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!