through faith. 

For many years, you have lived as a captive to your fleshly thoughts, emotions and desires, but no longer! I have set you free! No longer at the mercy of your frustrations, worries, fears, insecurities, prideful thoughts or superior attitudes. When you were trapped in self-loathing just a few months again, it was your flesh-control that you were loathing, but you never have to live under that again! 

As  you stay yielded to Me, I can use you as an instrument to change culture and society around you. You cannot do it yourself. Yield every passion to Me, tell Me your desires and ask if you can do something. I love to work through you! I will show you the next step to take! I can accomplish infinitely more through you when you are yielded than when you are acting in your own strength! 

All worthy causes already matter to My own heart! I suffer when I see My Beloved Ones suffer. I care deeply about the poor, they lonely, the neglected, the refugees, widows and orphans.

Trust Me to Keep You From Error

I am setting your heart ablaze to burn with My all-consuming fire of Love. What joy it is to burn with Love! Even the pain carries joy. 

Do not entertain any of the doubts the enemy would suggest to you. Trust Me completely to keep you from error as you test everything against My Word. Does not My Word in scripture confirm what you are learning as you listen to Me? Does it not make more sense to you now than ever before? Dare to yield all to Me and trust Me absolutely, no exceptions! 

You will see Holy Spirit fruit that will also confirm the Truth of this way of walking with Me. In fact, you are already seeing fruit!

Yielding in Joyful Confidence

In the past, you have often been confused about the issue of healing, but you have been coming at it from entirely the wrong angle. You have been trying to believe for healing without the revelation of what it truly means to be hidden with Christ in God.

Start with yielding in joyful confidence - yielding your will to My will. You will to feel better, but you are no longer a slave to your feelings. While I do not want you to be sick, I can use it. Trust Me completely and yield in joyful, confident trust. 

Stay yielded - acceptance with joy means no grumbling, murmuring, whinging, and not a hint of self-pity. Do not speak out any grumbling words, but also yield every grumbling thought immediately. This is the beginning of healing for you, Beloved! 

You have habitually whinged and moaned, rehearsed your symptom list over and over in your head, and spoken aloud about being sick or feeling miserable. Trust Me for all the details - I know what you have on your schedule - yield joyfully and completely, and trust that I will take care of every detail. 

In the past, your "sick days' have involved binge watching. But no longer! "Rest into wellness days" are days to soak in My Presence and enjoy Me. Take joy in Me, rest in the complete trust that I'm going to take care of all the details. 

Do not be afraid of troublesome thoughts that beset you - yield them to Me, renounce the enemy and praise Me as though I've already worked the healing. For I have, on the cross and breaking out of the tomb - I dealt with all sickness. Now rejoice that the work is done and rest into the outworking! 

When others in your household affect the atmosphere of your home by reintroducing fear, murmuring, blame or shame - allow Me to use you to take back your home for Love's purpose. Do not be afraid of their sin, just yield them to Me in joyful confidence, and sing out My Praise with joy. You can shift the atmosphere for Love just as easily!

Joy flows so naturally from the truly yielded heart. Celebrate this Truth - joy is not dependent on your circumstances or on you feeling good - joy is always available! 

Slave to Righteousness

I am calling you from glory to glory! I am calling you to do that which is wholly impossible for your flesh, but wholly possible for My Spirit! 

Being a "slave to righteousness" means being completely sold out to Me - not just in intention, but also in action. I do not give you commands that I do not also empower you to complete! The enemy would have you see this as a life of legalism, but in fact it is the most completely free life you can know this side of heaven!

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Do not let an unkind thought go without yielding it to me. No exceptions! Do not let an unkind word or harsh tone exit your lips. No exceptions! Not even to or about your husband or kids. This is impossible for your flesh, but possible for your spirit, as it is empowered by My resurrection life. 

Your words hold the power of life and death. Decide to only allow streams of life-giving words out of your mouth!

Consistent Victory

Beloved, watch your manner towards your children. Deliberately let My Love flow out from you in patient, kind, loving care, but with boundaries. Never treat them as an inconvenience - they will pick up on this vibe very strongly without you saying a word, if this is how you see them. 

Isn't it wonderful that I do not tell you how to live without also giving you access to life-giving power to live this way? What blessed joy!! Your flesh can never accomplish these things, but your spirit, empowered by My Spirit, CAN!

You can have consistent victory where the world tells you to settle for "good enough". When the world tells you that it's fine to indulge in a self-pity, even if just for a little while, I have shown you true victory is possible by bringing every impulse of the flesh to death on the cross - it is already dead, but you reckon it dead in your own life by faith. Blessed, miraculous Truth! 

You are learning what it means to abide in Me, instead of having to run back to Me again and again. Stay with Me, every moment.

Bigger on the Inside!

I AM bigger than your mind can contain, yet I dwell within you. Bigger on the inside! Come and search Me out. Seek after Me! It never gets old or boring. I AM the same yesterday, today and forever; yet I am unpredictable! What a joyful paradox!

You are saved by grace alone, but it is through faith - and that requires a constant yielding on your part. A constant choosing to rest from striving and let Me lead. 

In this Spirit-led life, all phrases such as, "I can't bear this right now" or "I just need a break" or "I'm too tired" declare your fleshly lack, and have no place in the Spirit-led life! 

Instead, I will help you train your mind to think thoughts such as, "I draw on the springs of Living Water that flow out of my inner place" and "Love rises up in my spirit and Love is enough to cover a multitude of sins!" You have access to a bounty of Goodness, energy, Love, Spiritual fruit by faith, believing the fact that they are growing inside you already! When you declare your faith in your flesh to be insufficient and lacking, you make it so. When you declare your faith in My Spirit to provide all you need, you make it so! What power your words have! 

My Words created Life, and your words can speak life or death - your choice! Yes, Beloved, I really have given you that much power! So you see, when you feel helpless and powerless, that is just another lie the enemy is using to keep you down!

"Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit. Then as you unwrap my words, they will impart to you true life and radiant health into the very core of your being. So above all, guard the affections of your heart for they affect all that you are. Out of your innermost being flows the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:21-23 (TPT)

See, I am healing you from the inside, out! Believe it, Beloved!

When someone asks you how you are, you may always answer, "Great!" - even if you are not physically feeling great. How can this be? You do not need to recount your physical ailments in order to be truthful, for your health does not define you! Your words declare and your feelings follow. So speak the fact that you are doing great (for you are, in your spirit) and the feellings will follow!

Delicious Freedom

Beloved, what a happy Truth you are learning - that obedience to My Will is not the hard slog or miserable burden that the enemy would have you think it is. No, instead it is beautiful, blessed, lovely and desirable! What delicious freedom to relax completely into the Will of One who only wants blessing for you! One who can transform every pain and inconvenience into beauty and joy! What joy to give up every claim or attempt at control over your life to One who actually has power to make changes! 

Oh My Beautiful Daughter, I am watching your discoveries with My angels - shouts of joy and excitement resound in the heavenly realm when any child of Mine discovers "new" Truths and begins to live by them. 

Sweet, blessed surrender to Me as a lifestyle and habit is the key to truly victorious and fruitful living. Long have you known this in theory, and even experientially in part, but consistency and constancy have evaded you. No longer!

Dynamic Life and Power

Beloved, I am teaching you to do all things from this place of Love. This is impossible for the flesh, but possible for the spirit made alive in Christ! You have a choice about how you respond in every situation - from the flesh or from the spirit. The flesh has enjoyed rulership - or at least shared reign - for too long now, but dead flesh cannot lead you anywhere except the grave! 

Your spirit is coming alive more fully each day - it is already fully alive, but it is waking up to that life! Let your spirit take the lead!

Beloved, it is for FREEDOM that I have set you free! I am thrilled that you are finally realising what this means on a consistent level. I see your sorrow that it has taken your whole lifetime as a Christian, soaked in a Christian environment to realise this experientially! But, My Darling, I say to you as Nehemiah and Ezra said to the people as they wept to hear the Law read: "Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

My godly sorrow leads you to repentance, but you are never to set up camp there. You move straight out into the wide open fields of My Grace in rejoicing and celebration! 

"Beloved ones, God has called us to live a life of freedom in the Holy Spirit...Freedom means that we become so completely free of self-indulgence that we become servants of one another, expressing love in all we do. For love completes the laws of God. All of the Law can be summarised in one grand statement: 

"Demonstrate love to your neighbour, even as you care for and love yourself."

...As you yield freely and fully to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self-life. For your self-life craves the things that offend the Holy Spirit and hinder him from living free within you! And the Holy Spirit's intense cravings hinder your old self-life from dominating you! The Holy Spirit is the only One who defeats the cravings of your natural life...But when you are brought into the full freedom of the Spirit of Grace, you will no longer be living under the dominion of the law, but soaring above it!" (Galatians 5:13-18, TPT)

"But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its various expressions. This love is revealed through:
Joy that overflows,
Peace that subdues,
Patience that endures,
Kindness in action,
A life full of virtue,
Faith that prevails,
Gentleness of heart, and
Strength of spirit.
Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless." (Galatians 5:22-23, TPT)

Healing in Progress

Moving by the impulses of My Spirit who dwells in you - this is the only way you can "pace yourself". By keeping pace with Me. When I prompt a stop and rest moment, listen and obey, even if you feel that you are "on a roll". Too often, you have ignored My prompts to rest and have pushed yourself too hard as a result. 

It is impossible to be lazy if you are following the impulses of My Spirit! Therefore, Rest is without guilt. Guild would rob you of the peace and joy of rest in My Presence, but it has no place here!

This is how you can heal - not by figuring it all out with the help of doctors and specialists (I use them on this journey, but the source of healing is not in them) - but here, from this place of Love-Rest. All healing flows from My River of Life! 

I am healing you from the inside out. I am starting in the innermost places - your thoughts and your sacred garden - transformation starts here and radiates outwards like ripples on a lake's surface. Your healing has begin and is in progress right now! Celebrate this Truth, Beloved! 

I am re-writing the narrative of your life, My Precious One! No long "I am a helpless sinner", but now, "I am victorious in Christ! I am an overcomer!" It is your purpose to live a victorious, thriving life no matter what circumstances you are faced with! I never intended you to live stuck in cycles of hopelessness or powerlessness, feeling like life is happening to you and you are unable to do anything about it. 

Your victory is not dependent on things going your way! This is freedom, Beloved! It is not dependent on adverse circumstances to rise above, either. You were intended to be more than a conqueror in all things! 

Reign of Fear is Over

Let's talk about what Love looks like. Let's talk about My Parenting in Love. I do not vindictively punish you, My Precious, but I do leave you to the natural consequences of your sin when you refuse to obey. I do not force you, I step back and let you resist and experience the pain of those consequences. The "hell of your own making". Learn from the way I parent you as you seek to parent your children from Love rather than Fear.

Beloved, I am casting out the fear of man and fear of punishment with My Perfect Love!! You are learning these lessons, and it is time to demonstrate these to your kids too. I am cutting off the spirit of fear over your household! Fear of man, fear of punishment, fear of not being able to control - gone, in My Name! 

I declare the reign of fear is over in this family and this home! A new day is dawning! The barren season is over and gone. 

Trust My guiding with your kids. As I live in you and through you, I will show you how to love them and how to shepherd their hearts as I shepherd yours. Beloved, drink deep of My Living Water, and remember the spring is within you. You need to remember to draw from it in every situation, especially when your kids are behaving in ways that bring out fear in you! You are a powerful person Beloved, because My power is alive in you!

"My prayer for you is that every moment you will experience the measureless power of God made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! This is the explosive power. 

Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting-place of his love will become the very source and root of your life, providing you with a secure foundation that grows and grows.

Then, as your spiritual strength increases, you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences - the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding - this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! 

Never doubt God's mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energises you." (Ephesians 3:16-20, TPT)

Through Eyes of Love

Rest in My Presence is as important as nourishing yourself on My Word. There must be both in your day for you to be in balance. 

In physical training, the muscles are worked hard and then rested. The rest helps to allow muscles to grow. The rest period is just as important as the work period - it is what makes the work effective. 

Do not be quick to rush from the place of rest, even into reading Truth. This place of rest is where your heart and mind can make space for all you are learning, without becoming overwhelmed! 

Embrace the rest with patience and joy! Let My Love wash over you, soothing any ache or pain, carrying your questions and concerns away - they are safe with Me, Beloved. We will address them when you are ready. You can trust them to Me! 

Let us slow dance for a while, My Dear. I'll carry you, let Me carry your whole weight. You are weightless in My arms as we sway back and forth. Not a care in the world! Weariness gone! Perfectly loved and safely held! 

I love how you LOVE this time with Me above all else! It thrills My heart how you desire Me and My Ways! How willing your heart is to say, "Behold, I am your handmaiden - Acceptance with Joy!

Let's get your eyes off the ways you are falling short, and back on My Face. You long to see everyone through eyes of Love, but you are fretting about the bad habits you have that keep tripping you up in this area. Beloved, gaze deep into My eyes of Love as we dance. The more you gaze into My eyes of Love, the transformation takes place! I transfer My sight to your eyes through the gaze of Love! So stare into My eyes and be transfixed, held in this place as long as you can bear it. It burns, Beloved! My gaze of Love burns away the milky film over your eyes. I am healing the cataracts of impatience, disdain, uncaring, superiority...they belong to the flesh that is DEAD! You were made to see with eyes of Love. My gaze is restoring your true vision as I intended it to be!

"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness." (Matthew 6:22-23)

"Your revelation eyes are pure, like pools of refreshing - sparkling light for a multitude." (Song of Songs 7:4, TPT)

"But God has taught me that no love is real love until it is WILLINGNESS TO LOVE ALL with no exceptions; and that the more sinful, blemished, and unlovely a person is, the more he needs love. More love - not less - toward those who are obviously spoiled and marred and sin-sick - that's God's way. Then I was shown that love does not begin in the feelings at all - it begins in the will. To be willing at last to love all, individual by individual, as we are brought into contact with them, is to be ABLE to love all. We must begin quite deliberately to act toward them as though we really do love them and are willing to bear everything unlovely about them just because we want to love them. Then love comes, first as a trickle, then as a stream, then as a flood, till, like the river of life in Ezekiel, the waters which at first came only to the ankles, then to the knees, then higher still, became at last "waters to swim in."

Love is light, and when love has opened our inner eyes we see things in their true light - a whole new landscape of reality and truth is spread out before us and we see beauties and wonders of the realm of God which we never before even glimpsed, nor suspected to exist." ("Walking Among the Unseen", by Hannah Hurnard)

Let Rushing Cease

There are so many things I am teaching you. Do not fret that you will forget it if you do not get a chance to write it down. Trust that I who gave it to you the first time can tell you again when you are ready to write it down. 

Relax into My Love. Breathe Me in deeply. Let all the rushing cease. You have been longing from the moment you woke to come away with Me, and have been searching for an opportunity. Well, here we are! 

There is refreshing in My Presence! Fresh joy for a fresh day, Beloved! My resurrection Life is alive in You! Flesh died, Spirit raised to Life! Rejoice, Beloved!

Bread of Life

Manna from heaven...these are My words for you - fresh every day! Each day, new truths for you to chew over, with perfect nutrition your spirit needs for this day. Have your ears open to hear what I have for you today...do not try to regurgitate yesterday's food. Feed on Me, the Bread of Life. 

"Jesus said to them, 'I am the Bread of Life. Come every day to me and you will never be hungry. Believe in me and you will never be thirsty.'" (John 6:35, TPT)

"...But if anyone drinks the living water I give them, they will never thirst again and will be forever satisfied! For when you drink the water I give you it becomes a gushing fountain of the Holy Spirit, springing up and flooding you with endless life!" (John 4:14, TPT)

***

Each time you feel frustrated, see it as a signal that you need to examine your attitude and lean into Me. If your kids' behaviour is frustrating you, let your spirit lead the response, not your flesh. If you catch yourself saying, "These kids are driving me crazy!" - Stop, speak out blessing over them immediately! Do not be afraid to correct yourself. There are bad habits of thoughts and speech that I am exposing as inconsistent with my Spirit-life in you. These habits have already been put to death with your flesh, with Me on the cross, so take up new habits by allowing your spirit to stay connected to My Spirit.

Use Difficulties Creatively

The secret to victorious living is to let Me turn every single negative, unwelcome experience you face into something lovely and beautiful by helping you respond to it with joyfully confident yielding to Me. I know you have already begun to grasp and live this magnificent and astounding Truth in some circumstances, but Precious One, it can go so much further! 

Every day, you are faced with countless opportunities to practise this! You do not need to wait for particularly adverse circumstances to test it out! You have endless opportunities with your children's behaviour alone! Every tantrum, every refusal to obey, every rude word spoken, every argument between themselves...you are giving up your right to respond with rolled eyes, an impatient "Come on!", a huff and puff, or any other expression of displeasure. 

Let Me turn your displeasure into sweet pleasure by your patient, joyfully confident submission to Me! 

Try it, Beloved! You will be amazed at the power of this tool to change the atmosphere of your home! Not only so, but you will also be setting an example to your children of how to respond to unpleasant circumstances without letting your feelings boss you around. Win-win!! 

"The heavenly attitude toward sorrow and grief and all experiences of suffering in this world is in total contrast to the natural attitude we know so well. Our Lord was "acquainted with grief" and suffering, and caused great good to come out of it. Not that we are to seek these things, but we are never to fear them. We should rather use them. God, who so loves us that he allows us, like his own dear Son, to learn obedience by the things we suffer (Hebrews 5:8), wants us to use them creatively. There would be no suffering and no sorrow permitted to God's children unless all such experiences were, in actual fact, a means to heavenly and eternal blessing which could not otherwise be ours...

There can be poison in the cup of sorrow, however - but only if we put it there ourselves by reacting to these mournful circumstances with self-pity, resentment, and angry struggles to evade the cup instead of drinking it! 

...If we react to difficult situations with trust in God, difficult, unlovely, overwhelming, and disastrous things will bring praise and glory to God forever. Out of all our testing circumstances, by reacting to them in the heavenly way, we produce heavenly treasures. We have a lovely example of this in the material world, for really precious jewels, such as the diamond and ruby, are formed under immense and terrible pressure or by fiercest heat!

...Christ taught us the real secret for transforming earthly and temporary experiences into eternal treasure. It is this principle of sorrow rightly received, with joyful trust and glad submission, grief as God desires it to be used."  (Hannah Hurnard, in "Walking Among The Unseen")

Your Unique Talents

"Your lives light up the world. Let others see your light from a distance, for how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it's placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. So don't hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that the commendable things that you do will shine as light upon them, and then they will give praise to their Father in heaven." (Matt 5:14-16, TPT)

"How enriched you are when you crave righteousness! For you will be surrounded with fruitfulness." (Matt 5:6, TPT)

Beloved, I see you are so hungry to see fruit - real, salvation fruit! You do not want this new way of living to only benefit yourself. You know your own weakness and you are longing to see Me use you to draw others to myself. 

Relax into My Presence, Dear One! I am going to do it in My Way, and My time. Just keep listening! I am going to use your own unique talents and skills and giftings to bless others and show them Love. Craft nights, prophetic embroidery, short stories, words for people, handwritten letters, handmade chocolates, care packages...joy, joy, joy!!  

Things you love to do, when poured out onto other people, increase the joy exponentially! Joy unspeakable, Beloved! Partnering with Me is such you for you and for Me!

Rescue Mission

You are on a rescue mission, Beloved. I want you to love people to Me. I will show you the hungry ones, the people who are already searching. Keep your eyes and ears open to My leading every day. Be on the look-out, "more than watchmen search for morning."

This is My heart for the lost...I long to set them free from slavery to themselves, from slavery to the law of sin. Will you partner with Me? Are you willing to truly care? Are you willing to be inconvenienced, annoyed, delayed and detoured?

Beloved, it gives Me such joy that you are willing! I am so happy to have another willing person "with skin on" to pour out My Love on the people you come into contact with. 

"Walk in the wisdom of God as you live before unbelievers, and make it your duty to make him known. Let every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity. For then you will be prepared to give a respectful answer to anyone who asks you about your faith." (Colossians 4:5-6, TPT)

Beloved, people will ask, so be prepared and let Me give you the words!

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." (1 Peter 3:15-16)

I am cutting off fear of man - not that you will not care about others; in fact, just the opposite - so you can love them enough to demonstrate My Love in your life without fear. No need to worry about being "socially appropriate" or "fitting in" - you are called to Love extravagantly, ,and Love disdains social protocols. Love is a higher law. This is what you are agreeing to, Beloved!

"Take a constant interest in the needs of God's beloved people and respond by helping them. And eagerly welcome people as guests into your home." (Romans 12:13, TPT)

"Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cosy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives. Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order. It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you're a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government." (1 Peter 2:11-17)

I am so excited that you are letting Me lead you in this Dance of Love, bringing colour and light to the lives of those who desperately need it! Let's dance, Beloved!

Speak Life

You are in training, Beloved. I am training you in godliness. I am your personal Coach. You don't always understand My methods, but you can know with joyful confidence that they are all flowing from total, complete, Perfect Love! Therefore, you can submit to all My methods with a willing and joyful spirit. 

"Be quick to abstain from senseless traditions and legends, but instead be engaged in the training of truth that brings righteousness. For athletic training only benefits you in a short season, but righteousness brings lasting benefit in everything; for righteousness contains the promise of life, for time and eternity. Faithful is the Word, and everyone should accept him!" (I Timothy 4:7-9, TPT)

"Fully embrace God's correction as part of your training, for he is doing what any loving father does for his children...God corrects us through our lives for our own good, giving us an invitation to share his holiness. Now all discipline seems to be more pain than pleasure at the time, yet later it will produce a transformation of character, bringing a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who yield to it. So be made strong even in your weakness by lifting up your tired hands in prayer and worship. And strengthen your weak knees, for as you keep walking forward on God's paths all your stumbling ways will be divinely healed!" (Hebrews 12:7, 10b-13, TPT)

Daily use your "weapons of warfare-worship" that I am training you in. Sing the songs that I put in your mouth. Declare Truth in every situation. Be careful not to undo it by speaking throw-away phrases, by habit or by fear of man. Surprise those around you by your joy and peace, do not speak what they expect you to, especially in your difficulties, even if it is easier. For My words, spoken to you and through you, bring life. There is power of life and death in the tongue. 

"Sharing words of wisdom are satisfying to your inner being. It encourages you to know that you've changed someone else's life. Your words are so weighty that they have power to bring life or release death, and the talkative person will reap the consequences." (Proverbs 18:20-21)

"Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken at the right time." (Proverbs 25:11)

"For we have the living Word of God, which is full of energy, and it pierces more sharply than a soldier's sword. It will permeate to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meat! It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts." (Hebrews 4:12)

"Words of wisdom are like a fresh flowing brook, like deep waters that spring forth from within, bubbling up inside the one with understanding." (Proverbs 18:4)

"Can you bridle your tongue when your heart is under pressure? That's how you show that you are wise. An understanding heart keeps you cool, calm and collected, no matter what you're facing." (Proverbs 17:27)

"Winsome words pour from a heart of wisdom, adding value to all you teach. Nothing is more appealing than speaking beautiful, life-giving words, for they release sweetness to our soul and inner healing to our spirit." (Proverbs 16:23-24)

"When you speak healing words, you offer others fruit from the Tree of Life. But unhealthy, negative words do nothing but crush their hopes." (Proverbs 15:4)

"Anxious fear brings depression, but a life-giving word of encouragement can do wonders to restore joy to the heart." (Proverbs 13:25)

Training in Weapons of Warfare-Worship

What will you bear for Love, Beloved? You tell Me you will bear anything for Love, but at times I hear you say, "I can't bear this!" At these times, you are declaring your lack, rather than My ability to supply! In the moments of your awareness of your need, declare to your spirit, "Spring up, O well! Rivers of Living Water flow out to cover this situation!" 

Beloved, you have not because you ask not. As  you connect spirit-to-Spirit with Me, you have access to all that Christ has access to. Dare to believe this ridiculously good Truth! 

***

In her sickness, your precious daughter is teaching you. I am teaching you through her...

She is not content to be anywhere that you are not. She craves your presence more than food, more than sleep, more than anything! She refuses to sleep except in your arms, and when she wakes, she searches frantically for your face. Your presence gives her peace. When she finds she is still in your arms, she immediately relaxes again. In the midst of her trouble, her unfamiliar surroundings, her pain and sickness, it is enough just to be held by you, and comforted by your presence. 

Learn from this, Beloved. 

***

As your shoulders, arms, back and legs ache from holding this unexpected load for so long, listen to My voice. I am conditioning your faith muscles (as well as your physical ones!), but not in the way that you expected or hoped for. I am training you, but not in the way you anticipated. Rise to the challenge, Beloved. Lean into My training. Embrace the process. Joy, Dear One! 

"You've trained me with the weapons of warfare-worship, now I'll descend down into battle with power, to chase and conquer my foes. You empower me for victory with your wrap-around presence. Your power within me makes me strong to subdue, and by stooping down in gentleness to strengthen me, you've made me great! You've set me free from captivity and now I'm standing complete, ready to fight some more!" (Psalm 118:34-36)

Joyful, Willing Obedience

"Faith is certainly a very lovely thing," said the King with a pleased smile. "I can do anything, yes anything where there is this perfect faith or responsiveness to my will...there is nothing in the whole wide world which gives me more joy and appears fairer in my sight than the response of human hearts to my love. It is the will to obey me which makes the union complete between us and which enables me to pour my life and power into those who love me and respond to me continually." (Hannah Hurnard, "The Mountains of Spices")

Beloved, taste and see that I am good! What a joy it is to live in willing obedience. For I know you deeply and intimately and I desire good for you. As you trust Me and willingly give up your right to "do what you feel like" and choose to move with the impulses of My Spirit, you discover that I do, in fact, know best! I have good things for you - deep, abiding joy unspeakable - that cannot be gained any other way than by yielding to Me. 

Though at times, yielding to Me looks unpleasant, uncomfortable and even ugly, as you trust My Love and willingly say "yes", you find treasures previously unknown to you. The beautiful exchange! 

Do not question My methods, Beloved. Just joyfully submit. 

You are bursting with passion to share My Good News, and wondering why you have had to cancel all your plans to meet up with people this week in order to stay home with sick kids. Trust My methods, Beloved. Embrace My process. I have My reasons, and I will not always share those with you. Just walk humbly, joyfully in obedience, even as I hijack your good plans. Trust Me, even in this, Darling One. 

See, I am stirring up your hunger to see lost ones saved! I am showing you My heart for those who do not yet know Me. Sit with the agony, Beloved. Let it move you deeply. I am birthing My Heart in you, can you hear it beating? Calling, "So many hurting! So many blind! So many lost and looking for Me!" Will you help them find Me? 

As you learn to live more from your spirit than from your flesh, you will see with delight that what you desire and what you "feel like doing" is more and more in line with My Heart. 

"Night's darkness is dissolving away as a new day of destiny dawns. So we must once and for all strip away what is done in the shadows of darkness, removing it like filthy clothes. And once and for all we clothe ourselves with the radiance of light as our weapon." (Romans 13:12-13, TPT)

See how I confirm the revelation of Truth I gave you and the new song I put in your mouth with Truth directly from My Word, over and over again! Joy, Beloved! What a joyful adventure you are on with Me. 

"Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with super-abundance until you radiate with hope!" (Romans 15:13, TPT)

Dance This Day Into Alignment!

Consider this intensive training, Beloved, and take heart! I am giving you a new name - "Joyful" and writing it on your forehead for all to see. No longer will you need to make sure everyone sees how much you are suffering - seeking either admiration or pity. Fear of man holds you back from wholehearted loving Me, and from single-mindedly obeying Me. Fear of man is CUT OFF! You are Mine, Beloved, and I am yours!

"I encourage you to surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. 

Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God's will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes." (Romans 12:1-2, TPT)

"Let this hope burst forth within you, releasing a continual joy. Don't give up in a time of trouble, but commune with God at all times." (Romans 12:12, TPT)

My Power has freedom to work in you when you are aware of your own weakness and fully yield to Me. As I live My Life through you today, My Grace is enough for you. You will not be stuck in the same old trap of despair, the pit of self-pity or the dungeon of fear. 

We will move together in this Dance of Love with grace and joy, and you will see the grey, dreary circumstances be transformed into vibrant colour and light. Let's dance this day into alignment with My Kingdom! 

Determination To Stay the Course

Oh, Beloved! Your determination to stay the course blesses My Heart. Over the past few days and especially nights, you have received repeated invitations from the enemy, the wolf in sheep's clothing, to take a nice long mud bath in the pit of Self-pity. In the past, you have used this pit of Self-pity as a day spa - an indulgence, a treat if life has been especially rough. But this time, you have consistently said an emphatic, "No!" to the invitations. Hurray!

I am so pleased, Beloved, as the pit of Self-pity is not a harmless indulgence. The mud is actually poisonous to you, and hallucinogenic! It changes the way you see, and blocks your heavenly view. It keeps you stuck earth-bound, instead of soaring in the Spirit. 

Sometimes the choice to say no to the invitations is an easy one, and sometimes it is a hard slog to keep saying no. As long as you continue to listen to My Spirit, you will be able to discern the enemy's advances. 

"I know what it means to lack, and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance. For I'm trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger. And I find that the strength of Christ's explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty." (Philippians 4:12-13)

As you are connected to Me, My Power is not only available to you, but active in you as I live My life through you. You therefore need not fear how you will cope today, as you know I will empower you to complete all I have for you to do today. I will empower you to push through when that is necessary, and to stop yourself from working and rest when that is necessary. I will show you what is necessary! 

What a delight it is to Me when one of My Own walks this path with steadfastness and determination, refusing to be turned to the right or to the left. This is the path, walk in it, Beloved.

Patient endurance, joyful confidence, hope! 

The Beauty of Choice

Beloved, see the joy in "self-control" - perhaps better named "the beauty of choice". The joy is this: that in every situation, you have the power to choose how you respond. What freedom! Not only can you choose how to act in response, but also from what position you respond. 

For example, when your child calls out to you in the night, you can make the choice to ignore her, go to her, or nudge your husband awake to go to her. But each of these actions can be done from the flesh or the spirit. You could choose to go to her from a fleshly position - you would drag your feet and huff a little, indulge a little self-pity that it is the third time this night that you have been up to her...OR you can do the same action from your spirit - with joy, an act of love in allowing your husband to sleep and enjoying the precious moments with your little one. 

Or you could choose another of the actions from either the flesh or the spirit. As your spirit is tuned to Mine, you will automatically listen for My prompting and act from your spirit. The beauty of this is that the more you move from the impulses of My Spirit, the more it becomes habit in you!

Spirit-control

Through Love, I am teaching you to manage your freedom. You are learning that in some areas, you are safest to avoid certain pleasures altogether at least for a time. As you grow in My Spirit, I will help you know when you are able to test your spirit-control with small doses of these pleasures, to see if you are able to stick to your pre-determined boundaries. If you cannot, then you are not yet mature enough to handle that freedom. 

It will become a joy to manage your own freedom, to have a taste of something and not fall face-first into over-indulgence! This is moving with the impulses of the Spirit - spirit-controlled appetites, rather than appetites holding you captive and slave. 

I am also changing your perception of pleasure. You have tasted of heaven's pleasure, now earth's is losing its attractiveness. What joy to be free from slavery to earth's appetites! What a joy to be controlled by the Spirit and to be longing after heavenly appetites!

More Fully You!

I am making you attractive, Beloved. Attractive to your husband, to others who are searching for Me, and even to yourself. 

For so long, you have lived in fear of Pride. But Pride is part of a religious mindset. I am completely transforming your thinking into a kingdom mindset. Beloved, Pride has to do with fear of man and D-I-Y mode. I am cutting off fear of man and giving you a healthy fear of Me. 

I am building in you a joyful confidence in who you are in Me, as you continue to grow in seeing yourself as I see you. 

I love you! I do not want to get rid of you! I want to make you more fully uniquely you, to increase your "you-ness" that has been dulled and pushed down by false humility and false dignity (which are Pride). You really bought into that self-flagellating twisting of "I must decrease that He can increase". The cries of "Empty me of me so that I can be filled with You!"  

Well, Beloved, I won't! I will fill you and in doing so, enhance your you-ness, while dealing with sin in your life. No more of this "wretched woman that I am" business, because haven't you heard? I HAVE DEALT WITH THAT ALREADY!

"So if my behaviour contradicts my desires to do good, I must conclude that it is not my true identity doing it, but the unwelcome intruder of sin hindering me from being who I really am...Truly, deep within my true identity, I love to do what pleases God. But I discern another power operating in my humanity, waging a war against the moral principles of my conscience and bringing me into captivity as a prisoner to the "law" of sin - this unwelcome intruder in my humanity...So who has the power to rescue this miserable man from the unwelcome intruder of sin and death? 

I give all my thanks to God, for his mighty power has finally set me free through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! So if left to myself, the flesh is aligned with the law of sin, but now my renewed mind is fixed on and submitted to God's righteous principles." (Romans 7:20,22-25 TPT)

"So now every righteous requirement of the law can be fulfilled through the Anointed One living his life in us. And we are free to live, not according to our flesh, but by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit!" (Romans 8:4 TPT)

What joy, Beloved!! You are starting to see! Your flesh is not you, your spirit is truly you! And your spirit is seated with Me in the heavenly realm. You are heaven's royalty, Beloved! 

No place for pride and arrogance, false humility and false dignity in royalty - just an acceptance of who you truly are. 

"And you did not receive the "spirit of religious duty" leading you back into the fear of never being good enough. But you have received the "Spirit of Full Acceptance", enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, as he rises up within us, our spirits join him in saying the words of tender affection, "Beloved Father!" For the Holy Spirit makes God's fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, "You are God's beloved child!" (Romans 8:15-16)

Gentle, Kind, Tender; Fierce, Wild, Untamable

Your joy for this day flows from My Love. Your growing awareness of My Love for you, your Love that springs up for Me...the River of Living Water (which is also Love) flows in you and splashes on all around. In every detail of your day, you can find My Love. 

 

"So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God's perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose." (Romans 8:28 TPT)

 

Look for My Love in every moment. When you are feeling weak and tired, tune back into My Love and experience on-the-spot refreshing! When you are frustrated with your children's actions, search again in your heart for My Love which is flowing out of you and let it spill all over your kids. 

 

Everything My Love touches is changed! Watch and see My transforming Love at work in all the little details of your life. 

 

My Love is the gentlest, kindest, most tender you could ever experience. 

My Love is fierce, wild and untamable.

It is both at once. 

 

As you learn to live by My Love, you will find it will help you willingly bear all circumstances you face. The same Love will burn fiercely in you and cause you to firmly resist and even fight against injustices that violate My law of Love with such tenacity that you did not know before. As you grow in Love, you will learn how to yield and resist simultaneously. The key is that you can ALWAYS yield to My Love, which will either patiently bear a circumstance or resist and fight injustice and unlove through you.

Patient Endurance

"But that's not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!" (Romans 5:3-5, TPT)

Let us talk of endurance. Endurance is not so popular a virtue as it once was. In another time:

"Their favourite virtue was endurance. Not to flinch from pain or hardship was their ideal." (Flora Thompson in "Lark Rise to Candleford")

In your culture, you are told "you have to know when to quit" and "don't flog a dead horse." Endurance has gone out of fashion. But not with Me, Beloved! To Me, it is such a rare and precious joy to see My Loved Ones staying the course with patient endurance. I set the example for ultimate endurance on the cross. Look to My example:

"We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith's perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was filled with the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!" (Hebrews 12:2, TPT)

Oh, Precious One! Fix your eyes upon Me in every moment, just as you have been doing. Keep doing it, over and over, every day, let your heart search for Me in everything. Even, especially in the dull or tiresome moments, the monotonous moments, the achingly difficult moments. As you so often tell your children: "You will get what you are after quicker if you don't stop to have a tantrum on the way." The same goes for you, Beloved. Each time you choose to respond in Love to a situation that is difficult or frustrating, you are developing patient endurance. Each time you react out of your natural human self, you are slowing down that process.

Not every day is going to look the same. I pour My Love on you every day, but My methods as well as My mercies are new every morning. Do not put Me in a box. I love breaking out of boxes -- the tomb could not hold me! I delight in surprising you! Keep on searching for Me in everything. I AM here with you, showing you the way. 

My Love

My Love is bigger, deeper, wider, higher than you can ever fully understand here on earth. It is too huge for your mind to contain it. Everything flows from this Love in My Kingdom. Make yourself a student of Love. Let Love teach you how to act in every situation. Ask Me, what does Love do here?

Love has no room for fear of man. Learning to love well starts with learning to accept My Love for you. You are asking Me to expand your capacity for Love. Beloved, as one of my other Lovers has written: 

"There is no need to plead that the love of God shall fill our hearts as though He were unwilling to fill us: He is willing as light is willing to flood a room that is opened to its brightness; willing as water is willing to flow into an emptied channel. Love is pressing around us on all sides like air. Cease to resist, and instantly love takes possession." (Amy Carmichael, "If")

Just receive the flood of life and Love. Just receive all I have for you! Trust Me to pour My Love through you to others. Trust Me, Beloved. 

"Trust Me with a humbler heart and a fuller abandon to My will than ever thou didst before. Trust Me to pour My love through thee, as minute succeeds minute. And if thou shouldst be conscious of anything hindering the flow, do not hurt My love by going away from Me in discouragement, for nothing can hurt love so much as that. Draw all the closer to Me; come, flee unto Me to hide thee, even from thyself. Tell Me about the trouble. Trust Me to turn My hand upon thee and thoroughly to remove the boulder that has choked thy riverbed, and take away all the sand that has silted up the channel. I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. I will perfect that which concerneth thee. Fear thou not, O child of My love; fear not." (Amy Carmichael, "If")