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

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!

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)

Parenting From Perfect Love

Beloved, come up here with Me! I am cutting those weights that keep you earth-bound, remember! Up here, you have a different perspective on your life. You can see more clearly, with fresh clarity, love and joy. 

I see you struggle with the incongruity between the way you are in these times with Me and the way you are in the midst of stressful parenting moments. Years of habits come back in an instant. You react to your kids' sinful behaviour with firmness, harshness, hardness. I know you want a new way of parenting from this place of Peace. I want to show you how, Beloved. 

Come up here with Me. See how I lovingly guide and train you. Is there any room in My parenting for harshness? Unkindness? Threats? Spirit of Punishment? No! These are traits of the enemy, not of Me. Darling, I want to show you how to parent from Love. It takes a change in the innermost place. It is not about making them comply with your will, to suit you! It is about teaching them in love to manage their freedom. This takes so much patience, kindness and love, Beloved. It will hurt you to let them experience their natural consequences. You will not "leave them to their consequences" in a spirit of spite or punishment! They may still call you mean, but it will not hold the sting of truth to your spirit. 

Sweetheart, be soft. Be kind. Think of how things look from your children's perspective. Get down on their level and gently look them in the eye. Acknowledge their feelings, their points of view. Make the time for this. It is your responsibility to manage your time to allow for this. Do not take your stress out on them. Connect with your children and show them their choices - but not as threats! Not with force! Gently, kindly, lovingly and with understanding. Use laughter liberally. Don't take it upon yourself to quash their joy!! Beloved, embrace their joy! Learn from them in their unbridled fun, but train them gently but firmly and out of Love to rein it in. Teach them to consider others' feelings, both by word and example.

I discipline you, Dear One, but never from spite or a spirit of punishment. It pains Me to see you suffer the consequences of your choices. I do not watch with glee and think, "Ha, serves her right! Now she'll think twice about crossing Me!"

Fear has no place in your parenting. It is a shortcut to whitewashed tombs of legalism - kids who are looking good on the outside, making you look good, but the stench of rotting seeps out from the inside. There is no fear in Love, for fear has to do with punishment. (1 John 4:18) Perfect Love drives out fear. As you soak in My Perfect Love, fear will flee. It must! It cannot exist in the Presence of Perfect Love. 

The River

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self control." 2 Timothy 2:7

Every day, fear whispers to you. Calling you to rehearse the "what ifs"; telling you that you can't face this or that; urging you to try to plan for every contingency. Learn to identify fear's voice so that you can shut it down. 

My Spirit is in direct opposition to fear. 

My Spirit gives Life, while fear drains you. 

My Spirit frees you, while fear enslaves you. 

My Spirit mobilizes you, while fear causes you to freeze. 

My Spirit enables you to exercise tremendous self control, while fear keeps you as a victim of your own urges and cravings. 

My Spirit gives you strength, while fear convinces you you are too weak to cope. 

My Spirit empowers you to make wise choices in spite of exhaustion, while fear confuses you. 

Let the voice of My Spirit drown out the voice of fear. My Spirit speaks in Love. Fear would like to keep you dry and dehydrated, stuck out in the desert. Come to the River, Beloved. Come, drink and live! Can you hear the River roar? My Spirit is Life. Hear the gushing of the water, and come near. The River is powerful and flowing fast, and fear would keep you away. Hear Me calling you and come. Come, dear one, and jump in! 

Because I AM

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes... Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: The Lord's right hand has done mighty things! The Lord's right hand is lifted high; the Lord's right hand has done mighty things!" Psalm 118:8-9,15-16

In this society where science is highly regarded, the "princes" are the scientific minds; the doctors and surgeons being amongst them.

Although I use them, the doctors should not take My place. Your hope does not rest in them. Which is just as well when they give you different, even opposite opinions of what is best for your girl.  Remember: your trust is in Me, your Refuge. Not in the doctors. Rest in this Truth - I AM Jehovah-Rapha, God your Healer. I AM the Divine Physician. I hold your tiny girl in the palm of My hand. I love her even more than you do - and you know how much that is!

As you take refuge in Me, you are agreeing with the higher Truth that I AM. Circumstances must bend to My Will. Things are not as they seem. Keep your eyes fixed on My Face, and My Reality will be MORE REAL to you than the appearance of your circumstances. You will have no fear of bad news, your heart will be steadfast, trusting in Me. Your heart is secure, you will have NO FEAR! (Psalm 112:7-8) Bad news cannot shake you when you cling to the Rock who is higher than you.  (Psalm 61:2)

Keeping your eyes fixed on Me, you can see beyond the circumstances.  Not to see a desired outcome, but to see the eternal Truth that I AM! Then you will burst forth with shouts of joy and victory! Get this, Beloved...You are not celebrating because things are going your way.  You are celebrating because I AM. You are not willing things into being, but you are rejoicing because I AM. Every step of the way, I AM. Regardless of what happens, I AM. You cannot be shaken, because I AM.

My Love

"Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord." Psalm 107:43

Never forget My great Love. I know each and every intimate detail of your life and of the challenges you are facing. Lean into My Love. Let it wash over you, cleansing away the fear that stains your mind. 

Meditate on My Love, dwell in the Truth that My Love is unfailing...that is, it cannot fail you. My Love cannot leave you, and it is impossible for My Love to let you down. 

My Love is the most powerful force in the universe. It defied and conquered death, once and for all. My Love carries you. Stop kicking and flailing, struggling to walk by yourself. Just lean back into My Love and relax. Let yourself be carried by the tenderest arms in existence. 

Let all of your anxiety melt away in the Presence of My Love. I've got this, Beloved. I really do. There is no uncertainty from My Perspective. Rest in My Love, knowing I'll take care of all the details - big and small.

No Safer Place

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God." Isaiah 43:1-3

Fear has no place in your heart, though your circumstances are screaming at you to be terrified. Fear not, Beloved. I AM WITH YOU. There is no safer place to be than in My Presence. You carry My Presence with you as you pass through the waters; as you walk through the fire. Think of Shadrach, Meschach and Abednigo - My Presence with them defied the laws of physics. Is this so hard to believe? I created the laws of physics, so of course they are subject to Me. They walked around in the fire "unbound and unharmed" (Daniel 3:25), and not a single hair on their heads was singed! 

Beloved, you carry My Presence with you. You will carry My Presence into the operating theatre, into intensive care units, into hospital wards. Where you are, there am I with you.

Rest and Rejoice

Psalm 5

Know that I hear your cries and your sighing. Lay your requests before Me and wait in expectation! Your heart is heavy this morning. Lay down your burdens, truly release them. (Ps 5:1-3)

I know that you are disappointed in yourself - how easily the doubt creeps in. Just a few well-meaning words from a caring friend or family member and you start questioning your judgement in trusting Me. Fear looms large and intimidating. You begin to cower...STOP! Remember who I AM! Take refuge in Me, your strong tower! Refuse to allow fear to lock you up in its dark dungeon again. Speak out My Word, it is living and active and has mighty power! 

Remember the truth that seeking Me is your best preparation. No amount of medical information can better prepare you to face your daughter's future. I hold her in My hand. Do not borrow trouble from tomorrow. Trust that I will help and guide you to the right information at the right time. 

Right now, it is crucial to guard against fear - the enemy of your soul. You are no longer a slave to fear, but fear will continue to do its best to entice you back into slavery. Rest here in My perfect Love. Fear has no place here. My perfect Love is full of Light, fear is darkness that cannot stand My Light. 

As you take refuge in Me, be glad! Keep on singing for joy! I spread My protection over you. I surround you with favour as with a shield. (Ps 5:11-12) You are protected by My Love, My Presence. I cover you with My protection. Rest in this covering. Rest, dear one. Rest and rejoice. This is perfect medicine for your aching heart. Rest and sing for joy.