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

It Is Pleasant

"Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!" Psalm 135:3

There is a deep hunger in you, Beloved. Hunger for Me. And yet, at times you still seek to fill it with "junk food", rather than partaking in the feast set before you. Some things seem pleasant to you in the moment, but leave you feeling dissatisfied. 

One thing always satisfies - My Presence, dear one! You were created to worship and cannot be satisfied unless you are living in intimate, worshipful relationship with Me, giving Me the praise due My Name. This is not a chore - it blesses your heart even more than you know!

In obedience, you praise Me because I deserve it. Because I AM GOOD. But as you do this, you realise how pleasant it is. One thing you can be sure of - praising Me will never leave a bad taste in your mouth. There will be no detrimental side-effects. There will be pain at times; but it is healthy pain, productive pain to cleanse your heart. 

Today test your cravings...whenever you are craving something, turn your face to Me and connect with Me. See how I will satisfy you!

Always Worthy

"Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 117

We've talked about this before, but let's go over it again. Praise is not situation-dependent. You do not praise Me when things seem (to you) to be going well, and then withhold it when you are unhappy with the way your circumstances are progressing. 

In psychology, you have been taught to use praise as a reward. You praise to reward behaviours that you want to see more of, behaviours that you approve of. You withhold praise and ignore behaviours that you want to see less of, behaviours that you disapprove of. But you cannot train Me, Beloved. I do not bend to your will by strategic use of praise. You cannot make Me love you any more than I already do - that is an impossibility! 

I will not jump through a hoop for a treat, dear one. You praise Me because I AM. My Presence, My Existence deserves praise. I AM always worthy, regardless of what I do or don't do. 

Moreover, praise moves your heart. When your eyes have slipped from My Face, praise restores the connection. When you are feeling helpless, praise restores Truth of My Sovereignty. When things are not going the way think they should, praise realigns you with Me, with My will. 

So, declare with the psalmist right now: "Great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever! Praise the Lord!"

Praise!

"Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.  From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised."

As you sit watching the sun rise, let your heart be filled with praise for Me. This is your natural response to the beauty you find when you turn your eyes to Me. My beauty and My Goodness cause praise to rise in your soul.  Speak it out, declare it, sing with joy of your love for Me!

While praise is a natural response to reflecting on who I am, it is so much more than this.  It is a fact that praise is due Me - always and forever.  It is written into the laws of the universe - My name MUST be praised. It is written into the very structure of My creation. So when you choose to praise Me, you are standing in agreement with Heaven and all of earth's creation.

The ruler of this world would have you believe that it is unnatural for you to praise Me, especially when facing difficult circumstances.  He would have you blame Me instead. But he is the father of lies and there is no Truth in him. 

As you face this day, choose to do the most truly natural thing in the world, and PRAISE ME with your whole heart!

Awaken The Dawn!

"My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn." Psalm 108:1-2

I have told you that the dawn is coming. It is coming, Beloved. Can you sense the anticipation? Though the night feels long and dark, the dawn is coming. Listen for the first sounds of birdsong. Watch for the gradual lifting of the darkness...But you need not remain passive, dear one. "Sing and make music with all your soul!" You can awaken the dawn! 

The darkness cannot remain in the Presence of Light. You can call forth My Light when you sing My Praise with all of your might. Do not be shy or self-conscious about this - let go of all reservations and SING! Sing declarations of My Goodness, My Love, My Faithfulness. Defy the darkness of your circumstances by joyfully singing to Me. The darkness loses all power to oppress you when you sing out in faith. 

Declare Truth. Sing out in the Spirit. Sing out prophesy over your daughter, as I lead you. Wield this beautiful weapon of Light and watch the darkness retreat, and the dawn arrive in brilliant splendour!!

Soul Restoring

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles." Psalm 103:1-5

When your soul feels weary, and is reluctant to praise Me or seek Me, you need to talk to yourself! Remind yourself of who I am, and what I have done for you. When you truly dwell on the vastness of who I am and what I have done for you, you cannot help but burst out in grateful praise. This kind of reflection is restorative for your soul. Make time for it, Beloved. Do not allow the enemy to distract you from it - especially not now! You need this more than ever right now.

Open the Gates

"Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs...Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." Psalm 100:2,4

Beloved, you know by now that thanksgiving opens the gates to My Presence; praise ushers you into the courts of My Presence. It does your heart good to worship Me with gladness, especially when your heart is downcast. 

Do not be discouraged by the appearance of your circumstances, but know that I am God; it is I who made you, you are Mine, the sheep of My pasture. I am Good, and My Love endures forever; My Faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:3,5) 

Dwell in this Truth. This is the irrefutable Truth that your Hope is securely anchored to. Speak it out, sing it out, shout it out - declare your agreement with it! Make this your daily practice - start each day with joyful songs of praise to Me. 

"That Makes Me Smile!"

"It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High,  to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night... For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord;  I sing for joy at the works of your hands." Psalm 92:1-2,4

What joy it gives you when your children praise you for your deeds - deeds that you do every day, often without acknowledgement. What delight it gives your heart when your young child thanks you for something specific that you do for him - especially when he says: "Thanks Mummy, that makes me happy! It makes me smile!"

How you love to make your children smile! And how much sweeter when they recognise and thank you for it. 

Oh My dear one - so it is with Me. I delight to hear your praise! What joy it gives Me to hear you say thank You! Especially when you share a smile with Me. So many ways each day I seek to bring a smile to your face. See how many you can spot today! And don't forget to thank Me, and sing for joy!

Learn To Acclaim

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exalt in your righteousness. For you are their glory and strength, by your favour you exalt our horn." Psalm 89:14-17

Walking in the Light of My Presence is something you must practise, dear one. You must learn to acclaim Me, to rejoice in Me all day long! This is a discipline that does not come easily at first. Especially when you are faced with many trials - your heart does not naturally rejoice in sickness and strife! But you are learning to walk in My ways, by the Light of My Presence. I AM your Strength, Beloved, but only as you yield your weakness to Me, remember. 

Practise rejoicing in Me all day long TODAY! Make this your number one focus today. As your other plans have been cancelled due to sickness, grab hold of this opportunity to spend THIS DAY continually turning your heart-eyes back to Me, and speaking out praise and thanksgiving to Me. The sooner you start taking this mandate seriously, the sooner it will become a blessed habit in your life. 

Hasten the Sunrise!

"O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you." Psalm 84:12

Everyone trusts in something or someone. For many people, it is science, "the laws of nature" and the tangible world. For others, it is the principle of "karma", or some vague higher being. Some people trust only in themselves, others trust only in someone else. But blessed is the person who trusts in Me! 

I am the only one who is 100% trustworthy. Everything and everyone else will let you down sooner or later - but this is no reason to get bitter or shut yourself off from others. Just accept that I am the only 100% trustworthy one, and do not burden others by trying to expect from them what can only be given by Me. 

I AM completely trustworthy! This is why you can praise Me in the midst of deep distress. You can say, like David, "I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me. I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving." (Psalm 69:29-30)

To the world, this seems counter-intuitive and just plain crazy! It is, in fact, your best response to difficulty. Sing your way through every storm. Sing like never before. Sing with all your heart into the night. Declare the coming dawn! Your songs of joy and thanksgiving to Me will push back the darkness and hasten the sunrise!!!

The Radiance of My Being

Psalm 68

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death." vs 19-20

"Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, to him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice. Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!" vs 32-35

Listen, dear one - are you getting this? Your circumstances need not define you. Unpleasant circumstances need not dictate a bad day. I have given you power to shift the atmosphere of your home. As you have been practising, singing declarations of praise to Me is one way to change not only your own mood, but the presiding atmosphere over your household. 

Like King Jehoshaphat, who sent singers ahead of his army (2 Chronicles 20), you can pave the way for My Victory. It is I who works the victory, but I want you to participate in it! Proclaim My Mighty Power to your circumstances, then watch Me at work! Watch how I empower you and give you strength far beyond that which you possess in yourself. 

Do not wonder why you are being stretched so...did you not pray for Me to expand your boundaries? Do not fear trouble or difficulty, Beloved. The darkness is a canvas for My Light and Radiance. Difficulty can only cripple you if you live in fear of it! 

I am so much greater than any difficulty that you could possibly face, dear one! Look to Me. Let the Radiance of My Being shine on you and envelop you. 

Just Sing!

When dark clouds hover over you, threatening to envelop you, sometimes you just need to SING! When speaking out words of praise feels like you are just spewing rhetoric - SING! Declare My praises in song...wobbly and out of tune though it may be. Do not worry about how you sound, just SING to Me. This takes you out of your head and into your heart. 

Have songs that you know well as battle songs, and sing these when you are struggling to spontaneously sing praise. Sing with your whole heart, sing in agreement with My Truth. 

My angels declare My praises with singing. When you sing My praise, you are joining with the angels, in agreement with Heaven! 

Despair retreats at the formidable sound of My dear ones singing praises to Me!

Praise

Psalm 67

Praise is not something you do just when you feel like it. It is a sacrifice that costs you something, especially when you don't feel like it. You actually school your emotions by choosing to praise Me in all circumstances - in this way, you teach your emotions that they are not the ultimate authority in your life, that they cannot dictate all your thoughts and actions. 

Praise is a beautiful weapon of My Light, pushing back the darkness that would advance against your soul. As you sing and speak out praise to Me, your emotions will bow to the superior Truth that I AM.