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!

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! 

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.

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")

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!

Keep Dancing

Remember that revelation that I gave you last year, how dancing with Me could carry colour and joy into every activity of your life. The enemy has tried to steal that revelation from you with all the hard circumstances you have faced in the past six months. 

Consider this: if you do not want to lose that connection with Me through a day, do not choose activities that I would not wish to dance through. Sometimes your choices of entertainment are not "harmless" because they distance Me. Keep dancing with Me, through each moment of each day. When you are feeling stressed and when you are letting your natural man rule, close your eyes and picture us dancing again. Let your spirit man be in the forefront. Let My Spirit guide you. 

There is no circumstance that you face that cannot be danced through. When you lose the connection and find yourself in beggar's rags, sulking and tantrumming, wallowing in the pit of self-pity, just look to Me and I will take your hand, pull you out, clean you and dress you again in Strength and Dignity, and begin the dance where we left off.

Personal Agenda

"Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart." Psalm 97:11

How you react to frustrating changes to your plans for the day shows you are still walking in your own strength, operating in "D.I.Y. mode". To truly rely on Me, you need to lay down your own agenda. Pray with all your heart, then focus all your energy on trusting Me completely. 

When you do only the first part of this - praying with all your heart - you are praying with a personal agenda. No matter how good an agenda it is, it is still your plan. This leads to disappointment if My plan differs from your plan. And if you do not check it, disappointment leads to self-pity and bitterness. 

So...pray with all your heart, then trust Me with all your heart. I know your heart's desires, and I see bigger picture. I am for you, dear one. I am with you, but I am also before you and behind you. As you invest time and energy in trusting Me, you will walk in My Light, with joy in your heart, regardless of how the path differs from your desired route. 

Use Your Words

O My Precious, how your unbelief hurts My heart! Think about your relationship with your own children - when they attempt something on their own and fail, they cry and moan, "It's not working!!!" 

How often do you need to gently remind them, "If you are having trouble, just use your words to ask Mummy for help."

I am here, not just for you to spend time with each morning to draw strength for the day. There are so many things "not working" in your life right now, and so often I see you throw up your hands, cry and moan, "It's not working!"

Dear one, just use your words to ask Me for help! Keep bringing these situations to Me for My help, and wait on Me for answers and direction. This is how I transform the target the enemy has on you to a target for blessing...as you let each trouble or difficulty push you to truly depend on Me more fully, and walk with Me more closely. 

Do not think that you have to just put up and shut up. You can only manage that for so long before self-pity and bitterness take over! Believe in Me! Trust Me for deliverance! Yes, even from crushed sewage pipes, telecommunications problems and children's persistent bed-wetting! Watch as I open the doors and rain down "manna" solutions to your needs. 

Ask, in childlike faith, and it will be given to you!

Treasure Hunt

Too often, Beloved, you count your troubles. They seem so many, and you want to count them to compare with "normal", to see if you are particularly stricken at the moment. When other people comment on the number of troubles that are besetting you at present, you feel justified in wallowing in that mucky pit of self-pity for a while. 

Counting your troubles - or recounting them to others - will only leave you feeling hard-done-by and stricken. This is not at all helpful. 

Like the Psalmist, say: "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone." (Psalm 71:14-17)

This is an act of your will - you can choose to count and recount My mighty deeds rather than your troubles. Practise this in your own thoughts, aloud in your home, and with you husband and children. 

You know the psychological phenomenon that what is foremost in your mind is what you will notice most. When you were newly pregnant, you suddenly saw pregnant women everywhere. This phenomenon can work for you or against you. At the moment, your mind is set on the troubles you seem to keep encountering. I want to shift your mind's setting to seeing Me at work in your circumstances. 

I want each day to be like an exciting treasure hunt for you. That you would be on the look-out for My hand at work, and that you would excitedly proclaim My mighty deeds to those around you - that you would not be able to keep it in! Gratitude will be a natural response, rather than self-pity. Try it today! 

Remember Me

Psalm 78

There is much you can learn from the Israelites, Beloved. Their biggest downfall was their short memory - they forgot My wondrous deeds, My Power at work in their lives. They lived too much in the present, and forgot to recite My Mighty works to themselves and their children...this led to their distrust, doubt and unbelief. Their hearts were not loyal to Me. They did not believe in Me or trust in My deliverance. They lived by sight, rather than by faith. 

"Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer." (Psalm 78:34-35) But it was always short-lived. I would come to their rescue, work wonders to save them, then in their contentment they would forget Me again. "Their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant." (Psalm 78:37)

I crave loyalty in My People, Beloved. It blesses My heart when My dear ones stay true to Me through hardship AND blessing. The secret to keeping your heart loyal is to REMEMBER ME. Human hearts are fickle and quick to forget. I am teaching you to train your heart to remember Me every day. When things are going smoothly, remember Me regularly with thanks and praise. When the ride is rough, remember My character, My Goodness, and this will guard against the traps of self-pity and bitterness. 

It is ALWAYS a good idea to set your thoughts on Me. Remember Me through all your wakings in the night. Remember Me in the joyous moments and in the frustrating ones too. Remember Me in all that you do, and your heart will stay steadfast!

Every Thought Counts

What you allow your mind to rest on really does matter! You cannot spend your time counting your burdens and not have that affect you. You are transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). So be very careful how and where you allow your mind to wander. 

The enemy wants you to believe that you can indulge in "a little harmless self-pity" without it negatively affecting your heart. It's a lie! Every thought counts! Harmful thoughts breed more harmful thoughts and sour your insides. 

How you think directly impacts on how you see the world, and how you see Me. So guard your mind carefully. "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Philippians 4:8) I fit these adjectives perfectly! So remember, if your mind is wandering into enemy territory, fix your thoughts on Me. You will find yourself starting to count My wondrous deeds rather than counting your troubles. This is infinitely sweeter food for your soul than the bitter muck that the enemy would try to tempt you with.

Sing Out

Beloved, sometimes your heart is hard towards Me. Part of you blames Me for the many difficulties you are faced with recently. The enemy has rallied another warrior against you - resentment. Resentment has joined forces with self-pity, fear and despair. 

He whispers lies to your heart about Me: "Your God could change your circumstances in the blink of an eye, so why doesn't He, if He loves you so much?"

O dear one - listen to Me! I share your tears and your heartache over the challenges that you perceive as "big", as well as over the "small" but incredibly frustrating daily battles. I know they seem so very unnecessary to you, Beloved. 

My Precious, are you willing to trust Me even through this? Are you willing to let go of every shred of self-reliance and trust Me with you whole heart? When resentment bombards you with lies, close your ears and run to Me. Drown out his voice by singing of My Love. Drown out self-pity by singing praise to Me. Sing out with your whole heart. Sing of My Strength until you really sense it. Sing as though your life depended on it! 

"They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl around the city. They wander about for food and howl if not satisfied. But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God." Psalm 59:14-17

My Joy and My Delight

Psalm 57; 1 Samuel 24

You feel that the enemy has sent out fear, self-pity and despair to hotly pursue you. The temptation to give in is always before you. Even in the moments when you are walking with Me in victory, you can see your pursuers after you. 

But I am your refuge. Though self-pity prepares a pit for you to fall into; though fear plans to trap your heart - you are learning to recognise their attempts to trick you, and you are learning to turn this against them! 

When you recognise the enemy's ploys, you can use them as reminders to reconnect with Me. It is My specialty to use for good what the enemy intends for harm! This is My joy and My delight - to thwart the enemy by transforming his attempts to trap you into paths straight into My arms. 

Be on your guard, Beloved. Keep your eyes fixed on Me. Train your heart to be steadfast - sing and make music to Me! Praise Me all through the day! Call to mind My Love, which reaches to the heavens; remember My Faithfulness, which stretches to the skies. Keep your heart fixed on Me. Exalt and lift Me up over every situation you face. I delight in saving you! It is My joy to fulfill My purpose for you!

Firm Foundation

Psalm 61:1-4 "Here my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings."

It seems to you that self-pity is winning the battle today. You are feeling so stuck in the mud; it seems like you are being pelted from every side with muck. The more you try to pull yourself out, the more you feel thwarted. The more you look at the mud all around you, the deeper you sink. Your heart utters the cry, "This is not fair!" and the sinkhole pulls you down deeper. 

Speak out My Name in your desperation! Lift your eyes above the muck and mire, and search for My Face. 

Self-pity is telling you that there is nothing to thank Me for today. Reject that lie! Start by thanking Me for who I AM:

• Your strong tower
• Your Rock 
• Your Strength
• Your Salvation
• The King of kings and Lord of lords
• The provider of all your needs
• Perfect Love
• Wisdom above all others
• Creator of the Universe
• The Resurrection and the Life
• Death-crusher
• The Comforter
• The Alpha and the Omega

This Truth never changes. As you recite My credentials, your eyes find My Face. Now I can pull you from the miry pit and set your feet on the Rock. I AM your firm foundation. Continue to add to your list of things to thank Me for throughout this day. This will help you to keep your eyes fixed on Me. 

More Than A Conqueror!

Come to Me, weary one. Lay down all of your burdens again. I will give you rest. Wait here with Me. Refreshing your spirit in My Presence takes TIME. 

Wait patiently for Me. I do hear your cries. I lift you up out of the slimy pit of self-pity. Out of the mud and muck of sickness and weariness. I set your feet upon a Rock. I give you a firm place to stand. I am putting a new song in your mouth, a song of praise to Me. A song of celebration and joy. Many around you will see and will put their trust in Me. (Psalm 40:1-3)

In Me, you are more than a conqueror! (Romans 8:37)

Guard Against Self-Pity

Continue to be on your guard against self-pity. Feeling sorry for yourself, however justified it seems, is just not helpful! Wallowing in self-pity leaves your heart muddy, and your soul downcast. Do not seek others' pity, either. This does not mean that you ought to bottle up your sadness, though. 

When you are feeling sad, bring it to Me. Pour your heart out, cry all the tears you need to - but don't leave it at that! Follow David's example from Psalms (e.g. Psalm 42)...speak out Truth and Hope! Declare My Goodness! Sing out praise for My Faithfulness! Recite the ways that I have come through for you in the past. List the ways I have come through for others. Call to mind all the ways I am showing you that I am with you now. 

Delight yourself in Me, in all the wonder of My unfailing and relentless Love. Why wallow in self-pity, when you can dance in My Love instead? Lift up your heart-eyes to My Face. Your soul will be satisfied and lifted up.

Dance Through Your Tears

Dance through your tears, my lovely. Your sacrifice of praise blesses My heart. I love you, dear one. I love you so much more than you can ever know. Soak in that love! Drink it in. 

Feel the refreshing wind of My Spirit blowing across your face. Bask in the sunshine of My love. 

Just sit with the awareness of the challenges ahead, but don't let fear mask My Presence. Let My Presence hold you as you look towards the way ahead. Yes, you will face storms and darkness, but I will go before you as a pillar of fire to light your way. Just keep your eyes fixed on Me, and I will not let your foot slip. 

This does not mean that there will not be danger and difficulties, but that My sweet Presence will be with you each step of the way. 

You must discipline your mind as never before. Do not entertain even a hint of self-pity, guilt, victim mentality, or questioning "why?". Guard against these with all of your strength, as they will lead you down slippery slopes.

Fix your heart and mind on Me. Anchor your thoughts to My Word. Do not let your gaze slip from My Face. Be steadfast in your pursuit of My Presence. I DO reward those who diligently seek Me. I reward them with the light of My Face.